The docks were deserted as Elizabeth Webber walked back to her studio after closing Kelly’s. The cold December air froze her cheeks, but her leather jacket and scarf kept the rest of her warm.

She paused and sat on the bench for a few minutes, looking out over the water towards Spoon Island. Since moving back into her studio two months ago, she and Nikolas had managed to patch their friendship back up. It’d been the right time for both of them. Lucky had left town to spend time with Laura in London and Gia was out of town, having reapplied to Columbia for the second semester. Elizabeth had cut ties with Jason after the whole Sonny debacle and Zander had taken off for greener pastures–namely Florida.

So in the end, Nikolas and Elizabeth had no one else to turn to. For once, Nikolas listened sympathetically as Elizabeth related the month and half she’d lived in Jason’s penthouse while Elizabeth tried to help him with missing Gia. The friendship seemed back on the right track.

Too bad nothing else in Elizabeth’s life was. She missed Jason. She wasn’t sorry for leaving and she thought she had a good reason to be angry. After everything they’d been through, after nearly getting shot and bringing Zander to them, Sonny and Jason had clearly not trusted her enough with the plan until Sonny had returned. But that didn’t mean she didn’t miss Jason at all. She’d thought they were moving forward–on their way to being more.

Her job at Kelly’s was no longer satisfying and Nikolas kept asking her to help out at Deception where he’d taken over in Laura’s absence. Elizabeth was reluctant to leave the job she’d held since arriving in Port Charles five years. Through everything–through all her problems with Sarah, through the rape, Lucky’s death, the brainwashing…the only constant thing in her life had been her job waitressing. She used to love serving the people and eavesdropping on conversations. But cutting ties with Jason and Sonny had sucked all the fun out of that job. One of them were always in there and if it wasn’t the two of them…it was Carly.

She stood and put her hands in her pockets. Just as she was heading up the stairs, she heard his voice. “You shouldn’t be out this late.”

Elizabeth sighed and turned. “I was on my way home.” She shifted. “How are you?”

Jason shrugged. “Good. You?”

“I’m all right.” An awkward moment passed before she cleared her throat. “See ya around.”

“See ya.”

She turned back around and finished going up the stairs. That had gone pretty well actually. It’d start out all right, but if they talked too long, the subject of Sonny’s death inevitably came up. She’d get angry, he’d try to explain, she’d get angrier and inevitably, she’d start crying. He’d feel guilty and she’d leave. It was a vicious cycle Elizabeth was desperate to break.

She headed up the stairs to her floor and opened the stairwell door. She paused in the hallway. A man was standing outside her door. She frowned. He looked familiar but she couldn’t place him.

Elizabeth drew closer to her door. “Can I help you?”

He turned to face her and Elizabeth knew she’d seen him before. “Elizabeth Webber?”

“That’s me….” Elizabeth trailed off and smiled. The accent did it. Bobbie’s ex-fiancé, Jerry Jacks. “You’re Jerry Jacks.”

“That’s me.”

“Is there something I can do for you?” Elizabeth asked, pulling her keys out of her purse.

“I have something I need to tell you. About your parents.”

“My parents?” Elizabeth repeated, frowning. “I haven’t seen them in…God…five years.”

“I can explain why.” Jerry hesitated. “They found out you weren’t their daughter.”

“I’m not?” Elizabeth echoed. She looked away, trying to process the information. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to her–she’d never felt like she was part of the family.

“Can I come in?” Jerry asked.

Elizabeth nodded numbly and unlocked her studio door. She entered it and Jerry followed. Once inside, she shut the door and looked at him expectantly.

“You’re not their daughter…” Jerry began. “I suppose I should come out and say this…I’m your father.”

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