Great Expectations
Part 3
"Elizabeth. How are you?" Lucky asked, somewhat clumsily. He and Liz both shifted a bit awkwardly. Obviously Sean didn't have a drafts clue as to what was occurring right in front of him as he simply slouched on the couch nearby looking up at them as if time was passing by too slowly.
"I'm fine. How about yourself?" Liz asked, forcing somewhat of a smile.
"I'm doing good, thanks. So how do you know Sean?" He asked gesturing to the new tenant.
"I ran into him a couple days ago on the island. He was admiring my art."
"So you're still painting? That's great. I'm glad you didn't give up." Lucky gave her a friendly smile. Liz gladly accepted his affability and smiled back, pulling away some of the tension that was between them.
"Yea. Well I hope you didn't give up on--."
"Not to worry. I'm still composing."
Liz chuckled lightly. "Found yourself a better muse then me did you?"
Lucky didn't respond, because if he did he'd have to tell her the truth-and the truth was that yes he did find another muse.
Sean finally caught up with reality and straightened his posture before he began to speak, "Just out of curiosity, and I'll probably regret asking this-"
Lucky rolled his eyes and his tenants naiveté and interrupted him, "Yes, we used to date."
Sean rolled his eyes and sighed. "Here goes the "small world" theme again."
"What?" Elizabeth asked, confused.
"Forget it." Lucky gave a crooked grin before looking between the two. "I have to get going. Sean, I trust you won't give Liz trouble."
"I thought that was his middle name," Liz said as she threw Sean a grin.
"Wouldn't be surprised," Lucky interjected sardonically, "Well I'll leave you two. Liz, do whatever you want to Sean. I happen to know that you're up for anything." Elizabeth poked Lucky in the arm after comprehending his last sarcastic statement. With one last chuckle, he left the room, closing the door silently behind him.
Sean turned to Elizabeth who was still looking at the door. "Long story?" He asked.
"Oh yeah." Elizabeth said, stretching out on the couch with him. "A long, boring, anti-climatic, story."
"I wasn't gonna ask." Sean grumbled.
When I talked to Elizabeth over the phone last week that I was heading to New York she loaned this available apartment for me-evidently as a former starving artist she knew that New York wasn't the easiest place to live-and said goodbye with an encouraging "Good Luck". For the longest time Elizabeth and I were eachothers worlds but as time went by we just drifted further apart. We remained friends though she left Port Charles a month or two after Sean left. I later realized that she was so much easier to love than Gia, but Liz wasn't what I wanted or vice versa. I suppose it goes back to the saying that we always long for the things we can never have. Nonetheless Gia did give me some tidbits. She revealed a piece of herself to me that she wouldn't dare expose to others. Every now and then she'd give a warming laugh and smile when we talked. We had a few conversations before the day of the party. She took me to lunch and we ended up going to dinner as well; Lady Jane was passed out on the couch when we got back so I assumed she wasn't in too much trouble. She told me things that she-or at least she said-she had never confessed to anyone…about her family…they're expectations of her. That, I suppose was the main difference between us at the moment-she had expectations laid out for her while I didn't have any. I was free and she was captivated. I had barely knew her and I was already in love with her-being her indulging little toy as Lady Jane would put it. And thinking back to that night we had years ago had simply made my entire body ache.
~Before the Party, Friday~
"Oh Jason, you look great!" Robin exclaimed as Jason came into the livingroom wearing his tux.
"You think so? I don't know..." he attempts to fix his crocked tie.
Robin approaches him and straightens out his tie. She leans in and kisses him softly, "I know so."
"Thanks" he smiles and kisses her again.
"I'm so proud of you, Dr.Quartermaine" she smiled before kissing them.
When she finished the kiss, Jason had a sly grin on his face. "What?" Robing enquired.
Jason chuckled. Grabbing her waist he gently pulled her towards him. "Kiss me like that again and we might just end up missing this party."
"Hey cowboy, whatcha doing?" Luke asked as he walks into Lucky's room.
"Just getting ready for a party." Lucky shrugged, tying his shoes.
"Really? What party?"
"I'm Gia's escort to the party the Quartermaine's are having for Jason."
"Oh, Mr. Big Stuff, huh? Well, I may not have the best taste in casual clothes, but I know I have a tie that will look better with your sports coat, than the one you have on."
"Can I borrow it?"
"No, I just thought I'd mention my astonishing collection of ties, while I send you off in that one." Luke said with his I'm-the-most-sarcastic-guy-alive-so-don't-tell-me-you-didn't-see-that-one-coming tone. "Yes, you can borrow it. I'll be back."
He returned a minute later with silk black tie and handed it to Lucky.
"Not bad" Lucky said smiling in approval as he adjusted it on. "You been holding out on me?"
"Considering you haven't been to a party in years, yes I have."
"Good point"
"I thought so." Luke nodded as he watched Lucky brush off any wrinkles his suit may have. "So you're Gia's escort, huh?" Lucky nods. "Am I just out of the loop and that's a new term for date'?"
"No... I don't know... Lady Jacks wanted me to take her so she wouldn't be seen alone or something."
"Oh."
"But I'm taking off, I have to pick up Gia. Is it ok if I take the caddy?"
"Yeah, Ok. Sure that's fine."
Lucky mumbled a "thanks" and began to walk past Luke, but he grabbed a hold of his arm. "Hey Lucky... be careful."
Lucky smiled and patted Luke's back, "I will, Dad. Don't worry," he said nonchalantly before stepping out.
"Yeah. Easier said than done." Was Luke's final comment.
Lucky pulled up in the cadillac before he began to walk towards the front door of the huge run-down mansion. Before he can even knock, the door swung open and Gia stood there looking, well...
"Wow." Lucky managed to say while looking her up and down. It was quite obvious to the both of them that he was checking her out. And quite frankly, Gia wasn't sure whether to receive that notion as a compliment or an insult. After a minute she managed to get his attention back to her face.
"You like it? It's new. It looked cute on the mannequin." Gia said as she straightened out the skirt of the dress.
"Like it? It's beautiful! You are beautiful." Lucky said, paying no attention to how lame he sounded at that moment.
"Thanks." She said, blushing slightly before giving him a good glance over. "You don't look to bad yourself. Nice tie."
Lucky thought of his dad and laughed, "Thanks."
"So you ready to go?"
He stepped out of the way and held out his hand, "Ready when you are."
Gia smiled at his gentlemen-like manner and took his hand tenderly. "Good, let's go then."
~The Party~
Lucky looked around at the party that was taking place in the heart of the Quartermaine Manor. Expensive decorations and flowers of African violets swarmed the place while the numerous amount of spectators gathered around congratulating Jason Quartermaine and slurped expensive champagne. Lucky had promised to get Gia some drinks yet had trouble accomplishing such a task while Edward Quartermaine stood verbally harassing his wife's butler right next to the bar. After some time, Lucky gave up and hoped that Gia wasn't desperately thirsty as he walked back to find her. To his misfortune, Sean had approached him.
"Hey Lucky" He had caught Lucky off guard with his good-mannered voice.
"Oh. Hi Sean, I didn't know you knew any of the Quartermaines?"
"I don't. I'm here with Elizabeth... I guess she knows Jason."
Lucky stifled a laugh, "Yeah, I guess you could say that."
"What do you mean?"
"Forget it." Lucky said shaking his head.
"So who was that girl you came in with?" He said, gesturing towards Gia who was now sitting near a table with Jason obviously in the midst of conversation.
"Gia Jacks."
"She's hot." Sean said with pleasure. "What's she doing with you then?"
"I think Liz is waiting for you." Lucky said with a frown.
"I'm just joking with ya, 'Cowboy'." Sean laughed. "Love the way your dad says it. Honestly, he's the one of the coolest drakes I've ever met."
"I'm sure he's proud." Lucky chortled.
"Hey"
"Oh hey, Elizabeth."
"I saw you talking to Lucky."
"Yeah, I was."
"Everything alright?"
"Never better." Sean shrugged. If there was one quality that never crumbled on him it was his ability to lie at the precise moment. "Hey you wanna get outta here?"
"You read my mind... I hope you're not good at that." She winked.
"Oh, well that's for me to know and for you to find out." He said putting an arm around her and escorting her towards the exit in fast pace.
"Jeez Quartermaine, I just never thought you'd make it through med school alive." Gia took a drink as she waited intently for a witty comeback. "I thought grad school would've killed you."
"It nearly did," Jason laughed at his diminutive confession. "But then again, I had some encouragement along the way... and a few ultimatums..." he said winking at Robin, across the room.
"What? Be a rich doctor or I'm leaving you?' Didn't you explain to her that you're filthy rich as it is?"
Jason laughed wholeheartedly. "Gia it's not like that, and you know it. Robin is different."
"Yeah. I have to admit I'm glad you found her. I got tired of out of all the whiny, pitiable, look who-I've-shagged girlfriends you had in the past." She looked across the room and noticed Lucky talking to an unknown man.
"Okay. Enough of the sly comments. I've had one too many for a day that's supposed to be full of content." Jason looked back at who Gia was watching. "Ah, Luke Spencer's kid? Right? I saw you come in with him…what is our Gia in love?" He was curious. He had known practically all of Gia's boyfriends and the way she looked at this one was far more with emotion than other men. It was the way her eyes would light up when she passed him a glance and honestly it was quite awkward for him to watch her like this, especially since he was so used to Gia's use them and loose them routine with men.
"Doubtful." Gia scowled. "I don't even know what I'm doing here with him." Jason simply looked at her with a worried expression.
A few hours later the party had began to wind down and people are beginning to leave. Lucky caught Gia sitting on the couch resting. He had spent allot of time making small talk with some of the people there. He glanced at her again Gia and noticed how bored she looked, so he decided to excuse himself and walk over to her.
"Hey" he said taking a seat next to her.
"Yeah?" She asked with one brow arched.
"You wanna leave?"
"Not until you're ready."
"I'm ready."
"Thank God!" she stood up and headed toward the doors. Lucky followed her, laughing at her reaction.
Once they got in the car, "So... do you want me to take you home?" he asked.
"No. Why don't you take me over to your house? I've never seen it."
"Ok, sure." Lucky started up the car and drove off.
Twenty minutes later, Lucky and Gia pulled into his driveway and he led the way into his house. "Dad?? Sean?? Anyone here?"
"Whose Sean?"
"Just some guy, he's renting the loft above the garage."
"Oh."
"Yeah."
An awkward moment of silence passed by.
"So," Gia began, "where's your room?"
"Upstairs." Lucky stated simply, until it hits him. "Oh, follow me."
Gia couldn't help but laugh a little before following him up the stairs. Lucky opened the door to an average sized bedroom.
"Here it is."
Gia's eyes wandered around the room. Two full bookshelves were filled, but not with regular books, but books of music. The stacks of paper with writing on them are on top the books. There was a pile of papers on top of the night stand next to his bed. Gia walks over and picks up some of the papers, the first page has "Walking After You" at the top. Lucky looked away, clearly embarrassed as she read through some of his lyrics.
If you'd accept surrender
give up some more
weren't you adored
I cannot be without you
matter of fact
oh oh oh oh
I'm on your back
if you're walking out on me
I'm walking after you
if you're walking out on me
I'm walking after you
"Lucky, this is really good. You wrote this?"
"Yeah, I wrote it."
"All these pages of lyrics?"
"I wrote 'em." He said, standing with a feeling of minor apprehension.
"Wow." She walked back over to him. "Where do you get the inspiration?" She stopped just inches away from him.
"Lately?" He looks her in her eyes, "You."
She smiled slightly before capturing his mouth with her own. His hands slid up her sides and into her hair, which was let down in the car, while she placed her hands on the sides of his face and they remained there for quite some time. As the kiss intensified, Lucky hastily kicked his door shut, before they made their way over to the bed. They stumbled on top of it, and soon enough he began to lose his clothes. First his jacket, followed by his tie and shirt, then a few minutes later his pants start to become undone and almost joined the rest of his attire until...
Gia rolled out from underneath him. "I gotta go. I'll call a cab. Thanks for a great night." She smiled but it quickly faded away as she heads opened the door and headed downstairs her hair flipping along her shoulders.
Lucky was left utterly dumbstruck. What the hell just happened? He asked himself as he fell back on his bed and covered his face with his hands. She's downstairs still." he says to himself "I should talk to her, find out what that was all about.
Before heading downstairs, Lucky fixed his pants and puts his shirt back on. But she was already gone.
"Shit. God dammit, this is ridiculous, Spencer... go after her." Instead of taking his own advice, he goes back up to his room. Now receiving true inspiration for a song.
Never. Never had I been so pissed off and so confused at the same time. She kissed me. She took off my clothes. She led me over to my goddamn bed. She LEFT. What I did wrong was the first thing I wanted to know. I didn't get it. It in a way reminded me of my mom. She loved me. She raised me. She taught me the essentials in life. She LEFT. The one thing I remember the most from that day is before I left for the party. My dad telling me to be careful, like he just knew something was going to go wrong. If only I didn't love Gia, everything would've been ok.
"Jason, this was a great party. I can't believe it happened with no fights breaking out-well except for that short scenario with your grandfather and the butler---or people dying or anything. Everything was perfect." Robin smiled excitedly.
Jason leaned over and kissed her, "You're perfect."
"And you're unequivocal" her smile seemed contagious as she kissed him again. "But I have to go. I promised Mac, I'd help him move tomorrow, so I need my sleep." She began to get up off the couch, but Jason pulled her back down on top of him and kissed her again.
"I don't want you to go." He whispered into her ear.
She laughed amusedly, "Jason I don't want to go either, but I have to. I made a promise."
"Fine, fine."
"Bye, I love you."
"I love you" They kissed once more, before she stood up and walked out the foyer doors with Jason watching her leave.
The next day Lucky got to Gia's as fast as he can. Lucky was taken by surprise when he arrived at the front door and Gia wasn't there to open it for him. So he rang the doorbell once and knocked quickly. Faye came to the door with a cool smile over her face.
"Hey hot stuff, you looking for a little action?" she winked.
"Um..." Lucky mumbled thinking carefully about how to cast his words. "Is Gia here, I need to talk to her."
"Nope, she sure isn't. I think you should talk to my grandmother for more information," she leaned in closer, "I was a little out of it last night, so I don't remember much."
"Ookay. thanks Faye."
"Anytime blondie." she headed upstairs before giving him another wink. Lucky took his time going the same direction. He couldn't help but enjoy the awkward grandeur of the place. He arrived at Lady Jane's bedroom door and knocked rapidly.
"Come in!!"
Lucky walked and noticed Lady Jane looking out the large window, her eyes directly facing the harbor. "Hi, Faye told me to talk to you about Gia?"
"Oh Lucky, come in dear, come in!" She said but didn't look at him.
"I'm sorry, I don't have much time. I just need to know where to find her."
"Men-they're an odd species aren't day. Can't live without them-unless you're a nun and you can't shoot them unless you want to end up in the Big House." She glanced at him once before looking back at the view. "You'll become one, one day." She said with a hint of disgust in her tone. "I was in love once you know-with a man. He ruined me…made me feel like a queen then made me feel like a fickle peasant." She hissed. Lucky looked at her like she had really lost it now. "Gia will teach them better. She'll make men weep. Make them burn…"
Lucky interrupted, unsure of how long he could stand Lady Jane's ramble. "..Gia do you know where she is?"
"Oh yes. She'll do good…I anticipate many qualities from her. Europe will put her into shape if I couldn't."
Lucky was lost."Europe? Is she visiting or shopping or both?"
"No, she's living there now. We loaded all her stuff into a truck this morning and off she went. Its two years in Paris and Switzerland and she's off to New York." For the first time she caught Lucky's astonished expression. "My dear boy. Are you telling me she didn't tell you?" Evidently from Lucky's lack of response she took that as a yes. "Well…I'm sure she didn't mean to…she's going to have a fabulous time don't you think?"
"Yeah. Great."Lucky was definitely not a happy camper. He slumped in a chair.
"Oh darling, sit up straight! You'll see her again, maybe not next week…maybe not in a year… but you'll see her."
"Thanks for telling me." Lucky stands and heads toward the door. "I'll see you later Lady Jane."
"Cheerios!" Lucky heard her say before he left the room.
**Walking After You lyrics by Foo Fighters**
