CHAPTER 20

"-Your mother? What does she have to do with anything?

-I told you. She had a master plan for my nephew and when he told her he was in love with Elizabeth Webber, my mother wanted to know everything about her. When she found out the kind of girl she was, my mother knew she could try and put a stop to what she had in store for her grandson so she told me to make sure Liz would push him away for a long time, long enough for him to find someone else.

-And who is that man?

-Your half-brother. Nikolas"

All color left Robert’s face when he heard that name.

"-You are lying

-No I am not. Helena Cassadine is my mother. My birth name is Thomas Alekovich. Helena is my mother, but I was raised by my father. She contacted me, after saying she needed me to do something. I hadn’t heard from her in years. I obliged. She is more dangerous than anyone I know.

-Well, I don’t care to know why you did it. The fact is, you raped her. And I’ll make sure you won’t do it again?

-I’m always up for a good challenge. Makes the game interesting. When the hunter tries to overcome problems to get to the prey is my speciality.

-You won’t touch her again

-You sure about that? How about putting a wager on it? If I haven’t succeed in a month, I will go to the PCPD and tell them I am the one who raped her all those years ago.

-I don’t play your sick games

-As you wish. But she will be mine again. And this time, forever"

Before Robert could take a shot at him Tom was gone. Robert was trembling from head to toe. He ran out of the boxcar and went directly to Windermere. He found Elizabeth in the living room, reading a book, while Nikolas reading a Cassadine Industries file. "Nice little family portrait, excuse me while I go puke" Robert said through his teeth before he opened the door and let himself in.

"-Elizabeth, go pack your bags immediately, you are coming with me. Robert said, standing in the middle of the living room

-Robert you have no right being here

-Shut up!

-That’s enough. Nikolas is right Lucky, I am not going anywhere

-Elizabeth listen. I saw Tom tonight. He tried to get your son Stefan to deliver you a message saying to meet me at 8 at the boxcar but instead the boy came to see me to verify. I met Tom and he told me flat out he was gonna rape you again and he dared me to stop him. He even said if he didn’t succeed in a month he would go to the police himself and admit he was the one who rape you all those years ago.

-I can very well protect her myself. She doesn’t need to go with you. Said Nikolas

-Lucky, I can’t move in with you. It wouldn’t be right

-I’m not asking you to move in with me to jump your bones Elizabeth. I promised you he wouldn’t touch you again, that I would protect you, but I can’t do it if you live in the house of horror with Frankenstein as a host.

-Lucky... started Elizabeth

-Listen, are you coming or not? Because if not I can sleep on your floor I don’t care. Either way, I’ll be with you all the time until we can find a way to get him in prison"

Elizabeth looked at Nikolas, then Lucky. She wanted to go, and not only because of Tom. Ever since Lucky came back it was harder and harder for her to share Nikolas’ bed and she refused every time he wanted to make love to her.

"-I’m sorry Nikolas. Elizabeth said softly. I have to do this

-Liz if you walk out that door to be with him, don’t bother coming back

-You worthless grandson of a b*tch. Robert said. She is this close to being raped again and all you think about is yourself. Come on Elizabeth"

She ran upstairs to get her stuff and was ready in 5 minutes. Robert was in the living room in a silent duel with his brother. The two men were looking at each other with pure hatred in their eyes. Finally, Nikolas spoke, with a broken voice.

"-What is it about you Lucky? Why do they all prefer you to me? Mom, grandma, Elizabeth, and now, even my children. I hear it in their voices how much they love you. You took a special place in their hearts the minute they saw you. Stefan can’t stop talking about how he helped you fix your motorcycle and how you took him for a ride. And he came to you, instead of coming to me, when he was suspicious about Tom. Why? Why do people always hate me?

-Nikolas, your children love me, yes, but you are their father. Perhaps if you spent time with them, they wouldn’t have to seek attention elsewhere. Stefan told me how much he wanted a father figure because his father was always at work. This isn’t a competition. We are brothers, why can’t you accept that even if they love me, that doesn’t mean they don’t love you? Why can’t they have enough love for the both of us? You had mom for 17 years, the same amount I had her to myself, why can’t she love me too?

-I’m just sick and tired to lose the people I love to you Lucky. I was devastated when you died, but even then, you were always there. At my birthdays, Christmases, it was as if I was the one who died and you were still alive.

-Nikolas, I’m sorry. I really am. I’m not doing this to hurt you. But I have to make good on my promise to protect Elizabeth. And you always knew her heart was mine to keep, just like my heart is hers, forever. You just had her on borrowed time

-I know. I can’t compare to you"

Robert was actually feeling bad for Nikolas. But Nikolas had Elizabeth, he got her when she was most vulnerable, and that was a coward’s move. And of course, he pushed Elizabeth in the lions’ den all those years ago, by mentioning her name to Helena Cassadine.

"-I’m ready. Elizabeth said from the top of the stairs.

-Please reconsider Liz, because I won’t take you back

-Nikolas, I am grateful for all you did for me and Lucky. You also gave me two beautiful children. But I have to do this. I know you want to be the one who will protect me, but Lucky’s the one I feel safe with. Even after all those years, he is the only one I trust completely. I’m sorry

-Fine. Nikolas said coldly. But don’t think you will have custody of Lu and Stefan. Because the battle will be ugly

-Don’t do this. If they want to be with me, I will fight for them and in the end, you know you will lose"

Robert opened her the door and they left. Although she was never in love with him, Elizabeth came to care a great deal about Nikolas and it was killing her to know he was hurting. Arriving at Robert’s home he took her upstairs and gave her the guest room. He told her to make herself at home, and to change anything she didn’t like in the room.

"-As you know, my room is right across the hall. If you need anything, just holler and I’ll come running. If you’re hungry, you take anything you want from the kitchen. I’ll go see if Lucky and Kiara are here and tell them you are living with us. Robert said as he was ready to walk out

-Lucky?

-Yes? He answered, turning around.

-Never mind. Thank you

-You’re welcome. I would do anything to keep you safe form harm"

She wanted to call out for him again, but she decided against it. She wasn’t here to build a romance with Lucky, she was here to prevent her from being raped again. But the truth was, it would be hard to know he is sleeping just across the hall and not being able to go and sleep in his arms, eat breakfast with him every morning and not being able to share a piece of strawberry, to hear the shower run and not being able to join him.

Robert was looking around his room and couldn’t help but smile. Elizabeth was now living under his roof. Granted they were not together, but he still would see her every minute of every day, because he would never leave her sight. He took a pair of boxers and a t-shirt before he went in the bathroom. Elizabeth was in her room, Lucky and Kiara weren’t there, so he figured he’d take a shower and read something, to take his mind off of the woman in the room three doors from him.

Elizabeth heard the shower and cursed. Why did he have to go in at the exact moment she thought about how hard it would be not to join him? Mental images were entering her mind at the speed of a train and if it wasn’t that Tom could be anywhere, she would go and take a walk.

Robert was hearing her pace the hallway and he smiled. "Come on, you know you want to" he whispered, knowing she was probably thinking about joining him. He washed himself and let the water run a little longer, to see if she would join him. Then he heard her door closed and he turned the water off. Her mind won the first battle over her heart. But here was coming a bigger battle for her. He softly knocked on her door and waited for her cue to peek in.

"-It’s open

-I just came to wish you good night and ask if you needed anything. Robert said, his hair still wet, as he peeked his head in

-No thank you, I’m fine. I’ll go in the shower now and hit the sheets myself. Good night

-Night Elizabeth"

Robert went into his room, laid on his back on the bed and started counting. His bet was she would find a reason to come in his room before he had time to count to 50.

"1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-22-23-24-25-26-27-28-29-30-31-32-33-34-35-36-37-38-39-40-41-42-

-Lucky, you asleep? She said as she knocked on the door

-No, come in. He said, trying to hide his smile

-Where can I find towels?

-In the bathroom, second door over the washer

-Thanks. Good night

-Night"

Robert smiled as she closed the door. He then whispered to himself:

"Now, shall I count to 500?"