- Last Episode -

The shot heard round the docks...

Step 35

Elizabeth stared at Capelli. As she held AJ tight against her shoulder she watched a rather dark stain spread across the front of his t-shirt, leaving the metal of his badge shining in stark comparison.

Taggart from his position saw the flash from the barrel of Jason's gun and the twitch of impact when the bullet drilled into Capelli's back. "Put the gun down, Capelli!"

"Walk away, Taggart. You've been waiting to take Morgan down. I can do it."

AJ pushed himself up so he could shift in front of Elizabeth, his eyes focused on Jason and Capelli.

Capelli laughed, a froth of dark spittle dotted his chin. "Okay... you do it. I'll take Elizabeth somewhere quiet."

"You're hurt, Capelli," Taggart held the gun on his fellow detective and felt rage burn him up inside. "If that bullet doesn't kill you... jail will. Plenty of men in jail because of you, Capelli."

Elizabeth saw the realization hit the detective and somehow, over the heartbeat thumping in her ears, she heard his exhalation of breath. "NO!"

AJ felt her tense beside him and fear gave him an extra spurt of energy.

Two more shots rang out and Taggart ran down the stairs to survey the damage. He didn't need to turn Capelli over to see the second hole in his back. He turned his head to Jason to pointed the gun up into the air, his other hand up in submission. Taggart kicked Capelli's gun from his hand and stepped over his the man's body to Elizabeth.

"Hey," the detective, knelt down put his hand on AJ's shoulder, "he's not going to hurt you, Elizabeth... he's-"

"Shot." Elizabeth gasped out as she looked up at Taggart.

"Yeah," Taggart sighed, "Jason shot him."

"No," Elizabeth gasped, her hand gripping Taggart's arm as she cried out, "AJ's shot."

Jason dropped his gun and got down on his knees beside his brother. "Here, help me lift him up and see."

Elizabeth managed to help lift AJ off of her, but she felt the warm slick of his blood on her hand. "Help him... please."

Taggart fished his handkerchief out of his pocket and clamped it down on his bicep after they realized that the bullet had gone through his arm. Elizabeth held AJ carefully as they tied the square in place.

The detective looked up at Jason as the first siren could be heard. "Is that gun registered?"

The stone-faced response was telling.

The wheels in Taggart's head started to work double time and Elizabeth looked up at AJ's brother. "I'm so sorry, Jason..."

"I'd do it again," was Jason's only answer.

"Bring the gun over here." Taggart gave Jason no room to argue. "Hurry."

Jason retrieved the gun.

"Wipe off your fingerprints."

Jason wiped it down using his t-shirt and Taggart took it from his hands. Moving over to Capelli, he placed the gun in the detective's hand in several configurations to get his fingerprints all over the piece. He looked up into Elizabeth's stunned eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't figure it out sooner."

He looked up at Jason and as he holstered his own weapon and transferred the gun into his own right hand. With a quick twist of his body he fired a bullet into the harbor. "I found Capelli on the docks attacking Elizabeth and AJ trying to intervene." He looked at Jason. "Capelli shot AJ and I got him to drop the gun. When he tried to get to Elizabeth again, I shot him with his own throw-away piece."

He looked around the docks. "You have cameras here?"

Jason nodded.

"Destroy them.. and the tapes."

They agreed on it in an instant.

The sirens were almost on top of them. Jason looked at Elizabeth. "I'll come to the hospital later."

Elizabeth reached out a hand and took his. "Thanks, Jason... so much."

As Jason ran off into the shadows, Elizabeth pressed her cheek to AJ's forehead. "He's so cold."

Taggart touched Elizabeth's hand. "We'll get him help. Don't worry." A clatter of sound above them in the alley drew his attention. "Detective Taggart, PCPD, I need an EMT crew down here NOW!"

-General Hospital-

Elizabeth walked into the Emergency Room with Detective Taggart's arm over her shoulders, only a step behind the gurney. Monica immediately disappeared with AJ into an examination room, while Audrey confronted her granddaughter. "What is going on, Elizabeth?"

"AJ," she managed a few words, "AJ's hurt."

Audrey looked to the Detective for some answers. "Elizabeth was attacked and AJ came to her rescue."

"And where were you?" Audrey's ire was easy to see but she soon turned on Elizabeth. "What were you doing with AJ?"

"I... I was waiting at the Grille for you-"

"Why did you do that?" Audrey was exasperated. "I called Sarah and told her that I was working late."

Elizabeth was shaken. "I was with Emily at the Mall." She was shaking. "I didn't know."

Audrey saw the rip in her dress and the haunted look in Elizabeth's eyes. "Oh, sweetheart, I'm sorry... I was just so shocked to see you here." She took her granddaughter in her arms and hugged her tight.

Two officers entered in the through the ER doors followed by a man in a suit. "Taggart."

The detective faced them with his head high. "We need to talk to you down at the station."

Elizabeth looked up from her grandmother's shoulders and broke away. "What's wrong?"

The man in the suit ignored her. "We want answers, Taggart. One of our own is dead... killed by another officer." His grin was lethal like a wolf's. "You're going to come with us."

Rushing forward, Elizabeth took the man's arm. "He didn't do anything wrong!"

Shrugging off Elizabeth's hand the man sneered at Taggart. "Hiding behind her skirts, are we?"

Taggart took Elizabeth's hand and drew her off to the side. "Hey... hey... look at me."

She blinked up at him through the tears.

"I'll be fine... you just worry about you... and that man of yours." He smiled. "If you would have told me a few months ago that I would actually like that preppy drunk I would have laughed right in your face." He smiled. "Now, he's sober and one of the best guys I know." He leaned in closer. "We need to stick to our stories and everything will be fine. Okay?"

She nodded and barely whispered out the word. "Okay." She let go of the Detective and watched him walk out the door surrounded by police.

"Elizabeth?"

Hearing Dr. Quartermaine's voice, Elizabeth turned around, a look of utter hope on her face.

Monica leaned out from the exam room. "Elizabeth, he's asking for you."

Rushing past her grandmother, Elizabeth quickly made her way to Monica, giving the older woman a hug before she turned to the bed in the room.

"Hey." His eyes barely open, AJ held out his hand to her.

With a gasp that verged on a sob Elizabeth moved across the room and took her hand in his. "Are you okay?"

She clutched their hands to her chest and laughed. "I'm fine... you," she shook her head, "were shot! How can you ask me..." she laughed out loud. Before either of them knew what she was doing, Elizabeth leaned over and kissed him.

She snapped back a moment later, shock written plainly on her features. "Oh. I'm sorry!"

"Don't." AJ swallowed as his hand tightened on hers. "Don't apologize. I-"

"AJ!" Emily burst in and threw her arms around Elizabeth as her eyes stared at her brother. "Mom called me and told me something about what happened, but I want the WHOLE DAMN STORY!" She leaned over and pressed a kiss on his forehead. "But first," she held up a bag, "Liz, they need your clothes so I brought you the clothes you wore at the Mall today. So let's get you changed!" She drew Elizabeth toward the hallway. "You can tell me everything while you change."

-Public Bathroom at GH-

Emily locked the door and leaned against it. "Okay, spill!"

Elizabeth could barely look up at her friend, but she turned her back so that Emily could unzip the dress for her. Holding her hair to the side, she sighed as she heard the zipper slide down. "I still don't even understand it."

Sliding the dress down off of her shoulders Elizabeth held it together until she heard Emily's gasp. "Look at your arms."

Elizabeth looked up in the mirror and saw the finger marks on her upper arms. Shaking her head she sighed and leaned against the counter. Again. Twice in one year. She'd been attacked twice... and now.. it was on her birthday. "But this time," she murmured to herself, "I wasn't alone."

She turned to Emily and saw the relief in her friend's eyes. "What happened?"

Elizabeth couldn't say. Not yet. "We should wait.." she explained, "it might not be safe to talk about it right now."

"Not safe?" Emily was really curious now. "Okay, Liz... I'll wait... but only because your my best friend and AJ's my brother... I'll wait but you better tell me the INSTANT it's safe!"

Nodding, Elizabeth agreed.

-General Hospital Private Room-

Jason nearly bumped into Audrey Hardy as he headed for AJ's room. The matriarch of the Hardy/Webber family was barely able to contain the tears that threatened to fall, ducking her head as she passed him in the hallway. Jason ran for the door and pulled it open, expecting... something else than the sight that greeted him.

Elizabeth Webber was curled up on an arm chair beside AJ's bed, her hand held gently by his brother. When Jason stepped inside and closed the door, AJ turned to look at him. "Hey, Jase."

"AJ. I just passed Audrey Hardy in the hallway," he pointed back toward the door, "the way she looked I expected you to be dead in here."

"Maybe wishful thinking on her part," AJ sighed as Elizabeth shifted in her sleep. AJ gave Jason a pointed look. "We should keep our voices down.. she just went to sleep right before her grandmother came to visit."

Moving to stand beside the bed, Jason looked at the young woman sitting beside his brother. "You want me to take her home?"

"No," AJ smiled, "Mrs. Hardy is going to take her home tomorrow. She agreed to let her stay here and rest."

"With you?" Jason's eyes were full of confusion. "I thought she didn't want her anywhere near Elizabeth."

"Well," AJ chuckled a little, "she knows with my arm all bandaged up like this that I can't get into any trouble with her... and we had a talk," AJ yawned... a long drawn out yawn that spoke volumes about his health, "I told Audrey Hardy exactly how I felt about her grand... granddaughter."

Jason folded his arms over his chest and leaned against AJ's bed. "And just how do you feel about Elizabeth?"

AJ turned slightly in bed, careful not to bump his injured arm against the side-rail, taking her hand in a firmer grasp. AJ looked down at her peaceful face and smiled. "Elizabeth," he yawned again as his eyes started to drift closed, "I lo..."

-Next Episode-

Things begin to get on track for our couple... but like any good moment in Port Charles...

it may just be the calm before the storm