Chapter Two: Port Charles After Elizabeth

Elizabeth couldn't believe she was standing in the graveyard and watching as they lowered her casket into the ground. It had seemed as if everything was going as planed. She only had half an hour now till her train and her new life.

She was waiting on Luke, who was standing with the others that had been at her funeral. She couldn't help but marvel at the way Luke could look all those people in the eye and pretend as if he had no idea that there was no one in that grave.

He finally made his way over to where Elizabeth had been waiting out of sight. "You ready to catch a train?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." She replied to him.

They made their way to his car and from there the train station. She had never ridden on a train before and was actually looking forward to it. It's a great way to see the country, she thought to herself.

Luke stared down at the young brunet, as she was about to board the train. "I want you to call me when you finally make it down there. I don't want to have to worry about you or anything."

"I promise you, I will call the minute I step off the train."

"You remember the name of the restaurant?"

"The Crab House"

"And who are you going to meet down there?"

"Mitch, not a hard name to forget."

"I've already told Mitch to be expecting you. Now he knows that you're related to me, but he doesn't know how and he knows not to ask. He also told me he had a place lined up for you to stay and everything."

"How am I suppose to be able to pay you back for everything you've done for me Luke?"

"Keep in touch." He said meaning it.

She then took Luke into a big hug. It was the type of hug a father and daughter would share after some sappy moment or in her case a sappy goodbye. Once they had finally let go of one another Elizabeth gave him one last look and boarded the train. "Don't forget to call, Morgan." He called to her.

Elizabeth realized then that she was going to be a whole new person. She was no longer Elizabeth Webber Lancing; now she was Morgan Elizabeth Spencer.

***Later That Day***

Ric seemed to not realize what he was even doing. After the funeral he had come into his house and opened the door to the panic room. Now he was staring at Carly and he couldn't think of a thing to say to her, not that she was doing much talking either.

Ric just kept staring at her. He had no reason to keep her anymore. Hell you have no reason to even live, he thought. She's gone and nothing will ever bring her back.

Carly watched as he reached in his pocket and pulled out the key to her foot restraint.

"Does this mean you are finally going to let me go?" She questioned him, hoping it would be.

Ric didn't say anything. He only reached over and unlocked her from her prison. Carly didn't waist anytime she ran straight to the front door and home to Sonny and Michael.

He felt nom all over. All Ric wanted to do was find a way to be with Elizabeth. There is always suicide he told himself, but even Ric knew that he was to much of a coward to take his own life. Instead he just sat on his couch and waited for either the cops or Jason to show up.

It was Sonny and Jason that showed up first. Ric didn't bother to stop them when they burst through the door and he didn't even deny it when they accused him of taking Carly. Ric knew that Jason would be ready to take his life, so he just waited.

"I just want to know why Ric?" Sonny asked him.

"My plan was simple. Take the child that you stole from Elizabeth and I, only now it doesn't matter. She's gone and nothing matters anymore. So just do what you came here to do and kill me for taking your wife."

"I'm not going to kill you or even have you killed." Sonny said to him. "That's what you want and I'm not going to give you want you want." Instead Sonny reached in his pocket and called the cops to come take Ric c to jail.

Later at Sonny's penthouse Jason had to ask the ultimate question. "Why wouldn't you let me kill Ric, Sonny?"

"I want him to live in the same hell that I lived in when he had Carly. He wants to die because he seems to think that in the after life he and Elizabeth will be reunited and if that's the case I say let him wait awhile."

"There's only one problem with that Sonny." Sonny gives him a curious look. "Ric is going to burn in hell and Elizabeth is already someone's guardian angel." Sonny just shook his head.

***Sometime in August***

Emily stood at the back of the church shaking like a leaf. This day was suppose to be the best day of her life, and it was, but there still seemed to be something missing, her best friend

"Emily I'm so proud of you." She looked up into the eyes of a blue eyed man. She was happy that he was here and happy that he was proud of her.

"I can't believe that I'm going to marry your brother, Lucky."

"I can." He gave his long time friend a hug. Lucky then got a distant look in his eyes. "You know the last wedding I was at was the one I was going to have with Elizabeth."

"That wedding didn't go as planed if I remember correctly."

"She should have been here today." Lucky said blankly.

"You know I thought she was just as excited as I was about this wedding. She really helped me put this whole thing together before she..." Emily couldn't bring herself to say it. Even though it had been almost a month she still didn't like to talk about Elizabeth's death.

Courtney came into the back room just then. She was the substitute Emily used for a maid of honor. Emily knew that it meant a lot to her brother for the two girls to get along and this just seemed to be the right thing to do.

"As one of my duties as maid of honor I have to make sure you have the four essential things every bride needs. Something old, something new, something barrowed and something blue."

"Don't worry I have all of those things Courtney."

"Ok, just wanted to make sure. Well, in that case I'm going to wait for you outside."

"I'll be out in a couple minutes."

Courtney left the room where the two old friends were. "So that's your maid of honor?"

"I did it for Jason. Trust me no one could replace Elizabeth."

"Here I got this for you." Lucky said as he pulled something out of his breast pocket and handed it over to her. "Since she couldn't be here today I thought I would give you this picture."

Emily looked down at the photograph that Lucky had placed in her hand. It was a picture taken along time ago of the two friends. They were at Kelly's, sitting at the counter and smiling like children. Emily felt her eyes start to tear. "I miss her so much sometimes. The other day I just wanted to talk to her and for a split second I forgot she was gone, but then I remembered and it hurts all over again."

"I know exactly what you mean. I forget she's gone sometimes too. I never thought that I would feel this way about her after everything that happened between us. I'm glad that I do though, it shows how much she really did mean to me."

"You know you're wrong about one thing Lucky. She is here today. She's watching all of us and I think she's happy that we still care."

"Isn't this your wedding day? Shouldn't we be focusing on the good today?"

Just then Alan walked into the room. "Sweetheart you look beautiful." He kissed his daughter on the cheek. "Lucky they are ready for you up front."

"Thank you Dr. Quartermaine." Lucky left the room and headed to the front of the church.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes." Emily said with a big smile on her face. They walked to the back of the church and watched as all the bridesmaids made their way to the front of the church. As the wedding march began Emily stuck the picture Lucky had given her into the middle of her bouquet. You are with me today Elizabeth.

She walked down the aisle to the man she had loved since she was a teenager. A man that had been there through just about all of her hard times, he was even there for her when she was dealing with her cancer.

Nicolas stood at the front of the church and it melted Emily's heart. She was actually excited about becoming a Casidine. The service was short but very gorgeous. Her dad gave her away and Lou Lou was her flower girl and Courtney was the maid of honor. Lucky was Nicolas' best man and Jason was one of the groomsmen.

They took their honeymoon in Hawaii and moved into Windermere as soon as they got back.

***November 14***

Carly sat in her hospital bed resting. She had just gone through almost 15 hours of labor and was exhausted. She didn't remember Michael's birth being this draining. She was sitting there thinking of everything that it took to keep her baby safe.

Still Carly gave birth to a healthy baby girl. She was the most beautiful baby girl Carly had ever seen. She had her father's eyes. The baby seem to put everything that had happened that summer in the back of everyone's minds. Now they were focused on Lila Elizabeth.

Carly still couldn't get over herself. She had let that muffin of a girl be apart of her baby's name, but Carly knew that had Elizabeth not lost her life she would have never gotten hers back. She figured the least she could do was pay her back.

Sonny came in just then with the nurse and her baby girl. Sonny's face seemed to light up every time he looked at his baby. Carly knew that with the way he treated Michael and the way he looked at Lila he would be the best father in the world.

"Hey." Sonny said just above a whisper. "How are you feeling?"

"Like the happiest mother in the world. I have two beautiful children," she said as the nurse placed Lila in her arms, "and the best husband in the ever." She finished with a smile and a quick kiss on Sonny's lips.

"The doctor said that the two of you could leave the hospital within the next few days, and the nursery is finished. Carly, I don't know what I would have done if I wasn't able to get you back."

Carly reached out and touched his cheek "But I'm here aren't I? We made it and I'm never going to leave you."

"Last night I couldn't get any sleep cause I thought about Elizabeth Webber. I thought about what would have happened had she not been in that accident, and God help me Carly I was glad she was. I sat there and I thanked God that he let Elizabeth die." Carly could see the tears forming in her husband's eyes and began to feel a little misty eyed herself.

"Stop. Sonny everything happens for a reason and Elizabeth's death is the reason Lila and I are here. And I believe that it was her time, so it's ok to thank God for that."

Sonny hugged his wife and they both wiped their eyes. Carly was right without Elizabeth's death she would have been stuck in some panic room giving birth to their daughter. Maybe Jason's right, Sonny thought, maybe Elizabeth was made to be Lila's guardian angel.

***Mid December***

Jason had no idea what he was doing here. Holiday's never really meant anything to him and finding a stupid tree for a religious holiday gone commercial just seemed to him, well, stupid. He never understood the point of taking a living tree and cutting it down just to put lights and decorations on it.

He couldn't even remember a tree he liked, except the small fake tree that was in Elizabeth's studio the Christmas he had been shot. He had liked that tree because it wasn't some big gaudy tree with fancy trimmings, but it was a tree with lots of thought and creativity and yet no bigger then a foot high.

"How about this one?" Courtney asked him standing next to a tree she seemed to like.

"If that's what you want." He told her.

"You know you are no fun at doing this."

"I'm sorry but I just don't see the point. I thought the meaning behind Christmas was Christ's birth not some fat guy coming down the chimney to put presents under a overly decorated tree."

"Since when did you become so religious?" She questioned him.

"I'm not, I'm just not that big on holiday's, but whatever tree you want I will be more then happy to get for you." He hugged her and kissed her softly on the lips.

"I want that one." She said pointing to the same one she had suggested before.

"Then that will be the tree in our home this Christmas." Jason said as he pulled the tag off the tree so that he could pay for it. "You wait here and I'll go get somebody."

Jason walked up to the cash register and handed over his money for the tree that Courtney had wanted. That was when he noticed the small tree that sat next to the register on the counter. The tree looked just like the one that had been in Elizabeth studio, paper chains and all.

Jason's thoughts once again went to Elizabeth. He missed her so much sometimes it hurt. He would lay awake in bed sometimes and just try and remember her face. That was fading from him, not the memories they shared but different looks she would get on her face. Sure he had a picture of her and he even put it in his wallet, but the faces he was beginning to forget were faces she only made while she thought no one was looking.

He had lost her and yet a part of him still felt like she was there. It wasn't her ghost he felt but instead he felt like she was still alive, as if he could still feel her soul. He once again looked at the tree and got an overwhelming feeling of peace. You're loosing it Morgan, she's been gone for almost six months and you still thank she's alive, and yet, he could have sworn he saw her in the cemetery the day of her funeral, but he knew it wasn't possible and just blamed it on his grief.

He met back up with Courtney and prepared to take the tree home.

***Christmas Eve***

It was time for the annual General Hospital Christmas Party and Audrey Hardy couldn't help but feel a little lost this year. Since her granddaughters had moved in with her, Elizabeth had always been apart of the party. True most of the time it took major bribery and blackmail on Audrey's part, but deep down she knew Elizabeth loved to be there for the children.

Elizabeth's death had effected her in ways the Audrey had never expected, she hadn't even felt like this when her beloved Steve had died. Elizabeth had been this family's shining star and now it had fallen. Audrey knew that Elizabeth never felt like she belonged, but she couldn't have been more wrong.

Elizabeth's parents had even felt her loss. The child they ignored for so long and now in death they could not escape her memory and all the things they never had a chance to say to her.

Sarah and Steven were also lost without their baby sister. Steven had problem's concentrating at work and was not doing so well at keeping up with everything. Audrey knew that he would bounce back and would be able to move on, but for now she just let him mourn his sister. Sarah had moved back to Port Charles and was once again working at General Hospital, but she too seemed to not be herself and Audrey had no advice to offer the family.

Audrey turned to look at the big tree that sat in the lobby on the children's ward, there amongst all the other decorations on the tree sat an ordainment made of paper and in the middle had Elizabeth's picture from when she was a little girl. Elizabeth had made that for her Grandparents when she was about the age of ten and Audrey knew she wanted to share it with everyone.

Christmas was going to be a hard time to handle without Elizabeth because it had been her favorite holiday. I'll make it through somehow. Audrey told herself. Watch over everyone in this room and keep them safe, my little angel.

*** January***

Ric had sat in the Port Charles Jail for nearly seven months and it was finally time for the trial to begin. He knew he was up against federal charges and he also knew that he was going to spend the rest of his life in prison.

None of that seemed to matter to him though. He had lost his reason for living the minute he had heard of Elizabeth's death. His whole world had gone black and there was nothing he could do.

Ric looked at the sheets on his bed and then at the bars. He had said once that he was a coward and could never take his own life, but the more he thought about it the more the idea looked better and better.

He tied the sheet to the top of his cell by standing on the chair. He then took the other half of the sheet and tied a noose around his neck. Ric had never considered himself a man of prayer but he did say one that day. "God, I'm sorry for everything I've done and I ask that you bring me and my wife back together in the here after, but if that it is not your way I understand. Please keep watch over the people I have hurt and let them know that I am truly sorry for the things I have done. Amen." and with that Ric jumped off his chair and to his death.

***Valentine's Day***

Luke had been talking on the phone for nearly twenty minutes. It was now becoming a routine to talk at least once a week to his young friend in North Carolina. She seemed to be very happy and settled in her new life.

"So, you are telling me you have no big plans for tonight? Well, so make someone else work." He laughed then. "I don't mean to cut this short but I do have plans. Yes I promise to call you next week. Good bye Morgan."

Luke still wasn't' sure if he was used to that yet. Calling Elizabeth, Morgan was like calling a cat, a dog. Luke began to sort some papers on his desk when he heard a small knock on the door.

"Come in." he yelled through it.

The door opened and there before him stood his beautiful wife. He had had this dream many times before, but this time Luke knew it wasn't a dream. "Laura?"

"Hi Luke."

He rushed to her arms and pulled her into a tight hug. "Is it really you Angel?"

"It's really me and I'm home."

Luke and Laura stood in Luke's office for the longest time in that hug and neither one of them had any intention of pulling away from each other.

*** Early April***

Jason was standing on the edge of the docks just staring out into the horizen. He was finally going to do it. He and Courtney were going to have the wedding they were ment to have almost a year ago.

They were not however going to have it in Port Charles this time. This time they were going to have it someplace in the south in an old church Courtney had found online. they didn't want to take any chances and they figured this was the best way to do it.

Jason still had a bad feeling that he couldn't shake. Ever since he and Courtney had set another date for the wedding he had been feeling Elizabeth's presence more and more. He had know at the time right before her death that he was missing Elizabeth's friendship.

The last time he had spoken to her was the last time they had been on this dock. She had said she would see him later, but that didn't happen. He had wished so many times during Carly's kidnapping that Elizabeth was not married to Ric, not because Jason knew he did it, but because of the times he started to question himself he knew that if Elizabeth was still his friend she would have told him to go with his gut.

He missed her and now she was gone and he was getting married to Courtney.