The General Hospital reunion in question was set to take place on April 1, but this was no April Fool’s Day prank: The soap was at last giving Rebecca Herbst and Steve Burton a meaningful exchange as star-crossed lovers Elizabeth and Jason.

For “Liason” fans, this day has been a long, long time coming. They’ve kept the faith year after year, pairing after pairing, hoping against hope that somehow the old flames will spark anew — despite the fact that the thing that tore them apart remains as prominent as ever. She wasn’t willing to risk her kids’ lives by making a hitman their father figure.

You’ll recall that the couple first caught one another’s eye when Liz was mourning the “loss” of first love Lucky. It was friendship back then, nothing more. But as their feelings evolved, one dangerous situation (Jason’s shooting) followed another (Sorel’s bomb), prompting Stone Cold to safeguard Liz by making tracks out of Port Charles. Upon his return, he and his favorite nurse were drawn once again to one another.

The obstacle between them had not been removed, however.

Over and over again, Liz and Jason would do the same dance, coming thisclose to throwing caution to the wind and taking at a stab at a future, however fraught it may be. In the end, though, they were never able to make it work. Until now?

“Liason” shippers’ hopes are nosebleed-high, what with Liz being in Jason’s corner while ex-wife Sam is decidedly not. Carly doesn’t seem to be a threat, either, considering what Laura Wright has said. Would Liz let go of the good thing she has going with Finn to give a second (22nd?) chance to the relationship that she’s really wanted for so long?