Chapter One Hundred Sixty-Two:
Bits and Pieces

The Brownstone.

Bobbie enters through the front door, looking disturbed. She hears the sound of Luke murmuring to someone and tapping on the computer. She closes her eyes, fortifying herself and cursing, for easily the billionth time in a short lifetime, Laura Vinning Webber Baldwin Spencer. She turns and walks into the living room. She stops, taking in the frighteningly domestic scene, Luke working on the computer and talking occasionally to Michael, who is leaning against his shoulder, standing on the couch. She blinks.

Bobbie: Luke! (Luke looks up) Luke, what are you doing?

Luke: (turning back to the computer) Joining the 21st Century. It's about time, don't you think?

Bobbie: (crossing the room) Please. You and that laptop…

Luke: Is this a problem?

Bobbie:… Are nothing but trouble. (She comes over and picks Michael up. He protests and turns in her grip, forcing her to drop him back down on the couch. She looks down at her grandson, perturbed.) Michael? Aren't you going to say hi?

Michael: (leaning back against Luke) Hi. (Bobbie frowns, though she can see what's happening here… She can't imagine the last time Michael was around another male. She sits down, feeling ill. She opens her purse and begins to dig through it)

Bobbie: When was Carly here? (Luke begins to shut down the laptop)

Luke: Ah, who knows. She'll be thrilled you're here.

Bobbie: I can't believe I didn't get back before she got here. She's terminally late.

Luke: Got her own clock. You used to be that way. (Bobbie nods, pulling a toy truck from her bag. She holds it up)

Bobbie: Michael! (he looks over at her) Truck? (Michael looks at the toy then at Luke)

Luke: Go for it, kiddo. (Michael crawls over the arms of the couch and moves to Bobbie. She snatches him up into her lap and dumps him there, leaving him a little stunned. He gets over it when she gives him the truck. Luke watches, realizing something is going on).

Luke: What's up with you, someone slip a fly in your soup?

Bobbie: Luke, listen… I have Michael until Carly comes back, and he's far beyond the playpen stage, so just listen to what I have to say and then leave… because that is what you're going to have to do.

Luke: (darkening) What are you getting at Barbara?

Bobbie: I went to the house. Your house.

Luke: Barbara… I asked you stay out of this…

Bobbie: And you believed that I would about as much as you believe the earth is flat. Come on.

Luke: What did you do?

Bobbie: Not a thing. Nothing. Luke. She wasn't there.

Luke: That happens, Bobbie. As much as we'd both like to believe my wife is lying on the heap on the floor weeping… she's stronger than that.

Bobbie: God, you are wearing blinders where she's concerned. (Luke sighs, and shuts the computer off.)

Luke: Are you done?

Bobbie: Not even close. The house was… Luke, it was shut down. Do you understand? There was a pile of mail, there was no sign that anyone was there… or coming back. It was empty. Luke… (Luke gets up) Luke… I think she's gone. (Luke doesn't look at her, just moves to the chair his jacket is slung over, picks it up, and walks out of the brownstone, letting the door slam behind him. Bobbie flinches, then lets out a long breath. She stands up, letting Michael slip off her lap. Michael turns and looks after Luke, obviously unhappy with this turn of events. Bobbie reaches down and takes Michael's hand) Come on, Michael. Let's get you some lunch, huh?

AJ's Office, ELQ Headquarters.

Carly stands by the window, staring out the window. She has her thumbs tucked in the pocket of her jeans, purposely dressed down from the clothes she wore when she was masquerading as a corporate wife. This whole thing is giving her hives. She should have gone to the mansion. At least there she would have been on a ground floor. She and AJ should never meet at great heights. She jumps when the door clicks, then turns, taking a deep breath, as AJ enters, flipping through a folder. He kicks the door shut and starts over to the desk. He looks up, and stops short, his expression going from mild annoyance to cold rage in a matter of seconds.

AJ: How the hell did you get past my secretary? (Carly shrugs smiling mildly)

Carly: Denise has never been that bright, AJ. (she looks around, moving from the window) So you finally got Ned's office, huh? Guess it couldn't have been as sweet since you didn't get to throw him out bodily…

AJ: What are you doing here?

Carly: Does this mean you're CEO now? (AJ narrows his eyes)

AJ: Are you sizing me up again, Carly?… What, if I make CEO, you'll consider going round two? (Carly's jaw tightens, but she forces herself to remain detached)

Carly: (glancing back at him) It was just a question. That's all.

AJ: (Moving to his desk) I don't have time for this, Carly. (Carly turns around and leans against the window)

Carly: Really? Not for any of it? (AJ opens his mouth to respond, then stops)

AJ: (carefully) Is this about Michael?

Carly: (taking a breath) I wrote you a letter…

AJ: Months ago.

Carly: (getting ticked) I still wrote you a letter.

AJ: Is there trouble, Carly? Do you need money?

Carly: No! No, I'm fine. And if I needed MONEY, I wouldn't… (Stops and takes a steadying breath) Everything is fine. I'm fine. Michael is fine. (She stares at the desktop) I read about Emily in the paper.

AJ: (going through papers in an effort to look unaffected) You didn't read about Emily… you read about Lucky.

Carly: I read about both of them. How did… How did that work out?

AJ: (looking up) Excuse me?

Carly: Your Grandfather and that reward. Did it… Help?

AJ: Is she home?

Carly: No, well… I thought it might have given you a clue at least.

AJ: What's the matter, Carly? Did your partner in crime leave you out of the loop?

Carly: Lucky is not… (She stops, pressing her lips together) I just… Emily was always nice to me, I wanted to know how you were handling this.

AJ: (narrowing his eyes) You don't know where they are, do you?

Carly: Oh, what do you think? No one knows where they are! (AJ smiles slightly, pleased to have put the pieces together)

AJ: And that's why you're here. Well, sorry to disappoint you, Carly… But I have nothing to say to you. Don't let the door hit you on the way out. (Carly bristles, but forces herself not to go off just yet.)

Carly: (as steadily as possible) I'm here because… I was thinking that maybe it was time for us to open the lines of communication again. That's it.

AJ: Come on, Carly… You don't think I put that letter together? Lucky put you up to that, didn't he? And Now… Lucky? Or maybe someone else… is putting you up to this!

Carly: Putting me up to what? Just what do you think I'm doing here?

AJ: Obviously you want something. You always want something and it's not to make some kind of good Samaritan house call to see how I'm handling my sister's disappearance. Do you want to know how we're handling it? We're not. That simple. Once the lid got blown off, and the cops got involved? Everyone worked double time to get it squeezed back on again. Taggert's still sniffing around but that's just because he thinks he can take down Jason… and everyone's forgotten what the God damn issue was in the first place… which is, we don't have one God damned clue where my sister is. (He sneers at her) And I know better than to ever try asking you.

Carly: Hell, AJ… Our side doesn't know a damn thing either, ok?

AJ: What, the great Luke Spencer is stumped in the disappearance of his own son, huh? (Carly makes a face. Ok. This is her cue. She slides off the desk, walking across the room.)

Carly: Luke doesn't care ok? He's got bigger problems right now.

AJ: What are you ON? Luke doesn't care? (AJ round the desk after her)

Carly: Never mind. Just… Forget it, ok? It's none of your business, anyway.

AJ: Something else going on here?

Carly: (glancing back at him) Nothing that effects the mighty Quartermaines, that's for sure.

AJ: If it effects Emily, it effects us.

Carly: I doubt Emily even knows.

AJ: Knows what?

Carly: (after a moment) Luke and Laura split. (AJ stares at her)

AJ: Right.

Carly: I'm not kidding. Luke's camping at the club and hanging around my mother's… He's not going anywhere near her.

AJ: And what the hell does this have to do with Lucky?

Carly: I don't know. Except he was having problems with his parents, that might have more to do with him taking off than anything.

AJ: It doesn't have a damn thing to do with it! Don't try to turn this into some kind of domestic dispute… Jason helped them take off. This is about Lucky, Jason and Emily's aunt. Nothing else… it doesn't take a genius to connect the dots.

Carly: (innocently) Emily's aunt?

AJ: Look. I don't know why Lucky took off or why he felt the need to drag my sister along with him… my mother seems to think she was in just as much trouble as he was… but it sure as hell is more complicated than some kind of family rift.

Carly: Well… you can decided whatever you want, all I'm saying is… Luke and Laura are having big problems. And that's what the focus for them is right now.

AJ: So… What? Where does this put you? We both know you're not in the habit of looking out for other people.

Carly: Well, who the hell am I supposed to go to, AJ?

AJ: Oh, here's a thought… Jason?

Carly: AJ.

AJ: Oh, right… Can't very well turn to him, not after what you put him through. (He frowns) Hey, wait… You're just keeping him from his nephew… You're keeping me from my son… I guess maybe you should think twice before coming to me too, huh?

Carly: (heatedly) What the hell makes you think I would come here just for kicks? You think I ENJOY your company or something?

AJ: This would be my point… what the hell do you want?

Carly: God, AJ! Can't we just… Talk for a minute. I mean… Do we HAVE to focus on everything that's happened, can't we just try to be human with each other?

AJ: (putting a hand to his head, looking seriously dizzy) Whoa. Deja vu. (He looks back at her) Isn't this the place where you get all weepy and look at me with those big innocent eyes of yours and then DESTROY MY LIFE?

Carly: DESTROY WHAT LIFE, AJ??? I mean… Seriously, destroy working 15 hours a day, trying to convince everyone you're better than a ghost brother and a cousin who is so disillusioned he'd pretty much all ready left the building? Believe it or not, I tried! I gave you a son…

AJ: You tried to keep me from my son when he was born, then you turned around and took him right back again.

Carly: (stepping back and putting up her hand between them) I did what I had to.

AJ: Which justifies damn near anything for you Spencers, doesn't it? (Carly chokes)

Carly: Spencer? Excuse me. I just about slipped in a big pool of irony. (She sits down on the edge of his desk) You know what? I thought we were going to be able to do this, but now, I'm seriously reevaluating.

AJ: Do what?

Carly: Have a conversation. About Michael.

AJ: Gee, sounded to me you were talking about Lucky.

Carly: I asked a question about your missing in action little sister… who I actually like, by the way… I thought it was polite. (AJ leans against his desk, crossing his arms)

AJ: I'm not buying.

Carly: I'm not trying to sell you a damn thing.!

AJ: Right. Like you'd let me within spitting distance of Michael!

Carly: I don't have a restraining order, AJ…

AJ: You know what? I do see him.

Carly: What?

AJ: General Hospital Day Care? I've watched him through the window. Do you know what that's like? Watching your only child… a child you've barely been given a chance to know… behind glass?

Carly: (swallowing hard) I don't… (She stops dead, unable to pretend this doesn't terrify her. She's not sure how stable AJ… or any of the Quartermaines… are. And she's long subscribed to the theory that Michael's only safe when he's miles away from them) No one ever told me that. (She looks up at him sharply) I don't trust you.

AJ: (incensed) You don't trust ME????

Carly: (yelling over him) Let's just get that out of the way right NOW. And if you ever want to see your son again…

AJ: You haven't changed a bit, have you? Willing to use your son to get what you want?

Carly: (muttering) I don't even remember what I want anymore. (She puts a hand to her head) What are you saying, AJ?

AJ: Nothing. Not a thing. (Carly looks at him fiercely)

Carly: Stay away from him. Ok? This dialogue is officially closed. Consider your one chance blown. (She turns on her heel and walks out of the office, slamming the door behind her. After a moment, the details of the conversation begins to sink in for AJ)

AJ: Jesus… What the hell is she going to do now?

Hotel Room, Athens.

Emily lies cradled in Lucky's arms, smiling ever so slightly to herself. God, she hates feeling this happy in the middle of chaos. On the other hand, if she didn't have little tiny moments of feeling giddy and in love and just thrilled about all of it, then she would probably have been completely miserable for the past three years. Good timing is not something she's been blessed with, so she has to make do.

Emily twists herself around in Lucky's arms and rests her chin on a fist that, in turn, rests on Lucky's chest. His breathing is steady and slow, his eyes shut. She watches him carefully a moment, then starts kissing gently up his chest, allowing her hair to drag along his skin, up to his neck. When she reaches his mouth he lets out a barely audible groan and his mouth turns to hers, capturing it as he kisses her thoroughly, rolling her over onto her back. Emily laughs in the kiss, winding her arms around his neck. He ignores this, and only pulls back when air becomes necessary. Emily grins up at him.

Em: I knew you were just pretending to be asleep…

Lucky: If I hadn't been, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have lasted. (Emily laughs again)

Em: Still… I got you. (She puts her hand to his face, searching his face with her eyes) How're you doing? (Lucky weighs this a moment, then shrugs.)

Lucky: I'm fine. (He lowers his mouth to hers again, but when she closes her eyes to accept the kiss, he moves to kiss her neck, letting his hand wander down her body. Emily laughs slightly, covering his hand with hers)

Em: Wait… Lucky… Come on, stop that!

Lucky: (between kisses) Stop what? (Emily sighs, closing her eyes. What is she doing? To hell with this. She is not going to try to ask for details now, it's beyond stupid and it'll only succeed in making her feel far away from him and right now, she just doesn't want to do that.)

Em: Lucky… (Lucky lights brushes his lips along her shoulder and back, laying a light kiss at the hollow of her neck. )

Lucky: What? (Lucky pushes himself up on one arm, looking down at her. Emily smiles slightly, shaking her head.)

Em: Nothing… I'm not going to do it today… (Lucky looks at her oddly) As you were. (He laughs and descends to kiss her. He pauses over her mouth, then pulls back slightly. He knows exactly what she was doing, and can't help but feel guilty about it. He reaches out and gently traces her lips with his fingertips. Her eyes close immediately and her hand travels up his arm, sliding around his neck and pulling him down to kiss her again. He's more than aware that this must be bothering her. It seems to be an endless topic of conversation… the fact that she has to pull teeth to get him to tell her anything. He frowns, pulling back from her. She opens her eyes again, looking up at him in confusion. After a moment, he smoothes her hair back from her face)

Lucky: (quietly) I hate hurting you… You know that right?

Em: (bewildered) You… Weren't hurting me.

Lucky: I know… (He looks down at her, warring with himself. After a moment he drops his head and takes a deep breath, answering the question he knows she left unasked.) We talked. (Emily blinks)

Em: You… You and Nikolas? (Lucky sighs and rolls away from her, aware that he's going to have to have a serious conference with his brain. There's just no way to say that and let it end there.)

Lucky: I don't know if it was a fight… (He smiles wryly, remembering the euphemism Nikolas used for Lulu's benefit.) It must have been a “heavy discussion”.

Em: (struggling to sit up) Wait a sec… (She looks over at him, in complete shock. So *this* is how you get Lucky to open up? She wonders just what she'd been wasting her energy on. Lucky looks over at her. Now that this is getting stirred up he can feel it coming forward almost unbidden. He stares at Emily's expectant expression)

Lucky: (after a moment) It wasn't like fighting with him usually is, you know? I… I just said stuff and he Actually… Heard it. Does that make sense? (He sits up slightly, turning to face her) Like… usually it's garbage in, garbage out… its like “This kind of remark deserves this kind of response.” Its clockwork. It's almost predictable. This wasn't.

Em: (murmuring) I knew something happened.

Lucky: He just… It started OUT like a fight. (He laughs a little) He called me a brat. And then… I just… He looks at me some times and I think he thinks he knows everything there is to know about me. And it drives me nuts. I don't… I don't think anyone else has ever made me feel simple. But he does. (Lucky stares down at the bed spread a long moment) And then I look at the way everyone else looks at him and that feels simple too. Like he's an open book, like there's nothing else under that… And I wanted him to know it wasn't true. (He stops again. Emily opens her mouth to speak, then thinks better of it) He admitted it, Emily. (He looks up at her, finally) He admitted he did it on purpose, that he… wanted to ruin my life. When he first saw me. (Emily stares at Lucky in shock, the pieces of her conversation with Nikolas coming together) And Then… HE said he was sorry. Like that changes anything. And I just stared at him and I thought “You got it. You always knew you had every reason to hate him and no reason to like him and he just admitted to all of it.” (Lucky's expression clouds as he tries to force the next part out) Emily… I stared at him so long and I thought “I can hate him again.” Like… He'd just totally justified everything I ever thought of him. (He looks pained) But I didn't hate him. I didn't… Like him, hate him, none of it… (He shakes his head hard) I keep going over it… and I just… I don't even know what I think. (He groans in frustration and falls back onto the bed again) This doesn't make any sense. (Emily bites her lip, assimilating this.)

Em: (softly) He apologized. (Lucky shakes his head firmly)

Lucky: That shouldn't matter.

Em: He took responsibility. That matters a little.

Lucky: It's just words. (Emily nods a bit. She looks up at him, her expression tentative, as if she's about to deliver bad news)

Em: Lucky… (She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, uncertain whether this is the right thing to say) When I came back… Nikolas asked me if I knew about that, about the first time you guys met. And then he wanted to know how I could stand him. (Lucky flinches) Lucky… it wasn't like he was looking for me to be sympathetic or understand his side… it was like he just didn't understand how I could… Know that and not hate him. (Lucky doesn't respond. She steels herself) If you don't think he meant them, then… I can tell you. He did. It bothers him. It bothers him every time he does something to hurt you and I know that Because…

Lucky: What?

Em: Because… when you guys had that fight, when I was in the hospital? And Nikolas came to see me? (Lucky looks over at her)

Lucky: Yeah.

Em: He told me that he knew he hurt you. And that sometimes he does it on purpose just to see if he can. (Lucky's face immediately darkens) I think 'cause it's the only way he can know if he matters to you. (Lucky digests this a moment, his expression fading into confusion. He turns away, focusing his gaze on the ceiling again. It feels like everything is spinning around him. After a moment, Emily moves to him and puts her hand over his heart. Lucky puts his hand over hers, holding it tightly. Emily stares down at him) He cares about what you think of him, Lucky. And as far as I can tell, that puts you in a pretty select group of people. (Lucky swallows hard) You can do whatever you want with that. But… If you trust my judgment at all… I'd never ever say it if I didn't think it was true. (She sees tears begin to pool in Lucky's eyes, her own welling up as well) I'd never do anything to hurt you like that.

Lucky: (suddenly) Do you care?

Em: What?

Lucky: If Nikolas and I… My mom wants us to be civil, my sister wants us to be brothers to each other like we are to her and my Dad… (Lucky stops dead)

Em: What about your dad. (Lucky closes his eyes, shaking his head firmly) You're mad at him, aren't you?

Lucky: Nikolas?

Em: No. Your dad. (Lucky's eyes fly open. He sits up, looking at her like she's out of her mind)

Lucky: I don't have a RIGHT to be…

Em: (cutting him off) Yeah, you do! (She stops, realizing what she just said. Lucky is just looking at her, so she forces herself to continue) I'm sorry. But… Lucky. You can't even see straight when it comes to you and Nikolas and that's…

Lucky: That has nothing to do with my father. Nothing.

Em: He made it impossible for you to have anything to do with Nikolas! He made it impossible for you to even mention him… I SAW the look on your face! I saw it so many times when your Dad would throw around things like “Dark Prince” or whatever the term of the week was and you would…

Lucky: (determined) I sold my father out for Nikolas. Yeah, I didn't like to hear him mention. (Emily closes her eyes a moment, shaking her head. She opens them again and looks at him sadly)

Em: There's a lot of ways to look at this. You have no idea how much time I've devoted to seeing it from every single perspective I could find. (She meets his eyes) And every single one, has you weighting Luke against Nikolas. One or the other… there's no middle ground here. Keeping that secret was as close to it as you're ever going to find. You didn't sell Luke out to Nikolas. You didn't sell Nikolas out to Luke. You just… Didn't chose. That's all. (Lucky stares at her a long moment, looking as if he's been frozen in time. After several moments he shakes his head slowly)

Lucky: (hoarsely) I can't talk about this. (Emily nods, and moves closer to him, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him into an embrace)

Em: You don't have to. I told you… I'm not doing that today.