Nervously slipping the skeleton key into the lock of her father's study, Elizabeth takes a deep breath before turning the key, unsure of whether or not she was ready to handle her father's belongings. As the door swings open, a strong musky scent surrounds her, the kind of scent that fills a place having long since been abandoned to the elements of the world.

Slowly making her way into the office, offhandedly dragging her fingers across the surfaces as she passes them by, Elizabeth yanks the curtains apart in hopes of bringing some much needed sunlight into the dingy room. Lifting the window open, she takes a deep breath of fresh air in as the breeze quickly fills up the room, slowly ridding it of the musky aroma.

"I miss you, daddy." she whispers, leaning against the window seal to take in the study in all its former glory. "Wait..."

Pushing away from the window, Elizabeth walks over to a photo sitting on her father's desk, gingerly taking it into her hands to get a better look at it. Though he's considerably younger in the photo, she's certain that the man standing with her father in the picture is the man she had seen outside of the party Jason had taken her to.

The theory that he had been a patient of her father's is no longer plausible, Jeff Webber not being one to socialize with his patients outside of the hospital, preferring to keep the doctor-patient relationship strictly that. For her father to take a picture with the man, he has to be one of two things, a benefactor or a possible partner. Only the man just didn't give off the vibe of either.

Lowering herself onto the sheet covered chair, Elizabeth tries to think back, searching through her memories for some kind of clue as to who the man was. Removing the picture from the frame, she flips it over, hoping that her mother had done to her father's photos what she has always done to almost everything in the estate. Label it.

"Sonny Corinthos." she mutters, reading the name from the back of the picture. "Who are you?"

Fitting the picture back into the frame, more out of force of habit, Elizabeth sets it back on the desk where she had taken it from. With all the paperwork and knickknacks that her father has collected over the years, it was bound to take her most of today and some of tomorrow to settle her father's belongings. With her luck, so far, though, it was bound to take even longer.

All the memories of her home drowns her over and over again with every room she steps into. Her father's study, for instance, brings back memories of the days that she'd play with her tea set at her father's feet while he worked on a new proposition for the hospital board.

The subtle winks he'd grant her between phone calls. If a call was good, he'd smile and wink, telling her that they had accomplished what they set out to do. As if she had helped in some way, though, she couldn't see how. All she did was sit by his feet as he worked himself to the bone.

If it was bad, he'd just shrug his shoulder and give his usual speech of how the next one will definitely be the one that succeeds. One of his many speeches she had memorized by heart, always believing in him, regardless of what anyone else said. He was her father. Her hero. Why wouldn't she believe in him?

Settling back into the chair, she takes another moment to just take in the study, a part of her feeling as if her father would walk through the door any second now. What she wouldn't give to have that happen, to see him walk into his study and get to work on yet another proposition, taking care of her all the while. If only he were still here.

Emily could see that her boyfriend, along with most of the men, her brother included, have taken a shining to Elizabeth Webber. She doubts that it should really come as a shock, given their business choice, but she had never believed her boyfriend would be this interested in her. For the last hour, all he's been able to talk about is Elizabeth Webber or, as far as her boyfriend is concerned, Lizzie.

Sure, she's pretty much all that she and her friends talk about on a daily basis, but talking about her with Johnny just didn't seem right. After all, their time together is supposed to be a world free zone, including Elizabeth, and the fact that he's changing that is beginning to upset her. So what if he got to spend time with her? Its not like they spent the entire day together. He barely knows her.

"Francis." she says plainly when she answers Johnny's door, finding that she prefers him showing up rather than listening to Johnny talk about the surprise party for a moment longer. "Johnny's in the kitchen grabbing some beer."

"Thanks." Francis replies as he steps past her into the house. "O'Brien, grab me one."

"Sure." Johnny shouts back, pulling out another bottle before joining them in the living room. "What's up?"

"Jason wanted me to let you know that the weekly barbecue's going to have a change in venue. He'll give you the details when he figures it out." Francis delivers the message that he had been sent to give, popping off the top of his beer as he does. "He also wanted me to remind you that you're on drink duty this week."

"I know that." Johnny defends himself. "Its not that hard to keep up with."

"Really?" Francis counters. "Because the last time you were in charge of drinks, I had to be the one to foot the bill."

"He'll have it covered." Emily defends her boyfriend, standing by his side. "You can trust me on that."

"You heard the lady." Johnny slings his arm across her shoulders. "I got it covered."

"We'll just see about that." Francis smirks. "You should think of coming this time, Emily."

"No thanks." Emily shakes her head. "I have to attend my grandmother's tea party this week. Maybe next week?"

"Suit it yourself." Francis shrugs, downing the rest of his beer, knowing that he might as well start buying the drinks now. "Johnny'll be the only one going stag then."

"You have a date?" Emily truly found that hard to believe.

"I get around." Francis says simply, turning his attention to Johnny. "Don't forget to check in with Marco."

"I'll do that." Johnny assures. "One for the road?"

"Sure." Francis accepts, knowing he couldn't leave Johnny's place without a beer in his hand, one of the main rules in O'Brien's abode. "Sounds good."

"Back in a flash."

"Look, I know you can't stand to hangout with us, but you should really reconsider." Francis voices once Johnny's out of hearing range. "Johnny hates having to choose between you and his friends. So, if you really love him, like you say you do, you'll stop putting him in the position of having do so."

"I never make him choose." Emily states sternly. "Johnny's free to do as he pleases. I never stop him from spending time with you guys."

"You don't have to." Francis sighs, shaking his head at the fact that she couldn't see what she was doing to her boyfriend. "All you have to do is ask and Johnny would go to every last event you could think of, regardless of whether or not he's welcome there."

"He would?"

"Without a doubt." Francis says as if it were blatantly obvious. "If you don't know that by now, there's nothing more I can say to you."

"Here you go." Johnny's voice rings out as he walks back into the living room, handing Francis two bottles of beer. "One for each hand."

"Of course." Francis chuckles, shaking his head his friend. "I'll see you at the barbecue tomorrow, kid."

"Without a doubt."

Watching Francis walk out of the house, Emily had to wonder why he'd choose now to be so vocal of his opinions on her relationship with Johnny. She has never been inclined to attend the weekly barbecues, believing it to be a time for the men to bond or whatever, and Johnny has never really asked her to go either. There's a reason he's goading her and, as he must have figured, she's inclined to find out why.

She wasn't certain what brought him back to her doorstep, but she finds that she truly didn't mind it. His presence always seems to lend her a moment of peace and calm that she hasn't been able to find anywhere else or with anyone else. Showing him into the living room, she makes her way into the kitchen to grab them a couple bottles of beer before returning.

"This place is pretty big to live in alone." he finds himself voicing as they walk through the doors to the backyard. "Don't you ever get lonely?"

"Sometimes." she admits, lowering herself onto the back porch swing beside him. "The memories kind of keep me company most of the time."

"Still, it can't be easy."

"It isn't." she agrees, taking a deep breath before a smile slowly touches her lips. "Having you here helps."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." she shakes her head. "Its nice to be able to talk to someone and have them talk back."

"I can do you one better." he voices after a moment of contemplation. "How would you like to host a barbecue?"

"Me...host..." she looked like she was about to hyperventilate at the mere thought of it. "I...I don't think I can."

"Relax." he voices softly, placing one hand on her thigh to help her relax. "It'll be the same group of people you met the other day. Its nothing big...just friends hanging out."

"Nothing big?" she questions, wanting him to say it definitively. "Just friends hanging out?"

"That's it." he assures her with conviction. "What do you say? Can you do it?"

"You'll help me?"

"Sure."

"Okay." she takes a deep breath, placing one hand atop of his. "I'll do it."