Bright Eyes Chapter 1 ***Luke***

Every now and then I fall apart- Bonnie Tyler

V Ardanowski looked around Luke's, hoping to find Felicia. She hadn't been good about keeping in touch lately, and when she tried, she could never get a hold of her buddy. But tonight, she needed a friend, someone who would hug her and tell her that things would be ok. She looked around the crowded club, but didn't see Flea at all. She saw Luke at the bar, and approached him with a sultry smile. He looked up at her and let out a low whistle. "Looking good Smokey, what brings you to my part of town. Have you finally reconsidered my offer of you and I having an illicit affair in the back room?"

"If I were going to take any man up on an offer like that, it would be you Luke. And if I were sticking around here, I would certainly take you up on it. Can I get a rain check on that?" She was trying to keep her smile up, but it was difficult. If she couldn't tell Luke Spencer she was leaving, what made her think that she could tell anyone else?

"You're leaving?" A frown creased his craggy face. He had grown to like this spunky young woman, as much as she could annoy him. He knew you didn't often find someone with her grace and hidden style anymore, and certainly not someone who could still blush during harmless flirting. "You've finally decided to give up on blondie and try your luck elsewhere haven't you? I told you anytime you needed a real man to give me a call. I'd be more then obliged to assist you in any way."

"Luke, you're impossible." She said with a blush. He always had this effect on her, but she still enjoyed the teasing banter. "I've told you time and again that I never was looking to get lucky with Jax in anyway, shape or form. We've never been anything but friends. I have found someone though, and I'm going to give this relationship a shot."

"By leaving town? Sounds like you're running away V. But who am I to talk about running way." He said sarcastically, knowing he was the last person who should talk. "I doubt this man is good enough for you, but once again, who am I to say anything. You're an adult, and you're going to do what you want, even if you're leaving your friends behind."

"It's not like that, I never meant to stay this long, or to make a life for myself here. It was a stop in what I thought was going to be a promising career in law enforcement. But then I met Jax, and he needed someone." She said with a sigh. She had thought that he needed her, and perhaps in a way he did. But she couldn't be what he needed her to be anymore.

"Port Chuckles has a way of doing that to a person. It sucks you in, and it makes it near impossible to get away. As much as I will miss seeing those sexy legs walking into this dump, I envy you. You aren't tied here, you can just leave when you want, without looking back." Luke said quietly, a sad tone to his normally boisterous voice. "Just make sure you don't look back. You'll see something or someone who needs you, and you won't go. That's just how it happens."

"I'm not going to look back, I can't, because you're right, I won't be able to leave. Full speed ahead and all of that." She swallowed hard, she was already starting to doubt her decision, maybe this wasn't such a hot idea. What did he know about Simon other then he was head over heals in love with her, and that she wanted, no she needed a change of pace. She might not be leaving for true love, but there was the potential there, to fall in love and live happily ever after. Was that enough though?

"I hope not Smokey, if you do you're a goner. I've left this place, more times then I can count, but look at where I am now. I suppose for someone who has tried it all and done it all, I'm content to spend my later years here. Mostly because of the memories, they make sure I don't slide too far into myself, or into my self-pity. I couldn't leave here now, even if I wanted to, there is too much holding me."

"This town wouldn't be the same without you Luke, and that's why you stay. Who else can keep the people around here on their toes like you can? And without you there is no good music to be found. Maybe you were meant to be here, in this town, to equalize things, and to harass all the pretty young women who come in looking for a bar keep to talk about her problems with."

"If all the young women look like you, I'll gladly take that job up. Unfortunately, I more often then not get old ladies who used to look like that," Luke said, gesturing towards the painting of a young Helena Cassadine, "but now aren't even a shadow of their former selves. You're the only one who comes in here, who gets the blood pumping and who I look forward to seeing." He wasn't going to say he'd miss her, even though he would terribly. He also wouldn't say goodbye, because it hurt too much, every time he said goodbye, knowing that he would probably never see them again. Goodbye was too permanent. "Just come back and visit me when you hit town again, and leave the guy who is taking you away from me. I think I'd probably try and kill him for it."

"You've actually met him, he came to the club one night with Bobbie and Jerry. And don't think that you could hurt him Luke, he's not like you. He's more cerebral, lacking the pure sexual intensity, and any of the muscles you've got. He's a nice guy, who wouldn't know to defend himself to you if you did try. There's something about him that needs to be taken care of. Maybe that's why I need to go. No one here needs me any more, at least not as much as he does."

Luke smiled at her knowing he had lost and she was leaving. He broke open a bottle of his finest bubbly. He knew his young friend preferred it to anything else, and he had been saving it for a special occasion. And a woman like V, well any occasion was special with her, and she deserved a decent send off drink. He handed her a flute and poured his own before proposing a toast. "Venus my love, you deserve nothing but the best from life. Although you have seen fit to find that someplace other then my arms, I wish you well. And I hope that someday the same lucky fate that first brought you into town and into my dump, will bring you back to me." He stopped for a second to collect himself, "I never thought I'd say this, but I'll miss you." He finished quietly, feeling foolish for giving into such emotion.

"I'm going to miss you too Luke," The tears that had been collecting behind her doe brown eyes let loose, and she took a quick sip of her champagne and dropped her head hoping he wouldn't see them. He did, and gently wiped a few of the tears from her cheek. She looked at him from over her champagne flute, a wet half smile lightening her features. "Thanks for everything Luke." She took one last long drink and set her glass down, a bit more composed. "Listen if you see Felicia, will you tell her I'm looking for her? I don't want to leave without saying goodbye."

"You've got it doll." Luke killed off his champagne and forced a smile for her. "Take care of yourself Smokey, and remember to stop by if you're ever in my part of the world."

"You know I will." She turned to leave, not wanting to say the words that would make it so final. She walked to the door, and stopped before opening it. She almost turned around, but heard what he said to her, 'don't look back, you'll see someone or something that will need you, and you won't go.' She steeled herself against the emotions, and opened the door. "See ya around Luke," she tossed over her shoulder, without even looking at him, or stopping. Then she was gone, the door gently shutting behind her.

Luke watched the door for a minute, to see if she'd come back, knowing it wouldn't happen, but hoping it would. "It's been nice knowing you Smokey," he said to himself. He poured himself a glass of cognac and gave one final salute to the redhead who had just left his bar and his life.