(This scene picks up where the previous left off)

{At Wyndemere}

Stefan:  “You've come home. I’m glad.”

Nikolas:  “Were you afraid your experiment had been for nothing?”

Stefan: " ‘Experiment’?”

Nikolas:  “Yeah. I don't mean to be glib, but I do feel a little like a lab rat raised in the dark, being fed nothing but air. I see you sent for reinforcements.”

Laura:  “Stefan was frantic, Nikolas. We both were.”

Nikolas:  {With tears in his eyes} “I’m sorry if I alarmed you. But where would I go, huh? I don't know much of anything useful. Don't know much but how to be the son of Stavros Cassadine.”

Laura:  “Oh, Nikolas. I'm so sorry. I'm the one that you should really be angry with. We had planned to tell you together because we really believed that we could help you to understand what happened. But then my mother took a fall back at home, and I had to leave town suddenly. So –“

Nikolas:  “She all right?”

Laura:  “Yes. Are you?”

Nikolas:  “Well, I have a lot of decisions to make, obviously, and questions to ask, which will make it easier since you're here.”

Laura:  “Please, ask me anything.”

Nikolas:  {Looking at Stefan} “You mind?”

Stefan:  “No.”

Nikolas:  “You say that you were going to tell me together. But I think that was something that you wanted to do out of kindness, out of loyalty, because this isn't your doing, is it? He lied to you, too, didn't he?”

Nikolas:  “When I thought back, I realized something -- the way you spoke of my father before you went away and after you came back wasn't the same. You spoke of him the way everyone did -- the way his servants did, his pilot, Alexis. It was as if you were -- you were trying to be careful, like you were trying not to offend me. When you came back, something changed. I would ask you about my father, and it seemed as if you were describing someone else. It's because you were. You learned something that you didn't know years ago. When you left me with him, you thought that I was the son of your husband.”

Laura:  {Sighing} “First of all, Stavros was not my husband.”

Nikolas:  “Semantics.”

Laura:  “No. No, no. I realize that the Cassadines may not recognize a marriage outside of the Russian Church, but I was married and my husband was still alive. Nikolas, it's important to me that you understand that I never cared about some archaic ideas about what makes a child legitimate. To me, you were mine, and what mattered to me was your life, not your birth certificate.”

Stefan:  “That may not quite answer your question. You're right -- the lie was mine.”

Laura:  “Well, no. That's not entirely true, either. Yes, when I found out that I was pregnant, I knew that there was a strong possibility that Stefan was the father. And you know what? I prayed that he was. And in my heart, I believed that he was. But I couldn't say it then or now, to you or to anyone. Do you know why?”

Nikolas:  “Because of Luke.”

Laura:  “Partly.”

Nikolas:  “And because you thought you were protecting me.”

Laura:  “Yes. That's true. But do you know from what?”

Nikolas:  “The truth.”

Laura:  “No. No. It -- it really was never like that. There was never a moment when the two of us looked at each other and said, ‘no one must ever know.’ Back then, on the island in those days, there was no doubt in my mind that if the family ever found out that we were lovers that I would be killed. And if you were lucky enough to be born, you would be killed, too.”

Nikolas:  “So, if the risks were so high, then why did you do it?”

Stefan:  “Your mother was starved for kindness, I for affection. We –“

Laura:  “No. We were in love. Nikolas, we were in love. And I am so glad to finally be able to say that to you because without Stefan, I probably would have gone mad. I probably would have thrown myself into the sea. God knows what I would have done. When I found out that I was pregnant, Stefan was the first person I told. And I didn't know how he was going to react. I didn't know if he would suggest that we run away or if he would insist on defying Stavros and Helena and telling them everything, although that would have resulted in the end of all of our lives for sure. You see, none of these things were ever spoken about at that time, strange as that may seem. But when I told Stefan that I was pregnant, I saw all of it flash across his face, and all he said to me was, ‘you and your child will have my every loyalty.’ Those were his exact words. Nikolas, do you know what he did? Listen to me. Do you realize what that meant? Your father loved you and me enough to let go of any claim to us, of any hope of ever having us as his own family to ensure our safety.”

Nikolas:  “After Stavros died, nothing changed.”

Laura:  “There was still Helena, and she was devoted to Stavros' memory.”

Stefan:  “And still is. Now, you may believe that I kept the secret to procure my brother's power for you or for myself. I won't deny that in time I came to want you to have it. But you must believe me -- keeping you safe from harm was always my first thought.”

Nikolas:  “All right. When did you know? Hmm? For certain, I mean. Come on, I know you. You would have wanted proof, one way or the other -- a blood type match, a paternity test.”

Stefan:  “I was given the results the day my brother died.”

Nikolas:  “The day you made me keep in remembrance of him.”

Stefan:  “Yes.”

Nikolas:  “You despised him.”

Stefan:  “He was my brother.”

Nikolas:  “He had everything! Even your only child.”

Stefan: “I loved you because you were Nikolas, not because you were mine.”

Nikolas:  “What would you have done if I was never born?”

Stefan:  “I have no idea.”

Nikolas:  “Oh, I think you do. You would have led the sort of life that Alexis has. Yeah. Yeah, you would have pursued your own studies, turned your back on your family, made your own way, your own name.”

Stefan:  “I would have been the poorer for it.”

Nikolas:  {Raising his voice} “All these years pretending that I didn't have a father and you didn't have a son -- was that fulfilling to you? Did you like that?”

Stefan:  “Nothing else I could have done could ever mean as much! All that is good in me comes from you.” {Laura begins to cry}

Nikolas:  “How -- how can that be? You're the parent, not the other way around. All that is good in me comes from you.”

Stefan:  {In tears} “Forgive me.”

Nikolas:  “Forgive you for what? Huh? For my life? {Tears stream down his face} I hated that you hid the truth from me. But I understand your reasons. I mean, I’m not even -- I’m not even saying that it was wrong. I just wish that I would have known. I wish that I would have known that the man I loved more than anything in the whole world and the man that I missed the most in the whole world was the same man. You understand me? You're my father. And you were always there, and you never said anything. {He breaks down} Why did you do that?” {Stefan reaches out to him, pulling him into his arms. Laura backs away, watching them, crying}

Stefan:  “Oh.”

Nikolas:  “Why did you do that?”

Stefan:  “Oh.”

Nikolas:  “Why did you do that?”

Stefan:  “Oh. My son. My son.” {Laura watches them for a moment longer, and then picks up her things and leaves the two together}
 
 
 

Nikolas:  {Hanging up the phone}  “Another night, she says. She just got home and said that Lesley Lu likes to eat early.”

Stefan:  “Well, I’ll tell Mrs. Lansbury just the two of us for dinner, then.”

Nikolas:  “All right. She also said to apologize if she seemed to abandon you. She just thought that you and I needed to say a few things to each other.”

Stefan:  “Well, in a way, nothing has changed. You've always known, I hope, how I feel about you.”

Nikolas:  “I have.”

Stefan:  “Your mother is right. There are things that need to be addressed at once. The damage must be contained.”

Nikolas: " ‘Damage’? What damage?”

Stefan:  “What you have learned about your parentage must go no further than this room, Nikolas.”

Nikolas:  “How is that even possible?”

Stefan:  “First, we must stop whoever told you from telling anyone else.”

Nikolas:  “Who's going to stop me? I already told Lucky.”

Stefan:  “Oh, that could be disastrous.”

Nikolas:  “Well, but it wasn't.”

Stefan:  {He picks up the phone} “Well, perhaps Laura can control him.”

Nikolas:  {Stopping him} “Uncle, would you -- Father, he's not going to say anything, all right?”

Stefan:  “Did he swear it to you?”

Nikolas:  “It's -- it's out. There's no stopping it now.”

Stefan:  “Nikolas, you must take this seriously. Everything depends upon it -- your safety, your inheritance.”

Nikolas:  “But it's not my inheritance.”

Stefan:  “Of course it is. You don't know what you're saying.”

Nikolas:  “You're not listening to me. I don't want to be the prince, ok? I want to be your son.”

Nikolas:  “I don't want to lie about who I am. And I want the whole world to know it. I mean, I feel more like I found out that I’m royalty rather than the other way around. I don't want to keep this a secret. Ok? And the first thing that you have to do is teach me how to not call you ‘Uncle’ anymore.”

Stefan:  “I’m sorry. I can't let you.”

Nikolas:  “Well, you know me. I'm not going to be able to keep up the charade, even if I wanted to, which I don't.”

Stefan:  “Nikolas, you deserve the title and the power on merit alone.”

Nikolas:  “Even if I did, it doesn't belong to who deserves it. It belongs to the eldest son of the eldest son, and –“

Stefan:  “And as a family, for the first time in history, we stand without one. Every man, woman, and child with even a drop of Cassadine blood will try to claim some part of your fortune. There will be lawsuits filed in a dozen countries. It could take decades to sort out and nothing of honor or influence left to the Cassadine name.”

Nikolas:  “If that's the way it's got to be. We can't prevent that.”

Stefan:  “Nikolas, we will cease to exist.”

Nikolas:  “The Cassadines, maybe, but not you and I.”

Stefan:  “Still, you don't understand what you're giving up.”

Nikolas:  “No one understands better than me. Ok? I've lived it, and I’ve breathed it since the day I was born. You don't -- you don't think I’m a little scared, too? But you'll show me how.”

Stefan:  “I?”

Nikolas:  “Yeah. I've always been the prince in name, but you've been the power. And you've been planning to give it up since -- when I was of age, right?”

Stefan:  “Yes.”

Nikolas:  “Well, then, we'll give it up together. We'll take the journey together, like we always have.” {They hug}

Stefan:  “Will you at least give me a little bit of time before you tell anyone else, to make arrangements for your protection? And don't say that it's not necessary. It is.”

Nikolas:  “All right.”

Stefan:  “And one other thing –“

Nikolas:  “Yes. Yes, I will come home. And if you don't mind holding dinner, I’ll go to Lucky’s right now and grab my stuff.”

Stefan:  “He lied to me.”

Nikolas:  {Laughing a little} “Shocking.” {He leaves}