Nikolas remained mostly quiet, his brow pressed into one of concentration and contemplation. He made one brief phone call to Alazne while Lucky called their younger sister along with a few of his people in Paris. Ever watchful of Nikolas and his movements, he pulled out his phone many times, his fingers hovering over the screen numbers, before capitulating in defeat.
No, he would not call Alexis, to let her know and keep her informed. She was the only Cassadine, other than Nikolas, that he implicitly trusted.
He needed to wait things out, to wait Nikolas out.
And he wanted to see Athena for himself.
She was his kin too. She was his mother’s daughter and not just a Cassadine.
He wouldn’t just hand her over to that family and let her go.
Now they were eating in a quiet corner of an exclusive restaurant, biding their time until they met with their new sister.
“So how are you going to find out which one of you is older?”
Nikolas lowered his fork gracefully to the plate and took a small sip of ice cold water to cleanse his palate. “Helena will insist it is Athena. She will present signed statements and all sorts of evidence to support her position, but she knows that nothing but living, sworn testimony that the family approves of, will be accepted.”
“She’s the only living witness,” Lucky added. “I can’t imagine the family would accept her living, sworn testimony as legitimate.”
Nikolas shook his head. He gave Lucky an uncertain look. “Do you think Laura will ever…understand?” His voice trailed off as Lucky tilted his head, his expression hardening ever so slightly. “She’s a survivor,” he finally said in a firm voice. “I have hope.”
Both men remembered the vacant expression on Laura’s face when Lesley Lu had held her mother’s hands and told her of Athena. The smile that had lit up the woman’s face after Lesley Lu finished had sparked a hope in all three of them, until Laura’s bright blue eyes fixed on a framed picture of Verasha near her dresser.
“There’s my girl! My beautiful Athena!”
Nikolas had swallowed painfully as Lesley Lu gave them a crestfallen look.
“No Mother, that is Verasha, my daughter. She’s your granddaughter,” he’d corrected her gently. “Remember? Everyone calls her Asha.”
Laura’s face had rippled with confusion before settling into one of delighted embarrassment. “Oh, of course! How silly of me!” she’d trilled softly before her gaze returned to the brightly colored gardens just outside her window. “I saw two hummingbirds this morning,” she continued, her voice calm and even as always. “They’re very territorial; they wouldn’t come to the feeder at the same time.”
Lucky pushed away from the wall and moved to the bookshelf, finding a well worn copy of local birds and brought it over to her. “That’s great Mom, what kind was it?” His voice was deceptively placid and devoted as he took a seat next to her, but both Nikolas and Leslely Lu recognized the hurt and anger he’d managed to swallow. He refused to look at either as the muscle along his jaw flicked unhappily.
Lucky had always been the closest to their mother, the one who had grown up with her by his side, protecting him, educating him and loving him. Lesley Lu, while faithful and caring, had never known a ‘well’ Laura and Nikolas had grown up without her and had been kept at arm’s length during his teen years. They had never fully mended their relationship.
Only Lucky had experienced the real version of Laura as Mother. The depth of loss by her condition was felt strongest by him and despite Nikolas being officially in charge of her medical decisions, he deferred to Lucky, always, to choose the path for Laura’s care.
“Will you be talking to Lesley Lu soon?” Nikolas asked.
Lucky scowled. “Probably. She still thinks letting him come to see Mom might help.”
Him.
Luke.
Or Stefan.
To Lucky, they were interchangeable. He spoke of neither without a dark cloud hanging over his words.
“It might be different than last time,” Nikolas said slowly. Lucky’s eyes darkened and he leaned forward in his seat.
“No.”
One word, firmly and plainly stated. Nikolas dipped his head, conceding to Lucky.
Lucky leaned back and raised a brow. “That’s it? You’re not going to push for it?”
Nikolas gave a small shrug. “As it stands, I have done enough pushing the people I love.”
Lucky offered a rueful grin. “Isn’t that in the job description?” He tore a warm small breadstick in half. “I mean, you are the Prince.”
Nikolas’ lips thinned with worry. “Perhaps not.”
*~*
“That is not my concern, nor is it my responsibility to get the dates sorted out. I can’t just change flights a week before I leave!” Lainey Winters let out a growl of frustration as she bustled into the main waiting area of her office. Her assistant stood and she held up a finger to stifle the words that were ready to fly out of his mouth.
“Well, figure it out and let me know, and give the little man a kiss for me, okay? Love you!”
Lainey groaned as she passed her dry cleaning and coat to the open hands of her smartly dressed assistant. “I don’t want any calls for the next 30 minutes, I have a headache and I’m meeting a new patient and I haven’t eaten yet!”
She pushed through her office door as her assistant sputtered a protest after her as he juggled her items in his hands. “Just—hang on a second!”
“Get me a BLT please!” She paused. “And a bag of baked chips! Thanks!” She shut the door behind her and immediately moved across the room to her desk drawer where a bottle of Tylenol was kept. Popping two pills into her mouth, she took a swallow of water from the bottle in her purse and sighed. Her assistant rapped on the door. “Dr. Winters!” he called urgently.
“I’m your new patient.” A deep rumble emerged from a seat across from her desk and Lainey jumped, whirling around to face a man she didn’t think she’d see again.
She hid a smile, but not that well. “Archer Cassadine.”
“I know you just asked for a BLT, but, could I interest you in lunch at the PC Grille instead?” He raised slowly, his charcoal suit molded to his well built shape and she blushed ever so slightly, remembering how well she learned the physique that lay beneath the fabric.
“So you’re my 1 o’clock.” She rounded the desk and flipped up the lid on her laptop, watching it spring to life. A few taps of the keys and she noted that her next proper appointment wasn’t until 3pm. She frowned. “You made an appointment to ask me to lunch?”
Archer froze as he let the tone of her words sink in. She was a well respected psychiatrist at General Hospital and her time was valuable. “I apologize, I don’t mean to trivialize your work or waste your professional time.”
Lainey inclined her head, accepting the apology. “Don’t do that again.” Archer pointed to the office door where the assistant had knocked once more. “Don’t blame him, I told him I was your cousin.”
Lainey gave him a look. The man was a walking, talking sex machine, but he couldn’t just behave this way. “It’s okay Bryce!” she called. She turned her unimpressed gaze back to Archer.
“That’s two strikes.”
Archer cringed, feeling himself on thin ice with the beautiful doctor. “I’m just mucking this all up, aren’t I?”
Lainey laughed. “Nothing gets past you, does it?”
Archer’s eyes glittered impishly. “One last chance?”
Lainey pushed the lid of her laptop back down. “I heard you were supposed to be in London. Fancy new job.”
Archer ambled over to the large bookcases to his left. “That’s not for a bit,” he replied, cascading a look over the books, personal mementos and photographs. “Is this where you see patients?”
Lainey shook her head, coming to stand beside him. She indicated to a door adjacent to the office door. “It wouldn’t be appropriate for patients to see the personal side of my life, so I have the smaller office. It’s important for them to feel safe and creating neutral ground does that. I can go to and from quickly and it has its own door in the waiting area.”
Archer nodded and his eyes caught onto a cheerful framed picture of a young, tanned boy, emerging from the waters off a beach. “Handsome boy,” he remarked, keeping his tone light. It occurred to him in that moment that although he’d spent time thinking about Lainey Winters since their one night together, he hadn’t looked into her history, the way he had with anyone else in his life. With her it had seemed…inappropriate.
Lainey’s face blossomed into a wide, happy smile and instinctively, he smiled as well. “Ah, yes. My delightful, troublemaking nephew, Jeremy. He loves the beach. All of us do, really. I’m going to see him next week. I can’t wait,” she grinned.
“Ahh, the mischief makers, can’t do without them, can we?” Archer remarked and her grin grew in agreement. “He’s just like his uncle; it’s who he’s named after. I swear, Jax was asking for trouble when he did that.”
Jax?
Lainey turned away and went back to her desk. “One more chance. Dinner tonight at the PC Grille at 6pm and we’ll see what happens, okay?” Her tone was playful, but clear. If he blew it, he was done.
Archer nodded. “Absolutely, luv,” his voice quaked ever so slightly as the dots began to connect. He coughed and blinked several times as his eyes caught sight of another picture, this one featuring a laughing Lainey, flanked by two handsome men on either side of her.
Her brothers.
Jerry and Jasper Jacks.
Shit.
*~*
“Arms out.”
The gruff tone of the guard caused Nikolas to stiffen with indignation. Security staff simply didn’t order him about. Lucky, while nervous and ready for anything, nonetheless allowed a snicker at the very Stefan-like look of ire from Nikolas’s face.
The guard patted Nikolas down and moved on to Lucky, who held out his own arms without instruction.
The guard indicated to three leather chairs in the middle of the room. “Sit, please.”
The door at the other end of the room opened with a click and both men turned with apprehension.
Athena entered, gracefully walking towards them, clad in a simple black dress and matching heels. Nikolas stared at her, as politely as he could without gaping. She was a breathtaking sight and as she drew closer, his eyes settled on hers. His twin sister.
“Ah, mes deux frères,” she sang in a low, charmed hum. “You have finally arrived.”
Lucky kept his mouth shut as he observed her closely. Her movements were precise and relaxed as she took a seat opposite them.
“Please, sit, both of you,” she said warmly, the lilt in her Parisian accent bright and cheery. Her eyes, however, were unmistakably cool as she noted they were not carrying anything with them.
“Thank you for meeting with us,” Nikolas began formally as he lowered himself into a chair.
Athena leaned back, giving Nikolas an appraising look. “You chose not to bring any paperwork,” she remarked.
Nikolas offered what seemed to be an apologetic smile, but his voice was unyielding. “No, not today.”
Athena smiled, her white teeth glimmering as she let out a laugh, short and humorless. “So you are not here to return my crown.”
A gauntlet had been thrown, that much was clear.
“There is no crown,” Nikolas stated, his voice soft. “But, there is a medallion.”
He pulled a slim black velvet box from his jacket pocket and held it out to her. Predatory eyes studied the offered gift before looking back up at him.
“I have already been given one of those,” she said dismissively.
Nikolas had been ready for this. He snapped open the lid to let her see the shimmering medallion and chain he’d had made for her. “This is one is different.” He leaned forward in his seat, willing her to lean forward towards him.
She did.
“This one is yours.”
*~*
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