~*~Around 9:00 pm. April 16th, 1999~*~

"Oh! Wait!" Emily said, eyeing Elizabeth as she scooped a large helping of brownies out of the pan and on to her friends plate. "There's something that we have to do beforehand. It's something that my mom taught me. It's kinda like for a special occasion....What you do is you make a wish for your friend by offering them the first bite of your dessert."

"Huh?" Lucky asked, the idea amusing him.

"Is that sanitary?" Nikolas asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

The entire table was in much better spirits than they had been 20 minutes before. Twenty minutes. That was all it had taken for Elizabeth to remove any sign of her cooking from the table after it had been placed there. The looks on all of their faces telling her that she could not torture them this way. The take-out had truly been a Godsend. The only thing left of Elizabeth's to feast on were brownies straight from the box.

She was almost proud of herself now as she served her friends, all of them happy and joyful. She had even managed to hold back tears at Lucky's mention of Horatio Street. Half because of the fact that she told herself that they WOULD be living there soon, and half at the realization that the events of this night had already changed significantly. Sure Emily had just suggested the very same thing she had suggested that fateful night, but Lucky had been the one to bring up New York. That was different right? And the fight they had had earlier in the kitchen....not pleasant, but certainly different. You can do this Liz...you can. She thought to herself.

"Oh, I get it," she said piping up at Nikolas and Lucky's reaction to whatever they found so terribly hilarious. "It's kinda like a toast except with dessert instead of champagne."

"Exactly," Emily said picking up her brownie. Liz opened her mouth laughing. "Friends forever," she finished as Liz took a bite.

Nikolas picked the fudgy dessert up in his hand. Gesturing towards Emily. "Friends," he said as he pushed the entire thing into her mouth. Emily swatted him playfully on the shoulder, causing the entire table to bust up.

Elizabeth looked at her man. Him sitting there before her. So beautiful, knowing he was still troubled inside at her lack of forthrightness. She picked up a tiny piece of brownie and smiled as he opened his mouth. "More than friends forever," she whispered, leaning in to wrap her arms around his shoulders. Lucky glanced down at her, running a hand through her hair as she let her head linger on his shoulder.

Emily and Nikolas glanced at each other knowingly. By the look in their friends eyes, it was obvious that they wanted to be alone. The laughter had completely died.

"Ok," Nikolas said loudly as he stood up. "Emily and I are gonna get out of here..."

Elizabeth's head shut up immediately, watching as they reached for their jackets. "No!" She shouted. Once again causing everyone in the room to halt their actions. "I mean...don't you guys want to stay?...We can play games."

"Games?" Nikolas asked, looking at Lucky. His brother merely shrugged his shoulders as if he had completely lost all sense of what might be going through her head this evening.

"Yeah Games!" Liz smiled, looking from Nikolas to Emily than back at Lucky. "Come on you guys it'll be fun!" She said standing up. "We can play...I don't know...charades or......I don't know...POKER! Yeah, POKER!"

"Poker?" Lucky asked, his voice cracking in suprise. He had to smile at her. She was truly out of her mind. She was driving him up the wall, but he had to admit that right now she was damn cute. He stood up next to her, his head tilted to the side.

"Yeah Lucky.....it'll be fun."

"Elizabeth you don't know HOW to play Poker."

"So," she said, flashing her winning smile as she grabbed his hands in hers. "You can teach me."

He chuckled lightly at her enthusiasm. "Elizabeth...I will...someday...but right now....I don't have any cards...and I still have that test I need to make up tomorrow...so if I'm gonna get some study time in..."

"Lucky," Liz said whining, the alarm bells going off in her head. There was no way he was going home tonight. No possible way. "You can study later...come on...pllllleeeeeeeeaaaase."

Lucky's eyebrows rose at the tone of her voice. This was crazy. When Nikolas spoke from over by the door he was almost relieved.

"No...you know what Liz...I'm supposed to be watching LuLu for the rest of the night anyway...so I really need to go."

"And I've got a test in Murty's tomorrow," Emily piped.

No!No!NO! Elizbeth thought. This cannot be happening. They can't all leave...this is NOT supposed to happen....Please you guys....Come on...tonight of all nights you want to leave Lucky and I alone? Giving us our space was never an issue for you two before! Ugh!!!!

Elizabeth watched in horror as they both slipped on there jackets. "This was fun Liz," Nikolas said, waving to his brother. "We should do this again."

"Yeah, totally," Emily said as she pushed open the door after Nikolas exited smiling at her friends. "Goodnight you guys."

Elizabeth stood stunned as she watched them leave. She faintly thought she heard Lucky say goodnight to them as well. Her feet seemed rooted to the spot in which she stood. She was very aware once again that he was staring at her intently from behind. Think fast Liz...it's just you two now..

She looked up towards the ceiling. Where was he? Where was this divine stranger that had entered her life at a bus stop and tried to change it. Nowhere to be found. Nowhere when she really needed him. Nowhere when she needed someone to help her find out what to do. She turned towards Lucky as she watched him turn away, headed for the doors to the kitchen. No he wasn't. He was headed for the bag of pretzels. Move it girl!

She sprinted in front of him, capturing the paper bag in her hands and hoisting it above her head as she saw his mouth drop open in surprise. She giggled in delight as he lunged towards her. "You want 'em?" She asked as she dodged his hands.

"Oh yeah!" He laughed as he reached upwards for her hands. She brought the bag down averting his grasp.

"Come on let me have 'em!" He said, following her around the table. He grabbed her then as she made her way around, his arms encircling her waist from behind. She broke into a fit of laughter as he bit right into one that she was holding.

"Fine take 'em..." the rest of her words trailing off unintelligably as he tickled her sides, finally grasping the bag from her.

She moved away from him breathlessly, feeling behind her for the chair at the bar that she knew had to be somewhere. Her hand grasped it behind her, not wanting to take her eyes away from his for a second. He brought the bag over to her, equally as breathless. There was something different. Something about the way he was looking at her right then that sent a shiver up her spine.

His voice lowered a few octaves as his eyes traveled over her entire being. "You should try one," he said, holding one soft, large pretzel up in front of her. The one he'd already taken a big chunk out of.

"I don't want any," she whispered flirtatiously, moving her head to the side.

"You don't?" He asked then. The quality of his voice the same as hers.

"No," she said staring deeply into those eyes of his. Those eyes that made a girl forget who she was and where she'd ever been all her life. She tugged at his shirt, bringing him closer. He braced himself, with a hand on either side of her. My God...has he always looked this good? She thought staring at his gorgeous face.

Lucky closed in on her, significantly narrowing the space between them as her back pressed against the bar. She could barely breathe when he was this close. She definitely couldn't go anywhere with him hovering over her like he was.

"You know what?" He asked seductively. "I don't want anymore either.....," he whispered as his lips grazed against hers.

Her hands moved up to his face, bringing him closer. The light brush of his lips against hers not enough for her right then.

She had never felt so weak-kneed in her life. Not even in New York had her feelings for him been this strong. This intense. Suddenly a decision formed in her brain. She knew what she had to do to make this night last forever. Make their love live though this awful night. Just as that thought passed through her mind the door flew open, his father clearing his throat at the two love birds.

Damnit! She thought. Last time we had to invite him in! She silently chided herself at the thought.

Lucky pulled away from her, his breath heavy on her neck as he collected his thoughts quickly. "Hey dad," he sighed.

Luke looked down towards the floor, knowing he had interrupted a moment of some kind. "You know what," he began slowly. "I can come back later...tomorrow...this isn't really important...I just saw you in here and-"

"No! Dad," Lucky said walking towards him. "Sit down...have some brownies," he said pointing to the pan.

Liz sensed that father and son needed time alone. So did she. She had plans to make. "You know," she said picking up some dishes from their place on the table. "I've got some dishes to wash...so if you all will excuse me.."

Lucky smiled at her. Grateful for her thoughtfullness.

"Thanks darlin'," Luke said as he watched her retreat into the kitchen.

No Luke, Elizabeth thought. Thank you.