Prompt: I suffer every time I watch you from a distance, but my love does not diminish. It grows stronger, consuming me, yet I cannot walk away.

Part Twenty-Eight

"Mar… marry you?" The words were spoken on a strangled whisper. Elizabeth stared at Joshua for a moment. Her mouth agape, her eyes held his with disbelief. Suddenly, she began to laugh.

A crazy sort of laugh.

"You have got to be kidding me. You think I am going to marry you?" Carly stood looking at Elizabeth with a cruel smile across her smug face; Joshua continued to stand there, his hands in his pockets, a tilt in his posture as he leaned against her dresser. "Ha." Elizabeth continued. "You are seriously out of your mind if you even think I would marry you."

"You were going to marry me before."

"What?" Again, her eyes opened wide. Was he serious?

Joshua rolled his eyes, an impatient huff escaping him as he strode towards her. The picture of male arrogance. "Really, Lizzie, must you be so unladylike and shout. You used to be so reserved. I honestly don't know what has gotten into you."

"I'll tell you what's gotten into her, or rather… who." Carly shuddered.

Elizabeth stared at Carly with a disgusted look upon her face. Joshua didn't even spare the blonde a look as he dismissed her. "Do you mind leaving us alone?"

"Actually, I do."

"Carly." Joshua gave her a curt stare. "Leave or I will be forced to give the Quarter—"

Throwing her hands up in the air, Carly relented. "Alright, I'm going."

She stalked out the door but not before she gave Elizabeth one last hard look. Her smile was evil, Elizabeth thought with a shudder. That woman needed some serious help.

"Now that we are finally alone…"

"Stop this and just tell me what's going on." She demanded.

He tisked. "Where has my sweet Lizzie gone? You used to be so polite, never talking out of turn. Whatever happened to her?"

Elizabeth's chin lifted. "She realized she had a voice and didn't have to do everything other people wanted her to do."

"Pity, I liked the other one so much better."

She shook her head. How could she ever have thought she loved him?

She didn't. She never knew what love was until she met Jason. The only other person who ever truly loved her was her Grams, and that wasn't the kind of love she found with Jason. She never felt anything near to the strength of what she felt for Jason with Joshua. It suddenly didn't matter anymore that she thought she had loved Joshua because she didn't even know what it meant before now.

Her shoulders squared, her eyes grew with intense dislike towards the man standing before her. "Tell me whatever it is you and my parents are trying to accomplish so I can turn you down and leave." She paused. "You know what; don't even bother trying to explain because I don't even want to hear it. I could care less what you and my parents are trying to do. I'm leaving here and once I'm gone," she took a step forward, "I'll never think about any of you ever again. You are all out of my life."

"That's just it, you're not leaving."

"Like hell I'm not."

"Once you become my wife you will learn to not use such language. I have appearances to keep up and I can't have my business partners thinking I married someone who could—"

"Then marry someone who gives a damn! I'm not marrying you." Why couldn't he get that through his thick head?

"But you have to."

"I don't have to do anything that I don't want to."

Joshua sighed, titled his head to the right. "If you do not marry me, then me, you, your parents, all of us will be ruined."

"What do you mean?"

"You're parents are broke, Lizzie. I have agreed to help them out as long as you marry me. For, you see, I will be left with no money as well if I do not marry you."

She refrained from rolling her eyes even though the action seemed so pleasing to do at the moment. On second thought… "Would you just spit it out?" She spoke through clenched teeth, her eyes rolled heavenward.

"You know how much my Grandfather adores you." He began, disgust lacing his words. "He has made it very clear to me that if I do not marry you, the only woman he deems worthy enough to become a Knight, then he will cut me off for good. When he told me this, I proposed."

"You only proposed to me because you were going to be cut off?" If she had been told this week's ago, she might have been hurt. But now, now she really couldn't muster up enough emotion to give a damn that her entire engagement was because he might lose his inheritance.

She still thought he was a bastard, though.

"Grandfather was worried that he was going to die before he would get a grandchild and it also scared him that if he died before I would marry, then he felt the entire Knight name would be ruined." Joshua planted his fists on his hips, a look of disbelief on his face. "Can you believe that the old man actually thought that I would ruin the family name?"

"I always thought your grandfather was a very smart man."

He shook his head, ignoring her. "When you called off the wedding I had to do a lot to convince him that everything was ok. I was going to find another way to please him and just let you be. But then I found out about your parents and struck up a bargain with them."

"They get me to marry you and you'll provide for them until they got back on their feet?"

"Very good," he cheered her. "I always knew you were smart no matter what Steven always said." He went to touch her cheek to which she pulled back from, turning away from him.

"Anyway," he continued, acting as if her retreat didn't affect him. "I told your parents of my plan and they were more than happy to help. But there was only one little problem."

"I had already left."

"Correct again."

"I guess I should thank you."

Joshua stared at her as she turned back to look at him. Her expression shocked him. His little Lizzie had really changed. As much as he liked the girl who did everything he wanted, practically worshiped the ground he walked on, she had bored him after a time. But this woman standing before him, the new strong, independent woman she had became, she made him curse himself for screwing up the first time.

But no matter, he thought, he would have her. She had no choice but to marry him. And, believe it or not, he was happy to be marrying her. She would always be his Lizzie, but now, she wouldn't bore him but excite him. He actually looked forward to their marriage. He just needed her to stop looking at him as if she hated him. "What do you have to thank me for?"

"If not for your idiotic plan, I never would have met Jason."

"What?"

It was now his turn to balk.

"Steven told me that it was all of you who tried to kidnap me the first time. I couldn't understand it at first, but now I do." She paused, a corner of her mouth lifting. "Jason was the one who saved me. So, thank you."

Joshua stood staring at her. She wanted to laugh at his dumbstruck expression. "I do have one question though."

"What?" He rasped out, his throat dry.

"Why did they try to take Kristina? The little girl I was with?"

He cleared his throat. He had known that Jason had saved her from the kidnappers. He didn't know until their man had escaped, but to hear her thank him for that. To hear from her lips that he had, in some way, helped her meet… that man. It did something to Joshua that he didn't particularly like. "Apparently, our men didn't know what to do with the little girl and decided to take her along with you. They didn't want any witnesses. I just guess it all worked out in our favor that they picked up the girl first which caused you to try and fight them off to save her. It gave us more time to devise another plan since there was no reason to suspect us. Of course, we knew none of this until our man had escaped your criminal's clutches and told us everything." And demanded more money, too, he added silently.

"His name is Jason." She bit out. "And you all made a very bad mistake in trying to take Kristina. You also made a mistake by taking me. Jason will never—"

"He won't have a say in the matter because he will never know. You are going to marry me willingly."

"You really are insane. I'm not marrying you! How many times do I have to tell you?"

"You can deny it all you want to, Lizzie, but you will marry me." When she went to interrupt him, Joshua held his hand off. She let out a frustrated sound at his rude gesture to silence her. "If you do not marry me, you will never see your mobster again."

"Don't you dare try to threaten me or Jason."

"But that's just what I'm doing. I have very high connections in case you have forgotten. One word from me and your little criminal will be facing the rest of his life behind bars."

Elizabeth swallowed. "You can't do anything."

"My man is down stairs right now with some very incriminating evidence. One word from me and he is off to the station. Not only will the evidence lock… Jason," he nearly choked on the other mans name, "away, but also his associates. A man by the name of Michael Corinthos, a Max…"

"How did you get this information?" She wanted to cry. This could not be happening.

"It was actually more difficult than we thought. Your friends are very good at covering up their crimes. But a friend of mine also happens to know a few things about Morgan's dealings and was able to help us get some information. It wasn't enough, but we were able to fabricate the rest. It will stick."

"Carly helped you, didn't she?"

"Mrs. Quartermaine has been very helpful. She is right you know, you have her to thank for our marriage."

At her silence a slow smile of triumph appeared across his lips. "You can't deny it now, can you?"

"I hate you."

"Nevertheless, you will still become my wife tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" She gasped. That gave her no time to figure out a way to get out of this. She had to contact Jason, had to warn him. He was probably tearing Port Charles up looking for her. And what would happen when Carly got to him. No, she told her self. There was no reason to worry about that. She knew that Jason wouldn't believe anything Carly would tell him. She knew he wouldn't believe that bitch.

She had to find a way to get out of this.

"Everything has been arranged. It will be just like you never called off the wedding the first time. You'll even be able to wear your dream dress you threatened to throw at my head when you found me with… well, no reason to rehash past angers."

He walked towards her, only able to cup her cheek because she was too dazed to recoil from his touch. "Rest up, my dear. You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow. And don't even think about trying to get away. You can't."

Elizabeth stood in the same spot long after he left. This couldn't be happening. She couldn't lose Jason only to marry that bastard. She finally admitted to herself that she loved him. She had to tell him how she felt.

But she couldn't risk letting him go to prison. His freedom was more important to her than her own.

She just hoped this wouldn't hurt him as much as it was hurting her.

It had been two days since she was taken. Two days of Jason searching all over Port Charles for her.

His knuckles hurt from the many faces he had punched when he didn't like the answers he received. He was tired from lack of sleep. But none of it mattered.

Nothing mattered until he could find Elizabeth.

Who ever had taken her, whatever enemy had dared to use her as a way to get to him and Sonny still hadn't called with their demands. It was unusual that they hadn't gotten a call yet and it scared the hell out of him. The longer she was being kept away from him, the more it meant that he may not find her.

His stomach turned at the thought that she could be hurt. Ever since the attempted kidnapping he and Sonny had been searching high and low to figure out who was behind it. It could either be an old enemy or a new one. Not knowing was driving him crazy and now, now that Elizabeth was caught in the middle again, he dreaded who could be behind this even more.

An unknown enemy was the worst kind of enemy.

His footfalls pounded against the wooden docks underneath him as he rushed along on his way to meet another source he hoped would be able to give him some damn answers.

"Jason?"

Closing his eyes, Jason continued to walk on, pretending he didn't hear her call his name again. When she ran after him and tugged on his arm, he stopped, giving her a hard stare to state what she wanted so he could leave.

"I've been looking for you."

"I've been busy." He told Carly, turning away from her to continue on his way to find Elizabeth.

"Wait!"

"What?" He snapped. Annoyed that she was here, annoyed that he had to deal with her when he never wanted to see her again, especially right now.

"What's your problem? I just wanted to talk. It's been so long since we just sat and talked, like we used to." There was a time that her tears might have made him pause, might have made him want to help her just so she wouldn't cry. There was a time when he hated to see her cry. But now, now he didn't give a damn.

"I don't have time for this."

A look of hurt passed over her face before a scowl replaced it.

"What's the big rush anyway, little Miss Muffin Face isn't waiting at home for you anyway."

Jason stopped cold. A chill ran up and down his spine. He turned; his eyes cold and deadly as they stared at her. "What did you do?"

"What did I do?" She feigned innocence, a hand flying to her chest in mock disbelief. "You seem upset, what's wrong."

"Cut the shit, Carly! What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything. Don't take your anger out on me because your play thing decided to marry her high school sweet heart."

His forehead crinkled in confusion. "What the hell are you talking about?" He asked, his arms outstretched in question.

"Elizabeth," she spat. "She's getting married right now to Joshua Knight. AJ and I were invited to the wedding but I thought it was best that I didn't go. You know, since she hates me because of the special bond between me and you."

His confusion only grew. There was no way in hell that Elizabeth would be marrying… A heavy weight fell against his chest. All this time he thought that one of his enemies had kidnapped her. But what if it wasn't anyone who had a vendetta against him and Sonny, what if this had to do with Elizabeth. This didn't feel right. Something was defiantly wrong. If Elizabeth was marrying Joshua right now it was because she was being forced to.

She wouldn't marry him. Hell, they had found both Max and Milo knocked out. Elizabeth didn't go on her free will and that meant that she wasn't getting married because she wanted to.

Fuck.

"Where are they getting married?" He asked with an urgency he had never felt before.

Her eyes narrowed. "You're not going to go after her are you?" When he demanded the name of the church again, Carly shook her head. "You'll never make it in time."

Aggravated beyond belief, Jason grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. "Tell me where the hell she is!"

"I won't tell you." A hint of fear ran through her, but Carly knew Jason would never really hurt her.

She began to rethink her sure self when his gaze darkened. But she couldn't tell him. Little Lizzie didn't deserve this man. The girl needed to stay as far away from Jason and Carly was going to make sure that that happened. Once Elizabeth and Joshua were married, Jason would have no choice but to leave the muffin face alone.

Just as a plan began to make its way through her mind, Jason's phone rang. He shoved her away from him, digging into his jeans pocket to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Jason Morgan?"

"Who is this?"

"Someone who wants to see Li—Elizabeth happy. Get to the Our Lady of Grace Church. And hurry."

When the caller hung up the phone, Jason was turning away from Carly, running towards his bike. She screamed after him, demanding that he not leave her.

He ignored her, dialing his phone to call Sonny in case this lead was something to throw him off. He had a feeling that Elizabeth was at that Church, but just in case, he wanted Sonny to double check it.

Once he explained to Sonny, he was jumping onto the back of his bike.

He had to get to her before it was too late.