PART 13 -

The warm friction that built between their lips, the gentle burn of undefined emotions in their chests, the soft sizzle of sensation as their hands explored the one in their embrace…

Elizabeth was drowning and flying all at the same time. She knew comfort in Nikolas' arms, felt the support of shoulder on numerous occasions, and the solace of his company. This was the first time she felt a true awakening spark of something more within her body.

He turned her slightly in his arms, eager to feel her body against his as he deepened the kiss, opening his lips slightly as they rubbed against hers. He felt her hands slide up the muscled plane of his back, reaching up to grip at his shoulders with trembling fingers.

There was little he could hear beyond the heavy beating of his heart and the thunderous rush of blood in his ears. "Elizabeth… Eliza… beth." He caressed her lips with the feel of her own name and struggled to keep his hands from straying.

Then it happened. A hitch in her breath. The slight parting of her lips that invited him to further their exploration.

In that moment, he felt his world collapse in on him.

It would be too easy.

Only too easy to press his advantage.

And then she did. She nipped a kiss at the corner of his mouth and leaned back to look up into his eyes. She smiled. A bright shining expression that floored him in a moment… and sent him spiraling into a realization that he wasn't prepared for. He wanted her. That much was impossible to argue with. His body ached for her, but more importantly, he loved her.

He loved Elizabeth Webber.

Loved her like a man should love the woman he was about to marry.

And he was sure that he was about to ruin everything between them.

"I… I…"

She reached up a hand and touched his cheek.

"I'm sorry."

Her hand stilled. "You're sorry? Why?"

He took a step back. "I shouldn't have let it go that far."

-Laura's House-

Laura opened the door and peered out into the darkness over Stefan's shoulder. "I thought you said you were with Alexis."

Stefan gestured to the car. "She's waiting for me."

Lifting her chin slightly in a haughty gesture, Laura smirked at the car. "She doesn't want to come in?"

Shaking his head slightly, Stefan sighed. "She didn't think she would be welcomed." When Laura turned her attention to him, he continued. "I can see she was right."

"Well," she pushed on, slightly embarrassed, "this is about Nikolas. I would have been happy to have Alexis come in and-"

He could tell she wanted to go inside and draw out this conversation, but he didn't want to waste his time. "What about Nikolas, Laura?" Stefan's tone was soft, yet wary.

"This impossible situation with Elizabeth. Surely you understand what is really happening between the two of them."

He tilted his head to the side and gave her a curious look. "I'm not sure I do."

Laura touched his arm in a conciliatory gesture. "I know that Nikolas has had this… competition with Lucky since he arrived in Port Charles. I thought the boys had settled this thing between them," she sighed, "put it behind them as they became mature young men. But now that Lucky is gone, it feels like Nikolas has only continued the same childish competition."

Stefan was stunned by the direction their meeting had taken. "You think Elizabeth is a prize in some sort of brotherly war between your sons?"

"And really," she huffed, "I should have thought Elizabeth was smart enough to understand how Nikolas felt about her." She shook her head. "But with the loss of Lucky, I worry that she's just confused about so many things."

"The loss of Lucky." Stefan paused to consider Laura's words. "I wonder, Laura, if you understand that we were all affected by Lucky's death… especially NIkolas and Elizabeth. They were his closest friends and they both loved him."

"And now," she interjected, "it's like they've lost sight of that. Elizabeth should remember what Lucky means to her… this whole marriage is a farce of some kind. I can only imagine that Nikolas is having some kind of emotional crisis. He can't hide from Katherine and her baby by making an even bigger mistake with his brother's-"

"You speak as though you expect Elizabeth to remain Lucky's girlfriend for the rest of her life. Will you condemn her to suffer as if a… a nun bound to her otherworldly husband."

"Stop it, Stefan," she argued back, "you don't know how it was between Elizabeth and Lucky! He saved her life when she felt as though she was broken and worthless. He gave her the strength to pick herself up and live again!"

"And Elizabeth has taken that gift and learned how to help others… Laura, you seem to misunderstand the entire situation. If you would set aside the assumptions you've made and sit down with the two of them. You would be surprised to find out that Nikolas and Elizabeth are two of the most exceptional young people in Port Charles."

"If they are ready to hear me-"

"Hear you?" Stefan scoffed at the idea. "Laura, if you want to mend your relationship with your son, then perhaps you should consider staying far away from him at the moment. He has enough to concern him and he will surprise you one day when the truth is known."

Laura covered her heart with her hand. "I don't think I could take any more 'surprises' from my son."

Realizing that he could not convince Laura to see anything other than her own point of view, Stefan excused himself and made his way back to the car.

As soon as he settled into his chair, Alexis gave him a curious look. "I was considering coming to rescue you."

"It would have been a welcome diversion." Stefan sighed and sat back against the plush seat. "I find myself… disappointed in Laura. She should see this as an opportunity to involve herself in Nikolas' life, not an opportunity to judge him against Lucky's memory."

"That can't be easy for Nikolas or Elizabeth. I think she bonded with Laura after her rape. The two did share that… experience with each other."

Stefan nodded. "And yet, Laura doesn't seem to understand that by nature, Elizabeth will grow and mature beyond the girl Lucky found bleeding in the snow. That Elizabeth will become a force to reckon with."

Alexis smiled at him from the shadowed interior of the car. "I think you're impressed by her."

"I am." His answer was straightforward and honest. "And the more I see… the more I learn about her… the more I understand why Nikolas fell in love with her."

"Ah… so you've seen it too."

"I believe," he smiled more to himself than anyone else, "if you really look at the two of them together… his feelings are obvious. Once he is done pushing her away and realizes that his marriage of convenience is based in love… I won't worry so much."

Alexis laughed. "Oh, I think you'll still worry."

He nodded, hiding his own laughter. "You see right through me, Alexis."

She reached out and set a comforting hand on his arm. "We're family, Stefan… and we care about them…"

"Yes," he agreed, "yes we do."

-Alexis' house-

Elizabeth shook her head to clear her thoughts. "What did you say?"

Nikolas swallowed all the words he wanted to say and tried to salvage their friendship. "I shouldn't have kissed you like that."

She lowered her hand and in one moment, both of her hands slipped behind her. "Why?"

"Because, we were just supposed to practice how to touch and make our relationship believable."

She had no words to answer him. Her emotions were still jumbled up inside of her, blood coloring her cheeks.

"I didn't mean to… take advantage of you."

"Take advantage?" Elizabeth bristled at the idea. "Why would you say that? Nikolas, I-"

"Besides your… bad experience, you've only had Lucky to show you what to… how to… and what we did tonight-"

"What did we do tonight?" She could feel her words catch in her throat and heard the squeak of her voice high in her ears. "What was so wrong?"

"Me!" Nikolas barked out at her before he could stop himself. "I was wrong. I should have stopped at a kiss. Stopped at an embrace. I should have stopped before things started to feel too…"

"Too what?" She winced at the question from her own lips.

"Before things started to feel too real between us." He looked up at her before he turned away again. "Because they're not."

"Oh." Elizabeth could barely hear beyond the ringing in her ears. "That's right."

"I'm sorry if I…. if I confused you. I'll be more careful from now on." He said the words, but even he wasn't sure of their meaning. Careful with what… he wondered. Careful to stay away from her… he couldn't do that. Careful with her feelings? He couldn't believe how careless he'd been already.

Careful of his own feelings? There was no cure for how he felt. He loved her. The more he admitted the truth to himself, the more a part of him they became and he knew that even though she didn't love him the same way… he needed her in his life… needed her close if he had a hope of being happy and raising his child without going utterly insane… and yet, having her close enough to touch, but holding himself back… may finish the job anyway.

He shook himself and fished his keys from his pocket. "I'm sorry, E-... I'm sorry for tonight. I… I just have to go."

She watched him disappear through the doorway and heard the door click shut, but she couldn't move. She couldn't and still she imagined what she would have done. Run after him? Beg him to come back? No, he was right. They were going to marry, raise his child together… as friends.

A couple that looks like they love each other in public, but that would be as far as it would go.

Elizabeth wrapped her arms around herself and shook from head to toe. She knew that she'd agreed to this marriage… to these rules… but heaven help her… she wanted more. She just knew that Nikolas… didn't.

She just hoped she could live with the arrangement.