Jason picked up a wrench from the padded mat draped over the front fender of his racecar and buried his head deep in the engine compartment. He was going over his mental checklist for the millionth time now but he had very little to do these last two weeks other than busy himself with his racecar. Elizabeth had all but gone into hiding and no amount of calls or texts from him, Leo or Melanie had coaxed her to the surface.

Jason felt his chest constrict slightly thinking about how much he missed her. Never before had someone come into his life and had such a profound effect on him as she had and the emptiness her absence caused him was overwhelming.

"Hey!" Tom's booming voice echoed throughout the stillness of the garage. "You see this yet?" he asked waving a paper high above his head.

Jason barely turned his head to acknowledge his friend's presence. He just wasn't in the mood to be concerned with whatever Tom wanted to talk about. "No."

"Well if you'd bothered to come to the team meeting you would have."

"Busy," Jason offered.

Tom ignored his friend's obvious uninterested tone and dropped the paper he had been carrying in front of Jason. "Aren't you even going to look at it?" Tom pressed.

"Yeah, so," Jason said as he glanced that the page.

"You're third in the point standings!"

"Yeah."

Tom was floored by Jason's lack of enthusiasm in fact it flabbergasted him. Normally news like this would have been cause for celebration. "I don't get it. We should be out celebrating."

Celebrating was the last thing that Jason felt like doing. That wasn't entirely true had circumstances been different celebrating would have been exactly what he would have been doing, but without Elizabeth he just didn't see the point. "We haven't won yet," he announced.

"Are you kidding?" Tom pulled back and finally took a good look at his best friend. He looked miserable. The fact that he hadn't seen Elizabeth around the garage in weeks hadn't been lost on Tom. He wanted to feel bad for Jason but there was a part of him, a bigger part that was enjoying every minute of his misery.

"If that's all you wanted, I need to get back to work," Jason said flatly.

"Whatever," Tom said letting the point standings paper drop to the floor as he exited the garage.

Leo looked around as the other drivers and their pit crews began to disburse at the end of the team meeting. Jason was nowhere to be found. Leo was pretty sure he knew where to find his friend, hidden away in one of the Ryan garages. "This is ridiculous!" he said aloud. He had had enough of both his friends' idiotic behavior. Enough is enough he thought pulling out his cell phone from his pocket. "Melanie," he said, "It's time we take matters into our own hands. When do you finish your shift? Good. I'll meet you at the coffee shop next to the hospital in an hour."

Melanie looked at her watch. It was well past the time that Elizabeth should have gone home for the day, but she was almost certain she would find her friend on the other side of her office door. She wasn't exactly sure that the plan Leo devised would actually work but she knew that they needed to at least try. Melanie reached for the doorknob debating on whether to walk right in or knock. She decided to knock. She and Elizabeth hadn't really spoken since that day Billy was in her office and thought being invited in rather than barging in might be a step in the right direction.

"Come in," Elizabeth answered to the sound of Melanie's tap on the heavy wooden door.

"Hi," Melanie said closing the door behind her.

"Hi," Elizabeth returned looking up from the stack of files sitting in front of her.

Melanie could see that her friend hadn't been sleeping much dark circles cast deep shadows under her tired blue eyes. Instantly her heart ached for her friend. Leo was right this had to stop.

"Did you want something?" Elizabeth questioned. "As you can see I'm a little on the busy side."

"When was the last time you had something to eat?" Elizabeth lifted up a can of diet soda in response. "That's not food," Melanie countered. "When was the last time you were out of this office?" Melanie decided she needed to tread lightly if she was going to have any shot of getting Elizabeth to cooperate. Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders.

Melanie pulled the chair from across the room and parked herself in front of Elizabeth's desk as she struggled with what to say next when all she really wanted to do was shake some sense into her friend. "How about you let me take you out to dinner?" she finally said.

"I'm not hungry."

"Well I am and you know how I hate to eat alone," Melanie laughed. Elizabeth couldn't help but laugh too and shake her head at that remark. "Please, don't make me eat alone," she pleaded using her best little kid voice.

"You're insufferable, you know that right?" Elizabeth huffed.

"Uh-huh. So that means you'll have dinner with me?" Melanie prodded.

"I'm pretty sure you aren't going to leave me alone until I agree."

"Nope!" Melanie grinned.

"Fine," Elizabeth relented reaching for her bag. "The cafeteria it is."

Instantly Melanie panicked never thinking that her friend would suggest the hospital cafeteria. "Cafeteria?" she echoed, "I don't think so," Melanie scoffed. "I want real food."

"Melanie," Elizabeth began.

"I know, I know, you're busy. You don't have time to leave the hospital. Yada yada yada," Melanie mocked her friend.

"Hey!"

"What did I miss something?" Melanie asked.

"No," Elizabeth relented with a half-smile.

"If I'm taking you to dinner, I'm choosing the place and it won't," she stressed, "be the hospital cafeteria!"

"Fine," Elizabeth conceded.

"And be sure you lock up for the night," Melanie announced as Elizabeth slung her purse over her shoulder. "If you think I'm letting you come back here tonight, you've got another thing coming." What Melanie hoped would be happening was her friend and her boyfriend finally making up.

Jason leaned over the bar nursing his second bottle of beer. How had he let Leo talk him into this? The last thing he wanted was a guys' night out not to mention that no matter what direction he turned he saw images of him and Liz. "Thanks for the beer man, but I think I'm going to head out."

Leo looked down at his watch. He had hoped that Melanie would have shown up with Elizabeth by now. He had to wonder just how much static their friend had given her. "At least finish your drink," Leo said hoping to buy a few more minutes. Before he could pull out his phone to check his texts the bar door swung open and Melanie and Elizabeth enter. He was grateful they were engaged in conversation and didn't notice him or Jason.

"Of all the places to eat," Elizabeth paused, "you had to pick here?"

"You know how I love their wings. I wanted wings," Melanie stressed eyes searching the room for Leo and Jason. Instantly her gaze locked with Leo's as she strategically shielded Elizabeth's gaze with her body.

"A dozen wings please," Melanie said to the waitress that stood before them pad in hand. "Liz, you want anything else besides wings?"

"I'm not really that hungry."

Melanie rolled her eyes. "Give us the appetizer platter too. And a couple of beers," she added before turning her attention back to her friend. Thankfully Elizabeth had taken the side of the booth with her back to the bar allowing Melanie full view of where Leo and Jason stood.

The pair fell into an awkward silence as Melanie watched Elizabeth play with the tattered label on her bottle of beer. She looked across the bar trying to get Leo's attention. She felt like she was drowning. In all the times she and Elizabeth had been friends she had never felt at a loss for words as she did at that very moment. "I'm sorry about the other day," she finally said.

"It's fine."

"Doesn't feel like it's fine," Melanie countered.

"Let's just forget it and chalk it up to a bad night," Elizabeth said with a half-smile.

Before Melanie could continue, Leo and Jason approached them in mid conversation. "I don't really feel like playing darts," Jason announced. "I just want to go home."

"Well hello there," Leo said to Melanie and Elizabeth. The vision of Elizabeth stopped Jason dead in his tracks. Elizabeth felt her heart skip a beat at the sight of him. "Mind if we join you?"

"Of course not," Melanie said as she slid out of the booth while Leo simultaneously pushed Jason into her spot. "Did I hear you say something about playing darts? I'd love to play."

"Appears we've been set up," Jason finally said.

"You think?"

Jason sensed the bite to her tone. "You want another beer?" he asked not knowing what else to say.

"No."

Jason let out a heavy sigh. She certainly wasn't going to make this easy. "Jake's doing well," he said looking for some sort neutral conversation starter. "He says his therapy is going great."

"That's good to hear," she said not really making eye contact with him. She didn't dare, knowing that the minute she looked into those deep sapphire eyes she'd be lost forever.

"He asked about you," Jason added struggling for something that would connect them again.

"That's nice," she remarked, still not meeting his glance but instead trained her eyes on their friends playing darts at the other end of the room.

Jason followed her gaze. "I'd say it's a tossup on who will win. What do you think?" He did his best to make casual conversation like not a thing was wrong between them. "My bet's on Leo."

Elizabeth remained quiet as she watched the pair easily laughing and looking so comfortable with one another. That's all she had ever wanted for the two of them. Elizabeth knew all along what a great couple they would make. Inwardly she smiled knowing that she had finally done something right.

"Liz, can we talk?" Jason's voice pierced her thoughts.

"I think Melanie is going to beat him hands down," she answered his previous question completely avoiding the other. "She's definitely going to kick his ass. Look at the goofy grin on his face. He's head over heels in love with her even if won't admit it."

Jason looked back at the couple playing darts and felt a twinge of jealousy. They both looked so happy and relaxed much in the same way he and Elizabeth always had. All Jason knew was he wanted, needed to get that back between them. "Yeah, I know," he agreed with her assumption of Leo's feelings, "but you and I we need to talk."

"And look at Melanie, the way she's smiling and flirting with him. I wish she'd just let her guard down and embrace the relationship already."

Jason bit his tongue holding back the words 'well isn't that the pot calling the kettle black' that were eager to escape. "Yes, they make a great couple," he agreed. "Elizabeth, please can we just talk for a minute?" Jason questioned for a third time.

"Oh yeah she's definitely going to win. Look at the way he's tanking his throws," she continued ignoring Jason's requests. She didn't want to talk. She didn't want to rehash the same old tired subject; whose outcome she already knew. "Even Leo has a better dart game than that." She almost added 'not as good as yours of course' referring to Jason but stopped herself short.

"Could we please stop talking about Melanie and Leo for a minute and talk about what's going on with us?" Jason tried to cover the edge that was creeping into his voice but he was having a difficult time controlling it.

"Now look he's helping her aim. Just kiss her already!" Elizabeth said louder than she realized.

"Enough!" Jason's outraged tone caught her off guard. "We need to talk!" He ran his rough hands across his face doing his best to gain some composure. He hadn't meant to lose his cool but at the moment one more remark about Leo and Melanie would have sent him over the edge.

"Why are you so upset? I should be the one who's angry," Elizabeth shot back finally letting her emotions bubble to the surface.

Jason sat there dumbfounded. He didn't know what to say or do. He understood Elizabeth's fears of history repeating itself but he couldn't help it that Theresa was a slut or that she's been hanging around him like a cat in heat. The fact that Elizabeth didn't trust him when he trusted her completely had him at a total loss. At that moment he knew that any conversation they would have had wouldn't be productive. He was frustrated and she was angry, Jason was sure that they would both say things that would be hurtful and they would end up regretting.

Much to Elizabeth's shock Jason slid out of the booth and began to walk away. Instantly she felt her chest tighten and tears sting her eyes. As scared as she was to accept her feelings for Jason the idea of him walking out of her life suddenly paralyzed her more. Her delicate hand reached out fingers encircling his tanned forearm forcing him to turn and look back at her.

The moment he saw the tears in her eyes his anger abated yet he remained silent. "Please don't go," her voice barely above a whisper.

Jason stood there looking into her big azure eyes his instincts screaming to wrap her in his arms and take away her fears, but he knew no matter how much he wished he could do that, Elizabeth was the only one who could do that for herself. If he was honest with himself, Jason wasn't sure she'd ever be ready to trust someone with her heart again. "What do you want from me?" he finally asked.

"Honestly," she began, "I don't know."

"Can't we at least talk? I need to explain."

Elizabeth closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh. She had grown weary of those four simple words. She didn't know if she could stand another litany of reasons or excuses. "There's really nothing to explain. It is what it is and I should have never allowed myself to get involved with another one of my dad's drivers." She was stunned that her voice was even and steady even though every part of her body was shaking.

"Please don't do that. Don't dismiss me as just another one of your dad's drivers. I've never been that and you know it," Jason countered.

"I just don't think there's much for us to talk about."

"Seriously, you can't believe that. I know about all those photos you have stashed away in your office," Jason announced still feeling a bit dumbfounded when Leo had told him about them. "Why are you keeping that garbage? They don't mean a damn thing! They are just some stupid meaningless pictures!"

They were anything but some stupid pictures to her. They showcased the beginning of the end to her. She had lived this once and had no intention of doing it again. "They're not," she muttered.

"But they are," Jason stressed. "They are nothing but some damn pictures that Theresa took full advantage of. They don't mean a damn thing."

"But they do to me," she disputed.

"They don't to me."

"You don't understand," she announced. "You don't know what seeing those pictures was like for me." Elizabeth was shocked by her own sudden openness.

"How could I know? You never said a word. Hell until a few days ago I didn't even know half of the photos had ever been taken, much less you had them." Jason's exasperation was starting to show again. "Elizabeth Ryan, I love you! Nothing Theresa Kennedy says or does will ever change that!"

"I've heard that before," she quipped.

"Seriously? You really think I would do to you what Weston did?"

"Yes, no," she stuttered, "I don't know. I want to believe you wouldn't but I didn't think he would either."

Jason slid back into the booth across from Elizabeth taking his hands in hers. "Why didn't you just talk to me?" he asked his voice softly pleading.

"What was I supposed to say?"

"Something, anything. You know you can tell me anything, right? I understand what you are feeling…."

"Do you?" she cut him off. "Do you realize that for me this is like reliving a nightmare?"

"Oh yes," he interrupted her now. "If you are feeling half of what I felt seeing you getting out of Weston's car then I get it. The idea of you being anywhere near him makes my blood boil. I could strangle him for the way he's hurt you."

"Nothing happened," she said quietly referencing her time in Billy's car.

"Weston sure wanted me to think so didn't he?" Jason countered. "Don't you think that's Theresa's plan is too? To make you believe something that she wants you to?"

Elizabeth knew there was merit to what Jason was saying. Theresa would do anything in her power to get what she thought belonged to her. Melanie and Leo told her time and time again to stop allowing Theresa to have the upper hand. Yet something always stopped her from reaching out and putting her adversary in her rightful place or better yet kicking her ass.

"I should have never gotten into Billy's car. I was just so mad at seeing you with Theresa."

"I will never be with Theresa, even if you walked away from me right now I would never turn to her." Jason said stroking Elizabeth's cheek. For the first time in weeks she let herself relax and remember that Jason wasn't Billy and never would be. "Do you know how scared I was that night when we couldn't find you? You have no idea all the stuff that was going through my head."

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"There's nothing to be sorry for. Just please don't shut me out. Promise me when something is bothering you, you will come to me with it."

"I'll try." Elizabeth knew that would be difficult. She had learned early in life that no one gave a damn when she was upset, especially not if it got in the way of her dad and his team. "I just don't want to bog you down with all my baggage especially during the season."

Jason pulled her to his side of the booth and stared at her intently. "You will always come first. Yes, I love racing. It's in my blood but I love you more."

"That's what I'm afraid of," she said before she could stop herself.

"What?" Jason didn't understand.

"You don't need me distracting you. You have a season to finish."

"And I intend to finish it with you at my side." Hesitantly he leaned in letting his lips brush against hers gently not sure what her reaction might be. Easily Elizabeth returned his advance and scooted her body closer to his relieved to have him beside her.

"I am sorry though," she said

"Me too." Jason kissed her again and pulled her against his chest relishing having her in his arms.

Leo and Melanie looked on from across the room as Jason and Elizabeth shared another rather passionate kiss. Both of them let out a sigh of relief and before Leo know what he was doing he pulled Melanie in for a kiss of their own. Melanie stared at him wide eyed as the parted and Leo grabbed her hand hoping that would be enough to keep her from running away this time.