In an effort to keep up with Jason's lengthy stride Elizabeth took the stone steps two by two calling after him repeatedly. Yet those calls were met with silence and a resounding thud when he slammed the door to the cherry black Mustang that sat gleaming in the bright Texas sunshine.

"Jason, what happened?" she said climbing into the bucket seat short of breath from her near sprint to the car. "What did Jake say?" In the back of her mind Elizabeth still wasn't ready to believe that Jake had confirmed Jason's worst fears. "Jason," she said again when he continued starring straight ahead without acknowledging her presence or questions.

Elizabeth kept her eyes trained on him as he clumsily forced the key into the ignition. A second later the engine roared to life and the exhaust let out a throaty howl as Jason quickly shifted from reverse through second gear without skipping a beat. She found herself sitting in the passenger seat as the quiet streets that had led them to Alison's house sped past them at an alarming rate never once taking her eyes off of Jason. She could see the large vein in his neck pulsate and the tightness in his jaw was more than evident. "Jason," she tried again to get his attention. "What did Jake tell you about your dad's accident?" Still silence was the only response that she received from him.

Jason knew Elizabeth was talking to him but his was making his best effort to tune her out. He knew she wanted him to tell her what Jake had said. He knew that she wanted him to say that everything was okay – that he hadn't been responsible for his dad's death but he couldn't do that, no matter what Jake had said. Deep down Jason knew the truth and no amount of Jake's wanting to protect him from it would change that. In Jason's mind there was no way he wasn't responsible. The simple fact that Jake had buried the NASCAR report all those years before and never ever mentioned the cause of the accident proved it all for Jason in spades.

As he continued driving through the streets without any clue where he was taking them, Jason could hear Elizabeth's voice in the background of his thoughts as she continued to no avail to get him to talk about what happened back in his mother's living room. And while he couldn't bring himself to speak to her about it that's all he could think about and how much he wanted to believe Jake when he said he hadn't be the reason his father died. For Jason to live with himself he needed to believe that yet there was a bigger part of his brain that wouldn't allow it to happen since he knew how much Jake loved him – loved him like his own son. All Jason could imagine was that the older man's only thought was to protect him from himself – from what he had done. So there Jason sat driving around two factions of himself at war with one another. His heart so desperately wanting to believe Jake to take the man who had picked up the broken pieces of Jason's life and showed him how to go on at his word however his head would have none of it. All his head could concentrate on was the black and white facts that the file from Jake's office told him – facts that laid the blame for Erik Morgan's crash at his feet.

"So what you think this report says you're responsible? Show me please – where on earth does it say through Jason Morgan's careless actions Erik Morgan died? SHOW ME! It doesn't! It doesn't say anything of the sort and it shouldn't since you AREN'T responsible for what happened to Erik's car."

Jake's voice forced its way into Jason's thoughts again. It played itself over and over again like a skipping record yet it wasn't drowning out the voice of Jason's own conscious. That voice took center stage almost taunting him to the point of madness. Coming to Texas had been a mistake. All of it – facing his mother now knowing what he had done, expecting Jake to tell him the truth – it had been a big mistake. He was about to correct it though.

"Jason, where are we going?" Elizabeth asked as he turned sharply onto the interstate.

"Home."

"Home? What do you mean home?"

"We're going home," he said again looking at her as if she should have understood the first time he said it.

"We can't go home," she stressed. Obviously his talk with Jake had resolved not a single thing in Jason's mind and she wasn't about to let him just leave.

"The hell we can't. I'm done here."

"Are you?" she countered. "So you are telling that Jake indeed told you that you're responsible for your dad's accident?"

"It's more like what he didn't say."

"Jason, you aren't making any sense."

"How's this for sense then?" Waiting for the red light overhead to turn green Jason finally turned and looked at her. Easily Elizabeth saw the tortured look behind his steely eyes. "I killed my father. Something I did caused his crash and Jake knew about it for all these years and never once thought it important enough to tell me. He let me build a life on the track and doing it all in my dad's name. What a joke that is. I look like a fool and I'm done. Done with it all. When we get back to Charlotte I'm telling your father I'm quitting. I don't care if I ever race again!"

Elizabeth took a deep breath after Jason finished his rather heated declaration. She wasn't even sure what to say to that except that she still needed to hear Jason tell her that Jake said he had been responsible. "So Jake told you that the letter you got was true. That you made Erik's car spin out of control?" Elizabeth pressed.

"Leave this alone, Elizabeth," Jason said harshly as he turned off at exit for the airport. "Just leave it alone already."

She crossed her arms over her chest the wheels in her head spinning. The last thing she was about to do was leave this alone.

"So when do we leave?" she asked as Jason approached where she sat in one of the hard plastic blue chairs adjacent to the ticket counter. She had given up on trying to get Jason to change his mind about going home that afternoon. She was beginning to realize that when he wanted to he could be just as stubborn as she and that revelation was rather annoying for her.

"We don't," he answered exasperated over the thirty minute conversation he had just had with the women behind the counter.

"Why not?" Elizabeth asked all the while smiling inwardly. The man upstairs for once answered her prayers since she knew they needed to stay – that Jason needed to stay and face all of this.

"There isn't a single seat available on any flight. I have us on stand-by for tomorrow," he announced.

"Looks like we are staying then?" she stated trying not to sound smug.

"Don't get any ideas," he said. "I'm not calling Jake. We'll just have to find a hotel."

"That's fine." She cared very little if they stayed with Jake and Alison. In reality she wouldn't have been anymore comfortable doing that than Jason was but she was glad to have the extra time in Texas to try to get Jason to talk to Jake again.

"The girl gave me a list of a couple of local hotels for us to try."

"Can I see?"

"Here," he handed over the small slip of paper.

"They all look to be in the downtown area. Do I navigate and you drive?" Elizabeth asked knowing that given Jason's mood she wasn't going to be able to distract him as she had when they arrived earlier by attempting to get him to let her drive.

"Sure, whatever," he returned absently.

"I hope we have better luck here," Elizabeth announced as both she and Jason exited their tiny sports car. This would make hotel number five on their stop. The previous four were booked solid and have been for months. Apparently it was time for the annual Oil Barren's Conference and there wasn't a hotel room to be had in the entire state of Texas it seemed.

"May I help you?" an older gentlemen dressed in a dark green blazer asked from behind the counter.

"Yes, were looking for a room, two rooms actually," Jason answered.

Quickly the man went to work at the computer terminal before him while Elizabeth and Jason waited wearily. The day's events had put a strain on them both. "Is there a problem?" Jason asked as he watched the man studying the screen.

"That depends."

"On what?"

"Well this is quite a busy week for us given …"

"I know I know," Jason huffed his exhaustion getting the better of him. "the Oil Barren's Conference. Do you have rooms for us or not?"

"I only have one available room not two," the man explained.

Jason turned and looked at Elizabeth who just shrugged her shoulders. At this point it was getting late, she was tired, hungry and in desperate need of a shower. "Two beds?" Jason asked turning back to the desk clerk.

"Two double beds," he confirmed.

"We'll take it."

"Fine, sir."

Elizabeth stayed at the counter collecting their key card while Jason headed back to the car to get their bags. "We are in room 318," she told him when he appeared again through the sliding glass doors. "I'll take that." She reached for her paisley overnight bag that hung precariously off of Jason's shoulder.

Slipping the key card into the slot in the door and waiting for the green light to illuminate the two of them entered the modest room, it contained two double beds on one wall with a credenza and television across from them. There was a place to hang their things and a bathroom.

"Are you hungry? I'm starved," Elizabeth said picking up several pamphlets for a few of the local restaurants in the area.

"I could eat," Jason agreed as he opened his suitcase rummaging through it.

"You in the mood for anything in particular?"

"Whatever you want," he said not really caring what they ate a large part of his mind still stuck on the events of the day.

"This place doesn't look bad. It reminds me of The Iron Grille back home. The Iron Grille was a steakhouse chain local to the Carolina region. "What do you think?" she asked offering him a look at the brochure.

"Where ever you want is fine, Elizabeth."

"Okay well then this is the place. It's only a mile or two up the road. You want to shower first?"

"Not really," he said as he continued placing his attention on the contents of his suitcase. He was doing just about anything not to have to look at her. He knew her well enough by now that even though she hadn't mentioned Jake for sometime now she wasn't just going to let it all go. He was sure that sooner rather than later she would be hard on him about it again.

"Okay. I'm ready if you are then."

"Sure." Jason picked up the key card to the room slipped it in his wallet and followed her out the door.

Elizabeth surprised Jason that throughout dinner she nary said a word about Jake, why they were even in Texas or his declaration about quitting racing. She sat there making normal conversation about her job, her plans for coupling Melanie and Leo any and all things that had nothing at all to do with racing, Jake or his father's accident. By the end of their meal Jason found himself relaxing just a bit. She had even been successful in getting him to laugh at some crazy commercial that could have only been native to the Texas area.

"Thank you," he said as he opened the door to their room ushering her in before him.

"For what?" she asked giving him a quizzing look.

"For a nice evening."

"I didn't do anything special," she said.

"Maybe not but thanks anyhow."

"You're welcome," she smiled glad now that she had decided against pressing him further about his interaction with Jake.

"You want the shower first?" he questioned.

"You know I don't think so. I'm too tired right now. I'll grab one in the morning."

"Okay then I think I'll take one now."

"Hey do you mind if I just wash my face first?"

"Sure go ahead."

Jason watched as she dug through her stuff coming out with several bottles and sponges that he had no idea what their uses even were. "I'll only be a minute. Oh wait," she mumbled turning around and grabbing her night clothes from another bag. Jason laughed as she continued muttering to herself as she entered the bathroom closing the door behind her.

The sound of Elizabeth's humming filtered through the wafer thin bathroom door. Jason found himself smiling again as he listened to her. He still was unable to believe that she was a part of his life. That she had traveled half way across the country with him and that he was sharing a hotel room with her no less. It seemed unfathomable. For just a little while he let himself think on that rather than the other thoughts that seemed to have a strangle hold over him.

"Bathroom's all yours," she said emerging face scrubbed clean.

Looking at her Jason thought she was even more beautiful without make-up not that she even wore all that much to begin with. "Thanks," he said trying not to stare at her. She looked incredible standing there in her baby pink lounge pants and tiny tee shirt that barely covered her midriff. It didn't help matters that in hot pinks letters the words 'bad girl' were slashed across the center of the shirt.

By the time Jason emerged from the bathroom Elizabeth was snuggled deep under the covers engrossed in some made for television movie. "Feel better?" she asked when Jason's image broke the plain of screen.

"Uh huh," he replied dropping his shaving kit into his suitcase.

Elizabeth took advantage of his back being toward her to study him for a minute. His hair was still damp from the shower and even from across the room his scent – a mixture of clean and spicy filled her nostrils. His tight white tee shirt hugged his body allowing her a clear image of his strong back and his dark gray jogging pants hung just below his hips. Instantly Elizabeth felt the need to remove a few layers of blankets from her body but she resisted the urge.

"What are you watching?" he questioned as he propped himself up in the bed beside hers.

"A chick flick I'm sure you have no interest in watching," she answered thoroughly glad for the distraction his question offered.

"Chick flick huh? Where's the remote?" he joked.

Not sure what possessed her but Elizabeth found herself suddenly standing on her bed waving the television remote high in the air. "You really think that's going to stop me?" Jason laughed standing up and reaching upward for the remote. His long arms brought his fingers within inches of where Elizabeth held it high over her head. She didn't answer him and began dancing around the bed trying to keep his long reach away from the desired object. Giggling she darted right and left and from the floor Jason attempted to anticipate which direction she would take next.

"Nah-nah-nah!" she laughed as she thwarted each try he made for the remote. If she hadn't been so full of herself she would have taken note that her feet were slowly getting tangled in the comforter yet that wasn't the case and before she knew what was happening Elizabeth felt herself falling unable to stop landing squarely in Jason's muscular arms.

"You okay?" he asked as he held her against his body. He felt his heart rate quicken and was glad he had their game of keep away to blame it on even though he knew it had nothing at all to do with that and much more to with having Elizabeth's petite body wrapped up in his arms.

"Yeah, stupid but fine," she said feeling more than a little embarrassed. She felt herself blushing as Jason placed her gently on the floor her feet sinking into the plush carpet. "I guess that means you won this fair and square," she remarked handing over the remote. The minute their fingers touch their eyes locked momentarily and for a second both of them felt a surge of electricity pulse through them. Elizabeth forced herself not to shiver when Jason's hand lingered in hers for a moment longer.

"Yeah I guess so," he agreed finally taking his hand away.

Both of them stood awkwardly neither knowing what to do or say next. "It wasn't that great of a movie anyhow and besides it's getting late. I'm going to turn in."

"Okay."

He watched as she straightened out the disshelved mass of blankets on her bed and crawled beneath them. A part of him so desperately wanted to join her yet he stayed on his own bed. "Night Elizabeth," he said turning off the bedside lamps leaving only the faint blue of the television screen to illuminate the room.

"Night Jason."