The sounds coming from the garage just beyond his door should have been a distraction for Pat Ryan but they weren't. The only thing that he could think about and had been thinking about for more than a week now was his daughter and driver, Jason Morgan. The pair occupied every crack and crevasse of his mind. While none of the rumors he had heard about them being a true couple had been confirmed, he had seen with his own eyes how much time the two had been spending together. That coupled with his suspicions about Elizabeth's unexpected trip being more about Morgan than work as she claimed only fueled his thoughts.

Pat covered his face with his hands and tried to put together some logical thoughts for it all. That was difficult at best since the sudden change in his daughter's demeanor didn't make much sense to him. In fact it didn't make any. She supposedly left Billy claiming that he had to choose between her and the track but there she was smack in the middle of the racing circuit all over again. It hadn't been lost on Pat that Elizabeth's presence at the track had been increasing over the past months and that that coincided exactly around the time, that as a favor for once friend Jake Russell, he had taken Morgan onto his team.

Pat pulled out the latest NASCAR statistics report and was pleased with what he saw. Team Ryan was doing exceptionally well. Not only were Billy and Jason in the top seven ranks Leo had hit the twelfth spot, something he hadn't done in some time. And smattered between twelfth and twenty-fifth place there were at least three more drivers from his team. It was a record season for Ryan Racing and Pat couldn't help but wonder how much Jason Morgan had to do with that. He couldn't deny that the young man was a top notch driver. He had innate ability for zooming around the track and reading each and every situation to his advantage – usually the winning advantage. But Pat had to admit there was more to Jason than just his stellar driving abilities. He had a charisma that drew people to him, perhaps that's what was happening with Elizabeth, Pat thought. Yet even for all his charisma Jason wasn't a prima donna. He was as down to earth as his now absentee crew chief. He was willing to jump in and help another driver whether it be on the practice track or under the hood of his car. Pat had watched that happen time and time again to his own amazement. That was something that back in his hay day he would have never done. His philosophy had been egocentric, and it was the same still to this day but according to Pat it was justified and showed in his team's winning record.

Pat laid the report on his desk and leaned back in his chair. His mind still very much focused on the effect his daughter had the potential to induce on Morgan. He couldn't help but wonder just would happen if Elizabeth offered up the same ultimatum to Jason as she had Billy. Would he stand his ground as Weston had or would he let his affections for her cloud his good judgment and give it all up. In all honesty Pat didn't know the answer and he feared finding out. Yet he had an even bigger fear and that was what would happen when Jake Russell returned. Pat knew that it wouldn't be long before Jason's mentor and friend would be making his reappearance and that signaled a significant loss for his team unless perhaps Morgan's obvious fondness for his daughter could be used to Pat's advantage. It was sort of a double edged sword as far as he was concerned. In many ways it could backfire on him but yet in others it could give him exactly what he wanted.

Pat gave his body a stretch and stood up hoping a walk around the practice track would clear his head. He needed to tread lightly when it came to both Elizabeth and Jason and Pat Ryan wasn't known for his soft touch. As he rounded the corner of open garage door he shielded his eyes from the bright afternoon sun and as his eyes readjusted to the light the sight of his daughter and Jason huddled close together, heads buried in the engine compartment of his car came into view. So much for clearing his mind, he thought. What he really needed were some answers and the only person he could get them from was his daughter. Baring that thought in mind, Pat made his way to where the pair were standing.

Elizabeth leaned in to get a better look at the vacuum line Jason was having trouble with. They were so close in fact that their heads were nearly touching. She was having a difficult time concentrating on his words when all she was consumed with was their closeness and the musky smell of his cologne. "I'm not sure if it's split or not," she finally was able to say.

"I know neither can I that's why I was hoping you might be able to. It has to be it though cause the brakes just don't feel right to me," Jason said thinking about how easily the brake pedal went to the floor the other day when he had taken his practice run through with Leo. "I had Leo look but he couldn't see anything either."

"I hate this," she announced. "Sometimes it's like looking for a needle in a haystack." She and Leo had spent countless hours searching for one problem or another when it came to the different vacuum lines in his car. The crack was never in plain sight it was always hidden behind one thing or another.

"I'm just going to replace the line," Jason stated feeling it was better to be safe than sorry. The last thing he needed was his brakes giving out on him during a race.

"Probably for the best," she agreed.

"Elizabeth." Pat Ryan's voice startled them both. "I'd like to talk to you."

She turned around and gave her father a bewildered look. She and her dad had turned avoiding one another into an art form of such so to have him standing before her wanting to talk – well she knew that wasn't a good sign. "I'm a busy right now," she answered finally. The last thing she wanted to do was talk to her father.

Pat held his tongue for a minute knowing that losing his temper would work against him in getting what he wanted – some straight answers from his daughter. "I can see that, but what I need to discuss won't take long."

Jason stood back watching the pair and wondered if this is what he and his mother looked like to the on looking observer. It bothered him how tense Elizabeth now appeared. Her hands were clenched in tight fists at her sides and her posture had noticeably changed at least it had from where Jason was standing. Yet looking at her father he either didn't notice or didn't care that his own daughter didn't want to speak to him.

"Neither will this. I'll come find you when we are finished here," she countered knowing full well that if he agreed she wouldn't be looking for him when she and Jason finished with his car.

"Elizabeth," Pat's voice took on a stern tone. "I need to talk to you."

"Then talk," she retorted hoping she knew her father well enough to know that whatever he wanted to discuss he wouldn't do it out in the open.

"In private – no offense, Jason," he said turning to his driver not wanting to alienate him in the process of finding out what he needed to know.

Jason said not a word but rather waited for Elizabeth's response. In all honesty all he cared about was her he could have given a rat's ass as to what Pat Ryan did or didn't want. As far as Jason was concerned he'd follow Elizabeth's lead whatever that might have been.

"Whatever, fine," she huffed realizing that her dad wasn't about to give up for whatever reason. "I'll be right back. I'm sure this won't take long."

"You know where to find me," Jason said giving Pat Ryan a strange look before the older man and his daughter walked away.

"What was so all fired important?" Elizabeth asked when they were safely back inside the garage.

"I think you already know."

Elizabeth closed her eyes, shook her head and let out a heavy sigh her father and his games. "No I don't," she stated harshly.

"You never told me how your business trip went. Was it successful?"

Elizabeth pulled back giving him a look as if he had just grown a second head. He never asked much less cared about her work at the hospital and she found it a little peculiar that he suddenly was asking now. "It was fine and since when do you care?" she questioned pulling no punches.

"It just seemed odd the way you left so suddenly. I thought perhaps it was some sort of emergency with the hospital and since I am on the board…"

"It wasn't an emergency," she cut him off. "Just something that required my attention. Is that all you wanted to know?" she asked as an odd feeling came over her when it came to her father's line of questioning.

"No, there's one other thing. I find it a bit strange that both you and Morgan happened to be out of town at the same time. Odd isn't it?"

"What, are you policing your driver's moves now?" Elizabeth instantly felt on edge finally grasping where Pat was going with his questions. "So what if we were out of town around the same time? Is that some sort of crime I'm unaware of?" she scoffed without ever answering his remark directly.

"That depends really."

"Depends on what?"

"If you plan on trying to make Jason choose between you and his career the way you did with Billy. I mean I wouldn't think you would want to tempt fate twice seeing as how well it worked out for you the first time," Pat's biting tongue took Elizabeth a back for a second. His harsh comments ripped open a scarcely healed wound.

"Oh my God, I can't believe you!" she finally whispered as she heard her own rapid heart beat thumping in her ears.

"Well you can't blame me for asking," he said defending his actions. "Do you realize that if Billy had caved into your demands what I could have lost? I'm worried however that if you pose the same question to Morgan I won't be as lucky. If you think you are hiding your little tryst from the team you are sadly mistaken."

"Tryst?" Elizabeth had difficulty even letting that word pass over her lips. The last thing she would call what was taking place between her and Jason would be a tryst. "You bastard. That's always what it comes down to for you – what's best for the mighty Pat Ryan! The rest of the world be damned right daddy?" Sarcasm dripped from the word daddy the minute it left Elizabeth's tongue.

"All I am looking for is a straight answer Elizabeth. What are your intentions towards Morgan?"

There was that damned question again – the question that Jason's mother had posed to her not so long ago. And even though she was much closer to having an answer now the last thing she was about to do was tell her father.

"What do you have against me girl? What did I ever do to you to make you want to ruin what I have built here?"

Elizabeth looked at him with disbelief in her eyes and began laughing uncontrollably. How was she supposed to even answer that question?

"What's so funny?" Pat asked.

"You are! How can you stand there with a straight face and ask me that? I'd be careful daddy you might not like the answer that you get. How far back do you want me to go? Would you like me to start when I was a little how I craved your attention, how all I ever wanted from you was a little of your time but you wouldn't give an inch. So there I was shuffled from nanny to nanny. I cried myself to sleep every night you were away at one race or another and I cried even harder on the nights you were home and too busy to even bother to come in from the track to kiss me good night." Elizabeth heard her voice crack and knew that she should stop but found that she couldn't. It was like her father's absurd questions opened a flood gate within her.

"You said you understood," he countered.

"What's a seven year supposed to say! And would it have mattered if I said I didn't? You showed me over and over again that I was nothing but some trophy that you trotted out when you wanted to play the doting father. And stupid me lapped it up. I tried like hell to be a part of your world so that you would see me – that I would matter. And now you're using that against me! You're throwing my love of racing and being friends with your drivers, the only friends I've ever really had, up in my face!" Elizabeth shouted.

"This has nothing to do with you being friends with Morgan. It's a lot more than that and you and I both know it. I can't risk the chance that you could blow this opportunity for my team."

Elizabeth stood there feeling as though she had just been sucker punched. Deep down she had always known what an uncaring man her father was but suddenly starring that man square in the face was more than she could handle. "I've been told what a loving woman my mother was but god she had to have been a saint to love an ass like you!" Before Elizabeth could stop them her words were consumed by sobs and for the first time in years Pat Ryan watched his daughter cry before him. Realizing what she was doing Elizabeth turned and ran from the garage tears streaming down her porcelain cheeks.

Jason looked up from what he was doing just in time to see the flash of Elizabeth's frame heading towards the infield. He didn't have to see her face to know she was crying. He turned and stared back at the garage but couldn't catch a glimpse of Pat Ryan. Maybe that was a good thing because at the moment he wasn't sure if he could control himself enough to remain calm around the man who had made Elizabeth cry. Quickly wiping his hands on a rag, he headed off after her.