Shattered Web

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, they are all owned by ABC and anyone else that owns General Hospital. I'm just borrowing them, so they can play in my world, until the writers of GH realize their doing it wrong.

Rating: It's going to be a definite "R" even if it doesn't look that way right now.

General Summary: Someone uses the memory of Lucky to tear Elizabeth apart, and Jason is the only one that can hold her together.

Chapter Summary: Liz's terror begins.

Authors Note: If you want to say you like it, please do; if you want to say you hate it, well that's ok too. Let me know what you think. This is probably going to be a weekly updated story, seeing as how I don't have a lot of time between work and school, but I'll try my best to get them out faster if people like it.

Dedicated: To my Grandmother, who showed me the wonders of a far off place called Port Charles, as I sat eating cup-of-noodles after school. Also to my sister, who convinced me two years ago, that the girl named Lizzy wasn't a bitch after all. Karen, you rock!

Chapter 1

The fight with Nikolas had been terrible. Where he used to be so concerned and caring about her, he now seemed possessive and obstinate. Liz was having a hard time talking to him now a days, and tonight it had gotten out of control.

She'd been working the late shift at Kelly's, when Jason Morgan had walked up to her counter and asked for the dinner special. The two of them had hit it off before Lucky had died about a year ago, and since his death, Liz had always felt like Jason understood her. Unfortunately, she had picked the one person in the world to confide in that set Nikolas off like a lose cannon. Something had happened between Nikolas and Jason before she'd come to town three years ago, and for some reason Nikolas hated Jason with a passion.

Kelly's was almost empty, and so she and Jason had taken a seat at one of the tables and begun to talk. The two of them discussed Liz's newest art project, and then moved on to painting in general. Liz had just returned to her seat after making a quick round of the other three patrons, when Nikolas came in and saw them together.

Walking straight up to their table, he'd looked at Liz and said, "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Stunned by his outburst, Liz could only stammer, "I'm uh, just taking a break Nikolas that's all."

"With a criminal!"

At that, she'd lost it. "You don't own me Nikolas. I can sit with whom ever I want! And right now, I want to sit with Jason. So unless you want to sit with us, I suggest you leave."

"And if I do, how are you planning on getting home?" Nikolas was furious, and Liz had known that she'd taken things a little too far. While his possessiveness over her drove her crazy, he was her friend, and Liz didn't want to anger him.

She was about to apologize, when Jason had lifted his coffee mug to his lips and said before drinking, "I told Liz I'd take her home tonight after her shift. So actually, if you want to leave Cassidine, you're more than free too."

Liz had been about to protest when Nikolas had spun on his heals and walked briskly to the door, calling over his shoulder, "Fine, be my guest." The door wasn't completely closed before he was past the windows and into the parking lot.

Shaking her head, Liz just looked at Jason and tried to explain Nikolas' actions, "He's just trying to take care of me. He thinks he's doing Lucky a favor. I keep trying to tell him that I don't need a babysitter that I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, but he just won't listen. Must be all that Cassidine blood going to his brain or something, makes him pig headed. Oh my gosh, did I just slam Nikolas for being a Cassidine? And to think I use to yell at Lucky for that sort of remark. Nikolas must be more on my nerves than I thought."

When Jason hadn't said anything just sat there drinking his coffee, she'd gotten nervous. "Listen Jason, that was really nice of you to cover for me like that with Nikolas, but you don't have to take me home, really, I'll be fine. It's actually a really short walk, and seeing as how it is the middle of the spring, it's going to be a great walk." When he still hadn't said anything, she tried one last time. "You know that is C&M coffee you're drinking. Tammy gets it before she comes to work in the morning. We use to get this other coffee, and well, it tasted terrible, and now, our customers love the new coffee-"

"Does he always treat you like that Elizabeth?"

She'd first been thrown off by the fact that he'd interrupted her, which Jason just never did, but second, the fact that he'd used her full name told her that she had better answer his question.

"He doesn't mean too Jason, it just that-"

"Does he always treat you like that Elizabeth?"

Honesty, that was Lucky's motto, "Lately, yeah. I don't really think he knows he's doing it you know? It's starting to get really weird around him, I don't know. I guess like we're going out or something. I just don't know how to tell him to knock it off, and it's kind of driving me crazy. Tonight was the first night I've even come close, and well, as you can tell, it was a pretty lame attempt at best."

Standing up from the table, Jason noticed Liz's self-conscious expression. Leaning over the table to look her straight in the eye, he said in a calm voice, "Start getting things together, we're leaving as soon as you're last customer leaves." With that, he picked up his dishes and took them into the kitchen and began to wash them. Liz followed him back and loaded the sanitizer for him.

Suddenly, she felt the urge to try again to explain Nikolas's actions, "He's not that bad Jason, he's just a little over protective that's all."

"Liz," at her name, she stopped and turned towards Jason, "Don't make excuses for him. He's a big boy, he can make them himself. But since I'm not going to listen to him when he tries to explain himself away to me, I suggest you don't either."

With that said, Jason walked into the other room, and came back a few minutes later, his arms loaded with dishes, which he gently placed in the sink, and told her there was money on table ten. He then proceeded to wash the dishes he'd just brought into the kitchen.

Liz didn't know what to say, or even what to think, so she did the only thing she could do at the moment, which was to go and collect the money and ring in the register.

A half hour later, she and Jason left Kelly's for the pure exhilaration of the wind against their faces and speeds that cause one reality to blend into the next. Liz wore the only helmet Jason had, and with her arms wrapped soundly around Jason's middle, she felt safe, carefree, and happy.

At a stop light, Jason turned his head until his chin bumped into the top of his shoulder and ask, "How you doing back there?"

As the light turned green, Liz's only reply was, "Faster!" Which Jason obliged.

Too soon, the porch lights of her grandmother's house came into view. By the time Jason pulled into the driveway, Liz had her helmet off, and was doing her best to swing her leg over the side of the bike without hitting Jason with her foot. She didn't make it.

"Oh gosh Jason, I'm sorry. Here you are nice enough to bring me home, and all I can do is kick you for your efforts."

Jason just laughed and told her not to worry about it. "Besides, it's just a little dirt, it washes right off."

"Oh yeah, I forgot, it's not like you have to worry about your dry cleaning bill, uh?"

"I wouldn't know, Sonny takes care of that. I just put everything into a pile and magically it gets taken away? Actually I'm pretty curious about it." The glint in his eye told Liz that he was joking, but just the idea of Jason sitting on the couch in his lush apartment, waiting for the dry cleaning fairy to come so he could see what she looked like, caused Liz to laugh all the way to the front door.

Jason suddenly got off of his bike and walked up to her front door with her. "Where's your grandmother's car? I thought you told me she switched to the day shift at GH."

"Yeah she did, only now she's not here. See she went to visit my parents. Actually, I have the house to myself for the next month. She's probably called from my parent's house already, which reminds me, I should check the messages when I get in."

"So you're here all by yourself?"

Liz could hear in his voice his dislike of the idea that she was here all alone. But she was looking forward to it. She was after all in college, and she couldn't wait to try the 'I'm an off campus student. Me oh no, I don't live with my parents, I'm all on my own,' line. The idea of being independent for a whole month had been exciting her since she'd first heard about her grandmother's intended trip.

Taking a deep breath, Liz fished the keys out of her pocket and then turned towards Jason. "Listen Jason, this may sound a little weird to a person who's lived by themselves as long as you have, but this is the first time I've ever been by myself, I mean really by myself for any real length of time, and I'm so excited about it. Can you understand that?"

He seemed to think about it for a minute, and then after a silent debate, which Liz was frankly worried about, he nodded his head. "But I'm coming in to take a look around before I leave."

"Um, sure if you want too. But Gram doesn't exactly stock up on DVD players and four-inch thick TV sets. I don't think any burglars want to come into this house if you know what I mean." She pushed the key into the hole and turned the knob.

"Liz, burglars aren't the only bad people you know." Jason recognized the mistake the minute the remark was out of his mouth. Liz had tensed up the moment he'd finished his statement, and all Jason could do was think how stupid he was for bringing up something like that the first night she was suppose to stay alone. Great Jason, real smooth.

"Liz listen, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking-"

"No Jason, your right. And don't worry about it, I know you didn't mean anything by it; and it's nice to know you care about me enough to be worried about me. Nikolas usually just drops me off in the drive way and speeds off without waiting until I get in." She opened the door and switched on the light revealing the antique furniture and homey feel of Audrey Webber's living room.

As Jason entered, he had the feeling of being in a room where a lot of love was passed between persons. But he couldn't help commenting on what Liz had said, "Cassidine sure has an odd way of showing he cares?" Subconsciously, as he entered the room, he felt the forty-five in the back waistband of his jeans shift along his spine.

"Doesn't he? Oh it doesn't matter. Do you want something to drink Jason, or do you have to go?" Liz said as she headed towards the kitchen. She flicked the light switch on and another room flooded with florescent lighting.

"No thanks, I do have to get going. I'm just going to take a look around ok?" Jason was already working his way around the living room and heading up the stairs.

"Sure, no problem. I really appreciate you doing this for me Jason." Liz heard Jason's muffled reply from the top of the stairs, as she began fixing some leftovers from the dinner.

By the time the microwave was on its last thirty seconds, Jason was in the kitchen saying his good-byes. "I checked down the hallways, and most of the bedrooms. Your door has a note on it, it's probably from your grandmother." Smiling a cute 'Jason' smile he said, "I didn't look in your room, I figured with a note on your door, chances are you're getting a 'good-bye' present from your grandmother; and I didn't want to have to be forced to tell you what it was before you got up there to see for yourself."

Liz laughed and handed Jason a thermos with hot chocolate in it. "Here 'Quiet-boy' take this and go. Are you going to stop by the dinner tomorrow? We're having a special on the special." She said with an evil grin.

Smiling at her he took the thermos and looked questioningly at it, "Oh it's hot chocolate, instant, but beggars can't be choosers."

"Good, I can't stand the made from scratch crap." Turning to go, the two of them left the kitchen and headed towards the front door. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yep, bright and early, my shift starts at four…PM." Again with the evil, and then Jason was tearing out of the driveway, and Liz was making her play at 'Home Alone Girl 1.'

Closing and locking the door behind her, Liz went into the kitchen, got her dinner and set up on the couch to watch some Friends re-runs. Suddenly, she remembered, what Jason had said about there being a note on her door. Setting her plate on the coffee table, Liz ran up the stairs, and tore the note off her door. The envelope read "Elizabeth." Ripping the envelope open, like a child at Christmas, she caught the letter, but missed something that fluttered to the ground. Picking it up, she absently noted that it was a photograph, but didn't look closely at it. Instead, she unfolded the piece of computer paper and read the words done in red ink, "Why did you make it so HOT Elizabeth?!" Not understanding the note at all, Liz moved to the photograph. In the dim light coming from the downstairs into the darkened hallway, she couldn't quite make out what the picture was. Moving to the light switch she illuminated the hallway and then looked at the picture.

Lying on a metal slab, with only a portion of the black bagged zipper pulled down, was the face belonging to an extremely burned body. Blackened skin, cracked in places revealing charred bone, the eye sockets stared back with an empty expression. Pearly white teeth gleamed in the harsh light of the flash bulb; while the whole face held the final expression of the body, total and utter, pain.

Dropping the picture to the floor, Liz backed away from it as she started to hyperventilate to the beating of her rapidly accelerating heart. As she backed up against her bedroom door, the picture floated to the ground with the back up. Written in red on the back was one name, "Lucky."

In a shear panic, Liz pushed open her door and rushed inside, slamming it behind her to get away from the picture and what it could possibly represent, she closed her eyes, and covered her mouth with her shaking hands to prevent herself from screaming. Crying tears of panic and fear, Liz finally opened her eyes, and couldn't even begin to stop the full fledged terror filled scream that erupted from her lips.

There on her bedside table, were two lit candles, and even from across the room she could see that they were both a light lavender; the same color Lucky had lit the night of the fire. But the light from the candles was not what had made her heart lurch from her chest, or the terror filled scream spew forth from her lips. For in the dim light the candles afforded her, she saw a pile of ash in the shape of a human body lying on her bed, as if sleeping.