**see first part for disclaimer**

Memoria
by Laura L.

Part XVI

In the middle of the night, they had carried blankets and pillows to the gazebo flanked by roses and a lake, creating a makeshift tent. Luke had refused to sleep in a bedroom that belonged to Stefan Cassadine. He couldn't even be persuaded when Alexis reminded him that he was sleeping with a woman that was a Cassadine.

The temperature had dropped during the night, and Luke drew Alexis closer and closer to his body. His eyes fluttered open to the sight of her hair splayed across the pillow, her forehead pressed to his chest. He rubbed the back of his fingers up and down her arm and relished the feel of her warm breath beating against his skin.

Birds chirped around them, and an early morning dew glazed all of the flowers and grass. Luke had to admit to himself how beautiful the grounds were. He circled his arms around her body once again and closed his eyes. The distant sound of a cell phone ringing disturbed his almost-sleep, and Luke sat up.

Alexis groaned quietly and shifted on the blankets, having no intention of getting up. She left Luke to search under the layers of quilts and comforters, finally finding her purse on the other side of the large gazebo floor. He reached inside and held the phone to his ear, answering groggily. "Hello?"

"Uh... hello," Jax said, his breath hitching at the sound of Luke's voice.

Luke cleared his throat, waking up immediately. "Jacks," he sneered. "Whaddya want?"

"I need to speak with Alexis. It's urgent'

"She's busy right now," Luke said, brushing his fingers through Alexis' hair.

Jax nodded. He clenched his teeth and sugar coated his voice, saying, "Okay. Would you please tell her to call me or come by the penthouse. It's really important."

"Will do," Luke said, pressing his finger against the power button and tossing the phone over his back. Alexis rolled onto her back and Luke let himself fall beside her, draping one arm over her stomach. He pressed his lips to her cheek, ticking her.

"Who was that?" Alexis asked in between fits of giggles.

He considered lying. "Your good pal Jax," he told her. "Said he needs to talk with you. It's urgent."

Alexis nodded. She let a pang of guilt pass through her for a moment, and then let it go. She reached up and brushed her fingers over the dusting of coarse hair on Luke's face. "I'll see him. Soon."

"Don't you have to see your brother first?"

She smiled at him for even mentioning Stefan. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. Thanks for reminding me." Alexis sat up, the blankets pooling around her waist.

Luke grabbed the back of her T-shirt and pulled her down again. "Now? I didn't mean now."

She laughed and held two fingers around his chin. "You distracted me from my... tasks last night, Spencer. As much as I'd like to make a habit out of it, I just can't. Not yet anyway." She pressed a quick but sultry kiss to his lips and stood up, kicking the blankets away from her feet.

~*~

Jax held the phone to his ear, listening to the dial tone. He drew in a sharp breath and let the phone slip from his hand. He wished Alexis had answered. If she had heard the concerned tone in his voice, she would be rushing over to the penthouse as fast as her feet would carry her.

He walked over to the sofa and sat down. Jax reached toward the table and grabbed the envelope that had been delivered earlier that morning. He removed the slip of paper and carefully read every word for the tenth time. "It is common knowledge that Helena Cassadine is a dangerous woman. I know that you cannot always protect the people you love from her wrath. But you need to know it would be in Alexis Davis’ best interest to go to Greece as soon as possible. Someone needs to help her. Save yourselves and the innocent lives that Helena has ruined. That is all I can say.”

~*~

"You shouldn't be here," Alexis warned him, stopping in the middle of the narrow hallway that lead to the visitor's center. The cop on duty was allowing Stefan to meet with his visitors in the large, vibrantly colored room with tables and carpet. It was partly to reward good conduct, but mostly because he pleaded a good case about needing to embrace his sister.

Luke shrugged. He glanced down the hall and saw through the large window on the door. "Don't you think it'd be better to have another body in there? Another brain to cook somethin' up so we can get my son?"

"This is not going to go over well. You were warned." Alexis shook her head and continued the walk, her heels clicking on the hard ground.

She held her hand over the door knob, unable to move when she saw her brother. He was sitting at a round table, his arms thrown carelessly over the top. His hair was unkempt and the top button of his shirt was undone. Alexis took a quick breath and plastered a smile on her face that became genuine the minute their eyes met.

Stefan stood up, the small chair squeaking on the floor. He met her halfway, his arms extended. He welcomed her into a tight embrace and they rocked from side to side. Hands became tangled in hair and they simply enjoyed the closeness of feeling the other's heart beat. He pulled away from her just enough to frame Alexis' face with his hands, his eyes glazed with tears. "I have missed you," he whispered.

Alexis nodded, blinking back her own tears. "You look well," she told him, reaching up to sweep the back of her hand across his cheek. "I haven't seen this much hair on your face since that time you were trying to rebel against Helena and..." Her words trailed off, her voice souring at the mention of Helena's cursed name.

"Yes. It's hard to control such trivial matters as facial hair in prison." Stefan smiled. He pulled her toward him, dipping his head to press a lingering kiss on the top of her head. When he opened his eyes, he saw Luke hovering by the door. "What is he doing here?"

Alexis turned to look at Luke, flashing him an "I told you so" glare. She pressed her palms to Stefan's chest and said, "I apologize. Luke insisted he had something worthwhile to offer. And, besides... everything that concerns your being accused of shooting me concerns Lucky. Luke is his father, Stefan."

"Yes," Stefan agreed with her quietly. He let his hands slip from around her face to her shoulders, and down her arms to grip her hands. His eyes wandered toward Luke. He nodded once, a silent acceptance of his presence. "My lawyer should be joining us at any time."

"Okay." Alexis followed her brother to one of the tables. They sat down, facing each other. "Nikolas wanted to come," she said. "I thought it might be best to leave him out of this visit. I didn't want him to hear all the legal mumbo jumbo."

A grin slowly spread across Stefan's face. "Mumbo jumbo?"

"It's one of those Americanisms you haven't picked up yet," she laughed.

The door to the room flew open, and Scotty announced his arrival. "Hey, gang," he hollered to them, slamming his briefcase on one of the tables. He glanced around the room and when his eyes fell on Luke, he balled his hands at his hips and asked, "What the hell is he doing here?"

"What?" Luke threw his arms in the air. "Doesn't anybody here like me?" His eyes met Alexis' for a moment, and she smiled. He sighed and quietly retreated to a corner of the room. He sat down near a shelf of puzzles and books for the children that came to visit the prison.

Scotty opened his briefcase and sprawled papers over the table. He held his words until Alexis had finished scanning all of the documents. "To be blunt, it's not good," he told them.

Stefan nodded. He stood up and crossed the floor until he was standing behind Alexis. He curled his fingers around her shoulders and drew her against his chest. His hands kneaded her flesh, his fingers slipping into her hair every so often. "I know," he said after a long stretch of awkward silence. "I took a look at the documents you left with me last night, Mr. Baldwin." Stefan turned Alexis around in his arms, his hands still covering her shoulders. "Did you hear about the letter I received?"

Alexis shook her head. "From Helena?"

He shrugged. "I am not sure. It was not signed, but it was very suspicious. Whoever wrote the letter was warning me to get you to Greece, where they claimed you would be safe. There was some indication that going to Greece was the key to saving Lucky."

Luke's ears perked up. He stood up and moved, silently, to join the others.

Stefan acknowledged Luke with a nod. He met his sister's heavy gaze again and said, "I want to protect you. I want to make sure Helena cannot hurt Lucky. I cannot do any of those things from a prison cell. The only way I will be set free is if someone else confesses to your attempted murder, Alexis. Most likely, that will not happen." He inhaled a sharp breath and gained his composure before his face crumbled and tears pooled in the corners of his eyes. "If I have to, I will entrust your's and Nikolas' safety to someone else. I will count on you to make sure Lucky is safe. I will stay in prison and pay for my mother's crimes."

Alexis shook her head. "No. You can't give up, Stefan. I won't let you."

"It's not your decision," he told her gently. "Believe me, Alexis. I do not want to rot in prison. I do not want to abandon you. I do not wish to be stuck in this hole while Helena has her way with my family. There is no other option."

She pressed her lips together, the lawyer in her reeling to come up with another plan. She craned her neck to look at Scotty, but he simply shrugged. Alexis slid her arms around Stefan's waist and held him close to her, her face pressed to his chest. "I won't let you do this, Stefan. I won't let you give up."

He nodded. Stefan stroked her hair, memorizing every detail and scent. He knew that somehow Alexis understood, that some part of her was trying to accept that her brother would be spending the rest of his life in prison. There really was no other way.

~*~

After visiting with Stefan, they had resolved to go to Luke's club and review the legal documents Scotty had copied for Alexis. They were going to devise a strategy, or at least pretend there was something they could do to help. It was only a matter of time before they found themselves' in his bedroom, and their clothes in a pile on the floor.

Their shadows danced on the wall. They were thinking of nothing but each other. Time had slipped away, as did all thoughts of lawyers, prison cells and psychotic Cassadine matriarchs.

Alexis reached up and pulled him down onto the bed beside her. He kissed her fiercely. They panted and laughed and became tangled in each other's arms. It was a long time before either of them spoke.

"You hungry?" Luke asked, playfully kissing the bridge of her nose.

Alexis nodded. "Famished, actually. Do you have any ice cream?"

"I think there might be some Fudge Nut Swirl downstairs," he said, rolling away from her. He stepped into a pair of jeans and tossed one of his T-shirts at Alexis. She slipped it over her head and followed him out of the small apartment, down the stairs, and into the empty club.

The switch that Luke flipped filled the room with a bright, blue glow. Alexis hopped onto the bar and swung her legs while she waited for him. He emerged from the kitchen with a carton of ice cream and two spoons.

"Here you go," he said, slipping one of the spoons into her hand. Luke sat on the stool beside her, absently running his fingers up and down her bare leg as they ate.

Alexis studied his face, his eyes suddenly dark. She poked the end of her spoon into the ice cream and looked down at him. Lifting his chin so that his eyes met hers, she asked, "Is there something you want to talk about, Luke?" He shook his head. But the way his mouth opened, a quiet sound escaping from his throat, Alexis knew that he was lying. "Luke?"

He shrugged and took a large bite of ice cream before tossing his spoon on the bar. He hopped down from the stool and began pacing back and forth. Luke stopped and sat down at one of the tables, propping his elbows on the top. "Ever since we left the police station, I've been doing some thinking about what Stefan said."

"That's a first," Alexis laughed, the sound dying on her lips when she saw the serious expression on Luke's face. She hopped down from the bar and joined him at the table. "What were you thinking about?"

"I'm about to say something neither of us have ever expected. But... he's right. He has a point. Stefan knows more about how Helena's mind works than I do. He's the one who found my son the first time." Luke shook his head, unable to believe he was agreeing with Stefan Cassadine. He rubbed his hands down his face and exhaled a deep, pent up breath. "I just want my son home and safe. I don't care who brings him back, just so he's free of that monster. I know if I go charging after Helena and demand that she release my son, she's just gonna fire right back at me. I won't be able to control my anger. If you and Stefan work together, you can get to her. You can give my son a chance to escape."

Alexis tilted her head to the side, confused. She interrupted Luke and asked, "Where is all of this coming from? You're entrusting my brother to find your son, and giving up on doing it yourself?"

He nodded. "Lucky hates me, Tasha. You said he came to see you. He's sorry for what he did and he'd do anything to make it up to you. You can persuade him to come home, and Stefan... he can push Helena's buttons. He can get in her mind. I'm just a nuisance to her and I just want her dead."

"I'm not sure I understand what you're trying to say?"

"As long as your brother is in prison, Helena is the winner of this game." Luke leaned forward, draping his arms over the table. "She's got a gun pointed at you all the time, darlin'. She's got your protector in a prison cell. She's got me runnin' around like crazy while my son is under her control. She's got a chance to get Nikolas and take over the family. Everyone is falling into her hands. We gotta change the stakes. We gotta fool her. Mess up her plans."

Alexis' mouth suddenly went dry. She looked into his eyes and felt her stomach tie itself into a knot. She shook her head and whispered dryly, "No, Luke."

"I'm gonna confess to tryin' to kill you."

"No."

He looked down at his hands. "It's the only way. Nobody knows Lucky was in there. Jax can be a witness. He came to your suite after you were shot, when I was already in there. I'll say I killed you and then I pretended to find your body. I'll say I threatened to kill your family if you ever said I shot you. If they ask where the weapon was, I'll just say I'm tricky and those bastards as the PCPD didn't bother to search me."

Alexis shook her head. She couldn't believe the lack of emotion in Luke's eyes, the stone cold seriousness she saw there. "How? How can you even think of doing that?"

"It's the only way. Stefan'll be free. Helena's plans will get turned around. She'll be thrown, won't know what to do. Before she has time to think, you and Stefan can swoop down and save my son. I don't care if I spend my life in prison, I just want him to have a life."

"No, Luke. I won't let you."

He clenched his hands into fists, pounding his knuckles against the table. "It's not your decision," he hollered, the tone of his voice shaking her.

"You hate my brother. Why would you take his place?"

"I love my son," he told her. "I know that Stefan wants to get Lucky away from Helena. I know that he wants Helena dead. I might despise your brother, but I know that he wouldn't let Laura's son die at the hands of that bitch."

Alexis stomped her foot and pushed at the table. She reached forward, grabbing Luke's hands. "We need you to find Lucky, Luke. He's going to need you, even if he won't admit it. All of these reasons... they don't make any sense! Why are you even thinking about this?"

Luke stood up. The chair wobbled and crashed to the floor. He kicked it with his bare foot, ignoring the fierce pains that it caused. "I need to save my son!"

"Then save him! Help us. Don't put yourself in a prison cell where you're helpless. Please!"

"Why the hell do you care?" Luke asked her, his skin red and his knuckles white.

Alexis flinched. She felt tears sting her eyes and bit into her lower lip to hold them back. "Why do I care? How can you ask me that now, Luke?"

He shrugged. "You can't have a life until Helena's dead and buried. That ain't gonna happen if I'm out there makin' a mess of her life, lookin' for my son and stirring up trouble."

"Oh, so this is all for me?"

Luke nodded. "And for my son. You don't need me, Natasha."

His words tore into her, ripped her apart. Alexis' face twisted and tears wavered in the corners of her eyes. "Shouldn't I be the judge of that?" She moved toward him, tears streaking her cheeks when he resisted her touch. Alexis reached for him again, grabbing his elbow and forcing him to look at her. "I don't want you in prison any more than I want my brother there."

"Bullshit," Luke sneered. "That man is your life."

"Yes! He is. But you... you're important to me too, Luke."

He laughed quickly, crudely. "Bullshit," he said again, throwing the word at her.

Her hands began to tremble. She unknowingly dug her nails into his skin. "Is this a game?" Alexis asked, making herself laugh. "Are you trying to trick me into some kind of confession?"

"No. Now you're just being a damned fool."

"No, I think that's exactly what you are doing. You want me to admit I have feelings for you so you can... I don't know what. It's some kind of macho thing, isn't it?" Alexis softened her grip on his arm, and Luke wrenched it away from her.

He turned away from her, unable to watch the pain on her face. "I don't want you to have feelings for me, Alexis."

"Why not?" The words came out of her mouth so desperate, so childish.

"Because. I don't have feelings for you."

Her breath caught in her throat. She held a hand to her mouth and then to her heart. Her chest tightened and she felt her pulse quicken. "Now who's the one spouting out bullshit? Huh?"

"I'm not lying."

"Really? Then how do you explain this game of cat and mouse we've been playing ever since I was shot? How do you explain all the nights we've spent together, and all the mornings, Luke?"

He turned around, folding his arms across his chest. His eyes and face were blank. Stone. He stepped closer to Alexis until she could feel his breath warming her skin. "Sex. That's how you explain it. Sex."

She shook her head. Alexis stopped being brave and tears spilled down her cheeks. "No. I don't believe you."

"Have you ever been able to trust a Spencer? Weren't you born hating me? Groomed to despise me? It's written in the stars that Cassadines and Spencers don't mix well, babe. So believe me. It was just sex." He reached forward, grabbing a handful of her hair. Luke pulled her close and pressed a rough kiss to her lips. He let go, and the force of his movements made her stumble. He turned around and opened the door to his office, slamming it shut.

Alexis stood in the middle of the room, arms hanging limply at her sides. Her breathing became heavy and magnified in the silence of the club. She felt her knees buckle and stumbled to the bar, gripping the edge of the marble top. When she looked up, her reflection was staring back at her with moist, red eyes. She looked weak and desperate. Alexis reached for the bottle of vodka on the bar and threw it at her image, watching the glass shatter and the clear liquid spill down the front of the mirror and distort her reflection.

In his office, Luke jumped at the sound of the bottle hitting the mirror. He resisted the urge to walk out and take her into his arms. He sat down behind his desk and held his face in his hands. He couldn't move and he couldn't speak. All he could do was tell himself that he had done the right thing and the only thing, no matter how much of a lie that was.

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