Author's Note: Here is my first and ONLY NON-Jarly story to date... Hope you like this Naudia (...or Clik as I call them since I've always called Ric w/ Claudia Raudi... Sounds like ROWDY, get it... I'm so weird... lol) story... It was a response to a UCGH challenge called Discovery...

Stop the Bleeding

June 28, 2011 12:01am EST(New York) / 7:01am CEST(Zurich)

"Hello," he says tiredly into the phone as he tries to gain some level of alertness.

"Hey, Nikky," a raspy voice responds silkily over the line. It can't be! "What? No Hi. How are you? Don't tell me you don't recognize my voice."

"How?" Nikolas rasps suddenly fully alert if in shock.

"I'll explain everything," she promises. "How soon can you get out of PC plausibly? Can you come up with a business excuse to meet me in Zurich by the 1st? I've secured our lines but we only have a few more minutes and then I won't be able to contact you again until you're in the air. But I promise if you can just get to Zurich, I'll explain everything. I swear."

He frowned suspiciously. "Why should I? My kids, Spencer and Aiden, are here. What possible reason would be good enough for me to leave them."

"Bring Spencer if you have to, but Aiden's too young. He'll be safer there anyway. Just-do you remember that conversation we had where we talked about our crazy families?" she answers. "Yeah, well, I didn't understand how truly diabolical your grandmother could be. Or how right we were about how... close they were."

"Helena?" Nikolas gasps in shock. "What does she have to do with this?"

"I promise I'll explain as soon as I see you in Zurich," she says urgently. "Look, our time is up and I need to go, but... I've really missed you. And I want to help you before it's too late, but if you're not here by 2pm on the 1st, you'll never hear from me again because you'll be too late. Keep Spencer close and keep your eyes open."

"How will I reach you to give you my itinerary? If I decide to trust you and come, that is," he hedges.

"You file the flight plan and I'll know within 15 minutes and be waiting for you when you arrive," she answers. "45 seconds."

"I've missed you, too, Claudia," he whispered as the line went dead.

June 30, 2011 9:59pm EST/ July 1, 2011 4:59 CEST

"Hey, Nikky," her voices whispers seductively. "How are you? Really?"

"Did you know?" Nikolas growls. "Did you know the truth when you called two days ago?"

She sighs heavily. "I suspected. I found the DNA tests so I knew that it was a possibility, but I couldn't be sure it wasn't just Helena playing games."

"You have become acquainted with my maniacal grandmother," he quips stoically.

"Far more intimately than I had ever dreamed," she answers coldly, "But she has made herself a powerful enemy and I plan to show her the error of her ways first by helping you and then, once I have your gratitude, you can help me get vengeance. For all of the people she's hurt."

"What did she do? How much time do we have? Can you tell me what's going on?" he questions urgently.

"We have some time since you're in flight and that makes the call virtually untraceable, especially once I added a little assistance. I can tell you some of it, but some of it you'll have to see to believe," Claudia hedges. "One question first: How long are you able to get away for?"

"As far as they know, I'm never coming back," he answered. "Tell me."

"That's good," she acknowledges. "Ok. Let me start by saying the woman who died was obviously not me."

"Obviously, but who was she?"

"I'm not sure you're gonna like this," she begins hesitantly. Her hesitancy made him very nervous. "And please know that your grandmother is a very sick freak."

"Duly noted."

"Courtney Matthews."

"That's-that's not possible," he hissed. "She-"

"She was surgically enhanced and brainwashed to believe she was me and in love with that pig, Sonny Corinthos."

"That was his half-sister!" Nik snapped. "Spencer's mother!"

"Yep. Didn't you hear me note the part about her being a very sick freak?" she adds sarcastically. "She brainwashed the poor girl and between that and sleeping with and getting pregnant by her brother Helena screwed her up so badly that in the end, she completely lost it. Your grandmother thought that your son's mother was unworthy of you and deserved to be put in her place. Turns out she and a certain Zacchara patriarch are close personal friends. Which figures, right? Sociopaths obsessed w/ power and male heirs of a feather and all that."

"Anthony?" he gasped softly, sufficiently shocked.

"Daddy Dearest, himself," she acknowledged. "She grabbed me for him to stop me from creating an alliance w/ Jason Morgan thru marriage, although she was already 'put out' with me over you."

"Me?" he sputtered in complete confusion.

"You can blame that on your loud mouth brat of a little sister!" she hissed. "You'll remember she was accusing me of screwing you all over town at the top of her lungs. So what would have been a straight up snatch and assassinate turned into me locked in your family's mausoleum in Russia with daily updates on you & Johnny."

"I'm so sorry, Claudia," Nik sighed resigned.

"No need for apologies, Nikky," she assured him coldly. "I'm like a cat. I always land on my feet. Anyway, I'm out. And I live by 'Don't Get Mad, Get Even'. And after the gift I got my hands on for you, I have no doubt you'll jump at the chance to get Helena with me."

"When will I see you?" Nik asks now more determined than ever to to see her. "I'll help you get justice for what she did to Courtney alone."

"See you shortly after you land, Nikky," Claudia smirks. "We'll need to hide Spencer right away for his safety, but I've been getting help for a while now and I know ALL of the Cassadine assets including those in hiding for Helena's use. Get some rest and we'll see you in a few hours."

WE? he thinks as the line dies in his ear.

July 1, 2011 4:45am EST/ 11:45am CEST

"Mr. Cassadine," her voice whispers from beside him suddenly. "If you'll come with me."

"Claudia, it's really you," he breathes.

"In the flesh, your present is waiting in the limo," Claudia quips. "But I'm warning you to have a care because she doesn't remember you."

His eyes widen as he hurried to follow her. Could it really be? She opens the door and slides in after Spencer. As I close the door, two shadowed figures move forward in the limo. "Alan! Emily!" he gasps.

"Surprise!" Claudia chuckles derisively.

~THE END~

…maybe…