Title: With Love
Circa: 2001
Significant Change: Elizabeth gives up on Lucky after her talk with Jason on the bridge. The two become closer friends than before, but neither step over the line into something more than what they have always been. More than friends, but less than a couple.
Disclaim everything recognizable as thought up by those behind the soap opera known as General Hospital.

Its a cold February night, not as cold as the one the day before, Winter heading out of town to make way for Spring. Though there was no snow on the ground and nothing falling from the sky, it was still a pretty cold night overall.

Normally she'd be bundled up in her studio in front of her ancient heater and forsaking the outside world, but tonight the police have decided to arrest Jason for the umpteenth time. It was funny how many times they arrested him opposed to how many times they actually had something concrete to hold him on.

Elizabeth believes that when they have nothing else better to do, they arrest Jason just so they have something to do. After all, he is a mob enforcer, what grounds did they really need to have in order to pick him up for questioning? Stupid, but that's the PCPD for you.

Pulling up to the police department's parking lot, Elizabeth parks her by the exit, securing her leather jacket around her before leaving the warmth of her car and stepping out into the cold February night. If the police had any decency left, they'd seriously stop arresting him between the hours of five pm and five am. At least until the nights get a little warmer than they currently are.

"Elizabeth." Justus greets her when she walks through the door and into the main area of the station. "You know, you don't have to come down here every time."

"I know." Elizabeth accepts his hug, smiling slightly as she pulls away. "Are they done spending time with him yet?"

"Just finishing the paperwork." Justus assures, gesturing to the desk officer who is currently putting the papers together. "You can go in and see him if you want."

"Don't mind if I do." Elizabeth taps the desk to get the officer's attention. "Do me a favor and speed those up. It doesn't take forever to put together release papers for someone that wasn't charged with anything."

Walking away before the officer could say anything, she leaves Justus with a smirk on his face as she pulls open the door and walks into the interrogation room. The moment she walks in, she'd be lying if she said that she didn't expect the scene that greeted her. Jason sitting with a bored expression on his face while Lieutenant Taggert stands by boiling with anger.

"Elizabeth Webber." Taggert utters her name with disappointment. "Don't you ever get tired of picking him up when he gets arrested?"

"Don't you ever get tired of arresting him without probable cause?" Elizabeth looks at him intently, standing her grown like she has many times before. "I mean, really Lieutenant, if you want to spend time with Jason so much, ask him out on a date. Unless, of course, you consider this foreplay. If so, you really need help. I hear, Dr. Collins is a really good psychiatrist. I'm sure he'd be willing to help you with your issues."

"You see what you've done, Morgan." Taggert glares daggers at Jason, who was doing his best to hide the smirk from his face. "She used to be a decent girl before you got your hooks into her."

"And you used to be a decent cop before you became obsessed with Jason." Elizabeth counters, turning to see Justus sign for Jason's release and hold up the paper. "And that, Lieutenant Taggert, is your cue to release Jason."

Grumbling something incoherent beneath his breath, Taggert pulls out his keys for the handcuffs and removes the contraption from Jason's wrists. Rising to his feet, Jason breezes past Taggert and pulls open the door for Elizabeth to walk out.

"One of these days, he's going to get you killed." Taggert gives his usual parting threat, one they both have heard one too many times.

"Yeah, yeah." Elizabeth looks at him seriously. "And one of these days you'll be struck by lightening or hit by a car. Its a dangerous world out there, detective. No one's ever truly safe."

Walking out of the interrogation room with Jason, they stop long enough to thank Justus for getting there as fast as he did before making their way out of the police station and getting into the comfort of Elizabeth's car.

"Honestly, Jason, I think he has a crush on you." Elizabeth comments as she hands him the key. "His tactics are a little grade school, I'll admit, but why else would he pick on you so much?"

"That's a visual I really don't need." Jason says seriously, starting up the car and driving them away from the station. "By the way, your new car is just about done. Once the bullet resistant windows are installed, it'll be set for you to drive."

"What kind of car are you buying me? A tank?" Elizabeth looks at him seriously. "Next you'll tell me that you want me to wear a bullet resistant jacket everywhere I go."

"Now that you mention it..."

"Don't even." Elizabeth cuts him off. "Its bad enough I let you and Francis convince me to let you buy me a new car. I draw the line at body armor."

"You know, they're coming up with armor that's not that heavy." Jason points out, taking the turn that will put them in Kelly's parking lot. "You'll barely notice you have it on."

"I'm not wearing body armor." Elizabeth says seriously, looking at him in disbelief. "Can we drop it?"

"What makes you think you're not already wearing it?" Jason points out, shutting off the car and getting down before she has a chance to process what he just said.

"You didn't..." Elizabeth looks down at her jacket, unable to believe it. Getting out of the car, she quickly walks up to him. "Jason, tell me this jacket isn't some kind of prototype of your miracle armor."

"Can't." Jason hands her back her keys before straddling his bike. "And its not a prototype. Its Stan's first completed bullet resistant jacket."

"What happened to my other jacket?" Elizabeth looks at him, unable to believe that she didn't notice he had switched the jackets.

"Somewhere safe." Jason assures, starting up his bike. "Wanna go for a ride?"

"I cannot believe you switched jackets on me." Elizabeth shakes her head, straddling the bike behind him and strapping on the helmet. "I want that jacket back, Jason."

"Whatever you say." Jason smirks, kicking the bike off its stand before taking off, having fully expected her reaction to the jacket.

Riding off into the night, the cold no longer bothers Elizabeth as they speed down the open road, taking the turn that'll land them on the winding road. It was the same every time she's on the back of his bike. The rest of the world no longer mattered, nothing but the bike beneath her, the man in front of her and chasing the wind. Nothing but pure freedom.