During the week before the wedding, Lucky and Elizabeth were blissfully unconcerned about the details of the wedding. Laura didn't know how they were going to get a church and a minister with such short notice, but as luck would have it, the church where they wanted to be married, the same one where they had spent Valentine's day a year ago, was available, and the minister would be able to perform the ceremony. Elizabeth's dress was finished, the accessories bought, the flowers all taken care of, and tuxedos and attendents dresses and tuxes had been rented. Lucky had whipped the invitations out on the computer and they had been sent, so by the time the day of the wedding dawned, everything was ready.
Elizabeth awoke early that morning. The sun was just starting to rise as she quietly padded over to the window and looked out. She couldn't believe that she was actually going to marry Lucky today. She left her place at the window and knelt down on the floor next to him. He was sleeping soundly, but when she softly touched his cheek with her fingertip, his eyes opened.
"Morning, Almost-wife."
"Good Morning, Almost-husband," she answered with a grin, then leaned down to kiss him. "this is your last chance, you know, because in a few hours it'll be too late and you'll be stuck with me."
"So, you think I might have cold feet?" he asked with a raise of one eyebrow. "I can promise you that my feet have never been warmer."
"Good, because I wouldn't have let you get out of it anyway," she said as he sat up and pulled her to him. "Are you tired? Your dad kept you out awfully late last night." Luke had thrown Lucky a bachelor party at the club while Laura had hosted a wedding shower for Elizabeth at home.
"No, I'm not tired. I've never needed much sleep. Lucky stood up and stretched, then his eye caught a flash of black lace on the nightstand next to Elizabeth's bed. It was a gift from Emily, given in private so that Liz wouldn't be embarassed. This one was tasteful, unlike the one she had given Carly last year. Lucky walked over and picked up the negligee, feeling the silk whisper through his fingers. He couldn't help picturing it on Elizabeth, and the feelings that he had been having, despite his father's words of encouragement came flooding back and he dropped it like it had burned his fingers.
"Lucky! You aren't supposed to see that!" Liz grabbed it and put the lid back on the open box. "Not yet, anyway," she added shyly. "Have you been thinking about our wedding night?"
Lucky nodded. He hadn't thought about much else for the last couple of days, in fact. But it wasn't just the consummation of their marraige he was worried about. There was still one thing that he hadn't told Elizabeth, one thing from his captivity that he just hadn't been able to share, because it was too painful, and he didn't think he could handle seeing the pity in her eyes when she found out, which she definitely would on their wedding night.
"Lucky?" Elizabeth had seen the worry in Lucky's eyes before he had quickly masked it. "Is something wrong?"
"No," He said, pulling her close. "I'm fine." He couldn't say anything else. He remembered that he had promised to always be honest, and he wasn't exactly being dishonest now...just putting the truth off a little bit. "I'm going to go take a shower now, before you and the other women in this house get in there and tie it up for the rest of the morning." He said, ducking her playful swat.
Elizabeth watched him go thoughtfully. She knew him, and she had seen something in his eyes that morning. It was the same thing she saw whenever the subject of Helena came up in conversation. Kind of a haunted, worried look. She hoped he would open up to her eventually about it, but she wasn't going to push him. She knew that it sometimes took time to be able to talk about things that had happened to you.
As she left her room and headed toward the stairs she heard voices in the living room. The first one she recognized as Luke's.
"So, you finally decided to grace your daughter with your presence, huh?" Lukes voice was low, and as angrier than Elizabeth had ever heard it before. "That little girl has been to Hell and back this past year, and she--" he broke off when he heard the gasp on the stairs behind him.
Three pairs of eyes all looked up at her. One pair was Luke's, and the others belonged to...her parents. She hadn't seen them in over two years, but they looked pretty much the same. Except instead of looking on her with the indifference she was used to, their eyes were full of apology. She looked at Luke in panic, not sure if she wanted to deal with this today, of all days, and he winked at her. "Want me to throw 'em out?" he asked. "No," she answered with a little smile. "I'll talk to them." Luke nodded and retreated to the kitchen. "Call me if you need me," he said, with a warning look at Jeff Webber.
Her mother was the first to speak. "Lizzie, you've grown into such a beautiful young woman!" she said, coming toward her.
"I've grown up, mom. I've also grown out of the name 'Lizzie' . Why are you here?"
"Well, you don't waste any time dancing around the subject, do you," her father tried to joke. "Lizzie, I mean, Elizabeth, the honest truth is, we've come here to apologize. Um, can we sit down and talk? Please?"
Elizabeth had never heard her father speak so humbly before, and she nodded, motioning to the sofa and sitting down on the edge of a chair across from them. "Go ahead."
"We owe you a huge apology," began Jeff as her mother fished in her purse for a tissue and wiped her eyes. "Not just for the past couple of years, but, well, for a lot longer than that." He sighed deeply and rubbed his temples. We always knew that we treated Sarah better than you, and we really don't have an excuse for that. It's just that she was...I don't know...easier. She never asked us why we wanted her to do something, she never disobeyed us, or questioned our authority. You, on the other hand, questioned us at every turn. You weren't satisfied with the answer 'because we know best.' After awhile we just sort of gave up, and concentrated on molding your sister the way we wanted her. We knew that you were strong, and that you would always land on your feet. Sarah needed our guidance.." He stopped, his voice breaking as he gazed at the beautiful young woman across from him.
"I needed you too, Daddy." said Liz softly as tears ran freely down her face. "I was so unsure of myself, and I didn't think I could do anything right. But these last two years have been good for me. Yes, I've gone through some really bad stuff when I really wished you'd been here, but I've become stronger for it. I'm not unsure of myself anymore. I've realized that I don't have to be like Sarah. I'm just fine being me." She smiled, wiping the tears away. "I think I turned out okay."
"More than okay," corrected her mother. "Elizabeth, we're so sorry. I won't blame you for saying no, but do you think we could come to your wedding?"
Elizabeth nodded wordlessly as her parents each hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. She marveled that she was able to forgive them so easily, and figured it must be because of watching Lucky's relationship with his parents last year. She had seen how short life could be, and didn't want to waste any of it carrying grudges. "I'll go get Lucky," she said heading upstairs.
She went past the bathroom and didn't hear the shower running, so she figured he must be in his room. Giving a quick knock on the door she walked right in, but stopped in her tracks and gasped when she saw him. His back was turned toward her and he shirtless, towel drying his hair.
When he heard her behind him he dropped the towel and spun around. He grabbed quickly at the shirt he had been about to put on, but it was too late. He could tell by the look on her face that she had seen what he had been hiding from her since he'd come back.
"Dear God," she whispered. "Lucky, what did they do to you?"