CHAPTER
EIGHT
Elizabeth and Nikolas was at her
studio. Nikolas was posing for a portrait he had promised Stefan a long time
ago. They both thought doing so now would take their minds off of Lucky, but as
it turns out…nothing can take their minds off of Lucky.
"Don’t worry Liz. He’ll be
here soon," Nikolas smiled.
"I know. I’m just so
nervous. It’s been a year since we’ve seen each other last Nikolas. What if
he’s changed…what if we’ve changed so much that we don’t fit together
anymore," Elizabeth sighed.
"That will never happen Liz
and you know it. You two will always fit together."
Elizabeth smiled slightly and
continues with the drawing. She’s so deep in thought she doesn’t hear Lily come
in.
"So what’s going on here?"
Lily asked, looking around at the paintings.
"I’m posing for a portrait
we promised my father a long time ago," Nikolas explained. "Come to
apolagize?"
"Not really. I came to talk
to Liz. Alone," Lily glared down at the girl. "If it’s not too much
trouble."
"What ever you have to say
to me you can say in front of your boyfriend," Elizabeth stands up to face
Lily, her painting for the time being forgotten.
"Okay. Fine then. I’m sick
of you always hanging on Nikolas’s arms. For the past three days everytime I
turn around he’s with you and I’m sick of it!"
"Lily…" Nikolas began,
but is cut off by his jealous girlfriend. "Get this through that dense
head of yours Elizabeth! Nikolas is my boyfriend! Not yours! Stick to the guys
who aren’t breathing!"
Anger flares through Elizabeth at
these last words and before she could stop herself, she sends Lily a lefthook,
sending the girl sprawling into a portrait of Lucky.
"How dare you!" Lily
screams at her.
"If you don’t mind get off
Lucky’s picture," Elizabeth folds her arms, glaring at Lily. "Right
now."
"I guess it is a good thing
Lucky’s dead," Lily picks herself up. "It’d be a shame for him to
find out how his girlfriend is shamelessly throwing herself at other girl’s
boyfriends."
"That is enough!"
Nikolas roughly grabs Lily’s arm. "How dare you come in here and not only
disrespect me and Liz, but disrespect my brother as well!"
"Nikolas, you’re hurting
me!"Lily cried. As Nikolas pulls her outside, while Elizabeth stares down
at the torn picture of Lucky, sure that it was a bad omen.
"Come on!" Nikolas
drags her outside, leaving Elizabeth alone.
She kneels down and touchs the
torn portrait., sure beyond belief that something had gone wrong. That now
Lucky was gone from her forever. Tears well up and fall from her eyes.
"Lucky," She weeps, covering her face with her hands.
Lucky stands in the doorway of
the studio, taking in the scene, his father behind him. "You really think
she’s here?"
"Only place I can think of
since she’s nowhere else," Luke shruggs. "Plus the door’s unlocked.
Go on in. I’ll wait out here."
"Dad…are you sure? I mean,
you can come in if you want…"
"No Lucky. This is
Elizabeth’s time with you. Go on in. she’s probably just painting a landscape
or something."
"Thanks dad," Lucky
hugs his father for the thousandth time. "For everything."
"No problem Cowboy. Anything for you. Now go. She’s waiting."
Lucky just smiled at his father,
then silently enters the studio. His eyes widen when he sees all the lovely
paintings and portriats that Elizabeth had hanging up. Some were of Lulu and
Laura. A couple of his Aunt Bobby and Lucus. Some of Nikolas, a quite a lot of
himself. In fact one wall seemed to be dedicated to him. He always knew
Elizabeth had talent, but this was an example of how much she’s grown in her
talent in the past year. She was magnificent. Her paintings were everywhere,
but yet, no sign of her. He’s about to give up and join his father outside when
he hears a soft sobbing from behind one of the canvases. Careful not to make a
sound, he walks to the canvas and finds Elizabeth kneeled down on the ground in
front of a torn portrait of himself, sobbing uncontrollably.
Kneeling down himself, he lightly
touches her hair. "Want to talk about it?" He asked, being careful
not to startle her.
Elizabeth’s head snaps up, and
slowly…as if she’s afraid to look, she finds herself staring into a pair of the
most brilliant blue eyes she’s ever seen, full of love and concern. Only one
person had such eyes that seemed to stare straight into her soul. Lucky!
"Lucky!" Elizabeth
throws her arms around him, holding him tightly, like if she let go, he’d
disappear. "Lucky you’re back! You’re back!"
"Elizabeth," He kissed
her ear. "I’ve missed you so much."
"Not more than I have,"
Elizabeth sobbed. "Thank god you’re back. I don’t think I could’ve taken
one more day without you."
"I’m sure you would’ve
managed," Lucky laughed, pulling away from her to look into her eyes. He
wipes away a tear. "Why are you crying?"
"…Oh it was nothing…really.
I just missed you so much," Elizabeth hugs him again, tears continuing to
fall from her eyes.
"Shhh baby. It’s okay now.
I’m home," Lucky rubs her back gently, pulling her closer to him.
"Liz! I’m sorry about Lily,
I don’t know…" Nikolas leaves off as he comes upon Lucky and Elizabeth,
his eyes widen in shock. Lucky was the last person he was expecting to see.
"What’s wrong bro?"
Lucky gets to his feet, pulling Elizabeth up with him. "You look like you
see a ghost or something."
"You’re home. You’re really
home," Nikolas embraces his brother tightly, squeezing his eyes shut
against tears of joy that begin to leak from his eyes. "We’ve missed you
so much."
"I missed you too,"
Lucky smiled, his eyes shining with unshed tears of his own. Three years ago,
if someone told him he’d be happy to see his brother he’d take them out and
shoot them, but now…being this close with Nikolas seemed to be the most natural
thing in the world. "Thank you," Lucky whispered in his ear.
"For taking care of Elizabeth."
"I promised I would didn’t I?" Nikolas pulls away from the hug.
"Welcome home Lucky."
"Have you seen Laura and
Lulu?" Elizabeth asked.
"Uh no. I had dad bring me
here first. I wanted your face to be the first face I saw back in port
Chuckles," Lucky smiled, kissing her forehead.
"Well let’s go! Laura and
Lulu are at the house now probably making cookies," Nikolas nods towards
the door, grabbing Lucky’s arm. Lucky just looks at Elizabeth as if he was
asking her permission.
"Let’s go," Elizabeth
grins, grabbing her sweater, forgetting about the torn portrait.