A/N – Thanks for the comments! Glad you are enjoying this one. * trini12180 – I haven't revealed who did that to Nathan yet. It's actually Ava that has something Gabriel wants not Liz. * Wendi – rofl * arcoiris0502 – You'll find out more about Gabriel and get a sense for him as this goes along. * SecretsofNelle – Welcome and thank you!

Chapter 7

"Will you please lay down with me?" Liz asked tentatively. At this point, she needs to feel safe and he is it.

"Okay." He took off his shoes and climbed onto the bed. "You want me to turn off the light?"

"No."

He rested against the headboard and Elizabeth snuggled into his side.

"You think I'm weak don't you?"

"Why would you ask that?"

"I don't know, maybe because I'm not as tough as you."

He sighed. "That's not necessarily a bad thing. My life is violent and I don't think that is the way you want to live yours."

"It's not, but you became who you had to for survival sakes and I get that. You have allowed it to define you, but it really doesn't have to. You have choices, Jason."

"Somewhat. Once you get into this life, it's hard to get out. I can't take back anything I've done. It is what it is."

"Didn't you ever have any dreams?"

"Yes, before the accident. I don't dream, Elizabeth. I physically can't."

That, she wasn't expecting. "Well, you can still have goals in life or things you want to achieve."

"I want to get you home safely. If I achieve that, then I'll feel like I made a difference." He needs a win.

She pushed up on her elbow. "Do you really think that you are bad?"

Their eyes are locked in an unspoken battle, both unable to admit how much they already cared for one another. "It's a fact."

"You can run and hide and twist as much as you want, but I see you and you are capable of anything you set your mind too. You can wear the bad boy clothes, carry a big gun, and scowl all you want." She reached out her hand and touched his heart. "In here, it's not all bad. Maybe you should stop always focusing on what you think is wrong with you, and start acknowledging what is right." With that, she laid her head down as Jason tried to process what she had just said. Good had only got him in trouble. Bad was like an old pair of jeans that were comfortable and fit just right. It is where he lives and he likes it that way. It keeps everyone at arm's length and there is power in intimidation and the weight of his gun. Bad, he could usually control, but good was too much of a wild card. With that thought, he clamped his eyes shut, but sleep wouldn't come. It was too earlier and he had way too much on his mind.

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He woke her up about two hours later to make her eat. She nibbled on the pizza and drank some water.

"Where are we going next?"

"I'll tell you later." Even though he is paying for the space, he still didn't trust that it is totally safe.

She nodded.

"I'll need you to stick close to me okay?" Jason said.

"I don't think you have to worry about that." She is scared and isn't planning on letting him out of her sight. Julian had sheltered her from his life as much as possible and for that she is thankful.

Everything in Jason told him that if he let Gabriel get to Elizabeth, it will be game over. There will be no way to save her. Closing his eyes, he drew his strength from the part of him that was paralyzed with fear. That fear would save them, because he couldn't let it win. It will help him run faster and think smarter. His eyes snapped open and held her gaze. Failure is not an option.

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Gabriel's finger skimmed against the dining room table in Ric's apartment. He brought his hand up and rubbed three tips together as if he was checking for dust. The place is slightly messy, probably from the party Ric threw the other night. For several long moments, he admired the art on the walls. Ric at least has exquisite taste. It will probably be impossible to prove that Elizabeth was at the gathering, but he is pretty sure there is a big possibility that Jason would bring her here. Ric and Jason tolerated each other, but no one would think that he'd stay with the man. That is what drew him here once he found out Jason was M.I.A. after the shooting.

Turning towards the window, he looked out over the city, wondering where they were hiding. Jason puzzled him. He is one of the most feared men on the East Coast and yet he is hiding like a scared little bitch. That told him one of two things, the enforcer isn't as confident in his abilities as everyone thinks or Elizabeth means something to him. Now, that would be an interesting turn of events. He knew all too well how much a woman can distract the most powerful of men.

There is a knock on the door and his head tilts as he slowly made his way towards it.

"Ric, let me in. It's Mark. I just want to apologize to Elizabeth."

A slow smile graced his face as he reached out and flung open the door.

Mark frowned. "Who are you?"

"I'm a friend. Didn't you hear? Nathan is in the hospital."

Mark shifted, something about the man gave him pause, but he shoved the feeling aside because clearly, Ric must have given him access to the apartment. "Is Elizabeth in?"

"No, she's not, but she'll be back in a few minutes. Would you like to come in and wait?"

Mark nodded and pushed past him.

"So, have you known Elizabeth for long?"

Mark put the flowers he had bought for her on the coffee table. "No. We met at the party and had a misunderstanding."

Gabriel motioned for him to sit. "I see."

"I just—I overstepped and she didn't deserve that. I was drunk."

Gabriel's face didn't change as he processed the situation. The little asshole probably tried to force himself on her. Interesting...

Mark studied the other man. He is distinguished. His suit probably cost more than he makes in six months. His dark hair is perfectly coifed and the watch on his wrist is extremely expensive as well, but his eyes and hair are so dark that they make him seem almost menacing under the surface. "Um, how do you know Ric again?"

"I'm a business man. It's in my best interest to know all the players. We go way back."

Mark glanced at his watch. "I have to go. Will you tell Elizabeth that I was here?"

"Surely." The only reason that Gabriel hadn't taken his life was because he really didn't have time to deal with the cleanup. He didn't want Ric to know that he was there."

Mark nervously fled the apartment and Gabriel called down to one of his guards. "Have someone follow him. I want him picked up and disposed of." Slipping his phone back into his pocket, he took one last look around and grabbed the flowers. "I'm coming for you, Elizabeth, and there is nowhere to hide."

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The phone rang, piercing the silence—startling them. Jason thought it was odd. Not only is it late, but normally they would call the owners cell at this hour, not the landline. He stood and rushed towards it. "Hello?"

"He was at Ric's. He knows. Get out of New York," Francis said.

"Protect them."

The line clicked off. If they didn't take Gabriel out, then there must have been too many other people around. Now, he is worried that there aren't enough guards around Ric and Nathan, but there is nothing he can do about it. He'll have to trust that Sonny is handling it.

Elizabeth watched his jaw tick. His eyes are closed and his fists are clenched. She is scared to interrupt his thoughts, but she then couldn't help it. Something is wrong and she needs to know. "What happened?"

His gaze fixed her in place as he walked towards the table. "We need to get out of the city."

"Now?"

Jason shook his head. "He doesn't know where we are, but he knows we are somewhere around. It's better to leave early in the morning. More people will be out and about so we can blend in. Will you help me do something?"

"Sure."

"I need to dye my hair."

Her head tilted. "Seriously?" She loved his hair color.

"I don't like wigs."

"And they have color here?"

He nodded and walked to the bathroom as she followed. He opened a cabinet and handed her the box. She studied it and then shrugged. "This should do the job. You're going to be really blonde."

"Supposedly, I used to be when I was little."

"Alright, let's get started."

Jason pulled off his top and sat down on the closed toilet seat. Elizabeth read the directions and then got to work. After it had sat the recommended time, she helped him rinse it out in the sink and washed it. There were limited supplies, so she did the best she could. He toweled dried his hair and then gazed at the mirror. It it's definitely blonde, and he isn't really sure how he feels about that.

"Sit down," she said.

He obeyed and she began to mess with his hair. As her fingers scraped his scalp, he sighed. "Feels nice."

His hair isn't too long and slightly flipped.

"I probably should cut it short. I got lazy."

"I like it. It's not really long."

"It falls in my eyes sometimes." He paused. "This is such a girlie conversation."

Liz smiled. "There is nothing wrong with looking nice. I do miss your blue eyes though."

His head tilted.

"What? They are hard to miss."

"I got them from Lila, my grandmother."

"Is she still alive?"

"No," he said sadly.

"I'm sorry."

"Me too, but we should go to sleep since we have to get up at five."

She went back to the room and he turned off the lights and locked the door just in case. He hadn't put his shirt back on, so he just got into the bed.

"You don't mind me using you as a pillow?"

"It's fine."

She snuggled into him. "Goodnight, Jason."

"Goodnight, Elizabeth."

They both fell asleep. When the alarm on his phone sounded, Elizabeth groaned.

"It can't be time already."

Jason slightly smiled. "Sorry. You want the bathroom first?"

"No." There is only a sink anyway.

Jason slid out from under her and grabbed his bag and left the room. It took about thirty-five minutes before they were ready to go.

"Wear this," he said handing her a ring.

"A wedding ring?"

"We need visual cues that will throw them off."

She slipped it on her finger. It was a little big, but it wouldn't fall off. Jason put on his. They grabbed their bags and slipped out into the alley.

"Are you going to tell me where we're headed now?"

"Chop shop."

Her brow rose.

"We need a car. The airports and bus stations will be out as well as the subway. We'll only be able to use it for about an hour and then we'll ditch it." They hurried down the sidewalk. The city is starting to come alive as people start heading to work. "Cross."

She followed him across the street and they passed by an electronics store. A television is in the window and Liz gasped, making Jason spin around.

"Fuck," he muttered. There, on live television, are their pictures. From what she could tell, they are labeled as missing. They showed her art work and a few pictures of Jason at the courthouse. "Move," he growled.

Liz was stunned. "How?"

"He has money and connections."

The circumstances seemed insurmountable. Gabriel is just too powerful. Their only chance was to stay hidden which would be a lot more difficult now.

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Sonny wiped his hands over his face a few times. He is sitting in a room with Julian on face chat and Johnny. "I don't know how to stop this."

Julian put his coffee mug down. "We can't. Maybe I should just contact him so he'll leave my daughter alone."

"If you do that, then you're a dead man."

"Maybe it's the only way. I won't sacrifice my daughter's life."

Sonny sat back. "I understand where you are coming from, but considering who we are dealing with, he might still want to kill Elizabeth. There has got to be a way to get in close. Julian, are you sure that you don't have what he's looking for?"

"There wasn't a lot in there, some rare coins, a locket—and I opened it. Also, there was a weird artifact in there."

"Did she collect those?" Johnny asked.

"Not that I know of."

"Break it."

Julian frowned.

"Julian, just do it."

He sighed and nodded to Carlos who went and found a hammer and came back. The sound of shattering ceramics filled the room and then Carlos leaned down and picked up small disk in a case.

"Jackpot," Julian said.

"It's probably encrypted," Sonny said as Carlos held it up.

Johnny fidgeted in his seat. "Do you have a geek who can crack it?"

"Yes. She's in a secure area."

"Do you need help getting it there?"

Carlos cleared his throat. "I'll make sure it gets there."

Sonny breathed a sigh of relief. If they could figure out what Gabriel is afraid of, it will give them the advantage.

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Jason knocked on the garage door. They are in a bad neighborhood and he really wants to get on the road. The man on the other side gasps and then quickly opens it. They rushed inside.

"What do you have for me that won't garner attention?"

The man was momentarily stunned. Someone of Jason's caliber didn't visit every day. He noted that he looked different, like he is hiding, but there is no mistaking who it is. "I have mostly high-end cars."

"What about that one?" he asked pointing to a smaller hybrid.

The guy frowned. "I was fixing it up to give it to my daughter."

"Does it run?"

"Yeah."

"What's wrong with it?"

He shrugged. "Nothing really, it won't outrun the cops though."

"You know how this works. You call the number and the money is wired to you by the end of the day for the agreed upon amount."

"You're going to pay me the normal rate for that?"

"I need to get out of the city—now."

The guy scratched his head as he walked over to a desk. He isn't going to argue. It is good money. "Here's the keys, the tank is full."

"Change the plates."

The man got to work and quickly put a different set of plates on it. "It's not registered yet. There's a sticker, but if a cop pulls you over and runs the number…"

"I'm willing to take that chance. Do all the lights work?"

"Yes."

He grabbed Elizabeth's bag and threw it on the back seat with his. The man retracted the garage door, and Jason pulled out.

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Elizabeth sipped on some water. They had gone through a drive-thru and gotten some food and drinks. Jason wasn't sure when they'd get another opportunity. They are in New Jersey when Jason finally pulls into a rest stop. There aren't a lot of people around, mainly just truck drivers who are napping. They took turns using the restroom and then cautiously approached a truck driver who is getting out of his cab.

"Hi, I'm Jack."

The man ias a little wary. "Jim."

"I wondered if you could help me and my wife out."

The man looked over at the car and saw Elizabeth who smiled and waved.

"She's a pretty little thing. You're very lucky."

"I am. We just got married a few days ago. Her ex showed up this morning, trying to get back with her. He is a powerful businessman and didn't like that she had moved on after they broke up."

"Did he hurt her?"

"He threatened us and said he was coming back and left. We took off. He knows her car though. You think we could ride with you to get away. I can pay you. Please, I can't lose her."

Jim sighed. "Well that is quite the pickle you're in."

"I know and you don't have to say yes. I have a thousand dollars I can give you though."

Jim's eyes bugged out. "Well, that's a lot of paper. I'd be a fool not to take you up on it. Me and the missus wanted to take a vacation."

"Jim, if you get us out of this, I'll pay for that too. I'm good for it."

Jim rubbed his beard for a minute. "How do I know that you won't try to rob me or something?"

"You don't. I have a gun on me. You can hold it if it makes you feel safe. I don't know how to drive a rig either. I'm just a desperate man trying to protect the woman I love."

The man studied Jason for a moment and then looked over at Elizabeth. Hopefully, he wasn't about to make a big mistake because the man standing in front of him is a big guy, but if nothing Jim has good instincts. "All right, you got yourself a deal. I'm headed to Buffalo. Is that alright?"

Jason smiled. "Thank you so much. That is perfect." It will be easy to slip into Canada from there. They shook on it and Jason went back to the car and slid inside. "We're going to ride with him. He's going to Buffalo."

Liz is surprised, but thought it is perfect.