Just a quick chapter. I wanted to get this one posted so I could start on the next one, which I am really excited about. :) R&R. Your reviews and encouragement keep me going. And thank you for that.

Chapter 9

He's not yours, Elizabeth thought as she tried to get herself together enough to form words. In front of her was the baby she carried for nine months to only have him taken away because he wasn't her son. He was Emily's. And there stood one of her childhood best friends that she could barely look at now.

"Nikolas." Elizabeth said while trying not to reach out for Aiden.

"Elizabeth. How are you?" Nikolas asked being the polite prince as always.

"Good." Elizabeth wondered if this would be a time to mark another off her list. If she didn't do it now she may not get another chance. She didn't want to go to Wyndemere again and Nikolas very rarely left. "Can we talk?"

"Just for a minute. Aiden has a checkup."

Elizabeth heart hurt as she thought she was not taking him for his checkup but she walked over to a table and sat down determined none the less. Nikolas followed with Aiden.

"I don't know where to begin, Nikolas. Brenda told me that I should confront some people in order to move on with my life. You are one of the people on my list but I don't know what to say. What happened between us should have never happened. Not because of Lucky because honestly Lucky shouldn't have happened either. Just because I was trying to ignore a pain that wasn't going away. My heart broke when Jason and I stopped seeing each other and instead of healing from that I went back to Lucky. And I wasn't happy so then I tried to cause myself more pain by sleeping with you and hurting not only myself and Lucky but you. I thought that if I just suffered a large enough heart ache that the one from Jason wouldn't hurt as bad. And in a way it did work because I have never felt a pain as great as losing Aiden."

"Elizabeth…"

"No, please let me finish." Elizabeth pleaded while trying to get her thoughts together. "I was angry with you and Lucky and even Jason. But I am angry and upset with myself the most. I let this go as far as it did and never should have. You and I, Lucky and I, Jason and I will never work. We have all changed so much and I am not what you or Lucky or Jason are looking for. We all need to move on from the childhood fantasies we had. We need to grow up and realize that people do change and do not stay in love with their first love or first crush. I don't understand why your grandmother did this. But she gave you the one thing I know you always desired, Emily's child. I am happy for my best friend and you. She finally has the little boy she always wanted with you. I just wish she could be here to see it. She would be such a great mother to Aiden. Even though I am hurting because he is not mine, I find comfort in knowing he is carrying a part of Emily with him everyday. Please take care of him Nikolas, tell him stories of Emily, good and bad, make sure he knows about the four musketeers, let him know the Quartermaines, they need someone to hang on to. Nikolas, a part of me will always love you for the friendship you have given me over the years but the last few years hasn't been me and I know it hasn't been you either. I am not Emily and while a part of her will always be in my heart and your heart I will never replace her. Grieve for her. You won't ever be able to have a good relationship until you do."

"Elizabeth, thank you"

"For what?"

"You could hate me for pushing myself onto you while you were engaged to my brother and you have every right. You could hate me for what my grandmother has done to your life. I have been keeping Aiden at Wyndemere because I didn't want to hurt you but here you are standing strong. But I should know that you always stand strong."

"Believe me I hurt every day but I am moving forward and getting answers to things that will help me to keep going. Just make Aiden and Spencer happy and make Emily proud. I need to head out. Thank you for listening to me." Elizabeth stood to leave and Nikolas stood too.

"I hope you find what you are looking for." Elizabeth just smiled as she picked up the orange juice from the table and walked out the door and away from the child she still wanted to raise as her own. When Elizabeth was in her car and on her way back to her house, the tears started to fall. She cried for her childhood, she cried for the friendships she lost, the best friend that would never meet her son, the little boy that would never know what a wonderful mother he had, she cried for the answers she still needed and she cried for the future that was ahead. Elizabeth feared for the answers Helena had, she had a nagging feeling this wasn't just about Aiden and hurting the Spencers.

Jason pulled into the parking garage and parked his bike. He couldn't get his mind off of Elizabeth and the pain she was going through and that he couldn't be there for her. You did it to yourself. You could have been there to protect her. Her third child could have been yours. You walked away, taking the easy way out. You left her vulnerable. You hurt her more than Nikolas or Lucky ever could. Jason tried to clear his mind before heading up to the penthouse; he knew Sonny would be there soon to talk business. As he was getting on the elevator he noticed Sam's car parked in the corner. Great, he thought, I don't have time for her games right now. Jason stepped back off the elevator and headed back to his bike. He called Sonny and said he would have to reschedule their meeting and hung up the phone before Sonny could say anything. Jason didn't know where he was going but he needed to clear his mind. He took off down the road, driving as fast as he could letting the wind take him and remembering a voice telling him to go faster. Oh, how he missed her on the back of his bike. Jason headed to Vista Pointe, a place of solitude. At least there, he had no cell service and he could be at peace for a while.

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