TITLE: Don't Let Go

AUTHOR: Liz (liz84118@hotmail.com)

SUMMARY: Sequel to Don't Walk Away


RATING: PG-13

DISCLAIMER: Ok, I don't own characters (wish I did) made this story up, didn't make any money off it, blah blah, you know the rest.

Feedback: Yes please ;-) It makes my whole day.

Authors Note: I'd like to thank my beta's Joy, J, and Priscilla for the inspiration and encouragement.  When I first started this series I never thought it was going to catch on like it did. But after the first story, it started catching on and people started requesting sequels. I just wanted to thank all those who encouraged me to continue with the story. I had a blast writing all these. There is still one sequel left in the series and hopefully a few more surprises, so stay tuned.

Warnings: Character Death

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Elizabeth was miserable.

It had been a week since that fateful day at Kelly's, and she hadn't seen Jason once. She tried to stop by the penthouse a couple of days later but a reluctant Francis turned her away.

Which was the reason for her current mood.

Elizabeth had been painting for hours now, which usually helped to take her mind off things. It probably would've helped her if she didn't think about Jason every two seconds.

And the more she thought about it, the more pissed off she got.

"Who does he think he is?" Elizabeth muttered, as she threw down her brush and started to pace.

It made her really furious that he thought he had the right to make decisions for her. The fact that he could toss her aside so easily whenever he felt like it hurt her. A lot.

Sighing, she looked at the canvas she had been working on and growled in frustration.

Without even realizing it, Elizabeth had painted a picture of Jason. He was staring out a window as if he was waiting for someone. His face as hard as stone, arms crossed

in front of him. Even then, she couldn't deny that he was gorgeous.

Turning away, Elizabeth walked over to the window of her studio. She had to talk to him, there was no way around it. She wouldn't be able to get anything done until she had

spoken what was on her mind.

And she was going to tell him exactly what she thought of the way he had treated her.

------

Jason stood in his penthouse, his arms crossed in front of him, staring out the window. His face was a mask of stone, but inside he was conflicted.

He kept replaying the conversation he'd had with Sonny the day after Elizabeth had been rescued from Taggert and his men.

"How's Elizabeth doing?" Sonny asked his friend.

"I think she's doing ok. She hasn't really talked to me about it. But Elizabeth's strong, and she's been through worse than this." Jason answered, hating the fact that she'd been through worse before.

"Don't take her strength for granted Jason. Anyone can break."

He'd been so scared for her, so afraid that his life would hurt her. But there was something else. Something that he hadn't wanted to name, that had scared him more.

He'd been in love with Elizabeth, for as long as he could remember.

Jason's mind flashed back to the night she had gone looking for trouble at Jakes, when he helped her and she'd turned on him. The look in her eyes then, still haunted him even now. They'd held such pain

and anger. And more then either of those, strength. He saw her strength and was awed by it. Here was this beautiful, amazing woman, that had been through more than anyone should have to handle.

And as much as he could see that she was hurting, he could also see the overwhelming strength in her.

He hadn't known it then, but that was the moment he'd lost his heart.

He'd been safe until now because Elizabeth had never gotten too close. She'd always been the one to run whenever they were on the brink of having more. Though even when she ran, she always came back.

Their connection was one too strong to be so easily broken. But that didn't mean she hadn't hurt him every time she'd run.

Now she was finally ready to be with him, to be a part of his life, and that terrified the hell out of him. He was afraid of the pain he might feel if he let her too close and she decided to run again.

He didn't think he could survive that kind of pain.

Jason sighed as he turned away from the window. Elizabeth was safer if she wasn't involved in his life. People died when they got too close to him. He couldn't be the one to put Elizabeth in that

kind of danger. And Jason knew, he was safer without her in his life too.

------

Sonny had been worried about Jason ever since Elizabeth had been rescued. He seemed different now. Distant and distracted, barely speaking to anyone.

He sighed as he walked over to his desk and picked up a file, scanning it's contents.

The door to the apartment opened and Jason walked in. "You wanted to see me?" Jason said, shutting the door behind him.

"There's been some trouble down at the warehouse that I need you to look into." Sonny handed Jason the file, watching as he looked it over.

"One of the workers found a large package containing a white powder substance. It's been taken care of, but I want to know who's trying to set me up." Sonny said, anger bleeding into his voice.

"I understand." Jason said, turning to leave.

"Hold on Jason." Sonny called to him.

"That's not the only reason I called you over here." He said, concern flooding his voice. "Is everything okay with you and Elizabeth?"

Rubbing the back of his neck, Jason sighed. "We're not together anymore." He said, his voice tinged with sorrow.

"What happened?"

 "It's just too dangerous for her. I don't want her to get hurt anymore." Jason said quietly.

Sonny just nodded. He knew exactly what his friend was going through. Their life was too dangerous, too deadly, to put someone that they loved in danger.

------

Elizabeth had been waiting on the docks for at least two hours now. She knew that she would only get turned away again if she went to the penthouse.

But she still had to talk to Jason. She figured that he was bound to have to go to the warehouse at some point, and this was the most direct route to it.

"This is crazy." She muttered aloud to herself. Elizabeth shook her head irritably. When the hell had she started talking to herself?

She was about to give up and head back up to her studio when she saw him. He was standing at the top of the stairs, looking at her.

"Jason." Elizabeth breathed.