| Chapter 56 Lucky left the girls in Em�s room to let them get caught up and he headed to Nikolas� room. He needed to talk to Nikolas about something. He thought it was time to let Nikolas in on his little secret. Lucky walked to Nikolas door and knocked on it. Nikolas opened the door looking surprised to find Lucky standing there. �When did you come home?� Nikolas asked. �Just a bit ago. The girls are chatting at this moment. I thought I�d take this time to talk to you about something,� Lucky said smiling at Nikolas. �Sure,� Nikolas said as he stepped aside and let Lucky into his room. The two boys sat down on Nikolas couch to talk. Lucky smiled at Nikolas and he said, �Zander and I were talking yesterday and he pointed something out to me. He said it is a bit daunting getting ready to take over the family.� �He�s right. I�m not looking forward in taking over this family,� Nikolas said sadly. �Because you think you are going to do this alone?� Lucky asked. �Beside Stefan and Alexis to help. Yes, � Nikolas admitted. Lucky smiled and said, �I�m going to tell you something but I don�t want you to but I don�t want you to tell anyone until I�m ready. Ok?� �Sure,� Nikolas said wondering why Lucky was staying something like this to him. Lucky sighed and said, �When dad went to prison. I sat helplessly watching as he was taken away when he didn�t do it. Then Grandfather showed up with Alexis and I sat and watched a real lawyer work. That is when I realized what I wanted to do. Besides, I grew up being taught that you work for what you got. I haven�t worked for any of this but if I become a lawyer then that will change.� Nikolas smiled at Lucky and said, �This surprises me because I never seen you working for the family.� �Well, I don�t know how my father is going to react to this news. He is one of the reason�s I haven�t said a word to anyone about this yet,� Lucky admitted with a sheepish smile on his face. Nikolas laughed and said, �Well, I�m not going to say anything but I am glad that I will not be the only one taking on this family.� �No, man. You�re not alone. Besides, I think there is something you have been missing. I don�t see Grandfather backing down any time soon, Stefan isn�t ready to pack it up yet, and by the time they do. The twins, Lu, and Lucas might be ready to fight for their share of the family.� Lucky said grinning. �Got a point,� Nikolas said feeling a hug weight being lifted off his shoulders. �Now, I just have to figure out Gia. I know I messed up with Robin but she seems so lost on me. I don�t know what to do about it.� Lucky bit his lip and debated on what to say something to Nikolas. He knew if he did he was betraying Gia but he couldn�t help thinking if Nikolas knew about the baby then he might understand things better. Lucky looked around the room and then back at Nikolas. �Ok, me saying this might be telling me what kind of lawyer I�m going to be but I think you should know.� �Sure, do you know what problem is?� Nikolas asked getting worried. He always thought there was something wrong with Gia but he just didn�t know what it was. If there was something wrong with her then Nikolas wanted to help. He cared about her greatly. He just hasn�t figured out of that was love or what it was yet. ************************************* While Lucky and Nikolas were talking, Gia was trying to get some sun and forget about things for awhile. Robin wasn�t going let her do it though. Robin walked over to where Gia was laying by the pool and sat down beside her. �What are you doing?� Robin asked Gia. �Reading, I do know how to do it you know,� Gia said eyeing Robin with a skeptical look on her face. �That isn�t what I mean. I want to know what kind of game you are playing,� Robin demanded. Gia put down her magazine and said, �You are the only one I know of that has been playing games lately.� �That�s what I mean? This isn�t like you? I went at you with everything I had and you did nothing. So, I want to know what in hell is going on? What are you hiding?� Robin demanded. She knew something was up but she didn�t know what. Yet! Gia got up and looked at Robin and said, �I�m not playing games and I don�t have to tell you shit about my life.� With that Gia walked way leaving Robin to wonder what she was hiding. Robin wasn�t the only one that was wondering about Gia. Carly was doing the same thing ever since this morning. Carly met Gia just before the young woman entered the house. �Can I talk to you?� Carly asked. �Sure,� Gia said and she followed Carly into Carly�s office. Gia was puzzled and stood in the middle of Carly office with her arms crossed in front of her. Carly closed the door and turned to face Gia. She didn�t waste any time in way she wanted to talk to Gia alone. �How far a long are you?� Carly asked Gia bluntly. Gia�s jaw dropped open for a moment then she said, �I don�t know what you are talking about.� Carly laughed and said, �I have twins. I can tell when someone is pregnant and when they are gaining weight. You are having a baby and I don�t need to be a mind reader to tell who the father is. So, how far a long are you?� Gia didn�t comment. She just shoved past Carly and ran out of the room. She knew if Carly figured it out then the others would finger it out soon as well. She had to get away before that happened. Carly called after Gia but Gia never stopped running. She ran though the house heading for the front door. She almost ran over Mikkos in her flight. �What the?� Mikkos said quickly stepping out of Gia�s way. Lucky and Nikolas were coming down stairs by this time. Lucky hadn�t told Nikolas the truth but he was hoping that Gia would. �Gia?� Lucky called out as Gia hit the front door and quickly vanished from view. Carly showed up before anyone else say another word. Carly was out of breath but she did get a few words out. �Where she go?� �That way,� Mikkos pointed to the door. �Damn it!� Carly cursed. �Uncle Mikkos, you have to stop her. She is pregnant with Nikolas child!� �She�s what?� Nikolas demanded looking at Carly then at his brother. Lucky wasn�t shocked at this news. In fact, he hardly reacted at all. �You know this?� Nikolas said accusingly to Lucky. �Yes, she told me but what I want to know is how you knew?� Lucky asked Carly. �I�m not blind,� Carly said and all of them headed for the door. Gia had made to the garage by this time. They keys she could find were Lucky�s. She was trying to drive with his car by the time the others walked out of the house. Her only trouble was that she never drove a stick shift in her life. �Gia,� Nikolas called out and ran to her. �Get away,� Gia, cried as Nikolas tried to open the door but the car jerked back in forth. �This is silly! Let�s talk about this,� Nikolas said as he pulled the door open. Gia just stopped trying to drive the car and fell on the steering wheel and started to ball. Nikolas gently shoved her over into the other seat then he climbed into the car. �Let�s go for a drive,� Nikolas said as he got the car into the right gear and pulled away. Mikkos called out but Nikolas didn�t stop. �Where does he think he is going?� Mikkos demanded. �Let them go,� Lucky said. He knew Gia and Nikolas needed to be alone. He also knew all of them would just make things worse for Gia. Mikkos was about to argue about this but Carly backed Lucky up. �He is right. They need to be alone.� �Ok, fine but you two come with me. I want to know what is going on,� Mikkos said pointing back to the house. Lucky figured that if Carly and Mikkos knew it didn�t matter what he said any more. He might as well tell all he knew. So, behind is Grandfather with Carly at his side. Both of them looked like little kids getting ready for a lecture. ******************************** Nikolas drove Lucky�s car until he got to a little caf� in the nearest town. They found table in the back and Nikolas ordered Gia a cup of tea. Neither one of them said a word until their tea came. �Why didn�t you tell me?� Nikolas asked Gia finally. �I don�t love me because of the baby.� Gia said trying hard not start crying again. Nikolas smiled and asked, �What�s love?� Gia looked up at him and first she was upset but then realized he meant it. �What do you mean what is love?� �I don�t know. I know I feel something for you but I don�t if it is love. I never have been in love before. I don�t know what it feels like. I know you drive crazy one moment and I want near me the next. Is that love?� Nikolas asked her. He was being honest. He was protected so much in his life that he had no idea what love was like or what he should feel like when he was in it. Gia laughed and said, �That�s love. Love drives you crazy but you get enough of it.� �Then I guess I love you,� Nikolas said kissing her hand. Gia smiled at him and they started to talk. ***************************************** The news about Gia and the baby spread through the house like wildfire. The question was who was more upset Laura or Robin. Lucky bet his mother because not only did he get lecture from his grandfather for not telling anyone about the baby but his mother laid into as well. The last think anyone saw of Lucky was him storming out the back door after his mother got done with him. At this moment, Luke was wondering around in the dark looking for his son. Nikolas and Gia arrived home about this time. �Where have you been?� Mikkos snapped as the pair walked into the house. �I fed her,� Nikolas said seeing the concern in his grandfather�s face. �He did,� Gia said kissing Mikkos on the cheek. That kissed softened Mikkos up more then any of Ruby�s talking. Mikkos smiled at Gia and said in calmer voice. �I don�t know when you saw a doctor last but I would be much happier if Alex looked you over tomorrow,� Mikkos told Gia. �Ok,� Gia agreed without argument. �Good night,� Nikolas said taking Gia�s arm and they pair upstairs. When they were out of hearing distant from Mikkos. Nikolas leaned closer to Gia and asked, �How did you do that?� �Lucky gave me a hint once on dealing with your grandfather. He told me to deal with Mikkos is the same way I deal with Luke. He is all bark and no bite,� Gia said with a smile. �Never heard it said like that before,� Nikolas said but then again to Lucky that is how Luke is and maybe grandfather that didn�t mean Nikolas saw them that way. Nikolas and Gia were walking down the hall to Nikolas room when they ran into Robin. �You bitch. This was your plan all along. Wasn�t it?� Robin demanded. �Robin,� Nikolas said not wanting to deal with her at this moment. �Don�t Robin me? Your blind if you can�t see it. Hell, I bet she had this all planned out the moment she arrived in England,� Robin snapped. Gia had had it. She might be pregnant and she might be risking the baby�s life by doing what she was about to do but she didn�t care at this moment. Gia hauled off and hit Robin square in the jaw. �You�re the one that has been playing games and I�m sick of it. You ever look at Nikolas again and I�ll scratch your eyes out!� �Now that is the Gia I know,� Nikolas said smiling. Robin was so stunned that Gia actually hit her and Nikolas did nothing about it. She stayed on the floor as the pair walked past her. The moment they were half way down the hall though. Robin jumped to her feet and started after them but Zander had come out of no wear and pulled her back. �Oh, no. Your coming with me,� Zander said pulling his sister into his room. �What are you doing?� Robin demanded. �She is either lying or got pregnant just to trap him. Can�t you see that?� �I don�t care why or how she got pregnant but if she is carrying Nikolas child you are out of luck about getting him back,� Zander warned his sister. �What do you mean?� Robin demanded. Zander laughed and said, �Gia is carrying Mikkos great grandchild. Besides, Nikolas is a lot like Jason. He is about to walk away for a child of his. He will stand by Gia and they will have this baby. I don�t want you to make trouble for them either.� �Even if I think she is using this kid to trap Nikolas?� Robin demanded. �Even if you think that because sis, I didn�t say this to you before because I was hoping you would wise up but I guess I have to. If you make trouble any more, Mikkos will ship you home! You are only here because I went to bat for you,� Zander warned Robin. Robin didn�t take this news to well. She stormed out of Zander�s room and went to her own room. Part of her wanted to leave now because if she wasn�t welcome her by any of them why bother to stay. ********************************* Luke mean, while still hadn�t found Lucky. He was walking by the lake thinking Lucky had gone down there like he had before, but so far Lucky wasn�t to be found. Luke was about to give up when he spotted Lucky or who he thought was Lucky standing near the water's edge. �Cowboy,� Luke called out and started towards Lucky. The figure turned around and looked at Luke. It wasn�t until Luke got closer that he realized that it wasn�t Lucky standing there. This person looked a lot like his son but he was dressed strangely and he looked ghost white with hunting hollow eyes. �Who are you?� Luke asked. �Nakita,� the figure said. �This is private property, you better get,� Luke warned the young boy thinking he belonged to one of the neighboring farms. �I belong here,� the boy said and before Luke could say anything else Nakita walked into the water and vanished from sight. Luke stood there unmoving not knowing what to think. What could he think? A kid vanished right before his eyes right in the lake without causing the smallest ripple. Alex had warned him if he started to see things that he could be getting worse but at this moment Luke didn�t know if it was the tumor or he had finally just got plan nuts. ****************************** The next morning, Nikolas had a brunch set up on the outside patio for him, Gia, his mother and his father. Thankfully with a little help from Ruby, his grandfather wasn�t anywhere to be found. Nikolas wanted to deal with his parents without his assistant. The four of them sat at the table and for awhile no one really said anything. Stefan figured someone had to say something. So, he was the one that broke the ice. �What did Alex say about the baby?� �Ah, the baby and I are fine,� Gia said having trouble looking anywhere but where Laura sat. She knew Laura didn�t like her and she had a hunch that Laura thought the same thing that Robin did. That she did this to trap Nikolas in marrying her. �Mother?� Nikolas said looking at his mother intently. �What?� Laura asked bluntly. �What do you think about this?� Nikolas asked her. �What can I think? It has happened and we live with it.� Laura said. Gia looked at Laura and asked, �Do you believe that Nikolas is the father?� Laura thought about this for a moment and then said, �I would love to say no but I know deep in my heart that is a lie. I might prefer Nikolas with Robin but then again my family wanted me with Scotty. Your not Luke but I can�t predict who Nikolas will love. Beside, it took a lot of courage to stick around this long with everything that has gone on. I think that says a lot on how much you love Nikolas.� Gia was impressed Laura actually sounded like she meant it. Stefan smiled at Laura and then said, �So, do you two know what you are going to do?� �We talked yesterday and I asked Gia to marry me,� Nikolas said smiling as he gripped Gia�s hand. �You know, this could be a double wedding?� Ruby said walking up with Mikkos at her side. They had stayed in the shadows until that moment. She didn�t know how Laura and Stefan were going to react to this news and figured they stay out of it until then. Nikolas smiled at Ruby and said, �Thanks but we want our own wedding.� �That�s fine,� Ruby said. �When will it be?� Mikkos asked. �I don�t know yet. We have talk to talk about it more,� Nikolas told his grandfather. Gia smiled and said, �Besides, I still have to tell my brother. You weren�t the only ones that I left in the dark.� �That�s ok,� Laura said, patting Gia�s hand. �We have sometime.� Chapter 57 Back to Trials of Love |