The Harem of Jason Morgan

"Carly, we're on our way back now." Johnny says into the car phone.

"What's wrong? Why didn't Jason call? What aren't you telling me?!" Carly begins to panic her voice raising an octave.

"The boss is fine. But Rinaldo isn't and neither is Dara." Johnny addresses Carly's first concern.

"What's wrong?"

"Rinaldo's been shot... Jase is trying to control the bleeding now. Looks like Dara busted her wrist again. And she's cut up some."

"What about Moreno?"

"He aint a problem."

"'Kay, and any of his men? I mean, are we still on alert here?"

"Tell V she can relax a little bit. Carly, that Moreno guy was wacked! He was killing his own guys. Nobody is going to be loyal to that."

"Probably more information that I wanted or needed to know but thanks, Johnny. When will you be here?"

"Be there within twenty minutes."

"We'll be waiting." Carly hangs up the phone and looks over to where V and Alexis wait for her information. "They're all coming back but Rinaldo has been shot."

V shakes her head, "This is where the being a hoodlum part really sucks I mean it's not like they can just roll up to GH... they'd report a bullet wound and Dara is still trying to stay incommunicado until the mess with the WSB is over."

"Oh Thank you so much for reminding me that this is only half over; I was starting to actually breathe easier!" Carly retorts sarcastically before falling silent. Her mind starts clicking away rapidly on options... planning on the fly had always been her strong suit... getting through the next 20 minutes would be a breeze... it was the long-term planning that had always been her downfall.

"Carly, what are you thinking?" Alexis asks almost afraid of the answer.

"Jason told me to get this place ready for a siege so I went shopping." Carly mutters chewing on her lower lip her focus on other things.

"Yeah? So what else is new?"

"Alexis, check the hall closet, start getting things set up. I have to make a phone call."

"Who in the hell would you be calling now?"

"Just get things set up! I'll be right back." Carly goes racing upstairs to get her personal phone book. Alexis shrugs her shoulder and goes over to the hall closet which unlike most closets that have a collection of out of season coats this is actually a walk in and on the shelves are medical supplies that would make a rescue unit envious.

"Oh my gosh," V exclaims. "There's enough stuff here to take care of a small army-- bandages, splints, sterile instruments, what is this... Alexis, do you see this? The box says it's a portable x-ray!"

"Okay, I take back almost every mean thing I've ever said about Carly and her propensity to shop... I should have known. If a medical supply place had a catalogue then Carly would have it all. Damn, they must just love her and Jason's plastic."

"Sounded like Rinaldo was the worst casualty with the bullet where should we set this up?" V asks. V and Alexis look at around then at each other saying as one..."Dining room table!" Alexis races over to the table and starts sweeping it clear while V grabs sheets of plastic from the closet and starts spreading them out under and on the cleared table.

Upstairs Carly sits on her bed her toe tapping impatiently as she waits for the phone to answer...

"Recovery Room."

"Mike?"

"Carly, is that you? Is something wrong with Jason ... with my godson?"

"No.. well not really. Jason told you a little bit of what was going down right?" Carly asks hedging her tone a bit.

"I knew that he was having problems with Moreno; is that what happened, did Moreno hurt Jason?"

"Up front calm down I just need a little help here. Moreno was a problem but he isn't anymore but Rinaldo was shot. Jason is bringing him here. I need a doctor-- do you know one... a discreet one?"

"Gees Carly, where in the hell is your head? You can't talk about stuff like that on the phone!"

"Well pardon me very much! The carrier pigeon method just didn't seem quick enough!"

"I'm on my way and I'm bringing a doctor... a good one and discreet. Just make sure that I'm cleared through and that there is handicap access to where ever Rinaldo is placed."

"Okay... they said they were going to be here in about 20 minutes that was about 5 minutes ago. Wait! Handicap access what do you mean?"

"Just get it done, girl! I'm on my way and I'm bringing the cavalry." Mike hangs up.

"Get it done?! Girl? Who the hell does he think he is?" Carly shakes it off and goes to check on Emily and Liz.

Downstairs. V in the hall closet while Alexis is rigging lights over the dining room table.

(a muffled voice inside the closet) "An autoclave? emergency generator? Gees Louise-- she has a refrigerator in here that is plugged in. Alexis, she's got drugs in here and saline and my goodness-- artificial blood?!" V pokes her head out of the closet and looks over at Alexis. "Carly even has the full line of Black and Decker drill bits and drill!"

Alexis shakes her head and continues to wrestle with the lights. "Carly must have read the Intruder article about Joe Scanlon and him drilling Audrey Hardy's skull with a Black and Decker. Jason told her siege. I should have known. Anything Jason says Carly takes to the extreme."

"Thank goodness. I think that we have the extreme going on."

"What in the hell is going on? What are you doing to the table? It looks like a rerun of MASH in here!" Brenda comes in from the kitchen to see the women rushing around.

"Jason and the crew are on their way back in." V informs Brenda before ducking back into the closet.

"Rinaldo was hit." Alexis looks over at Brenda who pales.

"Rinaldo?" Brenda softly whispers almost involuntarily her knees going soft.

"Listen you, psycho bitch, I don't have time to prop you up so if you aren't going to help then get out of the way; I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!" Alexis snarls her tone breaking Brenda's shock as Alexis almost screams in frustration with hanging the lights.

"Just shut up all right! You're doing that all wrong. Let me. I've been at enough photo shoots to know how to set lights. I can do this; why don't you find something that you CAN do." Brenda tears the cords and lights away from Alexis with unplumbed strength and resolve. Alexis stands back ready to make a battle of it when she discovers that Brenda actually appears to know what she is doing. "Don't just stand around!" Brenda snaps. "Get me some duct tape... I need to get these cords taped down or someone is going to trip on them."

Alexis shrugs her shoulders. "You got it; I'll be right back."

In Emily and Liz's room Carly is filling them in on what is about to happen and what they will doing to keep the situation under control.

"Jason's fine. And Moreno is no longer part of the problem but here is the spot that I'm in-- Rinaldo was shot." Carly's voice raises over the girls inquiries of concern. "I don't know how bad yet. Emily, I need you to take care of Michael. Jason is going to be busy with cleaning up this and working on the rest of his stuff. I have to make sure that Rinaldo and Dara are okay too, so I'm not going to be much help with Michael either. And Liz you need to keep Keesha out of here." Liz looks as if she is going to protest.

"But Carly..."

"NO. This is what I NEED you to do. YOU need to keep Keesha out of this apartment and she CAN'T suspect why. Everything Jason did to protect us could all go up in smoke if she sees Rinaldo or realizes what has happened. She would be all the proof that the PCPD needs to take down Jason and break up this house." Carly moves to Liz taking her face in one hand and making focused eye contact. "Do you understand that she is our weak link right now? One slip up from you and everything that we have going here is GONE!"

Liz straightens and her eyes narrow while a half smile forms. "She won't know what hit her."

"Exactly." Carly pulls Liz in for a quick hug that is enthusiastically returned. "They should be arriving soon so you are on... now."

Liz pauses at the door on her way out. "I got it covered."

"Emily, are you going to be okay?"

Emily looks up from where she is sitting cross-legged on the bed. "Moreno is no longer a problem?" Her dark eyes are flat and unemotional.

"That's what Johnny said." Carly studies Emily in concern at her cool response to Moreno's death.

"Good. Don't worry about Michael. Go do what you have to do... I've
got him 'covered'."

Carly goes over to the bed and kisses Emily on the cheek and gives her a quick one armed hug. "Thank you. Besides Jason, you and Bobbie are the only people I truly trust with my son."

Only minutes later , the door to the penthouse is thrown open by Johnny and Jason comes through the door supporting, half carrying, Rinaldo. "CARLY?!"

"Over here, put him here." Jason recoils slightly seeing his dining room converted to an OR and then laughs.

"Woman, you are amazing."

"Women. It was a team effort." Carly comes around to the other side of Rinaldo but hesitates when she sees it is his injured side. "Hell Rinaldo, You have made a hash of it, haven't you?"

"That's an understatement." Rinaldo mutters sagging back onto the table before laying back with a groan but trying to not put the fiery pain of his shoulder against the table.

"Brenda!" Carly hollers.

"Yeah what?" Brenda comes from the kitchen area. "Oh Baby!" she croons starting to run her hands over Rinaldo's prone body.

"OH PULEEZE." Carly bitches. "Get his clothes off. Mike will be here any minute with the doctor."

"Mike? Doctor?" Jason inquires concerned.

"Yeah, someone that Mike knows." Jason raises a brow and Carly answers the nonverbal question. "Well it was either him or Uncle Luke. And I don't need the stress." Carly throws herself at Jason hugging him close. "I was so scared when Johnny called. I thought I'd have to come get you."

Jason hugs her back even though he is wincing from his tender ribs from his battle with Moreno. "And you would have. Moreno wouldn't have stood a chance." He rubs her back much the same way he does Michael's when he is fussy.

Carly pulls back and wipes tears away and then begins to assess Jason's condition: bruises already beginning to show, scrapes from crawling through the ductwork, Rinaldo's blood staining his clothes and hands. "You stink and you need a shower. No way Em or Michael can see you like this."

"I need to stay with Rinaldo."

"The Doctor will be here in a sec." There is a knock on the door. "See. Go get showered. You're on my turf now!"

"Yeah Boss." Jason pulls Carly in close and ravishes her mouth reminding her exactly who is boss before pulling away and running up the stairs. Carly looks after him.

"Helllloooo-- I'm here too!" Dara reminds plaintively.

Carly looks her over from head to toe then pauses for a second before responding. "You know, its a bitch to get blood out of leather?" Carly comes over to Dara and takes in the split earlobe and the gashes on her neck. "Oh man! He really did a number on you. What do you want first?"

"The ear has finally stopped bleeding so a bath would be great."

"Take the downstairs bathroom. Can't trust Keesha to keep her yap shut so everything is being handled here. I'll have V bring you some clothes and don't worry about the hot water the tank is huge and takes forever to run out. You are going to be hurtin' later."

"I hurt now. But I know that you are right." Dara runs a hand over her hair sighing at the twinges and aches that go along now that the adrenaline has worn off. Her shoulders slump and then roll as she tries to work the kinks out as she hits the showers.

Carly glances over to the makeshift ER where Dr. Matt Harmon is examining Rinaldo with Mike's assistance rolling Rinaldo to check the exit wound. Carly goes to the door where Johnny has taken post. "What about the rest?"

"Rinaldo was the worst. Only him, the boss and Dara went in. The rest have bruises, cuts a few broken bones. That can be explained away in the ER." Johnny summarizes for Carly.

"I think that Jason will want to know the status of everyone after he gets cleaned up. Should you do it or is there someone else that can?"

Johnny nods. "Yeah, he will. I'll take care of it. Carly? How's Rinaldo?"

"Doctor is still working on him. I'll tell you once he is patched up." Carly replies and Johnny nods again then pulls out a cell phone and starts making the follow up calls for the questions that Jason is sure to ask later. Alexis exits the renegade penthouse making sure that the door is shut firmly behind her. "Keesha have a clue?"

"Not a one. But we are going to owe Elizabeth big time. She's got Keesha convinced there's a chance to get Elizabeth to move back to her grandmother's."

Carly shakes her head in disbelief. "Do-gooder to the end. and Thanks Be. What about Robin?"

"That concussion has her wiped. She's in and out but no questions."

"I have no idea what happened and I hate that Rinaldo got shot but why do I get the feeling that we just got incredibly lucky?"

"What is the Americanism-- Knock on wood?" Both women lean over to the table by Johnny's post and rap it firmly. "Carly, where is Justus?"

"New York City," Carly shrugs. "Not my business. My business starts at those elevator doors. What about you? Have the Q's or Jax figured out that Jason was ... distracted these last few days?"

"Brenda and I took care of that." Alexis admits ruefully. Carly raises a brow questioningly. "Brenda sent Jax some home movies that have Jax hot enough to blister paint. He's practically insane with fury. But it's not toward the docks project or to Jason's shares of ELQ."

Carly never slow catches on. "Ohmigod! She didn't?!"

Alexis nods. "I already have injunctions drawn up for when the damn things make the internet or some "men's" magazine."

Carly smirks. "And you are in these too?"

"No. GOD NO! That isn't even humorous. But my last meeting with Ned provided him with a distraction that he will not soon forget."

The Harem of Jason Morgan

Jason enters the penthouse and glances down at the watch Sonny gave him. Striding up the stairs, he strips down as he hits the doorway of the bedroom he shares with Carly. Grabbing a quick shower, Jason changes clothes getting ready to meet Carly over at Luke's for their first weekly game of pool since Moreno's demise. He crosses to Michael's room while sliding on his jacket to check on the baby, making sure the nightlight is on before leaving the room. Jason pauses briefly as he reaches the living room then goes to Robin's room to check on her as well. He knocks softly before looking into the room. Robin is sitting up in bed. Her left arm still bound to her body, and it's obvious that she can't sleep.

Jason inquires softly, "Hey you okay?"

"Yeah, I just can't sleep. My head is screaming and reading seems to make it worse."

"Can I get you anything--- water, aspirin?"

"Could you read to me? If I could just relax I know I could get to sleep."

Jason glances again at his watch then shrugs. "Sure. What do you want to hear?"

At Luke's, Carly has just finished delivering the books and sits at the bar with a shot of bourbon in front of her . Her leg swings impatiently and her fingers tap the bar in double time to the music playing.

"Well if it isn't My Sweet Caroline. Someone stand you up, darlin'?"

"Jase is just running a little late. He had a meeting but then he's going to meet me here for a game of pool."

"How's my great nephew doing?"

Carly smiles and whips her purse up to the bar. "Growing like a weed. Here are the most recent photos."

"He's a ham. Look at those smiles." Luke puffs proudly.

"Michael gets a lot of attention. Although his Uncle Luke doesn't visit often."

"Hey the kid is family-- bring him in. Never too young to start appreciating the blues."

"It's too smoky in here--" Carly looks longingly at Luke's cigar.

"Never too young to appreciate a good cigar either, little girl. Luke takes another cigar from the case in his inside pocket and unwrapping it, he snips is smoothly and offers it to Carly. Carly leans in and so Luke can light the cigar. Puffing slowly, her eyes close. Then opening her eyes, she looks through the bluish haze. "You're a bad influence. You'd probably slip Michael a shot of bourbon too."

Luke looks hurt. "Only if he were teething." Carly laughs shaking her head ruefully. Just then the door opens and Carly head spins around. She slumps slightly when it's not Jason. "Why don't you call the penthouse, see if he's checked in."

"I think I will." Carly pulls out the cell phone and speed dials the number.

Emily picks up the house phone. "Hello?"

"Em, It's Carly; is Jason there?"

"Yeah, he's in with Robin. She's having trouble sleeping so he's reading to her. Do you want me to get him?"

"No, that's okay. Just tell him that something came up and that I won't be able to meet him at Luke's afterall."

"Carly, are you okay?"

"Yeah Baby, I'm just fine. I'll be late; give Michael a hug and kiss for me, okay?" Carly snaps the phone shut. Her face is pale and her mouth tight but her chin is up defensively.

"Jase can't make it."

"Nope. Something came up." Carly grinds out.

"Well baby, I'm still sleeping on the couch so how about you and me rack some balls?"

"I'm nobody's pity party, Luke."

"Who said you were? I'm not going home; you're not going home-- Lets raise some hell!"

"Since you put it that way..." Carly rises from the stool swinging her purse to her shoulder and collecting both her drink and cigar. "... I'll break."

Later Emily sits quietly in the dark of Michael's room watching him fall back to sleep. Jason pauses at in the doorway spotting Emily sitting in the rocking chair. "Em?" He inquires softly. Emily rises silently and crosses to the doorway easing the door shut behind her.

"He's back to sleep."

"Okay, I'm on my way to meet Carly. You can reach me on my cell phone if there is a problem with Michael."

"Carly called. Said that something came up and that she wouldn't be able to meet you."

"Damn, did she say where she was?"

"No, she called about an hour ago."

"We were suppose to meet up at Luke's."

"When?" Emily asks already dreading the answer.

"What do you mean-- When?"

"What time were you suppose to meet her?" Emily asks impatiently.

"About 90 minutes ago, why?" Emily winces at Jason's reply. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine but you're in hot water. Jason, you stood her up! Did you at least call her?" Jason is silent. "You know Carly better than I do-- what did she do the last time you didn't meet her?"

Jason rolls his eyes. "It's been awhile." He sighs. "Let me call Jakes... see if she's there."

2am

Carly comes into the dark penthouse; stumbling slightly, she kicks off her heels and drops her purse. Meandering up the stairs, she turns on no lights as she makes her way to the room she shares with Jason. Fumbling toward the bathroom, she turns on the light wincing as her eyes fight to adjust. She shimmies from her clothes and steps into the shower that's temperature causes a quickly muffled yelp before it adjusts to a steamy warm flow. Carly stands under the spray weaving unsteadily; with her eyes closed, she pushes her soaked hair back from her face. She starts feeling someone behind her; Carly turns quickly and almost loses her balance. "Jase, you scared me! What are you doing?"

"Keeping an eye on you." Jason's gaze moves down Carly's frame. "Don't you know the bathroom is one of the most dangerous rooms in the house? Ardanowski could probably give you the statistics." Carly shivers then draws closer as Jason's hands follow the path of his gaze. Jason draws Carly in for a deep kiss then pulls back only a breaths distance away. "Where were you tonight?"

Carly draws back as if slapped. "OUT."

Jason pulls Carly close again his hand thread through her hair at the nape of her neck and ravishes her mouth allowing no resistance. Pulling back he murmurs. "Bourbon and a cigar. How is Luke?"

"Licking his wounds. I beat him three out of five." Carly mutters.

"Why did you tell Emily that you couldn't meet me?"

Carly looks away and mumbles. "'Cause something come up."

"Carly...." Jason growls

"Look Jase, I don't want to fight with you, okay? I'm drunk and I'm horny." Carly moves closer to Jason pressing against him. "and you may not be under the influence..." Her hand reaches between them, "... but you seem to be up to the task at hand."

Jason groans then reaching behind Carly turns off the spray. He lifts her easily and gathering her close as she winds her legs around him. "Fine. But I WILL find out what is going on."

"Just shut up okay?" Carly starts nibbling on a ticklish part of Jason's neck and laughs as he almost drops her before tossing her on the back on the bed. Reaching for him she pulls him down to her.

Home Next