~*~Chapter 43~*~

Johnny opens the door to Sonny’s penthouse. “Emily Spencer here,” he announces as she walks inside.

“Hey, Lucky,” she says, smiling as he gets up from the couch to hug her. “You look good. I guess getting away from the house really did help, huh?’

“Yeah, I guess so. I feel kind of bad though. I mean, I’ve been here for over a month, and Sonny’s been really great, but I don’t want to overstay my welcome, you know?”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m sure Sonny loves having you around.”

“Thanks. Come on, sit down,” he says, leading her to the couch. “You look great, Em. I always heard how pregnant women supposedly glow, and it’s true. You are.”

She chuckles, settling down onto the couch. “Thanks. Nikolas tells me that all the time, too, but I don’t see it.” She lovingly rubs her stomach and smiles. “Less than four months left, and you’ll be an uncle.”

“Wow, it’s been that long already?” he asks. “You guys still waiting until the kid’s born to find out if it’s a boy or girl?”

“Yeah, we want to be surprised. But if it’s a boy, I think we’re going to name it after Luke, that is, if he doesn’t mind. I know Nikolas is his son, but for a long time, he was his enemy, and we’re not sure how Luke will feel about him naming his son after him, you know?”

Lucky nods, trying to push out the sadness he feels. He had always thought that his and Elizabeth’s first son would be Lucas Lorenzo Spencer III, not Nikolas’s. “I’m sure he’d be thrilled, Em. Dad’s come a long way since those days. I have a hard time believing sometimes that he used to hate Nikky.”

Emily laughs. No one but Lucky ever calls him Nikky, and even though Nikolas acts angry when he does it, she knows that deep down, he’s touched by the nickname. “I know what you mean. I have a hard time remembering that he used to be a Cassidine. We’ve all come a long way since those days, haven’t we?”

“Yeah, we have,” Lucky says softly, then looks up at her and smiles, trying to change the subject. “So, what brings you here?”

“What, I can’t visit my best friend, who happens to also be my brother-in-law, without an excuse?” she asks with a laugh.

“Of course you can, I just figured you had a reason, that’s all. I’m always happy to see you, Em. So, what’s my brother up to today?”

“Working. He’s determined to save up tons of money before the baby’s born, so he won’t have to work as much afterwards. He’s working on some big PR campaign for GH that’s been taking a lot of time.” Nikolas had decided to get a job, even though Alexis had made sure he received a large settlement from the Cassidine estate. He was still quite wealthy, but needed the work to keep himself busy and to feel like he was providing for his family, not just riding along on money from his real family’s enemies. After leaving Deception, he took over Katherine’s former job as PR specialist for General Hospital.

Lucky laughs. “Independently wealthy, and still works long hours. That’s a Spencer for you. Too stubborn to just sit back and relax. Well, if he keeps working after the baby comes, you can always come to Uncle Lucky for help.”

“Uncle Lucky,” she says with a chuckle. “That’s cute. Don’t worry, we will. Between you, Luke and Laura, Jason and Carly and the Q’s, we’ve got baby-sitting covered! Although, my family is going to be our last resort. I don’t want my child spending too much time in that crazy house.”

“Why, you turned out okay?” he asks with a grin. “They can’t be that bad!”

“Ha, you seem to be forgetting that time I spent on drugs, and climbed up on the roof because I thought I could fly! What do you think drove me to that?” They both laughed, happy to feel normal for once.

~*~

“Any news?” Laura asks as Luke walks into the kitchen. He had been at the police station all afternoon, trying to find out if they had gotten anywhere with Elizabeth’s case.

“Nothing. The girl just vanished. They have no clue where else to look. They’ve put up pictures and signs everywhere, offered rewards, even did a bit on that special edition of Unsolved Mysteries that was on last month, and still nothing,” Luke says, sitting down at the table, looking defeated. “I don’t know what else to do, angel.”

“You mean that TV show didn’t even get any response?” she asks in shock.

“Oh sure, it got plenty, but they were all dead ends. I’m starting to think that wherever Liz is, if she’s even still out there, she’s not in the country. And as much as I hate to say it, that’s a pretty big world out there to be searching for one little person like her.”

“Well, we’ll just have to keep looking anyway. I refuse to tell my son that we’re giving up on her. It will kill him and you know that!”

“I know. Have you talked to him lately?”

She nods. “Yeah, I called him yesterday. He seems to be doing a lot better now that he’s at Sonny’s. I admit, I was nervous at first about him staying there, but he swears that Sonny and Jason are legit now. Plus, even if they weren’t, that penthouse is probably the safest place in Port Charles!”

Luke chuckles softly. “You’ve got a point there. Well, I’m glad the cowboy’s doing better. He was worrying me there for a while. I didn’t tell you before because I didn’t want to worry you, but after we confiscated all his alcohol, he started hanging out at Jake’s.”

“How?” Laura asks. “He’s still underage.”

“I know, but he’s a close friend of Jason’s, and he’s my kid, so they usually let him in. Plus, I told Jake it was okay, as long as she promised they’d keep an eye on him. I figured it was better for him to be there where they could watch him for us than have him off getting drunk somewhere else.”

“I guess. I’m just happy he stopping that. Drinking never solves anything. You’d think after living with you all his life, he would have learned that!”

“Oh, he knows, but he’s a Spencer, and he can’t help it. Alcohol is our coping mechanism, haven’t you figured that out yet?”

Laura laughs and shakes her head. “Of course I have, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it! Come on, let’s go find some dinner. I’m starving.”

~*~Chapter 44~*~

Elizabeth blows a strand of hair out of her eyes in frustration. She finished her mural of Kelly’s and is now starting the last wall, the boxcar. It’s the most meaningful mural to her, and therefore the hardest, because she’s being so critical of her work. She has a rough outline, but still isn’t quite pleased with the way it’s turning out.

The door opens softly and Sergei makes his way in, smiling at her talent. “Wow, this place looks amazing!” he says. Liz turns and smiles at him.

“You think so? You don’t think it’s too... I don’t know, busy? I mean, a nursery needs a lot of color, and it’s definitely got that, but it’s not very babyish, you know?”

He shakes his head and walks up to her. “It’s perfect. I’m glad you have something to keep you occupied like this. I know how dull this house can get when there’s nothing to do.”

Liz nods and looks back at the wall. “Yeah, I’m trying to pace myself so I don’t finish too soon.”

“Well, if you do, then we’ll find another room for you to paint, that’s all. Helena’s got plenty of rooms here, I’m sure she wouldn’t care if you painted another one. I noticed you have the CD player in here,” he adds, pointing to the small box on the floor. She always brought it with her when she painted. The music kept her spirits up, and kept her from thinking too much about Lucky.

“Yeah, thanks again. I think I’ve memorized every CD you gave me already, I listen to them so much.”

“If you’d like, I can pick up some more for you. I think Helena’s sending me to the mainland in a couple of weeks.”

She smiles. “Would you? That would be great. I could use some more variety. I mean, these are great, but they’re all kind of similar.”

“Okay, what did you have in mind then?”

“Um, nothing in particular, just some more rock, maybe some jazz. I guess just whatever’s popular right now is fine. I figure if it’s selling so well to other people, it can’t be that bad, right? Plus, that way I feel kind of like I’m keeping up with the rest of the world a little. Being so isolated here drives me crazy sometimes, because I have no clue what’s going on everywhere else, and Helena refuses to let me see a newspaper!”

Sergei sighs. “Yeah, I know. I’m sorry about that. I’ve tried to talk her into letting you see one every now and then, but she won’t budge, and she won’t let me tell you anything either, which really doesn’t make any sense. So, if music is what makes you happy, then I’m glad to do it. How are you otherwise?” he asks, looking at her obviously pregnant stomach.

Liz smiles and rubs her hand over her protruding belly. “Good. The baby kicked this morning. It felt so cool.”

“Really?” he asks, disappointed that he wasn’t there. “I wish I could have felt that.”

“I’ll let you know the next time it happens. I don’t know, it’s just weird to think that there’s actually a little person inside me right now. Kind of surreal, you know?”

“Yeah, well, I just wanted to see how you were coming along. I’ll let you go back to your painting.” Sergei starts to walk to the door.

“Wait!” Liz shouts, motioning excitedly for him to come back. “It’s kicking again, hurry!” He walks over to her and she grabs his hand, placing it on her stomach. The baby kicks again, and he smiles.

“Wow, I felt that,” he says in awe.

“I told you it was cool,” she says with a grin. Sergei smiles back, then lets himself out of the room, still amazed at the tiny life that was going to be coming into the world in a few months.

Liz turns back to the wall, not sure what to make of everything that has been happening. She’s still grieving Lucky, and she knows that on some level, she always will be. On the other hand, Sergei has been really good to her, and she’s starting to see the Spencer in him more and more. She’s not a fool, and she knows that he’s still under Helena’s thumb, so she won’t let herself totally trust him, but she’s found it easier to be around him than before. Maybe it was the baby, or maybe Lucky’s death made her realize that she was stuck on this island for good, and that she might as well make the most of it. Either way, Sergei wasn’t all bad, and he seemed to genuinely care for her. If she had to spend the rest of her life here, she could think of a worse person to end up with.

~*~

Sergei walks into the living room to find Helena sipping some tea. “The baby kicked,” he says proudly.

“Did it now? Hm, well it’s about time. I swear, this is going to be the longest nine months I can remember!” Helena grumbles.

“This is what you wanted though, right? You wanted Elisha to have my child, and now she is. I know this is just some big revenge thing for you, but I’m still happy about it. I can’t wait to be a father.”

Helena rolls her eyes. “Whatever. Anyway, I’m sending you to the mainland next week to do some business for me. It’s mindless stuff, really, and I just don’t feel like doing it myself. I’m sure you can handle it.”

“That’s fine. I wanted to get Elisha some new CDs anyway. She’s just about worn out the ones you bought.”

“You’re spoiling the girl, Sergei. Just don’t lose sight of why we’re doing this,” Helena warns.

“I know, but if you want her to start trusting me, I have to do little things like this. Besides, what does it hurt? She likes music, it makes her happy. If she’s happy, she doesn’t give you any trouble, right?”

Helena shrugs, seeing that he has a point. “Fine, get the girl more CDs for all I care! But be careful. I need you to stay objective here, or else this could all blow up on me.”

“Don’t worry, I know. I’m going to go for a walk before dinner,” he says, excusing himself and walking out the back door. Once he’s outside, he sighs. “Too late, Helena, I’ve already fallen for her.”

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