Disclaimer: You know the drill�no affiliation to ABC, Disney, GH, Rick, Becky, or the other
characters�I only wish that I were.
Summary: Elizabeth returns to Port Charles after five and a half years away with a surprise for
Ric.
Author�s Note: Okay, This is assuming that Elizabeth finds out all about Ric and his agenda after their date to the art museum on the night they made love for the first time. She left town without so much as a good-bye to anyone. She hasn�t kept in contact with anyone, and she changed her last name to Hardy so no one could find her.
~*~
Elizabeth looked toward the door when she heard him utter her name. �Ric?� She didn�t know
what to do. Her first instinct was to run into his arms and lose herself in him, but she decided
against it. This wasn�t the plan. She was supposed to go to him with a practiced speech for him to
listen to and comment only once she was finished. He wasn�t supposed to show up unexpected.
Why was he doing this to her?
�I�how�what�� He was speechless. He didn�t know what to say. He honestly thought he�d
never see her again. But here she was, in the same room as him.
Audrey noticed the uncomfortable situation. �Mr. Lansing. It�s nice to see you. Are those for
me?� She motioned to the flowers in his hand.�
Ric forced himself to look away from Elizabeth. �Yes. I just wanted to come by and see if you
were okay. But I can go.� He put the flowers down on the nightstand and left the room.
Elizabeth stood, shocked. She couldn�t move. Didn�t know what to do if she could.
�Go after him, Elizabeth.� Audrey pushed her granddaughter toward the door.
Elizabeth ran out of the room and caught up with Ric by the nurse�s station. �Wait, Ric.�
Ric slowly turned around. �I just�I wanted to make sure your grandmother was okay. I heard
what happened to her. Um�I have to go to work.� He tried to walk away, but Elizabeth grabbed
his arm.
Ric spun around and pulled Elizabeth to him. He kissed her. He missed the feel of her soft lips
under his, her petite body pressed tightly to his. He ran his hands up her back and tangled them in
her long, curled hair. It felt so natural, so right to have her in his arms.
Elizabeth was surprised by the kiss, but she didn�t let that stop her from returning it. She wanted
him�needed him. Her head went cloudy from the mixture of his touch and the smell of his
cologne. He hadn�t changed it. Everything about him was the same, except his hair was a little
longer and he�d grown a mustache and goatee. Other than that, the feeling she was feeling was
exactly the same.
But this was wrong. Too much had changed. Too much time had past. She had a little girl to
think about now. She couldn�t lose herself in this man again. But it felt so right. She pulled away
slightly and let her forehead rest against his because she didn�t think she could stand on her own.
�I missed you so much.� Ric breathed, while running his hands through her hair and placing baby
kisses all over her face. She was really here. He had her in his arms. She kissed him back. She
loved him, too. �I can�t believe you�re really here.�
�Neither can I.� She hated leading him on like this, but she couldn�t let him go. Not yet.
�Where have you been?� He had so many questions to ask her. Why didn�t she tell him she was
leaving? Why hadn�t she called him in five and a half years? Was she okay? Was she happy
without him? Is there still a chance for them?
�I�I went to Florida. I went to an art school down there.� She needed to get his hands off of her
now before she lost all of her will power. She pulled back. �We need to talk.�
�I know. There are so many things I want to ask. So many things I want to say. But right now, I
just need to touch you.� He tried to pull her back to him, but she stepped out of his reach. He was
confused. Didn�t she want to be with him, too? What did that kiss mean to her?
�We can�t. Ric, it�s been too long. Too much has happened. Too much time has past.� The sad
look that clouded his eyes hurt her. She didn�t want to do this, but they couldn�t just forgive and
forget. They were different people now. She was anyway. They just needed to step back and think
about this. And she had to tell him about Erica.
�That time passed because you left, Elizabeth. I still feel the same way about you. I love you. I
want to be with you.� Why was she doing this? That kiss told him everything he needed to know
about her feelings for him. She wanted him just as much as he wanted her. Whatever happened in
the past should stay in the past.
�It�s too much too soon. I just got back in town half of an hour ago. I just�I think we need to
talk.� She tried to brush her hand across his cheek, but he jerked back. His eyes grew cold.
�You talk. I�m going to work.� With that he stormed off toward the elevators. He didn�t need this
from her. For a second he�d forgotten what she did to him. He should have been telling her to stay
away from him. He was doing just fine without her, he lied to himself.
Ric entered the elevator and pressed the �G� button. Before the doors slid shut, a girl squeezed in.
�Mind if I ride down with you?� The receptionist from earlier asked with a smile.
Ric smiled back. �I would love the company.�
~*~
Elizabeth slowly walked back into her grandmother�s hospital room. She�d watched Ric enter the
elevator, and she saw the glow in his eyes when the girl came in after him. Did he do it on
purpose to upset her? Because it worked. She didn�t want him with anyone else. She couldn�t
bear to think of his touches and kisses covering another woman�s body. But she didn�t have a
right to feel this way. She left him.
�Oh, honey. What happened?� Audrey pulled her granddaughter close to the bed so she could
give her a small hug.
�I don�t know. It�s just too confusing.� Elizabeth sat in the chair next to her grandmother�s bed
and grabbed hold of her hand.
�So you didn�t tell him about Erica?�
�I didn�t get a chance. He left before I could tell him. Grandma, I don�t know what to do.� She
knew she had to tell him about Erica, but she didn�t know how he�d react. He�d gotten so cold
with her before he left. Would he even listen to her? Would he want to be a part of his daughter�s
life?
�Well, you have to tell him. He�s not been a part of his daughter�s life for too long. He deserves
the chance to be a father to her. And she needs a father.�
�I know. I know she does. But I�ve done an okay job, haven�t I?� She started to cry. She wanted
what was best for her little girl, but she went into this blind and ignorant. She just hoped she
hadn�t screwed her daughter up.
�Yes, you�ve done wonderful. She�s the perfect little girl.� Audrey squeezed her granddaughter�s
hand.
�Mommy, mommy, guess what?� Erica came running into the room with Bobbie in tow.
�What is it, sweetie?� Elizabeth asked picking her daughter up.
�I made a friend. His names Matthew Corinthos and he�s my age.�
Elizabeth looked up at Bobbie. �Corinthos?� If that�s who she thought it was Erica just met her
cousin.
�Yeah,� Bobbie started. �We ran into Carly, Michael, and Matthew in the play area. Michael hurt
his arm playing baseball last week, so they�re here for a check up.�
�Did you tell her I was back?�
�Oh, yeah. I�m sorry. Did you not want me to?� Bobbie looked worried.
�Oh, no. That�s fine. Everyone�s going to learn soon or later.� And she already talked to Ric. He
was the only one she didn�t want to find out about her return from someone else. But what if
Carly told him about Erica? Would he know she�s his? Would he care?
FanFiction
?Home