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Chapter 7: What Was Once Masked Is Now Revealed…

Johnny walked into Jake's with Elizabeth on one arm and Emily on the other. All of their eyes filled with excitement as the club was hopping with loud music and party goers. Coleman was in his element as he stood behind the bar, grooving and shaking to the beat of the live band.

"Hey!" Coleman beamed, outstretching his hands in delight, "Welcome to the party, guys!"

The trio laughed as they walked over to order a drink. Coleman was already setting glasses atop the bar. "Alright," he grinned, "for the ladies…tequila…and for my favorite Corinthos henchman, I've got something special!"

Johnny's eyebrows shot up, "Something special?"

"Yep!" Coleman nodded, "It's called a Coleman Shocker…trust me, my friend! It will ensure you have a great time tonight!"

"What's in it?" Johnny questioned, peering wearily at the large filled glass as Coleman placed it in front of him.

"Some of my special VIP liquor," Coleman happily explained, "Made with some outstanding happy medicine called Everclear Vodka with a little special touch from yours truly!"

"Everclear Vodka, huh?" Johnny laughed, taking a sip and rearing his head back in shock, "Wow! That's potent!"

"Potent medicine," Coleman slowly enunciated, "to keep up with the potent beauty of the stunning women you brought with you tonight!"

Elizabeth brought her nose down to smell the concoction, "I think you may just want to stick with one of these!"

Emily leaned down next and shot Johnny a warning glare, "I think she's right. More than one of those and you won't remember anything in the morning!"

"Relax, ladies," Johnny assured them with a confident grin, "I can handle my liquor!"

Elizabeth and Emily locked gazes and nodded in agreement to keep an eye on their "date". There was no way that they could let Johnny get out of control when so much was as stake.

Elizabeth started looking throughout the room once more. As her eyes wandered nervously around for Jason, her gaze took her to the front door, just as Jason entered and began walking over towards them.

"My main mob man!" Coleman greeted enthusiastically, "Beer?"

"Yeah, thanks," Jason said uneasily. Coleman quickly sat a bottle down in front of him with a wink.

"Everything alright?" Johnny inquired, worry filling his voice.

"You mean besides the fact that you are flanked by Elizabeth and Emily?" Jason sarcastically returned, taking a long swig from his beer.

"Now, Jason," Emily soothed, "Let's play nice. Johnny was kind enough to let me tag along on his date with Elizabeth tonight."

Jason hesitantly smiled and nodded as he looked over at Elizabeth, who looked radiant in an off shouldered black sequined blouse, tight jeans, and black heels. "You look like you are ready to celebrate."

Elizabeth grinned widely, "It's nice to get out and have some fun!"

"Well, if it's fun you're looking for, beautiful," Coleman interrupted, a charming smile crossing his face, "You are in luck, because I'm about to really get the party started."

Everyone watched as Coleman walked around the side of the bar and towards the center of the dance floor, clearing his throat loudly as he boasted, "Welcome, welcome to all my lovely and favorite patrons of Jakes! We are here to celebrate my ownership of this outstanding establishment for five whole years, which is longer than anything else I've been willing to be committed to," Coleman's grin turned snarky as he added, "if you know what I mean!"

Cheers filled Jake's as Coleman smiled widely, "And now, it's time to have a little fun! If I can please have some volunteers from my gorgeous audience…." Coleman motioned towards Johnny, Emily, and Elizabeth, who looked at each other curiously before shrugging slightly and walking over towards Coleman. Several other patrons walked onto the dance floor as Coleman split them up, four women on one side and three men on the other.

"Alrighty," Coleman said, standing before the two lines with all the ladies giggling at him, "I need one more handsome guy to make it even." Turning quickly, Coleman eyed Jason, motioning for him to join him on the floor, "What do you say, my man? Can I talk you into joining our little group over here?"

The trio of conspirators watched in shock as Jason slowly walked over to stand beside Johnny in line, his eyes looking resigned as he sighed loudly at Coleman.

"Now, tonight's game," Coleman slyly started, pulling out two handfuls of blindfolds from his pocket, "is Bartenders Blind Boogey." Coleman passed out the blindfolds to each of his contestants, "All of you need to put these on and I get the pleasure of choosing your dance partner. You will have two minutes to dance your socks off and then two minutes to show me your seduction moves on the floor! Then, I get to choose our winner!"

All eight people did as they were told and Coleman went one by one making his pairs, including pairing Jason up with Elizabeth and Johnny with Emily. As she felt his fingers wrap around hers, Elizabeth knew immediately who her partner was. Inhaling deeply, Elizabeth let out her breath anxiously, "Jason? Is that you?"

"Yeah," Jason sighed out, "At least Coleman was nice enough to not pair me up with a stranger."

"I can't believe you even walked up here!" Elizabeth exclaimed under her breath, "This isn't your typical thing."

"Well," Jason reasoned softly, wrapping his arm around Elizabeth waist, startling her as he pulled her into his frame, "I figured I owed Coleman after all the times I've busted up chairs and people in this place."

Elizabeth laughed as she took in Jason's scent, "I wonder who he paired Johnny and Emily up with?"

Jason leaned down to whisper in Elizabeth's ear, "I don't really care…as long as I have you. But, just so you know, I don't boogey! We'll have to make up for it in the slow dance."

Before Elizabeth could respond, loud music blared from the jukebox with a heavy upbeat rhythm. The whole place filled with laughter as all the blindfolded couples attempted to dance, but only successfully bumped into each other with yelps of "Ow!" and giggles ringing out over the dance floor as toes were stomped on. When the music finally ended, Coleman walked up to hand out drinks for his ailing and sore group, laughing loudly, "I think all of you need these!"

Elizabeth held onto one of Jason's hands as she grabbed her shot of tequila, clinking glasses with Jason before they downed the shots. After they placed their now empty glasses back onto Coleman's tray, Jason pulled Elizabeth back tightly into his arms, readying for their slow dance. A romantic melody began playing through the speakers as Elizabeth wrapped her arms around Jason's neck and his hands found her waist.

"I love the way your hair smells," Jason murmured in her ear, running his hand up her curve until his thumb touched the outer part of her breast and then quickly ran it back down.

This was not what Elizabeth had expected this evening, although she had to admit, she was thankful for Coleman's game, returning, "If I didn't know better, I would think you were flirting with me, Jason Morgan!"

"What if I am?" Jason inquired huskily, "What if I asked you to stop seeing Johnny…and give us a chance?"

Her heart instantly jumped into her chest as Elizabeth choked out, "Are-Are you serious?"

"Yes," Jason gently responded, "I've never been more serious about anything in my life, Elizabeth. I've been going crazy watching you with Johnny. I-I love you."

"But-," Elizabeth said in a broken voice, "you said that we were a mistake-you said it was too dangerous. What changed your mind?"

Jason was about to respond when he heard footsteps coming very close to their position on the floor. Both Jason and Elizabeth were caught off guard by Johnny's slurred voice declaring, "God, I love you so much!" followed by Emily whispering in a worried giggle, "Shh!"

Jason stopped cold as Elizabeth felt his breath across her lips, "Did he just say I love you? Does-does Johnny think he is dancing with…you?"

"Ummm…" Elizabeth nervously replied, unsure of how to respond, "Actually I believe he knows exactly who he is dancing with."

Jason yanked his blindfold off just in time to see Johnny lowering his lips to kiss Emily gently on the mouth. "What the hell are you doing?" Jason yelled, as Coleman quickly ran over to stand between the men.

The music stopped and everyone removed their blindfolds. Elizabeth ran over to take Jason's arm as Emily protectively walked in front of a slightly drunk Johnny. "Jason," Emily softly said, "I can explain."

Jason looked between Johnny and Emily before looking down at Elizabeth, "What the hell is going on?"

"Okay folks," Coleman shouted to the crowd, "Drinks are on the house! Everyone to the bar!" As the area began to clear, Coleman looked at the quad, "Why don't you guys take this over to the corner or better yet, outside? Looks like you all need to have a talk."

"Good idea," Johnny slurred, "It's time Jason knew the truth…and hopefully he's done being an idiot where Lizzie is concerned!"

Jason pulled Elizabeth with him as Emily carefully pushed Johnny to the far corner of the bar, pleading, "Jason, please believe me! We didn't do this to hurt you! We did all of this to help you…well, and to try and ease the blow of my relationship with Johnny! I guess looking back on it now, it wasn't such a good idea."

Jason's eyes widened, "You mean to tell me Johnny is in love…with you?"

"Yes," Emily nodded, "and I love him, Jase! I love him so much! I just-I just didn't know how to tell you!"

"No!" Jason shouted, "This is not happening! I will not have you involved in our business, Emily! Ever!"

"Jason!" Emily shot back, "It's too late for that! I love Johnny and there is nothing you can do about it!"

"Look man," Johnny intervened, "Emily is the best thing that ever happened to me! I'm not giving her up!"

Jason shoved Johnny back hard against the wall, his hand squeezing around Johnny's throat, "All you were supposed to do was protect my sister! Now you're telling me that you're not going to live without her putting her right back into danger? Have you lost your mind?

Johnny let out an uncomfortable laugh, "Yeah, I have. I-I love Emily, Jason, more than I ever thought I could love anyone. She makes me see anything is possible! The only way you will ever make me give that up is to kill me!"

Emily ran up to put her hand on Jason's arm, softly pleading, "Jason, please! I know what is involved in your life, but Johnny…" her voice trailed off as her face lit up with love, "the love I feel for him is worth whatever risk I have to take for us to be together."

Jason's voice softened as he stared at his sister. The happiness in her expression that had been gone for over a year was there…thanks to the man he was ready to kill. "Emily, I just-I just don't want anything to happen to you and if-"

Emily turned back to face her brother with a determined glare as she cut off his sentence, "Last time I checked, Jason, I am an adult and can make my own decisions. I know this will be hard for you, but you have to let me make my own choices in life…and I choose Johnny."

"Thanks, sweetness," Johnny choked out, reaching out to grab Emily's hand.

Jason released his hold, the shock of Johnny and Emily's confession wearing off slightly as he suddenly remembered who he had been lead to believe Johnny was interested in-and it wasn't his sister. Turning to look at Elizabeth, whose face was streaming with tears, he said in a hurtful tone, "So, this whole time…all of you were lying to me…making me believe that it was…" Jason lost his words as Elizabeth dropped her eyes to the ground.

"I'm so sorry, Jason," Elizabeth whispered, "Johnny and Emily…they didn't know how to tell you and Johnny made me see that there was still a chance that we…" Unable to finish her sentence, Elizabeth looked up at Jason with hope filling her eyes.

Jason was unable to stop the pain in his heart from flooding into his voice, "So you lied to me?"

"No," Johnny adamantly denied, "Well-yes-I guess we did, but man, it was the only way to make you see what was right in front of you! You have loved Elizabeth since that first night in this very bar. And she loves you! I thought that if you could see her interested in me, then you would get over this stupid idea you have that you don't belong together!"

Jason turned to look at Johnny with a fury and anger like he had never known. Every word Johnny said was true, but that didn't make up for the fact that they had all played on his emotions.

"Johnny's right, Jase," Emily concurred, looking at her brother earnestly, "I've seen it! You love Elizabeth and I know for a fact that Elizabeth loves you and wants the same thing I want with Johnny…to give you the kind of love you have always deserved and the family you have always wanted."

Jason let his gaze drop as he turned to look at Elizabeth with glazed eyes, "That still didn't give you the right to lie and manipulate me."

Suddenly, it was Elizabeth that was angry, "Oh, and you haven't been lying and manipulating me and my feelings, Jason?"

Jason's tone turned heated and defensive, "I have never manipulated you, not like this!"

"Really?" Elizabeth questioned, putting her hands on her hips, "What about making me believe Sonny was dead? Do you remember that little lie?"

"There was a good reason for that, Elizabeth!" Jason shot back, "and I explained all of that to you afterwards!"

"And what about your second lie, Jason?" Elizabeth returned, tears flowing down her cheeks, "The one that hurt the most? I seem to remember you telling me not too long ago that you didn't love me-that our night together was just that…one night! You asked me to marry you, then took it all back and left me alone, miserable, and crying night after night thinking all of these feelings I thought we had together was just my imagination-knowing the one thing I have always wanted was the thing that I would never be able to have because you truly didn't love me! Do you have any idea how that destroyed me?"

Elizabeth's words cut through Jason like a knife as he replied in a devastated tone, "I never-I never meant to hurt you…I was only trying to protect you. It was never about not loving you, Elizabeth. I will always love you."

Elizabeth slowly walked over towards him and placed her hand on his arm, "And I will always love you, Jason."

Jason reached up and pulled Elizabeth's hand off, turning towards the door to leave, "I can't do this-not after what you three have done. I'm-I'm sorry."

"Jason!" Emily exasperated as her brother sprinted out of the building, "Don't leave, please! Let's just talk about this!"

Emily's words fell on deafened ears as Jason left and Elizabeth was left in a pool of tears. Johnny let out a deep sigh as he walked over and wrapped his arms around her, causing Elizabeth to fall limp and sob loudly.

"I'm so sorry, Lizzie," Johnny breathed out, tightening his hold, "Just give him time…I'm sure Jason will see that his love for you will override this whole mess."

In between sobs, Elizabeth declared, "No-No, he won't, Johnny. I've-I've ruined everything! Jason is never going to forgive me, not after everything I've done!"

"We," Emily corrected, lying her hand gently on Elizabeth's back and looking up at Johnny with distraught eyes, "We have ruined everything after everything we did, Elizabeth! I never expected it to end like this. I'm so sorry!"

"Fear not, my lovely ladies," Johnny reassured, pulling out his cell phone, "We still have one Ace up our sleeve. I think it's time for me to make a phone call."

Elizabeth leaned back and she and Emily both looked at Johnny with confused expressions as he hit the number of his last ditch effort to get someone to finally get through Jason's stubbornness. Placing the phone to his ear, he sadly said, "It's me…Jason knows about our little plan and it didn't end quite like we had hoped."

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Jason stood on the docks trying to let the water ease his troubled mind. Unfortunately, it wasn't working as he went over all of the events of recent weeks. He couldn't believe that he didn't see the signs that were right in front of him. His jealousy over Elizabeth clouded his mind and he kicked himself for not seeing the truth about the charade before now. How could they do this to him? How could Elizabeth do this to him?

"Looks like you could use a friend," Sonny's voice interrupted Jason's thoughts.

Jason continued to look out onto the water as he replied, "I guess Johnny called you."

"Yeah," Sonny said, his voice full of regret, "He did."

Jason turned to look at Sonny's fallen expression, "Did he tell you what they did? That he was in love with Emily and not Elizabeth like he led us to believe?"

"Actually," Sonny hesitatingly replied, "I already knew about all of that. I've known about Johnny's feelings for Emily for quite a while."

Jason was stunned at Sonny's revelation, "You knew this whole time? And you, of all people, didn't tell me? How could you let them do this to me? How could you not tell me about this?"

"Jason," Sonny drawled out, "I knew you would never see how good Johnny was for Emily. She's happy, she's in love, and I know for a fact that Johnny loves her very much. You have never thought love was possible in our business," Sonny paused for a long moment as he tried to choose his words carefully, "but the fact is, we all deserve love…even you, which is why I chose to help Johnny, Emily, and Elizabeth in this little plan of theirs."

"Don't you think I know the reasons behind what they did?" Jason said accusingly, "It doesn't change the fact that they lied, they manipulated me, and they betrayed the trust I had in all of them! " Jason's emotions overtook him as he shouted, "Someone who I trusted as a friend! My own sister! The woman I have always loved!"

Sonny cleared his throat as he returned, "Did you really give them any other choice? What would you have done if Emily came to you and told you that she was in love with Johnny?"

"I would have stopped it!" Jason exclaimed loudly.

"Exactly," Sonny said knowingly, "And if Elizabeth had come to you and said she loved you and wanted a life with you...how would you have reacted?"

"I-I don't know," Jason honestly replied, "I probably would have done the same thing I have always done…walked away."

Sonny laughed under his breath, "You know…Johnny wasn't the only one who called me tonight. Seems there is someone else who was trying to help you in this whole mess."

Jason's expression turned hard as he asked, "Who is that?"

"Coleman," Sonny grinned, "This little party of his tonight…that was your idea…the blindfolds…being paired with Elizabeth…you worked pretty hard to get her away from Johnny and into your arms. Are you really going to throw away all that effort because you found out you weren't the only one with a plan? Seems to me, you were all looking for the same kind of ending."

"That's not fair," Jason sighed out, hating the fact that part of him knew Sonny was right.

"Isn't it?" Sonny gently questioned, "You were manipulating them tonight, just as much as they were manipulating you."

"I wasn't thinking clearly," Jason defensively replied, "If I hadn't been so jealous because of their lies, I never would have made myself believe it was possible."

"So if it was anybody other than Johnny," Sonny queried, "you wouldn't feel the same? If Elizabeth was with some normal guy, that wouldn't bother you?"

"Probably," Jason nodded, "But I could accept it."

"I don't believe you," Sonny said, "I honestly don't think you want Elizabeth with anyone else other than you."

"It doesn't matter what I want," Jason exasperated, "It would be too much for Elizabeth and the boys to risk. It would never work."

"You don't know that," Sonny argued, "If Elizabeth is willing to try, why can't you? You deserve to be loved, Jason. You deserve to have your family. Most of all, you deserve to have Jake and Cameron in your life. After everything you have been through in your lifetime, you deserve to be the father they both deserve and have the love of a beautiful woman who has always been there for you!"

Sonny walked over and patted Jason on the shoulder as he added, "If I were you? I would think long and hard before throwing it all away again. Jason, this may be your last chance at genuine happiness. See what Johnny, Emily, and Elizabeth did for what it truly was…a way to give you everything you have always wanted."

Turning to walk back up the docks, Sonny sighed, "My phone will be on. You know you can call me if you need me. But, Jason, I really hope I don't hear from you. For that matter, I hope I don't even see you tomorrow. For once you put what you need-what you want-ahead of everything and everybody else that you feel responsible for. That is what I truly want for you…I just hope you can finally take it. If you are smart? You will go find Elizabeth right now and tell her that you forgive her and you want a life with her...before it's too late."

Jason watched Sonny as he slowly disappeared out of sight. The anger that had consumed him was gone, replaced by pain and his love for Elizabeth. Sonny's words hit Jason almost as hard as Elizabeth's had as he returned his gaze to the water and wondered to himself…Could their love be enough to overcome the hurt of their actions and lies? Even more, could their love overcome what they would face if they finally gave in to their hearts?