Early Lucky #4  Nov 7, 1995 - ?, 1996: 8 hour original edit. New Description in progress 

DVD #4A The kids arrive at the NM address but Corie hasn't lived there for 2 years. There is no forwarding address as she left owing money. Emily is really discouraged. Lucky drops a clue with the current resident that they would head to Pasadena. Instead they check out of the motel and camp out. Later that night, it begins to storm and the kids take shelter in a cave. Lucky goes back out to get their gear, a rock slide covers the entrance and traps Emily. Lucky tries to get to her and is hit in the head by a falling rock and knocked unconscious.

Things aren't bad enough, next a rattlesnake enters the cave and heads towards her. Lucky comes to and works to get into the cave. He hears Emily scream and then go quiet. Inside, Em has taken a big rock and hit the snake in the head, killing it. Lucky hears the noise and works desperately to free her. He gets her out, fortunately the rain has stopped. She is semi-hysterical and Lucky sits with his arm around her, reassuring her.

The kids head back to PC, to the empty Spencer house. Emily doesn't know what to do now that they have hit a dead end. She is afraid to go back to the Q's and doesn't really want to. Lucky suggests that they stay at his house till his parents come home. Emily misses Alan, and says that when she thought she might die in the cave that she regretted not being able to see him or to make up with Monica. Lucky goes to the store for milk. Em turns on the TV and sees a news report that Alan was in a car accident and has been taken to GH. She leaves Lucky a note.

Luke and Laura return home, Lucky hides in the basement. He is intent on keeping L&L together searching for him as long as possible. Foster gives away Lucky's location by sitting with his nose pressed intently against the basement door, L&L can't help but notice. They fake a big fight which draws Lucky out. Then they admit to him that things are better between them, Lucky is thrilled! He points out that the timing for them to get back together is perfect as it is their anniversary!

Over dinner, Lucky tells them about the cave adventure while Laura winces. Lucky points out that his plan worked as things seem more back to normal. He can see that L&L are closer. Lucky begs them to get back together, he gets tears in his eyes it is so important to him.

Thanksgiving Day, The Spencer's have turkey with the Jones family.

Lucky visits Em and tells her about his parents getting back together. He is so triumphant. She wishes she could do something to get A&M back together. Robin calls Luke and tells him that Stone has died, Luke tells Lucky. They discuss life after death, Lucky is incredibly wise and mature. Em goes to the gatehouse and has hot chocolate with Ned, Lois, and Jason.

Lucky is getting into gambling. He is trying to recoop the money he spent on the trip and still owes Luke. First he takes Sonny, then he gambles and wins off his friends. When Luke figures out that Lucky is taking money from his friends he talks to Lucky about the friendship code, that you never con a friend. Sonny stops by and tells them the Feds have locked him out of his apt. The problem is that Stone's ashes are still there. Lucky and Luke help him break in, Lucky distracts the manger. Lucky brings Luke an expensive cigar from his winnings. Mike warns Luke that Lucky is hustling. Luke isn't concerned, he seems to expect it after all he is Luke's son. Lucky gets involved with a card game with non-friends on a weekly basis. The first time he loses to them he borrows against his allowance. He then loses $480 and they threaten him if he can't pay up. He is in over his head.

Lucky goes to Luke for help and tells him he has run up a gambling debt of $480. Luke doesn't seem concerned that Lucky is gambling that much money just that he lost. Luke refuses to loan him the money. Luke advises him to find a "mark" that can afford to lose $480. They are off the the Q's for a party and Lucky wants to know if hustling your host is okay. Luke's expression seems to indicate that yes it is when that host is Edward!

Luke and Lucky stop by the Q's. It's Emily's birthday. Lucky gives her a cactus to remind her of her home in Arizona (or was it New Mx?). Monica gives her a garnet ring, her birthstone. Lucky lures Edward into a poker game. They are joined by Luke, Ned, AJ, and Alan. Lucky wins a bundle off of the Q's, $520. Luke tells Lucky that Mary Mae has died. Lucky arrives with Foster (who he tries to make wait outside) at her funeral. Lucky, Sly, and Em are at Kelly's after school. One of Lucky's poker buddies stops by and asks if he wants to join a high stakes poker game. Lucky says no that he has sworn off of cards. The guys says its too bad that with Lucky's talent he could really clean up. Lucky stops the guy outside and asks how much it would be to buy into the game, it is $500.

At home, Lucky works on memorizing cards played and has Mike test him. Lucky tells Mike that he likes poker as there is an element of risk, of chance, but it is also a game of skill. Mike looks concerned, he knows himself about the addiction of gambling. Luke finds Lucky in the hall closet. He doesn't buy Lucky's story. He senses that his son is lying. After Lucky goes upstairs, Luke checks the emergency backpack and the money is still all there. Later, Lucky returns and takes the money.

Lucky joins the high stakes poker game with Harper and his cronies. Lucky wins big and is thrilled. He walks away hooked on the rush of winning. Harper asks Rolf (the teen who lured Lucky in) if he is sure Lucky is good for the money when he starts losing. He assures him he thinks he is as Lucky came up with the money when he lost to him.

Dvd #4B Lucky heads to see Em and tells her about winning and shows her a serious wad of cash. He then scams Edward for another $50 on getting him to bet on a card trick of Lucky's.

Sonny comes by and tells Luke and Lucky that he is getting married on Friday and invites them to his wedding to Lily. At Luke's, Lucky turns on the radio and he and Luke dance hip hop. Sonny's bachelor party takes place in Luke's back room over a game of pool. The guys share toasts and smash the glasses in the fireplace. Lucky arrives at the wedding (I didn't include the wedding). Afterwards, Sonny and Lily celebrate with a few friends at Luke's club.

Lucky goes back to play poker again with Harper and gang. This time he looks worried as he just barely breaks event. Luke returns from his latest adventure and gives Lucky riverboat gambling cards. Lucky is back with Harper's gang. They sucker him in and he goes into the hole for a lot of money. Harper immediately begins pressuring Lucky for the money. He gives him till 12:00 midnight.

Harper calls the house looking for the money from Lucky. Lucky tells his parents it is a teacher calling about a late paper. He tries to get L&L to go to bed. Luke picks up that Lucky is trying to get rid of him. Lucky covers again. After they go to bed, he cleans out the emergency money to pay Harper.

Next, he is borrowing from Bobbie and Emily. He still owes a lot of money and wants more money to continue playing! Mike senses that Lucky is in over his head. He advises him to pay up and get out. Next, Lucky is stealing the petty cash from his father's club. Then he tries to get an advance of $1,000 against a credit card but can't when he needs his father to sign for it. Harper shows up with another deadline. Emily shows up at the house while Harper is there.

After Harper leaves, Lucky tells her that he owes $2,200! Emily tries to give him the ring that Alan and Monica gave her for her birthday so he can pawn it. He refuses to take it. instead, he suggest that she help him steal from the Q's. She is horrified. She urges him to go to his father, she is afraid that Harper will hurt him. He tells her no way. He also can't borrow from Mike or Sonny as they would tell his father. It is also a responsibility issue and he wants to do this on his own. He tells her to go to school and he will stay home and figure it out. She can't leave him to deal with this alone. So she tells him she will let him into the Q's that most of the family should be gone.

At the Q's, Em shows Lucky some valuable statues/vases/art objects that he could "borrow" to pawn. They hide when Edward and Ned come in arguing about the newly brain damaged Jason. The kids sneak out when their backs are turned.

Later, Lucky tells Em that he pawned the vase but he still doesn't have enough money. He only has $1500. She wants him to borrow from Ned, he can't do that either. Lucky goes to meet Harper. He asks him for an extension on the remaining $700 that he owes. Harper decides to teach him a lesson and has his goons start beating Lucky up. Then he tells them to break his finger. Damian comes along and stops them. Lucky is not happy with Damian's interference. Damian figures out that Lucky owes them money and he pays the $700. Harper and gang take off. Damian reminds the indignant Lucky that he owes Lucky for saving his life in the catacombs. Damian promises to keep Lucky's secret and tells them that now there are even and Lucky doesn't owe him anything.

However, Damian goes straight to L&L and taunts them with his knowledge of Lucky's gambling debt. He is so snide and insulting that Laura tries to take a swing at his head with a baseball bat. Luke stops her. She restrains herself, then hauls off and clocks him with her fist. Luke and Laura confront Lucky at home. Laura is horrified to realize that he stole from the Q's. Luke realizes that he stole from petty cash. Luke tells him that he will get the vase back and have Lucky return it to the Q's. They send him off to school. Later, Lucky and Luke talk. Lucky cries that he tells his father he didn't want to tell him that he had lost. He just wanted to recoop the money. He wants his father to be proud of him and didn't want to disapoint him with news that he lost so much money. Luke tells him he usually is proud of his son.

Damian is seen downstairs in the Ward House, he is knocked out from behind and the lantern he has catches fire. Luke goes over to the Ward House to see Laura and finds the house engulfed in flames. Laura is inside babysitting. Luke races in to save Laura. The town rapidly gathers outside as word spreads about the fire. First Bobbie learns that Luke (who has gone inside), Laura and Lulu are all trapped inside...then Lucky arrives (he heard it on the radio). He stand there shaken waiting for word. He tries to rush into the building but Tony holds him back. There is lots of commotion with fire trucks, firemen (this was taped on a studio lot). A shadowy figure emerges from the building, then another. It's Luke and Laura wrapped in a blanket, each holding a baby. Everyone seems okay other than some smoke inhalation. Damian's body is brought out. He died in the fire which is being investigated for arson.

The next day, Luke tells Lucky the way for him to help his family is to return the vase to the Q's. At the Q's, Edward is ranting about the missing vase. He thinks that Jason stole it. Emily comes in and tells them that she stole it. They don't believe her, they think she is lying to cover for Jason. This is the moment Lucky enters. He tells them that she didn't take it that he did. They Q's all look at him in shock. Lucky tells them about his gambling loses and he just planned on "borrowing" the vase to get the money to pay off his debt. He thought he could then win enough to get it back. The Q's are so relieved that it wasn't Jason that they don't seem to upset about Lucky and Em's involvement. Back home, Lucky tells Luke that the Q's were so nice about it that it made him feel worse.

At the reading of Damian's will, he leaves behind some strange bequests for his enemies. Luke is lying on the sofa reading a book on Lotus 1-2-3, a plate balanced on his chest. Lucky comes down the stairs complaining that he overslept - why didn't anyone wake him? Luke explains the new house rules, which basically amount to taking responsibility for one's self. Lucky, somewhat taken aback, tries a technique which has worked in the past to divide and conquer, "This was Mom's idea, wasn't it?" But Luke, who has learned a thing or two about parenting lately, responds, "I stand with her."

Lucky sees a computer on the table and asks about it. Luke explains that Justus got new computers for the Foundation, and this is the old one. Lucky speculates about the system's specifications, and Luke explains that there is a catch. Luke enumerates Lucky's debts, $1500 to the emergency backpack, $500 to the club, $1700 to cover the cost of getting the Q's vase back. Lucky doesn't know where to get the money. He could "sling hash", but then his grades would suffer and he'd never get into college and his life would be ruined. Luke listens to this, amused. Then Lucky makes the predictable suggestion that he could "go for the quick buck." Luke explains that Laura realizes that both he and Lucky need something productive to keep them out of trouble. Lucky's grades haven't been very good lately, so Luke offers him a deal, $20 taken off the debt for each A, $10 for every B, and the debt goes up for any D's or F's. The computer is supposed to help him with school-work. Lucky tries the divide-and-conquer approach one more time, suggesting that Luke never cared about Lucky's grades, so clearly Laura put Luke up to this. Luke metaphorically explains that he *does* care about the grades if they indicate a problem. Lucky points out that it's a bribe, Luke suggests that he think of it as a gamble on himself, if he has the courage.

Note: I have two hours or so of footage to describe. I expect I will add an Early Lucky #4C dvd to this set to complete it.>/font>