Carly woke up feeling a very sharp pain in her stomach. She looked at her clock and the day. The baby was right on time. Bobbie was downstairs asleep on the couch, waiting for Carly to go. Carly yelled to Bobbie downstairs, "It's time!"Bobbie was wide awake. She went upstairs to get Michael and grabbed Carly's bag. Carly laughed at some of Bobbie's clumsiness. They went to Bobbie's car and headed for the hospital. As Carly was brought into a room she, felt her spirits die down. Jason wasn't there for the birth of his baby. The baby they had actually made together. Their baby. She didn't understand why his decision was more important than their baby...
"Girl!" Bobbie exclaimed as the doctors handed Carly her baby.
Carly held her little girl in her arms. She looked so beautiful. She yawned and Carly giggled. The little girl seemed so tired and her eyes were closed the whole time. Carly was happy but sad too. How could Jason not be there? Why was he staying away when something so important was going on? What was wrong with him? They took the baby away and brought Carly to a room. She felt sad for her baby. What was it? How did she always manage to be so wrong about men?
Carly sat on her hospital bed gazing out the window. Her thoughts were of Jason and her daughter, Marisa. Marisa was the name of one of Virginia's very best friends. Carly wiped away a tear that was slowly sliding down her cheek. She was so lost.
"Carly?" Bobbie walked in with a vase of flowers and a balloon saying 'It's a girl' in hand.
"Hi." Carly smiled.
Bobbie put the stuff down and sat next to Carly, "How are you feeling?"
"Fine." Carly sighed.
"You're thinking about Jason, aren't you?" Bobbie understood why Carly would be a little disappointed.
"I--," Carly struggled, "I don't understand why Marisa, my little girl, should be punished for something I did. She's being punished for my stupidity."
Bobbie frowned, "What do you mean?"
"Jason--he didn't come because of me. If it wasn't for me, Jason would have been here. It's me he doesn't want to see, so my baby gets punished. She gets punished for something she didn't even do." Carly was on the verge of tears, but held them in.
"Oh." Bobbie took Carly's hand, "Carly. It's not your fault Jason wasn't there. It's his and has nothing to do with you. He's been entirely selfish and that isn't your fault. You did nothing wrong. You just gave him all that you are and he couldn't handle it, not your fault." Bobbie assured Carly that she did nothing. This was all Jason.
"It's not just Marisa's birth. It's the holidays when he doesn't see Michael, it's not taking Michael to the park, it's missing Michael's birthday, and it's when Jason doesn't do these things that I feel responsible."
"Carly, why do you feel responsible?"
"Because if it wasn't for me, Jason would be here. Let's just say if Marisa was Robin's daughter Jason would be here." Carly was so hurt by Jason's failure to appear for Marisa's birth.
"Forget him. Marisa is your daughter. She is not worried about Jason. She only knows you. You're it for her so far. You're her mother and that's all she wants. Now if Jason decides to be a man and take responsibility for her she'll accept him, but for right now you're all she has. Be strong. For her." Bobbie told Carly.
Carly nodded, "I'll do any and everything for my children."
"I know."
**********Jason packed the last of his things. Today he was boarding a plane and going back to Port Charles. He knew Carly had given birth to their child. He didn't know if it was a girl or boy. He still didn't have a decision. It was like the whole trip was a waste of time. Well, at least he got to see Sonny. He missed Michael more than anything. He didn't know why he didn't go back sooner. It was just something he did without thinking. Carly and Robin must have wondered what had happened to him. As he boarded the plane, he wondered what their baby would look like. What the baby would be one day. What the baby's name was. He couldn't believe he finally had a child that was really his.
***********Carly, Bobbie, Michael, and Marisa all entered the house. Carly was exhausted and Marisa was sleeping. Bobbie put Michael upstairs and Carly had Marisa downstairs. Carly kept a bassinet in Jason's room. She had been sleeping in Jason's room for the past month. She slept in the room one night, crying herself to sleep. She wanted to remember Jason. She had just been there ever since. She wasn't really sure where to put Marisa. Maybe in the other room where Jason slept before moving into Sonny's room with Robin. She laid Marisa down and watched as Marisa rubbed her eye with her little hand. Carly was always amazed at how tiny a baby was when it was first born. Even more amazing to her was that she made this tiny thing. She created another life. Jason was missing out on a wonderful thing. Bobbie was going to stay with Carly for a few days to help her out. Bobbie wanted to make sure Carly was comfortable and taken care of. Bobbie told Carly she was going to leave just for a few mintues to drop Lucas off at Felicia's. Carly was left alone in the silent house. Marisa and Michael were sleeping right now. She looked down at her white pants and beige sweatshirt. She hated when the house was silent. She turned to the window and watched as the sun set. She slowly walked to the window and looked out. She saw one of Jason's cars pull away, which was odd considering no one had been riding in it. Then she thought it must be Benny. She heard the door creak open and turned. She saw a suitcase before she saw the person. He walked in and closed the door. Carly was dumbfounded. She didn't know what to do. She managed to whisper, "Jason?"
Jason put down his suitcase and walked over to her, "Hey."
Carly had tons of emotions inside that wanted out, but the most obvious was her anger. She had never been so disgusted with a person in her whole life. She made a pouty face and slapped him hard across the face. She stared at him with tears in her eyes.
"I guess I deserve that." Jason wiped his cheek.
"And a hell of a lot more." Carly started to let her tears fall. "You are the most insensitive--horrible--unfeeling excuse for a man."
"Carly," Jason didn't know what to say.
"No! I don't want to hear it!" Carly shouted.
They stood in the middle of the room.
"How you could do such a thing? I don't understand! And I don't care!"
"Carly, I'm sorry, ok? I didn't know what to do!" Jason was still so confused about everything.
"You could act like you had a heart! I'm a human being, damn it! And you knew! You knew! That if you missed the birth of our daughter it would hurt me! You did anyway! Do you have no feelings whatsoever!?" Carly screamed, pointing at him while saying her convictions.
"Daughter?" Jason grinned. "Does she have a name?"
Carly calmed her voice, "Marisa Faith Morgan." Carly took a deep breath, trying to get control of her emotions.
Jason knew that the argument wasn't over, but he had to see her. "Where is she?"
"She's in your room," Carly replied.
"I want see her," Jason said, sounding as though he were asking.
"Go ahead." Carly wasn't going to let her feelings interfere with Marisa's relationship with her father.
Jason slightly nodded and began to walk back to his room.
Before he left, Carly called after him, "Jason."
Jason turned to her, "Yeah?"
"She's yours. If nothing else she's yours. Your daughter. Don't hurt her." Carly told him.
"I wouldn't--," Jason began to argue but saw Carly's hurt expression. "I won't hurt her, Carly."
Carly shook her head and went upstairs to Michael. Jason wanted to hit himself for being so wrong. He had hurt Carly so badly for nothing. He slowly approached his room. The door was cracked open. He pushed it open the rest of the way and peered into the room. The sun spotlighted Marisa's bassinet. He walked to Marisa and looked down at his baby girl wrapped in a pale pink blanket. She was sound asleep. He wanted to cry for her. She was so perfect. He examined her like a worrysome parent making sure she had ten toes and ten fingers. She could have had an extra eye and Jason would have still thought she was the most beautiful baby in the whole world. He ran his hand over her small head and down her cheek. To his surprise Marisa batted her eyes open and looked up at him. She must have took from his side. She had big blue eyes and the sandy hair color he did. She made a sad face and started to cry loudly. Jason was a little shocked but picked her up and held her close, stroking her back. Carly ran back to the room and saw Jason telling Marisa it'd be ok. Carly couldn't help but be warmed and calmed by the picture. Jason was a great father. Carly listened to Jason take care of Marisa.
"You know, your voice is pretty loud for such a tiny body. I don't blame you for crying, you probably haven't done a whole lot. But you have days so don't get sick or something. You just wait so everyone just gets used to you and everything." Jason kept whispering to her and Marisa's crying slowly faded. Carly watched Jason lay Marisa back down and smile down at her. Jason couldn't help but stare. He grabbed a nearby chair and sat next to Marisa, just looking down at her and talking. Carly nodded and left the doorway. Marisa grabbed Jason index finger and looked up at him. Jason knew now. "I know my choice now Marisa. Sorry I didn't realize it sooner but I'll try to make it up to you. Carly is the one I want. We're going to be a family. Me, you, Michael, and Carly. I promise." Jason kissed her little hand and watched her fall back asleep.