Author's note: This fic is written for Kathy, who mentioned to me on Twitter that she missed these characters. The pairings are ones she enjoys: Lucky/Emily, Jason/Georgie.

They Came Back
Part One
October 2014

"Are they alive?!" Just like that, as the hoarse, desperate words fell from his lips, he forgot his resolve to stay calm today, no matter what.

Years of searching, praying, gun battles and knife fights, going half insane and fighting his own demons that told him to go all the way, fall back into the bottle and pills, had all led him to this very moment. He had dedicated his life to this pursuit and he wouldn't apologize for that. He would have died if he did anything else- if he had turned his back on her in her greatest moment of need.

He had given up his kids in order to find her. Changed his whole life to be the man who might bring her home. But maybe all he would find was a frozen corpse. He had known all along it could end that way.

Known he was giving up time he couldn't ever get back with his sons for just the slightest chance he could get her back- dead or alive.

Three and a half years of searching, and it all ended in five minutes. The WSB had surrounded the clinic. Kicked down doors. Took down anyone in their way. Through the smoke of the flash grenades, Agent Lucky Spencer walked into the cryogenic lab where the bodies were being stored, still not knowing if any of them would be able to be revived.

If she was alive or dead.

"Talk to me!" he yelled at the other agent, the one who held a medical degree and used to be a doctor in his old life.

"They're alive," he said. "They're all alive."

Lucky rocked back on his heels, air escaping his lungs with a whoosh. He placed his hand on the cold glass that surrounded the body of his best friend, his full focus on her and not the other bodies under similar glass next to her.

Yes, he wanted to bring them home to their families, too, but this had always been about her. Always been about Emily.

XXXXXXXXX

The first few moments of consciousness were experienced in that freezing lab, as they were all brought out of their cryogenic states.

Not knowing where she was, or what was happening, the one thing Georgie did see was Jason Morgan a few feet away, laying on a gurney like the one she was on- skin pale, lips blue and looking just as confused she felt.

"What...happened?" he choked out, trying to sit up.

"Just stay still," someone told him, forcing him back down. "Any sudden movement could cause a heart attack."

"Get...off...me!" He tried to get up again.

The fear in the air was palpable. All around them were people with weapons.A brief memory assaulted her senses...someone trying to kill her...but it was all too foggy to figure out who or when. All she felt was the same danger as right now.

And all she knew was that she didn't want to die. Or watch anyone else die.

"Jason," she croaked out. "Please..."

He turned his head and their eyes connected. She watched him take in the fact that she was there, and then he seemed to relax some.

Georgie didn't even have the strength to sit up but she heard a voice from behind her say "Jason, you're safe now."

She knew that voice. It was Lucky Spencer. Whatever happened, Mac must have sent Lucky to save her.

She was safe now. She was going home. With that thought, she closed her eyes.

"She's crashing!"

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Georgie!" Emily could barely get out that single words, as she was held in Lucky's arms, shivering and without the strength to hold herself upright.

"Shhhh. Don't look." He stroked her hair and turned her face into his neck, holding her even tighter.

She knew she was safe. Lucky had her and he wouldn't let anything bad happen to her. But how had she gotten here? How had they all ended up here?

Before Lucky had averted her gaze she had seen five gurneys with five people on them: her own brother, Jason, and next to him Georgie then Leticia- who had been the nanny for her nephew Michael since he was born- and finally Stavros and Stefan Cassadine.

Emily made six. Six people in a freezing lab, barely clinging to life. What the hell had happened to her? The last thing she remembered was her engagement party.

She had been so happy that night. Nikolas must be frantic to find her. Her heart ached for what he had to go through while she was here.

How long had it been? A week? A month? How long had she lived like this?

XXXXXXXX

The hospital buzzed with shock and excitement when they were all wheeled in, under heavy WSB protection and police escort. Word had come from the ambulance that they had six incoming, all in critical condition, all presumed dead Port Charles residents.

Elizabeth had dropped to her knees at the news. It couldn't be. Emily was still alive?

By the time they were wheeled in, Liz had regained her composer but she nearly lost it again when she saw who was holding Emily's hand as they wheeled the gurney toward an exam room.

The ambulance drivers were shouting out vital statistics on the patients but Liz was in too much shock to do anything but grab Lucky's arm as he passed her.

"Lucky! What do you have to do with this?"

"Save her! Please, you have to save her!"

Emily lay there, unconscious, but very much still alive. Liz could only be grateful to have this chance to save the friend that she had been sure she lost so many years ago...but how was the husband she had lost involved in bringing Emily back?

Lucky had sworn he was in Africa taking care of orphans.

XXXXXXXXXXX

"I lied," Lucky confessed to Nikolas, as they stood in the waiting area of the emergency room. At first Nikolas had been in shock and then elated at the news of Emily's return...until he asked how Lucky was involved.

Not holding back any of the truth= the time for lies was over now- Lucky went on "I never went to Africa to help orphans. Helena sent me a video tape showing Emily in a cryogenic chamber and I left Port Charles to search for her. It was a cat and mouse game. I never knew if I'd find her...if Helena was just torturing me...but I had to keep searching. I had to try."

"Why didn't you tell me? She was my fiance! I could have helped you!"

"You were barely holding on at some points. This...it nearly killed me...I didn't want it to drive you mad."

"You had no right to decide for me. I loved her and if she was out there, needing me, I should have been informed."

"It was my call and I made it."

Nikolas jerked his eyes off his brother and turned to catch a glimpse of Emily through the curtain in the exam cubicle, as the doctors frantically worked on her.

"My God, Emily is alive."

"Barely." Lucky turned away, running his fingers through his hair as tears came to his eyes. Emily had crashed, just like Georgie did earlier, in the ambulance.

Had he gotten there too late?