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The next morning…..

Alfred walked into Nikolas’ living room and announced, “Master Nikolas, a Mr. Jason Morgan is here.”

Nikolas looked up from his desk and shook his head. “If he’s here to see Carly, tell him she’s unavailable. She’s not feeling well today.” Nikolas said as he went back to his work.

“Too late, I’m already here.” Jason said, walking past Alfred. Nikolas nodded and Alfred left the two men alone. “Is everything alright with Carly? Michael called me last night and asked me to come out here. He wouldn’t tell me what was wrong. Is it the baby?”

“The children and Carly are fine. Carly’s not feeling well today so she is not up for visitors, even you Jason. Michael and Morgan are having breakfast and will be leaving for school soon. If you want to come back later to see Michael you can.” Nikolas replied stiffly, trying to usher Jason out of the room.

Jason stared at him blankly. “No. I think I’ll stay. Michael called me again this morning. I came all the way out here to talk to him and I am not leaving until I do.”

Nikolas leaned back against the arm of the couch. “Jason, we are going through an extraordinarily difficult time right now. I am asking you to respect that and leave us alone.”

“I don’t think so.” Jason said as Michael came running into the room. “I thought I heard you Jason. Nikolas, Jason and I will be right outside and I will be right back to get Morgan.” Michael said as he led Jason out of the living room and outside. “Thanks for coming so quickly Jason.”

“Yeah buddy, anytime. What’s going on?” Jason asked, concerned.

Michael sighed and looked out in the distance to where the horses were. Then he started talking and didn’t stop. He told Jason that Carly was constantly depressed. She barely talked to him or Morgan. Most days one of the servants got Morgan ready for school and Morgan was confused, thinking that he did something wrong. She cried all the time and almost never left the nursery. Michael also told him that Carly looked awful, that she doesn’t eat anything; she looked like she lost a lot of weight and never went outside. Then last night, she freaked out and scared Morgan.

Jason sighed. “I’ll go talk to her. I’ll see what I can do.”

“I know if anyone can help her, it’s you.” Michael confided. “I have to go get Morgan so we can go to school.”

Jason tells him to give Morgan a hug as he walks in the castle with him. They walk up the stairs together and Michael points to the nursery where they can hear Carly singing softly. Jason opens the door and sees Carly, holding Victoria. Carly doesn’t even look up until Jason calls her name several times. “Jason, what are you doing here?” Carly asked, confused.

“I, uh, just wanted to see how you have been.” Jason said as he closed the door behind him. “I haven’t seen you for a while.”

“I’m taking care of the baby. I have to make sure that she is ok.” Carly looked up at Jason and smiled.

Jason was shocked at her appearance. Her blonde hair was unkempt and looked greasy. She was wearing sweats that didn’t fit, they hung off of her. “Isn’t she beautiful?”

Jason sat down on the bed across from the rocking chair. “Yes she is…just like her mother.” Jason looked uncomfortably around the room. “Carly, look why don’t you take a shower and get dressed and you and I can go for a walk? It’s a nice day out and I think Victoria would like to go outside. I always liked to take Michael out for walks when he was Victoria’s age.”

Carly shook her head. “No Jason, I can’t leave. This is the twins’ room and I have to protect them.” Carly protested, shaking her head. “I’m not leaving Victoria alone for a minute.”

“It’s a nice day and Victoria needs some air. So do you. When was the last time you and I went out? Hell, when’s the last time you went out at all? Jason asked her. “Why don’t you give me Victoria and you go take a shower? She’ll be ok for while you get ready.”

Carly let her hair fall, covering her sleeping baby. She looked at Jason, tears in her eyes. “I can’t Jason. I can’t leave her. Why can’t people just leave me alone!” Carly flared.

“Because we care about you! You’re scaring your other children. Remember? Michael and Morgan? Michael called me crying because he’s afraid you’re going to hurt yourself” Jason paused as he let the words sink in. “He is worried about you and so is Morgan! When was the last time you paid any attention to them? You have other children besides Victoria and John that need you! I understand that you’re going through pain right now. Going through the loss of a child is something no one should ever go through. But you have to go on Carly. You are the closest thing to a mother that Spencer has. You have a lot of people counting on you, needing you to be well.” Jason said tearing up.

Carly started to cry in uncontrollably. “What do you expect of me Jason? Do you know what it is like to watch your child die? No! So don’t tell me…” Carly stopped yelling when Victoria started crying. She put her up on her shoulder and started shushing her and patting her lovingly on her back. “It’s all right Victoria. Mommy got a little mad at Uncle Jason.”

Several moments passed before Jason spoke again…angry that Carly seemed to forget the pain he was in when Sam’s daughter died. “Come on….it’s just a walk Carly. It’s a first step. Please.” He held out his hand to hers. “I promise you that Victoria will be safe and that we will stay in sight of the castle here. We’ll just go out in the gardens.” Carly looked like she was wavering and he said, “Do you trust me?”

Carly looked torn. She looked at her daughter and she looked at Jason. Finally she stood up and handed her daughter to Jason. “Why don’t you go downstairs and I will meet you in twenty minutes. Ask Alfred or Nikolas to get the stroller ready, ok.”

“Ok.” Jason held Victoria and smiled. “I know your Mommy says twenty minutes Victoria but she really means thirty. She’s never on time.”

Carly laughed. “Oh shut up Jason!” She punched him lightly on the arm. For the first time in a long time, she almost looked happy.
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Next…on Port Charles
- Michael skips school and goes to GH
- Cassandra is curious about Alexander’s time away
- Serena is worried about her boyfriend; Maxie doesn’t make it any easy for her
- Something washes up on the Port Charles shore.