Chapter 57

Liz smoothed out the bottom of her short, burgandy dress and absently ran her
fingers through the ends of her curls. She stared into the mirror, her eyes
darting back and forth between her own reflection and his beside her. He was
so handsome, slapping aftershave on his face, but she could tell that his
heart was heavy. There was definitely a lot going on behind his stunningly
blue eyes. Reese's words played loudly in her head once again: Liz,
honey...you gotta sit the man down and talk to him.

"Lucky," she said barely above a wisper. "We need to talk."

"Ok," he said, taking her hand. He followed her out onto the couch willingly.
He wanted to tell her. He needed to tell her.

They sat down then, facing each other, their eyes locked. Both of them were
afraid to 'go first.' Liz took his hand and smiled weakly at him. "Lucky...I
need you to tell me what's wrong. I don't care what it is. Good, bad...I can
take it. Lucky I can take anything as long as we're together. We've been
through too much to let anything stand in the way of us being happy."

Lucky nodded in agreement. "I know. This is....this is just so hard."

"Just say it baby," she wispered, touching his cheek.

He placed his hand over hers, holding it against his skin. He closed his eyes
briefly before opening them once again. "This isn't something I can 'just'
say," he said softly, bringing her hand down with his, still clutching it.
"I've been wanting to tell you for days and I just couldn't...I....Elizabeth
I - "

The piercing ring of the phone cut Lucky off mid sentence. He looked up,
annoyed. "Let it ring."

"Oh, baby...I gotta get it. It could be my parents calling to say Happy
Thanksgiving or something...and it's not like they live 2 blocks away, you
know?" she added softly. "I really would like to talk to them."

Lucky nodded and released her hand.

"Hello, Spencer Residence," Liz said into the receiver. "Oh, hi
Gram...no...why?....now?....gram are you ok?...ok,
yeah.....uh-huh...ok...alright....I'll be right there."

Lucky looked up as the her last words left her mouth. "What's going on?" he
asked, concerned.

"I don't know exactly...but my Gram is like frantic over something," Liz
said, pulling on her coat. She walked over to a now standing Lucky. "I'm
sorry," she said. "I have to get over there...and chances are, she's going to
wind up keeping me there until we go over to your mom and dad's place later
this afternoon, so what do you say we just meet up over there?"

Lucky nodded again. He couldn't believe Audrey's horrible timeing. He'd
finally gotton up the nerve to tell Elizabeth and now this!

"Baby, I'm so sorry," Liz said. "I promise we'll talk about this tonight, ok?"

Lucky didn't say anything, he simply placed both hands on either side of her
face and kissed her. Gently and softly, the kiss never moved. Their lips
simply held each other for a few long seconds. "I love you," he said, after
finally pulling away.

"I know you do," she said, brushing a piece of hair from his face. "I love
you too."

She quickly kissed him once more and left for her grandmother's house.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Touchdown!" yelled Luke, nearly jumping off the couch as Lucky and LuLu
looked on in amusement. Thanksgiving at the Spencer home was all about
football.

LuLu giggled while sitting on her brother's lap. "Daddy's funny, huh?"

"Yeah, daddy's a big clown," Lucky grinned, once again looking at his watch.
He wondered what could be keeping Elizabeth. It had been about two and a half
hours since she'd left for Audrey's house, and she hadn't called.

Suddenly the doorbell rang. "I'll get it mom!" Lucky yelled to Laura who was
busy in the kitchen. "Here...sit next to daddy, sweetie," he said gently,
removing LuLu from his lap.

Lucky walked over to the door and quickly opened it. "Hi baby," he said,
pulling Liz into a hug. Behind her stood Audrey, and two people he'd only
seen in photographs. He pulled away from Liz, letting her walk inside. Her
expression was anything but pleasant.

"Lucky, I'd like you to meet my parents," Liz said, leaning into Lucky and
wrapping and arm around his waist. She suddenly felt as if she were going to
fall over.

Lucky draped one arm around her shoulders, and used his free hand to shake
his in-laws hands. "Wow," he said grinning. "Mr. Webber...Mrs. Webber...I'm
happy to finally meet you. What brings you to Port Charles?"

"Well...we came to see our little girl of course," Jeff Webber replyed,
smiling at Liz. She weakly returned the smile and turned her head.

Lucky couldn't help but wonder why after all this time they wanted to see
their "little girl." They'd missed her highschool graduation, her wedding,
her birthday...what made them think they could just watlz back into her
life?...especially now. Now when things between he and his wife
were...were...what were they exactly? He didn't really have the words.
Suddenly Lucky's thoughts were interrupted by Luke and Laura.

"Oh my goodness, Jeff how are you?!" asked Laura, walking out of the kitchen,
and wiping her hands on a dishrag.

Lucky pulled Liz aside, wispering to her. "Are you ok?" he asked rubbing
circles on her back.

Liz rolled her eyes in their direction. "Yeah...I guess," she sighed. "You
know Lucky...when I first got to my Gram's and realized that THEY were the
big emergency, I was actually happy to see them...but with my parents that
feeling wears off pretty fast."

"What did they do?" he asked, concerned.

"Oh nothing out of the ordinary, they're just being my parents you know?
They've already commented on everything from the length of my hair to the
length of my skirt. Apparently one's too short and one's too long...you make
the call."

Lucky smiled weakly at her wit. It was one of the things he loved most about
her. He stroked her cheek," I'm sorry baby."

Suddenly Laura's voice cut through their wispers. "Dinner's ready!"

Liz and Lucky both took a deep breath, clasped hands and headed towards the
huge dining room table. Lucky couldn't help but think that even though today
was the day that he would tell her about him and Sam, that maybe everything
would be alright. This was the closest he'd felt to her in weeks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Luke and Laura both tryed to make small talk with Jeff and Mary, while Audrey
threw in a chuckle from time to time. LuLu sat quietly, not really knowing
what to make of 'Lizbeths' parents, and Lucky watched Liz continuously roll
her eyes at them. He clutched her hand under the table the entire time,
reassuring them both that dinner would soon be over.

"So" Mary began, taking a sip from her wine glass. "Tell us about yourself
Lucky...here you are married to my baby for months now and I know nothing
about you...besides who your parents are," she laughed.

"Well isn't that all ya really need to know?" Joked Luke. "Doesn't that prove
his magnificence?"

Lucky grinned uncomfortably and shook his head. 'Of course you don't know
anything about me,' Lucky thought. 'Do you even care?' Lucky cleared his
throat. "Um...well, there's really not much to tell...I go to school, I run a
business, I love your daughter, I'm a Taurus....Oh! And my favorite color's
blue."

Liz grinned widely at Lucky, and then bit her lip trying not to laugh. She
knew exactly what he had really wanted to say to her mother. He was making an
effort to be nice to her parents, when he really didn't have to...simply
because he loved her.

Jeff chuckled. "So, Lucky...this business you run...a restaurant right?
Kellys?"

"Yeah, exactly...um, my Aunt Ruby left it to me in her will."

"And you and Lizzie live above the place, correct?"

"Yes, sir," Lucky replyed. There was something in his father-in-law's tone
that was quickly beginning to get on his nerves.

"Lucky...you'll have to excuse me for saying so, but do you plan on having my
baby girl live in a one room apartment for the rest of her life?"

"Dad -" Liz began.

Lucky interrupted. "No, I don't sir. Believe me, it's temporary. I plan on
giving your daughter the world...but for right now...it's fine."

"Fine, huh? Well, I guess since Lizzie spends most of her time at
that....school, it's perfectly fine with you."

Liz sighed loudly. "Oh God...so now, there's something wrong with my school
too dad?!"

"Lizzie dear, there's no need to get upset," Mary sighed. "Your father just
meant -"

"I just meant," Jeff interrupted. "That I don't see why you couldn't have
gone to a university. I mean really Lizzie...art school? I guess all those
talks we used to have about applying yourself in school and getting good
grades didn't make any impact did they Lizzie?"

Luke and Laura looked at each other, wondering what Jeff was going to say
next, and at what point they'd have to throw him out.

"Wait, just a minute," Lucky said, beyond irritated. "You don't know anything
about Elizabeth's - "

"No, Lucky it's ok. I got it," Liz said silenceing her husband. "Dad, I go to
the Art Academy because I WANT to. Not because my grades were so bad that I
couldn't have gotton into a university, but because I love painting and I'm
damn good at it! So if you're going to disrespect me and my husband then - "

"Lizzie, I wasn't trying to disrespect anyone. I only want what's best for
you."

"That's right dear," Mary chimed in.

Jeff continued. "And I just don't think that your current living situation is
what's best for you...I knew that it was too soon. You got married at 17
Lizzie, and you didn't know what you were getting yourself into."

As Liz began to rail into her father, Laura heard the doorbell ring once
again. She excused herself from the chaos ensuing at her dinner table and
answered it. "Hello, honey how are you? Happy Thanksgiving Sam," Laura said,
hugging the girl and bringing her inside.

Suddenly all conversation at the dinner table stopped as both Liz and Lucky
spotted her at once. Lucky sighed and ran a hand through his hair
frustradedly.

"I can't believe this," Liz sighed. "Now all I need is for Sarah to walk
through the door...then my day would really be complete."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mary questioned, hearing her daughter's
resentment towards Sarah.

Lucky excused himself from the table and walked his mother into the kitchen,
not even bothering to say hello to Sam. "What is she doing here?!" Lucky
asked, when he and Laura were tucked safely away in the kitchen.

"Lucky she's our guest. What is the problem?"

"She's not a guest mom, she's a witch."

"Lucky, quit it. The girl has no family in Port Charles, and I thought
inviting her for Thanksgiving dinner is the least I could do after she's
helped me so much by watching LuLu."

"Wait! Wait...what did you say?"

Laura looked at her son, bewildered by his question. "I saId, I thought it
was the least I could do - "

"No, after that mom."

"She helped me Lucky...by watching LuLu...Lucky, honey what is your problem?
You're acting very strange."

"Mom, the woman is a pyscho! I don't want her anywhere near my little sister."

"Lucky - "

"Seriously mom," Lucky said, sternly. "You don't know what she's like."

"Lucky...get a grip. So she walked into Liz's party in the same dress...it's
not a crime. Get over it."

Lucky shook his head and threw up his hands. There was no way he could make
his mother understand. He exited the kitchen and scanned the room for Sam.
She stood near the table, grinning at the scene in front of her: Liz still
argueing with her parents. He quickly made his way over to Liz and sat down.

"Dad, I love Lucky and he loves me. We're happy...and that's all you need to
know."

"Lizzie. I just want to make certain that you're being well taken care of."

"Dad, let's get something straight here. Number 1, I can take care of myself.
I've been doing it for a long, long time in case you haven't noticed."

Jeff looked confused at the last part of her statement, but Liz didn't stop
to explain.

"Number 2," she continued. "Lucky takes care of me better than ANYBODY ever
has, dad. He loves me so much...and that - that's enough to get us through
anything."

Lucky looked down, staring at the table. This angel was standing beside him,
defending him while he didn't even think he deserved it. In about an hour,
they'd go home, he'd tell her everything there was to tell and it would all
be over. She'd walk out of his life forever and prove her father right.

Liz looked down at him. "Lucky, could you please get my coat and purse from
upstairs? I need to get out of here."

"Of course," Lucky said, standing up. He turned to his father and mother
in-law. "I'm sorry it had to turn out this way." And with that, he was up the
stairs in a flash, followed by someone who no one had payed much attention to.

Chapter 58

Lucky looked up as the door behind him slammed. "Get the Hell out of here
Sam," he said flattly searching for his wifes' coat and purse.

Sam leaned back against the door, surveying the room. "So this used to be
your bedroom right?" she asked suddenly, ignoring Lucky's demands. "Your
mother showed it to me on the grand tour when I came over to watch your
sister...Lucky's she's so precious, it makes me think of what you must've
been like when you were that age."

Lucky sat down on his old bed and stared long and hard at the woman before
him, his eyes turning to blue ice. "Stay away from my little sister Sam," he
said, almost too calmly. "I don't know what kind of game you think this
is...but I'm not playing it anymore. It's over Sam...you stand there...and
you love to make all your little threats...well, guess what Sam? As soon as I
tell my wife, you won't have anything left to threaten me with."

Sam smiled and walked over to him, standing between his legs. "Oh, Lucky
you're serious aren't you? You're gonna tell Elizabeth everything? You're
gonna tell her all about that night...how much fun we had, how great it
was...Lucky, I have to tell you, that was the best sex I've ever had. Did you
know that Lucky?" She asked wrapping her arms around his neck. "I can't wait
until we can be together again."

Lucky stood up, grabbing her arms forcefully and yanking them from around his
neck. "Sam! - "

Suddenly Lucky's voice caught in his throat as he heard a sound come from the
other side of the room. He closed his eyes briefly, willing the sound away,
but it didn't disappear. He opened his eyes, and slowly turned to face the
door.

For as long as he lived he'd never forget the look on her face. Her eyes
glossy, her mouth hanging open, her hand coming up quickly to cover it,
trying not to let any sound come out. She looked like a deer caught in the
headlights of an uncoming truck, and he could have sworn that in that split
second he could hear her breathing stop, or maybe it had been his own. He
couldn't be sure.

He would never recall at what point he had let go of Sam's arms, or at what
point he'd left the room. He'd never even recall flying down the stairs after
her, taking them two-three at a time or having to push Jeff out fo the way at
the door. It was all a blur. He'd wonder if the words, "What did you do to my
baby?" actually came out of his father-in-law's mouth, or if they had been a
figment of his imagination. When had she had the time to get Audrey's keys
and take the car? It didn't matter. Nothing mattered now, except running the
red lights as he sped after her in his truck.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She'd barely been able to get the words out, as she grabbed her grandmother's
keys blindly. She'd felt everyone's eyes on her, wondering why she was
crying, wondering why she was so panicked. She could barely see through her
tears as she drove, she could barely see through them now as she jammed her
keys in the lock, trying desperately to get inside and start packing before
he could get there. Before he could get there and say he was sorry, wisper
that he loved her, and that everything would be alright. He'd make her want
so badly to give in, make her want so badly to forgive him anything. She knew
he was right behind her. She knew he'd walk in the door two minutes after she
did, but she didn't care.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lucky ran through the room and into their bedroom. He stopped and stared
wordlessly as Liz frantically threw item after item into her suitcase.
Hangers sailed across the room and onto the the rug as she ripped shirts and
pants from the closet. He licked his lips, knowing full well that trying to
think of the "right" thing to say was useless. "Wh - where are you going?" he
asked, barely above a wisper.

Liz didn't look up. She didn't want to. She didn't want to have to look into
his eyes. "Away from here," she mumbled through a throat that was tightening
by the minute. The truth was she had no idea where she was going.

He slowly walked over to her, her body still flying between the open closet
and the suitcase that lie open on the bed. "Eliza - Elizabeth...re-remember
this afternoon? I - I was going to tell you everything. I was. And then - and
then, you had to leave...but remember, remember when you said that we could
get through anything as long as we were together? Huh? Remember Elizabeth?"
Lucky stammered out.

Her movements stopped then and she looked straight up at him, her bottom lip
trembling. "Anything, did not include this. Anything did not include you
sleeping with Sam."

She sunk down to their bed then, her own words hitting her hard. He looked
down at her, wondering what thoughts were going through her head and how he
could possibly fight them. If the situation had been reversed, what could she
possibly say to make him understand? He didn't know. He watched as she placed
her hand down on the blue comforter and ran her fingers over it a few times.
"Did it happen here?" she asked, beginning to cry again. Lucky winced at the
question and began to shake his head. She wasn't looking at him, she just
kept rubbing the fabric that sat atop the bed, trying to somehow erase
whatever horrible mistake had occured. "Did it happen here?" she repeated,
not seeing his gesture of denial, not seeing his own tears as they silently
rolled down his cheeks. She was rocking back and forth on their bed. "Did it
happen here Lucky!?" she screamed, "On this bed...this bed that we
picked...the first thing that we bought together?! Huh? Did it?!"

She was on her feet then, and he grabbed her arms as she tried to walk past
him, forcing her to look at him. "No," he said, his own eyes searching for
hers as she tried to turn her head away. "No, it didn't happen here
Elizabeth."

After much struggling she finally pulled free of his grasp, his fingerprints
visible on her forearms. Her voice turned calm as she wiped at her tears with
the back of her hand. "Where?" she asked.

Lucky shook his head. "Please, Elizabeth no," he began walking towards her.
"You don't need to know that baby," he said touching her cheek.

She pulled away. "I need to know Lucky! I wanna know when, where, how many
times...how good she was. Come on Lucky. I wanna know. You owe me that much.
Did it happen in her room!? Huh? Did it happen down the hall?!"

"No...and it only happened once! Just once...that's it Elizabeth."

"Why should I believe you? How do I know it didn't happen every night that
I've been away at school? You've been lieing to me for how long now Lucky?"

Lucky sighed and nodded his head. There was no denying that. "I swear to you
Elizabeth. One time and one time only."

After a moment she nodded slowly, believing him. She had no idea if that was
a good thing or a bad thing. Was it history talking? Her own desire to
believe him? The bad judgement her father had always told her she had? "I
still wanna know where?" she asked calmly.

He sat down, rubbing his hands from his thighs to his knees continuously. He
knew that the "where" of it was not going to hurt as much as the "when."  "It
happened at my dad's club," he said, his voice thick with emotion.
"Upstairs...when I stayed there."

"When did you..." the question she was about to ask trailed off into the
unknown as her own mind answered it for her. She leaned against the wall,
beginning to cry again. This time harder than the last. "On my birthday?" she
managed, almost inaudibly. "On my birthday Lucky?"

Liz felt her knees begin to go out on her, and the very next second she felt
his arms wrap around her waist as they both sunk to the floor. He held her
against him as she cried, his own tears falling on her shoulder.

"Lucky why?" she choked out. "Why...was it, something that I did? Punishment
for me taking the job...for me inviting Kyle to the party? What?!"

He pulled away from her suddenly, taking her face in his hands. "No!
No...Elizabeth, no. I don't know what it was...I don't know why...I don't
even remember. I wish - I wish..." He didn't have any more words. He didn't
know what to say. He pulled her close again.

She suddenly wispered in his ear, her sobs quieting a bit. "I don't know
where to go." She'd never had to think about where she would go if she left
Lucky. The thought had never crossed her mind. She could go back to her dorm
room, but school was the last place she wanted to be. She didn't want to stay
with Emily, because that would be putting her friend in an awkward position,
and she couldn't go to her Gram's now that her parents were in town.

"You don't have to go anywhere," Lucky wispered, pushing her hair away from
her forehead continuously.

Liz stood up suddenly, pushing Lucky away. "No," she said sniffling. "I have
to leave. I have to get away...I can't stay here Lucky."

Lucky rose, determined to do anything to make her stay. "Elizbeth please...I
am so sorry. Tell me what you want me to do Elizabeth. Tell me what I can do
to make this right. Elizbeth," he said, taking her hands in his and bringing
her closer to him. "I'll do anything...just tell me - "

"Take it back," she said flattly, looking into his eyes.

"Wh - Eliza -"

"Take it back," she said again, the tears returning. "Take it back Lucky,"
she repeated, this time beginning to push him, her hands hitting his chest.
"Turn back time...rewind the tape Lucky. Take it back!"

He grabbed ahold of her wrists then, stopping her fists' assult on his chest.
"I can't," he sighed looking into her eyes. "Baby, I wish I could, but I
can't." He pulled her to him again, their foreheads touching, both of them
crying. Her body shook violently against his and he knew that if she didn't
stop crying so hard soon, she'd make herself sick. The thought that he had
caused it, made him sick. "Please don't leave," he wispered, his lips
touching hers like a feather. She began to pull away, but he wouldn't let go.
His fingers were still wrapped tightly around her wrists. "Please..." he said
again.

"Lucky let me go," she said between sobs. "I have to go, please..."

He let her go then, realizing that he had to be hurting her. He suddenly
grabbed either side of her face, pulling her to him forcefully. The kiss was
furious, and for a moment, Elizbeth gave in. She felt nothing but passion and
love, but she remembered the reason she hurt so badly too quickly and pulled
away. It was a struggle, but she eventually pulled away. She placed her hand
to her mouth looking into the blue eyes that she had always found solace in
before, and turned around. She grabbed her suitcase and quickly made her way
out of the room.

Lucky followed her to the door silently, knowing that there was nothing left
to say. Nothing he could do. He watched as the door closed behind her and
then slowly he leaned against it, sinking quickly to the floor, his head
cradled in his hands.