**sorry about the delay, folks... been suffering through some chronic symptoms... my apologies**

PART ELEVEN

-The Lakehouse-

Nikolas was struggling to understand the turn his life had taken in the last few months. His Uncle, the dearest man in his life, had been revealed as his father. He had lost his standing as heir in the family. The lover he had taken to distance himself from… and annoy his father… had revealed that she was pregnant with his child. His half-brother, who he had been determined to hate, had become one of his closest friends… before his untimely time. And Elizabeth. Elizabeth Webber, his brother's girlfriend, his own dear friend, and now his fiance… was driving him to distraction.

And he was quite sure she had no idea she was doing it.

Enjoying the late afternoon sun, Elizabeth and Nikolas had decided to sit out on the deck of the Webber lakehouse and spend sometime together.

Clad in a bathingsuit that she would never wear in public, Elizabeth stretched out on her stomach, pillowing her cheek on her folded hands.

The sunlight dappling the worn wood of the deck only served to highlight her alabaster skin with the golden glow of sunlight. The indigo color of the bikini was in stark contrast to her skin, and where it stretched across the enticing swell of her backside, Nikolas barely managed to divert his gaze and avoid an unwelcome reaction which he would have no way of excusing.

As he watched her delicate feet cross and uncross behind her, it took him a moment to realise that she was talking to him.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

Elizabeth laughed and threw a towel at his head.

He easily dodged her throw and shook his head in reaction. "What was that for?"

"You're so distracted, Nikolas. What's going on?" Elizabeth rolled onto her back and stretched, arching her spine.

"Going on…" he repeated the words as his brain struggled to function. He'd fallen for Katherine mainly because of her eager desire for him… her knowledge in areas he had little experience, and the idea that his father would be highly upset with him. "Nothing…" he allowed himself to look over Elizabeth's petite frame and remember that he'd appreciated her figure for quite some time, but once it was clear that she only had eyes for Lucky, he'd made up his mind to forget. "Nothing really."

But here, when it was just the two of them… when he knew there were only a few weeks really before they were due to be married… the knowledge that Elizabeth Webber attracted him in ways Katherine Bell could never hope to touch, was still tempered by two problems: Elizabeth still loved Lucky and while they'd never talked about it… Elizabeth was a rape survivor. NIkolas would kill himself before he made any advance to Elizabeth that she might find… unwelcome.

"Hey," he felt her hand on his cheek and he snapped his head up, following her voice.

"Hey," he repeated the word, unable to do much more than mimic when his mind was awash with confusion.

She smiled down at him, lifting her other hand to touch his other cheek, gently cradling his face in her hands. "You didn't even see me walk over here, did you?"

He shook his head slightly, his eyes slightly closing as he felt the warmth of her palms against his skin. "No… I didn't."

He could see her smile, stretching the corners of her mouth, as she leaned closer. "That's okay," she giggled, "it gives me time to look at you."

"At me?" He looked up into her eyes and still noticed the golden halo the sun framed around her head, her hair pulled back into a messy ponytail. "Why would you want to-"

"Besides the fact that you're handsome? Do I need a reason?" Her giggle flushed her cheeks red. "I dunno, I just like looking at you sometimes."

His mouth went dry. "Really?"

She lifted her hands, smoothing his hair back from his forehead. "You're different than Lucky. He was fair and his hair had all those highlights in it. You're darker, you probably get that from your father, and your cheeks are higher," she traced the arch of one cheekbone with her fingertips and then the other, "broader… and no matter what your family thinks, you've got that 'royal' look about you."

He looked at her, feeling all the muscles in his face lose the ability to move.

"Now, you've got that royal brooding look, but sometimes," she laughed softly, tilting her head to look at him in a different light, "when you look at me… and you smile," she sighed, "I see you… the kind of you that I don't think you let people see very much."

"Really?" He didn't know if he believed her, but as long as she kept… kept touching him, he'd let her say whatever she wanted. "And what is that boy like?"

She smiled, her expression changing from soft to a little mischievous. "Well, you're hardly a boy, Nikolas." She sighed as she stood up, her hands dropping away from his face. "You're about to be a father and married," she blushed a little in the warm afternoon sun. "You're a man… a strong, intelligent, kind, thoughtful man." She backed up another step, her eyes intent on his face. "You're amazing."

Before he could gather his thoughts enough to say something.. to stand and touch her… to have the chance to cradle her face in his own hands… Elizabeth dove into the water and left him shaken and confused.

-Deception Offices-

Katherine had her sources. And those sources had told her that Nikolas had spent a day at the Webber lakehouse with his little twit of a bride-to-be. She couldn't really call him while he was there, but as soon as she was sure that he was back in his own home with Elizabeth playing house with Alexis and ingratiating herself to the Cassadines, Katherine picked up the phone.

Nikolas answered on the second ring. "Hello?"

"Nikolas, I'm so glad I caught you."

"Katherine," he gave her the long suffering sigh that she was beginning to loathe, "I don't want to fight about-"

"Fight? No…" she forced a smile on her lips, "I was calling to invite you to a celebration at Deception." Before he could say anything she barrelled on. "One of our ad campaigns was a huge success and the marketing department is throwing a little soiree and wanted you to be there as you were instrumental in its creation."

"When is the party, I can call Eliz-"

"No guests, sorry. This wasn't my call, Nikolas. You can call Gary or Stu from marketing and they'll-"

"Okay, Katherine," he sighed, "just tell me when… tomorrow? 4:30? Sure. I'll be there."

-Alexis' House-

Pausing in the doorway to the guest room, Alexis watched the young woman she'd come to know and respect sway and hum to herself as she worked on a painting. The serious level of concentration was evident in Elizabeth's demeanor as she worked with her brush, her eyes focused on the canvas before her.

Alexis waited until Elizabeth had lifted the brush from the canvas before she cleared her throat, startling the younger woman. "Sorry," she held out one mug in apology, "I brought you some hot chocolate."

"Oh… gimmee… thanks," she winced, "old habits die hard."

Shaking her head with laughter, Alexis set the cup in Elizabeth's hands. "No need to apologize. I know what it's like to need a pick me up when I'm working. Mine just happens to be a good glass of wine."

Elizabeth sipped the chocolate. "Yummmy… thanks."

Alexis looked over at the canvas, she couldn't see it from the doorway. "May I take a look?"

Shrugging, Elizabeth stepped back to give Alexis room to cross over. "Sure… as long as you promise not to tell Nikolas."

That piqued her interested even more. Crossing over to stand in front of the canvas, Alexis was shocked to see that Elizabeth was painting a portrait of Nikolas. A moment later she nodded and turned back to Elizabeth. "This is what Stefan meant." She continued to avoid confusion. "He said he'd found a way to help you two earn some money for the wedding."

Elizabeth nodded. "I told him we couldn't just take the money," she watched Alexis carefully, "so he offered to pay me for a portrait." Grinning widely, she continued, "Nikolas joked that he could be my art broker a few weeks ago...if I can do a good enough job on this portrait, maybe he could… maybe I could make money painting and then when the baby comes…"

Alexis watched Elizabeth's face change from excited to wistful. Bright to soft. "So, you're going to leave your job at Kelly's?"

Taking a sip from her hot chocolate, Elizabeth tried not to sound as nervous as she was. "I'd like to…" she winced, "I don't mind working. I like what I was doing at Kelly's, but painting? That would be a dream!"

"And diapers?" Alexis had to hear Elizabeth's thoughts. "No one really wants to do diapers."

"No, but it's what needs to be done… and I can't wait to see Nikolas' baby. I hope he looks like his father."

"Me too. I certainly wouldn't want the baby to look like Katherine." Alexis couldn't keep the distaste out of her voice.

They shared a laugh as Elizabeth sipped from her mug, then Elizabeth tilted her head to the side as she looked over her work. Alexis took the time to really examine the portrait. It was obviously unfinished, but what Alexis could see was Elizabeth's talent. It lay beyond a simple matter of capturing his likeness. What Elizabeth was bringing to the canvas was much more… it would be a pleasure to see the final painting.

-Deception Offices-

Nikolas stood looking at his reflection in the glass door tugging at his tie. It felt off.

Stu Porter stepped up beside him and smacked him on the back. "Long time no see, Cassadine!"

Turning, he shook Stu's hand. "Good to see you, Stu. I'm glad the campaign worked out."

Guiding Nikolas into the elevator, Stu punched the button for the executive floor. "Yeah, huge success!" During the ride up, Nikolas sort of listened as Stu rattled off numbers and evaluations from their focus groups.

When the elevator came to a stop and they stepped out, Nikolas squinted at the large poster hanging at the front of the boardroom.

Stu stopped in the doorway, waiting for Nikolas. "Did you step on some gum? You seem a bit stuck."

"That's the campaign?"

Following Nikolas' pointed finger, Stu looked at the poster. "Yeah… that's the one… it's performing really well in the two biggest demographics we've been pushing for. Amazing isn't it?"

Nikolas followed Stu inside and stopped short when he met Katherine's eyes. "What kind of game are you playing, Katherine?"