Chapter Sixty Seven
She stared out the second floor studio window. Elizabeth couldn't explain the relief that she felt over Jaime's steady recovery. As she wrapped her arms around herself, a knock at the door startled her out of her aimless thoughts. "Come in."
Elizabeth glanced over her shoulder to see the door slowly open. A dark haired mop peeked around the corner. Her heart sunk. She had hoped it would be Jason. Elizabeth smiled half-heartedly. "Hi Nicholas. What are you doing here?"
The tanned Greek prince frowned and tilted his head. "Now is that the way to greet a friend?" he asked.
Elizabeth swallowed, feeling guilty about her less than enthusiastic welcome. She quickly reached out her arms and wrapped them around his neck and sighed. "I'm sorry," Elizabeth apologized. "My thoughts were somewhere else."
Nicholas pulled away slightly and studied her for a moment. "Where have you been? I tried calling you last night but you weren't here."
Elizabeth narrowed her eyes and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. "Didn't you here about the shooting last night?"
Nicholas shook his head. "No. I was out of town on business," he explained. "Were you there?" Nicholas pushed her out until she was standing about arms length from him, and looked her over. "Where you hurt?"
Elizabeth shook her head and laughed nervously. He was not going to be happy about this. "No," she said tentatively. "But Jaime…she got…shot."
The stunned expression on Nicholas' face said it all. His mouth was hanging open, his jaw almost touching the ground. "What happened? Is she all right?" Nicholas asked, turning his back on her. "Does Gia know?"
Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know," she replied softly. "I don't think so. I don't think anyone knows Jaime got shot, except her father, Jason, and I."
Nicholas spun around, his eyes blazing. "I told you Morgan was trouble," he cried angrily. "He's the reason she got shot, isn't he? Why can't you just listen to us when we tell you to stay away from him?"
Elizabeth backed off slowly, not appreciating Nicholas' presumption. "For your information, Nicholas, Jason had nothing to do with it."
Nicholas looked skeptical about her testimony. "Then why the hell is she in the hospital?"
Elizabeth wished he would stop yelling. She hated it when people screamed and fought; but especially hated it when it was directed at her. "Look, Mr. Nam, Jaime's dad, found Rosco with Jaime and tried to get her away from him. He thought she was in danger and his bodyguard shot at Rosco," Elizabeth said slowly. "And Jaime pushed Rosco out of the way. And that's why she got shot."
Nicholas furrowed his brow and rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. "Whose Rosco? Why does the name sound familiar?"
"He was the guy who kidnapped Jaime."
Nicholas's eyes shot up to meet hers. "What?" he exclaimed.
"Rosco was the man who kidnapped Jaime in Italy," she repeated.
"What is he doing in Port Charles and why would Jaime push him out of the way?"
Elizabeth rolled her eyes and scratched her head. How was she supposed to explain this to Nicholas when she didn't understand herself? "Nicholas," she sighed, making her way to the couch. Elizabeth sat down, tucking her left leg underneath her. "Jaime seems to feel responsible for him. And apparently he let her go and she felt that Rosco knew it was wrong."
Nicholas seemed to have a hard time grasping this explanation. "Why didn't you guys talk her out of it?"
Elizabeth laughed skeptically. "Are you kidding me?" She looked at him incredulously. "Do you think Jason and I could have talked her into anything? Jaime is a grown woman and definitely has her own mind." As she adjusted her leg so that she could be seated more comfortably, Nicholas joined her on the couch. "Jaime didn't want to hear any of it," she explained.
Nicholas leaned back, resting his head on the back of the couch. "Well what are we going to do? We can't just let this kidnapper run around free?"
"We won't," Jason stated, interrupting the conversation.
Elizabeth immediately got up from the couch and smiled. "Jason! What are you doing here?"
"Haven't you ever heard of knocking?" Nicholas growled, as he rose slowly from his seat. His eyes were fixed on Jason.
Elizabeth looked over at Nicholas and nudged him gently. "Nicholas," she said, out of the corner of her mouth. Then Elizabeth walked over to Jason, until inches separated his body from hers. "So, what do you mean? Did Mac arrest Rosco anyway?"
The tall blonde shook his head. "No," he replied. "But an agreement between Nam and Rosco has been made and he's leaving town for good."
Elizabeth frowned. She lowered her voice, so that Nicholas couldn't make out what she was saying. "But why would he do that Jason?"
Jason made no sound to explain, his eyes fixed on Nicholas.
Elizabeth turned around and smiled at Nicholas. "Uh, Jason and I have to talk a bit," she said hesitantly. Elizabeth knew that Nicholas would hurl himself off a cliff than to give her time alone with Jason, but it wasn't a request.
Nicholas' expression was one of disgust and annoyance. "I don't have a problem with that. Go ahead."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Alone."
The statuesque Greek clenched his hands and his face furrowed into a scowl. "Do I have a choice?"
Elizabeth shook her head no. She felt horrible kicking him out like this, but Elizabeth knew Jason wouldn't talk if Nicholas were in the room. Her feelings were torn. But as she glanced up at Jason, who stood there stoically, Elizabeth knew that she had to speak to him. "I'm sorry Nicholas."
Her oldest friend strode purposefully toward the door, nudging Jason back with his shoulder. He stopped and glared at the tall blonde. "Sorry," he said spitefully. "Didn't mean to push."
Elizabeth looked apologetically at Jason and went out into the hallway to sort things out with Nicholas. She grabbed Nicholas' arm and stopped him from walking away. "I'm sorry," Elizabeth said once more. "I just really need to talk with Jason."
Nicholas shook his head, his eyes glancing towards the ceiling and then bore down on her. "I don't know what's gotten into you Elizabeth, but you sure don't seem to know who your friends are anymore," he said accusingly.
"That's not true," she protested. Elizabeth was doing all she could to keep her friendship with Nicholas and Lucky in tact. But it wasn't the easiest thing, when they kept pouring their opinions and judgment on her.
"It is!" Nicholas hissed. "Do you know how much time we've spent together since you came back to Italy? Do you know that we have heard nothing about your trip, except what I know from seeing you there?"
Elizabeth opened her mouth to explain, but found no words to answer his questions. As she thought back, Elizabeth realized that she hardly saw any of them, but it hadn't been all of her fault, had it?
"Look Elizabeth, it's hard to keep pretending that we're friends. It's like we're going through the motions," Nicholas said irritably. "And you know what? To tell you the truth, I don't think Morgan would be so hard to take if I didn't know that it was him you were dumping the rest of your friends for."
"I'm not…"
"But you are. You don't want to hear any of our warnings about him Elizabeth. He's a ticking time bomb. He may not be the one to explode, but let me tell you, one of his friends will and then where will you be after the fall out?" he sighed. "You'll have pushed all of your friends away, and you'll be left alone to pick up the pieces." With that, Nicholas pulled his arm out of her grasp and walked down the hollow steps, leaving Elizabeth standing alone in the hallway.
Elizabeth bit her lip as his words pierced her heart. She didn't know what to think. As she glanced back toward her studio, Elizabeth thought of the man that stood waiting for her in the cluttered room.
Jason cared for her in a way that she never thought anyone could. He was her best friend and her confidante.
Jason was everything Lucky had been before Helena, but even something more. She felt like a woman when she was with him. He looked at her in a way that made her shiver. But when she thought about the cost of losing everyone else if she chose him, it brought her almost close to tears.
How could she possibly chose?
~~~
Jaime swallowed as her mouth felt dry and her lips chapped. As she licked her lips and opened her eyes, her gaze found a familiar face looming over her. Jaime cleared her throat and bit the inside of her cheek. "Dad," she whispered.
The regal Asian patriarch smiled as the back of his hand brushed a few stray hairs out of her eyes. "How are you feeling?" he asked with a slight accent. "The doctor told me that I could see you for a few minutes."
Jaime tried pushing herself upright, but winced as the painkillers were wearing off. She felt his hand rest on her knee. "Are you all right?" he asked frantically.
She glanced up at him and studied him a moment. It was rare to see her father frightened or worried. The only emotions he ever displayed after her mother's death was anger and more anger. Jaime's father had that emotion down pat.
"I'm fine," Jaime replied stiffly. She was about to reach out to pour herself a glass of water, but her father stopped her. "I'll pour it. You could tear your stitches," he said softly.
Jaime leaned back and rested against the disinfected pillows. As she lay there she chuckled at the thought of all the staff during the night spraying or washing each item in the hospital with disinfectant. How else would, literally, everything smell like disinfectant?
"Here," her father said, handing her the turquoise plastic cup.
"Thanks." Jaime kept her gaze on her father, as she lifted the cup to her lips, who seemed unusually quiet. She couldn't imagine how angry he was after the debacle at the docks.
"I've decided to let Rosco go," he said stoically.
Jaime choked on the water in her mouth. As she rested the cup on her knee, she coughed a few times before being able to breathe correctly again. "What?"
"I've made an arrangement with Rosco to allow him to live if he stays out of my sight forever."
"And what made you decide that?" Jaime said casually. Her heart was racing. She was certain her father wouldn't let this vendetta go, especially since it involved 'the family'.
"I did it for you."
Jaime's brow furrowed. He never did anything for her. Not when it came to business and dishonoring 'the family'. "That's a change," she scoffed. "Too bad it couldn't have happened earlier." Jaime touched her injured shoulder.
Her father lowered his gaze and cleared his throat. "Can I get you anything for your stay here?"
Jaime licked her lips and shook her head. "No, I should be getting out soon I think." Then out of the corner of her eye she saw a man in a suit peer into the room through the small window in the door and then quickly back away. She frowned. "Who's that?"
"I've got a guard at your door," her father explained. "I just want to make sure that no one disturbs you."
Jaime shook her head in protest. "No. I don't want a guard outside my door," she replied irritably. "There's no reason for it. I'm not some target for some insane lunatic. I got in the way of a bullet."
The older Asian frowned and looked sternly at her. "This is non-negotiable. He stays."
"Yeah, well, you're right about one thing. It is non-negotiable," Jaime declared. "I am not having a guard outside my door. I'm just not."
Her father didn't seem fazed by her protests. "There is nothing you can do about it Jaime. He is staying until I know for sure that Rosco is gone."
Jaime rolled her eyes. "You've got to be kidding? Rosco is not stupid enough to come here. So will you and your bodyguard leave!" Her shoulder was now throbbing from the stress and tension of the situation. Her father always seemed to have that effect on her. Jaime was never sure where he was coming from and where his intentions lay. As she reached out to cradle her hurting shoulder, Jaime leaned back and closed her eyes. "Please leave," she sighed. Jaime knew she wouldn't be able to win this argument and decided to let it lie.
"Jaime," her father whispered, reaching out to her.
Jaime turned her head away and again asked, "Would you just go?"
She heard the creak of the chair as he stood up. His hesitant footsteps scratched along the hospital room's concrete floor. Once Jaime heard the door close she lay flat on her back, staring up at the ceiling. Why did her relationship with her family have to be so dysfunctional? Jaime hated it. Part of her just wished she could have been born into a different family.
No such luck.
~~~
He waited until Nam exited the door and drew the guard, who had been stalwartly standing outside the door, into a whispered conversation around the corner. Rosco quickly and quietly opened the door to Jaime's room and entered into the quiet room.
~~~
She had heard the door open and rolled her eyes. "Dad…" But as she turned to see the man who had stolen into her room, Jaime realized it wasn't her father. Rosco.