Chapter Seventy-Five:
The Ties That Bind

Luke's Club, the office.

Luke Spencer has never felt this cold in his life. This despite the fact that he stands in front of a makeshift bonfire in his office wastepaper basket, watching the papers delivered to Lucky go up in spectacular flame with the help of a splash of alcohol. Luke stares into the flames as they devour the envelop that could have gotten him killed if the right people had known he'd seen it.

And Lucky had to know that, too.

From day one, right from the moment they put his infant son in his arms for the first time, and he had looked down at the fragile, dependent child, Lucky had filled him with a terror unlike any other he had ever known. He had understood, instantly that nothing could ever be allowed to hurt his son. He had brought this life into the world, and he was responsible for it. He was a father. The father of a child that he would never be able to protect, not the way he wanted to. He tried -- God, did he try -- but it had always been necessary for Lucky to take care of himself. And he'd had a gift for it. It was hard to imagine a child more suited for life on the road. Adaptable, fearless, intelligent... how could he not be fiercely proud? Never, not for one moment would he ever have traded his son for anything.

All the years they'd been on the run, there had been so many near-misses the only way Luke could live with it was to keep looking down at his son, unscathed again, and push those moments of panic down, forget about them. All that mattered was the moment and the fact that Lucky was still safe. Then Lucky had been shot and Luke had realized that all the worrying, all the imagining in the world couldn't ever prepare him to actually watch his son in that hospital. Actually watch him be taken in to surgery, actually have to be faced with the fact that he would die. And that he would die because of him, because of a stupid choice he had made before Laura, before Lucky, before he understood what a life could be worth.

Lucky had always known the value of life. He'd always understood what it was to be loved. He'd had a damn happy childhood, chaos aside, with parents who couldn't conceive of anything more precious than his smile. How does a kid go from that, from being so wise and worldly to doing something as mind-bogglingly stupid as this? Of all the mistakes he could have chosen to repeat, why would he choose the one that had caused the most heartache, that he had seen nearly cost them all everything? Why would a child who was shot because of the mob before he was even twelve decide to put himself in this kind of jeopardy. Lucky knew where this life could lead. He'd had a front row seat. There was no excuse for this. Bank account numbers. If you weren't acquainted with the mob and it's ways you might not know what they meant. Having these papers in his possession was as dangerous as anything else he could have done. If anyone ever found out that Lucky had information like that his life would be on the line. And here was some errand boy causally dropping it off. The kid had to be in deep. And he had to know it.

Luke was going to kill him when he tracked him down. But first he was going to get some answers.

Jason's Penthouse

Nikolas takes in his surroundings. He doesn't feel comfortable here and Lucky does which makes him even more tense. He glances over at the large man standing, arms crossed, at the door. He meets his intense gaze defiantly. Fine. If everyone is intent on making him feel small he's just going to have to fight back. He's distracted by the noise in the back and Jason Morgan emerges from the back room, Lucky following close behind.

Jason: (to Nikolas) Where's this picture? (Nikolas wordlessly points at the coffee table. Jason picks up the envelope and opens it. He studies the picture, then looks up at Nikolas) Hannah got this?

Nik: Yes.

Jason: This morning.

Nik: Yes.

Jason: (to Lucky) What day is this?

Lucky: I ... I don't know. I got.. I think it was the middle of last week. She was wearing that one of the days she came to see me.

Jason: Narrow it down for me?

Lucky: Wednesday or Thursday. I don't know. I was kinda out of it.

Jason: Out of it?

Lucky: There was a lot of stuff going on. That's the best I can do for you. All I can say for sure is that is NOT what she was wearing Friday.

Jason: Ok. (He looks over to Renaldo, at the door) Do we know where my sister is?

Ren: I can check.

Jason: Now.

Ren: I'm on it. (He heads to the phone).

Jason: I don't trust this. I don't like this at all.

Lucky: I'm not exactly thrilled myself. (he looks over at Nikolas who is looking out the window) Look, can you... check on Hannah too?

Nik; (Looking up) You can check on Hannah?

Lucky: We've had her tailed since I found out about her connection to Helena. It seemed like --

Nik: (indicating Jason) He know about this too?

Lucky: *He* is our best chance of making sure they don't get killed, Nikolas. (Nikolas looks away. This whole thing is making him sick. Lucky turns back at Jason)

Lucky: We can't take anymore chances with --

Nik: How long is that, anyway?

Lucky: Uh.. (He looks at Jason) I'm really getting bad with time.

Jason: About a month.

Lucky: There you go.

Nik: A MONTH? You knew for a month?

Lucky: Yeah.

Nik: OK, wait. How the hell did you find out about this in the first place? Is this just because of me?

Lucky: (annoyed) No.

Nik: Then why would you --

Lucky: Some stuff didn't add up.

Ren: (hanging up) Uh, Boss? (Jason, not particularly taken with Lucky and Nik's bickering, moves over to Renaldo. Renaldo whispers his information in Jason's ear. Jason nods)

Nik: Like what?

Lucky: Just a minute. (He looks at Jason expectantly)

Jason: She... She's with Hannah.

Lucky: Ok. Ok, where?

Jason: The park.

Lucky: Jesus Christ!

Nik: You think Hannah will hurt her? (Lucky turns to look at Nikolas)

Lucky: No. But I think Emily's not in any position to be spending a lot of time outdoors. (Nikolas nods and moves away from Jason and Lucky, heading towards the window. Lucky turns back to Jason) We have to get her here.

Jason: I'm not so sure... Helena is probably watching Hannah's every move.

Lucky: Probably. I don't want to predict Hannah right now. She's already being unpredictable. God. She doesn't get this. She never has. It would be just like her to try and handle this on her own, some way. She probably thinks she can reason with --

Nik: (sharply) How would you know, Lucky? (Lucky looks over his shoulder at Nikolas)

Lucky: Trust me on this.

Nik: I don't even know her, how can you have a clue how she'd handle it?

Lucky: Ever seen her scared, Nikolas? I mean really scared, shaking in her boots terrified?

Nik: You would enjoy that.

Lucky: (heavily) I'm going to have to decline the invitation, Nikolas. And look, if you want to make sure Hannah's going to be Ok, you could be giving us a clue here.

Nik: Like what?

Lucky: Like anything. Ok. You saw her this morning, how was she? (Nikolas frowns).

Nik: She was (he looks at Lucky pointedly) SCARED.

Lucky: Good. Then at least we know she cares.

Nik: Of course she cares!

Lucky: Look, she lied to me, Ok? I'd kinda build a tenuous trust wit the girl, but she broke it when she didn't tell you the truth this morning, so excuse me if I'm questioning her a little.

Nik: What reason have you given her to trust you?

Lucky: (shaking his head) I don't have time for this. (He turns back to Jason) So what are you going to do?

Jason: I think she should come here.

Lucky: Took the words right out of my mouth.

Jason: What about Hannah?

Lucky: Kinda an unknown entity. Look, if you get her here too, what's the worse case scenario?

Jason: Well, it's away from everything else. And I guess we could keep her here.

Nik: Keep her here?

Lucky: He doesn't mean against her will. (back to Jason) You sure you're up to that?

Jason: I'll be able to tell if she's lying.

Lucky: Lying is one thing. The question is will she do what she's told. (Nikolas turns away from the conversation angrily. Lucky glances at him, but continues to talk to Jason) She's gotta be going out of her mind. I mean, I never really thought she knew what she was getting into.

Jason: Why's that?

Lucky: Mostly... (he looks at Nikolas, who has his back to them) The choices she made.

Nik: (still not turning around) I didn't think you let her make choices. (Lucky looks back at Jason again, jaw tight)

Lucky: She doesn't understand what's going on here. She keeps thinking that there's some way she can talk her way out of it.

Jason: I'm not so sure about that.

Lucky: How do you know?

Jason: The tapes.

Nik: (turning back to them) Tapes?

Lucky: Uh, Jason.

Nik: What tapes?

Lucky: Let go of it, Nikolas.

Nik: You BUGGED her place, didn't you?

Lucky: I'm not taking any chances, even with your girlfriend, Nikky.

Nik: You really had this covered, didn't you?

Lucky: A lot more than you did, apparently.

Nik: What's that supposed to mean?

Lucky: It means SAVE it, Nikolas. You wanna take a piece out of someone, fine. But save it until we know they're safe, Ok?

Nik: (realizing the kind of stuff that would be on the tapes) God... GOD, you must have gotten a hell of a laugh out of that.

Lucky: What?

Nik: The stuff on those tapes... (Nikolas is turning white with rage. Lucky looks at Jason for a clue)

Lucky: Uh... I ... I haven't heard them, Nikolas.

Nik: And why should I believe you?

Lucky: I've got no reason to want to waste my time listening to whatever romantic glop you're feeding your girlfriend, Ok?

Nik: That's not what I'm talking about.

Lucky: Then what the hell are you so angry about ? It was just the living room, Nikolas. Nothing too kinky.

Nik: SHUT UP! You've had an inside view to my life for almost a month, you think that 's the sort of thing I"m just supposed to roll over and accept?

Lucky: I think you have more important thing to get upset about, yeah. Come on. Your uncle has probably recorded every move you've made since your first burp.

Nik: (going into absolute fury) That's not the same thing, Lucky and you KNOW IT!

Lucky: Jesus, Nikolas --

Nik: Don't play dumb with me! (Nikolas crosses to him, pushing him violently) Don't stand there and smirk at me like you don't know EXACTLY what's going on.

Lucky: I'm not playing anything! What the hell are you so uptight about? Jason's told me what's on those tapes, you're not coming out the worse for anything.

Nik: You are some piece of work, Spencer.

Lucky: What are you talking about?

Jason: (really getting irritated by the volume) He's talking about you. (Nikolas looks over at Jason, sharply) He's scared you heard what he said about you.

The Park.

Emily sits on the same bench she had met Hannah at earlier that week, nervously winding her battery powered watch. She doesn't want to be here. She had tried to call Lucky before leaving the house but he, predictably wasn't home. She hated feeling this clingy all of the sudden. She didn't know what to blame it on. The arrival of Helena Cassadine fast on the heels of losing her virginity was muddying the issue for her. She knew that her perfect world didn't include Hannah anymore. Or Nikolas, Or her family.... Or any of it. Berkeley. She wished she could focus on it with the kind of hope it had inspired a few months ago. No more. Now she wasn't entirely certain Lucky was going to be in one piece at the end of the week. Between Helena and Laura she couldn't help but worry he was going to slide right back into that dark place he'd been in for the last week and she's pretty sure she won't be able to take it this time. Things had been so close between then that morning, even without talking she had been able to feel exactly what he was feeling. It was a whole new sort of intimacy that made her heart ache when she thought about it. It was so incredibly unfair to have all these other people in the middle of it. All she wanted right now was Lucky, in this horrible codependent way that she usually tried to avoid. She feels a hand on her shoulder and jumps, turning on the bench to see Hannah. She gasps. Her aunt looks horrible. Hannah smiles weakly and moves over to sit next to her.

Hannah: Hey.

Em: Are you Ok?

Hannah: Are you kidding? I'm having the time of my life.

Em: Did you tell Nikolas?

Hannah: Uh... No.

Em: You didn't?

Hannah: No. Emily.... I just told Lucky that to shut him up, Ok?

Em: What?

Hannah: (heavily) Lucky.... He's too involved with this. It's really not something that will be safe for him. (Emily shivers slightly)

Em: He won't care.

Hannah: Don't you think you could talk to him, though?

Em: If he thinks Helena is going after his family, he'll be involved. I don't have that kind of power over him. (she frowns) I wouldn't WANT to have that kind of power.

Hannah: OK. Ok. Just... Think about it, all right?

Em: Have you seen her again?

Hannah: Helena? No.

Em: Good. (pause) I guess.

Hannah: I just know how much Lucky means to you, Emily. And I don't want him to get hurt.

Em: Not an option. I won't accept it.

Hannah: Doesn't always work that way.

Em: (taking a deep breath) When it comes right down to it, Hannah, I know he can handle this stuff. He's good at it. And in the end, if anyone can

Hannah: What about his Dad?

Em: Same thing. More so, actually.

Hannah: Look, Emily.... (Hannah stops when she sees a figure step into view and start walking towards them. She reaches out and grabs Emily's wrist) Oh, God. I... I should have known.

Em: Hannah! What is it? (She looks up and notices the man) Oh no. (She stands up, Hannah still griping her arm) Antonio?

Antonio: Your brother wants to see you, Miss Quartermaine.

Hannah: Brother?

Antonio: He's sending the car. (He looks at Hannah) You too.

Hannah: Me.

Antonio: Mr. Morgan has requested your presence as well. (Emily looks at Hannah)

Em: We should go with him. It's Ok. Jason won't hurt you.

Hannah: I...

Em: Really.

Antonio: This way. (He takes Emily's free arm and another man appears beside Hannah. Hannah looks thoroughly confused, but follows as they lead her to the edge of the park.)

Lucky stares at Nikolas. Everything feels off center now. Jason, satisfied that he's achieved silence, turns to Renaldo.

Jason: Let me know when Antonio picks them up, Ok? (Renaldo nods. Lucky and Nikolas continue to stare at each other darkly. Finally Lucky finds his voice)

Lucky: Outside. (Nikolas makes no move. Lucky walks across the apartment and head onto Jason's balcony. Nikolas looks at Jason hatefully a moment, then follows him. Jason watches the door shut and turns to Renaldo)

Jason: Make sure they don't kill each other. (He heads off to the back room)

Outside, Lucky paces the small space unable to get a grip on anything all of the sudden. Nikolas isn't' making any sense to him and for some reason the idea that his name would have come up. He turns on Nikolas finally, in rage.

Lucky: (hissing) What the hell did you say about me?

Nik: (coldly) Well, it's not like you can't find out, is it.

Lucky: I don't care! It's not like any of it was true! It's not like you even KNOW anything about me.

Nik: Then why are you losing --

Lucky: BACK off. Just back off, Nikolas. I brought you here as a favor, Ok?

Nik; I don't need your brand of favor Lucky.

Lucky: Yeah, I bet. Jesus. I should have known. I should have known she'd be pumping you fro information

Nik: What?

Lucky: What did you tell her?

Nik: Nothing she's going to use against YOU.

Lucky: What, you think she's going to turn on you? You're the one person in this scenario who ISN'T about to get their throat slashed.

Nik: She knows a hell of a lot more about me than she does about anyone else. And I've learned not to underestimate my Grandmother. For all I know she was sent here to --

Lucky: She wasn't.

Nik: How could you know that?

Lucky: Because. She was scared to death that her relationship with you was going to get her killed.

Nik: That's what she told you.

Lucky: Yeah.

Nik: And you believed her.

Lucky: Jesus, Nikolas I'm not so stupid I can't tell when someone's on the hook. So don't worry about it. She's in love with you. And if you're in love with her, then you better find some way to get her to stop trying to play both sides of the fence. Look. She doesn't trust me. Probably you have Something to do with that. But she'll listen to you --

Nik: STOP it! You don't have a clue, Lucky. You don't know what you're talking bout . You don't know her. You what? You worked with her, that's it. You have no idea what she's really like when she's not being bullied and pushed around. I was..... She was my lover and I don't even know who she was.

Lucky: Was?

Nik: I'm not getting into it with you.

Lucky: Fine with me. But this isn't exactly the best time to run out on her.

Nik: Oh? What am I supposed to do? Just welcome her to walk all over me?

Lucky: Hey, man. I'm the last person in the world you're going to see sing Hannah's praises, Ok? I told you I don't trust her. But not because I think she's some devious manipulator. I just don't think she gets what's going on here, Ok? She has done some pretty stupid things since she got here, but the dumbest by far was falling for you. Man. That is a one way ticket to the city morgue and you know it! Try to show a little compassion, for once, Nikolas.

Nik: To a woman who has lied to me since the day we met.

Lucky: Go figure where she had a choice. This going to turn into another one of your things? Man. You always fall for such saints. You put Sarah on a goddamned pedestal that she couldn't even breath on. No one can hold up that kind of act. She wasn't perfect, Ok? And Hannah's not perfect, Mom's not perfect and Lulu isn't going o be perfect either. You gonna turn you back on her when she does something you don't like too?

Nik: I will NEVER turn away from Lulu.

Lucky: I can't say I'm filled with a lot of hope here, Nikolas.

Nik: (rushing at him) You don't know what it is like, Lucky! You can never understand what my life is like.

Lucky: You think she was a perfect mother to me, Nikolas? You think that every moment has been a June Cleaver moment? She's human, Nik. God. That's the one thing you never forgave her for, isn't it? You never let her live down the fact that she didn't know how to live on that island. That she wasn't able to just give up and let your family take her soul from her. What kind of mother do you think she would have been to you? With a husband she didn't love and watching you being raised in his image? She's not PERFECT, Nikolas. But she tries. She tries harder with you than with ANYONE, and if you can't see that, then I don't know what else to tell you. (Lucky pushes past him, back into the penthouse. He pulls open the door and looks back at him) You really want to end up alone, Nikolas? Then you keep your standards right where they are. I can tell they're going to make you really happy. (Lucky turns and walks inside, his grip on the situation returning. He sees Jason come out of the back)

Jason: They've been picked up. They'll be here in about fifteen minutes. (Lucky exhales heavily.

Lucky: Thank God. Look, when they get here, do -- (Lucky is cut off by loud shouting in the hall. He looks over at the door)

Johnny: (outside) No one is allowed in right now!

Luke: I don't care what your boss is telling you, I'm not going to leave this joint ‘till I've had a moment of his time.

Johnny: Well, then it's going to be a long wait. (Jason turns to Renaldo)

Jason: Let him in. (Renaldo nods and goes to the door, pulling it open to reveal an irate Luke who is now holding Johnny by the lapels and shaking him. Johnny is trying to reach for his gun. )

Ren: He can come in! (Luke notices Renaldo and drops Johnny. He looks past the man into the apartment and spots Jason)

Luke: Morgan. You want to tell me what the hell you're doing with my son?