A few hours later they were sitting in the living room of the gatehouse listening to Will regale them with tales of the Prince and the Playboy at boarding school.

One particular story left Emily literally rolling on the floor laughing. “I’m sorry,” she gasped trying to control himself. “It’s just the thought of Nikolas in drag...” Unable to control herself she started laughing again. After a minute or so she tried to sit up. “I just have to know one thing...was the wig blonde or brunette.”

“Actually it was a redhead,” Will said with a smile enjoying the younger girls high spirits and ignoring Nikolas’s growl. “It worked though we were able to sneak into the all girls school and no one caught us.”

“See Nikolas,” Emily started giggling again. “I always knew there was a side to you that no one had ever seen before.”

“And no one will ever see again thank you very much.”

“Come on Nik. Even you have to admit that those heels you wore that night made your legs look incredible.” Will’s remarks set Emily off again, which set Jessica off and pretty soon the three of them were laughing and even Nikolas was beginning to smile. He’d forgetten how much he liked to hear Emily laugh, even if it was at his own expense.

Will found himself having to fight the urge to look at Jess so instead he focused his attention on Emily Quartermaine. She was pretty and spirited and if she wasn’t Jessica at least she had noticed that he was alive. He smiled at her now as he extended his hand to help her up. Unfortunately, as he was helping her up, Emily lost her balance and they both toppled back onto the couch, Emily partially on Will. For just a moment, his arms came around her and their eyes met. Then Emily, blushing, backed away apologizing.

“A beautiful girl finally falls for me and all she can do is apologize. I don’t think my ego can handle it.”

“You poor thing,” Emily teased....”I can’t help it, no matter where I go I seem to leave broken hearts all over the place. The sad fate of us fair princesses that we are destined to love only once in our lives and alas and alack my heart is given to another. The white knight holds my heart just as I hold his.”

“I can certainly see why any knight would fight to claim you as his own,” Will reached out to lightly touch a tendril of sable hair. “However I demand the right to try to change your mind and win thy fair heart for my own.”

Emily paused as if to consider his request, then nodded regally. “That right is yours.”

“Then happiness is mine also.” Will replied and the two young people stared at each other for a minute before they broke out laughing.

“It seems to me like somebody saw Shakespeare In Love one too many times,” Jessica shook her heads at the two of them. “Don’t you think so Nikolas?”

Jessica had to repeat the question twice before Nikolas responded. “Or maybe Romeo and Juliet? ” he offered.

“Please,” Emily responded as she sat cross legged on the couch. “Romeo and Juliet was so sappy. What kind of girl would kill herself over a guy? That’s not romantic it’s delusional.”

“Oh? Then what’s your idea of a romantic movie?”

“Knowing her family it’s probably War of the Roses,” Nikolas piped up and Emily glared at him, wondering why the comment hurt a little.

“Robin Hood Prince of Thieves.”

“I should have guessed.” Jessica shook her head. “You and that song.”

“What song?” Will’s ears perked up.

“Everything I Do I Do It For You. Bryan Adams sings it.”

“All right,” Will asked perplexed. “I still don’t get why that movie is romantic. I remember a lot of sword play and fighting.”

Emily sighed, a dreamy look on her face. “It’s this scene you know. Robin Hood is about to go after King John and the Sheriff. And Maid Marian tells him he is a good man for helping his king and his country. Then Robin Hood turns to maid Marian and tells her that he isn’t doing it for his king or his country. He’s doing it for her.” She looks around at the other three watching her and shrugs self-consciously. “I thought it was romantic. You know- the idea of doing something not because its expected of you or because its the right thing to do but because you love the person so much that you can’t imagine not doing it.”

An uneasy silence settles down among the four young people as each contemplates Emily’s words in their own way. After a few minutes, Jessica stands up. “I guess we better get going. I’m supposed to meet Christian at the diner this afternoon and I wanted to introduce him to Emily.” She and Emily start to head to the door.

“Wait,” Will stops them before he can think better of what he is about to suggest. “Why don’t Nikolas and I drive the two of you into town? I promised Nik I’d show him around and Angel Square is as good a place to start as any.”

“I don’t know,” Jessica hedged knowing that Will and Christian in the same room was not a good idea. At the same time, she had had more fun this morning than she could remember having since Megan...and she knew that a large part of that was her pleasure in Will’s company.

“Please?” Nikolas spoke up unexpectedly. “I still have a lot of Christmas shopping left to do and I could really use Emily’s help. And yours too.” He added, thinking of the handful of presents he had dropped off before he left Port Charles, he was amazed that he was able to tell a lie so easily. The Rappaport influence coming back to haunt him.

Emily flinched inwardly at the idea of helping Nik pick out a present for Liz. She wouldn’t do it. Maybe when they got back to Llanfair she’d come down with a massive headache.

Jessica hesitated a minute but soon discovered what many a female had discovered, saying no to a Cassadine is not an easy thing to do. “She turned to Will. “Pick us up in an hour or should we come back down here?”

Will nodded with relief, not sure whether to be jubilated about spending a few more hours in Jessica’s company or tortured that he’d have to endure Jess and the neanderthal..sorry Christian together. “We’ll pick you up.”

Both girls wearing looks that could be called excited but were really more apprehension said their good-byes and walked back to the main house.

Once they were gone, Nik turned to Will with a furious glare. “What the hell do you think you are doing?”

Will looked at him in confusion. “What? You don’t want to go into town with Jess and Emmy? I suppose I can call the main house and cancel.....”

“That is not what I meant and her name is Emily, not Emmy. She happens to be a good friend and I don’t appreciate you using your charm on her. She’s just a kid.”

“She looked old enough to me. She’s what seventeen? And I didn’t hear her complaining and since when do you get to tell me who to flirt with and who not to flirt with?”

“So you admit that you were flirting?”

“Of course I was flirting. She’s a beautiful girl. That’s what I do, flirt with beautiful girls.”

“Not that one. She’s too innocent to know you don’t mean any of it.”

“Innocent? That girl innocent? Give me a break.... Before Will can go any further Nikolas has him pinned against the wall. “Do you have to take everything I say so literally Cassadine?”

“I told you Emily is a friend. I don’t want you calling her names.”

“I didn’t...Hell, I didn’t mean that kind of innocent. There was one virgin in this room today and it wasn’t you and it wasn’t me and it wasn’t Jess, okay? What I meant was that girl may be 17 chronologically but that’s about it. When was the last time you looked at her, really really looked at her? Those are not the eyes of a naive young girl. I don’t know much about her background but my guess is she’s been through more in her 17 years than either you and I have. How in the world can you call Emily Quartermaine a kid?” Will shook his head. “Funny? Smart? Even sexy? Those I’d buy. But a kid.”

“She’s always been a little sister to me.”

Will whistled sharply. “I look at her and no way do I see any resemblance to Lulu. But hey no problem, you continue to see her as a little kid. I’d hate to have to compete against you for the same girl.”

“Compete? What? What happened to “still Jessica.” ?”

“Reality man. Reality.” Will grinned as he took the mugs back into the kitchen. “Why should I pine away for Jessica when there are still Emily Quartermaine’s available in the world?”

Nikolas wondered when the ground had turned into quicksand. “She has a boyfriend. “

“So? That never stopped me before. Besides I got the distinct impression that the lovely Miss. Quartermaine is more available than you think.”

“It will never work. Emily’s always stayed clear of the playboy types,” Nikolas called as Will climbed the stairs to take a shower. She’s always been more interested in the prince he finished silently. Or at least she used to be interested in the prince.

“It’s Christmas!” Will called back. “The season of miracles or haven’t you heard.”

Upstairs in the hallway, Will smiles as he hears his friend grumbling down below. He hadn’t missed any of those looks Emily had given Nikolas when she was sure no one was looking and he definitely hadn’t missed the look on Nikolas’s face when he and Emily played out their little seen. It hadn’t taken him long to realize that Emily Quartermaine with her sense of humor and high spirits was exactly what his old friend needed before he turned into a carbon copy of his father. Will had met Stefan Cassadine just once. Once had been enough.

He grinned as he entered the shower and took his shirt off and turned the hot water on. If a little jealousy didn’t wake the prince up to what was right underneath his nose than nothing would.

Will smiled. Of course spending time with Emily to make Nikolas jealous meant that he’d get to spend more and more time with Jessica. His day was getting better and better.