Chapter Five

"Thanks for meeting me for lunch." Elizabeth said as they walked through the door of Kelly's.

"My pleasure." Lucky said laughing slightly. It was amusing to watch Elizabeth yet now that she was pregnant. He would never understand how someone so small could eat so much food. "But why didn't you ask Ric?"

"I did. He was too busy dealing with Jason and Sonny."

""Oh, that's right they are being released today. How do you fell about that?"

"I don't care really. Except..." Elizabeth stooped unsure of how to expresses her fears. She knew Ric was worried. He was even more protective than usual.

"Except what? Come on Elizabeth I know you too well not to buy that nothing is wrong." Lucky said his voice full of concern.

"I'm worried they might try and hurt Ric."

"Did you say something Ric?" Elizabeth nodded distractedly. "Well what did he say?"

"Not much to be honest. He only found out last night."

"Wow." He was a little stunned at how fast Jason and Sonny were being released.

"Yeah. Ric was surprised too. I think Ric is worried more about me."

"He should be worrying about himself." Carly said from behind. The older blonde was shooting daggers in her direction.

"Carly how nice to see you." Elizabeth said trying to stay calm.

"Yeah right." Carly spat back rolling her eyes. "I'm surprised Ric even let you out of his sight now that Jason is being released."

"I'm not sure I even want to know but what in the hell are you talking about?"

"We both know you have this habit of running after Jason but let me make this clear little girl he doesn't want you. He never did."

Elizabeth was tempted to laugh. Jason was the furthest thing from her mind these days. "Carly I know this may be hard for you to understand but I don't want Jason. I'm with Ric."

"For now. That will change when you see Jason. He loves Courtney and they are going to get married." Carly told her venomously.

"Good. I hope they're happy."

"They are. I'm going to make sure of it." Carly insisted before storming into the dinner.

"Okay... that was..."

"Weird?" Lucky asked speaking for the first time since Carly showed up. He had learned long ago to never get in between the two women.

"Weird just about covers it. I know Carly is your cousin but she needs medication."

"You're not going to get arguments from me one that." Lucky laughed as the walked along the docks.

"Lucky one thing." Elizabeth said turning to place her hand on his arm. "Could you not tell Ric about this?"

"Elizabeth, I don't like the guy, you know that but he should probably know." Lucky said quickly. He hated secrets and Elizabeth knew that. They had a tendency to come out at the worst possible times.

"I agree with you he should know. I just want to be the one who tells him." Elizabeth said tugging at the sleeves of her light jacket. Telling Ric was not something she looked forward to. He was going to lose it. Things had been going so well too.

"Okay I won't say anything but if you don't tell Ric he will find out."

"Thanks Lucky." Elizabeth said giving her friend a quick hug.

"No problem. Just do one thing for me."

"If I can." Elizabeth agreed reluctantly.

"If you see Jason or Sonny be careful. I'm not trying to tell you what to do. It's just..."

Elizabeth nearly laughed. How many times did they fight about Jason? Too many and every single fight started this way. "I understand what you are saying Lucky. And yes I will be careful."

Jason was walking along the waterfront on his way to the warehouse. The water had always calmed him and right now, he needed it. He couldn't believe that Ric Lansing was now the D.A. After everything the man had pulled somehow, he convinced the mayor to just give him the job. This was going to make executing his plan even harder. Not that this minor glitch was going to stop him. If anything the knowledge made Jason even more determined to make Ric suffer.

Just as he reached the docks, Jason heard two familiar voices. He stopped still partially hidden by shadows and watched as Elizabeth and Lucky talked. The two seemed to be close once again. When he saw Lucky hug Elizabeth, before walking off in the opposite direction, it made Jason's blood boil.

Lucky had left Elizabeth all alone on the docks. Jason was attempted to approach her but he stopped remembering what he had heard about Elizabeth and Ric. Elizabeth was a sweet girl but she continually trusted the wrong people. First Lucky and now Ric. Jason had been stunned when he learned Elizabeth had married the slime. Jason shook his head at the thought. After she testified at his trial Jason hoped she was threw with Ric. Now it was just another reason to hate the bastard. Jason just had to make certain Ric paid for everything.

Sonny was sitting at his desk when Jason walked in. They hadn't seen each other since the trial because of being in separate places. It seems the PCPD thought they might plan something if Sonny and Jason were able to communicate. "I see you're already back at work?"

"And you're not?" Jason said motioning towards the paperwork.

"True. Did you hear about Lansing?"

"About him being the new D.A.? Yeah. It's unbelievable." Jason said sitting down in one of the chairs.

"He has to pay." Sonny said coldly thinking about the last year. He had lost things he could never get back Time with Carly and Michael, the chance to see Morgan be born and it was all Ric Lansing's fault. Sonny now regretted not killing him at Martha's Vineyard.

"I agree."

"Wait. You have a plan don't you?"

"Of course." Jason said his voice and eyes growing even colder.

"Do I want to know the details?" Sonny asked cautiously. He did not want to be sent back to prison.

Jason shook his head. The last thing he needed was Sonny's paranoia and concise getting in the way. "Probably not."

"Okay then. I trust you to handle it."

Elizabeth sat on the dock one hand absentmindedly rubbing her tummy. The baby kicked against her hand making her smile. Last spring her world was in shambles. When Ric lied to her, he broke something. Somehow, very slowly over the next few months Ric won not only her trust but also her love back as well. Elizabeth had been shocked to learn that Ric had taken over the D.A.'s job. He seemed to truly enjoy the challenge though.

Things had been progressing slowly then Elizabeth found out she was pregnant. It was as if someone had flipped a switch in Ric. Maybe it was the way she told him. Elizabeth had to admit the hospital was not the best place to tell someone. She just never expected Ric's reaction.

"You're pregnant with... my... our child?" Elizabeth nodded slightly afraid of what Ric would do. "How long have you know about the baby? And why didn't you tell me?"

"I just found out. I wasn't feeling well and Grams insisted..."

"Are you okay?" Ric asked his dark brown eyes filled with concern.

"We're both fine."

Ric stood there for a moment trying process what she had said. "I can't believe we're going to have a baby together."

"We?" Elizabeth asked slowly. She did not even know if Ric wanted children.

"I love you, Sweetheart. You know that right?"

"I love you too. I'm just scared. I don't know if I can give a baby what it needs." Elizabeth admitted sitting on the hospital bed her head down.

"You won't be doing this alone I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here." Ric said sitting beside her. He could see how worried and confused she was but there was no way he was going to let her down.

"What about..."

"No." Ric interrupted placing a finger on her lips. "You are all that matters now."

"Ric, I.…" Elizabeth began starting to turn away. Ric gently grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him.

"I've spent most of my life chasing the wrong things. Please, Elizabeth just let me case the right ones. Let me try to give you and our child a good life."

"I'm scared, Ric. You're still working through your obsession to Sonny."

"No. I want you, our life, and our future. I want to be happy. Please Elizabeth." Ric said practically begging. He never thought about children before. Like so many other things, he simply did not allow himself to even consider it. Now he never wanted anything more.

"Ric we're barely together."

"Look at me. Do you want this baby?" Ric's tone was firm but gentle. Elizabeth immediately nodded tears filling her blue eyes. "No matter what happens with us?"

"Yes." Elizabeth said her voice barely a whisper.

"Good. That's a start." Ric brushed the tears from her cheeks and then took her hand. "I'm not going to leave your side and I'm going do everything I can to convince you to become my wife."

"Did you just ask me to marry you?" Elizabeth asked blinking several times from the sudden shock.

"I know this isn't the most romantic place but..." Ric told her glancing around the hospital room.

"Just because I'm pregnant does doesn't mean you have to marry me. We can figure something out with custody..."

Ric immediately shook his head. He reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind Elizabeth's ear. "I know I've done a lot of bad thing in my life and I've wasted a lot of time... you're the only part of my life that makes sense."

"I'm just having a really hard time believing this." Elizabeth told him softly.

Ric felt hope spread throughout his body. "I'm having a hard time believing this myself. Now I know why people get up in the morning, you know why they can make it through their day. I am happier than I have ever been and I know I'm still so messed up. But I just cannot imagine my life without you in it. Did you know I didn't know I could love, that I could be loved? And as far as family goes... until you came along. I love you, Elizabeth. I just want to give you a good life, you and our baby. Nothing else matters to me."

"Yes." Elizabeth said softly.

"What do you mean by yes?" Ric asked unsure if had even heard her correctly.

"Yes I will marry you." Elizabeth said smiling brightly.

"You will marry me?"

"Yes."

""You mean that?" Ric asked again. It felt like he was on the verge of getting everything he never knew he wanted all at once.

"Yes." Elizabeth whispered again.

"Say it again." Ric asked cupping her cheek with one hand.

"I will marry you." Elizabeth said smiling at Ric shock. After a moment his lips were on hers devouring her hungrily.

Elizabeth blushed at the rest of the memory. 'At least they didn't get caught.' She thought with a giggle. After struggling to stand up Elizabeth headed off to her studio already planning her next painting.