12

 

         Elizabeth enters Kelly’s with the wieght of the world on her shoulders.  The day had gone from bad to worse.  Not only didn’t Gia like her designs for the shoot, Laura pointed out  a few problems as well.  And then there was the European newscast that someone had turned on in the office.  Elizabeth was on her way from a meeting when she noticed the images of Jason and Robin plastered on the screen, flashes of cameras lighting up their faces. 

         Sybil the secretary chose that moment to turn up the volume. 

         “Famous mobster Jason Morgan has announced his engagement to med student Robin Scorpio.  The two have been in a hot and heavy, off again, on again relationship for years. 

         “I’ve made a mistake once by letting her go and I’m never doing it again,” Jason smiled into the camera.

         Keeping her composure, she made it to the now empty Kelly’s.  But then everything fell apart.  She began doing something that she hadn’t done since the rape.  She went from table to table, swiping the contents to the ground.  She ignored the sound of breaking glasses and dishes.  She was beyond caring at the moment. 

         Exhausted from the temper tantrum, she collapsed into a chair and buried her head in her hands.  She didn’t hear Lucky come in with Gia and Nikolas right behind him. 

         “What’s going on in here?” Nikolas looked at the mess.  “It looks like a tornado hit.”

         “Elizabeth?” Lucky spotted his girlfriend obviously upset.  “Elizabeth what happened?  Did some one break in?  Did they hurt you?”
         Elizabeth shook her head.  “I did it Lucky.  I’m sorry, but I did it.  I was so mad…”

         “I take it you saw that news report with Jason,” Lucky sighed.  “I’m sorry you had to see that.”
         “Don’t be.  I’m glad I know the truth now.  He never loved me.  Every thing he said was a lie!  I hate him Lucky!  I hate him!”  She allowed Lucky to pull her into a comforting embrace, rubbing her back.  Nikolas and Gia just looked on, not knowing what to do.

         “Hey you guys, why don’t you get a broom and start cleaning up?  I’ll be down in a minute.  I’m going to take her upstairs,” Lucky lifted Elizabeth up into his arms and carried her up to the room.

         He laid her down on the bed and tucked her in, all the time stroking her hair as she cried out what was left of her broken heart. 

         “Why Lucky?  Why did he do this to me?  Was there something about me that said come and use me until Robin returns?”

         “No.  No there was nothing at all.  Jason just saw an opportunity to be with a young beautiful, healthy woman and took it.  That’s all. He saw the option of a semi-normal life.  One he could never have with Robin.  I bet you five years from now he’ll regret his decision,” Lucky kissed the top of her head.  “I think it best that you get some sleep.”

         Elizabeth nodded and closed her eyes.  But as soon as Lucky got up and started to leave the room, her eyes popped open again.

         “Lucky…thank you.  I hope to God that someday I’ll be able to make it up to you,” Elizabeth sniffed.

         “You already are sweetie.  Just by being here and working on our relationship you’re making everything better,” Lucky smiled, before switching off the light and going downstairs to help Nikolas and Gia clean everything up.

 

         Two hours later, Lucky reached Audrey’s floor.  He was determined to make things right between Elizabeth and Audrey.  Elizabeth needed all the family and friends she could get right now.  He found the nurse behind her desk deep in conversation with his Aunt Bobbie.

         “Lucky!” Bobbie waved to her favorite and only nephew.  “What are you doing here?  You don’t have a session with Kevin today do you?”

         “No.  I’m here to talk to Audrey,” Lucky smiled. 

         “Me?  Why whatever do you want to talk to me for?” Audrey asked, surprised.  Her and Lucky were always on good terms, but since Elizabeth’s departure they both have become distant.

          “I need to talk to you.  About Elizabeth,” Lucky arnestly replied.

         “Oh Lucky, you needn’t bother…”

         “Mrs. Hardy….Elizabeth needs you..  She really does.  Believe it or not, she’s really having a hard time dealing with what Jason did to her.”

         “Lucky…”

         “She had trusted Jason and he ripped her heart out.  She needs her  grandmother.  She needs you.”

         “Lucky…did Elizabeth tell you this herself?”

         Lucky swallowed. He never believed in lying, but this situation unfortunately called for it.  Swallow  once more he nodded.  “Yes.  She asked me to come to you and ask you to come.  Please Audrey…not even I can help her this time.”

         Audrey sighed. She was really hurt to be the last to know of Elizabeth’s return.  But she did miss her terribly and she knew now.  There really was no reason for Audrey to stay away. “Tell Elizabeth that I’ll be at Kelly’s after my shift ends, which should be in a couple of hours.”

         Lucky grinned that famous Spencer grin of his   “Thank you Audrey.  This means so much to Elizabeth,” He waved heading for the elevator.  Audrey frowned.  She had a feeling that this was a set up to get her to talk to Elizabeth.  And if it was…well it was a good one.  Smiling, Audrey went   back to sorting her paperwork, looking forward to reconciling with her granddaughter..

        

~*~

 

         Lucky held Elizabeth’s hand as they came down into the diner.  Elizabeth swallowed nervously, thinking about all the damage she had caused earlier.  However was she going to pay for it?

         “Lucky…what is Bobbie going to say when she finds out?”

         “Don’t worry about it.  I have it covered.  Just sit and have a nice conversation with Audrey.”

         “I still don’t understand how you got her to agree to seeing me.  What exactly did you say to her?”

         “Well…,” Lucky turned his gaze away, not sure how Liz will react to what he had told Audrey.  Eliaabeth of course was suspicious.  If she knew the Spencer men like she thought she did, the guilty gleam in Lucky’s eyes meant he had done a lot of persuasive speaking. 

         “Lucky.  What did you tell my grandmother to get her here?”

         Lucky bit his lip, knowing that there was no way out of the hole he had dug himself into.  “Well…I kind of told her that you asked me to go talk to her…to ask her to come.  That you needed her.  I know I overstepped my boundaries, but I was so worried about you and I thought…”

         Elizabeth smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, cutting off his sentence with a soft kiss.  Pulling away she gazed into his worried eyes.  “Thank you.  For once again knowing what I needed and for making it happen.  You just keep on reminding me of why I love you so much.”

         Lucky opened his mouth to speak when Audrey arrived.

         “Am I interrupting anything?” Audrey asked, unsure of the situation.

         “Uh, no.  I was just leaving,” Lucky headed for the door.  “I promised Nikolas that I’d help him move the couch.  I’ll call later Elizabeth,” Lucky waved before darting out the door, leaving Elizabeth and Audrey  in an uncomfortable silence. 

         Audrey’s the first to speak.  “I heard about Jason’s engagement to the Scorpio girl.”

         Elizabeth sighed, staring at the ground.  “You were right Gram.  I was being a fool.  Jason didn’t care about me.  He was only looking for a replacement for Robin.  I can’t see how you or Lucky can even look at me with a straight face after how I treated you both.”

         Audrey looked at Elizabeth sadly and wrapped her arms around the girl, pulling her into a comforting hug.  “Because we love you dear.  We love you too much to laugh at you and we forgive you for your behavior with Jason.  We know what a hard time it was for you.  We’re just glad that you’re home where you belong now and that Morgan boy is out of your life.”

         Elizabeth cried even harder, burying her face in her grandmother’s shoulder like she used to do when she was a child.  At last, now that she had both her Grams and Lucky’s forgiveness and love, Elizabeth Webber finally felt like she’s come home.

 

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