Qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum - Vegetius

Let him who wishes for peace prepare for war

I.II

Elizabeth took a deep breath as she stared at the double doors in front of her.

PORT CHARLES POLICE DEPARTMENT

Worrying her lip and tucking her hair behind her ear, she steeled herself as she grabbed the door and flung it open. Her attempt at a confident entrance backfired when the door cracked into the wall behind her with a smack. She grimaced at the sound and lifted her eyes to witness the majority of the PCPD snapping their heads in her direction as there is no room for sudden sharp sounds in a police station.

Good one, she told herself as she felt her cheeks warm. It wasn't bad enough she thought people were looking at her as if she had a scarlet 'A' emblazoned on her chest, she had to one up them by making a spectacle of herself. She brushed her hands over her jeans, straightened to her full height and jutted her chin out before walking directly to the desk sergeant and requesting to see Jason.

Praying that no one would talk to her, ask her again if she had any idea where Lucky was, Elizabeth fished her cell phone out of her purse and stared at it as if it held the secrets of the universe. While fiddling with her phone, the clip-clop sound of dress shoes on the linoleum floor got her attention. Then her nose caught a whiff of his aftershave. Shit.

" Elizabeth."

She looked up. "Ric."

"Any word on Lucky?" Ric asked with obviously feigned concern.

"No. No word," she replied simply.

Ric put on his very best sympathetic look. "I'm sorry you two weren't able to work things out. I guess finding out the child he thought was his is really the son of a mobster was just too much for him…" he trailed off.

Elizabeth stared at Ric, considering him as he spoke. How the hell she was once married to him she would never understand? "Rebound," the word escaped her lips without her realizing it.

"Re- what?" he asked.

She flipped her hand. "No-nothing. Thanks for your concern Ric," Elizabeth stated. Trying to nip the conversation in the bud, she offered him a slight smile

"Are you here to see Jason?" He scowled.

"Yes."

" Elizabeth…" the DA stated in a warning tone.

"Ric, Jason and I are friends. He is the father of my son and I will always care about what happens to him."

Ric smirked. "I don't get it…I don't understand the blind loyalty."

Elizabeth crossed her arms over her chest. "I am not blind."

"He's a hitman."

She rolled her eyes. "What do you want Ric?"

"I'm worried about you, now that Lucky's gone…and Morgan has you fooled."

Her eyes narrowed.

"Jason is going to Pentonville, Elizabeth. First for being a flight risk–"

"He jumped bail to save Jake," she interrupted.

"–and second because he [ikilled[/i Lorenzo Alcazar," he finished.

Elizabeth closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, trying to shut him out.

"I am going to call you to testify," Ric stated matter-of-factly.

Her indigo eyes shot open.

"You were with Jason when he got the call. You were the last person to see him before he completed the hit."

She pursed her face as she listened to him. Feeling struck with the urge to slap the smug grin right off his face, while simultaneously being genuinely confused by his statement, she stated, "Ric, I have no idea what you are talking about," her tone decidedly irritated.

"The day you were discharged from the hospital Elizabeth. A nurse placed Jason in your room. The same day Alcazar disappeared," the DA responded.

She averted her gaze while trying to recall the details of Jason's visit to her room. She had been concerned that he wouldn't be able to easily see Jake once they were discharged. Jason held the baby and he smiled as they discussed their son's name. His cell phone rang…

"I have no idea what you are taking about," she repeated with slightly less conviction than before.

"All you have to do is tell the truth." Ric stated as the plastered grin on his face grew. "It's kind of ironic isn't it? That you, one of Saint Jason's biggest supporters will be instrumental in bringing him down."

Elizabeth felt her heart racing, but fought the sensation in order to remain composed. "You don't have any evidence."

"Oh, yes I do," her replied with a nod of his head.

The door to the interrogation room opened.

"Mrs. Spencer," the guard called.

"Right here," Elizabeth responded, turning and lifting her hand before looking back at Ric.

"All you have to do is tell the truth Elizabeth," he reminded her as he turned to walk away.

Elizabeth exhaled and smiled at the sight as she entered the interrogation room. Jason was standing on the other side of a small table. His face was firm, devoid of emotion to the casual viewer, but his eyes told the truth. They were soft and gleaming. "Hey. How are you?" she asked as she stood across the table from him.

"You have fifteen minutes," the guard clipped before exiting.

Neither one moved for a moment; until Elizabeth placed her hand on the back of the chair in front of her, pulling it out to sit. After she moved, Jason did the same.

"How are you?" she repeated.

"I'm fine," he assured her. "How are you? How are the boys?"

"We're good. Jake had a check up the other day. Jason, he's huge. He's like in the ninety-seventh percentile for height and weight. And I know that doesn't come from me," she teased. "And Cam's daycare teacher says he's trying to learn to write his name. I asked her if he was trying to simply write ' Cam' or 'Cameron' and she said he was shooting for the whole thing the little overachiever," she rambled.

"You're babbling," Jason stated with a crooked grin.

Elizabeth made a face. "I'm not babbling. I'm filling you in."

He nodded his head, "Whatever you say."

They sat in silence for a moment.

The look on Jason's face shifted, turning somber. "I wish I was out there to help you."

"Help me what?"

"With everything," he paused. "How are people treating you?"

"Fine," she lied, nodding her head for good measure. "We started moving," she stated, trying to change the subject.

Jason's forehead creased. "Where?"

"Brenda's old cottage," she stated directly.

"What?" he clipped.

"Since it's outside of town the rent is very reasonable. It's quite. There's a yard for the kids. It really is perfect."

The smile on Elizabeth face as she described her new home was warm and genuine. The enforcer's frown from listening to said description was equally as genuine.

"It's in the middle of nowhere Elizabeth. I didn't like that place when Brenda lived there and I didn't even like Brenda," he complained. "I will buy you any house you want in a safe neighborhood."

Her smile turned into frown that matched his. "Didn't you live there once?" she asked, but knowing the answer she did not wait for a response. "I don't want you to buy me a house. I am perfectly capable of providing for my children," she responded firmly.

Jason rubbed the back of his neck. "Fine, but I'm going to get you a guard."

"Carly doesn't have a guard," she responded.

"Sonny's not in jail and Carly doesn't live in Egypt."

"Okay," she conceded.

"Okay?"

"Yes, okay. Why?"

Jason relaxed a bit and shrugged. "I- I just expected you to argue."

"Jake is your son too Jason. And if us having a guard will make you more comfortable…then so be it," Elizabeth stated with a flip of her hand. "I just want my kids to be okay."

Jason cleared his throat and swallowed hard. "Has Cam asked about Lucky?"

Elizabeth nodded her head, her vision blurred as her eyes watered over. "I don't know how to explain this to him? How do I explain to him that I lied? That I lied to Lucky, to him, to everyone about Jake." She quickly wiped the tear that escaped her lower lid.

Reaching out to touch her free hand gently, he said, "It was our lie."

"Was it?" she asked rhetorically. "I don't care what people think about me. I guess I'm getting what I deserve, but Jake and Cam are innocent in all of this."

"Who's bothering you?" Jason asked, pulling his brow into a deep v.

"No one," she responded with a small shake of her head.

" Elizabeth?" he questioned.

"I saw Ric outside." The words tumbled out of her mouth before she had time to think. Elizabeth really didn't want to talk to Jason about her arguments with Carly and Sam, but bringing up her conversation with Ric wasn't much better.

Jason's eyes moved into lethal slits as he steeled his jaw, the muscles there ticking. "What did he want?"

Elizabeth recognized the shift in the enforcer's demeanor immediately and felt guilty for putting it there. He had too much to worry about with the impending trial and didn't need to add her yappy ex-husband with the apparent never ending vendetta to the list…at least not because of her.

"He's trying to send you to Pentonville, Jason. Pentonville, for rescuing Jake," she stressed.

"I know."

"Well, it's ridiculous. You only jumped bail to save our son," Elizabeth eyes bulged as her voice strained.

"I know," Jason responded softly. "Diane's working on it. Please don't worry."

"Don't worry," she parroted. "Yep, don't worry. He's going to call me to testify against you, but you don't worry," she rushed, "because I won't do it."

Jason pinched the bridge of his nose, looked at Elizabeth and stated plainly, "Yes, you will."

Elizabeth's lips parted. She paused. "No, I won't. Jason, I will not participate in a trial against you. I can't do that to Jake or you."

Gathering her hands in his, Jason locked his eyes on hers. " Elizabeth, you don't have a choice. If you're subpoenaed, you have to testify." He swallowed hard, averting his gaze before returning it to hers. "We're not married," he paused, the words left hanging in the air, "you're not protected by spousal privilege."

The petite brunette squirmed in her seat; she pulled her hands from his to wring them under the table. "I won't do it," she stated half under her breath.

Her mumble was not lost on Jason.

" Elizabeth, look at me," he stated firmly. Once she did, he held her gaze and continued, "The only way I can do this is if I know you, Jake and Cameron are okay. I need that. I need for you to do whatever is asked of you. I will be fine."

Her vision blurred as her eyes welled with tears. Her speaking voice was a whisper, "There's evidence."

Jason's cerulean blues pinched closed briefly and he nodded his head. "I heard."

They looked at each other, not speaking, although questions were rolling through Elizabeth's head. Questions she would never ask for fear he would lie to her, or even worse…tell the truth. What would be more damaging? The lies or the truth.

"Diane's a great lawyer. It's gonna be okay. You're gonna be fine," he consoled her.

She stared into his soft eyes, noticing the lines of worry etched in his face, and felt her heart break. "Not if you're in prison."

Elizabeth startled as the door to the interrogation room suddenly opened and the guard announced the end to their visit. A single tear slipped past her lid and as she quickly wiped it, she gave Jason's hand a squeeze and offered him a small smile before she left.