~~ Love seeketh not itself to please
Nor for itself has any care,
But to another lends its ease,
And builds a heav'n in hells despair ~~ William Blake

Evergreen, New York
Hart Lane

Lucky held his breath and waited for her to pass the side of the
house in which he stood hidden in the shadows, watching as she made
her way into the garden. The soft chirping of crickets and the
pattern of her feet upon the crisp, fallen leaves the only two sounds
audible in the still dark, early morning hours.

There he was, watching Elizabeth walk around the premises of her
mansion. What was he doing there? Better yet, what was she doing
awake at this hour? Trampling around outside like a little lost bird.

He'd driven there so fast he could barely remember seeing anything
along the way. Only the red that flashed before his eyes at the
thought of her sleeping here tonight - sleeping in Alex's bed. But
he'd reminded himself time and time again that it was all fake. All
of it, only a sham for his own protection. He knew the drill well.

But all he could think about was the phone call in the middle of the
night. The phone-call that he couldn't be sure had been ended by
Elizabeth. Ended of her accord. The click of the receiver had been so
abrupt, and she...God, he could have sworn he FELT her ready to
speak. Ready to say something...

As soon as he'd arrived, he'd run to the light on the far side of the
mansion. Quickly recalling what she'd said about the master suite -
the huge bay window that looked out into the forest.

However, the window that was lit, hadn't been one that could look out
into the forest. But on the contrary, one that looked out upon the
lake to the side of the trees. There were only two people that slept
in this house...and one of them hadn't been in the master suite.

When the lamp flickered off, she'd appeared outside moments later.
And he'd breathed just slightly easier. She was fine. She was
beautiful in the moonlight.

Beautiful in any light.

But where the Hell was she going? He wanted to call her name. Wanted
to scoop her up in his arms and shout that he knew the truth. That
she didn't have to pretend...but the way that she walked now...There
was purpose in her stride. She was on her way to
something...somewhere.

He hung back and lingered quietly in the background as she pressed a
small button next to the large gray garage door that housed the fleet
of cars that Alex owned. She stood there for a long moment. Shifting
her weight back and forth from foot to foot as the door lifted
quietly and she began perusing each car. Glancing behind her now and
again to make sure no one was watching.

Her head turned back and forth as if picking one were a major life
decision.

Lucky reminded himself of the conversation she'd had with LuLu at
Ely's just weeks prior. The first time she'd driven in years was when
he'd given her the reigns of the Mercury. Was that why she was taking
so long? Making the decision as if everything depended on it.

Funny to think that such a trite thought could hurt his heart, but it
did. Elizabeth was meant to be free. Driving down the road with the
wind blowing in her hair...just like he was. Kindred spirits they had
always been.

A weak smile pulled at the corners of his mouth a few seconds later
when she chose a small, red sports car at the far end of the line of
vehicles. He could have predicted it. It was her - exactly her.

For a long while she'd shied away from the color red in all forms,
but she'd always liked the shade. He knew that. It had always caught
her eye when passing cars on the street or in department stores...but
she'd always gone about her business as if she hadn't seen it.

Backing up slowly, he watched her get in and sit behind the wheel for
a moment before starting to adjust things: the rearview mirror, the
side mirrors, the legroom. He took off at a jog towards his own car
when he heard the engine turn.
~~~~~~~

Port Charles, New York

The sky was beginning to lighten and a fine mist of morning dew
sifted lightly against her windshield as she drove. Wiping her hand
across her forehead and eyes she forced herself to stop daydreaming
and pay attention to the road. She was suddenly so tired.

She hadn't been able to even close her eyes in that house. A house
that felt more like a prison than anything else. 'A drive,' she'd
said to herself in the darkness of her bedroom. A drive had been what
she needed. But she knew now that it wasn't what she needed at all.
She knew now, as she crossed into the city limits of Port Charles
that it wasn't the drive she needed, but the destination.

Freedom. Home. Lucky.

Letting her foot press a bit harder against the gas she reminded
herself that tonight she could allow herself two out of three. Alex
would be up soon and she would be nowhere to be found. She'd have to
say she'd come to visit her Gram...or something. She'd have to lie.

It was a charade that every inch of her despised, but it was
necessary. Even when she had no clue as to how she would do it. How
she would make it through.

Ridding herself of those doubting thoughts, she put the car in park.
The forest coming into splendid view. She'd get out here.

Climbing out of the car she began to trek the rest of the way, like
she used to from Grams. The sunlight was already beginning to flicker
through the trees and she remembered what it was like to be a girl,
walking through the forest in the early morning to see her knight in
shining armor. It was beautiful here.

Beautiful and sacred.

Tears welled in her eyes as she thought about how she'd ruined the
sanctity of this place the day before. She'd told him she would meet
him here, and she hadn't. She'd betrayed him and made him think that
she didn't love him anymore. Didn't need him more than her next
breath.

Breathing in the cool, crisp morning air of the forest now, the
goodness and the pain collided and forced tears from her eyes. The
drops sliding down her cheeks in warm rivulets. Elizabeth wrapped her
arms around herself as she continued to move through the fallen
leaves on the ground. The moist earth showering her senses with the
aroma of freshness - freedom.

But even freedom hurt when you didn't think you deserved it. Not
after today. Not after what she'd done. Not after the hurt she'd
caused to grow in his eyes like a sick cancer.

Would she ever see love their again? Even after she'd ridded them
both of the evil that Alex cloaked her entire world in?

She didn't know.

Perhaps that's why she'd come back here tonight. To say goodbye.
Goodbye to what they'd had. Goodbye to what could have been a
renewal. Goodbye to her bestfriend.

A bestfriend that had taken care of her in this very place. A
bestfriend who's love had turned them both into so much more for each
other. A lover, a life-raft, and a reason to get up in the morning.

The assault on her senses was fierce as she hoisted herself upwards
into the cool, dim boxcar. The old paintings created by her own hands
looming over every wall. And the smell of ribs that still clung to
the air from what must've been Lucky's attempt to give her what she'd
wanted, enveloped her in a wave of memory and love.

If she closed her eyes, she could swear she smelled fresh paint.
Fresh paint and a freshly picked pink flower. The soft petals stolen
from Ruby's window box on a summer day.

The first flower in the bouquet of a lifetime to follow.

"What happened to our lifetime, Lucky...what happened?" She
whispered. Watching as one of her tears dropped to the rusted floor
and pooled before dissolving into it.

"We can still have it."

She turned rapidly at the sound of his voice. Startled by it. Frozen
in a state of pure shock as he pulled himself up into the boxcar to
stand in front of her. Was she dreaming? Was she still in that damned
bed in the mansion?

Wiping furiously at her tears she stood up, backing away a
bit. "Lucky...Wh - what are you doing here?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing," he stated. Moving to stand
closer as he watched her eye the exit behind him. 'Nope,' he thought
silently. 'Not going anywhere Elizabeth...not this time...Neither of
us is leaving this place unless it's together.'

"What are you doing here?" He continued. Staring at her as she
searched for something to say.

"I...I couldn't sleep."

"So you drove for two hours to come and sleep in the boxcar?...Ever
heard of warm milk?"

Elizabeth floundered for an explanation. Anything at all. She should
have known he'd come...should have known. "This...it always used to
help me - when I couldn't sleep. Remember...Gram used to try to get
me to drink warm milk...and tea...and - So, I'm here. I came here."

'She's rambling...' Lucky thought. Closing the distance between them.
Only inches separating them as his voice lowered significantly. "So,
it was just the boxcar that helped you sleep?"

He was too close. His breath and voice too soft. Where had he come
from? 'This wasn't supposed to - Who are you kidding,' Elizabeth
thought frantically. 'You wanted him to be here...you know you did.'

"No...I just - ok...truthfully," she said. Moving away again. Turning
so she'd have more space to maneuver. "I just wanted to say goodbye -
to this place. To us."

Lucky shook his head. Determined not to let the words penetrate. "Did
you decide that before or after you called me and hung up?"

"I didn -

"Elizabeth, don't even try it...I know everything about you. I know
when you're lying. I know when you're hurting, I EVEN know the
pattern of your breathing...so don't insult me by telling me that
wasn't you on the phone tonight."

Blocking out his words, she moved towards the entrance. "Look, you
just have to accept that I -

"That you what?" Lucky interrupted, stepping in front of her to block
her way out. "That you want to protect me just like I wanted to
protect you?...Ok - I accept that...but I'm not gonna stand here and
act like I don't know what's going on...

"Elizabeth you don't have to do this. I KNOW...I KNOW what you're
doing!" He insisted. Stepping closer to her.

She backed up and shook her head. "I - you...you don't know
anything...you don't...

"What?" He asked. Closer to her again. "What?...Tell me?" He said
softly. Whispering almost, as mere inches provided the distance
between them once more. "What don't I know?"

"You...I -

"I'll tell you what I DO know Elizabeth," he mumbled quietly.
Reaching out to brush a finger tenderly down her jawline. "I know
that Alex has done something...said something that scared you so
badly that you're pushing me away, and I know that you don't want to.
I can see it in your eyes. I can hear it in your voice...I know that
you love me, because I know what I felt the other night. I know that
what I felt can't be faked...not by you. I know that when you love -
you love completely - with all your heart...which means you're
willing to sacrifice your own happiness for someone else...I know
that you're trying to hurt me right now to make me leave you
alone...I know that you're doing it so nothing bad will happen to
me...and I know that it's killing you inside.

"I know all that, because I did it too. Because," he halted. His
voice quivering suddenly as he placed a hand to his heart. "Because I
can't possibly understand what any of this did to you for three long
years, when I've only experienced it for a few hours.........I wish I
could take it from you, and I wish I could erase it - all at the same
time...but I can't.

"All I can do is BEG you not to do this...Elizabeth...please. Let's
NOT do this again...Whatever it is - we'll face it together. I swear
to you that I will NOT let anything happen to you...or ME, if that's
what you're worried about...

"I won't lose you again - I can't."

When her arms wrapped around him, and clung for dear life, he closed
his eyes and sighed. Relief, spreading through his body with a warm
glow. It felt so good. SHE felt so good in his arms. 'Thank
you...thank you.'

"I'm sorry," she whimpered. Burrowing her face between his head and
shoulder. "I'm sorry..."

His eyes, still closed, scrunched together tightly as he smoothed a
hand over her back. Feeling the way she trembled in his
arms. "Sssh...it's ok - it's ok."

"No it's not," she contested, pulling slightly away to look into his
clear, watering eyes. Her own, producing tear after large tear. "It's
not ok at all...I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I hurt you. I'm sorry that
I said those things. I didn't mean any of them...I didn't. I swear I
didn't mean them."

"I know," he assured her. Wrapping her snuggly within the circle of
his arms once more and groaning. "I won't say it didn't hurt like
Hell...but something inside me knew...I knew."

He thought back to Emily and Nikolas...and his father tonight. "It
just took a few intelligent bystanders to make me see what I already
knew was there.

"Elizabeth we don't have to do this anymore ok? No more...because
each time we do this to each other, we're letting the other side win
and killing each other bit by bit in the process...Baby, we can't do
it anymore," he said again. His voice cracking as he reached out to
hold her face in his hands. "Please...let's not do this anymore."

Nodding slowly she let her own fingers brush against his cheeks. His
tears cascading over those fingers and seeping slowly into her skin.
His flesh and hers...the same.

Always had been. Always would be.

"From here on out we have to be completely honest with each other. No
more secrets...no more. We can't move forward and we can't move back
until it all stops...until it's all...fresh - again."

He watched as she closed her eyes. Allowing new tears to slide out
from underneath her heavy lids. There was still something heavy
weighing on her heart. He'd felt it in his own for weeks. Actually it
had been a lot longer than that.

Hadn't he always known in his heart that there was something besides
his lie and her marriage to Alex that stood in the way? Something
that loomed like a dark cloud waiting to unleash something fiercer
than a hard rain.

"I know there are things that you feel you can't tell me yet...," he
began slowly. "I know that. I know a part of you is still holding
back because you're afraid...and I put that fear into you -

"No," she said quickly, shaking her head. "You don't scare me...I do.
I scare me, because I don't know what will happen when I let it all
go Lucky. I'm so afraid that when I let everything go, the whole
world will spin out of control and I'll lose everything. The little
sanity that I have left...and you."

Licking his lips rapidly he knelt down to meet her eye level. His
knees, suddenly feeling like liquid. Something in the air was making
him nervous. "You won't lose me...I can promise you that..........and
we'll try and keep your sanity in check as well," he finished.
Lightly tapping on her head.

She smiled weakly. Knowing that he was only trying to alleviate the
tension, but also realizing that he really had no idea what he was
saying. No idea that his sanity would be compromised as well once he
knew the truth.

Knew that the life that had once been, was gone to him forever. For,
Luna would live and die for him on the very same day. And that,
Elizabeth thought would be even more horrible than having known her
for only a few months.

There simply was no 'preparing' him for that. But she had to prepare
herself.

"Time," she said softly. Touching his cheek. "I just...I just need a
little time...I promise you that I'll tell you everything there is to
tell...soon."

Nodding hesitantly, he clasped the back of her head in his hands and
pressed his lips to her forehead. "Ok."

Her breath shuddered so violently when he pulled away, that he took
her hand in his and led her over to a crate he had set up from the
day before. "Sit down," he instructed gently. Taking the seat across
from her as he stared into her eyes.

So tired. She needed some sleep.

"Tell me what happened...What did he say? Elizabeth did he hurt you?"

"No," she answered quickly. "He...he threatened you...and your
family."

"My family?" Lucky seethed quietly. "Who?...My mom, my dad, Lul-

"Nikolas."

"Nikolas?" Lucky asked. Slightly taken aback by the information. Not
that it wasn't possible. Just not exactly...probable. "Wh - why would
he want t -

"Ok," he paused, redirecting his line of thinking. "What exactly did
he say?"

Elizabeth closed her eyes, as a shiver ran down her spine. The events
of the evening prior coming back to her in full color. She remembered
sitting there in that chair in his office listening to him talk about
what he would do to Lucky and Nikolas as if were no big deal. As if
he were talking about the weather.
***
"I guess I could just flip a coin," Alex chuckled, circling around to
the back of her chair and leaning over it a bit to whisper in her
ear. "But that wouldn't be nearly as much fun would it?...I mean,
taking the both of them...that'd be something.

"I mean, I've never talked to Laura...but she seems like a nice
enough woman. She was quite charming at the party, though I could
tell she was putting on an act for me...What HAVE you been telling
these people about me, Bethie?" He sighed. As if it actually hurt
him. As if it mattered to him at all what others thought of him.

He placed his hands on her shoulders and she flinched visibly. "But I
digress, she seems sweet and kind, and a loving mother...she would
probably miss her sons terribly if they were both taken away from
her. In some type of accident...or something.

"And as for Cassidine...Stephan Cassidine - it would serve him right
to lose that little bastard."

Elizabeth closed her eyes. Her mind reeling as the words being spoken
to her collided and crashed together in her head. What was this
hatred he had for Nikolas?

Was this all because some business deal went bad with Stephan YEARS
ago?

"Wh...why? Why would you do this to them? What has Lucky ever done to
you? What has Niko -

"What has Lucky ever done to me?!" Alex shouted, moving in front of
her now. His eyes mere slits of anger. "How about stealing my wife?!
Taking my wife to bed? How 'bout that Bethie?!"

"He didn't steal anything," she muttered. Watching as he began to
pace like a madman in front of her. "He didn't have to."

Alex halted in place. Turning to stare at her. "He never did have to
work for anything did he? You just came to him...willingly. Living
with him, without even having a ring on your finger...Yeah, you gave
yourself to him pretty cheap Elizabeth. No wonder your parents always
hated him."

Closing her eyes, she shook his words away. They didn't mean
anything. Couldn't hurt her anymore. She knew what she and Lucky were
about. She couldn't and wouldn't allow him to turn something
profoundly beautiful into something ugly.

Clearing her throat she dared to ask her next question. "And
Nikolas...what did he ever do to you?...I can assure you that I've
never gone to bed with him," she added sarcastically. Her tongue
seemingly unable to hold itself in check now.

Alex chuckled lightly and looked out the window. "No...I have
different reasons for wanting to see Nikolas dead. He's a spoiled
brat who never appreciated anything he ever got from anyone.

"He had a home, a family, a name, a legacy...and he never appreciated
any of it. Did you see how he barely even flinched the other night
when it was all taken away from him? Did you see that?

Elizabeth closed her eyes. She'd seen nothing of the sort. Nikolas
seemed devastated.

"You see Elizabeth?" He said. Kneeling in front of her chair now. His
hands on her knees. "You see? It's people who were born with a silver
spoon in their mouth that don't appreciate the things that they have.
It's people like Nikolas that drive me crazy...people like you."

"What?" She asked. The words that came out of his mouth too ludicrous
to even comprehend. "What are you talking about? I wasn't born with a
silver spoon in my mouth. I never -

"No, of course not...you weren't nearly as filthy rich as the
Cassidines, but you - you were comfortable. Some would say even -
wealthy...You never wanted for anything, Elizabeth. Both of your
parents were doctors...you had the best of everything. A family, a
home...everything."

She sat there silently in awe of his stupidity. It showed how much he
actually knew about where she'd come from. Yes she'd had money
growing up, and a family that could have provided her everything she
needed or wanted. But they hadn't. They hadn't given her anything she
ever really needed. The only person that had ever done that was Lucky.

Alex rose to his feet and stared into her eyes. "You're the prime
example of someone that doesn't know what they have when they have
it...Someone who doesn't appreciate money because they came from
it...they don't know anything else, so they think they deserve it.
They don't think they have to DO anything for it. They think the
world OWES it to them or something!

"You don't love me Bethie...you never have! You've just taken
everything I could give - this house, the gallery, clothes...trips.
Everything. You wanted the life, but you didn't want me...

"And now that you've had your fill. Now that you've sufficiently
milked me of enough status and money...now you want out - well you
can't have it."

Too stunned to respond at first, she simply sat there. Staring.
Looking around at all the knick-knacks on the wall. The expensive
bobbles that lined the shelves. The books he never read.

When she found her voice it was quiet, but strong. He was telling
more lies. Speaking from someplace foreign and she wouldn't allow it.

"I never wanted anything from you...at best, I wanted...peace," she
sighed throwing up her hands. "I wanted quiet from my own head...I
didn't want to have to think about anything anymore. About who I was,
or what my life had become...and for awhile I thought you could give
that to me. I thought you could give me peace and quiet and that you
would take care of the necessities in life - the things that I needed
but didn't want to have to think about...Things like having a job,
and having someone to talk to when I got home.

"But you couldn't do that. I realized it soon enough...but by the
time I did it was too late. I'd already walked down that aisle when
everything in my body screamed for me not to. I didn't listen. I
didn't trust my own instincts anymore. I thought I was defective and
so whatever I was thinking couldn't be right...couldn't be true or
good.

"But I was wrong about myself - so wrong. I see that now. I see that
I was wrong about myself, and right about you all along...You ARE the
manipulative bastard that I got only a glimpse of before it was too
late. You ARE that man...and I wish I never met you. I wish I never
talked to you when you came over to ask my name. I wish my professor
had never told me about a gallery job in the city...I wish. God, how
I wish."

Alex ran a hand through his hair, and disregarded the clamminess of
it. He wouldn't allow her to get to him. He would win. He always
won...this would be no exception.
***

It was then that Elizabeth's voice faltered in her retelling of
events. She wouldn't go any further. Tell Lucky where the
conversation had went. She'd only skip to the end and tell him the
results.

"He said - he said that if I remained his wife...that he would leave
you and Nikolas...alone."

Lucky inhaled deeply and closed his eyes. "And you went along with
it."

"I'm sorry."

"No...no, that's not what I meant...I just..." Lucky searched for the
words that escaped him. "I just can't believe I didn't go with you.
None of this would have happened, if I hadn't have let you go to him
by yourself."

Elizabeth scowled. "Lucky you didn't LET me - I wanted to do it."

Closing his eyes once more he nodded. He had to remember not to use
that word. "Right."

Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth took the plunge. There was no time
like the present. "I have a plan."

"What kind of plan?" Lucky asked, looking up into her eyes.

"A plan to get information out of Alex...A way to keep him away from
you, and a way to find out what he wants with Nikolas at the same
time...We both agree that it's more than just revenge against you,
right?"

Lucky nodded. It was definitely more than revenge, but he didn't
think he liked where her line of thinking was going. Not at all.

"What does this plan involve, exactly Elizabeth?"

Her silence gave him all the answer he needed. Elizabeth's lips
parted only slightly as if ready to speak at the very same moment
that his head tilted to the side and started to shake vigorously.

"No way."

Elizabeth watched as he rose from his crate and paced towards the
fading bed. "Lucky, come on, he already thinks I'm going to stay. He
thinks it's for real...that I - that I want to be with him. That I
love -

"What?!" Lucky asked, turning to stare at her as if she'd grown
another eye in the center of her head.

She froze for a moment before explaining herself. She shouldn't have
just sprung it on him like that. "I...I told him...tonight - that I
wanted to be with him. That I would...

"Elizabeth no," Lucky sighed, coming to stand right in front of her
again. His eyes wide with fear, concern, worry and alarm. All of
those emotions caused his stomach to clench into a tight convoluted
knot in an instant.

Closing her eyes she forged ahead. She'd already opened this can of
worms. There was no turning back. "He thinks I'm going to sleep with
him...on the night of the gala - he thinks I want to start a family."

Lucky closed his eyes and sunk back down to the crate opposite of
her.

Had she just lost her mind or had he? 'I have,' he thought to
himself. 'I have, and this is obviously some kind of hallucination.'

After a few moments of silence, Elizabeth licked her lips
nervously. "Say something... please."

He covered his face with both hands and spoke through his tense
fingers. "Elizabeth there's no way you're doing this."

Her eyelids fluttered wider as she let his words sink
in. "Lucky...this - I AM doing this. It's already done."

"Why!?" He shouted standing up in front of her. His arms shooting out
towards his sides. "Why EXACTLY do you think you need to do this?! I
can find out what Alex is up to withOUT you putting yourself in
danger. Without him thinking you're his 'wife' for God's sake!

"Elizabeth, come on!...I mean, what am I supposed to say 'sure Honey,
great plan!?'...I'm sorry, I can't do that!"

"Lucky! Listen to me," Elizabeth countered, standing up to face
him. "Don't you see that this way we can hit him from both angles?"

Lucky's eyes narrowed. He could think of only one angle he wanted to
hit Alex from. Straight on - at close range.

He looked down at his feet as she continued. "You can work on things
from the outside - trying to find out what his deal is with
Nikolas...and it gives you time to go to Italy and investigate the
Cassidine fortune. While I -

"Are you kidding me Elizabeth?!" Lucky raged. Not believing what he
was hearing. "You think I'm leaving you alone in that house again?!
With him?!...PLEASE! There's no way in Hell!"

Elizabeth closed her eyes. This wasn't going to work. He wasn't going
to back down from this one. Shortening the distance between them, she
let her fingertips trail against his face. Even his cheeks were
tense. "Look at me," she said quietly. Waiting for his eyes to meet
hers. "Lucky...look at me please."

When his intense blue orbs did meet hers in a fierce glare, they were
on fire. Raging beneath the cool blue surfaces. She took a deep
breath and tried to find a way to make him understand. "He scares me
Lucky."

Closing his eyes, he laced his fingers with ones that she caressed
his face with. His voice, soft and hoarse now from yelling. He hated
that he'd raised his voice with her, but she was driving him
crazy. "All the more reason why I can't go along with this Elizabeth."

"No," she said quietly. Shaking her head and closing her eyes. "I'm
not finished...

"He's the one...He admitted to me that he was the one that night -
that tried to run us down, outside of CJ's."

Lucky's nostrils flared and he stepped back. Biting down hard upon
his lip as he let go of her hand.

"Fucking bastard!" He shouted. His voice cracking when turned around
and raked both hands through his hair. He left his hands atop his
head as she continued to explain the conversation that she'd had with
Alex.

"He said he was trying for you...but things got 'out of hand'...I
guess. He said he thought you'd walk out into the street first...but
instead it was me - he apparently had no 'intention' of hitting me."

Staring, Lucky sighed. The guy was unfuckingbelievable. But he'd
known...he'd known. He'd known it when he saw that silver car in the
garage that day. That gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach
should have told him...but he hadn't listened to it.

"He admitted all of this to you?" Lucky asked. Trying to reign in his
temper.

"Yes," Elizabeth sighed, sinking down on a crate once more. "He
wanted to scare me...wanted to see if it would make me go along with
staying there...pretending to be his wife. But it didn't...see -
Lucky, even THAT wasn't what scared me enough to make me stay.

"But him threatening you...to kill you - and your family -

"Elizabeth this isn't making any sense! You're not making me feel any
better!...This guy ADMITTED to you that he wanted to kill me, you,
the both of us - more like it - and now you want to hang out and
pretend you're going to sleep with him?!...Elizabeth it's crazy!"

"I never said it was sane...I just said it could work."

Lucky's brow knitted together as he sunk down in front of her. His
head pounding. The combination of only a few hours of drunken sleep,
and now this...

"Elizabeth, aside from the fact that I simply don't want you near
this guy - I don't want you in the same universe......it's too big of
a risk."

Biting down on her lip she pushed an errant strand of hair away from
his forehead. "I remember you telling me once that you wouldn't
promise me not to take risks."

He tilted his head to the side. "Elizabeth this is completely
different."

"You're right," she agreed nodding. "It is completely different,
because this time our future is at stake...Lucky, Alex is NOT going
to just lie down and let me walk out of his life. He's already made
that perfectly clear to me...But, what I'M not going to do is just
let him get away with it...I'm through with letting him get away with
making my life a living Hell."

Lucky eyes shut as he hung his head. Either way you looked at it -
life would be Hell. "And just what am I supposed to do while you're
busy with this little charade? I'm just supposed to sit around and
watch?"

"No," Elizabeth answered earnestly. "I would never expect you to just
sit around and watch, Lucky.

"Listen...Alex thinks that this...that I'm," she fumbled, trying to
get her bearings. "Going to sleep with him on the night of the
Gala...it's coming up soon, BUT," she said cutting him off before he
could interrupt again. "It's far enough away that you'll have enough
time to dig...Find things out.........Lucky I feel in my gut that
something is very WRONG here. Alex is hiding something...and I need
to know what it is. We need to know...for all of our sakes."

Lucky rubbed his temples before looking up at her. Suddenly needing
to know something else. "Who painted that portrait in your
foyer?...The one that I threw down today?"

Elizabeth blinked hard. The curve ball he'd just thrown, sending her
for a complete loop.

"Alex's father."

Lucky's breath caught in his throat. "Alex's
father?......Montgomery?...That was his name right?...All the
hotels...Alex named his chain of hotels after his father...

"Right," Elizabeth answered quickly. Following with her eyes as he
rose once more and started to pace. "Lucky what is it? Why are we
talking about paintings now?"

"Montgomery Hart," Lucky whispered more to himself, as he faced the
wall. He turned towards her a moment later. "What kinds of stuff did
he paint? Just landscapes like the one in the foyer, or other
subjects too? Portraits maybe?"

"No," Elizabeth answered. "He was strictly a landscape
artist...Lucky, what's going on?" She asked. Standing now herself.

'Strictly a landscape artist?' He questioned silently. 'Strictly a
landscape artist?...That can't be...It's gotta be the same heart.
It's gotta be.'

"You're SURE he never did any portraits, Elizabeth?" Lucky asked
anxiously. "You're certain?"

Elizabeth pushed a few loose strands behind her ears. "No...I mean
not that I know of. Alex told me once that he did ONLY landscapes -
nothing else. He was living in Italy when he painted the one that you
saw...and portraits were a popular medium at that time...but he...I
guess he sort of stayed away from it...too much expectation placed on
them, or...I don't know - it just wasn't his thing."

Lucky nodded silently. He had to see the painting again. That was
all. Maybe he had made a mistake. 'No you didn't Spencer...don't do
that anymore.'

"Lucky, what -

"I'm sorry," he said. Shaking out of his reverie. "I just. I saw
something last night - another painting that reminded me a lot of the
one I'd seen earlier at your house. I thought it must have been the
same artist, but this one was most definitely a portrait."

"Where did you see the other?"

"My father's club...it was that nude portrait done of Helena."

Elizabeth sucked in a big gulp of air and shook her head. "Why...why
would you think Montgomery Hart painted that?"

Lucky scratched the back of his head. "The signature."

"Oh!" Elizabeth interjected quickly. Realizing immediately that it
had to be a mistake then. "It couldn't have been Montgomery Hart
then...he never signed anything. He always just painted this little
heart at the bottom of the far right corner...so it couldn't have
been him."

Goose bumps wasted no time in prickling over every inch of Lucky's
flesh. He sighed. "Exactly."

Elizabeth's mouth dropped open slightly. "What are you telling me
Lucky?"

"That the painting of Helena had the same heart that you just
described."

She shook her head. It couldn't be. Why WOULD it be? What connection
did Alex's father have to Helena?

"Maybe it's a different....heart," she suggested. Swallowing
hard. "Maybe Montgomery wasn't the only one to use that as a
signature."

Lucky cocked his head to the side. Even SHE didn't believe what she
was saying. "I asked Nikolas about the painting and he said it was
brought over from the house in Greece...but even he didn't seem
certain.

"His family has made a habit of lying to him...just like others we
know. So, he can't really be sure."

"I don't understand," Elizabeth said in bewilderment. There was a
slow building shiver inching its way up her
spine. "What...how...Alex's father spent most of his last years in
Italy."

"Like I said...we can't be sure that the painting came from Greece,
and even if it did...it could have been sent there. It doesn't have
to mean that it was painted there."

Her mind reeling, she tried to piece things together. "So if this is
true...then Montgomery would have painted that portrait of Helena
YEARS ago...she was...she was young right?"

"Yeah, pretty young," Lucky agreed. Closing his eyes to conjure up
the image that made him sick to his stomach. "I'm gonna have to find
out what year it was painted...and when and who it was commissioned
by."

"Do you think Stavros may have hired him to do it? Maybe as some sort
of gift to Helena...or to himself?"

Lucky's eyes narrowed and he shook his head. "I don't think
so...everything I know about Stavros tells me that he wouldn't be too
thrilled at the idea of his wife posing nude, let alone actually
paying for it. Something makes me seriously doubt that Stavros ever
knew anything about this painting."

That same shiver that had been building ran rampant throughout her
body now. There was something rotten about all this....

"But a family like the Cassidines...they probably have portraits
commissioned all the time don't they?...I mean, the two that Nikolas
told us about all those years ago. Of him as a little boy and then
when he was like 14 or something? And -

"And the one of my mom," Lucky inserted. Nodding. That still had the
ability to thoroughly skeeve him out too. "But none of those were
NUDE...Thank God," he added almost to himself.

Elizabeth nodded, her head swimming. "Ok...I'll try and get that out
of him too then. Try and find out if his father did ANY portraits at
all and WHEN they may have been done..."

Her voice trailed away when she realized he was staring at her again.
Begging her silently not to do this.

"You're really going to go through with this aren't
you?...Elizabeth...plea-

"Lucky, I'm not the same girl that he's been pushing around for the
last few years...I can't be her anymore - and you've made me see
that. I'm stronger than he ever allowed me to think I was, and I'm
not gonna let him get away with anything that he's done.

When he started to contest, she spoke again. "More than likely, I'll
have all the information I need BEFORE the Gala, Lucky - but if
not...if not...you'll be there right?...You'll be there, and
everything will be fine."

Seeing her sentence dangle in the midair, he couldn't help but reach
out for it and take it in his hands. But she had to know that he
wouldn't just be there...he'd be way more involved than just 'being
there.'

Whether she liked it or not.

"Of course...I'll be there," he nodded. "I'll be there because I'm
never gonna leave."

She smiled weakly and nodded. Of course he'd want to help. Of cour -

"There are 19 other rooms right?"

"What?" She asked. His question catching her completely off guard.

"I asked if there were 19 other rooms...There are, aren't there?
Ok...so one of them is bound to be the farthest point from Alex's
room....and then there are also the servants quarters...lots of
possibilities."

"Luck -

"Elizabeth, I've slept in a lot of places before without the owner of
wherever it was, ever knowing about it."

"Lucky!"

"What?" He asked. A slight grin tugging at the corner of his
mouth. "Oh!...You thought I was letting you back in that house
without me?" He asked in mock surprise. "Come on, Elizabeth...if you
go back - I go back. Like I said before, we're not separating again.
Where you live - I live."

"But Lucky this isn't -

Smothering her words within the recesses of her throat, his lips
crashed into hers. Silencing all protests that she may have lodged as
concerns.

The only concern he had right then was her. Was making her see that
this was the ONLY way her 'plan' was going to work. If she were
facing Alex, she wouldn't be doing it alone. It was that simple.

Yet he knew it wouldn't be simple. He knew his amendment to her
original concept was even crazier than the original. She didn't have
to tell him that watching her parade around as someone else's wife
would be Hell on Earth. She wouldn't have to tell him because he'd
already lived it for the last 3 years.

Only this time it would be up-close...and more personal than it ever
had been through the lens of a camera or the turning of a magazine
page.

Elizabeth kissed him back and he tried to clear his mind of the
images that threatened to attack. He wouldn't think of them yet. Not
until he had to.

Already struggling to balance the natural order of breathing with
that of passion. He couldn't handle anything else, but loving her.
His tongue slipped between her lips and turned her knees to jelly.
They sunk to the floor as one. His fingers winding throughout her
hair as they lowered themselves slowly to the bottom of the boxcar.

Cradling her head, he quickly lay her down on soft blanket that
remained from the day before. Kissing her deeply yet tenderly at
once.

He felt his pants constrict as she sighed and whimpered. Her soft
body surrendering to his and moving so fluidly beneath him. Lucky let
his fingers travel down from her cheek, over her shoulders and down
to her chest. The heat of her skin radiating through the T-shirt that
she wore. Gripping her tenderly through the material, he molded her
gentle mounds of flesh to suit his desire as he continued to kiss her
senseless.

Elizabeth writhed beneath him. Opening her eyes for just a moment to
see the sun coming up over the horizon. Watching through hooded
lashes as Lucky's beautiful, wide shoulders loomed over her and he
kissed and kissed and kissed some more. As his hands did to her what
they wanted. What SHE wanted so desperately.

But they couldn't do this. Not now - not when Alex was due to wake up
at any moment and start searching the house for her. Not when she'd
promised Lucky that the next time they made love she would be
free...of everything. Alex AND all of the secrets.

But his hands felt so good. His lips felt so incredible against her
own.

Fighting her brain she gripped his biceps. Allowing her fingers the
pleasure of digging into the thick, toned flesh. His tongue delved
into her depths, and his hips ground against hers for the first time.

She had to stop it now. She had to...but God...he felt...

Lucky's full, lips burned into the side of her neck and he heard
Elizabeth hiss through her teeth. The mere sounds she made enough to
drive him over the edge. He let his own teeth sink into the flesh
he'd just kissed. Careful not to bruise the delicate, sensitive skin
there, but eager to taste - to nibble on that scrumptious flesh.

Against her better judgement, Elizabeth fingers traveled down his
back. The soft threads of cotton smoothing over her fingertips as she
pressed him down towards her. Closer...tighter...

She just wanted to feel...just wanted to feel him - for a little
while.

Hearing her silent wish, Lucky reached between them, untying the
drawstrings that served as a fastener for the lounge pants that she
wore. He could have sworn he'd felt how hot she was before his hand
even made it inside the elastic waistband.

But he wouldn't be able to test that theory today.

"Lu - Lucky," she breathed, wiggling out of his grasp before his hand
made contact with her desire. Before the point of no return. "We...we
can't."

"Why?" He panted, searching her eyes as she rolled away to sat up.

"It's morning..." she explained anxiously. "He's....he'll be looking
for me..."

Lucky dragged his fingers through his hair. Tempering the flames that
leapt up in his eyes before he spoke. 'Yeah Spencer...You think you
can do this huh? You can't even stand to hear the guy's name...'

"Where did you plan on telling him you went?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "I wasn't really thinking...I just
left...but, on the way here I thought maybe I could tell him I'd been
to see Gram...I hate lying about that...but..."

Lucky nodded absently. Were they actually going to do this? Was HE
actually playing along?

He was crazy. It was that simple. Now he knew for sure that he had
lost his mind during those 3 years away from her, because he had just
been talked into absolute ludicrousness.

"And remember," she began again. Interrupting his thoughts. "I said
that the next time we made love...I wanted us to be completely free.

"No thinking of my stupid marriage or Helena or...........or anything
else," she said swallowing dryly. "Remember?"

Lucky closed his eyes and licked his lips. "I remember," he nodded.
Pausing, he pulled her close and kissed her deeply. Taking his time
with her lips before drawing away and laying his forehead against
hers. "I remember."

Shaking her head, Elizabeth opened her eyes and stepped back very
slowly. Maybe this WAS a bad idea. Maybe...

No she had to do this. The question was how would Lucky survive being
in that house, with her pretending to be in love with someone else?

"Lucky...how are you going to -

"Ssh," he interjected. Placing a gentle finger to her lips to silence
her. "You let me worry about how I'm going to do it ok?"

Her absolute silence prompted him further. "Elizabeth...if you want
to back out of this -

"I'm not calling it off," she asserted, staring into his eyes. "We're
going to find out what Alex is up to and then he's going to pay...he
has to."

The vengefulness in her voice scared him a bit, and he gazed for a
long moment into her eyes. He knew what he thought SHE meant by pay.
Probably something different from HIS version...but he had to be
sure. "What do you mean by pay?"

"I just mean justice," She began. Trying to keep her cool. "He's
going to know that he can't just get away with whatever he wants
to...he can't get away with threatening you. He can't get away with
bullying me. He can't get away with changing who I am. He can't get
away with keeping me pr...prisoner..."

The hitch in her voice gave way to sobs. As she began to break apart,
Lucky held her together. Bundling her up in his arms as she started
to cry. "Sssh...it's ok...it's ok..." he whispered. Lightly stroking
the back of her head.

"You're right," he assured her softly. Bending at the knee to meet
her eyes once again. "He's gonna pay. He sure as Hell is gonna pay
for all of that. We'll make him - together."

"But Lucky," she sobbed shaking her head, so that his hands fell
away. "I don't want to hurt you. I don't want you to...

He inhaled deeply through his nose and let it go through his
mouth. "Like I said before...you let me worry about all of that - ok?"

She nodded slowly and he took her in his arms once more. "All you
need to worry about is you. The minute you say stop - it's OVER
Elizabeth...You got it?"

Nodding she sniffled back her tears and stared deep into his eyes. "I
need to do this Lucky...I know you don't understand it. I know it
doesn't make any sense to you...but I NEED to do this."

Lucky watched as she wiped fiercely at her tears and smoothed a hand
over her wrinkled clothes. Why couldn't ANYTHING ever be easy? Why
couldn't the world just back off and let them be together? Why did
everything have to be a struggle? Was it too much to ask, just to be
together? Was it?!

Closing his eyes, he nodded. There was no time for maudlin thoughts.
Only time for action. "You better get a move on then."

Her eyes grew a bit wide, at the sound of his voice. "You're not
coming with me? Following?"

"I'll be there," he assured her, nodding. "I just don't think it's
wise for us to show up together...besides - I have a few things to
take care of first...Don't worry," he said again. "I'll be there. I'm
not gonna leave you Elizabeth. I won't...ever again."

Closing her eyes, she knew what he said was true. When she re-opened
them to look at him, she clasped his face in her hands and placed a
tender, lingering kiss against his lips. "I love you."

"I love you too...

"How will I know that you've -

"I'll find you," he said softly. Giving her a grin before he kissed
her again. "I'll find you."