It was a little past midnight and the air was still filled with a stifling heat as Emily Quartermaine swung her feet over the edge of the small dock that jutted out over the lake on the mansion grounds.

She’d tried for the last few hours to convince herself that it was the humidity that was preventing her from sleeping, but the truth was that what was troubling her had nothing to do with the summer heat that had swept through Port Charles as the Fourth of July loomed closer. It didn’t even have much to do with the occasional headaches that were left over from her stay in the hospital and the explosion that had precipitated it.

She sighed softly as she grabbed a pebble sitting nearby and flung it out over the water and watched the circles it spawned grow larger and larger until they disappeared. It wasn’t even the fact that the last year or so was a complete blank.

No, what kept her awake was incredibly simple and utterly complex at the same time. It was an image that crept into her vision every time she closed her eyes.

That look in Nikolas’s eyes as they danced at Kelly’s.

She chided herself for being fanciful. She’d danced with Nikolas countless times before. All right not countless because God knew she could remember each and every time Nikolas had held her in his arms. The Nurses Ball. That time in New York. The Bacchanalia.

But never before had she felt what she felt this time.

It was crazy. She was crazy for even thinking about it. Maybe in addition to blocking out the last year or so of her life, the head injury she had suffered had also knocked out her common sense.

Nikolas didn’t love her. Nikolas barely spoke to her.

She sighed and threw another rock.

Besides which she loved Juan. He’d been incredibly sweet these last few weeks, waiting on her hand and feet and seeing to her every need.

Never leaving her alone. Smothering her.

Emily chased the last thought away. Leaning back, she rested her head on her elbows and stared up at the brilliant stars overhead.

A year. She and Juan had been together for the last year. She had to love him. She had to have strong feelings for him. She had to have gotten over her pathetic crush on Nikolas.

She loved Juan. She just didn’t remember loving him, that was the problem. That was why Nikolas had her tied up in knots and tossing rocks into the lake in the middle of the night. Once her memory returned, once she remembered all the different things she and Juan must have done this last year her feelings for him would return.

They had to.

She wasn’t going through this again. She was over Nikolas. Over him. Completely and totally over him. One hundred percent over him.

Aww hell who was she kidding? She would never be over Nikolas. Never. Her feelings for him were as strong today as they had been when she had first looked into those brown eyes. She might be in love with Juan. She might be happy with Juan. But she would never be out of love with Nikolas. That was a hard truth she had accepted a long time ago.

As much as she might wish it were otherwise.

Closing her eyes to shut out the frustration that last chain of thought brought on, Emily found herself slowly being lulled by the quiet lapping of the water into a gentle sleep.

He couldn’t stay away. He’d tried. God knows he’d tried. He’d gone to dinner with Jessica and Will. Asked the right questions. Made the right responses. Hell he’d even been able to help when they started making plans for how to celebrate the Fourth.

Not that he remembered what they had said. Something about asking Stefan if they could have a barbecue on Wyndemere. He thought. He’d have to ask Will in the morning what he had agreed to.

All he had been able to think about had been her. It had been all he’d been able to think about for the last two days. The feel of her in his arms. That shine in her eyes when their eyes met.

The sight of her leaving with Juan.

He wanted to tell her. It was all he wanted at this moment. He would have given up all he had for her to remember what they had been to each other. What they could be to each other again?

He shook his head as he watched her back down on the dock, her hands folded behind her head. In his fantasies, she remembered and she forgave him for his lie about Liz. In reality she would probably remember only that she was angry with him forgetting the fact that they loved each other. Would always love each other.

This thing with Liz was a detour, not a roadblock. If he’d had any doubts about that before, that long afternoon praying that she would live and fighting the overwhelming feat that he would lose her had silenced those doubts. Coming so close to losing her had taught him that what they had was worth fighting for. She was worth fighting for.

For as long as it took. No matter what it took. He wasn’t losing this fight. He wasn’t going to walk away from her. Jessica was right. She’d fallen in love with him once, all he had to do was to make her fall in love with him again.

And keep her away from that bastard Santiago.

A tall order for most people. Simplicity if your last name was Cassadine.

He was startled out of his train of thought by the realization that something was wrong.

She’d fallen asleep, but from the way she was moving it was clear that she was having some kind of nightmare about something.

He should go wake her up. But she’d know he had been watching her. She’d be angry. Upset.

The decision was made for him when her scream punctuated the still night.

He was at her side in a heart beat.

“Emily. Em.” He shook her gently as she tossed and turned. After what seemed like an eternity but was probably more like just a few seconds, her eyes flew open, huge and scared.

“Nik.”

“Yeah.” He whispered his reply softly as he drew her trembling form into his arms, gently rubbing her back like he would Lulu after a bad dream. “I’m here. I’m here and I’m not going to let anything happen to you. Ever.”

“Oh God Nik it was awful. It was dark and there was so much dirt that I couldn’t breath. All I could think about was how I was going to die. Or maybe I was already dead and I just didn’t know it. Everybody else was dead. Or dying. I could hear them dying. Slowly. Bit by bit. I could hear them dying and I knew I was going to die also.”

“Em...Shhh baby, don’t do this, okay? Don’t think about it right now. Don’t think about it ever again. You’re safe and that’s all that’s important.”

“I have to remember. If I don’t remember the accident how am I going to remember anything else.” Without thinking, she automatically buried her head against his chest and let his strength muffle her cries. “I want to remember.”

“You will. I promise you will. When you’re ready. But not like this, okay? Not when its going to tear you apart.” He gently helped her to her feet. His eyes glowing with a light she couldn’t turn away from, he gently wiped a tear away from her face with his thumb. “Whatever happens I’ll be here for you. Always. You’re my.......friend Emily.” He finished softly. “Nothing has changed that and nothing ever could.”

Emily stared up at him as his words rang through her head. “You were there.”

“What?”

“When I was trapped, you were there. You used those words to me. I was cold and scared and hurting but you were there. You saved me.”

“No, the firemen did...”

“You did.” As she spoke the conviction in her voice grew. “I wanted to give up. I just wanted to close my eyes and let the darkness win. But you wouldn’t let me. You and Jessie and Jason kept me going. You saved me.”

He started to deny it. How much could she remember at once? Where was her breaking point? He tried to deny it. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t.

“I will always save you.” He didn’t back away from her searching gaze. “Just like I will always love you.”

Emily took a deep breath, not breaking the connection between them which had become almost a physical thing.

She shook her head softly. “I don’t get it. I can’t remember what I got for Christmas last year. Or what I did for my birthday. Or what it felt like to graduate from high school. But for everything my mind has forgotten, my heart remembers that it loves you. That I love you. But I don’t understand how or why or what..” She began but he cut her off.

“Love can’t be explained and it can’t be justified and it can’t be wished away. It never begins and it never ends. It just is.” He could feel his heart hammering in his chest. “We have always loved each other Emily Quartermaine. You were just smart enough to realize that sooner than I was. It took me a little while longer to figure it out.”

“Nik I can’t. This is too much.”

“Shhh. I know. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have...The doctors said.” He took a deep breath trying to steady his rapidly fluctuating nerves. “I just wanted you to know how I felt. It’s okay. Honestly. Really. I...”

Emily stared at him in shock. Nikolas rambling? Nikolas nervous? Over her.

“Nik?”

He stopped and blushing heavily turned to look down at her.

“Kiss me.”

His jaw dropped. He should protest. She doesn’t remember. He’s taking unfair advantage of her. All of the reasons why this is a really bad move run through his head.

He ignores them as for the second time in a short time instinct takes over. Groaning softly, he covers her lips with his own and loses himself in the familiar feeling this evokes.

For Emily the kiss is mind blowing, like nothing she ever experienced with Juan. She doesn’t want it to end. She can’t let it end.

After a moment he pulls away. “Em....we can’t....there’s something you don’t know...something I need to tell you.”

“Not now okay?” She stepped back into the circle of his arms. “Can you just hold me right now? Please. After everything, I need this”

As he pulls her tighter, he finds himself nodding. There will be a time in the near future to tell her about their break up. About his affair. Time enough to help her remember the pain he caused her. Right now, she’s right. After everything, he needs this too.

The alley outside of Kelly’s

“You know I could think of more interesting things we could be doing at this moment,” Will Rappaport murmured suggestively to his fiancée as they hid behind a trash bin in the alley behind Kelly’s. “Things that involve a king size bed, a fireplace, and some champagne not sharing an alley with a bin full of trash and a drunk sleeping it off.”

“First off, the bed in Nik’s spare room is only a double. It’s eighty degrees outside so the fireplace is out of the question. And you know champagne makes me sleepy.”

“I can think of some pretty creative ways to keep you awake.”

“No thanks pretty boy.” She softened the words with a quick kiss. “Something tells me that Miss. Webber should be followed closely tonight.”

“Yeah those great Buchanan detective instincts kicking in.”

“Hey... my uncle is the police commissioner.”

“With a track record for arresting the innocent more often than the guilty.” Will returned. “Just because you don’t like her doesn’t mean that Liz sent those pictures to Emily.”

“Somebody did. Why not her?”

“I don’t know. Maybe because you haven’t got any proof?”

“I’m a Buchanan. We act on instinct.”

“Right. Look where that’s gotten some of the members of your family.” Will pointed out ignoring Jess’s glare. “Admit it, you don’t like Liz so that makes her a suspect.”

“All right. I don’t like Liz. Okay. I admit it. There’s something creepy about her. She gives me the same kind of vibes I used to get hanging around Roseanne.”

“Those vibes. The same vibes that were curiously silent during the years you dated the king of creeps.”

“Hey! I thought we had a deal. You don’t bring up the fact that it took me so long to see how much better you were for me than Christian and I don’t bring up the fact that it took you so long to win me away from Christian.” Jess smiled, a smile that shone through the dark. “Come on Will. You want to know who sent those pictures to Emily as much as I do.”

“Of course I do. Nik’s my best friend and this whole thing with Emily is tearing him up. I’d like to kill the bastard that sent Em those pictures.” He paused. “But you can’t go around accusing people without proof.”

“I’m not accusing. I’m stalking. There’s a difference.”

“Tell that to the police.”

She stuck out her tongue at him.

“It’s not like I don’t have my choice of legal representation if I do get arrested.” She looked around the trash bin. “Shh. She’s locking up. I thought Kelly’s was open till one today”

“That’s it. Let’s have her arrested for closing fifteen minutes early.”

“Funny.”

“I know.”

“What is she doing?”

“Walking home is my guess.”

“But her car’s in the down the street in the opposite direction and she’s headed towards the docks.”

“So? It’s a hot night. Maybe she wants to take a walk for a little while before going home.”

“It doesn’t make sense. Who would be out in this neighborhood at this time of night?”

“Besides us?”

She ignored him. “Did she drop something over there? In the trash can by the door?”

Will took a look. “Yeah I think you’re right.”

“Go get it.”

“What?”

“Go get it. It might be a clue.”

“Come on Jess this isn’t an episode of Scooby Doo. Clues don’t materialize out of thin air. And you don’t know what else is in that trashcan?”

“So you’ll find out. A clue is a clue. It could be important.”

“It could be trash.”

She looked at him. “No paper no sex.”

He stared at her. “You have to be kidding....fine. Just wait here.” Grumpily he moved to cross the alley.

Jess smiled as she watched him, then frowned as her eyes drifted in the direction Liz had taken.

A casual stroll at this time of the night? No way. Something was up. With one last glance at Will digging through the garbage, Jess slipped out of their hiding place to follow Liz.

Five minutes later, she stood on the docks, puzzled. Where had Liz gone? There was no sign of her anywhere. The docks were quiet and almost deserted.

She stood at the edge of the docks and looked up and down. No one.

Why would Liz come out here? To meet somebody? A new love? Liz shook her head. She didn’t buy that. Call it Buchanan stubbornness, but something was screaming at her that whatever the reason for Elizabeth Webber to be wandering the docks this late, it had something to do with Emily and those photographs.

All she had to do was prove it.

She glanced up at the moon and shivered slightly before turning around to head back to Kelly’s and see what Will had found.

She never saw the dark shape come out of the darkness.

But she felt the impact as it shoved her off the dock.

And she felt the cold water as she hit it.

After that she didn’t feel anything anymore.