Jason rode his bike until late morning in an attempt to stop himself from
doing anything rash. When he figured that it had been long enough, he
started heading back to the penthouse. When he opened the door, Courtney
was curled up on the couch asleep.
His first instinct was to get the extra blanket and cover her but he ignored that impulse. He walked up the stairs to the master bedroom and shut the door.
Courtney heard the shutting door and it startled her. She decided it was better to give him time. She didn't know exactly what had happened between them the night before, but she did not want to push when he obviously wasn't ready.
She went in the kitchen and started making a late breakfast. He did not come down. She ate alone at the table, crying silently the entire time.
* * *
"Elizabeth?" Bobbie called gently.
She did not wake up.
"Elizabeth?" Bobbie called again, a little louder.
She still did not wake up.
Bobbie went over and shook her a bit and she was quickly alert.
"What time did you come in, you look exhausted?" Bobbie asked.
Suddenly everything came back to her and she offered, "Early."
Elizabeth looked around the kitchen, wondering what had provoked her to sleep here. It was then her eyes fell upon the small bear. Just as she noticed it, Bobbie did.
"Oh, Elizabeth." She offered, handing her the bear. "Go home."
"I can work, I'm fine." She offered, only half believing it.
Bobbie insisted, "Go home."
Lucky came down the stairs for his morning cup of coffee just as Elizabeth emerged from the back.
"What happened?" He asked, concerned.
"Nothing." She mumbled on her way to the door.
He followed her, "Is this about last night?"
She turned towards him and suddenly remembered the question she had asked him, "No. I'm sorry I even got you evolved."
She continued out but he followed her making sure that she got home safely. He tried not to make his presence known, but she knew.
"You don't have to follow me." She offered, after she had gotten tired of it.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"I made a big mistake and I have to make sure I didn't ruin something that wasn't mine to be messing with."
"What are you talking about?" He asked, then he noticed where she had stopped, Harborview Towers.
"Does this have something to do with Jason?" His jealously taking over, per usual.
"Lucky, no. Just go, this doesn't concern you. It is my fault, so just go."
When she reached the penthouse level she stopped in front of Jason's door. It had been a while since she had been there and an odd feeling rushed over her. She ignored it and knocked.
Courtney answered, looking stunned, but she had expected it.
"Elizabeth? What are you doing here?"
"Let's talk in the hallway." She suggested.
Courtney followed her out and shut the door.
"What's wrong?" Courtney asked, concerned that Elizabeth had stopped by the penthouse.
"He knows." She offered, simply.
"How?" Courtney asked, shocked.
"It slipped out . . . I'm really sorry."
"Oh my God!" Courtney mumbled under her breath, "How could you do this to me?"
"It was an accident, I thought you had told him . . ."
"No wonder he hasn't come downstairs." She said to herself.
"You mean, he didn't rush home and talk to you about it? He left pretty quickly after he realized . . ."
"When did you see him?" Courtney asked, curious and upset.
"This morning, after he was done at the hospital. I was at Kelly's and . . ." Elizabeth paused, remembering the night vividly.
"And what?" Courtney asked.
"I got something caught behind the juke box and he helped me move it. He had a cup of coffee, it slipped out, and he left." Elizabeth offered, nonchalant.
"I should have known . . ." Courtney mumbled under her breath.
"What do you mean?"
"I should have known that I could not trust you." She said, aggressively.
Elizabeth took a step back, "It was an accident!"
"I doubt it." Courtney offered as she opened the door, "Stay away from Jason."
The door was slammed in her face before Elizabeth could respond. She knew that Courtney would be mad but she had not expected this. She had not intentionally told Jason, it had been an honest mistake. And just as she and Courtney had started to become friends again . . .
She sighed realizing that there wasn't much she could do about it. If she tried to explain herself to Courtney it was more likely that Courtney would get upset than actually take her for her word.
She pressed the button of the elevator and waited. She heard the door open but did not turn to register who it was. She thought it better not to look.
"Elizabeth?" Sonny asked, startled.
She turned.
"What are you doing here?" He asked, curious.
"I had to talk to Courtney."
Sonny was shocked, knowing that the two women were not on the best of terms.
"I heard from Jason that Carly is back, I'm glad." She offered.
"Yeah . . ." He said, half-smiling.
"I'm sorry that I didn't realize what was going on . . ." She started, but stopped before she finished her thought.
"I know you would have done the right thing if you had known. I'm just glad that your no longer with Rick, he is dangerous."
"I know that now." She said as the elevator opened.
She stepped in. As the elevator door was about to close, Sonny stopped it.
"If Rick tries anything, just call." He offered, sincerely.
His offered surprised Elizabeth, "Thank you."
He allowed the doors to close.
* * * "Was that Sonny?" Jason asked, coming down the stairs, as Courtney closed the door.
"No." She said, solemnly.
Jason said nothing.
She broke the silence, "Why didn't you yell at me? Or at least tell me that you knew?"
He said nothing, unsure what to say.
"You have to be feeling something. Why don't you tell me? I know that I should have told you but it was so hard to find the words and with everything going on with Carly . . ." She started, but she began to tear up.
He resisted his urge to comfort her and stood his ground, "You should have been the one to tell me."
"I know." She said, in-between her sobs, "I'm sorry."
He let out a sigh and there was silence through the entire penthouse.
"Dr. Meadows said that there shouldn't be any problem conceiving again." She offered, to break the silence.
"You've gone to see the doctor, without me?" He asked.
"I just had to make sure . . ."
"I should have been there." He offered, sounding unattached.
"I know . . ." She struggled out.
He could not believe that the doctor and Elizabeth had known before he had. It was his child, didn't he deserve the right to know?
* * *
Lucky had waited outside, despite Elizabeth telling him to go. He was worried about her. He was just about to head up to the penthouse level himself when she emerged from the building. He noticed her tears first and wanted to go over and help her through it, but knew it was not his place. And if she had known that he had followed her all that way she might be upset and just push him away.
She walked back through the park, her tears ceasing along the way. He followed behind making sure that he was not seen. He knew that she would not want him to see her vulnerable but he could not dare leave her knowing that something was hurting her.
It was then he noticed the man walking towards her. She stopped dead in her tracks and watched as the man approached. Lucky saw her look in the other direction as if contemplating whether or not to make a run for it, but she stood her ground.
"Elizabeth." The man said.
"What do you want?" She asked, obviously disconcerted.
"I just want to see how you are doing." He offered.
"I was fine until I saw you."
"But you didn't run, you stayed. It is because you still care about me."
"No, I don't. It is because I realized a long time ago that I have to face my demons head on, not run away from them."
"You're so strong, Elizabeth. That is one of the things I admire about you."
"Say what you have to say and leave me alone." She demanded.
"I still love you and I realize that there is a long road ahead of us and you'll need some time but I think that we can make this work."
"You never loved me. You used me as an excuse to kidnap a pregnant woman. There is no road ahead of us, and no amount of time is going to change how much I hate you."
"That's not true, Elizabeth." He said, moving closer, within arms length of her.
"I know you love me." He said, taking his hand and moving a stray piece of hair away from her face.
"Get the HELL away from me! I don't want anything to do with you. I don't LOVE you. I don't even LIKE you."
"Elizabeth . . .that's not true . . ." He said, taking hold of her arm.
She struggled out of his grasp, "Don't you ever touch me, you don't have the right."
"There is nothing to be afraid of, Elizabeth. I would never hurt you, you know that." He said, taking hold of her hand.
She struggled to get free but he held on tighter.
Lucky emerged from behind Elizabeth and grabbed Elizabeth's hand out of his grasp.
"You heard her, don't YOU EVER TOUCH HER." Lucky yelled, his past experiences with Elizabeth getting the better of him.
"This doesn't concern you, this is between me and my wife." Rick offered.
"I'm not your wife." Elizabeth, whom had been standing idly by, offered.
Rick looked at her as though the truth had finally hit him.
"You're still wearing my ring." He stated.
"Get the hell out of here." Lucky said, shoving him in the other direction.
Elizabeth threw the ring at Rick. It hit him and fell to the ground. He leaned over and picked it up.
"You're still my wife." He stated, "And were not finished yet."
Rick turned and wandered off.
Lucky turned to Elizabeth concerned, "Are you alright?"
She ignored his question, "Did you follow me to Harborview Towers?"
He didn't answer.
"I don't need to be saved, Lucky. You've already proven once that you are the hero and I'm the damsel in distress, just leave me alone. But I was just a kid then, I've grown up. I don't need you protecting me. I can take care of myself."
"You're hurting." He offered, as if it was an excuse.
"And it has nothing to do with you." She said, and wandered off, leaving Lucky to contemplate her words.
His first instinct was to get the extra blanket and cover her but he ignored that impulse. He walked up the stairs to the master bedroom and shut the door.
Courtney heard the shutting door and it startled her. She decided it was better to give him time. She didn't know exactly what had happened between them the night before, but she did not want to push when he obviously wasn't ready.
She went in the kitchen and started making a late breakfast. He did not come down. She ate alone at the table, crying silently the entire time.
* * *
"Elizabeth?" Bobbie called gently.
She did not wake up.
"Elizabeth?" Bobbie called again, a little louder.
She still did not wake up.
Bobbie went over and shook her a bit and she was quickly alert.
"What time did you come in, you look exhausted?" Bobbie asked.
Suddenly everything came back to her and she offered, "Early."
Elizabeth looked around the kitchen, wondering what had provoked her to sleep here. It was then her eyes fell upon the small bear. Just as she noticed it, Bobbie did.
"Oh, Elizabeth." She offered, handing her the bear. "Go home."
"I can work, I'm fine." She offered, only half believing it.
Bobbie insisted, "Go home."
Lucky came down the stairs for his morning cup of coffee just as Elizabeth emerged from the back.
"What happened?" He asked, concerned.
"Nothing." She mumbled on her way to the door.
He followed her, "Is this about last night?"
She turned towards him and suddenly remembered the question she had asked him, "No. I'm sorry I even got you evolved."
She continued out but he followed her making sure that she got home safely. He tried not to make his presence known, but she knew.
"You don't have to follow me." She offered, after she had gotten tired of it.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"I made a big mistake and I have to make sure I didn't ruin something that wasn't mine to be messing with."
"What are you talking about?" He asked, then he noticed where she had stopped, Harborview Towers.
"Does this have something to do with Jason?" His jealously taking over, per usual.
"Lucky, no. Just go, this doesn't concern you. It is my fault, so just go."
When she reached the penthouse level she stopped in front of Jason's door. It had been a while since she had been there and an odd feeling rushed over her. She ignored it and knocked.
Courtney answered, looking stunned, but she had expected it.
"Elizabeth? What are you doing here?"
"Let's talk in the hallway." She suggested.
Courtney followed her out and shut the door.
"What's wrong?" Courtney asked, concerned that Elizabeth had stopped by the penthouse.
"He knows." She offered, simply.
"How?" Courtney asked, shocked.
"It slipped out . . . I'm really sorry."
"Oh my God!" Courtney mumbled under her breath, "How could you do this to me?"
"It was an accident, I thought you had told him . . ."
"No wonder he hasn't come downstairs." She said to herself.
"You mean, he didn't rush home and talk to you about it? He left pretty quickly after he realized . . ."
"When did you see him?" Courtney asked, curious and upset.
"This morning, after he was done at the hospital. I was at Kelly's and . . ." Elizabeth paused, remembering the night vividly.
"And what?" Courtney asked.
"I got something caught behind the juke box and he helped me move it. He had a cup of coffee, it slipped out, and he left." Elizabeth offered, nonchalant.
"I should have known . . ." Courtney mumbled under her breath.
"What do you mean?"
"I should have known that I could not trust you." She said, aggressively.
Elizabeth took a step back, "It was an accident!"
"I doubt it." Courtney offered as she opened the door, "Stay away from Jason."
The door was slammed in her face before Elizabeth could respond. She knew that Courtney would be mad but she had not expected this. She had not intentionally told Jason, it had been an honest mistake. And just as she and Courtney had started to become friends again . . .
She sighed realizing that there wasn't much she could do about it. If she tried to explain herself to Courtney it was more likely that Courtney would get upset than actually take her for her word.
She pressed the button of the elevator and waited. She heard the door open but did not turn to register who it was. She thought it better not to look.
"Elizabeth?" Sonny asked, startled.
She turned.
"What are you doing here?" He asked, curious.
"I had to talk to Courtney."
Sonny was shocked, knowing that the two women were not on the best of terms.
"I heard from Jason that Carly is back, I'm glad." She offered.
"Yeah . . ." He said, half-smiling.
"I'm sorry that I didn't realize what was going on . . ." She started, but stopped before she finished her thought.
"I know you would have done the right thing if you had known. I'm just glad that your no longer with Rick, he is dangerous."
"I know that now." She said as the elevator opened.
She stepped in. As the elevator door was about to close, Sonny stopped it.
"If Rick tries anything, just call." He offered, sincerely.
His offered surprised Elizabeth, "Thank you."
He allowed the doors to close.
* * * "Was that Sonny?" Jason asked, coming down the stairs, as Courtney closed the door.
"No." She said, solemnly.
Jason said nothing.
She broke the silence, "Why didn't you yell at me? Or at least tell me that you knew?"
He said nothing, unsure what to say.
"You have to be feeling something. Why don't you tell me? I know that I should have told you but it was so hard to find the words and with everything going on with Carly . . ." She started, but she began to tear up.
He resisted his urge to comfort her and stood his ground, "You should have been the one to tell me."
"I know." She said, in-between her sobs, "I'm sorry."
He let out a sigh and there was silence through the entire penthouse.
"Dr. Meadows said that there shouldn't be any problem conceiving again." She offered, to break the silence.
"You've gone to see the doctor, without me?" He asked.
"I just had to make sure . . ."
"I should have been there." He offered, sounding unattached.
"I know . . ." She struggled out.
He could not believe that the doctor and Elizabeth had known before he had. It was his child, didn't he deserve the right to know?
* * *
Lucky had waited outside, despite Elizabeth telling him to go. He was worried about her. He was just about to head up to the penthouse level himself when she emerged from the building. He noticed her tears first and wanted to go over and help her through it, but knew it was not his place. And if she had known that he had followed her all that way she might be upset and just push him away.
She walked back through the park, her tears ceasing along the way. He followed behind making sure that he was not seen. He knew that she would not want him to see her vulnerable but he could not dare leave her knowing that something was hurting her.
It was then he noticed the man walking towards her. She stopped dead in her tracks and watched as the man approached. Lucky saw her look in the other direction as if contemplating whether or not to make a run for it, but she stood her ground.
"Elizabeth." The man said.
"What do you want?" She asked, obviously disconcerted.
"I just want to see how you are doing." He offered.
"I was fine until I saw you."
"But you didn't run, you stayed. It is because you still care about me."
"No, I don't. It is because I realized a long time ago that I have to face my demons head on, not run away from them."
"You're so strong, Elizabeth. That is one of the things I admire about you."
"Say what you have to say and leave me alone." She demanded.
"I still love you and I realize that there is a long road ahead of us and you'll need some time but I think that we can make this work."
"You never loved me. You used me as an excuse to kidnap a pregnant woman. There is no road ahead of us, and no amount of time is going to change how much I hate you."
"That's not true, Elizabeth." He said, moving closer, within arms length of her.
"I know you love me." He said, taking his hand and moving a stray piece of hair away from her face.
"Get the HELL away from me! I don't want anything to do with you. I don't LOVE you. I don't even LIKE you."
"Elizabeth . . .that's not true . . ." He said, taking hold of her arm.
She struggled out of his grasp, "Don't you ever touch me, you don't have the right."
"There is nothing to be afraid of, Elizabeth. I would never hurt you, you know that." He said, taking hold of her hand.
She struggled to get free but he held on tighter.
Lucky emerged from behind Elizabeth and grabbed Elizabeth's hand out of his grasp.
"You heard her, don't YOU EVER TOUCH HER." Lucky yelled, his past experiences with Elizabeth getting the better of him.
"This doesn't concern you, this is between me and my wife." Rick offered.
"I'm not your wife." Elizabeth, whom had been standing idly by, offered.
Rick looked at her as though the truth had finally hit him.
"You're still wearing my ring." He stated.
"Get the hell out of here." Lucky said, shoving him in the other direction.
Elizabeth threw the ring at Rick. It hit him and fell to the ground. He leaned over and picked it up.
"You're still my wife." He stated, "And were not finished yet."
Rick turned and wandered off.
Lucky turned to Elizabeth concerned, "Are you alright?"
She ignored his question, "Did you follow me to Harborview Towers?"
He didn't answer.
"I don't need to be saved, Lucky. You've already proven once that you are the hero and I'm the damsel in distress, just leave me alone. But I was just a kid then, I've grown up. I don't need you protecting me. I can take care of myself."
"You're hurting." He offered, as if it was an excuse.
"And it has nothing to do with you." She said, and wandered off, leaving Lucky to contemplate her words.