Chapter Three

~ The next day ~

Jason tiptoed into Ric's house. He listened carefully for signs of movement, even though he'd seen Elizabeth seen hours ago and Ric awhile ago. Jason crept forward, softly closing the door behind him and heading around to investigate. Carly was here. He could feel it with every sense of his being.

"Keep looking, Jase," Carly whispered. Her eyes were glued to the monitor, willing Jason to feel her and to continue looking. Her heart was pounding as she watched him move about, praying Ric and Elizabeth would stay gone long enough for Jason to find her.

Jason suddenly froze as a warm feeling filled him. "Carly," he whispered. His eyes widened. She was here. He could feel her trying to reach out to him. He closed his eyes, concentrating as hard as he could. "Lead me to you," he whispered.

Carly closed her own eyes, reaching out to press her fingers against the cool glass of the monitor. She concentrated on Jason, seeing him in her mind, willing him to find her.

Jason walked towards the wall in front of him, opening his eyes and scruntinizing it carefully. He froze again, this time because he heard footsteps outside the house. He quickly disappeared around the corner, squeezing himself into a tight space out of sight.

Elizabeth walked into the house, shutting the door behind her. Her face was pale as she stumbled towards the couch. She collapsed onto it, her hands shaking as she picked up the phone and dialed. "Ric, it's Elizaabeth," she said. She had gotten his answering machine on his cell. "I wanted to let you know that I came home early. I have a bad headache and I just want to lay down for awhile. I love you." She hung up.

In the room, Carly groaned with disappointment when she saw Elizabeth. She sighed and sat back, praying Jason wouldn't leave without finding her. "You're not feeling well because your husband is drugging you," she muttered. Leaning back, she watched Elizabeth as she stood up, wobbling precariously.

Elizabeth walked towards the bookshelf, seeing the blanket she was looking for was on top of it. She went over to pick it up and as she reached for it, she got dizzy and misjudged and knocked some of the books falling. She bent to pick them up, groaning. Slipping the first one back on the shelf, Elizabeth noticed something that looked like a doorbell.

"That's it, Elizabeth," Carly muttered. Her eyes were on Elizabeth's every move.

Elizabeth hesitantly reached out, her fingers moving towards the button.

"Press it!" Carly cried, getting up off the bed and stepping backwards towards the door.

Elizabeth pressed the button, listening carefully. She didn't hear anything at first except a slow whirring sound. Looking up, she was stunned to see the wall moving in front of her.

Carly rushed to the door. "Thank god you found us," she cried, sobs escaping her.

Jason, hearing Carly's voice, leapt out of his hiding place. "Carly?" he gasped. Tears of emotion pricked his own eyes.

Elizabeth stared at both of them, numb with shock. "Carly?" she whispered after a moment.

"Ric drugged you, Elizabeth," Carly spit out quickly. "That's why you're feeling so sick. He's been crushing birth control pills and feeding them to you. He's crazy." Tears overwhelmed her and she sank slowly to the ground.

"Carly!" Jason leapt towards her and knelt by her side. "Are you okay?"

Carly sagged limply in his arms. "Get me out of here, Jase," she pleaded, her voice hoarse. All strength escaped her. "And call 911 for Elizabeth. Something might be seriously wrong."

"No." Elizabeth found her voice suddenly. "I'll do it." Dazed, she walked to the couch. Before she could pick up the phone, her head began to swim and everything went black.

"Elizabeth!" Carly screamed, watching her crumple to the ground. She looked at Jason, anguished. "You have to help us. Please. I don't know when Ric's going to get home."

Jason looked helpless for a moment. He was torn about what to do. He turned to face Carly. "I don't want Ric to come home and move you because he finds out I know where you are," he told her. His gaze moved back to Elizabeth and he picked up the phone, dialing 911. "We'll call for an ambulance and then leave. They can take over from there."

Carly nodded. "Good idea." Then she tugged on her leg. "Jason, I'm chained to the wall!" she cried. She went back in the room and gasped. "Jason!" she rushed back to the door of the room. "Ric's coming up the front walkway."

Jason dropped the phone and motioned Carly back in the room. "Do NOT tell him I found you," he said unnecessarily. "I'll be back, Carly, I swear."

Carly nodded and went back in the room. Jason pressed the button Elizabeth pressed to open it and the door to the panic room shut. Jason quickly hid himself back where he'd been before, praying Ric would get Elizabeth to the hospital in time to save her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ric was listening to Elizabeth's message on his cell phone answering machine as he walked up the front walkway. Concern was etched on his face as he opened the door and went inside. "Elizabeth?" he called. He noticed a few things strewn about and his concern grew. "Elizabeth?" he called again, panic filling his voice.

Ric's eyes began roving the room, coming to rest on Elizabeth's still form on the floor. "Elizabeth!" he cried. Dropping his stuff, he rushed to her, noticing the phone on the floor beside her. Picking it up, he listened.

The operator was on the phone, trying to talk to Elizabeth. "Hello?" she called. "Is anyone there? Are you okay?"

"Hello?" Rick said brokenly. "Please send an ambulance right away. I just got home and found my wife on the floor. She's unconscious."

"Is she breathing?" the operator asked.

Ric checked her over. "Yes," he answered. "But barely. Please hurry." He hung up and took Elizabeth's hand in his, praying she'd be alright.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

~ A few hours later ~

"I called Leticia and asked her to take Michael out for a few hours," Jason told Carly as he helped her into the villa. Once Ric had left with the ambulance, Jason had come out of his hiding spot and opened the panic room door. He'd broken the chain and carried Carly to the car outside. The driver had driven them to the airport where Jason had had her flown to Sonny's island. He was taking no chances with her right now, refusing to leave her for a single instant.

"I'd like to see him later," Carly told Jason, allowing him to lead her into one of the bedrooms.

"You will." Jason got lifted her onto the bed and then got out a nightgown. "Do you have enough strength to change?"

"I think so." Carly winced in pain as she sat up. "You said you'd called the doctor?"

"Yes," Jason said. "He'll be here in a little bit to check you and the baby over."

Carly & Jason had spent the last few hours virtually in each other's arms. Filled with relief that he'd found her, Jason was scared of losing her again. Carly was so thrilled to be rescued, she was clinging to Jason.

Jason turned his back now as Carly changed into her nightgown. He went into her bathroom and filled a basin with warm water and soap. Grabbing a washcloth, he carried it back out to Carly. "I -- I thought you might want this," he said, offering her the basin.

"You'll probably need to help me with it a little," Carly told him, carefully swinging herself back into bed.

Jason stepped forward, wringing the cloth out after it had been dipped through the water. He ran it gently across her arms.

"You can wash a little harder, Jase. I'm not made of glass," Carly grinned.

Jason returned her smile. "Sorry." He washed harder, across her arms and her face, as Carly closed her eyes and relaxed at his touch. He rinsed her arms and face off and went to change the water. When he came back, he asked, "Anywhere else?" Silence. Jason listened; Carly's breathing was regular and even. "You're asleep," Jason whispered. Setting the basin aside, he sat down in the chair beside her bed, taking her hand in his. "I'll be right here when you wake up," he promised. In fact, he planned on not letting her out of his sight for quite a long time. He settled in and stared at her as she slept, thinking he'd never seen a more beautiful sight.