July 21, 2003

Carly Corinthos sighed and shifted in her position in the pew. Her husband patted her knee. “Relax,” Sonny murmured in her ear. “The ceremony will be starting soon.”

“Relax,” Carly muttered. “Relax, he tells me. Our best friend is getting married, I look like a house and your sister is miserable. I’m supposed to relax under these conditions?”

“Carly, you know this is the best way to get this done,” Sonny murmured. “Even Courtney agreed.”

“I know it was the best way but that doesn’t mean I have to like it,” Carly grumbled.

Across the church, on the bride’s side, Lucky Spencer was fidgeting. “This stupid,” he told his brother. “This is the dumbest thing she’s ever done.”

“Lucky, she’s getting married,” Nikolas Cassadine sighed. “She’s not committing murder.”

“She’s practically committing suicide,” Lucky hissed. “You know this is just going to kill her in the end.”

“He’s not going to let anything happen to her,” Nikolas replied, rubbing his temple. “He gave us his word.”

“I don’t mean physically,” Lucky shot back. “I mean emotionally, mentally–being in a marriage with someone who doesn’t love you, she deserves better.”

“You know I agree, but we’ve been over this Lucky. She’s doing this to protect her family. If there was another way to do this, she’d do it.”

“I know. But that doesn’t mean I’ve got to be happy about it,” Lucky replied. He twisted in his seat. “When is this going to start?”

In the bridal room, the young brunette stared forlornly into the wall-length mirror. She smoothed her hands over her hips, ironing out a small wrinkle in the silk strapless wedding gown she wore. She tugged at the bodice, trying to pull it higher.

“You look beautiful darlin’.”

Luke Spencer’s voice rang out behind her, causing the first hint of a smile to cross her face.

He came up behind her, looking at her reflection over her shoulder. “Just a vision, sweetheart. You’ve never looked more beautiful.” He tucked a chocolate curl that had fallen free from her French twist behind her ear.

“Tell me again, Luke,” she said softly. “Tell me that I’m doing the right thing.”

“You are,” Luke replied. “It’s not the choice I wanted you to take, but it’s the safest bet.” He smiled then. “I have something for you.”

“Luke…” she couldn’t help but smile. “You didn’t have to–”

“Oh, I didn’t buy this,” Luke told her, pulling the long black velvet case from his pocket. “This is something Laura bought last summer. It was going to be her gift to you on your birthday, but–well, things were crazy.”

She turned and took it from him, flipping the lid. Inside was a long delicate silver necklace with a simple silver heart-shaped locket hanging from it. Her eyes misted over as she thought of the beautiful blonde woman who’d been like her own mother. “She bought this for me?”

“Laura adored you,” Luke told her, taking the box from her and unhooking the chain from it. He set the box aside and draped the necklace around her neck, fastening it. “She always thought of you as a daughter.”

She touched the locket with trembling fingers. “I don’t think I can do this, Luke,” she whispered. “I don’t think I can marry him and do this.”

“You can, darlin’,” Luke told her firmly. “Because you know it’s the best chance you have for you and your child to be safe without leaving town.”

Tears stung her sapphire eyes. “How can I exist in a marriage knowing every day that my husband doesn’t love me?”

“He loves you,” Luke replied, confidently. “He wouldn’t be doing this if he didn’t.”

“If only it were so easy,” she sighed. “But you know it’s not.”

“I know.” Luke smoothed his hands over her shoulders. “But look at it this way. Lulu is dying to walk down that aisle and throw rose petals. Do you want to deprive her of that opportunity?”

She blinked back the tears, leaving them hanging in her thick dark eyelashes. “No,” she whispered. “No, I don’t.” She turned back to the mirror. “Luke, when this baby is born.if it’s a girl, I’m naming her Laura Audrey. I thought you should know.”

A lump formed in Luke’s throat as he thought of his angel. “She’d be honored, darlin’, just honored.”

“And if it’s a boy, Lucas.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Lucas Steven. Because you and Laura were the best parents a girl could ask for.”

“All right, darlin’, that’s enough sweet stuff,” Luke said. “You know you’ve always got me and Lucky. And the Cassadine brat if you need us.”

“I know.” She touched the locket once more before reaching for her bouquet of lilies. “I suppose we should get this over with, huh?”

“Let’s get this show on the road then.” Luke offered his arm and she took it.

Fifteen minutes later, Elizabeth Webber and Jason Morgan were married. There was little fanfare. Emily Quartermaine was the maid of honor, Michael Corinthos the ring bearer with Lesley Lu Spencer rounding out the wedding party as the flower girl. The ceremony was short and simple, each party reciting their vows as if reading out of a book.

Not once during the ceremony did they meet the other’s eyes. When the priest instructed the groom to kiss his bride, Jason bent quickly and brushed a kiss at the corner of her mouth, barely letting his skin touch hers.

Everyone in attendance knew the reasons the former friends were suddenly tying the knot. It nothing to do with love and everything to do with Elizabeth having been impregnated by Ric Lansing, who had been revealed as Faith Roscoe’s silent partner and had dropped out of sight. But not before issuing veiled threats to his former girlfriend and the baby she was carrying, of course.

Sonny Corinthos, fresh from a mental breakdown, had gained a new lease on life and committed himself to protecting Elizabeth at all costs. Ric Lansing had been revealed as his half-brother, therefore making Elizabeth’s child his potential niece or nephew.

He’d moved Elizabeth into the penthouse, but before long, she’d been grabbed on her way home from work. The men had released her almost immediately, telling Sonny that it was a warning that they could get the petite waitress at any time.

Sonny had enlisted Jason’s help and every plan they’d concocted had come up short. Short of one of them being on her at every time–there was nothing to do to that would ensure Elizabeth’s complete safety.

Surprisingly, it’d been Carly who’d come up with the current plan of action. She’d suggested it only in jest, but the more Sonny considered it, the more a marriage between Jason and Elizabeth made sense. Elizabeth, as his wife, would have the loyalty of the entire organization. She’d be entitled to the same benefits and protection as Carly. If there were any rumors of someone hired to do something, it’d make it back to Jason before anything took place. The networked worked like that, ironically. The same men that Sonny and Jason fought with day after day would be the same to protect them in the end. They didn’t like Ric Lansing any more than Sonny or Jason. Thought going through women like he had was weak. Elizabeth would be as safe as they could make her.

It’d taken more convincing on Courtney’s part than Elizabeth’s surprisingly. Elizabeth would have refused all help normally, but her pregnancy had changed her. Had made her aware that her pride meant next to nothing if her child did not live. She was now attached to this child, loved it more than anything.

Eventually, all parties had agreed and the date was set.

And now, they were married. For better or worse, they had married and were going to live together until Ric Lansing had been smoked out and taken care of.

After that, Elizabeth had told herself, the marriage would be annulled. She’d make sure Jason would not get attached to her child should it take that long, but she’d be part of Sonny’s life since this child was his relative as well.

All in all, it seemed simple and expedient. In theory.

In reality, nothing ever goes to plan and things were about to get complicated.

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