Devolution TOC

Chapter 107

"It's time to get up, Lucky." Tony leaned against the doorjamb of Lucky's bedroom for the second time that morning. Lucky was curled up on his side, gripping his pillow and heedless of the bright sunshine that streamed through the window and warmly saturated the left half of his bed. He remained still and didn't move or open his eyes.

Tony walked over to his bed, flinging off the covers. Lucky frowned and made protesting noises, but he made no attempt to get up. "You've gone back to bed three times," Tony stated firmly as he glanced at his watch. "This is the last call. You need to get ready. We're leaving in half an hour."

Lucky ran the back of his hand over his eyes and glared at Tony. "I'm not going," he announced.

"You have a commitment to attend the day center," Tony said. "It's not up for discussion. You need to go wash your face and at least comb your hair."

"I don't care," Lucky muttered as he slowly rose in bed and sat on the edge of the mattress, slumped over with a petulant look plastered on his face. His lower lip stuck out as he stared downward, slapping at the smooth oak floor repeatedly with his bare feet.

"You head for the bathroom, and I'll select an outfit for you to wear," Tony suggested. "I'll have a muffin and mug of coffee waiting for you. Let's hurry. You don't have much time."

"Don't want to eat," Lucky complained as he brushed past Tony and left his room with thumping footsteps that echoed down the hallway. Tony's face was tight, and he shook his head at his nephew's behavior.

~*~*~*~

Lucky emptied food from a large bag into Harley's dish and poured some fresh water for him from the outdoor spigot at the back of the house. He stroked the dog's head. "No walk this morning, boy. Sorry. I'll walk you when I get home tonight. I wish I could stay here with you. I'm tired of talking to people." Lucky squatted and hugged his puppy, holding him firmly to his chest. "Nobody understands," Lucky said in a tear-choked voice. "I can't do anything right. They hate me." He laid the side of his head on the dog's back for a minute, then sighed and sat down cross-legged on the ground. Harley turned his head to sniff Lucky's hair, his soft, insistent muzzle tickling the boy. Lucky laughed, and Harley continued to nuzzle him while he licked his master's face with a rough, wet tongue.

~*~*~*~

Kevin leaned back in his chair. "How's your first week at home? You were anxious to make your departure from GH."

"I don't know," Lucky replied, afraid to reveal the problems that he'd experienced over the last few days. He'd expected less tension and uncertainty with his return home, and he didn't want to expose his perceived lack of success. He drummed his fingers on the chairs armrests and only glanced at Kevin once, preferring to study the pattern on the carpet.

Kevin observed Lucky's tight body language and noted his reluctance to reveal any detail. What's going on with him? What happened? "Tell me about some of your activities," Kevin prompted. "People you've seen, places you've visited." Kevin knew if he could get Lucky to talk in some detail about one topic, then the floodgates might open, and he'd express his concerns.

"I got a dog," Lucky said happily as his face brightened. He sat up straighter in his seat. "His name is Harley and he's a big Rottweiler mix. He looks mean, but he's not, he's a cupcake. I'm training him to sit and to come when he's called. I like him a lot. Uncle Tony took me to the Humane Society on Sunday, and that's where we found him." Lucky stopped talking and directed his gaze to the table at the far end of the room.

Kevin noted that Lucky didn't mention family and friends and that he was avoiding the issue. "Are you getting along well with your aunt and uncle and the younger children?" he questioned.

Lucky fidgeted in his chair and shrugged as he looked down at his hands folded in his lap. "Sorta. I don't know," he said evasively. "It's nice to see Lulu."

"Tell me about problems you've had," Kevin suggested. "It's natural for there to be an adjustment period when you return home. It takes awhile for a routine to develop and for relationships to become comfortable."

Lucky blew out a tense breath. He ran his hand through his bangs, brushing them to the sides of his face. "My uncle is mad at me, and my aunt is too strict. Lulu and Lucas make too much noise. It hurts my ears, and I feel upset if I have to talk all the time," he confessed in a sad voice.

"Did your uncle tell you that he was upset with you?"

"He didn't say much, but he wasn't happy this morning."

"Why?"

Lucky's eyes glistened with unshed tears, and he shrugged again. "I wouldn't get out of bed?"

"What was that about?" Kevin questioned.

Lucky plucked at his lower lip while he thought. "I was tired 'cause I slept in the hallway," he explained. "And I'm nervous about the day center," he said with a quiver in his voice.

"Why were you in the hallway?"

"Oh, yeah, I'm supposed to tell you about that. Tony said I was having a side effect of my medication. I got up last night and thought it was daytime. I was trying to get ready, but I was sleepy and confused, so I crashed in the hallway. Tony found me there."

Kevin made a notation in Lucky's folder. "I'm glad you told me about that. It's not a serious side effect, and it won't require a dosage adjustment, but I imagine it was upsetting."

Lucky nodded in confirmation.

"What's the situation at the day center?" Kevin questioned.

"I'm going to do something wrong - I know it. And then they'll send me back here and lock me up! I'll never go home again!" Lucky stated fearfully. "I'm afraid I won't pass all of those tests they've been giving me." He hit his forehead with the heel of his hand. "I can't think right anymore." He drew in a shaky breath and held it as his face turned red. "I want to go to work," he said plaintively. "Why can't I do what I want? It's these drugs. They make me stupid. I never had to tell anybody where I was going when I was a little kid, so why is everyone always watching me now? I just want to pack my suitcase and head for Canada. I want to start over so no one knows what happened to me." Lucky covered his eyes with his hand and willed himself not to cry.

"Lucky, the drugs that we're giving you will enable you to work. Without them, you have a disability that will prevent you from leading the life that you want," Kevin explained. "The drugs don't make you stupid. They have a sedative effect, especially the anti-psychotic, because you've only taken it for three weeks. Your body will adjust to it better over time. You have two diseases that interfere with your brain function, and that is why you might experience problems with memory or learning. The tests that the day center administered are designed to help identify areas where you need assistance. They're intended to help you, not act as a punishment. The personnel at the day center are designing a curriculum that is personalized for you. It might help to look at it like going to a university and taking college courses. That's a good comparison. No one wants you to stay at the hospital. We're trying to help you to be independent and successful out on your own. Will you try the drug regime and accept that adjustments need to be made for two or three months before you form a permanent opinion?"

"I'll try," Lucky said. "But I don't like it."

"I imagine you don't. It's easier if everything works perfectly, but then it wouldn't be life if you never had a problem," Kevin stated.

"Are you going on the road with that?" Lucky answered smartly. "Is Oprah looking for a co-host?"

Kevin held Lucky's gaze without speaking, and Lucky colored. "Sorry," he muttered. "Okay, I'll give the drugs some more time."

"Why are you having difficulties with the younger children in the home?" Kevin asked.

"They want me to play with them all the time," Lucky stated with exasperation. He leaned forward. "I can't stand the television shows they watch or the songs they sing. The noises and the flashing colors make me feel sick and antsy. I'd rather be in my room on the computer or taking the dog for a walk."

"It's fine to have your preferences," Kevin replied. "But you do need to find mutually enjoyable ways to spend time and bond with your sister and cousin. Can you think of one activity that you could do with each of them? One that you're comfortable with?"

"Lucas and I can play baseball. That would help Tony out, too. He can't play sports with Lucas because of his hands. And Lucas needs exercise for his blood sugar. I can do that. Oh, and I'm on Ian's baseball team, so I could use the practice, too."

"Great. That solves several problems," Kevin said encouragingly.

"I don't know about Lulu," Lucky said. "I like to talk to her. She's pretty smart for a six-year-old. But she mainly likes girlie stuff or the same annoying things that Lucas does. I don't know what to do with her."

"How about including her in your walks? That would enable you to converse."

"Yeah, I'll think about it," Lucky stated. "I need to talk to her about our mom and dad anyway. Aunt Bobbie says Lulu needs to talk about them sometimes. I can answer any questions she has about our parents or the past."

"That would be nice for her. I'm sure she could use a big brother to talk to," Kevin said. He blinked in surprise when Lucky suddenly shot up from his chair and started pacing in front of Kevin's wall of bookcases. "Emily left me," he choked out.

"I'm sorry, Lucky, I didn't hear you."

Lucky turned toward Kevin but didn't meet his eyes. "Emily left me," he mumbled. "She hates me now, and I hate myself, too."

"Why, Lucky?"

"I told her what I did when I was on the run from the hospital," he spat out as his chest heaved with the force of his deep emotions. "I told her I cheated on her by sleeping with another girl, and she went ballistic. She told me she didn't want to see me again." A few tears escaped his eyes and made him angry. "Dammit!" he gritted as he turned away from Kevin and slapped both of his hands on the bookcase, hanging his head in defeat. He wiped furiously at the tears. I don't want to cry! he yelled. Stop it! Idiot, a voice with a Danish accent yelled at him. Lucky took in a deep breath and held it. Fucking Faison! Get out of my head!

"Have you tried to talk to her since then?" Kevin inquired.

Lucky shook his head. "Everybody told me to give her some room. I wrote her a letter yesterday and mailed it. I asked her if I could have coffee with her to explain some things. It was Nikolas' idea."

Kevin nodded approvingly. "That's a fine idea. Nikolas is a good brother."

"Yeah," Lucky agreed. "He has good ideas. My dad said I should tell Emily everything, lay it all out on the table. I'm going to do it otherwise she might leave me forever. I think I only have one more chance with her, so I should do whatever I can. Nikolas said that I might be more comfortable with her if she knows about...you know. All that stuff I learned with the hypnosis. The sex stuff. It's partly why I cheated on her, so she should know the real reasons."

"It's good to be open and honest in close relationships," Kevin agreed. "Those negative experiences are a part of you. If you want to share yourself with her, then that's part of the package."

"I know," Lucky strangled out, his back turned away from Kevin. "But that's the part that I hate."

Kevin rose from his desk and approached Lucky. He placed a hand on Lucky's shoulder, turning him around and giving him a brief hug. Kevin patted Lucky on the back. He placed both hands on Lucky's arms and looked him in the eye. "I'm proud of you," he said. "You're making some good decisions. Life's about taking chances and trusting people, sharing both the good and bad."

Lucky nodded with tear-filled eyes. "Okay, Oprah," he said with a snicker.

~*~*~*~

Later that day...

"Hold your glove closer to your body," Lucky instructed as he threw the softball in Lucas' direction. Lucas caught the ball and shouted in excitement, doing his own version of a mini victory dance. The back yard was private with a six-foot high fence surrounding the perimeter. Both boys were careful to avoid Bobbie's plantings, herbs, roses and other assorted flowers that brightened the Victorian exterior. Harley, however, had proven to be intractable, as he preferred to lie in the pachysandra, moving periodically to follow the pattern of sunspots that shifted with the position of the sun. He lay contentedly on top of a patch of purple petunias, wagging his tongue as he panted and watching the ball game with mellow doggie interest.

"I need to practice batting," Lucky stated as he picked up a wooden bat and ran it appraisingly through his hands to determine his best grip. "You go to the back of the property and try to catch any balls that I pop to you." Lucky threw the ball up into the air and hit it with a satisfying crack. Lucas jumped into the air and captured the ball in his leather mitt. Lucky repeated the process several times and then asked Lucas to practice pitching to him.

"Should we teach Harley to retrieve the ball?" Lucky joked when Lucas became winded running after the ball.

"Sure!" Lucas exclaimed. "Only he looks kind of lazy to me."

Lucky turned and shook his head at the sight of a sunning Harley with his nose in the air and his eyes closed in ecstasy.

The next time Lucky swung the bat, he yelped and dropped the bat onto the ground, holding his left wrist in his right hand and grimacing. He knelt down in the grass and rocked in pain.

Lucas ran to his cousin. "Did you hurt yourself?"

"Yeah," Lucky gritted between his teeth. He rubbed the sore tendons in his wrist and hissed sharply. "I think I pulled something," he said.

Lucas looked at Lucky's damaged wrist with its mass of scars and watched his cousin's face. "Did it hurt when you did that, when you hurt yourself?" he asked with the bluntness of a boy who was barely ten.

"I don't remember," Lucky answered honestly. "It probably did at the time."

"Why did you do it if it hurt?" .

Lucky looked up at his cousin while he rubbed the tendons in his arm. "Have you ever done something when you were really, really angry that you regretted later? Something like break a toy and then you wish you hadn't after you calmed down and thought about it?"

Lucas nodded solemnly. "I hate when I do that. Then I'm stuck with a toy that I can't play with and dad won't buy me another one."

Lucky held out his wrist. "It's kind of the same thing with my wrist. I was very upset and not thinking so I hurt myself without considering the consequences. Now it looks terrible and bothers me if I play baseball for too long. I wish I hadn't done it."

'But now you know better. You won't do it again." Lucas stated with simple wisdom. "That's how you learn."

Lucky smiled broadly at his youthful cousin, glad for his no-nonsense attitude. "Yep. You're right," he stated firmly, rising to his feet and patting Lucas on the head. "You're smart. Now why don't you pick up the bat, and I'll throw the ball to you with my good arm. I need the exercise chasing the balls."

~*~*~*~

Tony sat in his study, daydreaming for a minute before reading through his paperwork. He'd already kept his calendar clear for Monday in an attempt to extend his upcoming honeymoon with Bobbie. Tony opened up a file drawer in the oak desk. The study was understated with a predominance of warm yet masculine colors and sensible plaid fabric patterns suited to Tony's tastes. The wood-paneled room contained a bookcase for medical books and periodicals, a computer for connecting to GH even while at home, and a small tan loveseat for anyone caring to keep him company while he filed or sorted through papers.

Tony sat back in his brown leather executive chair and laid a foot on the opened file drawer, wrapping his fingers behind his head and watching Lucky and Lucas practicing baseball. They're good together, he thought. They got along fine before Lucky was hospitalized. I'm so glad that Lucas has someone to play sports with him. It does Lucky good to act as the older sibling, makes him feel more empowered and useful.

The insistent ring of a  portable telephone interrupted Tony's reverie. He picked it up and pressed the 'On' button. "Hello?"

"Tony, it's your brother, Frisco."

Tony laughed. "This is a welcome surprise. Did you finally remember that you have an older brother? It's good to talk to you. What's up?"

"I received your note about your impending marriage," Frisco stated. "Do I have an invitation?"

"Always," Tony replied cheerfully. "I'd love to have you here." He picked up a pen and began doodling on his desk calendar, first making circles and then connecting them to triangles with dotted lines.

Frisco sighed. "It's partly business," he explained.

"How so?"

"We've been tracking Faison over the past month. He's been in Europe most of the time, primarily in Denmark, but he just crossed into Canada. We suspect he's en route to Port Charles."

"What?" Tony asked incredulously, dropping the pen from his fingers, causing it to roll off the desk and plink onto the wooden floor. "He's not after Lucky, is he? Stefan Cassadine was the one responsible for Lucky's kidnapping, and now he's dead. What does Faison want with Lucky?"

"He might be after the kid," Frisco admitted. "Faison is quite the eccentric. He doesn't like informants." Silence grew on the line as two brothers contemplated the deadly meaning of those words.

"So Lucky's in danger?" Tony asked softly. "He's living at home with us. What about the rest of the family? Are we all at risk?"

"No," Frisco replied. "Although he's demented, we've profiled Faison as being a thorough man, only interested in his intended targets. We suspect he'll try to kill Lucky to remove any potential avenue for prosecution if he's ever caught. He knows that we're on his trail, and he's cleaning up loose ends."

"Should Lucky go into hiding? Stay with the WSB until Faison is caught?" Tony asked tensely as the hysteria rose inside him. "I don't think it would be good for him to be separated from the family, but I want to ensure his safety."

"The best option is to keep Lucky in sight and flush out Faison. That's what I'm advocating. I could set up the sting when I come to town to attend your wedding."

"I don't want Lucky's life endangered," Tony warned. "That's not an option."

"The kid's life is in danger as long as Faison is free," Frisco reasoned. "He's not safe now. This is a step in the direction of removing the madman from society. We'll place bugs on your phones, provide 24-hour security, all the protection you need. He'll be much safer this way."

"There's no other possible plan?" Tony asked. "Lucky's been through enough. He can't handle any more trauma. This Faison business almost killed him - literally. Surely you understand that, Frisco. Lucky needs protection."

"I know," Frisco replied. "That's why we want to put Faison away for good. The sadistic goon going to pay, Tony. I'll stake my reputation on it."

"Okay," Tony stated with resignation. "When will you be in town?"

"Friday night."

"You'll have to bunk with Lucky," Tony warned. "He's taken over the guest room. There's a trundle bed that you can use."

"Can't be any worse than sharing a room with you," Frisco kidded. "You snore. Plus your socks stink."

"Ever so charming, that's my younger brother," Tony shot back. He hesitated. "You do know that Felicia and Mac will be at the wedding."

"I figured," Frisco stated in a tone that spoke of his discomfort. "But I'll be there for you."

"Thanks. I love you, Frisco."

"Love you, too, Tony."

~*~*~*~

"Uncle Tony." Lulu's small voice called out in the hallway, and Tony looked up from his desk. Lulu tentatively poked her head around the corner of the study, her long, black-brown hair hanging from the side of her head as she leaned over with a mischievous smile crossing her face.

"Come here, you," Tony said jovially. "What's on your mind, little one?"

"Lucky and Lucas are playing outside, Aunt Bobbie is talking on the phone to Aunt Felicia, I'm lonely and so can I bring my dolls in here and play while you work?" Lulu rattled out her request in one breath. She smiled broadly, showing several missing teeth.

"Sure," Tony replied. "Come sit with me for a minute." He opened his arms, and Lulu hopped onto his lap, affectionately leaning her head against him. "What are you doing?" she asked curiously as she inspected the room.

"I was finishing up some paperwork, but lately I've been watching your brother and Lucas play baseball. My mind's been wandering."

"They won't let me play their boy games, but that's okay, I won't let them play my girl games," Lulu stated. She crossed her arms and frowned.

"Lulu, your brother said he was going to take you to the park tomorrow. Can you look forward to that?" Tony smoothed his hand over her hair to reassure her of her brother's affections.

Lulu hopped off of Tony's lap and smiled at him. "Okay," she said. "I forgot about that. I have to go find my dolls. Don't leave."

Tony laughed. "I won't," he promised. A sad expression crossed his features as he recalled that Lucky had been Lulu's age when he'd experienced horrific abuse at the hands of his mother. How fortunate they removed Lulu out from Laura's home before it was too late.

~*~*~*~

"Aunt Bobbie?" Lucky stood in front of his aunt with an anxious expression on his face. He was holding his left wrist in his hand and shifting from one foot to another. Bobbie glanced at her nephew and muted the television as she rose from the leather sofa.

"Lucky, what's wrong? Did you hurt yourself?"

"Yeah, I did something to my wrist when I was practicing batting with Lucas. I swung the bat and felt something pull or strain. It still hurts, so I thought maybe you could look at it?"

"Come over here by the light," Bobbie instructed as she motioned toward an end table lamp in the living room. "Let me see." Lucky stuck out his left arm and removed his protectively encircling hand from his wrist. Bobbie gently pressed into his wrist and moved her fingers over the tendons. "Flex your hand slowly," she stated. Lucky complied as his aunt checked out the motion of his tendons. "There's a small amount of swelling," she noted. "Did they give you a splint at the hospital?"

Lucky nodded. "It's more like a wrist brace. They had me wear it at night while the tendons were healing." His eyes betrayed his fear. "I didn't hurt it again, did I?"

"Only minimally," Bobbie quickly replied. "Do you still have your brace?"

"Uh-huh. I took it home with me. It's in my dresser drawer."

Bobbie patted his arm and released it. "Let's find you an ice pack. You can place it on ice for an hour and then wear your wrist brace for several days. I think you're all right. You don't need a doctor. I would take it easy and not play sports for the rest of the week, though. Tylenol should help for any pain." Bobbie looked at the wrist again. "Did the physical therapist give you any exercises to do?"

Lucky looked away from his aunt and didn't meet her eyes. "Yeah. I didn't do them, though."

"Lucky, why not?" Bobbie asked seriously. "You want your wrist to heal properly, don't you?"

Lucky shrugged. "I don't know. I had other things on my mind, and I couldn't look at it. It was hard to do the exercises while looking away." He blushed with shame. "I don't know," he said. He held his head down, and his bangs fell into his eyes. "I'm sorry. Don't be mad at me."

Bobbie's eyes softened at Lucky's distress. "I'm not judging you," she said. "I'm only trying to help. I want you to get better because I love you."

Lucky's lips trembled as he choked back a sob, and Bobbie drew him into a big hug, not letting him go. "You know that I love you, don't you, Lucky?"

Lucky nodded wordlessly, his chin brushing his aunt's shoulder. "Yeah," he whispered.

Bobbie separated from Lucky and placed her hand under his chin, lifting it so their eyes met. "Tell you what. I'll ask the physical therapist to give me a copy of your exercises. When your wrist is healed up in a few days, I'll work with you so you can start them up again. We'll have your wrist working much better. How's that?"

"Okay," Lucky agreed, his face brightening. "I'll try this time. I need to get back in shape so I can play ball on Ian's team."

~*~*~*~

Emily opened the envelope that Reginald had given her when she returned home after spending time at her friend Wendy's house. There was no return address, but the postmark was stamped Port Charles. Curious, she wandered over to her bed and sat down, curling her legs under one another. Hmm...wonder what this is? The handwriting on the envelope looked familiar, but she didn't immediately recognize it.

Emily removed the stationary and unfolded it. She frowned and felt excited and angry at the same time when her eyes immediately moved to the signature, which read: Lucky. With dread and anticipation, she started reading the letter. After finishing, she folded it in thirds again and returned it to the envelope, opening her nightstand drawer and placing it in there. Her eye caught a flash of silver, and her slender fingers looped around a silver chain. She pulled out half of a heart, the pendant that she'd bought so long ago to prove her love for Lucky. She reached for the second chain, wishing that she'd given it back to him when they'd had their recent date. They'd taken the chain and pendant away from him in the hospital. At the time she'd been naïve, but now she understood that he could have hurt himself with it by strangulation with the chain or by using the sharp pendant edge to cut his skin. He would have hurt himself given the chance, she thought sadly.

Heavy sadness invaded Emily's heart when she thought about Lucky's request to meet her and to explain. Is any excuse enough to make a difference? she wondered. I'm sorry he's had a hard life, but maybe he's not the person for me. Emily reached for the jewelry and placed the two hearts together. Although jagged and torn, the two hearts joined perfectly, making the seam between them invisible. I'll talk to him, she decided. I love him enough to hear him out.

But, her friend Wendy had suggested waiting, making Lucky sweat wondering what she'd do. Why be nice to him when he hurt her so badly? Torn, Emily hesitated as she reached for the phone to call Lucky. One second of indecision was enough to activate her pride, and she removed her fingers from the smooth plastic. I'll call him next week. Make him wait.

~*~*~*~

Lucky turned on the shower and sighed. He hated taking showers, but he wanted to get in and out quickly, scrubbing away the grime of the day - and the day before since he hadn't had time to take one that morning. Baths took too long. Besides, he welcomed the distracting noise of the water pelting against the shower curtain, its steady rhythm soothing to his frayed nerves. He was embarrassed because he'd had to go to Tony a few minutes ago for one of the tranquilizers that he'd been prescribed to assist him if he felt unusually stressed.

The day center activities, appointment with Kevin, and a hurt wrist all jammed together in his brain and set his nerves on edge. When he was this stressed out, he usually heard Faison in his head, taunting him and ridiculing him, telling him what an idiot he was or that he should go and hide or kill himself because no one cared about him anymore. It was what he'd heard daily during his captivity. Would Faison ever be truly out of his life or was he fated to be saddled with the Danish madman for an eternity? The same could be said of his mother and her horrible laughter that jangled at him day and night. He no longer had the weird, eerie dreams that had followed him before his hypnosis, but her harmful presence never really left him either. He didn't think he'd ever stop hearing that laughter. But, he was tired and wanted to sleep well, so he'd asked for the tranquilizer. Tony had asked him if he was all right upon handing him the pill, and Lucky had lied, saying that everything was fine, and he only needed to mellow out so he could sleep without wandering around the house at night.

Lucky didn't know how honest he could be with his uncle or anyone else. He still was under the impression that if he made one false move, they'd lock him up again. Nothing that Tony or Kevin said made a dent in his fears and so he resorted to holding in his feelings, not sharing his anxieties. He wanted to present a calm face that no one would dispute as being sane, but he failed to realize that his hold on a normal life depended on his openness to other people. Instead, he slipped into a familiar pattern of emotional distance and secrecy.

Emily's abrupt departure from his life saddened him deeply, and he cried as he soaped up and rinsed off. What would he do, rather what could he do if she didn't respond to his note? He ran his fingers over the rough scarring on his abdomen. He'd been so worried about showing Emily his scars, but what if he never had the opportunity now? What if she never spoke to him again? Angry with himself for screwing things up, Lucky savagely raked his nails over his scalp as he washed his hair. Dammit, dammit, dammit.

He'd felt so much better right before he left the hospital - he was a new and improved Lucky. But, he hadn't figured on how hard it would be to live with a family and start so many new activities all at once. He'd been lulled by his success in the low key, nondemanding atmosphere of the hospital, not to mention that it was so much easier to avoid alcohol and drugs in that restrictive environment. He'd already had to call his AA sponsor twice since he'd been home. A shiver of fear ran up his spine. Was he going to make it? He'd also discovered that he was indeed addicted to tobacco, unable to resist smoking several times a day with his ability to take smoking breaks at the day center. How had he become addicted so soon? He'd planned to quit smoking, but now the difficulty of that task loomed large. If he started lifting weights again, he'd probably become addicted to the endorphins released through exercise. Lucky imagined himself bulking up to Arnold Schwartzenegger's size. Yeah, right, he laughed to himself as he looked down at his lean, small-boned physique. He snorted and shook his head. Isn't this what they call a swimmer's build?

~*~*~*~

"Come on, boy, let's look in the bookcase," Lucky murmured as he led Harley through the dark Victorian house. The children had long since gone to bed, and Tony and Bobbie had also retired for the night. Harley's toenails clinked along the hardwood floors as he followed his master into the living room. Lucky was wearing only an old teeshirt and briefs, and his bare feet made no noise as he padded through the room. There were three floor to ceiling bookcases lining the wall on one end of the room directly opposite a large bay window. Lucky turned on a nearby lamp and squinted at the book titles as he leaned to the side, searching for a particular book.

Tony and Bobbie had quite a book collection between them ranging from romances to home repair and the social sciences. Lucas and Lulu had an entire shelf of children's books, but Lucky didn't have even one book to add to the collection. Neither Luke nor Laura had been readers - Luke prefered more physical activities and Laura had been content to tend to the house and gardens. They hadn't passed on a reading tradition, and the few books that Lucky owned before the fire had been trashed with the rest of his possessions. After his return and until the present time, he'd been preoccupied with matters of survival. Hobbies and intellectual pursuits had taken a back door to staying warm and finding enough to eat. But now, Lucky's intellectual curiosity was returning, and he was ready to reach out and learn more about the world.

Finally, Lucky found a book outlining building and construction techniques, and he pulled it off of the shelf and opened it to the table of contents, using his index finger to peruse the listed chapters. Nodding, he located the chapters on drywall and finishing, and he laid the book on the sofa behind him. He placed a large bible on top of the construction book and turned off the lamp, patting Harley on the back as he scooped up the books.

~*~*~*~

Tony slipped into bed beside Bobbie and sighed, leaning back into his pillow. "I have something to tell you," he said wearily.

"I was wondering when you'd get around to it," Bobbie replied with dancing eyes. She poked Tony in the ribs. "You know you can't keep anything from me."

"Female intuition. I'd forgotten about it." Tony wrapped an arm around Bobbie and pulled her closer to him. "I spoke to Frisco this evening after supper. He called me and asked if he could come to our wedding on Saturday."

Bobbie turned her head and looked Tony in the eyes with a bright smile on her face. "Tony, that's wonderful! You miss your brother. It'll be nice to see him."

"Maybe," Tony replied unenthusiastically. "He's coming for business as well."

"Business? What could he want in Port Charles?"

"It's Lucky. Frisco has been tracking Faison and discovered that he recently crossed into Canada. He thinks that Faison may be after Lucky because he wants to eliminate any possible witnesses to his crimes. The WSB surveillance backfired in a way since now Faison is aware that he's being watched. He's a squirrelly one. Frisco called him a sadistic goon, and I tend to agree."

"But what does Frisco intend to do? Will he protect Lucky? And what about the rest of the family? Tony, I'm really concerned." Bobbie's eyes sought Tony's face for a reaction, and she tensely took hold of his hand.

"Frisco thinks the best course is to sit tight and allow the WSB to set up surveillance around Lucky. He wants to bug our phone, set up guards, that type of thing. He thinks that having Lucky available will cause Faison to come out of hiding."

"But what does Faison want with Lucky? He wants to kidnap him again? Why? Stefan is dead. He was the mastermind behind the kidnapping."

Tony's face sank, and he looked very concerned. "Frisco thinks that Faison wants to kill Lucky, probably to wipe out all traces of his crime. Frisco said that a profile on the madman indicated that he's very purposeful and directed in his actions. He doesn't think that Faison will try to harm any of us."

"But what if one of us gets in the way?" Bobbie protested. "We have Lucas and Lulu to think of, not to mention our own lives. Can't Frisco keep Lucky in a safehouse until this is over?"

"Not really. Faison needs to strike in order to be brought down. And, I don't think that Lucky would adjust well to captivity, even if it were in a safehouse with the WSB. I can't say that I'm not worried, because I am, but Frisco gave me every assurance that they'd protect Lucky. He said he'd stake his career on it."

Bobbie scoffed. "Well, that's easy enough for him to say. We're living with and caring for Lucky. It's not the same."

Tony sighed and turned to face Bobbie. "I know," he said quietly. "Right now, I'm worried about what to tell Lucky. Do we give him the whole story, part of it or none of it? What can he handle? And can he forgive us for keeping information from him? He's very suspicious and skittish as it is. I don't want to damage the trust and rapport that we've established with him."

"I think we're going to have to tell him something, Tony. He has a right to know if his attacker is after him. But, I'm very concerned about his reaction to this. He's not totally stable yet. He's still struggling and trying to adjust to being outside of the hospital. What will this do to him? I don't know." Bobbie bit on her lower lip as tears rose in her eyes. "I'm afraid, Tony."

Tony hugged Bobbie, and both of them clung to each other out of fear and uncertainty.

"Frisco said he'd be here Friday night. Perhaps we should wait until he arrives and have him talk to Lucky. How's that sound?"

"And what do we do in the meantime, Tony?" Bobbie shook her head. "What about our wedding? We were going to leave Lucky alone with Nikolas for the weekend. Do you think that's wise now?"

"Bobbie, what could you or I do anyway if Faison decided to knock on the door?" Tony asked. "We don't own firearms. Are you going to attack him with a poker from the fireplace?"

"I will if I have to," Bobbie replied with Spencer fire and determination.

Tony rubbed Bobbie's hands. "I know. You're protective, and that's one of the reasons that I love you so much. Bobbie, Lucky asked me for an extra tranquilizer tonight. He's very nervous already without knowing about this. I think it's best if we watch him closely but wait for Frisco. He has experience relating to many people in all kinds of cases. I think we can trust him with Lucky. We'll sit tight for two days until Frisco arrives."

Next...

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