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Chapter 11

"Ta da!" Liz walked into the kitchen and did a turn. "I am ready to sightsee." She had packed this garment because she felt it would go well with the tropical setting. The aqua blue sundress with eyeleted bodice and hemline, daisy chain trim, and gathered waist was fun and vibrant. The spaghetti straps and light material would keep her cool because it was supposed to be warm today. The added bonus was that she just felt pretty in it. "Are you ready?"

"I think my sightseeing for the day is complete. You are the best sight I'll see all day." He told her flirting. "You look very pretty." He was in cargo shorts, sneakers, and a bright blue shirt. He wouldn't need to go change so that he looked as nice as she did. He never wanted to embarrass her while they were out. He had an ex who constantly complained about what he wore.

"You." Liz said blushing. He was just too much sometimes. "I'd like to go into San Juan today."

"Let me check with the guys, but I'm guessing we can do that." Jason picked up his phone and sent a message to Johnny and Renaldo. The entire security team would go today. Not even thirty seconds later he got a response from Renaldo saying okay, meaning it was safe to go.

"While we are out can we find an electronics store? My phone appears to have died." Liz held up the device. Despite being on the charger all night, she couldn't get it to turn on. She had been happy it survived being thrown out of the truck's window, apparently something inside had broken and it just took a while to take the phone down.

"Stay here for a second." Jason had gotten distracted yesterday. He came back with a gift bag in one hand and her new phone in the other. "This is yours. The number is the same. Spinelli said that everything should be there. He didn't look at your personal items, he told me that once the number was moved so was all the stored data."

Liz nodded as she took the new device. "He's right. This phone is just over a year old and when I got it they just moved the number. Everything else followed." This new phone was the same one all the guys, plus Em, Georgie, and Nadine, carried. That he was giving it to her wasn't at all surprising. "Thank you." She wouldn't have to ever worry about getting a signal again.

"It only comes in black." Jason explained the color. "We could also only find black cases down here. You can get something nicer back home." His sister's case had pink daisies all over it.

"The covers back home are all black as well. I painted the ones the ladies carry." She knew what he was referring to. They had spent the day at Em's hanging out while she painted the cases. "I'll decorate this one when we get home. I need to figure out what I decals I want."

"The bag is yours as well." He pushed that closer to her.

"I love gifts." Liz said laughing. "I guess the no buying me rule is going out the window?"

"Good guess." Jason told her smiling wide. He wasn't even going to pretend otherwise. He was going to enjoy shopping for her.

Liz dug through the tissue paper. "A yellow camera! Thank you." She leaned over and gave him a kiss. "It's nice too." She recognized this one. It had been launched earlier in the year, and yeah she considered getting it. In fact she had stood outside the electronics shop and looked at it through the window trying to decide if she wanted to go in to get it. However her camera back home worked fine so she behaved herself.

"Marco's eight year old niece is all about taking pictures now. She could use a camera if you would like to donate your other one." He knew his girl like the back of his hand. She would feel like she was being excessive having two cameras.

"I'll give it to him when we get home. Would you please send him a message so he doesn't go out and buy one?" Liz didn't have his number. "Em can go get it for him if he needs it before we leave here. Just ask her to pop out the SD card and delete the albums."

"I'm sure he can wait for us to return." Jason said sending the message.

"It's fine either way. Let me go get my tote and we can head out." Liz was looking forward to playing tourist.

As she walked from the kitchen he noticed that she was wearing sneakers that matched her dress. His girl was outfitted for a long day of playing tourist, at some point during the day he would need to make sure that she rested.


They started their day at the San Juan National Historic Site. A World Heritage Site, it explored the history of the many countries that fought for control of Puerto Rico over the centuries. As a result of those battles there were forts built on the site that they would be exploring during their visit to the island.

"Have you been here before guys?" She was looking over at Renaldo and Lee.

"I've been here a couple of times. It's a nice park, and a good place for a picnic." Renaldo let her know.

"I've only been once. Shortly after I moved here I did all the tourist stuff." Lee had wanted to learn about his new home. He was blushing as he answered her question.

"What about you three?" Liz looked over at her guy and their friends from Port Charles.

"Nope." Jason replied grinning. He knew his answer wouldn't be that surprising.

"I've been." Max let her know.

"Me too, because I'm not a heathen like some people." Johnny couldn't resist messing with Jason.

The answers were pretty much what she expected. Jason wouldn't play tourist here because he would need guards. The same was true of South America, although he had gone so many times that seeing the region happened in pieces. If he was going to go exploring he wanted it to be somewhere that he could blend in with the crowds and no one knew who he was. It was why he liked to go to Italy so much.

"I was thinking we could walk the Paseo del Morro. Since it is earlier in the day we won't be so hot." She noted that all the guys were dressed casually for the outing. "How does that sound?"

"Like a good plan." Johnny had the same problem Liz did. Too much sun would see them quickly go from pale to lobster red, so outdoor stuff was best done early in the day, early evening, or after sundown.

The trail that Liz wanted to explore would allow them to get an up close look at the masonry walls that at one point surrounded the city of Old San Juan. Some dated back to the 1630s. They would start from the San Juan Gate and walk to Castillo San Felipe del Morro. During their stroll they would get to view the entrance to the San Juan Bay.

"I feel so tiny standing next to these massive walls." Liz said before raising her camera and snapping a picture. "I know I'm short anyway but the scale of this structure is just mind boggling."

"You two go sit over there and I'll take a picture of you." Johnny took the camera when she handed it over. "Jason, pretend you are having a good time and smile." Actually his friend had been smiling a good deal since they arrived on the island. Liz was good for him. "Come take a look."

"Perfect. Thanks Johnny." Liz would need to frame that. Jason was sitting on the small stone outcropping and she was on his lap. Since the trail wasn't complete, when you reached the end you had to walk back to the main portion of the park.

"We will arrive back in time for an orientation talk." Renaldo told the group. "That's where they give you details about how the fortresses were built, a brief history of the area, and a glimpse into what life would have been like back there. After that we can do a guided tour if you like. They don't let you explore unsupervised." There was too much history to risk someone doing damage.

"I like the sound of that." Liz smiled at Jason.

"Lead the way Renaldo." Jason was keeping an eye out to make sure Elizabeth was doing okay.


After the orientation talk was done they headed outside and followed a guide to Castillo or Fort San Cristobal for a tour of the structure and to learn about the tunnels housed inside. The history buff in Jason was excited to do this, and his girl was looking forward to seeing any art that might have been preserved.

The NPS Ranger who was their guide started out by explaining what life would have been like back in the 1600s when the fort was beginning its construction. Fort San Cristobal took over one hundred fifty years to finally be completed, and the workmanship that went into was considered state of the art for the times. Clearly they knew what they were doing because it was still standing today.

They walked through the main plaza and a tunnel was pointed out. The Ranger explained how they were used to move between levels without an enemy knowing. How supplies were often hidden in the tunnels in case of an emergency. He also explained how the tunnels could be used to trap and kill an opposing force by stashing black powder inside and then detonating it trapping their foe.

From there they moved on to the outworks, or outer defense system. This section was only briefly touched on, just enough to give you an idea of how it helped to keep the fortress from falling into enemy hands. Their guide did explain that there was a tour later in the day that focused just on this topic. Liz thought Jason might like that, so they would need to come back for that.

One thing that was noted while on the outworks portion of the tour was a chimney. The guide encouraged the group to all have a look then told them that it provided light and air to the tunnel that they would be exploring shortly. When they were in the underground passage they should look for the light from this very chimney.

They did a bit more exploring of the fort itself before heading back to the tunnel. At five feet tall and roughly four feet wide it was not going to be an easy fit for the guys. Liz would only need to duck a little, so it wasn't that which gave her pause. It was the fact that the tunnel was pitch black. The guide was handing out flashlights to those who wished to explore while explaining that the tunnel did not connect to anything so once they reached the end they would need to turn around and come back.

At five nine Lee was the smallest guy on the security crew so he ended up going with Elizabeth, because she wanted to have the full experience. There were only fifteen people in their tour group, and including her, Lee, and the tour guide only seven of them went inside. She was expecting it to be musky, but it wasn't. It was cool and that was due in part to the air from the chimney. It was also because at the end of the tunnel they could feel the breeze coming off the Atlantic Ocean. There was also life in the tunnels and someone screamed when a hermit crab scuttled over her foot, which set off a small echo. Once they reached the end Liz and Lee turned around and headed back before the rest of the group. She was fine, and so was he, but the guys out front would be uneasy with her out of their sight.

"How was it?" Max was breathing easier now that she was out.

"Interesting. I can't imagine how hard it must have been to set traps in there. Especially since back then they had open flame torches. I wonder how many people blew themselves up." Liz looked back at the entrance.

"We heard a scream." Jason wanted to know what that was all about.

"Someone got freaked out by a hermit crab." Lee explained as he rolled his shoulders. His skin was flushed from the quick trip. His description of the tunnel would have been cramped.

"There will be a tour leaving twenty minutes after this one ends to go visit the lighthouse." She looked at the guys to see what they thought of that, when no one objected she decided that would be next. "Since the Ranger isn't back out yet I'm going to take some pictures." She moved off a bit and Max followed.

"Should she rest at some point?" Johnny looked over and the bruises around her ankles were still dark.

"Good luck with that." Renaldo said being cheeky.

"I have it covered, but in case I need back up I'm sure I can count on you guys." Jason was going to suggest some downtime after lunch when the day would be at its hottest.

"Count on him. I have to go back with you." Johnny said throwing Renaldo under the bus.

"Coward." Renaldo gave his friend a push while laughing.

"You haven't seen what she can do with a shoe." Johnny said totally serious.

"Here comes the Ranger." Liz let them know as she returned to their small group. They would finish up this tour and wait for the next one.


"We need to stop for lunch." Jason said as the lighthouse tour ended. His girl was already looking at the website for the park to see what else they could do next.

"Okay." Liz could eat. "I have a list of five dishes we must have before leaving the island. I can't pronounce any of them though."

Johnny just laughed.

"Let me see." Renaldo looked at the list on the phone. "Any one of them can be found anywhere on the island. Number three is actually the national dish. I would recommend Mofongo for lunch. There is a restaurant not too far from here that makes a really good one."

"It sounds delicious." Liz was a big believer of exploring cultures through native foods. Sonny had introduced her to his family roots through many Cuban dishes. Johnny showed her Ireland, and Francis helped her to experience Italy. It was time to taste Puerto Rico.

Mofongo was the unofficial national dish of the island. It was Afro-Puerto Rican in origin and featured fried plantains as the star of the dish. They were picked green, then mashed with salt and pepper. The mixtures was formed into a tight ball and placed in the dish so that it could absorb whatever condiments were served with it. That could include fried or roasted meats, vegetables, and seafood. The website that she had gone to recommend chicharron, pork cracklings, and she was going to go with that if it was on the menu.

"You will probably need to nap after. It's a very filling dish." Renaldo threw Jason a helping hand.

"I didn't see anything about siesta being a tradition on the island." Liz thought she knew what that was about. She would go along with the suggestion because it would calm down Jason. "However a rest during the hottest part of the day might not be a bad idea. I don't want to burn." Although she was wearing sunblock. "You guys can play poker to keep you out of trouble."

"Where is the restaurant?" Jason was ready to get them moving.

"Follow my car." Renaldo said as they walked back to the parking lot. Liz was going to keep Jason on his toes. Hopefully Johnny would send down regular reports.


"You can go." Liz put down her tote bag on the island in the kitchen. "I'll be okay if you spend time with your friends."

"Trying to get rid of me already?" Jason walked over and wrapped his arms around his girl.

"Never." She kissed the underside of his jaw. "I don't want to be that girlfriend."

"What girlfriend?" Jason had no idea what she meant.

"The one who has to be the center of her boyfriend's attention all the time. The one who can't share him with the friends he had before they started dating." Elizabeth explained what she meant. "I know that the guys are playing poker while I relax. I also know you like to play poker. There is no need for you to sit here and watch me sleep."

"I came down to spend time with you." Jason rested his cheek on the top of her head. Without heels she was much shorter than him.

"You can, when I'm awake." Liz said laughing. "I feel guilty about you being stuck here while I'm napping. Yes, this is me admitting that I'm tired." She could be stubborn, but the yawning at lunch had given away her current energy level.

"Are you sure?" Jason got the impression that she wanted him to leave for some other reason other than her nap. He also was thinking that she would tell him what that reason was when he returned.

"Positive. Go, have fun." Looking she pursed her lips and he responded to her silent request for a kiss.

"Call me if you need me." Jason said getting another kiss. "I'm right down the walk."

"I can see the bungalow from the window in the front room." She said with a small laugh. "Have fun with the guys. When I wake up I'll call you and demand you return."

"Want to go out for dinner?" Jason could get another restaurant recommendation from Renaldo or Lee.

"Let's play it by ear." Liz really did like ending the day with just the two of them. Dinner out was going to happen at some point though.

"Okay." Jason kissed her again. "I'm just down the road."

"Go." Liz smiled and gave him a small push. She followed him to the door and locked up knowing he was listening for the sound of the bolt being thrown.

Alone she leaned against the wooden panel and took a shaky breath. Already the fear was pushing down on her. Yet this was an important step. One that the sooner she took the better. That was something she learned in therapy. Being able to trust that she was okay on her own was one of the key steps in reclaiming her life. Honestly she wasn't surprised that this issue got worse because it never really left in the first place. She wasn't alone when Logan ambushed them, as opposed to being alone when she was hurt as a teenager.

But she had been on her own when she sprung her trap. She had only herself to count on and she had done it. That was what she was going to keep reminding herself. She was stronger now than when she had been hurt before. She was stronger, and Jason was less than five minutes away if she needed him.

"I'll work on some sketches." She said out loud to herself. Work always got her through tough times. "First I'll get changed for my nap." She would dig out Jason's shirt that he wore yesterday, having his scent surrounding her would make this easier.


"What exactly did you do to get thrown out?" Johnny wanted to know. They had been surprised when Jason showed up to play cards. He was only half here, so they would let him get what was on his mind out into the open then send him back home. He'd been here an hour already, and he wasn't going to last much longer.

"I didn't get thrown out." Jason said tossing chips into the pile. They were playing for money and he was losing. "It was strongly suggested that I come hang out with you losers because Elizabeth said she didn't want to be the girlfriend who breaks up friendships."

"Johnny, Max, and Lee are the single guys at the table. Which makes them the losers." Renaldo said grinning. "Although Lee and Max are single by choice, Johnny is single because no woman will have him."

O'Brien responded by flipping Renaldo off.

"How did she seem when she told you to come play poker." Max wanted to know.

"Off, but I couldn't put my finger on why." Jason was frowning. "She's not angry, or upset. She didn't seem scared. Still something wasn't right." Every man at the table trusted their instincts. His said she had a plan for the time they were apart.

Renaldo folded his cards because his hand was crap. "I might know what she's doing. Now keep in mind that I might also be way off base."

"Go ahead." Jason also folded his hand. The others at the table put their cards down, but it was clear they were still interested in finishing the round.

"My girl Leyla, she's a nurse here on the island. Right now she's visiting her sister otherwise I would have introduced her to Liz already." Renaldo told the guys. "Not long after we started officially dating she got jumped by a patient at the hospital. He beat her up pretty good. She had to go through therapy and rehab but she healed. Went back to work and everything." Although she transferred departments, from being on the wards to working in obstetrics.

"You get his name?" Jason wanted to know.

"I did, and it was handled." Renaldo had personally taken care of the asshole, still it made him feel good that his boss was going to approve that step. "She's doing great now, but there is one lingering issue. She sometimes has trouble being alone. It makes her feel vulnerable. In the beginning this was a major issue."

"Is that when you took some time off?" Johnny remembered Francis approving the request.

"Yeah. I wanted to be there for whatever she needed. I came back to work when she returned to the hospital." Renaldo had hovered. Nothing could have stopped him from doing that. Luckily she didn't kill him. "When she gets like that she makes me take a walk so she can work through it. I gave her a hard time at first because leaving her when she was struggling went against everything in me." The guys were nodding. "Her therapist had to arbitrate. She said I should go if Leyla seemed alright. However if Leyla looked like she was pushing when she shouldn't, then I could stay."

"I think Renaldo may be right." Max told them about the conversation he had with Liz right after her massage.

"She's going to tell you at some point." Johnny firmly believed that.

"Elizabeth is trying when she knows that we are close by." Jason was listening closely to what Renaldo was saying. That it was important to respect Elizabeth's need to work through things on her own, while also recognizing he should speak up if she was pushing herself too hard. "Does Leyla call you and say come home, or do you have a set time for your walks?"

"She calls. I generally go down the block to the coffee shop." Renaldo couldn't make himself go any further.

"I'm sorry your girl was hurt, but I'm glad she's doing better now." Jason told his friend. The other guys nodded silently echoing his statement.

"Thanks. Liz is strong, she'll get past this. Giving her the support she needs will help." Renaldo shared what he learned. "She has you, and she has Max for when you aren't around."

"Liz will also tell you if she needs anything else. After she tries on her own first." Johnny said grinning. It amazed him how strong she was.

"I'll stay here until she calls, or until it's time to start dinner." Jason decided. "I need to make a reservation for later in the trip. Somewhere nice."

"I'll get you some names and you can look them up." Renaldo told his friend.

Jason nodded and watched his friends finish this hand while he tried not to worry too much about Elizabeth.


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