Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of “General Hospital”. They belong to ABC, Disney, and their creators.
Summary: Jason Morgan and Lorenzo Alcazar are trying to move on with their lives after the death of the woman they both loved deeply. Set two years later. Sequel to Is Love Enough?
Author's Note: Make sure to read Forbidden Love and Is Love Enough? before reading this one.
Rated: PG-13
Thanks to Aly for the banner
Prologue
“We are here to remember a brave, wonderful young woman whose life was too short,” said Father Coates as he stood at the alter. “Jessica Alcazar was a woman who valued her family and those whom she cared about. Jessica lived her life to the fullest. A life that was cut too short. Some of her family would like to talk about Jessica and what she has meant to them.”
Diego got up, buttoning the button on his suit jacket. He stood behind the podium and cleared his throat before looking up. He took in the people that filled the small chapel. The Quartermaine’s sat on one side of the church, dutifully looking grieved – although he was sure most of them would rather not be there. But they were there to support one of their own – even if that person did not fully acknowledge them as family.
Diego saw Brook Lynn sitting with her family. He had not spoken to her since they broke up, and was surprised to see her there. Diego saw Dr. Meadows, Elizabeth Spencer, Lucky Spencer and Bobbie. On the other side of the church sat Sonny and Carly Corinthos. Carly, of course, was devastated by the loss of her best friend and it showed. Diego’s eyes narrowed slightly at Sonny. He had no business being there. It was all for show. In the front pew sat his father. Diego was deeply worried about his father.
The man had barely said a word since he was told of his daughter’s death. It was like he could barely function. Skye, who was sitting on one side of him, had been there to support him through every step, and Diego was grateful to her for that. Sitting on his father’s other side was Sam. She was another great support for his father, and she and Skye had made all the arrangements for the funeral. Sitting next to Sam, was Jason. Like Lorenzo, Jason had barely said much. After seeing Jessica in the ER, Jason had gone to his daughter.
He had barely left her side while she was monitored in the NICU. Diego had gone there himself a few times to check on both Jason and his niece. He had once even seen his father there, the two men sitting in silence as they watched over the little girl. A little girl with Jessica’s dark hair and green eyes. Diego took solace in the knowledge that when this was all over, Elaina Lila Morgan would be going home. She was healthy and strong – just like his sister had been.
Clearing his throat, Diego looked down at his hands and then up at the people gathered before he started talking.
“I didn’t know Jessica that long . . . but in that short time, she taught me a lot about family. That we never get to pick our family and no family is ever perfect. Jessica took pride in her family and was ferociously protective of us.” Diego looked down a moment then let his eyes slide to the casket. “I never knew how much I wanted a sister until I had one. She was great. And she treated me like a brother, like I belonged, right from the beginning, whether I was ready for it or not. She never let me live down shoving her into my sports car when she was six months pregnant,” he said with a small smile on his lips at the memory.” But she loved me none the less – flaws and all.
That was the best thing about Jessica. She didn’t care how dark and dismal your past was, she always saw the good that was there. And she fought you tooth and nail until you saw it too. When I didn’t want to be bothered with a family – thinking I was too old for one – she made me see that I was being ridiculous . . . actually, her words were I was being a thick-headed idiot . . . My sister gave me a family, a family I will treasure the rest of my life. I will always love her for that. And I am going to honor her and her belief in me by being there for her daughter. By making sure Elaina knows what a wonderful person her mother was and how much she was loved by everyone who came in contact with her. Elaina will know the Jessica I knew.
The lovable, no holds bar, kick you in the ass when you were being stupid, wonderful miracle she was and always will be in my eyes.” Looking at the picture of his sister one more time, the tears pooling in his eyes as he silently thanked her for being there for him, Diego returned to his seat next Sam..
“Thank you Diego,” said Father Coates solemnly. “Is there anyone else who would like to say a few words?”
The people in the church looked around at one another, some even looked at Lorenzo. They expected him to get up and talk about his daughter – but only those close to him knew that he was barely hanging on.
Jason got up, drawing surprised eyes to him as he walked to the alter. His eyes lingered on Jessica’s picture. He recognized the picture. It had been taken by Carly at the charity event The Cellar had been hosting. In it, Jessica was smiling brightly, her hands on her belly, her emerald eyes shining. It took a lot of effort to tear his eyes from her. Being up here – in front of everyone – was the last thing he wanted to do, but he had a need to talk about the woman he loved. To honor her and her memory. And to honor his daughter as well.
“Jessica was my life. She showed me what living and loving was really about. Jessica . . . Jessica gave my life purpose. And I will remember and love her forever for that. She gave me a daughter and memories that I will treasure for the rest of my life. And I plan on honoring Jessica and our daughter in the only way I know how. Jessica wanted her family to be at peace and end the tension around them. She knew it wasn’t a realistic goal, but she hung onto it.
And in her memory, I want to see that goal come to fruition.” Jason stepped away from the alter and walked over to Lorenzo. He waited until the other man looked up at him with haunted and empty eyes. Jason had never seen Lorenzo like this, and in this moment, he and the man he had despised for so long shared a common bond. The love of a woman they would never see again. “We both love Jessica and want to do right by Elaina. We can honor that by agreeing to a truce.” Jason held out his hand.
*~*~*~*~*
He lost her. He lost his daughter before he even got to really know the woman she was. Now an innocent baby girl was left without a mother, and he was alone. Yes, the way he was acting and thinking at the moment would be very appalling to some people, including Skye - the woman he loved more than life itself. He still had a son who he could see so much of himself in, that sometimes it was little scary. He had his sister who tried her hardest, and still was, not to let him fall or anyone else for that matter - trying her best to not fall herself. Lorenzo could see Samantha holding onto a hope that died along with his beautiful daughter, Jessica. And then there was Jason.
He knew Samantha and Carly were making sure he was taking care of himself, eating correctly, and spending as much time with his daughter as he could while she was still in the hospital. Jason was one of the bravest men he had the pleasure of meeting. Lorenzo would never admit out loud that he had been watching Jason Morgan long before he ever came to Port Charles. He was the kind of man Lorenzo could accept and respect – even though the thought of Jason and his daughter together had not been an easy one to swallow. It was really sad that Sonny took advantage of that. Of the friendship and partnership that had been built over the last ten years. Sometimes Lorenzo wondered – secretly - what it would be like if he and Jason worked together.
The time that they did, Lorenzo came to realize how smart and resourceful Jason really was in their common goal of taking down Faith Roscoe. If they both only knew how much that would cost them in the end. A little girl that grew into a beautiful woman. A life that was cut too short, a life that was taken but returned in the form of a precious little angel named Elaina.
Lord he almost balled at the thought of his Granddaughter. She looked so much like Jessica that sometimes it scared the hell out of him. He had to pull himself together. For Jessica's sake. Because if he didn't what would that mean? Would it be a disgrace to his daughter's memory? Yes. Would he lose even more if he gave into the sadness, anger, and grief that plagued him at this very moment? He couldn't possibly lose anyone else and he couldn't bear to think about it.
To lose Skye, to lose Diego, to lose Samantha, to lose even Jason and his grandchild? He would most definitely lose his grip on sanity and he didn't want to do that again. He would not be like Sonny Corinthos who treated Carly, Jason, and his children like prized possessions that he could throw around and use whenever he felt like it. He would not let his pride destroy all that he had left in the world. Jessica would not want that. She would want him to live for what he has. And he would gladly do anything to please his daughter. Memories, pictures, and baby Elaina were all he had left of his daughter - and he would treasure it.
Lorenzo stood and took the hand of a man who would have been his son-in-law, and now, hopefully, an ally, and shook it. He agreed.
Chapter One / Chapter Two / Chapter Three
Chapter Four / Chapter Five / Chapter Six / Chapter Seven / Chapter Eight / Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten / Chapter Eleven / Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen / Chapter Fourteen / Chapter Fifteen / Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen / Chapter Eighteen / Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty / Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two / Chapter Twenty-Three / Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five / Chapter Twenty-Six / Chapter Twenty-Seven / Chapter Twenty-Eight / Chapter Twenty-Nine / Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One / Chapter Thirty-Two / Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four / Chapter Thirty-Five / Chapter Thirty-Six / Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight / Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One / Chapter Forty-Two / Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four / Chapter Forty-Five / Chapter Forty-Six / Chapter Forty-Seven / Chapter Forty-Eight / Chapter Forty-Nine
Chapter Fifty / Chapter Fifty-One / Chapter Fifty-Two
Chapter Fifty-Three / Chapter Fifty-Four / Chapter Fifty-Five / Chapter Fifty-Six
Chapter Fifty-Seven / Chapter Fifty-Eight
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Chapter Sixty / Chapter Sixty-One / Chapter Sixty-Two /
Chapter Sixty-Three
Chapter Sixty-Four / Chapter Sixty-Five & Epilogue
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