Forever This Way

This is my response to the Prom Night 2000 Fanfiction Challenge. It is a Lucky/Liz, Emily/Juan story.

Things are a little different from GH (obviously)…Nikolas, Emily, and Elizabeth are still in High School (as they should be…remember when Lucky, Liz, Sarah, and Em were in the same class?) The whole Katharine-Nikolas pairing did happen, with baby and without marriage. The Juan-Emily history is as in GH in October 1999, except that Juan was taken back to Puerto Rico. Sarah Webber has returned from Paris, just ‘cuz I like to hear her whine.

Forever This Way

By Sweet Caroline

“You have to!” Sarah Webber whined plaintively. “Please, Lizzie? Nikolas won’t go if you don’t!”

“Sarah, he broke up with you years ago! I don’t want to be insensitive, but get over it already! God!”

Liz stared at her sister in shock. Her hands shook slightly and she clutched the sofa pillow to her chest. Her bright blue eyes filled with tears. “How can you say that?” she whispered. “Lucky is dead, Sarah. You think I wouldn’t give anything to know that he’s alive? I’d rather he had dumped me than getting trapped in a fire – “ her voice broke, and Liz couldn’t hold back a sob. She got up and ran from the room.

“I know she’s my sister, but sometimes I just can’t stand her!” Elizabeth said.

“Tell me about it. I mean, I love Monica and Alan, but the way they’re being about Juan is driving me crazy.” Emily answered, twirling the phone cord around her finger. She was glad Liz had called her. Since her parents had last discovered Juan in Port Charles, living in their own West Wing, Emily had been under virtual house arrest. Alan and Monica had called Armand Santiago, and he had appeared to drag his son back home to Puerto Rico.

“I told you I’d mail your letters for you. I’ll even call him if you want,” Liz offered.

“You’ve been so great about helping me. Nikolas is being a complete jerk. He hates Juan,” Emily complained.

Liz frowned. “I’m no saint, Emily, I just know how much it hurts to be separated from someone you love.”

“Yeah. I still wake up in the morning expecting to hear him breathing beside me. I keep thinking if I just go up to the boxcar he’ll be there. Waiting for me.” The tears began again, silently running down her cheeks.

“I know. I can’t believe he’s gone. I just – I’ve lost a lot of people…my Mom, and Jason after the accident. But Lucky was my best friend. The first friend I had in Port Charles. He knew me better than anyone. I trusted him.”

“Me too. It was like Lucky could do anything. I didn’t even have to tell him what I needed, he just knew, and he always delivered.”

Emily chuckled. “Maybe I should get out the old Ouija board, ask him what to do about the whole Juan situation.”

Liz smiled. “I can just imagine his reaction. ‘He’s not good enough for you, but…’”

“He’d just be happy I wasn’t still intent on “throwing my life away on his worthless half-brother.” Remember when they were always at each other’s throats?”

“Yeah. I wish Lucky had a chance to tell Nikolas what he thought about Katharine. Nikolas took his opinion seriously, he’d have listened to Lucky.”

Liz made a face. “Ever since he became involved with her again, it’s like he’s a different person. I barely even see him. I hate Katharine.”

“Do you really think Marty is Nikolas’ son?” Emily asked carefully. “I know that’s an awful question, but I’m not being paranoid. Katharine is awful, I wouldn’t believe her if she said it was a nice day out. And she blackmailed Ned into marrying her. What would stop her from tricking Nikolas to get the same thing?”

“Nothing. That’s the problem. And she’s so good at turning him against his family, and vice versa. Laura isn’t even speaking to him, and things are really strained with his father.”

Liz laughed at the though of Katharine Bell at the PC High Prom. “What do you think she would wear? I’m thinking, bright red taffeta.”

“And send everyone running from the room! Which might be nice.” Liz sighed. “I just wish Nikolas would meet someone else before he gets in too deep with Katherine.”

Nikolas lifted his crying son from the crib. “Hey, Martin,” he cooed. “Come on, come see your Daddy,” he said softly, hugging the child to his chest. Martin Lucas Lorenzo Cassadine was only a couple months old, but already he recognized the safety of his father’s arms. He stopped crying, and his eyes drifted closed again. Nikolas sighed. He didn’t need this. He didn’t need to get home from school and find his son crying alone in his room.

”I don’t know,” she snapped at him, striding into the room. “I can’t do everything, Nikolas. You have to take some responsibilities around here too. I can’t look after my business, and this house, and Martin all by myself. You’re at school all day, you don’t know what it’s like for me,” Katherine whined plaintively, trying to make Nikolas feel guilty. It was the one emotion she could elicit from him without really trying.

“I’m sorry, I was just asking,” Nikolas replied defensively. “I know it’s hard for you Katherine. But this is hard on me too. I’m a high school senior. My biggest worry should be who to take to the prom, not whether or not my son is alright.”

“Well, you should have thought of that before,” Kat sneered. “Besides, you don’t have to go to PC High. With the education you got from your tutors, you’re probably smarter than the teachers at that second rate school. You could have your equivalency degree in a second.”

“I told you, I don’t want to do it that way. I want to have as normal a life as possible. I missed that growing up, and I want the experience. My son is going to grow up in America, and I want to understand what it will be like for him. That means not falling back on my last name, not using my money to get around every problem.”

Katherine rolled her eyes. This was getting ridiculous. “I’m tired of arguing with you, Nikolas. If you don’t have enough respect for yourself or for me to go out and get a job, that’s your problem. Not mine. And if helping out with Martin once in a while is too much for you, I’d be happy to do what I originally planned, and move to California.” That one always worked. Nikolas lived in fear of being separated from his son.

The argument continued as it always did, ending with Nikolas apologizing profusely, and Katherine graciously accepting his promises to do better.

“Why? I don’t understand what the big deal is,” Nikolas said, laughing at Emily’s desperation.

“It’s the prom, Nikolas. Our senior prom. We’re graduating in a few weeks – this is our last high school dance,” Emily answered.

“Emily, I think this would be Nikolas’ first high school dance,” Liz joked.

Liz shrugged. “I don’t really want to. First of all, I’m still a little edgy at the thought of a school dance, and second, I don’t really feel like standing around like a wallflower all night, watching all those couples dancing together. The way I would have been dancing with Lucky.”

“Guys, we only get this chance once in our lifetimes. Don’t you think we owe it to ourselves to go and have a good time? To celebrate the end of high school? We’ll be leaving soon, everyone going their separate ways…I want to have this memory. It won’t be perfect for me either, Liz. For the past year I’ve been dreaming of having Juan there, all handsome in his tux, bringing me a corsage, dancing with me. I know he can’t come, but I’m not about to let my parents ruin my life.”

“Maybe she’s right, you know,” Nikolas said slowly. “We owe it to ourselves to have a good time.”

“Well, she’s half right,” Liz conceded weakly. “I know we should go. So what if none of us have dates. We’ve got each other.”

“Emily Quartermaine, if you think we’re all going to go our separate ways, drift apart, whatever, you’re out of your mind. We’ve been through too much together. Friends for life, remember?”

The three of them sat in the school cafeteria, surrounded by hundreds of kids, all oblivious to the pain the three shared. They were silent for a moment, each remembering the night they had sat in Kelly’s, the last night they had all been together, the four of them. Emily, Nikolas, Lucky, and Liz. They had been through a lot together. They had been there for each other, through the bad times and good. The memories were wonderful and they hurt at the same time. But it was time for them to move on. Time to make some new memories. Lucky Spencer was gone, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

Chapter 2

Lucky Spencer stood outside the massive wrought iron gates, looking anxiously through the crowd. It had been a year since he had been kidnapped by Cesar Faison. A year of torment and pain, desperation and despair. But now, he was no longer desperate. He scanned the groups of students who streamed out of the school and milled about on the lawn, but didn’t see who he was looking for. He sighed, and checked the small photograph he had. It was bad quality, but it was enough.

Thanks to Faison, Lucky knew what was going on in the lives of his family and friends in Port Charles. Faison had delighted in giving him updates on the disintegration of his parents’ marriage, of Laura’s involvement with Stefan, Nikolas and Katherine’s baby. He had shown Lucky surveillance tapes, had taunted him with hundreds of videos of Elizabeth. But in a way, Lucky owed Faison for that. It had motivated him to keep trying to find a way out of the whole mess, and he had. After all, he was a Spencer. Lucky knew that if he escaped, Faison would hurt Liz. He couldn’t allow that. The only way to escape and keep Liz safe, was to eliminate Faison.

Lucky had waited, bided his time, and finally, Faison had slipped up. One of Lucky’s guards neglected to remove the utensils from his dinner tray, and Lucky had managed to hide it without the guards manning the surveillance cameras noticing. Then came the day when Faison foolishly turned his back on Lucky. Lucky had jumped him, one hand pulling Faison’s hair back, the other wielding the knife. Lucky slit his throat from ear to ear. Within a minute, Faison bled to death.

Lucky shuddered when he thought about it, but it had been necessary. And what he had done after had been distasteful, but practical. He had broken into Cesar’s personal computer files, stolen over fifty million dollars from his bank accounts, and read through all his records. Once Lucky had realized how deeply involved Faison had been in the lives of the people of Port Charles, he no longer harbored any regret for the murder. Faison had files on everyone: the Spencers and Cassadines, their friends, the Police Commissioner and his ex-wife Felicia, all the Quartermaines, and the Corinthos organization. Lucky figured he now knew more about these people’s lives than they did!

Lucky recognized the young man who wandered aimlessly across the courtyard, gravitating towards the fence. Juan Santiago stared outside the grounds. His father had sent him to this school, politely termed a boarding school, but in reality more of a reform school. He was virtually a prisoner here. His father no longer trusted that he wouldn’t run away to Port Charles the moment he was out of site.

Juan looked over at the young man on the other side of the gate. He was tall and thin, with spiky blond hair and a pale complexion. A small earring dangled from one ear, and dark sunglasses concealed his eyes.

“You know Emily?” Juan asked eagerly, suddenly forgetting his annoyance at having some stranger call him by name.

“How is she? Is she worried about me? Cuz I miss her. Will you tell her that for me? As soon as I get a chance, I’m out of here. On the next plane, I swear. Tell her for me?”

“Why not? Why are you here then? Is she OK? Is something wrong?” Juan asked, alarmed.

“I think she’s fine. Emily is a survivor. Always has been. But I haven’t seen her in a while. Did you mean what you just said?” Lucky asked curiously.

“I’ll let you in on a little secret. Emily doesn’t know I’m alive. I’m on my way back to Port Charles to get my life back, but I found out about you and Emily from a rather reliable source. I’d do anything for her, and so I figured, since I was in Puerto Rico anyways, I’d try to bring her back a little present.”

“You’d do anything for her?” Juan repeated suspiciously. “She thinks you’re dead?”

Juan stood silently for a moment, his brain processing the information. Finally, he asked, “You’re him, aren’t you – you’re Lucky.”

Lucky’s eyebrows raised over the frames of his sunglasses. “Very good. I hoped Emily would have the sense to pick somebody smart to fall in love with, and I’d al but given up hope.” He sighed. “She seemed so obsessed with my brother, I was beginning to question her judgment.”

The two laughed together. Lucky explained his plan to Juan, and they agreed to meet later that night. They would be heading back to Port Charles as soon as they sprang Juan from reform school.

Sly shrugged into his leather jacket. It was a little warm out for it, but he knew he looked good in it. He checked his watch – damn, late again. Julia was going to be pissed with him. But then, she always was. Sly swung the door open, and nearly fainted. Lucky stood in the doorway, hand raised, ready to knock.

“Lucky?” Sly asked in amazement. “What are you doing here? What are you doing alive?”

Sly’s eyes hardened. “And I suppose you couldn’t be bothered to tell me. You let me mourn you, just like you let me mourn Aunt Laura when you and Uncle Luke faked her death. Well I’m sick of all of you, Lucky. I can’t believe a word any of you say, I don’t trust you, and I really don’t give a damn if you are back from the dead!”

Lucky rolled his eyes. He knew he was going to get a lot of this when he went back to Port Charles. Which was part of the reason he was going about returning so carefully. “Sly – “

“Hey, man, listen. Lucky didn’t fake his death. This guy named Cesar Faison kidnapped him, and some lady smoked his apartment, so it’d look like he was dead. So quit hasslin’ him,” Juan said impatiently. He had gotten to know Lucky pretty well in the past 24 hours, and he liked him. At first, Juan had thought they wouldn’t get along. Even though Lucky had definitely been cool about springing him from Reform school. But Juan had thought that Lucky would be like his brother, and he wasn’t.

Lucky checked his watch. “About 40 hours ago. Which may explain why I’m exhausted and I feel like hell. Now are you going to invite me in or what?”

“He’s Emily’s boyfriend,” Lucky explained. “Only he got shipped to Reform School, so I broke him out on my way home.”

Sly shrugged. “I dunno. She mentioned some guy in her last email, said Monica and Alan wouldn’t let her see him.”

“Well, she’ll be really happy. You’ll be back just in time to take her to the Prom.”

“Uh huh. Faison kept me up to date on a lot of things in Port Charles, but nowhere in his notes did he mention the PC High Prom,” Lucky laughed. He was thrilled. He would get to be with Elizabeth, sharing a night he had been dreaming of for months. He loved getting dressed up for her, loved the feel of the wisps of hair that escaped the upsweep she liked, loved holding her in his arms and dancing with her. “We better jam then. I was hoping to lay low for a day, catch my breath, but forget that. We got a prom to go to, Juan.”

“Well, we need a place to crash for tonight, we need tuxedos, and we need a car to get to Port Charles tomorrow.”

“You don’t ask much! But since you’ve been deceased until recently, I figure you need all the help you can get. Of course, you owe me.”

“Owe you? Come on, I’m sure you owe me for something…” Lucky protested good naturedly.

“No, seriously, you could help me out a lot here, Lucky. I have a friend who needs to get out of town for a while. She’s in a really bad situation, and I was trying to figure out what to do. I thought of just giving her money for a bus ride outta here, but she really needs someone to look out for her.”

“The problem is her ex-boyfriend. She ran away from home a couple years ago, moved here. She’s been living with my girlfriend, Julia, for a while. Then she started dating this guy, Jerry. And he got mixed up in some bad stuff. At first it was just small time, you know, a little fencing, some numbers running, whatever. It pissed her off, and she broke up with them. They’re still friends, he hasn’t done anything to her. But now he’s in deep in some kinda turf war over his numbers operation, and the guys he’s having trouble with have threatened her. She wants out of here, but I’m afraid they might send someone after he. I’d feel a lot better if you would take her with you, keep an eye on her. You know.”

“Absolutely. I wouldn’t lie to you about something this important. I just want Anna to be safe.”

“Ok. We’ll bring her. She can stay with me, I’ll keep my eye on her. She’ll be safe, I promise.”

The following afternoon, Lucky and Juan met Anna, Sly’s friend. She was nice, a little quiet and nervous, but Lucky could tell that she knew how to have a good time. She smiled pleasantly when they were introduced, and she and Sly joked around with each other as if they had been friends since birth. Juan chucked Anna’s bag into the trunk, alongside the garment bags that held his and Lucky’s brand new tuxedos.

“You never know what you’re gonna need when you take off,” she replied with a shrug.

“Yeah, you should come,” Lucky agreed. “I’m not missing this Prom for anything, but I want to be able to keep an eye on you.”

“I don’t know. I don’t want to crash your party, and I don’t know anyone in Port Charles,” Anna hesitated.

“Anna, just go,” Sly ordered. “You need to relax, have a good time. Lucky will look after you.”

“Yeah. You take care of Anna. And say ‘hi’ to Emily for me. Now get the hell out of here – and be careful with my car!”

Sly winced as Lucky sped down the street, the tires squealing when he turned the corner sharply. “If he scratches that car I’ll kill him for real,” Sly muttered, going back into the house.

Chapter 3

Liz whirled in front of the full-length mirror. The long dress fit perfectly, and the deep blue offset the colour of her eyes. Liz eyed her hair critically. Already a few pieces had come loose. She sighed. Like it mattered, anyway. She wasn’t trying to impress anyone. She felt as though the money she spent on the dress was wasted. Lucky would never see it on her. But it had meant a lot to her grandmother that she was going. And Sarah had been unbearable until Liz had told her that she would go. Not that Sarah wanted to spend any time with Liz. She was going with her stupid friend Deenie. But Sarah knew Nikolas would be at the prom if Liz came. And it was the perfect opportunity to win him back, she was sure of it. Even if he did have a kid with that horrid Katherine Bell. After all, Sarah thought, she didn’t want to marry Nikolas or anything. She just wanted a chance to prove to everyone that she could get him back. Then she would dump him, just as badly as he had dumped her. Sarah smiled, and carefully adjusted her puffy pink taffeta dress. She thought it was very glamorous.

“Hey. I just wanted to say bye. Deenie’s here. Do you like the dress?” Sarah asked, twirling.

“Uh, it’s very you,” Liz said diplomatically. She hated the dress – it was pink and frilly and looked like it belonged on a big china doll. Sarah looked like a six year old in it, but Liz knew that Sarah thought the dress was great.

“Thanks. You look OK, Liz,” Sarah said condescendingly, wondering why Liz had chosen such a drab dress. “So, I guess I’ll see you there.”

As Sarah departed, Liz put the finishing touches on her makeup, grabbed her purse, and headed downstairs. Nikolas and Emily had managed to arrive seconds after Sarah left.

“Hey guys!” Liz greeted her friends with more enthusiasm than she really felt.

“Sorry we’re late,” Nikolas apologized, “but I recognized Deenie’s car in driveway, and I couldn’t face seeing Sarah.”

Liz laughed. “Well, you’ll be seeing her all night. I’m sure she’s going to follow you all over the place.”

“I would never go out with her again,” Nik protested. “Once was enough, I tell you. It took me months to convince her it was over. She followed me around like a puppy dog after a bone.”

“Relax, fair maiden. We will protect you!” Emily cried in a deep voice, brandishing an imaginary sword.

“We will vanquish all who dare approach!” Liz proclaimed, joining in the game.

“At this rate I’m never going to get a date,” Nikolas moaned. “I think I’m too distraught to drive. Who wants these?” he asked, holding out the keys to his Jag. Liz grabbed them in a flash, and practically ran out the door, with a “Bye Gram” flung over her shoulder.

Nikolas and Emily grinned at each other. “Shall we?” Nikolas asked, offering his arm.

“You sure about this? Cuz I can’t pay you back for a long time,” Juan whispered to Lucky.

Lucky smirked, and patted his thick wallet. “It’s cool. Consider it a gift.”

He paid for the suite of rooms, and the three teens headed upstairs. Their suite was elaborate and spacious, and they quickly spread out to get ready. They had arrived in Port Charles around 7 pm, which was about the time the prom was supposed to start. Lucky and Juan were ready in about an hour, and paced nervously about for the next twenty minutes it took Anna to finish. She opened the door to her room shyly.

“Wow. If I wasn’t taken already,” Juan said appreciatively. She wore a simple black tank dress, but she had dressed it up with a pair of high, strappy shoes that were a rich, deep red.

“You look gorgeous. Juan and I are going to have to fight them off with a stick tonight,” Lucky teased.

“You’re sure it’s OK? I haven’t ever gone to something like this,” Anna admitted. She fussed with her light blonde hair for a moment. It hung in a shimmering curtain down her back, and was tied back from her face with a simple strip of red ribbon.

“It’s perfect. You look great. So, we all set?” Lucky asked, taking a deep breath.

“I’m ready. Are you? You’re the one coming back from the dead and all,” Juan reminded Lucky.

Chapter 4

Nikolas, Emily, and Liz were bored. None of them wanted to admit it, but the night had been a bust. First, they had spent half an hour trying to find a table that would put them at the opposite end of the room from Sarah. Then they had discovered that no one else was sitting with them, leaving their table for six occupied by three. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the dance floor was now filled with couples dancing. Emily could think of nothing but Juan, and she was mulling over the possibility of running away to Puerto Rico to find him. She knew what school he was at thanks to Liz. Meanwhile, Nikolas stared out at the students who seemed so foreign to him. He got along well enough with Emily and Liz, but he knew that he still didn’t fit in. Even once he dumped the title of Cassadine Prince, he was still different. And having a child with Katherine in a very public affair hadn’t helped matters. Nikolas wondered if he would ever meet someone who wanted him. Not like Sarah, who liked his last name and the money that came with it, but someone who actually loved him just because he was Nikolas.

Liz sat motionless, her eyes staring straight ahead, trying not to see the couples in front of her, each involved in their own private universe. She heard the familiar strains of Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” and felt tears pricking her eyes.

I see you, I feel you

The music soared, and the other people in the room seemed to swim in her tears. Her vision rippled as tears finally spilled down her cheeks. Oh God. Please. All I want is Lucky. Even if it’s only for one night. Just so I can tell him one more time that I love him, she thought desperately.

Lucky, Juan, and Anna walked into the room. Lucky scanned the room hungrily, looking for Elizabeth. He felt the music wash over him, and was overcome with emotion when he saw her sitting there, tears running down her cheeks.

You have come to show you go on.

Anna followed as Lucky and Juan made a beeline for a half-empty table. She eyed the handsome boy there for a moment, then shook herself. She was here to get away from trouble, not to get involved in yet another doomed relationship.

Emily spotted Juan and squealed with pleasure. She rushed at him, flinging herself into his arms. She didn’t even notice Lucky and Anna standing behind him. Juan kissed her passionately.

Once more you open the door and you’re here in my heart and my heart will go on and on.

Lucky walked right up to Elizabeth before she saw him through her tears. She barely looked up. She realized someone was standing in front of her, but Liz couldn’t bring herself to face anyone. “Can I have this dance?” he asked softly.

Nikolas Cassadine was staring at his brother as if he was a ghost. Which, in essence, Lucky was.

“That’s my name, beautiful. And I will be ‘lucky’ if you’ll dance with me.”

“Oh my God! Lucky!” she cried, jumping into his arms. The two lovers embraced, clinging to each other with desperation, their lips meeting in a long, passionate kiss. Liz was laughing and crying at the same time, joyfully running her hands through Lucky’s hair, over his cheeks, making sure that he was really there and not some sort of hallucination. “I love you, I love you,” she repeated, eagerly kissing him again.

“I love you too,” Lucky answered fervently, his voice hoarse as he too was crying. Their bodies were swaying with the music as their eyes connected and they felt the familiar electricity shimmering between them.

“I told you, I would come back for you,” he whispered. “I love you, Emily,” he said simply.

“If this is a dream, I don’t ever want to wake up,” Liz whispered, resting her head on Lucky’s shoulder.

“This isn’t a dream. You’re too real to be a dream. Dreams are never this beautiful.” He closed his eyes, enjoying the blissful feeling of safety and love that was in their embrace. Their bodies moved, in time with the music but more in time with each other. They moved gracefully as though they were one person, feeling at peace for the first time in months.

“I want to stay in your arms forever. Don’t ever let me go,” Liz whispered.

“Yeah, right. Uh, Nikolas Cassadine,” he replied, offering his hand. Her soft hand slipped into his, and both enjoyed the connection.

“It’s a long story. I just met them a couple hours ago. Lucky’s cousin Sly is a friend of mine.” Anna retold the story of Lucky’s abduction that he had shared with her on the long drive to Port Charles. By the time she was done, Lucky and Liz had managed to break their embrace. Lucky came up to his brother, a brilliant smiling lighting up his face.

Nikolas rose, a little uncertain about what he should do. He and Lucky had always had such an unusual relationship, now he didn’t know how to act. Lucky solved the problem by embracing him. Nikolas felt tears in his eyes.

Lucky grinned cockily in return. “I missed you. I could have used a little help, big brother.”

“Yeah, well, you’re such a pest that LesleyLu and I figured we could do without you.”

“LUCKY!” Emily shrieked. She tackled him from behind, and there was a flying flurry of arms before Lucky managed to return Emily’s exuberant hug. “Ohmigod I don’t believe it! Doesn’t anyone in you family ever stay dead? Not that I’m complaining!” she exclaimed, laughing through her tears.

“I have you to thank for busting Juan out of that awful school?” Emily asked.

“I’m so glad you’re back!” Emily shouted again, drawing Nikolas, Elizabeth, and Lucky into a hug. The four friends held each other for a moment. Anna and Juan grinned at each other, pleased to see their friends’ obvious joy at being together again.

“You were right. I bow to your superior wisdom!” Liz agreed, with a grand curtsy.

“I do as well. From this day forward, your every wish is our command,” Nikolas said with a bow of his own. “You seem to be capable of working some pretty big miracles.”

The group sat down at their table, and Lucky had to explain the entire story. The tale didn’t get them down – they were too content with each other to let the past year of misery intrude upon their pleasure. Liz squeezed Lucky’s hand, Juan sat with his arm around Emily. Nikolas, who usually felt left out at moments like this, was too busy getting to know Anna to notice. She was wonderful, exciting, very different from the women Nikolas usually got romantically involved with. He smiled. That was a good thing. She wasn’t even intimidated when he told her about his son. She seemed genuinely interested.

“Martin Lucas Lorenzo? What kind of name is that to inflict on an innocent child?” she teased.

Lucky shot his brother a look. “You named your son after me?” he asked. “I’m flattered.”

“Don’t be,” Nikolas muttered. “It was a sheer coincidence. I just happen to like the name.”

“Uh huh,” Lucky said dryly, then laughed. “Really, bro, I’m flattered.”

Nikolas smiled. There was a comfort, a level of trust between the brothers that hadn’t been there before. Perhaps because they had declared openly, for the first time, that they cared about each other.

“You know what?” Liz said suddenly. Everyone looked at her expectantly. “Tonight is exactly a year since the last night we were all together, the four of us. Remember that?”

“I seem to recall a pledge that we would meet for dinner once a month,” Nikolas said with a smile. “You’re a little late, Lucky.”

“Why don’t we repeat our real pledge, then?” Lucky suggested. “With a few additions to the group, of course,” he added, gesturing with his glass of soda to Juan and Anna.

Forever This Way

By Sweet Caroline

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

I see you, I feel you

You have come to show you go on.

The End