Fast Forward In Time - Chapter 2

Friday, April 20th, 2007
Port Charles

Lucy saw Elizabeth stepping off the elevator the next morning. She greeted her trying to hide the fact that she knew last night was the anniversary. She had tried to get her to take a few days off but Elizabeth had refused. She always refused.

"Good morning Liz. How are you feeling?" she asked placing a hand on her arm.

" I'm fine Lucy. Don't worry! I'll be able to work today just like I did yesterday."She replied. She had her arms protectively wrapped around herself. She was holding the handle of her leather briefcase a little to tight.

Lucy placed her hand on Elizabeths' back and led her into her large office. Shutting the door behind them she said, "You know that isn't what I meant Liz. Are you sure you don't want to take a few days off?"

Elizabeth sighed and shook her head. "No. I'm okay, really. Besides, I have to get everything ready for my trip to Madrid next week."

Lucy took her seat behind her desk and looked Elizabeth over. ‘How cruel it is that she suffers so much and chooses to do it alone,' she thought to herself. Thinking it best not to push the issue she decided to let it drop. "Are you finished making your travel arrangements yet?"

Elizabeth took a seat across from her and pulled out her notes. "Yes. I just have some minor adjustments left to make on my itinerary. I've been in contact with all the tourist centers and they've given me a list of what they think are the best places for the sketches and pictures that we need. I only have a few people left to get in contact with to make appointments to view their properties. Everyone has been very considerate so far and some of these places look amazing on the E-Mails I have received. But you know me, I'll probably find something completely different."

That was something Lucy was counting on. She knows that Elizabeth has an incredible talent for finding beauty and intrigue in things that most people never take notice to, and the way she is able to lure people in to see what she is seeing is amazing. "I have every confidence in you Liz. I am more concerned with who you've hired as your photographer. Why don't you just take Adrian instead? You know his work, he's very good, and he isn't married to an important employee at ‘Deception'. He isn't married at all."

‘And he wants to date me,' Elizabeth thought to herself. Adrian Thomas was one of the best photographers at ‘JAX', very handsome and very available. He had asked her out a few times and she had politely said no at first, but his persistence was starting to get on her nerves, and he was starting to scare her. "Yes, he is good, but Angela and I have wanted to work together for so long. Her and Nicolas had already planned a trip to Spain so it couldn't make more sense." Whoops!

Lucys' jaw nearly hit her desk, "WHAT?!?!", she screamed, " Nicolas is going too? Are you kidding me? You do... {‘Oh Great Here We Go', Elizabeth thought to herself}...know who's idea that was don't you? That WITCH. I can't believe she would use Nicolas to get to you to get to me. I'm gonna KILL her..."

By this time Lucys' voice had taken on that undescribable shrill that is all her own. She had gotten up from her desk and had begun pacing around her office all the while flailing her arms as she continued to rant and rave about the volatile, albeit comedic feud between herself and the owner of her rival company ‘Deception'. Katherine Bell.

"LUCY!" Elizabeth yelled over the tantrum. Lucy stopped and stared at her. She can't ever remember hearing Elizabeth raise her voice to anyone. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that it's just that you didn't hear me the first five times I said your name." She too had gotten up from her chair. She then took Lucys' hands in her own. "Don't worry," she begged, " Listen to me. Angela would never breach a contract and Nicolas would never spy on his wife or his friend. He needs this trip to get away from work, and Ms. Bell. You know yourself that ever since Nicolas dumped her and found real love with Angela she has been making work unbearable for him."

"Why is he still working there then? It has been over two years since he got married. Why doesn't he quit and come work for me? He is so good at what he does and he has so much potential. Why is he letting Katherine do this to him?" she asked her as she sat back down behind her desk.

Elizabeth couldn't tell her that is what this trip is for. Nicolas had had enough of Katherine Bell, and so had Angela. After they got back from their trip he was handing in his resignation. Instead she sat back down and said, "Please try to trust me. You have nothing to worry about. I promise."

Lucy let out a breath she had been holding and smiled, "Alright. I'll trust you. You have never let me down before I can't imagine why you would start now."

"Thanks boss," was all Elizabeth said before she left Lucys' office.

Madrid

Faison entered Luckys' room with some interesting news for him. He couldn't wait to tell him that Elizabeth is coming for a visit next week. Soon this whole chapter would be over and Faison could live without this burden. He didn't seem to get to Lucky anymore. None of his baiting seemed to phase Lucky in the slightest way. Not that he was even interested in it himself. He doesn't even flinch when he lets him hear everyones voice but hers. In the last few years he had given up trying to torture him. ‘This is going to be perfect. I can't back down now.' He thought to himself. He had lost his stomach for killing, thinking it is much to messy. Of course, if it came down to it, he would seriously reconsider. He hasn't bothered to mention that to anyone, especially the young Spencer. It would not only reveal the feelings he has developed for the boy, it might put the crazy idea of trying to escape in his head. Although it would be amusing for him to watch, it may be a little risky and it would ruin Faisons' plans. He use to enjoy watching Lucky try, but now, between the maturity he has gained and the workout he does everyday he might just manage to do it. He still remembers when Lucky would cry himself to sleep. The constant begging and pleading he use to get from him about why he was really holding him hostage was so much fun then. Now, he never asks, he barely says a word. He does what Faison tells him to do, and when he is alone he spends most of his time writing. His writing makes him look so content. He had forbid it to continue once and Lucky had promptly stopped eating. He didn't want him dead, although he would never admit it, so he allowed it to proceed. He had to give credit where credit was due. This kids will and strength of mind had no limits. It is to be both feared and admired. He had assumed that Lucky would have gone completely mad years ago. He had looked forward to it. Instead he has become even more resilient. He had told Lucky lies of why he really kidnaped him. He didn't want him to know that the real reason had to do with revenge. Or did it? He couldn't even remember anymore. Helena Cassadine, his partner in this scheme, was thankfully no longer around to remind him.

Lucky knew Faison had been standing there staring at him reading. He hadn't seen him in weeks so, although he was curious about the reason for this visit, he was waiting for him to speak first in that annoying accent of his.

"Lucas, you really shouldn't ignore my presence. I might begin to think you don't like me and that would hurt my feelings." Nothing. He continued, "I have some exciting news for you. I think you showing a little interest just may convince me to tell you about it." Still nothing. "You know, I was watching Elizabeth on my cameras the other day. She really has become something of a beauty. I was thinking of taking a trip to Port Charles sometime soon. Maybe I'll pay her a visit while I'm there. I'm sure she would enjoy my company." Not even a blink. "Dammit boy, " Faison said as he stormed over to where Lucky was sitting and swiftly knocked the novel out of his hands, "Listen to me when I am talking to you."

It took all of the restraint Lucky could muster not to burst out laughing in his face. Instead, he slowly raised his head and stared at him. It's funny how the tables had turned over the years. Now, he's the one that gets to Faison and not the other way around. "Did you say something?" he calmly asked.

Faison was visibly annoyed, he had to hand it to this kid. He walked to a chair across from Lucky and sat down. Trying to contain his anger, he pulled out one of his cigars and lit it. He inhaled long and deep and then exhaled in Luckys' direction, the whole time keeping their eyes locked. Instead of going on and on about how he could hurt him by hurting someone he loves, the way he always did, he decided to give Lucky his news.

"I will be seeing some people you know very well next week. I will be having them to the house. They are scouting for locations for business reasons," he said while waving around the hand holding the slim cigar.

Lucky continued to stare at him with total disinterest. ‘Why the hell should I care about some bunch of stuffy business people that I couldn't possibly know,' he thought to himself.

"Aren't you at all interested in the names of my special guests? No? You really are a total bore Lucas. Well, wether you want to know or not, I'm going to tell you."

Lucky crossed his arms, leaned back in his chair and waited. And waited. He knew that Faison was trying to get to him. They have played this game often throughout the years. Staring at eachother, waiting for the other to speak first. Lucky wasn't in the mood for it today so he got up from his desk, walked to the compact disc selection that Faison constantly updated for him, and began to look through them.

Faison realized that the only way to get Luckys' attention was to shock him. "Elizabeth, the love of your young life, Nicolas, your brother the non-prince, and his lovely wife Angela."

Lucky felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. He couldn't let him know that he had gotten to him. Without turning to him he flatly stated, "You're lying."

"You will see soon enough that I am being more honest with you about this than I've ever been about anything." With that said he got up and left.

Lucky couldn't move, couldn't breath. He ran his hands nervously through his hair. ‘What is going on? What the hell is that Bastard up to? Why would Elizabeth come here?' His mind was going crazy with questions he couldn't answer. He began to pace around his room. ‘I can't afford to be sucked in to another one of Faisons' games. But if he is telling the truth I can't afford not to. I can't let any of them get hurt.' He couldn't help but wonder if he would get to see Elizabeth close up. That simple thought made his stomach flutter. ‘Of course I will. Faison will make sure of that, because he knows it will be torture and bliss to me at the same time.' He was suddenly hit with a horrifying thought. ‘Oh God! What if he hurts her and makes me watch? Oh God!' He slowly sat on his bed not realizing he was facing the cameras, clenched his fists together in front of his face, and silently prayed. ‘Please God, I am begging you, don't let anything happen to her, to them. Please, please, please!'

Faison was watching Lucky in the viewing room. He couldn't believe it was so easy. Luckys' love for his family and especially Elizabeth was incredible. He could almost feel Luckys' pain. His cell phone for personal use started ringing and interrupted his thoughts, "Hello?" ... "Hi sweetheart, how are you?" ... "Tell her Daddy will be there in a few minutes." ... "Okay then." ... "Alright, good-bye." As he hung up the phone he noticed that Lucky was still sitting on the edge of his bed with no care for the cameras he knew were always watching him. He had removed his hands from his face and there were tears rolling down his cheeks. The pain he had caused that kid was immeasurable. Since he married Anita six years ago and had a child of his own he had found himself questioning what he had done. He doesn't let it happen often. Usually it was at a time like this. Seeing the obvious pain that Lucky normally hid so well and thinking of his own family so happy made him feel bad for him. It never lasted very long, if he let it, it could drive him mad. He had tried to imagine his life without his own child but he couldn't. This confirmed Luke Spencers' suffering to him. But what of Lucky? Should a child pay for the sins of their father? Should Jacinth, his four-year-old daughter, be hurt for the things he has done? He always managed to convince himself that what he has done is what had to be done. But sitting here looking at Lucky... ‘This has to end, this has to end soon.' Faison shook off his thoughts, "Keep a close eye on him." He instructed the guard. Without looking back he left the room.