Title: Today I Do, Tomorrow I Will
Category: TV Shows ยป General Hospital
Author: Undesired Results
Language: English
Rating: Rated: T
Genre: Hurt/Comfort/Romance

Chapter 1: A Child Unlike Any Other

It is an eerie November night as Carolyn Webber stands by her daughter's crib with her heart in a vice at what's about to transpire in her vintage Victorian home. Like many girls before her, she had always dreamt of owning a castle, sitting upon a throne as the Queen of her realm. This home had been the closest she has ever gotten to that dream. Capturing that feeling almost perfectly. Had she known what that would cost her, Carolyn isn't certain she'd make that choice, praying that their family will not be condemned by this horrible moment.

"We can't go back on this now," Jeff, her husband, voices as he moves to stand beside her. "The choice has already been made."

"She's just a baby, Jeffery," she points out the blatantly obvious, tears frozen in her eyes. "How can we justify giving her to that woman?"

"We achieved all that we have on the promise of something near and dear to our hearts," Jeff reminds his wife. "What did you think she'd want in return for the millions she had granted us?"

"Not this," Carolyn replies vehemently, turning a glaring eye at her husband. "Not our child."

"It'll only be for five years," Jeff tries to use as consolation. "Once she does what she needs to do, she'll return our child to us, as stated in the agreement."

"And what's to stop her from keeping her indefinitely?" Carolyn counters in anger. "What is to stop her from never returning our daughter?"

"Nothing," Jeff sighs, knowing that she was probably right, but there was no turning back now. "We just have to trust that she'll keep to her word as we have. We just have to."

"She's just a baby," Carolyn mutters, dropping to her knees as the realization of just how dire this moment finally lands upon her shoulders. "Even if she were to return her, she wouldn't know us, she wouldn't be ours anymore. We don't even know what she intends to do with her during those five years...what if she comes back damaged or worse..."

"We can't think like that," Jeff states firmly as he drops to his knees next to her, watching as she gently takes their daughter's hand into hers. "We just need to have faith that it'll all work out. It's all we have left."

"She's our daughter..." she whispers, staring into his eyes pleadingly, begging for him to see reason. "I can't..."

"You don't have to," Jeff assures, reaching up a gentle hand to swipe at her tears. "I'll do it."

"Jeffery..."

"Go to our two children...hold them close...it'll be over soon," Jeff kisses his wife's forehead before gently picking their daughter up out of their crib. "We'll get her back. Trust in that."

Carolyn rose to her feet, her body physically shaking as she walked out of the nursery, trudging her way to the playroom where they left their two children. As she gingerly takes hold of the doorknob, Carolyn turns back to her husband as he cradles their daughter in his arms, a look of desperation on his face as he attempts a reassuring smile before disappearing down the steps. Tearing her gaze from the empty hall, Carolyn walks into the playroom, taking her children into her arms almost immediately, confusing the two of them beyond measure.

"It's okay, mommy," her son, Steven, voices as he holds his mother close, his eyes connecting with his sister's. "Don't cry."

"Will a kiss make it better?" Sara, his sister, asks him when their mother simply holds tight to them as she cries. "A kiss always makes me feel better."

"Yeah, a kiss," Steven agrees with a smile, believing that it would fix everything. "A kiss always makes it better."

Not knowing the situation that's become their reality, the two children kiss their mother's cheeks in hopes of making her feel better, in hopes of stopping the tears. As their lips touch her skin, however, Carolyn only proves to break down further. Her baby will never know the kind of love that her two other children grew up with. Five years is a very long time and, with that evil woman as a provider, there's no telling what kind of life her baby will have in that amount of time. There's no telling if she'll survive long enough to return.

"I take it you have come to a decision," Helena Cassadine, the epitome of true evil, voices when Jeff steps out onto the patio, baby in his arms. "A wise decision, I would hope."

"Five years," Jeff states, tears frozen in his eyes as he stares down at his baby girl. "Five years, Helena, and you will bring her back to me."

"That is what was stated in the contract, was it not?" Helena counters plainly, growing tired of being in this man's presence. "The child..."

"Five years, Helena," Jeff states, hesitantly handing over his daughter to the woman. "Not a day more."

"You bore me with this honorable father routine, Jefferey," Helena states, all but yanking the baby from his grip. "Return to your family, embrace what you have left. As discussed your last payment will be made in full by the end of the week and our business with each other will come to an end."

Falling hard upon his knees, Jeff watches as Helena climbs into a black sedan cradling his daughter in her arms, all sense of hope lost as the car takes off into the night. They had spent so much time and effort in trying to get out of their alliance with Helena. So many possible ways of getting rid of her presence in their lives. Each effort successfully thwarted by the she-devil. In her last act of control over them, she demanded the one thing of value they had left. Their newborn baby girl.

"At long last," Helena whispers, cradling the baby in her arms, a satisfied smirk upon her face. "For too long I've searched for the perfect child, the one that will fulfill all my wishes...the perfect daughter."

"Forgive me for asking, my Queen, but didn't you assure the family you'd return the child in five year's time?" Stefan, her youngest son, questions her.

"Simply incentive for them to hand over their progeny," Helena voices simply. "A lot can happen to a young innocent child in five long years. Of course, being a woman of honor, I will return a child to them. Not this child, of course, but a child, none the less."

"You say you've searched for this child," Stefan points out. "How do you know she's the one? What makes her so special?"

"A baby girl, skin white as porcelain, eyes bluer than the sea, hair darker than the night sky," Helena recites as she gently rocks the child, soothing it into a peaceful slumber. "She will be born to healers with a rare blood type that will prove useful in her journey. That is what was prophesized. That is what I have found. She is that child and she will carry out her fate, bringing this family into a new era."

Silence fills the vehicle while the group venture to the private airstrip where they'll be transported to their private island to carry out the matriarch's desires. For many years she has searched for this child, needing to believe that the prophecy could be fulfilled, that the fate she desires will become her reality. Stefan, however, had his doubts in his mother's plans. The description given could be centered on many children. The fact that his mother centered on this particular family, on this particular child, there had to be more at play than a simply generalized prophecy. There had to be.

"I have much to accomplish," Helena divulges once they are in the safety of their estate. "I will leave the child in your care. In one year's time, I will send her tutor and her training shall begin. Until that time, I urge you to care for this child as your own, ensure her survival. Do that and you will ensure the survival of this family. Understood?"

"Yes, my Queen," Stefan assures, gingerly taking the child into his arms. "I shall oblige your wishes."

"I do not doubt it," Helena says simply. "And your other charge, my grandson, how have his lessons been progressing?"

"Nikolas continues to progress as you had predicted," Stefan assures her. "He'll be ready when you need him."

"Very well," Helena accepts. "I shall take my leave now. Keep me updated with the child's development and document every aspect for me to study when I return."

"Yes, my Queen."

Kneeling upon one knee as his mother makes her exit, Stefan stares down into the icy blue eyes of the little baby girl in his arms, his heart tightening as he stares upon her beauty. He couldn't explain the feeling that ran through him as he stared into her eyes, a look of trust portrayed in those tiny orbs, a primal feeling overcoming him as he holds her close. An unexplainable desire to protect her.