CHAPTER TEN

Lucky, Elizabeth, and Nikolas returns to the cottage to find Lily setting on the front porch, her arms crossed, determination in her eyes.

"Lily what are you doing here?" Nikolas asked, his voice revealed no emotion.

"We need to talk. About her," Lily nods to Elizabeth, not noticing Lucky standing beside her.

"Not now. I have too much to do. We’ll talk tomorrow," Nikolas sighed irritably.

"Then I’ll just stay out here then because I’m not leaving until I have my say."

Lucky places a hand on his brother’s shoulder. "We’ll go ahead. Go ahead and talk."

"But Lucky…" Nikolas begins to protest.

"Go. We’ll be fine. I’m sure Elizabeth can show me where the room is."

Nikolas sighed and nods. "Fine. I’ll see you in there."

Lucky just smiled and led Elizabeth past Lily and into the house.

"Was that?" Lily’s face is pale. She had thought Nikolas’s brother was dead.

"Yes it was and it’s a long story that I don’t want to go in with you," Nikolas coldly replies. "In fact, I don’t want to go into anything with you anymore Lily. We’re through."

"What?" Lily stares at him in disbelief. "You can’t dump me."
"Yes I can and I just did. It’s over. Your treatment of Elizabeth tonight was deplorable and so has been your treatment of me. I thought we had a good thing going but I was wrong."

"We do have a good thing going Nikolas! We share so much!"

"We don’t share trust. You don’t trust me enough to have lady friends and that to me is unacceptable."

"I trust you."

"Oh really? Then what’s was up at the studio tonight? And the past couple of days that Liz has been staying here. You’ve been acting like a jealous little brat."

"It’s just that I’m aware of your feelings for her Nikolas…"

"Feelings that I have never and will never act upon. Even if Lucky was really dead I would never act upon them! She’s my brother’s girlfriend! Now I’ll count to ten and I want you off my property! If you’re not gone, then I’ll remove you myself!"

"Nikolas please," Lily was now openly crying`. She didn’t want to lose Nikolas, he was all she had. The only man she ever loved.

"One…Two…"

"Please…"

"Three."

"Just listen…"

"Four…Five…Six…Seven…"

Lily just stands there and stares at Nikolas with disbelief, hoping that he’d change his mind.

"Eight…I’m counting!… Nine!"
"Okay! Fine! I’ll go, but this isn’t over Nikolas! I’ll get you back! I know I will!" Lily runs off the porch and into the night.

"Nikolas?" Lucky sticks his head out the door. "Everything ok out here?"

"Everything’s great. I just broke up with another girlfriend, but other than that, everything’s fine," Nikolas sighed, turning to his brother. "But that’s not for you to worry about. Did Liz show you the room?"
"Oh it’s great. I like it," Lucky nods.

"Liz thought you would. She picked everything out you know. You’re a Lucky guy Lucky. Liz loves you more than anything."

"I love her too. And Nikolas…it’s okay. I know how you feel about her and how hard her staying here has been on you and I’d like to apologize for that," Lucky steps outside.

"Lucky…it was nothing ok. Liz is a friend and your girlfriend. Making her safe for you was my pleasure and I’m glad that she can have you back."

"But you love her…"

"And want her to be happy and you’re what makes her happy," Nikolas grins. "That’s all I want."
"Has anyone ever told you that you’re too noble?" Lucky smiled.

"All the time," Nikolas laughed. "Now let’s get in. I have a feeling that Liz is waiting for you."

Elizabeth lays awake in her bed, staring up at the ceiling, her mind on Lucky, how he was in the room next to hers instead of thousands of miles away or dead. They hadn’t really gotten much time to be alone with other yet and she couldn’t help wondering how much he had changed. So far he seemed like the old Lucky, the one she had said good night to the night of the fire, but she knew that couldn’t be so. Lucky had lost a year of his life and it must have had some affect on him.

Sighing, she got out of bed and went downstairs to the kitchen where Nikolas sat at the table reading a book and drinking a warm glass of milk.

"Couldn’t sleep either?" He looks up at her.

Elizabeth shakes her head. "I thought I would, with Lucky being back and right next door…but I’m worried I guess. How has this all changed him?"

"He seems fine to me," Nikolas motions for Liz to set next to him.

"Does he really?" Elizabeth looks at Nikolas skeptically. "I mean, nothing seems off to you or anything?"

"Elizabeth…what is it? What’s bothering you about Lucky? I thought you were happy?"

"I am. I’m thrilled having him back…it’s just that I’m worried about him. You know how Lucky is…he hold things in until they get too big for him to handle. Nikolas…this experience must have had a affect on him and if he keeps everything to himself…someday it’ll explode, and it won’t be pretty. Get what I’m saying?"

Nikolas nods. "Yeah. I do understand…Liz…do you want me to talk to him? See if I can get him to open up?"

Liz looks at her hands and nods, not looking at Nikolas. She needed for Lucky to get this out…so he can put it all behind him.

"Ok fine. Tomorrow I’ll take Lucky riding down at Wyndemere. I’ll get him to talk to me there."

"That’ll be great," Elizabeth smiled. "I’ll leave for Emily’s early. I promised to go shopping with her tomorrow morning."

"Perfect," Nikolas yawns and gets up. "Well I better turn in if I’m going to take Lucky horseback riding tomorrow. See you in the morning Liz."

"Good night Nikolas and thank you. For everything. Oh and I’m sorry about Lily. Lucky told me you broke up with her."

"No big deal. It’s not like it is with you and Lucky. We were no where near that intense."

"Yeah, but all the same. I’m sorry."

"Thanks," Nikolas forces a smile, watching her dash up the stairs. Turning out the lights, and taking one more look around, he goes up to his own room and fall into a peaceful sleep.

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