I Got You, Babe?

"Jason, you here?" Carly shouted as she looked over the day's mail. “Michael? Sweetie you home?"

Carly sighed and furrowed her eyebrows as a dead silence filled the large house. "Where'd the fuck they go?" she muttered to herself as she dropped the mail on the coffee table.

She plopped down on the nearby couch and briefly closed her eyes. That club of hers was going to be the death of her if she didn't slow down soon. When Jason had bought Jax's shares of the club, everyone thought it would become a nightmare. Who would of thought that she'd be even more successful than before? A large grin appeared on her face as that thought gripped her mind. Then again, who would have thought that Jason would come back into her life over a year ago and they would finally pick up where they left off?

Her mind continued to focus on Jason and Michael. The two best things that had ever happened to her in her short life. She finally had everything that she wanted. A successful business, a beautiful son, and the most gorgeous guy in the state. She settled further back into the cushions and couldn't help the grin plastered on her face. Life was good. And the fact that she wasn't working tonight made it even better. She and Jason planned on taking Michael to a couple haunted houses in the area. After all, Michael did say he was getting too big to go trick-or-treating. He was going to be out of the house and in college the way he was growing up so fast.

Her hand patted her flat stomach, the itch for another child was starting to come to her and she knew that Jason wouldn't mind having another son or daughter.

"Maybe we'll talk about it tonight," she quietly said to herself.

Her eyelids began to flutter shut and she finally gave into the pull of sleep.

"Carly!" Jason shouted before he opened the door.

Carly’s eyes popped open and sighed happily knowing that he was finally home. She stood and walked to the door, it had seemed like it was forever since she had seen him last. As the door swung open, Carly’s smile quickly fell as she took in the sight before her.

Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. The butterfly collar shirt, the bellbottom pants, the suede beaded vest. What the fuck was going on? Her eyes went to Jason’s face, and nothing but a lopsided grin was to be found. When did he grow those sideburns? And when did he grow that mustache?

She squeezed her eyes shut. Her mind was playing tricks on her. She opened them again, but the image hadn't changed. His beautiful blonde hair was replaced with a shaggy black mop top.

"Jason?" she barely choked out.

"Come here, I missed you," he whispered seductively at her.

She instinctively took a step back away from his advancement. "Jason, what's wrong with you?"

A quick frown appeared on his face. "What're you talking about? I said I missed you. You didn't miss me?”

Carly quickly shook her head. She was dreaming. That had to be it. She quickly pinched her arm but nothing around her changed.

“Oh, god," she whispered. "Okay, Carly, come on time to wake up," she mumbled as she lightly slapped her cheeks.

Nothing.

"Carly? You ok, babe?"

Her eyes widened at that. "Babe?" she whispered.

"Come on, babe, sit down. You look like you're gonna pass out."

As Jason walked towards her, she began to walk backwards. "No, no, no, no, no . . ." she muttered.

“No, what, babe? Come here, Carly, you're starting to scare me."

"Stay away from me!" she screamed.

Jason immediately stopped in his tracks and held his arms up as if he were facing a gun. "Carly," he began softly. "Babe, it's me -- Jason."

She shook her head quickly. "No, you're not Jason. Look I don’t know who the fuck you are, but my boyfriend will be home any minute so you better get the fuck out of my house while you can."

Jason's eyes narrowed at that comment. "I'm your boyfriend, Carly."

"No, Jason Morgan is my boyfriend. You ever hear of him? He's gonna kill you if you don't get out of my house right now!"

"Carly, what's wrong with you, babe? Do you want me to call Bobbie?"

"No, I want you to leave my house."

"Carly this is my house too." He ran his hand through his long dark hair and placed his hands on his hips. "You're really scaring me here, Carly."

Her eyes quickly flickered from Jason to the front door. She could make it, grab the guard at the door and everything would be okay. She counted to three and ran towards the exit. Jason tried to grab her, but she was too quick. She flung the door open and Johnny stood there, complete with a sequined jumpsuit, greased back hair, and dark sunglasses.

"Howdy, darlin', can I get you somethin'," he mumbled.

Carly slammed the door in his face and leaned back against the wood facing the living room and Jason. Her eyes darted from side to side and something new dawned on her.

"Ohhhh," she began to chuckle. "I get it now," she started nervously. "Luke put you up to this right? Scare Carly on Halloween right?" she continued to chuckle forcefully. "Well you got me, Jase. Ha ha. You and Luke are good, I'll give you that."

Jason narrowed his eyes at her. "Luke? Halloween? What are you talkin' about, babe?"

"Yeah, ha ha, that whole 'babe' thing was a nice touch too. I think I'm gonna get ready for tonight. Excuse me," she began to shakily walk toward the stairs but stopped a few steps in. "Where’s Michael?" she asked curiously.

"Bobbie's watching him tonight, remember?"

"No, we were gonna go to the haunted houses tonight."

"Babe, are you sure you're okay? Remember we said Michael would be at Bobbie's this week?"

Carly cocked her head to the side. Did that really happen? she thought curiously.

"Carly maybe you should take a couple days off from the club."

The club. That had to be it. She was overdoing it. Overworked and stressed out. That's why everything was so . . . weird. "Yeah, that's a good idea, Jase. Maybe I'll do that. But if we're not going to the haunted houses, where’re we goin?"

"It's a surprise," he grinned.

“A surprise?" she asked nervously.

"Yeah, it's gonna be great, babe." He opened the hall closet and pulled out a white gift box complete with large red bow. "Here, go put this on."

She couldn't help but smile. This was sounding like her Jason. "Okay," she said happily as she ran up the stairs.

"That's my babe," Jason said quietly as he watched her retreating form.

Upstairs in the master bedroom, Carly quickly covered her mouth in shock as she looked at the contents of the box.

"This has got to be a joke," she muttered to herself.

Her hand tentatively reached for the jet black wig. "A really sick joke."

She picked the wig up with two fingers and quickly threw it on the bed. The rest of the contents were just as bad. She pulled out the red halter style dress and held it up to her form. "Ok, I can work with this," she tried to convince herself. "Some stiletto heels and it'll all be good." She glanced back to the bed and noticed more contents in the box. The white platform shoes stared right back at her. "Sick, sick, joke."

A few minutes later, Carly began to walk down the stairs. The dress, as it turned out, was a backless halter style bellbottom pant suit.

"Jason," she called out quietly.

She stopped at the mirror that was placed at the bottom of the stairs. The wig was beginning to itch at her scalp and the platforms were already killing her feet. "Not too bad," she muttered curiously as she looked herself over.

"Babe, you look great," Jason called as he walked up behind her.

Carly didn't think it was possible, but she was taller than Jason with the shoes she was wearing. She turned around to face him and involuntarily flipped the wig away from her shoulder.

"So where we goin'? A costume party?"

Jason’s eyebrows furrowed and he shook his head. "Nah, we're goin to Luke’s'"

"Oh," she muttered. "Like this?"

"Yeah. I told you that you look great, babe," he offered as he scratched the right side of his cheek.

Carly couldn't help herself and tugged at one of the sideburns. It felt a little too real.

"Ow, Carly, that hurt," Jason groaned as he rubbed his cheek.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"It’s okay, you ready?"

"I guess?" she offered cautiously.

Jason led her to the front door and swung it open.

"Hey, colonel," Johnny mumbled. "And who’s this fine lookin’ little mama?"

Carly’s mouth fell open, but Jason simply laughed. "Johnny, it's Carly."

"Oh, right, colonel," he continued to mumble. "Looks like it's time to leave the building." He closed the door and began to walk to the awaiting limo.

Once again Carly stopped in her tracks.

"Babe?" Jason asked worriedly.

"The limo," Carly squeaked.

"Yeah?"

"It's white!"

"I know, great aint' it? Come on, babe," Jason tugged at her hand. "We gotta go."

Carly got into the limo and wet her lips with her tongue. "I didn't know you liked Halloween so much, Jason."

"I don't," he told her matter-of-factly. "Are you sure you don't wanna swing by Bobbie’s?"

"I'm fine, Jase. Let's just get to Luke’s."

He simply nodded his head and flipped on the intercom. "Johnny, we're goin’ to Luke’s."

"You got it colonel."

A few minutes into ride and a new realization finally hit her. “I thought you said we were goin’ to Luke’s?” Carly asked clearly puzzled.

“We are,” Jason answered curiously.

“Luke’s is in the opposite direction, Jase.”

Jason cocked his head to the side and narrowed his eyes at Carly. “Carly, maybe we should go back home. You really are acting strange tonight.”

“So are you,” Carly muttered.

“What?” he asked, not hearing what she had said.

Carly simply looked at him strangely. “Luke’s is on the other side of town.”

Jason shook his head at her. “You know Luke’s is in this direction. We’ve been there a million times.”

Carly closed her eyes. It had to be the club. That was the only sensible explanation of why everything seemed so chaotic. “Right. I’m just not feeling myself today, Jase.”

“That’s okay. Luke will cheer you up,” he told her seriously.

She groaned inwardly. “Yeah, right.”

As the limo came to a stop, Carly finally opened her eyes. She looked out the window and noticed the large gathering outside of the blues club. “Looks like Luke’s is gonna be busy tonight.”

Jason grinned slightly and opened the door to the limo. “It’s always busy. Come on.”

She followed his lead and took in the gathering. Everyone was dressed in a seventies motif. She frowned slightly. Funny, Luke never mentioned a costume party to her. They automatically went to the front of the line and were let in promptly with mumbling protests coming from the crowd. Carly couldn’t help the wicked grin cross her face. Being Jason Morgan’s girlfriend has its perks, but so did being Luke’s niece.

They entered the club and a new wave of frustration and anxiety filled Carly. This is not happening, she told herself. The once moody blues bar was replaced by a large dance floor, complete with a hanging disco ball flashing its numerous colors on the couples dancing in the middle of the club.

She turned to her right realizing that she should have stayed home and never ventured from her comfortable house. After all, it was the only thing that seemed to be visibly normal tonight. She opened her mouth to inform Jason of her desire to return home, but he had disappeared. Carly frowned slightly. That wasn’t like him to leave her without notice.

Carly began to walk further into the club, searching in all directions for Jason. When she reached the bar, she turned quickly and bumped into someone from behind.

“Sorry,” she half heartedly apologized.

“Caroline, why don’t you watch where you’re goin’?” came the gruff reply.

“I should of known,” Carly mumbled as she turned around to face her uncle.

As she did, a short yelp of shock escaped her mouth.

“Caroline, what the hell is your problem?”

Her eyes quickly looked him over. It wasn’t the gruesome paisley shirt he wore that was unbuttoned mid-chest and it wasn’t the gory white bellbottom pants that made her recoil in shock. It was the hair. Or rather, it was the appearance of the enormous amounts piled on the top of his head. Bobbie had once showed her pictures, but she never would have believed it to be true until tonight. Her eyes continued to remain glued to the top of Luke’s head. The permed blonde locks were still there.

Carly automatically reached up to pull at his hair. It had to be a wig. But before she could reach any further, Luke grabbed her wrist.

“Don’t touch the hair, darlin’,” he grinned at her.

Carly remained un-flinched and finally tore her eyes away when Laura saddled up next to Luke. Carly’s eyes quickly examined her as well. The way too short mini skirt and the v-neck blouse caught her off guard. It was so un-Laura like.

“Hi, Carly,” Laura greeted her cheerfully.

“Hi,” Carly managed to mutter. This has to be a Halloween prank, she told herself. It’s the only explanation.

“You okay, Caroline?” Luke asked her slightly worried.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Have you seen Jason? I’m ready to go home.”

“You can’t go yet, darlin’,” he replied. “Morgan’s got a little surprise cooked up for you.”

“Oh lord,” Carly breathed.

Luke reached around and grabbed Laura by her waist. “I’ve been lookin’ for ya, angel,” he grinned at her.

Laura giggled happily as Luke continued to whisper something in her ear. Carly shuddered slightly. They were uncharacteristically cute tonight. Almost sickening sweet.

Carly began to scan the large club again, hoping to spot Jason or Johnny so that she could go home and sleep off this strange trip she was on. She began to walk towards the back of the club where the pool tables once sat. He wasn’t there. She began to frown and her eyes once again began to look for Jason.

“Hey everybody,” the voice streamed out through the club's speakers. Everyone quickly quieted throughout the club.

Carly eyes widened. It couldn’t be who she thought it could be or could it?

“How’s everyone doing tonight?” the voice continued on as the crowd cheered and clapped in response.

“It’s him,” Carly groaned.

“I’m here tonight to sing a great song to my number one lady -- Carly Spencer.”

The room erupted once again in cheers and applause.

“This is really not happening,” she muttered to herself. After a few seconds a familiar tune began to play throughout the club. “No, no, no. He's not gonna do what I think he’s gonna do,” Carly grimaced.

But it was too late. Jason began to walk around the small stage in the back of the club and began to belt out the familiar song.

They say we're young and we don't know
We won't find out until we grow
Well I don't know if all that's true
'Cause you got me and baby I got you

Babe
I got you babe I got you babe

They say our love won't pay the rent
Before it's earned, our money's all been spent
I guess that's so, we don't have a pot
But at least I'm sure of all the things we got

Babe
I got you babe I got you babe

I got flowers in the spring, I got you to wear my ring
And when I'm sad, you're a clown
And if I get scared, you're always around
So let them say your hair's too long
'Cause I don't care, with you I can't go wrong
Then put your little hand in mine
There ain't no hill or mountain we can't climb

Babe
I got you babe I got you babe

The room broke out into whoops and hollers within the brief pause of the song, but Jason continued on.

I got you to hold my hand
I got you to understand
I got you to walk with me
I got you to talk with me
I got you to kiss goodnight
I got you to hold me tight
I got you, I won't let go
I got you to love me so

“Carly, I love you, babe!” he shouted in the microphone.

I got you babe
I got you babe
I got you babe
I got you babe
I got you babe

The room began to erupt in cheers and applause and Jason simply grinned widely, obviously proud of his performance.

Carly continued to stand in the same spot. Her jaw hanging open trying to discern what had happened to her once stable and sane boyfriend. The Halloween excuse was not living up to its promise. Maybe she was going insane. Or maybe everyone in the town was and she was the only one to remain normal. Helena Cassadine. Maybe that witch poisoned the town’s water. That could be it. That was a logical explanation.

Before she knew it, Jason came up next to her and hugged her tightly.

“Did you like your surprise?” he asked excitedly.

“Sure,” she mumbled quietly.

“You should of come up there with me, Carly. It was great,” he continued on.

“Maybe next time,” she told him as she forced a smile. “We should get going, Jase.”

“Yeah sure,” he laughed.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and headed towards the front door, occasionally being stopped by other patrons offering their praise and congratulations on Jason’s performance. Carly simply stood there not knowing what to say. Jason’s singing wasn’t horrid, but he wasn’t that damn good either.

“Jason!”

Both Jason and Carly turned to the familiar voice. Carly’s jaw dropped again at the man’s gall to even show his face in her uncle’s club. And on top of that, he actually had the balls to stop Jason.

“Yeah?” Jason questioned.

“You were great!” AJ exclaimed.

“Thanks,” Jason replied with a smile. “That means a lot bro.”

“No prob, Jase. Hey Carly,” AJ continued. “You look great. I’ll talk to you guys later.”

And with that last comment and a wave goodbye, AJ slipped back into the mass of people. Carly turned to Jason and glared at him.

“What the hell was that about?” she hissed.

“What?” Jason asked obviously confused.

“‘What’? What do you mean ‘what’?” she threw her arms up in the air. “AJ! Bro! Means a lot?!” she narrowed her eyes at the man in front of her. “Jason are you on drugs?” she asked seriously.

Jason sighed tiredly and grabbed her by the wrist. “Carly we’re getting out of here. You’re really starting to freak me out and I want Bobbie to check you out.”

She tried to rip away from his grasp. “You can’t tell me what to do, Jason.”

But he didn’t listen and continued his way to the door. They met Johnny, who was flirting with a girl, near the entrance. All three were out of the club and in the limo in record time.

“Do you wanna tell me what the hell that was all about?” Jason asked seriously.

“Do you wanna tell me what that was all about?” Carly asked as well.

“Carly,” Jason sighed as he closed his eyes. “You’ve been acting strange ever since I got home. I know you don’t want to, but we’re going to Bobbie’s so that she can look you over. Or you can tell me what’s wrong.”

“What’s wrong with me?! I should be the one asking you what’s wrong. In fact, what’s wrong with everyone in this damn town? Have you been poisoned? Was your brain tampered with? Did Helena program everyone or something?”

“Carly—“

“Whatever,” she muttered. “This has got to be the strangest Halloween in history.”

Jason narrowed his eyes at her once more. “Carly,” he interrupted.

She finally turned her gaze to him and raised her eyebrows in a challenge.

“Carly, I don’t understand why you keep mentioning Halloween.”

“Um, because today is Halloween. October 31st. You know ghosts and goblins and all that shit,” she replied sarcastically.

“Carly,” Jason tried again. “Today isn’t October 31st. It’s August 31st.”

Carly’s face paled as what Jason said finally hit her. “What? That’s not possible.”

Jason didn’t take his eyes off of her, worry evident on his face. “Johnny!” he yelled through the intercom.

“Yeah, colonel?” he answered.

“You got a copy of today’s paper up there with you?”

“No, colonel, I don’t. But there’s a newsstand up ahead.”

“I want you to stop and pick up today’s edition.”

“You got it, colonel.”

The limo quickly came to a stop and Carly watched as Johnny ran to the newsstand and fetched a copy. He was soon at the car door and Jason rolled down the window to retrieve the paper. Jason sighed and the limo continued on its journey.

“Carly, look for yourself,” he said cautiously as he handed her the newspaper.

Her hand blindly reached out to grab the paper, but her eyes never left Jason. “This is just some sick joke, right Jason?” she barely choked out not looking away from him.

“Carly, look for yourself,” he repeated.

She glanced down at the paper and inhaled sharply. There it was in black and white. August 31st, 2003.

“But, how, when, why?” she mumbled.

“Carly, are you okay?” Jason asked sincerely.

Carly continued to look at the paper and she quickly scanned the front page. The headline, complete with a picture of Jason and AJ, made her feel lightheaded: “QUARTERMAINE BROTHERS TAKE OVER DOCK PROJECT”.

“Oh god,” she breathed. And before she knew it, her world turned black.

~~~~~~~

“Carly, Carly, come on wake up,” Carly felt the cold hand on her cheek and her eyelashes slowly fluttered. “Carly, you okay?”

Jason. It was Jason’s voice. She struggled for her eyes to open and finally felt the sharp bright light through her closed lids.

“Jason?” she moaned.

“Yeah, Carly, it’s me. Come on wake up.”

Carly was about to open her eyes, but the earlier revelation that it wasn’t Halloween and everyone was acting strangely, kept her from opening her eyes all the way. She didn’t want to wake up to that strange world again.

“Carly, come on get up. Michael’s gonna be home soon.”

The mention of her son’s name was the one thing that would pull her out of her stupor. Her eyes slowly opened and she screamed at the sight in front of her.

“Jason!?”

“Carly, what the hell is wrong with you? This is just more proof that you gotta take a couple days off from that fucking club. You’re gonna—“

Jason’s words were cut off as Carly quickly launched herself into his arms. “Oh thank god!” she said happily.

“Carly?”

She pulled back from the embrace and took his face in her hands. His clean shaven, sideburn free, blue eyed, short spiked blonde haired self simply looked at her in confusion.

“Carly,” he tried again.

“Oh my god, Jase, you would not believe the nightmare I just had.”

He chuckled softly at her response. “Okay,” he grinned. “Tell me about it.”

“I dreamed you were Sonny.”

Jason’s smile immediately fell and transformed into an angry glare. Carly quickly noticed his change in demeanor and corrected herself.

“No, Jason! Not that asshole of an ex-husband. I meant Sonny Bono.”

“Who?” Jason asked, obviously confused.

“You know, Sonny Bono as in Sonny and Cher. I was Cher and we went to Luke’s and you sang “I Got You Babe” to me in front of everyone. And Luke and Laura were there and that was really scary actually, cuz he had this hair, oh my god, Jase, you never would believe it. And Johnny was there and he was dressed up like Elvis and AJ was there too and he was your best friend. Everyone was dressed up like they were living in the seventies and I thought it was Halloween, but it was really August,” she told him in a single breath.

“Carly,” Jason said worriedly as he cupped her face in his hands. “Maybe we shouldn’t go out tonight after all. You’re really not making any sense.”

“No,” she sighed. “It was so real.”

“Right. Me singing at Luke’s sounds real,” he teased her.

“I was your babe,” she yawned tiredly.

“What?”

“You called me babe all the time.”

“That should of told you it was a dream from the get go, Carly.”

“Mmmm,” she answered as she fluttered back to sleep.

Jason simply smiled at her and softly ran his finger down her cheek. “Goodnight . . . babe,” he shuddered slightly at the word and then kissed the top of her head with a grin on his face.

THE END ;)