What Could Have Been: Glimpsing the Future

Hello everyone. Thanks to all of the reviewers, you guys rock. Yes, this story is technically on hiatus, but I basically was bribed. This is what happens when you have a really persistent beta reader and friend. So, thank Sam for the update.

For you.

---------------------------------The Boxcar – Morgan's Office

Morgan sat alone in the office. He didn't move, and he didn't even know what to think. Dillon had dropped a bombshell on him, the biggest he'd faced in a long time.

It was hard to believe that outside the door was everything he'd ever really wanted. The only thing left he really loved.

It also happened to be the person he'd hurt the most. No doubt, he'd hurt a lot of people when he walked away leaving behind a gravestone bearing his name. But for her, it had to have been worse. He didn't know if she still loved him, but he knew how she was. He knew how her heart reacted to things, and how she felt about the people she loved. Because if Elizabeth Webber loved you, that never really went away, even if things had gone wrong. She loved to a fault.

And he had left her. They weren't together at the time, in fact, they didn't even speak. But he'd left in the worst possible way knowing exactly how she would feel about it.

He'd been hiding from the truth, from his past for a long time. Maybe too long. But Morgan wasn't sure if that life was even his to be apart of any longer. Dillon was right, there really was only one way to figure that out. Even if it hurt them both in the end.

----------------------------The Boxcar – Dance Floor

"Elizabeth, would you quit sulking at the table?" Sam snapped, bringing the drinks over to Elizabeth's little island. Elizabeth had hardly moved an inch since they parked themselves at the table, she just sat there, soaking up the feeling that had developed since she'd gotten there.

But Sam was hardly going to allow it. Sighing, Elizabeth accepted her drink. "I told you I didn't want to come." She reminded.

"I don't care. You need to get out more." Sam replied offhandedly. She scanned the crowd, and wasn't exactly being subtle about it either. When it appeared that she didn't see what she had been looking for, she turned back to the smirking Elizabeth. "What?"

"You like him." Elizabeth declared, leaning back against her chair. She gave Sam a knowing look.

Pursing her lips, Sam shook her head. "No, I don't. He's just cute."

Rolling her eyes, Elizabeth seemed to not be buying it in the slightest. Which was basically what her friend had been afraid of. "So you're telling me if he doesn't come back and find you at all tonight, you won't be mad?"she asked, knowing the answer.

And Sam played right into her hands. "After a spine tingling handshake like that?" She asked, and then blushed. "Okay, I like him." She admitted with defeat.

"Can't fool me." Elizabeth laughed, happy to be thinking of other things. "So, how much do you like him?" she said, leaning forward.

"He seems like the kind of guy you could open up to and actually know he's listening." Sam said, smiling lightly. She looked down at the table, fumbling with her purse in a nervous gesture that Elizabeth had never seen from her confident friend before.

But while Sam was looking away and neglecting her duties of lookout, the object of her blush was heading their way. Elizabeth saw him and slipped out of the seat. Sam looked up, confused. But Dillon coming her way was really all the hint she needed. "Hello again." She said, smiling more than lightly.

"Unattended beautiful women? The employees must really be slacking tonight, hu?" Dillon said, shaking his head from side to side slowly enough that Sam could see that while his head moved, his eyes never left her.

Once she was able to get out of his stare, she stood up. "Then I guess you'll just have to make it up to me."

-------------------------------The Boxcar – The Bar

Elizabeth weaved her way through the throngs of dancers. Everyone in the place seemed to be having a blast, except her of course. Couples were slow dancing and hold each other, and all sorts of people were smiling at a date – all thinking that they might have found the one. Even Sam had found a guy that she was head over heels for, and they'd barely even met.

But here she was, Elizabeth Webber turned Elizabeth Hardy, sitting at the bar alone.

Somehow, it was how things should have been. If Jason couldn't be there, then there wasn't really a point to going out like this. Of course there wouldn't be, Jason would have hated a place like this. What he would have wanted was a bar, smoky and the kind that the prissy people of the world didn't really venture into. It had to have a pool table, and it had to have a whole bunch of people that knew better than to go near him. She smiled sadly, remembering their escapes to Jakes.

"You're looking pretty depressed."

Elizabeth turned around at the unknown voice. A man wearing a dark dress shirt and well loved jeans was standing behind her, smiling gently. The man was cute, the tall dark and handsome type. Had this been a million years ago, she'd have said dangerous too. But these people didn't know dangerous men.

"Hey." She responded, turning around again. Sam may have brought her to the club to move on and meet someone. But Elizabeth would fight that game plan with everything in her.

The guy was persistent though, which was pretty unlucky for her. "Come on, that's kind of rude, isn't it?" he drawled, leaning over into the seat next to her to get a good look at her face.

"No, it's not rude, it's the universal 'Leave me alone!' gesture." Elizabeth retorted, lifting her drink to her mouth.

The man didn't appear offended at all. "That's what I told my buddies, that you wouldn't want to talk. But they sent me over anyway."

The way he said it was funnier than the actual words, but Elizabeth laughed all the same. He seemed a bit sheepish, as though his cool bravado was slipping away. Yeah, these guys didn't know dangerous. But dangerous got her in trouble. "I got dragged here myself."

"No really?" He asked, mock surprised. Elizabeth laughed again, feeling a bit of a friend forming in this guy.

-------------------------------The Boxcar – Dance Floor

Sam had grabbed his hand and dragged him to the dance floor. But it wasn't as though he minded much. There was an energy about her, something he couldn't quite describe. It was the type of thing that you felt from a person that had survived a lot, but still managed to be funny and friendly. Whatever it was, Dillon had decided he loved it.

"So you work here?" Sam asked, wrapping her arms around his neck. She started swaying to the song, and Dillon followed suit.

The people around them were dancing like maniacs, but they were slow dancing. He found it was much better that way, as he got to hold her. "Yep. The owner is my best friend, but he's not a people person, so I take care of all of that." He explained.

Sam nodded, "Well, you seem good at it." She complimented, nodding her head appreciatively. "I take it you like taking care of the unattended women?"

"Nope, just you." Dillon said, smiling down at Sam. "What can I say? You're the special one."

She laughed, and Dillon loved the sound of it. Suddenly, every joke he'd ever told rushed into his mind all at once. And he was left dancing there, sorting through the ones that would make her laugh again. Even if it was just a small chuckle.

-----------------------------The Boxcar

Morgan stepped through the door from the stairs. He didn't care for the elevator, as it was usually crammed with people. He'd been to each floor, looking for Elizabeth. He had to talk to her. His plan was far from perfect, in fact, it was flawed at best. But he knew if he didn't try, he'd never really try again.

He scanned the crowd, hoping to see through the crowds of dancers. The bar was off to the side of the room, whereas the stairs entrance was almost right next to it. He'd have an almost perfect view of the whole room from there.

All he had to do was push his way through the people. Which was harder than it looked. He walked forward, getting bumped with people. The noise was deafening. But there was only one thing that got through it all. A laugh. A woman's laugh.

Her laugh.

He moved quicker, the sound erasing all doubts that it was her in the bar with him. He hadn't had many left, but it didn't help to be sure. And he was sure, now at least.

Finally, Morgan had gotten through the crowd and to the side of the bar. And all he saw was Elizabeth. She looked beautiful, laughing like that. Seeing her cry had been his own personal hell, but seeing her laugh had the opposite reaction in him.

But his eyes didn't stay focused on her for long. They drifted to the man next to her, the man making her laugh. The man that she was sitting with. He'd been a fool to think she would still want to be around him. She might have mourned him, but that didn't equal out to second chance. But at the same moment his eyes slid from her, her's found him.

"Jason." She whispered, confusing her companion. But she didn't care. Their eyes locked, and they were only allowed to stay that way for a second.

Jason turned around and ran. "Jason!" She screamed, bringing all attention to her. Dancers stared and Dillon and Sam broke apart, the earlier magic forgotten.

I don't know how pleased I am with the chapter, as I have been out of the loop for a long while. But here it is, your update. I really hope you all enjoyed it. Let me know, all right?

Review!

(And Sam, don't hurt me)