Chapter Five
"Is Cameron my son?" Ric asked again softly. He was almost afraid of Elizabeth's answer. He didn't know just how much he wanted this until this very moment.
Elizabeth bit her bottom lip before giving Ric a gentle smile. "He is. I got the test back just before the ball."
"When were you going to tell me? You were going to tell me right?" Ric snapped his anger at Trevor and the entire situation getting the best of him.
"Of course I was Ric." Elizabeth said hurt by his accusations. She knew how much Ric loved Cam and that he was a wonderful father to Molly.
"I'm... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have... I know you wouldn't..." He told her rushing to take away the pain he could see clearly in her blue eyes.
"I left you a message about meeting today and I was going to tell you then." Elizabeth explained. She truly wanted him to understand and believe her. She wanted his trust. "But you got hurt and I was so scared. Then you wouldn't let Patrick help you..."
"So you told me." Ric finished for her.
"Yeah. Are you angry with me?"
"No," Ric said shaking his head. He did not know why she would think that. Even though he wasn't thrilled, she had risked her life he was grateful. "But this changes so many things."
"I know. I do not even know what to tell Cameron. He's so young I'm not sure how much he'd understand." Elizabeth admitted pacing the small room.
Ric could feel he guilt and confusion. He knew that there was little if anything he could do for Elizabeth. The situation wasn't going to change and they had to deal with it. Hopefully they could do that together. "I know that he's going to be confused but I want to be there when you tell him."
"I'm so sorry." Elizabeth said trying not to cry over everything Ric had missed in Cameron's life.
"Shh. Come here." Ric said holding his right hand out for Elizabeth. When she had sat in the chair beside his bed, Ric continued. "I want thing to be better between us then they are with Alexis. I don't want to fight with you or lose our friendship. We just started to get that back."
"Me too. I... I want Cam to be apart of your life. It's just so many people are going to be hurt."
"You mean Lucky?" Ric guessed easily. He knew how much the other man cared about Cameron. The knowledge did not hurt Ric. In fact, it was just the opposite. Ric was grateful to Lucky for being a father to him when Ric could not.
"Yeah. He loves Cam so much I don't know if I hurt him like that."
"I know Lucky is the only father Cam has known and I would never expect him to just disappear Elizabeth. I'm so thankful our little boy has so many people who love him. I just want to be in his life."
"I know." Elizabeth told him smiling at the wonderful man Ric had turned into. "What about Alexis?"
"What about her?" Ric asked confused by the question. As far as he was concerned, it was none of Alexis' business.
"She's not going to be happy about this. What if she tries to use Molly..."
"I don't give a damn what Alexis does. I'm not going to lose Molly, certainly not because Cam is mine." Ric told her confidently. If he ever gave Molly back to Alexis, it would be for his own reason and on his own terms. Ric would never cut Alexis out from Molly's life the way she had him. He wasn't going to let her manipulate him either.
Elizabeth bit her lip as she watched him. Ric seemed sure of what he was saying. However, Alexis was a Cassadine and they could be ruthless. "Are you sure Ric? If you lost Molly because of me I'd never forgive myself."
"I promise you everything will be okay." Ric said tilting Elizabeth's head so he could look in her eyes.
A wave of love and happiness rushed through Elizabeth. She knew that Ric would do everything he could to make things okay for all of them. While he was in surgery, Elizabeth had the time to do a lot of thinking. Elizabeth quickly realized she should have never left Ric. Her only excuse was that she was scared and Elizabeth always ran when she was scared. That was how she ended back with Lucky. He was safe. Not that she did not love him but it was nothing compared to how Ric made her feel. No one could make her feel the way Ric did. Her one night with Jason helped prove that.
Elizabeth still didn't know what she was thinking that night. She had been drinking yes but it wasn't enough to be drunk. The only good thing to come from that night was the realization she and Lucky could never work. The divorce had been tough even tougher when she had a miscarriage just after Lucky went to rehab. It took months to finally stop grieving for the child she lost. If it wasn't for Cameron Elizabeth was sure, she would have lost her mind.
Just as thing settled down Jason ended up on trial for murder She was not surprised by that fact. What did surprise her however was Ric calling her as a witness. Thing between them were strained until Ric found her one night crying on the docks.
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"Elizabeth, are you okay?" Ric asked sitting beside her on the worn bench. Things had been awkward between them since he ousted her affair with Jason Morgan. He regretted the pain it caused Elizabeth but Ric knew it was something he had to do.
"I don't know." Elizabeth whispered trying to hold back her sobs. She knew this was a mess of her own making and somehow she had to fix it herself.
"Is there something I can do?" Ric urged softly. Even after everything, he felt the need to protect and take care of his former wife.
"No. I... Lucky and I got into a fight."
"Because of what happened at the trial?"
"He's hurt that I never told him about Jason." Elizabeth said brushing her tears away.
"I'm sorry that I made things worse for the two of you."
Elizabeth shook her head at his apology. He had nothing to be sorry for. It wasn't his fault she was a coward. "It's my own fault, Ric. You were just doing your job. I should have told him."
"Why didn't you?" Ric asked very curious about the answer. It wasn't like Elizabeth to lie. Especially about something so major.
"Because that night didn't mean anything to me. I never intended to sleep with Jason. I just wanted to talk to someone who wouldn't tell me to go back to Lucky. I don't even know why we..." Elizabeth paused and took a deep breath. She didn't want to think about that night anymore. "Lucky is so hurt that I lied to him."
"If you ever need anything or someone to talk to..." Ric offered gently hoping she would take him up on it.
"I know Ric and thanks. I really appreciate the offer." Elizabeth said standing quickly. She had to pull herself together and finish her shift.
"You're welcome. It's nice to talk to someone who doesn't hate me." Ric said with a slight smile.
"I could never hate you." Elizabeth told him before walking away. At the top of the stairs, she turned around and said, "Even when I thought it was for the best."
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"Elizabeth? Where did you go just now?" Ric asked his voice shaking Elizabeth from the memories.
"Sorry I was just thinking"
"About what?" Ric asked wondering what had put that peaceful look on her face. It was good to see her happy. The last year had been hard on both her and Cam. At least now, he could be there for them.
"Nothing." Elizabeth said looking away so Ric couldn't see the blush covering her cheeks. The last thing she wanted right now was for Ric to figure out she wanted him. There were too many other things they had to deal with first. Elizabeth knew that Ric still loved her and that he probably never stopped. Love like what they shared just did not end. "I should let you rest. How about I bring Cameron by later?"
Ric smiled at the thought of their little boy. It also made him sad too. Cam was barely three and there was no way he could understand everything that was about to happen. Hell Ric didn't even understand. "I'd like that. We... we don't have to tell him yet."
"Yes we do, I refuse to lie about something so important. I hate that you lost so much time with him. I'm so sorry Ric."
"You have nothing to be sorry for. You didn't know Elizabeth neither of us did. The only person I'm angry with is my father." He said wanting to find Trevor and demand an explanation. He knew it wouldn't do any good. Trevor would never tell him why he did this.
"I don't understand why he would do this to you, to us."
"Trevor doesn't always have a reason for the things he does. If you see him, especially if you're with Cam..."
"I'll stay away from him." Elizabeth immediately promised without his asking.
"Thank you." Ric said breathing a sigh of relief.
"I'm going to go now. There are a few people I want to tell if that's okay." Elizabeth said hesitantly. There were people she didn't to find out through the gossip mill.
"It's fine. Everyone is going to know soon anyways." Ric said letting Elizabeth know he wasn't willing to hide this new information.
"That is true." Elizabeth admitted trying not to think of the fall out. At this moment Elizabeth didn't think she had ever hated anyone more than she did Trevor Lansing. "I'll see you later. Get some rest." Elizabeth said before impulsively leaning over and kissing Ric on the cheek. Her eyes widened at the realization of what she had done causing her to run out of the room without another word.
Ric touched his cheek where Elizabeth had kissed him. He was surprised by Elizabeth's actions. He didn't know if was the ball or what was going on with Cam that made her kiss him. However, he did know Elizabeth was not thinking clearly and even if she was Ric didn't know if he could go down that road again.