Shot in an Alley: Elizabeth's Lead

----

Thank you, as always, to the wonderful reviewers and even the loyal lurkers!

Jason Morgan felt extreme pain. It was nothing like last night but it was still terrible. He moaned slightly.

"Jason? Are you awake?" came Elizabeth's heavenly voice. She had saved him last night, how, Jason wasn't quite sure, but she had done it all the same.

"Elizabeth?" he wanted to open his eyes but was too tired to perform the tiny action.

Elizabeth couldn't help but smile at getting any sort of coherent response, "Yes Jason, it's me." She looked over him concerned. The fever may be down, but he still didn't look so good.

Finding strength from her presence Jason opened his eyes to look at her as she talked to him.

"Jason, you don't have to talk. Just listen okay? You need to rest. I want to stay here and take care of you right now but I have to go. I need to go see Ric, if I don't he may start to suspect something." Elizabeth explained and Jason couldn't help but be impressed by how well she was handling this whole situation. Could Courtney ever pull off such a lie so flawlessly? Maybe, but somehow he doubted it. "I told him that Gram is sick and I'll be spending most of my time with her. So I'm going home then when Ric gets back from a meeting he has then I'll be going to lunch with him. I'll try and make it as short as I can okay?"

"Okay Elizabeth." Sleep was already overtaking him. "Going to bring me back some soup?" a hint of teasing now laced his sleepy voice.

Elizabeth laughed, half because big-bad Jason Morgan was teasing her, half out of sheer joy that he was alive to do so. "Very funny. And yes when I get back it's soup for you."

Elizabeth's smile soon faded when she saw him wince after making a small movement. "Rest Jason. Don't move around a lot okay?"

"Uh-huh." was all he got out before he faded back into oblivion.

Elizabeth stroked his hair. He was too weak to be left alone now, but if she wanted Ric to keep believing that Jason had died and Sonny had covered it up or something then she needed to go.

It was time to go play nice with her lying bastard of a husband.

--------- Lansing Home

"Ric, honey, I'm home!" She tried to sound cheerful but in truth she was nothing but worried about Jason. His fever could go up or he could start bleeding again and she wouldn't be there to take care of him, but she had no choice but to keep up the lie with Ric.

Ric came out from the bedroom. "Elizabeth!", he sounded genuinely happy to see her.

When they embraced she fought the urge to cringe in disgust. She couldn't believe how naive she had been. Over his shoulder she noticed a small red light blinking on top of a bookcase. Squinting to see better she noticed it was attached to a small camera. She wondered if it was where Carly had been here the whole time. Now that she knew the truth, everything that had happened over her marriage seemed different to her.

Ric pulled back to smile at her, "God I missed you last night! How's you grandmother?"

"This is like the worst case I've ever seen, but that's probably because Gram is older. You know honey, I'll be spending most of my time with her this week," Elizabeth said, lying through her teeth.

An odd look came over his face, had she laid it on too thick? Quickly covering up she added, "But if you would rather have me here with you then I suppose I can call Sarah here…" She knew he wouldn't make her call her sister down here, he knew that they had issues.

"No, don't worry her. I understand" he was trying to hide the disappointment in his voice.

"You sure?"

"Absolutely"

Success! "Okay, thanks for being so understanding honey."

Ric smiled, seeming false. "Any time, besides your family is my family. But we can talk later, I need to go now… business."

Elizabeth pretended to look disappointed, "Oh yeah, I'll see you later!"

"Think about where you want to go to lunch. Goodbye, I love you!" he told her as he started for the door.

"Love you too!". She felt disgusting as she said the lie. Once it had been true, but now she wasn't so sure. Yes, she would always the love her Ric but he was only a shadow, not real at all.

He exited the house. When Elizabeth was sure he had left she went into action. If Carly is actually in the house then there has to be a room she don't know about, or there could be a guesthouse on the property that I haven't seen. There's only one way to find that out.

Elizabeth hunted through the desk. After a minute or so she found the paper of her desire; the real estate company's phone number.

Quickly dialing she was greeted by a cheery voice. "Hello, can I help you?"

"Yes. My name is Elizabeth Lansing. I need the blue prints to my house..."

--------- Panic Room

"Elizabeth, I love you!"

Carly was overjoyed. If Elizabeth got the plans then she would see the panic room. She'd get curious and open the room up, find her and then bingo! "I'll be free!"

"Maybe Jason wasn't so wrong about her after all."

Please review!