The Ripple Effect by iletudrive

[JRK Archiver]

~Elevator~

Elizabeth was doing her best not to think of the implications of V looking for Ted Wilson, when the elevator suddenly lurched to a halt, catching her off guard and nearly sending her to her knees.

Alexis gripped the handrail to remain upright. “What was that?”

“I think were stuck.” Elizabeth admitted after hitting a button on the control panel and nothing happened.

“This day just keeps getting better,” Alexis murmured reaching past her and opening the little door exposing the phone.

~Kelly’s~

“So what did you want to talk about?” Emily asked after a few minutes of silence.

“About you and me.” Juan admitted.

“There is no you and me,” Emily corrected studying her hands again. “We broke up remember.”

“But I still love you, and I know you still love me.” Juan pressed for a response. “I know I messed up, but you have to know I love you.”

She began to flick off some of the polish on her nails, anything so she didn’t have to look him in the eye. “I don’t know if we can go back, too much has happened.”

“Don’t say that.” He took her hand, forcing her to look at him. “Do you still love me?”

She forced herself to study the face of the man she once thought she was in love with. Did she still love him? The answer to that was easy for her, no. Did she ever love him? That was the answer that was hard for her to bear, because it meant that most of the last year had been a lie.

“Emily?”

“No.” She didn’t mean to say it aloud, but out it slipped.

Juan jerked back like she had slapped him. “You don’t mean that. It’s your friends you’ve been listening to what they have to say about me.”

“No Juan,” Emily shook her head sadly, now that the words were out she wasn’t going to backtrack. “I’m sorry but I don’t love you, and we won’t get back together.”

Juan blinked hard at the tears in his eyes, forcing them back. “I see what brought this on, it’s Nikolas isn’t it. You’d rather hang on to your crush on him then move on in a real relationship.”

Stung Emily could only stare at him.

“I hope you and your fantasy life are happy, because that is all it will ever be, a schoolgirl fantasy.” Juan’s parting words were cruel and he stormed from the diner.

Emily felt eyes on her and got slowly to her feet and walked outside, away from the curious onlookers. She didn’t make it far, collapsing wearily onto a chair at one of the outside tables. She hadn’t meant to hurt Juan, she had only just realized that she didn’t love him. Once she knew that she couldn’t pretend she did. But Juan had been wrong when he accused her of having a crush on Nikolas. She had learned to be smarter then that. But his words still hurt. The tears pricked the back of her eyes and knowing better then to think she could hold them back she hid her face in her hands and let them come.

“What’s wrong Emily?”

The concerned voice forced her to look up at her brother through tear filled eyes. “It’s just – I mean I can’t – it’s that he…”

Jason crouched beside her chair and pulled her head to his shoulder. “Just let it out.”

~Elevator~

“I’m afraid that we’re going to be here for awhile.” Alexis announced when she hung up the phone. “Apparently a generator blew.”

“Peachy.” Elizabeth leaned back against the wall. “Have you ever had one of those days that has these moments of bliss in it, and then the next minute it totally sucks?”

“Frequently.” Alexis smiled and shrugged out of her suit jacket. She had a feeling that the car was going to warm up. She studied Elizabeth’s face. “Are you okay? I know that conversation in the penthouse must have upset you.”

Elizabeth’s eyes flew open, what did she mean? Oh god did Alexis know about Ted? Had she found the body? “W-what?”

“When Jax asked about you and Lucky.” Alexis was busy folding her jacket so she missed Elizabeth’s sag of relief. “He was trying to be charming when he asked that. Trying to show you that he knew something more about you then just your name.”

“That’s okay.” Elizabeth slid down the wall to sit on the floor. “I’m getting used to it.”

“Well in his defense, he can be a bit dense at times. He’s full of charm and big gestures, but sometimes he misses the low key moments.” She shook her head, he had better learn to see them, or he was going to lose V. “After all we are talking about a man, who didn’t realize he was in love with someone until she tried to leave the country with another man.”

“I know he didn’t mean anything. But I get tired of hearing it. I’m not even with Lucky anymore and people still ask me about him all the time, or even call me Lucky’s girlfriend.” She sighed heavily. “You know what I can’t remember is if it was always like that. If Lucky’s girlfriend was all I ever was. I don’t think it was, I think back then even when I was dating Lucky I was still Elizabeth. Or if it was, I guess I didn’t notice it,” she shrugged. “I guess you change from 16 to almost 19.”

“I imagine you do.” Alexis joined her on the floor.

“It’s like I don’t have an identity outside of being defined by someone else. First I was Jeff and Claire’s daughter, Sarah’s sister, Audrey’s other granddaughter, Lucky’s girlfriend, the girl who lost Lucky, the girl waiting for Lucky. No one seems to just see me for me.” She frowned well a few people did, Jason of course, and Sonny seemed too.

“I can understand that.” Alexis admitted, being called Eddie’s Angel or the next Mrs. Ashton was a fear that she lived with daily. She liked just being known as Alexis Davis. “I hate to be defined by other people.”

“I doubt you let that happen to you.” Elizabeth commented. “I seem to have a problem sticking up for myself, in certain situations.”

Alexis thought about Ned and her inability to voice her fears over the wedding to him. “Everybody has someone that they can’t talk too.”

“I guess, the reverse is true for me as well. I have someone in my life I can talk to about anything, it just doesn’t happen to be the person that everybody thinks it should be.” Elizabeth didn’t know why she was talking about this, and with Alexis of all people. But she felt comfortable with her, even though they hadn’t discussed their personal lives before.

“It’s always a relief to have someone you can be yourself with,” Alexis agreed. “For the longest time I didn’t have someone like that, now that I do I can’t imagine my life without him in it.”

“I know it’s special,” Elizabeth frowned. “But what happens when that person is part of the problem you find yourself in?”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know, I’m so confused, and the person I normally would talk too about what is confusing me, is the person who is making me confused so I can’t. No one else would understand, or they would be upset because I was thinking about someone besides Lucky. And all I seem to do is get more and more confused, when I try to figure things out on my own.”

Alexis followed the dizzying ramble easily enough. “So Jason is confusing you?”

Elizabeth looked over at her in surprise. “How do you know that?”

“I’ve seen you two together, I know that you’re close.”

“We are, he’s my friend.” Elizabeth said defensively.

“Elizabeth I’m not judging you, I’m just listening to you. I’m glad Jason’s your friend and he’s yours, he’s a good man.” Alexis said honestly, a man who had led her to her own best friend.

Elizabeth tried to relax but it was hard. “Everyone else seems to want to judge him, and my friendship with him. They love to tell me what to do, and who to do it with. They don’t seem to hear me when I say something they don’t want to hear. They don’t seem to realize that it is my choice, who I want to spend time with and not theirs.”

“That can be frustrating,” Alexis stretched her legs out on the floor.

“It is, they feel free to stop me on the street and tell me how I need to be with Lucky. Like if they tell me something I will do it, and everyone seems to want me to be with Lucky.”

“The reverse is true for me and Ned. Almost no one in his family or mine wants us to be together. In fact Edward has tried to buy me off on more then one occasion. And we won’t go into what Helena has threatened Ned with. The only ones who seem to support us are some of our closest friends.” The friends they had in common, the ones that seemed to want what was best for them as a couple instead of as individuals. She frowned at that thought, they meant well, but it was suffocating at times.

“My closest friends seem to only see me with Lucky, well except for Jason.” Elizabeth sighed, “and that’s where the problem comes in.”

“It’s funny how men have that ability to create problems.” Her own mind began to replay the conversation she’d had with Sonny a few hours ago.

“He’s only been back in town a few days, and everything has changed. Contrary to what people thought, he was just my friend last winter, I was helping him out of a jamb, there was nothing romantic going on.”

“Then?” Alexis raised an eyebrow in question.

“What?” Elizabeth asked.

“There was nothing romantic going on then, is there now?”

“I don’t know, that’s the part that has me so confused.” She wrapped her arms around her knees and tried to think about it. “Since he’s been back, all these new feelings are waking up inside of me. But I don’t see where they are coming from because we have always only been friends.”

Alexis remembered when Sonny had touched her wrist earlier, it felt like his touch was seeping through her skin and into her blood. “Has anything happened between you two?” She tried to focus on Elizabeth’s problem.

“Well we kissed.” She admitted quietly.

“So where is the confusion?”

“Both times I kissed him, and I caught him by surprise both times. What if he doesn’t feel the same way about me? What if he was just being nice by kissing me back? What if he is totally embarrassed because his little sister’s best friend suddenly has a raging crush on him? What if he tells me that nothing will ever happen between us because he doesn’t like me that way? What if he doesn’t want to be my friend anymore, because I kept coming on to him? What if…”

“What if you take a breath?” Alexis interrupted Elizabeth’s listing, she couldn’t help but smile at the reversal. For once she was telling someone else to breathe.

Elizabeth sucked in a few hard breaths. “I don’t want to lose him, I don’t think I can handle that.”

“I saw him yesterday morning when he dropped you off. I don’t think you’re going to lose him Elizabeth.” Alexis tried to reassure her.

“I hope not, he’s always been my friend, and I hope he always will be.”

“I know he cares about you. I overheard him yesterday talking with Johnny about a door.”

“He bought me a door.” Elizabeth explained with a smile.

“Johnny kept telling him that he had tried to get you a new door several times, and you always refused, but Jason didn’t listen to him, he said you needed one, and he was going to get you one.”

“Johnny didn’t explain it like Jason did.” Elizabeth explained simply.

Alexis shook her head. “Anyway it is evident how much he cares about you.”

“I know he cares, and that were friends. It’s these new feelings that I get when I’m around him that make me unsure. I mean he’s older and more experienced then me, he might not be feeling the same things I am.”

“So what if he’s older, my first love was older then me, and I thank god for that. He is one of the few memories of past loves that I actually cherish.” Alexis saw the interest flash in Elizabeth’s eyes and hurried on. “You can tell if someone is interested in you. Did he kiss you back? Yes. Did he ever try to kiss you?”

Elizabeth thought back to that first night she had seen him when they were on the couch. His hand was pulling her head towards his mouth, like he was going to kiss her, until the phone had rung.

“I can see by your face that he has.”

“But what if I’m misreading things and I wreck the friendship? I need him too much to risk that.” That was the truth of the matter, she didn’t want to lose him.

Alexis flashed back to the night before in her doorway when it seemed like Sonny was going to kiss her, and she had realized that she wanted him too. If she had kissed him, would it have killed their friendship?

“He is so special that in some ways I can tell him anything.” Elizabeth explained. “I don’t want to lose that.”

Alexis thought back to all the discussions she’d had with Sonny. “Maybe you’re afraid of what would happen if he said he wanted more from you then friendship. Not if he said he didn’t want more.” She murmured quietly more to herself then to Elizabeth.

“Maybe he is here, and you just haven’t realized it yet.” Sonny’s words rang in her ears.

“Maybe,” Elizabeth conceded. “The things he makes me feel are a little scary. He touches my hand and my insides melt.”

Alexis had thought she was immune to feeling butterflies until recently when she was around Sonny.

“But then there are moments when he’s just Jason, my friend Jason, and I think I must be imagining things.” Elizabeth noticed how Alexis’ eyes had drifted off and decided to change the subject. “What about you?”

Alexis jolted. “What about me?”

“I’ve seen you. You change the subject if anyone mentions the wedding. You’ve postponed being fitted for your dress 8 times now. I’ve watched your eyes glaze over and you just nod at Ned when he starts talking about it.”

“You see that?” Alexis was surprised she had thought she’d kept her feelings hidden. No one else besides Sonny seemed to have noticed her less then thrilled response to wedding plans.

“Maybe I see it because I pretend so much myself that I can recognize it when others do it.” Elizabeth explained then worried she might have gone to far. “I’m sorry if I have overstepped.”

“You haven’t.” Alexis sighed a little in relief, she felt comfortable talking to the younger woman. And it seemed like they were in the same boat. “Let’s you and I make a pact.” She turned to face Elizabeth. “You and I can tell each other anything, and all the other person has to do is just listen. We won’t tell you what you think the other person wants to hear, or what you want for them. We will just be totally honest with each other, with no ulterior motives.”

“That sounds good.” The more Elizabeth thought about it the more she liked it. “So when everything starts going haywire in my life I can come to you?”

“And I’ll come to you.” V and Chloe were the best girlfriends she’d ever had, but they were also friends of Ned. That meant she couldn’t really talk about her doubts with them. They also were so focused on what was best for her. That sometimes they didn’t listen to her. She had a feeling that Elizabeth might be different.

“I like this idea.” Elizabeth murmured. “So what you didn’t say during my whole complaint about Jason, is that Sonny is to you what Jason is to me. A friend who keeps slipping into something more, and the thought of that is terrifying.”

“Observant little thing aren’t you.” Alexis snapped embarrassed that it had been obvious.

Elizabeth nodded and grinned cheekily at her. “Give me your phone.”

“Why?” Alexis began to dig in her purse for her phone.

“I have a feeling you are going to be calling before too long.” Elizabeth took the phone and began to try to figure out how to program her number in the memory.

“I think you will have the same problem.” Alexis picked up Elizabeth’s phone, to do the same. “After all you seem to have the pressure of everyone in town telling you how you need to be with Lucky.”

“And you have issues with Ned, and not to mention you have to deal with Carly on almost a daily basis.”

Alexis frowned and got to her feet. Carly was another reason why she shouldn’t be thinking of Sonny as anything more then a friend. “I think you need to talk to Jason, at least that way you’ll know for sure.”

Elizabeth got to her feet as well. “But what if I find out he doesn’t want to be with me like that?”

“Then at least you’ll know one way or the other. Another thing you seem to have figured out, is regardless of what happens with Jason, Lucky is out of the picture.”

Elizabeth was quiet. Did she really know that? She still didn’t know how she was supposed to deal with the fact that Lucky had just stopped loving her, for no reason at all. She decided to move along. “What about you? Are you going to talk to Sonny?”

The elevator gave a sudden lurch causing both women to stumble, before it started moving again. Elizabeth bent down and retrieved one of the phones that were on the floor.

Alexis picked up her briefcase and jacket. “It’s been nice talking to you Elizabeth. I hope we do it again soon.” That was her way of avoiding Elizabeth’s question.

“Yeah but next time let’s pick a place with a little more room.” Elizabeth smiled and followed Alexis off the elevator when it finally opened.

~Docks~

“Sonny wait up.” Elizabeth hurried down the docks when she recognized who was ahead of her.

Sonny and Johnny turned around at her call and waited for her to join them. “Hello Elizabeth.”

“Hey.” She said a little breathlessly she had been running since the bus stop a few blocks away. She couldn’t wait to get a car. “I was hoping I would catch you.”

“Well you got me.” Sonny said with a grin. “We’re you looking for Jason? Because I haven’t seen him.”

“No I’ll see him later, actually I was looking for you.” She grinned suddenly. “Hey with him back in town we don’t have to talk in code around Carly anymore.”

Sonny smirked. “I kind of liked that.”

Johnny looked at them with confusion on his face.

“If I mentioned Jason around Carly it would set her off,” Elizabeth explained. “So we made up this little code, every time he would come into the diner I would ask him if he’d been swimming lately. If he said no, I knew Jason was alright.”

Johnny shook his head trying to disguise the smile.

“Go ahead and laugh O’Brien.” Sonny warned him. “It kept Carly off my back.”

“If you say so boss.” Johnny agreed then stepped back to give them some privacy.

“I made up the code not him.” Elizabeth explained.

“I hoped so.” Johnny commented with a wry grin.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “He’s such a snob at times.”

“I know.” Sonny agreed. “So what did you need?”

“There’s something I need to know did you tell Jason about Sorel bothering me?”

Instantly serious Sonny stepped closer. “Is Sorel bothering you again?”

“No I haven’t even seen him since last winter.” Elizabeth spoke quickly. “I just wondered if Jason knew about when Sorel did bother me, and about Francis guarding me for awhile.”

“No I never told him.” Sonny sighed in relief. He was glad that Sorel was staying away from her.

“Good can you not tell him?” She saw the surprise in his face and hurried to explain. “Its just one time before he tried to stop seeing me, to try to protect me from Sorel. I’m afraid he might do it again, if he knows Sorel did come after me.”

“Elizabeth I don’t know, I really don’t keep things from Jason.”

“I know I’m not asking you to lie, but can you just not volunteer?” She asked. She had decided to take Alexis advice and talk to Jason about his feelings for her, but she wanted to make sure there weren’t any obstacles when she did.

He saw the hopeful look in her eyes and couldn’t refuse. “I won’t bring it up.”

“Good.” She sagged in relief. “I doubt he’ll mention it, I mean if he hasn’t asked you before why would he now? He’s home now so there’s no need for him to question you about me anymore. He can just ask me directly.”

“He never asked me about you.” Sonny said without thinking.

“Oh.” Elizabeth sucked in a breath and brought the pain with it. “I see.”

Sonny saw the hurt in her eyes and began to curse himself. “Elizabeth let me explain.”

“No it’s okay,” she said brightly. “I would appreciate you not telling him though, although I don’t think it will matter.” She had misread the signs, Jason wasn’t interested in her that way.

“Of course it will matter.” Sonny was desperate to bring back her smile but he didn’t know how. Jason was the one that had made this mess. “Johnny tells me you have a new friend, what’s his name? Zander?”

“Zander?” She laughed bitterly. “Oh yeah I always go for guys that drug me.” She muttered to hurt to censor herself.

“What?” Sonny demanded.

Elizabeth’s eyes widened. “I always go for guys who … hug me.” She blurted out finally and looked at her watch. “I need to get going, I have to meet Emily. Don’t worry about telling Jason anything I don’t think it will matter to him one way or the other.” She began to back up the steps. “Bye Johnny, Sonny.”

“Elizabeth wait.” Sonny called after her but she was gone. “Damn’it I feel like I just kicked a puppy.”

“I know what you mean.” Johnny moved closer. “Last night I let it slip that Jason kept in touch with me, apparently he didn’t with her.”

“Damn Jason what were you thinking?” Sonny rubbed at his eyes. “I hurt her. I didn’t mean too, but I did.”

“Someone needs to talk to Jason about that, and also about Zander.” Johnny reminded him. “Did you catch her slip?”

“About him drugging her?” Sonny’s eyes went cold. “Yeah I caught it and I don’t like it. I think we need to have a talk with this Zander.”

“Should we wait for Jason?” Johnny asked.

“I think we better, Jason has a big hole he needs to get out of, and he might need some help.” Sonny headed towards the warehouse. “For now though see if anyone has heard of this kid Zander.”

~Elm Street~

Elizabeth was so busy fighting back her tears that she didn’t realize someone was in front of her until she ran into them. “I’m sorry.”

“No harm done Elizabeth.”

Her head whipped up and she focused on the man who had her by the arms. “Hi Zander.”

“Are you okay?” He could see the tears in her eyes, and couldn’t help but be concerned, even though he knew he shouldn’t be.

“Yeah, I just got something in my contacts.” Elizabeth lied easily and backed away, forcing him to drop his hands. “How are you?”

“I’m fine.” He studied her through narrowed eyes, and this time he caught the nervousness and a hint of fear coming off of her. Damn she was playing him. “Are you coming to the rave tomorrow night?”

“I wouldn’t miss it.” Elizabeth smiled at him before looking at her watch. “I need to go right now I’m meeting someone.”

“Okay,” he stepped back and let her pass. “I’ll see you then.”

“Yes I’ll see you tomorrow night.” Elizabeth turned and looked over her shoulder at him one last time then hurried away.

“I doubt that.” Zander muttered, it was time to get the hell out of town. He turned for his car and came up short in surprise. “Mr. Sorel.”

Sorel looked past him to a disappearing Elizabeth. “You have such interesting friends Zander.”

“She’s just a girl.” Zander shifted trying to block Sorel’s view of Elizabeth.

“Oh she’s more then that Zander.” Sorel’s eyes narrowed and he remembered the pain that girl had cost him. It had felt like Morgan was going to rip his arm out, the time he saw him talking to her. Then later when Sonny had put guards on her, and threatened him away from her. Elizabeth Webber was definitely more then just a girl.

“I guess.” Zander shuffled his feet, he didn’t like being around Sorel. His beady little eyes always made him feel like he couldn’t keep anything from him. And he needed to keep a secret from Sorel. He was leaving town, and Sorel couldn’t know that.

“So she’s coming to the rave tomorrow night?” Sorel asked.

“Yeah I invited her. I hung out with her at another rave awhile ago.” Zander admitted, he decided to play dumb about her connection to Jason Morgan. “She’s a little square for my taste though.”

“She’s perfect for mine.” Sorel focused on him. “And that’s where you come in.”

“What?” Zander asked warily.

“Once she’s at the rave I want you to see that she leaves with you.”

Zander shook his head. “I don’t know she’s just a girl, remember what happened last time.”

“Yes about what happened last time.” Sorel snapped. “I’m still waiting to find out about Officer Wilson and Emily Quartermaine.” He smirked then. “What? Surprised I know the girls name? Did you really think I spared her life because you begged me too?” he shook his head. “Silly boy, I spared her life because she is Jason Morgan’s sister, and I wanted her to suffer with the knowledge that she killed someone. I wanted Morgan to suffer as well. But that hasn’t happened.”

Zander kept quiet, this was news to him. He had truly believed Sorel was going to kill her that night.

“But now fate had handed me another opportunity to punish Morgan and Corinthos. You will drug Elizabeth Webber and bring her to me.”

“I won’t let you kill her.” Zander warned him defiantly.

Sorel’s guards grabbed Zander from behind and Sorel moved closer and gripped his chin. “You should be more concerned about what I’ll do to you if you fail me. There’s nowhere that you will be able to hide from me. I own you Zander. So you better keep me happy.”

He stepped back from Zander. “And by that I mean, Elizabeth Webber is mine tomorrow night.” He spoke to his guards. “Remind him of that.”

One of the guards grinned as they drug a struggling Zander into the alley.

“Soon I’ll have my revenge on Morgan, and then it will be Corinthos turn.” Sorel spoke over the sounds of the beating going on behind him.

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 11
~Kelly’s~

“Here,” Jason held out a glass of water.

“Thanks.” Emily took the glass gratefully. The cool water helped to soothe her throat that was on fire, thanks to the crying jag that she thought would never leave. She really shouldn’t bottle her emotions up.

“Do you feel better now?” Jason asked as he settled in the chair across from her. He hadn’t seen her cry like that since the awful morning he had woken her up to tell her that Lucky had died.

“Yes,” she nodded. “I guess I needed a good cry,” she tried to make light of the last few minutes.

“Do you want to tell me what happened to set you off?” He asked after a minute. He didn’t want too, and wouldn’t press for details. But he wanted her to know that he would listen if she wanted to talk.

Emily debated with herself for a minute, then decided to tell the truth. “Juan and I have been having problems lately. In fact we broke up several weeks ago. Ever since then Juan has wanted to get back together, he wants to try again and I,” she sighed. “I never said it wasn’t going to happen, at least not until today.”

“Are you sure that’s what you want?”

The simple question almost made her tear up again. She knew he didn’t like Juan. That the only reason he even tolerated him was because of her. And yet he still wanted to make sure that it was what she really wanted.

“Juan and I were right for awhile. We helped, no,” she corrected herself. “He helped me at a time when I needed help. But that time has passed, and our relationship has changed. This new relationship isn’t one that I want or need. So I’m sure that ending it for good was the right thing to do.” She stopped and sighed heavily. “It’s just…”

“It hurts,” Jason finished for her when she fell silent again.

“Yes,” she nodded. “What also hurts is how we left things. He didn’t take the news very well and said some ugly things to me. I don’t want to look back on this relationship one day and only remember the pain and anger we caused each other.” Emily trailed her finger along the condensation forming on her glass. The water beads were cool to the touch, and somehow soothing. “But I think I might.”

“I’m sorry you’re hurting.”

Grateful, because he hadn’t offered the It will get better in time speech, that she knew she would be hearing a lot, the smile she gave him was genuine. “It would have hurt worse, if I kept the relationship going. It wasn’t healthy.”

Jason’s eyes darkened in concern. “Does this have anything to do with the secret you and Elizabeth are keeping from me?”

Emily’s finger stopped mid motion and her eyes darted from her glass to him. He met her gaze steadily enough and she could see the determination in his eyes. He wouldn’t be put off for much longer.

“Emily?” Jason prompted. “You know that I just want to help you. Don’t you?”

Emily nodded mutely her eyes moving back to her glass.

“Then talk to me. I can’t help until I know what is going on.”

“Juan did have a part in what went wrong.” She admitted and couldn’t quite keep the bitterness from her voice, as she remembered that night. “You might say what he did helped to start the whole problem.”

“What did he do?” He kept his question soft, trying to ease the answer out of her. Judging from her expression she was more in memory at the moment, then there talking to him.

“We hadn’t been getting along. It seemed we were fighting more then we were talking. At first the fights were minor, the way my parents treated him, Taggert’s rules, his music, his jealousy over my friendships with Lucky and Nikolas.” She looked up at him in surprise, comprehension in her eyes. “I think it was the jealousy he was feeling that made everything change between us. Because all of a sudden the fights got more and more personal.”

She paused to take a long sip of water. It seemed to be her day for self-realizations. She took her time, knowing that he wouldn’t push her. Also because she hadn’t decided yet on how much to tell him.

“With the attention that he was getting from other girls because of his singing, I guess I got a little jealous too. But soon it got to the point that I felt like I had to prove that I loved him.”

Jason’s expression never changed, but inside he was seething. He had little doubt as to what proof Juan had wanted from her. The urge to find Juan and beat on him was very strong in him at the moment. But he said nothing.

“I thought I was ready.” Oblivious to Jason’s mood Emily continued on. “But I kept putting on the brakes at the last moment, so that caused even more fights. Finally though I decided I was ready,” she groaned at the memory. “The only problem was that Juan was tired of the games he said I was playing. He didn’t want to be alone with me. Instead he wanted to go to a rave.”

She tugged a hand through the snarls in her hair and met her brother’s eyes. “So we went to the rave. And that’s where this whole nightmare started.”

~Jax’s Penthouse~

“What the hell do you mean by that Venus?”

V hid a wince when she heard her whole name. That coupled with his tone, cut through the worst of her anger. “I just meant that you seem to have no problem, trusting Chloe’s decisions, yet you question mine.”

“Of course I trust Chloe. I’m backing her business now, if I didn’t trust her I wouldn’t do that,” Jax dismissed Chloe with a wave of his hand. “I don’t see what she has to do with you taking on the mob.”

V moved until she was standing on the other side of the couch facing him. She needed to keep a distance between them if she wanted to keep a clear head while the fought. “I brought her up because of the way you reacted to my news. You don’t have a problem with Chloe doing what she is trained to do.”

“She’s a fashion designer for crying out loud,” Jax interrupted. “The only dangerous aspect in her line of work is if she gets caught between the models and the bathroom, before a fitting.”

V ignored that and went on. “Yet when I try to do what I am trained to do you throw a hissy fit.”

“Maybe I’m throwing a fit because I’m in love with you. Did you think of that? Maybe it’s because I don’t want you to do this because it is dangerous.” He moved closer and she shifted countering his movements, keeping the distance between them. “Is it wrong for me to be concerned about you?”

“No.” She ran a hand through her hair. “But it isn’t right for you to try to tell me what to do with my life or my career.”

“I’m not doing that. At least I hope I’m not.” He moved quickly and was on her side of the couch before she had a chance to back away. “If I did do that I’m sorry. It’s just I’m worried about what could happen to you if you take this case.”

“I told you Jax, this is what I’m trained for, and even more then that it’s what I love to do.” Her eyes searched his for understanding. “I would never ask you to give up raiding companies, because that is what you love to do. Law enforcement, security, whatever you want to call it, is what I love, it’s a part of me.”

“I’m not blind,” he took her hand and brought it to his lips. “I know a part of you has been unhappy ever since you quit the force.” He saw her eyes brighten at that admission. “But this case. It’s too much V.”

Hurt V dropped his hand and withdrew from him. “You don’t think I can do it? You think I’m just some dumb Sheriff’s Deputy who can’t handle an investigation like this?”

“No.” Jax caught her arm before she could storm away. She yanked hard trying to free it but he held on. “Look at me,” he waited until she stopped struggling before going on. Finally he addressed her head when she refused to look at him. “What I think is just the opposite V. I know how good you are, and that’s what scares me.”

She raised her eyes then.

“You’re good enough that you will probably find Ted Wilson and whoever killed him,” his voice dropped to a whisper. “But you have to see that whoever does have him, has killed once and they won’t hesitate to kill again. If they were willing to kill a cop, they won’t think twice about killing a private detective.”

“I’ll be careful. You know how I am.”

“Careful doesn’t always mean safe. I can’t lose you V. I can’t handle losing another person I love.” His last words were spoken in her hair as he pulled her into an embrace.

Her arms tightened around his waist. She knew the memories of his earlier loves were haunting him. He had thought his first wife Miranda, had been killed and had to live with that fact for years. Then he had lost Brenda as well. And now he was worried about her. “I’m right here Jax. I have been for awhile now. You just never saw me.”

“I see you now,” he pulled back to look in her eyes. “Please V, for me, let this case go.”

~Kelly’s~

“What happened at the rave?”

“Everything sort of fell apart. The music there was so loud, you can barely think. And there are all these people around you, they press so close that it’s hard to move. The heat is incredible, both from the people and the temperature, it’s overwhelming.” Her eyes darkened in memory. Sometimes she thought she could still smell the stench of the sweat and tobacco from that night.

“It’s like all your senses get so jacked up that you can’t concentrate on anything, your whole mind and your body is on overload. It’s the closest I’ve ever felt to the madness that drugs offer you, without actually taking them.” Emily shifted in her chair and began to drum her fingers on the table. “And if you add two people who aren’t getting along to that pressure cooker and something’s got to give. Someone is going to blow.”

“Who blew? You or Juan?”

“Me, then him, and then it got really bad,” she admitted. The ugly words that she’d said, that he’d said were still in her memory, so too was the misery that had filled her. “It was our worst fight yet and no one was spared. Lucky, Elizabeth, Nikolas, they all got caught in the crossfire.”

He didn’t really like what he was hearing, but more then that he didn’t like the way she sounded. Her voice was hollow, rather then reflective. To him that meant she was still dealing with it, that it wasn’t in the past yet.

“Juan stormed off one way and I went the other. I felt so hot and so alone, even though Elizabeth was there. Everything was so loud in the room and in my head, that I just wanted to forget for awhile.” She flicked some nail polish off her fingers and smiled slightly. “I broke the rules. I knew I wasn’t supposed to drink anything there. That there was a good chance that it would be spiked or drugged, but I didn’t care. At that point I just didn’t want to feel anymore.”

Emily studied his face for disappointment or anger, but the eyes that met hers were filled with nothing but patience and understanding. When she saw that she went on.

“It was laced and soon I didn’t feel anything. At least not until I saw Juan kissing another girl. He looked right at me, made sure I saw him, and then kissed Allison ‘chipmunk slut’ Barrington.”

Jason sighed and reminded himself to look Juan up later on. He had warned him about deliberately hurting Emily, and that was about as deliberate as it got.

Emily reached for her glass and she noticed the dark bruises on her wrist. She quickly dropped her hand to her lap and pulled the sleeve down, hoping he hadn’t seen them. Seeing them herself made her realize that she was soon either going to have to shut up, or tell him everything. She wasn’t surprised to realize that she wanted to tell him even though the others, especially Lucky, didn’t want her too.

“What did you do then?”

“I ran,” she admitted. “I told you once that I was a reactor. I don’t force the issue or have confrontations if I can avoid them. I’m one of the avoidance is better Quartermaines,” her smile turned mocking. “Oh I can fight with the family or stick up for my friends, but when it’s just about me, and the pain or hurt gets to be too heavy, I retreat. My retreat was drugs, kind of like A.J.’s is alcohol. This time even though I was stoned by that point, I still felt enough that I had to run away, this time physically, from the pain.”

Jason rested his elbows on the table, his movements forced her to look at him. “You did what you needed to do in order to cope with what you were seeing. Running isn’t always a bad thing Emily, not when staying would be so much worse.”

She looked away from his eyes. But what if you ran into worse trouble? Trouble bad enough that it made seeing your boyfriend kiss another seem like a walk in the park.

“Finish the story Emily.” He could tell from her eyes and from her sudden shiftiness in the seat, that the worst part was still coming.

“I ran away from Elizabeth who was trying to get me to leave. I wanted to leave, but the rave was so crowded it was hard to move. My head was spinning and it was hard to find the door.” She kept her eyes on the table not wanting to see his face when she told him what happened next. “I ran right into a guy. He seemed nice, and I just wanted to be gone. I could hear Lucky calling my name and I didn’t want to face him. I didn’t want to deal with any of my friends. I didn’t want to see the I told you so look in their eyes, even if they didn’t say the words. I just wanted to forget. I didn’t want to feel,” her voice dropped to a whisper. “So I left with him.”

Jason ran a hand over his cheek and held back a sigh. He didn’t look back. He never saw the point because you couldn’t change anything. He knew that Emily was okay at least physically, but at he same time he knew something bad had happened. And that made him worried and angry. Most of the anger was directed at Juan and the unnamed guy she left the rave with, but some was directed at himself. After what had happened with Tom Baker, he had promised her that he would always be there for her. That if she found herself in trouble again, he would help her no questions asked, but he hadn’t been.

“I thought we were going to another rave, but…”

“Well look who we have here.” Taggert’s voice boomed out in the small courtyard causing Emily to jolt in surprise. “Jason Morgan is back in town. Today is such a good day. I should’ve checked my horoscope.”

Jason watched Emily withdraw and shut down, and realized it was yet another reason to dislike Taggert. He kept his face impassive as he turned to look at him.

“Emily.” Taggert nodded at her before letting his eyes rest on Jason. “One of my boys said you were back in town. I almost busted him down to meter duty when I couldn’t find you. I’ll have to remember that.”

“Is there something you want?” Jason’s tone was full of disinterest. He knew that if he didn’t react to Taggert, the man would go away sooner.

“Oh I want lots of things Anger Boy.” Taggert grinned and began to rock in place. “In fact I’m about to get one of my biggest wishes. Your boss will soon be a guest of the state for over 25 years. Drug trafficking was such a bad thing for him, but it’s great for me.”

Jason just tilted his head, projecting a look of confusion as he looked up at Taggert.

The half-amused/half-confused expression on Morgan’s face bothered him. It always bothered him. He rarely got past the look, and that frustrated him. The once named Anger Boy had learned some things about control. But he still had a lot to learn.

“I figured you’d be back in town before too long. Sonny will need to explain to you how to run things before he goes to jail. That will take a long time for you to grasp.” He kept the pressure on trying to goad Morgan into reacting. “Not that it will do you much good.” He put his hands on the table and leaned closer to him. “Once he can’t hold your hand and tell you what to do anymore, you will fall apart. We know that your brain damaged mind can’t handle too many things at once.”

“God how could you?” Emily hissed causing Taggert to look at her. “Your supposed to be a cop and all you are is a bully with a badge.”

“Emily,” Jason started.

“You accost Jason, get in his face every chance you get, you insult him, you call him names,” she got to her feet. “Do you know what kind of person that makes you?”

“Morgan is a criminal.” Taggert stated simply.

“Prove it.” Emily crossed her arms over her chest and glowered at him. “That’s right you can’t. All you’ve ever been able to prove is that he is half-owner in a successful coffee business. Everything else you say about him is nothing but your opinions because you haven’t made a thing stick.”

“Emily it’s okay.” Jason got to his feet trying to cut off her tirade and earned a glare in the process.

“No it’s not Jason. He lectures Juan on how to treat people, and yet he treats you like something he scraped off his shoe,” she focused on Taggert again. “You know I may not have always liked you Lieutenant but at least I respected you. But I don’t now, not when you use your badge to call people names.”

“Emily I know he’s your brother, but that doesn’t change the fact that he is a dangerous criminal.” Taggert tried to reason with her.

“The word criminal implies that Mr. Morgan has been convicted of a crime.” Alexis Davis entered the fray from behind Taggert, causing him grimace. “The only charge that my client has ever admitted too is train surfing. Since that was only a misdemeanor, it is not a crime worthy of the label criminal. But I have a word for you Lieutenant, in fact I have several words. Slander, harassment, intentional infliction of emotional distress,” she paused and her mouth curved into a feral smile. “There is also that new stalking law that recently went into effect. I’ve been intrigued about the public official aspect of that law.”

Jason couldn’t help but smile at the anger and frustration on Taggert’s face.

“I was just…”

“Leaving Lieutenant.” Alexis finished for him.

Taggert ignored her and stepped closer to Jason. “I’ll be watching you Morgan. Watching and waiting. The instant you screw up you’ll be in a cell next to your boss. Remember that.”

“Taggert will you never learn?” Alexis asked. “How many complaints do I have to level against you before you realize that you can’t treat my clients this way.”

“Emily I’m sorry if I upset you. But you need to know the truth about your hero,” he sneered the word, “here.” With that he turned, and with a nod to Alexis, left.

“He can always brighten up a place,” Alexis commented. “All he has to do is leave. Don’t let him get to you Emily,” she patted her arm and then looked at Jason. “I know he didn’t bother you.”

“Thanks anyway Alexis.” Jason offered her a genuine smile. “I wasn’t sure if I was still your client.”

“I have the feeling you will always be in need of my services.” Alexis opened the door to Kelly’s. “And as long as you pay my bills you’ll get them.”

Jason just shook his head and waited until she disappeared before focusing on Emily again. “Let’s finish our talk.”

Emily’s mind was racing. She had been going to tell Jason about Ted, but now she wasn’t sure she should. Taggert was looking for any reason to arrest Jason. If Jason got caught with Ted’s body, Taggert wouldn’t even bother trying to find out what really happened. He would just throw Jason in jail. She couldn’t let Jason put himself on the line like that. She wouldn’t be able to handle the guilt if her brother was sent to prison for trying to help her. She would rather walk into the police station today and admit the truth then see that happen. Decision made she focused on her brother, now she just had to throw him off track.

“Emily?” Jason touched her hand.

[JRK Archiver]

“There’s not much else to say,” Emily stepped back breaking contact. “I left with him and I did some stuff that I’m not proud of. I didn’t want anyone to know I did that, because I was and am ashamed that I left with him. I was ashamed that I had fallen off the wagon.”

Jason studied his sister who was doing a very good job of not meeting his eyes. She was lying that much he could tell. Yet at the same time, he had a feeling she wasn’t. “What’s the secret?”

“Uh…” she huffed out a breath to buy time, while her mind raced ahead trying to think of what to say. She finally decided on a mixture of the truth and lies. “I woke up the next morning in a hotel and I didn’t remember what happened. The secret is that. I’ve been trying to figure out what happened that night, Elizabeth and the others are helping me.” She met his eyes as she told him the big lie. “We’ve been trying to find the guy I was with, so we can find out what happened.”

Now his senses were screaming that she was lying, but he still couldn’t figure out about which part. “Emily…”

“That’s it. That’s my secret. It’s just I was too ashamed to tell you, or anybody else.” She reached for her purse. “But I’m through with looking back. I’m going to borrow a page from your book and forget about the past. Instead I’m going to focus on the future. I would appreciate it if you don’t tell anybody though. I’m still embarrassed.”

“Emily I just want to help.”

“You can’t,” she cried loudly before taking a breath and trying again. “I told you I’m letting it go.” She gave him a hug. “I need to go.”

“Emily when you’re ready to tell me the truth I’ll be here.” Jason watched her hurry away then turned to head for the warehouse, before pausing and looking after her again. His senses were telling him that he shouldn’t let this go. He had a feeling that the trouble she was in was growing, he took a step after her when his cell rang.

“What?” He growled into the phone and waited. “Now? … Are you sure? … Fine I’m on my way.” He closed the phone and took a final look in the direction his sister had disappeared, before heading the other way. He’d talk to her soon and get the rest of the story out of her.

~*~

Jason’s words rang in her ears when she raced from the courtyard as if the hounds of hell were chasing her. He knew she was lying, so all she had managed to do was buy herself time. Hopefully it would be enough time. All she needed was another day. The rave was tomorrow night, they just had to find out where. Unfortunately she would have to rely on Juan to find out where, she wondered if he would still help them.

She was walking past an alley when a noise coming from inside of it, made her pause. Her eyes swept the alley looking for what had caused the noise. The early hints of sunset were upon them and the shadows were spreading across the alley, hiding more then it revealed. When she didn’t see anything she began to move again.

Emily had only taken a step when she heard a groan. This time she pinpointed the origin of the noise, both by the sound and the scuffed white sneakers that were moving on the far side of a trash bin. “Are you okay?” She called out. The only response she got was another groan followed by a thud as something hit the side of the trash bin.

“Do you need some help?” Caution warred with her ingrained need to help and she took a step into the alley.

“I’m fine.” A masculine voice called out weakly, then was followed by a muffled oath as a thud sounded again.

“Okay.” Emily began to move again, but the soft curses and the pain in his voice stopped her. “You are such a sucker,” she muttered before moving towards the sneakers.

The shadows were lengthening but there was still enough light that she could make out the bruised features of a dark-haired man on his knees. He was leaning against the trash bin, his eyes were closed, and his arm was wrapped around his waist in what looked like self-protection. She could see a dark bruise forming on his jaw, and a thin trickle of blood was peeking out from under the hair on his forehead. He was older than her by a few years and in obvious pain.

“Let me help you up.”

At the soft voice Zander Smith’s eyes flew open and he focused in surprise at the girl standing a few feet in front of him. He’d figured she had left. “No. I,” he broke off when he shifted sending another shaft of pain through his ribs. Sorel’s goons were nothing if not professional. He knew from bitter experience that at least one rib was broken. He only hoped the others were only bruised. He also knew that he couldn’t get up without help. “Thanks.” He offered a smile and only winced slightly when his bruised jaw didn’t like that.

Emily blinked at the smile, it changed his looks, then moved closer and squatted by him. “Put your arm around my shoulder and I’ll leverage you up.”

Zander nodded and did as she ordered. He couldn’t help but groan when her hand touched his side.

“Sorry,” Emily moved her hand down until she grasped the belt loop of his jeans. “I’ll pull from here. You might get a wedgie but I won’t hurt you.”

Zander choked. “Don’t make me laugh.”

“Right, sorry. Are you ready?” She tilted her head so she could look in his face.

“Yeah.” Zander was struck by a sense of recognition when he saw her face, but before he could place her she was tugging him to his feet.

It felt like forever but at last he was standing. He leaned against the trash bin in relief, and for support. “Thanks.”

Emily stepped back. “No problem,” she hesitated. “Do you need an ambulance?”

“No, I’ll be fine.” He gestured to the mouth of the alley. “My car’s across the street. I’ll just go home.”

Something told her that arguing would do no good. Instead she moved closer and took his arm again. “Then let’s get you to your car.”

Zander was too surprised at her actions, to do anything other then obey her. “You know you really shouldn’t be doing this. Normally if a person is lying beaten in an alley it’s best if you just mind your own business and look the other way.”

“My your from a cynical world.” Emily kept her pace slow so he didn’t have to shift very much. “I’ll stick to my own world. In it you help people who are in trouble.”

Surprised he tried again. “I could be dangerous. You shouldn’t help men you don’t know, it’s not smart.”

“Maybe you are dangerous.” She conceded as they reached the street pausing to look for traffic, and let him rest, before moving forward again. “But at he moment I could knock you on your ass and be 10 feet away before the first curse came out of your mouth.”

Zander smiled and nodded. “You’re right.”

Emily was a little surprised at how easy it was for her to talk to him. Normally she didn’t make a whole lot of sense when she first started to talk to guys she didn’t know. She was also surprised at his admission that she could knock him over. Juan could be on crutches with a broken leg and he would still never admit that he was weak. She shook her head banishing the comparison of this man and her former boyfriend.

“It’s this one.” Zander motioned to a dark blue Monte Carlo. The exertion of walking 20 yards was getting to him and he leaned against the door in relief.

Emily stepped back and studied him in the sunlight. He was almost white under his tan, and the bruises were apparent on his face. But even the bruises couldn’t disguise the fact that he was good looking, and in pain. “Are you sure you don’t want a doctor?”

“I’ll be fine,” he straightened from the door and turned to look at his rescuer in the light. “Thanks to you…”

“Emily.” She provided her name and held out her hand.

Recognition crashed into him as he placed the brown eyed girl who was helping him. Emily Quartermaine.

Oh shit.

The last time he had seen her, he had just placed her in a bed next to a dying cop, after begging Sorel to spare her life.

“Are you okay?” Emily touched his arm in concern when he just stared at her.

“I’m fine,” he managed. “Thank you Emily.” He couldn’t meet her eyes. He felt guilty because he knew what he had done to her. He lowered his eyes and focused on the livid bruises that were on her arms. “Are you okay?”

“What?” She saw where he was looking and quickly tugged her sleeves down. “Yeah. Well here’s your car. Take it easy.” She paused raising an eyebrow in question.

“Alexander.” He gave her a name he hadn’t used in years.

“Bye Alexander.” Emily backed away.

“Thanks again Emily.” Zander called after her.

Emily didn’t look back until she reached the corner. He hadn’t moved, he was still leaning against the door watching her. Unnerved she waved and turned the corner. He was good looking, older and in trouble, a combination that never worked for her. Still Alexander was a nice name.

~*~

Zander finally managed to leverage himself in the car and close the door. Things were just getting too close in Port Charles. He needed to get out of town before Sorel came after him again.

Memories of Emily’s voice and images of Elizabeth’s face came to him. If he left there was no telling what Sorel would do to them, and they wouldn’t be expecting it.

“Not my problem.” He told himself and started the engine.

He had learned a long time ago that he had to take care of himself first and foremost, because no one else had ever wanted the job. Sorel wouldn’t be looking for him until late tomorrow night. By the time he failed to show up with Elizabeth Webber, he would be safe in Canada. Sorel might have a long reach but he knew places to hide in Canada.

“I’ll stick to my world. In it we help people who are in trouble.”

Zander groaned and put the car in drive. Emily Quartermaine and Elizabeth Webber were on their own. They were tight with Jason Morgan, he’d watch them, if he knew he had too.

“Don’t even think about it.” He muttered. If he went to Morgan with this kind of story, he’d get killed. The girls were on their own.

Still he couldn’t help but feel guilty as he began to drive away.

~Jax’s Penthouse~

Jax could see the pain form in her eyes the minute he asked the question and he hated it. But he couldn’t take the request back anymore, then he could stem the fear he was feeling at the thought of her getting messed up in Corinthos’ world.

He had found out just how ugly the underbelly of the mob could be. He had seen its reach first hand with his brother and his father. He had also seen it when Rivera had gone after Brenda to punish Corinthos. So the thought of someone else he loved getting involved in the mob scared the hell out of him.

He was especially worried because he knew better then most how tenacious V could be. She was good at her job, and she never, ever quit. It was because of her that he had been able to track down Brenda and Sonny and help them deal with Rivera. Because of her he had managed to get the money to help rebuild his empire. Because of her, the assassin that tried to kill him once was stopped. She was too good at what she did to be ignored by whoever killed Wilson.

“Please don’t ask this of me Jax.”

“I can’t help how I feel.”

V spun away from him, anger and hurt churning inside of her. “So is this an ultimatum? Either I drop the case or I lose you?”

“No.” Jax caught her arm mid pace. “I wouldn’t do that to you, to us. If you decide to do this, I’ll have to live with it. But I won’t lie to you, I won’t be happy about it.”

V let out a relieved sigh. “I really will be careful.”

“You better be.” He growled in defeat.

She grinned and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Thank you.” She murmured before kissing him.

Jax turned his head more fully into the kiss. The last vestiges of anger and fear coursed through him and into her. She met the passion with her own and began to pull him back to one of the couches, only to stop when the phone began to ring.

“Ignore it.” Jax hissed as he began to nuzzle her ear.

“I…” damn that felt good. “I can’t. I put out some feelers and had my calls,” she moaned as he found the sensitive skin behind her ear, “forwarded here.”

She broke free while she still could and managed to grab the phone on the fifth ring and tried to settle her breathing. She may not like fighting with Jax but she loved the kiss and make-up part. All of those thoughts flew out of her head as the voice on the other end of the phone caught her focus. “Yes that’s right July 3rd.” V began to scribble on a pad.

Jax studied her expression and sat on the couch. He knew that look, there was no stopping her, he grimaced and waited. He had a feeling he was going to be waiting a lot from now on.

Five minutes later V slammed the phone down with a cry. “I got to go. I have a lead.” She began to shove some papers in her oversized bag. “A hotel owner out on Route 2 seems to remember something about Ted Wilson that he never told the police. He sounds legitimate and I need to meet with him in person.” She turned and found herself looking at Jax’s neck. He had moved behind her quietly while she was talking. “Sorry.”

“There’s no point in asking you to call Taggert is there?” He asked a little mournfully.

V cupped his chin and kissed him briefly, but passionately. “I’ll be careful,” she eased out of his hold and opened the door.

“V,” she turned to look at him and he could see the excitement dancing in her eyes. “Call me if you’re going to be late.”

“I will.” V closed the door and hit the call button on the elevator. Only four hours on the job and she had a promising lead. She was going to find Ted Wilson, she only hoped she would find him alive.

~Warehouse~

Jason stuck his head and shoulders under the outside spigot with a sigh. After a minute he pulled back and rubbed at the grease on his hands and arms before dipping back under the cooling stream of water again. The job had been messy, hot, and hard, but after two hours it was finally done. He stood up when something hit his back. He looked from the towel on the ground to the man who threw it. “Problem?”

“If you’re through with your shower,” Johnny commented. “Sonny needs to talk to you.”

Jason made no move to pick up the towel and instead rubbed at the grease on his arms. “Is there a problem?”

“No,” Johnny smirked. “Jesus man did you have to bathe in the oil?”

“Loaders tend to be messy.” Jason said shortly, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck trying to work out the kinks there, and sending water rivulets down his bare chest.

“Why did you fix it? You’re an owner. Don’t you know you hire people to do that?”

“We couldn’t get a mechanic here until tomorrow.” Jason explained after he shut off the water and picked up the towel. “The load needed to go out tonight.”

“Well if your done with your pose-a-thon you want to talk to Sonny?”

Jason shot him a look as he pulled on his shirt. “What do you mean by that?”

“Oh nothing it’s just that we’ve never had Susan the receptionist, Michele the file clerk, and Dana Sonny’s secretary all work three hours late before. Especially when the reason they worked late seemed to be so they could stare out the window and the door, at you.”

Jason just shook his head and headed past the bodyguard. “You’re exaggerating.”

“No I’m not. I already had to tell the cleaning crew to clean the drool off the window, where Michele was.” Johnny kept up the teasing as he trailed Jason down the hall.

“You still have a problem getting dates don’t you Johnny?”

“Hey compared to a monk like you I’m Don Juan,” Johnny defended himself. “Besides which what little love life you do have is about to jump up and bite you on the ass.” With that warning he knocked once and opened the door. “Jason’s here.”

“Thanks Johnny.” Sonny nodded.

“Good luck,” Johnny whispered as Jason moved past him.

Jason raised an eyebrow then closed the door. “What’s going on?”

“I found out some things that you need to know. Take a seat.” Sonny gestured to a chair and waited, using the time to figure out exactly what to say to his best friend. He was still a little unsure about the status of his friendship with Jason. It was true that Jason had forgiven him, but a few days ago was the first time they had talked about anything personal in months. The confidence that usually sustained him was a little shaky.

“Sonny is there a problem?”

“I don’t know for sure. All I know is you need to know some things,” he focused on Jason. “Things about Elizabeth.”

Jason came to alert. “What about her?”

“I think she’s in trouble.”

“What do you know?” Jason got to his feet in concern.

“I ran into her earlier on the docks and I asked her about a guy that Johnny saw her with. A guy named Zander. Did she tell you about him?”

“No.” Jason moved to the window feeling uncomfortable for some reason. He had thought she was trying with Lucky. So who the hell was Zander?

Sonny could read the tension in Jason by how stiff he was standing at the window. “I don’t think she’s dating him, in fact I don’t think she even likes him.”

“Then why are you mentioning him?” Jason demanded shortly.

“Because when I asked her about him she let it slip that he had drugged her.”

“What?” He turned on Sonny his expression cold.

“She tried to cover it up but that’s what she said. Before I could press her on it she left.” Sonny leaned against the desk and waited.

“I knew something was going on with her and…” Jason stopped talking and thought back to his earlier conversation with Emily. She had said that Elizabeth and the others had been trying to find the man from the rave. Maybe this Zander guy had something to do with that.

“Jason?”

“Did she say anything else?”

“Not about this guy.”

Sonny’s hesitation was brief but Jason caught it. “What else happened?”

Sonny bought himself some time by moving back around his desk. This was the part he didn’t know if he should mention to Jason. He could tell from Elizabeth’s questions, during the time Jason was gone, that she really cared about him. From the brief conversation earlier today he had the feeling that now she was thinking about him as more than a friend. Or at least she had been until he had opened his big mouth and hurt her.

But he wasn’t sure how to mention that to Jason or if he should. Jason didn’t open up about his feelings very often. And with the awkwardness that was still between them, Sonny wasn’t sure Jason would want him to mention anything. But he couldn’t help but remember that one afternoon before Jason had left. It was the first personal discussion that they’d had after his betrayal with Carly and that conversation had been about Elizabeth.

He had been surprised when Jason had opened up to him. And he had been thrilled at the expression on Jason’s face and his eyes when he did. Sonny remembered thinking at the time how much Jason’s description about Elizabeth had changed. A few weeks earlier he had described her as Lucky’s girlfriend, but that day he could tell that she had moved past that to Jason. Jason had shut down before he said too much, but in that moment, he knew how much she meant to him.

“Sonny I asked you what else she said.” Impatience shimmered around Jason. He wanted to find her, but he wouldn’t until he knew what Sonny was holding back.

“I don’t want to overstep, but I need to as you something Jason.” Sonny said finally. “How do you feel about Elizabeth?”

Jason withdrew. Sonny could see it in his eyes. First he pulled back emotionally then physically.

“Why do you want to know?”

Sonny nearly groaned when he heard the ice in Jason’s voice. “I’m asking because I think she likes you.”

“I know that.” Jason snapped.

“No Jason she really likes you.” Sonny rested his elbows on the desk. “But she doesn’t know how you feel.”

Jason gripped the back of the chair and waited. He wasn’t quite sure where Sonny was heading with this. But he knew he wasn’t ready to talk to anyone, including Sonny, about his feelings for Elizabeth. He was still trying to figure them out himself.

“Maybe I’m wrong. But I think you should talk to her. And when you do you might explain why you never asked about her while you were gone.”

Jason blinked in surprise. “I knew you would watch out for her.”

Sonny was glad for that show of support. “I did. I also know why you didn’t ask. We only had two personal conversations the entire time you were gone. The first was when I told you about the pregnancy and the second was when you gave me the information about A.J. I know that but all she knows is while she asked about you all the time, you never asked about her.”

Jason nodded. “I need to go.”

Sonny nodded knowing he couldn’t press Jason any further or he would completely shut down. “I have the guys checking on this Zander guy.”

“Good let me know what you turn up.” Jason opened the door. “I’ll find out more from her,” he hesitated and kept his back to Sonny. “Thanks.”

“Jason.” Johnny caught him before he could leave. “There’s something you should know that I didn’t tell Sonny. Two things actually.”

“What’s that?” He paused by the door and turned to look at the other man.

“When she was with Zander she seemed afraid of him. But at the same time she wanted him to like her. It was like she needed something from him.”

“Afraid? Was he touching her?”

“Not really. They were on the docks and she was desperate for him not to find out where she lived. She used me to get away from him. She lied pretty good but I think he might have caught on.”

Jason’s hand tightened on the doorknob in anger. “What’s the other thing?”

“Uh,” Johnny scratched his chin and shifted on the balls of his feet. “I told you that you messed up. I mean what were you thinking? You kept in touch with me but not her. Are you nuts?”

“How does she know that?”

Johnny shifted again. “How the hell was I supposed to know that you hadn’t sent her anything? Next to Emily I thought she would be the first person you would keep in touch with.” He studied his friend with a shake of the head. “For a smart guy Jason. That was stupid.”

~Suds of Fun~

“Elizabeth?”

Elizabeth whipped around at the mention of her name and smiled. “Hi Nikolas. Thanks for coming. I’ll be just a minute.” She turned back and threw the fabric softener ball in the machine before shoving the coins in the slot and starting it.

“No problem.” Nikolas looked around at the almost empty Laundromat. It was the first time he had ever been inside of one. The artificial glare the harsh fluorescent lighting gave off made the white machines bright enough to hurt his eyes. The damp musty smell mixed with the heat in the room and the pungent odor tickled his nose. He realized he hadn’t been missing anything.

Elizabeth moved her sketchpad and patted a chair beside the one she was now sitting in.

“So what do you need?” Nikolas asked.

“I need you to listen to me.”

“I always do.”

“No,” she shook her head. “No you don’t. But this time I really need you too. I need you to battle back your knee-jerk reaction and listen to me.”

Nikolas tried to shift the chair and frowned when he realized he couldn’t because it was bolted to the floor. “I’m not going to like this am I?”

“Probably not,” Elizabeth conceded. “But you need to hear it.” What she had overheard at Jax’s penthouse had stayed with her the rest of the day. She realized that they couldn’t go on hiding Ted Wilson. Now all she had to do was convince Nikolas. “It’s about this plan of Lucky’s. It isn’t going to work. You know it and I know it.”

Nikolas sighed, he agreed with her, but he didn’t like the alternative he knew she was going to suggest. But she had a point he needed to get past his knee-jerk reaction and do what was best for them all. And what was best was getting help from someone who knew what they were doing. So he made the suggestion instead, hoping to surprise her. “I think we should tell Jason.”

“No.” Elizabeth shook her head. “Jason is the last person who can ever know.”

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 12
~Sud's of Fun~

Such a look of surprise filtered across Nikolas' face that if it wasn't such a serious conversation Elizabeth would have been tempted to laugh. She rarely caught the Cassadine Prince off-guard.

"Let me get this straight," Nikolas began after a minute. "You don't want to go with Lucky's plan."

"Right."

"But you don't want to tell Jason and get his help either?"

"Right," Elizabeth nodded in confirmation.

"That makes no sense."

Turning in the plastic coated chair until she was facing her confused friend she patted his hand. "I know that Nikolas. Ever since Jason got back in town I've been the one arguing the loudest that we should tell him what was going on."

"Exactly."

"And I do realize how painful it was for you to look past your…" pausing she delicately searched for the right word, "obvious distrust and dislike of Jason, to even make the suggestion of telling him. I'm proud of you Nikolas. I don't think you would have been able to suggest going to Jason for anything 6 months ago."

He didn't think he could have suggested it a week ago, but Nikolas wisely kept his feelings to himself.

"I mean it Nikolas, you put your feelings aside and were focused only on doing the smart thing for all of us."

"If I was so smart why don't you want us to tell Jason?" Nikolas asked.

"If you'd made the suggestion this morning, I would have dragged you to Jason before you could change your mind. But I've learned a few things since this morning, things that have me reconsidering whether we should tell him at all."

"Elizabeth what is going on?" Nikolas asked when she abruptly stopped talking.

"Did you know Ted Wilson was engaged?" She focused on him suddenly and her question caused him to look away. "That he is the last of 3 kids, his mother is a teacher, his dad a retired fireman?"

"Stop it," he ordered.

"That he was going to be married on October 13 to his high school sweetheart?"

"Elizabeth," Nikolas shot to his feet and walked away from her trying to block her words. He had made a conscious effort not to think about whom Ted Wilson had been. He knew all he wanted to know about Wilson. The man was an undercover cop who happened to be hidden in his freezer and that was enough. They all felt that way, in most discussions they all referred to Wilson as the body, no one wanted to think of him as a person, and now Elizabeth was forcing him to do just that and he didn't like it.

"Nikolas?"

"Why are you doing this?" Nikolas asked wearily.

"I didn't want to know either," she informed him softly, sadly. "If I had my choice he would still be just the dead body wrecking my life. But he's not and it's time we realize that."

"What does this have to do with Jason?" Turning to face her he leaned against a running dryer.

"I know you think I bury my head in the sand when it comes to what Jason does for a living," she saw his expression and glared at him. "I don't, I'm not stupid. I'm just more accepting of the gray that life has to offer then you are," she waved away his comment before he could speak. "But that isn't the issue. I know what Jason is capable of probably more than you do. If we tell him, he will make Ted Wilson disappear permanently."

"And the problem with that is what? Isn't that what we're trying to do?"

"No we don't want him to disappear, we want the cops to find him, we just don't want the cops to find him with us." Elizabeth explained patiently.

"I disagree, I'm not trying to solve a crime here Elizabeth. We know what happened to Emily, we know who did it, we're just trying to get rid of the body and move on with our lives,” Nikolas shot back wearily. “I just want it out of my freezer."

"So you don't care if Wilson is never found? You don't care if his family doesn't ever find out what happened to him?" She took a step closer when she saw him flinch. "You don't care that his fiancée is so torn up over his disappearance that she can't move on until she knows what happened to him? You don't care if his body is never found and his parents are never allowed to bury him?"

"I-I…"

"What if was Stefan? Would you care then?"

Nikolas recoiled from her words. Instantly contrite Elizabeth stepped forward and pulled him into a hug. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that," she held on but his arms hung limply at his sides. "You know better then any of us, how it feels to not know what happened to someone you love. Can you really keep putting Ted Wilson's family through that, when you're going through it yourself?"

Gradually Nikolas let himself be comforted by her embrace. "I miss him so much."

"I know you do Nikolas, he's your father, even if biology says he isn't. He's raised you and loved you from the instant he knew about you. You want him back," she drew back to look in his sad eyes. "And the not knowing what happened to him eats at you everyday."

Still unused to letting him emotions out in front of others, Nikolas nodded briskly and stepped away, turning his back to her while he brushed at his eyes. "You're right we can't torture his family anymore, we need to end this."

"I agree." Elizabeth sighed, she felt for her friend and wanted to comfort him, but there were times when she felt she couldn't, like now. "Lucky's plan is crazy it will never work."

"We all agreed to it," Nikolas reminded her.

"I know but think about it, moving a dead body from one car to another in the middle of a rave, where people are coming in and out every second? If you honestly think it will work, tell me, and I'll back off," she waited for a response that she knew would not be forthcoming. "That leaves us."

"What about Jason?" Is was a strange place to find himself in. Suddenly he was Jason's supporter and Elizabeth was arguing against him. Life could sure be a confusing place.

Elizabeth went on carefully. "Think about it Nikolas, you don’t like him, that's obvious. But there is one thing you know about him, he will not let anything hurt Emily if he can help it."

Nikolas nodded slowly.

"If there is the slightest chance that Wilson can be tied to Emily, do you think he'd risk it?" She wasn't naïve and she wasn't stupid, she knew the sort of man Jason was, and the work he did.

"He'd make sure Ted Wilson was never found by anybody," Nikolas admitted roughly. If the situations were reversed and it was his sister Lulu in Emily's situation he would do the same thing no questions asked. "He wouldn't risk Emily."

"Exactly that's why we can't tell him. I don't want anything coming back on Emily either, but I can't pretend that Ted Wilson is just a body anymore. I can't keep his family in limbo."

"I don't know."

"Nikolas," she touched his arm until he looked at her. "What if someone out there, right now, knew where your uncle was, or what happened to him, but for whatever reason they hid him or his body and never told anyone. Could you handle never knowing? Would the ache in your heart ever fill?"

"You don't fight fair," Nikolas whispered roughly.

"I don't want to fight at all. I just want it over," Elizabeth whispered back.

Patting her hand Nikolas stepped away and stared sightlessly at the spinning washing machine on the wall in front of him. They had been going around in circles for weeks now, it was time to stop the ride. "What do you want to do? Do you even know?"

Nervously wetting her lips, she knew she had Nikolas on her side, she only hoped she still did when she explained her plan. "We need to take care of things. Just the two of us."

"Lucky…"

"Won't even see that his plan is ridiculous," Elizabeth cut him off with honesty. "I'm not saying this to be mean, but because it needs to be said. Lucky isn't helping anyone at the moment, I don't think he can. He hasn't dealt with the kidnapping yet, and because of that he's doing a lot of things he wouldn't normally be doing. Things that can get people hurt. We can't risk that here, we can't risk him."

Unbidden a memory of the bruises Emily was sporting came to mind and Nikolas found himself nodding in agreement. "Alright so we need to do something ourselves." He didn't even bother to mention Emily he knew she was going through enough, he wasn't about to drag her into this, and since Elizabeth hadn't mentioned her either she must agree.

"I have a plan. I've been thinking about it all these nights when I should have been sleeping," jumping up on a washing machine she waited until he looked at her. "And I want you to listen to the whole thing before immediately jumping in and saying no."

Nikolas glanced down at his pants then sighed and jumped up on the machine next to her. "I'm not going to like this am I?"

"Probably not," Elizabeth conceded. "But I have a feeling you'll see that I'm right."

"Then you probably better tell me."

~Kelly's~

"Well hello there stranger," Bobbie Spencer cried in recognition at her latest customer. Moving quickly around the counter she crossed to him looking for a hug. "This explains the smile Monica has been wearing for days now."

Jason smiled at her in affection and gave her the hug. The realization that it was easier for him to accept a hug from her then his mother, came to him, but he brushed it off. "It's good to see you too Bobbie."

"Carly has got to be on cloud nine," Bobbie spoke without thinking. "Sorry sometimes I need to think before I talk, are you okay with everything that has happened?"

Jason waited for her to sit at the table before dropping in the seat opposite her. "Carly and I would never have worked, not in that way. I'm glad she's let go of that dream finally."

"I hate to break it to you, but I don't know if my daughter will ever let go of the fantasy of you, her and Michael being together," Bobbie reminded him gently. Even though she was aware her daughter was falling hard for Sonny, Jason was now, and would always be, her security blanket. She wondered if he knew that.

“That’s just a fantasy Bobbie.”

“Maybe,” Bobbie quirked a smile and let it drop. “I figured you would be back, what with Sonny being arrested. Have you seen Elizabeth yet? I know she’s going to be thrilled to see you.”

“I’ve seen her,” Jason shifted on the chair to look towards the kitchen. “Is she working tonight? I need to talk to her.”

“No she’s off tonight, she works tomorrow,” Bobbie stood and moved behind the counter to check the schedule. “She’s due on at 11:00 tomorrow.” She smiled when she saw him stand up. “I take it you don’t want anything.”

“No I need to talk to Elizabeth,” Jason stepped closer to the redhead who had been his first attraction. “It’s good to see you.”

“Welcome home Jason,” Bobbie called before heading into the kitchen.

Jason turned around and froze when he recognized the woman behind him.

~Pine Cone Motel~

V Ardnowski was doing her best to keep her considerable temper in check. She hated to be the clichéd redhead with the horrible temper, but that’s what she was rapidly being turned into. Reminding herself that she didn’t have her badge and gun to back up her requests anymore, she had to rely on something even more scary … tact.

“So Mr. Alejandro,” V tried again. “About July 3rd…”

“It was a hot one, that night. A lot of the air conditioners were on the fritz, so I could only sell about half my units. It’s funny how much money it takes to keep a place like this going,” he gestured with the hand that wasn’t holding the cigar. “As you can see I keep it in tiptop shape.”

V glanced around the empty lobby. The puke green couch with the cigar burns in the upholstery, alongside the roadwork orange chairs, particularly stood out to her eye. “I can see that,” tearing her eyes away from the hula skirted lamp she focused on her quarry again. “About the man who rented the room, you said you’ve seen him before. Did he look like any of these men?” V spread out a series of photos on the counter.

Alejandro never even looked down. “Yep it takes a lot to keep this motel running. Time, effort,” he blew a puff of smoke in her face, “money.”

Waving the smoke from her face V barely resisted the impulse to deck the hotel manager. Somehow she didn’t think he would give her any information if she did. “I realize how much time you must put into your motel here that’s why I’m very grateful for your willingness to take some time out of your busy schedule to answer my questions.”

Alejandro decided that subtlety just wasn’t going to work on this tall chica he decided to cut through the crap. “Look lady you want to know what I know, it’s going to cost you.”

Narrowing her eyes V took the gloves off. “Let’s cut to the chase Mr. Alejandro. You have as near as I can tell 15 building code violations in the lobby alone."

"I do no… what do you mean?" Alejandro sputtered.

"Well there's no fire extinguishers that's a violation of Section 312, subsection (a)(4) of the Port Charles Building Code. But there's more. You have an animal problem in this establishment."

"I don't allow pets."

"I don't know many people who consider rats as pets, not to mention cockroaches that can eat the rats as pets, but maybe you do," V drawled viciously.

"Hey I run a respectable motel here…"

"You run a fleabag, one that the building inspectors would love to see. If you don’t tell me what I want to know and now, I’ll have the County Inspectors in this place so fast, your cigar will be put out by their dust, and just imagine how much money you’ll be out then.”

“There’s no need to be rude, I was going to tell you,” Alejandro spoke quickly and pointed to the photo of Ted Wilson. “He rented a room here that night.”

“Was he alone?” Thrilled that her first hard negotiating tactic worked, she worked hard at keeping her grin of triumph off her face.

“No he had some chick with him, she looked pretty out of it.”

V flipped her notebook open and began to take notes. “Can you describe her?”

~Sud’s of Fun~

Pulling the last of her quarters from her pocket Elizabeth placed them in the coin slot and pushed. She had to start doing her laundry more often. Not only was it costly to do 12 loads at once, it also took forever. Habit had her checking her watch, it was already almost 10:00 she’d been here for hours. Glancing at her silent cellphone on a nearby dryer, Nikolas had been gone for almost an hour, and she couldn’t tell if it was a good thing or a bad thing that he was still thinking about her plan.

She needed to think about something else, anything else. Well almost anything. If she weren’t careful her thoughts would drift back to Jason and the uncertainty of her feelings for him. Sighing wearily she moved to an old beat-up radio that sat on the far counter, and turned it on, searching desperately for something that would attract her attention. For once she wished the Laundromat was busy, but unfortunately for her, she was the only one in it.

When did life become so confusing? Just last week she’d been perfectly happy, grimacing she decided to stop lying to herself. She hadn’t been perfectly happy, she’d been perfectly pretending as usual and pretending just wasn’t enough anymore. She wanted more, she wanted to be happy and it seemed the only way that was going to happen was if she put herself first.

For such a selfish person, that was surprisingly hard for her to do. Maybe she had reformed too much and it was time to go back into brat mode. When she was selfish she didn’t have quite so many problems, she’d had other problems of course but that was beside the point.

So the question was what made her happy? Or should she say who made her happy? The answer was so quick to her lips yet terrifying to say aloud. What if she was misreading everything? And in reality Jason only saw her as a friend. A close friend, yet a friend nevertheless, did she really want to risk the rejection of finding out?

I’m so scared that the way I feel is written all over my face,
When you walk into the room I wanna find a hiding place.
We used to laugh, we used to hug,
The way that old friends do.
But now a smile and a touch of your hand,
Just makes me come unglued.
It’s such a contradiction, do I lie or tell the truth?
Is it fact or fiction the way I feel for you?

Elizabeth’s breath caught in her throat as the lyrics coming through the scratchy radio washed over her.

It’s so complicated,
I’m so frustrated,
I wanna hold you close, I wanna push you away,
I wanna make you go, I wanna make you stay.
Should I say it?
Should I tell you how I feel?
Oh I want you to know,
But then again I don’t,
It’s so complicated.

Moving closer to the radio Elizabeth felt like the singer was looking right into her confused heart and soul.

Just when I think I’m under control,
I think I finally got a grip.
Another friend tells me that,
My name is always on your lips.
They say I’m more then just a friend,
They say I must be blind.
Well I admit that I’ve seen you watch me,
From the corner of your eye.
Oh it’s so confusing I wish you’d just confess.
But think of what I’d be losing,
If your answer wasn’t yes.

Sinking onto the hard plastic chair, Elizabeth felt bereft.

It’s so complicated,
I’m so frustrated.
I wanna hold you close, I wanna push you away,
I wanna make you go, I wanna make you stay.
Should I say it?
Should I tell you how I feel?
Oh I want you to know,
But then again I don’t,
It’s so complicated.

I hate it ‘cause I’ve waited,
So long for someone like you,
Should I say it?
Should I tell you how I feel?
Oh I want you to know,
But then again I don’t.
It’s so complicated.

“Elizabeth?”

[JRK Archiver]

Startled by the soft voice so close to her, Elizabeth jumped off the chair, her head connecting soundly with the person's elbow, making them both groan.

“Jesus Francis don’t do that,” Elizabeth snapped rubbing her now throbbing head.

“Don’t worry I won’t do it again,” Francis Carnivale snapped back, refusing to rub his elbow even though he wanted to very badly. “What’s with you? You were looking right at me, why did you jump?”

“Well obviously I didn’t see you.”

Recognizing the signs of her temper easily enough Francis tried another tact. "What were you thinking about so hard that got you so distracted?"

"I was thinking that I need to collect some royalties on that song," Elizabeth muttered.

"What?"

"Nevermind," Elizabeth launched herself at him to give him a hug. "I didn't know you were back from vacation. How was it? When did you get back? Did you have fun? Did you bring me anything?"

"Good, today, yes, and no." Francis answered her questions as quickly as she'd asked them.

Elizabeth focused on the most important answer. “No? Why not?” She pouted.

“You’re a brat you know that,” Francis informed her, before moving over to a washing machine and setting down his duffle.

“I embrace that though,” she reminded him with a grin.

Shaking his head he began to pull out his laundry. Elizabeth moved over, grateful to see her friend, and even more grateful to have a distraction from her thoughts.

“Elizabeth why are you here at this time of night, alone?” Francis asked suddenly.

Her eyes widened in surprise at his tone. Peering up at him through her lashes she recognized the expression on his face. “Does Sonny train you guys to all have the same expression?” He frowned at her. “I’m serious, you, Johnny, Jason, heck even Sonny get this look of disapproval on your face and you can pull it out at a drop of the hat.”

“Your trying to distract me and it won’t work. You promised me you wouldn’t do your laundry late at night by yourself,” Francis reminded her with a strong look that had her shifting. “Don’t you remember the discussion we had just a few weeks ago? A discussion in which you…”

“Alright you busted me. I’m here when I said I wouldn’t be. What are you going to do arrest me?” Elizabeth grumbled.

“Don’t be like that, you know I’m just concerned. I don’t want to tell you where to be or when to be there, but it can be dangerous for a woman at night, especially in this neighborhood.” Francis explained as gently as he could.

“I know, I just had to get out of the studio, and I was out of clothes,” she smiled slightly. “My laundry buddy went on vacation.”

“Hey you’ve ditched me for several weeks now,” he shot back.

“Hence the need to do laundry. I won’t do it again Francis I promise. Can we move on now?” Elizabeth pleaded with her eyes.

Barely sparing her a glance Francis put some clothes in the machine. “Put the eyes away Elizabeth they don’t work on me.” And they didn’t at least not anymore. Or at least he liked to tell himself that. Since the first time he was assigned to guard her, she had slipped through his own personal guard, like no other assignment had. Instead of just being a person to protect, she had slid into being his friend. As a man who didn’t have many friends it was very surprising, how close they had become.

“I need your advice.” Elizabeth handed him the soap.

“I don’t do advice.”

“Yes you do, besides you’re a man, and I need a man’s opinion.”

“Talk to Johnny,” Francis ordered.

“No. You. I know you better, I trust you more, and I like the way the tips of your ears get red when you get embarrassed. Kind of like now,” she finished with a teasing grin.

“Don’t do this to me,” Francis pleaded.

“I’ll tell you what, I’ll make you a deal. You give me your honest opinion, and I won’t question why,” she reached into the pile of clothes. “You’re washing a purple bra with your stuff.”

“Deal.” Francis snatched the bra from her hand and shoved it deep in the duffle bag. “What do you want to know?”

Elizabeth tried to figure out a way to phrase the question without giving herself away. “Let’s say a friend of yours, a woman, kisses you out of the blue. Would you respond, and then try to let her down gently? Or would you back off right away?”

Panicked his eyes sought her out.

“Relax I’m not going to jump you.”

Relieved Francis’ mind raced. He knew she was probably talking about Lucky and he wasn’t real willing to encourage her when it came to Lucky. The boy had changed a lot since his return, and since he had come back he seemed to excel at hurting Elizabeth. He didn’t like that, on more then one occasion he had found Elizabeth upset, or worse crying because of something Lucky had done. The last few weeks, she hadn’t been as upset, he’d been hoping that she wasn’t seeing Lucky as often.

“Francis?”

He was going to be honest, but if he happened to push her in the right direction at the same time, it could only be for her benefit. “I’d probably respond then let her down as gently as I could. If she was my friend I wouldn’t want to hurt her, although I probably would.”

Swallowing hard Elizabeth focused on her feet. “I thought so, you’re a lot like him, that’s probably what’s going on.” She remembered this morning when he had tried to mention the kiss and she had dodged him. Jason was probably going to let her down then, but she had cut him off.

At one point being compared to Lucky Spencer would have been a compliment but that time had long since passed. Francis kept his opinion to himself, knowing Elizabeth didn’t feel the same.

Depressed Elizabeth moved over to her laundry basket and began to fold her sheets. “Do men play games? You know give out fake signals?” She looked up at him when he took a corner of the sheet to help her. “Or is it just because I don’t know how to read the correct signs?”

“I don’t understand.”

“Well first I was too young to know what I was doing, or what to look for. Then after the ra…” she stopped herself before she went too far. “Well I wasn’t looking for any kind of attention from anybody. Then Lucky was there, and I was sort of oblivious to anyone else. When he died I shut down again, grief was all I knew for so long.”

Francis was quiet, content to listen.

“Now that I’m trying to read and make sense of signals, I realize I don’t have a clue. I’m almost 19 and I have no clue as to what I’m doing when it comes to dating. Does that make me pathetic?”

“Of course not. Elizabeth I’m older than you, and more experienced, and let me tell you I’ve never gotten a signal from a woman right.” He shook his head. “I doubt I ever will. Women are tricky.”

Giving up on her laundry she moved back to the chairs and sat down. “I guess it doesn’t matter now, I was obviously misreading him.”

Okay so maybe he wasn’t as immune to those eyes of hers as he’d hoped, Francis realized as he found himself compelled to give her an out to cheer her up. “You could always ask him.”

“But think of what I’d be losing, if your answer wasn’t yes,” Elizabeth quoted the lyrics softly to herself.

~Kelly’s~

“Mrs. Hardy,” Jason said politely then stepped back so the older woman could pass, but she didn’t move.

“I didn’t realize you were back in town Jason.”

“I returned a few days ago.”

“I see your already searching out Elizabeth,” Audrey Hardy commented coolly.

Jason kept his expression neutral. “I should be going.”

“Wait,” Audrey held up her hand holding him in place. “When you left last January, Elizabeth said it was partly in an effort to protect her. Is that true?”

“Partially,” he didn’t normally explain his actions. But he decided to make an effort for Elizabeth.

“Since you’re back I assume the danger to my Granddaughter is over? Because she was in danger when you were in town, and she was still in danger even after you left, so seeing you here now, makes wonder, and worry.”

“I would never deliberately place Elizabeth in any danger Mrs. Hardy.” Jason stated shortly.

“I believe you wouldn’t Jason,” sighing Audrey clutched her purse tighter in her hands. “I’m not trying to cruel Jason or mean. But you have to realize danger follows you around. You were shot in Robin Scorpio’s living room, Robin was almost blown up in your car, Elizabeth had a bomb in her studio, all because of you.”

“Mrs. Hardy…”

“Jason I’m not accusing you of deliberately trying to hurt Elizabeth or Robin. I just want to make sure that your aware of the trouble that seems to follow you and those close to you around. I love my Granddaughter very much, and even though she will be no doubt be very angry with me once she finds out about our discussion, I can’t help but be worried for her.”

“What do you want me to do?” Jason asked wearily.

Smiling slightly Audrey merely shook her head. “I’m not sure there is anything you can do Jason. Elizabeth is very stubborn, and she has made it pointedly clear that she wants you in her life. There’s nothing I can say to convince her to stay away from you I know that. I doubt there’s anything anyone can say to make her stay away if she doesn’t want to. I just want you to be careful with her.”

~Dock’s~

Glancing at her watch Emily couldn’t help but wonder where Elizabeth could be. She wasn’t at Kelly’s and her studio was dark. There was no answer on her cell, and Emily wasn’t quite ready to call her brother to look for Elizabeth.

What if she were with Jason? She still didn’t know about how she felt about her best friend possibly dating her brother. She already had too much upheaval in her life, why couldn’t things just settle down for awhile?

“Then you wouldn’t be living in Port Charles,” she grumbled and turned to head for Kelly’s. She’d only taken a step when she recognized the person staring at the water at the end of the jetty.

Emily would know that stance and hair color anywhere. She began to walk again, quietly trying not to attract his attention. Her feet came to a stop and she couldn’t help but study him. She knew that particular stance. He was hurting and she couldn’t turn her back on that.

Saying a mental prayer to Nikolas to ask for forgiveness for breaking her promise to stay away from him, Emily walked down the steps and crossed over to him. “Hey Lucky. What are you doing?”

~Penthouse 2~

“Thanks again for meeting me,” Alexis said.

“That’s the third time you’ve thanked me Alexis,” Sonny told her, taking the glass from her slightly shaking hand. “I think it’s time for you to tell me what it is you’ve been trying not to tell me since I got here.”

“Alright I’ll give it to you straight. That’s what I’m best at, and that’s why you hired me because I cut through all the crap to get to the basics,” Alexis began. “I’ve spent a lot of time researching all the evidence against you with these latest set of charges. It doesn’t look good. With the circumstantial evidence conjoined with Carly’s testimony this is the strongest case that’s been brought against you.”

“Carly won’t testify.”

“At this point Carly could get on the stand and lie and it wouldn’t matter. Dara can argue, more then likely successfully, that she is lying either because of intimidation or because she’s in love with you. Bottom line if Carly takes the stand your sunk.”

“With Carly’s history how could that be?” Sonny moved over to refill his scotch.

“You’ve forgotten your own history. You’ve beaten a lot of raps because you’ve had the best attorney on the east coast, or because of some sort of deal I don’t even want to know the details of. You might have beaten the raps but the history that you were charged with them is still common knowledge,” Alexis pulled her glasses off to rub at her nose. “If it was just Carly’s testimony I could decimate her in a second. But if you factor in the evidence, no matter how superficial it is, and you’re going to go down.”

“That doesn’t sound like the best attorney in New York talking.”

“Sonny I’m an attorney not a miracle worker, or as like some in my profession claim to be, I’m not god either. I’m telling you with this evidence, if Carly testifies your going to jail.”

Strangely the news that he would be going to jail didn’t upset him that much. He’d known this was serious, having it confirmed by Alexis only caused him relief at the moment. “So you’re telling me that one way or the other Carly can’t testify.”

“I’m choosing to ignore your phrasing there and will continue on giving you my own hypothetical suggestions. Please bare in mind these are only hypotheticals because I cannot condone nor promote any sort of illegal activity. I’m an officer of the Court and am duty bound to report any such impropriety.”

“Of course Alexis. But you are allowed to talk in what if’s aren’t you?” Sonny knew how to play the game.

Nodding Alexis moved to the chair and sat down. “If Carly were to take a vacation, to some country that had no extradition for a period of 7 years, that would be one way of her avoiding the need to testify. Again this is only a hypothetical situation.

“Of course.” Sonny perched on the couch near her. “Any other hypotheticals?”

“Just one,” suddenly Alexis didn’t know what to do with her hands.

“What’s that?” Watching her uneasiness he couldn’t help but feel the first flicker of alarm.

She forced herself to look in his dark eyes. “Did you know that a wife can’t be forced to testify against her husband?”

~Studio~

“So purple?” Elizabeth began. “I never would have picked you for that color. Green yes, but purple no.”

“You said you weren’t going to ask me questions about the bra,” Francis reminded her.

“Am I asking questions?” Elizabeth teased.

“You promised.”

“I said no questions, I said nothing about teasing.”

Shaking his head Francis made a mental note to kill someone the next time he saw her. He could only pray that Elizabeth wouldn’t let anything slip in front of Johnny or he would never have any peace again.

“Don’t drip ice cream on my nice clean clothes,” Elizabeth ordered before her own tongue darted out to take a swipe at her cone before the frigid filling could overflow on her hand.

“Judging from the size of the bra you like….” she trailed off when she noticed her partially open door. It was a new door, but she distinctly remembered locking it with a key before leaving a few hours before.

Noticing her stillness Francis looked for the cause. He saw the unfamiliar door where her apartment was, and more then that he noticed it was ajar. Moving quickly he set her laundry down against the wall and pulled her behind him. Crouching he pulled a gun out of his ankle holster. “Stay here.”

Her eyes went wide when she saw the gun and she merely nodded but her mind was racing. What if Zander had found out where she lived and was waiting for her? What if he was armed? What if he wasn’t alone? What if Francis got hurt? What if she stopped acting like a ninny and moved closer, she told herself and crept up behind Francis.

Francis turned to glare at her and motioned her back, but she defiantly shook her head. Not wanting to waste time arguing with her, he turned back to the door just in time to see it open. Without thinking twice he raised the gun and pointed it at the man standing there, his finger tight on the trigger.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Song Credit: Complicated by Carolyn Dawn Johnson

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 13
~Kelly's~

"Nikolas wait up."

Hearing his name Nikolas automatically came to a stop, turning around he couldn’t help but sigh when he recognized who was calling him. "Hello Gia."

Slowing her pace to a leisurely strut she frowned at his less than warm welcome. "Don't act so happy to see me."

Trying to swallow his frustration Nikolas deliberately smoothed out his features and worked up a slight smile.

"Better," crossing her arms over her chest she waited.

"Was there something you wanted Gia or did you just stop me to stare again?" He prompted after another moment.

The urge to smile came over her and Gia deliberately buried it. A smile didn't fit her image but a smirk would, so that's what she did. "Don't flatter yourself."

"Alright I won't. I'll just leave," he replied easily and turned away.

"Wait." Gia snapped immediately and took a step after him, he really had to quit walking out on her. She'd fought long and hard with her conscience for hours over whether or not she should tell someone about Zander. Her earlier attempt had ended in failure so she was about to let it slide, but in the end, couldn’t. It wasn't in her personality to voluntarily give information yet at the same time it wasn't in her to let someone get hurt if she could help it either. Besides if Zander did do something to Elizabeth, she knew somehow, someway the blame would fall squarely on her.

"Gia?"

"I saw Zander today." She blurted it out before she could change her mind yet again.

Instantly concerned Nikolas moved closer. "Are you okay? He didn't hurt you did he?" His eyes raked over her, remembering her earlier confrontation with Zander on the docks.

Blinking in surprise at the genuine concern she saw in his face, she shook her head. He was concerned about her even though he really didn't like her. She didn't think men like him existed outside of fairy tales.

"What happened?" Nikolas asked.

Picking her words carefully Gia launched into the story she'd carefully prepared beforehand. She may be giving information but there were certain details that she had no intention of telling anyone. "I ran into him on Charles Street. He started asking me a lot of questions."

Putting a hand on her back Nikolas led her to one of the small tables and pulled out a chair for her before sitting across from her. "Questions about what?"

"Elizabeth mainly. Our cop killer seems to have a healthy fascination for the waitress, no accounting for taste," she muttered under her breath causing his eyes to narrow in warning.

"Did he seem suspicious of her?"

"No, he's interested in her, as in wanting to date her." She rolled her eyes in spite of the warning. "Whatever it is about her, she's snared another one with it. What is it about her? Is it the grease smell of the diner?"

"Gia," his sharp voice cut her off. "Did he do or say anything else?"

"Not really. I ran into him and he pumped me for info about Elizabeth." Gia deliberately kept her eyes on his. "There is one other thing. While we were talking that guy no one wants me to meet went by us."

"Who?"

"Jason. Emily's scary brother," she explained. "He walked by us and Zander seemed to recognize him."

"Does he know Jason knows Elizabeth?" Nikolas asked quickly.

Gia never even hesitated, the lie rolled off her tongue with practiced ease. "I don't think so. He never mentioned Jason by name, I just saw the recognition on his face."

Nikolas was quiet while he pondered her words. He didn't like the fact that Zander liked Elizabeth. If they went through with Lucky's plan tomorrow night that little fact could hurt them. Elizabeth's plan, though a little scary, was starting to look more appealing to him.

"Earth to Nikolas," Gia snapped her fingers in front of his face to get his attention.

"Sorry." Manners had him apologizing quickly.

"I also found out where the rave is being held," Gia offered. "I told your creepy brother when I saw him."

"You saw Lucky? Where was he?"

"He's on the docks." Gia answered and when she saw his eyes shift in that direction she knew she was about to get ditched. Not wanting that to happen she got to her feet first. "So I came and told you and now I'm leaving this dreary place."

Rising automatically when she did Nikolas nodded. "Thanks for telling me."

"Yeah well I knew if I didn't somehow I'd get blamed if the waitress got hurt." She retorted sourly.

"Wait," he stopped her before she could move far and held out some money. "Take a cab home. It's too late for you to be walking alone or to be on the bus."

Caught off-guard once again by the unaccustomed manners and concern for her well being Gia was slow to take the money he offered.

"I'd take you home myself but I need to speak to Lucky." Nikolas explained before holding out another bill and this time she took it. "I'll be in touch about tomorrow."

"Alright." Out of sarcastic comments for the moment Gia merely smiled once in farewell.

Nikolas waited for her to leave the courtyard before heading for the docks. Lucky and him were long overdue for a talk.

~Studio~

Reacting before he even fully registered the gun in his face Jason ducked and brought his hand up slamming it hard against the hand holding the gun, altering its position and trying to force his assailant to drop the weapon entirely. His other hand automatically moved to the gun that should have been snug against his back and belatedly realized he had moved it to his ankle holster in anticipation of seeing Elizabeth. Changing his focus instantly he began moving again only to come to a halt when he recognized the person he was jousting with. "Francis?"

"Jason." Francis relaxed his now stinging grip on the gun and put it back in its holster. The adrenaline he always felt in the heat of battle was still with him and it took a moment longer for his nerves to settle. "I see you still have those catlike reflexes."

Shaking his head slightly Jason corrected his friend. "And you still keep a firm grip on the gun. I would have been dead," he announced taking the hand Francis had extended in welcome.

"Ah male bonding. Isn't that so sweet?" Elizabeth spoke from behind Francis and both men glared at her. "Am I allowed to come inside now?"

"It's your place," Jason informed her with a wry grin and moved out of the way.

Rolling her eyes Elizabeth thrust a dripping ice cream cone at Francis and bent over to pick up some of the mountains of piled laundry that was against the wall. She was very careful not to let her own ice cream cone drip on her now clean clothes.

Jason stepped out in the hall to help while Francis disappeared inside the studio with a basket of clothes. "Let me help."

"Thanks," Elizabeth made sure she grabbed the basket with her under things and led the way in the studio. "Just put it on the bed, I'll put them away later."

Nodding Jason did as he was ordered. Shifting to let Francis go by him to get more laundry his curiosity was aroused. What was Francis doing with Elizabeth? Setting down the basket on the now overflowing bed he turned in time to see Francis open a cabinet next to the sink and put the laundry detergent away. He opened another cabinet and tucked the fabric softener out of sight. The ease and familiarity in which Francis made the movements told Jason that it wasn't the first time that he'd done it.

Puzzled his focus shifted to Elizabeth who had just said something to Francis that he couldn't hear. The ease in which she was standing and her proximity to Francis spoke volumes to him. He didn't see any of the distance she normally put between herself and other men. Instead she seemed very comfortable with Francis. A strange and unfamiliar emotion settled in the pit of his stomach. Her tongue darted out to lick at her melting ice cream and another emotion gripped him lower than the previous one. He must have made some noise, because both Francis and Elizabeth turned to look at him.

Jason may not have known what the emotion was that was twisting his gut but Francis had no problem reading the mixture of anger and jealousy in his friend's eyes. Seeing it he deliberately shifted away from Elizabeth not wanting to give Jason even more of a wrong impression. Her words from the Laundromat came back to him and if he could he would have cursed. Judging from the way she was trying not to look at Jason, she hadn't been talking about Lucky at all. And judging from the way Jason was watching her she definitely wasn't misreading the signs, like she'd thought.

And the advice he'd given her wasn't the right advice. It was meant for Lucky not Jason. Shit he'd messed up. Elizabeth broke the silence by taking a bite of her cone and the sound spurred him into speaking. "I didn't know you were back in town Jason."

"I got back a few days ago," Jason explained. "I heard you were on vacation."

"Yeah I just got back as well." Francis threw his cone away and went to the sink to wash his hands.

Jason was struck again at the familiarity Francis seemed to have about Elizabeth's studio when Francis opened a drawer and pulled out a clean towel.

"Did we have a meeting I forgot about?" Elizabeth asked Jason.

"Yeah we had a date."

Elizabeth's eyes went wide and she inhaled hard. Unfortunately for her she'd just taken a bite of her cone and immediately began coughing when it went down wrong. Her eyes were brilliant with unshed tears, and she had two very large and worried men crowding her when she finally got her breath back. "W-what?"

"We were going to talk about the car you wanted to buy," Jason explained.

Francis groaned and shook his head. "Tell me you didn't go back to Easy Al's. Elizabeth I told you the guy is nothing but a thief. Any car you get there is bound for Lemonville."

"Shut up Francis." Elizabeth ordered and bypassing the sink she chose instead to lick the dripping ice cream from her hand.

Jason's eyes couldn't help but follow every moment of her small pink tongue and the unaccustomed feeling turned into one he recognized as desire, as an oblivious Elizabeth continued her ministrations and moved to the couch.

Never being an oblivious person Francis cleared his throat and knew it was time to go. "I have to leave." He could see the desire on Jason's face, but more than that he could see the caring as well and that reassured him. But at the same time he could see the obliviousness on Elizabeth's face. She was right she didn't know how to read the signs, and unfortunately for her Jason didn’t give out very many.

"No don't go." Elizabeth shot off the couch and closed the distance between them quickly. She didn't want to be alone with Jason, at least not yet. Not until she was sure she wouldn't make an idiot out of herself by making a pass at him or something. She kept replaying those kisses she'd caught him off-guard with last night and earlier in the day and was afraid she'd try for another one if she were left alone with him. And that could lead to rejection. She didn't deal very well with rejection.

"I promised Johnny I would meet up with him so I got to go." Francis' move to the door was stopped when a sticky hand clutched his arm. "Elizabeth."

"Stay," she hissed under her breath and pleaded with her eyes. "Please."

Francis pulled her loose and shook his head. "Forget what I told you earlier and talk to him."

"What did you tell her earlier?" Jason's question reminded them of his presence and her eyes filled in distress.

"Just some junk about when to add bleach, I remembered I was wrong," Francis gave a very lame excuse. "Remember what I said about not doing laundry by yourself at night anymore."

"I won't have to now that my laundry buddy is back," Elizabeth tried to grab his arm to force him to stay but he was too quick for her. Reluctantly she trailed him to the door. The temptation to grab a hold of him and not let him out of the apartment was strong. "Talk to you soon?"

"Yes." As if reading her thoughts he shot her a warning glare before focusing on Jason. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

Jason nodded in dismissal.

Stalling as long as she could she waited for Francis to turn the corner before slowly closing the door. The latch didn't catch right away and she pressed on it again until the door caught and then slowly turned around. Her eyes widened when she realized how close Jason had moved without her realizing it. "So what did you find out about my car?" She asked a little breathlessly.

"I don't want to talk about the car right now," Jason said softly before moving even closer.

Swallowing hard she did her best to keep her eyes on his face. "What do you want to talk about?"

Coming to a stop, inches away from her Jason reached out and touched her cheek. Drawing first one finger than another down the exquisite softness of her skin he brought his finger to the corner of her mouth, and touched the remnant of ice cream that was there.

"What kind of ice cream?" Not bothering to wait for her reply he brought his finger back to his mouth and licked it in experimentation.

Hypnotized by his movements her reply sounded like it was coming from a long way off. "Strawberry," she whispered. "I'd offer you some but it's all gone."

"Not quite," his voice was low and compelling, bringing his finger back to her mouth he rubbed lightly at the small spot of ice cream, but it had dried to her face.

His eyes met hers and she saw a gleam in them that she'd never seen before. And whatever it was caused the air to back up in her lungs. Surprising them both, he lowered his head his tongue flicked out cleaning off the spot of ice cream that remained on the corner of her mouth. Before she could fully comprehend what he had done he shifted his head, and his tongue swirled against the other side of her mouth.

"I always liked the taste of strawberry," he murmured huskily. The temptation to work his way over her lips until all trace of the ice cream was gone, was strong. And judging from the invitation he saw, in her half-closed eyes, she wouldn't stop him.

The muted ringing of his cellphone stopped him before he could decide and Jason didn't even bother to stop the curse as he reluctantly backed away. With an apologetic sigh he opened his phone and all but snarled in the receiver. "Yeah?"

~Pinecone Motel~

Shifting in her seat V Ardnowski tried in vain to find a comfortable position. The spring that she'd been meaning to get fixed, kept jutting out against her back and it made the idea of comfort laughable. It was times like this that she missed her police cruiser. As ugly as the car was it had provided lots of legroom, which came in handy during a stakeout.

Frowning at the gearbox in the floor she realized the one impulse buy that she'd ever allowed herself was going to have to be replaced. The emerald green Mazda Miata had been a fun car to tool around in, and it cornered like a dream, but it was not a car you wanted to spend hours of a time in. Regretfully she realized she was going to have to trade it in for something more practical.

Inhaling deeply she caught a whiff of new car smell and her frown deepened. The car was fun and she didn't want to give it up. But she knew she needed to be practical. Sometimes she hated being practical. Sniffing again, her nose wrinkled when she thought she caught a whiff of coffee. Not just any coffee, good coffee she could tell that much. Inhaling again she jolted in surprise when the passenger door opened and a long, lean body poured its way into the low bucket seat.

"What are you doing here?" V demanded.

"Entertaining my lover?" Jax offered with a wry grin.

"Jax I'm working here. You need to leave, now," she ordered.

Ignoring her order Jax set one of the steaming cups of coffee on the dash and opened the other cup, inhaling the rich aroma with a deep sigh, he took a sip. From the corner of his eye he saw the way her eyes had locked on the coffee, and barely managed to swallow the grin. He'd learned early on in business that if you wanted to get anywhere with hostile takeovers you needed to know your opponent's weaknesses. Coffee, good coffee, happened to be V's. "What are we looking for?" He asked conversationally.

Trying to ignore the coffee, V strove to hang on to her anger. "We are not doing anything I am on a stakeout, and you are leaving."

"I always wondered where they came up with the name stakeout." Ignoring her groan he took another sip and deliberately sighed.

"I don't know where they got the name," she retorted automatically. Was that Irish Crème or Bavarian roast? Working for and being with Jax had one definite benefit, she was able to feed her need for good coffee, without breaking her budget.

Knowing he was winning he decided to play his ace. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a wrapped piece of candy, the wrapping was distinctive even in the dark interior of the car and he heard her inhale sharply when she placed it. He slowly unwrapped the Butterscotch Truffle, and heard her sigh. He was keeping the Australian company The Chocolate Boutique busy with his frequent orders of Bonbonniere, in an attempt to make V happy. "So I ask again what are we looking for?" Jax asked.

No one could withstand the sight and smell of truffles and coffee. Giving in she snatched the truffle out of his hand before he could eat it and settled back in her seat. "The hotel manager remembers a lot more than he told the police. Like the fact Ted Wilson used to come here with a lot of different girls, and that he remembers seeing him the night Wilson disappeared." Stopping her story she sunk her teeth in the decadent chocolate and almost moaned.

He'd never been jealous of chocolate before he met her. Shaking the realization off he held out the extra cup of coffee to her. "He was here with a girl? That doesn't say much for his fiancée does it?"

"We don’t know for sure what was going on," V reminded him tartly her defense of a fellow police officer was so ingrained it came out naturally even though she was no longer a cop.

"Right," not wanting to fight he focused on the motel again. "Anything else?"

"Several things. Another guy showed up a little after Wilson, and apparently he comes to this hotel a lot as well. Alejandro wasn't extremely happy but he finally told me that the other guy spent a long time talking to someone in a Caddy before they disappeared around back, near the room that Wilson always rented," she shot him a grin. "You'll never guess who drives a Caddy pretty much everywhere he goes."

"Somehow I bet you're not talking about Luke Spencer." Jax replied sourly.

"No this Caddy was black not pink. Black like the one Sorel drives." V's smile was a brilliant flash of light in the dark car. "You want to hear what else I found out? It's pretty interesting."

~Dock's~

"Hey Emily," Lucky greeted her at after a minute but kept his focus on Spoon Island.

Rocking on the balls of her feet Emily looked at the island as well. "So what's going on?"

Lucky shrugged. "I was just thinking."

"About what?" Emily asked. He didn't look upset so that either meant that he hadn't seen Nikolas yet or he'd forgotten about it. Neither option was very appealing.

"Everything," he slanted a grin in her direction, "and nothing."

"That's helpful," she answered with a grin of her own. It was rare she saw him in this sort of playful mood, he used to be like this all the time, but that was before the fire.

Feeling unusually free at the moment Lucky moved quickly and picked her up spinning her around in a wide circle.

Unprepared for the move Emily gripped his shoulders in alarm. "Lucky put me down."

"Nope." Eager to tease Lucky spun her again this time faster than before. Emily let out a little screech, which he interpreted as a laugh and spun again. When someone yelled his name from behind them he almost dropped her in surprise.

Emily's heart was pounding when her feet finally found the ground again and almost instantly she found Nikolas by her side, pulling her further away from Lucky.

"Are you okay? He didn't hurt you did he?" Nikolas' eyes raked over her looking for injury while he demanded an answer.

"I'm fine. He just startled me." Emily answer was weak because she was still a little out of breath.

[JRK Archiver]

"Of course I didn't hurt her," Lucky sniped. "Jeez what is your problem?"

"You've hurt her before," Nikolas informed his brother icily.

"I've never hurt Emily, I would never hurt her." Lucky retorted, his anger fading into shock when Nikolas merely pushed the sleeves of Emily's shirt up exposing a series of angry looking bruises on her arms. "What happened?"

"Do you not remember doing this to her yesterday?" Nikolas asked. He hadn't planned on confronting Lucky this way, but when he'd heard Emily's scream all plans fell by the wayside.

"Nikolas," Emily tried to pulled her sleeves down.

"I-I did that?" Lucky stuttered, reaching out he took her hand to study the bruising on her wrist.

"Yes you did. You also scared the hell out of her yesterday afternoon, and again last night." Nikolas coolly took Emily's hand away from Lucky and shifted so he was between her and his brother.

A part of Lucky recognized Nikolas protective stance and that part of him recoiled. "You think I'll hurt her again, don't you?"

"I don't know what you will do Lucky and it's painfully obvious that you don't know either. So until you get yourself under control again I don't want you alone with either Emily, Elizabeth, or Lulu."

"Nikolas," Emily cried out sharply in protest, the pain on Lucky's face getting to her.

"And," Nikolas arched a brow in her direction. "Emily has agreed not to be alone with you either," he saw her flush and lower her eyes and turned back to his brother. "You need help Lucky."

Shaking his head Lucky tried to block the words but they filtered though anyway, and try as he might he couldn't banish the image of the Emily's bruises from his mind. He couldn't have done that. He would never hurt her, yet he remembered her stark white face the day before, he remembered her yelp in fear and pain, and the memories began to scare him.

"Lucky you attacked her. And if you add that fact to your blackouts and there is obviously something very wrong with you." Nikolas pressed.

Stepping back as if he'd been punched Lucky shifted his accusing glare on Emily. "You told him. You broke your promise and told him."

"Don't yell at her," Nikolas ordered. "She told me because she realized that you needed more help than she could give you."

"I'm fine." Lucky snarled "I know what I'm doing, I just seemed to have trusted the wrong people." When he saw Emily flinch he smirked.

"So you meant to put bruises on Emily and almost rape her yesterday?" Nikolas asked bluntly.

"Nikolas!" Emily smacked his back trying to get him to shut up. "It wasn't that bad."

Nikolas ignored her protest, his face remained locked on his brother. At his words Lucky seemed to close himself off and a strange look crossed his face. It was a look Nikolas had never seen before, but one look in the vacant eyes told Nikolas he never wanted to see it again. For the first time he finally let himself consider the fact that there was something seriously wrong with his brother.

Even the sight of Emily's bruises, and hearing her story, hadn't caused him this much concern. A part of him had believed that Lucky couldn't have changed that much. But now faced with the walking proof of that change, reality crashed into him hard. Lucky was in need of serious help.

Lucky could see the confusion and uncertainty on their faces and a part of him wanted to reassure them. He wanted to tell him that he was fine. But another part of him was feeling so incredibly angry that all he wanted to do was lash out at both of them. Emily for telling his secrets, and Nikolas for confronting him.

But then there was the voice in his head again. It was a voice he could never identify, but one he could never ignore. And it was telling him that he was never, ever supposed to hurt Nikolas. The voice won out, as it always did, his anger drained, and his expression cleared. Now when he saw the concern on their faces he knew what to say. "I'm sorry I hurt you Emily. I'm even sorrier that I scared you," his words were sincere, as was the look on his face.

"Its okay I know you didn't mean it." Emily was always quick to forgive.

"Still it shouldn't have happened and I promise it won't happen again," Lucky continued.

Slightly unnerved at Lucky's sudden calmness Nikolas refused to let his guard down and instead kept the pressure up. "What about the blackouts? Like the one you just seemed to have?"

"I didn't have a blackout," Lucky corrected him. "I was just trying to find the words, not to mention come to grips with the fact that I'd hurt my oldest friend."

"You're lyin … oww." Nikolas turned to glare at Emily when she stomped hard on his foot.

"What Nikolas means to say is that we both think you need to see a professional so we can find out what is causing these memory lapses, and your anger." Emily interjected.

"My anger?"

"Yes your anger. You never used to go around starting fights, sure you'd hit me for no reason every now and then, but I tend to think that was because I was special. But as a rule you never used to attack people." Nikolas pointed out sarcastically and earned another stomp on his foot from Emily.

"No doctors." Lucky immediately shook his head. The idea of seeing a doctor was enough to make him upset again.

Deliberately shifting out of Emily's range Nikolas kept his tone reasonable hoping to get through to his brother. "Lucky it's obvious that something is wrong with you. If I were honest I'd have to admit that it's been obvious ever since you first returned to town. Whenever it started, the fact remains I can't keep ignoring it anymore. You haven't been acting like yourself and it's more than just the fact that you were locked up for months. At times you act like a different person, and that person isn't someone any of us wants to know."

"Why do you say that?" Lucky immediately went on the defensive. "Is it because I'm saying things that you don't want to hear? Or is it because I'm saying things the your too afraid to say yourself. Like the fact that you're in love with and want Elizabeth."

Emily held her breath watching Nikolas closely to see his reaction to Lucky's taunt but Nikolas' expression never changed.

"You just proved my point Lucky," Nikolas answered calmly. "You never used to be deliberately taunting like that and you would have never disrespected Elizabeth like that. Something is going on with you and I'm not going to ignore that fact any longer."

Not liking where the conversation was heading Helena Cassadine chose that moment to make her presence known. "Nikolas I thought I recognized the delightful sound of your voice."

Nikolas didn't even try to keep the anger from his face when he faced his Grandmother. "Believe it or not Helena I am glad to see you."

His words caught her by surprise but Helena was too seasoned to show it. "I am flattered that the Prince is happy to see me. What can I do for you?"

"I need you to do me a favor." Nikolas moved closer and lowered his voice so the others wouldn't hear.

"I would do anything for you. You should know that by now."

"Good then tell me what you and Faison did to my brother," he demanded.

"Why must you always view me with suspicious eyes?" Helena asked. "I have tried to give you what it is you want. I knew how terribly you missed your brother so when I discovered he was alive I did everything I could to return him to you. I asked nothing from you in return, but perhaps a smile. Instead I received nothing but suspicion and second guessing as to my true motives."

"Wrong Helena I've always watched you with suspicious eyes, my uncle taught me that," he corrected her smoothly.

"Isn't it a pity about Stefan?" Skillfully she changed the subject and noted the way Nikolas' eyes grew shadowed at the mention of Stefan's name. The sight of that pleased her. "If he would have turned those suspicious eyes, as you call them, on the real threat to his safety he might still be alive. But he was too blinded by his misbegotten love of Laura to realize that death was stalking him in the form of Luke Spencer. Or perhaps it was Laura, after all, who did him in."

"Neither my mother not Luke killed my uncle, if he is in fact dead." Nikolas maintained some hope, and tried to swallow the grief and pain his uncle's disappearance caused. Instead he focused the conversation back on Lucky. "I want to thank you for proving my point about Lucky, Helena."

Confusion flittered briefly over Helena's features. "Whatever do you mean?"

"If Lucky were acting like himself he would have been all over you after those remarks about Laura and Luke. Even when they didn’t get along he still defended his family, especially to you." He turned to look at a pale-faced Lucky who was quietly listening. "The fact he didn't proves that either you or Faison did something to him," he turned back to her again. "And I want to know what it was."

"Lucky don't you have something to say to that?" Helena focused on the boy. "Nikolas seems to think I'm somehow controlling you, or some such nonsense."

Her voice prodded Lucky out of his trance and he glared at Nikolas. "So because I've decided that I'm tired of being punished because of what my parents did to me and lied about in the past, and I've decided to shut them out of my life. And because I've decided that I'm not in love with Elizabeth anymore and that I think she might make you happy, and you make her happy, that means I've lost my mind?"

Refusing, for once, to be put off by the anger, Nikolas merely shook his head. "I didn't say you've lost your mind. I said you need some help. You're losing time Lucky. You're hurting people, you can't control your temper. Those are the reasons why you need help."

Shaking in anger and ignoring the voice that was screaming in his head, Lucky stalked over to Nikolas. "I think you're the one who needs help Nikolas. And since you seem to think I'm dangerous to be around I better leave."

"Lucky wait," Emily hurried after him only to jerk to a halt when faced with the cold expression in his eyes when he turned on her.

"I trusted you Emily," Lucky whispered harshly. "Out of everyone in my life I chose to trust you and you betrayed me. Nikolas may be right. I may have changed, but so have you and it's not for the better. You've turned into a true Quartermaine Emily. And we all know what kind of lying, manipulative, and untrustworthy people they are,"

"Lucky!" Nikolas cried sharply.

Ignoring him and ignoring the tears in Emily's eyes Lucky turned around and disappeared into the night gloom of the docks.

"Well that was most unpleasant." Helena commented with a sly smile. Her smile faltered when Nikolas focused on her again. The expression on his face was one she'd never seen him wear before. But it was one that she'd seen before from both Stavros and Mikkos. The sight of it now, although a little unnerving, thrilled her. Nikolas was becoming a true Cassadine.

"If I find out that you had something to do with what is wrong with Lucky." Nikolas broke off, uncomfortable with the revenge minded thoughts filling his mind. "Emily I'll take you home, it looks like a storm is coming.

Nodding slowly Emily wiped at the tears and moved quietly when Nikolas took her arm. Lucky had looked at her with such a look of betrayal in his eyes that she knew she'd never forget it. They left the docks quietly neither one sparing Helena so much as a glance.

The placid expression remained on Helena's face until she was sure that Nikolas was gone. This wasn't working out the way it was supposed too. It seemed she had killed Faison before the indoctrination of Lucky Spencer had been completed. She loathed being wrong and loathed failure even more. If things didn't pick up soon she may be forced to concede her Lucky plan. She didn't like that idea, and if she had to do that the punishment would be severe and widely felt.

Maybe another trip to Brazil and the Doctor who had provided the drugs was in order. Turning to go back to her yacht she lost her breath when she came face to face with Luke Spencer.

Blowing a perfect smoke ring in her face Luke studied his foe. "Now that was an interesting conversation. But you know what? I prefer intimate ones. Kind of like the one you and I are about to have." Moving quickly, like the crafty fox he was, he took her arm and dragged her into the shadows.

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 14
~Penthouse 4~

Sonny merely stared at his attorney, his friend, the woman he was secretly in love with. There was no way her words meant, what they sounded like they meant, was there? Wondering if he needed his hearing checked Sonny stayed quiet.

“Did you hear me?” Alexis risked a glance in his direction. She hoped he understood because for some reason she didn’t want to say the words, he should marry Carly, aloud.

“I heard you, I guess I’m waiting for the punch line. You picked a hell of a time to try standup Alexis.”

“I’m sorry to say I’m not joking,” she said stiffly and paced away from him.

“You want me to marry Carly?” Sonny asked bluntly.

“I didn’t say that.” Turning around she was taken aback to realize that he was right behind her.

“You said a wife couldn’t be forced to testify against her husband. To me that sounds like you’re telling me to marry Carly in order to shut her up.”

His voice was soft-spoken, his eyes darker than she’d ever seen them and Alexis began to have trouble breathing for no particular reason. “I can’t advise you to circumvent the law.”

Noting the way her voice trembled and wondering the cause Sonny moved even closer. Her face turned a becoming shade of pink, her lips parted exhaling a rush of breath, and for the first time in a long time he felt like he had the upper hand with her. “Do you want me to marry Carly?”

“Of course not.” Hearing the breathlessness in her voice she wondered about the cause. Control. She was always in control. Except of course when she wasn’t, and this was rapidly turning into one of those moments.

“Then why did you suggest it?” Sonny asked and taking her by surprise he pulled the glasses off of her face.

Blinking once in surprise Alexis worked hard on maintaining a rational train of thought. “Why? Because I’m you’re attorney and am therefore bound to present to you all the legal options that are available to you. Both the realistic as well as the unrealistic … my hand where are you taking my hand?” Her thought was distracted when he took her hand and moved it to the side.

“Nowhere,” he replied easily, keeping a gentle hold on it. A hold she could easily break if she chose too, but she made no move in that direction. “Am I only a client to you Alexis?”

“No,” she answered automatically and when she felt his hand on her back she felt compelled to go on. “You’re also my friend. A fact that surprises me daily I have to admit.”

Drawing her nearer until their faces were only inches apart Sonny raised a brow in question and whispered against her lips. “A client and a friend is that all I am? Or is there more?”

His gaze remained steady on her face and the weight of those dark eyes seemed to compress upon her until she tried to answer his impossible question. “Sonny.”

The sight of those lips so close to her own, seemed to fill her view until the question of how they would feel against hers began to consume her. Giving up on words for the first time in her life, she instead chose to take action. Angling her head she moistened her lips in anticipation. She thought she saw a glimpse of relief in his eyes before her own lids drifted down and their lips met in a whisper of a caress.

“There’s no need to announce me. This is not your boss’ apartment it’s my fiancée’s. I have my own key and come and go as I please. So get out of my way.” The strident masculine voice came through the door startling both of them.

Regaining her senses Alexis quickly stepped back, out of Sonny’s hold, halting the contact between them. Smothering a curse Sonny backed off as well, turning his back on her and stalking towards the fireplace in an effort to regain control.

He had been so close. Alexis had kissed him, or it would have been a kiss if Ned hadn’t showed up. She was no doubt already rebuilding her formidable defenses and he wondered where that would leave him. It had taken him years to get close enough to even attempt kissing her. He hated to think it would be years before he got another chance. With a sigh he turned in time to see Ned Ashton walk into the penthouse.

Ned glared in his general direction before moving over to Alexis. “What the hell is he doing here?” He demanded then went on before she could answer. “Do you know his flunky wasn’t going to let me in here?”

Sonny shook his head in amazement at Ned’s actions. Ned had been away from the woman he was going to marry for more than two weeks and the first thing he did when he saw her, was not kiss her, that if it had been him a kiss that would still be going on. No, instead of kissing her, Ned tried to start a fight. His distaste for Ashton grew in that moment, and that was saying something considering their history.

“When are you going to get it through your head Corinthos that although Alexis, through some misguided sense of loyalty, has chosen to continue working for you, you do not control who she sees or doesn’t see,” Ned was warming to his tirade.

“I asked to meet with Sonny, Ned. We had some things to discuss regarding his case.” Alexis finally found her voice.

“Can’t that wait?” Ned finally focused on his fiancée and smiled slyly. “I’ve missed you,” he murmured moving closer.

Clenching his fists Sonny quickly realized it was time to leave. Either that or Ned was soon going to be wearing his fist imprints on his smug dimpled face. “We can finish our discussion tomorrow Alexis,” he informed her coolly moving for the door.

Refusing to meet his eyes Alexis nodded and followed Sonny to the door. Sonny made a special effort to brush against her when he reached for the doorknob. His efforts were rewarded with her sudden inhalation of breath and the air seemed to grow thick around them. Pleased that he’d made his point, that there was something going on between them, he opened the door. “Goodnight Alexis.”

“Goodnight Sonny,” she forced herself to meet his eyes and when her mouth dried up, immediately wished she hadn’t.

Ned moved up behind her, slipped an arm around her waist and drew her back against his chest, angling his head to nuzzle her neck. He didn’t even bother to say goodnight, he just slammed the door in Sonny’s face.

Sonny heard the words let me show you how much I missed you come out of Ned’s mouth and swallowed hard, trying to bury his jealousy, and turned to face his guard.

“Sorry boss,” Max rumbled sheepishly. “I tried to stop him.”

Shrugging his acceptance of the inevitable Sonny headed for his own penthouse. The image of what Ned was doing to Alexis, what she was allowing him to do to her, dogged his every step and turned his mood even fouler. He decided at the door the night was a good night to get drunk. Opening the door he moved directly to the wet bar determined to do just that.

“As long as you’re pouring, why don’t you pour me one as well?” Carly called from the sofa holding up her empty glass.

Sonny paused for half a minute then picked up the bottle and moved to join her on the couch. Maybe it was time to stop drinking alone.

~Jake’s~

Francis stopped just inside the entryway and scanned the crowded interior of the smoky bar. Thursday nights at Jake’s were dart league nights, so he wasn’t surprised to find the place packed. His superior height gave him an advantage and he used it to scan the patrons until he found his quarry, leaning against the bar. Eyes narrowing Francis moved in for the kill.

“It’s true there is nothing like the power a Harley gives you.” Johnny O’Brien moved a little closer to the blonde nurse whose name he had forgotten 20 seconds after she had uttered it. “What’s say you and I … Ow.”

Rearing back Johnny brought a hand to his now stinging ear and turned to glare at his best friend. “What the hell did you do that for?”

“Why didn’t you tell me that Jason was back in town?” Francis moved between Johnny and the blonde with a distracted excuse me.

“I didn’t realize I was your informer.” Johnny retorted mournfully when the blonde vacated the stool without a glance in his direction. His glare solidified when Francis took her now empty seat. “Why does it matter?”

“It matters because I ran into Elizabeth tonight and she asked my advice about some personal things, and because I thought she was talking about Lucky and I gave her some advice I wouldn’t have if I had known she was talking about Jason.” Francis began his complaint, each word flying into his intended target with the precision of a bullet. “So then we get to her studio and her door, her brand new door I might add, is open, and guess who is waiting for her?” He jeered the question and nodded when Johnny flinched. “You’re right it was Jason.”

Johnny’s mouth dropped open in surprise. That was the most he’d heard Francis ever say at one time unless he was reporting something to Sonny. Francis normally wasn’t as quiet as Jason, but he was pretty miserly with his words.

“So what do you have to say for yourself?” Francis demanded.

“Elizabeth asked you for advice about her love life?” Johnny picked the most innocuous part of the diatribe to pounce on. “The poor girl is more confused than I thought.”

Johnny was spared the pain of Francis’ fist in his jaw when Jake set beers in front of them.

“Here you go stranger. You looked like you need a drink.” The blonde bartender smiled warmly at Francis.

“Thanks, it’s on him,” Francis informed her smugly.

“Wait. Why is it on me?” Johnny demanded.

“You noticed the new door on Elizabeth’s studio didn’t you?” Francis asked. “Since Jason is back in town you know who must have finally convinced her to get a new door,” he smirked when Johnny grimaced into his beer. “I won the bet, therefore, you are buying, tonight.”

“Fine I’m buying,” Johnny agreed grumpily. Having seen Elizabeth withstand Sonny’s pressure to get a new door, he’d been confident she would withstand Jason’s advice as well. Shrugging off the depressing thought of his escalating bar tab Johnny reached for the bowl of popcorn and shifted the conversation back to interesting. “So what advice did you give her Dear Abby?”

Francis could feel the tips of his ears turning red and snarled, but his friend was unfazed. “She asked about when a guy was interested verses when he wasn’t.”

“So you told her that as long as a guy is breathing, he’s interested, right?” Johnny asked and opened his mouth to catch the piece of popcorn he’d lobbed in the air. He caught two more pieces before he realized Francis hadn’t answered him. “Tell me you didn’t.”

“I thought she was talking about Lucky.” Francis argued defensively. “She asked me what I would do if a woman kissed me out of the blue when I wasn’t interested in her that way. I thought she was talking about Lucky,” he reminded him when Johnny groaned. “I told her I’d probably kiss her back then let her down as gently as I could. So then we get to the studio and I see Jason waiting and realized she wasn’t talking about Lucky at all. A little advance warning would have been nice.”

“Francis you fucked up.” Johnny informed him succinctly before tossing another popcorn kernel high in the air.

“I know,” Francis finished off his beer in two swallows and signaled Jake for a refill.

“If it makes you feel any better I sort of messed up with her too, only I managed to cover it,” he finished smugly. The taunt reminded him of something and his expression turned serious. “If Elizabeth asks I collect postcards,” he made a mental note. “I really need to get some of those.”

“What did you do?”

“I kind of, maybe, sort of, let is slip out that Jason sent me a few postcards,” Johnny admitted reluctantly.

“Idiot,” Francis snapped and flicked Johnny behind the ear again, hard.

“Enough with the flicking,” he hissed. “How was I supposed to know he didn’t keep in touch with her?”

“How were you supposed to know?” Francis practically yelled the question. Aware of the eyes on them he deliberately lowered his voice before going on. “You were supposed to know because I told you after you got both postcards not to mention them to Elizabeth, because I knew she hadn’t gotten anything from him. That was how you were supposed to know.”

Johnny’s mouth worked but nothing came out. Shit he’d fucked up worse than he’d thought. “Jake,” he bellowed suddenly. “I need a boilermaker.”

“Make that two. And they’re on his tab.” Francis called out right after him and deliberately waited for Johnny to look away before he flicked Johnny’s ear again, causing him to groan in pain.

Tired of the pain that was being inflicted on him and aware that he had messed up Johnny thought it was only fair that his boss should be thrown to the wolves as well. “As bad as our mistakes were we got nothing on the boss.”

“Do I want to hear this?” Francis asked quietly, nodding in thanks when Jake set the shot glass in front of him.

“He told Elizabeth that Jason never once asked about her while he was gone.”

Groaning Francis downed his shot and reached for the beer chaser. “Sonny is a stupid man isn’t he?”

“Yep,” Johnny mimicked Francis’ movements and his lips puckered at the sudden infusion of hard alcohol. “The way I see it, if you take my mistake and add yours too it, our mistakes aren’t even half as bad as what Sonny did.”

“I agree,” Francis took another swallow of beer. “And if you add all three of us together it’s still not as bad as what Jason did, or should I say didn’t do, when it came to keeping in touch with Elizabeth.”

“You’re right it’s all Jason’s fault.” Pleased he’d passed the buck of the blame Johnny changed the subject. “I thought you were going fishing in Canada.”

“I did.”

“I thought so, but Manny swears he saw you in New York with some woman last weekend.” Johnny was too busy finishing his beer to note the way Francis had tensed at that pronouncement.

“Don’t look now but your being snaked,” Francis offered the distraction and Johnny immediately turned to look.

“Who?”

“The brunette by the jukebox. She’s been scooping you out since I got here.”

Johnny inventoried the petite, but stacked brunette and when she smiled at him he got to his feet. Habit had him straightening his shirt and running a hand through his hair to make sure it was presentable.

“Breath mint?” Francis asked dryly.

“Cute,” Johnny took a step away from the bar.

“No Johnny I’m serious. You want a breath mint,” Francis pointed out the obvious.

Narrowing a glare at his friend Johnny stepped back to the bar. “You’re just jealous because it looks like I won’t be alone tonight, while you will be, as usual,” he jeered and at the same time picked up a peppermint candy from the bar and popped it in his mouth. You could never be too careful.

Francis watched him leave with a shake of his head. He’d dodged another bullet.

~Studio~

Elizabeth kept herself busy by putting her clothes away and ignoring Jason’s one-sided phone call. Concentrating on evening her breathing and regaining control of her hormones were harder work than she’d thought. The temptation to yank the phone out of his hand and throw him on the bed, to take that kiss she’d thought she’d been about to receive, was strong.

But so too was the confusion over what she would do with him after she threw him down. He was older, more experienced, and gorgeous. What could he possibly want with an 18 almost 19 year old girl who was mentally still a virgin even if she wasn’t a physical one?

She felt her face flame and quickly moved inside the closet to hang up her shirts. She had to get a grip here. If Jason ever knew that he was starring in her fantasies she’d never be able to look him in the eye again. Muttering under her breath she emerged from the closet to pick up another load of clothes.

After her talk with Alexis this afternoon, she had been willing to take the chance and see if Jason could think of her as more than a bratty friend. Her talk with Sonny had soon ended that plan. If Jason had thought about her even half as often as she’d thought about him, these last 9 months, he would have made some effort to keep in touch with her.

One of the reasons she hadn’t moved, she could admit now, was because she wanted Jason to know where to find her. But now it had been pointed out to her, that not only had Jason not kept in touch with her, he hadn’t even bothered to ask about her. It seemed she ceased to exist for him the moment he left town.

So if you added all that up it meant that what she thought she saw in Jason’s eyes when he looked at her was nothing but wishful thinking on her part. Sad at the realization and out of clothes, Elizabeth moved slowly out of the closet. She’d get through this just like she got through everything in her life, with time.

Gnawing at her bottom lip she determined never to mention the kisses or the near kisses that seemed to exist only in her mind, to him. The last thing she ever wanted was to hear the you’re my friend but not that sort of friend speech from Jason. That was one mortification she knew she wouldn’t be able to live down.

Stealing a look at him through her lashes she saw he was still on the phone, and judging from the look on his face he wasn’t paying any attention to her. She decided to use that distraction to study him.

How had it happened? When did it happen? How had Jason suddenly shifted in her mind from good friend to potentially that much more, and more importantly how could she get him to shift back into just friend mode?

She didn’t want to lose his friendship. And the idea of pursuing him until he changed her mind, like she’d once done with Lucky, never seriously crossed her mind. Jason was a man, and as much as she hated to admit it, Lucky had been a boy. They were two totally different situations. It was a bitter pill for her to swallow, but she realized that she was more equipped to handle a boy than a man like Jason.

Moving to the window she lightly fingered the collection of dragons that were displayed there. A small part of her heart was screaming at her that she hadn’t misread the signs. That Jason had almost kissed her and that meant he had wanted to kiss her. It was scary how much she wanted to believe that voice, her Lizzie voice.

But what would happen between them if she risked it and she was wrong? Frustrated with her thoughts she flicked on the radio that was on her dresser. The song that drifted out had the misfortune of being the one she’d heard earlier.

Should I tell you how I feel?
Oh I want you to know,
But then again I don’t,
It’s so complicated.

“A hell of a lot you know,” she sniped angrily shutting off the radio before the singer could confuse her even more.

“What did you say?”

Jolting at Jason’s question she felt her face flame again. “I-I just really don’t like that song at the moment.”

“Oh,” Jason nodded and noted the way she was avoiding looking at him. He’d been noting a lot of things about her while he’d taken his call. Things like the way she’d entered the bathroom and washed her hands and face obliterating every trace of the ice cream. Then there was the way she had kept moving as if she were afraid to be still, and the way she’d been muttering to herself with every step she took.

He wasn’t sure what she was talking about, but when she’d emerged from the closet that final time, her face had looked so sad that he’d instinctively wanted to comfort her.

“So where were we?” Her eyes widened in mortification and she backtracked. “I mean what did you want to talk about?” Moving past him carefully she moved towards the couch and at the last second veered away from it to perch on the stool. Distance was what was called for. If she sat too close to him she might accidentally touch him, or the smell of his cologne might overwhelm her senses and there would be no telling what she would do in response. Nope distance was a good thing.

Settling on the couch Jason couldn’t help but wonder if he’d spooked her earlier with the ice cream. He knew he shouldn’t have pushed like that but the sight of her licking the ice cream had been too much for him to ignore and his baser needs had gotten the better of him. He’d had to touch her, he hadn’t planned on it, but instinct had taken over, and now he wondered if that lapse of control was going to haunt him. Realizing she was beginning to look nervous again he filled the silence.

“I didn’t know you knew Francis so well.”

“He’s a good friend,” she answered briefly. There was still no point in Jason knowing that she’d originally gotten to know Francis when he’d been assigned to her as a bodyguard.

“I know he is.” He felt the unfamiliar need to press her for answers about how they’d become friends and forced himself to bury it. There were more important things to talk to her about. “You seem to have a lot of new friends.”

“I don’t think so.”

“What about your friend Zander?” Jason kept a close eye on her knowing her reaction would be telling.

Paling, Elizabeth’s mind began to race. How did he know about Zander? What did he know about Zander? This could be bad. Forcing her hands to unclench she tried to remember how to lie. There was a time she’d been an expert at it, she just needed to tap into that history. Remembering Johnny’s observation she forced her eyes to his face and prepared to lie. Johnny, she realized in a flash, that was how he knew about Zander, Johnny, the little toad had squealed. “Zander’s Zander,” she offered finally.

Watching the various emotions cross her face had been interesting but they had passed far too quickly for him to fully name them. “Are you dating him?”

Elizabeth let out a laugh. “You know I’m not dating anyone.”

“Not even a guy who drugged you?”

[JRK Archiver]

“Drugged?” Elizabeth shot off the stool and despite her vow not too she turned her back on him while she lied. “I wasn’t drugged.”

For a large man he could move very softly when he wanted too. That trait had come in handy in his line of work on more than one occasion and he used that now. He moved up quietly behind Elizabeth and asked the next question. “Does Zander have something to do with what happened to Emily?”

Jolting in surprise at his close proximity her hip caught the stool she’d been sitting on and sent it crashing to the ground. Both of them ignored it. “W-what about Emily?”

Even with her back to him he could hear the nerves in her voice and knew he was close, if not right on target. “We had a long talk today.” Putting his hands on her shoulders he gently turned her around so he could see her face. He needed to see her eyes if this were going to work. “She told me what happened the night of the rave.”

Elizabeth’s eyes widened in disbelief, then relief, then shifted into confusion, then suspicion, before she lowered them. Her eyes were very telling to him.

“What did she tell you?” Elizabeth asked finally.

“She told me that Juan wanted to go to a rave, they had a fight, she saw him with another girl, so she started drinking and ended up getting high.”

Elizabeth nodded slowly trying not to give anything away, so she kept her answers short. “Yes that’s what happened.”

“She also told me that when she was high she left the rave with some guy and she doesn’t know who he was.”

“I’m glad she told you. I know you were probably supportive of her, she really needs that.” Jason’s phrasing of the statements and the fact that he was asking her who Zander was, finally penetrated. And she realized, that although Emily had obviously told him some things, she’d kept the most critical details to herself.

Moving quickly she got past him before he realized it and her eye focused on her answering machine for the first time. The solid red light greeted her. That meant Nikolas hadn’t called. Looking at her watch she realized that Nikolas had been thinking about her plans for almost 5 hours. She couldn’t tell if that was a good thing or a bad thing. She just knew if she didn’t hear from him soon she might have to tell Jason everything after all.

“Is Zander the man she left with?” Jason asked suddenly jolting her from her thoughts.

“No. But he was at the rave.”

“Is that where you met him?”

“Yes.” Her best bet at getting out of this was to keep her answers brief so that was exactly what she was going to do.

Tired with the evasions Jason decided to push. “You know I only want to help you and Emily don’t you?”

She could hear the frustration in his voice and had to harden her heart against it. “There’s nothing you can do. We have everything under control.”

“That’s not what you said yesterday,” he reminded her softly. Catching her elbow he turned her around again and bent slightly to look in her eyes. “Let me help you.”

“You can’t.” Ignoring the plea in his eyes was one of the hardest things she’d ever had to do. “We have everything under control.”

“You’re lying to me,” Jason accused her. “You were drugged so was Emily and something happened to you both. I can see that whatever happened is still going on that’s not control.”

Feeling the sting of his words she looked away. “Everything is fine.”

Backing off he scrubbed at his face in frustration. “Yesterday you wanted to tell me what was going on and tonight you don’t. Something happened to change your mind. Something made you decide not to trust me.”

“That’s not true. I trust you,” she cried immediately.

“You just don’t trust me enough to let me help you,” he said bitterly and when he saw her flinch he regretted the harsh tone.

“I told you before it’s not my secret to share,” she offered finally, hoping he’d let things go.

“I’m not going to stand by and watch the people I care about get hurt, not if I can help it. I’m not made that way. You and Emily have been hurt and you're still being hurt. I won’t let you push me out of this forever,” he warned her.

“Let me talk to Emily,” she offered an alternative.

Sighing in frustration he knew it was the best he was going to get. “When?”

“I’ll talk to her tomorrow. I have to work in the morning so give me until tomorrow night okay?” By then if Nikolas decided to go with her plan it would all be over. If he didn’t then they would need Jason’s help after all. She needed a day, hopefully she could stall him that long.

“And if Emily says not to tell me?”

She couldn’t help but deflate at that possibility. “Then I’ll probably tell you anyway and make her mad,” she answered sadly.

Hearing the bleakness in her voice he decided to back off and give her the day.

“Was there anything else? It’s getting late and I’m kind of tired.” Elizabeth moved towards the door hoping to get rid of him so she could call Nikolas. Either they went with her plan tonight, or they would either have to tell Jason or rely on Lucky’s plan. None of those alternatives were very appealing to her.

Trailing her to the door Jason felt the unfamiliar pangs of guilt when she opened the door. “Elizabeth I’m pressing because I care about you. You know that right? You’re my friend and I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

The smile that had formed when he’d first started speaking felt frozen to her face, yet she gave it anyway. It seemed that they moved from ‘there is no word for what I feel for you’ to just a friend, and she couldn’t help but be disappointed. “I know. I’ll see you sometime tomorrow.”

Jason moved out in the hall and before he could turn around the door closed behind him. Raising his hand to knock, the door opened slightly on its own, he was about to push it farther open when the phone rang. Changing his mind when that happened he gripped the handle to close the door, only to come up short when her words caught his attention.

“I’m glad you agree with me Nikolas. We’re really the only ones who can take care of this problem for everyone, before it gets totally insane, not that it isn't already.”

Jason’s hand dropped from the doorknob and he began to listen in earnest.

“No it has to be before tomorrow night. If we don’t do it before the rave, you know Lucky will expect us to follow his plan and that will be disaster,” Elizabeth reminded her friend.

Moving around her small kitchen area she began retrieving the items that she’d been stockpiling in anticipation of implementing her plan. “I’ll meet you on the docks.”

A noise caught her attention, distracted from her conversation she looked over and realized the door was open. Frowning she tucked the phone between her ear and shoulder and moved over to close it. “Right the docks.”

Jason moved to the side just as the door closed cutting off the rest of her words. Elizabeth was up to something with Nikolas and he had a feeling that whatever they were up too it wasn’t good. If she was determined to meet Nikolas on the docks he was just as determined she wouldn’t be there alone. He'd keep an eye on her and if it looked like things were getting out of control, then, he’d step in. She’d be angry, but he could live with her angry. What he couldn’t live with was her being hurt.

Decision made Jason moved down the hall and headed down the stairs towards the Wharf, he knew the perfect spot on the docks, where he could keep an eye out for the launch from Spoon Island.

~*~*~

“So did you leave the jag where I told you too off Pier 52?” Elizabeth pulled on her black pants and sat down to pull on her black sneaks. “No it has to be Pier 52, it’s the most isolated of all the docks. With what were doing we don’t want anyone to see us. Did you leave the key where I told you?”

Rolling her eyes at his reply she tugged a large piece of industrial plastic out from underneath her bed. “Nikolas I’m not going to drive your precious baby I’m just going to get the trunk ready.”

Her attention shifted to the window when a flash of light caught her eye. Hopefully it was just heat lightning. This would be harder to do if they had to fight the rain. Nikolas caught her attention again.

“Yes I’m sure Nikolas. We can’t let this drag on any longer. It’s time Ted Wilson was found,” she looked at her watch. “Are you ready? Oh Nikolas I almost forgot, where casual clothes. Clothes that you'd never wear in front of anyone." She rolled her eyes at his tone. "Just do it. I’ll see you in about 20 minutes.”

Hanging up the phone Elizabeth looked at the bag of supplies she’d been packing up, then took a look around her studio. What she was about to do was the biggest risk she’d ever undertaken. If something went wrong.

“Don’t think like that Elizabeth.” She ordered herself and picked up the bag. Flipping off the light switch she couldn’t help but take what she hoped wouldn’t be the final look at her studio. Closing the door she locked it with the new keys Jason had presented her and turned to head down the hall. She came to a stop a few paces later and shook her head in disgust.

Habit could be a bad thing, turning around she headed for the stairs on the backside of the building, the ones that would put her on Water’s Street, and close to where Nikolas had parked his car.

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 15


~Speedboat~

A flash of lightning lit the sky illuminating the dark and swirling water causing Nikolas to mutter a curse in Latin. Although he was often teased about his cultured upbringing he knew he was admired for the impressive and inventive curses that flowed out of him in several languages. But now wasn’t the time for praise. Now was the time to debate the wisdom of following Elizabeth’s potentially dangerous plan.

The approaching storm had brought a heavy wind with it stirring up the river into nothing but choppy, unpredictable water. Thanks to the wind, the spray the boats passing kicked up swirled back around hitting him in the face. At the moment the water was the least of his concerns. As scary as Elizabeth’s plan sounded it was nowhere near as stupid or dangerous as the one Lucky had come up with. For Lucky to believe that his plan would work only showed how wrong Lucky’s thinking had become. Lucky was behaving too irrationally to rely on, a fact, which had been reinforced to him tonight.

Slowing the Jag, Nikolas turned onto the long driveway that led to the Quartermaine mansion. Emily hadn’t said a word since she’d gotten in the car. He’d studied her during the drive home and noted, in the wake of the passing headlights, that she still had no color in her face. Lucky’s attack had stunned her and it seemed to have devastated her as well.

“You did the right thing Emily,” he went on when she remained quiet. “You were being Lucky’s friend, he’ll realize that.”

“I don’t think Lucky sees it that way.”

“He will,” he tried to reassure her. “What’s going on with Lucky is too much for you and him to figure out by yourselves. Lucky needs professional help, now he can get it.”

“He won’t go.”

“I’ll make him go.” Nikolas vowed it was a promise he intended to keep. Whatever had been done to Lucky had been done by Helena. That meant it was his responsibility to discover what she had done to his brother and get him the help he needed to return to normal. He would have helped Lucky regardless of who had done this to him, but the fact it was his Grandmother made it more personal to him.

“Even now, especially now,” Emily was saying. “No one makes Lucky do anything.”

“Luke will,” he pointed out. “He won’t give Lucky a choice in the matter. He’ll probably just kidnap him like he did before, he’s good at kidnapping people,” he remembered with a rueful smile as he brought the jag to a halt.

“They way he looked at me.” Emily started then quickly climbed from the car, leaving Nikolas to hurry after her.

He caught up with her before she reached the door and took her arm holding her in place. “Emily.”

“It’s just…” she hesitated. “Lucky’s always been my friend. From almost the first day I arrived in Port Charles he was my friend. We had problems at times with my drug addiction, his mom faking her death, the fight at the nurse’s ball, but through it all we were always friends.” She finally turned to look at him unshed tears glistening in her eyes. “Tonight was the first time he ever looked at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like he didn’t want to know me. Like he hated me.”

Nikolas drew her close when she started to cry. Lucky needed help and he wouldn’t get it while there were so many other problems to focus on. Elizabeth’s plan, the one he’d tried all evening to dismiss worried him, but at the same time it made sense. It was past time to do something to end this nightmare. They were the only ones who could pull this off. If they did it would be one less problem weighing on all of their minds and that would be a good thing. Decision made he waited for her tears to stop before stepping back. “Are you going to be okay?”

“Yeah,” came the watery reply. “I’m just going to go to bed and think about everything in the morning.”

“Call me if anything happens.” He made her promise then kissed her forehead in farewell.

The decision to go along with Elizabeth’s plan had been made a few hours ago, but now he was having second thoughts. Slowing the boat he took a look at the blanket wrapped body lying on the floor behind him. Would they be able to pull this off? He was beginning to have serious doubts. The boat crept forward until he spied a familiar figure waiting on the jetty. If he got the feeling they were in trouble or were going to get caught he’d made the decision that he would swallow his pride and call Jason for help. Ted Wilson’s family would have to suffer the agony of never knowing what happened to him, because there was no way he was going to let Emily or Elizabeth go to jail. Maneuvering the powerful boat slowly past the pylons he drew it abreast to the unfamiliar dock and tossed Elizabeth a line that she quickly secured.

After a minute of cautious study Elizabeth broke the silence. “I was afraid you changed your mind.”

“I considered it.” Nikolas admitted while climbing out of the boat.

“We don’t have another choice,” she touched his arm increasing the pressure until he focused on her. “You know that right?”

“I know. But that doesn’t mean I’m not tempted to weigh down the body and toss him in the middle of the river.”

“But you won’t will you?” Elizabeth asked even though she already knew the answer.

“No.” Determined to go through with the plan for as long as he could he looked around. “What now?”

“I swiped a wheelbarrow from ELQ Shipping it’s over there,” she pointed. “Before we can move the body to your car we need to do something first.”

Not liking her tone or her words Nikolas focused on her again and automatically took a small object she gave to him. “Rubber gloves?”

“Put them on. From now on we’re going to keep the latex gloves on. Put this on as well.” She held out a dark object that Nikolas took with some reluctance and even the seriousness of the situation couldn’t keep the smile from her face when she saw his expression.

“What is this?”

The smile widened at the regal tone she heard in his voice. “It’s a hairnet.”

“I am not wearing a hairnet,” he informed her sharply.

“Put it on, you don’t want any of your princely locks discovered with the body do you?” Elizabeth put on her own hairnet but Nikolas didn’t move. “Maybe you won’t need one, your hair looks kind of thin in places.”

Glaring at her he tossed the offending hairnet in the water. “I’ve moved the body a couple of times now, my hair could be all over it.”

“That’s why I had you take his clothes off,” she looked down at the blankets covering the body. “He is, I mean you did…”

“Yes I cut his clothes off, and yes I burned them,” he anticipated her next question. “What now?”

Stepping back to where she’d left her oversized bag she rummaged through it until she came up with the items she needed. Swallowing hard she made herself turn back to Nikolas. “We need to pour bleach over his hands, run a Q-tip under his nails then put these bags over his hands. Once we’ve done that we can move him to your car, I’ve already got the trunk lined with the industrial plastic I stole.”

“I am not bleaching his hands.” Nikolas stated firmly. Getting the body out of the freezer and out of his clothes had been sickening enough. He didn’t want to touch the body anymore than he had too.

“We have to Nikolas,” she tried to sound as firm as he did. “He might have skin, or trace evidence under his nails. Evidence that could lead back to Emily.”

“He’s been frozen for weeks I’m sure if there were any evidence it’s long gone.”

“We don’t know that for sure,” Elizabeth reminded him and saw him shake his head. Steeling herself she stepped onto the boat.

“What are you doing?” He was beside her in an instant.

“I don’t want to do this either Nikolas, but it has to be done.” Squatting beside the curled, and still frozen body she uncorked the lid on the bleach and reached a shaking hand toward the blanket.

“Elizabeth,” he stopped her hand with his own. “I’ll do it, you keep watch.”

Happy to oblige Elizabeth scurried from the boat. Sooner or later she was going to have to touch the body. But she was only too happy to wait for later. “Hurry Nikolas we need to get him out of here before the rain starts,” she urged when lightning lit the sky again.

“Anytime you want to change places I’m right here.” Nikolas retorted and went back to his curses. She was making him think of some new variations tonight.

~Bannister’s Wharf~

Lightning lit the sky illuminating the docks more than any collection of streetlights ever could. Jason looked up at the night sky, then down at his watch. What was keeping Elizabeth? It had been almost 45 minutes since he’d settled himself on the docks to watch for her and the launch from Spoon Island. So far he hadn’t seen either one. He was beginning to get the feeling that he’d missed her.

When the lightning came again he made his move. Leaving his cover he headed for her building. Within minutes he was in the hallway staring at her new door. He lifted his hand to knock only to lower it again immediately. What could he say if she was home? It was after midnight, what excuse could he give her for coming by so late? He had none but the truth so that would have to do. He knocked on the door, the sound loud in the deserted hallway yet he could hear no response from behind the door, so he knocked again.

“Elizabeth?” He called her name and waited a beat before pulling the key she’d insisted he keep from his pocket and unlocked the door. “Elizabeth,” he called again before turning on the light to confirm something he already knew. The apartment was empty, somehow he had missed her. Turning to leave his attention was caught by a collection of items on her table, items that hadn’t been there when he’d left her place earlier. Baggies, a box of Q-Tips, a two pack of bleach with one missing, they didn’t make sense. Perplexed he studied the items a moment longer before flipping off the light and closing the door. He needed to find Elizabeth and discover what she was up to.

~Penthouse 4~

The mood in the penthouse was mellow and that was an unusual occurrence. Ever since Carly had moved in, tension seemed to have taken up residence in the dark rooms. That tension had only increased when Carly had caused his arrest. But tonight, at least for the moment, the mood between them was easy and for that he was relieved.

He was still trying to come to grips with the legal solution that Alexis had come up with. Marry Carly and she couldn’t be forced to testify against him. Marry Carly and he wouldn’t be placed in a cage until the point he killed himself to escape. Marry Carly and lose the woman he loved. Marry Carly and be driven insane. There was no way he could go to prison and live. No way to marry Carly and not go mad. No way to send Carly away and be secure in the belief that she wouldn’t return before the statute of limitations ran out. Downing the rest of the scotch in a fluid movement he automatically refilled his glass. As far as he could tell he only had one legitimate way out of this mess.

“You don’t like me much do you?”

Surprised by her unexpected question he took a sip stalling for time.

“Do you?”

“I’m probably going to jail because of you,” he reminded her bitterly.

Carly flinched and it was her turn to refill her glass. “Haven’t you ever made a mistake? Or do you really believe you’re perfect?”

“I’ve made plenty of mistakes but that doesn’t change…”

“I was trying to help,” she interrupted. Maybe this time he’d hear her, maybe this time he’d finally understand she hadn’t meant to hurt him.

Sighing wearily Sonny rubbed at his eyes. “Your brand of help is probably going to cost me everything.”

Carly’s guilt increased with his words. Jason was back in town now, didn’t that mean that he would fix things for Sonny, fix her mess? Jason had been fixing her messes for years now, he had to be able to help. Sonny couldn’t go to jail because of something she caused. He just couldn’t.

“Can’t your uptight lawyer get you out of it? I figured the only reason you kept her around was for legal messes. Make her earn her keep, make Alexis fix things for you.”

“Alexis has told me something about the upcoming trial.”

“What’s that?” Carly shifted until she could see his eyes which were so dark at the moment they were like peering into an inky, bottomless well.

“Basically if you testify I go to jail,” he answered bluntly. “So one way or the other you can’t testify. That doesn’t leave me with very many options now does it?”

~Luke’s~

“Sit.” Luke ordered and gave Helena a not so friendly nudge into a chair.

“Really Luke your manners.” Helena tsked then frowned at the painting that hung on the far wall. Amused she turned to Luke. “Would you like me to autograph it?”

Luke turned to examine the nude portrait of a much younger Helena. “Why the rats don’t care. It’s merely a drinking test for my customers. If anyone says you look good I cut them off, bad for business to let the drunk drive.”

Though fuming at his insults Helena took care to keep her expression tranquil. “Why did you bring me here?”

Moving behind the counter Luke reached for the good stuff, poured three fingers worth of scotch then lit a cigar. “We needed to talk privately.”

“There are so many more amusing things one can do privately, why should we talk?” Helena moved to the other side of the bar to begin the game.

Recognizing the familiar look in her eye Luke knew the latest round had just begun. “I see the spawn got after you tonight.” He puffed a perfect smoke ring in her face. “Funny thing about bastards. Sooner or later they always turn on the bitch that raised them.”

The amusement vanished from her eyes. “Don’t you dare insult the Prince.”

“Prince?” Luke snorted. “Nah, he’s only a pup, although he had a glimmer of his father in him tonight, but unlike Stavros his hatred is only pointed at you.”

Helena was pleased enough by his words that she let the worse of her temper go. Luke, her beloved son’s worst enemy had seen the same thing she had tonight, that Nikolas was like his father. Now that Stefan was dead, she would be able to harness the boy without his interference, she would teach him what it meant to be a true Cassadine Prince. But for now there was Luke to deal with, and she had the Ace in her control. “Poor Luke it appears you’re still jealous.”

“What is your demented brain thinking now?”

“You’re jealous that I was able to give Laura something you couldn’t,” she leaned closer until their faces were inches apart. “I brought her precious Lucky home to her.”

Luke noted the gleam in her eye. It was the same one she always got whenever she said Lucky’s name and he didn’t like it. The gleam was a puzzle he needed to work out, he’d always liked puzzles. “You were able to bring him back because you and Fu Manchu, were the ones who took him in the first place.” When Helena laughed in his face, he snapped. “What did you do to my son?

“All I did was bring him back to Port Charles. It’s not my fault he didn’t want to return to the farce you call a family.”

“I’ll find out Helena.” Luke warned her calmly and knowing her fears he played on them. “You’ll either tell me willingly or I’ll make you tell me.”

“Threats? Really Luke I hate it when you become mundane.” Turning she moved back to the small table to retrieve her purse. “As inventive as your threats will no doubt be, I imagine I’ve heard them all before.”

“I’ll take Nikolas the spawn of Satan you say you are devoted to and I’ll test your devotion. How many fingers will you let him lose before you finally tell me what I want to know?” Luke offered the words with no emotion, like he was ordering from a menu and that made the effect that more chilling.

“Or maybe I’ll look of Dr. Medira. You remember him don’t you? The Doctor with the talent for drugs and herbs?” Even with her back to him he could see her flinch. “He’s the one that kept you in a drugged stupor for years all the while convincing everyone you had a stroke. Really Helena that should have been your first clue that something was wrong in Whoville, after all you don’t have a heart.”

The words pelted her like darts and she tasted the fear only Luke could bring out in her. The fear had come at the mention of Dr. Medira. She hadn’t been able to find him after her recovery, she hadn’t been able to punish him properly for his treachery. But she would. One day she would have her revenge on the man who conspired with her son against her. The evening was turning uncomfortable and she was eager to divest herself of everything Spencer.

“Or.” He leveled a handgun at her when she turned back to the bar. “I could just kill you now and figure out what you did to Lucky later. Last chance Helena, what did you do to my son?”

“The only thing I did was bring Lucky back and subject him to more of your arrogance and Laura’s whining,” she replied easily.

“Wrong answer.” Luke snapped and pulled the trigger.

~Kelly’s~

Once Lucky left Kelly’s he was unsure of where to go next. Lately when he’d felt lost or confused he’d gone to Emily, but he’d never be able to go to her again. She had betrayed him. He had trusted her and she had betrayed him. She had told Nikolas that he was having problems. He couldn’t help being disappointed in her. He was her best friend. He was her oldest friend. How could she have chosen Nikolas over him?

The crush she’d once had on the Prince was long gone so why did she trust Nikolas more than him? The image of bruises on her arms, bruises he’d placed on her arms came back to haunt him and he tried to shake it away. He hadn’t meant to hurt her. He would never physically hurt any woman, especially not Emily, and yet he had made the bruises. This time the image he saw was the fear on her face when he wouldn’t let her go. The memory of that fear was like a punch to the gut.

Maybe Nikolas was right. Maybe he did need help. What was going on with him? He didn’t know for sure but whatever he was doing wasn’t right. He needed help and in the end there was only person he could trust to help him. Only one person who had never let him down, one person who had already helped him so much.

Telling Elizabeth was what he had to do. Once the decision was made a weight seemed to come off of his shoulders and he hurried for her studio. He would find Elizabeth and tell her what was going on with him and she would help him the way she always had. The more he thought about it the more he believed that once he told her his problem would vanish. Their love had always saved each other in the past, it only made sense it would do so now. Jason didn’t stand a chance when it came to him and Elizabeth, neither did his problem. He had to find Elizabeth and he had to find her tonight.

~Jake’s~

“What the hell were you thinking putting your bra in my bag?” Francis demanded of the woman on the other end of the phone. “Do you even care what I would be in for if the wrong person found it? Are you trying to be cruel?”

Listening to her reply he kept a watchful eye on the table that Johnny was at. As long as Johnny was hitting on the brunette his phone call should go unnoticed. “Don’t do it again.” Francis warned her an instant before the dial tone sounded in his ear. He was in for it now.

He’d started to hang up the phone when the hair on the back of his neck rose, shifting casually he kept the phone to his ear and turned towards the back door to see who had just entered. Roscoe. Francis recognized Sorel’s right hand man immediately and hunched over the payphone trying to obscure his face. He needn’t have worried about Roscoe spotting him. The man was obviously distracted, his attention split between the bar and the cellphone pressed to his ear.

“No I haven’t found Zander Smith anywhere.” Roscoe was saying into the phone.

The name wasn’t one he was familiar with but Francis automatically filed it away for future reference.

“No one has seen Smith since earlier when we had our conversation with him about the Webber girl and Sorel’s plans for her.” Roscoe paused to listen unaware of the keen interest of the man he was sharing the hall with. “Yeah I checked the alley the only thing I found was a blood trail.”

When Roscoe shifted Francis did as well, hoping that man would keep talking.

“Yeah I went by the Webber girl’s place, no one was home … I couldn’t … because she has a new door with new locks.” Roscoe snapped and waited. “I’m heading there next. We better find Smith the boss won’t like it if we don’t, he has a lot of plans for the girl.” Closing the phone he turned and headed for the back door only to veer in the bathroom at the last second.

Francis wasted no time in hurrying into the bar and Johnny. “We’re leaving” He announced his intention by yanking Johnny to his feet.

“Knock it off Francis,” Johnny wrenched his arm free. “Just because you choose to live like a monk doesn’t mean I have to, I’ve got plans.”

“Your plans are about to walk out the back door,” Francis snapped.

Johnny automatically checked the back hallway and groaned. “You know we can’t play bash Sorel’s goons heads in anymore, Sonny’s getting tired of having Alexis get us out of trouble.”

“I don’t want to beat him up … yet. We’re following him.” Without waiting for Johnny’s reply he headed for the back door to follow Roscoe.

“Shit,” Johnny looked mournfully at the brunette he’d just convinced to take a ride with him. “Rain check?” He gave her his most winning smile. Getting to her feet the brunette gave a loud snort and walked away without a look back. “Francis this better be good,” he took another second to watch her walk away before sprinting for the door.

He made it to the mouth of the alley in time to dive for the car as Francis slowed, but did not stop, next to him. His lower legs and feet were drug over the graveled drive for several yards before he finally got them in the car. “Damn I just bought these jeans.” His attention shifted from the rip on the cuff of his jeans to his best friend. “What the hell are we doing?”

“Tell me about Zander Smith. Tell me what is connection to Sorel is,” Francis ordered while keeping his focus on the taillights of the car they were following. “And more importantly tell me what Smith has to do with Elizabeth.”

“Smith’s tied in with Sorel?” Johnny asked. “That’s bad.”

“You think?” Francis snapped.

~Docks~

Jason had moved from frustration into concern. He couldn’t find either Elizabeth or Nikolas. Cassadine’s Jag hadn’t been parked in his usual spot, and a careful call to Emily confirmed she hadn’t seen Elizabeth since the afternoon, and Nikolas for hours. He had a feeling he’d made her curious but that had been unavoidable. Elizabeth was up to something and the longer he couldn’t find her the more worried he became about whatever her plan was. From what he’d found out during the course of the day whatever problem Emily and the others had it was a dangerous one.

“I was wondering when I’d run into you Morgan.”