Emily Bowen-Quartermaine glanced up at the tall building. "General Hospital" it read. She hugged her jacket tightly as a December breeze came down upon her. Here it was, two days before Christmas, and two weeks after Nikolas Cassadine was shot. Had it really been two weeks? What kind of friend was she that she hadn't even gone to see him? She couldn't help wondering all of these things. How was he? Would he get better? Why hadn't she gone to see him earlier?

Emily walked out of the elevator and into the waiting area. She could see Lucky sitting in a corner next to his dad. Sarah was pacing and Elizabeth was talking to her, but it was obvious that Sarah wasn't listening. Stefan Cassadine was talking to a nurse. Emily glanced in the window of a room. There lay Nikolas, a bandage wrapped around his neck. His eyes raised and met hers. He smiled faintly, but Emily could tell that he was in pain.

Emily couldn't stand it. She turned and ran from the window to the elevator. She jabbed at the button. She couldn't see him again. Not like that. And she didn't know why. All she knew was that she had to get out of that hospital. Out of the hospital where people got sick and died, where sometimes even medicine couldn't help the ones you loved. Emily stepped into the elevator and closed the door. Blocking out the memory of the hurt Nikolas Cassadine.

She didn't know what to do. She didn't know where to go. But she had to leave. She couldn't bear to see him like that again. Emily ran out of the hospital in the direction of the park. She slowed to a walk and went over to a bench by the pond. She sat down and drew her knees up to her chin. She couldn't figure it out. What was wrong with her? Why was she acting that way? Why couldn't she just offer condolences and say hello? Emily wiped a tear away and stared down at the cold pond.

"Emily?"

Emily looked up at the sound of her name. Elizabeth stood staring down at her.

"I...I saw you run out of the hospital. I got worried, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Well, I know that isn't true." Lizzie sat down next to her. "What's going on?"

"Nikolas."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Who isn't worried about him? Have you seen him, talked to him?"

Emily shook her head. "I can't."

"What do you mean 'I can't'?"

"I went to see him today, but when I saw him like that...I couldn't go in there. I was so scared."

Elizabeth's look softened as she watched the frightened girl.

"Why are you scared?" she asked gently

Emily sniffled and wiped away her tears.

"I don't know. I'm scared of loosing him, I guess. My mother died in a hospital of cancer. Nikolas seems to be my only best friend here."

"What about Lucky?"

Emily laughed. "He barely knows I'm alive anymore."

"Well," Elizabeth said standing up. "I'm your friend. And I promise that you won't lose me as a friend."

Emily smiled. She had totally misjudged this girl. "Thanks Lizzie."

"Do you want to see Nikolas?" She asked.

Emily shook her head. "Not yet, I'm not ready." She glanced out into the frozen pond.

"But I will be soon.

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