by Jera
RECAP: Liz went to NY for college while Lucky stayed in PC though they visited each other every chance they got. Liz started getting threatening letters from one of Lucky's fans toward the end of the semester.
The strike went swiftly after the show. Liz breathed a sigh of relive as the stage was gradually emptying.
Liz: Well, I think I've done my share.
Liz turned and walked off the stage, ready to tell the stage manager that she was going to take off. She turned around as she heard someone calling her name. It was Nikolas.
Liz: Nikolas! What are you doing here?
Nik: Taking you back to Port Charles, of course.
Liz: I thought you weren't leaving until next week? Molly's going to be here for another few days, isn't she?
Nik: She is. I just said good-bye to her. I'm not going to let you ride back on a bus this late at night. Not if I want my brother to still speak to me in the future.
Liz laughed.
Liz: Nikolas, I can take care of myself. And Lucky is NOT going to stop talking to you just because you want to stay a few more days with Molly before she leaves for Christmas vacation.
Nikolas nodded his head smiling.
Nik: I know. Don't worry about me. I can go see Molly any time I want during the vacation. Actually, I'm here because of............this.
Liz's face paled as she saw the envelope Nikolas took out. The same kind as all the rest. She snatched the envelope out of Nikolas's hand, and looked up at him.
Liz: Where did you get this?
Nik: From Molly, it was in the mail box.
They were both silent for a moment. Nikolas's face told Liz that he knew something was wrong. She tried avoiding his eyes.
Nik: Molly said there have been other envelopes like this. A little unusual, isn't it? Spelling your name and address with letters from what looks to be cutouts of different papers or magazines?
Liz chewed on her lips, sighed.
Liz: It's really nothing. Don't tell Lucky.
Nik: Will you at least tell me? You are not trying to shoulder this by yourself, are you?
Liz: Someone's been sending me notes.......I think someone is not very happy with the fact that.......that I'm Lucky's girlfriend.
Nikolas's eyes grew huge.
Nik: You mean......like one of his fans or something?
Liz: That's what I figured. Like I said, they are just notes. There really is no need to alarm Lucky. I don't want him to worry about it.
Nik stared at Liz for a moment, and sighed.
Nik: I won't tell him, for now. But you have to promise me that you'll at least come to me if things get to be too much. Can you do that?
Liz: Yeah. I will. Thanks, Nikolas.
Nikolas nodded.
Nik: Well, are you ready to............
Someone interrupted them just then. Angela ran over from the other side of the stage calling Liz.
Angela: Liz! Oh, good, you are still here.
Liz: What is it, Angela?
Angela: We can't get the door up to the catwalk open. You are always up there, can you come and see if you can open that door? There must be some trick that we don't know about.
Liz: Yeah, sure. I'll be just a minute, Nikolas.
Nikolas smiled. and watched Liz hurried off with Angela. His face turned grim as soon as Liz was out of sight. He knew Liz was trying to be courageous when she said it was nothing. According to Molly, Liz always looked alarmed whenever those notes came. Someone was threatening her because she was Lucky's girlfriend. There can't be that many people that not only knows about her relationship with Lucky but also knows where she lives. Liz doesn't often tell people about her boyfriend being a big star. Mentally, Nikolas started making a list. And then he heard the loud noise that was coming from the other side of the stage. He ran as fast as he could toward the sound.
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Liz and Angela walked over to stage left, and climbed up the stairs leading to the door up to the catwalk. A couple of people stood down watching them trying to open the door.
Angela: Let me get out of the way.
She walked down the stairs as Liz pushed the door with her shoulder.
Liz: Come on.......
She lifted the door frame up a little and pushed the door again. This time it opened.
Liz: There, that's more like it.
She smiled, and started walking down stairs. And all of sudden all she could feel was her feet slipping under her. The spiral stair case doesn't really have anything to grip on, Liz slipped through one of the large space between the rails and straight down to the floors 10 feet below her. The last thing she remembered was the screaming.
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Lucky finished wrapping the box in his hand, and smiled. This is going to be such a surprise for Liz. He looked up at the clock. Liz should be here in another hour or so. He grabbed his coat off the back of his chair, thinking that he was going to the bus station to welcome Liz so she wouldn't have to take a taxi this late at night. The phone rang just as he was closing the door. Lucky walked back into the room, picked up the phone.
Lucky: Yeah? Oh, Nikolas! What are you doing..............What? Where is she? I'm on my way.
The receiver was left hanging off the table as Lucky ran out of the door.
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By the time Lucky got to the hospital, it was 2 o'clock in the morning. Nikolas was waiting for him in the quiet lobby.
Lucky: Where is she?
Lucky's hands gripped onto Nikolas's arms tightly as soon as he saw him.
Nik: Lucky, they are not letting people in to see her.............
Lucky: WHERE IS SHE? I'm going to see her even if I have to break through 1000 doors!
Nikolas pulled Lucky's hands off his arms, and held on to Lucky's shoulders.
Nik: Lucky! LUCKY! Listen to me! She's in surgery right now! You can't see her yet. They'll let us know when she's out of the operation room.
Lucky: What surgery? Why would she need surgery? You said she fell down the stairs. What else happened?
Lucky's breathing was shallow from the running and nerves. Nikolas motioned to the chairs in the lobby. Lucky shook his head.
Lucky: I don't want to sit down, damn it! Are you going to tell me what's going on or not?
Nik: She did fall down the stairs. She fell through the space between the rails 10 feet above the floor. There was.........there was a broom handle on the floor where her head landed. She landed on the back of her head, and there was blood. They are still trying to figure out how much damage it did to her brain.
Lucky: Is that what they are in surgery for?
Nik: No. They are in there for the broken bones. Lucky, she broke her arms in three places, and her right leg.
Lucky's mouth fell open, his eyes were starting to tear up.
Lucky: Oh, God. Elizabeth.........How did all this happen? Were you there?
Nik: Well, sort of. I didn't actually see it happen if that's what you are asking. From what I've heard, she slipped on the stairs that was behind the stage when she was coming down.
Lucky: I need to see her. I have to be with her. She shouldn't be alone!
Lucky tried to turn away from Nikolas, but Nikolas caught him by his arm.
Nik: We don't know which room she'll be in yet, but the operating room is this way. Come on.
Lucky and Nikolas waited outside of the operating room for two more hours. Nikolas called Molly and let her know what happened at one point. Lucky paced the floor till it was ready to be retiled. He wanted to break down the door and go inside. When the door finally opened, a nurse came out of the room, and was immediately stopped by Lucky.
Lucky: Let me see her. Let me go in there and see her.
Nurse: Sir, I can't do that. They are finishing it up right now. They'll be getting her to her room in a little bit.
Lucky: Then she's OK? Tell me she's all right!
The nurse sighed, looking at Lucky sympathetically.
Nurse: Her arms and legs will be fine. We still don't know about the brain damage yet. Are you her brother?
Lucky: No, I'm her boyfriend. What do you mean you don't know about the brain damage yet?
Nurse: We are waiting for the MRI and other tests results. We'll also have to evaluate it when she wakes up. Where is her family?
Lucky: Her parents are in London......
Nik: He IS her family, miss. And so am I.
Lucky turned to look at Nikolas. The nurse also stared at Nikolas for a second. He could have sworn he saw a hint of smile on her face.
Nurse: All right. Like I said, they'll be taking her to her room in a little bit. I'll write down the visitor list, not that you care from the looks of it..... Your names?
Lucky: Lucky Spencer.
Nik: Nikolas Cassadine.
Nurse: Lucky and Nikolas. I'll just.........skip the last names.
The nurse walked off as the two guys resume to waiting once again. Nikolas patted Lucky's shoulder.
Nik: It's true, you know? You are her family.
Lucky: I can't let anything happen to her, Nikolas. I'd give up everything just so she'll be OK. She has to be OK.
Nik: She will be, Lucky. She will be.
The next few days, Lucky never left Liz's bed side. Nikolas brought him food and clothing when he couldn't persuade him to leave even for a few moments. Molly, Laura, Lulu, and Luke had all been to the hospital a few times. Liz had fevers from time to time from the operation. She never really woke up, but Lucky knew that she knew he was there. He'd been holding her hands, talking to her from the moment she was out of the operating room. She had to know that he was there with her. The brain scan results showed no sigh of damage, but the doctor still needed to see how everything was when Liz woke up.
That didn't happen till 40 hours after she was out of surgery.
Lucky had dozed off for a minute when he heard the moaning coming from Liz. He jerked up, and saw that Liz was moving, her lips quivering, her eyes fluttering.
Lucky held on to Liz's hands tighter, called her name softly.
Lucky: Elizabeth, baby.....I'm here. I'm right here. Come back to me, Please.
Liz finally opened her eyes. Lucky hugged her tightly as the tears rolled down his cheeks.
Lucky: Oh, thank god, you are awake. Elizabeth!
Lucky pulled back a little to look at Liz, she still looked pale, but she was awake. He hugged Liz again, and finally realized that she hadn't said anything. He pulled back again, took her face in his hands. His heart skipped a beat just looking at her. She was still breathtaking with all the bruises and bandages. But there was something different about her. Her whole body was shaking as she asked quietly.
Liz: You are really here?
Lucky: Of course I'm here, baby! I'm right here, in front of you. Believe it.
Liz whole face started to twitch painfully, her eyes seemed to see through him. She chewed on her lips for a moment before she told him in a trembling voice.
Liz: I can't see you, Lucky.
To Be continued.......................
