Note: This was my response to a fanfic challange in which we were issued four characters and a song. My characters were Lucky, Liz, Emily, and Nikolas and my song was Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) by Green Day.
If you want to read other fanfics from this challange go here
If you want to see what Simon looks like, go here
Elizabeth stumbled and slipped on the wet docks below her. She tried to catch herself with her hands, but they slipped and she ended up jarring her elbows on the hard wood. She knew that should have hurt, but the pain didn't even register. She was feeling too much of it already. The rain beat down on her back and her hair stuck to her face. But she couldn't really tell if her face was wet from the rain or from her tears. Her angel was gone and that was all that mattered.
Her life was so complicated and confusing now. Every support system she had was gone. Nikolas seemed almost obsessed with her now and it was getting scary. He had started wearing flannel shirts and jeans and had started wearing his hair like Lucky had worn it that summer when they had fallen in love. Now he didn't even look like Nikolas anymore, just some frightening combination of him and Lucky. And Emily, Elizabeth couldn't even recognize her anymore. Gone was the strong-willed, bull headed, independent friend she loved. Now most of what she did was follow Juan around. Even back when she had a crush on Nikolas she was still Emily, now she's just some bizarre extension of Juan.
And the worst part was that Jason had left town only days before she needed him the most. A few days after he left she'd found out from Helena that she was a Cassadine and Alexis Davis had given her up for adoption to protect her from Helena. Alexis claimed she wanted to get to know her, but she didn't want to talk to Alexis and she certainly didn't want to talk to Helena, who had also taken a sudden interest in her. She was so lost, all she wanted to do was crawl up in a corner somewhere and wait for Lucky to come back to her somehow. Now it was Valentines Day again and she couldn't even fathom spending it without Lucky. But here she was, on this day, without him. She was so strong when she was with Lucky, now she had to wonder if she was only strong because of Lucky. Everything would be fine if only Lucky was here. I would give anything to have him back.
"Anything!" She sobbed aloud.
"Anything?" A voice asked softly in the dark.
Elizabeth's head snapped up to find the voice. And what she found was a man perched on the back of one of the benches. His appearance showed that he couldn't have been much older than 30, but for some reason she thought he was much older. His face quirked into a smirk and his eyes sparkled with amusement. He was dressed in all charcoal gray except for the black of his trench coat over his suit.
She didn't feel the stab of fear she usually felt when she was alone with a man she didn't know. No, she felt completely calm and at ease, but at the same time the hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end.
"Who are you?" She asked suspiciously. She knew that must have sounded rude, but this man came completely out of nowhere and startled her. And anyway it was rude of him not to help her.
"Simon." He said quickly.
Elizabeth laughed nervously. "OK Simon, what are you doing here, or do you just
like to watch people fall in the rain and not offer to help them?"
Simon shrugged. "You seem fine to me."
Elizabeth shook her head and got up. That was when she noticed that the rain had stopped. Literally stopped mid air. Thousands of droplets of water seemed to be suspended in the air, and the streetlights overhead were making them all sparkle like tiny lights. She looked in awe at her surroundings. Something strange is going on.
Simon chuckled. "First I'm rude for not helping you and now I'm strange?"
Elizabeth looked at him skeptically. She hadn't said that out loud, she was sure of it. "What are you?"
"I'm an..."
"An angel." She whispered, she didn't know how but somewhere deep in her heart she knew.
Simon inclined his head in approval. "You're quick."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "You don't look much like an angel."
Simon scoffed, stepped off the bench, and leaned against the railing of the stairs. "What were you expecting? Dressed all in white? A harp? John Travolta?"
She rolled her eyes at that comment. "So what, are you my gardian angel or something?"
Simon laughed outright at that; a sound that echoed in Elizabeth's ears and she couldn't help but smile. "I can safely say that I am no gardian angel." Simon said with a smug smirk.
"OK so, am I dead?" She asked, with just a twinge of hope in her voice. She had never really thought of ending her life, but the thought of being with Lucky at last was appealing.
Simon shook his head slightly, almost with disapproval. "No, you're not dead...yet."
"So Simon, why are you here?" Elizabeth asked getting frustrated with this man... or whatever he was.
"I'm curious." He said looking at her quizzically.
Elizabeth just waited for him to continue. After several long seconds he did. "I was just wondering how one person could be so important that you would give anything to have him back?"
"I love him!" Elizabeth exclaimed as if that should answer all the questions.
"But you said that everything would be all right if only Lucky was alive. How could so many people's lives depend on one person?"
Elizabeth didn't really have an answer for that one. She didn't know how, she just knew that he did. "All I know is that whatever happened to me, no matter what, I could handle it if Lucky was here."
"No matter what?" There was something in his voice. Like a combination of curiosity and challenge.
"Yes. If Lucky were here I could get through anything because he loved me. That love saw me through the darkest times in my life." Elizabeth said without a doubt in her heart.
“I don’t doubt that Elizabeth.” Simon said softly. “But how do you know what you could handle if Lucky were here?”
“I could handle anything.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Well what if you could go back to April 16, 1999 and stop that fire?”
“I’d do anything.” Elizabeth said quickly.
Simon shook his head. “If you truly believe that I’m an angel, do you really think that you have anything that I could want.”
“Well then what do I have to do so that you’ll send me back?” Elizabeth asked anxiously.
“All you have to do is follow the rules Elizabeth.” Simon said smiling. “You can never tell anyone about me or how you ended up there that night to save Lucky, or else he’ll be dead and you’ll just be back here where you started.”
“I can handle that.” Elizabeth said quickly.
“Also remember that some things could change.” Simon said with a smile that Elizabeth didn’t really understand.
“I don’t care what changes, as long as I have Lucky.” Elizabeth said desperately.
Simon smiled that smile again and then the water drops suspended around her glowed white until all she could see was a bright white light.
~*~
When the light faded Elizabeth was surrounded by darkness. When her eyes adjusted to the dark she looked around frantically. She was at the garage. And it was still standing. That alone was amazing. She walked over to a trashcan where she could see a newspaper sticking out of the top. She picked it up quickly and scanned the top for the date.
April 16, 1999
She gasped as the paper slipped out of her hands and onto the ground. He did it. He sent me back to that night. He gave me a chance to stop it.
Without her even knowing it her legs took her to the building and up the stairs. The next thing she knew she was banging on the door and yelling Lucky's name. The door swung open and there he was. He was half-asleep and his hair was standing on end, but he looked wonderful to her. She launched herself into his arms and hugged the life out of him. She could feel Lucky chuckling.
"Elizabeth, I'm not complaining that you're at my apartment in the middle of the night, but what's wrong. You're shaking like a leaf." He said as he pulled her away from him slightly so he could look at her. "Elizabeth you're as white as a sheet, you look like you've seen a ghost."
She laughed nervously at that comment. That was exactly what she had just seen. "I just had a bad dream and I guess it just freaked me out a little, I needed to see that you were OK."
Lucky smiled. "Well again not that I mind you coming over, but you could have called me."
Elizabeth nervously bit her lip, walked past Lucky into the small apartment, and sat down on the bed. With a little confusion she noticed that the candles on the night table were not lit. "I didn't even think about it, I guess I was too freaked out from the dream."
"That must have been some dream." Lucky commented as he sat down next to her and rubbed her shoulders comfortingly. "Well as much as I would love for you to stay, your Grandmother is going to have a fit if she finds out that you snuck out." Lucky said smiling. He pulled on some jeans over his shorts and got his coat.
"Could you sleep at my place tonight? I think I'm still a little shaky from that dream." She said pleadingly. She didn't want to let him out of her sight ever again.
"Your grandmother's not going to like that either." He said grinning mischievously.
"Well, we have gotten away with it before." She said smiling wistfully.
"Okay, okay, I'll sleep in your room. You do look pretty shook up." Concern laced his voice, and that enveloped Elizabeth like a warm blue blanket.
Lucky smiled, put his arm around her shoulders, and led them both out of the apartment and down the stairs. As they got to the bottom of the stairs Lucky tensed and stopped them.
"What is it Lucky?" She whispered.
"Shh… just listen." He said. When she did listen she heard men's voices inside the garage.
"So all we have to do is set this place to blow?"
"Yeah, you heard what she said. We don't even have to make it look like an accident."
Lucky looked like he was frozen in place. Elizabeth took his hand and tugged him toward the back door. "Lucky, we need to get next door to the Recovery Room and call the police." She whispered fiercely.
"No we should go to my dad first."
"We can call Luke after, but we need to get out of here." Elizabeth said pulling Lucky out the back door and into the Recovery Room.
~*~
A while later Lucky and Liz walked into the police station to give their statements. By some miracle the PCPD did actually arrest the men that tried to burn down Lucky's apartment. Lucky had called Luke and Nikolas from Mike's and they were going to meet them at the station. Lucky led Elizabeth over to one of the chairs to let her sit down. Elizabeth closed her eyes at the feeling of Lucky's arms around her from behind. All this chaos going on around them and all Elizabeth could think about was that having Lucky there was the happiest she'd been in forever. Seconds later Luke and Laura came rushing arm in arm, with Nikolas and Emily not far behind them. Elizabeth was confused for a moment at the sight of Luke and Laura together but figured he had gone to find her after Lucky called.
"Honey are you two all right?" Laura said always being the concerned mother.
“We’re fine Mom.”
"Laura I'm going to go talk to Bubba and see if they've squeezed anything out of those criminals yet." He said and then gave Laura a light kiss on the lips. Laura, Nikolas, and Emily went to get some water.
Emily pulled Nikolas to the side and whispered. “Who would try and kill Lucky?”
Nikolas gave a heavy sigh. “I hate to say it, but it might have been my grandmother. I just wouldn’t have been able to deal with it if she had succeeded; it would’ve been partly my fault. My family has caused the Spencers so much pain.” Nikolas’ voice broke and a tear ran down his cheek.
Emily’s features melted into concern and compassion. She reached out to pull him into her arms. “Oh Nikolas, it wouldn’t be your fault. That horrible excuse for a grandmother is only one to blame.”
Nikolas hid his satisfied grin in Emily’s long hair.
Liz looked up at Lucky and whispered quietly. “Lucky, when did your parents get back together?” She expected him to be as surprised as she was.
Lucky gave her a puzzled expression. “Elizabeth, when have my parents not been together? They haven’t been apart since Stefan died.”
Elizabeth chuckled nervously. “Oh right, I guess I’m still a little shook up.”
“That’s OK sweetie. It’s been a rough night.” Lucky said leaning down to kiss her on the forehead.
Elizabeth nodded with a smile plastered on her lips. Her head felt like it was swimming. Stefan’s dead? When did that happen?
Before she could think about that subject anymore Luke came back to the group, having been unsuccessful at finding Mac.
A few minutes later Taggert came out of the interrogation room holding a struggling man dressed all in black. The man looked around the room and his eyes fell on Elizabeth.
“That’s her! That’s the one that hired us!” He screamed as he pulled one hand free of Taggert and pointed straight at Liz.
Elizabeth was shocked to say the least.
“Nice try idiot.” Taggert growled. “When you’re looking for someone to blame don’t try and finger the boy’s girlfriend.”
Taggert then took the man away, but all the way he was protesting that he was telling the truth.
Luke came over and placed a comforting hand on Elizabeth's shoulder. "It's horrible what some people will do when they're desperate."
~*~
It wasn't until after dawn that Liz finally walked into her room. Audrey was, of course, upset that Elizabeth had left the house without permission, but she was too thankful that both her and Lucky were OK to stay mad for long. Lucky's parents had offered him a place to stay and after he was sure that Elizabeth was all right, Lucky agreed. That was another of the inconsistencies that Elizabeth had found. As much headway Lucky had made with his parents before the fire she still didn't think he could except their help so readily. Most everything was the same, but some of the details were different. Elizabeth closed her eyes and rubbed the back of her neck. It really had been a long night. What she couldn't figure out was why that man had accused her of hiring him.
A beeping, coming from her purse, interrupted Elizabeth's thoughts. She hadn't had it with her all night. She walked over and looked for the source. What she found was what looked to be a brand new cell phone and the screen showed a voice mail message. I don't own a cell phone. She thought to herself. After a few minutes she got the phone to play the voice mail message.
"Miss Cassadine, this is Andreas. Madam is very displeased with the latest turn of events. She hopes that you have an explanation for what happened. She would like to meet with you soon." Then his voice dropped to a whisper. " And I for one, my love, hope that you have a very good explanation."
Elizabeth's mind was reeling, but before she was able to make any sense of it there was a light knock on her window. She turned and was surprised to see Nikolas opening the window and letting himself in.
"Nikolas what are you..."
"I know it's risky, but I saw Audrey leave." Nikolas interrupted her. "That was close cousin, and not that I doubt your genius but Helena's going to have a fit when she finds out that you saved Lucky."
"What are you..."
"I know, I know, and I do know better than to question you, but I'm just saying that you'd better have a good explanation waiting for Helena. Have you heard from her yet, or Ari or Andreas?" And then he looked at Elizabeth for the first time since he entered the room. She nodded mutely and Nikolas appeared a little concerned.
"Elsa, you know Helena won't kill you over this as long as you have a good reason. I mean you played with her favorite boy toys and survived, what could be worse?" He said cracking a smile. "Well I have to go, Emily's probably looking for me. I tell you if she wasn't such a good lay I probably would've dumped her a long time ago."
"What?!?" Elizabeth shouted, she couldn't believe Nikolas would say these things, especially about Emily.
"I know you wouldn't think of it to look at her, but what she lacks in skill she makes up for in enthusiasm." Nikolas said grinning "And I tell you, after we left the police station she was so intent on comforting me, well like I said she's enthusiastic." And with that he was gone.
“What?!? How? What!?” She mumbled to herself. For a few minutes all Elizabeth could do was stand in the middle of her room just trying to breathe. It wasn't just the details that were wrong now; it was the whole picture that was fuzzy. Nikolas and Emily were together, which was amazing to begin with and then to hear Nikolas say those things about her was just frightening. And that call from that Andreas man telling her to go meet with Helena. She didn't even know him, but Nikolas seemed to think she did. There was only one person who could explain this to her.
"Simon! Simon!" She screamed.
"You bellowed?" Came the frustratingly calm voice. She turned around and there was Simon lounging on her bed like he belonged there.
"What's going on?!?" Elizabeth shouted.
Simon just shrugged his shoulders. "Is there a problem?"
" 'Is there a problem?' Nikolas is crude and obnoxious, Emily is sleeping with him, Stefan is dead, Helena Cassadine of all people wants to speak to me, and Nikolas and some guy named Andreas think that I had something to do with some guys that almost burnt down Lucky's apartment. Of course there's a problem!" She screamed.
Elizabeth never knew how excruciatingly frustrating it could be to be mad and to be talking to someone who was absolutely calm.
"But Lucky loves you. And he's alive." Simon pointed out.
"Of course Lucky loves me."
"Well you did say that you could handle anything as long as Lucky was alive and he loved you." Simon reminded her with a smug smile on his face.
"But this isn't what I meant." She mumbled almost to herself. "Why are these things happening?"
Simon smiled with what was almost pride. "Well when you found out that Alexis was your real mother and you were adopted how did you react?"
Elizabeth was thrown off by the question but she answered it anyway. "I was upset, angry at my parents, how was I supposed to react?"
Ignoring her question Simon continued. "Yes, you were angry but did you do anything?"
"Well no, eventually I would've gotten to know Alexis and try to convince Nikolas to stop chasing me since I'm his cousin."
"Would you say that because of Lucky's love and how you'd matured because of that love helped you get through finding out that family secret?"
Elizabeth hardly had to think about it to find out the answer. "Yes, of course."
"Well what if you had found out the truth before you met Lucky. When you were an angry 15 year old that had just been abandoned with the neighbors after your parents ran off to Europe?" Simon said smiling slightly. He looked almost like he was enjoying himself.
Elizabeth shook her head. "My parents didn't abandon me. They couldn't have passed up that opportunity to go to Bosnia."
"Yes you understand that now, but then you thought that they just didn't want you. They'd sent your sister to Port Charles and just left you behind, isn't that right?" Simon said with a glint in his eyes that Elizabeth couldn't quite understand.
"Well yeah, I was a spoiled brat."
"Do you know what would have happened if you found out that you were a Cassadine back then?" Simon looked like the cat that ate the canary.
"Something tells me that you know."
"Like I said, you are quick." Simon said nodding his head in approval. Then he gestured around him. "This is what would happen Elizabeth."
She tensed. "What do you mean?"
"When you found out the truth, you did a little research on the Cassadines and tracked down Helena. She was very intrigued that the child of "her husband's bastard daughter’s child", I think that's the phrase she used, had turned out so strong willed." Simon got up and walked over to the mirror and seemed to be inspecting the pictures that were there.
"Then you came to Port Charles with instructions to get close to Lucky Spencer. But of course he was only interested in your sister Sarah, which seemed to just make you more determined to succeed. But then in a tragic accident, which Helena arranged, Stefan was killed. Helena explained to Nikolas that Stefan was jealous that Nikolas was Stavro's son and not his and he was trying to kill Nikolas. Nikolas came to understand Helena's view of things and decided to help you. Between the three of you, you came up with the realization that Spencers can't resist a damsel in distress. So one Valentines night you sprung your trap."
"No." Elizabeth murmured shaking her head.
"Ironic isn't it. That you'd pick that night and that act of violence to get Lucky to feel for you. It did work though. And when Nikolas told Lucky about Laura's rape that only pushed him closer to you. And all was well for a while, Lucky was away from his parents and you and Lucky were getting very close, but then recently the Spencers were getting closer and the solution Helena came up with was to have Lucky killed. She had you hire the arsonists."
"But I would never do that to Lucky!"
"No you wouldn't but this Elizabeth would."
Elizabeth turned away from Simon. Her chest tightened and she felt the sob start at the back of her throat. She bit it back, and straightened her back.
"Why would you do this, what's the point?" She shouted as she whirled back around to where Simon had been standing. But he was gone. Well she did tell Simon she could handle anything as long as Lucky was alive. But she didn't know about this. How was she supposed to convince Lucky that she loved him if he ever found out about her connection to Helena? And if she told him about Simon he would be dead and she would be right back where she started anyway.
~*~
Elizabeth walked along the docks in the early afternoon sun. She had tried to sleep but only ended up having countless nightmares about Lucky finding out about Helena. In the dreams she either kept her mouth shut and Lucky hated her forever or she told him about Simon and she was back to Valentines Day 2000, without Lucky. And she didn't know which was worse. She looked up when she heard footsteps coming towards her and saw a man she vaguely recognized him as someone she had seen with Helena a lot.
"Elsa, I do hope you are going to see Helena, she is hoping mad." He said with a smile.
"Andreas?" Elizabeth didn't know who else it could be.
"Of course I'm Andreas. I thought you learned how to tell between Ari and me a long time ago. You always were the only one who could tell." Andreas said grinning like he knew something. He looked over his shoulder quickly to make sure no one was there and then quickly stepped up to Elizabeth and kissed her passionately. For a moment she was stunned but as soon as her brain registered what was going on she pushed hard on Andreas' chest and managed to get him off of her.
"Elsa, no one will see, certainly not Madame or that runt Lucky Spencer." He said grinning.
Anger poured through Elizabeth. "Don't you dare say anything about Lucky and you can tell Helena to go to hell!"
And with that Elizabeth took off running up the stairs and away from Andreas.
~*~
Emily paced frantically around Nikolas' cottage and almost jumped when the door swung open. She ran to Nikolas and threw her arms around him.
"I don't know why I'm so worried, but if it was Helena that did this then you could be in danger."
"It's all right honey, Helena would never hurt me. She knows her life depends on me." He said as he pulled Emily away from him and smiled at her kindly. "Thank you so much for staying with me last night, I needed you so much." He said with his voice breaking slightly.
"I know, I know. You know I'll always be here for you when need me." She said stroking her face lovingly.
"Did you get in trouble for staying out all night?"
"They didn't even know I was gone. They're too wrapped up in their problems to care anyway." She said sadly.
"Oh Emmy, no matter how little you mean to your parents you will always mean the world to me." Nikolas said looking down at her comfortingly.
"I know. You're the only one that hasn't ignored me all my life."
"Always remember that Emily."
"I will Nikolas, always."
~*~
Andreas walked coolly into Helena's main room on her yacht.
"Darling Andreas, do you have any news on our wonderful Elsa?"
"I saw her on the docks." Andreas said enjoying having Helena hanging on his every word. He was going to get revenge on Elsa for defending that runt Spencer. "She has sympathies for Spencer. And she told me to tell you to go to hell."
"How dare she!" Helena screamed and brought her hand down hard on the desk. "She will rue the day she ever crossed me!"
Andreas stood there with a smug smile on his face. Yes Elsa, you will rue the day.
~*~
There was a knock on the door and Nikolas got up to answer it. When he opened the door, no one was there but there was a package on the ground with a note on it. He picked it up, brought it inside and read the note.
Plans have changed my darling grandson. I'm afraid poor Elsa is confused. I hope you have Miss Quartermaine sufficiently under your charms, because after you bring this tape to the Spencers both of you must come and see me at once. Forget Elsa; forget you even have a cousin. She is dead to you Nikolas She has betrayed me once too often and now she will pay. I love you, my darling Prince
He knew Elsa could be a bit free spirited at times (and if there was anything that annoyed his grandmother it was a free spirit), but he knew she was loyal to Helena. He knew she didn't exactly want Lucky dead, but that was only because she got a perverse thrill out of the idea of Lucky finding out about her and Helena. She always said the look on his face would be priceless. The only thing Elsa wanted to tell him more than her connection with Helena was about her and Andreas. Nikolas remembered how she had been so frustrated with that situation. She hated playing the helpless female and the fact that Lucky was being so slow and gentle with her that it was absolutely driving her out of her mind. She knew she had to play 'wounded bird' for a while longer, but the frustration finally got to her and she had seduced Andreas by November '98. Helena was furious that someone was playing with her ‘toys’ other than her, but Nikolas was convinced that if it hadn't been Andreas Elsa had seduced Helena would have been proud.
Nikolas walked over to the fireplace and tossed the note in and watched as it turned to glowing black ash. Part of him would miss Elsa, but whatever Helena said was law. He turned towards the stairs when he heard footsteps. He watched as Emily bounded down the stairs, came to him, and wrapped her arms around him.
"What's wrong Nikolas?" She asked, her eyes big with concern.
"Oh Emmy you could always read me so well." He paused and seemed to be deciding weather or not to tell her something.
"You can tell me anything Nikolas."
"I know and I'm so thankful for that." He gestured for her to sit down on the couch. When she did he sat next to her and pulled her close to him. "I'm going to see my grandmother." "Nikolas, she'll just try and hurt you."
"No she won't, but she is obviously trying to hurt Lucky. This package was just delivered with instructions for me to take it to the Spencers and especially have Lucky and Liz watch it. After we see what's in the package I'm going to see her and see what it is she really wants. And I want you to go with me."
"Of course I will Nikolas, you know I'd do anything for you."
"I know, and I love you for that. Just remember that I will do anything it takes to keep my brother safe."
"I know you will, Nikolas you are so selfless."
~*~
Elizabeth banged on the Spencer's door. She knew she shouldn't be so anxious to see Lucky, but right now she felt like someone could take him away from her at any minute. She just couldn't believe that she could ever be involved with someone like Helena.
She had read somewhere that part of an angel's purpose was to teach people lessons. Show them things that they needed to see to live their lives. But Elizabeth didn't know what possible lesson she could learn from this. Elizabeth's trance was broken by Luke waving a hand in front of her face.
"Earth to Elizabeth?" He said chuckling.
"Sorry I guess I zoned out."
"How far did you go? Mars?"
"Very funny Luke." She said as she made her way into the house.
"I try." He commented.
"Is Lucky awake yet."
"Right here sweetie." Lucky said coming out of the kitchen. She walked to him quickly and held him tightly.
"You still freaked out about last night?" Lucky said quietly into her ear.
"Yeah I think so." She murmured. Just then Nikolas burst through the door with Emily trailing behind him.
"Oh good you're here. I got this videotape and it said to watch it with you and Lucky. It's from Helena." Nikolas said.
Elizabeth's eyes just fell to the floor. She knew what this was, in her heart she knew. It was some kind of proof Helena had that would ruin her.
Luke took the tape and looked at it suspiciously. "Well I don't think it'll explode, let's pop it in."
"No!" Liz found herself saying. "It might be a trick from Helena. She's gunning for Lucky, do you really think we should take anything she says seriously?"
Lucky rubbed her back soothingly.
"Well of course it could be a trick darlin'" Luke said smiling. "But at least if we look at it we'll know what she's planning."
There was no way she could stop them now without it looking weird. It was all in slow motion as Luke pushed play on the VCR and Lucky led her over to the couch. The tape started and Elizabeth couldn't take her eyes off of the screen, it was like watching an accident. You just couldn't turn away.
Helena appeared on the screen.
"I'm sure you all are wondering why I am doing this, but I thought you should know that you have a traitor in your midst. If I just tell you you'll probably just turn off the tape and chalk it up to my lying. So I'll let the picture do all the talking."
The screen faded to black and then the picture came back to show a lavish living room with ornate furniture. Elizabeth came into the room and sat down like she owned the place. Shortly Helena entered.
"Darling Elsa, how are we this fine afternoon?"
"Bored." Elsa said, her body language putting truth to her statement.
"And why is that dear?"
Elsa just ignored the question. "How much longer is this going to go on!? I can't stand playing love sick puppy to that boy much longer."
"Not to worry it will all be over soon."
"Really? Have you figured out how we're going to do it?" Elsa said with excitement.
"Of course, you're going to hire an arson to blow up his building." Helena said smiling and obviously very proud of her idea.
Elsa groaned. "Oh Helena do you have to kill everyone? Stefan was OK but Lucky too?"
"Child, I thought you wanted to get rid of him."
"Oh I do, but I was more hoping to humiliate him and reveal my betrayal. Could you picture the look on his face." Elsa said smiling with grim amusement. "But you don't have to kill him. I mean he might have a Sir Lance A Lot complex, but he is cute and the sex is great and he did write me a song." Elsa said grinning.
"My dear you are horrible." Helena said smiling. "But just remember who knows the Spencers better. Just trust me."
The screen faded to black and Helena appeared again. "Now I do hope you aren't too hard on my dear Elsa. And Darling, don't ever betray me again." Helena said her eyes focusing in on Elizabeth like she was right there and Elizabeth shivered.
She looked fearfully around the room, and as she suspected hateful glares were cast in her direction. But the person that mattered wasn't even looking at her. Elizabeth couldn't believe it, she felt guilty. She didn't even do anything, but she just couldn't take seeing Lucky getting hurt by this Elsa. Because no matter who that person was, it was not her.
"Lucky that wasn't me, you have to believe me." He turned towards her and for a moment there was hope in his eyes that he could actually believe her. But the fact remained that his Elizabeth had betrayed him.
"That wasn't me." She repeated softly. Tears were streaming down her face and she was slowly backing up towards the wall.
"Please Elizabeth just tell me." Lucky pleaded. His face was hard and drawn, but his eyes were soft with pools of tears. "Please tell me this is some trick of Helena's. That the Elizabeth I know and love wouldn't do this to me."
At that all Elizabeth could do was cry harder. Her back hit the wall and Lucky was still coming towards her. When he was right in front of her he leaned in so that his face was inches from hers and he put his hands on her shoulders, pressing them against the wall.
His voice dropped to a harsh whisper. "And please tell me that that was not the Elizabeth I made love to." Elizabeth let out a small cry and her legs gave out from under her and she slid down the wall into a heap on the floor. She didn't even register anything; her whole mind was in a cloud. Her real life and what she had just seen along with what Simon had told her about Elsa were swirling around in her mind until she didn't know which was real. Is this what her life would have been like if she hadn’t known Lucky's love or the strength he had given her? Or would it be worse? At least in this strange reality she had known Lucky, but what if she never had met him at all? What kind of waste would her life be then? Elizabeth didn't really know but she knew it would be ten times worse than having Lucky dead. Cause at least then she would have everything he gave her before he died, the memories, his love, and his strength.
Suddenly she came back to reality and her eyes focused on the room. Lucky's face was contorted in a mixture of pain, sadness, and hatred. Luke, Laura, and Emily were all glaring at her hatefully, apparently they had no doubt in their minds as to her guilt. Nikolas, his eyes were confused, but he was playing the part of the enraged brother very well. Elizabeth scrambled to her feet and made a beeline for the door.
"Tell Helena 'Hi' for us." Lucky said bitterly.
Elizabeth didn't even pause at that remark, she just kept going. She knew that wasn't really meant for her, this wasn't the Lucky she remembered. She just closed her mind to Lucky's hurt and bitter remarks and just ran out the door.
~*~
She didn't stop running for a while, but when she did she found her self in the park, by the fountain. Her lungs were burning and her legs felt weak. She sat on the bench and leaned her elbows on her knees to catch her breath. Her head was spinning and her eyes could hardly focus on any one thing. She was starting to understand a small bit of what was really going on. She recalled the words she spoke when she met Simon.
All I know is that whatever happened to me, no matter what, I could handle it if Lucky were here.
But she couldn't, could she? Just because Lucky was here didn't mean everything was all right. She couldn't blame everything that had happened in her life on Lucky's death. But that's what she'd been doing since the fire wasn't it, blaming her entire situation on the fact that Lucky was dead.
"Simon!" She called, getting strange looks from a few casual passersby. "Simon, I know you can hear me. I wanna talk to you!"
"You don't have to scream, it draws far too much attention." He said calmly with just a hint of amusement behind his voice. Elizabeth spun around and found Simon sitting on the edge of the fountain looking at her quizzically.
"I figured it out." She said triumphantly.
Simon sighed. "It wasn't a puzzle Elizabeth." He made a dismissive gesture. "Go ahead, enlighten me."
"Weather Lucky was with me or not it was his love and his strength that would get me through the hard times. I wasn't even concentrating on fixing what was wrong with my life, just on the fact if Lucky hadn't died it wouldn't be like it was." She paused and looked down to the ground. "I thought about what my life would be like if I had never known Lucky, I mean at least here I knew him. But not ever knowing Lucky never even entered into my mind. My life would have been so empty, even with him dead it doesn't compare to the emptiness I would feel if he were never here."
Simon looked at her thoughtfully. "But if he were never here you would never know what you were missing."
"But I would. I would know it here." She said placing her hand over her heart. "I would never know what real love or real strength was like. Lucky taught me all that."
Simon stood and walked over to her and patted her on the head. "Good little girl, you want a lollipop now?"
"Well aren't you going to do something?" She asked frantically. This mess was supposed to end once she figured it out, wasn't it? At least that's what always happened in the movies.
"What would you have me do Elizabeth?"
"Snap your fingers, send me back to where you found me... I don't know, fix this!!" She screamed.
"It's not up to me to fix." He said quietly and started to walk away.
"Wait! How am I supposed to get out of this mess!?!"
He never stopped walking but she could hear him as if he were right next to her.
"You can get yourself out of this mess Elizabeth." And then he disappeared.
~*~
Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test and don’t ask why
It’s not a question, but a lesson learned in time
Elizabeth had gone straight to the Spencer’s house after she had spoken to Simon. She had to find Lucky and talk to him. She didn’t go in the house mostly because she would only end up being thrown out. She looked in a couple of windows and decided that Lucky wasn’t in the house. Nikolas and Emily had gone too and Luke and Laura were the only people in the house. Laura was pacing around the living room waving her arms angrily, and shouting something that Elizabeth couldn’t hear. But she figured it was something about her.
After seeing that Lucky wasn’t at his parent’s house she went the only other place she could think of that he might go. She ran all the way until she saw it. Then she just stopped and starred at it. She hadn’t been here in a while; it was almost too painful. She walked up to the boxcar slowly and pulled open the door. She lifted herself inside and spotted Lucky sitting on the floor. He was in a corner leaning against the walls. One leg was stretched out in front of him and the other was drawn up so that his elbow could rest on his knee. His hand was over his eyes and it almost looked as if he didn’t even know she was there, but he did.
“Go away Elizabeth.”
“Lucky…”
“I knew you would be able to find me, I just didn’t think you cared.” He said as he brought his head up and looked at her. His eyes were angry. She’d seen him angry, but she had never seen him angry with her.
“Lucky I just need you to listen to me…”
“I don’t need your explanations Elsa, that was what she called you wasn’t it?” He asked harshly.
“Yes.” She said meekly. Then her voice got stronger. “Lucky I’m not going to give you any explanations, because I don’t have any.” Well that’s true. She thought to herself. “I just need you to listen to me and then I’ll be out of your life.”
“You’re leaving?” Elizabeth couldn’t tell if she heard a hint of regret in his voice.
“Kind of… Lucky I just need you to listen to me.”
Lucky scrambled to his feet and look into Elizabeth’s eyes. “Fine, say what you have to say and get the hell out of my life!” He said harshly and turned away from her.
It’s something unpredictable, but in the end it’s right
I hope you have the time of your life
“Lucky you’re not going to understand what I’m going to say, but I just need to say it.” Elizabeth walked up to him and gently turned him around to face her. Her heart broke at the pain in his eyes, but she kept her resolve.
“Thank you.” She said softly. “Thank you for showing me what love is and for bringing out the artist in me. You opened something inside of me that I never knew existed and you gave me the strength to see it through. I will never find someone like you, someone who inspires me like you do who cares for me like you do. I’ll always love you Lucky.” She leaned in carefully, afraid that he’d turn her away, and pressed her lips to his softly. It felt final even to her. When their lips parted Elizabeth felt a tear roll down her cheek. It seemed so natural when Lucky reached up and brushed it away with his thumb, but then he looked almost angry with himself for giving into such a habit.
Elizabeth took a deep breath before she said her next words, because she knew this would be the last few moments she would ever see him. Sure she would see him countless times in her dreams and when she closed her eyes, but not like this.
“Lucky, the real reason I was at your apartment last night was because an angel gave me a chance to change history. He gave me a chance to save you, just like you’d saved me so many times. But I couldn’t save you Lucky, not the way I wanted to. I can’t ever do that. I’m sorry I couldn’t save you, but I am so much better because of the love you showed me and the strength you gave me.” Elizabeth reached up and stroked his cheek as the colors faded around her and melted into a blinding white. The last thing she heard was Lucky’s pained whisper. “I love you.”
So take the photographs and still frames in you mind
Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time
Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial
For what it’s worth, it was worth all the while
When the white faded her hair was suddenly soaked and her clothes were wet and for all intents and purposes she was back where she started. But she knew better. She felt like she should have been thankful to Simon for this. But instead part of her wanted to hunt the angel down and hurt him, a lot. If, of course you could hurt an angel. She could only think of one harder way for her to learn the lesson she did. But all in all she knew she needed to see that the way her life was going was only going to lead her to unhappiness or suicide. And thanks to Simon she would never forget that.
It’s something unpredictable, but in the end it’s right
I hope you have the time of your life
She didn’t have to let Lucky go or forget him or stop loving him, cause she knew she could never do that. But she did have to start living her life and stop acting like everything bad somehow came back to Lucky’s death. She needed to give Nikolas a good talking to, and maybe even have Francis enforce the conversation. That thought brought a slight smile to her face. And then she was going to take Emily out for a good four hour shopping spree, hopefully that would give time enough for whatever hypnotic gas Juan was giving her to wear off. She didn’t mind Juan; she just wanted her friend back. And Elizabeth knew that Emily drifting away was partly her fault, Juan had become the only friend Emily had when Elizabeth was wrapped up in her own problems. But that was going to change, Elizabeth was back.
Elizabeth looked out over the water and closed her eyes.
“I love you Lucky. Goodbye”
It’s something unpredictable, but in the end it’s right
I hope you have the time of your life
<Song Credit: “Good Riddance (Time of you life)" Written by Billie Joe, Performed by Green Day From the Nimrod Album
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