Chapter 4

***Flashback… Blackout, 2 years ago***

"Did anybody see you coming up here?" Jason asked as Elizabeth entered the Penthouse.

Half ignoring his question she just shrugged, "Is Sam here."

Jason swallowed hard, "No, she doesn't live here anymore. She is staying at her mothers house."

Elizabeth tossed her purse on the desk and flopped down on the couch. "Sorry I'm bothering you but I had nowhere else to go." She managed to choke out. Jason slowly walked over to the couch and sat beside her. She immediately turned into his side.

"I'm ALWAYS here for you, you know that. What happened?"

Elizabeth went into the details of Lucky's addiction and the relationship with Maxie that she had just walked in on. By the time she was finished she'd become detached from it and was beginning to have a numb feeling when she thought about Lucky. "I don't even know why I tried to make it work with him."

"What do you mean?" he asked curiously. Jason truly didn't want to hear about her relationships but times when she came to him hurt, he would do anything for her.

Her head lifted and looked him in the eye, "I knew it would never work because he wasn't you. It was a mistake to marry him when I knew it would never work out." Jason nodded shallowly and she weakly smiled. "Sorry, I didn't know you and Sam broke up." She said, changing the subject.

Jason's eyebrows lifted and he shook his head, "I walked in on Sam with Ric."

Elizabeth's body jerked so she was sitting straight up, "Sam and Ric? Wow… ok you win."

Jason shook his head, "It was bound to happen eventually. Sam was always self-destructive and…" his voice trailed off.

Elizabeth turned to face him, "And what?"

Jason's hand lifted to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear then returned to cup her cheek. "And she wasn't you."

Elizabeth leaned into his touch and her heart swelled at his words. She knew how he felt and he knew how she felt, it was nice to hear the words sometimes. With her eyes still closed she spoke, "I wish…" but she trailed off and Jason nodded.

"I know, me too." They stayed like that for a while then he withdrew his hand and sighed. "Where is Cam?"

"He is staying at my Grams for a few nights... luckily." She said with a sigh and stood from the couch. "I should get going, I don't want to-"

He interrupted her, "Where are you going to go?"

She shrugged, "Well I can't go home and it's late so I don't want to wake up my Grams and have to explain everything to her. Maybe a hotel, maybe the on call room at the hospital."

Jason immediately stood from the couch, "Just stay here."

"What if someone saw me come into the building?"

"It's a big building, you could be visiting someone else." He reasoned.

Her brows pulled together. "You don't think its too dangerous for me to stay?"

Jason smiled, "Well you are already here so might as well stay." He took a few steps in her direction. "But I don't know if that is the danger you were talking about."

His words sent a jolt of electricity through her. "Yea it probably isn't a good idea for me to stay here." She said in a low voice as she took a step toward him.

He shook his head, "Definitely not." He hoarsely whispered and stopped in front of her. His hand wrapped around her wrist and squeezed before slowly trailing his fingertips up her arm.

"B-because in the end we… we can't be together." She managed to mutter as his fingers trailed across her neck and removed the clip that hung lose in her hair. Her eyes lifted and finally met his. They silently waited for the other to back away but they didn't. "Just tonight." She reminded him but it was more her reminding herself.

"I love you." He whispered as his lips descended on hers.

"I love you so mu-" before she could complete the last word his lips covered hers.

***End flashback***

Elizabeth shook herself from her thoughts. So often she would think back to the times when she and Jason would actually be on the same page, and be together. The night they made Jake was amazing and full of love and comforting. It did lead to Jason purchasing the safe house so they could meet occasionally. They met and spent time together throughout her pregnancy. When Jake was born Jason made a decision, he was going to leave the mob. In the end, it failed as it had the first time he tried after Cameron was born. It only reiterated the fact that he was serving a life term for the career he chose. He may not be in jail physically but he had to give up the most important part of his life, his family.

In the beginning Elizabeth was sympathetic. They still met at the safe house at least once a month and Jason would spend time with Cameron and Jake. Occasionally they would manage to plan a trip to Switzerland, both telling their friends they were actually going somewhere else. The past few months had been bad though. Jason rarely managed to get away and it had been three months since they met at the safe house. The tension in their relationship was palpable. She resented him, she resented his life and most of all she was angry that he could parade around town with Carly and her boys. Then there was Sam. She couldn't really be angry that he was with Sam, after all she was with Lucky before Jake was born. Sam was just someone that was there and willing. He would never be serious about her no matter how much Sam wanted him to be.

She focused on the road as she drove the long way, avoiding traffic cameras and the busier areas of town. She pulled out her phone.

"Oh sweetheart, you really shouldn't use the phone while you are driving." Audrey maternally said.

"I'll be quick." Elizabeth said, carefully going through her contacts and dialing a number.

"Hello Liz, I was just thinking about you."

"Neil…" Elizabeth said, instantly tearing up. "I need you."

It was not common that Elizabeth would call Neil and immediately ask for help, he knew it must be bad. "Is it one of the boys? Is it Jason?"

She peeked in her rear view mirror to make sure the boys were sleeping before she spoke, "Jason… he's been shot. They think I did it… well I did but it was an accident. Claudia Corinthos is sure to order a…"

"I'm on the plane now Liz, I'll be there by the morning. Do you have somewhere safe to go?" He quickly asked in protective mode. Neil was like a brother to Elizabeth, the protective type of brother every woman should have.

"Yes, I have a house that Jason bought for us. Nobody knows about it. I'm going there. It's on Pine Road, do you know where that is?"

"That's out in the sticks, just inside town right?" he asked, rubbing his hand across his strong brow.

"Yes… 105 is the house number, I'll be parked in the garage."

Neil buckled his seatbelt as the plane prepared to takeoff. "I was just coming into town to pay my uncle a surprise visit, so I'll be there soon. Don't worry sweetheart, I'll take care of everything."

"Please don't tell Sean." Elizabeth quickly blurted out.

"I know you don't want him to worry. I have to call my parents and let them know though." Neil added.

"Please tell Harry and Ella to make sure the news doesn't get to Sean."

"I will, I have to turn my phone off now. I'll call you when I land." Neil said, his worry clear in his voice. He knew Claudia and the Zacharra family by reputation, and that was enough.

"Thank you."


Edited 1 time by RTNAdmin1 05/15/10 11:54 AM.