Part II
She couldn't scream anymore. Her throat was dry and caving in, stopping the air from entering her lungs. Alexis had heard a few knocks on the door and faintly made out the sound of her name being called. "Ms. Davis?" A male voice had hollered, but when she couldn't respond to him, he walked away. The sound of the running water overshadowed her weak cries for help.
Alexis prayed that someone heard her scream and called for help. She prayed that she wouldn't die, at least not before getting Lucky away from Helena.
In the process of reaching for the phone, Alexis had fallen forward, smacking her head on the corner of the coffee table. Her body slumped to the ground, nestled between the sofa and table. The phone was clutched in her hand, smeared with blood. The water from the bathtub began to flow onto the carpet. The steam from the bathroom cast a thick fog throughout the entire suite, blurring her vision even more before she lost consciousness.
~*~
The elevator wasn't moving fast enough. Luke beat his fist against the wall until the wood chafed his knuckles. He pried the doors apart as they began to open, bursting into the empty hallway. His heavy boots left imprints of mud and melting snow on the carpet. He stopped outside of Alexis' suite, kicking his foot against the door in rhythm with his fist banging on the wood. "Natasha! I know you're in there."
"Hey," Jax hollered, appearing at the end of the hall. He balanced two mugs of hot chocolate in his hands while a box of cookies was tucked beneath his arm. "She's probably taking a bath."
Luke ignored him, continuing to assault the door. If there was a chance Alexis knew something about his son, he wasn't letting scented soap and a few bubbles get in the way of finding out. He slammed his body against the door as he turned the knob, not expecting it to be open. Luke fell inside and quickly rose to his feet. The room seemed to spin as he saw the soapy water flowing from the bathroom onto the carpet, mixing with a trail of blood. He squinted to see through the foggy air and heard the paper cups Jax had been holding crash to the ground.
"Oh, God," Jax gasped, his feet planted to the floor. He tried to move. He tried to cross to the other side of the room, but his entire body was paralyzed.
Luke flew across the room, dropping down onto the floor beside her limp body. He pushed the table so he could gain better access to Alexis' body without moving her. "Call 911, for Christ's sake," he shouted above the noise of the running water. "And shut that off!"
Nodding, Jax gained his composure and ran into the bedroom to find the phone. As he dialed the numbers, his feet splashed through the water to get to the bathtub. He turned the water off and an eerie silence filled the room. "Yes, please... there's been a shooting at the Port Charles Hotel," he stammered. "Alexis Davis has been shot."
Luke pressed his fingers against her neck, feeling a faint pulse. The shirt she was clutching against the wounds was saturated with her blood. He shrugged the jacket from his shoulders and held it against her side. "Come on, baby. Hold on," he whispered, brushing his fingers through her hair.
Her eyes fluttered open, her dry lips parting. Luke leaned toward her face, her words nothing but raspy whispers. "Lucky," she struggled to say his name. "He... shot..."
"What?" Luke shouted, clenching his free hand into a tight fist. "What?"
"Lucky," she said again, before her eyes closed. Her head became limp and turned to the side, her cheek pressed into the carpet.
Jax knelt behind her, holding his hands around her cheeks to keep her neck straight. He could feel the moisture of her tears against his palm. "She's breathing?"
"Barely," Luke admitted, his eyes struggling to see through the fog. He looked for signs of an intruder, a robbery. He looked for a weapon. But the only evidence that Alexis had been injured were the stains on the carpet and the wounds in her side. And there were no signs his son had been near the room, he told himself.
"How did this happen," Jax asked himself, shaking his head. His lips moved as he prayed silently.
Luke kept his hand pressed to her side and his fingers against her neck. He looked up at Jax and felt a sharp pain stab his chest. The pain he felt when Lucky died was reflected in Jax's blue eyes. It was impossible that his own son could have caused that kind of devastation in another person. He reached up, gripping Jax's shoulder, and said, "She's a fighter, man."
Jax nodded, rocking back and forth on his knees. It was in the back of his mind to quickly call Chloe, but he didn't make an attempt to move. He couldn't. He had been wanting to be alone with Alexis for months, and if this was going to be his last chance, nothing could ruin it. It took him a moment to realize Luke had taken his hand and placed it against the jacket, pressing down. Jax slid closer to her body as Luke withdrew into the hallway to wait for the paramedics, leaving him alone to cry over her body.
~*~
He could remember his mother taking care of him when he was sick. She would arrange the pillows against the headboard so that he could sit up. Laura would place a tray over his lap, a cup of hot chicken soup within his reach. Throughout the day she would take his temperature, wipe his face with a cool rag and bring him glass after glass of orange juice. Lucky felt like he was sick with a cold or the flu, but there was no one to bring him soup or a cool rag.
The sheets clung to his body, plastered to his skin by a sheen of sweat. He couldn't stop shaking. Lucky grabbed a handful of the sheet and pulled it over his head. His body convulsed as his mind replayed the night's events. He could still feel the gun in his hand and hear Alexis pleading for him not to shoot her. He had been positive that once it was over, it would be nothing but a memory. But the more Lucky was alone to think about it, the more he realized it was always going to be real and haunting him.
He rolled onto his side, and then onto his stomach. Lucky pressed his face into the pillow. His world was black, but he could still see Alexis' eyes. Her lips twisting as she screamed. Her body weak and crumbling to the floor.
For so many months, Helena had convinced him it was the right thing to do. He never questioned her. But when his finger pulled the trigger, it triggered something in his mind. Lucky was beginning to realize the person he used to be would have never attempted to take another human being's life.
Rolling onto his back, Lucky kicked the constricting covers away from his body. He jumped off the small bed and walked across the room. Pulling a drawer open, his hand dove inside and grabbed a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. After he dressed, Lucky found a bag in the closet. Various books were stuffed inside. He dumped them out, filling the bag with random articles of clothing.
Pumping his arms at his sides, he managed to run down the narrow hallway before being noticed. One of the guards grabbed the back of his shirt, pulling Lucky to the ground. He swung his fist, striking the burly man's jaw. He wrapped his hand around the guard's neck and pushed him against the wall, banging his head against it until his body slumped to the ground. He was able to sneak inside the room the man had been standing in front of. Lucky never knew where he was, whether it was a house, a hotel or even a boat. But there were usually enough rooms decorated with several sharp, heavy items.
His eyes quickly adjusted to the dark. Lucky zeroed in on a brass vase. He swung his bag over his shoulder and took the vase into his hands, scrambling into the hall. He had stopped planning his escape months ago. He had no idea what he was doing, how he was going to manage to get away from Helena and all of the men she kept around.
He was surprised and ecstatic when he saw her, dressed in a loose robe, sitting with her back to him. Lucky ducked into another room. A guard Helena always favored rose from his chair, but Lucky was too quick for him; the sharp edge of the brass vase collided with the man's scalp. His eyes fell shut and he dropped to the ground with a thud, muted by thick carpet. Lucky dug through the man's pockets and found a loaded gun.
Lucky snuck up behind Helena, wrapping one arm around her waist as she stood up. He locked his other arm around her neck, the gun pressed against her head. The guards jumped to attention, hands on their weapons. Lucky had no idea what he said, no idea what he did. His lips moved and his arms squeezed Helena until she was gasping for breath. But he couldn't hear himself. He simply saw the guards raise their arms into the air and move out of the way. He had no idea it would be so easy, but Lucky assumed that at some point Helena became careless in her role as captor. After all, they were "such good friends," as she had often told him.
He circled around her, pulling her with him until he reached the door. He walked until he felt bitter cold air whipping against his skin. Lucky took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the fresh air. He smiled to himself and shoved Helena to the ground. He kept the gun aimed at her as he turned around and ran as fast as his feet could carry him, kicking up snow behind him. He could hear the sounds of engines humming as Helena sent her men on a chase, but Lucky knew their mission would be unsuccessful.
~*~
Stefan adjusted his glasses, trying to focus his eyes on the words before him. They were nothing but a series of lines and shapes. He tore the glasses from his face, rubbing his eyes and the bridge of his nose. He moved his tired gaze to the phone and considered calling Alexis. Waiting, hoping that someone else could locate Lucky, was futile. They needed to be working together to get him out of Helena's clutches.
He wrapped his around the receiver just as the door to his study opened. "Excuse me, Mr. Cassadine, " Mrs. Landsbury said softly.
Stefan looked up, cocking his head to the side. "Yes?"
"I was watching the news, sir, and I think... there was a shooting at the Port Charles Hotel. I'm afraid... it appears..."
He stood up, his body moving the desk as he rose to his feet. He brushed past Mrs. Landsbury and cut down the hall, nearly sliding down the stairs. Stefan ignored her protests that he call Alexis or the hospital before jumping to conclusions. It was too late for phone calls.
~*~
Jax paced the floor, his arms folded across his chest. He knew it had been less than twenty minutes since the ambulance arrived at the hospital, but the waiting seemed like an eternity. He glanced at his watch every few seconds and kicked the wall to relieve the tension building inside. "I'll kill her," he grunted, tears stinging his eyes.
Luke looked up at him. "You might not have to," he said, slightly offended.
"No," Jax corrected himself. "Helena. You know as well as I do that she is responsible for this."
Remembering what Alexis had tried to tell him, Luke felt his stomach tie into a knot. He could handle attempted murder from Helena Cassadine, but not his own son. He met Jax's eyes and said, "Yeah. No question about it."
Both men walked down the hall as Monica Quatermaine emerged from the exam room. Spots of blood covered her scrubs. She smiled warmly and said, "She's going to be fine."
A collective sigh of relief sounded throughout the hall. Jax took Monica's hands in his and asked, "Can I see her?"
"Not yet," she told him. "The bullets didn't cause any serious damage, but she lost a lot of blood. She's not awake right now. As soon as we move her out of the ER, you can see her."
Jax nodded. "Thank you," he called out as Monica made her way back to Alexis. He released a deep breath, falling onto one of the chairs against the wall. Jax propped his elbows on his knees and held his face in his hands.
"She's fine, man," Luke reminded him. He clasped a hand against his chest, surprised at how rapidly his heart was beating. He couldn't decide if it was because Alexis was going to live, or because if his son was responsible, he wasn't a murderer. He shook his head and sat down beside Jax, mimicking his position. He blew a stream of air through his clenched teeth and prayed for the first time in years.
~*~
**You in the dark
You in the pain
You on the run
Living a hell
Living your ghost
Living your end
Never seem to get in the place that I belong
Don't wanna lose the time
Lost the time to come**
His chest heaved as he ran, pumping his arms at his sides. Beads of sweat trickled down his face and soaked into the collar of his shirt. Lucky panted and felt his heart thumping inside his chest. He could hear the rapid beating, the erratic rhythm matching the sound of his feet striking the pavement.
The further he ran, the more he recognized his surroundings. He could tell there were no more cars following him, no more guns possibly pointed at his head. Lucky slowed down, bending at the waist. He held his hands against his knees and tried to catch his breath, his throat dry and sore.
When he stood up straight, he was standing near his old school. Everything had changed. All that had remained the same was a strip of mud along the front of the building, barren and frozen. He could remember the daisies that were planted there during the Spring. Shrugging, Lucky started to walk slowly away. He wasn't intending to walk toward the hospital, but he knew it was where he had to go. Any destination after that didn't matter; he couldn't go on without knowing whether or not he had taken Alexis' life.
**Whatever you say it's alright
Whatever you do it's all good
Whatever you say it's alright
Silence is not the way
We need to talk about it
If heaven is on the way
If heaven is on the way**
The room was warm, and Jax found it impossible to breathe inside the four walls. A shaft of pale moonlight shone through the window, casting a glow over the center of the room. He sat down beside the bed. Gently, he took hold of Alexis' hand. An I.V. needle was piercing her skin. He carefully rubbed the area around the needle and brought her hand to his mouth, kissing her palm.
Jax reached his other arm up toward her head. He brushed his fingers over her shoulder and laced them through her hair. He rubbed her scalp, his eyes filling with tears at the sight of her pale skin. Her lips were white and chapped. "You're still beautiful," he whispered. Jax lifted away from the chair enough to press a kiss against her forehead. "You better wake up soon. I have something to tell you, and I thought... I thought I wasn't ever going to get the chance. So now I know I have to tell you."
He shut his eyes in shame. He had lied to himself and everyone around him, staying with Chloe while Alexis was the only woman he could think about. Jax wasn't even sure why he had been so hesitant to admit his feelings. He turned around and saw Luke standing outside of the door, peering inside. Jax glared at him until he moved away from the window.
Luke shook his head. He leaned against the wall, tilting his head to the side. He saw Taggert and several other officers lurking around the intensive care unit. He knew he had to get to Alexis before they could.
"Spencer."
His eyes widened and Luke stood up straight. "Stefan," he drawled. He walked toward the other man to block his view of Alexis' room. "Guess you know what happened?"
Stefan nodded. He folded his arms over his chest, sucking in a ragged breath. His lips parted, but he was afraid to ask. He was surprised and relieved when Luke smiled and said, "She's okay."
**You in the sea
On a decline
Breaking the waves
Watching the lights go down
Letting the cables sleep**
Lucky was surprised he could remember how to get to the hospital. He tried to take as many back roads as possible, occasionally ducking behind dumpsters or parked cars. He opened his bag and found a black, hooded jacket. Lucky's arms were numb from the bitter cold air, and he welcomed the warmth around his skin.
He froze in his tracks, remembering how it felt to touch Alexis' skin. The blood was sticky and cold. He could feel her trembling beneath his touch. He had never made someone afraid of him before. The thrill was slowly waring off, and Lucky was beginning to understand why Helena was loathed by so many. And why at one time, he avoided her at all costs.
**Whatever you say it's alright
Whatever you do it's all good
Whatever you say it's alright
Silence is not the way
We need to talk about it
If heaven is on the way
We'll wrap the world around it
If heaven is on the way
If heaven is on the way**
"I miss you," Jax cried as he lowered his head against her chest. He carefully avoided the tubes that were attached to her body, attached to the machines that emitted beeps and hummed steadily. He held his ear against her heart, relishing in the way it sounded and felt against his cheek.
He sat up, holding her hand inside of his. When he opened his mouth to speak, his words were caught inside his throat. He was nervous and scared, even though she was asleep. "I love you, Alexis," Jax confessed, his voice trembling. He smoothed his finger over the skin of her finger, where her wedding band used to rest. "It snuck up on me. Maybe I was trying to deny it, because falling in love wasn't part of our plans. But I've never been happier than when you were my wife. I promise... I could make you so happy."
Jax folded her hands over her stomach. He trailed his fingers up her arm to cup her cheek, brushing loose strands of hair away from Alexis' face. "I thought I'd never see you again," he continued to talk. "And I promise that as soon as you wake up, I'm going to let you know just how important you are to me. And I'll never stop telling you."
Stefan watched Jax stroke his sister's face and kiss her hand. He moved his eyes to the machines surrounding her bed, watching the lines move across the screens. He knew, just looking at her, that Helena was involved. Even if her finger didn't pull the trigger, she was responsible for whoever did.
Swallowing the nervous lump in his throat, Stefan pressed the tips of his fingers to his lips. He held his fingers against the small window on the door and mouthed the words, "I love you," before slowly turning away.
**I'm a stranger in this town
I'm a stranger in this town**
Everything was different. Lucky made his way to the hospital's entrance. He pressed his fingers against the exterior of the hospital, noting that the texture was different. The color was lighter.
He tightened the hood around his head before stepping inside. The medicinal smell burned his nose. He covered his face with his hands and realized he could still smell Alexis' blood. It would always be covering his hands.
Lucky kept his head to the ground and his hands stuffed deep inside his pockets. He made his way to the ICU. He stopped when he saw his father and Stefan pacing the hall. Lucky quickly ducked into a utility closet. He couldn't tell by the forlorn expressions on their faces whether Alexis was dead or alive. Stefan's eyes seemed heavy with grief, his father even seemed to have been crying. He felt his stomach turn and bile rise in his throat. Lucky held his breath and burst out of the closet.
Luke looked up when he heard a door open and hit the wall. The sound of buckets and brooms hitting the ground reached his ears. He jogged down the hall and turned the corner in time to see a figure quickly dash down the hall. "Lucky?" He whispered to himself, ready to run after him until he saw the police turn their attention to him. Luke merely smiled at the crowd of officers and turned away. He told himself that wasn't his son, because he had nothing to do with what happened to Alexis.
**If heaven is on the way
If heaven is on the way
I'm a stranger in this town
I'm a stranger in this town**
~*~
"Letting the Cables Sleep" by Bush