Chapter One Hundred Fourty-Five:
Reach Out and Touch Someone

A Trattoria near St. Peter's Square.

Lucky, having finished his meal first, is deeply engrossed in a study of his water glass. Emily, in turn, is finishing up her lunch, deeply engrossed in a study of him. He's being incredibly quiet. It doesn't exactly make her nervous, so much as concerned. She pushes her plate away and leans forward, occupying herself with folding her napkin in odd directions while watching him. Lucky, feeling watched, glances up. She gives him a practiced smile.

Em: There, are you happy? I ate. (Lucky gives her a crooked smile)

Lucky: I'm delirious. (Emily furrows her brow).

Em: What's going on? (Lucky looks up, seeming almost startled at the question).

Lucky: Where?

Em: In your head. You've got this look… Like you're already on the island, or something.

Lucky: (putting down his glass) I'm not even thinking about the island yet.

Em: Then what?

Lucky: Greece.

Em: Yeah… (Lucky leans back in the chair).

Lucky: How we're going to get there. What we need when we get there…

Em: How long it's going to take for you and Nikolas to be at each other's throats?

Lucky: That's not important. (Emily gives him a look of surprise, but Lucky doesn't catch it… or quite purposely avoids catching it, she's not sure which. She drops her napkin to the table, lightly)

Em: Maybe to you… But I'm the one who's going to be moderating. (She leans across the table) We can't just pretend Nikolas isn't a part of this.

Lucky: (shaking his head, unnaturally calm) I'm not.

Em: Ok… Then… (She puts her head in her hands, taking a moment to figure out what she's trying to do here. She looks up at him again) Can you at least tell me what changed? I mean…

Lucky: Nothing changed. Not with us.

Em: How… How can you say that? Lucky… You know, you guys used to be totally cold, non-communicative, you… You're here because of him… something must have changed.

Lucky: This isn't about Nikolas. It's about this being over. That's all.

Em: Ok…

Lucky: I'm as sick of it as he is… this stupid feud… It descended on us out of nowhere and tore my family apart. If it doesn't end with Nik and I, then it just keeps on going. I'm doing that. I'm not waiting until… (Lucky stops short. Emily stares at him a moment until he speaks again, his voice deliberate and low) There's only one way this works.

Em: Which is?

Lucky: All this stuff… You know, the history, who did what when, all that garbage… This isn't about that. And if it's going to work, it can't BECOME about that, you understand what I mean?

Em: Sounds like a pretty tall order… But yeah, I guess.

Lucky: It doesn't matter. It's the only way. This is not about us. It's not about whatever we are, or what our families want us to be. It's just about stopping this feud, shutting it down at the source. After that…

Em: What?

Lucky: I don't know. (Lucky stares hard at the decorative bottle of seasoned olive oil in the center of the table. He doesn't want to think about that. The after. It's never been a place he's been comfortable. In fact, he's never felt much like letting his mind wander more than five minutes in the future. He was too accustomed to it being uncertain. This is was just like everything else. Somehow they'd get to Greece. Somehow they'd make it to the island. And whatever happened there… Happened. What happened after was impossible to predict. But at least that would be it for the deaths. No one else dies. That was all he could concentrate on right now. He looks up to see Emily still looking at him with concern. He reaches out and takes her hand from across the table) Look, there's no point in this. But the best, easiest way to get through this is to keep this all on a superficial level.

Em: Superficial… There's nothing superficial about you guys. You can't just turn off that part of you, the part that FEELS, that can't be…

Lucky: I can if I have to. And trust me, I've already been through this with Nik twice. The first time it didn't go so great, the second… We just have to make sure we don't get into anything serious. Then everything's fine. (Emily stares at the back of Luck's hand and runs her thumb across his skin. This has disaster written all over it. And she has more than a passing suspicion that she'll be the one that ends up in the middle. So she has a choice… Either embrace this decision and spend the foreseeable future ensuring they don't venture into any emotional mine fields, OR just let them see how completely impossible this is themselves… Or, she can just play it by ear. Emily sighs, then smiles across the table at Lucky).

Em: What about today. We have three and a half hours.

Lucky: Yeah, we gotta get moving.

Em: Well, I can shop like the wind, that's not a problem. What do you have to do?

Lucky: I'm… I'm going to call Jason.

Em: Jason? My Jason?

Lucky: Who else?

Em: Why?

Lucky: Uh… To see if he knows anyone I can hook up with here in Rome, or on the coast some place.

Em: Oh… Boy.

Lucky: It's ok.

Em: Yeah… I guess. He'll have to know SOMEONE, right?

Lucky: Maybe. Most of his dealings are… (He winces slightly) Well, you know about everything you should.

Em: I know.

Lucky: But it's a big world… And we could use someone with credentials who doesn't have to have all the cards on the table.

Em: To get what…

Lucky: Safe passage.

Em: How fast do you think this is going to happen?

Lucky: I don't know. I can't tell you anything until I talk to him.

Em: Ok. But I'm seeing Nikolas at four, so is there anyway…

Lucky: We should probably meet. I mean, we can't afford for you to see him a whole lot, so we gotta make it count.

Em: Great. I agree.

Lucky: Ok. So… Three-thirty?

Em: Sure. Where?

Lucky: Where will you be?

Em: Somewhere off of Via Del Corso, probably.

Lucky: You know this place better than I do.

Em: Trevi Fountain, ok? We'll meet at Trevi Fountain. You're going to see at least ONE sight before we leave this place, ok? (Lucky smiles at her, squeezing her hand).

Lucky: Whatever you say.

Lesley Webber's Flat, London, England.

Lesley is seated at a pine writing desk by a window in the second-story flat she occupies. She is going over papers, making notes with a pencil, deep in thought. The phone rings beside her, and though it's within arm's reach she doesn't answer until the middle of the third ring.

Lesley: Hello?

Laura: Mom? (Lesley sits up, dropping her pencil.)

Lesley: Laura! I was beginning to think you'd been swallowed up by something, I haven't heard from you in over… what? Two weeks? (Laura, sitting at the kitchen table of the Spencer abode, winces at the statement.)

Laura: Yeah… Well… There's been a lot going on.

Lesley: Uh oh. I know that tone.

Laura: It's not a tone… (Lesley picks up the clock off her desk and regards it over her glasses)

Lesley: Laura, what time is it there?

Laura: Uh… Around seven.

Lesley: Don't you have a day to get started on?

Laura: Lulu is always up at the crack of dawn, she… I just gave her some cereal and a glass of orange juice, she's upstairs… (Laura's face crumples and she rests her head against her hand, tears beginning to stream down her face. On the other end of the phone, Lesley hears a ragged breath exhaled and sits up in her chair).

Lesley: Laura? What's wrong.

Laura: Everything. Absolutely everything, I don't know where to start!

Lesley: At the beginning! Sweetheart. You're scaring me to death.

Laura: Mom… I don't know what the beginning IS anymore! Is it… Switzerland? Is it when Lulu got sick? Is it… (She stops and shakes her head) I… I'm so tired, Mom. I haven't slept a whole night in… God, I swear, four years. And now, I'm barely shutting my eyes. I'm this close to just… I don't know what.

Lesley: Laura, you've got me this close to hanging up and booking a flight to Port Charles… will you tell me what's going on?

Laura: I'm trying… I swear I'm trying. (She takes a deep breath, trying to steady herself, though her heart is beating a million miles a minute and she is still shaking) Luke has moved out.

Lesley: What?

Laura: It gets worse. Lucky has left town for God knows where… Nikolas is in Rome. (She presses her lips together) In the span of two weeks… Oh, God. I still don't know how to explain it.

Lesley: Are you saying Lucky's run away?

Laura: No. No, not like that. He's… Mom. (She closes her eyes) Luke knows. I finally told him.

Lesley: Oh, God… Laura. Why?

Laura: Because… There's been more going on than I told you… more than I told anybody. Lucky knew. He knew and he didn't want anyone to know that he knew, he just… I made a lot of mistakes, Mom. This is the only way I can think of to fix them.

Lesley: I'm confused. Lucky… Lucky knew that you had an affair with Stefan on the island?

Laura: This is what I mean, Mom, there's so much… (She stops, giving a short laugh) That isn't even why I'm calling.

Lesley: I'm afraid to ask!

Laura: I… I'm just scared, Mom. Luke is… He's angry and he's hurt. And I'm worried about who he's taking it out on. I think… I think it's why Nikolas left. Then I have Lulu, who is being quiet and won't talk, just… Looks at me like I've chased everyone away. And I guess I have.

Lesley: Laura, you can't blame yourself.

Laura: Why not? Everyone else does. (She shakes her head, frustrated with the blatant display of self-pity). No. They have every reason. I've given them EVERY reason. I lied to my husband, and my son… And I let my other son do the same thing. Mom… It's more than just an affair… Nikolas is Stefan's son. (There is a long silence on the other end of the phone as Lesley digests this.)

Lesley: My God… Laura. (At the tone in her mother's voice, Laura feels the tears welling up again. She bites her lip.)

Laura: I just can't… I don't know where to go next. I don't know where Lucky is, or otherwise…

Lesley: Well, that's it. I'm coming to Port Charles.

Laura: There's no reason to do that. There really isn't.

Lesley: What sort of reason do you think I need? You need me, I can hear it in your voice.

Laura: No. No, I need to fix this. Somehow. And I need to stop hurting my daughter while I try to work that out. I want her to be someplace safe. I want to have someone who can take care of her and make sure she's… I can't make her happy right now. She's too… Perceptive. She knows what's going on even without me telling her. She's knows I'm scared and sad, and she knows Luke is angry. I think she blames me for letting Lucky and Nikolas leave and maybe she even thinks I'm what's keeping everyone away. I just need there to be a place where she can go and be a normal kid for a little while.

Lesley: Anything I can do.

Laura: I want to bring Lulu to England. I want her to stay with you until this works out.

Lesley: well… I'm going to have to make preparations, but absolutely, Laura. I'll do whatever you need me to, honey.

Laura: I knew you would. (She presses her lips together) That's what mothers do.

Sant' Anna Hotel.

Lucky, having completed a complex series of connections and numbers, waits for the phone at Jason's penthouse to pick up.

Jason: Morgan.

Lucky: What phone are you on?

Jason: Office. I was wondering if I'd here from you.

Lucky: Well, I thought the occasional credit card clue was enough.

Jason: Rome, huh?

Lucky: Not for much longer.

Jason: Nikolas Cassadine is in Rome.

Lucky: You know about that, huh?

Jason: Giving the month my sister had, I thought I should keep an eye on the Cassadines. There's a few things you should know.

Lucky: Like? I want to keep this brief.

Jason: Jacob's dead.

Lucky: Oh…

Jason: Yeah, I had pretty much the same reaction.

Lucky: Well, I'm sure there's an appropriate cliche. Anything else?

Jason: Your father came to see me.

Lucky: Anything pertinent?

Jason: Carly, too… Just so you know, there are people looking for you.

Lucky: I figured. (There's a momentary silence).

Jason: How's my sister?

Lucky: Good. Much better than the last time you saw her.

Jason: She can walk now?

Lucky: And then some. She's really doing ok. She's not taking the painkillers anymore… I guess she's pretty much back to normal. (He pulls on the phone cord, getting fidgety) She knows I'm calling.

Jason: Why are you calling?

Lucky: Because Rome is a stop over and I want to make sure I can find the most surreptitious way to get out of this country possible.

Jason: Uh huh. From Rome?

Lucky: I'm heading East. There are things we need.

Jason: What are you getting my sister involved in?

Lucky: She's going to be all right, Jason. It's her choice to be here.

Jason: Does she know what she's getting into?

Lucky: Yes.

Jason: Do YOU know what you're getting into?

Lucky: Definitely. Jason… I can't get into it. It's too complicated.

Jason: The reason she left Port Charles was to stay away from Helena Cassadine.

Lucky: Yeah. And the reason she'll go back is because Helena will never be able to hurt her again.

Jason: All right. You know what you're doing.

Lucky: Yeah. And the faster I do it the better.

Jason: Ok. Tell me what you need.