Chapter 3

Elizabeth fumbled to open the door to her apartment and stumbled inside with Ryan at her heels. Her fingers skimmed the cool plaster wall searching for the light switch. As she watched the space illuminate, Elizabeth tossed her purse and keys onto the console table with a noisy clink.

"Do you want something to drink?" she asked.

"No, I'm good. Do you have banana, peanut butter, honey and white bread?" Ryan asked as he shed his lightweight coat, falling onto her sofa as he turned on the television.

Her eyes rolled toward the ceiling as she considered his request. "Um…yes…yes…no…and no." Looking at Ryan and quirking her brow she asked, "Why are you hungry?"

"No, but if I'd known you were going to tie one on tonight I would have planned on making you a peanut butter, banana and honey sandwich to relieve the hangover you're going to have tomorrow," he stated matter of factly as he channel surfed.

Elizabeth smacked a smirk on her face. "I'm making hot chocolate, smart ass. And that is the stupidest hangover remedy I've ever heard of."

"Patrick swears by it," he replied, glancing at her from the sofa, "and he is a doctor."

Huffing loudly and flapping a hand at Ryan, she staggered into the kitchen and filled the kettle, placing it on the burner. She actually felt quasi normal, or maybe it was numb, but one should never look a gift horse in the mouth.

Elizabeth shuddered suddenly as she thought back to earlier in the evening when Ryan moved behind her to help her line up a shot during their pool game. She recalled the sense of déjà vu she experienced as her mind drifted to a different pool game at that same table years before and his arms around her. The memory, and subsequent feelings it elicited from her, was so overwhelming that she had decided right then and there to drink herself silly. Mission accomplished.

The teakettle whistled and pulled her mind back to the kitchen. She dumped the hot cocoa into her mug, stirring lazily as she leaned against the doorframe. She looked across her living room at the man on her sofa, good old reliable Ryan.

Gently blowing into the steam rising from her mug, she considered him, realizing it had been six months since they first met. She hadn't thought he was interested in her; he was simply a friend of Emily's boyfriend, someone with whom she had hung out with socially. Then one night he asked her out. She was surprised and hesitant to accept. She recalled how Emily had lectured her about getting "back in the saddle". Elizabeth smirked as she remembered complaining that she wouldn't be able to find the saddle if someone had dropped her on it.

Needing marshmallows, Elizabeth fought through her drunken haze trying to focus. She chewed her bottom lip, pondering the effort, and wondered if she should be concerned that she needed alcohol to feel normal and enjoy the company of her "boyfriend". How pathetic was she?

Cursing herself, she wondered why she was still haunted by her memories of him. Feeling tears prick the backs of her eyes, she shook her head slightly, squeezing them shut. In truth, she knew exactly why.

Making an effort to compose herself, Elizabeth turned back to the living room, setting her cocoa on the end table as she kicked off her boots and joined Ryan on the sofa. Reaching for her mug, she paused as she felt the caress of cool air on her face.

"Did you feel that?" she asked, straightening.

"What?" Ryan turned his head slightly, but kept his gaze locked on Sports Center.

Not trusting her current state of mind, she shook it off. "Nothing."

"Did you have fun tonight?" he questioned.

"Yeah, you?" she replied half-heartedly.

"Always with you." He leaned over, pressed a kiss into her forehead and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

Elizabeth exhaled as she tried to relax against him.

Her mind registered a rustling noise coming from her bedroom. She turned her head in the direction of the sound. "Did you hear that?" she asked, quirking her brow.

"What?" Ryan replied, his eyes still glued to the television.

Elizabeth stood up, looking toward her room. "That noise from my bedroom."

Ryan stood beside her. "Where's Jake?"

She scolded herself for being too edgy. "I don't know. He might be outside."

"Did you leave your window open again?" he asked accusingly. "Elizabeth, how many times do I have to tell you how unsafe that is?"

Just as Ryan finished his statement, Jake – a big, big cat – came bounding out of the bedroom and down the short hall. He stopped and began to rub the length of his body against Elizabeth's leg.

"Hey fatso," she said as she scooped him up. "You need dinner." Elizabeth strolled into the kitchen with the cat under her arm and poured food into a dish.

Ryan followed her to the kitchen entrance, placing his hands on either side of the frame. "Please don't keep your window open when you aren't home," he pled. "It makes me worry, which makes me want to hover, which I know you don't like."

"Okay," she said as she stood in front of him with her hands on her hips and a smile on her face.

Ryan moved his hands to Elizabeth's waist and pulled her close to him. "You're blowing me off," he stated as he leaned in to kiss her.

Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his neck as he deepened the kiss. She opened her mouth for him as he slid his hand across her arm, over her shoulder and up her neck to cradle her face, adjusting the angle of her head.

She felt him manipulate the hem of her sweater, sliding his hand under it. He moaned against her mouth as he splayed his warm fingers across her cool, smooth back. Elizabeth stiffened momentarily and Ryan's fingers stilled in response. She wanted to pull away, but instead used the liquid courage to steel her resolve…and continued the kiss. Encouraged by her seemingly enthusiastic response, Ryan ran his palm around her ribcage to cup her breast.

Elizabeth abruptly broke their kiss, pressing her forehead against his, unable to look him in the eye. "I'm sorry," she whispered as she placed her hands firmly on his chest between them. She cursed herself internally for being wired like some goddamn car alarm.

Ryan released a slow breath and removed his hand from under her shirt. "Don't be," he said, not sounding completely convincing.

"I'm just not ready," she said softly with a slight shake of her head.

As if coming to her rescue, Jake hissed.

Ryan withdrew his hands from Elizabeth's form, shoved them into the back pockets of his jeans, straightening his stance.

"Your cat hates me," he said, cutting the tension.

"No, he doesn't," she disagreed. "Jake is just a very serious, brooding kitty. He likes to act tough, but he's really a big softie."

"Whatever you say, but I think the cat's a psycho." Ryan looked down at the beast and Jake hissed again as if on cue. "Well, with that, I'm gonna take off. I need to go home because I've got an early run in the morning," he said, turning to grab his coat.

"Oh, I almost forgot." He paused, fishing through the pocket of his jacket. "You left this at my place the other night," he told her as he handed her a small silver comb.

"Thanks," she said. "I'm surprised I left without it. What'd I do with my hair?"

"You just left it down." He paused, staring at her, then cocked his head, "Hey, you wanna do lunch tomorrow?"

"Sure. Call me in the morning," she replied as her fingers fiddled with the comb.

"Will do. Good night." Ryan cupped Elizabeth's face and planted a solid kiss on her mouth.

"Good night," she sighed, smiling at him.

Elizabeth closed the door, flipped the dead bolt and hooked the chain. She looked at her cat. "What's your problem with him Jake? He's a good guy. Leave him alone," she chided.

Snorting and shaking her head, she muttered, "Better yet, what's my problem," under her breath. Elizabeth tucked her hair behind her ears and looked toward the opening of her kitchen. God, Ryan was so patient with her. She liked him. She trusted him. He did what he said and said what he did. She needed that, but…It always came back to the "but".

Turning off the TV, then the light in the living room and kitchen, she made her way to the bedroom. From her bedroom door she eyed the window and found it closed. Curious, she walked across the room to check the lock. Unlocked? She flipped it into place and kept her hands on the sill.

That odd nagging feeling from earlier in the evening began to pool in her stomach once again as she looked out past the fire escape and onto the docks below. As her eyes adjusted, registering the reflection of her room in the window pane, she saw him standing in the shadows.

Their eyes locked.

Elizabeth froze.

Chapter 4

He was tailing them. Elizabeth and that guy she seemed so comfortable with. Who was that asshole? He decided he would get Max on that tomorrow, discretion be damned.

Jason watched them enter her apartment building. A few moments later, he saw lights come on and through the window he could see her stumbling across the room. She definitely looked drunk.

Like an itch that required scratching, he wanted to get closer, needed to see more. He eyed the fire escape. What the hell.

Huffing slightly as he scaled to the second floor, he stopped on the landing outside what appeared to be her bedroom window. It was unlocked.

What is she thinking leaving her window unlocked?

He slid it open.

And over the fire escape of all places.

He crawled in.

Anyone could get in here.

Jason closed the window behind him.

He looked around, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the dark space, the moonlight cascading over his shoulder and a small amount of artificial light coming in from the hallway. Jason stepped off to the left and into the shadows to avoid continued illumination. He could make out a bed, queen sized, with a dark colored comforter – a dresser, nightstand, lamp, closet – standard bedroom, he decided.

Jason's brow furrowed as he eyed a…stuffed animal? fur vest? What the hell was that? The 'what-the-hell-was-that' turned to look up at him. Good God, is that a cat? It's huge, he thought as his eyeballs bulged.

He watched as the cat looked up at him and cocked its head to the side, as if it was considering him. Jason bent down and rubbed the beast under its chin. He heard it purr in response and turn its head into his palm.

As Jason stood the cat jumped, knocking over a waste paper basket. Shit. He quickly picked up the cat and tossed him towards the open door. The animal landed on all fours and ran out of the room. Jason shook his head in relief and concealed himself behind the open bedroom door, just in case.

He discovered this vantage point allowed him a partial view of the living room and the entrance to what looked like the kitchen. He saw Elizabeth standing, with him beside her and that big rat rubbing itself on her leg. Jason heard Elizabeth say something about "fatso" as she picked up the cat and walked toward the kitchen. "Fatso?" he mouthed silently.

Jason heard the guy say something about not leaving her bedroom window open. Jason certainly didn't like him, but found himself nodding his head in agreement. Don't leave your window unlocked much less wide open, he internally scolded her. Did I not teach you anything?

Then it happened. Jason watched as he touched her. Not wanting to bear witness, but unable to pull his eyes away, Jason saw him kiss her and cringed as she responded. Holding his breath, he was punched in the gut at the memory of another time, another place, when he had felt something equally painful. His heart ached as it had all those years ago when he watched in silence as Elizabeth and Zander began…

His mind came shooting back to the present when he saw this guy start to cop a feel. Jason's blood began to boil. Breaking every one of his fingers would be a pleasure.

They stopped kissing and he scrutinized them as they whispered to one another. Words of desire? Love? Jason knew he needed to tear himself away and get out of dodge before he was busted, but he couldn't move. Suddenly, the rat hissed and the guy let go of Elizabeth. Damn, that rat was growing on him.

Jason heard him call the cat a psycho. Jackass. No one talks about my rat like that.

He watched the guy get his coat and turn towards the doorHe's leaving? Thank God for small favors. The last thing Jason needed to see was Elizabeth and this…this horny guy falling over each other…and then get caught in her bedroom as they tumbled toward the mattress. Totally embarrassed and jailed. Not a good plan.

So that's it, they're lovers. Elizabeth left something at his house and was so distracted by him she couldn't remember how she did her hair. Why is she fidgeting so much? Bastard. Don't let the door hit you in the ass, bud.

Jason watched Elizabeth close the door, her small hands and delicate fingers turning the dead bolt, setting the chain. Good girl. He saw her turn to the rat. Did she call it Jake? Jake the cat/rat doesn't like him. Jason, on the other hand, liked this cat more and more with each passing minute.

He gazed at her as she turned off the light in the living room and walked towards the kitchen. He was mesmerized by her movements. His eyes followed her down the hall… Oh, holy hell Jason pinched his eyes shut as Elizabeth entered the bedroom and crossed to the window. He realized then that he was stuck…and rusty. He stared at her as she flipped the lock and peered outside.

He watched as her eyes met his, saw her stiffen…

Well, now seems like as good a time as any.