"Where to Mrs. Morgan?"  Joey asked from the driver's seat.

"Would you please call me Elizabeth?"  Elizabeth glanced down to her lap and glared at the diamond that looked so at home on the fourth finger of her left hand.  "The other guards call me Elizabeth." 

"Can't do that Mrs. Morgan." 

"Why not?" 

Joey held up the rule book he kept on the seat next to him.  "Rule number three." 

Elizabeth eyed the rule book with distaste.  "Where'd you get that Joey?" 

"The guys bought it for me when I started working here." 

"Let me see that."  Elizabeth grabbed the book he was holding out to her.  101 Rules to Being a Successful Bodyguard.  She inspected the front cover and flipped quickly through the pages noticing rules she'd heard about over the years.  When she closed again, she laughed aloud when she saw who the author was listed as.  "Joey, you can throw this book away." 

"What?" Joey eyed in her in the mirror.  "Do you want me to lose my job?" 

Elizabeth turned the book around and pointed to the author.  "Jasper Jacks.  Do you know who Jasper Jacks is, Joey?" 

"I'm guessing he's not the author of that book." 

Elizabeth smiled at him.  "I'm sure this book is a one of a kind.  The boys were just playing a trick on you." 

"Oh." 

"So that means you'll call me Elizabeth, right?" 

"No."  Joey noticed her frown in the mirror and went on to explain.  "It's just…I don't think your husband likes me very much and the last thing I want to do is piss him off." 

"Soon to be ex-husband," she informed him.  "Jason and I are getting divorced." 

That kiss didn't look like a couple who was in the process of divorce, he thought to himself.  It looked very warm and friendly and full of love.  But, he knew he should keep those thoughts to himself.  "I see." 

"Jason just doesn't want to admit it's over between us," she continued.  "I think he thinks the world stopped spinning two years ago and time just stood still waiting for him to rejoin the land of the living." 

"Excuse me?"  Joey had heard stories of Mr. Morgan's disappearance, but he knew Elizabeth would be the most reliable source on the matter.
"We have a very long, complicated history.  The short story:  our daughter Abby was killed by Sorel three years ago.  One year to the day of her death, Jason informed me he was leaving." 

"I'm sure he had his reasons–"

"Don't make excuses for him!"  Elizabeth leaned forward and crossed her arms so she could lay her head down.  "Uhh…Joey?"

"Yeah?" 

"Are we ever going to leave the Kelly's parking lot?" 

"You never told me where we were going." 

"There's an old bridge up on highway nine, do you know it?" 

Joey shook his head.  "Could you get me there?" 

"Yeah, just get on nine going out of town and I'll tell you where to turn off." 

Joey started the ignition and put the car in drive.  They eased out of the parking lot and onto the road.  "I wasn't making excuses for him, Mrs. Morgan." 

"I didn't mean to snap at you.  For two years, I've been listening to Sonny tell me that Jason would come back and that Jason loves me.  Then, when Jason does come back, my attorney dumps me so she can represent him." 

"I'm sorry to hear about that." 

"And to make matters worse, there's this Stryker stuff.  Neither of them were too pleased after he approached me in the park." 

"They care about you, Mrs. Morgan."  Joey was listening intently as Elizabeth told the story of her and Jason's marriage.  So intently that he didn't notice the black sedan that had been following them since they left Kelly's.

"Yes, I know that.  Well, I know Sonny cares about me.  I'm not too sure about Jason." 

"Ma'am, I see the way he looks at you.  I see how protective he is of you.  I bet you didn't notice the way he smiled when you took his hand earlier, did you?" 

Elizabeth frowned at what he said.  She had taken Jason's hand?  How come she didn't remember that?  "No, I didn't Joey." 

"Well, he did.  Your husband loves you, Mrs. Morgan.  I'm sure he's made his share of mistakes, but I don't think he regrets a moment of loving you." 

"Love was never the problem, Joey."  Elizabeth pressed her hand to her throat as she felt the emotion well inside of her.  "I'll love him for the rest of my life, but that's not always enough."

"Who decides that, Elizabeth?" 

"Turn here," she said.  The road forked to the left and the cliffs began to come into focus as the car sped up.  "He left me." 

"He's back now."  Joey looked up in the mirror and found her watching him.  "I'm not trying to make excuses for him, Mrs. Morgan.  I don't know what he's been doing or why he's been doing it.  I don't even know him very well.  I'm just saying it's obvious to this bystander that your husband loves you." 

"Love was never the problem," she repeated.  Elizabeth frowned when she saw the sedan turn up the road behind them.  Had that car been following them long?  "Joey?" 

"Yeah?" 

"Did Sonny assign me another guard that I don't know about?" 

"No, ma'am."  Joey caught sight of the car that she was turned around and staring at.  "Why?" 

"That car is following us.  Forget about the bridge, just take me back to the Towers." 

Joey returned his attention to the road in front of him, but instead of accelerating he was forced to slam on brakes.  An identical black sedan pulled out in front of him and stopped.  The window rolled down and Joey saw the barrel of a gun stick out.  "Down!" he yelled. 

Elizabeth ducked into the back seat right before the shots rang out.  Glass and bullets sprayed the inside of the car as the gunman emptied his clip into the front seat.  Bullets also flooded from behind them when the shooter from the car behind finally caught up.  Elizabeth covered her head with her arms and folded into a ball.  She waited for the gunfire to stop before she lifted her head.  "Joey?" 

The person who answered wasn't Joey.  "Mrs. Morgan, I told you weren't finished.  And I'm afraid Joey's going to be incapacitated for awhile." 

Her blood went cold when she saw the blood that trickled from an entry point in his neck.  Elizabeth knew he was dead.  There was no way he could have survived the wound.  She turned to see who was speaking and felt the fear began to form.  "Mr. Stryker." 

~*~

Alexis adjusted her glasses as she finished the last of the coffee contracts.  She had to admit that Sonny was getting a good deal from the seller in Columbia.  But she also hoped that coffee was the only thing he was getting from Columbia.  She sighed as Jax glared at her again from his side of the table.  "Will you just spit it out?" 

"Spit what out?" Jax sat the market pages down and took a sip of his coffee. 

"Whatever you need to say to me.  You've been brooding all day long and we came back early so Isabelle could take a nap.  What's your problem Jax?" 

"I don't have a problem." 

"So why are you glaring at me over Sonny's french roast?" 

Very calmly, Jax sat the now empty cup back on the saucer.  "I'm not glaring at you.  I'm just simply trying to figure out what you're thinking." 

"Here's a clue, Jax:  Ask me."  Alexis pulled her glasses off and pinched the bridge of her nose.  "It's very simple.  I'll show you how.  'Alexis, what are you thinking?'  Do you see how I did that?  Now, it's your turn." 

Jax smiled at his wife's humor.  "Why are you representing Morgan in this divorce case?" 

"Jason's my client," she said immediately.  She wasn't happy at the prospect of representing him either.  "I can't discuss this with you.  Attorney-client privilege." 

"Oh, come on Lexi.  Don't hide behind that.  Elizabeth is your friend. She trusts you, why else would she ask you to be Isa's godmother.  You're just going to turn your back on her?" 

Alexis sighed.  She hated that Jax had a point.  And she hated she was going to have to turn her back on the young woman because the law required her to represent Jason.  "I'm not turning my back on her.  If she wants, I can recommend a number of lawyers who specialize in family law.  Besides, no matter who represents Elizabeth, there isn't a judge who will deny her divorce request." 

"That's not the point Alexis!"  He slammed his hand down on the table.  Jax saw Alexis' surprise in the way he was acting.  "I'm sorry," he apologized.  "I just think about Isa and what happened to Abby.  I didn't know Abby, but the thought of someone going after Jason through her—it scares the hell out of me." 

"Abby was the best of Jason and Elizabeth.  She was a happy baby and what happened to her is sad.  I've never seen Jason love anyone so much.  Except for maybe Elizabeth." 

"Then why are you representing him, Lexi?"  He wasn't trying to argue, Jax just wanted to understand why Alexis was helping a man who abandoned their good friend.

"I'm not sure if I even have a choice.  Jason is my client and because he is married to Elizabeth I also represented her interests.  But now that they're on different sides, I'm not sure where that leaves me." 

Jax moved so that he was sitting beside her.  He took her hand in his and brought it to his lips for a kiss.  "I love you, Alexis Davis-Jacks.  More than my own life.  I can't understand how Jason left Elizabeth if he loves her half as much as I love you.  But honey, sometimes you just have to throw the rule book out the window." 

~*~

Jason tried sitting.  When he'd come into the penthouse, Sonny had told him he needed to sit down.  So he sat.  He had remained seating while Sonny explained to him that Vince was supposed to relieve Joey early.  When they'd finally tracked him down, Joey was dead and Elizabeth was missing. 

That was when Jason starting pacing.  Sonny watched as he took four steps to the right, pivoted, and took four steps to the left.  He was sure the carpet behind the couch was going to be worn thin.  Not that Sonny wasn't worried, because he was.  There was only one thing that didn't make sense.  Stryker had the perfect opportunity to get her and Isabelle while Jason was out of the country.  She didn't have a guard and Lucky Spencer would have been no match for a man like Ronan Stryker. 

"It doesn't make sense," he murmured to himself. 

Jason stopped pacing and looked up from the floor.  "What doesn't make sense?" 

Sonny wasn't aware that he'd been speaking out loud.  Jason's question startled him, but he was glad that he stopped pacing.  "Why now Jason?  If he wanted Elizabeth why didn't he get her a few days ago?" 

Jason resumed his pacing as he turned the question over in his mind.  Of course, he hadn't been home when Stryker approached her the first time.  It seemed that Stryker knew the way to draw Jason would be through his wife, but he didn't go down that route.  He'd sent her away with a warning and a message for Jason and Sonny, but he still didn't hurt her.  Nothing made sense.  Why grab her now?  Why grab her when he knew Jason would retaliate? 

Jason was pulled out of his thoughts when the phone on the desk rang.  Both men stared at it, before Sonny finally stood to answer it.  "Hello?" 

Let me talk to Morgan.

Without a response, Sonny turned and handed the receiver to Jason.  He took a step back and knew he had to trust Jason with Elizabeth's life. 

"Morgan," Jason said calmly.  His instincts were kicking in and all he knew was that losing his head wasn't going to help Elizabeth. 

Ah, Mr. Morgan.  Let me be the first to welcome you home.

"Cut the crap.  What do you want?" 

Not for pleasantries, I see.  I should have assumed.  Or I could have asked your beautiful wife.  Of course, she is a bit tied up at the moment.

"Mr. Stryker, I never would have figured you for a coward.  Only cowards come after women." 

I thought it was only cowards come after women and children.  I have met your lovely daughter.  Isabelle is her name, correct?  Too bad that she wasn't with Elizabeth.

"What do you want?" Jason asked through clenched teeth. 

You and Corinthos at my restaurant.  No bodyguards.

"We'll be there," Jason said automatically. 

I mean it, Mr. Morgan.  No bodyguards or your precious Elizabeth will suffer the consequences.

"Let me talk to her." 

Tsk, tsk.  I don't think you're in any place to be making demands.  I'm the one in control here.

"Let me talk to my wife." 

Since you asked so nicely.

Jason listened as the phone changed hands.  The breathing on the other end grew shallow and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up.  When they got out of this, he was going to make this up to her.  Maybe take her and Isabelle to Sonny's island for a vacation. 

"Elizabeth?" he said after a minute of silence.

Ja-Jason?

As he listened to her voice quiver, Jason knew he was going to kill Ronan Stryker.  It didn't matter how, it didn't matter when.  Ronan Stryker was a dead man.  "Baby, I'm here." 

I'm scared.

"Shhh," he tried to soothe her.  "We're coming to get you, honey.  Just hold on a little bit longer." 

What about Isa?

"She's with Alexis.  She's fine.  Sonny talked to her a little while ago.  Alexis told him she was taking a nap." 

Okay.

"You okay, honey?" 

Are you sure Isabelle's okay?

"She's fine," he tried to assure her.  "You'll be able to hold her in a little bit.  Alexis was excited about all the things they bought her.  She said Jax tried to buy the whole store out." 

He would.  Jax never knows when to quit.

"You can fuss at him when we get you home, okay?"  Jason sighed in relief when she seemed to calm down a little bit.  He listened as she breathed and found the sound reassuring.  She was alive and if Stryker hadn't killed her yet, it was unlikely that he would.  "Elizabeth?" 

Jason, I love you.

His heart clenched when he heard her admission.  Suddenly, the phone was being jerked from her hand and he heard the sickening smack of skin striking skin, then Elizabeth cried out in pain.  Her shallow breathing was replaced with Stryker's heavier breathing. 

How very sweet, Mr. Morgan.  Almost like a Hallmark card – or a Kodak moment, if you prefer. My restaurant, twenty minutes.  Bring your guards and your wife dies.  Then I'll come after your daughter.

Before Jason could respond, the phone went dead.  "Damn it!" he swore.  The phone went soaring across the room and shattered when the plastic hit the door. 

"Jason?" Sonny asked.  He couldn't make his mouth form the words he needed to ask.  Sonny wouldn't accept the possibility that Elizabeth was dead. 

"He hit her.  Let's go." 

"Go?" 

"His restaurant.  We don't have much time, let's go." 

Sonny followed Jason out the door and into the elevator.  Johnny started to step on with them when Jason said, "No guards.  He said no guards." 

Without another word, Johnny stepped back and watched the metal doors close with his employers inside. 

He only hoped they could get to her in time.  He looked up towards the ceiling and said a silent prayer that Isabelle wasn't about to lose both of her parents.