Chapter 39

*Small Sacrifices*

"I'm sorry."

Bobbie ignored Luke and stormed to the nurses' station at the postnatal unit. Dr. Neuman, dressed in surgical greens, met her halfway. "Tell me. How bad is it? What do we need to do?"

The soft-spoken obstetrician shook her head. "I'm sorry, Bobbie. We've done everything we can. All we can do now is wait. We've tried to notify Mr. Cassadine, but there hasn't been an answer on his cell phone. Do you know another way to reach him?"

Bobbie frowned. She only half heard the doctor. We've done everything we can.

"Stefan has an office here," Bobbie said. "Have you tried it?"

"I didn't mean him. I was talking about his nephew. The father of the baby?"

"The baby…how is the baby?" Bobbie asked. "How's my daughter?"

"Come with me," Dr. Neuman said, taking her arm. "You should sit down."

Bobbie jerked free. She became dimly aware of Luke beside her. "Tell me. I don't understand. Just give it to me straight."

"Mr. Spencer brought Carly in. He said she complained of severe pain before she fainted. We found internal hemorrhaging. She lost a great deal of blood, Bobbie."

"I can donate blood." She rolled up her sleeves as if to do it then and there.

The doctor shook her head. "We had enough in storage for a transfusion."

"So, she should be okay," Bobbie. "If she stays in the hospital for the remainder of her pregnancy, she'll be fine."

"No, we had to perform an emergency Cesarean. The baby and his mother are in critical condition. The next twenty-four hours will be touch and go." She patted Bobbie's arm and left.

"I can't believe this is happening again," Bobbie mumbled half to herself. "She almost lost Michael and now, this."

"Bobbie, I'm sure it's worse than it sounds," Luke said gently. "These doctors don't know everything--"

"You!" She turned quickly, jabbing a finger into his chest. "You were with her. She wouldn't be in there now fighting for her life if it wasn't for you! I swear, Luke, if anything happens to her… You and your damned vendetta. Look at all the lives you're destroying. Is it enough? Will it ever be enough?"

An announcement came over the PA for Bobbie to report to the ER. She brushed past Luke and responded to the call.

~**~

Lucky heard the anger in Bobbie's voice as he rounded the corner. His father stood there and took her words without pausing a moment to defend himself. So, of course, her accusations were true. Emily was right. Hatred would be the death of them all.

He turned to leave, but he didn't move fast enough.

"Cowboy. Lucky!" Luke headed toward him. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard about Carly. I came to see if Bobbie needed anything." He narrowed his eyes as he looked at the haggard face of his father. "I guess I should be surprised you're here. But where there is pain and confusion, there will you be."

"Lucky, don't. We should talk."

"I heard Bobbie. What have you done now? Why is all this your fault?"

"I-I… I had to protect my family."

"How?" Lucky cried. "By convincing Carly to get knocked up by Nikolas? I always wondered about their relationship. I mean, he's a pompous jackass at times, but there's no way he'd get mixed up with her. Her world is crazy. Damn," he said in a low voice, "I should have known you had something to do with it. He's never done a damn thing to you. For goodness sake's, Dad, he saved LuLu's life! Doesn't that count for something?"

"Lucky, you're young. You don't understand."

"I understand that you need help. We're all in serious need of help."

~**~

"I don't see why we shouldn't open another office here." Bobbie Donal took his lover's hand and drew her close. "Bec, how would you feel about leaving Boston?"

"I can't man an office alone," she protested. "Eleanor and Eugene would have a fit. Especially, Eleanor."

He smiled and gently cupped her face. "You wouldn't be alone. I'd come here. We'd run this one together."

"The others might figure out we're more than friends," she cautioned.

He shrugged. Disclosure was long overdue anyway. "We are. We always have been. I don't expect an answer today. Think about it, okay?"

Rebecca nodded. They shared a brief kiss before a knock sounded at the conference room door. Bobby rose to answer it. Their current client and her friend were right on time for her appointment.

"Come in, Katherine. Hello, Mac."

Katherine smiled in response, while Mac greeted the two attorneys.

"Now, that the trial date has been set," Katherine said, "I trust we're ready."

"Our expert witnesses are ready and so are we," Bobby assured her.

~**~

Helena followed Nikolas to Dawn with every intention of making him suffer for Stefan's birth. The ultimate betrayal of raising her husband and sister's love child as her own while her baby lay dead, buried and forgotten made her burn with pure fury.

But as she observed Nikolas professed his love, a change overcame her. Love had been all she ever wanted. Well, that and ultimate power. Of course, she would have gladly sacrificed one for the other. Had either been offered.

However, that was neither here nor there.

Caleb, one of the oldest soulless beings unknown to mankind, had found the young lovers. She knew from the folklore what he wanted. Their baby. With the child, his tyranny would be far worse than anything she ever imagined. Humans would be rendered defenseless. Peace would no longer exist. Even with the pain and hurt that filled her heart, she could not allow that to happen.

Ever resourceful, she grabbed a pool stick from the wall cabinet and charged the vampire.