July 5, 1996

Brenda opened her eyes and smiled when she felt Jax beside her. She was surprised when she looked over his shoulder at the bedside clock to see that it was nearly 9:00. She gently eased out of his arms and slowly got out of bed, pulling the covers back over him as she did. She had just finished putting on his shirt from last night when she heard him stir. As she turned back she saw him reach over to her side of the bed. When he realized that she wasn't there he immediately opened his eyes. "Good morning sleepyhead," Brenda said with a smile as she sat down on the edge of the bed next to him and leaned forward to give him a quick kiss.

"Good morning," Jax said as he sat up against the headboard. He glanced over at the clock on the bedside table before looking back at Brenda. "Is that clock right? It's really 9:00?" he asked with a surprised tone in his voice. When he saw Brenda nodding her head, he smiled and reached behind her neck, pulling her close for another kiss. "I guess you must have worn me out last night," he said softly with a big grin before kissing her passionately.

When their kiss ended, Brenda leaned back from him a little and rested her hands on his chest. "As much as I'd like to take the credit for you exhaustion," she said with a sigh. "I think it was actually all of those bad dreams you were having that tired you out. Want to tell me about them?" she asked with a serious tone in her voice as she gently stroked the backs of her fingers across his cheek.

Jax gently lifted Brenda's hand from his cheek and held it in both of his. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly before looking into her eyes. "I wish I could," he said as he looked down at their joined hands. "But I don't remember any of them." He looked into her eyes again when Brenda lifted his face. "All I know is that they all ended the same way - I lost you!"

Brenda drew her breath in suddenly when he said that. She could tell by the confusion in his eyes that he had told her everything that he remembered. "They were just dreams honey," she said as she watched her hand gently stroke across his chest. She looked up into his eyes and smiled slightly. "We're together. We love each other. There is nothing or no one who can come between us as long as we're honest with each other." She leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss. "Right?" she asked with a reassuring smile.

"Right," Jax said with a smile of his own. "Thanks." He leaned forward to give her another quick kiss before leaning back against the pillows. He chuckled when he realized what she was wearing. "Nice outfit," he said with a smirk as he played with the collar of his shirt before running his index finger down the open neck and back up again.

"Do you like it?" Brenda asked with a smile as she played with the collar. "I got it from this really cute guy that I'm madly in love with. Do you want to borrow it?" she asked innocently.

Jax ran his finger along the open neck. "I'm not sure. I probably should try it on to see if it fits first," he said as he arched his eyebrow at her.

Brenda stood up next to the bed as she slowly started to unbutton the shirt. "I think you're absolutely right," she said with a smile as she finished unbuttoning the shirt. She stepped closer to the bed as she slowly pulled the shirt open and let it slide down her arms.

Jax caught the shirt as it slid off of her and dropped it onto the bed. Before Brenda had a chance to do anything else, he wrapped his arms around her, pulled her down on the bed next to him, and leaned over her. After giving Brenda several passionate kisses, Jax rested on one arm as he gently brushed her hair off of her face. "I love you my beautiful wife," he said softly as he looked longingly into her eyes.

"I love you too my gorgeous husband," Brenda said with a slight smile as she reached up to stroke his cheek. "I didn't think I would ever love someone this much. I didn't think I knew how." She stopped and took a quick breath. "That's why it took me so long to tell you," she continued softly as she began to stroke his cheek again. "It wasn't until last night that I actually figured it out." She reached her hands up and wove her fingers through his hair. "Yesterday, was the first time I understood what it was that I feel for you. I love you Jasper Jacks." She pulled him down and kissed him passionately. Soon, they were making love again.

Afterward, they lay wrapped tightly around each other. Brenda had her hand on top of Jax's as it rested above his heart. She gently ran her thumb across his wedding band. After several minutes of silence she looked up at Jax. She was surprised to see a faraway look in his eyes. She reached up and turned his face toward her. "Are you okay?" she asked as she rested her chin on their hands.

Jax looked down at her. "I'm fine, I was just thinking about what you said earlier." He gently ran his free hand up and down her back. "I've been waiting to hear you say that you loved me ever since we were married. I knew that when you realized what you were feeling that you would tell me but what you said was more than I had expected." He wrapped his arm around her and smiled. "I love you Brenda Jacks. You are a part of me now."

Brenda smiled back at him as she leaned up to give him a quick kiss. "We really should be getting up. It's a long flight back to Port Charles," she said with a touch of sadness in her voice as she rested her chin back on their hands.

Jax couldn't help noticing the regret on Brenda's face. He pulled his hand free and wrapped his arms tightly around her. When she looked back up at him he smiled slightly. "We could always stay over another day you know…"

"I know, but…" Brenda said as she looked away.

"But Lois left you in charge of L&B and you don't want to be away at the same time that she is. Right?" he asked with a slight smile.

"You really know me, don't you?" Brenda asked as she slowly shook her head with an amazed smile on her face.

Jax tapped the tip of her nose with his index finger. "I'm trying," he said softly as he brought his hands up to hold her face. "I want to know everything there is to know about you," he said as he stroked his thumbs across her cheeks.

Brenda smiled up at him with tears glistening in her eyes. "And I want to know everything there is to know about you," she said as she leaned forward to give him a quick kiss. As soon as she leaned back from the kiss she jumped out of bed and ran into the bathroom to shower.

When he heard the water turn on, Jax grabbed his boxers from the floor beside the bed where he had dropped them last night and put them on. He got out of bed and walked over to the window. He ran his fingers through his hair and let out a sigh. He reached over to open the edge of the drapes and stared at the skyline. He became lost in his thoughts about how to tell Brenda the secrets in his life - starting with his deal with Tracy to take over ELQ.

Jax was startled out of his thoughts when he heard Brenda call his name. He almost ran across the bedroom to the bathroom door. "Brenda? Are you okay?" he asked after knocking on the door.

"I'm freezing Jax! I need a towel - quick! I guess we must have used all of them yesterday," she said with a slight chuckle. "Would you please get me one - quickly! I'm really getting cold in here!"

"Well we can't have that now can we?" Jax said with a chuckle of his own. He walked quickly back across the room and was startled when he opened the door to see Paul standing in front of him - his arms full of towels.

"I thought you and Mrs. Jacks might need these," Paul said as he handed Jax the towels. "Breakfast will be ready whenever you and Mrs. Jacks are," he said as he turned to walk away.

"Thanks Paul," Jax said as Paul looked back at him. "I know Brenda will be extremely grateful. She just took a shower and is probably catching pneumonia waiting for these." Jax smiled as he held the towels up slightly.

"Then don't you think you should get them to her?" Paul asked with a smile and a wink.

"Oh God!" Jax said as he quickly slammed the door and ran to the bathroom. He knocked lightly on the door. "I've got the towels luv," he said as he slowly opened the door. He stopped when Brenda pulled the door open and grabbed a towel to wrap around herself.

Jax set the rest of the towels on the vanity and turned to face Brenda. He was surprised to see her shivering. "Hey, you really are cold," he said as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him, rubbing his hands up and down her back to try to warm her. As he was holding her he finally realized how cold it was in the room. "No wonder you're shivering - it's like an icebox in here!" With one arm wrapped tightly around her, he led Brenda into the bedroom. He left her standing by the bed and walked quickly to the closet. He reached in, grabbed his heavy terrycloth robe, and brought it over to her.

"Here, put this on," he said as he wrapped the robe around her shoulders. As Brenda slid her arms into the sleeves the towel that had been wrapped around her fell to the floor. "This should help you warm up a little," he said as he pulled the robe tightly around her and tied the belt. "How's that? Are you warm enough?" he asked as he picked up the towel and started drying her hair.

Brenda turned around so that Jax could finish drying her hair. When she did she caught a look at them in the full-length mirror. She couldn't help chuckling at what she saw. She was covered from neck to floor in Jax's heavy robe. It covered her arms well past her fingertips and curled up on the floor at her feet. Jax, on the other hand, was wearing his black silk boxers - and nothing else!

"That feels good," she said with a sigh as she leaned back against him. She suddenly stepped away and turned to face him. "Wait a minute! It was like an icebox in that bathroom and it's comfortable in here," she said with a suspicious look in her eyes.

"Excuse me? Are you suggesting that I arranged that?" Jax asked with his best little boy expression.

Brenda looked into his eyes for a moment before resting her hands on his chest. "I guess not. I'm sorry I accused you," she said as she slowly smiled at him again.

"You don't have to apologize luv. I'm just a little surprised that you know me well enough to suspect I would do something like that," Jax said as he loosely wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Like I said before, I intend to know you a whole lot better," Brenda said softly as she wrapped her arms around him and rested her cheek against his chest. "In fact, I intend to know everything there is to know about you." She leaned back from him slightly when she felt him tense up. "What's wrong?"

Jax looked away from her for a moment. "Nothing," he said without looking at her. After taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly he looked at her with a smile. "Now why don't you get what you need from the bathroom and finish dressing in the guest bath across the hall?" He leaned down to kiss the tip of her nose. "Can't have my bride catching pneumonia can we?"

Brenda smiled at him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Okay," she said. "What about you? You can't shower in there," she said as she nodded toward the bathroom.

"I'll be fine - really! You forget, I grew up in Alaska. I'm used to the cold." Jax tightened his arms around her. "Besides, If I get too cold I know you'll warm me up!" He gave her a wink before leaning down to give her a quick kiss. "We better finish dressing if we want to get back to Port Charles today," he said as he released her. "I'll meet you in the dining room when you're done. Paul has breakfast waiting for us."

"Okay, I won't be long." Brenda collected everything she needed and headed across the hall.

Jax shaved quickly and jumped into the shower. As soon as he finished he dried himself off and walked into the bedroom to dress. He could hear Brenda in the guestroom when he stepped into the hall. He waited a moment before walking down the hall and into the dining room. He had just poured his coffee when Brenda came in.

"Oh good! Coffee!" Brenda said as she sat down and took the full cup out of his hand. "Thanks," she said as she took a sip. "Perfect," she said with a satisfied smile as Jax just looked at her for a moment before chuckling and pouring a cup for himself. As he was setting the pot down Paul came in with their breakfast.

"Can I get you anything else?" he asked.

"No, thank you Paul," Jax said as he looked at Brenda. "Oh, Paul, get someone in to check the air conditioning in our bathroom. It's like an icebox in there. Brenda got quite a chill this morning." Jax looked sternly at Paul as he spoke.

"I'll take care of it immediately sir." Paul turned to Brenda. "I apologize for your discomfort Mrs. Jacks. I assure you that it will be repaired when you stay with us again."

"There's nothing to apologize for Paul," Brenda said with a smile. "You have no control over a broken air conditioner. Besides, I rather enjoyed warming up," she said with a wink at Jax.

Paul cleared his throat slightly and looked down. "Okay," he said slightly embarrassed. "Anyway, I will have the unit checked this afternoon."

As Paul was walking out, Jax glanced at his watch. "One more thing Paul. Brenda and I will be going back to Port Charles after breakfast. Would you call the airport and have them prep the little jet for our flight back? Also please let Clay and Eric know that we'll be ready to leave soon."

"Of course sir. Clay and Eric are in the back. I'll let them know you will be ready to leave shortly." Paul bowed slightly before leaving the room.

"I like him. He's a nice man," Brenda said after Paul was gone. "I have to tell you though, he's not the type of person I would have expected to be working for your family."

"What do you mean?" Jax asked as he sipped his coffee.

"Well, you and your parents are such 'normal' people. You know, down to earth. Paul is so formal," Brenda said. "It just seems a little unusual that you guys would have someone like Paul taking care of this place, that's all."

Jax couldn't help smiling at Brenda's description of his parents. "Actually, it took us a while to get used to him," Jax said with a chuckle as he finished his coffee and leaned back in his chair. "Remember yesterday, I told you that the extra bedrooms are for business guests?" he asked. When Brenda nodded he continued. "Paul's primary responsibility is making our business associates comfortable here. Most of those people are used to professional staffs and being catered to," Jax leaned forward and rested his arms on the table. "He's pretty amazing actually. Not only does he manage to make this place comfortable for any member of the family but he also manages to see to the needs of our business associates - regardless of their background." Jax stood up and held out his hand "We had better get going. The plane should be ready by now."

"Okay," Brenda said as she took his hand and stood up. "Do you have a small suitcase I can pack our clothes in to take back to PC?"

"You don't have to do that luv. Paul will have them cleaned. If you don't want to leave your outfit here he can send it to Port Charles." Jax gently ran his index finger up and down the lapel of the gray silk suit she was wearing. "And if you want to send this outfit back he can arrange for that as well." He smiled slightly. "Personally, I hope you keep it in Port Charles. You look fantastic in it." After giving her a quick kiss he rested his forehead against hers. "Are you ready to go?" he asked as he leaned back from her.

"Yep, I just need to get my purse out of the bedroom. I'd also like to say goodbye to Paul," Brenda said as she rested her hands on his chest. "I won't be long." Without giving him a chance to say anything, she turned and walked quickly toward the bedroom.

When she was gone, Jax walked over to look out the window. He was more convinced than ever that he needed to tell Brenda about his 'arrangement' with Tracy. He stared out the window as he tried to formulate the story to tell her. He finally decided that the best plan was no plan at all. He knew that no matter how he said it, Brenda would be angry and probably hurt as well. He decided to wait until they were on the plane and then just tell her. He would let her ask questions. He hoped that way he would not hurt her unnecessarily by telling her more than she wanted or needed to know.

It was obvious to Brenda as soon as she came back into the dining room that Jax had something on his mind. He didn't say a word to her all the way to the airport. He simply held her hand tightly as he stared out the window at the passing buildings. After glancing at him several times, Brenda decided to wait until he was ready to tell her what was bothering him. She put her free hand on top of their joined hands and rested her head on his shoulder. Neither of them said anything for the rest of the ride to the airport.

Jax continued to tightly hold Brenda's hand until after the plane took off. When the seatbelt sign went off he finally let go, took off his seatbelt, and took a deep breath, which he let out slowly. He cleared his throat and turned in the seat to face her. "I need to talk to you about something," he said softly as he looked at his hands.

"I know," Brenda said as she put her hand on top of his. When he looked up at her she smiled slightly. "I could tell that you've had something on your mind since we left the penthouse." She reached up and stroked his cheek. "You can tell me anything, Jax. Whatever it is we can deal with it."

Jax smiled slightly as he took her hand from his cheek and held it in both of his. "I hope you still feel that way when you hear what I have to tell you," Jax said with a trace of sadness.

"The only way we'll know is if you tell me," Brenda said.

"Okay, here goes," Jax said as he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I met Tracy Quartermaine before she showed up at the ELQ board meeting that night." He waited for a reaction from Brenda, but she just stared at him silently. "Several months ago she showed up at my office in New York with a business proposition. She wanted my help taking over a company - ELQ!" He could see Brenda tense up as she sat up a little straighter in the seat.

"I see," she said coldly.

"I knew about ELQ and the Quartermaine family before Tracy showed up that day. My father and I had talked once or twice about making a run at the company but we always decided against it."

"Why?" Brenda asked softly as she continued to watch him.

"Because it's a family run company," Jax said. "You cannot harm a family run company. There's no way in unless someone in the family is on your side. In this case, Tracy was that person."

"Is that why you helped Lois?" Brenda asked angrily as she continued to stare at him. "To get a better look at ELQ?"

"Absolutely not!" he said. "I helped Lois for the reason I told you. It was a quick way to make a ton of money. Then, when I came to Port Charles and met the Quartermaines, I finally understood how Tracy could turn on her family and want to take the company away from them." Jax smiled slightly. "I have to tell you, I was really glad that I helped you and Lois get L&B away from them. There is no way either of you could have worked with them!"

Brenda took a deep breath and let it out slowly as she tried to figure out how to ask her next question. When she looked into Jax's eyes and saw that he was trying to be honest with her about this she decided to just ask it. "What about buying Lucy's stock? Was that part of your plan with Tracy? To get you on the ELQ board?"

"NO!" Jax declared loudly. When he saw the startled expression on her face he sighed. "The truth is, that by that time I was already having second thoughts about the deal. Then when I saw Tracy in action with the rest of the Quartermaines I…"

"You what?" Brenda asked a little nervously.

"I told her she was treading a very thin line. I told her that I would not tolerate the way she talked to you or Lois," Jax said sincerely.

"Oh you did, did you? When exactly did you tell her that?" Brenda asked suspiciously.

"The day of Ned's concert at the Outback. She stopped me on my way in to meet you." Jax slowly shook his head as he remembered his encounter with Tracy. "She told me that she could tell that I was jealous of the attention Sonny was paying to you. She asked if I was there to check up on you." He put his finger on her lips when she started to protest. "I told her that I wasn't worried about Sonny because I trusted you and I knew that you were happy with me," he said with a slightly nervous smile.

Brenda smiled back at him for the first time since he had started talking. "You got that part right." The smile didn't last long though.

When Jax saw the smile start to fade he continued. "After Tracy's 'performance' when Dylan ruined the sound board I realized that she had crossed that line I warned her about and that our deal was off!"

"Does Tracy know that?" Brenda asked calmly.

"Yes, I told her that night after Ned and Lois left. She stopped me when you went back into the club to get your things. She said that with Ned away it was a perfect time to make a move on ELQ." Jax took a deep breath and let it out quickly. "I told her that she had gone too far and that if she still wanted to go after ELQ she was on her own." He sighed loudly before continuing. "She tried to change my mind by threatening to tell you about our plan, but I hinted to her that you already knew and walked away from her and the deal."

Brenda leaned back into the corner of the seat and crossed her arms in front of her as she looked at him sadly. "Is that why you're telling me now - so Tracy can't?"

Jax reached forward and put his hand on her knee. He could tell that she was upset with him. "No, that's not why," he said seriously as he looked into her eyes.

"Why are you telling me?" Brenda asked quietly as she studied his face.

Jax looked her straight in the eyes when he answered. "Last night, when you told me that you loved me, I knew that I had to tell you. I don't want any secrets between us. I love you too much for that. I wanted to be the one to tell you about this so that I could answer any questions you might have." He paused for a moment. "Are you angry with me?"

Brenda thought for a moment. "I don't know yet. I guess it depends on how you answer my next question," she said. She reached forward and put her hand on top of his, linking her fingers with his as she looked down at their joined hands. "Are you still going to go after ELQ?" she asked without looking up at him.

Jax lifted her chin with the side of his finger. "It's my job luv. It's what I do for a living. You knew that when you married me," he said honestly.

Brenda looked away from him as she took his hand from her chin. "Would you leave ELQ alone if I asked you to?" she asked softly, unable to look at him.

"Is that what you're asking me to do - leave ELQ alone?" Jax asked as he gently turned her face back to him so that he could look into her eyes.

After silently looking into his eyes for a moment, Brenda took a deep breath. "No, I won't do that," she said softly. "Just promise me that if you do decide to go after ELQ you'll tell me about if first and that it will be a friendly takeover." She squeezed his hand in hers. "The Quartermaines are like my family Jax. Ned is not only the head of ELQ, he's also your friend. I don't want to see any of them hurt by this."

"Does that include Tracy?" Jax asked with a slight smile and a wink.

Brenda slapped his hand. "No, that does not include Tracy," she said with a smirk. "As far as I'm concerned, her business interests are fair game. In fact, I'll help you take them over." She looked at him with an arched eyebrow. "I think I should make sure that she understands that whatever happens with ELQ, you are not a part of the deal."

"I already told her that our arrangement is off," Jax said, slightly confused.

"I'm not talking about 'business' Jax," Brenda said as she fidgeted slightly in the seat. "I've seen how she looks at you when she doesn't think anyone is looking. Every time she sees you she drools." When Jax chuckled and blushed slightly she couldn't help chuckling as well. "I'm serious Jax! She wants you and she'll do anything she can to get you!"

Jax slid over in the seat and wrapped his arms around her. "Well she's too late - I've got everything I want right here," he said as he tightened his arms around her. He rested his cheek on top of her head. "I love you Brenda, and you love me - that's all that matters." He looked out the window as he continued to rest his cheek on her head. He was relieved to know that Brenda had not been too upset at his deal with Tracy. He hoped that when the time came to tell her the other secret in his life she would be just as understanding.

They spent the remainder of the flight back to Port Charles snuggled together, teasing and tickling each other. Once the plane taxied to a stop and the door was opened, they walked down the stairs and got into the car Edward had waiting for them. When they reached the hotel they stopped at the front desk to pick up their messages before going up to the penthouse.

As they walked across the lobby and got onto the elevator, they never noticed the two men sitting in the chairs by the front door. The men noticed them though. After the elevator doors closed behind Jax and Brenda, one of the men pulled a phone out of his pocket and pressed a speed dial number. As the second man continued to watch the lobby, he made a brief report about the return of the Jacks couple, nodding a couple of times as he was given instruction, before closing the phone and picking up the newspaper in his lap.

"The boss said we can loosen the surveillance on the Jacks couple. He agrees with Ms. Lily that Mrs. Jacks is not a part of this. He does want us to keep an eye out for Morgan or one of Corrinthos' other guys though," the man said as he put the cell phone back into his pocket. Before the second man could respond, they both looked up as the front door opened and Jason came through it, walking across the lobby to the desk.

"Is Mrs. Jacks in?" Jason asked the desk clerk.

Before the clerk had a chance to say anything, Ben and a uniformed hotel security officer stepped up behind him. "And just what concern is it of yours if Mrs. Jacks is or is not at home?" Ben asked as he rested one arm on the desk and the other hand on his hip.

Jason turned to face Ben. "Sonny wants to talk to her," Jason said calmly.

Ben smiled and slowly shook his head. "Well, I'm afraid you made the trip here for nothing. Mrs. Jacks has left strict instructions that she does not want to talk to your boss. So whether she's here or not doesn't really matter - she's not interested in talking to you or your boss," Ben said as he nodded toward the door. Jason stared at Ben for a moment, finally realizing that he wasn't going to get anywhere with him, before turning to walk across the lobby and out the door.

The two men by the door had watched what had gone on between Jason and Ben. They had also seen Jason storm out of the hotel and get into a waiting car. As soon as Jason went out the door, the man with the cell phone pulled it out and pressed the redial button. He reported what had just happened with Jason and then listened for a moment before closing the phone.

"He thinks we've been here too long so he's sending a new crew. He wants you to go up to the room and order dinner so that the security guys don't get curious about us being here," he said quietly as he partially hid his face behind his paper and looked around the lobby.

"What about you?" his partner asked without putting down his paper.

"As soon as the new crew gets here I'm suppose to meet him at the office. I'll see you up in the room when I'm done," he said as he put the cell phone away and opened up the section of the paper he was holding as if to read it.

His partner took this as a signal to get up and follow his instructions. He set down the section of paper that he was reading and walked across the lobby to the elevators. As he waited for the doors to open, he dug in his pockets and pulled out his room key card. When the doors finally opened he nodded slightly to the guard standing nearby before stepping onto the elevator. As he waited for the doors to close he couldn't help wondering how much longer they would be watching the Jacks woman. It was obvious, at least to him, that she no longer had any interest in Corrinthos. He shrugged as the doors closed. It wasn't his decision. He would watch her as long as the boss said to - after all, she was definitely easy on the eyes, he thought with a chuckle.

July 9, 1996
7:45 A.M.

The lobby of the Port Charles Hotel was already alive with people. Technicians, wardrobe people, makeup people and photographers assistants, were all setting up for the first Jacks Cosmetics photo shoot featuring Brenda Jacks as the face of Jacks Cosmetics. Over the objections of Edward Quartermaine, Lucy had arranged all of the necessary permits as well as a rental agreement with Ned for the use of the lobby and front entrance of the hotel.

While the lobby was in turmoil, the penthouse wasn't much better. Brenda had tossed and turned half the night. Finally getting out of bed at 6:30, she stood staring out the wall of windows as the sun finished rising above the horizon. She was startled to feel Jax wrap his arms around her from behind. She closed her eyes and leaned back against his bare chest, enjoying the peace she finally felt wrapped in his arms. She wrapped her arms around his and gently pulled his arms tighter around her.

"What's wrong luv? Are you nervous about the shoot?" he asked as he rested his chin on her shoulder. "I told you I'd be there," he said softly as he leaned down to kiss the side of her neck. "There's nothing to be nervous about."

"I know, I know," she said nervously. "I'm just being silly. I just can't seem to help myself. Every time I do a shoot I feel like this - like everything is going to be a disaster." She shuddered as she continued. "I imagine all sorts of terrible things, like I suddenly turn into the fat little girl I was at twelve when my father called me 'Tubbo' and I start bulging out of all of the wardrobe! Or I get this horrible rash all over my body!"

No matter how hard he tried, Jax could not keep from laughing out loud. When he felt Brenda tense up, he leaned down to kiss her shoulder before resting his cheek against hers. "I'm sorry," he said as he tried not to chuckle again. "But the chances of either one of those things happening is someplace between slim and none." He turned her around to face him and cupped her face in his hands. "Listen to me," he said softly with a reassuring smile. "The camera loves you and you love the camera - even if you don't realize it. You light up whenever you're in front of a camera. It shows in the pictures," he said as he leaned down to kiss the side of her neck and held her close to him.

Brenda smiled as she tightened her arms around him. "How do you always manage to do that?" she asked.

"Do what?" he asked with a smile as he rested his cheek against the top of her head.

"Manage to make me feel better when I'm nervous," she said with a sigh.

"It's a gift," he said smugly. "Come on, let's get dressed. You need to be downstairs in a little while." Jax leaned down and kissed the side of her neck one more time before releasing his arms and extending his hand to her. "Come on, if we hurry you'll have time for a quick breakfast with me..."

"Ugh!" Brenda said with a sick expression on her face. "I couldn't eat a thing right now!" she said as she stuck out her tongue. She finally reached for his extended hand and grasped it in hers.

"Then you can keep me company while I eat," Jax said as he led Brenda toward the bedroom.

Since Brenda did not have to worry about her hair or makeup she was ready at just about the same time as Jax. When they got down to the lobby and found that Lucy wasn't ready for her yet, Brenda reluctantly agreed to have a glass of juice with Jax in The Grill. They had just gotten their juice when Jax's cell phone rang. It only took a short conversation for him to realize that he needed to go back to the penthouse to handle the problem.

Jax slipped the phone back into his pocket before reaching for Brenda's hand. "I'm sorry about his luv. It won't take long - I promise," he said with a reassuring smile as he squeezed her hand. "I'll be back before you're through with wardrobe and makeup. If you're ready before I get back just ask Eric to have the guard upstairs let me know and I'll be right down. I don't want to miss one minute of my beautiful wife at work." He leaned over and gave her a long kiss before standing up. "I promise, I'll only be a few minutes," he said as he rested his hands on the table and leaned forward to give her another quick kiss and a smile before turning and walking out of the restaurant. As he was leaving he stopped to tell Eric that he should make sure that Brenda was not disturbed until Lucy was ready for her.

Brenda sat staring at her juice, trying to calm down. She was startled from her thoughts by the sound of a familiar and unwanted voice.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the little conniver," Tracy said with a smirk.

"What do you want Tracy?" Brenda asked as she slowly looked up. She saw Eric start to get up to come over so she shook her head slightly to let him know it was okay for Tracy to stay. When he saw Brenda's signal Eric sat back down at the bar and began to closely watch what was going on at the table.

Tracy looked over at Eric before turning back to Brenda. "My, my, your husband doesn't trust you very much does he?" she asked snidely. "How does it feel to know that your husband is having you watched?"

"It feels very good actually," Brenda said proudly. "It's very comforting to know that he loves me so much that he wants to protect me - even when he can't be with me."

"How touching," Tracy said as she tried to control her growing anger. This was not going the way she had hoped. "Are you sure he's not just collecting evidence for the divorce?" she said smugly as she sat down across from Brenda.

"Is there a point to this conversation Tracy? Because if there isn't, I'd appreciate it if you would just get back on your broom and fly away. Jax will be back in a minute and I have a photo shoot to get ready for."

Tracy couldn't help smiling. This was her way in. Everyone knew how nervous Brenda got before one of these shoots. All she had to do was upset her and she'd fall apart. "I'm sure he will dear. Say, maybe you should have those high priced bodyguards follow him around for a while. I'm sure they should be able to get you some kind of evidence to enable you to get a hefty divorce settlement. I mean, let's face it, we both know that there's no way YOU could ever hope to satisfy a man like Jax!" Tracy said snidely. Expecting a loud emotional outburst from Brenda, Tracy was surprised to see a smile slowly spread across her face. "Did I say something funny?"

"Give it up Tracy. There's nothing you can say that will make me doubt Jax," Brenda said as she slowly shook her head.

Finally, Tracy thought, the little twit had just given her the opening she was hoping for. "Oh really? Are you sure about that?" Tracy asked smugly.

Brenda let out a loud sigh. She suddenly realized what Tracy was about to do. "Spit it out Tracy. I have a shoot to get to."

"You may want to reschedule that dear. I doubt you'll be in any mood to smile pretty when you hear what I have to tell you!" Tracy said with a phony look of concern on her face.

Jax was just finishing his last call as he walked into The Grill. He stopped suddenly as he looked over at Brenda's table and saw Tracy sitting with her. He immediately walked over to Eric, who was sitting watching the two women. "Do you mind telling me what the hell that woman is doing with my wife?" Jax hissed as he leaned close to Eric's ear. "You're supposed to keep people like that away from her!"

"I know that sir. As soon as I saw Ms. Quartermaine approach I started over to keep her away but Mrs. Jacks waived me away. I've been watching them very closely for any sign that Mrs. Jacks is uncomfortable ever since. Eric looked up at Jax. "I have to tell you sir, Ms. Quartermaine is the only one at that table that looks upset. It seems like every time she tries to get to Mrs. Jacks she gets shot down."

"For your sake you had better be right Eric," Jax whispered sternly. He started toward the table but stopped when Brenda glanced up at him and gave him a look to wait. He smiled at her and nodded his understanding. He simply stood slightly behind Tracy to listen to what was being said.

"Well?" Brenda said again. "What is it?"

"Your husband is not the white knight you think he is dear," Tracy said. "I hate to be the one to disappoint you, but the only reason he married you was to get his foot into ELQ!"

Brenda leaned back in the booth. "Oh really? And you know this because…"

"Because he and I are working together to take control of the company away from my father," Tracy said triumphantly. "He only married you to get close to Ned. It was all part of the plan. You can't really believe that Jax would marry someone like you if he didn't have to can you? Come on Brenda, you know as well as I do that you could never be a suitable wife for someone in Jax's position. As soon as we get the company you'll be history! He'll send you back to Sonny Corrinthos or someone just like him so fast that you won't even see it coming!"

Tracy had been watching Brenda's face as she spoke, expecting to see her crumble at the news. Instead she saw a slight smile start to cross Brenda's face. When she realized what that meant, Tracy could feel the color start to drain from her face.

Jax immediately started forward but stopped when Brenda suddenly looked up at him and shook her head slightly. She linked her fingers together as she leaned forward and rested her arms on the table. "Tracy, Tracy, Tracy - I just love how you always try to put your own spin on things," Brenda said with a broad smile.

"What do you mean?" Tracy asked nervously. She suddenly realized that Jax had not been bluffing, Brenda DID know about their plans for ELQ - the REAL plans!

"My marriage to Jax had nothing to do with his original agreement with you Tracy. It was," she looked over Tracy's shoulder for a moment at Jax before looking back at Tracy. "An unexpected bonus for him." She couldn't help chuckling when she saw Jax eagerly nodding his head in agreement. "Actually though, he wins on all fronts - now that he's no longer stuck with you for a partner," Brenda said smugly.

"What... what are you talking about? Jax and I are in this deal to the end!" Tracy said nervously.

This time it was Brenda who smiled. "If you still want to take control of ELQ away from Edward you go right ahead. As far as we're concerned though, it's a done deal. If and when we decide to make a move on the company it will be a family operation," Brenda said coldly. "A Jacks family operation - outsiders are not wanted or needed!"

Jax couldn't help smiling as he watched Brenda put Tracy in her place. He was startled to feel a hand on his arm. He looked over to see Lucy standing nervously next to him. When she pointed toward Brenda and Tracy Jax leaned over to whisper to her without looking away from Brenda and Tracy. "Are you ready for her Lucy?" he asked softly as he continued to watch Brenda.

"Yes," Lucy said nervously. "What's she doing with Tracy? She's nervous enough about this shoot! Considering how those two feel about each other this can't be good for her right now!" Lucy looked nervously up at Jax as she tightly squeezed his arm.

"Brenda's doing just fine, Lucy," Jax said proudly. "In fact, she's got Tracy down for the count. Besides," he said with a smile as he finally glanced at Lucy, "Look at her. Tracy's completely taken her mind off of how nervous she was so how can this be a bad thing?" He looked at Lucy with a smile. "Why don't you wait here? I'll get Brenda."

Jax quietly walked up and stood behind Tracy. "Sorry I took so long luv," he said to Brenda, totally ignoring Tracy. "Lucy's ready for you." He held out his hand to her as she slid over to the edge of the booth.

"Thanks honey," Brenda said as she squeezed his hand and stood up. She looked down at a very shaken Tracy. "Remember what I said Tracy, if we decide to take over ELQ it won't be just my husband you'll be facing - it'll be ALL of us!" She wrapped her arm around Jax's waist. "You see Tracy, we in the Jacks family support each other. Unlike you Quartermaines who are constantly plotting against each other - even their own children!" Brenda turned and looked up at Jax. "Come on, I don't want to keep Lucy waiting," she said with a smile.

"Lead on my lady," Jax said as he leaned down to kiss the tip of her nose. "Nice job," he said so quietly that only she could hear.

Brenda just squeezed her arm around his waist before they turned and walked away without another word to Tracy from either Brenda or Jax. When they got to where Lucy was standing, Brenda gave her a hug. "Let's get started," she said as she wrapped her arm around Jax again and smiled at Lucy.

Lucy was stunned at Brenda's attitude about the shoot. "Wait a minute," she said as she put her hand on Brenda's arm. "Are you okay? Did Tracy upset you? 'Cause if she did we can postpone the shoot..."

Brenda smiled at Lucy. "I'm fine Lucy. Tracy had nothing to do with how I'm feeling." Brenda stopped for a moment. "On second thought, maybe she did have something to do with this. It felt amazing to shut her down. Add that to my beautiful husband planning to spend the entire day on the set watching the shoot and you'll understand why I'm in such a good mood!"

"Can you come to every shoot?" Lucy asked as she put her hand on Jax's arm. "I have the distinct feeling that this shoot is going to be a snap!"

Brenda and Jax both chuckled. "Why don't we see how things go today? Okay?" Jax said as he squeezed Brenda closer to him.

"Fair enough," Lucy said. "Come on Brenda, Tom is almost ready for you." Lucy grabbed Brenda's hand and started pulling her toward the door. As Jax started to follow, Lucy stopped and put her hand on his chest. "Hold it! Where do you think you're going big guy?"

"With my wife," Jax said with a chuckle as he continued to look at Brenda.

"Oh no you're not!" Lucy declared as she slowly shook her head. "Remember, I've seen you two together. You can't keep your hands off of each other! If you come with us Brenda will never get finished in hair and makeup!" She took a deep breath and let it out quickly as she looked at her watch. "You stay here for twenty minutes. If we finish sooner I'll send someone for you. Okay?"

Jax glanced at his watch before looking at Lucy with his best sad little boy face. "I guess if I have to..."

"Good! See you in twenty minutes!" Lucy said as she grabbed Brenda's arm again.

Before they could move, Jax leaned forward and gave Brenda a passionate kiss. "That should hold you over until I get on the set," Jax said with a smile as he stroked her cheek with the backs of his fingers. "Go on, let them try to make you even more beautiful than you already are - if that's possible," Jax said softly as he leaned down to give her one more quick kiss. Jax stroked her cheek one more time before nodding toward the door. "Go on, I'll see you in twenty minutes," he said with a smile and another quick kiss.

Jax watched Brenda and Lucy walk out the door arm in arm - giggling like a couple of schoolgirls. Once they were gone, Jax walked back to the table where Tracy was still sitting, staring at her hands. He rested his hands on her shoulders and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "I tried to tell you Tracy. But you didn't believe me. You had to try to hurt Brenda didn't you?" he said softly.

Without looking back at Jax, Tracy smiled smugly. "Do you really think that cheap little wife of yours scares me?" she asked. "All I have to do is tell my father that you are planning a run on his company. He'll shut you down so fast you won't know what hit you! I'll make sure that my son destroys you AND that little family business you have," Tracy said confidently.

"Brenda was right wasn't she? You really don't get it do you Tracy?" Jax asked as he tightened his grip on her shoulders. "Your father already suspects that I'm coming after ELQ. He isn't going to believe your warnings. If anything, he'll suspect you of making a run at the company - not me," Jax said with a chuckle. "As for Ned, go ahead and tell him. I'm sure he's been expecting it ever since we met. It won't affect our friendship or his love for Brenda." Jax could feel Tracy tense up as she realized that he was right. Every raid they had made on ELQ could be traced back to her. "Have a nice day Tracy - I know I will." Jax gave her shoulders a quick squeeze before walking away from her and her idle threats.

As he walked into the lobby he saw Lucy surrounded by several men. He looked around until he saw Ben and walked over to him. "What's up over there?" Jax asked as he nodded toward Lucy.

"Corrinthos showed up just as Lucy and Brenda came out of The Grill." Ben could see the anger flash into Jax's eyes. "Don't worry, he didn't get near her. Eric and Clay escorted her straight to her dressing room and are waiting there for her to come out. I've also got our people on the photo set. Until Lucy is ready to start work no one gets close!" He could see the anger slowly fading from Jax's eyes.

"Good, thanks," Jax said. He nodded toward Lucy again. "That still doesn't explain what all that is about."

"That's Corrinthos in action. When he found out Lucy was using the hotel for a Jacks Cosmetics photo shoot he started throwing his weight around. He demanded to see the manager whom he promptly ordered to shut down the shoot. Claiming that as a member of the ELQ board of directors he was refusing Lucy permission to use the hotel. When the manager told Corrinthos that he couldn't do that because he was under strict orders from the CEO and the Chairman of the Board to give Lucy the full cooperation of the hotel, Corrinthos went storming over to Lucy." Ben stopped for a moment to look over at the group surrounding Lucy. "At that point Lucy told him there was nothing he could do to stop her. She told him she had a signed rental agreement for the use of the hotel as well as all necessary city permits so he should just back off."

"So what's he still doing here then?" Jax asked.

"Corrinthos," Ben said in disgust, "Is refusing to leave until he sees Brenda." When he saw the anger flare up in Jax's eyes Ben put his hand on Jax's arm. "Don't worry, it's not going to happen. Even if we didn't prevent it, Lucy's making it very clear to him that it's not going to happen," Ben said with a trace of admiration in his voice. "You know, she's a very smart businesswoman who works very hard to look like a flake," he said with a chuckle.

Jax couldn't help smiling at Ben's accurate description of Lucy. "You've got that right," he said with a chuckle as he looked toward Lucy. When he looked past her to see Brenda standing on the other side of the lobby with Eric and Clay he nodded to Ben and they walked over to Lucy.

"Everyone's waiting for you Lucy," Jax said calmly. "Tell my wife that I'll be there in a minute will you?" he said as he put his hand on her arm and nodded toward Brenda. "Go on, I'll take care of this."

Lucy looked nervously at Jax for a moment before deciding to let him handle Sonny. "Thanks Jax," she said as she quickly walked over to Brenda. "You look amazing," she said with a smile. "Come on, this is going to be great!"

Brenda looked nervously at Jax who was still standing facing Sonny. "What about..."

"Jax said we should get started. He asked me to tell you that he'd be right out - as soon as he took care of things with Sonny." Lucy smiled reassuringly at Brenda. "Trust me Brenda, he'll be just fine."

Before answering Lucy, Brenda looked over at Jax. He looked over Sonny's shoulder at her with a smile and a wink, which went a long way toward relieving her fears. She smiled back at him before linking her arm with Lucy's. "I'm all yours Lucy," she said as they headed toward the door with Eric and Clay close behind.

Once Brenda and the others were outside, Jax turned his attention back to Sonny. "You said you wouldn't leave until you saw Brenda. Well, there she is!" he said coldly. "Now take your goons and get out of here. Lucy has all the permission she needs from Ned, Edward, and the City of Port Charles. She doesn't need your permission to do her job."

Sonny just glared at Jax as he spoke. When Jax made the remark about him seeing Brenda, he immediately turned and watched her walk out the front door with Lucy. The sound of her laughter caused a knot to form in his stomach and a tightness to develop in his chest. As he watched her walk out the doors he made a decision. He would get her back and get rid of Jasper Jacks - whatever it took!

"Enjoy her while you can Pretty Boy," Sonny said with a leer. "She's still mine and she always will be. One of these days she'll understand that. All I have to do is wait and watch. Once I find your Achilles Heel I'll get her back - on my terms!"

Sonny nodded to his men as he turned to leave. He started toward the front doors but stopped when several hotel security officers stepped in front of him. Sonny stood there for a moment to look over a guard's shoulder, watching Brenda work. He finally turned back to give Jax one more leer as he flicked his eyes toward Brenda. Without saying another word he walked across the lobby and out the side door with his bodyguards around him.

"That is one crazy man," Ben said as he leaned closer to Jax, both of them watching Sonny and company stride across the lobby.

"Keep someone on him - not too close! I want to know what he's up to," Jax said. As Ben started to leave Jax put a hand on his arm. "You're right, he is crazy." Jax turned and walked out the front door to join the others at the photo shoot. As he stood off to the side watching Brenda his mind kept reviewing everything that Tracy and Sonny had said. As he watched Brenda posing and laughing he finally realized that it was Sonny who could do the most damage. He shook his head slowly to clear his mind of thoughts of Sonny Corrinthos. This day was for Brenda and he refused to let anyone interfere with that.

Jax spent the rest of the day watching Brenda work. He was sure to stay out of the way of the photographer but always where Brenda could see him. When they broke for lunch he and Brenda went off to a private lunch on the terrace of The Grill. They actually spent more time cuddling than eating so that when Lucy came to get them they had barely touched their food.

The shoot went straight through the afternoon into the early evening hours. It finally came to an end after dark with a series of shots in front of the hotel. The setup had Brenda sitting on the roof of a shiny black limo wearing a pale aqua strapless satin ballgown. She posed in a variety of positions both sitting up and lying down on the roof, her legs, and at times the edge of the roof, covered by the full skirt of the gown.

When Lucy and Tom were both satisfied that they had what they needed, Lucy stepped forward and turned to face everyone. "I think that does it, don't you?" she asked as she looked first at Tom, who nodded his agreement, and then at Brenda, who collapsed back onto the roof of the car after eagerly nodding her head. Lucy turned to Jax, "Well, don't just stand there husband - GET HER DOWN!"

"Get me down! Get me down!" Brenda said eagerly as she sat up, swung her legs over the side of the roof and extended her arms to Jax. As soon as he was close enough she nearly jumped off the roof into his arms, wrapping her legs tightly around his waist and her arms around his neck. "Thank you my amazing husband," she said softly as she snuggled her face against his neck, kissing him several times.

"You are very welcome, my amazing wife," Jax said with a smile as he rested his cheek on top of her head. He continued to hold her close to him until he felt someone pulling on his arm. He reluctantly lifted his head and looked over at Lucy.

"Put her down! Put her down!" Lucy said excitedly.

When Brenda slowly lifted her head from his shoulder, she and Jax looked lovingly at each other for a moment before he slowly let her slide down his body until she was able to set her feet on the ground. They continued to stare at each other until Lucy grabbed Brenda's arm and linked her own with it to take a few steps toward the front of the limo.

"Isn't she amazing?" Lucy asked excitedly as she turned to Jax.

"Amazing," Jax said softly as he continued to look at Brenda.

"I really want to thank you Brenda," Lucy said as she rested both hands on Brenda's arm.

"For what?" Brenda asked with a smile as she rested her hand on top of Lucy's. "Taking a few pictures?"

Lucy slowly shook her head as her smile faded. "It's much more than that and you know it. I promise you, you won't be sorry," she said seriously.

"You've very welcome," Brenda said with a smile as she squeezed Lucy's hand on her arm. "I don't regret my decision, Lucy. I trust you,"

Suddenly feeling tears in her eyes, Lucy took a deep breath and let it out quickly. "Well I have a ton of people I still have to thank," she said with a big smile as she squeezed Brenda's arm again before leaning forward to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll talk to you tomorrow," she said happily. Lucy waived slightly to both Brenda and Jax before turning to walk quickly through the door of the hotel that the doorman was holding open for her.

Once Lucy was gone, Brenda looked up into Jax's eyes. "I can't believe that you stayed here the entire day. You must have been so bored," she said as she reached up to rub the backs of her fingers across Jax's cheek.

Jax wrapped his arms loosely around Brenda's waist. "Are you kidding?" It was amazing watching my beautiful bride at work! All day I kept asking myself how I got so lucky to have you in my life." Jax leaned down to give her a tender kiss. When he leaned back up to look at her he had a twinkle in his eye. "Tell you what," he said as he tightened his arms around her. "Since you are DEFINITELY dressed for a night on the town and Edward just happens to have the car parked right over there..." Jax said as he pointed further down the drive. "Why don't we take advantage and celebrate?"

A broad smile crossed Brenda's face as she eagerly nodded her agreement. She couldn't help giggling when Jax swept her up in his arms and started toward the car. "Wait Jax! My shoes!" she said as she pointed her finger over his shoulder. "They're on the hood of the limo!"

Without saying a word, Jax turned and walked over to the prop limo, picked up her shoes and headed back to their waiting car without ever stopping. Edward had opened the door for them as they approached so Jax got right in without ever setting Brenda down.

As Edward closed the door, Jax slid Brenda off of his lap and onto the seat beside him, her legs still draped across his lap. "Your shoes my lady," he said with a smile as he lifted the hem of her gown and slid her shoes on for her.

"Thank you kind sir," Brenda said as she slid her legs off of his lap and lifted his arm so that she could snuggle close to his side. After a long silence Brenda let out a soft sight. "Jax, I owe you so much for today," she said softly as she rested her hand on his chest, playing with the buttons on his shirt.

"What makes you think that you owe me anything?" Jax asked as he lifted her face so he could look into her eyes.

"I know how busy you are right now, Jax," she said as she put her hand on his as he continued to hold her chin. "In spite of that you put your business on hold for the entire day to be with me - watching a photo shoot," she said as she looked deeply into his eyes.

"Brenda, there isn't a business deal in the world that is more important to me than you," Jax said softly as he gently stroked his thumb across her cheek.

Brenda finally smiled up at him as she pressed his hand against her cheek. "I know," she said softly. "That's why today means so much to me. No one has ever put me first in their life before."

Without saying anything, Jax turned her so that she was lying across his lap, resting in his arms. "You'll always come first with me luv," he said softly as he pushed a lock of hair off of her forehead.

Brenda reached up to gently caress his cheek. "I believe you mean that," she said with a smile as she reached behind his head to pull herself up enough to kiss him. As one kiss led to another and another, Jax wrapped his arms more tightly around her, pulling her close to him. Finally breaking the kiss to breathe, Brenda leaned back from him slightly. When she looked into his eyes she saw the passion she was feeling reflected back at her. "Do you really want to go out tonight?" she asked huskily as she gently slid her fingers inside the open neck of his shirt to caress his chest.

Trying to hold onto what little self-control he still had, Jax gently ran his fingertips up and down her arm. "I want whatever you want," he said softly with a slight smile as he continued to stroke her arm.

"I want you," Brenda said with a seductive smile as she spread open the neck of his shirt and leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on his exposed chest.

"Well then who am I to deny you what you want," Jax said with a wink. Holding her close with one arm, he picked up the intercom. "Edward, we've changed our minds. Take us home as quickly as possible." He hung up the intercom without waiting for a response from Edward. "Happy?" he asked as he gently stroked her cheek.

Before answering, Brenda wrapped her arms around him and snuggled close, her ear pressed against his chest above his heart. "Extremely," she said with a sigh. "I wish we could stay like this forever."

Jax tightened his arms around her as he leaned down to kiss the top of her head. "So do I luv, so do I." They remained wrapped around each, without saying a word, the rest of the way back to the hotel.

As soon as the car came to a stop in front of the hotel, Jax opened the door and stepped out. He immediately reached back in to help Brenda out. The hotel doorman held the door open, allowing them to walk straight into the lobby, holding hands and giggling like a couple of teenagers. As everyone watched, they walked slowly across the lobby to the elevators without paying the slightest attention to their surroundings.

As the elevator doors closed on the happy young couple, most people who had taken notice of their entrance returned to their conversations. Two people, however, continued to dwell on what they had seen.

Sonny Corrinthos was just coming out of The Terrace Bar when he had seen Jax and Brenda come through the doors. As he watched them cross the lobby he was consumed by his lust for Brenda and his hatred for Jax. He clenched his fists as he attempted to regain enough control so that he could continue out of the hotel.

On the opposite side of the lobby, Tracy Quartermaine stood watching them walk past her, happy and in love - two things that were desperately missing from her life. She immediately felt her hatred of Brenda intensify. She was also forced to admit to herself that any chance of a partnership with Jax - either professional or personal - was gone. All she had left was an overwhelming desire for revenge against him. Her only problem now was how to exact that revenge. As she started for the door she slowly looked around the lobby, trying to organize her thoughts into a plan. She suddenly stopped and smiled. Standing across the lobby was the solution to her problem, an ally to help her takeover ELQ and destroy Jasper Jacks. She quickly walked across the lobby. "Have you ever seen a more disgusting display?" she asked with a sneer. "If you have a free moment, I'd like to discuss an idea I have that will provide both of us what we want. Are you interested Mr. Corrinthos?"