Author: Regency

Title: Transatlanticism

Summary: Because five years is a very long time not to call or write.

Author's Notes: I. Diverges from established canon from Laura's final scene in 2008. II. Every pairing deserves at least one Transatlanticism-inspired fic. Also a little bit inspired by Kt Tunstall's "Other Side of the World." III. I've re-written a bit of the last five years, because I feel they'd have been different had Luke been in constant contact with Laura.

Disclaimer: Lyrics are borrowed from "Other Side of the World" by Kt Tunstall. I don't own any characters recognizable as being from General Hospital. They are the property of their actors, producers, writers, and studios, not me. No copyright infringement was intended and no money was made in the writing or distribution of this story. It was good, clean fun.

~!~

Can you help me?

Can you let me go?

And can you still love me

When you can't see me anymore?

-Other Side of the World, Kt Tunstall

~!~

2008

...

Laura dried her tears once she couldn't see Luke on the tarmac anymore. This is it, this is where we stop. It's for the best. She took a deep breath and tried to believe that, working to quell the anxious tripping in her chest that came from imagining a life so far from the people she loved.

She shook herself. "Get a hold of yourself. You can do this."

"You sure can."

Laura jumped up to see Scotty step out of the crew cabin.

"Scotty, what are you doing here?"

"I'm going to Paris. I figured you could do with some company."

"You figured I could 'do with some company' so you snuck aboard my son's plane without asking either of us?" She clutched her beg a little tighter.

"I asked Nikolas!"

"No, I know you didn't, because he would have told me you were coming. I've given you leeway, Scotty, because of our history together. Don't make me regret my faith in you."

Scotty sat heavily in one of the plane's plush seats. "I wanted another chance. You and me in Paris. What could be more romantic than that?"

She leaned toward him without rising. "I can think of a dozen things more romantic than blatant stalking—and it is stalking, Scott. You stowed away on Nikolas's plane to follow me to another continent where I have nobody to vouch for my safety. Don't tell me none of this has occurred to you."

"Well, it hadn't."

"Oh, please. My isolation is exactly what you're counting on." Laura raised a hand to interrupt his protests. "Maybe, maybe you don't have nefarious intentions, but your intentions can't be good when they run counter to my request for time, Scotty. I told you that nothing would happen between us, romantically. Nothing. We can be friends—maybe friends, not that that's looking good for you at the moment—but anything more is off the table."

"Why? Spencer is…I don't know, he's happy with Tracy, somehow. He's not coming back to you, so why can't you come back to me?"

Laura huffed, incredulous. "Because it doesn't work that way—I don't work that way." Laura laced her hands together in front of her, digging deep for a little more patience. "Just because Luke and I are over that doesn't mean I can just transfer my feelings for him to you. I love him and I will always love him in some capacity. Right now, he holds my heart. Even if I were amenable to a romantic relationship with you, which I am not, I don't have anything to give you."

"I could wait."

"Don't. Please don't wait on me. You have found true love beyond me before and you can do it again. I can be your friend, but that's all. Is that enough? I mean, could it be? I don't think I have many left myself."

Scotty visibly swallowed his need to argue his case. Laura was grateful. She couldn't do with anymore disappointment today.

"It could be enough, if you're sure."

"It's the only part of this whole thing I am sure of." Laura offered her hand. "Friends?"

Scotty came over and grabbed on, not smiling but not so heartbroken. "Friends."

Laura's cellphone buzzed in her pocket again and she hurried to retrieve it before Scotty could complain. It took her a minute to work out the controls, but she opened the text message soon enough.

Call me when you land. – Luke

Scotty shifted in his seat. "You know you're not supposed to keep your phone switched on during takeoff."

"Yeah. I guess not."

Laura took the last few seconds to text back: Okay.

She wasn't sure why. She didn't know what was left to say.

Laura had taken for granted that Paris was a different world. She'd come here with Lesley Lu when she faked her death years ago and been comfortable enough, plagued as she was with anxiety for the family she'd been forced to abandon. This time, stepping into Roissy Airport felt immediately permanent, like a death sentence had been handed down while she was in the air. Where before there'd been the certainty that events would allow her to return home someday, Laura had none of that now. If anything, they'd drift further and further out of her reach the longer she remained away. That was the fear that prevented Laura from setting foot outside the terminal.

Luke answered on the second ring.

"How was the flight?"

"Long."

"You get in okay?"

Laura surveyed the emptying terminal, ruefully. "Sure."

"Any idea where you're staying?"

Laura tucked her back between a column and a cold window. "Ah, not really. It's straight to the Institute for evaluation, then I'll figure something out."

"Let me know if you need help arranging a place. I know some people in Paris."

"I bet you do. I think I can manage, thanks."

"The offer stands."

"I appreciate that."

Laura turned to one of the wide glass panes that bracketed the boarding gates, offering a few of the runways outside. Planes came and left in their steady way. She felt like they were passing her right by.

"I heard Baldwin's disappeared without a trace. He wouldn't happen to have infected the prince's plane, would he?"

"Funny you should say that. I got an unexpected guest on my flight just today."

"Kid's gotta work on his security."

"I'll mention that the next time I speak to him."

"The kids are getting antsy already, don't leave it too long."

Laura added that to her tally of time missed. Weighed against years, it shouldn't have mattered, but it mattered so much.

"It's been eight hours, shouldn't you be asleep?"

"Asleep and awake all over again. It's breakfast."

Laura checked her watch. Still on Port Charles' time. She sighed. "Jet lag, one thing I did not miss."

"I bet Baldwin ranks higher than that."

Laura spotted Scotty lingering near the duty-free like a dog without a home. "He's weighing heavily on my sympathy."

"Don't let him get to you. Taking in strays is all well and good until they piss on the Persian rug."

Laura turned away to hide her laughter.

"Luke, I don't even have a house. There's nothing for him to piss on."

"He'll bide his time."

"He's my only friend for the moment, he's allowed."

"Uh uh, that's where you're wrong. You may be on the other side of the world, but you're not alone over there. Every one of us is a phone call and transatlantic flight away at most. Don't you forget that." That should have been reassuring, but Laura only felt lonelier, thinking at least they're together.

A uniformed chauffeur arrived with a neat printed sign displaying Laura's name. He must be from the Institute.

"My ride's here. I have to get going." She listened to the ease of his breathing and for just a second imagined he was next to her, that he might want to be.

"Well, thanks for calling."

"Thanks for asking."

Luke paused and Laura waited. "You know you can always call me when you need to, don't you? Whatever you think I said out on that tarmac, I don't ever want you thinking you can't rely on me."

"I shouldn't." She had run out of time to beat around the bush.

"Never stopped you before."

"Maybe it should."

"Call me."

"Be careful what you wish for."

"Wishing got us into this situation. I'll take my chances."

"Goodbye."

"For now, angel. Just for now."

Laura didn't dare to get her hopes up.

How're things? – Luke

Fine. – Laura

How's Paris treating you?

The way it treats everyone. The food is good. The weather's beautiful.

You never talked about the doctors, so I figured you must be healthy as a horse.

Was that a question?

There was a protracted silence before her phone lit up.

I expected you to call again.

I expected you to ask again.

Another pregnant pause, this one long enough for Laura to pour herself a cup of coffee. They used to fit love letters into silences this big.

We're a sorry pair, he wrote back.

Sorrier by the day, she didn't send.

Speak for yourself, she sent instead.

3,625 miles apart, keeping face was all there was.

And, well, regret.