Chapter 29: Families Intersect

 

Stefan is looking at a child's drawing when Nikolas enters the living
room.

Nikolas:"Mrs Lansbury told me you were back. Did the trip go well?"
Stefan looks up from the drawing. "Yes, it went as expected. Your
Grandmother Lesley is in good health. And your mother and sister should
be home by now."
Nikolas points to the drawing. "Did LesleyLu draw that?"
Stefan smiles slightly. "Yes, she did. She is quite talented for a four
year old." Nikolas takes the drawing from Stefan.
Nikolas laughs. "Well, she must like you if she drew a picture of you.
She got the goatee and everything. Definitely your likeness."
Stefan suppresses the urge to beam. "LesleyLu and I get along well. She
is a delightful child. Her artistic talents should be encouraged."
Their conversation is interrupted by the phone ringing.
Stefan answers. "Cassadine."
Jerry:"Hello, old chap."
Stefan raises his eyebrows in surprise. "This is unexpected. You are in
town, I presume?"
Jerry:"Yep, but one would think from your reserve that you don't want a
rematch."
Stefan:"Nonsense. I am always looking for a partner. Do you know where
Wyndemere is?"
Jerry:"Sure do. Tomorrow afternoon?"
Stefan:"Excellent. Around noon would be perfect. Mrs Lansbury will
provide us with refreshments."
Jerry rings off. Nikolas looks at Stefan speculatively.
Nikolas:"What was that all about?"
Stefan:"Chess. An old opponent is in town."
Nikolas retrieves his long wool black coat from the closet. "Well, I am
anxious to see LesleyLu and my mother. Tell Mrs Lansbury I'll be back in
time for supper."

.................................

Jason is a man on a mission when he walks up to the nurses station at
General Hospital and flags one of the nurses.
Jason:"Excuse me, Can you tell me when Dr Alan Quartermaine will be
available?"

Just then Alan walks up behind him, overhearing his request. Alan smiles
as he addresses Jason's back. "I'm available right now. What can I do
for you, Jason?" Alan is pleased that his son is looking for him.
Obviously the skirmish earlier caused no permanent damage to their
fragile relationship

Jason turns around to face Alan. "I want to ask your advice,
professionally."
Alan:"I'm all ears."
Jason glances around, noticing several people milling around within
earshot. "Do you mind if we talk privately?"
Alan points Jason in the direction of his office. "Come this way. We can
talk privately in my office."

Once inside the office, Alan has a seat at his desk. He waits
expectantly for Jason to continue.
Jason:"It's about Alexis. I'm worried about her."
Alan: "She's having a hard time with Sonny's death, I imagine. What
seems to be the problem, specifically?"
Jason:"She's having nightmares of the shooting. And she's giving up
clients."
Alan:"I see. Anything else?"
Jason:"She's hardly sleeping because of the nightmares. She looks tired
all the time. She's eating okay. But I'm not sure what to do for her. I
think she needs to see someone."
Alan:"Some of her symptoms suggest Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The
fact that she is fatigued and not sleeping well is of concern. I'd
recommend Tom Hardy. He's a specialist in the field."
Jason:"Is Tom the only one?"
Alan: "Yes, he is the only one with openings at the moment. We haven't
found a replacement for Gail yet. She maintains a small practice since
her retirement, but she's made it clear she doesn't want any more
clients until the fall."
Jason:"Okay, I'll tell Alexis."
Alan pulls a business card out of his desk. "Here's the direct number to
his receptionist. She's very discreet, which I'm sure Alexis would
appreciate."
Jason:"Thanks."
An uncomfortable silence falls between them. Alan struggles to maintain
the tenuous connection between them. "How are you doing, Jason?"
Jason(guarded):"I'm okay."
Alan:"And Robin? How is she handling Sonny's death?"
Jason feels the emotional pull from Alan. This part always makes him
uncomfortable. Alan always wants more than he can give him. It1s time to
leave. "She's sad, but she's managing. I better be going."
Alan: "Sure. Give my regards to Alexis."
Jason nods as he makes his exit, leaving Alan alone in the office,
pondering his son's continued estrangement.

...........................

Cassidy walks into Luke's Place to find Lucky and Mike looking over the
books.

Cassidy:"Hi guys. So Lucky, is my Dad robbing you blind yet?"
Mike grasps his chest melodramatically. "How could you believe such a
thing? You break my heart!"
Lucky laughs at them both. "Well you better watch out for me, Mike. I
learned from the best."
Mike:"Where do you think your father learned his best tricks?"
Lucky:"Not from you, man!"
Cassidy:"Lucky, I believe I owe you dessert for walking out on our
dinner date. I understand there is usually some killer pie stored in the
back. Should I make Dad earn his keep by getting it for us?"
Lucky:"Sure, I could use a break anyway."
Mike closes the books and heads towards the kitchen. "Two pieces of pie,
coming right up."

Lucky and Cassidy sit at one of the tables.
Cassidy:"I never answered your question the other night."
Lucky:"About why Mike kept you a secret? Nah, you don't owe me any
explanations."
Cassidy:"I know, but I'll try to be honest. There's a lot I can't tell
you."
Lucky:"Go for it."
Cassidy:"My Dad and I were on the run from my mother while I was growing
up. She wasn't a very nice person, Lucky. In fact she was evil. My Dad
didn't know that when he married her. But one day when I was about two,
he found her standing over my crib with a pillow." Cassidy pauses to
watch Lucky's reaction.
Lucky mouth drops open in shock. "Your mother ...?" He is not able to
finish his question.
Cassidy:"Yeah. She was going to kill me. Mommie Dearest was jealous of
the attention Dad was giving me. Anyway, my dad grabbed me and we've
been hiding ever since. My mother tried to find me, to get custody of
me. She came from a very rich family, so my Dad was afraid she might
succeed. My mother died a while ago. Dad wanted to patch things up with
Michael before springing me on him. We thought we had more time..."
Cassidy wipes a few tears away. Lucky clasps her hand.
Lucky:"Sonny would would have tripped over the idea of having a sister!
He would have been so happy!"
Cassidy:"You're right. I shouldn't have waited. Now it's too late. Can
you tell me about him?"
Mike arrives with the pie plates. "You asking Lucky about Michael?"
Cassidy nods as she takes her plate. Mike gives her shoulder a squeeze
before leaving them alone.
Lucky:"I'd be happy to, but hasn't Mike told you about him?"
Cassidy:"Yeah, he has. Alexis has too. But I want to know from you."
Lucky:"He was one of my Dad's closest friends. They saved each butts
lots of times. Whenever my family needed anything, he made it happen. A
couple years ago, my family was in real danger from the Cassadines, so
Sonny helped my parents fake my mom's death. Sonny took care of
everything. Then a little over a year ago, Lulu was kidnapped; Sonny
and his men helped us get her back safe and sound."
Cassidy:"Sounds like he was wonderful."
Lucky:"He was in a lot of ways, but he was no angel. If you were an
enemy, you better watch out. He could be cold and ruthless when he
needed to be."

The phone rings in the background and Mike answers it.
Mike:"Luke's. Yeah, he's here. Emily. Just a minute." Mike holds the
phone up for Lucky. "It's for you, partner--Emily."
Lucky shrugs. "Sorry, I have to take that."
Cassidy:"Go. Dad will keep me company."

Lucky heads toward the back room to take the call. Mike joins Cassidy at
the table.
Mike:"How'd it go?"
Cassidy:"Fine. I think he understands. Not that I ever will." Mike sees
the tears form in her eyes and grasps her hand.
Mike's voice quivers with sadness. "Not a day has gone by since
Michael's death that I don't regret that the two of you never had a
chance...."
Cassidy's anger quickly abates at hearing the guilt and regret in her
father's voice. "I don't mean to make you feel guilty, Daddy. And it
wasn't just you. Stefan demanded it as well. And I went along with it."
Mike:"He did it for your safety, baby."
Cassidy: "That is what he says, but I don't completely buy his
reasoning. It was to his advantage to keep me away. My absence ensured
that your connection to him remained a secret."
Mike: "We owe him everything, Cassidy. We owe him our lives. We will
always be indebted to him."
Cassidy:"I know that, and I am grateful to him. Let's just drop the
subject. We just hurt each other when we talk about what might have
been."
Mike lets the matter drop. " So what are your plans while you're staying
in town? Every time I ask, you change the subject or something comes
up."
Cassidy:"You're not going to like it, Daddy. I'm going to work for
Cassadine Incorporated."
Mike:"What?! Are you out of your mind?"
Cassidy:"No, I'm perfectly sane. You know why I'm doing this."
Mike:"Lucky might look like a kid, but he has sharp instincts and his
father's suspicious nature. He'll figure out your connection to the
Cassadine. I'm surprised Stefan went along with something this blatant."
Cassidy:"I'll be careful. You forget I'm trained for this kind of stuff.
Of course it helped that I had to do it practically from infancy."
Mike:"Honey, I'm more worried about the effect the secret will have on
Lucky than on us. He'll feel betrayed. He's already lost so much."
Cassidy:"That's why I hate lies, Daddy. Someone always gets hurt. I like
Lucky and I don't want him to be hurt, but I'm not going to hide
anymore. It's already cost me the chance to know my brother, Michael.
No more. I told Stefan the same thing."
Mike:"How far are you going to take this, Cassidy?"
Cassidy:"I'll do my best to keep from rousing Lucky's suspicions. Like
I said, I don't want him hurt either. I'm already very fond of him. But
I intend to know my family, all of them."
Mike(resigned):"So what will you be doing for Cassadine Incorporated?"
Cassidy:"What I'm trained to do. I'll be helping overhaul their
security systems."
Mike:"Maybe I should chat with Stefan." He puts his hand up to stop her
protest. "Don't worry. It isn't about your job."

.......................................

Alexis sits in her bed, eating soda crackers, praying that her stomach
settles. The last hour has been hell for her, requiring repeated
sprints to the bathroom to worship the porcelain god. Her doctor had
recommended soda crackers to help calm her stomach. She was willing to
try anything including standing on her head. Anything to stop the
nausea.

The phone rings. Alexis gingerly leans over to pick up the phone at her
bedside, hoping the movement doesn't send her sprinting to the bathroom
again.

Alexis(faintly):"Hello?"
Stefan:"Alexis, is that you?"
Alexis:"Yes, Stefan, it's me. What can I do for you?"
Stefan:"I was just calling to see how you are doing. I just got back
from Switzerland."
Alexis(weakly):"I'm fine, Stefan."
Stefan:"You sound awful. What's wrong?"
Alexis(turning green as she holds her stomach):"Nothing you can do
anything about. Just the unpleasant side affect of being pregnant."
Stefan(growing concerned):"Should I call a doctor?"
Alexis:"No. I'm fine really."
Stefan:"Is anyone with you, Alexis?"
Alexis:"No... Oh God! I'll be right back..." She drops the phone in a
hurry to reach the bathroom.
Stefan:"Alexis?! ALEXIS!!"

Jason arrives in the penthouse a few moments later. He peeks through her
open bedroom door to find her bed empty. Instead he hears Stefan's
panicked voice through the telephone and the sound of Alexis in the
bathroom.

Stefan:"ALEXIS! ALEXIS! SPEAK TO ME! "
Jason picks up the phone. "It's Jason. "
Stefan(panicked):"Where's Alexis?! She dropped the phone suddenly."
Jason:"She's in the bathroom." Alexis comes out of the bathroom,
rubbing her pale face with a wet cloth. She plops herself at the edge of
the bed like a limp dishrag . "She just came out."
Alexis(limply):"Tell Stefan I'll call him back later, there's nothing to
worry about."
Jason:"She'll get back you later, Stefan. I'll take care of her." He
hangs up the phone and sits on the edge of the bed with her. "You got
sick again? Is this normal?"
Alexis:"Apparently."
Jason:"Anything I can do to help?"
Alexis:"Carry this baby to term for me?"
Jason rubs her back soothingly as she leans her head against his
shoulder for support.. "I would if I could."'