Hello all-

Sorry it's been so long. I've had writers block, and I've been distracted. By what? Congratulate me; I made it through finals and, la la la, graduated from college. YAY! Now I have lots of spare time in between packing, learning to drive and job hunting. = )

Anyway, I hope you like this. It's another chapter of set up really, but it should get more dramatic soon. Thanks as always for your reviews, I love them, so.. ahem.. keep it up. ; )

Chapter Twelve

Lucky briefly felt a surge of deja vu. He couldn't remember the last time he had held Elizabeth, really held her. As if he were the only thing between her and the whole world. His heart rose in his throat as he realized how much he had missed being a part of her life. He simply held her, pushing back the concern about why she would have chosen to return to him after so long. He knew she would always think of him as a protector, and wondered if his services were about to be called upon.

He shifted them to the porch stairs, and they sat, Liz next to him with her head on his shoulder, him holding her hand. All the sudden she sat bolt upright, and looked him deep in the eyes.

"What?" He asked nervously.

"Lucky, we haven't, um, slept together in the last year or anything? Have we?" She inquired with total seriousness.

Taken aback, he laughed, "No. We definitely haven't.

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Right. Good. Good.

"Why do you ask?" He said dryly, but curiously, not entirely sure he would like the answer.

"The future offspring here," she patted her belly, "apparently shares its DNA with me, and Jason.

Lucky's jaw dropped. She took note of his expression.

"Yeah, that's what I said.

"So you don't remember anything about it? How do you know he's telling the truth?" Lucky was ever suspicious.

"Why would he lie about something like that?" She asked reasonably.

Lucky looked uncomfortable. "No reason, I guess." They sat in silence for a while, and stared out into the night. As the air turned cold, they moved into the house, both content to pretend as if all the years since they had met had been hayrides and cotton candy. They made popcorn and settled in for a film.

"Lucky, can you pause? I have to pop off to the bathroom." Elizabeth asked, stretching as she made her way out of the room.

"No problem!" He called after her, getting up to stretch as well. Lucky gathered up the empty popcorn bowl and used cups, taking them into the kitchen, washing up. When he finished, he turned to go back into the living room, anticipating that Liz would be sitting on the couch, waiting for him. He jerked at the unexpected sight of her in the kitchen door, pale as a ghost.

"Elizabeth? What's wrong?" He couldn't think what might have upset her in the last minutes.

"Is it true?" She held out a newspaper, and he took it, scanning the front page. He mentally groaned. Of all the things for her to see. In stark black and white, the headline screamed: Zander Smith Dead, Cassadine Prince Arrested.

"Yes, It's true. I'm sorry you found out like this. We didn't want to upset you.

"We?" Her eyes demanded the truth.

"Emily, Nikolas and I. They came to me afterÉ Well, they knewÉ Look, it doesn't matter." He desperately tried to think of a way to distract her, but knew that nothing would. She looked as if she were grappling with her next question, but then chose to ask it directly.

"Look, normally I would never ask this, but there's a lot I don't know right now, so I have to. Did Nik kill Zander?

Lucky had no idea what to say. He couldn't tell her that she had confessed to the crime, he didn't want to tell her that Nikolas had killed a man, and he didn't want to lie to her, but what choice did he have? Before he had a chance to say anything, she changed her mind.

"No. Of course he didn't. I know him. Even if I don't remember the last year, I know he would never kill a man in cold blood, it's just not in him." Elizabeth felt a sense of relief. Somehow, saying it out loud made her feel the truth in her words. But she still had to ask. "How did it happen?

Lucky looked hesitant, but he answered, "He fell, or was pushed, down a flight of stairs." Elizabeth felt a surge of grief for the man she cared.. had cared for. Zander had been a good man, after everything. He had gotten her through the some of the worst days she had ever faced, in the crypt. She pushed the tears back, determined not to cry again.

"Is he buried in town?" She asked. "I would like to go see him.

Lucky shook his head. "He was cremated. After the fire, it seemed like the best thing to do.

Elizabeth froze. The words echoed in her head. "..the fire.. the fire.. the fire.." As if a curtain had been swept back in her head, she caught a glimpse of what she had lost. She saw herself standing over Zander's body, his neck twisted impossibly. She head Ric's voice in her mind, "Don't worry Elizabeth. I'll take care of it. Just go home- I want you away from the fire.. the fire.." She tried to probe deeper into her thoughts, but the curtain slammed shut again. She looked up to see Lucky hovering anxiously.

"Elizabeth!" He shook her gently. "Are you okay? Say something!" She nodded her head, and he let out a rush of air. "Don't scare me like that!

Her voice sounded odd. "Like what?

"Like going into some sort of trance and not responding when I call your name!" She smiled reassuringly. Falsely, but she hoped he wouldn't notice. "I'm fine. I just remembered that there is something I have to do.

His eyes narrowed, and his voice was suspicious. "What?" He was sure she was hiding something, but Elizabeth thought quickly.

"I meant to swing by GH and pick up some prenatal vitamins. Do you mind dropping me off?" Her voice was light and her eyes wide. Lucky was still suspicious, but he gave in anyway.

"Sure. No problem.

O O O

The last thing Jason had expected to hear when he came to his sister looking for answers was that Elizabeth had apparently murdered a man. His voice was hoarse and incredulous as he asked again, "Are you sure?

Emily nodded, "She said she was responsible for Zander's death. She also said that she hadn't told the police, when Nik was brought in, because she was afraid for her baby. When she was in that crash, she was planning to go to the station and clear Nikolas of any wrongdoing. After the accident, and her memory loss, we decided to wait and see what happened, but then Ric came by and said he had worked out a way to blame Capelli for Zander's death." Jason absently remembered that he had to go sign the papers, and she continued, "It's all fine now, but I don't know what will happen when Elizabeth remembers what happened." Emily's face was sober as she related the story, and Jason knew she was telling the truth. He couldn't shake one nagging doubt though. Ric had said that Liz had killed Zander because he threatened to take her baby away, but if the baby was his, than that reason was clearly not true. He spoke aloud:

"Why would she kill him?

Emily shrugged, "That's the weird thing, I have no idea. She said it was an accident, that they were fighting at the top of the stairs, about the baby, and he fell, but they've always gotten along, and it.." she trailed off. "It's just weird. But she swore it was her fault, and I don't have any idea why she would lie about some thing so horrible, so I believe her.

Jason couldn't think of a reason either, but he also couldn't shake the feeling that something about the whole scenario wasn't right. His musing's were interrupted by Emily.

"Why are asking about all this anyway? How did you know about Liz killing Zander?

His voice ironic, "Ric told me. I'm part of his plan to blame Capelli.

Emily was surprised. She tilted her head and considered her brother. "I wouldn't have thought you would agree to work with Ric, under any circumstance." Jason looked down, uncomfortable. He wasn't sure what Liz had told Emily. They were best friends, and he didn't want to put Emily in the middle of anything. The silence dragged, and she spoke again. "Then again, I was surprised to hear that Elizabeth had moved in with you. I didn't think you had really spoken since.. well, Sonny's Ôdeath.'" He continued to avoid her gaze, and all of Emily's instincts screamed that he was holding back something important. She reminded herself that Jason always gave her room to come to him in her own time, and that she owed him the same courtesy. "Look, just remember that I'm here, if you need me.

He finally made eye contact, and smiled. "Thank you." He promised himself that he would tell her everything, as soon as he checked in with Elizabeth.

O O O

It took forever to persuade Lucky that she would be okay alone, and get him to drop her off at the penthouse, at the front doors. He wanted to walk her up; he didn't think she should be alone, etc etc etc. She finally told him that she was exhausted, and wanted to go straight to sleep, and then added that Sonny's guards would look after her. He reluctantly drove away, leaving her at the lobby doors. As soon as the car vanished from sight, she flagged down a cab.

Minutes later she stood in front of another apartment. She rang the doorbell and waited patiently. When the door finally opened, she looked into the face of the man she had loved, then hated. The face of the man she was told she loved again. Ric looked stunned to see her, and he was. A surge of joy welled up, as he thought that maybe she had remembered, and had returned to him. As soon as he saw her expression, barely hidden disgust, he knew it wasn't so. Steeling himself, he asked, "What can I do for you, Elizabeth?

She regarded him seriously, and then said softly, "You can tell me the truth. For once." She tacked on, bitterly.

He flinched, and then responded, "Of course.

She hesitated briefly, then, drew herself up and forced the words from her mouth. "Did I kill Zander?

TBC