It can't be just anyone. It has to be someone of good standing within society. It has to be someone that can meld well between both his world and polite society. Someone with a respectable job. Someone that isn't a major part of his life right now.

All the guidelines echo through his mind as he ponders the task set before him by the five families and Sonny. They weren't wrong, obviously, he's the most dangerous of everyone in the business. Unlike everyone else, he doesn't have a weakness. Not a weakness that they'd exploit, anyway.

With nothing to lose, they had to give him one or they'd refuse to do business with them. The last thing that they need right now is for things to go sour, not with the new developments pending and the many new partnerships in the making. No. This has to be done. He just isn't sure that he wants to take Sonny's advice on how to do it and the person to do it with.

Admittedly, she fits every description that the five families have laid out, but there was just too much bad between them to ever consider putting her through that, or him for that matter. No. If he's going to do this he has to do this his way or not at all.

Knowing that Sonny wouldn't let him ponder this for long before taking into his own hands, Jason packs up his emergency bag before heading out of the penthouse. He just needs a few days, somewhere away from all of this, some place he can think.

Leaving a message for his sister, not wanting her to fear for him when he doesn't answer her calls, he hands off his cellphone to one of his most trusted friends in the business, Francis, letting him know where he'll be. If it were anyone else, he wouldn't tell them, but he can trust Francis to keep the information to himself until its absolutely necessary to divulge it.

"Hate to ask this, but what if you don't find someone?" Francis dares to ask Jason as he straddles his bike.

"Then I'll face the inevitable." Jason says plainly, knowing that she wouldn't deny him, regardless of the history between them. "But not yet."

"In that case, Godspeed."

Starting up his bike, he kicks the bike off its stand with ease, taking off down the road at top speed. It has come to the point that his bike has become an extension of himself, much like his gun, that he doesn't even have to put much thought into riding anymore. Every turn, every move, is automatic, smooth and simple. Giving him more time to simply enjoy the thrill of the ride.

For a day and a half, he drives almost non-stop, only pulling off the road for necessities and quick power naps. With everything weighing on him lately, sleep is far from his mind, only getting in enough to sustain him before continuing on his journey. With only a week left to make the choice, Jason's time is beyond valuable, needing to figure this out before the choice is out of his hands.

WvWvWvWvWvWvWvW

Standing before a full length mirror, Elizabeth stares at her reflection, wondering just who she has become in the attempt to reclaim the love she had lost a year ago. So much has changed between the time her love had been presumed dead and him being found alive. As much as she has tried to reclaim the love they had shared, she always comes up empty. Numb.

She has no idea what has caused the change in her heart, but the love just isn't there anymore. Every attempt thus far to relay her feelings to the people around her have been trivialized and belittled, consistently insisting that the love will find its way back to her. That she just needed time. And that a good step in recovering that love is to, believe it or not, get married the first chance they get.

The same church that they had said their vows the very first time with only god as their witness. The same day. Almost right down to the exact time. Anything and everything to try and rekindle the love that had once resided within them. She wishes she could see it, but she doesn't. She doesn't see how getting married will change anything.

"Elle..." her best friend, Johnny Zacchara, voices timidly in the doorway, causing her to turn her tear filled eyes towards the threshold. "Oh, Elle."

"How'd you get in here, John?" she questions, certain that no one would willingly let him through the door.

"Like I really need permission to be where I'm needed." he counter, shutting the door behind him, making sure to not make a sound. "Why are you doing this?"

"Its what's expected of me." she counters, turning her gaze back to the mirror. "I owe him this much."

"You don't owe him your hand in marriage." Johnny states firmly. "If you want out, just say the word."

"I..." she lets out a deep sigh. "I can't."

"You're miserable, Elle. I can see it and you know it." Johnny turns her to face him, showing the truth in his words. "If you want out, say the word. My hands are tied until you tell me its what you want."

"I..." she takes a deep breath to steady her nerves. "I...I want out."

"That's my girl!" a voice sounds off behind her, causing her to spin around in shock. "Ready to blow this joint, love?"

"Ethan?" she voices out of pure shock, looking from him to Johnny. "How did you know?"

"I didn't." Johnny admits. "But I wanted to make sure I was ready for anything. Ethan will take you out of town for a while, he'll keep you safe."

"Not to break up this mushy moment, mates, but I can only hang from the side of a building for so long."

"Go." Johnny insists. "I'll see you when you get back."

"Get back?" Elizabeth looks at him in confusion. "Where am I going?"

"Las Vegas." Ethan says with a smirk, holding out his hand to her. "Ready to hit the road?"

Glancing between her two closest friends, she lets out a deep breath before wrapping her arms around Johnny in a quick warm embrace, whispering her appreciation before rushing towards Ethan. She can already hear the whining and accusations that will be thrown her way, but she can't care about that now. Not when freedom is so close. Not when her life can soon be hers again. She just can't care now.