Risk

Chapter XXX 

Honestly

"I thought you were never gonna get here! Who was that rude lady?" Lucas demands accusingly.

"That is my sister." Stefan says wryly. Stefan gives Lucas a leg up on to Thunder and then climbs on his own mount after checking the girth.

"Oh well that explains it." Lucas nods understandingly. His mood taking a 180 from where it has been while he'd been waiting for Stefan.

"How does that explain it?" Stefan asks curiously wondering what Lucas had taken away from the adults' exchange.

"Sisters are bossy and always think they know everything." Lucas claims with some direct knowledge. "BJ wasn't too bad but Carly thinks she knows everything!"

"I have found brothers to be the same." Stefan nods in agreement. He allows Lucas to take the lead out onto the trails. As soon as they are clear of the stables, he pulls aside Lucas and his mount to continue his explanation. "Kristina is annoyed with me because like you she didn't know that your mother was accompanying me to Greece to see Stavros and Caroline. She is also afraid because she doesn't know where our sister Alexis is."

"Do you know?"

"No. My brother knows where Alexis is."

"Is she on vacation? Like when you and mom went to Greece?"

"Somewhat." Stefan lies smoothly.

"Maybe she'll send a postcard or an email. I get postcards from Jerry sometimes. But he can't tell me where he is cause he'd get in trouble. And I get emails from Carly and Michael mostly about all the places that he gets to go. But they can't come back to Port Charles either cause of the Quartermaines." Lucas nods.

"Would you like for them to be able to come back here to visit?"

"That would be okay I guess." Lucas shrugs.

"I didn't handle things well." Kristina admits. "I didn't know about you and Stefan." Kristina had asked Ned to go to L&B and take care of business cause she wanted to talk to Stefan alone hoping to get more information. Right after Ned left though so had Stefan to join Lucas on their scheduled ride.

"There is no reason why you should. It's ancient history." Bobbie replies.

"You met Stavros-- in Greece."

"Yep."

"What did you think of him?"

Bobbie snorts. "Ain't that the question." Bobbie brushes back her hair. "You've heard the stories. About Laura, about Nikolas. How Laura married Stavros after being kidnapped by Helena." Kristina nods. "Laura believed that my brother, Luke, was dead and she had nothing to lose by marrying Stavros. Luke wasn't dead though. Helena made sure that Laura found out after Nikolas was born. I'm sure having Laura in the family didn't thrill her to bits but she was nuts for anything that would make Stavros happy. I'm sure her intention was to get rid of Laura and to have Nikolas and Stavros all to herself. Stavros followed Laura to Port Charles. Having met the guy now... I can imagine what was going thru his head. It was all about getting his wife back. Nevermind since Luke was alive that it wasn't a legal marriage. Luke and Stavros fought. Stavros fell down the stairs and was proclaimed dead."

Kristina half laughs. "Right."

"Who knew?" Bobbie replies wryly. "Fast forward years. Helena revives Stavros by threatening to kill my son if his father, Tony Jones, doesn't help her revive him. So Tony did. He brought Stavros back. And for months, Stavros wandered around Port Charles unknown to everyone accept Helena. He made ties to Gia and Carly using the alias of Lucien Caine. Gia because he wanted to get to know Nikolas, and Carly, well , Carly because at the time she was half owner of Deception-- the company that Laura owns.

"So Carly knew he was Stavros Cassadine."

"Nope. Not then. She didn't find out until after everything went down here. And she didn't find out from any of us. Stavros told her down on Martinique-- after he fell down the bottomless pit." Bobbie rolls her eyes.

"And after she found out he was Stavros Cassadine she freaked." Kristina says helpfully.

"Nope. She felt sorry for him."

Kristina rubs the back of her neck. "But... but... but... Stavros had everyone held captive in that lab. They tripped the failsafe everyone was going to be trapped in the lab... sealed in. Everyone--Stefan, Alexis, Jax, Nikolas, Gia, Lucky-- everybody."

"I remember. I was there too." Bobbie says wryly.

"How could she feel sorry for him?"

"He was all alone. His son hates him. His family hates him. Why wouldn't Carly think he was the neatest thing since sliced bread?" Bobbie says with heavy irony. "In a lot of ways they are a lot alike."

"You don't hate Carly."

"Carly probably doesn't think so. Anyway..." Bobbie gets up from the couch and starts cleaning things up around the living room straightening here and there. "Stavros needs her and Carly needs to be needed. Something nobody in this town seems to get."

"He needs her?"

"He's been out of it for a couple decades." Bobbie reminds. "As Carly pointed out he's missed alot-- fall of the soviets, computers, MTV. He even missed Helena getting really wacked. The first he heard of it was when she was planning on brainwashing Nikolas to make him the heir she wanted."

"Alexis' friend Chloe..."

"Carly's friend too. Carly says Helena did it. Stavros says Helena did it. That's their story, and they're sticking to it."

"Could she have?"

"Helena? She brought her son back from the dead. She killed your mother. It wasn't the first time she'd tried to kill Chloe." Bobbie admits. "Could she have... hell yeah. Did she? I wish I knew. It would make Carly being with Stavros not give me so many sleepless nights."

Nikolas strides into the Deception offices. Elton is already on the phones making the final arrangements for the trip to Italy that is going to be taking off that afternoon. "Tell me where Gia is." Nik reaches over and disconnects the call Elton is on and snags the receiver from his hand.

"Hello to you!" Elton says sharply.

"Tell me where she is. I want the name of her hotel in Atlantic City. Her room number. Call her and make sure she's safe."

"I surely will not!"

"My mother sent her to Atlantic City all alone with no back-up. Anything could have happened to her. Call her!"

"Miss Thang has already checked in this morning and is on her way back to Port Charles. There. Satisfied? Can I have my phone back?"

"She's okay?" Nikolas' concern is all over his face.

Elton relents. "She's fine. And on her way back to Port Charles."

"The airport... what flight is she on?"

"You know I can't release that information!" Elton says righteously. Then then adds in a low voice. "But I can't imagine there are many flights coming in from Atlantic City... this morning."

"Thank you, Elton!" Nikolas runs out of the room and hits the down button on the elevator but grows impatient and takes the stairs instead.

"Young love." Elton sighs and shakes his head. Elton reaches down for the phone receiver Nikolas had tossed on the desk as he raced from the floor.

Gia glances through the magazines that the flight attendant had offered her. Laura might have screwed her on the assignment but Elton made sure she travelled to hell and back first class. First class got to board first and get settled before the coach flyers got to board. A shadow falls across her, Gia looks up at the person who evidently was going to be seated next to her. "Hel... Max?"

"The boss thought it would be best if I flew back commercial." Max hands his coat to the flight attendant. He settles in next to Gia. "You got enough room?"

"Sure I guess." Gia says wryly. She squeezes futher over next to the window. Even with the bigger seats in first class, Max needed all the room and the set of armrests in the middle.

"It's not a long flight. Not even an hour." Max reminds. The passengers from coach start filing onto the plane. Max glares at each one as they go by especially hard at any he catches staring or seem to be ready to ask for an autograph.

"I'm on my way home, Max. You can quit scaring people."

"Person's gotta right to privacy." Max says flatly loud enough for someone stopping for a quick peek at the model to hear and hurry on.

"Yeah?" Jason picks up the ringing cell phone from the inside pocket of his black leather jacket. "Luke? What do you want?"

"Jason? I was calling the penthouse to talk to Sonny."

"Sonny's out of town. I forwarded the phones."

"Damn. Look I hoping Sonny would make a call down to Atlantic City and check on Gia Campbell. She was on Deception business. Laura tried to call her room and she wasn't there."

"Taggart's sister? Yeah, I ran into her. She's on her way back to Port Charles."

"Really? Great. So you're back."

"I'm back."

Stefan holds Thunder's halter while Lucas dismounts. "I will need to speak to your mother... privately."

"Sure. No problem." Lucas says in a rush. He'd walked in on enough of Bobbie's private time with her boyfriends to take this as a good sign. "I have my gameboy. And if your sister is still here I'll keep her busy too."

"I would be in your debt."

"Huh?"

"I'll owe you one."

"'kay."

Stefan and Lucas walk back into Wyndemere. Kristina and Bobbie are still in the living room talking. Stefan looks at Lucas. Lucas looks over at Kristina and walks toward her. "You wanna see the dungeon?"

"Dungeon? There is a dungeon here?"

"Well not really." Lucas says disappointedly. "But there's tons of tunnels. Uncle Luke says that smugglers used to hang out here during prohibition. They'd smuggle booze and stuff cross the border. I can show you were Nikolas stuffed the dead body!"

"You're kidding right?"

"Nikolas didn't kill him. Just hid the body." Lucas explains earnestly. "There are lots of places down there to hide a body." He tugs on Kristina's hand leading her in the direction of the secret panel that leads into the tunnels. Looking to the side of Kristina, he winks at Stefan and then starts an enthusiastic patter of information about the tunnels that fades to nothing as the panel slides back into place.

"You just used my son to get rid of your sister."

"He volunteered." Stefan extends a hand to Bobbie. "Come." Bobbie just sits there and tilts her head to the side studying her ex husband. "Please Barbara. I would prefer to have this conversation where little ears are not on the other side of the wall."

"And where would that be?" Bobbie rises to her feet and takes Stefan's hand. She follows him silently knowing all the different panels that open to secret entrances, secret rooms and the tunnels "Here? Stefan, You know that there is an access right there." Bobbie points to the farside of master suite. "Luke used to use it all the time and stink the place up with cigars just to tick you off."

"I had it sealed. Now tell me what Caroline told you. You told the others that she didn't tell you exactly where Alexis is. Which means she told you inexactly."

Bobbie shakes her head. "No, she didn't. I think she might know but it's Stavros secret and she wouldn't share. The most I could get was to ask her if you could talk to Alexis. There is nothing else Carly can do. But while we're alone I wanted to talk to you about my conversation with Nikolas. I upset him, Stefan. I don't regret it. But I did upset him."

Nikolas arrives at the Port Charles Airport and by process of elimination discovers which gate the plane from Atlantic City will be arriving at. He waits patiently as close as he can get without being a ticketed passenger. Even so he goes thru a security checkpoint and is examined for for weapons. He submits impatiently to the cursory search. "Commercial. My mother would have her flying commercial." He mutters to himself.

"Did you say something, sir?" The security agent asks.

"No. Yes. Is there a place within the airport where I could buy some flowers perhaps?" The agent points Nikolas in the right direction. Nikolas goes into the newstand which is largely given over to chewing gum, novelty tshirts, magazines and best selling novels but does has a small case of fresh flowers. He selects the best red rose within and makes his purchase and then goes back out to the glassed off area where he can see passengers making their way down the concourse.
An armed national guardsman stands sentinal on the otherside of the barrier. Nik shifts from one foot to the other looking at each passenger coming thru. There is more than one flight arriving at the same time and there are a number of people jockeying for position to see if they can see their loved one first. With his view partially blocked Nikolas almost misses her.

Max walks half a step in front of Gia blocking her from view of the passengers and the people waiting at the end of the concourse. The last thing he'd done on the plane as they were taxi'ing in was request a driver be waiting. "The limo will be in the short term parking."

"You didn't have to do that. I could have gotten a cab. It's how I got to the airport." Gia replies.

"Mr Morgan wanted to make sure you got home safely."

"Well I wasn't expecting door to door service. Hell I might as well have flown back with Jason."

"Next time you'll know." Max and Gia keep walking out of the airport and to the waiting limo.

"Next time?!" The rose falls unnoticed at Nikolas' feet.

Lucky carefully packs his camera lenses into a shock proof case. Packing for himself took about 30 seconds but his work gear is a different story. Everything had to be carefully secured and documented for insurance purposes.

"Lucky, which one... this or this?" Elizabeth comes in from the room right next door. She is holding up a couple of dresses. Lucky points at one and then the other and then back to the first one. "Oh you're no help!" Liz races back to her own room where she is also packing.

Chuckling to himself, Lucky locks the last of his work cases. "Got out of that one, Spencer." The phone rings. Lucky reaches for it half falling over the bed. "buon giorno!" He calls out cheerfully.

"Lucky."

"Nik? Are you okay?"

"I'm on my way over there. Don't leave without talking to me." Nik says grimly and then hangs up.

"Weird. Wonder how they say that in Italian?" Lucky checks his documents making sure he has his passport and the tickets.

"And you told him the truth. The truth you wouldn't tell me." Stefan is pacing the floor of the room.

"Yes. Carly called me and asked me to talk to Nikolas. She thought my silence was screwing over him and Gia both." Bobbie watches Stefan carefully. He doesn't normally pace. Normally he's the stillest guy in the room just taking everything in until he's fully prepared to strike.

"Something I told you as well! And yet you wouldn't tell me!"

"If it's something you and Carly agree on then it must be a biggy! And I agreed it was something Nikolas needed to know."

Stefan winces at the idea of having anything in common with Carly. His brother was enough of a connection-- too much of a connection. "I was right wasn't I? Ms Webber is lying to Nikolas, to everyone."

"That's not the important part, Stefan." Stefan stops in his tracks and turns to stare at his ex wife. "It's not. What I found out from the conversation is that... Nikolas never just believes Gia. Everything has to be proven. And it's not cause he doesn't believe her it's 'cause she has to prove herself to him over and over again. It's no wonder Gia gave him his walking papers."

"Ms Campbell is scarcely a saint." Stefan defends Nikolas.

"I didn't say she was!" Bobbie protests. "But the one thing we both know about Gia is that she loves Nikolas and always put him first. How many times do you have to prove that before you get sick and tired of it? Specially when it's not a two way street! If it hadn't been Elizabeth it would have been something else. Nikolas was pushing Gia away, constantly testing her, always expecting that she would leave him anyway. That's an impossible way to live... especially on the receiving end."

Stefan stiffens. "You told him this."

Bobbie nods. "I told him he was just like you."

"It is not your place." Stefan protests.

"Who else is gonna give it to him straight? You?! I didn't think so!"

With a direct flight and no waiting at the airport Jason arrives back at the Harborview Towers long before Gia and Max. He searches through Sonny's desk looking for the contract between Sonny and Laura. Not finding it it swears at himself and realizes that it is probably over at the warehouse. Cause any paperwork that had been in the penthouse went up along with Sonny's desk when he'd set off the explosives. Jason picks up his keys and heads out to the warehouse. He is climbing in one of the company cars as the familiar limo is pulling into the parking structure below the Harbor view. He waits until Max and Gia are on the elevator before pulling out of his parking space.

Inside the elevator. "Okay Max, now you're pushing it. If you think you're getting a kiss in front of my door... I'm telling ya now it's not going to happen." Gia warns.

Max grins. "I live here too remember? The boss keeps a penthouse. I have to check in with him."

"Well color me embarrassed. Guess I should just get over myself huh?"

"Nah. If you weren't Taggart's sister.... But lets just leave it at neighbors."

"Then I'm your gal when you need a cup of sugar." The elevator bell rings on the fourth floor. "This is me. Gia steps off the elevator. Max stands in the way of the elevator closing making sure that Gia gets to her room without problems. Gia unlocks the door to her apartment and waves in Max's direction to indicate there is no problem. Max waves back and steps back onto the elevator continuing up to the top floors.

Lucky answers the pounding on his door. "Nikolas? What's up?" Lucky says with some concern as Nikolas stalks into the room.

"You're going to Italy with Gia right? I want you to be on the lookout for Jason Morgan's guys. He's up to something. I don't want him messing with Gia and I don't want to bring her brother into it."

Lucky shakes his head. "Change of plan. Mom decided to have Gia doing personal appearances. I'm going to Italy to shoot backgrounds since we have the permits and everything. We'll do something digital for the campaign."

"That's impossible." Nik denies as he paces and then he looks around and sees the packed bags in the room. "Gia had been looking forward to this trip for weeks. She was listening to Italian tapes to try to get some phrases down."

Shrugging ruefully. "I don't know, man. It was just changed a couple of days ago. Mom said that Elizabeth could use Gia's ticket. Give her a change of scenery, since PC is sucking for her big time right now."

Nikolas stops and turns. "Elizabeth is going? On the Deception location shoot. You planning on taking pictures of her there?"

"Well sure. We were kinda gonna make it a vacation. I would have been taking a few shots. Just for us."

Everything that Bobbie had said, everything that Gia had said, falls into place for Nikolas and it's like getting hit by a brick wall.

"Lucky, I'm going to need your help getting this case closed..." Elizabeth comes into Lucky's room without knocking. "Sorry. I didn't know you had company. Hey Nikolas."

"Elizabeth." Nik's greeting is like an icy wind blowing across the room and Elizabeth shivers. "Lucky was just telling me about your trip to Italy... how did he put it... cause Port Charles sucks for you right now. I suggest you cancel."

"What? What are you talking about? If this is about Gia... Laura is the one that offered me the ticket so Lucky and I could be together." Liz answers defensively.

Nik takes a step closer to her. His hands are closed fists by his side. "Gia has done nothing but put herself out for you. She distracted Zander after he drugged you so that Lucky could get you out of that rave. When she thought that I was going to kill you on Helena's orders she showed up to save your life. And how do you repay her but with your LIES!!!"

"Whoa! Back off, Nikolas." Lucky gets between Nikolas and Elizabeth. "I don't know what line of crap you've been fed but leave Elizabeth out of it."

Nikolas continues as if he hadn't been interrupted. He keeps eye contact with Elizabeth. "You told us that Gia told Jason about you being fired. That was a lie. Jason already knew about you being fired. He was the proof that Bobbie needed to fire you! I lost Gia because I believed your lies and I'll be damned before you benefit from Gia's pain!"

Lucky puts a hand out toward Nikolas planting it in the middle of Nik's chest and then starts stepping forward to back Nikolas off. Lucky keeps his voice low. He can tell Nikolas is furious but damn... irrational. "Now I know that you're upset about Gia but there is no reason to take it out on Elizabeth. You overreacted in the club. If you just go and talk to Gia, I'm sure the two of you can work it out."

Nik holds up his hands the palms have red indents where he'd had them fisted by his side. "I change my mind. Go. Elizabeth, go to Italy. Just remember this... everything I know my father knows, Carly knows too. Go to Italy. Take your reward for the pain you've caused."

"What are you saying, man?! What does Stavros have to do with this?" Lucky protests.

"Look at her. Look at the guilt in her face! She knows exactly what I'm talking about. Are you going to tell him or am I?"

"Nikolas, please." Liz entreats.

"Please what? Please myself? Isn't it about time that I did just that? Rather than trying to please you, my brother, my mother? When do I get to please myself? When do I get to be happy? When is it my turn? You want this trip to Italy so bad then go! But be careful for what you wish for!" Nikolas stalks out of the room and down the stairs ignoring Lucky's calls for him to come back.