Billy sat watching his mechanics as they readied his racecar for the upcoming feature that afternoon, occasionally barking out an order or two, yet his thoughts were focused on Elizabeth and Jason. He couldn't get the rapidly skipping image of them kissing, although it was nearly 2 weeks ago, out of his head. Not to mention that it hadn't helped matters that everywhere he turned in the Ryan Racing compound he was forced to see the pair holding hands or locked in an embrace. Billy clenched his jaw at the thought. His plans of easily slipping back into Elizabeth's life thanks to the rift between her and Ryan Racing's heir apparent had all but evaporated into thin air.

"We shimmed the frame like you asked." The sound of his head mechanic's voice forced Billy to focus on the task at hand – winning today's feature.

"Okay," he answered gruffly before walking away looking for a place where he could clear his head.

"I wanted to thank you for the other day," Jason said as he picked up a rag wiping the grease from his hands.

"Thank me for what?" Leo asked sheepishly knowing full well what Jason was referring to. Ever since he and Melanie had decided to push their friends back together, Jason and Elizabeth had been inseparable. Leo was glad he followed his gut and forced the two of them to see reason.

"Like you don't know. And here I thought Elizabeth was the only one who knew how to meddle," Jason laughed. "But seriously, thanks for what you did."

"Melanie and I had had enough of the both you. You were,"

"Speaking of Melanie," Jason cut him off before Leo could continue, "Don't think I didn't notice that kiss you laid on her that night." Leo hung his head for a second recalling the moment that his lips met Melanie's. "So what's up with you two?" Jason asked.

Leo tried to hide the grin that tugged at the corners of his mouth but was having very little luck.

"Spill it, Jorgenson!"

"If you tell Elizabeth I said this, I will totally deny it, but she was right about Melanie."

"Oh was she now?" Jason smirked.

"Just like I was right about you and her!" Leo shot back.

"Fair enough," Jason conceded.

"I really like her and want to get to know her better but she's just so damn guarded. It's like I think she feels the same way but then she backs off or pulls away."

Jason could relate to that. He had a very similar tug of war with Elizabeth in the beginning, hell even now, he had to wonder if she would ever let him fully into the inner sanctum of her life. "I get where you are coming from. Don't give up though if this is something you really want. It's worth the fight, no matter the struggles or setbacks."

"You wouldn't be talking from personal experience or anything would you?" Leo joked.

"What do you think?" Jason countered.

"Oh I know Elizabeth all too well, when she gets something in her head she doesn't let go of it easily."

"If at all," Jason added, "But she's so worth it. Suddenly I can't imagine my life without her as a part of it. All these years, I kept so many other women at bay reasoning that I didn't have the time or inclination to get involved but then in walks Elizabeth and in one fail swoop she turned my life upside down."

"She can be quite the tornado," Leo quipped.

Tom ducked behind the large tool cabinet as he listened to Jason and Leo continue their discussion of Elizabeth and Melanie. With each passing comment, he felt himself growing angrier. He longed for the days when it had just been him, Jason and Jake, when their lives had been less complicated, days before Ryan Racing had ever been a part of their existence. Tom wished for the days before Elizabeth Ryan and Leo Jorgenson had entered the picture.

Leo was now Jason's confidant, a role that had always been Tom's. Leo was the one that Jason went to with talk about how his car was handling and what could be done to improve its performance, another role that had always been his. Since joining Ryan Racing it seemed as though Jason had gained so much and he had lost everything.

Tom didn't even bother to walk forward and show himself but rather quietly slipped out of the man door sight unseen.

"We have a half hour before we need to leave," Melanie said as she poked her head through the door of Elizabeth's office. "Are you going to be ready?"

"Definitely," she returned.

"You better be!" Melanie laughed.

"I've never seen you so eager to get to the track before," Elizabeth said. "Any special reason?" she added coyly.

"No," Melanie said a bit too quickly.

"Sure," Elizabeth nodded all knowingly.

"Stop that!"

"Stop what? I'm not the one with a secret," Elizabeth laughed.

"What on earth are you talking about, a secret? I don't have a secret."

"You can pretend all you want, but I saw Leo kiss you and more importantly you didn't run away," Elizabeth stated in a triumphant tone.

"It was nothing. We were just so excited our plan worked and you and Jason were finally back together where you belonged."

"It didn't look like nothing to me."

"Please don't," Melanie said.

"Why is okay for you to interfere in my life but I can't do the same in yours?" Elizabeth asked with a mock expression of hurt crossing her features.

"Because we both know that you and Jason are meant to be together and you were just too stubborn to get out of your own way."

"Sounds like someone else I know," Elizabeth countered. "At least admit you are a little interested in Leo," Elizabeth pushed.

Melanie suddenly couldn't look her friend in the eye. She did have growing feelings for Leo and that scared the hell out of her. Her relationship track record wasn't a good one and the last thing she wanted was to attempt another with Leo for it only crash and burn like all the others. Especially when Elizabeth's connection to Leo would put him in her path over and over again. It was just better for everyone if they didn't go down that road.

"Your silence says it all," Elizabeth pressed.

"It doesn't matter if I am interested or not. It will never work. It's just better if we keep things the way they are."

"So you are interested?"

Elizabeth wasn't about to let this go and Melanie knew it. "Damn you, Ryan!"

"Why can't you just give it a chance? Not every relationship has to end up the same."

"That's rich coming from the girl who just spent weeks avoiding the guy she's head over heels in love with because she thought history was repeating itself."

"Agreed."

"What, wait, did you actually just agree with me?" Melanie was flabbergasted.

"Yes, if it gets you to at least explore your options with Leo."

"And if I don't?"

"You know I am not going to give up trying," Elizabeth smiled.

"You are like a dog with a bone, you know that?"

"Yep, but you love me."

"You are damn lucky I do or I would have whooped your ass by now!"

"Try me," Elizabeth giggled as she put her fists in the air throwing a jab in her friend's direction.

Melanie immediately dissolved into a fit of giggles. "We both better get back to work or we won't ever get out of here on time."

"See you in 20," Elizabeth called to her treating back.

Elizabeth pulled the door to her office closed behind her and quickly hurried to the bank of elevators at the end of the hall. Looking down at her watch, she knew that Melanie would have a few choice words for her running 10 minutes late. "Damn elevator," she said under her breath watching the lights illuminating one by one as steel car ticked its way to her floor. She hadn't realized how much she missed going to the track and watching Jason race. This would be the first race she had been to in quite a while and she was actually nervous.

After what seemed like an eternity the elevator doors opened and Elizabeth pressed the button for the ground floor. When the doors released to the emergency room floor, Elizabeth was met with a chaotic scene. There were multiple gurneys spread throughout the area, EMS personnel reading off patient vitals to nurses and doctors. "What's going on?" Elizabeth asked one of the orderlies that walked by.

"Multi-vehicle accident. Not sure how many more ambulances are on their way in."

Elizabeth felt her stomach plummet. As long as she had been a patient advocate at the hospital scenes like this still left her raw. She looked around for her friend, sure that Melanie was in the thick of the madness, but couldn't locate her anywhere. Finally, Elizabeth saw Melanie exiting the nurses' lounge. "What the hell?" she said joining Elizabeth.

"Multi-vehicle accident."

"It had to have just happened. I only punched out 15 minutes ago," Melanie said.

Both women stood quietly observing the bedlam around them torn on what to do. It went against their nature not to rush in to help, yet they both so badly wanted to be somewhere else.

"What do we do?" Melanie finally questioned.

Before Elizabeth could offer up her thoughts, the Chief of Emergency Medicine Dr. Pike charged towards them. "Oh Elizabeth," he began, "I'm so glad you are here. I tried the advocate on call but I am not getting any response."

"What's wrong?"

"I have a family in desperate need. The mother is critical and the 6-year-old daughter is in surgery but they are pretty sure she's not going to make. Dad's over there in hysterics and I don't have the personnel to spare to be with him," Dr. Pike said as he gestured towards the frenzied room. "Can you please help me?"

Elizabeth looked at the doctor in front of her expression of complete desperation clouding his features. She knew she couldn't say no, no matter how much she wanted to. "What's the father's name?" she asked.

"Randy, Randy Baker. Thank you so much."

"Sure," Elizabeth smiled.

"I'll stay too," Melanie said.

"No, no you go. At least one of us should be there. And I need you to let Jason know what's going on. I don't want him to think I just bailed on him."

Melanie slipped the Ryan Racing parking pass Elizabeth gave her over the rearview mirror and let out a heavy sigh. She wished that she had stayed back at the hospital with Elizabeth for a sundry of reasons. She had never been to a race without Liz before and as much as she knew Elizabeth was right someone needed to tell Jason what was happening the thought of coming face to face with Leo alone unnerved her.

Flashing her pit pass to the attendant at the gate, Melanie wound her way through the throngs of spectators, racing crews and drivers to the section of the pits designated for Ryan Racing. Hanging back for a second, she let her gaze fall on Leo, his green suit hanging loosely at his hips and tight white t-shirt clinging to his muscular frame. She felt her breath hitch in her throat. She hated it when Elizabeth was right, but that she was. There was no denying that Melanie had more than just passing feelings for Leo Jorgenson and that frightened the hell out of her. The thunderous sound of an engine roaring to life behind her startled Melanie enough to compel her forward.

"Hey," she said reaching out to touch Leo on the shoulder.

"Hey," he returned startled but equally as pleased to see her. "I'm glad you could make it to the race," he said with a slight grin.

"Me too." She returned his smile.

Jason peered out from around his racecar and caught sight of Melanie and Leo. He stared at them for a minute attempting to gauge their body language. No matter what Leo did or didn't say about his feelings for Melanie King it was quite apparent from watching him that he was more than a little smitten with the redheaded bombshell.

Jason surveyed the area looking for Elizabeth. He knew for sure that where Melanie was she would be too. He hadn't realized how much he had been waiting for her arrival until this moment. It felt good to have them in sync again. There was a peace about him that only Elizabeth seemed to elicit. "Don't forget to check the vacuum lines," he announced to Tom. "I'll be right back."

Tom looked up from the engine just in time to see Jason heading in the direction of Leo's car. "Yeah, whatever," he muttered under his breathe.

As Jason got closer to Leo and Melanie it was quite apparent Elizabeth was nowhere to be found. "Where's Liz?" he asked.

"She's stuck at the hospital. She told me to tell you she will be here as soon as she can," Melanie answered.

"What do you mean stuck at the hospital? She told me that she specifically asked for the afternoon off." Jason suddenly felt the ground shift beneath his feet.

"She did, we both did," Melanie added, "but it couldn't be helped. There was a massive multi-vehicle accident and her services were needed." I need her here Jason wanted to scream but allowed Melanie to continue. "Apparently the patient advocate on call wasn't answering their page and Dr. Pike grabbed us on our way out. He really didn't give Liz the chance to say no. Not that she would have anyway. There's a good chance a man is going to lose his daughter and possibly his wife. He was hysterical. Liz couldn't just leave him in that state. That's not who she is."

Jason nodded his head in agreement and flashed back to the night that Jake had been brought into the ER. Elizabeth had been there for him that night even if he couldn't recall much if anything about it. He did remember the calming nature of her presence. As much as he wanted her by his side now, how could he deny that man, a man who stood to lose everything that same thing.

"I better get back to my car," he finally said.

"She'll be here." Melanie grabbed his wrist as he turned to leave. Melanie looked at Leo and saw her concern mirrored on his face also.

"I'll be right back," he stated jogging off to catch up with his friend. "Hey," he said when he reached Jason's side. "I know what you're thinking and don't. She's not purposely staying away. She'd be here if she could."

"I know," Jason agreed, but that didn't make it any easier.

"Don't let this rattle you."

"I'm not," he said with far more emphasis than he felt. Just then the phone in his back pocket vibrated. Pulling it out he read the text. 'I may not be there in person but I'm there in spirit. Bring me that checkered flag! Love, E.'

"What was that?" Leo asked sensing an abrupt change in his friend's demeanor. Jason raised his phone so that Leo could see the words on the screen. "I guess you better get her what she wants. But I wouldn't mind if every once in a while you let me take the checkered flag. Didn't your mom ever teach you to share?" Leo joked.

"Nope!" Jason laughed.

Melanie climbed into the stands again feeling strange that she wasn't there with Elizabeth but settled in just the same as the green flag dropped and the race began. As usual Jason had secured pole position and Leo had done well enough in the heat races to garner him a tenth place start. Melanie was having trouble keeping track of the green and blue cars as they screamed around the track. This is when an extra set of eyes would have come in handy.

Two hundred laps into the four hundred lap race Jason was still in the lead with Billy running a close third and Leo still in the top ten of the pack. Melanie held her breath every now and then when another car would get to close to Leo. If Liz had been there she would have laughed at her and told her that was just a little rubbing and what was racing without a little rubbing? But that didn't stop her from gripping the edge of her seat until her knuckles were white.

Elizabeth navigated the streets of Charlotte on her way to the Charlotte Motor Speedway. If she was lucky, she would get there to see the last fifty laps of the race. Thankfully her co-worked Janice answered her page and arrived at the hospital about fifteen minutes ago. There still hadn't been any word of Mr. Baker's wife or daughter and normally she would have stayed regardless of Janice's arrival but Elizabeth excused herself and made a hasty exit.

For whatever reason traffic was bottlenecked and she feared she wouldn't make it to the track in time. Elizabeth tuned her radio to 106.5 for an update on the race. From the announcer's commentary, she knew that Jason was in first place and two other drivers from her father's team were in the were in the top ten. She looked out at the sea of tail lights in front of her and let out a groan. At this rate she'd be lucky to get to the track before the race ended.

"Damn," Elizabeth grumbled as she snaked her way through the crowds attempting to get through the pits and into the winner's circle. Jason had come in first just as she thought he would but the fact that Leo had placed third and ahead of Billy no less pushed her forward excited to see her friend standing on the podium.

Elizabeth rounded the corner as the flashbulbs shot light all around the platform blinding her for a second. As her eyes adjusted to the brightness, Elizabeth stopped dead in her tracks, the sight of Jason and Theresa lips locked in a kiss rendered her immobile. The photographers continued snapping pictures illuminating everything around her. She wanted to move yet she couldn't seem to get her feet to comply with her brain's orders. Someone pushed her from behind causing her feet to finally uproot themselves and Elizabeth quickly turned shoving her way through the horde in an effort to get out of there as fast as she could.

Jason was stunned when Theresa had appeared out of nowhere and flung herself against him making sure that she planted her lips squarely on his just as the next round of reporters and photographers began their barrage. As quickly as he could, Jason forcefully heaved Theresa away from him and wiped the back of his hand against his mouth. It was then that he saw the petite brunette, the brunette he would know anywhere, elbowing her way through the crowd.

"Damn!" he growled. "Elizabeth," he called as he climbed down from the podium "Elizabeth!" he called again and again, but she had slipped through the crowd and there was no catching her.