Luke watched helplessly as Lisa was wheeled into surgery. It was the only way to save her life. Finally he walked over to the pay phones and called Ruby, “Hey Rub, tell me, does Lisa have any family that you know of?”
“Why?” Ruby asked suspiciously.
“I’m at GH. Lisa’s in surgery, that scumbag got to her again.”
Quickly, Ruby said, “I’m on my way.”
Luke hung up, then took a deep breath and made another phone call. “Hey babe. I’m at GH, one of my employees was hurt. I’m probably going to be here a while.”
“All right, Luke,” Laura’s voice sweetly replied.
Stefan happened to be walking by when he heard Luke tell Laura about his employee. Quickly walking past, he took out his cell phone and called Alexis.
“Stefan, I was just getting ready to call you. I’m on my way to GH,” she said. “Ruby Anderson just called me.”
“I know,” Stefan interrupted. “I’m at the hospital and overheard Luke Spencer calling Lasha. Get here as soon as you can, I’m going to find out what’s going on.” As soon as he hung up with Alexis, his cell phone rang again. “Stefan Cassadine.”
“Hello there. I guess by now you know about Lisa,” Billy’s voice taunted him.
“What are you talking about?” Stefan asked harshly.
“She’s as good as dead, Stefan. And it’s your fault. If you had just let me have her, none of this would have happened.” Billy laughed maniacally.
Without another word, Stefan hung up the phone harshly. “Damn you! You will pay for this. I swear that with my life,” he cursed Billy aloud.
*****
Several hours had passed. Lisa was finally out of surgery and in ICU. Luke sat in the waiting room, anxious for someone to bring him some news on his employee. Ruby sat silently next to him, the truth hanging over her head like a cloud. As he drank the last swallow in a series of cups of coffee, Bobbie came out to fill them in.
"Well? How is she?" Luke questioned.
"She's alive, amazingly. She’s a fighter, Luke. The guy that did this to her knew exactly what he was doing. We’ve managed to stop the internal bleeding, so as long as she isn’t stressed or pulls the stitches loose, she shouldn’t be in danger of hemorrhaging. She’s fighting to stay awake, although we’re encouraging her to go ahead and get some rest.
"How long will she be in the hospital?" Luke asked.
"It just depends. She’s in ICU because of all the internal injuries. If she continues to be responsive, it could just be a few days here, then a few more in a regular room. All in all, probably about two weeks total."
"Barbara, I don’t want Lucky finding out about what really happened. Let's just keep that between us. To everyone else, she was in a car wreck or something. Whatever problems this creature has with Lisa, I don't want Lucky involved." Luke said, attempting to protect his family.
Bobbie nodded agreement. "I'd better get back in there. You'd better go home before Laura worries about you." She went back in Lisa’s room to check on her.
Before Luke or Ruby could say anything else, Lucky came flying around the corner. One look at Ruby told him exactly what he didn’t want to hear. Luke was surprised to see his son, “Cowboy, what are you doing here?”
“Mom told me that one of your employees was here. I was hoping it wasn’t Lisa, but I called her and didn’t get an answer. Seeing you both here means that it is her.”
Ruby nodded, “Yes, it is Lisa. But she’s going to be all right.”
Luke patted Lucky on the shoulder, “Yes, she’s going to be fine. I think you and I should go on home before your mother worries.”
Lucky looked up at his father, shocked, “You’re just going to leave her here alone?”
Luke nodded, “I’m sure she won’t mind. Lisa’s not going to want her boss standing over her when she wakes up.”
“Her boss?” Lucky asked. He turned to Ruby and pleaded, “Oh come on, Aunt Ruby. You know she wouldn’t want it like this. We have to tell him.”
Ruby shook her head, “I don’t think so, Lucky.”
“Tell me what?” Luke asked.
"Aren't you even the least bit worried about her?"
This was strange, and Luke knew it. "Sure, I guess. She's one of the best employees I've got. Great kid."
"Nothing more?"
"Nope."
“Lucky, please,” Ruby begged, “Not like this.”
“Then like what?” he demanded. Lucky took a deep breath. "Dad, didn't you notice anything familiar about her?"
Luke didn't know where this was going, but he didn't like it. "No son, I'm sorry, I haven't. I mean, I know you two are tight."
"Yeah, we are. But it's more than that. I shouldn't be the one to tell you this Dad, Lisa should. Or Ruby should." He paused and gave Ruby a minute to tell Luke. She only looked at him and shook her head. He took a deep breath and rushed through his next sentence. "Dad, she's my sister."
"Lucky, don't be..." Luke started, but then it hit him. Like a physical slap across the face, Luke was suddenly drowning in a flood of memories and pain. "My Lisa?" he questioned softly, already knowing the answer. He shook his head. "That's impossible. She's dead," he asserted.
Lucky shook his head. "No she's not! She doesn't blame you for not knowing the truth, Dad, but she wasn't going to tell you either. She was afraid of what it would do to you and Mom." He was spilling his guts about the situation, even though he knew he shouldn't.
Luke had tears in his eyes, and looked over at Ruby for confirmation. Ruby nodded slowly. “It’s true, Luke.”
When Luke remembered Lisa looking up at him the night before and dazedly called him 'Daddy', the realization hit him. “My Sunshine?” he asked, almost silently, his eyes filling with tears. His expression turned icy as he wiped away the tears and turned to Ruby, “Why the hell didn’t you ever tell me, Ruby?”
“You were in no position to care for her, Luke. I did what I thought was best for you both at the time.”
Before he could say anything, a wave of guilt washed over him as he realized that was the same thing he did with Bobbie and Carly. He nodded slowly and embraced Ruby, “Of course you did. I’m sorry.”
Lucky looked up at his father, “Dad, are you okay with this?”
Luke looked intensely at his son, then smiled and gave him a huge bearhug, “I’m very okay with this.”
*****
CHAPTER EIGHT
Later that night, Luke stood staring into Lisa’s ICU room. He had finally sent Ruby and Lucky home. After so much time, now that he knew the truth, he didn’t want to wait another second to talk to his daughter. The one he always called "Sunshine."
He couldn’t stand waiting any more. Slowly but determinedly he placed his hand on the door and started to push... Bobbie came up from behind and stopped him.
"Luke?"
He whizzed around quickly. "Hello Barbara."
Pointing towards Lisa's room, she said, “You can't go in there."
Luke just stared at her. After a second, he said, "You can't stop me."
"Luke, you know it's against hospital policy. I know how much you like this kid, but it’s immediate family only."
"Spare me Barbara. I just need a minute. It's urgent. I have to see her." And with that, he walked in Lisa's room, leaving Bobbie staring at the door.
The room was completely quiet except for the hum of the medical instruments. Lisa was lying there, sleeping, Luke assumed. He looked at her completely different now. She wasn't just a kid who worked for him. She was a part of him. His Sunshine.
He crossed slowly over to the bed, and with each step, never taking his eyes off her face. "Sunshine," he said ever so softly as he sat down by her bed and took her hand in his.
Lisa stirred a little, but didn't open her eyes. "Daddy?" she questioned barely making a sound. She opened her eyes. "I'm sorry, Mr. Spencer, I must’ve been dreaming. What are you doing here?" she quietly and weakly asked.
He smiled at her, tears in his eyes. "It's okay Baby Sunshine, I know."
She managed a weak smile ever though she was surprised. "Lucky?"
Luke laughed, "Yeah. He and Ruby." He stroked her hair gently, making sure not to hit any of the bandages or bruises. He started to cry. "I can't believe it. After all this time of thinking you were dead, now to see you right in front of me. I just about lost you again last night and didn't even know it." Then his look became more serious. He squeezed her hand gently. "Baby, if I had known that you were still alive, I never would have given up until you were with me."
Lisa nodded in reply.
Luke continued. "Sunshine, I won't let you out of my life again. That much I can promise you," he vowed to her.
She believed him, but there were still obstacles. "What about your wife?" she asked.
"Let me deal with that." He looked again at all the cuts and bruises on her face and how pale and weak she was. "And I'll kill the bastard that did this to you."
"Daddy, wait..."
He stopped her, and she was too tired to argue. "You just rest now, and we'll talk about this later." He stood up and bent over her and kissed her ever so gently on the forehead. "I love you, Sunshine."
"Me too, Daddy," she mumbled before drifting off to sleep.
He watched her for a second before walking towards the doorway. Neither of them had noticed Stefan standing outside, watching the exchange through the ICU window. He walked away quickly, just as Luke turned towards the door. On his way out, Luke turned back and looked at her again. "My baby Sunshine," he said, smiling. Reluctantly, he walked out the door and wiped more tears from his eyes.
*****
Stefan watched Luke as he left Lisa's room. He knew that from the look on the eldest Spencer's face that Luke knew the truth about his daughter.
As he walked towards Lisa's room, he smiled. There was at least one more thing he was sure that Luke Spencer didn't know about his long lost little girl.
*****
When he was sure that Luke was gone, Stefan walked back towards Lisa’s room. He looked in and saw Bobbie checking on her again. He stayed out of the way until she finished. Once Bobbie left, Stefan silently went into Lisa’s room.
He crossed over and sat exactly where Luke had been sitting not ten minutes before. “Hello Leezia,” he said softly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t do a very good job of protecting you.”
“No one’s perfect,” she mumbled back to him.
He took her hand in his and kissed it gently, “I should have been paying more attention.”
Before Lisa could say anything else, Bobbie came back into the room. Stefan quickly released Lisa’s hand. “I’m sorry, Stefan, I’m going to have to ask you to leave. Immediate family only until she’s moved into a regular room.”
Stefan stood quickly, “Of course, Barbara. I’m sorry.”
Bobbie just nodded and smiled.
*****
Stefan sat alone in the chapel of the hospital. After a few moments, Alexis joined him. “This is a rather odd place for a meeting,” she told him after sitting down.
“We aren’t staying here. I need you to arrange something for me,” Stefan said slowly.
“How’s Lisa?” Alexis asked as they got up and walked slowly down the hospital corridors.
“She’s being moved from ICU into a regular room in a couple of days. Fortunately, Billy didn’t do any permanent damage, thanks to Luke Spencer.”
“What?” Alexis asked. “What does Luke have to do with anything?”
Stefan sighed, “He’s her father. He found her and rushed her here. She was stabbed several times and left to die in the trunk of her own car, Alexis.”
Alexis shuddered, she hadn’t realized the severity of the situation. “That’s disgusting.”
Stefan nodded, “I agree. That’s why I want to arrange for Evans’ life to come to a quick but painful end. Do you know of anyone that might be able to accomodate us?”
Alexis thought a moment, “I think I can come up with someone. I’ll have it taken care of.”
“As quickly as possible,” Stefan added. “I want him dead before Leezia leaves the hospital.”
After a minute, Alexis asked, “Will she be coming to Wyndemere?”
Stefan looked Alexis squarely in the eyes, “That’s entirely up to Leezia. The plan with Barbara will continue, no matter what.”
Shaking her head, Alexis stated, “That’s risky, Stefan. Courting Bobbie could be a big mistake. Especially if Lisa decides to return.”
“I will explain everything to Leezia. She will understand the goal.”
*****
