It Only Hurts When I Breathe by rose in misery

[JRK Archiver]

Elizabeth Cartielli stepped outside of the black limo unto the pavement. Her small, black heels clicked against the cool stone of the church house cemetery. She peered through the aged, rusted gates at the headstones before her. She had never dreamed this day would come. Here it was. They had finally killed her parents.

Miss Cartielli, the service will be starting soon, Gregory, her guard, stated softly gently taking her arm. Elizabeth only nodded. She had pleaded with Gregory not to make her attend the funeral, but there was no other choice. Not only was she attending a memorial service for her parents, she was taking her place in the organization. Elizabeth Cartielli was being punished for her fathers crimes. Her sentence would be decided upon today.

Joseph Cartielli had been the mafia head over in Chicago since anyone could remember. He played hard, but played fair. He was always watching out for everyone he could. Besides owning the largest mansion in Illinois, he had six other luxury houses across the states. Everywhere he went, he took people in, gave them a future if he could. He became a father to a lot of people. He had his empire built in less than 10 years. He had a wife, a daughter, and five armies of loyals to defend his every move.

He was smart, but his antics didnt play well with most of the upstate mobsters. They wanted their drug dealers, their prostitutes. They wanted money anyway they could get it. This isnt how Cartielli played it and he didnt hesitate to let them know it. Cartielli proceeded to wipe out the entire drug scene in Port Charles, New York by sending his second man, an ex-drug dealer Elizabeth only knew as Sonny.

Sonny was an export from Puerto Rico who was selling drugs on the south side. Cartielli found him one night on the streets selling cocaine while vacationing in Miami. Cartielli had a way of looking you in the eye and letting you see what you truly were. Sonny was an easy one to break. All Cartielli had to do was stare him straight in the eye and ask him who he was. Sonny knew then that he was better than the life he was leading. Cartielli gave him his card and told him all he need do is call if he needed help. After returning to Chicago, indeed there was a message from Sonny. Cartielli flew him up and got him started in his new life.

Five years before Cartielli met Sonny, he met his wife Lillian. Lillian was the all-American girl. She was so far away from the life he was brought up to know. Thats what made him love her. She played hard to get, but she was as much in love with him as he was with her. Cartielli had kept his little secret from Lillian as long as he could, but trouble was bound to come. After dating for almost three months, Lillian had her first encounter with the other side. A mobster named Joey Miogo caught her walking down the street. He stuck a gun in her back and threatened her life if she didnt tell him where Josephs safe house was located. Lillian had no idea of Josephs secret life and swore she didnt know. Merely seconds before Miogo fired the trigger of his 9 millimeter, Sonny came up from behind and broke Miogos neck. Lillian let Sonny take her home and that was the last anyone saw of her for almost two months. Cartielli knew his life with her was over, so he didnt bother to find her. But one morning out of the blue, after losing all hope, Lillian showed up on the front doorstep of Cartiellis mansion. She didnt give him much time to ask how she had gotten there. She only threw herself in his arms explaining to him how it didnt matter what life he led, she loved him and would always love him.

You and only you, Lillian would tell him. They were married six months later on the 20th of January. On November 1st, Elizabeth Imogene Cartielli was born.

Elizabeth was escorted through the rusted gates of the cemetery and led to the memorial site of her parents. As she and Gregory grew closer, the crowd looked up at her in wonder as if thinking to themselves what was to become of her. Gregory released her arm and proceeded to push a chair for her to sit in. Elizabeth looked up at Gregory with scared eyes only to have him look away from her. He didnt look hopeful of her fate.

Elizabeth thought shed never see the day when Joseph Sorel would decide her fate in the world. She didnt think shed be killed, but she knew her inheritance would be taken and that meant she would have nothing. Her parents were dead and her fathers army had disappeared as far as she knew because they had no one to protect them now. Her life was crumbling before her very eyes and there was nothing she could do to help herself. Everything was gone. There was no hope.

Elizabeth was awakened from her wild thoughts by a very distinct clearing of the throat. Joseph Sorel stood before her. She turned around to look at Gregory, but someone had escorted him away. Nervousness overcame her small body.

I am deeply sorry for your loss Miss Cartielli. If there is anything the organization can do, please let us know, Sorel laughed. He wasnt being serious. He was throwing it in her face. Why was he allowed to do this? Elizabeth had no part in her fathers organization and had no control over what he did. If it was because of the money, they could have it for all she cared. It was not worth the pain this man was causing her at that moment.

Sorel signaled her to stand and she did without question. It was something you learned to do growing up. You never asked any questions. You obeyed no matter what. He grabbed her arm and pulled her over to her dead parents graves.

Do you see? Do you? This is where your parents are. And this is where they belong. Do you understand that?

Elizabeth blinked and a single tear treaded down her soft, pink cheek. She nodded. Sorel and the others began to laugh.

Such a pretty little girl isnt she? Takes after her mother. Laughter again. Elizabeth inhaled sharply, biting her tongue so she wouldnt cry. She looked at the ground then focused on her shoes. If she focused on something else she wouldnt have to listen.

Sorel roughly took hold of her chin and forced her to look at him. You are nothing to this organization. Your father caused us nothing but loss and failure. He stepped dangerously close to her. If I had it my way, youd be down there with them. It was then that Sorel grabbed her behind her neck and pulled her down to her knees in front of the headstone. He pushed her face against the marble headstone, harder and harder until she began to cry. With every tear the laughter became louder and louder until Elizabeths sobbed were completely muffled. Elizabeths body grew so weak that when Sorel finally let go of her, she collapsed into a little ball on the ground. She sobbed and sobbed until her throat ached.

Alright! Thats enough! a man yelled from the opposite side of the cemetery.

Corinthos! Sorel yelled back. What are you doing here? This is a private ceremony! Elizabeths ears perked at the name. It sounded very familiar.

I came to deliver the will of Joseph Isaac Cartielli. You are hereby ordered to release Miss Cartielli into my custody. If you withhold, I will be forced to take action, Corinthos said. Elizabeths vision was blurred by her tears. The voice was so familiar yet she couldnt place it. She wiped at her eyes, but her vision still failed her.

What will? I dont believe it until I see it! Sorel said.

Well I guess youre lucky in that case because I have a copy of it right here. Corinthos threw a copy of the will at Sorel. Sorel eyed Corinthos as he bent down to pick up the will.

He read silently until he read the most important part of the passage. In the case my wife and I shall pass, my daughter, Elizabeth Imogene Cartielli, shall be placed under the custody of Mr. Michael Corinthos, Jr. until her 18th birthday when she shall marry Mr. Luis Alcazar. Her inheritance shall therefore be held by Mr. Corinthos until her marriage to Mr. Alcazar.

Son of a bitch! Sorel yelled angrily. He threw the will at Elizabeth and then charged at her . Elizabeth screamed, but before he could reach her, a tall, well built young man grabbed him and threw him back.

I advise you to keep your distance from her Mr. Sorel, Corinthos stated calmly. Or my friend Mr. Morgan might get angry. Sorel watched as the man named as Mr. Morgan drew back his leather jacket to reveal a strategically placed gun. Sorels eyes grew wide and he stepped away from Elizabeth.

And if she isnt married? Sorel asked.

We have two years to decide that Mr. Sorel, Corinthos said.

IF SHE ISNT MARRIED BY HER 18TH BIRTHDAY?!

Her inheritance is lost, he said softly.

Alright, Sorel said. Lets go.

Elizabeth watched as all the men with the exception of Corinthos and Mr. Morgan left the cemetery. When all was gone, she looked up at Corinthos and finally recognized who he was.

Sonny? she asked.

So you do remember me! he said flashing his dimples.

Yes, she said plainly looking away. Sonnys smile faded.

Are you ready to go? Elizabeth nodded. She didnt say anything else as Sonny helped her to her feet. This is Jason, Elizabeth. Hes going to take you back to my penthouse and help you get settled in. My wife Carly and son Michael are there as well. Theyll help you get comfortable, alright? Elizabeth nodded once more. It was then that she looked at the man beside her. Mr. Morgan. Jason. His eyes were the perfect shade of blue. He looked a few years older than her. Nineteen. Twenty even. He smiled uncomfortably at her and then looked at Sonny.

Sonny cupped her face and stepped closer to her. Youre gonna be alright, kid. Im gonna take care of you now. Elizabeth took a little comfort in his words and smiled sadly at him. You go with Jason now, hell take you home.

Home, she thought. How would she ever know another home? She turned toward Jason who was already walking in the other direction. Elizabeth looked at Sonny one more time, as to ask where he was going.

Hey, its ok Elizabeth. Im just going to get everything straightened out with the organization. Jasons going to take you home. He smiled one more time then turned away. Elizabeth looked the other way to see Jason still walking. She furrowed her eyebrows when she realized he wasnt going to wait for her. She sighed and ran to catch up with him.

When she met him again, he was heading towards a motorcycle. When she saw him straddle it, a little fear grew in her stomach.

Im sorry about the ride. It was kind of last minute. Its safe, he said trying to reassure her.

Im uh Im wearing a dress, she said uncomfortably.

Oh. Well I wont look at ya. Well take the back roads too. Just in case. Elizabeth nodded and found his shyness oddly reassuring. He handed her a helmet when she got on. She put it on without hesitation. She had never been on a motorcycle and was a little nervous.

What about you? she asked when he didnt put one on.

Im good, he said. Hold on. She did as he said putting her arms under his and grabbing tightly onto his shoulders. Jason started the engine and the two took off.

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 1

Jason squealed his bike to a halt and Elizabeth bounded off the bike. Jason looked at her pink cheeks, wind blown helmet hair, and her amazing smile. It was as if she had forgotten everything that had happened in that twenty minutes.

That was amazing! Elizabeth shouted, surprised she had spoken at all. She shook the tangles out of her hair with her hand. Her heart was running a mile a minute. Her escape was short lived as she was brought back into reality by her unfamiliar surroundings. She was standing amidst a giant apartment building. It had to be twenty stories high. She looked toward Jason who was staring back at her.

If you go through those doors into the main lobby, theres an elevator located to the right. Take it up to the top floor. Carly and Michael will be waiting for you. Sonny will be back around 8 or 9.

Elizabeth wanted to ask when Jason would be back. Where was he going? Elizabeth knew she couldnt ask. Her father had taught her that at a very young age. Dont ask questions. Anything youre told you keep to yourself. If you broke these rules, youd go to bed without supper. Or sometimes youd be sent to your room for an entire day. Daddy would always go up to her room after she was punished and explained to her how her safety lay in her own hands. There were things that couldnt be talked about. Not even to daddies and daughters. But when things were said, they had to be made the biggest secret of all. This way the bad people couldnt come after them. Elizabeth knew though. The bad people would always come and daddies and mommies would be taken away.

After the age of six, Elizabeth never told a soul of anything that happened with her father. She learned never to ask questions. She even began a ritual of never speaking unless she was spoken too. This worried her mother terribly, but Lillian knew that Elizabeth would do anything to make her father happy. Elizabeth loved her father with everything inside her and would do anything he asked of her. The night Elizabeth saw her parents murdered, she shut down completely. She didnt speak, she slept almost fifteen hours everyday, and she hardly ate. Gregory finally had to pack her things and take her away to a private facility so she could heal and be well again. At the facility, the psychiatrists and doctors tried to break down Elizabeths walls and get her to talk about her trauma, but it was no use. Elizabeth would not respond to anything. It took her two months until she finally began speaking again. She never cried. The only time Gregory remembered seeing her cry was when she jammed a sewing needle into her finger. She was making a dress for her parents memorial. She cried for about ten minutes and then went to bed. Gregory was never sure if this was a sign of progress or not. He only knew the frailness of her body and the paleness of her skin. She was always sleeping.

Elizabeths parents memorial did not take place immediately after their death. The organization had planned it to occur almost six months after. This shocked Elizabeth, but there was nothing she could do about it. The organization was going to make her life hell as long as they could.

Elizabeth turned away from Jason and made her way into the lobby of the building. As he had told her, an elevator was on the right. She looked back through the doors just in time to see Jason flying away on his motorcycle. She sighed and continued her way to the elevator. Pushing the up button, she began to feel the presence of someone else in hallway with her. Her head darted to the left and then to the right. No one there. Her heart began to race as she waited for the elevator to reach the floor.

Come on, come on, she whispered to machine. She pressed the button over and over again praying the door to open. A sound diverted her attention from the door. Footsteps. She could have sworn it was footsteps. She listened closer to affirm the noise. Her heart leapt in her throat when she heard the clicking on shoes on the marble tile.

Please! she screamed. She banged on the door until finally the bell rang and the doors opened. Elizabeth scrambled through and pounded on the key to close the doors. She threw herself against the back wall of the elevator and slide to the floor. Dropping her head in her hands she began to cry. She really missed Gregory. She missed her parents.


Sonny was sick of negotiating with these lowlifes. The will was plain and simple. There was no reason for any other arguments. But there Sorel stood making complaint after complaint about Joseph Cartiellis black and white will.

Its outrageous! Theres no need for her! He took down our empire! These were the words of Joseph Sorel. Sonny could not understand why This man wanted to kill an innocent 16 year old child. She had done nothing to this man. She had done nothing but live the most normal life she could as a mafia kings daughter. What more could anyone ask of her? No one would have even known she was his daughter. After Joseph Cartiellis daughter had been put in danger one July afternoon of her 7th year, he decided the best decision for her would be boarding school out of the country. Her name was changed to Isabella Rosiano, her hair was cut and dyed, she was forced to wear contacts, and taught to speak 3 different languages. She also was never allowed to carry around pictures of her parents or correspond with them in any fashion. A cover story was also created for her to learn in case of any problems she might have. It was all very traumatic and confusing for little seven year old Elizabeth. She was barely allowed to come home. Only for short periods of time around holidays.

Joseph would send Sonny from time to time to check up on Elizabeth and see how she was doing. Sonny eventually became a friend to the tiny girl. He would take her out for ice cream and buy her new dresses and dolls. He felt sorry for the kid and knew she was lonely. He could see the way the other girls looked at her when he came to visit. Jealousy. Pure jealousy. Elizabeth was much pretty than the other girls. She had the most beautiful curls and the most delicate, soft skin. And they girls hated her for it. Therefore Elizabeth was drawn to a life of practical jokes, insults, and misery. Sonny began to make it his duty to come see her on a regular basis as her father did not. Joseph became so overwhelmed in business that he could never make the time to go see his only daughter, his only child. It hurt Elizabeth so, but she never uttered a word of her pain. She remained quiet and maintained her gratefulness. Even though she was lonely, she was glad to be alive. She knew her parents sent her away because they loved her and they wanted to keep her safe.

Sonny remembered once when Elizabeth was about 14, she had asked for Sonny to bring a boy for her to meet. Sonny chuckled to himself, but then remembered the boy he had recently taken in. Jason Morgan, as he was now being called, an eighteen year old who had no other place in the world. This boy had survived a horrible car accident in which he suffered acute trauma to his brain. He didnt remember anything of his past and shut out all of those who loved him. Sonny was sure that maybe a visit to Elizabeth would perk the young boy up.

Sonny was tossed back into reality as Sorel began to scream over and over how Elizabeth Cartielli must be taken care of. Sonny began to lose his cool. Sonny would defend Elizabeths honor and he vowed that moment that he would never ever let anything happen to her.

Gentlemen, gentlemen, Sonny began. There is no need for arguing here. The will and deed are in black and white. There are no gray areas to it. Elizabeth Cartielli has been put in my custody, she will marry Luis Alcazar on her 18th birthday, and her inheritance shall be invested into her familys estate. What more is there to discuss?

Perhaps who this Mr. Luis Alcazar is and where is he located? a mobster called out.

And where does the inheritance go if she isnt married to this Alcazar on her 18th birthday? another yelled.

And most importantly, Sorel questioned, standing, what becomes of her if she is not married?

Sonny could feel the heat rising in his face, but taking a deep breath, he settled down. He started with the first question. Mr. Luis Alcazar is the mob head in Puerto Rico. He is 30 years old and has a twin brother, Lorenzo. Mr. Alcazar was a partner of Mr. Cartielli. Now as you all know, the inheritance is nothing to Elizabeth if she is not married, Sonny sighed. It is to be given to the organization as promised.

And what of the child, Mr. Corinthos, if she is not married? Sorel demanded once again.

She will be a legal adult on her own without any inheritance. Sonnys head dropped. It was a horrible fate, but he would make sure not to let this child that he had become a second father to down. He would protect her at all costs.

Very good Mr. Corinthos. Now we must go over the wedding procedures if you dont mind, Sorel said grinning.

We have almost two years to decide this

But! We shall decide upon it now! Just so you remember how this works, Mr. Corinthos. There was no way Sonny could forget. It was a horrible, humiliating experience, especially for the lady involved. It was after all how Sonny and Carly had married.

Sorel continued, accomplishing his small goal of putting Corinthos in his place. The couple does not meet before a month until the childs 18th birthday. On that date, an engagement party will be held for the couple. It is mandatory that all members of the organization be present both at the party and at the wedding. The couple will meet only at these two occasions. Understood?

All of the gentlemen of the room murmured their approvals and Sonny stood to speak again. Well gentlemen, I cant remember I time when Ive had more fun, but Ive got a family to get home to.

Take care of your newest, Corinthos, Sorel snarled. We wouldnt want any accidents.

Sonnys voice became dangerously low. You stay away from her. Or youll have a lot more to deal with than an accident.

Jason Morgan slide his bike into the alley lot and locked up his bike. He got off and made his way out to the docks. The boards creaked under his thick biker boots as he made his way to the dock of the harbor. He needed this. The time to think and just be. It sounded strange, but he loved to come out to the docks after a ride and feel the breeze and the mist from the port on his face. It gave him this unusual reassurance that he was going to make it and he was going to be alright.

This new task that he had been assigned was going to be a rough one. He wasnt even quite sure he understood it. He was now to be the official guardian of this Elizabeth Cartielli. Why was it to be him? Why is her former guard relieved of this position? Jason thought for a long time. It was such a strange assignment for him, but he guessed it was better than doing the books at the warehouse. He was just afraid. Afraid that this small girl might break something inside of him. Something that he didnt want tampered with. This girl had just lost her family, in a sense just like he had lost his. He never let on how sensitive he was about his family, and he didnt plan on it. He just didnt want Elizabeth to get inside his head. He didnt want to have to hear about how she was hurting. Because he was hurting too.