I Want to Be Free by liasonfan75

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 22

Emily licked her lips as Johnny let Emily in. Her gaze met Elizabeth’s. “Hi.”

“Hi.” Elizabeth whispered as she stood up from the couch. Elizabeth hadn’t seen Emily in a week and half. Today had also been the first day that she noticed that she needed to wear a bigger size pants, though she knew she should have been wearing them a while ago. Today everyone would look at her and know, or so Elizabeth thought.

This morning she looked at herself in the mirror. She turned to the left and rubbed her stomach. She was getting bigger; she knew that it was supposed to happen, but that didn’t make it any less painful for her. Painful that her baby’s father didn’t want anything to do with her. Painful that no matter how much she wanted it, she would never be in a relationship. Her rape ruined everything for her.

Jason Morgan had been good for her. He let her heal alone when she wanted to be alone. He held her when she needed to be held. He let her cry when she needed to cry. He always knew what she wanted.

“Elizabeth, I just wanted you to know that I tried to stop your sister.” Emily started as she came closer.

“I know that, Em.” Elizabeth sighed as Emily sat down. “My sister thinks the way she wants. I just don’t want my gram to find me yet.”

“Why? Because of the baby? Is she trying to make you give it up?”

“No. No, not because of my baby.” Elizabeth whispered as she rubbed her stomach. “I can’t be around her right now because she thinks the worst of me. She may not say it, but I know that she doesn’t like me or my choices. But I thought that I loved Taylor. I thought that I was doing something that I would never regret. But I turned out to be wrong. Everything changed that night. I didn’t know, but that all changed anyway.”

“Elizabeth, you don’t have to regret the things that have happened.”

“Emily, I moved here because my parents found out I was pregnant. I had to graduate early because my gram didn’t want anyone finding out about the baby. I went to that dance –”

“Where is this going?”

Elizabeth stared at Emily for a second. “The night of the school dance I was raped.”

“Oh my God.” Emily whispered as she slowly covered her mouth.

“Jason found me. He picked me up and took care of me.”

“That’s why you’re living here, right? Because you don’t want you’re grandmother finding out about what happened?”

“That’s part of it. The other part is that I didn’t want my gram fussing over me and I didn’t want my Gram telling me that I couldn’t take care of my baby.”

“Oh God, Elizabeth that must have been so horrible for you.”

“Yeah, it was. I could even leave the penthouse for a week. I was more scared about my baby than I was about anything else. I couldn’t believe that it was happening, you know. What was happening really could not be happening.”

“I’m so sorry, Elizabeth. Is that why you had those dreams?”

“Yeah. I still do. But Jason is there most of the time. But I’m getting better, I think. Now, I’m just angry. I’m angry at Taylor, I’m angry at the man who raped me, and I’m angry at my gram.” She sighed. “But I’m okay. I need to think about my baby.”

“That’s good, Liz.”

“Yeah. I think I’m getting to the point that I might think I’m a good mother.”

Emily smiled. “I still can’t believe that Sarah would say stuff like that.”

“Yeah, well, Sarah has never really liked me.”

The door opened and Jason came into the room. “Emily. Hey.” He pulled off his leather jacket and laid it over the back off the leather chair.

“Hey Jason.” Emily answered. “I was just going to invite Elizabeth to have lunch with me at Kelly’s. Do you want to come?”

“No. That’s okay. Are you sure you want to go back there?” Jason asked Elizabeth.

“Yeah. I do. You don’t want to come?” Elizabeth asked. She got up from the couch and stood next to Jason.

“Yeah, I have to go see Sonny.” Jason stated. “But I’ll see you later. I want you to take Reynaldo with you okay?”

“Yeah. Okay.” Elizabeth smiled as she gave him a hug. “I’ll see you later.”

Elizabeth gathered up her coat and followed Emily out of the penthouse.

Jason sighed as he picked up the phone. “Hey, it’s me.”

“Mr. Morgan.”

“Yeah, I need you to make the arrangements.”

“Sure, Mr. Morgan.”

“See that it’s done right. No mistakes. You should be here by tomorrow afternoon.”

“Yes sir.”

Jason clicked the phone off and left the penthouse. Sonny didn’t seem surprised to see him as he walked into the penthouse.

“We need to take care of Moreno’s men. They are getting messing since their boss isn’t there to pull back the reins.” Jason said. “I don’t what anything to happen, Sonny. I’m bringing back Michael.”

“Are you sure that’s wise?”

“It’s not just Michael that I have to worry about now.”

“Elizabeth and her baby?”

“She shouldn’t go through anything else, Sonny. She’s been through too much already. I don’t want her to get in the middle of our business.”

“I can have someone send a message to Moreno’s men. They have been trying to push drugs into the city. They have to learn that can’t happen.”

“Do you want me to take care of it?” Jason asked.

“No. I want you to be with Michael right now. I know that you’ve missed him. I know that you have to watch out for Elizabeth now too.”

“Elizabeth is actually getting better.”

“That’s good. How is her baby?”

“Growing. She hasn’t said anything, but I can tell. She’s only about four months.”

“Is she going to the doctor?”

Jason nodded. “She made an appointment for two weeks from now.”

“Are you getting attached?”

Jason was silent for a moment. “You know, I don’t want to be. I don’t want to think about Carly when I look at Elizabeth, but I can’t help it. But yeah, I care about what happens to her. I don’t want it to be like Carly, Sonny. That’s why I’m telling her to go to the doctor so much. Even though I know she hates it.”

“I just don’t want you to go though that again, man.”

“I know. But it’s happening.”

At Kelly’s, Elizabeth sighed as she glanced around for Sarah.

“A breath of relief for not seeing Sarah?” Emily asked as she rose an eyebrow.

“Can you blame me?”

“No, not really.”

“Hello ladies.” Lucky said as he took a sit between Emily and Elizabeth.

Elizabeth turned pale and felt her stomach turn.

“Hey Lucky. You met Liz right?”

“Yeah, I did. You were in here with Jason, right?”

Elizabeth nodded and shaky tucked her hair behind her ears.

“Are you okay?” Lucky asked.

“Yeah, umm, I have to go to the restroom. I’ll be back in a minute.” She quickly got up from the table almost ran to the restroom.

“Is she okay?” Lucky asked.

“Yeah, she’s just getting over the flu.”

Elizabeth took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself so that she wouldn’t throw up. She splashed water on her face and gazed at herself in the mirror. Her face was white and that made the ugly bags under her eyes show even more. She turned to the left and rubbed her stomach.

“I’m growing every second.” She whispered to herself. Elizabeth sighed as she left the bathroom and headed toward the table.

When she sat down again and gave Lucky a nervous glance. “Sorry about that.”

“Emily said that you were just getting over the flu.”

“Yeah, well, this flu is going to last a little longer.” She paused. “I’m going to have a baby in about five months.”

“Oh. Well, congratulations.” He paused. “I’m happy for you and Jason.”

Elizabeth opened her mouth in shock. “Jason is just my friend. He’s not the father of my baby.” Elizabeth said as she frowned.

“I’m sorry. You know, sometimes my foot likes to live in my mouth. You know, I say things I really shouldn’t.”

“It’s okay, really.”

“No. It’s not. I’m really sorry.” Lucky said as he reached for her hand.

Elizabeth pulled back quickly and sat back in her chair, her hands going under the table and over her stomach.

Lucky remained quite and glanced at Emily. Emily sighed and didn’t meet Lucky’s gaze. Emily knew that if she did meet Lucky’s stare then she might give something way. She didn’t want to do that, not when she just got Elizabeth to trust her with her deepest secret.

“Let’s get something to eat, okay?” Emily suggested.

“That sounds good. Is chili okay?” Lucky asked as he got up.

“That sounds good. Elizabeth?” Emily looked at her friend.

Elizabeth glanced at Emily then Lucky and nodded.

“Okay. A couple of sodas and chili coming up. I’ll be right back.”

A knock came on the penthouse door, the door opened and Max’s body came into view. “Mr. Morgan. A young man is here to see Mss. Webber.”

“Who?” Jason asked as he dropped the file on the coffee table and walked to the doorway.

In the hall, a young man, Jason would guess late teens or early twenties; with long hair halfway down his back that was put back in a braid. He stood as tall as Jason, but Jason could tell that this young man wasn’t has in shape. He was wearing a baggie coat and shirt, the shirt tucked into the fitting jeans. He, whomever he was, was skinny. He had his hands stuffed into his front pockets.

“Who are you?” Jason asked as he came into the hall and closed the door. He folded his arms over his chest and stared at the young man.

“Uh, is Lizzie here?” The young man’s green eyes fixing on the wall above Jason’s shoulder.

“No, Elizabeth is out. Who the hell are you?”

“Can you tell her that Taylor is looking for her?” He asked as he met Jason’s eyes.

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 23

Jason unfolded his arms as anger flamed up. He grabbed the young man by the back of the coat. Shoving him up against the wall, pushing his face into the wall, Jason shouted, “Where have you been?” He didn’t wait for an answer before he pushed open the door to the penthouse and shoved Taylor inside.

“Look, I can explain –”

“I don’t want excuses. Why didn’t you call her back when she called you? And how did you find her here?” Jason asked as he slammed the penthouse door closed. He grabbed Taylor by the front of his shirt.

“I thought that she wanted a relationship. I thought that if I didn’t call her back that she would back off. I thought that she did until I got a call from her sister a week ago. I don’t even know how Sarah found out about Lizzie and I or my number for that matter. But she told me that Lizzie was pregnant and she thought that it was my baby.”

“It’s Elizabeth’s baby.” Jason whispered coldly.

“Right.” Taylor slowly licked his lips. “Well, Sarah said something about her living with the mob and that I should come to Port Charles before Lizzie really didn’t something stupid.”

“That still doesn’t explain how you found her.” Jason said.

“I just asked a few people if they knew where you lived. That’s it. Look, I don’t know what you think that you are doing with Lizzie, but you’re not going to keep my child away from me.”

Jason was hit with a sense of déjà vu. “That baby is Elizabeth's. It’s in her. You used her for sex and than just left her. Why should you even see that baby?”

“Lizzie and I have this thing, and you may not understand it, but I do. She needs me like air. Did she tell you that she had a crush on me? For two years she followed me around like a puppy. And I guess if I opened my eyes and actually saw her, I could have had her long before now.” Taylor saw Jason’s jaw twitch. “You can’t have my kid.”

“That baby is Elizabeth’s!” Jason yelled. “You already got to have sex with her! She loved you, and you used her.”

“She didn’t even tell me about the baby!”

“Why should that matter? She tried to call you and you ignored her. She tried to tell you, but you didn’t even call her back.”

Taylor’s face turned red. “I will raise my baby!”

“You’ve said that. I already told you, that baby belongs with its mother. Now, if you want to see Elizabeth and you and she can work something out, but right now she’s not here. And I don’t want you in my house. Get out.” Jason’s voice turned cold at the last few words and he let go of Taylor’s shirt, giving him a push toward the door.

Taylor shot Jason a glare and turned to leave, but the door was thrown open and Elizabeth and Emily came running inside.

“Jason, you won’t believe it, the –” Elizabeth stopped as her eyes settled on the scene. Her face turned white and than red. “What are you doing here?” She whispered as she came closer.

“Lizzie I heard what happened and I just wanted to –” Taylor stepped closer.

“Don’t!” Elizabeth shouted as she took several steps back before running into Emily. “Don’t come near me.”

“Lizzie, you aren’t being fair! That’s my baby.”

“No! No, it’s not.” Elizabeth said as she shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. “This baby,” she whispered as she but her hand on her stomach “is my baby. It’s mine!” She screamed. “Do you hear me?”

“Lizzie, baby, this can’t be good for you.” Taylor started.

“Leave me the hell alone!” Elizabeth screamed. “I don’t want you near me. Get away from me.” She whispered as the tears fell from her eyes. “Just get away from me.”

“You don’t mean that.” Taylor said.

“That’s enough.” Jason said as he pushed Taylor toward the open door that Elizabeth and Emily left open. “I don’t want you to come back here.”

“You can’t keep me from my child.” Taylor stated.

“The hell I can’t.” Jason whispered dangerously. He turned toward Max. “I want you to see that everyone knows that he is not welcome here or anywhere near Elizabeth.”

“Yes, sir.” Max said with a nod.

Jason glanced at Reynaldo. “Where there any problems?”

“No.”

“Good. Max, I want you the take him down to the lobby, make sure he finds his way out.” Jason shut the door and turned to Elizabeth and Emily.

“Oh God, he wants to take my baby.” Elizabeth whispered.

“He’s not going to.” Jason promised.

“But Jason, what if he tells my grandmother where I am?” She paused. “How did he find me?”

Jason sighed as he sat down on the corner of his desk and glanced up at Elizabeth. “Your sister called him.”

“Goddamnit!” Elizabeth yelled. Running her hand through her hair she whispered, “I can’t let him take my baby, Jason.”

“He’s not going anywhere near your baby, Elizabeth. I’ll make sure of that.”

“I can’t believe I’m doing this to you.” She whispered as she sat down on the couch.

“You aren’t doing anything.” Emily said as she followed Elizabeth to the couch.

“I’m going to take care of this.” Jason said.

“I can’t let you do that.” Elizabeth said as she stood. “I can’t let you take care of this mess, Jason. I have to.”

“What?”

“I’m going to take care of this.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ll see.” She said as she crossed the living room and ran up the stairs.

Jason glanced at his sister and she shrugged. Jason sighed and followed Elizabeth.

He pushed open the door to her room and saw her shoving clothes into a bag. “What are you doing?” He asked as he came closer.

Elizabeth glanced at him before returning to shoving clothes into the bag. “I have to go.”

“Go? Go where?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why are you running?”

“Because I don’t know what else to do, Jason.” She paused as she faced him, clinging to a white t-shirt. “I don’t want Taylor near my baby. I don’t want you to have to go though this again. This is what happened with Michael, right? You and you brother played tug-of-war until it came out that the baby has your blood-type, right?”

Jason stayed silent.

“Well, my baby is going to be born with that bastard’s DNA and there is nothing that I can do about it. And I can’t tell you how much it scares me that I have to give my baby to him. So,” she sniffed and shoved the white t-shirt into the bag, “I’m not going to be here for him to come after my kid.”

“Elizabeth, you’re seventeen. You’re four months pregnant and have already had problems with the baby. I’m not trying to tell you what to do because I think people should live the way they want. But please, don’t do this.”

“How are you going to fix it, Jason?” Elizabeth asked as she turned to face him. Her eyes blaring with anger. “Are you going to take care of him too, like you did my rapist?”

“Elizabeth –”

“You should have told me!” she shouted. “You should have given me the chance to face him! God, I wanted to hear him say it!” Her face crumbled and she dragged her hand across her face. “You killed him without telling me that you found him.”

“Wait, is this really why you’re trying to leave? Are you mad at me?”

Elizabeth scoffed, “No, Jason, I’m not mad at you! I mad at this whole thing! I’m mad at the fact that shit keeps happening and I can’t seem to get away! And every time that something seems to be getting better, something else happens.”

“Elizabeth, I’m not going to let them near you.” Jason promised as he stepped closer to her.

“Are you going to stop my gram? Are you going to pull a gun on her? Because she is the next one to come, Jason. She’s going to put up a fight, too. Once she realizes that Taylor wants to keep my baby, she’s going to side with him. And God-forbid if they find out about the rape! I won’t be fit to raise my child!”

“I’m not good at thinking about things that could happen, Elizabeth. I guess that’s why I didn’t think about your feelings about Tom Baker.” He saw her flinch. “But you have to fight for your baby. It needs you.”

“I know that.”

“Then stay.” He said as he reached for her hand.

"I can't."



Chapter 24

“Why?” Jason asked. His hand made contact with hers and he tightened his gasp.

“Because it’s going to be a war, Jason. And I can’t put you in the middle of it. It’s better if I just leave you alone. It’s better if I just go.”

“I want you the listen to me, Elizabeth. I can take care of myself and Michael. I know how to handle things without anyone getting hurt. Taylor Johns is not going to take your baby.”

“But what if I die like Carly, who is going to take care of my baby? I can’t let you take my baby too. That’s not fair.” Elizabeth sighed. “Carly choose you for her baby’s father and you knew her for two years, didn’t you? She was your best friend. You barely know me, Jason.”

“I don’t care.” He tucked a piece of hair behind her right ear. “Elizabeth, you need me. Please, just let me help you.”

“You can’t help me.”

“Why?’

“Because for once Jason, I’m going to help me.”

“Okay. If you want it that way.” Jason said as he took a step back.

Elizabeth tilted her chin, “I – I –” She paused to run her hand through her hair. “I don’t want to dump everything on you.”

“Elizabeth, in case you’ve missed it, I’m offering to help you. You’re not forcing me to do anything. Running isn’t going to fix this. Running is not going to make this go away. You have to face this.”

“I know. But I’m so scared.”

“I know.” He ran his hand over her cheek again and pulled her into a hug. She buried her face in her hands as she lean into his chest and started to sob. Jason ran his hand through her hair as the other one ran down her back.

“I’m so tried. I’m so sick and tried of crying.” She whispered.

“I know.” He whispered back into her ear. He pulled back and stared down at her. “Running is never an answer, Elizabeth,” He paused. “I know people who have tried that; it never works. They always seem to come back.” He ran his thumb under her eyes.

“What do you think I should do than?” She asked.

“Fight.”

“Yeah, well, I wonder what my gram is going to say when Taylor runs off to tell her. She’s going to drag me away, Jason. I don’t turn eighteen until November.”

“We’ll find a way.”

“But the only way is to run, Jason.” She turned around in his arms and sighed.

“You don’t have to do that.” He whispered. “I don’t want anything to happen to you, Elizabeth. Please, don’t leave. Don’t do this.”

“Why? Why do you care so much?” She asked as she gazed at him over her shoulder.

“I just want to help you.”

“Is that all? You just want to me? Help me and my baby? Do you always ride up on your motorcycle and rescue women in need?”

“I’m just trying to help. I don’t want to save people, Elizabeth. They can’t save themselves. But I do try and help people who really need it.”

“And I really need it?” She asked as she ripped his arms from her body. She turned to face him. “‘Poor little Lizzie, she got knocked up by a guy she didn’t even really know.’ And ‘Poor Elizabeth, she got grabbed in the park by some bastard.’ Well, you know what, Jason? I really –”

“Whoa, I didn’t mean to make you mad, Elizabeth. I just don’t want you to leave. I want you to stay and fight for you baby.”

“Do you promise to let me do it my way?”

“As long as you don’t hurt someone or run.” Jason said.

“Okay, good.” She paused. “Now, we need to make a plan before my grandmother gets here. Which should tomorrow.” She glanced at him. “You didn’t tell Taylor about my rape did you?”

“No. I haven’t told anyone but Sonny.”

“Okay, good.”

“Elizabeth, I should tell you something.”

“What?”

“Michael is coming back.”

“When?”

“Tomorrow.”

Elizabeth’s face light up, “Oh, that’s perfect! That makes my plan even better.”

“Plan? Elizabeth, I don’t know about this, Carly was always making up some plan and they never turned out very good.”

“I’m not Carly. Do you want to hear the plan?”

Jason sighed and nodded.

“Okay, good. Umm, first we have to convince my gram that we – me and the baby – are okay here. She never really wanted me with her in the first place; especially since she found out about the baby.” She paused; quickly she grabbed Jason’s hand and pressed it to her stomach. “You feel that?”

Jason smiled, “It kicked.” His eyes moved toward her stomach.

“Yeah, that’s what I was going to tell you when Emily and I came in, but then Taylor was here, so I kind of got sidetracked. The baby started kicking in the car.” Elizabeth smiled a wide smile. “I’m going to keep my baby, Jason. And I’ll do anything to keep it. My gram is going to fight, and I don’t want to have to go to court, Jason. But I will.”

“We just have to declare you an independent and have Taylor sign his rights away.”

“That’s easier said than done.” She sighed. “I have to prove to a judge that I’m able to take care of myself and my baby.”

“Having Taylor sign away his rights is going to be harder.”

“Do what you have to do.” Elizabeth whispered as she met Jason’s eyes.

He nodded, “You’re going to keep your baby, Elizabeth.”

“Yeah, I know.” She said half-heartedly.

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 25

Elizabeth Webber was not surprised to hear her grandmother announced at the door the next morning. Emily had finally gone home after helping Elizabeth plan until almost midnight. Jason didn’t see the need, but Elizabeth was firm. She didn’t want mistakes; if there was a mistake than she would pay the price by having to go back with her gram.

The plan was set. When her gram arrived, Elizabeth would act like she was in heaven. That she had everything she ever wanted and more. That Jason Morgan was the man that she always wanted. If her grandmother did mention Taylor, than Elizabeth would simply tell her that if Taylor decided that he wanted rights to her baby, than he would be ruining his chance at a future, just like her grandmother was saying about hers. The difference was that, if Elizabeth stayed with Jason than her baby was a going to have a future, and so was she. She wouldn’t have to worry about money or school. She wouldn’t have to worry about where her next meal was coming from. If she did give up her baby, like her grandmother wanted her to, she would worry about whether or not people loved her baby or not.

Elizabeth took a deep breath and adjusted her oversized t-shirt. “Are you ready for this?” She whispered as she gave her belly a pat.

“I don’t care if she is resting, Mr. Morgan, I do not want my granddaughter living here one more minute!”

“Hi Gram.” Elizabeth said as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

Audrey Hardy turned around and faced her granddaughter. Her mouth opened a little at the sight of her. “Elizabeth, look at you!”

Elizabeth’s eyebrows knotted together as she glanced down at her slightly around stomach. “What?”

“You’ve grown!”

Elizabeth sighed, “Gram, I’m pregnant; the baby has to grow sometime.” Elizabeth saw her flinch at the word ‘pregnant’.

“Yes, Elizabeth, and soon this will be all over. I talked with Taylor, the baby’s father, and he has agreed that the best thing would be for him to raise the baby.”

Elizabeth sighed, and made a mental note to keep her anger in check. She glanced at Jason who had sat down at his desk, like they planed, and let Elizabeth do all the talking. If he thought that he should say something, than Elizabeth would be all too happy to let him. “I know who the baby’s father is, Gram. And how dare you talk to him without letting me be there! How dare you plan this without me! In case you missed it, the baby is inside me!”

“There is no need to get mad, Elizabeth. I was just trying to find a way out of this mess.”

“I don’t see it as a mess, Gram. Do you know what I see? I see me and my baby living in this penthouse, and the baby growing up knowing that it is loved and cared for. Knowing that she or he can do anything. Knowing that someone besides its mother wants it! Do you know, if I do give my baby up, do you know if it will be loved? Because I can’t see it. I can’t see my baby being raised by anyone else but me!”

“Elizabeth if Taylor was to take the baby, than you would have a future.”

“I have a future, Gram! I have a future with my baby. And with Jason helping me, than I can do anything I want. I can go to school, and see the world with my baby right there with me.”

Audrey turned and stared at Jason at the mention of his name. Jason glanced up at her. Audrey scoffed, “Elizabeth do you know what this man does for a living?”

“He runs an import export business, so what?”

“He does no such thing!” Audrey screamed.

“Oh really?”

“Yes, he’s a murderer.”

“Than why isn’t he in jail?”

“Because he has every judge in the state in his pocket.”

“Than he must have pretty big pockets.” Elizabeth smirked while her grandmother opened her mouth in shock. “Look, Gram, I being careful, I’m being taken care of. You don’t have to worry about me. You didn’t want me in the first place, so why are you trying to get me to come home?”

“Because this man,” she pointed a finger at Jason, “will get you killed.”

“Better him than you!” Elizabeth yelled. She took a quick glance at Jason, his face was a mask; she couldn’t tell was he was thinking. “You are going to kill me Gram. You’re killing me with the pushing and the stress and the dreams. And you know I had dreams too. I didn’t want this, but I’m dealing with it, unlike you. I’m taking another path. I really thought that once I told you that I was pregnant, that you would see the light. That, yes I wasn’t perfect, but I still your granddaughter. I was still your blood!”

“Elizabeth, this is no way to handle this. You know I can make you come home. I can call the police.”

“Well, I’ll just run away again and again, until you see that this is what I want.”

“What about Mr. Johns? He has rights too.”

“He didn’t call me back. He didn’t do anything for me or my baby until he heard that it might be his. He turned his back on me, Gram. He used me than threw me away. Why should he have rights to my baby?” Elizabeth asked.

“Because it is his baby too, Darling.”

Elizabeth shook her head, “I wish that you would stop saying that. He has no rights to this child. He has no right to anything.”

“But it is his baby. He wants a future with his baby.”

“Aren’t you concerned with his future? Why isn’t his future so important? I mean, that’s why you want me to get rid of it, right? So that I can have a future?”

“I’m through talking about this, Elizabeth. We can talk until we are blue, but the fact is that you are seventeen and you are coming home with me.”

“No, I’m not.”

“This is not up for debate, Elizabeth.”

“This is my life and the life of my child. The hell it’s not up for debate. You can drag me back there and into that house, but by the time you are asleep, I’m climbing out the window and coming back here. You’re the one who kicked me out in the first place.”

Audrey paused and glanced at Jason and than Elizabeth, “If you want to put your life in danger than I can’t stop you. But don’t except that this is over, Elizabeth. Taylor seemed pretty determined when he talked to me last night. I hope that you know what you’re getting yourself into.”

“Yeah, a family that actually loves me!” Elizabeth spat out as Audrey turned and started to walk toward the door. Her back stiffen as she heard the words, but she didn’t stop walking.

When Audrey closed the door, Elizabeth sank into the couch and sighed. She covered her face with her hands. “I can’t believe this.” She whispered.

Jason turned away from the desk and stared at her. “You’re grandmother is not going to back down.” He stated.

Elizabeth glared up at him. “Thank you for pointing out the obvious.” She said and she stood. She started to pace. “I need to think of something else.”

“Maybe that was enough?”

“No, she’ll be back. And this time, she’ll bring my parents.”

“What do your parents have to do with this? They kicked you out.”

“Exactly!” Elizabeth shouted. “They didn’t want me or my baby, so why do they care? But the point is that they’ll see that I’m okay. That I’m actually going to keep my baby, and no one wants that.”

“They don’t want you happy?”

“Of course they want me happy. But what they don’t want is their teenage daughter having a baby and keeping it.”

“But it’s your kid.”

“Yeah, well, most people don’t see it that way.”

“Yeah, you know, the Quartermaines always thought of Michael has a thing. You know, like a sock that they could just take away.”

“No one should be able to own a kid.” Elizabeth whispered. “And I don’t want my baby to be owned like a piece of sliver, Jason.”

A soft knock came on the door and Jason stood to answer it. A smile appeared on his face has Johnny came into view carrying something.

When the door closed, Elizabeth got a good look at what made Jason smile widely. In Jason arms laid a baby boy wrapped up in a big blue blanket.

“Oh, Jason.” Elizabeth whispered as she stood and came closer to Jason and the baby. “He’s so gorgeous.”

The baby boy was sound sleep, his light eyelashes barely touching his cheek. His red hair was peeking out through a blue newborn cap; his hands were made into tiny fists.

“Hey, Michael. Welcome back, buddy.” Jason whispered as he rocked the baby back and forth.



Chapter 26

“Do you want to hold him?” Jason asked as he turned to Elizabeth.

“Really?”

“Yeah, sure. Here.” He said as he carefully laid Michael in her arms.

The new baby smell took over Elizabeth’s senses and she smiled down at the sleeping baby. He was warm and inviting. He looked like a doll, all wrapped up in his blanket.

“He’s so cute.”

“He’s cute because he’s a baby.” Jason said simply. The door widely opened and Johnny and Max stepped into the room. Jason glanced at them and nodded. “Elizabeth, I want you to take Michael to his room, okay.”

Elizabeth glanced up at the two men and then turned to Jason. “Sure.” She whispered. “Come on, Michael. I’ll show you where you sleep.”

“It’s the door right next to yours and across from mine.” Jason said as she slowly climbed the stairs.

Elizabeth nodded as she disappeared down the hall, never taking her eyes off the sleeping baby.

Jason turned toward Max and Johnny. “I want security tighten. A.J. is going to try anything he can to get to Michael, see that he doesn’t. And I want a full time guard on Elizabeth. Her baby’s father showed up here. I want it clear that no one gets to her or the kid got it?”

“Yes sir.” Johnny and Max whispered in allusion.

“Good. Now, Sonny wants Moreno’s men taken care of. I want you, Johnny, to find someone to trust enough with this. I can’t do it right now. Not with Michael and Elizabeth to worry about.”

Johnny nodded.

Jason sighed, “We can’t have brakes in the organization. I need people to depend on.”

“We understand, sir.”

“Good. Double security in the lobby and on the doors.”

“Mr. C. said that you and Miss. Webber were welcome at his penthouse for dinner.”

Jason lifted an eyebrow at him.

“He said that Miss. Webber has to start eating healthy.” Max said.

Jason nodded. “I talk to him.” He paused and opened the door. “I have to make sure that Elizabeth is okay with Michael.”

Johnny and Max nodded and left. Johnny bid Max good-bye before headed for the elevator.

Jason quickly shut the door and bounded up the stairs. The door to Michael’s room stood open as Jason peeked in.

Elizabeth was sitting in the rocking chair next to Michael’s crib. A soft smile played on her lips as she looked down at the sleeping boy. Michael’s room was painted a light blue with all oak baby furnishings. The crib stood by the big window. Jason had moved it after he figured out that the baby liked to look out the window down stairs. A few toys and stuffed animals covered the shelves.

Even though it was day, the dark clouds that covered the sky made it seem like sunset. And dark lines covered everything in the room. Jason took a step into the room.

“So, Michael, do you like your room? I doubt it’s changed much.” Elizabeth whispered. “I don’t even know how long you’ve been gone.” She smiled wider. “I bet your daddy was happy to see you. And when you wake up you’ll be in your room, and your daddy will be here.” She paused again. “I bet you missed him, did you?”

“Not as much as I missed him.” Jason whispered as he walked the few more steps to the baby and Elizabeth.

“He’s such a good baby, Jason.” Elizabeth whispered.

“Yeah. I guess he is. I mean, he’s the only baby I know.”

Elizabeth nodded. “Watch, I bet my baby is going to be a pain in the ass.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because I bet it’s going to take after its mother.”

“Babies can’t be anything. They know what they know. They know when they hungry or scared or hurt. Elizabeth, all you have to do be you and your baby will be okay.”

“I hope so. I hope I get that chance.”

“Elizabeth, you have to believe that you will.” Jason whispered as he stared at Michael. His hand grazed hers.

Elizabeth gazed at Jason. “Tell me about her.”

“Who? Carly?”

“Yeah. I want to know who she was.”

“Why?”

“Because that might make me understand why she chose you out of all the people to leave her baby with you.”

“You already know she was my best friend. I mean, besides Sonny. She would get into these messes and I could never understand how she could lie so well.” Jason smiled with a shake of his head.

“Did you ever clean up these messes?”

“Besides helping her with Michael, no, not really. I mean, I met Carly one night at a bar called Jakes, I was just looking for a way out, you know.”

“A way to get out?” Elizabeth asked in confusion.

“A way to forget the Quartmaines.”

“So you had sex with her to forget everything?” Elizabeth asked, a hint of disgust in her voice.

“I’m not proud of it. But she made up the rules. No names, no questions, nothing. And than that blew apart when she found out that I worked for Sonny. And than she found out about Robin.”

Elizabeth willed herself to not ask who Robin was.

“It’s okay if you want to know about Robin.”

“I don’t want to be rude.”

“It’s not rude to ask about her.” He stated. He sighed as he leaned against Michael’s crib and folded his arms across his chest. “Robin taught me about life, and what was wrong and right. I loved her and she just could deal with my life with Sonny and she left. You know, I think part of it was that I grew-up in Sonny’s eyes and I didn’t in hers. She wanted to control something that she just couldn’t control.”

“I’m sorry.”

Jason let his arms hang lose. “You what? Don’t be. If I was still with Robin, I wouldn’t have Michael and I’m not sure what would have happened to him.”

“I guess things happen for a reason.” Elizabeth whispered.

“You’re going to get through this, Elizabeth.”

“You mean get through people playing tug-of-war with a baby that is inside me? Or my rape that I still have nightmares about?”

“Both.”

“Let me tell you something, Jason.” Her eyes pulling away from Michael. “I tried to forget it, and the dreams come after me at night. I tried to deal with it, and the dreams still come.”

“What about talking to someone? Bobbie said that it might help, right?”

“She wants me to see someone that knows my gram. She wants me to go to GH, Jason. My gram works there.”

“You can’t let your Gram run your life, Elizabeth.”

“Sure I can.” Elizabeth said with a smile, but it quickly faded. “It just wouldn’t be any fun.”

“Look, I can go with you, if you want.” Jason offered.

“No, that’s okay. You have Michael to look after now.”

“I’ll have Leticia look after him.”

“Who’s that?”

“Michael’s nanny. She went with him to the island so that he would know someone. I didn’t want him to be scared.”

“Oh. When does she come by?”

“Tomorrow morning.”

“You want to take me to the hospital tomorrow?”

“If you want.”

Elizabeth smiled a little. “Okay.”

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 27

That night Elizabeth slipped out of her room, making sure that Jason’s door was closed and the baby was fast asleep. She tip-toed down the stairs and into the kitchen. She turned on the light and found the door. It was off to the side of the oven. Opening the door, Elizabeth turned on yet another light, and than turned around she quickly turned off the kitchen light.

Inside the little room off the kitchen, Elizabeth took her first good look around. She had found the room a few days ago, and decided that it would a great room to paint.

She had picked up a few paints and brushes when she had gone shopping almost a month ago. She had meant to break them out before now, but she was busy trying to forget rather than face what had happened. But she ready now. She was going to face what was happing, what happened, and what was going to happen.

Sighing Elizabeth set down her paints and the canvas that she had made herself, she had to do something while Jason was away. She set that on the floor and turned her attention to mixing the paints she had. She knew that painting in the middle of the night was stupid; there was no light, not that Elizabeth cared. But she knew that was best for painting.

Once she mixed the colors that she wanted she turned her attention to finding music that would go along with the somber mood that she was in. She knew that Jason kept a stereo in the closet next to the kitchen and she knew that there were a rack of CDs next to it.

She left the room and easily found the closet. She turned on the over head light and pulled out the small black CD player. She sat down on the floor, setting aside the CD player and pulled out the box of CDs that were there.

She bit her lip and looked up every so offen as she went through the CDs. She wasn’t sure what Jason would think if he found her looking though stuff that he clearly didn’t want anyone to see. She also wasn’t sure what he would do if he found her little space off of the kitchen.

Elizabeth found a CD that she thought would work. She stuffed the box back into the closet and closed the door. She grabbed the CD player and CD; she quickly walked back to the room and plugged in the CD player and put in the CD.

Elizabeth hummed as she started to set everything up. The music washed over her and she picked up her bush and started to paint.

Step out the front door like a ghost
Into the fog where no one notices
The contrast of white on white.
And in between the moon and you
The angels get a better view
Of the crumbling difference between wrong and right.

I walk in the air between the rain
Through myself and back again
Where? I don't know
Maria says she's dying
through the door I hear her crying
Why? I don't know

Round here we always stand up straight
Round here something radiates
Maria came from Nashville with a suitcase in her hand
She said she'd like to meet a boy who looks like Elvis
And she walks along the edge of where the ocean meets the land
Just like she's walking on a wire in the circus

She parks her car outside of my house
Takes her clothes off
Says she's close to understanding Jesus
She knows she's more than just a little misunderstood
She has trouble acting normal when she's nervous
Round here we're carving out our names
Round here we all look the same
Round here we talk just like lions
But we sacrifice like lambs
Round here she's slipping through my hands
Sleeping children better run like the wind
out of the lightning dream
Mama's little baby better get herself in
out of the lightning
She says "it's only in my head"
She says "Shhh I know it's only in my head"

But the girl on the car in the parking lot
Says "Man you should try to take a shot
Can't you see my walls are crumbling?"
Then she looks up at the building
And says she's thinking of jumping
She says she's tired of life
She must be tired of something

Round here she's always on my mind
Round here hey man got lots of time
Round here we're never sent to bed early
And nobody makes us wait
Round here we stay up very, very, very, very late
I can't see nothing.. nothing round here
Will you catch if I'm falling
Will you catch me if I'm falling
Will you catch me cause I'm falling down on you
I said I'm under the gun around here
I'm innocent I'm under the gun around here
And I can't see nothing
Nothing round here

Jason had gotten up at the sound of someone moving down stairs. He threw off the blankets and grabbed the gun that was sitting in the desk next to him. He quickly moved to Michael’s room and saw that he was still asleep.

He leaned against Elizabeth’s door and decided not to go in until he knew that everything was okay. Elizabeth would just worry, she didn’t need that.

He silently made his way to the kitchen; he could hear music coming from the small room that was off of the kitchen. He drew his eyebrows together in confusion. He drew his gun to eye level and slowly pushed open the door.

He sighed loudly when he saw Elizabeth furiously painting on the floor, the music coming from a CD player in the corner. Elizabeth’s feet moved to the sound of the music, but her eyes completely focused on what she was drawing as she sat crossed-legged on the floor. Her growing stomach showing a little has her top rode up.

“Elizabeth? What are you doing?” Jason asked above the music as he shoved the gun into the waistband of his sweat pants.

Elizabeth jumped but didn’t spatter paint on what she was painting. She gazed up at him in fright. “I’m sorry.” She whispered as she leaped up to shut off the music. “I didn’t know that I would wake you up.”

“It’s okay. What are you doing in the middle of the night?” He asked as he sat down on the floor next to her painting supplies.

Elizabeth sat down next to him and picked up her canvas. “I was painting.”

“You paint?”

Elizabeth shrugged. “A little. I’m not very good.” Elizabeth said as she turned her canvas around and let Jason see it.

Jason nodded, “It’s nice.”

“Nice? You must hate it. I told you I wasn’t very good.”

“No, Elizabeth. You don’t understand. I can’t see it.”

“What?” She asked in confusion.

“I can’t see it what I’m suppose to see.” Jason sighed. “It’s because of my accent. I can’t see what I’m supposed to with paintings and maps, sometimes pictures.”

“Oh. Well, do you see this?” Elizabeth pointed to a dark picture of a woman crawling toward a door that was open just a bit. Light was streaming from the open door. Jason nodded. “Okay, well each of these pictures symbolizes everything that has happened to me in the last month.” She pointed to each picture. There were five bubbles in all.

Elizabeth went back to the first picture. “This one symbolizes me trying to get away from my nightmares. It’s not done yet, but when it is, you’ll see hands reaching for me.” She paused. “And this lighter one here,” She pointed to the lighter of all the paintings, but it was also the least finished. Light yellows and peaches covered the background. There was an outline of a woman holding something. “That’s when I first felt my baby kick.” She didn’t pause or stop to see Jason’s reaction to that one. “This one is of me and you.” He focused his eyes on the bubble that she was pointing to. It was a bubble in the left-lower corner. It was another light color. Jason could make out two figures. “You’re holding out your hand to me.” She whispered.

“Elizabeth –” Jason started.

“Let me finish. Please?” She met his eyes and quickly glanced back at her painting. “This one to the right is of Taylor, my gram, and Sarah.”

“Why do they not look like people?” Jason asked. He knew that his vision was bad, but he also knew that Taylor and her grandmother shouldn’t look the way they did, and no matter how ugly he thought Sarah was, he also knew that she shouldn’t look like that.

“I disordered their faces because they aren’t the people I knew.” She paused as she hand waver over the finished bubble of the people she once loved. She cleared her throat and pointed to the last painting. “And this last one is of Michael. Well, of you holding Michael.” She whispered. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“Why would I?”

“Because I painting Michael without asking you.”

“It’s your painting, Elizabeth. If it helps you, than you can paint whatever you want.” He whispered. “Thank you for telling me about it.”

Elizabeth laughed a little. “I didn’t know that I could tell a painting.”

“What made you want to paint?” Jason asked.

Elizabeth sighed. “It was the only thing that I was really good at. I mean, my parents were always ragging on me because of my grades. But I knew that there would be a good grade on my report card. Even if it was just art.”

“What did your parents say?”

“Oh,” Elizabeth said as she dragged out the word and tucked her hair behind her ears, “well, they didn’t like it. I mean, they would tell me that if I had to be good at something, why not be good at something that really mattered, like math.” She let out a sigh of frustration. “They never understood that art was important to me.”

“Yeah, I understand. Your parents were always pushing you to do things that you just couldn’t do.”

“Yeah, much like what the Quartmaines did to you.” She whispered.

The song is "Round Here" by Counting Crows

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 28

“I guess you could say that.” He whispered.

“I mean, they pushed you and pushed you and you just broke right?” She paused. “You told me that you destroyed his room.”

“Yeah. I did. It really didn’t help.” Jason said.

“I bet not.” She paused and glazed into his eyes. “You know you’re my best friend.” Jason smiled. “I mean you helped me a lot with my rape – look I can even say it without wincing – and you’re helping me with Taylor and my whacked out family.”

“Well, I’ve never really been anyone’s best friend.”

“What about Carly or Sonny?”

“Well, I really just helped Carly with covering with Michael. I don’t know if she was my best friend because of what happened before or because I could help her out of whatever mess she created.”

“What about Sonny?”

“Sonny is my friend, but more often than not I have to make a choice in a second and if I make to wrong choice than he gets hurt, I can’t let that happen. I’m not saying that Sonny isn’t my best friend. I’m just saying it’s different.”

“So, basically I’m a combination of both of them?”

“How so?”

“Well, you’re help me like you did with Carly, and with me you also need to think on your feet like you do with Sonny.”

“But you also listen to me, something both Carly and Sonny rarely did.”

“I listen? Wow, my gram would be proud to hear that.” She paused. “You want to know the real reason why I painted this?” She asked as she pointed to her painting.

“Why?”

“Because I thought that the quack would want a visualization of things that I see.”

“Quack?”

“Yeah,” She said as she tucked her hair behind her ears again. “You know. The doctor that you’re taking me to see tomorrow – actually today if you want to be technical.”

“You mean the psychologist?”

“Yeah.” She shrugged. “I thought that she would like to see my work, what do you think?”

“If it helps you.”

“I guess it does. It puts everything into perspective.”

“Do you know what you’re going to say to the doctor?”

“I guess I’ll just talk about what happened to me.” She glanced at her hands and than back up at Jason. “You’re still coming with me, right?”

“Yeah.” Jason said as he nodded his head. He picked himself of the floor and sighed. “I have to go check on Michael.”

“Okay. I’m going to finish my painting.” Elizabeth stated as she picked up a brush and stared down at her work.

Jason nodded as he left, making a mental note to talk to Johnny about the room before leaving for the hospital today.

He reached Michael’s room and was surprised to find that he was still sleep. Jason leaned against the crib and gazed down at him. “Hey buddy. I’m so happy to see you again. I hope that you aren’t scared when to wake up. I’m sorry that you were gone for so long. But you know I did it to protect you. I did it because I wanted you safe. I know that you might not understand now. But you will one day.” He sighed as he touched Michael’s small fist. “You know, there’s a new person. You haven’t met her yet, but her name is Elizabeth. And she’s my friend. I don’t you to be scared, because she’s really nice.”

Michael opened his eyes and blinked.

“Hey Buddy.” Jason said as he shifted his weight and reached for the infant. Jason cradled the baby’s body into his arms. Jason moved to turn on the lights. When the room was flooded with light, Jason knelt down to lay the baby on the quilt on the floor. “I hope you still like to do this in the morning.” He whispered. Jason was rewarded with a giggle from Michael. Jason smiled as gather up the baby’s favorite toys. “I hope you still like this kind of thing.”

Jason waved the rattle a few inches from the baby’s face. Michael’s eyes light up and his small arms tried to reach for the rattle. Jason laughed and Michael giggled.

Elizabeth gripped her painting as she reached Michael’s room. She stopped in the doorway and watched Jason interact with Michael. She smiled at the scene. At that moment she knew that her and her baby would be okay with Jason. No one had a clue what the real Jason Morgan was a about. Elizabeth decided. No one would really understand him unless they knew and saw him with Michael.

She had heard things before meeting him. That he was a killer. That he had no heart. That he was cold and unfeeling. That he was angry all the time. No, no one knew him if they though this. Elizabeth knew that he did things that were wrong, so did everyone else. All she knew was that Jason had picked her up off the snow and gave her hope. She knew that she didn’t have to worry about her attacker coming after her, that Jason had taken care of him. Even if Elizabeth did want to face him; she knew that it was better that she never would. Tom Baker would just smile and try to justify something that could never be justified. She also knew that if she asked him, that he would help her and any way that he could with Taylor.

Elizabeth’s eyes clouded up with tears when a realization hit her like a ton of bricks. She knew nothing would be the same. She knew she could never tell him. Not until she knew for sure that she and he could handle it. She would tell him when she knew for sure. She had made a mistake once, and she didn’t want to do that again.

She swallowed the knot in her throat and stepped into the room. “Hey.”

Jason looked up at her and smiled and than glanced down at Michael. “Hey Michael,” he started as he picked the baby up, “this is Elizabeth. Remember I told you about her.”

The baby looked at her with uninterested. “Do you want to hold him?” Jason asked as glanced at Elizabeth’s face.

“Sure.” She leaned her painting against Michael’s crib and carefully lifted the baby from Jason’s arms into her own. “Hi Michael.” Elizabeth said softly.

“Mr. Morgan?” A slim woman peeked her head inside.

Jason smiled, “Hi Leticia.” Leticia stepped into the room and glanced down at Michael and Elizabeth. “This is Elizabeth Webber. She’s living here; her room is the next one.” Jason explained.

Leticia nodded. “Thank you for letting have a day with my family.”

“No problem. Why do you take him, we have to get going.” Jason said.

Leticia moved forward and took the baby out of Elizabeth’s arms. “We’ll be fine, Mr. Morgan.” Leticia whispered.

Jason nodded as he picked up Elizabeth’s painting and guided Elizabeth out of the room.

“You trust her a lot, do you?” Elizabeth asked as she, Jason, and Johnny moved toward the town car that they were going to use.

“I have to. She’s taking care of Michael.”

“How come you never call him your son?” Elizabeth asked.

Jason sighed as he settled against the set beside Elizabeth. “I don’t know. I don’t like to claim him like you claim a car.”

“But I say my baby is my baby all the time.”

“I guess it’s just different for me. First because the baby was never inside me like Michael was in Carly and your baby is inside you. And then, because Michael isn’t really mine. Do I love him? Yeah, but not because he really needs it. Because I can’t stop.”

Elizabeth nodded and stayed silent to the drive to the hospital. Not because she didn’t have things to say, but because the feeling she had in the doorway of Michael’s room was growing. She tried to shake it, it couldn’t happen. Not now. Not with Jason.

They reached the hospital and all three got out. Elizabeth moved silently toward the hospital entrance, without a word they made their way to the fifth floor.

“Are you okay?” Jason asked as they got off the elevator.

She glanced at him. “I’m just nervous.”

Jason nodded with understanding. “Well, I could wait in the waiting room for you if want.”

Elizabeth shook her head. “No, I want you to come with me. Please.” She pleaded.

Jason nodded. “If you want.” Jason whispered as they reached the front desk. “We’re here to see Dr. Marsh?”

The nurse nodded. “She’s waiting in her office.”

Jason nodded and glanced at Elizabeth. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine. Just don’t leave me, okay?” She glanced at him. Her eyes were wide with fear. Jason nodded as he hugged her shoulders.

Jason opened the door with Dr. Jade Marsh on the door, and guided Elizabeth in, leaving Johnny standing outside.

Dr. Marsh was a small woman with waist-long red hair and bright blue eyes. She wore a suite that Elizabeth was sure cost more than she could ever afford.

Elizabeth nervously tucked her hair behind her ears. She was glad that Jason’s hadn’t left the small of her back, because if it wasn’t she would be half way down the hall. Elizabeth glanced at the doctor was she moved from behind her desk toward Elizabeth and Jason.

“Hello, I’m Dr. Marsh. I’m guessing that you’re Elizabeth Webber?” She asked as she glazed down at Elizabeth.

Elizabeth quickly glanced at her and tightened her hold on her jacket. “Y-Yeah.” She stuttered.

“It’s okay for you to feel anxious.” She said. The doctor met Jason’s eyes. “And you are?”

“Jason.” He guided Elizabeth toward a chair. “I’m here for Elizabeth.”

“That’s not against the rules, is it?” Elizabeth asked as she searched the doctor’s face.

Jade smiled and shook her head. “Whatever you feel comfortable with.” She said as she sat down across from Elizabeth. “Do you know why you’re here?”

Elizabeth squirmed. “Yes.” She whispered.

“And why is that?”

“Because I was raped.”

“And how do you feel about that?”

“Pretty damn bad.” Elizabeth said quickly.

“Why?”

“Because I shouldn’t have been out there in the first place. Because my gram didn’t want me to go anywhere the night. But I couldn’t just listen to her.”

“So you blame yourself?”

”Sort of. I mean, he’s the one who did it. I know that. But I have to take some of it, don’t I?”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because I should have been thinking about my baby and not about me.”

“What does that have to do with you being pregnant?” Jade asked covering her surprise to find out that Elizabeth Webber was pregnant.

“I should have been at home, that’s all.”

“Why do you say that?”

An hour later, Elizabeth and Jason left the doctor’s office with the promise of coming back next week. Elizabeth sighed, she was tired and hungry.

“I’m so tired.” She stated.

“Okay. We have to make one more stop, though.” Jason said as he and Elizabeth slipped into an empty room, with Johnny right behind them.

“What are we doing?” Elizabeth asked as she glanced around the room.

“Here sit down.” Jason said as he pointed toward the medical table moving to a corner and turning his back to her so that she couldn’t see what he was doing.

Elizabeth did as he asked and looked up at him with confusion. And glanced at Johnny and lifted an eyebrow at him. He shrugged and closed the door, leaving only Jason and her in the room.

“What is going on?” Elizabeth asked as the door opened a minute later and Bobbie entered the room

Jason turned and Elizabeth could see that he was hooking up an ultrasound. “I thought that you would like to see your baby again.” He moved to her bed side as she lay down.

“That would be so cool.” Elizabeth whispered. “Thank you.”

“I thought that it would take your mind off the meeting for a while.”

“Yeah.” Elizabeth whispered as her shirt was pulled up and Jason got a glimpse at her rounded stomach. She had really grown in the last month.

The machine was set up and Bobbie silently hooked up the heartbeat. The sound filed the room. Elizabeth smiled widely and grabbed Jason’s hand.

“That’s my baby.” She whispered as a picture popped onto the small screen.

“Yes, it is.” Bobbie paused. “Now if I’m right, I think I could tell you the sex of the baby. Do you want to know, Elizabeth?”

She glanced at Jason, her eyes wide with disbelief. “Sure! Yeah. I want to know.”

“You’re having a girl.”

“Oh wow. A girl! Jason, I’m having a girl!” Elizabeth’s eyes shine as she squeezed his hand.

Jason smiled down at her and glanced at Bobbie and smiled at her. “Thanks Bobbie.”

Bobbie smiled back at him. “You’re welcome, Jason.”

“Oh. Wow. Hi Baby Girl.” Elizabeth said as she touched the small screen.

Elizabeth did a small turn as she danced around the waiting room. She laughed when she saw Jason’s face; she had bounced out of the medical room and danced around in small circles. “What’s wrong?”

“I’ve just never seen you like this.”

“I’m happy. Happy and hyper.” She paused. “Do you think that we could get some chocolate?”

Jason lifted an eyebrow at her as Johnny pushed the down button on the elevator. “Like what?”

“Oh, how about brow –”

“Jason! How are you? Visiting the morgue?” A voice behind them asked.

Jason turned as came face to face with Tony Jones. “Tony.” He paused. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to get going.”

Tony’s glaze met Elizabeth’s eyes. “Be careful around him. You never know when something might blow up.”

Elizabeth’s eyes widen and started to shake. “Who the fuck do you think you are?” She asked her voice full of anger.

Jason smiled at her words. Some people wouldn’t dare stand up to Tony, Elizabeth didn’t seem to mind.

“Ignore him, Elizabeth.”

“He’ll get you killed too.” Tony stated.

“So,” Elizabeth said as she turned her back on the doctor, “do you think that I could take Michael to the park tomorrow?”

Jason glared at Tony over Elizabeth’s shoulder, daring him to speak Michael’s name.

“Jason?”

Jason turned his attention to Elizabeth and smiled. “Sure. As long as it’s not raining.”

Elizabeth clapped her hands as the elevator doors opened and Jason, Elizabeth, and Johnny stepped into the space. “Oh goody.” Elizabeth said as the doors closed.

No one saw the look on Tony’s face.

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 29

The next morning Elizabeth nestled Michael into his baby carriage, “Are you warm?” Elizabeth asked as she wrapped another blanket around the baby.

Elizabeth turned her attention away from the baby and to the diaper bag. “Okay, diapers? Check. Bottles with milk? Check. Extra blanket? Check. Toys? Check. So Michael? Are you going to tell me what you’re favorite toy is so I don’t have to ask?” She turned toward the baby and he giggled. “You’re going to take Aunt Liz look like a morn, uh?” She smiled. “Well, at least you’re happy.”

Elizabeth looped the diaper bag around the handles of the stroller and sighed. “Well, Michael, I wish that we could go without guards, but I think your dad would freak out. Right?” She glanced down at Michael. “Right.”

“Are you ready to go?” Jason asked as he came into the living room.

“Yep. Michael and I are going to have a great time outside today, are we?” Elizabeth asked the baby.

Jason moved over the baby and smiled. “Okay, be good for Elizabeth, okay, Buddy?” He asked as he readjusted the blanket. Jason glanced at Elizabeth, “Did you pack the diaper bag?”

“Yeah. I have the diapers, toys, blanket, bottles, everything.”

“What about the wipes?”

“Oh crap.” Elizabeth whispered as she bounded up the stairs murmuring to herself.

Jason glazed down at Michael. “Okay Buddy, we need to talk. I want you to be nice to Elizabeth. She’s going to have a baby too and I guess she wants to practice or something. Yeah, I know it’s stupid, but if –” Jason sighed and rubbed his eyes, “If it’s helping her then its okay.” He rubbed Michael’s stomach and smiled. “Just be yourself, okay? And I’ll be there as soon as this meeting with Sonny is done.”

The baby laughed and spit. “Okay. I have the wipes.” Elizabeth said as she came down the stairs and threw the wipes into the diaper bag. “Are you worried?” Elizabeth asked.

Jason met her glaze and shrugged. “I’ve never let him out of slight unless I had to.”

“I’ll protect him, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“I know you will, but these people, Elizabeth; these people I know, they don’t care if you’re pregnant too. They don’t care that he’s only three months old.”

“If you don’t want us to go, Jason, all you have to do is say so.”

Jason sighed. “No, it’s okay. I want you to have a good time. I’ll meet you by the playground, okay?”

“Yes!” She hugged him around the neck for a brief minute. “Thanks Jason! This is going to be so cool! You have nothing to worry about.” She took a hold of the stroller handles and started toward the door. “Plus, you know Johnny won’t let us out of his slight.”

“Yeah, I know.” Jason whispered as Elizabeth and Michael left.

At the park entrance, Elizabeth paused as she glanced at the path that would lead her to the bench and the memories that she didn’t want to have. She sighed and lean over the stroller to take a peek at Michael. “Well, I’m glad that the playground is on the other side of the park, aren’t you? What would it look like if I broke down while taking care of you?” Elizabeth asked the baby as she pushed the stroller onto the path that lead to the playground, Johnny following them a few feet behind.

“Okay Michael,” Elizabeth said as she spread out the blanket. She lifted the baby out of the stroller and laid him on his stomach. She took out a few toys and decided that he would let Elizabeth know when he wanted to play with them. “It looks like all you want to do is sleep, Michael.” She said softly as she adjusted his tiny shirt and patted his back. “I guess I should have brought my paints.” She whispered to herself.

“Is everything okay, Miss. Webber?” Johnny asked.

Elizabeth glanced at him, “Sure, Johnny. Nothing to worry about here.” She flashed him a smile.

Jason Morgan was a man that was thought to have no feelings. That he was cold and had no heart. If he had no heart then why was he feeling this way? Jason wondered.

He sat on his couch staring at the painting that Elizabeth had done yesterday, it was dark and screaming with pain. Jason never understood how a painting could have feelings, but this one did. This painting screaming of the pain and anger that Elizabeth went though.

Jason let out a long sigh as he covered his face with his hands. “I can’t do this.” He whispered to himself.

“Do what?” Sonny asked as he entered the penthouse. He flashed his dimples as he sat down next to Jason. “What can’t you do?”

Jason looked toward Sonny, his hands dropping to his keens. “Like Elizabeth.”

“What? You lost me. I thought that you liked Elizabeth anyway.”

“I do. But, Sonny, she’s pregnant and she was just raped – I can’t believe this.”

“Believe what? Come on Jason, what’s going on?”

“I don’t what to be away from Elizabeth or Michael. These feelings cause problems, Sonny.”

“Do you feel the same way about Elizabeth like you did with Robin?”

Jason sighed. “Robin treated me differently than Elizabeth does.”

Sonny smiled. “Okay, Jason, I see that I’m going to have to be blunt.” He paused and met Jason’s eyes. “Do you love Elizabeth?”

“I’ve only known her for a month, Sonny.”

“So what? She’s a very beautiful girl.”

“Who was just raped, Sonny.”

“I’m not saying that it’s not bad timing on your part. I’m asking you if you love Elizabeth.”

“The only other person that I use to love is Robin. And she couldn’t do it Sonny. She couldn’t handle my life. Elizabeth shouldn’t bring herself into this.”

“Okay, that’s the first time that I’ve heard you say something just to be nice.”

Jason sighed again as he stood up. “I can’t do that to her Sonny.”

“Do what? Be there for her? Help her?”

“How can I help her if I have feelings for her?”

“I would think that would help her more because of your feelings, but you know, whatever.”

“This is like she needs me to just take care of her baby’s father.” Jason sighed. “She had something so terrible happen to her that only she can help with. Only she can help herself.”

“Well, you seem to be doing a great job as it is.” Sonny comment.

“Yeah, well, she still has nightmares.” Jason motioned to the painting.

Sonny’s eyes widen when he saw it. “She did that?”

“Yeah. The other night.” Jason sighed as he rubbed his eyes. “This is stupid Sonny. This crazy that I feel this way. She needs to stand on her own feet before I can feel this way, right?” Jason glanced at Sonny.

Sonny shook his head.

Elizabeth sighed as she glanced down at a sleeping Michael. She blew air through her lips and glanced around her. She wondered where Jason was. They had been there for an hour. He didn’t say how long he and Sonny would be, but she didn’t think that it would be this long.

“Hi Michael!” A loud male voice called from the left of Elizabeth.

Elizabeth glanced up, shielding her eyes from the sun. Her mouth dropped open when she saw two men a few feet away from her and Michael. Elizabeth glanced behind her, where she last caught a glance at Johnny; he was nowhere to be seen. Her breathing quickened. She took a quick glance at the two men, recognizing only one of them as A.J. Quartmaine.

“Damnit.” She mumbled. She gathered Michael in her arms, quickly wrapping the baby in his blue blanket. Getting to her feet she ran. Elizabeth heard the two men knocking over the baby’s stroller a few seconds later. They were right behind her. Her mind told her to scream for help and grab for the nearest person. But she didn’t see anyone ahead of her and Michael started to scream; Elizabeth didn’t want to scare him more than she already had. “Leave me alone!” Elizabeth yelled to the men behind her.

“Come here.” A.J. ordered has he lunched for her; grabbing a fist full of her hair.

Elizabeth screamed for help above Michael’s cries. The park tipped backward as Elizabeth’s back hit the ground. She shut her eyes and blinking back a few tears of pain. Her hands tighten around Michael. She was sure that she was squeezing the baby boy too tight, but she wouldn’t let A.J. get to him.

“Let me have him, little girl.” A rough voice said.

Elizabeth glanced at the hands that were pulling on her fingers, trying to loosen her hold. Elizabeth squirmed and tried to get the other man away from her, but A.J. tighten his hold on her hair.

“No!” Elizabeth yelled as Michael was ripped from her arms. She stared up at the man who now had Michael. She had seen his face before. But where?

The hospital. This was Tony! Elizabeth thought. My God, he was a doctor.

“What are we going to do with her?” A.J. asked as he gave Elizabeth’s hair another pull.

Elizabeth screamed and grabbed a hold of A.J.’s hands and dug her nails into his hand; he swore but didn’t let go.

Tony shrugged and glanced around the park, making sure that no one saw them. “I don’t care.”

“Let’s bring her. Another person for Jason to come after.” A.J. said slowly.

Elizabeth’s eyes widen and she screamed again. “No! Let me go you bastard!”

A.J.’s face appeared above her, a smirk on his face. “I bet that you would look so good chained to my bed.” He whispered.

Elizabeth slowly closed her eyes and willed herself not to throw up, as tears started down her cheeks.



Chapter 30

Elizabeth opened her eyes and moaned. Her head and arms hurt. She quickly shut her eyes again when the room started to spin. Opening them moments later, she glanced around. She was in a one-room cabin. A fire was going in the fireplace to the north wall. As far Elizabeth could tell, the walls were made of stone. A small kitchen was off to the west and a rocking chair stood next the window. Pictures of people Elizabeth never saw where hanging on the wall. Three dressers lined the wall to the right of the bed she was on.

A cry got her attention and she turned her head. A basinet was set up next the bed, Elizabeth could see Michael’s little hands moving above his head.

She was shocked and a shot of fear ran through her when she realized that she was, as A.J. promised, chain with two pairs of handcuffs to the king size bed. She felt bile rise in my throat, but she willed it down.

She had to think of a way out of this. She turned her head away from Michael and looked out the window, that was probably nailed shut, she knew that she and Michael had been gone for at lest two hours because the sun was at high noon.

Tears willed in her eyes when she thought about Jason and his reaction. This wasn’t good. She didn’t know what these men had planed for her and Michael, but she knew that it wasn’t good.

Elizabeth eyes widen when the door opened and A.J. stepped through the door, carrying a paper bag. He flashed Elizabeth a smile.

Asshole

Elizabeth’s face hardened and yanked on the handcuffs. Pain shot up and down her arms. “You’re not going to get away with this!” Elizabeth spat out.

A.J. chuckled and smiled at her has he disappeared into the kitchen. “You have no clue who I am, little girl.” He shouted from the kitchen.

“Fuck you!” Elizabeth shouted back.

“Wow,” A.J. said as he stuck his head out from the kitchen, “do you kiss Jason with that mouth?”

Elizabeth opened her mouth but nothing came out.

A.J. smiled with satisfaction, his dark eyes shinning. “Have nothing to say?” He asked.

Elizabeth wanted to kick him in the face, but she remanded slight.

“I bet you are so good.” A.J. whispered as he came out of the kitchen and came closer to Elizabeth.

“Stay away from me.” Elizabeth whimpered as she twisted and yanked on the handcuffs that were attached to the bed railing. “Don’t touch me.”

“Or what?” A.J. snarled as he took another step. “You’ll scream for Jason?” He paused and waited for an answer. When he didn’t get anything but the middle finger from Elizabeth’s left hand, he continued with a shake of his head and a laugh. “We are miles and miles away from Port Charles, Honey.”

“Go fuck yourself.” Elizabeth spat.

“Now, now.” A.J. whispered as he reached the end of the bed and started to walk on the left side of the bed. “You wouldn’t want to get that worked up, would you?” He asked as he reached Michael’s crib and ran his hand over the baby’s head. Elizabeth breath caught. “You might hurt that baby of yours.” He whispered under his breath as he met Elizabeth’s eyes.

“Don’t threaten my baby you asshole.” Elizabeth whispered.

A.J.’s faces harden. “You know what? I don’t know why very damn woman in this town falls for his act. ‘I’m Mr. Jason Morgan. I’m in the mob. I kill people. But look at me, I ride a bike.’” A.J. threw his hands in the air and ran his hand through his hair. “I saved you from getting blown up. You watch and see. If you stay with Jason, you’ll get your head blown off. Then what is your baby going to do?”

“You know nothing about me or Jason. So why don’t you just shut the fuck up? If you’re going to slowly kill me, then why don’t you get it over with?”

“You misunderstand me.” A.J. stated.

“What?” Elizabeth whispered softly.

A.J. smiled evilly. “I don’t want to kill you, Ms. Webber.” He paused and waited for Elizabeth’s eyes to widen. “I’m going to keep you here.”

“Why?”

“Why else? You are going to have a beautiful baby in a five months. Do you know what couples will do for a child like yours?”

A tear slipped down Elizabeth’s cheek. A.J. leaned forward to wipe it away, but Elizabeth twisted away from him. “You are never going to have my child.” She whispered. “Jason is going to find us. You can’t keep us here for five months. You didn’t have enough time to plan this thing out.” She stated. She knew that Tony only heard her and Jason talking about taking Michael to the park yesterday. That gave them a day tops to come up with a plan. That wasn’t much.

A.J. sighed as he sat down on the bed, throwing his arm across Elizabeth’s legs and leaning on his elbows. “I must admit that you weren’t part of the plan. I thought that I would just take Michael. But you know, you put up a good fight and I thought that you would make Jason come and bring everything he’s got.” A.J. smiled again as he lean toward Elizabeth’s face, stopping inches from her lips. Elizabeth’s eyes flashed with fear and coldness. “I bet he’s going crazy.” He whispered into her ear.

“Shut it.” Elizabeth whispered. “You don’t even know him, do you? Jason’ll kill you for you have a chance to talk to him.”

A.J. laughed and smiled at her like she was five and didn’t understand a question. “You don’t get it, sweetheart.” A.J. ran his hand down the side of her cheek and down her neck. “I want Jason to come after me. I want him to find me. I want him to kill me.”

“You have a dead wish then for taking his baby.” Elizabeth whispered, her eyes like stone.

“This child,” A.J. nodded toward Michael, “is not Jason’s. It’s mine.”

“Keep on thinking that. Go ahead, because Jason isn’t going to let you live.”

“Good.”

“Why? Why do you want to die? You know that Jason won't go to jail. He’ll have the perfect reason to shoot you.”

“The fam

ily will never forgive him.”

“He doesn’t care what your whack-job of a family thinks!” Elizabeth yelled.

“He cares about Em and he cares about Grandmother. He knows that this will kill them.”

“You’re sick!” Elizabeth screamed.

A.J. smiled and let his hand wonder down to Elizabeth’s stomach, Elizabeth flinched but didn’t scream. “Your baby is going to make sure that Jason never sees Michael again.”

“What the hell are you on?” Elizabeth asked. “Nothing is going to keep Jason from Michael. Especially my baby, because there is no way that you are going to sell it. I’ll die first.”

“That can happen.”

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 31

Jason Morgan was not a man to panic. But nothing scared him more than when he saw the over turned stroller and Elizabeth and Michael missing. He took a few deep breaths. His first reaction was to call Sonny, have a crew look for evince.

But if this was a kidnapping, and Elizabeth got in the way, there was a chance that she was hurt somewhere. Growing worried, Jason searched for a minutes around the area. He didn’t even know what he was looking for; but finding Johnny would be a good start.

Jason found him in the brushes a few yards away.

He was out cold.

“Damnit.” Jason whispered under his breath. He pulled out his phone. “Sonny. I need a doctor. Johnny’s hurt.” He sighed. “Someone took Elizabeth and Michael.”

“What?” Sonny yelled.

“I’m at the park. Elizabeth and Michael are gone.”

“Okay. I’ll take care of Johnny. Find them, Jase.”

“I have a few ideas. Can you check with Benny? Find out if Moreno’s men wanted to pull something.”

“Yeah. Okay.” Jason heard Sonny whispered as he hung up the phone.

Jason pinched the bridge of his nose in anger. He stared at Michael’s over turned stroller for a few seconds; his eyes turning hard and cold by the second.

A few ideas, yeah, Jason had them. Actually, only one. He headed straight for the Quartermaine house. Nothing was going to stop him from getting to A.J. Jason had a good idea that was who took Elizabeth and Michael.

He didn’t want to think about what he could do to Elizabeth or Michael. She probably fought him tooth and nail for Michael, but without Johnny there, A.J. could have hurt both of them.

With a shake of his head, Jason cleared those thoughts from his mind. He needed a clear head if he was going to find both of them.

As the Quartmaine mansion came into view; Jason’s cell phone began to ring. He picked it up without looking at who it was. “Yeah?”

“Jason?” A terrified voice filled his ear.

A pain ripped through him as he gripped the phone tighter. “Elizabeth? Are you okay? Is Michael with you?”

“Y-yeah, I’m okay. Michael is right here, beside me.”

“Where are you?”

“I don’t know. But, Jason, I have to read this, okay?”

“Okay, go on. Just read it to me and I do whatever I can okay?”

“‘Jason, I want you to know that I am not to going to harm the baby boy. I, however, cannot promise what I will with do Miss. Webber. I demand three million dollars for her return.’ That’s all.”

“What about Michael?”

“They go to keep Michael and my baby, Jason!” She yelled as Jason heard the phone being ripped from her.

“You stupid little bitch!” A male voice said.

Jason’s eyes harden as he heard a sickening slap. They would pay, Jason decided as the phone went dead. And now Jason knew who “they” were. Now all he had to do was find them.

“Forget the mansion. Go back to the penthouse.” He whispered to Max. Max nodded.

Yes, A.J. and Tony Jones were going to pay.



Chapter 32

Elizabeth Webber wasn’t the one beg to anyone. In fact, the only time she remembered begging to anyone was to Tom Baker to let her go. To let her baby live.

But when the second man had entered the tiny cabin, Elizabeth knew that she better start begging for her life and her baby girl’s life. Because she knew for all the good it did, she knew that the men were set and ready to kill her if she did anything stupid. Of course, she knew that these men still had Michael has a bargaining chip; they didn’t really need her.

The slap to her face had hurt, and Tony and A.J. looked very displeased. Not only because she had told Jason information, but that Jason would have obviously heard Tony yelling at her.

Elizabeth also knew that Jason knew that Tony was involved that he would ultimately find out that A.J. was behind it too. That still did not mean that Jason would find them. Elizabeth would have to find a way out herself, for both Michael and her baby girl.

She was still bounded to the bed, but at lest A.J. had backed off when Tony showed up with a plan to call Jason; and have her, Elizabeth, make a plea to so-call “rattle his cage”. Elizabeth wanted to slap the smiles off their faces.

She felt the blood trickling down both of her arms and the pain was shooting up and down, but she still yanked at the cuffs. She glanced at Michael, who had been fast asleep before Tony had yelled, but now was screaming at the top of his lungs.

Elizabeth smiled when she saw A.J. run his hand through his hair trying to ignore the screaming baby; Tony was trying to do the same.

“He’s not going to stop.” Elizabeth said.

A.J. turned from Tony and smirked at her. “Are you suggesting that I pick up my own son?” He asked as he stepped closer to her.

“He’s not your son, but yes, he won’t stop when he’s scared.”

“How do you know? You were only with him for one day.”

“I know enough about babies to know that you have to cuddle them when they are scared.

“Why should I listen to you?” A.J. asked.

“Because I’m kind of tied up at the moment or I would pick him up.” She paused. “On second thought, don’t pick him up, he might cry harder. He knows evil when he can smell it.” She spat out.

“You need to learn when to keep your mouth shut.” A.J. said as he pointed a finger in her face, the end of his finger touching her nose.

“And you need a shower.” She whispered.

A.J.’s face twisted in anger and without warning another slap came to the side of her face. A.J. laid his hand on her stomach, and Elizabeth felt her baby roll.

“I hate to see you walk out of here with two dead babies, Miss. Webber, so I would shut up if I was you.” A.J. squeezed her growing belly, his fingernails digging into her skin. Elizabeth yelped in pain and nodded. “That’s what I thought.” A.J. turned away from her and to Tony. “Give me the keys.” He said.

Tony looked at him confused. “Why?”

“Because I’m not going to pick up my kid until he clams down. So she’ll have to do it. Now give me the keys.”

Tony sighed and handed over a small, sliver key. A.J. ripped it from his hand and turned to unlock the handcuffs.

“Try anything funny and I’ll kill you without a second thought.” He whispered.

Elizabeth and sighed in relief when the handcuffs loosen on her hands and then were gone. She brought her hands down and stared at them. Her wrists were adored with big black and blue bruises and round cuts from when she was yanking at the cuffs.

Elizabeth sighed. “I need to cover these up before I pick him up.”

“Why?”

“I don’t want to scare him more with the blood.

“Then you shouldn’t have yanked at your hands.” A.J. smirked.

“Please, just give me something.”

A.J. sighed as Tony threw two dish towels at her. Elizabeth quickly wrapped her wrists and knotted them.

She lean over the basinet and stared at Michael. “Hey Michael. It’s okay. It’s alright.” She whispered as she lifted the baby into her arms. Her arms stung with pain as the baby laid his weight on her wrist, but she ignored it. Elizabeth cooed at him and rocked him until he stopped crying. Only then did Elizabeth allow herself to look down at the baby. Tears clung to his long red eyelashes. “Yeah, see, its okay. It’s going to be fine.”

Elizabeth glanced at A.J. and Tony. They were deep in a conversation about Jason and Michael. Elizabeth took a quick glance at the door over her shoulder. She wouldn’t be able to make it. She would have to wait until A.J. and Tony were asleep before she could make a run for it. She knew that it might be a stupid move, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t going to let them have a chance to take Michael out of the country and kill her or sell her baby. That wasn’t going to happen. Not if Elizabeth could help it.

“We are going to be okay, Michael.” She whispered to the baby.

The thought that A.J. might have a gun somewhere in the small cabin came to her mind and she shuttered. She didn’t want to get shot or Michael for that matter. She knew that she should just wait for Jason to come and find them, but she didn’t want to take the chance that A.J. and Tony could move them by then. She had to act soon to save Michael, Elizabeth thought. She would never forgive herself if something happened to Michael or her baby.

She also thought about her Gram and Taylor, and how they would hold this over Jason’s head if they found out. She could let that happen. She couldn’t let them find out. They would see to it that she would never see her baby, and she couldn’t let that happen either.

“Michael needs to eat.” Elizabeth whispered. “He’s going to get hungry.”

A.J. looked over his shoulder at Elizabeth and snarled at her, “You’re going to have a baby, right? You have tits. Why don’t you feed him? Make yourself useful.”

Elizabeth stared at him open-mouth. She didn’t know what to say as A.J. laughed at her. “I can’t. Milk doesn’t form until the ninth month and he’s use to a bottle. He won’t take milk from me. He’s a doctor, he’ll tell you.” Elizabeth nodded in Tony’s direction.

“You’re a smart one. Have you read all the books?” A.J. asked as he stood up. “Why don’t we test your theory?” He said as he took three steps toward her.

“What theory? It’s true.” Elizabeth insisted. “I can’t have him drink breast milk when he’s not use to it. He won’t take it.” Elizabeth knew she was pulling this out of her ass, she didn’t care; she just hoped that it was true. From what she read, she assumed that it was true.

“Why don’t we just see?” A.J. whispered as he reached for the button on Elizabeth’s overalls. “You never know.”

“Don’t touch me.” Elizabeth whispered harshly as she slapped his hand away. “I don’t have any milk to give him.”

“She’s right.” Tony said.

“Stay out of this!” Yelled A.J. as he gave Tony a hard glance. He smiled when he turned back toward Elizabeth. “Listen, Sweetheart, you want you and your baby to live? Start feeding my son.”

Elizabeth gave A.J. a cold stare. “I can’t. He needs a bottle.”

A.J.’s face turned cold as raised his hand, as if he was going to slap her again, “Then get into the damn kitchen and fix my son something!” He yelled as he lowered his hand and turned back toward Tony.

Elizabeth sighed and loosened her grip on the baby. “Fine.” She mumbled under her breath as she started toward the kitchen.

The kitchen was very small. A narrow walk away, with a fridge on the left side and a sink on the other side. Cabinets lined the left side of kitchen next to the fridge. A brown paper sack sat on the counter next to the sink. Elizabeth sighed as she laid the baby on the counter next to the fridge, making sure that he was away from the edge.

She turned toward the sink and looked into the paper bag. Bottles with blue caps on them lay on top. She lined the bottles up on the counter and counted them. Four small bottles and three medium ones.

Elizabeth sighed again as she looked up toward the ceiling. This had to be a nightmare. She would wake up at any moment in her bed in Jason’s penthouse.

Elizabeth slowly lowered her glaze and noticed something she didn’t see before. A window. A window above the sink. She moved the paper bag and the bottles to the floor and tried to climb on top of the counter, but she couldn’t seem to get her legs to swing over. Damn belly. She thought. She stretched on her tip-toes to glance out the window. She saw nothing but trees and snow. That sucks. She thought. But she did notice that it wasn’t that far down to solid ground. That’s a good thing. Elizabeth thought.

She took a quick glance at the opening to the kitchen; she could still hear Tony and A.J. talking. Elizabeth switched her attention to Michael, who as staring at her with big blue eyes. She smiled at him and put her finger to her lips.

The real test will be if she could actually open the window. Before she tried that she turned on the water in the sink and hoped that would cover up the sound of the window being yanked open. She unlocked it and pushed the window up. To her surprise the window easily slid up. Elizabeth sighed in relief. She and Michael would be out soon.

The cold wind blew in and Elizabeth looked around for something to stand on to help her up onto the counter. She spotted a small bowl in a cabinet and smiled. She turned it over and set it down on the floor next to the sink. She slowly put her weight on the bowl and smiled when she could put her full weight on the bowl and it didn’t move. She climbed down after she found that she could get on the counter. She lifted Michael onto her shoulder and turned off the water. She carefully laid Michael in the sink, not caring right now if his blanket got a little wet. She climbed onto the counter next to him, she sat there for a second, her feet curled under her, trying to decide if it would better to carry Michael out the window with her, or Michael first and than her, or her first than Michael.

She knew that she had to act fast. A.J. and Tony would be coming any minute; they would be wondering what was taking her so long or they would be feeling the coldness from the open window.

She sighed and lifted Michael on to her shoulder and prayed that A.J. and Tony wouldn’t come in when she was trying to climb out. Elizabeth decided that feet first would be a good idea. She stuck her feet out the window and slowly worked her body out the small window, praying again that she would be able to fit through the window.

She sighed when her feet touched the ground and she twisted herself around when her lower half was through the window. Moving Michael from her shoulder and into her arms so that he wouldn’t bump his head going out. She had to duck to get her head out.

She paused for a minute, looking around. It was freezing outside and she could see her breath that was coming out her nose. She glanced down at Michael, his blue eyes just stared at her slightly; she tucked the blue blanket close around his small body and took off running through the snow.

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter Thirty-Three

Elizabeth’s chest rose and fell at a rising speed as she ran from the house. She knew that it was getting late and soon it would be getting colder. Elizabeth glanced over her shoulder and stared at the smoke that had to be coming from the cabin. She was a good mile and half away from the cabin and now she needed to find a phone or a place to hide.

She sighed and switched the baby to her right shoulder. This sucked. Elizabeth thought. “Good plan, Webber. Run from them when you have no clue where you are.” She whispered to herself.

She glanced around her as she held the baby closer to her body. Large pine trees covered the area and the deep snow was making it harder to walk. She couldn’t see a road anywhere, or a house.

“Well, the best we can do is find somewhere to hind for now. What do you say, Michael?” Elizabeth asked. She gazed down at the baby; he was asleep. “Well, at least someone can get some rest.” Elizabeth whispered to herself. “I swear that I’ll get us all out of this. Okay?” She glanced down at Michael. The baby looked at her and blinked as he woke up. She held him closer to her body. She knew that he was getting cold and she would have find somewhere warm for the night.

She stopped walking and glanced around again. The large pine trees that surrounded them would not help with the wind that would be blowing or if it started to rain. Elizabeth left the trail that she had been following and started for the trees. She had to find somewhere warm. She had to keep Michael safe. She had to.

*

Jason left the Quartermaines with nothing. They didn’t seem to know where A.J. was. And even if they did, Jason was sure that they weren’t going to tell him. The thought of what Tony Jones and A.J. could do to Elizabeth or Michael burn through him like fire.

“Do you think we are going to tell you where A.J. is?” Asked the old man as if it was the most ludicrous thing in the world.

“He took Michael and my friend. He’ll pay for this, Old Man. He took a baby from the only things that he has ever known; it’s not right.”

“The baby is A.J.’s.” Fumed Alan. “That means that he is a Quartermaine. A real Quartermaine, not this rubbish you call yourself these days, Jason. And this little boy needs his family.”

“That baby does not belong to you people. When will you learn that a baby isn’t something that you can pass around? It’s a human being.”

“Jason, I’m sure that we can work this out.” Monica whispered stepping closer to him.

“Tell me where A.J. is.” Jason stated.

“Why? So you can kill him?” Asked Edward.

Jason turned from Monica and glanced at him but said nothing. Jason turned to Monica. “He didn’t just take Michael, Monica.” Jason paused has she winced at her own name coming from her son’s lips. “He took a friend of mine.”

“A friend, uh? A.J. kidnapped one of your bodyguards?” Edward paused. “Good for him.”

Jason ignored him. “He took a pregnant girl, Monica. She was watching Michael for me.”

“My God.” Monica whispered.

Jason sighed as he returned to his bike. The next stop was Bobbie. She had to know what Tony was capable of; she also had a boy to look after. When Jason reached the hospital it only took him a few minutes to find Bobbie.

“Hey Jason! How is that baby of yours? Growing I hope.” She smiled, but it soon faded when she saw the look he had on his face. “What’s wrong?”

Jason sighed as he sat down on one of the couches in the waiting room, Bobbie sat next to him. “Someone took Michael.” He whispered.

Bobbie opened her mouth but nothing came out.

“They also took Elizabeth. She was playing with Michael on the playground.”

“Oh my God.”

“It was A.J. and Tony.” Jason whispered.

“How can you be so sure?” Bobbie said as she crossed her arms.

“They had Elizabeth call me. I heard Tony’s voice. And Tony wouldn’t be able to do this on his own.”

“I – I don’t know what to say.”

“Do you know anywhere that Tony would go?”

Bobbie searched her mind and came up with nothing. “No, I’m sorry.”

“This is important, Bobbie. Can you think of anywhere they would be?”

“Well,” Bobbie licked her lips. “Tony and I use to have a cabin. About ten miles out of town. But I haven’t gone there in a while. And I don’t see Tony going there either, but he might.” She sighed. “I don’t know.”

“Well, could you tell me where it is?” Jason asked.

“Sure.” Bobbie said.

*

Elizabeth smiled with relief when she laid the baby down on the ground. It wasn’t the greatest thing, but the small over hang would have to work for now. She glanced around the enclosure to see if she could find any small sticks to start a fire. Although, she knew that wasn’t a good idea because A.J. and Tony could be looking for her, she also knew that her body heat wouldn’t be enough to keep Michael warm.

“Good plan, Elizabeth. Real good. You couldn’t have trusted that Jason would find you in time before A.J. could do something. You just had to get out, did you?” She mumbled to herself as she collected the small wood and dry leaves. She set them in a pile and sat back on her heels. She glanced over her shoulder at Michael, who was crying softly. “This should be easy right, Michael?” Elizabeth asked as she gazed back down at the pile. “I mean, I was in girl scouts. Granted, it was only for a week before my mother dragged me out. And I was only seven, but I can do this.”

“Damnit.” Elizabeth swore as she threw down the stick and sighed. She had been trying for the last ten minutes to get a fire and nothing seemed to be working. The baby was crying louder and louder, she had to think of something or she and Michael would be found anyway, fire or no fire.

She discarded the sticks and leaves and crawled toward Michael. “Its okay, Michael. I’m coming.” Elizabeth wiped her hair off her forehead and cheeks, bushing dirt all over her face. She glanced down at her hands before picking up the baby. She was sure that Jason wouldn’t mind if Michael’s blanket got dirty has long as he was safe.

“Shhh. It’ll be okay.” She whispered to the baby as she rocked him. She settled down, crossing her legs as she sat Indian style and leaned against the wall of the overhang. Setting Michael on her legs, her hands still supporting his head. “We are going to get out of here.” She whispered to the baby. “Jason is going to find us. And we are going to be home soon.”

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter Thirty-Four

Jason turned down the snow covered road and slowed his motorcycle down to a cost. He wanted to surprise whoever was shacked up in the cabin. Bobbie had told him the back way to get to the cabin.

There was obviously someone in the cabin. Jason thought as his steel blue eyes met the smoke coming from the small chimney.

Jason’s large hands tighten his grip on the nine-millometer gun, and slowly started toward the door; snow crushing under the weight of his boots. Jason reached for the doorknob, his fingers, laced in his black gloves, gripped the doorknob. He breathed in and glanced up at the stars, he needed them to be inside. He took another deep breath before lunching himself into the door; pushing it open. He raised his gun and pointed it in the room, quickly looking around.

“Where are they?” Jason asked when Tony and A.J. turned to face Jason.

A.J. smirked, his eyes laughing. “What?”

“Where are Michael and Elizabeth?” His voice turning deadly.

“Do you see them, Jase? Do you see them, uh?” A.J. asked throwing his arms out dramatically around the room.

“What did you do with them?” Jason asked, his heart sinking slowly into his stomach.

“You don’t see them, do you?” A.J. asked as he stood up and started toward Jason.

Jason’s eyes flickered toward Tony. His eyes narrowed, and Tony avoided his eyes. Jason followed Tony’s glazed and met with a rambled bed sheets, handcuffs dangling from the headboard. A bassinet set up beside the bed, empty.

“Don’t play with me, A.J.” Jason whispered.

“They aren’t here.” Tony whispered has he shoved his hands into his hair.

“Where are they?” Jason shouted, his voice shaking in anger, his gun shoving into A.J. temple. “I’m not going to ask again.”

“You’re not going to find them.” A.J. whispered.

“Stop playing fucking games with me A.J.” Jason whispered dangerously.

“They got away.” Tony whispered.

Jason’s eyes turn toward him and off A.J. “What?”

“She took off with him.” Tony whispered again, his hands rubbing together nervously.

Jason sighed and eased the gun away from A.J.’s head. “You better not be lying to me.” Jason whispered as he backed away from A.J., his eyes still cold. “But that doesn’t excuse what you did.”

“Oh yes, the mighty Jason Morgan is going to show his power.” A.J. mocked.

Jason pointed his gun between A.J.’s eyes. “You are no longer tolerable.” Jason whispered as he pulled the trigger.

A.J. fell to the floor, his eyes wide with shock. Blood pooled from the bullet wound.

Tony jumped off the chair that he was sitting on and glanced up at Jason. He forced himself to not look at the dead body that was lying at his feet.

“Now,” Jason’s voice was hard and cold, as he stepped over A.J., “tell me why I shouldn’t kill you too?” He asked Tony.

“If you think that I’m going to beg for my life you’re mistaken.” Tony said.

“I don’t think remember doctor?” asked Jason. “I’m just brain damaged, right?” he asked as he inched forward; tighten his hands on his gun.

“People are going to notice that we didn’t come back. People are going to notice us missing.” Tony whispered.

Jason shook his head. “They don’t care, doctor. A.J. will be missed by the Quartmaines, but no one is going to say anything. The Quartmaines may find it hard to let A.J. go, but I don’t see them coming after me and Michael.”

“You’ll never find them.” Tony stated.

Jason remained slighted. He learned a long time ago that he could get more information if he didn’t say anything, as apposed to opening his mouth.

“What are you going to do, Jason? Are you going to kill me?” He paused and waited for Jason to say something, when he didn’t, Tony spoke again. “You’re wasting time.” He whispered.

Jason’s face harden as he took two steps toward Tony and glanced over at the bed. “I want the keys.”

“Keys?”

“To the handcuffs.”

Tony frowned and handed over the keys.

Jason quickly unlocked one set of the handcuffs from the bed and motioned Tony to sit down at the table. Tony did has he was told. Jason snapped the handcuffs on his wrist and than to the table leg. “I don’t want you to move. If you get away, I’ll hunt you down, got it?” Jason asked as he lean over Tony.

Tony quickly glanced at A.J.’s dead body and nodded.

“Good.” Jason whispered as he stepped over A.J. and out the door.

Jason sighed as he glanced around the area. Three pairs of foot prints lead away from the house. Jason set off, following the foot prints as he stuffed his gun into his back waistband.



Chapter Thirty-Five

Elizabeth’s ears perked up at the sound of the snow crushing under someone’s weight. Elizabeth slowly opened her eyes and blinked a few times. She glanced down at Michael; who laid in her lap, wrapped in his blanket and held close to her body, his small body relaxed and asleep.

“Elizabeth!” She her name being yelled. Her breath caught in her throat when she realized that it was Jason's voice.

She gripped the baby to her chest as she crawled toward the small opening of the overhang. She blinked through the dark, trying to find Jason’s form in the darkness.

“Elizabeth?” the male voice yelled again.

Elizabeth turned her head toward the sound again, and than he was there, his body coming out of the darkness like the smoke of the night had cleared. Worry was scratched into his face. And a second later, Elizabeth was on her feet and flying toward him, screaming his name.

He turned just in to catch her in his arms. “Elizabeth.” He sighed as he hugged her.

“They grabbed me and they tried to get Michael, and they chained me up and I didn’t know what was going to happen, and they threaten Michael and my baby, and I didn’t want anything to happen to him. I climbed through the kitchen window to get away, and I thought that it would be better for me to try to find you and get away than sit there and wait. I just didn’t want anything to happen to my baby and Michael.” Elizabeth took a deep breath when Jason hugged her close.

“It’s okay. You did good. You did what you had to do.” Jason whispered as he rubbed her back. “You got away. You protected Michael. It’s okay now.” He pulled back and took Michael from her shaking hands. Jason glanced down at Michael, who had woken up and stared up at Jason with wonder.

Elizabeth sniffed back her tears and ran her hands over her face. “I’m so sorry, Jason.” Elizabeth let her hands rest on her stomach.

“You have nothing to be sorry for, Elizabeth. You didn’t do anything. Those men were after me and my family. They wanted to get at me.” He paused and pulled her close hugging her shoulders. “Are you okay? The baby?”

Elizabeth brushed away a tear on her cheek and tucked her right hand under her chin and placed her left arm around his waist. They started to walk toward the trail. “Yeah, I don’t think that the baby is hurt. I mean, AJ grabbed my stomach and I felt the baby roll, but I don’t think it was hurt.”

“We better get you checked out.” Jason whispered.

Elizabeth nodded in the dark. But remained slight.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Jason asked again.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Elizabeth whispered she forced herself to sound okay; even though, her voice sounded dead.

“You don’t sound okay.” Jason said as they reached the cabin.

Elizabeth stepped out of Jason’s embrace and wrapped her arms across her chest, rubbed her hands up and down arms. She glanced up at the cabin and shuttered. She took a deep breath, than turned to face Jason. “I did what I had to do to get Michael back to you. That’s what counts, right?” She asked as she glanced away from him, her gaze falling on Jason’s bike.

“Did they hurt you?” Jason asked as he stepped closer to her.

Elizabeth shook her head. “All they did was tie me up.” She whispered. She glanced down at the cloths that were tied to her wrist. “I hurt myself. I yanked too hard on the handcuffs that they had on me. They cut into my arms.”

Jason nodded and gazed back down at Michael again. “You took really good care of him.” He glanced back up at Elizabeth. “Thank you, Elizabeth.”

“It’s okay.” Elizabeth whispered as she started to shake.

“Are you okay?” Jason asked.

“Yeah, I’m just getting cold.”

“Okay.” He paused. “Here, hold Michael.” He laid the baby in her arms and moved toward his bike and opened one of the saddlebags. Pulling out a thick blanket, Jason wrapped it around her shoulders. Taking the baby from Elizabeth, she pulled the blanket closer to her body.

“I have to call Sonny, okay?” Jason whispered. “Can you sit on my bike for a second?” Jason asked.

Elizabeth nodded and slowly moved toward the bike as Jason walked a few steps away from Elizabeth. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Sonny’s number, moving Michael to Jason’s shoulder.

“Sonny?”

“Hey, Jase, did you find her?”

“Yeah. I did. She’s okay. Michael is too. I’ll give to the details later, but they where at Tony Jones’s cabin. I need Johnny to bring a car and call Sam, have him bring a cleaning crew. Tony Jones and AJ Quartmaine.”

“Dead?”

Jason shook his head. “No. Tony’s is alive. But AJ’s not. I want Tony taken care off. We can’t risk him talking to the PCPD.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

Jason nodded. “Elizabeth is pretty shaken up. I don’t think she’ll want to go to a hospital.”

“Well, uh, does she need a doctor?” Sonny asked.

“Her wrist has cuts on them, but I don’t think that they will need stitches.”

“Look. I’ll have Johnny met you and Elizabeth at the cabin.” Sonny replied.

“Thanks.” Jason whispered as he hung up and turned to meet Elizabeth. She sat on the edge of Jason’s motorcycle seat, her arms wrapped around themselves. Her eyes looked misted over and far away.

“Elizabeth?” Jason called as he began to step toward her.

She glanced up at him.

“It’s okay if you’re not fine, you know.”

Elizabeth mutedly nodded.

Jason raised an eyebrow at her. “I’m sorry that you got in the middle of this.”

“It’s okay.” She whispered as she shrugged her shoulders.

“Eliz –”

“I’m fine!” She yelled as she threw her hands into the air and slipped off the bike. “This thing is going to happen all the time, right? Between living with you and my family and Taylor, I should get use to this, right?”

Jason flinched as he heard the hard tone in her voice. “I’m not going to say no, Elizabeth. Because this does happen. People go after me and people go after Sonny. And these people use anything they can to get what they want.”

“Well, there you go.” She paused. “I should get use to this.” She whispered.

“I don’t want you to get use to it.”

“Well, it doesn’t look like you have a choice, Jason.” Elizabeth spat out.

“But you do.” Whispered Jason and his eyes met hers. “You have a choice, Elizabeth.”

“Not really.”

“If you don’t like this. If you can’t deal with this, you don’t have to live with me. You don’t have to go through this.”

“Where will I go?”

“I can send you anywhere you want to go.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“But you do have that choice, Elizabeth.” He paused. “I just want you to know that.”

Elizabeth nodded. “Okay.”

“If you feel like you need to get out, I’ll make sure that you can do that.”

“I understand.”

Jason nodded. “I don’t want you to feel trapped.” He paused as he stopped to gazed into her eyes. “I want you to be free.”

Elizabeth opened to her mouth, but paused. “I am free. Right now, I am free.” She slipped back into his arms and a small smile tugged at her lips. “Because of you, I am free.” She smiled at Michael, who’s blue eyes stared back at her.

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter Thirty Six

“I was never so scared, Sonny.” Jason whispered as he rubbed his hand together, his knuckles turning white. He glanced up at his best friend, who was leaning against the coffee table while Jason sat on the couch.

“She’s okay, Jase. Michael’s okay. Those bastards are dead.”

“She still won’t tell me what happened. She won’t tell me what they said to her.” He paused. “All she’ll tell me is that they really didn’t hurt her or Michael. And that she’s fine.”

“She wants you to feel better about this.”

Jason nodded. “She’s trying to be okay with everything that happened.”

“It’s going to take a while. Have the nightmares come back?”

Jason nodded. “It’s not that bad. Not like it was, but they are back. She tries to pretend that they aren’t there.” Sonny looked quizzically at him. “When she wakes up, she just shakes me off and tells me to go back to my room. And that’s when she wakes me up.”

“She wants to be strong.”

Jason nodded. “I just want her to be happy.”

“Give her time, Jase. It’s only been a week.” Sonny whispered.

Jason nodded again. He paused and then shook his head, but didn’t say anything. He slowly stood up, Sonny followed his movements.

“Where are you going?” Sonny asked as Jason yanked open the penthouse door.

“For a ride.”

“Is Elizabeth going with you?” Sonny asked.

“If she wants to.”

“She’s almost five months pregnant Jason.”

“So?”

“Have you asked the doctor whether that’s safe are not?”

“Why wouldn’t it be? I’m not going to crash and she likes it; she forgets everything.” He paused. “Look Sonny, Elizabeth feels trapped all the time. On my bike, she feels good.”

“I’m not going to say that you aren’t doing the right thing.” Sonny gave Jason a look. “Just be careful.”

Jason nodded as he closed the door behind him.

“Elizabeth?” Jason called as he came into the penthouse. “Are you here?” He called again, than he stayed still for a few minutes. “Elizabeth?” He whispered. Straining his ears, he heard music coming from the back room, and he sighed. She was painting.

Jason moved into the kitchen, hearing the loud, angry words pouring out of the radio. Jason’s eyebrows drew together in confusion.

You took your coat off and stood in the rain,
you’re always crazy like that.
And I watched from my window,
Always felt I was outside looking in on you.
You're always the mysterious one with
Dark eyes and careless hair,
You were fashionably sensitive
But too cool to care.
You stood in my doorway, with nothing to say
Besides some comment on the weather.

Well in case you failed to notice,
In case you failed to see,
This is my heart bleeding before you,
This is me down on my knees, and...

These foolish games are tearing me apart,
And your thoughtless words are breaking my heart.
You're breaking my heart.
You're always brilliant in the morning,
Smoking your cigarettes and talking over coffee.
Your philosophies on art, Baroque moved you.
You loved Mozart and you'd speak of your loved ones
As I clumsily strummed my guitar.
You'd teach me of honest things,
Things that were daring, things that were clean.
Things that knew what an honest dollar did mean.
I hid my soiled hands behind my back.
Somewhere along the line, I must've gone off track with you.

Excuse me, think I've mistaken you for somebody else,
Somebody who gave a damn,
Somebody more like myself.

You took your coat off,
Stood in the rain,
You're always crazy like that.

The CD player clicked to the next song. Jason stepped into the room for only the second time. Usually, he gave Elizabeth her space when she was in this room. Therefore, he didn’t come in, but the song dragged him, and he didn’t want to ride alone without Elizabeth on his bike with him.

“Elizabeth?” Jason asked.

Elizabeth was frozen, her paintbrush an inch above the canvas, red paint was dripping from the brush and onto the canvas, creating a running streak through the painted picture.

“Elizabeth?” He asked again as he came closer. Elizabeth’s mouth was open slightly, and her eyes were glazed over. Her face formed a small frown. “Elizabeth?” He knelt down next to her. “Elizabeth, hey, it’s okay.” He whispered.

Elizabeth turned her head toward him and blinked. She shook her head and closed her mouth. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay.” His eyes locked with hers.

Elizabeth shook her head. “No, it’s not. It’s not okay.”

“Why?”

“Because these memories are going to keep attacking me.”

“Do you want to go for a ride?” Jason asked.

Elizabeth set down her brush and glanced up at him. “Are you sure that it’s safe?”

“Why not?”

“I just don’t want to harm the baby.”

“It shouldn’t be a problem. But if you don’t want to –”

“I think that I should just paint.” Elizabeth whispered as she picked up her brush again and dipped it into some blue paint.

“Okay. I’ll be back soon.”

“Alright.” She whispered without looking up at him.

Jason paused in the doorway and sighed before leaving. If Elizabeth wanted to be alone, than Jason would leave her alone.

Elizabeth glanced at the ceiling, blinking away her tears, as another Jewel song came into her subconscious; and Elizabeth cursed the randomness of the CD player.

My bones are tired Daddy
I don’t get enough sleep
I don’t eat as good as I could Daddy
What’s that say about me?

Sometimes I sleep past noon, Daddy
Drink lots of black coffee and I smoke like a chimney
Yes, I left the refrigerator door half open, Daddy
What does that say about me?

Sometimes I want to rip your throat out, Daddy
For all those things you said when you were mean
Gonna make you just as vulnerable as I was, Daddy
What’s that say about me?

Sometimes I want to bash in your teeth, Daddy
Gonna use your tongue as a stamp
Gonna rip your heart out the way you did mine, Daddy
Go ahead and psycho-analyze that

‘Cause I’m your creation, I’m your love, Daddy
Grew up to be and do all those sick things you said I’d do
Well last night I saw you sneak out your window
With your white hood, Daddy
What’s that say about you?
I’m sloppy, what’s that say about you?
I’m messy, what’s that say about you?
My bones are tired, Daddy

The memories invented her brain, and she swallowed the knot in her throat. Tears left tracks on her cheeks in their awake as she closed her eyes.

The couch felt stiff and hard as Elizabeth sat down on the over-stuffed couch, which Elizabeth was sure that her parents spent more money than Elizabeth had seen in the last seventeen years.

She stared nervously at her fingers, digging and biting on a hangnail on her thumb. She hated this. She hated that she even had to do this. But there was no point in hiding it, she couldn’t do it anymore. She was tired of trying to please her parents and her siblings. She was tired of never doing anything right. She was just plain tired.

“Lizzie?” Her father called has he entered the room. Elizabeth looked up and found her father staring at her with the same expression he always had when he saw Elizabeth. Distain, displeasure, disappointment, discuss; and plenty of others. Jeff Webber glared at his daughter, his tall fame sighed as he sat down in the arm chair across from Elizabeth. “What did you what to speak about?” He asked. His voice dripping with dullness and strain, like Elizabeth wasn’t worth the five minutes it would take to tell him this.

“What about Mom? Is she coming?” Elizabeth asked, whispering.

“She’ll be here in a minute. She’s talking with Sarah.”

Elizabeth sighed in fiery, along with her father, her mother had always put almost everything in front of Elizabeth.

A few minutes later, Elizabeth’s mother came breezing into the room – not meeting Elizabeth’s worried eyes. She smiled at her husband and sat down on the arm of the soft chair that Jeff Webber sat in. Jeff smiled back at his wife and linked hands with her.

“What is that you wanted Lizzie?” Her mother asked with the same expression in her voice that her husband just used. Her perfect applied lipstick formed a line across her mother’s pretty face as her mother frowned.

Elizabeth sighed as she stared down at her feet. She licked her lips, assuring herself that she would be okay; that her parents, no matter their attitude, must love her. Elizabeth slowly raised her eyes to meet her parents gaze.

“Lizzie? Out with it. I do have a phone call to make. This cook that they gave us just is not doing her job.”

Elizabeth pressed her lips tighter together. She opened her mouth, welling herself to say the words that she had practiced telling them in front of her bedroom mirror. “I’m pregnant.” She whispered.

And then all hell broke lose.