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Dr. Evans' Office (Liz's doctor)**********
"Well, Elizabeth, the results of
your third HIV test arrived this
morning," says Dr. Evans. "That's
why I called you in. I realized we
had a regular appointment for next
week, but I decided this news
was too important to divulge over
the phone, and its a topic that
needs to be addressed immediately."
'Oh god, no. Please, not after all
this time, all this pain, and all
this
pain' thinks Liz, drowning out
Dr. Evans' voice. 'Please, not another
obstacle, please don't say---'
"---negative. The results were negative."
Confused, Liz asks meekly, "Excuse me?!? What did you say?"
"You are not HIV positive. A negative
on all three tests since the
time of exposure is a good sign
that you will NOT develop the
disease. However, I do highly recommend
testing every year just to
be safe. Now, I know---"
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Liz screams.
"What!!!!!!!!" Before the doctor
can say anything else, a young man
with light brown hair bursts through
the door, his pale eyes
shooting daggers at the doctor
before they settle on Liz. They take
on a worried look. Lucky approaches
Liz as she rises out of the
chair she was sitting on. He wraps
his arms around her, and then
looks coldly at the doctor.
"What did you do to upset her?!?," Lucky demands.
"Nothing. I merely told her the
results of her last HIV test. They
were---"
"OH MY GOD!!"
"---NEGATIVE! The results were negative!
I was telling Liz that
the chances of her contracting
the virus after three negative tests
were minimal, given that she always
practices safe sex. Of course,
only abstinence is the only way
to truly prevent..."
The doctor trails off as he realizes
the young couple no longer pays
any attention to him.
"God, Lizzie, this is great. Wonderful.
Magnificent. The icing on
the cake. I can't wait to tell
everyone. Mom, Dad, Lulu, your
grandma, Bobbie. Oh, man! Didn't
I tell you to trust me? This is
just phenomenal, astounding. I'm
so excited, happy, ecstatic--"
Lucky continues his gushing as Liz
slowly absorbs the news, and
comes to the realization that finally,
after almost two and a half
years, she's the closest to being
free as she ever will be. The rape,
or the 'incident' as Nikolas put
it, was part of her past, not the
present and definitely not the
future.
Liz smiles secretly as a new plan
for celebration crosses her mind.
Thanking the doctor and pulling
a still prattling Lucky out the door,
Liz walks out into the sunshining
afternoon and towards her future.
Later that night outside Kelly's**********
"Hey, kid, heard the news 'bout Liz. Its great," says Ruby.
"Yeah. I still can't get over it.
After all that's happened, the initial
tests, the therapy, having to adjust
to the fact she may never know
who raped her, Liz has finally
overcome the last mountain. I think. I
hope," replies Lucky. "I'm supposed
to meet her for dinner, but I
guess she's running a little late.
Go ahead and give us a couple a
burgers and fries. Should be OK
with her."
"Alright." Ruby goes inside to start the burgers.
Lucky uses this time to contemplate
the last two years. 'Man, has it
really been that long? Maybe, now,
I can finally tell her how I feel.
Not the she couldn't already not
know. Its not as if I've been
particularly subtle. Wanting to
kiss her hundreds of time, writing
that song, doing everything in
my power to get the role of Romeo
opposite her in the school play
last spring, staring at her all
throughout English.' It wasn't
that Lucky was trying to rush Liz. He
understood she needed time, and
he hoped he'd given it to her. She
never complained about anything.
Just merely smiled a little smile
and walked shyly away whenever
she felt his embarrassment. Then,
he couldn't tell her how much he
loved her. Now, though, now was
a different time. He felt so in
sync with Liz, he KNEW that now
was the time. She already knew,
of course. Elizabeth was too quick
and too perceptive not to pick
up on his true feelings, but now he
could say the words. Let her know
exactly how things stood, and
he could hope that maybe, just
maybe, eventually, she would
reciprocate he feelings. Now, with
nothing to do but await her
arrival, he tried to envision how
she would take the news. He knew
what he would do. He would take
her hand in both of his, look
deep into big, expressive, angelic
eyes, and say---
"What're you doing make moon-eyes at the wall, Spencer?"
'God, not now'. Embarrassed at being
caught in such an unguarded
moment, Lucky scathily looks at
the intruder. He can't help, but
make a snide remark.
"Well, well. What's his Royal Highness
doing here? Slumming?
Surely this quaint little place
can't compare with the fine dining
experiences at the family castle?"
"Can the crap, Lucky. You know I
like Ruby's food, and I have just
as much right to be as you," Nikolas
says defensively.
"Sure, sure. Okay, alright. Don't
get so defensive. What happened,
though? The butler sprain an ankle
so he couldn't fetch din-din? Or
what, Unckie Poo decide there was
too much a chance that the filet
mignon and duck ala 'range would
be poisoned?"
"No, actually we decided to see
what the commoners ate to make
them so coarse and, well, common.
After all, poverty is in with
affluent right now. Our regular
meal was given to the servants. Our
little way of thanking the 'little
people' who make Our lives so more
convenient in 'little ways." Though
Nik wasn't usually so arrogant
and snobbish, he wasn't in a good
mood, and Lucky had always
rubbed him the wrong way.
Lucky, angered by Nik's taunting,
though the Spencer clan was by
no means poverty-stricken, took
immediate offense. Slowly, he
stood up. Over the last two years,
both he and Nik had grown
considerably so that they both
towered over others at a little over
six feet tall. "What's your deal,
man? Havin' to go around, shoving
all your blood money in other peoples'
face?"
"What do you mean, 'blood money'?"
"Oh, come on, man! The day a Cassadine
uses an honorable method
to make money is the day hell freezes
over!"
"That's it, Spencer! You're through!"
An enraged Nikolas lunges at Lucky.
The two begin to scuffle, that
is until, however, a new person
comes up in front of the restaurant.
"What on earth?!? You two stop that
right now! STOP!," cries the
new voice.
Both figures stop grappling at one
another and stare, enraptured, at
the ethereal creature before them.
She wears a shimmery, flowing
gown of pale blue that stops right
below her knees. The gauzy
material blows gently in the breeze
against her body, accentuating
her slender figure. Her rich brown
her is pulled into a coronet of
thin braids encircling her head
with a few ringlets softening the
planes of her face. In simple terms,
she is THE most beautiful
creature either boy has ever seen,
and Port Charles for some
reasoned brimmed over the top with
beautiful women. The only
thing marring the perfection of
this lady was a slight frown on her
brow, and a worried, disturbed
look in her eyes.
"What are you two fighting about now?," Liz quietly demanded.
Staggering to their feet, both stuttered, "Nnnooothing."
"Hmppph. Sure coulda fooled me,"
says an older voice. Ruby has
come outside, holding a brown bag.
"Here, Nikolas, this is your order.
I suggest you vamoose so's these
two can celebrate the wonderful
news."
Nikolas, still in a daze from seeing
Elizabeth looking so gosh darn
purty, mumbles, "What wonderful
news?"
Shyly yet excitedly, Liz answers,
"The results from my third HIV
test came back today. They were
negative."
"Wow. That's great. Does this mean its over?"
Liz, thinking Nikolas was referring
to the tests, replies, "Actually,
no. My doctor recommends testing
every year, just to be sure. But
he did say that the three initial
tests coming back negative lower my
chances of contracting the virus."
"That's great, Liz. That's really
great. I'm so happy for you. This
must have made Audrey ecstatic,"
Nik said.
"Actually, she started crying. But, for now at least, its over."
Of course, the true question in
Lucky's mind was, 'What defines 'it'?'
He had noticed the stare in Nikolas'
eyes. At first, it had been
genuine shock and awe. Now, mixed
with the sincere happiness for
her, was something he couldn't
quite describe. An almost animal
look, feral and predatory. Like
a starved wolf licking his chops,
waiting to capture the lone lamb
for his own. Whatever it was,
Lucky did NOT like it.
"Alright, Prince, you've got your
doggie bag, now go home like a
good boy."
Saying this, Lucky casually walked
over to Liz, and nonchalantly
draped his arm around Liz's shoulder.
"We, Liz AND I, have our
own dinner to eat."
Nik couldn't help but notice the
blatant possessiveness in Lucky's
stance and in his tone of voice.
Clearly, now was not the time to
approach Liz about her current
social status, but as was bred into
him, as every other Cassadine male
from the moment of birth, Nik
felt no real threat from Lucky
for Liz's affections. After all, Lucky
and Liz had been friends this long,
and nothing more than that
existed between them. Tomorrow
was soon enough for him to talk
to Liz.
Bowing before Liz in a parody of
chivalrous gesture, he kissed her
palm, and said, "Good eve, fair
lady. You couldn't look more
beautiful." With that, he walked
away.
Ruby, watching it all, simply snorted
and remarked, "If that's what
money does to people, then I want
no part of it. Y'all's burgers are
gettin' cold, so go eat. Lucky?
Lock up for me, 'kay?!"
"Yes, mam."
With Ruby gone, Lucky ushers Liz
to their table. "I just want to
say, you've never looked more beautiful
than right now. I wish I
had known to dress up."
"Thank you," Liz replies, and eyeing
Lucky's black jeans and tight
black tee-shirt, "You don't look
so bad yourself. Is it just me, or
was Nikolas acting weird?"
"Oh, don't worry about him. Its
just chronic snobamania. Anyway,
how are you feeling? Not tired
or anything I hope? Cause if you
are, we can celebrate some other
time. I don't want you to feel you
have to be here. We can do
this another time---"
"Lucky, I've waited for this moment,
when I can relax and not have
the rape lurking behind my shoulder,
for so long. You're worrying
isn't going to stop me."
"Good, then let's eat," says a relieved Lucky.
They ate their burgers and fries
in silence. During the meal, Liz
inadvertently got mustard on her
cheek. Lucky, noticing this, slowly
reached up and tenderly wiped it
off her cheek. The continued until
both were full. After cleaning
up the dishes and locking up Kelly's,
they both decide to take a walk
by the docks.
At the docks**********
"You know, this night has been fun.
Except, of course, for that little
spat you had with Nikolas. What
were you fighting about?," Liz
questions.
"Oh, Nikki-boy was just being his usual stuck up self."
"Well, if you tried harder, you
might just find out that he's not such
a bad guy. He can even be nice
once in awhile."
"You don't know him that well, "
Lucky admonishes. "He's got a
nose ten feet long that he looks
down at everyone, including my
mother. She's made every effort
to befriend him, for God knows
what reason, and he still keeps
politely distant. It drives her crazy. I
mean, look at his reaction when
I decided to return home. He flew
into a rage, that I didn't deserve
her love because I'd waited too
long. This was after he was mad
that I'd runaway."
"Why was he mad that you ran away?"
"I don't know. Does it really matter? Let's change the subject."
At this point, Lucky and Liz, walking
side by side, have almost
reached the end of the pier. Strolling
a little further right to the
edge, Liz gazes up to the
sky, taking in the stars.
A sudden realization hits home.
Tears forming in her eyes, she turns
to Lucky, who is right behind
her. He embraces, not understanding
that her tears are of joy, not
pain.
"What's wrong, Liz? Tell me, and
I'll make it better," Lucky
whispers.
"Nothing's wrong, I just realized something."
"What?"
Liz hesitates a moment, then leans
up to Lucky's ear and whispers,
"I can look at the stars, Lucky.
I can look at the stars and not feel
any pain."
Tightly, they cling to one another.
Slowly, Lucky and Liz begin to
turn together, dancing to music
only they can hear.
"Liz," Lucky says, "There's something
I've been wanting to tell you,
for a very long time. I don't know
how to say it. I just--"
"I love you."
"What?!? Wait a minute! That's my line, " Lucky states, shocked.
"I hope its your line, but weren't
you hoping it would be my line,
too?"
Lucky smiles sheepishly. "Yeah, I guess I was. I am."
Slowly, still circling around and
around, his head lowers to hers,
and their lips meet in the gentlest,
most tender, most passionate
first kiss either of them could
ever have imagined.
Above them, millions of stars twinkle
and dance.
In the shadows by the docks**********
Unfortunately, lurking in the darker
parts of the night, a pair of
angry eyes watch and wait, glistening
with feral intensity. A plan in
this person's mind begins to take
shape.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
"Oh, go away," groans a sleep-muffled voice.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
"NO! I don't wanna get up." Yawning,
the semi-conscious figure
rolls over in the bed and promptly
succumbs to the warm lethargy
of sleep.
Tap. Tap. TAP.
Liz flies straight up in bed. Still
in shock from waking so abruptly,
she stumbles to the window and
throws it open.
"Who's there?," she asks tremulously.
Now she is fully awake and
fearful. "I mean it, who's there?"
The way her bedroom window is
structured relative to the house,
a ledge is under her window, which
allowed easy access for Lucky to
come visit her. However, a longer
portion extended around the corner
of the house, large enough that
an unseen person could easily hide.
However, Liz hears nothing
else. She begins to close the window
when she hears a light tapping
sound. Suddenly, Gatsby leaps from
behind the hidden corner.
"Oh, God! You stupid cat! You scared
me to death," Liz gasped. "I
ought to tan your hide. When I'm
though with you, you won't even
be able walk. Come here...stupid
cat."
In her strong desire to reach the
cat, Liz begins crawling through
the window. She is so occupied
with reaching the errant animal,
that she has no idea someone has
entered her room.
The silent figure watches carefully
as Liz maneuvers to reach
Gatsby. After a few moments, the
figure moves swiftly behind Liz
and yanks her back in by her waist.
Before she can scream, the
figure clamps a strong hand over
her mouth, and with his other arm,
pulls her snugly against his body,
holding tighter as Liz begins to
struggle.
"Now, now. Is that any way to greet
your beloved," taunts Lucky in
a soft whisper. "Quit struggling,
and I'll let you go."
He releases Liz, and she turns enraged
toward him. Seeing her
indignation, he merely smirks that
irresistible Spencer grin.
However, this expression does not
produce the desired effect, and
an resounding SLAP breaks the tension.
"Owww! That hurt!"
"Well, you deserved it! Have you
got any idea how much you
frightened me?!!? I thought it
was HIM for a second. God, I felt
so...."
Liz slowly ends her tirade, and
tears trickle silently down her
cheeks.
"I thought you were HIM." She turns
from Lucky to look out the
window. Immediately contrite, he
wraps his arms around her and
begins to apologize profusely.
"Liz, man, I'm so sorry! I didn't
mean to frighten you. Please don't
cry. Surely you know I would never
hurt you. Please, baby, please.
Don't cry. Come on. Shh..."
Liz's tears eventually dry, and
then she turns to look at Lucky, who
still holds her lightly in his
arm. She merely looks into his eyes, and
the concern there turns quickly
into something else. He softly kisses
her forehead, then her nose. Reveling
in the sensation, Liz closes
her eyes. This prompts Lucky to
kiss both her eyelids before
capturing her mouth. They remain
like that for a few moments
before the Lucky pulls away.
"Oh, boy, we'd better stop. Don't
want your grandmother catching
us doing anything," Lucky says.
However, his voice trembles
slightly, just enough for Liz to
know the kisses affected him the
same way they did her.
"Oh, Gram's at the hospital. She
got called in while we were out
last night. Her note said she wouldn't
be home until late afternoon,"
she casually remarked.
"Well, in that case...." Lucky
bent his head down again to kiss
Liz...
"Hold on, loverboy. I've got to
shower and change, so no more
hanky-panky. Besides, I'm only
in my pajamas."
At this statement, Lucky's eyes
do an 'accidental' perusal of Liz. He
takes in the slightly mussed topknot
her hair is wound into. A few
strands fall blindly around her
face. 'Man, she has the most
gorgeous hair.' His eyes wonder
the length of her, taking in the thin
halter-type shirt that ends right
above her midriff and her loose-but-
definitely-short shorts.
'Oh, man. I've got to catch her
right out of bed more often.' Liz, on
the other, was occupied with the
white tee-shirt and jeans that
molded to Lucky's form. 'I am one
lucky girl.'
"Well, look, I do need to change.
So..." Liz reluctantly unwraps
Lucky's arms from around her and
walks to her vanity. Lucky
casually plops down on Lizzie's
unmade bed, just looking at her.
"What are you doing?," Liz queries anxiously.
"Waiting for you."
"Well, I've got to change."
A smirk. "I know. So?"
Shock and confused. "So?!? YOU have to leave."
"Oh, don't be embarrassed. I've
slept in the same room with you
before. This isn't really any different."
"Not different? Excuse me, but I
never changed my clothes in front
of you."
"Well, I wasn't your man then. That's
the difference," Lucky teased
Liz.
"What makes you think you're my
man? A few kisses doesn't entitle
you to anything."
"Perhaps not, but the fact that
I love you does." As he says this,
Lucky rises from the bed and approaches
Liz. "But seeing as its
embarrassing for you, I'll wait
in the hall. Only after I do this."
With that, he swiftly pulls Liz
into a deep kiss that was more raw
passion than tenderness, but still
leaves Liz reeling. Breaking off the
kiss as abruptly as he started
it, Lucky opens the door.
Liz, apparently not as recovered as Lucky, mumbles, "Thanks."
"Your welcome. I'll be waiting downstairs," came the cocky reply.
Lucky shuts the door. Liz begins
changing into a pair of khaki jeans
and a denim button up shirt, all
the while mumbling about men and
their 'needs.'
Meanwhile, Lucky collapses against
the wall in the hallway outside
his beloved's room. 'Man, can she
kiss.' On still shaky knees, he
walks downstairs.
Fifteen minutes later, Liz comes down.
"Hey, you look good," Lucky says appreciatively.
Liz, striking a pose at the bottom
of the stairwell, asks, "Good
enough to be a model like Emily?"
"Of course, though, no offense,
you'd have to grow a couple of
inches. But don't do that, you're
perfect the way you are."
"And who says flattery doesn't work?,"
Liz said blushing. "Oh, by
the way?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you."
"Really? Me? No, you couldn't?"
Still bantering, the couple heads
out the front door.
"Where are we going?" Liz asks.
"Its a surprise," came Lucky's cryptic response.
"Ohhh. I see. You don't know where, huh?"
"Don't be like that. I enjoy the spontaneous life."
"all right. Lead the way."
Putting their arms around each other,
the new couple head out for a
fun day in sun.
Watching from the woods, a jealous
figure eyes the couple with
anger. After the couple is out
of sight, the figure sullenly turns and
heads towards the docks.
Unbeknownst to any of the others,
however, a black-clad figure
watches them leave from its perch
on the ledge hidden from the
view outside Liz's bedroom. After
the couple is no longer in sight,
the figure glides silently to the
ground and lopes off into the woods,
ideas churning in its head.
Later that day--Wyndemere**********
"Ah, Nikolas, I didn't see you this
morning at breakfast. Mrs.
Lansbury said you left early,"
came Stefan's comment as Nikolas
entered the mansion's main receiving
room.
"Yeah, I, uh, went to, uh, visit a friend."
"Well, are you hungry? Stefan asked, concerned.
"No. I'll be in my room."
With that, Nikolas heads to his
room. 'Dammit, why does
everything always happen for HIM?
Not me?' He quietly paces his
room, accusations, confusion, and
rage roiling in his head. 'Not only
does he get Laura's love, but HERS
as well!' Nik pounded his fist
against his desk, not caring that
it had been in his family for well
over five generations. 'Why him?
What does she see in him? He's
nothing but a commoner, a filthy
Spencer who hasn't a dime to his
name and no class. She deserves
better. She's an angel. HE will only
corrupt her purity with his vile
ways, just like his father corrupted
my mother.' Nik's rage at Lucky
was nothing new. Always, the
brothers had fought. For awhile,
it had seemed that they could
possibly start a friendship, or
at least become less hostile towards
one another. However, then Lucky
had moved back in with his
parents. Laura was no longer just
Nik's mother. He had to compete
with HIM for her attention, and
had inevitably lost. 'Well, no more.
I will not lose Elizabeth as I
lost my mother, especially to HIM.' He
had gone to Lizzie's house this
morning, to try to explain his
feelings to her. However, when
he got there, she was leaving with
HIM, holding hands and kissing.
It made him ill. "Elizabeth, I will
NOT lose you.'
Looking far into a plan only he
knew, Nikolas said, "Elizabeth, you
will be mine."
With that, he sped from his room
to begin the preparation for his
new idea.