Lucky's inhaled deeply, trying to regulate his breathing. He stared blankly down at his hands as he walked along the path from her house. They looked the same. The same lines, same size they'd been days ago. Yet, somehow they'd gotten away from him. Somehow he'd allowed his hands to get the better of him. He sighed deeply, breathing in the cold morning air as the anger built up in his chest again.

He couldn't shake Nikolas' words. He couldn't shake the look on his face as his eyes traveled up the stairs. He'd felt that longing before, but it was his. Nikolas had no right to it. Nikolas had no right to anything. What gave him the right to talk about Elizabeth like that? What the Hell was he talking about anyway? 'Elizabeth almost having sex with some guy....what the - yeah right Nikolas,' Lucky thought to himself. 'What an asshole...but what if...no...she didn't do that...that couldn't have happened...he's lieing...he's finally showing his true Cassidine colors, just like his evil grandmother,' he thought, kicking a rock and sending it flying into the street.

Lucky had taken this path so often. So often, his feet moved of their own accord, traveling towards home.

Home? Where was that? Some unknown destination now. Was it the big house he's first seen at age 11. It was a mere 4 blocks away. Was it the rusty old boxcar that sat miles down the road and into the woods? Was it even still there? One thing was for sure: the apartment wasn't. His apartment. Their apartment. Their safe haven away from the world. He wished he could take her there now. He wished they could stay locked away from the world together forever. He nearly laughed at the thought, 'Yet another locked room Lucky? Haven't you had enough of those yet?'

Who was he kidding? There was no need to worry about such things anyway. It had been burnt down to the ground. Burnt down to nothingness. Destroyed by Faison. What else had been destroyed by Faison? What else had he lost?

Elizabeth? Nikolas? His sanity? He certainly questioned that. 'I just attacked Nikolas,' Lucky thought as he shoved his trembling hands into the jean pockets that felt disturbingly unfamiliar.

Were they even his? Where in the world had they come from? 'Oh...mom...that's right...while Elizabeth was in the hospital...she brought them...huh, I guess they didn't throw everything out afterall huh Faison?...who am I kidding? Of course they did!...These aren't mine..she went out and bought them...you're gonna have to go out and by EVERYTHING Lucky..everything is gone. It's all gone. You don't have any clothes...you don't have a home...you don't have anything...everything is gone....Funny how it all looks the same...the trees...the sidewalks...the Carlson's still have that same damn Doberman that used to scare the shit out of you...well, guess what Muffy?...Guess who's pretty damn scary himself?...That's right...me...I just attacked my brother...what do you think about that?...yeah...you're definitely crazy...your talking to a dog...I just attacked Nikolas...what was I thinking...I can't...Oh God...I just left Elizabeth...I just left her...just like that...I just can't go back yet...not if he's there...ugh...is he still there?...Of course he is..you just gave him the perfect opportunity you idiot...She's gonna wake up and you won't be there. How could you possibly just leave her...especially...God he's probably there right now...what if she's used to that? What if she's used to him being around...like that...what if it happens all the time...him coming over in the morning...at night...Jesus, he made me feel like outsider in that house! Like he belonged there and I didn't!...Maybe...God, what if she and Nikolas...can it possibly be...no...she'd never right?...God, I wanted her to be happy...but....I didn't want this...God, I didn't want this.'

~~~~~~~~~

Mac heard voices as he rounded the corner. Two distinct, male voices. One unmistakably belonging to Luke Spencer. The other...the other he couldn't place. Yet, the thick European accent made him shiver to his very core. He raised his gun and held it next to his shoulder as he flattened himself against the hard granite wall. He motioned to Taggert to stay down.

"Turn around Faison!...I said turn around!" Luke's voice billowed out of the depths of the catacombs. Mac moved closer, an internal debate raging in his head. 'Just let Spencer kill him...just let it happen.'

Taggert looked towards Mac. His superior, his friend. He waited for the go-ahead. Waited for the signal, but none came.

Faison turned slowly towards Luke, a malicious grin spreading over his lips. He laughed suddenly, and licked his lips. "What Spencer?...What...you want to shoot me now? An innocent man....Huh?...There's no way that you can prove I have done anything wrong...there is no evidence...just ask your friend Scorpio. I doubt there is any evidence at the PCPD to convict me of killing his brother or his dear wife...just as there is no evidence to prove that I kidnapped your son...There's not a shred of evidence Spencer," he said, wagging his finger at Luke tauntingly. "There's not a damn thing you can do about it. Did you think I'd be stupid enough not to have everything your son touched destroyed?...There are no prints...there is no video monitored room...it no longer exists. I am not stupid my friend."

Luke's eyes watched Faison fondle his gun, as his own fingers curled and uncurled around the cool handle of his own. Wrapping and rewraping his fingers around the trigger. There was no doubt in his head that he had to kill this man. In his mind there was no other choice. His eyes flashed brightly with anger as ice dripped from his voice. "You are stupid," he said. His voice dangerously close to nothingness. "Do you think I need evidence?" He asked, walking closer to the man he so hated. "Do you think I give a damn that there isn't any proof?! All the proof I need is my son alive and breathing!"

Mac edged closer, hearing Luke's voice loom ominously close to the point of no return, and suddenly stopped cold. The air shattering with the piercing sound of a gunshot. He breathed deeply and motioned to Taggert. God help him if he'd been wrong. God help him if his hesitance had cost the wrong persons' life.

~~~~~~~~

Elizabeth woke with a start, the pounding on her bedroom door seemingly in her own mind. Her eyes tried to bring her surroundings into focus as her arm stretched out, smoothing over the sheets in search of Lucky. All it found was the coolness of sheets long left behind.

She sat up, rubbing her eyes. "One second," she mumbled, trying to clear the haze as she stood, wrapping the sheet around her cold body. "Lucky?" She called, towards the door. "Is that you?"

"No," Nikolas' voice billowed through the wood between them. "Elizabeth it's me...Nikolas...I just wanted to check on you...can I come in?"

Liz looked around, walking in circles as she scanned her entire room, still not understanding where he could be. 'Stop it,' she thought to herself. 'Stop panicking...he's probably downstairs.'

"Is Lucky downstairs?" Liz asked, not having heard Nikolas' question.

"No," Nikolas said quickly. "Can I come in...please, Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth shook her head absently. Had it all been a dream? Hadn't he been there? Hadn't they made love? Sweet, wonderful, beautiful love? Her chest began to tighten as the familiar feeling of panic swept over her like a cloak. Her eyes welled up with tears. He couldn't leave. Something could happen. Anything could happen. Didn't he realize? It was becoming increasingly difficult to breathe.

"Elizabeth - "

"Hold on a minute," she said, so low he had to strain to hear her.

She quickly rummaged through her drawers, retrieving a pair of sweat pants and a tank top. She quickly put them on. "You can come in," she whispered. She repeated herself quickly, knowing he hadn't heard.

Nikolas walked in, nearly gasping at the site of her. She seemed more beautiful than ever this morning. Her face simply glowed. Yet as he got closer he realized something was very wrong. His heart nearly broke at the site of her eyes. They were on the verge of overflowing with tears.

"Where's Lucky?" She asked, her voice thick with emotion. She walked over to her window. Was he outside?

"He left Elizabeth," Nikolas said, sensing her panic. His eyes began to scan the room. He took in the unmade bed, her pajamas strewn haphazardly across the rug.

"What do you mean, he left? Why would he just leave?" Elizabeth questioned, nearing him again, and breaking him from his reverie.

He looked at her, not understanding her near hysteria. "He just had to go Elizabeth...maybe he went home...maybe he decided to go after Faison afterall...I don't really know...here...why don't you just calm down," Nikolas added, taking her by the hand and trying to guide her down upon the bed. She pulled away.

"No," Elizabeth said shaking her head, the tears falling now. "No..he wouldn't just leave. He wouldn't...not after..." her voice trailed off as she glanced towards the bed. Nikolas shuttered as she continued. If he didn't know it before, he certainly knew it now. "What did you say to him?" She asked quietly.

Nikolas shook his head, and stayed silent for a moment. "Nothing."

"What did you say to him Nikolas?" She asked again. "Did you say something to upset him?...Did he seem ok when he left? What...Nikolas you have to tell me exactly what happened."

Nikolas sighed. "Elizabeth..maybe it's better that he left...I'm worried about you."

"Huh?" she asked, not understanding his meaning.

"Elizabeth hear me out...I just think that Lucky is a little...Elizabeth he's not himself, and I'm worried about your safety."

Elizabeth shook her head vehemently. "What are you talking about Nikolas?...That doesn't make any sense...Lucky is the same man he's always been."

"I know it doesn't make any sense now Elizabeth" Nikolas said, taking her hand in his,"But I just think we need to realize that we have no idea what Lucky has been through...and...Elizabeth...his temper - "

Elizabeth pulled her hand away. "You don't know what your'e talking about. He would never, ever hurt me. Ever!"

Nikolas stood up, pulling at his collar. "Oh, you know that do you?...Liz, look at my neck...do you know how those bruises got there?..That's right...Lucky."

A moment of silence passed between them before Elizabeth spoke. Her voice so low it was almost inaudible. "What did you say to him?"

Nikolas lowered his voice, trying to remain calm. At least one of them needed to stay sane about this. "Nothing Liz...we just got to talking about that night...the party...and that guy, and - "

Elizabeth's eyes widened in horror and her mouth dropped open in shock. "You told him?" The question coming out as more of a statement.

Nikolas walked away, needing to escape her gaze. "He wanted to know Elizabeth..I thought he had a right."

"How could you do this?" He heard her ask.

"Do what?" He asked, turning around. "Tell my brother what he wanted to hear? He's always been eager for the truth! Why not? I mean isn't that all of our jobs? To please Lucky? Lucky's supposed to be everyone's first priority right? I mean that's what I've been told my entire life...Lucky is number one. Plain and simple. Number one son, number one brother, number one....boyfriend."

Elizabeth squeezed her eyes shut, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. No wonder he left. He probably hated her now. "Nikolas...how could you do this...I was going to tell him...I was...I..." Suddenly she could no longer speak. Elizabeth's breath came in sharp gasps and her entire body seemed to tremble.

Nikolas eyes widened as he moved towards her. 'Oh my God,' he thought. 'What..'

"Elizabeth...what...honey, what's wrong..." Nikolas stumbled over his words as he took her into his arms. "Ssh..." he whispered as she sobbed violently in his arms. "Ssh...it's ok...everything's going to be ok."

Chapter 26

Mac approached Luke from behind, hesitancy slowing his steps. His eyes widened as the pool of blood spread, oozing from Faison's fatal wound.

Luke turned around rapidly, hearing the steps behind him, and aiming his gun blindly.

"Whoa! Whoa! Luke it's me!" Mac shouted, his hands up in surrender in front of him. Taggert's gun rose instinctively.

Luke breathed deeply and lowered his gun, once again turning towards Faison. Towards the body that lie dead in front of him. His eyes returned to the cool steel glare. He'd taken a life before, but never had he felt this way. Nothingness. Absolute nothingness. No guilt. No remorse. No happiness. Nothing.

His voice floated evenly over his shoulder and towards Mac. "Got your cuffs ready Bubba?"

Mac walked closer, staying behind Luke and getting a better look at the man that had killed his brother and sister-in-law. "I don't think that'll be necessary," Mac replied. "You're not a flight risk are you Luke?" Mac asked, glancing back towards a silent Taggert.

"No," Luke said quietly, looking into Mac's eyes. "I think you know that."

"Besides," Mac added, placing a hand on Luke's shoulder. "It looked like a clear case of self defense to me...Isn't that right Detective?" He called backwards to Taggert, his eyes never leaving Luke's.

"That's correct sir," Taggert answered, returning his gun to the holster that slung around his shoulder.

Silence settled upon the room as a notion of understanding passed between the men. Cesar Faison's death had been purely self-defense. No more, no less.

~~~~~~~~

"Lucky?" Laura said, her voice filling with the kind of love only a mother could feel. She smiled widely as he walked across the threshold, his eyes scanning his surroundings. It had been so long. "You're home," she said, surprised yet ecstatic that he'd finally left the Hardy house. "I missed you," she added, enveloping him in a fierce hug. Her eyes once again welled with tears. Would there ever be a day when they didn't?

Lucky smiled awkwardly as he pulled away, though he secretly wished he could stay in his mother's arms forever. The place that had meant safety once upon a time.'Once upon a time,' Lucky thought.

Laura followed him over to the couch as he sat down, sensing that something was wrong. It was written all over his face. "You know," she said sitting down next to him on the couch. "There's someone who really wants to see you."

"Uh...mom," Lucky began. "I'm really not up - "

"LuLu would you come out here in the living room please," She smiled.

Lucky's words stopped cold as his mouth hung open, and his baby sister came scrambling out of the kitchen, Foster in tow. Her crayons dangled loosely in her fingers now.

If he hadn't been sitting down he probably would have collapsed as his throat quickly tightened. He found it hard to speak.

Lulu stopped in her tracks grinning shyly at her brother, she quickly tucked her bottom lip under her small, baby teeth and then scratched at the back of her head. Her mother smiled widely at the gesture that her youngest child had picked up from her middle child some months ago. She remembered crying the first time she'd seen it. She realized she was crying now.

The dark haired girl walked over to him then, as he sat very still on the couch. She whispered, "Lucky?" Quite demurely, a split second before he scooped her up into his arms, the tears falling readily and silently. "LuLu...I missed you princess...I missed you so much."

"Missed you too," she whispered in his ear, as he squeezed her tiny body closer to his chest. He smiled as he looked down seeing Foster curl up by his feet. "Hey boy," he said, almost inaudibly.

Laura slowly moved over, sitting next to Lucky as he held his little sister. She sniffed back her own tears as she enveloped the two of them in her arms. Laura silently thanked God as she kissed the both of them on their cheeks, Lucky's tears lingering on her lips as he leaned his head against his mother's shoulder. She had dreamed of this moment for months. She had lived for that dream, and now...now she'd never let it go again.

 ~~~~~~~~~~

"I'm fine," Liz said again, as she sniffed back the remnants of her tears. The remnants of her near hysteria. "I'm fine."

Audrey shook her head as she sat down, sitting close to her granddaughter. She'd come home to find Nikolas in a state of panic and Elizabeth in a state of complete shock. Nikolas had explained that Elizabeth had "lost it," just moments before. She looked towards Nikolas now as he stood by the door, staring at them nervously. She returned her gaze to Liz. "Darling...I don't think you are...do you want to talk about wh - "

"No," Elizabeth said flatly, as she stood up, walking over to her dresser. She picked up her brush and hurriedly ran it through her hair.

"Elizabeth...sweetheart," Audrey whispered as she stood behind her, placing her hands on her shoulders. "I think that you should calm down, take a breath...and just - "

"Gram, I said I'm fine, ok?...I just...I'm gonna go for a walk ok?"

Audrey removed her hands, knowing full well what that tone meant. It meant that it was time to back off. Time to give her space. The question was: when did that space end? She'd been giving Elizabeth her "space," for months now, and after a week and half of Lucky being back, things had not miraculously repaired themselves. Even when she had secretly hoped they would. She wanted so badly for things to be wonderful for Elizabeth. Hadn't she gone through enough heartache in her short life? Elizabeth was in trouble, and she knew it. She'd known for a long time now, but what could she do? Her granddaughter seemed to refuse help at every turn.

Nikolas spoke suddenly from his corner. "Would you like some company Elizabeth?"

Liz looked away from the mirror, staring him in the eye. She felt like screaming. Felt like telling everyone to leave her the Hell alone. But how much sense would that make, when she knew they were only trying to help. Only trying to make some sense out of her. Out of a life that had become one earth shattering event after another.

Especially Nikolas. He'd been a rock for months now, and one screw up and she was ready to kill him? She sighed suddenly, wishing she could turn back time. Turn the clock back to a time when things had been simpler. A time when baking brownies and eating ribs were some of the most joyous occasions in life.

"No, Nikolas...I'm fine. Thanks."