Luke & Laura's Return #1-2, Luke & Laura's Return #3, Luke & Laura's Return #4, Luke & Laura's Return #5,  Luke & Laura's Return #6, Luke & Laura's Return #7, Luke & Laura's Return #8, Luke & Laura's Return #9, Luke & Laura's Return #10, Luke & Laura's Return #11, Luke& Laura's Return #12

Luke & Laura Return #8  April 6 - June 22, 1995 -  8 hour original edit

DVD #8A  Luke and Lucky visit Laura and Lulu. Laura tells Luke she wants her life back and he promises that it will happen soon. She urges Luke to be careful dealing with Scully. He says he will, the sting is going to go down tonight! Laura cries as she has to say goodbye to Lucky and Luke.

4/7 Lucy chats with Luke about how she's going to use tears to snag Joe Scully. Lucy begs Luke to let her tell Kevin about their plans, but he gives her an emphatic no saying he hasn't even told Laura the details. As Joe arrives, Lucy begins her desperate woman performance. With Sonny and Luke watching anxiously, Lucy starts working on Joe with her tale of woe about Deception. She hints at another large expensive shipment on order. Joe suggests that Lucy have her shipment switch trucks before it gets to Chicago just for safety. When she fawns over the suggestion, he takes the opportunity to offer to take her home. Lucy deftly begs off saying she's in the mood for crowds and is going stick around Luke's for the evening. After Joe leaves, Lucy tells Sonny and Luke about his trucking suggestion.

4/10 At Luke's club, he and Sonny talk about the sting. They need to get some drugs to plant into the Deception shipment, but where to get them and who to contact?  Luke thinks it would be fitting to rip off one of Scully's drug shipments and plant his own dope in the Deception truck.  They call Harry and ask for his help. Harry tells them that Scully is expecting a major load of drugs in the next few days.  He'll nose around and get the details.

At Kelly's, Lucky, Sly and Foster plan their day.  They want to visit Annabelle's puppy. Foster’s ears pick up when he hears this name. Lucky tells Sly about Emily and they decide to bring her back to Kelly's for Chili and Ice Cream Sundaes to meet Foster, who is not currently welcome at the Q’s.

4/11 Luke presents Sonny with the idea of hijacking one of Scully's cocaine shipments and using it for their own purposes in setting the trap. Somehow, Scully is supposed to believe that Lucy started doing drugs to make up for lost perfume business. Sonny hesitantly agrees it is a plan, and mentions that a partner will be needed. Luke says he knows and has someone in mind. They get into an argument of whether or not Sonny can be directly involved in lifting the cocaine, Sonny says he'll stay out when Luke tells him if he doesn't, that Luke will just use another plan and not tell Sonny. Sonny tells Luke that Scully is due in tonight so the plan needs to be continued with Lucy.

Lucy arrives and Luke tells her to play it with Scully that she is interested in doing a drug score to help recoup her perfume losses. She loves the plan and starts flirting with Luke, in a friendly way. He tells her to cool it. The craps game takes place with Mrs Cerulo, Brenda and Lois talking about the upcoming wedding in a different room. Lucy plays the game with Scully.

4/12 When the craps game breaks up, Luke asks Mike to stick around so they can discuss the plans for Scully. Luke fills Mike in on the sting.  It's a leap of faith for Luke to trust anyone but he has chosen to trust Mike. They both have Scully's downfall in their interest, each for his own reasons. Despite the danger, Mike is in to ride shotgun for Luke. In comes Sonny, who blows up when he hears Luke has told Mike the plans, let alone is trusting Mike to ride shotgun.  Sonny figures that Mike will disappear when the going gets tough or cash in with Scully. Mike tries to bow out but Luke wants Mike in. Sonny offers to have Harry round up some muscle but Luke wants no parts of hired hands.  Sonny figures Luke has lost it by buying into Mike's con.

Mike has closed up and heads home after thanking Luke for not backing down over the dispute between Mike and Sonny.  Mike claims he won't blow it, he has everything riding on it.  Luke hopes Mike won't blow it, since Luke has everything riding on it too.

4/14 Sonny tells Luke the shipment is arriving in PC from Louisiana tomorrow.  They hope Joe will also have the hijacked Deception goods sent to PC as well. Sonny is still adamant that Luke's choice of Mike is going to be a disaster, but Mike assures them he'll be there for them.

4/18 Luke and Mike discuss the hijack plans. Sonny comes by for one last chance of changing Luke's mind about using Mike. The shipment is coming around midnight. Luke calls Laura and finds out Lulu is crawling. Luke peruses the crowd at dinner and seeing Damien banters with him a bit. When Mike asks if Damien should be frozen out, Luke says he changed his mind about that and decided to keep his enemies close at hand.

Luke sees Scully at the front door, with Sonny. They start putting the plan into motion. Scully tells Sonny that he doesn't appreciate Luke's avoiding him and putting him off. Scully starts to head off after Luke to talk some sense into him, but Sonny tells him that he thinks Luke is coming around. Lucy slinks in around Scully and when Scully finally sees her he joins her. She is all bubbly and tells him that her latest shipment is solving all her problems. Her mood sours when she sees Stefan and Katherine kissing. Scully asks her why and she tells him that she just knows that they are behind her problems. Scully chats for a few more minutes then tells Sonny he wants to talk to Luke now. Sonny delays him for a couple of minutes and Luke and Mike leave, in disguises, for the hijack.

4/19 Mike, looking intently at a map, tells Luke (who's driving) that they have to go back, he thinks they missed a couple of potholes back there.  Luke says he'll rent a limo next time. Mike says he thinks they're almost "there", they've got another 5 miles to go. Later, they're yammering about music. Luke thinks remakes stink and Mike says they're necessary since they can turn a whole new generation onto a song they might not otherwise hear. The mood gets serious when they spot their ambush spot. They unload a motorcycle from the back of the pick-up and talk about their glory days.  Luke tells Mike now's the time to pull out if he's not sure about this deal.  Mike says he's in this and he's looking forward to it.  They lay the motorcycle down in the road and stage a fight as the truck in question approaches.

They start pushing and yelling about whether or not Luke knocked Mike over.  The driver of the truck yells at them to get out of his way.  Luke yells back at the driver to stay out of this. The "fight" continues and the driver and passenger in the truck wonder how long it will go on.  Finally, the two guys get out of the truck. Luke and Mike take them out with a couple of punches and then proceed to congratulate each other on their handiwork.

Later, we see they've tied the guys up to the truck and have moved the cargo to their own pickup. One of the guys insists that they can't leave them there like that. Luke asks if they want them to all their boss and the other guy tells them to just be on their way.  They hop in the truck and drive off.  Mike's happy that Sonny can't say he messed up again.  He wonders, though, where they're gonna hide the stuff until it's time for the hijacking.  Luke says it'll be in the one place nobody thinks he's stupid enough to put it.

4/20 Luke says everything is fine. He says this despite sitting on ten cartons of cocaine, which he has oh-so-cleverly put in his office. Meanwhile, Scully gets the report on the missing shipment, and is furious. Sonny comes in and sees the cartons of "china".  He panics and points out to Luke that this in dangerous.  He also insists that Mike is going to blow it.  At this point, a slightly steaming Joe comes barging in, he is going to settle this with Luke now.  He asks, "Who is that, anyway?" about Mike, and Sonny says "nobody."  Mike and Sonny leave Luke alone with Joe. Luke tells Joe he hasn't decided yet, what with the sick kid and the wife gone. Give him twenty-four more hours. He and Mike go to see Lucy, she gives them the keys to the truck.

4/21 Luke and Mike are driving the Deception truck out of town. Luke's plan is to stop at some diner and leave the truck while they ostensibly get some grub. That will give Skully's bad boys a chance to rip off the truck and nobody gets hurt. They find a diner and pull over. However, by the time they turn off the engine and get out of the truck, Skully's guys are holding guns on our duo.

4/24 Luke and Mike try to talk their way out of the clutches of the bad guys but a scuffle erupts. One of the goons fires his gun at Luke; it connects, but only grazes his upper arm. They escape the goons, who grab the truck and drive off. Then our boys run to a pay phone and call the PCPD.  Posing as the Deception truck driver, Luke explains how his shipment was hijacked. The cops are on their way. Then Mike calls the Feds and tells them about the cocaine shipment and which warehouse it will be delivered to.  Luke then calls Lucy. 

The cops arrive, get a statement from the boys and take Luke to GH's emergency room. Bobbie recognizes Luke in his disguise and almost blows his cover. But she catches on and merely tells the "truck driver" to take care of himself. At a vacant garage, the goons along with Skully and some more men, are unloading the Deception shipment. They cackle with glee when they discover the cocaine. The cops burst in; Scully is caught, red-handed, holding a large bag of coke.

4/25 Garcia raids the garage and arrests Scully. Scully invents a pretty good story but is brought in to the station anyway. At the station, Luke and Mike are finally escorted in and Lucy goes to them. She calls Luke the wrong name and for the benefit of the officer standing there they go thru the charade. Garcia comes in with Scully and boys and asks Luke & Mike if they recognize them? Lucy asks Scully what is he doing there?

4/26 When Stone stops by to tell Luke he's going out Luke sees that Stone looks really bad.  He suggests Stone head back up to bed but when he hears Stone has a session with Kevin he suggests that since Kevin does have a medical license that Stone have Kevin check out Stone. Luke asks how the "dyslexia" is going he offers Stone incentive, Stone can help him with booking acts for the club when he's made enough headway.  That's "cool" with Stone.

Luke has a short conversation with Bobbie and learns it was his voice that allowed her to recognize him the night before at GH.  He won't give her an explanation on how he got winged.  When he hangs up, he and Mike inform Harry about the hijacking and Harry is amazed they have lived to tell about it. Harry and Sonny try to put a damper on Mike and Luke's celebration before Harry leaves and promises to keep his ears to the ground.

Mike finally realizes the seriousness of this as Luke is preparing his makeup for his court appearance but it's too late for Luke to back out now. Once court is in session, Lucy verifies her statement to the judge and commits perjury when she says she saw the truck being loaded and saw it being locked. Luke is questioned and says he never transported or dealt drugs. While Luke is answering questions, Scully asks his lawyer if Luke had ever worked for him, he looks familiar. Luke identifies Scully's two thugs as the hijackers. Despite the attorney’s best efforts, the judge find sufficient cause to charge Scully, Morris and the thugs.

Scully wants to be released on his own recognizance but the DA objects and wants to deny bail. The judge suggests $2 million in full and in cash. That's agreeable to Scully but not to the DA. Scully reaches back to one of his men who hands him a briefcase. Scully counts out $2 million in cash and hands over his passport. He walks out to a crush of reporters.  Back in the courtroom, Luke and Sonny agree to meet at the club in one hour.  When Sonny learns Lucy is leaving town he tells her to make it fast and watch her back.

4/27 Luke calls Lucy and asks if her bags are packed. Why is she in the office, anyway? He tells her that Scully is out on bail and her and Kevin should be headed out of town as “things are brewing”. She should stop by Luke's before she leaves. At Luke's, she rattles on about her great escape and being able to get there without being followed.  Luke is beginning to realize how dumb his plan actually is. Luke tells her that Scully has weaseled out of charges before. Lucy is optomistic as Scully has never been caught in possession before. He gives Lucy permission to tell Kevin and to convince him to stay away as long as possible. Sonny comes in and says it's worse than they thought, that Scully will be coming after her.

4/28 Mac witnesses Lucy being kidnapped outside the Outback. At Luke's club, Kevin confronts Luke with the bad news about Lucy being kidnapped. Kevin is outraged at Luke. Kevin demands Luke get her back. After Kevin leaves, Luke tells Sonny about Lucy. Luke and Sonny start to organize a plan to find Lucy. Harry says he has no info on Lucy, and he's not going to dig any further or could end up dead.  Damian limps in with a tip on where Lucy is that heheard from Joe's. Luke and Sonny immediately head off to Warehouse H1 to find her. Meanwhile at his warehouse, Scully interrogates Lucy.

5/1 Lucy is being held captive in the warehouse on the docks by Scully and some of his goons. Joe is questioning her and accuses her, and her accomplices of setting him up.  Lucy pleads that she's just a dumb old girl who doesn't know anything.  At Luke's club, Harry tells Mike about his fears that Sonny and Joe will come to blows over this hijack thing. Luke and Sonny are driving over to the warehouse, formulating a plan. Mike, who is becoming increasingly worried about Sonny, takes off for the warehouse.  Mac, who stayed at the club after Garcia left, eavesdropped on Mike's conversation with Harry and watches Mike leave.

Back at the warehouse, Scully threatens Lucy with bodily harm if she doesn't rat out her boys. She makes up some story about hiring a thug that Cusak recommended. Scully still doesn't believe her but backs off on the bodily injury stuff for the moment. Luke and Sonny have arrived outside the warehouse, working as a team they have disabled all the goons except the one inside the room with Lucy and Scully. Sonny lures Joe out of the room by telling him they need to talk. Luke slips in and bops the last goon on the head, just as he was tying up Miss Lucy. They sneak out the door and behind Joe's back, but happen to make some noise.

Joe whirls around and fires his gun at them.  He misses; then he turns back and Sonny's got the drop on him. Joe weasel-talks at Sonny, who drops his guard. Joe's got the drop on Sonny now and aims his gun at the mini-mobster's heart. Just before Joe fires the gun, Mike bolts out of the shadows and hurls himself in front of Sonny.  He takes the bullet and goes down. Sonny, who hasn't fired yet, looks at Joe with pure hatred in his eyes.

5/2 Mike moans on the floor. Joe leans over to take another shot at Mike, and Sonny shoots him. As Joe dies, he tells Sonny he's learned the last lesson: when it's you or your enemy, only one of you walks away. "Taught you good, didn't I?" Joe says, and then falls back, dead. Sonny replies, "Yes, you did, Joe." Sonny gently closes Joe's eyes. Luke yells, "Sonny! He's still alive! We've got to get him some help, fast!"

Luke, holding his hand over Mike's wound, yells at Sonny that he needs help fast. Sonny, in a daze, asks in a small voice where Mike came from. Luke snaps, "Just be glad he came!" Sonny mumbles some more. Lucy shows up, sees Mike, starts freaking. Sonny snaps out of it, tears off his shirt and tie, says "We've got to put pressure on the wound". They take Mike away. Sonny goes back to get something, Luke yells at him to "come on!". Mike is in the backseat of the car being cared for by Lucy. Luke says he told Garcia what happened and to meet them at the hospital, then insists he drive. Lucy screams she can't find his pulse. Sonny is pensively withdrawn.

Lucy keeps babbling in the backseat, asks how Sonny and Luke found her. Luke tells her Damian helped them. Luke wants to know how she stayed in one piece until they got there. Lucy recounts how she kept one-upping Joe. Luke seems impressed. Sonny asks what's happening with Mike. Lucy goes into her hysterics again. Luke hits the gas, tells everyone to hang on. They burst into the ER. Lucy does her hysterical act. Luke tells her she did good. Garcia wants to know how they found Lucy. Luke insists he had a tip and has to keep it confidential. An orderly asks if anyone knows the man that was brought in. After a pause, Sonny says "Yes, he's my father."

Lucy tells her breathless story. Garcia wants to know why Luke didn't call him when he got the tip. Luke explains they wanted to see if the tip was real, and then it all just happened. Garcia says they will probably cut him some slack because it was Scully. Luke reminds him some thanks go to his partner, and that he hopes it settles the score with Sean.

5/3 Luke learns from Tony that while Mike did make it through the night he's just barely holding his own. Brenda arrives, unable to wait any longer at the apartment, not knowing where Sonny was or how badly Mike was shot. She learns Scully shot Mike who jumped in front of the bullet to save Sonny. Scully is dead after a showdown. She asks who killed Scully? Luke just points her in the direction of Sonny, just beyond the window. Luke then takes her into the hall to explain how Lucy was nabbed after Scully had made bail.  Brenda wants to stay with Sonny but she was scheduled to go shopping with Lois. Luke offers to call Lois. When she answers the phone, he tells her that Sonny and Brenda are okay but Mike's in the hospital.  Lois tells Luke they'll be right down before Luke can tell her not to come. Harry arrives at the ICU and tells Luke word has hit the street. Sonny is motioned out and Harry gives them the word.  It's bad news, very bad news.

Harry tells Luke and Sonny what trouble they're in. Sonny has more friends than Harry thought, but Scully did too. Sonny tells Luke to butt out, but of course he says it is his business. Harry will be sure that Lucky is protected. Bobbie and Luke make Sonny go home for a nap. He needs to be alert for the big night at Luke's. Mary Mae is going to sing. Luke calls Laura and catches her up.  She wants to come home. She can't yet, "It never ends, does it?"

5/4-5/5 At Luke's, MaryMae sings and we are shown shots of the crowd. Later, Brenda tells Luke that she's afraid for Sonny; she can't reach him in his grief.  Luke counsels her to cool her jets and leave him alone. Sonny will get around to Brenda when he can handle her.  She replies that she knows Sonny better than Luke does.

5/9 Stone came into Luke's club looking for Sonny.  Luke had not seen him yet, but pointed out that Sonny was at the hospital most of the night. Luke asked Stone to keep a lookout for trouble with Scully's goons. Stone returned to Luke's.  Robin arrived and begged Stone to let her help him. He said that nobody could help him, and that she should go away and leave him alone. Robin, stunned by this, hugged Stone and said that she loved him. Stone pushed her away, shouting for her to leave him alone. He tells her that she should go far away, and then ran out of the club, leaving Robin and Luke to look at each other shocked.

5/11 Laura arrives at GH seeking treatment for Lulu’s 104 fever. She asks Steve to keep it quit that she is back in town. Laura shows up at the club to see Luke. He says, “Oh no” as he sees her standing there. Luke wants to know why Laura is back in town?  He is concerned to hear the baby needed to see Simone but wants to know if she's well enough to return to Beechers Corners. He tells Laura of the expected fallout from Scully's death and Laura finally figures out there never will be an end to the danger and threats.  Laura doesn't buy that it will all be over once this situation is handled.  She calls Luke on his promise to buy out Sonny if Sonny's business ever put their family in danger. But Luke won't buy out Sonny, this is Luke's business and buying out Sonny won't solve anything since Luke is "in."  That just confirms to Laura that they and their kids will never be safe.

Laura doesn't want to run any more since moving won't change anything.  She realizes Luke will never change.  She didn't mind signing on to the danger when it was just the two of them but with the kids to consider she wants Lesley Lu to have the safety Lucky didn't have. Laura says she loves Luke, with all her being but she and her children aren't safe with Luke in the house.  She wants him out. Luke says no to a long term separation and until this mess is over he won't leave.  Laura puts her foot down and won't return to Beechers Corners.  Luke leaves to tell Sonny the change in the situation despite Laura's objections.  A little later, Laura hears a sound on the porch which startles her.  It's Lucky with Foster.  He needed to check to see she was okay. Luke returns to the club and informs Sonny that Laura is back and is not budging.  The baby is back too.

5/12 Laura and Luke entwine intimately and discuss their problems. She begs him to get them out of the whole situation. After breakfast, they play the happy nuclear family unit. While Laura vacuums, Luke confers with Sonny on the phone. Harry pops into Luke's Club to tell Sonny the backups are in and Joe's people will know. Sonny comes to Luke's house and tells him that trouble is very close.  While they talk, Lucky is caught eavesdropping. When questioned, he shows a good grasp of the situation. Luke wants Lucky to take his mother and the baby to Ruby's for the night.

In an interesting and effective montage scene, as Laura sings a lullaby hypnotically to Laura-Lou, Joe's people strike at Sonny and Luke.  Outside Sonny's place, Stone quickly pushes Robin down behind a car and covers her as gunfire erupts around them.  After taking out the guards, the assailants make their way inside where Brenda is showering. Hearing a suspicious noise, Brenda takes evasive action just as the hit men spray the shower stall with bullets. Back at Luke's house, everyone hits the floor as hot lead peppers the room. Suddenly, a bomb blast rips through the front of the house.

DVD #8B  5/15 The story continues where the mob-guys shot up Sonny's apartment, wounded two of his soldiers, wounded Stone in the leg and had just started to attack the occupants of the Spencer house.

Outside Luke's Club Stone huddles with Robin who tearfully asks what happened. He warns her not to move.  Both Robin and Stone were injured; he by a bullet to the leg and she by flying glass. She is worried about his wound; all he can see is his blood on her.  He frantically tries to wipe his blood from her hands and yells, "NO! NO!"  Stone keeps babbling at Robin that it's HIS blood that got on her. She doesn't understand why he's so upset about his blood being on her and tries to embrace him.  He winces as if in pain, "don't touch me!" he pleads.  Then he runs off into the night.  Harry comes up then and asks if she's okay.  He's headed upstairs to check out Sonny's apartment.

Upstairs in Sonny's apartment, the camera slowly pans the shot-up shower and the piles of safety glass.  The water is still beating down on a prone Brenda. We see her legs then a close-up of her arms and head.  Looks like superficial cuts on her head.  Brenda slowly awakens and does a quick inventory.  Satisfied that no body parts were shot off, she tremblingly crawls out of the shower and grabs a bathrobe.  Harry brings Robin upstairs. When the gals see each other they tearfully hug. Robin explains about Stone then calls Mac.  Mac arrives later, relieved that Robin is okay. As he hugs Robin he says, "I'm just glad you're alive, both of you" he stares at Brenda. He offers to take Brenda to their house but she declines, saying she wants to wait for Sonny. The police arrive to take the girls' statements; Robin wants them to search for the wounded Stone.

At the Spencer house, Sonny has thrown himself over Lucky and Luke is behind the upturned dining table. The goons were bursting through the door. Sonny and Luke both fired their guns. Gun-toting bad guys seem to be popping up everywhere: through doors, windows, down the chimney, etc. Bullets are flying fast and furious.  Luke shoots the last two guys inside the house and suddenly everything is quiet. He orders Sonny to take Lucky to the basement for safety. They think there is one last bad guy. Luke starts to hunt him down.  Sonny stashes Lucky then creeps back through the house.

Upstairs, Laura is clutching Lesley Lu and staring fearfully at the door as she hears the popping of guns. Then she puts the baby in a car-seat and stashes her in the closet. She takes a shotgun out of the closet, loads it, and creeps out the door and onto the landing. She heads for the back stairs. As Laura is carefully stepping down the stairs, Luke is prowling inside the house and Sonny is creeping the grounds, still searching for the last goon. In the living room, Luke starts heading up the front stairs. He calls out Laura's name a couple of times; the goon hones in on the sound.

Laura has reached the kitchen and is stunned at the dead bodies that litter her floor. She pushes gamely toward the living room.  Luke is now midway up the front stairs, still bellowing Laura's name. The goon has hidden himself in he living room and has a perfect shot at Luke. He turns away from the living room (toward the front door) and we see his face close to the camera.  Behind him we see the goon standing up, gun raised at Luke's back. We hear a blast, Luke's eyes widen. Of course, it wasn't the goon who pulled the trigger but Laura who blew the baddie away.

Luke and Sonny regroup with Laura, who immediately goes upstairs to check the baby. Luke calls PCPD and reports an attack on his house.  Sonny calls Brenda and gets the report about her and his apartment.  He talks to Harry; they agree that the attack, while vicious, was pretty amateurish and they assume the worst is over. Sonny takes his leave and Luke and Lucky join the gals upstairs in Lesley Lu's bedroom. Laura, in tears, tells Luke, "I can't do this any more, I CAN'T!" Luke sinks down in a chair, sick with worry.

5/16 At the Spencer's house after they give statements, L&L start cleaning up as the police leave. Laura gives him a look then gets to the job at hand. Laura stops and then talks about her feelings when she shot the guy. Luke made a stupid comment about thanking her and she flipped. She really gives it to Luke and tells him she is not going to run and hide anymore. They were after him, he can't change therefore she is kicking him out. Lucky overhears the end of this, so Laura tells him that the men who ambushed the house were after Luke due to things Luke was involved with, so Luke will be taking about residence elsewhere in PC.

5/17 Luke arrives at the club just after Sonny has told Harry that he wants Scully's men taken out "clean."  Luke asks if Harry is going to clean up the mess and figures Harry is working for the kingpin, as Luke nods towards Sonny. Harry learns Laura isn't exactly fine, in fact she's like Luke's never seen her.  Luke rambles on about Laura having had it and the choices he and Sonny have made that Laura had no say in.  Luke remarks she knew going into marriage with Luke that it wouldn't be a "normal" marriage. Their life in 18 countries by the time Lucky was seven years old was difficult but it was life for Luke.  Luke had thought with Frank out of the picture he'd be able to give Laura the life she's wanted but that's gone now that their house which Laura had seen as safe saw hell come crashing through the front door. Luke realizes that if it weren't for Laura he'd be in the morgue so that's why he left without arguing when she ordered him out.

Even though they both think there is very little possibility of Scully's men returning Sonny agrees to have four of his best men guard the Spencer house. Luke gets around to asking what happened at the club. All Sonny offers is that they shot up the bathroom and that Brenda is asking questions, that she has realized this was about more than Scully wanting a piece of the club. Sonny doesn't know how he is going to answer her questions. Luke learns Stone is missing and really panics when he hears Robin was there.  He is relieved to hear she's okay but they both acknowledge that Mac is going to be asking a lot of questions.

Later, Luke is lounging in front of the fireplace and muses that he always tried to do the right thing but had a feeling in his gut that someday Laura would wake up and see the whole picture.  Today there was light in dark places and Lucas Lorenzo Spencer was lit up and he wonders what he is going to do now.

5/18 Luke goes to the club to see what's up, and Sonny wants to resolve personal issues. He apologizes and tells Luke that he will get out of the partnership if Luke wants.  Luke, of course, doesn't want. Sonny is pleased.

5/19 At Luke's club, Luke endures some insipid customers who are more interested in bullet holes than blues notes. Lois shows up looking for Sonny with more the socializing on her mind.

Laura tries futilely to clean the blood stains off her carpet and finally tosses it out in the trash. Mary Mae shows up, and Laura gives her a summary of what happened, ending with the phrase, "I killed someone." Laura says she's between a rock and a hard place. She feels to keep her kids safe Luke must go, but that would destroy the very family she's trying to save.  Mae Mae urges her not to stop fighting for the life she wants to have.

Luke returns home startling Laura. He wants to sleep on the couch just in case Scully's men return and manage to get in. When she protests saying she doesn't want guns in the house anymore, he says he's not armed implying he'd let them take him out quietly without hurting them. Luke tries to reassure Lucky that he'll be safe, and eventually things will return to normal.

5/23 Luke wakens from a cramped and uncomfortable night on the couch.  Foster has claimed about 2/3 of the couch as his. Laura comes downstairs looking sad. They have an uncomfortable conversation saying how odd it is in this situation. Should Luke stay for breakfast? No, too much like old times. The decision is give Laura room and time. Lucky comes downstairs and hopes his father's presence means his parents are working things out. Luke says no, but assures his son there is a nonverbal bond between Mom and Dad.  Laura is edgy because of all the guns.  Luke describes the relationship as "inevitable" and tries to assure Lucky this will all blow over.  Mom just needs some time.

Luke goes to visit Mike at GH and talk. Over ice cream, he tells Mike Laura threw him out. Mike feels confident they will work it all out. Mike tells Luke about Brenda's recent visit and her questions about Sonny's involvement in organized crime.  He tells Luke he just played dumb. Mike wants Luke to really try to save his marriage; Mike now has serious regrets about walking out on his family.

Justus stops by to see if Laura is okay? Mary Mae filled him in and he offers any help he can provide. Justus is suspicious of Sonny. Laura explains Luke and Sonny are very similar; they march to the same drummer. Laura admits having wonderful adventures with Luke but the children have slowed her taste for adventure. Laura knows Luke loves her and he loves the kids. Laura has that age old quandry, she can't live with the man and she can't live without him.

5/24 Sonny comes to see Laura to apologize for the trouble brought into their home. Laura tells him she doesn't blame him or Luke because it all seems inevitable given Luke's particular karma. Laura relates some of Luke's and her past to Sonny and says how she misses the old days of travel and adventure, but reality requires changes, and the children need safety and stability. In a good segment between Sonny and Lucky, Lucky asks if the trouble is really over or are they just saying that for his benefit. Sonny once again states things are now under control. Luke goes to see Ned and Lois to tell them that Laura and he will not be able to make their wedding.

5/30 Luke walks into the Brownstone and sees Tony having a chips and salsa dinner with wine. He asks where Bobbie is? Tony tells him she is attending a demonstration of surgical procedure trainings via a virtual reality program. They have a serious conversation about the states of their psyches and marriages.  Luke hypothsizes that marriage is floating downstream in a leaky boat and if you get it just right, you realize that there is no one else you want to be bailing with. Luke allows how he and Bobbie are pretty much the same, always rushing to look over the next hill and unable to make long term changes in their characters. Tony says he still isn't ready to re-unite, Luke says he will give Laura some time but then he is going to come after her strong.

5/31 Bobbie visits Luke at the club on the way to work to check on him. He is down as can be expected with his wife across town and him camping out at Bobbie's. Bobbie thinks Laura has gone too far this time but Luke doesn't like anyone trashing his wife. Bobbie goes on about Laura and Tony trying to change her and Luke but as she continues to babble on Laura is seen entering the club. Luke explains Laura's actions are a result of having to kill someone in her own house and that circumstances have changed as in the persons of Lucky and Lulu. He notices Laura and Bobbie hears a patient calling and leaves. Laura notes that Luke did hear what she was saying. Laura acknowledges that Bobbie does love Luke a lot but Luke points out Bobbie doesn't know everything.

Laura takes note of the changes in the club since the fire before they hit the heavy stuff. Laura hates the separation but she knows of no other way to handle the situation. She can't ignore her guts and finally needs to trust herself.  She needs to feel safe and feel her children are safe. Luke wants to keep them safe but doesn't know how to convince Laura the danger is over. Laura points out that there will only be another crisis around the corner.

Laura is worried about the distance between them and is concerned if the gap gets too large they may never be able to bridge it. What really scares Laura is that Lucky has taken to heart Luke's talk that Lucky has to be the man and protect his mother and sister, figuring he can find a way to fix it. Lucky needs to find out he can't fix it since it's not his fault. Luke offers to have a heart-to-heart but Laura figures another of Luke's heart-to-hearts won't help. It's the last one that's created some of the problem, all they can to is let Lucky know they love him.

6/1 Mike comes into Luke's. He's signed himself out, is ready to go, rarin' to work. Lucky comes in and Mike makes himself scarce. Lucky misses his dad and he's really feeling responsible for his mom and baby sister. But he has school, and sometimes at night he goes to sleep, so he's falling down on the job. Lucky wants Luke to come home, and when Luke says he can't right now, Lucky blames Laura, which enrages Luke.  Luke tells Lucky it'll work out and Lucky points out that Luke keeps saying that, and it doesn't. Later, Mike and Luke discuss Lucky and Luke realizes out loud that in reality, no matter how competent Lucky is, or how proud Luke is of him, that 12 yr old is really still a kid.

6/2 As a storm rages outside, Lucky and Laura batten down the hatches. Though Lucky tries bravely to reassure her saying he and Foster are on duty, Laura becomes increasingly paranoid. Laura grows more nervous with the storm and Luke's absence. Suddenly, and predictably, the power goes out plunging them into darkness. Lucky reports that the entire block is dark, so Laura phones the power company. With nothing else to do, they lock up tight and head for bed.  Lucky is particularly edgy and looks out the window nervously. Lucky and Foster come downstairs to sleep so they can guard against anyone breaking in.

Bobbie comes into Luke's for a visit. She questions her brother about Laura and him. She comments that maybe Laura feels left out of Luke's adventures and is maybe jealous of his relationship with Sonny. Luke cuts her off and she heads home. Sonny and Brenda return to the club and fill Luke in on the Ned and Lois’ wedding. He asks Sonny to take over so he can go check out his house since Lucky was in earlier and was feeling nervous about security.

Foster awakens Lucky who hears someone outside. He tells Foster to guard the door as he heads upstairs. Lucky returns from upstairs with a double-barrelled shotgun, he takes a bead out the window, and blasts away at a shadowy figure who plummets to the ground.  Rushing outside to see what he's bagged, Lucky is horrified at the sight of his father laying on the porch.

6/5 At the Spencer house, the wind is moaning and night-things flit by in the darkness.  Lucky, voice breaking, squeaks and alternately screams at Luke to "wake up" but he's out for the count.  Laura bursts through the front door and hysterically asks what happened. Good scene. Lucky is in shock, babbling and moaning that he killed Luke.  Laura is shouting and crying out, "Luke, don't do this to me!"  Laura bends over Luke and listens for a heartbeat; he wakes up.  Turns out he hit his head and was unconscious for a while.  Lucky, in tears, blubbers that he's sorry.  Luke replies that he's not going to die, that "it's okay!"  Laura gets pissed off all over again when he says that and she shouts, "It's NOT okay!"

Luke insists the shooting was an accident; he was concerned for them so he came over to check things out. Lucky had been edgy after the home invasion and there was an accident, nobody's fault, okay? Laura tells them that from this point on there are absolutely no guns allowed in the house. She turns on Luke and screams, "IT'S FINISHED! I want you out of this house! I want you GONE!"  Lucky murmurs that it's not fair and Laura snaps at him to shut up. She runs into the house to take care of LuLu, who's started crying. Luke and Lucky talk man-talk downstairs. Luke assures Lucky that what went down is not his fault; he says Laura will get over it. He says he'll talk to Laura when she comes downstairs and smooth things over.

When Laura comes down she sends Lucky up to bed but the kid gets out of sight and listens in. Luke wants to talk things out, she doesn't. Laura says that the problem with Lucky is that he wants to be just like Luke, putting himself in danger. She also says that she doesn't feel personally safe around Luke any longer.  Luke says that the whole situation wouldn't have happened if Laura hadn't thrown him out. Lucky simply overreacted because he was protecting her, etc. Laura tells him that Luke has made himself a target for danger with the result that the rest of the family gets sucked into the danger vortex. He says he'll figure out something. She repeats that she wants him gone, and not just out of the house but out of her life. "I mean it" she says tearfully.

Lucky, who had been eavesdropping, jumps into the argument and says it was all his fault, etc. and please don't split up on account of him. Luke gets mildly angry and tells the kid again it was NOT his fault. Then he hugs him and tells Lucky he loves him, is proud of him. Luke leaves. Lucky angrily turns on Laura and screams at her, "I can't believe you're doing this to him, to me!"  Lucky shouts after Luke, "Dad, don't leave, please don't do this, come on!"  Luke pauses, in emotional agony, on the front porch and listens to Lucky crying after him. Laura heaves out with an unearthly moaning sob.

6/6 Luke tells Bobbie what happened at the house. Later, Sonny apologizes for dragging Luke into the Scully mess. Luke says don't bother. Luke would've found his own trouble anyway.

6/7 Lucky is hanging out at the club after school. There is no one at home as Laura has gone over to the university to check out some course. Luke laments having to hear from his son where his wife it.  Lucky doesn't like being stuck in the middle. Sonny comes in and apologizes to Lucky for putting Lucky in the situation where he would even have to use a gun. Lucky is definitely down on himself and the separation, finding himself in the middle. Luke tries to cheer him up by telling him that the end of the trail to safety is almost in sight. However Luke still has to convince Laura of that.

Lucy arrives to try to convince Luke and Lucky to be Pips to Mary May at the Nurses Ball.  Using the tactic that Justus won't do it without Luke, Lucy really doesn't have a hard sell.  Mike joins the them and when she finds out he plays the harmonica she puts him down for that. Luke then suggests that he and Lucky do a hip-hop number. Lucky reluctantly agrees but decides it's time to head home. Once he's gone, Lucy asks Luke if something is wrong?

6/9 Luke approaches Laura and Lulu as she works in the garden. He tries to engage her in conversation, but she is still angry. He insists they have to work on their problems together. She replies firmly, "No." Laura insists they've never been safe in their whole married life. Luke says they're safe now, but Laura counters that someone will pop up eventually, since he's a carrier of trouble.  He tells her it seems she doesn't love him anymore. She strongly disagrees saying she does love him, and that's why her decision is so hard. Luke comments that from his perspective it doesn't look like it's so hard. Luke holds LuLu and asks Laura just to think about what she's doing.

Tony comes to visit Laura. He asks how she is? "Awful, really awful," she replies. She repeats her position that someone must protect the children and put a stop to the danger now. Laura tells Tony she's afraid her children will eventually hate her for depriving them of their father. Tony emphatically rejects the notion.

Lucy strolls into Luke's and asks him what's up with his long face.  He tells her Laura kicked him out. Luke, “I'm living at my sister's.”

Lucy, “Eeew, that's awful.”

Luke, “It's no picnic.”

Lucy, “Couldn't you find a better place to live?” Luke fills her in on all the Spencer family drama.

6/16 Brenda strolls into Luke's to see Sonny. She wants to know if he's coming home. He appears disinterested. She says they shouldn't go to bed angry to which he replies curtly, "then you're not going to get any sleep." She tries to apologize, but he tells her it's not up to her to get mad when she wants to and then make up when she wants to.  After she storms out, Mike approaches Sonny and says, "I guess it's official; you are a real bastard."

Monica calls Lucky and tells him that Emily’s mother has died. She suggests that Em could use a friend and Lucky heads over to hang out with her and the Q’s.

6/20 Laura is folding laundry when Lucky comes back. He is bored already and Luara suggests he goto a soccer club. He strikes a vicious blow by saying she won't be able to get him out of the house like she did Pop. She is stunned and tries to talk to him, but he is full of anger and does some more verbal blows as Laura joins him in arguing. They part with an uneasy truce. Tony comes by a little later and sees Lucky practicing his dance routine for the ball. Laura comes down and Tony invites the whole Spencer gang to sit at his table at the Nurse’s Ball.

6/21 Luke arrived at the Spencer/Jones table, where Laura was already seated. Lucky attempted to play matchmaker for his parents without success. Luke tells Laura that she looks beautiful. He jokes that they should be safe at the ball. She stifly tells him that isn’t even remotely funny.

Lucy opened the ball with a fine speech about the purpose of the ball. She introduced Damian as the underwriter. She announced her desire to break all fund-raising records this year. Lucky and Emily (who was cute as can be as Dorothy) arrive back stage to visit the Oz contingent.  Emily offered encouragement to Sidney the Bear (Alan as the Cowardly Lion) while Lucky oiled Kevin's costume (he is the Tin Man) and Kevin performed tricks with his axe.

Lucy, in an amazing floor-length, high-necked, tight sequined dress that made her look like a walking rainbow, introduced Jean White, Ryan's mother. They discussed the Ryan White Foundation. Lucy then introduced Eddie Main and the Idle Rich, who performed "Over the Rainbow."

Next we were treated to the Oz crew in their performance. "If I Only Had a Brain/a Heart/the Nerve", "If I Were King of the Forest", and the gang skipped out while singing, "We're Off to See the Wizard".

Lucy, in an indescribable green dress reminiscent of a peacock, introduced Jon Hanley, who gave an emotional speech about discrimination against AIDS patients.  Lucy then introduced Mary Mae and the Pips (Justus, Luke, and Lucky).  The Pips, clad in purple double-breasted suits, strode on stage carrying their microphones and proceeded to completely upstage Mae Mae with their choreography.  At the end of this song, Lucky burst into a hip-hop number, soon joined by Luke. They were smokin'!

**The End**