Elizabeth took a deep breath as she pulled away from Jason, wrapping her arms around herself as she looked down.
"Tom?" Jason asked carefully. "Isn't that the man who… attacked you?"
When Elizabeth turned around to look at him, tears glittered in her eyes. "I thought this was over. It's been years, Jason. I thought I'd gotten past it."
"Elizabeth, you did get past it. I've watched you. I can see how strong you are."
Elizabeth tried desperately to keep her tears from falling. "If I had really gotten past it, then why is this affecting me so much? He shouldn't have control over me anymore." She lifted her face to the sky and yelled out. "Why am I still letting him control me?!"
Jason walked over to her, pulling lightly on her arm until she looked at him. His chest felt tight at the sight of her in so much pain. "I can't help you until you tell me what's going on."
Her chin trembled. "I shouldn't be here," she whispered brokenly.
"But you are… and I could help you if you let me."
Elizabeth's eyes glazed over slightly as she looked off into the distance. "Lucky helped me before… after the rape. He was there for me. I should have gone to him with this."
Jason flinched slightly. "Then why are you with me now?"
When Elizabeth looked back at him, her eyes seemed to clear slightly. "I feel safe with you," she whispered simply. "And I need to feel safe right now."
Slowly, Jason brought his hand up to face, his fingers lightly running over her cheek. Her skin was moist from her tears. "What's going on, Elizabeth?"
"I saw him."
"You saw who?"
A tear fell, landing on Jason's hand. He looked down at it as he waited for her to speak. "Tom… I saw him outside my studio."
Jason immediately stiffened. "Did he approach you? Did he say anything?"
"It was only for a second…" Her voice shook as she spoke. "I saw something out of the corner of my eye… and I turned and it was him." She covered her face with her hands. "Why won't he leave me alone?"
Jason pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head as she sobbed into his arms. It broke his heart to see her like this. He felt rage build inside of him.
Pulling away slightly so that he could look into her eyes, Jason watched Elizabeth carefully, trying to gage her emotions. She looked up at him with her big eyes and he knew he would to everything in his power to protect her.
His fingers gently brushed over her skin, wiping away her tears. "I'll protect you," he vowed, looking her straight in the eye.
Elizabeth's breath caught in her throat. "I know you will," she whispered back. "I just want this to stop, Jason. I want it to stop."
Jason's eyebrow furrowed. "Was this the first night you saw Tom?"
She nodded but at the same time, she took a deep breath, looking away. Jason's senses were screaming at him that there was something she wasn't telling him.
"Elizabeth?"
"I don't understand what's going on, Jason. It's Tom… it has to be Tom. He's doing this."
"Doing what?"
Elizabeth walked over to Jason's bike, running her hand over the leather seat. "He's leaving me reminders of that night."
Jason's jaw clenched but he remained silent, letting her continue.
"The other night, I was in the back room closing up at Kelly's and I heard something… When I went into the dining area to look, I found a bracelet. It looked just like the bracelet I had been wearing that night, Jason. It was my Gram's bracelet, it was old… I can't imagine anyone else having one like it."
Jason exhaled forcefully. "Is there more?"
Elizabeth wiped her hands over her face before she continued. "Tonight… I was at Kelly's with Lucky and this women walked in." She looked up at Jason and he could see the fear in her eyes. "I was wearing a red dress that night, Jason. For Valentine's Day. The woman had it on, tonight. The dresses were identical." She looked up at him as she shivered. "Why is he doing this?"
Jason sighed. "I don't know… but I'll stop him for you." Reaching forward, Jason pushed a piece of her hair back out of her face. "It's getting late."
Nodding, Elizabeth reached for her helmet. "You're right. We should probably be getting back."
"I'll drive you to Kelly's."
Elizabeth shook her head. "Can you take me to my studio instead?" Jason raised his eyebrows as Elizabeth sighed. "I want to move into my studio… Living at Kelly's just doesn't feel right. I think this will be good for…" She faltered when she looked up and caught Jason's intense gaze. "For… Lucky and… and I."
Jason's gaze was unreadable. "If that's what you want."
The two climbed onto the bike and Jason revved it up, taking them back towards Port Charles. He drove fast, knowing that Elizabeth liked it, and in no time, he was pulling into the ally near her studio.
"You want me to walk you up?"
Elizabeth shook her head. "No, that's ok. I'll be fine."
Jason studied her. "Are you sure?"
Nodding, Elizabeth took a deep breath, looking up at her studio. "Yeah… I think I'm going to paint a little."
A faint smiled came to Jason's lips. "Are you doing more of that lately. I know you didn't have much time before."
Elizabeth smiled her first smile of the night. "I am… I'm making more time for me and… I'm painting a lot now, actually. Especially with my classes at PCU."
Jason nodded. "I'm glad."
"Thank you… for tonight, Jason. I don't know how you knew to come to me… but thank you."
Jason smiled, nodding his head. "Goodnight." Elizabeth whispered her goodnights as she turned, entering the building. Jason stared at the building for a moment before turning away and pulling out his cell phone.
"Benny, this is Jason. I need you to do something for me… It has nothing to do with business. I need you to run a check on someone… A Tom Baker."
Elizabeth fumbled with the door to Kelly's the next morning, finally getting a hold of the handle and pulling the door open. The breakfast crowd was already pouring in and Emily stood at the counter, Zander by her side as always.
Nodding at her friend, Elizabeth sat down near the door.
Last night had been just what she needed. She had needed to tell someone about what had been happening… and with Lucky acting the way he had been over the last few days…
"Where were you last night?"
Slowly, Elizabeth looked up, finally meeting Lucky's angry glare. "Lucky."
"Where were you?" he repeated. "I saw you run off but… when you didn't come back last night, I got worried." He took a seat in front of her, leaning forward on the table. "Why didn't you come home last night?"
Elizabeth sighed. "I was at my studio."
"No you weren't. I checked there."
"Then we must have missed each other. I told you last night, Lucky. I want to move into my studio."
Lucky rolled his eyes. "Elizabeth, Kelly's is your home."
"Why can't you understand this?" Elizabeth asked, exasperation seeping into her voice. "I can't JUST be, Elizabeth Webber, Lucky Spencer's girlfriend. I need to be Elizabeth Webber, her OWN person."
Lucky slowly shook his head. "So I didn't imagine it… we really did break up last night," he said quietly.
Elizabeth sighed once more. "Lucky, we didn't break up last night. That's not what I was doing."
"Well, that's what it sounded like!" Lucky stood up quickly. "I don't like this Elizabeth, you're not acting like yourself."
Looking up at her boyfriend, Elizabeth bit her lip. "No Lucky," she said softly. "I'm finally acting like myself."
Shaking his head, Lucky stared at her with wide eyes. "I don't know who you are anymore…" He looked at her for another moment before pushing in his chair and walking out the door.
Heaving a big sigh, Elizabeth put her head in her hands.
"Did you two have a fight?"
Elizabeth looked up, forcing a smile onto her face when she saw Jeremy, the kid from her art class, standing in front of her. "You could say that."
Jeremy motioned to the chair Lucky had just inhabited. "You mind if I sit… Eliza?"
Shaking her head, Elizabeth laughed as she motioned for him to have a seat. "No… go ahead, sit." She noticed Emily walking towards the two of them and she smiled. "Hey Em."
Emily stood behind Jeremy for a moment, looking him over before turning her attention to Elizabeth, raising her eyebrows in question. Elizabeth looked back and forth between Emily and Jeremy.
"Em, this is Jeremy Barker… he's in my Art Interpretation class. Jeremy, this is my best friend Emily."
The two nodded at each other, exchanging hellos. "Can I get you anything, Jeremy?" Emily asked, lifting up her pad and pen.
"Actually, I'd like a coffee to go. I've got to get going. I only wanted to come in and say hi to Eliza."
Emily's eyebrows raised once more at Elizabeth but she kept quiet. "Ok… well… I'll go get your coffee."
Jeremy smiled at her, turning his attention back towards Elizabeth. "Have you started the interpretation homework yet?"
Elizabeth groaned. "Ugh… I haven't even looked at my books since class."
Jeremy laughed. "That class is going to be a killer for me. As I said before… I am no artist."
"It's not that bad… just look at the artwork and write about what you feel."
Jeremy shook his head in amazement. "How do you make it seem so simple?"
Elizabeth shook her head. "It is sometimes…" Shaking her head slightly, Elizabeth remembered back to when Jason had said those same exact words to her. It had been the day before Valentine's Day… when he was still hiding out in her studio.
"Eliza? You ok?"
Shaking her head, Elizabeth put a smile onto her face. "Yeah, I'm fine."
Jeremy smiled back and Emily came back over to the two, handing Jeremy his coffee. "Well, I'd better be going. Nice meeting you, Emily. I'll see you in class, Eliza."
"Bye Jeremy."
Both girls watched him walk out of Kelly's before Emily turned towards Elizabeth, taking the seat Jeremy had just vacated. "Eliza?"
"He just thinks Elizabeth is too long."
Emily's eyebrows raised once more. "Who is he, Elizabeth?"
"I told you… he's just a guy from school."
"A guy from school who has a nickname for you." Emily smiled. "Looks like you have an admirer."
Shaking her head, Elizabeth laughed. "Oh Emily… he's just a guy I met."
Emily laughed. "I guess you're right…"
Elizabeth nodded. "Yeah… anyway… I don't need an admirer to complicate my life." She looked down as a thought floated across her mind.
My love life is confusing enough as it is… >
Jason pushed himself off Sonny's couch as Johnny opened the door, announcing Benny. "What have you got, Benny?"
Benny stepped in the room, looking around, taking notice that Sonny was nowhere to be seen. "Not much… Jason, what you told me last night… Miss Webber couldn't have seen Tom Baker last night."
Jason's eyes darkened. "She wouldn't lie about this, Benny."
"I'm not saying she lied," Benny said, rushing to explain himself. "I'm just saying… maybe she saw wrong."
"Just give me the information."
Benny looked down at the folder in his hand. "I don't know what's going on, Jason… but she couldn't have seen him… she couldn't have. Tom Baker is still in Pentonville. He's still in jail, Jason."