A few days later, I was out at Wyndemere, finishing up going over some reports o the Cassadine holdings and waiting for a delivery. Very soon, I heard the sound of my delivery approaching down the hallway. Fighting back a smile, I swiveled my chair around so that I was facing away from the door. This should be entertaining. And I was right.

I could hear Luke hurling curses and various other very colorful, descriptive and incredibly imaginative imprecations down on his "escorts'" heads as they approached. Then I heard the doors opening and Luke stumbling through them, no doubt due to "helping hands".

"Hells, if you've decided to wreak havoc here in Port Chuckles, you could have sent a nasty-gram, not have me trussed up and delivered like thanksgiving a turkey..." His voice stopped in mid-rant as I twisted my chair back around to face him and he realized that it was me, not his nemesis behind the desk.

I've got to hand it to Luke. It takes a lot to faze him, and my presence registered little more than a blink or two. "Natasha!" he said, suddenly all a-grin. "Well, darlin', what is it I can do for you?" He crossed the room and headed to the bar, pouring himself a healthy glass of 100-year old scotch." He took a sip and then smacked his lips appreciatively. "Good stuff."

"Only the best for you, Luke." I told him. "I had it brought up from the cellars - especially for you."

"If I weren't intrigued before, I certainly am now." Luke said. He pulled up a chair to face me. "What's cooking?"

"I'm thinking of a little game of cat and mouse. You game?"

"Looking at you…I'm guessing you're the cat."

I stretched kitten-like in the chair, almost wanting to purr. So astute. Luke was definitely the man I needed.

"So who's the mouse?"

I smiled.

After we had discussed our preliminary arrangements, Luke left, happily carrying a hefty retainer to forestall any inconvenience he might have endured on my account. It was the least I could do.

After he had gone, I busied myself in Cassadine affairs, and as usual, the time sped by; only the sounds of activity beyond the office doors pulled me away from the work. I glanced at the clock on my desk and found that to my surprise, hours had gone by and it was close to midnight.

I stood and stretched, just as a knock came at the door. "Come..." I answered.

"Nikolas!" I said as my darkly handsome nephew stepped into the room. Both Alexis and I love this young man so much and have been so proud to see him grow into the man he has become. My smile was genuine as we moved easily into a warm embrace.

I stepped back, but affectionately kept my hands on his shoulders. I'd missed Nikolas; he'd been in Europe since last week; supposedly taking care of business, but I knew more than he'd let on. Unfortunately, his love life had been no better than mine lately. And after a few minutes of idle chit chat, where we caught up on Cassadine interests, I called him on it.

"When are you going to admit to the real reason that you ran off to Europe?"

Nikolas knew where I was going and tried to change the subject, but I wasn't having it. A spark had gone out of Nikolas since he and Emily had gone their separate ways. I wanted the prince back - and said so. "We've spent too much time and energy trying to fit in, somehow."

Nikolas didn't deny it. "I wanted a normal life."

"Normal for whom?" I countered. Alexis had wanted the same thing - one more reason why she had settled for Ric and the very safe, very mundane, very "normal" life he seemed to offer.

And if that was normal, I wanted no part of it. I was sick of it. And so was Alexis, even if she wouldn't admit it. And I was not going to have Nikolas follow her sorry example. "Not that I want to be like the rest of the insane clown posse that we laughingly refer to as family. But Nikolas, we are who we are. You are the Cassadine Prince, heir to an empire and descended from royalty."

"And you?" He'd been more than a little amused at my description of the Cassadine clan.

"I think I'm still trying to find my way. And like you, I tried living 'normal.'" I said slowly, the thoughts coming to me slowly. After all, it was Alexis' feelings I was explaining, not my own. "Face it, normal isn't us. BE you - Nikolas - take the time to find out exactly what that means - for you. Find out what makes you happy - and then reach out your hand and take it. Don't settle for what others think you should want, or what others think you should have."

Nikolas smiled again but his expression showed that he was taking in what I was saying. But wise Prince that he was, he adroitly turned the tables on me. "Does that apply to all the Cassadines in the room?" he asked. "There's enough reprimanding in that area to go around. You've been doing the same." He pointed out. Nikolas pointed at me "Physician, heal thyself."

"I intend to. Starting with the Bacchanalia Ball."

Nikolas went pensive, and I saw a glimpse of the old soul that he has possessed ever since he had recognized just what being the Cassadine Prince had meant. "I used to imagine Emily on my arm, the new mistress of Wyndemere at my side for the first ball that I would give."

"And that can still happen." I said gently. He wanted that; his longing was written all over his face. "Do it. Have the ball. Ask Emily to help. She's a Quartermaine, she understands the responsibilities of throwing a huge undertaking like the Ball.."

"And if I make it a charity event, tied to the hospital, and present it to the board as such…" Nikolas said, thinking out loud.

"And what with the ties her family has to General Hospital, it would be the most natural thing in the world to recruit her for help."

I could see I put a thought into his head. But he still wasn't one hundred percent convinced.

He sighed aloud. "I don't see that happening. She divorced me, remember? And she was with…" his voice trailed off; knowing that I was the mother of Sonny's child, he didn't want to hurt me with the memory that he had moved on to another relationship without a single glance back. "She's moved on. Why would she ever want to come back?"

"I never thought that that misalliance was ever going to be a permanent one. She was hurt, and he was lonely." I told him. I didn't want to go into details, but I had to give him hope. "By the night of the Ball, well, let's just say that things will change."

"Aunt, you say that as though you know something."

I smiled… and all of a sudden there was something very much like a glint of hope in his eyes.

I think the same could be said of mine