Chapter 30
Johnny watched as Elizabeth flitted around the small studio apartment. She seemed to have a reserve of pent-up nervous energy. After she re-entered the room and interrupted what was essentially Sonny and Jason threatening to gut Johnny like a fish, the two men had remained silent, leaving all conversation up to Elizabeth and Johnny. Finding himself scared senseless, Johnny had to admit he was not much in a talking mood, so Elizabeth had tried to manage keeping the conversation up alone by making random observations - about the weather, about Port Charles, about pretty much anything.
Sensing her discomfort - and knowing he was one of the causes - Sonny had pushed himself and Jason out the door a few minutes later. Now, even though they were gone, Elizabeth still felt on edge.
Johnny sighed. "Elizabeth."
She looked up from the table she was scrubbing clean - not that it was really dirty - and immediately looked back down.
"Elizabeth!"
Stopping what she was doing, Elizabeth straightened up and looked at Johnny. "What?"
Johnny shook his head - in exasperation, in frustration - he wasn't completely sure. "How do you know those guys?! Do you have any idea who they are? Do you have any idea what they - what they do? Jesus! I thought you were neck deep in it when you were dating Ric . . . but these guys - these guys are bad news, Beth - bad news!"
"You don't know what you are talking about."
"Bullshit! I don't know what I am talking about? You are kidding me, right? Sonny Corinthos is not the head of the mob. Jason Morgan is not his enforcer - his hired and trained killer. Jason Morgan is not the best enforcer - the best killer - ever . . . you are right. What do I know, really."
Elizabeth came over and sat on the edge of the couch. She stared at her hands for several moments. When she finally did speak, she spoke so softly, Johnny had to lean forward, painfully, to hear her. "It is not that simple. It is not that black and white. Sonny is my - he is like my brother. I know what he does but it is not who he is. He has been there for me in most of the worst times in my life - "
"Really," Johnny interrupted, his words came out angry and sharp. "Where was he when Ric was beating the shit out of you?"
"He didn't know anything about Ric! I - I was too embarrassed to tell him. I knew what he would do if he knew. I - I kept thinking - hoping that I could get myself out of that mess before Sonny found out and did something."
"Now he knows and Ric, well he's a dead man walking, isn't he?"
Elizabeth didn't answer. She simply looked away, gnawing on her bottom lip.
Johnny ran his hands through his hair, trying to shake the past hour's events. He had been really affected by Jason Morgan's threats - more so than he had by any other he had ever received - and he had been threatened before. Hell, his own father had tried to 'do away with him' a number of times. But nothing had ever shaken him this badly. Maybe it was because he knew, without a shred of doubt that Jason would not hesitate - not even for a millisecond - to end his life. One look into Jason's eyes and Johnny knew, without a doubt, that Jason did not - could not - value human life.
And Elizabeth was mixed up with him.
It made Johnny's insides cold. He actually felt a chill run up his spine and he shivered in response.
"Are you cold? Are you running a fever?" She placed the back of her hand on his forehead. Johnny reached up and grabbed her hand with his.
"I am fine, Sweetie. I promise." He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her palm. "I am just worried about you . . . I - I will admit, I do not know too much about Sonny other than what I've read (in the files my brother collected on him, he thought silently). He could be . . . okay. But Jason - " Elizabeth started to pull away, trying to yank her hand out of his. "No!" He said, gripping her hand tighter. "Listen to me! Jason is not normal - he is not human! They call him the Borg for a reason. He cannot - he does not feel."
Elizabeth managed to pull her hand out of Johnny's hands. She stood up and began pacing in front of the couch. "You don't know him! You don't know Jason anymore than you know Sonny. These men - they mean something to me!"
"They are dragging you into the middle of mob bullshit!" Johnny yelled, attempting to sit up more. He winced in pain, flopping back down against the couch cushions. He closed his eyes, willing the pain to go away.
Elizabeth stopped her pacing to look at him, waiting to make sure that Johnny was okay. Once Johnny re-opened them, she knelt down on the floor next to the couch so she could look him into the eyes. "Johnny," she whispered, "I appreciate the concern. I do. I love you for it." Johnny felt his heart start to beat wildly in his chest at her words. "But there are so many things going on - so many things you don't know . . . about me, about Jason . . . please, just trust me. Jason and Sonny, they are not dragging me into anything. Sonny - he's my - my family. I cannot change that, Johnny. Just like you cannot change the fact that JR - the head of the Boston mob - is your brother and Claudia . . . well, what can I say about Claudia - regardless of anything I could say, she is your sister."
Johnny placed his hand on the back of Elizabeth's head, pulling her towards him until their foreheads were pressed together. "I - I care about you, Beth - deeply. I just don't want anything to happen to you. I don't want you mixed up in anything that could hurt you."
Elizabeth reached out and caressed the side of Johnny's face. "Oh Johnny, nothing and no one can keep from getting hurt 100% of the time. No matter how I live my life, not matter who I let in or who I keep out . . . stuff happens . . . life happens. No one - not even you can protect me from that."
Johnny was lost in the moment of enjoying Elizabeth's touch, her closeness, her smell . . . he moved so that his cheek was pressed against hers. He could feel her breath on his neck, near his ear. Without thinking, he reached around with his other hand and rubbed it up and down her arm.
"Elizabeth," he whispered, hoping she recognized the change in mood.
Whatever Johnny was hoping for was interrupted by Elizabeth's cell phone. Jumping up, Elizabeth grabbed her phone and looked to see who was calling. Judging by the way her face lit up, Johnny had no doubt who it was.
"Hey," Johnny cringed at the playful, sexy tone Elizabeth used for her greeting. She turned her back to him and walked a few steps away. It's not like Johnny couldn't hear her; the studio was not that big.
"No, it's not too late . . . but I am not sure. I don't want to leave Johnny . . . oh . . . okay . . . I'll meet you in fifteen minutes then."
Somehow, Johnny knew he was about to be left alone.
Elizabeth walked back over to the couch and sat down on the edge with a little extra bounce. "That was Jason - now don't start. I don't want to hear it. He is going to have Johnny O'Brien stay with you so that he and I can hang out for a bit. Is that okay?"
"Would it make a bit of difference if I said it wasn't?" Johnny grumbled, knowing he was coming off like a jerk but too disappointed to care.
Elizabeth looked like she was actually contemplating his question before she laughed and shook her head. "Nope. No difference at all! Come on," she said, playfully slapping him on the thigh, "Johnny O's not so bad."
Just then, there was a knock on the door. Elizabeth bounced over to it and swung it open, greeting Johnny O with a smile and a hug.
"Are you ready to keep our patient company," she said as Johnny O released her from the hug.
Johnny O looked over at the man laying on Elizabeth's couch, his face unreadable except for a slight narrowing of his eyes. The little shit had pulled a fast one on him with that fire in the alley, getting Johnny O two weeks of nightshift warehouse duty for his troubles.
"Oh yeah. I think me and Johnny-boy are going to have a fantastic evening of getting to know each other, aren't we?"
Something about his tone and the cold look in his eyes made Johnny nervous but what could he say? He looked up at Elizabeth to see if she had also caught the somewhat ominous tone of Johnny O's voice but she already had her jacket on and was gathering things to throw into her purse.
"Good," she said distractedly. "I'm glad you were willing to sit with him. I don't think I would have been willing to go out if Johnny was going to be alone."
Johnny O guided Elizabeth to the door. "Don't worry about him, Elizabeth. The kid will be fine. From what I heard, the gunshot wound was not even that bad, right?" Elizabeth nodded her head absentmindedly, checking her purse to be sure she had her keys. "So don't sweat it. Enjoy your evening. You deserve it."
Elizabeth looked up and smiled at Johnny O. He couldn't help but smile back. She really was the sweetest girl. She glanced passed Johnny O and gave Johnny a reassuring smile.
"Johnny O is a great guy. He may growl a little but he doesn't bite."
"Not unless you ask me to," Johnny said with a wink.
And with one last little laugh, Elizabeth was out the door and gone.
Johnny O closed the door. Turning to face Johnny, he leaned against the door, Johnny's only reasonable means of escape. All signs of friendliness had been replaced with fury and the promise of pain to come.
"Now that we're finally alone. Now you little shit, you and I are going to have a nice long talk."
Johnny watched as Elizabeth flitted around the small studio apartment. She seemed to have a reserve of pent-up nervous energy. After she re-entered the room and interrupted what was essentially Sonny and Jason threatening to gut Johnny like a fish, the two men had remained silent, leaving all conversation up to Elizabeth and Johnny. Finding himself scared senseless, Johnny had to admit he was not much in a talking mood, so Elizabeth had tried to manage keeping the conversation up alone by making random observations - about the weather, about Port Charles, about pretty much anything.
Sensing her discomfort - and knowing he was one of the causes - Sonny had pushed himself and Jason out the door a few minutes later. Now, even though they were gone, Elizabeth still felt on edge.
Johnny sighed. "Elizabeth."
She looked up from the table she was scrubbing clean - not that it was really dirty - and immediately looked back down.
"Elizabeth!"
Stopping what she was doing, Elizabeth straightened up and looked at Johnny. "What?"
Johnny shook his head - in exasperation, in frustration - he wasn't completely sure. "How do you know those guys?! Do you have any idea who they are? Do you have any idea what they - what they do? Jesus! I thought you were neck deep in it when you were dating Ric . . . but these guys - these guys are bad news, Beth - bad news!"
"You don't know what you are talking about."
"Bullshit! I don't know what I am talking about? You are kidding me, right? Sonny Corinthos is not the head of the mob. Jason Morgan is not his enforcer - his hired and trained killer. Jason Morgan is not the best enforcer - the best killer - ever . . . you are right. What do I know, really."
Elizabeth came over and sat on the edge of the couch. She stared at her hands for several moments. When she finally did speak, she spoke so softly, Johnny had to lean forward, painfully, to hear her. "It is not that simple. It is not that black and white. Sonny is my - he is like my brother. I know what he does but it is not who he is. He has been there for me in most of the worst times in my life - "
"Really," Johnny interrupted, his words came out angry and sharp. "Where was he when Ric was beating the shit out of you?"
"He didn't know anything about Ric! I - I was too embarrassed to tell him. I knew what he would do if he knew. I - I kept thinking - hoping that I could get myself out of that mess before Sonny found out and did something."
"Now he knows and Ric, well he's a dead man walking, isn't he?"
Elizabeth didn't answer. She simply looked away, gnawing on her bottom lip.
Johnny ran his hands through his hair, trying to shake the past hour's events. He had been really affected by Jason Morgan's threats - more so than he had by any other he had ever received - and he had been threatened before. Hell, his own father had tried to 'do away with him' a number of times. But nothing had ever shaken him this badly. Maybe it was because he knew, without a shred of doubt that Jason would not hesitate - not even for a millisecond - to end his life. One look into Jason's eyes and Johnny knew, without a doubt, that Jason did not - could not - value human life.
And Elizabeth was mixed up with him.
It made Johnny's insides cold. He actually felt a chill run up his spine and he shivered in response.
"Are you cold? Are you running a fever?" She placed the back of her hand on his forehead. Johnny reached up and grabbed her hand with his.
"I am fine, Sweetie. I promise." He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her palm. "I am just worried about you . . . I - I will admit, I do not know too much about Sonny other than what I've read (in the files my brother collected on him, he thought silently). He could be . . . okay. But Jason - " Elizabeth started to pull away, trying to yank her hand out of his. "No!" He said, gripping her hand tighter. "Listen to me! Jason is not normal - he is not human! They call him the Borg for a reason. He cannot - he does not feel."
Elizabeth managed to pull her hand out of Johnny's hands. She stood up and began pacing in front of the couch. "You don't know him! You don't know Jason anymore than you know Sonny. These men - they mean something to me!"
"They are dragging you into the middle of mob bullshit!" Johnny yelled, attempting to sit up more. He winced in pain, flopping back down against the couch cushions. He closed his eyes, willing the pain to go away.
Elizabeth stopped her pacing to look at him, waiting to make sure that Johnny was okay. Once Johnny re-opened them, she knelt down on the floor next to the couch so she could look him into the eyes. "Johnny," she whispered, "I appreciate the concern. I do. I love you for it." Johnny felt his heart start to beat wildly in his chest at her words. "But there are so many things going on - so many things you don't know . . . about me, about Jason . . . please, just trust me. Jason and Sonny, they are not dragging me into anything. Sonny - he's my - my family. I cannot change that, Johnny. Just like you cannot change the fact that JR - the head of the Boston mob - is your brother and Claudia . . . well, what can I say about Claudia - regardless of anything I could say, she is your sister."
Johnny placed his hand on the back of Elizabeth's head, pulling her towards him until their foreheads were pressed together. "I - I care about you, Beth - deeply. I just don't want anything to happen to you. I don't want you mixed up in anything that could hurt you."
Elizabeth reached out and caressed the side of Johnny's face. "Oh Johnny, nothing and no one can keep from getting hurt 100% of the time. No matter how I live my life, not matter who I let in or who I keep out . . . stuff happens . . . life happens. No one - not even you can protect me from that."
Johnny was lost in the moment of enjoying Elizabeth's touch, her closeness, her smell . . . he moved so that his cheek was pressed against hers. He could feel her breath on his neck, near his ear. Without thinking, he reached around with his other hand and rubbed it up and down her arm.
"Elizabeth," he whispered, hoping she recognized the change in mood.
Whatever Johnny was hoping for was interrupted by Elizabeth's cell phone. Jumping up, Elizabeth grabbed her phone and looked to see who was calling. Judging by the way her face lit up, Johnny had no doubt who it was.
"Hey," Johnny cringed at the playful, sexy tone Elizabeth used for her greeting. She turned her back to him and walked a few steps away. It's not like Johnny couldn't hear her; the studio was not that big.
"No, it's not too late . . . but I am not sure. I don't want to leave Johnny . . . oh . . . okay . . . I'll meet you in fifteen minutes then."
Somehow, Johnny knew he was about to be left alone.
Elizabeth walked back over to the couch and sat down on the edge with a little extra bounce. "That was Jason - now don't start. I don't want to hear it. He is going to have Johnny O'Brien stay with you so that he and I can hang out for a bit. Is that okay?"
"Would it make a bit of difference if I said it wasn't?" Johnny grumbled, knowing he was coming off like a jerk but too disappointed to care.
Elizabeth looked like she was actually contemplating his question before she laughed and shook her head. "Nope. No difference at all! Come on," she said, playfully slapping him on the thigh, "Johnny O's not so bad."
Just then, there was a knock on the door. Elizabeth bounced over to it and swung it open, greeting Johnny O with a smile and a hug.
"Are you ready to keep our patient company," she said as Johnny O released her from the hug.
Johnny O looked over at the man laying on Elizabeth's couch, his face unreadable except for a slight narrowing of his eyes. The little shit had pulled a fast one on him with that fire in the alley, getting Johnny O two weeks of nightshift warehouse duty for his troubles.
"Oh yeah. I think me and Johnny-boy are going to have a fantastic evening of getting to know each other, aren't we?"
Something about his tone and the cold look in his eyes made Johnny nervous but what could he say? He looked up at Elizabeth to see if she had also caught the somewhat ominous tone of Johnny O's voice but she already had her jacket on and was gathering things to throw into her purse.
"Good," she said distractedly. "I'm glad you were willing to sit with him. I don't think I would have been willing to go out if Johnny was going to be alone."
Johnny O guided Elizabeth to the door. "Don't worry about him, Elizabeth. The kid will be fine. From what I heard, the gunshot wound was not even that bad, right?" Elizabeth nodded her head absentmindedly, checking her purse to be sure she had her keys. "So don't sweat it. Enjoy your evening. You deserve it."
Elizabeth looked up and smiled at Johnny O. He couldn't help but smile back. She really was the sweetest girl. She glanced passed Johnny O and gave Johnny a reassuring smile.
"Johnny O is a great guy. He may growl a little but he doesn't bite."
"Not unless you ask me to," Johnny said with a wink.
And with one last little laugh, Elizabeth was out the door and gone.
Johnny O closed the door. Turning to face Johnny, he leaned against the door, Johnny's only reasonable means of escape. All signs of friendliness had been replaced with fury and the promise of pain to come.
"Now that we're finally alone. Now you little shit, you and I are going to have a nice long talk."
