Elizabeth sipped at her hot chocolate and then sat back in her chair as she pulled her scarf more tightly around her neck. She sensed from the look on her sister-in-law’s face, that this was going to be a long story. Leslie Lu was very serious when it came to her social life. She was pretty serious about everyone else’s as well.

"So how did he take it, then?" Elizabeth asked finally. Leslie had given her time to ask, when she’d taken a breath somewhere during the middle of her spiel.

"When I told him it was over?…Oh not too bad. He didn’t cry this time."

Elizabeth grinned slightly and then looked down, shaking her head. She’d proposed hanging out with Leslie Lu today so that Lucky could have some time alone with Luke. The girl was amusing her to no end.

"Poor Robert."

"Poor Robert?" Leslie scoffed, tossing her long brown locks over her shoulder. She shifted her beanie on her head and lifted her own cup of hot chocolate to her perfect mouth. Elizabeth thought at that moment how much she was starting to look like Lucky.

In old pictures Elizabeth had seen, the girl had seemed resembled Nikolas more, but as she got older that was changing.

Perhaps one day, she’d have a little girl or a little boy who looked just like…

‘Don’t go there,’ Elizabeth thought to herself. She and Lucky had been in town, for a little over 20 hours now, and her mind had had far too much leisure time to contemplate what could be happening to her life. What could be going on inside her body right this minute.

"Yeah," Elizabeth continued absently. "I mean he was really into you Leslie. Or at least it seemed that way when we were down here the last time…when you two went to the dance together…You seemed into him too."

Leslie shrugged. "I was for a little while…but you know, these things happen Liz. And I really think the break up will do both of us a lot of good. We’re both too young to be tied down to one person, you know?

"Maybe when I’m your age, I’ll be more ready for marriage and kids and all that."

Elizabeth forced herself not to spew hot chocolate everywhere. Thank God, Lucky hadn’t been around to hear that little gem. He’d have a fit at the mere thought of his sister THINKING about such things.

"Yeah…you’re right. No need to rush these things." ‘Like they had,’ Elizabeth thought.

Everything about her relationship with Lucky had been quick. Well, maybe not the sex part by society’s current standards, but everything else…and now…now she was checking the penthouse messages like every other hour just to make sure they hadn’t gone and decided to do something else very…quickly.

Not that she would have changed marrying Lucky for the world. But…a kid? Now?

"I’m playing the field for now."

Those words brought Elizabeth right out of her own conflicted thoughts, and she nearly choked on her drink this time.

"Playing the field? Exactly how large is this field in junior high?"

"Oh don’t worry Liz…I’m in complete control of the situation. You see…I’ve got a system."

Elizabeth sat back again. She’d known this was going to be a long story.

"A system?"

"Yep…it’s like a trial run type thing. Each guy who I see as a possible candidate for dating, is placed on a probationary period. It starts from the moment I get that feeling…you know the one where you get kinda tingly and you wonder ‘MAYBE’ that guy wants to go out with me?…Maybe I should give him a chance?"

Elizabeth nodded though she’d never once gone through anything remotely like that. She’d gotten tingly the first night she’d met Lucky, but that was only because HE’D made the first move.

She could still remember what it felt like to dance with him in that hotel room. A hotel room that could just as well have been a suite in heaven for all she knew. She’d never stayed anywhere near as gorgeous in her entire life.

And had never danced with anyone as gorgeous either.

Leslie trudged forward. Aware of only her world for the moment. She was one of the most caring young people Elizabeth had ever met, but true to her age, she was completely capable of becoming wrapped up in the world of Leslie Lu in a heartbeat.

She loved this girl. She loved his entire family, and hoped that Lucky’s talk with Luke was going as well as he hoped it would.

"Anyway…the second I get that feeling, then that’s when I know to start the probationary period for the particular boy in question. The boy then has three weeks before I can ask him out, or accept if he happens to ask me out. In the first week I do a baseline reading…just generally documenting his behavior…you know – in class, at the mall, the basketball courts…all your usual guy hang-outs."

Elizabeth continued to nod. Dear God, the girl was completely serious. And completely insane. Elizabeth wondered if her perhaps her husband had been quite as loony at this age. He was insane now, so she wouldn’t have doubted it.

"Then during week two…" Leslie grinned as she paused. "That’s when the REAL evaluation begins. I start to score the guy. What kinds of questions does he ask in class? Is he a loner? Does he involve himself in your regular junior high school pranks or is he more highly evolved like myself? You get the picture."

"Right."

"Now…by the Sunday of that week I total up all the points."

"Not Friday?"

"Oh no…because like I said, I have to view the boy in all his natural habitats. So that might mean observing him on weekends with his friends, his family…whatever. It’s kind of an involved process, but I really think it’s necessary."

"Right. Of course – my bad."

"So, like I said…his score is tallied on Sunday evening. Then on Monday the new week begins. In this week the boy has the chance to either redeem himself by earning extra points, OR he nixes himself out of the running completely," Leslie sighed then. Explaining her new system was a daunting task it seemed.

"I tried it out last month and it worked pretty well with Phil," Leslie Lu said, scrunching her nose. "But I hadn’t worked out all the kinks yet….so this month things will work a lot more smoothly. I’m going to ask Lucky if he’ll set up a kind of spreadsheet for me on my computer…for my tallies…so I can keep an ongoing rating system…" She took a drink and then nodded as she thought it over. "Who knows when I might decide to give someone another chance? I’ll need to consult my records."

Elizabeth smoothed her hair behind her ears and leaned forward carefully. Lucky had probably had his strange idiosyncrasies, but something told her he hadn’t kept any written records on possible girlfriends.

Perhaps if he had though, there wouldn’t have been that Stephanie debacle. She’d have to make a point of asking about all his old girlfriends. He wondered just how many girls had pined over Lucky Spencer during his time here in Port Charles.

"Um…ya know Leslie, I think I’d wait on asking him about that."

"Why?…Oh," Leslie said a minute later. "Is he still really distracted by all that stuff with Stephanie the Wonder Slut?"

Elizabeth’s eyes widened. Was the girl reading her mind now?

Leslie apologized. "Sorry…that was a slip. What I meant was…Is he still concerned with poor Stephanie who’s still in the hospital recovering from something someone else did to her that wasn’t my brother at all, but a sweet, sweet kind of justice?"

Elizabeth smirked. It was crass, but nothing she hadn’t thought herself a time or twelve.

"Well hopefully, he’ll be feeling even better after today…But I think he’s already well on his way to recovery."

"Then why did you want me to wait for my spreadsheets?…It’s about time he put his computer skills to work for his downtrodden sister."

Laughing, Elizabeth nodded as she admired her sister-in-laws fresh complexion and glossy winter lips. Yeah, it had to be Hell looking like that at her age. And equally hellish with a charming personality to boot.

Yes, completely downtrodden.

"I’m sure he’d LOVE to help and spend time with you as well…but I’m thinking maybe your system…Leslie, I think it might SCARE him actually."

Leslie laughed. "You know Liz, I thought about that…but really, I think Lucky will see that it’s really the smartest thing for me to do under the circumstances."

"What circumstances are those?"

"Well you remember," Leslie said, still shaking her head at how insane her family could be. "When Robert and I went to the dance he had to play 20 questions with my dad and Lucky!…Then they almost threatened bodily harm!"

"They DID actually threaten bodily harm."

"See!" Leslie exclaimed dramatically. "So at least this way I’ll be able to assure them that all my potential suitors have gone through a rigorous screening period."

Elizabeth smiled and lifted her hot chocolate again in cheers with Leslie Lu.

"Well….when you put it that way."

~~~~~~~

Lucky put laid his cards out on the table, face up.

Luke looked up from the study of his own hand. "What the Hell are you doin’ Cowboy?"

Something told Luke they weren’t playing Poker anymore. Perhaps it was the look on his son’s face from across the table. The skilled poker face that Lucky had perfected by the time he was 8 years old wasn’t in place. It had instead been replaced by the expression of a man who had seen more than he ever wanted to, and now wanted to talk about it.

"There’s a part of me," Lucky began slowly, scratching the back of his head and arching back in his chair. "That feels like I owe you an apology…and I don’t really know why. Or for what."

"Then don’t give me one," Luke said soberly. Placing his cards down. "As far as I can tell - you of all people don’t have a thing to be sorry about…You didn’t do anything wrong."

"And you did," Lucky said then. Their eyes met for a long moment in an intense blue face off. It was Luke who looked down first.

It was Lucky who spoke again. "I don’t say that to bring back old hurts or to open up long healed wounds –

"They’re obviously not healed Cowboy."

Lucky looked down this time and took a deep breath. "I thought they were. I really did. Until one night on a yacht when I looked into a pair of eyes I thought I knew…and they accused me of the one thing I would have rather killed myself than do to anybody."

Luke pushed his coffee mug out of the way on the table and folded his arms in front of him. He’d been waiting an entire month for this conversation and now he didn’t know if he could take it.

"Lucky, I knew from jump that I’d be the very last person on Earth that you’d want to talk to. You don’t have to apologize or even….explain," he said searching for the right word. "For not calling your old man. A man who DID do what you would have rather killed yourself than do to anybody."

"I don’t think that’s what I feel like apologizing for."

"Then what is it?" Luke sighed.

Lucky shook his head. It made no sense to him either, but he felt like after a month of going through Hell, and a long train ride to think about it…the words had finally come to him.

"Being accused of something…rape," he began again. "Being accused of it was like having somebody rip my worst fear right out of my body and show it to everybody. But you…someone who actually did it. Someone who knew what he had done…but never had to deal with the repercussions –

"I got off Scott free," Luke said suddenly. Interrupting his son and lifting himself from his chair. He walked around the table and Lucky followed. "I know Lucky."

"That’s not what I’m trying to say Dad…What I’m saying is," he sighed. "I’m saying that I got to blame someone else. I got to bitch and moan to Elizabeth and to whoever else who would listen, that I hadn’t done a damn thing wrong. That the wrong was done to ME….

"With you – you KNEW you’d done something wrong, but you couldn’t ever talk about it. For years you could never vent to anybody about anything – about your guilt – about how badly you felt for hurting mom. About how you were dying inside…"

Luke looked down and shifted his weight uncomfortably on his feet. "Lucky don’t do this. Don’t rewrite history now and try to make me into some martyr. My head’s too damn big for that hat and it won’t fit I can tell you that right now."

"You know me better than that," Lucky said with complete seriousness. "You know exactly how I felt when I found out what you’d done. You know exactly what it’s done to US as father and son, let alone to this family…I’m not lookin’ at you through rose colored glasses…I never could after that and that probably won’t ever change."

Luke looked down again and Lucky continued.

"All I’m saying is that…I know you hurt. I learned that about you years ago when you kidnapped me and took me to that cabin -

"Kidnapped? Lucky you –

"Please don’t even go there right now. One crime at a time, ok?"

Twisted as it was, Luke actually smirked at that one. "Ok."

"As I was saying," Lucky continued. "I learned that about you…but what I felt when Stephanie said those words to me…that’s something different. That’s something you can’t learn. That’s something that I felt deep down. And if I could go back and rewrite history I wouldn’t make you a martyr Dad. I’d simply write you out of the club that night…You woulda been out somewhere on the highway. Somewhere peaceful. Somewhere that wouldn’t have changed your life forever…

"You and mom woulda figured things out for yourselves in a different way, and you coulda stayed my hero forever…without any rewrites."

Luke looked up from his shoes and then back down. Kicking at a peace of lint on the floor.

"You know…I don’t know who the Hell gets credit for raising you, but they sure did a fine job."

"Thankfully my parents made sure I was self-sufficient enough to raise myself from an early age," Lucky deadpanned. Smirking a split-second later.

"So that’s why you always smelled so bad. Didn’t have the motor skills to change your own diapers, I guess."

Lucky smiled outright and Luke threw a glance back to the cards on the table.

"Now that you’ve laid your cards on the table, so to speak…you want to play another hand Spencer?"

Lucky shook his head and shrugged. "Maybe later tonight? I’m late for a pretty important date…but I had to keep this one first."

"Ah, the stripper awaits."

Lucky shook his head. "You know…not even THAT bothers me right now Dad…so I’ll let it slide just this once."

"Well good. You can get a pole and let her slide on it too –

Lucky turned and shot him a glare on his way out of the door.

Luke held up a peace sign. "Goodbye Cowboy."

"See ya later Dad."

~~~~~~~

So it wasn’t the hot date he’d had planned. That had involved a secluded hotel room and a hot tub, but apparently his sister had some kind of wardrobe crisis that Elizabeth thought it was her duty to assist in.

Lucky grumbled as he got pulled into yet another clothing store with really obnoxious music pulsing through the sound system and an even more obnoxious video being shown on multiple screens that made up one BIG obnoxious screen.

Damn, he must be getting old.

"Are we there yet?" he moaned, tugging on Elizabeth’s jacket as Leslie Lu made her way into the fitting rooms with more clothes than Lucky had ever seen in his life. "Why the heck does she need so much clothing for ONE date?"

"Apparently Conner passed her new system checklist or whatever. She saw him pick up some kids jellybeans at the Candy Factory on the other side of the mall and that earned him some extra points. "

"Her system what?"

Elizabeth grinned. "Oh I’ll let her explain it to you later…You’ll love it."

Lucky’s nodded. "Why do I get the feeling ‘you’ll love it,’ is code for ‘be afraid – be very afraid,’?"

Elizabeth smiled as she took his hand and led him to a corner of the store, not inhabited by teenage clothes fiends.

"How did things go today?" She asked when out of earshot of the nearest patron. Having taken the beanie he wore into consideration. Now that his face had popped up in tabloids across America, he was trying to be ‘incognito.’

Unfortunately with a face like that, incognito was more difficult.

A slight grin pulled at one corner of his mouth before he pushed it away. "I don’t want to jinx anything, but I think our talk went alright. I think maybe we cleared up some things…at least I hope. Maybe for good this time.

"But you never know with me and my dad," he added then, glancing around the store.

Elizabeth slipped her hands inside his and smiled. "I bet you did. You were too determined this morning not to have gotten something accomplished."

Lucky looked down. He sincerely hoped so. Not just for himself, but for his father.

When Elizabeth pulled away with a gasp to turn around, Lucky looked up following her gaze. A gaze that locked and settled on his BABY sister emerging from the fitting room in jeans low enough to be deemed illegal in most cities.

If they weren’t, he was certainly about to contact his congressman.

"Wow, those are cool," Elizabeth said, circling Leslie Lu, who gleamed as if she were wearing a ball gown instead of a pair of low-rise jeans.

‘Ah, damn it Elizabeth. She idolizes you…don’t tell her they’re cool!’ He thought, his brain nearly exploding.

"Those are so NOT cool," Lucky said, shaking his head. "Nope. Ny-uh."

"Lucky!" Leslie Lu squealed her brother’s name and then sighed. "These are really IN right now."

"Well maybe if more of your body was IN them, I’d say ok…but no. I told you, your outfit was my treat…but I’m treating YOU, not the male population of Port Charles."

Leslie took a breath and put her hands on her hips and the damn jeans seemed to ride even lower.

"Nope," he said again, clasping her shoulders he led her back to her fitting room. "In you go. Try something else."

Elizabeth shrugged sympathetically when her sister in law sent her a silent plea for help with her eyes. When Leslie disappeared behind the curtain and groaned, Elizabeth tried.

"You know, she looked really good in ‘em…they weren’t THAT bad."

"They were THAT bad, and I KNOW she looked good in ‘em, that’s the whole problem. If she looked like crap, I’d probably buy ‘em for her."

Elizabeth guffawed and moved closer to him. Kissing the frown off of his brow.

"You know this is a very interesting double standard that you got here Mr. Spencer…I do believe I bought a pair of those pants in Paris during our honeymoon and you had absolutely no problem with them…In fact your exact words were something like ‘You should wear these every time you’re not naked.’

Lucky laughed and then sobered quickly in order to dignify his point. "That’s completely different."

"Oh it is?" Elizabeth asked flirtatiously batting her eyelashes.

"Yes."

"And HOW exactly is it different?"

"It’s different because I don’t WANT anybody saying those words to my sister," he uttered quickly. He chuckled a moment later.

He turned around then, suddenly in a playful mood. He searched the racks. "Let’s find her something more presentable shall we?…See, here…look…here’s a nice pair of overalls…..and a turtle neck."

"You want her to wear overalls and a turtleneck on her date?" Elizabeth asked, leaning on a rounder of 50% off tops.

"It’s very cold out, Elizabeth," Lucky said, rationalizing.

"Mmmhmm….Well how about the low-rise pants, and a turtle neck."

"Her stomach will be frozen," Lucky countered. "That makes no sense."

Elizabeth giggled. "You know, you’re gonna have to compromise on this one, don’t you?"

"Am not. It’s my money."

"She brought money of her own for this exact reason. The only reason she’s showing you what she’s trying on at all is because she secretly wants your approval…but don’t tell her I told you that."

Lucky shook his head. "I know what kind of allowance she gets. It ain’t that much."

Elizabeth shook her head. "From the looks of things, your sister is an excellent penny pincher. She brought like a 100 bucks."

"Huh? How the heck is she saving so much cash?"

"Lucky at that age, ALL she does with her money is buy clothes. It’s not like she’s got rent to think about."

Lucky sighed. It had come down to this…he was going to have to do something he HATED to do, damn it.

"Compromise huh?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Sadly, I think it’s going to have to come to that…If you don’t, she may end up not only wearing the low-rise jeans, but that halter over there as well," Lucky turned to look in the direction she pointed and blanched at the sight.

The thing had one thin strap that looked like it’d snap in a hard wind.

"So," she continued. "You might as well let her get those jeans…and then suggest the nice furry little turtleneck there that you’re so fond of."

Lucky rubbed his hands across the garment once more. It was angora or something and it felt great. He suddenly jerked his hands off of it.

"Shit…No turtleneck either."

Elizabeth’s brow knit. "What the heck have you got against turtlenecks now?"

"Touch it."

Elizabeth scrunched her face and reached out to feel the furry white sweater. "What? It feels wonderful. What’s wrong with it?"

Lucky nodded as if she’d just hit the nail on the head, but she couldn’t for the life of her figure out what the heck the nail was. He’d lost his mind.

"Elizabeth…I don’t want any boy my sister’s going out with to think her sweater ‘feels wonderful’."

Elizabeth covered her mouth and giggled. Dear God.

"You’re incorrigible…you know that."

"Incorrigible or not. We’ll have to find her something else."

His wife sighed. "She’s practically tried everything in the store on Lucky. You’re gonna end up getting dragged all over this mall if we don’t give in soon."

Lucky sighed. "Why can’t we just take her to Old Navy or somethin? She looks so cute in the pink performance fleece. "

Elizabeth smiled at him lovingly. "She’s not 8, Lucky."

"Well," Lucky said, sighing again. "We’ll let her get what she wants…but we’re buying her a parka to go over it."

"I swear when we have girls, they’re wearing nothing but school uniforms…and not the skirts. Probably like – navy pants or something."

Elizabeth kissed his cheek and thought for a moment about what he’d be like as a father. She wiped the notion away as he lifted the turtleneck from the rack and held it up against her.

"Meanwhile, why don’t YOU go try this on?" Lucky asked with a smile.

Elizabeth grinned and took the sweater from him and started for the dressing room. Only to run into an older woman who’d just been about to approach them.

"I – I’m sorry," the woman said, apologizing quickly. "I was just wondering…" she peered around Elizabeth, to stare at he man she thought was, the man who’s picture she’d seen on the news lately.

"Are you Lucky Spencer?"

Lucky licked his lips and the smile he’d worn just moments before, slowly faded.

"Yes…do I know you?"

"No, no," the woman said quickly. "I don’t mean to bother you either, I just wanted to say congratulations. The first time I saw you, I knew you had an honest face…and that you hadn’t done anything to that girl. It’s a shame what happened to her, but sometimes it takes something awful for someone to stand up and be honest about things, doesn’t it?"

Lucky glanced at Elizabeth when she came to stand by his side, slipping her hand into his. He shook his head.

"I’m sorry," he began. "I’m not sure I know what you’re talking -

"Oh, I’m sorry," the woman said interrupting. "I just heard that woman on the news on my car radio on the way over…I’m glad she recovered – I know I must’ve sounded horrible just now…but I’m just glad she said what she said today about you."

Lucky and Elizabeth shared another glance. One that asked the questions: ‘Did she?…Really?’

"The woman vindicated you though, and I suppose that’s all that matters in the grand scheme of things," the stranger finished. "Anyway, I’ll let you get back to your shopping now…congratulations."

Lucky was so shocked that he could barely mutter a "thank you," before she walked off. Swallowed by the Christmas shopping crowd.

Elizabeth smiled slowly and kissed the side of his jaw, her arms linked around his neck in comfort, relief, triumph…

Before he could say anything, his sister emerged from the dressing room full of teenaged attitude. She sighed and shook her head and she looked lovely.

"You know…I really can’t decide Lucky. Let’s just chuck it and go home."

Lucky grinned at her. "No, we’ll just go to another store…the first 10 things you put your hands on, you can have."

Leslie’s mouth dropped open. "What?"

Lucky turned to leave the store and Leslie’s mouth was still open when Elizabeth poked her in the ribs with an elbow.

"Don’t question it. He’s feeling VERY generous right now."

~~~~~~~

Lucky’s generosity didn’t end there…It lasted all night.

He was suddenly feeling more philanthropic than he ever had, and decided to buy his entire family a round of drinks on the house at his father’s club. But his father – feeling quite philanthropic himself, bought the first round…letting his son fund the second.

Neither one of them had ever felt like partying as much as they did tonight. Stephanie had recovered enough to hold a live press conference in her hospital room and proclaim his innocence. Something told him, the need for attention, and the rather distinguished looking doctor standing next to her, had had a lot to do with her sudden magnanimous streak. But he didn’t care.

Either way it had worked out to his benefit and right then he felt like he was flying high on cloud 9. Some of that of course was due to all the drinks he’d bought for ‘everyone else,’ but some of it was just pure happiness. Relief…ecstasy.

He pressed his cell phone to his ear now and tried to find a corner of the club that wasn’t completely deafening. The live blues music and the noise level of the crowd were at an all time high. The place was jumpin’ and he couldn’t have been happier.

His quest for a quiet spot wasn’t fruitful however, so he stuck a finger in his left ear and pressed the receiver close to his right. Smiling as Elizabeth slipped her hands around his waist from behind and tried to mouth something against his ear.

Lucky couldn’t hear her exact words, but he could only guess from the expression on her face when he turned, what the nature of the comment had been. Something naughty, like the rest of her recent comments had been.

Something he’d be taking her up on later in their hotel room. His wife’s sultry gaze, provided him with just the right incentive to develop another bout of insomnia.

He nearly jumped when Wallace finally picked up the phone. Elizabeth’s hands having wondered below his waist.

No more drinks for her tonight or he’d never make it out of here alive.

"Yell-o," Wallace greeted. Frowning when all he heard for a moment was a bunch of noise. Then somebody chuckled and said something about getting a hand out of his pants.

Since when did those girlie telephone lines call you back?

"Get your ass down to my father’s club right now."

‘Huh?’ Wallace sat straight up on his couch bringing his feet down from his coffee table. "Who the heck is this?"

"Who do you think?! Get down here Man! We’re having a party."

Wallace chuckled. "Ah, Santa you sound drunk…a little too much egg nog down there at the Pole?"

"I’m not drunk," Lucky countered with a slight fib. "But I may as well be, I feel so damn good…Get down here," he repeated.

Wallace sobered for a moment. He’d seen the news coverage time and time again this afternoon. He’d come very close to calling Lucky, but hadn’t wanted to interrupt his vacation. It looked like things had gotten interrupted anyhow.

"Congratulations man."

Lucky pried his wife’s fingers away from his fly. "Don’t talk to me over the phone…get your ass down here and toast me in person…I want everybody here tonight!"

Wallace laughed. The guy was blitzed. Lucky usually wasn’t a big partier. His idea of a party was sitting in front of a TV with video games. His idea of a party was pretty much Chuck E. Cheese’s moved into your own apartment.

"Lucky your dad’s club is two hours away, and besides…I’ve got plans."

"Bring your ‘plans’ down here and tell her I’ll pay for the cab ride and put you up at a 5 star hotel, I promise…Come on man, Lucinda will like that," he said grinning as Elizabeth kissed his neck.

"Wow, you really have turned into Santa. No more Scrooge?"

"Wallace if you don’t get down here, I’ll bah humbug you right in the ass."

"Oooh that doesn’t sound good….but Lucky, if I don’t get laid tonight because of you, I’ll kill you."

Lucky sighed and turned to his wife. "Elizabeth, Wallace isn’t coming because he’s afraid he won’t be coming."

Wallace let his head fall back against the couch. "Oh my God….Ok, you very, VERY drunk."

"Get your ass down here Wally!" Elizabeth squealed in the background.

He shook his head and glanced around for his shoes. Damn, damn, damn…

"Spencer tell your wife, if calls me Wally again, I’ll have to kiss her."

Lucky sobered up at that. "I’m not THAT drunk McKenzie – shut up. You comin’ or not?"

Wallace sighed. "Luce is supposed to be here in the next 5 minutes. If I can convince her…yeah. But that hotel better be good man…I mean his and her video games and whole kit and caboodle."

"A kit and caboodle?…Typically it’s just his and her robes."

"Yeah well, I want chocolates on my pillow too…and maybe some Pez – Superman."

"Would you just SHUT UP and get down here!"

"Alright," Wallace said then, stopping for a moment as he pulled his shoes on. His friend sounded happy. Happier than he had in over a month and he was glad. He couldn’t wait to get there.

"Congratulations man."

~~~~~~~

Elizabeth smiled crookedly over her shoulder and then turned her gaze back to the pool table as Lucky not so subtly used his key to lock the door to the back room from the inside.

He’d mentioned time and time again about wanting to wait till they got back to their hotel to engage in hanky panky, but by the looks of things, someone was currently changing his mind.

She returned to what she’d been doing to get him to change his mind in the first place.

Bending over the pool table ever so slightly and poising the stick between her fingers. She pretended as if she hadn’t seen or heard him locking the door.

Lucky watched from his place by the door as her perfectly rounded ass moved beneath the little black skirt she wore. His eyes traveled up her knee high leather boots and then along the sheer black tights. Wondering how they’d feel against his fingertips.

She’d known exactly what she was doing when she’d put on that little skirt tonight. And she’d really known when she’d gone back to that store and bought the white, furry, turtleneck.

It was ‘juniors’ and it clung to her like a second skin. Rising just a bit above the hemline of her skirt and exposing just the right amount of flesh, to drive him mad.

"I just…just wanted a little time to hear myself think," Lucky muttered casually as he moved towards her from behind. ‘Think…yeah right.’

Elizabeth took the opportunity to take a wild shot at the solid yellow ball that sat idly by the corner pocket. It rebounded off the side of the table and shot over to the left…just like she’d wanted it to.

She sighed and reached up to twirl a lock of brown hair around her finger, in a flirtatious sort of ‘I’m just a clueless girl’ sort of manner. His steps towards her grew a little faster.

"I’ll just never get the hang of this game," she said, lifting her leg and using the tip of her boot to rub against her other leg as she leaned further across the table.

Lucky let his eyes travel over her again in appreciation. From the backs of her legs, over her butt, and back to that furry sweater.

"You know," he said, glancing back at the current predicament of the solids on the table. "I bet I know somebody who could help you with your shot."

"Who?" She said pretending to be clueless again. "Your Dad? Shall we call him in?" She started to move towards the door and Lucky caught her arm in his hand. Pulling her close to his chest.

With one hand at her waist, he bent at the knees and his mouth immediately dropped to her neck. His breath sent prickles up her spine before his tongue slicked across to bring the heat.

"No," he said. His voice deep and throaty. "Not my Dad…ME…I could help you out."

‘Out of your clothes,’ Lucky thought, but didn’t say.

"Oh you wanna help me?" Elizabeth laughed a little, slowly turning in his arms. His hands followed her, and slid down both of her thighs at once.

They slid back up to her waist as she leaned over the table. Elizabeth lifted her stick again and leaned even more obviously. Her bottom connected soundly with the hard ridge of arousal that Lucky couldn’t conceal.

Reluctantly he pulled his hands away from her hips and slid them down the length of her arms and his fingers between her fingers. Pulling their lower bodies into an even tighter connection.

He wished he hadn’t said a damn thing about helping her with her shot. Because all he wanted to do just then was yank her out of her every stitch of clothing she wore and work on his own shot.

The fur of her sweater tickled the underside of his chin as he peered over her shoulder.

"Sometimes," he began quietly. Elizabeth shut her eyes for a moment, just to maintain her balance. The room was suddenly too hot for the damn sweater he’d been so excited for her to purchase. Between the body heat and the slosh of liquor in her system, she was nearly on fire.

"Sometimes…when the balls are that close, you just need to ease the stick…softly, tenderly…if you remember how delicate that velvet is beneath the stick…it’s easy…just think of a smooth glide," he whispered. She nodded absently at what he’d said, his breath far too close to her ear as the stick moved through both of their fingers slowly.

Elizabeth wiggled a bit as the ball slid into the corner pocket this time with skilled precision and ease.

"But what about," she said, pushing her hips back against his. He pushed forward. Pressing her into the side of the table. Effectively trapping her. Every bit of lust she had settled between her legs, causing her to shift her weight over and over again against him.

Lucky licked his lips and nearly started to cry. Good gracious…

"What about what?" He asked, his teeth nipped just short of her ear.

Her breath caught as one of his hands slipped away from hers, and was suddenly on her stomach. His fingers splayed and rubbed at her white, soft sweater.

"Wh – what about when your t-target…the ball is really far away?…Don’t you sometimes need to…you know, move to another angle and…give the stick a harder push?"

Lucky dipped his head again and sniffed at the bottom of her hairline where perfume pulsed towards him. He used one finger to push the turtleneck out of the way and kiss her there. She shivered against him, and his erection jumped.

"Sometimes," he said in a gravely sort of voice. Never once looking at the situation on the table. He had no idea where any of the stupid solids were. His other hand let go of its grip on hers and eased its way back to her sweater. Cupping her breast this time without hesitation.

"Why?" He asked as her head fell back against his shoulder. He kissed her neck as he pushed at every inch of that turtleneck to expose softer skin. "Do you think that’s necessary right now, Elizabeth? A hard…stroke."

God, the way he said her name just then…she felt ready to fall down. Her legs had turned to absolute jelly. She reached behind her, half to steady herself. Half to pull him tighter against her. Her fingers digging firmly into his equally firm right cheek.

"Y- y…es…m-maybe."

His hands slid down her upper body to her lower, taking their time at her hips and then easing to the hem of her skirt. He started to push it up, feeling nylon tickle the pads of his fingers on their way up…and up…

"Yes or no Elizabeth?…Do you think this calls for a soft…" He asked this, while cupping her sex with his hand. Feeling how wet she was even through nylons and panties. "Or a hard stroke?"

She tried to squeeze her thighs together with his hand there, trying to ease the ache, but she knew that only one thing truly would.

His hand was leaving her, easing its way higher as he searched for the stretchy waistband of her tights. They curled beneath without bothering her skirt, and began to pull them down. The cool air that touched her skin made her tremble.

"Which is it gonna be Elizabeth?" He asked again. His hands both under her sweater now, tugging the cups of her bra away from her breasts. It stayed fastened at her back, but his fingers played with exposed nipples. "Hard?" He asked, pinching a little. "Or soft?" he said gently palming her.

She pushed back into him incessantly. The nylons acted as a rubber band, as they lay suspended around her mid-thighs, keeping her from really moving the way she really wanted.

Lucky knew exactly how he wanted it to be. Inside her…hard, harder…and harder.

She ripped his hand from under her sweater absently and then roughly placed it where she wanted it to be. Snuggly between her legs.

"Here," she panted. Moving against it, her eyes extremely unfocused. The vast rainbow of colors on the pool table, blurred before her like they swam in an actual pool. "Hard," she moaned.

He was reaching to unzip his pants when the rapid knock on the door broke through the firey haze that enveloped both of them.

"Ignore it," Lucky growled. Pulling himself free of his pants as he pushed her down against the table in front of her. He took her hips in his hands and clawed at her thong panties. "Ignore it."

"Lucky, you in there man? That hotel you got us better be off the charts man, I nearly froze my ass off getting here. Open up!"

Elizabeth groaned something unintelligible against the green felt beneath her face and Lucky growled against her back. He was hard enough to pound nails…and so damn close…

She was pulling away slowly before he could make a final decision. Easing up her tights as she stood.

"Next time," she sighed with a frown on her face. "No wasting time with fantasy. We’ll just get straight to it, shall we?"

Lucky shook his head and painfully tucked himself back into his pants. No, next time he just wouldn’t invite his friends to come over until he’d played his favorite game with his favorite friend.

"I’m sorry…this is my fault. I’m the one who told ‘em to come down h-

"Lucky will you open the damn door already! There’s a whole group of people out here who wanna play pool. What the Hell are you doing in there…" Wallace muttered to the others in the hall. "He always monopolizes games. You all should know that."

"But if I kill him tonight," Lucky continued, taking a strained breath. "I’ll just end up back in the news right?"

Elizabeth smiled weakly as she adjusted her bra and situated her sweater and skirt. "Yeah, I suppose…maybe I could do it though."

Lucky sighed and took a chance on kissing her. Keeping his body as far away from hers as he could as he dashed a peck against her lips. He’d have to put his jacket on and cover himself up until he calmed down.

"Later," he whispered.

She nodded quickly. If she stayed focused on sex, she most assuredly WOULD kill Wallace when he walked through the door. She had to clear her mind.

"Go open the door……he found that memo afterall," she said sheepishly. Blushing a little as Lucky pushed her hair away from her face, and tucked it behind her ears.

Lucky sighed and kissed her cheek this time. "Yeah I guess he did huh?…I’ll buy him a couple of drinks and then push him out in the snow. Whiskey should keep him warm."

Elizabeth smiled as he grabbed his jacket from a chair in the corner and then reached to open the door.

Wallace socked him in the shoulder and let Lucinda walk in before him as soon as the door opened. "Damn, man we were lookin’ all over for ya. None of your guests out there even knew where you were, you’ve got ‘em all so plastered."

That had been the general plan, Lucky thought sardonically.

"Yep…we’re in here. Playin’ a little pool," he sighed.

Wallace shrugged out of his jacket. "Cool…rack ‘em up."