Chapter Eight
Dinner was served after Stefan had returned from his business meeting just long enough to join them but said he had to leave again afterward. Emily chose a simple blue dress this time, not eager for a repeat of the day before. Even Stefan seemed calmer with this second choice.
The cook had prepared a four course meal and though her manners weren't lacking, the Cassadines conveyed a certain superior air that still had Emily double checking that she was indeed using the right fork. The Quartermaines were old money, but the Cassadines seemed like really old money and if Helena was any indication, Emily wondered if their ancestors were even colder.
As Emily stabbed a potato with her fork, she looked around the table. Such a huge house for three people? Even if you counted the servants which as far as Emily saw amounted to a maid, Alfred the butler and Mrs Landry.
The thought was out of her mouth before she could stop it. "Mr. Cassadine, are you married?" Emily's face instantly heated with embarrassment for asking the personal question out loud, not helped by the fact that Stefan choked on his wine.
"I'm so sorry. I don't know what made me ask that. I was just… um…curious. Forgive me. I…never mind," Emily stammered.
"That's all right. No, I'm not married. Why do you ask?"
"It's just seems like a really big house for three people."
"Ah but in its day this house people and activity. We've just entered a quiet period now." Stefan's eyes took on a wistful, almost sad look for a moment before he straightened and looked directly at her. "Does that answer your question?"
"Well, almost but I'm not gonna ask anymore because I don't want to seem like the nosy American that I am." Emily shot a deliberate look at Nikolas. He laughed softly.
Helena remained silent in her place at the head of the table, exuding a quiet but steely authority. Emily felt the old woman's eyes on her and she tried not to fidget with nervousness.
"So I suppose tomorrow will be your last day with us," Stefan said.
Emily felt a heavy sadness settle in her chest. When she met Nikolas's gaze she saw the same sadness reflected there. The heaviness made it hard to breathe so Emily looked away.
"Yes. I want to thank you for letting me stay here. As soon as I speak with my family I'll ask my parents for an advance on my allowance to pay you back for the kindness you've all shown me."
"It's been a pleasure. There's no need," Stefan assured her.
"I'd say there is," Helena insisted sternly.
They were the first words she had uttered in over half an hour and to hear her voice gave Emily a little start.
"Really, Grandmother." Nikolas rolled his eyes.
Helena sent him a chilling look that stopped him cold and he looked down into his plate.
Emily reached down and touched the back of his hand with her own. He linked his fingers with hers under the table and gave her a small smile.
He took her for a walk by the water after dinner. She sat on the dock, her dress billowing around her as he sat beside her and she laid her head on his shoulder.
"It's a beautiful night, isn't it? The air feels amazing," Emily remarked closing her eyes. She inhaled the warm scent of him and smiled. "I wish we could just freeze time. Like I could just snap my fingers and time will only move forward when I want."
"You can't always get what you want," Nikolas said somberly.
"Well, thank you for that, Mick Jagger," Emily remarked dryly. At his blank look, she chuckled and shook her head.
"So your father's coming to get you tomorrow?"
"Probably. If he doesn't kill me first," Emily remarked only half joking. Her dad was going to be pissed off. No doubt. "You know, Nikolas, just because I'm going back home doesn't mean we still can't-"
He squeezed her shoulder. "No promises. Okay? Promises only get broken."
Emily looked at him curiously, wondering who had broken promises to him, and feeling angry on his behalf. She buried her face in his neck. "I don't wanna leave."
"I don't want you to leave," he admitted.
She pulled back suddenly. "Then come back with me to Port Charles!"
"What?"
"Yeah! Come with me. You can tell your uncle you want to move. You can go to school in Port Charles and we can be together all the time!"
He sighed and shook his head. "My grandmother, never mind my uncle won't even consider it. I have too many responsibilities here. My life is here."
"What responsibilities? You're sixteen."
He gave her a sad smile. "Yes, and I'm the future head of the Cassadine family. I can't shirk my duty…much as it feels like a burden at the moment," he said looking down at her intently.
Emily looked up at him, a whirlwind of emotions barrelling through her. She lifted her mouth and kissed him softly, he deepened the kiss, his mouth moving over hers, his tongue, as if trying to memorize the taste of each other for when they parted.
She looked into his dark eyes, finally able to give words to the emotions inside of her. "I love you."
He looked startled, then cupped her face with both of his hands. "Do you?"
"Yes," she said with a little giggle of exhilaration. "I really do. You don't have to say it back if you don't want to."
He kissed her again. "I don't have words for what I feel for you. It's a million times beyond anything I've ever felt."
"Those are some pretty awesome words," Emily countered, her eyes filling with tears.
"Don't cry. Please," he urged, as the tears spilled free down her cheeks.
"I can't help it."
"I want to remember you smiling."
"Don't make it sound so final!" Emily pleaded. "We'll be together again. I know it! God didn't bring us together to just let us end like this."
"God?" Nikolas asked, amused. "If I remember correctly, you stowed away on one of my boats."
"See? God meant for me wallet to get stolen so that you and I could meet," Emily said.
"That's rather morbid reasoning. Are you sure you're not a Cassadine?" Nikolas asked, laughing.
Emily lay in bed with the light on, trying to memorize every detail of the bedroom. Tears stained her pillow and sleep refused to come. She'd miss everything here. Even Helena.
Well. Maybe not Helena.
A popping noise from outside her room made her turn to the door. It repeated. What the…She wrapped her robe around herself and opened the door just as Stefan rushed past her and headed for the stairs, Nikolas close behind him.
Emily reached out and grabbed his arm to halt him. "What's going on?"
"Someone's breaking into the house. Stay in your room and lock the door," he insisted, pushing her back into the room.
"What?" I'm not staying here by myself!" she hissed, following him.
"Fine, but stay behind me," Nikolas ordered.
Stefan had already disappeared down the stairs. The popping noises stopped.
"The shooting's stopped."
"God, I was afraid those were gunshots."
Stefan stood at the bottom of the stairs, gun aimed at…
"Luke!" Emily cried out in surprise.
"What the- What in the sam-hell are you doing here?" Luke demanded.
"I could ask you the same thing! What's with the gun? Where's my dad?"
"You know this man?" Stefan asked.
"He's a friend of my father's. What's going on? Where's my dad?" Emily repeated.
Their guns remained pointed at each other. Emily stared from one man to the other, unable to miss the utter hatred between the two men.
Suddenly more shots rang out from the other directions and Nikolas pushed Emily down to the floor.
"Sonny, no! It's Emily!" Luke cried out.
"Daddy!" Emily screamed, rushing to her feet and running across room. Nikolas made to follow her but Luke grabbed him
"Not so fast, little boy," Luke insisted, pointing his gun at him.
Stefan fired at him Luke dodged the bullet and shoved Nikolas against his uncle and then bolted once he had the chance.
Emily ran down the hall, looking for her father, a mixture of relief and confusion inside of her. Her father was safe. Thank God! But was he doing on Cassadine Island and what was the deal between Luke and Stefan?
"Daddy!" she cried out again and heard his voice faintly from behind her, back the way she'd come. She doubled back and arrived in the middle of a scene that made her blood stop cold.
Sonny stood with his arms up while Nikolas had one of his uncle's old rifles pointed at her father.
"No!" Emily screamed in horror.
Nikolas whirled around, stunned at her outburst.
Sonny's gun lay close to her feet. Emily didn't think. She grabbed it quickly and aimed it at Nikolas.
The boy she loved.
