Happy Birthday, My Darling By Icemangal Author Note: This was written shortly after Endgame, in response to a 24-Hour Challenge to write a different end for Stavros in 24 hours or less. I took the opportunity to address two dropped plot threads from the show… Gia and Stavros entered her hotel room. "I remember the last time I was here," he said. "Me, too," she said nervously. "Do not worry, Gia," he said with a small smile. "Your virtue is safe. I only want your help with Nikolas." "Damn straight my virtue is safe," she muttered, and dialed Nikolas's cell phone again. This time she reached him. "I'm at the hotel… I'll explain when I see you. Can you come here, please? It's really important… Okay, I'll see you then." With an uncomfortable glance at Stavros she said, "Love you, too," and hung up. "I am glad my son has found someone to love, who loves him in return." Stavros sat down. Gia just nodded. "And, Gia… I am truly grateful to you for your help." "Yes, well, don't thank me yet. I don't think this is going to work. Nikolas - " "Thinks I am the devil incarnate. Yes, I know. But that is because he only knows me through my brother. And Stefan has always hated me." "Did you ever think he might have reason?" Stavros laughed softly. Gia decided not to say anything else. She still wasn't sure why she'd agreed to this lunatic idea. Finally, Nikolas arrived. When Gia let him in, he took her into his arms. "I told you to - " And then he saw the dark figure standing in the room. "You." "Hello, Nikolas." "Funny thing is, I was just going to look for you." "And now you have found me. We have found each other." Nikolas stared at his father with a mixture of hatred, fear and disbelief. "How did you get Gia to do this?" "I told her I love you. That all I wanted was a chance to talk to you, to try to get you to accept me… and love me." Nikolas shook his head. "That's not going to happen. Not after everything you've done." Gia said, "I should let you two be alone." Stavros said, "No, Gia, please stay," and Nikolas nodded. "Nikolas, just hear me out. I have comeback from the dead for you. Is a few minutes of your time too much to ask?" Nikolas couldn't think of a thing Stavros could say that would change anything, but it was true that a few minutes of conversation would not hurt matters. Maybe his father would even give him the information he needed to save Lucky, to penetrate Helena's schemes. "Okay," he said. "Start talking." And Stavros did. He talked as if he was on trial for his life. "You are the person I have loved most in this world. When they put you into my arms after you were born, I swore that I would give you everything. Even then, I was so proud of you. Even then, I could see the Cassadine spirit and strength. I dreamed of what we could make of the future… you, me, your mother. When she abandoned us, I was devastated…" "She ran away from you! From your drunkenness and cruelty." "She was - and is - my wife. She agreed to marry me, and then she broke our vows. First with Stefan, and then with Luke Spencer. I never broke faith with her. Or with you." At the sound of his uncle's name, Nikolas lashed out, "Stefan was more a father to me than you ever could be!" "Because we were cheated of that. By the very people you embrace. Nikolas, I cannot undo the past - I lost the chance to share your childhood, to raise and train you. We were both robbed of that. But I am your father. Through a miracle, I have been given a second chance, a new life, and I would do anything if you would give me a chance to be part of your life." "Anything?" "Anything," he assured him. "Stefan is on the run for a murder you committed. Lucky is under Grandmother's control. Other people I care about are being terrorized by the two of you. I want the war to end. Can you do that?" Stavros thought about the vendetta against Luke Spencer and his family… about his mother's mind control games with Lucky Spencer. He thought about the hatred he had felt, still did feel. If anything, he hated them all more than ever… but he looked at his son. His son. "If I do, will you give me a chance?" "That depends. How will you do it?" Gia looked from one to the other. Oh, Nikolas was every inch a Cassadine, very much his father's match for mental toughness. She was suddenly more proud of him than scared for him. Whatever his family dished out, Gia was sure he could take it, and send it back doubled. "I will write out a full confession to Chloe Morgan's murder, completely exonerating Stefan." "And then? What about Lucky? And Laura?" Just then there was another knock at the door. "Grand Central Station," Gia muttered as she went to answer it. "Don't answer that, Gia," Nikolas said. She looked at him. "It's my room. I get to decide when I answer the door." She opened to door to Helena and two of her henchmen. "Then again, maybe you were right." Helena swept past Gia. "Stavros, my darling, what are you doing here? And Nikolas, I thought you broke off with this piece of trash…" "Excuse me?" Gia said. "Mother, more to the point, what are you doing here?" "Stavros, have you forgotten what today is?" "No, Mother, I have not. It is Monday." She laughed dryly. "You have forgotten. It is your birthday, my darling." "Is it?" He chuckled. "You know, my sense of time has become a little… scrambled." "Yes, Stavros, your birthday. And you know what that means." He looked at Nik. "I am hoping it will mean a new start with my son." "Yes, yes." She looked at them impatiently. "Stavros. Today you receive your final injection. The one that will insure your long, happy, healthy life." "Ah, the mythical injection. Yes, of course. I don't suppose you have it with you…" "Of course not. You need to come with me. Stavros, we've wasted too much time and time is the one thing we cannot afford to waste." "We will be along, Mother." "We?" "Nikolas and Gia. After I confess to the murder of Chloe Morgan." "You will do no such thing! Stavros, have you completely lost your mind? A Cassadine in prison?" "You didn't mind sending Stefan there," Nikolas reminded her, and she shrugged regally. "I have no intention of going to prison, Mother. As I was explaining to Nikolas, I will write a letter of confession, which will be delivered to the authorities one hour after our plane is en route to the island." "The island?" Gia asked. Nikolas explained, "Our family's private island. I was raised there. It's beautiful." "Yes. I will confess to the murder, and then you will accompany me to the island. Gia, too. She has proven herself worthy of being your consort, Nikolas… And we will get to know each other again. Give me that much, Nikolas. Give me… three months. And then you can go whenever, wherever you please." "What about Lucky?" Stavros turned to his mother who said, "Can we talk about this later? Time is running out, Stavros!" He looked at Nikolas and Gia. "Will you come with us?" Slowly, after exchanging a look, they nodded. In Helena's suite, she went to her desk and opened a locked drawer. Suddenly, she let out a gasp. "It's gone." "What is gone, Mother?" "The ampule, the syringe." She looked up at him, confusion and anxiety etched on her face. "Your medication. It's gone!" She called for Andreas, who appeared instantly. "Who has been in here? Who has broken into my desk? Was it Elizabeth Webber? Jasper Jax? That wretched Alexis?" "I don't know." "Well, find out!" As Andreas and the other henchmen scattered, Stavros said, "What is so urgent? They will find it, or you will make some more. Whatever, Mother." "No, it has to be today." She looked positively frantic. "This is positively freaky," Gia whispered to Nikolas, who nodded. "Well, Mother, while you look for my… medication, Nikolas and I will finish our talk." "I would have to see the confession," Nikolas said. "And there would have to be steps to undo the damage you did to Lucky and Laura." Stavros nodded and sat down at his mother's desk. He took out some of her monogrammed paper and began to write. Nearly half an hour later he handed the written confession to Nikolas. "Now, do you understand how much I love you?" Nikolas stared at him. "Father…" Stavros smiled. "I have been waiting for you to say that… for so long now…" "Father." he repeated, more urgently. "Grandmother…" Helena came over. Her face went pale. "Stavros…" "What is it?" "It has started. Oh, my darling…" Stavros stood up, surprised to find himself a little stiff. Helena guided him to a mirror. His skin was dry and mottled, his hair and beard were thinning. He did not look older, exactly; he looked… decayed. "Mother… Mother. Make it stop!" "My darling…" Helena looked helpless. Gia and Nikolas watched in horror. "Nikolas." "Yes…" "Help me." He reached for his son. His muscles gave out and he found himself collapsing into Nikolas's arms. Possessed of a tenderness he never thought he would feel towards the revenant man who had sired him, Nikolas half-carried Stavros to the couch. Once stretched out there, Stavros looked at his son's face and said, "Do you think… you could have loved me in time?" Nikolas nodded as he watched his father change before his eyes. Behind him, he heard a sound he had never heard before in his life - his grandmother's sobs. "My darling boy… my son…" "It was a good try, Mother." His voice was hoarse. "Remember what I said about Stefan? That the greatest revenge is showing someone what they have lost?" He gave a throaty, almost guttural laugh. Within moments, Stavros Cassadine was dead once more. In an office suite in Zurich, a man packed some files into an attaché. "You are booked on a direct flight to Kennedy Airport in NY, sir, with a connection to Port Charles." "Thank you." The man stopped in front of a mirror to check his hair and beard. "It's time I found out who has been using my name, don't you think?" Lucien Caine said before he picked up the attaché and left for the airport.