Once a dream did weave a shade
O’er my Angel-guarded bed,
That an Emmet lost its way
Where on grass methought I lay.

Troubled, ‘wilder’d, and forlorn,
Dark, benighted, travel-worn,
Over many a tangled spray,
All heart – broke I heard her say:

"O, my children! Do they cry?
Do they hear their father sigh?
Now they look abroad to see:
Now return and weep for me."

Pitying, I drop’d a tear;
But I saw a glow-worn near,
Who replied: "What wailing wight
Calls the watchman of the night?

"I am set to light the ground,
While the beetle goes his round:
Follow now the beetles’ hum;
Little wander, hie thee home."

Port Charles, New York
Scarlet Road, Apt. # 915

The little girl danced around in a small circle. Happy for reasons unbeknownst to him. Hopping and skipping to her own tune. One that she merrily sang as she slipped barefoot through the glinting grass. The greenery, glowing like magic carpet in the sunlight and bouncing back under her small toes as she spun. Laughing the way only children could.

She was in a world of her own. Complete unto her self as she giggled and fiddled with the dainty hemline of her dress.

Was it LuLu? No…it wasn’t. This girl was blonde…and younger than LuLu. Bright like LuLu though. Those dark blue-gray eyes just like LuLu.

Lucky smiled when he found him self sitting in the grass. Watching. But he was afraid to speak for some reason. Afraid to move a muscle, for she might go away. He wondered absently what the little girl’s name was, but dare not ask. The mere thought of asking making his heart race with panic.

So instead he sat. Sat with his legs crossed. The way he used to sit when he was in pre-school and listening to stories, or in kindergarten during show and tell time.

It was the way you sat when you wanted the story to continue. When you never ever wanted the magic to stop. You had to be good and quiet for it to keep going. So Lucky sat, very good and very quiet.

Maybe she was about his age too? Well not HIS age – for he knew, looking down at himself that he was a fully-grown man. But he felt – inside he felt no more than 4 years old, and she looked just about that age. Sweet, tender, and playful as she amused herself. No need for playmates when you had an imagination and a sun so bright that it shown down and made every highlight in your hair sparkle with glee.

There wasn’t a more perfect time or a more perfect place and suddenly, Lucky desperately wanted to be a part of it all. He reached out tentatively. His hand, shaking a bit as he did. He braced it quickly with his other. For he knew she would stay as long as things were safe. As long as nothing scared her.

Because Lucky had no idea what her name was…he would call her ‘Sun.’ For, she looked like the sun that shown down on the grass. Radiant and just as happy to shine her light on the world, as he imagined the sun to be.

"Sun!" He called out. His voice seemingly not his own as it floated towards the girl in a bouquet of flowers. She caught the flowers in slow motion and stopped turning, long enough to stare at him. Not wide-eyed the way you would if a stranger had suddenly tried to get your attention. But almost as if she already knew he was there.

Almost as if she already knew who he was.

Oh, how he wanted to meet her.

She gathered the wild flowers in her tiny hands and formed herself a bouquet. Smiling at him once more before she answered. "Hello!" She giggled. Immediately beginning to dance again before she thought of something else to say and stopped very abruptly in the middle of her circle. "Did you come to visit me?"

Lucky, looked around. It was just she, he, and the sun in an open field. Where had he come to exactly on this visit? It was bright. Bright enough to wear sunshades, but far too beautiful to want to shield your eyes.

He didn’t have his glasses with him anyway, he didn’t even have his wallet, he discovered. Reaching behind him.

"I – I guess I did," he began. Starting to rise to his feet.

"Don’t get up!" The little girl shouted. Her brow creasing for just a moment with a voice too strong to belong to a little girl. There was a quality in her voice that sounded familiar though to Lucky, though he couldn’t quite place it. It was comforting though.

Following her command, Lucky sank back down into the grass. It felt better there anyway. Standing up kind of hurt. "You sound like someone," he began. "I think…I think you sound like someone I know."

‘Sun,’ giggled and turned in circles once more. Holding very tightly to her flowers. So tight that the sun-kissed flesh of her knuckles began to turn white. "Oh!" She laughed. "I bet I do…I bet I do…the woman who came here last time told me I sounded like you!"

The rhyming, whimsical quality of it caused Lucky to laugh out loud and lay down on the grass. It felt so good. "Who!WHO!" He asked, mimicking an owl.

The little girl laughed and jumped up and down before skipping in circles again. "You of course – the other half of you."

Lucky rolled over to his back. The little girl upside down now. He laughed again. Why was he so happy? "The other half of me?…Elizabeth came here?"

Stopping mid-circle, the little girl stared. Seemingly disturbed all of a sudden. "No, no…her name’s not Elizabeth."

He rolled over again and stared at her. "What’s her name then?"

"Warm."

Lucky’s brow furrowed. He didn’t understand. "Her name is…Warm?"

Wrapping her arms tightly around her midsection and turning back and forth, the little girl nodded and glanced at the sky above her. "Yep…yep…warm, warm, warm…and your name is Boom."

He couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Shooting upwards to a sitting position as he held his stomach. "Boom?…My name isn’t Boom, it’s –

"SSSSSSSH!!!" ‘Sun,’ commanded. Interrupting quickly. "Oh no……Please don’t say your name here…You only say your name if you’re staying."

Lucky rose to his knees. Oh, his thighs hurt. He instantly started to sink back down to the grass. "But I want to stay! It’s fun here!"

The little girl began to dance again and shook her head. "You can’t."

"Well, why not!" Lucky said indignantly.

"Because your name isn’t on the list yet silly!"

"Well how did you get YOUR name on the list!" Lucky said, placing his hands on his hips. This was slightly annoying. This little girl could get ‘on the list,’ but he couldn’t? What? Did you have to be some kind of V.I.P.?

She only shrugged and started dancing again. "Don’t know. They came and got me one day…but you have to go now. You have a lot more stuff to do."

Because he felt the field growing larger and the warmth beginning to fade, Lucky became angry. "No! I don’t wanna leave yet."

"Sorry Boom Love, but I don’t call the shots around here."

‘Boom Love?’ Lucky thought. What did that mean? Why was she calling him strange things? Why couldn’t he say his name? Why was it starting to get cold again?

The expanse of grass that stood between them started to grow larger and Lucky started to push to his knees once more. AH! It hurt. He sank back down and reached out for her. Near frantic now. His pulse raising, and his eyes darting around the field.

Someone was coming to get her. Someone was coming to take her away and then he’d be all alone again.

"Well what’s your name?!" Lucky shouted as the ‘Sun,’ slowly began to tiptoe backwards through the grass. "What’s your name!…Come back!"

She giggled at him and did a sort of tap-dance move. "It makes light like the sun and starts like yours!"

Lucky muttered to himself, and shook his head. "Light like the sun and starts like BOOM?"

Blowing him a kiss, she stopped for a moment. "It starts like the name I can not say…but now Boom Love, I must go away."

With one final rhyme she was gone. Disappeared…vanished. And Lucky was in darkness. Deep and cold and shivering.

Kicking now – kicking. Fighting, punching. Alex’s ugly hands on Warm – No, on Elizabeth.

More kicking, more punching…more ugly hands but they were no longer Alex’s, but Lucky’s.

Lucky’s hands hurting Elizabeth.

"No…" he moaned. "No…I’m sorry….no…I’m –

The cool, crunch beneath his fingertips was what caused Lucky to wake from his fitful sleep. Blinking rapidly as the sun streamed through the window.

His eyes hurt. He reached upwards to find them wet. His entire face wet with tears. What the…

Elizabeth was gone. And in her place was a small, handwritten message on a piece of what was now a very cold sheet of notebook paper. Blinking a few times, Lucky forced himself to focus on the words.

My Dearest Lucky,

Elizabeth

Lucky sighed. "Slept well…right."

~~~~~~~

Elizabeth bit down on her lip and waited for the door to open. Hoping she wasn’t too early. She was just so eager to get this day started. To get the rest of her life started. The rest of THEIR life – together.

When she heard footsteps coming up from behind the door, she clasped her hands together in front of her. "Hi," Elizabeth, said. Smiling awkwardly at the woman who was still in her robe. "Oh gosh…I’m so sorry – I can come back later. It’s too early. I really should have called fir –

"Elizabeth, Elizabeth…it’s ok," Alexis smiled back. Pulling the door open a bit wider for the young woman to step inside. "It’s not too early at all. I just happen to be getting a late start."

Yes, and the ‘late start,’ was bald, the color of a good cup of coffee, and had a goatee.

"Speaking of coffee…"

"What?" Elizabeth asked. Suddenly bewildered. Neither of them had said anything about coffee.

Alex smiled broadly and gestured towards the pot on the stove. "Coffee-coffee…you know – that STUFF," she said. Still gesturing. "Would you like some?"

Elizabeth nodded slowly and followed Alexis with her eyes as she traveled into the kitchen and took two mugs down from the cupboard. Make that - three mugs.

"Oh," Elizabeth sighed. Suddenly embarrassed, when she realized why Alexis had gotten such a late start. She instantly remembered back to Nikolas’ inheritance ball. She’d seen Alexis with Marcus Taggert. An extremely cozy looking couple, she’d thought at the time. "Do you have company? I’m so sorry."

Waving her hand again, Alexis just grinned. "Don’t worry – he’s down for the count. What can I do for you? I take it this is business related."

Taking a slow, deep breath. Elizabeth nodded. "I’m getting a divorce…and I hear you have an excellent track record…I’d very much like for you handle it for me."

"Well, you’re straight to the point and know how to butter someone up…but, I don’t usually handle divorce cases."

"Oh," Elizabeth sighed dejectedly.

"I said USUALLY," Alexis amended quickly. "You’re divorcing the man that stole from my nephew. I’ll have to speak with Nikolas and Stephan about the charges I assume they’ll be lodging against Mr. Hart…but if there are no conflicts of interest…I would be more than ecstatic to handle your case, Elizabeth."

A huge smile spread over Elizabeth’s face. "You’re serious?"

"Deadly."

Elizabeth sighed in relief. "You know, when I stepped off the elevator just now I started thinking what if she doesn’t want to? What if she thinks I’m a horrible person for being married to such a…to Alex in the first place."

Alexis took a seat on her couch and nursed her coffee for a moment before speaking again. "Certain questions have crossed my mind about why you would get yourself involved with that kind of man…but I do know that sometimes we fall in love with people that aren’t exactly good for –

"I’m NOT in love with him!" Elizabeth said quickly. Holding up her hands.

Leaning forward, Alexis shook her head. "Oh, I didn’t mean to offend you. I mean, of course if you’re divorcing the man you’re obviously no longer in love with –

"I was NEVER in love with him," Elizabeth corrected vehemently.

Beginning to understand, Alexis nodded slowly. "Oh…"

When Elizabeth finally sat down on the seat across from her, Alexis cleared her throat. "Depending on what you tell me this morning and where we stand with this case, I may need you to refrain from saying those words out loud again. Although," she added, smiling. "I must admit that hearing them personally does give me a lot of satisfaction…

"So let’s talk about your case…something tells me you think Alex will contest the divorce."

Elizabeth rose from her seat once more. "I know he’ll try and make things difficult for me…It’s just how he operates. And after last night, I’m sure he’ll be even more hell bent on making it impossible for me to leave him…He’ll see it as a form of punishment."

Alexis eyed her soberly. "Do I even want to ask what happened last night?"

Breathing in suddenly, Elizabeth bit her lip. She was going to have to start thinking before she spoke. Even if Alexis was going to be her lawyer – she was, STILL a lawyer. "No…probably not all of it. But there are some things about last night that you should probably know. Things that might help my case."

Lifting her glasses from the table and placing them on her face, Alexis studied her possible client. "What kind of evidence are we talking about? Documented evidence?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Evidence that could prove Alex stole your nephew’s inheritance and stole my life at the same time."

~~~~~~~

His entire body hurt.

One giant, incessant ache radiating from his fingertips to his toes. Even his skin was in agony. Every breath he took seemed to make something else burn with fury.

That was all right though. The fury was good. It only served to equal that which was brewing in his heart. That which he would serve to all those who’d played a part in ruining his night of triumph.

Waking to find that he could only glance around the room with one good eye, was another instigator of the fury. One that he would welcome.

The other eye was swollen shut and covered by a gauzy bandage that he remembered the old woman coming in to look at a few hours ago. Or had it been a few days?

There was no way to be sure.

However, there was one thing he could be sure of. He could be sure that he would make Elizabeth pay. She and her pathetic boyfriend would pay miserably. He would make them pay separately and then pay together. That way each of them would get two turns.

When he tried to smile, his bottom lip split open once more and he hissed through his teeth in pain. Oh yes, they would pay. If they thought putting him in this bed, would incapacitate him, they were dead wrong. As long as he had a breath inside his body he would find ways to exact his revenge. Ways to make Elizabeth’s life a living Hell.

Did she actually think she’d be rid of him now? That was laughable. That was the funniest thing he could possibly think of. All the little bitch had succeeded in doing was entrenching him farther into her life. Now he had to get even.

Before he’d come along, she’d been nothing. And soon she would be nothing all over again.

She thought she had Lucky. Her ever dearest Lucky.

Well he’d taken him away before, and he could take him away again if he so desired. He could take him away permanently if it tickled his fancy. In fact he HAD taken things from her that she didn’t even know about!

Maybe he would tell her one day soon. Maybe he would tell her all about how he’d taken away her grandmother and her bastard child.

Alex smiled through the blood on his lip. Lifting a weak hand to wipe it away. Maybe he’d tell her while he fucked her one last time. And then say goodbye as he lifted a gun to her head and shot straight through her skull.

After all, it had been her intent to kill him. Now he would return the favor. Only he wouldn’t be stupid enough to mess up.

When the door opened suddenly, Alex forced himself to sit up through the pain that ripped through his chest. His broken ribs, shooting jagged shards of agony throughout his entire body. Turning his head slightly, he smiled sickly as Stephan entered the room.

He vaguely remembered his mother’s ungrateful son coming into the room the night before and whispering some stupid threat into his ear. But Stephan couldn’t hurt him. He held all the cards now.

"You’re conscious," He muttered. Walking further into the room, and settling down on the foot of the bed. "I suppose when the doctor told me that you’d recover, I’d still wanted to remain hopeful…that will teach me to be optimistic I guess."

Alex swallowed against his dry throat and licked the spittle that collected in the corners of his mouth. "Wish…wishing for my….death…will – will not give your…prec – precious Nikolas b-back his fortune."

A sudden roar of laughter rippled through Stephan and he held his belly while he shook his head. Oh this was classic. The self-centered son of a bitch could barely even speak. For once, he could agree that Lucky Spencer had done something worthwhile.

The look of unquenchable anger that surged over Alex’s mangled features only caused Stephan to laugh harder. When finally he wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, he was able to calm down.

"Only one of your eyes is swollen shut…are you still so blind that you perceive me to be worried about my nephew and what you THINK you can do to him?"

Disgusted at Stephan’s reaction, Alex’s brow furrowed. Even the tightening of his own skin hurt. "I don’t th – THINK. I KNOW."

"Oh, is that right?" Stephan asked. A smile, continuing to grace his features.

If the man wasn’t so pathetically impaired, he may have hauled off and slapped him for being such an imbecile. It was hard to believe that someone so stupid shared the same bloodline.

Though his family had its fair share of evil doing members, no one had ever accused them of being morons. Alexander Hart was proving a disgrace.

"Well…BROTHER – if that’s in fact what you are – you may have missed a few acts while you were unconscious. You see…the money that you STOLE from this family may be in your possession at this very moment, but it won’t be staying there.

"While you were moaning and groaning in your sleep, I was looking over the evidence that proves what a miserable excuse for a Cassidine you actually are."

Stephan wouldn’t have thought that Alex could get any paler in his unhealthy state, but he actually did. And though the evidence which Stephan spoke of was not in his possession at that moment, he thoroughly enjoyed seeing the look of terror that flashed inside the idiots one good eye.

"What do you mean?"

"What do I mean?" Stephan mimicked. "I mean you were DUMB enough to allow our mother to leave a paper trail…

"Dear, dear brother if you’re going into cahoots with the Devil you have to learn to wear fire retardant gear…and since you didn’t…now you’re going to burn.

~~~~~~~

Laura placed the rest of chicken soup into the refrigerator and picked up her cup of coffee. Knitting her hands together around the mug.

"He’s ok, though…You’re sure Luke?"

"Darlin’ I’m relatively positive that our son is handling things just fine. I called him just a little bit ago, and he seemed kind of out of it – but that’s just the pain killers talkin.’…he’s fine."

"Well he’s not fine if he has to be on PAIN KILLERS Luke!" Laura nearly shouted as she sunk down in the chair across from her husband. "What did the doctor say!"

Luke sighed. The woman was always making mountains out of molehills. "The doctor said his hand is fine – it’s just a little swelling. On the other hand," Luke smiled wickedly. "You should see the other guy – he looks like he got ran over by a freight train...and then it backed up and ran over him again."

"Oh, and that’s a good thing?"

"You want the truth or you want me to lie to you?…Of COURSE it’s a good thing! The guy deserved to get the shit kicked out of him and you know it."

Laura nodded. "You’re right, of course. I just…He’s my baby Luke. I don’t want him getting into trouble over a man who completely destroyed his life and Elizabeth’s."

Luke rose and walked over to stand behind his wife. Kneading his fingers into her shoulders. "He ain’t gonna destroy nuthin else if I have anything to say about it Darlin. Alexander Hart’s reign of terror is quickly coming to a close…just like his dear old mama’s did."

A shiver ran through Laura’s body and Luke lowered himself to wrap his arms around her shoulders. Kissing the side of her head. "I still can’t believe it Luke…I can’t believe that all that time while Lucky was away…Elizabeth was married to that animal."

"Well, just goes to show that partial Cassidine blood is just as bad as full Cassidine blood."

When she whipped her head around, Luke bit down hard on his lip. "I was talking about Alex, honey not Nik -….not your son."

Her eyes widened a bit. Never in her life had she heard Luke call Nikolas anything other than ‘the spawn’ or something equally derogatory when acknowledging him as her offspring. But just now…just now when he’d said ‘your son,’ it almost sounded…respectful? Like he hadn’t meant to say anything mean about him?

As if reading her mind, Luke shook his head. "Don’t go getting any ideas about some kind of Waltons moment, Sweetheart. I’m just still a little grateful for the way the kid pulled through last night for Lucky…he listened, and he did the job…that’s all."

"That’s all," Laura nodded, before smiling. She wouldn’t thank him for taking her feelings for her son into consideration, or for giving him the chance to prove himself…he would hate that.

Instead she thanked him with a kiss, and that they both liked very much.

~~~~~~~

Lucky wiped quickly at the corners of his eyes and answered the door. "Hey, Lu what’s going on?"

It was even worse than she thought it was.

"Maybe I should be asking you that," she said quietly as she made her way across the threshold and into the living room. She quickly set the Tupperware bowl on the bar. "Mom asked me to bring that over…she said something about you being sick."

"I’m not – oh…yeah," he said quickly. Walking over to the bowl in order to escape his sister’s gaze. It was a bit unnerving the way she looked at people. Kind of like she knew everything before you said it.

Like she could read minds.

"Aah, mom’s chicken soup huh?…It smells really good," he said. Lifting the lid and looking up to grin at LuLu for a moment. "Thanks for bringing it over…I appreciate it."

"Cool," LuLu answered. Taking a seat on one of the barstools as he got a bowl down from his cabinet.

"You want some?"

"Nope," she said quickly. Watching as he put one bowl back and started to spoon some of the soup into his own. "You know what I’D appreciate Lucky?…and I’m thinking maybe you can understand this –

"What’s that kiddo?" He said. Looking up suddenly into very her serious eyes. He stopped spooning.

"I’d appreciate knowing the truth."

"Lu –

"I KNOW, I KNOW…I’m 9. I’m aware of what my birth certificate says. Please don’t insult my intelligence by reminding me. I’m not asking to know all the details of WHATEVER happened last night," she said gesturing wildly with her hands. "I’m just asking to know why I had to bring chicken soup to a brother who is obviously not SICK, but is very obviously upset."

"I’m not upset Lu."

"Do you always cry when you’re not upset?"

Lucky sighed and ran a hand through his hair. The bad one – so he winced. "Ah, is this what mom and dad went through with me?"

When she only shrugged with a tired smile, he stared into her blue-gray eyes for a long moment. Closing his eyes after the dream came flooding back.

Biting down on his lip, he took a seat opposite of her at the bar. "What happened last night…the reason dad probably didn’t tell you all of it, is because it’s possible that I could get into some trouble if anybody found out."

"Lucky, you know damn well I’m not gonna tell anybody."

Smoothing a hand on top hers, he nodded. "I know that…and don’t say damn."

Impatient, she rolled her tongue over her teeth and leaned back. "So why would you get in trouble. Did you kill Lizbet’s husband?"

"No," he said soberly. Shaking his head. "I didn’t kill him – but I wanted to. I wanted to really badly LuLu…and I think I hurt him pretty bad."

LuLu nodded. "Well I bet if you hurt him there was a good reason. Like maybe he was trying to hurt Lizbet."

He nodded gravely and turned his glance to the seemingly bottomless container of soup. "Yeah."

"Is that why you’re so upset? Because of what you did to that guy?"

A slight grin tugged at the corner of Lucky’s lips. He kind of liked the way his sister never said Alex’s name.

"No, to tell you the truth Lu – I’m not upset about that. I know it sounds harsh and evil, but I wouldn’t take it back," as he flexed his swollen hand he nodded again. "I wouldn’t take it back."

She bit down on her lip as it started to tremble. "There must be something else then, Lucky…I don’t think I’ve ever seen my brother cry before."

Swallowing hard against the sudden lump in his throat, Lucky reached out for her face and brushed his thumb against her cheek. "Honey, I don’t really know what’s wrong with me…if I did – if it made any sense to me I would tell you because you’re really smart and I know you could help me.

"I’m just feeling sad today and I’m not sure why…are you ever like that?"

"No – fortunately I haven’t started my period yet Lucky."

Her brother jerked his hand away. "Well neither did I!"

She laughed hard at his reaction and it was infectious. The chuckling caused his eyes to tear up again a few moments later. They weren’t exactly tears of joy. But weren’t exactly sorrow anymore either. They were somewhere in between.

After a moment, he simply looked at her. A small smile playing over his features.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like you’ve never seen me before," she said. Huffing with impatience.

She was impatient with people sometimes. Just like he had been at that age. Eager to get his point across and eager to be heard.

"I guess it’s just occurring to me how beautiful you’re getting - well, ARE…already."

"Oh brother," LuLu sighed. Rising from her stool. "It’s definitely time for me to leave."

Lucky chuckled as he followed her lead. Rising from his own seat and walking around to her side of the bar. "Alrighty kiddo…tell mom I said thank you, ok? And tell dad I’ll be stopping by the club later tonight."

LuLu nodded as she grabbed her jacket and reached for the doorknob. Saluting with one hand. "Messenger girl at your service."

"Hey," Lucky said quickly as she pulled the door open. When he enveloped her in a hug, she tried to get away, but he wouldn’t let her. "Thank you for listening to me…I love you Leslie Lu."

At the feel of a kiss on the very top of her head and the sound of her full name, LuLu grumbled under her breath. Saying, what Lucky vaguely made out to be an "I love you too," before pushing him away.

When the door closed between them, he smiled a little. Not feeling as sick as he had just about 20 minutes before.

~~~~~~~

"Hey," Elizabeth smiled when she ran smack into Leslie Lu walking down the corridor.

"Hey," Lu smiled back. "You coming to see my brother?"

The broad smile that wanted to spread across Elizabeth’s mouth was interrupted by a stint with awkwardness. She’d find out sooner or later right?

"Um, actually…gosh um…Lu, how would you feel if I told you I might actually be doing more than coming to ‘see’ your brother."

LuLu’s brow furrowed for only a second before she put two and two together. "Oh!…You mean, you’re living together?"

To her surprise, Elizabeth found herself blushing a little. "Um…I think – maybe – yeah," she finished smiling. "Would that bother you Lu? I really love him and - "

Her eyes going wide. Lulu took a step back. "Why the Hell would that bother me?! That’s fantastic Elizabeth! Oh Gosh, have you told him yet? He’s gonna be SO happy!"

Elizabeth’s smile broadened. Oh to be that young again. So completely innocent of certain things and how they ‘worked.’

Though for Elizabeth, being that young hadn’t been nearly as fun. The most fun had been her years with Lucky. No, if she had the chance, Elizabeth wouldn’t opt for being nine years old again. No matter how many naivetes it offered.

She bit down on her lip. "Yeah, I think he’s pretty much guessed it. So I guess now we just have to make it official."

"Oh," LuLu nodded in a very adult like fashion. "You mean you have to get a divorce from what’s his name."

Elizabeth reached up absently to massage a sore spot on her shoulder. Lucky had gotten most of the aches and pains out before they’d even begun, by massaging her senseless the night before as she’d drifted off to sleep.

"Right," she answered. Nodding quietly. "I have to divorce what’s his name…but don’t worry. That’s already in the works."

"It is!" LuLu nearly shouted.

Pressing a finger to her own lips, Elizabeth smiled. "Sssh, THAT your brother doesn’t know yet. It’s kind of a surprise."

Smiling widely, LuLu gave a little excited hop up and down. "Oh man, Lizbet he’s gonna LOVE that."

Unconsciously, Elizabeth placed a hand to her heart. She secretly loved that LuLu still called her Lizbet. It made her throat constrict a little bit.

What a gorgeous child she was.

So full of the energy and exuberance that only youth could offer. And the zeal for it that only Spencer children really knew what to do with.

Elizabeth suddenly ached in more spots than just her shoulder. And placed a hand upon her growling stomach. She’d skipped breakfast in her hurry to get to Alexis’ place this morning and her body was making sure she knew it.

LuLu heard the large growl and stepped back. "Wow, what do you have in there a monster?"

Laughing, Elizabeth shook her head. "Sure sounds like it huh? I guess I better eat."

"Well I’m sure Lucky will have quiet the appetite once you tell him the good news," LuLu said smiling.

Though, it made Elizabeth think of an entirely different kind of appetite he might work up, she agreed and grinned. "Yep…hopefully."

"Alrighty," LuLu said, grinning so wide it almost hurt. "I gotta get back home to help my mom with some friggin weeds or something…but tell Lucky how happy I am about the news…Wow – this is just in time Liz. He was really feeling pretty crummy when I saw him just now."

Elizabeth’s mouth dropped open a bit, but she nodded. Maybe his hand was really bothering him. The doctor had said it wasn’t broken, but she would have rather he’d gone to General Hospital and gotten it x-rayed anyway. Especially after the way he hadn’t even worried about his own pain, while massaging out hers.

"I’m sure you made him feel a little better," she said smiling as LuLu started down the hall.

"Hopefully my mom’s chicken soup does…or she’ll make US eat the rest of it."

Laughing, Elizabeth watched as she walked down the hall and turned the corner.

She turned then to walk towards the front door. Elizabeth heard his voice before she finished unlocking it. She stepped quietly over the threshold and smiled at him while he finished up a conversation on the phone.

Placing her purse down on the counter she kissed his forehead and ventured into the kitchen where the smell of chicken soup had her salivating immediately.

‘You must really be hungry Webber…you aren’t even a soup fan.’ She hadn’t even liked Ruby’s chilly for God’s Sake, something that everyone in town swore by, and here she was about to chow down on chicken soup.

At least she had been about to, before she heard the words, ‘Florence, Italy’ escape Lucky’s mouth.

Elizabeth’s finger stilled against the button on the microwave. He was talking to an operator, and he was booking them on a flight.

A flight to Florence, Italy.

She’d said they would go. She’d said she’d tell him everything. They’d tell each other all about their lives when they’d been separated. But now?

Now?

A wave of sweat washed over her entire body and she pushed the soup away. She didn’t want it anymore.

"Hey Sweetie," his voice called quietly as he hung up the phone. Walking quickly around the bar to wrap his arms around her from behind. He kissed the crook of her neck. "I missed you this morning."

"What were you just doing?" She asked. Her eyes still trained on the bowl of soup in front of her.

Lucky loosed his grasp around her, and placed his hands on the countertop so that she could turn around. When she didn’t, he spoke to the back of her head. "We said we’d go to Florence right after everything was over –

"But it’s not over," she said quickly turning around to meet his eyes.

He licked his lips. "I know it’s not completely over, but Elizabeth there’s no time like the present…from what I gather Alex is going to be in bed for at least a week…Which means if he’s planning on pressing charges against me for beating the shit out of him, it’s gonna happen once he’s up and around and talking to his lawyers…I want to go now Elizabeth.

"I don’t wanna wait anymore…Do you?"

She sighed and leaned back against the countertop. Tears suddenly filling her eyes as she glanced away. "No…but I –

"Come ‘ere," Lucky said, before pulling her to him in an embrace. She started to cry against his shoulder and he reached up to wipe at his own tears.

"Listen," he began. His voice thick with emotion. "I know a lot has happened in the last few weeks and I don’t want to push you Elizabeth. I know we’re both stressed out and completely stretched to the limits here, but I –

"It’s ok," she said quickly, breaking away. She pressed a finger to his trembling lips. "I know…you don’t have to explain………..When does our flight leave?"

Lucky took a deep breath. "First thing tomorrow morning."

Elizabeth broke away and went to sit down at the dining room table where they still hadn’t made love. Maybe they never would now.

Maybe she’d tell him about the baby, and he’d never want to speak to her again.

‘Damnit Elizabeth!’ Her brain shouted silently. ‘You know that’s not what’s going to happen. That’s Alex talking…shut him down.’

"I guess we both started preparing for our future today then," she sighed. Looking up into Lucky’s eyes. "I just hired Alexis Davis…to help me divorce Alex."

~~~~~~~

~ About Two Hours Later ~

"Don’t tempt me Claude!" Luke shouted as he exited the kitchen. "You’re already on the waiting list to be fired pal!"

"What’d he do this time?"

The sound of his son’s voice, caused Luke to stop in his tracks and smile. When he began to talk again he settled behind the bar and pulled down a glass. "What’re you havin’ son?"

Lucky shook his head. "Nothing…I can’t stay long."

Luke nodded and poured some Gin for himself. "How’s your hand?"

Flexing it, Lucky nodded. "Ok…not as bad as it was this morning…………Have you gone to see him yet Dad? He talkin’ yet?"

Licking his lips, Luke took a long sip of Gin and placed the glass back down on the bar top. "I paid him a little visit last night after all was said and done…I think he thought I was Stephan."

His son tilted his head to the side. "Don’t worry," Luke continued. "I didn’t finish what you started…but I was tempted…Mostly I just whispered a few sweet nothings into his ear."

‘Just like I used to do with his mother,’ Luke added silently. He didn’t need to traumatize his son with that bit of knowledge tonight.

Lucky nodded. "You think he’ll be filing charges?"

"Not if he’s smart. Not if Cassidine sticks to his end of the deal…and for some strange reason I think he will…

"You put the documents in a safe place?" Luke asked, continuing.

Lucky nodded. "Yeah."

The preoccupied gaze Lucky had trained on his glass of Gin, had Luke worried, "What’s wrong son?…You didn’t come here to drink, and I know you didn’t come here to find out information that you could have found out over the phone…You’ve got too beautiful a woman at home to be sitting here with me in the still of the night."

Sighing, Lucky nodded and closed his eyes. "She’s getting a divorce."

His father rose his glass and air saluted with Lucky. "And YOU don’t wanna drink?! Well…I’ll drink for you…Cheers – it’s about time."

Biting down on his lip as his father took another drink, Lucky sighed again. "But what I really came here for was to thank you."

Luke set his glass down on the bar. "No need."

"Yes there is a need," Lucky said quickly. "I’ve given you a really hard time since I’ve been back, and last night just proved to me what an ass I’ve been."

"You haven’t been an ass – you’ve been right," Luke said stoically. "I wasn’t there for you when I should have been Lucky."

"That’s only because I never told you what was going on, all those years ago," Lucky countered.

"That may be true, but we both know WHY you didn’t tell me," Luke paused and then continued. "Lucky when you came back to town all you did was what you always have done – which is call ‘em like you see ‘em…I can’t find any fault in you for that….

"I admire you for that son……..So, if I came through for you last night, I’m glad…but I was just doing my job – finally."

Lucky looked straight into his father’s eyes, "You’ve always done your job."

The silence that covered the both of them settled uncomfortably, and Lucky spoke again as he looked down, trailing his finger along the bar. "I’m gonna be going out of town tomorrow morning."

"Where to?" Luke asked. Gulping down the warm liquid. More factual stuff – this he was comfortable with.

"Italy…there’s something that Elizabeth and I need to take care of."

Sensing that the rest wasn’t any of his business, Luke nodded and smirked. "Ok…you need me to water your plants and feed your goldfish?"

Lucky actually smiled for a moment. He knew deep down that he really didn’t WANT to ask what he was about to ask. That some things between them were still too weird, but he had to do it anyway.

"No, I don’t need any of that…but when I get back, what am gonna need is a –

"Hey man! How’s it going this evening?"

Luke looked up at the sound of the familiar voice, as the stout older man walked through the front entrance. "Hey, Arnie it’s goin good. How you doin’ this mild summer evenin’?"

Arnie laughed and settled on a barstool next to forlorn looking young man. "Oh I’m alright I suppose Luke…This new contract is kickin’ me in the ass though."

"And you came to my fine establishment to drink your cares away…I am honored."

"I wouldn’t drink my sorrows away anywhere else my friend," Arnie said as Luke handed him a glass of his regular brew.

"What seems to be the problem Arnie?" Luke asked, smiling as he poured himself another Gin. Lucky watched as his father conversed with a customer that he remembered from way back when. He’d been patronizing his father’s club since the very beginning.

He doubted Arnie recognized him though.

"Well," the older man began, taking a long gulp from his beer mug. "As you know, being a business owner yourself…the times they are a-changin’ Luke…and it seems everybody wants these designs laid out with all the new technology…Like the old blueprints aren’t good enough. They want somethin’ on hard disk..or drive…or whatever…I don’t know. Damn, machines kick my ass all over the place though – half the time I can’t even find the damn on/off switch."

"There ain’t no on/off switch Arnie," Luke said soberly as he drank from his glass. "It’s a conspiracy to run all the old guys out of business."

Lucky cracked a smile. A rarity on such a day as this had been. He turned to Arnie and shrugged. "What you probably need is a simple program that can show you how to do the basics first. It’s really not that hard to transfer something like a blueprint to your hard drive. Then your clients could check things out online before they even come to you with their business…you’re a contractor right? Build houses and things like that in the area."

Luke grinned at the look of bewilderment that crossed over Arnie’s face.

"For God’s Sake Arnie he hasn’t gotten that old…Lucky tell the senile old bastard who you are before his jaw falls off."

"Oh my God!" Arnie exclaimed. "Luke is this your boy!? I haven’t seen him since –

"Yeah, it’s been awhile," Lucky agreed. Smiling as he shook the man’s hand.

Arnold Fletcher shook his head in disbelief. "Well I’ll be…you sure have grown up haven’t you?"

"Don’t let him fool you," Luke broke in as he sipped at his Gin again. "He’s actually a 2 year old computer prodigy…you might wanna hit him up for work and get past the child labor laws."

Lucky glared at Luke. "Dad –

"Well you certainly don’t wanna work HERE do you?" Luke said, with a knowing grin as he swallowed some gin.

His son grinned back. He’d known that’s what he’d come there for.

"Do you – would you consider that?"

"Consider what?" Lucky said, confused for a moment as to what they were talking about a he glanced back at Arnie.

"Consider coming to work for me?!" Arnie said, wide-eyed. "I probably couldn’t pay you what you’re worth…but we could discuss salary and all that once you and I were able to sit down and see what you’d really be doing for me."

Lucky’s jaw dropped open for only a split-second before he began to nod vigorously. "Yes…yes, totally. When can we meet?"

"You’re going out of town," Luke reminded him.

"Oh yeah…" Lucky said, swallowing suddenly. "Yeah, I – Mr. Fletcher?"

"Arnie," he said quickly. "You’re too old to be callin’ me Mr. Fletcher."

Lucky nodded. "Ok, Arnie…yeah, I’m going out of town for a few days, but when I come back –

"When you come back we’ll set up a day and time for us to get together."

Trying to remain calm and not appear too grateful or anything, Lucky nodded and smiled as he shook Arnie’s hand once more. "Thank you."

"No, no," Arnie said placing down his finished beer. "Thank you….and thank you, Luke – I’ll see you soon."

As he left, Luke exchanged glances with his son. "You’re gonna have to leave too…I don’t take kindly to people soliciting my guests…I mean look at how quick he finished that beer."

Smiling, Lucky stood up. To Luke’s surprise he came walking around the bar. And to his even larger surprise, he wrapped his arms around him and hugged him fiercely.

In the last few hours, Lucky had realized what an awesome family he really had. And something told him that he was going to need them more than he ever had, very soon. "Thank you," he whispered against his father’s shoulder.

Luke swallowed hard against the sudden lump in his throat and pulled his son’s head down so that he could kiss the top of it. The boy, having gotten too tall to do it without having to nearly put him in a headlock first.

"You’re welcome…I love you."

As Lucky pulled away, he nodded sheepishly and said that he loved him too. "Tell mom that –

"She knows," Luke said as Lucky began to walk towards the exit. "We all know," he smiled.

"Good."

"I hope you and Elizabeth…" Luke paused mid sentence. Something telling him it wouldn’t be appropriate to say ‘have a good trip.’ "I hope you find what you’re looking for," he added stoically. As he stared into his sons eyes from behind the bar.

Lucky bit down on his lip and nodded slowly. "I’ll be in touch."