Devolution TOC

Chapter 130

"What's bothering you, Lucky?" Kevin sat back in his chair with his eyes trained on his patient.

Lucky was tightly wound up, feeling as if he'd spring into a crazy direction if he let himself go. He'd been directing his gaze anywhere in the room except for the general direction of Kevin's face.

Lucky ran his fingers through his hair, which did nothing for its already shaggy appearance. "Nothing," Lucky finally responded. He cleared his throat and frowned. He was disappointed that he couldn't seem to make an assertion that had been in the back of his mind for days. He quite simply did not want to return to the day program. He felt it had nothing to offer him. Wasn't the program a formality anyway, not matched to a person's specific needs? To him, it seemed like an elaborate babysitting mechanism. Drop the crazy person off for the day so you don't have to worry what he'll do all day long. However, he couldn't bring up the topic as he was sure he'd lose the argument with Kevin.

"How's the pneumonia?" Kevin redirected.

"It's healing.The doctor said the infection is mostly gone now, but I still have to take naps. I was lucky they didn't have to intubate me again when I was in the hospital."

Kevin's eyebrows rose. "What happened?" he asked . "Why were you in the hospital?"

"Oh," Lucky said. "Nobody told you. Sorry. Well, I had another serious seizure. Actually, I had about six. I had the first ones at home when my uncle was there. Um, he said the one seizure wouldn't stop. They were able to record several while I was in the hospital. Supposedly that's a good thing."

Kevin looked concerned. "Was Tony able to determine why this happened?"

Lucky shrugged. "Same old reason. The lesion in my brain is interfering with the electrical activity. That and he said I shouldn't stay out in the sun as long as I did. But, most of the seizures happened while I was asleep. He said that's more common. Oh. I have an appointment two weeks from now to see some specialist in New York City. He'll determine if he can do surgery to remove the lesion. If so, I'll have the surgery in December."

"That's a lot to digest," Kevin said. "How do you feel about surgery?"

"I want it," Lucky replied. "Uncle Tony said that I have...uh... refractioned epilepsy?"

"Medically refractory epilepsy," Kevin corrected. "Meaning drugs won't adequately control the seizures."

"Yeah. I need to have the surgery while I'm still fairly young so the risk is less, and I'll heal better.  It's serious, but so is the epilepsy that I have, so..."

"What about your schooling?"

Lucky pulled on his lower lip. "Well, I can take online courses my second semester - history or math, classes I can pick up on my own. I might go part time that semester. I can use the computer at home while I’m recuperating. And, my Aunt Bobbie said she would take care of me during that time. It'll work."

"You're not expressing concern about such a serious procedure," Kevin said.

"What can I do about it?" Lucky yelled back at him, making Kevin blink with surprise. Lucky huffed and puffed. "I can't spend my whole life being upset about everything!"

"It's not good to repress your feelings," Kevin pointed out. "It's better to deal with them up front."

Lucky sprang up from his chair and scowled at Kevin. "I am SO tired of people telling me what to do and how to feel!" he said loudly as his eyes glared at the man seated in front of him.

"Who are you tired of? Me or someone else?" Kevin asked. "I don't think it's me," he guessed. "Who are you angry with?"

Lucky balled his fists, and he made a punching motion in the air. "I'm not angry," he hissed.

Kevin said nothing but stared at him.

Lucky stood still. "So what?" he said. "So I'm mad. Who cares?"

"Obviously you do."

Lucky made a chopping motion in the air with his hand. "I don't like people getting on my case. I finally found a drug that makes me feel more normal, like my old self, but everyone wants me to be this pitiful lump of flesh that they have to assist and feel sorry for. Hell! I've lived through more than most of them. Why should I be the kid? I never was before all this mess started. I lived on my own when I was fifteen, and I never asked for a handout. Why should it be different now? I’m nineteen. I can take care of myself. I don't need this."

"Who is everyone?"

"My aunt and uncle, especially my uncle. I swear he likes it when I'm down and out."

"I have to disagree," Kevin replied. "I've seen him and talked to him when you were at a low point, and it bothered him plenty. All he's expressed is how he wants you to recover and be independent, to have everything at your disposal."

Lucky sputtered around and then remained silent.

"Are you considering one of the group homes?" Kevin questioned. "Did you review the literature?"

"Yeah. I don't know."

"It's an option, but I don't think you'd like the atmosphere," Kevin said. "It is much more restrictive than living at home with your aunt and uncle. And, you've told me how much you want to live with your sister and be there for her."

Lucky slid back into his chair and sighed. "You're right. Maybe it'll be better when the apartment is built. But, that pisses me off, too. Tony said I could help him build it, but since Frisco moved in, they don't give me the time of day; it's like I'm just a kid who gets in the way."

"I understand you feel like that, but is it the full truth? Perhaps they didn't think you'd be interested in helping while recovering from pneumonia. Have you asked them for a specific job on the project?"

Lucky ignored Kevin's reasoning and brushed it off with a quick shake of his head. "I started building Lucas his tree fort. I'll show them how I can build things on my own. When I came back from visiting my dad, they were at it again, and I was encroaching on their territory. That's when I gathered the scraps of wood and started building."

Kevin was silent for a moment. "Are you placing some of your feelings about your father onto your uncle? Is so, is that a fair burden to place on him?"

"So now you're like the rest of them," Lucky replied angrily. "I don't do anything right, including producing the thoughts in my brain. Thanks a lot." He crossed his arms against Kevin's comment. "GOD!" he yelled loudly. "I can't stand this! You have no idea what I've done in the past. I traveled all by myself to Port Charles when I was only ten years old. I escaped people who were trying to kidnap me! I stayed ahead of them all. I know how to pack in two minutes and be out the door. I know how to avoid detection while I'm walking down the street."

"And perhaps that's why you're angry," Kevin said. "Would you expect your ten year old cousin to live like that? Is it what you'd wish for him?"

Lucky's face froze and then fell as his thoughts and emotions gelled together with Kevin's simple statement. His eyes pooled with the tears that he couldn't prevent from forming, no matter how hard he tried. "No," he said in a small voice. "I'd want to protect him so he wouldn't have to do it."

"Isn't it logical that you'd be upset with your parents for forcing an adult responsibility on the small child who was you?"

"Maybe," Lucky whispered. "I don't know."

"Is it so hard to have someone want to protect you? Like your aunt and uncle do?"

Lucky choked up and held his breath to try to regain control of his emotions. "No one protected me," he said sadly. "I'm not comfortable with it."

"Is your discomfort angering you?"

"Yeah. I want to relax. I can't relax unless....unless something is happening. I can't stand still and just allow things to happen. I need to be in control."

"How did the visit with your father go?" Kevin asked.

"It's hard. It's so artificial with him being in that prison. We sat there with guards watching us. How am I supposed to act natural? It feels weird to just talk about things. We always used to hang together, me and my dad. We worked on projects; we didn't just sit in a chair and chew the fat. But he's not here for me anymore. I felt like I had to protect myself from being upset again; of course, it didn't work. I went right out to the car and the waterworks flew. Damn, I wish my mother would have handed those genes to someone else." Lucky's eyebrows rose. "Oh. I forgot to tell you. My brother visited my mother in prison, and he got all tense with her, making her tell him about the family medical history. She has bipolar disorder and her natural father had schizophrenia. He was a college professor, but he was in and out of hospitals and died at an early age."

Kevin perked up, and made a few notations in Lucky's folder. "That's very good information. It solidifies your diagnosis. Psychiatry isn't an exact science as much as we'd otherwise like to pretend."

Lucky felt scared. "Am I going to end up like my grandfather?" he asked. "Am I going to become schizophrenic? Is my disease going to get worse?"

"Although it is a possiblilty, it isn't likely, especially since you're receiving treatment," Kevin explained. "Years ago, there weren't effective treatments for schizophrenia. Now we have many good drugs from which to choose. The prognosis is much better."

"I'm a walking time bomb," Lucky said flatly. "Who knows what will set me off? I'm worse than a Cassadine. Isn't that ironic?"

"Explain that comment," Kevin directed.

"Cassadines. Many of them are crazy. Nikolas' father and grandfather were, and now that we know about Stefan, I guess his uncle can be included in the bunch. Oh. And his grandmother. Well, she was evil; that's different from being crazy. But, oh, how I liked it when Nikolas got shitty with mommy dearest. No one can be shitty like a Cassadine. They get all elegant on you, but their words and eyes cut like a knife."

"Have you had any contact with your mother?"

"No," Lucky said. "None. My aunt writes to her about Lulu, sends photos and stuff, but my mother doesn’t write back often, even for my baby sister."

"You've mentioned feeling tense," Kevin said. "How are you handling that?"

"I really, I mean really want a cigarette," Lucky said. "It is a nightmare. I mean, now I want alcohol and heroin, too. The cigarettes were like a barrier to the other cravings, you know. When I'm tense, I really need to smoke." He patted his arm. "I'm still wearing the patch. It helps with physical craving, but not so much the mental."

"Are you attending AA meetings?"

Lucky nodded. "I went to a couple this past week. My sponsor must be getting sick of me. It seems like I call him every day at 3PM. It's weird. But that's when it hits me. I just feel antsy these days - that's how I'd describe it. I should be happy. Why can't I get there?"

"Time," Kevin said. "As always, you're impatient. Your life can't settle in a period of weeks. Give yourself time. When you work into a productive routine, you should start to feel some ease in your life."

After talking for several more minutes, the session concluded, and Lucky rose to leave.

In the hallway outside of Kevin's office, Lucky leaned against the wall. He rubbed his forehead. I don't feel better at all. Talking doesn't help.

~*~*~*~

Lucky lead Harley into the house, both of them dripping with sweat. "Aunt Bobbie," he breathed out. "It's too hot outside for Harley. I think he doesn't feel well. I took him for a walk, and he fell over on his side in the back yard. He's had a huge drink of water, but can he stay inside for the afternoon? I'll keep him with me and make sure he doesn't mess in the house."

Bobbie looked up from her magazine and noted Lucky's flushed face as well as Harley's extra wide tongue panting like crazy. "It is ninety degrees outside. It'd be good for him to rest inside. Okay." She shook her head, when Lucky announced, "We're taking a shower," as he ran up the stairs with the dog following at his heels.

"Clean it out after you're done," she called out after him, shivering as she imagined the dog hairs lining the tub and clinging to the tile floor. "Mind the floor, too!"

~*~*~*~

Lucky laughed as man and dog luxuriated under the lukewarm spray of the shower. Harley's stump tail wagged back and forth, and his eyes were closed as his tongue hung out of the side of his mouth. Lucky scooped a palmful of shampoo onto Harley's back and rubbed until a rich lather formed and dripped down the dog's sides. Lucky used his fingers to massage the dog's skin, and Harley was in doggie ecstasy.

"Here, boy," Lucky said as he directed the shower spray directly onto the dog's back. After rinsing off the dog, he drew back the shower curtain, and Harley jumped out of the tub, skittering across the ceramic tile with clinking nails. The dog dramatically shook himself to and fro, causing a mini shower in the middle of the bathroom.

Lucky peeked out of the shower and shook his head. Cleaning up after you is going to be a pain, Harley.  He quickly showered and reached for an old, large towel to further dry off his dog. He dropped the towel on the floor and took care of his own grooming. Harley rolled on his back over the heaped towel and growled with pleasure. You are seriously warped, dog, Lucky thought with amusement.

I can't believe how fast my hair grows. Lucky peered into the mirror with a brush and blow-dryer in hand. He didn't bother much with styling as it hung unevenly and stuck out in the weirdest places. No hair gel in the world would take care of those cowlicks.

~*~*~*~

Lucky plopped into an easy chair beside his aunt and motioned for Harley to sit next to him on the floor. "I cleaned up the bathroom," he informed her. "It looks better than before we used it."

Bobbie nodded. "Harley smells clean."

Lucky laughed as he stroked the dog's back. Harley's stump wagged contentedly, and he laid his massive head on his large front paws. "Watch out, he's vain. He'll follow you all around the house now, Aunt Bobbie."

"He's a good dog. Come here, Harley." The dog's ears perked up at the sound of his name, and he lazily opened his eyes to look at Bobbie. He heaved up his bulk to a standing position and slowly walked over to her offered hand, bending his head low so she could pet it. "Harley is a pretty boy," she cooed as she rubbed behind his ears.  Bobbie glanced over at her nephew and noticed that his eyes were hooded, and he was unsuccessfully stifling a yawn. "What are your plans this afternoon?" she asked.

"Nikolas is picking me up in an hour to go house hunting. He has two condos that he wants me to look at. Then, he's going to drop me off at a restaurant so I can have dinner with my friend Michael. We'll discuss strategy for the GH baseball game."

"That's a busy schedule. Why don't you take a nap before you go? That way you'll have plenty of energy." Bobbie was hesitant to say more since Lucky had been acting peevish lately if anyone made a suggestion directed toward him. He had a tendency to huff off and ignore whoever was talking to him.

Lucky looked away from Bobbie. "Um. I don't know," he hedged. He played with his hands and opened his mouth and then closed it. He shook his head and let out a long breath. "I'm afraid," he finally said. "Tony said a seizure was more likely when I'm asleep. That's how this mess started the other day."

"I can understand that," Bobbie replied. "Have you had headaches?" When Lucky shook his head, she said, "You had some symptoms before the seizures, but you're feeling well now. Maybe you can concentrate on that?" She patted the sofa. "I have some reading to do this afternoon. Why don't you stretch out here? I'll be nearby and can wake you up before Nikolas stops by. I'll notice if you show any seizure activity."

"Yeah. Okay," Lucky said. "I should be able to sleep by myself," he muttered as he lay down.

~*~*~*~

"How does it feel to have a teenager?" Bobbie teased Tony.

Tony removed his tie and flung it onto the bed. "Just peachy," he joked as he ran a hand through his hair.

Bobbie massaged Tony's shoulders. "You've been working hard lately. Can I run you a relaxing bath?"

"Nah. That's for you females. Besides, it's too hot outside to even think about a bath. A cool shower ought to do the trick." 

"Need someone to scrub your back?"

Tony's eyebrows rose as a light shone in his eyes. He looked over to the door. "What about the kids?"

"Fed, happy and glued to the television."

"Hour long program?"

"Two hour movie," Bobbie said.

"And they're not fighting?"

Bobbie shook her head. "No."

"Frisco?"

"At Alexis', as always."

"Lucky?"

"He's out for the entire evening. He'll be home in a few hours."

Tony leaned over and kissed his wife. "You've got a date, sweetie-pie." Tony sat on the end of the bed and removed his shoes and socks. "Before our shower, I have to ask how Lucky's doing? I'll get tense now. I'm not sure I want to hear about it after I'm relaxed."

Bobbie sat down beside him and shrugged. "Let's see. He ignored me this morning when I asked him not to work on Lucas' fort because of the heat. He was out there in the sun for three hours straight. Got a lot done, though. He was cooperative when I asked him to clean the bathroom, and he did take a nap. He was afraid to sleep, though, because of the seizures. I had him lie down in the living room."

"I spoke to Kevin today. I told him about the tension we have."

"What did he say?"

"Well, he has to observe confidentiality, so he didn't discuss anything directly. He feels that Lucky is going through some adolescent issues - separation, that type thing. Luke's imprisonment complicates the situation."

"Oh boy," Bobbie exclaimed. "I hope we don't go through what Luke did. Those two were at each other for two years straight until...well, until Lucky was kidnapped. They'd started mending fences, and then he was gone." Bobbie's face fell as she remembered those times.

"So perhaps he's picking up where he left off before the kidnapping and his illnesses?"

"Sounds like it."

"But Luke isn't here to resolve some of his issues."

Bobbie patted Tony's leg. "Congratulations, honey. You just inherited one hostile teenager."

"Ah, geez," Tony said. "But seriously, I want the best for him. It's just hard to know what that is. He needs so much guidance and support with what he's been through. He can't live independently yet. He seems resentful."

"That's Lucky," Bobbie said. "He's been like that ever since I've known him. He breezed into town ten years old going on thirty. His parents didn't impose many restrictions on him, and he can't accept them. You have to make it seem like your suggestion is his idea. He can be a pain in that regard."

"Sounds like Luke," Tony muttered.

Bobbie patted Tony on the back. "You've got that right. My way or the highway - the Spencer motto."

Tony watched appreciatively as Bobbie began stripping for their shower. His eyes met hers. "I can't wait for the shower," he grinned. He cleared off his clothing from the surface of the bed with a dramatic sweep of his arm.  "Love me, baby," he laughed as he jettisoned into her arms and propelled them backward onto the bed. The bed made a slight banging noise against the wall, and Bobbie cracked up.

"You need to consider some padding for the wall, Jones, with all the action this bed gets."  

~*~*~*~

Lucky stepped out into the courtyard attached to the condo Nikolas was considering purchasing. His shoes scrapped against the terracotta colored pavers lining the area. It was private, walled off from neighbors with the permanence of brick. "Hot tub," he said as he spread his arms around. "Right here in this corner." His eyes danced. "You'll have the killer bachelor pad, bro. Can I borrow it sometime?"

Nikolas ran a hand over the back of his neck. Was his brother ever going to let his past indiscretions rest? "I'm primarily interested in resale value and proximity to the campus," he replied.

"Uh-huh," Lucky said. "What are the dimensions of the master bedroom again?"

"Fifteen feet by sixteen feet."

"And you really don't care about the kitchen since you don't cook?"

"Renée cooks." Nikolas stared at his brother until Lucky laughed.

"You're a sexist pig," Lucky retorted.

"Oink."

"Geez, Nikolas. Why don't you take a cooking class?"

"Why bother when I can order take out?"

"A nice, home cooked meal is wonderful sometimes," Lucky said.

"Only if someone else cooks it. I'm not domestic, and I don't want to learn."

"I suppose having all of those servants waiting on you hand and foot at Wyndemere spoiled you."

"Wyndemere and Greece," Nikolas corrected. "I'm not American. It's a cultural issue. American's generally aren't comfortable with servants. Europeans accept them as a matter of course."

"Rich Europeans," Lucky grumbled. "So when is Helga the housekeeper arriving?"

Nikolas screwed up his face. "When in Rome," he said elusively. "I'll just hire a service to come in weekly."

"Can they make a pit stop by the carriage house apartment as well?" Lucky asked. "I'm sure I'll have plenty for them to do."

"When will that be finished?"

"Better ask Tony or Frisco, not me," Lucky replied.

Nikolas merely stared at Lucky, not understanding the issue of territory that was inherent in his comment.

"Are you ever going to invite me over here?" Lucky asked with a soft voice. He felt like everyone was moving on without him, while he was still stuck at home. Would Nikolas have any time for his brother after entering a demanding graduate school program? And what about Renée? Was he going to spend all of his time with her? Lucky had thought that he and Nikolas might reform the four musketeers relationship they'd had as younger teens with Renée replacing Elizabeth, but his brother seemed much more independent and aloof these days. Maybe he'd make lots of new friends at school and wouldn't have time to see him.

Nikolas caught Lucky's wistful tone of voice and guessed correctly that his brother needed reassurance of his desire for a relationship. He clapped Lucky on the back and said, "I need you. Are you kidding? You keep me grounded and on track. You know me. I'd have a coat of arms standing in the foyer, and a lion roaring for a doorbell."

Lucky's laughter rang throughout the empty residence. "No bats or mummies allowed."

Nikolas frowned. "I'm always at a disadvantage with your references. I haven't watched those horror movies."

"Not even Dracula?" Lucky asked. "Heck, Dad obtained his best material from that story."

"How is Emily?" Nikolas asked, effectively sidestepping Lucky's reference to bats.

"She's good. I had dinner at her house last night. What a clan. Those Quartermaines are eccentric. Her mother said I was officially a member of the family now that they're placing me in the middle of their fights."

"So is she the one?" Nikolas asked.

Lucky looked sharply at his brother. "She's always been the one.".

"You're completely over Elizabeth?" Nikolas' curiosity won out over his reluctance to potentially upset his brother.

"In a way." Lucky paused as he thought. He wandered over to the fireplace and ran his fingers over the smooth surface of the wooden mantel. "We were never able to talk about what happened. I mean, she just slipped out of my life, so it seemed like there wasn't closure. But, yes. She doesn’t have a place in my heart anymore. That's over and done with. We used to be a permanent lock, but the lock is broken. That's the way it is sometimes. I've accepted it."

"I'm sorry."

Lucky shrugged. "It was hard, especially since the idea of Elizabeth kept me alive while I was in the compound, but she needed to move on, so now I have, too." He glanced at Nikolas. "So what about this Renée? Is she the one?"

"I haven't known her long enough to know what she'll be to me, but I'm taking it slowly, and to me that means she's important."

"It's hard to stop once you start, isn't it?" Lucky's lips turned up into a look that Nikolas easily read.

"Yes, it is," Nikolas agreed. "Sometimes..."

"Let's not go there," Lucky said. "I have a hard enough time keeping my hands off of Emily. Thinking about it makes it worse."

"Yes, it is always those difficult thoughts," Nikolas agreed with a grin.

Lucky frowned as occasionally Nikolas phrased an answer exactly like Stefan, and it was disconcerting as well as a little creepy. It probably was the result of speaking English as a second language - it came out stiff occasionally, not natural or flowing.

"Renée is interesting," Nikolas continued. He walked over to the decorative window in the living room. It was a full wall window topped by a half moon of leaded glass. "Her family is Italian, and they still keep in contact with her relatives. She spent summers in Italy, and so did I as a matter of fact. We have that in common. She's been to the Greek isles as well."

"So she's suitable."

"To me," Nikolas replied. "Not to my deceased uncle or others. But I am my own man."

"And you wear it well," Lucky said, complimenting his older brother. "You're going to be successful. I can tell."

Nikolas turned and examined his brother, who always seemed to have an inner glow of strength and confidence even at his lowest point. "And you as well."

~*~*~*~

Lucky walked into O'Reilly's Pub, an eatery slash bar. He wouldn't have selected this restaurant for that reason, but what could he do when he was at the mercy of whomever would be able to offer him a ride? Nikolas had dropped him off, but Michael would be driving him home.

He was greeted by a swift rush of cold air conditioning and thick smoke. Great, he thought. I'll be breathing in the smoke that I'm supposed to avoid. He squinted in the darkness of the interior and caught Michael's hand waving at him from a booth in the corner directly opposite the bar.

Lucky squared his shoulders against the atmosphere of the place and slid into the booth. "Hey."

"I hope this place is okay," Michael said. "It's halfway between your house and mine."

"That's right. You live further out in the suburbs," Lucky noted.

"I'm stuck there," Michael snorted.

"Tell me about it."

Michael glanced behind him. "I already ordered two beers for us - whatever's on draft."

Lucky colored. "I'm not supposed to drink," he said.

"Oh. I’m sorry. Two beers for me, I guess." Michael gave Lucky a halfhearted grin and looked down at the table, embarrassed by his faux pas.

"I can try a beer," Lucky said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I guess one won't hurt."

"How's the day program? I'm so glad I'm outta there. It's so lame."

"I'm not going back," Lucky announced as he accepted the beer from the waitress and placed the small white napkin under it before setting it down.

"How can you get away with that?" Michael scoffed. "My parents and psychiatrist would be on my back."

"I won't tell them I'm not attending," Lucky said. "They can drop me off, but it doesn't mean, I'll stay."

Michael frowned. "Isn't it better to be honest with them? I mean, they're going to find out. Someone will eventually call your psychiatrist, and then it'll hit the fan. Lying about it will only make it worse."

Lucky glared at Michael and took a gulp of his beer. The feel of the alcohol running down his throat surprised him. He'd forgotten what a rush it was.  "I'm not going," he repeated without elaborating.

Michael shrugged and let the subject drop. "So have your spies found out anything about Mercy's team?"

Lucky smiled and nodded as he set his beer back down. "They're still trying to form a team. We've already had one practice, and they're scrambling for bodies."

"Cool."

Lucky nodded. "Peterson will pitch straight down their throats. No one can hit those balls. We have an excellent outfielder, too."

"What about me? What position do you want me to play?"

"Well, you made the rotation, and it seems like either first or second base. You're observant and have a good arm. Lot's of action to be had."

Michael nodded, glad at being given the responsibility. "I'm looking forward to it."

"I love killing the competition," Lucky smirked as he finished half the beer in his second gulp.

~*~*~*~

12:30AM

"Shit," Lucky crabbed at himself as he dug into his pockets for the keys to the Victorian. He'd forgotten his set of keys on top of his dresser, probably because he hadn't napped in his room that afternoon. As he was cussing and wondering what he'd do, the front door suddenly opened widely.

Tony held the door open, but Lucky hesitated on the porch, not moving toward the doorway. The waitress at the restaurant had accidentally spilled some beer on his sleeve when she'd given Michael his second drink. The liquid had evaporated from his clothing, but he was sure he still smelled like alcohol. "Lucky, it's late," Tony said. "Are you going to come in? I have an early surgery in the morning."

"Isn't it Frisco's turn to babysit me?" Lucky groused as he followed Tony into the foyer. "You didn't have to wait up."

"You're an hour later than you said you'd be. I was worried."

"Don't bother," Lucky said as he brushed past his uncle to escape upstairs.

"Hold on," Tony said. He grabbed hold of Lucky's arm. Lucky yanked back and shot him a furious look. "What's going on? You come in here full of attitude, and you smell like you've been smoking a pack of cigarettes not to mention the beer."

"There was smoking allowed in the restaurant," Lucky gritted out. "That's why I smell like smoke. I didn't choose the restaurant since my friend was driving. I don't drive. Remember?"

"What about the beer?" Tony asked. He stared intently at Lucky, trying to decipher what was going on with him. "You're acting like you have something to hide."

"Fuck it!" Lucky yelled loudly. "I had one beer. I didn't order it - the other guy did before I arrived."

"You're an alcoholic!" Tony insisted. "One beer is too many. You know that. What's wrong with you? Why are you acting this way?"

"What way?" Lucky sneered. "Like a Spencer. Is that what's eating you? You've always hated my dad."

"What? I never hated Luke. We had our disagreements, just like any family, but there was never any hate. Stop trying to avoid the subject. Drinking is not an option, Lucky."

Lucky huffed and puffed as tears of frustration built in his eyes. "I get accused of smoking when I never touched a cigarette all evening! And because I drink one beer, I'm a big failure. Forget it! This is bullshit!"

Tony's temper rose at Lucky's insolent tone of voice. "There is a no drugs or drinking policy in this house, Lucky. You agreed when you moved in."

Lucky's blood chilled as he took Tony's words in a way they weren't intended. "Fine, fine," he said distractedly as he looked around him with a blank gaze in his eyes and his hands patting his pockets. Luke's training was never far from his mind, and he instinctively determined that he had enough resources to survive with the money in his wallet and the warmth of the summer air. He turned abruptly and raced through the doorway, allowing the door to slam shut behind him before Tony recovered enough to yank it back open. "Lucky!" he called out, but his nephew was already galloping down the dark street.

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