Elizabeth smiled against his lips, trying unsuccessfully to push him away. How had they gotten here, anyway? She couldn't even remember walking home. All she could think about was the way he'd kissed her since they left the boxcar. His lips felt like heaven on hers.

Lucky held her face in his hands as he walked backwards towards the window, knowing he couldn't stay the night. No matter how much he wanted to. No matter how much his hormones protested. He wanted her so badly, yet he knew he had to go home before his mother woke up and freaked out over his absence. The sight of his empty bed was bound to freak her out. Well, empty of him of course. He was quite certain that Leslie Lu would still be curled up and sound asleep there when he got back.

"Lucky," Elizabeth giggled as his lips left hers momentarily to allow his lungs some much needed oxygen. She sighed as they descended upon hers once again only a moment later. So much for air.

She couldn't remember the last time she'd been this happy. At that moment she was happier than she'd been in months. She felt complete and free. Almost as if she were flying.

They had sat together, in the privacy of their boxcar, watching the sun come up over the trees. Both of them agreeing that it must have been the most beautiful sunset they'd ever seen. They just sat there, in each other's arms, talking about anything and everything.

Minutes passed before he paused again, placing his forehead against hers. Both of them breathless with want for each other. "You have to go," she whispered, her hands caressing the nape of his neck.

"Yeah," he replied softly. His head still resting against hers. "I don't want to...but....yeah..."

Elizabeth placed her hands on his chest, giving quick thought to how fast she could unbutton his shirt. She pushed him away gently with a grin. He looked at her and sighed and she once again realized how incredibly lucky she was. He was beautiful. He was beautiful and he wanted to be with her. "Go," she said quietly, as she pressed her fingertips to her swollen lips. "You don't want your mother to flip out if you're not there..."

"You sure?" He asked, seemingly for her benefit when really it was for his own.

"Yes, I'm sure," she laughed, watching as he turned to open her window. "Go...spend time with your mom and LuLu.........send them my love please."

Lucky smiled, knowing how Elizabeth had distanced herself from his family in his absence. Knowing how hard that had been for her. He loved her for the gesture she was trying to make now.

He began to climb through the window agains as Liz walked towards him slowly and placed a hand against his cheek. "Lucky," she said staring deep into his eyes. "I love you."

His motions to leave ceased as he straddled the window sill. His heart raced at being able to hear her say those words again. No longer in his dreams, but live and in person. He leaned in, kissing her gently upon the lips and letting them linger for a while, brushing softly against hers as he spoke. "I love you too."

He pulled away once again, stepping through the window. He stopped suddenly, turning around. "Oh! Hey...do you want me to come back in few hours and walk you to your first therapy session?"

Elizabeth shook her head slowly. She felt herself fall a little more in love with him at that very moment. He just wouldn't quit. "No," she smiled. "I want you to go home, get some sleep, and then TALK to your mother about all that stuff you told me about..." Her voice trailed off as he frowned at her. She continued. "Lucky...you gotta tell her or she's never gonna understand how you feel."

"You're right," he said nodding slowly. "I will."

The thought of telling his mother that he was no longer comfortable in their home, that he had thrown up an entire meal because it reminded him of being in captivity, of Faison, made him sick all over again. He could already envision her face. There would be pity. Pity, then sadness. Then apologetic. He didn't want her to be any of those things.

Liz smiled as he leaned in, kissing her again. 'God I wish he'd stay,' she thought to herself. 'But he needs to go...he needs to do this for himself Liz.'

"Ok," he said pulling away. "But I will be at GH waiting for you when your session is over, ok?"

"That's more than ok," she said, capturing his lips with hers. "That's perfect."

Lucky pulled away reluctantly, licking his lips. Leaving her now was almost painfully difficult. "You're perfect."

 ~~~~~~~~~

 "Nikolas, you have to follow you're own heart," Stephan said sitting down to the dining room table as Mrs. Landsbury served breakfast.

Nikolas sat across from his father at the dark table, looking down at his eggs disgustedly. His appetite was non existent this morning. "But father, what does that mean? Follow my heart?...At the expense of everything else? Everything I once thought was so important?"

Stephan spread his linen napkin in his lap, and looked up at his son. Staring him in the eyes. "Nikolas....have you ever been in love? Do you think that the relationship you shared with Katherine Bell...was love?"

"No," Nikolas said flatly. Wondering why his father had asked him such a question.

"Than you owe it to yourself," Stephan said picking up his fork and punching at the scrambled eggs on his plate. "You owe it to yourself to proceed in your endeavors with Miss Webber. Do not let an infatuation she once held with the Spencer boy, hinder your progress."

Nikolas shook his head, confused by his father's coldness. "Father...he's my brother."

"And you are my son Nikolas....I want you to be happy. You are my only concern."

Chapter 36

"You know...I've been sitting here in the dark, trying to convince myself that you were off somewhere with Liz....that nothing terrible had happened to you...that you just decided somewhere in the middle of the night that you had to see her...."

Lucky stopped in his tracks. His mother's voice penetrating the still morning air. He lowered the window behind him and walked slowly over to where she sat on his the unmade bed. "I'm sorry," he whispered, looking down at his hands. "I should have told you I was leaving...but...I just had to get out."

Laura stood up, walking over to where a mirror had once hung on her little boy's wall. She tried her best not to get angry. "Why Lucky?" She asked, turning to face him. Her voice steady. "What made you want to leave here....was it...was it something I did? Was it....you know, I noticed how uncomfortable you were during dinner...I put food on your plate and you looked...I don't know, you looked disgusted...but then...then you scarfed it down as if your life depended on it...I don't - "

"I threw it all up a few minutes later," he interrupted flatly. His voice hallow. His eyes turned towards the floor.

"You what?" She asked quietly, knowing exactly what he had said.

Lucky looked up then, into his mother's eyes. Her questioning, soft eyes. He knew she was trying desperately to understand. "Faison...Faison used to bring me takeout from Ely's....a lot...I just couldn't stand to...it wasn't anything you did Mom," he added looking back down at his hands.

There were those tears. The same tears he knew he'd see in her eyes. He couldn't bear to look at her now.

Laura wiped furiously at her eyes, knowing he needed her to be strong for him right now, and not fall apart. Yet she couldn't help it.

She walked over to him slowly, sitting down right next to him on the bed. She reached out to him. Her arms embracing him.

Lucky grasped her arms forcefully. Nearly shoving her away in his haste to escape. Laura gasped as he quickly stood, his eyes staring coldly into hers. "I don't want that Mom!" He yelled.

Laura shook her head. Completely bewildered by his reaction. Was he indeed angry with her for not knowing? Even when he said he wasn't? For not realizing that he was not dead? For not saving him? 'Of course he is Laura,' she thought to herself. 'You're his mother and you've let him down countless times...of course he's angry! Why should he ever forgive you?'

"Don't want what?" She asked slowly, afraid to hear his answer.

"I don't want your pity," he said, his voice cracking in frustration. His thumb swiped angrily under his eye to remove his obvious signs of emotion.

Laura rose from the bed. Watching as her son tried desperately to hold it all together. 'Why?' She thought. 'Why won't he just let it go?'

"Lucky," she said, almost whispering. "I missed you more than I can say....if I want to hug you...it's not because I pity you...it's because I love you...I love you so much."

She reached out to him once again and he backed away, folding his arms over his chest and looking down at his feet. He swallowed at the hard lump in his throat and sniffled back whatever feelings yearned to come to the surface. He knew his reaction was hurting her, but at that moment he didn't care. He didn't want her to feel good. Why should she feel good?

Laura bit down on her lower lip and nodded, walking towards the door. She turned around suddenly to face him, her voice hitting the air shakily. "I know that there are reasons why you feel you can't trust me Lucky...and I accept that..I deserve that...but please...please know that I love you."

Lucky sank down to the floor as he heard the door shut behind her. "I know."

~~~~~~~~

"It's nice to see you again Elizabeth," Gail said as she sat down across from the patient she hadn't seen in close to a year.

Liz chuckled lightly. "Yeah...well, you know...I just love your couch so much...I just couldn't seem to stay away."

Gail smiled. Same old Liz. Same old sarcasm. It had begun this way the last time as well. "Really Liz? Is that why you've come today?" She asked knowingly.

"No," Elizabeth quipped sharply. "The cops demanded that I do this remember!"

Gail sat back in her chair and Liz looked down. 'Why are you doing this?' Liz thought to herself. 'You know damn well that you NEED to be here. Stop being such a bitch!'

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, fiddling with the ring on her finger. This was for them. For their life together. She had to do this if they were to ever have the life they always wanted with each other.

"I guess...I guess I'm here because I need help...Life is sorta crazy right now...I mean it's been crazy for a while now...but...but..."

"You're boyfriend came back from the dead?" Gail asked, smiling.

Elizabeth smiled back. "Yeah...exactly."

~~~~~~~~~~

"Hi Mrs. Hardy," Nikolas said as Audrey opened the front door, smiling at him. "Is Elizabeth home?"

"No dear," Audrey said as she dried her hands on the dishtowel that hung from her shoulder. "She's at the hospital."

"What?" Nikolas asked. Suddenly alarmed. "Is it her head?...Something from the accident? She's alright isn't she?"

"Oh! Yes, dear," Audrey said shaking her head. "I'm sorry...I just meant that she went to see Gail....You see, today was her first therapy session."

"Oh," Nikolas said, nodding his head slowly. "Ok...thanks Mrs. Hardy...I think maybe I'll try and catch her there."