Disclaimer: I get no money, my only hope is if those reading take pity on me and reply. The characters are owned by Capital Cities, ABC-TV and that god-awful show General Hospital.

Distribution: Just ask me first.

Notes: This is the sequel to my fic 90 Degrees Past Dead Center. This begins about a week after that one ended. There are some changes/variations from the show. Yes Ric did leave the hospital early, but no Elizabeth and him did not sleep together. As for Jason and Courtney you'll have to read to find out. This first part may be a little strident but it picks up.

Stephanie

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Dancing on the Axis

Part I

Elizabeth made her way out of the kitchen of Kelly's and did her best not to smell the food that was loaded on her tray. Friday lunches were the absolute worst shift to have at Kelly's. The lunch special every Friday was liver and onions. Just thinking the name made her want to gag. It was hard for her to imagine anyone voluntarily wanting to eat the smelly and disgusting looking meal, but every Friday she was proved wrong. Friday lunches were the most popular meal of the week at the rundown diner. Catching a whiff she remembered her week old vow to get a new job, it was time to follow through with that plan.

After delivering the food she made a critical scan of the restaurant. Courtney seemed to be working for once and she was both surprised and relieved, it was always tiring when she was the only worker on a shift. The blonde in question emerged from the kitchen with a tray of her own and headed for the tables.

From where she was standing she could feel the arctic breeze coming off the blonde and barely stifled the urge to roll her eyes. Courtney could be rather juvenile at times. Moving behind the counter she began filling the sugar shakers. Courtney soon joined her and began working on the salt shakers. No words were exchanged. They had come to a sort of unspoken agreement not to discuss things at work, as such they barely said anything at all. Elizabeth was happy with agreement, it made work that much easier to get through.

Courtney seemed to have had enough with the agreement however, after she slammed the third shaker down Elizabeth reluctantly spoke. "Is there something wrong Courtney?"

"You'd like that wouldn't you?" Courtney sniped.

Tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, Elizabeth tried to hold her temper. "I just wondered if there was a reason why you were trying to break Bobbie's salt shakers."

"There's nothing wrong," Courtney shot back and slammed the glass shaker on the counter so hard it cracked. Infuriated at the salt spilling out from behind the glass she turned on Elizabeth with a triumphant smile on her face. "Jason and I are just fine. I'm sure you hate that."

Elizabeth shifted back to her own work and reminded herself not to rise to Courtney's obvious taunt. She'd only seen Jason once in the week since Ric's shooting, so she wasn't sure if he had told Courtney the truth or not. Given Courtney's surly disposition, she thought he had, but she couldn't say for sure.

"We broke up temporarily, because Sonny had problems with us dating, but Jason finally decided that what we had was worth fighting for and he quit working for Sonny," Courtney leaned closer. "You see I mean more to him than Sonny does."

"That's nice," Elizabeth murmured and reached for the next jar.

"You don't believe me?" Courtney snapped when she failed to get the reaction from Elizabeth she was looking for.

"What happens or doesn't happen between you and Jason is none of my concern," Elizabeth answered stiffly.

Narrowing her eyes in speculation Courtney looked at her rival with barely disguised hate. A week of avoiding Jason and hearing what he wanted to tell her had taken its toll. She was longing for a release and who better than the woman who was trying to wreck her life. "You really are pathetic you know that?"

Elizabeth set the sugar bottle down with a snap and turned on the blonde. "Watch it Courtney."

"What are you going to hit me again? Try it, just try it I dare you."

"What is your problem?" Elizabeth demanded.

"You're my problem, the way you keep stalking Jason, stalking me, you just won't give up will you?"

"Get help Courtney," Elizabeth murmured and moved to go by the blonde, only to come up short when Courtney grabbed her arm. "Let me go."

"He told me all about it, how you accosted him on the docks, and begged him to take you back," Courtney tilted her head her tone mocking. "You are so pathetic. You know how Jason is, he doesn't want to hurt any woman if he can help it, but he couldn't help but tell me how sad you were that night."

Laughter escaped from Elizabeth and caused Courtney's face to go bright red.

"Don't you dare laugh at me," Courtney yelled.

"You need help Courtney, since Jason told you about our meeting on the docks, I'm sure he told you the rest as well. I'm sorry if your hurting but I won't stand by and be your punching bag because your fairytale life got a harsh dose of reality thrown on it," Elizabeth couldn't help but let that taunt out.

"You bitch," Courtney yelled. "You don't have a clue what your talking about, you can't even keep a man in your bed. Your fiancé cheated on you, with your own sister, Jason couldn't wait to walk away and find a real woman, and even Ric has a woman on the side."

"What did you say?" Elizabeth buried her anger over Courtney's taunt when the blonde's final words sunk in.

Courtney's eyes widened when she realized what she let out, and she took a step back and turned away. "That you can't hold on to any man."

"No you said something about Ric," Elizabeth grabbed Courtney by the elbow and yanked her around until they were facing each other again.

"What didn't you know that you've been replaced by another blonde?" Courtney couldn't help but attack and smiled venomously when she saw Elizabeth flinch. "That's right the more time he spent with you the more he couldn't wait to find a real woman to be with."

"You don't know what you are talking about," Elizabeth responded automatically yet her voice was weak.

"Yes I do, if there is one thing I know, its men and I know when they are bored," Courtney taunted.

"Who?" Elizabeth demanded. "If this is true who was he with?"

"Does it matter? It wasn't you that's the main thing," Courtney replied breezily, not willing to sell out Carly.

As much as she didn't want too, Elizabeth couldn't help but remember the time she had practically thrown herself at Ric and he had turned her down and left. The reason couldn't be that he was seeing someone else could it? She didn't want to even think that, but she knew that Ric was very secretive, wasn't that one of the reasons that she had been keeping him at arms length?

"The truth hurt's doesn't it?" Courtney asked sweetly, pleased with the look she had managed to put in Elizabeth's eyes.

Without a word Elizabeth turned around and headed up the stairs, it was time to talk to Ric. Anger made the trip a short one, but her steps faltered as she neared the door. Did she have a right to demand answers from him? They had only gone out a couple of times, kissed barely a handful of times, it wasn't like they were exclusive, or even dating for that matter. He had made no effort to stand up for her in front of Carly, and other than when she was helping him after he was shot, he hadn't even mentioned it.

Hesitating in the hall, Elizabeth bit her lip and debated. The sound of a masculine voice eventually drew her from her thoughts and she realized that Ric's door was ajar. Her feet seemed to move closer of their own accord, while she focused on what he was saying.

"Relax neither Corinthos, or Morgan have any idea what is going on. They are so busy fighting each other they won't even realize what's happened until someone closes the coffin on them."

When his voice died Elizabeth moved closer desperate to hear what else was said.

"Carly is under control, you were right about what method I needed to use to control her. I have everyone completely in place. Trust me as soon as your ready Corinthos and Morgan are history, and personally I can't wait."

There was another pause as Ric listened to whoever was on the other end of the line and Elizabeth pushed slightly on the door, to try to see inside the room. Ric had his back to her and was nodding while he listened.

"Look I'm not being cocky I just know how good I am. If it comes to it I'm more than prepared to take Morgan out myself."

Elizabeth gasped and took a step back, it was time to get out of here. She had barely taken a step down the hall when the door was pulled open behind her and Ric was in the doorway looking at her.

"Elizabeth this is a surprise," his charming grin faded when he saw the paleness of her face and the hint of fear in her eyes. "You heard, didn't you?"

"What?" Elizabeth tried to bluff her way out. "I was just going to see if you wanted some lunch?"

Ric bowed his head and sighed wearily. "I'm real sorry you heard me Elizabeth."

"Heard what?" She asked and began edging backwards down the hall. She let out a startled yelp when Ric moved suddenly and caught her by the arms yanking her in the direction of his room. "Stop it."

"I'm afraid I can't let you go Elizabeth," Ric said with genuine regret.

"Hel…" her scream was cut off when Ric shoved her hard sending her into the room. Surprised by the violent move Elizabeth lost her balance and crashed heavily into the wooden desk that was in the room. She experienced a brief flash of pain and then everything went black.