Author's note - I'm just on a role with this story tonight. For all those who are spoiler free, sorry the beginning of this story is seeming to be full of them. If you come back in like a week or two though they won't be spoilers any more =) Sorry this has such a sad beginning but I promise things will in the long run get happier.

Keys to Happiness - Chapter 1

Elizabeth stood beside Emily's headstone telling her about all that had happened in Port Charles since her death. While it had only been a week and a half since the funeral it felt like so much longer. Laying a bouquet made of Bells of Ireland, Sunflowers and Sweat Peas on the headstone baring her best friends name Elizabeth turned to leave. Walking slowly back to her car Elizabeth reflected on the events of the past week and a half. Her divorce had been finalized, much to her releif. Ric had been sentenced to Ferncliffe after and evaluation had revealed what many had suspected, Ric was deeply disturbed mentally. The Judge had placed him in Ferncliffe until such a time that the doctors deemed him mentaly fit to understand the nature of his crimes and the penalty for those crimes.

Getting into her car Elizabeth sat for a moment trying, unsuccessfully, to come to terms with all that had happened. After a moment Elizabeth admitted defeat, for the moment. With a sigh she buckled up and started the car, heading for Kelly's to meet Nikolas, Lucky and Zander for dinner. Since Emily's funeral they had been meeting for dinner to offer each other what comfort they would with their presence.

Kelly's was fairly empty when Elizabeth met up with the boys inside. Through dinner they avoided the still raw subject of Emily. Elizabeth knew that they would have to talk about it eventually but for now she was grateful not to bring it up.

Afterwards Elizabeth helped Penny clean up, putting off returning to her studio and the memories it held. Once the table was cleared she couldn't delay anymore. Walking outside Elizabeth felt the chill of autum and noticed the fog and shivered. Pulling her coat closer she looked both ways before starting across the street to her car.

The fog hid the car until it was too late. Elizabeth didn't have time to jump out of the driver's path and could only stare in horror as time slowed to a crawl and the car kept coming at her.

Across the street Penny was just coming out of Kelly's, Elizabeth's forgotten scarf in hand. Before she could utter a sound, either in warning or in horror the car hit Elizabeth sending her up and over the hood to roll off the back and onto the pavementas the car roared away. For a second time seemed to stand still, but then it shifted into fast forward. As fast as she could Penny jerked the door to Kelly's open and yelled to Georgie to call an Ambulance before running across the street to where Elizabeth lay.

Penny was beyond glad to find Elizabeth breathing. Knowing better than to move her, Penny just sat there talking nonsense to Elizabeth in an effort to keep her concious. Minuets after the hit and run the ambulance arrived and Elizabeth was rushed to General Hospital.



It was late evening by the time Jason managed to drag himself out of bed, helped in part by the sound of the penthouse door slamming. The sound served only to agravate his hang over induced head ache. It had been a week and a half since Emily's funeral and he had spent his time either starring into nothingness or drinking himself into an alcohol induced haze to drive away the pain of Emily's death. He knew it was the cowardly thing to do, but everthing else just seemed to hurt too much.

Courtney found him sitting on the edge of the bed, head in his hands and wasn't surprised. She had watched him down alcohol like water for the past week and a half and hadn't thought much about it, Sonny did the same thing on bad days and so had AJ. Besides she had her own problems to worry about. She was just glad Jason hadn't been out of the penthouse since his sister's funeral. If he had he would know what she had done and would never want to marry her. But if he stayed in the penthouse he would never know and he would still lover her. This in mind she made sure that there was plenty of alcohol still in the penthouse, so she would go finish hiding what she had done. Not that she had meant for it to happen of course, but it had been so foggy and that woman had stepped right out in front of her. With a last check of the liquor cabinet Courtney was out the door again.

Jason heard the door slam again and wondered what was going on when his cell phone began ringing shrilly. Swearing Jason grabed it, on the second try, from the night stand. Answering with a gruff "Morgan", Jason was shocked by the news he received. Letting the phone drop from his hand Jason pulled on the closest clothes to hand, grabbed his jacket and keys and was out the door. Forgotten on the floor his cell phone lay beeping with the monotone voice of a recording suggesting it might be wise to hang up and try the call again.