[5] Herbst denied rumors of her departure in April 2002, stating on her website that Burton's return would affect her storyline.

[6] In August 2009, Burton re-signed his contract after weeks of speculation that he might leave the series, and openly took a pay cut due to the declining economic climate.

[7] On January 18, 2011, ABC Daytime announced that Herbst had been let go from General Hospital and her exit would be storyline dictated.

[8] Burton was one of many costars to speak out about Herbst's firing, stating: "Most of you have heard the horrible and awful news about Becky.

"[9] After much fan protest, a month after the original announcement, ABC released another statement saying that Herbst would retain her role on the show.

[11] Burton extended his contract in May 2011 for one year,[12] and announced his departure in August 2012, staying long enough for his character to be written out of the series.

[21] In the summer of 1999, Elizabeth is reeling from the death of her first love, Lucky Spencer (then Jonathan Jackson), when she finds a friend in Jason.

Later, Jason rescues Liz from Joseph Sorel (Joe Marinelli)'s bomb, which had been placed in her studio.

When Liz is kidnapped by Sorel's men, Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard), Jason and Zander Smith (Chad Brannon) work together to rescue her.

Despite multiple attempts to reconcile with Liz, all of which she rebuffed, Jason moved on and began dating Sonny's sister, Courtney Matthews (Alicia Leigh Willis).

Ric genuinely loved Liz, but his resentment of his brother, and growing resentment and jealousy of the role Jason played in Sonny's life, resulted in Ric committing horrible acts, including kidnapping Sonny's pregnant wife, Carly (then Tamara Braun), and hiding her in a panic room in his home with Liz.

The two rekindled their friendship while Jason's sister and Liz's best friend, Emily Quartermaine (Natalia Livingston), was believed to be dying of cancer.

This caused a great deal of jealousy from Courtney and Ric, who were threatened by the bond Liz and Jason still shared.

Combined with grief over a miscarriage, Courtney turned to painkillers, resulting in an unintentional hit and run that temporarily blinded Elizabeth.

When Manny Ruiz (Robert LaSardo) terrorized Port Charles, he kidnapped Liz for spontaneous leverage.

Lucky's injuries, resulting financial issues, and wounded pride, led to an addiction to prescription painkillers and increasing jealousy of the men in Liz's life, including Jason, who had a knack for always being there for her when she needed someone.

Elizabeth soon reveals that she is pregnant and Lucky promises to try harder at kicking his drug habit, which has directly led to two hard-falls for an expectant Liz.

When Liz finally does get the paternity test back, Sonny is with her and, by Elizabeth's reaction, believes Lucky is the father, and tells everyone the good news.

He asks Liz, who is now divorced, to marry him again, but she refuses for the second time, and Jason thinks better of it when he admits that he loves Sam.

Sam, reeling from the lies and betrayal, doesn't step in when Elizabeth's back is turned, and a grieving mother kidnaps Jake from his stroller.

But it is Jason who believes her innocence and soon finds Jake with a woman named Maureen Harper, who had recently lost her child in a fire.

After Lucky and Liz's divorce, Sam threatens Elizabeth at the Black and White Ball to tell the truth.

Liz learns that in addition to witnessing Jake's kidnapping, Sam hired two goons to scare Elizabeth and her kids at the park.

Soon, Jason is forced to tell Elizabeth that his goddaughter, Josslyn Jacks, is suffering from advanced kidney cancer and that Jake could save her.

Elizabeth furiously slaps Jason, reminding him that he was not in Jake's life and has no right to make a decision about whether he lives or dies after he "abandoned" his own son.

Jason (now Billy Miller) was revealed to be alive a few years later, being held captive by Helena Cassadine (Constance Towers).

The two connected, but when a woman named Hayden Barnes (Rebecca Budig) showed up and claimed "Jake" was her husband, Elizabeth backed off and dated Ric, her ex-husband.

Lucky found out Elizabeth's son, Jake, was alive, and held captive on Cassadine Island by Helena.

(...) Without them, for sure, my storyline with Steve would have fallen flat long ago, but they really kept it going.” Despite never having been paired together on-screen for an extended length of time, Jason and Elizabeth have had very vocal fans.

2 on their list of Top Couples of 2007,[24] while putting Elizabeth and Sam McCall (Kelly Monaco), Jason's other love interest, as No.