Chapter Ten

Jason suddenly jerked up, instantly awake. Something was wrong. He was as sure of that fact as he was of his own name. Elizabeth needed his help. Getting out of bed he glanced at the clock. Damn. There was still several hours before the sun set. 'Call her you idiot.' the beast said. That made sense. Jason could just call her. He hit the speed dial on his phone trying to assuage his fear. "It's Elizabeth. Leave a message."

'Damn it. Where the hell was she?' Jason ran a hand through his hair as he tried to think. Kelly's finally popped in to his head. Elizabeth was probably at work. Jason dialed the number for the small diner.

"Kelly's this is Penny."She said as she answered the phone.

"Is Elizabeth working?" Jason asked with preamble.

"No. She didn't show up. Actually it's the strangest thing." Penny replied with a frown.

"Why?" Jason asked as he gripped his phone harder.

"Elizabeth never misses a shift." Penny answered.

"Okay. Thank you." Jason let out a frustrated growl. He had no idea what to do. He threw some clothes on and stalked down the hall. Normally Jason would have rather done anything than wake Sonny up but he needed help.

"What's wrong?" Sonny asked cautiously.

"Elizabeth... I... I think she's missing." Jason said with gasp as his heart pounded in a way it never had before.

"Go downstairs. I'll be right there." Sonny said with a sigh.

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"Jason calm down." he told the younger man when he found Jason practically tearing the room apart.

"All I can think about is not being able to help her. She could be hurt or scared." Jason mumbled not paying any attention whatsoever to Sonny.

"You can't get so work up over this." Sonny ordered trying to keep Jason fro totally losing control.

"You don't understand, Sonny. I love her." Jason said softly as he turned and glared at Sonny.

"I know you do but you have to use your head. Elizabeth needs you to be able to think clearly." Sonny reminded as he saw the truth depths of Jason's feeling's for the young waitress.

"I know. I'm just so worried about her." Jason replied.

"Who would want to hurt her? Someone not connected to us?" the older man asked.

"No. No one. You've met her. She's so easy to like." Jason said as he started to pace the room.

"Are you sure? What about that boy the one you beat up?" Sonny asked with a raised brow.

"Lucky? I don't... I scared him pretty good. Not to mention the beating." he answered as he stopped his pacing at looked at Sonny.

"So you don't think it could be him?" Sonny asked.

"Elizabeth was scared of him." Jason said softly almost to himself.

"It's a possibility?" Sonny persisted.

"Yeah." Jason admitted with a sigh. At least now he had a place to start. And he would start just as soon as darkness came.

"Okay. I'll get some men looking for him and Elizabeth." Sonny told him.

"He's mine." Jason said finally as he looked up and met Sonny's eyes.

"Jason..."

"No. I should have taken care of him before." Jason interrupted shaking his head.

"Just be careful. We will find her Jason." Sonny vowed as he laid his hand on Jason's shoulder.

"We have to, Sonny. I don't know what I'll do if she isn't okay." Jason admitted and then turned and left.

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Pain flooded Elizabeth's senses as she began to regain consciousness . Every part of her body hurt. Elizabeth tried to move and immediately regretted it. As she groaned the memory of how she came to be tied to a chair hit her.

It all started when that man burst through her door. Even now Elizabeth could hear the sound of the wood splintering as it gave way. The man grabbed her roughly from behind. Then he placed a cloth to her face and everything went black.

The next thing she could recall was waking up tied to a chair. The seemingly large room was mostly dark except for one light above her head. Elizabeth could hear two men talking. One noticed she was awake. "It's about time you joined us."

"Who are you? Where am I?" Elizabeth demanded looking from one man to the other.

"You don't need to concern yourself with that. All that matters is you mean something to Jason Morgan." he retorted.

"Jason won't let you get away with this." Elizabeth warned.

"Shut up you stupid girl." Sorrel said as he slapped her across the face. "You are Jason's weakness. That means you're our ticket to getting what we want."

"What now?" the younger man asked.

"I'm going to call Morgan and Corinthos." Sorrel said with a laugh.

"What about her?"

"Do what ever you want. Just don't kill her yet. Morgan will want proof she's alive." Sorrel told him.

Elizabeth's body shook from the fuzzy memory. She knew the other man had struck her innumerable times but Elizabeth passed out after the third blow. She hurt so much it was easier to succumb to the darkness once again.

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Jason stalked silently through the alleyways. Night had finally fallen and with it he was free to search for Elizabeth himself. He had already been by her studio. Jason found the door was broken off its hinges confirming what he already knew. Someone had Elizabeth. His Elizabeth.

Rage coursed through him simmering just under the surface. The beast thundering to be let out. Soon. He thought. The moment Jason found the people responsible there would be no holding the beast back. 'Ours.' The beast asserted. 'And no one messes with what's ours.'

Jason didn't argue with the voice. He was happy it finally stopped demanding he feast on Elizabeth. Every muscle in his body tensed as he picked up Lucky's trail. Jason pursued the young man till he had him cornered. Wasting no time Jason picked Lucky by his shirt slamming him against the wall. "Where is Elizabeth?"