Shot in an Alley: Hatred That Blinds

----------

Thanks for the reviews; you're all wonderful (even you lurkers, but do feel free to break out and make yourselves known, I promise I'm very nice!).

--------- Panic Room

The door to the panic room slid open. Carly hadn't looked at the monitors yet but she still knew it was him.

"Good morning Carly." He said with a voice full of confidence.

Carly said nothing, she had nothing to say. She had hated people before - many times. Robin, AJ, Tony… but never with this much force to it. She couldn't even look at the man anymore so instead she just kept her eyes closed and continued to pretend she was asleep - anything to get him out of the room. Seeing him and hating him had been unbearable before, but now that she knew everything it had gone to a place that had no name - right past hatred.

"Carly?" his voice questioned.

Still she said nothing. Her mind screamed for him to just get the hell out.

Ric turned around and finally left the room. When she was sure he was gone she opened her eyes and looked at the monitors. Ric was making a call.

--------- Lansing Living Room

Ric hadn't been able to talk to Elizabeth the whole time he was gone. He missed his wife. He knew that her Grandmother was sick and that Elizabeth would be spending most of his time with her for the next few days but he couldn't help it.

He picked up the phone and dialed her cell.

--------- Corinthos Penthouse

Elizabeth had sat up with Jason all night. Sonny had been with her too, staring at Jason's still form. His fever was still high. Last night it had dropped a degree or two but for adults she knew that most temperatures that high were dangerous. His breathing hadn't stopped again, instead the rise and fall of his chest seemed to be the only thing that had remained strong. She had talked with him all night. Telling him how much she loved him, not caring at all that Sonny had heard all of it.

Her cell phone in her jacket rang. She prayed it wasn't Ric, she just didn't have the energy to deal with him. She picked up the cell phone and answered. "Hello?"

Her hopes were dashed, "Elizabeth, honey, I'm home." Ric said, his voice sickeningly sweet.

"Ric!" she said with forced cheerfulness. Jason had nearly died too many times because of this man. Last night had been too close. Ric needed to be stopped before someone else was hurt or before he found out Jason was still alive and tried to finish the job.

"I missed you so much. How's your Grandmother doing? Good enough to let you come home for a night?" he said, sounding hopeful.

Elizabeth tried not to gag. She looked at Jason's face, flushed from the heat. She couldn't leave him. He needed her and even though Sonny was there she didn't want to risk it. "I don't know Ric. She was doing much better yesterday so we went out for a walk. I think it was just too much for her. She is right back where she was a few days ago." She said.

Elizabeth was surprised how easy the lie had flown out of her mouth. She had even sounded sincere.

And Ric had bought it. "Oh, that's too bad. I was really hoping you could sleep here tonight."

She had to throw him a bone. If she resisted him too much he would start to think something was up. "Well, I was planning on stopping by later this afternoon to get a bag out clothes," She hated herself for even suggesting it. It meant she would have to leave Jason.

Ric's voice brightened up immediately. "I'll plan to be here."

Elizabeth swallowed. Remembering to sound happy she responded, "Great! I have to go check on Gram now so I have to go." She then quickly hung up.

Elizabeth put down the phone and leaned down to Jason. "Jason, I'm so sorry."

---------

Sonny heard the whole conversation. He didn't want her to go. Jason seemed calmer in her presence. He couldn't let his friend die. If it was Elizabeth that he needed then Sonny would do anything to get her to him.

He had never imagined that he could hate a member of his family, but now, he wasn't so sure that he could ever forgive Ric. He had hurt too many of the people he loved. Had it been any other man he would have killed him for Carly but with Ric he thought that he could let the man live, under the condition that he never came back. Now though, after watching Jason fight for his life, Sonny wasn't so sure.

Would his mother understand? Could she have ever forgiven him for killing her son? Sonny didn't know if he would be able to do it, though he knew his men wanted nothing more then to get revenge for Carly and Jason and even a single word from him would send them right out to make the hit.

Carly had always treated them as friends and Jason may be able to give them orders but he still got his hands dirty with him. That was something Sonny could never touch. They all thought of Jason as a brother almost. If Jason died Sonny wasn't sure he could keep them from killing Ric. He wasn't sure he would want to stop them.

Ric was his brother by blood. Jason was his brother in every other aspect of the word that counted. Which meant more?