Shot in an Alley: Hard Truths and Plans

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"No, no, no. Don't pass out Jason!" Elizabeth had gotten him to open his eyes for a few seconds before, only to be met with a plea for help. She wasn't sure how she was going to get him somewhere safe if he stayed unconscious like this.

Elizabeth remembered enough from the last time to know that a hospital was out of the question. Should she call Sonny? Last time she had found Jason bleeding from a gunshot wound she had thought Sonny was the obvious choice to call for help but she turned out to be wrong. Her only option was to get Jason awake enough to tell her what to do. Would he even let her help him? She was married to Ric and she wasn't unaware that he was someone that Jason hated. Ric had hurt a lot of people Jason cared about.

For only a brief second, she thought of calling her husband. Though there was bad blood between the two of them, surely Ric loved her enough to help Jason? She cut herself off, even in her own thoughts. If Ric even agreed to help Jason, she couldn't let him see her take care of Jason. Elizabeth closed her eyes and pushed that away. She loved Ric - not Jason.

Ric was out of the question and Elizabeth had to ignore the little voice in her head pointing out that if she was truly over Jason, then it shouldn't be an issue. Thoughts like that, however, wouldn't help Jason. She racked her brain for a safe name. Should she call Courtney? No, that door was closed too. Courtney was new at the whole mob-girlfriend thing. She may take him to General Hospital.

Elizabeth pushed down a rising wave of panic. It would have to be her and only her then, or at least until she could wake Jason up. "Jason can you hear me? I need you to wake up. I'm really at a loss as to how to help you. Come on Jason. I need you to help me here!"

Without knowing it she was running her hands through Jason's hair and across his face, trying to comfort him.

He wasn't waking up. Elizabeth looked down at the wound. Jason was losing blood - fast. Elizabeth whipped off the sweatshirt that was around her waist. She muttered to herself, "Put pressure on the wound to stop the bleeding - that's what Bobbie did." Elizabeth started to apply pressure all the while talking to Jason.

"Jason, I really need your help here. I don't know where to take you. We can't stay here. Sonny? Courtney? Ric? You have to tell me. Who did this to you? Why? Did you figure out who has Carly? Answer me please Jason! Open up those beautiful blue eyes of yours. Remember what you told me, Jason? That you didn't want to hold me in you arms and watch me bleed? I know exactly what you mean, because it's happening now. It's me watching you bleed! Please Jason? I can't lose... Jason?"

Jason's beautiful blue eyes fluttered open and he struggled to focus on her, he looked confused and in pain. "Elizabeth?"

"Jason, oh thank god! Do you want to call Sonny? Maybe we could go to my house, Ric may be able to help you."

Jason weakly shook his head. "No Ric. He shot me. Elizabeth, Ric took Carly."

She was shocked. Her mind rejected what he had just said. No, Ric would never hurt Carly or Jason. Maybe once he would have but he had made peace with Sonny. Jason must be confused. "Jason, Ric would never do that!"

Jason's breathing was getting heavier. "Elizabeth, you know I wouldn't lie. Ric did not give up trying for revenge on Sonny." Jason stopped talking as his body was wracked with pain-filled coughs.

Elizabeth realized he was telling the truth. Her traitorous mind stirred up a painful question, wasn't I enough for him?

Well home was now out. The same went for Sonny - he would kill Ric without hesitation and she couldn't let that happen. That left Courtney but Elizabeth had already ruled her out, even more so now because she would tell Sonny in an instant. Besides, Elizabeth didn't think she could just leave Jason with her.

No, she was going to take care of him. No one would think she was helping Jason, so it made her one of the safest choices. She could bring him to her studio; Ric never went there. Also as luck would have it, Gram is out of town for a week. While she was taking care of Jason she could say she was taking care of Gram while she had a cold or something like that. She could make this work.

"Jason, can you make it to my studio?" She asked, praying his answer was yes.

"I - I think so."

She helped him to a sitting position then gave him a few minutes to adjust. She helped pull him to a standing position. Her sweatshirt was still securely around his waist - bleeding stopped, for now. The two slowly made there way to the studio.

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