Disclaimer:
I own nothing related to or affiliated with Disney, ABC Daytime, or General Hospital. Characters are not mine; they are merely being borrowed.

AN:

You're not seeing things. I am posting! Now I know Thanksgiving was weeks ago but I doubt most of you will mind. I have to blame Miss Raye for even writing this little fic.

This takes place on Thanksgiving with a few tiny twists. I really hope all of you enjoy.

~Kelly~

Elizabeth's terrible horrible not so very good Thanksgiving

Elizabeth was rushing around the house trying to get everything ready for dinner. She wasn't much of a cook but then again neither was Patrick. Besides Grams he and Emma were the closest thing to family she had in Port Charles. The fact they were spending the day together meant more then she could say.

This last year had been full of so many ups and downs Elizabeth was grateful that she had a friend like Patrick. Even if they didn't always see eye to eye. Like her decision to move Jake in for example. Her friend didn't quite understand why she felt the need to help her patient. Truth was Elizabeth didn't totally understand either. All she knew was something deep inside compelled her to help him. Despite the fact they couldn't agree Patrick still respected her decision. He was the one who person who didn't question or belittle her choices. The least she could do is return the favor.

Hearing the knock at the door Elizabeth rolled her eyes. It was a habit she hadn't totally broken Patrick of yet. "Haven't I told you to stop knocking," she griped opening the door. When she saw who was on her porch Elizabeth barely contained her surprise. Apparently Patrick had decided to invite Sam and her son to dinner as well. Perfect. This was one of the last things Elizabeth wanted to deal with today. "I... I didn't realize you were bringing a date."

Patrick frowned at her odd tone. "I hope it's okay. Sam had..."

"I'm sure it's fine, Patrick," she said cutting the other man off. What was she supposed to tell him? That the only person she hated more than Sam was Britt Westborne. Elizabeth doubted he would understand especially since pretended to be polite to the woman in public.

"Are you sure?" he asked suddenly regretting his invitation to Sam. "Because I have say you seem a little stressed."

She laughed at the observation. Leave it to Patrick to point out the obvious. For a doctor he could be unaware at times. "It's Thanksgiving and I've been up since 4 am cooking. Of course I'm stressed."

"I'm sorry I should have called first. I don't know what I was thinking." he sincerely apologized.

"You're family so I forgive you," Elizabeth teased opening the door to allow them inside. "But just this once."

"Very funny Nurse Webber. Oh before I forget," he said grabbing the cake box Emma was carrying. "Anna sent this over."

"I didn't know Anna cooked."

"Anna does everything so I wouldn't be surprised. However this came from that bakery downtown."

Elizabeth shook her head. She couldn't imagine why the police commissioner was sending her baked goods. This day just kept getting weirder and weirder. Suddenly she needed some space. "Well it was still very... nice of her. Let me go put this in the kitchen."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Are you okay?" Jake asked from the kitchen doorway. It didn't take a genius to figure out something was bothering Elizabeth. "You seem... I don't know tense."

"I'm just surprised to see Sam is all. We have this... complicated history and to be honest I'd rather not deal with her at all if possible."

He wasn't sure what to make of Elizabeth's comment. She seemed to get along with nearly everyone but Dr. Obrecht. Not that he could blame her on that one. The silence went on for several moments before he said, "But you're nice to her."

"Yes I am. Although I don't always remember why." she admitted with a frown. Some days it was impossible to forget all the terrible things Sam had done. "Don't worry I'll be fine. I want Patrick to be happy and if that's with Sam I will learn to deal with her."

"I wish I could do something to to make things easier."

"Actually you being here it helps." Elizabeth admitted softly. Having Jake around grounded in for some reason she couldn't explain.

"Well then I'm happy to help."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dinner wasn't a complete disaster but only because of the kids. Cam and Emma kept up a steady stream of conversation through out the meal. Having the kids around dampened a lot of the tension. At least while they ate.

Elizabeth cleared the table happy to have something to distract her from her guests. Having Sam in her house for an extended period of time was more difficult than she imagined. Just being in the same room with the woman was getting to be too much.

Across the room Sam and Patrick were sitting on the couch. Elizabeth tried to be happy for her best friend. If anyone deserved to be happy it was Patrick. He'd been through hell the last few months. She just wished he have picked anyone but Sam.

"Don't be so sad Emma," she heard Cam say from across the room. The little girl had been unusually quite ever since dinner ended. Elizabeth wasn't surprised that her oldest was trying to comfort the younger girl.

"I'm just missing my baby brother."

Cam wrapped an arm around his friend's shoulders. "It's not easy to miss someone. I still miss Jake every day. But my mom says that he wouldn't want us to be sad all the time."

Sam chose this moment to join in the kids' conversation. "That's because Jake was a very special little boy."

For some reason hearing the other woman talk about her son set Elizabeth off. She could still remember Sam wishing Jake dead. And now he was.

"Maybe I should check on her," Patrick said getting up from the sofa.

"Why don't you let me?" Sam suggested almost immediately.

"I don't know you guys aren't really all that close."

"But I'm a mother Patrick."

He could see how that might be helpful at the moment. "Alright. Just let me know if I can help."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sam hesitated at the kitchen door. Despite what she said to Patrick she wasn't "I'm sorry if the kids upset you."

"The [i]kids[/i] didn't upset me." Elizabeth said taking care to stress the word.

"Okay." she said surprised by Elizabeth's tone. It wasn't like the nurse to snap at her. At least not in a long time. "Well then I meant to thank for letting us come over."

"Yeah it's not like I much choice in the matter." Elizabeth muttered under her breath. She was trying not to snap at Sam but the woman didn't know when to quit.

"I told Patrick to call but you know how forgetful he can be. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"You want to help?" Elizabeth asked smiling coldly at the other woman. For the first time in years she felt able to speak up about her feelings for Sam. She wasn't sure what the change was. Maybe it had to do with the fact Jason and Spinelli were no longer around to protect her.

"Sure."

"What I'd really like is for you not to be in my house pretending you're a good person."

Sam blinked several times at the request before saying, "Excuse me?"

"Was I not clear?"

"I thought..." she trailed off frowning in confusion. "you said you forgave me."

Elizabeth laughed at the idea she's forgiven Sam. The woman had actively hurt her children nothing could make up for that. At least in her mind. "Forgive you? Why in the hell would I ever forgive you?"

"So you've just been pretending this whole time?"

"What choice did I have?" she shrugged unhappily. Jason and Lucky hadn't really given her much choice in the matter. "You were a threat to my children. Haven't you ever heard of keeping your enemies close?"

Sam huffed and rolled her eyes. This was ancient history as far as she was concerned. Especially since everything worked out the way she wanted. "All that happened years ago you should just get over it."

"You watched a mentally ill woman kidnap my son. And then you hired two men to point guns at my boys." Elizabeth reminded her bluntly. There were days she could still feel the fear of those moments. It was worse since Jake died. " I'm don't think I'll ever get over it Sam."

"I told you I was sorry."

She shook her head. Even Sam couldn't be this stupid could she? "I don't believe you. Oh you might have been sorry you got caught but that's all. It's not like you paid for your crimes."

"What are you going to do? There's no evidence left. Spinelli made sure of it." Sam snapped back practically gloating at the fact.

"Of course he did. The best thing that boy ever did was move far away from you."

"You're just jealous because Jason chose me."

"Actually I'm not." Elizabeth admitted almost sadly. It had taken months to realize that part of her hated Jason for going back to Sam. Even if she had expected it all along. "If he could be with you after what you did to Jake... then he wasn't the man I thought he was. Now get out of my house and don't come back."

"What am I supposed to tell Patrick?" she asked stunned by how hostile Elizabeth was being. Sam truly thought all this was years in the past. She should have known that Elizabeth would be bitter about losing Jason. No matter what she tried to claim now.

"I don't care. Lie. Your really good at it after all."

"That's low, Elizabeth. I've done everything I can to change my life around and put my past behind me." Sam glared at Elizabeth, but the younger woman wasn't going to back down.

"Which past is that, Sam?" Elizabeth couldn't help the final brick she was adding on pile of wrongs. "Just how many identities did you have... or rather how many husbands did you kill for their fortunes before you met up with Sonny and Jason?"

"That's low, Elizabeth. You would go there... but I'm not going to give you the satisfaction of looking down your nose at me! I'm with Patrick now, and I won't let you ruin it. So you just try to prove all your 'stories'... he won't believe it and-"

"Oh, I'm pretty sure I believe it."

Elizabeth and Sam turned their heads and saw the open kitchen door. It perfectly framed the shocked expressions of the two men standing in the opening.

Elizabeth bit her lip, embarrassed. "Patrick, I'm so sorry you had to hear-"

"All the lies," Sam glared at Elizabeth. The look promised pain.

"You mean 'your' lies, Sam?" Patrick's jaw was clenched and Elizabeth knew his tone of voice, she'd heard it many times at the hospital. It wasn't good.

Sam could hear it too. "Just how long have you been standing there?"

Patrick was silent for a moment, drawing in one steadying breath after another. He finally lifted his hands and set them on his hips before he met her eyes again. "Long enough to see who you really are."

Jake slipped past Patrick and moved over to Elizabeth's side. "You okay?"

Elizabeth nodded even though tears threatened to fall. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"No," Patrick turned a sympathetic look to his dear friend, "you're not. And that is all my fault. I brought her here and sat her down at your table. I am sorry, Elizabeth."

"You didn't know, Patrick. You couldn't have known-"

"And you!" Patrick turned back to Sam as he lifted a hand to his neck to sooth his throbbing pulse. "Here I am talking about how I wanted you here, joking that you could help me figure out if Jake was going to hurt her… but it was you that was going to do it… just by walking into her home… and bringing Danny here… Jason's remaining child… how he could look at you after… how could he 'be'-" Patrick covered his mouth with his hand. "No," he mumbled through his fingers before he lower his hand again. "I'm not going to talk about this here." He glared at Sam. "But, we are going to talk about this."

Turning on his heel, Patrick walked into the living room and saw Emma playing with Danny and the other boys on the floor. All of a sudden the reality of the situation hit him harder. A ton of bricks instead of a single blow to the head. "Emma, honey…"

Her brilliant smile made Patrick regret the situation even more. She'd become attached to Danny so quickly, longing for the baby brother she'd lost. "Yes, Daddy?"

"Sweetheart, Sam has to go home right now. I know you're playing with the boys, so I don't want to take you away right now. Why don't you stay and-"

"It's okay, Daddy. I'll come with you and-"

"That's not a good idea, Emma." Patrick struggled to find the right words. He heard a sound and looked behind him. Sam was standing in the open doorway, her arms folded across her chest. Jake stepped past the woman and lead Elizabeth to the couch.

"Elizabeth?" Patrick worried about her. Her complexion was pale, her hands slightly shaking. "Are you-"

"Oh, Aunt Elizabeth," Emma was on her feet immediately, walking up to the couch, "are you okay?"

Elizabeth's smile was genuine. She loved Emma like her own. "I'm fine, sweetie.. you go play with the boys. Have fun."

Emma smoothed back Elizabeth's bangs and touched her cheek to Elizabeth's forehead. "I'll stay here and take care of you for a while… you always take care of everyone else."

Cam and Aiden, who had been watching Emma since she got up off the floor, moved to their mother's side. Aiden climbed up beside her and tucked into her side. Cameron took one of his mother's hands and held it in his.

Danny started to follow them, but Sam put her hand on his shoulder and brought him to her side. The little boy looked up at his mother in confusion. Patrick turned his affectionate gaze to Sam, his eyes hardening as they looked at her in a new light. "We better go and take you and Danny home."

Sam heard the flat note of his voice. Gone was the man who had coaxed her out of her moods and now, as he looked at her, she could see that his eyes expressed a new emotion, distaste. "Yes, he'll need to take a nap soon." She hoped Patrick wouldn't start a fight if Danny was sleeping, but with the set of his jaw she had a feeling that wasn't going to stop him from talking about this. She only hoped that he would let her explain.

Patrick got their coats and held the door open for Sam, his knuckles white with exertion. When she stepped outside he looked back at is friend.

Elizabeth, sensing the gesture, looked up at him. She gave him a smile that almost warmed her cheeks to her customary blush of health. Almost. "Emma can sleep over if you need to talk with Sam."

He looked at his daughter, sitting on the arm of Elizabeth's couch, leaning her cheek on Elizabeth's shoulder. "I hope that won't be necessary, but thanks, Elizabeth. I can always count on you."

Elizabeth shifted slightly and wrapped her arms around Emma, drawing the little girl into her lap. "Likewise, Patrick."

He was gone a moment later, closing the door behind him with a resolute click.

Pressing a warm, affectionate kiss to the top of Emma's head, she turned and gave kisses to both Cam and Aiden as well. "You kids are the best!"

The three children piled on Elizabeth who shared their smiles and laughter as the tension rolled off of her. She fell laughing on her side as Cam gave his mother an attack of the 'tickle-monster' and Jake sat back to watch the fun. He watched the pretty nurse that had so staunchly sat as his side in the hospital and gave him a chance to spend some time with her family, he watched her share her heart with the children and he felt a warmth in his chest that had nothing to do with the temperature of the home around him.

Once Cam turned the monster on Emma, the young girl bolted away with a delighted scream. Aiden trailed after Cam as the children disappeared into the other room.

Elizabeth sat up from her sprawl on the couch and gave Jake a bright smile. "Sorry you had to witness my… uh… discussion with Sam in the kitchen."

"You don't have to worry about me, Elizabeth. I'm more concerned about you." Moving closer, he sat on the couch at her side. "How is Sam not in prison for what she did to you and your children?"

"You know," her smile wavered a bit, "I've wondered that myself from time to time. She had a good friend who was a wiz with computers. Much of the information about what she did is lost. Videos, bank transfers… all gone. I thought I'd put it all behind me. I thought I'd wiped that slate clean."

Jake took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze. "You've got a great heart, Elizabeth. Anyone can see that. But someone who can do that to children… endanger them like that… you can't be expected to ignore the danger she was to them." He looked down at their hands linked, resting against his thigh. "Earlier, when everyone was saying what they were thankful for," he looked up at her and let his eyes roam over her face, memorizing every inch, "I wanted to add something to the list."

Elizabeth felt the soft brush of his thumb on the back of her hand and she could barely nod. "Yeah? What?"

"I'm thankful that your heart is filled with such gentle compassion and warmth for others. You took a guy with nothing and you gave me the best gift I could have asked for." Before he could think better of it, Jake leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her in a gentle embrace.

A moment later, her hands slid around his waist and she pressed her cheek against the wall of his chest.

He touched his cheek to the top of her head and sighed. "A home."