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"Reunited"

Elizabeth woke with the stream of sunlight across her face. She stretched out her arms, yawning and immediately noticed that she was alone.

"Lucky?" she called. Only silence answered her. Elizabeth pulled her knees up to her chest, and though she remembered where she was and all that had happened, she couldn't help but think that it had all been a dream.

Just as she was about to call for Lucky again the door to their room opened slowly and he appeared, bearing a plate full of donuts and a flask that she certainly hoped was coffee.

"Good morning, Angel," he said, smiling. "I didn't want to wake you." He approached the bed and offered the plate. Elizabeth happily accepted a glazed donut which she consumed quickly, licking the sugary remains of her fingers when she was done. She caught sight of Lucky grinning at her, obviously suppressing a laugh.

"What?" she asked. "Are you making fun of me?"

"Never," Lucky assure her. "I was just thinking of the first time I took you for ribs at Eli's."

Elizabeth smiled, remembering. "You can tell a lot about a person by how they eat messy foods," she repeated his theory.

Nearly six donuts between them later, Elizabeth asked, "When do you think your parents will get here?"

"They should make good time," Lucky told her. "The message your grandmother gave them would have made them prepared. I'm sure they left Port Charles less than an hour after I called last night, and they've probably traveled all night. They should be here tonight at the latest."

"They're going to be so happy to see you," Elizabeth commented, somewhat unnecessarily. 'They've missed you so much."

"I've missed them too," Lucky said. His voice trailed off and his mind returned for a moment to the past year, of how much it had cost him, how much the stupid Spencer/Cassindine war had cost so many people. His thoughtful expression was not lost on Elizabeth.

"Something you want to talk about?" she asked gently. Lucky shook his head, though his protest was unconvincing. "No secrets, Lucky. Remember?"

"It's nothing big," he admitted. "I just want this all to be over. Too many people have suffered and died because of this ridiculous war. I just don't want it to go any further."

Elizabeth took Lucky's hand to show she understood. She knew he had suffered a great deal in the last year but she was too afraid to ask any details. She tried to change the subject. "Am I right to assume that we can't really get out and explore, stretch out legs?"

"Sorry," Lucky said. "Can't run the risk we'll be seen. Wally can be trusted. He won't tell anyone we're here, but..."

"I know," Elizabeth offered. "You know, I think I'm getting used to your kind of life. It isn't all sleeping under docks or breaking into department stores, but it has its perks."

"Well you're a natural Spencer," Lucky told her.

She smiled warmly. "That may be one of the nicest things you've ever said to me."

Lucky frowned. "It that's true, then I need to say more nice things to you."

"Like what?"

Lucky edged closer to her. "I'm not sure, but I have all afternoon to come up with something."

There was a sharp knock at the door that broke Lucky and Elizabeth from their near whispered conversation. They both looked startled at the door. Lucky glanced at his watch and rose to answer the summons cautiously.

Wally Porter was standing at the door, a smile almost too big spreading across his face. "Hell, Lucky, if Natalie hadn't told me you were here, I'd never'd believed it was you." His voice was broad and boisterous and Elizabeth liked him immediately.

"Hi, Wally," Lucky said, holding out his hand which Wally shook with some force. "Wally, this is Elizabeth Webber."

Elizabeth smiled at their host's courtesy as he tipped his hat and said, "Nice to meet you, Elizabeth. Lucky, I'd love to sit here and chat but truth be told I'm here to deliver a message. Your old man called me not a half hour ago, said they were running from the Triple L." Lucky was heartened by this news. "Now, if that means what I think it means, your folks are almost here. Any chance you could fill me in on whatever intrigue you Spencer have gotten into now?"

"I'd love to, Wally," Lucky said, "but I don't even know the whole of it. You better wait on my parents."

The sentence was hardly out of his mouth when they heard the rush and rumble of footsteps in the stairs.

"Where is he, Wally?" Luke's voice traveled into the room. A moment later he and Laura appeared at the door, out of breath and looking more anxious than he had ever seen them. Both stopped dead in their tracks when they saw Lucky. Luke was the first to recover. He pulled his son to him, held him tight. "There is mercy in heaven after all," he said, hardly able to stop his tears of joy or his shaking voice.

Laura only stared at him as if, even when he stood there in front of her, she couldn't let herself believe he was really alive.

Lucky pulled out of his father's embrace. He approached his mother carefully. "Mom," he started. "It's me. I promise you aren't dreaming."

Laura started to cry, deep sobs echoing from her chest. She brought he hand to her mouth to try and stifle the sound but it was no use. She simply couldn't stop sobbing, nearly a year's worth of grief and regret and pain pouring out of her in one all-astonishing rush. Lucky wrapped his arms around his mother's shoulders and held her close. "It's okay, Mom. I'm here," he repeated again and again, in a soft and soothing voice.