The door swung open again and let the bright light of day invade the darkened interior of the bar. One by one drivers who had just finished their day at the track running laps and tuning their engines to perfection filed into the local watering hole. Theresa sat quietly eyeing the parade, as she was prone to do. It had become ceremonial for her. There she would pick and choose who her next conquest might be based on the talk of who was on a winning streak and who was on the downhill slide.

She brought the amber bottle to her blood red lips and took a long swallow as she searched the room for Billy Weston. She hadn't seen much of him since his less than stellar finish at the qualifier. Rumor had it that he was holed up the last few days with his pit crew trying to make the necessary adjustments to his car that would give him the edge he needed to win the upcoming feature race – the edge he needed to beat Jason Morgan.

Theresa picked up the sports section of the paper that the bartender had resting on the edge of the bar. The two-inch headline and the striking photo of Jason Morgan readily caught her attention. Even the black and white photo couldn't hide the piercing quality the man's eyes possessed. Theresa found herself tracing the outline of his strong profile with her manicured fingernail. Quickly she scanned the article for the highlights of his ongoing career. It was impressive for such a newbie whose racing team consisted of him being the only driver. Theresa felt the familiar tingle trail down her spine as she continued to purouse the paragraphs. The mention of Ryan Racing and how Jason Morgan was on the cusp of closing the gap between himself and Ryan's lead driver, Billy Weston, peaked her interest. She looked at the small inset photo of Billy and compared it to that of Jason Morgan. There was just something of the blonde's chiseled features that held her spellbound and his eyes that seemed to bore holes right through you. Theresa felt a shock wave of excitement fill her. Again she allowed her eyes to toggle between the men whose looks were so different and found herself wondering if perhaps it wasn't time to venture into greener pastures.

Jake sat up in bed while young nurses' aide positioned his dinner tray on the rolling table. How he wished for some real food he thought. The heart attack hadn't killed him but he was sure that this bland food that tasted like what he imagined a cardboard box might have would.

"What would it take for me to get you to bring me a nice big hero sandwich?" he asked with a smirk that was half-serious half kidding. The young girl smiled back at him only shaking her head. She had become accustomed to Jake's antics over the past several days. "It was worth a try don't you think?" he laughed then groaned as he dripped his fork into a pile of mush that he wasn't sure what it even resembled. Jake only knew it tasted about as good as wallpaper paste.

He made a cursory attempt at his dinner before pushing the tray to edge of the table. He glanced at the clock and tried not to think about what he would have been doing if he weren't laid up in bed. He and Tom would have been out at the track with Jason going over strategy for the upcoming race that was now only days away. Jake knew since his heart attack Jason hadn't been to the track much less thought about the approaching race. He had been spending every waking moment by the older man's side. While a part of him understood Jason's need to be there a bigger part of him wanted to kick him in the ass for it.

Jake had talked to his doctors in private and was well aware that he would indeed make a full recovery but it wouldn't be one that would take place over night. In all reality it would be months before he would be back to full strength and Jason didn't have months to waste sitting around waiting. He had to come up with some way to get around Jason's stubborn streak and get him to see he needed to find another crew chief. The last thing Jake wanted to do was fail the young man who was like a son to him. As soon as those thoughts passed through his mind the door to his room opened and in walked Jason.

"Please tell me you brought me some real food," he chuckled motioning to the bag in Jason's hand.

"I brought you a milk shake." Jason sat the brown paper bag on the table before him.

"Chocolate?" Jake arched his brow.

"Chocolate," Jason agreed.

Now that Jake was getting a bit of his strength back so had returned his wiley ways. He wasn't above hassling the nurses about the poor quisine to the point that Jason actually felt bad for them. That afternoon after Jake had made some rather caustic comments about what the hospital food service was attempting to pass off as his lunch Jason sought out the help of Melanie King in trying to find out if there was any real food, as Jake called it, he could bring to soothe the savage beast.

"Thank you," Jake smiled and snatched the large Styrofoam cup from the bag like it was some forbidden fruit.

"You're welcome," Jason laughed pulling up a chair closer to the bed.

He sat there watching as his friend savored the semi frozen concoction. Jason was relieved to see Jake talking and acting like his old self. A great many of the tubes and leads had been removed from his body and he was now only attached to one or two machines which the doctors said would be disconnected shortly. Finally since the night seeing Jake flat on the cement garage floor, Jason was beginning to breathe a little easier. He questioned every nurse and doctor he could when it came to Jake and his recovery. All assured him that the old man who Jason knew he couldn't live without would be fine with the proper rest and rehab. Jason just wondered how he was going to get the stubborn man he knew Jake to be to cooperate. It certainly wouldn't be easy.

"Did you see this?" Jake tossed the newspaper on Jason's lap. "They are talking about you and how you are just about to bump Billy Weston out of the cat bird seat. We have to find you another crew chief and damn quick," Jake said as he wiped his mouth.

"I thought we had been over this already. I am not going to race without you."

"The hell you aren't. If you think that I am just going to let you throw it all away you are crazy! You've – we've worked too hard to just forget it and walk away now!"

"I'm not walking away… …"

"How do you figure that?" Jake cut him off. "You say you won't race without me and from the looks of it I will be laid up a good couple of months. By that time you will have lost your position in the standings. Did you see where you are Jason? You are in third place for god sakes – what are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that I have a friend that needs me. A friend that if it hadn't have been for I wouldn't be in third place at all," Jason said in a vain attempt to make Jake understand his position on it all.

"You give me too much credit son. It's you behind the wheel of that race car not me. It's you who is taking the checkered flag. I'm just an innocent bystander if you really think about it. The little birdie in your ear. I can set the car up Jason but it's you – your talent that makes it cross the finish line."

Jason was immediately overwhelmed by Jake's out pouring of pride for what he could do in a race car. It wasn't as if he didn't know how he felt but this was one of the first times Jake ever expressed it verbally. "I need that little birdie in my ear," he finally said. "I need you Jake. I'm not running in the race. My head's just not in it man."

Jake studied the younger man who had the taste for NASCAR since he was old enough to toddle behind his own father. He had seen pictures of Erik and Jason when the younger Morgan couldn't have been much older than four years old standing side by side in matching firesuits. No matter what Jake had to do he wasn't about to let Jason throw away his dreams.

"Right now the most important thing to me Jake is that you are taken care of. The rest of it will just have to wait."

"Damn it Jason! Taking care of people that's my job!" Jake said frustration and anger filling his voice.

Jason watched the monitor that tracked Jake's pulse begin to climb. "Could we please just drop this?" he asked worriedly. "I've made up my mind and you of all people should know there's no changing it when I do."

"Stubborn son of a bitch," Jake huffed.

"I learned from the best," Jason cracked a smile hoping to alleviate some of the tension in the room.

"I guess you did huh?" Jake smirked.

"You want to talk about some of these places?" Jason asked laying out the pamphlets that Elizabeth had given him several days ago.

"If we have to," Jake moaned. The prospect of several months in any form of a hospital had him already going stir crazy.

Alison Morgan stood outside the door to Jake's room listening to the two men while they discussed the options for Jake's rehab and physical therapy. She and her son had been successful in avoiding one another for the last several days. It seemed like they kept missing each other accidentally on purpose. She never expected to be fearful of her own son. Not fearful in the way of being afraid of him physically but more so of the anger he harbored for her and her actions. It hurt her to see the resentment he had for her every time he looked at her. So she stayed away – exactly what had caused it all in the first place. It was almost like a vicious merry go round Alison couldn't – didn't want to get off of.

She smoothed her skirt and squared her shoulders before she pushed open the door to reveal herself to the pair. Immediately she saw Jason's shoulders fall when they made eye contact with one another. Again she felt the slings and arrows pierce her tender heart. "Evening," she said softly.

"Hello Ali."

"Mom," Jason said then instantly went back to shuffling the brochures as so he didn't have to further acknowledge a woman he wished would just go away already.

"How are you feeling?" she asked Jake as she kissed his cheek leaving a bright maroon lip print behind.

"Good. I'm feeling good."

"That's wonderful. So," she struggled with something more to say. She had spent so much of her conversations with Jake fighting about racing and Jason's role that when that wasn't in play she wasn't sure what to say next. "Have you been told when you will be discharged?"

"Soon I hope."

"In a few days," Jason said without looking at his mother. "That's why we really need to decide on a place for your rehab."

"Are these the potential places?" Alison asked fingering the leaflets on the table.

"Yes," Jake answered when Jason did not. Jason and Alison were acting as if there was a ravine separating them while he was stuck trying to bridge the gap.

"Do you like any one in particular?" she questioned.

"There are two that Elizabeth mentioned being the best in dealing with your type of rehab," Jason announced reaching for those colored pamphlets to show Jake.

"Elizabeth? Who's Elizabeth?" Alison asked.

"She's one of the hospital patient advocates." Once more Jake found him speaking while Jason remained silent. "She's a sweet thing. So she said these two are the best huh?" Jake took them from Jason's hands.

"Yeah."

"Well let's have a look."

Alison leaned over Jake's shoulder and read the information as well. Both had impeccable reputations and either would have been a good choice for Jake's recovery. "This one is near me in Texas," she declared. "I've heard some wonderful things about it. They have a lot of one on one interaction between therapist and patient not to mention that a lot of what they do is on an out patient basis, see." She showed Jake several paragraphs dedicated to that program.

"Out patient? So you are saying I could go home each night and not be stuck in another place like this one?"

"If you want. You could stay with me. There is more than enough room for you. I know how much you love hospitals Jake," she joked with sarcasm in her tone. "I'll bet your recovery would be much quicker without the anxiety of being cooped up in a hospital like setting."

Jake liked the sounds of a quicker recovery. Anything that would get him back out on the track with Jason sooner rather than later – well he was all for that.

"You can't be serious?" Jason said finally speaking directly to his mother for the first time. "You really think you can walk in here and whisk him away like I'm not even here?"

"That's not what I am doing Jason."

"The hell you aren't! That's exactly what you are doing."

"I'm only trying to think of Jake's welfare."

Jason let out a low laugh that almost sounded like a growl at that statement. "Who are you kidding mom? The only welfare you think of is your own! You aren't really considering going with her are you?" Jason asked wanting to already know what the answer would be.

"An out patient program would be the way to go. The sooner I am back on my feet the sooner I can get back here to you and Tom."

Jason knew what Jake was alluding to without his even saying it. He was still thinking about Jason's career. "What about the facility that's here in Charlotte?" Jason picked up the other remaining brochure that Elizabeth had suggested as being another good candidate. "Maybe they have a similar program."

"I would like to check out what the place in Texas has to offer, Jas." Jake hated to see the disbelief and pain wash across Jason's face. It killed him only imagining what the young man had to be thinking.

"If that's what you want," he relented. He saw the smile the ebbed across his mother's lips. To him it was a smile of victory – like she had won some elusive prize out of most people's reach.

"Mr. Russell," a voice spoke stopping Jason from saying something to his mother he would have regretted. "It's time for your EKG. He should be back in his room in an hour or so," the girl said to his visitors.

"I'll be back later," Jason said making a hasty exit from the room. His mind was reeling. Jake was going to Texas to live with of all people – his mother. It was six years later and Alison Morgan still had the ability to turn his life topsy-turvy.

Elizabeth jumped when the large wrench that Leo had just thrown across the garage made a thunderous crash against the wall. "Damn it!" he growled wondering again why he just didn't up and leave Ryan Racing already. Silently she stood in the shadow of the large garage door watching her friend and trying to decide what if anything she could say to him. It was evident how unhappy he was and she hated that – hated that Billy had some magic spell cast over her father so, as Pat Ryan couldn't see the menace right before him.

Leo felt eyes trained on his back and turned to see who was staring at him. "Two times in one week – what do I owe the honor?" Leo asked when his eyes adjusted enough to recognize the figure standing against the impending sunset was Elizabeth.

Elizabeth ignored his obvious dig about the lack of time she had been spending at the Ryan garage and practice track. She could tell from the expression on his face that Leo was aggravated and when that happened he usually let the agitation spill over to anyone near. "Having some trouble?" she asked ignoring his remark and coming closer to survey what he was trying to rectify with the frame of his green machine.

"Damn frame's bent. If it was Billy's intention to keep me out the race and hell the next qualifier for that matter he was successful!"

Elizabeth leaned in and got a better look at the black tubing that made up the framework of the chassis. She saw how badly bent the front end was to the left – bad enough that it would have to be torched off and an entire new piece welded back in place. Elizabeth knew it could be done but not without it being a hell of a lot of time and work. "It looks like you have some issues in the rear too," she mentioned as her eyes scanned the rear of the car. "Not as bad but they will still need to be addressed."

Leo's gaze joined Elizabeth's to the spot when he and Jason Morgan had collided. "It's a god damn mess!" To Elizabeth Leo sounded defeated and that very much bothered her.

"It can be fixed, Leo." She tried to reassure him.

"I know," he reluctantly agreed. "You want to help me?" he tried again to get his friend to join him.

Elizabeth almost said yes but the sound of Billy's voice in the distance stopped her. The idea of being at the garage with even the remote chance of running into her ex day in and day out was an idea that Elizabeth couldn't wrap her mind around. She hated herself for allowing Billy to have that much control over her still and even more when she looked into Leo's eyes and had to deny the guy whom was like a brother to her. "I don't think so."

He hadn't been surprised by her reply. As a matter a fact had she said yes Leo probably would have passed out from the sheer shock of it. "I understand," he said even though there was a big part of him that didn't but the sight of Billy Weston passing by the garage made her answer make a little bit of sense. It was funny to see Weston walking around as though he was the one who was Pat Ryan's family when the man's only daughter felt like an outsider.

"I'm sorry," she commented.

"Don't be."

Before Leo could broach the subject of Elizabeth finally putting Billy in his rightful place Melanie King entered the garage. The young red head stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Elizabeth standing with Leo Jorgenson. She let out an exasperated groan. She should have known something was up when Elizabeth told her to meet her at the Ryan practice track – a place the petite brunette vowed was off limits since she and Billy had broken up months ago.

Her friend had been none to shy about what a great guy she thought Leo was and how he and she would make a super couple if Melanie could get out of her own way and see it. She wasn't above admitting that Leo was certainly easy on the eyes and for all intents and purposes he seemed like a great guy who looked out for Elizabeth like a little sister. But Melanie just couldn't let herself fall again – since every time she did it ended badly – very badly.

"Elizabeth Ryan where do you think you're going?" Melanie said as her friend excused herself to make a hasty exit from the garage. "Elizabeth!" she called out. If she hadn't been so mad she would have let out a giggle that matched the one she heard escaping Elizabeth's mouth as she retreated leaving behind Leo, Melanie and all thoughts of Billy.

Leo turned and looked at the attractive red head giving her a mischievous smile. "Guess we've been had," he said.

"Apparently so," Melanie said tapping her foot looking for a way to make her own swift departure.