Disclaimer: The characters within the story are the property of ABC. I am
not affiliated with ABC or the productions of General Hospital.
Chapter One: A Bell Rings
It had been weeks since Elizabeth had last seen Jason. She knew he was with Courtney now. Courtney had moved into the penthouse with Jason. She knew Courtney had changed her address at work, the same address she had held for a time. It seemed so long ago that her and Zander once lived in the penthouse. Of course, at the time it was for her protection. She had wished it would have been for longer, she dreamed it would have been long- term, but when she found out Jason had lied to her about Sonny's death, she had to leave. It just didn't' feel like somewhere she wanted to stay. Lucky had lied to her about loving her, about caring for Sarah and she was just tired of being lied too. She had waited and worried for Jason to come home to that penthouse and when he finally did it, it was all a lie. Why did people feel the need to lie to her? She always trusted Jason to tell the truth, in fact she depended on it, but that was all a lie too.
CRASH - dropping a tray of dishes.
God, why am I so careless sometimes, she thought. Jason was still on her mind. If she was really honest with herself she missed him all the time. But things were different now. He was with Courtney and she was spending time with Ric. She didn't regret walking out on Jason that night. It was a matter of principle; it was a matter of respect for herself. The one thing she did regret was how things were with her and Jason now. She missed talking to him, but that was her past and she had to start thinking about her future.
As she began to clean her mess, she heard the bell ring above the door. It was strange, even after all this time apart from Jason, she always whispered a silent "please" in the hopes of Jason appearing. Even though Courtney worked at Kelly's, Jason had not been in to see her, well not when she was working anyway. She wondered whether that had something to do with her, but the pessimist part of her said, no.
When she finally lifted her head to inspect the new arrival, she saw a smiling face looking down at her. "Well that's some mess you made?" Ric was nice, she liked him. He treated her like an adult, something many people forget about her.
"Oh! Hey Ric. I was just.I got distracted and dropped the tray." She stumbled with the broken plates cutting her hand.
"Hey, hey, what's wrong? Elizabeth are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine, just having a bad day. It's been busy in here all morning and I'm just tired, but thanks for asking." She knew she was lying. Well, not lying exactly, but she was not telling the whole truth. It was busy in Kelly's all morning, but her carelessness was part distraction and that distraction was all Jason. She couldn't tell that to Ric though. "Oh God, you cut yourself?" he said sounding very concerned.
"No, no.don't worry about me, it's nothing" she said pulling her hand away to examine it better.
"Nothing.your bleeding let me see."
She passed over her and hand and he examined it as thought he had an M.D. after his name. After a few minutes of care, he told her she wouldn't need stitches.
"Great because it is crazy in here and I can't leave."
Ric took her hand and started bandaging the cut. As he, did he began a lecture on being more alert, her thoughts were somewhere else, when she had bandaged someone.
Flashback: Kelly's
"Hey. You made it just under the wire. Can I get you something"
"Coffee."
"Ok."
"I guess. Black."
"I think I know how you take your coffee by now."
"Yeah, you do."
"Though, I don't understand how you can drink it on such a hot day."
"What's one thing have to do with the other?"
"Never mind. You know, maybe I'll grab a drink and join you, if you're not in a hurry, I mean."
"I don't -- I don't think that's such a good idea."
"I don't think anybody's going to pull out a gun and shoot us right here."
[Elizabeth's tries the door] Oh, shoot, it's locked.
"I'll get it."
"Oh -- no, no -- that's ok, I'll do it."
"You're -"
"Yes. Can I have a credit card, please?"
"You're going to -- you're going to pick a lock with a credit card?"
"I watch "Alias." Ok."
"Uh -- I'd -- I'd take it a little easier -"
"It's ok."
"With that. It's just that -"
"I've almost got it".
[Jason's credit card breaks]"Oh."
"Oh."
"Oh."
"That worked."
"I -- whoops. I'm sorry I did -- oh, I'm so sorry. Here. Don't make fun of me, ok?"
"Ok."
"God, not that I don't deserve it. Jeez -- can I just have your cell phone so I can call the locksmith, like I should have done in the first place?"
"You know what? You're in luck, because I have experience with this kind of thing. Yeah. Give me this."
"Sure. Well, by all means."
[Jason wraps his hand in a towel and breaks the window, opening the door]
"There you go."
"So technical."
"Well, I really am impressed. I mean, where did you learn such skills? Saturday morning cartoons?"
"A solution doesn't have to be complicated to work."
"Jason, you hurt yourself."
"No, come on, it's nothing, really."
"Oh. Oh, aren't you macho? I'm going to bandage it."
"No, no, no -- I don't need a band-aid."
"Don't argue with me."
"Would it do any good?"
"Exactly."
"You know, on the docks the other night, after Kristina's memorial, I meant every word I said. "
"Doesn't matter."
"How can you say that?"
"Because of how things are."
"You mean whatever danger you think I'm in."
"And then there's you and Zander."
"He's been good to me. I care about him."
"I get that. You were going to leave town with him."
"You wanted me to. At least that's what you said. I was afraid of what might happen to Zander if he didn't get out of town. He -- he refused to leave without me. It's not like I sat down and thought it out and made a conscious decision. I just -- I wanted him safe."
"That's what I wanted for you."
"Do you know that I went to Sonny and begged him to give Zander another chance to stay in Port Charles because I didn't want to leave Port Charles? Do you want to know why?"
"Oh, no -- Elizabeth -"
"You don't have to answer. I know you feel the same way I do. Feeling it is why you're here right now."
.....
"Liz.Liz.Elizabeth.hey are you still with me."
Ric was waving his hand in front of her face trying to grab her attention.
"Yeah, yeah.sorry, of course I am. I am just distracted today" she said trying to sounding convincing.
"Are you sure you are all right?" His voice sounded concerned and she did not particularly feel like delving into her memories with Ric.
"I'm fine, sorry. It's just one of those days." She hoped that that would suffice and he would not ask any further.
"Well, if you are sure you are alright...I wanted to ask you if you wanted to go to dinner tonight and perhaps to the theatre."
"Oh Ric that sounds so great!" She loved going to the theatre and she felt like she needed to occupy her thoughts with things other than Jason, but her face turned blank when she realized what day it was.
"I can't.today is Thursday, I have my class tonight."
"Oh yeah, I forgot. How is that going anyway?" he asked sounding disappointed.
"It is going great.great. I'm sorry, it's just a bad night, but what about a rain check?" She knew he was disappointed, but she wasn't ready to share her secret and she certainly knew that she had to continue concealing it from him.
"Sure that sounds great, what about tomorrow night? Are you free? he asked with a hint of hopefulness.
"Tomorrow night sounds fantastic. That would be wonderful; you can pick me up at 6ish, does that sound okay? she said trying to sound excited.
"That sounds great, I will se you then." He leaned down to kiss her goodbye and she dodged him by turning her face and caught her cheek. He didn't seem to mind however and gave have her a quick smile before turning and leaving. Elizabeth heaved a sigh of relief after he she was certain he was gone and could not hear her.
It wasn't that she didn't like Ric, she did. He was a great guy. He played the guitar and took an active interest in her art. They went to different art shows together and she enjoyed watching him play his guitar. He was good and she loved to watch him play. But, there was just something missing. She knew her heart was not ready, not yet anyway. She wasn't quit prepared to let go of Jason and what could have been. Her Thursday nights told her that.
Chapter One: A Bell Rings
It had been weeks since Elizabeth had last seen Jason. She knew he was with Courtney now. Courtney had moved into the penthouse with Jason. She knew Courtney had changed her address at work, the same address she had held for a time. It seemed so long ago that her and Zander once lived in the penthouse. Of course, at the time it was for her protection. She had wished it would have been for longer, she dreamed it would have been long- term, but when she found out Jason had lied to her about Sonny's death, she had to leave. It just didn't' feel like somewhere she wanted to stay. Lucky had lied to her about loving her, about caring for Sarah and she was just tired of being lied too. She had waited and worried for Jason to come home to that penthouse and when he finally did it, it was all a lie. Why did people feel the need to lie to her? She always trusted Jason to tell the truth, in fact she depended on it, but that was all a lie too.
CRASH - dropping a tray of dishes.
God, why am I so careless sometimes, she thought. Jason was still on her mind. If she was really honest with herself she missed him all the time. But things were different now. He was with Courtney and she was spending time with Ric. She didn't regret walking out on Jason that night. It was a matter of principle; it was a matter of respect for herself. The one thing she did regret was how things were with her and Jason now. She missed talking to him, but that was her past and she had to start thinking about her future.
As she began to clean her mess, she heard the bell ring above the door. It was strange, even after all this time apart from Jason, she always whispered a silent "please" in the hopes of Jason appearing. Even though Courtney worked at Kelly's, Jason had not been in to see her, well not when she was working anyway. She wondered whether that had something to do with her, but the pessimist part of her said, no.
When she finally lifted her head to inspect the new arrival, she saw a smiling face looking down at her. "Well that's some mess you made?" Ric was nice, she liked him. He treated her like an adult, something many people forget about her.
"Oh! Hey Ric. I was just.I got distracted and dropped the tray." She stumbled with the broken plates cutting her hand.
"Hey, hey, what's wrong? Elizabeth are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine, just having a bad day. It's been busy in here all morning and I'm just tired, but thanks for asking." She knew she was lying. Well, not lying exactly, but she was not telling the whole truth. It was busy in Kelly's all morning, but her carelessness was part distraction and that distraction was all Jason. She couldn't tell that to Ric though. "Oh God, you cut yourself?" he said sounding very concerned.
"No, no.don't worry about me, it's nothing" she said pulling her hand away to examine it better.
"Nothing.your bleeding let me see."
She passed over her and hand and he examined it as thought he had an M.D. after his name. After a few minutes of care, he told her she wouldn't need stitches.
"Great because it is crazy in here and I can't leave."
Ric took her hand and started bandaging the cut. As he, did he began a lecture on being more alert, her thoughts were somewhere else, when she had bandaged someone.
Flashback: Kelly's
"Hey. You made it just under the wire. Can I get you something"
"Coffee."
"Ok."
"I guess. Black."
"I think I know how you take your coffee by now."
"Yeah, you do."
"Though, I don't understand how you can drink it on such a hot day."
"What's one thing have to do with the other?"
"Never mind. You know, maybe I'll grab a drink and join you, if you're not in a hurry, I mean."
"I don't -- I don't think that's such a good idea."
"I don't think anybody's going to pull out a gun and shoot us right here."
[Elizabeth's tries the door] Oh, shoot, it's locked.
"I'll get it."
"Oh -- no, no -- that's ok, I'll do it."
"You're -"
"Yes. Can I have a credit card, please?"
"You're going to -- you're going to pick a lock with a credit card?"
"I watch "Alias." Ok."
"Uh -- I'd -- I'd take it a little easier -"
"It's ok."
"With that. It's just that -"
"I've almost got it".
[Jason's credit card breaks]"Oh."
"Oh."
"Oh."
"That worked."
"I -- whoops. I'm sorry I did -- oh, I'm so sorry. Here. Don't make fun of me, ok?"
"Ok."
"God, not that I don't deserve it. Jeez -- can I just have your cell phone so I can call the locksmith, like I should have done in the first place?"
"You know what? You're in luck, because I have experience with this kind of thing. Yeah. Give me this."
"Sure. Well, by all means."
[Jason wraps his hand in a towel and breaks the window, opening the door]
"There you go."
"So technical."
"Well, I really am impressed. I mean, where did you learn such skills? Saturday morning cartoons?"
"A solution doesn't have to be complicated to work."
"Jason, you hurt yourself."
"No, come on, it's nothing, really."
"Oh. Oh, aren't you macho? I'm going to bandage it."
"No, no, no -- I don't need a band-aid."
"Don't argue with me."
"Would it do any good?"
"Exactly."
"You know, on the docks the other night, after Kristina's memorial, I meant every word I said. "
"Doesn't matter."
"How can you say that?"
"Because of how things are."
"You mean whatever danger you think I'm in."
"And then there's you and Zander."
"He's been good to me. I care about him."
"I get that. You were going to leave town with him."
"You wanted me to. At least that's what you said. I was afraid of what might happen to Zander if he didn't get out of town. He -- he refused to leave without me. It's not like I sat down and thought it out and made a conscious decision. I just -- I wanted him safe."
"That's what I wanted for you."
"Do you know that I went to Sonny and begged him to give Zander another chance to stay in Port Charles because I didn't want to leave Port Charles? Do you want to know why?"
"Oh, no -- Elizabeth -"
"You don't have to answer. I know you feel the same way I do. Feeling it is why you're here right now."
.....
"Liz.Liz.Elizabeth.hey are you still with me."
Ric was waving his hand in front of her face trying to grab her attention.
"Yeah, yeah.sorry, of course I am. I am just distracted today" she said trying to sounding convincing.
"Are you sure you are all right?" His voice sounded concerned and she did not particularly feel like delving into her memories with Ric.
"I'm fine, sorry. It's just one of those days." She hoped that that would suffice and he would not ask any further.
"Well, if you are sure you are alright...I wanted to ask you if you wanted to go to dinner tonight and perhaps to the theatre."
"Oh Ric that sounds so great!" She loved going to the theatre and she felt like she needed to occupy her thoughts with things other than Jason, but her face turned blank when she realized what day it was.
"I can't.today is Thursday, I have my class tonight."
"Oh yeah, I forgot. How is that going anyway?" he asked sounding disappointed.
"It is going great.great. I'm sorry, it's just a bad night, but what about a rain check?" She knew he was disappointed, but she wasn't ready to share her secret and she certainly knew that she had to continue concealing it from him.
"Sure that sounds great, what about tomorrow night? Are you free? he asked with a hint of hopefulness.
"Tomorrow night sounds fantastic. That would be wonderful; you can pick me up at 6ish, does that sound okay? she said trying to sound excited.
"That sounds great, I will se you then." He leaned down to kiss her goodbye and she dodged him by turning her face and caught her cheek. He didn't seem to mind however and gave have her a quick smile before turning and leaving. Elizabeth heaved a sigh of relief after he she was certain he was gone and could not hear her.
It wasn't that she didn't like Ric, she did. He was a great guy. He played the guitar and took an active interest in her art. They went to different art shows together and she enjoyed watching him play his guitar. He was good and she loved to watch him play. But, there was just something missing. She knew her heart was not ready, not yet anyway. She wasn't quit prepared to let go of Jason and what could have been. Her Thursday nights told her that.