Coming Home: Impressions

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Thanks again to my amazing, wildly patient, reviewers. You guys rock.

----------- Studio Building

Ric eyed the industrial door to Elizabeth's studio with distaste. He'd been amused before, when he didn't know how she'd gotten it. Now, it was another reminder of her betrayal and of Morgan's gloating victory.

He wasn't sure why he was standing there. Elizabeth had a shift at Kelly's today, and wouldn't be in her studio. She wasn't often there anyway, even when they'd been dating. He'd done his research, however, and knew the symbolic, disgusting meaning to her studio; why she kept it even though she barely painted anymore. It was her little love nest with a mobster, a place to stash him away when his enemies gunned him down. If that wasn't a sick start to a relationship then he didn't know what was.

He sighed and glanced down at his watch. There was no point in staying around and staring at an empty door. Not when Morgan could have one of his cronies stop by to patrol for Elizabeth's safety, or worse, visit himself. Especially not when he had what he needed to set his revenge in motion.

Ric grinned, running his hand along the canister with the building's blueprints in it and tightening his hand around the folder with the rest of the information on the building. Fire codes, building inspections… everything he needed.

She'd regret leaving him for a brain damaged mob lackey.

He would make sure of it.

------------- Kelly's

"Not that Emily isn't really great with kids, but I don't know if I'd trust her and Rider alone together with time to plot. We might end up locked in a room somewhere, just for the fun of it." Elizabeth teased, setting down Jason's cup of black coffee in front of him.

"She volunteered." He said simply before he sipped the hot coffee.

Elizabeth smiled, "Just as long as you're aware of the danger."

He nodded his head once, a shadow of a grin on his face. "If getting locked up with you is the consequence…" He trailed off, but the intent was clear.

"That, Jason Morgan, is just one possible outcome. Who knows what Emily might find amusing?" She asked, smiling all the same. True, she wouldn't mind one bit if Emily decided to get Rider to help her throw them together for some alone time, but if his aunt turned him into a little matchmaker…

"When do you get off?" Jason asked, getting her attention again. He'd been nearly smiling only seconds before, which for Jason, in public, was like a face-splitting grin, but now he looked tense.

She frowned, "A couple of hours. Why?"

"I needed to talk to you about Ric." He said, sounding reluctant. "It can wait."

Shaking her head, Elizabeth leaned forward on the counter. "We're pretty slow right now, Jason. Ask me."

He glanced around quickly and saw she was right. Aside from two women clearly in the middle of Carly's dream day of shopping and gossip, they were alone. He didn't want to push Elizabeth, especially considering what Sonny had warned him about with the police, but if Lansing was a threat or at least, more of a threat than they'd originally thought… "How well did you know Ric before you started seeing him?"

Elizabeth smiled grimly. "I was waiting for this." Off of his look, she added, "I know you, Jason. You seem to think pretty highly of me, but I was stupid to even consider Ric Lansing. My judgment was off. Completely off."

"I don't think highly of you," Jason answered, "I just… I know you, too."

"That's sweet." Elizabeth admitted. It was certainly better than the idea of someone who thought she could do no wrong. There had been an element of that with her relationship with Lucky. She should have known, however, that Jason didn't pay flattery to anyone. If she had to pick one person in the world to most accurately assess her, she would have to pick Jason. "Still, I didn't know Ric too well, but he seemed nice and he was new in town, so…"

Jason narrowed his eyes, waiting for her to finish that sentence. Elizabeth saw what he wanted and grudgingly continued, "There's something to be said for someone who knows your history, but there's also something to be said for a nice, successful guy who doesn't know anything more about you than what you want him to. Make sense?"

Perhaps because he fell into the first category and new what sort of history Elizabeth was talking about or maybe because he had that problem himself, Jason found that what Elizabeth said definitely made sense. He nodded.

"He came into Kelly's at first, and we talked over orders. He asked me out, I accepted. We dated pretty casually for a few months. There's not a lot to tell." Elizabeth finished. The doors to Kelly's opened and a family came in. Elizabeth grabbed some menus and went over to greet the new customers, no words to Jason needed.

It gave him a chance to think about what Elizabeth had said. Sonny was right in this, it seemed. Elizabeth had started seeing someone who she'd thought was nice, after he asked her out. There wasn't going to be a lot to go on there, but then with Ric being new in town, he wouldn't have thought there would have been. Lansing seemed way more into the relationship than she did. It explained why he was taking thing so hard, considering the relationship had been fairly new. Still, to be so angry over a few months of seemingly sporadic dates was off, no matter what Sonny said.

Elizabeth came back around the counter, clearly giving the people out front a chance to look over the menus. "Honestly, Jason," She picked back up, "I didn't know him that well. If I'd have known how nasty he could be, I wouldn't have dated him, but I didn't really see that side of him."

"Okay." Jason answered absently.

"You're worried." She stated, eyeing him carefully.

He nodded his head to the side, acknowledging that without saying it. "I want to be sure he's not a threat to anyone."

"A threat to Jason Morgan?" Elizabeth asked, giving him a once over with her eyes. "I don't think so."

Jason looked down briefly, smiling. "I meant to you or Rider."

Another couple came in through the doors, and Elizabeth hesitated. "Maybe it's time to go relieve Emily before you and I need to start watching our backs. Things seem like they're picking up here anyway."

"I'll see you tonight, then." Jason stood, smirking. "I pick, remember?"

Elizabeth groaned, only half serious. She'd been the one to suggest a normal 'date night' but she hadn't quite dreamed that Jason would insist on choosing where they'd go. She trusted him, but wasn't entirely sure that her idea of a date and his matched up. "I remember."

"Worried?" He asked, not sounding the least bit comforting.

"Curious." She countered as she stole a kiss.

"Rider is jealous." Jason told her as he turned to leave. "He says you promised him a day at your studio."

Elizabeth shook her head and smiled, "I did, but tell him that Daddy gets first date dibs. He and I can have a day at my studio another night."

"Oh, I did." Jason promised. "Rider will just have to wait."

Nudging his shoulder, Elizabeth pushed him towards the door. "See you later."

I'm sure everyone can see where I'm heading here. Please, review!