Chapter Ninety-Eight:
Boundaries

General Hospital, ICU.

Hannah stands by the glass window, looking in at Emily. She's asleep as she was when Hannah walked by an hour earlier. She had come here as a last ditch attempt to find Nikolas. She had searched the hospital and turned up nothing. She was now officially out of ideas. He wasn't answering his cell phone, he had BEEN home, but not for long, and now... God knows where he is. She's done. There's no point in running around town anymore than she already had. And.... She can't make herself move. She was just going to check, just look in, on her way out, and now she's been standing here almost twenty minutes, watching her niece sleep. And wondering why she's alone. Why Lucky isn't here. Or that monstrous number of relatives. She hears the sharp clip of high heeled shoes approaching, but doesn't look up. They stop behind her and she closes her eyes, waiting.)

Monica: Corrine, isn't it? (Hannah taps a fingernail lightly against the pane of glass, then nods, turning partially towards the woman)

Hannah: I go by Hannah now.

Monica: I see.

Hannah: How is she?

Monica: Well... yes, since you haven't been around, I suppose you are in need of an update. (Hannah smiles ruefully. Oh, this is going to be fun. She turns and faces Monica)

Hannah: Do you think you could deliver it without editorial comment? Because otherwise, I could just find out from a nurse. (Monica narrows her eyes at Hannah. She didn't think she'd need much of an excuse, but the girl had just handed her a perfectly good reason to dislike her).

Monica: That information is only released to family members.

Hannah: Your point?

Monica: (stiffening) Look. I understand you and Emily have... a connection. But she is my daughter. I adopted her, after the rest of her family was... gone. (Monica twists the last word). We are her family now.

Hannah: (shaking her head) One thing I've learned since I came here... Legal documents don't erase blood.

Monica: Are you threatening me?

Hannah: No. Not at all. I'm just stating a fact.

Monica: (heavily) We're getting off on the wrong foot here --

Hannah: You know, anything you have to say about me... I can just imagine what Paige must have told you ...

Monica: Paige only told me what I needed to know. That your whereabouts were unknown... and that --

Hannah: I wasn't the parenting type. (Monica just looks at her). I don't think... (She shakes her head. She doesn't think much of the Quartermaines so far. From what Emily had told her, they don't sound like ideal parents.)

Monica: We make a lousy first impression. (She extends her hand) Let's try this again. Monica Quartermaine. (Hannah looks at Monica's hand warily. After a moment she takes it)

Hannah: Hhhhhh.... Corrine. Corrine Gibbons. (She sucks in her breath, deep into her lungs, unsure of what that means).

Monica: Corrine. All right.

Hannah: Emily prefers to call me Hannah. For right now.

Monica: I see. (Hannah looks back at the window)

Hannah: I'm not trying to cause trouble.

Monica: It's unavoidable, I think.

Hannah: (ruefully) For me? Yeah. I think it is. (She feels almost like some strange kind of shift has happened, like she's being transported back to another personality. She turns back to the window, staring hard at Emily. Monica comes up and watches as well, standing behind her.)

Monica: (briskly) The test all came back negative.

Hannah: Negative....

Monica: That's good news. It could have been considerably worse. (pause) You were there, we're you?

Hannah: (quietly) I came with her in the ambulance.

Monica: Yes. Bobbie told me. (Hannah turns around to face her)

Hannah: I'm not trying to cause trouble. I'm really not. I just... wanted to know who she was. (Monica nods slowly) I don't want anything from you. I'm just trying... to give her some answers.

Monica: Answers.

Hannah: Right now, that's all she wants from me.

Monica: And what do you want from her? (Hannah looks off into the distance a moment)

Hannah: Redemption. (She looks back at Monica and smiles crookedly) You buy that? (Monica looks at her oddly) Sorry. Just sounded dangerously sappy for a moment there. (She shakes her head) I'm not making any sense right now. (Monica nods slowly)

Monica: You... can see her a moment, if you want to wait until she wakes up. I think... She'd want to know you were here. (Hannah nods, silently. She knows she's being ridiculous. Every defense mechanism she has is working overtime. She finally lets out her breath)

Hannah: I'd like to do that.

Spencer House, Neighboring Wood.

Nikolas sits on the log, feeling like he'll never move again. This is too much to digest. The truth. A whole truth, more truth than he's ever been given at one sitting. More than his father had ever given him. Over the years, Stefan had said things to him, things that had only added up for him after he'd known the secret of his paternity. But never had he been given that deep a glimpse into his mother's heart. Or into Stefan's. He'd known... He'd known Stefan had loved her. Loved. Past tense. He insisted still that his feelings for Laura were based only on pity... but to hear Laura tell it, more had happened there than what he'd been left to believe when his father had first confessed. Even with Laura's disclaimers and insistences that her love for Luke never wavered... what she had described had sounded more real to him, more tangible than the vagaries of what Stefan had said. For the first time in his life, he feels like he has a picture of his beginnings. Where he came from.

Now, however, he's left with questions. Things he can't believe he didn't ask. How did she know? Had his father told her? Why? How did Lucky find out? Why didn't Lucky tell? How did Lucky react? Most pressingly... was this really what was at the heart of what was wrong with Lucky? If this was the answer he wanted to his brother's behavior, then why had Lucky let it happen? That didn't sound like him. What could have be worth this kind of pain? The idea had never occurred to him -- the idea of Lucky hating himself. And now it seemed unquestionable. Laura believed it, and who knew Lucky better? Luke. He thinks back to what Luke had said when he had verbally attacked Lucky at the penthouse. And what Lucky had said back... that he didn't now him, that he was a liar, that he wasn't worthy. It all made sense now.

Nikolas shakes his head. He needs to clear his mind, somehow. Why is he so focused on Lucky? This wasn't about Lucky, this was about him. His parents, his origins, his life. The lies had been about him. A dangerous secret, kept close, guarded for twenty years. And it had still come out. In a round about way, yes, but it had come out all the same. And he should feel something about that. But he didn't. He just felt numb.

He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, trying to access some distinguishable emotion. Nothing comes. He continues to pull air into his lungs, listening to the sounds of the wood. It's quiet. Trees creaking, squirrels dashing past overhead... and wind chimes? Metal against metal. Not quiet like chimes, more like... dog tags.

Nikolas looks up sharply. His movement tips off Lucky to his presence, and Lucky freezes, mid-stride, his eyes locked on Nikolas's. Foster stops in his tracks and looks up back at Lucky questioningly. Nikolas sees the familiar wall descend and Lucky looks down at the ground, digging his hands into his pockets, as he comes down the path, carefully, to where Nikolas is sitting. Nikolas looks away from him, staring off into space. After a moment Lucky speaks.

Lucky: I thought I was hallucinating a minute there. (Nikolas looks up at him, surprised at the quality of Lucky's voice. It's not friendly... but it's not cold either. Just matter of fact. He frowns) What are you doing out here?

Nik: Should you be walking?

Lucky: (shrugging) No problems so far. (Nikolas looks up and studies Lucky's face. It's flushed slightly, his breathing a little heavier than it should be. He decides not to comment.)

Nik: I was talking to Laura. She went back to the house.

Lucky: Yeah, I know. I saw her go in. I.... (he stops, shaking his head slightly. He should have known he'd find Nikolas here. It was just so strange, for him to be out in this wood. In HIS wood) You guys do this often?

Nik: Do what?

Lucky: Come out here. (there is a slight tinge of familiar jealousy. Nikolas shakes his head)

Nik: Never. But there's a first time for everything. (Lucky nods dully, and turns)

Lucky: Whatever. See ya. (He turns and starts back up the path.)

Nik: She told me. (Lucky stops. He turns back to face his brother, his expression unreadable)

Lucky: (quietly) That didn't take long.

Nik: What?

Lucky: She said she was going to. But she says a lot of things. (Nikolas frowns)

Nik: That's my line.

Lucky: Got copyright? (Nikolas doesn't respond. Lucky looks back over his shoulder. He can see the house, over the tops of the trees. It's not that far. But the way he's feeling right now it might as well be Canada. He walks over to a tree at the edge of the path that stretches up to the sky, and leans against it, casually, as if this has nothing to do with how hard his heart is pounding, just at having walked this little distance. He slides down the trunk of the tree to sit on the ground. His head is throbbing more than he'd like, and he's regretting having left without taking another hit of aspirin.)

Nik: You feeling Ok?

Lucky: I guess so. (They fall into silence. Lucky's brain is gently informing him that his actions aren't making any sense. Really. The last thing he wants to do is camp out in the woods with a Cassadine. Lucky shakes his head, slightly) What about you?

Nik: I.... I don't know.

Lucky: But you already knew.

Nik: I knew who my father was. I didn't know... (He lets his voice trail off a moment. Finally he speaks, his voice soft) Why didn't you tell anyone? (Lucky looks up at him, unable to cover his surprise at the question. After a moment he turns away)

Lucky: (quietly) I did. (Nikolas feels his heart tighten) Emily.

Nik: And she --

Lucky: (firmly) Never. Emily's faithful. (He closes his eyes, leaning his head against the tree) Unwavering. (He mutters, almost under his breath) For all the good it's done her.

Nik: You haven't seen her today?

Lucky: (shaking his head) I saw her yesterday.

Nik: The Quartermaines give you any trouble? (Lucky flashes on the image of Alan's cold stare. He opens his eyes)

Lucky: It's the Quartermaines. Their bark is worse than their collective bite. (He shifts on the ground. He doesn't want to talk about Emily. It's crazy. He misses her, with an ache he can't describe. Worse even than the last week when he was pushing her away, while still hoping that she'd come back. His whole world is crumbling, and even though it's been happening for a long time, he's used to having her there to get him through it. Doing this without her is too hard. He looks over at Foster, who is still standing at the edge of the clearing, looking from Nikolas to Lucky, perplexed. Lucky slaps his thigh a few times and Foster lumbers over to him, flopping down, his head in Lucky's lap. Lucky lightly scratches his ears as he feels his heart rate slow. Lack of energy again. This is unfair. He can't do this while everything is shifting on him like this. Nikolas watches Lucky, lost in thought. He looks incredibly... the only word he can come up with is alone. Lucky alone. Nikolas had never thought of him that way. He was the one who was alone. The child nobody wanted. That mantle isn't weighting on him the way it used to... He realizes that he's beginning to feel part of something. At Lucky's expense. He clears his throat)

Nik: How did you find out? (Lucky stares hard at the top of Foster's head. Nikolas doesn't expect him to respond, he's taking so long. Finally Lucky sighs)

Lucky: Switzerland. (Nikolas blinks)

Nik: SWITZERLAND? You mean when you went that summer?

Lucky: No. (He smirks slightly) No, if I'd known then... Things would have been different. (Nikolas looks at him oddly, trying to figure out what that means. Lucky answers the question for him) It was after you were shot. Before Dad moved her.

Nik: You mean... before she came home. (Lucky nods slightly, his brain retracing that week. It had been hell. Playing nice with Grandma, spending most of his time with his sister to avoid looking at his mother and waiting for his brain to stop spinning. Nice wholesome family vacation.)

Lucky: What about you?

Nik: Last.... Spring. Right before Katherine died. (Lucky blinks. Not a development he likes the sound of)

Lucky: Right... HOW right before?

Nik: A few days. Two. I don't remember. It's not a time I like to think about. (Lucky muses on this a moment, his brain holding onto it longer than makes sense for him. He shakes his head).

Lucky: So .... What? Uncl... Father Stiff just spilled over diner one night?

Nik: (smiling in spite of himself) No. (He looks at Lucky -- only he would still be making cracks at a time like this. It actually puts him at ease. He laughs slightly) No... that's not his style. I overheard a conversation. (Lucky's eyes widen)

Lucky: You're kidding.

Nik: You too?

Lucky: Come on, you didn't think she just up and told me one day, did you?

Nik: I didn't know what to think.

Lucky: (eying him with curiosity) So how'd it happen?

Nik: (wryly) I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours.

Lucky: Did you just question my maturity for playing that game with you the other day?

Nik: (remembering the car ride to Jason's) Yeah, I think I did. But... (He looks around) When in Rome...

Lucky: Uh huh. If this is Rome that makes me the Roman -- you go first.

Nik: How 'bout this? I'll tell you a detail, you tell me one. (Lucky finds himself laughing... actually laughing. This conversation doesn't feel real to him anymore. But then, nothing does right now)

Lucky: Location.

Nik: Spoon Island.

Lucky: Specifics, please.

Nik: (slowly, like he's talking to a dumb dog) Wyndemere. The Living Room.

Lucky: Huh. Me too. Well... I was on the stairs.

Nik: This is getting spooky.

Lucky: What time of day?

Nik: Late a night.

Lucky: Ditto. Well... It was really early morning. And I was still on Port Chuckles time.

Nik: What were you doing on the stairs?

Lucky: Thinking. (He smirks at Nikolas) I do that, you know?

Nik: So you keep pointing out to me.

Lucky: Not without reason. Who was talking?

Nik: My... My father and Katherine. (Lucky starts)

Lucky: Jesus! KATHERINE knew?

Nik: She was his wife!

Lucky: Nikolas, she wasn't known for her discretion.

Nik: (defensively) I knew her better than you did.

Lucky: Uh huh. And how many deep dark secrets did YOU tell her? (Nikolas looks at him darkly)

Nik: Your turn. Who was it?

Lucky: My mom and your illustrious... STEFAN, Ok? I'm sick of this name game. (Nikolas stares at him, the color draining from his face)

Nik: In Switzerland?

Lucky: Yeah...

Nik: Why?

Lucky: (Lucky shakes his head) No.

Nik: It's was YOUR question -- WHY. What was he doing there? (Lucky looks away from him. This game has lost all sport. )

Lucky: (quietly) How much truth do you want?

Nik: All of it. It's about time, don't you think?

Lucky: Nikolas --

Nik: LUCKY! Come on. Communication, remember?

Lucky: (swearing under his breath) WHAT exactly does this have to do with Helena?

Nik: It's a question. You want us to have questions about each other right now? (Lucky glares at Nikolas halfheartedly. He hates it when people start in with logic)

Lucky: Never been a problem before.

Nik: Never had to work together before. (Lucky flinches at the phrase. Nikolas ignores this) Tell me. WHY was he THERE? (Lucky sighs heavily. After a moment he looks up at Nikolas, his jaw tight).

Lucky: Remember that fight we had in High School? (Nikolas stares at him like he's nuts)

Nik: Which ONE?

Lucky: The dance. It was at a stupid high school dance, in the parking lot. You hit me, remember? Not quite as good as you got me last time but --

Nik: I HIT you because you were trying to kill me!

Lucky: I was NOT trying to kill you! (Nikolas shoots him a look) Pummel, maybe. Kill, no.

Nik: Semantics.

Lucky: (annoyed) Do you want to hear this or not?

Nik: Fine. Go on.

Lucky: Remember what the fight was about?

Nik: (shaking his head) You were stalking Emily --

Lucky: I was trying to TALK to her, you were acting like it was a federal offense!

Nik: She didn't WANT to talk to you.

Lucky: It was none of your business, Cassadine.

Nik: No. NO way, you're not getting out of this. What does this have to do with --

Lucky: EMILY was only part of it, remember? (Nikolas delves into the memory banks... he and Lucky fought about everything back then. And they hadn't even been talking at that point. It was just before he and Emily got together.... He catches a glimmer of the memory)

Nik: You were babbling on about some insane plot to keep Laura.... (he stops.)

Lucky: Exactly.

Nik: What are you saying?

Lucky: I told you that Mom was afraid to come home. You didn't believe me. "Delusional", I think that was your word.

Nik: You were acting like there was some kind of PLOT to keep her out of the country! (Lucky looks at Nikolas pointedly) Just spit it out!

Lucky: He was blackmailing her. (Nikolas sits back like he's been hit. He looks away.)

Nik: (quietly) What?

Lucky: He said if she ever came back to Port Charles he would tell my father everything. (Nikolas stands up suddenly. He puts a hand to his forehead, digesting this a moment, then turns his back on Lucky and takes a deep breath)

Nik: Wait. She was in Switzerland to help Leslie!

Lucky: Yeah.

Nik: So....

Lucky: So. Convenient. It was a good cover. (Nikolas looks back at him)

Nik: WHY? Why would he do that?

Lucky: To keep her away from you, I guess. (Nikolas sits down heavily again.)

Nik: No... (Lucky watches him a moment. He feels his guts churn.)

Lucky: Look, you asked.

Nik: So why was he there THAT night? He already had what he wanted.

Lucky: Nikolas.... Let it go.

Nik: No! If there's more, I want to know.

Lucky: (studying him) I guess he decided it wasn't enough. (He sighs and closes his eyes again. He doesn't even want to know what Nikolas's reaction will be to this.) He wanted me out of the picture too. That's what he was there to say. It was too "upsetting" to have me around. (Lucky waits for Nikolas to respond. After a moment curiosity gets the better of him. Nikolas is staring at him, with barely concealed rage. Lucky tenses) It's the TRUTH, Nikolas. You asked for it. (Nikolas feels like the whole woods is spinning. Stefan had used this. He had used this secret AGAINST his mother. And to keep Lucky away from him?)

Nik: Is... Is that why?

Lucky: What?

Nik: He had no right. (Lucky tries to read Nikolas, but is failing miserably. He shakes his head)

Lucky: That never stopped him before.

Nik: (furious) To blackmail her into keeping you... What? He wanted to keep you in Switzerland too?

Lucky: That was the idea. (Nikolas stands up again, pacing furiously. Lucky and he had severed ties before he'd gone to Switzerland. Whatever HAD been happening between them had been over. Why the hell had he... He turns back on Lucky)

Nik: So he was so threatened by the fact that we were talking that --

Lucky: (bitterly) He said I was antagonizing you. Hurting your recovery. Of course, he didn't put it in those words. Then he would have had to admit that you were shot. But that's why. I was an unwanted interference. (Nikolas stares at him)

Nik: I never said anything to him about you. Ever. (Lucky stares at him. Not until that moment had he ever admitted to himself that he'd thought that. But the moment the words are out of Nikolas's mouth, he has to admit, it was there. It felt like Nikolas had rejected him as finally as he could have. That had been the last straw. He'd never tried to see him after that, not for anything. He looks away quickly)

Lucky: (tightly) We can't do this. (Nikolas stops pacing)

Nik: Do what?

Lucky: Look... If we keep ... bringing stuff up. If we keep opening old wounds... (He stops, aware that his voice is starting to shake. Nikolas stares at the anguished look on his brother's face. Wounds? This is a wound for him? He steps back, quickly. Lucky looks back at him, steadily, his face a mask) We're brothers, right? Nice little trick of fate. But that can't matter. The only way we can do this is if we keep it business.

Nik: Business?

Lucky: You want a deal? An official one? We need rules.

Nik: Boundaries.

Lucky: Fine. Boundaries. My mother... she did some stuff I don't like. Your father did some stuff you don't like. That's your business, not mine.

Nik: So we what? Ignore it?

Lucky: You do what you want to do. But for right now, as far as I'm concerned? You're just Nikolas. (Nikolas doesn't know what to make of this.)

Nik: Meaning?

Lucky: Meaning I don't care who your parents are. We keep them out of it. And any problems we have, we keep that out of it too. When Helena's out of the picture, then we... Resume our positions, Ok? You can hate me, I can hate you, and we can do it at whatever distance we want. But if we're going to do this, then we keep our family crap out of it. (Nikolas stares at him)

Nik: I don't know if I can do that.

Lucky: (laughing bitterly) Well, TRY, Ok?

Nik: (slowly) Lucky....

Lucky: WHAT? What do you want, Nikolas? You want us at each other's throats again? You want things back how they were? You KNOW we'll do it. (Nikolas looks at Lucky with undisguised desperation. He's not saying what he wants to hear. For a minute there it had looked like Lucky was actually feeling something. Something painful. Nikolas sits back and exhales heavily. Does he really want to know what's going on inside this guy? If Lucky had hated Cassadines before this happened, this couldn't have helped his case any. He feels those same flickers of hope again, and quickly pushes them down. No. Lucky's right. Whatever his reasons, he's right. They can't get into their "relationship", that would be suicide. )

Nik: Fine. (He reaches into this pocket and pulls out the envelop Jason gave him, and crosses to Lucky, extending it to him. Lucky looks up at him)

Lucky: what's this?

Nik: Business. (Lucky looks at the envelop, then back at Nikolas. He takes it from him, and opens it, his eyes still on this brother. He looks down and removes the paper, unfolding it slowly. He stares at the contents, then looks back at Nikolas sharply, a suspicious look on his face)

Lucky: Where did you get this?

Nik: From Jason.

Lucky: When did you see Jason?

Nik: This morning.

Lucky: Why did he... (Lucky stops. He looks back at the paper) You didn't look at this, did you?

Nik: Jason advised against it. (Lucky nods, distracted, then looks up at him again)

Lucky: Did you take that advice?

Nik: (annoyed) Lucky! The envelop was sealed, remember? (Lucky looks back at the paper, his head spinning. He swears under his throat. This cannot wait).

Lucky: I... I need my laptop.

Nik: So get it.

Lucky: I need to GET to my laptop. It's in my trunk. (Nikolas shakes his head)

Nik: No. It's in your room.

Lucky: What?

Nik: Look...

Lucky: You got that stuff out of my trunk?

Nik: (coldly) Just business.

Lucky: I never told you to do that! How the hell did you -- (he stops dead) Mom. (Nikolas nods) Oh, man. She must have LOVED that.

Nik: (quietly) I know where your keys are. At least I did.

Lucky: Where?

Nik: Kitchen table. (Lucky stares down at the paper. There's no two ways about it. He needs to look into this immediately. He struggles to his feet, using the tree for support. Foster whines as he's pushed away, then gets to his feet)

Lucky: I have to get going.

Nik: I'll drive you. (Lucky stops. God, not again.... He looks back at him) Come on. I'll take you to the apartment, Ok? You can even swing by the hospital on the way back. (Lucky looks from Nikolas to the house, and back. It's Mom or Nikolas... the lesser of two evils right now is definitely Nikolas. He looks at his brother seriously)

Lucky: This is business. We're not getting into anything else. (Nikolas shrugs)

Nik: Fine with me. (He starts up the path, then turns back, looking at Lucky without emotion) You coming?