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20.) Pawn

Three years earlier…

Her intake of breath was sharp as she started to rise. Two days prior her grandfather had taken a cane to her because she unknowingly associated with someone who apparently dealt in arms. She decided to dress in a black pantsuit. People thatshe knew heard her promise that she was going to attend young Diego's funeral. She had no way of getting out of it.

She was covered in bruises and couldn't take the chance of wearing a skirt, lest someone find out what Anthony did with his trusty cane, or worse. Her former coworkers may jump to the wrong conclusion and think that Jason physically abused her. Jason was a lot of things. He was cold and calculating. He was ruthless and efficient. He was the epitome of a neglectful husband and apparently an outright and unabashed adulter, but he wasn't a wifebeater. As she started to walk to her bathroom she had to pause because the pain was nearly unbearable. The problem was that she made a promise to Diego's father, and despite her predicament she wouldn't break her promise. During these hard times, she would fall back on the education of her youth spent abroad, and though she was by no means British born, she was raised in a milieu where feeling sorry for yourself was looked down upon. She was grasping deeply to scourge up the stiff upper lip that had been thrust upon her since she was about 4 years old.

It was lucky for Elizabeth that Jason's penthouse boasted many rooms. She took up residence in the maid's quarters, which was on the first floor. Since Jason didn't keep a maid, this worked well for her considering Jason and Courtney often shacked up together upstairs in his room. She was fortunate that the maid's quarters even had its own small bathroom. She chose the location because it wasn't near Jason's Master bedroom on the second floor. She hoped that it would give her some measure of distance between him and the activities that took place between Jason and Courtney. While her room was further than any other, it did have a single drawback. It was located underneath Jason's, so while she didn't have to physically see him cheat, with that vapid nuscience, she got to hear everything. With the amount of money that was spent in building this place you would think that they could soundproof the rooms a bit better.

Elizabeth slowly made her way into the bathroom and turned the light on. It was time to get ready. Due to the slap she received from Carly a couple of days prior, she was now sporting two bruises: One where Carly connected with her face, and the other from where her face connected with the wall. The day before she went to the drugstore and purchased new primer and a yellow concealer to help manage all the purple on her face. By the time that Elizabeth was finished, only slight discoloration could be seen. It was a sunny day despite the weather being so cool. This would afford her the ability to wear her sunglasses and hopefully get away with hiding the evidence of her abuse at the hand of Carly Corinthos.

She dressed in a black pantsuit and decided to don a yellow ribbon in support of fighting against childhood cancer. This was always the worst part of the job, saying goodbye and dealing with the grieving family. The craziest part was that Elizabeth wasn't even employed as a nurse anymore, yet here she was going to a funeral for a boy she barely knew. She was honorbound to attend, but she would be lying if she didn't admit that she really didn't want to. Elizabeth carefully added a black fold-over collar plain coat. It was a very tailored look. She just hoped she could make it through this without giving away her injuries, or the other more precarious situation looming in her womb. The last couple of weeks she'd been battling morning sickness. She and her husband shared one night together, but apparently that was enough. The situation was as the trite saying goes, "a ticking time-bomb." So far, Jason was occupied with the warehouse during the morning hours when she seemed to be most affected, and when he did come home all his affection went to Courtney. He hadn't noticed anything different about her and if he did he hadn't mentioned it to her. She tried to tell him, but he wanted no part of a serious conversation with her. Something about her disgusted him. It hurt to be so easily brushed aside, but it wasn't unusual. It wasn't something that she was unfamiliar with given the family that she came from. She just never expected to feel this isolated while she was pregnant. She took her wedding vows seriously, but apparently they were one-sided and as a result it left her hollow. It stung in the acutest of fashions. 'Thinking about this would get her nowhere,' she thought, shaking her head at the direction her thoughts were taking her. If she didn't stop getting mired in these thoughts, she would get nothing accomplished today and she's made a promise.

The penthouse seemed rather quiet this morning, which was good. She was hoping not to run into anyone, especially Courtney. She slowly opened her door, and listened. Nothing could be heard, so she decided to leave the sanctity of her room. She always made it a point to lock her door. Not that she suffered any illusion that people would stay out of her space. She didn't have anything to hide. She slowly made her way to the door, when a hand shot out and grabbed her elbow, spinning her around.

"And where are you off to?" Jason asked. He'd never seen her in such business-like attire. She was wearing sunglasses and dressed very elegantly. She looked ready for the day.

"I"m going to a funeral back in Rochester," Elizabeth asked in a very earnest tone.

"A funeral?" Jason questioned never letting go of her elbow, "How fitting. The grim reaper is attending a funeral. Who died, a former lover?"

"Who would love her?" Carly said as she walked through the door.

"A friend," Elizabeth said, "Would you please release my elbow, Jason."

"Who would be friends with you? Not that it matters, looks like your friend was dying to get away from you,"Carly replied. Jason laughed a little but released Elizabeth's arm.

Elizabeth merely shook her head, and worked hard not to take the bait. She had a baby to protect, and it would do her no good to get in an altercation with Carly. She continued to the door ignoring the unkind words of the woman behind her.

"I can't wait until you're rid of her, Jason." Carly said.

"Me either." Jason replied. In truth, he was slightly curious about where Elizabeth was going. When he first saw her all dressed up he thought maybe she got the hint and started a relationship of her own. Not that he would blame her. She often sat here day in and day out, alone. Given his current relationship with Courtney, he almost felt bad for Elizabeth being so alone. If she hadn't been so greedy she wouldn't be in the situation that she now found herself in.

In the hall, Elizabeth heard what was said, and did her best to suck it up. The guards outside the door were chuckling at her expense. She just wanted to make it into the elevator and hoped that they couldn't tell that this affected her. Her saving grace in all of this was the fact that she wasn't completely alone. Finally, the doors opened and she entered. She went to the garage, and got into her Honda Civic, and took a moment to breathe.

An hour later, she was pulling up to Sacred Heart Cathedral. Being a Zacchara meant that you were Catholic, not that following the tenants of the faith was a standard practice. It was just something the Zaccharas did. Elizabeth took that faith seriously. It's what she clung to in the hardest of times, and gave her some measure of solace, but lately her faith was starting to wane. When she entered, she found the holy water and made the sign of the cross, and made her way over to the medical staff that she knew.

"There she is," Angela whispered. Epiphany stood up, and moved over so that Elizabeth could join them.

"Hello Angie, Piph. Thanks for making room," Elizabeth said.

"Hello Elizabeth. It sure is good to see you, circumstances notwithstanding," Angie replied.

"It's nice to see you as well," Elizabeth replied, as she slowly took her seat, but pulled out the kneeler so she could say her prayers. When she was finished. She carefully sat back trying desperately not to give herself away.

Piph leaned over, "After the funeral, you and I are going to have a little talk."

"Okay," Elizabeth replied, knowing that there was no escape.

There were no dry eyes during the service, and after it was over the attendees made their way to the funeral at the Catholic Cemetery nearby. The death of a child was never easy. Despite what Mr. Alcazar did for a living, Elizabeth's heart still went out to him.

People slowly left the funeral, and Elizabeth and Epiphany decided it was their turn. As they were walking back to their cars, Epiphany decided it was time to ask Elizabeth about what was going on.

"You care to tell me about this new look that you're sporting. You've never been one for business suits, especially pantsuits, Elizabeth? And the glasses… You didn't even take them off during the funeral mass. What's going on?"

"It's cold out today. I thought I would wear pants. As for the sunglasses, I just forgot to take them off. Plus my makeup is smudged. I look a mess." Elizabeth answered.

"I might buy that if you weren't walking around like Smeagol from Lord of the Rings. You have me worried, Elizabeth. Where is that husband of yours?" Epiphany asked.

"I'm fine, Piph. Plus Jason had to work," Elizabeth answered.

"Work? I hear he's been working on Sonny's sister every chance he gets," Epiphany replied while rolling her eyes in disbelief.

"I don't know what you mean," replied Elizabeth, trying to deflect.

"I mean that it's a well established fact that your husband is cheating on you, with his partner's sister no less. Admit it, this marriage is a farce."

"Piph, I don't know what you're getting at. Our marriage is a good marriage, predicated upon mutual resp-" Elizabeth tried to defend, before she was cut off.

"Don't you dare finish that statement, unless you are prepared to look me in the eye," Epiphany said.

Ashamed Elizabeth turned away, "That's harsh Piph."

"I don't hear you denying it," Epiphany stated.

"It's complicated, you wouldn't understand," Elizabeth replied.

"Then explain it to -" Epiphany started to say but was interrupted by Mr. Alcazar.

"Ladies, Thank you so much for attending. Elizabeth, I was wondering if I might have a word with you?" He asked, "Alone," as he looked at Epiphany.

"I- I- Okay," Elizabeth said. She was nervous and hoped no one from the Zacchara Organization followed her like the other day.

Lorenzo escorted Elizabeth back to Diego's grave. "Thank you for sparing me a moment, Elizabeth."

"Of course," Elizabeth started.

"You seem nervous," Lorenzo stated, noticing that she was clenching and unclenching her hands.

"Not at all," Elizabeth feigned, "Perhaps, you should tell me what you need to tell me."

"Elizabeth, there was a reason we chose U of R for Diego's treatment. There was a reason it was important that you came back to see Diego off, so to speak."

"What reason was that?" Elizabeth asked. "Is this some attempt to get information about my husband or his business partner, because I promise I don't know anything, and if I did I wouldn't tell you."

"Whoa, listen. I don't know what you've heard about me, but I have no interest in using you to get to Sonny or Jason. I'm here, because I owe it to you."

"You don't owe me anything," Elizabeth replied, starting to walk away.

"I owe you the truth about who you are," Lorenzo said.

"-Who I am? What do you know about who I am?" Elizabeth asked, turning back around.

"I know that you're not a Zacchara. I know how you came to be. I know who your mother was, and I know who your father is."

"Wait, you know who my mother is? -Was? By the way you phrased that, I take it my mother is no longer alive?" Elizabeth asked, swallowing hard.

"Yes, to all of it."

"Who was she, Lorenzo? I need to know. I've waited my whole life?"

"I know," Lorenzo said taking a deep breath. "Your mother was named Serafina. She was born in Palermo, Sicily, and kidnapped by the Zacchara's when was 5 years old. She was placed with the Russo family in Bensonhurst, New York, and raised in their care."

"Kidnapped? That is believable, considering my life. What about my father? You said you know who he is," Elizabeth said, trying to keep her breathing under control.

"Your father has been closer than you think," Lorenzo started. Elizabeth looked at him like she was expecting him to say that he was her father. "No, sadly I'm not your father. Because I promise you, you wouldn't find yourself in your current set of circumstances. Your father is Michael Corinthos, but you know him as So-"

"Sonny," Elizabeth exhaled, feeling ill. She started shaking her head no in disbelief. "That can't be true. If that's true, then he exchanged me into a marriage for some docks to..to…his business partner."

"From everything I know, he doesn't know that he has a child," Lorenzo conveyed.

"I'm just the ultimate pawn," Elizabeth said.

"In essence, yes. I'm sorry that I have to come to you with this," Lorenzo said regretfully.

Elizabeth didn't know what to think, "Was Diego my brother?"

Lorenzo nodded yes in affirmation, "Yes, your half brother."

"Why are you telling me only now? I would've made it my mission to be here more if I knew that."

"It's precisely for that reason that I withheld that information from you. Anthony has had you under his surveillance for a long time. His informers are everywhere. Right now, my men are blocking men from his organization. I'm actually surprised that you showed up here today, given what happened to you the other day. I would've preferred you not come given the danger you're in."

"I gave you my wo-," Elizabeth started to reply in hopes of defending herself but was cut off.

"You gave me your word, I know. And it says alot about you and the kind of person that you are, but you're in a world of danger. Your mother wouldn't want that for you."

"How did she die?" Elizabeth asked.

"Same as Diego. She had Leukemia, it's rare that they both had it. "

Elizabeth just shook her head. "Where is my mother buried?"

Lorenzo walked to the left of Diego's casket, and pulled back the burial rug, and there was a headstone that said "Serafina Alcazar."

Elizabeth's breath was stolen. All the years that she spent wondering what happened. She wondered why her mother was never around. She was truly shocked to have answers.

"Why did she leave me with Zacchara?" Elizabeth asked.

"It wasn't by choice. She was very young when she got pregnant by Sonny. He disappeared shortly after. In fact, when your mother knew him he still went by Michael. When he moved west, he adopted the new nickname Sonny. Your mother didn't know that. Zacchara had plans for your mother, to marry her off to an associate who was the enemy of your maternal grandfather. Your mother was supposed to be untouched for this marital exchange, but Sonny ruined that for Zacchara, so Zacchara decided to hold Serafina at his home in Crimson Pointe and wait for her to give birth. He was hoping that you would be a girl, so he could use you in a similar way. Once your mother gave birth to you, you two were immediately separated. Sera went back for you a couple of years later, but Anthony threatened to kill you both. She tried a couple of other times to get to you, but he stopped her at every turn. She loved you very much, and wished so much to be reunited with you."

"Well at least now I know," Elizabeth said as tears dropped from her face.

"You need to head back to Port Charles, take the cliff roads back. We'll hold off Anthony's men. Next time, don't risk it, Elizabeth." Lorenzo said, taking her hand and lifting to kiss the back of it, while simultaneously handing her a piece of paper with. He went in to kiss her cheek. It's my phone number, memorize it, don't keep it. You're in a world of danger."

Elizabeth slowly went back to her vehicle, where Epiphany stood waiting. "What was that about?"

"I need to go, Piph. I don't have time to explain, but I have to get back. I will call you at my first opportunity," Elizabeth said, giving her a hug goodbye.

"Please make sure that you do. I have questions?" Epiphany replied.

Elizabeth nodded in acknowledgment to Epiphany and then got into her vehicle. She took the cliff roads back as instructed. She honestly didn't know what to believe or who to trust. All she knew was that the pieces were starting to fall into place.

There was only one place that she could go to safely get answers. She just hoped that he wouldn't lie to her. It wasn't often that she went to Crimson Pointe, but the only person who could give her answers was Johnny. In the past, he'd been her rock and she desperately hoped that he hadn't deceived her.