Frozen: The Thoughts of the Cold

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Before we start, there are a few things that need to be noted for the plot to make sense: One, Ric is dead. Alcazar had him killed. Also, Elizabeth is not blind, nor did Courtney run her down, but Courtney is on drugs and no one knows about it with the exception of Alcazar. There's something important going on there but you'll all just have to wait to find out.

-- Morgan Penthouse

Jason sat on the couch and looked around his penthouse. The walls and furniture were all new - nothing except his pool table had remained from before. He hated it. It was a constant reminder of what he had let himself become. If the Jason Morgan of three or four years ago met with the Jason Morgan of today, there would be a fight. This new version of himself was sure to lose. He did things he wouldn't normally do, forgave what he would normally walk away from - walk away from those he swore to protect.

He was turning himself into a liar, a weak impression of his former self. He was now what he had walked away from the Quartermianes to avoid becoming.

Hypocritical too. There was another word that came to mind while he thought about this Jason Morgan.

It wasn't all on him, though, or was it? He didn't know anymore. He changed who he was for someone. Some other person he swore to protect. Even Brenda hadn't tried to change him. He had resisted when Robin did. That was part of the reason he was no longer with her. It would have happened sooner or later, with or without the betrayal. How was it that he hadn't allowed Robin to change him but Courtney could? Why did he let her?

Jason sighed, there was no answer to that.

It was his fault, when it came down to it. He'd let her mold him into something she wanted. He could tell that Carly was missing her old friend too. Even Sonny had noticed. Emily, Lila...Elizabeth...

He closed his eyes at the thought of her. Of course, he did that a lot now though he knew that he shouldn't He broke her heart when he broke himself. Well, he had broken her heart a bit before that maybe. No, that wasn't true either.

This new Jason Morgan had done it. It was his fault.

As thoughts of her filled his head the door slammed closed after being opened by the changer herself. Jason shook his head as if to clear away Elizabeth's presence in his mind.

He stood up, time to be the new Jason Morgan.

-- Elizabeth's Studio

Elizabeth Webber folded her clothes into the small dresser she had bought for her studio. With the addition of a new heater, mini fridge, microwave and her grandmother's older pull out couch the studio was now complete for its double duty as a home.

Her old home was on the market. She didn't want to see that thing ever again. Certainly not the panic room but most of all, she never wanted to see her bedroom with Ric.

Elizabeth shook her head. She would not let Ric in here, not in any form. This studio would be an entirely Ric-Free zone, and she wasn't going to let her stupid thoughts wreck that. This was a place for her. Not memories of the hell her life had slowly become.

She needed to vent. She needed to scream, throw things - but that wasn't the Elizabeth Webber the world knew. She couldn't be that way with anyone. There was only one person who could do that for her and he was gone.

Well, maybe not gone in the forever sense. He wasn't a part of her life anymore. He wasn't really that person anymore. He had been changed just like she had done the same for others. It only lead to bad things. Hadn't she learned her lesson after she was with Lucky the second time around?

She wanted to tell him that. She wanted to make him break out of this shell of a person he had been turned into, but she couldn't, or could she?

It didn't matter. She had enough repairs to do in her own life without taking on someone else's.

There was really only one thing she was excited for in her new life. If there was one positive change in her life that Ric had brought about, then it would have to be her Gallery. She didn't want to be a waitress anymore, really, she had done it for too long. Instead, she could run her Gallery and find a whole new way to let her art help her.

Besides, when it came down to it, she would rather be homeless than work with Courtney for even a second longer. Courtney was not only a bad person, she was a bad waitress too.

It wasn't a fair thing to say or think, but Elizabeth knew the truth about that girl. She was selfish and always concerned for herself. If Jason needed someone and Courtney was the one he turned to Elizabeth could imagine the help he would get.

For once in her life she was glad that Jason had Carly and was even happier that Sonny was still his friend, because Courtney was first in her world. First, third and last. Jason must barely register with her for all she's done for him: the accident, his friendship problems that he had gone through with Sonny and she was willing to bet that there was more that she didn't even know about.

Elizabeth moaned in anger and annoyance when she realized that for the millionth time that day her thoughts had turned to Jason.

No matter how much she didn't like it, the truth was, she couldn't get him off her mind.