AN:

We're finally moving a few steps forward. Slow and steady seems to be the tone for LiLo in this one. Pay careful attention to the Lo and Steven convo in this chapter.

And yes Cam makes an appearance as well. No Pippa this time sorry.

~Kelly~


Chapter Seven

"Would you like to join us for a picnic?" Elizabeth asked nervously from the doorway. She had been awake, aware of Lorenzo's presence since Steven left at six this morning. Her plan had been to avoid him all day but apparently her son had other ideas. He was the reason she found herself inviting Lorenzo's company.

"You want me to join you?"

Elizabeth shrugged and looked at Cam who was bouncing with excitement in the yard. She couldn't help but notice the change in him. She also knew the man in front of her was a big part of that change. "Yeah. Well Cam does."

"What about you?" he asked carefully leaning back on the sofa. Lorenzo couldn't help but notice that she wouldn't meet his eyes. Definitely not a good sigh in his opinion.

There was a long uncomfortable pause before he heard her soft answer. "I'm still scared."

Those words tore at Lorenzo's heart. He had hoped after the last few weeks she was starting to trust him a little. "Elizabeth. My past especially the last few years isn't something I'm proud of. There are things I've done and let happen..." he paused pushing the past and his regrets away with a deep breath. "but I would never hurt you."

"It's just..." she trailed off almost immediately unable to give voice to her thoughts.

"Just what? What has you so scared?" he pressed patting the seat beside him. When Elizabeth sat down he relaxed slightly. Maybe Elizabeth wasn't as sacred as they both thought. It was a start if nothing else.

"I believed my ex once too."

"And now you don't trust yourself." he stated softly. When Elizabeth nodded he couldn't help but hate her ex husband just a little more. Lorenzo had been raised to treat a woman with respect. One of the only things his father every really taught him. It was a good thing he didn't know anything about the man responsible for hurting Elizabeth. Because at the moment Lorenzo was really tempted to kill asshole. "I trust you."

"That makes one of us then." she said drawing her knees to her chest. It felt good to hear Lorenzo say he trusted her especially when they both knew she didn't yet trust him.

"What he did, Elizabeth, it wasn't your fault." he told her softly trying to reassure the young woman. Lorenzo wanted nothing more than to hold her while she cried it out. However that wasn't an option something he had to keep reminding himself.

"Maybe. Maybe not." she said with a shrug before standing. She had to put some distance between her and Lorenzo. He was too close and not just in the physical sense. "I know I stayed with him far too long though."

"I wished you weren't so hard on yourself."

"If you agree to the picnic I promise to try. How's that?"

"Well I guess it's a start."

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The rest of the afternoon was almost perfect. At least if you had asked Cam it had been. He had the complete attention of two out of three of his favorite people. The only thing missing besides his uncle was Pippa. However she had gone along with the other cats to the vet that morning.

He still didn't understand why he couldn't go too. So what if Uncle Steven was a doctor like Patrick? Mommy worked in a hospital and he went to work with her all the time. Of course anything would have been better than staying at home.

Cam realized he hadn't though of home or Da in so long. Ever since mommy had decided to leave really. There wasn't too much he missed especially not how Da hurt her. He knew she tried to hide what was going on but he knew anyways.

There were times his mommy was too quiet. Since coming to Uncle Steven's she'd been smiling more and more. Really smiling. And laughing too. He liked it when his mommy was happy. It made him happy too.

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Steven leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. The house was finally silent. It was something he missed after a trying day. "I take it today went well?" he asked without bothering to open his eyes.

Lorenzo shrugged at the question. To be sure he wasn't sure how to answer the question. "We had a picnic." he finally said lowering himself on to the sofa.

"So is that a yes?"

"I guess so. Your nephew is pretty persuasive when he wants something." he said laughing at some of Cam's antics.

"Yeah he can be. Believe it or not he gets that from Lizzie."

"I believe it. Sometimes she has this..." Lorenzo paused thinking how describe part of what attracted him to Elizabeth. "spark in her eyes."

The soft words immediately had Steven's attention. He should have known something like this was going to happen. The two had too much in common for him to be surprised. However that didn't mean he had to like it. "Lorenzo don't. Please man." he begged knowing it wouldn't do any good. His friend wasn't going to listen to a thing he said.

"A little too late for the warning, Steven. I'm halfway there." he admitted reluctantly.

"Well shit." he mumbled running one hand through his hair. "This is a complication we don't need. Does she know?"

Lorenzo shook his head. He'd been careful around Elizabeth. The last thing she needed was to be aware of his growing feelings. Especially since she was just starting to trust him. "If she does it's not from me."

"That's something I guess. And I thought work was a lot of drama."

"How was your first day back?" the other man asked hoping to change the subject.

"Mostly the same. Which is reassuring. I was a little worried my people would run amok without supervision."

"Trauma center gone wild?"

Steven laughed at the image Lorenzo's words created. "Something like that. The staff I have their good don't get me wrong. But their young. Very young in a few cases."

"But they handled you being away?" he asked feeling a bit guilty about the time his friend had taken off.

"They did. I was pleasantly shocked this morning. I talked to Jagger." Steven said changing the subject yet again.

"How long?" he asked despite not being sure he wanted to know.

The doctor shrugged at the question. "Maybe a month." he said after a moments pause. "It's going to take time to set up a new life for them."

"A month?" Well shit. "Maybe... maybe I should go. Save us all a little pain."

"That's not gonna happen." Steven pointed out to his friend. Even if part of him liked the idea risking Lorenzo's life didn't sit well with him. "We both know Jagger isn't going to go for it especially with Jason Morgan after you. Moving you now would be like sending up a red flag."

"I guess your right. I didn't mean for this to happen. It's just she and Cam their so easy to care about."

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Jason breathed a sigh of relief as he hung up the phone. He finally had a lead on Alcazar. It had take far longer than he wanted but at least he now had something to give Spinelli.

Apparently an agent named Jagger Cates was the last one seen with the traitor. Now it was just a matter of tracking down this agent's movements. Jason knew the man would want to keep tabs on their witness. He was too valuable for them to risk losing again.

Now it was just a matter of letting Spinelli work his magic. And then Alcazar would pay for betraying them.