Written in 58 minutes. Spell checked but not re-read.

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Morgan Penthouse: Living Room

Brenda frowned as she stepped down off the bottom step and looked around the living room. “Uh, usually Jason is glued to your side,” she said as she sat next to Elizabeth on the sofa. “Where’d he go?”

“Across the hall,” Elizabeth said absently as she reached into the bowl of popcorn at her side, then furrowed her brow at the television screen in front of her. “Why?”

“I bet they’re discussing how to run my life,” Brenda muttered darkly. She flopped back against the back of the sofa. “What are you watching?”

“That 70s’ Show.”

“That’s still on? I remember it came on right before I died. I thought it was a a really stupid idea for a show.” Brenda shrugged. “What’re you gonna do?”

Startled by her casual reference to her “death”, Elizabeth turned her attention fully to Brenda. “Uh, how are you, um, doing with all of this?”

“Being back from the dead? I could do without it.” Brenda bit her lip. “It’s weird,” she admitted, “because I knew everyone thought I was dead, but I guess I didn’t think about what it meant. I didn’t want to come back,” she told Elizabeth. “Because I’m going to die anyway.”

“But you could have had four years with your friends and family. And you still might have years, right?”

“I could,” Brenda said. “But my mother told me that her illness happened fast. And she—she actually did die in that accident.” She sighed. “If I had tried to come back sooner, obviously Luis wouldn’t have let me come. I didn’t know I was being held hostage until I tried to leave.” She was quiet for a moment. “I thought he loved me. That he was taking care of me.”

She picked at a loose thread on her black pants. “But that’s not love, you know. It’s obsession. I’m not a person to him, I’m just something he can own. A beautiful thing to put on a shelf. Going after Sonny and Jax because I loved them once—eliminating anyone who might be competition—”

“I’m glad you got away from that,” Elizabeth said. “Before it got worse.”

“Yeah. I mean, he was always kind to me, but that’s because I didn’t push him. Didn’t disagree. What if I had?” Brenda pressed her lips together. “I just wish this was over. I hate depending on Sonny and Jason for anything. After what they put me through—”

“But you knew they’d help. That’s why you came to them—”

“Old habits die hard. I really am sorry about asking Jason to marry me. Or blackmailing him into it,” Brenda added. “I didn’t know about you.”

“You don’t have anything to apologize for,” Elizabeth said. “And—” She made a face. “Neither does Jason. We weren’t dating. He could do what he wanted—even marry someone else—”

“Doesn’t mean it wouldn’t hurt. Sonny and I weren’t dating when he married Lily, and it nearly killed me anyway.” Brenda squinted at Elizabeth. “How did this happen anyway? I mean, you and Jason. I remember you from before, sort of. You were a baby though.”

“Sixteen,” Elizabeth muttered. “But yeah, it felt like it came out of nowhere. We connected after your accident. Robin had…well, Jason had lost custody of Michael and wasn’t handling it well. I thought Lucky was dead. And we just…I could talk to him and he’d just listen. It kind of grew from there.”

“That’s how it was with me and Sonny at first.” Brenda smiled faintly. “I was on the docks, with my suitcase, and there he was. And it just—pow. Like lightning. I messed it up, though. I didn’t trust him enough.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard about the wire,” Elizabeth said and Brenda closed her eyes. “But he forgave you.”

“Yeah, but I don’t think he ever trusted me again. Or maybe anyone else. I mean, look what he did to you. Dragged you across the country, making you feel terrified for Jason, and it was just Jason didn’t marry me.” Brenda snorted. “Best day of my life was seeing you punch him. I wish I could have done that the day he abandoned me at the altar.” She closed her eyes. “Talk about humiliation. Standing there, so sure he was just late—”

“I remember.”

Brenda’s eyes flew open and she looked at Elizabeth, surprised. “You were there? What, with the Spencers?”

“No, I, uh, stole Ruby’s invitation,” Elizabeth admitted with a sheepish smile. “I’d seen your picture in magazines, and you were so glamorous. I just wanted to be part of it.”

Brenda laughed. “Oh, man, that’s amazing! I can’t believe this.” Her laughter tapered off into snorting giggles. “The guards probably didn’t know what to do with you.”

“No, they really didn’t. Lucky vouched for me, but man, he was irritated with me.” Elizabeth shrugged. “It was a terrible day. I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, well, I held it against Jason for a long time, but I think he was just doing the best he could. He didn’t want to leave me alone, and I took it out on him. I hated him,” Brenda murmured, “but he just took it. It seems unfair now, you know. By the time I saw Sonny again, I don’t think I was angry enough for him for what he’d done. He could have found another way to handle it.”

“Yeah, he could have actually said words to you, but it might have broken his brain to try it,” Elizabeth said. “What is it about men and refusing to just tell the truth? Open a vein? They’d rather be stupid.”

“Honestly.” Brenda wiggled her shoulders. “Who’s this Zander guy anyway? I don’t remember him. Why does the PCPD think you or Jason killed him?”

“Oh. God. Talk about humiliating mistakes.” Elizabeth dragged a hand through her hair. “He was Emily’s boyfriend for a while, and then he worked for Jason and Sonny. He did something stupid—I think he was talking to someone he shouldn’t be. Jason beat him up—which I knew—and when he got out of the hospital, I let him stay in my studio.”

Brenda blinked at her. “Uh, why?”

“Pride. I went to see him in the hospital because I felt bad. I knew Carly had hurt him—and Lucky and Nikolas showed up, telling me that I needed to get out, leave him alone—trying to boss me around, and I lost my head. Then Jason came over, told me I couldn’t help him—”

“Oh, yeah, that’ll do it.”

“Still, it was stupid beyond the speaking of it.” Elizabeth chewed on her bottom lip. “Jason and I were just—I don’t know, we weren’t saying the words. I think we both knew we were interested, but Carly and Sonny were always calling, and Zander was being stupid—then I got kidnapped—Zander ended up in the crypt with me—”

“Crypt—”

“Long story short, after we got out, I slept with Zander. And Jason—apparently, he—well, he saw it. I mean, he saw Zander at my place, and left.” Elizabeth stared at her hands, rubbing one finger over her bare ring finger. “And we’ve been doing dumb things ever since.”

“But you’re better now.”

“Sure. I mean, better than July.” Elizabeth flashed her a hesitant smile. “But I don’t know. We promised not to make the same mistakes, but we’re just going to make new ones.” She shook her head. “Jason almost marrying you isn’t even as bad as the worst thing I’ve ever done to him. And I sort of get why he did it.”

“Really? Because it feels like a fever dream to me,” Brenda told her. She shrugged. “So they think one of you murdered the competition.”

“It’s more likely Zander went to work for Alcazar and got killed because of it.” Elizabeth frowned. “You know, it’s strange how I can’t even—I don’t know. He was someone I sort of dated, and I haven’t even really thought about the fact that he’s dead. What kind of person does that make me?”

“Well, you were accused of killing him,” Brenda reminded her. “It kind of takes you out of the moment.”

Morgan Penthouse: Master Bedroom

Jason frowned when he opened the door to find Elizabeth sitting up in bed, the lamp next to her switched on, as she thumbed through a magazine. “I didn’t think you’d still be up.”

“Oh, well you said you didn’t think you’d be too late.” Elizabeth set the magazine aside. “Thanks, by the way, for being nice to my grandmother earlier.”

“Well, she was being nice to you,” Jason said as he sat on the bed to pull off his boots. “I’ve always liked your grandmother.”

She snorted. “Okay. Well, the feeling isn’t always mutual, but still.”

Jason turned slightly on the bed so he was looking at her. “Courtney came over to the penthouse earlier this morning. I guess working with her didn’t go well.”

Elizabeth flushed. “Okay, so I definitely was getting back at her for—well, it’s not important. I’m sorry. Did she make a scene?”

“Depends on your definition of scene,” Jason admitted. “Taggert showed up—”

Elizabeth groaned and put her head in her hands. “Oh, no.”

“So he knows that Courtney kissed me a few days before Vegas—”

“This isn’t helping the whole we didn’t get married because of Zander,” she muttered. She flopped back on the bed, staring the ceiling. “The worst thing is that it’s the truth. We really didn’t get married because of that, but no one will ever believe us.”

“The PCPD probably isn’t going to let go of this yet.” Jason paused. “Are you sorry we didn’t go with Sonny’s plan?”

She sat up, frowning at him. “What? Where I go back to the studio and we pretend it didn’t happen? Are you sorry we didn’t do it?”

“I never thought the PCPD would go after you,” Jason told her. “I can prove where I was when it happened—”

“But I was on the pier and didn’t report it. They’re not going to believe me now.” She sighed. “Maybe Sonny was right,” she admitted. “If we could have kept this quiet—if I hadn’t come here after we got back, Carly wouldn’t have said anything—” She looked up, met his eyes. “Do you wish we’d gone back to the way things were?”

“I—” Jason hesitated. “No. Not—not like that. I want you here. I told you that. I just—I don’t know. I don’t want the PCPD coming after you.” He shook his head. “I’m the criminal, not you.”

“Well, I’ve been accessory to a few crimes,” Elizabeth reminded him. “Or at least an accessory after the fact, depending on how you look at it.” She drew a leg up, tucking her knee under her chin. “It just feels like there’s so much pressure now.”

He wanted to ask what she meant  but he already knew the answer. What had seemed like a crazy, heat of moment decision to prove he wasn’t lying about loving her had turned into this complicated mess with Elizabeth right in the cross hairs of a vindictive police department who weren’t above going after people he cared about.

Any chance they had of figuring out what exactly this was between them or if they should even be married had been twisted into everyone else’s business. If Carly had just kept her damn mouth shut—

“I was thinking about what you asked me yesterday,” Elizabeth said, drawing his attention back to her. “About a ring. Um, I still mean what I said then, but I also think—” She sighed. “People are going to ask.”

“Right.” He managed a smile at her. “Let’s just make sure this goes away, and we’ll—we’ll figure everything out later. Okay?”

“Okay—”

Elizabeth blinked at the sound of someone—of Brenda’s sharp voice—just as the phone beside the night table began to ring. Jason got to his feet and went towards the door to deal with Brenda while Elizabeth reached for the phone.

“Hello?”

“Mrs. Morgan, it’s Wally at the front desk—”

Elizabeth frowned as she heard footsteps on the steps and Jason disappeared down the hall. “Wally?”

“They told me I couldn’t call, but I wanted to warn you—”

“Where’s the warrant?” she heard Jason demand—and now there were other voices.

“Warn us about what?”

“The PCPD—”

“Get out of my way, Anger Boy, or you’re coming with her—”

The bedroom door swung open as Taggert stalked in, Capelli on his heels and Jason following after him, a piece of paper clenched in his hand. Brenda trailed after them.

“They’re on their way up—”

“Thanks,” Elizabeth said numbly. She set the phone back on the hook, then climbed out bed, tugging the shirt she wore to cover more of her thighs. “I’m guessing this isn’t a social call.”

“Elizabeth Webber, you’re under arrest for the murder of Zander Smith.” Taggert went behind her and roughly pulled her hands behind her back.

“Can’t she get dressed?” Brenda demanded.

“Brenda—”

“It’s okay.” Elizabeth took a deep breath, looked at Jason, his face red with suppressed fury. “I’m okay. You’ll get the lawyer down to the station, and I’ll be home by breakfast, right? Bring, um, pants, or something—”

“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say—,” Taggert began, wrapping an arm around her forearm and pulling her towards the door.

She winced at the grip, but bit her lip—if she made a sound that even resembled pain or discomfort, she was worried what Jason would do.

“You have the right to an attorney,” Taggert continued as he all but dragged her towards the stairs.  She looked back over her shoulders to find Capelli following them and Jason in the doorway of the bedroom.

“I’ll call Diane,” Jason told her. “And I’ll be right behind you.”

“Okay.” Then she closed her mouth, resolving not to open it again until she was in a room with her lawyer.

“Do you understand the rights I’ve just spoken to you?” Taggert demanded in the hallway by the penthouses. “With these rights in mind, do you wish to speak to me?”

She locked eyes with him—this man who had always been so kind to her—and nodded. “Just one thing. I hope you rot in hell.”

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