Disclaimer: I do not own Laura, Luke, Bobbie, Scotty, Stefan, Roy, or any other characters you see in this fan fiction. It’s fan fiction, one of my fantasies! Thank you. None of you knew that, LOL!

Title: Remind My Heart

Rating: R for romantic situations

Summary: Helena Cassadine decides to mess with Laura’s brain in an interesting way, instead of her usual target, Lucky. Then what happens to Laura brings Laura and Luke closer, and then she denies any relationship with him to him and herself, but uh…does that ever work?

Keyword: Luke/Laura Romance

Author: Paradise, please, e-mail me at [email protected]!

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Helena’s Yacht

1:12 AM

Helena drank a martini, while holding the Ice Princess in her hand.

“Enjoy your life as you knew it now, Laura dear, because it’s not going to be like that for long. As soon as I test your precious little mind, you will be mine.”

________________________________________________________________________

The Next Day

3:14

Luke walked up the house to see if Laura was all right, she’d been acting a little weird lately, and he wondered if it was about Lucky, or something else. He opened the door, not bothering to knock, and she looked at him with fury.

“I’m not coming back to work, Luke.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“It’s over, I’m said I’m not going to work for you anymore, so please, just leave!”

Luke frowned in confusion, he knew she was serious. As serious as she could be.

“I came here to see Lu.”

“Who?”

Luke stepped towards her cautiously, which she inhaled quickly and stepped back.

“Hey, it’s okay, you all right? Lucky and Lulu are our children,” he said slowly.

She let out an angry laugh. “I would rather die than carry a child of yours, you’ve lost your mind, get out. Scotty will be back any minute-“

“Oh good, why am I not surprised.”

“He is my husband, Luke.”

That was when it hit him. This was not a game, this was real. He almost thought she’d gone back in time until Scott walked into the room.

“Oh good.”

“Scotty,” Laura said walking over to him, looking at Luke angrily.

“Laura, this deadbeat here for a reason?”

Laura’s eyes filled with fear, which Scotty noticed.

“Hey, sorry, you all right?” Scotty said to her.

“Oh, I’m fine. Luke was just talking about me serving alcohol.”

Scotty was beyond confused, but Luke pulled him away. Laura watched, but didn’t want Scotty to think there was anything going on.

“Scott-“

“What the hell is the matter with her? What is she talking about?”

“She’s in the past, spud.”

Scotty looked at Laura, who was brushing her hair.

“She thinks she’s eighteen,” Luke continued.

“What? Is she having some kind of breakdown?”

“I don’t think it has to do with her health.”

Scotty looked at Luke. “What the hell are you talking about? Are you saying it’s not her?”

Luke said nothing.

“Well who is it,” Scotty asked desperately.

“Who do you think?”

“Cassadine,” Scotty said. “Man, you never stop ruining her life, do you?”
“We can argue later,” Luke said quickly, looking at Laura. “I don’t trust anyone but Bobbie. I’m gonna call her and get her over here. And Roy, for help with the Cassadine problem. You play along with whatever’s in her head until we figure out what to do.”
Luke made the call to Bobbie, and she said she’d be right over. Scotty walked over, holding Laura. She closed her eyes praying she understood what she was feeling. And what to do about it. What was the truth? Laura didn’t see Luke. After a few minutes of randomly talking to Scotty, Bobbie came through the door. Laura ran to her, in tears.

“Oh Bobbie, I’m so sorry I threw the car keys over the cliff and got Roy killed. I’m so sorry. Please, forgive me, I didn’t mean to, I was trying to save Luke-”

“Laura, it’s okay…shh, come here.”

Bobbie hugged her, which shocked Laura. Bobbie hated her, and at times, she almost hated Bobbie. But why would Bobbie hug her, Bobbie wanted Laura dead, in prison, she hated her. But somehow Laura felt comfort with Bobbie’s arms around her.

Roy came through the door, seeing Laura. “Laura, it’s okay, I’m right here, what’s wrong?”

Laura looked at him stunned, Bobbie watched her carefully. Suddenly, Laura’s head began to hurt.

“Oh my God…” Laura yelled in pain.

Those moans turned into screams as she couldn’t see or hear anything. Bobbie gripped Laura, holding her tightly so Laura wouldn’t fall.

“Laura, Laura, can you hear me, it’s Bobbie.”
“No, no, it hurts…” she screamed, in unbearable pain.

“Bobbie, help her!” Luke said.

“What’d I say,” Roy said, wondering why when he walked into the room Laura lost it.

Laura became delirious as Bobbie tried to comfort her and examine her.

“Luke, what’s going on? Why does she talk about something back then?” Roy asked.

“She thinks she’s seventeen. She doesn’t realize we have two children, a family-“

“You don’t have a family,” Scotty said.

Luke, ignoring his remark, pulled Bobbie aside as Roy held Laura in his arms.

“What are we gonna do?”

“With Helena, the only thing I can think of is that she’s using this as a test, then to hurt Laura the way she hurt Lucky, maybe worse. Scotty, Roy, come here.”

Scotty and Roy reluctantly left Laura lying on the floor, she was obviously in so much physical pain, and they went to Bobbie.

“Okay, I haven’t seen this exact breakdown before, but the only way that I know of to help her is to let her think she’s in the past. If it’s like others I’ve seen before, she will go through stages of her life. We need to get the people from her past to come to her. We have the three of us, Roy, call Stefan-“

“Aw hell no.”

“Like it or not Luke, he was a part of her life.”

As Roy headed towards the phone, Bobbie pulled him back.

“The second most important thing is this, we are going to keep her to a minimum of embarrassment as we can. Do you hear me? Laura’s mind isn’t just for all of us to witness. Obviously she doesn’t see us when she’s in her own mind, so we are going to give her as much respect as possible.”

They all separated, Bobbie and Luke watching Laura as Scotty pulled her up off the ground.

“Laura, Laura can you hear me?”

Laura’s eyes seemed to have vision again. She clutched herself to him.

“Oh Scotty, it’s going to be a wonderful Christmas! Hold me in your arms please,” she said in a precious voice. Scotty remembered this night, Christmas 1979. “We’re gonna be happy, and everything’s gonna be fine!”

He caressed the back of her hair. Luke whispered to Bobbie, “She actually said that to the spudnut?”

“Chill out, Luke.”

Roy came in the room, telling Bobbie that Stefan was on his way. A few minutes later, Laura was on the sailboat, Jennifer Smith’s sailboat, after Luke had turned away from her.

“You tricked me,” she hissed. “You made me think that that cabin door was LOCKED, that we were trapped in here!”

Luke turned to see all faces on him and Laura. He smiled embarrassed.

“Could you all…excuse us?”

Laura didn’t hear this. She was looking right at him, but didn’t see Bobbie, Roy, and Scotty. Bobbie escorted the men outside.

“Uh, that’s…that’s right! That damned locking the door of the sailboat trick, it uhh…shit, it works every time! Admit…” he couldn’t quite remember his brilliant lines. “Admit it and don’t try to lie your way out of it.”

“I’m not! I’m not, I hate the very sight of you.”

“Well, some things don’t change.”

“What?”

“Nothing, um…what was your last line?” Luke was lost and not doing very well.

“What,” Laura said, her eyes blazing.

“Um, people, help! Come back inside,” Luke called.

They all walked in but as soon as they did, Laura went to the next day, in the park.

“No no, Luke, don’t stop me, all right? Or it’ll never get said!” Laura said and Luke struggled to remember. “I thought the door to that cabin was jammed and so help me-“

Luke rushed to her, covering her mouth. “Ho, you don’t wanna say that line,” he laughed mortified, facing the faces of his sister, his best friend, and one of his worst enemies. Laura frowned but his hand didn’t leave her mouth.

“Anyway, he went crazy when he found the letter, he accused me of having an affair, he called me a tramp!”

Luke looked at Scotty with a face of, “you see what you did?”. Luke turned back to Laura. Bobbie pulled them all out of the room again.

“Luke, next time, make sure Laura’s out of a conversation with you!” Bobbie called, seeing there was no reason for Luke to have brought them back inside.

“Did he hurt you?” Luke said turning back to Laura again.

“No,” Laura said crying.

“Don’t lie, did he hurt you?”

“Nooooo!”

Luke held her, and she let him barely.

“Look…we gotta get outta here. We’re gonna be killed, please, come with me.”

His lines were something along those.

“Luke-“
“We don’t have time for this, I’m gonna be killed if you don’t help me!”

“Okay…let’s go.”

The next thing Luke knew they were in that crappy hotel room eating French fries and hamburgers with red wine.

“He called me a tramp…and he accused me of sleeping with you.”

Luke smiled. “Imagine,” he said sarcastically.

“Luke!”

Her head began to hurt again, and her breathing became uneven. She screamed in pain as Luke tried to hold her.

“Laura, Laura it’s okay,” Bobbie said, having heard Laura in pain, coming towards her. “Breathe in…”

Stefan came over. “What the hell’s the matter with her?”

“Your mother,” Luke said.

“This was supposed to be used on Lucky-“

“Well apparently you and your mother had a change of heart.”

“I would never hurt Laura or her child.”

“Shut up,” Bobbie said.

“Barbara, why don’t we just…give her a sedative or something-“

“Because we don’t know what we’re dealing with, and in these sort of breakdowns they mostly have to get it all out before they can heal!”

Laura saw Bobbie.

“I have to see Luke!”

Bobbie had a hard time remembering which part of this it was. She took a wild guess, 1980, when Laura had accidentally said she was still Mrs. Scott Baldwin.

“You’re not going in there, lady,” Bobbie said.

“Oh yes I am. I know it’s all my fault, Bobbie, but I have to make it right.”

“Why? Did Scotty kick you out? Is that why you came crawling back here?”

Scott had no idea what was going on, other than that he was obviously gone.

“I have to explain, I have to make it right-“

“You can’t!”

Bobbie was half examining Laura as they spoke, and Bobbie was amazed at how lines so easily rolled off her tongue. The hatred was still easy to dish out, no matter how much she loved Laura now.

“Bobbie, Scotty and I are almost divorced.”

Whoa, time warp, Bobbie thought. “Yeah, but…remember when we hated each other? Luke hated you too!”

Laura smiled, wanting to change the subject.

“Remember I used to be in love with Scotty Baldwin-“

“Please, do we have to go into it, it was such an awful beginning,” Laura replied. “Help me with my wedding dress, Bobbie.”

Luke looked at Roy. “Please tell me she won’t remember tossing the bouquet.”

“Bobbie, the fact that you’re willing…to find your daughter to save mine, knowing what it could do to your marriage…shows so much courage, and I admire it, come here,” Laura said with tears in her eyes holding Bobbie.

Bobbie remembered this. Lesley Lu lying sick in her hospital dying, Bobbie hadn’t known Laura was trying to reach Helena to get her son back too. And Laura didn’t tell Bobbie then, maybe she could make Laura tell her now.

“Laura,” Bobbie said, wiping Laura’s tears. “I didn’t even know who the father of my baby was,” Bobbie this time saw Laura’s face, she hadn’t known who Nikolas’s father was either. “And I didn’t have the guts to keep my baby, I had to let her go and hopefully give her a better life than I could.”

“You were always so much stronger than I was,” Laura said.

Bobbie wiped Laura’s tear with her finger. “And you were always much less selfish.”

“Oh, Bobbie, please don’t say that. I don’t deserve that. You’re not required to open up every corner of your heart to Tony, you are not wallowing in self pity, I hear strength, and you don’t know how much I admire…it.”

Laura pulled Bobbie towards her. The four men watching saw Laura’s face of fear, Stefan realized he could’ve made it easier on her.

“Laura hasn’t told me yet about her son,” Bobbie said to everyone, Laura didn’t hear it.

Laura pulled back. “You know what’s going on, don’t you? Hey, it’s okay.”

“Luke told me about your son,” Bobbie said softly.

Everyone saw Laura’s face with fear of Bobbie thinking she was wrong to have done what she did.

“That handsome boy in the corridor,” Bobbie said happily.

A tear of relief slipped from Laura’s face. “Yeah,” she breathed.

“Aw honey, I’m so sorry,” Bobbie said, pulling Laura towards her.

“He was so close…he was right there…and I couldn’t…get to him.”

“Hey!” Bobbie said pulling Laura so she could face her. “Nikolas will forgive you, he will see how much you loved him, how much you still do-“

“I can’t…reach him, I couldn’t hold him, and-“

“Hey, stop it, Laura. You’re gonna be fun. You are a good mother, and you are going to have a chance to be Nikolas’s mother, take it.”

Laura closed her eyes and obviously went into another world.

“Stop it…that’s not fair. Stefan isn’t like the others, Bobbie. He was…almost a friend to me-“

“Then why is he playing on your guilt now,” Bobbie said, remembering this day in the park.

“There’s a lot to play with,” Laura replied.

“And with Luke and Lucky and Nikolas, how can you not want to run away from home,” Bobbie said seriously.

“Look, Stefan raised my son, and he saved my daughter’s life-“

“All right, Laura, I know. I understand that you have to believe that the man who raised your child is a good person. I have to do that too about the people who raised my daughter-“

“But it’s not just that…I know Stefan, I know that he is not like Helena.”

“Isn’t it nice that she thinks so highly of you when you’re threatening the crap out of her,” Luke said to Stefan.

“Luke, hush,” Roy said.

“You just met with Stefan, didn’t you,” Bobbie said to Laura.

“Yeah. I would actually like to get my mind off of it, thank you,” Laura said, her face showing the meeting wasn’t pleasant.

“I’m here for you, if you need to talk,” Bobbie said to Laura.

“Thank you. I’m here too, and you will find your daughter.”

Laura looked past Bobbie and saw Stefan. Her heart leapt.

“Stefan,” she said breathlessly.

Stefan immediately came over to her, gripping her shoulders.

“Stavros is passed out drunk in his chair, and I came to see you. Are you all right?”

Stefan then remembered. “Am I all right? Are you all right? Did he hurt you?”

Laura looked away.

“Did he?”

“No more than usual. I’m all right.”

She took his hands, looking at him with such love. After all these years of lies and anger, it was wonderful to see this look. He pulled her to him, cupping her head as he embraced her.

“You’re all I have. You’re my entire life that’s good, that’s real,” she said holding him tightly, the tears slipping down her face.

“I’m here for you, Lasha.”

Luke went to Bobbie. “Couldn’t we just politely ask her to skip this part?”
“Luke, you could learn something,” Bobbie said.

“Barbara Jean-“

“Shut up, Luke.”

Laura leaned back and cupped Stefan’s face, in another lifetime. “I can't imagine my life without you. That's not really what you're asking me, is it? You know, for years I knew exactly what my life was -- Luke and Laura -- and never the other way around. It was almost like we were one person. I was so young when I started out with him that I never knew where he ended and I began. But I'm just starting to now. Sometimes I feel like Lulu, you know, learning how to swim for the first time. Although, she is completely fearless and I'm really not. But for the first time in a very long time, I can imagine the future, after all of the pain, after all the grief, and I imagine it with you.”

Stefan held Laura’s arms, remembering this. August 16^th, 1999. How much he’d wished he hadn’t screwed it up. It was worth everything to see Laura look at him like that again. But he was uncomfortable with Laura was saying this in front of Luke because he knew she would be humiliated, this was private between them.

“Oh Jesus,” Luke whispered at her words of love to Vlad.

“Okay, I think we need to step outside again,” Bobbie said to the gentlemen.

Then Laura’s head began to hurt. She clawed her hair, pressing her fingers against her brain. The pain was intense but short.

“I love you, Stefan…I love you,” Laura told him and then she began to break down.

She jumped into his arms. Stefan held her, without the anger and hatred of the past few years, he remembered their love, remembered she had loved him because of the look in her eyes just then. As he held her in his arms, she weakened and she collapsed. Stefan lowered her to the floor.

“Laura!”

Bobbie ran to Laura, as Stefan held one of her hands.

“Barbara,” he said. “Helena will be stopped-“

“You got that right!” Scotty said.

“Both of you, shut up! Why can’t you two think about Laura instead of revenge. You both must have the smallest appendages in the world! Laura?”

“Bobbie,” Laura said, as Bobbie pulled her up.

Laura sat up, completely calm.

“Why am I on the floor. Stefan…what are you all doing here? What happened?”

Stefan looked at Laura, then at Luke.

“Oh my God, what happened?”

Laura saw all faces. She reached to Stefan, to help her up. Scotty saw in these last few moments that she was never going to look at him the way she did at Luke or even Stefan. But he still loved her.

“What?” Laura asked again. “Bobbie, why are you all here? Roy?”
Roy stepped forward. “You had some kind of a breakdown, Laura. But you’re gonna be fine.”

“What? What kind of a breakdown?”

“You uh…you relived selective parts of the past.”

Laura’s eyes widened with memory and embarrassment. “I was seventeen not ten minutes ago. That’s why you’re all here.”

Laura turned away, mortified.

“Laura, it’s okay-“ Luke began.

“Oh sure it is for you! What did I say? Everything? Every thought of the past? I remember now. I was talking to Scotty, and then I was talking to you, we were at the apartment. But…I didn’t see the rest of you. And then I was on the island with Stefan, and then I was at the docks, Bobbie…you were with me in 1979, 1980, my wedding…about Nikolas…oh my God…my head…” she began to keel over, and Luke caught her.

“Laura, can you just breathe-“

“Oh don’t tell me to breathe, Luke! Do you know what I just did?”

“Yeah, I was here, but-“

“Oh my God,” she breathed, covering her face with both hands.

“Laura,” Stefan said. “It was all my mother. We’ve got to solve this, you and me-“

“Over my dead body,” Luke argued.

Laura wouldn’t take her hands off of her face.

“Laura, it’s over, and now we have to stop Helena-“ Stefan said.

“No,” she cried softly, completely torn.

“Laura.” Luke said. “Laura!”

He ripped her hands off of her face, and saw her face was completely shiny from fresh tears.

“Why don’t you gentlemen just escort yourselves out. Laura’s had a lot to deal with, and you all need to just let her get it together,” Bobbie said, taking charge.

Bobbie came to Laura, who fell crying into her arms. Luke grabbed Stefan by the shirt.

“This is all YOUR fault!”

“His fault?” Scotty said.

“OUT!” Bobbie said.

Luke’s Club

Laura walked into the office and Luke turned from her.

“Don’t you do that to me, Luke.”

“What do you want me to say? You’re choosing to work with Stefan than me?”

“I want you to shut up for once and listen to me.”

He turned back to her.

“What is it with you and the Cassadines! You can’t let go of Nikki and you can’t let go of your lover!”

“Oh you bastard, how dare you stand there and say that to me! You’ve been pretending you don’t care about me for the last few years, is that true?”

Luke turned away from her.

“Fine,” Laura said. “Then look at me, show me you’re not afraid.”

He turned around, looking at her with cold eyes, which she met with equal anger. Suddenly though, tears swelled in her eyes, and Luke’s gaze softened.

“Do you want the truth, Luke? Are you capable of hearing me? Forget about you, and think about me?”

He stood up. “Go ahead, Laura. Make me understand.”

She tried very hard not to cry, but he felt her pain. Felt her swallowing it.

“Do you have any idea what it’s like to be raped, Luke?”
Luke’s face filled with guilt. “I know, I’m sorry-“

“Oh dammit, I’m not talking about you! Not everything is about you! I used to try to be sick at nights…so Stavros might just do it quickly and leave me alone. Even when he did it quickly, I was left…used. Degraded. And…” she inhaled crying, then letting out a slight sob. “I remember he would get abusive if I said something he didn’t like. Before I married him I got away with saying things, but afterwards I no longer had a mind. He would rape me, and then call it using his wife, because in marriage, there is no rape.”

Laura covered her hand over her mouth as the black tears fell.

“And Helena knew! Helena knew every bit of it. You’d think a woman might understand, but she just ignored it. She tortured me in completely different ways, and she knew I would sneak out and go to the cliffs to jump-and you know what, she knew I was too weak!”

“You weren’t weak.”

She clenched her eyes and teeth and cried silently as he tried to touch her.

“Luke please, please don’t. Let me finish. So after what seemed like an eternity of Stavros telling me how experienced as a man he was, and how I gave into him, how he loved it how I hated him as he touched me-he always whispered to me that our bodies were entwined, as if I didn’t know. And if I didn’t say anything he would prove it more. So for one moment someone, the ONLY one I could look at and trust gave me something that wasn’t ugly! For ONE moment something was REAL! Something wasn’t hate, or ugly! Now I’m so sorry that my options were so tiny of whom I could turn to for anything besides hate that you now have lost all respect for me, but I would have died without anything but ugliness for two years.”

Luke came to her and hugged her. She cried loudly against him. “Stefan could hear me scream, he used to wait outside the bedroom door until I stopped screaming and then he’d rescue me. I used to watch the waves envisioning you coming as my savior to take off that island, I tried to survive, Luke. I tried to keep going, but I loved Stefan. I was in love with him and I’m sorry that makes you so furious! Every time I think about Stavros my whole body just shrinks…” she cried the whole time.

Luke cupped her head, and she began to cry so hard he lowered them both to the floor.

“I will never regret anything more than believing you were dead. I didn’t go on anymore than you did, but I don’t understand why you can’t just let the Cassadines go.”

“You mean my son!”

She ripped free of him and stood up. He stood to meet her.

“Laura, I want you to let go of the pain of the past. Let me help you. But you’ve gotta let go of it yourself.”

Just then Bobbie came in, seeing what was between them, she decided to shut up, but didn’t leave immediately.

“You want me to let go of Stefan? The way you let go of me? The way you didn’t fight for me and you went on to the next married blonde who would let you drag her all over the place?”

“Laura, come on-“

“You want me to leave Nikolas? When are you gonna get over it Luke? I love him! I don’t care who his father is, I am his mother. I still don’t understand how you can hate a child of mine so much, just because you weren’t the father!”

“It was rape.”

“Of course it was, but Nikolas was a gift! He was all I had-“

“Then why did you wake up in Stefan’s arms then?”
Bobbie looked down. Laura didn’t care who heard.

“Do you want the truth?”

Luke said nothing.

“I loved him! He only shows everyone else in this world the anger, the hatred, the Cassadine. I loved him. This isn’t about Stefan, which is none of your damn business anyway, you divorced me thank you, this is about you and me!”

“There is no you and me!”

Laura smiled. “Oh really? Then quit telling me how much Nikolas is a Cassadine-“

“She’s right Luke,” Bobbie said. “Get over it and grow up. So she had a child with another man, so what?”

“I was her husband!”

Laura stepped between Luke and Bobbie. “I seem to recall you having a child with Holly!”

“That was different,” Luke said.

“You’re right,” Laura said licking her lips. “You’re absolutely right. It’s worse because you were in love with her! What had happened if I’d returned and you two were still together!”

“That would’ve never happened! You were my wife.”

“Then how can you give me all this grief when you did the exact same thing!”

“You were DEAD!”

“So were YOU!”

“ALL RIGHT!” Bobbie said. “Laura, you’re right, you’re absolutely right. But it’s all in the past. Luke, accept that Laura’s right for once, and get over it!”

“You’re nuts Barbara!”

And he stormed out. Bobbie sighed, then held Laura.

“He’s wrong, and-“

“He’ll never change,” Laura said. “I still can’t believe all those memories I had and expressed out loud. In front of all of you!”

________________________________________________________________________

The Docks

Ten Minutes Later

“Luke!”

Bobbie ran up to him.

“Okay Barbara, lemme have it!”

“You bet I’ll let you have it. What the HELL is wrong with you! What is going on inside that insane brain of yours? Have you just been playing Felicia all along when you’re really in love with Laura?”

Luke was stunned. “It’s Felicia you’re concerned about?”

Bobbie smiled. “I’m concerned about both of them. Laura and Felicia deserve better than this. Think about what you want and quit being such an idiot. If you love Laura, forgive the past. Let it go, and find a way to deserve her forgiveness. She deserves that, and amazingly so do you. If you want Felicia, let Laura go because you’re hurting everyone involved.”

Luke rolled his eyes. “Felicia is a different story. She has her life, and her kids. We made it very clear from the beginning that there would be no commitments, no obligations.”

“Luke, you know damn well that’s not what she wants, but I know you well enough to know what you want, though you might be too pig headed to know yourself. Just do me a favor, let Felicia go.”

“Like Laura’s let Stefan go? Like Laura let Baldwin go?”

Bobbie smiled. “Is that what this is about? You don’t like Laura with anyone else, so you have to hurt her? That’s what this is all about isn’t it? Felicia was to hurt Laura. Felicia was to sooth your pain. Well, that sucks. Stop it Luke. Choose Laura, or choose Felicia. Don’t sleep with Felicia and want Laura and don’t keep seeing Laura if you want Felicia. Do what we all have to do in life, and choose.”

“She did choose. She chose you, you idiot. The day of Felicia’s testimony, before Laura knew what you’d done, she said how much she loved you still. How she wanted to be here to do whatever she could, for YOU! And you loved it! You loved that you still had her, but you could throw Felicia in her face and make her regret Stefan all the more, right?”

“Stop it,” he said turning from her. Bobbie stepped closer.

“Come on, Luke, admit it. This was a cheap trick to hurt Laura, but you didn’t just hurt Laura, did you? You let Felicia fall in love with you, and you let Laura remain in love with you. But you so generously pop up whenever a piece of Laura moves on. Luke, I’ve waited a long time to say this, but you are one sorry son of a bitch.”

He didn’t reply. “Luke,” she said softly.

He turned to her, crying, and she automatically took him into her warm arms. They held each other for a few moments.

“I love you Lucas Lorenzo. I am still on your side. But you’re not just hurting Laura, or your children, or Felicia, her kids or Mac, you’re hurting you. And that’s what I care most about. Let the past with Laura go, so you can have a future, with or without her, you have to let the past go.”

“I don’t think that’s possible-“

“Oh stop it. Anything’s possible. Just look at me, Luke, look at me.” He look at her as she ran her fingers lovingly along his face. “Do you want Laura back?” He said nothing. She smiled. “That answers all my questions.”

Laura came walking through, seeing them in a deep moment, she tried to move past them. They turned to see her, and she stopped, looking embarrassed.

Laura’s eyes locked with Luke’s, and Bobbie left. Laura walked over to stand beside him as they looked out at the water.

“You remember all the times we used to stand here and watch the ships go by?”

“Yes,” was the most brilliant thing he could think of to say.

“You remember when you finally told me you loved me after I’d screwed everything up after the Left Handed Boy adventure?”

“Whatever.”

Laura sighed and laughed at the same time. “Yeah, seems like a life time ago, and yet it also feels like yesterday. I can still feel the things I felt back then.”

“Remember how you wouldn’t take off your wedding ring to Scott?”

She looked up at him, with an expression that he didn’t quite recognize.

“Yes.”

“And look at how easily you took ours off,” Luke said.

“Excuse me?” she said angrily. “You wanted a divorce so that you could be with someone else. Did you want me to keep it on so that you could throw in my face my inability to “let go”?”

“I seem to recall you touching me,” she said in a low, sarcastic voice.

“All right, the point is that you couldn’t take off Scott’s ring because you didn’t want to be the adulterer, that worked out-“

She began to give him crap but he continued.

“However, you just ripped our sucker off the way you did the cigar band.”

Laura had steam coming off of her. “You selfish bastard,” she hissed. “You’re probably going to use this against me, but I’m not going to let you think that I just threw you out, that I didn’t want us to work every minute we were apart. Look!”

She reached in her pocket and took out the wedding band. She held it up for him to see, and his heart stopped beating. He couldn’t believe she would do that.

“I do have it, with me ALWAYS. But while your hands are God knows where, I’m trying to get on with my life. But twenty years of the kind of love we had doesn’t just end because we sign some papers. At least on my part. I don’t see you holding anything valuable in our ending marriage either.”

Luke looked at the ring, and her, amazed. Was this all a joke? What was the point of any of this anymore? Why did it matter?

“I could never just throw away our wedding ring, because that eighteen year old girl will always love you.”

“What about the woman in front of me?”
She felt her heart speed up in fear. He moved closer to her, and she looked away first.

“You can’t deal with it, Laura! You can’t deal with what Helena made you remember. You can’t face the past.”

She turned back at him slowly. “Anymore than you can remember it,” and she was gone.
________________________________________________________________________

Luke’s Office

5:21 PM

As Luke sat at his desk writing down some receipt mistakes, Laura came through the door, slamming it against the wall as she tore through it.

“I think we need to talk,” she said walking over to his desk, leaning over it as her hands curled on the edges.

“I think we don’t,” Luke said.

“Oh I think we do.”

Luke threw his papers down, and stood up.

“Okay, go ahead, get it all out.”

She slammed her hand on the desk.

“You owe me this! I just relived our history together because of some stupid mind trip, but we need to settle a few things. Did any of the conversations I relived bring back any memories to you?”

“Of course, I had to keep up, didn’t I?”

“Luke, shut up. I’m serious. Do you remember everything? Because I think I have two simple questions to ask you.”

Luke looked at her, leaning against the door, crossing his arms. “Well what would the first one be?”
“Do you still care about me?”

Luke rolled his eyes.

“You afraid to answer that question, Luke?”

“No! Yeah, I care about you, now and then when you’re not getting on my case about everything.”

“Oh good!” she yelled at him. “Well while we’re being completely honest, all those times you told me you loved me, did you really stop? You said you looked at me like I was that eighteen year old, with that in mind, do you still love me, like you did the eighteen year old?”
Her eyebrows raised in an “in your face” expression. Luke moved passed her.

“Laura, leave the past in the past-“

“I’m not talking about the past, I’m talking about now.”

He said nothing.

“Turn around Luke, and look at me. What have you got to lose? Luke!”

He didn’t turn around. She grabbed his arm and quickly turned him around.

“Answer the damn question!”

“Laura, get out.”

“No, dammit Luke, you’re not pushing me away until I hear what I need to hear. You’re right. You’re still crazy! You are gonna answer my question, right here, right now.”

He tried to move away from her, and she gripped his shirt. “You’re not pushing me away.”

“You betrayed me,” he said to her.

He grabbed her arm, twisting it back so it hurt, but she wasn’t afraid. She looked at him firmly, letting his twist her damn arm.

“I betrayed you. You mean with Stefan?”

He said nothing.

“Well, did you ever think that that might have had something to do with the fact that you had commanded me to give up my child, and the fact that you hated him, pushing me farther and farther away from you until I didn’t know who you were? You just kept pushing until I bet you didn’t even recognize me.”

“So that makes it okay?”

Laura smiled. “Well what’s your excuse?”

“My excuse?”

“Orphie Goodlove.”

“That was after it was over-“

“Who ever said anything about it being over? Did you ever try? Did you fight for me? Or did you think I was just so disgusting because I reached for someone to accept me and all I’d done-still loved me, still wanted me, that you decided to hurt me back?”

“Laura-“

“Answer the question,” she said twisting their position so she was holding onto his arm.

“Yes, all right? NOTHING’S CHANGED!”

“The biggest pig that ever existed. Well while we’re making confessions about the truth, why don’t you tell me what you told me before we messed everything up?”

“What?”

Her eyes turned dramatic. “You know what.”

“Get the hell out of my office! We are over!”

Laura smiled. “Okay, fine. Since that was the honest answer, I’m marrying Scotty.”

“You’re what?”
She turned back. “You just answered my question. We are not over.”

“What?”

“You lying sack of sh-“

“You did that to trick me?”

Laura smiled. “You will never have a right to give me a hard time on tricking you into admitting how we feel, thank you. I just relived it, so it’s fresh in my mind. But at least I didn’t stoop so low as to trap you in this damn office and pretend the door was jammed!”

Laura smiled confidently as she walked over to his desk, looking at things.

“We are finished, Laura.”

“Luke!” she said sharply.

“What?”
She held up the photo of them from 1993. “God, Luke, my hair. Could you at least keep a good picture of me on your desk?”
“You wanna talk about hair…and that picture?”

“Well, I never married you for my hair.” She smiled. “We’re over? Then why do you keep this out? If you have no feelings for me what so ever-“

“I never said there weren’t feelings. Dammit, get out!”

“Make me!”

They were screaming at this point. Just then, the door opened, but Luke and Laura were both breathing heavily from anger, staring at each other.

“What the hell’s going on?”

“Roy, get the hell outta here,” Laura yelled with warning.

“Roy, GET OUTTA HERE,” Luke agreed with even more volume.

“I’m outta here!” Roy said, slamming the door behind him.

“You are still the same bullheaded pig you’ve always been! Nothing matters. The fact that I had another man’s child is what’s just started the entire downfall of us, right? Let me ask, was it my sleeping with him, my carrying his child, my loving the child, what? Or was it that I loved Stefan? And that I willingly made love to him?”
“Laura, get out of here before I hurt you. Cause I really don’t want to.”

She blinked innocently. “You don’t want to hurt me? What have you been doing for the last four years, Luke? You think if you hit me it’ll be worse? That’s a piece of cake compared to the last two years. You wanna hit me?”

“No!”

She walked over to him, kicking the shattered pieces out of her way, and moved directly in front of him.

“Come on, Luke, hit me. Will that make you feel better? Forget I’m a woman, let out all the anger, get over it.”

“Laura, come on, just go-“

“Why? Why do you want me to leave? Because I’m getting too close to the truth? I’m beginning to see you?”

“Laura?”

“Luke. Want me to hit you first? Want me to start?”

“You wanna hit me?”

Her eyes turned serious. “Do you wanna hurt me?”
He drank again. “You wouldn’t hit me-“

She slapped him, her face as cold as ice. “Try me,” she said. “Come on, retaliate. Tell me what you think of me, of what I’ve done. Tell me to my face instead of to the damn alcohol.”

“The alcohol doesn’t get hurt.”

“The alcohol isn’t what’s important, Luke.”

He began drinking again, turning his back from her.

“Stop it, Luke, look at me. Luke!”

He didn’t turn. She grabbed his arm, forcing him to look at her, ripping the glass from his mouth. He had two tears trailing from each one of his eyes.

“Luke,” she said.

She touched his face, wiping his tears.

“Let me help you. I mean really, this time, I’m really not a little girl now. I can handle it now. If you would just get out of my way and let me.”

He began to cry, though trying to hold it back, and finally collapsed in her arms. She held him tightly as he shook against her shoulder. His arms for the first time in what seemed like years wrapped around her. She told him she was here, over and over. Luke pulled back, pulling her hand to his lips.

“I gotta go,” she said.

She headed for the door.

“Laura wait! Don’t leave me.”

She dropped her purse and flew into his arms.

“That’s all you’ve ever had to say.”

He pulled her back, looking at her with fear, and something else. She broke the look first, and he gripped her face. A tear slipped down her cheek, running into his finger. She looked at him, waiting. He studied her face before slowly getting closer. She lowered her eyes to his mouth, and hers fell open. Their lips met and she cried a little with the feeling. He gathered her closer, not feeling enough, so he opened his mouth, overlapping with his lips over her entire mouth.

Bobbie opened the door, and seeing this, surprised, turned quietly and left. They were too busy to notice. She shut the door quietly, silently saying, “Finally.” Felicia appeared in front of her.

“Felicia!”
“Bobbie, hi. Is Luke in there?”

“Well uh…well yeah, but you can’t go in there.”

“Why? Has something happened to him?”
“Oh, Felicia. Let him go, let it go. You’re only gonna hurt yourself.”

“What are you talking about? Tell me the truth? What’s wrong with Luke? Is he okay?”

“Felicia…” she said sadly. “Laura’s in there, with him.”

Felicia tried to move past her. “If she thinks she can give him anymore guilt, she’s mistaken-“

“Felicia! You can’t go in there. She’s not giving him a guilt trip.”

“Bobbie, get out of my way or tell me why you’re acting like this.”

“Felicia, Luke is with Laura, and he’s choosing that. You and he are not going to make it. You never were. I love you with all of my heart but you’ve gotta let go because you’re the only one living with the idea you and Luke can be together.”

“What does that mean? Because Laura’s in his office she wins?”

“Felicia, she’s won. And if she hasn’t won, there’s still no way you can win.”

“What the hell are you talking about? What’s going on with them?”

“You really don’t wanna see it.”

Felicia finally got the picture. Only through Bobbie’s eyes did she know.

“Come on, Felicia, let’s go somewhere. Let’s leave-“
“I’ll leave, can I just have a minute alone?”

Bobbie looked at her with sympathy. Bobbie hugged her and reluctantly left. Felicia went through the door to the side of the office, behind the wall so she could hear.

“Did you really want me to stay a little girl?”

“What?”

“Did you not want me to ever grow up and have a life, have independence? Did you always want me to be stupid and impressionable?”
“You weren’t-“

“Did you not want me to grow up?”

Luke cupped her face with one hand, caressing her cheek.
“Of course I did. It was never that I didn’t want you to grow, and be the strongest woman in the world like I knew you always were. That had nothing to do with it.”

Laura nodded. “Then why do you hate it that I’ve grown up?”

“Laura, you were the first person that made me want to live. Ever. Then and now. Because of you I am alive because I want to be. And you made me feel needed. Do you have any idea what that did to me?”

She nodded, smiling, blinking her own tears.

“So when you don’t need me anymore, it’s like I have no purpose.”

“That’s crazy. You think because I might have a job that I wouldn’t need you? That because I became capable to take care of things should you leave or die that that means I didn’t need you? That I didn’t love you still, every bit as much if not more?”

“I know, it’s crazy, but there was one thing I swore I’d always do. I swore I’d always take care of you and the kids, and now none of you need me.”

She shook her head. “No. We don’t need you for the next meal on the table, but we need you for you. We don’t need the money. We need you.”

She reached for his hand and stepped closer. “Just you,” she her face shiny from the beads of moisture that had fallen. “Just…you. You are needed. You are the father of my children.”

“Are you…” he was afraid to say it. “Still…mine?”

“Yes. You know that.”

Felicia was crying by this point, struggling not to make a noise, until finally she ran.

Luke looked at Laura, desperately, needing to be back in time, needing to be loved the way he was. He clutched her to him.

“I’m sorry. Please, Laura, Laura, look at me.”
She looked at him as he pulled her back, holding her shoulders tightly.

“Laura…I can accept everything that you did…if you can forgive everything that I did.”

She nodded. “I do, Luke.”

“Do you…still love me?”

“Yes!”

He kissed her swiftly, wrapping her in his arms, bending her back as they sank to the floor…

________________________________________________________________________

November 16^th, 2001

Laura decided that this time, she would wear something elegant, grownup, and beautiful. She was a child last time, and she wore a child’s gown. Monica offered to throw the wedding at the Quartermaine estate. Laura couldn’t have been happier about it. She decided to meet the guests separately than Luke, but not be banned from the ceremony until after she had been announced his wife. That seemed a little medieval to her. Was she a present that must be hidden until she was Luke’s wife? She greeted the guests outside in the beautiful, lush green gardens, with Monica and her mother.

“Bobbie, thank you so much-“

“Say no more, I’ll be your maid of honor as many times as you’d like. I love you so much.”

She hugged Laura. “I love you.”

Nikolas, Gia, Emily, Lucky, and Elizabeth came up behind her.

“Wow, you three look so beautiful. Emily,” Laura said hugging her.

“You look gorgeous, Laura. I’m glad I got to see one of your weddings to Luke.”

“Dear God let it be the last.”

“Here here,” Nikolas said.

“Nikolas, thank you. I know this isn’t your favorite-“

“I’ve never seen you so happy, I don’t care who you’re marrying as long as you’re happy. And Luke’s pleasant to some people.”

They all laughed. “Yeah well, tact was never Luke’s specialty.”

“Mom,” Lucky said.

“I love you,” she said holding him.

She still held Nikolas’s hand as she hugged Lucky.

“Laura,” Elizabeth said.

“Oh get over here.”

They hugged and Laura complemented Elizabeth’s dress.

“Thank you for always understanding me, Laura.”

“You always understood me. You never judged me.”

“You’re like a mother to me, Laura.”

“I couldn’t agree more. I love you so much.”

“Sonny!”

“Congradulations, Laura.”

“I’m not married yet,” she said hugging him.

“You deserve the best.”

“Thank you, for everything, Sonny.”

“You earned it all.”

Scotty walked up to her, taking her hands. She looked at him with complete love.

“Scotty,” was all she could say.

“You look beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

She leaned in and kissed him very delicately, very slowly. She closed her eyes as his lips met hers, not caring if anyone was watching. He pulled back.

“How many marriages is this?”

She smiled. “This will be my fourth.”

“And I hope your happiest.”

He squeezed her hand and left.

“Scotty!”

He turned back.

“Thank you,” she said breathlessly.

Laura finally made it to the Quartermaines, hugging Lila, Edward, and getting a wonderful kiss from Alan, before stopping at Monica and her mother, Lesley Webber.

“Monica,” Laura said with love.

Monica held her close. “Oh, dammit. I don’t want to ruin your beauty today. Your hair is gorgeous.”

“Better without any veil this time, right?”

“It’s called growing up. I remember my second wedding to Alan, it was the moment of truth. We knew each other then. And so do you and Luke. And when he sees you…” Monica’s eyes washed over her.

“Well, we all see that Laura is much more beautiful on her second wedding to Luke than you and your second wedding to Alan,” Lesley said.

“Mom!” Laura’s mouth was wide open, but Monica just smiled.

“Guess I still have that coming, Lesley.”

“Laura.”

“Mac!”

He leaned down and kissed her. It wasn’t like every other kiss, he wanted to kiss her. She pulled him back as they laughed and kissed again.

“Thank you for coming. You have been more than a friend to me. You kept me going.”

He touched her face. “I hope he treats you right this time.”

She nodded.

“Well go on, Laura, you’re glowing, go marry him!”

“You know why this wedding isn’t perfect,” Laura said.

“Why?”
“Because Robert isn’t here. He was the best man.”

“Yeah, I know you three went on a great adventure together. The first round of the Ice Princess.”

“Oh yeah. You wouldn’t believe what we looked like by the end of it. No tooth brush, no hair brush, it was 100 degree heat, sleeping in the jungle, it was truly an adventure.”

Laura smiled at him. “That’s when Robert and Luke became best friends, and when Robert and I loved each other. We couldn’t have been better friends.”

Mac’s face showed that he wasn’t the happiest knowing Luke and his brother were best friends, but he already knew that.

“Did you know I dated Robert, and that’s kinda what started the whole thing?”

“Well then my brother had taste.”

“Though we were never trapped on a roof,” she said. Laura laughed. “Kiss me one more time, for luck?”

He leaned in and gave her a lovely kiss.

Just then Laura heard a lot of unhappy talking. She wondered what all the commotion was about, so she turned to the far end of the gardens and saw Felicia. All eyes turned to Laura, wondering what she was going to do. She surprised everyone but politely walking over, standing directly in front of them.

“Felicia,” she said calmly. “Please, join us.”

Felicia nodded mutely.

“You look wonderful, Felicia, please, come. This time there are actually places for the guests to sit.”

“Thank you,” Felicia said softly, walking by.

All eyes were watching Laura watching Felicia.

Laura walked down the isle with Luke waiting for her at the end. She passed all the faces of those she loved. Her mother, Lesley, Monica, Mac, and when she passed Felicia, a dash of pain and guilt washed over her, but when she looked back at Luke, it was all diminished. She reached for his hands and he gladly took them.

“Luke and Laura have decided to recite their own marriage vows.”

Laura began. “This time we know that life will not be easy, that life will not be perfect. I am not eighteen years old and I can face it, as long as you can. If you face it with me instead of turning me away, we truly can forgive it all. And that’s what we need. I still remember the first time I saw you, and I remember the first time I looked at you and loved you. I was so innocent that I thought love would be all two people needed. Our past has proven that wrong.

“You need to look at me for whom I am, and still love what you see. Because no matter how frustrated I was with you, I could always look at you and love you truly beyond words. But there were things you couldn’t accept because you doubted my love for you. You have always thought it was you that loved me more. That’s not true, Luke. You need to believe that. You need to look at me and know that I love you always as much as you loved me. And I need you to look at me and remember that I am strong. That I can manage, that I can continue and handle anything. And know that you can’t make me stop loving you, or turn away from you. You never did.”

Luke smiled at her, and then he began.

“You say that I feel you don’t love me as much as I love you. You’re right. I have never thought that. When I first saw you, you were an angel. You were everything I could never have and you’re still everything I can never have. But by some miracle you woke up beside me for nineteen years, and although those were the best moments of my life, every night I wondered if the next morning you’d still be beside me. And one morning you weren’t, and after that, there’s been a long spiral down because even when we were together again, there was still that void. There was still that question of if this would last. And when you’re not with me, I am everything I shouldn’t be. An idiot.”

She smiled, squeezing his hands.

“So I begin doing things I’m sure you wouldn’t like. Like when you decided you didn’t like going on the run-“

“I never said that,” she said shocked.

“Oh yes you did.”

“No I didn’t! I said I wanted a home, a place with roots, but that doesn’t mean I don’t wanna go out and do crazy things-“

“Well dammit Laura, pick one-“

“You guys,” Monica said, trying to get them back on track.

Laura looked at everyone looking at them, and then back at Luke.

“I never said that,” she whispered.

“All right then, if you vow to not play with my head so much, I’ll uh…I’ll tell you the truth about what I’m really doing.”

“Okay, I do,” she replied. “If you promise to treat me like an adult woman, I’ll promise to help you out in the next crazy adventure.”

“All right, I do. If I promise not to smoke anymore cigars, will you promise not to throw out anymore of my stuff without telling me?”

“If you promise not to walk out on me first.” She’d got him there. “Yes, I do.” “If you promise to fight for me should things ever go bad again, I promise to fight back for you,” Laura said.

“Absolutely.”

Laura turned to Port Charles. “Anybody else have anything?”
Lucy spoke. “If you two can’t make it this time, then there truly is no reason for the rest of us to even try, so Luke, tone down your oversized ego and listen to Laura.”

“Thank you, Lucy,” Laura said.

“By the power invested in me by the state of New York, I pronounce that you two are finally husband and wife!”

Luke and Laura didn’t wait, just kissed as everyone clapped.

“And you have already kissed the bride,” the mayor said.

Ten Minutes Later

“You have never looked more beautiful,” Alan Quartermaine said to Laura.

“Thank you. You have never let me down, Dr. Quartermaine.”

“And I never will.”

“All right,” Monica said, taking the stand and the microphone. “I think we all have a few words to say to Luke and Laura.”

“Oh God,” Laura said, leaning back against Luke.

“In 1981, the biggest wedding in Port Charles took place. These beautiful faces, their love overflowing the city was finally settled. They weren’t mind you, I doubt they ever completely will be, but their love back then was every bit as strong as it is now. I learned through their eyes that love is something so rare, particularly in the amount and degree they’ve had, that we must learn from them, must look at them and then we will see true love. Now I never said that their choices were always the smartest, but no matter what happened between them, their love never died. And though they’ve heard this at least a hundred times, no one has ever seen love like these two. After their first wedding I went back to the hospital and a friend of mine said that if those two didn’t make it, there was no hope for the rest of us. I still believe that’s true. I love you both.”

Monica stepped down. Lucky went up next.

“You know, I don’t think there’s anything harder than being Luke and Laura’s son, but I must say, there has been nothing is better either. Never a dull moment with these two as parents, as you can guess. There is nothing I would’ve traded them for. My father I’ve learned will lay down his life for me, lay down more than his life, and he has taught me what it takes to love someone. It takes everything. You give all you can until there’s no need for more. You never settle for less than what’s best for your family. And my mom, well she kinda kept everything real. She was expressive, and loving. She is truly the most amazing woman in the world, and she taught me everything else. Forgiveness, love, trust, compassion. She is so wise, so far beyond anything I have ever been, or probably ever will be. Though I have not always been the best son to her, I know that she deserves more happiness than anyone else in the world. And I remembered her happiest with my father. Because I grew up seeing true love, and I often had to remind them there was a kid in the room.”

The audience laughed, and Laura remembered those times. There were quite a few of them.

“So I just want to say, I love you.”

Amazingly Mac Scorpio took the stand. Luke was kind enough not to say anything.

“This is a little awkward, but as many of you remember, my brother Robert was the best man at the last wedding, and I gathered his small speech to recite, because I feel it was completely accurate. So here it goes. To Luke and Laura.”

Tears gathered in Laura’s eyes.

“May you always have what you have today. The love of your friends, and the ever lasting love of each other.”

Laura clapped and immediately everyone joined.

“Now, a few of my own words. I have learned that no matter how much you love someone, you are not meant to be.”

Everyone knew he was referring to Felicia.

“Sometimes two people who love each other simply were not meant to be…but you two are. Everyone in this room knows that Luke and Laura are meant to be. After all you two have been through, you two still love each other every bit as much as that first love you had many years ago. That proves everything. So learn from a guy who’s been there, understand that you two are more than friends, more than even soul mates, you two are meant to be. So don’t fight it. Love each other forever. Never let that go.”

He stepped down, and Laura wiggled her way through the crowd to hold him. Felicia didn’t miss that.

“Mac, that was beautiful. Thank you so much.”

“You two deserve every happiness in the world. Laura,” was all he could say.

“Thank you, Mac,” she said hugging him again.

Laura walked back over to Luke, giving an unsatisfying kiss. Felicia walked in front of them, not to go towards them, but was definitely very close to them. Luke looked at her as if she were any other guest.

“You sure you didn’t wanna marry her?”

“Who,” Luke said clueless.

“Felicia.”

“What?” he said equally as clueless.

She smiled and brought his face to hers for a slightly longer kiss.

Suddenly, Monica spoke to the crowd with her speaker phone.

“Well, I have one thing to say in regards to this event.”

Luke made his way quickly through, cupping Laura’s waist as she leaned back against him. They watched Monica, smiling at what she would probably say. Luke was intoxicated by the smell of Laura’s hair. It was full and curly, but she wore nothing over it.

“It’s about damn time.”

Everyone cheered and Laura looked up at Luke.

“What the hell took you so damn long!” Monica said smiling.

“He’s an idiot,” Laura yelled causally.

“And you are what, an easy to get along with woman?”

“And if you could just be honest and not protect me-“
“You got the rest of your lives to argue, I picked out a song…Lila and I enjoyed the musical, Les Misérables, and we found a song by one of the characters that I thought was perfect for you. So everyone clear a path so that Luke and Laura can dance.”

“Oh God,” Laura said as Luke dragged her through the crowd of people.

The song began. Luke pulled Laura towards him, holding her body tightly against his, and she remembered dancing at their first wedding. This time they knew what life brought. Back then, they thought nothing would ever go wrong because of how much they loved each other. How naïve. Laura remembered them saying she was too young to marry Scotty. At the time it had been a fairy tale, and after Luke, it was just immaturity. That was half of a lie. She truly believed it until she saw Scotty again, without the anger. Without the pain of what she’d done to him. Laura looked with her glass eyes into Luke’s, smiling mischievously. She had three great loves, and there had been a purpose to all of them. Maybe she was meant to divorce Luke then, to experience other things, but she knew and he knew that there would never be anyone else.

Though Laura did want roots, she knew in a few days she would crave what he craved, the excitement. The times they were on the run, it literally did feel like there were no problems. Life ending never really scared either of them, it made them feel free. However crazy that sounded. The chorus of the song reached, and after all of the time and all of the torture between them, Laura felt the words.

That’s what they had both needed. Underneath all the pain, they both knew there was still love, but they needed to remind each other of what that felt like without the hurt. Luke looked at her, begging her to love him, even now. She touched his face. She brought it down to hers, kissing him. It didn’t matter if all eyes were on them, all eyes seemed to always be on them. In that moment, she felt eighteen years old, and it was wonderful.

“Laura?”

Laura opened her eyes and looked at her mother.

“Now I hate to interrupt this, but I would like to dance with Luke.”

Laura giggled, moving aside.

“Lesley, you look beautiful,” Luke said.

He dipped her and she shrieked.

“Laura, you all right?”

“Oh yeah, Mom.”

“Laura?”

“Yeah!” Laura turned to see Scotty. “Scotty,” she breathed.

“May I dance with you?”

Laura smacked a hand over Luke’s mouth. Lesley had to bit her lip to keep from laughing. “I’d love to.”

Scotty wrapped an arm around her waist and danced with her. He looked at her with such love, which she returned.

“You remember when we danced at our wedding,” Laura said.

“How could I forget, you were awful.”

“Hey! I was just barely seventeen. Give me a break.”

“You were so beautiful, almost as beautiful as you are today.”

“You were the one with the looks,” she replied.

“Well, that goes without saying,” Scotty said.

She burst out laughing. “You have been my night and shining armor, and no matter what happens, we know now how much we love each other, and how that will never change.”

“I’m glad you said that. Because watching you, so happy, so in love, it reminds me of our wedding day.”

“And it should. I was never happier than slipping the ring on your finger.”

He pulled her close and danced more intensely.

Scotty and Laura parted after the song ended.

“Laura, just open that door and go through it.”

“Monica, Luke’s downstairs-“

“Just go!”

Laura was pushed through doors by Amy, Monica, and Bobbie. Before she knew, they had all run downstairs, as she looked over the balcony to see everyone. All faces of Port Charles staring at her, she felt uneasy. She smiled asking with her eyes what the hell she was doing up here.

“What the hell am I doing up here,” she said through a plastic smile.

“Look to your left, Laura,” Bobbie said.

Laura looked and saw a bouquet. She picked it up, smiling yet hating what they’d done. She stood towards the edge of the Quartermaine balcony, holding it up in the air as photos were taken.

“Oh this is SO funny!” she said, laughing herself. “Am I supposed to really throw it or is this a joke?”

All eyes turned to Scotty, who was sitting quietly, and when eyes turned to him, he threw up his hands innocently. Luke laughed quietly standing right below Laura, realizing that this time, they knew all the pieces, and that they’d been through what they hoped was the worst, and they could survive. But they loved each other every bit as much back then as they do now, only now, they were complete.

Laura looked down seeing Bobbie, Elizabeth, Emily, Monica, and the rest of the women of Port Charles, but Felicia stood there, looking sad. Laura didn’t feel guilt, but felt sympathy for her. Suddenly, in the distance, Laura saw him. She tossed the bouquet to him.

“FRISCO! Think fast!”

He caught it, and all eyes turned to him. Felicia’s mouth fell open slightly, her eyes widened and blue. Her heart sped up, and whatever she had just been thinking of, she would never remember. He walked over to her, and the rest was history. Laura ran down the stairs and into her mother’s arms.

“You think we can make this your last wedding?”

“Hey, it’s only my fourth, Mom, give me a break.”

Monica pushed through. “I couldn’t love you more if you were my own child-“

“But she’s mine,” Lesley said.

Monica smiled. Laura hugged her tightly. “I love you.”

“I love you.”

Laura finally came to Bobbie.

“Make it this time.”

Before Laura could say anything, Bobbie hugged her. “I love you, Laura. It’s too damn late, we’re going to be sisters forever. You can’t get rid of me.”

“I will never have to. I love you too.”

Laura came down from the Quartermaine balcony and the party was still going on.

“Let’s stay awhile longer,” Laura said to Luke.

“You don’t want the honeymoon now?”
“Not right now, this is my big day.”

“You certainly are making me wait.”

“I certainly am.”

Ned Ashton danced with Laura. She laughed with him and remembered him as a rock star. Laura received a tap on the shoulder. It was Frisco.

“Frisco, hi. It’s good to have you back.”

He surprisingly gave her a kiss. She almost forgot she was the bride.

“You look beautiful, Laura. Would you like to dance?”

Frisco didn’t know. She had to find someway to say no. Think fast…

“Laura,” Luke said. “Excuse me, Frisco, I have to take my bride.”

“Maybe later,” she said as Luke pulled her away.

Luke pressed Laura’s body fully against his, holding her hand as she felt his breath against his face.

“Thank you for rescuing me.”

“I’ll always rescue you.”

“Even when I don’t need it.” She laughed. “I love you.”

“I love you.”

Bobbie cut in to dance with her brother.

“Don’t mess it up this time.”

“Thank you, Barbara, I’m aware of that.”

“Luke, let go of your pride and just have a good time.”

“You wanna see a good time?”

Bobbie’s eyes turned afraid. Luke lifted her up in the air and began to dance with her much the way they had at the 1997 Nurse’s Ball. Someone was smart enough to put on a good song. Laura couldn’t believe it.

After the song, Luke and Laura went to the wedding cake. She cut a slice as everyone gathered around. She fed it to Luke delicately, then smeared it on his face, nibbling it off. It tasted fabulous.

They began dancing again, Laura danced again with Scotty, wishing in a way Stefan was here, they’d talked before, and both agreed that it would be too painful on both their parts should he be there. Stefan would always be a great love of her life, and marrying someone else in front of him, when she’d almost married him herself, she personally didn’t want to go through. Luke bitched at Bobbie that Laura danced again with Scotty.

Bobbie smiled. “Well why don’t you get even with her and go over there and dance with Holly.”

“What? Barbara, what the hell are you talking about?”
Bobbie smiled and pointed to the far end of the grounds, where his English stood. An enormous smile grow on Luke’s face as he ran to her and hugged her.

“English! My God what are you doing here?”

“You and Laura are married again, oh Luke that’s wonderful.”

He kissed her softly on the lips and embraced her.

“God it’s so good to be in your arms, English.”

“Where’s Laura? Where’s your bride?”
Holly looked and saw her dancing. “Oh my, she looks beautiful. I haven’t seen her for almost twenty years! Who’s that man dancing with her?”

“Don’t ask,” Luke said bluntly. “Hey, would you do me a favor, for old times sake?”

“Anything,” Holly said.

Luke smiled mischievously and pulled Holly towards where Laura and Scotty were dancing, and began to dance twice as big as they were. Allowing everyone to know exactly what he was doing. Holly played along, purely enjoying dancing with Luke again. Laura tried to contain her laughter and caught Luke’s eye, lip sinking she loved him.

“Can I cut in,” Nikolas said.

Laura reached over and kissed Nikolas on the forehead.

“I love you, Nikolas.”

Nikolas held his mother and danced with her.

“You know the girl I fall in love with, the woman I marry, even when I look at her saying I do, she will never look as beautiful as you.”

Laura tilted her head slightly, realizing that was the most beautiful thing she had ever heard.

“I can’t express to you what you mean to me. You kept me alive. You made me survive and be able to be happy. And I would give anything to have been able to take you to happiness with me.”

“I waited for you, Mom. And I was brought up to hate you by my grandmother, but that portrait, every time I looked at it, I knew you were my heart. You were the good in me. Everything you ever touched is beautiful. And you’ve touched me.”

“You are my hero. I brought you into this world, but you made that world beautiful. I never let you go. There wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t think of you.”

“There wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t think about you.”

“And here we are. And I love you.”

“I love you, Mom.”

The song ended and Luke came over. “Nikki, do you mind if I dance with your mother?”

“No Luke, congratulations.” Nikolas held out his hand. Luke shook it. “Why don’t you go dance with your sister, and stick around for awhile.”

“Thank you, Luke, I will.”

Luke patted Nikolas on the back and he left. He looked at Laura.

“Thank you.”

“Despite the Cassadine in him, he’s grown up to at least love you.”

“He’s mine, Luke. Not Stavros’s, not Helena’s, not Mikkos’s. Get over it.”
“I’d like to get over you,” he said.

She burst out laughing. “Later,” she said.

Lucky and Elizabeth came over. Laura pulled Elizabeth into her arms.

“I love you, Elizabeth.”

“I love you, Laura. Are you happy?”

“If my husband can keep his head about him, I will be.”

“Thank you, dear.”

Lucky danced with Laura as Luke danced with Elizabeth. This was beautiful. Laura never thought all of her children would be at her wedding. Alan danced with Monica so sweetly. Holly danced with Mac, Felicia danced with Frisco, finally. Bobbie danced with Scotty, and Roy came and danced with Laura, pushing Lucky away and he danced with Emily.

“I always knew you two loved each other. Even in 1979 I wondered about leaving you two in the same room together. But…you were so…”

“Stupid!” Laura said.

“Naïve, but I remember still the way you look at him.”

He leaned in and kissed her.

An hour later, Luke and Laura were getting in the limo, and driving off to an island in the Caribbean. There were flashes shining as she ran with Luke to the car, her mother once again in tears. Bobbie laughing, Holly hugging her. Felicia stayed behind with Frisco, she would introduce him to Georgie. Alan and Monica stood in front, wishing Laura goodbye. Luke practically pushed Laura into the car, tossing the length of her gown into it. He slammed the door and they were off.