Scene ~ Sonny's island. Jason's outside on the terrace thingie, tossing poker chips in the ocean Maria: What's left?
Jason: Not much.
Maria: Enrique said you won 100,000.
Jason: Yeah, I broke the casino bank.
Maria: That must be at least three quarters of that.
Jason: Not for long.
Maria: People will dive for them. Months from now, they'll still be digging them out of the sand. You've been doing this all night? Have you slept at all?
Jason: (shakes his head) I watched the sunrise.
Maria: Is it true, that you fought with Althagracia?
Jason: (sighs) Sonny's best customer? He wasn't too happy when he left.
Maria: Why are you here by yourself?
Jason: I have to get used to being alone.
* * * * *
Maria: The sun is too hot. (she sets a glass of lemonaide in front of him) You should wear a hat. The island is not like your home.
Jason: What home?
Maria: You don't live in Port Charles?
Jason: I don't know where I live anymore.
Maria: Why not?
Jason: (long pause) Home is where your family is. I just live, anywhere I happen to be.
Maria: Well, you happen to be in the Carribean. Where your skin needs protection from the sun. (he gets up) Are you going inside?
Jason: No, I feel like a swim.
(He stands... The look on his face is dead, empty. Perfectly blank, except for the incredible pain in his eyes... Like a man haunted. Like he's drowning and he doesn't even want to fight to breathe.)
* * * * *
Maria: (says something about the current being strong? my tape missed that line...)
Jason: Yeah, I know.
Maria: You want to die?
Jason: It's not about dying. It's about feeling alive. I need the rush.
Maria: You feel a rush, and I have to call Sonny and tell him his friend is dead. And what about your little boy?
Jason: I don't have a son anymore.
(The look on her face says she obviously thinks the worst - that Michael is dead. She moves to him and touches his cheek. They both lean in, and they kiss.)
* * * * *
(Jason pushes her away)
Maria: It's alright.
Jason: No.
Maria: I'm not glass. I won't break.
Jason: I know. You're good to me, and I appreciate that. But...
Maria: There's someone else.
(True to form, Jason neither confirms nor denies, just stares...)
* * * * *
Maria: You look like somebody who's leaving.
Jason: Yeah, I always look like that. (pause) Did I hurt your feelings? (she shakes her head 'no', and he sighs heavily) Man, I don't even know why I'm here. I got on my bike, rode to the airport. Next thing I know, I'm watching the sunrise, throwing poker chips in the water.
Maria: Roulette. You won a fortune last night.
Jason: Why?
Maria: You kept picking the winning numbers.
Jason: No, I mean- I mean, this is Sonny's place. This island. I don't even like it here. (Maria looks hurt) Except for you.
Maria: You might like it better if you'd stayed a little longer.
Jason: What would I be, your boy on the side?
Maria: The side of what?
Jason: You know what? I think that's what I said when somebody called me that, once.
Maria: Who?
Jason: Who... I wasn't even supposed to know her name. The only place we were supposed to know each other was in bed.
Maria: Then what happened?
Jason: She changed my life. She fought with me. She fought for me. Spent my money, threatened to paint everything in the house. She was crazy. And I left. But she loved me.
Maria: And you miss her.
Jason: And I miss her.
* * * * *
(they sit beside each other on a couch)
Jason: Usually, people leave me. I stay, I get mad. I take care of things. This time I did it. I left. Which is good. Otherwise I would never know that leaving doesn't fix anything. It just makes it worse. Because... The people you love may need you, and you're not there.
Maria: What will happen if you go?
Jason: Probably nothing. She's married to someone else now. And her, uh- (pauses, sighs, and looks down) Her baby has another father. They may never need me again. But I should be there, just in case.
Maria: Maybe you need her. Did that never occur to you? Of course not. She screwed up your life. Right?
Jason: Yeah.
Maria: Well, look at you. Maybe... You need her to screw it up some more. (pause) I'll tell Enrique to get the boat ready. (hopefully) In the morning? Okay. Today.
* * * * *
Maria: Enrique's waiting for you at the docks. (he doesn't move, or turn to look at her) I can tell him you changed your mind and you're staying?
Jason: (he turns to look at her) No. I've been- I've been away long enough.
Maria: For who?
(Jason leans over and gives her a kiss on the cheek.)
Maria: Well. I wouldn't mess up your life like she did.
Jason: I know. Nobody could. But I got friends there-
Maria: Yeah, yeah, yeah. If she breaks your heart, you call me. I'll put it back together.
Jason: (touches her cheek softly) I may take you up on that.
Maria: Yeah, yeah, yeah.