Chapter 6 Stefan ran as fast as he could to his brother's room, where he found two police officers trying to restrain Stavros, who was still screaming, this time with words: ''Get her out of here! Get her out of here!'' ''Her,'' to Stefan's surprise, turned out to be Helena, who was being held by a third officer and seemed surprised and disturbed by the reception given by her older son. When she saw Stefan, she spat out, ''What have you done to him?'' ''Nothing, Mother,'' he said evenly. ''You did it all.'' To the policewoman holding her he asked, ''How was this allowed to happen?'' ''The visit was authorized by the Commissioner and the DA's office,'' she said. Stefan's snort indicated his opinion of those authorities. Just then Stavros, who had mostly recovered from the injuries suffered in his long tumble into the harbor, knocked down one of the officers holding him back. The policeman got up angrily and Stefan gestured with his hand, saying, ''He doesn't know how strong he is.'' Helena let out a short bark of a laugh as she was taken out of the room. ''This isn't over. You can't keep me away from my son forever...'' ''I wouldn't be too sure of that, Mother,'' Stefan muttered to himself, and then went to Stavros' side. ''Stavros, listen to me...'' he said in a gentle tone. ''It's all right.'' The screaming had subsided, replaced by a persistent moaning sound. Stavros was staring past Stefan, seemingly staring through the wall. Just then Dr. DaSilva came in. ''I was paged. Something about a disturbance in here?'' ''My mother was here. I don't know what she said or did, but it disturbed him greatly.'' She joined Stefan at the side of the bed. ''Mr. Cassadine... do you hear me?'' Her voice was low and musical. Stavros looked at them, then past her, to Stefan. ''Is it true?'' he asked, in a hoarse whisper. ''Is it true?'' ''Is what true?'' Stefan said, thinking that, with Helena, it could be anything - anything true, anything false, anything at all... ''Is it true that she...'' He hesitated, as if saying the words gave them more power. ''Is it true that she... brought me back from the dead?'' Alexis sipped at her coffee and sighed. ''So, where do I start? With the fact that Stavros managed to cheat death yet again? That he has absolutely no memory of any of the hell he's put everyone through? That Nikolas thinks he can retrain his father into a 'good Prince'? That Stefan is actually willing to entertain the notion? No, wait, how about this one - Kristina, in spite of everything I've told her, is just dying to welcome him into the family...'' Jax took in the words, drinking his own coffee. ''So, he gets away with murdering Chloe..?'' She gave him a look. ''Jax, don't... I loved Chloe, too. She was my best friend. But... Promise me you won't take the law into your own hands.'' ''What makes you think I would do that?'' ''Let's just say I know you pretty well. You want justice for Chloe. And maybe even for Kristina and our mother... and everything else Stavros and Helena have done. But that's not what we do. That's not what I want us to be about.'' ''Alexis, there's a time and place to work within the system, and no one does it as well as you. But the system also has its limitations, and if it lets Stavros Cassadine slip through its fingers to wreak more havoc on the people I care about...'' ''Stefan thinks he can handle Stavros.'' ''Oh, and Stefan has done SUCH a good job up till now.'' ''Don't.'' She got up and went to him. ''I'm not saying I know how to play this... or even that I agree with Stefan. But the one thing I don't want is for this to escalate into another twenty year vendetta. And it so easily could. One false move, and...'' She shook her head. He took her in his arms. ''All right. I will keep cool. For now. But Alexis, I swore that I would look after you and Kristina and I'm going to do it. Do you know what Stefan and Nikolas are planning?'' ''I think they want to bring him to Wyndemere when he gets out of the hospital.'' ''Then I want my own.. agent in place.'' ''Stefan won't like that.'' ''I don't give a good - '' ''Okay, okay... I appreciate you looking out for Kristina.'' ''And you.'' ''And me.'' ''That's what ex-husbands are for. And friends.'' ''You're a good ex-husband. And a great friend. And I'll never be able to repay you for what you - '' ''Then don't try. It isn't necessary.'' He kissed her on the cheek. ''I'll be in touch, Alexis...'' When Nikolas got to the cottage, he found the lights turned down low and sweet, soulful music on the stereo. ''Sparky?'' he called out. Gia came out of the kitchen, holding a tray of cheese and crackers. She was wearing an oversized copper-colored silk t-shirt, and nothing else. ''Hi.'' She put down the tray and gave him a long, loving embrace. ''Hi yourself. When did you do all this?'' ''I came here as soon as we left the hospital. Where did you go off to?'' ''I went to Wyndemere for a minute.'' ''Nikolas, you don't go to Wyndemere for a minute. You have to make a point of going and you - '' ''I just wanted - Gia, how would you feel if I moved back to Wyndemere for a little while?'' ''Back to Wyndemere? I thought the whole 'I'm going to take my proper place in the destiny of things' thing was over? A trick to get Psychogranny's trust?'' ''This has nothing to do with my grandmother. It has to do with my father. I think I've persuaded Stefan to bring him back to Wyndemere.'' ''And, what, you don't think they've got enough staff there to see to his needs?'' ''No,'' he said, smiling at her. ''It isn't that. It's that I was the one who pushed for this, so I think I should be with him, at least at the beginning. Because if it goes wrong, Stefan is going to slap him into some institution so fast his head will spin.'' ''And you think this is wrong how?'' ''I think we have a chance here, a chance to make this whole bizarre coming-back-to-life thing worth something. Make it count. Make his life count.'' ''You're not God, Nikolas. And you're not responsible for Stavros' life.'' ''No... that's not what I'm saying. I just feel like if I help him, I'll be helping myself, too.'' ''Then I'm with you all the way.'' She kissed him. ''Just know this... if you stay in that Gothic mausoleum too long, I'm launching an invasion. Got it?'' ''Absolutely,'' he said, smiling down at her. ''Now... do we have any wine to go with that cheese?'' Stefan looked at Nancy DaSilva, then back at Stavros. ''What, exactly, did she tell you?'' ''She said that a man named Luke Spencer killed me eighteen years ago, but she was able to put me in a cryogenic state and, six months ago, she was able to revive me. She called me her twice-born son, said I was destined to defeat our enemies and rule the world with her...'' He shook his head with a short, tight laugh. Then, seeing the look in Stefan's eyes, he frowned. ''It is true, then?'' ''Stavros...'' ''It is true. It is. I am a freak. A freak!'' His voice rose, agitated, but not quite hysterical. ''Something out of a bad movie,'' he said, more quietly. ''Mr. Cassadine, don't.'' Nancy DaSilva's soft, quiet voice commanded his attention. ''You are alive, not anything in a movie, however you got here, you are as real as I am, as your brother is. We're here to help you.'' ''Can you?'' he said to her. ''Will you?''he said to Stefan. ''We know that we have never liked each other, though I do not know why.'' ''We never have,'' Stefan agreed, ''but that is in the past. I think we might be able to do things differently now.'' Suddenly, he found himself meaning it. ''Then tell me the truth. No one else will. Tell me what I have done. Why I have police guards. Why Nikolas does not - no, wait, now I know that much. Nikolas does not know me because I was... cryogenically frozen for most of his life. But the rest of it...'' His voice and eyes became slightly imperious. ''Tell me, Stefan.'' ''All right, Stavros. You have the right to know....'' Chapter 7 Jax picked up the phone in his suite and dialed a number. ''Hello,'' he said when someone picked up. ''Yes, it has been a long time... I was wondering if you were at liberty... I have a special job, it requires unusual abilities... well, I thought of you immediately... Excellent. How quickly can you come to Port Charles?...I will have your ticket waiting... And V? Thank you.'' He hung up and smiled.   Chapter 7 The clothes Stavros had been wearing when Nikolas found him were unsalvageable, and most of his others were lost when the FailSafe mechanism shut down his mother's underground lab, so Nikolas, guided by Gia, had gone shopping and brought his father a few outfits. He was wearing one of them now, charcoal gray slacks and an open-necked blue-grey shirt. Somehow, his Cassadine medallion and signet ring had survived the ordeal and he was wearing them, too. His hair and beard had been neatly trimmed. He was sitting up, reading; there was a large stack of books on the nightstand that he was working his way through. But this time his concentration was lacking; he kept thinking back to his last conversation with Stefan... ''You killed the woman I loved...'' The words echoed in his head over and over. He had killed someone. A woman. There was more... years of drunkenness and abuse to everyone in his orbit... a woman named Laura that he had married under duress and terrorized to the point that she had fled from him... But the worst was knowing that he had killed a woman... a woman his brother had loved... and did not remember it. Somehow, that made it worse. Stefan had explained to him that he was not legally responsible for the murder because he did not remember it. But what of moral responsibility? Stavros did not think it likely that he had been a moral man... Laura Spencer finished going over some invoices. She was supposed to meet a couple of mothers from Lulu's playgroup, but she was, for once, running early. There were, as always, things she could be doing. She could catch up on her letter writing. She could go home and clean. She was only about three months behind on that. She could check up on Nikolas, see how he was holding up.... She could see his father. She had been putting it off since the news had arrived. And, indeed, there was no real need to see Stavros. She had nothing left to say to him. And there was nothing he could say to her that would change anything. Then why did she have this gnawing sense of unfinished business between them? Stefan swore that he would make sure Stavros could not hurt her or her family again. And the doctors evidently claimed that his memory was gone, he could not remember his evil deeds, or his obsession with her. An obsession that had stayed alive during his eighteen years on ice, that had awakened when he did. She shivered. Could that kind of diamond-hard obsession die? There was only one way to be sure. She picked up her purse and walked out the door. Jax opened the door to his hotel suite and greeted the woman standing there with pure pleasure. ''V, you're a sight for sore eyes.'' ''It's good to see you, too,'' V Ardanowski said, giving him an impulsive hug. ''I wanted to come to Chloe's funeral, but I had this stupid virus, and the doctor wouldn't let me travel...'' He nodded. ''The Quartermaines got your note, and the flowers.'' ''Poor Chloe. I felt so awful when I heard... they said Stefan Cassadine killed her, but then it turned out he didn't?'' ''No, his brother, Stavros did it.'' He paused. ''It's hard to know how to explain this without sounding like bad science fiction, but since Stavros Cassadine is the reason I asked you to come, I suppose I'd better try.'' Over a drink, with V comfortably ensconced in the couch, Jax summarized the strange recent history of the Cassadine family. ''I was wrong about Stefan, at least to the extent that he was innocent of killing Chloe... but that doesn't mean I think he can handle this situation. I told Alexis I want my own agent in place... and that's going to be you.'' ''I'd do anything you need, Jax, and for Chloe, well... that goes double. But I don't understand exactly what you want...'' ''I just want someone there who can keep eyes and ears open, who won't be overwhelmed by the whole Cassadine thing... someone who will take appropriate action if Stavros Cassadine regains his memory... or turns out to have kept it all along.'' She nodded. ''Will Stefan Cassadine go along with it?'' ''Alexis will handle that end. She didn't like my idea much at the beginning, but when I told her you would be the one, she came around. She's going to suggest to Stefan that he hire you as his personal assistant at Wyndemere. It's a job you can believably handle, and it will keep you in the thick of things... She'll tell him that you're an old friend of Chloe's. Which is true.'' She nodded again. ''Jax... do you really think this guy is a kind of time bomb?'' ''I think, whether consciously, or innocently, as a tool of Helena, he might be. And I don't want him detonating anywhere near Alexis or Kristina.'' Kristina made her way down the hallway at GH. Alexis was a spectacular sister, and she meant well, but... The police guard was gone. No charges were being filed against Stavros, and no further visits from Helena would be allowed. Kristina knocked on the door. ''Come in,'' a dark, precise voice answered. She went in. The man sitting in the chair by the bed, a book in his lap, did not look like the devil, or the bogeyman. He was darkly handsome, and if there was something cool and remote in his bearing, he smiled warmly enough when she came into the room. ''Hello,'' she said. ''You must be Stavros.'' He nodded. ''And you are...? I do not know you, do I?'' ''No, not yet. I'm Kristina. I'm your half-sister, but this is the first time we've met.'' He nodded and got up, motioning for her to take the chair. When she did so, he sat on the bed, turned to face her. ''You do not hate me. You are not afraid of me'' She shook her head. ''I like to make up my own mind about things. You don't look very scary to me.'' He smiled then, a flash of white. ''Ah... but you do not know... I might be the monster they tell you I am. I might be truly dangerous.'' ''Are you?'' Another quick smile. ''The truth? I do not know.'' ''Then I guess I'll wait and see. And in the meantime... maybe you can use a friend.'' He thought about that a minute and then nodded. ''Though I am not certain I deserve one.'' Kristina laughed and shrugged. ''Friendship doesn't seem to have much to do with deserving, does it?'' ''I suppose not,'' he smiled. ''So... Nikolas says you'll be at Wyndemere soon.'' He nodded. ''That is what they have told me. What is it like?'' ''Kind of Gothic and imposing. The housekeeper is nice. The food is excellent.'' ''It is not to your taste, is it?'' She shook her head and laughed. ''But hey, I don't live there, and it's not bad for a visit. And I do love Stefan.'' ''Nikolas loves him, too.'' ''Yes... you see, Stefan raised Nikolas when - '' She stopped, realizing she was treading on difficult territory. ''When I was dead. Yes.'' He gave her a wry smile. ''You can say it, Kristina. I am becoming used to it.'' ''You know, Nikolas and I have been talking... his girlfriend, Gia, too... he sees this as a potential miracle... have you looked at it that way?'' ''A miracle?'' ''Well, it's all what you make it. The first time, you came back to have revenge and... what, take over the world? You've got to know that wasn't going to fly... But this time, maybe you were brought back not to rule the world, but to... join it.'' ''Join the world,'' he said. ''The real world. A world of family, and love, and... real things.'' ''Real things,'' he repeated, nodding. He reached his hand out towards her and she took it in her own, squeezing it encouragingly. ''But Kristina.. what if I do not fit into this real world of yours?'' ''You will,'' she said. ''If you want to. It may take time, but it will happen.'' Alexis arrived at Jax's hotel room and gave V a sincere and enthusiastic hug. ''You look great,'' she said, and indeed, there were still traces of the glamorous ''Countess Isabella'' in the workaday V Ardanowski. ''It's good to have you back. If Jax is going to do this... I feel better knowing it's you.'' ''You know I'll do anything I can..'' ''I do know that. And V, I don't want you getting in any unnecessary danger. Not that I think it will happen, but...'' ''Jax has told me everything. The rest... I'll just have to watch, and listen, and learn.'' ''All of which you do very well,'' Alexis assured her. ''I've set up an appointment with Stefan for tomorrow. I've managed to convince him that he should at least consider a personal assistant on site at Wyndemere... The truth is, between your work with Jax and what you did for Ned, you're more than qualified for the position.'' V nodded. This was Alexis' family. And, in a way, Jax's as well. She understood how important it was to do this properly. To keep Alexis and her younger sister from further harm. ''I'm in,'' she said, and gave Alexis her hand. Jax added his. ''Do no more than is necessary, V. But don't hesitate to do whatever becomes, in fact, necessary.'' Laura went down the hall and found the room. The door was cracked open and she touched against it... It was unmistakably Stavros. It was the face that had haunted her nightmares. And yet, the face he turned to her as she stood in the doorway - quizzical, cautiously welcoming - was not quite the face she knew. ''Hello,'' he said. A simple word. He had said it to her once before, just ''hello'', the first time they had met. But it had sounded different, somehow. She nodded. ''Hello, Stavros.'' ''I know you,'' he said, and then turned to the redheaded girl sitting with him. ''I know her.'' He turned back to her. ''But not your name. I do not remember names. But I know them when I hear them. Is that not strange?'' She nodded again. ''I'm Laura.'' ''Laura...'' He took it in. ''I loved you. You are Nikolas' mother...'' His face changed. She saw a sadness in it she had only seen once before, in the underground lab with Nikolas. ''Stefan told me... I hurt you. Repeatedly.'' ''He did?'' ''He did not tell me any details... but enough that I...'' He saw the fear and anxiety, the loathing in her eyes. ''I understand what I must have done... what I must have been.'' She didn't know what to say. He continued. ''It is very strange... I learn things... I understand them... without any real sense of them as having happened to me. I wonder if it will always be like this.'' Kristina said, ''I don't think so.'' He smiled at her, then turned back to Laura. ''What can I do for you?'' She hesitated. What could he do for her, this man with the face of her own private demon, but a look in his eyes that was like none she'd ever seen. He was Stavros and yet was not. And now, finally, she saw that their business was concluded. He would live on, and so would she... but they would not be connected any longer. Not by his obsessive love, not by her wild fear. She would never care for him, never forgive him... but she could leave him behind now. ''Nothing,'' she said, and managed a small smile. ''Nothing at all.'' She raised her hand to him in a half-wave, half-salute, a final goodbye, then turned and left the hospital...   Chapter 8 Helena was sitting in her cell, trying to control her fury. At Stefan, for cutting off her access to the Cassadine fortune. At Nikolas, for his deceptions. At Lucky Spencer, for betraying her and then taunting her with it. At Luke and Laura Spencer, and the mouse, Alexis, for... surviving. Thriving, even. Glorying in it. At that incompetent child of a legal aid attorney, who had left her to languish in a cell... At everyone who was keeping her and Stavros apart. Suddenly, she heard footsteps, and the guard said, ''Visitor.'' She looked up - there had been no visitors for days. The muscular, almost brutally handsome young man standing outside the bars was the last person she had expected to see. ''Andreas.'' He nodded. ''When I heard what they did to you, Madame... it nearly broke my heart.'' ''Where have you been? I have been here for over a week.'' ''Mr. Stefan discharged all the staff at the hotel suite - everyone who was not trapped underground - and closed it down.'' She gave him a cold smile. ''What did you steal from my worthless son, Andreas? Whatever it was, you earned it.'' He managed a smile in return. ''A few trinkets from the suite. Once I was able to.. cash them in, I returned to Port Charles as quietly and carefully as I could, and came to see you, Madame.'' He looked at her. ''I am still at your service.'' She nodded. ''Then get me out of here.'' ''Madame?'' ''My son, my true son, is still alive. They are keeping him from me. Get me out of here, Andreas. I don't care how you do it. And then bring Stavros to me...'' ''So, are you ready?'' Nancy DaSilva asked. ''To leave this hospital? Yes. Absolutely. As for the rest...'' Stavros Cassadine shrugged expressively. ''It is kind of my brother to take me in, but..'' A smile. ''Neither of us has any idea what we are doing.'' ''You'll work it out,'' she assured him. ''You'll get to know each other and work out the rules...'' ''But he already knows me. And he... has never liked what he knew. Nor do I blame him.'' ''Mr. Cassadine, your brother has made a conscious decision to start again with you. For his sake, and your son's, as well as yours. I'm not pretending it's going to be easy for any of you. But you have a chance to build something out of those ashes...'' She smiled at him. ''And I'll be there to help you. You're not alone, Mr. Cassadine. You have family, and friends, and a trained professional on your case.'' ''Family... friends...'' He smiled again. ''And you would be the trained professional, yes?'' ''That's right. If you have no objections.'' He shook his head. ''None at all. I like the idea of continuity.'' ''Yes, I imagine you would.'' ''Dr. DaSilva, I have some idea of who I was... a basic concept of who I am. But what eludes me completely is... who I am going to be. What I am going to do.'' ''And in that, Mr. Cassadine, you are no worse or better off than the rest of us. The man you will become is very much up to you.'' ''Most men my age are established in careers... I have no idea what I want to do, or should be doing.'' ''For now, you need to work on your continued integration into your world. Staying at Wyndemere gives you some protection and the time to do that, as well as explore whatever options appeal to you.'' Stavros frowned angrily. ''I feel as a child might, but I am no child!'' ''Then you should be able to summon up the necessary patience,'' she said, in a pleasant but firm tone. He opened his mouth and she said, ''Mr. Cassadine, I am not without sympathy for your situation, far from it... but you at least have the security of a large fortune to give you the time and options you need.'' ''It seems it is my brother's fortune. Or my son's. I am dependent on their charity.'' ''It isn't charity. It's... family. Reaching out to family.'' She smiled at him. ''You could turn it down, of course. Go out on your own, make your own way.'' He frowned. ''I would not know where to go...'' At Wyndemere, Stefan sat in the study, looking at the woman opposite him. ''So, Miss Ardanowski. You have worked for both Ned Ashton and Jasper Jacks in an administrative capacity...'' Neither Ned nor Jax were favorites of Stefan's, but he had to concede that they knew how to run a business. ''That's right.'' ''And you are - were - a friend of Chloe's.'' He thought for a moment. ''I don't know if Alexis explained the situation here. My brother is being discharged from the hospital. He has suffered a... trauma. He has no memory. But he does have an unusual history, one that, whether or not he remembers it, makes him unpredictable and... perhaps even potentially dangerous.'' V nodded. ''Mr. Cassadine, I was also a Deputy Sheriff and a member of the Port Charles Police Department. I know how to deal with unpredictable - and potentially dangerous - people.'' ''It is a strange qualification for being my personal assistant here at Wyndemere, but...'' He smiled at her. ''It may be the most important one.'' He extended his hand. ''When can you start?'' ''Whenever you need me.'' ''Well... we are bringing Stavros home later today. Would you be able to get your things and come back in an hour or two? I will send someone with you to help in any way you need...'' ''That would be very nice. And yes, I could start today.'' ''Then welcome to Wyndemere, Miss Ardanowski. And thank you.'' Nikolas had moved back to Wyndemere, with his uncle's enthusiastic gratitude, and the understanding that it would only be until Stavros was completely on his feet again. He was enjoying the time with Stefan, time to make up for the deceptions and cruelties on both sides, born of love, but hurtful nonetheless. But, whenever possible, he spent time with Gia. They had eaten breakfast together and were now well into another round of Gia's favorite daytime activity - shopping. She always seemed to need something, and today he'd mentioned that he wanted to buy his father a little gift to welcome him home from the hospital. She'd seized on that idea and was guiding him through the men's department at Wyndham's. ''Cologne is tricky, unless you're absolutely sure what he likes...'' Nik shook his head. ''He always wore something kind of musky around me...'' It occurred to her that reminding Nikolas of her time with 'Lucien Caine' was probably not a great idea. ''Moving right along... jewelry. He's got a medallion like yours, right? And a ring?'' ''Yes.'' ''So I wouldn't bother with much more jewelry. He's not the tons-of-gold-chains type, thank God.'' They continued into clothing. ''He's got a real black-on-black thing going...'' She picked up a cashmere pullover. ''This will work.'' Nikolas looked it over. ''I think you're right. You know, for someone who really loves this stuff, you're actually pretty efficient.'' She smiled at him. ''That's part of the fun.'' He paid for the sweater, and then said, ''What do you want to do now? Stavros is coming home this afternoon, and I want to be there, but - '' ''Umm... I got trapped into lunch with my mother and brother. Not a scene I imagine you'd like to make...'' ''Not at all. Nothing personal.'' ''Believe me, I hear you.'' ''I'll call you later, then. Thanks for the help'' They kissed and said goodbye for the time being. Nancy DaSilva looked up at the knock on her doorframe. She smiled at Stefan. ''Mr. Cassadine. Here to pick up your brother?'' ''Yes... I was hoping you had a moment.'' ''I do.'' She pushed her files to one side and motioned for him to sit down. ''What can I do for you?'' ''I just... what do we do now? Is he really all right? Stable? How do we know?'' ''Your brother does not need to be hospitalized. His physical injuries have healed and he is not at this time a danger to himself or others. As for the rest... he will have to work out most of the answers for himself. Our job - you and Nikolas as his family, me as his therapist - is to guide him and help him be more comfortable and confident in making those choices.'' ''Dr. Collins said his basic personality is still there. If Stavros proves as... arrogant as he has been in the past, how will any of us do that?'' ''There's a soapy old movie I love called 'Dark Victory' with Bette Davis. Claude Rains plays her psychiatrist, and he describes his job as, she comes to a fork in the road and he nudges her gently and says 'Not that way... this way.' That's what I'm going to do with your brother.'' Stefan nodded, then smiled slightly and said, ''You like old movies?'' She returned his smile. ''Love them.'' After a pause, she said, ''I never met your brother before the trauma, but the impression I get from the case history is that he has always been able to justify the terrible things he did and now, without his memory, he can not create those justifications. Which means that, possibly for the first time, he is ashamed of his past actions. I can't tell him what to do, or what kind of person to become - none of us can do that - but when we get to those forks in the road, we can use that newfound sense of shame - and the residual love he feels for Nikolas, maybe even for you - to reinforce the nudges we give him. I think he sincerely wants to be a better person this time.'' Stefan wasn't at all sure about that. And yet... he remembered his fervent conversations with Chloe, his own desire to become a better person, to be worthy of her, of Nikolas, of Alexis' affection and respect. He, too, had done terrible things in the name of what he had considered love. And, as Nikolas had pointed out, he had looked for - and received - forgiveness for them. ''This will not work if I am not... wholehearted in it, will it?'' She smiled at him. ''No one expects you to be perfect, Mr. Cassadine. You and your brother share a tangled and tormented history. Even if you didn't, grown siblings in close quarters usually leads to disagreements, hurt feelings... with everything that has happened between the two of you...'' Another sympathetic smile. ''I'm well aware that you didn't lose your memory.'' Stefan said, ''There are things I cannot forget, and I do not even know if I can forgive, but for my own sake and Nikolas', as well as Stavros', I am determined to try. Sometimes I think I have never had a brother, not really. Our mother raised us in a certain way - we were expected to hate and torment each other and we fulfilled those expectations.'' Another small smile. ''I sound like I need a psychiatrist myself, I am sure.'' ''I can't be your therapist,'' she said. ''But if in working with Stavros I'm able to help you all find some closure, some peace... if the two of you are able to build a strong and loving relationship...'' She smiled warmly. ''I don't think anyone could object to that.'' Stavros placed the last of the clothes Nikolas had brought him in the small suitcase that had also been provided, and made sure that all his books were accounted for as well. Stefan had told him that Wyndemere had an extensive library, and invited him to use it whenever he liked. ''I hope you will make yourself at home,'' his brother had said, this younger brother who looked, oddly, much older. He went to the mirror in the bathroom and examined his face. It was a handsome enough face, he supposed, hard to read. He stroked his beard and wondered if he had always had one. His hand brushed against the chain around his neck, and he lifted the medallion and examined it. The Cassadine insignia, he had been told. A family heritage, Greek and Russian, that extended back literally thousands of years. He had been proud of it, evidently. There would be time now. Time to know that heritage, to know the family he had in the present. Nikolas, Stefan, Kristina... perhaps Alexis, if she was willing. Another voice, unwanted, wove through his mind. ''I brought you back from the dead, my darling...'' Mother. ''You were meant to vanquish our enemies and rule the world...'' In the same visceral way he had understood that Stefan was his brother and Nikolas his son, his blood recognized this woman. And his heart knew her words to be true. She was his mother, and she had brought him back from the dead to fulfill what she saw as his destiny. Was he the freak he felt himself to be or the divine avenger his mother saw? Was his resuscitation a perversion of natural law, or the miracle Kristina claimed Nikolas had seen? Dr. DaSilva had said, more than once, that the choice would inevitably be his. He wondered about that. Without understanding them, he sensed the swirls of intrigue around him. Would he be able to choose his own destiny or would it be pressed upon him? He would be responsible for his own actions, yes. But what of the actions of others? Could they force him off one path and onto another? He looked at himself in the mirror as he held the medallion in his hand. I am the Cassadine prince, he said to himself. I, and only I, will determine what that means. I will define it, as I define myself... Gia arrived at the PC Grill to find her mother and brother already seated. Conspiring, she thought, then plastered a big smile on her face and went to join them. Marcus got up and kissed her on the cheek. She leaned over to give her mother a kiss, and Florence said, ''What are you wearing on your head, Gia? It makes you look like a Caribbean plantation slave.'' Gia smiled and ignored her as she sat down. ''So, did you guys order yet? I'm starved.'' ''Not yet,'' Florence said. ''We just got here ourselves.'' The waiter approached and took their orders. There was some preliminary chitchat, and then Florence got down to the main event. ''Marcus told me all about it, that crazy woman brought her son back from the dead and now he's back again? And he murdered that Morgan woman and he's going to get away with it...'' Marcus sighed and gave Gia a mildly apologetic look. ''Legally, he's not responsible. Three doctors have sworn that he doesn't remember a thing.'' Florence's disdainful sniff showed what she thought of that legality. ''And this is your precious Nikolas' father?'' ''Nikolas isn't responsible for his father.'' ''No, but he is responsible for how he treats you, which, so far, has been shabbily indeed.'' Gia looked to her brother for support. ''She's got a point, Gia. He dumped you, flaunted another woman in front of you, humiliated you publicly...'' ''I told you, that was just to fake out psychogranny. We're back together. We were never - I mean, we were apart, but it was never meant to be real.'' ''It was real enough,'' Florence insisted. ''That boy hurt you. He had no right to expect you to just forgive and forget and open your arms to him...'' ''It's not about expecting.'' Gia didn't know why she even expected her mother to understand. ''I love Nikolas, and I know he loves me. I think I knew it even when he was pretending he didn't.'' ''He has a funny way of showing it.'' Florence sipped at her water. ''Where is he, anyway? You two aren't back in that cottage, are you?'' ''No, not now. He's moved back to Wyndemere temporarily.'' ''What?'' Marcus stared at her. ''His father is getting out of the hospital today and Stefan is bringing him to Wyndemere. Nikolas... wants to be there. He thinks he can help Stavros, and maybe help himself resolve some stuff from his childhood.'' ''Let me tell you,'' her mother said, ''once those people get their claws into him again, he won't be anyone you want to be associated with. Maybe this is a mercy, a blessing in disguise.'' Marcus looked at his mother. ''What do you mean?'' ''He's on that crazy island. She's here. He's got things to do and so does she. So now maybe they can both get on with their lives.'' Gia thought about what her mother was saying. She turned to her brother. ''What about you, Marcus? Do you agree with her?'' He looked from one to the other. ''I don't know... I do think it's a mistake to get involved with anyone from that family. And if he's got family business to take care of, and you two are apart again... maybe it's for the best. For all concerned. Because I'm not at all convinced that Stavros Cassadine isn't still dangerous.'' Gia thought about that for a moment, then burst into a big smile. ''You know what? You're right. You're both right.'' She got up. ''Thank you both so much. For once, you've been a big help.'' She kissed them each in turn. ''Thank you,'' she repeated. ''When my lunch comes, will you tell them I had to go?'' ''Where are you going, young lady?'' Florence asked. ''To pack!'' Gia called as she left the Grill... Stavros had been quiet, lost in his own thoughts, as the launch made its way to Spoon Island. They docked, and Stefan helped his brother out of the speedboat. Up a short path, Wyndemere gave them its imposing welcome. The two men arrived at the door, and a waiting Mrs. Lansbury opened it. ''Welcome home, sir,'' she said to Stavros, as Stefan had instructed her. ''Mr. Nikolas is in the living room. I've made a cold lunch,'' she said to Stefan, who nodded his approval. Stavros nodded an acknowledgment to the housekeeper as he went inside. It was all strange to him, but anything would be now. Stefan said, ''I will have someone show you around later. For now, why don't we join Nikolas in the living room and have lunch?'' Stavros nodded and started to follow his brother. Suddenly, he said, ''Stefan...'' ''Yes, what is it?'' There was a pause. ''Thank you.'' Stefan smiled at him. ''You're welcome, Stavros. Welcome home.'' They went, together, into the living room...   Chapter 9 Stefan, Stavros and Nikolas were in the living room, enjoying a lunch of cold salmon with béarnaise sauce and sugar snap peas, when Mrs. Lansbury came in and said, "Miss Ardanowski is here, sir." "Ask her to join us, please." When Mrs. Lansbury left, Stefan said to the others, "I have hired a personal assistant." Nikolas nodded his approval and Stavros smiled politely. All three men rose as V came into the living room. Stefan welcomed her and introduced her to his brother and nephew. So, this is the monster, V thought, as Stavros Cassadine took her hand and smiled. Nice smile - great teeth - and his eyes weren't bad either. Of course, it helped to remember that most monsters got as far as they did because they didn't exactly run around shouting 'hey, I'm a monster.' "I had a couple of bags..." she started to say to Stefan, who indicated that they had already been taken to her room, where a maid was unpacking. It took V a moment to realize that the maid was unpacking her things. She wasn't entirely comfortable with that, but when in Rome - or a Gothic mausoleum, for that matter - it was wise to go with the flow. "Please join us," Stefan invited, and the other two men smiled and nodded their encouragement. V helped herself and took a seat on the other side of the couch from Stavros. "You used to live in Port Charles, didn't you, Miss Ardanowski?" Nikolas said. "I remember seeing you around when we first came to town." She nodded. "I worked for L&B Records, and for Jax Enterprises..." "And before that," Stefan added, "she was a member of the Port Charles Police Department. And the County Sheriff's Department." "A varied career," Stavros said, intrigued. "It's just the way things fell," V said. "I was pretty happy in law enforcement, but the politics got to me, and there were... hypocritical aspects to policy that - " "The Port Charles Police, at least the current crop, are hypocritical incompetents," Stefan said. "Uncle!" Nikolas shot him a look. "No," V said, "it's all right. Obviously, I understand how he could feel that way. But there are men and women there who really want to make a difference. I had some friends there..." "Why did you not try to return to law enforcement?" Stavros asked. She grimaced. "I'd say that's pretty much a closed door in this town. I pissed off all the wrong people - or maybe it was the right people, but either way..." A shrug. "I don't believe in going backwards. It's easier to learn from the past if you don't keep reliving it." Stavros smiled wryly. "That would be easy for me." A maid came in and whispered something to Stefan. He looked surprised and turned to Nikolas. "The launch is on its way back in. With Gia Campbell." Lila Quartermaine sat in her chair, trimming back her newest hybrid. It was a soft peach, elegant, with a gentle fragrance, but already showing signs of unusual strength. "I am so pleased with this one," she said to her grandson. AJ nodded. "It's a beauty, Grandmother." "I was thinking of naming it after Chloe. Would that be too self-indulgent? It puts me in mind of her, but of course, so many things do..." "No, I think it's a great idea." He kissed her cheek. "Chloe was the best of us, really... it's still so hard to believe that she's gone..." "Not the best of us, my dear... not the way you mean. Each of you is so dear to me. But she did have a special way of bringing out the best in us. And I think, in her honor, we need to try and continue to do that for ourselves." He nodded. "I know, Grandmother... We're all trying. I wish... Chloe was special. I'd do anything to honor her memory, to make you proud." "You don't have to try very hard to have me be proud of you, my dear." "Thank you." But inside, he was thinking, if I could do something for you that no one else could do.. if I could get you justice for Chloe, then I wouldn't be the family screw-up and weakling anymore. Then you could really be proud of me. Gia arrived at Wyndemere with several pieces of luggage. She hugged Nikolas when he met her at the front door and said, "Room for one more?" "You want to stay here?" he asked. "If you don't mind..." "Of course I don't, Sparky, I'm thrilled. It's just I thought that you - " "Told you I'd invade if this took too long. Well, consider this an invasion and an occupation." He laughed and turned to where Stefan stood a little distance away. "Uncle?" Stefan smiled. "It's fine with me. You're welcome here, Miss Campbell." "I should warn you, I'll keep that launch of yours busy. I've got shoots, public appearances..." "Shopping," Nikolas added with a laugh. "I am sure we can meet your needs," Stefan assured her. Just then Stavros and V came out into the hallway. "Stavros, I believe you might remember Gia Campbell, Nikolas' young lady..." Stavros looked at Gia and nodded, that tug of recognition pulling at his mind. "Yes.. I know you. We like each other, don't we?" He laughed, somewhat nervously, and said to V, "I should probably stop doing that." "I don't know," she said with a smile. "It's got a certain.. honesty to it." Gia had been thoroughly briefed by Nikolas on the changes in Stavros, but it was still disconcerting to encounter them in person. "I'm Gia," she said, then realized that Stefan had already handled the introductions. He nodded. "Gia," he repeated. He took her hand hand brought it to his mouth. Their eyes met. Suddenly, she felt better. This was not Lucien - smooth, charming, ever so kind, yet quicksilver, not quite graspable - nor was it the obsessive, revenant spirit Helena Cassadine had brought back from the grave, desperate to win the love of those - wife and son - who had long left him behind. But there was something in his eyes of both of them, something she recognized and thought she could deal with. Stefan motioned for a servant to take Gia's bags. He mentioned a suite down the hall from Nikolas'. Then he said, "You just missed lunch, Gia, but I can have something thrown together for you." "No, thanks. I skipped out on lunch with my mother and brother, so I grabbed a sandwich at the hotel while I was packing... so I'm fine." Stefan nodded. "Dinner will be served at seven thirty. Please, Gia, make yourself at home." "Thanks, I will." She looked inquisitively at V, and Stefan caught it. "Gia, this is my new personal assistant, V Ardanowski. Ms. Ardanowski, this is Gia Campbell, Nikolas's young lady." They shook hands and exchanged cordial hellos. Then Nikolas motioned for her and Gia followed him upstairs. "So, what happened, exactly, to change your mind?" "I didn't change it. I never said I wouldn't come. You never asked me." It was true. "Maybe I should've. I just didn't know if I should subject you to..." "To what? The father you're trying to get to know? The uncle who raised you?" "To all the complications." "Nikolas, when are you going to learn? If I'm in, I'm in all the way. I am not your part-time woman. I'm in it to the last inning." "You're right, you're absolutely right." "We're not just about the good times, are we, Nikolas?" she said, as if talking to a child. "No, ma'am," he said with a grin. "Not that this couldn't have a good time or two in it..." She smiled mischievously and pulled him in for a kiss... Nancy DaSilva was in her office, updating some files, when her phone rang. "Dr. DaSilva." "Doctor, this is Stefan Cassadine. How are you today?" "I'm fine. How are you? How is Mr. Cassadine settling in?" "Well, I think. It will take some time, of course. For all of us. There is awkwardness, but you indicated that we should expect that." "Yes. For a little while at least. And maybe there will always be an element of awkwardness. You and your brother have a tangled history." "When were you thinking of coming out here for a... session?" "Out to Spoon Island?" "I did not think it would be a good idea to bring Stavros back and forth at this time, but if it is inconvenient for you - " "No, no, I can do that..." "You are not prone to motion sickness, are you, Doctor?" "Not really." "Because if the launch ride worries you..." "No, Mr. Cassadine, really. I think I can handle myself." "Good. So, when can we expect to see you?" She looked at her schedule. "I have some time day after tomorrow. Say... three o'clock?" "That will be fine. We will be at your disposal." There was a pause. "Perhaps you would join us for dinner after the session." Before she could answer, he said, "It is the least we can do. And it may give you some additional insights." "I suppose it... Yes, all right. Thank you, Mr. Cassadine." "Thank you, Doctor. We will see you at three o'clock, on Friday. The launch will be available from two thirty on..." "I'll see you then." She hung up, smiling, not entirely sure why. A little while later, she decided to go down to the cafeteria for a break. On the way down the hall, she saw a man coming out of Stefan Cassadine's office. He was tall, built like an action hero, but with the face of a male model. "Excuse me, but what were you doing in there?" "I am with the Cassadine Estate," he said. "Mr. Stefan... needed some things from his office." Nancy nodded, but there was something about the guy... She couldn't put her finger on it. She had no trouble believing he was with the Cassadines, she had seen men like him around before... but something was a little off. Not off enough to justify her doing anything, just off enough to remind her to keep aware. And maybe mention it to Stefan Cassadine when she saw him on Friday. "All right," she said quietly, and continued down the hall. Andreas tapped the computer disks he had taken from the safe in the office and placed in his inside jacket pocket. Madame's instructions would give him access to several offshore accounts, which would be more than enough to put into action the plan for her release... Nik was sitting in a large room, designed for certain types of receptions, that he had discovered had excellent acoustics. He had his saxophone out, but for the moment was only polishing it. Gia came in and said, "I was wondering where you got to. Oh... I haven't heard you play that in, like, forever..." He nodded. After a minute he put the instrument to his mouth and started to play. It was a soft, bluesy tune, and Gia sat down on the floor, leaning against him, drinking it in. Stavros had been exploring Wyndemere when he heard the music. He followed the sound, then stood in the doorway, watching his son play the saxophone while his beautiful girlfriend nestled against him. Nikolas finished the song and looked up. "Father," he said. "You can come in if you want." "Only if you continue playing," Stavros said, and Nikolas nodded. Warmed up, and in a good mood, he started to play a jazzier piece, with a stronger, faster beat. Gia's body instinctively moved to it. Stavros, too, responded to the music, humming softly to himself, smiling... then his own body became gently caught up in the rhythm... Gia saw this. Intuitively, she got up and extended her hand to him. Stavros hesitated. He saw an odd look pass across Nikolas' face. He stopped playing for a moment. Some sort of wordless communication went between Nikolas and Gia, and Nikolas nodded slowly. He started to play again. It took a few measures for them all to find the rhythm again, but then he hit the groove and the music started to soar. Gia offered Stavros her hand again and the two of them started to dance. It was neither close contact dancing nor overtly sensual, though Gia was incapable of moving in a way totally devoid of sensuality - it was as natural to her as breathing. And Stavros found nothing as easy or as pleasurable as giving himself over to the wave of melody that Nikolas was sending over to them. His body moved instinctively and well. He found pleasure in that, too. Body and mind, seemingly so disconnected, were finding a common ground at last... Stefan and V were discussing his schedule for the rest of the week when they heard the music wafting down the hall. Stefan smiled. "I can't remember the last time I heard Nikolas play." He motioned for V to come with him. To say Stefan was surprised by the sight that greeted him would be an understatement. But the difficult years of his childhood had taught him to conceal his feelings, so he simply stood there, smiling slightly. His beloved nephew was playing his saxophone with energy and style; his nephew's girlfriend, recently rejected and even more recently reconciled, was dancing like the queen of rhythm and blues; dancing with her, loose and happy in a way Stefan could not remember seeing him - happy without malice or triumph or vengeance behind it - was his own brother, his older brother, now younger, memory wiped clean, soul possibly, just possibly, moving towards some sort of awakening... Stavros was laughing now, a laugh Stefan had never heard from him... The song ended and Nikolas started to get up. "No," his father asked, "Nikolas, please, another, that was such fun!" He was still laughing, eyes shining, eyes that rested on V Ardanowski, and he extended his hands towards her. "Miss Ardanowski, please..." She looked at Stefan and he nodded. Nikolas started to play again, and V took Stavros' hands and allowed him to bring her to the "floor" and they danced together, two people who had just met, this man who had come back from the dead not once, but twice, and the woman sent by his potential enemy to make sure he did not cause more harm than the considerable amount he had already forgotten. The tune became a kind of waltz and Stavros moved V with growing dexterity... "I do not understand," he said. "Muscle memory," she told him. "Your body remembers." He nodded. "Dr. DaSilva said something about that. Now I understand." He smiled at her again. Nikolas finished playing. Gia, once again nestled against him, kissed him gently and said "Thank you." "For what?" "For understanding." "I didn't when you first asked him. I was thinking about..." "About Lucien Caine. But that's not him. And it's not the nutcase who took me into that crazy honeymoon suite. It was okay. This was... really more about him connecting with you than with me." Nikolas nodded. "I finally got that." "See?" she said, with another kiss. "You are trainable." She snuggled up with him and smiled at the sight of Stefan, Stavros and V talking at the other end of the room. "And so are they." Stavros, relaxed and happy, feeling vividly alive for the first time since he'd awakened in the hospital, looked out the window. The winding Gothic architecture, the cold, deep lake that surrounded them, were strangely amusing to him. "I half expect to see the good people of Port Charles march towards this place carrying torches, demanding that you turn over the monster - which would, of course, be me." Stefan said, "There are advantages to living on an island," and Stavros laughed, a bit dryly, but a laugh nevertheless... In the morgue of the local paper, AJ Quartermaine was reading old news. "Internationally Known Shoe Designer Chloe Morgan Dead"... "Stefan Cassadine Arrested in Morgan Murder"... "Cassadine Heir's Amazing Return From The Dead"... "Stavros Cassadine Revealed as Morgan Killer"... "DA Rejects Cassadine Prosecution"... and finally, a small article, buried in the back. "Stavros Cassadine Released To Spoon Island Estate." Spoon Island. There was no easy way to get onto that island undetected. And the Cassadines would have heavy security. No.. he would have to watch and wait, and take his best chance when the Cassadine zombie came off the island. Watch and wait... yes. He could do that. He could afford to be patient. For Chloe. For Grandmother. While in the basement of the Port Charles Police Station, Helena Cassadine was also watching and waiting, as patiently as she knew how. For Andreas to save her. For Stavros to return to her. For the day when they would be revenged on all their enemies. For the true Endgame of the Spencer/Cassadine feud, which had now expanded to encompass so many others... Softly, she laughed to herself.   Chapter 10 "I am on a beach.. fine white sand, and the sun is hot, but comfortably so. There is a breeze coming off the water. I am utterly still. I can smell the salt air..." Stavros smiled. "I felt as if I could stay there forever. Was it a memory, Doctor?" "I don't think so," Nancy DaSilva said. "Not in the way you mean." "Since I arrived here at Wyndemere, I have spent time looking at the family albums... there are a great many of them... My family has a private island off the coast of Greece. Stefan and Nikolas have both mentioned it... and so I dream of it. But am I dreaming of it because I have seen the pictures or because some small part of me remembers it?" Nancy considered it. "My own belief is that your tastes haven't changed - that's part of what I meant when I said that your basic personality would remain to some extent. If you loved the island your family owns, even though you don't remember it, you could very well be attracted by the same setting." He nodded. "The dream was quite vivid. And pleasurable. I do believe such a setting would be more to my taste than..." His voice drifted off. "Than Wyndemere?" He chuckled. "That must sound ungrateful to you. My brother - who has never liked me - has taken me into his home, and I do not care for the decor." "Have you told him that?" "No, of course not." "Then you are expressing a private opinion to a neutral party. If you told your brother you didn't like his taste that might be different. Even then, it would depend on how you said it." "Tell me, Doctor," he said, a small gleam in his eye. "What do you think of Wyndemere? Honestly?" "Honestly? I find it... stately." "Stately," he repeated. "A little too dark, maybe, but that could be addressed easily without compromising the essential style..." She looked at him and laughed. "I'm your therapist, Mr. Cassadine, not your brother's decorator." "Tell me, Doctor... you call me Mr. Cassadine. What do you call Stefan?" "Why are you suddenly asking all the questions?" she said, with another, more nervous laugh. "I call him Mr. Cassadine, too." "I wonder..." he said. "What do you wonder?" "I wonder which one of us you will call by his first name first..." Nikolas had found one of the photo albums where his father had been looking at it. Pictures of Stavros and Stefan as boys, as young men... A picture of his grandmother as a young woman, so stunningly beautiful that he could almost believe the family legend that claimed she had driven a man insane for want of her... the grandfather he had never known, the mad genius who had almost frozen the world. It was a frightening legacy, even without all that. Without the Ice Princess and the cryogenics, and the plans for world domination. There was too much. Too much money; it was bound to corrupt and twist. Too many generations of Cassadines wedded to lineage and power. No wonder his uncle was a somber, frequently unhappy slave of duty. No wonder his father had become a kind of monster. Nikolas realized at that moment that he envied Stavros. His father's memory - and life - had been wiped clean. Which left him free to define himself, to choose who he would become, the life he would lead. I can do that, he said to himself, without being hit over the head. I can do it with my memory intact. With Gia beside me, I can find a way to be a Cassadine without being the Cassadine. He turned the pages. Pictures. Ancestors. History. Family. Somehow, he would find a way to be of his family without being consumed by it... V was looking through the library. There were all kinds of books there, in several languages. She remembered enough of her French from school to have some fun trying to get through "Madame Bovary" in the original. She was about two chapters into it when Gia Campbell came into the room. "Hi," Gia said. "Hi." V put the book down and smiled. "So... how do you like it here?" "It's very interesting." Gia laughed. "That's one word for it." "I've been around people who are more sophisticated than I am... lots of them. People who take money and power for granted... but the Cassadines seem different to me." Gia sat next to her. "Tell you what... I'll try to explain them to you, if you'll answer a question for me." "If I can." "Well... I'll answer yours first. At their best, the Cassadines have a kind of elegance, maybe even magic, that comes from thousands of years of knowing you're the best, the oldest, the... whatever it is that matters. At their worst, they have the arrogance and out and out craziness that comes from... well, the same thing." V laughed and said, "Well, that clarifies things." "I love Nikolas with all my heart. One minute he's the imperious Prince, the next he's a gentle and frightened little boy. And I love him both ways. Some day he'll figure out how to reconcile both parts, and then, watch out world! Stefan is grave and kind and spooky. I didn't like him much at first... no, I didn't like him for a longer time than that. But he's honest, you know where you stand with him, and he tries to look out for Nikolas, even when he's totally off the map." She paused. "Stavros... Stavros is hard to feature even after you put aside that he came back from the dead twice." "That would be hard to put aside," V said. Gia nodded. "I first met him under a different name. He was a friend to me when I needed one. Later, I found out he had his own reasons.. but it doesn't change the fact that he was charming, and kind, and a gentleman. But that doesn't change the fact that he did some terrible things. Only now he doesn't remember them. I find myself liking him now almost in spite of myself. Some of that is for Nikolas, because he wants so badly to help his father and help himself. But some of it is just me. Does that make me an amoral person?" V shook her head. "It may just make you someone who can see the good in all kinds of people." Gia laughed and said, "No, that's not me." After a minute she asked, "So, did I help you understand any of it?" "Yes, you did." Though I'm still not sure what I'm here to do, or if something or someone exploded, if I'd be able to stop it... "What was your question?" Gia said, "V - is that your whole first name? Or is it short for something? Viola, Vianne, Vivian..." Stavros came into the library as V said, quietly and with a flush of color in her cheeks, "Um, no... it's Venus." "That would be Aphrodite in Greek," he said. V looked at him, wondering how a man with amnesia would remember these things. "How are you?" she asked. "I am doing better, thank you. Are you settling in? We arrived on the same day, and I am still exploring the place..." "Me, too." Gia said, "I'd better change for dinner and find Nik." She turned at the door and said to V, "It's nice having another woman here. Besides Mrs. Lansbury, I mean..." Stavros watched her go. "She is delightful. I like her very much. It is wonderful to watch her and Nikolas." "Yes... it's wonderful to watch two people coming together in love." "Have you ever been in love, Miss Ardanowski?" She nodded. "A couple of times. It never worked out, but I don't regret it." "I know I have been, I must have been... but I do not remember it. Which means that if it ever happens again, it will be as if it was for the first time." She nodded again. A servant entered and told them that dinner would be served in half an hour. "I had better get changed myself," Stavros said. "Me, too." She picked up "Madame Bovary" and brushed past him.... Nancy DaSilva had not brought a dress for dinner. As she entered the smaller of the two dining rooms, she felt slightly out of place. But Stefan Cassadine greeted her with such warmth and graciousness that her awkwardness melted away. Over consommé and a salad of fresh tomatoes and greens, they chatted about world events. The main course, thin slices of lamb in a delicate sauce, had just been served when Mrs., Lansbury came in and said to Stefan, "I am sorry to disturb you sir, but it's the telephone and it is urgent..." Stefan excused himself. After a moment, from the hallway, they heard his voice rise explosively. "What do you mean? What has happened to my mother?"