Devolution TOC

Chapter 119

I will not fear thousands of the people surrounding me: arise, O Lord; save me, O my God.

Tuesday, 9:00AM

Kevin walked down the long hallway of the General Hospital locked ward, glancing at the rows of closed wooden doors as he headed to Lucky's room at the end of the corridor. He made quick progress through the ward with his long stride. As usual, occupancy was low in the locked ward with only three or four patients in residence as the goal was to have patients resume their normal or less than normal lives as soon as possible outside of the hospital. Kevin ran a distracted hand through his hair.

Lucky had been placed in an isolated room due to his violent outbursts and general noisemaking. Barb had given Kevin the unwelcome news that Lucky's behavior hadn't improved since yesterday with his absolute refusal to get out of bed, eat or clean up. Kevin knew he had his work cut out for him, and his heart was heavy with the realization that one of his favorite patients was declining. Kevin had grown fond of Lucky and held great admiration for the young man who had fought so hard to overcome his numerous obstacles and burdens. When he reached Lucky's door, he paused and took in a deep breath, preparing himself for a difficult situation. If he couldn't reach Lucky on some level of his awareness, it would be impossible for Lucky to connect again with the world in a healthy, contributing fashion. What was the key? Sometimes all the logic and psychobabble in the world flew out the window in favor of instinct in moments like these.

Kevin entered Lucky's room in a quiet, careful manner, not wanting to upset the young man with a sudden movement or intrusion. The lights were turned off and the blinds closed to bathe the room in a subtle darkness in order to help calm down its occupant in a low tech manner. Lucky wasn't asleep. He lay on his side with the blanket drawn up to his chin, gripping it in a tight fist.

Kevin sat down in a chair near Lucky and observed him before speaking. Lucky looked worn out and in dire need of a shower and shave as well as a change of gown since his was crumpled, sweaty and falling off one shoulder. His face was framed with tight muscles that accented his drawn cheeks and hollow eyes. He didn't react to Kevin's presence other than to pull the blanket closer to his chin.

"I'm not afraid," Lucky's voice croaked, breaking the silence in the room.

Kevin started a bit in his chair, surprised that Lucky was the first to speak since he assumed he'd have to pull one or two words out of the tense young man in front of him. "I'm glad to hear that, Lucky," Kevin responded positively in a low, measured voice.

Lucky's eyes drifted slowly from his gaze at the floor up to Kevin's face. His face betrayed no emotion as he spoke his next words. "I wasn't given a spirit of fear," he informed Kevin as if he were talking about the weather or a bit of neighborhood gossip.

Kevin frowned as this was a phrase that the staff had reported Lucky uttering numerous times that morning. "Lucky, will you answer a few simple questions for me?" Kevin asked. "Can you tell me where you are?"

Lucky laughed bitterly. "I can tell you, but I won't. I said I'm not afraid of you."

Kevin let a small smile escape. Still has his sense of humor. "What is your full name?"

"I used to be called Lucas Lorenzo Spencer, Junior."

"What are you called now?"

"Nothing."

"Why nothing?"

Lucky's face sank with despair. "I'm dead. I was poisoned."

"So you have no name? Why is that?"

Lucky frowned and licked his lips. His face betrayed the effort that he was making to regulate his thoughts and communicate. "Um, um, I had Eli's ribs. They were good and, uh, messy. And Roy wrecked the club." He laughed. "But my ear's pierced so who cares?" He sat up in bed, his gown now halfway down his chest and seemingly hanging by a thread. He repeatedly brushed at his arms and legs.

Kevin watched him closely, trying to pick up a nuance in Lucky's behavior that might unlock the puzzle that presented itself. "Do you know my name?" Kevin asked. "Please look at me."

Lucky stopped brushing his arms and stared at Kevin. "Your name is Kevin, but I don't know why you're here. Are you trying to help me find my Aunt Ruby?"

Kevin leaned back in his chair. He knew that Lucky's great aunt was deceased, but he didn't want to engage in Lucky's delusion that he was dead so he ignored the question. "Do you trust me?" Kevin asked.

Lucky ignored him for a moment in favor of cupping his hands over his bare feet and nibbling on his lower lip until he stopped and frowned. "My lip hurts."

"I know," Kevin replied. "I asked you if you trust me. Please answer."

Lucky looked up at Kevin from beneath his eyelashes. "Yes," he answered.

Kevin's face relaxed with relief. "I want you to listen to me carefully. You're trying to figure out what's happening to you, but you feel like you're in the dark or some of the pieces are missing. Is that true?"

Lucky nodded wordlessly, concentrating again on playing with his feet and ignoring the man in front of him as he plucked at his toes.

"I want to give you those missing pieces if you'll allow me," Kevin stated in a reassuring tone. "You said that you trusted me."

"Yes."

"You trust me to tell you the truth?"

"Yes."

"I want you to see something." Kevin rose from his chair and motioned for Lucky to follow him. Lucky just stared at him without moving an inch. "Come on," Kevin encouraged.

Lucky rose shakily from the bed and stood on the cold linoleum floor with his bare feet and maladjusted gown hanging forlornly. "I'm not afraid," he muttered as he followed Kevin to the bathroom doorway. Lucky banged the side of his head with his fist."So you can shut up already. You can talk all you want, but I'm ignoring you."

Kevin turned the light switch on. Bright fluorescent light flooded the small room, and Lucky stood directly opposite the mirror hung above the sink. Kevin placed a hand on his shoulder, pulled the gown back in place and pointed. "Lucas Lorenzo Spencer, Junior," he said. "There you are. In the flesh."

Lucky peered at the young man framed by the square mirror. He shook his head, and the man in the mirror repeated the exact motion. Lucky stuck out his tongue, and his mirror twin did the same. He studied the image, and then backed up, brushing against Kevin in his hurry to escape his reflection.

Kevin's deep, assured voice followed him as Lucky rushed back to his bed and jumped in. "You said you trusted me, Lucky. You're not dead. You survived an attempt on your life. You're here - very real and very much alive."

Lucky drew up his knees and wrapped his arms around them. "No. I'm dead," he stated.

Kevin reached out and took his hand, squeezing it and shaking it in a handshake. "You are as real as I am. Feel my handshake. Dead people don't walk around, see reflections in a mirror and hold conversations. Trust me to tell you the truth."

"I have to be dead," Lucky replied angrily.

"What does being dead offer you?" Kevin questioned as he looked intently at Lucky's face and caught his indecision.

"I have to or..." Lucky let his words trail off. "I'm not afraid!"

"Why does being dead make sense to you?" Kevin probed.

"If I'm dead, it's not my fault!" Lucky blurted out. He took in several gulping breaths and darted his eyes around the room in panic.

"What's not your fault?"

"Nikolas," Lucky whispered as a look of utter remorse and helplessness surrounded him. "I died, and so it's not my fault he was captured and hurt. But I'm tired of being in the ground. I don't like it. It's hard to breathe."

Kevin squatted in front of Lucky so that they could meet at eye level. He took Lucky's arm and shook it slightly to help him to focus. "You said you trusted me. I'm telling you the truth. You are not dead, and Nikolas is not captured. He is fine, and so are you. You are mistaken. In fact, your brother wants to visit you today. Would that put your mind at ease?"

"I don't know," Lucky said tensely. "I...I left the movie, and he can't find me. He's going to be mad at me. I don't have the spirit of fear."

Kevin sat back down in his chair, confident that he'd broken through to Lucky, but that the young man needed some time to process the information. "Will you cooperate with the staff and take your medications?" Kevin asked, changing the subject. "It's not very pleasant if they have to help you."

Lucky whipped his head up to glare at Kevin. "They're poisoning me!" he accused as he wrapped his arms tighter around his body in a protective measure.

Kevin made a mental note. He insists he's dead, but then claims he's being killed. He needs help to sort his thoughts. "You need those medications to help you feel better. You'll be able to think more clearly. You want that, don't you?"

Lucky made no reply, and merely glared harder at Kevin.

"You will not be poisoned in this hospital by any food, medicine or person," Kevin declared. "You have my promise. Remember that you trust me. No harm will come to you. It is safe to eat and drink here."

Lucky hesitated, and the tears built up in his eyes. He laid his head on his knees and wept.

When it looked like Lucky's upset wouldn't abate any time soon, Kevin rose to leave him. He placed a reassuring hand on Lucky's back and said quietly, "We've talked enough for this morning. I want you to be brave and take your medications with food. I promised no one would poison you." He lifted Lucky's chin to look in his eyes. "You will feel better soon. I know it's hard. If you want to talk to me at any time, ask the nurse to page me, okay?"

Lucky stared morosely at the floor and laid his head back down on his knees.

~*~*~*~

Lucky was ready for them this time. His eyes were closed as he pretended to be asleep, but his fingers flexed under the covers in nervous anticipation. They thought they could fool him; however, he could smell the food, hear the clink of the items on the tray and the low voices of the techs in discussion outside of his room. He willed them to shut up and come into the room because he couldn't stand having his eyes closed for much longer - the sedation was making him sleepy, and he needed to be alert. I'm not going to be poisoned! He had thought earlier of fighting off the nurse that had injected his IV twenty minutes ago, but she'd given him the choice of IV or hip, and he'd remembered the pain of the injection, so he had settled for yelling at her as she went about her duties. She'd fastened his arm to a board so he wouldn't jar the IV, and he supposed that might come in handy.

Lucky's muscles wound up tightly when he heard them enter. Timing was crucial if he hoped to escape, and he counted on his instincts. No poison. I'm not dying again. The tech laid down the tray near the bed and was greeted by a flying and punching Lucky who leaped from the bed and whacked the side of the tech's head with the hard IV board. The other tech made a grab for him, but Lucky whirled out of range, shrieking obscenities as he punched at anything that moved, including elbows, chins, backs and forearms. He darted away from any attempts to grab him into a hold from behind but was caught firmly by one arm. He yanked away fiercely and screamed angrily as the adrenaline flooded his veins.

Suddenly, Lucky stopped all resistance and noise and slid to the floor out of the startled tech's grasp. Silence descended on the room for only two brief seconds before Lucky promptly rolled away from the startled men and scrambled to his feet in triumph as he hot footed it out the door in his bare feet.

Lucky's trailing cry rang through the hall as he banged on the doors and slapped door handles on his path to freedom. When he heard the heavy footsteps in pursuit, he quickly turned his head, his hair flying in all directions and a look of apprehension descending on him. He continued to run down the hall although he wasn't sure where he was going. His escape had turned complicated. Surely there was someplace he could hide and wait out the men until after dark. His mind frantically reviewed all escape systems that his father had taught him, and he kept turning his head to gauge his distance from his pursuers. He lost his balance when his head felt dizzy from turning it too often, and he pitched forward, his bare feet slipping on the smooth floor surface. As if in slow motion, he felt his hands protectively fly out in front of him and his legs buckle. Gravity took over, pulling him to the floor with a thud. He remained still, limp with defeat and exhaustion.

~*~*~*~

Nikolas smacked the arm of his wheelchair with his hand. "Dammit, Alexis, I tried to see Lucky, but they said he could have no visitors." Nikolas distractedly stroked the plaster cast that covered his arm. "I need to see him. I must know if he's okay, and I want him to know that he can count on me."

Alexis leaned toward Nikolas and whispered, "You're a good brother."

"I'm trying to be," Nikolas replied in a tear-choked voice. "I can't lose him, Alexis. Not after we've gotten this close. I'm so worried about him."

"Did they say why you couldn't visit?"

Nikolas shrugged. "Only that he was agitated and a visit would be too stimulating." Nikolas made a face. "Whatever that means. I told them who I was, but it didn't matter. They said no."

"Pulling princely rank?" Alexis teased.

"If it works!" Nikolas declared with the raising of his aristocratic eyebrows. "Regardless, I will stop by before I leave the hospital. They're going to release me later this afternoon. Watch the guard dogs try to prevent me this time."

~*~*~*~

The two psych techs approached Lucky with wariness due to his violent behavior. Lucky remained on the floor, motionless and breathing heavily, his hands outstretched, palms down. He tensed when he sensed the two men narrowing their distance from him, but he offered no resistance. One man each took an arm and lifted him to his feet. The two men and Lucky slowly retraced their steps back to Lucky's room, but he never lifted his head and instead studied the gray patterning on the floor beneath his stumbling feet. He halfheartedly reached out a hand to pat at a door handle and dug his heels into the floor in protest, but the men merely pulled him along so that his feet dragged on the floor without supporting him so strong were their grips on his arms. Lucky soon decided that walking was easier on his constitution than being bodily dragged through the corridor, and he snapped to attention as he lifted his feet.

"Why are you upset?" Joe questioned. "You were a virtual punching machine back there for no good reason. No one was threatening you."

Lucky remained silent, at a loss for words and unsure of his motivations to the degree where he couldn't explain his actions. His bangs covered his eyelids with the downward position of his head, and he viewed the locked ward between shades of his limp, brown strands of hair. He felt short of breath and coughed hard for the remainder of their walk. Finally, he was firmly seated on his bed. He wrapped his arms around his midriff as he stared down at the floor, which was covered by his lunch in the form of spilled soup, juice and fruit cocktail. His eyes locked in fascination on the swirling cherries and grapes muddied in appearance by the brown of the bean soup. The colors blended and melded in his vision. He reached out a hand to adjust the swirls and dropped to his knees before Joe could react. His fingers splayed to move the liquids until they formed a composition with their coordinated patterns.

"For pete's sake," Joe exclaimed in exasperation as he reached for Lucky once more and pulled him up from the floor. "What are you doing?"

Lucky looked down at the soup and juice mixture sliding from his palms and ignored the tech in favor of watching the rhythmically dripping fluids.

James emerged from the bathroom with a wet washcloth and towel. He wiped off Lucky's hands and sections of his arms and legs that were covered with dirt and several steaks of blood from his torn IV site. "What about the medications?" he questioned Joe. "He needs them."

"They're on the nightstand," Joe indicated with a motion of his thumb. "We'll have to send down for some more food."

Joe placed a hand on Lucky's arm to gain his attention. "Lucky, where were you headed? Why were you running?"

"I don't have to be here. I can go at any time," Lucky replied in a low, tense voice. An edginess was creeping up on him again, and he didn't have a clue how to react. He was physically tired and mentally numb, unable to process events. He laid his forehead in his hands and sighed. Dad, dad. Where's my dad? He's not coming. God help me. What should I do? I don't feel good. You have to help me. Please. He said loudly. "You said I could talk to you. I don't know if I'm dead or alive or where I am." Lucky raised his head when he heard his name again, and he looked at the pills held in a cup.

"Are you willing to take your medications?" James questioned.

Lucky hesitated for one second, took in a deep breath and calmly scooped up the pill cup, placing the pills in his mouth and swallowing as he pointed toward the water for a chaser. He drank the entire cup of water and handed it back to the shocked tech. Lucky breathed in again and felt a bubble of calm surround him, taking away his irritability and panic. "I'm tired," he said, leaning back in bed and pulling up the covers. He placed a pillow under his head and closed his eyes.

~*~*~*~

Three hours later...

The nurse stood to the side of Lucky's bed and smoothed her fingers over her uniform with a nervous gesture. "He vomited and afterwards I couldn't wake him up. He briefly opened his eyes when I talked to him, but didn't answer my questions. He's coughing, and his temperature is 101."

Dr. Jim Perkins stood with his hands on his hips and a concerned expression on his face. "I heard you'd come back," he said, partly to Lucky and partly to himself. "His pulse is fast. I want to listen to his lung sounds."

Jim rolled a nonprotesting Lucky to his side and moved the stethoscope over his back. "Lucky," he said loudly. "It's Jim. Wake up for a sec." Lucky's eyes opened as slits. "Breathe in deeply," Jim ordered. Lucky breathed in but coughed for several seconds when he tried to take in a deeper breath. Jim turned him on his back again and listened closely to the breath sounds in Lucky's chest.

~*~*~*~

Jim assisted Lucky into a wheelchair, which took a minute since Lucky was hesitant to sit in it. "Where are you taking me?" Lucky asked.

"You're going for a chest x-ray and a few other tests because it sounds like you have pneumonia," Jim explained. "You're at high risk since you had a serious case less than a year ago." Jim shook his head. "And you're a smoker. That's ridiculous, you know."

"Where's my Aunt Ruby?" Lucky breathed out tiredly. He laid his flushed face in his hand and closed his eyes. "I have to find her. It's important - that's where Dad told me to go. Go to Aunt Ruby at Kelly's Diner in Port Charles, New York."

"Well, I don't know about your Aunt Ruby, but you're headed to another area of General Hospital for some tests."

"Hospital? Why am I in a hospital?" Lucky rattled off. "I don't feel good. What did you do to me? Why won't you let me go?"

Jim pressed the down button on the elevator and looked sadly at Lucky but didn't reply.

~*~*~*~

Bobbie knelt in front of Lulu and took both of her small hands into her own. "I'm sorry, baby girl," she said. "Lucky had an accident, and he won't be coming home for at least a few days, maybe longer than a week."

Lulu pouted, and her eyes turned sad. "I want my brother. I want Lucky. We were supposed to go to the park. He promised."

A lump caught in Bobbie's throat. She patted Lulu's hands and rose to a standing position as she wrapped an arm around the little girl and drew her close to her side. "We all want Lucky to come home. But his health is most important now, and he needs to be in the hospital."

"He's always in the hospital!" Lulu declared with flashing eyes. "I don't like it. It makes me mad."

"I don't like it either, Lulu," Bobbie said. "We'll have to make the best of it and hope he gets well soon. We can make a card for him. Would you like that?"

Lulu stamped her foot crossly. "I don't want to make anymore cards for Lucky or Daddy. I never get to see anybody."

"I'm sorry," Bobbie replied as she hugged Lulu close. "I'm going to see how he's doing. When I come back, we'll go home, have a nice supper and talk some more."

Lulu remained silent and turned her back on her aunt as her small arms crossed her chest.

~*~*~*~

"Here it is," Tony said, pointing at the numbers painted on the wall. "We're heading in the right direction. They said he was in room 730 now. It's still in the same psychiatric area, but with more medical services available. There's a nurse nearby at all times."

Bobbie smiled but didn't reply to Tony's comments. She reached out and placed a hand on Tony's shoulder. "It's going to be all right," she said.

Tony stopped dead in the middle of the hallway. "I don't know. Is it? The physician told us that he has bacterial pneumonia, likely due to the circumstances of his poisoning and intubation. That's serious."

"It can be," Bobbie replied. "But the physician also said that they caught it right away. He's on antibiotics and is receiving care."

"Happy honeymoon," Tony quipped as he leaned in to kiss his wife. "I know I promised you wining and dining, but this is what you get instead."

"I'm just relieved we have the time off to deal with the situation," Bobbie stated. "Let's remember that we need to be up and positive for Lucky's sake."

Tony stopped outside of room 730 and gave Bobbie a nervous smile. "Here we are."

The austere white room was darkened with no decorations or objects like framed paintings that could be broken or used as weapons. Bobbie pulled up the one chair, and Tony stood behind her with his hands on her shoulders. The darkened room was intended to calm its occupant, and apparently it worked because Lucky was sound asleep and perfectly still. Tony noted the peripheral catheter IV and nasal cannula that Lucky wore as well as a pulse oximeter. This is as calm as I've seen him since he woke up from the coma. I can't believe he was assaulting the staff this morning. He's so violent when he's in the throes of a psychosis. I'm glad he's receiving his psychiatric medications although Kevin mentioned it might take several days to affect his behavior.

"Look at his knuckles," Tony whispered to Bobbie. "They're red and torn in places. I guess from his fight this morning?" He chuckled. "I'm sorry. I'm envisioning Lucky beating up those burly men. Psych techs only come in sizes large and larger."

"I feel so sad," Bobbie admitted. She sniffed back a few tears. "I know you're trying to lighten the mood, but I can't see the humor. Are we back to square one with him? Pneumonia and psychosis. It's so familiar. When can he come home again?"

"Kevin said he'd release him as soon as he shows improvement. He doesn't want Lucky to stay any longer in an institution than is absolutely necessary. In fact, he was pleased with Lucky's progress and stabilization until the Faison incident, which wasn't Lucky's fault."

"I know," Bobbie agreed. "If Kevin is certain he'll recover mentally and emotionally, then I can allow myself to hope as well." Bobbie instinctively reached out to stroke Lucky's hair, tucking it behind his ear as she did with all of her children when they were asleep. "He has that Spencer earring," she said. "Luke is so worried about him. I forgot to tell him about the earring. Maybe he'd feel better if he knew about it. Maybe Lucky has forgiven him and is taking small steps toward repairing his relationship with his dad."

Tony and Bobbie remained silent for a time, watching Lucky sleep.

"Hi there," Bobbie said brightly when Lucky stirred and slowly opened his eyes. He stared without saying anything for a minute. His hand curled around his pillow, and he frowned. "Aunt Bobbie?" he asked hoarsely. "Why are you here?"

"I'm here to keep you company, sweetheart. How are you feeling?"

Lucky's eyes swept around the room, but he didn't move his head. He closed his eyes and coughed. "I feel sick," he breathed out in an upset voice. "Am I dying? I thought I was dead, but maybe I'm not finished doing it." He tried to move but moaned instead. "I'm cold, I'm cold." Bobbie pulled the thin white blanket closer to Lucky's shivering body. "He needs more blankets," she said. "I'll round some up and be back in a sec."

Tony took Bobbie's seat when she left the room, and he smiled at Lucky. "It's Uncle Tony," he said softly as he leaned forward with his hands on his knees. "I'm here."

Lucky scrunched his face up as he rose from his bed and thudded his back to the mattress.

"Be careful," Tony said. "You're going to hurt yourself. Relax."

"I want to lie down flat," Lucky whined. "It won't let me."

"Your bed is elevated at the head because you have pneumonia," Tony explained. "It should help you breathe."

"Uncle Tony, Uncle Tony," Lucky said. He closed his eyes and opened them again to stare glassy-eyed at Tony. "Uncle Tony," he repeated in a softer tone, almost as if he were questioning the identity of the man in front of him.

"It's me," Tony replied.

Lucky's face drew tight. "Uncle Tony, I have to save Lulu because she's with Nikolas."

"Lulu is fine. She's staying with Felicia. Lucas is with her, too."

"She's not fine!" Lucky yelled harshly as his nostrils flared with his strong emotions. "She's lost, and I can't find her. I need to keep her safe. Dad's counting on me. He said I'm the man when he's away."

"Okay, Lucky," Tony said wearily, not wanting their conversation to escalate into an argument.

Lucky threw off his blanket and pulled repeatedly at the neck of his gown with a groan of frustration. "I'm hot! I can't breathe!"

Tony looked relieved when Bobbie entered the room an extra blanket. "He's very uncomfortable and agitated."

Lucky's flushed face grew redder, and he clutched at his stomach. "Sick, sick," he gritted out in warning. Bobbie jumped to find a plastic receptacle, and Tony rolled him onto his side. Lucky vomited several times and coughed long and hard. Tears filled his eyes, and his body shook.

"Are you chilly?" Bobbie questioned. She unfolded the extra blanket and pulled it up over his shoulders.

"Why is everyone hurting me?" Lucky cried.  He moaned dejectedly, and Bobbie ran her hand lightly over his hair.

"Shhh," she said. "You'll feel better soon. For now you need to be quiet and rest."

Lucky closed his eyes, and Bobbie responded with praise. "That's good. Close your eyes." She continued to stroke his hair as he began to calm down and remain silent. After a minute, she removed her hand and shot a glance at Tony who smiled halfheartedly. Lucky remained asleep, and Tony nodded toward the door.

"I need to go to Kelly's. I'm supposed to meet Emily there in an hour to tell her about Lucky."

Bobbie nodded. "I need to run a few errands and then it'll be time for me to relieve Felicia from babysitting."

"Think he can handle being on his own?" Tony questioned. "He seems to be in good hands. I'm worried about his pneumonia progressing, but he's on antibiotics. There's not much else they can do other than keep him hydrated, and that's why he's on the IV."

"He might sleep for several hours with no interruptions from visitors," Bobbie said. "Let's do what we planned and meet back here later this evening?"

~*~*~*~

One hour later...

Nikolas walked down the locked ward corridor toward room 730. His bearing was erect and purposeful, which came in handy for talking his way into this visit with his brother. He'd taken full advantage of his status as CEO of the hospital. His arm was aching in its full sling since the cast was so large and heavy. Nikolas supposed he'd grow used to the extra weight. He'd better, since it would be with him for six weeks.

Nikolas cautiously peered into Lucky's room, not sure what to expect since the staff had given him a hassle about seeing him. What in the world could Lucky do in such an environment other than sit, sleep and read a book or magazine? Relief flooded over Nikolas when he saw that Lucky was sleeping. I can sit here while he sleeps. It'll give me a minute to catch my breath and get used to this environment. Nikolas sat down on the one vinyl padded chair and looked around in distaste. I'll have the MBA check into the décor. Everything seemed so sterile and lifeless - without personality or humanity.

Nikolas refocused on his brother and noticed that Lucky's bed was adjusted so that he was propped up. He wondered at the medical apparatus attached to his brother. I thought he was okay after coming out of the coma. Lucky's lips were parted slightly, and he was audibly pulling for his breaths. Nikolas studied Lucky's face and flinched when he noticed the split lip and blue bruises that indicated a vicious blow to the face. He looks so young sleeping like that. Not a day over fifteen or sixteen. Why didn't I notice his youth when I first moved to town? Nikolas shook his head. The attitude. It was Luke's attitude that spilled from his every pore. It made Lucky seem older, more seasoned. Thank goodness he's lost that edge that he used to carry - so sharp like it'd cut you to pieces if you stepped out of place or wandered too close to him. Maybe that's one good thing about his illness. He's not hiding behind the attitude anymore.

Nikolas was startled when he heard the moan emitting from his brother. Lucky coughed and tried to curl up on his side but looked distinctly uncomfortable with a sour expression screwing up his face. Lucky coughed some more and lifted himself up from the bed to punch at the flat pillow for fluffing purposes and to express his displeasure. He turned his head in a startled motion. "Oh!" he exclaimed in surprise at the young man staring at him/ He quickly fell flat on his face as his arms gave away. He curled up on his side and cautiously turned toward the young man who remained motionless and quiet in the chair.

"Nikolas?" Lucky's tentative voice trailed out in disbelief. "Nikolas?" Lucky's face displayed a variety of emotions from surprise and hope to hesitancy.

"Hello," Nikolas replied.

"Nikolas?" Lucky asked again as he squinted harder.

"In the flesh," Nikolas answered. "I'm fine except for this." Nikolas raised his cast several inches. "It looks like you didn't make it out unscathed either." Nikolas pointed toward the oxygen and IV.

A smile played on Lucky's lips. "You're here," he whispered. "I told God I wanted to see my brother." Lucky beamed. "And here you are!"

Nikolas pulled the chair closer so that he and Lucky were only two feet apart. Nikolas reached out a hand and placed it on Lucky's arm. "I'm so glad you're alive."

~*~*~*~

Tony took several sips from his coffee while Emily fiddled with the straw in her diet drink. Emily sneaked a glance at Tony's face and took in its tired, worn appearance, so different than the radiant man who had been married four days earlier. She felt so nervous, and she ran her hands repeatedly over her crisp, white Capri pants as she clicked the bottoms of her white sandals on the floor. Tony wouldn't elaborate on Lucky's situation over the phone, and she knew the news was bad. Was the news ever good when it concerned Lucky? Emily took a sip of her drink and felt it coldly roll and tumble to the pit of her stomach.

"I'm ready, Tony," Emily said. "I need to know."

Tony looked around him to ensure there was enough privacy for their discussion. "First of all, I want to thank you for coming to meet me here, Emily. I realize it's no fun to be summoned so you can listen to bad news." He took in a deep breath and sighed. "I'll start at the beginning. If you have any questions as I go along, don't hesitate to ask." Tony met Emily's eyes and continued. "You'll recall that Lucky was kidnapped by Cesar Faison?" Emily's lips tightened, and she nodded. This was the last topic that she thought they'd discuss.

"Lucky had been bothered by the idea that the man was still out there. My brother works for the WSB, and we'd decided to ask him to find this Faison and bring him to justice. However, Faison caught wind of the surveillance and grew antsy. He called Lucky last week on the telephone, threatening him. It went downhill from there. Lucky was having a hard time dealing with the anxiety of the situation. He felt like a sitting duck, and he wanted to run. But, we convinced him to stay. His psychiatrist prescribed tranquilizers to help him through the weekend because he was my best man at the wedding. Lucky felt very responsible to stand up for me that day." Tony coughed as his eyes filled with tears. "He tried so, so hard, Emily. You should be proud of him."

"I am," Emily answered. "He did so well at the wedding. I mean, he looked wonderful, but he was also great to be with. We had fun talking."

"I could tell, Miss Quartermaine," Tony teased her. "It must have been the fireworks that went off every time the two of you looked at each other."

Emily smiled as she looked down at the table.

"Nikolas and Lucky spent the weekend together while Bobbie and I were on our honeymoon. Nikolas and I kept in contact, and everything was fine basically. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. My brother was staying with them for part of the weekend and had bodyguards for Lucky and surveillance on the house. The idea was to draw out Faison so he'd be caught in a crime and put away for good."

"Something went wrong?" Emily squeaked. She blinked rapidly as fear began to overwhelm her senses.

Tony nodded. "Nikolas and Lucky went to Wyndemere on Sunday afternoon. The WSB hadn't counted on that move and didn't have the necessary boats available to follow the boys onto the island. Unfortunately, that's when Faison made his move. He decided that he'd kill Lucky to keep him silent concerning his crimes and kidnap Nikolas for a ransom and the possibility of obtaining the Ice Princess."

"Oh my God," Emily exclaimed as she held a shaking hand to her mouth. "They're not..." Emily cleared her throat and started over. "They're not hurt, are they?" Her mind wouldn't allow for the possibility of their deaths.

Tony shook his head. "They're both alive." Tony hesitated and then decided to omit the majority of the details of the attack. "However, Lucky was poisoned, and Nikolas' arm was broken. They are both in the hospital. Lucky was in a coma, but he's recovered from that. He does have the beginnings of pneumonia, though. He's receiving treatment."

"He'll be okay?" Emily asked.

Tony reached for his cup of coffee. He tapped his fingernails on the blue glazed ceramic. "We don't know," he said in a very quiet voice. His serious eyes met Emily's. "He had another psychotic episode. He's been fighting off a relapse since Faison called him. The events on the island pushed him over the edge. He's receiving a new drug now, so we're anticipating he might pull out of it soon. Obviously, he won't be able to make his dinner date with you tomorrow. We received your message, and I wanted you to know."

Emily's lips swelled and reddened as the intense emotions of fear, regret, anger, concern and disappointment rolled through her body. A steady stream of tears poured from her eyes and plinked onto her folded hands. She bent her head, averting her eyes from anyone in the diner while picking at her nails in a futile attempt at using the activity to bring herself composure. Finally, she gave up and broke out into audible sobs.

Tony quickly moved into the seat next to her and drew her into a hug. Emily rested her chin on his shoulder and continued to cry as Tony patted her on the back. "I'm sorry," Tony said. "We're all upset."

"I don't know what to do," Emily breathed out. She separated from Tony. "How can I keep Lucky in my life? He keeps drifting further and further away from me. What if he's too far away to come back? And what if I don't recognize who he's become?"

~*~*~*~

Lulu picked up her backpack that she'd brought with her to the Scorpio-Jones house. "Come on," she said to Lucas. Her bright blue eyes glittered with intensity. "I want to see Lucky."

Lucas shook his head. "I don't know, Lulu," he said. "We're going to get in trouble. We're supposed to wait for Mom to pick us up. She's coming in two hours."

"I know how to find places. My daddy taught me," Lulu said. "I'm going by myself. 'Bye."

Lucas watched Lulu as she walked away, and he grew upset at the thought of her walking the streets on her own with no one to protect her. She was only seven years old. "Okay," he called out after her. "But we have to leave a note."

Next...

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