Jack groaned and lifted himself from his couch. Holding his achy side as he made his way to the front door. His broken rib no longer kept him in the hospital, but it still throbbed like a bitch when he moved.

Spencer that asshole.

The knock sounded again. "Yeah – yeah I’m coming. What do you want?"

"Jack open up it’s Lucinda."

Jack stopped his tracks and glanced towards the ceiling. He wasn’t in the mood for this shit. If she thought she could come in and demand things of him, she had another thing coming. McKenzie was one thing…she was another.

He yanked the door open and hissed. "Why are you here?…I had a visit from your little boyfriend in the hospital the other day and I sure as Hell don’t need you in my face now…You guys have some issues with what Stephanie is doing – take it up with her."

Lucinda stuck her tongue in her cheek and folded her arms. Self-control was probably essential right now, but she was at the end of her damn rope and even the end was fraying fast.

"No, no. I have a feeling you’ve got a special ‘way’ with Stephanie, Jack. Why don’t YOU do the honors of convincing her to shut her mouth about Lucky?"

"What the Hell are you talking about? God, you always were a rocket scientist…Listen, SHE’S the one who was attacked. Not me."

"Oh spare me your little girlfriend’s bullshit story. I heard it once. I didn’t buy it then and I don’t buy it now."

Jack looked up and narrowed his gaze on the woman he’d always had so much fun tormenting. Maybe he’d have a little fun now.

"What makes you think she’s my girlfriend? And more importantly what makes you think I could call her off? The guy raped her, I don’t have any control over –

"SAVE IT!" Lucinda shouted, dropping her purse on the table near the door. She hadn’t been in this apartment for months and standing inside it now was giving her the willies. But this had to be done. She had to help Lucky and Elizabeth any way that she could. If that meant subjecting herself to Jack…so be it.

"I know EXACTLY what’s been going on between you and Stephanie, Jack. It isn’t like it’s hard to miss. I was stupid for awhile…but not anymore. You and Stephanie have been screwing each other behind my back and Lucky’s back for how long now? Months? A Year? It had to be before we broke up that’s for sure."

Jack smiled and made his way over to his couch. Sitting down slowly. Lucinda looked on in disgust. Seething.

"I’m touched that you care Cinda. See, I knew you couldn’t possibly be over me…look how jealous you are."

Lucinda wanted to gag. "I’m over you, past you, and beyond you Jackass. All I want to know is why you’re doing this," she stated bluntly. "Lucky stole your thunder at work and you think this is tantamount to THAT? What the Hell kind of bastard are you?…Don’t answer that. Being with you for as long as I was, I already know the answer to that…the worst kind.

"The kind that believes what he’s doing is actually ‘ok,’ in some realm of delusion. You make excuses for everything you do. You cheat on me…well, it’s because I wasn’t being a good girlfriend. You cheat on your fucking taxes…well, it’s because the government owes YOU, and then you cheat at work because somebody screwed you over for a promotion that you ‘so deserved.’ Really Jack I’ve never heard so much bullshit come out of one person until I met you.

"So tell me," she said. Moving towards the couch. That sick smile of his spurning her forward. He looked just about ready to kill her and a part of her wanted that. She wanted him to go crazy. Then everybody in the world could see who the REAL asshole was.

But what would be the point of that? It wouldn’t stop Stephanie from going through with this whole charade. She needed him to slip up. To say SOMETHING.

But instead he was playing mind games. Just a he always had.

"Tell me why you’re helping her do this? You already managed to screw things up with Lucky and Wallace’s game."

His blank stare, prompted her on. "You know…so that it took an extra month to come out……why’d you have to go and add this on? That wasn’t enough? Making them look bad at work?"

Jack shrugged it off. "Lucinda I always knew you were delusional but you’re really scaring me right now. I don’t know what the Hell you’re talking about….and for the record, Stephanie accused Lucky of what she accused him of. I have no idea why you think I had anything to do with it."

"Probably because Stephanie’s a diabolical bitch, but even she would need someone like you to put an idea like that in her head……What was it huh? You got pissed because you were screwing her on a daily basis yet she STILL wanted Lucky? Is that what happened?"

Jack pushed himself up from the couch. The aim was to intimidate, but the bitch had on 3 inch heels. She knew he hated it when she wore heels like that.

Lucinda grinned at the anger she saw in his eyes, folding her arms in satisfaction as she stared him down.

"That’s it isn’t it? That’s what made you do this. You’re just plain jealous of Lucky. Not only because of the game or the upcoming promotion…but he’s just an all around golden boy in EVERY arena, and your little ego got a little bruised with Stephanie?……What? She found out about your little problem?"

Jack’s hands fisted at their sides. "Cinda shut up."

"Your little ego got a little bruised because she found out about your little dick…that’s it isn’t it?"

Jack bit down licked his lips and narrowed his eyes. Stepping an inch closer to her. "Lucinda you should get the Hell out of my apartment before I throw you out. Don’t fucking test me – you know better."

She shook her head slowly. "You wouldn’t hurt me. You were all talk then and you’re all talk now. The only way you ever hurt me was emotionally because you didn’t want to wreck your pretty little hands."

Jack lifted a hand to her face and grinned when she flinched. Then he drew his finger slowly down her cheek. Her lunch almost came up.

"You know what they say Cinda…there’s a first time for everything. If you don’t get the Hell out of here, we’ll both find out if that expression holds true…or you could always stay – shut up – and let me do something else with my hands that you’d enjoy."

"Don’t be silly Jack, there isn’t anything that you ever did with your hands or any other body part that I enjoyed….so I guess I’ll be seeing you."

Lucinda hated that she was afraid that he’d come after her, as she made her way to the front door, but she was. Two weeks ago she would have bet anything that he’d never touch her but now she didn’t really know. The man in front of her had lost all contact with reality. He’d attacked Elizabeth on the yacht, he’d helped Stephanie to accuse Lucky of something heinous. And he’d made her own life a living Hell for over a year.

He was capable of anything.

She tried to control her shaking as she stopped in front of the door. There was yet another tactic she’d thought of. It probably wasn’t wise, but coming over here hadn’t been the best decision she’d ever made anyway, so why stop now?

"Oh, by the way," she said turning. Her hand gripped the doorknob, just in case. "I found something of yours in my place the other day."

Jack rolled his eyes and eased his way onto the couch again. Searching for his remote control. "Lucinda the fucking dust on the blank television screen is more interesting than conversation with you…just drop whatever it is off when you get a chance…Preferably when I’m not here."

Lucinda bit the inside of her lip. She would not cry over that comment. She wouldn’t. He didn’t even mean anything to her anymore, but somehow he could always do that…get to her.

"Well see, I don’t think I can do that……I mean some of this is pretty personal stuff. I wouldn’t want anyone to catch you doing something that you’re not supposed to be doing. I wouldn’t want you to get in any kind of trouble." She ended coyly and Jack looked up.

"I swear to God Lucinda if you don’t shut up and –

"Well if you don’t want them, that’s fine," she said forcing a chuckle. Lucinda pushed her purse strap up on her shoulder. "I just thought you might be interested…I didn’t even know what they were at first. But I’m sure Wallace will recognize them. Afterall his name is on it…along with Lucky’s.

"I guess they’re some plans for Road Fury 2…it’s funny though, because I could swear I remember Wallace talking about how they were missing. About some meeting where the game had to go through all this reviewing by the board again because the scoring system had mysteriously screwed up. I wonder what could have happened to it…and how in the world it ended up in my loft," she finished innocently.

Lucinda batted her eyelashes. "You don’t know anything about that do you?"

Jack’s gaze stilled on her. His face expressionless and Lucinda stood there holding her breath. Waiting…

"I don’t know what you’re talking about."

Lucinda smiled. "Oh…I got it. You’re playing dumb about that too? Well…ok," she sighed. Opening the door before her luck was pushed too far. "Perhaps it won’t be Lucky who loses his job afterall…Ta, Jack."

Jack breathed in through his nose as the door shut behind her.

She was bluffing. As far as he could remember he hadn’t left shit at her apartment. He wouldn’t have been that careless. Maybe he’d left a couple of notes about other girls…stuff to make her feel like shit when she found them…but other than that he couldn’t think of anything.

No, he’d never be that stupid.

~~~~~~~

"He pissed himself?"

Wallace grinned and folded his arms across his chest. His back against the water cooler. He stood prouder than even a new papa would be.

"Oh you shoulda seen him Lucky…Damn I wish there was somebody just following me around with a Hi-8 or something you know? Because THAT my friend could have made the Wallace McKenzie Greatest Hits Reel."

"You have a greatest hits reel?"

Wallace shook his head. "I think you’re missing the point….Did you eat today?"

At the quick change in conversation Lucky glanced down. Where had that come from? Yes, he was finding it a little hard to concentrate these days but he hadn’t turned into a moron or anything.

"What the fuck? Yeah I ate today Mom."

Wallace reached beneath the spout on the water cooler and poured his friend a drink. "You just…you look a little gaunt. Is Elizabeth feeding you? Oh…forget I asked that," he finished at Lucky’s sideward glance.

He’d temporarily forgotten about Elizabeth’s cooking skills…or lack there of.

"Well here, drink up," he said. Forcing the Dixie cup towards Lucky.

Lucky glanced at the cup and then up at Wallace. The guy was going just as crazy as Elizabeth was, with trying to ‘take care’ of him. It was driving him crazy. He knew they meant well and he knew he probably needed it these days but still…it was driving him crazy.

"And this is supposed to what…put a little water on my bones? Is this in lieu of a pork chop or should I…

"Just drink it funny guy and leave the jokes to me alright?" Wallace said, heading back towards the workroom.

Lucky followed Wallace. Eager to throw his mind into something other than his problems. There had of course, been murmuring at work. Rumors. Speculation, but for the most part things had been ok. Everybody that knew him wished him well, and tried not to look at him funny…or at least ‘too funny.’

Janice his secretary had been a sweetheart. Bringing him casseroles…as if someone had died. It was interesting what people did when they thought maybe you were going to prison. Fatten him up before he gets there, he supposed was the thought process.

She’d also made a point of telling him that his picture was still plastered up all over her teenage twins’ bedroom. The girls were still in love with him and when they’d heard ‘through the grapevine’ about his ‘attack’ on Stephanie, they hadn’t believed it.

Janice had made sure to put everything in quotation marks with her fingers while she’d explained.

But maybe today, with Road Fury 2 out of the way and doing remarkably well under the circumstances, perhaps he could concentrate on the next design. Something new. At least for a few hours he could be Lucky Spencer the game designer and not Lucky Spencer the possible rapist.

But as luck would have it…the distraction lasted only a few seconds.

Lucky and Wallace both looked up from the large table in the workroom. The president of the company peaking inside the door.

"Spencer if I could have a word with you for a moment."

Wallace chewed at the inside of his mouth. ‘Fuck.’ The old guy was using that ‘principal tone’. The one that unequivocally said ‘I’m not a prince and I’m not your pal either…McKenzie in my office now! I’m putting a call in to your mother.’

"McKenzie you’ll excuse the two of us for a moment won’t you?…I’m sure you can find something to do."

He could of course, but he didn’t WANT to.

The asshole couldn’t FIRE Lucky could he? There’d been no formal charges filed against him, and his game was selling like hotcakes. People had that shit on Ebay like it was a special rapist’s collector’s item.

A sad commentary, but shit they’d take what they could get.

Damn it this shouldn’t have even been an issue, but Stephanie’s father was on the fucking board of directors. If the boss man decided to fire Lucky, it was all that chumps fault for believing his daughter was anything more than a lying bitch.

Wallace had half a mind to go over to her place and make her piss herself too. Just like her little boyfriend had. Now THAT would make the Greatest Hits Reel for sure.

"McKenzie."

Wallace heard his voice again and shook himself. "Um…yeah, sure Sir…Catch up with you later man," he said, slapping Lucky’s back as he rose. Wallace left the room. Stopping midway to flip the bird at the president behind his back.

Lucky bit down on his lip.

It was probably the last opportunity to laugh he’d have today and he’d had to pass it up…things sucked.

Wallace sighed when he shut the door behind him and stood in the hallway. He hoped to God Elizabeth could learn how to cook in a few hours. When Lucky got home he was gonna need a damn good meal, a stiff drink, and an even stiffer role in the hay.

Perhaps he’d call and tell her that.

~~~~~~~

"No, I just came from their Sweetheart…The little bastard is probably being fired as we speak. There’s no more need for you to worry. You just file those charges now and everything will be ok. That man will never ever bother you again or WORK again in this town. I can guarantee you that."

Stephanie took a deep breath and watched as her father sputtered and stammered. He was so upset that his face hadn’t turned back to its normal shade in weeks. A permanent shade of fire engine red now, and it was all her fault.

He was so angry. Outraged that someone would violate his baby girl. Even more outraged that Lucky would deny it and retain his job at such a prestigious company. According to her father, Lucky HAD to be fired. There was no other course of action. He would not support a company that employed his daughter’s rapist.

And she wasn’t sure what SHE even wanted anymore. When had things gotten so out of control?

"But Daddy…I think…I think maybe that’s enough. He’s suing me for slander and –

"That’s preposterous!" Evan Davenport billowed. Turning an even darker shade of red as Stephanie looked on in horror. "Our attorneys will handle this Pumpkin. Don’t you worry."

"Daddy maybe you should sit down and –

"No, I can’t sit down Sweetheart. This is ridiculous. Slander….who the Hell is he kidding? That bastard has nerve I tell you that…after everything he’s put you through…

"No Stephanie," he said then, turning towards her with a stern voice. "You have to prosecute this man to the full extent of the law. You can’t allow him to get away with this. Suing for you for SLANDER as if YOU were the one to wrong him. He came into this apartment and attacked my baby girl…no way he can get away with that. No you call your lawyer right now and you tell him forget the restraining order. You’re going to pursue this all the way."

He hadn’t exactly ‘come into’ the apartment. She’d let him in. But then again he hadn’t raped her either, so why was she splitting hairs now?

"But Daddy –

"Stephanie there’s nothing to think about! You want this taken care of right? You want to be rid of him. Safe from him –

"Yes, but Daddy with the restraining order went into effect yesterday. I’ll be safe and he’ll never ever touch me again. That’s all I want. I just want him away from me…and for people to know what he did. They know now. I don’t need to send him to –

"You need to send him to PRISON," her father interrupted. "Absolutely you do. I did not raise my daughter to be a quitter! When someone does her wrong – she gets even!"

She had! She already had! If only she could tell him.

"But that’s already being done Daddy. The restraining order…and now you’re telling me he’ll lose his job…it’s already being done – see?"

Suddenly Stephanie’s father’s eyes narrowed and he took a deep breath. "Stephanie…Sweetheart. Is there some reason you’re protecting this man? You can’t possibly still have feelings for –

"No! No!" She shouted. "It’s not that at all Daddy. Nothing like that. I just feel…" she searched for words and nervously licked her full lips. "I just feel as if everyone will know…I mean a lot of people know now….people that were there at the party – but I just…I don’t want everyone in the country to know what happened. I’d be completely humiliated…I can’t even go to Sacks anymore without people staring."

When her lip started to tremble, Evan Davenport sighed and moved towards her. Wrapping his daughter in his arms.

"I’m sorry Sugarplum…I just want what’s best for you. If you really don’t want to do this…I can’t say that I understand it but – I’ll accept it. I only want you to be safe and happy."

Stephanie pulled back and wanted to let out the breath she was holding. "Thank you Daddy…and I will be now that I have that restraining order and Lucky is being fired. You’re right…I don’t want him at that company."

She couldn’t be wishy-washy about this anymore. This was where she would stand. The restraining order, the gossip, his lost job. That was it. She didn’t need him to go to prison. That would be just taking things too far.

Now all she had to do was convince Jack. That would be the hard part.

Silence fell between them for a moment as each of them thought silently. Evan thinking of how much he also wanted Spencer gone from that company, but that was because he held a stake in the company.

What was his daughter’s change of tune about though?

He’d raised her to get even. That’s probably what it was, and the bastard deserved it anyway. Anybody who’d hurt his daughter didn’t deserve to make the kind of money that little bastard was making.

He didn’t deserve to live.

A knock on the door broke the silence and Stephanie broke away from her father. Relieved for the distraction. She sniffled as she made her way to the door.

"Damnit." That feeling of relief dissipated.

"What?" Even asked, his brow knitting.

Stephanie turned away from her peephole, looking startled as she met her father’s eyes.

"Honey who is it? Is it a reporter? Tell them to go away. You don’t need any more bad press about this. Now that you’re deciding not to press charges, you’re going to have to be even more careful about what you say. They’ll paint you to be the bad guy sweetheart…it’ll give them more ammo for that stupid slander suit."

It wasn’t bad press. It was just bad Jack.

Stephanie licked her lips. "No, it’s just Jack, Daddy."

Mr. Davenport knew Jack very well from Game-One. Sitting in on meetings and such had given him a nice little snapshot of the once hotshot game designer. The hotshot who thought he was hotshit, but was really full of hotair.

"Jack Young? What’s he doing here?"

Stephanie pushed her hair away from her shoulders. "He’s probably just here to…you know – offer me some moral support or something. I’ll just get rid of him and we can talk some more. I know you have places you need to get to."

He actually had nowhere else he needed to be this evening but he shrugged as Stephanie opened the door. She looked nervous.

"Jack, what a pleasant surp –

"Pleasant my ASS! Stephanie if you don’t get off your ass and press char…."

Jack’s voice dwindled into nothingness when his peripheral vision landed on the large man to the side of the door. He shut his eyes for a moment and tried to will the figure away, but it didn’t work.

Damnit, Stephanie’s father was here? First Lucinda and now this shit? What else was going to happen today?

"Hi, Sir how are you –

Mr. Davenport ignored the hand extended before him. "Why Hell are you coming into my daughter’s apartment with raised voice and that kind of language? Who the Hell do you think you are? Have you lost your mind? Do you know what she’s gone through? I knew you were a little pun –

"Daddy, daddy no," Stephanie said quickly, stepping in front of her father to block the short path to Jack. "Jack didn’t mean anything by what he said."

The Hell he hadn’t, Jack thought. He’d meant every word and as soon as he had her alone, he’d drive the point home good and clear for her.

He was sick and tired of all the women in his life not taking him fucking seriously.

"He’s just very concerned that I do the right thing here. Even though, I’ve told him numerous times that I simply can’t bring myself to press charges," Stephanie said pointedly to Jack and watched as his eyes bulged.

Jack licked his lips roughly. "And just as I told your daughter Sir, that’s unacceptable. Lucky Spencer has to be made to pay for what he did to her…I mean as her father, I’m sure you’d agree with me, wouldn’t you? You want to see that scumbag pay too right?"

He did indeed, but Evan had to wonder what stake Jack held in all of this. It was obvious at the company how jealous he was of Spencer.

"Stephanie and I have discussed her pressing charges, yes. But she’s decided she’s satisfied with the restraining order against Mr. Spencer."

Jack shook his head and threw up his hands. "You’ve gotta be kidding me! Satisfied? Do you really think a restraining order is gonna stop this guy? Mr. Davenport with all do you respect…you’ve SEEN the way Lucky Spencer operates. You’ve seen the way he struts around the office. He’s the golden child wherever he goes. Something as little as a piece of paper prohibiting him from being within 20 yards of your daughter is not going to stop him. The guy thinks he’s above the law," he turned towards Stephanie as if his heart went out to her. "I mean OBVIOUSLY."

The funny thing was, Lucky wasn’t the one that Evan had seen ‘strutting’ around Game One. On the contrary it had been Jack. Until one day, Road Fury had hit a million in sales and Lucky was been deemed the golden child by everyone at the company and the business world at large. It was only then that Jack’s ego had taken a plummet…but he’d still never seen Lucky act as if he owned the world.

But he’d put his hands on his daughter, and for that he had to go down. He agreed with Jack on that one thing. But how could he get his daughter to see that without pushing?

"Listen, I don’t want to force Stephanie to do anything she doesn’t want to do. Lord knows she’s had enough of that kind of behavior…but," he said reluctantly regarding Jack. "If you think you can change her mind…without PUSHING," he emphasized. "Be my guest."

Jack smiled. Life was good again.

Stephanie felt her throat go dry at that smile.

"I’ll most certainly give it a shot, Mr. Davenport…without pushing," he said grinning at Stephanie.

Her father walked towards her, enveloping her in a fierce embrace. "Sweetheart, I only want what’s best for you…you know that don’t you?"

She nodded, staring into Jack’s lethal eyes. "I do Daddy…thank you."

One more rub of her back and Evan was pulling away. "Ok, I’ll talk to you soon Honey."

And with that he opened the door and walked out. Only to leave her there with Jack.

The door closed and his voice grew cold. Turning the room frigid.

"I don’t know what it is you think you’re doing Ms. Davenport but I’m not going to put up with it. I’ve already had one woman today come into my home thinking she can run the show…That’s not going to happen here, do you understand me? I run things here!"

Stephanie jumped at his shout. He didn’t usually shout. Jack was the type of guy who said things with a smile. Who’d tell you to go fuck yourself with his smile right in place.

"Jack, I’m not going to –

His hands were around her neck in an instant. Pinning her against the wall behind her.

"Like I said before," he said through grit teeth. "I RUN things here. And what I want you to do now is get on the phone with your lawyer and tell him that a restraining order is simply NOT good enough. That you want to press charges against Lucky Spencer for rape…that’s it Stephanie. No more negotiating."

When he let her go, Stephanie pawed at her neck. She could already feel the bruises building beneath her skin.

Fucking ASSHOLE! God all those times when she’d been with Lucky, and Lucinda would come bitching about Jack…she should have listened. She should have known. But who knew Lucinda could have been right about anything? She whined all the time. How could someone take her seriously?

"Go ahead," he said then. Stepping back. "Go over there and pick up the phone. I’ll just stand right here in case you need…help."

Stephanie inhaled through her nose. Her pulse raising. "Jack –

He shot her a menacing glance and she moved quickly to the phone. She lifted it with shaking hands and quickly dialed her lawyer’s phone number.

~~~~~~~

Elizabeth poured two glasses of wine and sat them on the table. Checking that everything was in place once more.

After the way her day had gone she’d felt like taking another stab at making dinner and if she did say so herself…the roasted chicken smelled pretty damn good. Lord knew, salmon wasn’t something she’d be trying again.

She could have just gotten take out like she usually did when she volunteered to ‘take care’ of dinner, but she’d wanted something special for this evening. Special for her good news.

At first she’d felt weird about it. Lucky was in such a weird place, she didn’t know if telling him her good news would be insensitive, but one phone call to Jillian and then another to Laura had confirmed what she thought in the first place…he’d be happy for her.

They were due for good news anyway right? Right.

Elizabeth took a deep breath upon hearing his key turn in the lock. She smoothed her black dress and fluffed her hair. She bit her bottom lip and then smiled brightly as he finally walked through the door.

Her smile fell instantly at his expression. He looked angry…

"Hey…" she said softly as he removed his coat and hung it up on the wrack by the door. She watched quietly as he moved inside the room with wrinkled brow and set his briefcase down at his feet. When he rounded the curve of the bar and into the dining room, his feet stopped.

"Hey…" he said, returning the greeting at last. His eyes glanced around the room... candles. His ears perked up to the sounds…soft music playing from the corner stereo. "What’s all this?"

"You first," she said. Pushing her lips back into a smile. "You look like you’ve got something on your mind."

Lucky looked for somewhere to sit, but she’d created a dancefloor, by moving some of the lighter furniture and the only place to sit was at the dining room table.

He didn’t feel like eating.

"Well nothing I didn’t expect," he said with a shrug.

Elizabeth’s smile dropped and her blood turned cold. "They didn’t fi –

"Fire me? No," he said with another shrug. He unbuttoned his shirt sleeves at the cuffs and rolled them towards his elbows. "My boss just thought maybe I’d like to take a vacation…you know, one of those extended kinds where they figure out HOW to fire you while you’re gone."

Elizabeth wrung her hands and her tongue grew too large inside her mouth. What was she supposed to say?

"Well maybe…maybe your boss actually thought you needed the time off. I mean he probably knows you can’t keep your mind on work with the slander suit and he knows your stressed –

"Elizabeth my boss doesn’t give a damn how stressed I am! And that job was about the only thing I have to focus on OTHER than Stephanie and a restraining order right now."

She bit the inside of her jaw. That wasn’t true. He could focus on them. They’d only been married over 2 and a half months and already they had more to deal with than people who’d been married for years.

But she knew he needed work. Knew he loved his work and if he didn’t have it, he’d feel lost. She had to stop taking all of this so personally.

No one had accused her of anything horrible and she felt so angry for him she could scream. She had no idea what it was like living inside his head these days.

"Yeah right…a vacation," he grumbled. Finally sitting down to the table. Elizabeth sat down across from him. Still chewing on the inside of her jaw.

A candle flickered shadows across his face. Light jumped on the white linen cloth she’d laid out on the table, and she suddenly felt like blowing it out.

The night had just gone straight to Hell. Everything she’d been thinking about doing came back to her. There was no longer any room for contemplation. She had to do what she had to do.

Lucky looked up and caught her expression. Downcast eyes on a face so perfect. A perfect face framed by perfectly curled hair and a nice new dress…

"Hell…What have I just ruined here?"

Elizabeth looked up and a small smile tugged at one corner of her mouth. Ruined? He’d only ever made things better for her, and that’s what she had to do for him.

Maybe she’d finally figured out how to do things the ‘best way she could,’ as Jillian had said.

"That’s ok…we can talk about it later," Elizabeth said softly. "Why don’t we break out that icecream in the fridge and put on a video or something?"

Lucky inhaled and sat back in his chair. "No…you made something didn’t you? Seriously, what did I just come in here and ruin?" He shook his head. "Damn it, I’m sorry Elizabeth. You obviously had some big plans here and I just came in spreading my rays of sunshine," he added sarcastically with a brush of his hand. "I’m sorry Sweetie."

He reached across the table and took her hand and Elizabeth pushed her legs beneath the table, sitting completely on the chair now instead of on the edge. She took a deep breath when his eyes met hers and stayed there. Waiting for her to say whatever she had to say.

She had his full attention and she knew it.

"Well…remember that audition I mentioned the other day? The one for principal dancer in ‘Laila,’-

"You got it?" The question shot from Lucky’s lips before she even finished and his face lit up.

Elizabeth’s lips formed a complete ‘O’. Damn, she probably should have approached this a different way.

"Um…no – BUT," she said. Speaking before he could look disappointed. "When I was there, this woman told me about this job teaching dance at the Neiderlander Dance School for kids over on 48^th…I didn’t want to tell you about it first…you know – just in case. But I went down today to check it out…and they hired me – on the spot Lucky – they hired me! I can start in two days! That’s the start of the new semester."

All Lucky could hear was the blood boil up inside his head. She’d told him about that audition. It was a part she would have been perfect for. Everybody she’d talked to about it, said so. Absolutely perfect.

"Why didn’t they cast you in the show? Did they give you a reason?"

Elizabeth sat for a minute and then her brow knit. Had he not just heard what she said? Had he stopped listening before the part about her new job?

"I – I’m not sure. Something about a height requirement because they’d already cast the male lead and he’s pretty tall…but that sounded kind of lame, so it was probably more about my experience level…or lack there of."

Lucky nodded in disbelief. "You’re experience level, huh? Did anyone there SEE your show? Did they read the reviews?" His voice rose a little with each question.

"Lucky, please. It’s not a big deal. It’s not like I’m gonna go out and land every audition I go on. I’m new to this and it’s perfectly fine that they didn’t cast –

"It’s NOT perfectly fine. Elizabeth they didn’t give you the brush off because of your experience level. They gave you the brush off because your husband’s a lunatic rapist."

Elizabeth’s eyes grew wide as he lifted himself from his chair and stalked into the living room. He turned to her in anger.

"I can’t believe this! I can’t believe they’d do this to you…No, what am I saying – yes I can. I knew this would happen. Do you see what I mean? Rape charges or no rape charges, the damage is already done. And now you’re paying for it…restraining order my ass. I have half a mind to go over there and show her why she might actually need one."

She’d never heard him so angry she didn’t think. He’d been depressed, despondent, but right now he was just…furious.

Elizabeth turned her gaze to her glass of wine and stared into it. When had things gone so wrong? Something told her it wasn’t Stephanie’s accusation, but her own presence in his life. Before Lucky had gotten involved with her, his life sounded as if it had been calm. Blissful.

He’d been happy before Elizabeth.

"Lucky I got a job," she said then quietly. "And it’s something I think I’m going to really enjoy –

"Right, but you’d enjoy being on stage yourself even MORE Elizabeth. And it isn’t right. All of this is because of me and –

"NO!" She said standing up. "Not it’s NOT about YOU, ok! It’s about ME! I got a job Lucky! A job that’s not stripping or flipping burgers! I got a JOB. I understand that you’ve got a lot on your mind, but this is about ME!

"I don’t know," she continued. Spewing. "Maybe it’s not good enough for you! Maybe you need for me to be on stage, but you know what? It’s good enough for ME and I like it! I’m happy!"

Happy and close to tears over said happiness.

Lucky shut his eyes and wished he had the ability to kick his own ass. This of course was only one royally fucked up evening in a series of evenings he’d royally fucked up lately.

He started to speak, but shut his mouth when she picked up her wineglass. Afraid for a minute that she’d throw it at him.

"God she’s so stupid!" She said then out of nowhere. Her eyes really filling with tears now. "You’re perfect. You’re sweet and beautiful and gentle and she did this…she did all of this! I hate her!"

And that’s when the glass did shatter against the opposite wall under the force of her throw. It hadn’t been aimed at him, but if it had been he would have been sorry. She had quite the arm on her.

He watched as she picked up the next glass and then quickly stepped in to take it away.

"May I?"

Lucky lifted the glass to his lips, and downed the white wine quickly. When every last drop was down his throat, he hauled the glass at the wall. Upon it’s shatter, Foster looked up from his corner.

That was it. They’d both gone round the bend. Poor Elizabeth, Lucky had taken her with him past the point of insanity.

With a wine stained wall, Lucky turned to Elizabeth and wordlessly took her in his arms. Holding the back of her head with one large palm. She fit her head into the crook of his neck and started to cry. Finally letting it go.

Lucky brushed her hair away from her ear so she’d hear every word he had to say.

"I’m so sorry. I don’t know how many times I can say it before it starts to lose it’s meaning, but I really REALLY am. Every day I get up in the morning and think ‘ok, today’s gonna be the day when everything’s ok. When things start to go right again.’……and then it is – for a few hours at least. And then something else happens…like a restraining order, or my boss ‘requiring’ a vacation out of me…but none of that is any excuse for not being there for my wife. Being happy when she’s happy. Smiling when she’s smiling…and trying out whatever she’s got cooking in that oven over there."

Elizabeth lifted her head slowly from his shoulder and sniffled. Meeting her husbands eyes as he reached out to brush away her tears with his thumb.

"I’m sorry," he said again. "Congratulations on your job Sweetie……Will you still tell your ass of a husband all about it as we eat?"

Elizabeth smiled. "I might. If the ass promises to make it up to me later."

"The ass, along with all other parts - will make it up to you," he said leaning forward to kiss her again. "Just as soon as you show me what you’ve got in that oven."

She bit her lip and stood, walking towards the kitchen. Lucky grabbed her hand, and she stopped in her tracks. Looking down into his blue eyes.

"I love you."

Elizabeth bent at the waist and placed a kiss against his warm mouth. Caressing the side of his face as she fell into it for a moment. Has hand reaching up to slide along her side and down her hip.

"I love you too," she whispered as she pulled away. "Now let’s eat…I can’t wait for you to try the chicken."

Lucky grinned and pinched her lightly on the behind as she moved past him into the kitchen. He sighed as soon as she’d rounded the corner.

He had to snap out of this, but he could only think of one way to do it. And that one way had just gotten a restraining order against him.

Well, he was already about to lose his job…what could it hurt?

~~~~~~~

She’d lied of course. She had absolutely nothing on Jack. But seeing his face when she’d bluffed about having potentially damning evidence…

There had to be something, and it was something she had to find before Game One decided to promote Jack instead of Lucky and before Jack had a chance to do anything else to spin the world upside down.

Lucinda rifled through her closet. It hadn’t been a far-fetched bluff, she’d found tons of things in her closet since she and Jack and broken up. Some old clothes that she’d thrown out into the dumpster, a pair of shoes that she’d let a stray dog piss on, a 200 dollar pair of cufflinks that she’d given to charity and scrap pieces of paper for games he’d been working on for the company.

Nothing at all that was detrimental to his position, but there had to be something. There had to be. That stoic expression on his face when she’d suggested it, proved that to her.

Lucinda turned over all the boxes on her floor and stopped for a moment to pull her long tresses up into a ponytail as dust flew about her large closet. She was going to have to dust more often.

"Babe…are you here?"

Lucinda stepped on top of the chair she’d pulled from her vanity and trailed her finger along the top shelf of her closet. Looking for anything she may have missed.

She would find something if it killed her.

"Yeah…in the bedroom."

Wallace wiggled his brows. His favorite place.

But his favorite place looked like a battle zone when he crossed the threshold. Having to stop midstride due to all the boxes on the floor.

Lucinda didn’t look down when he came into the room. She was too busy yanking her shoes out of the way on that top shelf. There were shoe boxes that she knew contained not shoes, but old photos, mementos, etc. Jack could have hidden anything inside those boxes, knowing how rarely she went through them.

He’d often come over and just worked while she sat around feeling neglected. Well his neglect was about to pay off if her theory was correct.

"Lucinda are you giving away shoes?" He asked the words gleefully. He’d never seen anybody with quite the same fetish for footwear. "That’s great Babe…Just don’t give away those black strappy ones ok – those are really hot. They kinda reminds me of that video Lucky and I rented where the Dominatrix and two computer nerds…damn, probably should remember you’re my girlfriend now and not Cinda-pal."

"Don’t call me Cinda or any variation thereof please right now."

Upon her snap, Wallace opened up each hand and counted days on his fingers. No, not that time of the month yet.

"Sorry….Hey what’s going on in here? You trying to find something?"

Wallace finally pushed his way through and sat next to his girlfriend when she jumped down off the chair and sat on the floor next to her bed. She opened a manila file of old papers.

He sneezed when she flipped to the next page. DUSTY old papers.

"Gazuntite."

"Watch your language…what ARE you looking at?" he said then. Lifting a sheet out of the folder. "Why are you looking at a bunch of Game One Memos? Where did these come from?"

"Jack," Lucinda said finally looking up. "He left them here and I’m thinking he may have left something…I don’t know…incriminating. Whatever it is, we have to find it…Maybe something that links him to that problem you and Lucky had with your game for those months…anything."

Wallace knew why she was trying so hard, but he also knew that Game One already had the proverbial ball rolling on their handling of the Lucky situation. No matter what she found, Wallace was afraid it wouldn’t matter.

"They told him to go on vacation today."

Lucinda shrugged. "Good. That’s probably a good idea. Elizabeth has been trying to get him to go home to Port Charles, so maybe –

"No, you’re not understanding me. They TOLD him to go on vacation. They didn’t ask if he wanted to. If he had any sick days to spare…..they TOLD him he had to take a vacation...with pay of course. But you know, saying that to Lucky is like telling a dog not to bark"

Lucinda didn’t quite understand the analogy, but she knew it wasn’t good. "Bastards!"

"Yes, yes they are."

"And the biggest BASTARD of them all is Jack! God you should have seen him today – all smug and –

"Um, EXCUSE me? I should have seen him today? Where did YOU see him?"

‘Aw fuck,’ Lucinda thought. Every single time she got excited about something…

Lucinda took a deep breath. The weight of Wallace’s stare making her nervous.

"Ok, ok! Listen, I was just so PISSED and I had to do something to help my friend! Wallace, Lucky’s done so much for me in the past and I just wanted to try and return the favor just this one little bit…I mean I know Jack best out of all of you…I figured it was the ONE thing I could do –

"And just what did you get out of him?" Wallace said, folding his arms.

Lucinda rolled her eyes and turned towards him. Folding her legs in front of her.

"I didn’t get anything, BUT," she emphasized when he would have said ‘I told you so,’. "I DID learn enough from his expression and how pissed off that he got – that he was hiding something! I learned enough to come back here and look!"

Wallace’s stomach dropped a bit. He didn’t like where this was going. He already hated where it had gone…so not liking where he was going was doubly bad.

"Exactly how pissed off was he? And HOW did you make him mad?……Damn it Lucinda, I told you I had it under control," he said standing up.

Lucinda stood too. "I know very well what you ‘told’ me, but I’m not some little girl that’s gonna stand 10 paces behind her man and say ‘ok, sure honey,’ all the time. You should probably get that through your head NOW before you even say anything else inside my apartment. This place has had ENOUGH of bossy men."

Wallace folded his arms across his chest and grit his teeth. "FINE…go on."

"Thank you…..I simply SUGGESTED to Jack, that I may have some potentially incriminating information. Information that could perhaps get him fired if he didn’t leave Lucky alone and convince Stephanie to drop this entire thing."

Wallace nodded slowly and pushed out his bottom lip as if all of it sounded reasonable. "Oh so that’s all…oh sure…yeah that’s fine…that’s……ARE YOU INSANE?!" He said shouting suddenly. "Seriously? Have you LOST your mind?!

"Lucinda do I have to REMIND you that this is the guy that came over here and threatened you and me one night simply because he didn’t like the idea of you being with me – of being happy without HIM……the man that attacked Elizabeth on a yacht! Lucinda you have bruised this man’s moon sized ego far enough already. Now you step into his house and deliberately provoke him? Did a free CRACK pipe come with those Chinese Laundry sling-backs over there?" He asked pointing in the direction of the little denim numbers.

Lucinda opened her mouth to respond and then shut it, glancing at the cute pair of shoes. Her brow knit. "How’d you know they were sling-backs?…Not to mention Chinese Laundry?"

"Oh would you STOP! Don’t try and distract me while I’m making a point!"

"And your point would be?" She asked, hands on her hips.

Wallace threw his hands up in the air. "That you can’t just go around provoking this guy! You never know what the Hell he’s gonna do! Aside from that I already told him that if he went near you, I’d kill him!"

"You what?"

"Yeah, while I was choking him."

"When you were what?"

"When he pissed himself."

"WHEN? WHAT?" She asked, doing a double take.

"When he pissed himself. I didn’t tell you about when he pissed himself?"

Lucinda folded her arms across her chest. "No you somehow forgot to mention him pissing himself."

"Damn," he muttered. "See I told Lucky I needed some kind of demo reel…"

"Huh?"

"Nothing…listen….I took care of things…that’s how I took care of ‘em. So I don’t need you going in and undermining all the work I’ve already done."

"Wallace he’s STILL working at Game One and it looks like HE’S going to be promoted, and Lucky still got served with a fucking restraining order today. How does that make things ‘taken care of?’"

Wallace’s brow knit. "Well I was planning on going to see Stephanie next."

"Oh no you WILL not," Lucinda said then, shaking her head. "You’ve gotta be kidding me. Wallace she will eat you alive."

His mouth dropped open. "I think I’m insulted."

"No…I mean she’ll twist everything in that evil little brain of hers and you’ll leave there even more angry than you were when you went…Besides – I don’t need you coming back to me with a restraining order as well."

Wallace inhaled through his nose. She was right. It probably wasn’t the best idea.

"Well I gotta do something," he said sinking back down to the floor. His arms propped on his knees.

Lucinda sat next to him and placed her head atop one of his hands. Kissing his fingers. "Well, you can help me go through this stuff. Help me turn this bedroom upside down…and see what we can find……and for your trouble, you’ll either get evidence against Jack – or me in those Dominatrix shoes and not a damn thing else…how’s that?"

Wallace gave a shake of his head. "Here’s hoping I score twice."

~~~~~~~

Elizabeth woke up in the middle of the night, wondering for a moment where she was. It was her bedroom but she couldn’t even recall having gotten there. She must’ve fallen asleep on the couch again.

Her husband who slept next to her now, must’ve carried her to bed. She remembered them having tried to watch some silent film that Lucky had wanted to get wrapped up in – lose himself in – but she’d just wound up dozing on his lap.

Harold Lloyd hanging from a clock never did anything for her, but it seemed to give Lucky some special kind of joy. And joy was something much too precious these days for her to complain about being bored.

At least he was sleeping now and it seemed to be a peaceful one. He breathed deeply and Elizabeth placed her head against his heart to listen to the steady beat. His chest rising and falling as it pillowed her head.

Since he’d be home with her tomorrow she’d have to figure out a way to get out of the penthouse without him going with her. She’d tell him that she had shopping with Lucinda or something….No, that’d be pulling Lucinda into the lie.

She’d just tell she was going to fill out some paperwork or something for her new job. Yes, that would work.

Elizabeth knew they’d promised not to lie to one another when they’d taken their vows, but sometimes you had to break the rules when other people did. Like that golden rule about doing un to others that Stephanie had broken first.

Elizabeth had to fix it the best way she knew how and pray to God that Stephanie had a few drops of human decency left.

~~~~~~~

Lucinda’s feet dangled off the side of the bed, sans Dominatrix shoes. Her breathing slow and steady in sleep as Wallace continued to go through the last few boxes that lined the carpet.

The would be the second time in the last few weeks that Jack and Stephanie had put the kibosh on his getting laid. If he didn’t find something in this last damn box he’d find Stephanie and shove her head up Jack’s ass to be done with them both.

Wallace blinked hard and pulled the back of his hand across his tired eyes. Certain that he hadn’t just seen what he’d seen on the sheet of paper he’d just passed over. He lifted it once more and held it close to his eyes.

Why the Hell would Lucinda’s name be on an intra office memo? He brought it closer and read it carefully. Feeling his blood boil higher with every word that his eyes passed.

It seemed Jack had explained in detail to a curious co-worker how great she was in the sack. He went on to compare her to Stephanie. Saying that while Stephanie had a great scientifically engineered body, Lucinda was still better in the sack…

‘A real people pleaser,’ according to Jack.

Wallace bit down on his tongue until it nearly bled. Forcing himself to read further before the woman he loved woke up behind him and wondered why he was still at it. She didn’t need to read this. She didn’t even need to know that it existed.

But that asshole had definitely wanted her to know. He must of wanted her to find this. Just a little more salt for old wounds.

But in true Jack fashion…that wasn’t all. The bastard went on to state so eloquently that even though that asshole McKenzie had her now, she’d be back eventually. They all ‘came back,’ and how maybe the little bitch would get both McKenzie and Spencer out of her system once and for all – more bang for her buck. But Hell, neither one of those nimrods would know what the Hell to do with her once they were all in the same room.

Afterall neither one of those nimrods had even figured out that it had been him behind the Road Fury 2 sabotage…and changing the scoring system to make it look incomplete was only a TASTE of what was to come. He and Stephanie had big plans for Spencer…it was time they got him out of Game One…and Stephanie, afterall….well she had to be good for something.

Wallace folded the memo in his hands slowly. Staring down at it as it got smaller and smaller and smaller. He didn’t know which emotion he felt more strongly. The fury or the elation.

There’d been no name on the memo, it had been purposely darkened by whoever had received it. Obviously Jack had sent it through personal fax, but the extension number was darkened.

Either way - Wallace thought as he leaned back against the bed - the motherfucker was going down.

He felt Lucinda’s foot rub up against his back and turned slightly as she groggily asked him to turn off the light and come to bed. When he didn’t move, she asked what was wrong and Wallace shook his head.

"Nuthin’ Babe…Not anymore. I’ll be in bed in a minute."