Life As It Should Be: Chapter 8
Tuesday, 20-Jun-00 12:26:18

4.54.20.202 writes:
Chapter 8

Stefan looked down at his watch with a worried frown. It was almost two in the afternoon. Caroline had not come down for breakfast and she was late for lunch. Jonas had told him this morning about the incident last night and he was worried. They had come a long way and he had thought the dreams were gone. It had been two years…most of the first year being hellish to put it mildly. They had watched her come out of it…well as much as she would. Hopefully it wasn’t a relapse…they didn’t need that to happen to her especially with what was to come in this month. He had gone in to her room an hour ago to see how she was doing and she had been dead to the world. His niece was a late sleeper but this was late even for her. He hoped that she would not be in bed all day…they didn’t need her to go back to doing that. He would give her half an hour then go and wake her up.

Stefan looked up and across the table. He was sitting alone in the dining room. Where was Nikolas? He knew that his mother had left earlier, a good thing in his book. He didn’t need that old witch hovering around. He wondered what she was up to, he didn’t doubt she was up to something the woman was always into something. Where was Nikolas though? As if in answer to his question Nikolas walked in.

" Sorry I am late for lunch…I got a bit held up." Nikolas apologized as he walked in. He looked around the room.

" Where is Caroline?" he turned to Stefan questioningly.

" Sleeping," Stefan answered shortly, waving the younger man to his seat.

" Sleeping? At two in the afternoon? She never sleeps that late…" Nikolas looked at him in surprise. Stefan just reached for a platter of food. He didn’t need to answer that.

" Wait is she..? I mean how is she feeling? " Nikolas prodded. It was his sister after all.

" I am sure she will be fine Nikolas she was probably just tired." Stefan said calmly. There was no need making him worry over what could just be a little incident. Nikolas watched him disbelievingly, but he let it go. Stefan wouldn’t answer him anyway.

" So Nikolas how are things going with the tutors?" Stefan changed the subject. Nikolas cleared his throat.

" Actually I wanted to talk to you about that. I no longer need tutors you know. I mean if I HAVE to keep getting schooled though I don’t think I do since I am twenty one, I can just go to college like everybody else." Nikolas sat up taking a defensive stance. He had been thinking about this for awhile and he wanted to join his friends at PCU, not be tutored. Even though technically he was way past college, but he figured if he had to take classes he might as well take them where he would enjoy himself.

" But you are not anyone else. You are a prince. Your sister had tutors and so will you. It doesn’t matter how old you are… you are never to old to learn." Stefan pointed out unmoved by the younger man’s stance. He was not about to let the Cassadine heir go to some local college.

" Caroline and I are different… just because she endured tutors doesn’t mean I have to. Besides with her schedule and globe hopping the only way she could get an education was if she had tutors! I am staying in port-charles it would be easy for me to go to PCU." Nikolas argued. His sister had not let the matter of an education interfere with her adventuring instead she had dragged some of her tutors all over the world with her. How she ever got away with that he was not sure. He ought to ask her some time.

" You have excellent tutors Nikolas… there are no teachers at Port-Charles University that could compare to them. Unless you want to go to Harvard or another prestigious college." Stefan rationalized… knowing full well that he would not want to leave Port-Charles. Nikolas growled in frustration. Stefan knew that he didn’t want to leave Port-Charles.

" Now, now, is that anyway for a Prince to act?" Caroline walked into the dining room to that sound. She moved to Nikolas and smacked him on the shoulder " Did we forget our manners?" she teased. She moved to Stefan and pecked him on the cheek before taking her seat.

" So how is everybody this fine afternoon" she smiled hugely as she served herself. Stefan frowned at her. He made a mental note; too perky.

" Wonderful" Nikolas muttered even as he looked her over. She looked fine…but that smile.

" How about you Uncle dear?" she grinned his way.

" Successful. How was your night?" he asked observing her keenly. Caroline sat up slightly and smiled brighter. The change was subtle but Stefan caught it.

" I had a great night. Plenty of sleep" Caroline assured. She looked around the room.

" So where is grandmother? You didn’t drop her into a hole yet did you Uncle dear?" she changed the subject.

" What an absurd suggestion, " Stefan exclaimed calmly thinking… besides the over bright smile she seemed to be in good shape.

" Yes Caroline don’t be silly, you know burying her alive would not get rid off her. You need a cross and stake to take care of dear Helena. Both items that Stefan would not dare go near in fear of killing himself," Nikolas raised a mocking brow. Grinning at his sister and giving her wink, his argument forgotten for that moment.

Caroline let out an amused giggle when she saw Stefan’s scrawl.
The sound made Stefan feel at ease. It was good to see her genuinely laugh.

"You know Nikolas it has never been proven that Vampires are affected by crosses and stakes," Caroline teased.

" A stake through the heart would kill anyone." Stefan cut in his tone filled with serious contemplation.

" Come now Uncle… you can think about it but we both know you would never go through with it." Caroline waved dismisively towards him. Stefan raised a brow at that it was his ‘are you sure expression’ and she just grinned at him.

" I think he would. And if he is unwilling I’ll do it," Nikolas volunteered with mock eagerness.

" Nope you both wouldn’t because deep down you both love her just like I do." She imparted smugly. Ignoring Nikolas’ fake coughing fit.

" A few delusions are not a bad thing I suppose," Stefan replied with a pitying look.

" So where is she?" Caroline returned to her original question.

" Helena left to run some errands of some sort. I suppose the PCPD will inform us as to what they were." Stefan answered her adding the last sentence under his breath. Caroline nodded.

" So what were you both arguing about when I came in,"

" I was telling him that I don’t need to…" Nikolas started explaining going back to his argument. As the discussion returned…the two men forgot all about their worries over Caroline.

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


Lukes


Helena on the other hand had Caroline in her mind as she entered the establishment. She scanned the room, no Luke. Maybe in his office.

Luke had just lit one of his cigars and was filling his lungs with the smoke when the door swung open. He sat up and began to choke on the smoke when he saw who was standing at his door. He went into a fit of coughing. Helena’s lips slit in cool amusement. She walked around the desk and patted him on the back. Her palm slamming onto his back with more strength than he would have thought coming from their deceptively delicate appearance. Luke jumped and moved away.

" Keep your hands away from me you witch!," Luke sneered. Looking at her hands suspiciously. Mentally checking if she had stabbed him in the back or something. You never knew with these damn Cassadines.

" Oh Luke, is that anyway to thank me for my efforts, I was trying to make sure you were fine," Helena smiled but her eyes were like cold blue rocks.

" Yeah right, what the hell are you doing here?’ Luke demanded angrily. Helena sniffed at the air and then looked down at the rugged chair sitting at the desk. She contemplated it for a second then sat on it, hoping no bugs would come crawling out of it.

"No offer of a drink? Really Spencer how uncouth," She chided crossing her legs.

"I never invited you here, but I can do drink cyanide or a garlic filled vegetable drink? Which do you prefer?" he taunted. What the hell did she want?
" A little testy aren’t we. Must you be so belligerent?" She clucked.
" This is not a little tete-a-tete, so please say your piece before I decide to break that neck of yours. I have had it with you and your brood of vampires so killing you would be my pleasure." Luke threatened come to stand over Helena baring his teeth.

" But Luke, that would mean jail. I don’t think prisoners on death row get conjugal visits… and with you and Laura getting along so well it would be a shame don’t you think?" Helena responded unflustered by his threats. Not because he wasn’t serious, she knew he was. But rather because she had Andreas and two other men on the otherside of the door.
Luke’s expression became dark and angrier at Helena’s reference to Laura. She ignored him and decided to get to her point.
" Since you brought up my family…what do you think of my darling granddaughter?"
Luke frowned. What was this about? He glared at her.

"You mean the man stealing, marriage breaking conniving bitch who called herself Carly?" Luke sneered.

"Caroline IS conniving isn’t she?" Helena grinned ignoring the rest of the things Luke had said, " She is a wonderful schemer you know a bit overimpulsive but she is good, a really clever girl" Helena continued proudly.

" So you came by to crow about the evil ‘brilliance’ of your granddaughter?" Luke stuck the cigar back into his mouth and folded his arms across his chest waiting, his face a mask of impatience and anger.

" Not only the brilliance of my granddaughter but also that of your niece," Helena smiled coolly.

" What the hell are you taking about?! I don’t have a niece…BJ is dead…what niece?" Luke demanded shouting, His hands clenching. He hated it when he was unprepared for confrontations with Helena. He had been a bit preoccupied and had lost track of the old crone’s schemes. He wondered what she wanted for the fourth time.

" Caroline of course…little baby you helped your sister drop off in front of a convent one cold winter?" Helena’s eyes became colder as she enlightened her nemesis. Luke dropped his cigar in shock, his face draining of all color. How did Helena know about that baby… it had been years…almost 22 in fact? Was Caroline really…or was Helena up to her tricks? He looked at the woman’s face and he knew she wasn’t lying. No this was real this was her ultimate revenge.

"What…how…did you take Bobbie’s child and adopt her? Made her a Cassadine? Why you bi –" he growled rushing towards her, his hands going for her throat.

" Andreas!" She called out and the guards rushed in time to hold Luke back from strangling Helena.

" Your boys can save you now Helena but I WILL get you!" Luke shouted. Trying to break away, making the three men work hard at keeping him back.

" I don’t know why you are angry at me Luke. Your obvious conclusion is wrong. Caroline IS my granddaughter" Luke snarled and reached out again. How dare she refer to Bobbie’s daughter as her granddaughter! Helena watched him and continued "Biologically Luke, not adopted"

" And I am supposed to believe this lie?" he sneered in disbelief.

" Lie? I am not lying my dear, it would not serve my purpose. No Caroline is my darling Stavros’ she HAS the blood of Cassadines running through her. Yes she is MY grand-daughter." She imparted with cold satisfaction as more she saw watched him process this information.
" If you want to accuse someone of lying you should look closer to home. Laura perhaps?" she raised a brow and smiled in amusement as more blood drained from his face.
" Ta taaa darling, have a nice day will you?" she said in deceptive sweetness before she walked out of the office.
Let the ball start rolling.


Ten minutes later after the guards had left Luke stood rooted in the same spot…staring at towards the door in disbelief. This couldn’t be happening. His sister had birthed a Cassadine spawn? It couldn’t be, and he would prove it. He grabbed his jacket and headed home to talk to Laura.


Meanwhile…


Caroline watched as her uncle and brother got emerged into their argument. Stefan sticking his ground and Nikolas fighting a lost battle. She let her guard relax slightly. She woken up this morning remembering her dream and feeling the guilt return. The guilt of being alive when her husband and baby were gone. She just wanted to be alone. But she had not wanted to worry anyone. She knew if she did. Stefan would have people following her around again. Not that he didn’t do it now…but at the moment it was more for the protection from others, not herself. She got up and quietly left the dining room with a small mutter about taking a walk. She wanted to be alone with her thoughts.


mikmi