14
It’s been two full days since Lucky’s return. Elizabeth sat by
Lucky’s bed, tightly holding his hand, praying that no more nightmares haunt
his dreams this time. He’s been haunted by nightmares since the very night of
his return, always waking up and calling for Nikolas.
She sighed as she pushed a few stray strands of hair away from his
face. "He’ll be ok."
"Liz?" a familiar voice stood in the doorway. Elizabeth
turned around to see Emily. She got up and hugged her best friend. "I’m so
happy you’re here."
"I’m sorry it took me so long. How is he?"
Elizabeth sadly shook her head. "He has nightmares and he
wakes up screaming for Nikolas. Oh god Em, I hope Nikolas comes home soon and
in one piece. If he doesn’t I’m afraid it’ll destroy Lucky."
"He’ll be ok Liz. And so will Nikolas. They’re both fighters.
Helena can’t take Nikolas down without a fight."
"Did you hear what she did to Lucky?"
"Mom told me. I’m sorry. This must be tearing you apart too," Emily
placed a warm hand on Liz’s shoulder.
"I’m determined to get him through this though. He was my
crutch when it happened to me, now I’m going to be his."
Slowly Lucky woke up his eyes falling on Emily. "Emily
hi."
"Lucky you’re awake," Elizabeth started.
"Hey Lucky," Emily went to hug her friend. "How are
you?"
"I’m the worse for wear I guess. Have you heard anymore about
Nikolas?"
Emily shook her head. "Nothing. I miss him you know."
Lucky nodded. "I do too. I’m sorry Em. It should be Nikolas
right here right now. Not me."
"Lucky don’t say that," Elizabeth took his hand.
"Nikolas wanted it this way and you know it. He’ll be back. Stefan will
rescue him. It’s just going to take a little while longer."
"Liz is right Lucky. Nikolas wanted you here safe from
Helena. And so do I. When Nikolas comes back, we’re going to have a big party
for him to welcome you both home."
Lucky didn’t answer, he just stared straight ahead, his mind still
stuck in the past.
"Well I guess I better get to father’s office. He said he
wanted to see me," Emily sighed. "Will you be ok?"
"I’m fine. We’ll see you later," Elizabeth waved as
Emily dashed out the door. "Well it was nice seeing Emily again wasn’t
it?"
Lucky only nodded, not looking at her. "It was great."
"Did I tell you about the studio I brought last month? Did it
with my savings from Kelly’s. It’s also an apartment. I’ve been staying there
for the past month. I want you to come live there with me when they discharge
you Lucky. Please?"
Lucky looked at her, his face revealing his shock. "It’ll be just the two
of us."
"I know. But it’ll be just like old times, or the boxcar.
Remember when you used to climb through my window at night and stayed with me.
Gaurding me from nightmares?"
Lucky nodded, a small smile on his face for the first time he came
home. "Yeah. Everything was so different back then. We were so
happy."
"We still are. We’re more rough around the edges, but so
what? We’re still us. Lucky and Elizabeth. "The cutest couple of the class
of 1999. Don’t you think?"
Lucky had to laugh. He didn’t want to but the look on Elizabeth’s face called
for it. "I thought the cutest would be Matt and Nicole."
"You mean the couple from Kelly’s that wanted us to spend the weekend with
them and Matt mentioned sharing a room?"
Lucky nodded.
"Ugh Lucky they made me want to throw up. They were so
sickeningly…sweet…and happy…and annoying."
"They weren’t that bad. In fact they were one of the first to
pick up on our attraction to each other."
"Not that bad? Lucky as I recall you wanted to pound the
guy’s face in for implying that we were together."
"What can I say except I was defending your honor,"
Lucky sighed.
Elizabeth smiled as she realized that for once their conversation
didn’t center around Nikolas or Helena. It was just like it was before the
fire, where their only concern was applying for financial aid so Elizabeth
could go to the New York Art Academy. Which reminded her…
"Oh Lucky I almost forgot. Guess what. I received a letter
from the art academy. I haven’t opened it yet. I wanted us to do this
together."
Lucky nodded. "Ok. Open it. Let’s see what it says."
Elizabeth nodded as she picked up the envelope off the nightstand. Taking a
deep breath she opened the envelope and read the letter enclosed. She looked up
at Lucky who was looking at her expectantly, her eyes lit up excitedly. "I
got in! Lucky I got in!" Without thinking she threw her arms around him
and was surprised to find him tensing up. Suddenly she remembered what Lucky
had been through and she immediately withdrew. "I-I’m sorry. I forgot. I
didn’t mean…"
"It’s ok Elizabeth. Really. I’m the one that’s sorry."
"No Lucky you didn’t do anything wrong. I of all people
should have known not to throw myself at you like that knowing what you’ve just
been through…"
The room fell silent as the monster weared it’s head again. Lucky
just sat staring at his hand and Elizabeth stared out the window, at a loss of
what to say. Finally it’s Lucky who breaks the silence.
"It’s great that you’ve gotten in Elizabeth. Now your dreams
can come true. When are you leaving?"
Elizabeth looked at Lucky confused. She didn’t like how this
conversation sounded. "Don’t you mean when we’re going? "Lucky New
York was both of our dreams. Not just mine."
"Dreams…Elizabeth…all my dreams have been destroyed, ok. I
don’t look forward to anything anymore. The best thing you can do is move on
with your dream and forget about Port Charles. This place has been nothing but
sadness and nightmares for you."
"It’s also brought a lot of happiness too Lucky. It brought
me you and that’s one thing I’m grateful for if nothing else. New York means
nothing to me if you’re not there to share it. Lucky please…say you’re coming
with me. Because if you’re not going, I’m not going either."
Lucky sighed. "Elizabeth, don’t do this."
"What?"
"Base your life on what I’m going to do. I’m all messed up
and I don’t want to mess yours up too."
"Lucky you’re forgetting that my life’s already messed up.
The only reason I’m not worse off is because of you."
"Elizabeth…I can’t go. Not right now…maybe not ever."
"Well then fine. I’m staying here with you then."
"No. New York is your dream and I want you to follow
it," Lucky sighed. "Even if it’s without me. Do you understand what
I’m saying?"
Elizabeth frowned. "Yes. But I don’t like it and I won’t
accept it. Lucky, you’ve been through hell and back and so have I. You refused
to let me give up on my dreams and now I’m doing the same for you. If New York
is in our future, we do it together. If not, we’ll find another dream and
follow it. I am not going to let Helena destroy us."
Lucky sadly looked at Elizabeth, remembering how stubborn she was.
She just couldn’t see what a mistake she was making by sticking by him. She was
sinking deeper into the Spencer/Cassadine mess and there was nothing he could
do to stop it since she refused to leave him. "I just want you safe."
"I am. And so are you and soon, Nikolas will be too. Stefan’s
gone to bring him home now."
"Oh God, what has she done to him? She must have been furious
when she found that he helped me escape. Helena could have eaten him for dinner
by now," Lucky’s eyes teared up for just a second.
"He’ll be fine Lucky. He’ll be fine," Elizabeth wrapped
her arms around him. "Don’t worry."
*
Nikolas laid back on his bed, staring at the ceiling bored and
hungry. Ever since he helped Lucky escape his grandmother thought that
starvation was the proper punishment. He didn’t care. Lucky was now safe and
that was all that mattered.
"Nikolas," Helena stepped into the room. He said
nothing. He didn’t even look at her to acknowledge her presence. "This is
quite unnecessary. If you had just behaved yourself…"
"And what? Let you abuse my brother time and again?"
Nikolas angrily hissed, glaring at his grandmother. "I rather starve than
have you touch him again. I know grandmother. I know what you were doing and I
saw my brother dying, little by little. And believe me, when I get out of here,
and I will. I’m going to let all the Cassadines know of how you held the prince
captive and tried to starve him to death! Plus how you forced yourself on a young
boy! I don’t think they’re going to be very happy with you grandmother!"
"My dear prince, by time you get out of here, you will be
completely under my control. Contacting the other Cassdines will be the
farthest thing from your mind. And as far as your dear brother goes…the
Spencers care nothing for you. Not Luke, not Laura…and definitely not your
dearest brother. Doesn’t the fact that you’re here and your brother is out
there say anything?"
Nikolas glared harder at Helena. "I know that Luke hates me. I’m
not going to pretend he doesn’t. But my mother and Lucky loves me. I feel
closer to them than I ever had to anyone of you! And as for my brother, I
forced him to go without me. There was only room for two in that helicopter and
I wanted him as far away from you as possible."
Helena snorted and mysteriously smiled. "Well I guess it’s a
good thing that I’ve found his replacement much more suitable. Why have
pheasant when you can have duck?"
"What?" Nikolas began to pale, getting a jist of what
she was hinting too. He grew even paler when she waltzed over to the door and
locked it.
"It’s just me and you now Nikolas, and with Faison still in
Europe taking care of business, and Lucky gone…I need some sort of
satisfaction. I always wondered what it’d be like to be bedded by a young
nubile prince."
"B-but you’re my grandmother!" Nikolas tried to move
away from his advancing grandmother.
"That never stopped me before. You remember don’t you? When
you were nine, our fun together? Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten. Remember back
Nikolas…"
His eyes widened as the memories came back, the memories he had
repressed for all that time. He shook his head, tears willing in his eyes.
"No…Please…"
"Shhh," Helena pressed a finger to his lips. "None
of that now. It’s not proper for a prince to beg. Just lean back and let me
have my way. Do what your brother did if you must, pretend that I’m that comely
Emily. Of course Elizabeth was your brother’s choice, but you know what I
mean."
"No! No!"Nikolas tried to get away, but lack of food had
weakened him and as Helena began making her moves on him, he knew there was no
escape, so he did the only thing he could do…the only thing he did he was so
young and she did the same thing to him, he drifted away. He went to a place where
he was safe. Before he was with his mother, listening to her sing him a
lullaby, but this time he was with his brother, forgetting what was happening
to him.