Title: Confessions… the third

Fandom: General Hospital

Characters: Luke and Tracy Quartermaine Spencer

Rating: G

Summary: Lunchtime vignette

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

She walked along the corridor of the hospital. She has spend so much time here in the past few month that she knows exactly the tiles on the floor that need repairing and the wallpaper that needs replacing. Soon, however, it won't be a matter of her spending every waking hour within these walls, but more regular visits which will decreasing in their frequency. She can not wait for that day. But today still needs to be dealt with. If she is lucky, tonight she will not have to sleep alone…

"Okay, Spencer, I've got a deal for you."

Luke just rolled his eyes. Now what, he wondered. More lectures? It was only one cigar, for heaven's sake. His problem was he didn't wait long enough after surgery. It wasn't the cigar itself, he knew.

"Look, Spanky, I'm not a child that needs to be bribed. I just want to live life…"

"… my way," she finished for him, "yeah, I got that. Well, turns out I have decided to give you the cigar after all. If it means so much to you, have it."

Luke started to get that fuzzy feeling up through his neck and knew that Tracy was up to something. She was every bit as wily as he was, and after weeks of the same message, she wasn't about to change that easily.

"What's the deal, Spanky? What made you change your mind?"

Tracy just smiled her Cheshire cat smile. She had him. She watched him lick his lips – he knew he'd lost already, too. But she was going to make him work for it.

"Here's the deal, Luke. You can have this Cuban cigar, and my sources are very good. Or…", she leaned towards him and started to undo the buttons on her shirt, "You can have me."

"Spanky…"

Tracy continued to undo the buttons with her right hand, as the left held the cigar just beyond Luke's grasp.

"Which will it be, Luke? Take the cigar and it will be gone soon enough, assuming you can get through it… or me, the gift that keeps on giving. You can't have both, so choose."

"Oh, Spanky, that's just not fair. Why should I have to choose? Can't I have both?"

"Steak you can have again, in small amounts. Scotch you can have again, also in small amounts. But it's either the cigar, or me. Is it really that tough a choice, Lukey?" Tracy said in her most seductive voice. She knew the outcome, but she enjoyed the fact that he was playing along.

Luke reached out and grabbed Tracy around the waist with one hand, pulling her closer. With his other hand he grabbed the cigar. He looked lovely at the Cuban, sighed a deep sigh, and put the cigar up to his nose. He sniffed it deeply several times, and then tossed it over his shoulder.

"Easy come, easy go. So… about my choice… come to Papa."

Before Luke could get beyond the last button of Tracy's shirt, Dr. Julian walked into the room. Tracy quickly excused herself, and went into the bathroom.

"So, Luke, what is it going to be with the cigars?" Dr. Julian was trying to ignore what he'd interrupted. Tracy and Luke simply wanted to ignore being caught. "Do we have to keep you here longer, or can I trust you if I release you today?"

Re-entering the room, Tracy smiled at Dr. Julian. "He's given up the cigars, Doctor. I confess I've given him a better option."

Husband and wife just look at each other and smile. Dr. Julian doesn't want to know. And Tracy's bed will not be empty tonight!