Laura's friendship with a lonely young man traps her into a night of terror...an eternity of shame

GENERAL HOSPITAL BONUS STORY: LAST DANCE AT THE DISCO
by Deborah Hanson

Luke Spencer was a dead man. The "organization" wanted him to prove his loyalty by murdering Senator-elect Mitch Williams. And they wanted him dead, too. Nothing good had ever happened in his whole lousy, rotten life--and now this was the end.

It was after closing time as Luke stood on the dance floor of the disco, thinking that his life was over. But, suddenly, a young woman walked in. It was Laura--Scotty Baldwin's wife--who worked for Luke as a waitress. He was surprised to see her. He thought she'd left hours ago.

She just stood there, her eyes shining with sympathy and concern. "Luke, let me help you. I'm your friend," she said quietly.

And then it happened! He couldn't stop himself, he couldn't hold back any longer. The disco was empty, but music still filled the room. Luke reached out to Laura. She took his hand and they began to dance, slowly swaying together.

Soon his embrace became urgent and fierce. He kissed her and pushed her to the floor. "No," Laura pleaded, "No, Luke, no!" But Luke couldn't hear her. All he could hear were his own silent screams: Please, just once, let me have something good in my life! He loved Laura, he always had, and he refused to die without ever knowing her warmth and tenderness.

A few minutes later, it was all over--and suddenly the phone was ringing. "Oh my God, what have I done?" Luke thought, freeing his grip on her and staring into her face, horrified. Laura--her clothes torn, her body bruised--ran, stumbling, into the night.

Then, Laura was in the hospital. Her husband Scotty was with her while the police questioned her. But Laura couldn't help them. She said the rapist was a man in the park. She didn't get a look at him. She couldn't describe him. Of course, she was shielding Luke. If anyone found out the truth, they'd think she'd led him on. Twisted by fear and grief, she thought maybe she'd been partially to blame. She'd been so close to Luke, maybe he'd gotten the wrong idea. And she knew Scotty would try to kill him if he found out Luke was the rapist. So, Laura decided to keep working at the disco. She'd go on like nothing had happened. She didn't know how she'd do it, but she had to.

Luke and Laura had an understanding. They'd keep up a public face, so people wouldn't become suspicious. Inwardly, she hated him, but the damage was done. Now they had to go on as best they could.

Luke was ready for death. He couldn't live with he memory of how he'd hurt Laura. It was time for his appointment with Mitch Williams; tonight was the night. But just as he was ready to leave, the phone in his office rang. It was Scotty. Could Luke give Laura a ride home from work? Obviously, Scotty wasn't suspicious. So, Luke jumped at the chance to do Scotty a favor and see Laura one last time.

Luke had to say goodbye to her. He was sure he'd never see her again, and he wanted to clear things up, so she wouldn't live despising his memory. He drove her to Lookout Point, and stopped the car. Laura listened to him talk about his "job"--a risky business--a matter of life or death. Suddenly she realized she couldn't let him die. She had to keep him from getting killed. She grabbed the keys out of the ignition and threw them over the cliff. Luke looked at her and screamed. "You know what you've done? You've just put a bullet through my head!"

Actually, Laura saved Luke's life--or at least bought him time. For Roy DeLucca stood in for Luke that night and was gunned down in his place. But now Luke was in so deep to the organization, they controlled his life. If he didn't jump when they snapped their fingers, he was as good as dead. Frank Smith, Mr. Big in the organization, owned Luke part and parcel. There was no escape.

Meanwhile, Laura was suffering, too. She was terrified that her family and friends would find out her secret, so she avoided them. Therapy was out of the question, too. Scotty said he wanted to help her, but every time he mentioned the rape he drove her farther away. She couldn't be a wife to him--she couldn't let him touch her. And the music, the driving beat of that song she'd heard the night Luke raped her, haunted her until she thought she'd go mad.

Backed into a corner, Laura finally had to reach out to someone--and she reached out for Luke. There was a bond between them. She'd saved his life and they shared the dreadful secret of her rape. In a way, that tied them together forever. Still, Laura's feelings for Luke were so confused that each meeting became a vicious screaming match.

Laura tried to be Scotty's wife. She wanted to open up to him, but she couldn't.

Eventually, she was able to accept Scotty's love again. They wanted to celebrate their reunion with a night on the town. But Luke asked Laura to work an extra shift at the disco, so Scotty brought the whole gang over there. That night there was a new face in the crowd. Jennifer Smith--mobster Frank Smith's daughter. She had her eye on Luke.

When Laura got off work, she and Scotty held each other close as they danced. Luke couldn't bear to watch this tender scene, so he switched the record to the song that played the night of the rape. Then he grabbed Jennifer and danced fiercely with her. Laura ran from the room in tears.

That night Scotty insisted Laura quit, and she went to Luke's office to give notice. She asked him why he'd done that to her. Why did he play that music? Luke told her the truth--he couldn't stand to see her in her husband's arms.

Laura's last night at the disco finally arrived. Her friends all turned out for a celebration, and Luke offered to pick up the tab.

Later, Laura left the dance floor to change her uniform and accidentally got locked in the dressing room next to Luke's office. She heard voices. Too embarrassed to knock, she stayed in the closet while Luke had a conference with Mr. Smith. The conversation made it clear that the disco was under the mob's thumb. And Mr. Smith's sidekick, Watson, saw Laura's shadow beneath the door.

When the men left, Laura asked Luke to let her out. She told him she'd heard the conversation and she was worried about him. She wanted to help. Luke asked her not to. He turned his back and begged her to leave. He loved her, but he wanted her out of his life. She must forget everything. Before leaving, Laura reached up and kissed him.

As Laura danced with Scotty, she put all thoughts of Mr. Smith out of her mind, but she couldn't forget Luke's arms around her or his kiss. Luke, alone in his office, was remembering the embrace, hoping Laura would finally forget the painful past.

But, it wasn't over. Unwittingly, Laura became part of the organization because of what she'd overheard. There is, as Luke said, so much unfinished business between them. And it seems that a strange, terror-filled love will bind Luke and Laura forever.