Chapter 141 -- When In Rome 

Sant' Anna Hotel, Rome Italy. 

Lucky and Emily are lying, fully clothed and on top of the covers, on the bed in 
the middle of their hotel room. Lucky is staring up at the ceiling, while Emily 
sleeps against him. She was beyond exhausted when they got there. Exhausted, but 
a lot more calm. Being in another country, on another continent, was a very good 
thing. Yesterday seemed to have taken a lot out of her. And it didn't help that 
yesterday still felt like today. He hated travelling west… loosing time, instead 
of gaining it. He glanced over at the clock. It was all ready 3:30. He had to 
wake her up. 

Lucky looked down at her again, replaying the events of the last week in his 
head. He had to admit, being this far from home was equally comforting for him. 
He hadn't wanted her to know how off his game he'd felt in New York. First of 
all, he wasn't used to being on the run and having his picture out there. The 
mob didn't work like that. Even when he'd run away, his parents had chosen to 
come after him themselves. 

The whole thing with the money had really pushed Emily to her limits. They'd 
argued about it for forty minutes in the cab on the way to the airport… a 
fundamental difference in philosophy. Emily had this disconcerting need for 
people to believe her… To think she wasn't up to something even when she was. 
Lucky, on the other hand, had pointed out that it didn't MATTER what the people 
thought, as long as you got what you wanted from them. So a bank teller thinks 
it's strange for a teenaged girl to want to convert twenty one-hundred-dollar 
bills into two THOUSAND dollar bills in the middle of Manhattan. There is 
nothing ILLEGAL about it, and as long as they do it, what was the problem? Emily 
insisted it was the fact that they looked at her like she WAS doing something 
illegal and the studious way they looked at her convinced her more and more each 
time that they were going to put the pieces together and recognize her from 
Edward's stunt. Finally Lucky had conceding that it was a stressful operation… 
but it was over. That seemed to be all she wanted. He was hoping that now that 
they were in Italy, she'd feel a little less high strung. She had been impressed 
with how much easier it was to hide large bills than small, at least. And, 
considering the stress level of getting out of Manhattan, she'd done really 
well. She had hated it, but she'd managed to go into bank after bank and smile, 
and try to act like her heart wasn't racing a mile a minute. Over time, it would 
have given her a condition, but for an afternoon she was fine. She was going to 
be fine. He was convinced of that. And it was a good thing too, because now that 
he had time to think ahead, he realized she was growing in importance. 

Emily stirs finally, and buries her face against his chest, before finally 
lifting it and taking in the room. She blinks, then looks at Lucky, blearily. 

Em: I fell asleep. 

Lucky: I was just about to wake you up. (Emily groans and lays her head back on 
his chest) 

Em: (muffled) How long? 

Lucky: A couple of hours? I think. 

Em: Oh, God… (She rolls away from him, onto her back) I feel gross. I hate 
sleeping just a few hours. 

Lucky: Then you should have slept on the plane. 

Em: I TRIED. I was tired, I don't know what was the matter with me. After all 
that walking all over, trying to sort everything out with the banks… (She looks 
up at Lucky) I want you to know that took ALL the glamour out of this, entirely. 

Lucky: It was boring, I'll admit that. (She makes a face) 

Em: My stomach still feels like it has rocks in it. (Lucky rolls over onto his 
side, looking down at her). 

Lucky: You have to figure out how to relax, Emily. (Emily smiles, and closes her 
eyes.) 

Em: Mmmmm… Got any ideas? 

Lucky: A few… (Lucky leans in and kisses her, his lips barely touching hers. 
Emily lifts her face up to him, to deepen the kiss, but Lucky pulls back 
slightly, just allowing his lips to brush lightly against hers. Emily tries to 
move in again, but Lucky pulls away, just a little, again. Emily laughs against 
his lips, then falls back onto the bed) 

Em: What are you doing? 

Lucky: I've been thinking. 

Em: Should I be impressed? (Lucky gives her a disapproving look) 

Lucky: That's not going to get you anywhere. 

Em: I used up ALL my charm getting here. 

Lucky: You might want to dip into the reserves, then. (He leans down and kisses 
her. Emily sighs, contentedly, and wraps her arms around his neck. This place is 
nice, she decides. The company seems to be more sedate, and the actual room is 
cool and comfortable. She can think of worse places to feel like hell. She lets 
herself sink into the bed, kissing Lucky lazily, while listening to the sounds 
of the street coming in through the open doors to the balcony. Car horns, and 
general city noises, but muted, different. Lucky pulls back and she opens her 
eyes. He gazes down at her, brushing her hair away from her face). You were 
really great yesterday. I know it was hard on you. 

Em: I'm just glad it's over. 

Lucky: Yeah, well… Honestly? So am I. 

Em: I thought you THRIVED on stuff like that. (Lucky laughs) 

Lucky: The bank stuff? No. This is more my speed. I think. 

Em: I HOPE. 

Lucky: We'll be fine. (He leans down and kisses her again. Emily responds a 
little more this time, running her hand through his hair. He's been incredibly 
sweet the last few hours. Ever since that stupid argument in the cab. She thinks 
it's because he could tell she was about to have a heart attack buying the 
tickets. It was so close, she was becoming convinced everyone was watching her. 
And then there was the fact that her old picture was on her passport, not the 
revised her. She'd jumped visibly when the woman opened it, and then thought she 
might as well have announced that she was trying to pull one over on her. On top 
of that, she was terrified of letting Lucky down, of not being… Worthy. It made 
her feel ill. However, Lucky hadn't said anything. They'd gotten on the plane, 
he'd smiled at her… ONE DAY, she swore, she'd find a way not to just melt at his 
smile. But at that moment, she hadn't cared. She just knew it was going to be 
ok. She just had to believe that. Lucky, still kissing her, moves away from her 
lips and starts to trail kisses down her neck. Emily groans softly.) 

Em: Lucky… 

Lucky: What? 

Em: You're avoiding something again. 

Lucky: No, I'm not. (He sighs against her skin, then rolls away) There's nothing 
to avoid. (Emily rolls onto her side, propping her head up on her hand) 

Em: Just Nikolas. 

Lucky: I'm not avoiding Nikolas. 

Em: Uh huh… Do you realize that you start making out with me every time you have 
to go see him? (Lucky looks over at her, as if she's out of her mind) 

Lucky: What? 

Em: You're denying it? 

Lucky: Yes! Yeah, I am. Seeing as I'm not going to see him today? I'm definitely 
denying it. 

Em: (a little nervous) What are you talking about? Nikolas said he's only 
staying three days, he's already been here almost two. 

Lucky: I know. (He reaches over and picks up the envelope Nikolas gave him at 
the Tea Room, and pulls out the piece of paper) Hotel Raphael. Is that in your 
Travel Guide? 

Em: (blinking) Travel Guide? (She shakes her head). Right. Where was that? 

Lucky: I don't know, you were reading it on the plane. 

Em: (heavily) OK. (She sits up and looks around, then groans and falls back onto 
the bed) It's over there. On the chair. 

Lucky: What do you want me to do about that? (Emily looks up at him balefully) 

Em: I'm not moving. That much I've decided. 

Lucky: (getting up) Well, then you're really going to hate the rest of this 
conversation. (Emily frowns, then sits up again, watching him as he crosses to 
the chair where Emily dumped her purse and the book upon entering the room.) 

Em: Why? (Lucky tosses the book to her. She misses it and it slides off the bed. 
She rolls her eyes and leans over to retrieve it) I've got so much talent. 
(Lucky sinks into the chair, leaning back into it) 

Lucky: Don't underestimate yourself. 

Em: I'm trying. (She sits up on the bed again unsteadily, still feeling queasy 
and achy. She leans back against the headboard.) I have a headache. 

Lucky: (sitting up) What kind of headache? 

Em: A “too much air travel, not enough sleep” headache. Nothing to get freaked 
about. 

Lucky: Yeah, well… It hasn't been that long since… (Emily shakes her head) 

Em: Let's not go there. (She opens the book) What am I looking up? 

Lucky: Hotel Raphael. 

Em: Like the painter? 

Lucky: I have no idea. R-a-p-h… 

Em: Found it. 

Lucky: Where is it? 

Em: Largo Febo 2, 00186. 

Lucky: Does that make sense to you? 

Em: Sort of. (Emily marks the page with her thumb) I spent a couple of weeks 
here once, remember? (she flips to the fold out map at the back) 

Lucky: Yeah. You didn't send me a post card. 

Em: (still studying the map) You didn't notice I was gone. 

Lucky: I had a feeling you'd bring that up. (Emily smiles slightly and drops the 
book into her lap). 

Em: It's near the Piazza Narvoro. Which is… Ok. Not that far from here. 

Lucky: Does it show how to get there? 

Em: Oh, it's not a problem. (She looks up at him and smiles) So… Why am I doing 
this? (Lucky leans back in his chair, looking up at the ceiling again) 

Lucky: Stefan's not just going to let Nikolas just take off, right? 

Em: Right. 

Lucky: So there's got to be a small army watching his every move. 

Em: Right. So he said. 

Lucky: Ok. So… How many of those guys do you figure know who I am? 

Em: Oh. 

Lucky: Exactly. It's got to be lesson one in Cassadine Basic Training: “This is 
a Spencer. Shoot on sight”. (Emily stares at him a moment) 

Em: That's not funny. 

Lucky: Wasn't meant to be. (Emily shivers slightly and looks back at the book, 
deciding not to pursue this. The topic of Lucky and Nikolas can get ugly, but 
add Stefan into it, and it's downright scary). 

Em: Well, they have the phone number… 

Lucky: Can't call him. 

Em: You can't. 

Lucky: No. It might be monitored, can't take the chance. 

Em: So what are you going to do? 

Lucky: For once? I get to do a whole lot of nothing. 

Em: Oh. (She stops and smiles) Hey, wait… Does this mean I'm not totally 
expendable? 

Lucky: I don't think I've ever said you were expendable. 

Em: No, you didn't… But I sort of thought… 

Lucky: How are you feeling? 

Em: Awful. But nothing a couple of aspirin and a shower won't cure. 

Lucky: Great. (Lucky leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees) 'Cause like 
you said… time is money. 

* * * * 

Port Charles Park. 

Laura and Lulu are walking through the park, towards the playground. Lulu is 
staring at the ground, lagging slightly behind her mother until they approach 
the play area. She looks up, the starts across towards it without a word. Laura 
calls after her. 

Laura: Lulu! (Lulu turns back) Lu, I want you to wear your sweater. 

Lulu: It's too warm. 

Laura: It's too cold to just wear that shirt. Come on. Put your sweater on. 

Lulu: I don't want to. 

Laura: Lulu. 

Lulu: NO! (Laura closes her eyes, invoking the spirit of Dr. Spock). 

Laura: Ok. All right. (She sits down on the bench) Why don't we just sit down 
for a minute? (Lulu glowers at her a moment, then heads over to the bench, 
sitting down next to her). 

Lulu: (Kicking her feet out) I was just here yesterday with Daddy. 

Laura: Oh. So you DID go to the park. 

Lulu: Yes. (Laura knits her brow). 

Laura: Well, I didn't know… I thought you'd like it. 

Lulu: I want to go home. (Laura sighs deeply. Lulu has been irritable ever since 
she got back from seeing Luke. God knows what happened… she can't imagine he 
said anything negative to her. But she hasn't wanted to talk about it, and 
nothing Laura does seems to be the right thing today). 

Laura: Lulu… Look. I'm really sorry about what happened yesterday. But… It was 
nice, you still got to see Daddy, right? 

Lulu: Are you getting divorced? (Laura sits back, startled). 

Laura: Ohhh… Lulu. I… 

Lulu: Like Aunt Bobbie? Where Lucas doesn't even get to see his Daddy? 

Laura: No. No, Lulu… That's different. I promise, you'll always be able to see 
your Dad. Always. (Lulu looks down at the ground beneath her). 

Lulu: Until HE leaves. 

Laura: Lulu. He isn't leaving. 

Lulu: Lucky wasn't leaving. Lucky promised to stay… until you and Daddy started 
fighting… and then he left. (Laura stares at her a moment). 

Laura: What… What did Lucky promise? (Lulu freezes) 

Lulu: Nothing. 

Laura: (gently) Lulu… You can tell me. 

Lulu: Nothing. He said nothing. (She jumps off the bench) I'm going to play. 
   
Laura: Lulu! Your sweater. 

Lulu: (exasperated) I don't WANT the sweater. I all ready TOLD you. 

Laura: And I all ready told you, it's too cold for… (Laura stops, taking in 
Lulu, her arms crossed, brow furrowed) You look like your brother. (Lulu looks 
up) 

Lulu: Nikolas? 

Laura: Probably… But Lucky too. When he was your age and he didn't want to do 
something. He'd get that same look on his face. And you know what I did? 

Lulu: What? 

Laura: I made him wear his sweater. 

Lulu: I'm not Lucky. 

Laura: No. But you're my daughter and it's my job to make sure you stay safe. 
(Lulu looks at her, unconvinced) 

Lulu: What about Nikolas and Lucky? 

Laura: They are safe, Lulu. But they're bigger than you, they don't need me the 
same say. Now come on… Lu… Please. 

Lulu: I don't need it. 
 
Laura: Lulu. It comes down to this… Wear the sweater and play, or don't wear the 
sweater and we go home. It's your choice. (Lulu scowls at her, then pulls the 
sweater out of her mother's hands). 

Lulu: Fine. (She turns around to head to the playground and stops short. Laura, 
looks up, following her gaze, and spots Stefan standing at the edge of the 
clearing. She sits back.) 

Laura: Oh… (She looks down at Lulu) It's all right, Lulu. You can go play. (Lulu 
looks back at Laura, then at Stefan. She sits back on the bench, and cuddles up 
to her mother. 

Lulu: No. I wanna stay here. 

* * * *

Terrace Cafe outside Hotel Raphael 

Nikolas sits at a table, reading. The book is getting tedious, and isn't doing 
anything to distract him from his present situation. He's so tense he feels like 
he could bend steel. He feels like he's in a cone of silence. In the middle of a 
beautiful city, in a place that feels closer to home than anywhere he's been in 
years… He still can't think straight. His doubt with Lucky is doubling by the 
second. And the helplessness of his situation without him is more than 
irritating. 

He spoke to his father, briefly, a few hours ago. It had been a painful moment, 
answering the phone to find it was him. He had nothing to say. It was too hard 
to talk to him about anything right now. He couldn't think about that… about 
what was going through his father's head. It felt unreal. And he wanted to keep 
it that way. 

Nikolas glances up as a shadow falls across his book. He glances up to see a 
tall, slim, dark haired woman with sunglasses standing in front of him. It takes 
him a moment to focus and realize who it is. He recognizes Emily in a sudden 
wave, and feels his stomach drop. He doesn't trust himself to speak. Emily cocks 
her head to one side and smiles. 

Em: Buongiorno. (He suppresses a smile, so that only the corners of his mouth 
turn up, still feeling disoriented). Che ore sono? (Nikolas frowns at her, then 
looks at his watch). 

Nik: Sono le cinque e mezzo. (Emily nods and sits down across from him, leaning 
across the table) 

Em: (quietly) That is about the only Italian I know. That and “Non mi toccare!” 
(Nikolas shakes his head, still not sure he's not hallucinating) 

Nik: “Don't touch me”? 

Em: Grandfather wanted to make sure I knew all the important phrases before I 
came here. (Nikolas looks confused) Remember? Back in high school. 

Nik: Right. (He shakes his head) I'm still… Adjusting. I didn't expect to see 
you. (Emily nods, taking his glass from the center of the table, and spinning it 
slowly on the table, trying to appear nonchalant.) 

Em: It's Lucky's job to be cautious. (She frowns at the glass, and looks down to 
him) I have to agree with him. If your uncle has guards on you, we can't be too 
careful. So I suppose we have to play this like I'm some overly friendly Italian 
woman trying to pick you up. (Emily rolls her eyes and pushes the glass towards 
him) Not exactly my area of expertise. Just… Act like I'm invading your space, I 
guess. (Nikolas finally allows himself to smile and leans forwards) 

Nik: God, I'm glad to see you. (Emily laughs, and sits back) 

Em: Really? I wasn't sure what you'd think. 

Nik: I wasn't sure what was going to happen… I mean, with you. Whether Lucky 
would want you to come along. 

Em: I didn't give him a choice. But then, he didn't fight me on it either. Are 
you ok with this? 

Nik: I'm enormously relieved. Though that's probably completely selfish of me. 
It's nice to not be the only non-Spencer on this outing. (Emily's smile falters 
slightly, then she sits forward, her elbows on the table). 

Em: Well, I'm glad to be wanted. (She raises her eyebrows) I still officially 
think you're both crazy. (Nikolas looks away and picks up his glass, taking a 
drink. He sets it down, then looks over at her). 

Nik: I'm finished with living my life this way, Em. It's just that simple. 
(Emily studies his face, the determination, the barely concealed pain, and nods 
slowly). 

Em: I understand. I do. 

Nik: I know. (He clears his throat looking away again) Thank you. (Emily shakes 
herself back to the task at hand). 

Em: I just… I have to get used to it. (She sighs and pulls her journal out of 
her purse, placing it on the table). Lucky doesn't think you and he should be 
seen in the same place. In fact, he doesn't think he can run the risk of being 
seen, period. I mean, if your guards know who he is… 

Nik: Most definitely. 

Em: (opening the journal) Well, as such, Nikolas… I'm your contact. I'll tell 
Lucky everything you want him to know, and vice versa. Just while we're in Rome. 
(Nikolas nods, not sure exactly how he feels about this). 

Nik: Good. I guess that works. God knows, I trust you. (Emily looks up from 
studying the journal, and looks at him a moment). 

Em: I'm glad… (She looks back at the journal then across at him again) Do you… 
Trust him? (Nikolas stares at the contents of his glass intently.) 

Nik: (quietly) I'm trying to. (He sighs and sits back) I think… I'd be doing 
better if he hadn't been so strange at the Tearoom. 

Em: He… He's been having a rough a time. And… After my grandfather pulled that 
stunt… Neither or us needed that. I think I kinda got wrapped up in how 
upsetting it was for me, to have my family to that. But it wore on him too. It 
just one more thing. 

Nik: He looked awful. 

Em: He hadn't slept. Just a couple of hours. And he drove all night to get 
there. Actually, you're getting a repeat performance, I've only slept about 
three hours. Maybe. 

Nik: Maybe you just clean up better. (Emily laughs) 

Em: Flattery will get you everywhere. Just don't act like you like me too much, 
ok? Lucky put me through the paces before he let me leave, but I have to say, 
the idea of being followed back to the hotel makes me really nervous. 

Nik: What? (Emily shakes her head). 

Em: I'm not explaining myself well. Here's the thing… Lucky doesn't think he or 
I should call… ever. And if you call us, do it from a pay phone. He also doesn't 
want anyone to know what hotel I'm at, which means I have to make absolute sure 
I'm not being followed… Which, when you look at the last month of my life? Makes 
me really nervous, since my brother had someone shadowing me for, like, two 
weeks and I never noticed. 

Nik: Great… 

Em: He gave me some tips, I guess… I guess this is like learning to swim by 
jumping in the deep end. 

Nik: I have faith in you. 

Em: Thanks. (Emily takes a deep breath) This is weird. Does this feel weird to 
you? 

Nik: A bit. We never really talk much. 

Em: I know… It's kind of like, we decided we care about each other, and believe 
in each other, but… We never talk. We never hang out. Nothing. 

Nik: Well. Lucky and I tend to put everyone in the middle. Whether we mean to or 
not. I know we did it to you. 

Em: I really thought I could balance it at first… Right up until… Well. After 
the shooting, everything got complicated. (Nikolas nods) 

Nik: I have to say this… (He takes a deep breath and looks at her) I've been… 
Nervous. About dealing with Lucky. I mean, we seem to get along in waves. And 
they only last about fifteen minutes. I'm glad we're going to have a buffer. 

Em: I take it you guys have been getting along a lot better after my accident. 

Nik: “Accident”. Yeah. 

Em: He hasn't told me much, just that… Things are different. 

Nik: I guess they are. (He stares off into space a moment, then snaps back) How 
are you? 

Em: (shrugging) I'm ok. 

Nik: Good. You look like you're fully recovered. (Emily wags her head side to 
side). 

Em: I'm a little achy. My ribs are pretty much ok, unless I'm walking too fast 
or something… They don't hurt like they used to. 

Nik: What about your head? 

Em: Well, I have a headache, but I don't think it's a big deal. It doesn't feel 
the same. (She smiles) Are we done? 

Nik: How is he? (Emily's face softens). 

Em: He's ok. He's really ok. That's all I can really say. 

Nik: I can't ask him, you know that. 

Em: I know. (Nikolas leans forward again, getting down to business). 

Nik: Ok. So… Did he have any messages for me? 

Em: Yes. (She looks down at the journal then back at him) I took notes. 

Nik: Notes? 

Em: He had a LOT to say… It's strange, I sort of thought… (Emily bites her lip, 
then shakes her head) Never mind. 

Nik: No, what? 

Em: Well… When he said I had to go… I knew he had good reasons, but I figured he 
wasn't going to be losing a lot of sleep about it, but then he started getting 
into everything, and… I think he wishes he could just handle it himself. I mean, 
he trusts me, he just… He seemed anxious. Like he'd miss something by not seeing 
where you are, who's here, what's going on with you… All that stuff. (Nikolas 
raises his eyebrows in surprise). 

Nik: Really? (Emily shivers, feeling immediately nervous). 

Em: I just said too much again… (She looks heavenward) I just want you to know… 
(She leans back across the table at him) He isn't always as defensive and harsh 
as he can be with you. I guess I just want to make sure you know… he is going to 
help. He wants this as much as you do. And he doesn't want anything to happen to 
you, ok? So you can trust him. (Nikolas stares at her, letting the words sink 
in. It seems hard to believe, given everything thing that's happened. How cold 
he was at the tea room, the fact that it took this long to hear from him… It's 
starting make sense, why it's all unfolded the way it did, but still… Though he 
was relieved to see Emily initially, Nikolas is beginning to realize he'd 
probably feel better if he could lay eyes on Lucky, just momentarily. And it 
doesn't sound like that's going to happen soon. He looks up at Emily, sadly). 

Nik: I'm trying to, I told you. 

Em: Well, I guess I can't ask for more. 
  
Nik: No… (He shakes his head) Do you ever feel like you have too much time to 
think? (Emily rolls her eyes). 

Em: Oh, yes… I just spent a week in bed, I know exactly what you mean. It's not 
good for the soul. 

Nik: No. I've been going a little crazy here on my own. 

Em: Well… You're not alone anymore.