CHAPTER FIVE

It’s two days after the funerals. Liz and Gia both stand on the porch of the cottage waiting for Lucky and Nikolas to come out. They had plans to meet Emily and Zander at Luke’s so the couple can be on their way. They hated saying good-bye, especially so soon after their own loss, but Emily and Zander gone from Port Charles was better than Emily and Zander dead.

"What is taking them so long? And people say it’s women that take forever," Gia grumbled.

"It is," Nikolas opened the door, stepping out. He’s followed by Lucky.

"Can we go now?" Elizabeth asked, leaning into Lucky’s warm and comforting embrace. She couldn’t lift herself out of the depression that had overcome her since her grandmother’s death. This worried both Lucky and Nikolas greatly. But Gia insisted that all Elizabeth needed was time and space, and understanding and she’d be fine.

"Come on," Lucky led her down the stairs.

They’re outside of Luke’s club when Helena made her move. Gia and Elizabeth were just crossing the street to get to the club when the squeal of tires caught their attention. They look up to see a black van with tainted windows come rushing towards them. Instinct grabbed Gia and she dived out of the way of the moving vehicle, but Elizabeth found herself frozen in fear. She couldn’t move her legs worth anything. The van was almost upon her when two hands grabbed her from behind and pulled her backwards out of the way.

"Zander thank God!" Emily rushed up to Elizabeth and her boyfriend who had pulled Liz out of the way of the moving van.

"Elizabeth!" Lucky rushed to his girlfriend and pulled her into his arms. "Are you alright?"

"I-it wasn’t going to stop. I-t was going to hit us," Elizabeth found her voice. "Then I couldn’t move. My legs wouldn’t move."

"It’s okay now. You’re safe thanks to Zander," Lucky sighed as he looked up at his best friend’s boyfriend. In the past they haven’t always gottten along and they had called a uneasy truce, but now he saw the man in a completely different light. "I owe you one man. Thank you."

"You don’t owe me anything. You’re doing enough by taking me to your father for help," Zander smiled.

"Helena was behind this," Nikolas approached the group with a quivering Gia. "This is right up her alley."

"Come on. Let’s go see my dad," Lucky sighed, helping Elizabeth get to her feet.

They enter the club just as the phone ranged. Claude picked it up. "Hey Lucky! It’s a telephone call for your girlfriend!"

"Should I take it?" Elizabeth looked at Lucky getting a bad feeling about all of it.

"You might as well. Maybe it’ll explain a couple of things,"Gia nodded.

"We’re right behind you," Lucky squeezed her shoulder.

"Hello?" Elizabeth accepted the recievor.

"Tell Miss. Campbell that next time you two won’t get away," A very familiar voice spoke harshly than hanged up. Elizabeth dropped the recievor. It’s Luke who caught it.

"What’s going on here?" Luke asked, noticing how Elizabeth’s face went pale.

"Elizabeth? Who was that?" Lucky asked. "What did they say?"

"Tell Miss. Campbell that next time we won’t get away," Elizabeth looked at Gia. "It was Helena."

"What can the hellcat have against you two?" Luke asked.

"She doesn’t like my color for one," Gia snorted.

"And I guess I’m in the way of whatever she has planned for Lucky."

"Well…I guess there’s no choice but to break up then," Lucky sighed.

"That is not an option," Gia glared at Lucky and back up at Nikolas.

"Well then what do you suggest?" Nikolas asked.

"Come with us," Zander piped up.

"What?" Everyone in the room turned to him.

"Come with Em and me. For one Lucky, with your experience, you can tell us what watch out for. A second thing, Em won’t have to be separated from her friends, and third, you won’t have to break up. Helena can’t hurt you if she can’t find you."

"We can always return when I turn twenty-five and come into power of the Cassadine fortune. Then I can take care of Helena personally," Nikolas nodded. "I like that idea."

"Whoa there. What is everyone talking about?" Luke holds up a hand. "You’re losing me here."

"Well dad…we originally came here so you can help Emily and Zander. They need to leave Port Charles and go into hiding. But it looks like all of us need your services as well," Lucky sighed. He hated going back on the run again. Port Charles has been his home for so long, but if leaving kept Elizabeth safe, he’ll do it. "What do you girls think?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "I have nothing keeping me here now. As long as I’m with you, I’m fine."

"Gia?" Nikolas asked.

"My mother Nikolas…she’s all alone."

"She’ll be even more alone if that Helena woman ends up killing you. Don’t you think it’s best to be somewhere out there alive and well instead of in Port Charles dead?" Zander asked.

Gia looked around the room. Trying her best to come up with a better solution, but failing. She sighed in defeat. "Ok fine you two. You win. I’m in. So when do we leave?"

"As soon as we get some fake id’s. Dad?"

"I’m in Cowboy. I’ll make those id’s…plus I promise you, I’ll take care of Helena. She won’t be threat for much longer," Luke nodded. "Come on into my office. I’ll get everything ready."

"So when do we leave?" Zander asked, rubbing his hands nervously.

"As soon as possible," Lucky sighed. "I guess I better go see mom and Lulu. It’ll be a while before I’ll see them again."

"I’m coming with," Nikolas nodded. "Then I’ll take Gia to see her mom."

"Are you sure this is the only way?" Gia asked.

"Well, there’s always the option of breaking up," Nikolas looked at her.

Gia sighed. "Like I said, that’s not an option."

"Well then there is no other way. I don’t want to risk the chance of you or Liz getting hurt. It’s bad enough you almost got ran over."

"I’ll stay here with Mr. Spencer if you don’t mind," Elizabeth swallowed. She didn’t want to go back out there where it wasn’t safe. She rather stay in the safety of the club. "I’ll just wait for you guys to get back."

"Elizabeth?" Lucky stared at her in concern. He knew the phone call scared her, but not how much.

"It’s ok Cowboy. I’ll take care of her," Luke squeezed her shoulder. "You just go say good bye to your mom and baby sister and I’ll get started on those Id’s and keeping Cowgirl company."

Lucky nodded. "Ok dad. I’m trusting you to take care of Elizabeth and keeping her safe until I get back. I’ll be back soon."

Luke just smiled and shooed the teens out the door. "Well get going! The sooner you’re on the road the better."

*

Laura and Lulu were on the porch. Laura was in the midst of reading Lulu a story when Nikolas, Lucky, and Gia approached.

"Mom?" Lucky cleared his throat. Laura’s eyes immediately lit up when she looked up at her sons.

"Lucky! Nikolas! What a surprise! What are you doing here this early in the morning?" Laura got to her feet and embraced her sons.

"Well…Laura…we’re actually here to say good bye to you and Lulu. You see…Helena’s been threatening Liz and Gia and today she almost ran them over." Nikolas began to explain.

"What?! Oh my God! Are they ok?" Laura notices Gia and nervously shook her head. "Of course they must be. Gia’s standing right here. But why would Helena want to hurt the girls?"

"Well…we’re guessing that Liz is in the way when it comes to her plans for revenge against the Spencer’s and as for Gia…"

"It’s my color," Gia blurted out.

"Or control of the Cassadine fortune," Laura thoughtfully replied.

"What?" Both Gia and Nikolas asked.

"Nikolas, hasn’t Stefan told you about the loophole in your trust?"

"No. What loophole?" Nikolas arched a brow.

"If you have a heir before the age of twenty-five, you automatically come into power of the Cassadine empire. Everything will be yours. From my guess, Helena is afraid that Gia here will give you a heir before the designed age, meaning she loses all her power."

"That explains a lot," Lucky nodded. "I mean not liking someone’s color is not enough to push Helena to murder. But fear of losing control…that’s another story all together."

"So it’s not my color?" Gia asked.

"Nowhere close dear. Helena may not like your being a different nationality, but that wouldn’t push her to murder," Laura sighed. "So what are you going to do?"

"We’re leaving Port Charles mom," Lucky looked away from his mother.

"What?! But…Lucky…you haven’t been back all that long…"

"We have no choice. We have to keep the girls safe somehow and since they won’t let us break up with them…disappearing is the only way," Nikolas take’s Laura’s hand. "Mother…I promise you…as soon as I turn twenty-five…or have a heir I’ll return and take care of Helena."

"But Nikolas, that can be…"

"Five years if not sooner. It’s not that long of time," Nikolas laughed. "And I promise, I’ll take care of Lucky. I won’t let anything else happen to him. You have my word."

"I know. I know," Laura hugs her oldest son. "It’s just that…we’ve just gotten our relationship on the right track. It’s like I’m losing the both of you all over again."

"You’re not. You’ll never lose us. And somehow…we’ll keep in touch," Nikolas promised, releasing his mother from the hug.

"You take good care of Elizabeth. Do you hear me," Laura embraced Lucky, trying not to burst into tears, wanting to be strong for both her sons.

"Don’t worry mom. I’ll guard her with my life," Lucky blinked back his own tears.

"I love that girl as if she’s my own. And you," Laura turned to Gia. "Take good care of Nikolas and if you two do have a child…send me pictures if you can?"
"I promise," Gia nodded.

"Nikki and Lucky leaving?" Lulu asked, staring up at her brothers with big blue eyes.

"Yes we are Lulu. But we’ll be back and we’ll bring you lots and lots of gifts. I promise," Nikolas hugs his little sister tightly. He was going to miss her the most.

"Lucky going back to heaven?" Lulu turned to Lucky.

"No Lulu. I’m not going back to heaven this time. I’m going with Nikolas and like he said, we’ll bring you back lots of gifts when we do return," Lucky embraced her again, hating that he’ll be missing out on more of her life, but there really wasn’t anything he could do. "But you know what you can do? Draw me and Nikki here some pictures of what’s going on here and maybe daddy can get them to us somehow."

Lulu only nods, and hugs her brother one last time.

"Mother…Stefan and Alexis…" Nikolas gasped.

"I’ll explain it to them," Laura tenderly kissed his cheek. "Take care."
"Good bye mother…I love you," Nikolas pulled away from her and leads the others down the porch. A single tear leaks from Laura’s eyes as she watched her sons disappear into the horizon.

*

Gia stood outside the door of her mother’s apartment. Nikolas and Lucky are waiting outside, thinking it was best for her to do this alone.

Gia raised her hand to knock on the door, but another, much easier idea pops in her mind. Rummaging through her purse, she finds a pen and a note pad and began writing.

Dear Momma,

When you get this I will be gone. I just can’t deal with Marcus’s death here in PC. There are just too many memories. I just don’t have the strength to stay here and call me a coward…especially after you picked up your life to move here…but I can’t find the strength to tell you good-bye in person.

Don’t worry about me being alone. Nikolas will be joining me. With the things going on with his Uncle and brother…he feels the need to disappear as well. So we’ll be traveling together. This should make you feel a little better since Nikolas will look after me with his life. You know how honorable and noble he is, kind of like a knight of the round table. Don’t try to find me. Because I will not be able to be found. I promise someday, when I find the strength to deal with the memories and the grief, I’ll return. I love you momma and I thank you for all you’ve ever done for me. Take care of yourself momma and remember you’re in my thoughts each and everyday.

Love Gia.

Slipping the note underneath the door, Gia went down to join the boys.

"Well how did it go?" Nikolas asked, noticing Gia’s tears.

"It didn’t. I left a goodbye letter under the door. We better go. I have a feeling she’s in the midst of reading it right now and will be down here any minute," Gia starts for the street.

"Chicken," Nikolas chided.

"I know."

*

"How did you mother take it?" Luke asked when the boys return.

"As well as can be expected," Nikolas sighed. "Is everything ready?"

"Not quite yet Prince. I still have some finishing touches to make," Luke snorted. "Lucky, you did explain the ins and outs of being on the run to them didn’t you?"

"Of course," Lucky goes over to Liz who was just sitting on the sofa, lost in thought. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah," Elizabeth nodded. "I’ll be fine."

"Ok! Here we are," Luke holds up a handful of ID’s. "I’m also giving this kit to Lucky just incase you need to make more. I have a more advanced version in my safe."

"So where do we start?" Gia asked.

"I can buy us some bus tickets to…somewhere," Nikolas offered.

"Not a good idea Nikki. Hells can track any purchases you make from your credit cards. It’s best if you cut those up and burn them now. I’ll give Lucky the emergency card we used. There’s still a good five thousand available on it," Luke hands Lucky a Visa card.

"Dad you don’t have to do this," Lucky stammered in surprise. He wasn’t expecting this much help from Luke.

"Anything to keep my son and his friends safe," Luke nodded. "Look after the Cowgirl. She’s going to need it."

"Don’t worry. I will."

"I guess we better head to the bus station," Zander placed a arm around Emily.

"How about taking my car?" Luke offered. "It’s not fancy, but it’ll get you places, and Helena won’t be looking for that. She may have men stationed at the bus station and so would that Sorel character."

"Good idea," Nikolas nodded, accepting the car keys. "Luke…I know we haven’t really gotten along, but…"

"Just keep my son safe. That’s all the thanks I need," Luke nods.

Nikolas solemnly nods.

Luke turned to face Lucky, fighting back his own tears. He was saying good-bye to his son again.

"This isn’t good-bye for good dad. We’ll be back. Just as soon as Nikolas gets his inheritance and is able to deal with Helena one on one, we’ll return," Lucky hugged his father tightly, regretting all the time he had been angry with him.

"Take good care of yourself cowboy. If you need anything, here’s the number to my cellphone," Luke handed Lucky a sheet of paper.

"I’ll be in touch," Lucky nodded. "Ready?" He takes Elizabeth’s hand and she gets to her feet.

"I guess. Thank you for everything Luke," Elizabeth hugged the older Spencer.

"Just take good care of yourself darling. And feel free to put the cowboy in his place when need be."

Elizabeth couldn’t resist a giggle. "I’ll remember that."

"Now get out of here you six. The sooner you’re out of PC the better," Luke waved as the teens exit the club and head for the back where the car was parked. Tears feel his eyes as he watched the car head for the highway, taking his son to God knew where. "Good bye Cowboy." He whispered, then returned to his desk to drown himself in a bottle of vodka.

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