******
"I liked it," Mac commented. "I was skeptical when
you brought the DVD in this evening but it was a good
musical." For the past 2 hours, Mac and Dara were
half-sitting, half lying on the couch together
watching the movie Moulin Rouge on Dara's new
flat-screen television. Dara was curled snugly
against Mac with her back resting comfortably against
his chest.
"I know. It definitely was something different,"
agreed Dara. "It was impressive how the movie used
contemporary songs. And Ewan McGregor has a fantastic
singing voice."
Nussling her neck while one hand softly caressed
Dara's toned stomach under a knit top, Mac smiled as
he heard Dara's low moans of pleasure. Continuing to
kiss her neck he teased, "Oh, so his singing is what
held your rapt attention whenever he came on screen?"
No doubt about it. Mac knew what to do to every
sensitive point on Dara's body to banish thoughts of
anyone other than him from her mind, and he was
anxious to remind her of this as he tightened his
grasp on her. Dara turned around so she was
completely facing Mac and lying on top.
With a mischievous smirk, Dara defended her comment.
"His singing was much better than I had anticipated.
And so was Nicole Kidman's singing." Dara lowered her
head, deftly parting Mac's lips with her tongue as she
delivered a simmering, passionate kiss, effectively
changing the subject.
With his eyes still closed as Dara pulled back from
the kiss, Mac stroked the curve in Dara's lower back
with his fingertips and murmured, "Speaking of
singing, how did your rehearsal go tonight?"
Sighing wistfully, Dara rested her head on Mac's
shoulder. "It went fine. Are you going to be able to
make the benefit concert tomorrow night?"
"Yes, Taggert & I won't leave for Albany until the
next day." Mention of the upcoming trip immediately
caused Dara's body stiffen, prompting Mac to crook his
neck and glance at Dara.
Danger comes with the job so get over it. At least
that's what Dara tried to tell herself. But it
wasn't the potential danger inherent with Mac's police
commissioner job that filled her heart with dread.
Work wasn't taking Mac to Albany to track every move
of Anthony Moreno while he was out of prison. This
was personal, and somehow this knowledge made Dara
involuntarily shiver with worry. "Mac, you know I
love you and how you want to protect me, but you don't
have to go to Albany to keep an eye on Moreno."
There was no mistaking the fearful undertone in Dara's
voice. Mac wanted to allay Dara's concern but he
couldn't and wouldn't lie to her. Loving cupping her
face with his hands and lifting it slightly, Mac gazed
directly into Dara's large soulful almond-shaped eyes.
"Dara, he threatened you. At the jail and in the
courtroom - both times in front of me." Just
remembering Moreno's threats made Mac's blood start to
boil. "Even if I weren't the police commissioner I
would be going to Albany. You know I have to go,
don't you?"
Nodding, Dara replied, "I know Mac. It's one of the
many reasons I love you."
******
"Victor, is that the taxi?" Kevin snapped the
Hartmann suitcase shut and was in the process of
retrieving his shaving kit from the master bathroom
when he heard the front doorbell ring. Thinking he
had at least 10 more minutes before the taxi arrived
to take Ellen and him to the airport, Kevin glanced at
his watch and sure enough, the taxi wasn't due for
another 15 minutes. Surmising it was Mary Scanlon or
someone visiting his father, Kevin quickly continued
with his last minute packing.
As he collected the
travel size toiletries for his shaving kit, Kevin
caught sight of his reflection in the dressing table
mirror and realized the thoughts of leaving for Italy
in a few hours with Ellen had placed a very noticeable
smile on his face. "Yes, I am happy," mused Kevin.
Extremely happy."
The last three months of developing
a romantic relationship with Ellen had finally brought
them to the point where the promise of a wonderful
future together could overshadow their rocky start.
Kevin had no doubt that Ellen's reticence in giving
into her feelings for him was in large part due to her
guilt over hurting Matt and Lucy.
Countless times
when she was with him, Kevin would observe Ellen in
unguarded moments of uninhibited joyfulness or
unexpected sensuousness, and then he could see her
consciously reign-in her feelings, as if something
wasn't right for them to take pleasure in each other's
company.
"Well, that's about to change sweetheart,"
Kevin silently vowed, impishly grinning as he
anticipated spending days and nights with Ellen in
Italy.
Only thoughts of this special time with Ellen
away from Port Charles helped him to maintain some
type of control when they were together. He was
confident that once he and Ellen returned from this
trip, such moments of doubts and hesitations about
their relationship would be a thing of the past.
Still grinning at himself for feeling like a hormonal
male teen for the past few months, Kevin clasped his
suitcase and turned to grab his Burberry trenchcoat.
He audibly gasped and abruptly stood still when he saw
Lucy standing, silently watching him, from his bedroom
doorway.
"Lucy!" Knowing Victor must have let Lucy in, Kevin
asked the next obvious question, "What are you doing
here?"
Initially upon seeing Kevin, Lucy had planned to
remind Kevin of the special love they shared but as
she parted her lips to make him aware of her presence,
she had been stuck dumb by the realization it was not
thoughts of their love on Kevin's mind as he completed
his packing.
Seeing the look of longing and intensity
in his mirrored facial expression felt like someone
had punched her in the stomach...again. Only the
shock of finding the love of her life in the arms of
her best friend Valentine night at Luke's rivaled the
pain she felt now. Knowing now catching Kevin as he
packed for a romantic rendezvous with Ellen was not
the best time to approach him, Lucy decided to brazen
it out with a fleeting hope Kevin would come to his
senses.
"Hi Doc." Lucy entered the room, approaching Kevin.
She reached out and gently touched his arm, murmuring,
" I was hoping to talk to you." Her touch was
hesitant but she managed a smile when her hand made
contact with Kevin's skin.
Kevin had been quick enough to catch sight of Lucy's
initial painful gaze. It was obvious she had observed
him daydreaming of Ellen. His heart did break for
her, as he accepted the fact he was responsible for
her pain. But he also knew there was nothing he could
say to her to make her feel better.
Looking into her teary eyes, Kevin with a voice full
of regret shook his head and said, "I'm sorry Lucy,
but we can't talk now. You see that I'm on my way to
the airport." Tossing his trenchcoat under the arm
that held the suitcase, Kevin took Lucy by the arm and
escorted her downstairs.
"Have you missed me at all in these past few months
Kevin?" Almost every night Lucy's body literally
ached when lying in bed and her mind contemplated how
she and Kevin would get back to each other. It was
impossible to believe with all they'd been through and
how strong her feelings were still for him, that he
couldn't feel the same way too.
Accepting Victor's offer to take his luggage outside
and wait for the taxi, Kevin seated himself on the
living room sofa and motioned for Lucy to join him.
He held her hands in his, and gently reminded her,
"Lucy, we haven't been together for more than 2 years,
since before my marriage to Eve."
"And I told you that marriage was a mistake," Lucy
immediately reminded him. "I was right about that
then and I'm right about us now. Kevin, I've been
patient and waited for you to end your infatuation
with Ellen. You know you two can't begin to
experience anything close to what we had, what we can
have again." Raising her hand to caress Kevin face,
Lucy was startled when Kevin flinched and quickly
moved out of her reach. "Kevin!"
Not wanting to repeat past mistakes, Kevin took a deep
breath and swallowed hard as he tried to explain his
feelings. "I was wrong this winter when I wasn't
completely candid with you why we couldn't be together
again and I'm truly sorry for that. But Lucy, in your
heart you must know that the problems between us have
nothing to do with Eve or Ellen or Scott or anyone
else. We'll always have a special relationship but it
won't be the type we've had in the past. It's over
Lucy, and it will cause you more pain in the long run
if I can't make you understand it now."
Muffling a strangled sob, Lucy stood and cried
incredulously, "How can you rip my heart to shreds
like this and say you're doing it because it's best
for me in the long run? Eve, Ellen, nor anyone else
can come close to sharing the magic we have together.
It's unbelievable you can't see it now. But one day,
you will." Not waiting to hear a reply from Kevin,
Lucy rushed out of the lighthouse before the tears
started falling down her face.