Elizabeth pulled out of the Ryan Racing Compound leaving a dusty trail in her wake. She had no idea where she was headed. She only knew that she couldn't be there right now. Theresa's words swirled around in her mind nearly making her dizzy. The fact that Jason's accident had been intentional, and that Billy was still trying to hurt him made her sick to her stomach. Elizabeth was certainly aware of Billy Weston's competitive nature and his need to win she just never imagined that it would be at any price.

She couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that Billy could have cost Jason his life for no other reason than that he was jealous of the fact that Jason was a better driver than he was or ever would be. What stunned Elizabeth even more was that Theresa Kennedy, of all people, brought that information to light. Elizabeth didn't know how she felt about that. It was surreal to think that Theresa would do anything that didn't serve her in some way, yet Elizabeth couldn't see how this was beneficial to her rival. Unless, of course, she thought that by her coming forward it would somehow endear her to Jason in some way. Elizabeth shuddered at that thought but spent little time concentrating on it. Gone were the days when she would allow Theresa Kennedy to make her turn and retreat. It was empowering in a way to no longer afford her longtime foe such power over her life.

Elizabeth was stymied by the fact that Jason still wanted to race that afternoon after what he had heard. Thoughts of the things Billy might have done to Jason's car this time and the consequences swirled around in her mind. It was one thing for Jason to get back behind the wheel of his car after his accident, yet it was a completely different situation knowing what they all did now. There was a hell of a good chance that Billy had tampered with the car again and there was no telling what the outcome on the track this time would be.

She hadn't asked Jason not to race, she couldn't do that, but she had thought at least Jake would have the presence of mind to put a stop to it. The fact that he hadn't pushed her over the edge. She wasn't sure what to do next. Part of her couldn't imagine sitting in the stands waiting for the worst to happen but not being there wasn't something that she could grasp either so there she was driving around without a destination in mind, until she realized she was merging on NC-71 N heading for Fayetteville Motor Speedway. Her heart knew where she needed to be even if her head hadn't quite caught up yet.

Jake and Jason rode in silence as they headed for the track each mulling over and attempting to process the information they had been given. The idea that Tom had joined forces with Billy Weston had thrown them both for a loop. Jason couldn't come to terms with the fact that his lifelong friend had taken part in tampering with his car. The pair had worked side by side for years. Jason trusted Tom implicitly and to think that Tom would do something so underhanded was completely lost on him.

"You, okay?" Jake asked as he dropped the truck in park.

"Honestly," Jason let out a heavy sigh, "I don't know. I don't know what to do with all of this."

"Are you sure you are up for racing today?" Jake asked hesitantly attempting to gauge the younger man's reaction.

Jason didn't know how to answer that question. He wanted to emphatically say yes, but if he was truthful with himself, the news of Tom's involvement had shaken him to his core. "I don't know," he finally said.

"Okay. It's totally your call."

"Do we have time enough time to go over every inch of my car?" Jason asked.

Jake looked at his watch. "Honestly, I'm not sure?' The last thing Jake wanted to do was rush through the inspection especially now knowing that Billy could have tampered with any number of things based on Theresa's account.

"Can we at least try?" Jason questioned with a hopeful tone.

"Of course," Jake said.

"Okay then let's get to work." Jason said making his way towards the bay where his racecar sat.

Leo was shocked to see Jason' bright blue machine in pieces as he approached his friend and crew chief. "What the hell's going on?" he asked startling the pair. "What happened?"

"Weston happened," Jason answered, purposely leaving Tom's name out of it. He still couldn't believe that his one-time friend had any part in Billy's plan and as long as he didn't say it aloud, he could pretend it wasn't true.

"What?" Leo did little to hide his confusion.

"It's a long story," Jake said. "But put it this way Jason's accident," Jake used air quotes to emphasize the word, "wasn't."

"What?" Leo repeated shaking his head as if trying to make sense of what he just heard.

"We just found out that Jason's accident was no accident at all," Jake continued. "Apparently Weston and Tom tampered with his car."

"I knew it," Leo stated before he could stop the words from leaving his lips. He had his suspicions about Tom from the minute he arrived at the emergency room the day of the accident. He couldn't put his finger on it, but Tom's actions and demeanor were just off.

"Knew what?" Jason asked.

"Forget it," Leo said knowing this wasn't the time or place to revisit his suspicions about Tom Boudean.

"No, tell me," Jason pushed.

Jake sensed Leo's apprehension, "Tell him. He deserves to know what you were thinking."

"I know Tom is your friend," Leo began, "but something about all this never sat well with me. The way he was at the hospital the day of the accident, and how he's basically been nonexistent ever since and then what we found caused your accident," Leo paused, "Didn't it all seem weird?"

Jason didn't know what to say in response. Up until a few hours ago, he had never expected to be betrayed in such a way by a man who he considered a friend, brother even. It never once crossed his mind to think that Tom had been a part of what happened to on the track. Yet looking at things now through the lens of a clearer truth it was easy to see the red flags.

"What can I do?" Leo asked looking at the various parts of Jason's racecar spread out across the garage floor.

"You have your own car to get ready," Jason countered.

"What can I do?" Leo repeated.

"Start with all of the brake lines and master cylinder," Jake suggested patting the young man on the back thankful for the additional set of eyes.

Jason stretched his arm out to his friend offering Leo his hand in thanks. "Thank you."

"You'd do it for me," Leo said confidently. In the short time he had come to know Jason Morgan, he had no doubt that if roles were reversed the other racer would have been by his side.

Elizabeth pulled into the pit area of the Fayetteville Motor Speedway showing her Ryan Racing pit pass to the gate worker who nodded and waved her through. Easily she weaved through the various car trailers until her black Chevelle came to rest along side of Jake's truck. Suddenly she could hear the pounding of her heart beating rhythmically in her ears. Cutting the engine, she was aware of the sounds of the track just beyond her line of sight. Taking a ragged breath, Elizabeth tried to calm her racing thoughts. Pushing open the heavy door, she slipped out the driver's seat closing the door behind her with a thud. With each step Elizabethe took towards the large opening to pit row, Elizabeth pushed down her fears as hard as she could.

"You're here," Jason announced when he saw Elizabeth rounding the corner. A sense of calm washed over him at the sight of her.

"Of course, she is," Leo said as though her presence was expected.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked never taking her eyes off Jason.

"I am now," he said pulling her into a bear hug. "I couldn't do this without you."

"I'm still not sure this is a good idea." She looked up at him her deep blue eyes imploring him to reconsider.

"I know you don't," Jason agreed. "But we have gone over nearly every inch of my car. I am confident that everything will be okay."

Elizabeth wished she had his confidence. She was still scared to death. The loudspeaker blared overhead announcing the driver's meeting. She tightened her embrace knowing that he was about to slip away. She swallowed the golf ball sized lump that sat in the throat. "I love you," she eked out barely above a whispered.

"I love you too," he concurred before crushing her lips with his own. "Everything is going to be okay." Elizabeth wanted to say that he couldn't know that, but she remained silent. "I'm glad you will be in the stands," he said.

"Oh no, I'm going to be right here in the pits with Jake," she countered forcefully. The idea of being anywhere but the pits wasn't a concept Elizabeth could fathom.

Jason was about to protest but the expression on Jake's face had him reconsidering his words.

"The two of you need to get going," Jake announced as the second message calling all the drivers to the infield rang out overhead. "Elizabeth will be fine with me," he said taking the young woman's hand in his larger weathered one.

"Jake, I'm terrified," Elizabeth's voice shook as she watched the sight of Jason and Leo grow smaller in the distance.

"I know." Jake pulled her against his side squeezing her shoulder tightly. "The three of us went over every inch of Jason's car. We couldn't find any evidence that Weston had tampered with it."

"I still don't trust him."

"I know you don't. But you trust me, don't you?" He continued when she didn't readily respond. "You trust Jason, right and Leo?"

"Yes," she whispered.

"Then know that none of us would have put him behind the wheel of that car if there was even the slightest chance something was wrong."

Alison paced the floor eyes trained on the clock on the wall. The race was about to begin, and she struggled with her thoughts. The idea of turning on the television to watch her son speeding around the track petrified her. Yet she couldn't stop Jake's words from replaying continuously in her head though. She either had to accept Jason for who he was and what he wanted to do with his life or risk losing him forever. At that very moment, Alison honestly didn't know which would be the better option because both didn't seem like something she could live with.

She sat down on the sofa picking up the slender remote and the television came alive with a soft hum. Running through the channels, Alison stopped when she heard Jason's name. The announcers were discussing his come back after his accident weeks before. Instantly she was thrown back to the memory of the phone call she received and a sheer fear it invoked in her.

Squaring her shoulders and taking a deep breath, Alison lifted her gaze just in time to see a photo of Jason in the corner of the screen. She admired how handsome her son was and thought about how much of his life she has missed out on. As always, the war inside her head raged but this time she didn't immediately run. She sat there and listened to the accolades the announcer read off regarding her son's career as a NASCAR driver. She thought of how proud Erik would have been of his son and found herself reminiscing of those early days when Jason followed at Erik's heals soaking in every bit of knowledge his father had to give.

Alison glanced at the countdown timer in the bottom corner of her screen knowing that the race was about to start. She lifted the remote and toyed with the power button, wanting desperately to flip the switch making the television go black, but she didn't. She sat there watching as the cameras panned the track while the racers took their starting positions.

She felt her chest tighten as the green flag dropped and the cars shot forward, yet she didn't move. There she sat and watched her first NASCAR race in nearly two decades.