Some Things Never Change - Chapter 8

TWO YEARS LATER

Lucky was in pain. Although it was summer he was cold. It had been so long since he'd been in the fresh air. He wasn't sure where he was but it was getting light out and his eyes were starting to hurt. He'd been running for hours. Finally after years of begging the guards to let him go one had given in. He was finally going home. He'd been through hell and back for almost three years. He was twenty years old now. Since Helena had taken over she'd had him tormented. He had to see if everything she said was true. But first he had to get back. And he had to find his dad.

Elizabeth carried a sleeping Lorenzo off of Sonny's jet. He had sent it to her so she could come home for Jason and Carly's wedding and Lorenzo's birthday. Despite her promise to return home to visit she hadn't. This was her first time coming back since he was born. They had all gone up to visit her though. Jason and Sonny took turns coming up every month. Lorenzo loved them and Luke most out of the relatives. He was fond of Roy too, who was now his Uncle. "Liz!" She looked up and Emily was running to her. Juan was close being trying to catch up. They had both visited often and Juan had showed them a different island every time.

Liz wanted to hug Emily so bad, Juan must have noticed cause he gently took Lorenzo so the two girls could say a proper hello. They hugged tight. "Oh Em I missed you so much. Hi Juan." She loved Juan. He made Emily so happy. "I didn't know you two were picking me up."

"Jase wanted to but there totally overflowing with last minute wedding plans. Come on I am on strict orders to bring you right to Luke's house. I can't believe your staying with them. I thought for sure you'd be staying with Sonny or Jason."

They talked as the walked through the airport. Liz knew there was no need to get their bags. Sonny said he'd have someone there to collect them. "Well Lorenzo sees them all the time. I figured if we stay with Luke and Laura it will give him more time with them. Listen if I tell this to you two you can't say a word incase I change my mind."

"What is it Liz? Are you okay?" asked Juan worried.

"Yeah. But depending on how this visit goes I might be moving back here."

Emily squealed with excitement. "That would be so great. You know Nikolas is dating Gina right?"

"Yeah he told me on the phone. He said she's a great girl."

"She is Liz, and she really loves him. He loves her too. I am so happy for them. He still misses you though. So do I. We were the four musketeers. Me you, Nikolas, and… I'm sorry Liz."

"Don't be Em. I expect you to tell Lorenzo all you and Lucky's adventures. He loves hearing about his dad."

Emily and Juan dropped them off at Laura's. Lorenzo had woken up in the car and when she told him where they were going he got excited. She put him down once they got up the porch and took his hand. He hated being carried. Once he had learned to walk he'd started to explore the island, not by himself of course. The bartender from the casino, Edwin, had become friends with her. Lorenzo loved him and they went for a walk around the island everyday. Before Liz could knock on the door it swung open and eight-year-old Lulu was smiling at them. "Hi Lulu."

"Hi Lizzie." Lulu gave her a hug and then reached down and hugged her nephew. "Hi Lorenzo."

"Lulu, where Gampa?"

They went into the house and Laura came out of the kitchen. "Elizabeth you're here." Said Laura. She looked at her grandson and got tears in her eyes as she usually did when she saw him. She gave Liz a hug and then Lorenzo.

"Emily and Juan picked me up. How is everything?"

Laura and Liz chatted while Lorenzo noticed his grandfather coming down the stairs. "Gampa!" The little boy let go of Liz's hand and ran to him as fast as his feet would let him.

Luke lifted the boy into his arms. "Hey Little Cowboy! You been taken good care of your mom liked we talked about?"

Lorenzo kissed him on the forehead. "Uh huh."

"Oh Liz he gets so much bigger every time we see him. I still can't believe he's going to be two years old." Said Laura.

"Me neither. He's doing so good. Sonny set up a daycare at the house for the people who brought their kids to the casino with them and for the workers. He said he'd been planning to do it for a while but I think he just wanted an excuse so Lorenzo would have other kids to play with."

Liz knocked on the door to the brownstone. She could kill to birds with one stone coming here. She wanted to bring him to see everyone today so there wouldn't be much fuss at the wedding the next day. Nikolas had moved into the apartment that Jerry used to live in. He lived with his girlfriend Gina. The door opened and Roy was standing there. "Hi Roy."

"Hey Liz. We didn't know you were coming by today." He said and moved so she could come in.

"Unca Roy! We pay puter?" Lorenzo loved playing on the computer. Sonny had bought him all kinds of games for his age and Roy had spent hours playing with the boy when him, Lucas, and Bobbie had visited. Now Lorenzo spent the time that he wasn't outside playing on the computer.

"Well how about you say hello to Aunt Bobbie first and then we'll go and play and let the girls talk?"

"Kay. Wet's go!"

Bobbie and Liz were sitting on the couch. They each had a cup of coffee. Bobbie had just told her how Lucas was doing and how she was. "So how are things with you?"

"Great. I sold my first painting. I am putting money away to pay Sonny back for sending me to the art school. He said I don't have to but I do."

"Liz that is so great. I am so proud of you. Lorenzo is obsessed with computers now I see. Just like his daddy. How are you doing?"

"I'm better. Renzo helps. Having him with me, he loves hearing stories about Lucky. You know he gets more and more like him everyday. He sees something new and wants to learn about it. He's adventurous and daring, he loves computers, and he is so protective. If someone new is hired and they say hello to me he gets all up in front of me like he could actually do something. God he is so full of love, and you know he says his prayers every night. You know how he ends them? He says and God please bless my daddy."

"Hey Bobbie the shower-" A girl walked into the room. "Oh I'm sorry I didn't know you had company. I'll come back later."

"No Gina it's okay. Elizabeth this is Gina. Gina, Elizabeth."

Gina smiled, "It's so nice to finally meet you. Nik talks about you all the time. You and your son. He told me all about him, you and his brother and Emily, how much fun the four of you used to have."

"Yeah he's told me a lot about you too. I'm so glad he found you. I haven't heard him so happy in a long time. And every time he comes to visit he's glowing. Is he home?"

"Yeah why don't you come down when you're done here. He'll be so happy to see you. I'll tell him your coming."

"Thanks we'll be right down."

"Gina I'll have Roy look at the shower before he goes to Luke's Club. Roy was Luke's not so silent partner now.

Elizabeth went downstairs as soon as she dragged Lorenzo off the computer. "We're going to see Uncle Nikky baby."

Liz knocked on the door and Gina let them in. Nikolas turned to look at them. "Lorenzo? Gina you didn't tell me Liz had him with her."

"I didn't see him."

"He was playing with Uncle Roy on the computer." Said Liz. She went to Nikolas and gave him a hug. "How are you Nikolas?" He had taken Lucky's death hard. Not as hard as her but hard.

"Better. A lot better. I've missed you. Gina and I still see Emily and Juan all the time, but it's not the same. We'll all have to do something for your birthday. I still can't believe your going to be twenty years old. You were such a brat when you came to Port Charles at fifteen."

"Can I help it if you were a spoiled prince, and Sarah was even worse. Besides I hated it that she had you and Lucky."

"Yeah but after a while Lucky had eyes for know one but you."

Liz smiled and remembered when she'd said something about Sarah and he'd said "Sarah who?" She gave Nikolas another hug. "I know. Renzo come here baby." Nikolas hadn't been to the island in a while so she wasn't sure if he'd remember Nikolas. He talked to him all the time. She lifted him up and said, "Do you remember when Uncle Nikolas came to visit?"

Lorenzo shook his head and said, "He in the phone." He said.

Nikolas looked at his nephew and saw his brother. He laughed, "I've been busy Lorenzo but I am going to come see you a lot more."

"Kay, you swim? Mama swim in poo. Unca Nikky swim in poo?"

"Yeah I like to swim. Hey you think I can have a hug?" Lorenzo reached out to his Uncle and Nikolas took him and gave him a hug.

"I'll tell you what buddy, before you leave to go back to the island I'll take you over to my island and get you on a horse. He's a good horse named Sheba. Your daddy would never get on a horse."

Lorenzo's head lifted in intrest. "Daddy?"

"Yeah. I think he was afraid of them."

The little boy shook his head. "Not fraid of noffin. Wight Mama?"

Liz smiled at him and said, "that's right Renzo." Roy came downstairs then to fix the problem with the shower. Nikolas played with Lorenzo until Roy was done. When Roy came back into the living room she said, "Roy are you going to Luke's now?"

"Yeah."

"Will you take Renzo? I will be back before you open up."

"Sure Luke will love it. Come on Little Cowboy let's take you to your grandpa."

"Liz where are you going?"

"I haven't been to his grave in almost two years. I'm going to go, I don't want to bring Renzo there until he gets older."