Faithe-- Chapters 8 & 9
~8
Across the room
Lucky walked over to Sonny and Luke.
“Hey Sonny, you didn’t have to come down here man.” Lucky said.
“Well from what you said on the phone it sounded like you might need my help.”
“Yeah I think we might, I think I’ll have to take Faithe on the run for a little while.” Luke said receiving astonished looks from both Lucky and Sonny.
Back on the Couch
Faithe looked at Nik thoughtfully, she still didn’t trust him, 18 years of hearing and seeing the worst of the Cassadines couldn’t be erased in a week, but she knew what he was going though. She knew what it was like to kill someone, even if it was in self-defense.
“Nikolas?”
“What?” He said almost coldly. He didn’t want to talk about it. He wanted to forget.
“You had no choice. He would have killed you and me and then probably Lucky. It was self-defense, you did what you had to do to protect us.” Faithe said softly, knowing it was what he needed to hear.
Nik looked at her visibly relaxed, “Thank you. I think I needed to hear that, you know from someone other than myself.”
“I know, believe me I know what you’re going though.” Faithe let a small smile sneak onto her face Nik nodded. He wanted to know more about her experience, but decided he could ask her later.
Across the room
“Dad, you can’t, you know that. Mom and LuLu need you.” Lucky said raising his voice slightly.
“I know Cowboy, but what am I supposed to do, have you take her!?” Luke said frustrated.
“Why not?” Lucky cried.
“You’re almost 17! That’s why!”
“I was on the run for the first 11 years of my life and Faithe has been on the run for all 18 years of her life, so between the two of us I think we have more than enough!” Lucky said gesturing wildly with his hands. Faithe and Nik came to stand next to him.
“I can go alone.” Faithe stated mater-of-factly.
“NO!” Luke, Lucky and Nik all shouted in unison. Faithe frowned and opened her mouth to say something independent, but shut when she saw she was outnumbered. Sonny smiled in amusement at the exchange. Liz and Laura entered and stood in the kitchen door, but no one saw them. Luke looked at Lucky and sighed loudly.
“Okay Cowboy, you and Skeet leave in the morning.”
“I’m going with you.” Liz stated from the doorway. Everyone looked at her surprised, except Lucky, he was not surprised. She had that determined look in her eyes. He loved that look, except when it was directed at him.
“Elizabeth, you can’t…”
“Where I go you go” Liz stated, cutting him off.
“But Liz it’s…”
“Dangerous? I don’t care!” Liz went to him, took his hands in hers, and looked into his eyes. “Lucky, I’d follow you anywhere. And besides, you’re stuck with me Spencer, so deal with it!” Liz said with that determined look of hers.
Luke went over to Laura and put an arm around her and whispered. “A little déjà vu?”
“Uh-huh” Laura nodded and leaned against her husband and smiled.
Lucky laughed slightly and hung his head in defeat and grumbled, “Okay, you’re coming.” He raised his head and looked at her. “I thought you were going to teach me how to win an argument with you.” Liz smiled at that.
“I’m coming too.” Nik stated.
Lucky looked at him, wide-eyed with frustration.
“Hey you need someone to back you up, and who better than your big brother.” Nik smiled. Luke winced involuntarily and Laura elbowed him half playfully.
Lucky threw up his hands in frustration and cried, “Does anyone else want to come?!”
Liz laughed and said, “No, I think that’s it for now.” Everyone laughed.
“Now that we know ‘when’ and ‘who’ all we need is where’.” Luke said walking over and taking a map out of a stack of papers.
“Well, I have an idea about that.” Sonny said from the corner. Everyone looked at Sonny waiting for him to continue.
“I know this guy, who runs this cruise line, and he owes me.” Sonny finished.
“Everyone owes you.” Luke said with a good-natured smirk. Sonny smiled proudly.
“Well, this cruise goes from Virginia Beach to Puerto Rico and back, and I have people in Puerto Rico who can make you disappear for a while.” Sonny said with a small look of apprehension that only Luke caught.
“So what’s the problem?” Luke said bluntly.
“Well it’s a good thing you guys are going in pairs, kind of. Cause it’s a couples cruise, you know, romance, flowers the whole bit.” Sonny said hastily knowing that Faithe wasn’t going to like it.
“You’ve got to be kidding me, I have to stay in his apartment, now I have to be his girlfriend?!” Faithe cried agitated.
“Well not girlfriend exactly, wife.” Sonny said slowly.
“Oh come on! There has to be somewhere else we can go!” Faithe exclaimed.
“Skeeter, this is the best way.’ Luke said surprising everyone.
“No Luke. Not with Him!” Faithe screamed.
“Faithe, Nikolas saved your life! Hasn’t he earned your trust by now?” Lucky exclaimed defending his brother even though he understood why she couldn’t trust a Cassaidine. Faithe looked at Lucky shocked.
“You can’t ask me to trust him. Not after what his family did to mine!” Faithe cried.
“Nikolas had nothing to do with that and you know it!” Lucky screamed.
Faithe turned around to Luke, she was angry but mostly at the fact that she was being asked to trust Nik. She now knew that Luke had told Lucky about her mother but she had already guessed that. “Luke how can you possibly agree with this?”
“Because this is the best way to get you safe, and if I can’t be there I do want Lucky to have some back up, even if it is Nikolas.” Luke said.
“Fine, when do we leave?” Faithe said through gritted teeth, knowing she was outnumbered.
“It’ll take me a few hours to get the fake I.D.’s but then you’re off to Virginia. I’ll create a paper trail that’ll lead anyone who wants to follow you to think you’re headed west towards L.A.” Sonny said taking out his cell phone.
They all started discussing the plans when the Spencer’s phone rang and Lucky answered it.
“Aunt Bobbie hi…yeah thanks for rushing it…What?!…you sure?…yeah thanks bye…”
Lucky hung up the phone and turned around slowly, his face confused and thoughtful.
“What is it Cowboy?”
“On my way here I stopped by GH, I knew Aunt Bobbie was on call tonight, and I asked her to run a test on that syringe the guy had, to see what was in it,” he paused, “It was a sedative.”
“What?” Luke hissed
“He was going to kidnap you Faithe.” Lucky said still trying to figure this out.
Faithe looked shocked and worried.
“Why would they want to kidnap me?” She said looking to Luke for an answer, but he was staring in the direction of the phone, the wheels in his head spinning almost visibly.
Faithe started to panic, “The only reason I can think of is to make my father suffer, but he’s dead.” Faithe blurted in a frantic rush, she continued to talk without really breathing; she started pacing waving her arms in exaggerated gestures along playing with her necklace nervously. She was babbling now and that wasn’t like her. “I mean killing me I can understand, my family has done a lot to them, the Cassadines I mean. But what could they possibly gain by kidnapping me, I mean there’s no one left to hurt…”
Just then Liz stepped in front of her and put a hand on her shoulder interrupting her ramblings. She looked at Liz almost startled that she was standing there, like she hadn’t seen her.
“We won’t let anything happen to you.” Liz said softly but with a force that made it believed. She pulled Faithe into a hug, and Faithe let out a long sigh and relaxed a bit and smiled sadly and said simply, “Thanks”
“Well, all I know is we need to get you guys outta here ASAP.” Luke said coming out of his mini-trance, and looking at Lucky.
“Well why don’t we go pack some things while Sonny gets the I.D.’s taken care of.” Lucky said. Faithe had pulled herself together and was standing next to Liz once again the face of composure.
“Yeah, I’ll go with Liz to her house while you and Nikolas go to the bike shop.” Faithe said in a more up-beat tone than she felt.
“Not alone” Lucky exclaimed
Faithe put her hands up in defense, “Liz and I will stick together, and whoever sent that guy won’t know he failed for a least a couple of hours, if not longer, so relax.”
“Fine, but if you’re not back in an hour we’re coming after you.” Luke said warningly
“Okay, okay.” Faithe said and then turned to Nik, “Could you just pick up my bag beside the bed, all my stuff’s in there anyway.” Nik nodded.
“Should I leave a note for Gram?” Liz said a bit worried.
“No honey I’ll call her… and Stefan later this morning.” Laura said looking at Nikolas.
Nik looked uncomfortable and said quietly, “Well, we should get going.”
“Yeah, see you back here.” Faithe called as she and Liz headed out of the house, and Lucky and Nik followed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~9
Nik’s apartment
“So, what should I take, I’ve never been on the run before.” Nik said pulling his duffel bag out of his closet. Lucky shook his head a little.
“Necessities, a few changes of clothes, since we’re going on a cruise ship, maybe something, ‘touristy’.” Lucky said trying to lighten the mood. Nik smiled.
“Okay, Sonny’s guys did a good job of cleaning up the place.” Nik said, he found himself staring at the spot where the man had died. Lucky noticed.
“Hey… you okay?” Lucky asked quietly.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” Nik said waving his hand dissmisively, turning back to his packing.
“You sure?” Lucky said hesitantly.
“Now, I am.” Nik stopped packing, “I was a little shook up before, but believe it or not Faithe helped me.” Nik scratched head still a little surprised.
“She did?!” Lucky said, obviously just as surprised, “How did she help?”
“She told me it was self defense, which I already knew, but I still needed to hear it you know.” Nik said.
“Yeah I’m sorry I didn’t notice earlier. I should have checked to see if you were all right, but there was just so much confusion at first and I haven’t had time to really think until now.” Lucky said feeling a little guilty he hadn’t thought that killing someone might be hard for Nikolas.
“It’s all right Lucky, you needed to get the situation under control, and you did a good job.” Nik said genuinely impressed with the way lucky had handled things tonight.
“I’m glad Faithe could help you. She might be softin’ up to you.” Lucky said.
“I think maybe right now she just doesn’t hate me.” Nik said with a laugh.
“It’s progress ain’t it?”
“Yeah it’s weird though, sometimes I think maybe she’s warming up to me, like when we’re all out together, but as soon as we’re alone she’s back to being an ‘Ice Princess’.” Nik said Lucky laughed a little. Nik continued, “This morning she acts like she cares and then flips out when Sonny tells her about the cruise.”
“Well she probably flipped out ‘cause of all the stress of the morning, but Nikolas, you have to give her time. The Cassadines have done a lot to her family, right now you’re just a face she can put all the hate she’s felt all her life.” Lucky said trying to be reassuring.
“I know but I didn’t have anything to do with her family,” Nik pause as a thought accured to him, “Has she ever mentioned a name of the Cassadine her father had problems with?”
“Not to me but Liz said she mentioned someone named Chrystos when she was talking to Liz. Why do you know him?” Lucky figured he wasn’t betraying his Dad because Liz had mentioned that to him. And he wanted to find out his own information. Lucky eyed Nik tying to judge his reaction. Lucky saw a flash of fear, but it was quickly masked.
“No never heard of him, but there’s a lot of people in the family I don’t know.” Nik said quickly, almost rushing.
“Uh-Huh” Lucky said, completely not buying it.
“Well I’m ready, we should get back.” Nik said picking up the bags and his keys and made his way out the door. Lucky followed him silently, thinking. He knew Nik was hiding something, but he also knew Nik was pretty bad at keeping a secret from the people who knew him well. Soon he would just burst like a soda can that was shaken too much.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Liz’s House
Faithe and Liz were in Liz’s room quietly packing her things.
“Ya know this is the first time we’ve gotten to talk alone since you came to town.” Liz said. She decided that Faithe and Nik would be good for each other, but first she had to convince Faithe.
“Yeah, I know, we’re always being watched. And I love Luke dearly, but when he gets it in his head that someone needs protecting sometimes he gets carried away!” Faithe said frustrated but then laughed a little.
“Yeah Lucky can be the same way.” Liz said thoughtfully.
“I noticed.” Faithe and Liz both laughed. “We’re should feel lucky for getting this time to talk without Lucky, Luke, or Nikolas hanging around”. The last name was spoken in a darker tone.
“Ya know Nikolas isn’t a bad guy, he can be a good friend.” Liz said trying to keep it light.
Faithe sighed heavily, “It’s great that you’re defending Nikolas, I mean it shows to me that you’re a good friend, and obviously you trust him. Look, Liz, I don’t trust many people to begin with and, no offense, but the only person I trust in this whole situation is Luke. And that’s only because my father trusted him and I’ve known him since I can remember.” Liz looked a little shocked. “I’m sorry, I’m just suspicious by nature, I have to be, but believe me I am trusting you, Lucky, and Laura more every day, but I’m still getting to know you.” Faithe didn’t want to hurt Liz’s feelings. Liz looked liked she was thinking.
“I think I know what you mean,” Liz started slowly, “for the longest time Lucky was the only person I trusted. So, I guess I understand.”
“I’m glad, well on to a better subject. You and Lucky look really happy.” Faithe said with a smile, also trying to distract Liz off the subject of Nikolas.
“Yeah we are.” Liz said with that silly grin she gets everytime she thinks about Lucky.
“Aha, I know that grin.” Faithe said pointing playfully.
“What grin!?” Liz said feigning innocence
“The ‘look everyone I’m in love!’ grin.”
“Oh. That one.” Both girls
Liz turned thoughtful. “Have you ever been in love?” She asked tentatively
“Yeah I’ve been there, but it didn’t work out too well.”
“Tell me about him.” Liz said quietly.
Faithe let out a sigh and thought ‘Well this is as good a time as any to try that trust thing’ “Well he was basic bad boy, ya know, leather jacket, motorcycle, guitar, no social skills what-so-ever. His name was Spike.” Faithe let out a snort of disgust, mostly at remembering her own stupidity. She started nervously playing with her necklace.
“Spike?” Liz asked in amused disbelief.
“Yep, I was head over heals for the guy, but now I think I was the only one in love. He said he loved me, but he was one of those guys who threw those words around like confetti. Anyway, long story short, Dad was smothering me, because of something that happened earlier that year with the Cassadines, and he didn’t like Spike. So, the brilliant person that I am, I ran away with him. I was gone for about two weeks. We had a fight and I went home.”
“How long ago?” Liz asked.
“Hmm, I guess I left home in the middle of November last year. I had just turned 18 and I thought I was an adult.” Faithe said still disgusted with her stupidity.
“Well I hate to say it , but I’m sorta glad it didn’t work out with Spike, cause then I would never have met you.” Liz said and smiled, she wanted to know what had happened with the Cassadines but she thought it better not to push.
Faithe laughed a little “I’m glad I met you too Liz.”
“And Lucky?”
“Yeah I’m glad I met Lucky.”
“And Nikolas?”
“Don’t push it,” Faithe leaned a little closer to Liz and looked her straight in the eye, “you don’t fool me. Stop playing match-maker.”
Liz gaped in surprise. Faithe had figured her out, here she thought she was being discrete. Liz quickly changed the subject “Well I’m done, let’s get out of here before they send a search party.”
Faithe smiled slyly, “Okay” They climbed out the window and were off to the Spencer’s.
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