Page Two: Enter Elizabeth Webber
...
When she left town all those years ago, Elizabeth Webber never once thought she'd be back in this town yet there she was, the strange part being that she was actually excited to be back. Who would have thought?
Walking into the estate, arms linked with her best friend, she wasn't at all surprised at the icy reception she received by way of her biological family. That's what happens when - in a family of medical professionals - you decide to become something as atrocious as an artist.
"I don't get how they can still be so ridiculous," Emily comments when she follows Elizabeth's gaze to her family's table. "You'd think they'd be more mature given their holier than thou attitude."
"We can't all be Quartermaines," Elizabeth teases, turning away from her so-called family to look at Emily. "Unless..."
"I'm pretty sure you're too old to be adopted," Emily laughs. "Though I'm pretty sure Grandmother could pull the strings to get that done if you really wanted it."
"Tempting, but I'm good," Elizabeth shakes her head with a soft smile. "Gotta admit, Lila sure knows how to organize one heck of an event."
"One of her many specialties," Emily agrees, moving to stand by her side as they take in the event as a whole. "Speaking of which, I have to handle a few things before I can call it a night. You gonna be okay on your own for a bit?"
"You know me," Elizabeth shrugs. "I can always find entertainment."
"Right," Emily laughs, turning to look at her. "I'll try to make it quick."
"I'll hold you to that," Elizabeth accepts, knowing that Emily hates having to leave her to her own accord at events like this, knowing just how much Elizabeth hates these types of functions. Thanks in most part to her family.
Giving Emily's hand a reassuring squeeze, silently letting her know that she'll be just fine while she fulfills her duties, Elizabeth waits long enough for Emily to flutter away before taking a deep breath and glancing around the room. Time to find her own entertainment.
She wasn't alone for long before quality entertainment found her by way of her sainted sister, Sarah Webber, and her sanctimonious boyfriend, Lucky Spencer. If two people deserved each other, it was definitely these two, how they survive all the self-righteousness in their relationship is the true question.
"Lizzie," Sarah says in that annoying tone she's perfected to grate on Elizabeth's nerves, knowing full well that she despises that name. "Way to make an entrance. Leave it to you to be late as always."
"I didn't know you cared so much about my schedule," Elizabeth counters simply. "If I knew that, I would have shown up just a little bit later."
"Your time away has done nothing on your maturity, I see," Sarah says with a bit of annoyance seeping into her tone. "When are you going to grow up?"
"Seeing as I'm younger than you, I'd say after you do," Elizabeth throws back. "I see you still have your little puppy dog on your heels. Has he started thinking for himself yet or is he still completely under your thumb?"
"I'm not her puppy dog," Lucky says, clearly displeased by her assessment.
"Wow, you taught him how to speak, impressive," Elizabeth chuckles, truly amused at the look that graces their faces. "What else can he do and does it require treats? I'm sure I can find something."
"I'm not her puppy!" Lucky snaps, schooling himself when people start to look at them. "I'm not her puppy..."
"She knows that, sweetie, she's just trying to get under your skin," Sarah assures her boyfriend by rubbing his arm. "Don't take anything she says seriously."
"Ah, so he requires pets to calm him down, interesting," Elizabeth pushes their buttons further. "Treats for tricks and pets for upsetty spaghetti. Good to know."
"Let's go, Lucky, this was just a waste of time," Sarah says, sliding her hand into Lucky's to stop him from further engaging with Elizabeth. "They're about to serve dinner anyway."
"Wouldn't want to miss feeding time," Elizabeth comments as they start to walk away. "This was fun, let's do it again sometime!"
Laughing to herself when Sarah simply glares back at her, Elizabeth had to hand it to Sarah, she sure knows how to keep her entertained. To think there was a time when they used to at least maintain something resembling civility.
Ever since their parents disowned her, they both took it as an invitation to drop all pretenses of civility, something she's come to find truly entertaining. Though she tries to get under her skin, Sarah just isn't any good at it. To be fair, after your own parents disown you for following your dreams, there's not much that could affect you. Bless her heart though, Sarah truly does try.
Like clockwork, the moment Sarah returns to the family table, the eyes of her family find her, clearly displeased by what she has done to their little sainted child. Please. As if their disappointment affects her anymore. Rolling her eyes, Elizabeth turns away to glance around the room, deciding she's in the mood for drama that has nothing to do with those people.
A feat that should be too hard seeing as this is Port Charles and drama is essentially the backbone of this town. You couldn't really take a step without stepping into someone's drama and she finds that's one of the many things she loves about this town. What once was a drawback has now become one of the many reasons she returned to this drama-filled cesspool.
Of course, given how much time she's spent in that town, she has her own set of drama-filled interactions to face and, clearly, tonight's the night for them to rear their head. This particular drama-filled moment coming in the form of her sister's boyfriend's brother, Nikolas Cassadine, or in other words, her ex-boyfriend. One of her many regrets.
"Hey, Liz," Nikolas greets her with that same longing that he always seems to have in his voice when they happen to talk.
"Nikolas," Elizabeth replies, stepping out of reach as he tries to go in for a hug, holding out her hand instead.
"Right," Nikolas sighs, shaking her hand in greeting in place of the hug he had been hoping for. "How've you been?"
"Good, you?"
"I've been well," Nikolas replies. "Can I be honest with you for a moment?"
"As if it has ever stopped you before."
"I know," Nikolas says carefully. "I just...I was hoping that if you ever came back to town..."
"I'm aware," Elizabeth cuts him off, not particularly interested in hearing those words come from his mouth. "But that's not going to happen. You have to know that."
"Why not?" Nikolas questions, almost desperate to know her reasoning.
"You know why not," Elizabeth counters. "Look, what we had was a rebound, that's it. It wasn't something meant to last..."
"Don't say that," Nikolas pleads with her. "If I didn't make that mistake..."
"One way or another it would have come to an end because rebounds aren't meant to last," Elizabeth says seriously, needing him to get the reality of their situation. "I was pining over Lucky, you were pining for Sarah...they chose each other and we did the one thing that would get under their skin. That's all it was, Nikolas, nothing more."
"How can you say that?" Nikolas questions seriously. "What we had...it was real..."
"No, it wasn't," Elizabeth states. "I don't know what you think you remember, but you're romanticizing something that was barely a relationship. We are never going to happen. It's way past time you let it go and move on."
Turning away from him before the moment escalates any further, Elizabeth's eyes widen as she walks away at the sheer awkwardness that moment made her feel, swearing this man has lost his mind if he thinks what they had was something to hold out hope for.
What they had was more physical than anything else. They barely spoke to each other and the times they did speak were filled with awkward small talk. For him to find anything in that to romanticize and hope for, Elizabeth just isn't sure he's all there upstairs, if you catch the drift.
Making a hasty exit, she decides to get some fresh air, almost desperately needing it after that interaction. There's entertainment and there's just plain cringe. She can only hope that was the last interaction for a while because she doesn't know how much more she can take before threatening a restraining order. Drastic? Maybe. But he is a Cassadine and you just never know when that gene will kick in.
Ducking away from the guests that have gathered on the patio, she quietly makes her way to the part of the garden that no one dares enter, given it's Lila's private garden. Of course, she wasn't at all prepared to find someone already utilizing the place, a man she recognizes as Emily's brother. Though the photo Emily had shown her had done him no real justice.
"This is a private garden," the man voices without even looking at her, talk about intimidating, good thing she's not easily intimidated.
"I know," she replies simply, continuing her venture into the garden as his eyes find her, taking a seat on the stone bench. "I was actually counting on it. Imagine my surprise to find you here. Am I right to say that you're Jason?"
"Do I know you?"
"Nope," she says simply. "I'm friends with Emily."
"You're the one she was waiting at the door for?"
"One in the same," Elizabeth admits, leaning forward as she holds her hand out to him. "Elizabeth Webber."
"Jason Morgan," he replies, shaking her hand momentarily, though it's clear she knows who he is.
"So, tell me, Jason Morgan," she says curiously as she sits with her legs crossed on the bench. "What brings you outside and away from the crowd?"
"You first," he counters, gesturing to the seat next to her, taking it once she makes room for him to sit.
"You name it," she replies with a shrug. "Family drama. Ex-boyfriend drama. Drama in general."
"About the same reasons, I guess," Jason admits. "If not for my grandmother, I wouldn't even be here."
"Same...your grandmother, not mine," Elizabeth clarifies. "Between Lila and Emily, they're really the only reasons I come to these things."
"Yeah," he replies, knowing exactly what she means, they're his only reasons for showing up, as well.
"One of the many reasons I'm thankful for this garden," Elizabeth admits, glancing around at the roses. "Lila knows how uncomfortable gatherings make me, so, she lets me come out here to catch my breath. Something about her flowers always seems to put me in a good mood."
Jason wasn't at all sure how the conversation started or why he simply sat by as she rambled on, but strangely he found himself captivated by her. Where he'd usually tune people out once they started to ramble on, he finds himself listening to every single word, as if something in him said he needed to listen, to know it all.
Maybe it was the exhaustion or maybe it was something else, but Jason found himself in a state of being that he wasn't at all used to. In her presence, he finds himself with his guard down, something he's not at all used to. Even with Robin, he had his guard up to some extent, but not with this girl. Strange.
"Speaking of the devil," Elizabeth holds up her phone to show him a text from his sister. "Looks like I'm missed."
"Looks like it," he replies. "I should be heading back, too. I'll walk with you."
"Okay," Elizabeth smiles slightly. "On the way you, it's your turn to talk."
"On second thought..."
"Nuh-uh, no backing out," Elizabeth counters, sliding her arm into the hook of his. "You offered and I accepted. You're stuck."
"Oh, yeah?"
"Yeah," Elizabeth says matter-of-factly. "So, suck it up, buttercup. Fair's fair."
"Anyone ever tell you you're bossy?"
"Old news," Elizabeth says simply. "You'll get used to it."
Though he gets that it could be seen as nothing more than a figure of speech, her words left him with the implication that this wasn't going to be the last time he'll be spending time with her and that left him a bit hopeful. Something about her, he couldn't put his finger on it, Jason just can't help but want to spend that time with her. To get to know this confusingly interesting woman before him. So, if that was an implication of future moments with her, he'll take it.