Stefan looked at Nikolas' empty bed and knew, as he had known when Luke said Lucky was missing, that Nikolas was gone. He sat on the bed, still staring at the empty spot where Nikolas usually slept. Nikolas had always been such a quiet sleeper. Stefan remembered all the nights he used to come up and sit on the end of the bed, ever so quietly and watch Nikolas sleep. Sometimes he'd spend the entire night there, watching the boy and wondering if he was doing the right thing for him. It seemed that only in those dark quiet moments, soothed by the even murmur of Nikolas breathing, could he even contemplate the dangers of his manipulations. Would Nikolas understand his machinations, or would he despise his uncle? Stefan suspected the latter was true, which would explain the necessity of sleepless nights next to his nephew. Sometimes Stefan feared that secret nights would be the only time he'd ever be allowed with Nikolas if he were to ever learn the truth.
Stefan was startled to discover he was caressing the pillow where Nikolas' head should be...if he weren't God knows where. He straightened resolutely, his back stiff, his eyes stern. He would find his nephew and he would make this right. A Cassadine never failed.
*************************************************************
Downstairs
"Luke, what do you want to do next? Obviously Nikolas can't help us. He's probably with Lucky."
"If that Cassadine brat hurts Lucky, there won't be a rock anywhere on earth he can hide under that I won't find him."
Alexis rolled her eyes. "Luke, use some sense. Nikolas is helping Lucky, if he's even with him. We are just assuming at this point that he is. Anything could have happened. He may be volunteering at the hospital this morning. Just because he isn't here doesn't mean he's with Lucky. And if he is...why don't you use that super-revenge spy sense you would use to punish Cassadines that hurt your family to find your family? Or does it only work if it's vengeful?"
Luke simply stared at her.
"I mean it. I've heard all these tales of the master of disguise and hiding, the sleuth that puts Sherlock to shame...frankly, I'm begining to think they are all rumors you started to make yourself look better. I've no evidence to corroborate the story."
"Look, lady, what you've heard is true, but it doesn't really help us now. Lucky knows everything I know. I had a hard time finding him the last time he ran away and he was a boy. Lucky is older now, more resourceful. And I don't have Laura to help me this time."
Sonny sat down next to Luke. "Maybe you should stop feeling sorry for yourself, call her and find your son."
*************************************************************
On the road
Nikolas looked over at Lucky again. He was starting to scare him. They'd left the diner and Lucky had promptly fallen asleep in the car while Nikolas drove. That wasn't so unusual, but Lucky was sweating again and the air conditioner was working just fine in the car. They still had a long time to get to Mesa.
"Lucky, hey Lucky, wake up."
Lucky slowly opened his eyes and squinted at Nikolas. "What's wrong? Are you lost?"
"No, we're fine. But I'm worried about you. How do you feel?"
"I feel fine. Hey, where's Foster?"
"Foster? We left him at your house...remember?"
"Huh? Oh yeah, I guess I forgot. Did Lulu get her transplant okay?"
"What? Of course she did...what's wrong with you?"
"Huh? I'm going back to sleep, wake me up when we get to Port Charles."
"Lucky, we are going to Mesa, don't you remember? To see Dr. Olam."
"Sure, whatever you say, Stone. You know it was really wrong that you got sick. You're too young."
Nikolas pulled the car over and put his hand on Lucky's forehead, he pulled it back just as quickly. "Oh man, Lucky you are burning up." Lucky had fallen back to sleep, or was he unconscious? Why had he agreed to this? Lucky was really sick and Nikolas realized he had no idea how to help him. He'd never taken care of anyone that was sick.
"Lucky! Wake up! What should I do? Keep driving? Take you to a doctor? What? What do you want me to do? Lucky!"
Nikolas stopped yelling as soon as he realized he was shaking his sick, probably dying brother. Even with his head rolling back and forth as Nikolas shook him, Lucky hadn't stirred.
"Think Nikolas....okay, I have to get the fever down. That is the most dangerous to him right now." He looked at Lucky and paled a little more. "Guess I'm in charge now and I say we are going to a hotel and then I'll decide what to do." He looked a little longer...thinking that if he just waited a second Lucky would wake up and tell him what he needed to do. But he didn't. Nikolas swore and pulled back into traffic.
**************************************************************
Wyndamere
Stefan came down the stairs and surveyed the people assembled. Sonny and Luke were on the couch, their heads together in an attempt to devise some plan to get the children back, no doubt. Stefan snorted in contempt. As if they would be any good in this situation. A crook and a wannabe.
"Alexis, has anyone checked to see if Nikolas' car is here?"
"I just called the garage. Nikolas' car is not there. I took the liberty of reporting it stolen." She continued quickly, a response to Stefan's raised eyebrow. "I know it may cause some confusion and Nikolas may be inconvenienced if he is not involved in this...scheme, but if he is, this is the quickest way to get some action and get Nikolas home. Do you disapprove?"
"Not at all...I'm just surprised at your initiative. I shouldn't be."
Alexis inclined her head gracefully at his subtle compliment, then stiffened as Luke started laughing.
" You really have no idea who you are dealing with, do you? If Lucky and Nikolas are together and they took Nikolas' car, then it's long gone. Lucky isn't stupid, he'll take the car for a decoy. You won't find the boys, even if you find the car."
"You are assuming that Lucky is capable of making decisions. He may be incompetent at this point. Who knows what his illness has done to him without proper medical care?"
"My son is fine."
Sonny watched Stefan and Luke closely...this was getting tricky.
"Your son is seriously ill and at large with my nephew. He is a danger to himself and to others."
"Let's examine how he got that way, why don't we?"
Sonny sighed quietly, so much for looking for Lucky.
"What are you insinuating?"
Luke jumped up and pressed Stefan against the wall, his arm across Stefan's neck. "You know full well what I'm talking about, and I'm not insinuating anything! I'm saying it straight out...you poisoned my son!"
"I did no such thing, but I think I know who did."
Luke narrowed his eyes. "Go on, I'm ready to listen to whatever you have to say."
"I think Helena did it."
Luke laughed and pushed Stefan away from him. "Sure, from her death bed, she devised a way to poison my son. You are going to have to do better."
Stefan sat down and ran a ragged hand through his hair. "I am telling you the truth. I would never harm a child, and despite his parentage, Lucky is just a child."
"Don't let him hear you say that."
"From the moment Nikolas called me to tell me Lucky collapsed, I have been searching for reasons why. I don't like it, but Nikolas has come to think of Lucky as a true brother of his heart as well as blood. I knew this day would come and I have striven to avoid doing anything that Nikolas may one day discover and use to further the rift between us. I have people working on this on my own, I have hired people. I simply can not come up with any other idea than my mother."
"What about the doctor Lucky found on the Internet?"
Luke looked up quickly. "What doctor?"
Stefan answered Alexis as though he hadn't heard Luke's question. "I'm not sure. Helena could have planted that information to lure Lucky away. it's not that difficult to start a web page." Stefan shrugged wearily. "I don't know. All the avenues I have searched have proved nothing, but I still feel that mother is behind all of this."
Luke stood up. "What doctor?!?"
Stefan seemed surprised to see Luke still in the room. "Didn't Lucky tell you?"
"Would I be asking you if he had?"
"Apparently Lucky found some evidence that his illness is in fact some rare syndrome, not poisoning at all. Nikolas wanted me to look into it for him, but he didn't give me any real information."
"Then our next step is to try to find this doctor. That's where Lucky and Nikolas are going."
********************************************************
Hotel
Nikolas paced in front of the bed where Lucky lay, his eyes intently watching. Lucky was still as death on the bed, only the rapid movement of his eyes under his lids proof that he was still among the living.
"Okay, Nikolas, think, you've had a fever before...what did you do?" Nothing, he'd had a nurse take care of him. He'd never had to think past 'I don't feel well.' "Okay, so personal experience is out, what about movies? What do they do? Aspirin and a cool rag. I can do that."
With a purpose finally at hand, Nikolas all but ran into the small, grungy bathroom and ripped one of the washcloths off the rack. He glanced at Lucky once more then ran out to the small convenience store/restaurant on the corner. He bought a traveler's pack of aspirin, a small order of soup, a burger and filled the ice bucket in record time.
As soon as he opened the door to the hotel room, he checked Lucky, disappointed that Lucky hadn't miraculously been cured in the ten minutes he'd been gone.
He went into the bathroom and put some water in the ice bucket and dropped the rag in, ringing it out a couple of times before he went and put it on Lucky's forehead. He irrationally expected to see steam rising from all the heat Lucky was generating. He smoothed the rag over his face and soothed his hair off his sweaty forehead.
"Okay, so now you need aspirin. How am I supposed to give you medicine while you are asleep?"
Lucky stubbornly refused to wake up and tell him what to do.
Nikolas looked around, trying to think of some way to get the medicine into Lucky. He grabbed the spoon that came with the soup. I guess I'll have to force feed you if you don't wake up." He waited, expectantly, then sighed and went back into the bathroom.
It took quite some effort, but finally he was able to crush some of the aspirin and make a gritty gruel that he thought wouldn't choke Lucky. He walked back to the bed and sat next to Lucky. "You aren't going to like this. I suggest you wake up. Okay, fine. Be that way, but you still have to take your medicine." Nikolas tenderly tilted Lucky's head back and eased his mouth open. He tipped the spoon so that the thin aspirin/water mixture spilled onto his tongue. Lucky promptly sputtered it all over Nikolas' shirt. Nikolas wiped the medicine off Lucky's face and fought sudden, desperate tears. "You aren't going to make this easy on me, are you?"
*************************************************************
Hotel
Nikolas was seeing stars by the time he got done rubbing his eyes, he'd had a long night. Lucky had been fitful, often losing all touch with reality. He'd asked for Laura repeatedly and didn't seem to understand why she wasn't with him. It had been hard on Lucky, but it had been harder still on Nikolas--he was fully aware of what was going on. Lucky probably wouldn't even remember it, but Nikolas would remember the hollow feeling he got in his stomach every time he looked into Lucky's eyes and told him that his mother was on her way. It was the only way to get him calm down. The first time Lucky had asked for her, Nikolas had tried to explain their situation, but it had only upset Lucky more. Nikolas had given in and simply started placating Lucky, agreeing with whatever insane idea his fevered brain came up with.
Nikolas had finally been able to get some of the aspirin into him, but Lucky refused to eat any of the broth, mumbling something about not eating any chili if it wasn't Ruby's. Nikolas couldn't convince him that it wasn't chili so he'd given up trying. A couple hours before dawn he'd finally stopped talking and slept. Maybe Lucky would be more inclined to eat breakfast. Nikolas slowly got up, indulging the various aches and cramps one gets from spending the night in a stiff backed chair, and moved to the bed, shaking Lucky gently by the shoulder.
"Lucky, are you hungry?" Lucky didn't move, so Nikolas checked his forehead for fever. "You're fever is down, you're forehead is cool, so why don't you wake up?" Nikolas walked to the end of the bed. He didn't notice that he'd started shaking. "You do look pale, maybe you're just tired after being so sick last night." He pushed Lucky's leg back, trying to nudge him awake. "Lucky, come on, get up." Nikolas felt sweat tickle his cheek, and impatiently wiped his cheeks, he didn't feel hot, he wondered why his face was so wet. "Okay, Lucky, you go ahead and sleep a little more. I'll wait here until you want to get up."
************************************************************
Wyndamere
Luke threw the laptop across the room, noting the lovely crashing sound it made as it slammed into the mantle. "This is getting us nowhere!"
Alexis looked sardonically at the demolished laptop. "Certainly not anymore. Ever heard the saying, 'You break it, you buy it'?"
Luke gifted her with a fake shudder. "That broken laptop would be number forty-six on my list of things I need to worry about today."
"As long as you have your priorities right."
Stefan walked in, pausing before he stepped over the laptop. "I've talked to Alan. He remembers talking to Lucky about the doctor, Hake Olam. Apparently he is not a reputable man and Alan tried to dissuade Lucky from persuing him."
"That would explain why he felt the need to ditch the hospital. But why wouldn't he listen to Alan when he told him this doctor was bad news?"
Luke turned to Sonny. "Lucky was looking for an excuse to leave, he was starting to get cabin fever. I should have seen this coming. He wouldn't have cared if this doctor's name was Kavorkian." Luke turned reluctantly to Stefan. "What else did Alan tell you? Does he know where we should look?"
"Yes, Olam has a clinic in Mesa. He thinks the boys may be going there...this doctor's reputation confirms my earlier suspicions. I think more than ever that Helena is behind this somehow."
"What do you think she is trying to do? If she poisoned him, why not let him just die in a hospital?"
"There are a multitude of reasons for her to proceed this way, Sonny. Perhaps she wants to torture Lucky, maybe she just wants him to die alone. Whatever her plan is, it revolves around pain and perversion."
"Maybe she's trying to get Nikolas." Stefan spun to face Alexis, who continued. "We can protect Nikolas here, but you know she must be watching him. She surely knows that he has become close to Lucky. She may have seen her chance to lure him away from the protection we have provided."
"We must find those boys. Both of their lives are in danger now." Stefan looked at Luke, who nodded resolutely after a brief pause. For their family, they would work together.
************************************************************
Hotel
Nikolas clutched the phone desperately, his knuckles white from the pressure. He sat on the bed, opposite Lucky, hunched over with his eyes firmly shut. He rocked slowly back and forth, as though trying to comfort himself.
He sat up as a voice answered, and found himself unable to speak.
The voice spoke again.
Nikolas finally found his voice.
"Laura?"
**************************************************************
Laura, it's Nikolas. I'm sorry to bother you, but I didn't know who else to call."
"Nikolas, of course you can call me. Why would you think you need to apologize? You are my son, I love you."
Nikolas grimaced and rubbed his hand across his suddenly aching temple. "I don't have time to talk about your idea of love. Lucky is sick."
"I know, Luke told me. I haven't talked to him yet, but Luke assures me that he is just fine. I must say, I'm really happy to see you concerned for your brother. You don't know how happy it makes me."
Nikolas stood up in shock. "What are you talking about? Of course I'm concerned for my brother! I seem to be the only one!"
"Nikolas, I don't understand, why are you angry with me? Why would you think I wasn't concerned that he was ill? I love all of my children. I wish that I could take back all the things I have done to make you doubt that. But it was..."
"Laura, shut up! You obviously do not know what is happening here. Lucky is still sick. He is not better, he is not home, he is not even conscious! What is wrong with you? You haven't even talked to him and you aren't concerned? You don't come see him when he is in the hospital, you don't call him? Why do you persist in thinking you are a mother? You don't know the meaning of the word!"
"Nikolas, stop it right there! Regardless of your opinion of me, I am your mother and you will not speak to me this way. Tell me what you mean about Lucky. What do you mean he isn't conscious? What is going on?"
Nikolas sat back down on the bed. "You really have no idea, do you?"
"No, apparently I don't. Tell me!! You are starting to scare me!"
"You should be scared, Laura."
***************************************
Luke looked around in disgust. Here he was, a Spencer, on a private jet with two full blooded Cassadines. It was enough to make him puke.
Then again, maybe he was nauseous for other reasons.
He hadn't been able to get hold of Laura, not that he knew what to say to her when he did. How was he going to explain this to her? There was no way. She would never see the logic.
He supposed he should be grateful that he hadn't been able to get in touch with her. He really wasn't looking forward to telling her, but it would be easier to tell her Lucky was still sick than to tell her he was dead.
Luke still couldn't seem to accept the fact that Lucky was so seriously ill. Maybe that's why he hadn't called Laura. Nothing was real until Laura knew about it. If Laura knew Lucky was healthy, then maybe in some twisted reality, he was healthy.
But now reality had intruded in a very real way. His eyes slid unintentionally once again to where Stefan and Alexis were sitting. Could it be that Helena was the real culprit, as Stefan insisted? Luke knew he could never trust any Cassadine, yet the fact remained that he was in this flying tuna can, with the enemy, hopefully going to find his son. For all he knew, he was leading the hunters to the prey.
What was the matter with him? This never would have happened to him ten years ago. He was always in charge, even when everyone else thought he was down for the count. Since when did he depend on everyone else to help him run his family? First Sonny, then the Cassadines, of all people! What had changed?
Everything had changed. Laura wasn't his partner any more. The children had affected the way they reacted so much. Ten years ago, it was just Lucky, amazing, adapting, obeying Lucky. That kid had never tripped them up...until he started thinking on his own. That's where the trouble came. When people started thinking on their own.
They were just going to have to stop doing that.
As soon as he found his son, he was going to find a cure, get him better, then explain the new Spencer philosophy..."Let Luke do the thinking."
Everything would be a lot easier after that.
************************************************
Nikolas hung up the phone and sat down slowly. That had been a new experience. Laura had been furious. That he had expected. What he hadn't expected was that she would be mad at him.
She had railed at him for letting Lucky leave the hospital. She wanted Lucky in a hospital now. She berated him for not listening to Alan. She wanted to know why he hadn't called Dr. Olam and made him come there. She even yelled at Lucky, despite the fact that he was not on the phone and wouldn't have understood even if he were. She became irrational, emotional, and completely absurd. Then she calmed down. She apologized stiffly and told him she was glad he was with Lucky and that she knew he was doing the best he could. Then she laid out a plan. A good plan.
For once, mom was taking care of everything.
Nikolas smoothed the blanket over Lucky and rewet the rag on his forehead. Then he leaned down and whispered in Lucky's ear. "Mom is coming for us." For once, it wasn't a lie.
"So that's what it's like to have a mom."
****************************************************
Hotel
Nikolas sat up suddenly and listened. He'd been fast asleep when something had intruded upon his sleep.
"Nikolas, where are we?"
Nikolas jumped up and all but flew over to where Lucky was half sitting in bed. "Lucky? You're awake? How do you feel?"
"Pretty much like death warmed over..which I guess is appropriate. Can I get a glass of water or something?" Lucky slowly lowered himself back to the bed and put his arm over his eyes to shield what little light was coming from under the curtains.
"Yeah, sure." Nikolas walked to the small alcove where the sink was and got Lucky a glass of water and brought it to him. He held the glass as Lucky slowly drank and plopped back onto the bed once again.
"Thanks, I'm drained."
Nikolas sat next to the bed and studied Lucky, not able to get over his shock at finding him awake.
"Are you hungry?"
Lucky grimaced. "No, no food." Lucky looked around a little. "Where are we? How did we get here?"
"We're in a hotel room two hours out of Mesa."
"Why did you stop?" Lucky attempted to get up to start getting their stuff ready to put in the car and discovered he wasn't going anywhere. Nikolas had to help him back into the bed.
"That's why. You are in no shape to go anywhere! I was an idiot to let you leave the hospital."
"Let me? You don't 'let' me do anything. I decide what I do."
"Lucky, you were unconscious with fever, I had to do something...I thought you were going to die in a rented car on the highway. Is that something you would choose?"
"Of course not, but if you'd just kept going..."
"You'd be dead. You needed real rest and medicine. The fever had to come down. I'm sorry Lucky, but we were pushing it, you can't run that hard right now."
"Fine..whatever, but we are leaving now. I need to get to that Doctor."
"We can't leave yet, we have to wait for your mom to get here."
*************************************************
Dr. Hake Olam's Wellness Center
Luke slammed his hand down on the counter again. "Hello?!? Can I get some service? NOW?"
Stefan rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed. Why had he allowed this cretin to accompany them?
The receptionist stomped to the counter, flipping her long braid over her shoulder. "Mister, you can not scream like that here. This is a medical facility, there are sick people."
Luke picked up the candy dish on the counter and slammed it down, sending peppermints flying into Stefan and the floor as he continued to yell. "Really? Am I causing you a problem? Then maybe you should get that Doctor of your out here and tell me where my son is."
"Do you have an appointment?"
Luke reached through the frosted window and grabbed for the receptionist. Stefan shot after him, grabbing him by the shoulders and bodily dragging him out of the office. "Alexis, talk to her while I deal with him."
Alexis eyed Stefan as he got a furious Luke out the door, just barely. "I'm terribly sorry for that display. He's a very worried man."
"He's a very deranged man."
"Be that as it may, he has a real concern. His son may be getting treatment from Dr. Olam for something called Culliton Syndrome. His name is Lucky Spencer, is he here?"
The receptionist picked up a clipboard and scanned it. "He doesn't have an appointment and the name doesn't sound familiar."
"Could you look in your records? The boy is very ill and missing and we have reason to believe he had been in contact with Dr. Olam."
The receptionist blew her bangs out of her eyes, perturbed, but finally sat down and started typing on her computer. "No, there's nothing here. Frankly, I've never heard of this Culliton Syndrome, I don't know what you are talking abou....what's this?"
Alexis leaned over the partition, trying to see the screen. "What? Did you find him?"
"Not exactly. When I typed in his name a note came up. He hasn't been to the clinic, but there's a message that if he does, he's to go directly to Dr. Olam." the receptionist looked up. "I've never seen a note like this, and I've been working for Dr. Olam for over ten years."
Alexis frowned. "Is there anyway I could talk to the Doctor?"
The receptionist turned away from the terminal. "That isn't possible. He has a full schedule."
"Please, this is most serious."
"So are his patients. Look, I'm sorry this kid is missing, but he isn't a patient of Dr. Olam's yet, so there's nothing he can do."
Alexis was starting to launch her next argument when she noticed Stefan motioning for her to come back outside.
"Thank you for your time, I apologize again."
"Sure, no problem. I love getting mauled by wild men."
Alexis smiled comfortingly and walked to Stefan, noticing that Luke had calmed significantly, she wondered what Stefan had said to him.
"I think we may know where the boys are."
Alexis raised an eyebrow. "They certainly aren't here. At least not yet, but they have heard of Lucky, we are on the right track."
"I just received a call from one of the credit card companies, Nikolas has used a card to rent a hotel room not far from here. We are going there now."
"Why not wait for them to come here?"
"Because, woman, my son may not have that much time."
*************************************************
Hotel
Lucky sat up slowly. "What did you say?"
Nikolas walked next to where Lucky lay, trying not to show his concern over Lucky's continued pallor. "You heard me, Laura is on her way."
"Why?"
"Lucky, she didn't even know you were still sick. Apparently your dad told her you were at home, completely healed. He just stalled her whenever she called. She should be here in a couple of hours, she took the Concord." Nikolas leaned down and felt Lucky's forehead, certain his fever was up. Lucky slapped his hand away.
"I don't understand...she didn't know? About any of it?"
"That's what it looks like, I guess your dad was trying to protect her or something." Nikolas was grasping at straws, trying to fathom a reason Luke would do this to Lucky and Laura. He knew Lucky needed something to grab on to.
"I don't know what to say. I'm too tired to be angry right now. I'm sure my dad thought he was doing the right thing."
Nikolas' jaw dropped in outrage. "What? How can you just let him off the hook like that?"
"Nikolas, I'm going to die. I don't have the energy to be mad at my dad for trying to protect me...or whatever the hell he thought he was doing."
Nikolas sat down on the bed, hard. "You aren't going to die, Lucky."
"Yes, I am. But it's okay, I guess. I had a good life. It was certainly not boring. I would have like to have fallen in love once, maybe had children, but I guess it's not gonna happen."
Nikolas couldn't believe what he was hearing. After everything, Lucky was going to give up? He was not going to just sit there while his brother died. "Lucky, stop it."
"The one thing I can't stand is that I'm not going to see Lulu grow up. She needs a big brother to help her out. I guess you are gonna have to do that now." Lucky's eyes were sad and distant, as if he could picture his sister all grown up.
Lulu was their sister...both of them. How would he explain to her that he let Lucky die? "You're talking nonsense, Lucky, you're going to be fine."
"I really don't want a big funeral, I hate formal gatherings. Maybe you can just cremate me and..I don't know...throw my ashes over the water by Ruby's, then go have chili there or something. I'd like that."
Nikolas got up and walked away quickly, haunched over just a bit, like he'd been punched in the stomach. "Damn it, Lucky! Shut up! You are not going to die!"
Lucky looked up, shocked at Nikolas' anger. "I'm sorry you have to deal with this. I should have just gone alone. This is too much, we aren't even that close. You shouldn't have to watch me die."
Nikolas turned back to the bed, his arms crossed over his chest protectively. "We are brothers, Lucky, I should be with you. I am honored to be with you now. It should be no other way."
Lucky smiled. "You know, you aren't half bad. I'm glad I got to know that before...well, before." Lucky rolled over and went back to sleep, leaving Nikolas to watch over him, unable to sleep any more.
Nikolas sat at the foot of Lucky's bed for a long time, staring until nothing else existed to him, except for one sleeping form. Eventually he moved closer to Lucky and pulled the covers tighter around him, not even noticing when he started rubbing Lucky's back gently, comforting himself more than Lucky. "You aren't going to die, Lucky. You have many little brats to bring into the world."
Nikolas' thoughts were interrupted by a frantic knocking at the door.
**************************************
Hotel
Nikolas stared at the door, for a brief moment, like the very devil was behind it...then he remembered he was expecting someone. He pulled the door open, more relieved than he had thought he would be.
As soon as the door opened, Laura tried to barrel her way to her sick son, nearly knocking Nikolas and herself over in her haste.
"Laura, he's sleeping, wait a minute." Nikolas grabbed her shoulders and held her outside the room gently. It was only when he touched her that she seemed to notice there was someone else her other than Lucky.
Laura touched Nikolas' cheek softly. "Nikolas? How is he? Has a doctor seen him?"
Nikolas looked at Lucky once more and pulled the door shut. "Let's talk in the lobby, I don't want to wake him."
Laura stiffened, not wanting to leave Lucky before she had even checked him for herself.
"Laura, please, there are things you need to know, and he needs his rest. He's just sleeping, I promise."
Laura paused again, but finally gave in to Nikolas' gentle urging.
Nikolas led Laura to the small lounge and choose a couch where they could both see the room where Lucky slept.
"How he is? Tell me the truth, it's about time someone did."
"I'm sorry no one told you, Laura. If I'd known, I would have called you sooner. I just thought..." Nikolas stopped awkwardly.
"You just thought I'd abandoned him like I did you." Laura's eyes closed slowly and she stifled a sob. "My poor babies."
Nikolas looked away, not sure how to handle her self-pity. "You didn't mean to abandon Lucky. You didn't know."
"I didn't mean to abandon you either, I was trying to do what was best for you, not abandon you. I always thought there would be a day when we could be reuinted, become the family I always wanted us to be."
"Sometimes I almost believe that."
Laura reached over and held Nikolas' hand. "It's the truth." She marveled as he acceptanced her hand without comment. "I'm so proud of you, Nikolas. I've always been proud of you, but to see you fight for your brother, the way that you've been here for him...I can't even express how much it means to me. I do love you. I love you both."
Nikolas' jaw worked as he struggled to keep his emotions in check. There was so much he wanted to tell her, maybe even that he loved her, but he couldn't, not yet. Maybe not ever. He wasn't even sure how much of it he trusted. Finally, he pulled his hand away. There was only one thing important right now.
"He's worse than I thought. He's convinced he's going to die." Nikolas ignored Laura's gasp and continued. "I'm begining to think he might to, he's very ill. He woke up for the first time in too long just an hour ago, but he went back to sleep almost as soon as he woke up. His fever keeps coming back...I think that's what's killing him. I can't keep his fever down."
"He needs to be at a hospital."
"I agree, but we should abide by his wishes and take him to Dr. Olam."
"I don't care where he goes, as long as a professional sees him. Are you sure this isn't some quack?"
"I really don't know, but it's what Lucky thinks will save him, and right now, I think that is what is most important. He needs to start thinking he can be saved again. I think he's tired of fighting, he's starting to accept this. We have to give him a reason to fight again."
"You could be right, his attitude is important to his health. And conventional medicine didn't seem to help him."
"I think this is his only chance."
"Let's go then."
Together they walked out of the lounge and toward the hotel room. Suddenly Nikolas cursed and started running. Laura looked in the direction he was running, shocked to see Luke and Stefan dragging a staggering Lucky to a car.
***********************************************************************
Laura followed Nikolas closely, stopping just in front of her son, who was squinting at her, as if he was having a hard time focusing. She tenderly put her hand on his cheek, upset to feel the heat that burned there.
"I'm here, Lucky." Laura caressed his cheek one more time before she turned to the men holding him up. "Just what do you think you are doing with my son?"
"Laura, get out of the way. We are taking him to the hospital. He is sick."
Laura stepped closer to Luke, shaking in her fury. "You picked a great time to finally decide to clue me in on that. What were you waiting for?"
"Lasha, now is not the time, we have to get your son to a hospital."
Luke turned furiously to Stefan, almost dropping his hold on Lucky in his anger. "Don't tell my wife what to do." He hardly noticed when Nikolas took his place supporting Lucky.
"I suppose that is your job? Are you the only one that can tell Lasha what to do?"
"Stop calling her Lasha...her name is Laura. What the hell does Lasha mean anyway?"
"You'll never know the secrets of Lasha, not the way I do."
"Stop it! What is wrong with you? Bring Lucky back to the bed, he needs to lie down and he's not going anywhere until I talk to him."
Luke finally noticed that he was no longer supporting Lucky and pushed Stefan away so he could support him instead. He and Nikolas walked Lucky back toward the hotel room with Laura close behind. Stefan started after them, but Alexis put her hand over his arm, stopping him.
"I think you should give them a moment."
"I need to talk to Nikolas."
"Stefan, please, just let him have a moment. I'm sure Luke will send him out himself in a moment."
Stefan watched the door to the hotel room close. "Fine, but if he's not out here explaining his actions in ten minutes, I'm going to get him myself."
"Fair enough."
********************************
Nikolas and Luke helped Lucky to the bed, then stepped back. They all seemed at a loss for words until Nikolas broke the silence.
"I think you need to talk. I'll wait for you outside." Nikolas checked that Lucky was okay with him leaving and slowly walked outside.
"Where's Lulu?"
Laura sat on the bed next to Lucky. "She's still in Switzerland. Mother is doing much better, so she can watch her for the most part, but there is also a full time nurse. She and Lulu get along well. I didn't have another choice. I needed to be with you."
Lucky rolled his eyes. "So, now you have officially abandoned all your children at least once. That's quite a record."
"Lucky, I didn't know you were so sick. I would have come before now, if I had known."
"Why do I have to be dying before I rate a visit from you? The only thing that should have mattered to you was that I was in the hospital...or hey, how about just the fact that I was sick and I needed you? Why do I have to have a reason at all?"
"Don't talk to your mother that way! She does the best she can."
"She does what you let her do!"
"That's not true!"
"No, he's right, Luke. I have failed all my children, but no more. I am going to put them first from now on. No matter what."
Luke sat on a chair facing his wife and son. "Look, I know you don't always agree with what I say or how I do things. But I am only trying to protect my family, the only way I know how." Luke turned to face Lucky. "Do you think I like being away from my wife or my daughter? Don't you think I realize how much I'm missing? My daughter is growing up without me. I'm not being deliberately cruel. I'm trying to protect my family."
Lucky sighed and positioned himself so he was lying on the bed again. "Dad, I know you are trying your best, but your methods are due for a change. What are we all hiding from now, anyway? It's time for this to be over. The Cassadines aren't our enemies."
Luke shot up. "You don't know what you are talking about. Helena Cassadine is the one that poisoned you...that is if it's not Stefan after all."
Laura gasped. "What? He's been poisoned? I thought he had Culliton Disorder."
"I do."
"No, that's just a ruse Helena devised."
"To what end? What does she hope to accomplish by making Lucky thing he's got this disorder?"
"I don't know, but I'm not letting him see that Doctor."
"Yes, you are!"
"Lucky, don't be stupid. You are playing right into their trap."
"And you are letting your hatred and fear blind you. I'm not going to die because of your feud. I'm going to see Dr. Olam."
"I am not running my show by the Cassadine credo. I decide what happens."
"No, you don't. I do."
Luke turned in astonishment as Laura spoke. "You have been running the show for a long time now, and you did a good job. But the stakes have changed, and so have the rules. We're going to do this Lucky's way."
"And trust the Cassadines?"
"No, we are going to trust Lucky."
******************************************************************************
Nikolas leaned against the car, growing increasingly annoyed at his uncle's seeming total unwillingness to listen to what he had to say. He had already explained once why he had left town with Lucky. For some reason, Stefan seemed to have been struck dumb, because he couldn't understand what Nikolas meant. At least, that was the only solution Nikolas could think of.
"I simply fail to comprehend why you felt you couldn't at least let me know where you were. It would have taken only a minimal amount of effort."
Nikolas pushed off the car to stand eye to eye with Stefan. "I explained this to you already, Uncle, I'm not going to do it again. I made my decision and I decided not to include you. I knew that you would have difficulty understanding my decision, so I didn't ask you to try. I'm not going to argue the point with you now. It's over. The only thing important now, the only thing that has ever been important during this whole thing, is Lucky."
Stefan took a steadying breath. "Shouldn't he be at a hospital where he can get proper treatment? I told you I would bring Dr. Olam to Lucky. I was trying to help you and Lucky."
"I understand that, and I am more grateful for your offer than you will ever know. But Lucky felt he needed to leave. He wanted to do something active to help himself. I understood that. I had to help him. He's my brother, I really didn't have any choice."
"Luke thinks that this Dr. Olam may be someone connected to your grandmother."
"Helena? How would she be a part of this?"
"Luke had a theory that I had poisoned Lucky, you know this."
"Yes, and it's not true." Nikolas' tone sounded slightly questioning. He still needed to know that Stefan wasn't trying to hurt Lucky in some misguided effort to protect him.
"No, it's not." Stefan said sternly. "However, when we learned of this Dr. Olam and then you and Lucky disappeared, we thought perhaps Helena was trying to get to you through Lucky."
"That's ridiculous. Why would Helena put Lucky in the middle of her plans for me?"
Stefan sighed. "Helena wants to punish Luke and Laura and she wants to control you. What better plan than to make Lucky's parents watch him slowly deteriorate? Nikolas, she has spies watching you and she would have known that you were becoming close to Lucky during his illness. It is not paranoia to think she may have altered her plans to include you. It would have been easy for her to set you both up to come to her."
"Do you think she is behind this?"
"I don't know. All I know is that I did not poison him. And as I seem to be the only suspect, either Helena is behind this, or Lucky really does have this syndrome."
"In either case, Lucky's best bet is to get to Dr. Olam. If it is Helena, she would have the antidote to the poison. We have to know one way or the other. Lucky can not die."
Nikolas started forward as the door opened and Luke and Laura came out, Lucky propped between them. "We are going to see Dr. Olam."
Lucky suddenly slumped down, forcing Luke to pick him up. "We'd better hurry."
*********************************
Nikolas looked around the private waiting room his Uncle had insisted on. Alexis and Stefan were sitting in the corner, next to him. They were talking quietly with each other, about how best to keep Nikolas safe if Helena was, in fact, involved with what had happened to Lucky. Nikolas didn't really pay much attention to what they were talking about.
His gaze strayed to where Luke and Laura sat on the opposite side of the room. Neither was speaking. Luke sat stiffly in his chair, staring straight ahead. Every once in a while his jaw would clench, but other than that, he didn't move.
Laura sat about three chairs away from Luke, bent over slightly. She looked like she was praying. Her hair was hiding her face, but she kept making this quiet sound, like she was crying.
Nikolas got up and walked to stand in front of Laura. She didn't seem to notice he was there, despite the fact that she was staring straight at his shoes. Finally she glanced up and smiled sadly. She reached out her hand. Nikolas took it and sat beside her.
"Don't cry. He wouldn't want you to cry. He'll be fine."
Laura laughed sadly. "I never thought you would want to comfort me. I've been such a terrible mother. I used to try to console myself with the fact that I was a good mother to Lucky and Lulu. That the only reason I had failed you was because I didn't have a choice, that fate had taken my chance to be your mother. But here I am again, guilty of not being here for Lucky and not with Lulu. I just have to face the fact that I am not a good mother. And now Lucky is probably going to die, and I lost so much time with him. All because I was unwilling to fight for my children."
"Laura, I..." Nikolas stopped, unsure what to say. He couldn't reassure her because he felt much the same way.
Laura patted his hand. "No, you can't disagree with me, or try to make me feel better. I just have to face the truth. Just because I didn't fight in the past doesn't mean that I can't change things now. I'm through feeling this way. I will fight for you, all of you. I just hope that I have enough time to make this up to Lucky." Laura wiped her eyes and took Nikolas' other hand in hers. "And that you will allow me to make it up to you. No more excuses, no more promises that I don't keep. I just want to love you and try to be your friend. Please, Nikolas."
Nikolas squeezed her hand. "I think I'd like to try too. It won't be easy, but one thing I've learned from this is that no one is guaranteed a tomorrow. And family is too important to me not to at least try."
The door creaked open and suddenly Dr. Olam was speaking to Laura. "Your son is gravely ill. We've run our tests and confirmed that Lucky is in the last stages of Culliton Syndrome. He has slipped into a coma. The only chance he has is the experimental drug I've developed. It's not approved yet, but if you are willing, I will give it to your son. It is the only thing that can save his life."
"Yes, please..."
Luke jumped up. "Laura, how can you approve? For all we know, he is working for Helena and trying to give him more poison. You'll be killing your son! I refuse to let you do this!"
"Someone has to decide, now. The longer you wait, the less your son's chances are. What do you want me to do?"
***********************************
Laura smoothed Lucky's hair out of his face. He was almost as pale as the sheets he was lying on. She looked at all the monitors that surrounded his bed like sentries in a war. There was a machine monitoring his heart, which was strong and steady, thank goodness. There was another monitor for his brain waves which were active. The doctors said that was a good sign; his coma was not a deep one. There was hope in that. Lastly she looked at the IV dripping steadily to his arm. The experimental drug was slowly entering his system. She could only pray that she had done the right thing. If it didn't work, Luke would never forgive her.
She would never forgive herself.
She grabbed Lucky's hand and held it against her cheek, smiling softly. "Oh Lucky. You never do things the easy way, do you? You're so much like your father. You always think you know the best way to do things...to hell with what anyone else thinks. It's your biggest fault...but sometimes it's the best part of you too. That sense of direction has got you through a lot of hard times. Your father and me too. It will help get you through this."
She looked up and saw Nikolas looking in through the window. "I'm so proud of you, Lucky. I didn't think you and your brother would ever establish any kind of relationship, I thought Luke and Stefan had seen to that. I should have known that eventually you would make your own decision. I'm glad you let him into your life. I think he needs that ...almost as much as you do."
Laura continued to touch Lucky in small significant ways. She rubbed his hand, or touched his cheek. Her hands were always moving lovingly over him, always in contact with him. She didn't know if she was trying to impart strength to Lucky through her touch, or trying to take some for herself. He had always been a part of her strength.
"I love you, Lucky. I always have and I always will."
The door creaked softly and Nikolas tentatively stuck his head in. "Can I come in?"
"Of course. Please, come in."
Nikolas pushed the door back and walked slowly to face Laura on the other side of the bed. "I wanted to see if you needed anything. Have you eaten?"
Laura smiled. "I'm fine. Thank you. It means so much to me, to have you ask."
Nikolas sat down and watched Lucky in silence.
"I'm sorry, Laura."
"What are you sorry for?"
"I should have made him come back to the hospital sooner. I should have done something to help him. All I did was run him halfway across the country to another hospital for him to die." Nikolas refused to look at Laura, continuing to watch Lucky with no expression on his face.
"Nikolas, listen to me. Do not ever say that again. You were the only one...the ONLY one who really tried to help Lucky. You did what no one else did, you listened to him."
Laura walked to Nikolas and knelt in front of him. "Of all of my children, I know Lucky. I know how hard it must have been for him to lose control of what was happening to him. I also know that Luke was probably too busy trying to save him to be there for him. It seems to me that you were the one to do that. He turned to you, and you were there." Laura grabbed Nikolas' chin and forced him to look at her.
"Nikolas, in every way you tried to save him. You tried to save his body by bringing him to a doctor, yes, but even more than that, you tried to save his soul. I know my son, he would already be dead if he had stayed in that bed in Port Charles waiting for someone to save him. Even if his body was alive, inside....he would have been dead. He needed to do this. Thank you, Nikolas."
"You won't feel that way if he dies."
Laura's chin trembled. "Oh Nikolas, yes I will. Even more then, because he won't die alone. You were there for him, and you made sure I will be too. You gave him his control back. He's doing this the way he wants to. You're a good brother."
Nikolas wiped impatiently at the tears now falling down his cheeks. "I don't want him to die."
Laura sobbed and laid her head down on his lap. Nikolas looked back at Lucky and let the tears flow freely, his hand on top of Laura's head, comforting her as best he could.
Luke watched the scene play out in Lucky's room, unsure how he felt about it. In one sense, he was glad someone could comfort Laura. He knew he couldn't. How could he comfort her after she signed the death order on their son? He had yelled, and screamed, and threatened until he was blue in the face and she hadn't listened. Some nurse had snuck up behind him and given him a sedative. Apparently, emotion was not permitted in this place. By the time he had come to, the decision had already been made. The drugs that were going to kill his son were already in his blood stream.
Maybe it was the after effects of the drug. Maybe it was just the fact that he had finally accepted the fact that his son was going to die and there was nothing he could do about it. Whatever the cause was, he felt empty inside. He couldn't even summon the energy to drag that woman away from his son. He just watched his wife being comforted by the her other kid, the one that was healthy, and his son...the one that was going to die.
He tensed as he heard Stefan come up behind him. "What do you want?"
"I just wanted to see if Nikolas was okay."
"He's fine. Nothing wrong with that kid."
"I am sorry about this, Spencer. No one should lose a child."
Luke turned to face him, his eye's mere slits. He stared angrily for a while, then he just walked away.
**************************************************************
Stefan pushed open the door that led to the small balcony. The hospital provided these small outdoor areas as a sort of oasis to the people stuck inside. It was a small comfort, he supposed, but he could see the value in them. Hospitals could be suffocating.
He paused as he saw Laura leaning against the railing, he head tilted up slightly as though she were looking at the stars, but he could see in the dim light that her eyes were closed. There was a gentle breeze that blew tendrils of her hair across her cheek, apparently tickling her, because she impatiently opened her eyes and smoothed her hair back, her hand stilling when she made eye contact with Stefan.
"I'm sorry to disturb you, Laura. I was looking for Nikolas."
Laura smiled and dropped her hand back to her side. "I left him with Lucky. I didn't want to leave him alone, but Nikolas insisted I get some air and I didn't have the strength to argue with him. I should probably be getting back." Laura moved to the door, but Stefan stopped her.
"No, please, stay. You are exhausted and I know how difficult this is for you." He paused. "I could leave, if you'd like."
Laura put her hand over Stefan's. "No, you don't have to do that. Sit with me." Laura smiled up at him, exhaustion showing in her eyes and behind that, fear. "I don't want to be alone with my thoughts anymore."
Stefan turned his hand so that he was holding hers. "Anything I can do to help you. You know that, Lasha."
They walked quietly and sat at one of the tables, sitting without speaking for a long time, both slipping into a camaraderie of long ago.
"I don't know what I'll do if I lose him." Laura whispered her words, as though saying them aloud was a condemnation.
"I understand your fears. I remember a time when Nikolas was young, six or seven perhaps, and he fell ill. I thought it was simply a cold and put him to bed." Stefan leaned his head back and smiled, lost in the memories. "You should have heard him fuss. He didn't want to go to bed." He turned to look at Laura, his eyes bright with laughter. "He insisted he was fine and demanded that I let him stay up longer...or at least read him a bed time story."
Laura laughed along with Stefan. "Demanding at age six?"
"Have you known a six year old that isn't?"
"You make a good point."
"I insisted that he must go to bed and finally, after his story, he slept. But when I went to go check on him later, he was burning with fever."
Laura turned in her chair and faced him, engrossed in the story. "What did you do?"
"I was terrified. He had never been a sickly boy, certainly never like he was that night. I sat by his bed for the remainder of the night, giving him medication, using cold compresses, monitoring his temperature in case he needed to go to the hospital. It was the longest night in my life. In those hours, in the blackness of night, I feared for his life."
"It's hell only a parent can know." Laura bit back a sob.
Stefan reached out and took Laura's hand. "I am sure that Lucky will be well again. It is simply a matter of waiting for the morning."
Both jumped up, startled as the door thudded against the wall. Nikolas stood in the doorway, watching them with confusion. "Uncle, I didn't know you were....Laura, Lucky needs you."
"What's wrong?"
"I don't know. His monitors started going off and the doctor's came running in and told me to find you."
Laura drew a ragged breath and reached out, unconsciously for help. Stefan took her hand in his and squeezed. "Perhaps it is morning, Lasha."
Laura almost fell to the floor as she slammed into Luke, who was also running to Lucky's room. He caught her and continued running, as did Laura. "Do you know what's happening?"
"No, I just saw doctors running."
They both stopped abruptly when Lucky's room came into view. Outside his door, a group of doctors was huddled together, talking quietly. Laura shuddered and started sagging to the floor, a low moan rising slowly from deep in her chest. Luke bent over, reeling from an invisible punch. "You killed my son, Laura." He walked slowly toward the assembled doctors.
Stefan jumped forward and caught her and propped her firmly against him, his arm across her waist. "We don't know that he's dead."
"Yes, we do! If there was still a chance, they'd be working on him! He's dead! My son is dead!" Laura went limp in Stefan's arms, screaming hysterically as tears streamed down her face.
Nikolas watched as his mother came apart in his Stefan's arms, surprised to see Stefan's chin tremble. Who was Stefan hurting for? He'd always thought his Uncle hated everything Spencer. But there he was holding back tears. Nikolas had never thought Stefan would care if Lucky died. Nikolas staggered back and slumped into a bench. Lucky was dead?
Suddenly Luke shouted. Certainly not unexpected under the circumstances. What was unexpected was the joy in Luke's shout. He sounded thrilled. Nikolas got up and craned his neck to see Luke. He was smiling and talking to the doctors, thumping them on the back hard enough to make some stagger.
Nikolas started walking then ran to the window at Lucky's room. Lucky was awake, talking to a doctor, looking remarkably healthy. Nikolas turned away from the window and ran to his mother and Stefan. "He's alive, he's alive!" He shouted the words over and over, laughing and crying at the same time.
Laura looked up, clearly confused. "What?"
Nikolas took Laura's face in his hands. "Laura, he's awake and alive. I think he might be okay."
Laura looked around, seeking confirmation. "He's alive?"
"Yes, look at Luke! You must have made the right decision, because he's awake!"
Laura stumbled out of Stefan's arms and ran into Lucky's room, barreling through the doctors. She didn't stop until she reached the bed and had touched Lucky's face. She then enveloped him in a hug and sobbed into his chest. "You're okay. My baby's okay."
Lucky laughed a little, embarrassed, and hugged his mom back. "I'm sorry I scared you."
Laura looked up, still amazed. "You'd better be."
Lucky laughed in earnest and held up his hands. "I am, I am."
Luke came into the room and walked to the other side of the bed. "How are you, Cowboy?" Luke rubbed Lucky's shoulder softly.
"I'm better, dad. You don't have to act like I'm breakable."
Luke laughed self-consciously and pat Lucky gently on the back.
Laura smoothed back his hair and turned to Dr. Olam, who had been discreetly hovering in the background. "How is he?"
"He'll be weak for a while, but his symptoms are clearing up. Our diagnosis was correct, he did have Culliton syndrome. If poison treatment's had continued, he would have died. You made the right decision."
Laura sighed. "Thank God."
The doctor patted Lucky's leg through the covers and smiled. "Don't get too excited. You still have to finish treatment and you aren't completely well yet. You were a very sick young man, it will take time for you to heal."
"Sure. I'll do whatever you say, Doc."
"Now I know you're weak. No argument for the doctor's orders?" Nikolas grinned as he shut the door.
"He's the boss. For a while anyway."
"I'll talk to you all later. Take care." Dr. Olam smiled once more and left.
Nikolas sat down on the foot of the bed. "How do you feel, Lucky?"
"I'm tired, a little hungry maybe. But I feel better than I have in a long time."
"Laura, can I talk to you for a minute?"
Laura nodded slowly. She stood and kissed Lucky on the cheek, then impulsively kissed Nikolas' cheek on the way out as well.
Alexis sat down next to Stefan and patted his knee. ''Are you okay?''
Stefan leaned back against the bench and expelled a long breath. ''Yes, finally everything is okay.'' He turned to look at her. ''Lucky is going to be alright.''
Alexis smiled. ''Yes, I know. I ran into Nikolas on my way in. He seemed overjoyed at the prospect. I don't think I've ever seen Nikolas so happy.'' Alexis paused to examine Stefan. ''How does that make you feel?''
Stefan laughed. ''Spoken more like a psychologist than a lawyer.''
''They are quite so different as you might think. You're avoiding the question.''
''No, not really, just thinking about it. I'll admit that I fought against this union between Spencer and Cassadine. I couldn't see how it could beneficial to Nikolas. But upon closer inspection, I think this could be the best thing for Nikolas. Try as I might, I can not keep him from feeling isolated. This bond with Lucky has alleviated that. I've also discovered that Lucky has some talents that may prove useful to the future head of the Cassadine empire.''
''I'm amazed you can say that without shuddering.''
''Frankly, so am I.''
Luke leaned against the wall and smiled tiredly at Laura. "Our boy is going to be alright, thanks to you."
Laura said nothing.
"I'm sorry. I was sure that he was sick because of some Cassadine scheme. I guess I couldn't let myself think of some random illness picking my son. Somehow, if it was some evil plot, I felt better. At least there was something I could do about it. You kept a clear head and probably saved our son."
Laura leaned into Luke and hugged him. "I wasn't sure it was the right thing. I was so afraid, Luke."
Luke closed his eyes, a blissful smile on his face. "I know you were, baby, but the important thing is that he's okay."
"Yes, that's the important thing, but it's not the only thing. We still have a lot to work out, Luke. Like why you didn't tell me that he was sick. He needed me and you kept me from him. I can't let that go."
"I know it's going to take time, but I'm willing to work on it. At the time, I thought I was doing the best thing for everyone. I'm starting to think maybe I shouldn't be making all the decisions by myself."
"Neither of us should, Luke."
"I'd like to have my partner back."
"I'd like that too."
Nikolas waited until the door closed and turned to Lucky. "Seriously, are you ok?"
Lucky laid his head back onto the pillows and closed his eyes. "Yeah, I'm tired, but I feel good, you know? Basically I'm just jazzed to be alive. I didn't think I would make it."
`"You aren't the only one. How do you feel about....well, Laura kissing my cheek?"
Lucky laughed. "You know, it actually made me kinda happy. I learned a little something during all of this. Number one, you aren't all that bad."
"Gee, thanks."
"And number two, no one has that much time. I don't want to be the person that keeps my mom from being happy during the time she has. And like it or not, you make her happy. I'm not going to stand in the way of that. Are you?"
"I don't know if I'm ready to call her mother of the year. But I'm willing to give it a chance. I learned something during this too."
"Oh yeah? What's that?"
"Not everything is as it seems. And that it's nice to have a big family. I even started to understand Luke....a little."
"Man, you learned a lot! Want to explain him to me?"
Nikolas laughed. "Don't even want to try."
The End
