Chapter Two Hundred Thirteen:
Night Whispers

Reaching, reaching out for something, hand tensed, fingers bent and not grabbing onto anything... just raking the air. Cries, horrified exclamations... And gasping for air. Choking. Eyes wide, staring without focus... trying to breathe, trying to speak, can only force guttural sounds from the back of the throat. Hand reaching out... Hand reaching out... Hand reaching out....

A Private Athens Hospital, a few hours before dawn.

Nikolas stirs in a restless sleep, and brings Stefan from his place by the window. Stefan looks down at his son with concern, then reaches out and surely brushes his hair back from his forehead. Nikolas stills, turning his face away from his father.

Stefan stands, rigid, at the bedside a long moment, before sinking into a nearby chair.

It has been an unspeakably long night. And the rise of the sun is going to offer him no relief. Nothing shall until Nikolas opens his eyes and lets him know that the worst is over.

But then... then they will speak of his mother. Of what has happened to her. And why Stefan failed to prevent it. Failed him one more time.

Laura was pulled from the bottom of the cliff a mere forty minutes after her fall. That was impressive, given the location and the devices at Stefan's disposal. Everything had moved quickly, but time had ceased to be of much use to him. It had dragged by, seconds turning to years, so that, by this point, he feels that he has aged a hundred years in one night. Looking it the mirror, he feels he looks the part as well.

She lives. Still. There is no prognosis as of yet. No real knowledge of what lies ahead. Her body was broken from the fall and numerous tests will be run to determine the level of head trauma. Brain damage a very real possibility. Spinal damage is definite. Her back is broken.

But she lives.

The same cannot be said for Josef. Had his body had the chance to survive the fall -- unlikely, a miracle that it didn't claim Laura -- the water claimed him. Laura's body hung on the rocks... Josef's crashed into the sea. Drowned. Like his brother.

Thank the Gods for small mercies... Though they can be seen as continued torture, depending on your point of view.

Stefan turns his attention back to his son. A part of his heart is dreading Nikolas's waking as much as he is anguished by his current state. Watching him go through this... unconscious, but in obvious pain -- Obvious. But he saw the Quartermaine girl before they put her out and he knows that he's being spared. As bad as Nikolas looks, it could have been so much worse. Unspeakably worse. There has been no discussion of what happened on the Chimera... or in the weeks between Nikolas's departure from Rome, and now. There is no one to ask. Even Stefan has to admit that Lucky is in no condition to answer questions. And frankly, for once in his life, Stefan is far too tired to try to wrestle the issue with Spencer. There is time for that. In time, Nikolas will wake up, and confirm what Stefan already suspects. That Helena killed his lover, and that Lucky took the opportunity of Nikolas's grief to avenge his family -- nearly getting Nikolas killed in the process.

Ironic. All these years Stefan had been waiting for Spencer to put an end to Helena's reign of terror, and in the end, it's the man's son who delivers the fatal blow. It is all the same in the end, Stefan supposes. He has been relieved of the woman, finally . And his hands are clean... as are the hands of his family.

A shadow falls across Nikolas's bed, and Stefan raises his eyes to the figure appearing in the doorway.

Katija: Stefan. (Stefan rises to his feet, in a sign of respect -- a lady entering the room -- despite the circumstances)

Stefan: Katija. I thought you had departed for the hotel.

Katija: I have called the hotel, and they have a suite prepared for Ms. Webber and company.

Stefan: Company?

Katija: She's not coming alone.

Stefan: No. No, I suppose I should have thought of that.

Katija: A suite will be prepared for her arrival. There are also reserved rooms for Mr. Spencer, Ms. Davis, and yourself if you feel the need.

Stefan: I have no plans to leave Nikolas's side.

Katija: Somehow I suspected that would be your answer. But should the need arise to shower... shave. Perhaps change your attire -- the means are there.

Stefan: You have been a marvel through this, Katija.

Katija: It is something I've always had a knack for. Picking up pieces. (Stefan looks over at her. He smiles sadly)

Stefan: That you have. (he lets out a long breath) I realize I owe you an apology for my behavior earlier --

Katija: Please! Let's not... It's forgotten. And it has no place here.

Stefan: Of course. (Stefan looks down at his sleeping son) And you... Your reason for being here?

Katija: I have been with Laura. (Stefan pales)

Stefan: Is she --

Katija: No change. (she gives a small smile) But she's alive.

Stefan: I know... (He drops his head) I didn't expect that much... After I saw Josef -- (he stops short, then looks back at her) I am surprised you stayed.

Katija: It ... occurred to me... That both the Prince and his brother are in rather urgent need of their fathers at the moment. I wanted to let you know that I will stay with Laura... so that you may be appraised if anything occurs. Both you and Mr. Spencer.

Stefan: Alexis was going to do the same.

Katija: (exhaling) Alexis is with the girl.

Stefan: Yes. Miss Quartermaine. (He moves over to look down at Nikolas) I knew there was a reason to have you here, Katija. A reason Laura insisted on it.

Katija: She has a sense of these things... of impending --

Stefan: Doom? Yes. She seems to understand it's relationship to her. The manner in which is follows her around.

Katija: Yet never claims her. That's... not without it's poetry.

Stefan: Leave it to you to find that here. (Stefan turns from the bed impatiently and paces to the window, breathing in the sterile air) I loathe hospitals. (he gestures lamely with his hand) I own one... and yet. I have never come to appreciate them for all the good they supposedly do.

Katija: It is hard to see them as places that save lives when nothing but tragedy ever brings you close to one.

Stefan: Tragedy. And endless board meetings. (Stefan covers his face with his hands and takes a careful breath) I believe I am losing my hold on this situation.

Katija: I don't believe there is anything to hold. (Katija walks slowly around the bed to stand where Stefan had been previously, looking down at Nikolas) He did grow up to be a handsome man. (Stefan drops his hands and turns, looking back at her) But then, we always knew that he would be. Handsome and charming.

Stefan: Handsome perhaps. The charm, I can't place it's origin for you.

Katija: (smiling ironically) I did not fall into your bed on account of your dour ways, my count. There is some of your son in you, whether you admit it or not.

Stefan: I wish I could recall how that happened... It might serve me now. (Katija turns and looks at Stefan, shocked. Stefan drops his eyes) Forgive me. That did not at all resemble what I was attempting to say.

Katija: I rather hope not.

Stefan: I meant only that... I wish I could recall how I managed to charm you back then. Perhaps I would be better equip to... (Stefan struggles visibly) Thank... No. No, that's not... (he looks up, a desperate and embarrassed expression on his face) I have no talent with people, Katija. If I ever had anything resembling charm with anyone -- especially you, given your recent kindnesses... I wish I could reclaim that part of myself. In order to... (Stefan gives up -- no word sounds above board) I have no dishonorable intentions to you, Katija. I am simply trying to say --

Katija: Thank-you.

Stefan: Yes. Well. Yes -- that says it all rather neatly.

Katija: (laughing slightly) Perhaps charm was not the right word. Perhaps I simply found your idiosyncrasies to be charming.

Stefan: (letting out a breath of relief) That is entirely possible.

Katija: And... (she cocks her head to one side, looking down at Nikolas again) Your unwavering devotion to your son.

Stefan: My son. (He crosses back to her, standing beside her at the railing of the hospital bed) My son would, perhaps, disagree with you. What brought us here was not a wealth of understanding or particularly succinct communication.

Katija: Still. In the end you must have had his best interests at heart.

Stefan: In the end, I think I am safe in assuming that he doesn't feel he was well served by me.

Katija: One could argue that is simply growing up.

Stefan: Growing up is... a part of life. What has gone on between Nikolas and I goes beyond that. The mere fact that I am his father --

Katija: You have work to do. But you have a son who is going to be well shortly... and then you can attend to mending.

Stefan: I don't know where to start. (Katija frowns. She looks up at Stefan, then looks away) Katija?

Katija: I would be speaking out of turn.

Stefan: Not if I was to ask what you are thinking right now. (Katija looks back)

Katija: I'm not basing this on anything more than what I saw when Alexis brought the boys back to the island. But... It is possible... that all mending will have to start with his brother.

Another room, same hospital.

Luke Spencer sits in silence by his son's bedside. He's asleep. They all are, though sleep is not the word they are using for Laura. No, Laura is in a coma. And that, he's been told, is a miracle in and of itself. "Never should have survived", they keep saying to him. "A gift from God." -- and seeing the broken body they pulled from the bottom of the cliff -- the one that used to be Josef Pappas... he knows it's the truth. Laura's in bad shape. Looks like she'll never be in good shape again. But she's alive. For now, that's all they know for certain.

Luke is trying not to think about the facts that the gifts from God his family is usually bestowed with are other people's natural disasters. But as long as things can get that little bit worse, he's supposed to muster up the energy to be grateful. Right now, he doesn't have a speck of energy for anything. Nothing, except what he's doing here. Watching his son sleep, listening to him breathe. Now there is a real gift from God. Sure, the kid might want to go ten rounds with him when he wakes up... but in some part of his soul, Luke is looking forward to that. Hopes to God that is what he has to face. That he knows how to deal with.

Alexis's cell phone, laid out on the table, interrupts the silence of the room. Lucky doesn't so much as stir. Luke lets out a long suffering sigh, and picks up the phone.

Luke: Luke Spencer

Carly: (in a whisper) Hi.

Luke: (voice low) Sweet Caroline... (he gives a sad smile, looking down at his watch) What time is it where you are? (Carly turns and looks up the staircase she is hovering at the bottom of)

Carly: Early. Leslie is getting everything packed up, we're going to meet Jason and the plane in London. (Luke lets out a long breath)

Luke: Thanks for doin' this, Darlin'.

Carly: My pleasure. (she winces) Or something close to it. You're sure you don't want me to take Lulu to the hospital when we get there?

Luke: No. I don't want her to see her mother like this.

Carly: (concerned) Luke -- (Luke leans forward in his chair, elbows on his knees)

Luke: Just let her know that I'm with her brothers. Tell her they're waiting to see her as soon as they can.

Carly: Should I just keep my big yap shut about Laura, then? (Luke stares at Lucky's sleeping form, and sucks on his bottom lip in contemplation)

Luke: Play it by ear, Caroline. I trust you.

Carly: (sputtering on a laugh) Oh, DO you, now?

Luke: You and Bobbie are all I got to turn to right now. (Carly leans back against the wall, a bit surprised at the defeat in Luke's tone. She clears her throat)

Carly: So... I should focus on Nikolas and Lucky. If she asks about Laura... (Carly frowns) I'll try to exercise my tact muscle.

Luke: You do that, sweetheart.

Carly: (Sighing) Leslie says she's been talking about her brothers constantly. So maybe that'll be enough.

Luke: Don't count on it. Lulu can smell disaster. It's in her genes. (He looks over at Lucky, lying on his back, head turned to one side. Looking not that different than he did as a kid. Littler taller, broader shoulders... still his cowboy. Luke smiles sadly) Tell her they're safe. Nothing else. I don't know what's going to go down in the next few days. Not sure when she'll be able to see them.

Carly: I thought they were all OK.

Luke: Ok's a pretty damn relative term here.

Carly: (groaning) God, why can't you just patronize me and tell me everything's gonna be all right?

Luke: You're a big girl now, Caroline. You can deal with it.

Carly: (after a moment) How is he?

Luke: Sleeping. They gave him a sedative. (Luke lets out a long breath) He looked grateful. (Carly winces. She yanks on the phone cord with pent up anxiety)

Carly: How'd he take the news about Laura.

Luke: (sitting back) He didn't.

Carly: You didn't TELL him?

Luke: (heavily) No. I told them. I told all of them. And... (Luke exhales. He doesn't want to think of that moment. He really doesn't) He was quiet before, but... he hasn't said a word since he heard about Laura. The Prince... (Luke clears his throat) He was pretty far gone at that point.

Carly: Jesus. (she shakes herself) What about Emily? Jason's not talking, but he's going insane, you know?

Luke: She's detoxing -- They have them on some kind of rapid program -- puts them out, lets the body go through it, spares them the pain. Probably a good thing, from the look of it. Emily was in the first stages of it when Alexis found her, but I think they got to... the other kid in time. (Carly nods, noting that Luke is struggling with the "other kid". God, she wishes she could stay with Lulu and be there at the same time. Strange feeling, that. Wanting to be able to spread herself into two places to help someone.)

Carly: Do they know what that witch was giving them?

Luke: No... No, she was playing with pharmaceuticals again, as far as they can work it out. Something that plays with your head pretty bad. Lucky told the doctors that she was hallucinating for a while there. Looks like whatever it was, Nikolas got a lot less. And Helena wanted Lucky good and lucid -- so he got off clean. Looking at Emily, I can see why. It's probably worse for him to watch her go through it, than it is for him to go through it himself. Man, by the time the doctor got there, I would have taken it on myself.

Carly: How bad was she?

Luke: You don't want to know. (Carly makes a face)

Carly: Lucky didn't see --

Luke: Some of it. Before it got really bad... Alexis hustled her down to one of the bedrooms after we landed, stayed with her. She didn't want Lucky to see her get sick. (Carly closes her eyes and leans against the wall of the cottage she's waiting for Leslie in. Sweet Jesus, he mother would have said. It's the only phrase she can think of that fits this situation).

Carly: So... Um. Bright side, Luke. I'm going to need a bright side.

Luke: No one died.

Carly: What about Helena?

Luke: No one who counts.

Carly: Looking at this... I'd say her death counts for a hell of a lot. (Luke looks down at Lucky. He nods, but says nothing) Luke?

Luke: Right here.

Carly: I'm bringing your little girl to you. That's all I can think to do.

Luke: It's enough.

Carly: (sadly) No. It's not.

Luke: Lucky will snap out of this.

Carly: He... He wasn't --

Luke: He'll snap OUT of it. Or I'll snap him out of it.

Carly: Luke, you have to give this some time --

Luke: He's had a month.

Carly: I'm just saying --

Luke: No. I tried that "give it time" thing back in Port Charles. Didn't do a damn thing. Lucky wasn't making any sense to me before because I didn't know what was going on with him. Now I know. We can talk. He'll understand what's happening, and he'll let it go. Everything will be back to normal.

Carly: Except with Laura.

Luke: (faltering) We... We will handle things with his mother. Together.

Carly: I know you don't want to hear this.

Luke: Then don't say it, Caroline.

Carly: Luke, that month? He spent that with Nikolas. And Laura is his mother too --

Luke: I said WE would handle it! We -- Lucky and me.

Carly: And Lulu.

Luke: And Lulu. Right. (Carly lets out a long sigh)

Carly: I'll be there. Soon. For all it's worth.

Luke: Darlin', I need all the reinforcements I can get. (In the bed, Lucky stirs. Luke sits up in his chair) Gotta go.

Carly: What?

Luke: Later. (he hangs up, and tosses the phone aside. He leans forward in his chair) Cowboy? Lucky? You with me? (Lucky lets out a slow moan. Luke watches him, on the literal edge of his seat)

Lucky: Dad? (Luke laughs unsteadily. That actually sounded like his son)

Luke: Right here. Right here, cowboy. I'm not going anywhere. (Lucky turns his head, and looks at his father groggily)

Lucky: Who were you talking to?

Luke: Carly. She's in England, getting your sister. And your grandmother. They'll be here tomorrow, you can see them.

Lucky: Lulu.

Luke: That's right.

Lucky: She's OK.

Luke: She's great. (Lucky frowns in confusion. He licks his lips. Luke reaches over and grabs a glass of water off the night stand) Your mouth dry? You want something to drink? (Lucky looks up at the water and seems to give it serious consideration before deciding that it's too much work. He shakes his head)

Lucky: Lulu's coming. Grandma's coming... And Mom was on the island. (Luke puts down the glass. He looks down at his son. He does not want to have to do this again)

Luke: Lucky. You know where your mother is. (Lucky looks at him a long moment, then turns away, looking at the opposite wall.)

Lucky: Mom's... gone.

Luke: Not gone, Lucky. She's here. She's still with us. Tomorrow you can go and see her. (Lucky nods, letting his eyes close. They snap open again with a sudden realization. He frowns, as if he's doing some mental arithmetic, the looks over at Luke)

Lucky: Dad... Who's feeding my dog? (Luke is stunned silent a moment.)

Luke: Foster? (Lucky nods. Luke looks down into his son's eyes and lets out his breath in a long sigh. He puts a hand to Lucky's forehead and brushes the hair back out of his eyes. So easy to pretend this is just his kid worrying about his dog... flashback a half a dozen years... He leans forward and presses his lips to Lucky's forehead, and speaks with his mouth against his son's skin) I... I'll look into that for you. (Lucky nods, his eyes closes)

Lucky: (mumbling) Thanks. (Luke sits up, nodding. Lucky rolls over, sinking back into sleep immediately. Luke picks up the phone and racks his brain seeing who he can call to make sure the dog's still alive).