Another Storm

Elizabeth Wakefield pulled away from Todd after a few seconds of kissing.

"No, Todd. This is wrong. This is way wrong."

Todd obliged, pulling away. "I'm so sorry."

Elizabeth hid her face in her hands. "I'm the one who should be sorry." She replied, her voice muffled.

Todd sighed. "Elizabeth." He began. "I really do still love you, but I didn't know how you felt for me."

"I still don't know, Todd."

"Elizabeth," Todd repeated. "I don't really know what's going on between you and Conner, but clearly you're not very happy."

"There's just a lot of things going on, that's all." Elizabeth tried to defend herself and Conner.

Todd could tell Elizabeth was holding back another wave of tears. (This Conner thing must be really touchy.) he thought.

"I have to leave, Todd. Now." Elizabeth stood up. She threw Todd a one last look, and then she was out of the room.

(And probably out of my life, too. Forever.) Todd thought sadly.

Conner Mcdermott took a deep breath and raised his hand to knock on the Wakefields' door.

Elizabeth opened the door slowly. Her eyes snapped open in surprise. "Conner!"

"Hey Liz." Conner grinned tightly. "Listen, there's something I have to tell you." Conner looked into Elizabeth's eyes earnestly as she led him to the den for some privacy. "Liz, I love you, but…well, I…I don't think I'm made for a long-term relationship. Not yet."

Elizabeth stiffened. "What?" She whispered.

"I'm sorry." Conner reached for Elizabeth's fingers.

Elizabeth sank to the chair beside her. (Don’t cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry.)

"God, Conner, how long have you felt that way?" she demanded.

Conner looked away. "Not too long."

Elizabeth's feelings suddenly started to get out of control. First, anger bubbled up in her. "Conner, all these past few weeks-were they all a {lie}? Huh? All this time I spent with you, was I believing a lie? Was I living a lie? Answer me, Conner. {Answer me!}" she shouted.

"No, Liz. These past few weeks-they-they've been one of the best times in my life." Conner's eyes were filled with guilt. But then, problems came…and…"

Elizabeth's anger melted away as she looked into Conner's green eyes. Tears began to stream down her cheeks unstoppably. "Why, Conner?" she whispered.

Conner bent down and looked into Elizabeth's shining eyes. "I'm sorry." He said again, his voice laced with guilt. Then he stood up slowly. "Goodbye, Liz." He murmured. (Why are you doing this?) his mind screamed as he opened the front door.

Then Elizabeth was alone in the room, sobbing.

Jessica took a deep breath as she prepared to enter HOJ for her shift that evening. Jeremy was going to be there, too. She hoped he'd finally be ready for a talk.

"Jeremy." she called, waving nervously when she saw him wiping the counter.

Jeremy looked up, and he froze. "Jessica." he said, his face expressionless.

Jessica rushed to him. "We need to talk." she told him in a low voice.

"We have nothing to talk about." Jeremy snapped at Jessica, his voice finally giving away a hint of some emotion, even though it wasn't exactly the emotion Jessica was looking for.

"Jeremy, please. I need to talk to you." She pleaded, her eyes shining.

Jeremy looked away from Jessica's blue green eyes, resisting the urge to take her in his arms and kiss her.

"Fine." He said coldly. "Let's go outside. It'll be more private there."

Jessica nodded, following him outside. As soon as they were outside and there was no one around, Jessica felt the tears start to stream down. She wiped them away. She didn't have time to cry now, Jeremy was going to hear her out, no matter what it took.

"God, Jeremy-I'm so sorry! I-I didn't mean for anything like that to happen." Jessica cried.

Jeremy glanced at Jessica, then he looked into her eyes, searching for something that would tell him that she was lying.

But all he saw was sadness, love, and honesty.

"And…and…" all the words Jessica had planned on saying flew out of her head. "I felt-well, I felt just so guilty, Jeremy! Please, please give me a second chance!" Jessica had no idea what to say now. She was just babbling whatever popped into her brain, which was functioning 1/4 of what it used to.

Jeremy closed his eyes. His head was spinning. Jessica was so close. So close…just one more step and they'd be kissing.

"Jeremy! Please!" Jessica closed the distance between them, staring into his eyes, begging.

Jeremy looked down at her, his resolve to be firm melting. God, she was beautiful.

Jessica looked back at him.

"I love you." She whispered as he wound his arms around her and their lips melted together.

Their kiss was all Jessica needed to be sure that he felt the same way and that she was where she belonged.

Elizabeth picked up the phone and dialed Tia's number, hiccuping as she did.

"Hello?" It was Tia.

"Tee?"

"Liz?"

"Uh-huh." Elizabeth sniffed.

"Liz! What's wrong?"

"C-Conner...he br-broke up with me."

"WHAT?"

"H-he-"

"Liz, I want to talk about this in your face. Meet me at HOJ in half an hour." Tia interrupted gently.

"Okay."

Then the line went dead.

"Okay-then get this-Will cheated on Melissa, and Melissa went absolutely crazy! She spread this so-not-true rumor about Jessica sleeping with random guys. And Lila Fowler sided with her!" Andy Marsden told Winston, who was with him in The Riot.

"No way! Jessica? This becoming very Days of our Lives-ish!" Winston exclaimed.

Andy grinned. He liked Winston. They were on the same train of thought. Didn't he just say before that their lives were just like a soap opera?

"So, Winston-when's your girlfriend-Maria-coming back?" Andy asked, all serious with a business-like face. "Tell the Great One."

Winston lowered his voice mimicking Andy's expression "Okay. I will..."

Andy smiled. He knew he liked this guy! He considered him "The Great One"!

"...as soon as you tell me where he is." Winston finished.

On second thought maybe Andy didn't like him that much.

"There is no accounting for taste." Andy replied, not missing a beat.

"Anyway. Maria's returning on December 23-um...let's see...a week and a half from now." Winston said, finally serious.

Then suddenly Will and Melissa came in through the door.

Conner was pacing around his room. All he could do was think about Elizabeth. (Lizlizlizlizlizlizlzizlizliz...) (Damn. I have to stop thinking like this.) Then he realized that he was blinded. He loved Elizabeth. For real. More than anyone else. And he had to get her back. Conner stood up and headed for her house.

Todd closed his eyes as he was on his bed. He expected himself to start thinking about Elizabeth, then, to his surprise...

Alyssa Martin's face floated into his brain.

Hmmm. Things are finally starting to come together. Sort of. But what will happen to Will and Melissa and Conner-Liz-Todd-Alyssa? Who will get together and be left as friends? Find out in Part 9, The Storm Ends.

nina=);):)