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 smiled at Ric. He was running his hands up and down her arm. It felt right to be with
him again. For the five years she was away, so knew there was something missing. She had Erica
who she loved, but Erica felt the hole in their lives, too. Ric was a part of their equation. Now
they could be together.
And Erica loved Ric. She already did. She wouldn�t stop talking about him the day after they
went to Kelly�s and the zoo. She was such a bad mother for never taking her daughter to the zoo.
But it worked out okay. Ric was able to be there for a first.
�This is perfect.� He smiled back at her. �I think I�ve used the word perfect more tonight than I
have in�well, ever. But that�s exactly what this is.� He kissed her cheek. He finally had her back
in his arms. It seemed so surreal. She was there. She was in front of him. He ran his hand along
her arm to make sure she was really tangible. She was.
�It is.� She snuggled in next to him. �I could stay like this forever. In fact, I think I will.
Everything is just�perfect.� She laughed. �I have you back. We have our little girl. Oh, she
would not stop talking about you today.�
�Really? I couldn�t stop talking about her either.� He kissed her forehead. �The guys can�t believe
I have a daughter. It just feels so natural�being with her. And being with you. It�s like we were
never away from each other.�
�But we were. We were away from each other because I was stupid. I left. I prevented��
Ric placed his finger over her lips, stopping her rant. �Shhh�We�re together now.� He gently
placed his lips to hers. She felt tears sting her eyes. He was being too great about this. She messed
up all three of their lives by leaving.
Their kiss was cut short by Elizabeth�s cell phone ringing. She reluctantly answered it.
�Hello?�Baby what�s wrong?�Stop crying honey and tell me what happened?�Oh my
god�where are you now?�We�re on our way sweetheart�I love you. I�ll be right there.�
Elizabeth hung up the phone and got up. She started pulling on her dress.
�What�s wrong?� Ric asked while putting on his clothes.
�It�s my grandmother. She was taken into the hospital. Erica was with her.� Elizabeth said
through her tears.
�Okay, let�s go.� Ric grabbed his keys and hurried Elizabeth to the car.
~*~
�Monica?� Elizabeth screamed when she spotted the doctor. �Monica, where�s Erica and my
grandmother?�
Monica hurried over to her. �Elizabeth. Audrey just got out of surgery. Her heart had stopped
beating, but they have it going now. She�s still unconscious, but I think she�s going to be okay for
now. Erica is in the nurse�s lounge with Bobbie. She�s calmed down. She was a little freaked out
when she got here, but I think she�s better now.�
Elizabeth released the breath she had been holding in. She felt Ric, who was standing behind her,
do the same. �Can I see my daughter?�
�Absolutely,� Monica led the way to where Erica was. When the little girl saw her mother and
Ric, she jumped up from her seat and ran into Elizabeth�s arms.
�Mommy! I was so scared. Mama Audrey fell and I thought she was dead.� Tears poured down
Erica�s face. �I remembered you told me whenever something bad happened I needed to call
nine-one-one, so I did and they came and brought us here.�
�You did great. You saved Mama Audrey�s life!� Elizabeth kissed her daughter�s cheek.
�Um, Elizabeth?� Monica said from the door. �Can I talk to you for just a second alone? We need
to decide treatment for Audrey.�
�Sure.� Elizabeth kissed her daughter again. �Can you stay here with Ric while Mommy talks to
Monica?�
�Okay,� Erica said through her tears. She ran to Ric�s side and he picked her up. They watch
Elizabeth leave with Monica.
�Are you okay, sweetie?� He asked, brushing the tears from her face with his free hand.
She shook her head, yes. �I�m okay now. Mama Audrey is better. They told me that she was just
really tired and when you�re really tired sometimes you fall asleep standing up. That�s what she
did. But they put her in bed so she could get some better rest.�
�Yeah,� Ric blinked away the tears that stung his eyes. �She�s going to be okay.�
�I know, Daddy. I was just scared.�
Ric looked into her eyes. �What did you call me?�
�Daddy. I know you�re my Daddy. I�m a pretty smart kid you know. Is it okay if I start calling
you that?� Erica�s eyes pleaded for a yes.
Ric smiled and kissed his daughter�s forehead. �Of course it is.� He rested her head on his
shoulder. He had his daughter.
~*~
�Okay Monica, what�s going on?� Elizabeth demanded when they were far enough from the door
to prevent Erica from overhearing.
�She�s not good, Elizabeth.� Monica said honestly. �There�s nothing we can do for her. We could
keep her here and watch her, but there�s nothing more we can do. I�ve arranged for an at-home
nurse for her. She needs to stay off her feet as much as possible. She needs as little stress as
possible.�
Monica�s words hit Elizabeth like a ton of bricks. �So watching Erica was what did this to her? It
was too much stress?�
�No, that�s not��
Elizabeth interrupted her. �No, you were right the first time. It was too much. I shouldn�t have
left. I should have been home taking care of my grandmother.�
�Elizabeth, this is a lot to do.� Monica explained. �It�s not your fault. Audrey has always pushed
herself too hard.�
�But I know that. I know my grandmother overworks herself. I should have known not to take
her on her word when she said she could handle Erica alone.� Elizabeth started to cry. �But no. I
had to go out with Ric. I had to spend time with him. I was selfish.�
�Elizabeth, don�t do this.� Monica pulled her into an embrace. �Your grandmother would have
done the exact same thing if you were there. The only difference is you�d have made the call to
nine-one-one.�
�And if I wouldn�t have been so selfish, my daughter wouldn�t have had to go through that by
herself.� Elizabeth pulled away from Monica. �Can I see my grandmother?�
�You can, but it�s not going to do much good. She�s going to sleep through the night.� Monica
gave her a weak smile. �Why don�t you take Erica home and come back feeling stronger? It�ll be
better for all of you, okay?�
Elizabeth hesitated, deciding. �Okay. You�re right. Erica doesn�t need to stay here. But I�ll be
back in the morning.� Elizabeth started to walk away, but turned around. �Call me, if my
grandmother wakes up?�
�Definitely.� Monica smiled. �Get some rest.�
Elizabeth walked back to the nurse�s lounge. She saw Ric sitting on a chair, Erica asleep in his
arms.
Ric looked up when he felt someone�s eyes on him. It was Elizabeth. �Hey, what�s going on? Is
Audrey going to be okay?�
�No. She�s not doing well. She needs me to be with her all the time now.� Elizabeth forced the
tears to stay inside.
�Well, I�m here. I want to help.� Ric declared. He wanted to do anything to help Audrey,
Elizabeth, and Erica. They were part of his family now.
�Can you take us home?� Elizabeth asked.
�Let�s go.� Ric stood with Erica and led the way to his car.
~*~
Ric pulled his car into Audrey�s driveway. �Here we are.� He said, putting the vehicle in park. He
turned off the ignition and started to get out.
�No, you don�t have to come in. We�re just going to bed.� Elizabeth unhooked her seat belt.
�I know. I want to stay with you. I want to make sure you�re okay.� Ric could feel her pulling
away. She couldn�t do this again. Not now. Not when they�d finally found each other again.
Elizabeth took a deep breath. She had to muster all of the strength she had to get through this
next part. �Ric, we went to fast. My grandmother is sick and she needs me. Going out with you
tonight when she needed me was a mistake. If I had been here, she wouldn�t have been so stressed
out. She wouldn�t have worked herself so hard to keep up with Erica. We just need to stop this
now, before we�re in too deep.�
�We�re already in too deep to get out. Elizabeth, I love you and you love me. And we can help
Audrey together.� Ric tried to reason with her.
�No, I can�t help her with you. Because when I�m with you, I get lost. You consume me and I
don�t know which way is up and what way is right. We just need to take a break, okay? Just until
everything slows down.� Elizabeth started to get out of the car, but Ric grabbed her arm.
�No. You don�t get to do this. You can�t keep my daughter away from me again. She called me
Daddy tonight. She knows I�m her father.� Ric felt the tears trickle down his face. �You can�t
take her away from me again.�
�No, Ric, I wouldn�t do that. You can see Erica all you want.� Elizabeth pulled herself from Ric�s
grasped and stepped out of the car. She opened the back door and grabbed Erica. She went to
Ric�s window. �You can see her whenever you want, okay? We just can�t be a couple right now.
It�s just too hard to focus on what my grandmother needs when I�m consumed by you.�
�Elizabeth, you�re making a mistake. You know Audrey is going to tell you that when she wakes
up.�
�And she would be wrong. Goodnight Ric.� Elizabeth turned around and walked to her house.
Ric leaned his head on his steering wheel and let his tears fall freely. He couldn�t believe it was
happening again. She was cutting him out again. Right when they�d finally found their way back
to each other.
FanFiction
?Home