Back To Life

~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~

Running a weary hand down his face, Nikolas tries to focus on the piles of paperwork on his desk, but he still can't get the fight he had with his brother out of his head. It wasn't like he meant to be discourteous toward his brother, far from it actually, but he just couldn't wrap his head around the fact that he could go from staying locked up in his apartment, mourning the love he lost, one second and then jump right into getting married the next. He and Elizabeth had been the kind of love that you just don't let go of so easily and yet here his brother is handing out invitations to his wedding on the one year anniversary of the night they lost Elizabeth.

"Nikolas?" Emily's voice reaches him as she's making her into the room, immediately bringing a soft smile to his lips. "You okay?"

"Sure." Nikolas rises to his feet, walking around the desk to wrap her in a warm embrace. "I didn't know you were coming by today."

"How could I not?" Emily counters, pulling away to look him in the eye. "Lucky told me about the blow out you two had."

"I really tried to be supportive, Em, really. Its just..." Nikolas sighs before leaning against the desk. "Of all the days, all the days in the year, he had to choose yesterday to pass out his wedding invitations, really? The wedding's not for another two months...why did it have to be yesterday?"

"I don't know." Emily admits, moving to lean next to him. "Maybe...maybe he wanted to prove that he really has moved on."

"Getting married is pretty evident of that, don't you think?" Nikolas counters. "I just don't see why it had to be the day we lost her."

"Nikolas..."

"Seriously, Em, he hasn't even known her for that long." Nikolas pushes away from the desk in frustration. "For him to jump this quickly into marriage...I just can't accept it. I'm sorry."

"Hey." Emily turns him to face her, framing his face in her hands. "I miss her, too. There's not a day that goes by that I don't think of her...of what should have been."

"I miss her, so much." Nikolas voices, accepting the hug she offers, holding her snugly against him. "I don't know how I'm supposed to stand up for my brother when I can't even accept his choices."

"Me either."

"I can't think of this right now. Its too much." Nikolas says, placing a soft kiss upon her forehead before pulling away. "Its just about lunch time. Why don't we go into town and get something to eat at the Grille?"

"Sounds perfect." Emily smiles softly, sliding her hand into Nikolas outstretched hand. "You know, Elizabeth always believed we'd make our way to each other...no matter what either of us said, she always believed we were meant for each other."

"She was smart that way." Nikolas agrees, missing his friend more and more lately. "Come on. The launch should still be docked."

"Everything'll be okay, Nik." Emily voices as they walk out of the house. "I know it."

"Now more than ever, Em, I truly hope you're right."

More than anything, he wants to be happy for his brother, to accept that this is the path his life is supposed to take, but Nikolas just couldn't find the strength to do so. Elizabeth had been a huge part of all their lives, the Four Musketeers, he can't see how his brother could move on so easily while he and Emily still cling to her memory like a lifeline. Shaking the thoughts from his head, Nikolas decides to focus on Emily and leave the past for another day. Whatever may come of them, Nikolas knows that he can survive it as long as he has Emily.

~ . ~

Landing in Puerto Rico, the three guys set up in the closest safe house to the airstrip, not wanting to alert anyone to their arrival. From the looks of things, it seems as if this new organization just may pose a larger threat than they had initially anticipated. Although they know that people like that exist, they just couldn't understand how anyone can take out their anger on women and children. The body count is only rising and Jason wants to level this threat before anymore children are harmed.

While Jason and Johnny set up the safe house to best optimize their time, Francis makes a stealthy trip through town, gathering as much information he can on the organization and where they operate. With Sonny controlling majority of Puerto Rico, there wasn't much room for a new organization to really take root without pulling too much unwanted attention before their strong enough to do so. If they play their cards right, they can squelch this in a matter of a couple weeks, a month at most.

"From what I could tell, they have one main base, where the head of the organization locks himself up in." Francis informs them when he returns. "Talk of the town is that he only comes out to visit his ailing mother. Other than that, he's locked away in that fortress."

Going over what little information Sonny was able to give them and comparing it to the information that Francis was able to gather, the three men start devise a plan to take down the organization once and for all. From the looks of them, they're like a toddler throwing a tantrum, taking down anything that may stand in its way. If that's true and they haven't quite hit the point of 'organized' crime, Jason's certain they'll be able to end it with as few casualties on their part as possible.

~ . ~

Arriving at the Grille, Nikolas swallows back a groan when they run right into Lucky with Leslie Lu, accepting the warm hug from his little sister. No matter what he thinks of Lucky's choices, he will never show any form of disagreement in front of their little sister, she doesn't deserve that.

"Nikolas..." Lucky starts but Nikolas simply holds up a hand to stop him from voicing anything.

"Not now." Nikolas voices firmly, knowing exactly what his brother was about to say and not wanting it to turn into yet another argument on the topic. "Its just about time for Lulu's nap. You should head home."

"We're gonna have to talk about this eventually, man." Lucky pushes further. "You can't run forever."

"Sweet dreams, beautiful." Nikolas voices, kissing his sister's forehead before meeting Lucky's eyes and walking off.

"Will you talk to him, please?" Lucky asks Emily, pleading with her to understand his standing.

"Why yesterday, Lucky?" Emily questions, needing to know. "I know I said I wouldn't question you, but...I need to know."

"I thought...I don't know." Lucky sighs. "I thought if I did it yesterday, it would take some of the pain away...you know, the way I did with Valentines for her."

"Oh, Lucky." Emily sighs, shaking her head. "I'll try to talk to him, but Nikolas is still hurting. We both are."

"You think I'm not?" Lucky counters. "I was in love with her. She was my life."

"I know that, but you have to see it from our side.." Emily voices honestly. " As much as I understand your reasons, you handing out invitations to your wedding was like a slap in our faces...a slap in the face of her memory."

"Nikolas was right. I should get Leslie Lu home." Lucky mutters, picking up his sister into his arms. "I'll just see you later."

Watching him walk off, Emily felt bad for deflating his hope, but she had to be honest with him. They have been friends for far too long for her to lie to him now. Regardless of how she feels about the whole situation, she knows she will be at that wedding with a smile on her face, that's just what friends do, but she will not look in the face and pretend to be happy with his choices. Though she understands his reason for doing so, passing out his wedding invitations that day of all days was just uncalled for.

"Still think everything's going to be okay?" Nikolas dares to ask her when she takes her seat across from him.

"After that..." Emily sighs, shaking her head. "I can only hope and pray it will be."

A/N: Bless all your hearts. Your reviews and messages have been heard. Your favorites and likes have also been appreciated. Elizabeth finally makes her appearance again in the next chapter and I can't wait. Yay!