"What's this?" Laura asked the minute Stefan came into the house, with an armload of newspapers.

Stefan set them down, while answering, "A blue ribbon, it seems. Have you been exerting yourself too much? The doctor warned you about that during his last visit."

Almost three weeks had passed since they had left the Island, but not enough time for her to be completely healed. And he knew the emotional wounds would take much longer.

Laura ignored him. "Why do you have a blue ribbon?" she insisted.

"I bought it in Greece."

"And?" Laura prodded.

"Where did you find it?" Stefan asked his own question.

"Um, I might have been looking through some of your things," she said, managing to look embarrassed. "I was bored!"

Stefan raised his eyebrow slightly. "I see."

"But you didn't answer my question. Why do you have this?" Laura eyes twinkled naughtily, and she raised her eyebrows suggestively. "Is there something you'd like to share with me? I don't think blue is really your color."

"You're exasperating," Stefan told her. "If you must know, I bought it in Greece... as a gift for you," he confessed.

"Oh," Laura said, surprised. "Why didn't you just say so?" She turned her back to him, and handed him the ribbon over her shoulder. "Can you tie it for me?"

The fluttering in her stomach grew as he barely touched her neck, sweeping her hair so that he could tie the ribbon around it.

"There," he said.

"Thank you," she smiled, turning to face him.

"You're welcome," he replied. "Now will you please sit and rest, as the doctor ordered?"

"All right," she said, finding her favorite chair. "Hand me the comics. And no more cracks about how well-read I am."

He chuckled as he gave her the pages, and moments later the rustling of newspaper pages was the only sound in the house. They had fallen into the routine rather comfortably.

Laura went through the funnies quickly, and settled on looking at Stefan read. There was a slight crease of concentration on his face. He looked so serious most of the time, anyone might think he had no sense of humor. But she knew better.

She noticed his expression change suddenly. "Something interesting?" she asked.

He looked at her, and considered whether or not to tell her. But he knew she would find out eventually. "A small article in the New York Times," he said carefully. "It seems that Luke Spencer was released--"

"What?" Laura felt a panic rise within her, and she stood up. She was thousands of miles away from New York, but she suddenly felt completely vulnerable. "Why would they let him out?" Her voice rose. "He hasn't served his time yet! What kind of stupid system is that?"

"Laura," he said, going to her and taking her by the shoulders. He waited until she looked at him, making sure she was listening to him. "He's dead."

Laura stared at him. "Huh?" was all that she could think to say.

"Yes. Apparently as he left the courthouse yesterday afternoon he was hit by a vehicle that was exceeding the appropriate speed limit. The injuries were severe enough that he died in a hospital several hours later."

"Are -- Are you serious?" Laura asked.

Stefan nodded. "Luke Spencer is dead."

A short snicker left Laura's mouth. She covered her mouth, but her shoulders shook. A loud laugh escaped, and she lost it, laughing for a solid minute. The tears that fell were both from the laughter and utter relief. She took several breaths, calming herself. She looked at Stefan, who was smiling with her. "I'm a bad person," she said, smiling broadly.

"We should all be so evil," he laughed.