Chapter One Hundred Ninety-Five:
Night Becomes Day

The Road near Katija's Farm

The cloud cover is thick and low in the sky, and promises to stay that way all day. It's raining, light and thin, but hard enough to obscure vision without the wipers on the rental car turned on. Luke slows the car and turns on the gravel road at Alexis's direction. The car crawls a few feet down the road, then Luke pulls over to the side of the road and kills the engine, leaving the battery on. His headlights shine up the road and get swallowed in the fog. Alexis looks up from her map in surprise.

Alexis: What are you doing? (Luke looks down the road, sucking on his bottom lip)

Luke: I've seen this movie.

Alexis: Excuse me?

Luke: Madame Trattoria's Midnight Theatre.

Alexis: (disapproving) That's an Italian eatery.

Luke: (shaking his head) Amazon Vampire Headhunter. No! Return of the Amazon Vampire Headhunters. (Alexis just stares) Beautiful seductress lures handsome hero out into the middle of nowhere, gets him good and lost and when he won't ask for directions she gives this banshee shriek and severs his head with an ice scraper.

Alexis: (folding the map) We're not lost, the farm is right along this road.

Luke: Uh huh. (He flips up the collar on his jacket. Alexis lowers her head, fighting against a smile)

Alexis: Not that I'm not tempted to behead you at times -- or flattered to be compared to some Amazon seductress --

Luke: Amazon VAMPIRE seductress.

Alexis: -- Big-breasted B-movie cupie doll... (She looks up, smiling coldly) I am. Deeply. But I did not get up at the crack of dawn to sit at the side of the road and listen to your ramblings. As charming (she furrows her brow) or incoherent as they might sometimes be.

Luke: (gazing down the road) Look at this place. (Alexis looks out at the gray landscape, it's natural beauty decidedly muted by the early morning drizzle. They sit in silence, listening to the sound of the windshield wipers fighting their way back and forth across the windshield.)

Alexis: (matter of fact) You're stalling.

Luke: Yep.

Alexis: She's here for the same reason you're here, you know that right?

Luke: (smirking) You dragged her here too?

Alexis: I was talking about Lucky. -- if she came here on her own, then --

Luke: If.

Alexis: Luke, don't do this. You knew the deal when you sought me out, you

know that I have my own agenda here. You said you know where Nikolas went, I

HAVE to tell Stefan that. And he's not answering any forms of communication --

Luke: You ever think maybe he doesn't want to be disturbed?

Alexis: I want what you want. I want Nikolas and Lucky home --

Luke: You could give a damn about Lucky.

Alexis: And you're tied up in knots over Nikolas? (Luke gazes out the window)

Luke: Windshield wipers, wipe away the rain...

Alexis: Luke.

Luke: You ever hear of... Digging for gold and finding your dead mother?

Alexis: Excuse me?

Luke: You think you're on to something, you keep going, you keep unearthing everything because at the end you think there's this great prize waiting for you, and then bang -- dead mother.

Alexis: I've done that. In fact, if I recall correctly, my dead mother WAS gold for you. (Luke gives smiles slightly, then looks over at Alexis, his eyes sad)

Luke: I can only think about one thing at a time here.

Alexis: Bull.

Luke: Give me a break, it's been a long month. (He leans back in the seat) Started up with a screwed up teenager having some kind of identity crisis, ended up here.

Alexis: Identity crisis?

Luke: (Looking over at her) Well! You tell me -- a kid you know like the back of your hand, you watch over his whole life, starts acting like you've done him the worst kind of wrong just by being there... (He shakes his head) I kept myself up nights trying to put the pieces together. (He laughs slightly) You know, in my wildest dreams, I never would have come up with this.

Alexis: (staring out the window) We all have months like that. (She frowns) Or we do in Port Charles. Why the hell does anyone STAY there, anyway?

Luke: The waters? (Alexis smiles slightly)

Alexis: Please tell me you don't do Bogart, I don't think I can handle that.

Luke: There isn't much I don't do, Darlin'. Take your pick... Old movie icons, Shakespearean soliloquies, poetry readings --

Alexis: (amused) You're kidding.

Luke: Nope.

Alexis: POETRY readings? What is that? Dirty limericks? (Luke grins and tips his head back, putting on a rough Eastwood-esque voice)

Luke: A bunch of the boys were whoopin' it up at the Malamute Saloon....

Alexis: Oh, don't!

Luke: The kid that handles the music box was playin' a rag time tune... Back of the bar in a solo game sat Dangerous Dan McGrue... And watching his luck, was his light o' love, the ... (he stops and frowns) The...

Alexis: Lady who was known as Lu. God, you of all people should remember that.

Luke: (glancing over at her) You know that one, counselor?

Alexis: I've seen a dramatic reading of it... (she rolls her eyes) Or ten. Klondike poet, right? Wrote all about dirty gold-obsessed men up in the Yukon. I should have KNOWN you'd like him.

Luke: (smirking) There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who toil for gold... And the arctic trails -- (Alexis shuts her eyes, not wanting to admit to knowing this)

Alexis: (joining) have their hidden tails that would make your blood run cold.

Luke: The Northern lights! Have... (he frowns)

Alexis: Seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see... Was the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee. (Luke looks over and smiles at her -- no smirk or leer behind it, just a nice sincere smile. Alexis finds herself returning the gesture)

Luke: (softly) There once was a man from Nantucket...

Alexis: Just DRIVE!

Lucky wakes up to the sound of someone moving nearby... walking... He can feel the disturbance in the air, and the floors are creaking. Something old and insistent is pushing him to address this, but he's finding it to be an incredible struggle -- he's never been a heavy sleeper, but he can tell by the fight to open his eyes that his body isn't leaving sleep willingly.

Struggling up onto his elbow, Lucky finally manages to open his eyes for half a second, just in time to be faced with the bright sunlight streaming in through the window. Christ, he thinks dropping back onto the bed. Why aren't the drapes ever closed?

He barely has time to complete that thought when he feels the bed move and a tentative hand come to rest on his bare back. He exhales, the most response he can muster. God, he feels like he's been drugged, like something is weighting him down. He realizes, groggily, that he can't really remember being this capable of sleep. He's only been sleeping hours at a time, waking up and not knowing if he's been asleep or just lost track of time in the dark. Sleep had started to be identified solely as that time when his mind wasn't spinning.

He feels the hand -- dimly aware that it's Emily -- start to move up and down his back in a gentle, soothing gesture. He wills himself to open his eyes and acknowledge it, but the effort is beyond him. After a few minutes, he feels her lie down beside him, her hand moving to his hair, gently brushing it back from his face. He makes a small sound again, hazily wondering what is going on and why he has the time to be lying here with Emily's immensely comforting touch. There are pieces of information in his brain, but he has no desire to reach out and grab onto any of them, opting to just accept the situation he finds himself in. He concentrates on opening his eyes again. They take a moment to focus and see Emily lying by him, her gaze fixed on him, and an inquisitive expression on her face.

Lucky: (eyes closing again) Hi. (Emily smiles slightly at how clearly exhausted he is)

Em: Don't.

Lucky: Hmmm? (Emily leans in and kisses his forehead)

Em: Sleep. (her hand moves down his neck and gently massages the vertebrae at the base of his neck. Lucky groans) You never sleep enough.

Lucky: (muffled) What time is it? (Emily closes her own eyes and exhales)

Em: I don't care. No one has shown up with food, though. (that statement suddenly hits some part of Lucky's brain and his eyes fly open)

Lucky: Oh, God. (he pulls himself up again) I forgot they did that.

Em: I'll beat them off with a stick. Come on. (She looks at him, her expression more obviously concerned and anxious than her voice was letting on) Go back to sleep. (Lucky narrows his gaze at her, his brain finally beginning to absorb his current situation... Oh boy...)

Lucky: What... (he furrows his brow, looking around the room). No, I have to get up. (Emily looks at him oddly)

Em: And do what? (Lucky shakes his head dizzily)

Lucky: Were you... Moving? (Emily gives a wry smile)

Em: Pacing. A little. (Lucky frowns)

Lucky: Are you Ok?

Em: (eyes roll) Am I Ok? (Emily leans back against the bounty of down pillows at the head of the bed and eyes Lucky appraisingly. He's supporting himself on one arm, and one elbow. He looks off-kilter somehow... Either that, or like he's going to pounce on her. She feels a distinct twinge at that thought and shakes her head. No. He looks utterly discombobulated, and she realizes that is exactly the expression she was fearing. She'd waken up a few hours earlier in her own haze, feeling Lucky's arm wrapped firmly around her waist his breath on the back of her neck. It had taken seconds for her to remember exactly where she was and what had happened. Her body was still singing, a strange warming energy buzzing through her. It was utterly unnerving, this strange quivering feeling. And the feeling of Lucky's body still pressed to hers, the light tickle of his breath on her neck... This was doing nothing to help her think. And she had to think -- thinking was what she DID.

Around that point, Emily had been seized by a distinct sense of panic, and had found herself sliding out of Lucky's protective embrace and spilling herself onto the floor. She'd grabbed her fallen nightgown from where it had been tossed and pulled it over her head quickly, like she was trying to recapture something, pull herself back to a time that was quickly beginning to feel like "Before" so that she could get her brain to function again.

It didn't work. Rather she'd ended up curled up in a chair in the far end of the room, flushed at the memory of the night before. Lucky had been true to his word. He'd treated her like she was the most precious thing every conceived. It had been incredible.

What had gotten into him?

Alcohol.

DAMNIT. Emily had slumped forward, holding her head in her hands. She never should have done that. She knew he was out of it. Ok, not that out of it... But still. Oh, she's feeling confused. What was that about? How could that have been about anything else but making love? They'd done that before... Ok, not all that many times, but it had always been incredible, she'd always felt like he cared for her, always felt like they were showing each other how much they loved each other... But last night, she felt like they merged. Like they lost track of who they were, who Lucky and Emily were, and became two beings, apart from everything else in the world, and...

Ok, where were these thoughts coming from? She sounds like some kind of cheap romance novel. It made her feel goopy. Like when Lucky complained that he knew he'd fallen in love with her, because the sappy love songs on the radio started to make sense. And yet... She can remember only being aware of breath, movement, sound... Of the most basic of sensory information. They hadn't spoken and past a certain part she's certain that she stopped thinking. Stopped WORRYING if that was possible. For so long her mind had been spinning out of control, she'd been so careful, so anxious that at any given moment she would say or do the wrong thing and everything would crumble around her. And as bad as that had been before their arrival at the compound, it had increased tenfold once they'd gotten here. She tried to make things better, but with every breath she took, it felt like she was making them worse.

And now.. .Something appeared to have changed. But what it was and how it had occurred was completely beyond her. And the depth of her ignorance on what could have possibly shifted between her leaving the dinning hall and him coming back to their room is leaving her to lay it all at the feet of his obvious inebriation.

Emily lets out a long sigh and sinks into the pillows. She hadn't liked that answer. It was much more preferable to assume he was just struck by lightening and everything is fixed now. To crawl back into bed with him and curl up against the warmth of his body. Assume everything will be all right just because last night they had been damn close to perfect.

He'd acted like he knew something, though. Like for some reason he could see how to believe her. And that... That was the part that confused her. And now.... Now he was awake and clearly not at his best. She could feel herself breaking off from all of this, forcing down the strength of her desire for him, purposely shutting down her hopes or expectations that were trying to make themselves known. She didn't know what was going on here, but she knew she needed an answer -- as devastating as it might be. She exhaled, repeating Lucky's question)

Em: Am I Ok... (She smirks, staring off into space) I preserver. (Lucky's brain was not appreciating the cryptic nature of Emily's response in it's current condition. It was already swimming from witnessing Emily's nearly instantaneous emotional withdrawal. Ok, something was going on and it was time to reach into the murky recesses of his brain and track down the explanation. With a groan, Lucky lets himself fall back onto the bed and squeezes his eyes shut. Sure enough, last night is right there waiting for him, in all it's questionable glory. He tries for a moment to dissect if he has any real feeling or thought about it. Probably. What it is? He can't even start to unravel right now. But he is sure of one thing... Emily is having a reaction that has to be nipped in the bud).

Lucky: Emily? (Lucky opens his eyes to see her still laying against the pillows, her brow furrowed as she stares into space, while playing with a strand of her hair. He rolls over onto his side.) Em. (She glances over at him) I didn't ask if you preserver. (Emily feels herself flush slightly at the statement and shakes her head. She's being unnecessarily harsh, and she wants to retreat from her earlier behavior)

Em: (trying to smile) Lucky - really. Go back to sleep. (She hears how deeply patronizing the words are as they escape her mouth, realizing there is nothing she can do about them now. Sure enough, Lucky's eyes narrow immediately into a look of stubborn determination.)

Lucky: How are you feeling? (Emily looks wary)

Em: I'm fine. (Lucky reaches out and grabs Emily by the waist, pulling her towards him)

Lucky: "Fine" isn't a feeling. (He pulls himself up so that they are eye to eye. Emily tenses at the feeling of Lucky's body sliding up hers, his eyes boring into hers. He asked her a question, she could SWEAR he wants an answer, but her mind's gone blank. She exhales, the tension seeping out of her. Lucky, who had honestly intended in the moment that he'd grabbed her, to just try to make her look him in the eye now finds his thoughts are running along entirely different lines. She is looking at him, her eyes large and vulnerable... A look her remembers far too well from a million other experiences. It's never failed to grab him quick and hard. He has spent a good part of the last year avoiding her eyes... But seeing what's there, in the light, he feels strangely satisfied. Any burgeoning doubts dissipate as he takes in her expression, the way she's looking at him... The way her lips are parted, her breathing growing shallow...

Lucky's weight come to rest against her and Emily closes her eyes just in time to feel his mouth claim hers. She returns the kiss passionately, wondering if it was petty of her to be grateful to have a boyfriend with such good lips. God, if there was one thing Lucky had always been able to do, it was kiss. From the first misguided kiss, she'd always felt like she'd do anything to feel his lips again. Even if she had fought it in every way she knew how.

Lucky: How are you feeling? (Emily sucks in her breath, her eyes still closed)

Em: Like I could kiss you forever.... (She opens her eyes and looks up at him, poised above her.) If you'd let me. (Lucky is already descending on her as she speaks the word, letting out a slight groan before resuming their kiss. Emily sinks her hands into his hair as she savors his attention. God, this is so familiar... And it brings back to her in a flash all the reasons she freaked out when she woke up this morning. There is a power in him, an unapologetic desire, a territorial energy around him that she used to feel all the time. She used to see it in the silent look he'd give guys who flirted with her at school, or how he'd put his arms around her when they were in a crowded elevator. But mostly it had been in how he'd press up against her and kiss her like she was, without question, his. When his whole world was on shaky ground, when he was so twisted up inside he couldn't see straight, she'd be the one thing he had that wasn't driving him crazy, that was just there and willing to love him without reservation... And at some point she stopped being that. She became something that hurt. And he got careful around her, as much as she tried to pretend she was just imagining it. She had missed feeling like she belonged to him. He wasn't outwardly possessive, but she had always had that feeling from him -- that she was his. He was hers. "I am yours" the words on the wedding ring... Emily feels a sudden and unbidden swell of emotion travel up her throat and choke her. She breaks the kiss suddenly, turning her head as tears start to spill. She closes her eyes, choking out a sob, her face already wet. She feels Lucky's hand stroking her hair back, pulling it back from her face. She grits her teeth, trying to hold back another angry wail trying to fight it's way out. Lucky lowers his forehead to hers.)

Lucky: Don't cry. (Emily tries to hold back the emotions kicking at her to let them out. She shakes her head, sputtering on another sob.)

Em: I want to. (Lucky kisses a stray tear as it starts to run across her temple).

Lucky: Then cry. (He buries his face in her hair, his arms caging her, holding her in a contained field. Emily feels the dam of emotions she couldn't break the night before shatter and she turns his face to him, her arms wrapping around his neck. She feels him gather her up in his arms and roll her over so that she is lying against his chest. Emily lets go, unleashes an immeasurable amount of insecurity, fear, anger -- everything. Everything that has been messing up what should be a wonderful morning with her boyfriend. After a few minutes, she feels herself begin to return to earth, his cries slowing. She feels rough cotton brush against her cheek. She looks up at Lucky, and smiles weakly, taking the handkerchief. Lucky looks slightly uncertain)

Lucky: I don't know what is with this place and handkerchiefs. They're everywhere. (Emily nods, wiping away the tracks of her tears. She can tell he's commenting on the inane to avoid really speaking to her)

Em: That's something else you could always do...

Lucky: What is?

Em: You know what to do when I break. You always did. (Lucky frowns, as if this is news to him)

Lucky: I just hold you.

Em: (sighing) It works. (She looks up at him, resting her chin on the back of her hand. He meets her gaze, steady and strong, though she can tell a part of him really wants to look away.) Do you want to know how I feel now?

Lucky: (nodding) Yeah. (Emily gives him a crooked smile, the edge of her eyes crinkling)

Em: Wonderful. (the word shakes a bit in her mouth and a smile slowly works it's way across Lucky's lips. She doesn't want this to go away. He looks so unruffled... This can't be the alcohol. He has to be stone cold sober. And hung over, by all reason, at this point. She lets out a sigh of relief, and crawls up to kiss him softly on the lips. She pulls back and finds herself grinning at him) Really wonderful.

Lucky: I'm glad. (Emily laughs softly, feeling her insides go gooey. Ohhh, God... She pulls away, purposely putting some distance between them. She settles herself at the other end of the bed, and tucks her knees up under her chin and gives him an inquisitive look.)

Em: What's... What's going on? (Lucky considers this a moment, then shakes his head)

Lucky: Nothing.

Em: Nothing. (She turns her face away and groans, then looks back at him, her face flushed) Ok. Am I going crazy... or... (She winces and Lucky smiles at the confused look on her face.) Do... you... Like... Remember last night? (Lucky blinks and sits back)

Lucky: What? What kind of question is that?

Em: I don't know. I... Oh, I don't know how to talk about this! (Emily grabs one of the pillows and covers her face with it. Lucky stares at this display.)

Lucky: What are you trying to say? (Emily sighs and runs a hand through her hair)

Em: That... I mean... We were.... (She grimaces, then looks back at him, opting to bite the bullet) We were different, last night... Weren't we? (The answer to her question immediately reveals itself on Lucky's face. She could swear, just for a second, that he's blushing. He looks away a moment, then back at her, wearing an undeniable grin)

Lucky: That felt... Real, didn't it? (Emily shakes her head)

Em: It always feels real, that felt... Otherworldly. (Lucky laughs)

Lucky: God... Watch your step, you're being a little too good for my ego -- (Emily suddenly moves forward and cuts him off with a searing kiss. Lucky is caught off guard, but responds enthusiastically, cupping the back of her head, bringing them closer together. Emily breaks the kiss, almost as suddenly as she started it and sits back. She clears her throat and adjusts her nightgown around her. Lucky looks at her like she's insane, then cracks that same smile. Emily feels her heart flutter.)

Em: Something happened. (Lucky weighs that a moment. Ok, yeah, something did).

Lucky: I had an Epiphany.

Em: Yeah?

Lucky: Yeah.

Em: Which was?

Lucky: Fighting with you is ... Entirely unnatural.

Em: Uh huh. Is that it? (Lucky looks away, his attention turning to her hand. He removes it from the sheet it's gripping in anxiety and runs his thumb along the backs of her fingers. He moves his hand under hers, stroking the underside, then links her pinky with his. Emily watches his, partly amused, partly alarmed.) Spencer, you are perfecting the art of saying something and nothing at the same time...

Lucky: Lots of practice.

Em: Charm isn't going to work this time. I want to know -- I NEED to know what happened last night. What changed? Why were you drinking? What... (She shakes her head) I don't get it. When I came up here, I thought for sure I wasn't going to see you again until.... (she stops and throws her free hand up in a helpless gesture) Who KNOWS when. Last night was... Amazing. But I have to know if everything is going to go freaky again. I have to know you still believe what I said. That you still mean what you said, that --

Lucky: I talked to Nikolas... (Emily stops mid sentence, and gapes at him. After a moment she recovers and closes her mouth) Which answers the "why were you drinking" portion of tonight's inquiry.

Em: (still stunned) It's morning.

Lucky: Still.

Em: You... Talked to Nikolas... About me?

Lucky: Uh. (He frowns. Yeah, that does sound as strange as it feels.) Yeah. (Emily shakes her head, dazed)

Em: Ok... So... At some point the munkins are going to knock down that door and ask me to join the lullaby league, right?

Lucky: I hope not. Because then I have to join the lollipop guild, and I do not look good in leggerhosen. (Emily stares at him a second, then turns away, cracking up. She covers her face with her hands, pulling the one free from Lucky. She drops her hands after a minute, still giggling)

Em: Just --

Lucky: I know, I know. Say something. (Emily nods, trying to catch her breath)

Em: EXPLAIN! Please!

Lucky: I don't really HAVE an explanation.

Em: Four years of torment and then one day bang -- let's bond over how crazy my girlfriend is? (Emily realizes, belatedly, that she just used the word "bond". She looks over at Lucky, suddenly finding nothing funny, but oddly his head fails to spin around)

Lucky: It just... Happened. I don't know why.

Em: Was this before or AFTER the alcohol? (Lucky looks up at Emily like she's out of her mind)

Lucky: After. (Emily shakes her head)

Em: I still don't get it. (Lucky frowns, staring down at the sheets)

Lucky: Ok. (he takes a deep breath) He said something... And uh... It actually kinda made sense. (Emily nods, waiting) He said... He said I was wrong about you.

Em: You ... Wrong about me how?

Lucky: (groaning) I told him about Carly, about what... I... Did. To you. (Emily's eyes widen) And he said... (Lucky swallows. Somehow he can't make these words come out. He looks up at her, clearly pained) Emily, you say you gotta know this? Well, I have to know the answer to something first. I have to know why you do stuff like... Why you push yourself so hard. Why you won't let me just take CARE of you, or help you --

Em: I can't, Lucky --

Lucky: You have to! You HAVE to, do you get that? Because I'm not doing that again, Emily. You don't have to watch what happens when you collapse on me.

Em: I know it's bad --

Lucky: Em. It's worse than bad. (Emily lowers her head, her cheeks flushing)

Em: I'm not trying to hurt you. It's the furthest thing from what I'm trying to do.

Lucky: So what ARE you trying to do? (Emily exhales)

Em: Lucky... (She looks up at him) Look. We've been together so long now -- I mean, except for that one bad year, you've been the only thing I could really count on since my mother died. That's... Six years! A third of my life. I KNOW you --

Lucky: So explain why this means you can't let me help you when you need it.

Em: Because. (she looks at him sadly, her head bent to one side. Lucky waits for an answer, his body tense.) I love you. And the only way I know how to love you is to make sure you don't hurt anymore!

Lucky: NOTHING hurts like that -- do you get that Emily? Nothing else hurts more than being helpless while you --

Em: I CAN'T BE ONE MORE THING FOR YOU TO TAKE CARE OF! (Emily sits back, surprised by her own explosion. She shakes her head, tears beginning to run down her face) How can I watch you, watch you beat yourself up because you can't handle every single thing people ask you to and then say "here's one more thing"? What would that say about me? (she shakes her head) You're already trying to solve everyone's problems -- your mom, your dad, Lulu, and now NIKOLAS! (Lucky opens his mouth to respond to that, but nothing comes out) I sat with you in that morgue that night and I just KNEW -- it's like a bug with you. You knew Nikolas was going to fall apart and you couldn't NOT fix it. You couldn't just leave and let him handle it himself -- and I swear to God Lucky, I love you for that. I do. And I haven't for a second, this whole crazy journey, regretted us being here. But we ARE here because you have to take care of Nikolas. And you have to take care of him because that's taking care of your mom and your sister... And if I let you, Lucky, I know there is nothing you wouldn't do for me. But I have to do it myself. I just HAVE to.

Lucky: (shakily) I love you --

Em: I know that --

Lucky: I can't watch you do this.

Em: I'm fine!

Lucky: Yeah, you're fine now! Do you know how close you came to NOT being fine? My brother has more money than God, he can get private doctors, he can fly you by helicopter to some place where you'll be Ok and get what you need -- but if he hasn't done that, you would have died on that path.

Em: It was heat stroke!

Lucky: You were burning up. I know, because I was holding you in my arms all the time it took Nikolas to get back to us. You were delirious. You were dehydrated. (Emily bows her head, unable to look at him, tears still rolling down her cheeks) And there was nothing I could have done.

Em: I... (she looks up at him) I'm sorry. I am, I just... I don't want to make everything worse for you! (Lucky stares at her a long moment. When he finally speaks his voice is low, careful)

Lucky: I... I had a nightmare our first night here. Do you remember? (Emily nods) I haven't had a nightmare... Ever. (He smiles weakly) It was about you. (he looks at her, then reaches out, pulling her towards him. Emily, still feeling a deep sense of shame over this topic, allows herself to be pulled towards him. He holds her a moment, then lowers his head and presses his face into her hair, whispering earnestly) It scared the hell out of me. (Emily feels a chill grab her at his words.)

Em: I ... I had that dream about you in Niagara. Where you were just gone?

Lucky: You weren't gone. You were... (He grits his teeth and pulls back to look at her) You were just some place I couldn't get to you. And you were saying things I couldn't understand and... (he pulls in a breath) Every time I got to where you were, you were some place else. And then... It was like... (He winces) It was like some kind of Tim Burton movie on acid... This house and the floors were all going up in weird directions and the halls would be too long, or too narrow... And I finally got you in one of them. You were at the end of the hall -- by this black wall. And I started running, trying to get to you before you moved again and you started... (he stops, remembering the image all too clearly) You were moving back and the wall.. It wasn't a wall -- it was just black and you were sinking into it, and getting further away and -- (He stops, realizing his breathing is getting a little bit quicker than this should warrant)

Em: (spooked) It was just a dream.

Lucky: I didn't make it. You... (He stops and swallows) You fell. (Emily blinks)

Em: Fell?

Lucky: You just... Dropped. You were there, you were suspended in this... Black, I don't know what -- and then you dropped. And.... I woke up. (he laughs slightly) And you were sitting there... At my feet. (Emily smiles, remembering this)

Em: You were sleeping in that chair. (Lucky nods)

Lucky: It just... Nothing scares me more than losing you. That's losing everything. You're all I have left. You're IT. (Emily looks up at him)

Em: That's not true. (Lucky shakes his head firmly. Emily sighs and moves closer to him, hugging him) I do trust you, Lucky. I trust you more than anyone else on this planet. I just... I know you'll take care of me when I need it. Because you always do.

Lucky: Not always. (Emily turns her face against his chest)

Em: You want to do something to take care of me? (She looks up at him) Cut my friend some slack. (She musters a smile) He's not God. He just tries to be. (Lucky looks at her a moment)

Lucky: Don't get hurt.

Em: I won't. If I start to.... (she takes a deep breath) I will scream blue murder and hang onto that black as tight as I can until you get to me. I swear. (She looks up at him, meeting his eyes with conviction) I will not leave you, Lucky. No way in hell.