After The Rape by Shari

Prologue

Elizabeth Webber sadly placed the beautiful red dress into a box and stuffed it into the garbage. It took all of her courage not to cry, and be the brave little girl her father had always told her she was.

There was a knock on the front door just as Lizzie opened the back one to head back inside. Feat esculated throughout her body and she froze at the door.

"No." She whispered weakly, frightfully. "No!"

The knocking and ringing of the doorbell esculated until finally it stopped.Lizzie had slid unto the cold ground of the back patio, for suddenly entrapping footsteps could be heard walking around the side of the house.

"No." She told herself. "No." The tears roke free from their baricade and fell rapidly down her cheeks as she fought her mind internally to stand and rush inside.

The shadow turned and Lizzie could see the figure walking around the side of the house. Elizabeth's heart stopped and she screamed shrilly, "NO!!"

Chapter 1

"Elizabeth!?!"

She looked up from the safe haven her bent arms and knees had become. Standing before her was the most wonderful, most amazing person she had ever seen. She cried out and launched herself towards them.

"Thank God its you!" She cried, burying her face deep within his neck.

Lucky pulled back and looked down into her face. She was shivering. From the fear and the cold. "Hey. Its freezing out here, go inside." He helped her in the kitchen. Lizzie looked up into his face, tears streaming rapidly down her cheeks.

Lucky frowned. "What's going on?"

Lizzie shrugged, wiping at her tears. She sniffled. "I was...just throwing my dress away. Its not like I'll be needing it anymore. It was ripped and-"

"Don't." Lucky murmured softly.

"-dirty. Gram was so close to finding it when she came into my room this morning for the laundry that I-I threw it away as soon as she left for work." Liz ran a finger through her dishevled brown hair. "I'm glad you came."

Lucky raised his eyebrows, but smiled. "Really? So am I."

"Yeah, I was kinda drowning in my own lonliness so..."

"I saw Audrey at the hospital." Lucky murmured, following Lizzie into the living room.

"Really? What did she say?"

"She told me a few things that I wish I had known. Then maybe I wouldn't've hurt you so much."

It was Lizzie's turn to raise her eyebrows. "How could you've hurt me Lucky?"

He sighed. "I lied to you and I lied to myself. I told you I would meet you at the dance and then Sarah came and asked me and it-"

"It had been the moment you had been waiting for, right?"

He nodded. "Emphasis on *had been*. She spent the entire night ragging about Cassadine and I spent the entire night...wishing I hadn't gone with Sarah and that i was hanging with you."

Lizzie felt drunk. Surely he was lying!! "I know you're saying this just to make me feel...better or whatever." She sat down on the couch and watched as Lucky shook his head and went over to her.

"No! That's just it! I really wanted to see you. And I *had* to find you when I didn't see you at the dance. No question about it."

Lizzie smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Why did-DO you care so much?"

Lucky shrugged. "I don't know. But I want to find out. I'm DETERMINED to."

"What if I don't let you?"

Lucky sat down on his knees in front of her. He put his face close up to hers and whispered, "You matter to me Elizabeth."

Her breath caught in her throat. "What?" Tears were streaming rapidly down her smooth cheeks.

Lucky took her hand in his."You heard me. You matter to me. I didn't realize it until I found you in the park. I can't...I can't back down without knowing you'll be alright. Maybe that means hanging on your every breath for the rest of your life, or maybe it means nothing at all." He took her head in his hands. "Tell me you're alright, Liz. Tell me. Can you do that?"

"Lucky, go home." Liz said, monotone. She wiped at her single tear, and turned her body away so she couldn't look into his face. Lucky shook his head and went right over to her.

"You were RAPED!" Lucky said sternly. "How can you expect me to go home when you're sititng here, nearly comatose!?! I can't do that!! I WON'T!"

"Lucky-"

"Elizabeth-"

"NO!" She shrieked shrilly, surging to her feet. Lucky watched her rush toward the kitchen before springing up into action, following her.

Lizzie dove for the knife holder and pulled out a large, 6 inch kitchen knife gleaming from the stainless steel blade. She held it up toward herself. "I'll do it!"

Lucky's face filled with disbelief, and heaven no, pity. He felt the tears rushing down his cheeks seeing his friend in such distress. "Elizabeth, no." He said sadly, shaking his head. He took a tentative step towards her, and Liz shrinked back.

"I WANT TO DIE!" She shrieked. "Lucky, let me-"

He shook his head. "No. Liz, this isnt like you! You're a fighter! You can beat this!"

Liz shook her head, her body wracketing in sobs and weeps. "Lucky...I feel so bad. I just feel so bad." She dropped the knife on the floor, making a clattering sound. Lucky reacted quickly when he saw her knees buckle. He caught her and she flung her arms around his neck, weeping into his shoulder.

"It's going to be okay, Liz." Lucky whispered fiercly into her hair. "I promise you. I promise you I won't rest until I find the guy who did this to you. Whatever it takes. Whatever it takes."


Chapter 2

Caroline Benson looked around nervously before stepping up onto the Spencer home doorstep. She peeked inside and saw Laura Spencer bouncing little Lulu on her lap. Carly looked down at her son, Michael, sleeping peacefully in his bassinet.

"Its okay, baby. Mama's gonna set things right. She's gonna set things right...for everyone."

~*~*~*~

Emily smiled at Lucky as he sat down across from her in the lunchroom. "Hey, Lucky."

"Hey." He peeked over her head to try to find Elizabeth somewhere in the crowd of students. "Have you seen Elizabeth anywhere?"

Emily shook her head, and ran a hand through her hair. "She's in my 4th period Trig class and never showed. But I saw her in volleyball practice..."

"Yeah?" Lucky asked eagerly.

"Well, we usually get really worked up, sweaty, so everyone wears tank tops and stuff like that, T-shirts, during practice. But Liz, she wore sweats."

Lucky frowned.

"And Coach Poulton told her to take them off, and she wouldn't... Elizabeth is one of our best servers, and she was terrible today. Something is wrong. I could tell by looking at her..."

*````*

Elizabeth hiked her backpack higher up her shoulders as she entered the girls bathroom. She chose the largest stall, a handicapped one, and locked it. She set her backpack on the hook and opened one of the zippered compartments, taking out the small box. **EPT Pregnancy Test Kit**.

Chapter 3

Laura Spencer looked up as the doorbell rang. She smiled at her daughter, Lesley Lu, and set her down on the couch before standing up.

She made her way to the door and pulled it open. Her pleasent smile faded to a frown of disaproval when she saw Carly on the doorstep. "Caroline."

Carly smiled nervously. "Laura. Hi... I'm not here to cause any trouble, I just need..."

"You need what, Caroline?" Laura asked, irritated.

Carly clutched the bassinet handles tighter within her smooth hands, as her eyes blurred with tears and her voice shook with emotion. "My mother."

(**)(**)

Lucky waved crazily at Liz when he spotted her walking toward him at the end of the lunch. The closer she got, he noticed the tears streaming down her cheeks. His smile faded as he got close enough to her and murmured worriedly, "Elizabeth, what happened!?!"

She shook her head and whispered hoarsely. "Outside. Follow me."

Lucky followed her outside the school just as the 5th period bell rang. He followed her to a bench just on the brinks of the faculty parking lot and sat down next to her.

"Elizabeth, tell me..."

She shook her head again, as her body shook in sobs. "Even though your aunt gave me those pills...I.. I still felt sick, and so...I thought it would be best if I took a test and..."

Lucky took her shoulders gently in his hands, biting his lips to keep from crying. "Elizabeth. TELL ME."

She ran a shaky hand through her hair as she stuttered, "Lucky, I-I'm pregnant."

Chapter 4

Lucky gulped, staring deep into her face, searching. "What?"

Liz nodded, tucking her hair behind her ear. She sighed raggedly as she grated out, "I'm pregnant Lucky. And don't say that it's a mistake, because I...Bobbie gave me the pregnancy test as a precaution to take after I took the pills and.." She stopped, unable to go on anymore. The reality of her attack was so immense, so evident in her mind that she covered her mouth with a shaking hand as her body wracketed in sobs. Lucky felt his own salty tears sliding down his cheeks as he pulled Lizzie's fragile body to him, being careful not to handle her bruised arms roughly.

Lizzie wrapped both arms around his neck and cried into it, wetting the collar of shirt. Lucky didn't notice, nor did he care. He just held her...held her tight, letting her know, no matter what, he'd always be there.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Laura rolled her eyes. "Which mother would that be, Caroline? The dead one, Virginia, or Bobbie?"

"Damn you, you know which mother I'm talking about!" Carly cried, her heartbreaking pain coming through in her voice, face and eyes. "My birth mother!!! The mother who supposedly loved me from the moment she saw me and the first time she held me...and who would for the rest of her life! Oh wait. If her daughter just so happens to be a home-wrecking whore like myself, that-there's the exception! Isn't that about it?"

Laura sighed. "I don't know why you're taking your anger out on me. And stop crying. You'll wake Michael." She leaned down to coo gently at little baby Michael, moving aside to let Carly in.

Carly looked around the house and smiled when she saw Lulu staring up at her from the couch. "She's so cute!"

Laura smiled warmly, like she always did when she thought of her children. "Yes. She is."

Carly looked down in the bassinet, and suddenly felt her eyes flood over with tears. "Laura, I really need to see Bobbie. I-I need to talk to her...I need to...so much." She angrily wiped at her tears.

Laura nodded. "She went to drop Lucas off at the brownstone. She should be back any-"

"Laura, I can't tell you how many times you-" Bobbie's cheery voice could be hear as she entered the back door and walked through the kitchen and into the living room. Her smile faded when she saw her daughter and grandson in the Spencer living room. "Oh." Her face became emotionless, her voice monotone. "What can I do for you?"

"Listen to me. For five minutes. And believe me when I tell you that its the truth."

Chapter 5

Lizzie pulled away from Lucky and groaned, wiping at her tears. She laughed slightly when she saw his tears. "Why are you crying?"

"Liz." He murmured softly, staring tenderly into her face. She broke down again, but her voice stayed strong, tight. She looked pleadingly into his face.

"I need you so much right now, Lucky! You're the only one in the whole world I trust! You found me, you saved me, you... you stepped back when I wanted you to, but you still cared enough...! No one has ever been there, has ever cared as much as you do. And there's not another person on Earth that I'd trust with this secret than you..."

"SECRET!?" Lucky exclaimed quietly. "Elizabeth, you're pregnant! At 14!! You don't know who the father is, you probably never will. You need to abort-"

"NO!" Lizzie cried. "I can't do that!! I can't take this...bastard's child's life! I can't abort a baby! I've been against it ever since I was old enough to understand it!! I can't-"

"You can't have a baby at this age, Elizabeth!" Lucky pleaded.

"Yes! I can!" She hissed, although her face was streaked with tears. "And I will! So if you can't help me-"

"NO." Lucky demanded. "No, no, no, no, no! I'm with you, Liz. Every step of the way. I told you before... I can't back down without knowing you'll be alright... I can't."

Elizabeth looked into Lucky's face, tears streaked down her smooth cheeks. She reached out and took it within her small, feeble hands. "Lucky, I-"

"Shh." He murmured. "Don't."

They stared deep into each other's eyes, as their lips met in a sweeping rush of a kiss. Elizabeth cupped the back of Lucky's head down to hers, and kissed him, every cell in her body badly needing to feel normal again... to feel human. After such an attack that stripped her clean of every inch of dignity, pride, and self-respect.

Chapter 6-

Laura sighed and shifted her weight and stared at Carly. "Fine, talk."

Carly sighed herself, and began fidgeting with her hands. "Rewind to two years ago. I was working as a waitress at some diner in North Carolina, under the name Samantha Flaitley, and one day, one of my customers tells me he's been hired by my birth mother as a private investigator. He said that my mother was a doctor in Upstate New York, she and her husband had a little boy... that they had adopted. So, NATURALLY, I did what any adoptive woman would do when she finds out her birth mother is alive and well and very much capable of raising her...I went to find her. I went to find her and I wanted to ask her WHY. Part of me hoped against hope that the second Barbara Jean Spencer Jones looked into my eyes, she's recognize me right away. She'd take me in her arms and kiss me and tell me...that she loved me and she was so very sorry for giving me up. But it didn't happen. Not at all. So I had to make her pay. But this private investigator kept on bothering me. He knew EVERYTHING! He knew all my names, Elizabeth Johnstan, Chloe Smith, Kendell Fields, Jessica King, Sharon Heywood, Fran Thomas, Carly Roberts, and even my real one... Caroline Benson Spencer. Lucky for me, he left me alone eventually. I turned all my attention back to Bobbie and her family, and I...I did something totally unexpected. I slept with Tony. I fell in love with Tony. Atleast I think it was love, I'm still not sure about that. I didn't count on it, I didn't WANT it. I had never labeled myself a homewrecker, especially when it was my mothers home. But that day when Bobbie caught us in the cabin, and I saw how much I had hurt her... Hell or high water couldn't of kept me from rubbing it all in her face. So I did, every chance I got. You see, I had never believed that Bobbie had loved me... I didn't believe it until nearly two years later, when she finally got it through my thick skull that she had loved me--her daughter, her little girl, NOT me--and I finally knew.."

"What?" Laura snapped.

Carly bit her lip. "That-that I loved her too. It didn't even make sense at first, but then I realized that...I mean, why would I even bother to hurt her? Because I hated her? I'm not the kind of person that goes out of their way to hurt people without a good reason! Honestly!" She added when Laura scoffed. "She took me to see my baby in a BLIZZARD because I asked her too and she gave him to me and I held my son for the first time... And I saw Bobbie looking at me and I opened my mouth and it came out..." She sighed and wiped at some tears that had begun to fall. "And now she hates me. I had two mothers at one point in this world who loved me and one's dead and the other hates me."

Laura felt her heart soften when she saw this little girl standing in front of her. Well, she wasn't a little girl on the outside, but deep inside, she was. A little girl who needed to be loved, was all she needed. She needed for someone to love her and want her and take her in. Right now she was a little girl who had somehow lost her way...and was desperate to find it again. Laura smiled softly. "Well, Bobbie just got back, if you want to talk to her."

Carly brought her head up. Her face was streaked with tears and she was sniffling, but her eyes were full of hope. "She is? How do you know?"

Laura sighed. "She's been home. I lied to you because I didn't think she should see you. But I think you both need each other right now."

Carly shrieked in happiness and threw her arms around Laura. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!"

Laura was shocked at her neices enthusiasm but was touched nonetheless. "She's upstairs."

Chapter 7--

Lucky gently took Elizabeth's hand as he stepped up to the front door of the Spencer home. It was quiet outside as well as inside.

Liz looked into Lucky's face and sighed. "I feel like I'm totally in your way so maybe I should just go home-"

"No." Lucky hissed to her softly. "If Mrs. Hardy doesn't give you the support you need, you can get it here."

Liz smiled warmly. "You're too good for me."

Lucky beamed. "It's a gift, what can I say?"

"You da man." Liz teased, playfully bumping into him. She actually felt HAPPY, despite how crappy her life had become.

Lucky blushed, turned to the door and joked, "Ah, I try." Liz giggled and watched him turn the key in the doorknob and quietly enter the house. Laura stood up from the couch and saw her son walking into the house. She beamed and Lucky's eyes grew wide.

"MOM?" He exclaimed.

"Hey, kiddo!" She rushed to her son and they hugged tightly.

"When did you get back?" He asked her, but tightened his hold on Liz's hand.

"Today. It was supposed to be a surprise. The only people who know I'm back are Bobbie and Caroline."

Lucky was confused, but brushed it aside and turned to Liz. "Elizabeth, this is my mother, Laura. Mom, this is Elizabeth."

Liz and Laura beamed at each other before Lucky turned to the stairs. "Its a long story, but Liz is going to stay here tonight. I'll tell you in a couple of minutes why. Where's Lulu? Doesn't matter, I'll find her anyway."

Laura smiled as she watched her son walk up the stairs.

Lizzie looked around nervously, but smiled when Lucky opened the door to his bedroom. His bed was huge, in the middle of the carpetted room, with a soft denim comforter and big, inviting pillows. Posters of Jazz artists covered the walls, and an autographed picture of BB King sat on his bookshelf, which was covered with trophies from various sports and such, as well as thick books regarding science fiction and literature. His desk covered an entire corner of his room, and his laptop sat on it, surrounded by his car figurines, school work, drawings, and his 3-CD changer, similar to the one Elizabeth had in her own bedroom. Two CD towers were placed on either side of the Changer, and ever slot was filled with a CD. There were three windows that shed light into the room, and gave it life. Two closets were on the wall across from the bed, as well as a big bean bag chair in which a cute little teddy bear sat. Elizabeth giggled when she saw Foster lounging out along the bed.

Lucky looked at her, but beamed. "Hey you!" He told Foster.

Foster looked at Lucky. Elizabeth laughed.

"Come on, off the bed, okay?"

Foster seemed to frown as he stood on his legs and jumped down, then sullenly left the room.

"Look at that!"

"What?"

"How your dog just does whatever you ask him to."

Lucky nodded. "Yeah. Its a mystery, seeing that Sonny and Brenda picked him up off the streets."

Liz smiled at Lucky and he smiled back at her. They stared at each other for a moment before Liz broke the stare and turned to the bed. "It's...big."

Lucky slowly came out of the trance and nodded. "Yeah! Oh, yeah, yeah. You can use it tonight, I'll sleep downstairs."

Liz opened her mouth and frowned. "Lucky?"

"Yeah?" He asked her, almost too eagerly.

"I don't want you to think that...you know, but could you sleep in here tonight? On the floor or whatever, but I'd feel alot better knowing you were in the room."

Lucky nodded. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever makes you feel good."

Elizabeth smiled, almost shyly. "Thanks... So, who's LuLu?"

"My little sister." Lucky told her. "You wanna see her? She's so cute."

Liz nodded. "Definitly. If I'm going to be a mother, I should get used to being around children, right?"

Lucky opened his bedroom door and took her hand.=, but paused when what she said registered.

"Elizabeth-"

She smiled up at him. "Thank you so much for being there for me, Lucky. You're the best friend I've ever had."

Chapter 8--

Jason looked up from his desk when he heard the door to the penthouse open and close quietly.

"Jason?" He heard Carly call out. "Jase?"

"In the office!" He called back to her. A few seconds later, Carly entered carrying Michael. She was smiling.

"I take it things went well."

"They went BETTER THAN WELL!" Carly exclaimed. Michael looked up at his mother and frowned at her loud voice. "Bobbie and I are thisclose to havng a real relationship."

Jason was smiling as he pushed back his chair and stood. "What did it take?"

Carly shrugged. "A lot of talking. She...can't forgive me just yet, but she...Jason, she held Michael and... God, I can't even begin to tell you how many times I had dreamed of that moment in my mind. When she would hold him and know him, know who he was and know who I was. Not ONCE did she judge me. She saw me and she let me talk to her, and she told me what it would take..."

Jason was beaming as he took Michael from her arms and carried him into the living room. Carly watched as he set Michael into the bassinet and covered him with a blanket.
He looked down at Carly and she beamed, looking up at him. She playfully punched his arm. "Its because of you, you know!"

Jason raised his eyebrows. "How do you figure that?"
Carly was still smiling. "Because...well, I don't know, but it seems that my life has just been getting better and better since I moved in with you. You have no idea how greatful I am."

"Don't be greatful." Jason told her as he slid his hands into his pockets. "Be happy."

--=--=--=--=--=--

Chapter 9--

Lucky watched Elizabeth sleep, the way she looked so amazingly peaceful and serene...the way her chest rose and fell with every drastic breath. She looked so beautiful...It shocked Lucky to realize NOW just how beautiful Elizabeth Webber really was. But he stared at her and couldn't imagine her looking any other way to him...but beautiful.

=======

"Lucky? Cowboy?" Luke called as he entered the Spencer home late that evening.

"Hey there."

Luke recognized the voice right away as his wife's and flicked on the light, eagerly calling out, "Laura?"

He spotted her standing by the window. His heart was pounding wildly in his chest as he stared at the woman who had had his heart for the past 18 years. She looked just the same, but more and more beautiful. She had gotten a haircut, of course, but still...

"Don't I get a hug?"Laura exclaimed and opened her arms wide.

Luke rushed to her and pulled her tightly into his arms, burying his face within her neck. "God, baby, I missed you so much."

Laura ran her fingers through her hair. "So you're not angry with me for not consulting you on coming home?"

Luke didnt even care. He held her tightly and whispered, "I love you so much."

Laura smiled. "I love you too."

She pulled back enough to look into his face. "Wanna see Lulu?"

Just then, Lucky came down the stairs, carrying his sleeping baby sister in his arms.

Luke's face lit up when he saw his daughter and he walked to his son and held out his arms. Lucky smiled and handed Lulu over to his father.

"Mom, about Elizabeth."

"Yes, Lucky, tell me what you are doing having a girl sleep in your bedroom."

Luke raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth to stop Lucky from saying-

"Mom, Elizabeth was raped."

Chapter 10--

Laura stared at her son in disbelief for a moment. Actually, to Luke, it seemed like a lifetime.

"Well, are you-are you sure?" Laura asked, her voice hoarse with emotion.

Lucky nodded. "She admitted it. I mean, not right away, but eventually. Dad and I were just talking...well, its not anything new, but we were just talking about what kind of man could do that to a woman...and go on living with himself. Go on living at all..."

Laura raised an eyebrow and tilted her head to look at her husband. "Oh, really?"

Lucky, not understanding his mothers uncomfortableness or his fathers fear, went on. "Yeah. I was thinking that...maybe I should take her out on a date. I mean, thats how it all started... I was supposed to meet her at the school dance and kinda went with her sister instead."

Laura nodded, smiling. "That's great, Lucky. Do whatever-whatever it takes. Alright? Just be there for her when she needs you and-GO TO BED." She hugged Lucky once more before pushing him toward the stairs. She took Lulu from Luke and handed her to Lucky.
"Here. Take Lulu with you."

Lucky said goodnight and Luke and Laura watched their son walk up the stairs. As soon as they heard his bedroom door slam, Laura let out a deep breath and turned to her husband. "Luke-"

"Baby, I know what you're going to say. Bobbie kept grilling me about it...but I can't, baby. Can't you-"

"NO!" Laura hissed. "Luke... Our son...he...he has this friend. A friend who means a lot to him, I could see him hurting just by looking into his eyes, Luke! On any other day, I would say, 'You're right. He doesn't have to know.' But when rape comes this close to him...to US, how can we just sit there and not tell Lucky that!?! And let him go on thinking his father is this...amazing hero who's never treated a woman wrong and who's never broken the law!? That's plain WRONG and what-what does it teach Lucky in the long run!?"

Chapter 11--

Elizabeth groggily woke up the next morning and looked at her surroundings. She was shocked to find herself in Lucky Spencer's bedroom, in his bed. She looked down at herself and saw one of Lucky's flannel shirts on her body, and Lucky himself standing by the window.

"Hey!" He whispered softly. They smiled at each other and Elizabeth slowly pulled herself from the bed.

"How did you sleep?" Lucky asked her.

"Wonderfully. Having you in here with me really did the trick. Thank you..."

Lucky watched Liz's eyes grow huge as she suddenly vomited on his carpet.

Elizabeth groaned and turned her head away, and Lucky watched in horror before he rushed to her. "Are you okay?"

Elizabeth started to nod, but then shook her head. "No...no, I'm not. Morning sickness, you know?"

Lucky nodded as he opened his bedroom door and escorted to her to the bathroom.

****
Later That Day
****

Elizabeth stared at Lucky as they walked up to the Hardy house. She turned to him and smiled warmly. "You made me realize something today, Spencer."

Lucky tilted his head. "Really? What?"

"That I was incredibly stupid for thinking that I was ready for a kid. I'm going to have an...abortion."

Lucky nodded. "Good. Its the best thing, Liz."

She smiled. "I know."

They stared at each other for a moment, before they drew in closer, inch by inch. Lucky drew a deep breath. "This could get...bad."

Liz smiled. "Fine with me."

They kissed, slowly, just testing it out, before it deepened into so much more.

Elizabeth pulled back, tears streaming down her cheeks. She covered her mouth with her hand and stepped back.

"Liz-" Lucky began, regretting it already.

She smiled. "You're amazing, Spencer. I'll call you later...."
Chapter 12--

It was raining in Port Charles, drenching soaking rains. Especially over at 24 Maple Drive, the Spencer home. Luke knocked on Lucky's bedroom door, and peeked in. He smiled at his son, who was working diligently on his computer. "Hey cowboy."

Lucky looked up. "Hey, Dad, what's up?"

Luke sighed and sat down on the edge of Lucky's bed. "Would you mind turning that thing off?"

Lucky was about to protest, but something in his father's voice told him not too. He nodded and shut his computer down, swinging around in his chair to stare attentatively at his father.

"Son, your mother and I think its time that you knew about something that happened to her a few years before you were born. What which what's going on with Lizzie, we can't just sit back and NOT tell you."

Lucky nodded. "Sure. Right. Mom was raped. By Cassadine. I know that."

Luke frowned. He really had a very loyal son, didn't he? So loyal was he that he was almost ignorant. "No, you don't, son." He half smiled, shaking his head. "You don't."
Lucky stared at his father hard, and could tell that he spoke the truth. He was dead serious. "Then I guess you better tell me."

"Lucky...your mother was married to a man named Scotty Baldwin. She worked for me, at my club...the Campus Disco. I managed the place, she worked for me.."
Lucky nodded. "Okay."

Luke closed his eyes tight as he went back to that night. That awful, awful night in which he brutalized the woman he loved more than life itself...a night which would live in infamy for him. For his entire family, as long as he lived. As long as they all lived. One mistake he couldn't change..but wished he could for everything in the world.

"Lucky, I got drunk. It got late, Laura and I were the only ones there. I got so drunk I..I-I-I..don't even really recall what happened next. Except that she was.." Luke closed his eyes tight as tears began to roll down his cheeks. His voice was shaky. Lucky's eyes were huge. "She was fighting me and screaming for me to stop, begging me, fighting me... God, why didn't I stop? Why didn't I stop?"

Lucky stared at his father in horror. His breath grew choppy. "What-what're you saying, Dad?"

Luke's eyes opened for the first time in forever, it seemed. They were full of tears, of pain, of a past that haunted him so much that he just..couldn't bear to know it. "I'm saying that *I* raped your mother, Lucky. Me. Not Stavros or Stefan or any Cassadine...just your dear ol' dad."

Lucky stared at Luke. He didn't believe it. His eyes welled up. He COULDN'T believe it. But when he looked into his father's eyes, he didnt see any lies there. Just truth. The worst truth he could've every known.

"No." Lucky whispered hoarsely. "No..." He began to back up, away from his father. Luke stood up and reached out for him, "Lucky-"

"Stay the hell away from me!" Lucky yelled. "Don't you touch me!!!" He grabbed his coat from the bed and fled from the room. "Lucky!!" Luke called, launching after him. "Dammit, Lucky, listen to reason, man!"

"REASON!!?!" Lucky asked unbelieveably. "You rape my mother and lie to me about it for ALL OF THESE YEARS and you want me to REASON with you here!?!? Uh-uh. NOT gonna happen."

He rushed to the door, and Luke grabbed his arm. "GET OFF OF ME!" Lucky yelled at the top of his lungs. "Stay the hell away from me."

He flung open the door and rushed out into the pouring rain.

Luke rushed after him, crying, "Dammit, Lucky!! Its pouring out here!! Come back in here, son!!"

Lucky turned on his heel. "I'm NOT your son!! As far as I'm concerned, I DON'T HAVE A FATHER! I AM *NOBODY'S* son!!!" Lucky turned once more and fought his way down the drive and out of sight.

+(+)+

Lizzie sat on a bench on the docks, letting her body get drenched in the rain. Her legs swung out from underneath her, and she snuggled deep into the depths of her sports jacket. She heard a pair of feet angrilly stomp down the steps and turned. "Hey! Lucky!"

She tried to smile at him when he turned, but her smile faded when she saw his dangerously wild gaze. She could tell he had been crying. He looked exactly how she felt. "Lucky?" She stood up. "What's wrong?"

Lucky groaned as he rushed towards her and enveloped her in a huge hug. Lizzie's eyes grew wide but she needed the hug just as much as he did. "Are you okay?" Lucky asked her softly.

Lizzie shrugged. "That house is suffocating me, Lucky... But I'm more concerned about you." She pulled back and looked into his face. "Why...are you crying?"

Lucky shrugged. "Same as you. I needed to get away from the lies and bullshit, you know?"

Lizzie nodded, murmuring, "Join the club."

Lucky rain a few hands through his hair. "I was...I know of this place in the woods, on the outskirts of town, where we could go. Its perfect. Has plenty of freshwater, firewood, food...blankets. A bathroom."

Lizzie smiled warmly. "Sounds like heaven. What is it?"

"A cabin..." was all Lucky said. Lizzie nodded anxiously. "Let's go..."

"Do you have clothes?" Lucky asked her softly.

She shook her head.

"Neither do I." Lucky sighed, thinking. "Okay, we have to go back home and pack some things. It still gets pretty cold out there, and the two fireplaces and blankets aren;t enough. Trust me."

Lizzie nodded again. "Okay. Meet back here...an hour?"

"You got it."

Chapter 13--

Lizzie sneaked up the stairs to her bedroom, careful not to let Sarah and Audrey, who were cooking in the kitchen, know she was home. She entered her bedroom and closed the door. Looking around for a few minutes, Lizzie pulled her duffle bag from her closet and began to stuff her clothing and such in it. She took her favorite teddy bear in the entire world, Humphrey, a bear she had had since the day she was born (Sarah told her Jeff, their father, had been estatic when he heard his pregnant wife was bearing him another little girl and he went out and bought the teddy bear for the baby). Elizabeth also packed a few of her favorite CDs, all of her money, her portable radio/CD player, soap, shampoo and conditioner, a hair dryer, asprin, tampons, her favorite magazines, and her hairbrush. Eventually, Lizzie took her school backpack and shoved the things that wouldn't fit in the duffel bag into it.

As Lizzie headed to the door, she paused when her vanity mirror caught her eye. Several pictures of her mother and friends from Denver and even a few from Port Charles drew her toward the mirror. She stared at several, deciding which ones she would take. Finally, she took three. One of she and her entire family vacationing in Hawaii, one of she and her best friend Dionne in Denver on an overnight class trip, and the last one, a picture of Lucky, one he had given her a few days after the rape. The people in the picture were the most important people in her life and she needed a constant reminder of them with her at all times.

Hitching her backpack high on her shoulder, Lizzie stared around at her bedroom for the last final time before flicking off the light and quietly leaving the house.

+*+*+*+

Lucky was already on the docks when Lizzie came clambering down the steps. She smiled at him as she dumped her belongings in the pile next to Lucky's and rushed to embrace him. They hugged tightly, and Lizzie reluctantly pulled back. She stared into Lucky's beautiful blue eyes and let out a deep breath. "We're really going to do this? We're really going to run away?"

Lucky shook his head, and subconciously realized his arms were still around Lizzie's waist. "Don't think of it as running away... Think of it as...taking a vacation. A very LONG vacation."

Lizzie nodded. "If its any consolation, I'm really glad I'm with you. You've really become...my best friend lately, Lucky."

He smiled, touched that she would say something like that. "For me too, Elizabeth. Me too."

She looked down at her hands, sighing. "Its getting late. Should we be leaving now?"

Lucky nodded and pulled back. He turned and went over to their things, helping her with her bags before putting his own on his back. "Alright. You ready?"

Liz nodded, smiling almost nervously. She watched Lucky hold out his hand. "Yeah. I'm ready."

Lucky nodded and squeezed her hand tight as she placed it in his. "Just stay close to me and we'll be there in an hour. By the way, its a good thing you wore sneakers."

Lizzie smiled as she and Lucky set out. "Stay close to you?" She whispered softly to herself. "No problem. I've already fallen in love with you."

X*x*x*x*x*X

Laura smiled warmly at Luke when she entered the kitchen, carrying Lesley Lu and several shopping bags. "Hey, honey."

She dropped her bags and set Lulu in her high chair, before shedding her coat. "The rain stopped, luckily. And I found some INCREDIBLE fabrics at the store. Did I tell you I was thinking about remodeling the house? The ENTIRE place needs redecorating. I don't know, maybe because I've been gone so long, I've just lost my feel for the interior, but I hope you don't mind. Do you think Lucky will..." She stopped when she noticed he was staring expressionlessly at Lulu. He hadn't heard a word she said.

"Luke?" Laura asked softly, walking toward him. "Luke? What's wrong?" She stared into her husbands face.

"Lucky's gone."

Laura's face filled with thousands of emotions. Confusion, disbelief, sadness... "What?"

"I told him the truth, Laura." Luke told his wife, his voice bitter and full of resentment. "I told him that I raped you on October 8, 1979 in the Campus Disco. And guess what he did? He packed his things and ran away. And the little Webber girl is missing also."

Laura stared at Luke in fear. Her eyes filled with tears. "Lucky ran away from home?"

"ISN'T THAT WHAT I JUST SAID!?" Luke yelled.

Laura shrinked back, hurt. Luke sighed. "I'm sorry baby. I've just been all over Port Charles and no one has seen either of them. I'm just real anxious to find out where the hell he is."

Laura nodded and opened her arms. Luke went into them, pulling Laura into his arms tight. "We'll find him, Luke." Laura said, praying to God it was so. "We'll find both of them. We will."

Chapter 14--

Lizzie gasped as Lucky slid the door to the cabin open. He moved aside and let her in. Lizzie was honestly awed at the size of the place. Granted, it was't huge...but it was perfect!! Directly in front of them was a staircase which led right up to a room, with the front of it overlooking the downstairs, and the far wall covered from floor to ceiling with stone, and the stone fireplace. The downstairs, to the left, was a semi-small kitchen and small fridge and to the right two small bedrooms. Behind the staircase was another small living room with a fireplace and several logs, as well as a bathroom.

"Lucky, this place is incredible!" Liz gushed. "How did you find it?"

Lucky shrugged. "Well, Emily and I...a few years ago...had a few adventures and, I kinda found this..."

Liz nodded. She whispered shyly, "Em and I used to talk about you all the time."

Lucky's eyebrow arched. "Yeah?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Yup. She told me all about your adventures...you two kinda had a crush on each other, right?"

Lucky nodded, but shrugged at the same time. "We're over it now. Atleast, I am. Em's my friend, nothing more."

Lizzie nodded, and closed the door. "It's freezing out there. I don't even think I brought enough warm stuff!"

Lucky shrugged as he walked into the kitchen and ran some warm water in the sink. Lizzie noticed all the floors were carpeted. Even the kitchen. "This is a pretty luxurious cabin to be way out in the woods."

Lucky nodded. "Yup."
"And its all yours?"

"It's Emily's mothers cabin." Lucky admitted. "Emily and I both have a key. I come up here all the time when I want to get away from things..."
Lizzie raised her eyebrows. "Emily's mother died, right?"

Lucky nodded. "Yup." He handed her a cup of hot chocolate and she gratefully took it from him. "Thanks." She whispered softly.

"So, what do you want to do?" Lizzie asked as she finished the hot chocolate. She really was thirsty!!

Lucky helped her with her coat. "Well, that depends. What did you bring?"
Lizzie shrugged. "Not much...I mean, you couldn't have any fun with it. A bunch of magazines, soap, a hairbrush, shampoo...."
"Laptop. Batteries. Flashlight. Candles. Cards. A few board games. We'll be alright."

Elizabeth's eyes were huge. She followed Lucky into one of the bedrooms. "You brought ALL OF THAT with you?!"

He shrugged. "Sure. Now, where's your stuff. I'll help you get settled in."

Liz handed him her bag and watched as he dumped the contents out on the bed. She stared at him, and felt her heart pound with...excitement. Her blood was racing. He was sooo adorable! And so protective. And so trustworthy and caring and..perfect. Liz had fallen in love with her knight and shining armor--Lucky Spencer.

"Lucky, why did you run away from home?" Elizabeth whispered softly. "Please, trust me? Please?"

He looked up at her and saw her. She looked really cute in her button down workshirt, white turtleneck and those little bell bottom type jeans she almost always wore. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, she clutched a teddy bear in her arms and she was running her teeth over her lower lip, repeatedly.

Lucky sighed. "My, uh...my father and I just had an argument."

"About what?"

"About my mother. The truth about my mother."

"What is the truth?" Lizzie asked him. She watched Lucky, as he fought to ignore her. "Lucky?" She placed her hand on his arm and he looked down at it, then up at her. "What is the truth?"

"My father raped my mother, Elizabeth." Lucky told her in disgust. "He pushed her down and he forced her...to have sex with him."

Lizzie stared at Sonny in shock. "Oh my God. Lucky, I'm so-"

"Don't be." Lucky urged her. "Don't be sorry, alright? You didn't do anything wrong. My mother didn't do anything wrong. But I can't understand how she could forgive him! And fall in love with him and marry him...bare his children. Do you understand that? I mean, if that happened to you, could you?"

Lizzie stared at Lucky as he fought back the tears, and the truth, which was tearing him apart. "I did bear my rapist's child, Lucky." Elizabeth whispered softly. "But I killed it. Before it could kill me..."

"You what?" Lucky asked, drawing his head up.

"I had the abortion." Lizzie whispered. "At Mercy. Don't be mad. I didn't tell you because I wanted...I don't know why I didn't tell you."

Lucky scoffed, although he wasn't angry at her. Just the whole world.

"Lucky, don't you understand!?!" Elizabeth proded.

"NO!" He told her.

"You're here! Today, you're alive because your parents conceived you. In love, Lucky. In love. Not...not in hate. And resentment. Not in rape."

Lucky stared at Elizabeth, trying to figure her out. He looked around the small bedroom. "Liz, what-"

"You can't help who you love, Lucky!" Elizabeth shouted to him. "You can't help who you fall in love with and want to be with for the rest of your life!! You can't!" She gulped back her tears. "Lord knows that I should know!! I do! If not better than your mother, than better than everyone else on the damn planet!"

Lucky wrung his hands in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"YOU!" Elizabeth cried finally. "YOU!"

"Me?" Lucky asked her, totally out of it.

"God, you're so dense!" Elizabeth went over to him. "I liked you from the very first moment I ever saw you!! You were...cool. You were nice... You were definitly the hottest and most honest guy I had ever met. But you were totally, one-hundred percent in head-over-heels love with my sister. So I hated her for it!! Everything I did, from stealing Ruby's ticket to go to Sonny and Brenda's wedding, to putting those condoms in Nikolas' stuff, was so that YOU would notice me. Well, I think that's what I did it for, I don't even really remember anymore. But it took the worst possibly thing to ever happen to me for you to even give me the time of day!! And when you found me...you whisked me away, to your house, and you were always there for me from then on... So I fell in love with you. Typical for the Webber girls. Always fall in love with the wrong guys... Well, typical for Lizzie."

Lucky opened his mouth to get a word in edgewise, but Liz shook his head. "I, uh... True, everyone thought I was the class slut. That I'd slept with, like, everyguy on the Varsity football team. But the truth was...I was a normal teenager until that night. I was so happy when you said you'd meet me at the dance, Lucky. But, I always hide how I feel so that people can't see that I'm hurting and then they won't be liable to hurt me any further... But I can honestly tell you when you chose Sarah over me, it felt like...it hurt more than anything I had ever felt. And I couldn't face the pain, so I ran from it. Right into the park and right into a rape. And surprise, surprise...I had been a virgin up until that very moment. That bastard ruined the one thing that I knew no one could take away from me! That one moment in time when the guy I...loved, maybe, or the guy who I trusted, who trusted me, and I finally made love!! Not when some regular john grabs me and throws me down!! Not when-"

"Elizabeth, stop!" Lucky yelled, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her. "Don't say anymore."

Lizzie looked into Lucky's eyes and took a deep, shaky breath. "Kiss me, Lucky."

"No."

"Don't you want to?" Lizzie asked softly, through tears.

"Yes."

"Then why don't you?"

"Because."

"Because what?" Lizzie pulled back and stared into Lucky's face.

"Because...if I do..."
"Lucky."
"I won't be able to stop."
"So?"
"Elizabeth."
"If you mean sex-"
"Elizabeth!"

"If you mean sex, it hadn't crossed my mind-"
"Good."
"But that doesn't mean I wouldn't want it-"
"Oh, man."
"Lucky, don't you?"
"Elizabeth-"
"Don't you like me?"
"YES!"

"You do?"
"Yes!"
"Then why wouldn't you want to have sex with me?"
Lucky couldn't believe this. He grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "Do you hear yourself!?! We're 16!! We're only 16, Lizzie!! 16!!!"
Lizzie nodded, looking down. "I know."

Lucky stared at her. "Elizabeth...you matter to me, you have to know that."

She sniffled. "Mattering to you and being loved by you are two totally different things." She unbuttoned her workshirt suddenly.

"What are you-" Lucky began. He watched as she threw her shirt to the floor and suddenly whipped her t-shirt over her head. She stood before him, in a bra and her jeans. "What are you doing!?" Lucky shrieked, covering his eyes.

"Changing for bed." Liz said simply. "It's late and Im tired." She unbuttoned her jeans and sat down on the edge of the bed, whipping them off. Lucky tried not to stare at her beauty because she stood before him on only her underwear. Lucky took his hands away from his eyes when he thought it was safe, only to see Liz reach behind for the clasp of her bra.

"NO!" Lucky shouted. Liz stopped. She watched Lucky's eyes narrow in to her lower abdomen. "Is that the...?" He reached his hand out and gently rubbed the bandage. Liz nodded, grimacing. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you-"

"You don't owe me anything." Lucky whispered. "Did it...did it hurt?"

Liz shrugged. "Not really... I didn't feel anything. But its still sore."

Lucky nodded. "When did you..I mean, when did-"

"A week and a half ago." Lizzie murmured. "In fact, two days after I told you I would get an abortion."

Lucky turned around and walked to the door. "I'll put the food and stuff away. Get dressed."

Chapter 15--

Laura sighed as she handed Detective Garcia a picture of Lucky. "This is the most recent picture of him."

Garcia nodded and looked at the Spencers. "Had anything aroused before your son's disappearance?"

Laura looked at Luke. Luke nodded, sighing. "Yeah. Uh...he and I had a fight. A pretty big fight."

Garcia: "What about?"

Luke looked at Laura. She looked at him. "That has nothing to do with this investigation, now does it?"

Garcia rolled his eyes and walked to the telephone on his desk. "You never know. But we'll do the best we can to find him, alright?"

)(-- --)(

Lizzie sat up in bed early the next morning to the aroma of eggs and bacon. She stretched and threw her legs over the side of the bed, jumping off. Looking around the tiny bedroom, Lizzie spotted her slippers and slid her feet into them. She pulled open the door and covered her eyes from the blinding sunlight. She smiled when she spotted Lucky whipping food up on the stove. She walked into the kitchen and leaned on the counter. "Hey. Smells delicious."

Lucky looked up and smiled at her. "Hey. You think? I dunno, its about the only thing I can cook well, but..."

Elizabeth stared into his eyes and totally lost herself. Lucky stared back at her, awed by her beauty. "Lucky, I-"

"Liz, I-"

They laughed. Lucky turned off the stove and walked around the counter to Liz. "Did you look outside?"

"What? No, I-" She gasped. "Lucky!! It snowed!"

He smiled. "Yeah, I know. And, luckily, in the back there're a couple of sleds. Why don't we take advantage of the snow and...go sledding?"

Lizzie's eyes grew wide. "Oh my gosh, I haven't gone sledding in YEARS! That'd be sooo awesome, Lucky!"

He laughed. "Do you have any waterproof pants?"

She shook her head. "Naah. I didnt think i'd need them."

Lucky shrugged. "Its okay, I have an extra pair."

Lizzie nodded, dragging her eyes from his. "So, uh, after I eat your delicious breakfast, we go and hit the..er, what exactly is there back there?"

Lucky grinned. "The steepest hill you'll ever see. Perfect for sledding."

"I can't wait." Lizzie beamed.

"Neither can I."