Lullabye

Author’s Note: I’ve taken some creative liberty here. Even though this song did not come out until 1994, I’ve changed its date of origin. It has a "Greek/Russian" flair to it, that I wanted for this scene and Nikolas’ remembrances. It was done solely for entertainment purposes and not to be construed as accuracy in any way with original story content of GH.

Nikolas drove to the chateau that he had rented where his mother, Luke, Robin, her father and he would stay while they tried to uncover the details of the diabolical plot that his grandmother had exacted against Laura. Nikolas had known his entire life that Helena hated his mother. He knew she blamed Laura in part for his grandfather’s death and completely for his father’s death. Stephan had explained it to him when he was old enough to understand the complicated story of his parentage, what his family had done to Laura, and what the nature of his parent’s relationship was. Stephan had been one of only two defenders of his mother’s name during his childhood. Alexis was the other. She had only kind words for him about Laura. And Stephan’s portrayal of her was neither good or bad. He stated the facts about Laura without letting personal feelings regarding Mikkos or Stavros get in the way of the truth. Nikolas had appreciated it.
He could still hear his uncle trying to explain it to him. "Lasha loves you, Nikolas," he tried to reassure. "I know it doesn’t feel that way to you, but her leaving was never about you. It was about her reclaiming what had been taken from her."
"If she loved me," he asked, hesitantly, "why didn’t she take me with her?"
Stephan had patted the side of his cheek. "My boy," he admitted. "I do believe your mother had every intention of claiming you again, but Helena would never permit it. In the end, it was not an option for her. She paid the ultimate price for leaving this island: she lost you."
"Helena said if my mother truly loved me, she would never have left me."
"You must not look to Helena for answers about your mother," he had said, reflectively. "Her judgement is clouded."
"Why am I not allowed to see my mother, Uncle?"
"If you were to see your mother now," Stephan replied. "And Helena got wind of it, I believe she would harm Lasha."
With that statement, Nikolas dropped any further discussion. No matter how hurt he had been that his mother had left him, he never wanted any harm to come to her.
One thing he could always count on with his Uncle was the truth. He never sugar-coated or minimized the truth of any situation. Stephan was preparing Nikolas for the role he would assume as head of the family one day. Nikolas needed to be pragmatic as well as a realist. He needed to have the truth given to him no matter how painful or ugly. Nikolas would always be indebted to his uncle for taking that course in his upbringing.
And, Nikolas had not been completely left with no sense of Laura. Whenever Nikolas wanted to see his mother, he would retreat to his uncle’s living quarters.
There, in Stephan’s study, hung the portrait of his mother. He remembered so many moments during his youth spent staring at it, thinking how beautiful she was. Yet, her eyes had always looked so sad to him.
Laura had been pregnant with Nikolas when the portrait had been commissioned by his father. It was to hang in the Great Hall alongside the one of his grandmother and all the other women dating back centuries who had each added to the lineage of heir Princes. All of these women had a special place of honor in the Cassadine family and its history. Upon his father’s death, Helena had demanded that the painting of Laura be removed and burned. She would not permit such disgrace to hang on the wall of the Great Hall. However, his uncle had intercepted the portrait.
Stephan had told Nikolas that he had preserved the portrait because he knew there would come a day when Nikolas would have questions about Laura. He thought it was important that Nikolas know what his mother looked liked - that he have something tangible that would give him a sense of her. She was, after all, his mother.Of all the things of beauty on the island, the one thing that was his favorite was the portrait of  Laura - his mother.
As he drove through the streets of Paris, the stories about his mother came spinning to the forefront of his mind. He was 13. Nikolas was learning to sail, and on this particular day, Alexis had accompanied him. Alexis was the women he looked to for his maternal needs. He had a special bond with his Aunt. It was something that Stephan encouraged - anything to keep him away from Helena and her maniacal clutches. It was the stories that Alexis told him on this excursion that had changed something in him. It was the first time in his life that he felt a true connection to his mother and came to appreciate just what she had endured.
"Stephan says that you’ve been asking about your mother?"
Nikolas looked out into the sea. Softly, he said. "There are empty places in me. They are there because I do not know her."
Alexis felt for her nephew. She knew what it was to grow up without the presence and love of a mother. Helena had seen to that for both of them. She wished she could spare Nikolas that pain. "Would you like for me to tell you my memories of your mother?" she offered.
Nikolas looked at his aunt. "I would like that very much," he replied.
"Not all of them are pleasant," she said, thoughtfully. "Do you want to hear just the good things?"
Nikolas looked Alexis seriously in the eyes, and, without flinching, said. "I want to hear it all."
Alexis nodded. He was such a serious young man. She wished he had more joy in his life. Hopefully, it would come for him one day. But, for now, she respected his right to know and his desire to want to know about his mother. It was nothing less than she had wanted as a young girl. She began. "Your mother was very reserved while on the island. I identified with her quite a bit, because I had been taken from a life where I was happy and brought here where my father ignored me, and Helena despised me. For your mother, it was Stavros who ignored her except when it suited him, and Helena who despised her. So, we shared a common bond."
Alexis watched Nikolas as she spoke. She did not want her words to hurt him. They were meant to help ease his burden of feeling unwanted and unloved by his mother. She continued, "You must keep something in perspective, Nikolas. Your mother was happily married when your father and Helena had her kidnaped and brought here against her will. Nothing about this place was endearing to her, and she had no reason to be happy. You see, I had the room just next to hers and many nights, I heard her cry herself to sleep. Anyway, I knew exactly how she felt. She did not want to be in this place. She wanted to go home and be with her husband and family. She wanted to be where she was loved and valued. The only saving grace for both of us was Stephan who is a kind and sensitive man."
Nikolas contemplated his aunt’s words. "What do you mean?" he asked.
"You know that I’ve never been a fan of your father’s," Alexis said. "He was mean and cruel. As children, he bullied me, he taunted me and he made fun of me. He treated your mother much the same way. She was unattainable to him, and Stavros found that both intriguing and challenging. He also felt the need to punish her for being unable and unwilling to love him. Your father kept her isolated on the island and cut-off from the outside world as well as the rest of the family for quite some time. He did not always treat her kindly."
"If she did not like him, then why did she marry my father?"
Alexis searched for the most accurate words to try and explain it to him. She fought back tears as she recounted for Nikolas a night that was horrifying to both her and Stephan. One they had never forgotten.
She and Stephan were not like Stavros or Helena. They did not delight in the pain of others. On this particular night, those two took extra delight in the pain they would inflict upon Laura. It was the night that Stavros and Helena broke Laura Spencer’s spirit.
"Your father and grandmother made an elaborate family dinner....I don’t even remember some parts of it. I tried to block it out. It was deplorable what they did. Even at the dinner table, your mother was placed in isolation. Stavros sat at one end and Helena sat at the other. Your uncle and I sat side-by-side and your mother sat across from us, completely alone on the opposite side of the table. I knew walking into the dining hall that evening that something was up. One could feel it in the air. It was an ominous sense in the room. I asked Stephan if he knew what was going on, and he had not a clue either. So, we waited for whatever those two had in store. We were half-way through the borscht," Alexis said, still in disbelief over the happenings of that night. "Even the minor details of that evening were subtly foreboding - that soup...ice cold and the color of blood....." She shuttered, but continued. "Stavros and Helena began discussing daily world happenings that were in the news. Your mother sat quietly, with her head bowed, eating and not paying much attention to the conversation....Stavros asked Helena if she had heard about the avalanche. That conversation was so bizarre. Stavros was discussing it as if he were amused by it - stating what a horrible death it would be to, in essence, be buried alive beneath snow - struggling for air as one slowly suffocated. It was definitely not appropriate dinner conversation.
Then, Helena swooped in for the kill by asking Stavros almost innocently if she had heard correctly that Luke Spencer had been in that avalanche."
Nikolas listened intently as Alexis told him this dark tale.
"Your mother dropped her spoon, and I heard her cry out ‘what?’, as if she had heard incorrectly. Then, Stavros looked at her rather cooly and confirmed what Helena had said. I remember the color completely drained from Laura’s face, and my heart broke for her in that moment. She looked back and forth between Helena, and Stavros and said that she didn’t believe it. She knew they were toying with her."
"Was it true?" Nikolas asked. "Or had he and my grandmother made it up?"
"At the time, it appeared to be true," Alexis said. "Stavros produced a copy of the Port Charles Herald. It was front-page. Laura grabbed the newspaper and examined it carefully. Helena gloated as she watched your mother read the article. Stephan and I sat there in shock over how they had crushed her spirit and taken such pleasure in it, Nikolas. It was unthinkable and ill-mannered to break something like that to her in that way. Your uncle and I wanted to reach out to her in that moment, but we didn’t dare. Had we intervened, we would have felt swift repercussion. But, you could see Laura reeling over the news - the rug had been pulled out from under her, while they put her on a macabre display. She was terribly shaken by it. One could see the devastation written all over her face," she paused, considering what Nikolas’ mother had truly suffered that night. "I had to admire Laura, though. She did not give Stavros or Helena the satisfaction of seeing her breakdown. She would not open her heart in front of them and give them the satisfaction of seeing the thousands of tears that she wept for him. She simply asked to be excused."
Nikolas shifted uneasily as he listened to Alexis tell him these things.
"Helena looked at your mother very smugly and taunted her by saying ‘welcome to the club, my dear.’" It was so cruel. Stephan didn’t sit for it any longer. He went to help your mother from her chair and told her he was sorry. That angered Stavros. He glared at Stephan and berated him for his compassion toward Laura. He said that it was a night for celebration because the man who had killed their father was dead.
"Those words stung your mother. I remember she shot a harsh look at Stavros when he said it. Your mother was one of a very few people who wasn’t afraid of Stavros and she spat words of anger in his face about how vile he was.
"Helena ignored your mother’s words and raised her wine glass, chanting, ‘Here! Here!’ Here’s to Luke Spencer! May the doors of hell open for him quickly.’ The only other time I remember feeling such hatred for Helena was the night she killed my mother."
Alexis then changed mood and giggled a bit. "Laura wasn’t afraid of Helena either," she said in awe. "She taught me how to dismiss Helena’s threats, and I became less afraid of Helena and her power. I owe that to your mother because of how she stood up to Helena." Alexis continued. "And Laura was brave that night. I really don’t think she cared in that moment if they killed her or not. If Luke was truly gone, nothing mattered to her. And she certainly knocked Helena off her high-horse!"
Nikolas became intrigued. "What did she do?"
Alexis laughed again at the memory of Helena’s shocked face. "Your mother turned to her and said, ‘Shut up, you withered, old bitch! If my husband is, indeed, dead, I can at least take comfort in knowing that he died loving me, which is more than you can say about that maniac you were married to!’ Oh, it was priceless.""What happened next?"
"Stavros ordered Stephan and me to take Laura to her living chambers."
"Uncle has always said that my father and grandmother were both ruthless and heartless people," Nikolas replied.
Alexis nodded her head in agreement. "That’s a generous statement about either of them."
"What happened to my mother after she thought Luke had died?"
"It was awful, Nikolas," Alexis recalled. "When I helped her up from the table that night and looked into her eyes, the little bit of life and spark that had been there was gone. Her eyes looked like dark clouds. Stephan and I got her to her quarters and left her there alone with the newspaper.
"I laid in my bed until late in the night listening to her sob. It wasn’t just crying. It was deep,painful sobs. I couldn’t bear to listen to it for long, and went out onto my terrace until she wore herself out and sleep finally came for her. I saw personally that her grief was insurmountable. She was not going to recover from the loss of Luke, so, I think she just gave up. Her will to fight them was gone.
"I snuck into her room the next morning to tell her how sorry I was. In the midst of such terrible grief, she thanked me for my kindness," Alexis said. "I thought that was amazing. I told her that I would try and find out for certain what had happened to Luke. She looked at me with a tiny glimmer of hope. Your mother began to trust me a little that day."
"So, you liked Laura?"
Alexis nodded and said. "I liked her very much. I was the first person on the island who she trusted and confided in - as much as she trusted or confided in any of us."
"She was smart," Nikolas said, matter-of-fact. "...to give you her trust."
Alexis smiled at her nephew for the compliment. She said. "Pain recognizes and identifies with pain. She saw in me what I saw in her, and it allowed us to take a risk and trust one another."
"So, how was she able to look past my father’s cruelty and marry him?"
Alexis thought about how to tell him the next part. "Nikolas," she said. "Do you remember the time when you had that terrible case of flu, and the doctor wouldn’t let you out of bed or your living quarters for almost 10 days? You had to take you meals in there, and no one could visit you because you were contagious. Do you remember how alone and bored you were? Do you remember how you cried to Stephan to let you go outside into the garden for some fresh air? - just for a minute of sunlight on your face?"
"Yes, I remember it."
"Your mother lived that every day she was on this island, except for the rare occasion when she was brought to the dining hall. She was never allowed to leave her living quarters. She truly was a prisoner. It slowly began to take its toll on her."
"They never let her go outside?" Nikolas asked, stunned by this revelation.
"Not until after she agreed to marry your father," Alexis said. "Stavros went to her several weeks after word came about the avalanche and Luke’s death, and gave her a proposition: she could either marry him and, in exchange, be given privileges of walking around the island for an hour a day, or she could remain the prisoner that she was."
"So, she really had nothing to loose at that point," Nikolas said, softly.
"No," Alexis replied. "She always believed that Luke would rescue her. When she believed that he had died, she didn’t care about anything else. Her hope died with him. She knew she was never going to leave the island, so she chose to have an hour of solitude each day - away from the ones she loathed."
"Then there was never any love between them?"
Alexis turned Nikolas’ face to her, so that she was looking directly into his eyes. "I won’t lie to you, Nikolas. Laura hated your father. It never lessened over time, but she adored you!"
"How can you say that with any certainty - that she adored me?"
"Because I was with her the night that she delivered you."
"What?" he asked, confused. No one had ever told him this.
"When she became pregnant with you, Laura had life in her again," Alexis explained. "It wasn’t the same kind of life, but there was genuine happiness in her. She was going to have someone who she could love and someone who would love her in return. You gave her hope that her future would have some meaning, as she lived out her life here in her prison."
"If she hated my father," he replied. "How could she possibly love me?"
"Oh, Nikolas," Alexis said, feeling his pain. "One thing had nothing to do with the other. Laura became immune to the fact that she was Stavros’ wife or that he treated her like chattel. Her emotions were shut down when Luke died, so it didn’t matter how Stavros used her. I don’t expect you to understand this because you are a male, but the woman inside her was dead. With you, the mother in her was born and that is how she saw and defined herself.
"I remember when she became pregnant with you," Alexis said. "She asked Stavros for some knitting needles and baby blue yarn - the softest that he could get for her. She knew from the beginning that she was having a son."
"My mother made that blue afghan?" Nikolas was stunned. He had adored that blanket. He could not sleep at night without it. He had always assumed that it had been purchased in a fine baby boutique because it had been so perfectly made. It looked like it had been made by an artisan.
Alexis smiled. "Yes. She sat by the window in her room everyday, knitting that afghan - humming to herself. No one came to our living area much, except when Stavros wanted her for something. So, I would visit with her periodically. We weren’t friends by any means, but we became close acquaintances. She trusted me and Stephan, as much as she allowed herself to trust."
"I can’t believe that it wasn’t taken from me after she left."
"Had Helena known about it," Alexis said, "It would have been burned. But, she didn’t know. Stavros never returned home after he went after your mother. Perhaps, he would have destroyed it too. However, Stephan and I talked about it and felt that it was important that you have a few things from your mother."
"Why did no one tell me?"
"Stephan said that we were not to speak of Laura until and unless you asked about her.... Now that you have begun to ask about her, the time has come to tell you the truth about what happened."
"You said that you were with her the night I was born?"
Alexis nodded. "Yes. Historically, the Heir Prince’s mother would witness the birth of the next Heir Prince. Helena refused. As much as she loved your father, she hated Laura just as much and would not lift a finger to help her during your delivery. It was unheard of that Helena would not be present. Every Cassadine birth was witnessed by a Cassadine female. Since Helena would not do it, Stephan suggested to Stavros that I be the one to witness your birth. Surprisingly, he agreed."
"Why surprisingly?"
Alexis smiled and replied. "I was never one of Stavros’ favorite people, but I think some part of your father truly loved Laura as much as he was capable of love and he knew that I cared about her. You were the only thing important to him. He wanted your birth to be a blessed event, and he knew that Laura was comfortable with me. So, he agreed to it."
Nikolas looked out at the sea. "I find this all so interesting. Nothing has ever been said to me about how my father felt about my mother. Helena acts as if the Gods of ancient Greece placed me here. What do you know of his love for my mother?"
"It’s odd," Alexis said. "As indifferent as he was with her, the few things she demanded of him were not denied her. I know of five demands she made of him. Each one was quite significant, but he did not refuse her any of them."
"And they were?"
"He wanted her wedding ring from Luke," Alexis recalled. "She told him she would remove it but he would have to kill her to take it. Stavros admired her resolve and allowed her to keep it. It made no sense considering how much he hated Luke. By the same token, she agreed to marry him but would not wear his ring. He must have loved her to allow that. It was unheard of for the Princess Consort not to wear the Cassadine crest of marriage. I remember Helena being outraged over it until Stavros mentioned to her that he thought it would make her happy to know that Laura would not have that honor. I think Stavros made Helena think it was his idea. That thought appeased her, but Stephan and I knew the truth about it.
"What else did she demand?" He asked, enjoying discovering these things about his mother.
Alexis paused for a moment. She had taken delight in Laura’s demands because the only other woman she had ever seen have her way was Helena. Each demand that Laura made and was granted, Alexis quietly celebrated as a victory over Helena. Each time it happened, it let Helena know that her wishes were not priority. And anything that made Helena unhappy delighted
Alexis. "When Stavros announced that Laura was pregnant, Helena began construction of a nursery in the west wing of the compound that was close to her. Laura would have none of it! She told Stavros that her son would not to be taken from her and that a nursery would be added to her living quarters. She told Stavros that she was the mother to this child and no one was going to deprive her of having you near her. When Stavros let Laura have her way, it sent Helena into a rage. Your father would not acquiesce."
Nikolas was in deep thought as he listened to Alexis recount these memories for him. "He must have loved her to have defied Helena in that manner."
"It was all so odd," she said. "Each thing that your mother said she would not tolerate, she was not made to....except, of course, he would never willingly allow her to leave the island," Alexis added. "Then, there was the matter over your christening gown." Alexis told him. "I’ll never forget the day that Helena returned from Paris. She had purchased an exquisite gown for your christening and made the mistake of informing Stavros about it over a family dinner. Your mother glared at Helena. Laura no longer ate at the table with her head down, disinterested in the family conversation. Somewhere within your mother, I think she believed she would leave the island with you one day, and she listened intently concerning everything that went on. Looking
back in hindsight, I see that she was biding her time...
"Anyway, Laura glared at Helena and said defiantly, ‘you will not make these decisions regarding my son!’," Alexis began to laugh at the memory.
"Oh, God! The look on Helena’s face was priceless. She looked to your father for approval but Laura demanded to know if Stavros’ grandmother had selected his christening gown. Stavros enjoyed playing Helena against Laura when it suited him. That night, it suited him. So, he posed the question to Helena."
Nikolas had to smile over this. He could see Helena in his mind as Alexis painted the picture for him. "And what was Helena’s answer?"
"She scoffed and threw her napkin on her plate,"
Alexis replied. "Then, she stormed out of the dining hall. The following morning, the christening gown was sent back to Paris with a note from Stavros. Stephan told me that Stavros told the woman who had made the gown to keep the money with his well wishes, but the christening gown was no longer needed. He told her to sell it to someone who would enjoy its beauty on their child."
"I imagine that didn’t sit well with Helena," Nikolas said. So, the christening gown that hung in the back of his closet had been selected by his mother. It was one more thing that had special sentiment to him now. He and Alexis sailed for a few minutes, enjoying the warm breeze off the Aegean. Then, he asked. "You said she made five demands of my father. What was the last one?"
Alexis smiled at her nephew again. "It was the most meaningful one for me. She told Stavros that she wanted me to be your Godmother. Well, you know that went over like a lead balloon with Helena," she replied. "Helena hated me as much as she hated your mother! She had suggested to Stavros that our cousin, Melina Cassadine, be chosen as your Godmother. Laura said dismissively to Stavros that she did not know who Melina Cassadine was and that she wanted me to be your Godmother."
Nikolas smiled with Alexis. "Well, I know how that ended," he said, thinking about all that he had learned. "It sounds like my mother had important influence with my father."
"I think if your mother had shown Stavros one ounce of affection or love," Alexis concluded, thinking about it. "That he would have given her anything she asked of him. Of all the things I can say about your father, one thing was for certain: he wasn’t a fool. He knew from day one that Laura would never love him, so he treated her indifferently. But she did intrigue him which is why I think he couldn’t deny the few things she asked of him.""And you were actually there with her when I was born?"
Alexis’ eyes welled with tears as she remembered it. "Yes. It was the most awesome sight. Laura refused to be put to sleep, as was custom. She said she wanted to feel every moment of your birth. I knew she was anxious though. She was only 20, and so far away from her mother who I know she missed terribly! Her labor was long and hard - nineteen hours it took. Instead of her growing weary, it seemed with every passing hour, she gained more strength. A nurse had to go out every 30 minutes to update Stavros who sat anxiously awaiting with Stephan for the official word that you had arrived.
"I kept feeding Laura ice chips and putting cool compresses on her forehead. Honest to God, I don’t know how she endured it for so long. Stavros had classical music piped in so that you would be born into a soothing atmosphere. Laura would close her eyes and breathe deeply in and out, as violins or harps filled the room.
"As the pain intensified, and we moved closer to your birth, her breathing became deeper. I remember when the doctor said your head had crowned, and it was time for Laura to push, she called out to me and reached for my hand," the tears fell from Alexis’ face as she shared this with her nephew. "It was the most powerful feeling I have ever experienced. I held Laura’s hand as she pushed you into this world." Alexis began to laugh as she wiped the tears from her face. "Then, we heard your very vocal cry as they took you to clean you off. Laura searched the room frantically to see you. She didn’t speak Greek, and she looked to me to tell them that she wanted her son.
"When they handed you to her, she began to laugh and cry and kiss your face. She closed her eyes as she laid her head against your cheek and just said over and over, ‘my beautiful boy! I love you!’. It was an amazing thing to watch." Alexis looked at Nikolas who was looking out at the Aegean. "As the nurse placed you into Laura’s arms, I looked up and, standing in the back of the room, in a hospital robe and face mask stood Helena. She wouldn’t be there to help Laura, but she couldn’t not be there to witness Stavros’ son being born. It was the only time I saw the look on her face soften as she looked at Laura."
Nikolas turned away from Alexis as the tears filled his eyes. For the first time in his life, he knew that his mother loved him...

* * *

For hours, they sailed the Aegean, just he and Alexis. Throughout that entire time, Alexis told him story after story about his mother. Stephan had given his permission for her to do so, and Nikolas asked everything he could think of.
"How was she with me?" he asked Alexis. "Did she like being with me?"
"You were her life," she recalled. "I would watch from my balcony as she walked down by the sea. It was just you and her. I have this one imagine in my mind: your mother was wearing a long flowing white blouse and a white Greek style skirt that went to her ankles. Her hair was long and free, and she looked like an angel carrying you around with the wind blowing in your faces. I could hear her laugh and you giggling. She sat many times on the retaining wall, keeping a close hand on you as she played peek-a-boo and sang row, row, row your boat. These are things she knew as a child. She waited until she had her private hour away from the compound before she shared those type personal things with you. But, I watched many times from my balcony because it was on the side of the compound where she always took you. I think
in her heart, she wanted someone to witness her interaction with you in case there came a time that she was taken away from you."
"I have one vague memory of her," he said. "It’s blurry and I don’t know if I was dreaming but I feel myself in the air. I can see her eyes and her smile, and I hear her calling ‘Nicky...’ I think I must have dreamed that...."
Alexis shook her head. "No," she replied. "You didn’t dream that. Laura would gently throw you up just a bit above her head and catch you. It made you kick and squeal and giggle. She had found something that gave you pleasure, and she played with you like that everyday. Then, she would nuzzled her cheek into your cheek and kiss you all over your face.""So, she did call me Nicky?"
"Yes," Alexis said. "Only in those private moments when she was alone with you. Then, she would call you Nicky. I would hear her ask you if you were full after you had nursed, and I saw her caress your check with her  fingers....rubbing back and forth."
Nikolas turned to Alexis completely stunned. He thought nannies’s had cared for him. "My mother nursed me?"
"Oh, yes! She insisted upon it," Alexis said. "She nursed you for the first year of your life. I remember one day, I popped in to say hello and she was nursing you. I turned to leave but Laura stopped me. She asked me to sit with her for a bit, so I did. She thanked me for all the help and support I had been to her during her pregnancy and your birth. I told her that it wasn’t necessary and we talked a while longer. I told her it was a beautiful sight to watch a mother nurse her baby.
"She looked so serene when she nursed you," Alexis said. "Then, I remember out of the blue she softly said to me, ‘he’s mine, Alexis. Nikolas is truly my son! I have bonded him to me in ways that won’t effect him until he’s much older, but he’ll know about them someday because he has my heart. He’s such a sweet boy....’," Alexis recounted, watching her nephew’s reaction as she
told him these things. "Then, she made a request of me. I’ll never forget the look on her face. She asked me if I would tell you how much she loved you, if something ever happened to her. It broke my heart, but I told her I would."
Nikolas turned to Alexis and asked, "Did she fear for her life for some reason?"
"I don’t think so," Alexis replied. "I think she just wanted to make certain, for her own peace of mind, that you would know that she loved you."
"I wish I had known it sooner," he said, somberly.
"I wanted to tell you sooner," Alexis told him apologetically. "But Stephan was adamant that the discussion of Laura would not take place until you sought the answers. And Laura’s words to me that day were not fortuitous."
"How do you mean?"
"She touched you in ways that were subtle imprints," Alexis said, thoughtfully. "She told me that you had her heart, and I believe that to be true. She silently spoke to yours, Nikolas, in ways that have become inherent in you." Alexis waited for these words to sink in.
"How so?"
"One thing that Laura did to pass the time that she spent in her living quarters was listen to music. I think it soothed the ache in her soul - the pain that she was never able to speak about with anyone. Aside from you, music became her comfort."
"Are you saying that I get my love of music from my mother?"
Alexis shook her head. "Not just music. Specific music," she answered. "I notice when you are troubled, upset - even angry, you retreat to your room. You lock yourself away, sometimes for hours, and play the music of your heart. You always seem better after you listen to your music that calms your soul...
"Bregovic’s Lullabye, Pachelbel’s Canon in D Major, Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini....those were your mother’s favorites. She repeatedly played them everyday. She would read with them as background music. She would nurse you while they played. She would rock you to sleep with them - especially to Bregovic."
"I thought Stephan was responsible for my love of classical music," Nikolas said, as the magnitude of Alexis’ words washed over him. "He introduced it to me at such an early age."
Alexis smiled. "Yes, but he never played those three songs," she pointed out. "You know that Stephan developed a caring relationship with your mother, just as did I. After she left, he never played those songs. They made him sad...You found them on your own. Perhaps, it was something your mother imprinted on your heart that you never forgot."
Nikolas felt the quickening of his heartbeat. He had no words.
After a moment, Alexis said. "I think you should know that Laura made an attempt to get you back in 1984."
Nikolas was stunned. "Why didn’t Stephan ever tell me this?" he asked.
"It wasn't the time for you to know until now.  It was too dangerous," she replied.  "And, he thought it would be easier for you to hear it from me."
"Did I get to see her?"
"No," Alexis replied, remembering Stephan telling her about it. "Helena found out about it and met your mother at the Athens airport. She warned her to stay away."
"I didn’t think Laura was afraid of Helena."
"She wasn’t, until Helena had her mother killed," Alexis said, recalling how she, herself, felt the night Helena killed her own mother.
Nikolas let out a long sigh. He cleared his throat, then asked. "Did Stephan tell you about my sister?"
"I know that she’s gravely ill," she replied, softly.
"She needs a bone marrow transplant, or she’ll die," he stated. "Stephan said that it appears I am the only match. I have the power to cure her."
"That must feel very overwhelming."
"He has looked into it," Nikolas said. "And was very honest with me about it. The operation is both painful and dangerous."
Alexis didn’t say anything. She let him work it out for himself.
"I asked him how my mother was doing and if he had spoken to her,"
"Has he?"
"No," Nikolas told her. "From what I’ve been told, she’s having a rough time with it. Stephan said she has tried to make contact. It seems she needs me after all."
"It must have taken a lot of courage for her to call," Alexis replied. "I’m certain it’s in the back of her mind whether or not Helena might kill someone else in her family. I don’t believe Laura made contact simply because her daughter needs your bone marrow, Nikolas. I think this freed her conscience to try and make contact again."
Nikolas thought about Alexis’ last statement. "Stephan said the decision will be mine to make," he stated.
"As it should be."
"If it were you," he asked, hesitantly. "What would you do?"
Alexis remembered Kristina. The uncertainty of her well-being and whereabouts haunted her everyday. She did not take his question lightly, nor her reply. "If it were me, I would help my sister."

* * *

Nikolas down-shifted as he rounded the corner to the chateau. As he drove up to the guard station to identify himself, his cell phone rang. "This is Nikolas Cassadine."
"Master Nikolas," his private detective said. "My investigators have traced a signal that we believe came from your grandmother’s cell phone. It came from a small island off the Aegean. It seems that Mrs. Cassadine has been very busy purchasing this island and building a state-of-the art complex."
"Have you verified this?"
"I have," he replied. "I think you should see it for yourself."
"Do you know if she is there?"
"The signal came from her yacht. It seems she’s on her way to Paris."
Nikolas thought about this before he replied. "I want you to hire a team of explosive experts, electrical technicians and a locksmith. Put them on a ship and tell them I will meet them there tomorrow.... In the meantime, I want every building plan, and permit that has been filed with the Greek government regarding this compound. I also want the name of every contractor who worked on this project for my grandmother."
"I’ll get right on it, sir."

* * *

Nikolas removed his sunglasses as he entered the chateau. He spoke with the staff briefly and learned that Robert and Luke had gone to meet with their own French private detective and Robin was at the hospital with Roche.
"J'aimerais voir ma m re." I’d like to see my mother.
L'intendant [the butler] nodded and showed Nikolas to a suite in the back of the chateau.
Laura was seated at the window when he entered.
Nikolas spoke to the nurse. "J'aimerais passer quelques temps avec ma m re, s'il vous plaît. Je vous appellerai quand je suis par." I'd like to spend some time with my mother, please. I'll call you when I'm through.The nurse left the room and closed the door behind her. Nikolas walked to where Laura sat and knelt down beside her. It was too horrible for him to imagine that Helena had actually done this to her. The truth of it stirred an anger in him that had only been equaled to what he felt when Helena had kidnaped Spencer from Colleen the previous Christmas. The depths of his grandmother’s hatred startled even him.
His Cassadine blood began to rise up within him as he determined how he would deal with Helena once and for all. Killing her would be too easy. Her treachery needed to be met with a punishment equal to what she had done to his mother. It would take some doing, but he believed that he could convince Luke to agree to his plans for Helena, once he gave it serious consideration. Of course, they had to intercept Helena first. It would be the first time in her life that she would regret seeing him.
Nikolas laid his cheek in his mother’s lap. He had dreamed of doing it so many times as a child. Only then, he had longed to feel her run her fingers through his hair or feel her arms securely wrap around him after a nightmare had pulled him from sleep. He had longed for so many things regarding his mother. He had long ago reconciled the hurt he had felt over her leaving him behind. Alexis had clarified so many painful questions that had plagued him on that summer day when he was 13.
The sounds of Bregovic, Pachelbel and Rachmaninov filled his head - the soothing melodies that his mother had ingrained into his soul. Those tranquil, comforting heart sounds she had left him with had become more important to him after that day sailing on the Aegean. It was as Alexis had said that day, his mother had silently spoken to his heart many years ago. Somewhere in his subconsciousness, he had heard her, and the music connected him to her. On those days that he found himself troubled or missing her, he would often find himself staring at her portrait, memorizing her face. Then, he would play the music, allowing it to envelop him, as he imagined Laura sitting in her room listening to it as he slept or lay in her arms.
Tears fell from his eyes and were absorbed into the lap of her nightgown. He took her hand and kissed it. Then, he looked into her blank stare and made this promise:
"I will make this right, Mom. Helena is finally going to pay for all the years that she hurt you, and for all the years she kept you from me! I will not rest until I find her and make her pay. I give you my word."
He took a moment to regain his composure before he left to search for Luke. Nikolas had to update him on his findings regarding Helena and her impending arrival in Paris. Then, he would leave immediately for the island of Calypso to see what his grandmother had been up to.
https://youtu.be/YVZYychHL8E [Goran Bregovic/Lullabye]
http://youtu.be/hOA-2hl1Vbc [Pachelbel's Canon in D Major]
http://youtu.be/4E7XHOotTX0 [Rhapsody on a Theme of Paginini/Rachmaninov]


* * *

Anticipation

http://youtu.be/LRJe3pYRDhc [Anticipation/Carly Simon]

Luke thumped his fingers on the table and looked between Robin and Dr. Roche. "So," he asked. "What’s the game plan?"
"Game plan?" Dr. Roche asked in his thick, French accent, not completely understanding.
"Mr. Carmichael wants to know how we intend to resolve this medical situation with Mrs. Carmichael," Robin replied.
Luke nodded. "Thanks, Robin."
Robert added. "How long will it take to isolate whatever has been injected into her system and find the antidote?"
Luke nodded.
"Mr. Carmichael," Dr. Roche explained. "We need extensive testing on your wife before we can begin to assess what the ‘game plan’ as you call it will be. We have no idea what we are dealing with here other than some type of foreign substance has been given to her to induce her current mental state."
Everyone could see that Luke was anxious and agitated. He looked between them all. "Okay," he demanded. "How long is that going to take?"
Robin tried to mediate, "Luke..."
Dr. Roche broke in. "It could take days. It could take weeks. It could even take months."
"No! Dammit!" Luke screamed. "She’s been locked in this hell for five years. Now, I don’t care if we all have to work 24-7 to find out what the hell that psycho bitch gave her, but it ain’t gonna take months! Let’s all be clear on that point!"
Dr. Roche stepped back. He was uncomfortable around this man who acted like a madman.
Robert stepped in. "Listen, Mate," he said, trying to calm Luke down. "It’s not going to do any good to ruffle feathers here. I know this is difficult for you but we need to do this right and take our time to make certain no mistakes are made."
"He’s right, Luke," Robin agreed. "If we don’t get this right, we could do more harm than good for Laura and her state really could become permanent."
"Mr. Carmichael," Dr. Roche said, assuringly. "We are going to do everything in our power to get you the answers you need and to help your wife, but you must give us the time and space to do our jobs."
Luke let out a long sigh. "You’re right, Doc!" He said. "I know you’re right." The stress of knowing they were on the cusp of a resolution that would bring his angel home was beginning to wear on him. He wanted her back now. He needed her back now.
"Luke," Robert replied. "Why don’t we go back to the chalet and check on things. Nikolas should be arriving soon. He may have found out something about Helena."
"That’s a great idea," Robin added. "It will give us time to run more tests on these blood samples."
Luke ran his hands through his hair. Robert did have a point. He didn’t like to leave Laura alone too long, even with a guard. Helena was on the loose and until she was found, Luke would not rest easily. He couldn’t wait to get his hands around her throat.
"Yeah, Man," he agreed. "We should probably get back." Luke turned his attention to Dr. Roche.
"You don’t work on anything else! Until you find out what this thing is and how to fix it, your attention stays solely on my wife and her condition. We clear?"
Dr. Roche’s English was not the best, and he looked at Luke somewhat puzzled. He tried to decipher Luke’s words when Robin intervened.
"M. Carmichael demande que vous travaillez uniquement sur résoudre ce probl me médical en ce qui concerne sa femme. Il l'apprécierait si ceci serait votre foyer. L'argent n'est pas un objet." Mr. Carmichael is requesting that you work solely on resolving this medical problem regarding his wife. He would appreciate it if this would be your focus. Money is not an object.Roche looked at Luke, and said. "Ceci n'est pas une tâche facile et il n'y a pas de garantie. Cependant, je vous assure que je ferai mon mieux obtenir au fond de ceci." This is not an easy task and there are no guarantees. However, I assure you that I will do my best to get to the bottom of this.
Robin translated for Luke. He shook Roche’s hand.
"That’s all I’m asking, Man. That’s all I’m asking!"

* * *

"You’ve got to stay positive, Mate," Robert said. "I know all this waiting is getting to you, but you can’t go off half-cocked like that. You never were one who had much patience."
"What can I say," Luke replied. "I’m a man of action."
Robert shook his head and chuckled to himself. "You need to learn to be a man of action who has some patience. You’ve got to be realistic, Luke. This is more complicated than figuring out a jigsaw puzzle."
"I’ve been holding the ‘Dead Man’s Hand’ for too many years now," Luke said. "I’m finally ready to ante up in this game, Man. Helena forgot to close the backdoor on this one, and my draw just improved substantially. So, if I seem a little impatient, it’s because I never thought I’d get rid of this lousy hand Laura and I have been dealt."
Robert looked at Luke. His poker analogy was spot on, but they had too much at stake to demand the wrong things from the right people. "Yeah, well the winning pot’s right in our grasp. We need to plan our strategy carefully, Luke. Helena’s been in this particular game a hell of a lot longer than we have."
"Yeah," Luke said. "But she only knows how to play one angle, and that’s going to trip her up now that we’re on to her."
"Just remember that she doesn’t trip easily," Robert offered.
"I keep thinking about what she did to Laura, and I just want to rip her rotten, black heart out."
"Let’s take it one priority at a time, eh?" Robert said. "Speaking of rotten, black hearts, Tracydidn’t seem too happy to see Tiffany. I gather from speaking with her that Tiffany rather enjoyed the visit."
Luke shot him an amused look. "I’m sure she did."
"You started thinking about how you’re going to handle that situation?"
"I feel like a cold-hearted bastard for saying this," Luke paused. "But the only person on my mind is Laura. I’ve been locked in the memories of our past for so long because those were the best days of my life, and I can’t seem to let anything else enter into it."
Robert sympathized with Luke, but observed. "I hate to break it to you, Mate, but Tracy’s right in the middle of it."
"I’m sure it looks that way," Luke said. "But, she’s so far removed from my thoughts, Robert.
I know it’s a hell-of-a-mess. Tracy’s been a lively diversion for me these last few years, but my life has and always will be with Laura."
"You’re not telling me anything I don’t already know," Robert replied. "But, for your sake, I think you better let her know pretty soon where things stand."
Luke nodded in agreement. He said with cautious optimism. "For the first time in years, it feels like there might be something good up ahead, Robert. When I think about it, Laura is the only one I see."
"Well, then...." Robert replied, "you better see to it that Tracy is let down with some of her pride left in tact... I imagine she has a nasty bite!"
"There’s a thin line between love and hate, Man," Luke noted. "I’m about to cross that line with Tracy and it ain’t gonna be pretty."
Robert squinted his eyes together, deep in thought. "I just hope she doesn’t make it too ugly for you. I can’t see her letting go easily, and it would be just like her to fight you in divorce proceedings."
Luke smiled, wryly. "Oh, she can try," he said. "But she won’t win that battle."
Something in Luke’s voice made Robert think that he wasn’t being told everything. "You holding out on me, Mate?"
Luke slapped his shoulder, saying. "Not for long, Pal. I’m not ready to talk about it all just yet, but, when I am, you’ll be the first to know."Robert could tell that whatever Luke was withholding had major repercussions, and he could only guess that it involved Tracy.
He shook his head in disbelief and began to laugh. "You sly, old bastard!"
Luke didn’t say anything. He didn’t have to. The look on his face said it all.

* * *

When they arrived at the chalet, Nikolas had not yet arrived. Luke left Robert to check on Laura. She was sitting at the window staring out at the garden. Something in his heart twisted in pain because she wasn’t fully present to enjoy them. Laura had always loved flowers.
He motioned to the nurse to give him a private moment with his wife, and waited for her to leave before he went to Laura. His hand gently touched the side of her cheek as he kissed the top of her golden head.
He knelt in front of her, taking her hands in his and looked up into her face. God. It always amazed him how beautiful she was. She had never needed a stitch of makeup. She was naturally beautiful. Her skin was as soft as bisque porcelain, her lips were the color of Cupcake pink roses and tasted just as sweet.
Then, there were her eyes...the place where he always let go of his demons and lost himself in their blue splendor.
He kissed her hands and whispered. "I’m with you, Baby! I’m right here with you.
Luke looked intently into her eyes. "Laura," he called. "We’re close, Sweetheart! We’re so close to finding the answers that will undo this nightmare. The wall between us is coming down, Baby! I’m going to get you out of there. I swear it! I swear it, Laura!
He rubbed her hands. He kissed the eternity band that he had slipped onto her finger last November when he told her that as long as he breathed, he belonged to her. "Angel, you’ve got to fight to come back. Do you hear me, Laura? I know you can get back to me. I’m fighting like hell to reach you, Baby! Somewhere in there, I know you can hear me. Follow my voice Laura. Follow my voice and it will bring you home...."
He tried to see into her eyes. He tried to find some spark of recognition that told him she was as close to him behind this invisible veil as he was to her. His eyes glistened with tears. He took her face in his hands and said with conviction. "When this is all over with, there will be no more ‘Wall of Jericho’ between us - real or imagined. Do you hear me, Laura Spencer? No more! No blankets, no people....nothing is going to be between us ever again!" Then, he gently touched his lips to hers.
"I’m going to dance with you out in that garden under the stars before we leave Paris, Mrs. Spencer," he said, recalling the words he had spoken to her the night they had danced in the snow. "And, I’m not leaving here without my dance..."

* * *

Don’t Come Around Here No More

Tiffany Hill walked through the doors of Shadybrook Psychiatric Hospital looking every inch the star that she was. Her large sunglasses concealed much of her face, but it was her tailored, Chanel suit that made her stand out to anyone who took notice. It was deep eggplant in color and revealed that the years, as well as a rigorous exercise routine, had been kind to her.
Tiffany looked exactly as he had 28 years ago when she first set foot in Port Charles. And she’d had not one nip or tuck. It was something of which she was proud.
She had taken extra pains to look stunning today. It was silly, she knew, but she wanted to be dazzling when she saw Tracy Quartermaine. She was going to have so much fun with this visit! Laura deserved nothing less than her best friend sticking it to the woman who thought she had gotten Luke. It had been a long time since Tiffany had been able to do something for Laura. Tiffany smiled. She was about to blow Tracy Quartermaine out of the water.
"Excuse me," Tiffany said, pulling the glasses from her face. "I heard that Tracy Quartermaine is here and I’m an old friend of the family’s. I was wondering if it would be possible to see her?"
The receptionist handed Tiffany a clip board. "Sign in," she said. "The visitor’s room is over there."
Tiffany took the clip board and signed her name as if she were signing an autograph. She almost wrote "Best Wishes" before she signed her name but caught herself. She handed the board back to the receptionist. "Thank you."
"I’ll need to see your purse," the woman told Tiffany. "It’s hospital policy. We have to make certain you aren’t bringing in something that is against the rules."
Tiffany handed the woman her purse and attempted to lighten the mood. "Do you need a thumb print too?" she asked, with a little laugh in her voice.
The receptionist handed back the purse, not seeming to amused by her joke. "You can wait in there. I’ll send an orderly for Ms. Quartermaine."
Tiffany looked around the facility as she waited. She had brought the note from Luke. She hadn’t wanted to at first until she considered the delicious fun she could have with it. Luke had raised his eyebrow as he handed her the sealed note.
"Don’t be too vicious, Elsie Mae!"
"Hmm," she had smiled, then said. "Just a little cat and mouse, Darlin’! If I could kill her and drop her at your feet to show you and Laura how much I love you, I would. But, since I can’t do that, I’ll just bat her around a little bit."
Luke had sighed. He realized that Tracy was going to be very livid with him, but he had no other way to get any word to her. And, he knew he had to tell her something. It had been over a month since he’d had any contact. "Try not to do anything that will get you arrested," Luke said in jest. "There are enough of us on the lamb as it is."
Tiffany ignored his comment. "Is there anything off limits?"
Whatever she had in store for Tracy, it was going to be wicked, and Luke knew that he couldn’t stop it.
"If I said ‘yes’, would you listen?" He asked.
Tiffany kissed him on the cheek, and cooed. "No. But, it seemed only polite to ask."
The sound of the door opening, made Tiffany look up. She couldn’t help but notice how old Tracy looked.
What in the world had Luke been thinking - millions or not, this relationship made no sense to anyone.
Tracy couldn’t conceal the surprise in her eyes or her voice. "Tiffany Hill? What are you doing here?"
Tiffany waited for the orderly to leave before she replied. "Luke asked me to bring you this note." She reached into her purse and retrieved the message.
Again, Tracy couldn’t help but show how startled she was by these words. Her chin touched her neck and her
head went down as the words registered. "Luke sent you?"
Tiffany smiled. "Yes. He’s been a little out of sorts the last couple of weeks, and needed some emotional support. So, I flew in to be with him. He was thrilled to have me there!"
"Oh, really?" Tracy asked, the disbelief evident on her face.
Tiffany nodded, twitching her nose at Tracy as she smiled. "Yes, really," she replied, sweetly. "It’s only natural that I would go to him. We have shared so much over the years, and he knows I’d do anything for him."
"Don’t remind me," Tracy muttered under her breath.
"He’s doing well," Tiffany recited the lines that she had rehearsed so well to give to Tracy. "Except of course for that nasty little bump he got on his head when we were in the shower...."
Tracy’s eyes grew wide. She didn’t think she had heard correctly.
Tiffany put her hands up as if trying to alleviate Tracy’s concern. Then rattled on. "Oh, but don’t worry! It wasn’t serious other than giving him a terrible headache the next morning."
"Uh huh," Tracy said, at a loss for words.
"My goodness, we had a night!" Tiffany exclaimed.
Tracy sucked on her lips trying to hold-in her anger. "You and Luke spent the night together?"
Tiffany squished her nose up and smiled demurely. "I don’t think I’d say I spent the night....as I recall we didn’t get much sleep."
"I didn’t realize that you and Luke knew one another so intimately," Tracy said in a cutting manner.
Tiffany tiled her head to one side and said. "There’s a lot you don’t know, Tracy."
"Obviously," Tracy retorted. "Luke must be slumming if he’s taken up with a one-time, B-starlet like yourself. I have questioned his taste regarding women on more than one occasion these last couple of years."
"Trust me, Darling," Tiffany said, unconcerned by Tracy’s dig. "Those of us in Luke’s inner circle have questioned that ourselves in recent years!"
"I wonder how everyone’s precious Laura would feel to know of your alleged dalliance with Luke?" Tracy surmised.
Tiffany couldn’t stand to have Laura’s name spoken by this woman. She held Tracy’s glare. "Laura knows her husband well enough to know that whatever transpired between Luke and I in that hotel room in no way disrespected her or gives her any cause for worry. Interesting that you can’t say that same thing."
"You’re of no concern to me!" Tracy exclaimed.
"I’m not the one you need to be concerned with," Tiffany rebuffed. "If I were you, I’d enjoy whatever days you have left being Mrs. Spencer, because Laura’s coming home soon. And, when she does, all the first-rate scotch in the world won’t keep Luke by your side."
Tracy seethed. "You don’t know anything about my relationship with Luke!"
Tiffany picked-up her purse. Her work here was almost done. She replied smugly and with complete confidence. "You’re right, I don’t," she agreed. "That was one comedy of errors that I didn’t have any interest in hearing about," she told her. "But, I am interested in what’s about to happen regarding Laura, so, I suggest that you start preparing yourself to give up, Tracy! Luke Spencer has eyes for only one woman! It’s been that way ever since I’ve known him, which is going on 30 years. His heart belongs to only one woman, and there’s only been one woman who he’s ever truly been in love with. I think we both know who it is. In fact, I think we both see where Luke’s loyalty lies. His thoughts and concern has always been with Laura.
She has always been first and foremost in his mind. If that weren’t true, wouldn’t he be here with you?"
Tracy tapped the note on the table. She didn’t have a comeback because as much as she wanted to blastTiffany Hill, she couldn’t. At this moment, she hated Luke.
Tiffany rose, dropping her last bomb on Tracy. She said almost with sympathy. "Rest up, Tracy. You really are beginning to show your age, dear! No wonder Luke told me that, aside from Laura, I was the best looking woman he’d ever seen wearing one of his shirts."
Tracy looked like someone had thrown water in her face. Before she could give her a scathing comeback, Tiffany was gone.

* * *

Tiffany strode out of the hospital wishing Laura was here. She would love nothing more than to lock arms with her friend, and walk away giggling like they had done so many times in the past. She took a deep breath, put her sunglasses back on and whispered, "That was for you, Laura Darlin’!"

* * *

Tracy could not believe that Luke had allowed this exchange to take place. Having given Tiffany the note to bring to her, Luke knew fully what abuse Tiffany would heap on her. How had she allowed this man to worm his way into her heart? How had she let him get the upper hand over her? Why had she given him the power to hurt her? Her ego was battered and bruised from the exchange with Tiffany, and, in essence, from Luke. Slowly, she tore the note into tiny pieces. She was no longer interested in anything he had to say. She felt used. She felt foolish. It was time to reclaim her pride and make Luke Spencer pay. It was time to let go.
In a chair, at the head of the table sat Alan, clapping his hands. He was smiling at his sister. She had finally come to her senses.

http://youtu.be/m576G3UWUCU [Don’t Come Around Here No More/Tom Petty]

* * *

The Web

Sonny listened as Luke explained to him what was going on. Given the nature of his business, there were few things in life that shocked him, but he had to admit that what Luke was telling him blew his mind. "You should have killed that bitch when you had the chance!"
No words were truer spoken. Luke had thought the same thing a thousand times during the trip from Amsterdam to Rouen, where the Titan docked. Nikolas had arranged for a private medical van to transport them into Paris. Luke had called Sonny because he needed answers, and there was only so much he could do from abroad. He also needed discretion as well as muscle.
He had never been beyond calling on Sonny when he needed a favor.
"Trust me, Man," he said, assuringly. "When I find her, she’s going to be dealt with once and for all. Even Nikolas has stepped up to the plate."
Sonny didn’t offer to help with the handling of Helena Cassadine. He knew Luke would take care of her, but he knew Luke needed something.
"This drug you need to replicate," he said. "What do you need? Money? A chemist...a lab? Tell me, and it’s done." There were few woman in the world who Sonny admired. Laura Spencer was one of the few. She was a rare breed and genuinely a good person. She had always been kind to him, except for the one time when they thought Lucky had died in the fire. He couldn’t blame her for feeling enraging anger over it, or directing it at him. Helena Cassadine had been behind that too.
Sonny had dealt with a lot of bad people in his lifetime, but Helena took the cake.
He had always wanted to get even with her for causing that heartache and destroying a special friendship that he shared with Luke. They had rebuilt the friendship over the years, but a fissure ran through it because of Madame Cassadine. He didn’t take kindly to people messing with his family. Sonny had always thought of Luke as a brother, but something had changed when the fire happened. He would always consider them family; Lesley Lu was his Goddaughter, after all.
He also knew that Laura hadn’t been completely behind the idea, mainly for safety reasons. But, at that time, Sonny had been Luke’s best friend. Robert Scorpio had been presumed dead. He remembered when Luke told him that outside of Robert, Sonny was the only person he knew would protect his family. It had meant a lot to Sonny. Kids and family had seemed like an impossible prospect for him then. Sonny also knew how much Luke loved Laura. He had not believed in complete love, until he met them. If anyone wanted to see what love looked like, they just had to look at the two of them. It was a beautiful thing, and Sonny had always appreciated beautiful things. Sadly, he had viewed, first hand, the unraveling of his friend in recent years because of Laura’s health. Yes. He would gladly help Luke beat Helena Cassadine at her twisted game.
"I appreciate that, Man," Luke said. "We’ve got that covered. But, I do need a favor."
"You got it."
"We put Laura in Shadybrook three years ago," he continued. "I need to know about any new hires who began working there at the time of her arrival or shortly thereafter. Helena has a mole in there, and we need to find out who it is."
"Consider it done," Sonny replied. "I’ll head over there now and call you in a couple of hours with the information."
"Thanks, Man," Luke said. "One more thing. Could you ask Alexis to contact Nikolas on his cell phone?"
"I’ll call her as soon as we hang up."
"I owe you one, Sonny."
"You don’t owe me anything, Luke," he assured his friend. "Laura is a special lady. You know I’ll do anything in my power to help you guys."
Luke had counted on that. "I’ll talk to you soon."

* * *

Sonny walked into the lobby of Shadybrook. This was one place he had hoped never to see again. He didn’t have good memories of this place, not that one would, but it made him feel claustrophobic. As he was waiting for the Director of Human Resources, he noticed Lanie walking from a conference room with Tracy. Obviously, their meeting had involved a therapy session. Sonny had heard that Tracy was in Shadybrook. Apparently, she had begun to see and talk to poor, dead Alan...and, done so around the wrong people. Who’d have ever believed it? He smiled to himself. He did not like Tracy Quartermaine.
"Well, well, well," he heard her grating voice approaching. "Look what the cat dragged in."
"Tracy Quartermaine," he said, looking her over. " I heard you were here. This place seems to agree with you!"
Tracy ignored his slight. "Here for a little shock treatment?"
Sonny could play this game. He was about to sucker-punch her without laying a hand on her. He innocently shook his head. "No," he replied. "Actually, I’m here for Luke."
He watched as she considered this, cautiously, while a flicker of hope came into her eyes. Finally, Tracy thought. Luke had finally come through for her.
If Sonny had come to help her, she should act more appreciative. She loathed the man, but help was help.
"I’m a little surprised that Luke sent you to help me," she said, trying to remove the sarcasm from her voice. "I know you’ve never been a fan of mine."
Sonny pretended to be surprised over the misunderstanding. He held his hands up as if he had no clue what she was talking about.
"I’m sorry," Sonny explained. "Luke sent me here to help him
with something pertaining to Laura." He enjoyed watching the hope quickly disappear from her eyes. It was replaced with a look of indignation.
"Laura?" she said through gritted teeth. "Luke sent you here because of Laura?"
Sonny nodded, smiling. Taking Tracy Quartermaine down a notch was a bonus that he hadn’t expected. "Yeah. See, I am a big fan of hers!" He acted somewhat bewildered. "I spoke to Luke about an hour ago, but he made no mention of you, Tracy."
"I see," Tracy replied, curtly.
"Do you?" Sonny asked, looking her squarely in the eyes. "Cuz I’m not so sure you do."
"I think my husband is seriously delusional if he’s turned to a two-bit gangster like you for help!"
Sonny smiled again. He had gotten to her. He moved close, getting up into Tracy’s face and said calmly. "Not all of us were born with a silver spoon, Sweetheart." His black eyes bore into her.
"And I can honestly tell you that if you weren’t a Quartermaine, no one would give you a second glance. You’re crass, you’re loud, and you’re a bitch!"
Tracy let out her deep-throated, bellowing laugh. She didn’t want Sonny Corinthos to know he had gotten to her. She spat, "I’ve been called worse things by bigger men that you."
Sonny shifted his head, not bothered in the least by her cutting remarks. "Well, I’m not surprised that your secret is out," he said. Then he dug at her a little deeper. "Look around you, Tracy! Is there anyone remotely interested in helping you get out of here?"
"I don’t need any help," she said, trying to give a lift to her bravado. "I can take care of myself! I don’t need everyone running after me as if I’m a fragile little wallflower, like precious Laura."
Sonny listened as Tracy tried futilely to belittle Laura Spencer. She had become completely unnerved by the realization that Luke had made no mention of her, that he had not even considered her.
"Let me give you a word of advice, Tracy," Sonny said, matter-of-fact. "There are three things that Laura Spencer will always have over you, and all the money in the world can’t buy them for you."
"Really?" Tracy said, trying not to care about what he was saying.
"Oh yeah," Sonny said, gloating. "Laura Spencer is a lady, she has class, and Luke loves her." He didn’t wait for a response. He left her standing there with her mouthing hanging open.

* * *

Tracy went to her room, livid over what had just happened. She wanted to physically throw the orderly from her room, but he came bearing a tranquilizer, and Tracy decided she could use one at the moment. Since she had nothing to drink, she needed something to calm her nerves. Tracy tossed the pill into her mouth and gulped the glass of water. "That was a mistake, Luke." She thought to herself. "You just made a BIG mistake..."

* * *

Far away, on an island off of the Aegean Sea, Helena Cassadine sat on her terrace, enjoying a cup of Earl Grey tea. She had just received word that Dr. Jean-Paul Roche had discovered some unusual anomalies in Laura Spencer’s blood tests. She stared out at the sea, thinking about her Mikkos and Stavros.
No doubt, Luke would be visiting with Dr. Roche soon - probably with Laura in tow. She knew he had taken her from Shadybrook, but her contacts had been unable to locate their whereabouts. Luke was unpredictable, except when it came to Laura. Then, she could read him like a book. She smiled. Oh, yes. He would be on his way.
Helena finished her tea. She had spun this web very meticulously and she would not allow it to unravel now.
"Barnabas," she called to her houseman. "Prepare the launch. I’ll be leaving shortly for Paris."

* * *

Let No One Sleep

Rising out of the Aegean Sea, about 175 miles northeast of Eubonea, Greece, was a small island named Calypso. Spanning six miles across and 10 miles in length, it rose 8,100 feet above the sea. Calypso was a tiny diamond in the crown of the Northeastern Aegean Islands and quite remote from any neighboring land. It was that last fact that had made the island of particular interest to Helena Cassadine.
She spent three years acquiring it and another five building the state-of-the art compound that was her retreat from civilization. Rather, it was her safe haven when she was being pursued by various authorities or family members. It was a beautiful island, filled with olive and fig trees, lush foliage and flowers indigenous to the region. Helena had spared no expense on the Palladian home, using the finest marble and woods that money could buy. It had to be perfect. This is where she planned to bring her great grandson, when the time was right.
Helena sat at her dressing table beneath a magnificent painting of the Goddess Calyspo. It was  inspired from a scene told in Homer’s " The Odyssey". Calypso was for whom she named her island. Helena smiled when she thought of her seemingly anonymous sanctuary.
Calypso. In Greek, it meant "I will conceal". That’s exactly what Helena had done, not only with this island, but many other things which gave her wicked pleasure.
Helena removed the substantial pin that adorned her jacket and placed it in its velvet box. She stared at the image of the black widow spider. The black diamonds sparkled incessantly. Slowly, she ran her fingers over the two triangular rubies that formed the hourglass. It gave her an instant thrill. She had made the sands of time run out for Luke and Laura.
It did, after all, seem only fitting. Luke had taken Mikkos from her, so she took Laura from Luke. Laura had taken Stavros from her, so had she taken Nikolas from Laura. Helena truly was an eye-for-an-eye woman.
Her strongest attribute was patience. Helena could wait for what she wanted. As the saying went, she had "the patience of Job"! It was something she had tried to instill in her beloved Stavros.
Unfortunately, her first-born son had been too much like his father: he wanted what he wanted, when he wanted it. It had been the un-doing of them both. Their shortcomings, which had led to each’s demise, had set Helena on her course for revenge.  Some had come swiftly.  Others had taken decades to achieve.  For each one, Helena had been willing to wait as long as it took for her special brand of justice to be served.
She closed the box and pulled the painting from the wall, revealing her safe. Without thinking, Helena typed the four digit code into the digital lock: 1221.
It was delicious, really. Who would have ever thought that the combination to her safe would be the birth date of Laura Spencer? Laura. She had been more than an irritating thorn in Helena’s side ever since her presence appeared in their lives so many years ago.
Laura had been the bane of her existence for more years than she cared to remember! It had been Helena’s goal not just to punish Laura but to break her. She had to admit that Laura had proved a more worthy adversary than Helena had imagined. It wasn’t unheard of to admire one’s adversary, and part of Helena had admired Laura’s fortitude. She had withstood all of the atrocities that Helena had heaped upon her....except the last one.
Luke and Laura had taken everything that mattered to her in life, and Helena had answered in due kind. Laura was Luke’s Achilles heel and he had been fool to let the entire world know how much he loved her. If one wanted to get even with Luke Spencer, Laura was the pawn to use.
With Luke, it was more a game of cat and mouse. Helena did enjoy sparring with him - seeing whose wit could be outdone the most. He was both intelligent and clever, but he lacked the desire to go for her jugular. Helena had no such qualms.
Laura, however, was another matter entirely. She had wormed her way into, not only the lives, but the history of the Cassadine family. It was intolerable for Helena. If she could wipe out the fact that Laura Spencer’s blood ran through her grandson and great grandson, she would do it in a heartbeat. Yet, it was one of a few things she had no power to change. It was an injustice she had been forced to live with.
The only time she had been angry with Stavros was when he fell under Laura’s spell. The plan had not been for Stavros to gain a wife, but to punish Luke and Laura for their responsibility in Mikkos’ death.
Helena could still feel the anger rise up within her when she remembered the night that Stavros had told her that he was taking Laura as his bride. Laura Spencer would become the Princess Consort - the titlewhich Helena had held until Mikkos had been taken from her.
"I don’t believe you!" She had ranted to her son. "Have you lost your mind?"
"It is done, Mother!" he had exclaimed, dismissing her tirade. "Laura has agreed to marry me and will become my wife at noon tomorrow."
"She does not love you, Stavros."
"What does love have to do with it, Mother?" He had said, sarcastically. Stavros knew she did not love him - would never love him. He did not have the power to change to whom Laura’s heart belonged. He would find a way to make her pay for it. "I want her, and I shall have her."
Helena certainly understood the desires of men. Sex was not something she was prudish about. Still, a dalliance seemed more in line. "Then keep her as a mistress, but do not make her Cassadine royalty."
"I already have a mistress," he retorted.
"She is partly responsible for your father’s death!" Helena angrily reminded him.
"Which will give me all the more pleasure when I have my way with her," he said, cruelly.
"Stavros," she had pleaded. "Do not let your fleshly desires make you weak. She will destroy you!"
"No, Mother," he had said, disagreeing. "I will destroy her, and take great satisfaction as I do it."
"I have given everything to you, my son," Helena stated with authority. "But I will not allow you to make a mockery of me by giving her such importance in this family."
Stavros took his mother’s face in his hands and lightly kissed her lips. It was a gesture of both assurance and defiance. He looked deeply into her eyes and said, "I am the head of this family now. She will be my wife."
Helena looked helplessly into her son’s eyes, seeing that her argument had been lost. "When she brings shame to you and this family, remember that I warned you, and make your revenge swift."
Helena shook her head at the memory of it. It had all been such a waste. So many women would have killed to take the station in life that Laura had been handed.
Her thanks had been that she neither wanted it and resented it. Laura had no respect or appreciation of centuries of history and tradition that governed the Cassadine family. She had no interest in her position as Stavros’ wife. It had been a dagger to her heart when Stavros had informed her that Laura was pregnant.
Helena had hoped that he would have tired of her before an heir was conceived. Her anger seethed. It was the one thing that had given Laura validity within the Cassadine family: being the mother to the heir-apparent. Helena could not deny that commonality between them.
It had been a glorious day for Helena when she learned that Luke was alive. It meant that she could rid herself and her family of Laura once and for all.
She had supplied Laura with a means off the island and enough money to return home, in exchange for the promise that she would not return for Nikolas, and would relinquish her claim to him. Laura proved, in that moment, her loyalty to the Cassadine family. It was as Helena had always known: Laura could not jump on the launch fast enough. Her Stavros deserved so much better. The only satisfaction Helena had been given was that Nikolas would not grow up under
the influence of that wretched woman.
Stavros had proven fool hearty, once again, when he had gone after her. Helena had known when he left the island that it would end badly. Stavros was formidable but Luke Spencer was equally so. Certainly, his anger would be lethal when he learned that the Cassadines had been responsible for Laura’s disappearance and deprived him of two years with his wife. She had begged him not to go, but he had ignored her again. It had brought him untimely dead and Helena one more endurance of earthly grief...
She looked at the photograph of Mikkos, prominently displayed on her night stand. Fifty years.  They would have celebrated 50 years of marriage in September had he lived. She had married him for love.
He had married her because she was two months pregnant with his heir. She often wondered, had she not gotten pregnant, if the outcome would have been different. Helena had been naive back in those early days. She had hoped that Mikkos, once married, would settle down, but his penchant for women had only grown.
The discovery of the first affair had devastated her. The second disillusioned her and the third caused her to seek her own comfort in the arms of others. She had initially believed that Mikkos would be jealous over her indiscretions, but he had seemed not to care, providing she remained discrete. His reaction had sent her into a destructive rage for which his bastard children’s mother had paid the price.
Mikkos had been surprised by what Helena had carried out. He had underestimated her ability to commit murder, and the delight she had taken in it. She had been at her wits end when Mikkos brought Alexis into their home. Helena had been so enraged that she threatened to leave him. The possibility seemed to both excite and anger her husband. It was the one time he had taken her by force, branding Helena as his. Still, she loved him. Mikkos, not a man who made apologies, seemed to feel a tinge of remorse over the incident. He made one small, conciliatory gesture to Helena by granting her wish that the second daughter, a baby, be put up for adoption.
The ringing of the phone pulled Helena from her thoughts. "What is it?"
"Madame," the voice said. "The assistant to Dr. Bourgogne made contact with Shadybrook this morning. He was inquiring about Laura Spencer."
"And?" Helena questioned.
"I’m not certain, but I believe he questioned the results of some tests."
"What kind of tests?"
"I do not know," the voice replied, knowing this would make her very unhappy.
Helena was curt. "Well, then find out," she said.
The phone went dead. Helena knew that the janitor she had placed as her mole at Shadybrook would not contact her again until he had the information she requested. She thought for a moment what her next course of action should be. She dialed her contacts in Paris.
"Ceci est Helena Cassadine. J'ai besoin de pour vous tout découvrir vous pouvez sur un Dr. Bourgogne et son aide. J'ai besoin de cette information tout de suite." This is Helena Cassadine. I need for you to find out everything you can on a Dr. Bourgogne and his assistant. I need this She did not wait for a response. She was not interested in a response. She had given instruction and did not want to hear anything until the requested information was supplied. Helena turned her attention to her safe. She placed the velvet box containing her brooch beside the folded paper. Helena ran her hands across it and thought about its power.
Beneath its folds, contained the valuable formula, and its antidote. It was her insurance policy.
information immediately!
She had made certain that her chemist at CyllInc had destroyed all traces of evidence regarding the drug. It was so valuable to her that she had been the one to mix the ingredients whenever another dose was needed.
She had never imagined that Luke would have allowed LS-49 to be experimented upon his precious Laura. It only attested to the depths of his despair and added more delight to her sense of victory. Laura’s return had sent Helena scrambling to undo its seeming cure.
She had returned stateside just in time for their ridiculous renewal of wedding vows. Helena had delighted in toying with Laura over her happiness that would prove all too brief. Helena had claimed victory once again.
She closed the door to her safe and returned the painting to its normal place. Then, she went to the surround-system that was installed throughout the house and pressed the start button. Her favorite aria filled the room. Savelli’s haunting tenor washed over her. It gave her strength.
Helena walked across the room and opened the French doors leading to the terrace. The warm, August air that rose off the Aegean warmed her face as Savelli’s voice renewed her resolve. She went to the railing, looking out over the sea as the moonlight cast dim shadows of light as far as one could see. Her eyes rose to the stars as she listened to the operatic symphony. She had acted on behalf of her princes: Mikkos and Stavros. She had achieved retribution.
She would not allow it to be undermined.
Savelli bellowed the words of the Prince: "Nobody shall sleep! Even you, O Princess, in your cold room...." Helena closed her eyes as those words washed over her. Her revenge had been sweet. Luke Spencer’s torment had been more profound than she could have imagined. His precious Laura was locked in a living state of suspension, deprived of all that was sacred to her. It was the same cruel fate that Helena experienced because of them. She had frozen Laura in time and Luke in hell. It sent thrilling shivers through her each time she thought about it.
As the crescendo rose, Helena caressed her neck and let her hand move down to her breast. At the final proclamation, her hand balled into a fist, and she squeezed the power of those words into her spirit - into her resolve. "I will win! I will win! I will win."
When she thought again of Luke and Laura Spencer, her face broke into a devilish smile. The only ones who would sleep peacefully would be her princes, Mikkos and Stavros. She would let nothing disturb them.
The stars had lined up against Luke and Laura, and their fate had been sealed. Helena had seen to it.
She stood alone on the terrace savoring her victory. She could not help but gloat. Vincer!  Vincer ! Vincer ! Helena Cassadine had finally won...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dda2kNFPGU0


Words to Nessun Dorma

The Prince: Nobody shall sleep!... Nobody shall sleep! Even you, o Princess, in your cold room, watch the stars, that tremble with love and with hope.

...But my secret is hidden within me, my name no one shall know... No!...No!... On your mouth I will tell it when the light shines. And my kiss will dissolve the silence that makes you mine!...
Vanish, o night! Set, stars! Set, stars! At dawn, I will win! I will win! I will win!

Deceptions

"Listen, Mate," Robert said into his cell phone. "I’m going to let you speak to Robin. I think she can explain it better than me."
"Luke?"
"Talk to me, Robin," Luke said to his Goddaughter. "This ain’t computing."
Robin took a deep breath, trying to figure out how to best explain this new development to him.  "Dr. Roche looked through Laura’s medical records and some things aren’t adding up. Namely, her blood tests indicate something isn’t right. Can you bring her to Paris so that he can examine her?"
Luke looked around the room, his mind racing. He couldn’t tell if this was good or bad news. "What do you mean...something isn’t right with her blood?" He asked.
"Last November," Robin told him. "When Laura checked into Shadybrook, they started her on a new Benzodiazepine drug, and they ran tests on her after about a month. I got a copy of those results and brought them with me...."
"Okay."
"When Dr. Roche was looking through her file," Robin continued. "There was a glaring anomaly in her blood work. There’s some kind of synthetic agent showing up.  He went back and looked at all of her blood tests, and this compound is showing up in everyone of them."
Luke’s heart was pounding rapidly. "What kind of synthetic agent?" He asked.
"I’m not sure, Luke," she replied. "There isn’t a lot known about it except that it’s in the cyllicymede family of drugs used in the treatment of severe forms of psychosis. These synthetic drugs have to be registered within the pharmaceutical industry for FDA approval.  Here’s what sent red flags up. Cyllicymede is registered to CyllInc - a Russian based pharmaceutical company."
Luke ran his hands through his hair as this information registered. "What?!"
"Yeah, and I did some further research before we called you.  CyllInc is a subsidiary of  Sokkimovitch Industries. Guess who’s the President and Chief Operating Officer?"
Luke’s blood began to boil as he felt his gut contract. "Helena Cassadine," he said through gritted teeth.
"Bingo!" Robin’s head was spinning with everything that had been uncovered. "You know the cause of Catatonia has never been identified, and no complete understanding of its permanency or even what’s the best method’s of treatment is medically agreed upon.  That’s why I’ve never settled for the prognosis they gave Laura after LS-49 failed. I’m beginning to think, and Dr. Roche doesn’t disagree, that Laura’s catatonic state could be extrinsic."
"Extrinsic," Luke said.
"Yes," Robin agreed. "The medical definition is ‘originating from the outside’." Luke felt his heart leap into his throat and he gulped. "Are you telling me that Helena Cassadine has somehow induced this catatonic state of Laura’s and kept her in it for five years?"
Robin let out a long sigh, not wanting to confirm this suspension until they had further test results. "I can’t say for sure, Luke. That’s why Dr. Roche wants to examine Laura himself."
"I don’t believe this," he muttered. He sat dumbfounded. Helena had finally check-mated him!
He couldn’t believe that he never suspected that she could be behind this! Over the years, he had bribed many doctors. But, given Rick’s death, and Laura’s breakdown, there was no reason for him to suspect anything other than what the doctor’s had told him.
"I’m sorry, Luke," Robin said. "I feel like I failed you and Laura."
"Oh, Baby!" Luke re-assured her. "You have nothing to apologize for! You’ve been like a dog holding onto a bone with all of this. I don’t know what I would have done without you and your constant diligence over the last five years - looking into it - staying on top of the research.  Don’t you be sorry about anything."
Somehow, it didn’t make her feel better. "I’m going to let you talk to Dad," she said. "And I’ll make the arrangements for your arrival. I’ve explained the situation to Dr. Roche, and he’s very discrete.  You don’t need to worry! He’ll see Lucy Carmichael as soon as you can get here."
"Thanks, Robin."
"I know what you’re thinking, Mate."
"I’m going to kill her!" Luke growled. "I’m going to kill her with my bare hands!"
"I hear you," Robert said, sympathetically. "But not yet. We have to find her, Luke. This doctor said that these synthetic drugs are made with chemical derivations. CyllInc never registered this drug with the FDA, and they can’t figure out its make-up or counter agent yet. Helena is the only one with the formula."
"They are going to be able figure it out, though, right?" Luke demanded. "Don’t dangle this hope in front of me, Man, then take it away."
"Probably," Robert said, cautiously. "But without the formula, it’s going to take them some time to figure it all out. Trust me, these things are tricky."
Working for the WSB had certainly proven that to him.
Luke kicked into Luke-mode. He said, emphatically. "I’m going to enjoy getting it out of her."
"I’ll gladly help you!" Robert replied. "Listen, I’m going to contact some doctors I know with the World Health Bureau and see if I can get any leads on this drug."
"Thanks, Man."
"Luke," Robert knew he didn’t need to make this suggestion, but he did anyway. "I think you need to call Nikolas."
I’m way ahead of you, Man!" Luke said.
"Be careful, Mate," Robert warned. "If Helena is behind this, she’s obviously planned it meticulously, and she’s, no doubt, aware of everything that’s going on. We’ve got some pretty heavy stakes here."
All of Luke’s circuits were breaking, as thoughts hit him left and right. "Find out what you can about Roche."
"I’m already on it."
"I’ll call you when we’re on our way."
"I’ll be waiting."
Luke sat with his thoughts for a moment, before he called Nikolas. Laura was coming home. It wasn’t just a possibility anymore, and Helena Cassadine was going to pay for this deception with her life. For the first time in nine months, Luke didn’t feel the need for a drink.

* * *
Luke didn’t mince words when he heard Nikolas’ voice. Especially given that they were on an open phone line.
"Get your cell phone, and call me back!" Then, he waited for the return call.
"What’s happened?" Nikolas asked. For Luke to call him directly meant something significant was up.
"I need you to get me everything you can on a pharmaceutical company called CyllInc and Sokkimovitch Industries."
"Sokkimovitch Industries?" Nikolas questioned, confused. "That’s a defunct subsidiary of the Cassadine Corporation."
"It ain’t so defunct."
Nikolas wasn’t sure what was going on, but Luke had to be wrong. There was no record of it on any of the financial reports that he received monthly.
"Stephan closed that corporation years ago after my grandfather died."
"Well, Helena’s got it up and running again," he replied.
"Helena?"
"Brace yourself, my boy," Luke tried to remain calm as he informed Nikolas of the latest development.
"That viper is behind your mother’s medical condition."
"You aren’t serious," Nikolas said, bewildered. He knew Helena was evil, but this....
"Deadly," Luke replied. "And that’s what she’s going to be before I’m through with her!"
Nikolas pulled a file from his desk as he and Luke spoke. "If what you’re telling me is true,"
Nikolas said. "I’ll kill her myself."
"Oh, no!" Luke disagreed. "She’s mine."
Nikolas didn’t argue. But, if Helena had done this to his mother, Luke would have his help in whatever plans he had for her. "Tell me what you need."
"Everything you got!" Luke exclaimed.
"Meet me in Paris as soon as you can get there."
"I’m on my way."
"Nikolas," Luke, cautioned him. "Helena eats her own. Watch your back."

* * *

Nikolas made a call from his car phone, as he sped to the hanger where the Cassadine jet was waiting.  His order was short and to-the-point.  "Íàéäèòå Ýëåíó! Êîãäà Âû äåëàåòå, ñêóéòå îò íåå è ïðèíåñèòå åå ìíå. " Find Helena! When you do, shackle her and bring her to me.
* * *

Rude Awakening

Rude Awakening

"When are you going to admit it? He doesn’t love you!"
Her eyes glared as she yelled. "Will you shut-up Alan!" She paced the room like a caged  animal. "All your yammering....I can’t hear myself think."
"What’s there to think about?" He asked, incredulously. "Luke couldn’t bust Laura outa here fast enough - with your help, no less. But, you! He can’t even be bothered to send someone to help you. You haven’t heard one word from him in two months!"
"He can’t call me," Tracy said, glumly. "He’s in hiding."
"With his ex-wife!" Alan exclaimed, exasperated. "If the truth be told, the only woman he considers his wife."
Tracy turned angrily toward her brother as she loudly suggested. "Why don’t you go haunt a house or something?"
Alan laughed. "Oh, Tracy," he kidded. "A house wouldn’t be half as much fun as this!"
She pursed her lips together and scowled at her dead brother. "You don’t know anything about my relationship with Luke."
"You’re right," he agreed. "I don’t, but I know about Luke and Laura. It’s one word, Tracy. LukeandLaura.  It will always be one word! He has more passion in his voice when he says her name than anytime he’s ever been with you."
"Why do you want to hurt me?" She asked him, puzzled.
Alan sighed. "I don’t want to hurt you, sister-dear! I want you to wake up! You’re delusional, Tracy, if you believe he loves you. He has no heart to give you!  He gave it to Laura years ago, and he never got it back. He didn’t want it back, and the heart that is with him doesn’t belong to you.  Why can’t you see that? Why can’t you see that the only one in his heart is her?"
"I don’t believe that," she said. Tracy sounded as if she were trying to assure herself of that fact more than Alan. "Laura represents an idealistic love. Idealism isn’t lasting."
"Are you listening to yourself?" Alan asked, dumbfounded. "It’s been going strong for 28 years or more. I’m starting to believe that you do belong in here." Alan began pointing to his fingers, rattling off a host of reasons to support what he was saying. "He married you for money! He stayed with you for scotch. And he’s made a fool out of you."
"Enough, Alan!" Tracy yelled, throwing her hands up to make him stop. She hated it when he was right.
He sat quietly for a moment. When he spoke, there was both compassion and concern in his voice. "Trace," he said. He hadn’t called her that since they were kids. "One of the strongest things you’ve always had going for you is your ability to see through the bullshit and know what’s true. It’s why your gut instinct is always on the money, and why you are such an excellent business woman. Don’t loose that now when you need it the most."
"I love him, Alan," she said matter-of-fact.
"I know," he said, sadly. "But, you are never going to be number one for him, Tracy. Not in his eyes and not in his heart. You need to let him go, while you still have some dignity left."
Tracy let out her bellowing laugh. "I can’t," she said, straightening her stance, confirming her position. When she spoke, her voice caught. "I’m like a moth to flame."
Alan shook his head from side to side - what one does when the sound advice they’ve just given has been rejected. He went to his sister and put his arms around her, whispering in her ear. "Tracy, you’re in for a heartbreak. There’s only one woman who Luke Spencer loves, and it ain’t you, Babe." Then, he disappeared.
Tracy stood there feeling alone and dejected. Every word that Alan had said was true. She knew it. She felt it, but she couldn’t accept it.
She kept hearing Alan say, "It ain’t you, Babe." The lines between love and hate were growing thinner with every passing day that he made no contact with her. Tracy walked to the barred window and stared out. She was feeling very scorned. Luke thought he was in hell now. He didn’t know what hell looked like until he had seen a Quartermaine scorned.
She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, trying to steel her heart from what she knew was inevitable. Her feelings for Luke were going to destroy her. She could hear the distant hooves of the pale horse, and hell would surely follow...

https://youtu.be/I_y9FB3O7j0 [It Ain't Me Babe/Bob Dylan]

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