~~ Yesterday’s hurt is today’s forgiving, rewoven into tomorrow’s understanding and love. ~~ Unknown

Elizabeth’s jaw dropped slightly as they climbed the porch steps and moved through the French double doors. It was the biggest guest home she’d ever seen. Though she wasn’t sure why she found that surprising. Alex had been the one to design it after all.

With Alex, it was always the bigger the better.

‘The man specializes in penis extension homes,’ she thought wearily.

"Yeah, I know," Lucky mumbled out of nowhere.

"What?"

"It’s huge…this place," he said. Turning to gesture towards the spacious hall that led to the various rooms on either side.

Taking a deep breath she nodded in agreement. She’d thought for a moment there that he’d simply read her thoughts on the matter.

"It’s not entirely furnished yet, but it….You know, it’s enough to pretend for a little while."

"Pretend what?" Elizabeth asked. Taking off her sweater. Lucky helped to remove it gently from her shoulders as she walked further down the corridor and picked one doorway to walk through at random.

She’d picked the right one.

"Oh my God…"

The words came a split second before Lucky’s explanation. "Pretend that it’s ours for a little while."

He stood directly behind her while her eyes traveled over the entire room and all it’s surfaces. Exquisite cherry wood furnishings with crystal bud vases beautifully brimmed with white roses. Antiques decorating every corner.

Ever fixture softly illuminated by the healthy glow of candlelight. Votives and tealights at every turn, washing the entire room in beauty.

It smelled like heaven.

That alone, forced a knot into her throat that caused her gaze to shift downwards to the center of the room. Her eyes coming to rest on the beautiful patchwork quilt that sprawled against the thick carpet. Wooden baskets sitting atop the rich material.

It would be an inside picnic by candlelight and skylight pouring in from the glass roof.

It was beautiful…

"Lucky…"

Her voice was so soft he could barely tell whether it had been a positive or negative ‘Lucky.’ He rounded in front of her to see her face. There were tears.

"Thank you," she whispered. Throwing her arms around his neck with such passion it nearly sent him stumbling backwards. She lingered against him for a long moment. And he closed his eyes to revel in the feel of her. Smelling her hair, sweet and soft against his skin.

"I just wanted to have sort of…a date. We haven’t really had one of those in awhile…and I got to thinking about how I couldn’t really take you anywhere special…right now…but then I also remembered how in the old days we could just stay home and have…the best time," he finished, whispering.

She pulled away to look in his eyes, and he gently brushed at the moist tears on her cheeks. "The VERY best….and it’s been too long."

"So," he began. Taking her hand in his as he led her to the center of the room and allowed her to sit before taking his own seat. "Like I was saying before, Maria helped me put this all together…she cooked…and provided the baskets," he smiled.

"You should have seen her face when I asked for some of the things I asked for."

"And what exactly did you ask for?" Elizabeth smiled. Moving closer to him on the blanket. It was so warm in the room. So wonderfully warm and cozy.

Lucky chuckled and opened one of the large wicker containers. "Ah, just a few memory foods…You know, like Peanut butter and banana sandwiches, hot pretzels, and brownies, ………oh and lots of milk to wash it down with."

Elizabeth smiled wide and then bit her lip. "That sounds wonderful."

"Oh you ain’t seen nuthin’ yet," he grinned. "She didn’t help with everything…some things I went to get myself this afternoon when you were out getting that key made."

She tilted her head to the side. "What did you do?"

The question became null and void when she smelled the sweet aroma of his next surprise. "Ely’s," she sighed. Closing her eyes and inhaling deeply.

Lucky mirrored the action and took a long whiff of the white, paper bag that was marred with sufficient grease stains. "You got it."

"Ugh, you thought of everything," she giggled. Practically moaning with delight as she reached out and nearly ripped the bag from his hands.

"Ah-ah-ah," he smiled in mock reprimand. Pulling it back. "First we have to decide what we want first…do we want the sandwiches for appetizers or dessert?"

"Hmm," Elizabeth thought, scratching the top of her head. "That’s a good question…let’s ponder that for a moment shall we?"

"We shall," he agreed soberly. Staring off into space for a moment as if perusing a serious thought. He silently scratched the back of his head. "I’m gonna have to go with appetizers……that way we save the best for last."

"Prolonging the climax so to speak?"

Both of his eyebrows shot up at once and he silmultaneously shook his head. "You are gonna have to stop talking like that if you actually wanna eat any of this food."

Elizabeth giggled. "Ok…I promise to be on my very best behavior from this point on."

"Well," Lucky began. Narrowing the space between them with a soft, lingering kiss. "Not your VERY best…we wouldn’t want that."

She moaned as his hand came to rest at the back of her neck and he pulled her deeper into the kiss. His mouth already tasted of chocolate. "Mmm…have you been snacking on the brownies already, or is that just your natural state that I’m tasting?"

"All natural…I wouldn’t partake without you," he smiled.

Narrowing her eyes, Elizabeth shook her head. "I’m not sure I believe you…come back here so I can taste you again."

He did as she bid. Moving the basket out of the way so he could kneel before her and hold her face with two hands. Slipping his tongue into her mouth as her hands slipped around his waist.

"Convinced?" He said softly. Licking his lips.

She only nodded. Her voice lost somewhere between their mouths connecting and his tongue writhing against hers.

"Let’s eat then," he said after a moment. "There’s more surprise to come after dinner."

"There is!?" She nearly shouted. Giddiness, causing her to spring to her knees.

Lucky grinned and gently pushed her down by the shoulders. "Yes ma’am…now eat."

~~~~~~~

Emily pulled her shirt over her head and watched Nikolas nod in satisfaction. She shook her head in response. Unclasping her bra as she silently chastised him.

"Ok, FINE Nikolas, but just know that I’m doing this for YOU…sex never solved anyone’s problems."

"I’ll remember that," he mumbled quickly. Kneeling on the bed to kiss her in a heated rush. "And after we’re done you can make sure to give me a really stern lecture ok?"

"Ok," she agreed. Biting her lip as he removed his pants. "I’m already thinking of ways to get you to really consider your actions……."

"Mmm," Nikolas answered, with a grin. Brushing her long locks away from her neck in order to feast on her skin. "Like some sort of punishment?’

"Yes," Emily answered. Lying back as he made work of her pants. "Definitely……I was thinking – aaaah" she hissed when his fingers began some wicked adventure. "Maybe something along the lines of making you stay in your bedroom until you’ve thought about what you’ve done."

Nikolas pulled back for a moment, staring soberly into her mahogany eyes. "Uhhuh…you’re right. You really are……I need to think long and hard about what I’m doing."

Emily laughed loudly as she wrapped her lengthy limbs around his waist. "Why don’t you let me concentrate on what’s long and hard……and you just get busy."

"Yes, Miss Quartermaine," Nikolas answered. A mock salute as he attacked her neck once more. Sucking skin through his teeth.

Squinting, Emily focused on the ceiling. "So…what do you think they were looking for anyway?"

"What?"

"On your grandmother’s yacht…I mean –

"Emily," Nikolas sighed. Pulling back once more. "Can we not talk about that anymore today…I don’t wanna think about anything but you right now…"

Smiling softly, Emily agreed and pulled him in for a tender kiss. "Ok, Snookie."

Nikolas growled at the nickname and made her shiver with the talented hands that moved up her torso to cup her breasts.

"But I can’t seem to shake the image of that car…the one I saw pull away."

"Emily, come on," Nikolas groaned. Stilling his hand in it’s journey up her thigh.

"You’re right…I’m sorry," she said. Apologizing with a long, lust-filled kiss. He returned it tenfold and let his fingers commence in their prior task – removing those satin panties of hers.

"Do you think whoever it was wanted me to see the car?…I mean they must have waited until we were outside to –

"Emiiiiiiiiiillllllllllyyyyyy," Nikolas whined. His lower body grinding against hers a bit as he did so.

"I know, I know Baby," she said quickly. "But I mean think about it…Why would whoever was there, just WAIT around? I mean if whoever it was, was really looking for something that he had to turn the place upside down to get it…What’s the point in him hanging out afterwards?"

Nikolas licked his lips anxiously. "I don’t know Babe…we’ll talk about it later, ok?"

Nodding her head vigorously, Emily agreed once more. "Ok."

But the image of the silver car that had pulled away so abruptly as they’d stepped from Helena’s yacht that afternoon still plagued her mind. Lingering on the edges of her senses even as the love of her life eased him self inside of her, inch by beautiful inch.

The thoughts disappeared for only a moment when she reached the pinnacle of pleasure. Yet returned soon after the afterglow.

Did she know that car?

~~~~~~~

Alex stood alone above the water, examining the small chest. It was possible that the Quartermaine girl had seen him, but it didn’t matter. They’d all know soon enough anyway.

It was only this box that mattered. In it, he would find the answers to all the questions that he’d ever had about his parents and what had truly happened between them. No longer insupportable suspicions, but fact – would be set free.

Finally.

As a boy, questions about his mother had always garnered the same reaction. Silence, and stoic glances from his father. And after he had passed away, the same glances had been given from Leopold.

Now, he would get answers. He would get the truth.

Questions that even his mother hadn’t fully addressed during her brief stint in his life would now be answered.

Knowledge was a powerful thing, and knowing where you came from was more than just a privilege. It could be a weapon. It could prove that the money he’d been given as a gift was actually his to keep. Was his inalienable right as a Cassidine.

Yet, he didn’t need the box to tell him that. He knew without a doubt that royalty coursed through his veins. Perhaps he’d known all his life that he’d been destined for greater things. No, the box would simply shed light on how they’d felt about one another.

Alex had listened as other children talked about how their parents had met and fallen in love. Even how they’d come to split up. But he’d never known. Aside from the fact that Helena had been a married woman at the time and had left his father…

Of course he could guess. He could just go with the facts of life – that women left and never stayed. Were ungrateful, moneygrubbing whores that got what they needed from you and then left.

But oh no…no, that wasn’t true anymore right? His Bethie…his Bethie was different. She’d proven that. She’d agreed to try and make their marriage work. To have his child…

It was true. She was sincere…she had to be. If she wasn’t then………

Well, she just had to be, that was all. She had to be truthful in her love, because if she was…then maybe his mother had been as well. Maybe Helena had actually loved Montgomery Hart and had conceived a son in beauty.

Not in deceit.

~~~~~~~

Elizabeth watched in silence as Lucky bent to light the fire. The flickering wisps of flame, illuminating his face and eyes just so. If she were able to count all the moments in her life that he’d resembled an angel, there’d be absolutely no denying his divinity.

"You warm enough?" He asked suddenly. Eyeing her hesitantly as he returned to their spot on the carpet.

"Almost."

His eyebrows rose at once. "What else can I get you?"

"Just your arms."

An awkward grin tugged at the corner of his mouth as he ambled towards her. "Oh…ok," he said. She leaned into his embrace with a sigh as he sat behind her. Cradling her head below his chin.

Elizabeth’s eyes traveled towards the yet to be opened wicker basket at the far end of the large quilt. "So…is that my other surprise?"

Lucky took a deep breath and she felt the air hitch in his chest. Was he nervous? What for? She adored everything he’d ever given her.

"Yeah," he sighed. "Although now…I don’t know…"

Turning in his arms, she tilted his face to hers. "What don’t you know?"

He closed his eyes and then opened them to stare nervously back at the unopened container. "Ugh…I don’t know. I’m just having second thoughts…I –

"Lucky what is it?"

His arms tightened around her as he anxiously tried to explain. "We’ve been…we’ve been talking about how we have to share everything. Share everything about…or lives – when we were apart……if we’re ever going to be truly TOGETHER again, right?"

"Right," Elizabeth agreed. Swallowing hard. Her pulse quickening in an instant. It was amazing how fast a heart could beat and NOT physically jump out of your chest.

Lucky felt her become tense in his arms. "Hey," he said. Whispering in her ear. "I know you’re not ready to tell me all there is to tell…This isn’t some big truth telling sermon…I just – I just wanted to be up front with you about a couple of things…

"I figure I need to do this if you’re ever going to really trust me again anyway."

"Lucky, I do –

"Ssh," he said quickly. Placing his fingers to her lips before she could interrupt with something that would only succeed in making him feel better for the moment. Something that they both knew was only a half-truth, or she would have revealed whatever the big secret was already.

It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out.

"I’m not telling you this to get you to tell me anything Elizabeth…and no matter what – I will ALWAYS know that I did something in those few minutes on that afternoon that destroyed a little part of you.

"A part that used to trust me with the deepest recesses of your mind and heart…I KNOW that Elizabeth. You can’t tell me that I didn’t – because I know it right here when I look into your eyes," he said quietly. Pressing a hand to his heart. "I know it."

She opened her mouth to speak and he once again, placed his fingers there. "And you don’t have to say anything ok?…Just listen?"

Elizabeth nodded as he continued. Unwinding his arms from around her waist to pull the basket towards them.

"The thing is," he began again. "I can’t expect you to just start blurting things out if I haven’t done it either…

"So here goes…………….I’ve been keeping all of this stuff for a long time…in my car," he said. Extracting yet another box from inside the basket.

"In your car?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah," he sighed. "You know how you’re always commenting on how I keep the entire world in my car?…Blankets? Pillows? Radios?…The whole shabang?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I think I realized earlier today when I went to the apartment that…I do that because I think I have to. When I was working for Helena, I was constantly on the move, and I never knew where I was going to be from week to week…so I would usually just pile anything valuable in my car…because I didn’t trust her not to go through my things in the hotels that I was staying in or…wherever…And that way if I had to catch a plane, I could just throw my box in a bag and go….

"Weren’t you afraid she’d find that in your car?" She asked. Pointing to…whatever it was.

"I hid it in a secret compartment that I made beneath the floorboard of the trunk."

She could only smile in response. He was a genius.

"And then when I went overseas or something," he continued. "I just took it with me…and kept a close eye on it.

"Anyway," he sighed. "I guess I just haven’t gotten out of the habit of hauling things around with me yet."

Elizabeth pressed her lips to his cheek for a long moment. "What’s inside of it Lucky?"

Taking a deep breath, he gazed into her eyes. "You."

Her wide-eyed glance prompted him to break the silence he’d created. "Or at least as close to you as I could get at the time…"

And when he lifted the lid of the box and she came face to face with her own reflection, she knew what he’d meant. Her mouth dropped silently open as he removed photo after photo of her. Three years worth of magazine clippings, black and white photos from newspapers, and even candid shots.

Lucky cleared his excruciatingly dry throat. The rosy hue of embarrassment rising in his cheeks. "The candid shots were Helena’s doing…she called them gifts, but I always knew they were really just threats. She’d give me a new one every few weeks just to keep me in line. Just to let me know that she still held all the cards…….so to speak.

"I got to the point where I was actually pretty good at pretending I wasn’t ecstatic to get them…but I was. God, when she would leave the room I would sit there and," he swallowed hard against embarrassment again. "I would sit there and cry over your picture.

"You were so beautiful," he sighed. Reaching out to touch her cheek. "You ARE so beautiful."

He pulled his fingers back a split-second later. Not sure what her eyes were saying. Not sure how she felt about her x-boyfriend revealed as a stalkeresque weirdo.

‘Well you opened the can of worms, Spencer…so there’s no turning back now,’ he thought.

"The rest of these –

"You cut him out," Elizabeth interjected. Her voice merely a whisper when she finally found it. "Alex…he was in most of these…I think……Most of these memories are fuzzy in my head, but…it looks like you cut them….and you kept them anyway?"

"Of course," he nodded. "I wasn’t about to let his presence ruin…something so…beautiful," he added after searching for a word. Sometimes there weren’t any other words that encompassed what he felt when he looked at her.

Their eyes met and held for a long moment. "Think I’m a total freak?"

She shook her head slowly and brushed away two fallen tears. "No…I don’t think you’re a freak. I think…I think you loved me," she cried. Unable to stop the sob that wretched forth from her gut.

"God," she moaned. "All those years I thought…he told me that………but you did…you did," she repeated. Rising to her knees to throw her arms around his shoulders once more. "You loved me."

"I never, EVER stopped Elizabeth," he answered. His own voice thick with emotion as he stroked the back of her head. "I can’t…I don’t know how."

Elizabeth pulled back far enough to kiss his forehead and then his precious eyelids as they closed. "I love you…too. God, how I love you."

His hands smoothed circles along her back as they held each other for long moments. Each of them, kneeling on the blanket. He eventually let those hands travel to her waist. Tugging her down towards the carpet again. "There’s more."

"More?" She asked. Smiling a bit. "I don’t even remember taking THOSE photos."

"No," Lucky shook his head. "Not photos…the rest is…They’re things that I bought you…things that – God, I swear I sound like some big, dumb, unbelievably –

"Wonderful, beautiful, ANGEL," she finished for him. Not allowing him to berate himself another moment further.

Lucky exhaled and gazed into her glassy, deep blue eyes. "Sometimes…sometimes I’d pretend that I was just on some sort of……I don’t know – some kind of business trip for work or something, and that I’d be home soon and you’d be waiting…

"And you’d be all giddy and excited about finding out what’d I’d brought you for souvenirs."

Elizabeth smiled through fresh tears. "I have no idea what you’re talking about…I never get excited about that sort of thing."

Lucky closed his eyes and let him self smile for a moment in relief. Thank God for her. She was making this so much easier than he’d imagined it to be.

"So," he began again. "I started THIS box," he began. Pulling a small container from the larger one that had contained the photos. "It’s sort of a little treasure chest….open it up."

Biting down on her lip, she removed the tiny box from his palm and untied the delicate bow in order to lift the lid. The golden luster of charms shining exquisitely.

When she looked up the water falling from his eyes mirrored hers. "For my bracelet?"

"Yeah," he sighed. Using the back of his hand to dab at his wet cheek. "There’s a little Eiffel Tower from France, the Hollywood sign from California, The Leaning Tower of Pizza, an Egyptian Ankh –

"You’ve been to Egypt?!"

Lucky nodded.

Elizabeth inhaled deeply and closed her fingers over the precious charms. "As soon as I get my bracelet repaired I’m going to add all of these on," she vowed, holding them to her heart.

Lucky’s eyes narrowed. He’d already heard about the drama that had unfolded on the day that she’d decided to break things off with him. The idea of it caused him to curl his fingers into the still fresh wounds in his palm. He bit his lip and forced himself to open his hands. "Are you sure Elizabeth?…You won’t feel weird about –

"No," she answered quickly. Shaking her head. "I don’t want to give Helena the power to take this away from me too…You bought these because you were thinking of me…and I want to be reminded of that. I won’t let her keep me from that anymore."

Lucky nodded silently as she looked back in the box, sifting through the rest. Key chains, a cheesy plastic ring from a gumball machine, and fortunes out of long ago eaten fortune cookies. "I’m going to keep all of it," she whispered softly.

"One day we’ll go somewhere that we’ve both never been," Lucky vowed quietly, taking her hands in his. "And we’ll make it ours."

Elizabeth closed her eyes and tried to dream of such a place. A place that would be only theirs and untouched by the hand of man or evil. She wished they could forget everyone and everything and go there right now.

"I can’t wait."

Lucky smiled and rose from his seat. "Me neither……but, until then…I have one more surprise for you this evening."

And indeed it was evening. The stars just were beginning to make their presence known. Twinkling through the skylight as Lucky walked to the other side of the room.

Her eyes focused on the dark encased object he removed from behind the couch….

"You brought your guitar?"

"Of course…how else am I supposed to play this song for you?"

Elizabeth inhaled deeply. Her heart beginning to speed up. "What song?"

Lucky bit his lip. "You kinda heard me working on it a few weeks ago…but it wasn’t ready yet. I hope that it is now…you’ll have to let me know."

She listened anxiously as he sat and began to play. The beginning chords sounded familiar to the far corners of her mind. The same corners that had been awakened that morning by singing. The morning she’d found him in the living room strumming away. The morning they’d eaten Cocoa Krispies in bed together as they’d watched cartoons.

It was even more beautiful now. To her conscious mind.

And HE was more beautiful than anything she’d ever seen her entire life. His hands, were magical as he begun to strum his guitar. The strings quickly becoming extensions of his fingertips and his voice, fluttering like a butterfly over the steady stream of beautiful melody.

Powerless against the emotion that overtook her, Elizabeth was weeping after the first verse. Pressing a shaking hand over her mouth to keep from making a peep. Wanting to hear every word, every syllable. Every change in chord.

Her eyes watched too. Eager to catch the way his fingers danced between the strings, or the way his eyes shut when he sang the chorus.

For all of her life she would never forget his face as he poured his heart into every lyric. His love for her overflowing – like the tears that cascaded down her cheeks.

Lucky opened his eyes and gazed at her from his spot a few inches away. Hoping she understood what he was trying to say. Hoping his words meant to her what they did to him when he’d written them.

If he never again wrote another song it wouldn’t matter. As long as she understood he loved her more than he’d loved anyone his entire life. That he would say anything, do anything to win her back.

Of course if he asked, she would say that he’d gained her love long ago and had never truly lost it, but in his heart Lucky felt it was more than that he had to fight for. More than love.

It was trust, hope, and a certainty that he would never again leave her. And for those things, he would write, pray, and beg for the rest of his life if necessary.

They locked eyes as he sung the chorus once more and he knew as she let the tears fall that she understood.

Elizabeth crawled towards him as the song came to an end. Silently and gently pulling his guitar from his hands and setting aside. She felt him inhale deeply when she wrapped her arms around his neck. Her body pressed to his in a fierce embrace. One that didn’t move, but stayed strong and firm for long moments.

The quiet crackling of the fire was the only sound heard in the room as they sat like that for a time. Her arms still clutched around his neck. His head cradled in the nook between her shoulder and head.

Lucky closed his eyes and inhaled the sweet scent of her hair. He whispered into the strands when his throat was finally clear of the knot that had lodged itself inside.

"I just wanted…I just want you to know that I will never, ever, EVER leave you again…I’ll never -…I swear I’ll do anything to make you believe me Elizabeth. To get you to trust me again."

Elizabeth pulled back suddenly. Slowly inching her self off of his lap.

The look on her face scared him a bit. She seemed…he didn’t know. Something was different. Something had changed.

He took a deep breath. "Elizabeth?…What is it?"

Shutting her eyes so tight she could recall the smell of hospital sterility on the day she’d had her suspicions confirmed, she licked her lips to ease the dryness.

If she could just remain focused on that moment in time and not what had come weeks after, she would be ok. She would be able to tell him without completely breaking down. She would have to be strong for him…She would have to…

‘Don’t kid yourself Elizabeth. No amount of focusing will ever prepare you for this…or him. You’ll be strong together. Not independent of one another.’

She quickly cleared her throat and opened her eyes.

"Lucky, I have something I want to – NEED to tell you."

He shifted his weight on the carpet. Something icy having inched up his spine the very moment she’d uttered those words. "What is it?"

"That was….beautiful," she began. "And I do trust you…I forgive you, and I trust you…and I - I – that’s why I’ve – I’ve realized that I have to tell you now.

"I should have told you so long ago…weeks ago…No," she paused. "I should have told you years ago. When I first –

"What the –

The sound of glass shattering interrupted Elizabeth’s speech, and put a quick halt to Lucky’s before he was up on his feet and running towards the source of the intrusion.

Elizabeth stood, jogging after him as he exited the room and ran towards the parlor. A rock the size of a baseball having crashed through the intricate glass of one French door and having plummeted to the floor beneath.

"Oh my God…"

She froze as Lucky bent to pick it up. Holding it in his hand as he peered through the window and quietly opened the door to step out on the porch.

"Lucky be careful," she sighed. Close behind him.

"Go inside," he said forcefully. Holding her back over the threshold with one outstretched arm.

Watching him walk from one side of the deck to the other, she knew he wasn’t seeing anything. That whomever had thrown that rock on a windless night had fled very quickly.

Dear God, what if it was Alex.

As if reading her thoughts, Lucky crossed over the threshold and ran a hand through her hair. "It’s not his style…he would have come inside had he seen us…"

Elizabeth nodded silently. Fear still very present in her wide eyes. "And…and Maria said she would buzz us right?…When he –

"Exactly," Lucky smiled. Trying to quell the horror that was doing it’s best to take over her entire body. "But you know what? I’ll call…just in case."

"Lucky!" Elizabeth gasped. Reaching out to catch his arm in her hand before he got to the phone. "You can’t call…what if someone else picks up…or God –

"Elizabeth, don’t panic ok? I have the private line in the servants quarters….Hey," he paused. Letting his fingers drift against her cheek. "It’s gonna be alright…ok?"

"Ok," she whispered. Letting go of his arm. She watched and listened in rapt attention as he punched in the number.

"Hey…yeah…ok, yes…thank you – bye."

Lucky hung up the receiver and took Elizabeth’s hand in his. "He’s not here…but he’s on his way. It turns he just called and she was picking up the phone to buzz us right as we called her……we need to get you back to the house."

She closed her eyes and nodded. Not wanting this to end. Knowing that the magic of this evening would die as soon as she stepped foot inside the big mansion up the hill.

God, she wasn’t ready for the magic to end.

Following him. She watched in silence as he blew out each candle and began to hide things in places that she never would have thought of.

"I’ll get our things out of here as soon as I get back…right now I just wanna get you back up there."

She found her voice somewhere in the pit of her stomach. "I can make it back on my own…you can –

"No. I wanna walk you back." He said soberly. Halting in his task of cleaning up, to look at her. She wasn’t herself right then – he could tell.

Her hands were shaking when he took them in his. "Who threw that rock Lucky?" She whispered.

One hand moved to cup the back of her head and he brought it to rest on his chest. "I don’t know Sweetie, but I’m gonna find out…………it wasn’t Alex, ok? He’s not here."

Watching her closely as she nodded in response, he took her hand and led her out of the guesthouse. Out of their forest sanctuary.

~~~~~~

"Aaah, so you found it."

The sudden sound of a voice behind him startled Alex. His entire body jerking to whirl around and look and the open door in which it had come from.

"You should learn to close the door if you’re trying to keep things private, Allessandro."

"What are you doing here?!" Alex hissed. Moving towards him and then behind, to shut and lock the door. "Am I going to have to start paying my staff extra not to let you on the premises?"

Leopold folded his arms and watched how agitated his surrogate son had become. The knowledge of how pitiful he was made it easier to let the would-be insults remain simple flesh wounds.

No longer were they powerful enough to hurt him to the core.

"Didn’t I fire you this afternoon?" Alex barked. Pulling open a drawer. Where the Hell had he put that key? Hadn’t it been in this drawer?

"Have you been in my drawers?!" He asked. Nearly shouting.

Leopold cocked one busy eyebrow and sunk slowly into the leather chair across from where Alex so frantically looked for the little golden key. "I just got here Alex……don’t you have a spare anyhow? One that you hide somewhere else…

"I thought I taught you well enough to have a spare."

"I do have a spare!" Alex shouted. "But there was another…the original – right in this office I thought."

"Try looking in that drawer again…maybe you missed it."

"I just looked in the fucki –

"Found it?" Leopold asked. Leaning forward amusedly. Shrugging in his trench coat.

Alex, let the key slip like rare silk through his fingertips. His eyes glued to the golden luster as he turned it this way and that. The antique shine, glinting under the office lighting.

"You sure you haven’t been fiddling around with things in my office old Man?…Don’t lie to me…I’m sure Frank could have found a way to let you in here…or Elizabeth," he paused. His entire face going red. He started for the door. "Was it Elizabeth that -

Leopold reached out to grab the madman’s arm. "Elizabetta did no such thing. I have yet to see her…Your housekeeper informed me that she’s been upstairs in her bedroom all day long…working on arrangements for the Gala…ecetera."

Alex eyed him suspiciously before turning around. It was possible that he HAD hidden it so well that even he had trouble finding it. He’d hidden it in a few different places over the past few years.

And besides, Leopold had caught him off guard. Riled him up so that his mind had become muddled. It was no wonder he hadn’t been able to find it in the drawer immediately.

"Aren’t you going to try it?" Leopold asked. A grin pulling at the corners of his mouth. "This is what you have been wanting all of your life…to know about your mother ed father…Now when you open this box, you will know, si?…Che cosa state aspettando?"

"I’m only waiting for you to leave," Alex said sternly. Looking up from his place opposite of Leopold.

The old man looked down at his hands and nodded before looking up. "Ah, yes…I forgot I am fired, no?…Fired as your financial advisor – fired as your padre. Si…don’t worry Alessandro I am leaving."

Alex watched the man rise from his chair and walk towards the door. Situating the beige cap that he’d worn for as long as he could remember on his head before exiting.

Smoothing the hat with one wrinkled hand, he turned towards Alex once more.

"Alessandro…you have almost reached every goal you always wanted, no?…The beautiful house, the money, the cars, the wife…maybe some bambini soon, eh?" He paused smiling a tired, weak grin. "And now you will finally know about your parents…

"What’s that American saying?……..Ah, yes - you are now sitting on top of the world…Well, I hope that the view is as nice as you expected…I hope for your sake that you don’t fall off."

Alex smirked under his breath and shook his head in indifference as at last the man exited his office. His life.

He had better things to do than to listen to the semi-philosophic ramblings of an old man. Better things indeed.

~~~~~~~

"Are you ok?" Lucky asked silently. Watching as Elizabeth sat quietly upon the pastel comforter. She’d barely spoken a word since they’d left the guesthouse.

Elizabeth stared at her fingers. At the small scar atop her left hand.

Even if the rock hadn’t been thrown by Alex, maybe it had been some kind of omen. A sign of things to come if she told Lucky about the baby now. Maybe she needed to wait…maybe.

Maybe everything would shatter like the glass from that window.

"Hey," he whispered again. Tilting her chin upwards.

"Fine," she said softly. Swallowing against the lump in her throat.

But he could tell that she wasn’t. Not even close.

"I think maybe you need to lie down…get some rest…"

Shaking her head she closed her eyes. "He’ll be here soon. As soon as he gets home, he’ll come upstairs…you should go."

"I’m not leaving you yet," Lucky contested. Taking her hands. Smoothing his fingertips over that same small scar she’d been staring at just moments ago. "Lay down," he continued. "I’ll vanish as soon as he comes to the door."

"Lucky, I –

"Elizabeth, your exhausted…just lie down. For me, ok?"

She nodded as she lay down without pulling the sheets back. "If you’re going to stay…would you mind holding me for a little while?"

"I thought you’d never ask," Lucky sighed. Sinking down behind her on the bed. His body immediately spooning hers as he draped one arm around her waist and let the other cradle her head.

Her eyelids were instantly heavier than just moments ago. She hadn’t even realized how tired she was. But of course he had. He always knew everything she needed.

"This is what I missed the most," she whispered, even as sleep beckoned her forth.

"What’s that?" Lucky asked. Fighting the same slumber that wanted to take him. He knew if he allowed himself, he would fall asleep right here and not wake up until she did. The best hours of sleep in his life had been spent with her.

She tried and failed to stifle her yawn. "Falling asleep and waking up in your arms."

Lucky grinned and combed his fingers through her hair. Trying to focus on anything to keep him conscious. "That’s good, because my favorite thing is having you in them."

He continued to hold her long after she’d fallen asleep. Knowing that he should leave…but somehow unable to. But the knock on the door moments later did force him upwards and into her walk-in closet in the blink of an eye.

Elizabeth woke with a start, the second she felt him jump up from the bed. The knocking becoming louder and louder as she tried to dig herself out of the haze of fatigue.

"I’m -…I’m coming," she mumbled. Pushing her self up from the bed.

She unlocked the door and stood speechless for a moment. The pale expression on Alex’s face…the sweat beads on his forehead. He looked as if he were about ready to kill someone.

"Why was the door locked?"

The sudden question caught her off guard. "I…was taking a nap. I didn’t want to be disturbed…that’s all."

Alex scanned the room, his eyes surveying every surface. "Is he here?"

"Is who here?" Elizabeth asked. Her heart leaping into her throat. Her pulse immediately moving towards lightening speed.

"Your boyfriend. Lucky," he hissed. Shoving past her and into the bedroom. He started turning things over. Throwing up the bed skirt to peer beneath it.

He stalked towards the bathroom. Yanking open the door and then the glass of the shower. No one.

"Alex, I don’t know what you’re talking about…Would you please calm down?!" She asked. Hot on his heels as he nearly ran towards the closet. She grabbed his arm. "He’s not HERE Alex. Why would he be?! I told you that it’s over between us…It’s over."

He stared into her wide eyes. She was frantic.

Pulling open the door to the closet he stood there. His eyes scanning over every item of clothing. From the shoes, to all the boxes that sat above the shelves.

There was no one.

When he turned around, Elizabeth fought the urge to let out the breath she’d been holding. "See…I told you – he’s not here…I don’t know why you thought he would be."

Alex’s eyes softened and he caressed one of her cheeks. She shivered.

His moods were so quick. So sporadic. Even more so than usual.

"I’m sorry…I don’t know what came over me. It’s just that something has happened…"

Elizabeth moved slowly away from him. Her eyes trained on the closet door as she sat upon the bed. "What happened?…You’re home late – I thought we were supposed to have dinner…Maria was going to make your favorite."

Nodding, he clasped his hands together in apology. "I know…but the meeting – it ran late. And then I had some errands to run…………When I got home, Leopold was downstairs. You see, he came to give me something of my fathers."

Suddenly intrigued, Elizabeth tilted her head to the side. When she’d asked him about the paintings the other day, he’d declared once again that his father had not been a portrait artist.

Now he was going to divulge something? She remained as silent as she could. Not certain that asking a question was the best way to get him to continue.

"There’s a chest," he began. "There are things of my fathers inside…I’ve had the key to it for a long time…but you see, my father didn’t want me to have the chest until I was a certain age……So, Leopold came to give it to me today."

It sounded fishy. Why would a man who had just been fired come and deliver a family heirloom. And why had the family heirloom been saved for the age of 34? What the Hell was so magical about 34?

"So why were you upset?" She asked. Her voice emerging before her better judgement could call it back.

"Because of the key."

A shiver ran up Elizabeth’s spine. The key…what if the key….

‘If it’s the same key that Lucky found he put it back in the library,’ she thought quickly. ‘Right before we came upstairs…oh God, what if Alex knows?’

"The key?" She asked quietly. Her throat beyond parched.

"Yes," he began, walking around the room. "The key that I’ve had since a little boy…it doesn’t work…it doesn’t fit in the lock."

"What?…But how can that be. You said your father gave it to you right?"

"Yes," Alex lied. His father hadn’t been the one to give him the key. Helena had before she’d died. Saying that she would send him the chest before the end. But she never had.

Her death had come too soon.

"But somehow it doesn’t….fit," he whispered. Lost in his thoughts. Maybe his mother had screwed him over once more. Just as she had when he was a baby.

For old times sake.

Elizabeth’s mind reeled. "Did you have a spare?"

"Yes," he croaked bitterly. "In the library."

Her breath hitched in her throat for a moment.

"That one didn’t work either."

And the breath was let out.

She didn’t understand. The key in the library HAD been the spare, but it hadn’t fit either? What the…

"I’m sorry," she muttered. "Maybe Leopold has another key somewhere, maybe –

"I’m going to Italy."

"What?" She asked. Taken aback. "For what? When?"

"I need to find this key…maybe, Leopold has another copy."

"Can’t you just ask him?" She asked. Not understanding the reason why he needed in this damn box so badly.

Alex glared at her for a moment. No he couldn’t ask Leopold, because the old man didn’t have it. If the real key was anywhere to be found, it would be at his mother’s home there…in Florence.

"No…he doesn’t remember where it could -…I just have to go, ok?"

"Ok," Elizabeth nodded. "When?"

"First thing in the morning. I’ve already called the captain – he’ll be flying me out tomorrow…I’ll be back in time for the Gala."

He rattled off the information in rapid-fire words. As if it were completely reasonable to take off at the drop of a hat to go look for a key in Italy.

What the Hell was in that box? Something told her that there was more in it than a bunch of family mementos.

His hands were suddenly on her face. "Tell me you’ll be here when I get back."

She gazed back into his eyes. Hoping like crazy that she sounded sincere. "I wouldn’t be anywhere else."

When he kissed her, she held his arms tightly and he thought that it was out of love…lust. But it wasn’t it. It was purely a way to brace herself. Purely the tension of her entire body thrust out through her fingertips.

"I hope you find what you’re looking for," she said softly as he pulled away.

"Oh I will," he insisted soberly. "I have no choice."

At the frightened expression on her face his eyes went soft again. "How about another kiss for your husband?…A good one this time – a goodnight kiss….Something I can remember on my trip."

Just a few feet away, Lucky crawled from behind the long wrack of shoes to brace his arms against the door. His short fingernails carving indentations into the hard wood.

He could hear it. He could hear them…kissing.

All the food that had made him so happy this afternoon formed a disgusting mixture in his stomach and threatened to bubble up into his throat. He swallowed it back and put more pressure on the door.

Elizabeth pretended the goosebumps that sprang up over her flesh were evidence of arousal as his hands slithered this way and that over her body. His tongue flicking inside her mouth like that of a snake’s.

When he pulled away he licked his lips as if she’d been the best thing he’d ever tasted.

"Much better than my favorite dinner," he grinned.

Elizabeth took a deep breath and summoned up all the nerve she had in her body. "Well hurry back home…there’s more where that came from."

He bit his lip in excitement and pecked her on the lips once more. "Goodnight Bethie."

"Goodnight," she sighed. Trying to close the door as slowly as she could when all she really wanted to do was slam it over and over again until it fell off of it’s hinges.

When he was out of sight she grabbed a tissue from the box on the dresser and viciously attacked her mouth. Had to get him off…had to get him off.

"Hey, hey, hey…" Lucky said quickly. His voice in a hushed whisper as he neared her and gently removed the delicate material from her hands. Delicate material that might as well have been sandpaper the way she was scrubbing it against her skin.

Her hands were shaking in his. Her entire body trembling. "Hey," he said again. "It’s ok…you’re ok."

"Uhuh," she mumbled. Shaking her head vigorously. "He knows something, he knows something."

She was panicked. Wringing her hands. Scratching at her skin. "He knows something Lucky…did you hear him? Where did you go? Did you hear about the key?"

"I was in the closet…hiding behind all those shoes of yours – he looked right at me and didn’t see me….and YES, I heard EVERYTHING – but Elizabeth he doesn’t know anything. He doesn’t know."

"How can you say that?!" She asked frantically.

"Sssh," he whispered quickly. Nearly pleading with her to lower her voice a tad. "Because, he was just paranoid Elizabeth…he doesn’t know anything at all. He has no proof that I’m here…He was just freaked out by the fact that his precious key didn’t work."

"The key!" She gasped. "What…what’s going on Lucky?"

"I don’t know…I don’t understand why Alex’s father would give him a bogus key, unless there’s something in there that he never wanted him to see…but if that’s the case – why would his own Godfather give him the chest?"

"I don’t know," she mumbled. Falling quickly to the bed. "But, we have to find out. We have to talk to Leopold."

"You think that’s wise?…Didn’t you say that after you told him about the real reason I left, he went and told Alex?"

Elizabeth cradled her head in her hands. "I don’t…ugh, I – I’ve always been able to turn to him and he…I don’t know…"

"Hey," he said coming to sit next to her. "Stop it…you’re about to make yourself sick. No more thinking about any of this tonight."

"But Luck –

"Hey, I’m supposed to be figuring this all out while you participate in this little charade right?…Well, let me do it…You’ve got enough to worry about, with Mr. Happy Pants down the hall."

Her smile was tired…so tired.

He pressed a small, sweet kiss to her swollen lips. Determined to eradicate any memory of another kiss just moments ago. Eradicate it in both of their minds. Laying his forehead against hers, he sighed. "You’re ok now."

When the tears came to her eyes, he wrapped his arms around her and lowered her to the bed. He wanted desperately to beg her to put an end to the charade for the 1000^th time, but he wouldn’t. He already knew what her answer would be.

Her voice was nearly inaudible when it emerged. "Could you st –

"You don’t even have to ask," he whispered. "I’m just gonna turn the blankets down ok?"

When he returned to bed, he found her fallen fast asleep in her clothes. He got up to remove her shoes and then slid in beside her. Kissing the back of her neck before closing his eyes.

"I love you Elizabeth…I love you."

And when he slept that night, he dreamt of a time not too far away when they would fall asleep like this – in each others arms – every night. No longer separated by the likes of Helena, or Alex or anyone else that may try to come between them.

He dreamt of a home that was theirs alone. Nothing big or fancy, but just the right size for them. A home filled with love, and music and beautiful paintings on the wall.

He dreamt of beauty all night long. There was one dream in particular that he wouldn’t remember for some time to come. A dream of a little girl.

A little girl who danced barefoot on a grassy hill, her hair curling like strands of sunlight around her.

But he wouldn’t remember the dream when he woke up the next morning. He wouldn’t remember it for awhile.