Without a price
Chapter 16
Emily looked at the window out of the guest bedroom, watching the rain fall. She had dimly heard a door closing, meaning that Lucky had left and who could blame him? She was a drag today. Lucky had tried to help her, wanted to help her, but her shield was stronger than ever and acted up even if she had no energy, no emotions, and lost everything.
Lucky should have just ignored her, it was what she deserved. She had been depressed for a while but it came extra strong today. She was tired and sick of watching other people die and yet, at every round, here she still is, alive. She practically watched all her family die and fade away. At this point, attending funerals or memorials were second nature; she didn't feel a thing. It dampened her spirits to the point that she could just shrug such things off.
The question on her mind was why. Why is she still alive? What was she-a cat with nine lives? Of all the stunts she pulled over her entire life and gotten hospitalized, not one killed her. Sure, that youth bouncing back thing was accurate but there had been some serious bouncing on some occasions. Was there some kind of curse on her that she would be the last to die?
Yes, she had gotten stronger through all the rough spots but there had to be a limit of deaths, traumas, and other bad events. How much could one person stand before they just gave up and snapped? This whole life prospect was becoming too much for her.
She always believed there was a reason for her existence in which she was meant to do something and be remembered for it. She still hadn't found it. No matter how mature, how persistent, or determined she had been she was left with what she had previously. Nothing.
She felt numb and discouraged. Why should she just continue living if it was going to continue being this way? If her purpose in life was just to see people die, she didn't want to be alive then. Perhaps, she didn't deserve to be alive after her cruel treatment of Lucky, Jason, and somewhat her parents (they had at least had some coming).
Yet if that was true, she was still alive after everything. Maybe it was God's belief she would regret such treatment and she was one to have to repair it all, the first two anyway. She didn't know how though and then there was the fact that she really didn't care, not about her, or about anyone else. Sure, she knew it was stupid to just give up but her emotions were not exactly leading into a great motivational speech.
'I'm quite the piece of work, aren't I?' Emily thought as she swiped away some tears that fell as she laughed weakly. The question flowed through Emily's mind until she felt her eyelids fall and close, leading into an exhausted slumber.
Lucky didn't have a clue what he was doing this late on a Friday night taking a long walk. Most people are sleeping after a long night or just sleeping because it was a long and tiring week, possibly with a significant other. He had taken the walk hoping to clear his mind and figure out how to handle Emily. He really shouldn't have left, truth is told, the last thing Emily needed was to be left alone.
She was discouraged and lost nearly all of life's joys. He was terrified that he was going to lose another friend as Emily's mental condition worsened. He fully intended to go to Jason's at first, to ask about Eleanor, as he was sure Jason researched it as Sam was the mother, a girl he still had feelings for although he would deny that. However, when he reviewed his priorities, it was near the bottom of his list. He could do that later, when Emily was less depressed.
What he really needed was to show Emily that life could still be good. One effective way was to catch a murderer and he had a plan to do that, assuming Emily agreed with it. Emily would see justice in action and that might give her some hope for the world. It could lessen the depression she was in currently and even though it would have little effect, it could have some nonetheless and frankly that was better than nothing.
He turned around and walked back to his apartment where he struggled in front of the guest bedroom Emily was sleeping in after he realized the implications of his plan and the fact that he would have to wake up Emily. Yes, Emily needed sleep and so did he but his pawn would only be effective for so long too. He knocked on the door but received no answer. A part of him panicked at the thought that maybe she left to but upon opening the door saw Emily sleeping on the bed making such panic unneeded.
Guilt filled Lucky as he walked toward the bed to wake her up. It just wasn't right to do so when she looked that peaceful. In her sleep, it was the only way she would be peaceful, Lucky figured. Still, she could fall asleep right after he asked and she answered his question.
He shook Emily's upright shoulder to wake her and she slowly awoke, confused to her surroundings and the person who woke her up. "Spencer." She greeted, "I thought you left."
"I did," Lucky verified, "in order to go for a walk."
"A walk at 1 am," Emily said sarcastically, "very smart of you when it is dark, waking people consist of criminals, and dangerous with Baldwin, the most likely cop killer present."
"I never said it was smart," Lucky replied after he saw her point and realized she was right. He didn't take all that into consideration before he left but shrugged it off as it didn't matter anymore and got to the point. "Would you mind if I used Vincent's body in order to trap Baldwin?" There was a law that said you couldn't do this without permission and enough evidence, and he had both but he still had to consider Emily's feelings in the matter. Guaranteed he didn't see how he would be able to pull off a trap without her last relative's remains either but he wouldn't tell Emily that and pressure her into agreeing.
Emily blinked at this, confused once again. "Could you say that again?" She asked, not sure if she was hearing things. She was awake so it couldn't be a dream but she couldn't believe Lucky asked that either, at least without further verification.
Lucky expected a response like that. It wasn't exactly a question you hear everyday. "I asked if I could use Vincent's body in order to trap Baldwin." Lucky repeated himself.
"Explain" Emily softly demanded as she sat up and looked up at him warily, half asleep.
"Well, if I spread a rumor that Vincent knows who killed Murphy, Baldwin will make a move." Lucky continued on Emily's mark: raising brows as she considered his plan. "Baldwin will want to kill him right in order to hide his little affair and all. So if hidden police surround the general area in which your Uncle's body lays, they will find Baldwin with some weapon, prepared to kill an already dead body."
"That is a really loose connection Lucky. While it will show that Baldwin is capable of murder and further support your theory, he could deny that he went to kill him because he heard Vincent could identify him. Some killers don't need a reason to kill, they just do it because they like to so it's not exactly irrefutable evidence that he killed Murphy."
Emily's point about the flaws in his plan hit him. She was right. Maybe he'd just have to go with the destroyed reputation. It was not enough justice but at least it was something. He couldn't exactly let Baldwin get away with murder and skip all the consequences of his actions, whether he was convicted or not.
"I know but I have to try. At the very least, it will hit the newspapers and become so big that Baldwin will never have such a legal position again and his reputation will be destroyed. That has to account for something." Lucky argued.
"And by using my uncle's corpse you avoid the unnecessary risk of risking a human being's life" Emily concluded going back to his plan and question, making it sound optimistic and yet very cruel at the same time. She considered the request for a minute or two in which the silence almost drove Lucky crazy and while he understood she had to think it through, he was on an adrenaline high and wanted to act now. "I suppose he will be cremated… but the cancer has done more to his body than you know and it might not be the best corpse to use." Emily said, and then relented at the hope in Lucky's eyes. "But hey, if you think you can pull it off, be my guest."
For the first time in a long time, Lucky smiled. "Thanks Em. You won't regret it. You'll see that justice does prevail and that there is hope in the world."
"That's a pretty lofty goal," Emily remarked, not convinced of his hopeful implications but Lucky knew in a matter of time she would be, had to be. Emily rubbed her temples and muttered "You are so lucky that I haven't reported his death yet."
Lucky's smile turned into a frown. "You haven't?" It could have been a problem-if Baldwin would have looked in the computer records he probably would have caught onto the trap. He was indeed lucky but was also curious why she didn't.
"No, I just left. I'm not sure why I ended at the catacombs but I just needed to get away from my problems for a while." Emily explained.
Lucky nodded, understanding that. Suddenly, fatigue hit him like a crashing wave. Maybe he should sleep and go to his boss tomorrow and get an agreement in order to go through with it. Talking it over with Emily helped though, as she had pointed out the spots that could be criticized. "I'll let you sleep then", Lucky replied, leaving the room.
Sam on other side of Port Charles had a difficult time sleeping in comparison, regret taking over. 'The one time Eleanor is quiet and asleep and yet I can't sleep', she thought ironically in her bed and turned over to look at the phone.
She hated admitting it but she missed Jason a lot. Maybe she gave up on the relationship too early, maybe she wasn't fully committed at the time they broke up and didn't understand the priority it was. She thought that Eleanor and her would be fine alone and without a man of the house and it was for a while but now that they were settled painful guilt and regret overwhelmed her.
The social worker had come today and approved of the apartment, of her health and care, and understood that she was working on the job. She still had to get back to her on the last thing but the social worker had seen the difficulty in getting a job in such a tough economy and at such short notice. She just wanted a job verification paper when it came after seeing how determined and persistent Sam was in her job search after she told her of the number of interviews she's had, how many places she put in, and how many hours she put into it.
And with the job came the duty of finding a day care for Eleanor or some full time babysitter which made her remember how Jason had saved the day with her dentist appointment. He was reluctant but came to her aid anyway. That was one of the reasons why she still loved him. He was reliable and generous but he was also strong and protective and those were qualities she always liked in a man. When she wasn't strong, he could be until she was on her feet again. That's what happened with Lila.
So she admitted it: she was still in love with Jason. The question was whether she wanted to try dating again and whether he did. She thought he was still in love with her after she recalled all their conversations but like her, did he want to try it again too? Or was there some other woman? She would have to ask him tomorrow as it was too late to call him. He'd probably be up working, Sam considered, but quickly pulled her hand back from the phone. No, she was going to call tomorrow.