Chapter Twenty-Eight:
Taking Action

The Quartermaine Mansion.

Emily opens the front door slowly, and looks around the foyer. It's empty, but she's sure it won't stay that way. She closes the door behind her and walks across the floor to the stairs. She notices the door to the living room is open, and stops in front of it. She takes a deep breath, and peaks around the corner. She sees AJ standing, alone, staring out the window. She debates going in vs. going upstairs to get her English books. She sighs, and walks into the room.

Emily: See anything interesting? (AJ spins around and nearly collapses with relief at the sight of her.)

AJ: Emily! Thank God. Where have you been?

Emily: (flatly) Jason's. I'm surprised you guys didn't figure that out for yourself.

AJ; Mom and Dad thought it would be better to let you come home on your own.

Em: And you?

AJ: I'm staying out of it.

Em: It's a little late for that, isn't it?

AJ: Emily...

Em: I'm not ready, yet, AJ. I don't want to hate you, but you're just going to have to give me some time to remember why I love you again, all right?

AJ: I'm sorry. We're not going to agree on this.

Em: You don't have to have you agree with me. You just have to stay out of it.

AJ: I... I'm not going to forget --

Em: If you say one word, I swear to God.... (AJ visibly deflates)

AJ: I think it's probably best that I don't say anything.

Em: That's what I was thinking.

AJ: (tenderly) I just don't want to see you get hurt.

Em: You were here last summer, remember? Do you want me to do that again? Walk around staring into space and feeling like nothing good was ever going to happen to me again?

AJ: I just question Lucky being something good.

Em: You can question that all you want, AJ. Just don't do it in front of me.

Monica: (entering from the foyer) Emily? (Emily turns and takes in Monica's frazzled appearance)

Em: Hi. I came to get my books.

Monica: Books?

Em: I have an exam. Contrary to popular opinion in this house, the world doesn't stop spinning just because this family has a catastrophe. (Emily starts to walk out of the room)

Monica: Exam. English, right?

Em: (passing Monica) I have to get my books.

Monica: (following Em) Please, don't do this. (Emily starts up the stairs, Monica still following)

Em: Do what?

Monica: Shut me out like this!

Em: I let you in, and look what happened? Exactly why should I rush to confide in you again?

Monica: I didn't breathe a word of what we discussed the other night, except to say that I was worried about you, and that I believed that your feelings for Lucky were non-negotiable.

Em: (stopping at the tops of the stairs) Non-negotiable? You sound like Grandfather!

Monica: Those weren't my exact words. Emily, we're willing to talk about this.

Em: Are you willing to let me see Lucky?

Monica: Your father and I have decided that we really can't stop you from seeing him.

Em: (trying to cover her surprise) You're right. You can't.

Monica: We're not going to try. But I don't think he'll be welcome here.

Em: (turning to walk along the corridor) I figured. (She reaches her room, and twists the door knob) So, basically, I can still have a relationship with him as long as I don't share a single moment of it with my family. Yes. That sounds healthy. (She enters the room, Monica following)

Monica: Emily! What do you want from us?

Em: Well, you're telling me not to shut you out, and then you're telling me not to tell you about anything. Make up your mind!

Monica: Emily! What choice are you giving us here? How can we just forget what he did?

Em: (heavily) Look, I'm not saying I don't understand how you feel. Imagine how I felt when I found out? You all act like I simply shrugged and said "Gee, Lucky. I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't do that again." That was not what happened!

Monica: Sweetheart... maybe it would help me if you told me what happened. (Emily turns to face Monica, searching her face with her eyes).

Em: (torn) I don't know if I can trust you... (Monica's face falls. She turns away from Emily, tears coming to her eyes)

Monica: I didn't betray your trust, Emily.

Em: You didn't stop them! You didn't stand up for me! You knew exactly how much I cared about him, and you didn't say a word.

Monica: Please, Emily. I don't know what else to do! We aren't going to stop you from seeing him, but everything else... it took time for Lucky to earn back your trust. It'll take time for him to earn back ours as well. (Emily sinks down onto the bed. She knows full well that Lucky worked hard to get her to trust him again. He made sacrifice after sacrifice for her, but the Q's are another matter. He doesn't care about having their trust.)

Em: And what would he have to do to get that?

Monica: As long as he doesn't hurt this family, then I won't have a problem with him.

Em: But he did hurt this family. Badly.

Monica: (Helplessly) How did you forgive him, Emily?

Em: Why can't you just trust that I had my reasons?

Monica: Because! I have forgiven lovers for things that I never would have told my parents -- or my children -- about. And my reasons weren't always responsible.

Em: Thanks for the vote of confidence.

Monica: I don't know how to talk to you anymore. Everything I say seems to be wrong.

Em: If there was some magic sentence he'd said that made me change my mind, and open my heart to him again, then I wouldn't have spent four torturous months trying to stay away from him. I forgave him because I know him, and I understand him, and eventually.... (she bites her lips forcing the tears that are struggling to come to the surface back down) The really horrible thing about the whole thing, was that it made me doubt myself. I believed in him with all I had, and when I found out what he'd done, I couldn't understand how I could love someone who I was so wrong about. It took me a long time to be able to trust myself again, to look at him, and realize that he'd never changed. He'd always been the same person who I fell in love with. He'd just made a mistake. And it was a mistake I could understand because of everything I knew about him. I had to believe in myself again to see it. But you don't know him that way, so I don't know how to make you see what I do. Except to say -- trust me. He would never ever do anything to hurt me on purpose.

Monica: I.. I don't know what to say, Emily. (They both sit and look at each other.)

Em: Haven't you had to forgive Alan at least that much?

Monica: I have to tell you,Emily... I'm not the hard sell here.

Em: I know. (She stands up) That's why I don't know when I can come home. (Monica exhales heavily)

Monica: So you are considering coming home.

Em: I am. I can't stay with Jason forever.

Monica: I had a feeling you were with Jason.

Em: Well, I've set a precedent.

Monica: Can I call you there?

Em: No. I don't answer the phone. And besides, Jason wouldn't want me to give you the number.

Monica: How can we reach you?

Em: (ruefully) You could call Lucky.

Monica: Emily.

Em: Just give me a little more time, all right? I will be back. (She picks up her books) I can't think about this anymore. I have to get to school.

The Spencer House

As Lucky pulls up in his car, he sees Lulu playing tug of war with Foster and a stick. He's assaulted again with the feeling that he doesn't bring anything but anger into this house anymore. He forces the feeling down, and pulls into the driveway. Foster notices the car, drops the stick, and runs down the driveway, barking loudly. Lucky smiles to himself, and opens the door. The dog leaps about, as much as a beast that size can, barking at the top of his lungs. Lulu stands, on the lawn, stick in hand, staring at her brother wit her mouth open.

Lucky: Hey, Lu.

Lulu: Are you here for lunch?

Lucky: (shrugging) I don't know...

Lulu: Do you have more school?

Lucky: Not today. Hey. Don't I get a hug? (A smile creeps across Lulu's face and she runs to him, throwing herself against him. Lucky picks her up and spins her around. She shrieks happily) I missed you, kiddo.

Lulu: I missed you too. (She looks at him seriously) Why don't you come to see me more often?

Lucky: (shrugging) I can be an idiot.

Lulu: Nikolas said it was because you forget.

Lucky: What? (He frowns bitterly) Look, Lulu... you do me a favor, Ok? Don't believe anything Nik says about me.

Lulu: (small voice) He said that he didn't hate you.

Lucky: (putting her down) That's big of him. So, how's my dog? You taking good care of him for me?

Lulu: (gravely) I think he misses you, too. I can't run as fast as you can. He keeps coming back and looking at me, then he runs off for a while and comes back and looks at me again. I try to tell him I'm not as fast, but he doesn't seem to understand me.

Lucky: Lu, you know how to use a phone?

Lulu: Yeah, but I only know how to call myself.

Lucky: That's.... A start. Look, when you want to talk to me, tell Mom to dial for you, Ok? And if I can, I'll come see you.

Lulu: Really?

Lucky: I can't promise I wont have work, or something else, but I'll do everything I can, OK? (Foster, who has been waiting patiently for some kind of acknowledgment, barks loudly) Yeah, yeah. I know. (He puts Lulu down and kneels next to the dog, and scratches Foster's ears) Hey, Lu... why don't we take Foster for a walk. We can go exploring in the woods.

Lulu: (happily) Ok!

Lucky: Great. But first -- (he's cut off by the front door opening, and Laura appearing on the porch, looking surprised)

Laura: Lucky!

Lucky: Hey.

Lulu: Mom, Lucky and I are going to take Foster for a walk.

Laura: Well, you better get his leash then.

Lucky: Leash? Are you out of your mind?

Lulu: We're going to take him into the woods. He'll stay with Lucky.

Laura: Well, all right. (She looks over at Lucky) Then why don't you go and get a hat, at least?

Lulu: It's not that cold!

Lucky: Listen to her, Lu. She knows best. (Lulu looks from Lucky to Laura and back. She sighs heavily)

Lulu: All right. (She walks up the stairs, and looks back at Lucky from the door) You're not going to leave, are you?

Lucky: (flinching) Not this time. I promise.

Lulu: You promise? Promise promise promise? (Lucky crosses his heart)

Lucky: I swear. Go get your hat. (Lulu walks backwards into the house, still making sure Lucky's not going to make a run for it. Finally, she shuts the door behind her.)

Laura: You've made her week. Thanks for coming to see her.

Lucky: I'm here to see you, actually.

Laura: Me?

Lucky: Yeah.... I had this little flash of clarity, and I thought I should get over here before it clouded up on me again.

Laura: Clarity... about me?

Lucky: About me.

Laura: All right. Did you talk to Nikolas?

Lucky: (Lucky smirks bitterly) Nikolas again. I've really been falling back on my duties, huh?

Laura: I didn't say that. (He takes a deep breath and shakes his head)

Lucky: No, Lulu just mentioned him too.

Laura: He was here the other day. He said... I thought maybe he would have gone to see you.

Lucky: Nikolas doesn't come to see me, Mom. Ever.

Laura: Oh. I just... he said something about you being worried about Emily. (Lucky forces down his gut instinct to get into an argument over this, and sits down on the steps. Laura follows suit. He stares out at the lawn a moment)

Lucky: Well... he knows Emily, too. I mean, they have a completely independent relationship. (Laura doesn't say anything. She watches him, waiting for him to continue. He does, voice low.) I have been worrying about Emily ... She's going through some stuff right now, and it's basically my fault. I mean, I did some stuff, and she's paying for it. And... I can't say this to her, you know? Because blaming myself doesn't really help her.

Laura: No, it doesn't. (Lucky forces himself to look at her)

Lucky: You blame yourself for this, right? For me and Nik, and ... us.

Laura: Yes, I do. (Lucky considers this awhile)

Lucky: (quietly) I don't want you to. I think I did, for a while. But I don't anymore.

Laura: Lucky... (Lucky shakes his head, signaling her to let him finish)

Lucky: I moved out... you probably think it's because I wanted to hurt you, but it's not that. It's the opposite. I was so angry all the time, and I was saying stuff I wasn't even sure I meant. If I'd stayed here, that anger would have been all I had left. I mean, when Em and I broke up... it was like this invitation from the dark side. Where I could just sit back and hate everyone and everything. And I could blame you for all the things that were wrong in my life. And if I'd stayed here, then... I would have hurt you even worse. And Dad would have hated me, and Lulu... So I decided to just go away. But I couldn't go far, because... then everything would just stay the same. With you and Em.... (Laura give him a bittersweet smile, afraid to say anything to ruin the moment. Lucky looks away from her, getting more emotional than he wanted to) I don't know how to make everything Ok again, but I don't want to be this angry anymore. I don't want to feel like I'm not a part of this family. (Laura instinctively puts a maternal hand on Lucky's shoulder).

Laura: You will always be a part of this family. Always. You are Lulu ARE this family.

Lucky: I can't be the way I was before. I mean, I don't believe in the things I used to. (Lulu opens the door, unnoticed) But I have to find a way around them.

Laura: I will help you in any way I can. I hope you know that.

Lucky: (choked up) I know. (Lulu lets the screen door slam, looking from her mother to her brother.

Lulu: (worried) Are you fighting? (Lucky stands up, blinking back the tears forming in his eyes)

Lucky: Nah, Lu. We're just talking. You ready?

Lulu: Yup. (she looks at Laura and notices the tears in her eyes too. She looks back at Lucky gravely) Are you leaving now?

Lucky: Lu. We're taking Foster for a walk, Ok? Do you want to let him down?

Lulu: No. (She looks back at Laura) Can Lucky have dinner with us?

Laura: You have to ask him.

Lucky: I have to get back to the club by six, Lu. But I can lunch with you, if you want.

Lulu: Can he, Mom?

Laura: Of course, he can, Lulu. This is Lucky's home. (Lucky and Laura look at each other. He takes Lulu's hand in his)

Lucky: Come on, short stuff. We've got some exploring to do.

The Wyndemere Dock.

Nikolas stands on the dock, suitcase in hand, facing Stefan. He looks up the darkened path to the house, a haunted expression on his face. Stefan regards him severely.

Stefan: I can't claim to understand this Nikolas, but I do respect your decision.

Nik: It won't be particularly different, uncle. We barely see each other outside of the hospital, and I'll be here most mornings to take out Sheeba.

Stefan: Must you leave tonight?

Nik: There is no reason to delay longer than I have. I am leaving, uncle. For now.

Stefan: I shall miss you. Terribly. (Nikolas looks toward the launch. He steps towards Stefan and gives him a quick hug).

Nik: I'll see you tomorrow at the hospital.

Stefan: Yes. Yes, I will be there. (Nikolas turns his back to his uncle and the island. He picks up his suitcase, and steps onto the launch. He turns back and watches his uncle as the launch pulls away, neither one saying good-bye. They continue to watch until they fade from view.