18
The next day, the Spencer and Cassadine families were in a uproar. Nikolas had disappeared and Lucky had vanished right along with them. The only person who could answer what had happened to the two boys was now at Kelly’s wiping down the counter, trying to forget that the love of her life was now out of her life for the time being. Laura, Luke, and Stefan were in the hospital lobby, arguing who was at fault for the disappearance.
"If anything happens to my son Vlad, I will drive a stake through the dark Prince’s heart!" Luke growled, knowing that Lucky had left with Nikolas.
"If anything should happen to Nikolas I will have your head!" Stefan glared at his nemesis.
"Both of you stop it! Both of my sons are missing and I don’t know where they could have gone or why!" Laura got in between both men. I want them found and brought home!"
"Does Miss. Webber know anything?" Stefan asked. "Lucky must have told her something before he left."
"I didn’t think to ask Liz. Where is she anyway?" Luke stroked his chin.
"She’s working a double shift today," Laura’s hands flew to her mouth, her eyes widened in terror. "What if Helena has them? Oh God what if she’s hurting them again!"
"Shhh Lasha. If Helena indeed had the boys she would have contacted us by now. She could never resist gloating," Stefan shook his head. "No. Nikolas and Lucky took off on their own accord and I think Miss. Webber knows where they went. Excuse me, I’m heading to Kelly’s to find out.
"Not without us you don’t," Luke growled taking off after Stefan.
*
They find Elizabeth wiping down the counter, her mind obviously elsewhere. Luke noticed the empty look in her eyes, and knew instantly that Elizabeth knew that Lucky was gone. Of course, Cowboy would never leave without telling his girl good-bye.
Elizabeth’s eyes widened as she looked up to see the Spencer’s and Stefan Cassadine. She knew this was coming.
She was just hoping it wouldn’t be so soon. Why didn’t Lucky and Nikolas handle this themselves? Why did they leave her with the task of telling everyone they were leaving? Not just her. "Laura. Luke. Mr. Cassadine…"
"Hey darlin’. I see business is kind of slow today," Luke was the first one to reach the counter.
"I guess," Elizabeth shrugged, her eyes still on the counter, her voice barely audible.
"I guess it always is on a Thursday. So tell me
Cowgirl…did Cowboy say good-bye to you or did he leave you
hanging like the rest of us?"
Elizabeth’s eyes widened in surprise. She wasn’t
expecting him to come right out and ask the way he did. Her shock
soon faded and she glanced over at Laura and Stefan, her heart
breaking at the heartbreak in their eyes. "Lucky said
good-bye to me last night when he walked me home. He said that
Nikolas and he was leaving town. Going into hiding. They were
afraid that Helena would try to go after them again. Especially
after Nikolas. Lucky promised they’d be back as soon as
Helena was dead."
"My God. My Nikolas out on his own living like a commoner!" Stefan gasped. "He knows nothing of being on the run! He’s a prince for goodness sake!"
"Who happens to be on the run with my kid who’s an expert at disappearing," Luke proudly stated. "I taught Cowboy everything he knows."
"How can you be so proud when both of my sons are gone with a sociopath after them? Huh? Helena’s not stupid Luke! If she catches up with them…well Lucky is as good as dead and so is Nikolas!"
"But she won’t Angel. Lucky knows what to look for to avoid discovery. And I’ll take care of the Helena dying part. That way, they won’t have to stay on the run for long," Luke rubbed Laura’s shoulder. "They’ll be fine."
"Elizabeth…did Lucky say where they might be heading?" Stefan turned to the young waitress who was fighting her own tears.
Elizabeth shook her head. "He just promised me that he’ll be back someday and then he left. I’m sorry I can’t tell you anything else."
Laura’s heart went out to the young woman who loved her
son so much. She leaned over the counter and wrapped her arms
around Elizabeth. "If Lucky promised to come back, he will.
I know he will."
Elizabeth smiled gratefully at the encouraging words, wishing
that they would also mend her broken heart.
"Thank you," She sniffed, wiping her eyes.
"Well we can’t just stand here! We have to find them," Stefan reached for his cell phone, just for Luke to grab it away.
"Not until we find that mother of yours. When I get my hands around her throat…"
"Let’s just go back to the house and try to figure
this out," Laura sighed, before turning to Elizabeth.
"Liz honey…will you be ok here by yourself?"
"I’m fine Laura. I’ve held it together this long.
A little while longer won’t hurt," Elizabeth forced a
reassuring smile.
Laura only smiled sadly before following Luke and Stefan outside.
Elizabeth’s smiled faded in that instant. She had yet to tell the Spencer’s or Gram for that matter that she will be leaving for New York in a couple of weeks. She had decided that even though school didn’t start back up until the fall, it was best to leave Port Charles now. That way she can get used to New York and get away from all her memories of Lucky.
"Elizabeth?" Emily entered, taking a seat at the counter. "Have you heard anything from Nikolas? I’ve tried calling his room, but there’s no answer. I don’t dare go to the hospital in fear that he’ll tell me to leave."
Elizabeth gasped. She had totally forgotten about Emily. She was so wrapped up in her own grief that she forgot to call and fill her best friend in on Lucky and Nikolas’s plan.
"Liz?" Emily looked at her friend in concern. "Is everything alright?"
Elizabeth sniffed. "Oh Emily…it’s Lucky and Nikolas. They’ve ran away from home. They’re running from Helena."
"What?! Just the two of them? Alone?"
Elizabeth nodded. "How much do you know about what happened
to Lucky and Nikolas?"
Emily blushed as she recalled the updates her mother gave her on Lucky’s and then Nikolas’s conditions. She was especially devastated about what Helena did to Nikolas. It was so much worse for him, and he was refusing to let her be there for him. To reassure him that what happened did not change her feelings for him one bit. "Helena…forced herself on them while they were in captivity. Nikolas was the worse case scenario."
Elizabeth sadly nodded. "Nikolas thought it’d be a good idea for both himself and lucky to disappear so Helena couldn’t get her hands on them. They’ll be gone when Helena dies."
"My goodness," Emily gasped. "Why didn’t Nikolas tell me? Why didn’t he say good-bye?"
"He thought it’d be easier on you if he just disappeared," Elizabeth wiped away a stray tear. "it’s no picnic knowing either."
"Oh Elizabeth!" Emily reached over the counter and gave her friend a hug. "They’re gone. They’re both gone. What are we going to do?" She wiped away her tears.
"Well…," Elizabeth bit her lip. It was time for her part of the plan to take place. The plan to protect both herself and Emily. "Lucky had a plan…for both of us."
"Emily’s brown eyes widened even more and she leaned even further in her chair. "Oh my God. What is it? Do we meet them somewhere?"
"Uh…no…but it does have to do with us leaving Port Charles. Do you remember the plans Lucky and I had made about going to New York?"
Emily nodded, remembering how excited her friend was when she and Lucky had returned…when they had thought that nothing could happen to spoil their happiness. It just reminded Emily of how sad all of this was. "Yes. I remember. Why?"
"Because it’s a major part of the plan. I’m still going to New York, in fact, I’m leaving in two weeks. But instead of Lucky coming with me…you’re coming instead."
Emily’s excited squeal rang throughout the diner. "Oh my god! Me in New York? Oh, but Liz are you sure? I mean…this was supposed to be you and Lucky."
"Emily….if it really was a choice, Lucky would be here right now and we’d be making these plans together. But it’s not a choice. You and I both are in danger and it’s best we stick together in a city where we can disappear in. So go home, beg your parents to let you come to New York and be ready in two weeks."
Emily nodded and turned to leave, but another question struck her. She looked back at her best friend, a single tear in her eyes. "Do you think we’ll ever see them again?"
Elizabeth’s smile was sad and uncertain. Her eyes spoke of a reluctance to even hope, in fear of a bitter disappointment. "Lucky promised. He promised that as soon as Helena was dead…they’d come back to us. And you know Lucky and his promises. "
"If he makes one, he’s sure to keep it," Emily nodded. "We’ll see them again Liz."
Elizabeth nodded, wishing that she could be as optimistic as Emily, but somehow she just couldn’t manage it. "Call me tonight."
"Ok," Emily waved, exiting the diner, leaving Elizabeth alone to her misery.