by Jera
RECAP: Lucky and Liz painfully realized that Liz has to go to London with Audrey no matter how much they didn't want to be apart. Lucky gave Liz an engraved silver ring as her early Christmas present.
Liz had been packing the last of her things for a few days now. She could never concentrate long enough to get everything done. In 2 days, she would leave Port Charles, leave Lucky, and leave her heart behind. She didn't know how she could do that. She came across the journal she had been keeping, and didn't want to open it. She was afraid that once she opened it the tears would start again. She tried packing it up, but always ended up getting it back out. Why did it have to hurt so much to love someone? Why couldn't life just be a fairy tale? She stared at the journal for a moment, and made a decision.
Lucky had been walking around as if he had lost his soul somewhere, and didn't know how to find it. In 2 days he would have to cross the ocean if he wanted to find his soul. Liz was leaving. He had been trying to keep things light when he was with Liz these days. But anyone who lived in the Spencer house would have noticed the walls in his room had taken quite a beating these days. Laura couldn't get him to sit down and eat a decent meal, Luke couldn't get him to laugh with any of his sarcastic comments about anything, not even Lulu could get Lucky to smile while they played hide and seek. Nikolas had told Lucky that he'd make sure the Cassidinne jet would be ready whenever he wanted to go see Liz, Lucky simply kept silent. He wondered why his parents never warned him not to fall in love when they had the talk about making love with someone you love. This was torture! He grabbed his jacket, and walked out the door. He was not going to waste the last 2 days with Liz in self-pity!
Liz had just finished wrapping it when Lucky came knocking. She opened the window and let him in. God! She was going to miss this window! Lucky climbed in, without a word, grabbed Liz and kissed her with a hunger she had never felt before. It made her knees weak. When Lucky finally let go, they were both breathless.
Liz: What.......what was that for....
Lucky: I ..... I don't know. I just don't want to waste any more of the little time we have.
Liz: Oh......um....um.....
Liz couldn't find her words for a moment, until she saw the wrapped package on her desk. She went over and picked it up, handed it to Lucky.
Lucky: What's this? You already gave me that scarf for Christmas.
Liz: This is different. Open it.
Lucky stared at Liz for a second and started to open the package. It was her journal. He jerked his head up and looked at Liz.
Liz: I want you to have this. This is my heart. And I want you to know I am coming back for it.
Lucky: Elizabeth.....
Liz: ( smiled ) I said that cute guy was going to read about it someday, didn't I? Well, personally I think you are pretty cute, too!
Lucky: ( took Liz in his arms ) I'll take care of it with my life.
Liz: Lucky, don't be silly. I would rather come back and see you alive than just the journal unharmed.
Lucky: ( smiled ) I know.....I know....
Liz: Lucky, promise you won't laugh when you read any of it.
Lucky: I won't.....I'll only smile....is that ok?
Liz: Yeah.....smile....I like it when you smile....
Lucky: Good.....because I love it when you smile.
Lucky pulled away a little to look at Liz. She was teary eyed, yet smiling. He lowered his head, and kissed the soft lips he had came to know so well over the last 3 months. How was he going to live without her by his side everyday? Liz held on to him tightly, and they closed their eyes and held on to this moment of ecstasy and agony.
The day Liz was leaving for London was a Saturday. Neither Lucky nor Liz had gotten any sleep the night before. Laura didn't say anything when Lucky didn't eat his breakfast. She did however walk over and hug Lucky. They were both silent. Luke and Laura had made arrangements to go to the airport with Lucky even when he insisted that he didn't need them there. Laura wouldn't budge, and Lucky didn't protest much either.
The airport was a harmonic humming of people talking and machines working. Liz looked around her, and felt isolated. She had been to airports before. She had even been to PC airport, but she'd never noticed how casually people were acting. How could they be so causal when they knew their loved ones were going away? She looked at the clock. It was almost time. Where was Lucky? Certainly he was going to show up! She stood up and paced back and forth. Audrey was in her seat checking the tickets. She sighed when Liz got up and started to pace. How could she know this was going to cause Liz so much more pain than she thought? She knew that Lucky meant a lot to Liz, but she hadn't realized how much until Liz had stopped smiling all together after the trip had been decided. It was worse than after she was raped.
Liz stopped pacing all of a sudden when she saw Lucky running through the crowd. She waved at him, and smiled. Lucky got to her, and hugged her while he was still trying to catch his breath.
Lucky: I.....I'm....sorry......I'm .... so sorry!
Liz: It's all right, Lucky. I knew you'd make it somehow.
Lucky: I am gald....I didn't miss you....
Liz: You came close. But you didn't. They are probably going to start boarding in a minute here.
Lucky: My parents went to park the car. They wanted to say good-bye.
Liz: Oh, I would like to say good bye to them, too! They have been so kind to me......
Audrey had nodded to Lucky from her seat. She didn't want to disturb them. Lucky and Liz were holding on to each other so tightly, one wondered how they could breathe. Lucky had been kissing the top of Liz's head over and over again. The smell of Liz's hair went straight through his veins. He closed his eyes and buried his face in her hair. Liz was savoring the scent of Lucky as well, and listening to his heartbeat. She wanted the world to stop right here, right now. She silently prayed. Yet the last boarding call still came. Laura and Luke had just got to the gate in time to see Lucky and Liz both with tears on their cheeks, and kiss one last good-bye. Audrey was waiting at the boarding entrance. Liz walked slowly into the tunnel, turning her head around again and again. Lucky waved at her each time she turned. Finally she was invisible. Lucky closed his eyes, and felt Laura's arm around him. He opened his eyes a moment later, started to walk away from the gate. He didn't want to see the plane take off. That would break the last little bit of control he had. He would just walk away, and never see her plane take off. His steps were fast, and faster. They took him farther and farther away from Liz. Why was he fooling himself? Why did he ever think he could do this? A man can't live without his soul.
Why did he think he was different? Why did he think he was stronger? He stopped abruptly, turned, and started to run toward the gate. The crowd was staring, but he didn't care. He had to get to Liz before she took off. He ran the fastest he ever did in his life. And then there it was.
The most beautiful vision he had ever seen in his life. Liz was flying past all the people around her. She was running toward him! She was yelling his name and tears were raining down her cheeks. They finally touched their extended hands and pulled each other into each other. Audrey was running after Liz, Laura was crying while Luke had his arms around her. Lucky and Liz just stood there in the middle of the curious crowd, and kissed, and kissed, and kissed.
Liz: I can't Lucky....I tried...I can't. I can't leave.
Lucky: I know...I know....I can't let you go. Elizabeth....I can't let you go....
Audrey had finally got to them, and stood there in the crowd. She closed her eyes and sighed. She walked over to Laura and Luke.
Audrey: I don't suppose you have any suggestions?
Laura and Luke shook their heads in unison. Audrey nodded. She walked over to Lucky and Liz. They were still raining kisses on each other.
Audrey: Elizabeth.....
Liz: I am not going Gram! I tried, but I can't! I am not leaving here!
Audrey: ( sighed again ) I realize that. ( turned to Lucky) Lucky Spencer, I am going to put in your hands now one thing that is most precious to me. Do you think you are up to the challenge?
Lucky: ( stared at Audrey) If you mean Elizabeth, I would protect her with my life, Mrs. Hardy.
Audrey: Well, let's hope it doesn't have to come to that....but I want your word that Elizabeth is to come and visit her parents once in a while, and I am going to check on her down to every single hair she has today when I see her next time. You got that?
Lucky: ( shocked for a moment) Ye...Yes, Mrs. Hardy! You have my word. Elizabeth will not lose a single hair.
Laura and Luke had walked up and heard the exchange.
Laura: Audrey, you have my word on that, too. Luke and I will take very good care of Elizabeth.
Luke: She is going to stay in the Spencer house with us. And That makes her a Spencer...even though it looks to me she is one already. You have my word she is going to be just fine. Spencer men always keep the women in their lives safe. The cowboy here won't let anything happen to her. And neither would I.
Audrey: Very well. Elizabeth, this is not going to go over too well with your parents, but I will take care of that. I am too old for them to kill. If you ever change your mind, you know you can come to London anytime.
Liz:( hugged Audrey) Thank you, Gram. I love you.
Audrey: I love you, Elizabeth.....
Audrey kissed Elizabeth on the cheek, and hugged her one more time before she rushed to get on the plane. Lucky and Liz were simply holding hands, and smiling into each other's eyes. Laura and Luke watched them, and smiled.
Luke: Were we ever this young, Sugar?
Laura: You bet we were. We still are....( turned and kissed Luke)
Lyrics by Don Black&Charles Hart, Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
from the Musical " Aspects of Love"
Love, Love changes everything
Hands and faces
Earth and sky
Love, Love changes everything
How you live and
How you die
Love can make the summer fly
Or a night seem like a lifetime
Yes, Love,
Love changes everything
Now I tremble at your name
Nothing in the world will ever be the same
Love, Love changes everything
Days are longer
Words mean more
Love, Love changes everything
Pain is deeper than before
Love will turn your world around
And the world will last forever
Yes, Love,
Love changes everything
Brings you glory
Brings you shame
Nothing in the world will ever be the same.....
TO BE CONTINUED..............................................
