The 11th Hour – An Elizabeth & Jason Story

Chapter 1 || Chapter 2 || Chapter 3 || Chapter 4 || Chapter 5
Chapter 6 || Chapter 7 || Chapter 8 || Chapter 9 || Chapter 10 || Chapter 11
Chapter 12 || Chapter 13 || Chapter 14 || Chapter 15 || Chapter 16
Chapter 17 || Chapter 18 || Chapter 19 || Chapter 20 || Chapter 21 || Chapter 22
Chapter 23 || Chapter 24 || Chapter 25 || Chapter 26 || Chapter 27
Chapter 28 || Chapter 29 || Chapter 30 || Chapter 31 || Chapter 32 || Chapter 33

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 1

God is looking for men and women whose hearts are firmly fixed on Him and who will continually trust Him for all he desires to do with their lives. God is ready and eager to work more powerfully than ever through His people, and the clock of the centuries is striking the eleventh hour.

Kelly’s was crowded for the Saturday lunch rush. Elizabeth was glad she wasn’t there to work for once. She leaned against the counter staring contentedly at the smiling and laughing groups around her.

One table in particular caught her attention. Two parents were grinning profusely at their child who just made them light up by simply smiling at them. The baby bunched its fingers into a fist and waved at its adoring parents. Elizabeth sighed with happiness. This was going to be her future now. It wasn’t just a distant dream anymore.

"Here’s your order, Liz," Penny grinned, handing Elizabeth the bag of groceries.

"Thanks," Elizabeth said gratefully. "I’m sorry I can’t help out with the rush today. I know you’re short-handed."

Penny shrugged. "It’s not like she’s ever here anyway."

Elizabeth nodded sympathetically. "Tell Bobbie she needs to give you a major raise."

Penny laughed. "I’d take a nice long vacation instead."

Elizabeth grinned. "I know what you mean. Thanks for rushing my order."

"Congratulations, Liz. I don’t know if I said it yet," Penny commented.

Elizabeth beamed. "Thank you! I am so happy."

Penny nodded as Elizabeth left the diner. It had been a long time since Penny had seen her this happy. Penny wondered what Elizabeth was doing at the diner on a day like this. The wedding was going to be in less than a few hours.

Meanwhile, Jason was standing in his penthouse, staring at the rings in his hand. He couldn’t believe it. He was going to marry the woman he loved and he was finally going to have his chance to build a family of his own. He never thought this day would come, but now that it had, he was overwhelmed by it.

He had spent so much of his life believing that he couldn’t have someone to share it with. After Robin, he tried with Carly, but it never worked out. Now, he found love where he least expected it. He looked contentedly at the rings shining in his palm. Today was the first day of the rest of his life. He was going to remember this forever.

He stood up, and looked down at the couch. He smiled as he remembered coming home and seeing her asleep on that very couch. She looked so peaceful and he could have sworn she even smiled in her sleep. It made him feel incredible knowing that she was going to spend the rest of her life with him.

They had been through a lot together. He almost lost her, but he finally got over his fears and gave into his heart. This woman loved him more than he ever thought anyone could. She stood by him and fought for him despite what her family and friends said. She gave his life a purpose and he could not ask for more.

He walked over and grabbed the tie resting on his desk chair. He pulled it around his neck and thought of the future they would share together. He would give her a family and the safety that she never had before. He would make sure their children would be loved and she would never want for anything. He would make her happy the way she made him feel.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Jason turned to open it and found his best friend standing there.

"Ready?" Sonny asked, smiling at his best friend.

Jason shut the door and nodded, taking in a deep breath. "As ready as I’ll ever be."

"Good, because she should be here any minute now. Carly sent her on an errand as she decorated our penthouse for the reception," Sonny explained.

Jason nodded. "I love her, Sonny. I can’t wait to marry her."

Sonny tilted his head. "I know, Jason. I am happy for you."

Meanwhile, Elizabeth stood in the elevator with the bags in her hand. She smiled as the familiar numbers lit up. She sighed to herself. She never thought she could love again after Lucky. She thought that her life was over and her heart would never mend. She had been through so many heartaches in her life, who could blame her if she just gave up on the idea of love entirely?

Now, out of nowhere, she had it all. Love, a man who adored her and a home to come home to. Soon there would be a family in that home too.

She hitched the bag on her arm as she stepped out of the elevator. She couldn’t wait to see him. Today was the first day of the rest of her life. Elizabeth never thought this day would ever come, but now that it had, she was blissfully happy. Today would change their lives forever, and she couldn’t wait to see the look in his eyes when she said "yes".

Elizabeth pulled the key out of her purse as she neared the door. Staring at the key, she smiled. She had a place where she belonged now. After everything they had been through, the misunderstandings, the lies and the pain of being apart, they finally got it right. She slowly unlocked the door and stepped into the apartment with a smile on her face.

"Honey, I’m home!" she shouted as she laughed softly.

She paused seeing the empty apartment. She put down the bags on his desk and looked around. "Is anyone here?" she called out to no one in particular.

An unsettling feeling fell in the pit of her stomach. Something was terribly wrong.

On the other side of town, Jason heard a scream come from across the hall. Jason and Sonny rushed right over.

"Carly? Are you okay?" Sonny shouted, racing into his penthouse.

"Johnny, what’s going on?" Jason yelled, demanding to know what had happened.

Sonny saw Carly standing there with a paper in her hand. He went to his wife quickly and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Carly, what’s wrong?"

Carly looked up with a terrified look in her eyes. "They sent this," she whispered.

"Who did?" Sonny asked, taking the paper in his hand. He stared at the strange handwriting and read it slowly. "No," he said softly.

Jason rushed into the room and stared at the two of them. "What happened?" he asked. "Johnny said he just brought in the mail."

Sonny handed Jason the noted, his eyes dead and empty.

Jason took it, confused and lost. He scanned it and then his heart dropped. He read it once more, not believing what was written there.

A brother for a brother. And a sister for good measure.

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 2

Elizabeth stood breathless in the middle of the apartment after racing into every room to find her husband. She had just gone out to grab some breakfast for them to share to celebrate the wonderful news. He couldn’t have left so suddenly. The bed was still unmade and the suit she had picked out for him was still on the hanger.

"Where are you, Ric?" she thought to herself. She had this instinctual feeling that something bad had happened. There were some pieces of furniture knocked over and it looked like there had been a struggle. Elizabeth didn’t know what to do. Who could she call? She and Ric were so isolated from this town. She had no one to ask for help.

At Harborview Towers, the tension was still palpable in Penthouse 4.

"Why would anyone do this?" Carly whispered.

Sonny shook his head. "Whoever is responsible for this will pay," he threatened and it was apparent that this time he meant it.

"I would say Ric did it, but I think they got him too," Carly said, reading the note again. "Do you think they’re okay? Do you think they tried to kill---"

"Don’t say it!" Jason shouted. "She’s not dead, she can’t be!"

Sonny reached his arm out to his friend. "You’re right, they wouldn’t hurt her. Someone is trying to play games with me and they can hurt me more while keeping my sister alive as leverage."

"I should have gone with her!" Carly exclaimed. "I should have never sent her to the Grille to pick up that stupid order!"

Sonny put his arm around his wife. "This isn’t your fault," he reassured her. "Whoever did this would have done it sooner or later. He was just waiting for Courtney to be alone."

"He said a brother for a brother," Carly reminded Sonny. "What does that mean?"

"Obviously someone is out for revenge," Sonny said. He paced towards the other side of the room. Tightening his grasp on the now crumpled note, he shouted, "Damn it!"

Carly jumped as the new glassware came crashing against the dark walls. "Sonny, we’ll find them and we’ll make whoever did this suffer if they hurt Courtney at all."

"This can’t be happening," Jason mumbled, his voice empty and distant.

Carly turned to her best friend. "Jason, it’s okay. You’re going to find the bastard who did this and you’re going to save Courtney."

"I was supposed to protect her!" Jason shouted suddenly. "We’re supposed to get married today and I was supposed to give her the life she deserved. How could I let this happen?"

Carly put a comforting hand on her friend’s shoulder. "Jason, listen. Don’t go all Sonny on me. This isn’t some sign from up above telling you that things weren’t meant to be. All it means is some idiot is stupid enough to try to get at Sonny through his family. You have protected Courtney before and you will do it again."

"We have to focus on finding who did this instead of blaming ourselves," Sonny said calmly. "Who have we brought down lately and has a brother who has the manpower and money to pull off a kidnapping?"

Carly looked at Sonny wishing she knew the answer. But she had been kept out of the business and she had no idea who Sonny’s newest enemy could be.

"What about Roscoe? His wife has been a pain in the ass lately, but she has seemed to back down. Maybe she got some help from Roscoe’s brother," Jason suggested.

"Roscoe doesn’t have a brother or any family that would give a damn about him," Sonny stated blankly. "It’s someone else."

"What about Sorel?" Carly suggested, remembering the last mobster who came against Sonny.

"Yeah, he had a daughter we never knew about. Maybe he has a brother too," Jason suggested. Inside, his heart was beating furiously, wanting nothing more than to find the bastard who did this and rip him apart limb from limb. This was supposed to be the day he would make Courtney the happiest woman alive. Now she was neither happy or . . . . no, he couldn’t think like that. She had to be alive. He would feel it if she was gone.

"But why wait all this time?" Sonny asked. "If someone wanted revenge for Sorel, they would have done it by now. But that makes me think. I didn’t kill Sorel, but some people blame me for his death. Maybe this guy’s brother was someone I didn’t directly hurt . . ."

"Whoever it is, they will be sorry they ever tried to hurt our family," Carly stated, pacing the room herself.

Jason rubbed his forehead in frustration. "I will find her Sonny. I will find out who did this."

Before Sonny could answer, Jason stormed out of the penthouse. When he swung open the door to shout at Max to bring around the car, he was stopped by a small brunette standing there with an angry look in her eye.

"Elizabeth what are you doing here?" Carly asked, surprised as Jason was to find the young woman at the penthouse.

Elizabeth glared at all of them. She shouted, "Where is Ric? If you don’t let him go, I will call the police and make sure you’re all arrested for murder."

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 3

"Look you little twit, we don’t have your precious Ric," Carly snapped at Elizabeth out of frustration. "Be grateful that Sonny has mercy and didn’t get rid of that bastard a long time ago."

"Carly," Sonny called to his wife, trying to calm her. Then he turned to Elizabeth. "We don’t have Ric, but we do know that someone took him."

Elizabeth looked at the crumpled paper Sonny held out to her. She took it and read the note. "What is this supposed to mean?"

"That’s what we’re trying to figure out," Carly said as she calmed down.

"So someone is out to get you because of whatever reason and Ric got caught in the middle?" Elizabeth asked, her voice taut with anger.

"Courtney got taken too," Jason pointed out, finally acknowledging her presence.

Elizabeth glared at him. "Right. Is this another one of your elaborate hoaxes? Like the last time you told me Courtney got kidnapped and then suddenly she was ready and willing to marry the man who supposedly took her?"

"God, Elizabeth. What happened to you?" Jason shouted at her. "Are you so naïve that you would think Ric deserves any kind of defense for what he did? He blackmailed Courtney into marriage because she wanted to protect ME. You’re the one running round falling for HIS lies, not ours."

Elizabeth felt tears of frustration rush to her eyes. "Shut up, Jason. You don’t know anything about Ric. You have only seen the side of him you care to see . . . the ENEMY. You don’t see people for who they are. If they’re a threat, then they need to be eliminated. End of story. Have you looked in the mirror lately? What happened to YOU?!"

"Shut up, Elizabeth," Carly yelled, her temporary truce gone. "Just because you don’t see Ric for the manipulative slime that he is, doesn’t mean you can take it out on Jason. He’s helped you out more times than I can count and this is how you treat him? You’re an ungrateful witch."

"And how exactly am I supposed to treat the man that keeps lying to me and threatening my husband? I’m not some idiot you all can lie to anymore," Elizabeth snapped. "You played me once, it will NEVER happen again."

Sonny had to grab Carly before she attacked the younger woman. "Look, we all need to work together, not fight. The guy who took them could hurt them while we’re wasting time arguing."

"Don’t you mean they could hurt your sister?" Elizabeth said tersely. "I bet you haven’t given one thought as to whether Ric was alive or dead!"

Sonny shook his head. "Ric and I have our problems but I don’t want someone to kill him to get to me."

"You’re afraid of a guilty conscience? I didn’t know you had one," Elizabeth said, tears coming to her eyes out of anger. She had to trust the people that wanted to hurt Ric most to save him. Life was so unfair.

Carly’s eyes glistened with anger, but her heart softened at the tear-choked sound in Elizabeth’s voice. She couldn’t help but feel a little for the brunette. "Sonny and Jason will find both of them and bring them back safely."

"I’m supposed to believe that? You’ll save your little sister, but you won’t even hesitate to leave Ric behind. He doesn’t MATTER. He’s not helping you, so he doesn’t count. Isn’t that how it works?" Elizabeth accused them, more out of desperation than anger.

"We’ll get them both out," Sonny said plainly. "But I don’t need your approval, Elizabeth. You lost your influence a long time ago."

Before Elizabeth could respond, she collapsed on the floor.

Sonny caught her and Carly looked at her worriedly. "Elizabeth," Sonny said, trying to wake her.

"Bring her over to the couch," Carly instructed, pushing aside the chairs to make room for the young woman.

"Is she okay?" Jason asked.

"She just fainted," Sonny said. "Come on, Elizabeth, wake up."

Elizabeth’s eyes opened slowly.

"How are you feeling?" Carly asked the brunette.

Elizabeth regained consciousness and looked up at the couple. "I-I just haven’t eaten anything."

"That can’t be good for the baby," Carly said.

Elizabeth’s eyes grew wide. "The baby? How did you know?"

Carly smirked. "I’d recognize the signs anywhere."

"You’re pregnant?" Jason inquired, shocked.

"Again," Elizabeth said, thinking of her lost child. "I was going to tell Ric this morning but when I came home he was gone. The apartment was trashed."

"We think they’re both okay," Carly interjected. "The guy probably has more leverage keeping them alive and torturing Sonny with the possibility of hurting them."

"Great," Elizabeth declared. "What am I going to do? I can’t call the police because I’m sure that will just set the kidnapper off. I can’t ask Nikolas because he has his own problems with his family. Luke and Lucky are still in Europe doing God knows what. My parents don’t give a damn and---"

"Elizabeth, stay calm," Sonny suggested, knowing that stress would only hurt her child. "We’ll find them."

"And how am I supposed to trust you? I came to you once to ask you to spare him and you practically spat in my face! I told you I was pregnant and you didn’t even flinch at the thought of my baby growing up without a father," Elizabeth accused him. "You told me you didn’t owe me anything."

"Then trust that I owe this to myself. I don’t need Ric’s blood on my hands," Sonny said, his patience growing thin. It made him furious that his twisted brother had manipulated Elizabeth so completely. She was almost unrecognizable from the girl who had helped him out so many times before. Couldn’t she see how worthless that piece of scum was?

"Fine, you don’t want a guilty conscience," Elizabeth said. Inside, she knew she still couldn’t trust them.

Sonny sighed and looked at all of them. "No one can know about this," Sonny said.

Carly and Jason nodded but Elizabeth looked at him skeptically. "Why?"

"They might tell the cops and you know how Taggert and Mac could be. They could try to interfere," Sonny responded.

"Like when you were kidnapped by Roscoe’s men, they kept trying to arrest Jason for no reason," Carly explained, trying to appeal to Elizabeth’s emotions.

It worked. Elizabeth concurred. "I guess we can’t tell them. I want Ric safe and he might not be if they get in the way."

"That’s right," Carly said, looking up at her husband and best friend. She was surprised to find a strange look in Jason’s eyes. She raised an eyebrow, "Are you okay, Jason?"

Jason shrugged. "I’m fine, I just want to find Courtney and make sure she’s safe."

"And Ric," Elizabeth added with a glare in her eyes.

"I’m going to get them out of there and then kill the bastard who did it," Sonny promised both of them.

"I’m going to help," Elizabeth declared.

"You can’t, this is business," Carly said, knowing that she wanted to help too. "Besides, in your condition . . ."

"I’m only a month in, I’m not some delicate little doll that needs to be sheltered. My husband needs me and I am not going to stand by and wait for you to save him for me," Elizabeth said, her voice confident and assured.

Jason’s eyes softened as he heard Elizabeth’s words. It reminded him of a conversation they had long ago. "You’ll only get hurt, Elizabeth. I promise we’ll find him."

"Your promises mean nothing to me," Elizabeth said angrily.

Carly felt her anger rise. The young woman truly thought she couldn’t trust them. Carly realized she didn’t do anything to help the situation when she pretended that Sonny was dead and that she was grieving, but Elizabeth was being irrational. "I understand that you don’t trust us, Elizabeth, but you have to let them do their job."

"Their job is the reason Ric is in this mess in the first place!" Elizabeth said. "He tried to cut you out of his life and he gave up this whole revenge scheme, but STILL he got hurt just because he shared the same blood as you do. I know you don’t give a damn about him, so I am going to make sure he gets out of this alive."

"Look, Elizabeth. The bottom line is that there’s nothing you can do to help," Sonny said. "Jason and I are going to have to figure out who did this and the only way to do that is to put pressure on our enemies. We aren’t trying to exclude you, this is just something you can’t do."

Elizabeth didn’t agree but she didn’t want to press the issue any further. If Sonny wouldn’t let her help him, she’d do this on her own. "Fine, I’ll stay out of it," she lied.

"Like you said you’d stay out of it when Jason got shot?" Sonny asked, a knowing look on his face. He could recognize her stubborn nature anywhere. At least there was some piece of her he still recognized.

Elizabeth’s eyes narrowed. "I am just telling you what you need to hear to feel better. If I get hurt, this way it won’t be your fault."

Carly looked in surprise. Elizabeth knew her husband pretty well. "He’s going to pay for kidnapping Courtney and Ric, Elizabeth. There’s no reason you should get involved."

Elizabeth paused and then asked, "Why do you assume it’s a man?"

"The only woman who can possibly get at me is Faith Roscoe," Sonny explained, "and she has no funds to pull off a job like this."

Suddenly, there was a pounding at the door. Then a voice shouted, "Open up, this is the PCPD, we have a warrant!"

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 4

The pounding continued as all four of them looked at each other. Sonny raised his hand and whispered, "Stay calm, don’t answer any questions."

Sonny gestured for Jason to open the door and he did. Taggert and his men stormed in with weapons drawn. Sonny asked calmly, "What are you doing here, Lieutenant?"

"Mr. Corinthos," Taggert greeted snidely. "We have a warrant in case you would like to see it."

Sonny grinned smugly. "I believe you. May I ask what charges you made up this time?"

Taggert sneered at the mobster. "No charges, just a warrant to question you."

"About what?" Sonny asked.

Taggert shook his head. "Like you don’t know. It’s about your sister’s kidnapping."

"Kidnapping? My sister was kidnapped?" Sonny asked frantically. "Why aren’t you out there finding her instead of harassing us? We haven’t seen Courtney for a few days. I didn’t even know she was missing!"

"I’m sure you didn’t," Taggert said sarcastically.

"That’s right," Sonny said sternly. "And you interrupted our dinner plans. If you think Courtney was kidnapped, go out there, find the people who did it and get her back to us. Why are you wasting your time here?"

"We thought you might want to give us a little information to help further our investigation," Taggert said. "You’re taking this news incredibly well."

"Maybe we don’t believe you. You’ve pulled quite a few stunts lately," Sonny replied.

"We have witnesses who saw your sister being dragged to a limousine outside of the PC Grille an hour ago," Taggert explained. He turned towards Jason. "You didn’t even blink when I told you your fiancé was missing. Don’t you care?"

"Like Sonny said, you’re probably pulling something to try and trump up some fake charges against us. Do you want another harassment suit, Taggert?" Jason said through gritted teeth.

Taggert smiled. He knew Jason and Sonny were in trouble and this was his chance to really stick it to the two gangsters. "Aren’t you both a little hot under the collar? If she isn’t in trouble, then I guess we have nothing to worry about, huh?"

"Taggert, you know you’re just using any excuse to come badger my husband," Carly shouted from behind them.

Taggert turned towards Carly, but to his surprise found someone unexpected. "Elizabeth, what are you doing here?"

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. Thinking quickly, she responded, "Carly and Sonny invited me over for dinner."

"Now I know something’s going on," Taggert said, turning to face the mobster and his wife. "Elizabeth finally got out of your clutches when she married Ric Lansing. Your brother’s grudge put the final nail in the coffin between her and your lifestyle. Why is she suddenly here the same night Courtney Matthews gets kidnapped? And don’t tell me it’s a coincidence."

Carly, Sonny and Jason gave each other nervous glances. Sonny was the first to attempt explaining Elizabeth’s presence. "Like you said, Elizabeth is married to my brother. That means she’s practically family," Sonny lied. "Why shouldn’t she be here? Any animosity you think we have is all in your head."

"Right," Taggert laughed, knowing that Sonny was pretty desperate if he thought Taggert would believe he had patched things up with his lawyer brother. "And what’s the occasion? I haven’t seen the Corinthos family out with Elizabeth for months now."

Sonny thought quickly. He replied, "She’s pregnant with my niece or nephew so she came over so we could celebrate."

"That’s right," Carly agreed, trying to hold up the charade.

"Elizabeth’s pregnant . . . is that right, Morgan?" Taggert asked, turning to the mob enforcer with a sly smile on his lips. Taggert knew Jason would not be here to celebrate if Elizabeth Lansing was pregnant with Ric’s child considering their history together.

Jason’s jaw clenched, knowing he couldn’t lie. "Elizabeth is pregnant, not that it’s any of your business."

Taggert had a knowing look on his face. "Hmmm, are you wearing that nice suit just for a baby shower?" Taggert laughed, gesturing to the dark slacks and jacket Jason had on.

Jason smirked at Taggert but didn’t respond.

"Sir," an officer interrupted, approaching Taggert as he entered the room. "We couldn’t find anything in here."

"Search Morgan’s penthouse," Taggert instructed in frustration.

"We did. All we found were these," the officer explained, handing the items to Taggert.

Taggert glanced at the objects and clicked his tongue. "Well, what do we have here?" Taggert grinned. He held up the rings in his hand and continued, "Rings and Morgan in a suit . . . seems to me, it all adds up to a wedding."

All four stayed silent as Taggert looked at them with a victory in his eyes.

Taggert paced around the room. "Nice try with the whole baby shower thing, but you are getting sloppy. I know today’s Jason’s wedding. That means you’ve seen the bride later than a few days ago. And this little celebratory dinner makes no sense when you have a wedding to attend to. Makes a person wonder."

Sonny looked worriedly at Carly. How could they explain the wedding rings and Jason’s attire?

"We’re going to a nice restaurant so Jason dressed up, big deal," Carly said. "As for the rings, just because they were lying around his apartment doesn’t mean there’s a wedding today."

Taggert laughed. "Then I guess St. Timothy’s mistakenly put a reservation for the Morgan Wedding today, didn’t they?"

Carly looked withdrawn. She didn’t have an explanation for that. She lied, "It must be a mistake, Taggert. Besides, what reason do we have to lie about all this? If Courtney were kidnapped, we’d do everything to help you find her. She’s family and you know what that means to Sonny."

"Unless it has to do with his illegal activities," Taggert said through gritted teeth. "Enough with the games. Just tell me what you know and let us do our jobs."

"There’s nothing to know!" Jason shouted. "You made your assumptions and you were wrong. Now get out and go find my fiancé!"

"I don’t think so. If all you’re doing is having an innocent little celebration over Elizabeth’s pregnancy, tell me, where’s the father to be?" Taggert asked, not backing down. "Shouldn’t Ric be here to celebrate his own child?"

"We’re going to meet him at the restaurant," Carly said quickly.

"Fine, then I guess you won’t mind if we come along and question Ric wherever it is you are heading," Taggert said, adding the pressure on their lies.

"No way," Carly yelled. "You have no business sticking your nose in our affairs."

"You’re really sick, Taggert. My sister could be in danger and all you can do is harass me and my family," Sonny growled at the lieutenant.

"Yeah, right, Corinthos. If you really want me to do my job right, you give me what I need to know," Taggert smirked. "You need my help if you want to get your sister back. This fake baby shower is not helping."

"It’s not fake, it’s—" Carly began.

"Yeah, I’m sure you would tell me if you were lying," Taggert interrupted.

"What is wrong with you, Taggert? You’re a cop. You have a job and that is to serve and protect, isn’t that how it goes?" Sonny asked.

Carly added, "So serve and protect us and Courtney, instead of trying to use this as an opportunity to further your agenda."

"I have dealt with you all enough times to know when you’re hiding something," Taggert sneered. "So tell me what’s going on before I have you arrested."

Sonny glared at Taggert. "Just try it and I’ll have your job before you can say ‘you have the right to remain silent’."

"Capelli, handcuff all of them. I am bringing them down to the station for questioning," Taggert instructed, calling Sonny’s bluff.

"You can’t do that!" Carly insisted.

As the police officers pulled out the handcuffs, Taggert had a smug smile on his face. "We could have done this the easy way," he taunted.

"You mean your way," Sonny growled.

"Same thing," Taggert laughed.

"That’s enough!" Elizabeth shouted, interrupting the argument. All eyes turned to her as she stalked over to Taggert. "You want to know what’s really going on? Fine. But you let them go immediately!"

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 5

Taggert raised an eyebrow. "I’m just doing my job, Elizabeth. You don’t have to defend them anymore. They don’t care about you. Look at how they’re acting when they’re own family has been kidnapped."

Elizabeth glared at the lieutenant. "You have no idea what’s going on here."

"Give it up, Elizabeth. This isn’t helping Courtney. Don’t you know by now that Sonny and his men can’t keep people safe? They are just too stupid to ask for help," Taggert accused. "Their family almost blew up in the limousine explosion and Sonny has been shot at more times than I can count. Your own husband got caught in the crossfire."

"What’s your point, Taggert?" Jason interjected, infuriated by Taggert’s attack on his and Sonny’s ability to protect the people they loved.

Taggert ignored the enforcer and continued to Elizabeth. "I know Ric won’t be at that restaurant when you go there and that’s why you’re trying to stop me. Why are you helping them lie?"

"You’re right," Elizabeth admitted. "Ric isn’t going to be at that restaurant."

"I knew it," Taggert smiled.

Carly glared at Elizabeth. She knew the girl was too spineless and spiteful to stick with the plan.

Taggert knew he had gotten through to Elizabeth. She was his way to get the truth and hit Sonny where it hurt. He asked gently, "What are they hiding, Elizabeth? Why did they lie?"

Elizabeth looked straight into Taggert’s eyes and replied, "To protect ME."

Jason, Sonny and Carly stared at her. What was she talking about?

"You?" Taggert asked. "Why?"

"I’ll tell you AFTER you let them go or I will make sure you’ll be sued for harassment. I will have Nikolas’s attorneys on the case immediately and you’ll be sorry you ever stepped into this penthouse tonight," Elizabeth threatened.

"Nikolas? Why not your Harvard lawyer husband?" Taggert asked, hesitating at Elizabeth’s angry tone.

Elizabeth paused, her lip quivering. "Because we’re divorced!" Elizabeth shouted. Tears sprang to her eyes and she began sobbing.

Jason, Sonny and Carly all stared wide-eyed in shock. Carly looked at the girl in amazement. Either Elizabeth was crazy or she was f*cking brilliant.

Taggert was wide-eyed too as he watched the girl in front of him fall apart. He gestured towards his officers to release Sonny, Jason and Carly as he knelt in front of Elizabeth.

"Is that what you wanted me to tell you? Does it make you HAPPY to know how much Ric hurt me?" Elizabeth screamed with tears in her eyes. "Do my tears make your job worthwhile? Answer me, damn it!"

Taggert’s jaw dropped as he stammered, "I-I didn’t mean---"

Elizabeth looked away. "He abandoned me and my child to run off with another woman. He filed for a divorce in the Dominican Republic and demanded I sign it or he’d make sure he would take away my baby." Inside she felt terrible for lying about Ric. She would explain once they found him and he would understand why she had to lie. He just had to.

"I-I’m sorry," Taggert said slowly. "I didn’t know."

"Of COURSE you didn’t," Elizabeth said angrily. "That was the point!"

Taggert shook his head. "But that still doesn’t explain this dinner. I understand why Ric won’t be there, but Sonny and the rest of them have never been compassionate to anyone outside of their circle. Why would they invite you to dinner? To comfort you? They could care less that Ric cheated on you. And then there’s Courtney’s kidnapping that they keep hedging."

"Because," Elizabeth began, scrambling for an answer. "Because the woman Ric ran off with WAS Courtney!"

Jason’s jaw dropped. What was Elizabeth doing?!

Carly’s eyes twinkled in amazement. Elizabeth was pure GENIUS!

Taggert looked at Elizabeth questioningly. He knew through Gia how badly Elizabeth had been burned this past year, but this must have been devastating to her. Losing three men in her life within such a short time was not something Elizabeth deserved.

Elizabeth sighed. "Do you see now why they lied? They didn’t want to humiliate me in front of you. And that’s why they haven’t seen Courtney for days. She’s been with Ric. What you thought was a kidnapping was probably Ric having some romantic getaway with her," Elizabeth said, her eyes moist and filled with tears. "God, I thought he loved me and he left me the minute he realized he was in love with Courtney."

Jason felt his heart pull seeing the tears in her eyes. They looked so real.

Carly put a comforting arm around Elizabeth but inwardly she was reeling with admiration. Elizabeth knew how to pull off a lie better than anyone she had ever seen, including herself!

"Elizabeth," Taggert sighed, still not believing Elizabeth. "What about Jason and Courtney? They were planning their lives together. Their wedding was supposed to be today. Why isn’t Anger Boy, well, angry?"

Jason looked blankly at Taggert, not allowing the lieutenant get to him.

Elizabeth glanced quickly at Jason and an idea suddenly struck her. "That’s where you’re mistaken. The wedding isn’t for Jason and Courtney. It’s for Jason and---"

"You?!" Taggert exclaimed.

Elizabeth nodded slowly, catching the surprise in Jason’s face as she continued. "We were going to get married and keep it quiet. I didn’t even tell my friends or family about it. When I told Jason about Ric’s affair with Courtney, the divorce and my baby, he offered to take care of me. I didn’t want anyone to know how humiliated I was when Ric dumped me, so we decided to have a private wedding."

"How long has this been planned?" Taggert asked, starting to believe Elizabeth’s lies. He knew the history behind Elizabeth and Jason’s friendship and it didn’t surprise him that Jason would be noble and take care of her. He had done the same for Carly before.

"A few weeks. I know it’s quick, but I want to get married before I’m too far along in my pregnancy," Elizabeth said. "I don’t want my child to think it was conceived by a father who would abandon it."

"You walked out on your wedding with Lucky Spencer because he wasn’t in love with you. You don’t want to be stuck in a loveless marriage, do you?" Taggert asked, his brotherly affection for Elizabeth coming out.

Elizabeth’s lip quivered remembering the mistake that seemed a lifetime ago. She held onto that hurt and continued with her lie. "Jason and I, we’re good friends. I need stability for my child. I am willing to go through anything for the baby."

Taggert raised an eyebrow. This part he didn’t buy. He had seen Elizabeth grow and mature and this woman was no longer the girl that would settle for less than she deserved. She would not tie herself down to a marriage that didn’t include love. His caution started to rise again.

Jason noticed Taggert’s expression and stepped forward. "Elizabeth, tell him the truth," Jason interjected.

Elizabeth looked at Jason in surprise. This lie couldn’t be something he was comfortable with, but did he want to ruin it for all of them? Sure, she was trashing his fiancé’s reputation and pretending that she was going to marry him instead of Courtney, but wasn’t it justifiable if it kept Taggert out of the way? Maybe Jason didn’t care. Maybe he didn’t want people to think he would abandon Courtney the way she was pretending to abandon Ric.

"Come on, Elizabeth. Tell Taggert why we’re really getting married. It’s nothing to be ashamed of considering how Courtney and Ric betrayed us," Jason hinted.

Elizabeth had no idea what Jason was talking about. She looked into his eyes, trying to figure out what he was doing. "I-I can’t, Jason. It’s too hard . . ."

Jason sighed and turned to Taggert. "When she came to tell me what Ric and Courtney had done, I finally saw what we have both been doing this past year. We’ve been dancing around each other and trying to replace each other with Sonny’s siblings. We love each other, Taggert. We’ve loved each other all along and we’re not going to apologize for it. Elizabeth still feels guilty, which I am trying to change, but she doesn’t want people to make assumptions about us because we’re getting married so quickly."

Taggert looked skeptically at Jason. He had to admit this made sense. Elizabeth had felt the destruction of gossip and public opinion before. It would be likely that she wouldn’t want people to think she was fickle for moving on so fast despite her husband’s actions. This was a small town and people talked. When they did, they were vicious and cruel.

Jason continued. "We’re getting married today because we want to prove our love to each other. We aren’t going to make the mistake of walking away again," Jason said, sparing a glance towards Elizabeth before facing Taggert. He finished, "I am going to be a father to Elizabeth’s child because it’s a part of Elizabeth and anything that has to do with her is a part of me too."

Carly stared at her best friend in complete shock. Jason didn’t know how to lie and here he was oozing with lie after another.

Elizabeth couldn’t breathe. Jason’s lies hit her like a truck in the wrong lane on the freeway. She thought she had forgotten, but a part of her had always wanted him to say these things about her. If only it were real. But it didn’t matter anymore. She had moved on with Ric and in truth, he loved Courtney.

Sonny’s eyes narrowed. Jason was not a practiced liar, but even Sonny bought Jason’s story.

Taggert stared at the mob enforcer. He realized that he had made a mistake. These people had no reason to lie to him except to save face for Elizabeth. He stood up and took a deep breath, "Fine. I’m sorry I interrupted your day, Elizabeth. I’ll keep my people out to see if they notice anything amiss, but for now the case is closed. We’ll go by Ric’s to see if he has Courtney with him."

Elizabeth got an idea. "Go to Ric’s apartment," Elizabeth said. "If it’s a mess, that means that Ric hasn’t been home since we got in an argument last night when I told him I was marrying Jason. He threw a bunch of furniture everywhere and he told me he was leaving Port Charles behind because he didn’t want to see Jason and me raising his child. If he isn’t there, that probably means he ran off with Courtney like he told me he would yesterday."

Taggert nodded. "I’m sorry about everything," Taggert offered. "Congratulations on your baby."

Elizabeth smiled softly. "Thank you," she said.

Taggert gestured to the officers and they cleared out of the building. As soon as they were gone, the guards closed the doors and left too.

Carly, Sonny, Jason and Elizabeth stood silently staring at each other. That had been a close call. If not for Elizabeth’s quick save and Jason’s finishing touch, Taggert might have dragged them all to the PCPD.

Carly finally asked what they all wanted to know. She turned to her best friend, "Since when do you lie?"

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 6

Elizabeth’s eyes were focused on a spot right behind Sonny, not wanting to hear Jason’s answer to Carly’s question. Why did it still bother her that Jason didn’t give a damn about her?

"Come on, Jason," Carly said, tapping her foot. "You can’t lie. How did you go off spouting all that stuff about Elizabeth and wanting to raise her kid?"

Sonny reached for his wife. "Carly, stop bothering Jason. Just be happy that Elizabeth and Jason did this for us."

Elizabeth turned quickly towards Sonny. "You may speak for Jason, but you don’t speak for me. The only reason I lied to Taggert was for Ric’s safety, not YOURS."

Sonny shook his head. "Fine, but we need to figure out what to do next, not bother Jason."

Carly pulled away from Sonny and walked over to Jason. "No, I want to know how you could lie. I have never seen you outright lie before. You stay quiet and let people think what they want to, but you’ve never made stuff up before."

Jason looked nervously at his feet. "It wasn’t anything, Carly. I knew we had to get Taggert out of here so we can go find the person behind all of this so I said what he wanted to hear."

"But you could never do that before," Carly said, not backing down. "We’ve been in tons of trouble and you just gave Taggert the silent treatment."

Elizabeth folded her arms and stepped forward. "It’s amazing what you can do when you love someone," she said to Jason.

Jason looked at her strangely. What was that supposed to mean? "Look, whatever the reason, does it matter? We have to find out who captured Courtney and get her out of there," he said. He didn’t even want to consider the possibility that she wasn’t alive.

Carly raised an eyebrow at the exchange of looks between Elizabeth and Jason. She didn’t like it at all. Courtney was god knows where and Elizabeth was trying to suck up to Jason. "Elizabeth, thanks for lying to Taggert, but you should go. Sonny and Jason have work to do."

Elizabeth turned to face Carly. Why was Carly trying to push her out all of a sudden? Elizabeth smirked at Carly and nodded. "Fine, I’m going, but what are we going to about this whole wedding thing? Taggert will tell Gia and Gia will tell Nikolas, which means the Spencers will all know and then my grandmother will be asking me about it."

Carly sighed. "Just tell them you decided to hold off since Taggert ruined it for you. Then you get the lie and the guilt trip on Taggert."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "This cleverness would have been helpful when Taggert was actually here," Elizabeth said to Carly.

"I froze," Carly smirked, growing suspicious of Elizabeth’s motives. "Besides, I am not twisted enough to think up all this divorce and remarriage hoax."

"You can fake a death but not Ric cheating on me?" Elizabeth asked. "I’m shocked."

Carly glared at Elizabeth. "Well, what does it say about you when you can so convincingly tell Taggert that Ric is basically a no-good lying bastard? Which he is, by the way."

Elizabeth smiled. "I just imagined Ric was your husband."

Carly lunged at Elizabeth but Jason grabbed her before she could. "Let me go, Jason. I am gonna rip her hair out by the roots. Self-righteous little wench!" Carly shouted, pushing at Jason’s arms.

"Enough," Sonny interrupted. "This is getting us nowhere. Jason and I will call a meeting with the five families. Carly, go to the park and take Michael over to Bobbie’s. Elizabeth, you’re no longer welcome here."

Elizabeth sneered. "Why am I not surprised?" Elizabeth turned and stalked out of the door. She was going to have to do this on her own and that was just fine by her.

Jason watched her leave with a disbelief in his eyes. He couldn’t believe this was the same girl who had shown him the wind.

"Finally, she’s gone," Carly said, pulling out of Jason’s grasp as she walked up the steps to get Michael’s things.

Jason turned to face Sonny, his arms crossed. "Tell me what I have to do to get Courtney back safely."

"We’re going to make a little visit to Tagliatti and Faith just to be on the safe side. If nothing comes up, I have some contacts in Puerto Rico who might know something. But we have to keep an open mind. This might not have to do with business. The note sounded very personal so it could be anyone," Sonny explained.

Jason nodded, his fists clenched. "They better not have hurt Courtney or I’ll make sure they’ll be pleading for me to put them out of their misery once I get my hands on them."

Sonny put a hand on his friend. "My sister is safe. You’ll find her and bring her back. Then you’ll get married and start that future you’ve always deserved with her. She loves you and she believes in you."

Jason looked at Sonny for a moment. Why did Sonny feel the need to say that? "I love her too, Sonny," Jason said, not sure why he was compelled to say that. "She’s my reason for living. I won’t let her get hurt."

Sonny nodded in approval. "I know you won’t. Now get Max to bring the car around."

Jason turned to the door and grabbed it feeling like something had changed between that moment and the moment that he stepped into the penthouse. Why were Sonny and Carly both questioning him suddenly? Why was he so bothered by Elizabeth’s behavior? The strangest was his sudden ability to lie. Since when could he do that?

Jason stepped into the corridor and sighed. Elizabeth was probably right. Love makes you do things you wouldn't be able to do otherwise and what he felt for Courtney was potent enough to do that. Right now, his main priority was to find Courtney and not worry about his mixed feelings.

"Hey, Johnny," he called to the guard. "Get Max to bring the car around. We’re going down to the warehouse to meet with the five families."

Johnny looked at Jason in surprise. "Max?"

"Yeah, Max. Are you suddenly hard of hearing?" Jason growled. "I don’t have time to waste, Johnny. Courtney is in trouble and I need to find her."

Johnny stared at Jason wide-eyed. "Are you sure Mr. Corinthos wanted Max to drive?"

"Yes. What is wrong with you?" Jason demanded.

"Well, Max, he, uh, he left already," Johnny explained, fearful of his boss’s rage.

"Where did he go?" Jason asked. "Never mind, I can’t bother with Max if he decided to go on a break. You grab the car and bring it around yourself. We have to get going now."

"Max didn’t go on a break," Johnny began.

Jason didn’t like the feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Where did he go, Johnny?"

"Ummm . . . on an errand," Johnny started to explain. "He thought Sonny wanted him to drive downtown."

"Why did he think that?" Jason shouted, outraged.

Johnny’s jaw clenched slightly. "Because that’s where Mrs. Lansing said she needed to go."

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 7

"He took Elizabeth downtown?" Jason exclaimed. What was Elizabeth trying to pull now?

"Did you get the car, Jason?" Sonny asked, stepping into the hallway.

"We have a problem," Jason said through gritted teeth.

"What?" Sonny questioned, looking at Johnny and Jason, both standing stiffly.

"Elizabeth," Jason said. "She took Max and the limo and headed downtown."

"What?!" Sonny shouted. "Call Max up and have him turn around. God, what is wrong with that girl?"

Meanwhile, Elizabeth was sitting in the back seat of Sonny’s limousine as it headed to the center of Port Charles. She watched the city lights rush by her and leaned forward to the driver. "Hey, Max. Turn on the next traffic light."

"Sure thing, Elizabeth," Max nodded.

After Francis had been transferred to Miami, he had asked Max to watch over her for him. She had been away for the past few months, but he had been checking in on her every once in awhile. The last time he had seen her was at Rice Plaza the night she lost her first child. He was sad to report that news to Francis, but Elizabeth had managed to get through it. Elizabeth Webber, now Lansing, was a stronger woman than people expected. But Max knew by watching her that she always was.

"Max, can I ask you something?" Elizabeth said to the guard.

Max nodded, looking into the rearview mirror at Elizabeth. "Of course," he replied.

"Why did you come to work for Sonny?" Elizabeth questioned.

Max glanced at Elizabeth’s reflection. That was a strange question to ask. No one besides his closest family had ever cared to know that before.

Elizabeth fidgeted with her coat, wondering if it was inappropriate to ask. She didn’t know why, but it was something she’d always wanted to know.

"I had nowhere else to go," Max said simply. "Sonny took me in and gave me a job when I didn’t have anyone else. Then I started to make friends who soon became like my brothers. I want them safe and I want Sonny and Jason to be safe, so I do my job."

"But why is it so important to you to keep them safe? Why would you risk your life for them? It’s not like they are the president or doing anything that is worth protecting," Elizabeth said.

"Why do celebrities have bodyguards? They just entertain. Some people might think that’s worth protecting, but it’s just a job for their security team," Max explained. "This is more than a job for me. Mr. Corinthos has taken care of me from day one. That’s what is worth protecting."

"But he turns on people the minute they question him or have a different opinion," Elizabeth pointed out. "He wants people to be loyal but he doesn’t return that respect to the people he demands it from."

"He has to be cautious," Max said. "It comes with this business."

"What makes it worth the risk and the death that is always around you?" Elizabeth persisted. "You could die tomorrow and for what? To protect a mobster? Don’t you have dreams, Max? When is your debt to Sonny going to be paid? When do you get to start living your own life?"

Max raised an eyebrow. Why was Elizabeth suddenly so concerned about his job?

The cell phone beside him started to ring and he looked over at it. He picked it up and saw that the display showed Sonny was calling.

At the penthouse, Jason was pacing around as Sonny called Max. Pounding his fist against the wall, he was angrier than ever. Why did Elizabeth feel the need to pull a stunt like this? Didn’t she know she’d only get hurt? She was more trouble than she was worth.

Sonny took the phone in his hand and threw it against the wall. Both of the other men turned to look at him. "Max hung up," Sonny explained through gritted teeth. "What the hell does he think he’s doing?"

"Johnny, grab the other car. We’re taking a trip downtown," Jason instructed calmly. Max was a dead man.

Johnny nodded, but he secretly smiled as he stepped into the elevator. He knew Max and there was only one reason why Max would dare hang up on Sonny. That reason was a small brunette with a penchant for art.

"Who was that?" Elizabeth asked, as they neared her destination.

Max answered, "It was just a wrong number."

Elizabeth smiled. "No it wasn’t," she said, knowing full well who had called.

Max smirked. "Well, you know what they say. You shouldn’t talk on your phone when driving. It’s unsafe."

Elizabeth laughed. "And we wouldn’t want to be unsafe, now would we?"

"No," Max chuckled along with her. He pulled he car over at the hotel. "Here we are. Do you want me to come up with you?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "Although, I need to borrow something from you."

"What?" Max asked, turning to face her.

Across town, Jason and Sonny hopped into their car and rushed towards downtown. "She won’t know where to meet the five families. Where do you think she went?" Sonny asked Jason.

"I don’t know," Jason said. "I don’t know what’s going through her head. She has no clue what kind of danger she is putting herself in."

"She used to know when to stay out of things," Sonny said.

"She used to trust us too," Jason pointed out, looking out at the passing traffic.

Sonny nodded in agreement. "Well, we can’t worry about her. We have to find Courtney, so the best way to do that is head over to the warehouse and question the five families. Afterwards, we’ll track down Elizabeth."

"Then I’ll kill Max," Jason stated blankly.

At the Port Charles Hotel, Elizabeth Lansing watched the lights on the elevator as she moved up towards the top of the building. She glanced at the object in her hand. Taking a deep breath, she pulled together all the confidence she could muster. The only thing she knew was that she had to rescue Ric and she would do anything to make sure he was safe.

She didn’t want it to but her mind wandered to the mess that happened at Sonny’s penthouse. Most importantly, Jason’s surprising lie to Taggert. How was it possible that Jason loved Courtney to an extent that he could lie? What was it about Courtney that made him love her that much?

She remembered back to a day not so long ago, even though it felt like it was another lifetime. She had decided to take a stroll on the docks when she found Jason standing there with Taggert in a heated discussion. She wasn’t that surprised until she heard Taggert insult Jason and for no reason in her opinion. Even then, Jason didn’t lie. Even when Taggert was calling him brain damaged and threatening to hurt him and Sonny.

She didn’t know what she was thinking but she stormed down there to defend her new friend. Taggert tried to warn her off Jason, but she refused to listen. Even when Taggert brought up Lucky, she still stood by Jason. Now, standing in that elevator, after everything that happened since, she thought she might have regretted that choice. Or at least, it felt like she should have.

She shook her head. Now was not the time to think about that.

The elevator made a ding noise and the doors opened. Elizabeth stepped out into the hallway. Turning to her left, she eyed the numbers. Finally finding the one she wanted she knocked on the door.

A shuffle was heard inside and the door opened. The occupant stared at Elizabeth and asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Hello, Faith," Elizabeth smiled. Then she held up the gun in her hand. "I have a few questions I need answered."

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 8

Elizabeth stood very still with the weapon aimed straight for Faith’s forehead. "Call off your guards or I’ll pull the trigger."

Faith smirked. "You’re bluffing."

Elizabeth threatened calmly, "Try me."

Faith realized Elizabeth wasn’t kidding. "Fine, I’ll humor you. There are no guards here, so just put down the gun," Faith said, not afraid of the young waitress or her empty threats. "I’m sure holding a gun is very scary for you and we wouldn’t want you to accidentally shoot yourself."

Elizabeth didn’t budge at the threat. She stepped into the room, but the gun did not waiver its aim. Elizabeth took a seat on the bed and stared at Faith. "Take a seat," Elizabeth instructed, gesturing towards the desk.

Faith let out a snort and sat down. "You’re not scaring me, Miss Angel of the Diner, so just get to the point."

"That’s MRS. Angel to you," Elizabeth retorted. "I want to know something. What did you do with Ric?"

Faith raised an eyebrow. "My, my, my. Three months of marriage and already losing track of the little hubby?"

Elizabeth pulled the trigger and a shot rang out in the room. Elizabeth smirked. "Answer the question, Faith."

Faith’s eyes popped open realizing that the bullet had barely grazed the top of her head. She had underestimated the little waitress. "I haven’t seen Ric since he went off and married you. I’m a little attached to my own life and he said he’d kill me if I went near him again."

"Ric’s threats never stopped you before," Elizabeth said.

"But this time he meant it," Faith said quietly.

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes. "You sound scared of him."

"Well, I should be. He didn’t think twice about killing Fowler to frame your ex-boyfriend," Faith explained. Seeing the fear flutter through Elizabeth’s eyes, Faith smiled smugly. "Ahh, he forgot to tell you that? I guess it wasn’t really appropriate to say, ‘in sickness and in health, for murder or for blackmail’, is it?"

Elizabeth stared wide-eyed at Faith. Could Ric really kill a man in cold blood?

Meanwhile, a few blocks away at the warehouse district, Sonny, Jason and the five families were gathering.

"Welcome, gentlemen," Sonny said with a grim look on his face.

"Why are we here?" Sammy Tagliatti questioned, taking a seat across from Sonny.

"I need some information and I think one of you might be able to provide it to me," Sonny explained, glaring at the two-bit mobster.

Jason surveyed the group, observing each one for any signs of nervousness or strange behavior.

"We are happy to oblige you, Mr. Corinthos," another mobster replied.

Sonny nodded. "I expect nothing less. I recently had a threat made on my family," Sonny began. "I need to know who made it. Now, I am sure none of you are involved, but I thought one of you might know something about it."

Everyone in that room could feel the threatening tone in Sonny’s voice. Tagliatti answered first. "We’ve been hearing some buzz with the drug trafficking through your territory."

"Is that all?" Sonny asked. He didn’t want to give away any details of what had happened because he didn’t trust a single person in that room besides Jason.

A man next to Tagliatti cleared his throat. "Well, there’s been some talk going on underground."

Sonny raised an eyebrow. "What kind of talk?"

The man adjusted his tie to get some air. "Your territory is vulnerable right now---"

"My territory is fine," Sonny interjected.

The man gazed at Sonny and his eyes steeled. "The police have a close eye on you and with your attentions, well, on things other than business, people are talking about opportunities."

"Opportunities for what?" Sonny said through gritted teeth, his fists clenched. He smashed his fist against the table. "Tell me or none of you will step out of this building alive."

It was then that five of Sonny’s guards stepped into the warehouse armed with guns and facing each representative of the five families.

"Just in case you decide not to cooperate, I thought I’d invite a few friends," Sonny smirked. "Now tell me what I want to know."

Back at the Port Charles Hotel, Elizabeth was quietly digesting Faith’s accusation.

Elizabeth firmed her grip on the gun. "Look, Faith, this is not the time to spread your vicious little lies."

Faith’s eyes glittered with mischief. "Believe what you want, babycheeks, but it won’t help your delusional tendencies."

"I wouldn’t talk if I were you. It won’t help your obsessive stalker tendencies if the man you’re stalking isn’t alive," Elizabeth replied. Elizabeth sighed with frustration. "I need to find my husband. Either you cooperate or I’ll shoot you."

Faith clucked her tongue. "Angel, you’ve got a lot to learn. If I had Ric, killing me wouldn’t help you find him any faster, now would it?"

Elizabeth glared at Faith. She was clearly getting nowhere with this mob moll. "Just tell me if you know where he is."

Faith sighed, leaning back in her seat. "If I had him, do you think I would tell you?"

Elizabeth sneered. "Yeah, you would. You’re just egotistical that way."

Faith laughed. "You’re right. Well, for your information, I don’t have Ric. He probably ran off to get away from the dullness that is your marriage."

"He didn’t run away," Elizabeth blurted out in anger. "Ric’s been kidnapped."

Faith suddenly looked interested. "Really? Are you sure?"

Elizabeth decided it was useless. Faith clearly had no clue where Ric was. Lowering the gun, Elizabeth nodded. "Someone left a note at Sonny’s to tell him that they took his brother and his sister for some kind of revenge plan."

"I bet Morgan’s missing his little bunny," Faith commented.

Elizabeth glared at her. "Forget about that, Ric could be in real danger here."

"And I care, why?" Faith replied with a smug smile on her face.

"Please," Elizabeth retorted. "You are obsessed with my husband and we both know it. If it were up to you, you’d have Ric tied up in a cage in your hotel room."

"Ahh, you know me so well," Faith smiled.

"Since you apparently know nothing and can do nothing to help me, I’ll be leaving," Elizabeth smirked as she stood up.

"If Sonny knows what happened and has the resources to find your husband, why are you going all Renegade Barbie?" Faith questioned before Elizabeth stepped outside the door.

"For a smart woman, or at least one who likes to think she is, you sure have trouble with common sense," Elizabeth answered. "Do you really think Sonny gives a damn about Ric?"

"Sonny has to find his sister," Faith pointed out. "Doesn’t that mean finding Ric too?"

"Sonny would not hesitate to leave Ric for dead," Elizabeth explained. "Ric’s only chance is me."

Faith snorted. "Then be sure to notify me for the funeral."

Elizabeth turned to glare at Faith. "Alright, Faith. You want to play games?"

Faith raised an eyebrow and stared at the pointed gun.

"I have one more move," Elizabeth said. "Let’s go."

Back at the warehouse, the men around the table remained silent as Sonny awaited an answer. Finally Tagliatti spoke up.

"Well, these aren’t my people involved, but they’ve heard things," Tagliatti explained. "They say a threat from Miami is starting to build and their first target is you."

"What’s given them that idea?" Sonny questioned. He wasn’t sure if this was related to the kidnapping, but a threat was worth investigating. The drug busts were getting inconvenient and costly to his business and he didn’t need any more trouble.

Tagliatti faced Sonny squarely. "The dealers and their contacts have been receiving news that the recent attacks have been designed to weaken you, Mr. Corinthos. They are building a base here to take you down."

Sonny glared at them. "Have you all heard this? Is there a threat against my territory?"

The rest of the men mumbled and nodded, avoiding looking directly at Sonny.

"Well, does anyone have a name?" Sonny questioned.

The mobsters looked at one another but none of them answered.

"Never mind," Sonny said. "It doesn’t matter who it is. They are making a huge mistake if they think they can cross me."

Sonny stood up and gestured to the guards. "We’re out of here," he instructed. Then, turning to the representatives he threatened softly, "If anyone decides to join in with the fool that’s trying to take me down, I’ll find out and I’ll be sure that you pay for your betrayal."

As Sonny, Jason and their men headed to the exit, the warehouse door slammed open. All eyes turned to find Faith Roscoe standing there.

"What are you doing here, Faith?" Sammy Tagliatti questioned.

Sonny let out a sigh. "This is no time to test my patience, Faith. Get out."

Faith raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to make me?" she laughed.

Sonny grabbed the gun from his belt. "I will if I have to," he sneered, pointing the weapon at her.

Before she could respond, Elizabeth stepped into the building with a gun against Faith’s back. Elizabeth looked around the room and then turned to Sonny. "Faith isn’t going anywhere," she said to the mob boss. Smiling, she continued, "Not until I say so."

She remembered back to a winter day not so long ago when she had an extra long shift at Kelly’s. Bending over to pour a man a cup of coffee, she had been ready to run out of there. But then she looked up and saw Jason standing outside the window. Overwhelmed with joy, she grabbed her coat to come out to meet him. She remembered that it smelled like snow. Jason always told her snow smelled but she didn’t realize it until he had pointed it out.

Little did she know, her joy would be squashed by the end of that conversation. She remembered wondering afterwards how their friendship could be destroyed by Jason’s life. It was precious but it was strong. How could he walk away like that?

She didn’t understand how much he cared about her until years later when he was doing the same thing. Pushing her away for her own good.

Finally, she pushed back instead of letting him continue. That cost her everything. His love, his friendship, his compassion. Now he was just a stranger to her. No better than any other man she passed on the street whose face and his name were foreign to her. She knew Jason’s face and she knew his name, but everything else was a mystery.

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 9

All the men in the room stared at the short brunette, facing down Sonny Corinthos. Upon appearances, the situation seemed ridiculous. This girl was a little over five feet armed with one weapon, but she was garnering Sonny’s attention. They wondered who she was. Sonny didn’t stand down to anyone let alone a woman.

"Come in, guys," Elizabeth said, gesturing towards the door, though her eyes were focused on Sonny’s challenging him to question her.

Suddenly, five burly men armed with various weapons stepped in. Sonny’s guards stood to attention and faced their new guests.

Jason watched the exchange between Elizabeth and one of the men. Jason felt like his head was spinning. This was completely surreal. How was it that the girl he had found being hassled in a bar was now standing in command of five thugs in the middle of a mob meeting?

Sonny stared at the men entering the room. He was going to make sure Max would pay for pulling a stunt like this. What was Max thinking to encourage Elizabeth into this situation? It didn’t matter how many people Max sent in to guard Elizabeth; Max was stupid if he thought this was a good idea.

"Now, gentlemen," Elizabeth greeted the five representatives, "I am hoping you will all cooperate with me. I promise this will be quick."

"Why should we?" Sammy spoke up. "You come storming in here uninvited when we don’t even know who the hell you are. All we know about you is you’re a little girl with a few goons interrupting our meeting."

"Looks can be deceiving," Elizabeth replied.

"We can squash you in a second," Sammy hissed back at her.

Faith chuckled beside Elizabeth. "Forget Sammy. He’s all bark and no bite. Overcompensating, I guess you could say," Faith teased.

Sammy glared at the two women and gestured towards his enforcer. "Keep your eyes on Faith. She’s the only real threat," he whispered.

A man across the table glared at Elizabeth. "Is this some kind of joke? You expect us to actually waste our time with you?"

"I don’t expect anything besides cooperation," Elizabeth stated firmly. "You can leave at any time, but I am not responsible for how my new friends will react."

The other representatives eyed Elizabeth. She certainly didn’t look very threatening. Still, none of them felt like testing the loyalties of the men who came with her and they had a feeling Sonny’s men wouldn’t take too kindly to disrespecting her either.

"Elizabeth, what do you think you’re doing?" Sonny hissed, putting his gun back in its holster.

"Saving my husband," she whispered quietly. She then turned to the men around the table. "Please, take a seat. I just have a few questions and you can all enjoy the rest of the evening in peace once they’re answered."

The men grumbled but took their respective seats. One man turned to Elizabeth. "We already told Sonny everything we know," the man explained.

"I don’t answer to Sonny," she said, "and I wasn’t here to hear what you had to say. Have you heard any information of new blood in town, someone with a vendetta?"

"There is a threat coming from Miami trying to build a drug base here in Port Charles," a representative informed her.

"Yes, but I am not talking about business," Elizabeth remarked. "I am talking personal vendetta. Could be someone working alone, could be someone in the business."

All the men shook their heads. One explained, "We only keep our ears open for business threats. Small town agendas aren’t our specialty."

Elizabeth sighed. "Well, a friend of mine told me there was a drug bust recently involving some bad X. Any ideas on who was behind that?"

The mobsters all stayed quiet, knowing that whoever was behind it had an agenda with Sonny and didn’t involve them.

Sonny leaned over to Jason and whispered, "What the hell does she think she’s doing? She’s going to get us all killed. None of these guys will hesitate to shoot her just for looking at them strange, let alone threatening them."

Jason nodded. "I knew we should have gone to find her before we came here. What was Max THINKING bringing her here?"

Elizabeth looked around the room realizing that her efforts were getting her nowhere. Suddenly, a flicker of recognition sparked in her eyes. She leaned over to a man in a blue pinstripe who had been sitting off to the side. "Excuse me," she said.

The man looked at her. "Yeah?"

"What’s your name?" she asked.

The man hesitated. He didn’t like being threatened, especially by a woman.

Elizabeth picked up the gun and pointed it at him. She shook her head. "Why can’t any of you answer a simple question?"

Jason flinched, not wanting to think of the consequences of Elizabeth waving a gun at one of the most dangerous hitmen on the eastern seaboard.

The guy sneered but replied, "Tony Panini. I represent the Cascatelli’s." He liked her spunk.

Elizabeth nodded with respect. "Thank you. I was just wondering if you had a daughter or a sister."

Tony shook his head. "No, I don’t. Why?"

"Well, I thought maybe we’ve met before," Elizabeth said. She furrowed her eyebrows and asked, "Are you sure?"

"Of course I’m sure. I’d know, wouldn’t I?" Tony argued.

Elizabeth bowed her head. "Forgive me if I sounded disrespectful, it’s just that family members are hard to keep track of in this town."

Sonny raised an eyebrow at that comment.

Tony looked at her cautiously. This young woman was feisty but she knew honor and for that, he admired her.

"Wait, did you say Cascatelli?" Elizabeth asked suddenly. "As in Antonia Cascatelli?"

Tony stared wide-eyed. "Uh, yes. She’s my boss’s daughter."

Elizabeth smiled. "That’s how I know you. She is in my Impressionist class at PCU. You must be her guard."

The men around her started to chuckle under their breaths. A college student was holding them hostage. How utterly ironic.

"What does she have to do with anything?" Tony asked, glaring at her.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. Seeing the look in this man’s eyes, she realized Antonia was more than an assignment for him. What was it with bodyguards and their charges? Can’t people just stick to doing their jobs?

Jason and Sonny passed glances, wondering what Elizabeth was trying to do with her questions. So far Elizabeth had been lucky with having those men on her side, but even the representatives had a limit to their patience.

"Do you think your boss would like it if his daughter happened to go, well, how do I put this . . . what would he say if she happened upon an accident or went missing for a few days? Do you think he’ll think it was worth her safety for you to stick it to a harmless college student by not answering a few little questions?" Elizabeth asked innocently.

Tony’s eyes steeled with anger. "Look, my patience is wearing very thin. Don’t threaten Antonia or you won’t live to gloat about it."

"I’m sorry," Elizabeth said sincerely. "I’m kind of new at this. The thing is, I just wanted to know if anyone has any news regarding the recent X being passed through this town, that’s all."

"Javier," a man spoke up behind Elizabeth. "If you want to know about it, ask him."

Elizabeth turned to him in surprise. "How would I reach this guy? Javier, is it?"

The man smiled. Elizabeth reminded him a lot of his daughter, Huma. Determined and brave. She had earned his respect and for that he would give her what he knew. "He sets up shop with the young kids below Bannister’s Wharf."

"Thank you," Elizabeth said sincerely. She then turned to Tony. "I hope you aren’t offended by what I said earlier. I am looking for a loved one and I need as much information as I can get. I think it’s admirable how protective you are of Antonia. That’s how I feel about my husband."

Tony smiled in respect. "I understand and I hope you find him. He is a very lucky man."

Elizabeth sighed. "Apparently not," she stated. "He can’t seem to escape his past."

Jason raised his head at Elizabeth’s words and he noticed she had glanced at him.

"Thank you, gentlemen, for your time. I hope I didn’t cause you too much trouble," Elizabeth apologized.

All the men shook their heads and mumbled a few words. Sammy stood up slowly. He turned to Sonny and laughed, "It seems she can command more respect from your own people than you do."

Sonny snarled. "Watch your back, Sammy. Unlike Elizabeth, I won’t ask questions before I make you disappear."

Sammy turned away and huffed out of the warehouse. He passed a glance at Faith and the guards surrounding her. He shook his head. What was this world coming to?

As the mobsters departed, Elizabeth smiled at all of them and they nodded in return. Inside, her nerves were going crazy. What was she thinking to take on these men? They could have killed her without thinking twice about it.

After the last one left, Elizabeth couldn’t help but think if it wasn’t for Ric, she would never have had the strength to face them.

"What the hell were you THINKING?" Sonny shouted as soon as he was sure everyone was gone.

Elizabeth felt her anger bubble up inside her. "I was thinking my husband is in trouble and he needs my help. I don’t have to explain myself to you."

"Elizabeth, you have no idea what you are doing or what kind of danger you were in," Jason growled at her. "This isn’t the Cassadines we’re talking about here. These men are ruthless and they don’t know you which only makes it easier for them to kill you."

Elizabeth turned her back on him and walked towards the door. "Don’t pretend you care," she hissed over her shoulder. "You save your fiancé your way, and I’ll save Ric my way."

Jason stepped in the doorway to block her. "What about Faith?" he asked, gesturing to the older woman, standing between the thugs that had come in with Elizabeth.

"What about her?" Elizabeth asked. She pushed past Jason towards the alleyway. The men followed her out with Faith between them.

Sonny stalked outside of the building to follow her. "What were you thinking facing Faith alone, Elizabeth? She is psychotic and unpredictable. She tried to kill you more than once. She succeeded in killing you first child."

Elizabeth turned around with a steely glitter in her eye. "Don’t you dare speak about my miscarriage. You spit on my baby the minute you refused my offer of peace."

Sonny sighed. "Fine, but that doesn’t mean you need to do this alone, Elizabeth. You can’t trust Faith because you can’t control her."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. She smirked. "I don’t control other people, Sonny, that’s your M.O."

Faith smiled at Jason and Sonny as the thugs led her towards the limo.

"Faith is a complication you don’t need, Elizabeth. You’re afraid for Ric. You’re not thinking straight," Jason warned her.

She looked at him and shook her head. "I’m thinking very clearly for once in my life."

Jason looked into her eyes, searching for some kind of reason for her strange behavior. "I stopped you once from trying to wreck yourself," he whispered. "Don’t make that mistake again, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth glared at him. "My only mistake was to let you," she replied.

Jason watched as she turned towards the limo and gestured at the driver.

He stepped out, facing the glare of his employers. Max stood straight, resolved in his choices whatever the consequences were.

Elizabeth whispered something into his ear and he nodded. She turned to Faith and tossed the blonde woman her gun. She smiled, "Thanks for the help."

Jason and Sonny’s jaws dropped.

Sonny walked up to Max. "Where did you find these guys to threaten Faith into helping Elizabeth?" he asked.

Max looked at Sonny with a strange look in his eyes. "What do you mean, Mr. Corinthos?"

"I mean those men getting into the limo. I’ve never seen them before and they certainly don’t work for me," Sonny said.

"Of course they don’t," Max said matter-of-factly. "They work for Faith."

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 10

"James, take us to Bannister’s Wharf," Faith directed her driver. She leaned back in her seat and looked at Elizabeth. "You surprised me," Faith said.

Elizabeth tore her eyes away from the window to gaze at the blonde. "I did what I had to do."

Faith smiled. "You did it well. I thought Tony was going to blow up when you mentioned his little girlfriend. How did you know about Antonia, anyway?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "Instinct, I guess."

Faith raised an eyebrow. Elizabeth was a lot more than she appeared. Elizabeth had a lot of balls to do what she did at that meeting. Faith didn’t know what a man like Ric saw in Elizabeth, though. Elizabeth was far too honorable.

Elizabeth turned to look out the window and continued focusing on the passing buildings, trying to distract herself.

"Sonny and Jason seemed shocked," Faith observed. "I thought you guys used to be friends."

Elizabeth sighed. "Used to be."

"I guess they never saw that side of you before," Faith said. "At least by the looks on their faces."

Elizabeth bit her bottom lip. "They have, they just forgot."

Faith noticed the passing look in Elizabeth’s eyes and took note of it. "Well, you did well. At least we have a lead, which is more than I can say for what Sonny and Jason accomplished. I can’t believe how much people fear them. They are incompetent half the time and the other half, they are too self-absorbed to even notice a threat."

"Your threats failed," Elizabeth pointed out.

"They’re just lucky," Faith said, giving Elizabeth a look.

Elizabeth turned to face the window again. "This doesn’t mean I trust you."

"Yeah, but you need me," Faith replied. "Like you said, you can’t trust Sonny or Jason to find Ric."

"Right," Elizabeth sighed.

"What is so interesting out that window?" Faith asked, crawling over Elizabeth to peer outside. All she saw was the usual fairgrounds and shops.

"Nothing," Elizabeth said. And she was being truthful. Out there was nothing. A big nothing that led to nowhere.

Back at the warehouse, Sonny and Jason were both glaring at Max for his disobedience.

"Max, you work for ME, not Elizabeth Webber," Sonny scolded him.

"Lansing," Max corrected. "And I know that. I was just helping out a friend."

"What were you thinking driving her to see Faith? You know how dangerous Faith can be even if Elizabeth doesn’t see it," Sonny glared at him.

"With all due respect, Mr. Corinthos, Elizabeth handled herself," Max replied.

"Yeah, by making a deal with the devil," Sonny said.

Max suppressed a laugh with a cough.

Jason glared at him, but didn’t say a word.

Sonny raised an eyebrow. "So now what? She’s off to see Javier with Faith, both of whom she shouldn’t trust and could kill her," Sonny growled. "At what time did this seem like a good idea?"

"Sonny, Elizabeth is going to cause trouble with this Javier guy and probably do something to set him off," Jason intervened. "He’s going to know we’re onto him."

"Well what do you want me to do about it Jason?" Sonny yelled in frustration. "We’re never going to beat her there. And even if we could, do you think you could stop her?"

"I have to try," Jason said. Then quickly added, "For Courtney. Elizabeth thinks this is a game and she’ll do something stupid that could endanger Courtney’s safety."

"Fine," Sonny waved his hand. "I’m going to head back to the penthouse to see if there is any news."

Sonny walked off, leaving Max and Jason standing there.

Max looked at Jason. "I would take you, but, uh, Elizabeth took the limo."

Before Max could blink, Jason had him up against the wall. "Sonny may not punish you for what you did, but I am telling you right now Max. You do anything else that could threaten Courtney’s safety and I will kill you myself. Helping Elizabeth was a mistake, Max, I wouldn’t do it again if I were you."

Max sneered at his boss. "Are you mad because I helped Elizabeth or because I put her in danger?"

Across town, Elizabeth’s limousine was stuck in traffic. Elizabeth wasn’t bothered, though, because the night was still young. She doubted that drug dealers came out this early while the PCPD was still patrolling the docks.

Faith had her eye on the brunette. Elizabeth had been awfully quiet since they left that meeting. She wondered if it had to do with her little exchange with Morgan. Faith couldn’t hear what they were saying, but she knew it was intense.

Her husband had explained to her about Jason’s history with the Kelly’s waitress. Faith had been surprised to find them apart after everything her husband had told her. She was even more surprised that Elizabeth had gone for Ric after everything Jason had done for the girl, including killing her husband and his men.

She had thought it was because Elizabeth couldn’t handle the mob life, but after seeing the differences between Courtney Cottontail’s reaction and Elizabeth’s, she knew that couldn’t be the reason. "You don’t scare easily, do you?" Faith asked.

Elizabeth sighed. She didn’t want to talk to the blonde mob moll, why was she still pestering her? "I don’t," Elizabeth replied. "Not when it counts."

Elizabeth remembered back to the day after she got home from the hospital. After the kidnapping, Elizabeth had been terrified. She hadn’t been that scared since the Valentine’s Day Dance. She remembered thinking that she was going to die, but still grabbing the artist’s knife to fight back. She had fought too hard to escape that crypt and Jason had fought too hard to save her. She wasn’t going to let herself die when she had so much to live for. Then Jason showed up and he made it all okay again. He made her feel safe just by being there. He made her laugh and made her feel strong again. That is, until he left.

Elizabeth placed her hand on the glass as she let the memories come back. She never had to pretend with him and he showed her how she could truly live life the way she wanted. He used to be her anchor and just being there made her world seem better. Thinking of him now, she wondered why she ever thought that.

"We’re almost there, Mrs. Roscoe, just a few blocks away," James said.

"Well, Elizabeth, what do we do when we get there?" Faith asked, interrupting Elizabeth’s trance.

Elizabeth pulled her hand down from the glass as she shook away the memories. She turned to Faith and replied, "We wait."

Back at the warehouse, Jason still had Max pinned to the wall. Max felt smug, as he saw Jason’s reaction to his comment. Jason’s grip loosened, but he shoved Max one last time before letting go completely.

"You’re out of your mind, Max. You don’t know what you’re talking about," Jason grumbled.

"Am I? Last time I checked, you were completely in love with Sonny’s sister," Max said.

"That’s right," Jason said, his gaze steeled and angry.

"Then why are you worrying about Elizabeth Lansing?" Max persisted.

"She’s a friend," Jason said. "Or at least, she used to be. I don’t want her to get hurt, but more importantly, I don’t want her messing with things she doesn’t know anything about. Elizabeth could get Courtney hurt. She gets in situations she can’t handle and she doesn’t think. She does things that could get her killed because she doesn’t see the danger."

"Are we talking about Courtney or Elizabeth?" Max taunted, remembering when Jason’s fiancé had gone after Elizabeth’s husband a few months back.

"Elizabeth," Jason said through gritted teeth.

"Well, she handled herself fine in there," Max said. "And the only reason she did was to save her husband. You of all people should understand loyalty."

"Unlike you," Jason muttered. "Elizabeth is in over her head and Ric isn’t worth it."

"But you were?" Max asked.

"What are you talking about?" Jason yelled.

"Francis told me Mrs. Lansing saved you and defended you when you left the organization for a month," Max explained.

"I never left," Jason said. "I just needed some time."

Max could see the distant look in the enforcer’s eyes. Clearly some of what he had said had gotten through to Jason.

"And her name’s Elizabeth," Jason glared.

Max smirked. He got through to him alright. "And Elizabeth, she helped while you were away?"

Darkness filled Jason’s eyes and he approached the door. "She saved me, yes, that’s true. But you and Francis shouldn’t be gossiping," Jason said. "It’s a form of betrayal and Sonny doesn’t like it."

Max laughed softly. "Whatever you say, Jason. Shouldn’t you be going now?"

Jason glared at Max before opening the door. He said over his shoulder, "Remember what I said Max. Try a stunt like that again and you won’t live to tell about it."

As Jason stormed away, Max chuckled. "Morgan, Morgan, Morgan," he chanted to himself. "When will you ever learn?"

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 11

Elizabeth gazed at the streets, knowing that they were only a block away from the wharf. It was strange. She passed by there every day when she used to work at Kelly’s and when she lived in the studio. She never really thought of it as anything special. Now, this could be the place that determined whether her husband lived or died.

"Park behind that diner," Faith instructed her driver.

As the limo pulled into the lot, Elizabeth took a deep breath. She had no plan at this moment. All she knew was that she had to find out where Ric was and get him back safely. How she was going to pry that information out of Javier, she had no idea. She hadn’t thought that far ahead yet.

The limo pulled to a stop and the driver turned off the engine. Faith turned to face Elizabeth. "How are we going to get to the drop off location without getting caught by Javier? And what if he has some friends with him?"

Elizabeth thought for a moment. "We definitely can’t bring them," Elizabeth said, pointing to the silent goons who worked for Faith. "They look to suspicious."

"What are you going to do? Take Javier on by yourself? He might not be in the business, but drug dealers are dangerous too," Faith pointed out.

"Are you scared?" Elizabeth challenged.

"No," Faith said. "I just don’t want you dead. You’ve been useful so far."

"And so have you," Elizabeth remarked. "Look, I used to spend some time underneath the pier, so I know a few ways down there from the main street. However, I will need somebody to be on the lookout for me."

"I’ll send Paul with you," Faith said, gesturing towards a particularly tall thug with a grimace on his face.

Elizabeth shook her head. "No, he’s too obvious. You’ll have to come with me."

"What? This is your crazy idea!" Faith argued. "You can’t handle this guy on your own and I’m not getting myself killed while you try."

"Do you want Ric rescued or not?" Elizabeth hissed at the blonde.

Faith’s eyes narrowed. "Fine. But if he grabs you, you’re on your own, Angel."

Elizabeth’s eyes glistened. "I’m nobody’s angel," she replied.

Faith raised an eyebrow as Elizabeth stepped out of the limousine. She smiled; Elizabeth was a spunky one.

At Harborview Towers, other activities were going on. As soon as Sonny arrived home, he had ordered his guards on full alert.

He told Carly to start packing her things because he was going to send her and Michael to the island. He didn’t know who his enemy was save for a name and he wasn’t about to risk his family’s lives to find out.

Pacing his living room, he finally grabbed a drink. He was still trying to wrap his brain around Elizabeth’s crazy stunts at the warehouse. How could she risk her life like that? And for his brother?

Sonny didn’t want Ric hurt by his enemies, but at the same time, he held no delusions for who Ric was. His brother was a piece of scum who didn’t deserve a woman like Elizabeth. Elizabeth’s loyalty and devotion was always something Sonny had admired, but in this case it was blinding her.

He wondered at times what Ric had done to manipulate Elizabeth into defending him, but Sonny soon realized Elizabeth truly did love his brother. As corrupt as Ric was, Elizabeth didn’t see it or chose not to see it. Instead, she stood by him despite the truth that was staring her in the face. Sonny felt sorry for her, but at the same time, he knew it was her choice to be with Ric.

Sonny never understood why Elizabeth had turned on him. She had spent years defending him, his men and especially Jason to this town. Suddenly, she was calling him a cold-hearted criminal every chance she got. Sonny shook his head. What had changed so much that Elizabeth could be so detached?

After their argument at General Hospital and then at Rice Plaza, Sonny realized just how much Elizabeth had changed. She was blindly doing what Ric manipulated her into doing to save his own hide. She was defending a man who had no conscience and cared only for himself. She asked him to spare a man who had intended to destroy his life and his family. How could she ask him to forgive that? He would never ask her to spare Helena Cassadine, so how could she ask this of him?

She trusted a lying, manipulative rapist who had a history of blackmail and even murder. The spirit in Elizabeth that Sonny had appreciated all these years had turned dark and broken. She was no longer the brave, honest, strong young woman he used to know. She was Ric’s fool and she didn’t even know it.

Carly came slowly down the steps with a bag in her hand. "Michael is all packed and ready to go. He’s having a hard time understanding why we’re leaving. He’s been asking for his Aunt Courtney all day."

Sonny quickly ran up to help her down. She was only two months away from birth so he was extra-careful with her. "He’ll be fine on the island. After a few days on the sand, he’ll be too busy having fun to worry about this."

Suddenly, the phone rang and both Sonny and Carly stared at the phone. The caller could only be one person. The kidnapper.

Elizabeth walked nonchalantly by Kelly’s and went into the garbage area. She flinched when she saw the dumpster. She knew she shouldn’t let Faith’s accusation affect her, but Faith had no reason to lie. It must have been a misunderstanding, Elizabeth decided. Ric may have hated Sonny, but he wouldn’t kill a man just out of spite. At least, Elizabeth didn’t think so.

She heard Faith’s high heels clicking against the pavement behind her. She turned and glared at the mob moll and whispered, "Keep it quiet. You don’t want to announce that we’re here, now do you?"

Faith smirked. "Fine!" She grumbled as she pulled off her high heels and paced softly in Elizabeth’s direction.

Elizabeth continued down the alleyway to the sewer entrance. On the other side of that tunnel was the area beneath the pier. She remembered all the times Lucky and her had sneaked down there to hide. In that little world, Elizabeth had felt the safest she ever had since she was raped. Then she met Jason and he became her safety. Now that was gone.

She shivered as she thought of Ric. The doubts in her mind were running rampant. She brushed them aside in her persistence, but they were just as stubborn. She sighed as she realized she hadn’t felt safe since she had left Jason’s penthouse. The person she trusted most had turned out to be a lie. Nothing had been the same since.

Elizabeth snapped out of her thoughts as she faced the entryway. She looked at the sign beside it. It read "King’s Alley Shipping and Holding." The initials were emblazoned on the sewer gates. It was the same at it had always been. Her whole world had completely turned inside out since the last time she was here, but this place remained the same. It was like a time warp.

Elizabeth walked through the sewer tunnel and crept slowly towards the moonlight shining on the other side. How quickly night had fallen. Just this morning she was going to celebrate her pregnancy when her world came crashing down. Now it was night and she was no closer to pulling herself out of the numbness of it all. It used to be so easy to pretend. When had it suddenly gotten so hard?

"Through here," Elizabeth whispered to Faith.

Faith followed closely behind.

"Wait," Elizabeth said quickly. "I think I hear voices."

Faith stayed quiet as they both listened. Sure enough, the echoes of voices wafted through the tunnel walls.

Elizabeth signaled for Faith to follow as she quickly moved towards the exit of the tunnel. Peering over the sidewall, she saw two shadows beneath the pier.

Faith was behind her and they both watched the dark figures move.

"Got the stuff?" one male voice spoke.

"Yeah," the other replied.

"I don’t like doing this out in the open like this," the younger voice said.

"I don’t either, but things should be better soon," the dealer explained.

"How? The drug busts have made the PCPD alert and Sonny Corinthos still runs this territory," the young man said.

"I can’t say, but just know that things will be easier next time. We’ve got things covered," the dealer assured the other man.

One figure departed as the dealer stayed in the shadows. Elizabeth froze, trying not to breathe as she waited. Faith came up from behind her to get a better view.

Suddenly, footsteps could be heard above the pier. The dealer moved quickly and dashed out of the shadows towards one of the side streets. Elizabeth only caught a glimpse of his face. He looked like any other underworld dealer. Damn it.

She turned around and headed back towards the entrance with Faith close behind her. After a few seconds, they were on the other end of the tunnel and through the gates.

Elizabeth closed the sewer gates securely and turned to Faith. "Well that was useless. He ran away before we could get any information."

"Well, consider yourself fortunate," Faith said with a strange look on her face.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "You know something, don’t you?" she questioned.

Faith hobbled over closer to Elizabeth. "I’ve seen that man before, a long time ago. He used to do some business with my husband."

"Do you know why he would have a vendetta against Sonny?" Elizabeth asked.

Faith shook her head. "The time he was with my husband was short. Only a couple of weeks, but I do know that he isn’t the head guy. He’s dangerous but he works for someone else."

"Who?" Elizabeth said.

"I don’t know," Faith murmured. "Like I said, I only saw him for a brief time. My husband never said anything about him so I just figured he wasn’t that important."

Elizabeth sighed. "Well, at least you recognize him. Maybe if we use some of your husband’s contacts, we might find something."

Faith nodded and followed as Elizabeth headed back towards the limo.

Elizabeth clenched her fists. She had wasted a whole day and was no closer to saving her husband. She didn’t want to think about how he was being treated by his kidnappers. She didn’t want to imagine him hurt. She had been lucky when Faith’s husband’s men had taken her. They only wanted information so they didn’t hurt her that badly. The worst of her injuries were due to the gas pipe being broken. Ric was being captured for reasons of revenge. This was much worse.

"Ew, ew, ew!!!" Faith shrieked behind Elizabeth.

Elizabeth turned around to find the blonde mob moll hopping on one foot near a puddle. "Faith, try and keep it down. You’re gonna get us---"

Before Elizabeth could answer, it all went black.

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 12

Elizabeth kicked furiously as soon as she felt herself being grabbed from behind. An arm wrapped around her waist and a hand covered her eyes in one fell swoop. Elizabeth tried to twist out of the attacker’s grasp, but she only managed to get him to pull her in tighter. In a quick reaction, she lifted her leg and her height helped her drive her heeled boots right into her captor’s knee. She heard a groan behind her, but before she could get far she was again entrapped in her attacker’s arms.

She struggled and fought, but she just couldn’t overpower him. She couldn’t see anything with rough hands over her eyes but she managed a piercing shriek. That was what she needed because the attacker hesitated for a second to cover her mouth and she took a big bite out of his hand. Soon she tasted blood.

He quickly pulled away. This was her chance and she took it. She started running without looking back. He had dragged her down a strange alley and she no longer knew where she was. She didn’t care though. Her only thought was to get away.

His rapid movements as she raced down the cement paths echoed the sound of her own footsteps. After a few minutes, she found it hard to breathe and she had to stop to get some more oxygen in her lungs. She was running on fear and adrenaline and her body was still trying to catch up. Unfortunately, that pit stop gave him enough time to catch up with her and he quickly grabbed her arm.

Elizabeth spun around to kick him, but was stopped instantly by his firm grip. "What the hell?" she exclaimed.

"Elizabeth," he said, trying to catch his own breath. "Why the hell did you kick me like that?"

"Maybe because you attacked me?" she said sarcastically. "What are you trying to do, Jason? Scare me to death? Because you succeeded."

"No, I am trying to keep you from getting yourself killed! What were you thinking going after Javier by yourself? These people are dangerous, Elizabeth. If he saw you, you’d be too dead to even argue with me," Jason scolded her.

"Well he didn’t, now did he?" Elizabeth snapped. She brushed her hair out of her face, which had gotten tousled during the struggle. She glared at him and shouted, "God, you freaked me out back there. I thought someone was going to kill me."

"Someone could have!" Jason yelled back. "That’s my point. You don’t know what the hell you’re doing and you’re not even thinking about what these people could do to you. You’re pregnant. Shouldn’t you be taking care of yourself instead of running around threatening dangerous people?"

"I am taking care of myself and this baby by trying to save its father. I sure as hell can’t trust you to do it!" Elizabeth yelled at him. Wiping off some dirt from her jeans, she muttered, "As you can see, except for that stupid stunt you just pulled, I am fine. I have Faith to help me if it gets too dangerous."

"Faith tried to kill you and she shoved you down some stairs just to kill your child. AND she succeeded," Jason pointed out. "You think she’ll keep you safe? Are you crazy?"

"I already heard this and I’ll tell you the same thing I told Sonny. I know what I’m doing," Elizabeth huffed, stalking in the other direction.

Jason clenched his fists in frustration. "You don’t know, Elizabeth. You think this is a game, but you are way out of your league."

Jason reached out to grab her arm but she predicted his move and spun around before he could. She shouted at him, "Why don’t you just leave me alone? You go find Courtney and I’ll find my husband. Don’t waste your time pretending to worry about me. I don’t buy that act anymore."

Jason’s eyes grew wide at her accusation. He whispered angrily, "I’m not pretending, Elizabeth. That’s what you do."

Elizabeth glared at him and pulled a lock of hair behind her ear. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"You’re trying to be strong but you’re scared. It’s obvious and you won’t admit you’re wrong because you’re too proud. I said I would find Ric for you. Just trust me," Jason growled.

Elizabeth’s eyes narrowed. "I don’t think so."

"Are you willing to get yourself killed just to prove a point no one gets?" Jason shouted before she turned the corner.

Elizabeth felt the anger burn in her cheeks. "Just because you don’t get what it means to try, doesn’t mean other people don’t. I am going to find Ric because I love him. He needs me and I won’t let him down. I won’t give up without a fight."

Jason’s lips formed a thin line at her reply. He knew she was deliberately trying to hurt him but he also knew it was a stupid reason to put herself in danger. "You can either come with me, or I am going to force you to, Elizabeth. I am not letting you set yourself up to get killed."

"I don’t need your permission, Jason. This is my life. You can’t tell me what to do. You used to know that," Elizabeth accused.

"I also know you lash out when you’re angry and you do things to hurt yourself instead of dealing," Jason reminded her.

"Maybe you’re right, but it’s my choice. I’m no longer your problem so stay out of it," Elizabeth hissed. She turned away but ran right into someone before she could escape.

"Woah," her victim called out. "Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth stepped back and looked up to find Nikolas staring back at her. "Oh, Nikolas, I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there."

He eyed Elizabeth and then Jason. "Apparently," he said.

"What are you doing here?" Jason growled.

"I was on my way to Wyndemere and I decided to take a shortcut. What are you two doing here?" Nikolas asked, looking at them both skeptically.

"None of your business," Jason smirked.

Elizabeth glared at Jason and stepped between the two men. "We were taking a shortcut through here just like you."

Nikolas raised an eyebrow, looking back and forth between them. "Elizabeth, why are you hanging out with this thug again?"

"We’re just going for a walk," Elizabeth lied. She sighed. "I guess, I should tell you before anyone else does. Jason and I . . . we’re back together."

Nikolas stared wide-eyed at the both of them. "What?!" he exclaimed. "You’re married, Elizabeth! I can’t believe you would cheat on your husband."

Elizabeth turned with a fire in her eyes. "But yet it was so easy for him to cheat on me."

Realizing the situation, Nikolas instantly felt guilty for rash words. "I’m sorry, Elizabeth. I didn’t know."

Elizabeth shook her head. "That doesn’t matter anymore."

He looked at Jason and his eyes darkened. "Still, you can’t be serious, Elizabeth. How could you take Jason back after how much he hurt you? Lucky told me how torn up you were after the last time. Hell, even Zander told Gia you were wrecked after that."

Elizabeth flinched. She didn’t need her dirty laundry aired out right there. She clenched her fists and forced a smile on her face. "Things change, Nikolas. You of all people should know that. Look at all the times you and Lucky have fought and reconciled."

"First of all, Lucky is family and secondly, he isn’t a brain-damaged criminal," Nikolas retorted.

"That’s not the point, Nikolas," Elizabeth said, looking away. "I love him," she whispered. She surprised herself and a fleeting emotion passed through her eyes. Why was that so easy to say?

"But he’s only going to hurt you, Elizabeth," Nikolas warned her. "What happened with Ric?"

"He left me for Courtney. They’re probably on their honeymoon right now. She’s sitting in my honeymoon suite, eating my strawberries and seeing my Italy. Is that satisfactory, Nikolas? Am I allowed to move on now?" Elizabeth asked, a challenge in her eyes.

Jason had remained silent, observing the exchange, but he felt very uncomfortable. Not because he considered Nikolas any kind of a threat, but it was more because of Elizabeth’s reactions. When Taggert even mentioned his accident Elizabeth would be the first to stand up on his behalf and defend him. This time, Elizabeth barely blinked when Nikolas mentioned his brain damage. It felt wrong somehow.

"Elizabeth, I know you’re hurting over Ric, but this is just a rebound relationship," Nikolas observed.

"Don’t act all superior," Elizabeth said, her defenses raised. "You’re no better, trying to get over Gia with Emily who, by the way, is completely in love with Zander."

"That’s not the same thing. Can’t you see why you’re hurting so badly over Ric? It’s because he did the same thing Jason did. Jason’s just like Ric and you deserve better than that. He’ll pretend he wants you until something better comes along, preferably blonde," Nikolas pointed out, giving Jason a look of contempt.

"You mean like your brother?" Elizabeth glared at him.

"Lucky is nothing like Jason," Nikolas retorted, his eyes narrowed.

"You got that right," Elizabeth said, her eyes still ablaze with fire. "Jason at least waited until we were over before he moved on with someone new."

"You’re upset, I get that," Nikolas said, "but jumping into another relationship isn’t going to make things better, Elizabeth."

"And you’re the expert on healthy relationships, right?" Elizabeth asked.

"I’m just worried about you, okay?" Nikolas told her. His eyes softened as he saw the vulnerability in her eyes. "You’re like a sister to me and I don’t want to see you hurt. You’ve been through enough in this life. You’ve dealt with psychotic Greco-Russian grandmothers, a blackmailing rapist, a couple of faked deaths, numerous near-deaths, a miscarriage and even the mob, all while pulling a double-shift at Kelly’s. You need to give yourself a break. Whatever Ric did is his loss. You don’t need to pay for his mistake by trying to fix your life to make up for it."

Elizabeth’s anger melted into a smile. It had been a long time since someone really cared about her and not what she could do to help an agenda, even if all his worries were based on a lie. "Thank you for worrying about me, Nikolas, but honestly, I’m okay. Just please, trust me when I tell you I know what I’m doing."

Jason raised an eyebrow. She thanks Nikolas for worrying about her, but when he does, she bites his head off. Jason shook his head. He would never figure women out.

Nikolas grinned and replied, "Okay, but you be careful and if you ever need anything, like a torture chamber or an ice chest to store Ric’s lying, cheating body, just give me a call."

Elizabeth nodded. "You’re the best, Nikolas." She leaned over and gave him a hug and a peck on the cheek. She missed having a friend to look out for her. She was so sure she didn’t need this anymore, but now that she had it again, she wasn’t ready to let it go.

Jason cleared his throat in the background. Elizabeth let go of Nikolas and glared in Jason’s direction while Nikolas wasn’t looking. Jason pretended he didn’t see it and said, "We should probably start heading back to the penthouse."

Elizabeth gave Nikolas one last smile. "I’ll give you a call some time next week."

Nikolas nodded. "You better." Then he turned to Jason with a serious look on his face. "You hurt her and I will make sure you pay for it. Like Alexis said, us Cassadines are a little more practiced at revenge than the mob. We’re also a lot more creative."

Jason laughed off the threat and turned towards the alley.

Nikolas shook his head. "I don’t know what you see in that guy," he commented.

Elizabeth smiled. "You probably never will."

Nikolas gave her a look as Jason stalked off into the shadows. "I remember the first time I found you with him and you told me you two were sleeping together. I couldn’t believe he was even capable of appreciating you. I look at him and I don’t see a man who could love someone as loyal and devoted as you are."

Elizabeth pulled away. She had to bite her tongue to keep from agreeing with Nikolas.

"But when he looks at you," Nikolas continued, "I can see it in his eyes. As much as I hated it, I knew he could give you something no one else could. I didn’t want to accept that, but it was reality. I only want you to be happy, Elizabeth, and if it’s with the town’s mob enforcer, so be it. Just promise me one thing."

"What’s that?" Elizabeth asked, barely being able to compose words after Nikolas’s revelation.

"Don’t settle for less than you deserve," Nikolas said.

Elizabeth nodded with tears in her eyes. "I won’t if you won’t."

Nikolas smiled as he pulled her into a hug. "Deal."

Nikolas let go and turned towards the pier. He waved her goodbye and continued on his way.

Elizabeth felt a shiver in the back of her spine. Wrapping her arms around herself, she realized something. In the last few minutes she hadn’t thought about Ric once. That was strange.

She turned to head back to Sonny’s limo but was stopped by Jason’s towering figure. "Look, Jason, whatever you say doesn’t matter, okay? I am going to do what I want and you know it. Just give it up."

Jason shook his head. "Wrong answer."

Before Elizabeth could react, he scooped her up and put her over his shoulder. Then he dragged her kicking and screaming down towards the way he entered.

"Jason, you let me down right NOW!" she shrieked.

Jason shook his head, ignoring her demands as he carried her to their destination. When they arrived, he let her down, but she gave him one last kick for good measure. "Hey!" he exclaimed.

"What the hell do you think you’re doing?" Elizabeth demanded to know.

Jason smirked. "I am taking you back to the penthouse where you’ll stay until Sonny and I find out who’s behind all of this."

"And how exactly do you expect to make me go with you?" Elizabeth sneered, arms crossed defensively.

Jason smiled and stepped aside. "With that."

Elizabeth’s eyes grew wide as she realized what was sitting there. "Oh no we aren’t."

"Put this on," he said, handing her the helmet.

"You can’t order me around like this. I am not your obedient little puppy. Is this how you treat Courtney?" Elizabeth retorted.

"Just put it on," Jason said. "You know you’re going to have to go with me. It’s not like you have a choice. Right about now, Faith should be home, fast asleep in her bed. I’m your only way back to civilization."

"You are so smug," Elizabeth glared at him. "I don’t like this side of you very much."

"Well I don’t like this side of you either," Jason replied, hopping onto his bike.

Elizabeth grumbled and muttered under her breath as she put on the helmet. "Don’t think you won just because I’m going with you."

"Whatever you say, Elizabeth," Jason smiled. "Now hop on."

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 13

Elizabeth held onto Jason as they raced through the city streets on his bike. She tried her best not to touch him, but she valued her life more than her pride. He was a self-obsessed bastard if he thought he could order her around like that, she thought. She had long left his influence and he had made SURE she knew he didn’t give a damn about her either. Why was he wasting his time chasing her down instead of finding his fiancé? Did he really think so little of her that he had to stop her from getting Courtney and Ric into more danger?

As she watched the city lights streak by she thought, what had become of her life? When had the wind turned into something ugly? She remembered last summer how much she was dying to feel it again, to just hop on his bike and never look back. But they never took that ride.

The last time she was on his bike was when they went to the ruins. It was a painful last ride and not something she liked to remember. But now, sitting on his bike for the first time since then, she realized it was all gone now. That feeling of mindless power and euphoria . . . it was gone.

She felt a tear slip down her cheek as she remembered what she had lost. She was right back where she started, with no one to share nothing with. Her husband was gone and she didn’t even know if he was alive. She shivered at the thought and pushed it into the back of her mind.

She couldn’t let Jason see her weak because then all his doubts in her would be justified. She would not let Jason win.

"Are you cold?" Jason shouted over his shoulder.

Elizabeth shook her head and yelled, "I’m fine." The boom of the wind and the roar of the engine blocked out the shaky tears in her voice. She took a deep breath. This was no time to fall apart. She needed to be strong. If not for herself, for Ric and the child she was carrying.

Damn it, if only she could hold onto the anger. It was so much easier being angry with Jason than to feel regret. This way she had someone to blame for that missing piece in her life. It wasn’t just a meaningless loss if she could be angry with him. It was his fault. It had to be. Or else how could she lose the best thing that had ever happened to her?

She stopped cold at that thought. Why did she just think that? She had a husband, a child and a place to call home. She didn’t lose anything. Why was she clinging to something that only destroyed her in the end?

She gripped him tighter, trying to squeeze out his last influence on her. She knew this feeling all too well. She knew what it was like to love someone but still have feelings for another. Now, she just had figure out who was who.

Jason pulled into the garage and parked the bike next to the elevators. He clenched his fists bitterly. This infuriating woman was making it harder and harder for him to be mad at her.

He had meant it when he said he would force her back to the penthouse but still she fought him. If she were anyone else, he wouldn’t have been so gentle. He didn’t want to think how the kidnappers would react if she had tried this with them. They would have killed her without a second thought.

He had a bruise on his knee and an open wound on his hand to show for her stubbornness, but somehow that was not what was plaguing his mind. Nor was the danger she was putting herself in. How could he have forgotten what it felt like to have her arms wrapped around him?

He shook off the thought with a reminder that it was different now. There were no squeals of glee or joyful laughter to go along with the feel of her embrace. In fact the embrace itself had turned cold and impersonal. Like any stranger riding on the back of his bike. The problem was, he never had a stranger with him before.

He didn’t know it could be like this. How hard it could be to lose something without knowing how much it meant to you in the first place.

Now he understood Elizabeth’s tears when he told her he’d changed that day at the docks after she slept with Zander. Now he knew how change could hurt because she had changed too.

He shook off the shiver that ran down his spine as Elizabeth hopped off his bike. He was supposed to be over whatever pain her leaving had caused. He had found real love and was going to start a future with Courtney. She was his main concern and the reason he even ran after Elizabeth. Wasn’t she?

"Hey, Jason. Sonny’s been trying to find you," Max interrupted as he walked towards Jason and Elizabeth. He looked at the both of them and a smug smile brightened his face. "How are you, Elizabeth?"

Jason glared at the bodyguard. "Don’t pretend that you care. You purposely put her in danger and didn’t even bother to go make sure she was okay."

Max smiled brighter. "I’m not pretending. I really do care." And so do you, Max thought to himself.

Elizabeth glared at Jason. "I’ll answer the question if you don’t mind." She turned to Max with a small smile. "I’m fine, thanks for asking."

Max chuckled. "Well, it’s good to see you here, Elizabeth."

"No thanks to you," Jason muttered under his breath.

Elizabeth ignored him. "It’s good to see you too, Max, although it’s not exactly under the best circumstances," Elizabeth remarked.

Max nodded. "I know, but it’s safer here for you than out there. We don’t know who took your husband. They could be after you next."

"Why me?" Elizabeth asked, not even considering the fact that she might be in danger.

"Well, this person seems to be stuck on Sonny’s siblings," Max began, "And you and Jason are the closest things he has to that. Well, before Courtney and Ric showed up, of course."

Elizabeth tried to keep the smile inside when Max added that last part with his own brand of sarcasm. "You don’t have to worry, Max. I’ll stay here and try to stay out of trouble. I can’t really help my husband by getting myself killed, now can I?"

Jason tightened his jaw. Elizabeth made it seem like it was her idea instead of what it really was: Jason forcing her under house arrest while she tried to run away kicking and screaming. "Let’s go," he said, as he headed towards the elevator.

"I don’t follow orders," Elizabeth retorted. Then she brushed past him into the elevator car. As he gawked at her she raised an eyebrow. "Sonny’s calling for his lap dog, why are you still standing there?"

Jason tightened his already clenched fists to keep from saying something he would regret later. Instead, he walked slowly into the elevator and pressed the button.

"Max are you coming?" Elizabeth called out.

Max shook his head with a smile. "No, my work is done . . . for today."

Elizabeth and Jason both looked at each other as the elevator doors closed. What was that strange tone in Max’s voice? Something told them Max wasn’t talking about his shift being over.

After an uncomfortable ride towards the penthouse, both of them did their best to not look at each other. They refrained from talking, sideways glances or even breathing too hard. Each was filled with thoughts that they felt didn’t belong. The people they loved were in danger and all they could think about was the past. It felt wrong to feel that and they both tried to force themselves to focus.

As the doors opened, each waited for the other to exit. They were at a standstill so Elizabeth quickly scuttled out of there before Jason could comment. He sighed and followed her towards Sonny’s penthouse.

"Jason, it’s so awful!" Carly exclaimed as the enforcer entered her home.

"What happened?" Elizabeth asked, her eyes filled with worry.

"Well, while he was out rescuing YOU out of your latest drama, he could have been saving Courtney," Carly shouted at the brunette. "Do you know what you’ve done?! It’s your fault if she’s dead!"

Sonny grabbed his wife to stop her from lashing out at Elizabeth. "Carly, stop exaggerating. It’s not Elizabeth’s fault. She didn’t know they were going to call the penthouse. Besides, we don’t know that Jason could have done anything anyway."

"He could have heard something, a clue or a hint. He’s the one that knows Courtney the best, she could have been trying to send a secret message," Carly insisted, her eyes moist with tears.

"You don’t know that. Look, Jason, Carly’s just scared. The kidnapper called about a half-hour ago and put Courtney on the phone. I asked her where she was and she said she didn’t know. She told me to tell you that she loves you and believes in you and she knows you’ll save her. Then they hung up the phone," Sonny explained.

"There was nothing from Ric?" Elizabeth interrupted.

Carly glared at the brunette. "Didn’t you hear what Sonny just said? In fact, I bet it’s that bastard husband of yours who’s behind all of this."

Elizabeth reached out and slapped the blonde for her accusations. "Don’t you EVER insult him again! It’s your family’s fault he is even in danger instead of at home celebrating our child. Say one more word against him and I swear, I’ll---"

"Get her out of here, Jason," Sonny ordered angrily, holding his wife’s arm as she held her red streaked face.

Jason glared at Elizabeth and pulled her towards the doorway. Elizabeth shoved him off of her with all her strength and barely managed to get him to loosen his grip. "Stop fighting me, Elizabeth. Haven’t you caused enough damage?"

"ME?!" she exclaimed. "Fine, you know what? If I’m so much trouble, why don’t I just get out of your way!"

As she stomped towards the elevator, Jason quickly blocked her exit. "You’re not going anywhere until Sonny says so."

Elizabeth looked at him with a quiet anger in her eyes. "You’re so pathetic, I can’t even believe I was ever your friend."

Jason’s jaw twitched but he didn’t budge. "Whatever you think of me, you’re still not going anywhere."

"What are you going to do, Jason? Force me to stay here? Take me at gunpoint and shove me into your penthouse to make sure I stay out of trouble? Come on, tell me," Elizabeth challenged.

"I would never hurt you, Elizabeth, but I will not let you leave either," Jason told her.

Elizabeth shook her head. "I have never heard a bigger lie in one statement than what you just said. Are you getting used to being a liar now that you pulled one on Taggert?"

"What are you talking about?" Jason questioned.

Elizabeth’s eyes narrowed as she replied. "You did hurt me, Jason. You did let me leave. So what are you going to do now? The only thing left for you to do to really hurt me is kill me. Go ahead, do your job. No one’s looking and Sonny and Carly certainly won’t tell anyone. The only person who would even notice I was gone would be Ric and lucky for you, he’s been kidnapped."

"Why are you talking like this? No matter what’s happened, I am not your enemy, Elizabeth. I am trying to help you here, but you keep fighting me on it," Jason said.

"Have you ever asked yourself why?" Elizabeth questioned. "Aren’t you curious to know what reason I have for not following your so gently given advice?"

Jason’s fists clenched at the sarcastic tone in her voice. "If I ask you, will you stay?"

Elizabeth stared at him. She couldn’t believe this was the same man who had given her freedom. Now he was just another person who didn’t understand. "Ask me, then I’ll think about it."

Jason sighed. "Fine, why won’t you listen to me and Sonny?"

"When was the last time you asked me to do something for you, Jason? And think hard," Elizabeth said.

"I thought I was supposed to ask the question," Jason commented, not really understanding her intentions.

"Just answer the question, Jason," Elizabeth persisted.

Jason thought for a moment. "I asked you if you knew where Ric was and to tell me if you did because he had kidnapped Courtney."

"Right," Elizabeth smirked. "I meant the last time you asked me to do something and I actually did it."

Jason stared at her. "Where are you going with this, Elizabeth?"

"Give up?" Elizabeth asked. "You told me to go back to the penthouse and stay and wait for you. Do you remember that night on the docks when I found that lipstick on your collar?"

Jason nodded, still confused. "What’s your point?"

Elizabeth shook her head, walking back towards the hallway. "I listened to you Jason. I followed orders. I didn’t interfere and I didn’t ask questions. Do you know how much it took for me to do that? To sit in that penthouse," she said, pointing to his door, "and worry myself to death about what you were doing and if you were in danger? Do you have ANY idea what that was like? Because I can tell you Zander knew. He was here with me, listening as I told him that every part of me was screaming to run after you and make you tell me what was going on."

Jason stared at her. "Why didn’t you?"

Elizabeth looked at him in wonder. Did he really not know? "Because it wasn’t what you wanted. How many times did you tell me it was dangerous and there were things you couldn’t tell me? How many times were those the reasons you pushed me away? It was the first time ever that you told me what to do and didn’t mean it as a suggestion."

"I wasn’t trying to tell you what to do, Elizabeth. I was trying to keep you safe," Jason argued.

Elizabeth sighed. "No, it was a demand, Jason. We weren’t friends anymore, we were more. I had more on the line if I disagreed. I couldn’t just make a choice and walk away. If I did anything to show you that I couldn’t handle your life, if I showed doubt or weakness it would be your excuse to leave me and I didn’t want to lose you. Well, guess what, I lost anyway."

Jason looked at her, speechless. Why was she telling him this, why now?

"We understood once that when you love someone what they want matters too. But doing what you wanted didn’t do anything to make you love me back or trust me enough to say something. I walked out that door and you let me. I tried to hold on long enough for you to realize what went wrong, but that was my mistake. You didn’t even look back."

Jason wanted to say something to argue with her, but her face and the tears that weren’t there stopped him. She was not saying this to convince him of anything or even to gain sympathy. She was saying it for herself and so he decided he would do what was needed. He would listen.

"I thought what we had meant more to you than your job. Silly me," Elizabeth said, her voice trembling. "Stupid, delusional me. Because for me, it meant more than anything did. More than my family, more than my friends, more than my dignity and MORE than my safety."

"I told you, Elizabeth. I would never sacrifice you to be with you," Jason said.

"But you would for Courtney?" Elizabeth asked. She turned her back to him. She would not cry. "Maybe she handles this better. Never gets into trouble, never asks any questions, never demands more than you are willing to give. I told her all of my doubts and all of my fears once. She was a really good listener. I guess she decided she pretty much fit the bill for everything I wasn’t."

"That’s not fair, Elizabeth. Courtney NEVER wanted to hurt you. What we have just happened. It wasn’t planned or a way to pay you back," Jason insisted.

Elizabeth turned to face him. "I never said it was to pay me back."

Jason stayed silent, not sure why he had said that.

"That’s not the point, anyway," Elizabeth sighed. "I just wanted you to know why I am not obeying when Sonny comes calling. I am not jumping up each time you tell me to do something. I did that once and I got nothing for my efforts except for a humiliating mistake and the title for being the biggest fool to ever step into Port Charles."

Jason gazed at her as her face returned to the cold mask from before.

"So next time you think of telling me what to do, think really carefully about what YOU’RE going to do if I obey. If in the end it only helps Sonny, well then, there’s your answer. You turned into the pathetic, obedient and weak little boy that you’ve always hated," Elizabeth glared at him. "You can’t run away from your past anymore Jason. Once a Quartermaine, always a Quartermaine."

Jason watched as Elizabeth stepped into his penthouse and disappeared into the shadows. He leaned against the nearest wall, his head spinning with everything Elizabeth had said. He couldn’t argue with her. Everything she said was true. She had listened when they had asked her to stay quiet. She had stopped interfering when he told her to. She had stayed cooped up in this penthouse when they wanted. And what did he have to give her in return? Nothing.

Nothing to show her that what she had done had meant something to him. He had just let her leave thinking that she didn’t merit his efforts to save what they could have had. He let her go without ever telling her what she meant to him. Now it was too late.

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 14

"Elizabeth, I---" Jason stopped as he saw Elizabeth standing frozen, her eyes trying to absorb her surroundings.

"Where am I?" she asked, staring at the coordinated throw pillows and decorative candles.

"Courtney redecorated," Jason explained as he stepped slowly into the room. "She said she wanted to make it into a home for us, so I let her." He remembered his own shock when he had walked into it the first time.

"Carly likes to decorate too, doesn’t she?" Elizabeth asked, gazing at the hutch in the corner wall. Inwardly, she was exhausted. After that outburst in the hallway, Elizabeth decided that no amount of yelling would make Jason understand. He just didn’t care what had happened. All that mattered to him was that it was over. Maybe that was a good thing. If he had moved on so long ago, maybe her turn was next.

"Sonny says Carly does it all the time. For Courtney, it’s different. Decorating is her way of taking care of us," Jason remarked.

Elizabeth nodded. "Yeah, she told me about the time she decorated her apartment for A.J."

Jason tightened his fists at his brother’s name. "She takes care of herself. It’s just her way of showing that she doesn’t need me for everything. She wanted to do something for me."

"I always thought all you needed was this pool table," Elizabeth said wistfully as she walked by it.

"I’m not alone anymore," Jason shrugged.

His double meaning was not lost on Elizabeth. "Do you like it?" Elizabeth asked.

"It looks more like a home. Besides, I don’t spend much time in here. Courtney does and I want her to be comfortable," Jason said.

"I see," Elizabeth replied. Realizing that she was getting antagonistic, she empathized, "I guess that’s what painting does for me. It makes me feel like I accomplished something."

Jason nodded as she walked around the room.

Elizabeth paused. "It’s just that, I don’t think painting is the same as decorating. When you paint, you are creating something out of nothing. Taking the canvas and making something completely new. Wanting to make people see things they never have before. When people decorate, I feel like they are trying to hide whatever was there before so it can be what they want it to be, but what’s there will always be there."

"I think it’s people’s way of putting their mark on a place. Putting their personality on something that used to be ordinary," Jason argued.

"It looks . . . neat," Elizabeth remarked. She wanted to say that he was anything but ordinary, but she didn’t want to continue this argument.

"Courtney was trying to make this place into something for us instead of bare walls and empty rooms," Jason continued.

"Like a symbol of what she’s done for you? Filled your life up with pretty things, comfort and warmth?" Elizabeth asked, thinking of Ric.

Jason nodded. "Exactly."

Staring at the walls adorned with various items, Elizabeth paused. Thinking to herself, but speaking aloud, she said, "I just don’t think putting who you are into a place necessarily means decorating it. Sometimes simple is who you are and you don’t need the elaborate picture frames or entertainment systems."

"That’s who I used to be when I was living my life day to day. Now Courtney is my reason and my life is not so empty anymore," Jason explained.

Elizabeth wasn’t quite sure why he had said that. His answer didn’t really have anything to do with decorating. "I’m glad you found that. I’m glad we both did."

"I’m happy for you. I mean it’s great that you’re happy. I’m happy that you’re happy," Jason stumbled. Jason didn’t know why he said that; it just came out. He never had a problem with controlling his words before now. It was stress, he told himself. Stress and worry was making him a liar and a rambler.

Elizabeth didn’t notice though. Nothing he did or said seemed to surprise her anymore. It was like meeting a complete stranger. She had no expectations so nothing was a shock. Touching the various frames, one in particular stood out to her. It was of Courtney and Jason, their faces right next to each other. She remembered seeing it at the loft when she had dropped off Courtney's paycheck once. Strange, she never figured Jason for a guy who liked his picture taken. Then again, a lot about him had changed. Or maybe she never really knew him at all.

Jason’s eyes followed her every reaction to the penthouse’s new face. He never realized how uncomfortable it felt until Elizabeth stepped into it. When it was just he and Courtney, it felt like it was the way it was supposed to be. With Elizabeth standing there, everything felt out of place. Maybe it was because when he saw her, he imagined a bare wood floor and a brown leather couch. She was simple like he was. She didn’t need much. Just something to heat water with and her artist’s tools, he thought, as he remembered her studio.

She turned, walking towards the French doors. She gazed out at the moonlight over the water. "What were you looking at, Jason?"

Jason frowned. "What do you mean?"

"That night when you promised me you’d try," Elizabeth said quietly. "You came out to the terrace and you were looking at something."

Jason’s eyes widened. "You-you saw me?"

Elizabeth nodded. "I had this sinking feeling and I wanted to say something . . . more. But I stopped when I saw you out here. I always wondered what was so fascinating."

Jason stood behind her, but stepped back. "I was looking at the boats. I was thinking about what you said about wanting a ship to go to the Mediterranean."

"Why?" Elizabeth asked over her shoulder.

"Because I wanted to give that to you," Jason admitted.

Elizabeth sighed. "I never needed any big elaborate gifts or gestures from you, Jason. Just the truth and your respect."

Jason didn’t answer knowing anything he’d say wouldn’t make it right.

Elizabeth turned from the window, feeling angry with herself for giving into the past. She had moved on with Ric. She didn’t need to dwell on what could never be.

Moving to the right, she approached the fireplace. Seeing the print on the mantle, she commented, "Courtney seems to like boats. You should take her someday, maybe to Italy."

Jason shook his head. "Courtney wants to go to Spain," he said plainly.

Elizabeth nodded. "Oh. Still, she might like it. Maybe after you hit Spain. Ric and I were going to go to France and then Italy to see the museums." For some reason, she suddenly felt guilty telling him that. It never bothered her before. Sure, it used to, once upon a time. In a far away memory she could only imagine being there with him, but now things had changed. In fact a part of her wanted to say it just to show him that she moved on. Even if she hadn’t.

"You could probably see the glassblowers too," Jason suggested.

"Maybe," Elizabeth sighed.

Jason watched as she touched the picture of the boat. Something was gnawing at him and he didn’t understand why. He never even thought about that picture or Italy until Elizabeth brought it up. All these doubts and these questions weren’t there before. Why were they popping up now?

Elizabeth crossed the room to find a large punching bag standing against a far wall. It seemed so out of place. "Is this yours?" she asked.

Jason replied, "No, that’s Courtney’s."

Elizabeth clenched her fists. "She’s tough," Elizabeth observed. "No wonder she could handle your life. You found the perfect girl. Stubborn, strong, loyal . . . it’s a perfect fit."

Jason’s eyes narrowed. Did she realize she just described herself? "She uses it mostly to let out her aggression."

"I bet she handles kidnappers and mobsters well," Elizabeth said. "Instead of pretending or waiting to be rescued."

Jason tilted his head in thought. Actually, he had to rescue Courtney from quite a few predicaments. "You handled them okay today."

Elizabeth smirked. "Only because I had to. The only thing that drove me was the fact that Ric needed me. I had a reason to be strong."

Jason wanted to tell her she’d always been strong, but he knew now wasn’t the time.

"I remember all the times you tried to show me how to fight back. On the bridge where you and Robin used to meet and then at my studio with the baseball bat," Elizabeth said, smiling bravely. "I guess it was never really me. As soon as you left I got myself stuck in the stairwell and freaked out like some little girl."

"It’s not wrong to be scared," Jason said.

Elizabeth grinned. "I knew you’d say that. But you know it’s inconvenient in your life. Courtney’s not scared and it must help. She seems to handle a gun pretty well. She sent Coleman to the hospital I heard. I remember you offered it to me and I said no."

"You didn’t want to shoot the wrong person," Jason reminded her.

Elizabeth didn’t reply, keeping her thoughts to herself. She’d rather not talk than to hear another polite word come out of his mouth. She was tired of him telling her what to do and, at the same time, trying to say the right things. She wanted him to be honest with her, be real with what he thought or felt. Another part of the Jason Morgan she knew seemed to disappear with every passing moment.

Elizabeth brushed past him and went towards the steps. "Is it okay if I stay in the spare room?" she asked him. She figured since Courtney wasn’t there, he wouldn’t need the spare bedroom.

Jason nodded. "I can get you some extra blankets if you need them."

"Thanks," Elizabeth said softly.

Jason followed her as she walked up the steps, wanting to make sure she settled in before he went to bed himself.

Elizabeth stepped into the room surprised that Courtney hadn't redecorated that room as well. She turned to Jason to question him. "Not that I'm complaining, but how come Courtney didn't decorate this room?"

Jason looked at the floor. "She never went in here."

"But since you're engaged, hasn't she stayed here? Or have you kept the loft?" Elizabeth asked.

Jason averted his eyes as he replied. "Courtney's stayed here, just not in this room," Jason explained.

Elizabeth looked at him. "But then . . . oh," she said realizing her own stupidity. "Sorry, I wasn't thinking."

Jason looked at her for a moment. Why would she think that Courtney would stay in the spare room? She knew Courtney and he were involved, unless . . . no. She probably never spared a thought about him at all.

"You know, this room would be perfect for a nursery," Elizabeth commented, thinking of her own child.

Jason hesitated, not sure why Elizabeth was bringing this up. "I hadn’t thought about it," he said.

"You’d make a wonderful father, Jason," Elizabeth smiled softly. "I still remember all the things you told me about being a father to Michael. I can’t believe it’s been over four years since then."

"A lot has changed," Jason observed.

Elizabeth nodded. "I remember saying how much I wished I had Lucky’s child. Now I really am pregnant. But for the right reasons."

"Do people need reasons to have children?" Jason asked.

Elizabeth looked at the spot in the corner where she imagined a crib. "I guess not. I guess I meant that it’s a better time. Not when I am grieving over the father, but because it’s a celebration of our love."

"Look, Elizabeth, it’s been a really stressful day. You should rest," Jason said.

Elizabeth nodded as walked towards the bed, but never turned around to face him. "Good night, Jason."

Jason nodded although she never saw it. "Good night, Elizabeth." He watched as she crawled under the covers and he turned off the light.

"Jason?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you leave the door open?"

"Sure."

"Thanks."

Jason turned towards the hallway and took one last glance over his shoulder. How many times had he come home late at night to find her lying in this bedroom? Only, this was the first time she did it with her back to the door.

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 15

Jason lay awake in his bed. He hadn’t slept but who could blame him. The woman he was about to marry was in danger and the woman who got away was in a room right down the hall. He stretched as he sat up. He knew he should have been out on patrol, but instead he had been distracted to stay. By the time Elizabeth was asleep he knew it was too late to do anything useful.

He would never forgive himself if Courtney got hurt because he couldn’t tear himself away from Elizabeth. He wasn’t even sure why he was compelled to stick around. Pulling on a shirt, he dragged himself down the stairs. It was twilight out but he was feeling lethargic and not quite sleepy. He rarely ever was.

Taking the steps slowly, his eyes were on alert. With his life, he could never be too careful. Besides, he wasn’t just watching out for himself now. Elizabeth was sleeping innocently just up those steps, and he knew she was too fearless to watch out for herself.

Jason sat on the new couch in his living room. Lying lengthwise, he tried to fit himself into a comfortable position. He couldn’t. Instead, he found himself staring at his penthouse door, scrunched in the two arms of the chair.

He had been up for hours now, not being able to sleep without seeing her wide eyes and porcelain face. Not that staying awake helped. Everywhere he looked was a memory of her. No matter how many photographs or candles Courtney used to adorn his penthouse, he could not ignore what used to be beneath it. Most of all, when he looked at the door, which still looked the same, he’d see her back as she walked away.

It was so bizarre. It had been months since he’d even given her a second thought. Suddenly, she was thrust back into his life and he couldn’t get her out of his mind. It had been Courtney who he loved all these months. Courtney who stood by him. Courtney who loved him unconditionally. Courtney who stayed to fight for him. It made no sense why Elizabeth was the one he was worried about.

He remembered when Elizabeth had been kidnapped by Roscoe’s men as collateral for Pier 52. He hadn’t slept for days and was determined like hell to find her. Now, here he was, sitting on his couch instead of trying to find Courtney. He told himself it was because he didn’t have any leads, but he knew there was a better reason for it. He just wasn’t ready to face it.

He didn’t realize, but the sun had risen since he had taken a seat at that couch. Time seemed to fly by as his mind was wrapped up in could-have-been’s and memories. His eyes were locked on the wooden frame of the doorway, memorizing every grain. He didn’t know why he was still sitting there. He didn’t know why he hadn’t left early to start his search. The woman he loved was in danger and all he could do was stare at a door.

Suddenly, a knock echoed into the room. Jason stood up and walked to open it. When he did, he found his fiancé’s brother staring back at him.

"You’re still here," Sonny said, surprised. "I thought Max and Marco missed you because you usually get up early."

"I wanted to wait until daylight before I went searching. We really don’t have anything to go on. That phone call couldn’t be traced and the note didn’t have any prints. We don’t know who’s behind this. All we got is a name of a drug dealer and Elizabeth was the one who got it out of them," Jason said.

Sonny nodded. "We’ll go visit Javier. Speaking of Elizabeth, how did you find her yesterday? I never got the chance to ask you."

Jason explained, "She was wandering around the alley with Faith. I had to grab her before Javier’s men caught them both. I had Johnny escort Faith back home and I took Elizabeth here."

"She must have given you trouble," Sonny said, gesturing to Jason’s hand which had a wide scar and teeth marks on it.

Jason smirked. "She didn’t know it was me."

Sonny raised an eyebrow, "Something tells me it wouldn’t have mattered."

Jason shrugged. Sonny was probably right. He was the last person Elizabeth would hesitate to attack. If it were up to her, he would leave her alone altogether. Too bad he couldn’t do that.

"I’ll go wake Elizabeth up and we can head out to the warehouse district. Javier’s headquarters are probably around there," Jason said. "Even if he isn’t, I know a few kids who might be willing to give him up given the right incentive."

Sonny paused before replying. "Are you suggesting we take Elizabeth with us?"

Jason narrowed his eyes. "It would be better off that way. Look at all the trouble she’s gotten herself into since we’ve left her on her own."

"We could put the guards on her," Sonny suggested. "I just don’t like the idea of her getting involved. Even though she doesn’t like me much right now, I still don’t want her to get hurt."

"I don’t trust the guards with her," Jason said. "Look what happened when she got to Max. The only way she’ll be safe is with us."

"Okay, we’ll take her along, but she stays in the car," Sonny said, walking out the door. "I’ll get Marco to drive this time. He doesn’t know Elizabeth well enough to go against my orders."

Jason smiled lightly as Sonny grumbled under his breath. Taking the steps two at a time, he hoped he was doing the right thing. Deep down, he wanted to take Elizabeth because he wanted to show her that he still trusted her. She did deserve his trust, even if it was a little late coming. He was not Jason Quartermaine and he would prove that to her.

Jason walked down the corridor, noticing that the door to Elizabeth’s room was closed. She had asked him to leave it open the night before, but maybe she changed her mind. Slowly opening the door, he had a sinking feeling in his stomach. Peering inside, his fears were confirmed. She was gone.

Across town, at Faith’s hotel room, the blonde mob moll was sitting in her bed watching the morning news bulletin on the latest drug trafficking in Port Charles. She switched it off in frustration. Whoever this Javier was, he might have Ric and she wasn’t going to let them hurt him. For the first time in her life, she actually cared about someone other than herself. It scared her, but she surrendered to it. She knew he was married and that he was in love with Elizabeth, but that didn’t change her affections for him. She would make sure he would be safe, even if it meant working with his wife.

Faith had to admit Elizabeth was a firecracker. Elizabeth stood up to the mobsters and went head-in to face an unknown drug dealer. It took guts and, besides herself, Faith knew very few women with that kind of courage. She underestimated the brunette, but Elizabeth had earned her respect. She just hoped that Jason Morgan hadn’t done anything to Elizabeth. Not that she cared, but she knew how much Ric would.

It still bewildered her to see those two together after hearing her husband describe their relationship. She was so sure all those digs she made at Elizabeth about Jason had hit right on target. Looking at them now, you wouldn’t know they were ever even friends let alone together.

"Faith, open the door!" a female voice called out, companioned with loud banging against the wooden door.

"I’m coming," Faith answered, wrapping her black silk robe around herself. Opening the door, she raised an eyebrow. "Aren’t we up a little early?"

Elizabeth pushed past the door. "I haven’t slept. I had to creep across town to see you. I thought of something."

"What is it?" Faith asked. "And does Morgan know you’re here?"

"He’s not my keeper," Elizabeth glared at the blonde. "Anyway, I wanted to ask you how well you knew Luis Alcazar."

"Luis?" Faith repeated. "Not much. He worked with my husband pretty closely though. He also worked with the men who grabbed you last summer."

"Did he have a brother?" Elizabeth asked.

Faith raised an eyebrow. "I don’t know. I do know that he had a partner. Where is all this coming from?"

Elizabeth paced the room. "Just something that reminded me of Alcazar and I thought his brother might have Ric."

"I don’t get it," Faith said, sitting on the bed as the brunette continued to pace.

"Sonny got a note. It said something like, a brother for a brother," Elizabeth said.

"Clever," Faith commented. "But why did this make you think of Alcazar if you don’t even know if he has a brother?"

Elizabeth bit her bottom lip. "I was just thinking."

"Come on, if we’re going to work with each other, you have to trust me. I can tell by the look in your eyes, there is more to this," Faith observed.

Elizabeth sighed. Looking skeptically at the mob moll, she hesitated. She didn’t want Faith to know that Jason was the reason she got this idea.

"Fine, but if you don’t tell me, I can’t exactly help you. You do want Ric back, right?" Faith asked.

"Of course I do," Elizabeth replied immediately. A little too fast.

"All right then, so spill," Faith suggested.

"Well, I had an argument," Elizabeth said slowly.

"With Morgan?" Faith asked. "I bet you weren’t too happy about him grabbing you. Although you put up a good fight from what I saw."

"Yeah, well, he was trying to order me around and we got into a conversation about last summer. Last year, Jason told me to stay out of his business because it was too dangerous. Well, I overheard Luis Alcazar talking to a man that I knew, so I told Jason about it. He got mad that I put myself into danger and gave me this lecture like he did last night. That’s what brought up Alcazar," Elizabeth explained.

"This was when you were together," Faith commented.

Elizabeth shook her head. "We were never really together. We flirted with the idea, but it lasted maybe two seconds."

Faith could hear the bitterness in the brunette’s voice. There were some feelings still there. "Okay, but why would Alcazar’s brother go after Sonny for his brother’s death? Didn’t that psychotic lawyer friend of Ned’s kill Luis?"

"I know, but it’s still a possibility," Elizabeth replied.

"Wait! That’s it!" Faith exclaimed, jumping up from the bed.

"What?" Elizabeth asked quickly.

"That dealer. That’s where I’ve seen that guy before. He was visiting during one of Luis’ meeting with my husband. He must have worked for Luis," Faith said. "And . . . he’s probably working for Luis’ partner now. Maybe that partner is Luis’ brother."

"That would make sense!" Elizabeth said, getting excited. "But now that we think we know who it is, what do we do about it? We don’t know who his brother is or how to find him. Javier is our only link and he’s only there at night. Ric could be killed by then."

Faith nodded. "I could see if some of my employees can find out more information. At least now we have a suspect like the Feds like to say. We still don’t have a motivation. Sonny didn’t kill Luis."

"Yes, but in an indirect way, Sonny was the reason for his demise. We don’t know that Sonny directly hurt the kidnapper’s brother. Luis was crazy about Brenda who was the reason he was in Port Charles in the first place. And why was Brenda here? To warn Sonny," Elizabeth pointed out. "Now, the kidnapper takes away Sonny’s family because he feels like Sonny took his."

Faith hesitated. "I guess that makes sense, but there are better reasons to hurt Sonny than because your brother’s obsession had the hots for a mobster."

Suddenly, the door swung open and men armed with pistols stormed in.

"What the hell?" Faith exclaimed.

Elizabeth turned to find Sonny’s men filling the room. Sighing, she glared at them. "Did my baby-sitter come too?"

On cue, Jason walked in with his gun pointed at Faith. "Elizabeth, we’re leaving."

"Excuse me?" Elizabeth smirked.

"This is no time for playing games," Jason growled at her.

"But that’s what I do," Elizabeth said sarcastically. "Isn’t that what you think?"

Faith’s lips stretched into a smile, watching these two.

"Elizabeth, do you want to find your husband or not? Running around town to find you every time you want to throw a tantrum is not helping. We’re wasting time," Jason yelled at her.

"No one ASKED you to," Elizabeth pointed out. "How many times do I have to tell you I can handle this myself? Or does it all just go in one ear and out the other?"

"This is no time to prove you can be independent. Ric and Courtney are BOTH in danger," Jason reminded her.

Faith pushed Jason’s gun aside and stepped closer. "Excuse me, but if you’d take a second from your little macho act, you might want to ask Elizabeth why she’s here."

Jason picked the gun back up and pointed it at the blonde. "Stay out of this, Faith."

Elizabeth pulled the gun down. "Excuse me, but stop threatening my partner. For your information, I came to Faith to ask for her help. And guess what, we have an idea who took them. We did it all without your help . . . or your permission."

Jason lowered his weapon. "You know who has Courtney?"

"Yeah, genius, we do," Faith sneered at him. "We think it’s Luis Alcazar’s brother."

Jason looked at the both of them, processing this new information. "What makes you think it’s him? And he has a brother?"

"We aren’t sure," Elizabeth said. "But Faith told me he has a partner. Javier worked for Alcazar, so he’s probably working for the partner."

"How do you know Javier worked for Luis?" Jason asked.

"Because I told her," Faith said smugly. "Maybe if you weren’t trying so hard playing hero, you might want to ask for help. Even from the bad guys. We usually know each other better than you wannabe white mobster knights."

Jason put his gun back into the holster. "Marco, go see what you can find out about Alcazar’s business and see if he has family. Johnny, you go check on Sonny and see if he found Javier."

As the men left, the other guards stood watching warily. Inwardly, they were amazed at how much their boss trusted the mob moll. Especially after she had put a hit out on Sonny. They didn’t know it wasn’t the mob moll Jason trusted, it was the waitress beside her.

"Let’s go," Jason said. "If Luis’ partner is half as dangerous as he was, you’re not safe out in the open like this."

"I’m not going anywhere with you," Elizabeth glared at him. "I told you at the penthouse and I’ll tell you again. What I do is my business. I don’t need you to manage my life."

"You could get yourself KILLED," Jason shouted. "Why are you being so stubborn about this?"

Elizabeth looked at him, her voice deadly calm. "Why do you care?"

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 16

"I don’t have the right to care about you now?" Jason asked, his eyes wide.

"No, you gave that up the minute you got with Courtney," Elizabeth glared at him.

"I thought you were better than this, Elizabeth," Jason said. "I guess I was wrong."

"I know better than to trust you," Elizabeth retorted. "If that makes me unworthy of your respect, so be it."

"Why? Because I dared to fall in love instead of wait around for you to change your mind?" Jason said. "Instead of waiting for the next time you’d rip my heart out?"

Elizabeth’s mouth went dry. "What did you just say?"

"Your jealousy of Courtney is completely irrational, Elizabeth. You walked out on me, remember?" Jason continued. "I moved on. So did you. Why do you still hate me so much?"

"Why are we even talking about this? We have to find them," Elizabeth said, running to the door. Really, she was running from his questions. They were making her feel anger and resentment for things that should have been dead and buried.

"You’re not going anywhere until we settle this," Jason shouted after her.

Elizabeth froze at the door. Turning around in anger, she replied. "I’m not going anywhere?! You’re demanding I stay so I can make YOU feel better? What about you, Jason? What about all the times YOU left before we could settle things? You gave up on us without the slightest hesitation. I’m doing the same. Let’s just leave it at that."

Faith stood there, looking back and forth between the enforcer and the brunette. For two people who supposedly loved and worried about their respective partners, they sure were wrapped up in each other.

"Is this what this is about? Revenge?" Jason asked.

"I don’t do things out of spite," Elizabeth spat back at him. "Don’t mistake me for Carly."

"Fine, it’s not about revenge. What about fear?" Jason replied.

"You think I’m afraid of your life? Haven’t I proven that I’m not?" Elizabeth questioned.

"I think you’re afraid to face me," Jason offered. "You keep trying to so hard to push me for no reason."

"I gave you my reasons," Elizabeth said. "Just because you don’t understand them doesn’t mean they don’t exist."

Jason sighed. "I know that, but you’re lying to yourself if you think that saving Ric on your own is proving anything to me."

"You’re so full of yourself. Not everything is about you," Elizabeth said.

"So this isn’t about showing me that you can handle what I thought you couldn’t? This isn’t your way of proving that you’re stronger than I gave you credit for?" Jason asked.

"I’m trying to save my husband," Elizabeth replied.

"I can do it for you. That’s not what this is about and you know it," Jason argued.

"Maybe it is about proving something, but not what you think," Elizabeth said. "I want you to understand that I don’t need you in my life and I am no longer the blind girl who believed your lies."

"I lied to you once," Jason growled. "Why are you still bringing that up?"

Faith leaned against the wall, taking in the show. She could feel the anger and tension filter through the room. This was going to be a long morning.

"Don’t make me laugh," Elizabeth said through gritted teeth. "You lied to me every time you said you’d try. You said you’d respect me, but that was a lie, too. You don’t respect me or you would let me do this on my own. Why are you trying to control me?"

"That’s not what I’m doing," Jason denied. "No matter what has happened between us I don’t want you to get hurt."

"Did you change your mind or something?" Elizabeth asked.

"What do you mean?" Jason questioned.

"Just a few months ago, I was in a relationship with a man you thought was a rapist and all you could say was that I was a fool," Elizabeth reminded him. "Then, I married this man you hate and you never said a word. When I got pushed by Faith over there and lost my baby, I didn’t see you even once. Now you want me to believe that you are suddenly my friend again?"

"I am always your friend," Jason said. "But you’ve changed, Elizabeth. It’s not like you were around for me either."

"You wouldn’t let me," Elizabeth spat at him.

"When did you make an effort, Elizabeth? I was the one who came to you the next day at Kelly’s and you treated me like the enemy," Jason reminded her. "I tried to see you at Luke’s and you told me you didn’t even want to be a part of my life."

"I was angry for two seconds. Is that so wrong?" Elizabeth shouted. "I did come to you. You just didn’t want to see me!"

Faith stared in surprise at Elizabeth’s outburst. Something in Elizabeth’s voice had broken and she could see it had affected Jason.

"When?" Jason asked, his breathing becoming heavy.

"After I thought you and Courtney ran off to elope and you got in the car accident. I came to see you at the hospital. Carly told me you wanted me to leave so I did," Elizabeth said. "Don’t tell me I didn’t try. EVEN after you humiliated me at Kelly’s in front of Courtney, I still came. I hate myself for it, but I cared despite everything you put me through. You can’t say the same."

"You came?" Jason whispered, still processing this new information. "Why?"

"Do you really think I’m that heartless, Jason? You know what you meant to me, how you changed my life. I would never want you to be in pain," Elizabeth said, her voice trembling.

"You told me you wished it was me who got shot that night at Carly’s club. Why would I think you’d care?" Jason questioned, remembering another time he was at General Hospital. He couldn’t believe she had come to see him after the accident. Why didn’t Carly tell him this?

"I never said that," Elizabeth denied. "I said it should have been you, because it was the life you chose. You were supposed to protect Sonny. You, not RIC, should have been there. Don’t you understand what he means to me? What did you expect me to say after he took a bullet for a man who hates him?"

Jason stared at her, his fists clenched. None of this made any sense. Elizabeth was supposed to hate him. She was supposed to hate what he did and never want to see him again. Why did she still care? Why did she act like she remembered what they used to be?

Elizabeth sighed. "All of this doesn’t answer my question. You haven’t shown me that you cared at all these past few months. Now I can’t get rid of you. Why? What’s changed?"

Jason turned away, facing the door. It was his turn to want to run. "You live your own life and I did my best to respect that. So I stayed away while you moved on. I wasn’t going to stop you. But this is different. You are in real danger and your anger at me, at yourself, is making you reckless."

Elizabeth didn’t hear the rest of his statement. One word pierced her skin. "Respect?! Were you respecting me by sleeping with Courtney?" Elizabeth said. "Or was it when you told me you two were just friends? How about the time at Kelly’s when you asked me to keep your relationship a secret? Maybe . . . maybe it was somewhere in between all the times you proved to me that you didn’t give a damn about me. Maybe I blinked and missed it."

Faith eyed that passing glance between them. Elizabeth had hit a nerve.

Jason’s jaw clenched as she threw his words back at him. He turned around to face her. Answering weakly, he said, "You left, Elizabeth. You told me I was a stranger to you."

"How long is that going to be an excuse, Jason?" Elizabeth asked. "How many times do I need to explain myself before you really understand? You sat at that bench at Vista Point and told me, point-blank, that you couldn’t be the person I could have in my life. You kissed me and walked away. You told me more than once that your life was too dangerous for me to be in it. Of all those times, when was the time when I gave up on you, Jason? Was it when you came into Kelly’s with Sonny and completely ignored me, treating me like some kind of informant? Was it when you left me crying and alone at Vista Point going who knows where? Was it when you stood on the docks and looked right through me?"

Jason tightened his fists remembering that day on the docks after he had found her and Zander in her studio.

Elizabeth stared into his eyes. "I tried to move on after that, Jason. I held onto my relationship with Zander and it all fell apart because it was never real. I tried to hide the hurt by staying with someone I didn’t love. When I finally realized it, I still fought even if it was too late. But it was you who turned your back on our chance. When you tell me that it’s my fault we ended, remember how you never tried. I did."

"Can you really blame me, Elizabeth?" Jason whispered under his breath. "Do you know how many times I have seen you walk away? I can not trust you with my life. You walked away from me before you really understood who I was. Now, you see the monster I am and you hate it. You have told me so many times how you can handle it, but you can’t. I hear you when you tell Ric that I am some cold-blooded hit man."

Elizabeth paused. She couldn’t deny it. She did say that. "I have seen you cruel and I have seen you hurt people I care about. I know who you are, Jason. The only time I have brought up your job was when you tried to tell me Ric was bad or if someone tried to bring him down to defend you. I would be lying if I said I thought what you do for a job is right. But I wasn’t lying when I said I could handle it. What I could not handle was being made into a fool."

"When you walked out you said I was just Sonny’s enforcer to you," Jason reminded her. "Wasn’t that why you were angry? I had to keep a secret from you and you hated that I could do that to other people."

"I was angry because you let me worry and grieve over nothing. But I know what it’s like to have to lie about your death," Elizabeth said. "I got over that, but deep down, I just didn’t understand why you felt the need to lie to me. I thought I had earned your trust. I never slept with your best friend or tried to turn Sonny into the Feds. Why was I the one left out?"

"My job is to keep Sonny safe," Jason said. "I can’t apologize for that."

"What part of me knowing the truth would have put Sonny in danger?" Elizabeth asked.

"No one could know," Jason insisted. He had long forgotten why he had kept her in the dark.

"No one except Carly, right?" Elizabeth asked. "I am such an idiot. I thought what we had was something worth fighting for, but it wasn’t for you. I guess I should have seen it coming. When I was with Lucky, I was the one who came to you. I was the one who kept showing up at your doorstep. I know you felt something for me back then, but you never said anything. You never came to me for anything but business. Except once. When I thought you had attacked Lucky on the docks, that was when you came to me. I don’t even know why you did anymore."

"I didn’t want you to think I could do that to someone for no reason," Jason explained.

"But why did you care if I believed you?" Elizabeth asked. "If my trust and faith in you mattered so much, why would you throw it away over some lie about Sonny? Why didn’t you come to me and make me understand?"

"You wouldn’t listen," Jason argued. "You told me you didn’t want to know about my life."

"You mean when you told me you had married Brenda?" Elizabeth laughed bitterly. "Haven’t you ever said anything out of anger? Wait, never mind, you just stare and keep your mouth shut."

Faith giggled under her breath in the background. Elizabeth was right about that.

Jason sighed. "I can’t read your mind, Elizabeth. I can’t ---"

"Can’t tell when I’m pretending?" Elizabeth finished for him. "You used to. I guess I thought you still could."

"That’s not fair, Elizabeth," Jason replied.

"Life isn’t fair," Elizabeth said bitterly. "I lost my best friend in the whole world because of a stupid lie and I can’t ever get him back."

Faith could have heard a pin drop in that moment. The two had their eyes locked on each other. Faith had never witnessed anything so intense before.

Elizabeth looked away first. "I’m tired and you’re right. We’re wasting time here. We should go see if Sonny found out anything from Javier." She proceeded towards the door with her shoulders hanging heavily.

"Elizabeth---" Jason started.

"It’s the past, Jason. You can’t fix the past so there’s no use talking about it. We’ve both started new lives with new people. They need us more than our mistakes do," Elizabeth said with her back to him.

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 17

"Just leave it alone, Jason," Elizabeth repeated. "Let’s just do what we have to do to save them and then we can go our separate ways."

"Fine," Jason conceded. If that was how she wanted it, he would do things her way. For now.

"I’ll go see what I can find out," Elizabeth said. "Don’t follow me or stop me. Remember what I said."

Jason clenched his fists. How could he forget?

Elizabeth took a deep breath and walked to the door.

Something in Jason wanted to stop her. To grab her and shake her back into the woman who had owned his heart for so long. But it wasn’t meant to be.

Elizabeth brushed past Faith and headed towards the hallway. Racing towards the elevator, jumping in once it opened and turning around to press the button for the lobby, she felt a piece of her break when she didn’t see him standing there begging her to wait. Who was she fooling? She would never have what they had again. She needed to do what she told him she had already done. Move on.

"Nice job, Jason Moron," Faith quipped.

"This is none of your business," Jason growled at her.

"Maybe not, but at least I have the good sense to see that you should have run after her," Faith said.

"She said it’s the past," Jason pointed out. "She doesn’t need me in her life." Somehow admitting that was one of the hardest things he’d ever done.

"Did you listen to a word she just said?" Faith asked. "Were you here when she said she hated that you never fought for her?"

"Why do you care?" Jason shouted, not wanting to hear the truth coming from Faith.

Faith raised an eyebrow. "The question is, why do you? Honestly, I would love it if you two got back together. Then Ric would be free and Courtney Cottontail can suffer for her idiocy. But whatever, even if I didn’t, only an idiot would think she meant what she just said."

"I love Courtney," Jason said, more to himself than her. "I can’t change what happened between Elizabeth and I. I can’t fix what’s already happened."

"So don’t," Faith said simply. "There is such a thing as starting over. At least that’s what I hear."

"Too much has happened. She’s married, pregnant and I’m engaged," Jason rationalized. "Besides, I can’t think about this right now. Courtney is in danger and we need to find Alcazar’s partner."

"You can’t or you won’t?" Faith questioned.

"It doesn’t matter," Jason recited his favorite line. "None of this matters if Courtney is hurt."

"If it was Elizabeth, what would you be doing right now?" Faith asked.

"What are you talking about?" Jason said, looking at Faith with confusion.

"Simple, if ELIZABETH had been the one kidnapped, would you be standing here trying to convince yourself that you loved her instead of hauling your butt out there to save her?" Faith questioned.

Jason pounded a fist against the table. "That’s not what I’m doing."

Faith shook her head. It was apparent to her after that argument that Jason and Elizabeth had so many unresolved issues. They both still cared and possibly still loved each other. "Do you love her?" Faith said to him.

"Of course I do, I am going to marry her," Jason replied.

"Not her, the brunette," Faith clarified.

"I-I care about Elizabeth," Jason admitted. "I never loved her. We never had the chance to get that far."

Faith snorted. "Okay, fella. Whatever you say."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Jason said angrily.

"After what I just witnessed, you more than care about the girl. And you DEFINITELY loved her once upon a time. Maybe even still," Faith laughed.

Jason glared at her and it took all his will not to wipe that smirk off of her face. She didn’t know what she was talking about. Jason never loved Elizabeth. They were close once, but it never got to that point. He would have known if it had, wouldn’t he?

Faith shook her head. "Poor sucker. I’ll never understand men’s fascination with Miss Pouty Face, but then again you were with Malibu Barbie. At least Elizabeth has some guts."

In the lobby, Elizabeth rushed off of the elevator, not sure where she was going. She needed to find Sonny and tell him about Alcazar’s partner, but she had no idea where he was. Damn, she would have to wait for Jason.

She took a seat at the armchair near the entrance. She hated depending on other people, but Jason was right about one thing. He knew these people better than she did and she needed his help.

"Elizabeth?" a male voice called out to her.

Elizabeth raised her head to find a man approaching her. She smirked. "Hi, A.J."

A.J. laughed. "Well, well. If it isn’t Kelly’s finest. What are you doing here at the Port Charles Hotel? You and your husband can’t find romance elsewhere?"

Elizabeth glared at him. "For your information, your ex-wife ran off with my now EX-husband."

"Ooh, touchy," A.J. said, taking a seat across from her. "Well, it’s a sad day when our spouses keep running off with other people."

"You chased Courtney away. Ric cheated on me. It’s not the same thing," Elizabeth pointed out.

"You weren’t there. You didn’t see the looks my wife was giving my thug of a brother," A.J. sneered. "Something better came along, well as much as being with a lowlife criminal is better, and she left. Ric probably did the same thing."

"That was no excuse for terrorizing her," Elizabeth retorted, not sure why the Quartermaine decided to have a conversation with her.

"It wasn’t my finest hour, I’ll admit," A.J. said. "But haven’t you ever known what it was like living under the shadow of a sibling?"

"It didn’t make me want to stalk my boyfriend to keep him in line," Elizabeth said, remembering Sarah and Lucky.

"Yes, well, sometimes you do what you have to do," A.J. said bitterly. "It’s not like I was wrong. She hopped into bed with my brother the first chance she got. What was it you told me? She was getting ready for a bake sale?"

Elizabeth blushed at the lie. She was such an idiot for covering for Courtney.

"But that’s the past. I’m moving on. What about you? Is that why you’re here? Are you moving on?" A.J. probed.

Elizabeth didn’t like the glint in his eyes. "I’m here with someone, yes. But it’s none of your business."

"Hey," A.J. said, hands raised in surrender. "No need to get defensive. I was just trying to make small talk."

"Why are you here, A.J.? It’s not like we’re friends," Elizabeth pointed out.

"I don’t know. Seems like this hotel isn’t so safe for Kelly’s waitresses lately," A.J. said, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

"What are you talking about?" Elizabeth asked, worried.

A.J. grinned. "Tell me something, Elizabeth. Did Courtney and Ric run off into the sunset before or AFTER she was grabbed by men in ski masks in the hotel parking lot?"

Jason shook his head. He was wasting time listening to this vapid mob moll talk about things she knew nothing about. "Stay away from Elizabeth," Jason warned her. "She doesn’t need the trouble you cause."

"Hey," Faith said, pretending to be insulted. "I helped her out. Kept her safe while she faced the five families, didn’t I?"

Jason shrugged. "She shouldn’t have been there in the first place."

"Maybe if you’d give her a little respect, you wouldn’t be in this mess," Faith pointed out. "From what I can remember she did just fine without you. Now, when she really needs you, that’s when you back off. Men!"

Jason glared at her. He would never understand Faith. Nothing she said ever made sense. "If you remember anything else about Alcazar’s partner, contact Sonny."

"Only if you say please," Faith taunted.

Jason scowled and brushed past her into the hallway. It was only because of Elizabeth he was humoring Faith. If it were up to him, he’d have Faith tied up in a safehouse and use her as bait.

Pounding the elevator button, he sighed in frustration. He felt like such a mess inside. He had to treat this like a job if he wanted to do it right, but it was so hard. The storm of emotions inside of him kept pulling him in different directions.

As the elevator doors opened, he stalked into the confined space and pressed the button for the lobby. What was he going to do about Elizabeth? She didn’t want him to control her but she wanted him to fight for her. She wanted his respect but didn’t want him to care. She wanted what they used to have but she didn’t want to dwell on the past. How could he do the right thing when none of it made any sense?

Watching the numbers slowly count down, he started to remember why Elizabeth was back in his life in the first place. Courtney.

Where was she? She was his reason for wanting to be alive and now she was gone. He had no control over what was happening to her. It was because of Sonny and the life Sonny and he both chose that Courtney was in danger. And now, when she needed him most, he was completely unfocused.

As the elevator doors opened, he was determined to get his head back on straight. From this moment on, all he would think about was saving Courtney. Then they would get married and he would give her everything she had given him: love, respect and a future.

At least that was what he told himself he’d do. Then he saw them.

Elizabeth leaned in closer to A.J. "You can’t tell anyone about this, you understand?"

A.J. smirked. "What do I get for keeping my mouth shut?"

"Evidence of human decency," Elizabeth retorted. "Seriously, A.J., no one can know about this. If the PCPD finds out they’re missing, we’ll never find them."

"I don’t really care about what happens to your husband," A.J. said.

"But you care about Courtney," Elizabeth observed. "You’re still in love with her, aren’t you?"

A.J. narrowed his eyes. He could tell Elizabeth was a shrewd woman and so he shrugged. "It doesn’t matter now."

Elizabeth glared at him. "I hate that sentence."

A.J. laughed. "Okay, I’ll keep quiet, but I just hope after all of this, Courtney will realize who my brother really is."

Elizabeth nodded, but froze when he said the word ‘brother’. What if . . .?

"Get away from Elizabeth," Jason growled as he interrupted them.

"Well, hello to you too, Jase," A.J. sneered. "How’s my little brother doing?"

"I’m not your brother," Jason said tersely.

"Are you still bitter? I guess I would be too if Courtney left me. Oh wait, I was," A.J. said snarkily. He took a glance at Elizabeth. "I see you have moved on pretty quickly since Courtney left you."

Jason clenched his fists as A.J. snickered at him. He wondered why Elizabeth had told A.J. about them. "It’s none of your business," Jason said through gritted teeth.

"And that’s a good thing," A.J. grinned. "I wouldn’t want to be caught in collusion with a mobster."

Elizabeth finally snapped out of her train of thought. "Jason, are you ready to go?"

Jason nodded. "Sonny’s waiting."

Elizabeth turned to A.J. "Remember what we talked about."

A.J. smirked. "Like I could forget. Good luck, Elizabeth. And for your own good, I hope you stay away from my brother."

Jason glared at the little weasel as he stared at the both of them. What had she said to A.J. before he showed up? Shaking his head, he decided he would ask her about it later.

A.J. grinned stupidly at the both of them, looking like the cat that ate the canary. "I guess I’ll see you around."

Elizabeth nodded. She truly hoped A.J. would keep his word. But knowing him, she wouldn’t trust it.

Jason caught the look in A.J.’s scheming eyes. He quickly took Elizabeth by the hand and pulled her towards the exit, suddenly feeling the need to keep her away from A.J. He didn’t like the way A.J. was looking at her and he was sure A.J. was up to no good.

"Hey, let go of me!" Elizabeth shouted, pulling her hand out of his grip.

"Ouch!" Jason exclaimed, gripping his hand into a fist.

Elizabeth suddenly felt guilty for her rash behavior as she saw the scar on his hand start to bleed again. "Oh, I’m so sorry, Jason. I didn’t mean to . . ."

"Yes, you did," Jason replied. Then he turned his back and went into the car waiting for them on the curb.

Elizabeth bit her lower lip. She really hadn’t meant to hurt him. It was just a knee-jerk reaction to him leading her around like she was on a leash. But she had worse things to worry about that Jason’s hand. A.J. had sounded really suspicious and bizarre during their conversation. Plus, he had a brotherly connection to Jason. Could it be that he was the one who kidnapped Ric?

How did he know about Courtney’s kidnapping? Was he a witness or the one who set it up? After all, the cops would have never bought her story if they knew all the details of the people who grabbed Courtney. No, A.J. was up to something. He must have not told the police about it.

Now it all made sense. He’s always been trying to get revenge against Sonny. What better way than to take the brother that was taken from him? Plus, he would probably take Courtney just out of spite. Maybe she had been going about this the wrong way . . . maybe it had nothing at all to do with Sonny’s business.

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 18

Elizabeth sat across from Jason, feeling the anger burning off of him like a heat wave. She bit her lower lip, avoiding looking at him as best she could. Unfortunately, his tall frame took up most of the space in the limousine.

"Johnny," Jason said, tapping on the window to the driver’s area. "Hand me the first aid kit."

Johnny nodded, lowered the glass and handed his boss the box. "Here you go."

Jason grabbed the box and opened it quickly. Pulling out the cotton bandage, he wrapped it around his hand. Elizabeth really did a number on it.

"Are you okay?" Elizabeth whispered, seeing him bind his hand with the cloth. She forgot that she was trying to avoid him.

Jason grumbled, nodding his head. "I’m fine."

"I really am sorry," Elizabeth repeated. "I don’t like being dragged around like that."

Jason narrowed his eyes, but didn’t look up at her. "I’m sorry I grabbed you. I just wanted to get you away from A.J."

"Why?" Elizabeth asked, hearing his voice soften.

"He’s trouble you don’t need," Jason murmured.

"You mean because he stalked Courtney," Elizabeth said, her thoughts formulating a motive for A.J. kidnapping her husband.

"He’s always been trouble," Jason said, finally looking up at her. He noticed the distracted look in her eyes. "Is there something wrong?"

Elizabeth didn’t hear him right away, but she decided to share her theory with him. "It was just something A.J. said. He called you "brother" and it just made me think that maybe he could be the one who kidnapped Ric and Courtney."

Jason looked surprised. He had never thought of A.J. as a suspect. "I understand why he’d take Courtney, but why Ric?"

"The note said a brother for a brother," Elizabeth reminded him. "Maybe he meant you."

"A.J. has never really cared about me one way or another," Jason explained. "He wouldn’t kidnap someone over losing me. He’s happy to be rid of who he thinks is the prodigal son."

"I know that. But maybe he thinks he’s hurting Sonny by taking Ric, the same way Sonny taking you away turned you into a man he hates," Elizabeth said.

Jason clenched his fists. He didn’t like the way Elizabeth was saying that. As if Sonny and his world had damaged him somehow. "But Sonny doesn’t care about Ric."

Elizabeth glared at him. "We know that, but A.J. doesn’t. As far as he knows, Ric is Sonny’s long lost brother. It’s not like Sonny and Ric have been having all-out brawls in public. You come into my home to attack him when no one’s looking, remember? No witnesses."

Jason flinched at the bitterness in her tone. "It’s a stretch, but you could be right. We should at least check it out."

Elizabeth nodded. "Meanwhile, what are we going to do about Alcazar’s partner? Even if we get a name out of Javier and we find the guy, how are we going to get Ric and Courtney back? If he did it for revenge, he wouldn’t keep them alive, would he? Unless they give him leverage for something, then maybe. But if it is to avenge his brother’s death . . ."

Jason looked away, seeing the fear in Elizabeth’s eyes. He couldn’t think that way and he couldn’t let Elizabeth either. Even though he had his fears, he wasn’t going to let them overpower him. Courtney had to be alive. She had to. She was his reason for everything. How would he live without her?

Suddenly, he felt a hand brush against his and he looked up to see shining brown eyes looking into his. Elizabeth looked directly at him, offering strength in her gaze. "You’ll find her," Elizabeth said. "You’ll save her just like you saved me so many times before. You haven’t failed once and you aren’t going to start now."

Jason’s last grasp on his nerves broke once he heard the calm of Elizabeth’s voice. "I-I . . . I’m scared," he admitted. "I don’t know who did this and I don’t know if I can stop him. If it were A.J., I’d know Courtney would be alive because he’d never hurt her. But if it isn’t . . ."

"If it isn’t, you’ll find the bastard who did it and beat him until he told you where she was," Elizabeth said, remembering how he fought to find her.

"I almost failed when you were kidnapped," Jason murmured. "You could have died in that explosion."

Elizabeth shook her head. "No, I wouldn’t have. You would have found me, I know you would have."

"The guy who knew where you were, he was shot before he could tell me. I was careless and it could have cost you your life," Jason said, his voice trembling.

Elizabeth stroked her thumb against his palm and against the scar she had made there. "I believed in you and I knew you would find some way to get to me and get me out of there. And you did."

"Why were you so sure?" Jason asked, feeling comforted by her small hand grasping his.

"It’s who you are, Jason," Elizabeth said. "You would never give up on me and I would never give up on you. You would fight no matter what to keep me safe."

Jason felt his eyes sting with tears. "I’m not fighting enough for her," he said.

Elizabeth could see the desperation in his eyes. He needed reassurance and faith. "Sure you are. You went to the five families, you found Javier . . ."

Jason shook his head. "YOU went the five families and YOU found Javier. I couldn’t get anything out of them and neither could Sonny. I failed her."

Elizabeth wiped away a stray tear on his face. "You would have done it eventually," Elizabeth said. "Or else you would have found another way. You can’t be down on yourself about this. Javier might not even be the guy. So really, what I did could mean nothing."

"Faith said I wasn’t focused and that I wasn’t doing it right," Jason explained as he watched her concentrate on him. He couldn’t even remember the last time he was able to talk so openly to her. He never realized how much he missed having a friend to talk to without nagging and terrible advice.

"What does Faith know? She’s a baby murdering psychopath," Elizabeth said, trying to comfort him. "You never listened to other people before, why start now?"

"But you went to her. You trusted her," Jason pointed out.

"To deal with the mob, yeah, but not for advice on what’s right or wrong," Elizabeth said, tightening her grip on his hand. "You know you love Courtney and she knows it too. She’s told me so many times how much you would fight for her. If she believes in you, then you have to believe in yourself too. You’ve saved her before. When Ric kidnapped her and from A.J.’s sick control methods. This time is no different."

"Yes it is. I knew who did it those other times. I had a way of finding her and keeping her safe," Jason said.

"You didn’t know who took me right away either," Elizabeth reminded him.

"But I knew why," Jason countered. "They wanted information and I had a bargaining chip. I don’t know what this kidnapper wants. What if he doesn’t want anything? What if he just wanted to take them away from us?"

"I-I can’t believe that," Elizabeth said, pulling her hands away. "I can’t think about that right now. We have to find out who did this and deal with him. Then we’re going to bring Ric and Courtney home. They can’t be dead. They have to be alive so we can save them."

The rest of the ride was silent, but Jason spent a lot of that silent time thinking about Elizabeth’s words of comfort. She had taken some of the edge off simply by holding his hand. She was so strong and determined to fight. But she let him see her vulnerable and compassionate. It had been a long time since she had let him in that far. A long, long time.

He felt guilty for hurting her when she was trying so hard to be strong for him. He leaned forward, hoping to ease away some of her fears. "I’m sorry Elizabeth," Jason whispered.

Elizabeth didn’t turn and her eyes were glassy and set like stone. "It’s okay," she said.

"No, it’s not. You’re right," Jason replied. "They have to be alive. We’d feel it if they were hurt."

"Did you feel it when I was kidnapped?" Elizabeth asked, still gazing out the window.

Jason flinched, wishing he could say ‘yes’. "No," he answered. "Zander was the one who saw you get kidnapped and he came to see me. I had no idea anything had happened when I left you at the studio. I should have stayed with you. I knew there was danger and that Alcazar’s men were still around, but I left you anyway."

"You couldn’t have known," Elizabeth said. "It’s not your fault they were greedy kidnappers. They would have grabbed me eventually."

"I didn’t feel it though," Jason confessed. "I was shocked when Zander told me he heard you screaming outside your studio."

"But you might be able to feel it if Courtney was hurt," Elizabeth said. "We weren’t . . . connected so maybe that’s why you didn’t feel it." Elizabeth wanted to say, "we weren’t in love" but she couldn’t get herself to say the words.

Jason narrowed his eyes, watching her face darken. Did it hurt her to say that? Did it make her sad to think that they weren’t as close as they thought they were? It sure as hell affected him. "I didn’t feel it when Courtney was taken either. I was ready to go to the church when Carly found the note," he told her.

He wasn’t sure why he said it. He wanted to comfort her and show her that what they shared was what she thought it was. They were connected then.

"Oh," Elizabeth said. For some reason, knowing that made her feel better. Why did he say it? How did he know it would make her hurt less? The main question was why did it still hurt in the first place?

"I think a part of me always believed I could save you," Jason explained. "That’s probably why I didn’t feel that you were hurt. But when I found out, I was ready to get you back. I was so sure I could because it was just a part of my job. Except it was you, so it wasn’t really."

Elizabeth finally turned to look at him. Was he rambling?

"Then the panic started to settle in and I went crazy inside trying to figure out how I could save you. After that guy was shot, I started to let the fear in. I was desperate and I went to people I didn’t think I ever would, because I started to get that feeling inside that you needed me because you were in danger. Not just kidnapped. I had that feeling," Jason told her, emphasizing the meaning of his words.

"You did?" she asked, her eyes growing wide.

"After Edward and Taggert both came up empty, I didn’t know what to do. And then finally, Benny called with new information and I felt like I could breathe again," Jason said.

"You went to Edward? Your grandfather?!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "And Taggert? The police got involved?"

"They didn’t help," Jason said, not realizing the significance of his actions.

"You hate them, Jason, and Taggert hates you. My kidnapping was a part of the business, why would you let the cops get involved?" Elizabeth asked, stunned by the revelation.

"You could have died in that place," Jason said frantically. "I had to find you no matter what I had to do to get there. Taggert offered to search the buildings on the list that Edward gave to me because I couldn’t get in without a warrant."

"Why did Edward agree to help? He’s not exactly selfless," Elizabeth commented.

Jason sighed. "He said I’d have to go to dinner and then he’d give me the list."

Elizabeth’s jaw dropped. "And you did?"

Jason nodded. "But I was only there for a few minutes. A.J. burst into his victim routine and scared Courtney by throwing something. I knew I was wasting my time, so I grabbed the list and left."

"Who else, Jason?" Elizabeth asked, not understanding why she needed to know so badly.

"No one else," Jason said, looking at her curiously. "No, that’s not true. I did ask A.J. to help me get into ELQ. He said no obviously."

"You hate him more than you hate Edward and Taggert," Elizabeth whispered.

Elizabeth couldn’t believe Jason had done all that for her. She had no idea how much he cared about her. She only knew that he had let her go. Now she could see that there was so much she never understood.

Jason continued his story. "When I got to the crypt, I knew it. I could feel it in my gut that you weren’t okay. I tried to open that crypt door and I was so afraid for you, I could barely fit the keys in."

"But you did get in and you took me out into the fresh air just in time," Elizabeth said, tears filling her eyes. She grasped his hand. "You saved my life."

Jason sighed. "But---"

"But nothing. I told you in that hospital that I thought it was a stupid reason to die just because I was your friend. But knowing what you went through to save me, I am even more convinced that my faith in you was justified," Elizabeth said.

"And unshakable," Jason whispered, remembering her words. "What happened Elizabeth? When did you lose faith?"

Elizabeth looked sadly at the man before her. His eyes were so open and vulnerable. It hurt her heart to look at him. "I lost faith when you moved on. I lost faith when I wasn’t enough for you to fight for. And even then, I cared. When did you give up trying, Jason?"

"When you told me you didn’t want to know about my life," Jason said. "I thought that was when you lost faith in me."

Elizabeth shook her head. "I still wanted you to fight," Elizabeth admitted. "But you didn’t. You took what I said at face value and walked away. I thought you could see right through me, but you didn’t. You didn’t even try. I guess I can’t blame you. I should have known how easy it was to let me go. Lucky did it, my parents did it. You were just next in a long line of people who abandoned me once it got too hard."

Jason felt his heart twist with her confession. He didn’t want to be another one of those people who left her. He wanted to be the one who stayed. "I thought you didn’t want me to anymore. It’s been a long time since I could look into your eyes and know what you were thinking. When you slept with Zander, suddenly everything I knew about you and how you felt about me disappeared. When I came back and you told me you and Lucky were over, I thought finally this was my chance. But it wasn’t," Jason confessed. "I felt myself being ripped apart when I saw you kissing Zander in your studio. I couldn’t feel anything. I was numb inside and I wanted you to feel it too. I was never vengeful before. I was never a lot of things until I met you."

"Is that why you turned away from me the next day?" Elizabeth said, remembering the look he had given her on the docks.

Jason nodded. "I couldn’t believe you could sleep with him after everything we’ve gone through. I thought for once that it was me you wanted."

"It was always you I wanted!" Elizabeth blurted out.

Jason sucked in a breath, shocked by her outburst. "Me?"

Elizabeth froze, realizing what she had just said. She shouldn’t have said it. It was wrong to say that when her husband needed her to find him. She shouldn’t have said that out loud. But most of all, she shouldn’t have felt it in the first place.

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 19

Time seemed to stand still in that moment. Jason couldn’t speak because he couldn’t believe she had just said that. She couldn’t have meant it. She was married and she had moved on. Wasn’t that what they just established?

Elizabeth couldn’t speak because she didn’t understand why she had blurted it out. It felt so honest and real, like the most truthful thing she had ever told him in the last year, but it still felt so wrong.

Suddenly, before another word could be spoken, the vehicle pulled to a stop and the driver parked the car behind the warehouse. The glass divider rolled down and Johnny murmured, "We’re here, Jason."

Jason clenched his fists tightly and pushed open the door. The bright light of the afternoon seemed to bury the emotions that had engulfed the inside of the limousine.

Elizabeth clutched her jacket and stepped out onto the black concrete. She had never really seen this side of town in daylight. It seemed strange, like it didn’t belong in the middle of this small town.

"Sonny’s expecting us. They found Javier," Johnny explained, looking at the both of them curiously.

Jason nodded. "I’m going inside. You stay and make sure Elizabeth’s safe." He then turned to Elizabeth. "Will you stay here while we get business done with?"

Elizabeth stared at him in shock. Did he just ASK her to stay outside? What happened to the control freak from an hour ago? She choked out an answer, "Sure."

He smiled gently, though his face was still restrained. "I’ll be back and I’ll let you know if Javier tells us anything."

Elizabeth nodded slowly. "Jason," she said, grabbing his arm. "Be careful, okay?"

He nodded in reply and then walked into the warehouse, his skin still tingling where her hand had brushed him.

Elizabeth leaned against the limousine, her face revealing her confusion.

"Is something wrong?" Johnny asked, watching her expressions.

Elizabeth turned to him curiously. "You ever feel like everything is happening around you and you can’t do anything about it?"

Johnny shook his head, though a twinkle passed through his eyes. "What do you mean?" he prodded.

"I don’t know. Something’s . . . different. I don’t feel the same way I did two days ago. It’s like there’s a shift in my world or something," Elizabeth muttered. "I’m rambling, aren’t I?"

Johnny smiled. "It’s okay."

Elizabeth shook her head. "I always used to do that. When I’m nervous or trying to figure something out, I ramble. Jason used to just tilt his head and listen like it was completely normal. It was so easy to be silly or naïve or make no sense."

Johnny nodded. "Jason’s like that."

Elizabeth closed her eyes, her mind trying to process something. "When I’m with Ric, I can’t do that. I start to, but then he thinks I doubt him and then I have to reassure him. He needs to believe that I believe him. It’s not that I’m pretending because I really do want to be the woman he needs, but at the same time, it’s so different around Jason."

"Jason’s not your husband," Johnny pointed out.

Elizabeth bit her lower lip, her eyes still shut tight. "I know."

"But?" Johnny persisted, seeing that she was trying to say something.

"With Jason, there was this connection. This way that he made me feel. Like whatever I felt was okay. Mad, frustrated, happy, upset, depressed, whatever it was I felt was all right with him," Elizabeth explained.

"And you wish you had that with Ric?" Johnny questioned.

Elizabeth sighed. "Ric needs me to believe in him. He loves me and he changed for me. He isn’t asking for anything unreasonable, just my trust. Jason once told me that when you love someone what they want matters too."

"But when you loved Jason all he wanted was for you to be you, right?" Johnny concluded.

Elizabeth shook her head. "No, that’s not what I meant."

Johnny gave her a knowing look. "What do you mean?"

Elizabeth groaned. "I don’t know! That’s the problem. Everything made sense two days ago. Two days ago I was going to start a family with the man I loved. We were supposed to celebrate over breakfast and suddenly my world crashed in all around me."

"Life changes on a dime," Johnny murmured.

Elizabeth nodded. "But it shouldn’t change how you feel so quickly. I shouldn’t be thinking about the past and what could have been when my husband, the father of my child is out there waiting for me to find him. It’s not right."

"It’s not right for who?" Johnny asked.

"For Ric, for me, for Jason, for anyone . . ." Elizabeth rambled. "I shouldn’t be feeling what I’m feeling. I shouldn’t be thinking about things that don’t matter. I made my choices and so did he."

"Who? Ric?" Johnny inquired.

"Jason," Elizabeth whispered. She leaned back further, taking a seat on the trunk of the limousine. "No one tells you when you’re growing up that life is going to be so complicated. They paint this picture of falling love, starting a family, maybe a career in between and then comes the white picket fences and the 2.5 children. No one talks about emotions that don’t make sense or memories that come back to haunt you."

"That’s because they want to hope that for you it’ll be different. They need to see that someone can find happiness without the pain and the complications," Johnny tried to rationalize.

"Ric made it easy, you know? He would look at me and he made me feel like I was the one truly beautiful thing in his life. He made me feel like I mattered to him. Not just as a friend, but as someone who could make him better. He ended his vendetta with Sonny for me and he spent his life planning that," Elizabeth said.

"Grand gestures and sacrifices are hard to turn your back on, aren’t they?" Johnny pointed out.

Elizabeth flinched remembering something she had said to Jason so many lifetimes ago. She couldn’t turn her back on a miracle from her past then and she couldn’t turn her back on a future now. "It’s not fair for me to change my mind," she said echoing an old sentiment. "I told Ric I loved him and that I would always be there to support him no matter what. I made promises that I can’t break. This child is depending on me to love its father and make a home for it to grow up in."

"No, it’s not fair," Johnny agreed. "But it’s also not fair for this child to live in a home where everything is a lie. If you don’t really love this guy the way you want to love someone, what good is it for this kid? Truth has a way of making itself known and sooner or later, it’s going to end up hurting this child."

"My parents, they sacrificed for me," Elizabeth told Johnny. "They gave up an opportunity of a lifetime because they had to take care of me. I’ve always felt like that was the reason I never belonged."

Johnny nodded. "You see? It’s better for this baby if you make a choice that’s true to what you want."

"But I do want Ric. I want a house in the country and a studio with canvases waiting to be filled for my next art show," Elizabeth said wistfully. "I want a backyard with a pool where my children can run around and grow up in. I want a husband who takes care of me and believes in me."

"It’s a nice dream and you deserve all of that," Johnny began, "but is it worth it if it doesn’t make you happy?"

"I will be happy," Elizabeth insisted. "I just need Ric to come home. I’m just afraid for him and that’s why I’m having all these doubts. Once he’s back, everything will be okay again."

As a tear trickled down Elizabeth’s face, Johnny could tell she was lying. Not to him, but to herself. Things would never be okay for her. Not as long as she kept trying to convince herself that she was wrong for wanting more for herself. Elizabeth needed something that Ric Lansing could never give her. Something that someone else could.

"Johnny, there’s trouble around the front corridor," a guard explained, running up to him. "Marco left to check it out, but that leaves Sonny and Jason without backup."

"You stay here," Johnny instructed. "I’ll go see where Adam is and cover the north entry."

The guard nodded and looked at Elizabeth. "Maybe you should get inside the limousine. It’s better if you are not in full view."

Elizabeth quickly slipped into the car, wondering what was going on. As she twisted the jacket in her hand tighter, she tried to fight the worry. Her breathing grew heavy as she wondered where Jason was and if he was all right. She prayed that Johnny would keep both Sonny and Jason safe while they found out what they needed from Javier. She was worried because Jason could help find Ric, she tried to convince herself. That was it.

Suddenly, the divider glass pulled down and a brown-haired head turned to face her. "Hey, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth jumped in her seat. "A.J.! What the hell are you doing out here?"

A.J. smirked. "I’m here to help you. I thought there was something you’d like to know," he explained, leaning over the divider.

"Look, if this is about you kidnapping Courtney and Ric, I’m warning you. I already told Jason what you said to me. He will go after you if anything happens to me," Elizabeth said, backing up in her seat as A.J. leaned closer.

"Calm down," A.J. replied. "I am not here to hurt you. Like I said, I’ve got information you might want to hear."

Elizabeth looked at him warily. "You have ten seconds before I scream."

A.J. nodded. "Fair enough." Then he began his explanations and told her what he knew.

Inside of the warehouse, Sonny and Jason had Javier tied to a chair bound and gagged.

"One more time," Jason said, his gun pointed towards the two-bit dealer. "Do you know where your boss put Sonny’s sister?"

Javier glared at Jason but didn’t answer. The gag kept him from speaking, but he wasn’t making an attempt to answer anyway. Either he was stubborn or real stupid.

"He’s not talking," Sonny growled, pounding a fist through the table.

"Maybe he just needs a little bit more persuasion," Jason muttered, glaring at the drug dealer and stepping closer with his weapon in hand.

"We’ve tried but he’s useless. Either he doesn’t know anything or he’s suicidal. Either way, he isn’t going to tell us anything we need to know," Sonny said, throwing a glass against the warehouse walls.

As the glass shattered and the sound echoed, Jason sighed in frustration. Sonny had been trying to get information out of this guy for hours but he wasn’t budging. Javier obviously knew nothing. He was too much of a coward to keep information when his life was on the line. Jason knew guys like Javier and he knew loyalty didn’t mean much to men like him. "This doesn’t mean Alcazar’s partner doesn’t have Courtney," Jason pointed out. "Just because Javier doesn’t know it, doesn’t mean his boss doesn’t have her tied up somewhere. After all, this is personal and Javier is just a lackey."

Sonny nodded in agreement. He leaned in and whispered to Jason, "I guess I should have seen this coming. Still, this guy is going to lead us to his boss. We’ll let him go and have him followed. We’ll find the bastard who took my sister and bring her home."

Jason clenched his fists. "Then this will be over."

Sonny snorted. "In more ways than one."

"Elizabeth ran into A.J. this morning," Jason brought up, remembering that she was just outside. "She said he was acting suspicious."

Sonny raised an eyebrow. "You think A.J. is involved in all this?"

"It’s just a theory, but A.J. witnessed Courtney being grabbed from the hotel and he didn’t report it," Jason said. "There must be a reason he didn’t. Either he’s the kidnapper or he knows something we don’t. Either way, he’s a lead we should test out."

Sonny nodded. "That’s a good idea. It’s funny how Elizabeth seems to be the reason we’re getting anywhere."

Jason looked up with a distance in his eyes. "Yeah, it is."

The front entrance to the warehouse opened and Johnny came running in. "There was a decoy in the front causing trouble," he explained to his employers.

"A decoy?" Sonny asked. "Who’s dealing with it?"

"Marco," Johnny explained. "It turned out to be just a bunch of kids but it seems like it was meant for a distraction."

"Elizabeth!" Jason exclaimed, rushing towards the back door.

As all three men ran outside, the guard standing by the limo stared at them. "What happened?" he asked.

"Where’s Elizabeth?" Jason growled, grabbing the guard by the jacket.

"She’s in there," he gestured towards the limousine.

Jason shoved the guard against the car and let go. He pulled open the door and shouted, "Elizabeth?"

Sonny came rushing by his side, looking into the limousine with Johnny close behind him. "Is she there?" Sonny asked.

"Is she okay?" Johnny inquired.

As Jason backed away, they saw Elizabeth sitting in the back seat with a bewildered look on her face. The brunette looked up at both men curiously. "I’m right here. Is something wrong?" she asked.

"There was a decoy set up in the front entrance," Jason explained. "Are you okay?"

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "Of course I am, why shouldn’t I be?"

"We thought it was a set up for them to grab you," Sonny explained.

"Did you find anything out about Javier?" Elizabeth asked.

Jason and Sonny stared at each other and quickly raced back to the warehouse with both guards following them. Javier might have escaped and the decoy may have been a double job.

Finding herself alone again, Elizabeth quickly ran around and opened the side door. "The coast is clear," she whispered.

A.J. stepped out of the limousine and crouched around to the other side. "Remember what we talked about," he emphasized.

Elizabeth nodded. "I will. I’ll give you a call as soon as I can get away."

"Good," A.J. smirked. "You can’t tell anyone I was here."

"I won’t but you better get out of here before they catch you," Elizabeth warned.

A.J. nodded and quickly raced in the other direction.

Elizabeth sighed with relief as soon as he was out of sight. No one could know A.J. had been there if this was going to work. What he told her had explained so much, but her mind was having a hard time dealing with it. She knew what she had to do, though, and this was going to take a lot of lying and diversions. She just hoped she could do it despite how she felt at the moment.

She quickly got back into the limousine and slammed the door behind her. Before she could sit down, she jumped as she realized she had company.

"Ms. Lansing," the man smiled. "So nice to finally meet you."

She lost her voice as she realized she was staring at a ghost. "A-Alcazar?"

The man grinned. "I see you’ve heard of me. Although I think you might mean my brother." He stretched out his hand and introduced himself, "Please, call me Lorenzo. I think we’re past formalities, don’t you?"

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 20

"What are you doing in here? If you don’t leave right now, Sonny will have his men personally escort you out," Elizabeth threatened, still in shock over seeing Luis Alcazar’s twin brother.

Lorenzo chuckled. "I don’t think so. I am sure Javier is doing a fine job keeping them distracted. Although, I am disappointed. I would think Morgan would be more cautious about his fiancé."

"You have Courtney?" Elizabeth gasped, backing up in her seat. She was getting tired of these limousine confrontations and she couldn’t believe A.J. had lied to her.

Lorenzo raised an eyebrow. "Courtney?" he asked, bewildered.

Elizabeth was confused. Lorenzo seemed sincerely surprised. "You just said Jason should be more careful about his fiancé."

"Yes, and?" Lorenzo asked, not understanding her strange reaction to his statement.

Then it dawned on Elizabeth. Lorenzo Alcazar was talking about HER, not Courtney. She slipped and now Lorenzo would know about the kidnapping and use it against Sonny and Jason. She had to cover fast. "Well, you see, my ex-husband, Ric Lansing, ran off with Courtney Matthews who was engaged to my current fiancé. But not many people know about that or that I am engaged to Jason and so I figured you meant Courtney."

"But what did you mean, I HAVE her?" Lorenzo questioned, getting suspicious of the young brunette.

"Well, Courtney isn’t exactly a one-man kind of girl. I thought she might have dumped Ric for you, that’s all," Elizabeth said, hoping that she was convincing.

Lorenzo shook his head, not really following Elizabeth. "No, I don’t know any Courtney Matthews. I am not surprised about Ric though. He used to work for my brother and he had a way with the ladies."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Elizabeth asked, her eyes narrowed.

"Nothing, just that you shouldn’t feel bad that he cheated on you. Ric Lansing is very smooth. He’s left behind quite a few broken hearts in South America. Once he got what he wanted, he was onto the next conquest," Lorenzo explained.

Elizabeth wanted to shout at him that he was wrong and that Ric could never do that. She wanted to tell Lorenzo that Ric loved her and she had changed him into a good man. She wanted to say so many things, but inside she knew she had to believe them first. No, she told herself, it was actually because she didn’t want to blow her cover. Really.

Elizabeth bit her lower lip in frustration. Lorenzo Alcazar had no reason to lie to her. He barely knew her and he seemed to want her on his side. Insulting her or her husband, well ex-husband, wouldn’t help his case. Why would he say these things about Ric, then, if they weren’t true?

Elizabeth sighed. It didn’t matter anyway. "Why are you here?" she asked, hoping to change the subject.

Lorenzo relaxed in his seat and watched the brunette carefully. "I came to speak to you, actually."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "About what? What could I possibly do for you? I didn’t even know your brother."

Lorenzo brushed his beard with his hand. "I am not here because of Luis. Although the fool did have a thing for short brunettes," Lorenzo laughed. "I am here to talk business. Sonny Corinthos and Jason Morgan currently hold the power in a territory I am interested in."

"I can’t do anything for you," Elizabeth quickly interrupted. "Jason and Sonny keep their personal lives and business separate."

Lorenzo nodded. "But I am sure if persuaded, the line could be crossed."

"Are you threatening me?" Elizabeth asked, starting to feel anger instead of fear.

Lorenzo shook his head again. "No, of course not. You misunderstand. I would just like to explain to you that my partnership could be very beneficial to Sonny’s business. It would be to his advantage to consider it. It would be profitable for both of us."

"I would NEVER tell Sonny to let drugs through his territory," Elizabeth spat at the older man, her fear dissipated with her rage. "I have seen too many kids ruin their lives with drugs, least of all my best friend. If you want to persuade Sonny to work with you, ask him yourself. Although, I am sure he wouldn’t agree to it."

Lorenzo scoffed. "Sonny is no saint. He used to run small time before he became the golden mob boss."

"He’s changed," Elizabeth said, glaring at Lorenzo.

"No one changes that much," Lorenzo smirked. "Think about what I said."

Before Elizabeth could respond to his insulting proposal he was gone. She let out a sigh of relief. At least one thing was clear. Luis Alcazar had a brother and that brother wasn’t the one who grabbed Ric or Courtney.

Inside the warehouse, Sonny’s men were searching everywhere. Whoever had set up the distractions had been efficient. There wasn’t a trace of Javier anywhere in the building.

"Damn it!" Sonny shouted, kicking the nearest solid object.

Jason watched as the chair bounced against the cement floor. "We’ll find him. I sent Max and Marco to follow his trail."

"There is no trail," Sonny said through gritted teeth. "Javier and whoever he’s working for have my sister and they are getting away with it."

"No, they aren’t," Jason said calmly. "We don’t know if they have Courtney. They want trouble, that’s for sure, but it’s not definite they kidnapped her."

"They want something from me," Sonny observed, "so they grab my sister and brother for leverage. Simple."

"But if this guy is Alcazar’s brother, then he would know Ric. If he knew Ric, he would know that Ric was planning on bringing you down," Jason rationalized.

"So?" Sonny asked.

"That means that he would know about the tension between you and Ric. Why kidnap a brother who hates you and who you hate for revenge?" Jason questioned. "It makes no sense."

Sonny slammed his fist against the table. "Kidnapping my sister doesn’t make sense no matter what the bastard knows. The only thing that does is the motive and that is to get leverage against me."

"What if . . . what if it’s not about you?" Jason suggested. "What if it’s about me?"

"You mean A.J.?" Sonny asked. "A.J. doesn’t have the resources and why would he do it? What would he accomplish? The only thing he’s ever wanted was Michael. Why hasn’t he sent a ransom note? Why hasn’t he been around to brag about one-upping me?"

Jason shrugged. "A.J. might be biding his time. We don’t know what he’s up to. We need to have him followed."

Sonny nodded. "All right. Send Adam or Johnny to do it. I’m going back to the penthouse to see if there’s been any news."

Jason watched as Sonny left and suddenly remembered that Elizabeth was still outside. Alone.

He rushed out the door and went towards the limousine. The guards had all ran after Javier and the driver had been posted at the entrance on the other side of the building.

"Elizabeth?" Jason called out, pulling open the limousine door.

Elizabeth peered up at him. "Did he get away?" she asked.

Jason sighed with relief that she was okay. He nodded slowly. "He left when we went to check on you, but we’ll find him."

Elizabeth bit her lower lip. "I should tell you something, but you have to promise not to freak out."

Jason’s eyes widened. "I can’t promise that, Elizabeth." Although a part of him was glad his word meant something to her again.

"Okay," Elizabeth hesitated. "A.J. was here."

Jason sat quickly inside the limousine and shut the door. "What was he doing here? Where was the guard?"

"I don’t know how he got in, but he came to tell me that I have to cooperate with him if I want my husband back," Elizabeth whispered. "He’s got Ric, Jason."

Jason’s fists clenched. "And Courtney?"

Elizabeth looked down at her lap. "He’s got her too."

"He’s going to pay!" Jason growled, his fists slamming against the glass.

"Jason," Elizabeth exclaimed, reaching out to his bandaged fist. "Be careful," she said quietly.

Jason watched as her hands covered his and he felt his heart swell with anticipation. Licking his lips, he pulled back quickly. "It’s okay. I’m fine."

"Oh," Elizabeth replied, pulling back into her corner.

"What did he want?" Jason asked, trying to control his anger against his estranged brother.

"He wants Michael," Elizabeth explained. "He said if I wanted to see my husband again, I had to convince you and Sonny to give him back his rights to his son. He is blackmailing me so he can be a part of Michael’s life again."

"No," Jason replied, his jaw taut with rage. "That sick bastard isn’t coming anywhere near Michael."

"But what about Ric? And Courtney?" Elizabeth asked. "A.J. isn’t going to tell us where he has them."

Suddenly there was a knock against the glass window beside Jason. He rolled down the window and spoke to his guard. "Johnny, take us back to Harborview Towers."

"Actually," Elizabeth interrupted. "Could you take me home?"

Jason responded quickly. "You’re not safe on your own."

"I’m obviously not safe in your care either," Elizabeth pointed out. "I just need to be home where I am around things that are familiar. It’ll relieve the stress. It’ll be better for the baby."

Jason’s mouth dried. He had almost forgotten that Elizabeth was pregnant . . . with Ric’s child. "Okay," he conceded. "Take us to Ric’s apartment."

Johnny nodded and jumped into the driver’s seat. He started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot towards the apartment.

Elizabeth and Jason sat in silence for awhile. Elizabeth kept twisting her hands nervously as Jason stared out the glass trying to figure out what to do about A.J.

"You know, if you force A.J. he still won’t give them up," Elizabeth said, breaking the silence. "He is desperate and he feels like he has nothing to lose."

"Then we’ll give him something to lose," Jason growled.

"What do you mean?" Elizabeth asked.

"Nothing," Jason sighed, not wanting to worry or scare Elizabeth. "I’ll let Sonny know what’s going on and we’ll figure something out. Can you trust me to make this right for you?"

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. Why was he trying to reassure her? His fiancé was missing too! She hesitated but replied, "I-I trust you, Jason . . . to save Courtney and Ric. Just, please, don’t underestimate A.J. He seemed pretty determined to get his son back."

Jason looked out the window again. Elizabeth thought he had put his wall up but he asked her, "Do you think he’s justified?"

Elizabeth turned to face Jason with curiosity. "A.J.?"

Jason nodded. "I took away his son. I gave Michael to a mob boss and a life that is dangerous. A life that you hate."

"I don’t hate it," Elizabeth said quickly. She hesitated but admitted, "I just think it’s a pointless reason to die."

"Fine, you don’t hate it but you don’t accept it," Jason said. "And you must hate me because it’s my fault your husband is out there instead of here celebrating your baby together."

"I won’t lie. I think it’s a very stupid reason for my husband being gone," Elizabeth said honestly.

Jason’s fists unclenched slightly in defeat.

Elizabeth leaned closer. "But you didn’t use that reason, A.J. did. He is trying to rip a child away from the family he knows because he’s too selfish to see that there are better ways to show that you love someone. Kidnapping two innocent people to gain something is stupid and selfish and sick. It’s not your fault that he’s a psycho, Jason."

Jason let out a breath of air. He didn’t know why he cared so much what she thought of him. It shouldn’t matter if she approved of his choices. It shouldn’t matter whether she thought he was right. It shouldn’t matter what she thought of him. It just shouldn’t.

"We’re here," Johnny said, pulling up in front of the building.

Jason opened the door, and stepped out onto the driveway. Leaning against the limousine, he held the door open for Elizabeth.

Elizabeth stepped onto the concrete and stared up at the apartment building. Just two days ago, she felt this sense of belonging whenever she saw it. Now there was nothing. How could a feeling disappear so quickly?

"Thanks, Elizabeth," Jason said as she walked towards the entrance.

Elizabeth turned around. "For what?"

"For telling me about A.J. I know he must have scared you and threatened you," Jason said.

Elizabeth bit her lower lip, knowing that Jason was starting to trust her again. "It wasn’t a problem. I know that you can stop A.J. and get my husband back for me."

"You didn’t think so yesterday," Jason said, smiling gently.

"Things change," she whispered. "Good night, Jason."

Jason nodded. "Good night, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth waited as Jason got into the limousine and pulled away. Putting her hand over her chest, she found it beating rapidly.

Was this how Jason felt when he had to lie to her about Sonny’s fake death?

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 21

Jason slammed the door as soon as he stepped into his penthouse. He had gotten no closer to finding Courtney and his concentration was shot. Sonny was still out there chasing after Javier and not answering his cell phone. The guards who had been sent to tail A.J. had lost him somewhere on the Quartermaine grounds. Courtney was still in danger and there was still nothing he could do about it. Damn it.

That should have been what bothered him the most. It should have been the reason he had slammed that door. It should have been the reason he wanted to punch something . . . or someone. But it wasn’t.

Instead, he had a voice in the back of his head whispering to him, a voice that shouldn’t be there and feelings that shouldn’t exist.

I trust you, Jason . . . to save Courtney and Ric.

But she didn’t trust him otherwise? After everything they had been to each other, she didn’t know that he would never do anything to hurt her? Had things really gotten that far?

He remembered the day in the park when he tried to warn her about Ric and she had asked him if he would hurt her. Was that the beginning of the end? Had the lies and the trust become so lost that she didn’t know if he would attack her?

Slamming a drawer shut, he shouted, "Damn it!"

I’m obviously not safe in your care either.

Why couldn’t he protect her anymore? All the times he had pushed her away because his life was too dangerous, he had always been able to protect her. Now that she wasn’t in his life anymore, he couldn’t do a thing to keep her safe when she was in danger.

All the pushing and misunderstandings to keep her safe, to keep her out of the life he led, it had all been for nothing. No matter what he, the danger would always be there.

He needed to protect her and walking away was the only way he knew how, but it didn’t work. Nothing worked. He couldn’t save her, he couldn’t be trusted by her and he couldn’t change her mind.

But . . . there was something there. Something he didn’t try to put there, something he never made happen. Somehow, it had happened all on its own.

It was always you I wanted!

She blurted it out so quickly, he barely had the chance to take it in before she pulled back again. She couldn’t have meant it. It was said in the heat of the moment and she was angry.

Jason rubbed his forehead with his hands. He couldn’t think about this. He had to find Courtney, his fiancé. Thinking about another woman wasn’t right.

Jason clenched his hands into a fist, took a deep breath and tried to banish the thoughts from his mind. It wasn’t right that when he closed his eyes he saw a woman with brown hair, porcelain skin, and expressive eyes. It wasn’t right that he was imagining holding a woman with a frame that fit right beneath his chin. It wasn’t right that he was struggling to remember her smile or craving her touch. None of it was right.

Gripping the edge of his desk he realized that even if it wasn’t right, it was very real.

A knock resounded into the room. Jason paused, tightening his jaw. He hoped it was Sonny so that they could finally use all their resources to track down A.J. He would squeeze the answers they needed from the bastard, then maybe he could sort out his feelings and get his life back the way it was.

When he opened the door, he was surprised to find Sonny’s wife instead. "Carly, what’s wrong? Did you get another note?"

Carly shook her head, stepping into the room. "I just heard you slam the door and I was wondering what was going on over here. Sonny’s not home and I’m worried."

Jason shrugged. "I don’t know where Sonny is, but we know who took Courtney and Ric."

"Who?" Carly asked, spinning around to face him.

"A.J.," Jason answered.

"What?!" Carly exclaimed. "A.J.? Why? And how did he pull it off? That idiot couldn’t even set fire to a club the right way, how could he kidnap two people and keep them hidden from Sonny’s men?"

Jason shook his head. "I don’t know, but he has Courtney and Ric because he wants leverage to gain access to Michael."

"He sure as hell won’t get it," Carly growled.

"I know," Jason reassured her. "A.J. is desperate. Once we find him, we’ll get Courtney and Ric back."

Carly raised an eyebrow. "You keep saying Courtney and Ric," she observed.

Jason furrowed his eyebrows. "So what?"

"I would think you’d be more worried about Courtney rather than that psychotic brother of Sonny’s," Carly retorted.

"I promised Elizabeth that I would get Ric back too, remember?" Jason replied, staring at her blankly.

Carly nodded, "I know, but that’s not what I mean. Elizabeth isn’t here. Why do you keep saying his name?"

Jason shook his head, pacing the room. "Carly, this is no time to analyze my vocabulary. We have to get Sonny back here so we can make a move on A.J."

"How did you know it was him?" Carly inquired.

"Elizabeth told me," Jason explained.

"How did she figure it out? How do you know this isn’t another one of her wild goose chases so she can feel like a hero?" Carly smirked.

Jason glared at the blonde. "Actually, Elizabeth was just staying out of our way when A.J. showed up trying to force her to cooperate with him. He threatened her husband if she didn’t find a way to get you and Sonny to let him see Michael. Instead of agreeing, she told me the truth."

Carly looked shocked. "Well, the little twit isn’t so dumb after all."

"She didn’t try and do it on her own," Jason pointed out. "No secret plans or elaborate lies."

"Okay, okay, I get the message," Carly sneered, taking a seat on Jason’s couch. "What does Sonny think about all of this?"

"All of what?" Jason questioned.

"A.J. being the kidnapper," Carly said matter-of-factly.

"He doesn’t know," Jason explained. "I haven’t had the chance to talk to him since he’s been following another lead."

"But when I walked in here, you said, WE know who took Ric and Courtney," Carly pointed out.

"Right, we do," Jason said, confused by Carly’s comments. "Elizabeth was the one who found out."

Her eyes narrowed. She didn’t like this ‘we’ business. "Okay, Jason, whatever it is that happened between the last time I saw you and now, it has seriously messed with your head."

"What are you talking about, Carly?" Jason replied, feeling like he was on his last nerve.

"You’re acting all weird," Carly sneered. "Does this have to do with Elizabeth?"

He gave Carly a disparaging look. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

"Please, Jason. I know you better than anyone else," Carly taunted him. "You seem distracted. Has she been trying to get her hooks into you?"

His eyes narrowed but he didn’t respond. Carly was out of her mind.

She took his silence as a ‘yes’. "That bitch. I knew she was too jealous and selfish to see that you’re clearly in love and planning a future with your fiancé. Besides, isn’t she pregnant? What is she doing running after you when her poor husband is in danger and she’s carrying his child? And people say I’m twisted."

"Carly, shut up," Jason warned his voice deathly calm. "First of all, Elizabeth is just trying to find her husband and doing the best she can under the circumstances. Secondly, she’s not you. She wouldn’t be running after me when she’s carrying someone else’s child."

Carly’s jaw dropped. Jason’s tone was like acid and she had obviously offended him. "Look, Jason. I’m sorry. I’m just looking out for you. It’s not like Elizabeth doesn’t have a history. Remember Lucky and Zander? She clearly has a problem making a commitment. She always went to you, trying to keep you on her leash while claiming her undying love for other men."

"Lucky was her first love and she never said she loved Zander," Jason retorted.

"You’re defending her?" Carly exclaimed with shock. "You two haven’t spoken civilly for 6 months now and suddenly you’re defending her for hurting you?"

"I’m not doing anything," Jason growled. Gripping the edge of the pool table he sighed. "I just . . . I understand where she’s coming from. She had cared about Lucky and Zander and she wasn’t purposely trying to lead me on or hurt me. She genuinely had feelings for me . . . she just had other people in her life."

"What do you mean you understand her?" Carly asked, her eyes wide. "You have NEVER been torn between two people in your whole life."

"You mean my whole 7 years of being alive?" Jason spat back, pushing at the pool table.

"Jason, where is all of this coming from? Why are you so upset?" Carly questioned, concerned for her best friend. She reached out to touch his shoulder but pulled back when she felt him tense up.

"I don’t know!" Jason shouted. "I don’t know why I’m so upset. I don’t know why I’m feeling anything that I’m feeling."

Carly’s eyes widened with recognition. "Oh my god, Jason. Your fiancé is out there, possibly hanging onto her life waiting for you to find her and NOW you decide you have feelings for Elizabeth again?" Carly scolded him, suddenly realizing what was wrong.

Jason spun around in anger. "It’s not like I asked for this, Carly! I hate it. I wish I could find Courtney and bring her back safely so we can start our life together. I wish things were like they were two days ago when all I thought about was my future with Courtney and no one else. I wish I could just turn it off and do what’s right. But wishing doesn’t change a damn thing."

"I know that!" Carly exclaimed. "But look at what she’s doing to you, Jason. She’s tricking you, I know it. You would never be feeling any of this if she weren’t playing you. I know you’re not that experienced when it comes to relationships, you’ve only had a few in your life, but you have to see what’s going on here. Elizabeth is using this situation to her advantage. She’s trying to get revenge on Courtney and steal you from the woman you really love. Can’ you see what she’s doing to you?"

"Elizabeth wouldn’t do that!" Jason yelled, rejecting the idea immediately. "She would never manipulate someone just to win. That’s not who she is."

"I hate to break it to you, Jason, but you aren’t exactly the expert when it comes to Elizabeth. Remember when Ric kidnapped Courtney? She wasn’t exactly cooperative with you," Carly reminded him.

"Just because she believed Ric’s lies doesn’t mean she’s this manipulative person you’re trying to make her out to be, Carly. You of all people should sympathize with a woman who’s desperate to find her husband," Jason grimaced.

"But that’s my point, Jason. She’s not so desperate if she’s been able to get to you already," Carly said. "She’s a fake, Jason. She’s just playing you while she can."

"I don’t care what you say, Carly. You don’t know her like I do. I’ve seen her at her worst and she has never resorted to manipulation to get what she wants," Jason growled.

"Maybe she actually loves you and genuinely wants you back," Carly suggested, brushing away any indication of Elizabeth’s sincerity. "That still doesn’t change the fact that this is all just a scheme. Maybe she kidnapped Courtney and Ric. Maybe this is all just some elaborate plan to get you back."

Jason snorted. "Carly, you can’t be that hateful. Elizabeth is not capable of that and you know it."

"She could if she had some help from Faith. God knows Faith is obsessed with Elizabeth’s psychopathic husband. Maybe Elizabeth traded Ric for some manpower," Carly speculated. "Then she had Courtney grabbed and taken to some kind of safe house and ran over here to play the victimized pregnant wife."

"Carly, you can shut up or you can leave," Jason said through gritted teeth.

"Jason," Carly began. But when she looked up, she saw the threat in Jason’s eyes. She could tell he was serious about his warning. "Okay, I get it. I just don’t understand how you, of all people, could feel anything for Elizabeth when you are engaged and seriously in love with another woman. Look at what you did for Courtney. You walked away from Sonny for her. You never did that for Elizabeth."

Jason clenched his fists. "Maybe I should have."

"What?!" Carly exclaimed. She was frozen in place and her eyes were as wide as her dropped jaw. "Oh my god. This isn’t just some flirtation, or fleeting doubt just because Courtney is gone, is it?"

Jason shook his head. "I don’t know what it is, Carly. All I know is that I feel something that I haven’t felt for a really long time and it’s not going away."

"It doesn’t matter, Jason. If you’re right and she’s not playing you, then she is in love with her husband and she is carrying his child. She moved on," Carly pointed out, trying a different angle to get through to her best friend. "She’ll only hurt you again."

"Don’t you think I know that?" Jason glared, his eyes burning with anger. "I am fighting this, whatever it is, but it’s getting stronger."

"It’s only been two days," Carly said. "Maybe if you just stay away from her, then it’ll go away."

Jason paused, processing Carly’s suggestion. Jason hated to admit it, but Carly’s suggestion made sense. If he stayed away from Elizabeth, maybe things would get back to normal. After all, hadn’t it succeeded before? "Okay," Jason answered.

Carly gasped and took a double take. "Did you just say ‘okay’? As in, ‘Carly, that was good advice and I’m going to follow it’?"

Jason nodded. "I’ll stay away from her."

Carly shook her head. "I don’t get it," Carly muttered. "But whatever she did, intentional or otherwise, it worked. You are definitely desperate if you’re taking my advice."

Jason glared at her. "Goodnight, Carly."

Carly raised an eyebrow, taking one last look at her best friend. Shaking her had and mumbling, she opened the door and walked back to her penthouse. Elizabeth had played a number on her best friend. She had never seen him look like this before. He was very, very confused.

Meanwhile, Jason shut the door behind Carly and pounded a fist against it. He hated himself for letting his emotions get the best of him. He was in love with Courtney and he just needed a few days away from Elizabeth. He had just been away from her so long that he had forgotten how she affected him that’s all. Now he knew what to expect; he’d just have to remember to avoid her until he got Courtney away from A.J.

Jason leaned his forehead against the door when suddenly the door vibrated with a knock. "Carly, go away," he mumbled. "I said I’d take your advice, so leave me alone."

The person behind the door answered, "It’s not Carly, but I can come back another time if you want."

Jason froze, staring at the chestnut door. Elizabeth. Opening the door, Jason looked down to find the face of the woman who had been haunting him all night.

Elizabeth stepped in and stared at him. He looked pale and she could tell something was off. "Are you okay, Jason?"

As she reached up to touch his forehead, he quickly backed off. "I’m fine."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "Whatever Carly suggested, don’t do it. She tried to give me advice once and it totally backfired."

Jason stopped next to the pool table. "What did she give you advice about?"

Elizabeth stared at him, trying to gauge his mood. Biting her lower lip, she sighed. "You."

Jason balled his hands into a fist, trying his best to keep his hands from reaching up to touch her face. He hated seeing her so vulnerable with him. He didn’t deserve it. "What are you doing here, Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth reached out from behind her and held out a wrapped package. "I come bearing gifts."

Jason stared at it and then gazed up at her face. He could feel something was wrong. He could see right through that plastered smile. Elizabeth was up to something.

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 22

At a secluded location outside of Port Charles, a blonde woman and a dark-haired man sat across from each other in a bare room with barred windows and solid steel doors. Cement surrounded them and two cots were placed between them. They stared at each other in silence, each wondering what the other was thinking. On the wall next to them was a screen of monitors, all featuring scenes of the life in Port Charles. Most were darkened, signifying closed businesses or empty rooms, but one glowed with tension.

"Why is she there?" the blonde whispered bitterly.

The man smirked. "Why do you think? I’m gone. It’s only natural she goes to Jason for help."

"I doubt she even noticed you’re gone. Elizabeth isn’t exactly the most dependable person," the woman retorted. "As soon as things get a little complicated she runs."

"She loves me and I make her happy. I have given her everything she’s ever wanted," the man replied angrily.

"I guess you weren’t very satisfying if she came running back to Jason so quickly," the woman sneered, observing the look the two figures were giving each other. "It only took her 48 hours to figure out what a loser she married."

"Shut up!" the man shouted. "You should be the one worried. It’s obvious that Jason is going through his own issues. We saw that shouting match with Carly. Maybe he realized he gave up a good thing for a worthless leech like you."

The woman pulled at the ropes, wanting to smack the smug look off of his face. Realizing the struggle was pointless, she grumbled, "Look, we’re in this together, so instead of getting on each other’s nerves, we should work out a plan to get out of here."

"In case you didn’t notice, we’re locked in here with no one to visit us besides a few lackeys and guards," he pointed out. "We don’t even know who grabbed us."

"Does it matter? If we figure out a plan, we could take down those guards and escape. I may hate you, but I am willing to put my disgust aside for both of us to get out of here," she said to him.

He groaned, "Have you seen those guards? You are not strong enough to take them down on your own."

"I kicked your ass didn’t I?" she smirked. "Besides, with the both of us, we could put together a weapon with whatever is in here."

Looking around, he raised an eyebrow. "This isn’t some movie. We can’t just transform a cot into a gun or restraining device. And in case you forgot, we aren’t exactly free to move around in here to create this imaginary weapon of yours." He tugged at the ropes for emphasis.

"At least I am trying to think of something. Who knows how long before Jason finds us?" she asked. "We have to find our way out from the inside."

"Wait, what’s that?" he asked, his eyes turning away from her.

She looked towards the monitors where he was focused. "What’s what?"

"That thing she has in her hands. It looks like a package," he explained, gesturing to the figure on the monitor.

She stared at it, trying to make out its shape. "I have no idea."

"Is she giving him a present?" the man gasped in disbelief.

The blonde started to laugh. "Your wife is obviously desperate. She seems to have forgotten you while shopping for Jason, her hero. Too bad."

The man glared at the woman. "You were saying something about a truce?"

At Harborview Towers, the scene played out in real life while the kidnapped victims watched closely.

Jason eyed the brown object, still skeptical of Elizabeth’s intentions. "Why are you giving it to me now?"

Reaching out to grasp his hand before he could pull away, she gave him the package. She shivered at the sensation of having his rough hands grazing hers. "It seems like the right time." She let go of him and stepped back quickly, realizing that it was dangerous to be near him.

He eyed the wrapped package and a part of him knew what it was but he didn't want it to be. "What is it?" he asked nonchalantly. Feeling it beneath the paper, his grasp tightened.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "You know what it is," she said pointedly. "You're getting a little too used to this new ability to lie."

Jason placed the package down, looking to the floor. "I'm sorry." Jason tightened his fists, grumbling to himself. He hated that his conversation with Carly was affecting him. He was acting very strangely and Elizabeth could tell.

"Don't be," Elizabeth said, looking up at him carefully. She tried to figure out why things felt so different between them suddenly. Shaking it off, she added, "It reminds me that you're only human."

Jason nodded, not wanting to feel what he was feeling because of her comments. "Why are you giving it to me now?" he asked again. He didn’t know why it was so important for him to know, but it was.

Elizabeth walked towards his window, avoiding the possibility of having to look at him directly as she spoke. "Because it's yours."

Jason followed her, but remained at a distance. "But why now?" he persisted. With everything going on around them, he couldn’t help but think she was thinking of them the way he had earlier. Did she feel it too?

She gazed out to the harbor and looked wistful. "It doesn't belong in my studio. You said it was something you came home to. The studio isn't your home anymore." Turning to face him, Elizabeth gestured, "This is."

Jason tilted his head, hoping to understand why she was here. She was in love with someone else, he reminded himself.

Elizabeth sighed. "When we find Courtney you'll get married and have the life you've always wanted . . . here, in this penthouse. I want you to have the first painting you really understood. A painting you can come home to."

"I can't," Jason said, his voice cracking with emotion. He ached inside just imagining having to look at that painting day after day knowing why it was created and why it was sitting on a cold mantle instead of her cozy studio.

Elizabeth brushed a strand of hair out of her face, angry with herself for even trying. Then, without looking at him, she grabbed the painting and headed to the door. "It was a mistake to come here. Of course you don't want it. I doubt Courtney would be too thrilled to have one of my paintings in her home anyway."

Jason grabbed her arm before she could escape. "Elizabeth, that's not what I meant," he said. They both froze for a moment while each locked into the other’s gaze.

Breaking free, Elizabeth’s eyes started to dart everywhere before she turned her back on him. She pulled her arm out of his grasp. "It doesn't matter," she said. "Ric and Courtney are still in danger. This is no time for sentimental nonsense."

"It's not nonsense. That painting means a lot to me," Jason replied, watching her reactions.

"It used to," Elizabeth corrected, her back still to him. She didn’t know what she was thinking to come over to Jason’s penthouse and hand him a painting he had probably forgotten the moment he met Courtney. She should have known better than to think he’d actually want it. She was more embarrassed than she had ever been before. Could she look more desperate?

Jason reached out to touch her, but paused just inches away. "It still does. It represents the person I was when I was with you. I will always remember what you did for me," Jason explained, hoping that she understood how much she meant to him. She didn’t see the look on his face that begged her to remember.

"What did I do for you, Jason? Gave you some soup and a ratty couch to sleep on? You more than paid me back for that," Elizabeth murmured, trying hard to hold back the tears. She didn’t want to cry. She wanted to be the strong person she wanted him to see. She wished that she could pretend with him, just for a moment.

Jason’s eyes moistened as he heard her voice. "You-you gave me strength, Elizabeth. You gave me my life back."

"Anyone would have gotten you help, Jason. I just happened to be there that morning," Elizabeth replied, trying to rationalize her doubts.

"I don’t mean that, Elizabeth," Jason clarified. "I mean all the times you stood by me, defended me and gave me a reason to live. You told me once that meeting me changed you. It changed me too. You healed me when I thought I couldn’t face my life again. You were the first person to take care of me without wanting anything in return. I can’t ever repay that."

Elizabeth wanted to tell him how wrong he was. He had paid her back with motorcycle rides to nowhere, late night talks in her studio, saving her life more than a few times . . . it all mattered. She just couldn’t let him see how much she cared. It wasn’t right for her to do that. Not when his fiancé was waiting to be rescued. She couldn’t let her lies and secrets be a way for her to take advantage of Courtney’s misfortune. "Forget I said anything, Jason," Elizabeth said her voice almost afraid to speak.

Jason shook his head. "I can’t, Elizabeth. I can’t forget your words or the fact that you’re here with a painting that will always be a part of me."

"I-I don't know why I came," Elizabeth said, reaching for the doorknob. She didn’t want to hear this, not now. It would only hurt more. She had come to let go, not to go back. "I couldn't go into the apartment because everything reminded me of Ric, so I hopped in a cab. Next thing I knew, I was in my studio. All that place did was remind me of you. I haven't been back there since I moved in with Ric. I didn't realize what that meant until I came back."

Jason didn't respond. He didn't know why it hurt so badly to hear her say this. He just knew he was doing a terrible job of escaping her influence.

Elizabeth shook her head. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be telling you this."

"You can always talk to me," he said quickly. It was almost a reflex.

Elizabeth wanted to believe that. Her heart was pounding a mile a minute and if she let it, it would reach out and latch onto that hope that he meant it. Shaking her head, she knew she couldn’t. "No, not anymore," she said, her eyes focused in front of her. "Not since the last time I walked through this door."

Jason felt his heart stop. He thought it wouldn't matter anymore . . . that she didn’t matter, but he still felt it. Every emotion and regret that had passed through him when she walked out that door had returned; it was all still there. He thought that once he found Courtney and got her away from A.J. things would go back to normal. He would finally get the happiness he had been waiting for. If only things were that simple. He wanted to be happy, but he couldn't ignore this.

"I'm going," she said, breaking through his thoughts. This was her only chance to run. She knew if she stayed there one more second, she’d let him rescue her again and she couldn’t do it. Gripping tightly on the doorknob, she added, "I'll let you know if I find out anything new."

Jason nodded. "I'll do the same." Stop, Elizabeth. Turn around, Elizabeth. Don’t go, Elizabeth . . . All the words he could never say.

Elizabeth sighed and opened the door. Stepping into the hallway, she didn’t turn around and shut the door abruptly after her. Elizabeth walked out and pressed the elevator button, not once looking back at him.

He sighed, staring at the closed the door. Leaning against it, he felt so confused. Where were all these memories coming from? It had been almost a year since they ended. Well, at least what they could have been. He thought it was over now that he found true love. What kept pulling him back?

Carly had been right. He couldn’t be around Elizabeth. Each moment pulled him in deeper. Remembering was a dangerous thing. It was something he had been avoiding since the day she told him he was out of her life for good. Now each memory just taunted him and tortured him with what could have been. He wondered if he had drowned yet. Was this what people meant when they said they felt regret?

The elevator doors opened and Elizabeth stepped in. Pressing the button for the lobby, she watched as the doors shut. As soon as it did, all her resolve melted away and she gave into the overwhelming emotion that came crashing through her. The sobs racked her body and she fell crumpled to the floor. She had never felt so alone in her life. Shaking and weak, she curled up against the wall. What had happened to her? Just a few days ago, she was happily married to the man she loved and expecting their child. When had everything gone wrong?

Staring at the painting she had dropped as she ran away from Jason and her past, she could see the colors of the painting through the tears in the packaging. She was a fool to think that she could just throw away her regrets by getting rid of that painting. That painting represented what she used to have, but the regrets would not leave with it. That was something that was marked from inside her. The painting was only oil on canvas. Nothing more.

Meanwhile, at the safe house, the two abductees stared at the monitor with their jaws dropped. Courtney turned to Ric. "What the hell was that all about?"

Ric shrugged. "How the hell am I supposed to know? This damn thing has no sound!"

"I don’t need voices to see how Elizabeth was throwing herself at my fiancé!" Courtney shouted. "She’s so desperate, it’s disgusting."

"I don’t see your fiancé exactly pushing her away!" Ric retorted. "In fact, if she had given him the chance, I bet he would have devoured her right there on the pool table."

"Shut up," Courtney hissed. "He couldn’t help it. She was taking advantage of his grief because I’m gone."

"Sure, keep telling yourself that, Courtney. At least I know she walked away," Ric smirked. "My wife knows what marriage and loyalty means unlike your fickle enforcer. Wasn’t he the one who moved onto you first?"

"She said it was over!" Courtney said defensively. "Besides, does it really matter if she walked away? How will you feel when you go to sleep each night, knowing that you’re only second choice? Knowing that if you didn’t exist, she would be running after Jason? She’d take the first excuse to leave you if she thought she had a chance."

"Which she apparently does, seeing as how Jason seems to be staring at her every chance he got," Ric pointed out. "And this is the man my brother considers loyal and trustworthy. Look how Jason treats his sister. She’s gone for two seconds and he’s chasing after the next available warm body. Too bad she isn’t available."

"She will be if we don’t get ourselves out of here," Courtney said. "Are you ready to start planning our escape yet?"

"Fine, but if you get us killed, I can at least die with the knowledge that your stupid plan drove your fiancé straight back to the woman he really loves," Ric sneered.

Courtney looked at him with daggers in her eyes. She was ready to throttle him right then and there; but first, they had to figure out a way out of those ropes.

The 11^th Hour - Chapter 23

Elizabeth wandered slowly into the bar. Just what she needed, a walk down memory lane, she thought sarcastically. If A.J. hadn’t insisted on meeting somewhere on the other side of town, Elizabeth would have never stepped into this place again.

Elizabeth took a passing glance at a reflective hubcap on the wall and wiped away a streak of mascara under her eyes. She wanted to make sure there would be no evidence that she had been crying just minutes before. Elizabeth took a seat in a dark corner of the room. The place was empty except for one guy knocked out at one table and a few young college students playing pool.

The stench of cigarette smoke mixed with the sour smell of alcohol. Years passed by and the place still looked, smelled and felt the same.

Elizabeth wrinkled her nose, trying to remember the last time she had smoked a cigarette. Narrowing her eyes at the ashtray, she realized just how much she had changed since she had come to Port Charles. Her life from the moment she saw her sister in her grandmother’s front yard played like a movie. She had loved and lost and loved and lost again. She had come as the "bad girl" and rose from the ashes as "the saint".

Still, she knew there were some things that never changed. She was still as lost as ever, trying to figure out her place in the world. All she ever wanted was a family and a place to call home. Lizzie and Elizabeth both wanted the same thing, and how close they both had gotten . . .

Absentmindedly, she placed her palm over her stomach. She promised that she would protect this child and give it the life she never had. A loving home and two loving parents. It would happen someday, she promised herself. Just not today.

Meanwhile, Jason was standing in his penthouse, still planted by the door. A part of him was waiting for her to barge back in and yell at him for not running after her, but he knew she wouldn’t.

He had let her walk away one too many times and she was finally giving up. Maybe Carly had been right. If Elizabeth was still in love with him, that would explain the hurt she wouldn’t let him see. But he felt it in his bones. The way she looked away and the way she turned her back on him was her way of hiding.

Suddenly, he shook his head. No, this couldn’t be. She was married to Ric and having his child. As soon as Ric came back, she would never even give him a second glance. They were just making progress as friends. Carly had to be wrong.

Elizabeth was not fickle. She may have been confused or torn, but she never would go after someone else just because the man she loved wasn’t around. So why had she come?

Jason knitted his eyebrows. Something was wrong. He could tell she had been keeping something from him when he had dropped her off at the apartment. Now he was even more convinced.

He stared at his desk, which had his keys resting on it. Should he?

Back at the bar, Elizabeth waited for A.J. Strumming her fingers against the wood, which had a thin layer of residue, she stared off into space.

She almost ruined any chance she had to be friends with Jason again back at his penthouse. She couldn’t believe she had let herself go over there. She knew better. She should have just let things be.

Elizabeth stared at her hand, remembering how it felt to touch his in the limousine and then later in the penthouse. She was a married woman and soon he would be too. She didn’t have a right to want more from him than his friendship.

She rubbed her forehead, feeling weary with exhaustion. Not since Lucky had she ever wanted more than a man was willing to give her. She had forgotten how much it hurt. Only this time, she knew when to give up. At least with Lucky, she had a chance. There was no good that would come from her chasing after Jason again. It would only make her seem more desperate.

She had nothing to give him. Just a child that wasn’t his and promises that he couldn’t believe in.

No, she would continue this charade with A.J. until everything was made right again. Then she would have to leave town for a little while. Find a place outside of Port Charles that might welcome her and her new family.

Leaning back in her seat, Elizabeth raised an eyebrow as she saw A.J. enter the bar. The self-satisfied smug on his face made her sick. It reminded her exactly why she was meeting him.

"Elizabeth," he greeted as he took the seat across from her. "Glad you could make it."

"It’s not like I have a choice. I need your help if I am going to keep my child safe from that kidnapper. He would kill it if it gave him leverage to do so," Elizabeth said, making sure A.J. understood that he wasn’t going to use her.

A.J. leaned closer, replying, "I know what it’s like to want to protect your child."

Elizabeth’s eyes narrowed. "Let’s get something straight here. I am not going to help you get Michael back. Sonny is Michael’s father and the only family he knows. If one day Michael decides to come to you, then fine. But until then, I am not going to be a part of ripping him away from two parents who love him and who he loves."

A.J. smirked. "Understood. But I have other reasons for wanting to help you out. I want Courtney safe. She may go running back to my brother but I do care about her."

"Why do I find that hard to believe?" Elizabeth asked. "You DO remember why you lost her, right?"

A.J. shook his head. "I know what I did was wrong, but it’s not like she wasn’t already halfway out the door when she found out the truth. She’s wanted my brother from the moment she saw him. I was just fighting to hold onto her."

As twisted as A.J. sounded, Elizabeth couldn’t help but feel jealous. She would never tolerate a man terrorizing a woman or making her a victim, but she had to envy his desire to fight for the woman he loved. "Just as long as we understand each other, things will work out fine for both of us. Now, I need to know if you’ve set up the meeting."

A.J. smiled at her with knowing eyes. There was a fire in Elizabeth and he could see that. The former waitress wasn’t as soft as she appeared to be.

In another part of Port Charles, Jason stood outside the apartment building, staring up at the darkened windows. What was he doing here? He kept repeating the question to himself, hoping that he would come up with a better excuse.

He needed answers but he wasn’t sure if Elizabeth trusted him enough to give them to him. He hadn’t helped things when he let her leave with "The Wind" thinking that she didn’t matter to him. She came to him with questions in her eyes and he couldn’t answer her. He didn’t know the answers. He thought she did.

Why did they fall apart? They used to mean so much to each other. They could lean on one another and trust the other with things they couldn’t with anyone else. How could something so powerful be broken over one lie?

Was it his fault? Was it hers? He didn’t know. He didn’t care. He just wanted to know how to make things right again. Was that what she was trying to do? Give him the wind again?

Jason entered the building with a heavy heart. He hadn’t done a thing right since he had let her think she didn’t matter to him. He had only hurt her more and drove her into the arms of another man. He had given up on them. He had fallen in love with someone else before giving them another chance.

Arriving outside Ric’s apartment, he stared at the door. He had stepped into this apartment once and he didn’t really notice much about it. He did notice that it was nothing like the simple studio that she owned. It felt decorated like his penthouse.

Knocking on the door, he wondered if she was still awake. Did he have a right to ask her for another chance? What he wouldn’t give just for her to look at him with trust again. Just one moment when she could believe in him like she used to.

Elizabeth’s eyes glittered under the dim lamps in the bar as she awaited A.J.’s response.

A.J. answered, "Tomorrow night outside my brother’s coffee warehouse. Alcazar, Javier and the rest of them will be waiting."

"What time?" Elizabeth asked.

A.J. snickered. "These are drug dealers. They don’t set exact times."

Elizabeth nodded. "Fine. I’ll be there."

"Are you sure you’re up for this? You have a child to think about too," A.J. pointed out.

"It will be more dangerous if I didn’t go," Elizabeth said firmly. "Can I count on you to make sure Alcazar doesn’t slip up?"

A.J. tilted his head. "I’m not sure. He’s a wildcard in all of this. But we have to make sure Sonny and Jason actually show up to the meeting. It won’t work if they aren’t there."

Elizabeth agreed, "I’ll make sure they are."

"What have you told them?" A.J. questioned.

"I-I told them that you took Courtney and Ric," Elizabeth explained. "I had to give them something or they would have kept going after Alcazar. Jason won’t get Courtney back by hounding Alcazar right now. He could get her killed."

"That would really mess things up," A.J. replied. "But what about me? Sonny and his thugs are going to hunt me down tomorrow and kill me if Sonny thinks I have his sister and brother."

"Trust me. Sonny couldn’t care less about Ric. As for Courtney, he wouldn’t hurt you as long as you had her for leverage," Elizabeth commented.

A.J. shook his head. "No, the last time Sonny thought I had kidnapped his sister, he handed me a gun and told me to shoot him before he shot me. I am not doing that again."

Elizabeth stared wide-eyed. "Oh. Well, I will make sure Jason gets the package tomorrow morning before he goes after you. Just do what you need to get done and stay out of their way."

Across town, Jason was pounding on the apartment door. "Elizabeth!" he shouted, starting to worry. He had let her leave by herself in the middle of the night. What if A.J. had decided she knew too much and grabbed her too?

"Hey buddy," a voice shouted from down the hall. "It’s 3 in the morning. Get out or I’m calling the police."

Jason ignored the tenant and raced down the staircase. She could be at the studio. She said she didn’t like being at the apartment because it reminded her of Ric. She must be there instead. She had to be.

At Jake’s, the jukebox hummed behind the whispers at the secluded table. A.J. leaned back in his seat. "How are you handling all of this?"

Elizabeth looked up in surprise. She thought there was sincere concern in his voice. "I’m as good as I can be considering the circumstances. How would you feel if everything you cared about was gone?"

A.J. nodded. "When this is all over, you can get it all back again."

Elizabeth sighed. "It won’t be the same. I don’t know if I am strong enough to start again. I am so tired of fighting."

A.J. smiled reassuringly. "I know what you mean. But you find things to fight for and you go on. I thought I was so close to having everything I ever wanted with Courtney. I gave up my family and their money because I thought maybe if I gave up everything for someone else, I might finally find happiness."

Elizabeth smiled in reply. "I did a lot of things I never have before because I thought I had been doing things all wrong. If I asked for more than what someone is willing to give, I always ended up alone. So I compromised myself and held on. Look where it got me. Alone again."

"It’s not your fault," A.J. replied.

"Isn’t it? I fell in love with Sonny’s BROTHER," Elizabeth laughed bitterly. "I wanted to get away from the world of secrets, danger and lies. I stepped right into this one."

A.J shook his head. "Some things are worth the risk."

Elizabeth tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "I know. But you can only do what you feel is right and if it works out then great. You can’t be happy by lying to yourself. I think I finally understand that."

Jason turned off the engine of his bike. Inwardly, he hoped he would find Elizabeth here. If she got hurt because of him again, he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself. All the times he had pushed to keep her safe had only put her in more danger. People said his life was dangerous. He just never really thought that she could somehow be a part of his dangerous life without being with him. Was it worth everything he had given up? Did letting her go make her any safer?

A.J. ran a hand through his hair. He had never seen a sadder smile in his life. "I have some things to take care of with my contact in the morning. I won’t be able to reach you until this is over. Do you need anything?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "No, I’ll be okay."

A.J. nodded and stood up. "Good luck. I hope you get what you want."

Elizabeth stood up from her seat and replied, "Thank you, A.J. For everything."

He grinned. "No need. I am doing this for purely selfish reasons."

"For Courtney?" Elizabeth asked.

A.J. laughed. "No, to show my brother that I can do something better than he can."

Elizabeth shook her head and actually laughed. "I am sure Jason will overlook that if you bring his fiancé back."

A.J. raised an eyebrow. "You don’t seem very happy about that?"

"What do you mean?" Elizabeth asked.

"You and Jase used to be together, right?" A.J. asked, recognizing the signs.

Elizabeth shook her head solemnly. She answered simply, "No."

"Oh, my mistake," A.J. said although he was skeptical.

Elizabeth shook her head again. "No, it was mine," she whispered to herself.

Back at Elizabeth’s studio, Jason was trying to get inside. He knocked on the door, wishing he could break down his own creation with his bare hands. She wasn’t answering or she wasn’t there. He wished he could tell which. "Elizabeth!" he shouted even though he knew it was no use.

Leaning his forehead against the door in defeat, he clenched his fists. He was going to hunt down A.J. There would be no waiting until morning.

Elizabeth passed by the pool table, eyeing the pool cue. She closed her eyes and remembered back to a night when Jason had first taught her how to play.

"Do you want to play?" A.J. asked, seeing the wistful sparkle in her eyes. "I don’t have to go immediately."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "You know how?"

A.J. nodded. "I know a few things," he smirked.

Elizabeth sighed. It wouldn’t hurt. It might even ease away some of the pain. "Sure."

A.J. smiled. "Great. You break."

Back at his motorcycle, Jason pulled out his cell phone. He dialed quickly and it was answered immediately.

"Hey Jason, what do you need?" Max asked, standing outside of Jake’s.

"Where is A.J.?" Jason asked. "I can’t find Elizabeth and I have a feeling he has something to do with it."

"You know?" Max questioned, smiling slightly at the frantic tone in Jason’s voice.

"Know what? Have you seen Elizabeth?" Jason demanded.

"She’s at Jake’s," Max explained.

"What is she doing there? Where’s Johnny? And how do you know she’s there? You’re supposed to be following A.J.," Jason yelled through the cell phone.

Max winced. "I am. Johnny’s inside Jake’s, keeping an eye on both of them."

"They’re together?!" Jason exclaimed. "He’s the one who took Ric and Courtney!"

"He what?!" Max asked, shocked.

"Sonny didn’t tell you?" Jason shouted. "Forget it. Just go in there and do your job. Why in the world is she seeing A.J. at this hour?" Jason slammed his fist against the seat of his motorcycle. She was going to get herself killed.

"Seems they’re on a date or something," Max said, knowing that his suggestion would hit a nerve with Jason.

"Max, you keep an eye on A.J. and make sure he doesn’t touch her. I’m heading over there right now," Jason instructed.

Jason put the cell back into his leather jacket. He jumped on his bike and rode towards the bar. His fists were clenched tightly on the handlebars and all he could see was the road in front of him. His mind was suddenly clear and focused. All he could think about was strangling A.J. the minute he got to Jake’s.

Meanwhile, at Jake’s, Max entered the bar through the back door. Catching Johnny’s eye, he waved the other guard over.

"What is it?" Johnny asked.

"You’ll never guess who called," Max smiled mischievously.

"Who?" Johnny questioned.

"Jason," Max grinned. "He’s coming over right now."

Johnny chuckled. "Wait till he gets a hold of those two."

"Did something happen while I was outside?" Max asked.

Johnny gestured towards the pool tables. "Take a look over there."

Max turned and caught A.J. and Elizabeth leaning over the pool table in quiet whispers as they lined up the next shot. His jaw dropped. He whispered to Johnny, "A.J. is a dead man. Jason said he might be the one who kidnapped Sonny’s siblings."

"Elizabeth knew what she was doing," Johnny replied. Nodding at the pair in the corner, he added, "This is going to be good."

The 11^th Hour - Chapter 24

"And let me guess," A.J. smiled, watching Elizabeth line up her shot. "Your parents said, ‘If only you could be more like Sarah. She’s so responsible and mature.’"

Elizabeth smirked. "You got it."

A.J. shook his head. "And I bet you were thinking why in the world you would want to be like her?"

"Exactly," Elizabeth said, her eyes knitted in concentration. "Who wants to be a stuffy, snobby, snotty, smarty-pants student who is perfect in every way?"

A.J. chuckled at Elizabeth’s mocking tone. "Right. Except for me, it’s, ‘Who wants to be a murdering mob enforcer slash hitman?’"

Elizabeth’s eyes narrowed, but she took her shot instead of responding. She managed to bank a stripe into the corner pocket.

"You’re pretty good. Who taught you how to play?" A.J. asked, leaning on his cue stick.

Elizabeth brushed past him with a smile. "The murdering mob enforcer," she replied.

A.J. was stunned for a moment but quickly recovered. "I almost forgot you were friends with Jason. Looking at you, you would never know it."

Elizabeth looked up from the pool table to give A.J. a sharp look. "What is that supposed to mean?"

A.J. chuckled. "No offense, but the town sweetheart and the town hitman isn’t exactly common," A.J. explained.

"Neither is the mob boss’s sister and a Quartermaine," Elizabeth retorted.

A.J.’s mouth twisted into a grin. The more he got to know Elizabeth, the more he liked her. She gave as good as she got and didn’t even blink an eye. "So how did you get mixed up with Sonny’s brother anyway?"

"We met at a bar," Elizabeth said vaguely.

"Ooh, the stuff of fairy tales, right?" A.J. said sarcastically.

"It seemed that way," Elizabeth answered. "But then things changed and I found out he was Sonny’s brother."

"So you traded in the imitation for the real thing?" A.J. observed.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, missing the shot by an inch. "Actually, it’s the other way around. Sonny hates Ric and the feeling is mutual. Jason is more Sonny’s brother than Ric will ever be. Not that I thought it was a bad thing. I mean, I was finished with the secrets of the mob life."

"Is that why you and Jason ended?" A.J. asked, taking his shot at the pool table.

Elizabeth leaned against the far wall. "To end you have to start and we never did. But it is the reason we never had a chance."

"You’re better off," A.J. said, making the shot into the side pocket. "Mobsters don’t exactly lead the safest life and you seem like you want a family."

Looking down at her stomach, she nodded. "I do. But I was willing to take the risk to be with Jason. He wasn’t. At first I thought it was because of his life that he couldn’t try."

"And now?" A.J. asked, focusing on the eight ball.

"He’s engaged to your ex-wife. Does he seem like a man who is afraid to share his dangerous life with a woman?" Elizabeth pointed out bitterly.

"Eight ball, corner pocket," A.J. called out. Leaning over the table, A.J. let out a low whistle. "You’re jealous."

Elizabeth’s eyes widened. "What are you talking about?"

Pausing over the cue stick, A.J. smirked. "You’re jealous," he repeated.

"Of what? Of Courtney?" Elizabeth asked, trying to deny it.

A.J. shook his head in disbelief. "What is it about my brother that makes women fall for him? He’s good looking, but he’s also a criminal who kills people for a living. Is that a turn on or something?"

Elizabeth glared at A.J. "I am wondering the same thing about your ex-wife. What is it about her that has men falling all over their feet to sacrifice everything they care about for her? Is it the ‘oh-help-me’, I’m an innocent girl routine but really I’m a tough girl who can handle the mob life?"

A.J. shrugged. "She made me feel like I could be better."

Elizabeth whispered slowly, "That’s how Jason made me feel."

"They build you up and then walk away like it’s nothing," A.J. smiled sadly. "And people say I’m cruel."

Elizabeth rubbed her forehead, starting to feel the effects of the cigarette smoke in the bar. This couldn’t be good for the baby, she thought.

"Ah-ha," A.J. shouted victoriously as the ball sank smoothly into the corner pocket. "I win."

Elizabeth smiled. "Hey, it’s not like I’m not used to losing."

A.J. laughed. "I’m not used to winning," he remarked.

Elizabeth placed the cue stick back on the rack, but felt her head start to pound furiously. Grabbing her head in her hands, her face scrunched up with pain.

"Elizabeth, are you okay?" A.J. said, quickly running up beside her. Seeing her face pale, he caught her before she collapsed. "Elizabeth," he said, shaking her. "Elizabeth."

Suddenly, he felt Elizabeth’s body being pulled from his arms and in an instant his own was against the bar wall. Feeling pressure against his neck, his eyes widened when he recognized his attacker.

"What did you do to her?" Jason shouted.

A.J. saw two guards carrying Elizabeth to a booth and placing her on the cushioned seats. Looking down at his brother, his eyes started to roll backwards because of the loss of oxygen.

Jason shoved the man against the wall once more. "Tell me what you did to her or I’ll make sure your body is in the ground before we even get her to the hospital."

Choking under the pressure, A.J. quickly spoke. "I-I didn’t do anything to her. We were just playing pool."

Jason growled, remembering seeing the two of them by the pool table just minutes before. He wouldn’t have stepped but then he saw her nearly collapse. "What did you give her? A tranquilizer? Arsenic?"

"I didn’t do anything," A.J. repeated, feeling his body start to weaken.

Jason let go of him, but pushed A.J. back into the wall before stepping back. "If I find out you’re lying, you’re going to pay."

A.J. coughed furiously as he tried to regain the oxygen his brother had choked out of him. He leaned against the wall, as his body started to revive itself. His eyes followed his brother as Jason raced to Elizabeth’s side.

"Elizabeth," Jason whispered, leaning over her. "Come on, Elizabeth. Wake up."

Elizabeth’s eyes fluttered, but did not open.

"What’s wrong with her, Johnny?" Jason asked helplessly.

"She was just standing there and suddenly A.J. caught her. She’s probably exhausted from the lack of sleep," Johnny said calmly.

"What was she thinking coming here to see A.J. by herself?" Jason demanded to know.

Max and Johnny both looked at each other solemnly. In their plan to get Jason down there, they hadn’t been paying as much attention to Elizabeth as they should have. Max felt especially guilty after promising Francis that he would keep an eye on her for him.

"Elizabeth," Jason said softly. "Please, wake up. I need you to wake up."

A.J. walked over to check on Elizabeth as soon as his legs could carry him. "Is she okay?"

"Get him out of here," Jason ordered, not looking up at A.J.

"I just want to know if she’s okay," A.J. insisted as the two guards grabbed him.

Suddenly remembering that A.J. was the kidnapper, Jason turned to him. "You have Sonny’s brother and sister. You’re lucky you’re still breathing."

"Jason?" Elizabeth whispered, looking up at him with wide eyes when she regained consciousness.

Jason turned quickly to face her. "Are you okay?" he asked.

Sitting up in her seat, she nodded. "I just feel a little light-headed. What happened? What are you doing here?"

Jason shook his head. "That doesn’t matter. Is there anything I can do to help?"

Looking up, Elizabeth saw A.J. being held captive by Jason’s guards. "A.J.?"

"Are you okay, Elizabeth?" A.J. asked. "You were just standing there and then you fainted."

Elizabeth shook her head, trying to clear out the last of the pain. "I’m fine. Are you?"

A.J. smiled. "Jason was going to kill me, but luckily you woke up."

Jason glared at A.J. for lying and was ready to lunge at him.

"Jason," Elizabeth said, trying to keep him from attacking A.J. "He’s just worried about me."

"Why are you defending him?" Jason asked. "He has Ric and Courtney. What were you doing here with him in the first place?"

"I needed to escape, okay?" Elizabeth lied. "I came here and A.J. just happened to be here too. We talked and he explained to me that he doesn’t have Ric and Courtney."

"And you believe him?!" Jason shouted.

"Don’t yell at me," Elizabeth shouted in return, holding her pounding head in her hands. "And yes, I believe him. He was just desperate to spend time with Michael. He knew that Courtney had been kidnapped and that we don’t know who has her, so he used it to his advantage."

"That just proves that he’s a worthless piece of scum," Jason said, glaring at A.J. "So why did you decide to play pool with the man who pretended to take Ric?"

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes. "I don’t have to explain myself to you, Jason. A.J. didn’t take them. That’s all you need to know."

Jason’s eyes widened in shock. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

"How did you put it?" Elizabeth asked, glaring at him. "Oh, right. There are things in my life I can’t explain. Not even to YOU, Jason."

Jason’s face fells as his words came back at him. "Is this payback?" he asked softly.

Elizabeth sighed. "No, Jason. Not everything in my life is about YOU. Just like nothing in your life is about ME."

"Then why are you risking your life and your child?" Jason questioned.

Max and Johnny looked quickly at Elizabeth, their grip on A.J. loosening. "You’re pregnant?" Johnny exclaimed.

Elizabeth flinched. "Yes. But it’s none of Jason’s business."

Jason’s jaw dropped. Why was she being so unreasonable? "It may not be my business but it should be yours. This child needs you to protect it, not run around being the vigilante."

Elizabeth’s eyes burned red. "Don’t tell me how to protect my child. Everything I am doing is to protect it. I am making sure he or she has a future and I won’t apologize for it."

"Ric wouldn’t want you to risk his child," Jason pleaded with her, although it left a bitter taste in his mouth to say it.

"You don’t know Ric," Elizabeth defended. "And I haven’t listened to you so far and I’m not starting now. How many times do I have to tell you?"

"Until you realize that the best thing for you to do is let us help you and stay out of danger," Jason replied.

Elizabeth clenched her fists. "So this is you telling me what to do," she growled. "Again."

"No, why do you keep twisting my words around?" Jason asked.

"Look, if you’re okay, Elizabeth, I’m gonna go," A.J. said, pulling away from the guards.

"You’re not going anywhere," Jason shouted.

Elizabeth stood up straight. "Johnny, Max, if you guys don’t let A.J. go, I swear I’ll scream. They say stress isn’t good for a baby," Elizabeth’s threat came out calmly.

Max and Johnny looked at Jason helplessly. Jason sighed and closed his eyes. "Let A.J. go," Jason said slowly. He opened his eyes and looked directly at A.J. with cold steel. "But if we find out you’re involved in all of this in any way, remember what I said."

A.J. smirked and shook his head. "I’m glad you’re okay, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth nodded in thanks and watched him leave the bar. Turning to Jason, she glared at him with a fire in her eyes. "Stop following me and stay out of my life," she yelled.

"Not as long as you keep putting yourself in dangerous situations," Jason argued.

"You’re not my keeper," Elizabeth said through gritted teeth. "Why the hell do you care anyway?"

Jason flinched. This was the second time she had asked him this and he still had no answer for her. "If you get hurt because of me---"

"We already covered this," Elizabeth interrupted. "I don’t want your pity or your guilt."

"That’s not what’s happening here, Elizabeth," Jason insisted. He clenched his fists in frustration. Nothing he said was coming out the right way.

"For the record, I don’t want your protection and I am not grateful," Elizabeth muttered. She gripped the chair beside her, feeling her knees weaken. She wasn’t as okay as she thought she was.

Jason’s eyes searched hers. "What do you mean?"

"Remember? That’s what you said our relationship was about. You’d always protect me and I’d always be grateful. Well I’m not and you don’t," Elizabeth threw at him.

"I was angry when I said that," Jason said defensively. "I had just seen you after you slept with Zander."

"Are you saying you didn’t mean it?" Elizabeth asked.

Jason could tell that she was fishing for something but he didn’t know what. "I didn’t mean it that way. I was hurt and the best way I knew how to deal with that was to shut you out."

"Are you sorry you did?" Elizabeth inquired.

Jason felt his throat tighten and tears filled the base of it. "I-I am. You always meant more than that to me. It wasn’t right of me to say that."

"And you always meant more to me," Elizabeth said. "People say things in anger they don’t mean. Something happens and the person you trust, not just with your friendship, but also with your heart, suddenly breaks it and you say things you don’t mean."

Jason’s eyes watered as he realized what she was saying. "You said we were over, that I had destroyed any chance we had of being together."

Elizabeth nodded. "And now you understand how people can say things they don’t mean." Suddenly, Elizabeth felt faint and fell back towards the chair.

Jason quickly caught her and lifted her up in his arms. "I’m taking you home," Jason said, looking down at her pale face. His tone let her know that it was non-negotiable.

Feeling the exhaustion and smoke start to win, she didn’t argue. "Where would that be?" she asked.

Jason carried her out of the bar just as daylight started to peek through the clouds. "The penthouse," he explained, but her eyes were closed before she could hear the answer.

The 11^th Hour - Chapter 25

Jason stepped off of the penthouse elevator with Elizabeth in his arms. As soon as he had left Jake’s and put her in the limo, he had promptly ordered Max to keep his eye on her whenever he wasn’t there to do it himself. Now that A.J. wasn’t as much of a threat, he didn’t need two guards on A.J.

After arriving at Harborview Towers on his bike, he had carried Elizabeth from the limousine into the building. She was still asleep, but her face had started to regain its color. He shook his head, wondering why she felt the need to hurt herself just to prove a point.

He walked towards his penthouse, but was stopped by a package on the floor. He walked backwards and placed Elizabeth far away from it near Sonny’s door. Wary of its contents, he approached it slowly. It was unmarked and looked plain. It seemed kind of late for a ransom note. Then again, this kidnapper was doing a good job of avoiding being caught so far so his methods must be foreign to what Jason was used to.

Jason picked up the package and opened it slowly. As he peeled back the paper and the lid, he found a note and photographs inside. Taking out the photographs, he could make out Ric and Courtney in some sort of cell. Picking up the letter, he read it slowly.

"Lorenzo Alcazar," he muttered to himself as he finished the letter. He crumpled it, cursing A.J. for costing him the chance to get to Alcazar’s brother before it came to this. Courtney and Ric could have both been home by now.

"Jason?" Elizabeth asked, walking sleepily over to him. "Is something wrong?"

Jason sighed. It wouldn’t help to keep this from her. She would do what she wanted with or without his help. He was starting to realize he couldn’t do anything about it. "You were right. A.J. didn’t do it. Alcazar has a brother."

Elizabeth nodded slowly. "I know."

Jason stared at her with shock. "What do you mean you know?!" he exclaimed.

"When A.J. visited me earlier, Alcazar’s brother came to see me after A.J. left. He said that he wanted to talk to me about Sonny’s territory. He thinks I’m your fiancé," Elizabeth explained.

"Why didn’t you tell me this?" Jason shouted. "We could have followed up on that and gotten to them sooner!"

"Lorenzo didn’t say anything about Ric and Courtney! He acted like he didn’t know what I was talking about!" Elizabeth yelled. "Besides, A.J. had just confessed to being the kidnapper just minutes before. How was I supposed to know he was lying?"

"That still doesn’t explain why you didn’t tell me about Alcazar’s brother," Jason said, trying to keep from shouting at her.

Suddenly, the elevator doors opened before Elizabeth could answer. Max stepped into the hallway and paused at the sight of the two and the box Jason was holding.

"Is that what I think it is?" Max questioned, eyeing the letter and the photographs.

Jason nodded. "Take it to our people. See if they can get any leads from it," Jason instructed.

Max nodded and took the box. Stepping into the elevator, he gave Elizabeth a reassuring nod.

Elizabeth bit her lower lip as Jason glared at her. She wished she hadn’t mentioned Alcazar at all, but she had to stall for Max to take the package. If another guard had taken it then the whole plan would have been ruined. "I’m tired, can we argue about this in the morning?"

"Elizabeth, you’re hiding something from me," Jason declared.

"So what? Now I’m not allowed to have my privacy?" Elizabeth retorted.

Jason opened the penthouse door and stepped inside. He tightened his jaw before turning to face her. "This isn’t about privacy, Elizabeth. If I had known Alcazar had a brother, I would have had him followed. By not telling me, you could have hurt your husband’s chances of being saved. Does it mean that much to your pride to sacrifice your husband’s life?"

Before Jason could react, Elizabeth’s outstretched hand left a mark on his face and a loud cracking noise echoed in the room. "Is that how little you think of me? You think I care more about myself than other people? You think I’m asking to be in this situation?"

Rubbing his face with his palm, Jason shook his head, still in shock that she had slapped him. "That’s not what I meant, Elizabeth. All I’m saying is that---"

"I keep trying to prove a point no one gets?" Elizabeth finished for him. "Here’s a point you tried to prove that I never understood. This whole, ‘My life is too dangerous for you, Elizabeth, but it’s okay for Sonny’s sister’."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Jason questioned, wondering if A.J. really had slipped her a drug. Her erratic reactions were stranger than usual. "This is about us, Elizabeth, but proving to me that you can do this on your own is only hurting you more. I know I told you many times that you can’t handle this life, and guess what? You proved me right when you walked out."

"Not because of the danger," Elizabeth defended.

Jason agreed. "No, not because of that but because of the secrets. You didn’t approve of it, so why are you keeping secrets from me?"

"Maybe it’s what you deserve," Elizabeth hissed. "You have done nothing to make me want to trust you again."

"Then what can I do to prove that I can be trusted?" Jason asked. "Tell me and I’ll do it."

"Trust me," Elizabeth replied. "That’s all you need to do."

"I’m trying to. It’s just that you kept important information from me," Jason said.

"It was for your own good," Elizabeth replied. "It’s more than I can say about your secrets."

"How was it beneficial for me not to know that Alcazar’s partner was really his brother? AND that he’d come to see you?" Jason asked, his patience wearing thin.

"You had to focus on getting information from A.J.," Elizabeth said. "If you knew about Alcazar’s brother, you would have split up your resources. I thought that by telling you, you wouldn’t get the job done right."

"You don’t trust me at all, do you?" Jason questioned.

Elizabeth didn’t hesitate. "No, I don’t."

Jason had his eyes on her, trying to gauge where he stood with her.

Inside, she was trying her best to keep up this charade. After seeing him at the penthouse just a few hours before and seeing his reaction to "The Wind" she knew she had regained a little bit of that trust again. She hated it, though, because it hurt to know that a piece of Jason Morgan was still there, but it was a piece she would never have again.

Jason felt the anger turn into sadness as he realized she meant what she said. "It’s never coming back, is it?"

"What?" Elizabeth asked, fighting the hope that was filling her heart.

"Us," Jason replied. "We’ll never be friends again."

Elizabeth swallowed slowly. "Not now," Elizabeth said, not allowing herself to deny the possibility. "Not when you still don’t understand that I am strong enough to make my own choices. I can’t trust you to be the man who believed in me once upon a time."

Jason gripped the edge of the table, fighting back the hurt of her reply. "If I trust you and I don’t ask any questions, would we have a chance?"

"Do you want a chance?" Elizabeth asked. She searched his eyes for a reason to believe in him.

Jason nodded slowly. "I miss it, Elizabeth. I miss the trust and the faith we had in each other."

"You have that with Courtney. Why do you need it from me?" Elizabeth questioned. She was afraid to hear the answer, but she had to know.

"It’s not the same," Jason confessed. "What I have with Courtney isn’t the same as what we had."

"That’s not what I’m asking, Jason," Elizabeth sighed. "Is it the feeling you miss or is it me?"

"Is there a difference?" he replied. He knew there was, but he was afraid to give her the truth. It would mean risking something he had been hiding inside for so long.

"I asked you SO many times when I was with you if you would miss me," Elizabeth said. "Did you ever wonder why?"

Jason licked his lips, waiting for her to continue.

She sighed. "I never knew who I was in your life. Were we friends? Were we more? I never knew. I would ask, but it was like 20 Questions. If I could just figure out the right question and have the courage to ask it, then maybe I’d know what I meant to you."

"I told you," Jason argued. "You knew how I felt."

"I know how you felt," Elizabeth said, "but only what you were willing to admit to. I mattered to you, we were more than friends, you cared about me . . . what does that mean, Jason?"

Jason knew the answer. He knew it like he knew the way she would tuck her hair behind her ear when she was thinking carefully. He knew it like the way he knew her eyes lit up when she was happy. The way her smile could turn into a smirk when she was feeling feisty. The way her eyes would fill with a layer of tears when she was afraid to cry. He knew it like he knew his heart and that scared him the most.

"Jason?" she said, trying to understand that look in his eyes. She didn’t know if his hesitation was good or bad. She reached up to tuck a strand behind her ear but his hand stopped her.

He watched as her small hand slipped into his. He used his thumb to stroke back the unruly lock of hair that she had been reaching for. His eyes watched it fit securely behind her ear and his hand remained against her face.

Elizabeth stared up at him questioningly. His touch was tender and warm and hauntingly familiar. She opened her mouth to speak but no words came. She watched as he looked at her like he had never done before. It was like he was discovering her for the first time.

Without looking at her in the eyes, he concentrated on stroking her hair behind her ear. He whispered slowly, "These last two days, I’ve been trying to ask myself that same thing. I keep wondering why it bothers me so much when you don’t react the way you used to around me. Not just that you don’t trust me, but that you don’t care the way you used to."

Elizabeth licked her lips, anticipating his next statement.

"I kept thinking about what I had done that had destroyed us so completely. I thought about what you’ve said and the way I never seem to have answers for you anymore. You used to look at me like I was giving you the world by believing in you. I don’t see that anymore," Jason said. He bit his lower lip as he stepped backwards to face her.

Elizabeth gazed up at him as his hand remained pressed gently against her cheek. "Do you know the answer yet, Jason?"

"I see that what we had is gone. I see that my best friend walked out the door months ago and that she’s not coming back. At least not to me," Jason admitted. His eyes turned to crystal as the tears started to rise. "And I thought about whether what I had was enough to fill that space she left behind. Was it enough to have a best friend in Carly and someone to love in Courtney?"

Elizabeth felt her lower lip quiver as she waited for him to answer his own question.

He lowered his head, letting go of her face. "Turns out the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. And that hole she left behind is still waiting for her to fill it. But I’m afraid that she doesn’t want to be there anymore and I’ll spend the rest of my life waiting for a ghost."

Elizabeth reached out to him and placed a hand on his chest, trying to feel a part of him that she hadn’t in a long time. "She hasn’t died, Jason. She’s still waiting for you to ask. She’s waiting for you to try."

Jason looked up finally, afraid that he had just imagined her words. When he saw the way she was looking at him, he knew it was real. It was raw and it was as potent as it had ever been. "I miss you, Elizabeth. Nothing’s enough without you. Not anymore."

Elizabeth felt herself smile as the tears fell down her face. She wrapped her arms around him and let him hold her tight.

Jason leaned his chin against her head and he couldn’t help but wonder how she fit so perfectly there. "I’m sorry, Elizabeth. I’m sorry I never tried."

Elizabeth felt her nerves spike as the emotions ripped through her. She looked up at him and saw the sincerity in those blue pools he called eyes. "And I’m sorry I didn’t let you."

"I still believe in you, Elizabeth," Jason admitted, looking down at her. "I know how strong you are. You are the woman who pulled me out of the snow and single-handedly brought me back to life."

Elizabeth smiled, her eyes twinkling as she remembered. "And you’re still the man who showed me I could be free and made me believe in Italy and red glass and most importantly, in me."

"I tried to convince myself that you would only get hurt in my world. I tried to justify letting you go by insisting that you would never accept me for who I am," Jason said.

"I wanted to ask you so many times why you thought the person who got shot, kidnapped and nearly killed suddenly didn’t belong in your life anymore," Elizabeth said. "You pushed me away once that winter to keep me safe, but it didn't work. Why did you think it would work this time?"

Jason hesitated. "Because of Lucky . . . and Zander."

Elizabeth stared at him curiously. "What did they have to do with it?"

"I-I wasn’t risking my heart when I let you back into my life the first time," Jason confessed. "I wasn’t in love with you and I never knew how much you could hurt me. I’m afraid to care about you. When you told me my job had broken your trust in me, I took the easy way out and let you leave. I thought I was saving you from my life and saving myself from you."

Elizabeth’s eyes glistened with new tears. "I never wanted to hurt you, Jason. I know how much I did and I knew my apologies weren’t enough. You always said it was okay, but it was never okay with me. I made choices that hurt you and no apologies would change what I’d done. Things happened and they left their mark on us. I hurt what we had because I was afraid in my own way."

Jason watched her as she gathered the courage to admit her fears. She looked so beautiful in that moment.

"Courtney got one thing right when she said I pushed you away one too many times. It was easy to blame your job and your life for why we broke up. Inside, I knew I had ruined it. I was no longer the girl you thought of as ‘more than friends’ because I’d chosen Lucky and Zander over you," Elizabeth explained. "It was like watching a train wreck. Every mistake took a piece of what we could have been. I knew deep inside that you weren’t pushing me away to keep me safe. I tried to tell you that once at Vista Point, but you wouldn’t admit it. You could lie even then."

"I am admitting it now," Jason reminded her. "I feel you here, inside of me again. The fear and the hurt . . . I don’t feel that anymore."

"But it’s still there," Elizabeth said. "The trust that I broke is still broken. Like pieces of a mirror."

"Or like broken bones," Jason remarked. "In the last 48 hours, I have felt it mend. In moments when you or I forget what we’ve done to hurt each other."

"Forgetting them doesn’t make them disappear," Elizabeth argued. "I can still hurt you, Jason."

Jason nodded. "That’s true. And I can hurt you. But so can other people. The difference is, I---"

"You what?" Elizabeth asked.

Jason watched her eyes look deep into his the way only she could. It was like her soul was reaching out to his, trying to find a way to hold on. Jason couldn’t fight the feeling any longer and watching her lower lip quiver, he knew he had to soothe the motion away. Just not with words.

He leaned forward and suddenly his lips were on hers. He massaged away the pain in her eyes with his lips. He felt her weaken in his arms and give into his advances. He felt her lips part with a sigh of pleasure and he took the chance to truly taste her.

She accepted him and kissed him back with all the hope and the freedom that she remembered. She let him touch her soul with that kiss and let herself be pulled back into his heart. In that moment she had forgotten all her plans and all her pain. His lips were all she could think about and the way they felt against hers.

Like a dance, Jason kissed her and gave into the attraction between them. Fire seemed to spark suddenly as she reached her hands into his hair. White hot to the touch, it surprised him. They had always been like this. So innocent and pure in their emotions but a heat was burning beneath it.

Moments passed and they were locked in each other’s arms, seemingly never letting go. Unbeknownst to them, a small camera behind the picture frame on the mantle was relaying their every movement.

"I am going to kill you, Elizabeth!" Courtney shouted at the monitor as she pulled and twisted against the knots that refused to give. Her face was twisted in anger and all she could see was red. If the brunette in the monitor could only feel the wrath of her rage.

Ric growled as he pulled against his own binds. "She’s cheating on me with that murdering thug. We just lost a baby a few months ago. How could she be running to him?!"

"She’s been after him this whole time," Courtney suspected as she gripped the chair in anger. "She’s just been waiting for me to leave so she could make her move. That conniving bitch!"

"When I get out of here, I am going to make sure he pays for stealing my wife," Ric threatened as he kicked against the table. Turning away from the monitors to face Courtney, he watched as she bounced in the chair, fighting to get free.

Courtney pulled and tugged, but nothing worked. This was like torture to watch her fiancé kissing another woman. Tears sprang to her eyes as she realized that even if she did get free, she had lost Jason for good. She had known that Jason wanted Elizabeth from the first time she had seen them together. She just never truly understood the power of that attraction until now. "How could he do this to me? He told me I was his reason for being alive. He told me I was his everything."

"Elizabeth said she’d always stand by me. She promised we would have a family together," Ric added. "What’s the use of getting out of here if there is nothing to come home to? She’s got Jason now. She is going to throw our life away."

"What about me?" Courtney yelled. "Jason and I were supposed to get married when those thugs grabbed us. I could have been happy with him. I could have given him everything he ever needed."

"You couldn’t give him Elizabeth," Ric retorted bitterly. "That’s all he’s ever wanted."

Courtney stared at Ric, seeing the wild look in his eyes. She could see her rage reflected on his face. "How would you know that?"

"You think Elizabeth didn’t tell me what they used to be to each other? He hurt her and left her with scars. If it wasn’t for me, she would never have been able to move on," Ric shouted. "I knew how he reacted when he saw me with her. He never deserved her. He never appreciated her the way I do."

"What about Elizabeth? She never cared about Jason the way I care about him. She kept pushing him away, choosing Lucky and Zander instead of him," Courtney glared at the monitors.

Ric raised an eyebrow. "How did you know about Lucky?" Ric asked. "Wasn’t he before you came to town?"

"She told me," Courtney smirked.

"You obviously listen pretty closely. Is that how you knew how to steal Jason from her?" Ric laughed coldly.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about," Courtney denied. "I’m not listening to you anymore. I am getting myself out of here now and I am going to get Jason back."

"We’d do better as a team," Ric sneered.

Courtney had fire in her eyes. "Why would I care what happens to you?"

Ric smiled with the feel of steel in his eyes. "When we get out of here, I can give you what you want."

"What’s that?" Courtney asked.

Ric smirked. "Revenge."

The 11^th Hour - Chapter 26

Jason stroked her hair as he pulled her closer into the kiss. He felt himself drowning in her and in that moment all he wanted was for this feeling to last. As she moaned beneath his lips, he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight in his embrace. She leaned into him and pulled her arms around his neck.

She stepped backwards, feeling the force of the sensations his lips were placing on hers. Her back found balance against the pool table, but her attention was still riveted by the kiss. Her every nerve was aware of him and she could feel sparks ignite between them.

His palm traced the small of her back slowly as she led him deeper into the kiss. He lost balance as she pulled him closer but his left hand held onto her while his right fell to the edge of the pool table. He gripped it to maintain balance but quickly realized this position would not work.

Finally, he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her onto the pool table into a sitting position. This gave him leverage. It amazed him he could even think of anything but the way her lips taunted his. Now in a more comfortable position, he placed his hands on her waist and continued the play on her lips.

Her waist was so small his hands could almost wrap around it. As his hands followed every curve towards her waist, his fingertips memorized the lines of her body. Even under the fabric of her clothing, the heat of her skin emblazoned her to his hands. As his palms made their way across her body, his lips were preoccupied with hers.

Feeling her stomach, he was suddenly jolted back to reality. Quickly pulling back, he felt the ice cold wash over him without the heat of her lips.

Elizabeth gasped, staring at him as he withdrew from her. She stayed silent as she tried to recover from the kiss, but the pale look on his face made her ask, "What’s wrong, Jason?"

"We-we can’t do this," he explained as he backed away.

"Why not?" Elizabeth prompted him, her face still flush with fever.

Seeing the way her fingertips were placed on her swollen lips, Jason wanted nothing more than to add to the swell with another kiss. Still, he knew that he had to control his impulses. "You’re pregnant," Jason reminded her. "With Ric’s child. With your HUSBAND’S child."

Elizabeth’s face turned white as she stared at him. "I-I know," she said. She paused, trying to choose her words carefully. "You don’t want to be with me because I’m carrying another man’s child?"

Jason saw the sadness in her eyes and he regretted that he had put it there. He shook his head. "It’s not what you think. I would love your child just as much as I would love it if it was ours."

"Then what is it?" Elizabeth asked. Inside, she felt a huge weight lifted off of her. Although she knew how Jason was with Michael, she didn’t know if he would accept her child with Ric into his life the way he had Carly’s. He never treated her the same way he treated Carly. After Carly had betrayed him in the worst possible way, he stayed friends with her. Elizabeth walked out and it was like they were strangers.

"I’m talking about the connection you have with Ric because of this child, Elizabeth. You can’t turn your back on that," Jason observed. "You never turn your back on people. That’s the way you are."

"But I can’t help how I feel, and all I want right now is you," she answered. "I can’t turn my back on you, either."

"But what about the next moment, Elizabeth?" Jason continued, his eyes sharpening with fear. "I can’t kiss you or hold you when I know I have to let you go again."

Elizabeth clenched her fists against the felt of the pool table beneath her. "Jason, I want this, I want you."

"But you love Ric and you are having his child. This isn’t right," Jason remarked. "It’s not fair for us or for your child."

"I decide what’s fair for me," Elizabeth argued. "And right now and the next moment and every moment after that, I want it to be like this, Jason. I want to be with you. This child will never want for anything if it had you for a father. Your love for Michael is proof that you can be a better father than most biological ones."

"I-I can’t, Elizabeth," Jason confessed. "I know you still love Ric. You wouldn’t have fought for him all this time if you didn’t. This feeling right now won’t last. Not for you."

"I did love Ric," Elizabeth admitted. "But I realize what I feel for you is so much more than anything I could ever have with anyone else. I know I hurt you all those times I chose someone else before you. But I swear, Jason, this time it’s real."

Jason looked at her, his heart aching to tell her they had a chance. "I won’t be the reason for you to hurt again, Elizabeth. I won’t let Ric be Lucky. You’re pregnant and you would feel guilty if you stayed with me. I know you, Elizabeth. You would sacrifice yourself for your child, just like you did to save what you had with Lucky. You couldn’t turn your back on a miracle, and you can’t turn your back on your responsibilities either."

Elizabeth looked up at him helplessly. Why was he saying these things? They had finally broken through that wall. Why was he putting up a new one?

Jason felt the tears choke him and he finally admitted, "I-I can’t handle losing you again. Even if you stayed with me, I know I’d have to let you go because I could never fill that emptiness you would have when you give up the family you’ve been waiting for. I can’t be the reason for your tears when you choose between me and the father of your child. I won’t let you hurt the way you did before. It almost destroyed you the last time. I won’t do it again."

"But I would make the right choice this time, Jason," Elizabeth insisted.

"Yes, you would, and that choice would be that child and its father. Not me," Jason said. He knew that if he forced her to walk away from her husband she would regret it for the rest of her life, even if it was Ric. He just didn’t realize doing the right thing would ever hurt this bad. He should be used to being noble. He’d sacrificed himself and put others first so many times before. Right now, he wished he were too damn selfish to let her go.

"You’re wrong, Jason," Elizabeth argued, taking him by the arm. "You’re my choice. You’ve always been my choice. Now I’m ready to admit it."

Jason closed his eyes, willing away the temptation to give into her pleas. "I’m not afraid to love you, Elizabeth, but I am afraid of taking away that freedom in your eyes. That love of life that you seem to thrive on would disappear if you chose me. The guilt would eat away at you each time your child would smile the way Ric does. That baby will have his eyes. It would remind you of the family you took away from it by being with me; the one you always wished you had. Two loving parents who didn’t see their child as a reminder."

"Where is this coming from, Jason?" Elizabeth questioned. She really needed to understand. They had been connecting for the first time in a long time and she still felt it even though he was pulling away again. Didn’t he feel it too?

"From you, Elizabeth," Jason explained. "You told me once that you thought you never fit in with your family. You felt like you were the reason they missed out on an opportunity."

"This baby would feel the same way if it knew I gave you up to be with Ric," Elizabeth insisted. "My child would know that I didn’t love its father."

Jason looked at her, shocked that she would say that. She had been defending Ric for so long, she even married the man. Suddenly she didn’t love him? Elizabeth was never fickle with her feelings. She fought for them and held onto them more than anyone he had ever known. Even if she wanted to be with him, her feelings for Ric couldn’t have disappeared so easily.

"I won’t choose Ric, Jason. Don’t you believe me?" she questioned. Her eyes were begging for his trust and she was afraid he still couldn’t give it to her.

Jason knew what she wasn’t asking, but he also knew the person she was inside. She was strong and she was loyal. Nothing would change that. It was a reason he loved her, maybe the biggest one. "You would have to explain to your child why you weren’t with its father," Jason replied. "Your child would see the guilt written in your eyes even if you won’t admit it to yourself. Do you remember how torn you were when you had feelings for me and Lucky came back from the dead? You can’t hide how you feel from a child, Elizabeth. You’re loyal. You always have been."

"I can’t hide how I feel about you either, Jason," she confessed. "I will not spend the rest of my life with someone I don’t love."

"Maybe not. Maybe you would be with me and we will raise this child as our own," Jason offered. "But then one day that child will ask about Ric and you will have to explain. Then you will wonder if your child resents you for taking away its chance to be with its father the way your parents resented you for taking away their chance at success."

"You don’t know that," Elizabeth defended. "This child would be lucky to have you as a father. You know that blood doesn’t count very much if you have a good father."

"But it COUNTS, Elizabeth," Jason persisted. "I know that Michael was confused for a long time when A.J. told him Sonny wasn’t his real father. He has accepted it, at least it seems that way, but he asks about it. When he grows up, Sonny and Carly’s explanations might not be enough. He might want to find out on his own who he wants for his real parents. As much as I think A.J. would never love Michael the way I or Sonny do, I know that Michael has a right to do what he wants. I can’t choose for him . . . but in a way, I already did."

Elizabeth didn’t realize Jason felt this way. She thought she could see a slight guilt in his eyes for what he’d done. "Jason, you did what you thought was best for Michael. He has two parents who love and cherish him. That is more than any child could ask for."

"But what about your child, Elizabeth? Would you be okay with taking it away from its real father? You know Ric would never accept another man raising his child. There would be a custody battle and you’d have to either take your child away from him completely or miss half of your child’s life," Jason guessed. "Would it be worth all that to be with me? I-I can’t let you do that. I would rather let you go than hurt you that way."

Elizabeth could feel tears in her eyes as she became overwhelmed with how much he would sacrifice for her. He knew her so well, but there was so much he didn’t know. She wished she could tell him and dispel his fears. "Jason, what about us?"

"There can’t be an ‘us’, Elizabeth," he answered, but he couldn’t look her in the eye as he replied.

She looked up with pleading eyes, willing him to change his mind. He seemed so determined to protect her. She wanted to shake him and tell him that he was the best thing that had ever happened to her. She needed him in her life. He couldn’t be a part of it as just her friend. His place in her heart wasn’t in that space anymore. It had a place all of its own, right in the center. "Jason, which is it? Are you afraid that I’ll stay with you or that I won’t?"

Jason took in a sharp breath. Her words were right on point. He was afraid for either choice she’d make. Maybe he thought it would be easier if he made the choice for her. "I am not trying to tell you what to do," he explained. "I just can’t let myself be with you."

"This can’t be right," Elizabeth persisted. "We finally admit how much we need each other and now you’re taking it away?"

"If I was a better man, a stronger one, I would forget everything else and take you upstairs right now," Jason confessed. "But I can’t because I am afraid of that look in your eyes that I know will be there in the morning. You pulled away from me once before Elizabeth. It’ll be the same reason you’ll pull away again. Inside, Elizabeth, you are noble and incredibly devoted to the people that matter to you. You wouldn’t be able to walk away from family."

Elizabeth felt the tears well in her eyes and the anger pierced through her. "Fine, Jason! Run away! Pretend we don’t mean anything to each other when we really do."

His insides were turning to shreds as he saw the pain that lit inside her. "I’m not saying you don’t matter, Elizabeth."

She shook her head. "You always do this," she cried. "We connect and then you take it away. You think you know what’s best for me, but you never give me the chance to show you you’re wrong. Damn it, Jason, I can’t do this anymore."

"Let it go, Elizabeth," Jason replied. "I can only bring you pain." His voice trembled and his clenched hands weakened as he felt the fight draining from him.

Elizabeth pursed her lips, trying to blink back the tears. "At least we agree on something." One tear escaped and caused a trail down her porcelain cheek. She couldn’t even let herself wipe it away.

Jason watched helplessly as she stormed up the steps. He let her go. Not just because he wanted to protect her, he admitted. He had to protect himself. Even one night with her would not be enough. He would be waiting for her the rest of his life if he let her in just this once.

There was a knock on the door. He glanced at the clock and realized it was morning. Opening the door, he found Sonny standing on the other side.

"Jason, I got your message," Sonny informed him as he entered the room. "I can’t believe that sick bastard would try and challenge me again."

"Who?" Jason asked, feeling disoriented and tense.

"A.J.," Sonny replied, giving Jason a strange look. "Is something wrong, Jason?"

Everything. Jason shook his head. "No, but you should know A.J. didn’t do it. He just told Elizabeth that so that he could get access to Michael. It’s actually Alcazar’s partner, his brother."

"Alcazar has a brother?" Sonny asked. "I followed Javier all night and he didn’t lead me to the partner. I had a feeling he knew he was being followed."

Jason nodded. "This partner is shrewd and he knows what he’s doing. He dropped off a ransom note and photographs of Courtney and Ric in a holding cell. He wants to meet us tonight at the warehouse."

Sonny pounded his fist against the table. "Damn A.J.! If he had stayed out of this you might have been able to track down the brother."

Jason sighed. "This brother, Lorenzo Alcazar, he wants territory, Sonny. Specifically yours."

"Well he’s not getting it. Drugs will never pass through my territory again," Sonny said firmly.

Jason agreed, "I know but we have to pretend we are willing to negotiate. Otherwise, this guy might kill Courtney."

Sonny nodded, although he noticed something amiss with Jason’s tone of voice. He decided not to push it. At least not yet. "You’re right. We’ll go to this meeting, but we are bringing backup," Sonny said. "I have Marco and Adam on Javier but now that A.J. is out of the picture, you can pull Max and Johnny."

"Actually, Max is keeping his eye on Elizabeth," Jason explained. "She fainted last night."

"Is she okay?" Sonny asked. From experience, he knew that a pregnancy was delicate at this early stage.

Jason sighed. "She’s resting upstairs, but I don’t think she’ll be okay alone."

"I can bring Carly over here. She can watch over Elizabeth if she needs anything," Sonny suggested. He added, "We don’t know anything about this Lorenzo Alcazar. Just that he’s done a good job of evading all our resources so far. We need all the manpower we can get. Otherwise, I would leave them with Elizabeth."

Jason conceded. "Okay, but do you really think Carly and Elizabeth being alone together is a good idea?" he asked.

"We don’t have a choice," Sonny said. He grinned and added, "Carly can be nice when she has to be."

"Right," Jason smirked.

"Get a hold of Max and Johnny and I’ll wake Carly up," Sonny instructed. "I’ll meet you in the lobby. We’re going to get some information on this guy before we meet him tonight."

Sonny walked out the door and Jason shut it after him. Sighing, he leaned his forehead against the wood.

"I don’t need a babysitter," Elizabeth’s voice called to him from the top of the stairs.

Jason turned around. "You heard all that?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Call me a fool, but I was waiting for you to come after me. I never learn my lesson, do I?"

Jason flinched. He knew he had ruined any chance they had of salvaging their relationship, but he didn’t want her blaming herself. This was all him, him and his stupid fears. "Carly is coming over to make sure you’re okay. You weren’t feeling well last night and you need your rest."

Elizabeth shook her head, still angry at him for making choices for her again. "All I need is to find my husband. I mean, that’s all I care about, right? Just my husband and this baby and the life I should make for them. To hell with what I want."

"You’re not selfish," Jason pointed out. "You won’t admit it right now, but I know the way you think."

Elizabeth sighed. "Forget it. I am not admitting to anything. And I am not staying in this penthouse waiting for you to bring me what you think I want. If this is the choice I have to make, I’ll do it on my own."

"Didn’t you hear anything I said last night?" Jason asked. "You’re going to get HURT. Lorenzo Alcazar runs drugs and his brother traded fire arms. Do you really want to get messed up in that world?"

"I heard what you said last night," Elizabeth shouted. "I was just stupid enough to believe you. Now I know better. There is no way I am trusting you to find Ric. All you care about is territory and what’s right for you. I am the only one I can depend on to look out for me."

"Elizabeth," Jason argued in frustration. "Don’t be like this."

"Be like what, Jason?" she questioned. "Hurt? Angry? How should I feel? Why don’t you tell me?"

"You have every right to be mad at me," he answered. "I just wish you wouldn’t use it as a reason to put yourself in danger."

Elizabeth shook her head. "Uh, uh, you’re not getting away that easy. Don’t pretend what you’re doing is noble. You’re not protecting me by turning me away."

Jason gripped his forehead with his right hand, wondering what he could say to make her understand. "But I can protect you by making sure you stay in this penthouse tonight," Jason replied.

"You can’t make me stay here, Jason," Elizabeth insisted. "Carly won’t stop me from doing what I want and you heard Sonny. The guards won’t be here to stop me either."

Jason wished he could ram his hand through a wall right then. He was helpless and he was angry at himself for being so stupid. "Elizabeth, you’re right. You’ll do what you want no matter what I say."

Elizabeth stared at him in shock. She couldn’t believe he had said that. "What?"

"I won’t keep you here," Jason replied. "I don’t have a right to interfere with your life. I’m not a part of it."

Elizabeth wanted to break down in tears and slap him all at the same time. "Then what are you, Jason?"

"Someone who cares about you and wants you to be safe," Jason admitted. "But I can’t ask you to do anything for me."

"You won’t know unless you try," Elizabeth replied, feeling her walls break down with every word.

Jason looked away, unsure of what he could ask her. He knew that if he let her walk out that door, he couldn’t control what happened to her. He couldn’t keep her safe from Alcazar or A.J. or any other person who was a threat to her. But he had to let her go. If he couldn’t be with her, the least he could do was show her that he trusted her. "Make me a promise?" he requested.

"One promise," Elizabeth said softly. Her breath caught in her throat as she waited for his question. Even pushing her away, she could see how connected they still were. Jason wanted to be with her, she could see that. He just wouldn’t let himself. But he would let her see that he cared despite it all. He always watched out for her, even when he stayed away or pretended she didn’t matter.

Jason hesitated. "Don’t get yourself killed," he said. His voice broke as he added, "Promise me whatever you do, don’t die."

Elizabeth’s breath stopped at his blunt demand. His tone and his eyes hit right into her soul. It was just like Jason to make a plea with such simplicity. He made her want to keep that promise. Not for herself, but for him. "I can’t control what happens, Jason."

"But you never break a promise," Jason argued, his eyes wide with insistence. "Make me this one and I’ll leave you alone."

Elizabeth took a deep breath. She knew she could say the words to make him feel better, but no one could give someone what he was asking her to give him. Still, it mattered more for her to give him that peace than it was to tell him she couldn’t make that promise. "Okay, Jason. I promise."

Jason nodded. He knew he was being irrational, but it was all he could hold onto now that he was letting her go. "I have to go meet Sonny and Carly will be here any second. If you want to leave, leave now."

Elizabeth looked at him questioningly, but she could tell he was being honest. He was accepting her decision and giving her a way out. He had never done that before. The Jason she used to know would have insisted she stayed. This wasn’t the same man. "Stay safe, Jason," she whispered as she stepped into the hall. "You don’t know what you’re dealing with."

"I will," he answered. Then he watched her leave knowing that this day was the day he set her free.

The 11^th Hour - Chapter 27

Jason stood at the door, playing that scene in his head over and over. He wanted to be her freedom again. The only way he knew how to do it now was to let her leave. It hurt but it was worth it to prove to her that he believed in her. That was all that mattered. At least, for now.

The door suddenly opened as Carly stormed in with a grumpy look on her face. "Okay, where is that twit? I am going to kill her for making me get up this early."

Jason shook his head. "She’s ill, Carly. You of all people should understand what it’s like to be pregnant."

Carly smirked. "Okay, fine. But I still don’t think she deserves you."

Jason stared after Carly not sure what one thing had to do with the other. He watched as Carly paced the room before finally turning to face him.

Carly eyed him skeptically knowing that something had happened since they had their little chat the night before. She looked into his eyes and they kind of unnerved her; she found a dark hole staring back at her. Jason was cold before, but he had never been empty. She could feel it from across the room.

Jason sighed, realizing he would never understand Carly. Carly didn’t think Elizabeth deserved him. Well, he didn’t think so either. Elizabeth deserved better. "She doesn’t. She deserves a family with her child and Ric."

Carly gawked at him, realizing what had happened. Her cheeks burned as she got ready to read him the riot act. "You did it again, didn’t you?"

"Did what?" he asked, taken aback by her tone. Carly was a confusing person, but normally he was able to comprehend the basics of her reasoning. This time, he couldn’t follow her.

"You sacrificed yourself for someone else’s happiness," Carly growled, waving her hands in anger. Feeling upset with him for making the same mistake he always made, she shoved him. "You’re an idiot, you know that?"

Jason looked at her with confusion and slight surprise. "What are you talking about?"

"You ALWAYS do this! I don’t know why, but for whatever reason you’ve fallen for Elizabeth again and AGAIN you won’t go for it. Instead, you step aside so she can play house with Sonny’s scum of a brother," Carly remarked. "Why do you always do that, Jason? Why can’t you let yourself be happy?"

"That’s not what happened," Jason defended. "I know Elizabeth. She would feel guilty if she stayed with me."

"Did she say that or did you just assume she would?" Carly questioned. "Elizabeth is no angel, Jason. You put her up on this pedestal, but she is just as selfish as the rest of us. You’re the only person I know who would sacrifice your entire life’s happiness for someone else. Elizabeth isn’t that selfless. If Elizabeth wants to be with you, why don’t you just let her?"

Jason rubbed his chin, frustrated with Carly and even more with himself for not having a decent reply to that. He never really thought about it in that way. Was that what he was doing? Making choices for Elizabeth that she didn’t want?

"If Miss Muffin Face has decided finally that she wants to be with you and she won’t walk out on you for some stupid self-righteous reason, then maybe, just maybe she deserves to be with you," Carly said hesitantly. "But none of that matters, Jason. If she is the person you want to be with, then to hell with everything else. Go for it. You deserve to be with the person you love. If Elizabeth makes you happy, then be with her."

"It’s not that simple, Carly. She is going to have Ric’s child. She wouldn’t be able to raise that child the way she wants it to be raised if she chose to be with me," Jason argued.

"That’s just it, Jason. Did you give her a choice?" Carly pointed out. She already knew the answer, but she wondered if Jason realized it too.

Jason didn’t reply. Instead, he looked to the floor, re-evaluating his decisions in the last two days.

"Is it about that or is it about you raising Ric’s child?" Carly whispered, looking sadly at her best friend. "Would you be okay with raising Sonny’s nephew as your own?"

"It’s not about that Carly. You know I would be fine with that. It’s Elizabeth who wouldn’t be," Jason explained. "She might choose me for now, but later on, she’ll think about Ric and the family she could have had with him. She loves him despite everything he’s done. That has to count for something."

"But not as much as her love for you," Carly pointed out. "I always hated her for choosing everyone else before you and hurting you so many times. BUT, if she has finally found the guts to actually choose you, then she has to mean it. Elizabeth, for all her fickle ways, if she makes a decision, it takes a lot for her to get there. She wants to be with you."

"It doesn’t matter," Jason said. "It’s not just Elizabeth I am protecting. I want to be with her but not if it means I’ll have to let her go again. It’s easier if I just let her go now."

"I never figured you for a coward, Jason," Carly snapped at him. "All I’ve ever wanted for you was to be happy. I want you to have what Sonny and I have. Sonny raises Michael like his own. Our love is stronger despite or maybe because of our past. You could have the same with Elizabeth and her child."

"You never loved A.J.," Jason pointed out. "Elizabeth can’t turn her back on Ric as easily as you did with A.J."

"What are you trying to say?" Carly asked, looking at him accusingly.

"I’m not saying you were wrong, Carly. You know I supported you and took care of your child and lied so you could keep Michael," Jason said. He sighed, trying to find a way for Carly to understand. "When you and Sonny were apart, did you keep him from Michael?"

"No," Carly admitted. "What’s your point?"

"It was because you love Sonny. Even though you were apart and you made other choices, you were still connected through Michael. Elizabeth won’t deny Ric his child, either. She never purposely hurts someone she cares about. She can’t keep her child from Ric," Jason said. "The problem is that Ric won’t settle for less than full custody. You know how he is about children."

"Then to hell with Ric. He doesn’t deserve children anyway," Carly smirked, remembering all the things the bastard had done to her by making her think he had raped her.

"Elizabeth doesn’t think that," Jason said. "I can’t stand by and watch her fight with him over custody of their child."

Carly could feel the pain in his eyes. He honestly believed that being with her would be wrong. "You care about her, Jason. There’s nothing wrong with that. The only mistake you’re making is walking away before you give it a chance," Carly said. "I know you don’t believe in regret, but I know you’ll feel it if you continue to let happiness walk out the door."

Jason didn’t deny it. He already felt it. "What can I do, Carly? I can’t lose her and I can’t be with her."

"You know what? I think you’re making up reasons not to be happy. You never think you deserve it," Carly said. "You think that because of your life and the decisions you’ve made that you can’t have a family and love in your life. But you know now that it isn’t true. You tried with Courtney, didn’t you? You’ve learned that you can love someone and be with them despite the danger."

"If Elizabeth wasn’t pregnant I would be with her in a second. I told her that," Jason admitted.

"Oh, so now you are making her feel guilty for being pregnant?" Carly asked. "Real nice, Jason."

Jason stared wide-eyed. "I-I didn’t mean it that way."

"I know you didn’t," Carly sighed. "But I think you are giving up so much for what-if’s. You don’t know any of this will happen. I hate to say it . . . actually, no, I’d be happy . . . but there are no guarantees Ric will come out of this alive. And even if he does, maybe Elizabeth will go to him and eventually she’ll realize who he really is. I would never want Michael around a man like Ric. Elizabeth won’t want her child to be around a man like that either. She might be slow on the uptake, but even Ric can’t hide his true colors forever."

"And then what, Carly?" Jason asked. "Then she’ll walk away from him?"

Carly nodded. "And back to you. But if I know you, you made it seem like she wouldn’t have a chance. You probably left her thinking that she wasn’t worth fighting for."

Jason had to admit to himself that he had been over-analyzing this. He had been thinking up problems that didn’t exist yet. He was so protective of her and her feelings that he didn’t consider the possibility that he was hurting her more by not being with her. "Carly, I still don’t know what to do. I don’t know what’s right when it comes to Elizabeth. I don’t know what’s right for her or for myself."

"Trust yourself. Trust her," Carly suggested. "Isn’t that what you’ve been hiding from?"

Jason leaned against the wall, considering Carly’s words.

Carly stepped closer. "I hurt you, Jason. So did Robin. Even Elizabeth did. Is that what you’re afraid to do? Trust someone with your heart?"

Jason hesitated. Was that what was going on?

"I wanted you to be with Courtney because I could see that she was a blank slate for you. She never betrayed you or hurt you. She was willing to fight to be with you and she never wavered in her feelings for you," Carly said. "A part of me still wishes that you loved her. But I can tell that you don’t. I thought that if Elizabeth were too much of a coward to be with you, then I would find a way for you to be happy. Now Elizabeth is ready."

"I realize that, Carly," Jason confessed. "It’s more than I thought it could be. When she told me it was me she wanted, I felt like everything about my life was better because she wanted to be in it."

"Then what’s the problem? Nothing’s stopping you but you. I know what it’s like to be your own worst enemy. I don’t want that kind of pain for you," Carly remarked. "Be selfish for once, Jason. Forget what’s right and just think about what you want. What both of you want."

Jason didn’t know if he could do that. But then again, he never thought he could lie or pretend before either.

"You want to know something, Jason? During this whole time, you haven’t mentioned Courtney even once," Carly pointed out. "You may not admit it, but your heart has already given in."

Jason stared wide-eyed at Carly. "I-I still care about Courtney," he replied.

Carly smiled and shook her head. "No, Jason. Don’t hide behind Courtney as an excuse to run away. Besides, it’s too late. I’ve already noticed you forgetting everything else but Elizabeth. You can say all the right things, Jason, maybe even do them. But your feelings won’t go away. You can trust me on that one."

Jason didn’t want to admit it, but Carly was right. Inside he had already given into his feelings for Elizabeth. It was only a matter of time before it would eat him alive.

Meanwhile, at Kelly’s, Elizabeth was standing at the counter, ordering breakfast. She was still feeling sleepy, but she knew it would all be over soon. She just had to stick it out a few hours longer.

But exhaustion was the least of her troubles. She hated lying to Jason. She hated doing to him what he had done to her, but she had no choice. Jason was right. She would choose her child’s future over him. At least, for now.

"Hi, Elizabeth," a male voice greeted from behind her.

Elizabeth turned around to find Zander, Nikolas and Lucky standing in front of her. "What are you guys doing here?" she asked, surprised to see them.

Zander smiled. "Well, it’s nice see you, too."

Lucky leaned forward and pulled her into an embrace. "Congratulations, Elizabeth. Why didn’t you tell us?"

Elizabeth stared wide-eyed at the other two as she recovered from the shock of Lucky’s hug.

Nikolas frowned. "Thanks for warning me that night near the docks that you two were back together. At least that cushioned the shock a little bit."

Elizabeth looked at them questioningly. What were they talking about?

Zander could see the confusion in her eyes. "Elizabeth, I can’t believe we had to hear it from Scott Baldwin. Were you going to invite any of us to the wedding? I mean I know we’re not Jason’s favorite people, but I am sure his guards don’t have "usher" in their job description," Zander teased.

Realizing what they were referring too, Elizabeth quickly covered her shock with a smile. Blushing, she replied, "Sorry, guys. I know I should have said something, but I really wanted it to be something just between Jason and I. After my other disastrous weddings I wanted this one to be different."

"No one knew about yours and Ric’s," Lucky pointed out.

Elizabeth bit her lower lip, thinking guiltily of Ric and his kidnapping.

Nikolas jabbed Lucky in the stomach with his elbow. He remembered how Elizabeth had told him her ex-husband had cheated on her. Leave it to Lucky to bring that up. "Anyway, we just wanted to drop by and say congratulations and wish you well."

Zander smiled, "As the three guys who lost you to Jason, we thought it only fitting that we give you our blessing."

Elizabeth laughed. Zander was right, it was quite ironic.

Lucky shook his head, grinning from ear to ear. "No, I don’t think she was ours to lose. Jason’s always had one up on all of us."

"Oh yeah?" Elizabeth asked, a little curious even though this was all a lie.

"He has your heart and soul completely," Lucky said. He put an arm around Elizabeth and looked at the other guys. "We each realized that eventually."

"Some handled it better than others," Zander chuckled with a twinkle in his eye.

Elizabeth smiled, though it wavered slightly. Lucky had never been more right in his life. Jason made her complete and there was nothing she could do to change that. She didn’t even think she wanted to.

"I love him," Elizabeth admitted, although there was a hesitation there.

Nikolas looked at her strangely. Why did it seem so hard for her to say that? She was going to marry the guy. Shouldn’t she be sure about that?

"We know," Zander said softly, also noticing the distance in her voice.

Lucky sat on the stool beside hers. "You deserve to be happy, Elizabeth. And of everyone, Jason made you the happiest. I know I didn’t help, but he is what I wanted to be for you and that is what matters. He makes you feel safe to be yourself. I didn’t really understand that until now."

Nikolas nodded. "I remember how much I tried to keep you two apart, but you were strong and fiercely protective of him. It was then that I knew, I couldn’t compete. You two have a connection that no one can touch. You would give up anything for each other."

Zander added, "He spared me when his job is all about never giving mercy. He did that for you, Elizabeth. And no matter how much I tried to make it work with you, I knew it would always be him. You’re his weakness and his strength. Like Emily is mine."

Elizabeth looked back and forth between Zander and Nikolas. "How is Emily?" she asked cautiously. She knew the tension couldn’t have disappeared between Nikolas and Zander overnight. She was surprised Zander would state so boldly his love for her best friend who was engaged to Nikolas.

"It’s okay, Elizabeth," Nikolas smiled sadly. "Emily and Zander are back together. She admitted to Zander that she has cancer."

Elizabeth looked at Zander with concern. "Is she okay?"

Zander nodded. "As good as she can be. She’s at the hospital right now, talking to a doctor Nikolas flew in from Canada."

"I should go see her," Elizabeth said slowly. There was something she needed to tell Emily before the meeting tonight. Something very important.

"Here’s your order," Penny said, handing Elizabeth a paper bag.

Elizabeth smiled. "Thanks, Penny. Oh, and I can’t make it on Saturday. Can you find out if someone can cover my shift?"

Penny nodded. "Speaking of which, have you seen Courtney?"

Nikolas looked up immediately. "Elizabeth, do you need a ride to the hospital?" Nikolas had overheard Taggert tell Scott that he felt bad Elizabeth had lost her husband to Sonny’s sister. He was pretty sure Courtney was a sore subject for Elizabeth right now.

Elizabeth shook her head. "She’s out of town, actually. You should probably find someone to cover her shifts. I don’t know when she’ll be back."

Penny sighed. "I thought as much. Okay, see you later, Elizabeth."

Nikolas eyed Elizabeth carefully. Elizabeth was amazing. Even when Courtney stole two men from her, she was classy enough not to air Courtney’s dirty laundry in front of others. He shook his head. This was probably why people took advantage of her so often. Hopefully that time was over and she could finally be happy.

Elizabeth nodded and headed towards the door with Nikolas and the other two guys. "Thanks for the ride, Nikolas. I took a cab down here and I don’t think I can handle that smell again."

Nikolas smiled. "It’s not a problem."

"Thanks for dropping by," Elizabeth said to Zander and Lucky. "It means a lot to me." She embraced each of them tightly. "I love you both. My life is better for knowing you."

"Ditto," Lucky grinned.

"So can we expect an invitation next time you and Jason get hitched?" Zander asked.

Elizabeth bit her lower lip. Hell, as long as she was making empty promises today, she might as well. "Sure," she smiled. "You’ll be the first ones."

At a secluded location, the two captives were in deep conversation after the scene they witnessed that morning.

Courtney bit her lower lip, hesitating slightly. "They look like they got in a fight. Maybe Jason realized Elizabeth is all wrong for him."

"After that look he gave her as she walked out the door?" Ric smirked. "Keep dreaming, Blondie."

"Stop calling me that!" Courtney whined, although she knew he was right. Jason had stared at that door for a long time after Elizabeth had left. It wasn’t until Carly had entered that he had snapped out of that trance he was in. It was probably stupid of her to hold onto the hope that Jason would realize she was the one he needed and not Elizabeth.

Ric muttered under his breath. He couldn’t believe he had to deal with this vapid girl. He had no idea if his plan would work when he couldn’t even depend on this girl to hold onto her anger over Jason’s betrayal. She was like a simpering puppy, drooling after any piece of hope that Jason might choose her. She was delusional, that was for sure.

Courtney turned away from the monitor, sighing in frustration. "Fine, what are we going to do now?" she asked.

"We are going to head back to Port Charles tonight," Ric explained. "Then we just do what we have to like we planned."

"Okay," Courtney said, sniffling to herself. Her eyes trailed to the monitors. "Why can’t he see that she is just going to hurt him?"

"From what I saw, he was the one who hurt her," Ric defended. "Who cares, anyway? The sooner you accept that its over between you and Jason, the sooner we both get what we want."

"All right!" Courtney spat at him. "You don’t have to keep talking to me like I’m an idiot. I know what I have to do. Let’s just see if you’re strong enough to hurt your precious Elizabeth to get what you want."

"Elizabeth is a hundred times the woman you are," Ric shouted at the blonde.

Courtney grinned her crooked grin. "Yeah, well you’re a sick bastard."

Ric growled, "You’re a stupid bitch."

"You’re a psycho obsessed with a brother you never even met until this year," Courtney pointed out.

"And you’re a former stripper with a super-hero complex who can’t even save herself," Ric replied.

"Asshole," Courtney snapped at him.

"Slut," he retorted.

Courtney gasped. "Don’t call me that. I am not a slut."

"And Sonny just imports coffee," Ric laughed. His eyes glistened with steel. "You can call yourself whatever you want. Just make sure you do what you’re supposed to."

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 28
Elizabeth leaned back into the seat, rubbing her forehead with the palm of her hand. Her head was aching with exhaustion, but she knew that it would only be a matter of time before this was all over. Then, maybe she could finally take a long nap and hope that it would all be better when she woke up. She sighed softly. If only.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Nikolas asked, looking over at Elizabeth.

“I’m fine,” Elizabeth said, trying to smile. “How about you?”

“Fine,” he said just as insincerely.

“You seem . . . sad,” Elizabeth observed. “And not because I’m marrying Jason.”

Nikolas took a deep breath. “No, it isn’t that. It’s . . . Emily.”

Elizabeth nodded, knowing all along that this would happen. Lies never worked out the way you want them to. “You’re in love with her,” she said, stating the obvious.

Nikolas didn’t even pretend that she wasn’t right. “But she loves Zander.”

“Does that change how you feel about her?” Elizabeth asked.

“No, but it changes how I react to it. She has cancer. She doesn’t need anymore complications in her life,” Nikolas said.

His words struck a chord in her. “Why don’t you let her decide that?” Elizabeth said sharply. “Doesn’t she get a say in what she needs?”

Nikolas’ eyes narrowed. “Is that why you’re upset with Jason this morning?”

Elizabeth turned to him, surprised. “How did you know?”

Nikolas shrugged. “You didn’t seem very comfortable this morning when we brought up his name,” he explained.

“Because he’s so damn stubborn,” Elizabeth said, exasperated. “He thinks that he knows what’s best for me. He thinks that sacrificing himself will make me happy. He thinks that I’m some kind of delicate little doll that needs to be protected. I don’t need him to make decisions for me. I just, I need him to . . .”

“. . . love you?” Nikolas finished for her.

Elizabeth nodded, looking down at her hands. The helplessness of the situation finally hit her. She wanted to remove any doubts Jason had about their future, but she also needed to know that what he felt was as strong as what she felt for him. If he gave up on her now, how could she trust that he wouldn’t let her just walk through the door again?

“Maybe he’s afraid of being hurt,” Nikolas said. “Maybe he thinks you’re still in love with Ric.”

“Ric lied to me,” Elizabeth replied. “There is nothing left in here for him,” she stated, gesturing to her heart. She surprised herself with the finality of her words.

“No offense, Elizabeth, but your record with Jason hasn’t exactly been inducive to his confidence in your feelings for him,” Nikolas said.

“Neither has his, but I’m willing to take the risk. Why isn’t he?” Elizabeth asked.

“Some people are stronger than others,” Nikolas said, speaking from experience.

“He’s one of the strongest people I know,” Elizabeth replied. “He has been loyal and devoted to every single person in his life. Almost to a fault. He has never been afraid to take risks for Carly, Sonny, or anyone else . . . except for me.”

“Then maybe you’re his weakness,” Nikolas suggested.

Elizabeth looked out towards the empty road, contemplating this. “I used to think that, Nikolas. Then I walked away and I saw that he could live without me.”

Nikolas sighed. “I am a prince, responsible for hundreds of people since the day I was born and never have I faltered in my dedication to them. I have faced money problems, psychotic family members and the death of my father. Most people would look at me and say that I was stronger than most . . . but I have NEVER been so afraid to lose something as much as I do right now. Emily has made me feel more important and alive than I have ever felt in my life. Even though I loved Gia with my entire heart, I wasn’t prepared for this. I am so terrified to tell Emily how I feel because I am afraid she won’t feel the same way. I’d rather let her be with Zander and know that she is happy with him than to tell her how I feel and risk getting hurt. Yes, I could live without her, but it doesn’t mean I feel any less for her.”

“But if you never tell her, you’ll never know and you’ll DEFINITELY never be with her,” Elizabeth rationalized.

“At least I’d have hope,” Nikolas replied. “Something I can keep for myself.”

“What good is that?” Elizabeth asked. “What good is hope when all it does is remind you of what you don’t have?”

“Sometimes it’s all you think you can have,” Nikolas answered. “Haven’t you ever been afraid to take that leap no matter what your heart tells you?”

Elizabeth nodded. Whispering quietly, she answered, “Yes. So much that I could barely breathe. So I walked away and lost the one thing that mattered more to me than I ever imagined. I won’t make that mistake ever again, Nikolas.”

“Maybe Jason still needs to learn that,” Nikolas suggested.

Elizabeth leaned her forehead against the glass as they pulled into the hospital parking lot. “Maybe.”

Meanwhile, Jason stood in his empty penthouse, staring at the desk in front of him. Carly had just left and she’d given him a lot to think about. Everything inside him was screaming for him to pick up that phone and beg Elizabeth to come back so that he could apologize, but he just couldn’t.

He was wrong for pushing her away, he knew that. She loved him and he loved her. That’s all that should have mattered. But it wasn’t enough to make him bring her back.

Suddenly the phone rang and Jason picked it up. “Hello?” he answered.

“What are you doing still at the penthouse?” Sonny’s voice questioned. “We’re at the warehouse right now, setting up. The meeting’s not until tonight, but we can’t be too careful. Luis was a reckless man but I don’t think his brother is.”

Jason nodded in agreement. “I’ll be down there right away. There are just some things I need to take care of first.”

Sonny sighed, aware of Jason’s hesitation. “Fine. Don’t forget to bring Max and Johnny. They were supposed to be here hours ago.”

Jason’s eyebrows knitted together in confusion. “I haven’t seen either of them all morning.”

Sonny’s jaw tightened. “Is Elizabeth there?” he asked.

Jason paused. “No, she left this morning.”

“Then find her and you’ll find Max and Johnny,” Sonny said evenly.

Jason nodded. “I’ll be at the warehouse in an hour.”

Jason slowly hung up the phone, hating that he was lying to Sonny. He wouldn’t be going after Elizabeth. If Max and Johnny were with her, there was a reason for it. If he wanted her faith in him to be restored, he’d just have to trust her. Grabbing his jacket and keys, he headed towards the elevator. He’d get this Alcazar problem taken care of, but he had a few other things that he needed to do first.

Elizabeth stepped outside of Nikolas’ car and started towards the hospital entrance. Turning around, she called out to him, “Aren’t you coming in?”

Nikolas hesitated. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Don’t give me that,” Elizabeth scolded, her arms folded firmly across her chest. “I don’t care how afraid you are of being hurt! Emily could be dying in there and you are not going to let her think that she doesn’t matter to you because you’re too stupid to figure out what you want from her. I won’t let you do that to my best friend,” Elizabeth hissed. “You get your butt out of that car and go in and visit her with me.”

Nikolas’ mouth dropped open. He was shocked at her outburst and the turning heads in the hospital lobby proved he wasn’t the only one.

Elizabeth glared at him. “I swear I’ll scream until you---” Elizabeth broke off her threat with a smile as Nikolas bustled quickly out of his car. “That’s better.”

Nikolas followed Elizabeth into the hospital quickly, blushing at the stares of the people around them.

Elizabeth smiled, taking pride in the scene she had created. Turning to him, she saw him walking with his head down in embarrassment. “Nikolas, you don’t even have to say anything. Just be there for her,” she said hoping to re-assure him.

Nikolas nodded, afraid to respond in case he would say the wrong thing and set Elizabeth off on another shouting rant.

Taking the elevator in silence, they finally got to Emily’s room and Elizabeth knocked softly on the door. She could see through the glass window that Emily was awake.

“Come in,” Emily invited.

Elizabeth turned to Nikolas. “Can you wait out here for a few minutes? There are a few things I need to tell Emily first.”

Nikolas laughed. “You drag me in here, kicking and screaming and now you want me to wait outside?”

“Yes, you have a problem with that?” Elizabeth teased.

“No, not at all,” Nikolas smiled, throwing his hands up in defeat. “I’ll be right over there.”

Elizabeth grinned as Nikolas trailed off towards the seating area. Turning, she slowly opened the door and entered the hospital room.

“Elizabeth,” Emily greeted with a warm grin. “What are you doing here?”

“Visiting my best friend, of course,” Elizabeth replied. Taking a seat next to Emily’s bed, she asked gently, “How are you feeling?”

“As best as can be expected,” Emily said, her voice tired from all the tests. “Can we talk about something else?”

Elizabeth nodded in understanding. “Actually, I didn’t just come to visit you. I need to ask you a favor.”

Emily raised an eyebrow, noting the hesitation in Elizabeth’s voice. “Of course. What do you need?”

Elizabeth took a deep breath, knowing that what she was asking was pretty strange and she’d have to word it very carefully or else Emily might freak out. “It’s about Jason . . .”

Jason pulled into the hospital parking lot, turning off the engine of his motorcycle. He hated hospitals. The skeptical gazes, the cold-faced doctors, the smell of death . . . he hated the whole institution. It was supposed to be a place of healing, but it felt like a place of dying instead.

Jason grabbed the keys from the bike and headed towards the entrance. He was hoping he could get some healing here too. Just not from a doctor.

Following the familiar corridor, he thought about what he would ask her once he saw her. How could he tell Emily that he was still in love with Elizabeth when he was engaged to Courtney? Emily had always been there for him no matter what, but even she had her beliefs about the sacred promises people make to the ones they love. Would she understand? Would she be able to give him the answer he was looking for?

“Hey, Jason,” a voice called out to him.

Snapping out of his train of thought, Jason looked up to find Zander Smith standing in front of him. Not exactly his favorite person and certainly not someone he felt like talking to.

“Are you here to see Emily?” Zander asked.

Jason nodded.

“She’s awake,” Zander informed him. “I’m sure she’ll be really happy to see you.”

Jason nodded again, unsure of Zander’s friendly words.

“I guess I should congratulate you,” Zander said, hesitantly.

“Why?” Jason questioned, confused.

“Okay, maybe we’re not on the best of terms when it comes to Elizabeth, but I am humble enough to admit that you make her happy,” Zander began.

Realizing what Zander was talking about, Jason’s jaw twitched subconsciously.

“All that time Elizabeth was protecting me from you and Sonny, I could tell that she didn’t want to be with me,” Zander continued, feeling the need to say some things he had been thinking about for the last few hours. “It hurt my pride to let her go, but it hurt Elizabeth more to stay with me when all she wanted was to be with you.”

Jason stared, bewildered by Zander’s statement. What did Zander want him to say?

“I know I wasn’t being the friend Elizabeth deserved that summer,” Zander admitted. “I was hurt over losing Emily and my chance with Carly, so I held onto the only person who understood me and gave me a chance to prove that I wasn’t just another screw-up.”

Jason nodded, knowing that Elizabeth’s compassion was as much a strength as a weakness.

Zander rubbed his hand against his chin, struggling with what he wanted to say. “I thought I was the one to blame when you guys broke up,” he said.

Jason wouldn’t argue with that. Zander was one of the reasons.

“Then I realized it wasn’t me,” Zander continued. “It was you.”

Jason’s eyes turned to ice. Who did Zander think he was?

“That night at Kelly’s when we found her and Courtney fighting, do you remember that?” Zander asked.

Jason nodded, his jaw in a tight clench.

“I went in to see her after you left and she . . . she was heartbroken,” Zander revealed. “I thought you were there to stand up for her, but she explained to me what had really happened. She started to do that thing she does when she doesn’t want people to see how much she’s hurting.”

Jason swallowed, trying to push the memory away. He remembered that night all too well. He remembered yelling at her and lashing out. He remembered the tears in her eyes and how hurt she had looked.

Zander put his hands in his pockets, sighing to himself. “I told her I was sorry for whatever I had done to break you two up, but she reacted in a way that kind of scared me. She told me she didn’t want me to be sorry. She didn’t want anyone to feel sorry for her. She didn’t want to be someone who needed to be protected . . . she thought that was why you pushed her away.”

“That wasn’t . . .” Jason began. Then it dawned on him. These last few days . . . that was what it was all about.

Zander stared for a moment as Jason’s expression changed. “Elizabeth had a coldness in her voice that I hadn’t heard before. Like something inside her died that night.”

“I was wrong to treat her that way,” Jason said, still haunted by the guilt. “She deserved better from me.”

“She was almost afraid of herself,” Zander explained. “She felt like an idiot for believing you and Courtney.”

“We didn’t lie to her,” Jason replied. “But it wasn’t her fault that I moved on so quickly either.”

Mistaking Jason’s response for something else, Zander added, “I’m glad you told her that it wasn’t because of her you moved onto Courtney. It ate her up inside, you know. The fear and the guilt over not being strong enough to be with you.”

Jason felt that guilt eating him up inside right that moment. He hadn’t told her. He had let her keep believing that he didn’t think she was strong enough. Every time he tried to control her or tell her what to do just reminded her of their past and what she thought was her failure.

“I hope now that you see just how much she loves you and how much you hurt her,” Zander said evenly. “Don’t hurt her again. I don’t want her to ever look like she did that night. She’s my friend and she deserves better.”

Jason nodded solemnly. “Yeah, she does.”

With that, Zander walked towards the hospital cafeteria, leaving Jason alone with his thoughts. He needed to see Emily, he thought to himself. Immediately.

Emily bit her lower lip. “Elizabeth, I don’t think this is a good idea,” she said.

“Emily, I have to do this,” Elizabeth said defiantly. “I can’t explain it, but it’s the only way.”

Emily sighed. “Elizabeth, just promise me one thing.”

Elizabeth paused. “I can’t make any more promises, Em. I’ve already made too many today that I know I’ll break.”

“Please, Elizabeth,” Emily begged.

“Alright,” she conceded.

“Be careful,” Emily stated. “You have no idea what you’re up against.”

Elizabeth nodded. “I’ll be careful. But you have to keep your promise too.”

Emily nodded. “Deal.”

Elizabeth kissed her friend on the forehead. “Nikolas is waiting outside. I’ll go get him.”

Emily watched as Elizabeth walked out the door, twisting her hands nervously. Elizabeth was playing a dangerous game. She wished she could make sure neither Elizabeth nor her brother would be hurt when this was all over.

Jason stared impatiently at the numbers above the elevator door. He didn’t have time to waste, but he needed help before he saw Elizabeth again. He didn’t want to make things any worse than it already was. Everytime Elizabeth made an effort, he ended up sticking his foot in his mouth and hurting her even more. He didn’t want that. He just didn’t know if it would hurt her more if he let her go or if he continued trying.

Finally the elevator car arrived at Emily’s floor and Jason stepped off the elevator. An instant spark ignited up his spine, up the back of his neck and through his arms. Lifting his eyes, he saw that Elizabeth was walking towards him and his body was reacting sharply to her presence.

Her head lifted just before she bumped into him. “Jason,” she gasped, surprised to find him there.

“Elizabeth,” he replied. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to see Emily,” she explained. “I wanted to tell her what’s going on with us. The truth, I mean. Not the fake wedding.”

Jason nodded slowly, still shocked that she was there. “I was just about to do the same thing.”

“She’s talking with Nikolas right now,” she informed him. “You might want to give them a few minutes before you go in to see her.”

“How is she doing?” Jason asked.

“She’s tired, but she seems okay,” Elizabeth replied.

“I ran into Zander downstairs,” he mentioned.

“He thinks we’re getting married,” she said. “I didn’t think it was smart to tell him the truth. The only person I’ve told is Emily.”

Jason nodded. Zander knew more than Elizabeth gave him credit for.

“I better get going,” Elizabeth said, uncomfortable with the encounter. “I guess I’ll see you tonight.”

Jason nodded again. “Okay.”

As she walked away, something kept nagging at her to turn around, but she pushed the feeling into the back of her mind. If she stayed there another second she would never be able to go through with it.

Pressing the elevator button, she felt his eyes still on her. She forced herself to not glance back at him. She didn’t need a distraction. She had work to do.

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 29
Jason sat in the lounge area as Emily and Nikolas finished their conversation. The lack of activity sent his thoughts straight to the place it liked to wander most . . . Elizabeth. After seeing her, albeit briefly, he had no question that his feelings for her had changed these last few days. He could no longer push her into the back of his mind or pretend like she didn’t matter. He just wondered what he should do about it.

He was engaged to Courtney and he loved her, but not the way he loved Elizabeth. How would Courtney react to that? Especially when she needed him more now than ever? How could he be thinking about another woman when she was in danger?

Faith Roscoe had actually made a good point. He thought back to Elizabeth’s kidnapping. If it were Elizabeth in trouble, he would be begging every person he knew to help him find her instead of sitting in an empty waiting room for advice from his sister.

How could that be? How could his heart lead him to a place that felt wrong somehow? He was ready to marry a woman who didn’t even warrant a priority in his thoughts while the woman who did occupy his thoughts insisted on not needing him at all. None of this made sense to him and he knew that he needed help to sort it out. The sound of the door opening signaled his chance to get that help.

“Jason?” Nikolas asked, stepping out Emily’s room. Clearing his throat, he explained, “Emily’s awake if you want to see her.”

Jason nodded and walked past Nikolas into the room. Hopefully Emily could help him sort out his emotions. She was the one person who would listen and give him advice about what he already knew. As he shut the door, he caught a glimpse of Emily wiping a tear from her eye. “Are you okay?” he inquired with concern, pushing his own needs to the back of his mind.

Emily nodded, managing a smile for her big brother. “I’m fine. Just a little emotional, that’s all. What are you doing here?”

Jason knew she wasn’t fine, but he also knew she wasn’t ready to talk yet. “I came to talk to you about Elizabeth,” Jason began. “I need to ask you a favor.”

Emily smiled. “That seems to be a common theme around here.”

“Nikolas wanted to ask you a favor?” Jason inquired.

Emily shook her head. “No, he came to talk to me about something else.” Her voice drifted off somewhere. Not quite sad, but confused.

The emotion he had seen when he first walked in passed through her eyes again. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Emily took a deep breath. She revealed, “Nikolas just told me he loves me.”

Jason nodded, knowing that Emily didn’t mean a friendship kind of love. “Do you love him?”

“Of course I do. He’s stood by me since I was a teenager with a schoolgirl obsession with him. He has been an incredible friend to me,” Emily replied.

“But he wants more,” Jason acknowledged.

Emily pulled her hair out of her face and looked over at her brother. “When I was younger, I had this humongous crush on him. He was Prince Charming come to life. I knew that he was out of my reach, but that’s what crushes are. He was a fantasy, a pretend kind of love until I could find someone real who would love me back. That’s when I fell in love with Zander. Zander was real. Zander was someone I could hold onto, someone within my reach. To Zander, I was the one who was saving him. I was his protector.”

“He made you feel needed,” Jason said, voicing her thoughts.

Emily agreed. “Yes, he did. Nikolas became just a really good friend who I used to have a crush on and Zander was the man that I loved.”

“But things are different now,’ Jason observed.

Emily nodded. “Now Nikolas is finally looking at me the way I have always dreamed about since I was in high school. He told me he loved me and I couldn’t believe it. I thought I really was dreaming, until he looked at me and I could feel that it was real. I could see everything I felt for him staring right back at me. I-I don’t know what to do with that. What do you do when you finally get what you’ve always wished for?”

Jason looked solemnly at her. “I was just about to ask you the same thing.”

Elizabeth knocked softly on the door marked with a white 52. Soon, footsteps approached the warehouse entrance. The door opened to reveal Max with an armload of supplies. “Sonny and the rest of them are at the Pier 48 warehouse,” he informed her.

She nodded and proceeded inside, giving a greeting to Johnny who was hanging some cameras on the catwalk that overlooked the room.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Max asked, worried now that he knew Elizabeth was pregnant.

Elizabeth nodded. “I’ll tell you the same thing I told Emily. I have to do this. I promise I’ll be careful. No matter what happens, my baby is my first priority.”

Max still looked skeptical.

Elizabeth tucked her hair behind her ear, adding, “You just have to understand that this baby is WHY I have to go through with this. If I want my baby to have a secure and happy future, I need to do this.”

“Are you sure we shouldn’t tell Jason?” Johnny questioned, putting supplies into a duffle bag.

Elizabeth sighed. “Jason made it very clear to me what he wants and this will get him what he wants.”

“Then why are we keeping it a secret from him and Sonny?” Johnny repeated. “I’m kind of attached to my life, so if we don’t have to betray them, I would rather choose that plan.”

Elizabeth’s face turned grim. “This won’t work if they know the truth. They’ll try and stop me.”

“Maybe they can do something to help make sure this goes off without any, um, problems,” Max suggested. Inside he was thinking that maybe stopping her was a good thing.

“I’ll be fine,” Elizabeth said. “It would be more dangerous if they knew. The more people who know, the easier it will be for the plan to fail.”

“Are you sure we can trust A.J. Quartermaine?” Max asked doubtfully.

“No,” Elizabeth answered truthfully. “But we can trust his love for Courtney. As twisted as it is, it takes a strong emotion to make a man stalk his wife. He cares about Courtney and he wants her safe. He’s motivated to help me.”

Johnny was still skeptical, wondering how “safe” Courtney was when A.J. forced the girl to shoot an innocent man in self-defense. “What about Lorenzo Alcazar? What if he misunderstands what happens and he decides to shoot first and ask questions later?”

“Lorenzo seems like a sophisticated and calculating person. He wouldn’t react that rashly. He’ll get out of there to avoid trouble and deal with whatever happens later,” Elizabeth said confidently. “Hopefully, A.J.’s contact will buy us enough time to clear things up before Lorenzo retaliates.”

Jason and Emily sat silently for a long time, contemplating his statement. Did either of them know what to do with what they’d been given? Second chances were hard to find and tended to have terrible timing.

Emily shifted in her bed, trying to sit up straight. Glancing at Jason, she replied, “I don’t know the answer, Jason. I thought Zander was it for me. I didn’t realize that the crush I had on Nikolas has grown all these years into something more. I never even imagined that he was a possibility until after it had happened. What I feel for him is so much more than a friend.”

Jason felt her words reflected in his own heart. “What do we do, Emily? Elizabeth wasn’t supposed to tell me she loves me. She wasn’t supposed to ask me if I wanted to try again. We were over for a long time and I moved on. Courtney and I love each other and we’re going to get married once I find her.”

Emily bit her lower lip. “Zander and I are supposed to be getting married too. Tomorrow.”

Jason’s eyes grew wide. “Tomorrow?”

Emily nodded. “I know it’s short notice, but Zander wanted to declare our love in front of God. I said yes because I want to give him this last gift.”

“But you love Nikolas too,” Jason said.

“Marrying Zander is the right thing to do,” Emily said, trying to convince herself. “Whatever I feel for Nikolas doesn’t matter. I won’t be around to pursue it anyway.”

“Emily, don’t-don’t say that,” Jason said, his voice choked with emotion. “You don’t know that.”

“The tests came back, Jason,” Emily replied. “I have six months at the most to live. It wouldn’t be right for me to break both Zander and Nikolas’ hearts.”

“So you’re saying I should end whatever is happening between Elizabeth and me,” Jason replied. “I should marry Courtney because I made her a promise and I shouldn’t break it.”

Emily shook her head. “No, of course not. You should follow your heart, Jason. Whatever feels right for you. You taught me that. Besides, our situations are completely different. You will have to live with your decision six months from now, a year from now . . . forever. I-I don’t.”

“Emily, you think it ends when you die?” Jason asked. “Even if the doctors don’t save you in time, you will die knowing that you never knew what you could have had with Nikolas. I believe in heaven and life after death and I know you do too. Could you spend eternity regretting the choices you made while you were here?”

Emily’s eyes filled with liquid. “I am so scared Jason. When I found out I was going to die, I promised myself that I would do what I could to return the love Zander has always given me. But if I marry him, I’m scared I’ll never get to kiss Nikolas again. I’m scared I’ll never get to tell him how much I love him. This fear makes everything inside me twist into a knot and I just wish I knew what to do about it. I could die tomorrow and I would never have told Nikolas that he has my heart . . . forever.”

“Then don’t marry Zander,” Jason said.

“I owe it to him,” Emily said. “It’s not fair of me to change.”

And that’s when Jason finally got his answer. “No, it isn’t. But Elizabeth thought that too and she and Lucky ended up even worse than before. If she had let go as soon as she realized she didn’t love him the way she used to, she would have a lot less hurt in her life. Do you want to ruin what you and Zander had by going through with a marriage based on a lie?”

“Would Courtney want that from you?” Emily asked.

Jason sighed. “No, she wouldn’t. She deserves better.”

Emily nodded. “So does Zander.”

“So what do we do now, Emily?” Jason whispered.

Emily folded her arms, feeling a chill run through her. “We tell them the truth and let fate decide what happens from there.”

Elizabeth looked around the empty warehouse thinking about the night to come. It was going to be a very dangerous and precise plan and she couldn’t let anything go wrong . . . it could be fatal. Gazing at the table, she saw an array of weapons, each specially designed for self-protection and elimination of life.

Seeing the weaponry made everything so much more real. She had to be careful for the sake of this child, even if she didn’t want to admit her fear to Max or Johnny. Outside, the guards were putting equipment into the van and calling a friend to make sure his flight came in okay. Elizabeth, meanwhile, was mentally preparing herself for the long night ahead.

Her mind couldn’t help but wander towards the topic of Jason. How was he going to handle her lies after tonight? Would he think it was payback? Would he be able to see that she had to do this on her own and that’s why she couldn’t tell him?

Elizabeth had no doubts anymore of what she wanted . . . what her heart wanted. Her love for him had grown so quickly that it ached. Two days was all it had taken for her to realize that the last 18 months had been wasted time that she had foolishly spent away from him. She managed to find some escape and some excuse in Ric but a few moments alone with Jason was all she needed to feel that freedom again. The way he changed her would never leave her and she knew she needed him, even if it hurt.

And it did. That morning his words had stung. How could she make him see that she loved him more than anything? What did she need to do to make him understand that he meant more to her than her childhood insecurities and her dreams of a perfect family? Her dreams had changed because of him. She didn’t care how it looked to other people and she didn’t feel the need to be better than anyone. She just wanted what made her happy and that was him.

That included all his flaws and his dangerous lifestyle. In fact, she found it harder to deal with his noble code than his enemies. She wanted to shake him and tell him to live for himself for once. If he could just take the risk and take the love she was offering, they could be happy. She knew that they would always have their misunderstandings, but in the end, they had each other too. Angry words and well-intended lies could never change that.

Elizabeth sighed and stood up from her seat. She would just have to make him see the truth. After all this was over, she would force him to listen until she convinced him to try again. If, after that, he decided that it wasn’t what he wanted, she would let go. She would move on and keep him as a memory of a time when she was happy, loved and free.

The door of the warehouse opened and Max stepped in carrying a box of supplies. “This is the last of it,” he said. “I called and they said everything is set. We just have to drop by the airport and then we’ll come back. We need to be back before Sonny and Jason leave for Pier 48 or else there will be too much room for error.”

Elizabeth nodded in agreement. “Let me call A.J. to see if everything is ready on his end.”

Picking up the cell phone, she quickly dialed his number. “A.J.?” she greeted once she heard the click.

“Elizabeth,” he replied. “I called my guy and gave him the instructions. He’s clear on what he needs to do.”

“Are you sure he can be trusted?” Elizabeth questioned.

“I told him he doesn’t get paid if anything goes wrong. Besides, I have some information on him that he wants to keep secret from his boss. He doesn’t really have a choice,” A.J. explained.

“Great,” Elizabeth replied. “Thanks again, A.J. I wouldn’t be able to pull this off without your help.”

“Take care of yourself, okay?” A.J. said. “I want you alive after all this is over so you can tell Courtney that I’m not all that bad.”

Elizabeth laughed, knowing that A.J.’s joke really wasn’t that funny considering the circumstances. “I will, don’t worry.”

With that, she hung up the phone and dialed a second number. The phone rang twice before someone picked up.

Jason kissed Emily’s forehead and said softly, “You get some rest. I’ll make sure no one bothers you until tomorrow.”

“Thanks,” Emily said with a smile. “I need some time to think about what I’m going to tell Zander.”

Jason smiled, “Take care of yourself first.”

She leaned back on her pillow. “I will.”

Jason gave her one last glance and then headed for the door.

“Wait,” Emily called out to him.

He turned around and looked at her curiously.

“Tell Elizabeth how you feel,” Emily said.

“I will,” Jason replied.

“No, I mean, go find her now. Go tell her before you do anything else,” Emily urged him. “She needs to know right away.”

Jason raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

“Jason, I know more than anyone else how short life can be. You never know what’s going to happen. Take the risk before you regret what you couldn’t do because of fear,” Emily advised him.

For some reason, Jason got the feeling Emily was holding something back. Jason didn’t disagree, though, so he didn’t argue. “I’ll tell her, Emily. Now you get some sleep.”

Emily nodded, slipping lower in her bed. “Bye, Jason.”

Elizabeth could hear the sound of moving crates and men walking back and forth in the background. She waited patiently for the man to respond to her call.

In a thick Spanish accent, a man answered, “Lorenzo Alcazar. Who is this?”

“Lorenzo, this is Elizabeth. You told me to call you after I talked to Sonny and Jason,” Elizabeth said smoothly.

“Ms. Webber,” Lorenzo acknowledged. “I’m surprised to hear from you.”

“Well I thought about what you said,” Elizabeth lied. “It’s important to me that Jason stays safe and if that means cooperating with you then so be it. Jason and Sonny want to meet with you tonight at their warehouse on Pier 52.”

“Why are they having you call me?” Lorenzo asked.

“They want to negotiate with you and they want things to be amicable,” Elizabeth replied. “They thought if I spoke to you, you would be more willing to listen.”

“Although this is very unorthodox, I can understand their reasons,” Lorenzo said. “Tell them that I will see them tonight to discuss business. What changed your mind, Ms. Webber?”

“What do you mean?” Elizabeth asked.

“Well you seemed so adamant before about keeping drugs out of Port Charles,” Lorenzo replied.

“Like I said, I want Jason to be safe,” Elizabeth repeated. “I can tell after what happened yesterday that you are a shrewd and clever man. More than any of Jason and Sonny’s past adversaries. I, along with Sonny and Jason, would rather have you as an ally than an enemy.”

“That is a very wise observation,” Lorenzo smiled. “Although I must admit, I’m suspicious of your quick change of heart.”

Elizabeth thought quickly. “I-I’m pregnant,” she blurted out.

Lorenzo didn’t answer right away, but finally replied, “I would advise you to keep that information to yourself, Ms. Webber. It is dangerous in this business to have news like that land in the wrong hands.”

Elizabeth paused, thinking carefully of what to say. “I could tell from our brief meeting that you are a decent man. I’m sure you understand why this pregnancy has forced me to re-arrange my priorities. My child takes precedent over my moral beliefs,” Elizabeth explained.

“I see,” Lorenzo said, finally believing her. “I must get my papers in order before tonight’s meeting.”

Elizabeth let out a silent sigh of relief. “I will let Sonny and Jason know.”

Lorenzo smiled, “I hope to speak to you again, Ms. Webber. You are a very admirable young woman.”

Elizabeth replied sweetly, “Thank you, Lorenzo. And please, call me Elizabeth.”

“Very well, Elizabeth,” Lorenzo replied. “Tell your fiancé that he is a very lucky man.”

Elizabeth smiled. “I will.” Hanging up the phone, Elizabeth let out a long breath. That was close.

Elizabeth buttoned up her coat carefully and looked down at her stomach. Rubbing her tummy, she prayed that everything would go as planned. This had to work or she could lose everything.

“Are you ready to go?” Johnny called out to Elizabeth from the van.

Elizabeth nodded. “Now or never.”

Across town in his own warehouse, Lorenzo Alcazar sat in his leather chair, contemplating his brief conversation with Elizabeth. Making a decision, he pressed the button on his intercom and requested, “Javier, get Pablo in here. I need to talk to him. While you’re out there, get the car. We have a meeting tonight.”

After a few moments, Pablo arrived at the office. “You requested my presence, Senor Alcazar?”

Lorenzo nodded. “It seems your informant is correct. Someone is trying to set me up.”

Pablo nodded. “Should I send out Raul to find out who it is?”

Lorenzo shook his head. “No need. The question isn’t who. It’s why.”

Pablo raised an eyebrow. “We can take care of this troublemaker.”

Lorenzo rubbed his beard with his hand, thinking carefully. “It’s not a threat yet. I am intrigued, though. As long as Mr. Corinthos thinks I have his siblings, I will have the upper-hand. I might as well use that to my advantage.”

Pablo asked quickly, “Should I get the men at the warehouse to escort you to the meeting?”

Lorenzo replied, “Yes, and be sure they check out the warehouse ahead of time. I don’t want anything going wrong. Especially when we don’t know why this person is framing me.”

Pablo bowed and exited the office to take care of the preparations.

Javier stepped in after Pablo was gone and informed Lorenzo, “The car is ready.”

Lorenzo smiled. “Good. Now we’re going to find out just why Elizabeth Webber is trying to frame me for kidnapping.”

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 30

Jason pulled the cell-phone out of his back pocket, stepping through the automatic sliding doors of the hospital. Dialing as he walked towards his motorcycle, he felt an insurgence of purpose. He had made his decision. No matter what happened, Elizabeth had to know how he felt. Whether she hated him, loved him or worse didn’t care, he still needed to say the words. She had been so hurt for too long because he was afraid to tell her. He couldn’t do it any more.

“Hello?” Max answered, strolling down the airport corridor.

“Max, where is Elizabeth?” Jason asked.

“Uh . . .” Max paused, unsure of whether Jason deserved to know.

“Don’t start, Max. I know she’s either with you or she isn’t, but either way you know where she is. Tell me where,” Jason insisted urgently.

“She’s at the penthouse,” Max replied with hesitation. “She said she had something she had to do before tonight.”

Jason wondered what she meant by that. Sighing, he rubbed his forehead. “Thanks, Max,” he said sincerely, deciding that he would go find her.

Max raised an eyebrow in surprise that Jason hadn’t pressed for more information. “Sure, boss.”

“Whatever she’s up to—you don’t have to tell me, but watch out for her for me, Max,” Jason said before saying goodbye.

Max nodded. “Of course. I’ll protect Elizabeth with my life.”

Jason believed him. “If Sonny checks on you, you can tell him that I have you on an errand,” Jason instructed.

Max replied, “Sonny called earlier. He said that he received notice that the meeting location has been changed last minute to the warehouse on Pier 52.”

“Why?” Jason questioned, his warning bells going off.

“Mr. Alcazar said that he would like a place that he can monitor beforehand,” Max said, knowing it was a lie.

Jason sighed. “Okay. Just make sure you do the sweep in case of an ambush and try to be discrete with our security measures.”

Max nodded. “I will.”

“I’ll see you later tonight,” Jason said.

“Bye,” Max replied. He hung up the phone and turned to his companion. “Jason’s heading back to the penthouse now. Hopefully he’ll catch Elizabeth before Johnny brings her back to the warehouse.”

“I’ve been gone four years and nothing’s changed,” his friend replied. “They still can’t hear each other without one of us having to interfere.”

Max chuckled. “Lucky for them, we’re patient.”

Elizabeth knocked on the penthouse door, wondering if Jason had already left for the meeting. After no response, she used the key Jason had given her. She had come back to the penthouse because she needed to make peace before she could go through with tonight. She wanted her and Jason to be on more solid ground before he found out the plans she had made behind his back.

Stepping inside, she put the keys on the desk. Staring at them, she remembered the last time she had held his keys. It was when she had found them in his jacket pocket after Zander had foolishly tried to frame him for betraying Sonny. Jason had treated her like a stranger then . . . her friendship with Zander and the subsequent affair had damaged their bond beyond repair.

Sitting on the cushioned couch, she remembered mistaking one night of closeness as a sign of hope that they could get back what they had and grow into something more. That night this couch was leather instead of plush. She should have realized then that they had a lot more work to do before they could rebuild their relationship.

She knew that she loved him that night. She wanted so badly for her mistakes to just disappear and take his words of forgiveness for face value. But it wasn’t forgiveness he was offering her. He would push it away, ignore it, try and forget, pretend it didn’t matter, but he couldn’t forgive her. For some reason, he seemed to want to pretend he could.

She had never treated him the way he deserved. For everything he had given her and all the ways he had made her a better person, she hadn’t given him a damn thing. Just enough to make him think he wanted her in his life and then just enough to hurt him as much as possible with the little leverage that that gave her.

Elizabeth shook her head, brushing the tear from her eye. How he still loved her enough to even want to be with her after all that was hard to understand. Lucky had cheated on her once and she couldn’t even begin to think that she would ever want to go back to him. She and Lucky even had a history they could have used to forgive their mistakes . . . Jason and she only had their friendship. For some reason that was enough for him to forget how she had refused his offer to escape to Italy. It was somehow enough to look past her one night stand with Zander. And now, it seemed enough to survive her marriage with Ric and all the times she had insulted him this past year.

She had treated him horribly and yet this morning he had looked at her the way he did three years ago. Like she was the most precious thing he had ever seen in his life. No one had ever looked at her that way before, not even close. And he was the one person in her life she had hurt the most. His faith in her and his love for her astounded her. She never doubted it for a minute; she only doubted her ability to deserve it.

This morning he had once again tried to do what was right, instead of what was right for him. If she could give him one thing, it would be the strength to grab the happiness life offered him instead of sacrificing it for the people around him. His love for the people in his life was what made him so amazing, but at the same time, it cost him more than any person should have to give up. He deserved so much more. He deserved everything he had given her . . . she just wasn’t sure if he would find that in her.

Ever since this dance began, she had pushed and pulled at him, never letting him know just what an amazing man he was. She never said the words that she had always felt inside. Instead she let herself give into what was “right” according to everyone else. She sacrificed Jason so that she could make her life easier. She was selfish and she had hurt him. The one person who believed in her. The one person who never lied to her. The one person who treated her the way she always dreamed someone would.

Suddenly, a great anger bubbled in the pit of her stomach. She hated herself for her choices. Everything she had done to push him away, to hurt him . . . it all made her angry. How could she have been so stupid? Why couldn’t she just love him the way he loved her? All this time she had wasted because she was too blind to see the man in front of her.

The door opened and head lifted to find the man in her thoughts standing before her. “Jason,” she gasped.

Jason stopped when he saw her. “Elizabeth,” he said with surprise. He hadn’t expected Max to actually tell him the truth. He didn’t expect her to actually be here. Why did she come back after all the things he had said to her that morning?

She stared back at him, her heart beating a little more rapidly when he said her name. Like she had told Max, it was now or never.

Simultaneously, they said to each other, “We need to talk.”

Back in the cell, the captives continued bickering as they tried to release each other’s binds.

“Hurry up,” the blonde demanded, gazing angrily at the monitor in front of. “He’s back.”

“I am trying the best I can here,” the man replied.

“I bet that’s what you say to Elizabeth in bed,” she chuckled vindictively.

“Shut up,” he yelled. “If I were you, I’d be more cooperative. Without me, you’re never getting out of here.”

“Without me, you wouldn’t either,” she retorted.

He grumbled, knowing that he needed her when they returned to Port Charles. The only way he could get Elizabeth back was to keep Jason out of the picture. The only way to do that was with this twit. What Jason saw in her, he would never know. After having someone like Elizabeth, this blonde was a complete joke, a cartoon. He wondered what crazy person convinced Jason that she was a good replacement.

Brushing away the thoughts, he worked to release the binds that held together the blonde’s less than feminine hands. His mind was focused on one thing and that was to get Elizabeth back. No matter what the cost. Even if that cost was Elizabeth’s happiness. Suddenly, the butter knife cut through the ropes and his cellmates’ hands were released.

“Finally,” she said ungratefully.

He held out his wrists and looked to her to return the favor.

She smirked. “If I didn’t need you to get Jason back, I’d just leave you here.”

“Funny, I was just thinking the same thing about you,” he sneered.

She worked her way through the ropes, resisting the urge to cut the knife through to his wrists while she was at it. “What is your brilliant plan anyway? Assuming we make it past these thugs, how are you going to keep Elizabeth away from Jason now that they’ve suddenly rediscovered their great love for each other,” she said sarcastically.

“You take care of Jason and I’ll take care of Elizabeth,” he replied, glaring past her at the glowing television screen. “You run back to Jason and tell him what a terrible trauma you’ve gone through and then give some sappy speech about how you don’t know how you could have made it through without him and how you only lived because you knew he loved you. Jason’s a sucker for that stuff.”

“What if that isn’t enough? Jason’s an honest man,” she argued. “He wouldn’t just stay with me because of guilt.”

“Then tell him you’re pregnant or something,” he suggested. “He’ll stay with you out of some misplaced belief in loyalty and duty.”

“I can’t lie to him,” she said. “Jason and I have NEVER lied to each other.”

“Fine, if you want him crawling back into bed with Elizabeth, tell him the truth and then let him go on his merry way,” he spat. “Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“FINE!” she said. “I’ll tell him I love him. If that’s not enough then maybe I’ll lie.”

He rolled his eyes. “You do your part, I’ll do mine.”

“And what is that exactly?” she asked, cutting through the last bundle of rope.

“Elizabeth is my wife. I know from her past with Jason that marriage and promises are sacred to her. She couldn’t walk away from Lucky for Jason and she won’t walk away from me now,” he explained.

She laughed. “If you think the person that stayed with Lucky is the same person that is in that penthouse mooning over Jason, then you are sadly mistaken.”

“What do you know?” he shouted, pulling out the last of the rope and releasing his wrists.

“I know how Lucky cheated on her with her sister,” she bragged. “I also know how she swore that she would never be with someone out of obligation and DEFINITELY not with someone who is keeping secrets from her.”

His eyes narrowed. “And what secrets do you think I’m keeping from her?”

“How about the fact that you KNOW she’s in love with Jason and that she cheated on you? How about the fact that the only reason you are trying to get her to stay with you is because you want to make sure she never gets to be with Jason?” she rambled.

“She’ll never know,” he said. “Unless one of us tells her, and I don’t plan on saying anything.”

The threat in his voice was obvious. “Neither do I,” she agreed.

Lorenzo Alcazar sat in his limousine, giving orders on the phone to one of his associates. “Yes, the warehouse on Pier 52. Make sure it isn’t an ambush. Check all the main entrances and exits for traps. I don’t want anything going wrong tonight.”

“What if they agree to negotiate?” Javier asked after Lorenzo hung up the phone.

Lorenzo rubbed his chin with his hand. “Then we’ll make a deal.”

“What if Sonny wants his brother and sister back before he’ll cooperate?” Javier questioned.

“We’ll have to speak to Elizabeth Webber about that,” Lorenzo said. “She is lying about this for a reason. We just don’t know why yet. She’s lying to Corinthos and Morgan too. She must want them to think I have a hold over them.”

“Isn’t it dangerous going in there if we don’t know what she’s up to?” Javier inquired.

“There is no reward without risk,” Lorenzo replied. “Besides, I have a feeling Miss Webber is harmless.”

“What do you want us to do if this turns out to be a trap?” Javier asked. “Do you want us to eliminate them?”

Lorenzo shook his head. “No, if it is a trap, we need the manpower to retaliate. If anything is suspicious, get our men out of there immediately. I don’t want anyone killed tonight.”

Javier nodded skeptically. “Yes, sir.”

A.J. Quartermaine sat inconspicuously at the bar of the Port Charles Grille, nursing a club soda. “Is everything set?”

His contact nodded. “Everything is ready for tonight. As long as Mr. Corinthos’s men and the woman stick to the plan, I will take care of my end.”

“I don’t want anything going wrong tonight,” A.J. said. “There is a pregnant woman’s life on the line here.”

The contact replied firmly, “I’ll do my job. I’ve been successful so far, haven’t I?”

A.J. agreed. “Yes, you have. Just remember that your boss won’t be too happy if he finds out what I discovered about you.”

The contact looked nervously around. “This is the last job, right? After this, I can trust you won’t be telling my secrets to anyone.”

A.J. nodded. “After tonight, everyone will be getting what they deserve. Everyone.”

Jason and Elizabeth looked at each other silently, surprised that the other was right in front of them. Elizabeth licked her lips, wondering if she should say something first. Deciding to break the silence, she spoke. “I came back here because I didn’t want to leave things the way they were this morning. Look, Jason, I know you want to do what’s best for me, but you staying away isn’t it . . . it never was.”

Jason stood across the room, fearing her words yet yearning for them at the same time.

She got up and walked toward him slowly. “I thought about what you said this morning and I want to make it clear that my choice is to be with you. That is what I want to do, this is where I want to be. Nothing you say or do will push me away or make me change my mind. Being with you is what I’ve always wanted.”

He swallowed, feeling his heart pound faster the closer she got.

She reached out to him, pressing a hand against his cheek. “The question is, what do you want?” Stroking his cheek with the palm of her hand, she stared in fascination at the curves in his face and feel of his unshaven jaw-line against her hand.

He stared down at her, those big eyes looking at him with such intensity. He nodded slowly, knowing that he had made his choice. “You,” he murmured.

She leaned her forehead against his and sighed. “I’m here, if you just let me in. You just have to let me decide what’s right for me. Let me be selfish if that’s what I want to be.”

Jason breathed heavily, taking in her scent. “I-I was wrong to say what I did. I should have given you the choice instead of making it for you.”

Elizabeth’s eyes smiled. “I’m glad you think that.”

“I want to try again, Elizabeth, if you still want to be with me,” Jason revealed. “I don’t want to let you go.”

She couldn’t help the flush that filled her cheeks or the grin that stretched her lips. “I don’t want to let you go either, Jason. We can make this work. After this is all over, we can try again. It’ll be hard because of Ric and Courtney, but I can’t just give you up again. It hurts too much.”

He sat down beside her, stroking her cheek with his hand. “I would miss you if you did. I tried to forget this past year, but sooner or later I knew I would see you and know that I let you walk away and it would be like I was shot all over again.”

Elizabeth’s heart quickened, hearing the words she had dreamed of hearing for so long.

“I-I can’t be with Courtney,” he confessed. “I don’t want to marry her when I want to be with you.”

She pressed her cheek against his chest, feeling his arms wrapping around her. She could feel every muscle beneath his shirt pulsating with each heartbeat. “After they’ve been rescued, I want to start again. I am not saying we’ll forget what’s happened this past year, but I am going to ask Ric for a divorce after everything is . . . settled.”

“Aren’t you afraid you’ll hurt him?” Jason asked, voicing his own fears about Courtney.

Elizabeth shook her head, not leaving the comfort of his embrace. “It hurts more if I lie and tell him that I love him and I want to be with him. Ric isn’t the man I want to be with. He was a mistake I used to cover up the pain of losing you.”

“It’s not the same with Courtney,” Jason admitted. “I did love her and she loves me. I just . . . I want to be with you more.”

Elizabeth’s eyes filled with pain for the situation that she had caused because she had walked away so many months ago. “I am sorry for whatever this will do to Courtney.”

“But like you said, lies hurt more,” Jason agreed. His arms gripped her tighter, being drawn in by her closeness. “I trust you, Elizabeth. I hope you know that.”

She nodded, suddenly feeling guilty. “I do. And I trust you, Jason. With everything.” She looked up at him, wanting him to see that she meant what she said.

He swallowed, trying to formulate the right words. “I know it won’t be easy, but if you’ll be patient with me, I will make sure that I don’t repeat my mistakes and that you know every day how much you mean to me.”

“You don’t have to say the words, Jason,” Elizabeth replied. “I know every time you look at me that I matter to you. I was just afraid the last time.”

He nodded. “I’ll try harder, Elizabeth. You deserve that. And you do matter, but it’s more than that.”

She smiled. “More than friends?”

He shook his head. “More than even that. I’m going to prove it to you.”

“I have some promises to make to you,” she said. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she gazed at him with a shining openness in her eyes. “This time I will keep them.”

Jason smiled, liking the feel of her skin against his and listened intently.

She rubbed her thumb against the curve of his neck, gentle strokes, counting off her promises to him. “I will let you explain instead of run away. I will treat you the way that you deserve. I will make sure you always know what you mean to me. I will never take you for granted. I won’t choose other people over you. I won’t hide behind what’s safe. I will show you every day that you are as important to me as breathing. I will choose you every day for the rest of my life.”

“I love you, Elizabeth,” he said softly, overwhelmed by her statement.

Elizabeth nodded. “I love you, too, Jason.” This moment was what she had been waiting for. Finally, they were getting past all the pain and misunderstandings. Forgetting all her fears, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down into a kiss.

He thought he heard sadness or regret in her voice, but he couldn’t think straight while she was massaging his lips with her own. That hunger that had been stirred that morning had only grown with the time apart. Instead of listening to the hesitation, he gave into the temptation. He felt his entire body react to her every movement, her every caress and her every breath. Running his hands through her hair, he pressed her gently closer so that he could taste her.

She released her inhibitions as he responded to her kiss. She let his movements guide hers as they danced in their own way. Lips, hands, skin, touch . . . it all blended together into a furious need. They gave into the moment with reckless abandon, not knowing that their every move was being watched.

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 31

*knock knock*

Elizabeth was pulled back to reality from the sound of the pounding on the door. Staring breathless at Jason, she had to gather herself to speak. “Should we get that?”

Jason swallowed roughly. He was barely composed himself. “I’ll get it.” He hated letting her go, but he knew that they needed to step back before they both gave into something that they couldn’t finish. He opened the door to find Max standing in the doorway.

“Mr. Corinthos said that everything is ready. He wants you down there now,” Max informed Jason.

Jason shut the door. “It’s time,” he said to Elizabeth.

She nodded. “Okay.”

“Elizabeth, I---“

She shook her head. “No, Jason. Let it be what it is. I am not going to let you talk your way out of what just happened.”

“I wasn’t going to,” he grinned. “I was just going to say that I was glad that it happened. I haven’t changed my mind.” He reached for her hand and held it tightly in his own. “We fit, Elizabeth. This is right.” He held her hand over his heart and smiled. “This is what I want.”

Her eyes shined with joy that had been so far from her for too long. “I want this too.” She kissed him gently and lingered on his lips. “We should probably go.”

With great hesitation he nodded. “We’ll take my bike.”

Sonny Corinthos stood stiffly at the entrance of one of his many warehouses. “My sister is coming out of this alive, no matter who has to die to make that happen,” he instructed Johnny.

Johnny nodded. “I understand. The men know what they have to do if anything goes wrong.”

“Good,” Sonny replied. Pacing, he observed the building. The ladders, crates and cabinets looked normal but the building was the most protected building he owned. His best contractors had constructed this building to be as secure as a government facility. No one would get in here unless he let them. If they did, they wouldn’t make it out alive. “This building is more secure than the one at the other pier,” he noted. “I wonder why Alcazar’s brother chose this one. It makes him more vulnerable.”

“He probably doesn’t know that,” Johnny lied. “He probably thought that switching locations at the last minute would put him at an advantage because we would have less time to prepare.”

Sonny didn’t nod, didn’t react. He was sure there was more to this than met the eye but he had no time to figure it out. His sister was in danger yet again and it was his job to make sure she came back alive. If she didn’t, he’d never hear the end of it from Carly.

Johnny’s phone rang and he wandered off to the corner to answer it. Mumbling, he discussed the plans with one of the other guards who was stationed elsewhere to protect Michael and Carly who hadn’t been able to leave the country as originally planned. It seemed the PCPD was putting a careful watch on the penthouse due to the increased levels of drug activity near the harbor.

The mob boss paced the room, his glance bouncing from place to place. He was distracted and on edge. He was nervous, although he’d never admit it to his men. This whole thing reeked. Of all his years in the business, he had never been through anything he couldn’t predict or take care of. There were too many questionable factors in this.

Who was Alcazar’s brother? What did he want? What had that message really meant? “A brother for a brother”? For some reason, Sonny thought that a man shrewd enough to get away with this kidnapping for so long would have realized that Ric meant nothing to him. Less than nothing. Why would Alcazar’s brother think that holding Ric captive gave him any leverage?

Johnny approached his boss. “Jason is on his way over here.”

“And Elizabeth?” Sonny questioned, guessing that she hadn’t backed down from the idea of being there during the negotiation.

“He’s bringing her with him,” Johnny replied.

“What’s going on between the two of them? It’s not like Jason to let outsiders involved in this. Elizabeth could get hurt,” Sonny commented.

“Maybe he trusts her,” Johnny answered. “Jason and Elizabeth seem to have come to a new understanding.”

Sonny raised an eyebrow. “What aren’t you telling me?”

Johnny shrugged. “They just seem closer, that’s all. Like how they used to be.”

“You mean as friends?” Sonny asked.

Johnny tried not to roll his eyes at the mobsters’ cluelessness. “Maybe,” he muttered.

Sonny’s eyes narrowed. He had suspected something was going on ever since that first night when Elizabeth had barged into the penthouse after the mysterious note was received. Jason had betrayed the feelings he still had for the brunette as he reacted to her every word, every gesture. It had been well hidden for so long, that Sonny had become sensitive to the sudden change. It wasn’t a surprise though. Sonny had wondered all along whether Jason was with his sister out of love or out of loneliness for what he had lost. Sonny was beginning to realize the answer to that.

Of all the people Jason had ever had a relationship with Elizabeth seemed to influence him the most. No matter what Sonny entrusted his best friend with, Jason never refused . . . until Elizabeth.

Sonny knew after that first time when Jason had let Zander live that something had changed. His best friend had started to develop an independent streak. It was bad for business, but deep down, Sonny was glad for it. He had always felt indebted to his friend for the family Jason had practically handed over to him. Jason wasn’t just another employee. He was his best friend and he mattered. He was glad that Elizabeth had pushed Jason to see that about himself.

Sonny also knew that Jason would never have had the guts to see his sister behind his back if not for that mark Elizabeth had left on the enforcer. Jason had finally realized that “the life” was not everything. Jason always sacrificed pieces of himself for work or for Sonny. After Elizabeth had walked out, Sonny could tell that things had changed. Jason knew there was more than the job and the hole Elizabeth had left behind could not stay empty for long. Having someone in his life besides Sonny, Carly and Michael was something Jason always needed.

Sonny sighed, knowing that his sister would be the one hurt in the end. Jason and Elizabeth shared something that Sonny always respected and he knew it was stronger than the brief bond Jason had shared with Courtney. Looking back, he knew this mess was his fault. If he hadn’t had to fool Luis Alcazar, Elizabeth would have never walked out on Jason. Courtney would never have fallen in love with his best friend. Elizabeth would never have been victim to his twisted half brother. Now it was too late.

“Alcazar’s partner just left his warehouse,” Johnny said, approaching his boss. “He should be here in less than 20 minutes.”

“You’re sure that everyone is in position?” Sonny queried. “We have to be extra cautious since Elizabeth is going to be here.”

Johnny nodded. “Jason should be here in 5 minutes.”

“He’s cutting it close,” Sonny observed. He wondered what had kept Jason from getting there earlier.

Johnny noticed the frustrated look on the mob boss’s face. He smirked, knowing exactly what had kept Jason from being on time.

Both of them walked through the doors to the front of the warehouse to meet Jason and await Alcazar, neither of them sure that the night ahead would go as planned.

The ride was taken in silence, the only noise being the wind rushing past their ears. Both had a lot on their minds, wondering what the night would bring for them.

Jason knew that tonight wouldn’t be over just because they got Courtney back safely. He had to figure out a way to tell her that all the promises they’d made to each other and all the moments he had spent with her would have to end because he had finally realized that Elizabeth was the only woman he wanted to be with. How could he tell Courtney that his love for her had faded away once she was gone and Elizabeth had crashed back into his life? How could he tell her that their wedding was off and that the dreams she had for them would never be realized? No matter how certain he was about being with Elizabeth, it still hurt him to turn his back on a woman who had been nothing but loving and loyal to him.

He didn’t expect Courtney to ever understand or forgive him, but he would not stay with her out of guilt or obligation. It wasn’t fair to anyone.

Suddenly he was struck with this dark emotion that had been just around the corner all day. Something was trying to warn him that tonight would not be business as usual. He had tried to ignore it, but it simply returned each time he stopped trying. He couldn’t figure it out because his instincts were usually on point. But tonight was a negotiation, not a confrontation. Wasn’t it?

He felt Elizabeth’s arms tighten around him as they took a sharp turn and he felt that familiar tingle run up his spine. The warmth that grew inside of him because she was near was enough to let him know that it would all be okay.

Elizabeth rested her head against his leather jacket, embracing him as if she couldn’t bear to let him go. She felt her heart beating against his back and she closed her eyes wanting to wrap this moment up inside her head. Things would not be over tonight, not by a long shot. But just for this moment, just for this night, she wanted to hold him and know that he was hers . . . finally.

Even through the blast of the wind, she could smell his scent. The rough mixture of leather and skin entwined her senses and scorched a memory through her. She had more to lose now than ever before.

A part of her wanted them to escape, to leave this entire night to Sonny. She was afraid for Jason. Afraid he might get hurt or worse. It was selfish, but she didn’t care anymore. Jason was more important than either of Sonny’s siblings to her.

She bit her lower lip, knowing that she could not escape. Elizabeth dreaded having to confront Ric about all this but she knew that this fear inside her, this fear of losing Jason, would force her hand. She just prayed that God would keep Jason safe for her until this was all over.

Elizabeth never thought she would get a second chance with Jason. She had tried to scrape by life, surviving instead of living, without him. She had thought she could, but being with him now, feeling his movement beneath her arms, she understood that she had been fooling herself. Jason was everything she’d ever needed and everything she could not live without.

The hum of the engine started to slow as they reached the warehouse. Jason switched off the ignition but he noticed that Elizabeth’s arms hadn’t relaxed their grip. He turned to look at her and noticed she had a distant look in her eyes. “It’s going to be okay, Elizabeth,” he tried to reassure her.

She nodded. “I know. It just scares me, that’s all.”

“What does?” he asked.

“Having everything I’ve ever wanted,” she said softly.

Her breath against his neck sent a shiver through him. “It scares me too,” he admitted. “But it’s real . . . trying again . . . I’m not afraid of that.”

Elizabeth looked at him finally and noticed that the moon drew shadows across his face. There was a calm there that she hadn’t seen for years now. A peace that she somehow understood.

Jason turned abruptly, knowing that he could not get off that bike if he gave into the beautiful eyes of the woman behind him. He pulled the keys out of the ignition, stuffing them into his pocket. Getting off the bike, he turned and held out his hand to help her off.

She took it confidently, hopping off the bike. “Do you think they’re okay, Jason?” she asked.

Jason sighed. “I don’t know. We can only hope that Alcazar’s brother is willing to negotiate.” He walked towards the warehouse unsure of the situation. His mind was still very unfocused. And that nagging feeling just wouldn’t go away.

Elizabeth gazed up at him, trying to figure out what he was thinking at that moment, but she couldn’t tell. She would have to work on that.

“Jason,” Sonny greeted as they neared the entrance. He glanced at Elizabeth and knew something had happened since he’d last seen them. The closeness in their walk and the way they kept leaning towards each other gave it away.

“I’ll be over there,” she said to Jason, walking over to Johnny.

Jason went toward his friend. “Has Alcazar’s brother shown up yet?”

Sonny shook his head. “He should be here soon.”

“Did Johnny prep the building and take care of the security?” Jason questioned.

Sonny confirmed with a nod. “We’ve got all our men on stand by. Elizabeth isn’t going to be hurt tonight.”

Jason felt something relax when Sonny said that, but suddenly felt guilty for worrying more about Elizabeth than Sonny’s sister. “Sonny, there’s something I have to tell you.”

“Not now, Jason. Alcazar is going to be here and I don’t think you can tell me everything in the next 5 minutes,” Sonny said tightly.

Jason felt his gut twist, realizing that Sonny already knew. He hated to betray his friend but he would not compromise this for Sonny. Not again. He simply nodded and stood next to Sonny awaiting their enemy, hoping that everything would go as planned.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth huddled close to Johnny. “Was his flight on time?” she questioned.

“It was slightly delayed, but Max is with him now,” Johnny replied. “How are you doing?”

Elizabeth’s eyes trailed to Jason and she relaxed. “I’m ready for whatever happens.”

Johnny glanced at Elizabeth and saw the look on her face. “You wish you didn’t have to lie to him, don’t you?”

Elizabeth bit her bottom lip. “More than anything.”

“It’s not too late to back out. We can handle this another way,” Johnny said. “You just say the word and I’ll take care of it. It’d probably be safer for you anyway.”

Elizabeth shook her head. “No, I have to do this. For myself and for my baby.”

The bodyguard sighed, wanting to persuade her otherwise, but he knew how stubborn she could be.

In the distance headlights shone through the alley. The guards stood taller and neared Sonny and Jason, while Johnny and Elizabeth made sure to stay in the shadows.

The car pulled right up to the front and the doors opened with a sharp creak. The sound echoed through the cement walls and resounded while the occupants stepped onto the pavement. A tall man in a dark linen suit came out first, his hair slicked back and his eyes glistening like steel. He held open the door as another man, slightly shorter but far more intimidating exited the vehicle. The man, a spitting image of his arms dealer brother, straightened his jacket and glanced around, taking in his environment and smirking at it at the same time. “So Corinthos,” he said with a thick Spanish accent. “We finally meet face to face.”

Sonny didn’t reply, his face smug and defiant. Jason stood next to him, his arms crossed and his eyes taking in every movement of the men in front of him. One hesitant move and there would be a bullet in every one of them before they could even reach for their piece.

“I have to say, I am surprised you were open to negotiation,” Lorenzo Alcazar admitted. “Although I am mighty impressed by your enforcer’s woman. She must be very persuasive.”

Jason tensed at the mention of Elizabeth. His eyes moved slightly to make sure she was safely in Johnny’s custody.

Alcazar smiled, noticing the twitch that betrayed Jason’s emotions. “Is she here, Morgan?”

Elizabeth stepped out of the shadows, pulling away when Johnny reached out to stop her. “I’m right here.”

Alcazar glanced over and his face stretched into a grin. “It is so nice to see you again Mrs. Lansing.”

“Webber,” she said tightly. “And for the record, I am no one’s woman.”

“Duly noted,” Lorenzo nodded.

“Enough of this small talk, Alcazar,” Sonny shouted angrily. “What do you want?”

“The same thing all of us legally challenged businessmen want, Corinthos,” Lorenzo replied. “Power.”

“And what makes you think I am going to give it to you?” Sonny growled.

“Because I have something you want,” Lorenzo replied.

Elizabeth’s eyes widened. What did Alcazar mean by that?

“Just because you have my sister, it doesn’t mean you have any negotiating leverage,” Sonny said plainly. “It just means I have a reason to kill you.”

Elizabeth braced herself for Lorenzo’s denial and shocked response. Instead she got something else altogether.

Alcazar laughed a cold and detached laughter. “Aren’t you forgetting your brother? Speaking of which, I’ve been meaning to ask you Ms. Webber, when did you and Lansing get divorced?”

Elizabeth stared at him, not knowing what to say. He knew. He knew that she had set him up.

Johnny walked closer to her, knowing that this was a complication they didn’t need. He tried to signal her, ask her what she wanted him to do, but he didn’t get a chance.

“Long before you crawled into town,” she glared at the drug trafficker.

Lorenzo smiled at her fearless face. “It doesn’t matter. All that matters is that I have something that you want Mr. Corinthos and if you don’t comply, I’ll be forced to react and I tend to have very violent and thoughtless reactions when I don’t get what I want.”

“Is that a threat?” Sonny said through gritted teeth.

“I would have thought that was obvious,” Lorenzo chuckled. “Look, we’re both very busy men. This is a simple business transaction. You hand over your control of the piers and I hand over your siblings.” He passed a glance at Elizabeth and winked at her knowingly.

She felt her palms sweat. This was not what was supposed to happen. He wasn’t supposed to know about Ric and Courtney. He was supposed to be shocked, offended. He was supposed to---

“How are you so sure I won’t just take the piers back once you’ve returned my sister?” Sonny questioned. “And how can I be sure you’ll keep your end of the deal?”

“You don’t,” Lorenzo said simply. “You’ll just have to trust me.”

“Like hell I will!” Sonny shouted.

Jason stepped forward, trying to prevent Sonny from doing something he’d regret . . . something that would put Courtney in danger.

“If you aren’t willing to cooperate, then this meeting is over,” Lorenzo replied. He gazed at Elizabeth. “Although I have to warn you, if you try anything stupid or do anything that I don’t like, I will be SURE to pay you back.”

Elizabeth felt a brilliant shiver race down her back. He directed that comment right at her.

Lorenzo turned to Sonny and shook his head. “Corinthos, I have better things to do with my time than to exchange empty threats with you. I came here to negotiate. If you can’t handle that then I guess we’ll have to leave your sister and brother to their fate,” Lorenzo said, walking away.

Sonny gestured to his men who immediately pulled out their weapons and pointed them at Alcazar’s men.

Jason had his gun pointed at Alcazar’s skull. “You’re not going anywhere.”

Alcazar laughed. “And here I thought we could be civil about this. Guards!”

Suddenly a dozen men came around the alleyway with weapons ready and aimed at Sonny’s guards. Sonny and his men were clearly outnumbered.

Jason pulled back the trigger, letting the click of it echo down the alley.

Sonny walked towards Alcazar and said grittily, “It is dangerous to underestimate me. You’re going to have to learn that the hard way.”

From out of the warehouse, a dozen of Sonny’s men appeared with their own artillery. Lined up toe to toe, Sonny’s and Alcazar’s men were at a stalemate.

“Elizabeth, go inside,” Jason said, not forgetting that she was in the middle of this.

“I’m not going anywhere, Jason,” she said defiantly.

“Elizabeth this is no time to argue, this is not a game,” Jason shouted.

Elizabeth glared at him. “I wish you would quit telling me that. I know it’s not a ga---“

Suddenly the sound of a firing gun filled the ears of all the men and it was as if time was frozen for one split second and they all stared at each other wondering who had fired the first bullet. Then time snapped back again and they all dove for cover. Before the sound of the first bullet disappeared, rapid gunfire filled the alley as men spread out in all directions. Some ran behind crates while others dove behind the car parked in the alley.

“Johnny, get Elizabeth out of here!” Jason shouted as he took aim at one of Alcazar’s men trying to flee the scene.

“Let’s get out of here!” Lorenzo shouted to his men.

Sonny and his guards fired at them as they raced to their vehicles. Jason aimed straight at Alcazar and managed to hit his shoulder but Alcazar fell into the car and it sped away before Jason could get another shot. The screech of the car tires mixed in with the sounds of guns blasting bullet after bullet in rapid succession. Jason glanced back and was relieved that Johnny had gotten Elizabeth to safety away from the gunfire. A sudden shot barely missed Jason’s shoulder and he turned back towards the alley to fire at the assailant.

Soon the echoes of the bullets and gun powder faded away and all that was left was an alley way full of holes and broken crates. Sonny’s men slowly appeared alert and observing their surroundings, making sure that none of Alcazar’s men had stayed behind to finish them off.

Finally, when minutes passed without the sound of a single bullet, the men returned inside the warehouse to tend to their wounds and check to make sure the building was secure.

Sonny kicked a nearby crate, the only one that had managed to stay intact. “Damn it!” he shouted. “What the hell was that?”

Jason turned to his friend and replied, “One of Alcazar’s men must have gotten bullet happy. None of ours would have fired that first shot.”

Sonny nodded. “What are we going to do now? Alcazar is gone and he still has Courtney. What if he---?”

“Jason!” Johnny shouted from the other end of the alley.

Jason looked up at the guard instantly, hearing the frantic tone in his voice. Suddenly, Jason felt a darkness fill the bottom of his gut and twist its way to his throat. His eyes stung with the vision before him, piercing through him, daring him to believe what he saw.

Sonny saw Jason’s face and he knew what had happened before he even saw her.

“Jason!” Johnny shouted again, holding the small body in his arms. “Jason! She’s been shot!”

Jason felt his body carry him to her but his mind had shut down. His skin suddenly felt too tight for his body. Every movement caused pain to shoot up his leg and through to his neck. As he neared her, he tried not to look but his eyes could not avert themselves from her motionless body. He felt like the whole world had swallowed him whole and was slowly digesting each limb.

“Where was she hit?” Sonny asked the guard when he got to them.

“In the—in the chest,” Johnny stammered, trembling as he held her.

Jason fell to his knees beside her and took her into his arms. “Elizabeth,” he cried, choking to speak, choking to breathe. “Elizabeth!”

Her eyes fell open and she stared up at him. Shock and disbelief filled her face and she gazed up at him. “Jason,” she whispered.

“Elizabeth, hold on,” he said, his body shaking uncontrollably as he held her. Seeing the blood seep through her blouse, he knew this was no superficial wound. It wasn’t like a bullet to the arm. This was . . . no, he didn’t want to think about that. “Call an ambulance!” he shouted at Johnny. His voice sounded like the strangled scream of a dying animal.

“Elizabeth, you’re going to be okay,” Sonny tried to assure her. He too could not handle the sight of her bleeding body. He never imagined it would happen to her. He never thought she would be hurt by his life. It was as bad as seeing Michael or Carly lying there in Jason’s arms. He couldn’t . . . he couldn’t . . . move. “You’re going to be okay,” he said again, his voice detached and almost delirious. “I promised Jason you were going to be safe and I don’t break my promises to Jason. Not since you saved him for me.”

Elizabeth’s eyes fluttered and Jason shook her, completely frozen with fear that she wouldn’t open them again. “No, Elizabeth. Please, just hold on. For me. Just please wait.” His voice faded to a whimper and his body was lax with helplessness.

She strained to speak, trying to take in as much air as possible. “Jason, I---“

“No, don’t say it,” Jason almost shouted at her. Tears spilled from his eyes as he choked them back. He had to be stronger than this. She needed him to be strong for her. She couldn’t see how fragile she looked to him. She couldn’t know that she might not survive this time.

She felt the oxygen start to slip away from her as she looked up at him. His eyes were so full of fear and she couldn’t bear looking at him. The pain in her chest was nothing compared to the pain she felt for leaving him. She knew . . . . inside she knew. “Jason, please, just . . .”

“Just what, Elizabeth? Whatever you want, just tell me. I swear I’ll give it to you, please, just please, don’t give up,” he said with a shaky voice soaked in his tears. “You can’t give up now. I won’t let you leave me again. You can’t.”

She strained to keep her eyes open but something called to her, telling her that everything would be okay once she closed her eyes. It called for her to sleep.

He shook her, fear gripping his every nerve as she started to drift off. “Elizabeth!”

Her eyes opened again and she looked up at him, a plea in her eyes. “Kiss me,” she said softly. “Something to remember you by.”

He shook his head, “No, Elizabeth. No. I won’t let you leave me.”

A peaceful look crossed her face and she shook her head. “No, Jason. You swore. Don’t break another promise.”

He tried to hold onto the last bit of courage inside. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he saw that she was letting go. Then he remembered. “You can’t break yours either,” he whispered.

“Please, Jason,” she said, her eyes straining to stay open.

“No, Elizabeth. You promised me you wouldn’t die, you PROMISED!” he yelled at her. Not in anger but in desperation.

She didn’t respond, the strength nearly gone from her lips.

“You never break your promises to me, Elizabeth,” he insisted, crying through his words and his mind so far gone that he could only focus on that promise she had made at his penthouse. “You swore to me that you would live through this.”

“I am alive, Jason,” she managed to say with a strange smile. “Because of you.”

He could see her pulling away and her eyes started to close but he could not understand how this could happen. He could not believe what was happening and he would not accept it. The sound of sirens reached his ears and the relief of it was immeasurable. His tears streaked their way down his face but when his eyes focused again he realized that it was too late. Her face was relaxed, her body limp.

She struggled to open her eyes and gaze upon him just once more but it was no use. She could only manage one last goodbye. “I love you, Jason.”

“I love you, Elizabeth,” he replied, so naturally that he wanted to take it back, fearing that it somehow made it okay for her to leave him.

“I know. Finally, I know,” she answered, her eyes closed.

“But it’s too late,” he cried. “Please, don’t make it too late.”

She swallowed slowly, fighting for every word, every breath. “It’s okay, Jason. You may have waited until the 11th hour, but I know now. Everything’s okay now.”

Realizing that even though it was cruel and unfair, knowing that nothing in this world would make him understand how this could happen, he saw that it was happening and there was nothing he could do to change it. Instead, there was one thing he could do. One last promise he could keep for her.

So he cradled her head in his hands, lifted her head to his lips and kissed her with all the strength he had left inside of him. He held onto her, hoping that the longer he kissed her the more life he could breathe into her. Praying inside as the sound of the ambulance drew nearer, that somehow he could keep her in this world long enough for them to save her when he couldn’t. But he knew . . . when the cool taste of her lips reached his, he knew there was nothing left for them to save.

All that was left was the first promise she had ever broken.

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 32

There were times in Sonny’s life when he regretted his decision to enter the business. They were few and far between but when they happened, they bled into him like a bullet driven manually through his flesh.

One of those times had been when Lily and his unborn child died from of a car bomb meant for him. A simple gesture of letting her have the car keys had changed his whole world. Suddenly he wasn’t untouchable. He could lose and he could suffer because of the choices he made. Of course it wasn’t just because of the business that Lily had died. It was very personal. But if it weren’t for the business he would have never been with Lily at all.

After that he had sworn that he would never go back, never let anyone pay like Lily and his child had paid. But life had ways of testing him, showing him that he could never run away from the choices he made. He had found happiness once, felt love and was ready to embark on something that most men took for granted. Those men had the choice. They could marry the woman of their dreams and never fear whether she would live through the wedding day. He couldn’t. He had been forced to walk away, forced to give up something that he so desperately wanted. “And for what?” he would ask himself. He struggled with the answer because somehow it wasn’t enough to make up for his losses.

Standing over the body of Elizabeth Webber brought back all the fears, the doubts, and the regrets that barely grazed Sonny until now. She was an innocent who was never supposed to pay for his choices. She had loved his brother when he couldn’t even treat him like a human being. She had protected and cared for his best friend when he had committed the greatest betrayal. She had held him when he had lost a second child, feeling sure that God was punishing him for his choices. Now she was lying there, her last breath taken and her shirt soaked with red. It was too much blood for a body so small.

His best friend was holding the delicate body of what used to be a strong, compassionate, amazing young woman. She would never get the chance to carry her child in her arms, never get the chance to paint again, never get the chance to walk down the aisle . . . Sonny knew he would give it all back again if he could. But time was God’s way of teaching those who dared to be selfish. There was no going back. There were only consequences and dead bodies for a selfish bastard like himself.

“Jason, the ambulance is here,” Johnny whispered to the shattered man next to him.

Jason either didn’t hear him or didn’t have the strength to respond. Instead he just brushed back Elizabeth’s hair and gazed in wonder at her face.

Sonny put a hand on Jason’s shoulder, a piece of him praying that his friend would one day forgive him for the violence he had brought into his life. Everyone seemed to pay for this life no matter how hard he fought to prevent it.

The medics approached with their equipment but they could already tell it was too late. The blood-soaked body and the limp way her limbs fell were all too familiar to them. They knew from the sight of her that they couldn’t do anything more for her now except carry her body to the morgue.

“Jason, they need to take her to the hospital,” Johnny said softly.

Jason felt a rage bubble inside of him, angry at everything that could possibly have caused this. “It’s too late!” he shouted. His body was stiff with the fury that locked his bones and firmed his muscles into a taut line. “Why weren’t they here when she needed them? Why did they wait until it was too late? What the hell could be more important than saving her life?!”

The paramedics were used to this. Living in a town like Port Charles where death was everywhere, they weren’t surprised by this reaction. It was just seeing it on the face of a man that everyone feared, the face of a man known to be ruthless and unfeeling was a twisted kind of shock. He looked like he was ready to kill anyone he could get his hands on, anyone whom he could blame for this senseless death. His glares put the fear of God into them because unlike the previous men they had met, Jason Morgan just might go through with the threat in his eyes.

Johnny carefully reached out to take Elizabeth from Jason’s arms, seeing that Jason was too emotional to let go.

Jason shoved Johnny aside, glaring at his friend with ferociousness that neither Sonny nor Johnny had ever seen before. “Don’t you TOUCH her,” Jason growled. “Her death is on your hands, too. You were supposed to protect her, Johnny! What the hell are you paid for if not to keep her safe?! She was supposed to be out of the way. She was supposed to be SAFE. I PROMISED her that I would keep her safe. I promised her . . .”

The shaking in Jason’s body and his voice scared all of them. He looked like a bomb ready to explode. They waited with baited breath for what he would do next.

Before he could show them, bullets flew past them hitting the walls of the warehouse. On instinct alone, Jason lifted Elizabeth’s body and they all rushed into the safety of the warehouse.

Johnny had his gun ready, firing at the mysterious shooter. He had to strain his neck to identify the new threat, realizing that they were like sitting ducks at this point.

Sonny grabbed his phone and called for back up. He would not have another life sacrificed tonight.

Jason put Elizabeth’s body down on a nearby cot, his body shaking with a rage he had never before experienced. In that moment, his mind was all but gone, his behavior driven by reaction and instinct alone. Someone would pay for this. Jason would make sure SOMEONE would bleed and beg for mercy before the night was over. And he would be sure to show them the mercy they showed Elizabeth. Their screams would be their only comfort.

He called to the men nearby who weren’t wounded and ordered them to watch over Elizabeth. He warned them with a certainty of death in his eyes, “If there is even a scratch on her body, you will pay for each one with your lives.”

The men nodded, shocked at Jason’s demand. He had never before treated them like this, never ordered them in the way Sonny did so casually. They knew that this time, Jason would not hesitate to deliver on the promise.

Jason pulled his gun out and stalked towards the warehouse entrance, determined to find that shooter, even if he wasn’t the one who had fired the shot that killed Elizabeth. All he cared about was that someone would pay the price for Elizabeth’s death, a price that would take many men before it could be satisfied.

Johnny saw Jason out of the corner of his eye and he knew exactly what the enforcer intended. “The guy took off behind the south alleyway towards the pier.”

Jason didn’t even acknowledge Johnny but he had heard him. He gripped the gun as if it were the shooter himself and hunted for the man into the cloak of the night.

Sonny walked over to Johnny with worry in his eyes. “What does Jason think he’s doing?”

“He’s finding someone to blame for her death,” Johnny murmured.

Sonny nodded, knowing that this was something his friend had to do. He would not stop him. Only pray that he would come back with at least some of his soul intact before too many men died at his hands tonight. For Sonny knew that one would not be enough for Jason. One would not even begin to make up for Elizabeth’s murder.

Suddenly, shots blasted throughout the warehouse and bullets were flying through crates and at the men. They scattered like ants, trying to find some kind of shield from the unexpected attack.

Sonny ran for Elizabeth first, but Johnny grabbed him, telling him that he would get Elizabeth because he owed it to Jason after not being able to protect her the first time. Sonny simply nodded, reaching for a nearby weapon.

Johnny raced across the room to Elizabeth’s body, his eyes full of fear, but his heart full of the strength that Elizabeth needed. He was as much at fault for this as the man who put the bullet into her and he would gladly put his life on the line to keep her safe this one last time.

The firing seemed to come out of nowhere and the men had to exit the building to reach safety. Sonny followed them but his confusion over how Alcazar managed to infiltrate his warehouse slowed him down. Was this why Alcazar had insisted on this location? Had he managed to break into the most secure building Sonny owned? Sonny began to realize that he should never have underestimated Luis’ brother. He was beginning to see that he was no match for his sister’s kidnapper.

As Sonny raced towards the exit, he noticed something peculiar out of the corner of his eye but was too distracted to recognize what it was. He managed to make it out but the firing continued and he swore to himself that he would make Alcazar pay for his attack. He would make that man suffer for what he’d done to Elizabeth.

Standing outside, his men all around him, he realized that Johnny had not yet come out with Elizabeth. A sense of urgency filled his gut and he decided that he had to go back in. He owed it to Jason and he owed it to the young woman in there. As Sonny stepped closer, the object he had seen earlier flashed in his mind. Suddenly he realized what it was, but it was too late. The sound of a ferocious boom and the feel of being tossed forward like a canon ball interrupted his approach toward the warehouse.

Jason was right on the shooter’s tail when suddenly the ground beneath him shook and a flash streaked across the night sky. Jason turned around to find half of the warehouse gone and half of it burnt to an ashy crisp.

Torn between avenging Elizabeth’s death and making sure Sonny, Johnny and Elizabeth’s body were safe, Jason decided to go back. Whoever had been stupid enough to attack him and his men a second time would have to die later.

Going back to the building, he heard sirens approaching and he heard shouting in the distance. He raced up to the warehouse, which emitted an acrid odor of melted metal and burning wood. He saw Sonny sprawled out on the floor amidst wounded bodyguards and noticed immediately that Johnny was not there. The ambulance van was still there so Elizabeth and Johnny could not have left.

Sonny fought with all his strength to get up, paralyzed more with shock than pain.

“Sonny what happened?” Jason asked, choking through the smoke.

“There was a bomb . . . Johnny and Elizabeth . . . still in there,” Sonny managed to say.

“No!” Jason shouted at no one in particular. He looked back at the building and he knew deep inside that whoever had stayed behind did not survive the explosion. Even the crates and shelves were nothing more than ashes now.

He caught the image of someone racing out of the building in the corner of his eye and he immediately stood.

Sonny saw it too and nodded to Jason. “You make sure that bastard pays with his life. Then we’ll go after Alcazar and the rest of them in the morning.”

Jason didn’t need Sonny’s approval. Once again he was off to carry out his own kind of justice.

Carly paced the penthouse in a panic, nervous that Sonny hadn’t called yet. Why hadn’t he called yet? Why hadn’t Jason called? Was Courtney safe? Were they able to negotiate a trade? Did something go wrong? Her mind was taunting her with all the reasons for the delay, but she would not let herself imagine the worst.

TV, she thought to herself. Yes, she needed a distraction. Sitting on the couch, she flipped on the television and watched dazedly as all her questions were answered in excruciating detail.

“The Port Charles Police are still unsure of the perpetrator, but investigation has gone underway for the bombing of local businessman Sonny Corinthos’s coffee warehouse,” the news anchor recited as images of the burnt debris filled the screen.

Carly’s face was frozen in an expression of disbelief. She raced to the television set, straining to hear what was going on in the background. Men were running in every direction, many wounded and covered in dust. Carly searched the screen for any sign of Sonny or Jason to no avail.

“According to the officers on site, a bout of gunfire had broken out just moments before the building exploded. Several men are wounded but no fatalities have been reported. The Police Commissioner is currently interrogating Sonny Corinthos who was present at the time of the explosion,” the news anchor continued.

Carly breathed out a sigh of relief, grateful that Sonny had made it out before the building had exploded. But Jason, where was he? How had someone managed to blow up Sonny’s warehouse? Did this mean that Courtney had not returned?

Carly raced to the telephone and quickly dialed Sonny’s cell phone. There was no answer. She hung up and punched in Jason’s number. No answer there either. An ominous feeling filled the pit of her stomach. Something had gone wrong . . . terribly wrong. It wasn’t supposed to get this violent. It was only supposed to be a negotiation.

Grabbing her jacket, she ran into the hallway, determined to get down to the PCPD and find out just what was going on. “Max? Where are you?”

Max rounded the corner with a questioning look in his eyes. “What is it, Mrs. C?”

Carly shook her head. “No time to explain. Sonny and Jason are in trouble. We have to get down to the PCPD NOW.”

Max nodded. “And Elizabeth? Is she okay?”

Carly was taken aback by the question. First, she hadn’t even given Elizabeth a second thought. Secondly, why was Max asking about her? “They didn’t say anything about Elizabeth.”

An instinctual reaction to Max’s question pressed Carly to return to the penthouse to find out more. Just as she did, she caught the last part of the news report.

“New information has just come in. Paramedics who were interviewed just moments earlier explained to authorities that there was at least one casualty, a young woman who died of bullet wounds to the chest,” the anchor explained. “Peculiarly, the woman was discovered dead after a previous gunfight 15 to 20 minutes before the one that broke out immediately before the explosion. No name or description of the victim is available at this time or any explanations for the two attacks.”

Carly stood stiffly, not comprehending what she had just heard. Max stood just as still beside the mob moll, his eyes dazed with fear. They both knew who that young woman was and they began to wonder what exactly had happened at the warehouse that night.

“We have to go, Max,” Carly said, snapping out of her shock. “Sonny and Jason might need our help.”

Max nodded in an automatic gesture, but his mind was distant and frightened. The news report rocked any security he had over Elizabeth’s plan. It wasn’t supposed to happen like that. It was never supposed to end that way. Why hadn’t Johnny called? What had gone wrong?

Before Max and Carly could open the door, the door opened on its own. Carly and Max both stared in surprise at their new guests.

“I told you Mac, I don’t know anything. I was just down there with my associates checking out a new shipment when the building exploded,” Sonny answered.

Mac shook his head. “That isn’t going to fly, Sonny. Your men are full of bullet holes and their hands are covered in gun powder.”

“Well they had to defend themselves when someone started shooting at us,” Sonny replied smoothly.

“And why would someone be after you, Sonny? Does this have anything to do with why your sister went missing a few days ago?” Mac snarled.

“Like I told Taggert, I don’t know anything about that,” Sonny shrugged.

“And that girl that the medics said died, who was that, Sonny? Was it another unfortunate soul who was in the wrong place at the wrong time?” Mac shouted, clearly infuriated that the mobster could be so calm after what had happened. “Was it your sister, Sonny? Was she the one who paid for your ‘business’ this time?”

Sonny glared at the police commissioner. “You don’t know what you’re talking about Mac. I am not saying anything else until I get my lawyer.”

“Should I call Jason for you then? Where is your loyal foot soldier anyway? Off cleaning up the mess you made?” Mac guessed.

“I don’t have any idea where Jason is right now,” Sonny said tightly.

“Well he was with you when the bullets started flying. We have witnesses,” Mac informed him.

Sonny nodded. “I never said I didn’t see him earlier. I just haven’t seen him since the building exploded. I was unconscious for a little while. Shouldn’t I be examined by a doctor before you grill me for information on something I don’t know anything about?”

Mac’s eyes narrowed, knowing there was more to this than Sonny was admitting to. “Get him out of here,” he said, waving at the officers outside the interrogation room. Slamming his fist against the table, he growled, “Damn it.” He would get to the bottom of this, no matter what he had to do to figure out what had happened. Sonny wasn’t going to get away with decimating the waterfront. Whether it was his enemy or Sonny himself who bombed that warehouse, Mac would make sure Sonny went down for this.

Sonny walked smugly across the station’s main lobby, trying to suppress his natural reaction of worry.

The moonlight danced across the water near the pier but it was the only source of light on that dock. Jason Morgan stood in the shadows, his hands twisted into a tight grip around the wooden staircase. Jason’s eyes rarely glowed the way that others would, but now his eyes were dead, devoid of any emotion. There was nothing inside of him, a deep, bleeding nothing that would not give him the mercy of revenge. Whoever had attacked them had escaped and Lorenzo Alcazar was nowhere to be found.

Jason wanted to scream, wanted to make something bleed but all he could manage was the bruise he inflicted on his own knuckles as it drove through the banister. It splintered too quickly to cause any real damage, but Jason didn’t even notice. He couldn’t feel anything.

He thought he had died once, his chest bleeding from a bullet wound and his heart bleeding even more from another kind of infliction. That night he had been comforted by the icy snow that numbed away the part of him that could feel. At this moment he was numb, but there was no comfort in it . . . only emptiness, an incompleteness that could not be sated.

It was wrong. He had sacrificed and seen people die, but it had never felt so wrong before. She was the last person who deserved this. She was the one person who was pure, who always stayed clean. She was too precious, too beautiful to deserve this kind of ending. It was messy, violent and dirty. She wasn’t any of those things.

His life had hurt her before, nearly killed her twice, but it had never succeeded. He had always thought it was because they were warnings for him to walk away from her and that God would never let someone like her die that way. He turned out to be wrong. There was always a price and this time it was Elizabeth.

He dredged his legs up the staircase, knowing that there was nothing more he could do tonight. Heavily and without much thought, he went to the one place he knew, the only place he was capable of guiding himself. The man who had come this night to find absolution ended up with an ache more painful than he could have ever imagined.

He could not comprehend it. There was no reason, no logical explanation for it. She was the least involved in this war but she had been the one who paid for it. Did it have to be her? Did it have to be HER life before he could see what she had been trying to tell him all along?

She had a way of making him understand things without having to teach him the way others had to. She found a way of showing him the truth without lecturing it to him or forcing it on him. She showed him how to feel, how to want, how to dream . . . But this one time, just this ONE TIME, he wished it wasn’t that way with them. This was one lesson he never wanted to learn that way . . . not from her.

Carly and Max stared at the doorframe, aghast that the two people in front of them had survived. Standing in tattered clothing and various bruises, their eyes did not reflect the tragedy that Carly and Max had witnessed on the television. Clearly they were unaware of what had occurred.

Carly reached out to the blonde, helping her into the penthouse. “Courtney, are you okay? Did they—did they hurt you?”

Carly’s whispered words were cut off by Courtney’s panicked murmurs. “Where is Jason? I went to our place but he wasn’t there. I need to see him. I need Jason.”

Max stood in front of Ric, barring him from entering the penthouse.

“Excuse me. I just helped rescue Sonny’s sister from those kidnappers. I think that allows me to step into Sonny’s precious penthouse to find out why exactly we were abducted in the first place,” Ric said snidely.

Max smirked but didn’t step aside.

“Carly, will you tell your husband’s thug for hire that I need to talk to my brother,” Ric shouted over Max’s shoulder.

“Shut up, Ric,” Carly hissed. “Sonny isn’t here.”

“Probably off committing another meaningless crime,” Ric muttered.

“He was out trying to negotiate a ransom for you, you worthless sack of scum,” Carly shouted.

“What?” Courtney asked, shocked. “Is that where Jason is? Where’s the phone? I have to let him know I’m home now. He needs to know I’m okay. I’m home now.”

Carly stared at Courtney, confused by her urgent demands. “Jason can’t be reached, Courtney. I have tried calling him repeatedly. Sonny . . . Sonny’s warehouse just exploded.”

“No!” Courtney shouted, tears springing to her eyes. “Was Jason inside? Was my brother inside?!”

Carly shook her head. “I don’t know about Jason, but Sonny is at the PCPD. I am sure if Jason were hurt it would be all over the news. They said there was only one casualty.”

Courtney looked wide-eyed at Carly. “So Jason is okay?”

“Who died, Carly?” Ric yelled, not letting them forget his presence. “Another brainwashed foot soldier of Sonny’s I bet. How many people have to die so he can keep living in this bulletproof penthouse?”

Carly’s lips pursed, knowing that what she would say next would truly pierce Ric’s egotistical smug tirade. “No, Ric. It wasn’t one of Sonny’s guards.”

“But Jason, it wasn’t Jason, right?” Courtney persisted.

Carly sighed. “It wasn’t Jason . . . it was Elizabeth.”

Courtney’s mouth dropped in utter disbelief. “E-Elizabeth?”

But Courtney’s gasp would be silenced by the primal scream of the man in the hallway. Echoes of his guttural expression of shock bounced off the walls and into the floors below. Eyes spun towards his direction and their possessors were rendered speechless at the reaction of a man who had never looked more dangerous.

The scream wasn’t just the loss of the woman he loved, but also the deathly guilt of what he had done. His carefully laid plans had failed. And this time, the cost was the reason he had done it in the first place . . . Elizabeth.

The 11^th Hour – Chapter 33

Sonny stepped off the elevator cautiously after hearing his brother’s defeated shout just moments earlier. Ric was the last person he had expected to find when he got home, but there he was, crumpled on the floor like injured prey. Kneeling in an almost fetal position, Ric reacted violently to every sound and movement as Sonny approached. Sonny realized that Ric must have found out about Elizabeth.

“Ric, what the hell was that?” Carly shouted, running to the hallway. She saw Sonny in the corner of her eye and ran to him. Throwing her arms around him she whispered, “Thank God you’re here.” She rubbed her hands against his back, trying to assure herself their family was okay despite the night’s events.

Sonny held her close, kissing her forehead, glad that she was safe. His eyes grew wide as he saw his missing sister standing in the doorway behind Carly. “Courtney,” he called to her.

Courtney didn’t hear him. Instead her eyes were focused in disbelief at Ric’s whimpering form and a sudden fear bubbled in her stomach. “Jason, where’s Jason?” she shrieked.

Sonny shook his head. “It’s okay, Courtney. He’s okay,” he said in a soothing voice.

“Then where is he?” she asked angrily. “Why isn’t he here?”

Sonny kept his mouth shut, not sure how Courtney would handle the news of Jason’s true behavior at that moment. In her fragile state, she would never understand Jason’s anger and deep-rooted need to exact revenge. She would see it as betrayal and she had just escaped one ordeal, he wouldn’t put another one on her.

“Do you KNOW what I had to go through these last few days? What I had to do to get out of that hell hole?” Courtney shouted. “I lived off of bread and water and the fear that I wouldn’t be rescued. I stared at that cell wall, faced with the possibility that it was the last place I’d ever see. Do you KNOW how that feels, Sonny?”

Sonny sighed. “I’m sorry, Courtney. We did our best to get to you as soon as we could but we didn’t know who took you or why.”

“Isn’t that obvious?” Courtney hissed. “Because you need to live your life of crime and selfishness, I missed my wedding day and now my fiancé is off God knows where to take care of YOU and YOUR family. What about HIS family, Sonny? What about ME?”

“He’ll be back soon. He had a few things to take care of,” Sonny replied, looking hopelessly at Carly.

“Like what, Sonny? Making sure there aren’t any more bombs at your warehouse? Risking his life to make sure your BUSINESS is secure?” Courtney spat at him. “Jason is my fiancé and I want him home RIGHT NOW. You call him and order him to come home.”

“Sonny doesn’t order me to do anything,” Jason interrupted as he stepped off the elevator.

Courtney rushed towards him and threw her arms around him. Unlike Sonny had with Carly, Jason didn’t respond to her embrace. She felt him stiffen in her arms and she backed away. “Jason?” she wept. “I’m back. I’m really here.”

Jason stared at her, the guilt he had been feeling earlier about her disappearance was a million miles away. Instead, his heart and his body were filled with the grief over Elizabeth’s death. He looked at Sonny and said coldly, “I couldn’t find them. I need Marco, Max and Adam with me. This ends TONIGHT.”

“No!” Courtney cried, pulling his arm. “You can’t leave. Not after what I had to do to get back. I will not let you leave here and risk your life for nothing!”

Jason’s fury, the white-hot anger that had built up inside of him all night finally burst to the surface. He shoved Courtney off of him and glared at her. “Elizabeth is not NOTHING!” he growled. “She DIED trying to rescue you and Ric. She DIED because I was too stupid to know she needed me. She DIED because I couldn’t keep her safe. Her death will not be for NOTHING!”

Courtney stared in fear at Jason, never hearing him speak to her or to anyone with such rage and contempt. “That---that’s not what I meant,” she stammered.

Carly put a comforting arm around Courtney. “Of course it wasn’t sweetie,” Carly said half to Courtney and half at Jason. “Jason is just mourning the death of his friend. He didn’t mean to yell at you.”

Courtney’s tears streamed down her cheeks as she sobbed out loud, “But why don’t you care that I’m alive? I had to fight off men who were trying to kill me. I was bound and gagged for days without any hope that I would ever see you again. Didn’t you care that I was gone? Did you even miss me?”

Something died inside Jason as he heard that last phrase. It’s as if a ghost had just whispered into his ear. No, he didn’t miss Elizabeth anymore . . . he was dead without her.

Courtney cried into Carly’s shoulder as Jason walked to the elevator and pressed the down button.

Sonny shook his head at the scene in front of him. His sister was home but his family was falling apart. Thinking of his family, he noticed that Ric had disappeared. He wondered how his brother was handling the news of his wife’s death.

Sonny nodded towards Max and headed to his penthouse to contact the rest of his men. He would make sure Jason got his revenge and that he came back alive no matter how many men Jason would need.

“The deceased has been identified as Elizabeth Imogene Webber, a young waitress at a local diner called Kelly’s and granddaughter to Audrey Webber, a nurse at General Hospital.”

Emily’s hand shook as she stared at the television screen in front of her. Elizabeth had warned her, had told her what to do if she died and Jason survived, but Emily still couldn’t comprehend it. Her heart had stopped the moment the words had come from the reporter’s mouth.

Tears started to fall and Emily cried silently for her best friend. She wiped away the tears quickly knowing that she shouldn’t cry. Elizabeth would not want her to cry. Elizabeth would want her to remember why she had to do this. Elizabeth would want her to be strong . . . for Jason.

”Actually, I didn’t just come to visit you. I need to ask you a favor,” Elizabeth said.

Emily replied, “Of course. What do you need?”

Elizabeth took in a breath and began, “It’s about Jason and what is going to happen tonight.”

Emily’s eyes filled with panic. “Is he doing something dangerous for Sonny? More than usual, I mean.”

Elizabeth shook her head, “No, it’s not that. It’s about me. There’s a chance, Em, that I might not make it back tonight.”

Emily shouted, “No, Elizabeth! You can’t mean that. Why would you put yourself in danger?”

“I have to,” Elizabeth said softly. “I can’t explain it. I just need you to trust me.”

“Do you know what you’re asking, Elizabeth? You want me to just sit back and let you get yourself killed? I can’t let you throw away your life when I’m sitting here waiting for mine to slip away,” Emily said, choking back the tears.

Elizabeth’s eyes filled with the same salty liquid. “Please, Em, don’t cry. It’s not like that.”

“How else would you explain it? And what does this have to do with my brother? Why would he let you risk your life like that? I don’t care what Sonny has gotten him into, I refuse to let him put you in danger,” Emily questioned.

“That’s just it,” Elizabeth sighed. “He doesn’t know. Neither does Sonny.”

“Well then I’m going to tell Jason and he’ll make sure to stop you from doing anything crazy,” Emily threatened.

Elizabeth’s eyes widened with fear. “No, please, he can’t know. I need to do this for myself, Emily. I’m only telling you because I need to ask you to do something for me in case I don’t come back. I am not sure what’s going to happen tonight, but I need you to swear to me that you won’t say anything to Jason until it’s all over.”

“Elizabeth, I can’t---“

“Please,” Elizabeth begged her. “If our friendship means anything to you, please do this for me.”

“That’s not fair, Elizabeth. How can you use our friendship as an excuse to let you hurt yourself?” Emily responded.

“Emily, I need your help and if you can’t help me then I don’t know who else could,” Elizabeth said as tears trailed down her cheek. “I don’t have anyone left, Em. My sister is in Europe with the rest of my family. My brother is off in the city doing his work and we barely even talk. Gram is sweet but she and I aren’t as close anymore. I only have you . . . and Jason, which is why I’m asking for your help.”

Emily weakened at the sound of Elizabeth’s desperate plea. “What is the favor?”

Elizabeth’s face relaxed as she felt Emily start to give in. “Jason will grieve if something happens to me. He will think he needs to kill the people who hurt me. I need you to make sure he doesn’t.”

“Courtney, you have to get some rest. You’ve been through a lot these last few days,” Carly said to her best friend. “You need time to heal.”

“What is there to live for if I’ve lost Jason?” Courtney wept. “He was my reason for living, Carly. He said I was his reason, too. Why did this have to happen? Why did she have to steal him away?”

“Who?” Carly asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Elizabeth,” Courtney spat. “She had her claws into him the whole time I was gone! It was disgusting.”

“How-how did you know that?” Carly questioned, her eyes wide.

“I saw it,” Courtney sobbed. “It was all they let me see the whole time I was in there. There were monitors showing this penthouse. This place is mine and Jason’s. She wasn’t supposed to be here, Carly. Why did he let her in?”

Carly was too shocked to respond. Staring at Courtney’s whimpering form, she shouted, “Sonny!”

Sonny ran to Jason’s penthouse and replied, “What is it? Is something wrong?”

Carly turned to her husband. “There are cameras in here, Sonny. Alcazar had cameras in Jason’s apartment. Courtney said she saw everything that happened in here while she was gone.”

Sonny’s jaw tightened. He picked up his cell phone and called one of his back-up tech experts. “I need a sweep of Jason’s place NOW!” He snapped the phone shut and shouted, “Damn it! All this time they had this place bugged and we didn’t know.”

“But why, Sonny? What was so important about Jason’s penthouse that they needed it monitored? Wouldn’t Alcazar pick your place if he wanted information?” Carly asked.

Sonny nodded. “We’re missing something. He must have wanted Courtney to see for a reason. What did he want her to see?”

“Elizabeth,” Carly gasped.

Sonny’s eyes lit up in acknowledgement.

Carly continued, “He knew—somehow he KNEW that she would be here. He knew the best way to torture Courtney would be to see him with Elizabeth. And RIC! Seeing his wife with Jason must have KILLED him!”

“That bastard!” Sonny yelled. “But how did he know? Jason and Elizabeth have been apart for months. They never even spoke to each other until after Courtney and Ric were kidnapped.”

“Maybe his brother told him what happened that summer when he had Elizabeth kidnapped,” Carly suggested.

“Jason will find out why and he’ll make sure that Lorenzo pays,” Sonny said through gritted teeth. “No one does this to my family and gets away with it. Not until they pay with their life.”

Courtney sniffled beside Carly as she watched Sonny leave the penthouse to call Jason with the new information. “I can’t believe that psycho planned all this,” Courtney whimpered. “And to think, his plan worked. I lost Jason to Elizabeth after all.”

Carly shook her head. “Not yet, you haven’t. I am going to find out the truth, once and for all.”

Courtney stared with wonder as Carly got up towards the door. “Where are you going?”

“I’m going to the one place I know I’ll find answers,” Carly said firmly.

Courtney’s jaw dropped, gazing silently at the closed door. She just hoped that Carly would bring back Jason for her.

Ric Lansing stepped into his apartment, struggling to lift his legs high enough to make his way across the room. He collapsed on the couch and stared up at his ceiling, leaving the door open and throwing his keys onto the coffee table.

He closed his burned, red-rimmed eyes and leaned back. “Oh God, Elizabeth. Why didn’t you just wait a few more hours? I would have been home. We would have been safe.”

His head pounding and his neck aching, he felt a chill fall over his body as he remembered all he had done to make her fall in love with him.

It was in South America that he had first seen her. Luis Alcazar had photos of her in his office and Ric used to sneak in there just to gaze at her angelic face. She looked so peaceful and innocent in those portraits . . . so clean. He used to hold her picture in his hand and imagine how she would look in real life. He wondered if her porcelain face would wrinkle when she smiled or soften when she cried. He imagined what it would be like to hear her voice or to look into her eyes.

His fascination for her grew as the days went on but he was quickly sidetracked by his search for information about his brother . . . but he never forgot her.

Late one night, as he was searching through the arms dealers’ office, he had discovered a file that showed all of Luis’ plans to kidnap Elizabeth in order to get information on Sonny’s businesses. It was then that he learned of the connection between Elizabeth Webber and Jason Morgan. It was then that his fascination became his obsession.

It was that night that he got caught by Luis Alcazar’s henchman and thrown into a jail cell. Alone with his thoughts, he began to formulate his plan to get revenge on his brother and possess the woman who haunted his every waking thought.

Emily turned sideways, resting her head on the stiff pillow. She began to think carefully about Elizabeth’s impossible request.

“What are you talking about? I’ll kill them myself if he doesn’t!” Emily exclaimed.

Elizabeth shook her head. “No, you would get killed. Jason would too. You don’t know these men, Emily. And you don’t know the situation. They wouldn’t hesitate to kill Jason and I couldn’t . . . I don’t want to be the reason the world loses him. I want him safe, no matter what.”

“But don’t you think that’s the way he feels about you? I mean, I know he’s with Courtney now, but you guys have always been close. Do you really think he could just forget the people who took you away?” Emily questioned. “Wouldn’t you want the people who killed him dead?”

Elizabeth nodded. “But that’s why I need your help. I need you to make him understand that my last wish is for him to walk away. I will never be at peace if I knew he risked his life to avenge my death.”

“Oh God,” Emily wept. “Please, I don’t want to think about you dying, Elizabeth. How do you expect me to let you walk out that door knowing that you could die because I didn’t stop you?”

“Life isn’t just what happens when you’re here,” Elizabeth replied. “Sometimes to do the right thing you have to make some sacrifices and take some risks.”

“There must be another way,” Emily insisted. “I can’t lose you, Elizabeth. I need you and so do Audrey, Lucky, Nikolas and . . . and my brother. He needs you even if he doesn’t say it.”

“I can’t make you do this, Emily,” Elizabeth said. “I can only tell you that there are things you don’t know, reasons that I can’t explain to you. If I don’t do this, it would cost so much more than what I am risking.”

“What could be worth more than your life?” Emily asked.

Elizabeth could see that Emily wasn’t budging. She finally decided that Emily had to know the truth. She softly answered, “Jason’s.”

Emily remembered the last conversation she had with Elizabeth. She had listened as Elizabeth explained her reasons for risking her life. Emily knew that Elizabeth had to do it even if she didn’t understand. There was only one thing left now . . . she picked up the phone and dialed her brother’s number. The phone rang a few times before his voicemail came on. “Jason,” Emily sniffed. “This is Emily. I—I need to see you. This is important. Please. It’s about Elizabeth. She wanted me to tell you something.”

Emily put down the phone gently and looked up to find Nikolas staring at her from the doorway.

“You heard,” he said softly.

She nodded. “Elizabeth . . .” she whispered her friend’s name.

He came to her bedside and held her hand. “What do you need?” he asked, feeling the ache in her heart.

“I need my brother,” she said. “There’s something he needs to know.”

Lorenzo Alcazar paced his office angrily. Throwing a few glasses against the stone walls, he turned toward his right hand man, Pablo Dominguez. “What exactly happened tonight?” he demanded with barely restrained anger.

Pablo shook his head calmly. “It seems one of our men decided to be a vigilante and fired without permission.”

“And has this traitor been punished yet?” Lorenzo questioned.

“I have men searching for him. He disappeared right after the shooting,” Pablo replied.

“And what about this second shooting? Who was this second attack against Corinthos?” Lorenzo asked. “Was it our traitor?”

Pablo sighed. “We can’t be sure. All of our men had escaped by then. No one knows anything about this second incident. They were busy searching for the first shooter.”

“How do we know it was one of ours and not one of Corinthos’s men?” Lorenzo prodded.

“It was Alejandro,” Pablo informed his boss.

“The one that was so eager to rise in the ranks?” Lorenzo asked, surprised.

Pablo nodded. “It seems he’s been telling the men that he wanted to be the one to bring down Sonny Corinthos for you.”

“That idiot!” Lorenzo shouted. “I should have known that his ambition was dangerous. He might have cost me my upper hand on Corinthos tonight.”

“We’ll find him and make sure he understands his mistake,” Pablo said maliciously.

“Well this whole night has been a disaster,” Lorenzo observed. “Double up the men outside. I am sure Morgan and Corinthos will be out for revenge soon. They are rash, reactionary men. They’ll want blood for what happened.”

Pablo nodded and left the room, shutting the door behind him.

Lorenzo took a seat and stared out the window towards the ocean. He was so tired of this life. Meaningless battles, constant violence and power struggles over territory had become a lifestyle for him. If only his brother had lived . . . if only he had managed his escape.

Now he was trapped with nowhere to go but six feet under. Still, he would prolong the inevitable for as long as he could.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door and he stared at it in surprise. Where was his guard? “Come in,” he called out, reaching for his gun.

The door creaked open and a thin brunette stepped through the door.

Lorenzo frowned. “What are you doing here? Does your husband know that you’ve come to face the enemy without him?”

Ric struggled his entire life to find peace. He thought that getting revenge on his brother would bring that peace, but it had only driven him further into madness. When he arrived in Port Charles, his mission was clear . . . destroy Sonny and take away everything that ever made his brother’s life worth living.

Then he let his interest in Elizabeth distract him and he started to see a life outside of his vendetta. He began to hope that maybe she might look at him and not see the damaged creature he had grown up to be. He thought that she could see past all of his scars and save him from his own internal damnation.

Her smile, her laughter, the sound of her voice drew him back towards the light, but the pain that had become a living, breathing part of him since childhood would not let him go. He tried to fight it, but her beauty and kindness could not soothe the urgent screams that demanded satisfaction.

He had to make his brother pay for stealing away the life he deserved. He had grown up with a father who did not love him and without a mother to hold him at night as he dreamt of fire and screaming children. He had been born with a madness and no one bothered to notice. His father brushed it off as depression and his teachers had thought he was simply a lonely child. Little did they know of the dreams that disturbed his sleep or the thoughts that tormented his vulnerable mind.

“Elizabeth,” he whispered into the empty room. “Beautiful Elizabeth, why did you leave me? Didn’t you know I did it all for you?”

He sat up and stared at a painting she had done the week before he set up the kidnapping. She had looked stunning standing there with her brush and canvas. If only he could capture that moment and keep it forever. “It was only supposed to be a few days,” he said in a low whisper. “I just wanted you to worry a little. I wanted you to see once and for all that Morgan wasn’t right for you.”

He stood up and went towards the decanter on the table. He poured himself some vodka and drank the silvery liquid in one shot. “You didn’t think I saw, but I knew every time you looked at me. I love you, Elizabeth. I would never hurt you like he did.”

He set down the glass and turned to a framed picture he had of the two of them. Rubbing his thumb against the image of her face he whispered, “You looked so beautiful the night we got married. You looked like an angel.”

Licking his lips, his mind started to wander between sanity and the darkness. “We had our whole future in front of us. If only that baby had survived we would have started a new life. But once it was gone, I knew you were slipping away too. You started to see me for the monster inside instead of the man you made me want to be. We made vows to love each other first, last and always. Why couldn’t you keep that promise?” he said, tears streaming down his cheeks.

Taking the picture with him, he sat on the couch and gazed at it in silence. Continuing, he muttered, “It was all a lie, wasn’t it? After the baby was gone you didn’t want me anymore. Did you ever? Sometimes you would look at me and I don’t know if it was me you saw or an escape from being alone.”

Staring lovingly at her image, he thought about his failed plan. “I had to know that you would stay with me, don’t you understand? I couldn’t lose you. I’m dead without you, Elizabeth. Everything good I have is because of you and if you left, I would turn into that monster again. Sonny, my father, my mother, they made me this way, but you brought out the best in me. You gave me a chance to be different and I couldn’t let that go . . . I couldn’t let you leave.”

His fingers tightened against the frame as he remembered why he had done it all. “I had to make you stay and the only way I knew how was to get rid of any reminders that might steal you away from me.” Ric trembled as he braced that photograph. “You never really let go of him and I tried to overlook it, but every time I saw you with him, I knew you still wanted him. I had to make sure he wasn’t a threat. I needed to save our family. You must have understood, Elizabeth. As long as he was in your life, I was in danger of losing you. I couldn’t take that chance. We deserve each other and no one should try and keep us apart.”

The frame’s glass started to crack under the pressure of his fingers but he didn’t notice. Instead he kept on speaking to her picture. “So I pretended that one of Sonny’s enemies had grabbed me and Courtney. She was easy bait and I watched you go into Sonny’s apartment to save me. I know you love me, Elizabeth. I always knew. I just had to be sure.”

The blood started to trickle down his hand, but he was numb to the pain. “You can’t blame me for having my doubts. After all, it wasn’t long before you ran to your rescuer. Jason Morgan never gave you another thought after he met my brother’s sister, but still you wanted his attention. Why did you want him, Elizabeth? He didn’t deserve you. He never loved you like I did. NEVER!”

Slamming the picture against the tabletop, the crashing of the glass had no effect on him. Instead, he just walked back toward the couch and lay down in a slovenly fashion. “I knew I had to come back, Elizabeth. I knew that I was losing you and I had to get back, but I couldn’t without giving myself away to Courtney. She may be the dumbest girl I have ever met, but even she would see something wrong if I just up and left that cell.”

“So I waited and watched as you came to him time and again. I saw you kiss him with the lips you promised to me. I saw you look at him with the eyes you promised to me. I saw you touch him with the hands you promised to me. How could you do that, Elizabeth? How could you betray me like that?” Ric shouted into the empty room. He quickly stood and grabbed her painting off the wall. The pull of his hands had tugged out the nail that attached the painting to the wall and it bounced noisily against the desk.

“I gave you EVERYTHING! I gave you a home, a place to paint, money for your gallery, my HEART and it wasn’t enough, WAS IT?!” he growled. “I turned my back on the revenge I had been planning since before you were even born and you didn’t care. You saw that I was gone and you used that opportunity to get Morgan back, you selfish bitch!”

The sound of his screams was interrupted by the crack of the canvas frame as it slammed against the wall. The painting split in half under the pressure and wood splinters flew across the room. Realizing what he had done, Ric stared helplessly at the destroyed painting. “Oh God, what have I done? Elizabeth, I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to---oh, God. Please forgive me.” The whimper in his voice was cushioned by the sobbing in his throat.

“You’re my wife,” he whispered venomously to the painting, quickly restraining his moment of weakness. “That means you belong to me, not Jason.”

He paced back and forth, speaking as though she was right there in the room with him. “You shouldn’t have done that, Elizabeth. Maybe if you hadn’t run to him you would still be alive. Maybe you had to pay for turning against me,” he said, his eyes glazed with the madness that had festered since his childhood. “We must all pay for our sins, Elizabeth. You paid for both of ours now.”

Ric shook violently and curled into a ball on the couch, staring at the damaged wall where Elizabeth’s painting has hung. “If you had just loved me back,” he began. “If you had just forgotten about Jason I wouldn’t have had to do that. I wouldn’t have had to pretend that I was grabbed by Sonny’s enemies. If you had just stopped running to him, I would have been okay. God, Elizabeth, look what you’ve done. Now you’re gone and I’m still here without a reason to forget my revenge.”

Balling his hands into fists, he pounded against his forehead repeatedly. “I just wanted you to miss me,” Ric murmured as his eyes closed with the weary effects of the alcohol. “If you had just missed me a little . . .”

Jason felt the vibration of his cell phone against his back pocket, but he ignored it. His mind was oblivious to anything but the feel of the gun in his hands and the sight of Lorenzo Alcazar’s building in front of him. He proceeded slowly and carefully, knowing that this was not just another job. Th