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Quagmire
Part 3
~Port Charles Hotel~
The knock on her door came almost an hour later than Elizabeth thought it would and she was grateful for the reprieve. She had needed the extra time to prepare herself for the inquisition she knew was to come. The night had been very long and restless, she'd spent most of it just tossing and turning in the big, soft bed, tensing at every unfamiliar noise she heard. Unfortunately since she'd never stayed in the hotel before all she heard was unfamiliar noises. She had come close to taking an additional pain pill, knowing that drugs on her empty stomach would knock her out.
In the end she had decided not too. She didn't want to use the pills as a crutch to help her escape from her problems. She still had a few memories of her Grandfather on her mother's side and his reliance on the nightly Bourbon intake. To this day the smell of Bourbon took her back to the forced family dinners with the angry and bitter man. Dinner's in which her every flaw, everyone's ever flaw, was held up and ridiculed. On one hand those dinners were the only time she'd ever heard her perfect siblings criticized, but, on the other hand, he had been a very cruel man. The old man had finally died when she was 12, and as far as she could tell no one had ever shed a tear for him. She had a vivid memory of walking into the kitchen after the funeral and finding her mother laughing and asking 'How do you like that daddy?' with every bottle of Bourbon she'd poured out down the sink.
Another reason she'd decided not to take the pill was because it would more than likely had made her not only loopy but put her to sleep. The last thing she'd wanted to do was sleep, not when every time she closed her eyes she saw her studio the way it had been last night. Even now, miles away from it, with the morning sunlight streaming into her room, making everything cheerful, she shuddered at the memory. The knock came again, this time louder and longer than before. It was only a knock on the door but she knew the impatience and concern of the man who was knocking was growing.
Moving for the door she checked the Judas hole to confirm his identity before unlocking the door and opening it slowly. "Hi."
"Good morning," he hesitated. "May I come in?"
"Of course after all you're paying for the room," she reminded him and stepped back.
Biting back a sigh Nikolas Cassadine moved past her and inside the room. "Did you get any sleep?"
Elizabeth could feel his eyes on her and knew he was sharp enough to spot the truth, so she didn't bother to lie. "Some. I ordered breakfast," she changed the subject and moved to the small table that room service had set up. "I got enough for two, so I hope you're hungry. I hope you don't mind. Don't worry I didn't order the most expensive thing."
"I don't care about the money Elizabeth," he informed her while taking his seat. He had to admit the food did smell good. He had been too worried about her to eat any of the food Mrs. Landsbury had prepared for him. The older woman had not been pleased by that, but he had escaped her lecture by leaving when she'd went into the kitchen for more coffee.
Lifting one of the lids that covered a plate he wasn't surprised to see one of his favorite meals on the plate. How many times had she served him breakfast over the years? Too many for him to count, and all of them with the exception of the last few months, had been served along with conversation. He never knew how much he'd taken their morning conversations for granted until they suddenly stopped.
"I didn't poison the food Nikolas. It's safe to eat, I haven't seen Helena in months I promise," the joke was out before she could stop it and she couldn't help but freeze.
As grateful as he was that her guard had dropped long enough for her to tease him, he was dismayed to see it go back up the instant she realized what she had said. His burgeoning appetite began to vanish.
"About what happened last night…"
"I wanted to thank you for letting me use your computer," she cut him off. "I really needed to get some research done so thanks."
Putting the lid back on his plate Nikolas looked over at her. "It won't work Elizabeth."
"What won't work?" She asked guilelessly.
"You're already mad at me so I'm going to press you for details no matter what you say or do," he informed her seriously. "Since you already kicked me out of your life I don't have anything to lose."
Avoiding his gaze she took a bite of her bacon and shrugged. "I obviously didn't mean it or we wouldn't be eating breakfast together now would we?"
"Last night when I found you, you were almost hysterical, you were shaking in fear, and you didn't even know who I was at first," he reminded her. "Once you recognized me you pulled on my arm and begged me to take you away. You didn't want to go back to your studio and get your purse, or any clothes, or even your keys, you just wanted me to take you away."
Appetite gone Elizabeth put the bacon back on the plate and reached for her juice.
"What happened last night?"
"Someone broke in my studio," she admitted quietly.
Concerned he covered her hand with his. "Was he still there?"
"No, I don't think so," she pulled her hand away and sat back in her chair. "It scared me, and I didn't handle it very well."
"I knew I should have called the police last night," Nikolas murmured.
"Nothing was taken," keeping her eyes averted she spoke up, instead things had been left for her. "There was no point in calling the police."
"This was more than just a break-in wasn't it?" Nikolas asked, his suspicions were confirmed when Elizabeth got to her feet and moved away from the table. "What's going on?"
"I don't know for sure," she admitted honestly. "I'm still trying to figure it out."
"Does this have something to do with Jason?"
"No," exasperated she glared at him. "Believe it or not I do have other things going on in my life."
Holding up a hand to ward off her attack he got to his feet. "I was just asking. So what does this have to do with?"
Ignoring the question Elizabeth sat on the edge of the bed and picked up her bandaging supplies. She knew she should tell him what was going on, and yet she didn't want too. Things had changed between them and she didn't know if they could change back.
"I really messed things up didn't I?" Nikolas took a seat next to her and took the gauze from her hand. "Can I fix it?"
"You can try," she handed him the tape.
Taking the tape Nikolas shook his head. "I wasn't talking about your arm, I want to know if I can fix the problem between us."
"I know, and I don't know if you can Nikolas. I don't feel like I know you anymore, and because of that I don't trust you."
Flinching at her words he kept his hands busy by bandaging her wound. "I never wanted to hurt you."
"I hear that far too often," she sighed and was too tired to get angry. "You weren't supposed to lie to me Nikolas, not to me. We went through hell together, with Lucky, with Helena, with dead bodies, with everything, you were my friend and suddenly that didn't seem to matter to you anymore."
"That's not true," he argued.
"It felt like it. First with my awful almost wedding, you knew Lucky didn't love me. You knew he was only marrying me because he felt obligated too, and you never told me," bitterness spilled out in her words. "Do you have any idea how humiliated I felt? You let me walk down the aisle in front of all those people, knowing I was Lucky's pity project and you never said a word. You just stood there and let it happen."
"I tried to talk him out of it, I told him to tell you, but he wouldn't."
"And it never occurred to you to tell me did it? I heard you even got mad at Gia when she spoke up." She worked up a ghastly smile. "Now that was a humiliation, a woman who belittled me, blackmailed me, insulted me and basically disliked me on sight, was willing to tell me the truth, while someone I'd been through hell with wouldn't."
"I'm…"
"Sorry I know believe me I know, and I can almost excuse it Nikolas, Lucky's your brother, your loyalty needs to be to your family, and bottom line I wasn't family," standing she moved to the window. "I worked hard on forgiving you, then I found out about the accident and how you'd been lying to me, manipulating me, isolating me, basically fucking with me," maybe she wasn't too tired to get angry. "And again I should understand, I mean you were only protecting someone you loved, it was just my mistake for thinking you loved me too."
"I do, there was just so much going on then, one thing led to another and it snowballed," Nikolas pleaded with her to understand. "I didn't think this would happen."
"Yeah I lived."
"Don't," infuriated Nikolas stood up and was in front of her in two quick steps. "Don't ever say that, don't ever think that. I don't know what I would have done if you'd died. Yell at me for lying to you, I deserve it. Never speak to me again, and I'll handle that somehow. But don't ever think I wanted you hurt or dead."
Guilt made the tears fill her eyes and she reached out to her friend. "I'm sorry I know that, I'm just tired Nikolas." Finally allowing herself to bend she moved into his arms and sank into his hug.
"I miss you," Nikolas whispered feeling the tears start in his own eyes.
"I know and I miss you too." For the first time in months she allowed herself to hope that maybe, one day, she would be able to get her friend back. The thought made her heart feel lighter. Sighing she stepped back and broke the embrace, one day they may get back what they'd lost, but it wasn't going to happen today. "I need to find someone who will put me first for a change, I think I deserve that. I deserve to matter to people, to have my feelings matter to them, at least I think I do."
"You do," he readily agreed.
"For that to happen I can't keep clinging to the past and being afraid to try new things, to meet new people."
"I hope you don't give up your old friends in your pursuit of new ones," he whispered.
"I don't want too, but I don't know," she admitted honestly. "I will say I'm glad you found me last night. I didn't think I had anywhere to go."
"Elizabeth you may not want to hear this, but I need you to not only hear me but believe me. As long as I'm alive you will always have someplace to go," Nikolas promised her. Elizabeth didn't acknowledge his pledge one way or the other, but he felt better for having said it.
"I wanted to ask you another favor," stepping back Elizabeth moved to the table.
"What?"
"I need to have the locks on my door replaced and I can't afford that right now, can I borrow some money from you. You can add it to what I owe you for the hotel room," she spoke quickly before she lost her nerve.
"Of course, but are you should go back there? That building has never been overly secure, and aren't you the only live-in on your floor? Why don't you move back to Kelly's?" Nikolas asked. "I know you wanted to get away from Lucky but your studio is obviously a dangerous place to be. You shouldn't go back there."
"Are you telling me what I should do?" Elizabeth asked softly.
Nikolas saw the way her chin had jutted out and recognizing her tone of voice, he began to shake his head. He had blown that one. The one surefire way to get Elizabeth to do something was by telling her she shouldn't. "I didn't say that, I just said I was worried."
"Look if you don't want to give me the money don't," she started.
"I'll give you the money I'll even give you a ride to the studio, but I'm still going to worry."
"That's okay friends are allowed to worry," she reminded him gently.
Nikolas grinned. "Is that what I am?"
"Maybe," she shrugged.
~Kelly's~
"You look kind of how I feel," Courtney commented when Elizabeth emerged from the kitchen.
"I'm not sure how I'm supposed to take that," Elizabeth responded dryly.
"I just meant you look tired," Courtney tried to backtrack.
"I am a little," she replied stiffly. She didn't want to like Courtney, and yet she had no concrete reason to not like her. It wasn't Courtney's fault that Jason had been willing to see Courtney at the same time he'd been avoiding her.
Hearing the coolness in Elizabeth's voice Courtney couldn't help but try to fix it. "I'm sorry I interrupted you and Jason last night. I told him he should have stayed with you, and once I got home I told him to go find you, did he?"
"Oh I saw him alright," Elizabeth muttered. "He probably wishes I hadn't."
"You had a fight didn't you?"
"Jason doesn't fight, he just stands there," she grumbled and scrubbed at the counter.
"Definitely a fight," Courtney murmured, "well that explains it."
Elizabeth paused mid-wipe. "Explains what?"
"Someone tried to break in my place last night. My dog woke me up at 3:00 in the morning and someone rattled my lock trying to get inside," Courtney explained. "I freaked."
"So you called Jason right?"
"No," Courtney corrected her. "I called my brother. I told him what was going on," she shook her head in disgust. "And instead of coming himself or telling me to call the police, he sent Jason. What is it with him? If I wanted to see Jason I would have called Jason, but I wanted to see my brother, I tried to reach out to him, and he didn't even care."
Elizabeth went back to her cleaning. "Did he find anything?"
"Scratches on the lock, someone had tried to pick it, so he crashed on my couch," she eyed Elizabeth warily, but told her the truth. There was no way she wanted this to come back on Jason. "Then he arranged for my locks to be changed this morning, while I called my brother and chewed him out."
"You need to work on your chewing out," Carly Corinthos snapped. "Because let me tell you, you have a lot to learn."
Rolling her eyes Elizabeth moved into the kitchen, she needed to make a phone call.
Watching Elizabeth leave Carly couldn't help but smirk. "That was a new record."
"What do you want Carly?" Courtney asked.
"Coffee and your brother's head on a platter," Carly requested.
"Coffee I can do, the head might be arranged as well," Courtney filled her cup then filled the cup of the man who was sitting beside Carly and moved out into the diner.
"A vengeful woman I have to admire that."
Carly turned to look at the man who had spoken. "Excuse me?"
"I just said that a woman in full temper is a beautiful sight," Dr. Chris Ramsey paused a beat. "Well as long as the temper is directed elsewhere it is."
Reading the signs of flirtation Carly decided to play along. "Do women get mad at you a lot?"
Chris tried to recall how many times he'd been slapped in the last month. "Never."
Laughing at his cockiness Carly sipped her coffee. "I find that hard to believe. The scrubs tell me that not only are you a doctor, you are a surgeon, that means you are an arrogant know it all and no woman like's arrogant know it alls."
"It's true I'm arrogant, but I'm also good," he grinned slyly, "and I'm unique."
"And your barking up the wrong tree," Carly informed him. "I'm married to an arrogant know it all, so you missed your chance."
"Now that's a pity I was just getting started. You see I have a story that hooks women every time," he boasted.
The teasing flirtation was the first light heartedness she'd had in weeks and Carly wasn't ready to end it yet, so she smiled at him in encouragement. "Now this I have to hear."
"Not only am I surgeon I'm a research guru, why just last year I had my brother locked in a cage."
"And that's a good thing?"
"It was then, you see at the time my brother was a vampire, so it was much safer for everybody with him in a cage."
~*~*~*~
The first thing Elizabeth heard when she left the kitchen was Carly's laughter. Ignoring it she moved out into the diner, her eyes automatically moved to the door when it opened, and her welcoming smile froze on her face. Jason paused in the doorway for a second longer than he had too, before heading for the counter. In spite of her best intention her eyes followed his every move, so she was caught off-guard by the hand on her arm. Startled she let out a little shriek and jerked back. "Nikolas."
"Sorry," Nikolas quickly stepped back.
Embarrassed at her overreaction Elizabeth felt her face flame. "What did you need?"
"I wanted to ask you about last night."
"I already explained," she replied shortly.
"No you didn't you avoided my questions," Nikolas held up his laptop. "You want to tell me why you were researching Tom Baker?"
"How," she demanded loudly then lowered her voice. "I cleared the memory, how did you know that?"
"I know more about computers than you do, and I wanted some answers, so start talking. What's going on?" Nikolas demanded.
"Will you be quiet?" She looked past him to Jason who was only a few feet away.
"Either you tell me what's going on, or I'm going to start asking my questions real loud." For emphasis he showed her how loud he was willing to get with his final word. Any concerns he had over pressuring her for answers, vanished the instant he found out what she was researching. He wanted to know what was going on, and he would use anything he had too, to find out, including her fear of Jason hearing him. "It's up to you? Either you can talk to me, or I can talk to Jason."
"Fine," she hissed and taking his hand she dragged him to the door. "I'm taking my break Courtney," she yelled before walking out.
~*~*~*~*~
"You again," Chris said when he recognized the guy who took the seat next to Carly. "Your name wouldn't happen to be avatar would it?"
Carly stopped smiling and looked at her best friend for a minute before turning back to the very entertaining doctor. "No his name is Jason."
"He acts like someone I knew, the avatar," he air quoted the words. "He had a habit of showing up and punishing those people he thought hurt other people."
"Well he's not an avatar but he does hurt people, and lie to people, but that's only when my husband tells him too," Carly slapped Jason on the back as hard as she could. "So I guess you could call him an avatar, but only if Sonny is the one pulling the strings."
"Carly," Jason warned her.
"Yep he definitely sounds like the avatar," knowing when to make himself scarce Chris got up, and taking the blonde by surprise he brought her hand up to his lips in a quick kiss of farewell. "We'll have to do this again, and I can tell you about the time I dated an angel."
"That doesn't sound interesting."
"Well she was real life fallen angel who tried to kill people," Chris replied, Jason frowned in his direction so with a final grin Chris left.
"You're not allowed to be grumpy," Carly informed him. "I'm the only one allowed to be grumpy and angry."
"Aren't you always?" Jason asked.
"You know as much as I hate to say this I wish you'd make up with the muffin, because you have been worthless since she left," Carly snapped.
"You know that's the first smart thing I've ever heard you say," Courtney told Carly.
"Oh god just when I thought my day couldn't get any worse, Courtney agrees with me," shaking her head Carly stood up. "That's just to much for anybody to handle," with those words she turned and headed for the door.
~Docks~
"So whoever broke in your studio last night is the same person who left you those phone messages you said you got?" Nikolas asked.
"Yeah," Elizabeth wrapped her arms around her waist and kept moving.
"Here," shrugging out of his coat he slipped it over her shoulders. "Why didn't you call the police? Why didn't you tell me?"
"I went to the police I talked to Taggert, Tom Baker is still in jail, once I heard that I tried to convince myself that it was just a bad joke," unwilling to face her studio yet Elizabeth paused at the bench and took a seat. "Then last night, the things he left me, they were definitely left by someone who knew what happened to me."
"You need to call Taggert."
"I went by the police station this morning, Taggert is up to his eyes in the Alcazar and Jacks shooting, Detective Garcia is on vacation, there was no one I wanted to talk to there." She explained. "Nikolas the only people who knew the details of my rape, are the police, Lucky, you, and Tom Baker, and one of them is playing tricks on me."
"You can't be serious," Nikolas shook his head. "Lucky woul…"
"Lucky would never what?" Elizabeth hissed. "Have pity sex with a woman he doesn't love? Plan on marrying someone he didn't love? Build a shrine to someone like an obsessed freak? Sleep with the one person I've felt inferior to my whole life? Why don't you tell me what Lucky wouldn't do," she demanded.
Nikolas learned real quickly not to try to defend his brother. "Okay I admit Lucky has been acting strange. But he wouldn't do this," he saw her frown. "He's not even in town."
"I know," she sighed, "that leaves the cops, you, and Baker."
"Do you really think I did this?" Nikolas asked.
"I wouldn't talk to you, and now look at us," she countered coldly.
"Elizabeth…"
Hearing the pain in his voice made her speak. "It would be easier for me to believe that it's Lucky, than for me to believe that it's you," she admitted finally and quickly stood up. "And I don't ever want to have to say that again, or explain it."
Nodding Nikolas got to his feet and for the first time realized how badly he had hurt her.
"I don't think Taggert or Garcia would do this," she continued on and began to move to her building. "So that leaves Tom Baker. Since he's in jail I thought maybe he might have told someone what he did, given them the details and that's who's doing this to me. So I borrowed your computer trying to find out about him."
"Do you think he'd do that?"
"You saw how he was when we confronted him, he was bragging," she shuddered and moved inside the building when Nikolas opened the door.
Nikolas was quiet as the moved up the stairs. He had to admit her assessment of Baker was right on target. He had been arrogant until the end, even in court he'd never lost his smirk, yet it still seemed incomprehensible to him that a man would brag about violating a woman the way he did. "Are you sure whoever is calling knows about the rape?"
Taking a deep breath Elizabeth hesitated in front of her door for a long minute before reaching out and opening it. "You tell me," she whispered and stepped back.
"Jesus," the word slipped out when he saw what had been done to her place.
~Kelly's~
"Jason I told Sonny this morning, and now I'm telling you, if I have to have a guard, I want someone else," Courtney informed her brother-in-law coldly. "You need to concentrate on Elizabeth."
"She doesn't want to talk to me."
"Bull she wants to talk to you more than anyone else," she corrected his assumption. "But as long as you don't press her she will push you away."
"Your saying she's pushing me away because I'm not fighting for her?" Jason asked trying to understand.
"Yes, she doesn't think she matters to you, and you haven't done anything to prove her wrong," she snapped, sometimes he seemed even more clueless then men normally were.
Jason was spared with coming up a reply when his cell phone rang. Pouncing on it like it was a lifesaver he pulled it out of his pocket. "Morgan," he paused to listen and a frown drifted over his features as he did.
"Is something wrong?" Courtney asked when he hung up.
"I need to go," he got quickly to his feet. "If I'm not back by the time you're off, take a cab, and call Sonny to have a guard meet you at the apartment. Do not go inside without a guard."
"Jason," she tried to argue but he was already gone.
~Studio~
Elizabeth opened her door the same time Jason raised his hand to knock, and startled she jumped back. "J-jason."
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to frighten you," he waited for her to move but she stayed in the doorway. "Can I come in?"
"No," she cried loudly and Jason blinked in surprise. Turning she picked up one of the two trash bags next to her door and shoved it in his hands before picking up the other one. "I was just taking out the trash," she stepped out in the hall forcing Jason to step back out of her way. Pulling the door tightly closed behind her she made sure it locked before moving for the back stairs.
What do I have to do to make you love me,
What do I have to do to make you care,
"What did you want?" Elizabeth asked when she reached the stairs.
"I got a call today from a locksmith," he reached out and took the bag from her.
Jarred by his words she paused on the stairs for a minute before beginning to move again this time faster than before. "I heard Courtney needed new locks. It was good you were there for her, of course you always are, there for her anyway, of course she is Sonny's sister, he would expect nothing less from you." Reaching the bottom of the stairs she pushed on the door and stepped out into the alley.
What do I do when lightning strikes me,
And I wake to find that you're not there?
Sighing Jason moved out in the alley after her. She beat him to the dumpster and had the lid flipped up before he reached her.
"Actually he was calling about your locks, he wanted to let me know that they had y been picked by someone who definitely wasn't a professional."
Elizabeth groaned and taking one of the bags from him she hefted it into the bin.
"He also wanted me to know that he wasn't going to charge me for the change of locks. He seemed real anxious for me to know how sorry he was that someone was able to break through the locks at all."
"He has a big mouth," she grumbled and reached for the other bag.
Jason kept hold of the bag and his free hand closed over hers holding her hand there. "What's going on Elizabeth?"
"Nothing I can't handle," she was able to lie only because she kept her focus on his chin.
It's sad (so sad)
It's a sad, sad situation,
And it's getting more and more absurd,
"You're lying to me."
"Maybe," she met his eyes. "How does that make you feel?"
Why can't we talk it over?
Oh it seems to me,
That sorry seems to be the hardest word.
"Empty," he answered her roughly.
She wasn't supposed to meet his eyes, she wasn't supposed to care anymore, she wasn't supposed to feel like she was drowning in those soft blue pain filled eyes of his, yet she did.
His hand left the bag and reached up to caress her cheek. "Let me in."
What have I got to do to make you love me,
What have I got to do to be heard,
What have I got to do when lightning strikes me,
"You were in Jason," she whispered. "You were in so deep I didn't know where you ended and I began, so when you left, it nearly killed me."
What have I got to do?
What have I got to do?
When sorry seems to be the hardest word?
"I'm so…" she brought her hand to his lips to stop the useless words, and she felt him press a kiss against her fingers. Compelled she ran a finger over those firm, but oh so soft lips of his.
Jason shifted his hold until he drew her closer, she let her head fall back and her eyes searched his. Lowering his head he brought his lips to hers, in a sweet caress and when she didn't pull back he tried to increase the pressure until she lowered her head, breaking the kiss almost before it started.
It's sad (so sad)
It's a sad, sad situation,
And it's getting more and more absurd,
"I once told you that the only time I didn't hurt was when I was with you," she whispered as the tears began to slip from her eyes.
"I remember."
"That's still true," she admitted and swallowed a sob. "But the thing is, the time I hurt the most is also when I'm with you."
What have I got to do?
What have I got to do?
When sorry seems to be the hardest word?
"Until that changes I can't talk to you." Pulling out of his hold she walked around him and headed for the door. She had almost reached it when the tears began to fall in earnest.
Frustrated and angry Jason picked up the trash bag and hurled it inside the bin before giving into temptation and punching the dented side. He had pushed her too hard and now he was even farther away than he had been before. Cursing under his breath he reached for the lid of the bin to close it when the interior caught his eye.
Puzzled he reached inside the bin and picked up a shiny red heart that was half out of the bag that had split open when he had thrown it. Jason stared at the heart then looked back at that bag, he pulled at the side of the bag and was surprised when heart after heart fell out of the bag, along with streamers, and a sign that said Happy Valentines Day. It looked like decorations for some Valentine's party, the only question was why did Elizabeth have them in her trash when it was only October?
~Kelly's~
"Are you sure you don't mind closing?" Bobbie asked for the third time. "I know you're working a split shift today, so you have to be tired."
"Go," Elizabeth shooed her boss towards the door. "Enjoy your date, I'll be fine, I've closed before."
"I know," Bobbie pulled on her coat. "Thanks Elizabeth."
"No problem," the smile stayed on her face until the redhead disappeared out the door. Moving quickly she practically ran to the back door and double-checked that it was locked then she hurried back into the diner. She could do this. She had closed by herself more times than she could remember. This would be just another night.
"Jesus," she screamed when the phone beside her began to ring.
Admonishing herself with a shake of the head she reached out for the phone. "Kelly's."
"Elizabeth? It's me Nikolas."
"Hi," she smiled in relief. "What's going on?"
"I wanted to tell you what I found out. Both about Lucky and about Tom Baker. I was hoping to get there and tell you in person, but with the storm there's a small craft warning on the lake and I can't leave the island."
"That's okay," she leaned against the counter and tried to ignore the sounds of the growing storm. "What did you find out?"
"Its official Lucky is still in Switzerland, I tracked him down at the clinic about twenty minutes ago."
She hadn't really believed that it was Lucky doing this to her, but she couldn't help but sigh in relief at the words. "I know that must have pained you, but thanks."
Nikolas took a breath before delivering the bad news "I found out Tom Baker has a brother, in fact it's a twin brother."
"He has a twin?"
"Yes, his name is Timothy Baker and he's also a photographer, apparently he was out of the country on assignment during Tom's trial that's why we didn't see him," Nikolas checked his notes. "Since he's returned he's been pressuring the governor on Tom's behalf trying to get a pardon."
"Oh god," she whispered. "Where does he live?"
"I don't know for sure, he has deeds on two places in New York City, and he also co-owns a building with Tom Baker in Port Charles. The building is the one that housed Tom's studio."
"You mean he could be in town right now?" She demanded.
"Maybe I don't know. We need to find out where he is. We need to know if he's been visiting Tom Baker. But this is information I can't get," Nikolas admitted. "If you don't want to go to the police, there's only one other person who can help."
"Don't say that."
"Elizabeth we need to know what is going on, we need to know who is doing this to you. In order to do that we need information, so it's either the police or Jason. Think about it."
"I will," she sighed wearily.
"I wish you would change your mind and stay at the hotel again. I'll get you a room there for as long as it takes, please let me do this for you."
She had never been so tempted in her life, but remained firm. "I'll be fine, these new locks are the latest and greatest."
"Call me when you get home," he ordered.
"I will." Elizabeth hung up the phone and rested her head on her hand and stared out into the night.
Her earlier run-in with Jason had been a failure that had only hurt both of them. It seemed that all of their meetings these days led to hurt for one of them, and she had to break the cycle. The only way she could do that was if she avoided Jason, and if he knew what was going on with her, there would be no way in hell she could avoid him. Jason would take it on himself to try to help her. She would be yet another problem that he felt compelled to solve, another person he was compelled to protect. She didn't want to be another Sonny, or Carly, or Courtney to him, she wanted to be special.
Moving around the counter she began the mechanical movements of closing down the diner. The monotonous chore gave her plenty of time to think. It wasn't unreasonable to want to be a priority in someone's life. It wasn't wrong to want to be trusted by someone she was involved with.
The phone rang again pulling her from her thoughts and she reached across the counter to answer it. "Kelly's." She waited but no one answered her. "Hello?" She was about to hang up when someone spoke.
"You look so good today."
Elizabeth gasped. "Who is this?"
"You know who I am. I'm the only man in your life, the only man who's ever been in your life."
"Your sick."
"I love it when you play hard to get Elizabeth. I've been watching you today. Did you like the hotel? I would have thought you'd like Courtland Street more, but you looked happy there."
She could only shake her head in horror.
"But I'm glad you came back home, how did you like my surprise? I looked everywhere for that dress, I can't wait to see it on you, and then off of you."
When he began to laugh Elizabeth dropped the phone and covered her mouth, trying not to be sick. Swallowing the worst of her fear she picked up the receiver again. "Why are you doing this to me?"
"I told you, you belong to me, you have ever since you sat down on that park bench, by the fountain and waited for me."
"I wasn't waiting."
"Yes you were, and soon we'll be together again just like we were that first night. Did you get tonight's surprise yet? I left it for you behind the counter."
Compelled to move Elizabeth went behind the counter and checked the shelves, shoved behind a silverware container she found a manila envelope. Her hands were shaking when she tried to open it. Photos spilled out on the counter. Photos that had been taken last night and today, photos of her. At the studio, at work, walking at the docks, yelling at Nikolas, yelling at Zander, yelling at Jason. But the one that made her gag was the photo of her leaning against the door of her studio. The photo had been taken when she was inside her studio that meant he had still been in her studio the night before. "Who are you?"
"Soon Elizabeth, soon. I've always loved you in red, but the more I see you in that soft blue sweater. The more I see the way it clings to your breasts, the more I like it. I wonder does it feel as soft as it looks? I think I'll find out."
"What? Hello, Hello," she began to scream in the phone when the sound of a dial tone reached her ears. The phone clattered to the counter and she raced for the door, locking it quickly she peered out into the night but all she saw was slanting rain.
Breathing heavy she moved back to the phone. She needed to get help. Picking up the phone she dialed a number from memory and brought the receiver to her ear, only to pull it away and look at it when she heard nothing. Confused she pressed down on cradle hanging the phone up, then lifting it again, in a vain attempt to get a dial tone. But the phone was dead in her hands.
"Oh god," she whispered. Moving around the counter again she reached for her bag and began to search for her cell phone. She could have screamed in relief when she found it, flipping it open she pressed on, but the LCD screen remained dark. The battery was dead.
"No," she wailed the same time the lights went out. The phone clattered to the ground and Elizabeth turned around quickly trying to look everywhere at once. She prayed that the lights had just went out because of the storm, but she couldn't help but remember her caller's final words.
Her eyes darted to the front door as she backed out from behind the counter, then they moved to look through the pitch-black kitchen in the direction of the back door. Which way should she run? She looked towards the front again.
Suddenly everything seemed to happen at once. A crash sounded from the kitchen the same time a giant flash of lightning lit the room and illuminated the outline of a man standing in front of the locked diner doors. Elizabeth screamed, turning around she raced up the stairs desperate to reach the safety of the rooms up there. The sound of breaking glass followed her frantic flight up the stairs.
Song Credit: Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word by Elton John