Elizabeth Webber was an idiot.
Only an idiot would mix up her patient's medications. Only an idiot would decide to drive the cliff road during a thunderstorm. And only an idiot with two children would actually believe she could ever have a future with Jason Morgan.
She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, but no sooner than she did was her face covered with rain again. "What a genius," she hissed, kicking the back of her car as she stood on the shoulder of the road, where she'd barely managed to pull over when her back passenger side tire had suddenly blown.
The storm started way before she reached the cliff road, bringing it with it hundreds of oversized raindrops that beat against her window. As soon as the windshield wipers swished, her window was immediately blurred by water again. Something had told her to go straight to Grams' to pick up the boys when she left the hospital, but instead she found herself feeling nostalgic, aching to go nowhere fast.
It didn't matter that except for a single flickering street lamp, the road was pitch black, and she couldn't see a damn thing in front of her. It didn't matter that every time the lightning burst across the sky and the thunder boomed soon after, she felt herself pressing the gas down even further. And it really didn't matter when her tires skidded across the pavement, throwing her to the other side of road. In fact, she may have even liked the danger of it all, but no one would ever believe the angelic Elizabeth Webber liked to push herself to the edge.
Well, there was one person, but she was currently non-existent to him.
Scowling, she kicked her flat tire one last time, hating that he was the sole reason she was out on this road anyway. Without Jason there would have been no cliff road, no need to go nowhere fast, and more of an angelic Elizabeth Webber.
"Stop," she told herself, running her hands over her face, as she walked back to get into the car.
She had allowed herself to wallow more than was necessary. She had a life, with two boys, and a job that required her to get it together. Jason just didn't fit into any of that, but it's not like that was anything new.
She jumped when the thunder boomed, closer this time, and paused long enough to look up in the sky, anticipating the appearance of the lightning. It streaked across the sky in jagged lines, an all too brief moment of beauty amidst an ugly storm.
Turning back to the car, she grasped the handle of the door, swearing under her breath when it didn't open.
"No," she murmured, flipping the handle again, only to have the same outcome.
She moved around the car hurriedly, the rain continuing to beat down on her, leaving her hair a soaking mess, and her clothes clinging to her body. When she made it around to the passenger side door, she didn't bother touching the handle. She already knew she was locked out.
Pressing her face against the window, she narrowed her eyes at the steering wheel, not at all surprised to see the keys still in the ignition. It wasn't the first time she'd done this, and she was sure it wouldn't be the last. Slamming her fist against the window, she cursed karma to the high heavens when she realized her purse was setting in the passenger seat, because surely karma was the only thing to blame.
It couldn't have anything to do with the fact that she'd been so damn distracted since Michael's shooting and watching Jason walk away from her. Not to mention that she was completely exhausted from spending every free moment taking care of the boys, leaving her to feel like she was losing more of herself with every passing day.
"Son of a bitch," she cried, just as the thunder cracked again, only this time she wasn't interested in the beauty of it all.
Wringing her hands, she passed back and forth on the side of her car, not sure what to do. Walking back to town would take hours, but it wasn't like she could stand in the rain and wait for someone to come to her. She had no phone, seeing as hers was locked safely in her car, not that she would have any reception. She grasped her jacket tightly in her hands, pulling the wet material tightly around, as if it would actually warm her.
Now, she would have to add pneumonia to her list of problems, which meant needing someone to take care of the boys while she was sick. Or worse finding someone to fill in for her at the hospital, even though she couldn't really afford to take time off. She paused briefly, finding herself wondering if Jason would come see her if she was ill.
"Just give up," she scolded herself, as her eyes filled with tears.
Leaning against the side of the car, she didn't fight the desire to cry this time. It wasn't long before her sobs were breaking through the air like the clack of the thunder had moments before. If anything, it was the most appropriate time to cry, kind of like crying in the shower. The water washed away the physical proof on her face, though it did nothing for her ailing heart.
She muffled a sob against the back of her hand as she attempted to pull herself together. She needed to figure out how she was going to get out of this mess, and unfortunately walking back to town seemed to be the only choice left.
Pushing the wet curls that were plastered to her face away, she folded her arms over her chest, and started down the long road. Thankfully her headlights provided light for a little ways down the road, but she knew soon enough she would be walking all alone in the dark.
Elizabeth wasn't sure how long she walked before she saw headlights coming up the road in front of her, but she knew it was unlike any other rush of relief she'd ever felt. Stepping into the middle of the road, she prepared to wave her hands when she realized the driver had no intentions of stopping. She barely made it out of the car's path, swearing at the unidentified driver who simply passed her as if she wasn't even there.
She spun around on her heels, narrowing her eyes at the back of the car, only able to make out that it was a Jaguar. It may have been black or some other dark color, the night making it impossible to see any other details. Swearing again, she turned back around, knowing she had no choice but to continue on. She would just damn that driver the whole way to town, and be on the look out for dark, fast moving Jaguars.
Shivering, she tightened her arms around herself, noticing that the rain seemed to be slacking off. She was thankful for that, but it wouldn't change the fact that her clothes were soaked, and she was freezing.
She wasn't sure how long she walked before she was vaguely aware of the headlights behind her. She was so caught up in thoughts of her boys, work, and sadly, Jason, that she didn't take notice of the car until the horn honked behind her.
She jumped at first, spinning around as if she expected to see an attacker, knowing she couldn't do much to feign someone off at this point. She was so cold it hurt to move, and the weight of her soaked clothing only made moving more difficult.
The driver made no move to get out of the car at first, which caught Elizabeth off guard. It was several minutes before the Jaguar's door swung open. Seconds later an umbrella appeared over the top of the door, and a figure slowly emerged from the car. It was difficult enough to make out the person's body, but it was clear from the stance, it was a woman. The driver walked slowly, each step poised and proper, her head held high.
Something told Elizabeth this woman was enjoying her allusiveness.
It was only when the driver stepped in front of the headlights that she seemed to spring to life, like a black and white photograph suddenly turning to color. She was dressed in a long, red trench coat that was buttoned from the neck and covered her all the way to her ankles, which were wrapped in a pair of stringy, matching stilettos.
"Is that your car back there?" she asked, tipping her umbrella back long enough for Elizabeth to get a good look at her face.
Her dark hair cascaded over the shoulders of her coat, and her dark eyes were narrowed, peering down her nose at Elizabeth. "I said, is that your back there?" she asked again, more annoyed this time. "Look lady, I haven't got all day. Did the rain damage you or something?"
"It's-it's my car," she stammered, partly from the cold, and partly from the sheer fear that was running through her.
"Do you need to call someone?" she asked, slipping a cell phone from her pocket.
Elizabeth eyed her suspiciously, trying to remember why this woman was so vaguely familiar.
"Or do you just want to walk back to town on two feet?" she snapped, shrugging as she slid the phone back into her pocket. "I didn't have to turn around, you know, but I saw your car." She paused, taking several articulate steps towards Elizabeth. "I thought to myself, maybe she was out trying to blow off some steam. You know, drive real fast, something I know a thing or two about myself. Except you obviously weren't woman enough for this old road."
"Though I will admit you have this whole fair maiden quality about you," the driver continued, nodding as if she had Elizabeth pegged in some way. "Let me guess, you were just waiting for a big, dark knight to come in and rescue you, right? Well sadly for you, he was a no show, so maybe you should think about dropping the loser."
Elizabeth raised her eyebrows, hugging herself as she stared back at the woman. She was surely no fair maiden, and while she once had a knight, she was no good at holding onto them. Her men were always crazy, destructive, or loved her too much to hurt her. All she really wanted was someone to love her enough to stay.
"Should I call 911? You're just standing there dumbfounded, and it's really starting to freak me out," she muttered, pulling her phone from her pocket again.
"Just-just a bad-bad day," she replied, wiping more raindrops away with the back of her hand.
"Is this stutter new or were you born with it?" the driver asked, scrolling through numbers on her phone.
"I'm cold," she replied, not sure why she was dignifying this woman with any replies for the digs she was making. "I, uh, I was driving. My tire popped, and then I locked my keys in the car-"
"Cue that knight," she interjected, putting her phone to her ear.
"I just need to get back into town," Elizabeth said pleadingly, knowing she was going to be the only person to come along. Like it or not, she needed this woman's help, even if she was a condescending bitch.
"I worked a late shift at the hospital," she continued, figuring something she had to say would ignite some type of compassion. "I just needed a break. I'm a single mother, and I have two boys, so they take all my free time."
"Husband leave you?" she asked, arching an eyebrow, as she glanced down at her phone. Elizabeth could see from her face that she had no reception. "Or was there no husband, and you just randomly-"
"We're divorced. He helps out from time to time," she interrupted, growing more annoyed by the second. If she wasn't going to leave, she could just get in her damn car, and leave Elizabeth to wallow in peace.
"Oooo," she murmured, sliding her phone back into her pocket. "A scandal, huh? I can see it in your face. Let me guess, hubby liked it down and dirty, but you couldn't give it to him, so he took it elsewhere?"
"What?" Elizabeth gasped.
"Or was it the other way around?" she asked, pointing at her, and wagging her finger up and down. "You've got this whole angelic thing about you, but something tells me you like to take a walk on the wild side. So what's your pleasure?"
"Right now my pleasure would be a ride into town."
"Uh, no," the driver replied flatly, placing a hand on her slender hip. "There is no way you are sitting on my seats when you're completely soaked."
"Are you kidding me?"
She rolled her eyes, dipping her umbrella back, and staring down her nose again. "Tell you what, tell me why you're husband left you, and maybe we can work out a deal."
"Why do you care?" Elizabeth snapped, noticing the way the woman's face changed immediately.
"I'm a people person. I like collecting facts," she replied snidely. "Now, you can just tell me, or I can snoop around and-"
"It's complicated," she cut in, refusing to bargain with this woman, who she was starting to believe was a lunatic.
"Meaning you both screwed up royally," she murmured knowingly. "Something tells me he cheated first, because I can't imagine you breaking any rules, Angel. So what did you do then? Run out and pick up a guy at a bar?"
"No," she replied flatly, heavily debating on whether to turn around and walk away, but something told her this was not a woman you turned your back on.
"Oh, so you went to someone you already knew? Probably someone he liked a lot or completely despised," the driver continued, nodding at Elizabeth as if she were proud of her or something. "I can appreciate a woman who knows how to really stick it to a man."
Elizabeth just stared at her, not sure how to respond at this point.
"Was it one of his coworkers?" she asked with an amused grin, as if this were some kind of game. "Or…maybe it was an ex-flame?"
"Are you going to help me or not?" Elizabeth snapped, losing her patience. She didn't have time to be standing in the middle of the road rehashing the history of her relationships with a woman she was sure she knew, but couldn't figure out from where.
"Honey, if you want me to help you, I expect you to play-"
"I don't want your help," she spat angrily, turning around and walking away.
"Don't you walk away from me!" the driver cried, grabbing Elizabeth's wrist tightly, and spinning her around to face her. "I was doing a good deed by offering to help. Look, little girl, you may think your sad, pathetic, my husband left me and my boys act is going to get you somewhere, but I'm not going to feel sorry for you. You married the piece of garbage, who left you and your kids, which leaves me to wonder if they are even his."
Elizabeth's eyes flashed with surprise, and her mouth fell open.
"Bingo," she hissed, releasing her wrist, and pushing her away. "If I know anything about fathers it's that they never abandon their sons. A father holds onto his bloodline tightly, even if it means sending everyone else away."
"You-you don't know what you're talking about," Elizabeth stammered, glancing over her shoulder when she heard the faint roar of an engine coming up the road.
Perhaps it would be another, more kind driver, and she could just get home. This entire evening was beyond a disaster, and having some stranger belittle her wasn't helping at all.
"You should just leave. I don't need your help."
The driver grunted, shrugging as she adjusted her grip on her umbrella. "Suit yourself, honey," she murmured, rolling her eyes. "I suppose that you think the sound in the distance is your handsome, dark knight coming to rescue you."
Elizabeth didn't have time to respond because the sound came closer, and she suddenly realized it was all too familiar. When she heard the roar come up behind her, she didn't have to turn around to know that she wasn't the only one aching to go nowhere fast.
She stiffened, not sure if she was prepared to come face to face with Jason Morgan, the man who refused to hold onto his blood line. Tears stung her eyes again, but she willed the desire to cry away.
"Well, well, well," the driver purred, a pleasing grin spreading across her face as she stepped past Elizabeth and towards the man behind her.
Her elbow brushed against Elizabeth's, whose eyes flashed to her face, and suddenly she realized who the woman was.
"Elizabeth? What are you doing up here?" Jason said behind her, ignoring the driver, who obviously knew him. "Are you okay?"
She shivered at the sound of his voice, her chest tightening simply from the way her name rolled off his tongue. She turned around slowly, sucking in a breath when her eyes landed on his.
"Jason," she replied, more softly than she meant to, and she felt her eyes well up with tears all over again.
Maybe it was the exhaustion of the day, or her life in general, or maybe it was the relief that came with knowing he would get her home safely. Though something told her it was just seeing him that made her fall apart.
She noticed the umbrella dip form the corner of her eye, and even though she tried hard not to, she glanced over at the once mysterious woman. When their eyes met, Elizabeth wasn't too surprised by the knowing half smile on Claudia Zacharra's face, but it was the feeling it stirred within her that left her terrified.