Title: Today I Do, Tomorrow I Will
Category: TV Shows ยป General Hospital
Author: Undesired Results
Language: English
Rating: Rated: T
Genre: Hurt/Comfort/Romance

Chapter 8: Acceptance

Sticking to the shadows, Elizabeth carefully makes her way through the streets, silently making her way into the hospital. Taking a deep breath, she steadies her nerves, her heart sinking as she forces herself to see the reality set before her. This was her plan all along. A bitter pill to swallow, but one she has been forced to none the less. Waiting until she's alone, Elizabeth walks into the hospital room, finding her first and only friend lying in the bed, hooked up to these godawful machines. Each step heavy, like she weighed a thousand pounds, Elizabeth walks over to the bed, dropping into the seat beside her.

"I'm so sorry," Elizabeth whispers, gently taking Emily's hand into hers. "I should have known...I...this is all my fault."

"It's not," Emily voices tiredly, her eyes slowly opening to look at her friend. "This was an accident..."

"No," she sighs. "It wasn't."

"Yes, it was," Emily insists. "I wasn't paying attention at the crosswalk, the car came out of nowhere, they even stayed with me till the police and ambulance arrived."

"This is the Queen's doing," Elizabeth states firmly. "She will never let the truth get out. She will never let me know my family."

"Liz..."

"I just hope you can forgive me for getting you involved," Elizabeth sighs, settling back into the seat. "I should have learnt that lesson the first time. I'm sorry."

"You can't blame yourself..."

"I don't. I blame her." Elizabeth lowers her head heavily as she tries to get her thoughts together. "And, until she gets what she wants, things like this will only get worse. My life, for the time being, is set in stone. Yours, however, is not and I will do whatever it takes to keep it that way."

"Wait...what does that mean?" Emily props herself up on the bed, meeting Elizabeth's eyes as it raises to meet hers. "This isn't goodbye, is it? Tell me this isn't goodbye."

"I can't," Elizabeth sighs. "Because it is."

"No! No," Emily snaps seriously. "You can't walk away now. You can't just give up."

"I'm not," Elizabeth holds Emily's hand securely in hers. "I'm not giving up, but I'm also not risking your life to free mine."

"Elizabeth...please."

"You are the first friend I have ever made and you will always matter to me," Elizabeth promises. "For now, our time in each other's lives are done, but I will see you again one day."

"Liz..." Emily tried to find an argument, but none were strong enough to verbalize. "I care about you, too...please...don't do this."

"I'm sorry," Elizabeth whispers, forcing her tears to remain at bay as tears fall down Emily's cheeks. "Before I leave...I need you to promise me something."

"What?"

"Promise me you'll keep the secret," Elizabeth pleads with her. "They can never know the truth. They can never know that I'm still alive. I know it's hard and I have no right asking you this, but...please...I need you to do this for me. Please."

"I...I don't know how you can accept this life," Emily whispers, her heart hurting for her friend. "You deserve so much more than this. You deserve a real family."

"It was my family that got me into this mess," Elizabeth reminds her. "Once the Queen's desires are fulfilled...once this is all over...I'll have my life. Please. Promise me."

"Okay...okay," Emily lets out a deep breath, forcing herself to be strong for her friend. "As long as you promise me something in return."

"Name it."

"When this is all over...when you finish whatever it is that you need to finish...you'll come back and you'll tell them who you are," Emily says seriously. "That you'll put an end to the lie once and for all."

"I promise," she whispers with her whole heart, rising to her feet touch her forehead to Emily's, shutting her eyes tightly. "Thank you for everything, Emily. For taking care of Buddy, for being my friend...you'll never truly know how much that's meant to me. Thank you."

"We will see each other again," Emily calls out to her as she's about to leave. "One way or another, we will see each other again, Elizabeth."

Holding her gaze for a long moment, smiling a smile of acceptance, she grants her a single nod before walking out the door and not looking back. Hardening her heart, she takes the path that will bring her back to the island, placing herself before the Queen once again. She should have known that this was the reason behind it all. It all started with Buddy and now it has lead to this. Taking a deep breath in, letting it out slowly, she holds her ground against the elder woman.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your blatant demand for a meeting?" Helena questions simply, intrigued by the woman that now stands before her.

"Your days of hurting the people I care about are over, your Majesty," Elizabeth states sternly. "You wanted me to cut all ties to my former life, congratulations, you've achieved just that. I will no longer search out my origins or the people I've stemmed from. This is my family and this will be all I am until you state otherwise. Make no mistake, my Queen, if you ever hurt anyone of them...in any way...I will make it my life's mission to turn all you've taught me against you. That much, I promise you."

"About time you've tapped into the Cassadine hidden within you," Helena smirks proudly. "You have my word for as long as you remain faithful to the prophecy."

"Then we're agreed," Elizabeth states before dipping into a curtsey. "Goodnight, your Majesty."

"With the change in plans, however, your presence in this town is no longer necessary," Helena says firmly. "Tomorrow, you'll be on the first flight back to Greece where your training will continue. Understood?"

"Understood," Elizabeth states bitingly. "Your Majesty."

Turning on her heels, her back stiff, she briskly walks out of the room and straight to her studio. Locking the door, she drops to the ground, screaming out her cries as she wraps her arms around herself. Anger floods her entire being as she realizes all that's transpired within her life. She was nothing more than a pawn in the Queen's schemes. She never should have let her hopes take control of her the way it did. She never should have let herself dare to dream of a better life. This is her life. For now. This her life for now. One day, she'll be old enough to do what's necessary. One day, she'll be strong enough, but that day isn't today. No. Today, she's a thirteen-year-old girl with a role to play and play it she shall.

"Princess," Nikolas greets her the next morning when she makes her way to the breakfast table. "I heard about your friend, I'm sorry."

"She'll be fine, she's strong," Elizabeth states simply, pulling up a chair and sitting down, ignoring his look of confusion. "Before I forget, I'm set to leave back to Greece to continue my training within the next hour. I thought it best that you be made aware of that."

"I don't understand," Nikolas voices, the look in Elizabeth's eyes giving him a horrifying feeling in the pit of his stomach, moving to kneel beside her. "What's going on?"

"What's going on is that the Queen bested me and revealed her true intentions for the mission she set me on," Elizabeth states, meeting his eyes firmly. "Isolation. From my past and the people in it. Making it so that all I have and all I am is Princess Elizabeth Cassadine. Heiress to the Queen's throne."

"Princess..."

"What's done is done," Elizabeth whispers, tears frozen in her eyes, her hand touching his face. "Do better than I did. For both our sake."

"Elizabeth..."

"I need you to promise me something," Elizabeth whispers, glancing around her before meeting his eyes. "Watch out for Emily. Make sure she's safe from the Queen."

"I...can't."

"Promise me, Nikolas, please!"

"Okay," he sighs, pulling her into a tight hug, knowing neither of them had any choice in the matter. "I promise."

"I have to go," she whispers, pulling out of his embrace and rising to her feet. "I love you."

Rushing out of the room, she gets to her bedroom, packing up her things and leaving the estate for the airport. Staring out the window, looking upon the town, she can feel her soul hardening as her heart sets in stone within her chest. She will get better. She will get stronger. And, one day, she will destroy the Queen in ways even her own wicked mind could never come up with.