First of all thanks to everyone that reviewed last chapter. Your feedback is greatly appretiated. Second, I wanted to apologize in advance, because the translations I made in this chapter are not exactly the best but for the love of me I couldn't find the right words for the names of this food in english, so just know that they are typical Puerto Rican foods. And last, but not least I know that a bathroom balcony is not the most romantic place, but believe me, the view from up there is breathtaking. (You'll understand when you read the chapter). I think this is enough confusion for you all... on with the show. Enjoy!

Chapter 13: Unexpected Guest

It was another beautiful afternoon in Paradise. Blue skies and an unusually fresh breeze calming the day's warm setting sun, nobody would've thought that a storm was brewing close to home.

Elizabeth had sat to a three hour graduation ceremony. And while most of her classmates where shedding tears of joy and excitement she was crying tears of rage, weakness and betrayal. How dare her family show up after so long and act like nothing has happen? She didn't know and frankly she didn't care. And how dare Steven betray her trust by asking her family to come home?

Her tears long extinguished and only rage boiling in her blood she heard the Mother Superior words as she closed the ceremony.

"And in the name of The Father, The Son and The Holly Spirit I present to you the Graduated Class of 1998."

He watched as a wave of black caps flew over the girls and he sighed in relief. He'd been sitting on his bike for what seem forever, but it was finally over. He'd tried to coax the guard into letting him inside the school grounds but it was useless. Thus he had to settle by waiting outside until the ceremony was over and catch Elizabeth there instead.

He'd been out all day looking for a gift for her. He went to a dozen different stores before he found the perfect thing and he still wasn't sure about what he bought, but there was no turning back now. He watched as people started to walk out of the gates and he started looking for her.

Ten minutes went by and he was still waiting for her. He was getting impatient and thought of sneaking inside and go looking for her. It was then that he saw her. His easy smile turned into a frown instantly.

She was walking straight to the gates with Manuel and Grace trying to keep her pace. Then he saw her brother and three other people he didn't know. She wasn't smiling, she didn't seem happy at all. To the contrary, she seemed mad as hell. And then when the tall man grabbed Elizabeth by the elbow and stopped her, his blood started to boil. On instinct he was at the gates trying to get inside.

She was walking fast, but it wasn't fast enough. She felt them calling her name, but she didn't stop. She wanted to get away from them and no one was going to stop her. Or so she thought. A hand wrapped around her arm and turned her on her heels. She was face to face with her father.

"I said wait a minute. What? Is this what these people have been teaching you? Is this the kind of education you've been getting? Because as I just witness you are suppose to be a high school graduate with at least some knowledge of proper manners."

"I do have manners, with the people that is deserving of them."

"What is that suppose to mean?" Caroline added as she made her way to stand to the right of Jeff.

"It means that I don't have to respect you, because you haven't respected me. And for your information, manners and values are not supposed to be thought by school. They are supposed to be thought by parents. And seeing I'm an orphan I've done pretty well."

"Don't say that Elizabeth. We are your family and we just wanted to talk to you. Please stay, let's go to dinner and spend some quality time together." Sarah walked toward Elizabeth.

"The time to talk to me and to spend quality time with me has passed Sarah."

"Liz, Mom and Dad had traveled a long way to be here with you. The least you could do..." Elizabeth's fiery gaze traveled to Steven when she heard him speak.

"You don't even speak to me. I trusted you and you betrayed that trust."

"Don't be such a drama queen Lizzie." Caroline rolled her eyes in boredom.

"Elizabeth. My name is Elizabeth and I'm done with all of you. Go out to dinner, spend quality time together and stay the hell out of my live."

Elizabeth turned around and found blue eyes shining down on her. The most incredible blue eyes she's ever seen, the blue eyes that meant a safe heaven to her. Jason was standing ten feet away from her and she forgot all about the people standing behind her.

He saw the exchange and heard some of Elizabeth's statements. These people were her family. The Webber's where back and he knew the reason why she wasn't happy as he expected her to be.

He saw her turn and found his gaze unwavering from her. He wasn't surprised by the change in her demeanor. The fire that was burning in her eyes faded away and a beautiful light took over. He watched as her lips turned up into a big smile. She started moving toward him and soon her steady pace became a full out run. But he could only see her eyes, they seemed to become alive and her face became bright. Had his presence done that? Was it possible that his only presence had made such a change? He couldn't even fathom the thought.

And before he could explore the thought further his wind was knocked out of him. She was clinging from his neck and his arms instantly rounded her waist.

She could breathe again at the sight of him there. And when she was sure that it wasn't her imagination playing games with her, she break out on a run in his direction. When she was near him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and she felt his arms on her waist. She held on for dear life.

"I'm so glad your here."

"Me too."

Jeff and Caroline watched the exchange in outrage, while Grace and Manuel smiled and thanked their lucky stars. Steven was shaking his head in displeasure and Sarah was eyeing the hunk of a man in front of them. He was almost perfect. Six feet of lean muscle, a square jaw and a pair of piercing blue eyes that made the sky look gray in comparison... a Greek God was nothing compared to the mystery man who was holding her little sister in his muscular arms. And there lay his only flaw. What the hell was a man like that doing with a girl like Lizzie?

"Who is that thug and what the hell is he doing to my daughter?"

Elizabeth let go of Jason and took a step back. He was looking at her and she felt safe. Taking another step back she smoothed her dress and took a deep breath.

"Are you OK?" He said in a deep and tender voice.

"Yes."

"No, you're not."

She smiled then and he could tell she wasn't faking. "I'm better now."

They looked to each other, but the spell was broken when they heard the outrage screams of Jeff Webber. Elizabeth turned and watched as they all walked the couple of feet that were separating them.

"Who the hell are you? And what do you think you're doing with my daughter?"

"Dad, this is Jason Morgan. I told you about him the other day." Steven said.

"Well Jason Morgan, do you know that my daughter is underage?"

Jason didn't answer. He stood there with his arms crossed over his black button down shirt and stared at the man in front of him. Elizabeth was about to go off, but Grace stepped in.

"Jason and Elizabeth are just friends, Mr. Webber. He helped us during a difficult time. It's not what you think."

"I don't remember speaking to you, Grace." Jeff stepped closer to Jason and Elizabeth. "This friendship is completely unacceptable. Elizabeth I forbid you to see this man again. Come with us immediately, we're leaving." He stretched his hand and grabbed Elizabeth by the elbow again. She shrugged it away and Jason stepped in.

"I'm not going anywhere with you."

"What do you think you're doing?" Jeff spat at the younger man.

"Don't touch her."

"I can't believe this? Who the hell do you think you are? You can't tell me what to do with my own child."

"I am not a child and you can't tell me what to do. Jason is my friend and I'm going to see him whenever I feel like it."

Jeff let out a sigh and his eyes turned to stones. Elizabeth could practically see the smoke coming out of his ears. He was rabid mad and she didn't care.

"Elizabeth Imogene Webber, I've tolerated your little tantrum so far, but enough is enough. You are doing a spectacle of yourself."

"I don't care about what you think. If you don't want me to make a spectacle as you call it, just leave."

"I'm only going to say this one more time. We are going home, now."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and turned to Jason. "Do you have your bike?"

"It's out side."

"Grace, I'm going for a ride with Jason."

"Elizabeth, I'm not sure that's such a good idea. You need to talk to your family."

"Listen to her, Lizzie." Sarah said, not paying attention to her sister at all. She was too busy enjoying view of the hunk standing in front of her.

"Let's go." Elizabeth turned around to look at Jason.

He didn't say a word he just gave a half a turn and started to walk out of the gates. Elizabeth walked along with him and soon they were out on the sidewalk. Grace, Manuel and the whole Webber clan came out of the gates in time to see Elizabeth get on the back of the motorcycle. Jeff made one last attempt to call after his daughter but his voice was drowned by the roar of the motorcycle.

Jason revved the bike again and Elizabeth held on tight, soon they were on their way down the road. The wind started sweep over them and soon all of her pent up frustration started to leave her body. At last she was free.

A couple of hours later, they were walking down the streets of Old San Juan in a deep and comfortable silence. They found a small plaza full of small stands with artisans and Elizabeth wondered around. They stood for a while watching as an old man made a serigraphy of the sunset. Elizabeth looked closely at every move the artisan made and Jason could tell she was absorbing every bit of technique so she could try it some time in the future. After a while Elizabeth started to walk again, this time she crossed the street and they walked over to the San Felipe Fort, commonly called El Morro.

It was early evening so it was closed to the public. Elizabeth was about to turn around but Jason stooped her. "Come, this way."

Jason walked over to the guard and talked to him in a thick accent Spanish. Elizabeth wasn't surprised when the guard opened a small gate and Jason nodded to him in thanks. He turned to Elizabeth and called her over. They walked inside and the guard closed the gate again.

"Where are we going?"

"You told me once that you wanted to see the sunset over a balcony in the top floor."

"I said I wanted to see the sunset over the balcony in the woman's bathroom in the top floor, Jason." Elizabeth stopped on her tracks.

"I know. That's where we are going."

Elizabeth looked at him in complete shock. "Are you for real?"

"What?"

"You actually listen to what I say and then you go and make it happen. I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything. Just get a move on or we'll miss the show."

Jason grabbed her by the hand and they made their way across the courtyard and up the stairs.

Eva let out a long sigh. She had spent the day working like a slave. She cleaned the rooms, she did the laundry, and she swept and dusted and went shopping to the market. She was exhausted and all she wanted was a hot bubble bath and a good night sleep. But it was definitely not going to happen.

The laughs and loud voices trailed inside the kitchen from the dinning room and she felt tempted to scream her lungs out in desperation. Mr. Francis Caruso had chosen this night to have a poker night. And right now he and three more of his friends were sitting around the dinning room table smoking Cuban cigars and drinking Bacardi.

She wasn't sure what was bothering her more, the fact that she was stuck cooking for them, that she wasn't invited or that he hadn't said a word to her since that morning.

She finished arranging the platter filled with fried goods and made her way to the dinning room. As soon as the swinging door opened the huge smoke cloud made her sneeze.

"Salud." Said Marcos.

"Good bless you." Said Quincy, the youngest one of the group.

"Gracias."

Eva placed the platter at one side of the table and Johnny took a piece from the platter. He ate it in one bite.

"That was good. What is it?"

"It's called empanadillas. They are sort of cousins of the empanadas from the South American cooking. They can be made with anything you want. There are three kinds here, ground beef, chicken and four cheeses." Eva was standing awkwardly to the side as she went on about her food creations. "These round ones are called rellenos. Literally it means fill with something..."

Before she could mention what the things where filled with, Johnny took one and ate it. He finished and smiled.

"That one was also ground beef. They are some kind of potato dough, right?"

Eva smiled. "Yes Mr. O' Brian. It's a kind of potato dough filled with any kind of meat, usually ground beef. What can I say, we like our red meats around here."

"You are a great cook. I wish my wife had time to cook some of this homemade. Whenever I get the urge to eat fried goods I have to go buy them."

"I can teach you to make them. It's not that difficult."

"Oh, I want to join the class. Maybe if I learn to cook something exotic, I could actually get a date once I get back to New York." Quincy joined the conversation as he sampled another one of Eva's creations.

Poker game forgotten and his playmates attention focused on the young woman Francis was pissed. He dropped his cards and dropped his fist on the table bringing their attention back to him.

"Okay ladies, are we going to play or are we going to turn this into a girl's night and keep chatting about food with Ms. Puerto Rican Martha Stewart over there."

"What crawled up your ass and died Frannie?" Johnny asked after noticing that his friend's mood has gone from bad to worst as the night progressed.

"Yeah, man. You've been acting kind of weird all night." Quincy added calmly.

"I've been acting weird? I'm not the one making goo-goo eyes at the maid all night. I asked you guys here for a poker game not a cooking class. So if you guys are not interested in playing you better leave."

With that he stood up and walked out to the back yard crossing the glass sliding door. He never lifted his gaze to look at Eva and her eyes never wavered from his face. But no one noticed though.

"What the hell was that about?" Marcos didn't ask anyone in particular.

"I have no idea." Johnny kept eating and drinking from his glass as if nothing has happened.

"I think that was my fault." Eva spoke in a murmur not even realizing she had done it.

"Why would it be your fault?" Quincy asked intrigued at the statement.

"What?" Eva asked surprised.

"You said it was your fault."

"Oh. No I... excuse me." Eva shook her head and walked out of the dinning room and into the kitchen.

"Did anyone else noticed the tension or was it just me?" Quincy asked his other two companions.

Both Marcos and Johnny were too busy eating to answer his question.

"Wa?" Johnny asked in between bites.

"Forget it."

It was almost midnight when Jason pulled the bike to a stop at the side of the road. After they watched the sunset from one of the balconies at the Fort, Jason took Elizabeth ridding again, but it was late and he knew she had to get home soon.

"Why did you stop?" Elizabeth asked from her place at the back of the bike through her new helmet.

Jason had bought her a black helmet that fit her perfectly as a graduation gift. What he didn't know was that his presence had been gift enough for her. Her new helmet had a purple shade visor and the letters EW engraved on the right side in the same purple color.

She pulled up the visor and spoke again. "Why did we stop?"

"It's almost midnight. You should call home to let them know you're okay. We can take the next exit and you'll be home in 45 minutes."

Her arms left his middle instantly and when she took her helmet off, he turned a bit to look at her. She was disappointed at first, but then he saw her determine look fall into place.

"I'm not going home."

"What do you mean you are not going home?"

"I mean, if it's okay with you, and you still have that room available at your place, maybe I could crash there tonight. That way we don't have to go back yet."

He had to take a minute to process her statement. She has spoken so fast he hardly had time to take in her words. She saw the different emotions play on his face and realized she had made a mistake.

"Look it was just an idea. If you don't want me to crash at your place I understand. Don't mind me I just thought that...just forget I asked. I don't know what got into me. Let's go."

She tried to put her helmet back on, but he grabbed her wrist. She dropped the helmet over her lap.

"Are you sure you don't want to go home? I mean, your family is there."

"That's exactly why I don't want to go. I'm not up for one of the Webber Wars. But its okay I understand, you have a life and I'm no one to ask you to disrupt your routine just to make room for a silly little girl. I understand."

"No you don't. You're not disrupting anything, Elizabeth. You just took me by surprise. Of course you can stay at my place. I just don't think you should run away from your problems. You are a strong person, I'm sure you can hold your own. Hell, I saw you do it today."

"Well, I'm drained out. I'm exhausted and the least thing I want to do is see those people tonight."

"Okay, if that's what you want, we'll keep ridding for a while and then I'll take us home."

He gave her a smile and put on his helmet and she did the same. As the bike came back to live and the wind started to dance around them, she realized what he had said... he was going to take them home. Her heart skipped a bit and as he revved the bike she held on more firmly to him.

Realization hit her...whenever she was on the back of his motorcycle she was already home.