A/N: yeah I know its been a while with this one…my problem is that I'll go from working on one to the other and then I'll get on this major roll on one and throw myself into it….plus with spring break I've been working almost everyday…so here it is…

Ch. 14 As Lovers Go

She walked slowly, destination in sight. Her dark curls bounced around her face as she took step after step and her heels clicked against the path until she stepped off onto the soft grass. She knelt in front of the stone fixture.

Richard Trevor Lansing

Elizabeth traced the lettering with her fingertips. The ground underneath her knees was still slightly fresh from the burial.

"Hey, Ric," she began. "I got this in the mail today. See? I remember when you ordered it, you talked about how it looked like one you had when you were a boy."

She held the teddy bear close to her chest. It was wearing a little police uniform and hat. He had seen it in a catalog and ordered it right away for the baby. The baby that was biologically another's but Ric loved it like it was his own and they had anxiously waited his arrival. But even the second time around their dream never got to be. Once again their marriage had crumpled to the ground.

"I'm sorry." she began in a whisper as a few tears began to fall. "I'm so sorry. I wanted us to work. So bad. You know there were times before the divorce was finalized that I almost came back. One day I even made it to you door before I turned around."

She foolishly tried to wipe away her tears only to have more come in their place. It was the truth. There were so many times she'd almost gone to him to suggest they try again. She kissed her fingers and placed it on the stone, her tears of grief and sadness immediately became ones of anger and hatred.

"She won't get away with it." she promised the engraved headstone that represented the final resting place of her ex. "The police will see she pays. And if they don't, I will."

Courtney came downstairs feeling slightly refreshed. After returning from her walk, she found Jason was not in the house and, after assuming he was working, decided to take a shower. The warm waterfall had taken her mind off things for the briefest of moments. She saw he was back, sitting on the couch looking at his hands and twirling his thumbs. He looked nervous about something. She wished she could ask him what was wrong. Find out what was bothering him and help and comfort him. But that wasn't her place anymore. He'd made that clear.

She guessed he was deep in his thoughts because he usually knew when she or anyone was there. It made him hard to surprise. She knew, she had tried on many occasions to surprise him and it never worked. She sighed trying to keep any memories of them away from her. He heard her and hopped to his feet, turning to look at her.

"I think we need to talk." he said.

"About what?" she asked, clearing her throat hoping he couldn't catch that she had been watching him.

"About…everything." he answered. "I spoke with Sonny. He talked to the witness that saw you go in Ric's building. An older guy, swears he saw you go inside before whatever happened, happened."

"Let me guess, did Sonny try to bribe him?" Jason only nodded, she'd hit the nail on the head.

"He wouldn't go for it. And he says that the police know you're gone. They've searched through your place and the penthouses already." he added he last part no just because he felt she should know, but to try and get her to respond to him more.

"Did you think they wouldn't notice?"

"People are looking for us, with the sky the way it is, I doubt we'll have to worry about them coming here yet."

"You shouldn't be worrying about this anyway." she stated and turned to leave the room, but he stopped her.

"Wait." he began. "That's not all."

"What else?" she asked hoping she wouldn't regret it, like she did so many other choices in her life.

"I want to talk to you about…" he trailed off, having to mentally force himself to spit out what he really wanted to say. It was harder than he thought it would be when he'd gone over the situation in his head. "…about us."

A/N: i have no idea what ric's middle name is so i just threw that in there... anyway the after this one, things are gonne be picking up meaning a certain secret about a certain murder will begin to be revealed...mwahahaha!