Written in 61 minutes.

Saturday, October 14, 2000

Elm Street Pier

It would have been easier if Elizabeth been angrier about the fight with Lucky, or maybe he should have kept his mouth shut when she looked like she was going to put the blame entirely on her boyfriend.

But it wouldn’t have been the truth, and he wasn’t going to lie to her. Not even to save face or spare his dignity, such as it was.

What’s going on that you wanted to start a fight?

“I don’t know,” Jason said, and she made a face, looked down at her lap. “I mean that, I’m not just saying that to get out of trouble—”

“You’re not in trouble,” Elizabeth said, head head snapping up, her eyes on his with that flicker of irritation he usually saw used against someone else. “You don’t owe me anything. You said Lucky threw the first punch. Fine. I’ll let the two of you figure it out. It’s none of my business.”

She got to her feet and started towards the stairs, and he nearly let her. He knew why she was angry — he wasn’t an idiot.

“I don’t want to be here.”

She stopped at the base of the steps, one hand on the wooden railing, then slowly turned around. “You mean in Port Charles.”

Jason sighed, got to his feet, shoving his hands back into the pockets of his jacket. “Yeah. It’s not you. Or Emily. Or—” He looked out to the water, the familiar sounds of the dock. “I don’t know,” he repeated. “I don’t really have a place here.”

He heard her footsteps coming towards him, her shoes scuffling along the planks. “What does that mean? A place with who? To do what?”

“I—” He exhaled slowly, then finally looked at her. “Those are good questions.” Jason scrubbed a hand down his face. “I don’t know,” he repeated for third time.

“Okay.” She bit her lip, folded her arms. “Well, I could pretend to play dumb and act like I don’t know why you left last winter, but I know. Sonny and Carly. They slept together. And now they’re married.” Her voice shifted slightly, becoming a little strained. “It can’t be easy watching Sonny with Carly and Michael since…they were supposed to be your family.”

“That—” Jason stopped, dipped his head. Was that it? He repeated the words in his head, thought about the day before, being with Carly and Michael before Sonny had come in. “No. No, that’s not it. It’s—I don’t care about that. I don’t,” he insisted when she just arched a brow. “I gave up on that a long time ago. It wasn’t easy, and I’ll always miss being Michael’s father, but all I ever wanted was for him to be happy, and he is. I think—” He paused, considering how to articulate the thought, then shook his head, looked back toward Spoon Island.

“I had an idea in my head, I guess, it was supposed to be like that. That Michael was my son, and sometimes I could see Carly being part of that. But it was an idea, not one that I ever thought would happen. But it was all Carly thought about. All she talked about, and I liked it enough to hold on to it. I didn’t really have anything else,” he admitted to himself.

Elizabeth said nothing, and he looked back at her, weighing her reaction, wondering if she’d protest, reminding him that she’d been there last year. That he’d had her friendship. Carly would have, he thought. She’d have made sure he was keeping her in the narrative, giving her the position and weight in his life that she felt entitled to.

But Elizabeth remained quiet, just looking at him with that expression that made him feel uncomfortable inside, made something in his throat feel scratchy. “It doesn’t matter if it was real or ever going to happen. Because Sonny decided it wouldn’t happen. And he made sure it didn’t. He knew if he slept with Carly, I’d see she didn’t really love me. And I didn’t need him to show me that. I already knew it.”  And he hadn’t really loved her, but he couldn’t say that then. He’d wanted that dream. He’d wanted Michael, and he’d been willing to do almost anything to make that happen.

“Last year, you told me that something had happened and that you didn’t think you’d be able to do your job anymore. This is what you mean, isn’t it? It’s not what they did. It’s why,” Elizabeth said, and Jason grimaced, hating the way it sounded now that she’d put it into the world.

“Sonny felt guilty then and now, in his eyes, it’s worse. He doesn’t think Carly really loves him, so he sees me as a threat to the family he’s decided he wants.” His fists curled a little more tightly in his pockets. “But he knows I’d never do anything to take that family. Not like he did. So instead of dealing with it, he’s going to make it my problem. So, no, I don’t really have a place here. Because it’s like I said last year, nothing’s changing if I stay. And nothing did.”

“Well, I don’t think that’s fair to say nothing changed,” Elizabeth said, and he made another face. “Because Carly’s decided she wants Sonny, too. I know that because she usually gets territorial and bitchy whenever she thinks Sonny is doing something nice for me. The only person who doesn’t seem to believe that is Sonny. I don’t think you leaving is going to fix that.” She tipped her head. “Maybe you needed a break from all of this, I wouldn’t blame you. But the only thing that’s going to fix this now is exposure. Sonny will just have to accept you forgave him for last year, that Carly’s decided his bank account is more attractive, and once he stops being an idiot, you guys will be okay.” She wrinkled her nose. “I mean, I guess. Unless you didn’t forgive him. Which then we’ve got another problem.” Elizabeth looked at him expectantly. “Did you forgive him? Or did you just stop being mad about it?”

“There’s a difference?” Jason asked skeptically.

“Well, sort of. I mean, in my head, yeah. Like, okay—” She raised her hands up, palms out. “When I forgive someone for something awful, it’s me saying you did this awful thing, I understand why you did this awful thing, and I am choosing to let go of my anger or my pain or whatever. But not being mad about it anymore is different. It’s — you did this shitty thing to me, I don’t know why you did or I don’t care why, but I’m done being mad about it. See? Different.”

“That…” Jason scratched the side of his eyebrow. “That actually makes sense.”

“See, maybe that’s why Sonny’s so weird. Because he did something that I think is pretty unforgivable. Not just sleeping with…your…” Elizabeth made a gesture with her hand. “Whatever. But he did it to make a point to you. It’d be one thing if they’d fallen in love and he couldn’t help himself—that came later, I guess. I think that’s easier to forgive. Eventually. But Sonny doesn’t think he can be forgiven, so he probably doesn’t believe you’re not mad anymore. If you’re not.”

“I’m not,” Jason assured her.

“Okay. So tell him you don’t forgive him. I bet that’ll actually cheer him up.”

Doubtful, but worth a try. “I shouldn’t have baited Lucky into punching me,” he told, eager to be done with the conversation about Sonny and Carly forever. “I’m surprised he didn’t tell you.”

“Oh, he was already mad at me, so—” Elizabeth shrugged. “You being around isn’t helping. He heard all those rumors from last year, and I told him the truth. But sometimes I think he doesn’t believe me.”

“I’m sorry,” Jason said, following her back to the bench.

“Don’t be. I made my choices, and I have zero regrets. I mean that,” she said when he’d sat down and their eyes met. “There’s nothing I’d take back about last year. Other than getting a new door with a better lock.”

“With no window,” he added, and she grinned. “Emily mentioned something about a job. That’s why Lucky’s mad?”

“Oh.” She wrinkled her nose, her lips pouting out slightly. “Do we have to talk about that?”

“No. We don’t.”

She said nothing for long enough he actually thought she might drop the subject, but then she looked at him. “What did Emily  say?”

“That Chloe offered you a job, temporary. That’d you  have to travel. She said it was a good opportunity for you. And worried that she’d sent you a mixed message about taking it.” Jason lifted his brows. “Are you turning it down?”

“I…don’t know. Everyone seems to have a strong opinion about it. Lucky hates the idea,” Elizabeth said. “Penny and Gram think I should. And Emily seemed to agree with Lucky, though—that’s maybe not how she feels now?” she asked looking at him.

“I don’t want to put words in her mouth, but I know she said it would be good for you. Would it?”

“Maybe. I don’t know. I don’t want to be a waitress my whole life, and sometimes I’m scared I’ll wake up ten years from now and I’ll be running the place. I don’t think I’m talented enough to make art my career. Or that I have the confidence to do that. But this…” Elizabeth looked down at her hands. “I used to like fashion, did you know that?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Most people don’t know it. It’s from Before. Before Valentine’s Day.” He tensed, knowing exactly what she was referring to. “Before, I had all the magazines — I remember being so obsessed with living in the same town as Brenda Barrett. Brenda Barrett, the Face of Deception, this gorgeous supermodel.” Elizabeth smiled, at the memory. “I could barely speak when Lucky introduced us the day of the wedding. And I stole Ruby’s invitation to get into the ceremony. I knew I’d never be a model, but I wanted all the clothes, and I’d make little mood boards, picking out all the best pieces from Fashion Week.”

Elizabeth rubbed her wrist. “I didn’t have the money to dress the way I wanted to, but I was always trying to be into the trends. The right brands, the right products—I was obsessed.” She bit her lip, looked at him. “You probably think that’s stupid.”

“Why would I think that?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know. I—I haven’t done any of that,” she confessed. “Not since…I could barely get out of bed, and the only clothes I wanted to wear were the ones that would cover every inch of skin.” She looked at her arms. “At first, to cover the bruises. There were everywhere,” she murmured. “It hurt to move, to breathe. But then I just didn’t want anyone to look at me. To think of me as anything.”

He swallowed hard. He didn’t know what to say, how to  comfort her. How to make any of it go away.

“It took months before I would wear anything but flannels and sweaters, and I only really felt comfortable doing it when Lucky was around. I always felt safe with him,” she murmured, sliding her fingers along the sleeve of her shirt. “But then he was gone, and I had to figure out how to feel safe with myself. That night, at Jake’s—” She looked at him. “That was my first time doing anything reckless since that night. And of course, I got myself right back into trouble—”

“You didn’t do anything to get yourself in trouble the first time,” Jason bit out, and she looked at startled. He took a breath. “I’m sorry. Look, yeah, going to Jake’s, underage, that was reckless, and stupid,” he added, and she made a face. “But if you’d been of age, you had every right to be there, to have a drink, and a conversation. No man has a right to your attention. Even for buying you a drink.”

“I know that. Mostly. It’s just—it’s easier to blame myself,” Elizabeth admitted. “Than to face how much of life isn’t in your control. I couldn’t stop him from grabbing me, from doing that in a public place. I can’t believe I argued with you for helping me—” She shook her head. “Anyway. I never meant to go down that road. I just—when Chloe offered me the job, all I could think — I can have this back. This piece of me I hadn’t even thought of before she came in. This piece I’d forgotten was lost.”

She lifted her face to the sky. “I think if I told Lucky about it that way, he’d probably understand. He’d be on my side. I think so. But he’s not wrong. We’ve been through so much, and we lost each other for so long. Not just the year he was gone — but since he’s been back. It’s…” She bit her lip. “I feel guilty,” she admitted. “Because I got a miracle. I prayed and begged the universe to bring him back to me. And they did. But…” She looked at Jason. “But it’s not the same. I don’t think I love him the way I’m supposed to. And I don’t think he loves me.”

+37

Written in 70 minutes. The first scene took a ton of time, so the ending scene isn’t quite where I wanted to pause the conversation, but it’ll do.

Saturday, October 14, 2000

Hardy House: Living Room

“Gram?”

Elizabeth closed the door behind her, then went over to the desk at the base of the stairs where her grandmother had kept important documents Elizabeth had needed over the last few years. She flipped through some report cards, medical reports, the guardianship papers—

“Hello, darling. This is a surprise.”

Elizabeth turned, her folder still in her hand and smiled at her grandmother, accepting the kiss on the cheek and the one-armed hug. “Sorry to just drop in like this. I probably should have called.”

“Oh, you never have to call.” Audrey waved a hand. “You have a key, and it looks like you’re looking for something.” She nodded at the manila folder in Elizabeth’s hand. “What can I help you with?”

“Oh, I’m just—” Elizabeth grimaced. “I’m looking for my birth certificate. I’ve never needed a copy before, but I figured it’d be with all this stuff, right?”

Audrey pursed her lips. “Well, I must have had a copy at some point since you used it for driver’s license, didn’t you?”

“I don’t know. You handed me a bunch of stuff, and I didn’t really look at it.” Elizabeth set the folder on the desk and looked at the papers inside more carefully. “They didn’t send it to you when I registered for school?”

Audrey slid on her reading glasses, and began looking in the folder as well. “Well, you remember, darling, you weren’t exactly supposed to be here with us, don’t you? Not that I’m sorry you came. You know that, but we didn’t have all the paperwork settled for a few weeks. Getting the guardianship in my name—I didn’t actually talk to the school. Your father handled it.”

“Dad? How?” Elizabeth wrinkled her nose. “Weren’t they in Bosnia or whatever by then?”

“Oh, well—” Audrey hesitated. “I don’t remember the timeline, so give me a second. What do you need it for? Do you need to renew your license?”

“Not yet, but that’s probably another good reason to have it. I…might need my passport.” Elizabeth set down the paperwork. “Or might not. I don’t know. I haven’t decided. I don’t understand, Gram. How could you not have my birth certificate?”

“Well, I don’t have a lot of reasons to use it.” Audrey rifled through another drawer, and pulled out a slim notebook that Elizabeth recognized as one that would fit into the leather porfolio her grandmother used for her date book. “Ah, yes, Jeff and Carolyn came back the first week of September. Just long enough to talk to a real estate agent, and put the house on the market. It was handy since he was able to fax the school what we needed, and they signed the guardianship papers. Oh, the school must have it — didn’t you get your license through that program?”

“That’s right.” Elizabeth made a face. “I failed the road test twice, and nearly flunked Driver’s Ed because of that. I forgot about it. They must have used the birth certificate Dad sent them.” She scowled. “And how come they didn’t tell me they were coming back to the states? Why didn’t they come to see us?”

“I think they went to see Steven,” Audrey said carefully, and Elizabeth sighed. “I’m sorry, dear. They’re wonderful doctors, but they’ve never been particularly present as parents, have they?”

“No. Not to me anyway. Still surprised they didn’t come to see perfect Princess Sarah.” Elizabeth closed the file. “This is so annoying. Why wouldn’t Dad just send you the copies so you could have it? I mean, you finished raising me.”

“I don’t know. He was quite insistent on handling the paperwork in person.” Audrey closed the datebook.  “It’s not a problem, dear. You can just call the offices in Colorado and send for a new copy.” Audrey tipped her head. “That ought to give you time to decide whether or not you need a passport.”

“Chloe Morgan offered me a temporary job as her assistant,” Elizabeth told her. “I’d have to travel for it—but I might not take it,” she added hastily when Audrey’s expression lit up. “I’ve got obligations here, Gram—”

“Nothing that can’t be handled. You know Bobbie would hold your position at Kelly’s. You’re like family—” Audrey paused. “Is that the obligation? Lucky?”

Elizabeth sighed and wandered over to the sofa, flopping down and pulling a pillow towards her middle. “He pointed out that we just got back together, and we’ve had a really awful year. They just figured out what Helena did to him, and now I’m just leaving? It’s selfish, Gram.”

“Selfish? Darling. You’re still young. You have every right to go and out see the world. To explore it.”

“But you gave up all that for Gramps, didn’t you?” Elizabeth asked, and her grandmother sighed, sat in the armchair. “Do you ever regret that?”

“No. But I was older than you dear. I’d already gone out seen the world before I came to Port Charles and met Steve. And we didn’t make it,” Audrey pointed gently. “We divorced and I left for Vietnam.”

“You lost all that time with Gramps. Don’t you regret it? Don’t you wish you would have stayed and figured it out?” Elizabeth pushed.

“It’s a very tricky business, dear, to think about your life in those terms. Yes, I will aways regret that your grandfatherand I didn’t have more time together. That we didn’t have children to raise together, though he did a marvelous job with your uncle Tommy, and of course, we had your father for a while. And we enjoyed our grandchildren. Yes, sometimes I do wish I’d made other choices. But then I remember that Tommy doesn’t exist if I don’t leave. My marriage to his father was unhappy. Terribly so. And my marriage after that even more so. But I am who I am because of those choices, Elizabeth. And I was stronger, I think, because I had done so much on my own. I’d gone out in the world and been responsible for myself.”

Elizabeth picked at the cuticle of her thumbnail. “You think it’s a mistake to stay here because of Lucky.”

“If you’d like my honest opinion, Elizabeth, yes. I think it’s a mistake. I worried when you and Lucky planned to go to New York, but at least you were going somewhere and doing something with your life. You were planning on art school. You got accepted, and you turned it down. Which I understood. You were hurt after the fire, and you needed to be with us, your family. But sometimes—” Audrey paused, considering her words. “Sometimes I think I ought to have pushed you out of the nest. Encouraged you to go to school anyway. To start over. Because you’ve spent the majority of this year stuck in place, don’t you think? Working at Kelly’s, or L&B, these positions that don’t have a future or allow for you to build a life for yourself. You don’t spend a great deal of time painting. And you spent months being hurt over and over again by that boy. I do not care if they call it brainwashing. I do not care if he had an excuse. That does not change the damage he did to you.”

Elizabeth lifted her gaze to her grandmother, surprised to see Audrey’s eyes shimmering with tears. “Gram.”

“You came to me as a brash, reckless, impulsive girl, and then the world tried to break you into pieces. It did shatter you. And a weaker girl might have just stayed in those pieces, but you put yourself back together, bit by bit. And you gained back that fire that I so adored about you. You were blossoming, Elizabeth. And even that fire didn’t hold you back for long. I may not have approved of the choices you made,” Audrey added, and Elizabeth smiled faintly, understanding the reference to Jason. “But you made them for you. And now you’re telling me you’ve got this opportunity, and the only reason you’ll turn it down is because someone else convinced you it’d be selfish to take it.”  She lifted her brows. “Tell me the truth. When Chloe offered you the job, you instinctively said yes, didn’t you?”

“Yes,” Elizabeth admitted. “But…Lucky pointed out how much time we wouldn’t spend together—” She tipped her head back, looked at the ceiling. “And he’s right. I’d barely be here, and he just went through this whole terrible thing—”

“He has a mother, a father, a sister, an aunt, a brother, and friends who care about him. He is not alone in this world, Elizabeth.”

Startled by her grandmother’s irritated tone, Elizabeth looked at her curiously. “You don’t like Lucky very much, do you?”

“I will always be grateful for the friendship and support he gave you after your attack. But, no, I don’t like him very much at all. I find him to be disrespectful, particularly to his mother who has had trauma of her own. I find him smug and arrogant. And that was before the fire.”

“Oh.” Elizabeth blinked, absorbing this information. “You never said that before.”

“I was supporting you, and for all his faults, he generally treated you relatively well.” Audrey clasped her hands in her lap. “And, of course, when he came home, I was relieved because he was, I thought, a better choice than Jason Morgan.”

“Who also treated me relatively well,” Elizabeth said, echoing her grandmother’s words.

“And was responsible for a bomb in your studio, so perhaps we don’t try our luck, dear.” But Audrey’s lips twitched in a smile, and it made Elizabeth want to smile, too. “I will support whatever choice you make, Elizabeth, but I just…I would like you to be sure it’s a choice you’re making for you. And not because you feel obligated to take care of Lucky because he stood by you. It cost him nothing, Elizabeth, to be by your side. He didn’t give up trips or job opportunities. Ask yourself — would he sacrifice his dreams for you the same way?”

Spencer House: Living Room

“Ow—” Lucky jerked away from his mother when Laura tried to touch his chin for a better look at his eye. “Don’t, Mom. I told you, it was just something that happened outside the bar.” He avoided his brother’s knowing look and pulled out a chair at the dining table. “Can we just have dinner already?”

“Of course, but I’m allowed to ask questions when my son looks as if he’s had a fight. Think of the example you’re setting for your sister,” Laura said, gesturing at Lulu, who, at age eight, knew better than  to say anything. She just smirked at her brother, and reached for the bowl of mashed potatoes.

“Just tell her to do a better job of ducking,” Nikolas advised, passing his mother a serving dish with green beans. “And not to pick fights in the first place.”

“I didn’t pick—” Lucky made a face. “Okay, I threw the first punch. But they were an ass—a butthole,” he corrected when his mother flashed him a cold look.

“Let’s change the subject,” Laura suggested. “How is everyone doing? Emily and Elizabeth must have started classes by now—”

“Everyone is fine,” Lucky said, earning himself another look from Nikolas. “Let’s talk about something else. Lulu. How’s school?” he asked his sister, desperately.

Elm Street Pier

Elizabeth leaned back against the wooden bench, trying to pick out the stars in the sky above her through the haze of clouds rolling off the lake. The conversation with Penny that morning and with her grandmother that afternoon kept rolling around in her head. If it had just been Penny telling her to go, she’d have brushed it off. Penny was a work friend that didn’t know anything Elizabeth hadn’t decided to share.

But her grandmother? Well, that was an opinion Elizabeth did take seriously. Audrey hadn’t talked about the money or opportunities the job would bring—though both were substantial. Even a temporary paycheck from Chloe with all expense trips paid for the next six months could set Elizabeth up well enough she could pay full time when she came back, or a least spend less time waitressing.

But Audrey hadn’t talked about any of that — she’d honed right in on the problem. A job with a lot of traveling meant Elizabeth would be putting herself and her career first. And what did it say that everyone who heard about the job was immediately excited and happy for her —

Except Lucky.

She heard steps near the exit to the street, and looked toward Bannister’s Wharf as they grew closer and Jason stepped into view. He looked both ways, then saw her on the second sweep — and seemed to hesitate before coming closer.

“Uh, hey.  I didn’t think I’d see you here tonight.” His tone was the same as his steps — slow, cautious. As if she’d bite.

“What’s wrong?” Elizabeth asked, angling her body so that she was facing him. “Are you—” The light from a pier fell on his face and she saw a cut on his upper cheek. “What happened? Did you get into a fight?”

Jason grimaced, touched his cheek. “I didn’t think—Emily didn’t say anything.”

“Well, Emily’s not always observant—” She got to her feet, came closer and could the bruise beginning to form. Then stopped. “You know, Lucky had some bruises this morning he didn’t want to talk about.” She bit her lip, folded her arms. “Did you run into each other or something?”

Jason’s hand fell to his side, and he grimaced. “Or something.”

“Well, that explains this morning.” Elizabeth sighed, sat back down, perching at the edge the bench, turned her attention to the horizon, where the lake and sky melted together. “What happened?”

“I don’t—I know what you want me to say.”

“The truth?” Elizabeth lifted her brows. “You and Lucky used to be friends. Why are you punching each other?”

Jason shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket, squinted. “It wasn’t that serious. He punched me, I punched him, and that was the end of it. I left.”

“He punched you. He threw the first punch?” Elizabeth asked. “That’s—that can’t be right.”

Jason’s face tensed. “You don’t believe me?”

“What?” she blinked, looked at him with confusion. “No, I believe you, I just—” She dragged a hand through her hair. “I don’t understand. I don’t understand any of this. Lucky wouldn’t punch you. That’s not—it’s not his style. It…” She licked her lips. “It’s not who he was,” she said softly, then looked at him. “Am I crazy? It’s not right.”

Jason sat next to her, almost reluctantly. “He’s been through a lot this year, I guess.”

Elizabeth closed her eyes, shook her head. “Yeah, he’s been through a lot.” She sighed, then looked at him again. “I’m sorry. That he started a fight.”

“It’s—” Jason winced. “I might have…he threw the first punch, but I might have…said something first.”

“You…what are you saying, that you baited him? You wanted him to hit you?” Elizabeth asked. Her concern about Lucky disappeared. “What’s going on that you wanted to start a fight?”

+35

Written in 58 minutes.

Saturday, October 14, 2000

Kelly’s: Dining Room

Elizabeth counted her receipts, making a face at Penny Reyes, the waitress that had opened that morning and worked the breakfast rush with her. “You think it’s the lack of coffee that makes people such lousy tippers in the morning?”

“Seems like a skill issue. I did just fine,” Penny said, fisting a hand on her hip and fluttering her lashes. “I told you, Liz, you wanna make the real money, it’s not enough to just deliver the food. Especially with these dock workers. You gotta make them think they’ve got a chance with you.”

“I’m not going to prostitute myself for a few extra dollars,” Elizabeth grumbled, then sighed. “I’m sorry, that’s not what I meant—”

“It is, and you’re not wrong. You want to make the money, you gotta pretend to put out for the gross men, be competent and invisible for the women, and not ignore the teenagers who might toss you an extra buck if they’ve got it. And don’t forget pretending you think all babies are just so adorable and worth the vomit and sticky fingers.” Penny shuddered, then lifted a tub of dishes. “I wear many hats, girl, and pseudo-whore is just one of them.”

She disappeared into the kitchen, and Elizabeth sighed. She’d never been the best waitress, but she’d become basically competent in the last three years, but she was never going to love being in the business of pretending the customers were always right.

“You made more money when these dock guys thought you were doing the boss,” Penny reminded her, reappearing with an empty tub. She stored it under the counter and flashed her a saucy smile. “Everyone wanted to suck up to Jason Morgan’s girlfriend.”

“One of the few perks of playing the role,” Elizabeth admitted. “But those days are over.”

“Don’t sound so annoyed by that.”

She turned, frowning when Lucky appeared from the kitchen, having taken the back stairs from his room upstairs. “What?”

“Not being Jason Morgan’s girlfriend,” he bit out. He moved closer, into the dining room proper and Elizabeth’s mouth dropped at the bruise on the left side of his cheek, crawling up from his jaw, with a matching black eye.

“What happened to you?” she demanded, taking two steps towards him and halting when he put a hand up to stop her. “Lucky—”

“None of your damn business. Try not to sound so disappointed I’m not Jason.” He brushed past her, through the dining room and the few lingering diners and out the door.

“Uh, I thought you guys were back together,” Penny said, her eyes still on the entrance. “Trouble in paradise?”

“I—” Elizabeth shoved her shaking hands into her apron, took a deep breath to brace herself. “We’re—I mean, we were fine. But I got a…” she grimaced, returned to the counter and forced herself to resume wrapping utensils in napkins for the lunch rush due to begin in another hour. “I got a job offer yesterday. Chloe Morgan wants me to be her assistant while hers is on maternity list.”

Penny’s eyes grew wide. “Chloe Morgan the designer? Elizabeth Webber, why the hell didn’t you lead with that? That is amazing. I mean, I hate you because you know nothing about fashion, and you’re gonna to leave the rest of us whores behind, but that’s awesome—” She slapped Elizabeth’s shoulders playfully. “Are you gonna travel? Oh my God, do you get to do Fashion Week in Paris? Or Milan? Last year she did Tokyo—”

“I’m not taking the job.”

Penny stopped abruptly, then narrowed her eyes. “Okay, now I’m pissed for a new reason. Are you really turning down this opportunity for the manbaby who just bitched at you and stormed out? Please.”

“It’s—” She bit her lip. “It’s complicated. Lucky’s been through so much this year—”

“Yeah, being kidnapped is a bitch. Good thing he came home like six months ago. What, does he need you to hold his hand? Wipe his ass? Cut his food into little pieces and play airplane?”

“Penny.” Elizabeth’s tone had the other woman scowl at her. “Look, you and I are friendly, and I’ve always liked working with you. But you don’t actually know me. Or my problems—”

“I know you’re a dumb ass who’s passing up an amazing opportunity to get out of this greasy hellhole and actually do something with her life.” Penny slapped a hand against the counter. “Because, no, we’re not best friends. We just work together. But I’m gonna tell you the same thing I would tell a stranger on the street. You give up the world for a man, you better make sure he’s not going to leave you high and dry, with nothing to show for yourself. We’ve worked together since high school, Liz. You used to have dreams. You used to talk about art and the future and doodle stupid sketches on every available surface. But since that dumbass rolled back in your life, you’ve been all about him, and he’s just spent half his time telling you go screw his brother. Just an amazing choice, Liz. A plus. Gold star.”

Eli’s: Dining Room

Emily slid into the booth across from her brother with a breathless smile. “Thanks for waiting, I am so sorry I’m late. My class got out stupidly late—” she beamed up at the waitress and ordered a soda, then focused on Jason again. “And thanks for meeting me for lunch.”

“Surprised you didn’t want to go to Kelly’s.” Jason plucked up the menu, skimmed for any changes since he’d left in January. When it seemed mostly the same, he set it back down. “What’s up?”

“I wanted to avoid the subject of the conversation honestly,” Emily said. She bit her bottom lip. “Liz is working the lunch shift, and Lucky—” she saw her brother wince. “What? What’s that?”

“Nothing. Just—what’s wrong? If you had a fight with one of them, I don’t really think I’m the right person—”

“No, you are. Because you’re objective, and you’ll tell me if I’m being wrong. Or stupid. Or overthinking, or you’ll just say something super wise and amazing, and I’ll know exactly what to do, okay?”

“Okay. I think,” Jason added, his brows drawn together with a slight squint.

“Before the fire, Elizabeth and I were just getting to know each other, you know? Lucky was—is—my oldest friend, but we’d sort of drifted a little bit. Especially with Nikolas and Sarah, and well everything else that happened during that time,” she said, and shifted uncomfortably, dropping her eyes the scratched and scarred surface of the table. She didn’t want to remember the drugs. Didn’t want anyone else to remember it either.

“I went to Lucky for help with the blackmailing, and don’t make that face. Yes, I know that’s another time I should have just gone to you, but that’s not the point. I went to Lucky who was basically a matched pair with Liz back then. And Liz—she really came through for me. You know? Like, not in a way you’d ever expect someone who barely knew you. She put herself on the line. She does that better than anyone, you know that.”

“I do,” Jason acknowledged with a nod, and she knew he was thinking of the previous winter when Elizabeth had shredded her reputation into pieces protecting Jason after he’d been shot. “You’ve been there for her—”

“No. I haven’t. We’re getting to that part. After—after we thought Lucky was gone, Liz and I really bonded. You know? We leaned on each other, and other than that little scuffle we had over you because I was hurt she hadn’t come to me. Or that you hadn’t either, and I get why, so we’re not revisiting that. But it was a time she needed me to be there for her, and I was still mostly in my own world with the Juan of it all. God, what a waste of time he was. Don’t—” She jabbed a finger at her brother. “Don’t say a word.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

“I would have told anyone who listened Elizabeth was my best friend and that I would have her back the way she’s had mine. But I realized yesterday I’m a giant fraud.”

Jason frowned again, folded his arms the table and leaned forward slightly. “What?”

“Well, first, I didn’t have her back with you. And then since Lucky came home, I haven’t really been in her corner. I thought I was, because I figured the best thing for everyone is Liz and Lucky back together way they’re supposed to be. I mean, I figured the best world for everyone is one with them happy and in love the way they were. You’re making a face, so I know you don’t agree.”

“I—” Jason stopped, squinted again, clearly trying to measure his words carefully. “I think that it’s been hard to see the Lucky I used to know in who he is now. And I haven’t really…seen a lot that I…like.”

“That was incredibly diplomatic of you. And I agree. Lucky came home broken and damaged, and in my head, I thought — this is perfect. Lucky and Liz will find their way back to each other, because that’s how they fell in love. When she was broken and damaged, he healed her—Okay, now what’s that face?” Emily demanded when her brother looked liked he’d swallowed something sour. “That’s just objective fact—”

“First, Elizabeth wasn’t broken or damaged. And second, any healing she did it herself,” Jason said flatly. “I don’t like it when she gives him credit either, but I usually keep my mouth shut because it’s none of my business, but—”

“Oh. Oh.” Emily sat back, stricken. “Oh, I didn’t even hear myself when I was saying it, but you’re so right. No, you are. She was so strong when Tom Baker was holding us hostage. Not at first, at first, she, like, crawled into herself, you know, but then she was like, amazing. She saved us all. And she made so proud, and I wanted to be like her.” She reached for sugar packets from the container on the table, plucked out one out and ripped it open, dumping it into the napkin, then began to shred the pink packet into pieces.

“Em—”

“She’s the one that had to get up every day and figure it out, and keep going. Lucky helped, it’s stupid to say he didn’t. But he didn’t heal her. He didn’t do the fixing. He just helped her. And it’s stupid of me to think it’s the same thing. It’s not. Maybe it could have been,” Emily added. “Because Elizabeth had to let Lucky in to help her, and Lucky just kept shoving us all out. And told Liz over and over again that she just had to have patience, that our Lucky would come back, but she was so miserable, and she kept trying, but he hurt her every time he would seem like our Lucky, and then he’d be like, you should be with Nikolas—”

“Emily—”

“I promise, I’m almost done. We just needed the back story, because I needed to explain to you that I think every time I thought I was being Elizabeth’s friend, too, I was actually still just being Lucky’s friend. And that you can’t be best friends equally with people who are dating. Because sometimes someone is just wrong. And he’s wrong this time. Well, he’s not wrong, but he’s wrong for making it—you’re looking lost again, I’m sorry. I’m just thinking outloud—”

“It’s okay, Em. Just tell me what happened.”

“Liz got this job offer from Chloe yesterday. It’s a temporary position as her assistant, but Liz would get to travel and go see the world. Chloe’s got a collection this year and she’s going to be in London in January, and then she’s going to all the big fashion events – to Paris and Milan and Los Angeles and New York, and it would be so amazing for Elizabeth. She’d get to be part of something artistic, and she’d get to do all this amazing traveling and she loves to paint landscapes and natures, and think of all the awesome adventures she’d get to have.”

Jason exhaled slowly, then pressed his lips into a thin line. “Lucky doesn’t want her to go.”

“No. He doesn’t. He accused her of wanting to abandon him when they just finally got back together.” Emily’s throat tightened, and pressure began to build behind her eyes. “And when she told me, I…I agreed with him. I mean, I didn’t tell her not to take the job, but that Lucky was sort of right, but we should give him some time to think about it, and I’ve been so annoyed with myself ever since.”

“I’m not really sure what you need me for. It sounds like you’ve got it wrapped up—”

“Jason. I’m asking you to help me figure out how to fix this. How can I be both their friends when it’s something like this?” Before he could answer, the server returned with the orders.

“I can understand why Lucky would feel abandoned, because he’s not wrong, you know? He was brainwashed, and that just got fixed, and we just finished, you know—” She wiggled her fingers. “All of that. And it’s like, the second they get to breathe, Elizabeth wants to leave town. So I get it. But I also—” She pursed her lips. “I think about you and Robin. When she went to Yale. You guys made that work, don’t you think?”

When Jason grimaced slightly, Emily bit her lip again. “Sorry, I know you hate talking about all of that—”

“I don’t—I don’t hate it. I just don’t talk about it that much. Or want to.” Jason waited a beat. “But, okay, yeah. Yale was never an issue. I missed her. I wanted her here with me. But she came home when she could, and I knew how much this meant to her. I wanted her to have her dreams. The distance wasn’t our problem.”

“The distance isn’t the problem,” Emily repeated. “Okay, yes, that’s what I think I need to focus on. It’s not that Elizabeth wants to travel, because honestly, he’s making this worse than it has to be. Chloe isn’t even leaving the country until January, and I think it’s like, two, maybe three months. Plus, it’s temporary. Liz would be back, working at Kelly’s I guess, by May. Or something. Or not. Maybe Chloe loves her, maybe Liz finds out she loves it—that’s—I’m getting distracted.” She stopped, trying to organize her racing thoughts. “Elizabeth’s dreams used to matter to Lucky. But maybe that’s because he saw a way to be part of them. He was gonna move to New York for art school to be with her, remember? But he can’t see a way for this to include him.”

“Emily—”

“I think I need to tell her to go, right? I need to tell her to go. I need to tell her that Lucky’s being selfish. Her dreams don’t have to be his,” Emily continued. “If he loves her, he should want her to be the best possible version of herself. Like you and Robin. And Elizabeth stuck by him for all these months. Now it’s his turn. Okay, I’ve got it. Thank you. You were a big help.”

“If you say so.”

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