Luke softly made his way across the room towards his son's bedside. He had always hated hospitals. He found the machinery to be intimidating, the smells nauseating. Still, there was always something that pulled him back to this place. There was always some tragedy taking place, somebody in this place close to him. But this time, it was the hardest of all. This time, it was Lucky.

His little boy. Luke thought back to the time that he and Laura had spent in Texas. Lucky had become attached to this one beat up pair of cowboy boots that Laura had picked up somewhere. At one point, he had a hat and a lasso too. Those had been left behind sometime during their travels, but the cowboy boots had always made the trip. Knowing Laura, they were still up in their attic somewhere, collecting dust.

Luke fondly recalled how Lucky had received his nickname. It had been years since he'd laid eyes on those boots, but in this moment in time he'd give anything to see them again, to see Lucky wearing them, even though they pinched his toes, dancing around the living room singing along to the country western radio stations that the fuzzy radio picked up.

Feeling a weak smile creep across his features, Luke took a seat in the wobbly stool that was becoming a little too familiar to him. Leaning in towards his son, he grabbed his fragile hands in his own. "Oh cowboy." He sighed, letting the memories of the past flood over him.

"We had so many good times, you, your mother, and I. We were always on the run, moving from one place to another. But we tried to make it as normal and happy for you as we possibly could. It used to tear your mother apart, constantly being on the road, running further and further away from all of our friends and family. I don't think I had ever seen her as excited as she was when she found out that she was pregnant with you. You breathed a new life in her before you were even fully formed. She had something to live for, something to focus all of her energy on instead of being consumed by the worry that each day, they might catch up. I know it wasn't the best childhood for you, but we gave you all that we had, and I'd like to think that you don't regret the way you were raised."

Luke paused, rubbing his palms rapidly over Lucky's cold hands in an attempt to warm them up. "Do you remember the year that we were in Italy? I know we didn't stay there long, but that was one of your mother's favorite places. She took you to all of the tourist traps, and I remember you even came home with some of those tacky souvenirs. But one of Frank's guys had spotted us, and we had to move again. I don't even know if you remember this, you were so young at the time. But when we had to leave behind all of your memories, you didn't even cry or look back. You just moved right along with us, just as tough and just as strong. I knew then that you would be able to get through anything that life would throw at you. The lifestyle that I led, it gave you so many disappointments. But I also saw how it helped you to grow, how it made you strong. And I know that strength is what's going to save you tonight, Lucky. I know that everyone else may doubt you, but I've never underestimated you. Even when we weren't on speaking terms, I knew exactly what you were capable of. And I'm scared. I'm scared that this might be one fight that you'll lose, and you won't be able to come back to us this time. But I also know that this is a risk that I have to take, that I have to let you take."

Luke hovered over his son, kissing him softly on the forehead. "Run, Lucky. This is just another adventure, another move. And I need you to run as hard and as fast as you can to keep yourself safe. Run back to us, cowboy."

Amy Vining stood in the hospital hallway, nervously twirling her hair. Luke hadn't given her much information about her nephew's condition, but he didn't have to. Even if she hadn't heard the news from the nurses on shift, his face gave everything away. He was scared. He was afraid that he might lose his son, and he was behaving in the only way he knew how.

Thinking back to Luke's past, it made sense. He had always been a man of action. He wasn't about to sit back and let something happen when he could be helping it along.

Looking back to Lucky's room, she saw the man that invaded her thoughts emerge, and she quickly made her way over to him.

"Luke, do you have a minute?"

"Amy, yeah…sure. What's on your mind?"

"Well, I know what you intend to do for Lucky, disconnecting him and all. But I was just wondering…what are you waiting for?"

Luke was taken back with surprise. Amy had been the first person who hadn't tried to fight him down from his position. "Tony. He has an emergency with another patient, so I'm just waiting for him to finish up and arrive so that we can do what needs to be done."

Looking to the small gathering of people standing vigil outside of Lucky's room, Luke turned back to Amy, as if suddenly remembering her connection to his son.

"I think that it's a good thing he's running late though. It gives everybody a chance to prepare themselves, to say what they need to say to Lucky. I know this has all come on really fast for you Amy, but would you like to talk to him?"

"Oh Luke, I don't know if that's such a good idea.."

"It would really mean a lot to me, and to Lucky. Barbara believes that he can hear everything that is said to him. So…maybe you'll be able to get through to him. He could use as many people around him as possible."

Amy let out a soft sigh. "I'll…I'll think about it Luke." She answered him, her voice much softer than usual. Watching him walk away, she rethought her sentiments. "I'll try."

Elizabeth and Emily talked in low tones to themselves as they headed towards the hospital corridor which led to Lucky's room. Seeing Luke standing off by himself, Elizabeth approached him quickly.

"Hey Luke. I don't suppose you've changed your mind yet?"

"Elizabeth, I thought you were going to rest."

"I tried, but I have a million different things going through my mind. I was hoping that I could sit with Lucky before Tony shows up."

Luke pointed through the window with his thumb. "Well, Amy's in there with him now, but I'm sure that would be fine. I'd actually really like for both you and Emily to try talking to him before Tony comes."

Elizabeth looked at him in surprise as Luke just shrugged his shoulders. "Well, if you and Barbara believe in miracles so deeply, this is your chance to test that theory."

Elizabeth smiled gently after Luke walked away. There was such a thing as miracles, she knew that much. Lucky had been hers. Maybe today, she could finally return the favor.

Amy sat in the hospital room, tears streaming down her face. She was usually able to act tough and happy. But the sight of her nephew looking so weak and helpless while attached to all of these machines had just been too much for her. Now, as she stared down into his pale face, all she could think about were memories of days gone by, when Lucky had been healthy and vibrant.

Amy remembered all of the times that she had been able to share with Lucky over the years. All of the birthday parties, family Christmases, and other small gatherings meshed together in her mind while she watched him.

Picking up his limp hand to hold in her own, she tried to collect her thoughts. She had worked in the hospital for years, and during that time she had seen amazing things happen with comatose patients. They would be so deep within themselves, yet hearing the simple voice of a parent, a friend, or a sibling would bring them back to the waking world. Amy smiled. Maybe in this case, it was an aunt.

"Lucky. You can't die on us now. I have so much to catch you up on. You wouldn't believe some of the stories that have been floating around these halls in the last couple of weeks."

Amy sighed. She was a nurse, and she was comfortable in the hospital setting. But she'd never had to speak to patients that couldn't respond, and she was at a loss. When she needed the words that normally spilled from her lips so easily, they failed her.

"Look, Lucky. When your mother and I were children, we made a promise to each other. We said that we'd always look out for each other. If the other was in trouble, than we would be there, no questions asked. And when you came along, that sentiment passed down to you. I promised myself that with Laura gone, I would do my best to watch out for you and make sure that no harm fell on you. It looks like I failed. But you're not your mother, Lucky. You have a chance here. All you have to do is grab it. Reach for what's right in front of you. Your whole life is right in front of you, just waiting for you to reach out and take it."

Amy squeezed his hand before she left his side. Pausing by the door, she looked at the crowd of people still milling outside in the hallway, then back at her nephew. "There are so many people that love you. I would say that's something worth fighting for." With her final words spoken, Amy dried the tears from her eyes and softly exited Lucky's hospital room.

Emily approached Elizabeth after Luke's hasty departure. "What was that about?"

"It was a miracle Em. Hopefully not the last that we're going to get tonight." Letting her thoughts drift back to Lucky, Elizabeth turned her back to stare in the hospital window, as if to reassure herself that Lucky was still there.

Emily watched as Amy vacated the room. "Do you want to go first?"

Elizabeth smiled as she noted her friend's concern. "No, you go. I just want to calm myself down a little before I go sit with him. Stress and worry is the last thing that he needs to sense from me when I'm with him."

Emily pulled her friend into a quick hug. "I know this isn't much help, but try not to worry. We've both known Lucky for a long time. If there's any way he can find his way back from this, he will."

"Thanks Em." Elizabeth whispered before she watched Emily enter Lucky's room.

Looking wistfully into the sterile room in front of her, she wrapped her arms around her waist. Maybe Emily was right. Whatever was going to happen, Elizabeth had no control over it. She needed to stop worrying and focus on all of the potentially positive outcomes that this night could hold. Elizabeth leaned her forehead on the glass pane. It was so much easier said than done.

Emily pulled the stool under her as she took a careful look at the face of her best friend. This was the face that comforted her, that joked with her, that gave her hope when she thought that it had been sucked from the world. This face was so familiar to her, yet it looked different somehow.

"Hey there." Emily cleared the lump that had formed in her throat as she began talking with her friend, hoping that wherever he was, he could hear her words. "Do you remember when you ran away with me to find my aunt? I was so scared about everything in my life Lucky. I was afraid of my future, I was running from my past, and I had nowhere left to go. And then I looked beside me, and you were there. You never left. You were always there to hold my hand and tell me that everything would work out okay." Picking up his limp hand, Emily continued speaking to him. "I wish I could make that promise to you, Lucky. But this isn't something as simple as leaving Port Charles to head across the country. I can't just hold your hand and make everything better. But I can promise you this much – if you do me one last favor – if you'll just pull out of this coma, then I will do everything in my power to be there for you. I'll be the friend that you deserve. Anything. Just come back."

Suddenly feeling uncomfortable in her own skin, Emily realized what she had to do. Placing a kiss on Lucky's hand, she rose to her feet and left the room, heading for the nearest Nurses station – and telephone.

Elizabeth tried to steady what was left of her nerves as she watched Emily retreat down the hall. "Okay. I can do this." Pasting a smile on her face for Lucky, she closed the door to his room behind her, leaning her back against it for support.

Luke felt a sad smile pass over his features as he saw Elizabeth enter Lucky's room. Looking around to the small crowd, he did a quick head count. The family had all had a few minutes alone with Lucky. He heaved a sigh of relief. Having so many people speak to him, he had to have found some reason for waking up. If their words didn't have an affect on him, than nothing would. Luke's thoughts were interrupted as the sound of a throat being cleared erupted from behind him.

"Sorry for taking so long, Luke. I had an emergency with another patient. So…are you ready to do this?"

Luke looked sadly at Tony. "Not just yet. Elizabeth's in there with him now, and I just wanted to give her a few minutes before we did this. God, Tony, I feel horrible for doing this to her. I saw her when we all thought Lucky died the first time. She looked as though her heart had been pulled out, and I didn't think she'd ever recover from that. How can I do this to her again? How can I do this to the family?"

Tony placed a reassuring hand on Luke's shoulder. "I know it's hard Luke. But it's for the best. In the long run, this is what has to be done."

Elizabeth sighed as she brushed the loose hair away from her face. As strong as she was trying to be, she felt the tears beginning to form in her eyes. It was so hard for her to see Lucky like this. He was so pale, so lifeless, so weak.

Weak. Lucky had always been the strong one for everyone he surrounded. He had always been able to read people, know exactly what it was they needed, and then provide that for them. Elizabeth smiled as she remembered the scene that he had set up in the church on the anniversary of her rape. He had always been able to take something horrible and turn it around into something worth celebrating.

Elizabeth walked over to the far side of his bed and took a seat next to him. Brushing his hair back from his face lightly, she felt herself warmed by all of the memories that she and Lucky shared with one another.

"Oh Lucky. I would give anything to take this back. I wish I could have stopped you from doing this, from following Helena to that crypt. I would have done anything to keep you safe and away from all of this." Elizabeth paused as she gestured to the hospital room around her, even though she knew Lucky couldn't see her. "But I know that it wouldn't have done any good. You would do anything for Emily, and I know that. That's one of the things that made me fall in love with you when we first met. You were so devoted to the people that you loved. And it didn't take long until I was one of them. It took a while for me to gain your friendship, your love, but once I did, I knew that I would have it forever."

Elizabeth smiled as she thought back to the last few months. She had begun to share so much time with Lucky. Selfish as it was, that wasn't nearly enough. There was so much more that had to be said and done.

"We're finally starting to get back on track. It's taken us so long to get to this point. You can't give up, not now." Elizabeth placed a kiss upon his forehead, hoping to reach Lucky in whatever dark place he had wandered into and remind him of what was important. "I fought for you Lucky. When Helena had brainwashed you, I was there, fighting with everything that is inside of me to make sure that you were okay. Now it's your turn, Lucky. You have to fight for us. Please Lucky…come back to me."

Elizabeth sat on the edge of his bed for a few more moments, running her fingers through his long dark hair as she looked into this face. If it was the last time that she was going to see him alive, she wanted to memorize every detail, have it embedded into her brain so vividly that it would never fade.

Hearing the low moan of the door opening behind her, Elizabeth turned her head to look at the intruder. She let out a sad smile as she saw Luke looking at her.

"It's time, isn't it?"

Luke nodded, slowly and sadly. "It's time."