Lulu put her hand above the rim of the enameled cup before her brother could pour another serving. "I know it's your politeness reflex, but if I drink any more tea I'm going to float away."

"Sorry," he said. "I'll have it cleared away…" He rose, seeming to vacillate between calling for a servant and taking care of it himself, and Lulu grabbed hold of his sleeve.

"Nikolas. Stop hovering." She tugged on his arm until he sank back onto the settee.

"Sorry."

"And stop apologizing. You're not imposing on me. Let's just talk. That's why you asked me over, right?" He nodded, but failed to push out words. "Does Mom know?" He wrung his hands, and when he caught himself doing it, tried to make it look like he was adjusting his watch. "You haven't called her? Nikolas."

"She's still at that spa retreat in Nice. I didn't want to ruin it for her."

"They have wifi in Nice, buddy. Even if they confiscated all her devices at the door, she's going to find out as soon as she gets on the train and starts scrolling through her MyFace. I mean, Grandma Leslie alone is going to fill up her inbox, and oh my god, does Grandma Leslie know?"

He grimaced. "She's on that river cruise with her garden club. She called me from the boat. She had a lot of… words for Helena."

"I bet."

"I told her I'd take care of telling Laura."

"So what are you going to do?"

"Go over there, I guess. I'll let her finish her vacation, and then at the end of the week I'll get her a private flight back to Paris and meet her there."

"Okay, now that sounds like a plan." He looked relieved that she approved, so Lulu attempted to reassure him further. "Mom's not as fragile as you think. She can handle this. She's handled a lot worse."

"I know."

"Just tell her exactly how you told me."

"She has a little more at stake in this than you do."

"Granted, but…" Lulu paused, and reached over to pick up the cloisonne teacup once again. She examined it, running her forefinger over the decorated surface. "I used to love these, you know." Nikolas looked confused by the change of subject. She gestured at the silver tray and the-she couldn't remember the word for it, the Russian teapot-and continued, "When I was little. We used to have tea parties, right here. Me and mom, and Stefan. He never said I couldn't touch anything."

Nikolas said softly, "I forgot…"

"I'm not saying I have the same kind of mixed feelings you or Mom might, considering everything that happened later. But I do understand, Nikolas. At least a little bit."

He protested weakly. "I don't- that's all in the past. I'm not thinking about any of that. It's not… it's irrelevant."

"Don't give me that line. Your feelings aren't irrelevant; you're a Cassadine, not a robot. Unless… the Cassadines aren't building robots now, are they?"

He laughed, and shook his head. "What is it with you and Alexis wanting to make this about my feelings?"

"Alexis is a smart woman. Besides," she pointed a finger at him, "if this wasn't having an effect on you emotionally, you would've just called Mom on the phone." She barrelled onward before he could object. "It's not about breaking it to her gently. You're afraid of what telling her will dredge up for you." His stubborn, defiant expression reminded her a little of Rocco, and she gentled her voice. "And that's okay."

She watched her brother's face, saw the gears clicking away inside him, and almost thought she had broken through, until he turned to her, self-composed, and asked, "Would you mind staying with Spencer while I'm in Paris?"

Lulu sighed. "Of course not."

"If Dante-"

"Dante's working a case this weekend, he won't mind if we stay here for a few days."

"I can have them make up the nursery for Rocco."

"We'll be fine, Nikolas."

"Thank you." He stood up and lifted the tea tray onto a cart for the servants to take care of later. "If you can't do it, I understand; his nannies can handle it, but I'd prefer it if he had family around...under the circumstances."

"Of course." She stayed where she was, ignoring his signal that the audience was over. "How is Spencer handling all this? How much have you told him?"

"He's confused. He doesn't understand why Helena would play a trick like this. I told him that in the end, probably, nothing would change. I tried to tell him that money and titles weren't as important as personal integrity…"

"How'd that go over?"

"About as well as you're imagining."

Lulu snorted. "I'll talk to him. He's a good kid, Nikolas. He'll get it."

"I just don't want him to start getting into fights at school over this. Wounded pride is not a good look on a Cassadine. We don't wear it well." He smiled ruefully. "I guess you know that better than anyone."

"Hey. You know I don't hold anything Stavros or Helena did against you." She continued before he could tell her that maybe she should. "Actually… I feel a little guilty. In a way."

"What? Why?"

He looked so confused he was almost offended, and it made Lulu want to laugh. "All this that's happening… it's because Helena felt like you disappointed her. And that's partly because you… chose sides. You chose me. You always have."

"I always will."

She got up and gave him a hug, solemn face and all. "I know, big brother."