by Sherry
Stefan Cassadine was uncharacteristically yelling into the telephone as Nikolas and Lucky appeared at his study door. Stefan motioned for them to enter, then lowered his voice, trying to calm the growing sense of fear that threatened to overwhelm him.
"I don't care what it takes, how much money, how many men. Just take as many planes, boats, and whatever else you need to search for her. Use whatever means necessary. Helena's yacht left yesterday. Search the coast, the Atlantic, and anywhere else you may think she's gone. Yes," he replied impatiently, "I know it's like searching for a needle in a haystack. Helena will probably be going back to the island. There's also an island off the coast of Argentina we own. Search there too." He listened for a moment and then responded. "I'll be waiting for updates. Check in with me hourly and immediately if you learn any information. " He put the phone down and ran his hand through his hair in frustration.
"Father, have you found out anything yet?" Nikolas questioned, a worried frown darkened his face.
"Nothing. All I know is your mother disappeared shortly before Helena left town. If only I had known earlier, I may have been able to have caught them before they had such a head start," Stefan chastised himself.
"If Dad were here, he would know what to do," Lucky commented.
Stefan glanced at Lucky. "If I knew where Luke was, I would certainly ask for his help, but I have no idea where he is. He's been chasing Cesar Faison ever since he found out the man kidnaped you."
"You would?" Lucky asked in surprise.
"Most certainly. With your mother missing, now is not the time to let past animosities stand in the way of rescuing Laura."
Lucky looked at Stefan with a new respect. It was finally dawning on him that his father had been wrong about Stefan that he wasn't as bad as Luke made out. And it was obvious that Stefan loved his mother. Even Lulu seemed to like him and she didn't take to just anyone.
"Is your sister asleep?" Stefan asked.
"Yes, but she kept asking for Laura," Nikolas replied.
Stefan closed his eyes in pain. This was all his fault, he should have insisted they move to Wyndemere when his mother threatened him. But Laura had been adamant about staying at her home until they were married. He sighed. The wedding was only a week away. When Helena came to see him a month ago and laughingly told him he would never be happy with his Lasha, he should have killed her on the spot. But as usual his emotions got in the way, after all she was still his mother. He had posted guards around Laura and her family. She hadn't liked it, but had accepted it as a necessity. The guards were now dead. The Port Charles police had found them garroted. They had been dispatched quietly and efficiently. Stefan knew immediately it was his mother's handiwork. His gaze took in the two boy's exhaustion.
"I want both of you to go upstairs and get some rest." As they started to protest, he raised his hand and they were silenced. "No arguments. You are both in need of sleep and I'll need you to take care of things here, as soon as I get information where Helena has gone."
"I'm not going to stay here when Mom is found. I'm going with you," Lucky protested.
"No, Lucky. I need both of you to take care of Lesley Lu. If we all leave, she will be frightened. And I don't want the added burden of worrying about something happening to either of you. I need to concentrate on getting your mother back, safe and sound."
Lucky grimaced, but conceded. "Okay." He turned to Nikolas. "Let's go find a dungeon to sleep in. Do you have real beds or will I have to sleep on a bed of nails?"
Nikolas shot back with a grin, "You have your choice of the nails or the rack." He turned a serious face to Stefan. "You will let us know if anything happens?"
"The minute I find out anything, I'll come up and tell both of you," Stefan promised.
The boys nodded. "Come on Lucky. I'll let you choose which dungeon to sleep in," Nikolas commented with a smile, as they walked toward the door.
Stefan was gratified that the brothers were so close now. At least they had each other to rely on in this time of crisis. He waited until they were gone and then poured himself a vodka. He sat down heavily in his chair and took a deep drink. He should have known his mother would strike. He was a fool to have thought he could protect Laura anywhere else but Wyndemere. If Helena harmed one hair on her head.... He scowled. She would find out what kind of Cassadine he really was.
A couple of hours later Stefan went to check on the children. Both boys were asleep, but restless. When he opened the door to Lesley Lu's room, he saw she was awake.
"Mommy?" she called out. "Where's my mommy?" she asked when she saw Stefan.
"Mommy will be back soon," Stefan soothed.
Lulu crawled to the side of the bed. "Hold me," she demanded.
Stefan gathered her up in his arms. She smiled at him sleepily and put her hand out to touch his goatee.
"Sticky," she giggled.
Stefan held her until she fell back asleep, looking at her in wonder. He had never thought he could love another child as much as he had loved Nikolas, but this little girl had stolen his heart. All she had to do was look at him with Laura's eyes and he was lost. He brushed the hair off her face and gently kissed her as he put her back to bed. Stefan sat for a long time watching her sleep, her innocent face reminding him of what was missing in his life, Laura. He sighed. He had to find Laura and bring her back unharmed, not only for himself, but for the three children who were counting on him to find their mother.
*******
Five long days went by before they had any news. The yacht had been sighted in the Aegean, nearing Athens. Stefan left immediately. Helena had no idea the rage that burned inside her son's heart. For if anything he was his mother's son, but had learned to control that darker part of himself. Now it threatened to unleash itself into full fury.
Helena had enjoyed the long voyage across the Atlantic with her prisoner. It had given her ample opportunity to torture and tease Laura with all the ways she was going to extract her revenge. She had been enraged by Laura's self-confidence and Laura's knowledge Stefan would come and save her. That she hadn't been able to shake Laura, made her plot all the more insidious. When they arrived on the island, she had Laura locked in her room, then sat back to await the arrival of her son. She didn't have to wait long.
Stefan strolled into the room, his face a mask of controlled fury. Helena motioned for the two guards that had accompanied him into the room to stand by his side.
"What have you done with Laura?" Stefan growled.
"What, no kiss for your Mother?" Helena mocked.
"I'm not going to play games with you mother. Tell me where she is, or I'll tear this house apart."
Helena looked at him in amusement. "I don't think so. This house is full of my men, inside and out."
Stefan smirked. "Did you think I came unprepared? The house is surrounded. You will never get away."
"You have always underestimated me, Stefan. What I do, I always get away with. Did you know I was partners with Cesar Faison?" At Stefan's startled look, she laughed. "It was all my idea. I told Laura, a son for a son. And it would have worked if Cesar hadn't gotten careless. But...." she shrugged. "Ah, here we all are," she beamed evilly as Laura was brought into the room.
"Stefan, I knew you would come," Laura said, her eyes shining with love for him.
"Did you ever doubt it?"
"Never," Laura stated firmly.
"How touching," Helena mocked. "Stefan and his little tramp. Don't you know how common she is? She's not worthy of a Cassadine," she spat viciously.
"Let her go, Mother," Stefan warned. "There will not be a place on earth you can hide from me if you harm her."
Helena stared at him. The pent up rage she had felt all through the years bubbled forth. "This little whore took both my sons from me, first Stavros, now you. I've waited for years to see a sign from you that you are worthy to be called a Cassadine, but all I've seen is you mooning over a little peasant. She's not even worthy of licking your shoes." Helena walked over to the table and picked up a knife. "If killing her brings out the Cassadine in you, then I will have accomplished something."
Stefan's voice took on a deadly tone, "I'm warning you, Mother. If anything happens to Laura, nothing you have ever done will be like my revenge on you."
Helena stepped up to her son and ran her fingers gently down his cheek. "Yes," she whispered. "Let the rage come. Let the darkness overtake your soul. Let the Cassadine come in and then I'll know you're my son." She looked deep into his eyes and what she saw there satisfied her. "All these years I've waited for you to become my son. To show me what you were made of. I loved Stavros, but you were always different. You fought me, fought my will. He was easy to control until she came alone, then she ruined everything. But I still had you. And then she spoiled that too. Once she is gone, you will be mine. Together we will be invincible."
Stefan laughed and looked at her with such cold malevolence she shivered. "You will be dead Mother," he whispered harshly. "Or perhaps a more fitting punishment would be a more deadly form of the drug I gave you. Only this time, I will have you watched around the clock where there is no chance of anyone giving you an antidote."
"Oh darling, to know you really care," Helena laughed. Then she shocked Stefan to the core. "I never told you this because it didn't suit my purpose, but now I think it's time." She turned and grinned. "You are the prince and heir, not Stavros. I was pregnant when I married your father and I passed Stavros off as Mikkos' son. He never knew. Now," she whispered to him, her eyes glittering with madness, "We can claim the world. I always knew you were like me. I knew you were the strong one. You were just too stubborn to see it. When I kill Laura, the darkness will enter your soul and you will be mine completely." She turned and walked toward Laura. Laura started struggling with her guards.
"No Mother! Leave her alone and I'll stay here with you," Stefan promised.
Before Helena could answer, a voice came from the door. "Mudder," the voice slurred. The man shuffled forward slowly, his right leg was almost useless. The whole right side of his face was sunk in and his mouth and eye drooped downward. "Mudder," Stavros repeated.
"Stavros!" Stefan gasped in dismay.
Stavros gazed at him with a frown and slowly dragged himself in front of his brother. Stavros stared at him in confusion, then put out his hand to touch Stefan's face, then his own ruined one. "Steppen?" he asked.
Stefan smiled sadly. "Yes, I'm your brother, Stefan."
Stavros grinned in delight. "Brodder," he laughed.
"Stavros, it's time to go to your room," Helena urged impatiently.
"What did you do to him?" Stefan asked angrily.
Helena shrugged. "The drug was in the experimental stages when I gave it to him. It revived him, but he had a massive stroke. And the half-wits who moved him damaged his spine. This was what I was left with. But he doesn't matter. You're the prince, not him."
Stavros ignored them, suddenly seeing Laura. "Laasshaa," he whispered. He was before Laura with tears in his eyes. "Beuful," he murmured, as he touched her hair reverently.
Laura felt tears well up in her eyes over Stavros' condition. He was a far cry from the cruel man she had know and she couldn't help but feel sorry for him.
"Stavros!" Helena screamed, as she jerked him away from Laura. "Stay away from that tramp. She's the reason you're like this. But don't worry, Mommy is going to take care of her," Helena promised viciously, as she bandied the knife in her hand.
Laura screamed as Helena came at her, Stefan yelled for Stavros to stop her, as he fought off his guards. Stavros put his arm out and swung Helena around, her momentum drove the knife into Stavros' chest. Helena gasped in horror. Stavros looked down at the knife buried in his body, blood trickled out of the corner of his mouth.
"Bad Mommy," he whispered in pain. "Hurt baby, hurt Laasshaa." With some effort, he pulled the knife out and for a second looked at it in bewilderment. His arm flexed and he stabbed Helena in the heart. Helena collapsed to the floor. Stavros swayed for a moment then joined her. Helena sucked a last breath and tried to speak. Her words died on her lips as her eyes glazed over in death.
Stefan rushed to Laura as the guards fled, sweeping her up in his arms. "I thought I had lost you," he murmured against her hair. "If it hadn't been for Stavros, I probably would have." He turned and looked at his brother sadly, tears welling up in his eyes. "Poor Stavros, he could have been different if it hadn't been for Mother."
"In the end, I think he had changed. His eyes were different," Laura soothed gently.
After the authorities had taken their statements and took away the bodies, Stefan and Laura found themselves in the room where Nikolas was conceived.
"Do you remember this room, that night?" Laura asked, with a faraway look in her eyes.
Stefan smiled. "Of course, I do. You had what seemed to be hundreds of candles lit and you waited for me dressed in white. I felt as if it were our wedding night," he whispered passionately.
Laura smiled at the memory. "Today is our wedding day. We would have been married today."
Stefan looked at his watch. "We still can. We are about nine hours ahead of Port Charles. If we get on the jet now, we just might make it."
Laura shook her head. "No. I think I'm ready for things in reverse. Let's have the wedding night first and get married later," she whispered as her eyes darkened with passion for him. Laura pressed her body to his and lapped at his neck.
Stefan groaned and pulled her tightly into his arms, kissing the very breath out of her.
"Wait," Laura commanded breathlessly when he finally let her come up for air. She took Stefan's hand in hers and pulled him over to a candle. "Let's light this candle together as a promise. The flame will be the symbol of our love, passion, and commitment to each other. No one will ever be able to put out its light," she whispered lovingly to him.
They lit the candle together, vowing their love for the other. The candle's flame glowed brightly as they made love to seal their promise of a lifetime of love and happiness together.
THE END
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