NOTE- The story is changing now. To be more serious at times, more romantic, and more life changing.

Chapter 21

Cruz leaned against the sink in Robin's kitchen. "I'm glad you called. I was wondering if The Ball was going to be it for us."

She had been thinking the same thing.

But Robin did want to see Cruz again, to be around a guy who could make her smile and forget the way she had been hurt by love every time in the past.

In his dark eyes, she felt like she saw another lost soul who needed her like she needed him. Who needed to connect to someone in a uncomplicated way.

Cruz continued, "I wasn't sure if I was supposed to call you or you call me. This dating stuff was never my forte."

Robin joked, "Then we are screwed because I suck at it, too."

Screwed, suck, the words bounced around his head causing images to come into his mind.

"So we'll just go slow. See what is meant to be," Robin said. She reached out and touched his hand.

"Works for me," he said softly

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Be right back," she said to him and went to answer the door.

Robin had invited Liz, Emily and Lainey to the viewing party too. But Lainey was heading to New York with Ned, and Emily was sleeping before her middle of the night date with Milo.

Liz stood in the hallway.

"Hey, I'm plus one. Is that okay?" Liz asked

Pete stood next to her.

Robin glanced back inside, and then leaned forward whispering, "Fine with me. But you should know, Lucky is here."

Liz blinked several times, taking that piece of info in.

"He tagged along with Cruz," Robin told her

Pete smiled and said, "Mr. Spencer. Just the guy I was hoping to meet."

Pete hurried into the apartment and straight over to Lucky, sticking out his hand he greeted him.

Robin asked Liz, "Why is Pete wearing a top hat?"

"That's how he dresses for parties," Liz said, shrugging.

Pete sneered at Lucky, "Officer Spencer. Hmmm." The tone of his hum was disapproving.

Lucky was taken aback. "Yeah, hi, man." He looked at Nikolas as if to silent say What is this guy's deal

Pete glared at him. "So how have you been doing lately? Staying clean?"

Lucky's mouth dropped.

"Who wants a drink?" Kelly called out to break the tension.

Pete leaned forward and said to Lucky, in a low voice only the cop could hear, "Don't you dare let her down again."

Liz came in and made introductions then tugged Pete away from Lucky.

They went over to the kitchen area and Liz whispered to him, "If you're uncomfortable you don't have to stay. I never met to put you in the middle of my divorce..."

"Hey now, are we a team or not?" he asked softly

"Are we?"

Pete answered, "I would say so. No one else in this town would try to grow a fungus into a man."

She smiled.

Across the room, Nikolas and Kelly sat next to each other on the couch, speaking in hushed tones about art. He held her hand, and that link between them kept both their minds more on the feeling of each other's skin than their conversation. Nikolas wanted to be far from this room full of people and feel her lips on his once more.

But he always moved too fast. Like a runaway train he usually let his desire to possess a woman's body come before his need to know their mind. This time he would force himself to move cautiously.

As good as Kelly looked in her simple black dress that was going to be hard to do though.

Maybe impossible.

IN A BAR IN NYC, Lainey felt free, almost like a different person.

Everyone was packed in, bodies pressed closed together, near the stage listening to Brooklyn sing an original song.

Ned stood silently behind Lainey, his arm at her waist, making her feel protected, connected to him in this place full of people.

Something about tonight felt right, like she had left Unsure Lainey at home, or maybe left her behind forever, and here she was becoming carefree, able to only think about the song, the man with her, the night they had to share together. That was enough. That was all she wanted now.

Brooklyn sang, "This love, baby, don't have to make sense.

I'm not really sensible.

Not with things like that!

This love, baby,

don't have to be bound,

like knots tied to anchors

dragging us down."

Brooklyn strummed her guitar and her eyes connected with her boyfriend. Joey, who was in the front row.

"Give me love, baby,

and take mine for you.

Take what little I can offer

make it

make due..."

Brooklyn's voice dropped to a desperate plea, " Give me moments

give me moments,

give me more.

Give me glimpses,

give me seconds,

give your touch.

Give me this,

give me time,

give me us.

Give me moments,

give me glimpses,

give me...love."

Lainey glanced back and Ned. The bar was too loud to talk. But she hoped her smile said, Thank you for this night and for being with me.

They were at the start still. But, for her, it was the start of something grand, something life changing. Something that felt a lot like love.

IN PORT CHARLES, when Grey's Anatomy was over Nikolas looked at Lucky and said, "No wonder you like that show. It's not about doctors in the least. It's about sex."

Kelly laughed.

Liz said, "Not just sex. Love."

"Yeah, how they all love sex." Pete said

Liz rolled her eyes, but smiled at him. "You would not get the difference, Peter."

"And you are going to school me?" Pete asked her

"One more lesson to add to the list, I suppose." she said, her eyes danced with amusement.

Lucky watched them joking, and his heart sunk. They had been like that all night, their eyes always lingering on each other, there words speaking of inside jokes and secrets Lucky was not privy to.

Lucky stood up and said he had to go. Cruz followed him outside.

On the steps of the building, Cruz called out "Hey, partner, hold on."

Lucky paused and turned to face him.

Cruz asked, "You okay?"

"She can't be over me already, can she?"

"I don't know, man."

Lucky let out a breath. "Damn."

"Let me take you to a meeting."

"No, no. You go back inside. Spend time with Robin. Don't let this chance pass you by. I'll be alright. I'll call my sponsor."

Lucky hurried off. In his car, he took out his cell and dialed.

A sleepy female voice came on the line, "Hi."

"Emily. I feel like taking a pill." He words were hopeless. "She doesn't love me anymore. I don't think she does..."

"Meet me at the hospital. We'll go to a meeting together." It had been years since Emily took any drugs, but she knew what the urge felt like. And she knew that no matter where life took her she would run whenever Lucky called.

BACK AT THE PARTY, Nikolas said to Kelly, "Want to go to that wine bar I told you about?"

She leaned toward him, her words sexy and only for his ears, "I'd rather go home with you."

coming up- the milo and emily date, more nik and kelly, more cruz and robin