| Chapter 29 Luke stood out on the steps of the brownstone smoking a cigar. Lucky had fallen back to sleep after their talk and Luke needed to spend some time alone. Luke found himself thinking about Stefan and his past with Helena. Suddenly, he saw Sonny's limo pull up to the street slowly. Even before it had come to a halt, the door swung open and Laura stepped out of it. She rushed to her husband and jumped into his arms. "You're here! It isn't a lie. She didn't take you away from me," Laura cried out as she held on to Luke for dear life. "Angel, it is ok. I'm not leaving you. I'm was mean to die on you like that," Luke said with a smile on his face, glad to finally have her back in his arms. He missed had Laura as much as she had missed him. "Oh, it is you. I didn't loose you," Laura said pulling away just enough to look at Luke's face. "No, baby, you didn't. I'm back," Luke said. "Don't you dare do this me again! I can't deal with it. I thought that you were really gone and I died inside. I wanted to die without you but I still had the kids to take care of," Laura said. She cried tears of joy at seeing Luke again alive and well. "Laura, I'll always be with you, no matter what happens. You are my life and as long as the children are alive you have me and I have you. So, stop crying and kiss me," Luke said. Smiled at Luke's playful words and kissed him. They didn't even see Sonny walk by with Lu in his arms and head into the brownstone. At that moment, the only people in the world were Luke and Laura and Sonny knew that was how it should always have been. When the two of them finally walked inside the brownstone Lu jumped into her father's arms and hugged him. "Daddy, where you been?" the child asked. "My tripped got delayed, sweetie. Have you been a good girl for your Mom?" Luke asked her. "Yes, I was, but she said that you were gone," Lu told him. "I know baby, but Mommy is happy now and so is everyone else," Luke said kissing the child on the cheek. Lu climbed down right then and headed into Lucas' room. Luke watched her go with a smile on his face. "She isn't affected by this." "No, she didn't understand what death was," Laura said still holding on to Luke as if he might vanish on her. "I'm glad, because I want that angel to stay the same for a while longer. I'm not ready for her to grow up on me," Luke said. "She is going to, sooner or later," Laura said giving him a kiss on the cheek. "I know, but one child without any innocence left is enough for now," Luke said. "How is Lucky?" Laura asked Sonny. "I don't know, he was still really off before he talked to Luke," Sonny said. "He wasn't off. He was being me," Luke said. "What?" Laura asked. "He trashed the club and that was because he was frozen inside. Bobbie and the others didn't understand it but I do. I have been there and I can't blame him," Luke told her. "Oh, a famous first," Laura said with a smile. "Hey, you shoudl trash your house," Luke said. "No, you would get killed by me," Laura said with a smile and pulled herself away from Luke to check on her son. "So, partner, how much is this going to cost me?" Luke asked. "Don't ask me. Ask your son. Laura sold him my share of the club," Sonny said. "What?" Luke asked in shock and then looked in the direction his wife went to. "I'll be back." He said then and headed off. Lucky was still asleep and Laura had just put the blanket back over him. "Angel, I need to talk to you please." Luke said his voice tight with anger. "Sure," Laura said wondering what had changed his mood. They stood just outside Lucky's door and Luke kept his voice low but he was upset. "Why does Steven or Stefan or what ever the hell is name is have Sonny's share in the club?" Luke asked her. "Oh, that is what is to blame for this mood swing," Laura said glaring coldly in Sonny's direction. She took a deep breath and let Luke have it. "Why? Because I had just lost you and I'll be dammed if was going to loose Lucky. Nikolas was shot right outside that club because of Sonny and his life. He couldn't keep it away then and he can't now. I know that you and Sonny are friends, but no more Luke. I'm not going to bury either one of my sons. I am not doing this, it Luke. I can't. I have nothing left. Helena, and Frank, and the guns have to go. I can't do it any more. I'm tired of sitting up and waiting for you to come or waiting for someone to tell me that you're dead. I don't want to do it with Lucky, either. I can't. I can't do it again. Please understand that I love you and need you, but I need them, too. I want the violence to go away. I want my little girl to walk down the street without guards around. Please do this for me and for them. Please end it, Luke," Laura cried and fell into his arms. Luke didn't know what to say and neither did anyone else. Sonny looked at Laura, Luke, and then Lucky who stood in the doorway wondering what had happened. He realized that Laura was right that his life would somehow touch them even if he didn't want it to. So, Sonny turned and walked away. Luke wanted to call out and stop him, but he couldn't, at least not yet. Laura needed a break and if he lost his friendship for it then he had to. She had gone through enough because of his life and he had to give her what she wanted. "Come on, Angel," Luke said pulling Laura into the bedroom where Lucky had been laying down. "I think you need more rest any of us." "Yeah, Mom. Come on, lie down," Lucky said and both of them walked Laura to the room. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` Hours later, Luke headed to the club. He wasn't surprised to find Stefan sitting there behind the desk working on some kind of report. "Well, there you are," Luke said "What do you want?" Steven asked coldly. "To talk," Luke said putting down the bottle and two glasses he was carrying on the desk. "You need this to talk?" Steven asked coldly as he pointed to the glasses. "Stefan. Steven, I'm trying here, OK. You can at least meet me halfway," Luke said. "Why should I? Your not going to change you opinion of me," Steven said coldly. "Not while you act like this I'm not. You want to know why I hated you , well it's because you did nothing while Stavros beat my wife. If you had loved Laura as much as you said you did then you would have died of her. You would have stood up and stopped them from hurting her even if it had taken your life," Luke snapped. "Don't you think I tried? I tried to get him to stop, but you don't know Stavros. He did what he wanted, when he wanted to," Steven snapped. "You didn't fight for her. YOU don't let anyone beat a woman. IF you see it happening then you stand up and stop it. NO matter what the odds are. IT isn't' right and it sure as hell isn't what a man would do," Luke yelled. "Yeah, you just raped her, right? I have done a lot of things, but that isn't one of them," Stefan said. "You don't think that I regret that night? I do and it has haunted me ever since. It was Laura that taught me to love. I forgot how after your mother, because she left nothing inside me but a block of ice. I took what I wanted and didn't care who I hurt. Normally, I bought my love or the sex, but Laura was the first one that was different then the others. So, when she pulled away, I just took what I wanted. Afterwards, when I saw her pained filled eyes, I felt regret for the first in years. I thought that she hated me for life and I would have deserved it, but she forgave me and she showed me how tolove. Did I deserve it? No. I earned her hate but she couldn't hate me. She forgave me," Luke told him. "She is stronger then me. I couldn't forgive her," Steven said and Luke knew it wasn't Laura that he was taking about. "Here drink this and talk. Tell me about the part of your life that I don't know about. Tell me about the son that I had know idea that I had," Luke said and poured them both a drink. Steven looked at him in shock and dismay. He first thought that it was a game, but all Luke did was sit down and wait for him to start. So, he told him. He told Luke things that only Alexis knew. They both got drunk that night and they found out more about each other then they had ever known before. Was Luke his father? No. Steven was past the needed for a father, but maybe a friend in time of need would help. Especially while all the wounds healed. They started a peace between them that night that was long over due. Stefan was dead to everyone that mattered. Steven found a home with a family that he thought wasn't possible. He wasn't anyone's secret or bastard child. He was just himself and he could finally make a life that fit him. He had nothing to live up to anymore but what he wanted to live for. The End.... Back to Luke's Secret Past |