Elizabeth walked out of the kitchen, slowing her stride as she saw him sitting in one of the bar chairs. He was staring intently at the door. His mind obviously still on the conversation he'd had with his father.

She'd only been able to hear some of it. Not trying to eavesdrop, but catching bits and pieces whenever their voices rose above a whisper. She stopped in front of him now, his eyes shifting to her and softening as she smiled at him.

"I never thought I'd say this and mean it," he slowly began. "But I'm not mad at him anymore."

Liz smiled. She had waited so long for him to be able to say that. To let a little bit of the anger and resentment go. "You forgave him," she said softly.

"What my dad did he didn't do to me.....I'm ashamed when I think of how I was to him...to my mom. Just heartless....they tried to explain, but I didn't want to understand. I tried to think it through, but the more I thought...the worse it seemed...I hated them.............and then everything changed," he added, staring up into her beautiful sapphire eyes. "God gave me an angel named Elizabeth and everything changed."

She smiled then, her lip trembling just a bit at his words. "You're the angel," she sighed.

Lucky shook his head, grinning slightly. "They had this," he continued. "They had this...what we had. They loved each other...they thought it was never gonna end and it did....that's a big enough price to pay. I'm through...I'm through with the hate. I mean they're my parents...I love 'em."

He reached out to her then, taking her soft hand in his as he spoke directly into her soul. "You did that for me Elizabeth.....and so much more."

Elizabeth swallowed hard around the lump in her throat. Oh Lucky...you're the one....you're the one that has done so much for me...Please don't leave me tonight.

She blinked back her tears as he kissed the top of her hand. "Stay with me forever Lucky," she said, her voice nearly a whisper.

Lucky looked up and into her eyes, as they welled with tears. More strangeness from earlier this evening? Or was she just a little choked up by his words? It was becoming increasingly difficult to tell. "Forever," he whispered fingering the gold medallion that he wore. "Remember...as long as I'm wearing this, you're stuck with me girl."

She almost lost all control when he said those words, pulling her into an embrace. Her entire face hurt, she was trying so desperately not to cry. She pulled back, smiling hugely as her heart seemed to lodge itself in her throat. "Will you dance with me?"

"Of course," he said standing to his feet. He watched her as she walked towards the juke box, knowing already what song she would chose. Their song. The song that had served as a backdrop to one of the happiest nights of his life. We're gonna have so many more of those nights Elizabeth...I promise, he thought, watching her as she walked back over to him. The first chords of "God Must've Spent" floating over to them as they clasped hands. Their joined fists resting close to his heart. She could swear she felt it beat. She breathed in deeply through her nose and she rested her head against his shoulder. He felt so good. This felt so completely right. How could anything end this?

Nothing will, she thought looking up into his eyes. I won't let it.

He twirled her around suddenly catching her off guard as she grinned. He licked his lips as she came back to him, falling into step again. "You know," he said watching her as she tried to avoid his gaze. "We can get through anything Elizabeth...anything. As long as we're together...as long as we're honest..."

His voice trailed off as he leaned his head against her shoulder. She knew what he wanted. It didn't take a rocket scientist to realize that he wanted her to tell him what had made her so upset today. Had made her act so crazy. I can tell him SOMETHING right? She thought, directing her question at no one inparticular. At the heaven's above maybe. I mean...I can tell him it was a dream or a....ugh...God, should I even take the chance...

She pulled back, looking into his eyes. "I had a really bad dream last night Lucky.." She said softly, her voice trailing off.

He looked at her, their feet continuing to move but slowing to almost stillness. "Yeah...you told me you had a bad dream...."

"No, Lucky...you don't understand...it was REALLY bad....it scared me, you know?"

Lucky shook his head, his eyes filling with concern. "What was it about?"

She laid her head back down upon his shoulder, drinking in his scent. His warmth. She wanted to wrap herself in it. How much of this could she really tell him? What are the rules of this damn game!? She almost shouted as the tears fell readily from her eyes, dropping to the soft fabric of his checked shirt.

"You weren't in my life anymore," she whispered against his shoulder. Her cheek moist with tears. "You weren't in my life anymore...and I couldn't see you...I couldn't touch you...you had to leave me."

Lucky pulled back, his brows furrowing at the sight of her tear streaked face. He wiped gently at her skin. "Listen to me...that'll NEVER happen. I will never leave you Elizabeth.....ever."

Elizabeth sighed. He didn't understand. But why would he? How could he possibly? She looked down towards the floor as she pulled away from his embrace.

"Sweetie is that what all of this was about?.....This dre - this nightmare that you had? Is that why you've been acting all....wierd today?" He almost smiled. He would have had her face not looked as if she were being sentenced to life imprisonment. "Elizabeth," he said taking her hand. "I would NEVER leave you."

"Sometimes we don't have a choice Lucky," she said solemnly, looking down at her shoes.

His hand reached out to her, caressing her cheek. She looked up and knew he meant every, word he spoke. "Nobody makes me do anything I don't want to Elizabeth.....and I'll never want to leave you."

~*~Around 10:00 p.m. April 16th, 1999~*~

Lucky watched her as she sat on her bed, taking off her shoes. She'd been silent almost the entire walk to her grandmother's house. He noticed that she kept looking at the stars and commenting on how beautiful it all was. How she wondered if wishing on a star really made dreams come true.

"So," he began, breaking the silence in her room. "7:30 - tomorrow - Kelly's?"

"Um, yeah," she whispered looking up. She smiled briefly before looking down at her hands.

He walked over to her then, sitting beside her. He watched her twiddle her thumbs. She looked up at him after a few moments, her eyes searching his. "I love you," she stated, as if it had been the first time she'd ever said it.

He reached out to her then, his hand cupping the side of her face. She had to be the most beautiful thing God had ever put on this Earth, and she loved him.

"Do I have something on my face?" She asked, wrapping her fingers around his wrist. His hand never moved.

"I just wanted to touch you," he said softly, staring deeply into her eyes. Taking in the shape of her mouth as she leaned into his hand.

He slowly narrowed the space between them, placing his lips tenderly against hers and kissing her with every bit of love that he could summon from his heart. She moaned softly as his other hand traveled around her waist, coming to rest on her lower back. She couldn't help but wonder if maybe fate was on her side this time. Maybe God, whoever controlled the universe heard her when she had decided how to make him stay tonight.

Her own hands traveled to the back of his head, moving through his hair with aimless abandon. Both of his arms were around her now, and she took the opportunity to lean back upon the bed, bringing him down with her. Their lips still hungrily exploring each others mouths. She sighed as the mattress sunk beneath her. She moved her hands down his back, encouraging him to lie on top of her. Yet he still propped himself up, using his elbows for support as he kissed her.

Lucky ran his hands through her silken strands as they spread beneath her on the comforter. So soft. Everything about her was so intoxicatingly soft. She wants to wait, he thought to himself. More of a reminder than a statement. She just told you four days ago....she wants to wait....the BOTH of you want to wait.. The force of her lips on his now was making it increasingly difficult to remember that fact.

He felt her tongue slide gently into his mouth and nearly lost all coherent thought. He slid down, closer to her body as he felt her push at his back again. God she feels like heaven, he thought as his chest came into contact with hers. The contrast of how their bodies felt made him shiver.

"Elizabeth.." he panted, trying and failing to dodge her persistent kisses. "Elizabeth..."

"My grandmother isn't here," she stated breathlessly, believing that to be his concern. "She won't be home all night." Her lips left his, only to burn into the side of his neck.

Lucky's eyes crisscrossed as he tried to think clearly. Think of anything besides how good this felt. "That...that wasn't what I was going to say........I - I was going to say we should stop...we should..." His voice trailed off as she slipped her hands slowly under his shirt. When had she untucked it? He couldn't even remember.

"Sweetie," he said suddenly, reaching down between them to still her roaming hand. That was the only way he was going to be able to think clearly. He looked at her face. The picture of perfection. Her lips swollen and pink. Her bangs hanging haphazardly in her face. "I think I should go," he said almost apologetically.

"Why?" She asked, sitting up as he did. No Lucky...No.. She thought. This has to happen. I'm ready for this to happen...

Lucky licked his lips, sitting back down as he found it hard to stand. He could barely breathe. "Elizabeth...as much as I'm enjoying this.............we decided to wait remember. We decided we weren't ready."

Elizabeth shook her head vehemently. "No....I wasn't ready. You were....I could tell by the look in your eyes that you were....it was me..."

"Elizabeth I told you...if it doesn't feel right to either or both of us...than we're not - "

"It does!" She said almost shouting. She quickly lowered her voice. "It does....this feels right Lucky."

Lucky looked into her eyes. Searching them for any sign of doubt. There was none that he could see, but this was just too weird. Too soon. "Elizabeth....it was only four days ago."

Elizabeth sighed, looking down and drawing a pattern on the now wrinkled comforter. No it wasn't Lucky...it was eight LONG months ago....I'm ready now...I'm SO incredibly ready.

"It feels like it's been an eternity," she said staring at him longingly.

He didn't understand her statement. He didn't understand anything about today. Was this more of the same? The same desperateness he'd felt all day long? "Sweetie...is this all because of that dream? I swear to you - "

His words were lost as her lips crashed against his, the only sound to be heard, his audible moan. Her hands caressed the sides of his face, bringing him closer and deeper. She pulled away minutes later, breathless. Serious in every word that she spoke. "It's because I love you........I love you and I want to be with you now. Tonight...................... Lucky, make love to me."

All breathing mechanics stopped. His heart had ceased to beat. Had he just heard those words? His eyes glossed over at the certainty in her voice. She really wanted this. God, he did too. She waited for a response as she wove her fingers into his atop the bed.

His voice was shaky when it finally reemerged. "You said...you said you wanted candles...light bouncing off the walls.."

"I don't need any candles!" She blurted, kissing him lightly on the forehead. "I don't need any little girl fantasies Lucky...all I need is you."

Lucky held her face in his hands and placed a chaste kiss against her forehead, wanting to seal this memory in his mind and heart forever. He pulled away, reaching into his backpocket, and pulling out his wallet. She watched as he opened it. Always so prepared, She thought lovingly.

He looked up, a scowl lacing his features. "I don't have it....ugh....I don't know where it coulda....ugh...I probably left it in New York.....I'm sorry Elizabeth."

Elizabeth's face dropped, as she watched him quickly shove the wallet back into his pocket. He got up suddenly. "I'll be back in a flash," he said moving towards her window.

"What?" She asked, standing up. "Where are you going?"

"I'm gonna go to the store down the street really quick, ok? 10 minutes tops.."

"Wait. I'll come with you," she said sitting down to put on her shoes.

"No...no...that's fine," he said already opening the window. "I'd really rather not take you with me right now....Elizabeth...it's kinda late....bunch of weirdoes walking around you know....don't worry...I'll be back in 10 minutes."

"Luuuuucky," she whined.

"Sweetie...I'll be back sooner than you can miss me ok....Look," he added lowering his voice. "It would just be a little weird buying this thing with you standing over my shoulder you know?"

Elizabeth laughed out loud. The image very humorous. "Ok," she whispered, getting up to kiss him one more time against his beautiful lips. "Hurry."

"I will," he said, disappearing into the night. "I will."