CHAPTER 12

''Ok, let me see if I got this straight'' Alexis said after a while, when Luke finally stopped crying. ''We already knew Nikolas was not the Cassadine prince, but he isn't even a Cassadine, he's a Spencer?'' She saw Luke nod and she continued. ''And Laura knew about it right? I mean, she admitted before witnesses having purposely lied to Nikolas, and Stefan all of the boy's life to save her own hide, because I don't believe Stefan would've killed her nor her son if he had known the truth, he's not that evil. But I do believe you have ground for a legal battle, as you were robbed of years of getting to know your son and --''

Luke gently cupped her cheek, and once again she saw in his eyes the tenderness he was capable of, like the night he gave her the tape. ''No. No legal battle, no settlement off court, no nothing. I didn't tell you this because I needed a lawyer. I told you because I needed a friend. My boys outside, looked this close to killing each other after she left, so I have to make them believe what she did does nothing for me. I have to make them believe that as long as I get a chance to know Nikolas now the rest doesn't matter to me, so I needed someone I could vent to, empty the venom I had in my heart for the woman I loved all my life without my sons knowing how she destroyed the last human piece of my heart''

''She didn't, she couldn't'' Alexis said quickly. ''How could she? You are the most compassionate man'' Luke looked at her like she was crazy and Alexis blushed. ''And the most arrogant, smart ass, irritating man I have ever met but that's not the question now'' she added with a smile. ''Luke, remember when you told me my real identity? And how my mother died? I hated you. I hated you with a passion, until you showed up at my door with my mother's voice in your pocket. Why did you do it? You always said you liked me, and I always acted like I hated you, well, I did, but you still made everything in your power to find that tape and give it to me for Christmas. Because you cared.''

''Of course I cared Natasha. I still do'' Luke admitted quietly, wondering where this conversation was leading him. ''You are the warm and fuzzy Cassadine'' He smirked and she slapped his thigh. ''Seriously, I don't know why, but whatever you did, I could never hate you. I remember telling you that there are two things in life I did very well. Be an ally, or an enemy, and I gave you the choice to go either way, but warned you it would last a life-time. Reluctantly, you chose to be my friend, so this comes with its rewards. There isn't much I wouldn't do for a friend, Ms. Davidovitch, including going around the world to find a tape of a friend's deceased mother''

Alexis was speechless, for the first time, in front of Luke. Her heart was beating fast and she was leaning against his hand on her cheek. ''Well, all that to tell you that you couldn't not be human, no matter how much Laura has hurt you in the past, or may hurt you in the future'' she said with conviction and took her face away from his tender hand. ''I actually have to get going, my husband is waiting for me outside.''

''Um, Natasha, before you go, please, please tell me you aren't serious about skippy'' Luke said with a smile. ''He doesn't deserve you.'' He added more seriously. Alexis smiled and leaned down, giving him a feather light kiss on the cheek. ''Neither do you'' She answered and walked out, the sound of his laugh still in her head as she reached Jax's car.

Elizabeth stood in front of the two brothers, frozen. Thoughts were rushing through her mind at warp speed. How she collapsed in Sonny's arms after Taggert told her they found the token around the body's neck, how she walked around like a zombie for days, trying to put on a brave face for everybody, feeling guilty for crying herself to sleep, because she had no blood connection to Lucky, like Luke, Laura and Nikolas had, how she felt guilty to know she was the one who gave him the candles, how she panicked every time his face started to fade in her mind. She slowly walked to him and slapped him hard across the face. ''HOW COULD YOU?'' She asked in rage. ''I mourned you, I cried for you! How could you let everyone think you were dead just to walk back into our lives? HOW?''

Lucky was not ready to see Elizabeth. He didn't have time to think about what he would say to her, how he would say it, anticipate her reaction. When he left, all he could think about was get to his father on time, make him understand he had a reason to fight, to live, he didn't think about what he would tell everyone about his whereabouts, he certainly didn't think about how Elizabeth would react to see him again. Well, even if he didn't think about it, he had his answer anyway.

''So?'' Elizabeth asked calmer, but her hands were still shaking. ''Did the cat got your tongue? Is that why you stayed away for more than 6 months?'' Lucky had a sad smile and looked at Nikolas. ''Could you give us a few minutes? Please?'' Lucky asked, his voice hoarse with nervousness. ''Sure bro, I'll go check on dad with Emily''. The situation was so sordid, that neither Emily nor Elizabeth realized what Nikolas said.

''Wanna walk with me?'' Lucky asked quietly. ''I don't wanna do anything with you'' Elizabeth said harshly. ''How could you do that, Lucky?'' She asked more calmly. ''Please, make me understand why you would do that to everyone, to us.'' Lucky walked for a while and Elizabeth had no choice but to follow him. ''You know, I forgot how fall smelled like'' Lucky said quietly. ''Well, I forgot how fresh air smelled like, how a breeze felt like. All little things everyone takes for granted'' He didn't realize he was saying stuff he promised himself he wouldn't say, to keep him and sister alive, but it had always been like that with Elizabeth, he always found himself confiding in her before he even realized he was doing it.

Elizabeth's heart's stopped. ''What do you mean, forgot? Where were you Lucky?'' She asked quietly, drawn into the conversation, even though she promised herself she wouldn't. She promised herself she would stay cold and emotionless, but the pain in his voice made her heart bleed, more than seeing him alive after all this time.

''Out of respect for you, for our past and promises we made to each other, you are the only one who will know the truth. But, it comes with a price. If you can't promise me not to tell anyone, or that you don't want to risk getting people killed by slipping up by mistake, I will tell you the same thing I told my dad'' Lucky said quietly. ''It's your choice, but know what the stakes are if this slips out''

''Lucky, you can trust me. I need to know the truth, but I promise whatever you tell me will die with me'' Elizabeth assured him and she saw him lean against a tree, before he passed both hands on his face with a sigh. ''I was being held captive'' Lucky started and Elizabeth drew her breath in. Lucky slid to the ground and she went to sit with him, her back against the tree. She wasn't seeing him, and he wasn't seeing her, even if they were side to side. She closed her eyes to try and gather the strength she knew she would need as Lucky started to talk.

''I went to sleep after I talked to you that night, and woke up in a room, what I called my black and decker room. Everything was steal, except the mattress and the computer, but the rest was cold, and lifeless. It took days of screaming and hitting the walls before someone other than a guard came to see me. I didn't recognize the man, but he said his name was Cesar Faison, and that he knew my dad. At first he was always civil, using verbal threats against you, and against Lu to keep me in line, but when I saw that they were shallow threats, I started to make trouble, starting to escape, refusing to eat, to sleep. So that's when hell really started. He said I was undisciplined and that his partner would have to come and give him a hand in making me understand who was the boss, and the next day, I saw Helena Cassadine come in'' Lucky took a deep breath, and he felt Elizabeth take his hand in hers, to give him some of her courage, like he did when she went to the police after the rape. ''She told me this was payback for my dad, a son for a son, you know? And they both started to torture me, physically and mentally, I won't tell you what they did, but the bottom line is, when my dad had his accident, they wanted him dead. But all of a sudden, they tell me they are letting me out, and the cost is not to let anyone know where I was, or with who. Faison told me and I quote ‘I won't save you next time I decide to light a fire, and I'll make sure it's a day you asked to take your little sister to the park and back home for hot chocolate, did I make myself clear?' so I broke my dad's heart in telling him I had to get away from everyone, and that was the only way I knew it would be sure to leave me alone. The thing is, I think he didn't buy it, and if he starts sniffing around and they think I talked, my sister's dead.'' He heard the leaves being ruffled and saw Elizabeth standing next to him on her knees and without asking for his permission, she crushed him in a hug, getting his bruised ribs and other body part to scream in outrage. He grinned from the pain and gently pushed her away. ''Careful, Elizabeth, he left me with something to remember him by'' Lucky said and without thinking that it would actually be the first time she would see his chest, he lifted his coat and shirt, revealing his purple stomach and black chest. ''There, now you know why I let everyone think I was dead'' He said bitterly ''why I was heartless enough to let you mourn me''

''Lucky, I-- I don't know what to say'' Elizabeth said quietly. ''I wish I could take back what I said to you when I saw you with your brother'' Lucky had a sad smile and shook his head. ''Hey, don't worry about it'' he said with an emotionless voice, the one he used when he had to answer to Faison's questions and try to show he didn't care. ''I understand'' He got his coat back in place and stood up before he helped her up. ''Come on, I'll take you back to Nikolas, I have to go and talk to my dad anyway''

He started walking towards the hospital, putting back the walls he was used to having after letting her in just a little too long. She wished she could take back some of the stuff she said, he wished the same. Now she saw that the young man she loved wasn't a Spencer. His dad would've found a way out long before, the threats wouldn't have scared him. And now, back with his family, he wouldn't have lied because he was scared they would come and take him back. His dad would've killed them with his own bare hands before leaving to come back to with his own. Luke was a Spencer. Lucky was starting to believe the joke he said in the room earlier, when he said he was the Cassadine. Because he sure as hell was too much of a coward to be a Spencer.