Treacherous Hearts by tigg3000

[JRK Archiver]

A/N: This story isn't completely AU...Elizabeth is the only "new" character. Everything else is pretty self-explanatory.


Prologue


The friction of the sand between her toes felt almost therapeutic as she ran swiftly across the beach towards the house. Slowing down, she turned herself around, running backwards while watching the beautiful sun set in the ocean. Haunting memories of past sunsets caused her eyes to brim with tears. She stopped running and tried to catch her breath; leaning down and placing her hands on her knees. She had tried to make amends with the past, preaching to herself day and night about letting it go. It just wasn’t working. She peered up at the blazing sunset, letting one lonely tear fall from her eye.

“You know what the most beautiful part about sunsets on the beach is?” he asked her seriously, wrapping his arms around her tiny waist and pulling her body closer. She giggled at his serious tone of voice and turned back to meet his eyes.

“What is it Mr. I’mTryingSoHardToBeSerious?” she asked him trying to suppress a grin. He glared down at her and let out a sarcastic ha-ha. Breaking out in a fit of giggles, she squirmed out of his arms and ran to the edge of the beach, where the waves were soaking the sand.

“So are ya gonna tell me or not?” she asked him while letting her feet sink into the wet sand. He followed her to the edge and put his arms around her once more.

“The most beautiful part about this sunset or any other is that I get to see it with you,” he began in a husky voice, “If I were here alone, that sunset would have been wasted.” She turned back to look at him in shock. Since when did her boyfriend become so poetic?

“You’re kidding right?” she asked unbelievably gaping at him with large blue eyes. He gave her a smile and kissed her softly, letting the last beams of sunlight warm their bodies and souls.

“ELIZABETH!!!”

“ELIZABEEEETHHH! PHOOOOOONE!”

Elizabeth jerked herself out of her trance, and turned back to look at the house. Sarah was calling her name while frantically waving the phone in one hand. She looked as excited as a 5-year old on Christmas. Elizabeth smiled to herself and started jogging back to the house.

“Who is it?” she asked her sister between short breaths. Elizabeth placed one hand on her chest, trying to calm her racing heartbeat. She climbed the stairs up to their dock and took the phone from Sarah.

“It’s Commissioner Mac Scorpio,” she hissed giving the phone up to Elizabeth, “ From Port Charles Lizzie!!” Shaking her head at her sister’s excitement, Elizabeth turned her back to Sarah to say hello.

“Hello?” Elizabeth said cautiously. The man on the other end was definitely Mac Scorpio.

“I’m doing great Commissioner, and you?” she asked politely. Sarah came and stood right in front of Elizabeth, with big curious eyes. Elizabeth waved her hand in front of her, pleading her with her own eyes to leave her alone for a few moments.

“Yes, I most certainly am,” Elizabeth, continued. Sarah let out a big sigh of disappointment when her younger sister wouldn’t show any emotion at all. She went back inside and flipped on the television, hoping the phone call would be short.

“Ne…Next week?” Elizabeth asked, surprised, “ No...No…that’ll be perfect. Monday?…It’s not a problem for me at all. Okay…uh huh…. Yes…11:00? Sure…Okay then, I’ll see you on Monday Mr. Scorpio. You too…Thanks a lot…. Bye.”

Elizabeth hung up the phone and slowly turned to face her sister. Her heart had started to beat much faster causing Elizabeth to give up a half smile.

Sarah watched her sister’s face and knew that Lizzie’s dreams were coming true.



***



Jason lifted his gun and aimed at the sharply dressed man standing in the alley. Without any feeling of guilt whatsoever, he shot him, straight in the head. A loud bang accompanied with the shrill screaming of a woman filled the alley. Jason turned on his heels to run away and ran right into the woman. All he saw of her, were those haunting eyes brimmed with tears.

“How could you do this, you cold-blooded bastard?” she questioned him in a calm and even voice. He couldn’t see her lips, her mouth…. she was wrapped up in a white scarf. The only thing he could see were those beautiful blue eyes, swirling in anger.

“I…I ….I didn’t think…He…I…” Jason stuttered trying to get the right words out. The woman disappeared and Jason could hear the sobbing and wailing once more. His head was bursting because of the constant loud noises. What was happening to him?

“Nooooooooooooooo,” Jason yelled scrambling to sit up in bed. His eyes were dilated and bloodshot, the panic and fear more than visible in them. Jason fumbled with the lamp, desperate to turn the lights on in his room. A dim light lit up the dark and barren room. Jason grabbed the alarm clock with shaky hands trying to figure out what time it was. He should have guessed, 3 a.m. He threw the alarm clock to the ground and leaned back against the pillows on his bed. Closing his eyes, he rubbed the back of his neck subconsciously, trying to relax his tense body.

One year.

It had been one damn year.

But those nightmares, those flashbacks wouldn’t stop. He couldn’t see vivid pictures in his mind, because of the brain damage…but he sure as hell could still hear everything. The loud bang of his gun, the grunt of the man he shot and the woman’s screams and wails.

The only image that his mind could form, were those haunting, pleading, tragic eyes.

He needed a cold shower and maybe some coffee. Pulling his t-shirt over his head, Jason got out of his bed. Suddenly, his cell phone rang, causing Jason to jump. Placing a hand over his poor heart, Jason chuckled at his own stupidity. He was so used to living alone…nothing but quiet surrounding him. Being back in PC, meant learning to let his guard down a little. If cell phones unnerved him, he couldn’t imagine how he could get back to his work.

“Morgan.” Jason stated into the cell phone. On hearing his boss’s voice, Jason quickly relaxed, sitting down on the bed once more.

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 1


“Great, it’s already 10,” muttered Elizabeth to herself. She had been waiting to get some directions to her studio apartment at some coffee shop in PC for over ½ an hour. The young brunette who had brought her coffee, had disappeared into the kitchen about 10 minutes ago, claiming to go ask the cook where Elizabeth’s studio might be located. She cursed herself under her breath for being so stupid. Elizabeth had misplaced the little piece of paper with the studio address on it, in her rush to catch the bus early that morning. She needed to find this apartment, shower and freshen up before her meeting with Commissioner Scorpio at 11. Frustrated, Elizabeth got up and threw a tip on the table, before grabbing her duffel bag and starting to walk out of the shop. She let out a distressed groan when her huge duffel bag got stuck in the small doorway. Using all her strength she pulled the duffel bag towards her and ran right into a very hard leather-clad chest.

Jason wanted to pick up some coffee before his long meeting with Sonny later that morning. Using coffee as an excuse to catch up with his sister, Jason steered his bike towards Kelly’s. He had barely slept that night, causing his muscles to feel limp and almost weak.

Coffee will help, Jason thought to himself. He hopped off his bike and made his way towards Kelly’s. Not really paying attention to the door, Jason absentmindedly reached his hand out to pull it open. Out tumbled a petite brunette with a duffel bag twice her size, right into him.

“Watch where you’re going!” Elizabeth shrieked as her coffee spilled all over the stranger’s boots. She dropped the duffel bag to the ground and let out a tortured sigh. This day couldn’t get any worse, she thought to herself.

Jason was too stunned to speak, as he watched the beautiful stranger nibble on her bottom lip in frustration. His blue eyes pierced every inch of her face, trying to take in the sight of her all at once. She ran her hand through her curly chocolate colored hair and glanced up at the man, who she had spilled her coffee on.

@#%$. Her eyes were like an addictive drug, numbing his senses thoroughly.

Something about the way he was watching her, made Elizabeth’s heart stop for that moment. Her throat dried up as she watched his blue eyes focus on her lips.. She cleared her throat and ignored her hearts sudden thunderous eruption.

“Look mister, why don’t you watch where you’re going? Now you probably expect me to pay for your boots or something…but you better get that idea out of your mind, because I’m not paying for anything.” Elizabeth paused when she realized the handsome stranger was still watching her every expression with great interest. She cleared her throat in an attempt to shake the man from his trance.

“What is wrong with the people in this town?!! I ask for directions and no one gives me any…I spill coffee on you…and your standing there like your deaf! And what the hell are you staring at? Never seen a woman before pretty boy? Why don’t you back off before I gouge your eyeballs out and serve them to you on a dish!” Elizabeth said, all the while glaring at him with threatening eyes. Jason’s eyes opened in amazement at the woman’s fiery attitude. A crooked smile played on his lips, as he glanced down at his boots for the first time.

“Oh good. So you’re not deaf or blind,” Elizabeth said sarcastically, watching him finally look away from her. The smile on his lips pulled at Elizabeth’s heart, an uneasy feeling growing deep within her stomach.

“It’s no problem about the boots. I’ll just wipe it up with some napkins. Don’t worry you don’t have to pay for anything,” Jason began softly looking deep into her eyes once more. There was something so strangely familiar about those exquisite brown eyes. He shrugged the nagging feeling off and continued to watch her every emotion betrayed by her intense eyes.

His voice. She had forgotten how it felt to feel this way. When someone’s voice aroused forbidden desires to erupt in your body and soul.

Jason started to walk past her, jolts passing through his body at her proximity. He grabbed napkins off the nearest table and bent down to clean off his boots. Elizabeth watched him with great interest. Realizing that she was staring at a strange man she didn’t know, rather than finding her apartment, Elizabeth let out a little shriek. Jason looked up at her.

“Hey listen…do you know where the Harborview Apartments are?” she asked him in hopes that this man would help her out. Jason stood back up and threw out the napkins, before standing next to her again.

“Yup I do…do you need a ride” he asked cautiously. Elizabeth eyed him up and down before smirking slightly. The smirk was supposed to hide the fact that her senses were in overdrive due to his nearness.

“What makes you think I would go anywhere with you?” she said with her usual bored tone of voice. She turned on her heels and grabbed her duffel bag off the ground. She didn’t need any favors from anyone, especially this man. He already made her feel vulnerable and that was not what she needed right now.

Jason grabbed her arm gently and pulled her back. It was something that he would never do; it just wasn’t like him. However, this woman’s presence caused him to lose that self-control. Her arm fit in his large hand quite nicely, her warmth seeping into his cold body.

Elizabeth jerked her arm out of his hand after a few moments. A fire spread where he had touched her and that scared the @#%$ out of her. She glared at the stranger and couldn’t help but feel drawn to his eyes again.

“Don’t. Touch. Me,” she said evenly in a calm voice, trying desperately to keep her cool.

What was she doing here with this man?

Why didn’t she just tell him off and leave?

She was wasting so much valuable time. Elizabeth glared at him once more and started to walk towards the alley behind the coffee shop. Jason’s heart was pounding violently, but he still managed to follow her. He didn’t know what he was doing with this woman; all common sense had left him. His mind was totally numb, so he did what his heart wanted.

He followed her.

Elizabeth heard the man’s footsteps behind her as she made her way through the alley. What the hell was his problem and why wasn’t he leaving her alone? Suddenly, she turned on her heels and came face to face with him again. She glared up at him and tried to come up with the right words to say. This was so unlike her; Elizabeth had become quite the pro at smart mouthing this past year.

Jason watched her glare at him and waited for her to curse him out. He was overstepping his boundaries with this woman, but couldn’t help it in the least bit. She remained quiet for a few moments, breathing unevenly.

“Uh…Look, I’m guessing you’re new here…I can give you a ride to wherever you need to go. I’ve been living here my whole life…so…um…I know my way around...my bike is right over there,” Jason said softly pointing to his bike. He watched as an amused look filled the woman’s eyes. She smirked again and took a step towards Jason.

She didn’t know what she was doing. Her body had a mind of its own as she took a step closer to him. She cocked her head to the side and examined his face. Could she trust him? As she watched his lips curve into that heart melting crooked smile, her gaze wavered to the alley behind him. A flood of memories hit her hard.

“OH MY GOD!!! I can’t believe this…ITALY??” Elizabeth gasped. Her wide blue eyes were round in shock, joy and utter disbelief. He chuckled softly, watching her gape incredulously at the plane tickets in his hand.

“Yup…Italy. Two whole weeks in Italy. We’re leaving tomorrow morning…is that fine with you?” He asked uncertainly, hoping she could take off from her artwork for that long.

“Fine? You’re asking me if this is FINE with me?” she laughed loudly, clapping her hands in excitement, “ God, I love you so much! We never get to spend any time together…this is…this is just perfect honey.” Elizabeth’s eyes glistened with tears of joy. She placed her right hand on his cheek, looking into his eyes with adoration. He smiled back at her and leaned in to kiss her.

Ring! Ring!

The shrill sound of the cell phone cut off his attempt to kiss his beautiful fiancé.

Elizabeth groaned and watched him pull the blasted phone out of his coat pocket.

“Yup?” he said in to the phone. His eyes became emotionless as he listened to the person on the other end. He turned his back to her and faced the wall, in the middle of the alley in which they stood.

Elizabeth grabbed the tickets out of his hand and read the details of her flight. Her heart was still pounding from excitement for her upcoming dream vacation. When he had asked her to meet him in their secret alley, she knew it was important. But she never realized he would surprise her like this.

“And you’re sure about this?” he continued, “ No…no it’s okay…Yea, tomorrow…but I know it has to wait. Port Charles? Mmm-hmm…Okay…tomorrow morning then.” He let out a troubled breath and pressed the end button on his cell phone.

Oh boy. She wouldn’t take this too well.

Jason watched the beautiful stranger stand in a motionless trance for a moment. He didn’t know what she was thinking about, but it was undoubtedly painful by the look in her eyes. He cleared his throat trying to gain her attention.

Elizabeth heard him clear his throat and she blinked rapidly. Small tears formed in her eyes, but she stopped them from making their presence known. The man standing in front of her was watching her keenly. Letting out a small sigh, she turned back around and quickly walked away from a confused Jason.

She didn’t need anyone’s help. Especially someone who was unknowingly bringing out her hidden vulnerable side. She was here with a goal; one that needed to be reached without any distractions.

And dangerous, sexy bikers were always distractions.

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 2


Warm spring air changed to frigid air conditioning as Elizabeth pushed open the doors to the PCPD. It was a little past 11, and she was cursing herself constantly for being late for such an important meeting. Finding the studio had taken longer than she thought. She quickly walked up to the first desk she saw; a pretty young woman looked up at her.

“May I help you?” she asked Elizabeth politely.

“I need to see Commissioner Scorpio. We had a meeting at 11 today,” Elizabeth told the young woman.

“Please sit down over there,” the woman replied, pointing to a small bench next to her desk, “I’ll let the commissioner know you’re here.”

Elizabeth nodded and watched the young woman make her way to the back of the large room. The bench was hard and quite small, making Elizabeth very uncomfortable.

The other people in the room were almost all males, working efficiently and barely noticing the new stranger sitting on the bench. Zander, the most recent inductee in the police department, put the phone down after a long and tiring argument with the DA about a current case.

“Jerk,” he muttered to himself as he strolled over to the coffee pot in the front of the room. Rubbing the back of his neck to relieve some stress, he took a sip of the cold, bland coffee. His eyes scanned the room, stopping on a petite brunette sitting close to the receptionist’s desk.

Elizabeth brushed several stray curls away from her face, and focused on the room. It was bustling from phone calls, fax machines, loud officers and God knows what else. She was nervous, but it had nothing to do with this meeting; something else…someone else was occupying her thoughts.

She shrugged the thoughts off and glanced at the dark haired man standing across the room from her. A cup of coffee in one hand, he stood there examining Elizabeth from head to toe. A dark brown forelock hid his forehead; dark brooding eyes examined her thoroughly. She rolled her eyes and looked away.

Moron. All men were morons, including the biker she had met this morning.

“Good Morning. You must be Ms. Webber?” a voice interrupted Elizabeth’s thoughts. Her eyes darted to the tall man towering in front of her. She jumped to her feet and reached out to shake his hand.

“Yes,” she answered, “It’s wonderful to actually meet you Commissioner.” She smiled genuinely at the handsome middle-aged man in front of her.

“Nice to meet you too. So are you ready to meet your partner?” Mac asked in an amused voice. Elizabeth remained quiet, unable to comprehend what the man was trying to tell her. Did that mean there would be no interview? Mac chuckled softly at her stunned expression.

“We’ve heard a significant amount of praise from the academy concerning your training and potential. We’d like to offer you a job as an officer in training here in Port Charles. The only condition is that you need to work along side a partner. This will enhance your skills and build your faith accordingly. So Ms. Webber, I’d like this chance to welcome you to the PCPD…if you accept?” Mac asked.


***


Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, Jason walked out of the elevator on the top floor of Harborview Towers. Johnny gave him a small smile and quickly opened the door to Sonny’s PH. It had been a year since Jason had met with anyone; he was apprehensive to say the least. And the run-in with the strange brunette at Kelly's hadn't helped the matter either.

Carly ran right into Jason’s arms as he walked through the front door. He smiled, recognizing her familiar scent as she clung to him tightly. A smaller hand tugged at his jeans. Jason peered down through Carly’s hair and caught a glimpse of Micheal. Swooping down swiftly, Jason picked up the little boy in his arms.

Half an hour later, after all the hugging and catching up had dwindled, Sonny took Jason aside to talk about business. A very pregnant Carly took Micheal and wobbled upstairs, leaving the two friends alone.

“As good as it is to see you again Jason, I’m...uh…kind of worried that this might be a little too soon,” Sonny began cautiously, not wanting to ambush his friend with his own concerns. He knew that Jason was the best at what he did, but last years incident had him second guessing Jason’s ability more and more recently. Jason avoided Sonny’s question and walked past him to look at the pictures of Micheal lining the mantle. He tried to focus on the faces in the photographs, fingering the blotches of color his eyes made out.

“So what’s the situation with the feds Sonny?” Jason asked nonchalantly, completely ignoring his boss’s concerns.

“I uh…asked Max to give me an exact number…but it’s going to be hard to get those details this soon. We’ve heard from several sources that the agency has released over 10 new agents in this area,” Sonny paused, ”Listen Jase…I know this might be too soon for you…and no matter how bad the situation looks right now…I won’t sacrifice your stability for it.” Jason glanced up at Sonny’s concern filled face.

“I’ll get to work on it,” Jason said simply before grabbing his leather jacket off the chair.

“Are you sure…I don’t…” Sonny started to say.

“Look,” Jason interrupted, “ I’m fine now Sonny. What happened last year…it’s over…it has been. I’ll meet with Max now and find out what needs to be done. If any of the feds are like last years…” Jason paused momentarily, trying not to choke on his own words.

“If any of the feds are like last years, then we need to be extremely alert,” he finished quietly.

Sonny nodded at the younger man and watched him leave without a sound. He didn’t like this situation. He sighed loudly and picked up his glass. Quietly praying that Jason would remain stable, he took a few sips of his drink, before picking up the phone to call more of his connections throughout the state.

Jason pushed the button for the elevator. His mind felt as if it was about to explode from the pressure. As simple as the task was, it was way too familiar for him.

“Can you believe the bastard?” Sonny yelled, his nostrils flaring with anger. Jason rubbed his forehead, trying to make sense of the situation.

“Take care of him Jason. I mean it. Right now…take care of it,” Sonny said evenly before pouring himself another drink. Jason watched Sonny down another glass of vodka, before grabbing his bike keys off the desk. Another fed…another traitor. Things were bad.

“I’ll be back later then. I’ll call you if I need to leave the country,” Jason told Sonny before leaving the PH.

He just had to do this. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t be able to look at himself anymore. This was the only thing he was good at, and no one would take that away from him. No one.

So then,why couldn’t he shake the image of those haunting blue eyes from his mind?

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 3


“Listen, I’ll stop by a little later…just give me all the details then…And also…have Roy recheck our cell and landlines…give me that report by tonight Max,” Jason paused, listened to Max and then continued, “Don’t worry about that…I’m on it. You do what I’m telling you to.” Flipping his cell phone shut, he let out a breath he had been holding for too long. Rain clouds were quickly covering the late spring sky much to Jason’s delight. He loved the rain, especially riding in it. However, he couldn’t take a break right now, things were too tense. He had promised Sonny that he would take care of this situation with the feds, and this time…no matter what…he would.



***


After the initial shock had settled in, Elizabeth couldn’t help but be deliriously happy. Being in the police force was something she had been working on for months now. Her hard work and determination had finally paid off. She sat in Mac’s office waiting for some paper work that she was required to fill out.

“So you’re my new partner huh?” a voice interrupted Elizabeth’s thoughts. She quickly swung her head back to see who had joined her in the room. The dark haired man who was staring at her earlier stood there, smiling mischievously with shining eyes. Elizabeth’s jaw dropped at realizing that HE would be her new partner.

“Well I would have preferred it if u actually spoke …but guess I’ll manage,” Zander said jokingly before sitting down on the chair next to the pretty brunette. She arched one eyebrow and smirked at him.

This has got to be a joke, she thought to herself. Her partner was this loser?

“Maybe I’d rather not talk to you,” she snapped at him. Zander smiled at her warmly despite her attitude.

“The commissioner wanted me to tell you, that the paper work can wait, ‘cuz right now he wants you, Officer Webber, to accompany me, Officer Smith, on a questioning,” Zander said winking at her as he finished his sentence. Elizabeth rolled her eyes at him. Of all the losers in the world…she was stuck with the biggest one of them all.

“Right now?” she asked him. He nodded at her and got up quickly from the seat.

“So are you coming or do I need to carry you?” he said, all the while grinning. Elizabeth stood up slowly, grabbing her purse off the ground.

“You wish,” she snapped walking past him quickly. She slowed down when she realized this would be her first job. It was all happening very fast; she didn’t know whether to be excited or scared.



***


“It’s so good to have you back Jason,” Jake said for the third time that afternoon. Jason gave her his crooked smile before making his way back to the pool table. He set the mug of beer on the table before setting up the balls.


***


“So where exactly are we going?” she asked Zander, as he walked beside her to his car. He shoved his keys in to the car door, before glancing up at the sky.

“@#%$ rain,” he muttered to himself. Elizabeth watched him get into the car and start it. Before closing his door, he looked up at Elizabeth.

“What? You’ve never sat in a car before? Do you need help opening the door?” Zander mused. With clenched teeth, Elizabeth spun around and made her way to the other side of the car. Working with Zander would be much more difficult than she had first thought. She opened the door forcefully and sat in the car next to him. His grinning was quickly getting on Elizabeth’s nerves.

“Why didn’t you answer me? Where exactly are we going?” Elizabeth asked him again. Zander was too busy fiddling around with the radio to notice that she had said anything. He fastened his seatbelt and looked over at Elizabeth to make sure she had done the same thing. Her brown eyes were shining in anger.

“Put your seatbelt on Elizabeth,” Zander said before reversing out of the parking lot.

“Stop the car,” Elizabeth said simply. She couldn’t work with this moron. He was ignoring her…and no one ignored Elizabeth.

“Port Charles is actually pretty dreary during the spring. Rain season and all. Winter is pretty nice though with all the snow,” Zander said to her, ignoring her request to stop the car. Elizabeth gaped at him with unbelieving eyes.

Was this guy for real?

“Where are we going Officer Smith?” Elizabeth asked loudly. Zander turned to look at her, her eyes flashing in anger. Her temper was clearly out of control…and that would be the first thing she needed to fix.

“Jason Morgan. Hit man for Sonny Corinthos. Just came back from a one-year holiday in Europe. We’re gonna pay him a little visit to find out why exactly he’s back in town,” he said to her in a serious tone. This was the first time he had stopped joking and given her a serious answer.

“So what will we be asking him?” she questioned. Zander took a sharp turn onto the main highway in Port Charles. He looked over at her briefly before continuing.

“I will be asking him why he’s back in town. It’s rather pointless…he won’t answer me. Just want to let him know that the PCPD is aware he’s back in town. And it’s good for you to watch and learn how Morgan functions. He’s a brain-damaged robot, foolishly following every one of Corinthos’s orders. He’ll grate your nerves but you need to keep your cool around him. Thugs have money…Money buys great lawyers,” he finished off as they swung into a small bar called Jake’s.

“So…what? I get to watch you and this Morgan prove who’s manlier and more macho? Sounds intriguing,” Elizabeth muttered as she got out of the car. It was pouring pretty hard by then. Zander chuckled to himself as he ran to the door.

She would be quite the handful.



***


Jason set up his shot before taking another swig of his beer. He was expecting Max’s call anytime now; they were supposed to meet soon.



***



Elizabeth watched as Zander answered his cell phone right outside of the bar. She was more than pissed that her first “job” was being interrupted by some ridiculous call.

“Yea…listen I know…come on baby…alright…no no…I’ll be home later tonight…I promise…Em…come on baby…I know I promised…stuff came up…hey hey…that’s not fair…Emily…wait…don’t hang up…hold on…Em? Emily?” Zander pressed the end key with frustration. Damnit. Between this job and his fiancé, he would be a dead man in a matter of months.

“Girl troubles?” asked Elizabeth amused. She started to push open the front door of the bar, when she realized Zander was running back to the car.

“Hey…where the hell are you going?” she yelled to him. Drenched in the rain, he turned around with a grin on this face.

“Don’t worry…I’ll be back in a few. Get yourself a table inside…order something for me too,” he said winking. He got into his car and pulled out of the bar.

“What the @#%$,” Elizabeth hissed quietly. Things were definitely not going the way she had planned.



***


Jason leaned down and focused on his shot when the door to the bar opened forcefully. He glanced up and watched as a thoroughly wet woman walked into the bar.

His heart stopped.

It was her. The girl from Kelly’s. The strange brunette who had left him standing in the alley, feeling like an idiot. Soft wet chocolate colored curls were splashed all over her porcelain face. Her white top was clinging to her body, showcasing her small figure. Her full lips were painted in a dark lipstick, which had begun to wash away from the rain.

Jason suppressed a smile when he saw the similar flash of anger he had seen in her eyes earlier. He wondered what had set her off this time. He strolled over to his table and picked up his mug, all the while watching her every move. She was cursing to herself quietly, as evident from her moving lips. Quickly, she moved all of her hair from her face and wrapped it in a bun. She bit her lip, clearly a sign of frustration, as Jason would figure out later.


@#%$ moron. Who the hell did he think he was anyways? She needed to talk to Mac. This whole partner thing was not going to work. She glanced around the small bar and saw a few curious stares in her direction. Her eyes stopped on the man in the corner of the room, next to the pool table.

@#%$. What was he doing here?

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 4


“My brother is back in town…” Emily began cautiously. Zander, who was stroking her hair softly, showed no reaction. He knew they would start to argue as soon as Jason’s name entered the conversation…he was really not in the mood for that now.

“I gotta go Em…she’s waiting for me at Jake’s. I told her I’d be back soon,”Zander said as he stood up from the couch. Emily rolled her eyes at him.

“What was that for?” he asked amused. He knew she was getting annoyed because he was avoiding the topic of her brother. But what did she expect him to do? He was a cop…her brother was a hit man. It was safe to say, the two men wouldn’t be chatting over tea any time soon.

“Nothing. Just don’t give him any trouble for no reason Zander,” she said firmly while planting a small kiss on his lips. This time he rolled his eyes. Sometimes he doubted that she knew what exactly her brother did for a living.

“Don’t worry…I won’t arrest him for feeding the homeless or knitting sweaters for orphans,” he said. Laughing loudly, Emily pushed her fiancé playfully.



****************************************



Oh God. Just her luck. First that doofus partner of hers abandoned her at some bar on the edge of this strange town…and now the biker, who could easily pass for a Roman God, was popping up everywhere she went. She decided to ignore him and strolled over to sit down on a stool.

She needed a drink.

The way she looked was arousing deep desires in his body. But there was something about her eyes…that made Jason feel very uneasy. They were so familiar, almost like he’s seen them somewhere before.

He put his mug down and walked over to where she was sitting. He wondered what her name was. Sitting down on the stool next to hers, he wondered how he should ask her.

“So…uh…I guess you found your apartment?” Jason asked lamely, after a few moments of silence. She hadn’t looked at him once.

“What’s it to you?” she mumbled. Her eyes were fixed on the glass in her hands.

“Just wondering. You’re drenched,” he observed, glancing at the mess of wet curls clinging to her fragile neck.

“If it’s annoying you, then stop staring at me,” she answered coolly. Jason grinned. He adored her fiery attitude.

“Nah. Nothing about you annoys me.”

“I can fix that if you want,” she said while turning to glare at him. His face was so close; she could almost feel his warm breath on her face. She gulped trying to eliminate the feeling of awkwardness washing over her body. He looked deep into her eyes, then slowly down at her full lips. They were parted and oh so inviting.

“So what brings you to PC?” Jason asked in a husky voice. She blinked once and looked away from his soul-searching eyes.

“Business.”

“What kind of business?”

“The kind that’s none of your concern.”

“Okay. So where are you from?”

“Why does it matter?”

“It doesn’t. What’s your name?”

“Elizabeth.”

“Elizabeth. It suits you.”

Elizabeth laughed suddenly. She had always hated her name with the heat of a thousand suns. Jason watched her throw her head back and laugh whole-heartedly. She was like an angel.

“My sister Sarah thinks “Elizabeth” is the most old-fashioned name around,” she said in an amused tone.

“It’s beautiful. Just like you,” Jason replied. She turned to look into his eyes again.

Who was he?

Why did he make her feel like this?

She nibbled on her lip zealously, trying to ignore his compliment.

“Did you live with your sister?” he asked her, while watching her bottom lip be tortured by her teeth.

“Yea,” she answered.

“With your parents?”

“No.”

“Just you and your sister?”

“Not really,” Elizabeth said softly. She didn’t want to talk about this right now, especially not with this stranger.

Jason sensed her discomfort, and decided to stop pushing her.

“So do you like PC so far?” he asked in an attempt to change the subject.

“Do you always ask this many questions?” Elizabeth asked amazed at this guy’s perseverance. Jason gave her his crooked smile making Elizabeth’s heart flutter.

Damn, he’s hot.

“Actually…I barely talk to anyone. Just looks like you need a friend, that’s all,” he told her in a playful tone.

“I don’t need anyone,” Elizabeth snapped at him. He became quiet and asked Jake for another beer.

“So what’s your story? Who are you?” she asked softly. Maybe she had been a little too harsh with him. He took a big sip of his beer and checked his phone. Where the hell was Max?

“I’d rather not talk about the past,” Jason answered her.

“Well…we agree on one thing,” Elizabeth muttered, and then continued in a louder voice, “At least…tell me your name?”

The shrill ringing of his cell phone cut off Jason’s answer.

“I have to take this,” he said quickly taking his cell phone out of his pocket. Elizabeth nodded at him and checked her watch again. Cursing Zander under her breath, she took another sip of her soda. Where had he disappeared?

Jason flipped open his cell phone to answer it, before making his way to the back of the bar. He kept his eyes on Elizabeth as he started the conversation.

“Morgan.”

“Hey Jason, I have all the information you wanted. You want me to come down there, or…” Max trailed off. Elizabeth glanced back at him. He gave her a smile that devastated her insides.

“Nah, I’ll be right there. Did you get a chance to talk to Roy?”

“Yeah. I’ll tell you those details when you come here.”

“Ok.”

Jason put his cell phone away and walked over to Elizabeth. She looked up at him with her stunning brown eyes.

What is it about those eyes, he asked himself.

He leaned down closer to Elizabeth, both of their faces on the same level now. Elizabeth could feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek. He looked deep into her eyes, then down at her trembling bottom lip.

“Hope to see you around…Elizabeth,” he said in barely a whisper. He glanced down at her lips one more time, before licking his own. Grabbing his leather jacket off the stool, he walked out of the bar, without sparing anyone a glance.

Elizabeth sat paralyzed in that position for a few moments, and finally let out a tortured breath. She shoved a stray piece of hair behind her ear with shaky hands.

It should be illegal to be that @#%$ sexy.



**********************************************



“Mamma,” the little girl said once more. Sarah wrapped her arms around herself in thought. This would be harder than she thought.

“Come here sweetie,” she said picking up the 8 month old in her arms. The soft brown curls on the baby’s head felt like silk on Sarah’s cheek.

“I know you miss your mamma Ashley…we’ll call her later tonight.”

Ashley whimpered a little bit and started to close her eyes. She hadn’t slept since very early that morning and was extremely tired from all the crying. Sarah rocked her for a few minutes, and was relieved when Ashley finally fell asleep. She laid her down in her crib and reached for the phone.

“We’re sorry…the number you are trying to dial is outside of our service area. Please try again later.”

Sarah groaned loudly and slammed the phone back onto the receiver.

What could have possessed her to agree to this arrangement?

On hearing the front door open, she ran out of Ashley’s room.

“Oh thank God you’re home,” Sarah said with a sigh of relief, when she realized who it was.

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 5


“Hey hey…what happened baby?” asked a concerned Lucky as he took his wife into his arms. Sarah hid her face in the crook of his neck and for the first time that day felt some comfort.

“I can’t do this. Ashley can’t live without her mother all week long Lucky. This is crazy,” she said looking up at her husband. Lucky gave her a warm smile before walking over to Ashley’s room. He watched as the little angel slept peacefully.

“She looks fine to me,” he whispered to his wife. Sarah tugged on his arm and pulled him out into the family room.

“She just fell asleep!” she shrieked.

“Come on…this was the first day Sarah. We can’t give up already. Elizabeth needs us to pull through for her,” Lucky said softly. Sarah wrapped her arms around her self once more and plopped down on the couch.

“You know, this whole revenge thing is ridiculous. And you’re enabling her Lucky. Lizzie needs to be here with her daughter, not on some police force hunting down some cold-blooded bastard. Come on Lucky…admit it…this is insane,” Sarah said desperately. Lucky sighed loudly.

He knew that Elizabeth was acting completely out of character. He also knew that revenge wouldn’t fill the emptiness inside of her or give her back the happiness she had lost. But what could he do? She was his best friend…he wouldn’t betray her this time. Not after what he did before. Never again.

“You knew???” Elizabeth screamed at her best friend. Her hands flapped up and down as she paced the floor. Lucky swallowed hard, trying to come up with something intelligent to say.

“And you didn’t tell me?” she screamed louder this time, “How much longer Lucky? Huh? When were you planning on telling me? The day of the wedding? The day our baby was born?” Her hands were trembling from anger and shock.

“I promised him,” Lucky managed to croak out. She turned to face him, anger flashing in her eyes.

“And what about me Lucky? Huh? What about your promise to be my friend?” she said in between sobs.


Lucky closed his eyes and pictured Elizabeth that day. She was heartbroken, a complete mess. He couldn’t bear to see her like that again. He would have to trust her this time, no matter what.

“Just let her try Sarah. Let her try,” he said quietly.



Carly wobbled downstairs slowly, hoping that Jason was still around. Sonny was on the phone again, barking orders to some poor individual. She came up behind her husband and massaged his neck in hopes to calm him down.

“Listen, I need those names soon Tony. I can’t wait anymore. We’re not gonna repeat last year’s situation again. Is that understood?” Sonny said in an ice-cold tone of voice. On receiving an answer, he disconnected the call. Turning to face his wife, he smiled at her, revealing his charming dimples.

“I’m worried about Jase,” Carly began.

“Yea, me too.”

“He looks better though.”

“Yea. I’m not sure about that.”

“Sonny, I don’t think he should be back at work yet,” Carly admitted. Sonny sighed. He knew his wife was right, but who would convince Jason.

“He’s stubborn Carly. As soon as he heard about this whole FBI situation, he took the first flight over here. I didn’t even call him. I’d rather deal with this alone without having to worry about his sanity. But you know him…” he trailed off.

“I’ll talk to him. He’ll listen to me,” Carly said, confident that her best friend would definitely open up to her. After all, she had been there for him last year. She knew what hell he had gone through.


“Did you see the way she looked at me Carly?” Jason whispered. Carly wiped a few tears from her eyes and crouched down next to her best friend on the floor. She ran her hands down his back hoping to calm him down.

“Ssshh. It’s gonna be alright Jase. I promise,” she spoke quietly. He turned to look at her. His eyes were swirling with emotion.

“She was pregnant. I heard her tell him about their baby.”

“Why don’t you get some sleep Jason?” Carly pleaded.

“Her eyes…I killed him…what about…what about the baby?” Jason said, almost whimpering.

Carly just had to get through to him. She couldn’t watch him wreck his life one more time.

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 6


“We’re sorry…you’re call cannot be completed as dialed. Please hang up and try again.”

@#%$.

Elizabeth slammed the payphone onto its receiver and ignored the vicious glare she got from Jake. The sound of the downpour had halted outside. Desperately fighting the urge to hitch a ride back to the PCPD, Elizabeth sat down at an empty table and pulled out her cell phone once more. She dialed the number for the fifth time, praying that it would work.

She threw the phone across the table when the annoying recorded message began to play. It had to be the weather.

“God, Ashley,” she muttered to herself, closing her eyes to block out the dim light of the bar.


“You’re serious?” he asked with dazed eyes. Elizabeth’s smile became wider as she took his large hand and placed it gently upon her stomach. She looked deep into his eyes and nodded slowly. A single teardrop fell from his eye as his gaze followed his hand to her stomach.

“My God…I’m…Me…Elizabeth…I’m going to be…a father?” he managed to cry out. Elizabeth’s own tears fell freely as she stood there speechless. He kneeled down on his knees and kissed her stomach ever so softly. Just the realization that a tiny life had begun to grow in there awed him. A life that he had created with the woman he loved.

She would be a mother. She would give this baby everything she grew up deprived of. Unconditional love, security, acceptance and devotion. And she would never abandon this baby. Never.


Then what the @#%$ are you doing here Webber, she asked herself swallowing back a huge lump in her throat.



****


“And this is the first list I’ve come up with. Only two of these people I’m positive about Jason. The other three I can’t tell you yet,” Max said. Jason pinched the bridge of his nose, out of habit, and studied the list carefully.

Andy Cappelli

Brian Beck

Jason had never met either of these men, but Max had just given him their backgrounds. They had come to work for Sonny shortly after Jason had left town. Neither gave Sonny a chance to complain, always-efficient workers.

“Better than last years agents huh?” Jason asked quietly. Max watched as Jason turned away from him and walked towards the warehouse window. Something in his mind was telling him that Jason Morgan was definitely not over what happened last time.

“Yeah. I would have never guessed about these two. Roy’s been doing some checking up on all of the workers at the warehouse. These 2 are definitely top two agents from the bureau sent in to collect information on the organization,” Max answered him. Jason let out a big sigh and flipped open his cell phone to call his boss.

“Yea…Sonny?” he said.

“Jason. What have you found out?”

“Max just gave me two names.”

“And he’s positive about this? We can’t afford any mistakes this time.”

Jason looked over at Max and raised an eyebrow. Max nodded, silently confirming that those two men were the feds.

“He’s sure. What’s the next step?”

“Listen Jase, I’m gonna take care of those two. You don’t need to get involved in this @#%$.”

“Sonny. Just tell me what I need to do next? Should I take care of it?” Jason asked annoyed.

“Man…I really don’t want you getting involved…” Sonny trailed off. He waited for a response but didn’t get any for a few moments.

“I’m waiting for your orders Sonny.”

“Don’t do anything yet. Give me a few days.”

”Okay.” Jason disconnected the call and walked out of the warehouse. The rain had completely stopped now, leaving the air fresh and clean.

Could he do this?

Could he go through this one more time?

Did Cappelli and Beck have families at home too?

Jason arched back his neck and looked at the sky that had begun to clear. He had never really believed in a God, but right about now…praying seemed like a damn good idea.



****


“So what do you know about Jason Morgan?” Elizabeth questioned the lone man sitting in the corner of Jake’s. He looked at her with an empty, almost hollow look. Elizabeth let out a sigh of frustration.

This would be tougher than she had imagined.

“You’ve been in PC for long?” she prodded, attempting to change the subject. The man ignored her, his pupils following the melting ice cube round and round, as he spun his glass in a circular motion.

Elizabeth grabbed her purse and stood up from the table.

“Thanks for nothing,” she muttered to the man.

The owner of this bar would definitely know Morgan if he makes regular appearances here, she thought to herself. Strolling up to the bar, Elizabeth sat down on the stool once more. Jake kept on chatting with a customer, fully intent on ignoring the stranger.

“Uh excuse me…I was wondering if you could help me,” Elizabeth began slowly. Jake turned her gaze over to the petite brunette who she had never seen before.

“What can I do for you?”

“I was actually looking for a Jason Morgan…any chance that you might have seen him?” Elizabeth asked, mustering up every polite atom in her body for a smile. Jake smirked a little and walked over to Elizabeth.

“Look darling, “ Jake began, “Those who know Morgan, know where he is. Those who don’t know him will never find out. I suggest you stop snooping around here, it won’t do ya no good.”

Oh great, she’s bitchier than I am.

Zander pushed open the door to Jake’s and took a good look around. She was sitting at the bar, her face buried in her hands.

@#%$. She’s gonna rip me a new one, thought Zander. He quickly walked up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Without thinking, Elizabeth swung her hand away from her own face, backhanding Zander with all her force.

“Ow. What the @#%$??” Zander groaned holding his now crimson colored cheek with both hands.

“Oh it was you. Well, that’s what you get for abandoning me at this dump,” Elizabeth said refusing to be embarrassed for hitting him.

“Chill out. It’s no big deal. It happens…I told ya I’d be back,” Zander said rubbing his stinging cheek. Elizabeth rolled her eyes and jumped off her stool

“Here…move your hand, lemme see it,” she muttered standing in front of him. He moved his hand and she gently touched the handprint on his cheek.

“Do you have some ice?” Elizabeth asked the woman behind the bar. Jake nodded and handed some ice in a cup to Elizabeth. She picked up one cube and gently rubbed it over Zander’s cheek.

“Ahhh. That feels like heaven,” Zander mumbled, his eyes closed.

“Stand still. Give it five minutes and the mark will disappear.” Elizabeth said. Zander opened his eyes and grinned as she focused on his cheek.

“If I didn’t know better, I would think you cared,” Zander said sarcastically.

“How about matching handprints on both cheeks? Hmm?” Elizabeth asked, glaring at him, while trying to suppress a smile. Zander chuckled softly.

Maybe this partner thing would work out after all.

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 7



Wrapping a towel around his waist, Jason stepped out of his steam filled bathroom. His room at Jakes was empty and lonely. It would be a lie to say that he didn’t miss Robin or Carly, because he did. His life was meaningless and redundant, and he selfishly wanted someone to be there with him. Sure, there were hundreds of girls willing to spend the nights with him. But he didn’t’ just want a warm body to share his bed with…he yearned for a soul mate, a companion.



****



“I need you to come back in tomorrow morning Webber. Agent Stevens is supposed to make an unannounced visit…and since you and Smith are working the Corinthos file right now…it would be good for you to talk to him,” Mac said as he shut the last of his files closed. Rolling his head back, he stretched out on his chair. It had been a long day.

“To…tomorrow?” Elizabeth stuttered. She was all packed and ready to go visit her daughter after a long first week at the PCPD.

“Why? Will it be a problem?” Mac questioned glancing at her.

“Uh…I had some personal stuff that I was planning on attending to. Just one day though…but I…I can stay, I realize this is important,” Elizabeth mumbled. Her heart was breaking by the second; she needed to see her precious baby girl.

“It’s okay. I’ll take care of it and fill you in tomorrow night when you’re free,” Zander piped in from behind her. He sensed that Elizabeth needed some time off, whatever the reasons were. Besides, anyone would go insane, having to put up with him for 5 straight days.

“Both of you work it out. I just want the report on my desk Monday morning Smith,” Mac stated as he grabbed his jacket off the chair.

After the commissioner left, Elizabeth slowly turned to face her partner. He was obnoxious, to say the least…but underneath it all, she had begun to trust and rely on him.

“Thanks,” she said softly without meeting his gaze, “I’ll call you tomorrow night...I owe you one.” Zander smiled at her, wondering what personal “stuff” she needed to take care of.

“I’ll take you up on that Webber,” he said winking at her. She rolled her eyes and walked past him to her desk.

“So any plans for the night?” Zander asked her, aware that a rude remark would be his answer. Elizabeth slipped on her leather jacket and turned to face him.

“I’d rather drink poison than go anywhere with you Smith,” she said giving him a teasing poke.

“Ha-ha. My girlfriend’s been dying to meet you. I tried to convince her that she’ll regret it but…” Zander trailed off, giving her his trademark grin. Elizabeth tried hard to stop from laughing, but it was becoming harder to do, when she was around Zander.

“Maybe some other time…” Elizabeth replied. She really didn’t want to meet any new people tonight; she needed some space.

“Nooo problem for me. Believe me it isn’t. Sitting in a room with the two of you isn’t my idea of a stimulating Friday night either, “Zander admitted grabbing his keys off the desk. Elizabeth smiled to herself; she definitely needed to meet this Emily. How she put up with this man was beyond her.


****


“Listen Carly…can we not talk about this right now?” Jason pleaded his friend. She cocked her head to the side and looked at him.

“Jase, I just want to help you,” Carly started to say.

“Don’t.”

“Come on. That’s not fair. You can tell me how you’re feeling, you know that right?”

“Let it go Carly.”

“I won’t let it go. I’m your friend, let me help you with this Jase.”

“Carly. Let. It. Go.” Jason said turning to look her sternly. Carly let out a sigh of frustration. This wasn’t going the way she had planned. Sonny had reluctantly told her that Jason would be placing the first hit tomorrow.

“Listen, I just don’t want what happened last year to repeat…” she began quietly. Jason shook his head, clearly annoyed.

“I don’t want to talk about it Carly. Listen, if Sonny put you up to this…”

“No way! You think Sonny would put me up to something like this? Jason I saw you last year…and this stuff…that’s happening now…I doubt it’s gonna help you.”

“Go home Carly.”

“Fine.” Carly wiped a tear from her eye and stomped away. She couldn’t help him if he wouldn’t let her. What else could she do?

Jason slowly sat down on the bench at the pier. He knew he was being unnecessarily rude to Carly, but there was no other way. He couldn’t talk about last year with anyone. The only way to keep going was to ignore the past.

“Beautiful night don’t you think?” a soft voice interrupted his thoughts. He glanced up to see Elizabeth standing on the edge of the pier staring out at the water. His heartbeat picked up suddenly, detecting her presence.

“If you say so,” he answered her, his eyes never leaving her. She turned to look at him sitting on the bench. He looked distressed, but devastatingly gorgeous at the same time. The leather jacket emphasized his body, as did those jeans. She quickly stopped staring at his body and turned her gaze back to the water.

“You never told me your name,” she said.

“Does it matter what my name is?” he asked her, finally standing up.

“I guess not. But I’d still like to know.”

“I’d like a lot of things…doesn’t mean I’ll get them”

Elizabeth smiled and turned to look at him again. He was standing very close now, staring out at the water just like her.

“Thought I’d see you back at the bar,” Jason said.

“Been busy with work.”

“Why were you there in the first place?”

“Looking for someone…and listen, don’t start with the 20 questions again.” Elizabeth stated firmly. Jason chuckled softly and looked down at her small figure. Her soft brown curls were flowing untamed, cradling her breathtaking face. Pouting red lips, exquisite brown eyes.

Her eyes.

So familiar that it hurt to look into them.

“Stop staring. It’s rude,” she said suddenly. His eyes remained in a trance, following every flick of her tongue, every purse of her lips, every dart of her eyes. She sensed him devouring her with his gaze. Finally, she looked up at him, her heart thundering against her chest.

This had to be pure physical attraction. She didn’t even know the guy’s name. But why did it feel like his eyes could see directly into her soul?

His body has a mind of its own as he gently stroked her soft skin with this thumb. Searing her skin with his touch, Jason leaned in closer to her.

Pull away Webber.

Don’t be weak…walk away right now.

Placing his other hand on the other cheek, Jason pulled her a little closer to himself. He wanted her, plain and simple. Looking at her, was giving him physical pain. It was pure physical attraction, and for once, Jason intended on acting out on it.

Elizabeth wrapped her small hands around his wrists and allowed herself to be pulled into this stranger. His spicy scent was fueling the fire in her body.

You don’t even know his name.

Elizabeth closed her eyes and parted her lips slowly, awaiting the kiss she had been dreaming about for days now.

What about Ric?

Jason leaned closer, watching her lips part, inviting him to lose himself in her. He wondered how she tasted; spicy and sweet at the same time, no doubt. Just as he felt her warm breath on his lips, she jerked herself away.

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 8


“Only six men Sonny,” Max said quietly, “not ten like we had originally guessed.” Sonny put his glass back down and sauntered over to the couch. Sitting down, he rubbed his forehead out of anxiety.

Bastards.

“I’m taking care of Beck and Cappelli tonight Sonny…there’s no reason to wait,” Jason spoke up after a moment of silence as he raked his fingers through his spiky blonde hair. Sonny rested his head back against the couch, trying his hardest to think clearly.

“Look Jase…I don’t know…I already have so much to worry about and then you…” Sonny began slowly, lifting his head to look at the younger man. Jason put his hand up in objection and took out his old gun from Sonny’s locked drawer. Fingering the trigger, Jason inhaled a sharp breath as a twinge of nausea hit him without warning.


“Jason, come on! We need to leave NOW!” Roy hissed tugging on Jason’s jacket. Jason froze with fear, dropping the gun abruptly, as he watched the small woman hunch over the limp body on the ground.

“Ric…talk to me…Ric…come on baby…RIC…no, no…this can’t be happening…Oh God no…please no…Ric…say something please!!” she screamed trying to catch her breath after every word she spoke. Blood was gushing out of his back, quickly becoming a puddle where he had fallen. Her small hands were smeared with his blood as she struggled to pull the cell phone out of Ric’s coat pocket. Roy pulled on Jason harder, almost falling back himself.

All he could see were her eyes, frantic and unpredictable. The dim light and the white scarf wrapped around her face, wouldn’t allow Jason to see any more…but those haunting eyes would be enough to strip him of his sleep and peace of mind forever.

“Oh God…there’s so much blood…somebody help us…Ric…come on…stay with me…no…this isn’t…oh my God…damnit…” the girl continued to cry in a mixture of tones. When finally she got a hold of the cell phone, Jason realized that he needed to leave now, or he wouldn’t have enough time to escape. Fighting back tears that he never knew his eyes could create, he blindly followed Roy back to the car that awaited them.


Covering his face with frigid hands, Jason attempted to shake the disconcerting memory. Picking up the six bullets with visibly trembling fingers, Jason loaded the gun one by one. Finally, he turned to face his boss, his eyes still swirling with emotion from the flashback.

“Sonny, I’m leaving…I’m calling Johnny and Francis to provide backup. Max you come with me and let Roy know what’s going on. I’ll let you know if I have to leave the country,” Jason said quietly, without sparing his boss a second glance. Sonny shook his head in disapproval and watched Jason leave the penthouse hastily.

“Can I come in?” Alexis asked from the doorway, as Jason and Max entered the elevator. Sonny turned to look at her, with a strained look on his face. Inviting her in with a nod, Sonny strolled back over to his mini bar.

“Drink?” he offered his lawyer, holding up a glass of vodka. She set her briefcase on his desk and shook her head in refusal.

“We have some paperwork to finish Sonny. And then I’m leaving…I’d rather not be a part of whatever was going on here before I arrived,” Alexis stated warily before adjusting her glasses.


****


“So aren’t there any good looking men in PC?” Sarah asked for the hundredth time since Elizabeth had arrived that morning. Elizabeth rolled her eyes in annoyance as she brushed a stray curl away from Ashley’s angelic face.

Sinfully sexy and Drop dead gorgeous. Yea…if only she knew.

Ric. Don’t forget Ric.

“So Lucky…have you…you know…did you get a chance to…” Elizabeth stuttered without meeting her friend’s gaze. Lucky sighed silently and placed a hand on Elizabeth’s shoulder.

“He’s the same,” he answered her softly, gently rubbing her shoulder. Fighting back painful tears, Elizabeth nodded slightly. A hush fell onto the room, excluding Ashley’s occasional cooing. The shrill sound of Elizabeth’s cell phone broke the awkward silence. She raced to the next room to answer it.

“Webber.”

“Hey Elizabeth, it’s Zander.”

“Hey…everything ok?”

“Listen…we have a lead. I can’t tell you the information over the phone, but I need you to be at the station in an hour or two.”

“A lead? What kind of a lead?”

“I can’t tell you anything over the phone Webber. It has to do with Morgan though so just be back here by 8.” Elizabeth glanced at her watch; it was half past 5. It would be a close call, but she could make it back to PC if she left right then and there.

“Alright, don’t leave without me.”

“Be here by 8,” he repeated before disconnecting. It was a good thing she had decided to rent a car from PC. Getting a bus back would be near impossible at this time.

“I gotta go back…they need me,” Elizabeth said quickly as she scooped her daughter off the floor to kiss her.

“I thought you were off today?” Lucky asked standing up beside her. Elizabeth rocked Ashley slowly as she made her way to her bedroom. Lucky and Sarah followed her, confused about the sudden change of plans.

“I wasn’t off, my partner was doing me a favor. I have to be back at the station by 8,” Elizabeth answered, placing Ashley on her bed, while she pulled a sweater over her head.

“Elizabeth…I thought maybe…you would want to…visit him? It’s been almost two weeks…” Sarah trailed off.

“I can’t stay Sarah,” Elizabeth answered quietly, as she grabbed her purse off the bed. She picked up Ashley and hugged her tightly. Whispering sweet words of love in her small ear, Elizabeth carried her daughter to the foyer. Ashley buried her face deep into her mother’s neck, feeling very secure and content. It would be very hard to say goodbye to her daughter.

“Mommy will be back soon sweetheart, I promise,” Elizabeth whispered to her daughter before placing multiple kisses on her face.

“This is absurd Elizabeth. Ashley needs you to be in her life. Forget this ridiculous plan…” Sarah started to say.

“I can’t thank you guys enough,” Elizabeth said, interrupting her sister, before handing Ashley over to Lucky. Wiping a single tear from her eye, she hugged her sister briefly before slipping out the door without another word.

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 9


She knew she should have gone to visit him. It was her duty…her obligation to him. But it pained her too much. It ripped her heart into thousands of little pieces when she saw him in that condition…when she had to admit to herself that he might never come back from this. The blank look in his eyes…the cold, limp state of his motionless body…the nauseating yet familiar hospital odor. It had gotten to be too much for Elizabeth. Hope had been destroyed by the harsh reality of Ric’s condition. The prospect was grim; all that was left…was prayer.

It hurt to breathe sometimes. Her dreams…her hopes for the future…everything had been destroyed. And now, she would take revenge on the man who took her life away…it was the only way Elizabeth would find peace.

She would kill him. As soon as she figured out who he was.

The loud thump of her holster landing on the desk in front of her shook Elizabeth out of her trance.

“What are you waiting for Webber? The invitation card?” Zander asked as he loaded his gun. She quickly stood up and attached the holster to her belt. She was considerably nervous, it being the first time she might use her gun aside from target practice. Letting out an anxious breath, she slid the gun into her holster.



****



Jason checked his watch for the tenth time in the past five minutes; it was 8:15. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Jason closed his eyes and attempted to relax himself. He set his elbows on the desk in front of him and covered his face with both hands.

It’ll be fine. You can do this Morgan.

A loud knocking on his door caused Jason to jump. He whipped his face up and was surprised to find Roy standing there in front of him.

“Wha…Roy? I thought you were in Miami still…”Jason said shocked to see his friend. Roy grinned at him and pulled up a chair across from Jason.

“Man…I wanted to surprise you. Got off the plane and gave Sonny a call…he told me that you would be here…sooo here I am Morgan,” Roy said cheerfully. Jason gave up a genuine crooked smile for his old friend.

“How have you been?” Roy asked cautiously, examining the younger man. Jason looked the same as he always did, but his eyes were still filled with noticeable guilt.

Jason started to answer Roy with the same “I’m fine” speech but was interrupted by Francis.

“Jason, they’re here,” Francis said quietly. Lifting an eyebrow, Roy turned to look at the young blond man.

Jason swallowed a lump in his throat, avoiding Roy’s questioning looks.

“Alright…what the hell is going on here?” Roy asked suspiciously. Was this what Max was desperately trying to tell him about earlier when his cell phone battery had died?

“Roy…look…you just got here…why don’t you go relax…I’ve got some stuff I need to handle here,” Jason replied, taking off his shirt. Roy watched as he took out a bullet-proof vest from the hidden closet, and put it over his head.

Sonny had requested Beck, Cappelli and a few other employees to work some extra hours at the warehouse that night. It was obviously a set up, to get the two agents alone…so that Jason could take care of them. Sliding his arms into his leather jacket, Jason finally looked at Roy.

“Let me do it Jason,” Roy said quietly reaching for the gun. Jason slammed his hand on top of the gun, not allowing Roy to pick it up. Roy slowly pulled his hand back and dropped it into his lap, his eyes still fixed on Jason.

“Trust me Roy. This time I won’t let anyone down,” Jason said calmly as he put the gun into his pocket. Slipping on his leather gloves, Jason walked out of the room.

You keep telling yourself that Morgan.



****



“Just follow my lead Webber…and keep your cool. That’s the first thing you need to understand…there is no acting out on impulse in this job. Think before you act…got it?” Zander asked Elizabeth as they sat in their car a few blocks from the warehouse. Elizabeth nodded slowly, placing a hand over her chest, which was about to explode from her violent heartbeat. Zander eyed her momentarily before checking in with the other officers who would be joining them at the warehouse.

“Let’s go Webber…we’ve got the order,” Zander said, putting the CB radio down. Elizabeth swallowed difficultly, attempting to moisten her extremely dry throat. Zander was already a few feet from the car, when Elizabeth finally opened the door and stepped out. Motioning with his hand for his partner to follow, Zander slipped into an alley.

Oh God. I can do this.


****


Jason watched quietly as Brian Beck and Andy Cappelli loaded boxes into the warehouse. He rubbed the front of his neck trying to relieve the scratchy feeling in his throat. Glancing over at Roy briefly, Jason fingered the gun in his pocket.

“You’re sure about this right?” Jason asked quietly, turning to look at Max. Max simply nodded and slipped his hands into his coat pocket to retrieve a gun. Blowing out a shaky breath, Jason turned to watch the two agents once more. They were waiting for Sonny’s order; which was expected to come in any minute now. Francis had gradually sent the other three employees home and then told Beck and Cappelli to leave in another half hour. The two men had agreed and continued to work quietly.

The three men were spying from about thirty feet away; hiding behind a thick cement wall. Max’s phone started to vibrate against his leg causing Jason’s heart to stop momentarily. Roy noticed Jason’s edginess as Max silently pressed the off button on his phone.

Jason was afraid to look at Max, who would nod at him, which would mean that he had to lift his gun and shoot. He wasn’t ready…he never wanted to be ready to do something like that again…yet here he was…a few minutes away from carrying out another hit. Slowly taking the gun out of his pocket, Jason turned his gaze back towards Max. The young man nodded slightly at Jason, and positioned his own gun. Licking his lips anxiously, Jason glanced over at Roy.

Last chance to back out Morgan.

Lifting his gun slowly, Jason peered out at the two men from behind the wall. They were standing together now, deep in conversation. With trembling hands, Jason aimed his gun towards the taller man, Beck. His eyes glossed over and the same twinge of nausea hit him once more.

“You lied to me Ric. You’ve lied to me for two whole years. And I certainly won’t leave here without you,” Jason heard the woman say to Ric Lansing. He pulled out his gun slowly and checked to see if Max had loaded the bullets for him earlier. He glanced over at Roy who was also listening to the young woman speak.

“We can’t do this right now. I’m in the middle of something, I want you to LEAVE now!” Ric hissed at the woman. Jason aimed his gun slowly yet steadily at the sharply dressed man who was standing with his back towards him.

“I’m not @#%$ going anywhere! Do you hear me? You LIED to me Ric…when were you planning on telling me the truth…after we were married?” the woman screeched back. Jason angled his gun perfectly and waited for Roy to give the final nod..

“I lied to you…I did…but…we can’t do this right now…leave…please…it’s too dangerous for you to be here right now…” Ric begged her. Roy checked his phone and shook his head at Jason. Sonny hadn’t called yet. Damnit…why didn’t this woman leave? They could do without the potential witness crap.

“What about our baby Ric? Huh? You made that baby with me…and now you’re here…doing something obviously dangerous…what if something happens to you? Huh? What will we do without you?” Jason heard the woman say. His hands trembled slightly when he realized that in a few moments…that baby would be fatherless.

Max nudged Jason lightly, scared that he had frozen all of the sudden. Jason licked his lips once more and gripped the gun tighter with sweaty palms. He turned to look back at Max who urged him with his eyes to go ahead. Jason lifted his gun higher and aimed at Brian Beck once more. He closed his eyes and attempted to breathe normally. Opening his eyes gradually, Jason started to count to ten silently. At ten, he decided, he would shoot the gun.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight…

Jason put a little pressure on the trigger.

Nine…

A loud bang of a door falling down startled Jason, Max and Roy. Quickly, Jason hid his gun in his jacket and looked at Max questioningly. Max shrugged and hid his own gun as well. Roy peered out from behind the wall and watched as five or six cops entered the building quickly.

“PCPD…come out with your hands up…we have the building surrounded,” Zander Smith called out in a booming voice. Jason groaned silently; he hated that bastard.

But that bastard stopped you from killing another man Morgan.

Elizabeth nibbled on her lip ardently as she followed Zander into the warehouse. Pointing her gun towards the two lone men who stood in the large room, she watched Zander take charge of the situation. Three men slowly emerged from behind a wall in the far corner of the warehouse, with their hands in the air. She bit her lip nervously, her eyes darting from man to man.

Jason followed Roy and Max out from behind the wall, to face the cops. He looked up and saw the two agents standing there, unsurprised by all of this.

It was a setup.

His gaze slowly fixed on the petite woman who was pointing her gun in his direction now. He blinked rapidly, trying to make sure his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him.

“Well…well well…Jason Morgan…it’s been way too long, don’t you think?” Zander asked as he faced the taller man. Elizabeth focused on the man Zander had just addressed. Feeling extremely flushed, Elizabeth realized that the man was staring at her with an expression that duplicated her own.

So that’s what his name was…