Luke pushes the door to the cabin open and Gia, Roy and Luke brush the snow off of themselves as they enter. As soon as a fire is lit and she is warm again, Gia starts to explore the cabin. It's not at all what she expected. She thought she'd be in some one room rickety shack with no heat, a rickety rocking chair, and a thin mattress. Instead, she is greeted with a moderate sized living room and a small, but well stocked kitchen. Upstairs, there is a bedroom with a king-sized bed, and a stunning bathroom with a hot tub. Gia comes downstairs kinda in awe of the place. Luke notices the look on her face.

Luke: You like it?

Gia: This is great. I have to say, I didn't exactly expect this. All the furniture is a little cabiny, though.

Luke: Well, Braids, maybe that's because it is a cabin. A little jet lagged are you?

Gia: Well, it's great. I'm gonna go change clothes. I'm soaked from walking 10 feet from the car to the front door.

Roy(after Gia goes upstairs): Even I have to admit this place is amazing. Not the kinda thing I would expect you to stay in let alone own.

Luke: Well, it didn't always look this good. I kinda had some of my men fix the place up for her. God knows how long she's going to be crashing here and in her condition, she should be comfortable, especially since she's going to be alone most of the time.

Roy: Don't tell me you've got a soft spot for Gia.

Luke: Hey, just about anyone that gives Helena a hard time is okay in my book. Is Gus coming tonight?

Roy: Yeah, Dr. DeSalvio should be here soon. You're sure we can trust this guy? How do you know he's not hired by Helena?

Luke: I've known him for years, we can trust him. Besides, he's too sweet to get involved with some vulture like Helena. Gus is my friend, but he's a mush. He's one great big teddy bear.

   Gia comes back downstairs changed into some sweats. She sits on the couch and stares at her hands, playing with her wedding ring.

Gia: This is going to be so hard, you know? Nikolas probably hates me as we speak. I can't imagine what's going through his mind now. (bitter laugh) Hey, if he up and left me like I did him and I didn't know why and all I was left with was some stupid letter, I'd be furious to. Having Nikolas hate me isn't even the worst part of this whole situation.

Luke: What is then?

Gia(touching her stomach): That my child may not ever know it's father.

Roy: If you want, we could go back to Port Charles, explain what's going on and bring Nikolas here.

Gia: As tempting as that sounds and as much as I want to, it can't happen. It would give Helena incentive to try to find us since she claims to treasure Nikolas so much, plus Stefan would search to the end of the earth to find him. I can't have people looking for me. (sighs) So, am I supposed to be meeting this doctor guy tonight?

Luke: Yep, he should be here any minute. (a knock at the door) See, did I call that or what? (walks over to the door) What's the code?

Gus: Operation Hide Baby Braids.

Luke(swinging the door open): Gus, long time no see. Come on in.

Gia(still on the code): Operation Hide Baby Braids?

Roy: What the heck kinda code name is that?

Luke: I think it's great.

Gia(to Roy): Why couldn't you've come up with the code name?

Roy: Hey, just be glad I got to create your passport. Otherwise you could be Ginger Monroe right now.

Gia: Yeah, be grateful for what I get.

Gus(in heavy Italian accent): So, Luke, where is this girl you want me to treat?

Luke: Right here. Gus DeSalvio meet Gia Cassadine...Braids to me. Braids, this is Dr. Gus DeSalvio.

Gia(shaking his hand): Hello, Dr. DeSalvio.

Gus: Call me Gus please.

Gia: Luke, I'm guessing he knows about the whole situation since he knows my real name.

Luke: Yeah, but everyone else will know you as Jessica.

Gia: Everyone else?

Roy: With you being pregnant, there are some things we just don't want you doing. Going to get firewood for example...you don't do it. There's a friend of mine named Fredric who will bring you your firewood. He will be coming to check on you a few times a week and bring you firewood.

Gus: I'll be coming every other week to give you a check up. It's often, yes, but being so isolated out here and potential stress factors it's necessary. Next week, when we have our first check up, I'll do an ultrasound.

Gia: I'll actually get to see my baby?

Gus: Yes. Luke faxed me your medical history.

Gia: How did you get my medical history?

Luke(smarmy grin): I have my ways, Braids.

   After going over everything that would be going on over the next few months, Gus leaves to go home while there's a break in the snow. Roy and Luke are going to be staying the night and going back to Port Charles first thing in the morning. Gia is upstairs unpacking her bags while Luke and Roy go over their plan one more time, while Roy prepares dinner.

Roy: You actually think this can work?

Luke: Yes. Where's your self confidence, Roy?

Roy: Well, pardon me but I've never exactly dealt with Helena. At least not hide someone she wants dead.

Luke: Relax, everything will be fine. We'll be visiting her frequently, I think twice a month is good.

Roy: Isn't that a little often? I mean, people are bound to get suspicious when we keep going out of town.

Luke: It'll only be for a few days at a time and we won't be going at the same time. We just have to make sure Helena doesn't catch on.

Roy: Oh, and how do you suppose we do that? Your fabulous disguises?

Luke: Stop knocking my disguises. I get good discounts for those.

Roy: It shows. (stirring sauce in a pot) Go tell Gia that the spaghetti is ready.

   Soon Gia, Roy, and Luke are sitting around the small kitchen eating dinner. Roy and Luke are eating, Gia is just stabbing at her food.

Luke: I think it's dead.

Gia(half smile): I'm just not that hungry. I just wanna go to bed.

Roy: You gotta eat something. Finish that and then feel free to go to bed.

Luke: You remember everything we talked about? You don't leave this cabin under any circumstances. You know where the hidden tunnels under the floor are in case Helena by some slim chance finds out where you are...

Gia(agitated): Yeah, and I have the cell phone you guys gave me and everything else. A lot of directions.

Luke: Well, do you want to stay safe or not?

Gia: I'm sorry. This whole thing is just so not what I pictured. You guys have been great for helping me. Just set this aside, I'll eat it later. Goodnight.

*******************************

   Nikolas is laying in bed staring at the ceiling. The sun is just beginning to rise, but Nikolas hasn't been asleep yet. He's just been lying here, not even tired. He occasionally glances toward Gia's side of the bed, where she should be right now, but otherwise, he's just staring at nothing.

   Halfway across the world Gia is lying in bed, she on her side so she can stare out the window, where she can see that snow had begun to fall again, her heart aching. She's thinking about all the people in Port Charles who have come to be good friends: Ned, Alexis, Lucky, Juan (well, those 2 are casual friends, but still), Laura, Lu. Then she thinks about her Mom and Marcus. They're going to go crazy when they find out she's gone, probably gonna kill Nikolas, too. Nikolas...she didn't want to hurt him, God knows she didn't want to, but there was no other way out of this. She wishes he were here with her, or better yet, they were at home in their bed getting those last few hours of sleep. Unfortunately, that may never happen again.

*~I am thinking of you In my sleepless solitude tonight If it's wrong to love you Then my heart just won't let me be right 'Cause I'm drowned in you And I won't pull through Without you by my side

I'd give my all to have Just one more night with you I'd risk my life to feel Your body next to mine 'cause I can't go on Living in the memory of our song I'd give my all for your love tonight*~

   There are just so many questions: Where did she go? Why did she leave? What was so bad? And Nikolas doesn't have an answer for any of them. Things were great between them, more than great, perfect...almost too perfect, just out of a dream. For the life of him he just can't figure out what happened. She seemed perfectly fine yesterday morning, something must've happened after that. He called her to see about dinner and she was upset after talking to her Mom. Could her Mom have said something? His best guess right now is Helena, but he's not ready to see her yet. He just hopes wherever Gia is, that she's safe.

*~Baby can you feel me Imagining I'm looking in your eyes I can see you clearly Vividly emblazoned in my mind And yet you're so far Like a distant star I'm wishing on tonight

I'd give my all to have Just one more night with you I'd risk my life to feel Your body next to mine 'cause I can't go on Living in the memory of our song I'd give my all for your love tonight*~

   Switzerland and Port Charles, doesn't matter the distance between them, both Gia and Nikolas love each other, and are missing each other more than they ever thought possible.

*~I'd give my all to have Just one more night with you I'd risk my life to feel Your body next to mine 'cause I can't go on Living in the memory of our song I'd give my all for your love tonight Give my all for your love Tonight*~

Song is "My All" by Mariah Carey

End of chapter Twelve, Please e-mail any feedback by clicking on the mailbox below :)

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