Mr. Immigration Man II, Chapter 26




" Barbara..."

" Bobbie.."

" That's all the two of you have to say? Is my name? Well, well, the Princess Laura wasn't exactly a Princess on that island, was she?"

" Bobbie.."

" I knew it. I guess I've always known it. Men and the Princess Laura. You aren't the first one, Stefan. Stand in line behind David Hamilton, Scott, Luke and Stavros. So, note the company that you keep. One way or another, Laura finds a way of ripping a man. I thought that Luke was the exception, but now, I see, that he's right along with the bunch."

" You don't understand, Barbara."

" No, Stefan. YOU don't understand. Let me set the scene. There is poor, innocent Laura. Brought to your home by brother Stav. She sat there, preying on the generous part of you, which I must believe must have been greater back then. A few stolen conversations between you, and this 'fragile' creature, and you were IN LUV. Stop me when I get something wrong. And once Laura gets into a man's blood, well, that's ALL SHE WROTE! Then, lo, and behold, she graciously consents to give into her feelings, whatever the hell they are, and you....you feel like the luckiest man in the world, becaus dear Lasha here has decided to grace you with her company."

" It was deeper than that, Barbara."

" Oh? Was it? So deep was it, that she bolted from you the first chance she got?"

" I found out Luke was ALIVE! What was I supposed to do?"

" Oh, that's right Laura. You just came back to check on my brother. And the little matter of your SON?"

" I had every intention of going back and getting Nikolas."

" You know, I bet you REALLY believe that. Hell, up until now, I believed it. But, let's bare some brass knuckles here, Laura. If you were to be HONEST, with yourself, you NEVER had ANY intentions of coming back for Nikolas. Oh, I think that you made some half-hearted attempt to get him back, because it's what you thought you were 'supposed' to do. But, after Helena killed Lesley, you had the out that you were looking for."

" Are you standing up here, telling me that I wanted my mother to die?"

" Of course, not. But, what I AM saying, is that once Helena had taken her action, you cut Nikolas loose. I ALWAYS wondered how you could have slept at nite, knowing that your son was with the Cassadines. I mean, if they were monsters as everyone says they were, then Luke, or no Luke, I would think that a MOTHER would move heaven and earth in order to get back her child. But, you didn't. Now, I know, you never intended to. Nikolas was a mistake for you. And since you thought you were leaving him with his FATHER, well, out of site, out of mind."

" How DARE you. I love Nikolas."

" I never said that you didn't. People chastise you for not having your priorities straight, Laura. They don't understand, do they? You HAVE had your priorities straight. Your top priority is, has been, and always will be LUKE. And whatever has to be done, in order to keep you and Luke and YOUR family together, is what's important. I once told Nikolas that I knew you and Luke. And that I knew, when push came to shove, that your priorities were, in order, Luke, Lucky and Lulu. I would now include Lesley in that. Whatever that had to be done, in order to keep you all together would be done. And either one is inside that circle, and deserves to be protected, or one is outside that circle, and is an afterthought. Nikolas just has the bum luck of being left outside the circle, doesn't he?"

" You don't understand the circumstances, Barbara."

" Stefan, it is you, that don't understand. I bet she came to you, didn't she? I mean, she used your feelings for her, to help her escape, and go back to Luke. She asked you to take care of Nikolas, didn't she? And being the lovestruck fool, you thought that it meant for awhile. Until she could settle things with Luke. Because, in your mind, it was inconceivable, that a woman wouldn't come back for her own child. But, after awhile, you bought yourself a clue. But, still couldn't shake her. Could you?"

" Bobbie...."

" You know what I find most contemptable in all of this, is WHY you have hidden the truth from Nikolas. I have my guesses, but hey, I'm interested in hearing what you two have to say."

" Barbara, if Nikolas were to be acknowledged as my son, then he would not be the heir. He would not be entitled to become 'The Cassadine'. I wanted that for him."

" Uh-huh. Lasha?"

" Well...."

" Cat got your tongue, Laura? Cause we BOTH know the answer to that. LUKE. You went around, and let this town, and more importantly, your OWN SON, believe what Luke says about Nikolas to anyone who'll listen. That he is a child of RAPE. Plain and simple. Since he was made with a demon, that he is nothing more than a demon spawn. You sat there, HIS OWN MOTHER, as Luke, time, and time again, talked about Nikolas with such disdain and disgust. You sat there, HIS OWN MOTHER, as Luke called that child any sorts of names. Don't you know what Nikolas represents to Luke. His greatest failure where you're concerned. His failure as a man, and as a husband. When he sees Nikolas, he imagines Stavros forcing himself on you. Is there no suprise that he has such hatred towards Nikolas. And that he has passed those same thoughts onto Lucky, who thinks that Nikolas existence means the violation of his Mother. That your son could be held in such contempt by so many, wasn't enough to break your silence.."

" But Stefan said.."

" I DON'T CARE WHAT STEFAN SAID!! Let's get this straight. I don't expect that much from Stefan. BUT, I understand why he did it. He did it for the same reasons that I gave Carly up for adoption: I wanted my child to have a better life than I did. But....YOU ARE HIS MOTHER! HE CAME FROM INSIDE OF YOU! That you would want your son to think that he came from rape, despite all the polite spins that you tried to put on your kidnapping, is DESPICABLE. And unforgiveable."

(beginning to tear) " Bobbie..Please.."

" DON'T! Don't do it, Laura. Don't EVEN try and start crying on me. I'm the wrong gender, baby. You need a Y-chromosome, to be affected by those acid tears of yours. So, let me tell you, what we're gonna do here. Lying time is over. The jig is up. You have 24 hours, in which to tell Nikolas the truth about his parentage. And Luke and Lucky, too. If they ALL don't know, 24 hours from right now, well, I am gonna become the Town Crier. It's time to face the music, Princess. And Stefan, I hope that you know that Nikolas would have rather had a Father, than all the Faberge Egg Collections in the world. Well, I think that I will take Lucas, and we will have an overnight stay at the Port Charles Hotel. You two need to discuss things."

Bobbie leaves Stefan and Laura standing there, in shock.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bobbie is sitting in the Port Charles Grille Bar when Jerry walks in.

"Well, Bobbie, can I buy you a drink?"

" It's your money."

" Ok. So, how are you doing?"

" Lousy. But, since that's all I seem to say to you, I guess you're used to it."

" Indeed I am. May I presume that the reason for this bad mood, is your husband?"

" BINGO!"

" Did you have a fight?"

" No. I just came face to face with my past, that's all. A part of my past that I don't seem to be able to shake."

" And what part of the past is that?"

" That part where I'm the also-ran."

" Bobbie, you are NOBODY'S also-ran."

" Don't kid yourself, Jerry. I've been the also-ran for everyman that I've been with. And the pattern continues. I sure know how to pick 'em."

" Bobbie, how many have you had?"

" Drinks or men?" She laughs. " Don't worry, Jerry. I've had more men than drinks this evening. If you need to know. This is only my second one."

" What do you want, Bobbie?"

" Good question. I thought I knew what I wanted. But, since that was all based on false assumptions on my part, hell if I can tell you."

" You want to go upstairs?"

" And do what?"

" Just order some room service and talk."

" Talk?"

" Among other things."

" You know what? Why the hell not?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bobbie is sitting on the couch when Jerry comes over to her with a drink.

" Hey. This is club soda."

" It sure is. There's no need to you to drink on account of Stefan."

" Isn't there?"

" No. Bobbie, you're so beautiful and full of fire. If Stefan thinks you to be some also-ran, then he's a fool And I never thought I would say that about Stefan. And I've said a lot of things about him over the years. If you were the woman in my life..."

" Yes."

" Well, I would make sure that that sadness was never in your eyes."

" I thought that there was always sadness in my eyes."

" There is a difference between a bit of melancholy, and the heartache that I see now. I wouldn't make your heartache."

" You don't know that. "

" Yes, I do. I would promise you that."

" Don't make promises that you can't keep, Jerry. They mean very little."

" Bobbie..."

" Yes..."

Jerry took Bobbie into his arms. He began to kiss her passionately. And she was responding. They began to undress one another. Button by button. When both their tops were off, Jerry pushed Bobbie back onto the couch. Jerry began to kiss her all over. Her ears. Her neck. Working his way down to her busom. Bobbie felt the passion rise within her. Jerry made his way down her stomach, and undid the buttons of her pants with his teeth. He then stopped and worked his way back up Bobbie's front side. When he approached Bobbie's mouth, once again, he heard her moan and say, " Oh, Stefan."

“ What did you say?”

“ Jerry.”

“ No, you didn’t. Man, Barbara, you know how to be heavy on a guy’s ego.”

“ Jerry, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for being here. And for trying to use you to get through this rough patch with Stefan. It doesn’t seem to matter what happens. I can’t seem to shake him from my life. Or my heart.”

“ No. It looks like Lestat is lodged quite determinedly in your heart. What are you most afraid of, Bobbie?”

“ That he’ll say he never cared. I just wanted, for once, to just think that I was first in a man’s heart. That’s all.”

“ And what if you aren’t with Stefan?”

“ I don’t know. But, I do know that I am tired of this crap.”

“ I understand. Well, glad to know that I could be of some help.”

(laughs) “ You know. You could market this kind of therapy. I am sure that there would be millions of women, who would love this kind of attention. I guess I’ll be going.” Bobbie gets up and gets dressed.

“ Do you need for me to take you somewhere?”

“ No thank you, Jerry. I have a room here. I guess I’ll sit up and think about my life. Geesh, what a depressing thought.”

(with sincere concern) “ I really could come by and we could talk.”

“ No. I have done all the talking that I can do. It’s time to just think.” Bobbie leaves Jerry in his room.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Stefan and Laura were sitting in the Conservatory when Nikolas came in.

“ Uncle, Mrs. Lansbury said that you wanted to see me? And what are YOU doing here?”

“ Hello, Nikolas.”

“ Nikolas, please, sit down. Your Mother and I have something that we need to discuss with you.”

“ Well, if both of you are in the same room together, I suppose it’s serious.”

“ It is Nikolas.”

“ Did I do something wrong?”

“ No, Nikolas. Laura and I need to tell you something.”

“ OK. What is it?”

“ I suppose that I should be the one to explain. You see , Nikolas, when I first got to the island, I was a prisoner there.”

“ I know that.”

“ But, what you don’t know is how completely isolated I was from everything. I had no life at all. For a long time, I was locked in a room, only let out for meals. You can’t possibly know what it was like. Then, one day, Stavros came to me and proposed marriage. And I accepted.”

“ I know all this.”

“ Well. My only friend on the island was Stefan. He befriended me. He was the only human contact that I had that was nice, warm, generous. You don’t know how close we became on the island.”

“ Yes....”

“ Nikolas. Stefan and I had a relationship while I was on the island.”

“ A relationship?”

“ Yes.”

“ Do you mean that the two of you were lovers?”

“ Yes, Nikolas. It does.”, Stefan replies.

“ You slept with your brother’s wife?”

“ Yes.”

“ Besides being morally repulsive, what does any of this have to do with me?”

“ Because you are the result of the affair.”

“ Pardon?”

“ Nikolas, Laura and I are your parents. Not Laura and Stavros.”

“ YOU’RE my father?”

“ Yes.”

(to Laura) “ You cheated on Stavros and bore his BROTHER’S child?”

(Laura quietly) “ Yes.”

“WHY? Why after all these years, you’ve decided to tell me the truth, now?”

“ Nikolas..”

“ No, Uncle. or is it Father? Why is the truth so important to you. And don’t lie to me. Not now.”

“ If you must know, someone else found out the truth.”

“ Who?”

“ It does’t matter.”

“ Of course it does, Laura. Who is this person? No. Wait. Let me guess. It had to be Bobbie. See, I know that it couldn’t have been Luke or Lucky, because you wouldn’t even be here with me. You’d be off with THEM, begging their forgiveness for actually CARING about a Cassadine.”

“ Nikolas, that’s not true!”

“ The HELL it isn’t!”

“ NIKOLAS! You will not disrepect your mother like that.”

“ My mother? Oh, please. What a complete joke. And it has been that from the beginning, hasn’t it? You would rather let me believe that I was a child of rape, than to tell me the truth. What a commentary. Cause heaven forbid if you upset Luke in anyway. And what’s your excuse, Stefan?”

“ I wanted you to inherit all that I didn’t. I wanted to give you a legacy.”

“ Didn’t you know that I DON’T WANT this legacy? That a FATHER would have been so much more important to me?”

“ Barbara said you’d say that.”

“ Yeah, well, Bobbie was right. I have to go.”

“ Nikolas. Don’t leave. Your mother and I need to talk to you.”

“ Sorry. But, there’s nothing that you could say that will erase that you’ve both lied to me my entire life. I need to get away from you. NOW!”

Nikolas leaves Stefan and Laura standing there.

“ What will you do, Stefan?”

“ Stay here and hope that he comes back home. And what are you going to do, Lasha?”

“ Go tell Lucky and Luke the truth. Goodbye, Stefan.”

Laura leaves the Conservatory. Stefan thinks about what has transpired here. Nikolas knew the truth. Laura finally admitted that she loved him...once upon a time. Funny. It didn’t feel as good as he thought it would when she admitted her feelings for him. It was completely anti-climactic. Stefan thought about Nikolas. His son. That he could finally acknowledge. The tears began to stream down his face. It was as if Nikolas was a newborn baby and they had just placed him in his arms. Something in his heart had been freed. There were no more secrets between them. Maybe they could finally have the father-son relationship that Stefan had longed for. All the times he said that it didn’t matter if Nikolas knew. That it only mattered that he had raised Nikolas. He now knew that was a lie. Because the joy in his heart that he could now express about Nikolas, was more freeing that he ever thought. And his thoughts went from Nikolas to Bobbie. For it was Bobbie who had accurately assessed what Nikolas’ reaction would be. It was Bobbie who had forced his and Laura’s hands in the situation. Stefan sat up until dawn assessing what he wanted from his life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lucky and Luke were sitting in the living room. Lesley and Lulu were upstairs asleep.

“So, babe. What do you want to talk about?”

“ It’s about Nikolas.”

“ Mom, please. What could I possibly want to hear about little Nikki.”

“ Lucky, for once in your life, SHUT UP!”

“ Mom?”

“ Woman?”

“ Lucky, Nikolas is your brother. Like it or not. And it is about time that the two of you got to know one another. On neutral ground.”

“ What are gonna do, woman? Ship them both off to Switzerland?”

“ No, Luke. Starting next Tuesday, and every Tuesday after that, you and Nikolas are going to sit down and have dinner with your Grandmother.”

“ Where?”

“ Anyplace but LUKE’S. And I mean, EVERY Tuesday.”

“ What is the point of this Mom?”

“ The point is that Lulu deserves to know BOTH her brothers. And she deserves to have both of them in her life on civil terms.”

“ Well, Mom, hate to tell you this, but my Tuesdays are booked. Now, I gotta be going.” Lucky gets up from the couch.

“ LUCAS LORENZO SPENCER, JR. SIT THE HELL DOWN!” Laura shouted with all the fury that was left in her body. Both Luke and Lucky looked at her as if an alien was in front of them.

“ I was going to try and be gentle about this. Because I wanted to spare your feelings. Because I have bent over backwards to spare your feelings. But, the delicate approach is not needed. You two are big boys. So, here it goes. Stefan and I had a relationship while I was on the island. The result of that relationship was Nikolas. In summary, Nikolas is STEFAN’S , not Stavros’ son. He is NOT child of force. He is NOT a child of rape. He IS a child of love. Did I love Stefan? Yes, I did. But, not as much as I have loved you, Luke. Now, do what you want to do. But, I am NOT groveling, or sniveling, or begging your forgiveness. I am ASHAMED of myself, for letting feelings for YOU come before my OWN son. But, I did it. Lulu IS going to get to know her brother, even though I fully acknowledge that I have destroyed all hopes of a relationship with my son. Good night.”

With that, Laura Spencer goes upstairs to her bedroom, leaving both Luke and Lucky completely stunned.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bobbie was sitting reading a magazine when she heard a knock on her door. She opened the door to, “ Nikolas?”

“ Hi Bobbie. Can I come in?”

“ Sure. Can I get you something?”

“ No.”

They sit down on the couch. They are silent for awhile, then Nikolas speaks.

“ They told me.”

“ So I guessed.”

“ How could they?”

“ I think that they did the best that they could. At the time.”

“ Please don’t take up for them.”

“ I’m not, Nikolas. I won’t.”

“ I know that they would never have told me the truth if it hadn’t been for you. So, I guess I should thank you.”

“ You’re welcome.”

(tears forming in his eyes) “ Was I so awful that neither one of my parents wanted to claim me?”

Bobbie gently picks up Nikolas’ face and looks into his eyes with tears of her own. “You know Nikolas. I don’t think it was that way at all. I’m going to leave Laura out of this, for the moment, because I am too angry at her. But, I guess I am going to try and defend Stefan and his actions.”

“ His actions were reprehensible. He’s known ALL ALONG that I was his son.”

“ Yes. But, I honestly believe that he did what he did because he loved you.”

“ Oh, Bobbie. No more pleas in the name of love.”

“ Alright. Then, let’s look at some plain hard truths here. When Stavros died, and Laura left, you were just a baby. Now, Stefan had a choice to make. He could claim you as his own, which I believe, from everything that I have heard about Helena, would have certainly been Stefan’s death warrant. Be assured that once Stefan was killed, you would NEVER have been returned to Laura. You would have been raised by Helena, which I doubt you can say is what you wanted. Whatever Stefan’s shortcomings, and they are numerous, he loves you with all his soul, and would do ANYTHING to protect you. Even if that meant denying you. I know that being ‘The Cassadine’ doesn’t mean that much to you, when compared to being a father, but to Stefan, it meant everything that he couldn’t be, you COULD be. Sacrificing yourself as a parent, in order to give your child a better life. Denying the child, so that they could do better than you could do for them.”

“ You’re talking about Caroline now, aren’t you?”

“ Yes. I suppose I am. I guess I identify with Stefan, and the choices that he had to make in a relatively short spanse of time. Surely all the love and support that he’s given you over the years, MUST count for something.”

“ I guess it does.”

“ It HAS to. Nikolas, Stefan is the only parent that you’ve ever known. Full-time parent, that is. He has devoted his life to you. Surely you’ve heard the phrase, ‘actions speak louder than words.’ Well, I think that Stefan has earned a bit of slack from you.”

“ But, Bobbie. All the LIES.”

“ Yes. They do suck, don’t they? Oh, Nikolas. I think that so many people have told so many lies, that you probably think you don’t know how to spell the word truth anymore. Am I right?”

“ Yes.”

“ Well, I can’t tell you what to do. Or what to think. But, I will say this. Stefan has never run out on you. You’re his life. And he did what he thought was best for you as any parent would do. You can cling to this resentment. Or let it go. And let him express himself as your father. Openly.”

“ And what about Laura?”

“ Sorry, Nikolas. There is no sympathy in my heart left for your mother. None at all. I think that you need to concentrate your efforts on the other Webber women: the Lesleys. I think those relationships are more than salvageable. But, if you decide to have a relationship with Laura, I will back you all the way.”

“ Thanks, Bobbie.”

“ No need to thank me. Do you feel any better?”

“ A little.”

“ I can order a cot up for you.”

“ Would you?”

“ Sure. And while I’m at it, I’ll order a few of your favorites from room service.”

“ Thanks.” Bobbie turns towards the bedroom. “ Bobbie?”

“ Yes, Nikolas.”

“ I’m glad you’re my best friend.”

“ So am I.”