To Love a Woman
FEBRUARY 2007
Liz placed her hand on her stomach, slowly she tried to breath in and breath out, to relax and stop her contractions. It had to be false labor brought on by the stress.
"Baby's breath Elizabeth, you don't look so good," One said with an evil grin.
She glanced over to Nikolas. He tried to give her some strength, without saying a word, but right now there was only one man who could have done that. And he was somewhere else in the world, far from her and Port Charles.
Lorenzo, she cried silently.
For everything she had told him about not trying to save her, that was all she wanted now. She wanted him to storm in the doors and save her life, save her baby, make it all better for her again.
She knew he could do it. If she hadn't told him to go away.
XXXXXXXX
Carly stood outside of the hotel. Police and paramedics were all around her. The cold winter air made her shiver. Jason came running up.
He took her in his arms, "I thought you were in there. God...Carly...I thought.."
"I'm fine. But..."
He looked at her. "Who?"
Carly started to cry. "Everyone, Jase. Lucas and Max," she sobbed.
"Okay, okay..." he said, trying to calm her down.
"Milo and Lulu..." she tried to stop crying and couldn't. "Um...Robin, Nikolas, Patrick, Maxie and Georgie, Dillon and ...sorry but..."
"Tell me."
"Spinelli, Sonny, Liz and ...your mom and sister."
He leaned close to her and whispered "Go home. I'll take care of this."
"You know better than to think I can leave. Besides, I made Lorenzo a promise..."
Jason's eyes narrowed. "Since when do you promise him anything?"
Carly shook her head at his jealous tone. Even in the midst of this, she liked hearing it. "He went and fell for Elizabeth...why I don't know...but he asked me to keep an eye on her and to let him know if she ever seemed like she was in trouble...I said I would."
Jason gave her a look that said, And why am I just finding out about this now?
Carly barreled on, "I owed him, you know that. After how I walked out on him after just a few months of marriage. And these last few months, with all you have done for that girl, I figured I was more than keeping my end of the bargain but now I let him down again...this is my hotel...I should have been able to keep all those people in there safe."
To calm her down, and because he didn't know what might happen tonight, and because he loved her more than anyone else on the planet, Jason kissed her and then said, "Go home. Please. So I can do this."
"I will not get in the way."
He gave her a look. She gave him the same one back.
Jason searched the crowd with his eyes. "Luke...can you make sure she doesn't leave your sight till this is all over? If Carly tries to go in that hotel...pick her up and carry her home for me."
Carly cried, "Now that is going too far!"
"Then stay out of the way. Promise me."
Staring in his eyes, she eased as close to him as she could."Do you have to go in there?"
"You know I do."
Carly hugged him, holding him tight to her body as if he might never come back and then whispered "You die and I will not forgive you, so just don't do it, Jase."
Into her ear, he whispered "I got you back. Why would I go and die now?"
As he backed away from her, not taking his eyes off for a few steps, she mouthed "I love you."
He gave her a small smile, and mouthed "Stay here." For as much as he did love her, she worried him like hell sometimes.
Luke meandered over and said "I'll give him a few hours then me and you, niece, are kicking in those doors and taking back what is ours."
Carly said, "Wait it out. Jason will come through for me...he always does."
Then she dialed her cell and said, "Lorenzo."
There was a long pause from him and then he said, "Tell me she is okay."
"I'm sorry I can't do that...Elizabeth is being held hostage at the Metro Court."
XXXXXXXXXX
10 HOURS LATER
"RUN!" Sonny yelled as Jason lunged at Craig, who had the detonator.
Nikolas picked up Liz and they ran for the door. Other hostages flooded out behind them.
" I need a doctor!" Nikolas yelled
He placed Liz on the nearest gurney and Patrick took her vitals. She said to him. "The contractions stopped but I'm still scared for my baby...you have to save him..."
"I'll page Dr. Lee and she'll meet you in the ER. You need to stay calm and trust us to get you through this. Can you do that, Liz?"
A pain shot through her stomach. "Owww! Oh, God, no..."
Then Lorenzo was next to her, reaching for her hand, "Breathe, Liz, slowly now...you can do this...you're going to be fine..."
Nikolas' eyes darted back and forth between them. He smiled slightly as her eyes lit up with joy at the sight of Lorenzo. Liz could not take her eyes off the man and she did seem to be relaxing more and more as each second passed.
Patrick said, "Help me get her onto the ambulance."
Her eyes stayed locked on Lorenzo's as she rolled toward the vehicle.
Once she was inside, Lorenzo stood to the side watching her.
Liz asked, her voice shaky, "Aren't you coming with me?"
That was all it took for him to climb in next to her. She reached for his hand and squeezed it. "I can't believe you're here..."
"I heard you might need me."
"Only like crazy...it was another bad night , Lorenzo."
"That's all over now."
The paramedic took her vitals. "Any more pains?"
She answered, "Not in the last few minutes."
"Good."
Lorenzo's gaze moved to her stomach, then back up to her eyes. "You make a lovely pregnant woman, Elizabeth."
She smiled but she said, "Liar."
"Never. Not to you."
For the first time in months, Elizabeth truly believed everything might work out in her life.
XXXXXXX
Dr. Lee stepped out of Liz's room at the hospital and spoke to the crowd gathered there-Nikolas, Lucky, Carly, Jason, Emily and Lorenzo.
"She wants to see you," Kelly said to Lorenzo "But we just gave her medication to relax her and make sure the contractions don't start again. It is of the utmost importance to the health of her baby that she is not upset."
"You have my word that she won't be," he said before slipping in the door.
Liz gave him a shaky smile and said, "You came back home on the craziest day of the year, so far. Some timing you have."
"I would have came sooner...if I thought you needed me...but when you didn't respond to my letter.."
He shook his head to clear away the thoughts of him lost in a bottle, missing her.
Lorenzo went on, "It doesn't matter now, I'm here and you're...free of him finally. It looks good on you, Elizabeth."
Lorenzo sat in a chair next to her bed. She looked even more beautiful to him than when he left town. She was glowing, and strong now, and fragile and nervous all at the same time.
She was not crushed under the weight of fear anymore. That was the sweetest relief to him.
(Drink
like its water.
You're the most beautiful thing that I've seen. You're the most colorful thing that I've seen. You are an enigma walking.) ( Rocco Deluca)
You're the most colorful thing that I've seen.
Her eyes stayed on the sheet that covered her as she said, "The answer to the question you must be thinking is..." her fingers twisted the sheet as she stalled for a moment.
Liz looked at him and barreled into her confession " I don't know...about the baby...I don't know who the father is yet. I can't have a DNA test done until I give birth, or else I risk a miscarriage and even if the chance is really low that it would happen...I won't risk this baby."
Lorenzo nodded. "I understand. But you should know...I would have came back either way...even if you are carrying his baby."
Her head bopped up and down slightly as she said, in a shy voice filled with longing for a future she was not sure she could have, "I thought you probably would but...it wouldn't have been fair for me to ask you to hope or dream about or bond with this child only to have you lose him later. I couldn't do that to you, Lorenzo."
His heart leapt at the words she had just said, as he imagined holding his baby for the first time. There was a chance, however small, that he was, indeed, the father."Him? You're having a boy?"
She looked into his eyes, "Yes," with one hand on her stomach she said "this could be your son, Lorenzo."
For a long moment they stared at each other.
Finally he said "I knew you were pregnant and it took all I had to not come back here but, Elizabeth, I thought the best thing I could give you was the right to make your own choice."
She was amazed that he understood her so well."Thank you for that. It's the one thing I never had with Ric. But now that I left him everyone who cares about me is letting me decide how to play out this situation...they've really been amazing at keeping Ric from me and keeping this baby protected."
"Does he believe he is the father then?"
Liz glanced away. "Well...I couldn't let him know there was a chance of that...he can never touch this baby...and I know there is only one thing on this planet he really fears...Jason Morgan...so..."
She looked back at Lorenzo. "I told him Jason is the father. A few people know the truth- Carly, Nikolas, Emily, Lucky - but they would rather die than tell Ric. It's what I had to do...my ex- husband is a very dangerous man and I know that if he goes after Jason then Jason will do what has to be done to Ric."
Softly, with more than a little hurt in his voice, Lorenzo asked "But you didn't think I would? You thought Ric might kill me, instead of the other way around."
Liz cried, "I couldn't risk it! If someone has to be on the line, let it be Jason. It might be selfish and wrong but Jason was willing to do it and Carly was willing to let him because he asked her to...she'd do just about anything for him...and I would do the same...for you."
He took her hand and immediately she calmed down.
Lorenzo said, "You don't have to go to extremes like that. Let me shield you this time."
"It will all be over soon. All I want is to get this baby safely into the world, hold him in my arms and know that Ric can never take him from me."
In his deep voice that made her believe his every word, Lorenzo told her"I would never allow you to lose your child. It doesn't matter what happens between us or if I am the biological father, when it comes to you and this baby staying safe from that man...you never have to fear him again, not as long as I am alive. I was only waiting for you to ask me to be the one there for you..." Lorenzo stood up.
Softly he told her, "You need your rest. I should let you sleep."
He let go of her hand and she nearly cried, she hating losing the feel of being connected to him.
"Know, Elizabeth, that I will not pressure you to see me or be who I want. I just want you to relax and enjoy the rest of your pregnancy the best you can."
Her mouth opened slightly. "Oh."
Lorenzo raised an eyebrow. He was trying desperately to be what she needed but in her eyes he saw that she was rapidly becoming panicked.
"I..." she said, searching his eyes "uh..."
In Spanish, he said: Tell me what you what.
In Spanish, she replied: I want to know you.
Lorenzo reached out and cupped her cheek. She sighed at the caress.
He told her : I've dreamed of knowing you.
She told him: You are my dream.
Then he was leaning down and capturing her mouth in a sweet and soulful kiss.
(Drink like its water, girl.
Drink like its water, girl. You're the most colorful thing that I've seen. You're the most beautiful thing that I've seen. You're the most colorful thing that I've seen. You are so colorful.) ( Rocco Deluca)
XXXXXXXX
FEBRUARY to MAY 2007
Liz and Lorenzo started to spend every day together. She lived with Nikolas for the remainder of her pregnancy and slowly got to know Lorenzo better- the man, she prayed, was the father of her child.
She found out that Lorenzo was good at making her feel safe and relaxed, and she was great at making him laugh. He was teaching her even more Spanish and they sometimes had short conversations in that language now. They both loved art and the history of European cultures. He even mentioned that they should visit the museums and churches in France one day together.
Liz held that fantasy close to her heart, having no doubt that Lorenzo would make it a reality.
She was two weeks overdue when she rang his doorbell one night. The guard let her in and she asked that he not tell Lorenzo she was there. Instead she walked up to his bedroom and knocked on his door.
"It's me," she said softly.
Lorenzo pulled open the door. He stood there wearing only pajama pants. Her eyes drifted up and down his chest. His kisses always set her body on fire, but simple kisses weren't going to do it tonight.
"Elizabeth," he said as the corners of his mouth turned up. He took in the look in her eye, and raised an eyebrow.
"Kelly says there is a way to speed up this little one's arrival...if you are game."
He laughed softly. He didn't think she would want to even think about making love again until she was well past the delivery but when her fingers slid over his abs, Lorenzo realized he was way off base with that assumption.
Pushing the door close, he led her to the bed. He dropped to his knees and took off her shoes, socks, then pants. Still crouching in front of her, he kissed her stomach, then right above her breast, his hand roamed over her, then his lips were on hers.
His kiss was soft and tender, his hands gentle on her skin, but then Liz was moaning and pulling away, an inch, in Spanish, she said: You could never hurt me. Love me. Now. And don't stop. Do not stop for anything.
Lorenzo's eyes flicked with love and desire, yearning and commitment, and, as always, a little bit of awe at this woman who had stolen his heart.
(To really love a woman, to understand her,
you gotta know her deep inside.
Hear every thought, see every dream,
and give her wings when she wants to fly.
Then when you find yourself lying helpless
in her arms
You know
you really love a woman)
Her hands moved to touch him, desperate for what she had dreamt about for so long, and later, when she was doing her best to not close her eyes so she could keep looking in his as she had the first time, he brought her the last step out of her past and right into a future with him.
It amazed Elizabeth how one man- different from any she had met before- could do that for her without saying more than a few whispered words in Spanish, and giving her all of his heart, his body, and his loyalty for no other reason than because she needed it.
Lorenzo said, in Spanish: I do love you, always. You are who I have waited a lifetime to love.
Finally her eyes just had to close, her mouth opened, and she was asking him to make this last forever and ever.
He was happy to oblige.
(To really love a woman
let her hold you,
till you know how she needs to be touched.
You've gotta breathe her,
really taste her
Til you can feel her in your blood
And when you can see your unborn children in her eyes
You know
you really love a woman)
XXXXXX
MAY 2007
Liz was sitting on the couch in Lorenzo's living room, holding her baby son, when Diego walked in carrying an envelope.
"Pop," he said to his father "I got this from Dr. Lee just as you asked me to. Its sealed and she assures me the lab guy gave it to her and she gave it to me."
He reached into his coat and pulled out another envelope. "And here are the second results from our own private lab. I supervised these being conducted, as you instructed."
"Thank you," Lorenzo said. He clamped his hand on his son's shoulder. "Can you give us some time alone?"
"Sure," Diego said, his eyes darted over to Liz with genuine concern. " I'll be home later. Georgie is insisting we go shopping for more baby stuff...I told her the house is full of it already...but it makes her happy...she feels like she's helping so..."
Lorenzo nodded but his mind was on what the pieces of paper he was holding would reveal.
When Diego had left, Lorenzo went and sat next to Liz on the couch.
The baby was only a few days old and his birth certificate was not filed yet. As far as Ric knew, if he was to ask around, the baby's name was Jonathan Morgan.
But Liz and Lorenzo had actually decided, no matter who was the father, that this child would be named Alejandro Lorenzo Alcazar; they would call him Alex.
If Ric was the father, they planned to let Jason sign the birth certificate and then sign over rights to the child to Liz. Then Lorenzo would adopt him. Whoever had to be paid off to make sure that could happened, would be.
Her hands shook as she stroked her child's baby fine hair. "I almost don't even want you to open that."
Lorenzo let out a long breath. "If that is the choice you make, fine... I will abide by it..but I can't agree with it, Liz, because we would always wonder and he would sense that. Its better to know the truth and face this from a position of strength."
She looked into his eyes and found her courage. He always made her think she could be a little braver than she actually felt she was.
(You got to give her some faith,
hold her tight
A little tenderness,
gotta treat her right
She will be there for you, taking good care of you
You really gotta love your woman...) ( Bryan Adams)
"Open it," she said, her voice soft but determined.
She was looking into the brown eyes of her son when Lorenzo said, "I'm his father."
Her head jerked up, she studied him, "To me you are. What does the paper say?"
"It says there is no chance Ric could be that baby's biological father."
Liz broke down in happy tears, a smile spread across her face, Lorenzo leaned over and kissed her.
His forehead rest on hers. Her free hand clutched his sleeve. "Oh my God," she breathed out "Thank you. Oh...thank you."
He brought his hand up to tangle in her hair, her eyes met his. "Elizabeth, do you know how grateful I am right now? That you're here and you want to be here and you want to share a child with me. No one has ever loved me like you do. I would let you go if you asked me to...but please don't ever ask me to."
They had both loved and lost before, tried and failed, hoped and had that hope crushed. But now they didn't fear that anymore. The past was dissolving into nothing but faded images in their minds and all that mattered to either of them was the moment she stepped into his limo last summer and every second after.
(Don't waste your time looking over your shoulder.
Those loves from the past ain't getting no closer.
When I look in my future
you're all I can see so
don't go loving on nobody but me.
Nobody but me gonna love you like you ought to be loved on
Nobody but me gonna cry if you up and leave
You can do what you want to,
but I'm asking pretty please
I took my time
Honey, don't go loving on nobody but me.
to tell you how I feel
Just because I took so long, don't mean that it isn't real
I ain't got no diamond,
but I'm down on my knees
Don't go loving on nobody but me.) ( Blake Shelton)
Lorenzo went on, as he glanced down at his son and then at the woman he loved, "I want you to move in here...to be the one I can hold all through the night...to let me love you every night...to let me take care of you just as much as you want but not anymore than that...let me try...I want you to be my wife."
Her smile was luminous, starting in her eyes and then spreading over her lips.. "Oh, Lorenzo...oh."
"Say yes, Elizabeth."
Looking in his deep dark eyes she said, in Spanish: Yes, I will marry you!
Then, in English, she added, after he gave her a quick but heart stopping kiss, "And love you every night and day for the rest of my life. I want to have as many children as you want, as many as we can handle. I want it all with you. You are my future, Lorenzo, you are my heart and the only dream I ever needed to come true to make my whole life right."
He cupped her cheek. She sighed and leaned into his caress. "Do you trust me to never hurt you, never break your heart, never let my business threaten our family?"
"Yes."
"Then you are the first woman who ever has."
She smiled and promised, " And I am the only woman who will never walk away."
Lorenzo looked in her eyes for a long moment, and truly knew with his soul that was the truth.
For when he saw her that day in the Metro Court, the first time he knew he would one day love her, he saw a kindred spirit. Once they were both trapped, in a lonely and solitude life of their own making. And then, together, they found each other and made a brand new life and future and love affair that would last till the moment she died, looking in his eyes, and trying not to close hers for as long as was possible.
She would love him for every second she had left- like no one ever had before, and he would love her in a way that made her forget she was ever without this man by her side.
(Nobody but me
gonna love you like you ought to be loved on.
Nobody but me
gonna cry if you up and leave.
You can do what you want to,
but I'm asking pretty please
Don't go loving on nobody but me) ( Blake Shelton)
(Honey) Don't go loving on nobody but me.
THE END
This story is dedicated to J C Morgan for she is the whole reason it was written.