Sorry about the delay in updates. My new job is killing my sleeping patterns. LOL. I am trying to get all my story updated in in the next couple days.

This chapter is kind of short, but the next one will be longer. It will also have more Johnny and Elizabeth in it. This one was just the setup.

Thank you all for sticking it out with me. I know that the story kind of stalled for a while.

Please review and comment! I love feedback!

Chapter Sixteen

The sound of gunfire echoed through the still park and Elizabeth bit her tongue to keep from crying out and distracting Jagger. When she felt a bullet graze her arm, she instinctively whimpered and applied pressure with her other hand, but stayed behind Jagger. It seemed like forever, but she knew that it had only been moments, before silence once again enveloped the area.

Jagger turned quickly and cursed when he saw the blood flowing down her left arm. "God, Liz, you are hit!"

"I'm ok," she reassured him, flinching as he removed her hand to feel around the wound. "It's only a flesh wound, Jagger." She jerked when Johnny stepped up beside his friend, startling her. "Johnny!"

Wrapping her in a gentle hug, he breathed out a relieved breath. "Are you hit anywhere else? Are you ok?" He pushed her back gently and ran concerned eyes over her.

"I'm fine, nothing that a bandage won't fix. Is your father..." She trailed off after spotting Anthony laying on the ground, his glassy eyes staring at nothing.

Sirens could be heard approaching and Jagger let out a violent string of curses. "We have to get out of here, John. Let's get Liz back to your penthouse and get her arm looked at."

The short drive to Johnny's building was filled with tense silence. Johnny kept darting concerned glances in the review mirror at Elizabeth and she tried to keep the grimace off of her face as the stinging of the wound intensified. Once inside the penthouse, Jagger immediately pulled her shirt sleeve up and examined the bullet wound.

She hissed as he cleansed the area and applied a bandage. "I don't think that stitches are necessary," he said after applying the last piece of tape as Johnny paced in front of them.

"They aren't. It will be fine." Smiling her thanks at Jagger, she stood and walked over to Johnny. "I am fine, Johnny. Calm down." She could feel the anger and worry rolling off of him waves and wanted to calm him.

"My father shot you, Elizabeth! He should have never been that close to you anyway!"

"John, stop! We don't have time for this. The police are going to have you as the number one suspect."

"He saved me!" Elizabeth automatically defended, leaning against him as he wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her to him.

"That won't matter to them, Liz. We left the scene and I shot Anthony from behind." He scowled before looking out the doors to the balcony. "They will go after me because of who I am. And they will use you as the witness that places me pulling the trigger."

Her heartbeat raced as she realized that Johnny was correct. Her terror filled eyes flew to his. "No! I won't let you go to jail, Johnny! You saved me. I won't tell them anything. I will refuse to talk."

"Then you will be charged with obstruction," he stated sadly.

"Maybe not," Jagger murmured lightly, causing Johnny's eyes to snap to his. "If you two were married, they could not make Liz testify. And I am perfectly able of lying to say that I was with you two and the priest."

Johnny opened his mouth to protest, but Elizabeth squeezed his hand, causing him to turn his eyes to her. "Get a priest here, now, Johnny. There is no way that I am loosing you, not over Anthony and the cops unswerving hatred of you. Jagger is right. They can't make me testify if we are married. Besides, it will give us all an alibi."

Releasing a tortured sigh, Johnny shook his head. "I can't ask you to marry like this, Elizabeth. You deserve better than being forced into a marriage of convience."

She smirked and kissed his lips lightly. "Johnny, you aren't forcing me. I am the one suggesting it. I love you. And I won't lose you because of this." When he opened his mouth to protest, she placed a finger against his lips. "Please don't ask me to go through this pregnancy without you, Johnny. I want, no I need you there, with us for every step. I love you, Johnny."

"Are you sure?" he whispered. "I don't want you to regret this, baby."

"Positive. Unless you don't want to be married to me," she said hesitantly.

"Of course I want that. I have wanted you in my life forever." He kissed her before pulling away relunctantly. "Jagger, get Father Mateo here discreetly, but immediately." He pulled Elizabeth toward the stairs without looking back, knowing that his friend would do as asked. "I have something for you, if you want it, that is." He looked at her after opening the safe in his room and pulled out a small jewelry box. He flipped the lid open and she gasped in shock.

The ring that was nestled inside was a small delicate gold band with intricate carvings on the sides. In the middle was a perfectly cut karat dimond that caught the light and sparkled. He saw her eyes widen and cleared his throat nervously. "It was my mother's wedding band. It was special ordered for her. If you don't like it, we can get something else, but I was hoping that you would do me the honor of wearing it. My mother would have adored you, Elizabeth, and I know that she would approve of you having the ring."

"It's beautiful, Johnny," she whispered, looking up into his dark eyes that were swirling with emotions. "But it was your mother's. Are you certain that you want me to wear this? I know that you..."

He cupped her face in his large hands and kissed her, stopping her uncertain words that were tumbling from her. "You are carrying my child, Elizabeth. I love you, more than I ever thought possible. You, this baby, and the boys mean everything to me. This isn't how I envisioned us getting married, but I do want this more than you can imagine." He saw the moisture gather in her eyes and carassed her cheek. "I want you to wear this ring, if you like it. This is the last piece of Maria that exists, and I would be honored if you would consider it yours."

A tear slipped free as nodded and he brushed it away with his thumb. "I think it would be perfect, Johnny. I love you, don't doubt that. All of this may be happening tonight because of the circumstances, but I would have never agreed if I wasn't sure about how I feel for you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~b~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jagger entered Elizabeth's house and mentally rolled his eyes. He was not surprised to see Dante and Lucky arguing with Brenda, Francis, Robin, and Patrick about where him, Elizabeth, and Johnny were at. The only shocking part was that Francis and Brenda had not yet lost their tempers with the two detectives.

"Can I help you with something?" he asked sarcastically.

Lucky turned and glared at the former FBI agent. "We need to talk to you and your boss about your whereabouts earlier this evening. Where is Zacchara? We would rather do this at the same time."

Never having been more pleased than to knock the arrogant asshole for a loop, Jagger grinned widely, causing Brenda to eye him with unabashed curiousity. "I'm afraid that John Zacchara will be unreachable tonight. Him and Liz are spending some time alone. But I can answer your question."

Dante shot Lucky a warning look to shut up before focusing on the unusually chipper man that was willing to talk without a lawyer present. "And you know where John Zacchara and Elizabeth Webber were this evening?"

"I was with them until about twenty minutes ago," Jagger confirmed with a cocky grin at Lucky.

"Well? Where were you?" Lucky demanded angrily.

"At John's penthouse," he stated simply, prepared to make Detective Spencer work for the information.

"Can anyone else verify that?" Dante quickly cut in.

"Of course. There was two other people there."

"And they were?" Lucky spat between gritted teeth.

"Our lawyer and Father Mateo." Jagger saw by Brenda and Francis' expressions that they knew what had happened while everyone else just looked confused. "John married Elizabeth tonight," he added. Seeing Lucky turn red with rage, he has to struggle to keep from laughing. "Brenda and I are keeping Cam and Jake for the night. Obviously, the newlyweds wanted some time to themselves."

Dante groaned as Lucky seethed before exploding. "Are you kidding me? What the hell was that bitch thinking? Marrying Johnny Zacchara is the stupidest thing that she could have done!"

"Detective Falconeri, I would advise you to contain your partner," Francis stated coolly. "There are two small boys upstairs asleep and he is being rudely loud."

"Are they still at the Zacchara penthouse?" Dante asked, shoving his partner toward the door. "We will need to verify that they were there."

Jagger tried to look regretful, but couldn't quiet pull it off. He only looked smug. "They actually took off when I left. I have no idea where they went," he said truthfully. "Although if you need witnesses beside myself, you might want to try Father Mateo."

Waiting until the two had left, Robin pounced as soon as the door was closed and they were off the porch. "Did Liz and Johnny really get married?" she demanded.

"I'm not shocked," Brenda muttered and Patrick nodded in agreement. "Come on, Robin. You can tell that they adore one another."

"But she never told anyone that they were planning to get married!"

Jagger raised an eyebrow and snorted. "What else could you have expected, Robin. John loves her."

Clearing his throat, Francis motioned Jagger to the porch. Once the door was shut after them, the older guard looked at him concern. "Since Anthony is dead, I suppose that Lizzie saw John shoot him in the park. Was she ok with what needed to be done?"

"John was more of the problem," he admitted with a smirk. "Elizabeth had to convince him that it was what needed to be done. He didn't want her to be forced into it and regret it later. He really loves her, Francis. I know that you had concerns, but John worships her."

"I know," Francis conceded. "I just wanted more than this life for her. Especially now. Jason may not be too happy, but after he took back Sam, he has no room to judge. But Sonny, well that selfish SOB will be on the war path."