Jason used to ride his bike fast, very fast, to run away from things.  Now, he was riding his bike faster than he ever had before to get to the one thing in his life that mattered the most.  The mob boss couldn't recall how he had gotten to Martha's Vineyard; everything was a blur.  All the blond knew was that he was there, outside Ric's home, desperate to find Elizabeth, and, even though Jason knew in his heart that the chances of his beautiful brunette resting peacefully as if she was on a relaxing vacation in one of the bedrooms overlooking the ocean were slim to none, the ex-enforcer couldn't help but hope that she was.  Hope was all he had.

Barely waiting for his motorcycle to come to a complete stop, the stoic blond hastily released the kick stand and jumped off his bike, racing up the porch steps, reaching for the front door.  Not surprised it was locked, Jason quickly pulled out his gun, ready to shoot the knob right off its spot, so as to seek entrance into the dwelling, but, instantly, he realized how this action might attract unwanted attention.  So, the ex-enforcer sighed and, rather reluctantly, returned his weapon to its resting place, tucking it snugly into the back of his jeans.  He then removed his tools from his back pocket and began working on the lock.

Trying in vain to keep his hands from shaking, Jason needed to take several deep breaths as he painstakingly attempted to remain patient, using his well trained skills to release the door from its restraints. Once he heard the resounding click of the lock being released, the ex-enforcer, again, retrieved his weapon from the confines of his jeans and forcibly opened the door, entering the premises, gun drawn.  Hurriedly racing from room to room on the main level, the mob boss quickly ascertained that no one was present... at least, in the main quarters of the home.  He still had the upstairs to check.   Swiftly, he made his way to the staircase.   Jason knew he should move slower, be more cautious so as not to have any unexpected surprises waiting for him above, but the ex-enforcer couldn't stop himself; he couldn't wait, and, truthfully, nothing was going to stop the blond from getting to Elizabeth if she was there.

Once at the upper landing, Jason slowed his pace.  The stoic blond, his gun still drawn, stealthily made his way down the hallway.   The mob boss then efficiently entered each room, his weapon raised, waiting for any ambush that might occur.  But, once he slipped into the last bedroom, Jason's stance faltered, for he could smell Elizabeth's soothing scent permeate throughout the room.

Immediately knowing Elizabeth was no longer there, Jason rapidly but efficiently searched the bedroom and bathroom that had been her quarters, for how long the blond did not know, but, as he continued to look for something, anything, that would help him find out where Ric had now taken her, the mob boss's frustration continued to grow.  Once his exploration was complete, Jason was unable to contain the rage that had festered as his search proved fruitless.  It was then that the usually calm ex-enforcer started to ransack the room.  First, it was the lamp by the bed, and he threw that across the room, the crashing sound only fueling his anger more.  Next, he overturned the dresser on the far wall, then it was the sheets on the bed, pulling them off, exposing the bare mattress, and, then, he started to punch the wall, continuing to pound and pound until his knuckles, dripping with blood, couldn't take the pain any longer.  When he switched to kicking with a force he didn't know he possessed, he, all of a sudden, made contact with the bedroom door, and it slammed shut, the hinges shaking as if the door would be thrown clear off into the hallway.  The noise was so loud that it finally woke him up, and he instantly realized that what he was doing wasn't going to help Elizabeth. 

He needed to get control of his emotions and think of what to do next.  He needed to be calm, and he needed to concentrate, so he could find Elizabeth.  The blond finally stopped his tirade.  The only sound in the tossed room came from his labored breathing.  Leaning his elbows on his knees to get his respiratory functions under control, the mob boss noticed something different along the bottom of the bedroom door.  The coloring was slightly off from the rest of the wood.  As he walked closer he could see small, faint, uneven letters outlined along the lower edge, as if someone had been trying to write out something in a hurry.   Kneeling down, he could smell the scent of mint toothpaste on the structure, and then he slowly, due to how faint the letters were, read the words out loud.

“My Faith in you is still unshakable.” 

And, then, the mob boss's breathing stopped all together.  Jason couldn't seem to catch his breath.  He slumped over, reaching out to touch the words but quickly drew his hands back and balled both of them into tight fists.  His heart started to ache, and his eyes began to mist.  The blond could so vividly remember Elizabeth saying those words to him, while she rested in a hospital bed after he had rescued her from the crypt.   If only he could have been honest with her back then about his feelings, maybe.... Swiftly, the mob boss extinguished those thoughts.  This was not the time to be thinking of the 'what ifs.'  Elizabeth had faith that Jason would find her, and that was exactly what he was going to do.

Cognizant that he was alone, Jason returned his gun to its resting place, roughly opened the bedroom door, and bounded down the stairs, making his way out of the house to his motorcycle.  As he quickly headed towards his bike, the blond whipped out his cell phone and called Spinelli.  Just as Jason had situated himself on the seat of his motorcycle, the computer hacker picked up.

With no hello, the employer rapidly barked out his needs.  "Spinelli, is Johnny still with you?"

Unfazed by his boss's brusqueness, Spinelli replied, "uh, yes, Stone Cold, the mob prince still resides with me at our humble abode, awaiting for further instructions from you, our oh so wise and fearless leader."

Pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger and taking a deep breath so as not to unleash his frustrations onto his friend, Jason said, "put your phone on speaker."

Spinelli quickly obliged his mentor's wishes.  "We are now on speaker, Stone Cold."

"Johnny?"

"Yeah, Jason, what is it that you need?"

Breathing a small sigh of relief, hearing confidence in the young Zacchara’s voice, Jason asked, "do you know of any other homes the Lansing's may own besides the one in Martha’s Vineyard?"

Wishing he could help the older man with his plight but knowing he didn't have the answers the blond was seeking, Johnny regretfully said, "no, Jason, I don't, but I can head over to my father's house and check to see if I can find anything there.  Both Ric and Trevor kept a lot of papers there when they worked for my father, so it's worth a shot."

"Good, I would appreciate any help you could give me, and take Spinelli with you."

Both young men eyed each other carefully and nodded to the other in acceptance of their new found alliance.  Jason, who could not see the two, waited for either to respond.  Johnny decided it should be him and assuredly said, "that won't be a problem."

Taking a deep breath, Jason now directed his attention to his roommate.  "Spinelli, I am going to head back to Port Charles to see Alexis.  I will call you after we have spoken.  Maybe she might know where Ric has gone."

Spinelli, questioning his mentor's actions, asked, "do you think the fair minded DA will be able to help you?"

Jason, moving to start the engine of his bike, quickly replied, "I don't know, Spinelli, but, if there is any chance she might be able to help us, then I have to follow through with any lead I may find.  I will do anything to find Elizabeth."  And, with that, the mob boss hung up his phone, started his motorcycle, and headed back to town considered his own, still no closer to finding Elizabeth.  Yet, he did have two things on his side: hope and faith.  Elizabeth's faith in him would guide him on the right path, and his hope of finding her and finally having a future with her would get him there, to her side, soon.

I promise you Elizabeth, he said silently to himself.  I will find you.

~~~

Elizabeth had taken stock of the food Ric had bought and had managed to cook a rather fine dinner for the two of them, if she did say so herself.  She had cooked some spaghetti and garlic bread, heated up some tomato sauce, and steamed some broccoli.  Now, if only the rest of her plan went as smoothly.  The young mother was dishing the food out onto their plates when she heard Ric's bedroom door open.  Again, she used all of her will power not to cringe as her ex-husband entered the kitchen.   

As Ric approached, Elizabeth looked over her shoulder, smiled, and said, "perfect timing.  Dinner is ready."

Ric smiled back, liking how his ex-wife seemed to be embracing their new situation, and, as he leaned over to retrieve his plate from her hands, he gave her a slow, lingering kiss on her cheek.  "Thank you Beautiful.  It smells delicious."

Keeping the smile plastered on her face, Elizabeth gestured to the red wine bottle she had opened earlier to allow the alcohol to breathe.  "I opened the wine you bought.  Would you like me to pour, or would you like to do the honors?"

After placing his plate down, the lawyer strolled over to the bottle, picking it up and bringing it over to the table.  "Let me since you slaved over the stove.   It's my turn to wait on you."  Then Ric proceeded to pour two ample servings of wine in the glasses Elizabeth had had found while making dinner.

Elizabeth nodded in acquiesce and brought her own plate to the small table situated in between the kitchen and main living room. As they began to eat, the young nurse paid close attention to her ex-husband, although she did so carefully so as not to raise suspicion.  Taking a meager sip of her wine, wanting to keep her wits about her, Elizabeth asked, "Ric, would you mind lighting a fire after dinner?  I’m starting to feel a chill, and I really do not want to catch a cold."

Ric eyed his ex-wife, still wondering about the miraculous change, but then decided he would take advantage of Elizabeth's good will and not second guess it, at least, for the time being.  Responding to her request, he said, "I can do that.”  Taking his fork and pointing to the food, he stated, "this is delicious.  I see you have learned to cook since we were married."

Pasting another smile on her face, the young mother giggled softly, thinking of her sons, and said, "yeah, motherhood will do that to you.  It was either learn how to cook, or let Cameron starve.  My Grams taught me some things, and then I just sort of picked the rest up."

Smiling in return, thinking of his own daughter, Ric said, "you learned well, but why is my dish looking slightly different than yours?"

Elizabeth, keeping her voice light and carefree explained, "it seems I developed a food allergy to green peppers while pregnant with Jake, but I remembered how much you loved them.  Seeing as how you bought some, not realizing I was now allergic, I decided to heat up two different sauces - one with green peppers for you and one without for me."  And then she shrugged her shoulders slightly, so as to make it seem like no big deal, smiling, all the while, as she gazed at her ex-husband.

Ric, satisfied with Elizabeth's response, continued eating.  Once their dinner was completed, the lawyer insisted on doing the dishes since Elizabeth had cooked.  First, he started a fire, and requested she relax on the couch while he finished up in the kitchen.  If it wasn't for the absurdity of the situation, the young mother might have laughed at how normal and domestic their present scene might have seemed.  If only it was Jason in the kitchen doing the dishes right now, the brunette probably would have indulged in a little more wine, placed a blanket by the fire, and waited for him to join her so as they could participate in some after dinner exercise.

Sighing, the young mother willed herself not to go there.  Concentrate Elizabeth, she chanted, on Ric.  This was your way to escape, and you need to focus.  Nodding, she had willed thoughts of Jason away... for the time being, and the nurse began to watch her ex-husband.  Unsure of the effects or what his response to GHB would be, the brunette had not been sure how much to place in her ex-husband's spaghetti sauce, so she carefully monitored his movements as he washed the dishes. 

Once Ric finished his task, he joined Elizabeth on the couch, bringing two new glasses of wine.  Elizabeth continued to sip hers as she gazed at Ric over the rim of her glass.  Soon, she watched as her ex-husband's eyes started to glaze and waver from open to close to open again.  Seeing the change in his demeanor, Elizabeth innocently asked, "Ric, are you okay?  You seem a little tired."

Trying to focus on his ex-wife but not really able to, Ric decided he was tired and that he needed to lie down.  Placing his wine glass on the coffee table, he directed as much as attention as he could muster towards Elizabeth and said, "yeah, I think I am.”  Standing, he eyed the young woman before him.  "I'm going to go get some sleep.  Remember, Elizabeth, no funny business, or this pleasant evening we just had won't be so pleasant the next time."

And, with that, Ric turned to go.  As Elizabeth watched him enter his bedroom and close the door, the young mother twirled the wine glass in her petite yet unexpectedly calm hands and began to organize, in her head, what her next move would be.   Then she rose off the couch, picked up Ric's wine glass, and headed towards the kitchen.  The brunette then proceeded to empty both wine glasses down the sink before heading off to bed. 

But not to her bed. 

No, rather, the young mother headed to Ric's bedroom.

Okay, phase one is complete.  Now, onto phase two.