Dawn stiffened. She heard her name, but that couldn’t be possible. No one knew her there and no one would know to look for her there. Slowly, she raised her head.

Wiping at the tears which blurred her vision, she saw before her a teenage boy. He was tall and lean. His skin was as fair as her father’s. His clothes didn’t fit him properly, but the brand-new Nikes certainly did. His big, hazel eyes were warm and caring. Looking at him, she didn’t know whether to be scared or relieved.

“What did you say?” she asked.

“I said Dawn. You are Dawn, aren’t you?” Tommy asked, watching her closely. She didn’t need to answer his question because Tommy knew. She was the girl he saw at Kelly’s and he couldn’t believe that even with tears streaming down her face and a bloody lip, she was still amazingly beautiful.

“Yes,” she answered with a frown. Tentatively, she asked, “How did you know my name?”

Tommy moved to stand closer to her, but not too close. She still seemed very frightened, as if she would run away at any moment. The last thing he would ever want to do was scare her.

“I saw what happened to you in the park. Nikolas and I tried to-“

“Nickie. So, he’s okay?” she asked, her eyes becoming alive when she heard his name.

“Yeah. He’s fine,” he replied. Tommy felt a twinge at her reaction to Nikolas’ name. He knew that he didn’t have a right to have any kind of reaction, but he couldn’t help himself. Nikolas was very lucky, he thought.

“I must go to him. Can you help me? I don’t know where I am or how to get out of here,” she said, as she stood to her feet. Her eyes begging him to help her.

“I’ll take you to him,” Tommy answered quietly. The meeting with the two guys was long forgotten from his mind.

She smiled, and as they began to walk away, she thought of something and said, “I don’t even know your name.”

“It’s Tommy.”

“Thank you, Tommy,” she said with a grateful smile.

Tommy nodded in response to her. The sight of her smile, a smile just for him, made him incapable of speech.

Lucky walked silently beside Lizzie. She was deep in thought and he didn’t want to intrude. He knew that it took a lot for her to admit that she actually wanted a relationship with Audrey. Sure, they had discussed many things since the rape, but not anything as personal as her feelings for her grandmother.

Lucky thought of his own grandmother, Leslie. He had thought she was dead most of his life and now, she wasn’t. She was alive and living in North Carolina. Lucky didn’t dwell on the specifics of her reincarnation. He chose to focus on her existence instead.

She was his grandmother, but what did he really know about her. As a person. She had been a doctor at General Hospital and then on one stormy night, it was taken away from her. She was taken away from him. Damn, those Cassadines, he thought. But no matter. Watching Lizzie agonize over her relationship with Audrey made Lucky determined to build one with his own grandmother.

When they reached the Hardy home, Lizzie slowed her pace. She turned to Lucky and said, “Thank you for listening to me.”

“Aw, Elizabeth…” he began, but was silenced when her finger pressed against his lips.

“No, let me finish,” she continued quietly. “I know it couldn’t have been hard for you to listen to me talk about my family, but you did it. And I appreciate it.”

“You know, I’ll always be here for you, Liz. To listen or whatever. You do know that, right?” he asked with a frown. She was his best friend. Of course, he would always be there for her, but did she understand that, he wondered.

She nodded and smiled in response to his question. She cared about Lucky and their friendship meant the world to her, but she wouldn’t take him for granted. She climbed the few steps to reach the porch. Before she put her key in the lock, she turned back to face him and said, “Good-night, Lucky. And be safe, okay?”

“Good-night, Liz, and I will,” Lucky said. He waited until she went inside and then, he turned to go back to his boxcar.

Lizzie smiled to herself as she went into the house. She was happy that she and Lucky were finally able to forge a friendship. He was always so sweet and gentle with her. And, definitely more patient than anyone else had ever been with her.

She was about to run up the stairs to her room when she heard a sniffle. Turning on the light which led to the stairs, she was surprised to find her grandmother sitting in Grandpa Steve’s old recliner. She sat so quietly and still, moving only to dab at the tears that flowed down her cheeks.

The sight of a distraught Audrey frightened Lizzie who immediately went to her side. Kneeling at Audrey’s feet, Lizzie asked, “Gram, what’s wrong? Did something happen to Mom and Dad, or Sarah?”

“No, honey. They’re fine,” Audrey sniffled, her mind saddened by the story Justus told her and AJ. “I have the answers to your questions.”

“What questions? Gram, I don’t understand. Maybe you should go lie down,” Lizzie suggested. She stood and held her out her hand to Audrey.

Audrey accepted Lizzie’s hand and stood. But instead of going towards the staircase, Audrey led Lizzie to the sofa where she indicated that Lizzie should sit.

“I learned some disturbing news about Tommy,” Audrey began, sitting beside Lizzie.

Lizzie immediately tensed at Audrey’s words. She knew from the very beginning that something wasn’t right with Tommy. She hoped this meant Audrey would send him packing.

Nikolas stared sightlessly at the passing scenery as he sat in the rear passenger seat. His thoughts were on the girl who was taken from him. In a matter of days, she had become a major part of his life, and now she was gone.

Nikolas couldn't help but blame himself. He suggested the walk through the park. If he had kept his suggestions to himself, Dawn wouldn't be in danger. She and Dara would have finalized the details for Dawn to remain in Port Charles and the ache in his heart wouldn't exist.

In the short time she'd been missing, Nikolas had come to realize the depth of his feelings for her. He cared for her more than he had ever cared for any girl, including his former girlfriend Sarah, not to mention Robin. Now that he really thought about it, what he felt for Robin had only been a crush and nothing more.

Robin was a sweet and smart young woman, but she lacked the passion and the fire that Dawn possessed in abundance. He sighed as he silently prayed that she'd still possess that fire and passion when they got her back.

Alex heard the sigh and glanced in his rearview mirror to look at Nikolas. He hadn't said two words since they'd been in the car and Alex didn't blame him. Dara was still angry and pensive. The tension permeated the vehicle.

Alex glanced at his two passengers once more. He wanted to do something to relieve the atmosphere. He thought of something that might help and asked, "Mind if I turn on the radio?"

Neither of his passengers said anything so Alex thought, silence equaled consent. He turned on the radio, which was programmed to his favorite adult contemporary station. He smiled when he recognized the song. Surely, a ballad by Mariah Carey would loosen them up.

Nikolas shifted in his seat as the faint sounds came to his ears.

'I'd give my all
To have just one more night with you
I'd risk my life
To feel your body next to mine
Cause I can't go on
Living in the memory of our song
I'd give my all
For your love tonight'

A single tear rolled down his cheek as he remembered the last time he heard the song and he remembered how he held Dawn safe within the circle of his arms.

Chapter 30