Alison stared out the kitchen window at the garage in the distance. Each day she stood there watching as Jason's racecar was stripped bare and slowly reconstructed piece by piece. Day by day she observed Jason getting stronger and she knew it wouldn't be long before she would have to face the inevitable that he would be cleared medically and there would be no stopping him from slipping behind the wheel of his newly rebuilt racecar. She still wasn't sure if that was a reality, she would be able to deal with.

Out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of Elizabeth's black Chevelle thundering up the driveway leaving a cloud of dust in its wake. How she envied the young woman who so easily fit into her son's world. Just like her, Elizabeth could have lost Jason forever, yet there she stood among the men day after day putting that death trap back together. Alison could not fathom that. How did Elizabeth push that fear to a place in her mind where it didn't leave her paralyzed.

Elizabeth headed toward where Jason and the others were working on his car. She stopped short taking in the scene before her. It had been three weeks since Jason's accident and except for a few fading bruises there were no real outward signs he had ever been in accident. She thanked God every day at how incredibly lucky he had been.

"Looking good," she said slipping her delicate hands under the tattered hem of Jason's grease-stained t-shirt.

"Thank you," he said turning quickly kissing her leaving a dark smear across her cheek.

"I was talking about the car," she countered dodging Jason's oil covered hands when he attempted to reach for her.

"Playing hard to get?" Jason asked as he cocked his brow and returned her smirk with one on his own. He gave chase quickly sprinting after her, scoping Elizabeth in his arms her squeals filling the air which he swiftly silenced with a kiss that easily deepened. It was so easy for him to get lost in her, so easy to forget their surroundings.

Jake cleared his throat forcing the pair to remember exactly where they were. "Get a room, would ya?" Leo scoffed when Jason and Elizabeth were slow to part.

They grinned sheepishly at each other before Elizabeth headed straight to where Leo was leaning against the fender of Jason's racecar and punched him square in the shoulder momentarily knocking him off balance and without skipping a beat, she continued to circle the brilliant blue stockcar. "I can't believe you put it all back together so fast," she said.

"I want to be ready the minute Dr. Bennett gives me the 'all clear'," Jason said.

"You still have a week before your next appointment," Elizabeth reminded him.

"I know," he groaned. The days for him had been dragging on at a snail's pace. Other than the occasional headache, which he tried to say happened to everyone, when anyone would remind him of his concussion, he actually felt good. His ribs no longer hurt and other than needing to get his stamina back, Jason was ready to get back to his life. He was never one for sitting still and these last weeks had been more than a little unnerving.

"Would you like to do the honors?" Jake said to Elizabeth. "We were just about to turn her over."

"Wait what?" Both Jason and Leo said simultaneously as Elizabeth wasted not a second before climbing through the window settling into the stiff bucket seat.

"Well, fire her up!" Jake ordered.

She flipped the toggle switch easily and the engine thundered to life with a deafening roar. Every hair on her body stood on end as she recalled the day that Jason let her take his car around the practice track at Ryan Racing.

"Give it some gas. Okay ease her out to track behind the garage." Jake loved the expression on the young men's faces as he instructed Elizabeth to give the car its first test run. "You didn't think I was going to let you drive, did you?" he ask turning to Jason. "You aren't cleared yet," he chuckled.

"What about me?" Leo shot back totally flabbergasted.

"Nope," Jake said. "Have at it girl!" Jake tapped the rear of the car and off Elizabeth went.

Jason leaned against the fence trying to be angry that it wasn't him behind the wheel of his own car for the first time since it was rebuilt yet watching Liz rip around the track with such ease, he couldn't help but smile. He knew how much she loved it, as much as he did, and he couldn't deny her that.

"Damn, she's good," Leo said not that he should have been surprised. She had spent her life around racing. The thought that she wouldn't be good at should have never crossed his mind.

"I know," Jason agreed.

"It's a shame Pat Ryan is such an ass; he never took interest in his own daughter and her abilities. She'd make one hell of a driver."

"That she would," Jake agreed as he began waving her in. "So?" he asked as Elizabeth pulled herself from the car.

"I don't know. I'm not the expert."

"Like hell you aren't," Leo contradicted her. On more than one occasion she had been able to pinpoint an issue with his car just by watching him circling the track.

"I'm not." The idea of offering her thoughts on the car that Jason would eventually be out on the track again scared the hell out of her. What if she was wrong about something or missed a crucial issue?

"Just tell me, was the rear-end squirely, stiff? How about the steering too loose too tight? What about the brakes?" Jake threw question after question at her.

"Jake, please," she pleaded. "I really don't know."

Jason could sense her apprehensions and rested his hands on her shoulders. He felt how tense she was. "Tell him." He encouraged her. "I trust your instincts. How'd the car handle?"

Elizabeth looked into Jason's deep blue eyes. The fact that the man standing before her trusted her with his car, his life, part of her had difficulty wrapping her head around that. No one before Jason, had ever put that much faith in her. "Are you sure?" she finally asked.

"Of course."

"So," Jake asked again.

"Mostly it felt good. The rear end did feel a little stiff in the turns but that's just me. It might be fine for Jason."

"What about the steering, brakes, don't hold back," Jake pushed.

"Can't you just wait until Jason can drive his own car?" Elizabeth pressed back. "I'm not a driver."

"We can wait," Jason said wrapping his around Elizabeth before Jake could say anything more. The anxiety etched across her features was too much for him to bare.

"Let's push the car into the garage then," Jake relented reading Jason's protective stance.

"You, okay?" Jason asked her before he dropped his embrace.

"Yeah," she nodded.

Jason handed Elizabeth as cup of coffee joining her on the porch stairs. The pair sat in silence watching the evening sun sink into the earth below. He pulled her against his chest as the cool night wind picked up and he felt her shiver next to him. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," she said titling her head to look up at him.

"Why were you so hesitant to tell Jake how the car handled this afternoon?"

"I told you, I'm not the expert. I'm not a driver."

"I think there's more to it than that," he pressed. "You know racecars Liz. I know you do. You could have easily told Jake everything he wanted to know. Why didn't you?"

Elizabeth rested her head against his chest once more wrestling with herself and how to put what she was feeling into words. "I just didn't think it was my place. It's not my car. I'm not going to be the one driving it hundreds of miles an hour around the track."

Jason heard her voice crack as she tightened her grip around his waist. He knew she was scared and that she felt she couldn't tell him that. "What else?"

"Nothing," she lied.

Jason lifted her chin, so their matching azure eyes were forced to meet. He saw the tears hanging on her lower lashes. "Tell me."

"I can't."

"Yes, you can. You can tell me anything."

Elizabeth pushed down the golf ball sized lump that sat in her throat. How was she supposed to tell him how scared she was? How was she supposed to not sound like his mother and her irrational fears?

"Liz, baby, please."

"I'm terrified," she whispered. "I don't want to be but I am. I can't imagine losing you."

"So, you don't want me to race anymore?" Jason asked softly unsure of what her response might be or what his reaction to that answer would be.

"No!" She declared touching his face gently. "I couldn't ever ask that of you. I would never ask that of you. I'm not your mother, but I understand her fear and anxiety. Logically I know that when each of our time on this earth is up it's up." She had learned that cruel lesson when she lost her mother. "I know there are no guarantees, but the idea that I was telling Jake anything about how your car handled, I couldn't do it. I couldn't be the one responsible if I was wrong and what that might mean."

Stroking her thick chestnut curls, Jason brought his lips to hers softly. "I love you," he said. "I know your scared. I'm scared. I couldn't imagine leaving you either. That's the last thing I ever want to do, but you know, as well I as do, I can't not be a NASCAR driver."

"I know. And I don't want you to be anything but who are. I'm just struggling." Jason tightened his embrace and the pair melted into one another. "I knew what I was getting myself into when I fell in love with you. You're racecar driver. I've just never come so close to losing anyone I cared about to the track."

"Thank you," Jason whispered burying his lips into the folds of her soft tresses.

"For what?" she questioned.

"For not making me choose between the two things I love the most in this world. Because I honestly don't know what I would have done," Jason said sincerely. He knew that he was a racer through and through but the idea of that costing him the woman in his arms who he genuinely loved would have him facing some difficult choices.

"I'd never do that," she said even though that's exactly what Billy lied to her father about their breakup. "This is my issue not yours. I have to find a way to work through it. And I will," she assured him. "I'd do anything for you, Jason Morgan," Elizabeth wrapped her hand around his neck pulling his lips against hers to show him just how much.

"What are you doing?" Jake came up from behind startling Alison. She hadn't meant to ease drop on her son and girlfriend's conversation but hadn't been able to stop herself just the same.

"I wish I could be more like her," she said leaving Jake completely confused.

"What?"

"I wish I could be more like Elizabeth. She so gracious. She's scared to death for Jason to get back behind the wheel of his car, yet she's not putting up a fight. She's amazing."

"Yes, she is," Jake agreed. "We all have some level of fear, even Jason, about him getting back on the track but the difference between the rest of us and you is that we don't let it incapacitate us or stop us from continuing to live our lives. And Alison, racing is your son's life." Jake left her starring out at where the two young lovers sat.

"Wearing a groove in the floor isn't going to make your test results come any faster," Elizabeth suppressed a giggle. For the last forty-five minutes she had been watching Jason pace from one side of the waiting area to the other. He had gotten the 'all clear' on his ribs last week but not the concussion. She knew today he was hoping for a different outcome. The next race was only a little over a week away and Elizabeth was well aware of the fact that Jason wanted to be in it.

"What's taking so long?" Jason gasped finally slumping into the seat next to her.

"Dr. Bennett is very thorough. He doesn't want to release you prematurely."

"I'm beginning to think he doesn't want to release me at all!" he huffed.

Elizabeth laced her fingers through his and gave Jason's hand a gentle squeeze. "Just try to relax. I am sure it won't be much longer."

At this point one more second would have been too long for Jason. If he was medically released today, it would have been four weeks since his accident and he knew how much ground, he had lost in those four weeks. Weston had made sure to make the most of Jason's absence and there was only a slim margin in the points standings that separated the two of them. He couldn't afford to miss another race.

"Well?" Jason jumped up before Elizabeth even realized that Dr. Bennet had entered the room.

"Nice to see you too, Mr. Morgan," Dr. Bennet began. "I have the results of your latest impact test.
"And?" Jason asked anxiously.

"It appears as though you are ready to return to your normal activities."

The minute Jason heard those words he pulled Elizabeth off her feet turning them both in circles. He couldn't contain his excitement. "It's about damn time!"

"That's not to mean that you still might not experience symptoms from time to time, mainly headaches."

"Everyone gets headaches," Jason quipped.

"True, but the ones you might experience over the next couple weeks could be more intense than you are accustomed to. I'd like to prescribe you medication in case you need it."

"I'll be fine. I don't need medication."

Elizabeth reached out for the prescription from Dr Bennett's outstretched hand. "Thank you," she said.

"If you need anything or experience any new symptoms, please let me know."

"Won't be necessary," Jason said matter of fact.

"Thank you again, Dr. Bennett," Elizabeth repeated.

"Certainly, Elizabeth," Dr. Bennett said before leaving the room.

"Jason Morgan," Elizabeth began with a slight edge to her voice.

"What?" he asked sensing her irritation.

"Could you have been any ruder to him? Dr. Bennett's just doing his job."

"I know. I wasn't trying to be rude. I just want to be done with this place, his tests all of it. I just want to get back to normal."

"I understand that," she relented knowing all to well how much he hated hospitals for so many reasons.

"Can we please just celebrate now?"

Elizabeth couldn't help but laugh at the man standing in front of her. He looked more like a little kid waiting for the circus to arrive in town than the grown man he actually was. It was extremely difficult for her to stay annoyed with him. "Celebrate? What do you have mind?" she asked playfully slipping her hands into the pockets of Jason's jeans.

Jason bit his lower lip the instant he felt her fingers graze his suddenly growing manhood. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"What do you think I'm doing?" she whispered gently pressing her body firmly against his thoroughly enjoying the hungry way he was now looking at her.

Jason felt his body respond to Elizabeth's advances and was having a difficult time remembering that they were standing in the middle of one of the many hospital waiting rooms. "Here?" he questioned breathlessly as Elizabeth's warm lips met his collar bone.

She wasn't sure what had gotten into her in that exact moment. This was so unlike her, yet she couldn't stop herself. "I do have an office, with a door that locks," she whispered.

Jason pressed Elizabeth against the door to her office as he heard the lock click into place. She wrapped her arms around his neck and began suckling his ear allowing her tongue to travel downward leaving a wet trail in its path. She heard him moan as she tugged at the hem of his shirt pulling it out from under his belt. Instantly her fingers tugged at the tuft of hair just above the waist of Jason's jeans. She heard him suck in a deep breath when she undid the button and pushed her hands deep inside forcing the zipper to open exposing his enlarged form.

Elizabeth pulled down his jeans passed Jason's hips boxers followed and began messaging the tip of his manhood with her thumb. She felt Jason's knees begin to buckle as he pressed his hands against the heavy wooden door trying to steady his stance. "Oh God," he moaned when Elizabeth slid her body down to where her mouth engulfed him tongue tickling and teasing until Jason thought he might go mad. "I love you," he gasped tangling his fingers in her thick coffee colored locks.

Elizabeth continued to tease him until she felt his hands reach down and slip her loose fitting shirt off her shoulders. His fingers grazed her exposed skin, and she shuttered the second that his fingers touched her erect nipples. It was now Jason's turn to methodically massage her until her body started to quiver.

Jason lifted Elizabeth off her feet laying her gently on the sofa next to the door never once breaking his connection with her. She groaned in pleasure the second Jason's mouth consumed her breast his tongue dancing around and suckling each nipple.

One by one each piece of their clothing dropped to the floor until naked body was pressed against naked body. Elizabeth felt the heat radiate from Jason's engorged form as he felt how wet she was against him. Slowly he rose never once taking his eyes off of her and slide himself inside of her easily. He heard her gasp and then smile as she tightened herself around him. Within second the pair had found a perfect rhythm rocking back and forth pleasuring one another in a way that they never had before. Their paced quickened until both found release in the other.

"I love you," she whispered as Jason's body came to rest lightly on hers each of their breaths evening to match the other.

"I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone," he returned.

Both laid there in silence reveling in the fact that somehow through it all they had found their way back to each other.