(Author's Notes- HEY EVERYONE!!! I've FINALLY updated!!! Wheee!!! Sorry it took forever - writer's block!! Bummer!! Well I hope you enjoy this chapter!! Thanks to all my reviewers (you know who you are) who gave me suggestions and helped out with this chapter in any way!! :-) Long chapter for a long wait!! Please Read and Review!! Thanks!! --Am)

Chapter #17- Arguments and Mysteries

"Well 'Serena,' I'm going to go ok? I'm just glad you're home and ok. I love you so much. And you know that whenever you need me, day or night, just give me a ring and we can talk if you want ok?" Liz said as she said goodbye to Emily.

"Okay...Hey Elizabeth?" Emily called before Liz left.

"Yeah?" Liz responded. "Thanks." With a nod of Liz's head, she left Emily to her thoughts.

A Few Hours Later-

Word from Lucky brought Serena's next guests: Luke and Laura Spencer.

Serena was staring out her window, lost in thought. She was trying to figure out how to keep her identity a secret, beyond Elizabeth knowing.

"Knock, knock?" Luke asked quietly.

"Hi. Are you Luke Spencer? Lucky told me about you." Serena said.

Luke Spencer wanted to find out who this Serena Stevenson was, because no one was able to outrun and out hide him. Serena was a first.

"Yes darlin', I am. And this is my wife Laura." Luke replied.

"Yes, hi nice to meet you. I'm Serena. Luke, I heard you were looking for me when I left town a few years back with both sets of my twins. Thank you very much for your support in trying to find me." Serena said.

"You're very welcome. Lucky, Elizabeth, and Nikolas told me about you."

"All good I hope?" Serena smiled easily.

If it was one thing Emily missed, it was: that it was always very easy to talk to Luke Spencer.

"Of course, of course. But I'm surprised; usually I can find anyone...but not you..." Luke said.

"Well...I guess that was because...I don't know actually. I guess I just hid in the correct places." Serena said.

"So Serena, how old are your twins?" Laura asked.

"Well my sons are 15, and my daughter's are 10. They were surprisingly born on the same day 5 years apart, which to my knowledge is quite rare." Serena answered.

"That's great though, so they get along?" Laura continued.

"Yes, they have their sibling arguments now and then, but otherwise they're quite well behaved, and get along wonderfully with each other." Serena said.

"I wish my sons were able to get a long that easily when they first knew of each other." Laura said completely innocently.

"Yeah, I remember how beyond livid Lucky was at Nikolas, and every time they'd see each other I'd have to—" Serena stopped short, realizing what she just said.

'I can't believe I just blew it...again!...ARG!! This is never going to get easier or better is it?' Emily thought.

Blue eyes downcast, she purposely missed the wide-eyed looks she knew she was getting from Luke and Laura, as Laura paled, and Luke realized who he was really talking to.

"Sunshine?' Luke whispered softly.

Emily kept her eyes glued to the blanket that was covering her, knowing that if she looked at Luke she would burst into tears. She was determined to keep her composure.

"Sunshine, look at me." Luke said in that semi-fatherly tone that said not to argue or question him right now.

As Emily slowly looked up into Luke's eyes, tears were already starting to fall from her eyes.

Luke engulfed Emily into a hug as she lost it, completely losing any composure she once had.

"Oh sweetheart..." Laura sympathized as she hugged the once young girl, now a woman.

"Please, please whatever you do, don't tell Lucky or Nikolas. I know they have a right to know but I'm just not ready for anyone else to find out. I know I messed up because I couldn't keep my mouth shut. The only reason Elizabeth knows who I really am, is because she was first to see me when I woke up from my coma. I didn't have these contacts in. Please don't tell the boys or anyone else. Please??" Emily begged, sobbing into the arms of those she always considered another pair of surrogate parents.

"Ok Sunshine, we won't." Luke said as he gave Laura a quick glance which told Laura right now wouldn't be the best time to object. Even Luke himself didn't agree with it, but he did as he had done when Emily first left town at 16 - he respected her wishes.

Luke's Club-

After Luke and Laura left Em's hospital room, they went to the back office in his club, and locked the door so Lucky or Nik wouldn't possibly come in.

"I can't believe it...I can't believe Emily has been right under our noses for the past few weeks, and even before that, she was here for a good few months." Luke said in disbelief.

"I know...It seems like yesterday that Emily was a bright, happy, smiling 16 year old spending time with her best friends. Now...she didn't have to take her contacts out, I saw the pain she was in." Laura responded.

"Ya know I didn't feel guilty when I first helped her leave town, but as I saw Lucky, Nik, and Liz relentlessly search for her and me only half heartedly looking for her, I began to feel very guilty. But I knew I also had to respect Emily's wishes, so I couldn't help but not tell anyone else." Luke said.

"Well, I can see both sides to this situation. But if Emily were to come to you at 16 again, begging you to help her and not ask any questions or tell anyone else, would you?" Laura asked.

"I'm not sure...I guess we'll never know..." Luke replied as he hugged his wife, grateful for all of children – biological or not. (Including Em and Nik.)

The Next Day- GH- Serena/Emily's Hospital Room-

As soon as her children heard that their mother was out of her coma, they swarmed her like bees to their hive. Emily was grateful everyone was alright.

After Emily was caught up on the lives of her children, Anthony inquired about her coma.

"Mom, this is going to sound really weird, but what was it like being in a coma?"

"Well...it was very strange. However I ended up in Heaven although, I think it was just a dream vs actually being dead. I saw your grandparents up there. It was really great to see them again...I miss them so..." Emily reflectively replied.

"Other than that, I think it was like I was just sleeping as well as looking at everything from someone else's view instead of my own."

"Mom, what got you so scared that day? Why'd you dart in the road like that?" Sierra asked worriedly.

Emily's mind quickly flashed back to that day, unwilling to say anything about it, especially to her children.

"Well...I thought I saw one of the bad men behind one of the trees, and I panicked. I knew you wouldn't be able to hear me, so I just bolted forward. It wasn't a decision I was able to think about, it was instinctual." Emily supplied, hoping that answer would satisfy her daughter.

"Ok, because you really had us terrified." Arianna said.

"I know, and I'm really sorry." Emily said.

"It's ok, Mom. You were only trying to protect us. Besides, how many times have you told us that it's every parent's instinct to protect their children?" Darien said, who spoke up for the first time while there.

"Yes that's correct. You're absolutely right." Emily said, smiling.

"Well, as much as we'd like to stay for the next few days straight, Darien and I have to work on a science project for Uncle Lucky—" Anthony started.

"Uncle?" Emily inquired questioningly.

"Yeah, remember how everyone agreed that outside of school we can call them by their first names? Well while you were in the hospital, they took us in so we wouldn't be in the state's custody, and we all agreed that it would be easier if we were to refer to them as uncle's and aunt. Now we've sort of became a small family if you think about it...I mean ever since Nikolas helped us all stay together, it's like they were almost destined to be in our lives." Darien answered.

Emily nodded, knowing she wouldn't survive any longer without her friends. She now understood what her kids meant by aunt and uncles, and unbeknownst to her children, quite relieved that no one else knew the truth.

"Gotcha, well if you have homework to do, go do it ok? I don't want you guys to fall too far behind worrying about me." Emily told her children.

"We're glad you're ok Mom." Sierra said.

"Thanks, me too." Em replied.

To Emily, it was sometimes weird to her, that when she looks back and reflects on her life, she never though in a million years she'd be raising 4 children by the time she ended up being 25 years old, nonetheless giving birth to those 4 children by the time she was 21.

But Emily was so grateful for the gifts she was given, despite the hellish circumstances.

However, as the boys and Sierra headed for the door, Arianna stayed behind. At Sierra's inquisitive look Arianna asked one of her brother's to stay behind, outside while she wanted to talk to Emily.

"What's on your mind Arianna?" Emily said in a tone, knowing something was bothering her daughter.

"I don't get it...whenever any of us are scared of something, whether a reaction, a dream, people, whatever it is, you always tell us it's ok to be scared. At the same time you tell us that it's ok to be scared, you also tell us that we should try and face our fears. Yet, you never follow your own advice. Whenever it's you, you always run away."

"Arianna, look...you know it's been hard, it's been hard for all 5 of us. But there are some things you don't need to know about right now or ever." Emily answered thinking of where this coversation might go.

"That's not the point mom!—"

Bingo - Em hit the nail on the head, the conversation was heading in a direction Emily didn't want it to go. She was going to attempt to turn the conversation around a bit...

"Arianna... do watch your tone. I don't appreciate your voice level." Emily scolded mildly.

"But, I don't understand!!—"Arianna started up again very frustrated.

The stress of the day, the stress of the past 15 years, sometimes thinking she was still 11 losing her mom, sometimes feeling she was 16 again – alone and scared, and knowing that Liz, Luke & Laura knew who she was finally got to Em...she snapped...

"Maybe, young lady you shouldn't have to understand! Quite frankly, I don't understand what's gotten into you. You've never been this outspoken before!"

"But Dar--" Arianna attempted to protest.

"And before you even think of draging Darien into this, - yes I know that's what you were going to say – he had reason to be protective at the time of his outburst because the bad man was actually there. There is no immediate danger here, right now." Emily said, now quite aggravated and actually angry at her daughter. (Which of course is rare.)

Arianna lowered her eyes, knowing her mother was right.

Emily continued, with less anger in her voice.

"Ari, you shouldn't even have to know 75 percent of the stuff you already do know. I'll give you the fact that I could have probably provided better for you and your siblings. I'll give you the fact that I didn't like running away either! But I thought it was necessary. How many times have I told you and your siblings that all I'm trying to do is protect you? I know you don't like every decision I make, I don't like every decision I make either. But at the time in my mind and my heart, it seems like the best and only decision there is. I feel as if I don't have a choice, so I do what I can."

"I'm sick of that answer though mom! It's all you ever say and it's not enough this time!! It's just NOT!! I just want to know WHY!! But obviously I'm not going to get any answers from you am I?" Arianna said, angry tears streaming down her face.

"Arianna Nicole! That is completely uncalled for and completely out of line!" Emily said now absolutely furious with her 10 year old daughter.

"I don't care anymore! I'm outta here!" Arianna said as she ran for the door, not stopping at her mother calling her name to stay.

Emily was also crying at this point, knowing her daughter was right.

Emily wasn't mad at Arianna for necessarily the subject itself, but at the way she approached the subject, as well as the tone of voice that Arianna quickly succumbed to.

GH- Lobby-

Anthony, who was waiting for his little sister, saw her running practically at full speed away from their mother's room, tears streaming down her face.

"Ari. Ari what's wrong? What happened?" Anthony asked worried for both his baby sister and their mother.

"Nothing, I'm fine! Just leave me alone! I hate her!" Arianna says.

"ARIANNA! Don't you EVER say that about mom again! Ever! What happened?? Let's sit down and—" Anthony tried to calm his sister.

"I DON'T WANT TO TALK!!!" Arianna screams as she bolts for the doors.

"Aw man!" Anthony ever so quickly debates on whether to tell their mother that Ari bolted but figured he'd tell her later. He was really worried about Arianna and even though it was broad daylight, not one of the 4 kids ever went anywhere by themselves.

GH- Emily's Hospital Room-

Emily was in tears. She hates when she gets mad at her kids, no matter how rare it is. Even if each side had a right to be angry, it still hurt.

Especially when she never ever thought she would hear one of her kids say they hate her.

"Mama, I messed up again...I can't believe she hates me. I mean I know she didn't actually mean that but...still. I could never imagine hating you...Why did this have to happen at all? I'm not trying to say that I'm ungrateful for my kids...they're the best gifts that God and life could give me. How did we end up like this though? I just don't understand sometimes...I guess I'm more like my kids than I thought..." Em whispered to herself quietly.

Nikolas' Cottage – Arianna's Room-

After passing by a concerned Lucky, Arianna ran to her room, locked her door and flung herself on her bed. There were her 2 favorite stuffed animals. A fat brown monkey with velvet-textured fur, denim jean overalls on with a big heart on his stomach that sat by her pillows. She always called the monkey "Love" because of his heart.

Her other favorite stuffed animal was a big cuddly black bear who she called "Emerald" because of the bear's green eyes.

Arianna held both of them tightly to her as she cried for what she said to and about her mother. She was angry, but she knew she didn't have that big of a right to pry into her mother's life.

Living Room of Nik's Cottage-

Anthony soon came through the door, as Lucky asked what happened, knowing that Anthony waited up for Arianna.

"She and mom got into an argument, Ari ran, said she hated mom. Which I know isn't true, then she bolted from me, and I followed...that's pretty much it."

"That bad huh?" Lucky stated.

"Yeah but I'm going to leave Arianna alone for a bit. She should be fine. They both need time." Anthony said.

A Few Hours Later – GH- Emily's Hospital Room-

Bobbie Spencer walked into a sleeping Serena's room, as she left an enveloped note for her.

Emily woke up no long after to notice the note. She didn't recognize the handwriting on it but opened it up anyway.

Dear Serena,

I know who you are...You won't get away with any of this – I promise you that!! Be careful of what you do, because you won't know what will happen...I can see everything!! So don't be surprised if some unfortunate consequence occurs because you didn't do as you were told...

Be Good...

The note was unsigned but still put an enormous amount of fear into Emily. Fear for her children, fear for her friends, and fear for herself.

(Author's Notes- Well I hope you enjoyed that chapter!!! Well Arianna's middle name is finally revealed, but I'm sure (and because of default of the other kids' middle names) you have figured out that she was named after Nikolas. Thanks so much to Cleopatra1 for the stuffed animals idea! :-) Anyway, the outline for chapter #18 is written, but the actual chapter itself isn't. And I realized something as I was writing my outlines...this story will soon come to an end...(sniff)...Anyway we'll all deal with that when it gets here. So until then, please Read & Review!! Thanks!! --Am)