Devolution TOC

Chapter 111

Frisco ran the towel over his hair with a brisk motion, drying it after his shower. He looked around the bathroom with appreciation for Bobbie's homey decorating touches. I'm glad Tony is remarrying her, he thought. Bobbie's great. She's smart, talented, has a big heart and is very loving. How did my brother get so lucky? Frisco sighed and looked down at his left hand where he used to sport a gold band that had bound him to Felicia for life - at least that's what he'd vowed on their wedding day. How did it go so wrong? he wondered. I suppose the problems unfold day by day until they're too large to overcome. Still, it doesn't stop me from being lonely or missing my family. Nothing like attending a wedding to get one to thinking.

Frisco looked in the mirror at his face as he carefully combed his smooth, blond hair. Fine lines had started to form around his eyes and deeper lines edged his nose and mouth, remnants of many years of laughing and joking and smiling. Physically, he was wearing his approaching middle age very well, but he frowned at himself instead of smiling. Having a jovial, good sense of humor and prodigious charm had done nothing over the years to firm his resolve or heighten a sense of responsibility towards his family. He was actually allowing another man to raise his children. Frisco sighed deeply. Thank goodness for Mac. He'd chosen a career over the daily care and guidance of Maxie and Georgie; it was their stepfather who was attentive and affectionate toward his daughters. It was as obvious to him as he was sure it was to them. Even Tony got the cold shoulder from his brother. Frisco laughed derisively. Business before all. That was his motto of course.

Frisco wrapped a towel around his narrow hips and reached for the blow-dryer. I'm all business when it comes to Lucky Spencer. The kid is going to have his justice. It was good to place guards around his brother as well. Nikolas Cassadine is a potential target for the madman since his criminal uncle hadn't paid up. That wouldn't sit too well with Cesar Faison. Not at all. The man is as mercenary as he is sadistic.

~*~*~*~

Frisco quietly slipped into the bedroom. He dug through his expertly packed suitcase for clean socks. His suit was still hanging in the closet next to Lucky's, both wrinkle-free and ready for the ceremony. Frisco looked over at Lucky as he sat on the edge of the trundle bed and pulled on his socks. He located a clean undershirt, pulled it over his head, and reached for the leather gun holster that he'd carried with him to the shower.

For as restless as Lucky had been during the darkest parts of the night, he sure was dead to the world this morning. He'd never moved a muscle, and Frisco had bent over him briefly before heading to the shower, a little anxious to see if he were still breathing. Frisco's eyes flickered to his watch, and he sighed. I'll have to wake him up and get him going, he decided. I heard Bobbie rustling around in the kitchen when I walked down the hallway. She's probably making a big breakfast, knowing her.

"Hey, Lucky," Frisco said in a quiet voice that indicated his desire not to startle the kid. "Lucky," he repeated a bit louder. Frisco watched Lucky's regular breathing and placed a hand on his hip with a trace of nervousness. I don't want to freak the kid out. Maybe I should get Tony. Oh, this is stupid, Frisco. He jostled Lucky on the shoulder. "Lucky, wake up."

Lucky groaned and turned over on his stomach as he blearily raised his head. "Yeah?"

"The bathroom's free," Frisco offered. "You can get in now. Bobbie's cooking breakfast."

Lucky closed his eyes and frowned. He raised himself to a sitting position and sighed as he yawned and rubbed his head. "Okay."

~*~*~*~

Lucky ran his electric razor over his face, working it over every inch so that his face would be smooth for the wedding pictures. After the wedding, he planned to grow out his facial hair into a mustache and goatee like he'd worn in the hospital for months. Emily's never seen me with a beard. I wonder if she'd like it? Lucky's face fell when he realized it had been a week since he'd last talked to Emily. She hadn't responded to his letter, and he knew she'd had it in her possession for days. Maybe she never would talk to him again. There has to be a way to contact her. I'm still crazy about her. How can she fall out of love so easily? Are all women that way? Or is it just me that nobody wants? His mind idly roamed over his mother and Elizabeth, and his jaw clenched as his emotions hardened and a burning anger simmered in his heart.

Lucky leaned heavily against the porcelain sink, his fingers gripping the edges tightly with his white knuckles, as he fought off a sudden, intrusive urge to cut himself. His head hung down, and his long bangs swayed back and forth as he shook his head briskly. "No." He raised his head and ran his hand over his face. His eyes roamed the room, but he didn't see any sharp objects. His shaking hands rapidly pulled open several drawers in the bathroom cabinet, loudly rifling through the items but finding nothing suitable. The tears formed in his eyes as he made several frustrated sounds, almost a whimper of confusion and anger. "There's nothing here." Lucky abruptly sat down on the ceramic tile floor and laid his head on his raised knees as he cried and rubbed the towel that wrapped around his hips. His toes gripped the cold tile surface as wave after wave of hot emotion poured over him. After several minutes, he wiped his face off with the sweeping motion of his forearm. "Dammit." Lucky rose from the floor and left the bathroom without remembering to comb or dry his hair.

~*~*~*~

I have to get in a better mood. This is the wedding. I'm Tony's best man. This should be a perfect day for him. Lucky tried to smile, but he couldn't quite manage it as he ran his fingers over the soft fabric of his new suit. He stood by the closet in his dirty old jeans, not wanting to put on his new clothes until he'd walked Harley. You're stupid. You're an obligation. Run away. Lucky's face turned red as he held his breath, and his eyes looked desperate and pleading. "You're random thoughts, nothing else," he said angrily. Lucky marched over to his desk and frantically searched for one of the books he'd borrowed from the bookcase in the living room. He opened up a construction book and began reading aloud from the first chapter to drown out the heckling voice. Kevin had instructed him to try to divert his attention by reading aloud for several minutes. It was a technique that worked for some people and helped them to ignore the hallucinations.

Lucky was droning on about the techniques of preparing and applying joint compound over plasterboard when Frisco entered the room. Lucky continued to read for several seconds, unaware of Frisco's presence. Frisco cleared his throat, and Lucky dropped the book to the floor in shock. Lucky's panicked face met Frisco's oncern as the older man's eyes registered the scars that littered Lucky's chest and torso, some of them self-inflicted, and some of them not.

"I'm sorry to startle you, Lucky. I knocked, but you didn't hear me. Bobbie asked me to tell you breakfast was on the table. Are you coming down soon?" Frisco was puzzled at why Lucky would be reading a boring construction book out loud, and he wondered at the strange look in Lucky's eyes. I hope he makes it through the wedding. Tony said he was doing so much better, but this Faison mess must have thrown him for a loop. Maybe I can introduce him to some of the guards so he'll at least feel like he knows that people are watching out for him.

"How would you like to meet some of your guards before you walk your dog this morning?" he asked. "You said you'd feel safer if you saw an actual person."

Lucky nodded slowly. "I'd like that. Thanks."

"See you at breakfast," Frisco said. He exited the bedroom and quietly closed the door.

~*~*~*~

Frisco was walking toward the kitchen at the same time as Tony, and he motioned his brother to the parlor. "I need to talk to you for a sec," he said.

Tony looked concerned. "What's up?"

Frisco looked to the floor and shifted his feet. "It's about Lucky. He seems off to me. I just came from his room to tell him that breakfast was ready, and he was reading a construction book out loud. When I spoke, I looked at him, and his eyes didn't seem right to me."

Tony was flooded with emotion. "What do you mean by his eyes not looking right?"

Frisco shrugged. "He didn't sleep much last night and seemed to have a lot of nightmares. Maybe that's it. I don't know. He just seemed odd to me, for want of a better word. I offered to introduce him to some of his guards, and he liked that. I want to help set his mind at ease if I can. He's awfully nervous, not that I blame him." Frisco's mind reflected on the scars he'd seen on the boy.

Tony ran a hand over his hair. "Thanks, Frisco. He should feel better if he knows the guards. His psychiatrist has prescribed a tranquilizer to help him through this weekend, and Monday he'll meet with him to decide whether or not he needs hospitalization. The stress is what's causing this. He was improving by leaps and bounds. Not perfect, but steady progress. The sooner this is over the better. I feel bad about leaving Lucky with his brother, but Nikolas assures me he'll be fine. He has all of the instructions and phone numbers, so I guess he can handle the situation as well as any of us." Tony shook his head.

Frisco's face softened as he looked at his older brother. "I'm happy you're marrying Bobbie again," he said. "You always made the perfect couple. Bobbie's wonderful. Congratulations."

Tony hugged his brother and patted him on the back. "Your visit here is a wonderful surprise for all of us. Sure we can't talk you into staying longer?"

Frisco smiled wistfully. "Maybe someday. For now, duty calls."

~*~*~*~

"Good morning, Lucky," Bobbie said brightly as Lucky entered the kitchen. Her eyes swept over her nephew, and she felt a sharp sense of concern. He was dressed in his dirty, ragged jeans and cutoff sweatshirt, and his eyes were still red from his earlier bout of crying in the bathroom. His hair was very untidy with hair sticking up in several directions and his long bangs falling in his eyes.

"Coffee," Lucky answered as he headed toward the coffee pot. Damn. He'd forgotten that Tony was making decaf these days. Lucky headed toward the pantry to search for a jar of regular instant coffee or a Diet Coke at the least. He found the Diet Coke first and settled for filling a tall glass with ice and pouring in the soft drink. He carried it to the table and sat next to Frisco and Lucas with an unceremonious thud. He quickly drained half of the glass and burped. Lucas laughed and elbowed Lucky in the ribs. "Excuse you," he said loudly.

Tony raised an eyebrow. "The Pepsi generation," he teased.

"Coke," Lucky replied.

"You have your choice of hash browns, sausage, bacon, eggs and toast," Bobbie recited.

"Okay," Lucky said as his finger played with a drop of condensation rolling down his glass.

"What do you want, Lucky?"

"What?" Lucky looked toward his aunt with confusion.

"I asked you what you wanted to eat for breakfast." Bobbie searched Lucky's face, and Lucky blinked rapidly, feeling pressured by the question.

"I don't know," he said and resignedly placed his forehead in his hand. "I don't know."

"He's always bad in the morning," Lucas announced to Frisco. "I remember when he spit up his orange juice and claimed that dad was poisoning him. He swore at us, too."

"Shut up," Lucky retorted angrily, banging his elbows down onto the table and refusing to look at anyone. His shoulders moved up and down with the rapid breaths that he took, and he moved his hands to the back of his neck.

Tony shot Lucas a look, and Lucas shifted uneasily in his seat, aware that he was running his mouth again. It was hard. He was only trying to impress Uncle Frisco. He felt like he couldn't do anything right. Lucas sadly looked down at his plate and played with a piece of toast.

Bobbie tapped Lucky on the shoulder. "I gave you a small serving of each," she said. "You can decide what you want to eat." Lucky raised his head and stared hard at the plate that Bobbie had placed in front of him. The bright yellow scrambled eggs scared him as reminders of Faison flooded his mind. Faison had often drugged his food, but Lucky never knew when he did or didn't - there was no way to tell. Only after he ate would his stomach sometimes contract with pain, and his mind and vision became blurry. Several times his eggs had been drugged.

Lucky's hand shook, and as hard as he tried, he couldn't will himself to eat. A bead of cold sweat broke out on his forehead when he realized that everyone was staring at him, waiting for him to do something. He started breathing faster and said in a strained voice, "I can't. It's poisoned. He's going to do it, and nobody will believe me. They'll think I'm dead but I'm not." Lucky took in gulps of air, and his lips trembled with emotion. Suddenly, he shot up from the table and ran for the side door. Tony watched him from the back kitchen window and felt relieved when Lucky headed for Harley's doghouse, taking the dog by the collar and fastening a leash.

"He thinks everything is poisoned," Lucas muttered.

Tony and Bobbie's eyes met briefly, and Bobbie wondered if they could use some more family counseling.

"Hi Uncle Frisco!" Lulu's bright voice rang out. She was mildly infatuated with this handsome new man and had fixed her hair with a flowery headband to impress him.

"Hi Lulu," Frisco replied. "You look special this morning."

Lulu lowered her eyelashes and smiled as she took a seat next to Lucas. "Where's Lucky?"

"He wouldn't eat again," Lucas sighed.

"He's walking the dog," Bobbie said. "He'll have a bite to eat when he returns."

~*~*~*~

Tony was waiting alone at the kitchen table when Lucky returned. "I laid your pills beside your soft drink," he said. "What can I give you that you're comfortable eating?"

Lucky's eyes looked sad as he glanced at the plates stacked up by the sink and noticed the people missing from the table. He sucked on his lower lip as he thought. "Cereal," he answered in a small voice. Faison had never fed him cereal in the compound.

"Sounds good," Tony commented as he rounded up three kinds of cereal and placed them in front of Lucky.

Lucky rapidly swallowed his pills. "They're not working," he said flatly.

"What do you mean?" Tony questioned.

Tears formed in Lucky's eyes, and he half-heartedly kicked his heels at the legs of his chair. "I'm…I'm trying," he began, at a loss to explain his dilemma. His hands were folded on the table and his eyes cast down. "I don't feel well," he said. "The pills don't help. I need something different. I'm going to tell Kevin."

"It's good you're keeping track of how you feel," Tony stated as he took a seat across from his nephew. "If you work closely with Kevin, he can find the right medications for you. I know it's hard, but sometimes it takes several tries to find the right one."

Lucky's jaw worked, but no words came out. Finally, he spoke up. "I want this to be the best day for you, Tony. I feel like I'm ruining it. I don't want this. I want to be normal. I can't think, and everything's mixed up." He hung his head in defeat.

Tony reached out and placed his hand on top of Lucky's. "You don't have to be perfect for me or anyone else," he said. "I can decide whether or not I'm having a good day. I am, and I'm happy."

Lucky gave Tony a brief smile. "I want you to know that I'm so glad you're remarrying Aunt Bobbie. I've wanted that for a long time."

"I know. And I'll always be grateful to you for coming into my life again and reintroducing me to your aunt. You've made my life so much better."

"Really?" Lucky's eyes looked wary yet hopeful.

"Really."

~*~*~*~

Tony slipped his hands around Bobbie's waist in a stealth maneuver, and she jumped. "You scared me, Tony," she protested as she set down the makeup bag she was packing for the wedding.

Tony turned her around and kissed away her complaint. Bobbie laid her head on his chest, and he smoothed a hand over her curls. "I'm glad we're getting married," he said. "You mean everything to me."

Bobbie hugged Tony tightly and sighed. "This feels so right. My place is with you and your place is with me. We make a good team."

"Doesn't hurt that you're gorgeous," Tony murmured as he leaned in for another kiss and allowed his hand to lower from her waist to her hip.

Bobbie patted Tony on the stomach. "You're not so bad looking yourself. You've been jogging for months. Don't think I haven't noticed."

Tony's face betrayed a small, surprised smile, and he laughed. "When is Felicia coming by?"

"She'll be here to pick us up in an hour," Bobbie stated. "Frisco is driving you, Lucky and Lucas. Nikolas will meet us there."

Tony's face turned serious. "I know we'll be on our honeymoon, but I'd like to call home once a day to talk to Nikolas and Lucky. Will that bother you?"

"Heavens, no. It'll put my mind at ease, too. At least we'll be here in town in case something happens, God forbid."

~*~*~*~

Lucky's hand brushed the cool plastic surface of his phone. He hesitated and then picked it up and cradled it in his hand as he tapped his index finger nervously. Emily was supposed to be with me today. We were excited about attending the wedding together. That's all we talked about for a week. He dialed the phone number he'd committed to memory, and he swallowed hard as his heart beat fiercely. He held his breath when he entered the last number and listened to the connection being made. After the first ring, he abruptly lost his nerve and hung up the phone. He stared at it for minutes, but turned instead to his closet and pulled out his new suit. He quietly and rapidly dressed, leaving the difficult job of tying his tie for last.

A crushing sense of sadness and loneliness overtook Lucky, and he slowly sat down on his bed with despair pouring over him. Dear God, I need you to help me. Please keep me sane and help me to act right today. Give my aunt and uncle a nice wedding, the best ever. Thank you for protecting me from Faison so far and please, please help me to ignore his voice. And Emily. Be nice to Emily. Ask her to give me a chance. Amen.

Lucky smiled and left the room.

~*~*~*~

Emily stood by the nightstand in her bedroom. She hadn't forgotten what day this was. Tony and Bobbie were getting married today, and she'd been invited to the wedding as Lucky's guest. It had been exactly one week since they'd spoken, and Emily wasn't sure how much longer she could ignore Lucky. The strong emotions behind her decision to shut him out had faded, and the reasons for her "make him wait" strategy were becoming vague and ill-defined. She'd talked to her grandfather about Lucky over breakfast this morning, and he'd urged her to make up her mind and contact him, if only to tell him that they were no longer a couple. She owed it to him.

Emily jumped when the phone suddenly rang. She nervously spread her hands over her jeans, wiping away imaginary dirt. Lucky? Emily frowned and reached for the phone. "Hello?" No one was on the other line - it was a hang up caller. Emily looked at the phone with a frown and went to place it back down, but changed her mind. I'll call Lucky. She pressed the numbers into the phone and tapped her foot while it rang. No one answered, and after the third ring, she suddenly felt shy and unsure of herself, at a loss for words.

Emily hung up the phone and walked over to her walk-in closet. She ran her hands through a row of brightly colored dresses until she reached the turquoise blue fabric that she was searching for. She pulled the garment off of the hanger and draped it over her body as she looked into the full length mirror. It was a designer dress, a gift from one of her employers. Valente had told her no one else should ever wear this dress that so illuminated her unique beauty and charm. He'd insisted that she take it as a gift, a token of his esteem and admiration for her. She'd accepted the dress with pleasure. Valente was gay, and he definitely wasn't hitting on her. The dress shimmered with its custom, hand painted batik appearance with shades of gold and turquoise, depending on the light gliding over it or the sinuous movement of her body. Emily slipped it over her head and let its fabric drape over her lean torso and hips. She fluffed her freshly washed hair over her shoulders and stared at her reflection in the mirror. She smiled with anticipation and walked over to her makeup stand.

~*~*~*~

"Aunt Bobbie, this tie is driving me nuts!" Lucky stood in the doorway to the master bedroom and leaned forlornly against the doorframe with a defeated look on his face and a wrangled tie hanging limply from his neck.

Bobbie looked up from packing her honeymoon suitcase and laughed with one hand on her hip. "Lucas Lorenzo Spencer, Junior. What have you done to yourself? Come here."

Bobbie led Lucky over to the dresser mirror and made him stand in front of her. "We'll fix this tie up," she said. She smoothed and twisted it while she watched her movements in the mirror. "You must have grown two inches in the last few months. You're almost as tall as your father now."

Lucky sighed and jiggled around nervously. "I can probably count the number of times I've worn a tie on one hand, you know. It's a mystery."

"There!" Bobbie said proudly as she patted her nephew on the shoulder. "How's that?"

Lucky squinted into the mirror and pulled on the bottom of the tie. "Looks great. Feels like crap."

"You'll survive. Better than wearing pantyhose all day. Don't complain."

Lucky screwed up his face. "Aunt Bobbie!"

Bobbie picked up a brush from her dresser and ran it over her nephew's hair. "Let's get those cowlicks in place," she said. Lucky coughed and hacked when she sprayed a light mist of hairspray over his head.

"Aw, come on," he protested. "Why'd you have to do that?"

"You want your hair to stay in place, don't you? Tony uses hairspray. A lot of men do."

"My dad would never wear hairspray," Lucky snorted.

"No, I suppose he wouldn't," Bobbie replied. "He favors the messy look, but he's losing his hair. You have your mother's hair." Bobbie ran a light hand over the back of Lucky's hair. "It's so pretty and thick. You should try to keep it nice."

Lucky's face set, and he moved away from his aunt. "Don't want to look like her," he mumbled as his eyes darkened.

Bobbie laughed lightly and steered the conversation into a more neutral direction. "Well, you are the spitting image of your father sometimes," she stated. Bobbie's eyes softened when she noticed Lucky's distress. "But your mother did give you some very nice qualities, and I'm grateful that she brought you into the world. You're a very important part of this family."

Lucky relented and walked back over to his aunt. "Thanks," he said as he hugged her. "You look beautiful. I hope you enjoy your day and it's real special for you. You deserve the best." He held her hand and gently  squeezed it. He hesitated and then gave her a shy smile and kissed her on the cheek.

Bobbie's eyes misted, and she reflected on how sensitive and kind Lucky could be. "Thank you, Lucky."

~*~*~*~

Tony turned around to look into the back of Frisco's car. "What are you two whispering and laughing about?" he asked nervously. Lucky and Lucas were huddled together talking in very low voices and giggling as they rolled their eyes in Tony's direction. Frisco tried hard to keep a still face as he concentrated on the road.

Lucky sat up straight and raised his eyebrows at Tony with a fake innocent expression. "Nothing, Tony. Don't worry about it."

"Oh, right. Now I'm totally worried," Tony retorted. He craned his neck and looked out of the window as he frowned. "What in the world is going on? Frisco, don't tell me you've been away from Port Charles so long that you don't remember how to get to City Hall. We're headed in the opposite direction."

"Oh," Frisco said nonchalantly without elaborating.

Tony stared at his brother for some kind of clue. He turned around to look at Lucky again, but Lucky only smiled mysteriously.

Tony harrumphed and sat back in his seat. "I hope you know what you're doing," he groused.

"I'm on it, Tony," Frisco replied as a smile twitched at the corners of his lips. "You need to work on those trust issues, big brother."

Tony shot him an annoyed look as he folded his arms. "Trust and Frisco Jones are an oxymoron. You're a rascal."

~*~*~*~

"Okay. I demand to know why I'm standing outside of the Port Charles Hotel. I'm getting married in an hour guys!" Tony's face conveyed his nervous tension, and he felt irritable at being kept in the dark. "Frisco, you've had your laugh, now take me to City Hall. And Lucky, stop that smirking."

Frisco gave Tony a sympathetic look and clapped his brother on the back. "Simmer down, Tony. You're going to like this. We have something to show you. Take a deep breath. Come on."

Tony shook his head and followed Frisco into the elegant, downtown building with its awning over the front entrance and valets in waiting. Lucky adjusted his tie for the tenth time so he could breathe. Lucas imitated Lucky, and his clip-on kid's tie fell off in his hands. "Hey!" he protested, stopping dead in his tracks. Lucky looked back and chuckled. He approached Lucas and shook his head. "You can't pull on those, buddy. They come off."

"No duh," Lucas retorted.

"I'll fix it for you." Lucky knelt in front of Lucas and positioned the tie under Lucas' shirt collar. "Perfect," Lucky declared as he stood up. He placed his arm around Lucas shoulder, and the two cousins followed behind Frisco and Tony as they walked the sumptuous, red carpeted hallways of the hotel.

Frisco paused in front of a pair of double doors several feet from the hotel lobby. "The Crystal Room," was the name engraved on the brass plate to the side of the doors. He opened the doors and laughed. "Welcome to your wedding, brother!"

Tony entered the room, and a chorus of female voices cried, "Surprise!"

The large, banquet sized room had been transformed with the presence of hundreds of beautiful flowers clinging to table, arches and chairs. It was like walking into a conservatory full of precious orchids and other tropical delights. The highlight of the crystal room was the massive, leaded crystal chandelier that reflected dancing light over all of the room's surfaces. Light, tasteful classical music was piped into the background and lent a gracious aura to the room.

"Surprise, Tony," Felicia said happily as she drew her friend into a hug. "Aren't you going to say something?"

Tony hemmed and hawed, but his eyes were sparkling. "I'm at a loss for words."

"First time for everything," Frisco piped up behind him.

"Hello, Frisco," Felicia said evenly as her eyes averted to her ex-husband and then quickly glanced away.

"Hi Felicia," Frisco replied just as carefully.

Tony turned around to scold Frisco, Lucky and Lucas. "You were in on this," he laughed with a finger waved at them. "You snowed me. I was so worried we wouldn't make it on time to the justice of the peace."

Lucky shrugged and Lucas giggled. "Aunt Bobbie said it was top secret," Lucky explained. "She wanted to surprise you. You didn't think you'd get off that easy, did you? You know how much she loves flowers and putting on events. The hardest part for her was making all of the phone calls and hiding wedding planning stuff from you. Lucas and I helped, didn't we?"

Tony hugged Lucky and Lucas, draping one arm each over them. "Thanks, boys. This is real special."

Lulu rushed up and hugged Tony from behind. "Me, too, Uncle Tony! I helped." Lulu was wearing a beautiful pink and lace dress with her hair pulled back with a trail of cream and mauve ribbons tied and waving down the length of her shiny, brown hair.

Lucky knelt down in front of Lulu and gave her a gentle hug. "You're the prettiest girl in the room, little sister." He kissed her on the cheek and stood back up.

Lulu shook her head firmly. "No. Aunt Bobbie is the prettiest."

~*~*~*~

Lucky stood beside Tony at the front of the room where the wedding ceremony was taking place. Tony was dressed in a sharp, charcoal gray suit with lines that showed off the physique he'd so carefully maintained through months of jogging. His face wore a calm yet expectant look as he waited for the bride to appear. Lucas was stationed on the other side of Tony with a blue velvet pillow for his role as ring bearer. Lucky stood straight with his shoulders back, and he tried hard not to squirm as he fought off irritation at the tie that choked him. He appeared lean yet well-built in a dark blue suit that accented his coloring and eyes.

Lucky glanced through the small party of people that had come for the ceremony. They were seated in several rows of white, wooden chairs that had ribbons and flowers attached to them. On one end of the room were Mac, Georgie and Maxie, while in an opposite corner, Frisco sat by himself. Both men practiced avoidance and never once looked in the direction of the other. Maxie and Georgie, however, turned and waved frequently at their father.

The invited guests were a tight-knit group, primarily friends from the hospital or family members. Ian Thornhart was seated with a date, and Kevin and Lucy sat directly in front of Mac. Kevin kept turning around and making comments to Mac, who nodded and uttered a few words in response. Marcus Taggert and his date, Dara Jensen, sat next to Jason Morgan, who wore a bored yet nervous look on his face as he hadn't yet accustomed himself to being out of the mob versus cops mentality. Carly whispered excitedly to Jason and held his hand as her eyes sparkled. Nikolas sat near Carly and occasionally shot her a curious look as he watched her interact with Jason. The Garcias took up one row with their three children trying desperately to behave and not hop up from their seats. The Quartermaines dominated another row as Alan, Monica and Edward Quartermaine looked around them and smiled at the beautiful décor.

Lucky's attention was momentarily distracted by the opening of the Crystal Room door and the entrance of Emily Quartermaine. His breath caught in his lungs, and his heart leaped with joy as she made her way toward her family. Lucky's eyes watched like a hawk as she shimmered with grace and beauty in her elegant yet slightly sexy designer dress. A smile played on his lips until he finally gave in and gave her a broad grin. Emily's brown eyes caught Lucky's gaze, and she blushed slightly as she took her seat and nodded toward him with a small smile. Tony's frowned as he watched Lucky's body language and wondered why his nephew was so pumped up all of a sudden. He followed Lucky's gaze and smiled happily when he saw Emily sitting with her family. Hallelujah, he thought. Good girl, Emily.

The music suddenly changed, and the crowd grew respectfully silent. Lulu carefully made her way down a white clothed aisle and scattered multicolored rose buds in front of her as she smiled prettily. She was followed by Felicia who was dressed in a beautiful pink suit that showed off her blond hair and green eyes. She glanced over at her family and winked at Maxie and Georgie. Bobbie walked down the aisle and stood beside Tony. She wore a cream silk suit that was fitted to perfection and sprinkled liberally with seed pearls in a shimmering pattern. Her shiny auburn curls flowed over her shoulders, and her brown eyes twinkled as she glanced at Tony.

Tony and Bobbie renewed their vows and exchanged rings in a brief ceremony before the justice of the peace and then walked together arm in arm to the back of the room where the catered reception was waiting for them. They signed their wedding certificate with Lucky and Felicia also signing as witnesses. The wedding party lined up beside the married couple and shook hands with each guest that greeted them.

"Lorenzo!" Edward Quartermaine shoved his way forward toward Lucky with his arthritic hand extended. He grasped Lucky's hand and rapidly pumped it up and down. "You look very business-like in that suit, young man. Doesn't he look nice, Monica?" Monica Quartermaine laughed and nodded. "Yes, Edward, Lucky looks very nice." Lucky blushed and said, "Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Quartermaine," in a respectful tone. "We're still on for our golf lesson next Saturday?" Edward asked with a scowl. Lucky nodded. "Yes. Saturday at 11AM. I'm looking forward to it." Edward beamed and pushed Monica so she'd walk faster through the line. "Monitor your husband," he ordered her. "He's already attacking the hors d'oeuvres. There won't be any left."

Lucky chuckled and shook his head, but he quickly sobered up when Emily stepped toward him. Time seemed to slow down and then stand still as his bright eyes gazed upon the woman that he loved. Lucky stood straighter and subtlely grew more formal as he felt a cautious hope stir inside his heart.

Lucky gently took Emily's soft hand and squeezed it lightly. "Thanks for coming, Emily. Are you staying for the reception?" His eyes remained bright as he sought her face for a reaction.

"I'll stay for awhile. My parents and grandfather are here. Maybe I can talk to you for a minute when you're free." Emily's lips tilted upward slightly, and she tried to maintain a neutral expression, although her eyes gave her away at how delighted she was to see Lucky again looking so put together and handsome.

"Sure, that'd be great. Thanks." Lucky watched Emily move away with her characteristic easy stride that had been perfected by years of modeling. He couldn't get over how beautiful and attractive he found her, almost as if she'd appeared to him in a dream. He quickly turned his attention back to the line of guests when a loud squeal assaulted his nerves.

"Lucas Lorenzo Spencer, Junior! You're so handsome! You remind me so much of your father. Oh, I miss him." Lucy squeezed both of Lucky's cheeks between her thumbs and forefingers, utterly humiliating him in front of a roomful of people. Lucy gave him a quick hug, and he recovered slightly, giving her a shaky smile. "Hi Lucy. Thanks for coming. It's nice to see you."

Kevin gently placed a hand at Lucy's waist and tried to whisk her along to the next person. He shook Lucky's hand as he walked by quickly. "Good job, Lucky. It was a nice ceremony."

Lucky nodded. "Yes, it was, Kevin." He reflected on how odd it was to meet up with his psychiatrist at a social event but shrugged then jumped when the next guest squeezed his hand so hard he thought it'd break.

"Ian," he gritted out as he winced in pain. Ian's handshake, like everything else about him was hearty, good-natured and decidedly masculine. "Good to see you, kiddo. I'd like to introduce you to my date, Margaret." Lucky took in the lovely long, wavy blondish red hair and bright smile of Ian's companion and thought to himself, I was right. Ian is a good one to go to for dating advice. "Nice to meet you," he responded politely. Lucky gave Ian a bemused eyebrow raised expression, and Ian bopped Lucky on top of the head with the flat of his palm.

"Hi Carly," Lucky said quietly.

"Hiya Cuz," Carly responded brightly. "Didn't my mom put on a great wedding?"

"She sure did," Lucky agreed. "Aunt Bobbie always goes all the way with her projects. It looks beautiful in here."

"Ah, weddings are sooo romantic," Carly cooed as she batted her eyes at Jason's stone face and patted him proprietarily on the chest. "See ya around, Lucky."

"Sure." Lucky's eyes hardened when Jason stepped in front of him, and he craned his neck as if looking to see what was happening further down the line toward the catered reception. He pointedly placed his hand deeply into his pocket as he looked away from Jason. He redirected his gaze right back into Jason's eyes and held the stare. Jason turned red as he knew exactly why Lucky was giving him the hostile, cold shoulder. Prick, the two men thought simultaneously. He'd better treat Emily/Carly right - or else.

Lucky broke his staredown to smile delightedly at Maxie Jones, who was enthralled with the young man who was six years older than her with the neatest blue eyes she'd ever seen. "I haven't seen you in a long time, Maxie," Lucky said. "You're all grown up."

"So are you," Maxie replied. "Uncle Tony seems so happy. Weddings are neat."

"Yeah, they are," Lucky said as his thoughts returned to Emily. He darted his eyes over to the reception table to make sure that Emily was still in the room.

"Quit hogging the line," Georgie ordered her older sister as she stood with her hand on her hip.

"Girls," Mac said. Georgie screwed up her face in frustration. Maxie was always flirting with the boys. It was so annoying. Mac had heard plenty about the Spencer saga from Felicia, and he smiled at Lucky, trying not to stare at the boy as if he were the police commissioner giving him the third degree.

Taggert wasn't so sensitive. "Spencer Junior," he intoned with an amused voice. "Where's the young punk I used to hassle for loitering on the docks? He's been replaced by a poster child for corporate America."

"Ha ha," Lucky retorted as he pulled at the tie around his neck. "No way you'll find me in corporate America. I can't stand dressing up. Give me a polo shirt any day."

"But you wear it so well," Taggert smirked. He lightly punched Lucky on the side of the arm. "Stay cool, Lucky."

Lucky brightened at Taggert's friendly banter. "Sure. Nice to see you, Taggert."

"He always brightens a room," Dara Jensen agreed as she patted Marcus on the back. "A laugh a minute."

Taggert turned around. "I can be serious," he disagreed in an exasperated voice. "I have my moments. I'm a misunderstood romantic."

"Ahhh," Dara shrieked. "Are you going to listen to him?" she asked Lucky. "Somebody ought to tape this and replay it for laughs."

Lucky smiled at the easygoing, teasing relationship between cop and DA. Taggert has the hots for her, he noted. And I think the feeling is mutual. Maybe another wedding is in the air?

Frisco shook Lucky's hand next and walked in toward him to whisper in his ear. "See the large, potted plant over by the corner? That's Conners behind it. You met him this morning." Lucky nodded seriously, and a tight look overtook his face as thoughts of Faison entered his mind for the first time in two hours.

Nikolas was the last person to proceed through the reception line, and he caught the upset look on Lucky's face. "Are you okay? Do you need a breather?" he asked worriedly.

Lucky shook his head. "I do need a break, but I have to talk to Emily first before she leaves."

Nikolas' face creased with his broad smile. His eyes twinkled as he regarded his younger brother. "So I noticed. I was pleasantly surprised to see her. She's a classy girl."

"You've got that right," Lucky agreed. "I thought I'd die when I saw her coming through the door. She's gorgeous, isn't she?"

"You have fine taste in women," Nikolas nodded. "Too bad Emily Quartermaine doesn't have an older sister."

Lucky snorted. "You could have anyone you want. I'm the one that needs coaching. Help me out here. What should I say to her?"

Nikolas placed his hands in his pockets and looked serious. "Tell her the truth - that you're very glad she's here and can you arrange to meet with her later on to talk."

"Good," Lucky nodded. "That's good. Don't let her go without another date set up. I like that."

"Good luck, brother," Nikolas intoned as he shook Lucky's hand and gave him a wink. "Let's take a smoking break later on, okay?"

~*~*~*~

"Sweets for the sweet?" Lucky asked as he offered a piece of wedding cake to Emily. Lucky wore a tentative, yet open and hopeful expression. Emily was standing by herself, leaning against a wall, waiting for Lucky to finish his wedding party duties and group photographs. She smiled and nodded as she took the plate from his hands, charmed by his teasing, romantic manner.

"I was so surprised to see you here," Lucky began. He held up his hand. "Surprised in a good way, I mean. A very good way, actually. You light up a room when you walk in."

Emily's eyes ran over Lucky, and she looked down at the floor shyly. She caught and held Lucky's gaze. "You look very handsome today. Tony and Bobbie must be so happy to have you here. Lulu was so cute, too, with her flowers. She seemed to take it so seriously. She had a set pattern and procedure for sprinkling the flowers. Such a smart little girl."

Lucky nodded, and Emily took a tentative first bite of cake. "Marvelous," she stated enthusiastically. She cut into the cake again and offered Lucky a piece. "Want to try it?"

"Okay," Lucky agreed happily. He was having a nice conversation with Emily, and it didn't even seem strained or difficult in the least - a tad formal, but that was to be expected. Emily held the fork to his lips, and he accepted the cake. "Mmmmm," he said. "It's great. I love cake with the two flavors swirled together." Lucky toed an imaginary flaw in the carpet with the tip of his highly polished shoe. "That's an incredible dress." Lucky's eyes instantly registered every delicious dip and curve on Emily's finely clothed body, and the color rose slightly in his cheeks. "Did you buy it especially for the wedding?"

Emily smiled. "It was a gift from Valente. He said I wore it so well he didn't want anyone else to have it."

Lucky lightly touched Emily's arm. "Let's have the photographer take a photo of you," he suggested. "You can give Valente a copy to show him how right he was."

Emily brightened. "That's a great idea. Okay."

Lucky placed his hand on Emily's waist to guide her in the direction of the photographer. He leaned in to whisper into Emily's ear. "Good thing we know Valente is gay. I wouldn't want you to compromise yourself," he teased. "They might feature you on the E! True Hollywood Stories." Emily laughed loudly and swatted at Lucky. "You're bad."

Lucky watched as Emily struck the perfect pose for the photographer. "You're very photogenic," the photographer complimented her. "Perfect bones," Lucky chipped in. He was leaning against a table with his arms folded across his chest as he watched. Emily thought that he looked so mature and handsome. Like a man, rather than a boy. She decided that coming to the wedding was an excellent idea.

Emily had earlier lingered outside the door to the Crystal Room before working up her nerve to enter, but she had in fact arrived with her parents and grandfather. Emily caught Edward's frown and nodded irritably at him. Lucky caught the transaction and decided that now was the time.

"Emily," his soft voice intoned. Lucky looked deeply into Emily's eyes and hoped that he conveyed sincerity. "I'd like to have a long conversation with you over coffee or dinner. Will you meet with me?"

Emily's face set as her mind whirled. Grandfather is right. I owe it to Lucky to hear him out. She nodded, and said simply, "We need to talk."

"Soon?" Lucky prompted. His eyes widened, and he held his breath waiting for Emily to answer.

Emily smiled slightly. "Soon," she agreed. "Maybe Wednesday? For dinner. I could pick you up and drive us back to my place. Cook will give us a private dinner. Seven o'clock?"

Lucky expelled a relieved breath. "Yes," he said. "That's fine. I'll wait for you at my house on Wednesday at seven. I'll look forward to it." Will I? he questioned himself. The subject matter won't be easy to discuss. Lucky took Emily's hand and leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. "Bye," he said softly.

"Bye," Emily replied. Lucky watched her walk all the way over to her family. At the doorway, Emily turned and gave Lucky a tiny wave.

Thank you, God, Lucky thought. A chance. I have a chance! He broke out into excited laughter, and hopped up and down several times as he pumped his arm.

"Success?" his brother's voice questioned behind him.

"Oh, yeah," Lucky grinned as he turned around. "Let's go smoke."


  Next...

.