8
Nikolas yawned and blinked the sun out of his eyes as he woke up
from a rather pleasant dream. Looking over to where his brother and Liz were
sleeping he noticed Liz was alone. Getting up, he rubbed the sleep out of his
eyes and went in search of his brother. He found Lucky standing on the front
porch, staring off into space…it was as if he was waiting for someone.
"Lucky?" Nikolas stepped out onto the porch. To his
displeasure there was no response. Perhaps Lucky didn’t hear him.
"Lucky!" Nikolas replied louder, closer to Lucky’s ear
this time.
"What?" Lucky blinked and looked at his brother.
"What do you want?"
"To see what you were doing. We were completely zoned out.
Are you ok?" Nikolas looked at Lucky in concern. He reached out a hand to
touch Lucky’s shoulder, but to his surprise Lucky stepped back as if he didn’t
want anyone to touch him.
"I’m fine. Tell Elizabeth I’m taking a walk."
"Alone? I don’t think that’s a good…"
But before he could finish the sentence, Lucky had stepped off the
porch and was heading out towards the docks. Nikolas didn’t like this at all.
Walking off like that, being so jumpy, zoning out…that wasn’t like Lucky at
all. What exactly did Helena do to him before he got there? Maybe Elizabeth
knew. She was there of course, she should know.
"Nikolas?" Elizabeth asked stepping out onto the porch,
rubbing her arms against the cold. "Where’s Lucky?"
"…He just left to take a walk. Elizabeth…can we talk…about
Lucky?" Nikolas looked pleadingly at his friend, knowing that she’d share
in his concern for his brother.
"Ok. What’s wrong?"
"…Something’s up with Lucky. When I came out, I just walked up to him and
he was zoned out. When I got his attention he acted like he was scared of me or
something then told me he was taking a walk. That’s not Lucky…not the Lucky I
know anyway."
"We were together for just a couple of days," Elizabeth
thoughtfully crossed her arms. "There’s no telling what Helena and Faison
did to him before hand. Do you think it’s bad?"
"I don’t know. But he shouldn’t be out there alone with both Helena and
Faison on the loose."
"I’ll go find him."
"No I’ll go. I can handle my grandmother if she should happen
to show up. You stay here with Em. Tell her I’ll be back soon," Nikolas
headed off after his brother. He turns back to address Elizabeth who was
staring worriedly after him. "Don’t worry. Everything will be alright
Elizabeth. This may just be me jumping to conclusions."
"I hope so Nikolas. I really do hope so," Elizabeth
sighed, watching her friend go after his brother. "God protect them
both."
Nikolas found Lucky on the docks, staring out towards Wyndemere.
Carefully, sure not to surprise him, Nikolas went to stand next to his brother.
"Wyndemere sure makes a magnificent sight from here.
Sometimes it’s hard to believe I ever lived there,"Nikolas replied.
"What’s on your mind little brother?"
Lucky shrugged. "Why is she so mean Nikolas? Why does she
find it necessary to mess up all of our lives just because she hates my
father?"
"Is that what this is about? Helena? Lucky…all I can tell you is that my
grandmother is a very sick woman. I mean look what she did to mom? Blackmailing
her to leave her son on that island…I thank God every day for Stefan. I don’t
want to think of how I would have turned out if she raised me."
"She told me so many things about my parents…about everyone here in Port
Charles. Well at least Faison did in his sessions. They used to last for hours
and then he’d take me to spend time with Elizabeth. She had no clue about the
sessions."
"Do you think they were trying to brainwash you?"
Lucky nodded. "And the bad thing is…I think they might have
succeeded."
"What? Lucky what would make you think that?"
Lucky sighed and closed his eyes tightly as if he was trying to will away a
memory. "Last night. You remember we all went to bed right?"
"Yeah," Nikolas nodded.
"Well…I woke up standing outside my parents house earlier
this morning. I don't know how I got there or why I was there. But I was
standing outside the house with one of the knives from your kitchen in my hand.
A knife I don’t even remember taking," unshed tears of fear shine in
Lucky’s eyes. "I don’t know what they did to me but I’m scared Nikolas.
What if I hurt someone like Lulu? Or mom? Oh my God what if I hurt Liz."
"Shhh Lucky don’t. You’d never hurt anyone…"
"I’d never approach my parents house in the wee hours of the
morning wielding a knife either Nikolas!" Lucky shouted.
"Yeah, but obviously you’re more in control. I mean you
stopped yourself. Maybe their control isn’t strong enough."
"Maybe not, but only because you got there in time. But
they’ll be back to finish what they started."
"I’ll be waiting for them Lucky. I won’t let Helena hurt you ever
again."
"There’s nothing you can do Nikolas. That’s the bad part
about it. There’s nothing anyone can do. But I’m going to stay away from
Elizabeth for a while, at least until things with Helena cool down. I can’t
risk her getting hurt again."
"Lucky no! Don’t do that! You two need each other!"
Lucky stared at his brother sadly. "You know…it’s best if I
stay away from all of you. As long as Helena’s out there…you’re all in danger.
She can’t use me against you if I’m not around. Tell everyone I’m sorry. And
that if I can…I’ll come back."
"Lucky? What are you doing?" Nikolas asked, not liking
where the conversation was going.
"I’m going away for a while Nikolas. I’m going somewhere
where no one can find me so tell my father not to try. I’ll keep in touch. I
promise. And tell Elizabeth…tell her that I’ll always love her and I understand
if she can’t wait. In fact, I hope she moves on with her life if I’m not back
in a year. I don’t want her living limbo for too long."
"Lucky no…don’t do this," Hot tears spill from Nikolas’s
eyes.
"I have to Nikolas…leaving is the only way I can protect the
people I love from Helena," tears spill from Lucky’s eyes as well as he
hugs his brother. "You’ll always be in my thought’s Nikolas. I love
you."
"I love you too Lucky that’s why I don’t want you to go. We
have a connection."
"I know and this is hard but it has to be done," Lucky
withdrew from the embrace. "Good-bye Nikolas. Hopefully we’ll see each
other again."
"Lucky no…" Nikolas helpless stood by as Lucky turned
and walked away, disappearing into the morning fog. "Aren’t you even going
to say good-bye to Elizabeth?!"
There’s no answer from the swirling fog. Lucky was gone, leaving
Nikolas with the responsibility of breaking the news to the people that Lucky
loved. Inwardly Nikolas swore that Helena would pay for her crimes against his
family and that someday he’ll make it possible for his brother to come home.