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~~ 1 ~~
She wasn't going cry. There was no reason for her to be this upset over something that had absolutely nothing to do with her. Jason Morgan was nothing but a past memory, a part of her life she was done with. So why did her insides feel like they'd been filled with melting plastic?
Taking a deep breath, while tilting her head back to stare at the stars, Elizabeth Webber hated the tears swimming before her eyes. At least she'd been able to escape to the rooftop before they noticed how Sam's over joyous announcement had effected her.
Sam. God just the thought of the woman made her want to scream. She'd endangered the lives of her children and no matter how hard she tried to get past the other woman's past action she couldn't seem to let the anger go. How had a con artist turn into the town's darling? How could Jason forgive her for such a stupid and dangerous stunt?
Sucking in a deep breath, she wandered over to the side of the building and looked at the street below. Watching as people went on with their lives, without the painful emotions that made it impossible for her to breathe. A small part of her envied their freedom.
"I can't say seeing you so close to the edge comforts me." Ewen Keenan's voice came from out of the darkness. If she wasn't already getting used to his ninja like way of appearing out of nowhere, Elizabeth may have been startled. Instead his calm, reassuring voice was like a safety line.
"Afraid I'm going to jump?" Turning back to watch the town, Elizabeth sighed.
"I wasn't referring to the building." Coming to stand next to her, he kept his hands in his jacket. "More of your emotional edge."
"Is that why you've been stalking me?" She almost regretted how snarky the words sounded to her own ears, but after fleeing the scene downstairs she didn't have the energy to restrain herself. "You think I'm a walking time bomb?"
Her words didn't seem to effect him the way she hoped. Typically he'd share her inside joke. Instead he stared out on to the city for a moment before turning to look at her. "Sometimes."
"Ouch."
"Don't ask questions you don't want the answers to." Shrugging, he dragged his attention back to the streets below. Silence filled the air, making Elizabeth twitchy. "I came up here to make sure you were okay after that tactless display downstairs."
Another bright spot, it seemed Sam and Jason had waited until the majority of the night staff were at the nurses station before announcing Sam's pregnancy to an overly thrilled Monica. "Why shouldn't I be?"
His dark chuckle sent chills down her spine. "What did I say about asking questions you don't want the answers to?"
"I don't have any right to be upset." Elizabeth responded stubbornly. "It's not like I'm some kind of a jilted lover."
"A right?" Turning now to look down on her, his eyes bored into hers. She could see his typical good nature had a dark edge to it that night. "Is that how you gauge your emotional reactions? If you have the right to feel them or not?"
There is was again, him pushing at her to see things she'd rather ignore. He had a habit of doing that and Elizabeth couldn't say she always walked away grateful for his assistance. "I can't just go about my life having one emotional outburst after another. I'd be no better than my sons throwing tantrums at the drop of a hat."
He took a step closer, making her tilt her head back slightly. "So you're happy for them?"
Sneaky bastard put her in a position where he was able to read her eyes. Hadn't he once predicted how she was feeling because of her eyes? A lie was on the tip of her lips, one she almost believed. Instead the tears she'd stubbornly held back slipped from her eyes.
"No." It was barely a whisper, and shame stained her cheeks. "I'm not happy for them."
"I know." He responded sadly, his fingers tucked a piece of hair behind her shoulder, giving her a minute to compose herself.
"Honestly, I hate them both so much I can't think straight." Clenching her hands together, as a tidal wave of emotion slammed into her, Elizabeth choked when a whimper escaped from her lips. "I lost Jake, and they just went on with their lives like nothing happened. Do you have any idea what Sam has put me through in the last few years?"
Ewen watched soundlessly as Elizabeth broke down in front of him. God, he hated it. Hated the people in this town who had done this to her.
"Not to mention Monica. That woman has had it out for me the second she found out Jake was Jason's son. Blaming me for keeping him a secret. Everyday I have to walk around here on eggshells, never knowing when she's going to attack."
Spinning around, Elizabeth put her hand to her head. "I should've known sooner or later they'd be having a baby. It's all Sam's dreamt about. I should've been prepared for this."
Turning her around, Ewen waited until Elizabeth brought her tear filled eyes up to meet his intent gaze. "Elizabeth you have a right to be angry."
"It just hurts so much." Leaning her head to rest against his chest, her eyes landed on his mismatched buttons. Usually his inability to dress himself humored her, at that moment she couldn't seem to find the amusement. "I wish I didn't feel this way. That I could feel nothing and just be happy for them. But I can't. I hate them. I hate Jason Morgan."
Feeling her leaning into him as her energy diminished, Ewen wrapped his arms around her slender frame and sighed. She'd done well tonight. Letting go the emotions he knew were eating her up inside and dampening the soul she possessed.
This was only the beginning. There were years of emotions still residing in her. Once he helped her banish the damage this town had heaped on her, Elizabeth would be absolutely amazing.
"You aren't going to ask me if I feel better are you?" Mumbling into his chest, comforted by his warmth, Elizabeth sniffed back the remaining tears.
"I don't ask questions I already know the answer to." Putting a little space between them, Ewen still kept her secured in his arms. "I just wish you didn't bottle everything up by making excuses for other people's behavior."
The sound of the metal door interrupted the night, and Elizabeth tensed half trying to push out of the hold Ewen had on her. He predicted this and let Elizabeth take a safe step back. It didn't mean he liked it.
"Elizabeth?" Jason Morgan scanned the rooftop until his eyes landed on the couple. His expression showed his unease. "Can we talk?"
Silence filled the night as Elizabeth retreated into herself again, wrapping her arms around her middle as though trying to protect herself. The two eyed one another for a moment, trying to read the other's thoughts.
"I don't think that's a good idea." She finally said, her chin inching up a notch.
"I'm so sorry about . . ." Trying to find the words, Jason shifted uncomfortably.
"Your wife's tactless disregard for Elizabeth's feelings?" Ewen offered, ignoring the reactions from both Elizabeth and Jason.
"Who in the hell are you?" Insulted and ashamed for being called out on his inaction to stop Sam from bursting out their good news in front of an audience, Jason pinned the man standing behind Elizabeth. He looked slightly familiar, but he couldn't seem to put a name to the face.
"Ewen." Looking over her shoulder, her eyes practically begging him not to push anymore than he had, Ewen heaved a deep sigh. "Dr. Ewen Keenan."
A humorless smile spread on Jason's mouth. "Not from around here are you?"
Ewen's eyes widened mockingly at the man glowering back at him. "Did the accent give me away? Or my utter disregard to your 'dangerous' status?"
"Elizabeth and I need a moment." Not budging an inch, Jason's cold eyes bore into Ewen's. "Alone."
"Does that typically work for you?" Almost intrigued, Ewen watched as the side of Jason's mouth twitched. "Do people usually do what you ask?"
"If they're smart." The violence notched up in Jason's ice cold gaze, his attention shifting to where Elizabeth stood. His eyes softened slightly at her distressed expression and puffy eyes. Putting out his hand to her, he tried to keep eye contact. "It'll only take a minute."
Looking at the out stretched hand, Elizabeth couldn't help but flashback to the park, years ago when he had done the same thing. Offering a different life, a new start. Something more than friendship.
"I can't." She didn't know who was more surprised, Jason or her. Without a look back she hurried off to the exit.
"So was anyone else a little uncomfortable?" Talking under his breath, loud enough for Robin and Patrick to hear, Matt pretended to be studying one of his patient's charts. They'd been standing there for several moments.
"Uncomfortable doesn't even start to describe it." Patrick muttered. "To be so obvious announcing Sam's pregnancy. It was so- ."
"Insensitive." Robin supplied when her husband faltered. Her eyes shifting to the stairway Elizabeth had escaped nearly twenty minutes ago. "Should someone go see if she's okay?"
"I'm not going." Patrick grumbled. "Dr. Keenan followed her. And if you haven't noticed Jason slipped out about ten minutes ago. I'm perfectly okay right here."
Matt's head snapped up. "What do you mean Dr. Downunder followed her?"
"He was talking to a patient's family in the waiting room when Sam and Jason dropped the bomb." Flipping through a few papers, Patrick looked over to where Dr. Quartermain and Sam where still laughing and hugging every few minutes.
"Maybe I should go make sure she's okay." Tossing the file he'd been pretending to read onto the counter he headed to the stairway, only to have Robin intercept him.
"I really don't think that's a good idea." Holding onto the back of his white lab coat, Robin shook her head. "I'm sure she has enough concerned friends looking out for her."
"Jason and Crocodile Dundee?" Making a face, Matt tried to untangle himself from her grasp. "They're the worst two people to be checking up on her."
"Matt you'll only make whatever is going on worse." Robin insisted, pulling him back to the nurse's station.
Matt glowered, clearly not appreciating being told to leave Elizabeth alone. "I really don't trust that Keenan."
"Dully noted." Grabbing his stack of folders, his eyes straying one last time to Monica and Sam, Patrick shook his head and left to go on rounds.