Nik made sure that the lawns and Molly's favorite flowers were manicured. He stood in the middle of the rose garden and counted the chairs lined up in rows. He dreamed that the scene before his eyes was a wedding to Emily instead of the burial of his baby cousin.
"You're not using enough water. The plants need water." Nik grabbed one of the servants by the arm and directed him to a plant. "I need the sun's rays to reflect from the water beads. Everything needs to be perfect for Molly's funeral."
Sam appeared behind Nik and watched him rustle his messy hair and occasionally grab at his unshaven chin. He threw his hands on his hips and watched the servant shower the plants with water at his orders.
"Maybe we could have tea or something before the funeral." Sam kept her distance from Nik.
He never turned to acknowledge her. "Remy, please don't forget the white roses. And I need to make sure the ones that go in Molly's casket don't have thorns."
Sam took a deep breath and stormed over to Nik grabbing his waist for attention. "We're not putting roses in Molly's casket. They're gonna die. She's a baby."
Nik stared at Sam.
"Nik! Please communicate with me. She's my sister!"
"What do you suggest Sam? I'm doing the best I can here. I don't want Molly…" Nik's eyes filled to the brim. "…it's dark in there. Not that I'd know but I'm pretty sure…"
Sam rested her head on Nik's chest. "I will find the perfect friend to rest with Molly in her casket." She pulled up to look him in the eyes. "And maybe we'll find a little light to shine in there with her."
Luke fixed his tie in the mirror. He squinted his eyes with thoughts of Stavros behind him. He quickly turned and found no one there.
"If you're around you better come out!" He shouted as he focused back on his tie in the mirror.
Mac walked in. "What's wrong with you?"
Luke eyed Mac in the mirror. "Guess what I heard?"
"What?" Mac stood next to Luke and yanked at his coat sleeves.
"Stavros is alive and he's the one that put Alexis in the hospital."
Mac laid his arms to his side and turned to Luke. "What?"
"Yea. Luckily he only left bruises. Natasha will survive."
"Will she be here today?"
Luke nodded. "Yea." He turned to Mac. "The only thing that's keeping her from falling is a strong heart. Natasha can roll with the best of them, but I'm worried about her."
Mac looked down. "But losing a child is difficult."
"I hear you have one to find." Luke turned away from the mirror and grabbed a glass. "You need help?"
"Maybe. Robert's going to help."
Luke poured liquor till his glass was half full. "He's pretty beat up about the whole thing. He loves Anna. What about you?"
Mac smiled and grabbed a glass. "What I had with Anna is in the past. It's all about our daughter now."
Luke raised his glass. "Well Bubba. We'll toast to new beginnings."
Mac raised his glass and nodded. "If the death of Molly taught us anything it's that we need to cherish life even as innocent souls."
Luke took a gulp. "Amen."
Sam pulled from Nik and noticed his face stoic. She turned to look behind and saw David walk up the path with a box in his hand. Sam wiped the tears from her eyes as David came closer.
"Hey David." Sam cleared her throat.
David reached out his hand to Nik. "I'm sorry about Molly."
Nik's eyes glistened with tears. "Thanks Man. You saved Kristina's life. Whatever I can do for you please name it."
David smiled nervously and stared at the box in his hands. "Uh…this isn't about me Nik. It's about Alexis not losing all of her children. What I want more than anything is for Sam and Alexis to be stronger. And I want Kristina stronger too."
Sam crossed her arms and remained focused on David. "We're getting there. And I'm sure it will happen."
"But if you must give me something for my work, I want a wing of the hospital dedicated to alternative medicine namely in the area of cardiology."
Nik shook David's hand. "It's done. You want Chief of Staff too?"
David laughed. "You serious? You could get me Chief of Staff?"
"I could see what I can do. My uncle's ties to GH were still strong. I'll do what I can David. And I'm sure Alexis will agree."
David held out the box. "Well on that note of giving things away, I have something that I'd like to put in Molly's casket. You want to open it Sam?"
Sam carefully took the box and opened the lid. She gasped and reached her hand inside and pulled out Lamby with a pink ribbon tied around it's neck. Sam dropped the box to the ground and caressed the stuffed lamb under her chin.
"This is Leora's lamb!" She exclaimed.
"I know. And Anna doesn't know that I'm doing this…""Anna doesn't know what?" Anna appeared behind David and pushed him aside. She stared at the lamb in Sam's arms. "Is that Leora's lamb?"
"Yea." David looked down.
Anna put her finger in her mouth and bit down. She grabbed David's arm. "Can we speak privately?"
David followed Anna away from Sam and Nik.
"Uh…" Anna bit her finger again. "That's not really Leora's lamby is it? I mean…I gave it back to you for your time and this is how you decide to re-pay me?"
David slid his hands up and down Anna's arms. "I didn't mean for you to take that whole custody thing literally Dear…"
"Don't placate me with Dear!" Anna looked beyond David to see if her words could be heard beyond their powwow.
"I want Molly to have the lamb." David face remained expressionless.
Anna broke into tears and placed her hands over her eyes. "You're right. But I can't let go. I miss my baby." She wrapped her arms around his neck and cried in his arms.
Alexis took multiple deeps breaths and examined her bruises in the mirror.
"I tried to fight for you Molly." Her voice quivered in shame. "This is all Sonny's fault." She turned away from the mirror. "No it's not Alexis…but you must blame someone other than yourself."
She took more deep breaths and tried to keep her tears from exploding from her heaving chest.
"If I may have a moment of your time?"Alexis swirled around and found Lorenzo standing in the middle of her bedroom watching her.
"How did you get in here?" She asked.
"The front door was unlocked. I just came to give my condolences and offer my help to you."
Alexis eyed Lorenzo speciously. "Help for what? You've done enough damage in my life." She tried to walk past him but he grabbed her arm. She cringed at his touch. "Please let me go."
Lorenzo pulled her in front of him. "You don't remember do you? What can I do to make you remember?"
Alexis shook her head.
"I loved you once when we were young." Lorenzo held on to her arm. "But you don't remember. The pain of the rape took away your memories of me. Please say that's the reason you don't remember."
Alexis' face turned red. She refused to speak.
Lorenzo released her arm and placed his hand on her shoulder. "It always happens this way. I give my heart and it's snatched away."
"Not like Molly's…" Alexis looked down.
"Yea. You're right. I'm still alive and Molly isn't. But thank God that you still have your daughter. I had to give up my only son."
"I don't know who your son is I'm sorry." Alexis stared at him for a moment and looked down again. "I have to go to Molly's funeral."
Lorenzo nodded in frustration. "How can you not know the face of your son Alexis? Even if you don't remember, how could you forget…unless you refuse to acknowledge?"
"Alexis made it very clear that we have someplace to be right now." Ric walked in with Alexis' coat over his arm.
Lorenzo turned around to Ric and back to Alexis. "We'll continue this conversation another time."
Ric watched Lorenzo walk out the door and down the stairs. He focused back on Alexis and smiled. "Yes I have issues with a freaking atheist blessing our daughters burial ceremony, but I know how much Luke means to you."
The one thing about the ceremony that Ric and Alexis agreed upon was that the casket would remain closed. Even Alexis passed up on a final opportunity to see her daughter's face. Ric did as well. David was given permission to place Leora's lamb in its final resting place with Molly.
Ric and Alexis sat in the front of the sprawling group of Port Charles sitting mournfully behind them. Ric slid his arm around Alexis waist. Her head hung heavy. Her eyes were still puffy and red. She was too embarrassed to show them to everyone even though she knew they'd understand why.
Alexis wanted to look around and find Sonny. He would have sat down in front with her and his brother if he were there. She feared he wasn't. She was right.
Sonny fell asleep in the chair next to Kristina's hospital bed. He promised the little girl that he wouldn't leave her side. She hadn't seen her mother since her surgery and she had the fears of any little girl wondering why her mother had left her in the cold, dreary hospital forcing her out of her daily routine of morning hot chocolate visits to Kelly's and together time in the law office.
Patrick passed by the room and noticed the light still on. He noticed Kristina still focused on the IV needle sticking from the back of her hand. He peeked his head in the door. Kristina looked over to her side and barely recognized Patrick in a dark suit with a coat thrown over his arm.
He stepped into the room and pulled the covers over Kristina.
"Get some rest Doll. I'm going to see your mother. She'll be by your side soon."
Kristina closed her eyes while Patrick shut off the lights. Sonny stirred in the chair to a more comfortable position but stayed fast asleep.
Luke took a deep a breath at the podium in Molly's garden. His hands shook in his pocket. He couldn't remember a time he had seen so many people he knew in one room at a time. He thought delivering Molly's eulogy would be simple. He saw his reflection of puffy red eyes in Alexis'. He just wanted it to be over.
"I'm not going to take up too much time here. Molly lived an innocent life. There's not much else to say." Luke looked down refusing to look at Ric and Alexis. "I don't believe in funerals for children. I think they and their parents should be able to eventually rest in peace. I know it's easy for me to say such a thing. I still have my Cowboy and my Lulu. But what I don't have is my songbird."
Tears flowed to Luke's eyes. He put his crumpled paper away and looked up to the sky.
"Laura had a way of getting the kids calm before bed. They never really fought her on bedtime. She had a beautiful voice. It's gone but not forever. I can hear it now. I'm going to just sing something for Molly if it's ok with Natasha that I sing." He looked down at Alexis who nodded slowly while wiping her nose with a tissue.
Luke cleared his throat and clasped his hands together before he started to sing.
Goodnight, my angel
Time to close your eyes
And save these questions for another day
I think I know what you've been asking me
I think you know what I've been trying to say
I promised I would never leave you
And you should always know
Wherever you may go
No matter where you are
I never will be far away
Goodnight, my angel
Now it's time to sleep
And still so many things I want to say
Remember all the songs you sang for me
When we went sailing on an emerald bay
And like a boat out on the ocean
I'm rocking you to sleep
The water's dark and deep
Inside this ancient heart
You'll always be a part of me
Goodnight, my angel
Now it's time to dream
And dream how wonderful your life will be
Someday your child may cry
And if you sing this lullabye
Then in your heart
There will always be a part of me
Someday we'll all be gone
But lullabyes go on and on...
They never die
That's how you
And I
Will be
Lullabye (Goodnight My Angel) by Billy Joel