“The course of true love never did run smooth.” William Shakespeare 

It has been three days since Lulu died. Nikolas has been staying in the 
Summerhouse, and Stefan has assumed that Nikolas needed time to himself. Stefan 
has wanted to go to him and comfort him, but also wants to allow Nikolas to 
grieve in his own way. Alexis was despondent when she heard the news of Lulu’s 
death. She knew it was Helena’s doing, and has barely been able to compose 
herself. She managed to tell Ned that she couldn’t see him for a few days, not 
knowing how to tell him the truth. Liz is still in the hospital. She has been 
conscious for longer periods of time. Audrey feels that it’s best if Liz doesn’t 
know about Lucky and Lulu until she’s stronger. Audrey is angry at Lucky, and 
believes the accusations that the police are making. 

Lulu’s funeral was in the morning, and many people showed up to give their 
condolences. It was a lovely service filled with brightly colored flowers and 
ribbons and they played Lulu’s favorite songs from Sesame Street and Barney. 
Luke gave the eulogy, but the audience was most moved by Nicholas’ words of love 
for his little sister. At the graveside, Luke even put aside his hatred for 
Cassadines to give an affectionate squeeze to a weeping Nikolas’ shoulders. The 
only one who barely shed a tear was Laura. People have come to spend time with 
the Spencer’s at their house. Laura has been busily checking to be sure that 
everyone is eating and refilling their glasses. She refuses to sit and relax. 
Bobbie and Luke are sitting on the porch talking. 

B: So, big brother, how are you holding up? 

L: (letting out a heavy sigh) Little sis, this is the hardest thing… Ever. 

B: Have you heard from Lucky? 

L: No. He took off that night from the hospital. I don’t blame him for leaving. 
I said horrible things to him. 

B: What? 

L: I actually believed that he could do what Taggert was accusing him of. 

B: About putting the Rohypnol in the Champaign? 

L: Yeah. How could I believe that of him? I… I… (Pausing and choking up) There 
we were in the hospital emergency room. My baby girl lying in a few rooms away, 
slowly dying, and I wanted someone to blame. I needed someone to blame. And for 
*that* moment, *that* instant, when I heard about the drug; I lost it. I, I, I 
was enraged. Suddenly, there was this madman saying… screaming, “How could 
*you*? If they die it will be *your* fault.” I needed someone to blame and I 
blamed Lucky. (Tears rolling down his face) How could *I*, Barbara Jean? How 
could *I* accuse him of that? What the hell kind of father am I? 

B: (soothingly) You were upset. And you are a *very* good father. You just lost 
your head for a moment. I’m sure Lucky will understand that… in time. 

L: (crying) All I want to do is… is grab him, and hold him tight. Tell him how 
much I love him. Tell him I’m sorry. Tell him I still believe in him. Tell him… 
Bobbie, I’m so afraid I’ve lost both my children…forever. I’m so afraid that I 
won’t have anymore time with him. Just like I have no more time with Lulu. (In 
agony) Oh, God, If I could take back (pounding his head with his fist to accent 
each word) every hateful word…

A tearful Bobbie pulls a sobbing Luke to her and hugs him tightly. 

Nikolas has returned to his room at Wyndemere to collect some of his clothes to 
take back to the Summerhouse. Stefan is unaware that Nikolas overheard the 
conversation that transpired between and Laura and himself on the 4th. Stefan 
slowly enters Nikolas’ room. 

S: Nikolas. 

Nikolas turns to look at his uncle, then turns back around to continue packing. 

S: I wanted to express my deepest condolences at your loss. I am aware of how 
much your sister meant to you. 

Nikolas says nothing. 

S: If you need more time by yourself to grieve, I understand. I only wanted to 
let you know that if you felt you needed to talk, I am here for you. 

N: Yes, if I need to hear more lies, I know exactly who to go to. 

Stefan is taken aback slightly. 

S: Lies? 

Nikolas turns around and looks Stefan in the eyes. Stefan can see the anger and 
hatred behind them. He had become accustom to seeing Nikolas with more happiness 
than anger in his eyes, since they had moved to Port Charles. Since Nikolas had 
met Katherine, really. With Katherine, Nikolas was always more at ease, and more 
like the playful teenager he should be, than like the constrained Cassadine he 
would need to become. Katherine’s departure had affected both their lives. 

N: Yes, lies. You have told me lie after lie to get me to do what you want. No 
wonder you and Laura work so well together. 

S: What has your mother told you? 

N: She didn’t tell me a thing. Neither of you are capable of telling me anything 
but lies. How could you betray Katherine by kissing *her*? 

Stefan looks shocked that Nikolas knows, and is quickly trying to strategize how 
to fix the damage. 

S: When? 

N: The 4th. I was out riding and saw her come to the island. I hid myself, and I 
heard everything. 

S: You misunderstood… 

N: I heard EVERYTHING!! How you were in love with her on the island in Greece. 
How you spent all those years pining for her? Helena was right all along. How 
many other lies have you told me? And I still want an answer… 

S: Your mother and I… 

N: No. I don’t care to hear about that. I want an answer as to how you could 
hurt Katherine like that. No wonder she left here. You told her you loved her, 
but you were using her. How does that song go? “If you can’t be with the one you 
love, love the one you’re with.” Is that all she was to you? 

S: NO! I love Katherine. You don’t understand. 

N: Damn right, I don’t understand. How could you do that to the woman you shot? 
The one who forgave you and loved you anyway. The one you publicly humiliated, 
and then *again*, she forgave you. She trusted you that much. She loved you that 
much. How could you take a woman who made you happier than you had been in 
*years*, and betray her like that? 

S: Nikolas let me try to explain. 

N: NO! I will not stand here and listen to you lie, and dance around the truth. 
I’m leaving and I will not return to you… ever. I will NEVER listen to another 
one of your lies or half-truths. 

S: Where will you go? 

N: I don’t know. Maybe I’ll go talk to Helena. 

S: She will only deceive you. She only wants you to get to the Cassadine 
fortune. 

N: (with disgust) Oh, please. Maybe she’s not as bad as you make her out to be. 

S: No. She’s worse. You have no idea the depths to which she’ll go. If you don’t 
want to see me, I understand, but I beg you not to go to her, NOT to trust her. 

N: Right at this moment I trust her more than I trust you. 

Stefan is hurt by those words and what they mean. They had both worked so hard 
to finally come to a place in their lives where they could trust each other. And 
now it was gone. 

S: If you believe nothing else I’ve told you; please believe, that if you tell 
Helena what you know about Katherine… 

N: I will protect Katherine and my cousins. She has been hurt enough by this 
family. I won’t let her be hurt anymore. Besides, I think they are better off 
with Jerry anyway. She’s very happy with him. Probably because Jerry doesn’t lie 
to her, and isn’t using her to fulfill some sick fantasy about another woman. 
Yes, I want to keep them far away from your lies, Uncle. Yes, my cousins will 
have a better life without *you*. 

Stefan is upset and wants to say something, anything that will keep Nikolas from 
going to his grandmother. 

S: They are not your cousins. 

N: What? Are you saying they are actually Jerry’s? 

S: No. 

Stefan knows that he is about to discharge a very dangerous secret. If Nikolas 
doesn’t stay and tells Helena this information, the consequences will be dire. 

N: So what are you saying? 

S: They are your siblings. 

Nikolas stares, frozen, at Stefan. 

Alexis has gone to visit Helena. Confront her, would be a more accurate 
description. Helena is sitting at her table having her afternoon tea. Alexis 
enters and strides up to where Helena is sitting. 

A: (upset) How could you do that to a child? 

H: Well, good afternoon to you too, my dear, little Natasha. 

A: ANSWER ME!! How could you? 

H: (smugly) Come now, my dear. You’re very distressed. Have some tea. It will 
calm your nerves. 

A: I DON’T WANT ANY TEA! I WANT AN ANSWER! 

H: My, my, such a fuss over a Spencer brat. You and Ari should compare notes. 
Well, the child dying was not part of my plan. My dear, I wanted Lucky to die. 

Alexis was not prepared for that response, and a confused look crosses her face. 

H: Yes, Lucky. You do understand it was to be revenge for Stavros’ death? A 
first born son for a first born son. 

A: (dismayed) What about the girl… Liz? And Lulu? Have you no remorse for what 
you did to them? 

H: (condescendingly) This is a war, my sweet, naive, little Natasha. When a 
battle is planned there are always casualties involved. I must admit that lately 
my plans have been turning out sooo much better than I could have dreamed of. 
Not only is Spencers’ daughter dead, but they *blame* their first born. I 
suppose they should have named him something other than Lucky. (She chuckles to 
her self) Yes, the Spencers are supposed to be such a loving, caring family, BUT 
the first sign of trouble and they turn on each other. Did you know that Luke 
blamed Lucky for what happened and that he’s run off? So now they have no 
children. I wish I were that fortunate, but alas Stefan is still walking the 
earth. 

Alexis is sickened at the thought of her part in what has happened, so retreats 
out the door, in tears. Helena’s mocking laugh following her. 

Liz is returning to her bed after her first trip since she was given bathroom 
privileges. She turns on the TV as Sarah enters the room. 

S: Hey, Liz. How was your first… 

L: DON’T ask. It’s embarrassing enough to be stuck in this hospital gown, and 
have strangers ask about your bowel movements… I don’t need my sister starting 
in. 

S: Sorry. I brought you those magazines you wanted. 

Sarah hands Liz the magazines. Liz looks at them briefly. 

L: Did you talk to Lucky? 

S: (nervously) Uh… No. I haven’t seen him. 

L: Sarah, what’s wrong? Every time I mention Lucky you get quiet and Gram 
changes the subject. Did something bad happen to him? 

S: No, he’s fine. I promised Gram I wouldn’t say. 

L: (alarmed) Tell me! 

S: Well, Lucky ran away. 

L: Why? 

S: The police think it’s his fault that you got sick, and that… I shouldn’t. 

L: His fault? How? TELL ME! 

S: They think that Lucky slipped something in your Champaign and that’s why you 
got sick. They think that he accidentally put some in his drink, too. You both 
passed out… 

L: AND? 

S: While you both were unconscious Lulu climbed on the boat, and then fell in 
the water. 

L: NO! 

S: Yes. They tried to save her, but she was under too long. 

L: (bursting into tears) She died? 

Sarah is crying and can only nod her head. 

L: Oh, my God. Poor Lucky. 

Audrey is standing at the door. She has an angry look on her face. 

A: Poor Lucky?!? That boy’s irresponsibility caused his sister’s death and your 
being in the hospital. 

L: But Gram he didn’t… 

A: I will NOT have you defending that boy to me. He did, otherwise why would he 
have run off? 

Liz’s face is burning hot with shame, because she knows who wanted the 
Champaign, who got the boat and lied to everyone about it. However, Liz is 
scared that if she tells Audrey the truth about what happened, she will be sent 
back to live with her parents and may never see Lucky again. Given her past, she 
is unsure of how to handle this situation. She wants to tell the truth, but is 
terrified of the consequences. If Lucky were here she could ask him, but he’s 
not. Liz doesn’t really trust Sarah to not just mimic what Audrey has told her. 

L: I just know he couldn’t have done that. 

A: Well, he could and he did. Now there will be no more of this talk and I don’t 
want that boy’s name mentioned ever again. And if I find that you’ve been in 
contact with him, I will send the police after him so he can be properly 
punished. Do you understand me, young lady? 

L: Yes. 

A: Good. 

L: I’d like to be alone now. 

Audrey and Sarah leave Liz alone. Liz begins to weep after they leave the room. 

Luke has calmed down, and is sitting up, holding Bobbie’s hand. 

B: How’s Laura doing? I mean she really hasn’t cried, that I’ve seen. 

L: She hasn’t slept since Lulu… She’s been cleaning, and planning, and ordering 
food, and fielding phone calls and… It’s like she’s pretending it didn’t happen. 
I’ve tried to get her to talk about it, but she always finds something else to 
do, then leaves the room as fast as she can. I don’t know what to do. She can’t 
go on like this much longer. Maybe you could talk to her. 

B: Sure. 

L: Thanks lil’ sis. 

Luke kisses her, then Bobbie goes into the kitchen to talk to Laura. Laura is 
washing a large stack of dishes.

B: Laura? 

L: Bobbie. Is there anything I can get for you? 

B: How about you… sitting down for five minutes. 

L: (nervously) Oh, well… I *really* need to get these cleaned up. 

B: (shaking her head) Just how long do you plan on running? 

L: What? I don’t know what you mean. 

B: I know what you’re doing. You’re running as fast and as hard as you can. 
You’re hoping that if you keep busy enough you won’t have to face it. 

L: (bewildered) Face what? 

B: The fact that your daughter is *dead*, and she’s not coming home again… ever. 

Laura’s entire body jerks back as if she’s been punched in the stomach. 

B: I *know* what it’s like to have a child die, Laura. When B.J. died I wanted 
to get on a plane and fly anywhere there wouldn’t be reminders of her, of my 
loss. Now, you haven’t hopped on a plane, but you are fleeing this painful time 
by keeping busy. But Laura, eventually you have to face the fact that something 
horrible has happened…

L: (angry and shrieking) DON’T tell ME about losing a child. YOU have no idea 
what it’s like to see the child that you carried IN your body, (now crying and 
clutching at her stomach) sooo close to your heart, lying on a table, and 
wanting desperately to put them back inside you. Back where it’s safe… Back 
where you won’t have this *emptiness*. This *appalling* void. I kept thinking 
that if I could be strong for her, she wouldn’t die. She’d be all right. But she 
died anyway. 

Laura has begun to pace, but never takes her glare off Bobbie. 

L: (screaming) I KNOW Lulu’s never coming home. Every fiber in my being has been 
VERY aware of that ever since those monitors fell silent at the hospital. Every 
time I close my eyes, I see her. NOT happy and playing, but lying on a table, 
pale and cold. I KNOW SHE’S DEAD!! I KNOW SHE’S NEVER COMING HOME!! 

Laura leans against the wall, hugging herself and rocking slowly side to side. 
As she cries she begins to tremble. 

L: (hushed and almost whimpering) I just don’t want it to be true. I want to 
trade places with her. She had so much to do in her life. Oh, God. I want to 
turn back the clock. I want to tell Lulu, “No, you can’t go with Lucky today. 
You need to stay with Mommy. Mommy needs you to be here. Mommy needs to see your 
smile and hear your laugh. You can go with Lucky another time.” And Lucky… My 
son. I lost Lucky, too. 

She sinks to the kitchen floor, wailing. Luke has been standing outside the 
kitchen, listening. He enters crying, sits on the floor next to Laura, enfolds 
her in his arms, and rocks her. 

L: (softly) It’s gonna be all right, Baby. It’s gonna be alright. 

Bobbie reenters the living room, and crosses the room to talk to Monica. 

M: We heard. Is there *anything* we can do? 

B: Luke said that she hasn’t slept in days. 

M: I’ll get a prescription for her. 

B: Thanks. (To everyone) Maybe it would be best if everyone left now. Luke and 
Laura appreciate your being here, but they need time. 

The guests all leave. Shortly thereafter, Luke carries Laura upstairs to bed.