Angel30

Chapter Thirty

They found Stefan lying on the floor bleeding badly but alive. Kermit took off
is jacked and placed it on the wounded. He grabbed Lucky�s hands and ordered him
to hold the jacket tight against Stefan. �Don�t worry about hurting him. You
might just save his life,� Kermit said.

Caine, Lulu, and Nikolas arrived right then. The kids stayed by Stefan while
Kermit called for help and Caine went to turn the power back on. Lulu was crying
and Nikolas held her. They were all worried about Stefan. He didn�t look too
good and he didn�t open his eyes once. Lucky regretted the harsh words he said
to him days earlier and wanted a chance to make things up to him.

They transported Stefan to General Hospital and everyone including Luke waited
for word on his condition. Bobbie Spencer walked out of the room and stood in
front of Luke. �He wants to talk to you,� Bobbie said.

Luke looked at her in surprise and wondered if this was a joke or a trap but
from the look on her face. Luke knew that something was really wrong and he
headed to the room. Bobbie stopped him before he entered and said, �Luke. Stefan
is dying and there is nothing we can do. Don�t push him along.�

Luke crossed his heart and kissed her on the cheek. Bobbie didn�t want to be the
one to tell everyone and she left for the chapel to say her good byes to Stefan
in peace. Luke walked up to the bed and looked down at his once enemy. Many
times Luke wished Stefan would have died but now he wanted him to live. �Helena
is going to pay for all of this,� Luke muttered.

�She will but let the law handle her. You have to do something for me,� Stefan
said with a lot of trouble. �I want you to look after Nikolas and make sure no
one knows he isn�t Stavros son. The family must not be pulled apart and he is
the one that can keep them together.�

�I�ll do that don�t worry. The secret will stay buried,� Luke told him.

�Luke and I did something a few days ago. I started a trust fund for Lucky and
Lulu. Nikolas agreed and I want the money to be used to send Lucky to a school
that would teach him how to live in this world not survive it. I know you might
not like the idea but do this for him and me. I never got the chance to do
anything for my youngest son. Let me do this on thing,� Stefan begged him as he
fought for breath.

�You got,� Luke said tying to choke back the tears. �I�ll go get the rest of
your family. You don�t have to see my face when you die.� Luke quickly left the
room and went for the others. He loved to have his hands around Helena neck
right at this very moment.

One by one each one entered the room to say good bye. Nikolas and Alexis walked
in together. Nikolas grabbed Stefan�s hand and said, �Don�t leave me. I still
need you.�

�I don�t have much choice but I�m glad it was me not you. You do me a favor and
never tell anyone outside this group what you taped. Nikolas, you are the
Cassadine and you must take this family on to the next century. You can change
the way people perceive the Cassadines. Don�t make the same mistakes the rest of
us had and think you can run the world. All you can do is make it better,�
Stefan told him.

�I promise.� Nikolas said through his tears. Nikolas kissed Stefan on the check
and quickly left the room.

�Alexis. Do me a favor and look out for him. He needs someone that understands
what it is to be a Cassadine and take down my mother. She has to pay for her
crimes,� Stefan said.

�I promise brother,� Alexis said. She kissed him slowly left.

Laura helped Lucky into the room and watched as he said good bye. �Stefan. I�m
sorry for what I said. I was just angry and we might have been friends,� Lucky
said.

�I know we would have but things didn�t work out that way. You take care of
yourself and look out for your mother and sister. They need that sometimes. I
want to talk to Laura alone. Can you give us that?� Stefan asked him.

Lucky slowly left the room and Laura watched him go. Stefan looked at her and
said, �You never tell Luke that Lulu isn�t his.�

�He has to know. Nik was her match. I can�t lie about it anymore.� Laura begged
him.

�No. I�m asking you for a different reason then the last time. He needs to know
that his bloodline goes on in one of his children. Don�t take all of them from
him. He loves you Laura and I love you. At least one of us will look after you
and the kids,� Stefan choked out.

Laura laid her head on his chest and cried. Laura and Stefan didn�t see Luke
walk in the room and walk out. He heard everything but didn�t know how to react
to it. Luke wandered to the chapel and kneeled down in front of the altar. �Am I
too rotten to even have one child that was mine? You took Lucky from me, and now
Lulu. What did I do to disserve all of this,� Luke cried out. �I know that I did
some rotten things to a lot of people, but you were suppose to be a forgiving
person.�

�He is,� Tess said and pulled Luke to his feet. �He loves you just like all of
his children. You just have to let him in. God�s not taking them from you but
giving them to you. Luke, you always think because of your past that you can�t
be loved but your wrong. God loves you more because of it. You don�t forgive
yourself for your mistakes but he does.�

�How can he? I raped the woman I loved and them married her,� Luke said fighting
the tears.

�She forgave you and moved on. Do the same not for her but yourself,� Tess said.

�How?� Luke asked.

�Just let it go.� Tess whispered. She wrapped her arms around Luke and let him
cry out all of his hate for himself. Tess pulled away and said, �Now, forgive
her for her mistakes and you two will live a long and happy life together. Raise
those kids as your own because they are. A father isn�t the person you share a
bloodline with but a person who loves and guides you.�

Tess vanished and left Luke alone to think about what she said. The memory of
Stefan�s words were there but the hate he should have felt wasn�t. Tess took
that with her and left Luke with the ability to forgive Laura for all of the
lies that lay between them.

Stefan was surrounded by everyone but Luke. Even Bobbie was there his last
minutes in life. He stopped talking and was slowly slipping way. Lucky laid a
hand on his chest and said, �Let go.� Stefan at that moment in time died. Bobbie
turned off the machine and started to cry. They all stood in the room and
mourned for him.

Laura left before anyone else to look for Luke. She found him still in the
chapel looking up at the cross. �Luke. Stefan is dead.�

�I know. Laura, I overheard what he said about Lulu and I don�t hate you for it.
I just want the truth,� Luke said and turned toward her.

She could tell from his eyes that he was crying. Laura took a deep breath and
told him the story. �He came to me at Bensonhurst just to update me about
Nikolas and see if I was ok. We didn�t mean to but I was lonely and frightened.
You just left me days before and I didn�t know who the father was until the test
came back when we were looking for a donor. I was afraid of loosing you so I
just kept it to myself. I didn�t even know until he came to the Carolinas that
Stefan knew before me,� she said.

�Thanks for telling me the truth. Like I said, I don�t hate you but love you
with all my heart. But in front of this cross I want you to promise me that we
will never lie to each other again. I can�t keep doing this alone. We have to
rebuilt what our lies have destroy and that is our marriage,� Luke said and got
to his knees in front of her.

�I promise you Laura. I will love you children and Lucky as my own. I will never
lie to you about anything that pertains to this family and will risk my life to
save all of you,� Luke said.

Laura joined him and said, �Luke. I promise you that from now on. I will tell
you the truth about our lives and I will be the wife you always thought I was. I
will stand by you and fight for this family. Not anyone on this earth will ever
pull us apart.�

They got up and kissed each other slowly and passionately. Luke and Laura went
to find their family and to make arrangements for Stefan. Everyone was standing
outside Stefan�s room Alexis was still crying and Nikolas was trying to comfort
her, but needed some comfort of his own. �Let�s go back to the house. Bobbie can
you take care of this for me here. I�ll call you when we get things more settled
and tell you where to deliver him,� Luke said and put an arm around Lucky�s
shoulder and guided him to the elevator. Laura took care of Alexis and Nikolas.
Kermit carried Lulu who was a sleep in his arms.

Chapter 31
Back to Angels Lend A Helping Hand index