Chapter 1

Laura sat in the parlor of Stefan's country home, pretending to read, trying very hard to care about the book she had selected. Try as she might, her mind kept wandering to the Nurse's Ball - and more specifically, to the sight of Stefan as he prepared to leave for the Nurse's Ball. Was it her imagination or was he actually growing better looking every day?

She sighed. It must be a sign that she was recovering. After Lucky died, she couldn't imagine ever feeling amorous or desirous again. She knew that it hurt Stefan when she pulled away from his touch but she knew she had nothing to give him - and felt she deserved nothing in return. She thought that, like Lucky, he would probably be better off without her in his life complicating things and hurting him.

She still wondered if that was true but she also noticed that her view of the world was growing wider every day. For weeks after Lucky's death, every sound and every sight only served to remind her of Lucky and her loss. Lately she was sometimes surprised to notice that a whole hour would pass without some heartbreaking reminder that she would never see her son again. Gail Baldwin told her that's how it would be. There would be no real end to her loss, just an increased ability to cope with the reality of it. Gail assured her that minutes would turn to hours and sooner or later to whole days where she wasn’t confronted with the pain at every turn.

Laura wasn't sure if she could last that long or even if she welcomed the idea of Lucky fading from her foremost thoughts. It scared her a little; it felt like a betrayal. Only recently had she begun to believe what Gail was telling her. There were times she spent with Stefan when they spoke of everything under the sun but Lucky - but not in an attempt to skirt the subject of him. Laura had noticed that Stefan and other friends did that with her sometimes and although she managed to keep up her end of the conversation, it had seemed pointless and obvious what they were all avoiding discussing. Laura was bored by the charade and resented that her friends were all so afraid she would break if Lucky was discussed. She knew they were all whispering about her breakdown but she was beyond caring.

When she returned from the hospital though, she noticed that Stefan no longer dealt with her that way. He listened to her when she spoke of Lucky instead of trying to cheer her up and switch the subject. Sometimes he even initiated the discussion and asked questions about Lucky. He knew she needed to talk about him. During one discussion, Laura was shocked to look at him and discover tears in his eyes as he said hoarsely "I regret that I didn't get to know Lucky better. I saw Nikolas's loyalty to him and should have accepted him based on that alone but I held back, still resenting that he had been given everything so easily that Nikolas always yearned and fought for. I was a fool. All your children are special, Laura, and Lucky sounds like an extraordinary young man."

"I don't blame you, Stefan," said Laura taking his hand. "When you first came to Port Charles, you didn't have the opportunity to see the boy I loved - only a scared, confused teenager who felt betrayed by his mother and took it out on your son. But you were always civil to Lucky, which is more than I can say for Luke with Nikolas."

This was to be Laura's last few days as a lady of leisure in the country. She returned to work Monday and would move back home on Sunday. Home. Funny, the word sounded odd now when she thought of the house on Charles Street. This house felt like home now. She was beginning to wonder if it was just sheer stubbornness that made her insist on leaving. As if she could only prove she was strong again if she lived in that house on her own. The prospect didn't fill her with enthusiasm.

She decided to enjoy one of her last nights here alone, rather than putting on her happy face and going to the Nurse's Ball. There would be plenty of Nurse's Balls and social obligations in her future, no doubt. Tonight would be her time and she wouldn't apologize for it.

When she saw Stefan come down from his room though, she almost regretted her decision. She spent a moment considering whether she preferred him this way, dressed to kill, or in his tight riding pants and a casual shirt that showed off his finely muscled form. She quickly realized that some choices are simply too difficult to make.

She was surprised when she realized she felt a pang of jealousy at the thought of Stefan entering the room alone, without her on his arm. Not because she doubted his devotion, but because every female head in the room would turn to look at him. She grinned when she realized that every head would just as surely have turned if Laura Spencer walked into that room on the arm of Stefan Cassadine. The thought of giving Port Chuckles a bit of a shock delighted her and she promised herself that they would attend the next big social gathering together, as a couple.

She rose to meet him and slyly said "Anyone ever tell you that you clean up well?" His puzzled look gave her the giggles and she explained "I am complimenting you. You look especially handsome tonight."

"Please," he growled. "I don't know why I am bothering. Why should I feel any duty to go because of my hospital position - a position that I really have no desire to maintain anyway? No one would miss me.

"Nikolas would."

"Yes, there is that," Stefan admitted. "Are you sure you will be all right here alone? I gave the staff the night off but I do have guards posted on the grounds."

"I'll be perfectly fine. I expect a detailed report when you return - who sang what, who danced to what, and what Lucy's underwear looked like this year!"

"I assure you that I couldn't be less interested in the make of Miss Coe's undergarments. My Lord, Lucy Coe AND Katherine Bell - what have I done to deserve this torture?"

"I'm sure you don’t want me to start making a list, hmmm? Go on now, or else Lucy and Kat will have poor Nikolas running in circles backstage."

Stefan took a step closer to Laura and held her hands at her side. "I'll be back as soon as I can. I hope you will wait up for me." He slowly leaned in for an exploratory kiss. Just a taste, but Stefan could never confine himself to just a taste where Laura was concerned. He took a second kiss, and a third. He breathed heavily and was pulling Laura closer for another kiss when Laura stopped him.

"Stefan - you really must go now or you will be very late."

Conclusion

Laura closed her book and looked at the clock on the wall. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard a noise at the door but breathed a sigh or relief when she saw Stefan entering the room.

"So, was the Ball a huge success? Tell me everything!" Laura patted the space on the couch next to her, inviting Stefan to sit down.

Stefan accepted her invitation, removing his jacket and loosening the top two buttons of his shirt. "It was interesting, as always. And yes, I do believe it was the most successful fund raiser yet."

"Give me ALL the gossip," Laura urged. "Who was good and who embarrassed themselves on stage? What was the scandal this year?"

Stefan thought a moment. "Actually, I thought Miss Emily Quartermaine and Mr. Ashton acquitted themselves rather nicely in their duet. They were the highlight for me. The lowlights were too numerous and too tedious for me to mention although I would say Katherine's alleged attempt at singing merited particular distinction as the worst moment of the night. As for scandal, does Lucy ending up in her undergarments again qualify?"

"No, that's not scandal; that's tradition. How else would everyone know when the Ball was over? You mean there were no fights, no attempted murders, and no drug-related incidents? Sounds like a rather tame Nurse's Ball this year!"

"Well, I didn't say the evening was entirely scandal free," said Stefan. "There was an embarrassing incident. Nikolas told you about the video project Emily was presenting?"

"Yes, he did - didn't it go well?"

"Oh, it was very instructional - but perhaps the subject matter was not quite what Emily intended. Somehow the wrong tape got played at one point and the whole audience was treated to a tape of Barbara and Jerry Jax in an intimate moment. Let's just say the term 'Nurse's Ball' has seedier connotations now!"

"No!" Laura gasped. "How could that happen? Oh, my God, poor Bobbie! Did they really…you know…show much?"

"They showed enough, Laura. Considering that it happened on hospital time in the boardroom, I was considering suspending Barbara but I would rather forget the whole incident. If only I could!"

"How did you feel watching that?" Laura asked hesitantly. "I mean, you know - you used to be married to her!"

"I hardly think her behavior reflects badly on me at this point, Laura. It was an embarrassment though, especially with Nikolas there. I did feel badly for Barbara for having to undergo such a public humiliation," he admitted.

"No, I meant - did watching it excite you?" Laura felt betrayed by the mix of fury and hurt in her voice when she had meant to ask the question teasingly.

Stefan raised his eyebrows in surprise and then broke into a lop-sided grin. Laura quickly said "I think I'd like some tea. I'll go get us some and then you can tell me about the rest of the Ball."

Stefan was grinning openly. Surprised by Laura's jealousy, he found he quite liked it. He imagined Laura would be a formidable enemy for any woman who expressed an interest in him. He didn't see how that would be likely since he had eyes for no one but her but the thought was flattering.

Laura's hand shook while she made the tea. She was taken aback at the possessiveness she felt towards Stefan. "God, I acted like an idiot, " she thought. "I certainly have no right to be jealous of his time with his Bobbie. I was with Luke then and things were different." Still, she couldn't help wondering if she would be a disappointment to Stefan after he'd been with Bobbie. She certainly had a lot more experience in pleasing men and she simply couldn't measure up to Bobbie in some areas! But then, no one could.

She came back into the room, avoiding Stefan's steady gaze. She turned away from him to place the tray on the coffee table and when she straightened, she felt his arms slide around her waist.

"I love no one but you Laura," he whispered gutturally into her ear. "I never have and I never will. You are the only woman I will ever want."

As his arms tightened possessively around her, she reveled in his warm breath on her neck and her body began to react the way it always did when close to him. She leaned back against him, taking pleasure in feeling his body, so hard in all the places where hers was soft. Balance. Through the years, there had been many times in their changing relationship where they didn't know where they stood with each other or weren't sure how to act - until they touched. That connection was always elemental, something deeply ingrained within them. Some things really did never change.

She turned in his arms so she could look into his shining green eyes. She traced his jaw line with her fingers and opened her mouth to apologize for her insinuations about Bobbie but found it unnecessary. "I know, Stefan. But never stop reminding me."

"I won't," he whispered, leaning forward to drink in her dark blue eyes, his hands playing in her hair.

"I love you Stefan. I do." She raised her lips to his and kissed him, teasing him with the hint of her tongue. He responded eagerly, deepening the kiss and letting his hands roam down her back and over her round bottom until they rested on her hips, pulling her even closer to him.

Laura pulled away for a breath of air. "I'm going back to work Monday but I don't want to go back to that house on Charles Street, Stefan. I want to be with you."

"Then that's the way it will be, my love."

Back To SNL FanFic Archive Page