Chapter Ten

"Feel better?" Ric asked sometime later after they had finished dinner. Elizabeth had eaten nearly a whole pizza by herself. Now they were practically lying on the couch. Ric's legs were stretched out along the cushions and Elizabeth was snuggled close to him.

"Much better." Elizabeth said rubbing her belly. The pizza had been exactly what Elizabeth needed.

"Elizabeth I..." Ric paused to take a deep breath before continuing. "Sweetheart we need to talk about Jason."

"I know. I just don't understand what happened earlier." Elizabeth said her confusion evident on her face.

"What don't you understand?"

"I know who Jason is, what he does." Elizabeth said sitting up to look in Ric's brown eyes. Sometimes it still surprised her that a man like Ric loved her. "I'm naïve not stupid."

"Elizabeth I never..." Ric said immediately. He never wanted Elizabeth to think that about herself. He especially never wanted her to think that he thought like that.

"Not you but some other people. I've always known that Jason was dangerous. I just never thought I'd be afraid of him that we would hurt me."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there." He said regretfully. He briefly wondered if he could put Elizabeth in a bubble, at least until after the baby was born. Knowing Elizabeth however it wasn't even an option.

"Don't blame yourself. I should have known he'd be angry about us."

"What happened?" Ric asked gently.

"I'm not sure. He was very angry about our being together. Like you had tricked me or something. I don't know it was all very surreal." Elizabeth told him shaking her head.

"I'm sorry you got caught up in this."

"I'm not. I am so happy with you and our little family."

"Me too. I can't wait until the baby is born." Ric said excitedly. He couldn't wait to hold their child.

Elizabeth smiled softly. She couldn't believe she had been scared to tell Ric. He was more excited than she was. "Me either."

"Uncomfortable?" Ric asked kissing Elizabeth softly. They kissed for several minutes just enjoying one another.

Finally they pulled away. Elizabeth thought about her swollen feet before saying, "Just a little bit."

"Here let me see your feet." Ric said moving to the other end of the sofa.

"Why?" Elizabeth asked uncertainly.

Ric blinked at her question. He would have thought the why would have been obvious. "I'm going to massage them."

"That's okay." Elizabeth said pulling even further away from Ric.

"You're ticklish aren't you?" Ric asked smirking as inched closer.

"No." Elizabeth immediately denied. Ric however didn't look convinced. "Maybe."

"That's cute." Ric said chuckling at Elizabeth. She was so adorable when she got like this. "Please let me do this. I hate seeing you uncomfortable. You're the only who has to really change because of the baby. This is the one thing I can do."

"Okay. Just be gentle."

"Always." Ric said pulling her feet to his lap. His touch was gentle at first barely a whisper over skin. As Elizabeth relaxed Ric applied greater pressure. When Elizabeth moaned Ric smirked. "Enjoying yourself?"

"Uh huh." Elizabeth mumbled not bothering to open her eyes.

"Good." Ric said his hands slowly moving up to her calf. His touch was strong but gentle completely relaxing Elizabeth. Ric took his time making sure he worked out all the knots. When he was finished Ric realized his wife had fallen asleep. He chuckled briefly before carefully standing up. He lifted Elizabeth into his arms and carried her to the bed room. They were nearly there when Elizabeth stirred. "Shh. Go back to sleep."

"Ric, I'm too heavy." Elizabeth protested when she realized what her husband was trying to do.

"No you're not." Ric said shaking his head. "I would carry you all the time if you would let me."

"You would hurt yourself." Elizabeth mumbled as Ric gently eased her on to the bed. "I'm sorry I fell asleep."

"It's fine." Ric assured her. He quickly took off his shirt and pants leaving only his boxers on. He lay on the bed pulling Elizabeth into his arms. She sighed as she leaned back on to his chest. "I love you."

"I love you too."

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"You wanted to see me?" Lucky asked walking into Ric's office and shutting the door behind him.

"I wanted to ask you a few questions about Jason." Ric informed the younger man. Since the situation with Jason at Elizabeth's studio several days ago Ric had been worried about Jason. He couldn't figure out the man's motives. He hated having to ask Lucky but Elizabeth took priority.

"To be honest Ric I'm not sure you should be asking me." Lucky told the D.A. bluntly taking a seat in one o the two leather chairs.

"Why is that?" Ric wanted to know.

"For a long time I hated Jason. I blamed him for me and Elizabeth breaking up."

"Was he the reason?" Ric asked carefully. He didn't want to argue or fight with Lucky today. Especially over something that he didn't really care about in the first place.

"No not really. It was hard to admit me and Elizabeth simply grew up." Lucky said quietly. After a brief pause he asked, "Why are you asking?"

"Jason showed up at Elizabeth's studio the other day and things... they didn't go well."

"Is Elizabeth okay?" Lucky asked concerned about his friend. He may not like Ric but Lucky couldn't deny that the man loved her completely.

"Yeah. She was just shaken up. I guess Elizabeth never thought Jason would scare her."

"So what did you want to know?"

Ric took a deep breath trying to collect his thoughts. The last thing he wanted was Elizabeth to be worried. "Would Jason ever physically hurt Elizabeth?"

"Before he went to prison I would say no. But being locked up like that... it... it changes you." Lucky said his mind going to when Helena had him locked up. He wasn't proud of how he acted when he first came back to Port Charles.

"That's what I'm afraid of."

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Elizabeth groaned when she walked up to Kelly's. Through the window she could see Jason and Courtney in the nearly empty diner. She hadn't seen Jason since the other day and to be honest she was relieved.

She was almost tempted to turn around. Elizabeth didn't for several reason one being the growl that came from her stomach. That added to the fact she refused to let Jason dictate her life in any way left Elizabeth no other choice. After taking a slowly deep breath she went in.

Jason's eyes immediately went to Elizabeth as the door opened. He needed to find a way to fix the damage he had caused. Knowing Elizabeth she wouldn't make it easy either. "Elizabeth, wait." He said when Elizabeth tried to walk past their table.

"What do you want, Jason?" Elizabeth asked calmly. This was the last thing she wanted or needed today.

"I just want to apologize again for the other day. I lost my temper and took it out on you. I'm sorry about that." Jason said in what he hoped was a sincere voice.

"Fine. Is that all?" Elizabeth asked brushing off the apology. It pissed her off that Jason just expected her to forgive him.

"Don't you dare tell me you're not going to forgive him." Courtney snapped venomously.

Jason wanted to groan or tape Courtney's mouth shut. The only thing she was going to do is make thinks worse. "Courtney don't."

The blonde ignored Jason's warning. "No, Jason. I won't let this #! treat you this way over something this silly. Especially after she forgave Ric who is a monster."

"Ric is trying to become a better man." Elizabeth pointed out slightly annoyed with the whole conversation.

"Don't be stupid people don't change." Courtney countered.

Elizabeth thought for a moment before saying, "If that was true you'd still be a stripper."

"Elizabeth..."

"Look I understand things happen but maybe it would be best if we just went our separate ways." Elizabeth told Jason quickly after cutting him off. She was in no mood for a lecture from him.

"I hate Ric is making you do this." Jason said his voice cold and angry.

Elizabeth refused to be intimidated by Jason. He had no reason to behave like this. Hell they weren't even friends anymore. "Ric isn't making me do anything he doesn't have to."

"Liz your order is up." Penny called out effectively ending the conversation.

"Thank Penny."

"I can't believe she said that to me." Courtney wined sniffing away fake tears.

"Ric has her so brainwashed right now..." Jason started before trailing off. He didn't want anyone, not even the vapid blonde in front of him, to know his plans for Ric.

"I wish there was some way to help her."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sonny was still at the warehouse when Jason came back from Kelly's. "Have a good lunch?" He asked barely looking up from the papers that covered his desk.

"It was alright. I ran into Elizabeth."

"How did that go?" Sonny asked setting down the pen.

Jason ran a hand over his face before answering. "Bad. Ric has her twisted..."

"You can't save everyone Jason." He pointed out. Despite the fact Elizabeth no longer spoke to him Sonny felt bad Ric was using the girl.

"I know, I know. That doesn't change the fact I want to help her."

"Maybe if you talk to Emily she can help." Sonny suggested knowing the two girls were close.

"No, they aren't even speaking anymore." Jason said leaving out the reason they no longer spoke.

"Wow. Ric has her pretty isolated doesn't he?" Sonny said surprised by this new information.

"Pretty much."

"What about this plan of yours?" Sonny asked thinking it was possibly the best way to solve everyone's problems.

"Everything is nearly ready. In the next few days Ric Lansing will no longer be a problem."