Chapter 7

Liz and Lucky had walked back to Lucky's room from the boxcar, immediately falling to the bed, they were both so exhausted. Emotionally and physically drained from their ordeals with the Webber's. They hadn't said much during the walk home. Lucky had wordlessly led her out of the boxcar and through the woods, gripping her hand the entire time. She didn't think he had ever held her hand in his so tightly.

She lay there now, with her head on his chest and his arms around her, neither of them saying a word. Liz felt so safe in his arms. She knew that this feeling wasn't something that would just "go away" as her father thought. How could he think that she could just move on and forget Lucky? It wasn't going to happen.

She had to stop thinking about it. Just this one night. She was going to lay in his arms content in the knowledge that for now, she could be. The rest would just have to wait.

******** ********* **********

He needed to tell her. He definitely needed to tell her. 'She should know that I went to see her parents and that her father was completely unreasonable!' Lucky thought. His brain playing the words over and over like a broken record since they'd left the boxcar. She was so peaceful now though. He didn't want to upset her. He hated the way she had looked in the boxcar. Completely lost. Completely alone. He hated having to do this to her. Having to tell her what her father had said. But when she went home tonight, she would find out anyway. It had to be now.

"I went to see them" Lucky finally blurted out, causing Liz to immediately pick up her head and look at him with a perplexed look on her face.

Lucky knew he had to go on, "Your dad I mean. I.....I went to see your parents...but I wound up just talking to your dad."

"You did?" Elizabeth said, her voice filling with hope and causing Lucky to wish he didn't have to be the one to make that go away. Causing him to wish he hadn't brought it up. But he had to. He couldn't give her false hope. All he could do now was be strong for her.

Elizabeth's smile faded when she saw Lucky shake his head back and forth. "I'm sorry Elizabeth. He really just didn't want to hear what I had to say."

Elizabeth simply nodded laying her head back down upon his chest. Why would she think any different? Why was she even surprised? She bit her lip, trying very hard not to start crying again.

But it was happening anyway.

She was beginning to feel terrified. What was going to happen now? Both she and Lucky had tried to reason with her parents, but they didn't give in. 'Who else is there? Gram?... yeah right,' Liz thought. 'She's the one who called them in the first place, there is no way she's gonna help me to stay here. She probably wants me gone anyway.'

Elizabeth couldn't stand it any longer. All of a sudden, she felt as if she were going to burst. She pushed herself out of Lucky's arms and started to pace the floor.

Lucky watched as Elizabeth tried to gather her thoughts. He licked his lips nervously, anticipating what he knew was coming. He knew she was panicking now. How could he stop her from knowing that he was too? How could he stop her from knowing that for the first time in his life, he had no clue how to make this better? There had to be a rational solution, but nothing was coming to him.

All of sudden, Elizabeth turned to Lucky. "What are we going to do?" She asked, her voice filling with fear. "Lucky, they won't listen to us.... I mean, I might as well be talking to a wall.....it's like they look at me...but they don't hear a word I say....I....I can't change their minds!!! Lucky! What if...........

Lucky walked over to Elizabeth gently placing his finger over her mouth "Shhh Elizabeth.....We'll figure something out," he said.

Elizabeth pushed his hand away, a scowl lacing her face as she wiped at her tears. "Lucky, you keep saying that! And you know I love you for it, but don't believe for a second that I don't know your just as scared as I am!" Elizabeth said a little louder than she wanted to.

She looked down quickly, and then up again staring into his eyes. "I'm sorry. I just......."

"It's ok..." Lucky said as he reached out to her. His hand sliding down the side of her cheek, as he brushed her tears away. His hand came to rest partly on her neck. She closed her eyes as his thumb caressed her cheek. He whispered to her then. "I promise you Elizabeth...I promise you, that I will find a way for us to be together. I will."

He kissed her then, so softly and so beautifully that for a moment she allowed herself to believe the words. Believe that everything would be all right. That his lips on hers could make the world melt away. And for that moment, they did.

Her hands laced together at the nape of his neck then, trailing through the silk-like hair she found there as she drew him closer. She sighed inwardly as his strong fingers grasped the sides of her shirt, having traveled downwards.

He needed her now. Needed to hold her in his arms right this second, and know that at this moment she was his. She wasn't going anywhere. Her parents weren't taking her away tonight. He had never felt the need to feel her so close, so tight.

His hands moved over the bottom of her shirt, coming to rest on the small of her back. She felt so soft, even through the fabric of her shirt. He wound his arms tighter around her waist and pulled back slightly, taking her small body with him.

Liz was sure she felt her feet leave the ground at that moment, and she wrapped her arms tighter around his shoulders as he kissed her. As his kisses became faster and as she found herself being deposited on the bed.

Before she knew what had happened, they were both lying down on their sides, facing each other as they continued to kiss. Sloppily and impatiently as his hands moved up and down the side of her body. Making a path from her knee to her just under her ribs, obviously still concerned with where he put his hands. That was her Lucky. Always thinking of her, always placing her needs before her own, even when she knew he wanted more.

Lucky moaned as she moved closer to him, her hands roaming over his back time and time again. Her fingertips felt like ice on the boiling skin beneath his shirt. His lips pressed even more firmly into hers, seeking every inch of them. He rolled on top of her as her tongue met with his.

"Lucky," she whispered, her hands caressing his face now as she opened her eyes briefly to look at him. His beautiful face, his beautiful, perfect skin. He was kissing her breathless and she couldn't help but think that maybe tonight was the night. Maybe tonight their waiting should come to an end. Maybe this would be their only chance. Her only chance to show him how much she loved him.

Her hands worked their way to his back once again, beginning to pull at the bottom of his shirt, freeing it from beneath the waistband of his jeans. Lucky sighed into her mouth as he felt the cool air come in contact with his stomach. He blinked a few times, trying to clear his head as her lips burned into the side of his neck.

'Not now,' he thought, trying to concentrate on something other than the way his own body felt at that very moment. 'Not now...not like this...she deserves so much more than this...she wants candles...and....what...God, what was that other thing she wanted?....light?...light bouncin' off the walls or somethin' like that? yeah...ok...no...we can't do this now..can we...'

He felt her hands slip under the bottom of his shirt and he knew then and there that he had to stop it. He knew what she was doing. He knew that she wanted to give this to him in case this was their only chance and the thought made him want to scream. Their 'only chance'. No! There was no way he could live without her. He couldn't even fathom a day without her in it. Without her smile. Without her laugh. Without her touch. There was simply no way.

"Elizabeth," he panted, pulling away just far enough to get her attention. Far enough to look into her glassy eyes. "Elizabeth....run away with me."

Chapter 8

Elizabeth pulled back even further, looking into his eyes. She couldn't seem to form a coherent sentence right now. Whether that was due to the fact that she was nearly hyperventilating over his kisses, or the fact that she didn't believe her own ears, remained to be seen. She placed a hand to her swollen lips. "Wh....what - what did you say?"

Lucky licked his lips, equally swollen from their previous activity. "I said, run away with me."

Liz ran a hand through her tangled hair. "Um...yeah...yeah, that's what I thought you said."

She swung her legs over the side of the bed, standing up and smoothing the wrinkles in her clothes absently. Lucky's eyes followed her, knowing she still didn't think he was serious. He got up then, walking towards her. He lifted her chin, gently with his finger when she failed to look at him. "I'm serious Elizabeth," he whispered. "Sweetie...your parents...your parents are not about to let you go to that art school..........................they aren't about to let us be together."

Liz smiled weakly, his words sinking in. He was definitely serious about this. "You would....you would do that? You'd, run away with me...for me?"

Lucky tilted his head to the side, staring deeply into her disbelieving eyes. "Don't you know I'd do anything for you?"

Liz inhaled deeply, and threw her arms around his neck suddenly. Taken aback by the emotion she felt. His arms quickly snaked around her waist, pulling her close. "How do we do this?" She asked then, over his shoulder.

He released her from his embrace, while taking her hands in his larger ones. He nodded slightly. She was really going to do this. THEY were really going to do this. His mind began reeling, thinking of all the different things they'd have to do to make this work.

"Ok," he said slowly, leading her back to the bed to sit next to him. "It wouldn't be like last time...we wouldn't be able to stay here in Port Charles, Elizabeth....we'd have to leave...maybe even have to leave the state," He saw her scared expression and quickly tried to soothe her worries.

"But...but...it wouldn't be forever Elizabeth....Just until you turn 18. Then they won't have any right to make you come home, see? And then...we'll get to start our lives in New York City and ..." He stopped then, realizing that she didn't know he knew of her acceptance to the art school yet, and that he hadn't yet congratulated her.

Lucky suddenly broke out into a huge grin. "What?", Liz asked wondering what caused him to stop talking mid sentence. Lucky leaned in closer to Elizabeth and simply whispered "Congratulations" before laying a gentle kiss on her lips. Elizabeth smiled and then let out a little shriek before throwing her arms around Lucky, causing him to laugh aloud. She knew they had to talk about their plans, but she wanted to share this news with Lucky all day and at this moment, she felt so happy she could barely contain herself.

Lucky finally pulled back and just stared at her. "You know how proud I am of you don't you?"

"I'm pretty proud of myself too," Liz said smiling.

"Well isn't this a historical occasion. Elizabeth Webber, proud of herself!", Lucky said. His eyebrows raising in astonishment. It was about time she realized how incredible she was.

"Ugh..very funny," Elizabeth said as she stuck out her tongue and playfully hit his arm. Lucky grabbed Elizabeth and brought her towards him resting her head on his chest.

"This is going to work Elizabeth. It will," he said seriously, his fingers playing with her hair. "We'll go after graduation. That'll give us a few weeks to get ready, make plans and besides, your parents were going to hang around that long anyway, so it makes no sense to leave before then." Lucky paused, wondering how Elizabeth was going to react to what he was about to suggest. "uh...Elizabeth.........I think we should defer your acceptance to the Art School for a semester."

Liz sat up and looked at him questioningly. "You don't turn 18 until November," Lucky continued. "And if we try and come back before then.......they.....they'll know Elizabeth. It'll be the first place they look come September."

He watched her as she processed all the information. He wished he could make this easier for her but, right now, it seemed like the only way. "It'll only be a semester Elizabeth...that's it...No more than that."

Elizabeth nodded at Lucky and took in what he was saying. He was right of course. NY would be the first place they'd go to. She made the stupid mistake of showing her father how much she wanted to go to the Art School. She wanted to kick herself for that. She didn't want to share anything with him. "No, that's fine...it makes sense. I just wish I didn't have to wait, but I understand," she said softly. And she did. But she hated her father for it.

"Okay, so then it's settled," Lucky continued, relieved that Elizabeth agreed even thought he knew she hated it. "In the meantime, I'll work some extra hours at the bike shop...make as much money as possible, maybe you can pick up a few more hours at Kelly's...and I've still got some money from that trip to Canada for Sonny."

Elizabeth just lay there, listening, taking in all Lucky was saying, still finding it hard to believe that they were actually going to leave. Her mind flashed back to a few months earlier; Valentine's Day. She smiled when she thought about how nervous Lucky was when he was trying to ask her to say the promises they made before God. The promise to be together for the rest of their lives, no matter what.

~~~ Flashback ~~~

Lucky: "Where we go. It doesn't matter. New York. Port Charles. Istanbul." Elizabeth: "Istanbul?" Lucky: "Why not?" Elizabeth: "I'd go there with you. I'd go anywhere with you. Because it's the same for me. I look ahead and the one constant in my life is you. You are always there.

~~~

And that was true. He was always there. And as long as he was, it didn't matter where they were.

"Elizabeth?" Lucky said suddenly, waking Liz from her daydream.

"Hmm?" she asked, looking up into the baby blues that she longed to look into forever.

"I think we need to break up."