A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Lily94, am not offended at all I am all for becoming a better writer. Oracle I'm glad you are enjoying the story. And Cara Mia, as always thanks for your support. I'm still trying to decide if she goes to PC, but as of now they're staying on the island for a while. Here's the next installment hope you enjoy it. And please don't forget to review!

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Chapter 5: Discoveries and connections

Elizabeth opened her eyes. She didn't even attempt to move. Her body was still numb all over. But she didn't have to look to know he was there. Sitting on the chair, by her side. He had stayed there for the past couple of days. Elizabeth had watched him every morning, right before dawn. At night he waited until she was asleep and came into her room, stayed all night and left at sunrise just before she woke up. She felt safe when he was around, so she waited until he came in and sat on the big armchair just then could she really fall sleep. He was so good to her. Like a guardian angel sent to look over her. At first, she felt ashamed by what happened to her. But somehow she knew he wouldn't judge her. Even if it was her fault, even if he had warned her and she hadn't listen. Tears had started to fall from her eyes and a deep ache was overwhelming her heart. She was damaged. If no one had want her before, no one would now.

Jason felt her sobs and opened his eyes immediately. He thought she had started to cry on her sleep as she had before, but found her wide blue eyes opened. He was taken aback for a moment and hesitated for a second before sitting on the edge of the bed. She looked at him and his heart broke again. She seemed so lost and scared. It was painful to see a young girl in so much pain.

He was about to stroke her curly locks, but paused his hand midair afraid he might scare her.

"What's wrong? Does something hurt?"

She nodded slightly.

"I'm going to call the doctor."

"No." Her voice came out shaky.

"Why not?"

"It hurts here." She moved her small hand over her chest.

"I thought... do you want me to call Grace. She stayed here last night. She doesn't want to leave you alone."

"It's ok. I just... I..." She started to cry again.

Before he even thought about what he was doing, he had bent towards her and had her in his arms hugging her tightly. Elizabeth couldn't help but cry harder.

He stroke her back soothingly for minutes before her tears subsided. When she could breath more easily, he let her go.

"Am sorry. I don't know what came over me." She apologized for her behavior.

"You've been trough a very rough time. You don't have to apologize. It's not your fault."

"But it was. It was my fault. Grace warned me and so did you, but I was being stubborn. I wanted to forget about everything. I wanted to live dangerously and feel nothing. It was my fault for going with him when I didn't even know him."

Jason was taken aback by her outburst. He hadn't meant it like that. But this was obviously what was bugging her mind.

"Aren't you going to say 'I told you so'?"

"Why should I?"

"You told me to be careful... and I left with him in part to piss you of. I didn't need one more person telling me what to do. And I ended up..." Her voice broke.

"Look what happened wasn't you're fault. That bastard, what he did wasn't right. He is just a good for nothing- sorry excuse of a man that can't get any, and has to go around stealing young girls innocence forcing himself on them."

"But I lead him on. He said that my clothes..."

"Forget what that rat said. You could've being walking around naked, but if you said no he had to respect that."

"I said no. I did. I told him that I wanted to go home, but he wouldn't take me. I said I had to get home early, but he wouldn't take me." She was desperate now. And fresh tears bathed her face.

He hugged her again. "It's ok, kid. Everything is going to be ok."

~ *~ *~ *~ *~ *~ *~ *~ *~ *~ *~ *~ *~ *~ *~ *~

Jason was in the study talking on the phone with Benny, Sonny's accountant and research worker.

"So he works for Marino. That's good info, Benny. Yes. Please keep working on that. I have two guys asking around. No, this is personal. If something comes up I'll talk to Sonny myself. Thank you."

A knock came at the door then. Grace and Dr. Barbara Díaz came in.

"Am sorry to disturb you, Sir. I just needed to talk to you for a minute."

"Is ok. But please Grace, call me Jason."

"Ok. Jason. It's about Elizabeth."

"What about her? Is she ok?"

"Yes."

"What is it that you want to talk to me about, then?"

"I wanted to let you know she's doing better. She seemed to calm down once I explained to her some things."

"Like what?" The two women in the room looked at each other. Jason was confused. "What?"

" She thought she was raped. She fell unconscious before really understanding what happened yesterday."

Jason's worried expression was burning into her. "She's fine now. You got there just in time."

"So he didn't actually raped her."

"Exactly."

"Thank God!" The words flew out of his mouth.

"I still think she's going to need to talk to someone. A counselor, might help her get over the shock and the guilt she's suffering. She was still battered and assaulted, even if he didn't actually violated her." She took a small card and gave it to Grace. "This is the name of a colleague whose specialty is women's assault. She even has a group section. Elizabeth has to understand that this wasn't her fault and that in the circumstances she was lucky."

"I'll try to talk to her about it. But I don't think she'll go. That little girl is so stubborn."

"Well. I guess, I should go. If she needs anything just call me."

"Thank you Barbara. Tell Marcos, I'll call him later. I don't think I'll come to the Casino in a couple of days."

"Will do. Have a nice day."

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He finished her meal and set the tray a side. Grace, gave her two pills and a glass of water. Elizabeth took them and set the glass on the tray.

"I have to tell you something."

"What happened?"

"Your father called yesterday. He wanted to talk to you. I-"

Elizabeth looked towards the window. "You told him didn't you?"

"I had to. It seems he called Saturday and there was no answer all day. I tried to cover with a lie, but Dr. Jeff can read me like a book."

"What did he say?"

"N-Nothing."

"Nothing." She was holding her tears back. "Figures."

"He seemed disturbed by the news. I'm sure he was just in shock. They might even come to take you home."

"They are not coming, Grace. They don't care what happens to me. They sent me thousands of miles away, so they didn't have to worry about me. They don't care what happens to little old Lizzie. Now am more damaged than before."

"Don't say that sweetheart. They are your family. They love you."

"I don't have a family." She cleaned a single drop of tear that slip away. "The only family I had died when I was thirteen years old." A bitter laugh escaped her lips. "You're stuck with me."

"Oh! I love you so much, little brat. Don't even start with me."

"I love you too Grace."

~ *~ *~ *~ *~ *~ *~ *~ *~ *~ *~ *~ *~ *~ *~ *~

Jason waited until all the lights were turned off and walked into the room. It was dark, but he already knew the way toward the armchair that had being his bed for the last three nights. He tried not to make any noise, but to him it seems that when you tried to be quiet was when you were the loudest. He found the chair and bent to sit down. Then came the scream.

"Ouch! Get of me!"

"What the hell!" He stood up abruptly and the nightlight was turned on. "What are you doing there?"

"I could ask the same thing, but I already know the answer." Elizabeth was sitting on the chair covered by a yellow afghan.

"I-"

"Your busted Mr. Morgan. I know you've being sneaking into my room every night since I've being here. What do you have to say about that?"

"I-"

"You already said that." Her expression was challenging and her eyes hid a glint of humor.

"What are you doing up? You're suppose to be sleeping."

"Don't change the subject. We were talking about you."

"Well now am talking about you." He crossed his arms over his chest. She couldn't help but notice the black shirt stretch over his muscles.

"I- I guess we're both busted then. I couldn't sleep."

He moved to the edge of the bed and sat facing her. "Did you have another nightmare?"

"How do you... of course. You were here. " She vowed her head.

"Don't be ashamed. I didn't mean to intrude. That night, after the doctor checked on you, you had a nightmare. I was on the way to my room and I heard you scream. That was when I first came in here. I tried to wake you up but as soon as I sat next to you, you calmed down. I didn't planned on staying, I moved to the armchair for a while but I kinda fell asleep."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For helping me. For saving me that night, for taking care of me, for staying with me at night. For everything I guess."

"I didn't do anything. For some reason I was on the right place at the right time."

"Thank you, anyway. I guess it feels safe having you close."

Silence fell upon them, but it wasn't awkward at all. It was comforting. Elizabeth closed her eyes and thanked God that Jason was there. He took her away from everything and gave her a safe place. She wasn't sure she could have gone trough this ordeal alone. She was feeling better, physically at least. So maybe time was running out and she had to go back to real life.

"What do you mean?"

"Did I say all that out loud?"

"Just that it was time to go back to real life. What did you mean?"

"Its just that I've been imposing on you all weekend. I should go back to my house. And besides I already missed school today. Mother Superior would have a fit if I miss more than one day of school."

"Your not imposing on anyone here. And Barbara said you should rest."

"I feel better. I'm not crazy about the bruises, but I can deal with that for a couple more days."

"You can do whatever you want. If you want to go home, I'll take you tomorrow."

"I don't."

"You don't, what?"

Whatever made you say that? What will he think about you? Think of something fast. He could see her internal struggle reflected on her eyes. She was nervous, he knew because she was biting her lower lip. He decided to let it go and change the subject.

"So you go to Catholic School."

"Hum?" She looked up. "What was that?"

"I asked you if you went to Catholic School."

"Urrg, unfortunately."

He bit his tongue to prevent the laugh that was coming. " I take it you don't like it."

"Like it. Try hated. They make me use a uniform and they have like ten thousand different rule books. Like dressing codes and rules of conduct. I wish I could have gone to a public school."

"In Puerto Rico all public schools use uniforms as well, so there's not much difference there. Aren't you a senior?" "Yes. Finally. I have three more months to go and I'm done with books for a while."

"Don't you want to go to college?"

"Yeah. But am definitely taking a break. I want a year for myself. I want to go backpacking trough Europe and I want to go on a road trip from LA to New York. I want to see the world, before I go back to studying my brains out. Besides, I don't really know what I want to study." Jason listened intently at all she had to say. She noticed him watching and stopped.

"Why did you stopped?"

"I was rambling."

"I don't mind."

"You don't, don't you?"

"Where else do you want to go?"

"Everywhere and nowhere. Well, nowhere in a good place. 'Cause lately nowhere is being sucking big time. "

"Nowhere?"

"Yeah. A while ago I realized I lived nowhere. You know that empty place inside you, like nothing. That's it, I live in nothingness. I don't know how to explain it. Have you ever had one good thing in your life and lost it? You know, have someone come along who made you understand what the point was-the point of being alive at all-and then proved it by being gone and leaving you with nothing? Do you know what nothing feels like?" She had tears on her eyes.

"Yeah. That's pretty much where I live."

She dried her tears and laughed. "Well look at us, two very sad and lonely human beings on a road to nowhere."

"If we are both in a road to nowhere, then we are not alone anymore."

"Yeah, maybe we can travel down this road together."

"Move away from nothing."

"Yeah." Silence overcame the place once more while they looked at each other.

"You should go to sleep now." He stood up and walked to the door.

"No. Don't go. Please stay, at least until I fall asleep."

"Ok."

She moved to the bed and laid down. He sat on the armchair. When she was tucked in, he turned off the light.

"Good night, Jason."

"Good night, kid."