Melanie had been up with the sun, if she had slept at all. The thought of Billy Weston trying to worm his way back into Elizabeth's life had her coming unglued. If she could have taken the man out herself months ago she would have. She hadn't been able to reach Leo by phone last night and as of yet he still hadn't returned her half a dozen voice mails. So this morning she showered quickly and set off for the only place she was certain he would be – the Ryan practice track.

As she pulled into a vacant parking spot, Melanie tried to order her thoughts. The sudden remorseful Billy that had professed his regret for what had happened in his relationship with Liz coupled with the odd exchange she had witnessed between him and Tom – well for Melanie they just didn't add up.

Lost in her own contemplation Melanie totally missed Elizabeth sitting on the hood of her car. Yet the sight of Melanie King hadn't been lost on Elizabeth. Her presence there, especially since she hadn't called her, had the wheels in Elizabeth's head spinning. "Hey," Elizabeth shouted.

Melanie's head shot up at the sound of her best friend's voice. "Oh shit," she mumbled trying to duck between the cars as if that would make her suddenly invisible.

"Oh I don't think so!" Elizabeth announced leaping off her hood trailing after her intended target. "Hey!" she shouted again.

Knowing escaping was a lost cause, Melanie turned around faining surprise. "Liz, oh hey I didn't see you."

"You can do better than that," Elizabeth returned smugly.

"What?"

"What are you doing here?" Elizabeth asked not even bothering to acknowledge the shock in her friend's voice.

"Looking for you."

"Oh really? You want to try again. What are you doing here?" she asked feeling she already knew the answer.

"No seriously, I was looking for you," Melanie stressed.

"I don't think so. You are here looking for someone but it's most definitely NOT me! But I think I know who it is," Elizabeth said assuredly.

"I wanted to be sure that Billy's little show yesterday didn't mess with your head so much that you came looking for him to accept his offer of friendship," Melanie said with disgust in her voice.

"Well that's a little more believable, I guess. But I still don't think that's why you are here. I'm pretty sure it's about one of my dad's drivers but it sure the hell isn't Billy."

Melanie let out a defeated groan. Elizabeth wasn't about to let this go and she knew it. "Okay, so what if I am here to see Leo?"

"I KNEW IT!" Elizabeth squealed. "I KNEW IT!" Melanie rolled her eyes despising having given her friend that much ammunition. "You and Leo huh? How long did you think you two could hide from me?"

"Hide from you? What are you talking about, Liz?"

"You know what I am talking about. You are just too stubborn to admit that I was right and that you and Leo are perfect for one another."

"Whoa – whoa back up a minute. No one said anything about Leo and me dating much less being perfect for one another!" Melanie felt her stomach flip end over end. She couldn't – wouldn't allow herself to think those thoughts. When she and Leo finished their little plan for Jason and Liz they would part company and her life would go back to normal. It would go back to not including a man on any level.

"Would you quit being so damn stubborn and just admit that you are attracted to him?"

"If I admit that would you leave this alone then?" Melanie almost begged.

"Maybe," Elizabeth said with a wily smile.

Melanie knew better. If she dared to give Elizabeth even that one tiny omission she would never stop pushing her and Leo together. "Well sorry I can't be of service."

"I don't care what you say. I know I am right…."

"Right about what?" Jason asked coming up from behind the pair.

"Nothing," Melanie quickly interjected.

"That she and Leo would make a great couple. They're perfect for each other!"

Jason snickered almost feeling sorry for Melanie and Leo for that matter. He had heard Elizabeth's thoughts on how her two best friends couldn't be more right for one another. "Maybe you should let them make up their own minds," he suggested as he leaned in kissing her softly on the cheek. "Sorry I took so long," he added

"Thank you," Melanie said quickly before she realized what she had just saw happen. Jason had just kissed Liz and she let him. She wondered if her eyes were bulging. "Can we say pot calling the kettle black?" she scoffed waving her hands toward the two of them. "So how do you like it – seems I was right all along too!"

Elizabeth blushed as Jason tangled his fingers with hers. "I for one am glad you were right." He looked at Elizabeth and smiled feeling completely comfortable.

"So do I get to drive again?" Elizabeth asked turning to Jason completely trying to ignore Melanie's cocky grin.

"Sure."

"Not so much fun in the hot seat now is it?" Melanie jabbed. "Maybe next time you will remember that! And I'm glad I was RIGHT!" she shouted after them completely thrilled for her friend.

Melanie watched as they headed off to the practice track and then began her search for Leo. Happily she found him alone in the garage looking over a stack of papers. "Hey, don't you return phone calls?"

"What?" Leo looked up surprised to see her standing in front of him.

"I said don't you return phone calls? I must have left you a dozen messages. What the hell are we going to do with Billy?"

"Wait a sec, Billy? What do you mean what are we going to do with Billy?"

"Didn't you get my messages?" Melanie asked annoyed now.

"Sorry phone died a couple days back and I haven't gotten a chance to get another one. So no I didn't get your messages. What are you talking about now?" The mention of Weston had Leo on full alert.

"Guess who I found in Liz's office yesterday?"

"I am guessing from the sounds of it Weston." Leo felt his blood begin to boil. "What the hell was he doing there?"

"Get this, telling her he was sorry and that he wanted them to try to be friends again."

"WHAT!?" Leo's voice thundered bouncing off the metal garage walls.

"Yeah, exactly – he told her that if he could go back and change that night so they could still be together he would. Can you believe that?"

Leo balled his hands into tight fists trying to get a grip on his raging emotions. "Please tell me she didn't fall for that shit?" he asked fearing the worst. He had watched Elizabeth basically crawl into a hole after finding Billy in bed with Theresa. Her life had been turned upside down because of that event and as much as Leo hated to admit it he knew that there was a time that she would have taken Billy back in a heart beat if he had said those words to her.

"She said she wasn't buying it. But man Leo I just remember how bad off she was when that all went down."

"I know. So do I."

"What the hell does Weston think to accomplish by suddenly changing his tune," he wondered aloud.

"I don't know but another weird thing is him and Tom looking all buddy buddy chatting it up. What the hell is that all about?"

"I don't know," Leo had his suspicions but he hadn't been able to act on them just yet.

"Is Billy that scared of Jason as a driver?" Melanie questioned.

"Hell yeah! Billy knows that Pat's all about the winner's circle and as you can see Jason's been pretty dominate when it comes to that. I'd say Billy is running scared – big time."

Leo was less concerned about Billy's steps toward Tom. He was pretty sure where Tom's loyalty lied. Jason had nothing but great things to say about his mechanic and friend. Leo imagined that when it came to Tom Billy was barking up the wrong tree. However the idea that Billy was even remotely sniffing around Liz again had him seeing red. Leo never really liked Billy but for Liz he tolerated him but after he had broken her heart Leo actually hated the man. The day that he found Liz crying over it all his intention was to go beat the living hell out of him. But Elizabeth wouldn't allow it. She already had formulated her own plan and it was one that basically let Billy Weston off scott free. Leo wasn't about to let Billy get away with messing with Liz all over again.

"So what are we going to do about Billy?" Melanie's question forced Leo back to the present.

"Theresa's been sniffing around Jason too. I found her coming out of the garage the other day… …"

"WHAT!?" It was now Melanie's turn to have her blood boil. "That skanky bitch! She's always been after anything that is Elizabeth's. Hell she'd probably offer to be Pat's daughter if she thought there was something in it for her. I can't believe that she had the nerve to even think she could – man let me tell you what if Jason so much as even thinks – I'll cut his nuts off myself!"

"Hey now," Leo laughed suddenly protecting his own manhood from her tirade.

"Well I will!"

"Please don't harm the boy," Leo laughed. "I already had a chat with him about Theresa Kennedy. He's not even remotely interested in her. Hell, he could see her kind coming from a mile away. According to him he's quite happy belonging to Liz."

"Just warn him that if he even thinks about messin' with Liz he's going to have to answer to me and it's not going to be pretty. I'd like to rip every hair out of Thereas' head. That bitch!"

Leo felt a smile spread across his lips as Melanie continued to rant on and on about Theresa Kennedy. His heart swelled knowing the she had as much loyalty for Elizabeth as he did. Without warning his strong arms reached out and pulled her against him where his lips found hers easily. Taken by surprise at first Melanie found herself allowing the kiss to deepen getting lost in Leo's heady scent. She enjoyed the way his arms felt holding her tight and the way his lips crushed hers. But as quickly as he had taken her in his arms was just as quickly as her senses returned to her. Abruptly she pulled back giving him a bewildered look before taking off running.