Chapter Thirty-three
The next morning
Saturday

Erin opened her eyes slowly.  The first thing she saw was Nik asleep in the chair next to her.  She wondered how long he had been there.  At first it didn’t register where she was, then slowly her eyes focussed on the machines and she knew that she was in the hospital.

Nik heard her stirring and woke up.  “You’re awake.   How are you feeling?”  Nik asked concerned.

“Like I was beat up,” Nik didn’t smile.  “I’m doing okay, a little sore.  But that is to be expected.  Who else is here?”

“Sonny, Jason, Robin, Brenda and her husband, are here.  Liz and Lucky went home late last night, they told me to call them as soon as you woke up.  Oh and some lady everyone keeps calling V.”  Nik said rolling his eyes.

“Do you know when I can go home?”  Erin asked hopefully.

“Dr. Quortermaine said you could go home as soon as you woke up and she made sure there was no lasting damages,” Nik ran his hand through her hair.  “I’m so sorry that this happened.  If it weren’t for my family, you would still have yours.  I’m so sorry.”  His eyes filled with tears.  There was nothing he could say or do to make up for the pain that his grandmother put her through.

“Oh, Nik,” Erin reached up and touched his face.  “This isn’t your fault.  None of this is, and I don’t want you to think that it was.  If I had to chose between you and everything…I would pick you.  I wouldn’t trade you for all the perfect families in the world.”  Erin finished with tears streaming down her face.  She sat up and kissed Nik softly on the lips.  This wasn’t just any kiss, this kiss sent electricity down both their bodies.

A few hours latter
Jason’s apartment

Everyone had gone back to Jason’s apartment after Erin had been released.  Monica Quartermaine had given Erin a clean bill of health and told her just to take it easy for the next few days. 

Sonny felt a little left out.  Everyone there was a couple or close to it.  Jax and Brenda were as far away from him as they could get, Jason and Robin were huddled together talking quietly, Liz was sitting on Lucky’s lap comfortably, and Nik was fussing over Erin who was sitting on the couch.

Sonny decided it was time to make his announcement.  He walked over to Erin and knelt down next to her.  “I have some news for you.”  Sonny said pausing for suspense.

“Well?”  Erin said.  She could tell that it was something important.  Her mood darkened when she figured that he was going to tell her that it was time for him go leave, once again.

“Hey cheer up, this is nothing bad, just the opposite.  All your begging and pleading has paid off,” Sonny paused giving her his playful half smile.  “I’m going to stay in Port Charles.”

Erin squealed with joy and clapped her hands like an excited child.  “You are?  Oh, that is the best news!”  Erin jumped up and hugged Sonny tightly.

Brenda looked at Jax, her eyes said the same thing that he was thinking, ‘oh, god.’  Robin smiled and hugged Jason, she had been hoping that she wouldn’t have to say goodbye to him, and now she didn’t.  She whispered something to Jason and he nodded.

“Sense we are going to be celebrating anyway.  Robin and I have an announcement also,” Jason paused and looked lovingly at Robin.  “We are going to get married.”  Robin was immediately surrounded by people congratulating her.

Liz and Lucky slipped out without being noticed and went for a walk down on the docks.  “I think it’s great that Robin and Jason are getting married.”  Liz said sitting down on ‘their’ bench.

“Yah, it is,” Lucky said quietly.  Liz leaned her head on his shoulder.  “Liz?”  Lucky said breaking the silence.

“Yah?”  Liz wasn’t quite paying attention.  She was thinking about how happy Robin was.

“You haven’t told me what collage your going to.”

“I’m not,” Lucky looked at her shocked.  “Didn’t I tell you yet?  No, I guess I haven’t.   Before I left I applied for a job with the magazine ‘Flash’, and I got it.  Why, what are you going to do?”  Lucky could see how excited she was about her new job.  He remembered her saying something about it before she left but she hadn’t mentioned it sense then.

“I don’t know, Ruby has been thinking about retiring and she has been hinting that she wants me to take over.”  Lucky shrugged.

“You running Kelly’s?” Liz paused.  “I can see you doing that, but I think you should talk to Brenda about L&B.  God knows you know more about music then she does.”

“I don’t know, that would nice, but Brenda’s too protective of L&B to let just anyone work there.”  Lucky shrugged.

“Well, whatever you do you will be great at it.”  Liz and Lucky sat silently thinking about what the future held for them.