Jeff peered around the corner and watched as the vacant seats placed so neatly in the ballroom began to fill. He hated that his body felt like a bundle of nervous energy as he attempted to prepare himself for the upcoming debate. The several heated confrontations Jeff had had with Anthony in the past weeks, coupled with the information that Elizabeth had given him had Jeff more than a little apprehensive about what his son in law's role now was. If Anthony had truly lost the power that the Malucci name once wielded, Jeff knew that the aspirations he had attached to the Malucci train were about to derail. Jeff straightened his tie for the hundredth time that late afternoon and scanned the sea of faces for his daughter and her husband. They should have been there by now. Anthony was to be sitting at Jeff's right hand. He was to be there to show just who would be backing the Webber political machine. "Where are you?" Jeff said to himself scanning the crowd again.

"Congressman Webber," the moderator of the debate began, "We are just about to begin. If you would take your position behind your respective podium," the man suggested.

Jeff did a final inspection of the masses that filed into the large room. Still there was not a single sighting of either Elizabeth or Anthony. Jeff attempted to squash the nauseous feeling that had taken up residence in his stomach. Something wasn't right about all of this. "Something just isn't right," Jeff said softly as he reached for his briefcase sitting on the chair next to him. As he lifted the leather case into the air the clasp let loose and a mountain of files and papers scattered to the floor. "DAMN!!" Jeff growled as he started to gather his materials from the ground.

"Here let me help you," a young man offered as he bent down to aid Jeff with his efforts. He handed Jeff a pile of folders collected from the floor and was gone before Jeff had a chance to thank him.

"Congressman Webber, you need to be on stage now," the moderator said curtly.

Jeff adjusted the stack of folders in his hands and proceeded to his end of the stage. The debate began with the cursory opening remarks from the moderator listing the attributes of both candidates. Jeff shifted from side to side anxious for the event to begin. As he waited for the floor to be opened for questions, Jeff flipped through the array of folders before him. Suddenly his mouth went dry, almost as if someone had shoved a large ball of cotton in it. His eyes widened as he tried to focus on the sea of black letters forming words on the stark white page. Jeff swallowed hard around the lump that had come to sit in his throat as a feverish panic consumed him. The surrounding noises fell away leaving Jeff standing in his own eerie silence as his eyes narrowed in an attempt to read – believe what was on the piece of paper starring back at him.

It was Jeff's supposed long lost police report for the accident that had claimed the life of an innocent person. This was the police report that wasn't to exist anymore. Anthony had successfully buried it years ago. What was it doing in among his debate materials Jeff asked himself? "Anthony," he whispered softly as his head darted up in search of his son in law amid the crowd. "What sort of dirty trick are you trying to pull?" he asked as if Anthony were standing before him. The question fell on deaf ears. Anthony was no where to be found. Jeff suddenly was filled with a sense of dread.

Quickly he shuffled the folders as though by doing that it would somehow make his transgressions contained in that folder disappear. Jeff readjusted his tie once more and forced his mind to center on what was happening around him. No matter how hard he tried though he wasn't able to hold himself still. Jeff found himself fidgeting like a child waiting for his punishment to be doled out.

"We are now ready to field questions from the audience," the moderator stated.

Jeff listened to the first question that was directed to his opponent. He began scanning his own material so that he could construct his opinion on the matter. The bottom suddenly dropped out of his stomach as his eyes rested on a letter written in neat script.

Please know that you are the final link in righting

the wrongs committed against Elizabeth and Rocco.

Malucci. You sold your daughter to the highest bidder

to save your own hide. You are nothing more than a

coward and cowards are something I won't tolerate.

Enjoy your final moment in the limelight. Be assured

it will be your last!!!

Joseph Morgan

Jason and Joseph sat quietly at opposite corners of the room. Occasionally their eyes were drawn to the spot on the floor where Anthony's lifeless body had been. Jason was having a difficult time fathoming all his father had known and how much he had been kept in the dark about it all. He brought the glass of vodka to his lips while his eyes peered over its rim at his father. Jason's emotions had him torn in so many directions he didn't know if he was supposed to revel in his father's vast knowledge or hate the man who had left Elizabeth holding on by a thread when he hadn't had to.

"Jason," his father's voice disturbed him. "I would like to speak to with you. That is if you feel we can," Joseph hesitated. Jason only nodded. "I am so very sorry about all of this. I am sorry that Elizabeth was left in such a precarious situation. That was never my intention."

There it was again, Elizabeth's name. "Don't!" Jason stopped Joseph from continuing. He didn't want to think about her but his brain wasn't giving him a choice. It bombarded him with memories and not just the bad memories but the good ones as well. "What the hell were you thinking?!?" Jason lashed out at his father. "What were you thinking keeping me in the dark like that?!?" Jason's voice rose in anger. "I am supposed to be your second for god sakes!! You should have told me what was going on!" Jason glared in Joseph's direction. "I could have helped Elizabeth... ..." Jason's voice trailed off as he choked on a sob that was trying to escape.

"Jason," apprehensively Joseph edged closer to his son. "Please try to see this from my point of view. Give me that small benefit please?" Joseph almost sounded as if he was pleading for an understanding he wasn't quite sure he would be able to attain.

"Why?" Jason countered harshly as he took another gulp of vodka.

"I did what I thought was best for the organization as a whole... ..."

"Fuck the organization!" Jason spat.

Joseph was taken aback by his son's venom. However, he completely understood it. Love is an irrational emotion that caused people to take leave of all that was normal and logical for them. "I understand your anger, truly I do, but you know that that statement just isn't possible. I had to do what I thought was right to preserve our way of life."

"AT THE COST OF ELIZABETH'S!?!?!" Jason's voice came out in a strangled cry.

"Jason, when I looked at you all I saw at first was what I thought was a man driven by revenge or lust. When I finally understood the depth of feelings you carried for Elizabeth... well honestly that frightened me all the more. I knew that wasn't going to serve us... ..."

"I don't care!" Jason said sternly but his tone was somewhat softer. He crossed the room to fill his glass with more clear liquid. He wasn't sure what to say to rebut his father's words. He couldn't. Since Jason himself had been wrestling with his own conscious regarding Elizabeth for quite awhile now. "If you knew all the things that Anthony was doing – that he let his own father die right in front of him – how could you not have stepped in and protected Elizabeth?!?!" Jason finally asked.

"I am regretful that the man I chose to safeguard Elizabeth was such an incompetent. I realize that my disposing of Marco can't erase the hell that Elizabeth was put through. For that I am truly sorry."

"Too little too late," Jason scoffed.

"I let my own vengeance get the better of me." Joseph continued with his explanation. "When I found out what Anthony had done to Rocco," Joseph sighed reliving that moment all over again. "I just couldn't see straight. It completely clouded every one of my thoughts so all I could see was righting the wrong done to my life long friend."

"What about all the wrongs perpetrated against Elizabeth? Did those somehow not count?" Jason questioned sarcastically. "Her father is at the heart of it all. It was him who started her decent into hell... ..."

"Not to worry Jason. I assure you all the wrongs will be righted tonight."

"So then we aren't so different?" Jason asked as he raised his brow.

"Apparently not," Joseph conceded.

Jeff felt his mouth begin to water as he read and reread the neatly placed threat before him. Every calm thought that he had been trying to focus on had been replaced by sheer frenzied terror. Jeff's memory brought him back to the night of the Coronary Care Benefit when he had made a failed attempt at changing sides. Joseph Morgan's words that night hadn't meant much to Jeff at the time yet now the recollection was quite poignant.

'Seems to me sir, you took a gamble and lost. Now it's time to pay the piper. Might I suggest that you tell your current benefactor that as well? If you'll excuse me... ...good evening, Anthony,' Jeff then watched Joseph rub shoulders with his friend's only son. "It appears that all your rats are about to jump ship.'

"Congressman Webber," the moderator's words invaded Jeff's memory of that night. "The floor is now yours." A voice in the back of his mind calmly instructed him on just how he was supposed to breathe. In – out – in – out – in – out, it repeated over and over again.

As the debate wore on, Jeff finally began to relax a bit. The questions were filled with typical political propaganda. Jeff had very little trouble giving his slant on each and every one of them all. "Congressman Webber?" A voice came from the rear of the room.

"Yes," Jeff responded.

"What's your position on drunk driving?" the man asked with purpose.

"Excuse me?" Jeff ran his hands along his shirt collar.

"What do you believe is an appropriate punishment to be levied against someone who kills an innocent bystander while driving under the influence?"

"Well... ...ah... ...I... ..." Jeff stammered.

"I assume you have some position on the matter seeing as how you got off scott free on your own personal incident."

"What? I don't know what you are talking about," Jeff said with a shaky voice.

"Oh – but I think that you do," the man said with a cryptic smile.

Immediately the other members of the press jumped on the bandwagon firing question after question that Jeff Webber had no answers for, or rather no answers he wished to reveal. Jeff felt the world spinning out of control right underneath his feet. His chest rose and fell with each heavy breath that he took. He reached for the podium to steady his stance as his well-orchestrated life abruptly fell to pieces.

"Please do tell us how you atoned for climbing behind the wheel of your car and killing an innocent person in a drunken binge," the anonymous face in the crowd pressed.

Jeff watched as the mass of faces in front of him converged into one. He stumbled, as he felt faint.

"Congressman Webber has no knowledge of any such blemishes on his record. You are severely misinformed," Jeff's aide came to his rescue. "I am asking the moderator to calm the room before we continue with this debate. Mud slinging of this sort isn't the kind of campaign that Congressman Webber is running."

Gratefully Jeff let himself be led off stage by his loyal aide. He was desperate to try to assemble some sort of damage control for this all. However, before Jeff was able to exit the stages the doors to the ballroom swung open and several Chicago City police walked up the aisle. "Jeff Webber," the officer in front called out forcing Jeff to stop cold. "Mr. Webber you are under arrest."

"For what?" the aide questioned with annoyance.

"Vehicular homicide while under the influence." The officer returned. Those words silenced the room. "You have the right to remain silent. If you give up that right anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you can not afford one, one will be appointed to you..."

"It's done boss," Pete smiled as he spoke into the mouthpiece of his phone. Pete eyes the chaos he had caused as he quietly slipped out of the room.

Jason looked on as a broad almost sinister smile filled his father's features. Jason was only able to hear Joseph's end of the conversation yet easily he surmised that Joseph was very pleased by whatever he was being told.

Jason found his mind still racing with so many random thoughts, yet sooner or later they all converged on Elizabeth. The knot in his stomach grew tighter with each minute that ticked passed without any word on her condition. Easily he could have put a call into Dr. Johnjulio for a status report but each time he went for the phone in his pocket something stopped him. Jason knew deep down that something was – fear. Fear of hearing the words his heart couldn't take – hearing that Elizabeth was dead.

"It's been done!" Joseph's delighted voice startled Jason.

"What's done?" he asked as his father's statement added to his confusion.

"Justice has been served – finally," Joseph stated.

"Enough already!" Jason nearly shouted in aggravation. "What are you talking about?"

"Let's just say that everyone's nice neat little lives were blown to bits this evening." Joseph smiled like a Cheshire cat.

Jason let out a heavy sigh. His father's need to talk in riddles was tiresome. "Whose life?" he questioned.

"Congressman Webber."

"How?"

"I dropped some not so subtle hints to the Police Commissioner about the 'good' Congressman's little brush with the law a few years back." Jason stared at Joseph intently as he listened carefully. "I suggested that the investigation be opened again and if he were to look closely I was sure that he would find a few missing pieces of evidence that had been swept under the rug. I told him it might not be such a good thing for the state of Illinois to have a senator with so many skeletons in his closet," Joseph said completely pleased with himself.

Jason shot his father a quizzical look. He didn't quite see how any of what he had just heard helped right the wrongs against Elizabeth.

"I thought you would be pleased," Joseph said sensing his son's ambivalence.

"Pleased about what?" Jason shot back.

"That Jeff Webber was finally getting what he so richly deserved."

"That certainly doesn't negate all the damage he's already inflicted on her. The damage has been long done. Nothing is going to change that."

"Yes, the damage has been done," Joseph agreed. "You are right nothing will change that but believe me, Jason, Jeff Webber will pay for every crime against Elizabeth. He will pay dearly my son. Death would have been far too good for him. Jeff Webber will have a long time to suffer while he rots in his jail cell at Marion."

Jason's eyes widened at the mention of Marion prison. It was no secret that several of the guards there were on the Morgan payroll. For the first time that day Jason felt the corners of his mouth begin to turn upward. Indeed his father had known what he was doing. Jeff Webber would be tortured within inches of his life but would never be allowed to die. His torment would be long and very painful. The shrill ringing of the phone perched on Joseph's desk interrupted Jason's sadistic thoughts.

"Hello," Joseph said into the receiver. "That's wonderful news. Yes, I will be sure to tell him."

"What's wonderful news?" Jason questioned as he wondered what else his father had up his sleeve.

"Son, that was Harold." Jason immediately froze in place. "Elizabeth is stable and semi-conscious." Without warning tears of joy cascaded down Jason's face. "Elizabeth's going to be fine, Jason. She's okay."

He couldn't believe those words. He had wanted to hear them so badly – had spent so much time trying to convince himself that she wasn't going to die – to now hear it was unbelievable. The emotional dam that he had had inside of him since he first found Elizabeth at his penthouse was now broken releasing a flurry of joy and tears. Jason stood in the middle of Joseph's studying crying like a baby.

"Jason," Joseph began softly. "Go to her. Be with the woman you love. Be with Elizabeth openly. The way it should have always been." Jason stared at his father curiously through his teary eyes. "I can't apologize enough for all the mistakes I made. While at the time I thought I was doing what was best... ..." he stumbled as he searched for the words. "... ...I know now that I was just a stubborn man unwilling to bend. I am sorry. I hope that one day you might find it in your heart to forgive me," Joseph said as tears began to fill his own eyes.

Jason reached out and gently touched his father's shoulder. He gave the man a half smile. God had given him a second chance with Elizabeth, Jason couldn't imagine not doing the same for his father. Joseph nodded understanding that he and his son had many fences to mend but that one day they all would be mended. "Go – GO see Elizabeth!" Joseph smiled as he watched Jason dash from the room.