Part I, Chapter I
Port Charles, NY...16 years earlier
Omnium rerum principia parva sunt - Cicero
The beginnings of all things are small
Bang, bang, bang…
Bang, bang, bang…
Elizabeth stood in the middle of her new living room staring at the inside of her new front door. She could only think of three people who would be pounding on her door so persistently and none of them were people she wanted to see. Since she and the Spencer's - hell, half the town - were on the outs, Elizabeth couldn't imagine anything positive being on the other side of her barrier from the world.
Bracing herself, one hand on the frame, the other on the knob, she took a deep breath. Elizabeth pulled the door open to find an irritated looking Carly, arm raised in apparent preparation to knock once again, on the other side.
"Took you long enough," Carly huffed as she breezed past Elizabeth and entered the home uninvited.
"Come right on in Carly," Elizabeth's voice was laced with sarcasm as she raised her arm towards the living room, and Carly's back.
Ignoring Elizabeth's obvious annoyance, Carly's gaze inspected the boxes filling the space as if she were taking inventory. Plastering a scowl on her face, she turned towards Elizabeth. "So when's the furniture coming?" she asked accusingly.
"What are you talking about?"
"Are you kidding me?" Carly responded. "I bet you couldn't start spending Jason's money fast enough," her eyes continued to take in her surroundings as she scoffed, "…like you could even afford this place."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes, "What do you want Carly?"
"Is that a trick question?" she paused. "Because no matter how much I couldn't stand Sam in Jason's life, at least he had enough sense never to have a child with her, but you…you're worse for Jason than Sam ever was. You act so perfect, all sweet and innocent – but I guess everyone finally knows the truth and sees you for who your really are now don't they." Carly took a quick breath and pointed her finger at Elizabeth, "I'm damn well not going to sit by and watch you use Jake to bleed Jason dry."
Closing her eyes and shaking her head, Elizabeth suddenly felt tired. "Carly, would you leave me a recorded message if I [ipromise[/i to listen to it once a day? Because I would, if nothing more than to simply spare myself the agony of watching your face as you deliver whatever new version of the same crap you've been tossing my direction for weeks now. I am done explaining myself. I don't owe you a thing and the only reason I'm tolerating you is because you and Jason are friends. Why is beyond me, but he says you are and I respect his choices. Jason and I made our decisions together and if you are the friend he thinks you are, you should respect him as well."
Staring down her nose at the shorter woman, Carly responded, "Yeah…that's just it. For some unknown reason, Jason looses his head when it comes to you. And you know it. And you take advantage of it." She pointed at Elizabeth, "That lie has your name written all over it and somehow you suckered Jason into agreeing."
Elizabeth spun on her heels and strode towards the foyer. "Carly, is this why you came over? Because if it is, you can pack it up and take it elsewhere because I'm not interested," she responded as she flung open the door and gestured for Carly to walk through it.
"No, Elizabeth. I'm here…and vomiting in my mouth…because Jason needs your help," Carly stated with a look of disgust marring her features.
Elizabeth immediately softened. "What's wrong with Jason?" she asked, her eyes widening.
"Do you mean besides the fact he's in jail on murder charges?" Carly asked, looking at Elizabeth as if she were crazy.
"Oh…I…I misunderstood," Elizabeth muttered, relief washing over her as she pushed the front door closed. "What can I do to help Jason?" she questioned plainly.
"Look, I want to go public with what Ric did to me and the panic room," Carly stated, emphasizing her words with her hands, "and -- and there's no evidence and no charges were filed and you're the only witness, so I need you to back me up on this."
Elizabeth's eyes narrowed, "No, wait…how is this going to help Jason?" she asked, accusingly.
"Ric hates Jason. He's going to do anything to get a conviction, Elizabeth," she answered, her voice straining.
"Carly, the police have evidence that Jason killed Alcazar," Elizabeth stated leaning towards the woman with her hands planted firmly on her hips. "I have no idea how good it is, but they must have it or he wouldn't be in jail." Elizabeth sighed, "So what are you going to do? Force Ric out as the D.A. And then what's going to happen? Another prosecutor's just going to take his case because the evidence still exists."
"Oh, it's good," Carly responded, nodding her head.
Elizabeth furrowed her brow. "What's good?"
"The evidence," Carly stressed. "Ric's an idiot and marched into Sonny's office to parade around a tape recording of Lorenzo saying Jason's name right before being shot."
Elizabeth felt her heart stop as her eyes widened and her mouth fell open.
Carly scoffed, "Oh, it's not like it's real."
Feeling as if she were under water, a slow nod of her head was all Elizabeth could muster in the face of Carly's announcement.
"Regardless of the evidence, this jumping-bail thing is a joke and you know it. Jason's stuck in jail. If we put the screws to Ric, we can get him out on bail," Carly continued like a steamroller, apparently apathetic to the fact that Elizabeth felt as if she had been punched in the gut.
"Threatening Ric is only going to make Jason's situation worse," Elizabeth responded as she tried to keep up with the conversation.
"Jason's going to Pentonville because of you!" Carly shrieked as she thrust her finger towards Elizabeth's face.
Carly's words were like a dousing of cold water, snapping Elizabeth from her haze. "He was rescuing Jake," she stressed.
"He put everything on the line to save you and rescue your son. He does everything you ask and this is how you repay him. You won't lift a finger to get him out of jail!" She yelled as her eyes bore a hole into Elizabeth's skull.
Elizabeth felt her blood begin to boil. "Despite your preference Carly, Jake is our son…mine and Jason's. And you of all people should know Jason well enough to understand that a jail cell was not going to keep him from finding Jake."
"I do," Carly exclaimed pointing to her chest, "and that's why I won't rest until I help him. What about you?" she stated, flicking her hand toward Elizabeth. "He's the father of your son, does that not mean anything?"
Elizabeth took a deep breath. "You know, Carly, for someone who claims to be Jason's best friend, you don't seem to have any comprehension of what he needs beyond what you want. Ric is dancing off the ceilings since Jason's been arrested, because he's finally in a position to take Jason's life away and make what's left of it a living hell. And you want to antagonize Ric by bringing up this whole panic room thing? And for what, Carly? So that Jason can get out on bail and be available to baby you with your never-ending problems? God knows if I were him, I'd rather be stuck in Pentonville."
"Well it looks like you are going to get your wish, Elizabeth." Carly began marching towards the door, then suddenly stopped and turned on her heels. "You don't deserve, Jason," she spat. "You never have and you never will. You're weak and spineless and you don't have the courage to be what he needs. In fact I'd rather he be in Pentonville if that meant he'd stay far away from you," Carly glared as she tore through the door and slammed it behind her.
Elizabeth stared at the door, chest heaving and feeling full of anger from Carly's latest unannounced visit. She ran her hands over her face and blew out a big breath, as she was struck by a sudden wave of guilt. She absolutely, positively hated to admit it…but Carly had a roundabout point. Jake might have never been kidnapped if she had told the truth from the beginning. Sure she might have been in the park with the boys, but she likely would have had a guard. Jason would have never been forced to jump bail to rescue their son and he wouldn't be looking at a trip to Pentonville. At least not now.
But Carly's suggestion was ridiculous. If they tried to chop off Ric's head, someone else's would simply pop up in its place. Blackmailing Ric wouldn't help Jason, right? Would him getting out on bail, again, be beneficial in the long run?
"…you don't have the courage to be what he needs."
Carly's words started rolling around in Elizabeth's brain and suddenly she felt she wasn't able to think clearly. Fear, guilt, anger and insecurity were coursing through her system. Her emotions were a jumbled mess and now she doubted what she so firmly believed when Carly was standing in front of her ranting away just minutes ago.
Elizabeth grabbed her purse and was out the door before she realized it. She had an overwhelming need for solace…to feel grounded…and there was only one person she could find that with.