Ric Lansing watched the slow rise and fall of Elizabeth's chest with a lump in his throat. When he had agreed to help Tracy Quartermaine take down Sonny, he had never dreamed that he would get another chance with Elizabeth. Now everything had gone so horribly wrong, yet here she was, asleep in his bed.

Ric had agreed to be less than zealous in his prosecution of Sonny so that Tracy could have him killed after his release. As long as Sonny lived, his empire would remain. Ric had hoped that Sonny's death would result in a transfer of power to Tracy. Tracy had seemed infinitely preferable to Faith or Sonny when she had made her proposal, and a six-figure bribe was sitting in an offshore account.

He hadn't guessed that she planned to kill so many people. The explosions had shocked and sickened him, and the worst part was that there was nothing he could do to bring her to justice. He was bought and paid for, and he knew it.

The call to his cell phone had come as no surprise, and as he watched Elizabeth breathe, he knew that he didn't deserve her- that he should stay as far away from her as possible.

He wouldn't, though. He tore his gaze away from Elizabeth and over to the clock. Tracy would be there any minute. He needed to dress and wait for her downstairs, lest her knock wake Elizabeth.

When he shushed her on the way to his study, her laugh rang out and he called her a fool. Tracy looked him up and down like yesterday's garbage and slapped his face lightly, then patted it.

"You're the fool, Ric. You're my fool." Tracy half sat on the edge of his desk and pulled out a cigarette.

Upstairs, Elizabeth opened her eyes and reached out for Ric. She found the bed empty, and heard the laugh again. Her brow knitted. Who was Ric meeting with at this hour? She wanted to just turn back over and go to sleep, but there was still a part of her that was struggling to trust Ric. That part won out, and Elizabeth crept silently down the stairs.

"You have no power over me." Ric's voice was unconvincing.

Tracy laughed again. "You see, there you're wrong. I have all the power over you I need."

"You lied to me. You said it would only be Sonny."

"You believed me? One murder will get you the same needle that ten will, if you're caught. I don't intend to get caught. I intend to consolidate my power and rule this town. You knew that when you agreed to work with me."

"That was a one time only deal, Tracy."

"Oh, Ricky wants out. Poor baby. That's not the way the game is played, Ric, and you know it."

"I won't be responsible for any more murders."

"Oh, but you will. Tomorrow Faith Roscoe has a bail hearing. You're going to make sure she gets out. I missed her the first time through. Now I'm cleaning up the trash."

"What if I don't do what you say? You'll turn me in? You'll just implicate yourself."

Tracy chuckled. "No. I have no intention of turning you in. You'll do what I say or Elizabeth dies. My men caught your touching little reunion yesterday. I hear she's upstairs right now. You've got everything you ever wanted, Ricky. It would be a shame to lose it."

"Where does it end, Tracy? Why shouldn't I just turn us both in tomorrow?"

"You think my reach won't extend beyond a jail cell? Elizabeth is leverage. Let's say you have a fit of conscience and turn yourself in. How will you protect Elizabeth when you're behind bars, too?"

Elizabeth was sure that they would hear her heartbeat from inside the room. They were certainly going to hear her tears if she didn't leave her position outside the door. She crept back upstairs quietly and wiped her eyes before getting back into bed. How would she sleep knowing that Ric had lied, that his new leaf cast the same shadow as the old?

She could stand one night if it would give her the chance to get away. She wouldn't be Tracy's leverage over Ric. She and her baby deserved better than a man who'd sold his soul to a murderer. She would disappear tomorrow. hr Stopping her tears and lying beside Ric that night was the hardest thing Elizabeth had ever done. Finally, when she was sure he was asleep, Elizabeth got dressed and snuck out of the house. She didn't care that it was the middle of the night. She just knew that she had to leave or she would start screaming. She knew had been an easy target for Ric's advances in the wake of Emily's murder. The worst part was that she truly believed that Ric loved her. He just hated Sonny more. She just thanked God that she hadn't told Ric about her baby.

Elizabeth knew instantly that she should go to Lucky. Lucky could help her disappear- it was a Spencer tradition. It wasn't until halfway to Lucky's place that she realized Lucky was now a cop. He'd want to know why she needed to hide from Ric- he hated Ric for hurting her, and for what he'd done to Carly. Reluctantly, she changed course. She couldn't put Lucky in this position.

Zander was her only option. He was connected now-to Faith. Faith, who'd been responsible for her first baby's death. She just hoped he'd know how to make her disappear without Faith finding out.

She knew his apartment building had been bombed, but she had seen him coming and going from a warehouse on the docks. She'd just have to work up the courage to wait there for him.

Elizabeth pulled her coat around her more tightly and timidly opened the door to the warehouse. A bunch of guys were in there arguing, but one of them caught sight of her.

"What do we have here?"

Elizabeth let go of the door and began to run back towards the docks.

Zander had seen Elizabeth's tearstained face at the door. Who knew what she'd heard? Anything was too much.

Zander stopped Bruno from going after her. "Uh, she's looking for me. I'll take care of her." hr Zander caught up with Elizabeth easily. The ground was icy near the water and she was now making her way very carefully.

"Elizabeth! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Zander looked at his watch. It was 3 a.m.

Elizabeth turned back to face him. "I'm looking for you."

"What the hell do you need me for at this hour of the morning?"

"I need to talk to you."

"This isn't a good time. Don't come back here again." Zander turned his back on her.

She had to stop him. He had to know.

"I'm having your baby." Elizabeth's voice was desperate. She needed Zander not to be what he had become. She needed him to be her friend again. If she couldn't have that, then she would shame him into helping her.

Zander stopped and ran a hand over his face. This was not news he wanted to hear. In fact, his shitty night had just gotten infinitely worse.

He turned to face her. "Aren't you back with Ric?"

Elizabeth hated Faith, but she wouldn't be an accessory to her murder.

"He knew all of this was going to happen. He's working with Tracy. She's threatening to kill me if he doesn't do what she says. They're going to kill Faith tomorrow." It had all just spilled out, and not the way she intended. Elizabeth took a deep breath. "Look, I have to disappear, Zander. I won't be her leverage against Ric. You have to help me."

Zander looked at Elizabeth and thought about the guys back at the warehouse. He was supposed to be securing their loyalty, not worrying about her. Fuck it.

"A baby? You were going to pretend it was Ric's."

"I don't know what I was going to do, Zander. All I know is that I want to be gone by the time Ric wakes up."

He should stash her in a hotel, but the hotels were full of people who'd been evacuated from their homes.

"You can come home with me. I think I know a place where you can stay." hr Lorenzo came out for breakfast and found Zander sitting at the table, apparently waiting for him.

"You know Elizabeth Webber, don't you?"

"Ric's wife. Yes, I know of Mrs. Lansing. Why do you ask?"

"She's not Ric's wife anymore. She's having my kid." There was something wrong with that sentence. Zander knew it. He was in no position to be having a kid.

"This is not a wise time to be involved with her, Mrs. Lansing or not." Lorenzo felt that this was an understatement.

"We're not involved. It was just one of those things. Look, she came with information. She found out Ric is working with Tracy," Zander said, and was surprised at the lack of reaction on Lorenzo's face. The man was still a mystery to Zander. Tracy threatened to kill Elizabeth if he doesn't keep cooperating. He's planning to let Faith walk at the bail hearing so they can hit her afterwards."

Lorenzo gave Zander a piercing look. Zander had been waiting for him, to tell him this first thing in the morning. That meant only one thing.

"Where is she? She's already here, isn't she." Lorenzo's voice held a tinge of disbelief. "Does this look like a hotel?"

"I'm sorry, OK? She needed a place to hide from Ric and Tracy and the hotels are full."

Lorenzo couldn't believe he was putting up with this shit from Faith's lackey. It wasn't that he wasn't willing to protect Mrs. Lansing; it was that Ric had brought the assistant District Attorney's wife into his home without his permission. He didn't need an assistant D.A. with a vendetta against him. His face made that clear.

"She's having my kid. What was I supposed to do? I just need a place to stash her until I can figure out some place to send her."

Lorenzo thought it over, considering and then dismissing Faith's reaction. Faith could learn to live with it. "Fine. But nobody can know that she's here. She doesn't leave. She doesn't make any phone calls. She can help look after Kristina. That's it."

"Thanks, Mr. Alcazar."

"If she breaks the rules, she's out," Lorenzo said harshly. "I won't have this place become a target."

"I'll make it perfectly clear to her."

"See that you do." hr Gia was not a morning person. That was half the reason she had made her way back to her own bed the night before. Unfortunately, Kristina was most definitely a morning person. The baby's cries woke Gia and she found she couldn't go back to sleep.

Having given up on sleep, Gia went out in search of coffee. Alexis was feeding Kristina and Liz Webber or Lansing or whatever she was calling herself these days was eating some crackers with tea.

Gia looked her over. "What are you doing here?" It was too early for Lizzie Webber, and it was too early for tact.

Elizabeth had been watching with a sick fascination as the baby ate. Just the sight of the goop was making her more nauseous. It was almost a relief when Gia spoke.

"The same thing as you, Gia. I needed a safe place to stay."

This did not compute. It wasn't until Gia had a cup of coffee in her hands that she put the pieces together. Tea and crackers. Liz suddenly NOT with Ric. Gia looked hard at Liz.

"Nice pregnancy boobs," Gia said at last. "So, let me guess. Zander has been a busy boy."

Elizabeth's jaw dropped. How in the hell had she put that together? "It's none of your business, Gia."

Gia just chuckled. "And after all the shit you gave Carly. Is it something in the water? Or has nobody heard of condoms around here."

Alexis grimaced. That remark hit a little too close to home. She looked up from feeding Kristina. "I wouldn't mention Carly around here, Gia."

"Oh, right." Gia knew about Lorenzo's fascination with Carly from hanging around Kelley's.

Gia shook her head and chuckled again as she sipped her coffee. She'd always known Liz was a gigantic hypocrite, this just proved it.

Elizabeth snapped. "Would you just shut up!"

Lorenzo walked into the fray. "Ladies?"

Alexis looked from Gia to Elizabeth. "Mr. Alcazar has been kind enough to let us stay here. Let's not make him reconsider his generosity."

Gia smiled, remembering the night before. She was in too good a mood to have it ruined by offending Lorenzo. "It's OK Alexis. I apologize, Liz."

Something in Gia's tone reminded Lorenzo of Carly and Lorenzo hid a sad smile.

Elizabeth bit her tongue. Like she believed that one. Losing her best friend and being betrayed by the man she loved were bad enough, but to be housebound with Gia was just too much.

Gia took another sip of her coffee looking at Liz over the rim of her mug with amusement, then turned to Alexis. "I could really get used to using Westlaw instead of your law books. I got the citations you needed in less than half an hour and wrote you up a brief. You've got a really strong argument for bail for Faith."

Elizabeth paled visibly and left the table without a word. Unfortunately, she had stood too quickly and needed to hold the back of the sofa for support. She hated feeling like this, afraid of Faith, and so angry that Alexis and Gia were working to set her free.

Lorenzo looked from Alexis to Gia and could see that they didn't know what was wrong with Elizabeth either. Good manners dictated that he see to the comfort of his guests, no matter how numerous they had become. Without a word, he followed her.

"Mrs. Lansing."

"Don't call me that," Elizabeth said sharply, then willed her tears away as she glanced back at Lorenzo. "Just Elizabeth is fine."

"Elizabeth, you seem upset. If there is anything I can do."

Elizabeth stared out the window, remembering. "Faith pushed me down a flight of stairs last time I was pregnant. I lost the baby."

Elizabeth felt a hand cover hers. "Then she poisoned me. I know how possessive she is of Zander. I don't want to think of what she'll do. I don't want to lose another child to her."

"You won't." Lorenzo's voice carried a certainty that Elizabeth found it hard to believe. "You are here under my protection. I take that responsibility seriously. I will make certain that Mrs. Rosco understands that nothing touches the inhabitants of this house."

Elizabeth looked up at Lorenzo gratefully and turned her hand to grasp his. "She won't like it. You two must be partners if Zander is living here. Will she be living here, too?"

Elizabeth looked so fragile that Lorenzo couldn't help the impulse to protect her. "There is another wing across the courtyard. That is where I conduct my business. If Mrs. Rosco is willing to respect the safety and privacy of all of those under my protection, she will live there."

"That's where Zander is staying. I wondered why he put me in the bedroom next to Gia's."

"I take it that you and Ms Campbell are already acquainted." Lorenzo could not imagine that the two women would be friends.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. Her fear had passed and she could see the irony of her current living situation.

"Yeah, we were engaged to brothers. It seems like a very long time ago." Elizabeth shook off the memories of the cottage and smiled a wry smile. "We annoy each other, but we lived together before and nobody got poisoned."

Lorenzo was glad he could put the matter to rest. "Esmerelda is an excellent cook, and she runs the kitchen. Nobody will be poisoned this time either."