A/N – Thanks for the comments! Glad you guys liked the action and Liz being brave. * kcke2pen - Typo - Thanks! I fixed it. * eygirl33 – Police sometimes work at big college events. Mac was already there because his officers were on duty and he was checking in.
A/N – Thanks for the comments, favorites, and follows! I so appreciate everyone that reads my fics. Hopefully, I am growing as a writer. * Guest – Not sure why you think their plan was stupid just because Jason wasn't involved. He's not God. She had guards, video, and audio. It wasn't like she just went in willy nilly and had no backup. Johnny would have taken out Danny if Jason hadn't of pushed him out of the way. Either you get Liz in this story or you don't. If you don't…oh well. * Guest re: gun – They had no reason to think Danny would bring a gun. He wasn't armed the first time around. They were assuming, (because of spying) that he was going to rape her again which was true. There is always the unknown. Jason knowing wouldn't have changed that. Thanks!
Next Up: Practical Liason
Chapter 6 - Epilogue
Elizabeth nervously touched Jason's hand. She was so scared.
"Talk to him," Monica said.
Liz started to cry and Monica rubbed her back. "I'm so sorry," she said laying her head on Jason's leg. "You weren't supposed to be in the room. You could have died," she said before starting to sob. "I didn't mean for you to get hurt."
Monica let her cry it out for a few minutes.
Jason's eyes flickered open and his eyes met Monica's and she smiled. He looked down at Elizabeth who was crying all over his leg.
"Just don't wipe your nose on it," he said softly.
Liz's eyes snapped open and she sat up. "Jason?"
"Last time I checked."
"Are you really giving me a hard time right now?" she asked as she wiped her face.
Monica smiled and squeezed Jason's arm. "I'll go get Emily. I'm glad you're okay."
She hurried away and Liz wiped her face.
"Elizabeth, why didn't you tell me?" he asked solemnly.
She took a deep breath. "I didn't want you to stop me."
"You put yourself in direct danger. Of course I would have stopped you," he said exasperatedly. He could have lost her. He would never forget seeing the gun pointed at her and hearing Danny pull the trigger.
She stood up and started to pace. "Confronting him in any scenario would have put me in direct danger, Jason. Was it your plan all along to just step in and do it for me because you think I'm too weak to handle it?"
"Elizabeth….," Jason started to protest but was cut off.
"Let me ask you this, besides you killing Danny for me, did you have a better plan on taking him down?"
"No," Jason said frustratedly.
"Killing him would not have proved that I'm not a lying whore," Liz yelled making Jason cringe. "I had to do it. You just don't understand. He brutally raped me and then I lost it at the trial. They broke me. I felt like I had been raped again. I wanted to die Jason. I felt so dirty and disgusting. I needed to do this, to take back my control. If it were you in my position, would you have let anyone stop you? I thought I had taken precautions. I had people listening, watching, and Johnny was there. At least I didn't kill the bastard like I originally wanted to. You were totally against that too so I came up with something else. Instead, I got him to confess and entrapped the other assholes who were so intent on destroying me. Everyone knows the truth now. I don't have to walk around feeling like people are staring at me and wondering if I'm a slut or not. I'm not poor pathetic Elizabeth who had rough sex and cried rape anymore. The only thing I regret is that you got hurt,"she said painfully.
Jason did understand her pain. God, it was eating him up inside that she had suffered so much. "So you don't regret not confiding in me? Elizabeth, if we can't trust each other what do we have?" Jason asked emotionally. "You could have died."
"That was a chance I was willing to take. Part of me already died on that bed in that room back in July. He needed to pay." Elizabeth gulped for air like she couldn't get enough. What was Jason saying, that they didn't have anything left? No, she couldn't handle that. "I—I have to get out of here," she said rushing out of the room.
"Elizabeth wait," Jason yelled.
Emily appeared in the doorway. "What happened?"
"Go after her Emily. You have to stop her," Jason said emotionally.
Johnny stepped into his view. "I'll get her."
Emily walked towards Jason and touched his hand. "You need to calm down."
"I should have told her I wasn't mad at her but that would be a lie. I am mad at her. I almost lost her and she just looked at me like I broke her heart," Jason emotionally.
Emily saw the tortured look in her brother's eyes. They had heard everything in the hallway and she already felt sick hearing Liz talk the way she did. "Jason she's just in shock. You got hurt and that was the last thing that she wanted. Right now, I need you to take some deep breaths," she said noticing his machine was going off.
Epiphany rushed into the room. "She's right. If you don't calm down, I'll have to give you a sedative."
"No drugs," he said. He just needed to talk to Elizabeth and make things right. He needed her to understand.
"Then calm down," Epiphany said firmly.
Jason closed his eyes and tried to slow down his breathing. He was so scared that she would do something drastic.
IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI
Johnny grabbed Elizabeth in the stairway and held her tightly. "It's going to be okay," he said softly.
"I don't think he can forgive me,"she said as she gripped his shirt.
"He doesn't hate you Elizabeth. He's just upset because he cares about you so much," Johnny said.
Elizabeth shook her head. "Then maybe I can't forgive myself."
He pulled back and studied her for a moment. "Elizabeth, do you want him to hate you?"
She didn't say anything as she thought for a moment. "I don't know. Maybe I do. I'm just so fucked up Johnny,"she said tearfully. "I'm so damaged."
"No you aren't. I know at least ten people who are more touched in the head,"he quipped.
She looked up at him. "Seriously?"
He smirked and then grabbed her hands. "You can't let Danny win. Don't give up on love Elizabeth. It's right in that room waiting for you. All you have to do is accept it. God knows you have that man whipped already. You've practically ruined his reputation."
She rolled her eyes. "You exaggerate."
"I know him. Trust me when I tell you that Jason is crazy about you. So, can we get back in there and put him out of his misery. He's probably giving Epiphany a hard time and you know how charming he is when he's grumpy. She might end him," Johnny said trying to calm her down.
Liz slightly smiled. "Okay," she said letting go of his hands so she could wipe her face.
He put his arm around her shoulder and they went back to the room.
IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI
Jason watched Elizabeth walk towards him. Emily kissed him on the cheek and then walked into the hallway with Johnny to give them some privacy.
"I am so sorry. It was killing me to not tell you," she said softly as she sat down in a chair. "I just needed to put them away so badly. Do you hate me now? Have I ruined everything?"
Jason sighed. "I don't hate you Elizabeth. We're not always going to agree with each other and that's okay. I'm just really disappointed that you felt like you couldn't confide in me. Don't you get it? I want to be the one that is there for you and is by your side. When I saw you on that screen, I totally panicked. I was scared that they were going to hurt you and couldn't believe you'd put yourself in that kind of are it for me Elizabeth. I love you."he finally blurted out.
Liz gasped. "You do?"
"Yes," Jason said emotionally. "You have no idea how truly wonderful you are. When I look at you, I don't see someone who's broken. I see a fighter; a beautiful woman inside and out who didn't let that asshole ruin her life. I admire you so much for finding your way back. I just wish you could see yourself how I see you."
She put her hands over her face and Jason watched her break down. Her sobs were tearing him apart.
"Elizabeth, please come here," he finally said.
After a few seconds, she wiped her face and got up.
"Get on the bed please."
She laid down on her side next to him and Jason held her as she continued to cry.
When she finally calmed down she began to speak. "I never thought anyone would love me after knowing about what had happened. You have meant so much to me. Thank you for believing in me. I love you too Jason."
He savored her words for a moment. "I don't like fighting with you," he said softly.
"I think it just about killed me."
Jason chuckled. "Rest baby."
"You too," she said softly.
They both fell into an exhausted sleep.
IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI
Johnny stepped into the room when Elizabeth and Emily went to get something to eat. "I'm sorry you got hurt."
Jason sighed. "I just wish you would have come to me."
"You saw how determined she was. There was no way she was going to back down. Can you honestly say you would have done anything differently than I did?"
Jason glared at him. "She wouldn't have been there in the first place if I had been involved."
Johnny rolled his eyes. "You really think that? You can't control her life like that and you know that she would have fought you. You knew the score from the beginning. She would have gone because she needed to take them down to help make her feel whole again. And I didn't want to be another person who hurt her. Jesus Jason, I was about to pull the trigger when you pushed me aside."
Jason growled. "I know that Johnny. The only reason I'm not putting my foot in your ass right now is because I know you were in a tough of place. But hear me Johnny, never again. She means too much to me."
He nodded. "Okay. I'm sorry. Are we good?"
"Give me a couple of days."
Johnny left the room.
"At least he didn't kill you," Francis said quietly.
"Francis," Jason yelled.
"Shit."
IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI
Six Months Later
It was spring which meant that Lila's gardens were waking up from their deep slumber. Things had been really quiet after the trial. Everyone was convicted and based on Courtney's suggestion, Jason found out that Sam was a con artist and she was facing additional charges in other states. Elizabeth had testified and got to confront them all. Her strength and tenacity had floored everyone. Lila and the Q's were so proud of her.
Danny and his friends were convicted of conspiracy to commit rape, lying under oath, filing a false report, and obstruction of justice. Danny couldn't be convicted on the original rape but he did get convicted for attempted murder and Jason made sure that his prison stay would be quite unpleasant. He didn't last a week before someone plunged a sieve into his stomach and he was left to bleed out in his cell. Ric was disbarred and lost his job due to his affair with Sam and misconduct during the original trial. He left town after realizing that if he didn't, he'd probably leave in a body bag by the time Jason got done with him.
Elizabeth was like a different person. She had agreed to talk to a therapist and as a result she was able to move forward and was lighter and very happy with Jason and they were practically inseparable as were Johnny and Emily. Both were about to graduate and had their whole lives in front of them.
IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI
Jason watched Elizabeth sleep. It was his second favorite morning ritual. The first was when he had the opportunity to make love to her in the early morning light. Elizabeth ended up being the most sensual woman he had ever been with. Her curiosity and willingness to try different things and experiment was something that Jason looked forward too. He had never expected her to be like that but somehow, she had gotten over her initial shyness and had felt empowered by how she made Jason feel.
"How long have you been up?" she asked as she stretched.
He smiled. She hadn't even opened her eyes yet.
"A while," he said.
Her eyes fluttered open. "I don't have class until 1:00," she said smiling.
Jason grinned. "Then I think we should use our time wisely."
She shivered. "Make love to me Jason."
Jason did with everything he had. A few months later he proposed and Elizabeth said yes. They were starting a life together, filling each other's voids in a way they never thought possible. For Elizabeth, Jason represented strength and unconditional love. And for Jason, Elizabeth gave him a new purpose and the love she had for him made him strive to be a better person. She had his back. Her happiness was paramount and he wanted to spend the rest of his life being surrounded by her laughter and hopefully several children.
The End