The Ripple Effect
Chapter 5
~Docks~
Lucky fell hard into Emily sending them both to the ground. He pushed to his feet immediately and charged Juan, ramming his shoulder into Juan's unprotected gut and driving him backwards until they hit the stairs.
Juan clasped his hands together and brought them down hard on Lucky's back forcing him to let go. He followed it up by bringing his knee up and catching Lucky in the chest and sending him backwards.
"Stop it!" Emily screamed getting to her knees.
Lucky charged Juan again catching him across the jaw, this time it was Juan who left his feet.
"Lucky stop." Emily cried getting to her feet and grabbing his arm before he could go after Juan again.
Juan shot to his feet and came up on her other side, trying to get to Lucky again.
"Juan stop it." Emily yelled putting a hand on both their chests to keep them separated.
"Get out of the way Emily." Juan ordered. "This is between him and me."
"Yeah move Em, this has been a long time coming." Lucky said locking his eyes on Juan.
"You two are behaving like idiots." Emily cried. She turned to Juan and shoved him back a step. "What the hell were you thinking attacking him like that?"
"I heard what he said to you, that he wanted to be with you." Juan snapped. "You're my girlfriend and he finally admitted he wanted to be with you, like I always knew he did. Don't try to lie for him now."
"Juan that wasn't what he meant." Emily rubbed at her sore elbow. "Even if it was there was no reason for you to hit him."
"Are you hurt Emily?"
She whipped around at Lucky's words. "And you, charging him like that. What were you thinking?"
"He hit me Emily was I just supposed to take that." Lucky argued.
She shook her head in disgust. "It is ridiculous of me to think that the male ego would actually let someone talk about what happened instead of just reacting, with their fists." She turned so she could move her eyes from both of them. "If you two idiots want to continue beating your heads in, you can do it without me." She focused on Juan. "But you know me better than that, you've never walked in on me with someone else." Juan shifted on his feet guiltily. She turned to Lucky. "And you, you know how he feels about you, and how he would take what he heard. You were just looking for an excuse to hit him." Lucky refused to meet her eyes. "I'm leaving now, to let you little boys have your fun." With that she brushed past them both and headed down the dock, leaving Lucky and Juan glaring at each other.
~GH~
Monica looked at him, the question surprised her, but it shouldn't have. This Jason was different from the boy she had raised, but in a lot of respects he still thought the same. "It was an accident."
Jason was quiet while he studied her face.
"Alan and Edward didn't believe it at first, Alan even kicked A.J. out of the house. But I know it was an accident. A.J. has done a lot of bad things, but he would never deliberately try to harm a baby." Monica went on. "He said it was an accident and I believe him."
"It wouldn't be the first time that he lied Monica."
"No I know that. But I know my son. Even when I tried to hide the truth about A.J. to myself, I still saw it. When I was in denial over his drinking, I still saw it." She explained. "When you're a parent you see the bad in your child, even though you focus on the good, the bad is still there, you just ignore it."
Jason shrugged, she believed what she was saying that was obvious. What had happened was in the past, both Sonny and Carly had dealt with it and let it go, so why shouldn't he? He didn't normally focus on the past, but he knew the way A.J. got when it came to him.
A.J. had originally gone after Michael because of him and that was before he even knew Michael was his child. A.J. had hung around Robin all the time, because he knew she was close to him. It was true that Carly and A.J. had formed a friendship on their own, but once she moved into the Penthouse with him, and even after the baby's paternity was "revealed" to be Jason's, A.J. kept coming around. Lila had once told him, and A.J. had told him repeatedly that Jason Quartermaine and A.J. had competed over everything and it seemed that A.J. was trying to keep that going with him.
When he left, A.J. didn't have him to focus on anymore. Sonny had told him that A.J. knew that he provided the evidence that got Carly and Michael away from the Quartermaines, so in that sense he had beaten A.J. yet again. A.J. didn't like to lose, and with him not being there Carly and Sonny were perfect targets.
"Jason?" Monica touched his arm, bringing his attention back to her. "Do you believe me?"
"I know you believe what you're saying." Jason said finally.
"The question is do you?" Monica pressed him, it had taken her a lot of time but she finally came to realize that she had been blessed with five beautiful children. Dawn and Jason had both died. But she still had A.J., Emily, and this Jason, and possibly a new life soon. She didn't want her children at odds over something as serious as this.
Jason didn't answer and got to his feet. "I need to go."
Monica rose and gave him another hug. "It's so good to see you."
Jason smiled softly at her, and she caught her breath in that moment he looked so much like her other Jason she felt a flash of pain. "It's good to see you too Monica." He touched her hand and then was gone.
~Kelly's~
Elizabeth set the coffeepot back on the burner, and turned away, ignoring Carly while she started to fill the sugar shakers. Carly began to tap her spoon against the saucer.
Tap-tap-tap … tap-tap-tap … tap-tap-tap … tap-tap-tap.
"Was there something else you wanted Carly?" Elizabeth asked after about a minute of the tapping.
"I was just thinking how sad some people could be." Carly started, swirling her finger over the rim of her cup.
"Doing a little self-realization there Carly?" Elizabeth asked sweetly.
Carly glared at her. "Some people think they're so close to someone else, when it turns out they really don't matter to them at all."
Elizabeth set down the sugar pitcher and moved towards the counter. "Why don't you just spit out whatever is in your head today Carly, because I have other things to do."
"Fine." She snapped. "Jason's back, but I guess you didn't know that did you? Turns out you don't mean a damn to him after all."
Elizabeth smiled and placed her hands on the counter. "So he finally got around to seeing you. That's good." She leaned closer. "You see I saw him last night, this morning, I'll more than likely see him tonight. So wasn't it nice of him to squeeze you in finally?" She taunted.
Carly slapped her hand on the counter. "You stay the hell away from him, or I'll pull your damn hair out."
"Gee Carly, wasn't it just last week you threatened to do that to me if I went near Sonny? You really need to learn some new threats." She paused. "Because that one's getting old."
"Listen little girl." Carly sniped. "You stay the hell away from Jason and from Sonny. You do not want to mess with me on this."
"When are you going to learn that you don't scare me. I'll see who I want, when I want, and no one is going to stop me." Elizabeth told her, her voice rising a little in anger.
~Table~
Nikolas turned back from the counter to look at his mother. "You see what I mean."
Laura looked surprised. "I haven't heard Elizabeth speak like that before."
"That's because the last time she was around Jason, you didn't know about it until the end. So you never saw them together. She's like that a lot around him. You never know what she'll say, or to who." Nikolas told her wearily.
"Mom, I know you say he's bad news, but I like working at the club, I like working with Luke." Laura said pulling her long hair back in a ponytail, before pulling at the top of her tube top trying to make it stay.
"Laura he's trouble, Scottie doesn't like you working there anymore than I do." Lesley said sitting on the bed in the small room. "He's your husband you should respect his wishes."
"Like you respected your husbands?" Laura shot back, glaring at her through the mirror, while applying her lipstick. "I'm not doing anything wrong, it's just my job. Luke's my boss, and I'll see him if I want too, it's not like I'm having an affair with him."
Laura frowned at the memory, it was hard sometimes to remember that she was ever that young and willful, she glanced towards the counter, seeing a similar look of derision on Elizabeth's face that she had once directed at her mom. History was repeating itself, or so it seemed.
~Counter~
"I told you not to mess with me." Carly said furious. How dare this little slut try to talk back to her. "I won't warn you again."
"What are you going to do Carly? Hit me again? Try it, you're not pregnant this time, so believe me you hit me again, and I will be all over your ass." Elizabeth warned her. She knew she shouldn't be having fun with this, but confronting Carly like this, was fun to her.
Carly was seething with anger and she got to her feet. "Remember what I said little girl."
"Don't you get it Carly?" Elizabeth said before the blonde could walk away. "I don't go looking for Sonny or Jason, they find me." She leaned back and crossed her arms over his chest. "That's one of the biggest differences between you and me. They want to see me, to talk to me, to be around me. Whereas they have to talk to you."
"You bitch." Carly headed towards the opening of the counter.
Elizabeth moved around to meet her.
"Carly stop it." Bobbie's voice sounded and she put her arm around Carly's waist stilling her daughter's forward progress and then moving in front of her.
Elizabeth continued around the counter so she stood behind Bobbie. "It's okay Bobbie, we were just getting a few things straight."
"How by hitting each other? I see enough blood in the hospital I don't need to see it here." Bobbie snapped, giving Carly a shove towards the door. "Come on Carly we're leaving."
"Mama stop it." Carly yelled. "That bitch needs to learn her place."
Emily entered the diner in time to see Carly try to get past Bobbie and head for Elizabeth. Her eyes widened when Elizabeth grinned and moved towards Carly only to stop when Nikolas stepped in front of her. What the hell was going on today?
"Elizabeth you don't want to do this." Nikolas said.
"Are you telling me what to do now too?" Elizabeth demanded. Her anger was still there, so it easily switched targets. "If so maybe you've been around Lucky too long."
"No," Nikolas tried to reason with her. "But you do work here, do you really think you should fight here too? Especially with Carly? Wouldn't that be like letting her win?"
"Ugh." Elizabeth sighed and stalked to the kitchen. "Then get her out of here." She hated that he was right.
Bobbie had dragged Carly out of the diner while Nikolas was talking to Elizabeth, a very amused Pete followed his charge.
Emily looked at Laura, who just shook her head. "What happened?" She hissed at Nikolas.
"Carly tried to tell her to stay away from your brother." Nikolas explained. "You can see how well that worked." He moved back to the table, while Emily headed for the counter.
"Hey Em." Elizabeth said breezily, she was still wired from her confrontation with Carly, but tried to keep her voice on an even keel.
"Were you really going to hit her?" Emily asked sitting down.
"Probably, although I haven't been in a fight since 3rd grade, so I probably should practice before our next meeting." Elizabeth said, making her hand into a fist, it probably packed more power then it had then too.
"Eliza…" She broke off. "Why is everyone fighting today? First Lucky and Juan, now you and Carly. Did everybody watch that fake wrestling show last night?"
"What do you mean Lucky and Juan?" Elizabeth asked. "Emily what happened to you?" She took Emily's arm in concern when she saw some blood on her elbow.
"Juan decked Lucky and he sort of fell into me, and I scraped my elbow on the dock." Emily explained twisting her arm, to see the cut.
"I'll get a first aid kit. Stay there." Elizabeth said disappearing into the kitchen.
"Are you okay?" Nikolas said from her side.
"Yeah it's just a scratch." Emily told him.
"Good. Where is Lucky now?"
"I left him on the docks with Juan. If they wanted to fight they were going to have to do it without me." She told him.
Nikolas rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I better go stop them then." He touched her back lightly. "Take care I'll talk to you later."
Emily nodded, while Laura and Nikolas headed for the door.
"Let's see what we got." Elizabeth said opening the kit, and pulling out some Neosporin and a bandage.
"You weren't serious about hitting Carly were you?" Emily asked again, while Elizabeth cleaned her cut.
"Yes." She looked up. "Does that surprise you Em?"
"Yes." Emily flinched at the sting of the ointment. "Elizabeth you're not like this what's going on?"
"It was just Carly, you know how she is. You've had several run-ins with her yourself." Elizabeth wished she would just drop it. Emily pressing her for details wasn't going to lead anywhere good, her emotions were still all over the place right now.
"I know how she is, but you don't respond to it, by sinking to her level."
"What I'm supposed to just nod my head and agree, when she starts telling me I can't see Jason or Sonny?" Elizabeth demanded.
"No of course not."
"It's my life, and I will see who I want to, no one will tell me otherwise. I thought you would understand that. How many people, myself included tried to tell you not to see Juan?" Elizabeth asked. "You didn't listen to anyone, why should I?"
"See? You mean you're dating Jason?" Emily asked in surprise.
Elizabeth fumbled with the snap on the first aid kit. "No, but if I was, I wouldn't stop just because someone told me too."
Emily was quiet for a long time, while she watched Elizabeth fidget. "Are you thinking about dating Jason?" She asked softly.
Elizabeth froze. Was she thinking about dating Jason? She couldn't be, because that would mean she had given up on Lucky. "Elizabeth honey," Sonny patted her hand. "You just said you wanted to be with Jason." Sonny's words came back to her, causing her to drop the first aid kit. She bent to pick it up, and sighed in relief when she heard Laura's voice.
"So did Elizabeth fix you up?" Laura asked Emily. She had heard Emily's question, and more importantly saw Elizabeth's reaction to it. She saw it, and she worried about it.
"Hi Laura." Elizabeth said when she stood. "I'm sorry I didn't get to you sooner, what can I get you?"
"Some iced tea would be good." Laura told her.
Elizabeth poured her a glass, then moved into the kitchen.
Elizabeth never answered, the realization crossed Emily's mind. What did that mean for Lucky? What did that mean for Jason? She closed her eyes, trying to bring back her first image of Jason last night. He had been standing on the docks holding Elizabeth. She concentrated hard, trying to remember his facial expression. He had been standing sideways, and there was enough light that she could see his features, before he saw her, what did he look like, it was almost there…
"Emily."
Laura's voice broke the image in her mind before it became clear. "I'm sorry, what did you say Laura?"
"Is your arm okay?"
"Yeah it's just a scratch." Emily got to her feet. "I need to go, will you tell Elizabeth I'll be back later?"
"Sure. Goodb…" Laura's voice trailed off, Emily was already gone.
"Where was she going in such a hurry?" Elizabeth asked moving back to the counter.
"I don't know, she said she would be back later." Laura patted the stool beside her. "Can you sit for a minute?"
"Sure." Elizabeth said warily moving to sit next to her, she couldn't help the tension that formed at the base of her neck. "What do you need Laura?"
"It's about you…" Laura turned to look at the woman she considered her daughter. "And Lucky."
~L&B~
Alexis groaned in frustration and began to hit her head, on the open law books in front of her. This was not going good. Every avenue she looked for, every brilliant idea she thought she had, none of them panned out. She could only see two options to help Sonny with his problem and neither one of them were good.
She leaned back against her chair. She fought hard for all her clients, but the need to help him was stronger than it was for her other clients. It was strange because originally she hadn't wanted anything to do with Sonny. She had decided to help Jason with Carly's case after she shot Tony, because she felt so guilty for letting Helena blackmail her into getting him off for kidnapping Michael. She then helped Jason get partial custody of Michael, as a favor to Ned, and also because she knew Jason genuinely loved the boy. That was supposed to be it.
She rubbed at the back of her neck, but that wasn't it, she found herself getting pulled more and more into Jason's situations with the cops, and then when Sonny returned, she found herself expected to help him too. Sure she bitched about it, but it was a thrill taking on Dara and the other D.A.'s and beating them. It was addicting, but she still thought she could walk away.
When Jason had left she almost thought she would walk, but Sonny had been persuasive. Then when the possibility of having to take the Quartermaines to court so he could see his child with Carly, their relationship changed again. She'd had to press him on his history, and he opened up to her about his childhood, and she knew then, that she could never walk away from him. She wasn't used to losing, and she was enough of a Cassadine, that the idea and the deed never set well with her. She frowned at the books on her desk again, she wasn't going to lose, there was another way out of this for Sonny, and she was going to find it.
"So is that how it works, you glare at the books, and the law changes for you?"
Alexis looked up with a smile. "V, when did you get back in town?" She got up to give her friend a hug.
"We got back late last night." V told her, sitting in the chair in front of Alexis's desk.
"So how was Alaska? Did you past muster?" Alexis asked.
The love and respect she had for her friend, allowed V to let herself slump in the chair. "I think the verdict is still out on that one."
"I doubt that V I've met the Jack's family, they had to love you." Alexis said encouragingly.
"When they met you, you weren't auditioning for a place in their son's life, and even worse, potentially trying to replace their beloved daughter-in-law." V told her.
"Jax proposed?" Alexis asked.
"No." V said quickly. Thank God he hadn't done that. "It's way to soon to be thinking like that, we just started dating six weeks ago. But I think his parent's think I'm trying to take Brenda's place.
"They loved her a lot."
"I know, believe me I know that." V began to tap her foot on the floor. "I know how much Jax loved her too, and I would never try to take her place, or try to make him forget about her. I just want to have my own place in his life."
"You do, you have to know…"
"Alexis did you see a fax from Milan?" Chloe asked entering the room. "Sorry I didn't know you weren't alone. Hi V it's nice to see you again." She said politely.
V got to her feet quickly, dwarfing the smaller blonde, but feeling intimidated anyway. "I was just leaving, Alexis I'll talk to you later." She headed for the door, her eye may be untrained but she knew style when she saw it, and Chloe certainly had it. "Chloe." She nodded at her as she passed.
Chloe looked after her before sighing heavily. "Do you think she'll ever forgive me?"
"She's not mad at you, she just feels uncomfortable around you." Alexis said torn between her two friends. "You have to admit it was a rather unorthodox situation for awhile."
"I know but I like her, I wished she liked me, after all its over now, I just wish she would move past it." Chloe said sliding in the chair V had vacated, her posture the same as V's had been a few moments before.
"She almost lost the man she loves because of you, she's entitled, to be a bit standoffish." Alexis told her. "Now what's this about a fax?"
~Kelly's~
"What about Lucky?" Elizabeth asked nervously.
Laura could see the wariness in Elizabeth's eyes. "How is it going with you two?"
"It's the same, he tells me I should be with Nikolas." Elizabeth said simply.
"You know he doesn't mean that." Laura watched Elizabeth closely for her reaction, she saw a flash of anger in the girl's eyes for an instant before a mask descended. That surprised and concerned her, she didn't know Elizabeth could hide her feelings that well.
"That's what everybody says."
"What do you say?" Laura asked.
Elizabeth shrugged, she didn't know how she felt for sure. She knew that she was getting tired of being in limbo, and the idea of not being with Lucky wasn't as scary as it once was. But she knew that wasn't what Laura wanted or needed to hear from her.
"Is Nikolas right are you giving up on Lucky?"
"That didn't take long did it?" Elizabeth snapped, before sighing and trying again. "I should have known he would talk to you."
"He needed to talk to someone, I'm afraid you surprised him." Laura told her.
"How long am I supposed to wait Laura? How long am I supposed to hang on, while he tells me over and over again that he doesn't love me, that he doesn't want to be with me, that he wants me to be with someone else?" Elizabeth asked letting some of the doubt show. "How long am I supposed to wait for him?"
"Oh honey." Laura patted her hand. "I know this has to be killing you, but you have to see the love in Lucky's eyes, the love that is still there whenever he looks at you."
"Didn't you once say that love was not enough?" Elizabeth demanded. Her mask was cracking and her real feelings were coming through. She wanted to shut up but couldn't. "You love Luke, but it wasn't enough to save your marriage."
"We're still married." Laura retorted.
"In name yes, but he lives over the club, you live at your house, you dated someone else for months. How is that a marriage?" Elizabeth shot to her feet and paced away.
"I did not come here to talk about me and Luke." Laura said finally.
"I can't question you, but you can grill me about Lucky is that it?" Elizabeth sniped. She saw Laura flinch and guilt hit her. "I'm sorry Laura, I didn't mean any of that." She moved to sit down beside her again. "I guess I'm still wired over my fight with Carly. I didn't mean to hurt you, Luke and you are none of my business."
"It's okay Elizabeth, I know this is hard for you, I wish I didn't have to question you either. I wish I could just let it go, and let you and Lucky work this out on your own." Laura said softly. "It's just you helped so much the last time he wanted nothing to do with Luke or me. I know it's not fair, but I wanted that help again. That's my selfish motivation, I want my son back, and I think you can help with that. But it's not all selfishness either, if I get my son back, you get Lucky back. I saw how much you loved my son, how much he loved you, how happy you two were. You grieved as I hard as I did." The tears started falling from Laura's eyes. "But we got a miracle, he's back, he just needs our help to find his way home."
Elizabeth reached out and hugged Laura. She was right, Lucky did need her help, she couldn't give up on him. She would never be able to face Laura if she did. She would never be able to live with herself, either. "Of course I will help Lucky, if he'll let me. You know that."
Laura squeezed her hard in relief. "If you ever want to talk, just come on by."
Elizabeth smiled automatically. "Tell Lulu I'll come by next week and we'll finish that painting we started."
"I'll tell her." Laura got to her feet, the mask was back in Elizabeth's eyes, and she felt guilty, "Goodnight Elizabeth."
~Docks~
"Why don't you just admit the truth, you want Emily. Just like I've been saying ever since you came back." Juan said shoving his hands in his pockets.
Lucky smirked at him. "You just never get it Juan, Emily has been my friend for years, she will always be my friend." He paused then went on. "And long after your gone she will still be my friend."
"I'm not going anywhere." Juan snapped.
"Juan you're already out the door, you're just too stupid to realize it." Emily was right when she accused him of looking for an excuse to hit Juan. The guy was an idiotic, hothead and he didn't deserve Emily. In a sense the whole Ted problem happened because of him.
Juan pulled his arm back to swing at Lucky, only to get jerked backwards.
"Stop it Juan." Nikolas said moving in between him and Lucky.
"I should've figured you'd show up. What you want a shot at me too?" Juan cried shoving Nikolas back a step. "Bring it on."
"Juan grow up." Nikolas told him tiredly. He couldn't help but wonder for the thousandth time what Emily saw in him, he was nothing but attitude.
"I'm not going anywhere." Juan told them both. "I'm with Emily, so you two better deal with it."
Lucky shook his head. "Actually you're not with her, you cheated and she dumped your ass, so why don't you do us all a favor and go back to Puerto Rico." He couldn't help going on. "But you won't do that will you? Not as long as she's helping you with recording career."
"Lucky!"
Emily's yell stopped Juan's latest rush.
Lucky flinched when he saw the look she gave him. "Emily I'm sor…"
"Save it Lucky." Emily snapped. "Is it so hard for you to believe that he might like me for me?" She demanded.
"Yeah." Juan said.
"And you shut up too." Emily turned on him. Now she was the one who wanted to hit somebody.
"Emily are you okay?" Nikolas asked, trying to deflect her anger.
Emily counted to ten in her head. "Can we just try to get along? I have enough to worry about without wondering when you two are going to attack each other."
"Let's move on then." Nikolas said immediately. "Has anyone heard when the next rave is yet?"
"No. The last one got busted after we left, so their keeping it quiet until the day of, less likely for the cops to find out that way." Juan answered.
"We need to find out when and where." Lucky said.
"We need to make sure Zander Smith is there, or this is going to be all for nothing." Nikolas advised them. "Juan do any of your friends know him? Maybe we can find out if he will be there."
"You think I hang around with druggies?" Juan demanded.
"Juan he didn't say that, he just knows that you've been to more raves then we have." Emily said quickly trying to ward off another fight. She was getting a headache.
"He seemed pretty in to Elizabeth, maybe he'll hunt her up."
"He drugged her." Lucky snapped turning on Juan, "I don't think he'll go looking for her now."
"Fine I can check with Allison, maybe she knows, she will also be one of the first people who will know where the rave will be held." Juan offered, his eyes on Emily.
Emily stiffened and swallowed hard. "You should do that then, she'll be happy to hear from you."
"Emily…"
"No you really should talk to her." Emily said. "We need some information and you're our best bet for it."
"Okay I'll call her." Juan shoved his hands in his pockets. "Can we talk Emily?"
"No we can't, I need to finish what I started with Lucky, that is before you decided to hit him." Emily turned to Lucky. "Come on."
"You still want to do this?" Lucky asked in surprise.
"Yes and you will do this, you will do it right now." Emily grabbed his hand. "Bye Nikolas, Juan." She tugged on Lucky hand and practically drug him down the dock towards Kelly's.
~Kelly's~
Elizabeth cleared a table, her mind not on the dishes, but on her conversation with Laura. She didn't blame Laura, she just wanted her son back, but she couldn't help feeling trapped by all the pressure that was put on her. With everything that was going on with Emily, and the last several months with Lucky, it was just wearing on her. Going after Carly earlier today, and then snapping at Laura, told her she was heading to her breaking point. The last time she neared that point, she went out looking for trouble and instead found Jason. Or rather he found her.
She carried the dishes to the counter, was it somehow prophetic that he was back, just when she was about to blow again? She smiled weakly while she set a burger in front of her customer, and then moved behind the counter. She glanced up when the bell on the door rang, and saw Lucky enter the diner.
She took a deep breath and pasted a fake smile on her face.
"Hi Elizabeth." Lucky said crossing to the counter and sitting down. "You look like you're in a good mood."
There was a time when he knew her so well, that he would see the fakeness, she shrugged guess that time was gone. "Better than you I hear, who won the fight?"
Lucky shifted on the stool. "You heard about that."
"Yes I'm the one who bandaged Emily up." Elizabeth said. "She wasn't happy."
"I know she made that clear."
"Did you want anything?" Elizabeth asked setting a soda in front of him.
"Actually I need to talk to you." Lucky said watching her closely.
"Just let me take this order out." Elizabeth said picking up some plates and taking them to a table.
Lucky turned around and looked at Emily who was watching through the door. She gave him a thumbs up.
Lucky turned back around. "Be with me." He said quietly in practice.
"Alright Lucky, what did you want to talk to me about?" Elizabeth asked coming to a stop in front of him, on the other side of the counter.
"It's just…" He broke off a feeling of love welled up in him as he looked at her, and for once the voice in his head that he normally heard when he saw her was quiet.
"Lucky?" She stepped closer to the counter in concern. "Are you okay?"
"I know I've hurt you in the last few months, and I'm sorry about that." He tried again. "I never really wanted to do that, in fact it's the last thing I ever want to do. I hope you know that."
Elizabeth was quiet, and then surprised when he reached over and took her hand. For a minute when she searched his eyes, she thought she saw a glimpse of the boy she fell in love with so long ago. Then he blinked, and it was gone. "Lucky?"
"There's something I've been wanting to tell you for a long time now, and I just can't wait anymore." Lucky took a deep breath and prepared to tell her that he still loved her. "I really want you to be…with Nikolas."
Elizabeth jerked her hand from his, incensed. This really was the last time she was going to let him do this to her. "I am so tired of this Lucky. I don't know how many times I have to tell you that I don't want to be with Nikolas. Can you not hear is that it?" She demanded, pulling off her apron and dropping it on the counter.
"Wait Elizabeth…" He'd seen the hurt flash in her eyes before the anger arrived. What did he say, it obviously wasn't what he meant too.
"Lucky I have tried to be patient, to give you the benefit of the doubt. I have let you hurt me over and over again, but I'm tired of it." She headed for the door. "I'm tired of it, and I'm tired of you Lucky." She shoved the door open almost hitting Emily who was standing to the side of it, but she never saw her, she never even paused. She stormed out of the courtyard to the docks.
"Elizabeth?" Tammy called entering the courtyard from the other side with Mike.
"What did you say?" Emily demanded when Lucky walked out of the diner.
"What do you think?" Lucky said disgustedly.
"Go after her." Emily ordered him, and Lucky took off.
~Alley~
Elizabeth wasn't sure where she was going until she heard the roar of a motorcycle. She bit her lip and took off towards the sound. "Hey." She said breathlessly.
Jason pulled off his helmet and looked at an out of breath Elizabeth. "Hey."
"When I heard the bike I was hoping it was you." She told him.
She was out of breath, and her eyes looked a bit wild, something had set her off. "What's wrong? What happened?"
"Ok. Ask me what I hate more than anything in this world." She demanded moving closer to the bike he was straddling.
"Ok." He crossed his arms over his chest. "What do you hate more than anything in this world?"
"When Lucky tells me to be with Nikolas."
Jason looked at her in surprise, that didn't make any sense. "That happened tonight?"
She stepped closer, putting her hands on her hips. "Yeah for like the 10,000th time."
"Why would he say it?"
"I don't know." She spread her arms to the sky in frustration. "He came into Kelly's. He made this huge buildup like something was going to be different. I looked in his eyes and for a second, I though I saw love there. Lucky was practically begging me to listen to him, so I listen to him, and guess what he says?"
Jason shook his head. "Be with Nikolas."
She nodded. "Why do I keep falling like this? Why do I keep diving right in? Why won't Lucky stop hurting me?"
He didn't know, but he didn't like to see her in pain. "Why would Lucky want you to be with Nikolas?"
"Who knows? Ever since he got back, he just decided that I should be in love with Nikolas, and just be his friend. It's driving me crazy." She moved closer and rested her hands on the other side of the handlebars. "It's like his brain is stuck there, and then he turns around and starts acting like he loves me again, then the whole damn thing just starts over and over. Ugh." She finished with a groan and looked up at the sky.
"You want a ride?" He asked softly.
Her grin was instantaneous and wide, "I thought you'd never ask." She moved around, taking the helmet from him, pulling it on quickly and climbing on behind him on the bike. She slipped her arms around him and felt happy for the first time since this morning.
The bike took off with a roar.
"Elizabeth." Lucky yelled entering the alley behind them, but it was too late she was gone.
~Kelly's~
"What happened?" Emily asked when Lucky came back inside the diner.
"She left with Jason." He told her angrily. "She climbed on his bike and took off."
"Well she was pretty upset, maybe you should let it go for tonight." Emily said. And maybe she needed to talk to her brother, to find out what he thought about all of this. Elizabeth seemed to heading straight for Jason whenever she had problems, she was beginning to wonder if something was going on between them.
"No. I'm going to find her tonight." Lucky said turning to head for the door.
"Hold it Lucky." Tammy moved in front of him. "Where do you think your going?"
"To find Elizabeth?"
"No you're not." Tammy snapped, putting a hand on her hip. "You know I don't care if the family that you no longer claim owns this place or not. I run it not them. And you just ran out my best waitress." She shoved an apron in his hands. "So that makes you the waitress tonight."
"Tammy."
"I don't want to hear it Lucky, you used to work here, you know what to do, so do it." Tammy ordered before stalking out of the diner, with Mike at her heels.
Emily smothered a grin, when she saw the look on Lucky's face.