Author's Note: Happy 2007 All!! I hope you all had a fun and safe New Year's Eve and that the new year treats you well.

Two Days Later

Overnight it seemed the weather had turned. From Indian Summer to the brisk windy weather of fall. Though the bright sun vainly tried to warm the city summer jackets were traded for the padded winter coats. Wrapped tightly in her leather jacket Emily stepped out of Kelly's with a large hot chocolate.

The chill in the wind didn't bother her. She had been trapped too long in the hospital for a bit of cold to chase her indoors. So she sat at one of the metal tables on the diner's patio. These slow mornings followed by slower days were starting to get to her. She had no job. No school. Nothing to keep her busy save her sessions with Lainey. All she really had was time. Time to sit and think. Emily was beginning to think that too much alone time, with nothing to do but think, wasn't good for a person. Yes, she spent time with Elizabeth and her son, Cameron. She shared meals with Jason, had run-ins with Patrick, and she'd even spent some time with the Quartermaines, but this lack of purpose was getting to her.

Emily wanted to be productive. Useful. She knew her semester of medical school was almost up, but she'd been excused from finals because of her accident. Arrangements had been made for her to make them up whenever she felt up to it. That was fine and dandy, but Emily wasn't sure she even wanted to take them.

Even if studying gave her something to do, she wasn't sure she wanted to be a doctor. She liked the idea of helping people, but wasn't thrilled with the thought of being in a hospital all day long. Musing the situation over Emily took a sip of her drink. She was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn't notice Lorenzo Alcazar until he spoke to her. "Excuse me Miss. Quartermaine. I'd like a moment of your time."

It wasn't a request, Emily knew that, even though his voice was soft and almost welcoming. Or maybe it was the formal way he spoke that hid is intent. "I don't have a moment to give," she replied standing.

"I'd like to know if you've heard from Skye," he said as though he hadn't heard her.

"It is a rather clear day isn't?" she replied.

His blue eyes narrowed, turning into ice, changing his demeanor from aloof to dangerous. "You know that's not what I meant."

A shiver went up Emily's spine. This was not a man to mess with, but she had no intention of cowering in front of him. "Yeah, I guess I do, but if you listened to me at the hospital you'd know I can't help you."

"I don't believe for a second that Skye left her family with no idea of where she went. The Quartermaines mean too much to her."

"If you say so," Emily scoffed as she tried to side step him. Lorenzo grabbed her arm, "I will find her and MY child."

"Bully for you," she shot back letting her anger get the better of her, "but I'm not helping. Even if I knew where Skye was I wouldn't tell you. Now let go of me," Emily instructed.

"You heard her," another masculine voice joined the conversation. His tone clearly indicated is dislike of the situation. Shifting her gaze from Lorenzo to the stranger Emily met an unfamiliar face. It wasn't a new sensation. She noted that he was tense. Worry barely out shone the hostility in his eyes.

"You're not a police officer anymore Spencer," Lorenzo said even as he relinquished the hold he had on her arm.

"No, which means I won't have a problem letting Jason know you're harassing his sister."

"Hello, I'm right here," Emily reminded them. "I don't need anyone to speak for me, but he's right. If you approach me again I will tell Jason," she warned Alcazar, "and he's a mite overprotective of me seeing how I've lost my memory. As in I don't know Skye and I couldn't tell you where she is even if she had told me before she left. So back off."

Lorenzo took her words in stride but she saw the younger man wince when she said she couldn't remember. That when his name hit her. Spencer. Lucky Spencer, the man who Jason wanted to kill. The one he blamed for the accident. Emily could hear Lorenzo's voice but she had no idea what he said, she was too busy wrapping her mind around coming face-to-face with Lucky Spencer. "You're him right?" she questioned when they were alone. "The friend. The one who caused the accident."

"Yeah, I'm him," Lucky said his voice harsh with guilt. "This might be a bad time but I really need—"

"I don't care what you need," she said cutting him off. Emily couldn't deal with him and all the implications of their meeting and speaking. "Charges aren't being pressed so it's all the same to you, I rather not."

"I want to respect your wishes Em. I really do," he said in earnest, "but I really need my friend."

Something resonated when he said that. When Lucky said he needed his friend something inside Emily wanted to reach out to him, wanted to help him; and that urge unsettled her. Lucky was standing there with hopeful and expectant eyes, a look she's seen on too many faces. It was a look that usually sparked instant resentment within her, and she tried to muster that feeling now.

He was a stranger after all. Worse he was the reason she was a stranger to herself and he dared to ask her for help. Emily felt indignation build but she wasn't sure what pissed her off more – the fact that he asked for help or the fact that she felt the compulsion to give it? That need didn't make any sense to her. Why? Why should she feel this impulse to help him? There had to be a reason right? There was only one thing she remembered and she threw it out like a gauntlet. "Purple lips."

Lucky blinked at her words. They were so out of left field that it took a moment for them to sink in. Once they did he grinned. "It's a bit little late in the year for a snow cone Em, but if you really want one—"

"You know what it means?" she asked, her breath catching.

"What? Purple lips?" he inquired. At her nod Lucky continued, "You like having them. They could cheer you up no matter what and always have. They were always good for an apology too. You could never stay mad at me when I had a snow cone."

"I remembered that I liked grape flavored things."

"Emily that's great!" Lucky said enthused, but she continued to speak as if he hadn't said a word. "That I liked having purple lips. It's the only thing I've recalled so far," she informed him.

"I'm glad you're remembering Em."

"Why? So I can be the friend you need," she posed, her voice dripping with acid.

Lucky flinched at her tone. "I do need you—"

"HER," Emily spat.

"Fine," Lucky replied, irritation seeping into his voice. "I need her, but if she or you, decide never to be my friend again I'll deal. I want you to remember for you Emily. The good, the bad and everything in between because you were an amazing person. A light for everyone who ever met you. I didn't just take that away from you, but from everyone else and I'm so, so sorry for that. I put you into this place of not knowing and for a minute I was jealous of you."

"I made such a mess out of my life," he explained. "I've hurt everyone I love and for what? Some pills. I threw my life away for them and stole yours – I'll always regret that. Just as I regret everything I've done since I first got hooked on the pills. There aren't any take-backs in life though. Hell, I'm not sure I can even make up for what I've done. All I know is that I want to try. Please," Lucky begged, "let me try."

Tears pooled in her eyes and Emily fought against them. She wanted to hate to him and not just for the accident but for touching her now. For knowing something that one on else did. This man who had wrecked more then just her life or his – she wanted to hate him, but couldn't. "I—I can't do this with you Lucky. Not now. Please, please I need you to stay away from me."

"Em," he said her name softly as he reached out for her.

"For now Lucky. Please," Emily pleaded.

Lucky dropped his arm and looked at her with such sadness that Emily felt her defenses crumbling. "All right. All right," he sighed. "I just need you to know that I'm here Em. Whenever—if you're ever ready I'm here."

His words sounded like a solemn vow; one that he would keep no matter what. Emily wasn't sure how to respond so she nodded before walking away leaving her cup forgotten on the table.

!BREAK!

Knocking on the door to the lake house was difficult for Jason. Every step he'd taken toward the house twisted something in him. This was where Sam slept with Ric and he could feel his anger grow as he remembered that night – every time he did the sting of betrayal felt fresh. The anger and pain, his hatred of Ric. It all bubbled to the surface.

As much as he loved and needed Sam, Jason was having trouble letting go of those feelings. He knew it did no good to dwell on them. He couldn't change what happen or take back his own actions and now there was a possibility of a child. His child with Elizabeth.

Carly was right. The news would be a blow to Sam and if he turned out to be the baby's father … Jason wasn't sure. Elizabeth insisted that she wanted to raise her children on her own. He couldn't fault her for that. He lived a dangerous life. As much as he wanted to be a father, he wasn't sure he should be. He was not concerned with loving and providing for a child, rather with protecting them. He had enemies. That came with the business. At this point even if he wanted to leave the business he couldn't, which meant any child he had would be in danger.

Jason had learn the hard way, as much as you try to protect the people you love, you don't always succeed. Bad things happen no matter the preventative measures taken, including pushing people away. He knew now that he should have let Sam decide whether being with him was risk she was willing to take or not. She, however, knew enough to understand those risks. A child wouldn't.

Still if the baby was his Jason knew he wouldn't be able to walk away from the responsibility of parenthood. It was only a matter of how much his life would change and a lot of that depended on Sam and if he could forgive her.

Not to mention if she should forgive him and accept Elizabeth's child should it be his.

"Hey there," Sam greeted moments after he knocked. Her dark eyes were shimmering with unshed tears. "It's really good to see you," she breathed heading straight for you arms. "Alexis is getting worse," she explained into his shirt.

"I'm sorry," he replied embracing her. For the first time the past wasn't between them and Jason took pleasure in the feel of her in his arms.

"Jason I know you have a lot of stuff going on right now with Emily and we've," she faltered. Sniffing Sam looked up into his eyes, "I really need you. Could you just hold me? Please."

He nodded and she tucked her head under his chin. Sam held onto him tight and Jason began to run a hand through her long, dark tresses in hopes of soothing her. He wanted to comfort her, not make things more difficult. He knew telling Sam about the baby now would only hurt her so he decided then and there to wait until he knew for certain.

!BREAK!

"Why did you let me get away with the just friends speech?" Patrick inquired as he and Robin entered the locker room. They'd spent the last six hours in surgery and he was bone weary. Still he couldn't stop Lainey's comment from circling around in his mind.

"Now is not the time for this discussion," Robin yawned, her forehead resting against her locker.

She was tugging her hair out of the ponytail she had it when Patrick replied, "I know that. Believe me I know that. We're tired and I know how hard April's death has been on you. It's been hard on me too."

"I know," Robin sighed turning so that she'd be able to look at him while they spoke. "So why throw this on top of all of that?"

"Because I need to know Robin. We had something," Patrick recalled.

"Something you clearly weren't ready for," she pointed out. "I could see that Patrick and while it hurt to let us go, it was right thing for you and for me. I can't be with someone halfway. I've learned that about myself because of you."

"That's a crap lesson," he remarked dropping his exhausted frame down onto the narrow bench.

"No, it's a mixed one," she countered, "and I wouldn't trade our time for anything, but there is no going back."

"Robin, not to sound like a jerk, but I wasn't looking to go back," Patrick told her. "Just to understand."

"What? What is there to understand?" she asked shrugging her shoulders. "We were kind of a couple, but neither of us wanted it to get serious. Every time it did one of us took a step back. Not just you Patrick, I did too," Robin reminded him. "Which is why when you said let's be friends I knew it was for the best. We tried to get over the relationship hump but couldn't. I'm not sorry that we tried, though I was a little disappointed that we failed."

"So was I," he told her truthfully. "You were the first person I wanted to try with."

"There will be others," Robin assured him.

An image of Emily flashed through Patrick's mind and knew Robin was right, but at the moment he wished she wasn't. He was still waiting for his HIV results and Emily couldn't remember that before the accident she had absolutely no romantic inclination towards him. He did though. Even as they flirted he knew that if it wasn't for the accident Emily wouldn't have looked at him twice and vice versa. Patrick knew he couldn't unload these particular thoughts on Robin. It was too soon for that, so instead he replied, "For you too. You shouldn't stop looking."

A weary smile touched her lips, "I don't plan on it."