One Hundred Ways

by Solo Ensemble

[Liason COMPLETE]: Though broken up, Jason and Elizabeth still manage to share a special Valentine's Day with a little help from Ric and Courtney.

This was back when no one knew Ric was Sonny's brother. For all intents and purposes, he's not – it's entirely up to you. Jason and Elizabeth have just broken up not too long ago, and Courtney was never in the mix. Now it's February, and with that comes…

Song of same name by James Ingram

One Hundred Ways

Valentine's Day.

How Jason Morgan had come to loathe it.

He pulled his overcoat tighter around his neck, his leather gloves securing his white cashmere scarf. The February wind howled and raged in his path, cutting straight to his bones.

Jason quickened his steps, anxious to get inside. Deftly, he wondered when it had all become too much to bear: the ludicrously low temperatures, the biting wind, the tacky red hearts and white fluff found in abundance during this season. None of them had ever bothered him before. What made this year, this Valentine's Day so different?

He knew. Even as he pushed the thought to the far end of his conscience, he knew.

It was his first Valentine's Day without her.

Without the one woman that made this particular Hallmark holiday burst with meaning for him.

It was the first Valentine's Day that Elizabeth Webber was spending with someone other than him.

Spying the twinkling lanterns that graced the entrance to Kelly's, Jason breathed a sigh of relief. He opened the door, taking off his leather gloves and stuffing them into his pockets as he walked through the diner toward the far staircase, nodding briefly at Bobbie.

He pushed through the swinging doors and quickly made his way down the stairs, the slush on his motorcycle boots absorbing into the rich red carpet.

The Cellar was less busy than normal tonight, he noted. No doubt because all the happy couples were holed up at home, curled up in each other's arms by a raging fireplace.

There were happy couples, he decided as he made his way toward a corner table, and then there were people like him. People who were alone on Valentine's Day because they deserved to be. Because they foolishly squandered the best thing they were ever given.

He sighed, taking off his overcoat and neatly placing it in the booth. He unwound the soft scarf and folded it on top, straightening his suit jacket before sliding onto the leather seat.

The Cellar looked more intimate tonight than it ever had since Carly had opened it. The many sleek lamps mounted on the walls were dimmed down low, their normal pearly shades replaced with new crimson lampshades, providing a rosy glow to the already scarlet room.

He could tell the crimson carpet had been steam cleaned recently, and fresh red roses adorned each table. The mahogany tables gleamed from their recent waxing, and the dark-tiled dance floor was waxed and buffed to perfection.

Looking around, Jason couldn't find a thing wrong with the Cellar. Every piece of furniture was arranged perfectly, the band was playing at just the right volume and pitch, and business was running even more smoothly than ever. His eyes followed Claude at the bar as the African man chatted with one of the hostesses, a delicate looking Asian girl with her jet-black hair pulled back into a professional twist.

Several couples were seated at the tables, whispering intimately over their candlelit dinners. Women, young and old, smiled at their mates as the men spoke softly and tenderly. Some were snuggled up in booths similar to his, enjoying chilled champagne and each other's company.

Others, younger couples, sat at the bar, laughing and chatting quietly. The young women wore shorter dresses than their older counterparts, their legs crossed on the high bar stools and sometimes rubbing sensuously against those of their partners. Heads of perfectly laundered and styled hair nestled languidly on strong, broad shoulders. Polished fingers lay curled within large and gentle hands. Voices were low and husky, unwilling to ruin the sanctity of the lovers' night.

Gazing around Carly's newest club, a wave of sadness washed over Jason. He clinked his neatly trimmed nails against the beer bottle a hostess had served him, undoubtedly to be the first of many.

As a hardened man, a man of principle and resolution, Jason was unaccustomed to the sadness that assaulted him so suddenly, and was ill equipped to deal with it. He was certainly not used to self-pity, yet he found himself wallowing in it all the same.

Everywhere he turned in the club, he was confronted with the perfect, idyllic vision of Valentine's Day. Every couple looked so happy, so loving and peaceful. Everything looked perfect; not a single item was out of place, not a single thing interrupted the romantic atmosphere. Everything belonged.

Except him.

What was he doing here, anyway? Certainly, he wasn't meeting anyone. Not for business and surely not for pleasure. There was no reason for him to be here, for him to intrude on everyone else's perfect Valentine's night.

And yet here he was, feeling as conspicuous as an elephant at an ant farm, dressed in his neatly pressed black slacks, blue oxford shirt and simple black suit jacket. Granted, the motorcycle boots on his feet practically invited the fashion police, but he was unable to find his loafers and decided they had to do.

He didn't even know what possessed him to get all dolled up and trek to the Cellar in the first place. Who, or what, was he expecting, anyway? Surely, no one was looking for him tonight, of all nights.

He clicked his boots against the base of the table, deciding whether to remain put or not. It wasn't as if he had any purpose here, after all.

But then again, he didn't have anything to do at the penthouse, either. No business to take care of. No guards to play pool with. Nothing on television to watch, not that he watched much anyway. Nothing to do in the kitchen, either, especially after last month when he nearly caused the oven to explode while foolishly trying to bake cookies. No, he had decided: baking was definitely not his forte.

Besides, it didn't really matter where he did nothing, did it? At the penthouse or at the Cellar; it was all one and the same. And perhaps he'd run into one of the guards, or another associate. Maybe even Sonny and Carly would decide to stop by. And he didn't really want to go outside again, did he?

The matter decided, Jason stretched languidly and resumed staring at his beer.

A soft, melodic voice could be heard echoing on the staircase, followed by a smooth, deeper voice. Jason's ears perked up at the sound, and he sat up straighter. From his booth in the dark corner, he had an advantageous position from which to view almost everyone in the room. But even he couldn't see into the staircase, where the two voices were now slightly louder, although still hushed.

The higher voice, undoubtedly belonging to a woman, lifted in sweet laughter while the deeper voice sounded a rusty chuckle. Jason craned his neck, leaning forward slightly.

Two figures emerged at the foot of the stairs, their backsides cloaked in darkness. The young woman's hand rested lightly on the banister as man at her side quickly removed his overcoat before helping her with his. He hung both on the golden coat rack before offering the woman his hand. They both stepped forward into the soft light.

Jason's breath caught. His throat constricted and his hand clenched around his glass bottle.

The young woman didn't notice his agitation, having not even have seen him in his lonely corner. She moved lightly on her fire engine red toes, a pair of black sandals with delicate straps adorning her dainty feet. Her dress, a simple black strapless gown that fell to her knees where it swished gracefully with each step, hugged her curves in all the right places. Her thick, shiny chocolate hair was pulled up in a fancy knot, and a single creme-colored flower offered a stark contrast against her dark hair, completing the outfit. Her makeup was light and natural, emphasizing her delicate and feminine features perfectly. Her fingers, topped off with the same nail polish on her toes, held a black sequined purse too small to hold much else beside her wallet and cell phone.

Back at his table, Jason's heart was beating loudly, hurling itself against his rib cage and back. His stomach clenched tightly and he steeled his jaw, his eyes still on the tiny brunette seated in direct view of him.

Elizabeth.

Not even three yards away from him.

On the Valentine's Day they couldn't share.

He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to get a hold of himself. Damn it. His heart raged inside of him, and he snapped his head up to take his first look at her date, hoping against hope it wouldn't be him.

No such luck.

Seated directly across from Elizabeth, even holding her hand, was Ric Lansing. Wearing a perfectly pressed suit, perfectly polished shoes, hair perfectly slicked back. Perfect, perfect, perfect. Damn.

Of all the restaurants in the entire two-bit town, that jackal had to bring her here. Where he could see her - see her moving on with her life after moving out of his.

He couldn't figure out what to do. Should he stand up and slip out of the Cellar, not looking back? It seemed like a good idea, but his brain adamantly refused, clearly having a death wish for his heart.

From his close seat, he could even hear them. Hear him cracking intelligent and perfectly timed jokes, hear her laughing sweetly.

Motherfu-

"Can I bring you anything else, sir?" A soft voice interrupted the string of dark thoughts coursing through his mind. Looking up, he saw the same Asian hostess Claude was paying so much attention to earlier.

"A beer, please," he replied in a hushed whisper. "No glass – the bottle's fine."

The young woman nodded and made her way to the back of the club to retrieve his beverage, leaving Jason to his thoughts and his heartbreaking view.

"Oh, doesn't this place look great tonight?" Elizabeth sighed, sweeping her sapphire eyes around the Cellar. They danced across the wooden floor, fluttered from table to table and couple to couple before coming back to rest on her date.

Ric was smiling back at her. "You know, it really does. Carly outdid herself with this one."

"She worked really hard," Elizabeth agreed. "And it shows. Good for her, as much as it kills me to say it."

Ric chuckled and tapped his fingers nervously over the tabletop. She was just about to ask him why he was so antsy when he smoothly stood up and politely excused himself. She found her eyes trailing over his broad shoulders, stretching the fabric of his suit jacket, down his back and to the seat of her pants before she stopped herself. After all, it was only their first official date – far too early for such thoughts. They'd been seeing a lot more of each other recently, and while she had to admit to herself that she enjoyed his company, something held her back.

She glanced back at Ric, who had strolled over to the band and was exchanging a few words with the violinist. With a soft sigh, she reached for her glass, but not before feeling a slight shiver tremble through her shoulders.

As she sipped her ice water, Elizabeth could feel she was being watched. Looking around, she saw that all the other inhabitants of the club were too engrossed in their mates to have eyes for anyone else. Sighing, she tried to shrug off the feeling, smiling brightly when Ric returned. Her eyes strayed to his arm, which was tucked behind his back, as she wondered what he could possibly be holding.

From his vigilant perch in the dark, Jason saw. His dangerously narrowed eyes followed Ric's every movements, his ears picked up his every word.

"Hey," Ric murmured softly as he sat down, taking care to keep his arm below the table and out of sight.

"Hey, yourself," Elizabeth smirked, sitting up slightly in an attempt to peek over the edge of the table. "What've you got, there?"

Ric's smile widened, his coal black eyes glittering in the dim light. "So inquisitive," he clucked, raising his arm and producing a bouquet of a dozen red roses.

Elizabeth's eyes widened at the sight of the flowers, her mouth falling open. "Ric, you didn't have to - I, uh, we - we just started going out - I wasn't expecting -"

Ric smiled softly. "I know I didn't have to," he replied softly, his voice gravely. "But I wanted to."

Compliment what she does
Send her roses just because

"Thank you so much," Elizabeth sighed happily, closing her eyes as she inhaled the gentle scent of the flowers before her. "They're beautiful."

"Yeah," Ric replied absently, his eyes trained on her face. "Beautiful."

She blushed, lowering her gaze. The beginning chords of a new song caught her ear, and she jerked to attention, staring at the band. Recognizing the music, she instantly whipped around to face a grinning Ric, surprise written on her face.

If it's violins she loves,
Let them play

He stood slowly, politely extending a hand to her. "May I have this dance?"

His voice tugged at her heartstrings, and she instantly accepted. "But of course."

Jason watched jealously as Ric led his Elizabeth to the dance floor, placing one large hand at the small of her back and pulling her to him, the other hand interlocking with her much smaller one. They began to dance slowly as the sultry notes of Dean Martin's Sway floated across the room.

Dedicate her favorite song
And hold her close all night long

Jason closed his eyes as Ric pressed his face gently into Elizabeth's hair, inhaling her scent. Even after wandering feverishly through the forests of Puerto Rico and being locked up in a hellhole of a Colombian prison, this was the most painful torture he had ever known.

Eyes still closed, his mind drifted back to when he and Elizabeth had played pool at Jake's. Her against the table, staring contemplatively at the brightly colored balls and him leaning behind, seeing only her. Her nimble body leaning over the table, his hand on her hip and the pool cue. Her back was always pressed firmly against his solid chest, her feet fidgeting between his strong legs; her bottom always nestled in the cradle of his thighs, his voice in her ear.

They'd spend many an hour like that, pretending to be focusing on the game, but in reality, completely wrapped up in each other. He'd smell her hair, allow her tiny fingers to skitter over the cue past his. He reveled in those moments - cherished the way she fit so perfectly against him.

But now Lansing was the one to feel her warm body in his arms, against his chest. In his life. He was the one to listen to her, make her smile, and care for her.

And there wasn't adamn thing Jason could do about it.

Love her today
Find one hundred ways

Elizabeth shifted slightly in Ric's arms, still unable to shake the feeling of being watched. His chin brushed against her temple, a hint of stubble rasping at her soft skin. Behind her, his long fingers tapped lightly up and down her spine. His movements were slow and deliberate, carrying her along easily as he led.

She sighed as something at the back of her mind transported her out of the Cellar and onto the level directly above, images of her and Jason dancing by the old jukebox playing through her memory.

As long ago as it was, she still remembered what he felt like that night. His skin was raspy with stubble against her forehead, his firm hands anchoring her safely to his body. His leather jacket still cool from his nightly rides, he smelled exactly like the wind he had shown her. He held her still, he held her close, letting her feel nothing but the pulsing of their bodies and the beat of the music.

Jason had shut out the rest of the world for her that night. Shut out the diner, shut out the painfully bright fluorescent lights. He'd shut out the pain and grief of losing Lucky, shut out the weight of the entire town's expectations, even managed to hold their inquiring and watchful eyes at bay. He'd held her close and long, willingly passing his own strength into her body as they held each other and danced.

His movements had been fluid and graceful, betraying his towering figure and powerful muscles. He slid across the dull tiles on his scuffed motorcycle boots as if he had been walking across water, the grace and ease of his movements matching hers until she didn't even feel as if she was dancing anymore. She was floating. She was gliding. She wasn't weighed down by her body anymore; nothing existed anymore except her, Jason, the music, and the perpetual scent of the wild wind.

Ric heard her sigh again as she shifted ever so slightly in his arms.

Don't forget, there could be
An old lover in her memory

The music ended and Elizabeth broke free from Ric, smiling sweetly at the band as she grabbed his hand and led him back to the table.

Somewhere between the sultry rhythms of the song, Elizabeth had realized what it was that was so mercilessly holding her back from exploring the out-of-towner that seemed so hell-bent on sweeping her off her feet.

Her dark eyes fluttered discreetly over his form: his carefully styled hair that looked as if he'd only just run a comb through it before taking off to his latest meeting or brief, his tailored suit that fit him like a dream, the monogrammed silk handkerchief in his breast pocket, the shiny black shoes on his feet. Physically, he was perfect for her.

Not like Lucky; not a young boy with starry visions of grandeur in his eyes and boy band highlights in his hair. No, Ric was far more mature than her first love. He was established: he knew what he wanted and he was usually successful in getting it. His very appearance portrayed elegance, self-assurance, and righteous determination.

And he wasn't like Jason either; she'd be willing to bet a year's salary that Ric wouldn't be caught dead in rugged, butt-hugging denim jeans that were soft and worn with age like the ones Jason sported religiously. He'd take one look at motorcycle boots and wonder aloud how any grown man could deign to put them on his feet. And Jason's full head of spikes would be Ric's version of bed hair, and would be promptly tamed with a little gel and a stern comb.

And that should have sealed the deal for her. After all, her grandmother was always telling her how she hoped Elizabeth would find some "charming young man" to settle down with – Ric certainly was charming. He was smooth, polished, refined, and had elegant tastes. He was a gentleman and he made her feel like the most important woman in the world.

He always listened to whatever she had to say and responded with full consideration to her feelings and the situation at hand. Ric never let her feel that a certain time was a bad time for conversation, nor did he make her feel like a second priority to his already-thriving law practice in Port Charles. Already, he was two steps ahead of Jason.

So what was wrong with her? Why was she sharing a romantic, candle-lit Valentine's dinner with a successful, caring man and still not wanting to give the relationship a chance?

She knew why. She knew as she swirled the angel hair pasta before her into a large, loopy spiral on her fine china plate. It was because she wasn't over Jason. And maybe she didn't want to be.

But that thought was utterly ridiculous. She and Jason were over, despite the fact that they had never really begun. He had hurt her after swearing not to, he had lied although they both knew he was incapable of it. He had dismissed her emotionally just like everyone else in her life, which was kind of ironic considering that whenever she felt slighted, she always used to run to him.

Part of her wondered if she had overreacted that evening in his penthouse. Maybe she had. If she had just been a bit more patient, a bit more understanding, a bit more flexible, she could have gotten past how he lied to her about Sonny's death and how he always ran off to guard Courtney whenever he felt she was getting too close.

Even as she thought back to that evening, to all the what-ifs, Elizabeth knew she was deluding herself. Because in the end, she knew that she hadn't overreacted, that her reaction to the situation had been perfectly normal and even a bit delayed.

He had promised her that while he couldn't let her in on the business side of his life, he'd never let her sit around in limbo, drowning in worse-case scenarios and what-ifs. And he had done just that. He'd let her come to Sonny's funeral believing his best friend and mentor was gone forever. He'd let her console Carly, her sworn enemy, and clean up her penthouse in an attempt to help out. The viper must have enjoyed every minute of it, too, even as Elizabeth tried her best to comfort her over the loss of her husband. He'd made a fool out of her, something she would never have imagined him to be capable of, and he'd let his friends make a fool out of her as well.

But his disappearing act was what really killed her, perhaps because she had once dealt out the same cards to someone else. She had done to Lucky exactly what Jason had done to her, and Elizabeth had to admit that she henceforth believed in karma, bitch that it was. Whenever she was fed up with Lucky, whenever he was too clingy or too needy or too demanding or just too much, she'd run off to Jason. She'd let him pull her into his world and safely away from her own, and she'd let herself get lost in his manly scent and his strong arms.

And that was exactly why he had gone to Courtney – to escape her.

The thought still brought tears to her eyes, and Elizabeth had to make a conscious effort to keep her tears at bay – it just wouldn't do for her to burst into tears while on a date with Ric.

Courtney had apologized profusely when she'd found out what had happened, and Elizabeth had begrudgingly told the girl that it wasn't her fault. Courtney didn't know that her brother was only faking his death, she didn't know that Jason was leaving her at home in the penthouse that suddenly seemed more like a prison than a safe haven. She just didn't know, and Elizabeth couldn't fault her friend for that because she herself was in the same boat, being tossed about by the waves of uncertainty.

So in the end, it wasn't Courtney's fault. And Elizabeth didn't even think it was Sonny's fault. Whose it was, she didn't know. Maybe hers. Maybe Jason's. And maybe it just didn't matter anymore.

She sighed and put down her fork. Suddenly, a dinner out didn't seem like such a great idea.

Elizabeth's blue eyes trailed around the room once more, lingering on the happy couples and the dark nooks and crannies that enhanced the romantic atmosphere. This didn't feel right – she didn't belong here. She belonged at home with a pint of Haagen-Dazs mango sherbet and a rental of Jerry Maguire in the VCR.

But that wasn't fair to Ric. Hell, she wasn't being fair to Ric. He was just a nice guy that, for some reason, was interested in her and cared about her, and she was ready to toss him out like yesterday's garbage simply because her heart hadn't healed from its last trampling.

Her rosy bottom lip extended in a soft pout as she studied her Ric as he fiddled with the cloth napkin in his lap, arranging it just so to protect his pants from stains. Who knew? Maybe Ric could be the one to heal her. She just had to give him a chance.

Unaware of her thoughts, Ric swallowed noisily and adjusted his collar as a feeling of uneasiness settled upon him. He abandoned his napkin and finally set his hands on the table, casting nervous glances around the room. Elizabeth's cool fingers over his brought him out of his reverie, and he snapped back to attention to find her questioning midnight eyes on him.

"Are you all right, Ric?"

"I'm fine," he replied easily, glancing warily around the room once more. "I just feel like...like...never mind." He glanced at his watch, feeling foolish for entertaining such silly thoughts.

"Like we're being watched?" she asked, her voice low and carrying a humorous note.

"Yes," he smiled, relieved. "I thought for a minute there that I was going crazy."

She chuckled easily. "Hardly, unless I'm going crazy with you."

"Not possible," he answered, his gaze lingering on her face, which was illuminated by the soft golden candlelight.

Jason's skin crawled as he watched Elizabeth smile back at him. They looked so perfect...so in sync with each other. The thought almost made him physically ill, and he pushed his beer away.

He was being childish and possessive, he tried to convince himself. His behavior was irrational and there was absolutely no excuse for it. Hardened mobsters did not get hung up over their ex-girlfriends. They didn't spy on them from the sidelines, imagining different ways to make the current beau disappear. And they certainly didn't make googly eyes at the girl while fighting the urge to rush up and carry her away.

Mobsters just didn't do those things.

And yet, he still was.

If you need her so much more
Why don't you say?

Ric watched Elizabeth as she ate. Or rather, as she played with her food. Pushing her pasta from side to side, she reminded him more of his five-year old nephew than the sexy artist he'd been getting to know.

It was true, as she had said: they hadn't been going out for long. But what she didn't know was that he had been watching her since before she even knew his name. He made excuses to stop by Kelly's so often that pretty soon, he was a regular at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

He knew her schedule, and timed his day so that he'd always catch her as she was leaving Kelly's or on her lunch break. He'd taken a chance and asked her out, and by some miraculous stroke of luck she had agreed. And that was why this Valentine's night was going to go off without a hitch.

She was still playing with her food, and that made him wonder what she was thinking about. Maybe she was just worried about school – he knew she was taking Art History classes at PCU in her free time, and had heard her complaining about an incompetent professor. Or maybe she was bummed about her friends; from what he'd heard, she and Nikolas had a fight recently and hadn't spoken since.

Or maybe she was thinking about Jason.

The thought made him sigh inwardly. He'd heard of her involvement with resident enforcer and career criminal Jason Morgan, the prodigal son of the Drs. Quartermaine. He'd heard it in snippets of conversation between Penny and Courtney as they struggled to find some way to bring Elizabeth out of the funk she had recently consigned herself to. He'd heard it in the arguments between her friends, the close circle that had dubbed themselves the Musketeers. The boys had thought it was a wonderful move, but Elizabeth's best friend and Jason's little sister wasn't so convinced. After much heated arguing, she had managed to persuade the boys to admit that Elizabeth just didn't seem as happy anymore as she was when she was with Jason.

Ric had only met Jason a few times, and had never really been brave enough to start a conversation. The man had a ruggedly imposing air about him, something that suggested he'd be perfectly comfortable shooting a man and then shooting a game of pool not ten minutes later. How a sweet girl like Elizabeth got mixed up with a hoodlum like him, he didn't know, but he knew that the mobster had hurt her deeply. And he knew that if Elizabeth let him close enough, he'd do his best to undo the damage.

Watching her, Ric couldn't help but hope that whatever she was wrestling with, she'd share it with him. That she'd find it in herself to open up to him. But Elizabeth seemed rather distant, a little wary, and he didn't like that. Tonight, he was going to turn on the charm and let her see the real Ric Lansing. The one that wanted nothing more than to spend his time in her company.

Maybe she has it in her mind
That she's just wasting her time

"Elizabeth?" His voice was soft so as not to startle her as she blinked away the thoughts she'd been wrestling with.

She smiled back at him and Ric put down his fork and cocked his head at her.

"You okay?"

Her smile was one of mild confusion. "Yeah, I'm fine," she assured him with a nod. As further reinforcement, she looped the final bit of pasta around her fork and inserted it into her mouth. "Just fine."

He wasn't convinced. She could see it in the way he narrowed his dark eyes in concern. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," she nodded.

Ric licked his lips and glanced hesitantly at his watch. "You know, if you want to call it a night after dinner, I'll understand-"

She cut him off with a quick shake of her head that delicately shook the lacy tendrils framing her face. "Not at all," she answered with what she hoped passed as a sincere smile. "I'm having a wonderful time, Ric, really. I like it right here."

Ask her to stay
Find one hundred ways

With Ric's dazzling grin before her, Elizabeth didn't hear a frustrated groan from the corner.

But Jason had heard. He'd heard what she had once told him, and the words were like pointed barbs, spearing his heart.

The sunlight filtered in through the dirty panes of glass in her studio. Holding her hand and the piece of red glass up, Jason felt a momentary pang of guilt at his current situation of willing incarceration.

"I'm sorry I can't take you outside," he whispered, his breath hovering sensually over the shell of her ear. "The glass looks really amazing in the light. Like a stained glass window."

She smiled at his absent rambling murmurs, shifting slightly in his hold. The hand he placed on her hip moved to her belt buckle as she twisted to face him, and the movement sent a wave of awareness through her small body.

When he looked down at her, Elizabeth's pink lips were a scant distance from his. He could have leaned down and claimed them if he had wanted to. And as Jason's breath caught in his throat at the innocence and seduction alike in her sapphire eyes, Elizabeth's small smile grew.

"I like it right here."

He sat up from his slumped position in the leather booth, fisting both hands on the table. He had no business letting this get to him. She was moving on – and there was no reason she shouldn't.

She was the type of woman that loved as good as she got, and he just hadn't been up to par. There was no reason for her to remain alone and unhappy simply because that was the route he himself had chosen. She deserved to move on, to find some man that made her happy and made her complete. She deserved to get married and have children and watch them grow old with the same man at her side. She deserved to be happy.

He, on the other hand, would have to settle for other things. And he was fine with that. Or, he would be if he could just convince himself of it.

It was time to put the past where it belonged; Elizabeth certainly had. She didn't need him lurking in the sidelines like some type of stalker. She didn't need that kind of pain anymore after dealing with it for such a long time. On the other hand, pain was where he lived. It was part of his nowhere.

It was time to let things go.

Being cool won't help you keep a love warm
You'll just blow your only chance

"Elizabeth?"

Her eyes flew up from her empty plate to meet his. "What?"

Ric sighed, leaning back in his seat. "Didn't you hear what I just said?" It was a test: he knew she wasn't listening.

She admitted it with a rosy blush that fanned across her cheeks. "I guess I just zoned out there for a minute."

The silence stretched between them like a blanket, and with each passing minute, Elizabeth grew more and more uncomfortable.

"Ric, say something," she finally blurted out, placing both palms flat against the table in exasperation.

"I just did," he countered smoothly without a hint of anger in his voice. He glanced up quickly at the waitress that suddenly appeared and tipped his head at her when she cleared their plates from the table. The napkin that lay sprawled across his lap found its way to the corner of the table as he leaned forward and lowered his voice. "And you weren't listening."

She dipped her head but he called her to attention again, unwilling to let her slip into embarrassment.

"So why don't you talk?"

His request surprised her; he could see it in the startled way she looked up at him.

"Me?"

He chuckled. "Yes, you. What's on your mind, Elizabeth? And don't say nothing," he added, effectively cutting her off when she opened her mouth. "Because you've been distant all evening, so I know that there's got to be something on your mind."

His hand covered hers on the table, his thumb massaging a tentative circle on her skin. "You can tell me, you know."

She sighed once more and he wondered if he were wearing down her defenses at all. "Look, there's no reason to ruin a perfectly good evening-"

"Is that what you think?" he asked. "Elizabeth, talking about what you're feeling is not going to ruin this evening."

"You wanna bet?" she mumbled, rubbing her fingers over the back of her neck.

He remained silent for a moment before trying again. "I didn't get where I am today by being stupid, Elizabeth," he reminded her gently. "I know that something's bothering you, and I would really like to help you through it."

Elizabeth pursed her lips together in a thin line as she struggled to come up with something to say. "I don't know that you can."

"But I'd like to try," he urged, leaning toward her.

Her sigh was heavy with the weight of the world. "I'm not sure that now's the right time to get into my whole life story-"

"There's not a wrong time, you know," he replied smoothly. "And they say it always helps to talk about it."

The corner of Elizabeth's mouth hooked upward. "You don't give up, do you?"

He returned her grin with one of his own. "No, no I don't. And it's gotten me into a lot of trouble in my day."

"And you don't think it will now?" Her eyes were glittering, but she was only half-kidding.

Ric considered his words carefully before he braved a reply. "Since my intentions are good, I'm hoping it won't."

"You're a smart man, Ric Lansing," she offered, sipping her wine.

His voice was low when he spoke. "I'm hoping to be another kind of man right now – the kind that listens when something's bothering a friend of his."

Her eyebrows shot up. "Is that what we are, Ric? Friends?" Intuition told her he was playing it safe by using that word – no way had she mistaken his flirting for just friends.

Ric's shrug was almost imperceptible as his fingers linked and unlinked with hers. "I'm not going to lie to you, Elizabeth – I wanted to be more than friends with you."

His choice of words surprised her, but she let him continue.

"But something tells me you're not ready, and I can respect that."

His intention was to put her more at ease, and he had succeeded, judging by the way her shoulders relaxed.

"You're right."

If the words hurt him, he didn't show it. Now was not the moment to be selfish, Ric had to remind himself.

"I'm sorry, Ric, but I don't think I'm ready for a relationship."

He nodded in understanding, his hand never leaving hers. "Don't mind my asking, please, Elizabeth, but why?"

She swirled the wine in her glass, watching the burgundy liquid as it swished against the crystal. "Well, that's a loaded question if I ever heard one."

The humor in her voice was not lost on him, and he smirked back at her over the candles. "Didn't you get the memo? Those are the best kinds."

She laughed and set her glass down. "You are something else, you know that?"

He shrugged again, grinning. "So I've been told."

It was a moment before she could start again and when she did, her voice was soft and she was leaning toward him as well. "I just got off a…complicated relationship."

Ric smirked. "So I've heard. Don't get me wrong, but word flies in this two-bit town."

"Ooh, charming and quick on the uptake," she teased. "I really hit the jackpot this time."

He grinned back. "OK, sorry, I won't interrupt. Go on."

Her smile faded slowly and she traced a figure-eight on the table with her index finger. "Ever heard of Jason Morgan?"

"It's impossible not to have," he replied quickly. "In fact, his partner offered me a job as their full-time attorney."

"I'd advise against that, Counselor," she told him with a quick shake of her head. "You're just begging for trouble if you go that route."

"You mean they don't run an innocuous and perfectly legal coffee business?" he asked with feigned incredulity.

"What tipped you off?" Elizabeth smirked. "The white powder they call their special sweetener, or the dead bodies in some of the crates?"

"Actually, it was the income tax evasion," Ric countered, his smirk mirroring hers. "True to the way of Alfonse Capone."

"Hey, everybody's gotta have a role model," she shrugged, and he was relieved to see the humor sparkling in her dark eyes.

"Yeah, so…Jason Morgan?"

"As I'm sure you already know, he's an enforcer," she told him. "His little sister has been my best friend since I was fifteen, and Jason and I used to be pretty close for a while back. One thing led to another and after about three years, we were dating."

"Don't mind my asking," he cut in, "but I've got to know: how did you and Jason become friends?"

She smiled. "What, I don't seem like the mob moll type? I'll have you know, Ric Lansing, that I wear an ankle holster at all times and have been known to indulge in the occasional cannoli."

"Yeah, I believe that," he scoffed, rolling his eyes.

She giggled. "Seriously though, he kind of helped me through a rough time in my life. I lost someone that was very close to me, and Jason was in the same place. We just started talking and helped each other through it."

He nodded in understanding. "I can understand how that would make you pretty close."

"Yeah. For the longest time, he was my best friend. I could talk to him about anything, and I took advantage of that, make no mistake." Her smile was lacking in humor and Ric listened intently as she continued. "Eventually, we both agreed that there was something more between us, and we started dating."

It was the simplified version and she knew it. But Ric didn't need all the details.

"And then…I don't know what happened." She remained silent, grateful for the fact that Ric didn't cut in with false assurances. When she was ready to speak again, he was ready to listen.

"Things just did a one-eighty on us. He always used to be the one person I trusted more than anyone, the person I ran to when my world didn't make sense. He listened to me, let me talk and rant and fume, lent me his shoulder to cry on, and never asked the hard questions. He was my best friend, and nothing in my life was ever as right as it was when he was with me."

Ric nodded, his hand still clasped over hers.

"He was my rock, I guess you could say. He was my first and last resort." A rueful smile tugged her lips. "Jason's not like anyone else, you know. He doesn't talk like other guys, he doesn't think like them, and you'd better believe me when I say he doesn't act like them."

Ric smiled softly but Elizabeth was beyond noticing.

"There's something so different about Jason. So…strange and comforting at the same time. But for the longest time, he was the most stable and anchored person in my life. I counted on him in so many ways. Too many ways, actually. And I guess that's why it blew up in my face."

Her date's thumb continued sweeping over the soft skin on her hand, a mesmerizing, hypnotic rhythm that sent her even farther into her trance.

"Maybe it was my fault, then. I depended on him to do so many things for me – listen to me. Help me fix my problems. Take my mind off of everything that was bothering me. Keeping my friends and family and the rest of this nosy town at bay. I depended on him to always trust me and believe me, even though I didn't give him the same courtesy, and I depended on him to tell me the truth even if I didn't want to hear it."

Her eyes found his, and for the first time, Ric saw the anguish and regret buried within the sparkling seas of cerulean.

"Did you ever do that, Ric? Did you ever poison something good by trying to pour too much into it?"

She didn't wait for his answer, which was good considering he couldn't find one to give.

"Because that's what I did. I sabotaged the best friendship I'd ever known." A moment of silence was all it took to remind Elizabeth of her ex's transgressions, and Ric watched as determination and muted anger seeped into her petite frame.

"But he wasn't the innocent bystander in all of this, either. We broke up a little more than a month ago because of something he did, actually. You remember when Sonny Corinthos faked his death?"

Ric nodded, finally finding his voice. "Yeah, I saw it on TV when he was resurrected, so to speak. I have to say, I was completely shocked."

Her smile was wry. "So was I."

Across the table, Ric's brows furrowed. "You mean you didn't know about it? The reporter said key members of the Corinthos-Morgan organization and the family all knew about it."

"Clearly, I'm not a member of the organization nor the family, as you put it."

Ric bowed his head, processing over what she had just told him. "Wow."

"Yeah," she agreed with an ironic smirk. "In a word." She reached for her wine again, taking a small sip to wet her throat before continuing. "Basically, he lied to me about the whole thing. That's one thing about our friendship – Jason and I never lied to each other. And whenever I tried to, he always knew. When I called him out on it, he kept spewing the same garbage about not being able to talk about business. And I've heard that speech so many times I can recite it to you verbatim."

Ric studied her carefully as she picked at her glass with her free hand, her painted lips curled in a sneer of self-disgust. "But the lies weren't it, were they?"

She huffed in disbelief. "That obvious, huh? Well, you're right, I have to give you that. There is yet another twist to this soap opera plot. During Sonny's so-called death, Jason used each and every excuse in the books to get out of the house, namely, guarding Sonny's sister Courtney."

"Courtney Quartermaine, right?" Ric asked. "She works at Kelly's, too?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Yeah. I'm sure you've seen her – she's the one with the long, blonde hair." At his nod of recognition, she continued. "It was like he was never home, and for a while, I understood. Sonny trusted him with his sister's safety, and I could respect that. And Jason was also in charge of the…coffee business, so he had a lot of work to do in light of the recent developments. Plus, I decided that he had a right to grieve in the way he wanted, and if that meant spending all his time alone and out of the penthouse, I'd deal with it for his sake."

She relinquished her hold on her glass and brought her hand up to her cheek, propping her elbow on the table. Ric's eyes followed her movements, and his studies in body language told him that it meant she felt more comfortable with him.

"But, obviously, that wasn't the case. He knew all along that Sonny was fine, and instead of lying straight to my face, he decided it would be best for everyone if I never saw his face." She sighed softly, heavily. "And when it all came out, I couldn't deal with it. I decided I shouldn't have to deal with it. So I split."

She glanced up at Ric and found him looking openly back at her. "And here we are."

Ric swallowed thickly, racking his brain for the next words. They wouldn't be easy to say, judging from the content of her story and the depth of his feelings for her, but he'd have to regardless.

When he spoke, his voice was husky and low. "Did you love him?"

She studied him for a moment and Ric watched as the frustration and hurt that had flared up during the conversation extinguished from her form, leaving her looking small, thin, and weary.

"Yeah. I did."

Take the time to open up your heart
That's the secret of romance

Ric's heart sank at her words, but he plunged on anyway. "Did he know? Did he feel the same way?"

Elizabeth smiled softly at his naiveté, and replied with a shrug. "I don't know."

Ric's lips pursed into a thin line as he thought. That was a load of bullshit. How in the world was it possible for a man not to know when Elizabeth Webber was in love with him? The woman sitting across from him was smart, feisty, determined, and passionate – anyone could see that instantly in the way she carried herself and the way she spoke.

He had heard that Jason Morgan was brain damaged, but if he didn't know that the firebrand sitting across the table was in love with him, he may as well have been brain dead.

In his lonely corner, Jason had been watching this exchange, but due to the low volume of their voices had been unable to hear. From what he had seen, he judged that it had to have been mighty serious stuff, what with all the hand holding and soft smiling.

And even though he told himself it shouldn't matter, that knowledge and the sight before him made him all the more angry. Angry with her, angry with Ric, angry with himself.

"Elizabeth."

Ric's voice brought him out of his dark reverie, and Jason winced. He hated the way that bastard said her name. But even as he strained to hear what Perry Mason over there was saying, he couldn't catch a word. All he saw was the tenderness that passed over Ric's profile and the soft look on Elizabeth's face.

"Hm?" Her voice was low and drugged, as if she had worn herself out over the last exchange.

"I think you were right about not starting a new relationship." He brought up his hands at the bewildered look in her eyes, urging her to let him have his say. "And I'm sorry if I pressured you to see me."

"Oh, Ric, no," she assured him, patting his hand gently. "You didn't pressure me at all. You've been nothing short of wonderful, and I can't thank you enough. I'm just sorry that I've been such a downer lately. You didn't deserve that, and I shouldn't have dumped all that on you so soon. I'm fine, really, and I'll honestly try not to be such a Gloomy Gus."

She was smiling at him and he couldn't help but smile back as he held her slender fingers in his hand.

"But that's just the point, Elizabeth," he said softly. "You shouldn't have to try. And you shouldn't have to be sorry for what you feel."

She smirked at him, but her voice was serious when she spoke. "You sure you never really talked to Jason? 'Cause you sounded a bit like him there."

"Well, that's probably the best I can hope for, huh?" he smirked back. His words didn't have their intended affect, and the corners of his mouth turned downward when Elizabeth dropped her gaze.

"Look, I'm also sorry about throwing him in your face tonight. I didn't…oh, boy. I didn't mean to-"

"No, no," he assured her, leaning closer. "Hey, it's okay. I can tell how much he means to you." She looked up at him, but Ric had already decided to forge ahead and say what he was really thinking. "And I can tell you're still in love with him."

Elizabeth's mouth flew open to deny it, but words failed her. She narrowed her dark eyes dangerously at a smirking Ric. "See?" he asked with a small smile. "There' s no need to deny it."

She bit her lip as a blush stole its way across the apples of her cheeks, but Ric's voice cut through her embarrassment.

"And there's no need to feel guilty about it, either."

Sacrifice if you care
Buy her some moonlight to wear

He captured her other hand in his and brought them to the center of the table outside the small golden candles. "Elizabeth, hear me out, okay?"

She nodded quietly, still maintaining her hold on her bottom lip.

"If you're still in love with him, then you should be with him." He shot her a warning glance when she opened her mouth to interrupt. "And don't say anything about him not feeling the same way. From what I've heard alone, I doubt he doesn't feel the same way."

He shrugged, twiddling his thumbs over her soft skin. "Guys…we're just jerks sometimes, you know?"

The twinkle in her misty eyes told him she was mildly amused, so he kept on going.

"We're not the brightest crayons in the box, especially when it comes to relationships. Take the really smart ones – the MENSA members – and they still won't realize that they have a relationship with their girlfriends of three years who also happen to be the mother of their children."

Elizabeth smirked despite herself, closing her eyes as his deep, soothing voice continued to float around her.

"Contrary to what you women believe, it's relatively easy to form a long-term, stable, mutually fulfilling relationship with a guy."

She opened her eyes and glanced sharply at him, but his smirk told her he was leading up to one of his rare punch lines.

"Of course, the guy has to be a Labrador Retriever." He smiled back when she giggled. "But with human guys, it's really difficult, mainly because we don't really grasp what you women mean by relationship."

"So we're not just talking different wavelengths here," Ric added. "We're talking entirely different planets in completely different solar systems. My educated guess – and keep in mind, I am a professional – is that at the time, you could no more communicate meaningfully with Jason about the state of your relationship than you could meaningfully play chess with a duck."

"Well, if I thought it would have worked, I'd have tried," Elizabeth interjected, still smiling.

"There, you see?" His thumbs still caressed her skin, and his smile was genuine and caring. "You still want a relationship with him, Elizabeth, and there's nothing wrong with that."

"Except that it's not possible."

"Why?" he challenged. "Because of pride? Don't let that stop you, Elizabeth. Don't make the same mistakes I have."

Her brows crinkled in confusion. "You?"

His nod was quick. "Yes. My college sweetheart and I had been together since our sophomore year, but when we started graduate school, I did something very stupid. Something I still regret." Ric bowed his head for a minute before looking back up at her. "She walked away, just like you did."

He hurried on quickly when he saw her wince. "But unlike you, she didn't hesitate to move on as quickly as possible. I never got the chance to tell her how sorry I was, and how big of an ass I was. Eventually, time healed whatever wounds there were, and I moved on, too. But part of me always wonders, what if I had the chance to make things right with her?"

Elizabeth's smile was wry. "Jason doesn't think in what-ifs."

"If he didn't before, trust me, he does now," Ric assured her. "Chances are, he's realized what an idiot he was. And believe me, all of us guys eventually do. As sad as it is, it's inevitable."

She smiled despite herself. "But what if nothing's changed?"

He regarded her for a moment before replying slowly. "Do you really want to live in what-ifs, Elizabeth?"

A single whispered word met his ears. "No."

"Then go after him. You won't be happy until and unless you do."

If it's one more star she wants
Go all the way

A fresh wave of tears flooded into her eyes, and for the first time that evening, Elizabeth worried that she really might start crying.

"Ric…" It took her a minute to gather her thoughts. "I'm so sorry."

He stared at her, confused. "For what?"

"For what?" she repeated. "For this. For tonight. For putting you through all of this. I'm so sorry."

He was already shaking his head. "Elizabeth, you have nothing to apologize for."

"I think I do," she disagreed even as her voice wobbled. "Tonight was supposed to be our first date – a perfect Valentine's dinner. And I ruined it. I'm so sorry."

"There's no such thing as perfect," Ric replied softly. "But certain things come damn close. And those are the friendships we make, the unbreakable bonds we forge with others. So don't cheat yourself out of perfection."

That was all Elizabeth could handle, and in an instant she was launching herself out of her seat and throwing her arms around his neck.

It took a moment for the surprise to wear off, and Ric was laughing as he stood up and wrapped his arms around her.

"It's okay," he whispered to her. "Don't be sorry. Just be happy."

She pulled back to peer skeptically up at him. "Are you sure that you haven't been hanging out with him? That you're not just the white-collar version of our resident mobster?"

Ric snickered. "Well, the policeman and the terrorist both come from the same basket."

"Yeah, I'll be sure to remember that," she replied, rolling her eyes before hugging him once more.

In your arms tonight, she'll reflect
That she owes you the sweetest of debts

"But seriously, thank you."

"No problem," he smiled. Something inside told him that this was the right thing to do, and even though he was losing the girl, Ric had to admit he felt good about himself. And that feeling was more than welcome.

From his seat in the dark corner, Jason had more than had enough. No doubt the happy couple had decided to really give things a shot and see how it all went. There was no more uncertainty anymore – Elizabeth really was moving on. No more stolen kisses, no more sudden run-ins, no more lounging conversations in the secrecy of the studio.

That wasn't his place as anymore.

And as much as that knowledge killed him, Jason had to admit it was inevitable. He'd been a complete ass and now he'd never get the chance to make it up to her, to let her know that despite all his so-called loyalties, she was the only person he cared about more than life itself.

Cloaked in a dark mood, Jason stood up abruptly and grabbed his coat. It was way past time to leave. The dim light of the Cellar allowed him to stomp up the stairs without being seen, and he was striding across Kelly's tiled floor and was out the door before Penny had time to say hey.

The wind howled about him, as vicious and merciless as ever, but Jason's overcoat remained clenched tightly in his hand, the knuckles of which were white from a lack of circulation. He cut across the cobbled walkway, aiming for the parking lot on the other side of the docks where his bike stood waiting for him.

It was too much pain to deal with for one night.

More pain than that night in the snow. The night he found out that his mentor betrayed him. The night he lost Michael. The night Elizabeth walked out.

This time, it was all over. All of it. There were no second chances now, no going back. The bridges had not only been burned – they'd vanished without a trace.

No more midnight rides with only Elizabeth and the wind as his companion. No more surprise stops at her studio. No more running over to Kelly's for black coffee and a number seven with no onions.

No more Elizabeth.

No more peace.

No more happiness.

No more.

The truth had settled down upon him like an oppressive fog, choking him and making it nearly impossible to breathe. He'd just shot his only chance at happiness and doomed himself to be alone and miserable his whole life. There would be no other woman in her place – no other woman like that existed.

No one would be around to fill his penthouses with fresh flowers, to bake him brownies and sprinkle flour on him when he was being a jerk. No more incense sticks in all the bedrooms, no more bunny slippers by the bed and no more sexy, strappy, rhinestone-encrusted stilettos next to his muddy boots. No more tampons next to his starch and deodorant. No more glass bottles of sweet tea next to his beer, no more chocolate mints in the candy jar on the mantle.

No one to greet trick-or-treaters, no one to spontaneously roast marshmallows over the fireplace, no one to record Saturday Night Live while watching it. No one to greet him when he came home, no one to massage his neck when he had a long day. No one to fix his lunch and eat it with him on the balcony.

No one to make love to until dawn, no one to marry, no one to have his children. No one to grow old with. No one to love until forever became a distant memory.

No Elizabeth. Not any more.

He was halfway across the docks when he realized that he had left his gloves and scarf in the booth in his haste to leave.

Normally, he wouldn't have cared. But something made him turn right around on his heel and walk back toward Kelly's. Maybe it was the hope that Elizabeth would see him, and that seeing him would somehow change her mind and persuade her to give him a second chance.

But he knew it was hopeless to entertain such impossible thoughts. She didn't want him anymore, and he'd have to deal with that. But he'd deal with it a hell of a lot better once he found his gloves and scarf. Somehow, the cold that never bothered him before seemed determined to vanquish him now.

The same wind whistled past the windows as Elizabeth said goodbye to Ric. He insisted on driving her home, but she told him that she wanted to go to her studio instead. Plus, it might be nice of her to stop upstairs and see if the girls needed any help closing up.

After much persuasion, Ric finally agreed. But his complaints about how unsafe the situation was were silenced when she pecked him on the cheek and pushed him toward the door, a cheeky smile lighting up her face. She looked radiant, as if a load had been lifted off her shoulders, and he couldn't help but feel proud that he played a part in that.

If she wants to pay
Find one hundred ways

"Call me if you need anything," he called over his shoulder as he straightened his scarf. "Even if you just want to talk."

"I will," she assured him. No sooner was he out of sight than she snagged her belongings from the coat rack and ran up the stairs.

"Courtney, Penny, hey," she smiled as she spied her friends.

"Elizabeth," they responded in unison with matching smiles.

"So?" Penny asked eagerly, instantly forgetting that Jason had come blustering from the same door not too long ago. "How was the date?"

Elizabeth considered the question for a moment. "It was good," she replied finally.

The Taiwanese waitress exchanged a pleased glance with her blonde co-worker. "Good, honey, I'm glad."

She glanced around the restaurant at the messy tables and the congested counter. "Hey, Court, do you mind if I go change into my pajamas before we close up?'

"Nope," the other girl replied as she began to rinse out the sugar containers. "Go ahead."

"Thanks," Penny smiled before taking the stairs two at a time up to her room. "Be right back."

As soon as their friend was out of earshot, Courtney motioned Elizabeth over to the stool directly across from her position behind the counter.

"All right, girl, spill."

"What?"

"You heard me," Courtney insisted, ignoring the faucet as the water ran. "Don't think that I buy that 'oh, my date was good' crap for a minute." Her eyes narrowed dangerously when Elizabeth grinned. "I know you better than that."

"OK, fine," Elizabeth relented, sliding onto a stool. "Well-"

"Hold on!" Courtney burst out, sliding over to the fridge and rummaging about. Finally, she produced a pitcher of apple cider and quickly poured it into two glasses. Elizabeth watched as she deposited both glasses in the microwave.

"Penny takes forever," her friend explained. "So we might as well get comfortable as you give me the skinny."

The blonde's wide grin was infectious and Elizabeth couldn't help but grin back. "Fair enough. She's going to kill me for not telling her, though."

"Oh, don't worry," Courtney waved off as the microwave announced the cider was done. "I'll tell her. She won't care whose mouth she gets it from as long as she hears it."

"You guys are terrible," Elizabeth moaned, burying her face in her hands. "Geez."

"Please, you're not much better, you know," the blonde scoffed. "Who was it that filled me in on all the town gossip of the last five years when I first started working here?"

"Me," came the quiet response from underneath a curtain of hair.

"I can't hear you," Courtney replied, leaning over the counter. "What was that, again?"

"Oh, shut up and give me my cider," Elizabeth griped, lunging for the sugar as the warm beverage was placed before her.

"Ooh, touchy," Courtney snickered. When the girls were settled with their drinks, Elizabeth at the counter and Courtney behind it, the brunette began talking.

"Ric's a really nice guy," she started. "I thought he was just pouring on the charm around town, and that he'd turn out to be a real arrogant clown when I got to know him, but I was totally wrong."

Courtney nodded, sipping her cider and listening intently. Men were a favorite topic for her and Elizabeth, and they never missed an opportunity to spar over who got to serve that hot guy in table two. She talked to Elizabeth about AJ and their happy marriage, and Elizabeth in turn talked to her about Jason.

The blonde knew how much Elizabeth cared for the mobster, and though the brunette never said it, she knew she loved him. That was why the girl had been in such a funk after the break up, and Courtney and the girls at Kelly's had done all they could to cheer her up.

And that was why Courtney was so glad to hear that Ric Lansing was a genuine good guy. Because if there was anything Elizabeth needed, it was one of those.

"He was sweet and considerate, and we had a great time."

"And…?"

"What do you mean, and?"

"Oh, come on! With statements like that, there is always an and! So? And…?"

"Fine," Elizabeth huffed, taking a long sip of her cider. So engrossed were the girls in their conversation that they didn't hear the door to Kelly's open.

"So, it started out really romantic, you know?"

Courtney nodded, eager for the details. "Uh huh."

"He brought me a dozen roses…"

Elizabeth was cut off with a squeal. "Really? Oh, that's so sweet!"

"Are you going to let me talk, Barbara Walters?"

"Sorry – go on, go on."

"Ok, so he got me roses, and then he requested Sway, and we danced." Elizabeth couldn't keep the smile from her face as Courtney's eyes twinkled with curiosity. "He's a great dancer."

"Uh huh, go on."

"And then dinner came, and we were eating, and he started saying all this stuff, and it was like I just didn't hear it, you know?"

Courtney rolled her eyes. "Totally. AJ gets like that sometimes – starts talking about his family and all the crap they put him through. I mean, I'm sympathetic to that, of course, but after so many times of hearing it, of course I zone off."

"Yes!" Elizabeth burst out. "That's exactly it – I totally zoned on him. It was the weirdest thing. I don't even remember what I was thinking about. All I know is that I didn't hear a word of what he said."

"Uh oh," Courtney sighed. "So?"

"Well…" Laughter made her eyes sparkle. "He called me on it."

"Oh, great."

"Yeah…ouch."

"Oh, man. So what'd he say?"

"He wasn't angry about it or anything," Elizabeth assured her. "But he said that he noticed that I'd been distant all evening and he wanted to know what was wrong."

"Huh," Courtney mused, cocking her head to the side. "Well, he scores brownie points for actually caring."

"Exactly," Elizabeth agreed. "But it gets better."

"You're kidding."

"Nope. He kept asking what was wrong, and I was getting kind of annoyed for a minute because I thought he was being, like, nosy."

"Right…"

"But then he said that he wanted to help me through it, and something in his voice made me think that he really did, that he'd been where I was and really wanted to help."

"Uh huh…"

"So I told him about Jason."

The blonde's eyes bugged out at her friend's words. Unseen to them, the visitor standing by the door balked as well.

"You – how – oh, my god – you're kidding!" Courtney sputtered. "What would you go and do that for?"

"Will you just listen, Geraldo?"

"Enough with the newscaster allusions!"

"Oh, do you prefer literary ones, Polonius?"

"For the love of God, will you just tell the story? You can't say that you told new flame about old-ass-clown-flame and then pick a fight with me. You know the rules – dishing takes precedent over fights."

"Fine, fine," Elizabeth relented. "Ok, so I told him about Jason."

Courtney eyed her warily. "What did you tell him, and do I really want to know?"

The brunette ignored her. "I told him that I'd just gotten off a particularly bad relationship, and he wanted to know details. He wasn't pushy, though, so I started telling him. I told him how close Jason and I used to be-"

"Uh huh," Courtney cut in without thinking. The anticipation was killing her; balanced on her toes with her elbows on the counter and her face a few inches from Elizabeth's, the blonde was as invested in the story as if it were about her.

"And I told him how we started dating and why we broke up."

Courtney winced at that part. "Oh."

"Yeah – about Sonny's death and stuff."

The blonde sighed softly and pushed herself away from the counter. "And by stuff, you mean me."

"Courtney, no – well, yeah, but no," Elizabeth replied. "Look, it's okay – we've talked about this. I don't blame you at all. You know that."

"Yeah," the girl sighed as she fiddled with her half-empty glass of cider. "But that still doesn't mean I had nothing to do with it."

"Except that it was completely out of your hands," Elizabeth reminded her. "You had no way of knowing that while Jason was guarding you, I was sitting alone in the penthouse and worried sick."

"Yeah.."

"Yeah, nothing. Stop blaming yourself. I'm not – so why are you?" She glanced at the blonde and receiving no argument, continued with her story.

"So we just talked about that sort of stuff. Turns out, he had a similar thing with an old girlfriend, and it was just so good to talk to someone about that. I mean, don't get me wrong," she hurriedly added. "You guys are great and everything, but sometimes I just miss talking to guys about this sort of stuff. Lucky and Nikolas would never give me advice about Jason – they'd swallow hemlock first."

Courtney laughed at that, and Elizabeth continued with a smile.

"But Ric…Ric was so cool about it, you know? He made me laugh and he just let me rant and rave and didn't make me feel selfish or immature at all."

"Well, that's good, then," Courtney agreed with a soft smile. "Sounds like you really met a great guy."

"I did," Elizabeth nodded sincerely. "He is – he's just great. I feel so much closer to him now after our talk, and I like it. He's so much more mature than Lucky and Nikolas and Zander, and he talks way more than Jason did."

Across the counter, Courtney was giggling. "So, he's not a living block of concrete?"

"Not by any means," Elizabeth laughed back. "God, I remember when I told Jason that the first time."

Courtney watched as a genuine smile claimed her friend's lips, as a starry light appeared in her eyes as she played with her cider. "Tell me."

She looked up at her. "He was back in town after being gone for about a year on business. I never asked, but he told me anyway. He needed a place to hide, so I let him stay in my studio. That was such a great time," she added with a soft sigh.

Her eyes were dreamy and far off, and Courtney had to snap to get her attention. "Hello? Story?"

"Oh, yeah," Elizabeth blushed. "Sorry. And I came in one day with lunch for us both – two servings of chicken soup, two number sevens with extra mustard and no onions, and two coffees – and he was just sittin' on the couch, like he always did."

"Oh, what I wouldn't give to find a man as hot as Jason on my couch when I get home," Courtney snickered. "Oh, wait – I do, and his name's AJ."

Elizabeth laughed. "No joke, man. As different as those two are, they are both just really gorgeous."

"Exactly!" Courtney burst out. "Do you realize how long I've been trying to get you to say that out loud? Geez, woman, there's nothing wrong with it – Jason Morgan is a bronzed god!"

"Courtney!"

"What? Don't tell me you haven't thought that and much worse about him," the blonde teased. And as Elizabeth's blush grew, she knew she was right. "Oh, my god – tell me. Now. I'm so not kidding. Now."

Elizabeth laughed. "There is just no satisfying you, you know?"

"Shut up and give way to your less-than-holy thoughts about your patient, Florence Nightingale," Courtney jeered. "See? Allusions are terrible."

"Point taken," Elizabeth nodded.

"So spill."

"Well, when he was staying over…"

"Yeah? Yeah?"

"I'd stop by in the middle of the night sometimes in the first few days, just to make sure he was okay."

"Uh huh…"

"And he'd be sprawled out on the couch under my afghan, and his shirt would be on my chair under his jacket…along with his pants."

"Yow!"

"No kidding."

"Lizzie, come clean with me here – did you molest him in his sleep?"

Elizabeth burst out laughing at Courtney's half-serious question. "Just with my eyes."

The blonde giggled uncontrollably. "Oh, now that's the way to do it!"

Elizabeth paused to wipe away her tears. "Seriously, though, I remember just watching him sleep. He's so different then, Court. Like he's far away, and years younger. Like nothing's bothering him, and nothing will. He looks so peaceful. Sometimes, I used to sketch him while he slept."

"Really?"

"Oh, yeah. He'd never let me sketch him. Well, he did once, when I had to do a study in motion."

"What motion did you choose?"

"Get your mind out of the gutter."

"Why? I like it here. You should try it sometime."

"Oh, yeah right. Anyway, I drew him playing pool."

Courtney crinkled her nose, warding off a sneeze. "In his penthouse?"

She shook her head. "Nope – at Jake's."

"Oh, that's right," Courtney nodded. "You two used to hang out there."

"Hang out? " Elizabeth parroted, raising one brow. "Oh, so that's what they're calling it these days?"

Courtney rolled her big blue eyes. "Ok, seriously, you should know by now that there's really no point in being mysterious since I just pry the information out of you anyway."

"Fair enough. We used to play pool there all the time. Jason used to teach me."

"Really…? Sounds promising."

"You're in the gutter again, aren't you?"

"Well, I can't help it! And besides, the look in your eyes tells me you're right here with me."

"Oh, good God."

"No use denying it. We gutter chicks know our kind."

"Well, like I said, he used to teach me how to play pool."

"See, I'm telling you, the way you say it makes it sound like you were practically doing the sweaty monkey on the felt."

"Well, we might as well have been."

"WHAT!"

"Just kidding."

"Oh."

"Well, not really."

Courtney buried her head in her hands. "Stop playing with me, woman!"

"OK, well, see, our lessons were kind of…unique."

"In that…?"

"In that I seriously doubt that either of us were focused on the game."

Elizabeth grin was mischievous and Courtney had to laugh along. "Ah, it gets good."

"It gets better," Elizabeth assured her. "He'd tell me to line up a shot, and I'd pretend I had no clue, so he'd stand right behind me and put one hand on my hip and one on the cue right over mine."

"Yeah? Yeah?"

"Geez, do you say anything else, Milli Vanill- never mind."

"I'd hope so."

"Ok, so he'd bend right next to me and we'd be pressed together from head to thigh, and he'd show me how to shoot."

"Wow."

"Yeah."

"WOW."

"Yup."

"Well, go on!"

"And then he'd tell me to do it myself, but he'd stay right where he was, right? And I swear to God I caught him closing his eyes and smelling my hair."

"Oh, wow," Courtney grinned. "That is too amazing."

"I'll say," Elizabeth grinned back. "We had so much fun back in those days – I mean, sure, we were totally dancing around each other and the sexual tension was thick enough to cut with a butter knife, but it was fun. It was part of our routine. We both knew we wanted each other, but neither of us was willing to take the first step. So instead, we shot pool, went for rides, and talked."

"Sounds to me like you were just building a strong foundation."

"I thought so, too," Elizabeth sighed. "Our bond was always so strong – we survived everything from my friends and family to his enemies." When she looked up, her eyes were sad and weary again. "Then why can't I figure out what went wrong?"

"Oh, honey-"

"No, seriously, Court," Elizabeth cut her off. "Don't try to make this easier for me – I don't deserve it. We both messed up, and big time. I guess that's one of the downsides to having a relationship that isn't clearly defined."

Her friend's heart sank at the pain in her voice.

"You and AJ are really lucky, you know that? You two are together and you know exactly why. You know that he loves you and that he'd never hurt you on purpose, and you know that whatever happens, you'll be fine as long as you stick together. Don't ever lose that, Court. Don't end up the way we did."

"Elizabeth-"

"Jason was wrong, you know. He always thought – and I'm sure he still does – that we ended because I didn't like how he lied and I couldn't handle his life." She shook her head sadly. "But that was just a cover-up. I've never really said this to anyone before, Court, so bear with me if I chicken out."

Her friend had the good sense to remain silent as Elizabeth gathered her words together.

"The real reason I was so angry with him – oh, so angry – was because he basically admitted point-blank that he didn't need me."

A flood of tears assaulted her suddenly and Courtney found herself standing helplessly by as her friend sobbed.

"And that hurt so bad because I had already told him how much I needed him. Remember the dance I told you about? How we took one step forward and one step back? That wasn't just a dance, Courtney. It was a power struggle. If there's one thing I've learned about life, it's that it's all about power. And that's just what Jason and I were fighting for, even if it was subconscious. I'd lure him in with pool lessons and paintings and bike rides, even if I didn't realize it. And it never went anywhere because on some level, he knew. So he'd disappear for a little while – go out on an evening business run, get himself trapped in agod-damnburning warehouse-"

Courtney blinked at that but let her friend continue to rant. The words, tumbling out fast and furiously now, were obscured in part by the sobs claiming the petite brunette, and it was all Courtney could do to give her a loose hug over the counter.

"And then he'd have the power because I'd realize how much I needed him. Don't you see? It was always about power. He lost it when he asked me to go to Italy with him, and I gained it. And I lost it when he left for another year. That's the way it was for us. And that night in the penthouse when I told him that I needed him, and I trusted him, and I wanted to be with him, I meant it completely. I didn't lose the power – I gave it to him. And I assumed he gave me half back. But he didn't."

Her words were bitter as she lifted her head and wiped away her tears. The creamy lily in her hair had fallen out and lay wilting on the counter.

"He proved it when he lied about the whole thing, and that was what hurt me the most. It was partly my fault, too, because I never told him the whole truth."

Courtney's eyes drifted helplessly across the diner, landing on their unexpected visitor. She did a double-take before reaching out to touch her friend's shoulder, not moving her eyes from the guest.

"Um, Elizabeth?"

But the brunette was too far gone.

"I never told him the truth, and yet I got mad at him for the same thing. I never told him that I was sorry for those years of playing tug-of-war with him, that I was sorry for not believing him when he said Lucky attacked him, that I never doubted him since, that I was sorry I turned him down." She sobbed once more and her tears began flowing again.

"And I never told him that I was sorry for not thinking more about his feelings, and that whatever I did with Zander was because on some level I wished it was him, and that I know everything he did when I was locked in the crypt, and I never thanked him for it."

Her thoughts tumbled out in haphazard sentences, but Courtney's attention was fixed on the man by the door.

"And I never told him that I loved him and wanted to be with him, that I didn't want to spend my life with anyone but him. If I had just told him about how I felt, then maybe by the time the whole thing rolled around, we would have been stronger. We would have been able to face it."

She sniffled, not realizing that Courtney hadn't interfered for an uncharacteristically long time.

"But, no. I had to be the typical little cowardly waif and keep it all inside so that now that he's gone, it hurts that much more. If I had the chance, I'd say it all to him – that I loved him, and that I still love him, that I want to make things work more than anything, and that I need him even if he doesn't need me, and-"

"Elizabeth." A soft voice fell on her ears and Elizabeth instantly quieted, slowly wiping away her tears as she strained to hear. "Aw, hell, honey, I need you, too."

Courtney bit her lip to stop the spread of a wide grin as she watched Elizabeth slowly turn in her seat.

As soon as the brunette spotted their guest, her mouth fell open on a gasp.

"Jason."

And there he was, standing right in front of her. He was leaning against the threshold of the door, the wind howling abusively behind him. His overcoat was on over his suit but he had left it unbuttoned, and his nose was red from the cold and running, just like his eyes.

She just blinked at him, sitting with her mouth hanging agape like a fish out of water. Jason waited a moment before pushing himself off the doorway frame with his shoulder and closing the distance between them.

He was a pace away from her when she stood up and he pulled her into his arms. Elizabeth's slender arms found his neck, her painted fingers squeezing his shoulders. One strong hand latched onto the small of her back and held her tightly against him while the other fisted in her thick hair, pulling it down from its restrictive twist until it flowed over his fingers.

"Elizabeth," he whispered over and over, kissing every bit of skin he could reach: the shell of her ear, the earlobe, her neck, her jaw, her chin, her temple. Not an inch of skin within reach of his almost-blue lips escaped his exploration.

Her eyes were closed as she burrowed into his neck, glad to escape into the darkness and strength he offered, and Elizabeth almost thought she'd faint when she heard him say, "Elizabeth, I love you, too."

The moment was interrupted by Courtney's overjoyed squeal, and Jason looked up sharply to see her hopping up and down behind the counter.

Clearing his throat, he fixed his best enforcer gaze on her. "Old-ass-clown-flame?"

Her grin disappeared for a moment before resurfacing, and she had to purse her lips together to suppress it. "Gotta go," she mumbled, disappearing almost instantly into the kitchen.

Elizabeth was laughing against his chest, and Jason took the time to relish that feeling. Her fingers smoothed down the lapel of his overcoat and despite the layers of fabric that separated them, his body burned from her touch.

He pulled back slowly, smoothing his hands tenderly up her back to the bare skin of her shoulders and finally to cup her face. She had never looked more beautiful to him than she did now. She had kicked off those strappy-heeled contraptions she loved so much, and stood nymph-like before his towering figure. Her skin was soft and creamy above the strapless dress, which was riding a little low after their embrace, and the lights cast enticing shadows over her feminine curves and swells. Tears had made her skin dewy and her makeup soft, and even her mascara was beginning to smear, making her eyes look smoky and her soft lips look bee-stung.

His thumbs smoothed over her cheeks and he removed the last traces of her tears. She sighed softly, her eyelids slowly fluttering shut under the familiar gesture.

He called her from her trance with another swipe of the pads of his thumbs over her cheeks, and she looked up at him in confusion.

She didn't have long to be perplexed as he lowered his face to hers, looking deeply into her eyes. Her lids fell when he made contact, but he urged her to look at him as he made love to her mouth, letting go of every pent-up affection he'd ever felt about her.

He angled his head to get better access to the warm, sweet recesses of her mouth, and this time, she closed her eyes on a soft moan. Her fingernails scraped gently against the light hairs at his nape, and Jason was surprised to feel his knees go weak.

Jason straightened and loosened his hold on her face ever so slightly, and that was all that Elizabeth needed to take the initiative. She opened her eyes and let them wander over his features as she sucked his bottom lip. Hard. Rhythmically.

His lashes fluttered as Jason bit off a moan, and Elizabeth found herself nipping at his lip to get him to open his eyes. When he did, he was startled to see her midnight blue eyes blazing before his, the pupils dilated and lined with powder blue ice.

She continued sucking slowly, and when Jason found himself almost adding tongue, he gradually lessened the intensity of the kiss before pulling his mouth a scant distance from hers.

His chest was heaving hard, touching her body with each breath. Parts of her were hard and straining against him as well, and Jason had to consciously tell himself that the most romantic place to get to second base was not in the middle of the diner where they both ate.

"Elizabeth."

His voice was husky and intoxicated, and a slow smile tugged her lips as she realized she was responsible for that. Yup, power was definitely a good part of their relationship.

"Elizabeth."

"Mmm?"

His chuckle was rusty as he leaned his forehead against hers and let his strong hands smooth down her neck and down her sides to the pinch of her waist.

"We have a lot to talk about." His statement was met with silence, and he opened his eyes to find that hers were still closed. "Will you come home with me?"

The raven lashes fluttered, revealing pools of sapphire below. "Always."

Love her today
Find one hundred ways

El Fin.