Elizabeth glanced up at the calender on the wall of her studio. Februrary 12th, two days before Valentines Day. A day that, up until two years ago, meant staying home and being jealous of her sister, Sarah out on a romantic date with some good-looking guy. All of that had changed on that fateful night, the night of the Valentine's Dance two years ago. That was the night that had changed her life. Then there was the Valentine's Day of one year ago. A beautiful evening of promises for the future. A future that had lasted all of a few weeks.
Throwing down her paintbrush in frustration, Liz grabbed her jocket and headed for the door. She needed some air to clear her mind. After a short walk she found herself on the docks looking over the water. Dusk was falling, but she could still see the towers of Wyndemere in the distance. Seeing the island made her remember she was supposed to meet Nikolas in a short while at Kelly's.
As if her thoughts had conjured him up, she heard the sound of a motor boat and as it pulled up to the dock Nik climbed out. "Elizabeth!" he called with cheerful surprise, "I didn't realize you were waiting for me." He came toward her and took her gloved hand in his and kissed her lightly on the lips.
Liz smiled guiltily, not wanting him to know that not only was she not waiting, she had forgotten about the date. "So, you want to get something to eat, then go to the movie?" she asked, trying to cover her blunder.
"Sounds good to me." he answered. They headed toward Kelly's hand in hand, and Elizabeth tried to pretend her mind was completely on Nikolas, and ignore the ache in her heart.
When he had seen her on the dock, standing there looking so sad, he had almost gone to her, even though he knew that it was too dangerous. Helena's men were everywhere, he knew, looking for him, and involving Elizabeth would just put her in danger too. But to be so close to her was torture, he was aching to hold her in his arms. Just for a minute, he decided, then he would disappear, but at least she would know that he was alive, and that they would be together later, when it was safe.
He had actually taken a step forward from behind the barrels where he was hiding, when the sound of a motorboat made him jump back. Nikolas! Lucky felt his heart leap with joy at the sight of his brother, and he started to step forward again. But then, a feeling like a knife stabbing him in the gut almost physically doubled him over. Nikolas kissed his Elizabeth, and she gave him the beautiful smile that Lucky had thought was only his. They left the docks hand in hand, looking for all the world like a couple in love.
Lucky sank to the ground, feeling like he was going to be sick right there and then, not that there was anything in his stomach to lose. His own brother! How could Nikolas......How could Elizabeth? He closed his eyes against the pain of the scene that he was seeing over again, even though the dock was deserted now.
He didn't know how long he sat behind the barrels, wondering why he should even put forth the effort anymore of getting to safety, but at the sound of footsteps, the Spencer determination to survive that had kept him going through all the months of captivity asserted itsself, and he drew back cautiously.
The footsteps came closer and closer to his hiding place and stopped right in front of him. Lucky's leg, which had fallen asleep, shifted against a pebble, making a scratching sound. He froze, waiting for the person to find him, and willing them to go on without investigating the noise. How could he have let himself get so distracted, he wondered angrily. Hadn't his father taught him better than that? Well, he wasn't going back to that island. As the person, who he couldn't make out in the darkness, turned towards the barrels, Lucky poised himself to fight for his life.