One Shot - Build Through This Destruction

Staring out into the misty water she can't quite believe she is here…in fact she can't quite believe much of anything that has transpired in the past couple of months. It all seems like a whirlwind, or a tornado that swept through and wrecked the pretty life she had created in her mind.

Her heart still aches at the last conversation with Lucky.

"How could you do this to me?" he begged his azure eyes brimming with tears.

She could feel her stomach twist up in knots, "I'm so sorry" she whispered hoarsely, "I didn't want to hurt you…I love you"

"You love me?" he asked sarcastically, "You here that world, she loves me" he yelled to no one in the middle of her living room, "And to prove it she becomes my brother's whore"

Before she can even think about it her palm is making contact with his cheek making a loud crack, "I know you're mad but our boys are upstairs sleeping" she hissed the adrenaline beginning to flow through her veins.

"Our boys?" he mocked, "You weren't thinking about them when you were spreading your legs"

His words pierce there intended target and her lip trembles, "This wasn't…"

"What, it wasn't supposed to be like this? Did you think we could have a happy family and you could sneak off to screw my brother?"

"I just wanted the boys to have a family" she tried to explain.

Shaking his head he let out a scoff, "And you ruined that…so when our boys wake up tomorrow, you can explain to them why we can't be a family"

Fighting back tears she crossed her arms in front of her defensively, "Don't punish our boys"

He came close to her, "I wouldn't…which is why, I'm going to see Alexis tomorrow and petition for custody"

It was like someone had kicked her in the stomach and blood rushed to her skin, "What" she asked almost confused, like the words he was saying were unintelligible, "You wouldn't"

"You think I'm going to let you raise my sons with a Cassadine"

All the hurt that was there a moment ago started to dissipate into a fury that was lit deep inside her, "What?"

"You heard me, I am not going to let my sons be raised by my bastard brother," he said turning around to leave.

Her hand gripped his arm and he turned, "First off, they are OUR sons…and you go ahead, you try to get custody…you haven't adopted Cameron; you have no legal right to him" she said knowing exactly where her words would cut, "And I know you love them as your own, but I won't let you take my boys away" she spat saying every word she knew would affect him because love him or not, she would die before she let him take her kids.

Swiftly he yanked away and shot her one parting look before walking out of the door.

"I'm sorry" Nikolas whispers coming up behind her.

All he has to do is speak and her body tenses as goosebumps riddle her skin. Taking a deep breath she turns to him. He's perfection, like one of the statues that stand in the gardens on the island, "You don't have to be"

"Yes"

Shaking her head she steps closer. She's always needed to be close to him…her friend, her lover, her hero, "No" she tells him again more roughly, "You didn't force me to come here Nikolas…you're not your father, okay? You didn't spirit me away. I came because I wanted to be here with you"

It was the truest thing she had spoken in months. She could have stayed in Port Charles, fought with Lucky, but the only thing she could think about the whole time was that Nikolas had no one…and that wasn't okay because he had her, he had them.

Reaching out her small hands fit into his large perfectly, "The boys okay?" she asked.

A small wry smile came to his face, "Yes, but only after two ghost stories and a fort of sheets in the living room. I don't think Alfred quite knows what to do with himself"

Looking at the lightness in his eyes, the tension in his face alleviating, it made the weight on her chest finally begin to ease off, like she wasn't drowning in her own guilt, "They're safe?" she asked.

He stiffened at her question and nodded stoically, "I have men watching Helena" he answered, "Things are different here Liz…here I am the Prince, and I will protect you and the boys"

There was something defensive about the way he said it; hurt and it made her regret the way she asked it, "I've never doubted you protecting me" she admitted.

She hasn't…because he always just has and it's one of the things that made him so easy to fall in love with, "So, are you going to give me the tour"

A small smile began to lighten his face again and he nodded before taking her hand and leading her back into the house. If she thought Wyndamere was big, she wasn't quite prepared for the house on Cassadine Island. There were so many halls and doors she couldn't imagine ever knowing her way around the place.

Nikolas knew it like the back of her hand pointing out works out art, and artifacts from times and artists she had admired in books, "This is…was my nursery" he said opening the door.

It was a large room, but not overly, painted in a deep blue green like the sea. A mahogany crib still sat in the middle, a matching rocking chair off to the side. On the ceiling was a map of the world and one whole wall was first edition children's books and other classics.

"Wow" she said walking over to the shelves and running her fingers over the smooth wood. When she turned he was standing in the door with a melancholic smile on his face, "This is amazing"

"I thought you might like it" he said obviously pleased with himself.

Their eyes met and it was there; that indescribable pull she felt every time they were in close proximity. It was like a magnet that pulled her to him; even when she hadn't wanted to admit it…even when she was sending him away, or telling him to leave her alone…she just had to touch him one more time, just had to feel him.

Her hands come to his lapels first as she looks up to him under the hood of painted lashes, "We can't stay here forever"

Gently his fingertips brush the barely burgeoning bump that stretchers her t-shirt, "The doctors said you can't have any more stress" he murmurs before his lips graze her forehead, "And I won't let anything happen to you"

Her head rests against the soft of his button up shirt, right over the steady beat of his heart…and she knows that they've made a mess of things…but it wasn't until this moment that she finally started to believe everything was going to be okay.