Chapter Two Hundred Fourteen:
Child's Play

Private Hospital in Athens, a few days later.

Lucky Spencer walks down the corridor of the hospital, careful to step on each of the lines that separate the floor tiles. He hits each one sharply as he walks, hands in pockets, head down. Step on a crack, break your mother's back... the phrase keeps running through his head... like there should be more words. Doesn't matter... old superstition, and he's immune to it now. After all... his mother's back is already broken.

She's alive... they keep telling him that. She's alive, be grateful... She's alive, but... you can't see her. She's alive, but maybe there are some people you should talk to first...

"People" is where Lucky is coming from. Winding down the hospital corridor having spoken to the "people" in the man's office for twenty minutes, and being told that he should, perhaps, give it time. Don't rush himself. This is a logic that escapes Lucky completely. People seem to be of the opinion that if he goes and looks at his mother lying in intensive care, safely wrapped in her coma, that he will lose his mind on the spot. The whole thing will finally prove to be too much for him, and he'll crack. They don't seem to notice that he cracked a long long time ago. Lucky's not scared that he'll look at her and snap. He's scared he's going to look at her and feel nothing at all.

"All the King's Horses and All the Kings Men..."

He's in nursery rhyme hell. And they won't let him see Lulu because everyone seems to be agreed that Lucky will scare her. Even Luke seems to be seeing that. In fact, Lucky's pretty certain that he's scaring no one quiet as much as he's scaring Luke. Except maybe himself. He already scared the hell out of himself when he talked to Lulu on the phone, because he just didn't... care. Little sister. Loves her like no one on this planet... Thought he'd never be able to see to her again... Couldn't have felt less talking to her. Can't even feel his heart beating -- though he is giving every indication that's he's alive. Yet another cosmic joke.

He's being hard on them. He knows that. That's the biggest reason he really doesn't want to suck Lulu into this mess. There's someone from Port Charles around every single corner of this place. And he just can't seem to suck it up and be normal for any of them. He's trying. Someplace he's aware of effort, but whatever part of him has the controls right now is not coming out to play. He just wants them all to go away.

Not that there haven't been moments. Emily woke up yesterday night. Jason came and got him. Lucky sat by her bedside and held her hand. They looked at each other and said nothing. He knows that the empty look in Emily's eyes was mirrored in his own, and that was as close to relief as he was going to get right now. Being with Emily, even the way he was right now, was easy. No effort. They'd had their struggles and right now, they were frighteningly in synch.

Nikolas... Nikolas was another story entirely. Nikolas was proving to be MUCH smarter than Lucky or Emily. He was clearly the only one who really knew how to deal with this. Lucky was going at it all wrong.

Lucky turns the corner at the end of the corridor and stops dead. Damn. Wrong turn -- You lose! He stands frozen to the spot, his arms out -- something he hadn't realized he was doing, balancing precariously on his heel above the crack in the linoleum. His eyes are fixed on his father's -- who is sitting in a hard back chair beside Alexis Davis. Interesting.

Lucky lets himself fall forward, hitting the crack with a smack. Alexis looks up at the sound.

Alexis: Lucky! (She stands up) Mr. Costa -- (Lucky breaks eye contact with his father, settling his detached gaze on Alexis)

Lucky: The shrink? Yeah, he found me. Just coming from there.

Alexis: Oh. Good. Good -- he wanted to talk to you this morning.

Lucky: Yeah, well. It's done. You got your money's worth. (He lets his eyes slide slowly along the wall) Depending on what you were going for. (Alexis frowns. She looks over at Luke -- who she knows was less than thrilled about the idea of having Lucky talk to a psychologist. They'd brought the man in from England all the same. He was highly recommended, and it was agreed, even by Morgan, that the kids needed someone. Mr. Costas was what Alexis could come up with. But it doesn't look like the man afforded any miracle cures. Luke's eyes are still fixed on Lucky)

Luke: (quietly) I thought maybe you would have gone to see your mother. (Lucky looks at him. After a long moment he looks away, smiling bitterly)

Lucky: "When was the last time you called your mother in Switzerland? She wants to hear from you, Lucky". (Alexis raises her brow at the tone of Lucky's words. Sharp, mocking, and with a pointed meaning that escapes her. She really shouldn't be here...)

Luke: (steadily) Talk to me, kid. I'm all ears. (Lucky looks over at Luke like he's just beamed in from another planet. He laughs slightly)

Lucky: Talk about what? I don't have anything to say. (Luke lets out a long breath)

Luke: When you're ready. (Lucky looks away)

Lucky: Are we done now? I have someplace else to be. (Luke says nothing. He looks down at his hands and threads his fingers together. Alexis watches as Luke's hands tighten into a double fist. His hands are shaking. Lucky stands and waits a long moment for some verbal response. After a long silence, Lucky turns and retreats around the corner, escaping. Alexis lets out a long breath).

Alexis: I think I see what you mean. (Luke shakes his head, watching the place where Lucky was standing. He's suddenly on his feet, pacing the narrow width of the corridor)

Luke: I told you the head-shrinker wouldn't help.

Alexis: He talked to Lucky for half an hour at BEST. I think perhaps this is all going to take more time.

Luke: (turning) I think it's going to take a hell of a lot more than just TIME, Counselor. (Alexis gives him a long suffering look)

Alexis: What do you want from me? I've done everything I can think of. We're throwing enough money at this hospital to sink a ship just so that we can keep Lucky and Emily and Nikolas isolated. I've kept the media out of this, the POLICE --

Luke: Am I supposed to applaud?

Alexis: You know, I'm not spending a lot of time trying to figure out where your son gets that smartass streak from.

Luke: He doesn't need to be in this hospital. I wish to hell he'd let me take him to the hotel, stay with his grandmother, if he won't stay with me.

Alexis: I don't know if that's a great idea, Luke -- He seems to need to be close to where Emily and Nikolas are. (Luke shoots her a look. Alexis puts up her hands) Look -- could we not fight about this? I'm not going to pretend to understand what is happening between you and Lucky --

Luke: Good.

Alexis: I'm just saying.... Whatever it is, it's probably got a lot more to do with what Lucky's been through than it has to do with you.

Luke: And what HAS he been through? Do we even know that?

Alexis: We know he probably killed Helena. He's wanted for murder in the United States -- (Luke shakes his head)

Luke: We all know he didn't do that.

Alexis: Yeah, and we all agree to keep this as quiet as possible for the time being... But eventually it's something we're all going to have to deal with.

Luke: Thanks for the news bulletin.

Alexis: I'm doing the best I can, Luke. I really am.

Luke: (agitated) He's killing me! You know that? He's cutting me up every time he looks at me. I knew.... (Luke closes his eyes and leans back against the wall) I didn't know. I thought I was prepared for this, but... Damn. He's so God Damned angry, and he won't even tell me what's going on in him. Alexis: I think, right now... he's got a lot of reason to me angry. At everyone. At God.

Luke: No. No, Lucky's not like that. He knows about stuff like this... He rolls with it. If he's angry, it's at me. And he's not saying a word. (He looks over at Alexis, in agony) That's not like him. That's not my kid. Lucky always gives me hell when he thinks I've done him wrong. Now... (He hits the wall with his fist) Damnit! He isn't talking to me, not to his Grandmother, not to Jason, Carly -- no one! His mother is in a COMA, he still won't turn to me. The one time in the world that I KNOW he needs me... I know it, Alexis. I can feel it in my gut... That boy loves his mother.

Alexis: I don't think any of this is about love.

Luke: I know. I know that... But I don't how to watch him do this to himself.

Alexis: Luke... I'm not trying to be a smiley face on any of this, Ok? I'm really not. I don't envy you -- and you've seen what's going on with my family.

Luke: Don't ask me to feel bad about any of that.

Alexis: I'm NOT. I'm just... I'm asking you to stop for a minute, Ok? Luke -- twisted as it might be, right now? You got me, I got you, and that's about it. It might change on a dime, but right now... that's where the chips have fallen. (Luke lets out a long, shaky breath. He's wound up. He knows that. He's barely making sense. He just wants so badly to SHAKE Lucky until he snaps out of this. Being stoic and waiting it out is killing him.)

Luke: I know. You're right, I know. (He looks at her, smiling slightly) I know you're not here to take my crap, Counselor.

Alexis: I never take your crap, Spencer. I'm not starting now.

Luke: I just want to get him home. I want to know what is going on with his mother, and get everyone back to Port Charles.

Alexis: We're working on it.

Luke: I know. I know. (Alexis sighs and sits down in the chair she occupied earlier)

Alexis: I know it's naive, but ... I did hope that maybe the psychologist would help. Just a little.

Luke: Doesn't look like it made a dent. (Alexis looks up at him. She smirks a little. She's serious about what she's going to say, she just knows it'll be fruitless)

Alexis: You could talk to the man. He's highly recommended -- (Luke shakes his head, not looking at her)

Luke: I don't need anyone to tell me what's wrong with my son. I know that kid. I know him like the back of my hand. I'll figure out how to reach him if it's the last damn thing I do on this earth.

Emily lies on her back and stares up at the hospital ceiling, doing a bit of grade school math. Count the number of tiles running the length of the room, then the number running the width, and multiply. Count of the odd tiles out -- the ones that fill in a space by the closet -- and you have the total number of ceiling tiles in her private room.

She is grateful for ceiling tiles. There were no tiles at the Cassadine Compound. There weren't even any interesting cracks. Granted, there was better food, and infinitely more comfortable mattresses, but she's really having a hard time caring. She feels, right now, that she's going to have a hard time caring about anything. She feels numb -- through her whole body. She touches her skin, and while she thinks she can feel it register in her brain, she's not sure she can say it feels the same. What does touch feel like? Can she remember? What does life feel like? What does normal feel like? Is anything ever going to feel the way it did before?

No. No... because she's just not sure she's going to feel again. She's numb for life now. Permanent nerve damage all over her body and soul. That's what this must be. Because... if she was feeling -- if she was still a normal human being -- she'd be crying over Laura Spencer. She'd be feeling sick to her stomach over Nikolas Cassadine. She'd be calling her mother and letting her know she's alive. But she's not crying, she's not sick, and she has no desire to talk to her family. Even to think about them. And normal people just wouldn't be feeling that way.

Emily blinks, hearing a door open. She turns her head infinitesimally to see Lucky standing in the door frame.

She feels a little. She smiles.

Lucky returns the gesture weakly, and shuts the door behind him. He moves slowly -- almost shuffling -- across the floor, and comes to lean against the safety bar on Emily's bed. He looks down at her pensively, then reaches down and moves a lock of hair out of her face. Emily closes her eyes.

Lucky: (quietly) How're you doing?

Em: Better. (Lucky lowers his head closer to hers, whispering in her ear)

Lucky: Liar. (Emily laughs slightly and opens her eyes)

Em: Physically, better. (Lucky nods. He looks down at the light blue blanket on her bed, and picks off a piece of fluff) You?

Lucky: Apparently.... I'm in shock.

Em: Is that what this is?

Lucky: They have a psychologist. And he tells me I'm in shock.

Em: Oh. (She thinks a moment) So what do you do about that?

Lucky: Nothing. (Lucky turns his eyes to the safety bar again) Because I'm in shock. (He looks at the hooks, then hits two levers, lifts the bar, and slides it down. He looks up at her, mildly pleased) Ta dah. (Emily slides over to the other side of the bed, rolling onto her side and making room for Lucky)

Em: Much better than last time. (Lucky nods, climbing up on the bed to lie beside her.)

Lucky: What do you know? Must have picked up something useful from Nik after all. (He looks over at her. They are both aware that that was meant to be funny, but neither of them find it particularly amusing. Lucky sighs deeply and lies back, folding his hands over his chest. Emily puts her head down on the pillow beside his).

Em: How is he?

Lucky: Sleeping.

Em: Again?

Lucky: Still. (He looks over at her, their faces inches apart on the pillow) He hasn't waken up yet. (Emily blinks)

Em: At all?

Lucky: At all.

Em: (frowning) What does that mean?

Lucky: (exhaling) The psychologist thinks he isn't "ready" to wake up.

Em: What do you think?

Lucky: That you don't need a psychology degree to guess that one. (Lucky turns to look up at the ceiling) His system's been flushed, the detox is over, all of his vitals are normal... And all the tests they ran seem to indicate that you were in a much more serious situation than he was. So. Far as anyone can tell, he's just asleep. (he closes his eyes, tightly.) But he isn't waking up.

Em: Have they TRIED to wake him?

Lucky: Doctor thinks he should wake up when he's ready.

Em: I... Wow. (she shakes her head) That's not what I expected to hear.

Lucky: He doesn't want to be here, Em. That's all it is. (Emily slides closer to him on the bed, and puts her arm around his neck, laying her palm on the side of his face. She puts her head on his shoulder and lets her eyes close)

Em: He'll wake up.

Lucky: Yeah.

Em: And... we'll be fine. Right?

Lucky: I don't know, Em. I talked to that psychology something like 20 minutes -- he said I could make somebody rich.

Em: That doesn't sound like a very healing thing to say.

Lucky: To be fair, I think I was trying to piss him off.

Em: You're not sure?

Lucky: (shrugging) What do I know? I'm in shock. But it sounds like something I'd do. (Emily giggles and snuggles up to him.)

Em: It really really does. (She reaches down and takes his hand in hers. They twine their fingers together and Emily lets out a sigh) Didn't you think "over" would feel... different?

Lucky: (quietly) What's it feel like? (Emily frowns and shakes her head.)

Em: I just can't see it... Like I try to imagine how many colors my grandfather's face is going to turn when I go back home. Or try to imagine how long I'm going to be grounded for. It just seems... unreal. What is the standard parental punishment for blowing off school and running away with your boyfriend to Europe so that you don't get killed by a crazy woman?

Lucky: I think it's life.

Em: What's really going to get me burned is not calling. At all. Lucky: You don't call home when you're on the run. That's so basic, it's not even a rule. (Lucky looks up at her, moving his eyes from their intertwined hands) Any news from the home front? (Emily shakes her head)

Em: Jason didn't really want to tell me much about what's going on in Port Charles. Leading me to believe that we're in the Eye of the Hurricane right now. (Lucky nods, staring off into nothing. Emily winces) Ok. I am in the Eye of the Hurricane.

Lucky: Where am I? (Emily narrows her eyes, looking at Lucky intently for an answer to that question).

Em: I don't know. (Lucky cracks a smile)

Lucky: In shock.

Em: You keep saying that.

Lucky: I do, don't I? (He groans and rolls over onto his side. He takes her in, his eyes darting from her face, down to their entwined hands, to the bandages on her wrists, then back to her eyes. Emily frowns, waiting for him to say something. He doesn't)

Em: What?

Lucky: Just... acclimatizing.

Em: What's that?

Lucky: It's what you were talking about... Looking around and trying to make everything feel like it exists.

Em: Yeah... (Lucky smiles

Lucky: You know... You're not asking very many questions.

Em: (smiling a little) No... (She laughs softly) I think maybe the sketchy details are taking up too much space in my head. (Lucky nods. His eyes wander back to their hands and he gives hers a squeeze)

Lucky: Helena's dead.

Em: Yeah.

Lucky: I keep thinking if I say that enough, I'll believe it. But there really aren't that many people to tell. (Lucky lets out his breath. He runs his thumb back and forth across the back of her hand, his brow furrowed)

Em: Are you really Ok? I mean... (Lucky shakes his head, looking away from her)

Lucky: I'm just... really tired, Em. And I'm sick of this, and I don't want to be here anymore -- but I don't want to go home. (he sighs) I can't explain any of this. And there's not really any point -- you understand probably better than anyone. (Emily smiles sadly)

Em: We've been through hell together, haven't we?

Lucky: (ironically) Hey, I promised you adventure.

Em: I'm here because I wanted to be. I'm GLAD I'm here, Lucky. I really am.

Lucky: Yeah... You've the international tour of sickbeds, haven't you?

Em: Hey -- Head injuries in Canada, abrasions in Italy, heat stroke in Greece... Not everyone gets to DO that, you know.

Lucky: Believe me. I know. AND -- now that this is... for lack of a better word, "over" -- can you give the rest and healing thing a chance? Stop giving me a heart attack every five minutes.

Em: I think... That won't be a problem. (She gives him a sad smile) You know... For me? The hard part's over. (Lucky looks up at her) For you...

Lucky: I'll be fine. You know me, I always... (He pauses, trying to find a word) Rally.

Em: (unconvinced) I think I just figured it out.

Lucky: Figured what out?

Em: Why this doesn't feel over. (Lucky gives her an expectant look) You've beat yourself up for so long, Lucky. Maybe that's it -- it doesn't feel over because... I don't think that part is. (She looks at him searchingly) Is it? (Lucky takes a breath, then looks away. HE stares hard at the opposite wall for a long moment)

Lucky: I didn't kill Helena. (The sentence hangs there. Emily frowns, realizing that she wasn't really giving much thought to the idea that someone must have killed Helena in order for her to be dead. Her first feeling is shock -- followed quickly by relief, and then confusion)

Em: Who did?

Lucky: (quietly) Hold on to your hat, Em. (He meets her eyes) Helena died... because Nikolas shot her. (Emily's sits up, sucking in her breath)

Em: NIKOLAS?

Lucky: Shh shh shh. (He rises up on an elbow and glances towards the door) I wanted to talk to him before I get into ... You know. Who did what. See, things got a little messy right before Helena died, not everything they said really... hit home. But looking back on it... there's a couple of things I think I should clarify. In the meantime, everyone seems to think I off'ed her... Which is... Probably better. What's bad for Nik's rep is good for mine. (Lucky winces) Gee. Aren't we a pair.

Em: What... what happened? In that room? (Lucky runs a hand through his hair)

Lucky: It's a really... REALLY... Long story. I... I'll tell you. All the gory details, if you wanna know. But for right now... Nik shot Helena. (Lucky exhales) And... I don't think he's taking it very well.

Em: Do you think that's why he's still sleeping?

Lucky: Probably. Partially.

Em: I ... I can't believe it. I mean... I can't see it happening.

Lucky: I saw it happen, I can't really believe it.

Em: Did... Was she trying to hurt you?

Lucky: (derisive) What? You can see him doing it if she was trying to hurt me? (Emily looks at him oddly)

Em: Truthfully? Yeah.

Lucky: (quietly) She kidnapped you, she got me there... She gave Nikolas a gun, and she told him to shoot me.

Em: You have to be kidding.

Lucky: He did what he had to do.

Em: But Helena's not that stupid! Is she?

Lucky: Not usually. She ... miscalculated.

Em: HOW?

Lucky: As far as I can tell, she fed Nik a lot of stories. About me. She thought he bought them -- she must have drugged him to make sure he wasn't thinking clearly--

Em: (softly) Oh my God...

Lucky: Yeah.

Em: She wanted him to shoot you?

Lucky: Yeah. Until I saw where the bullet hit, I was pretty sure he was going to do it.

Em: He'd never --

Lucky: (looking her in the eye) You didn't see him. (Emily freezes. She lets out a long breath)

Em: But he didn't. Shoot you. He didn't.

Lucky: Nope.

Em: So --

Lucky: So... I'm not sure. I don't really know what was going on -- what he was doing there, why he took off on us, why he did what he did...

Em: (statement of fact) You have to talk to him.

Lucky: Yeah.

Em: And he won't wake up.

Lucky: Bingo.

Em: May I just point out that we NEVER CATCH A BREAK! (Lucky laughs softly and looks up at her. His eyes are almost unnaturally blue -- shinning a little. Lucky has nothing to say to that. So he opts to say nothing at all, and lies down next to her, his head against hers. They lie there like that, in silence, holding hands. After several minutes, Emily lets out a long breath, her eyes closed) You know what?

Lucky: What?

Em: I never really thought about us as plotting a murder... But we kinda did, didn't we?

Lucky: If we did, we could have done it better.

Em: Same outcome. (pause) I'm glad she died.

Lucky: Vigilante Justice.

Em: Yeah. (She frowns) You know, I don't think I even noticed when I stopped seeing the law as something that I should follow. I mean... I don't think I ever even thought about it until now. Not the whole time we were doing this.

Lucky: (stretching) We didn't break that many laws.

Em: Well. We weren't exactly supposed to leave America. And we're definitely not in this country by the traditional route.

Lucky: Yeah, don't sweat that one... Alexis is pulling so many strings she could apply for work in Jim Henson's workshop. (he cringes) Although, I'm not saying life wouldn't be just a little easier if you were eighteen... But we're not really wrestling with legal demons here.

Em: So what demons are we wrestling with? (Lucky laughs)

Lucky: Ok. As far as loaded questions go --

Em: It's a specialty of mine.

Lucky: I've noticed. (He lets out a sigh that borders on a groan) I don't want to wear you out, Em.

Em: Lame! I'm sorry -- that's lame, Spencer. You know I always have energy to drive you crazy.

Lucky: You aren't driving me crazy.

Em: Is that a challenge? (Lucky laughs. He puts his forehead against her shoulder)

Lucky: God, I'm glad you made it out of there.

Em: Ohhhh, don't get serious on me, please.

Lucky: Sorry. (He turns his head towards her, speaking into her ear softly) You almost didn't come back.

Em: All three of us almost didn't. But... we knew that. We knew that could happen.

Lucky: That doesn't mean things were supposed to go that far. (Emily turns her head slightly towards Lucky, resting her cheek against his face)

Em: How mad at Nikolas are you? (Lucky makes a face. He rolls onto his back)

Lucky: Academically... I'm furious.

Em: What's that mean?

Lucky: It means that, looking at the history, the conversations we had, the decisions he made, and their outcome... logic insists that I'm mad at him.

Em: Are... Are you saying you're not? (Lucky growls)

Lucky: (annoyed -- not at her) It's like my wires are all crossed. I can't be mean to Nikolas, and I can't be anything BUT mean to... (he lets his voice fade out. )

Em: (heavily) So... How is your father? (Lucky snorts)

Lucky: Omnipresent. "Hey cowboy -- whenever you want to talk..."

Em: How did he find us?

Lucky: (cold) I didn't ask.

Em: Ok.

Lucky: (small explosion) I did him a favor, all right? I left. I LEFT -- He wasn't supposed to come after me.

Em: Doesn't it say something -- that he did?

Lucky: It says that he's stubborn as hell.

Em: Lucky -- you knew that. (Lucky shakes his head)

Lucky: I don't want to go through this with him -- OK? I don't want to have the "Oh, we'll work it out" conversation. I know what the long run looks like. I'm not doing it again.

Em: Lucky --

Lucky: No, Emily! I've been through this one too many times. Everything's fine, we'll work it out -- smile and wave. Just America's Perfect little Abnormal Family. Every town needs one. But you know what happens if I got back -- everything starts to rot from the inside. I've been through it before, I'm not doing it again.

Em: You and Luke aren't like you and Laura.

Lucky: You sure about that? Look were all of this... (Lucky stops again. He sits up, his breathing heavy with emotion. Oh look -- EMOTIONS. Right. Good to see those back, they've always done him so many favors. He puts his head down on his raised knee) My Mom is in a coma, Emily. (Emily sits up, putting a hand on his back)

Em: I know --

Lucky: Because she followed him. Because she felt guilty.

Em: You don't know that. Not for sure.

Lucky: It's just BETTER this way! It's the way it has to be. (Emily lets out a long breath. She slides her arm around Lucky's waist, and leans against his back)

Em: He does love you. (Lucky laughs shakily, and lifts his head)

Lucky: Yeah, well... That's really too bad for him, isn't it? (Lucky reaches back and lightly brushes Emily's hair with his hand) Come here. (Emily looks up, and slides up on her knees, resting her chin on Lucky's shoulder)

Em: I'm right here. (Lucky turns his head towards her and smiles a bit. He moves over and turns his body so that they are facing each other a little. His hand moves up and slides into her hair. He looks at the dark strands and smiles a little)

Lucky: So are you going back to your old color?

Em: I've given it exactly NO consideration. (Lucky nods, then turns his eyes to hers. He leans in slowly and Emily lets her eyes close. They kiss softly, both making a concerted effort to keep it light. Emily's hand comes up to grip Lucky's shoulder, but they manage to just stay in the moment, kissing sweetly for the first time since Lucky was taken away for his planned execution. Emily pulls back, and leans forward, hugging him. She closes her eyes and sighs, leaning her head against his)

Em: You're the only thing that feels real to me right now. You really are.

Lucky: I know. You too -- You're all I need right now. (Emily smiles ruefully, then opens her eyes. She sits up seeing who is standing at the doorway. Lucky, noting this, turns to see his father. He groans, making no effort to hide his annoyance) See? He's everywhere.

Em: Hi, Luke. (Luke nods at Emily, though his eyes are on Lucky)

Luke: Good to see you awake, Darlin'.

Em: Good to be awake. (Lucky turns around, so that he is sitting on the edge of the bed, his feet on the floor. He crosses his arms and looks at Luke darkly)

Lucky: Did you want something?

Luke: I was lookin' to talk to Emily.

Lucky: Why?

Luke: (to Emily) Alexis needs to know some details -- we need to decide what to do about your family.

Em: (sitting back) Oh. Yeah. I guess we really do.

Lucky: Well -- Be my guest. (Lucky stands up) I'm not gonna sit around and listen. (Emily opens her mouth to protest, then closes it again. Ok, she thinks. I'm staying as far out of THIS one as I can. Lucky looks back at her, though he doesn't meet her eyes) I'll be back.

Em: I know. (Lucky nods, then turns, focusing on the door, and walks across the room. He moves past his father in the door without actually looking at him. Luke says nothing. He stays in the door, watching the floor, for several minutes after Lucky has left. Finally he looks up and gives Emily a rueful smile)

Luke: Was it something I said? (Emily gives him a weak smile)

Em: He's just... (she shakes her head, and sits down on the bed, cross-legged) We're having one of those lives, you know?

Luke: (crossing the room) Havin' one of those myself. (he pulls up a chair and sits in it -- sitting forward his elbows resting on his knees, hands clasped) So, Emily... (Emily looks at him warily)

Em: So.

Luke: How're you doing?

Em: Better than I was this time yesterday.

Luke: Yeah, you look better -- consciousness agrees with you.

Em: I always thought so.

Luke: (leaning forward) You know, I've been meaning to ask you something.

Em: (warning) Luke. (Luke reaches out and takes Emily's hand from her knee, and looks at it pointedly, then looks up at her.)

Luke: What's with the wedding ring?

Nikolas's hospital room

Stefan is pacing. Again. There simply isn't anything left to do, and he's past to point of stillness. He's been awake too long, and is feeling far too provoked by his circumstances. He's in limbo. There is simply nothing to do, nothing left to plan, nothing to attend to. Nothing he can DO in preparation of Nikolas's recovery. His entire world stands at a standstill, waiting for Nikolas to open his eyes.

This is worse than he'd feared. Initially his patience -- such as it was -- was tied entirely into the knowledge that Nikolas was going to be well shortly. And that, when he awoke, details could be attended to. First and foremost was entreating him to come back home. Part of that plan was finding the best possible care for Laura -- as close to Port Charles as possible. That was proving difficult because her condition was still unfolding for him. Tests were still being run. The prognosis was nonexistent. The only thing the doctors would say -- repeated with tragicomic regularity -- was that she was lucky to be alive at all.

That was something that left a hollow feeling inside Stefan. He couldn't help but blame himself for her condition. He was the only one there -- he should have stopped it. But... at this moment, he was entirely uncertain what the condition even was. And that stopped matters a bit short. What could he do to fix something when he wasn't certain what had happened? And how could he anticipate a reaction that Nikolas was stubbornly refusing to wake up and have? A psychologist was on site. And he had Alexis acting as intermediary between him and Luke -- something that was working surprisingly well. No blood had yet been shed. In other circumstances, that would concern him, but at this moment, he did not have the time to question it. It was too important.

The time had come, he realized this, to look at this situation with fresh eyes. There was no room for error here. Nikolas had run away. That was really the only way to look at it -- he had left and thrown his lot in with a Spencer. And Stefan had a sinking feeling that there wasn't going to be any coming back from that. The message had been sent -- something was going to have to change.

Katija had said it -- that she felt healing was going to begin with Nikolas's "brother" -- the word still made Stefan wince. It had always been easier for him to think of Lucky Spencer as a clone created in Luke Spencer's image. But replaying the final days Nikolas had spent in Port Charles -- days in which he'd been angry, emotional, and distant... One thing keeps coming back to him. Nikolas standing in the living room of Wyndemere, screaming at him, for a wrong he -- for once -- was not guilty of. Nikolas had accused Stefan of being like Luke Spencer.

"He is so threaten by the idea of Lucky needing anything from me... By the idea that Lucky could GET anything from knowing me, that he won't let me NEAR him! But you're the same way! You always have been. Guarding my love like I didn't have a heart large enough for anyone but you! Making sure I didn't feel love from anywhere else! Not from my mother, not from my other family!"

It was all there... The source of Nikolas's rage, the way he chose to see the choices Stefan had made. He didn't see Stefan's efforts to protect him. He saw only what he missed. The family. The loss. The lack of love. If that was at the heart of why Nikolas had acted the way he had, then Stefan was going to have to address it. And at this moment, he had no clear idea how to do that. The fact that he had no idea what had transpired between Nikolas and Lucky in the time they had spent together had not escaped his attention.

Stefan was playing all things with Lucky very carefully. He had heard from Alexis that the boy was sullen and disagreeable in disposition, but otherwise fine. He avoided asking how this was any different from his usual behavior. He'd instructed Alexis to make sure the boy, regardless of mood, was taken care of. He wanted no sign of impropriety. Lucky had a private room in the hospital, even though he was not in need of the care. The first night, the sheer weight of the situation had demanded it -- It was necessary to check young Spencer for pharmaceuticals in his bloodstream. He had many cuts and abrasions to be seen to. And his demeanor had alarmed his physician enough that she'd given him the choice of a sedative. By morning it was obvious that Spencer was physically unscathed. Stefan found that, he had to admit, irksome. But he made no comment when Alexis told him. Simply nodded, and returned his attention to Nikolas.

And so here he was -- still. Waiting. With nothing else demanding his attention. Stefan frowns, stroking his goatee as he stares out the window. His musing is interrupted by a sharp rapping noise behind him. Stefan turns and finds Lucky Spencer leaning impassively against the door jam. He is wearing an expression of grimacing boredom that never ceases to irk Stefan. No matter what might have unfolded between Lucky and Nikolas, no matter how cautious Stefan may want to be when dealing with a situation he knows he is lacking pertinent knowledge regarding, it's hard to put away the simple fact that he does not -- and has never -- liked Lucky Spencer. Family history aside, he's precisely the sort of person Stefan would have Nikolas have nothing to do with. Nikolas, however, has a long history of picking exactly that sort of person to be his closest confidants. Stefan had never really entertained the idea of Lucky being a part of Nikolas's life. But he's aware that it's something he might soon have to deal with. Stefan steels himself)

Stefan: (calmly) Yes, Lucky? (Lucky nods towards the floor in front of him, and then looks back up at Stefan)

Lucky: Requesting permission to enter. (Stefan brow creases slightly)

Stefan: You're asking for my consent? (Lucky sighs and crosses his arms)

Lucky: Well -- last time I visited Nikolas's sick bed, things just went so WELL -- I figured it's either ask, or get into a brawl. (He looks at Stefan pointedly.)

Stefan: (coolly) I have no interest in fighting with you.

Lucky: Good.

Stefan: But I will not have you upsetting Nikolas. (Lucky looks over at Nikolas, then back at Stefan)

Lucky: Oh, come on. If I could actually UPSET Nikolas right now, you'd probably dance a jig. (Stefan's mouth tightens)

Stefan: I fail to see the comedy in these circumstances.

Lucky: (dryly) Which is really too bad -- because somewhere, I'm sure someone is finding it funny as hell.

Stefan: This is a matter of unparalleled gravity for me, Lucky. (he narrows his eyes) Except, perhaps, for the time you pushed my nephew down the stairs.

Lucky: Nephew. Can we drop that? (Stefan bristles. He'd used the word out of habit -- nothing more. Think son, say nephew. He'd long since trained himself to do that. He does not need Lucky Spencer judging him right now)

Stefan: Nikolas does not need to be aggravated. (The expression on Lucky's face suggest a fair amount of aggravation itself)

Lucky: (taking a step into the room) He's been asleep for almost forty-eight hours! (Lucky stops himself, realizing that he's not doing this well. He knew this was going to be a bitch, but this isn't the best way to go about it, regardless) Ok, you know what? I didn't come here to get into an argument with you. I expected to get into one, but it's not what I'm looking for. I just want to see my brother -- Ok? That's it. I don't want to upset him, I don't want to short-sheet his bed and I sure as hell don't want to see him lose his power of speech again. WHICH -- can I just point out -- wasn't my fault.

Stefan: Your father --

Lucky: (voice low) Doesn't have a damn thing to do with this. (Stefan studies Lucky's expression critically. Finally, he takes a step away from the window, towards Lucky)

Stefan: What do you want here, Lucky?

Lucky: I want to see my brother.

Stefan: (shaking his head) I am not stopping you.

Lucky: I want to see my brother -- alone. (For a moment, Stefan is perfectly still -- not even breathing. Lucky recognizes this as the manner in which Stefan Cassadine must register shock. Finally Stefan shakes his head resolutely)

Stefan: That is out of the question.

Lucky: I thought you'd say that...

Stefan: Yet you ask.

Lucky: (Sighing) Ok. Humor me a second.

Stefan: I think I've humored you quite long enough.

Lucky: Ok -- then just shut up and listen.

Stefan: If you truly wish my cooperation, young Spencer, you might try a little less obvious contempt.

Lucky: (Smiling slightly) The sad thing is -- I am. (he sighs) This is me appealing to your better nature -- Ok, no, I can't say that with a straight face. But I'm not trying to make your life hell, anymore than you're trying to do that to me. Come on, Stefan. You're a cautious man, you always have been. You gotta know that I'm... a source of information if nothing else. Right now, I'm the closest thing you're ever going to get to a Spencer ally. (Stefan manages not to grimace. The boy speaks disturbing truth. And he can't allow his personal feelings for him to interfere)

Stefan: Are you proposing something, Lucky? (Lucky looks over at Nikolas. He lets out a long breath, his brow knit.)

Lucky: Has anyone said anything new? (Stefan frowns -- this is preferable behavior. He can handle this situation when Lucky looks like he might have a sincere bone in his body.)

Stefan: (guarded) Nothing I'm sure Alexis hasn't shared with you. (Lucky nods, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. He turns back to Stefan)

Lucky: (looking back at him, shaking it off) Ok. How 'bout it? You're not getting anywhere with him, you wanna give me a shot?

Stefan: A shot? This is not a game of Basketball, Lucky.

Lucky: Sports reference. I'm impressed, Uncle Stiff.

Stefan: I thought you'd appreciate it. Life does seem to be a game to you.

Lucky: (heavily) Yeah. I must play pretty rough then. (He looks at Stefan pointedly) Are you keeping a score here, Mr. Cassadine?

Stefan: I will not see Nikolas hurt. That is my only interest here. (Lucky folds his arms across his chest)

Lucky: (angry) If I wanted to hurt your most precious commodity, I didn't have to bring him all the way here to do it. You're standing there like I put him in this bed -- that was YOUR kin, Ok? Not mine. I came here to keep Prince Valiant here from getting himself killed. You'll notice he's still breathing. (Stefan stares at Lucky. He shakes his head, finally, and walks over to Nikolas. He looks down at his son a long moment)

Stefan: I do not blame you for this, Lucky.

Lucky: (snide) You're a prince. (Stefan looks back at him quickly. There was something in that tone he doesn't like. He walks back to Lucky)

Stefan: Is that a threat? (It hadn't been. Lucky looks up, confused, then he realizes what's going on here... Stefan IS a prince... and Nikolas the Illegitimate isn't... Hey!)

Lucky: (after a moment) It could be.

Stefan: You claim to care about Nikolas's well being, and now you're attempting intimidation?

Lucky: I think I owe you some blackmail, Stefan. I kept this secret for you for free for almost three years... you won't give me fifteen minutes. Something here doesn't seem right. (Stefan looks at Lucky intently)

Stefan: What are your intentions?

Lucky: I want him to wake up.

Stefan: He will wake up when he's ready. All the doctors have agreed that he should not be pushed.

Lucky: What if I know what to say to make him want to wake up? (Stefan straightens. Gall the Spencers have always had in spades, but Lucky is still striking him as forward)

Stefan: You do not know my son well enough to --

Lucky: The problem here, Stefan, is that you don't know how well I know your son. You don't know what I know, or how I know it. And most of all... you don't know what happened in that room before you mother died. You don't know what he did, or what he saw -- but I do. I know why he won't wake up. I know what he's avoiding. And I know how to help him. And the first thing I have to do? I have to get you the hell out of here.

Stefan: (hushed, but angry) You dare to speak to me like this --

Lucky: (equally intense) Look! I don't give a damn about you. You don't give a damn about me. But for one brief shinning moment here, we want the same thing. If Nik wakes up and never wants to see me again -- then you're off the hook. If he doesn't... well, you'll have what you want. Right? No harm, no foul. (Stefan stares into Lucky's eyes, his brow knit. After a moment he turns from Lucky and walks to the window. He stops, looking out the glass at the concrete below, then turns, glancing back at Lucky. The expression on his face is implacable. Lucky finds it strangely unnerving. Damn, this man gives him the creeps. He refuses to let his face register that, though)

Stefan: You are asking for fifteen minutes.

Lucky: Yes.

Stefan: Which I am supposed to give you, with no gesture of good faith --

Lucky: You got your son in a bed, breathing on his own, and your mother in the morgue, and you're asking me for a gesture of good faith? (Stefan gives a tight smile. Lucky raises his eyebrows in surprise)

Stefan: It does sound as if you have done me quite a service.

Lucky: (shrugging) It sure does look that way, doesn't it?

Stefan: All right, Lucky. I am willing to bargain with you. I shall grant you a few moments. For Nikolas's sake. (Lucky blinks)

Lucky: Just like that.

Stefan: No. Firstly -- I expect you to keep what you know about my son to yourself.

Lucky: And secondly?

Stefan: We shall talk -- briefly -- when you are finished here.

Lucky: what? A favor to be named later? No. No, if I'm going to bargain with a Cassadine all the cards have to be on the table, no surprises.

Stefan: Whatever do you imagine I would do to you?

Lucky: I don't have to imagine anything. Being paranoid keeps me alive, that's enough encouragement for me to just listen to my gut where you people are concerned.

Stefan: Lucky, do you have any idea what my 'gut' tells me about you?

Lucky: If your gut has been eating it's Wheaties, then it should be telling you that I'm a better friend than enemy.

Stefan: Certainly I will grant you that.

Lucky: It's a start.

Stefan: The question I have is where you are concerned, Lucky, is the same one I ask myself of everyone who I cross paths with. Ultimately, where are you loyalties?

Lucky: (putting his arms out) Ultimately? They're with me. (He drops his arms) And that's probably the case with everyone you meet. (Stefan nods slightly, granting him that much. He takes a step towards him, speaking with his voice low)

Stefan: What can you tell me about my son? About what has happened to him?

Lucky: Nothing.

Stefan: Nothing?

Lucky: It'd violate the terms of our agreement, Steffie. I'm keeping everything I know about Nikolas to myself. (Stefan looks grim, not enjoying the paradox)

Stefan: If nothing changes after this... For Nikolas's OWN GOOD --

Lucky: It'll change. (Stefan just looks at him) If it doesn't... All right. I'll talk to you -- but I decide what about. I'm not going to tell you anything Nikolas wouldn't. That's my offer. It's a hell of a lot more than you're going to get if you just tell me to turn around and leave.

Stefan: (After a long silence) Very well. (Stefan turns and walks away from Lucky, towards the door) I'll grant you some time. (Lucky turns, watching Stefan in some degree of surprise)

Lucky: Are you going to time me?

Stefan: I think I shall play it by ear. (He stops in the doorway, and looks back to Lucky) I won't be far.

Lucky: Yeah, you never are.

Stefan: One does not score points sitting on the side lines. (Ah ha. the light bulb goes on. Stefan is gong to use letting Lucky see Nikolas to cast himself in a positive light. Clever.)

Lucky: No. One doesn't. (Stefan nods, then turns and walks out of the room.)

Stefan: (going through the door) The door remains open, Lucky. (Lucky salutes to Stefan's back, then looks over at his sleeping brother)

Lucky: I hope you appreciated that. (He turns and walks over to the bed, standing at the foot of it, and looking up at Nikolas's sleeping form) Don't try to play against assumptions -- you know. It works for you sometimes. (He watches Nikolas a long moment. Nothing. Ok. So no one said this would be easy) Ok, Nik. It's time to snap out of this. (He walks around the bed, turns the chair around with one hand, and sits down on it, back to front. He watches Nikolas again, watches him breathe. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the medallion, still on it's broken chain. He looks down at it, studying it, then reaches out and picks up Nikolas's hand. He presses the medallion into it, closes the hand in his, and puts it back on the bed. He keeps his hands over Nikolas's and looks at his brother intently) We need to talk, Nik. I can wait as long as you're gonna make me.