Disclaimer: Same old, same old, I do not own these characters!

Title: Dreams Weren’t Always Made To Be Broken

Rating: NC-17, of course!

Keywords: Laura/Robert Scorpio Romance, Luke/Laura Romance

Summary: Robert Scorpio, our prince is alive! Laura allow the feelings they had no way of expressing in the early eighties, their own love. Luke isn’t standing in the way now…or so they thought! Through fabulous romance Laura lives a wonderful life with Robert, but we all know it’s not meant to be…

Dedication: Tristan Rogers! I love you!

Author: Paradise, e-mail me at Para8Dice@AOL.Com.

Comments: We all saw Robert seriously hitting on Laura back at the Quartermaine CEO in 1981…and we saw their brief dating before Luke came in and rode into the sunset with Laura. Did you ever wonder what would’ve happened had they allowed Laura and Robert to have a romance? Laura had quite a bit of chemistry with Robert, and we saw on the Ice Princess adventure how much they loved each other! So I wanted to write a romance of them…

July 2001

Laura sat, nearly falling asleep in a hotel room out of the country. She had to get away from it all. Bobbie had offered to watch Lulu because she could see and understand that Laura needed to get away. Laura had been literally running everyday for the last two weeks. She ran as fast as she could along the coast, letting go of so many problems of the past, and much of the stress. Just as she was about to doze off, there was a knock on the door.

“Oh come on,” she said sarcastically disbelieving of this person’s timing.

She crawled out of bed, but on the white robe, and opened the door. She gasped the minute she opened it.

“R…Robert?”

“Laura, oh my God, you really are here.”

The tears had already fallen. She reached out and touched his face.

“Ohh,” she choked, not believing this was real. “Robert, oh my God,” she pulled him to her, hugging him. “Where have you been, oh my God!”

“No. I don’t know where I’ve been, but I saw your face and I followed you, not believing it was you…but here you are. Laura,” he cried brushing her hair away from her face.

Her hair clung to her cheeks from the dampness.

“God, you’re real. I can’t believe you’re alive.” She kept touching his face to reassure herself, and hugged him again. “Get inside Robert. It’s been so many years. Are you all right?”

“I don’t know, I was walking with Anna, and then it’s all gone. Love, you’ve gotta help me. I think Anna’s long gone. And I don’t know how to deal with something like that. I don’t remember. What if she reached for me and I didn’t grab her and save her and she died?”

“Robert, stop. You can’t think like that, believe me I have and it doesn’t work. It doesn’t help and when the truths comes out it’s always better than the visions we have. It’s all right. You’re safe now, and we’ll find out what happened. Do you remember Faison?”

“Who?”

Laura looked down. “Never mind. Please, I have some leftover room service, are you hungry? Should I take you to the hospital?”

“You mean you didn’t finish off every crumb of food?”

“Oh you remember that!” she laughed. “I should call, Luke-“

“No! I have to see him. Not get him involved when we’re here. Can we go back to Port Charles tomorrow? You…and me?” he was a bit nervous asking for help after so many years.

“Of course. I was planning to go in a few days anyway. Are you cold-“

“Laura, I’m fine. I’m just frightened.”

“You don’t remember anything?”

“No,” he breathed.

“Is there anyone you want me to call, anything you want me to get you?”

“No. I just need you to be with me. I’ve been running for weeks trying to find something, it’s a miracle I’ve found you. I’m going to keep quiet. You’re the only person I’ve seen, since I’ve been able to remember anything, that I recognize, not to mention trust. But I could still recognize you anywhere I saw you. You’re still the same.”

“Oh God, I look twenty years older, come on.”

“We all are,” he agreed. “How’s Luke?”

“He’s still crazy.”

“Why isn’t he here with you?”

Laura had no reason to keep it a secret.

“Because we’re not married anymore.”

“What? You’re divorced?”

“Yeah.”

“Why? How could you two of all people break up?”

“Well, uh, remember those two years I was held captive on that island?”

“Yes.”

“I had Stavros Cassadine’s child. When Luke found out about five years ago, he went crazy, that’s the first thing.”

“Why didn’t you tell him when you first came back? Where is the child? And Stavros was Mikkos and Helena’s son, right?”

“Nikolas is my son. He’s in Port Charles. He and Luke still hate each other. I couldn’t tell Luke because they would’ve killed him. You must know how serious that threat is no matter how trite, you know them. You met Stavros. He was the father.”

Robert then remembered. “God, that’s right. I’d forgotten quite a bit. And you didn’t say anything because of…Helena? After he died.”

“Yeah. Oh Helena kept me silent and for years and years I didn’t see Nikolas. The only reason Stefan brought him back to me because my daughter was dying and needed a transplant. That way the Cassadines had me in their dept.”

“Stefan?”

Laura sighed. “Stefan is Stavros’s brother. From Luke you’re going to here all kinds of lovely things. Stefan was there for me when I was held captive. We were all we had and one night we were together. I thought Luke was dead. Then I was pregnant with Nikolas. For a long time I thought Stefan was the father…and honestly I’m not even sure he’s not. Helena could’ve switched the results.”

“So Luke hates…Stefan because you were with him one night when you thought he was dead? Does Luke recall Holly?”

Laura laughed. “Holly wasn’t a Cassadine. And Luke told me the truth about Holly. So that isn’t even a factor in Luke’s flawless life. And no, Stefan and I were together again after the island…while I was married to Luke.”

Robert tried to take all of this in.

“Luke left me before I’d done anything with Stefan…and then our son died.”

“Your son?”

“Yes, Lucky. He was presumed dead for a year, another lovely one of Helena’s tricks. Anyway, Luke was gone and Felicia was there for him and Stefan was there for me. Lucky thank God came back to us, though he was a different person.”

“Lucky,” Robert repeated. “How was he different, just a year older?”

“Helena programmed his mind and he’s still trying to recover.”

“When did Lucky die?”

“And he’s still recovering? My God. How many kids do you have with Luke?”

Laura smiled again. “I have Lucky, remember when I was pregnant and Luke yelled it to you at Felicia’s grandmother’s house?”

“Yes! I’d never seen anybody so thrilled in their lives.”

“Well, that was Lucky. Lesley Lu is my little girl. I had her in 1994. And Nikolas, my son with Stavros saved her life. And then I got to be with Nikolas. Stefan brought him to me.”

Robert nodded his head repeating silently everything she’d said to try and follow.

“Am I helping you,” Laura said smiling.

“God, they kept you away from your child?” Robert said, knowing that was what mattered most.

“Yes. And then after Nikolas and I were reunited I had an affair with Stefan because I did love him and he loved me so much, and because I thought it was over between Luke and I, he just left and refused to come home. Then I realized that he was the love of my life, and nothing could come between us. I was wrong. He had an affair with Felicia Scorpio Jones. Your brother’s wife.”

“Mac? Mac married Felicia?”

“Yes. I think it was about 1995.”

“Mac! Last time I saw him, he was in love with…Dominique?”

Laura nodded, not remembering that perfectly herself. “Well, I wasn’t there, but what I do know is that Scotty married Dominique and they had a child but she died of a brain tumor very soon. Before I even came back to Port Charles.”

“When did you come back?”

“November, 1993.”

“Is…Holly still there?”

“No, she left Port Charles in 1993, before Luke and I came home. I have no idea where she is. But did you know Bill Eckert?”

“Yes! Luke’s cousin.”

“Yeah, well, apparently they were in love.”

“Who?”

“Holly and Bill.”

Robert made a disgusted face. “Ewe.”

Laura laughed. “And I’m sure that the fact that Bill had Luke’s face had nothing to do with it,” she said sarcastically.

“And Luke, your Luke slept with Felicia Jones, my brother’s wife?”

“Yes.”

“When?”

“June 9^th, 2000.”

“You know the date,” Robert said.

“No!” Laura said laughing. “The only reason I know the date is because Luke was accused of killing Stefan that day.”

“Stefan…the man you slept with?”

“Yes,” Laura said again with a smile of embarrassment.

“Well excuse me! Okay, so Stefan’s dead? And what…Felicia came out and told everyone that she was sleeping Luke and that’s why he wasn’t innocent.”

“Well yes, Felicia did admit on the stand that she was with Luke that night and that they weren’t playing cards. But no, Stefan wasn’t dead.”

Robert raised an eyebrow.

“Stefan hated Luke and was angry at me so he faked his own death to revenge Helena but just used Luke and me as a bonus in this revenge,” Laura finally said.

“Boy, you’ve been busy.”

She smiled again then was caught up in all she just had to explain. “Want some wine while we catch up? Maybe tomorrow we can figure out what to do? You are safe here, with me?”

“As far as I know. I’ve been walking around for what seems like weeks trying to figure something out. I didn’t know who to look for but it’s truly fate that you are here and that I saw you. You have really changed.”

“How? That I’m not eighteen?”

“No, that you’re still exactly the same.”

“I resent that comment,” she smiled sitting down across from him, pouring them both some wine.

“No, I mean, despite how awful the things Luke does is, you still love him.”

Laura rolled her eyes. “I realize the last time you saw Luke and me we were happy and we were in love but you don’t understand. Please when we return don’t go around saying that everywhere and don’t expect Luke and me to…be particularly pleasant. He’s with Felicia, and he’s moved on. And so have I.”

“It’ll never last. And I can’t believe he would sleep with Mac’s wife. Let alone that Mac married Felicia. Where’s Frisco?”

“I have no idea. Felicia doesn’t either. Both her daughters are Frisco’s even though Mac has raised them. He still sees them even though he and Felicia are divorced. Mac always listened to me, but now I really consider him my life savor. He’s the only one who understands how it feels to see Luke and Felicia.”

“Was it like a long lasting affair while Luke just lied?”

“Well no. They both say it was once…but they mean once before Luke and I really split up. God knows what they’re doing now. But he just wouldn’t discuss it, yet wouldn’t ever allow me to go on with my life. He still acted like he loved me.”

“And is that still true?”

She laughed. “Boy you just jump to the punch line after twenty years, don’t you? I have no idea. Not enough obviously. Scotty actually represented me for the divorce.”

Robert’s mouth dropped open in almost a laugh.

“Hey, now wait a minute!” she laughed as if he would jump to the wrong conclusion or just think she was plain nuts. “After it was admitted by Felicia that she and Luke definitely had slept together, I went to Luke and he was dancing with Felicia, they were celebrating. But yet I was stupid to stay and try and talk to Luke. Didn’t work, I lost it a bit and danced with Bobbie’s boyfriend, then Scotty came in and rescued me. He took me home and told me how much he cared about me, and how much he would do anything for me,” Laura said disbelieving herself.

“Scott? Scott Baldwin…catch the bouquet Scott?”

“Yes,” Laura laughed. “And Scotty and I grew closer for awhile, we even kissed and Luke walked in.”

“Ooh! Goodness that makes me very happy considering Luke’s actions. So…you and Scott are in love?”

“I’m not gonna do it again,” Laura said. “I love him enough to just let it go. Not even think about the possibility of hurting him again.”

“Because Luke’s still in the picture?”

“Robert,” Laura said sweetly. “Could you wait a few days before you start making me nuts? I don’t know what to think about Luke and I don’t wanna know what he thinks about me.”

“I’d like to see this, this absolute hate that nothing can save.”

Laura rolled her eyes. “I’m only letting you think this because you’ve only seen us happy.”

He reached over and pulled her to him. She cried silent tears she was unaware she needed to cry. She weakly wrapped her arms around him, barely clinging on.

“Laura,” he breathed. “From what I’ve heard it seems like you’ve lost everything-“

“I haven’t. I have a company, and I have my three children, but I’m still very empty. I did make quite a few mistakes like hundreds, so I can’t completely blame Luke though And with you it feels like I can let all of that out. I trust you, Robert and there is no one in the world I would rather be with.”

His eyes watered. “Anna is dead. I know enough to know none of you have seen or heard from her. And Faison was more obsessed with her and punishing her. He always was. My wife and the mother of my child are gone. I have to find Robin.”

“Oh God,” Laura said allowed.

“What,” he said quickly.

How could Laura tell him. But if she didn’t. “Robert…”

He pushed her back, cupping her face as she looked at him with pain. “Laura what? Is it Robin, what’s wrong?”

“I don’t know…how to tell you this.”

“Is she dead, God Laura tell me what’s happened to my DAUGHTER!”

“Robert!” Laura said. “She has HIV. She fell in love with a man, years back and caught HIV from him. He did love her, he did. He didn’t know he had it, but she caught it. He died and now she’s in France studying medicine and I…I’m so sorry.”

She cried almost harder than he did. She knew what it was like to lose years of a child’s life. His eyes swelled with tears but he stared into space without a change in expression. He pulled her close, but instead of holding her, he kissed her. And in that moment, her tears stopped flowing. When he released her lips, they looked at each other, and the tears began again.

“Laura, I truly have lost everything, and you’ve lost Luke. I need you here with me. Did I ever tell you I was in love with you?”

Laura smiled. “Did I ever tell you I felt the same?”

“But Luke was in the way,” he said. “My best friend, the love of your life.”

“Yeah,” she whispered softly.

“Is he between us now?”

She placed her hands over those that were holding her face.

“No,” she said in a very feathery, almost frightened voice.

He leaned in and kissed her, pushing her back against the pillows. She wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling her body respond to him faster than she remembered responding to anyone’s touch in a long time. Robert Scorpio pushed her robe off her shoulder before practically falling over her, gathering her in his arms.

“Robert,” she said. “You’re really alive, you’re here, holding me.”

“I am here. And I found you. And I need you.”

He covered his lips with hers, ripping the straps off her shoulders and somehow they managed to rid themselves of their clothing. He placed wet kisses along her burning skin, her fingernails scraping lightly against his back. He didn’t miss an inch of her body from her shapely legs to full lips. He held her close as he made love to her, and together for that one moment in time, she forgot her losses and he forgot his. Had Luke not been there…she sure as hell could’ve loved this man forever. In everyway. Who couldn’t love Robert Scorpio?

________________________________________________________________________

The Next Morning

The next morning Robert and Laura made love twice more. She’d always known she loved him, but now she wasn’t afraid to believe a part of her had always been in love with him. If what’s his face hadn’t always had his big head in the way. Robert made her feel like they were still on that island, like they were still doing the Ice Princess adventure. He made her feel like she had nothing to regret, nothing even mattered. She didn’t believe that he was alive…or that she was in his arms.

“Robert, please tell me this isn’t a dream, and please tell me I won’t wake up when we get back to Port Charles.”

“I will never leave you. If something should happen to you, you are hurt, I will protect you. I will save you every time. You are all I have now, and if I had to go on, with you, I would gladly face anything tomorrow, as long as you’re still here.”

She leaned in close to him, lowering her eyes to his mouth.

“Laura,” he whispered kissing her, and they made love a third time.

Two Days Later

5:12 PM

Laura had let only Bobbie see Robert. Robert didn’t want to see Mac quite yet. He wanted to see Luke first since Luke actually believed what was really going on. Bobbie was only slightly less shocked than when Roy had come back to her. She was absolutely thrilled, and agreed with Laura about letting Luke know. Laura was thrilled to be giving Luke some good news for once. Bobbie, Laura, and Robert came to Luke’s apartment. Laura knocked on the door but no one answered. She opened the door herself, popping her head in, she heard voices. They all three filtered in and Laura heard Lucky’s voice.

“Dad, come on, dammit. I bet you didn’t think you were cut out for it either-“
“Will you DROP it Lucky!”

“Did you know you could rape a woman?”

Laura couldn’t believe it. Robert stayed out of sight, but Bobbie followed Laura.

“Lucky! Get out here, right now!”

Laura Webber Spencer had had enough.

“Mom!”

Luke walked out after his son. Laura slapped Lucky harshly, her eyes as cold and as furious as Lucky had ever seen.

“When are you gonna let it go, Lucky? Do you know anything about anything? You haven’t a clue! Listen to me! What happened to Elizabeth was not the same thing that happened to me and I don’t want you talking about it! Stop throwing it back in our faces-“

“Laura, angel, he has a point. I mean, he’s totally out of line, but he deserved to know the truth.”

Laura’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Oh really,” she said in a low voice. “The truth according to you, Luke? You mean the part where you told him how you abused me and raped me in the most disgusting way possible?”

No one said anything. She threw her hands up in the air, looking at Bobbie, Lucky, and Luke.

“Do you really want to know the truth, Lucky? If I tell you will you get over it?”

Lucky said nothing. Laura walked over to him, angrily shoving her face in front of his.

“I said no. Do you hear me? I said no. Luke wasn’t drunk, Luke wasn’t afraid, Luke wasn’t there! When you live in the mob the way he did, you get to do things everyday that are way worse than what he did to me. And you know what the worse part of it is? Lucky, you really wanna know what the worst part of it was?”

Laura wiped her nose with the back of her hand. “I still can’t let go of what I did-“

“Laura-“

“Shut up, Luke. I lied. I lied about all of it. I am the biggest slut in the world! That’s what you told me, Lucky-“

“I’m sorry, Mom-“

“Oh you’re sorry? Let me guess, you’re as sorry as Luke was after it? Well let me tell you something, Lucky. We loved you our entire lives. We have given you everything we ever knew how to, and you looked me in the eyes like I wasn’t even human. You actually asked me if being in a nightclub turned me on! If it excited me! How could you do that to me? If you feel so badly for raped women, then how could you look at me and say that? HOW COULD YOU SAY THAT TO ME?”

A hand came over Laura’s shoulder, it was Bobbie.

“Don’t, Bobbie. You actually pointed it out to me. You knew it wasn’t rape the whole time! And I knew you knew and I knew you were right! Do you know how much worse that made me than any thing that happened that night? You knew I was in love with him! And you told me to stay away from him! Well you know what, I should’ve. Then my son wouldn’t hate his father and I wouldn’t have gone through all of this. The whole town wondering what was wrong with me!”

“You’re right,” Bobbie said.

Laura nodded, then began to leave. Bobbie grabbed her, not letting her walk out.

“Luke! How could you do that? How could you need me so much and then just stop? How could you lie to me? You are the one who made me feel cheap, every night except that one.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“You got me to love you back! And then you just couldn’t accept anything I ever did. Anything I did without you! How does it feel Lucky? I finally hate your father! Is that what you wanted? You never wanted me to realize that that one night didn’t have to ruin everything, particularly since in my entire life I have never been completely honest about it! I’m still not! Because I don’t care anymore.”

She choked up her tears and Bobbie still held her hand.

“I don’t care. You all go on and believe whatever the hell you want. I am taking my daughter and getting as far away from all of you as I can!”

“Laura, come on,” Luke said.

“You put me threw HELL!” Laura screamed at him, not talking about 1979, but about these past two years. Luke knew that. “ You asked me to dance with you and I did! Because I wanted to! I wanted to save you, I wanted to matter! And I did. So you tell me what happened! Lucky, I…I can’t be your mother anymore. You can go on tormenting your father about something that truly was equally my fault, but leave me out of it. I am so tired.”

“Laura!”

Robert came through and pulled Laura to him.

“Robert!” Luke said.

“Yes, I’m alive. And I’ve been with Laura just long enough to get a taste of what you’ve done to her. Now I see a bigger picture, and it’s ugly.”

Luke blinked, tears forming. His best friend.

“You’ve…you’ve been alive? Dear God where?”

“That’s not the point right now. Your angel is on the floor, and you know what, I don’t care what you feel. I don’t care what you do anymore, Luke. I care what you’ve done to her.”

“Robert,” she said begging him to help her. “Help me,” she said in a tiny voice.

“How long have you been here? Did Laura find you?”

“Oh we found each other,” Robert said, letting Luke know exactly what he meant. “It’s not bad enough Luke that you stole my brother’s wife, you ruined Laura’s life. And you told your son that you brutally raped his mother? Without Laura having a point of view? Really smart, partner. How the hell have you fallen so far?”

“Robert,” Laura said again. She pulled him and took him out, yet talking with such a broken voice. “I told you it would be different now…now you see what we’re like…it all happened so fast.”

Luke began to run after Robert and Laura, but Bobbie ran directly in front of him.

“Oh no! You are not going anywhere!”

“Get out of my way-“

She slapped him twice as hard as she ever had. He was bleeding.

“Don’t even pretend that hurt, Luke. You are gonna sit down right now. SIT DOWN! Lucky, if you’d like to have what’s left of your mind intact, I suggest you sit down too and listen to your aunt.”

They sat down. “What in the hell were thinking Lucky? Calling your mother a slut? You had no idea what went on that night and neither does your father. It is none of your fucking business in the first place, but even if it was, Laura is your mother. And she is a wonderful mother. I was a hooker dammit. I’ve slept with more men than your mother’s even laid eyes on. And she loved your father. It is his fault she’s in this much pain, but you gave her the overdose.”

She sighed not knowing how she could ever make them understand.

“You both are so much alike. You know that? You are both selfish, inconsiderate, STUPID men who don’t even look at the whole situation before blowing up in the only face that will ever matter to you. Laura’s. She gave up her life for both of you. More than her life. You should thank God she’s here every time you think of her name.”
“Barbara, in case you’ve noticed, Robert Scorpio, my best friend is alive-“

“Yeah well your best friend is doing what you should’ve been doing these past three or four years. And you are gonna let him help her. You are gonna listen to me-
Lucky spoke up. “I didn’t say anything to my mother. That was a long time ago, I’m not mad at my mother anymore, it wasn’t her fault-“

“So it’s all your father’s fault, right?”

“Are you implying rape is the woman’s fault-“

“Dammit Lucky, of course not. But did you ever wonder how your mother could be in love with her rapist and then remain in love with him-“
“Barbara-“

“No Luke, you might learn something too. Did either of you ever wonder that? Luke, back then you knew it wasn’t rape, why did you tell Lucky the twisted story in a completely different way? You knew she was in love with you. You knew she was in love with you afterwards. A woman doesn’t get over rape the way Laura did, and they do not only feel comfortable with her rapist if it was really rape.”

“So you’re saying my mother wasn’t raped? She cried rape?”

Bobbie sighed. “I think it’s much more complicated than anyone can understand. Back then, Laura was young, and naïve. I’ve been raped, Lucky, and so has your mother. And if you tell me that what your father did is the same thing as what Stavros Cassadine did, you two are more delusional than you even know. Do you remember Luke that afterwards, Laura didn’t feel comfortable with Scotty, she only felt comfortable with you? Oh sure she gave that whole speech on how angry she was at you, but she trusted you. Now how do you trust someone that has violated you if you had no part in it?”

“Little sister, this really doesn’t have any power over what’s going on in today’s world-

“But neither one of you have truly gotten over it! Luke, you still blame yourself and Lucky, you throw it in your father’s face every chance you get. Stop it. Let it go. I don’t think even Laura knows what happened exactly, but you know something, it doesn’t matter anymore. You two were married. You were more in love than anyone else could ever believe possible. Something that happened on a night of complete insanity has no relevance to what’s going on now. Luke, you have done things much worse than that, trust me. And so have you, Lucky.”

She bowed her head. “Now, when you two can finally get over it, maybe you can deserve the forgiveness Laura will give you. But looking at the two of you now, I don’t know why she ever should. Because you’re both complete cock suckers.”

Bobbie left.

“Robert Scorpio?” Lucky said.

Luke jumped up. “I have to see him. He was my best friend.”

“I know, Dad.”

They left.

Laura Spencer’s Residence

An Hour Later

“Laura, you okay?”

“I’m fine. Thank you, Robert.”

Her eyes were overflowing with love when she looked at him, which he equally returned. He touched her face and she felt her heart jump. There was a knock on the door.

“Want me to get it, sweetheart?”
“No, I can, thank you.”

Laura wiped her stained tears and answered the door. It was Bobbie and Lulu.

“Hi my angel,” Laura said, sweeping her daughter up in her arms. She placed soft kisses all over her daughter’s face. Bobbie smiled, wishing that she’d had a chance to watch either of her two daughters grow up. Laura really had had it all. “Thank you, Bobbie. Please, come in.”

Bobbie came in and hugged Robert again.

“My God, I can’t believe you’re here!”

“Bobbie, you look every bit as beautiful as you did back then.”

Laura brought Lulu over to Robert.

“Lulu, this is my very good friend, Robert Scorpio. Can you say hi?”

Lulu said hi. Robert couldn’t believe this was Luke and Laura’s daughter. He wanted to reach and hold her, for how much he ached to see Robin.

“He’s a very good friend, Lulu. Your father and I used to go on adventures with him.”

“Is Daddy coming over?”

“Hi Princess,” Luke said.

“Ohhh,” Laura moaned silently as Lulu ran from her mother’s grasp to her father’s.

Luke swooped his daughter up into his arms, then Lucky held her.

“Lucky, why don’t you take Lulu upstairs for a few minutes.”

“Okay,” Lucky said softly.

Luke walked over to Robert, happiness and fear in his face.

“Tell me you didn’t do it again, Robert.”

“Do what?”

“What you did the last time, only the last time, I was dead.”

Robert understood what he meant, but it took Laura a few seconds.

“Luke, you have been my best friend for as long as I can remember. But I don’t think I owe you anything. I’ve been dead, but you weren’t.”

“What the hell does that mean, pal?”

“It means that none of this would’ve happened if not for you!”

Luke lunged out to punch Robert, but Laura stepped in at the wrong moment.

“Oh my God,” she said as she clutched her cheek.

“Luke!”

“Well Barbara, I didn’t mean to hit my wife-“

“Oh sure, she’s your wife,” Robert said.

“Shut up, Robert, you still have your touch, don’t you? Every time we’re separated, my woman falls for you!”

“What did you call me,” Laura said.

“Luke,” Bobbie said, “You wanna help your wife that you just punched?”

Luke tried to hold Laura, but she backed away.
“Thank you, now when everybody asks me why I have a big bruise on my face, I can say my husband accidentally punched me!”

“I’m sorry Angel-“

“Oh you’re always sorry, but then you do it again.”

“Look, Laura, come over here, let me get you some ice-“ Robert said.
“Ice, she might need to go to the hospital,” Bobbie said.

“Oh Barbara, shut up-“
“Don’t tell her to shut up, Luke,” Robert said.

“EVERYBODY GET OUT!” Laura said. “Except Bobbie and Robert.”

“So basically me,” Luke said.

“Pretty much.”

“Laura, we need to talk-“

“Why? Need to punch me again?”

“Look, Luke, I never thought you would end up like this, but I think you need to go.”

“Butt out, Robert!”

“Luke, get the hell outta here-“

“I wanna see my daughter-“

“Fine, go see her, but get away from me.”

Luke left, going upstairs. Bobbie came to Laura.

“You all right, Laura?”

“I’m fine, Bobbie. Robert, Mac has to know, he will die not knowing you’re alive. Let me call him?”

Robert was frightened but desperately wanted to see his brother. Laura went to the phone for a minute, telling Mac enough to give him reason to get over here fast, and that someone was here he never thought he’d see again. When Mac continued to pressure, Laura very calmly allowed him to realize Robert could be a part of it. Through her choice of words. Mac said he’d be right there and Laura assumed he’d bring Felicia.

Bobbie walked to Robert. “You were his best friend. The only thing he knows is that you’re with the woman he still loves. Don’t make the same mistake you made with Holly. Fix it. You two were meant to be best friends and be there for each other.”

Laura went and held Robert’s hand for a second before Luke came pounding down the stairs.

“Let’s start this over,” Luke said harshly.

Then he went over to Robert, clutched him and hugged his best friend. Luke heart was gripped and it expanded. Tears came to both of their eyes and Laura stood back watching him, remembering the wedding, and how Luke had asked Robert. Luke then pushed back and looked at Robert.

“Dammit…” he exhaled. “Robert, where have you been?”

Robert shook his head. “I don’t know, but no matter how long it’s been, I wanted to find you, because you would be the one who could find a way to lead me to that answer.”

Robert pulled Luke back into his embrace. The door opened and Mac came in. Mac saw Robert and nearly lost his vision, had it not been that Robert wanted to see Luke before him. Mac wasn’t too thrilled that his brother held Luke before him. Robert once again moved Luke away and looked over at Mac. Felicia stood beside Mac, watching him, caring.

Robert opened his arms and walked towards his brother. Mac cried once his big brother embraced him. Laura looked up at Luke and smiled. He reached for her and she leaned her back against him as they both watched. Luke reached a hand out for Bobbie and she got into Luke and Laura’s hug.

Mac touched Robert’s face and asked a thousand questions in one breath. There was only one question Robert could answer.

“I saw Laura, and she’s the reason I’m here.”

Robert smiled at Laura and she smiled back. Mac bolted over to Laura and hugged her deeply, giving her a kiss on the lips with a face of such gratitude, such need for words that could help him thank you. She hugged him again showing she understood. Robert hugged Felicia and walked back over to Laura, which everyone noticed.

Laura reached back out to him, hugging him. “I just thank God that when I left it wasn’t the last time I’d ever see you.”

They all felt a little uncomfortable, but Robert asked Mac about Robin and it was beautiful, but others thought besides Mac and Felicia that they should leave the room. Laura took Luke aside and told him what happened when she found him…what they said to each other at least, and all Robert didn’t remember. Bobbie listened and also asked questions that Laura could answer.

________________________________________________________________________

Four Months Later

9:01 PM

Robert and Laura grew closer by the minute. Laura still had feelings for Luke, but she’d come to understand she always would. But when she looked at Robert, she felt something she’d never felt with any other man. He wasn’t afraid to play, but not in the same way as Luke. Luke played, but Robert…his eyes…his voice, it made her melt. She felt like a teenager, and she didn’t want to let that go.

The town was thrilled to have Robert back, Robert alive, but they were unable to find Robin. Only Laura made the waiting bearable. Robert took Laura to the catacombs, lighting dozens of bright candles, and even starting a burning fire. Her golden hair shined in it as she looked amazed at the view.

“Robert,” she said softly.

He turned her to him, touching her face before enclosing his hot lips against hers. Laura ran her hands up and down his arms as his hands undid the buttons of her shirt. He exposed her chest before pushing the blue blouse away from her body. She was so feminine, and she lifted his shirt off of his body. Robert pulled her to him, their eyes hot and demanding, and they slid slowly to the floor, holding onto each other. The candles burned as long as they held onto each other. Robert’s lips were forceful and penetrating. Her arms rose to wrap around his neck loosely, and her full breasts ached beneath the tight black bra. Robert didn’t bother unhooking it, he just lifted the cup and covered her with his mouth. She combed his hair with her fingers, and Robert’s hand found the button of her pants. He undid them, slipping them off, placing kisses along her soft legs. He pulled her roughly up, allowing her to unhook her bra and wrap themselves in a blanket. Her hair began to tangle, to gain more volume. She sat in his lap, wrapped in his strong arms making love to him. They kissed and held each other tightly, suckling on each other’s lips remembering being young, and doing something crazy like what they were.

She tilted her head back, lost in the feeling, as he gripped her face, harshly kissing her so she couldn’t help but respond.

“Robert,” she said.

His hands touched her silky skin. A few minutes passed and they were lying on the ground, he was covering her. They both had drops of condensation all over their bodies, as they stared at each other wondering what could possibly feel better than this.

“Marry me,” he said softly.

She did nothing but nod, distracted at the moment, as she pulled his head down crushing his lips, and finishing what they’d come there to do.

Six Weeks Later

Laura Spencer’s House

Only a month later Robert Scorpio and Laura Spencer were married. It was only the two of them, they didn’t want a large wedding or even a wedding anyone would know about. The only person that attended was Robin. She gave them more than her blessing and Laura was amazed at how phenomenal this young woman was. Robert and Robin grew close again, no matter how much time was lost they were connected. They talked about Anna and it hurt Laura to think Anna was lost. But none the less, her life was changing and she had to change with it.

Everyone was so shocked that for quite a while, no one believed it would ever work. Lucky and Nikolas were stunned, unsure of what to believe of their mother’s judgment. But Laura was happy. Happier than she’d been in a long time. Robert was her hero, he made her feel good. He never brought up anything that she had done badly just to throw it back in her face. Unlike Luke or her children. Or pretty much anyone else in the town.

Laura hadn’t seen Luke privately at all. He was making himself as distant as he could. She couldn’t blame him, but she wasn’t going to prevent her own happiness when he could’ve at any minute over the last few years fought for her. All he’d ever had to say was that he still wanted her, and she would’ve been his. That never truly happened, and she refused to wait. She was totally, unbelievably in love with Robert.

Laura knew the town talked, Laura knew they probably would for quite sometime. But she didn’t care. Didn’t they talk about her, her whole life? No matter what choice she made? She and Robert laughed, did things, normal things and still had the excitement in their lives. She’d always been in love with him, and now she was able to show it. He drove her crazy but he knew making her laugh would end the arguments between them, and it did.
Lulu instantly loved Robert, as did Lesley, though it shocked her that her daughter would marry Robert Scorpio so quickly. Lesley knew a part of her daughter still belonged to Luke. That was what most of the town believed, but Laura refused to think about it.

Laura went out for a very long walk, thinking about the past, and now, and what would be. She remembered the childhood love with Scotty, she remembered falling in love with Luke, leaving everything behind and loving the danger. She remembered first meeting Robert, how cool and charming he was. There hadn’t been a chance then and a part of her knew he knew that. The Ice Princess was wonderful. Sleeping on the ground, taking a bath in a spring, wearing a pink, hand made gown was all a fantasy adventure. Saving the world wasn’t too bad either. It’s a shame the war hasn’t ended. As Laura walked, she felt a hand go over her mouth, and then all was black…

Laura woke up, but couldn’t see. She felt she had a blind tied around her, and her hands were tied very lightly.

“Hello?”

There was no answer. She tried to wiggle her hands free. She then knew.

“Luke! Dammit, untie me!”

“You remembered my name,” he said lifting the blind from her eyes.

“You idiot. What the hell are you doing, kidnapping me? Where are we?”
“Laura, get a grip, please?”
She stood up, faced him, and gripped his shirt. “What the hell are you doing?”
He said nothing. She exhaled a laugh and ran to the door.

“It’s locked, Laura.”

She turned back to him. “You think a locked door’s going to keep me in here?”

She kicked the door, and it didn’t move. She knew there was something on the other side.

“All right, this will keep me in here. Go ahead, yell at me. Then let me go home.”

“Home, you mean your home with my best friend?”

Laura blinked her eyes, disbelievingly. “You mean my husband? Pretty much.”

“Your husband? No, Laura. He is an excuse for you to go on.”

“Go on, you mean from you? You think I’m using Robert to forget about you? Are you going to think that about every choice I make? Robert’s just the most recent so you think I’m using him to forget about you? No, that is what you choose to believe to sleep at night so you don’t have to picture me happy in another man’s arms. Do you know how many nights I waited for you to come home? You just up and left the minute you found out I’d slept with another man and it wasn’t rape when I thought you were dead. And then you found that woman…oh, what’s her name? You went to her when Lucky died! You took her on the run with us when we were searching for our child. I don’t owe you a damn thing except anger and contempt.”

Luke walked over to her.

“See, you admit it! This is all a game! You’re using Robert to get back at me for Felicia!”
“Robert has nothing to do with Felicia, dammit. Let me go!”

“Laura, grow up. How many men are you gonna sleep with to punish me?”

She slapped him as hard as she could.

“I love him, you idiot! You just leave me and you never want me to go on?” she whispered hatefully.

“You love him like you loved Stefan, Laura. It might be real, fine, but it’s not going to last forever. Admit it.”

“Why do you not want me to be happy?”

“You can’t be happy with HIM!”

“Is that what you said to Holly? And who did she stay with?”

He wanted to kill her. “Anna could come back to life again, Laura. Robert did.” He said that pointing out that Holly didn’t stay with Robert.
“Luke, I’m happier than I’ve been in years. I am happy. I’m really…happy.” She said that to herself, so relieved she wasn’t trying to convince herself. It was amazing to her. She never thought even when Robert was alive that he would love her. And it was a gift that she could go on.

“That’s because we haven’t been together in years.”

Laura rolled her eyes. “Fine, let’s say that’s true. Why does any of that matter now? It doesn’t. Let the past go.”

“Fine, you love Robert, but you will never love him the way you love me. You are using him, maybe not to get back at me, but to fill up the hole in your heart. Sure, for now it’s working, but it won’t forever. You’re gonna watch me, and I’m gonna watch you, and you’re gonna know that we will never be over. Laura, you’re gonna wanna reach, but you won’t be able to.”

“Of course I’ll always watch! I’ll always want you to be okay, and be a part of my life but now I have a reason to go on that’s not you. And I have someone else now, like you kept telling me. You told me you’d never come home, so when I finally accept you won’t, you’re gonna drill into me how much I still love you? I’ll always be worried about you, but that’s not exactly something to build a life on! And it kills me too, to see the way you look at me now. I never wanted you and I to get to this place. But we did, and you know I didn’t do it by myself. So I gave up on the dream, and I found another one. And I want you to find yours.”

“Oh really,” he said, not believing her.

“And yes! It will make me watch you just like you’re watching me. I will care, and if it’ll make you feel better I’ll probably be jealous. But I’ve been feeling that way for quite a few years now, so I think I’ll survive. But don’t doubt how I feel about Robert! Don’t tell me what you hope will happen because it will never be the way you want it because you threw me away.” She tried to turn her face away, but he gripped her face, her eyes having to meet his.

“Come on. You wanted me to admit the truth, that we still need each other, and so now I have. I still need you. And you’re married to my dead best friend.”

Laura placed her hand over Luke’s, removing it from her face.

“He’s not dead, and I for the first time feel like I haven’t done anything wrong. I love him. And I want to be with him, Luke. Whatever’s between us, no longer matters. Because it’s too late. You’re too late. I want Robert. And I’m not about to let that go because he looks at me and still loves what he sees. Please, let me out of here.”

She remembered him trapping her on the sailboat. He just repeats everything. Luke looked so hurt, and Laura kept her eyes from meeting his because she didn’t want to see his pain. And she didn’t want him to see hers. She left. She went back to Robert.

By the time Laura reached her house, Bobbie was outside it.

“Bobbie,” Laura said softly.

“Hi Laura, do you have a few minutes to talk?”

“Um, sure. I don’t know if Robert took Lulu out, but it doesn’t really matter. Come on in.”

Bobbie walked in after Laura.

“Well, you may want to know Bobbie that I was just held Luke’s captive, while he tried to tell me how much I needed him.”

Bobbie laughed. “Well, that was a very stupid thing to do, yet perfectly normal for my brother. You will always be my family, Laura, so I hope it’s not out of place to talk to you.”

“Bobbie, all I want is someone to accept this decision I’ve made, because I’m really, really happy. Please don’t hate me. Luke didn’t want me back all the years he could’ve, I guess too much had happened, and I finally did move on.”

“Well, though I love my brother dearly, you have been right. He began the fight and he ended it. He couldn’t accept Nikolas and did every thing in his power to get rid of him. Then when Luke found out that Nikolas might not have been conceived in rape he lost it. You went to Stefan for comfort much the way I did, and Damian, and a hell of a lot more I’d care not to name. So although you were the adulterer first, Luke really shouldn’t have had any say. When Lucky died you needed someone to love you. And I’m glad someone did. Even if it is one of my least favorite ex-husbands.”

Laura smiled. “Stefan was really good to me, he loved me. And I loved him. That is not a lie, or different now because Stefan is gone from my life. And Luke hated me for that. I felt alone, and then Stefan came to me, and he looked at me the way Robert does. Maybe the entire world’s problems were not caused by me. I loved him,” Laura said meaning Stefan.

“Just not as much as you loved Luke.”

Laura turned away. “You want some leftover cookies I made for Lulu?”

“Laura.”

“What?”

“Is that still true? You love Robert but you really can’t imagine yourself with anyone but Luke?”
Laura smiled. “Is that what the entire town’s saying? That I don’t love my husband? That I don’t see myself with him?”

“No, they’re not saying anything-“

“Bobbie,” Laura said.

“All right, there is talk. But you have to know something, we’re all on your side. I just know how much you love my brother.”
“Oh please, Bobbie. Please don’t tell me how much I still need him.”

Bobbie licked her lips. “Then why don’t you tell me otherwise? I admit that I don’t want either of you with anyone else, but if you are happy, I will never think anything differently of you. I know you came with your arms wide open back to Luke and a he threw your love back in your face, but he didn’t mean it. But if you don’t need him, I admire that. And anyone could do worse than Robert!”

Laura placed both hands on the side of the counter, and ducked her head in slight tears.

“I can’t do it again,” Laura said softly. “I can’t do it all again. I love Robert and he loves me. I have a chance at happiness, and I’m going to take hold of it Bobbie. And everyone’s saying I’m using it, or making it more than it is, but I’m not. I love Robert, and I just hope he’s the one that doesn’t stop loving me like everyone else did.”

Bobbie came into the kitchen and pulled Laura into her arms. Laura wrapped her arms loosely around Bobbie as she sank slightly in tears. Bobbie held her, stroking her fingers through her hair. That hair Bobbie had always hated. That beautiful blonde hair. In a matter of seconds Laura pulled herself together and wiped away her tears.

“Lulu loves Robert,” Laura said cheerfully. “Do you know what that does to me? To see Lulu have a father?”

“Luke is her father,” Bobbie said slightly harshly.

“Oh I didn’t mean that! Did you ever wonder though why Luke spent so much time with Lucky and never with Lulu? Do you think he didn’t want a daughter?”

“Come on, Laura, you know better than that. Luke doesn’t see Lulu because Lulu for one is safe, and secondly, he’s been afraid to see you.”

“Yeah, well, I wonder if he’ll come to see her now that Robert and I are married.”

“I will see my daughter anytime I damn well please, Laura.”

Laura looked to see Luke at the front door, walking their way. Laura moaned in aggravation.

“I love you dearly, Bobbie, but can you take your brother and leave?”

“All right, do you mind if we still see each other,” Bobbie said.

Laura came into Bobbie’s arms. “Of course, we’ll always be family. I love you.”

“And me,” Luke said.

Laura let go of Bobbie to look at Luke. “You’ll always be an idiot.”

_______________________________________________________________________

Two Weeks Later

Robert took Laura on fabulous vacations. He took her to Australia which was one of the most beautiful places she’d ever seen. Laura remembered on her first date with Robert in 1981, he offered to take her. Twenty years later they fulfilled that. She never wanted to leave and made him promise going back there would be a once every two year thing. Robert loved Lulu so much. Lucky accepted it, just barely, and when Laura and Robert were in Port Charles, Luke tried to make Laura jealous. He was hateful to her, resentful. Luke didn’t mind using Felicia to get to Laura.

Laura wanted to warn Felicia about what Luke was really feeling when he was holding her. But why would Felicia listen to her? And why did Laura owe anything to Felicia? She let it go. She had to. Until Felicia came to her house.

“Can I help you?”

“Yes, Laura. You can stop using Luke and let him go.”

Laura laughed. “Excuse me? I’m in love to the man I’m married to and you’re coming into my house to tell me to let go of something that’s none of your damn business in the first place? Is this what it was back on Helena’s yacht? You’re gonna tell me that Luke not loving you is all my fault because I broke his heart?”

“Can you deny it, Laura? Your affairs with Stefan destroyed Luke-“

“And Luke doing what he did destroyed me! And Stefan saved me. So you and Luke can both fade away to wherever you want to go. I have what I want. I have a life.”

“Don’t fool yourself,” Felicia said walking past Laura further into the house.

“What the hell are you talking about now?”

“If you and Luke were stranded on some deserted island, you wouldn’t want more than anything to be with him?”

“Been there, done that, bought that T-shirt. But I think the point is, isn’t that kinda like you being married to Mac but the minute Frisco came back you made love to him and then wished him farewell again?”

“My past has nothing to do with it-“

Laura walked over to her, face to face, with a smile. “Oh I think it does. I think this is about your insecurity. Your insecurity about Luke reminds you of your insecurity with Frisco. It’s not the same Felicia. A part of me will always care about Luke. A part of me will always wonder how he’s doing, just the way everyday you think about Frisco. But my feelings for my ex-husband are none of your damn business. If a man can’t love you with his ex-wife in town, then he didn’t love you to begin with.”

Laura walked out her house, slamming the door behind her.

Three Weeks Later

“Robert. You’re Australian and you’re making veal scaloppini?”

“Hey, watch it sweetheart.”

Robert placed a large plate of veal scaloppini in a cream sauce with garlic linguini in front of her. It smelled delicious.

“Why is it that every man I’ve known has cooked better than me?”
“Because you are past pathetic in a few areas my dear.”

“Oh really?”

“Yes. Now, before you hate me, can we please eat?”

God she loved his Aussie accent. Sometimes he just said a word and with the accent it sounded so funny. It surprised her, and she would laugh for no reason in his eyes. “Well help me at least,” she said taking a piece of linguini and giving the other end other end to him.

He took it in his mouth as she did in hers, and they both suckled on it under they found themselves in a deep kiss. Robert surprised her by dumping the ice water down her back as she screamed into his kiss.

“Laura, I think your scream went in my mouth and out my ear.”

“Good!”

She threw the entire pitcher of water on him until they were rolling on the floor wrestling. She giggled as he pinned her down, kissing her.

“I love you,” she said softly.

“I love you.”

They made love right there on the floor, with Lulu upstairs. Their passion was so alive, how much she loved him, she never thought she could love anyone the way she loved Luke…and she didn’t, but she sure loved Robert.

The next night Robert took Laura dancing at Jake’s. They danced to Robert Palmer’s “Addicted to Love”, which was perfectly how they felt. He twirled her faster and faster, dipping her, clamping her body against his while moving with her. She burst out laughing many times because unlike Stephan and Scotty more than twenty years ago, he played. Robert Scorpio played! And she felt sexy with him.

People crowded around and clapped for them as they continued to dance.

“You like to think you’re immune to this stuff,

Might as well face it you’re addicted to love…”

Robert sang along with it, making Laura laugh as she threw her head back, her blonde curls sparkling in the spotlights. He twisted her in his arms, keeping her against him as he moved with the music, and she looked at him with a huge smile, completely lost in the minute.

“I hate you,” she whispered sweetly.

“I know you do, but you can’t stand a minute without me.”

“I know that too.”

They finished the dance with an enormous dip as the audience cheered. Robert yanked her up and kissed her deeply. Luke came in at the end to get drunk himself, he was tired of getting drunk at his own bar, and he saw them. Laura used to look at him that way. His Laura. What the hell happened to his life?

Laura caught a glimpse of Luke, and turned to Robert and kissed him with everything she had. How did Luke like it? Only this time, she wasn’t playing. A part of her wanted to go and jump into Luke’s arms and never let him go, but the part of her that was in Robert’s arms felt damn good thank you very much. If only she’d believed in what she refused to allow enter her mind…

Two Years Later

2004

Laura and Robert’s Residence

Laura sat thinking about Robert. How happy she’d been, how there’d been such a light in her heart with him…but the light died. Not that their love had died, not that their passion had died, exactly…Laura didn’t know. She was separated from Robert. They knew it wouldn’t work out. She knew Lulu was fast asleep downstairs. Robin was staying over for the night to be with Laura and Lulu. They had both been so tired they fell asleep on the couch. She didn’t feel the need to wake them up to drag them upstairs when Laura knew that would be the exact way to make sure they couldn’t go back to sleep.

She would miss Robert desperately. There would be a space in her heart for him always. He gave her everything, but maybe he knew when she looked at him, he could see what half of her was looking at. Not that she hadn’t loved him with all her heart, not that when Luke was around, did she not show Robert who she wanted to be with…but maybe that wasn’t enough?

It was hard for Luke to come by to see Lulu, but now that she and Robert were separated, it was as if she were back in time. She wasn’t a mother, she wasn’t a wife. She was something else. She was always holding something else inside her. Locking it in.

She lied on the pillows looking at the ceiling, her hair fanned out against the bed. Her thick lashes let large tears trail down her face, as she realized that once again, she’d done something wrong. She needed to feel something, but she knew she had to get out of here. She had to move away.

She heard the tree shaking outside the open window. It was a humid summer night, with the moon shining and only a hint of wind in the air. She sat up and saw Luke climbing in the window.

“Luke,” she said strangely.

He came over to her, sitting on the bed, taking both her hands in his.

“Can I help you,” she said with a tiny frown on her face.

“I just needed to check on you. How’s Lulu?”

“She’s great, she’s asleep.”

Robert and Laura were incredibly happy for the first year at least, and then he really looked at her, and although they were intensely in love, he knew he wasn’t hers. She had loved him deeply, but in her heart she knew he was right. She’d had enough of trying to make things work. Let someone else make them work. God how she loved Robert though. And it wasn’t rebound love, or pity love, it was passionate love. Just…not quite right. Though it was the time of her life.

“You climbed up and tree and snuck into my room to ask about Lulu?”
“I came to see you. I know this can’t be easy on you.”

Laura looked away. He touched her face, pushing it so she was forced to look at him.

“You don’t have to be strong in front of me. I know there’s nothing I can say that can make this easy on you, but I am here, Laura.”

She then started to cry softly in his arms. She was amazed he was treating her like this instead of saying ‘I told you so’. He held her, and feeling her shiver he lifted her and placed her under the covers. He lied next to her.

“Laura, go ahead and talk about it.”

She sighed. “Nothing lasts. Nothing that you’d think would has lasted. Robert was there for me and then he was gone. My first marriage was over within a year. A year. And I swear I’d meant my vows. And then you came along and I’d never known such happiness. Nothing could ever have taught me as much as being loved by you. And then after many years, it just ended. And you were gone. When so much has happened, you’re abducted and you’re abused and you’re thrown back into your past every minute, you begin to think that nothing is forever.”

She wiped a tear and faced him, taking his hand. “But I’m not sure it’s always true. Because you’re still here, next to me…and I don’t feel empty. I feel like you are here and my heart is all right. Like you’ve lasted, even though you haven’t, it seems like you have.”

“I have, Laura. I will always be here for you, and there’s so much more between us than the kids, but I think that we both left the past in the past, and now we are just…here.”

They were silent for a few minutes, staring again at the ceiling. “I’m moving away, Luke. I’m gonna pick a place on the map and leave. I might even leave over and over, because I can’t take losing things anymore. But that wouldn’t be good for Lesley Lu, so I’ll just pick somewhere far away.”

“You’re leaving tomorrow, aren’t you?”

“Yes. That’s why you came,” she stated.

“Sue me. I could never just let you go easily, could I?”
“No. I’ve gotta get up early tomorrow, Luke, so I think you’d better go,” she hated saying that, but if she didn’t say it now, she never would.

She climbed out of the bed and towards the window.

“I can’t use the door?”
“Course not.”
She looked at him, then looked down, pursing her lips trying not to cry. He could see her struggling. He was doing the same thing.

“Luke,” she breathed. He hugged her. She shook in his arms. She wouldn’t be seeing him every few days anymore. He would come by a few times a year to see Lulu, and she would come home to see Lucky and Elizabeth, but this was really their last time together, as them.

He closed his eyes, trying to memorize the feeling of her in his arms. She looked back, too late to hide her tear stained face. She touched his face, smiling, as he placed his hand over hers.

“Laura,” was the most brilliant thing he could think of to say.

“I know,” she cried. “But I’ve gotta get outta here. I just want to start over instead or recycling the past.”

She put down her head, which he tipped back up with his hand. She gasped a cry as she looked at him.

“Are you running from me?”

“God, you are such a man!” she laughed. “My whole world doesn’t revolve around you. I’m leaving because I have to.”

“Laura,” he contradicted.

“What,” she said quickly.

“I love you.”

She clenched her eyes shut, shaking her head. “No no, now don’t. Don’t do that now.”
“What better time to do it than when it can change someone’s life. Like I want to change yours.”

“You’re right, Luke. You are going to change my life. You are going to walk out the door and I’m gonna move on. I promise you will see your child, and I have to see Lucky and Nikolas, but I’ve gotta go.”

She tried to run but he grabbed her hand.

“Don’t!”

“Luke, stop it. Please.”

“No, I’m not going to stop it, dammit. We’ve been married twenty three years, and I’m not going to let you go anywhere, without me. How dare you even suggest going on the run without me.”

A smile touched her lips. “I’m not going on the run. And you are not invited.”

“Well isn’t that just too bad,” he said.

“No Luke, dammit. Quit making my life so hard! You can’t keep doing this-“

“Did you love Robert?”
“Yes. I still love him, I will always love him. I was his wife.”

“Do you still love me?”

Her eyes narrowed in anger. “You know I do.”

“Then stick around.”

“Then stick it-“

“Ho dear, no need to get graphic on me.”

“Luke, come on. Look, I understand how hard this is,” she said walking into his arms that he immediately enclosed around her. “But this has gotta be the end. What if there’s some big secret I can’t remember and you find out and you hate me again? I can’t go through with that. Or what if you meet another beautiful married blonde and choose her over me-“

“I didn’t-“

“I can’t do this again.”

“Could you do the dancing again?”

She ran her fingers in his now again long hair.

“Luke, please. Do you remember that Christmas letter you wrote to me? How you tried to set me free?”

“Yes,” he said, his voice cracking.

“I’ve made up my mind, and I have to leave. Anything could happen. We have too many enemies to ever allow us to be together, so I’m leaving. Please, don’t make this any harder on me-“

“Harder on you!”

She pulled back, her nose running from crying. “Luke!”

She walked away from him. “Laura!” She turned back to him. “You were sixteen. I did everything I could to get you away from Scott, for my sister, but a big part of me was doing it for me. I did everything. And I’m sorry for all this pain I’ve caused, but…I-I can’t. I can’t just watch you walk out that door tomorrow and never know where you are! I can’t do that.”

He was getting desperate, big tears fell down from his eyes.

“Luke, I’m not going to give in. I have to go. Not in spite of you, not in spite of us. For once I’m doing something for me!”

“Is this what you really want? You used to tell me I was all you wanted.”
“You were!” she sighed.

“Then why are you trying to get as far away from me as you possibly can? It’s one thing if we don’t live in the same house, but if I can’t see you every day, then what’s the point of anything? What have I got to live for? And I thought you felt the same.”

“I did,” she said angrily. “I did a long time ago. And then you found out about Nikolas, and to this day I can’t see how you can hate something of mine. So fine. You go and do what you need to do, and I’ll do what I need to-“
“Come with me,” he said desperately.

“Excuse me?”

“Come with me, Laura,” he held his hand out to her.

“What are you doing?”

“Will you shut up and come with me? Follow me one more time?”

“Lulu’s asleep-“

“And isn’t Robin downstairs asleep on the couch?”

“You checked?”

“Well yes. Leave Robin a note and quit arguing with me.”

Laura couldn’t believe it but this part of her hadn’t changed. No matter what was going on in her life, she would go with him. She would go with him anywhere. She didn’t care where. She wrote a short letter and looked at Luke.

“Where?”

“Wouldn’t be as much fun, would it?”

“All right dammit, let’s go.”

“Ah, ah, ah, Laura…window.”

“Excuse me,” Laura said.

“You heard me, lady’s first.”

“Luke!”
She really wasn’t in the mood to climb out the damn window and down a tree.

“Laura, go.”

“You don’t ask much, do you,” she bitched as she fling herself over the side of the window out. “This better be damn good, Luke.”

“Would I take you somewhere if it wasn’t?”

“Do you want me to answer that,” she said climbing down the tree.

Luke didn’t reply. The minute they landed her grabbed her hand and dragged her to the car. He tied a cloth around her eyes so she couldn’t see. For what seemed like hours they drove, she kept trying to take the cloth off, but he wouldn’t allow her. He stopped the car and Laura once again tried to take the cloth off of her eyes.

After many steps and many different rooms, Luke pulled the cloth off. Laura saw they were in New York, at Wydhams Department Store.

“Jesus Luke! We gotta get outta here. It’s what, 1:00 in the morning?”

“We made it last time, and this time our lives aren’t on the line.”

“Yours is.”

“Quit bitching at me and go put on the dress in the room.”

Laura gave him the look. “What, you want me to go put on a pink dress that my much older body can no longer squeeze into?”

“I think you’re beyond chicken feathers, you’re a woman now, go put on a woman’s dress.”

She didn’t move.

“Laura,” he urged. “One more time?”

“What if the night watchman comes, Luke, we can’t run as fast as we used to. I have a child at home.”

“That Robin is watching. Now you just put one foot in front of the damn other and put on a dress, come out of the elevator, and dance with me.”

“And what if I run,” she said softly.

“Well, then I’ll chase you.”

Laura smiled a little. “An hour,” she said. “And that’s it. Just I have to get home.”

“We’ll see if that’s how you feel in an hour. Will you shut up and go?”
Laura rolled her eyes and turned. She went into the exact same closet she had over twenty years ago. A perfect night. Nothing was wrong, except there was someone chasing them to kill them and she was married, other than that, no problem. Laura looked at the dresses. She chose a golden one with a narrow waist, a low square neckline, but her favorite thing was how wide and layered the bottom was. As she walked the skirt swayed back and forth. Maybe a part of her was still eighteen.

Laura pulled the clips out of her hair and touched up the make up that was in front of the mirrors. Very convenient. She added a little blush, enhanced her eyes with mascara and eye shadow, let her be completely down and tried to make it like it was twenty years ago, just full and curly. She put on golden lipstick to match her dress, and dabbed some perfume on her neck. What the hell was she doing? She didn’t care, she liked this. She always had.

She came out of the elevator as she heard him playing their song. Dammit. She was nervous, what was going to happen? After all they’d been through, what was this supposed to be? The elevator opened and she closed her eyes, holding her breath. She was afraid. When she opened them she saw how much he was trying to recreate the moment also. That silly hat on his head and him in a tux was too funny. She had to laugh.

She raised an eyebrow and took his hand. He yanked her towards him and began the dancing. The dancing the same as before. She almost forgot what the hell they were doing, but then again did they ever know? He leaned close enough in that she could feel his breath, but he didn’t kiss her. She wasn’t sure if she was happy or sad about that. He dipped her back, looking at her as she looked back, and he pulled her up. It was as if they were strangers dancing, how straight their faces were. Maybe it wasn’t perfect.

She looked at him a little uncomfortable, but didn’t move back. He looked at her mouth, then back at her eyes, asking permission. She licked her lips shyly and he quickly swooped down to catch her mouth with his. For a minute she kissed him back, but then fear rose within her and she pulled back, slapping him. He grabbed her wrist and asked her what the hell was wrong with her without speaking.

“I gotta go,” she said and started to walk, but he wouldn’t let go of her wrist. “Luke! Let go of me.”

He looked at her with anger. She tried to tear away from him.

“Dammit,” she cried. “Let go of me!”

“Laura, don’t leave me.”

Laura clenched her eyes shut, knowing she had just woken up from the dream they were just in. And she thought about how much she wanted to climb back in it. How much she’d always wanted this to never go away. She took it back. She kissed him, realizing this was probably the wrong thing to do. He leaned her back against the counter of jewelry, knocking the mirrors off.

“You aren’t going to leave me,” he said.

In their intensity, he tore her dress. “Dammit Luke, I have to pay for this now!”

He didn’t seem to hear her, and in a matter of seconds, she didn’t care what she paid for…

A while later, while on the floor lying next to him, she became afraid.

“Is this your way of trying to get me to stay?”

“Well, that wasn’t my best but if you aren’t inspired to stay we have a few more hours till day break.”

She smacked his chest and faced him.

He looked very seriously over at her.

“Yes, Luke. Dammit. I fall into the same path every time. And no matter how much we’ve hurt each other, you’ll never just go away!”
He leaned into to kiss her again, but she moved and he fell against the floor.

“Luke, I’m as adventuress as the next girl, but how long until we are caught here? And I don’t want to be caught on the cold floor with a man when I’m dressed in a torn dress I stole and ruined. So why don’t we make a mad dash outta here?”

“We haven’t even eaten anything yet.”

“I have a pork roast leftover at home,” she said cheerfully.

He stood up, clothing himself as she zipped the dress that still hung loosely on her. They hurriedly fixed everything back up the way it was supposed to be, and they got the hell outta there. It was pouring outside, but he shoved her in the car and sped home. It was pouring rain and they laughed as they headed for the door.

“You okay,” he said.

“Yeah, I’m great.”

He touched her face and she became a little uncomfortable.

“Luke,” she said, intending to tell him it was still over. But he looked at her like he needed her, and she needed that. “You made me remember tonight that dreams weren’t always made to be broken.”

He turned to open the door but she stopped him.

“We’ll wake them. And Nikolas is asleep in the guest bedroom!”

“Back door,” they said at the same time.

She took his hand and ran towards the back, where Lulu’s playground was. It was still pouring, but the porch lights were bright.

“You wanna go in,” she said.

“Do you?”

She pushed him down and ran. He got up and ran after her, tearing off the dress accidentally.

“Dammit!”

“The dress was already ruined, throw it to the stairs.”

He did and chased her, pushing her against Lulu’s slide. They laughed and he wiped her soaking hair from her face. She pushed him away and climbed up the stairs as he grabbed her. She wore her biker shorts and T-Shirt he’d found her in earlier that evening. The white T-Shirt stuck to her body from its dampness. She burst out laughing and pushed his head back, tripping so he could catch up to her.

He landed on top of her, holding her hands against the ground. It had been awhile since she’d literally had her head in the mud.

She turned serious. “Can you forgive me?”

“I might ask you the same question.”

“Yes, under one condition.”

“Oh Lord,” he said.

“I want you to still love what you see. Find the good in the things you hate so that we don’t fall so far as to not recognize each other.”

He moved so quickly that he accidentally slapped him harshly, then gasped at what she’d done.

“Oh I’m sorry, oh my God, wait a minute, I’m not sorry,” she said pushing him off of her and running.

Laura slipped again and fell in the mud and Luke again chased her. That was one of her favorite things about him. He would always chase her. He gripped her hands, yanking her to her feet, and taking her muddy, drenched self inside. They tiptoed upstairs, Nikolas was dead asleep thank God, and went into her bathroom. She dried her hair with a towel as he watched.

“You wanna go be bunnies,” he said.

“You’re so tactful,” she replied.

He ripped the towel out of her hand and threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

“LUKE!”

“Shh, you’ll wake the youngsters.”

She banged his back with her fist as he dropped her on the bed, and at that point, she knew him leaving was history.

Next Morning

9:02 AM

Laura slept deeply on Luke’s chest, her hair wet and wrinkled from having slept, or had great sex, while it was still wet. Luke’s hands were on her shoulders as he slept just as deeply. It was so early considering they fell asleep less than two hours ago. Loud footsteps came down the hall but neither woke up.

“Mom!” the door burst open and Luke and Laura shot up fast.

“Oh my God, excuse me,” Nikolas said shutting the door.

Luke started laughing and Laura elbowed him. “Shut up! It’s not your son you need to explain it to.”

Laura got out of bed putting a robe on, and went downstairs.

“Nikolas!”

“Yeah, Mom,” he said fixing himself a glass of milk.

“I’m sorry!”

“Don’t be, are you okay?”

Laura closed her eyes in relief. “I’m okay, yes. As long as you don’t hate me.”

“Oh I don’t, and I don’t even hate Luke as long as he doesn’t hurt you again.”

“Thank you, Nikki,” Luke said. “How about you and I whip up some pancakes for our two best girls?”

Nikolas smiled. “Sure, Luke.”

Laura went and got Robin and Lulu up, and when she came downstairs Luke and Nikolas were already cursing at themselves for having burned the first batch. Luke could cook beautifully, but obviously it had been a few years.

“Dammit!”
“Oh hush, Luke,” Laura said coming through the kitchen. “Geez, you men!”

In about two seconds they literally kicked Laura out of the kitchen.

“The kitchen is where the man belongs,” Nikolas said.

“Yeah, yeah, the television is where the woman belong!”

“Good one, Luke,” Nikolas said.

They laughed and Laura sat with Lulu on her lap, holding Robin close to her. Bobbie came in and saw Luke and Nikolas.

“What the hell…”

“Exactly,” Laura said smiling at her.