"That's it? End of story" Elizabeth questioned incredulously.
"Well, we did try to sneak onto the grounds after that but the place was in such an uproar guards and lights everywhere, barreling down the road after the car that almost ran us over that we just headed back over here before they could spot us." Nikolas explained.
"So what now?" Laura asked, her eyes full of tears once again as she thought of how close she'd come to losing Nikolas that night.
"Now, we wait." Luke replied entering the room with the first aid kit, which he relinquished to his wife's hands. Laura pulled out a few butterfly band-aids and used them to gently close the cut on Nikolas' forehead after cleaning it with rubbing alcohol biting her lip in consternation, but it was Elizabeth who spoke.
"That can't be it! I cannot sit still here knowing that he's so near and could be in danger. I won't!" She announced and stormed out the room.
Laura rose to go after her but Nikolas shook his head "I'll handle it." He promised his mother, following the distraught girl outside.
Lucky Spencer ran through a litany of curses in his head at his own stupidity. He'd been here for HOW long? How could he not have the guards' schedule down? Three minutes and they would have been home free. He'd almost made it to the car when he was tackled. Thank God Jewls had, had the common sense to get the hell out of there while the getting was good. She'd hesitated in the initial few moments of his recapture but their promise to get out and get help for the other had won out over her unwillingness to leave him there. And hey who knew an old Nissan could clock that much speed? He grinned at the mental image of the guards as they'd hastily flung themselves out of Jewls' path. Sobering, Lucky sighed heavily and settled back in his chair. There was nothing to do now but wait and hope that his parents believed Jewls when she found them and Helena didn't move him before he had a chance to be rescued.
"Elizabeth?" Nikolas called quietly as he stepped out onto the porch. He spotted her sitting on the railing, staring across the sea at the lights on Chacachacaree.
"We'll get him out." He promised, laying a hand on the girl's shoulder. She turned around to look at him with tear filled eyes. "I know, and I know it's too dangerous to go over there again tonight because getting captured ourselves won't help rescue Lucky, but I just feel so helpless Nikolas!" She exclaimed, getting off the banister to pace around the porch as she ranted. "I've never felt so powerless to stop what was going on around me since I was raped and I hate it! I just hate it! I can't stand the thought of what the evil ghoul has been doing to him over the past year, how much she must have put him through. I'm worried he's not going to be the same after all he's been through, God knows I'm not the same. What if I can't reach him? What if I can't help him if we do get him back? What if she's got him so messed up he doesn't even know who we are?" Her voice trailed off as she took a minute to compose herself, they lapsed into silence for a few moments as she shook her head to discard the tears that had fallen.
"He'll be fine Elizabeth." Nikolas soothed once she was calm again. "I swear to you, when we get him back, he'll be fine because he'll be back with us, with people who love and care for him." The dark haired boy told her softly but with conviction, catching a stray tear on his index finger as it coursed down her cheek.
Elizabeth lifted her eyes to meet his once again and gave him a watery smile, nodding her affirmation.
"You're right. I'm sorry for getting so worked up,"
"Hey, hey, hey, it's okay, you're allowed to get worried and freak out every time my grandmother kidnaps your boyfriend." Nikolas said with a teasing smile, which Elizabeth returned then surprised him with a hug
"Thank you for helping him and me." She whispered in his ear when she went up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek.
Nikolas shrugged when she stepped back. "We're family, it's expected." He said simply, a little smile playing across his lips at the words. It was nice to finally have family, he thought. 'of course I never expected rescuing my younger brother to be as literal as this.' He grinned at that thought as he ushered Elizabeth back inside, the smile quickly being replaced by worry as he remembered just who he was rescuing Lucky from.
The pair bid each other goodnight and headed off to separate rooms. Elizabeth caught Nikolas' eye before he turned down the corridor and nodded at him. "We'll find him Nikolas. We have to."