The rumble of the tires hitting the cracks in the deserted road kept a steady rhythm against walls of the bunk bed. Normally, the sound would be a type of sedative for Jason Morgan, but not tonight. Instead, all he could do was stare out into the emptiness of the night. What was he doing?

He was on his way to some small town in New York to play the thirtieth date on his tour and he was dreading it. What had happened to his life? He used to love it. He used to wake up each morning with the thrill and adrenaline for the crowded arenas that awaited him. Now it just gave him a headache.

Maybe because the dreams he had when he first began suddenly became a distant memory. Reality was anything but the art of writing music or of having his heart opened to an audience of fans. Instead, he was singing other people’s songs and pretending to be the tough, sophisticated Jason Morgan, the newest sensation in music instead of the soulful artist he dreamed of being.

His life had taken an entirely different direction than the one he had planned a few years ago. When he first started out, he had made plans to do something wonderful with his life. Change people’s lives with the music he could write. Now, he was just a product, a puppet to be manipulated to sell records.

When had it all changed? When he first came to Sonny Corinthos, he had just left his old management with nothing to lose. Sonny had taken him in, gave him a few gigs. Next thing he knew, he had been taken under Sonny’s metaphorical wing and molded into a marketing machine.

Together with Caroline Benson, Corinthos Records’ premiere publicist, they had formulated an image of mystery, darkness and intensity. He was an icon just out of reach, emotionless, untouchable . . . the perfect image for the product Corinthos Records had in mind.

But he owed Sonny so he had gone along with it. Sonny had given him a life when he had none. Sonny didn’t see him as a failure of what could have been. He had accepted him and given Jason the opportunity for a new life.

Four years ago, Jason had lost everything. His past and his career was wiped away with a stroke of a pen. His brother, A.J., had dragged him down to financial ruin. A.J. had taken away everything that Jason had lived for before the night he found out what his brother had done.

His family had turned away from him. They couldn’t understand how Jason could be so angry at A.J. that he would turn his back on the Quartermaine name. Thus was born Jason Morgan.

The night Jason Quartermaine died, Jason had nowhere to go and no idea what he was going to do with himself. All he knew was that he had to run away and escape the life of being a Quartermaine. He didn’t like being another product, but he hated being a tool to be used for the greater glory of the Quartermaines worse.

About fifty miles from where Jason Morgan was attempting to sleep, another lonely soul was staring up at the night sky. Elizabeth Webber felt restless. She had a meeting the next day with a man who said he’d help her get some more exposure, but she was tired of the salesmen. They all wanted to mold her into something she wasn’t and she was tired of it. She wasn’t going to settle for anything less than what she wanted. She had done that before and she wasn’t doing it again.

She smirked at the memory of Lucky Spencer. When they first met, he had helped her realize her dreams of being a songwriter. They were inseparable. It was just the two of them against the world. But eventually that faded and just like everyone else, Lucky wanted her to be someone she wasn’t. His ideals weren’t who she was. She just wanted to write music, play the piano and have people hear her. She wasn’t a revolutionist out to change the music industry. She just wanted to keep playing her songs.

Some said she painted a picture with the notes she composed. A true musical artist, but that had kept her from any real success. She was still stuck in Port Charles, NY, with nothing but a few weekend gigs at a nightclub in the outskirts of town.

She needed a change. She was restless in this small town and she knew inside her soul that she was meant for more. She was still searching for that thing that seemed just out of her reach every time she came close to it. Because of that, she was blocked. Her songs seemed to lose their humanness. She wasn’t able to capture her emotions the way she used to.

So both Jason Morgan and Elizabeth Webber did not sleep that night. Both were trapped in a life that they didn’t want but they didn’t know what else they could have. They were searching for the same thing. Freedom.

"Jason Morgan, get your butt out here!" a voice screeched through the curtain of the bunk bed.

Jason sat up in the small space and let out a heavy sigh. "I’m awake," he informed the woman standing with her arms crossed beside his bed. "Carly---"

"Don’t you Carly me, you know you have early promotions this morning at the radio stations, plus the interview with Rolling Stone for the tour and then there’s that social event at the opera house tonight," Caroline explained. "Not to mention the rehearsals this afternoon and preparing the paperwork for . . . "

Jason had tuned out after a few sentences. It was all the same anyway. He knew his job and he’d been doing it for awhile now. He didn’t need the lectures to remind him to follow wherever his "people" directed him.

" . . . and after that stop, you have to get alterations on the suit---"

"Wait, what?" Jason interrupted, hearing that last statement. He hated suits. Hell, he hated dressing up but it was a part of his job. He couldn’t help that he was a t-shirt and jeans kind of guy.

"Jason, you can’t go to the opera in jeans and a leather jacket, although I am sure the media would just love that," Caroline commented sarcastically.

"I could say I’m making a fashion statement," Jason said. "Or even better, I could just ditch the opera thing."

"Not if you want to keep that cover page with Forbes, you don’t," Caroline replied. She shrugged. Jason was her friend, not just her client, but sometimes it amazed her how much he didn’t understand about real life. How ignorant he was about people and the way things worked.

Jason gave her that same incredulous look. He would never understand her. How could she live her life the way she did? It was all about the bottom line in her line of work even if it meant lying and scheming and manipulating to get it. He could never think of doing half of the crazy things she thought of and he could never for the life of him imagine doing what she did day to day. It required too much pretending.

But Carly was ruthless, he would give her that. He smiled. She hated when he called her Carly, especially because it reminded her of their short-lived relationship when she first joined Corinthos Records. It had been purely sexual, which embarrassed Carly because she wanted so badly to uphold her professional image. So he appeased her by only teasing her about it in private. But that was the past and now they were closer than ever, albeit only friends.

"So anyway, after that, we’re going to have dinner with her and her publicist," Caroline completed another list of instructions that Jason only half heard.

"Wait, who?"

Caroline threw up her hands. "I give up. What am I going to do with you, Jase? Did you hear a word I said?"

Jason shook his head. "Look, just tell me what to do and I’ll do it, okay. Isn’t that the arrangement?"

Caroline raised an eyebrow. He was using that tone of voice a little too frequently with her for her liking. Parts of her felt bad for him. Lately, he seemed bothered more and more by the publicity and the media. He didn’t look like he was enjoying performing anymore. Ever since Robin . . .

"Carly, earth to Carly," Jason said, waving his hand in front of her face. "Who’s not paying attention now?"

"Stop waving that hand in front of my face," Caroline said, swiping it away. "What?"

"Who are we having dinner with?" Jason repeated.

Caroline shrugged. "Who else? Sonny’s new protégé." With that, she walked out to the front of the bus.

Jason groaned. Just what he needed, a fun-filled night with the next pop princess.

Courtney Matthews was a tall, blonde, blue-eyed 21-year-old, Corinthos Records’ version of Britney Spears. "Their names even rhyme, what a coincidence," Jason thought sarcastically.

From what he’d heard, Courtney was just another flash-in-the-pan teen idol, but then again, so was he in some gossip circles. So maybe that was all talk. If he was lucky, she was someone like him who wanted to make real music but got stuck in this world of merchandising. He hoped that there was substance to her at least so that he might not lose his appetite tonight. The last few he’d met had about as much substance as a helium balloon.

However, he had his doubts after hearing some of her material through Caroline. For some reason, Caroline was really excited about Courtney and seemed a little over enthusiastic about him meeting the young woman. At this point, he wasn’t looking forward to tonight.

On another tour bus, coming from the other direction of Port Charles, Courtney Matthews stood looking around her. This whole music thing was entirely new to her and it was quite overwhelming. Before she met her fiancé, she never knew she could have all these opportunities. She’d always dreamt of being famous, but she never expected it to happen this fast or this soon. Her life turned on a dime and it was like a dream come true.

Just a year ago, she was sitting at a casino lounge in Atlantic City when a man came up to her with a proposal and a twinkle in his eye. She was immediately taken with him. He was charming, sweet and offered her the world. How could she resist? So she took his hand and never looked back.

Now, here she was, opening for one of the biggest names in music, dancing and singing her butt off in front of thousands every night. It was such a rush and better than she’d ever imagined. She felt truly blessed and she had one person to thank. The man who gave her this opportunity, her fiancé, A.J. Quartermaine.

"Hey, sweetie, are you ready for tonight? Did you pick out a dress yet?" A.J. asked, standing at the door into her section of the bus.

She beamed at him. "Yes, I hope you’ll like it," Courtney smiled. That was another thing that had changed for her. Because of A.J. she could have pretty much whatever she wanted. Dresses, shoes, plane tickets to Paris, the whole nine yards.

"I like anything you pick out," A.J. smiled in return.

She kissed him and headed to the front of the bus, excited about their next stop. Her label informed her that she would be meeting none other than Jason Morgan tonight. She was in love with A.J. but she harbored a secret crush for the mysterious new singer.

His music was intense and he wasn’t famous for nothing. He was simply gorgeous. He was amazing on stage as far as she could tell and he exuded an aura of confidence and sophistication which fascinated her. She couldn’t wait to meet him.

Meanwhile, A.J. paced the tour bus. He had a look on his face of pure misery the moment Courtney walked out. "Six months of hell for nothing," he thought.

He was still stuck as a small time manager, in name only, and he was no closer to paying back Sonny Corinthos for the pain the man had caused him. He had managed to get Courtney signed to the label, but Sonny hadn’t budged when he tried to negotiate a deal. Courtney had potential, Sonny had said, but not enough for Sonny to give up the one thing that A.J. wanted most. The one thing that his brother and Sonny had stolen from him.

A.J. slammed a pillow against a wall. He had to do something. He didn’t know how long he could keep playing this game with Courtney. At first it was annoying the way she clung to him. It was useful, but annoying. But then her innocence and her faith in him started to mess with his head and made him lose focus. This was a huge chance for him to finally win, though, and he wasn’t going to let a stupid, naïve little girl ruin it for him.

Jason barely noticed when the house lights went on to signal an intermission. He was still focused completely on the stranger in his balcony.

Elizabeth, meanwhile, was feeling completely overwhelmed. The opera was more beautiful than she had ever imagined it. She laughed at herself for crying even though the saddest parts were yet to come. She leaned over to grab her purse so that she could go to the ladies room to check to see if she had messed up her makeup with her tears. Not that she cared, but she had to meet some important people after the show.

As she turned, she felt this feeling come over her. It was warm and it tingled. That was when she realized she wasn’t alone.

"Hi," Jason smiled, amused by the blank look on her face. He felt a blush come over him too, realizing that he had been staring at her for over an hour. If she knew, she would think he was some kind of freak.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, unsure of the situation. "Uh, hi," she said.

He offered her his hand. "I’m Jason Morgan," he introduced himself.

"I know who you are," Elizabeth said. Then she left.

Jason stared after her, shocked. What happened?

Elizabeth stood in the hallway crowded with people. Why was Jason Morgan in the same balcony as her? He was signed to Corinthos Records, not L&B. But the real question was, why did all her senses suddenly feel on fire after seeing him?

She admitted he was easy on the eyes. He had the tall, dark and handsome thing going for him, that was for sure. But there was something else. Something that seemed to draw her to him and at the same time make her want to run like hell in the other direction.

"Get a grip, E," she ordered herself. "This is no time to start acting like some infatuated fan."

Elizabeth wasn’t really a fan of Jason Morgan at all. She found his music to be a little on the superficial side and his song lyrics were pretty empty. Then again, it wasn’t like he wrote his own music.

She had seen a few of his performances on television and wasn’t impressed. He was a professional and she had to give his record label credit for knowing how market a new artist. But it was too put together. Like a package you bought in the grocery store instead of a masterpiece in a gallery that a musician should be.

She shook her head. Why was she wasting her thoughts on him anyway? She had her own career to worry about. As she headed towards the restroom, she bumped into someone in her rush.

"Oh, excuse me," Elizabeth apologized.

A tall, brown-haired girl turned to smile at her. "It’s okay. I’m such a klutz, it’s my fault."

Elizabeth smiled. This girl was polite. A rarity in this town. "Let’s just say we’re equally at fault."

The girl grinned. "I’m Emily, what’s your name?"

"Elizabeth."

"Elizabeth Webber?" the girl asked, an excited tone in her voice.

Elizabeth nodded, unsure of how this girl knew her.

"Oh my gosh, I get to finally meet you," Emily said.

Elizabeth was bewildered by the situation.

"Oh, geez, sorry, I’m Emily Quartermaine. I work for L&B in the marketing department," Emily explained herself.

It dawned on Elizabeth. Quartermaine. Of course. Not exactly known for their manners, though. "It’s nice to meet you," Elizabeth said, shaking the girl’s hand.

"Brenda’s been talking non-stop about you ever since Nikolas played the tape for us at the last board meeting," Emily informed her.

Elizabeth blushed. She was flattered and amazed that Brenda Barrett and a Quartermaine were impressed with her work. "Thank you."

"Your songs are so classic," Emily gushed. "It’s so fresh and new compared to what’s out there right now. Everything out there’s so manufactured and planned. Your music is like a breath of fresh air."

Elizabeth noted a hint of disgust in Emily’s voice. Then she turned her head to see what Emily was looking at. Elizabeth laughed inwardly. Across the hallway stood Courtney Matthews, the latest that the pop world had to offer. Elizabeth had to agree with Emily.

She turned back to the girl. "You’re too sweet. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if L&B would be interested. Pianists aren’t exactly hot sellers right now."

Emily looked at Elizabeth with a twinkle in her eye. "Things are changing, you’ll see."

Meanwhile, in the balcony, Jason stood silently. He was one of the few people who didn’t take advantage of the intermission. He was still absorbing his encounter with the woman who sat in the balcony with him. She was a mystery and that made her a challenge.

"Jason?" a voice broke his thoughts.

Jason looked up to find Caroline looking at him with a scowl on her face. "Uh oh, what did I do now?"

Caroline shook her head. "Nothing, that’s the problem. Why are you still in here? You could be mingling with the press. You could be socializing with the other record people. Even better you could be out there talking to Courtney Matthews. She is the media darling tonight and it wouldn’t hurt for you to be standing near her while the media is taking pictures."

Jason groaned. Caroline was the ultimate opportunist but he was not. "I only agreed to come because of Sonny and the Forbes cover. I think that’s enough torture for me."

"But she’s dying to meet you," Caroline explained.

Jason rolled his eyes. He could care less about meeting Courtney. His mind was still wrapped up in the woman in blue who had affected him so much.

The ring signaling the end of intermission echoed through the house. "Saved by the bell," he thought.

"I’ll meet you in front of the lobby," Caroline instructed.

Jason nodded. "I’ll be there."

With that, Caroline left, although he was sure she’d give him an earful at dinner.

He watched as the people started to fill the theater again for the last half of the play. A few moments later, the object of his fascination walked in.

She looked at him for a split second before taking her seat. She put down her purse and kept her eyes focused on the stage.

Did he do something wrong? Jason leaned forward in his seat. "How are you enjoying the opera so far?"

Elizabeth felt his breath against her neck and tried her best to calm her heart beating. "It’s beautiful," she admitted. No need to be rude, she thought. He wasn’t worth her efforts.

"I haven’t really been following along. Opera really isn’t my thing," he explained.

"What is he doing?" she thought. "He just spent an hour and a half in complete silence and now he wants to talk?"

"I guess you could say, I was a little distracted," Jason whispered to her.

Elizabeth felt a blush come over her. "You are not going to fall for this," she told herself. "You are not going to fall for this."

She turned her head, a vision of composure. "I didn’t think someone like you would understand the opera. It’s real music with real emotion," Elizabeth said, with a bite in her voice.

Jason looked at her, surprised. So that was where her hostility came from. He smiled. He could play that game. "Why don’t you explain it to me?"

Elizabeth glared at him. That wasn’t the purpose of her words. She just wanted to shut him up so he would leave her alone.

"Unless of course, you can’t," Jason challenged. "I know your type. All talk."

Elizabeth felt an anger in the pit of her stomach. She didn’t do well with challenges. "Fine," she snapped at him.

Jason smiled. Well that was a victory, a small one, but a victory just the same.

Elizabeth turned in her seat, knowing she had just been suckered into talking him but determined not to let him get to her.

Jason smiled. He didn’t care about the opera much, but to hear the mystery woman speak was worth it. Her voice was soft and intense. It played on his every nerve.

"This opera is the basis for the play Rent if you’ve seen that," Elizabeth tried to explain.

Jason shrugged. He wasn’t a big follower of theater, not even popular musicals.

Elizabeth nodded in understanding. "Well, it’s a simple story, really."

Jason nodded, showing her that he wanted her to continue.

Elizabeth paused, feeling unsettled by the eagerness in his eyes to understand. "It’s about this group of friends who are all suffering from poverty and struggling to live their life despite the hand that fate has dealt them. There’s Marcello the painter and Musetta the singer who are lovers for the first half of the opera. Then there’s Rodolfo, the poet, who immediately falls in love with Mimi. He describes her as poetry herself and is infatuated with her from the start. Those were the two characters in the beginning."

"The blonde girl is Mimi, right?" Jason asked.

Elizabeth smiled, surprised that Jason remembered her favorite character. "Yes, that’s her. She is probably the most tragic character even though they all suffer to the end of the opera. Mimi finally finds love with Rodolfo but they have a misunderstanding. Because of the fight with him, she pushes him away not realizing that he knows that she is suffering of consumption, an incurable disease. They stay together for a little while but not for long."

"What happens to them?" Jason questioned, intrigued.

Elizabeth lifted her hand to push a curl behind her ear. She sighed, thinking of the powerful ending. "Don’t you want to see for yourself? I don’t want to spoil it for you."

Jason shook his head, "I wouldn’t understand it. Besides, I like the way you tell it."

Elizabeth blushed, "Well, in the last act, you see the friends together again. Only, Musetta has come to tell them that Mimi is dying. Desperate to save their friend, they pawn off all their possessions to get a doctor for her. Unfortunately, the doctor comes too late and we see Mimi die."

"What happened to her and Rodolfo?" Jason questioned.

Elizabeth was surprised by Jason’s interest. She would have thought this story would have bored him. He came across as sophisticated, almost unfeeling. Not someone like her who would be so wrapped up in romantic tragedies like this one. Jason Morgan was turning out to be nothing like she had imagined.

"Come on, you have to tell me. You can’t leave me hanging like that," Jason said.

Elizabeth laughed at his impatience. "Well, it’s not a happy ending if that’s what you’re expecting. It isn’t until Mimi is dying in his arms and she takes her last breath that they finally admit to each other how much they love one another."

Jason watched Elizabeth explain the tale with a light glowing in her eyes. Her voice and the way she spoke fascinated him. "The way you explain it, I think I understand it. Thank you," he said to her.

She looked up at him, feeling suddenly misplaced. In her effort to keep from disturbing the people in the balcony next to her, she had to lean in to speak to him which was probably a mistake.

Maybe it was the emotion of telling the story or maybe it was the way his eyes made her feel naked from all the walls she had built. Either way, she wasn’t handling this situation well. She finally replied, "Your welcome."

Jason smiled, his eyes still gazing down at Elizabeth. "I never thought I could understand an opera," he admitted. "It always seemed like one of those things that only the few get to know and appreciate."

Elizabeth nodded. "I never thought I could explain it," she replied. "But I’m glad you like it," she quickly added, turning away to look down at the people below.

Jason watched as her eyes danced across the stage. Only, it wasn’t like before. Her focus seemed . . . distracted. He smiled. He got to her. That was a good sign.

An hour and a half later, the lights in the house turned back on and the audience stood up. After a loud applause, everyone started to file out. Jason watched as Elizabeth stood, wiping a tear from her eye. If he were a man who cried, he would have too during that beautiful ending. Because Elizabeth had explained it to him, he could appreciate the way the music told the story.

Elizabeth turned to leave and he reached out for her arm. She looked at him, bewildered and unsettled by his touch.

Their eyes seemed locked and it was as if nothing else in the room existed except for them. Jason finally found his voice and spoke. "You know who I am but I don’t know your name."

Elizabeth snapped out of her daze. "Right," she said. "Let’s keep it that way."

She pulled her arm out of his grip and left the balcony.

Jason stared after her. This was the second time she had walked away from him in less than 4 hours. Why did each time feel like she had taken a piece of him away with her? He decided he wouldn’t let her walk away.

He walked out of the balcony and searched the crowd for her. Finally, he saw her blue dress moving towards the stairway and he followed.

"Jason, there you are," a voice called after him.

Jason turned around but clenched his fist in frustration. "Carly," he acknowledged.

"Come on, Courtney and her publicist are waiting for us in the limo," Caroline told him.

Jason shrugged, but an idea popped up in his head. "Hey, Carly, do you happen to know who that girl in my balcony was?" Jason asked.

"There was a girl there? I told Brenda to make sure it was just you, not that I’m surprised that the twit couldn’t do a simple thing like that," Caroline muttered.

"Fine, Carly, but do you know who it was?" Jason asked again.

Caroline raised an eyebrow. "Why?" Caroline had a bad feeling about this.

Jason didn’t feel like explaining this all to Carly. He barely understood it himself.

"Jason!" a female voice called from behind the two of them.

Jason turned to find his sister running towards him. "Emily!" he mocked her.

She threw her arms around him and hugged him tight. "I am so glad you made it. I haven’t seen you for three months you jerk."

"Yeah, well, I couldn’t really get away. You know, I had this little tour to do," Jason laughed, happy to see his sister.

"So are you coming to the dinner?" Emily asked.

"Yes he is," Caroline answered for him.

Emily looked at the other woman. She never understood how Jason could work with that awful woman. She was too bossy and there was a selfishness about her that Jason normally hated. "Well, great. I can’t wait to introduce you to my new boyfriend," Emily smiled.

Jason got into big brother mode immediately. "Boyfriend?"

Emily laughed, knowing her brother only too well. "You’ll like him, I promise. He isn’t a musician."

Jason was slightly comforted by that. Juan, Emily’s last boyfriend, got on his last nerve.

"Hey, Emily, maybe you know about this mystery girl Jason is so anxious to know about," Caroline interjected.

Jason glared at his friend. Carly always got into his business whether he liked it or not. And he didn’t.

Emily eyed Jason with a knowing gleam. "A mystery girl?"

"Yeah, she was in the balcony with Jason," Caroline explained. "I told Brenda to make sure it was just him, but of course she screwed that up."

Emily ignored Caroline’s remark about her boss. "Well, then that’s probably Elizabeth Webber," Emily explained. "She’s a new talent that L&B is scouting."

"She’s a musician?" Jason asked, surprised. She certainly appeared to appreciate the opera and the music, but he didn’t figure her for a musician.

Emily nodded, grinning at Jason’s interest in Elizabeth. "She’s a songwriter here in Port Charles."

"So she doesn’t have a contract yet?" Caroline smirked.

Emily shook her head. "Yet."

Jason seemed lost in his own thoughts. It suddenly made sense to him. "Does she play the piano?" he asked suddenly.

Emily looked at him curiously. "Yeah, how did you know?"

"Just a guess," Jason said. It explained her hands. They were graceful and they looked like they were no stranger to the ivory keys of a piano.

Caroline didn’t like where this was going. Jason’s interest in this girl was a little too much for her liking. "Well, how about we start heading out so you can meet a real artist," Caroline interrupted.

Jason smirked. Only Caroline would consider a fabrication like Courtney to be a real artist. "I’ll meet you there Emily," he said, giving her a hug.

Emily nodded. She watched as Jason and Caroline walked towards the lobby. An idea struck her. "Hey Jason!"

He turned around with a question in his eyes.

She smiled. "Elizabeth will be there."

Seeing the reaction on Jason’s face, Emily knew she was right. Her brother was completely infatuated.

Jason was quickly realizing that being successful had nothing to do with doing what you wanted. There he was sitting at a table with people he barely knew pretending to talk about important things just to pass the time. The sound of their voices seemed to drown out with the loud music in the background and Jason felt that pounding in his head again.

Tugging at the collar of his shirt, he felt like he was suffocating. He needed some air and fast. He pushed back his seat and stood up, excusing himself from the table. Caroline glared at him in response, warning him not to wander too far or she’d have his neck.

Jason walked towards the dance floor, heading towards the double doors leading outside. He needed some air. If it was up to him, he’d be far away from this place preferably on the back of his bike, just drowning in the noise of the wind instead of the meaningless chattering happening around him.

Unfortunately, he was stopped. "Hi, Jason," a female voice spoke to him.

Jason turned around to find Courtney Matthews staring up at him. "Hi," he replied.

"I am so glad I caught you," Courtney smiled.

"I’m not," Jason thought to himself. "Can I help you with something?" he asked out of politeness.

"Well, I was wondering if you’d mind a dance. I’ve been dying to meet you," Courtney confessed.

Jason shrugged. "Okay," he said. Well, he couldn’t just say "no" and run in the other direction . . . even if it was what he had in mind.

Courtney beamed at him as she led him to the dance floor.

"So, how did you like the opera?" Jason asked her as they danced together. Jason could feel all eyes on him and the blonde woman with him. He could almost predict how many seconds until the cameras started flashing.

Courtney blushed. "I don’t know much about opera. I only went because my manager thought it would be good for the tour and for the next single."

Jason nodded, quickly realizing that Courtney was turning out to be exactly how she appeared . . . insubstantial. "Your song is doing pretty well with radio," he commented, not sure of what else to say and waiting desperately for the song to end.

Courtney giggled. "Thank you," she said.

Jason looked at her confused. Did he compliment her? He thought he was just making small talk. He shrugged.

"How is your tour going?" Courtney asked. "I went to one of your shows last year. It was amazing."

Jason didn’t smile. The last tour was a disaster and a memory he would love to forget. "It’s going well. We’re almost done. Just two more nights. One here in Port Charles and then another in Manhattan," Jason explained.

Cameras started flashing wildly and Jason was growing uncomfortable. Courtney, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to it all. She was meeting a man she had idolized since she had first seen him on television. She was in awe.

The song began to end and Jason let out a quiet sigh of relief. "Well it was nice to meet you," Jason said, holding out his hand.

Courtney looked at it, confused. "Uh, me too. I mean it was nice to meet you," Courtney said, shaking Jason’s hand.

Jason walked away. Maybe he’d finally get a moment alone.

Meanwhile, in the garden outside of the hotel, Elizabeth Webber stood by herself, watching the water flowing from the fountain. It was much more interesting than the suits inside and a lot less maintenance than a conversation with any of the haughty ladies.

Elizabeth had a lot on her mind that night, but the one thing that stuck out the most was her encounter with Jason Morgan. She had heard he was intense and had figured it was all a part of an image, but something about him attracted her. She could almost feel the electricity that sparked when she was with him in that balcony, telling him that tragic story.

But he was one of them and she wasn’t going to welcome another disaster into her life. After Lucky, she had learned her lesson. She was going to focus on her career. Maybe, if she was fortunate, she’d have a chance to rebuild that old dream she’d had once upon a time.

It still hurt to remember how it had all gone wrong. She was on her way to being a young star but she had been so wrapped up in her relationship with Lucky that it had disappeared. It all just vanished in a moment because she had been distracted. She wasn’t going to let that happen again.

Lucky had convinced her that she couldn’t settle and that she was on the brink of some kind of music revolution. He had pushed her to walk away from the record deal offered to her and to keep fighting. So she did, for him because she loved him, even though she didn’t know what she was fighting for. By the time she realized that it wasn’t what she had wanted, it was too late.

She had lost her appeal to the record companies and she had to go back to playing gigs at the local nightclubs. Well, she wasn’t going to make that mistake twice. She was not going to be afraid to take chances anymore. She wouldn’t give into anything that stood in her way to finally achieving her dream.

"Ms. Webber," a voice addressed her.

Elizabeth turned to find a man she didn’t know looking at her appreciatively. "Hi," she said flatly.

"Are you enjoying yourself tonight?" he asked.

She nodded, trying to be polite. "The opera was amazing," she admitted. "And the dinner was good."

"Do you mind if I ask you for a dance?" the stranger smiled at her.

She shrugged. Might as well enjoy her night out. Who knew when she’d get another chance?

He took her by the hand and led her to a secluded spot on the other side of the fountain. "It’s a nice night," he whispered in her ear.

Suddenly, Elizabeth realized that maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. The feeling of his breath on her neck gave her the chills. "Do you want to go inside? I saw a dance floor."

The stranger shook his head. "It’s so much better being alone, don’t you think?" he asked, running his hands through her hair.

Elizabeth started to get angry. Who did this guy think he was? "Actually, I don’t," she said pulling away.

He grabbed her closer. "Come on, baby. Don’t you feel like dancing?" he grinned at her.

She felt a bitter taste rise in her throat. "No, I don’t. Let go of me!"

He leaned in, "So you like it rough, huh? I can dig that."

Elizabeth pulled away quickly and was prepared to knee him where it hurt, when suddenly a pair of arms dragged the man backwards.

Elizabeth couldn’t really see what was going on, but she could see the two men fighting. Her dance partner put up a good fight, but he was no match for the mysterious man who had grabbed him. Soon, the piece of sleaze was on the floor, at the other man’s mercy.

The mystery man stood over the stranger who had been dancing with her and had the man in a lock. "Get in your car, you go home and don’t let me find out you came within 10 feet of her again," the man ordered.

"Hey, I didn’t know she was yours, alright Morgan? I don’t want any trouble." With that, the perverted stranger ran off.

Jason turned around to face Elizabeth, worried that the other man had hurt her. "Are you okay?"

Elizabeth, recognizing who it was, glared at him. "What’s your problem? If I needed help I would have asked for it. So why don’t you mind your own damn business?" She would be damned if he thought she owed him for rescuing her from that jerk.

Jason looked at her, confused by her reaction. "Hey, look, you can get handled by anybody you want---"

"Damn straight I can," she muttered. She didn’t need some guy trying to protect her. Lucky had tried that and it nearly ruined her life.

"Look, I don’t know what your problem is, but I was just trying to help. I thought you needed it," Jason explained.

"You may be this great guy to everyone else at this hotel, but I don’t need you playing hero for me. To me, you’re nothing but a flash-in-the-pan wannabe singer who pretends like what he does means something. So stay out of my face, I don’t want your help," Elizabeth yelled at him.

"Hey, wait a minute," Jason called after her. "I don’t know where all that came from but whatever’s bothering you, don’t take it out on me. If you wanna wreck yourself, go ahead."

Elizabeth turned at him angrily. "How would you know? You never found the one good thing in your life and lost it. You never woke up one day and realized something that made you understand exactly what the point was. The point of being alive at all and then losing it in a single moment. All you have left is what could have been, trapped in a box of what if’s and if only’s. Do you know what being trapped feels like?"

Jason looked at her for a moment. Finally he replied, "Yeah, that’s pretty much where I live."

Elizabeth and Jason looked at each other for a long time. Neither noticed but there was something happening in that moment. A connection was being made and they were reaching out to each other.

She looked away finally and sat at the edge of the fountain. Staring at her lap, she felt a sense of unsettling come over her.

He took a seat next to her and both avoided each other’s eyes. They just tried to find something else to focus on. Anything to avoid this free-falling feeling of the moment.

Elizabeth finally spoke, hoping to distract herself from what was happening. "You know, I thought coming to this party would make me feel better, but it didn’t," Elizabeth confessed to this man she barely knew.

He nodded knowingly. "It’s not what it seems."

Elizabeth shrugged. "People used to tell me that all the time. They told me you had to work to fit in this world and you couldn’t just do what you wanted. They told me things always had agendas and their way of sneaking up on you. They told me it was the way it worked and I had to put up or shut up."

Jason nodded again. He had been told the same things when he first started out, but he had learned that if you believed in something that you could always choose a different path. He wished he had but now it was too late.

"You’re not going to say it, are you?" Elizabeth asked, seeing the look on his face. She was surprised, but she could tell he understood. "You’re not going to tell me to accept it because you know it isn’t right. Everyone told me that I had to compromise to get what I wanted, that I had to fight and learn to adapt. But you know that isn’t true."

Jason tilted his head. She was new to this, he could tell, so he wasn’t going to lie to her. There were people he knew who had done their own thing and had been successful, but they were few and far between. They had gone against the grain and did what they believed in and had fought . . . hard.

Elizabeth scooted farther back on the edge of the fountain, leaning on her palms. "There was a time when I was naïve and I had no idea how this business could be. My music was all that mattered. I had no hidden agenda, or a cause to fight for."

"What happened?" Jason asked.

Elizabeth crinkled her eyebrows, remembering back. "An old friend of mine told me that I was starting a revolution. He said I had to keep writing because I had to change the face of music. He said that I should keep writing stuff, anything to make myself different. But it was never about that for me. It was about writing and playing. That was all I cared about," Elizabeth admitted, a wistful look on her face.

Jason watched the lights dance in her eyes as she explained her love for her art. He shared that emotion with her, and it surprised him that she was so passionate.

Elizabeth bit her lower lip in thought. "My songs used to be so happy, but now they’re just . . . empty."

Jason knew what that felt like. He had to go up on stage and perform empty songs night after night.

Elizabeth gazed up at him. "Is that wrong?" she asked, imploring him with her eyes.

Jason shook his head. "You wrote from your heart and you believed in it. Then something changed and you don’t anymore. There’s nothing wrong with that. Just the fact that you see it is empty is a lot more than you can say for most people."

Elizabeth looked down at her gown. She sighed. "I don’t usually dress like this. I hoped that coming here, looking like this, I could avoid the hurt of being the person who didn’t have a purpose anymore. There’s no one here who knows me, and that’s what I wanted. To be somebody else for a change."

Jason looked at her with understanding shining in his eyes. This girl was so much more complex than he had ever imagined. He had felt that spark with her a few hours ago at the opera house, but what he felt now was anything but superficial attraction. It was something he couldn’t quite use words to describe.

Elizabeth stood up. "Maybe I’m being selfish," she confessed. "If I really wanted to make music, I would compromise to make it happen. Everyone does it."

Jason saw her glance at him for a moment. She was talking about him and he knew. God, how he knew it. What he wouldn’t give to be someone else, someone strong enough not to be sucked into the world of manipulation, agendas and lies.

Jason looked her in the eyes and searched for something. "You think it’s selfish to do what you want? To not give in? I don’t think it is. Pretending to be someone you’re not and doing something you know isn’t right is what’s selfish," Jason told her.

He knew. It was what he was doing now. For some reason he didn’t want her to go through what he had gone through. He didn’t want her staying up at nights wondering what if?

Elizabeth sighed. "I am no genius," she said. "I just love what I do." Shifting in her seat she finished, "Unfortunately in this world, the only way to do what you love is to be genius enough that you can make demands. Or at least compromise enough that you have the clout to make changes."

Jason nodded. That was how things were, he wouldn’t deny it.

"It’s not the fame, really," Elizabeth commented. "It’s not the money either. I just want to be heard, you know? Have that one song that touches people. Changes the way they live from how they had before they heard it and how they would afterwards. I know, it’s sounds silly, right?"

"No, it doesn’t. It sounds inspiring," Jason said honestly.

Elizabeth stirred under the look he was giving her. It was undoing all her nerves and she didn’t like it. She stepped backward, hoping to hide the look on her face in the darkness. "I thought I could come here and act like for this one night and escape. Pretend I wasn’t living my life anymore. I could exist in this fantasy world of high society and celebrities. So much for getting away, huh?"

Jason felt an idea pop up in his head. She wanted to get away, well he had a way. "Come with me," he said suddenly.

Elizabeth knew better, but she couldn’t help but ask. "Where?"

"I want to show you how I get away," Jason said, offering his hand.

She stared at it. She didn’t know this guy. She didn’t trust him. Until tonight he was a perfect stranger.

Wait, that wasn’t true. She knew Jason Morgan, the teen idol. And what she did know, she didn’t like. So why was she standing here telling him her life story? Hadn’t she just promised herself she wouldn’t be afraid anymore? That she would take risks?

Jason looked at her, a light in his eyes. He could feel his entire mood change from what he had felt when he first came to this party to this moment. Suddenly it mattered to him whether he would be leaving with her. Suddenly she mattered.

Elizabeth pulled a lock of hair behind her ear and paused. Finally, she reached out and grabbed his hand. "This is stupid, but I’m doing it anyway. Now lead the way before I change my mind."

He smiled at her. "You won’t regret it."

"That’s easy for you to say," she thought as he led her through the garden paths.

As they walked briskly through the trees and the grass, Jason couldn’t fight the smile that was taking over his face. He knew just the thing to shake off some of the guards Elizabeth had up for him. In fact, it would blow away more than her walls, he thought, remembering her dress.

He stopped suddenly and she bumped into him. Shocked for a moment by the close contact, Elizabeth pulled away. "Why are we stopping?" she asked, quickly attempting to recover from the physical reaction she had to his touch.

Jason eyed her. Glancing at what she was wearing her knew . . . the dress would not do. As gorgeous as she looked and as tantalizing her body was in the blue material, it wouldn’t work.

"Okay, if you think this is your chance to get lucky, think again," she glared at him, mistaking his speculative glances to be flirtatious advances.

He laughed. "No, it’s just, I don’t think what you’re wearing is suitable for where I’m taking you."

"If we are going hiking through these gardens, these shoes won’t work either," she said, pointing to her high heeled strappy sandals.

He smirked. "No, it doesn’t involve walking or hiking."

"What is it then?" Elizabeth asked, intrigued.

"I can’t tell you, or it would ruin the surprise," he teased her.

Growing impatient, she retorted, "Tell me or I’m not going."

Jason smiled. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number.

Elizabeth watched him, curiously. What was he up to?

"Hi, Francis?" he spoke. "Yeah, it’s me. Look, could you bring it around to the back of the hotel grounds?"

Elizabeth stood back. She saw Jason nod twice and finally put away his phone. "Who’s Francis?"

"A friend," Jason grinned mischievously.

"I meant what I said. Tell me or I’m not going," she said, crossing her arms.

He admired her straightforwardness. "You’ll see."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. Before she could inquire more, she heard a rumble in the distance, which grew to a loud roar. Her face grew shocked as she saw what was approaching. "A motorcycle?!" she said, stunned.

Jason beamed, happy about her reaction. He had planned on going for a ride after the party anyway. Now he would have company. "Yeah. So are you up to it Miss Webber?"

"How did you know my name?" Elizabeth spun around, refraining from gawking at the Harley for a moment.

"I have my sources," he said slyly. "So yes or no?"

Elizabeth looked down at her dress realizing why he had been concerned earlier.

Jason hesitated. "I understand if you don’t want to ruin your dress. I can give you a raincheck for the ride."

Elizabeth looked from her dress to Jason to the motorcycle. Chewing on her bottom lip, she contemplated what to do.

Francis handed his boss the keys and walked off into the hotel.

Jason barely noticed. He was much too absorbed in something else. He couldn’t help but stare at her mouth. It was incredibly sexy the way she looked when she was confused.

Finally, Elizabeth gave a look showing that she had decided. "Okay," she replied.

"But what about that?" Jason said, gesturing to the dress.

Elizabeth shrugged. She kicked off her shoes. Then, smiling up at him, she gave him a look that made his heart beat fast and his oxygen supply suddenly seem dangerously low.

He gazed at her for a moment, frozen by her. A second later, his dazed state was interrupted by the sound of a loud rip. He snapped out of it to see Elizabeth standing there, a rip up along the side of her gown. He was shocked speechless.

"So are we going or what?" Elizabeth asked coyly.

Jason shook his head. That innocent look was going to be the end of him. Damn she knew how to play his every nerve. "Let’s go," he said when he finally found his voice, trying to avoid staring at her legs.

Elizabeth smiled as he hopped onto his bike. He handed her his helmet and she looked at him. "What about you?"

He shook his head. "I like to live dangerously," he commented.

She smirked, thinking he was playing macho and putting on the helmet.

He was being honest. Or else he wouldn’t have let a woman like Elizabeth sit on the back of his bike with her arms around him when he had to be focusing on driving the bike. He prayed inwardly that he could have enough control as to not kill the both of them.

Elizabeth threw her leg over the bike and sat comfortable behind him. She was a perfect fit it seemed. She leaned forward, putting her arms around him as a little fear and a little adrenaline rushed in anticipation.

"You ready?" Jason asked, trying his best not to react to having her arms around him.

Elizabeth nodded. "Yeah," she said into his ear.

His hand faltered as he put in his key, feeling her breath on his skin. The roar of the engine filled their ears. He spoke over his shoulder. "If you don’t like something, just yell," he instructed.

Elizabeth smiled. She doubted that there was anything not to like. In fact, the only thing she didn’t doubt at this moment was that she had lost all common sense for agreeing to take this ride. Even in a suit and dress shirt, Elizabeth could feel his body underneath the material. She knew this man belonged in leather and jeans, but she was glad he wasn’t. Her senses couldn’t handle anymore raw energy.

They both braced themselves for the ride as the engine kicked and they took off. The speed, the wind, the rush and the noise wiped away all their thoughts. As Jason promised, they escaped the world they knew in those next few moments.

"Stop right up there," Elizabeth screamed into Jason’s ear over the pounding sound of the wind in their ears.

Jason nodded, steering the motorcycle into a shoulder in the road right before an exit sign.

Reaching over to turn off the engine, Jason could still feel Elizabeth’s body pressed up against him and that shiver ran down his spine again.

It would take longer than he thought to control himself around her. Much longer.

He just wished he knew what was making him feel that way. He just met her a few hours ago and yet she was already making him feel things more intensely than any other woman he had ever known.

Elizabeth pulled off her helmet and hooked it onto the back of his bike. Pulling her leg over, she stood as she watched Jason turn off the engine. He had seemed awfully tense the whole ride up there, but she was still too focused on the adrenaline that pumped through her veins. Maybe it was the contrast of his body heat and the chill of the winter wind in Port Charles. Maybe it was the nearness of having her arms around him and the thrill of being pulled backwards by the force of the speed. Whatever it was, it left her heart pounding a mile a minute.

Jason got off the bike and turned to face Elizabeth. She had this pink flush on her face, which made him smile. "Are you okay?"

"I’m better than okay! That was amazing!" Elizabeth gushed.

Jason laughed. "You liked it, huh?"

Elizabeth nodded fervently. "That was the biggest rush I have ever felt in my life. The wind, the noise, the speed. I felt like I was flying!"

"That’s how I always feel," Jason agreed.

"Do you ride your bike a lot or is it just another part of what your record label had in mind for the whole rebel image?" Elizabeth asked.

Jason tilted his head, wondering if she was still holding that against him. Realizing she was sincerely curious, he replied, "I’ve been riding bikes long before this whole thing blew up."

Elizabeth nodded. "What got you into it?"

"Well, when I was a kid, my father used to take me jet-skiing on a lake every summer. Since I am on the road a lot and I rarely get to be near the ocean, a motorcycle seemed to be the next best thing," Jason explained. "It was the first thing I bought when I got signed."

Elizabeth smiled. "If I ever get signed, the first thing I’d buy would be a ticket to Italy."

Jason grinned. "You don’t look like a traveler."

Elizabeth nodded. "Yeah, but people say the light is different there. I want to see it for myself." Elizabeth looked up at the stars and squinted at the brightness of it. "Wow, the stars look so close. I feel like I could reach out and touch them."

Jason looked up. "It is usually like that after a ride."

As Elizabeth gazed up at the sky, Jason’s eyes were locked on her. The wind had swept her hair out of the tight hairdo she had before. The curls that framed her face contrasted with the porcelain color of her skin. He clenched his fists, fighting the urge to brush a curl behind her ear.

As if reading his mind she pushed a curl behind her ear and smiled at him. "Thank you for taking me on your bike. You’re right. It is a great way to escape. During the whole ride, I was so wrapped up in feeling the force of the wind, I didn’t even remember why I needed to get away in the first place."

Jason smiled. "I’m glad," he replied. Looking up at the sign that read "Vista Point" he asked, "Why did we stop here?"

Elizabeth grinned, taking his hand and pulling him up the steps. "The view from here is incredible. If you just look over this bluff, you can see all of Port Charles."

Surprised that she had grabbed his hand, Jason followed her up the short staircase. Looking out onto the city, the view was amazing. The lights of the small town were spread across the darkness of the shadows. "It looks great," Jason said.

"I come up here sometimes to think. To just look at the stars and let my thoughts sort themselves out," Elizabeth explained, letting go of his hand, realizing the shock of his contact.

Jason looked down at his hand, disappointed that she had broken her hold on it. "Have you lived here long?" he asked, snapping out of his thoughts.

Elizabeth shook her head. "No. I only moved here a few years ago. I left my parents behind in Europe to come visit my grandmother."

"What made you decide to stay?" Jason inquired.

Elizabeth shrugged. "At first, I was trying to establish myself and start playing around with local musicians. Then I was offered a recording contract and I was all set to move to L.A. but I didn’t end up going, so I stayed. Things kept coming up and I just never left, I guess."

Jason looked at her in surprise. "Why didn’t you take the offer?"

Elizabeth bit her bottom lip and Jason had a feeling it was a sore subject for her. She finally answered, "It wasn’t right for me at the time. Things were complicated."

"Maybe it’s better that you didn’t settle," Jason commented, noticing the regret in her voice.

"Maybe," she whispered, wrapping her arms around herself from the cold.

"Here," Jason said, taking off his jacket. "Put this on."

Normally, Elizabeth would be offended or think it was silly for a man to offer her his jacket, but she started to realize that Jason wasn’t trying to be macho or pull anything with her. For him, it was just a nice gesture. So she took the jacket and put it around her.

Boy, was that a mistake. Suddenly, his scent started to surround her and her senses went on overload.

When Elizabeth finally started to gain control, she heard Jason ask her, "So what are you going to do now?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "I don’t really know. I’m kind of in this place where I don’t know where I’m going and I don’t know what else to do but write."

"Then just write," Jason offered. "If that is what your gut is telling you to do, then maybe it’s what you should do."

Elizabeth answered, "I just spend all my time writing songs that never seem to turn out right or never end up being finished."

"So just leave them until you feel like writing more," Jason replied.

"But what if it takes forever?" Elizabeth smiled.

"Then you can wait forever. The worst kind of music is the kind that is forced," Jason smiled back at her.

"How do you do that?" Elizabeth asked, looking up at him.

"Do what?" Jason questioned, confused.

"Make things seem so simple," she explained.

Jason shrugged. "Things don’t have to be complicated to work."

"Most people don’t think so," Elizabeth muttered.

"What do you care what they think?" Jason asked.

Elizabeth nodded. "You’re right. I don’t. I mean why should their rules apply to me? I should be able to do what I love at my own pace in my own time."

"Exactly," Jason encouraged.

"But what about you?" Elizabeth asked. "There has to be more to you than being in Pepsi commercials and performing on late night talk shows."

Jason raised an eyebrow. She was starting to change her mind about him. "Like you said, this business has it’s own way of doing things," Jason informed her. "And I just go where they tell me to."

"But is that what you want?" Elizabeth asked, noticing the far-off look in his eyes.

"It doesn’t matter what I want," Jason said, gripping the bars of the fence, leaning forward over the bluff.

"Why not?" Elizabeth said, shocked. "You’re telling me to do what I want, but yet you can’t take your own advice?"

"I’m not you," Jason whispered. "I don’t do this just for me. There are people who are counting on me to do my job right and to do that, I have to follow their rules."

Elizabeth covered his hand with hers sympathetically. "That doesn’t mean you can’t do what you want."

Jason shook his head, trying to keep from being washed over by the comfort of her hand on his. "No, that’s exactly what it means."

"If they cared about you, they would see how unhappy you are," Elizabeth said. "I barely know you and after a few hours I can already see that you have so much more to offer than an image and a name."

Jason turned to her, with his eyes glittering with tears. "But that’s all they need from me, Elizabeth. My face and my name."

Elizabeth reached out and placed her hand over his heart. "Even they can’t hide this forever," Elizabeth whispered.

Jason looked down at where Elizabeth’s hand touched his chest and felt himself freeze in anticipation. Looking up at her, he saw her eyes shining in the moonlight and he reached out to cup her face. She leaned her cheek into his palm and moved closer to him, feeling the warmth of his body enveloping her as she approached.

Stroking her hair and pushing it behind her ear, he gazed into her eyes and smiled, giving into the moment. He felt her pull closer and as her eyes started to close and their lips drew nearer, all sense of time and space seemed to fall farther away. The ground was merely an anchor keeping them from floating away on the feeling that came over them.

Then their lips touched and the world disappeared. That was just the spark that was needed to set the place on fire. The hunger and power of their connection pulled them tighter together and they drank from each other’s lips. The softness of hers against the smoothness of his caused a friction unlike any other.

Being perfect strangers only a few moments ago in the span of time, suddenly they couldn’t feel anything but the force that drew them to each other. Jason had his hands in her hair pulling her to kiss her more deeply and trying desperately to release all the desire he had for the woman who was in his arms. Clinging to him, Elizabeth had her hands on the back of his head, wrapping her arms around his neck to bring him nearer.

Both gave no thought to their need for air and the fury and frenzy in which they kissed each other seemed to come out of nowhere. Maybe it was their loneliness. Maybe it was their mutual need to escape. Or maybe it was their need for comfort. Whatever it was, that moment was the beginning of forever.

Elizabeth felt like a charge was running through her. The sudden feel of his lips leaving hers was like a shock had somehow disconnected her from that other plane.

"Elizabeth?"

She felt her name being whispered against her lips but her eyes wouldn’t open. She was afraid it was a dream and she didn’t want to wake up.

Jason’s hand traveled softly across Elizabeth’s cheek while his eyes followed the lines of her face. He just wanted to capture that image and burn it into his mind. This moment was more powerful than any other in his entire life. There was something potent about her energy. It just sucked him in and held on tight.

Suddenly, a blare of headlights shined in their eyes. They had company.

"Jason Morgan, get your butt down here!" a female voice called in the distance.

Jason groaned. Of course Carly would ruin this perfect night and remind him of reality. How in the world did Carly find him, anyway? "I’ll be there in a second!"

Elizabeth’s eyes opened at the sound of the other woman’s voice. Was it over? The tingling in her skin told her it wasn’t.

"I have to go," Jason said, his voice filled with regret. "Is there a way I can reach you?"

Elizabeth, still in a haze, slowly answered. "I---"

"Jason, come on!" Caroline interrupted.

Elizabeth giggled. "I think your mother’s calling you."

Jason laughed along. "She’ll just have to wait. So stop stalling. When can I see you again?"

Elizabeth gazed up at his blue eyes and blinked a few times before she got lost in them. "Here, tomorrow night."

"What time?" he asked, happy that she was open to the idea.

"Eight o’clock," she said. "And be sure to bring the bike," she smiled.

Jason looked wide-eyed at her. "You’ve got the bug."

She looked up at him innocently. "What bug?"

"You like to ride," he smiled.

"So what if I do?" she said, raising an eyebrow at him.

He leaned down, touching his nose with hers. "That’s good. Really good."

She smiled and stepped back. This was going too fast. Much too fast. Like the beating of her heart.

"Here," he said, offering her the helmet.

She put it on, her mind somewhere distant. How could someone she barely knew make her feel so completely . . . safe? She rarely trusted men and when she did, it was only after knowing them for a long time. Somehow, Jason had gotten underneath her skin . . . and maybe even deeper if she wasn’t careful.

Jason hopped on the bike and waved to Carly to signal that he was heading out. He laughed as he saw Carly glare at him before jumping back into her limo.

"So where can I take you?" Jason asked.

Elizabeth got on behind him and held onto him. "Back to the hotel," Elizabeth whispered. But in her head was a whole other answer. One she wasn’t willing to give yet.

"Okay," Jason nodded, starting the engine.

Elizabeth braced tight, leaning her cheek against his back, losing herself into the sound of the wind. If she wasn’t a smart girl, she might have given into the world he promised her right then. She would have lost herself in the power of the man she was holding and the freedom he offered. But she was a smart girl. Really.

The next morning, as the alarm rang in the empty apartment, Elizabeth woke up with a start. Her eyes wide, her mind was quickly filled with questions.

Had it all been a dream? Did she imagine the motorcycle ride? Did her mind form the image of her opening her heart beneath a starlit sky? Was the fire of their kiss only something she had made up? Had the magical night she shared with Jason Morgan all been a figment of her imagination?

"No," she thought. Her mind could not imagine the passion of their kiss. Never before had her thoughts been able to capture even a fraction of what had passed between their lips.

Seeing the dress hanging on the door of her studio apartment confirmed her answer. The blue dress was there with a long rip along the side, a memento of the night before.

But the warmth of the memories quickly faded away to reality and self-doubt. Elizabeth sat up straight.

"Crap," she thought. Elizabeth began mentally cursing herself for being so irresponsible. She had let herself open up to a perfect stranger and destroyed a wildly expensive dress in her escapade. How was she going to pay for this? And what was she going to do about Jason Morgan?

Elizabeth touched her lips and a soft smile couldn’t help but tug at her lips. For some reason, she felt it was worth it. She had felt more passion and freedom in those few moments with Jason than she had in her entire life.

For that one wrinkle in time, she had been completely free. She had bared her soul to another person and he had listened willingly. He had looked at her with the appreciation she had been longing for all her life. He had made her believe that all her dreams were in reach if she would only grab them. For that one moment, he had opened her eyes to the possibilities.

Besides, he was one hell of a good kisser.

But there was still the problem of the dress. She couldn’t afford to pay for it to be fixed, if that were even remotely possible. Elizabeth quickly got dressed as she prayed that someone at L&B would understand and she would find some way to explain what she had done. Yeah, right.

Elizabeth grabbed the dress, put it under the plastic wrapping and hoped that someone up above was looking out for her as she went to L&B Records to beg for mercy.

"Great," she thought. "This will really impress them," she said to herself sarcastically.

Grabbing a cab to the record label’s main office, Elizabeth had time to think. There was something about daytime that made you face reality. There was no darkness to cloak any truths that you might be trying to ignore or any shadows that could hide any faults you might not want to see. No, the glaring sun wouldn’t let anything go unnoticed.

Giving the cab driver the fare and a small tip, Elizabeth stepped out in front of the building. She had driven by it so many times, but now it seemed so intimidating. Maybe it was the anxiety of the possibilities that lie inside the building. Maybe it was the excitement that she may be stepping in it the next time as a signed artist. Or maybe it was that tattered dress in her hand that she couldn’t even start to explain away.

Walking in through the rotating entrance, Elizabeth stared wide-eyed at the huge entrance lobby. It wasn’t big relative to most record companies that Elizabeth had seen but it was huge for a small town like Port Charles.

"Oops," a female voice spoke when Elizabeth walked right into her shoulder.

"Oh, I’m sorry," Elizabeth said quickly, embarrassed by her clumsiness.

The girl giggled. "This is starting to become a trend."

Realizing who the girl was, Elizabeth laughed in agreement. "Sorry, Emily, I was just distracted."

Emily shook her head. "It’s my fault too, I was in such a hurry to get out of here, I didn’t even notice someone was standing there. So what brings you here this morning?"

Elizabeth bit her bottom lip, hesitating to tell Emily what happened. "I, uh, ---"

"Is that the dress Nicholas brought you yesterday?" Emily asked, gesturing towards the plastic wrapped dress on the hanger.

Elizabeth nodded. "Yeah."

Emily waved her hand at it. "Why are you bringing it back?"

Elizabeth looked at her, slightly confused and slightly afraid to tell the truth. "I, sort of, um, there’s, well, a . . ."

"Wow, that’s one heck of a rip," Emily said, pointing at the gown.

Elizabeth blushed profusely. "Yeah, I was hoping that if I talked to Brenda or Nicholas they might let me pay for the repair or somehow, maybe after a few paychecks, buy them a replacement dress . . ."

Emily laughed. "You don’t have to do that! That dress was for you to keep. Although, I am a bit curious about how you ripped it."

Elizabeth looked at Emily in shock. "You mean, this dress is mine?"

Emily nodded with a smile. "Well, what’s left of it."

Elizabeth laughed nervously. "I’m sorry, I just thought Nicholas was lending it to me."

Emily shook her head. "No way. We’re trying to woo you into signing with us. We don’t go halfway."

"Oh, wow," Elizabeth said.

"Here, take a seat," Emily suggested as she noticed Elizabeth’s pale face.

Elizabeth just nodded, sitting down.

"So come on, tell me what happened," Emily insisted, smiling brightly at the other brunette. "You can’t show me a thousand-dollar dress with a rip down the side without telling me the whole story."

As the relief swept over her, Elizabeth started to smile. Something about Emily made her feel comfortable and she decided to tell Emily. She was dying to tell someone anyway. "Well, I met a guy last night at the party and . . ."

Emily listened as Elizabeth told her everything that had happened from the fight at the fountain to the ride to Vista Point. Emily nodded and smiled, completely taken away by the excitement and happiness in Elizabeth’s voice.

"So then we said goodnight and I took a cab home," Elizabeth finished. She blushed again. "You probably think I’m one of those goofy starry-eyed girls."

"No," Emily shook her head. "I think you just had a great time with a really great guy."

Elizabeth nodded.

"So who’s the guy? Do I know him?" Emily asked. She blushed this time. Emily had a pretty good idea who it was, but she didn’t want Elizabeth to know that.

Elizabeth hesitated. She couldn’t believe she had spilled about everything to a perfect stranger. There was something going on that was making her more open to people and she couldn’t place her finger on what it was. "Well, it was---"

"Jason!" Emily shouted.

Elizabeth stared in shock at the girl’s outburst. But then she realized Emily was shouting to someone behind her. "It can’t be him," Elizabeth thought, even though everything inside her was excited at the prospect.

Emily stood up and ran to the man behind Elizabeth and threw her arms around him.

As Elizabeth turned around and realized that the man was the man in her story, she looked away. But not before she saw the embrace between Emily Quartermaine and Jason Morgan. Elizabeth wondered if there was something going on. If there was, and Jason still kissed her, Elizabeth would have a thing or two to say about that. She hated two-faced men and she hated cheating two-faced men even more. She wasn’t about to be the "other woman".

"Emily, I’m so glad I caught you," Jason said. "I was going to invite you out to lunch."

Elizabeth felt her heart fall at the sound of his words. But something inside her forced her to wait before giving up on him.

"I’d love to," Emily beamed at him.

Jason looked at the girl sitting on the couch, but couldn’t see her face. "I don’t want to take you away from any business you have going on, though."

Emily turned to Elizabeth and an idea popped into her head. With a mischievous sparkle in her eye, Emily explained, "No, you’re not. She was just here to talk about what a great time she had last night at the fund-raiser."

Elizabeth paled at Emily’s words. "Oh, no," she thought to herself. If Jason realized she was gushing about their night together with his girlfriend, she would die of embarrassment.

"That’s great, Emily," Jason smiled. Jason walked towards the girl. "I’m Jason, Emily’s brother," he introduced himself.

"Her brother?" Elizabeth said with a sigh of relief. She turned to face him and watched as the gleam in his eye brightened when he realized who she was.

"You sound surprised," Jason said after he snapped out of the moment of joy from seeing her face.

Elizabeth smiled. "Well, the last name thing, it threw me off."

"Oh, Jason changed his last name when he first signed under Corinthos’ Records. They thought it would be better if he didn’t have a career in the shadow of the Quartermaines," Emily explained.

Elizabeth nodded, the relief swallowing her up whole.

"I thought you knew all about me, Elizabeth," Jason teased.

Elizabeth laughed. "Obviously I don’t," she admitted.

Emily looked between the two. Their eyes were glued on each other and if she started jumping up and down screaming obscenities she doubted they would notice. They were much too wrapped up in each other.

She smiled to herself. She was right on with this one. She knew Jason would like Elizabeth and she was glad Elizabeth liked her brother. Jason needed someone like Elizabeth in his life. He was surrounded by one too many blonde bimbos and Emily knew he was looking for more. Elizabeth might be just what the doctor ordered.

"Jason!" a female voice called out from behind him.

"Speaking of blondes . . ." Emily thought to herself.

"My mother followed me here," Jason winked at Elizabeth.

She smiled at their inside joke. "Better see what she wants."

"Jason, I said we’d make a two-minute stop here. We have to get to the interview with the local press before we head out to Manhattan," Caroline nagged at him. As she spoke, she saw Elizabeth Webber out of the corner of her eye. Caroline didn’t know the girl, but something about her bugged Caroline. She had a feeling Elizabeth would mean problems for Jason and Caroline would make sure that wouldn’t happen.

"I was just making lunch plans with Emily, Carly," Jason explained. "Besides, we have an hour before the press conference."

"But there are other things to take care of before that," Caroline said.

"Like what?" Emily interrupted. Emily never liked Caroline and she liked Caroline even less when she was ordering her brother around like some child.

"Like none of your business, little girl," Caroline sneered. "Let’s go, Jason. Unless you want me to tell Sonny that you’d rather ditch press time to chat with Emily."

Elizabeth noticed a change in Jason’s face at the mention of Sonny’s name. He suddenly became very serious.

Emily glared at Caroline. Caroline always used the Sonny card on Jason and she always got her way. It drove Emily crazy but she knew her brother was loyal to the man and Emily couldn’t persuade him otherwise.

"I’ll be right there," Jason said.

Caroline smiled, knowing that she had won. "I’ll see you in the limo," she said. "Nice to see you, Emily, and uhhh . . ."

"Elizabeth," Emily supplied. God, this woman got on her nerves.

"Right," Caroline shrugged, walking towards the doorway.

"So I’ll see you at lunch," Jason smiled to his sister.

"Sure," Emily smiled. "Elizabeth, do you want to come with us?"

Elizabeth stared at Emily. Did Emily know that Jason was the man who swept her away the night before? "I’m not sure. I have an afternoon shift at a restaurant downtown."

Jason’s face fell slightly at the news. "Well maybe some other time," Jason winked.

Elizabeth smiled and nodded. "Okay," she said, knowing that they had an appointment to meet later that night.

Emily shook her head with a smile. These two were quite the pair.

"Bye, Emily. Goodbye, Elizabeth," Jason said.

Elizabeth replied, "No, I’ll see you later."

Jason nodded in agreement and walked away.

Emily turned to face Elizabeth. "He better have given you a helmet."

Elizabeth stopped staring at him long enough to face Emily. "What do you mean?"

"Well Jason doesn’t seem to care one way or the other about his safety, but if he didn’t give you one, I will have to kill him," Emily explained.

Elizabeth stared. "You know?"

Emily shook her head. "Elizabeth, you have so much to learn. I don’t just know, I made it happen."