CHAPTER TWO: THE STAGE IS SET   Lucky and Mike are talking quietly as Nikolas walks into the club. "Lucky, we need to talk," Nikolas says sternly. Lucky nods, says something quickly to Mike and ushers Nik towards his office. When the two men are sitting across from each other. Lucky lights up a cigar, smiling, "So Nik, what's got your Underoos in a twist?" Nik doesn't smile. "Where is Lesley Lu?" Lucky shrugs, "Couldn't tell ya." Nikolas continues, "She got separated from her bodyguards." Lucky takes a long puff on his cigar, "Lulu ditched 'em. Nikolas, you ought to know by now that if a 4 year old girl can go from Kelly's to Spoon Island unseen, that same girl at 15 can lose a couple of tails." Nikolas nods, "Time to get someone else, then." He changes subjects. "Actually, there was another reason that I came here. I need you to do some work for me. Troubleshooting." Lucky sits forward in his seat, his curiosity piqued. Nikolas continues, "What do you know about Yagi Pharmaceuticals?" Lucky smiles as he sits back, "Sounds interesting." ***** Laura couldn't help but squeal when Lu screamed. Sighing, Lu tries to regain her breath, "Mom, you scared me!" "Sorry," Laura replies softly. Lu took a good look at her mother. Her hair was down and curled towards her neck. A look she rarely wore anymore. "What are you doing here?" Laura puts her arm around Lu's shoulder as they both turn and look at Luke's headstone. "Same as you." She pauses for a second, "He would have been 62 today. It's not fair." Lu looks over at Laura, "He was that much older than you?" She hadn't really thought much about her parents' age difference. Laura nods, "Almost fifteen years." "Are you happy with Daddy?" Lu quickly corrects herself, "I mean, Stefan?" "Of course, honey. Stefan has been wonderful to me, to us. All of us, for years." "But he's not my father." Laura wipes away her own tears and embraces her daughter, "No, he's not Luke. No one could ever be Luke." Lu walks over and holds up the cigar that Lucky had placed on the headstone earlier. "Lucky tries." "Lucky's always tried to be a clone of his father. He never wanted anything more than for Luke to be proud of him." "And was he, proud of Lucky, I mean?" Laura nods and speaks softly, "Oh yes. The two of you were the most important thing in your father's life. There wasn't anything he wouldn't have done for you." Lu smiles, "Thanks Mom, I think I needed to hear that." Glancing at her watch, Lu hugs Laura briefly. "I gotta go, I'll see you at home later?" "Okay Lu. Be careful." Lu smiles her trademark smile, "Aren't I always?" Laura nods as Lu goes off, leaving her alone at Luke's grave. Laura kneels down and runs her fingers over the name: LUCAS LORENZO SPENCER, SR. She cries softly, "Luke, I want you to know that I still love you. Even after 11 years, I can't get past that night. Sure, life goes on, even you could admit that, but a part of me died with you. I see things in our children that remind me of you. Lucky especially. Lulu is right, he is almost exactly like you." Wiping away her tears, she says, "I just wish you were here to see it." She stands up slowly, then leans back over and rests her hands on the top of the headstone. "I miss you," she whispers. Laura didn't notice the figure watching her from the shadows. ***** Tommy escorts Emily back to the Quartermaine gatehouse. She had been completely silent since he found her on the bridge. Once they were inside, Tommy speaks, "Em, you have some decisions you need to make." Emily looks at him blankly, "Huh?" "Lucky. Are you gonna tell him?" Emily shakes her head, "Oh Tom, he's just so unpredictable. He'll shoot off at a moments notice. He's not the type that's ready for this." She stands up and walks around the room silently. "Up until a little while ago, I would have said the same thing about you." Emily frowns, "Things change." Almost absentmindedly, she looks back at Tommy, "Would you like some herbal tea or something?" "Sure, I guess." He watches as Emily mechanically walks off towards the kitchen. He follows her, "Emily, you're avoiding the issue." Her eyes speak volumes as she glares at him. "No I'm not. I'm carrying Lucky Spencer's child. I can't avoid that much longer. Pretty soon it's gonna be staring me in the face. Children bring responsibility, I can't shoot off at a moments notice any more. It wouldn't be right. Not now." "Do you love Lucky?" "What kind of question is that?" Tommy looks deeply into her eyes, "Marry me." Emily is incredulous, "What?" "You heard me." Emily sits down at the kitchen table, "Oh come on, you can't be serious." Tommy sits opposite her, "As a heart attack. Look, I just graduated med school, and I'll be starting my residency at GH in a few days. Sure, it's not the best arrangement, but I can be a stable father figure for your child." Emily shakes her head, "Lucky would never go for that." Tommy shrugs, "Suit yourself, but you just said that Lucky wasn't the settling down type. I am." Emily sighs, "You've given me a lot to think about." Tommy stands, "I'll take a rain check on that tea and leave you to your thoughts." He crosses over and kisses her on the lips. Emily resists at first, but then succumbs to her instincts. As soon as she starts to respond, he ends it. He leaves without another word. Emily is left sitting alone in her kitchen. She puts her head in her arms on the table and sobs. Tommy peeks his head back in the kitchen to take another look at her. He hates to see her hurting, but he also couldn't help but smile as he left. *****