Chapter 26

Hi everyone. I hadn't been to this site for a while (I've been working on my original story pretty diligently) and just popped in the other day to see if there was still interest in this FF. Holy Cow! Apparently so! Thank you all so much for all the wonderful reviews! Again, I make no promises, but I will update again! After seeing all the messages you left, I went back and watched a ton of Ethan and Kristina clips, man I miss them on GH! This chapter is for you guys, thanks so much for reading and reviewing, you're the only reason I'm updating!

Kristina crouched low as she maneuvered her way through one of Wyndemere's many secret tunnels. She tried valiantly not to think about all of the cobwebs and creepy-crawlies that were undoubtedly in the old passage with her. She most certainly refused to think about how many of them were now in her hair, and instead trudged valiantly along.

She had discovered this particular pathway with Molly years ago, during much happier and far simpler times. That thought almost made her laugh; she'd never imagined that she'd consider any part of her childhood a 'happier time'. She shivered and felt her teeth chatter which only intensified her headache; these old catacombs were damp, drafty, and unpleasant at the height of summer. This time of year, when the snow and cold always managed to weave a chill into your bones, the blasted place felt like a subzero tundra, and sent shivers zinging up and down her spine.

Finally closing in on her destination, she slowed her pace and took cautious steps the final few feet, careful not to make a sound. She was taking a big gamble coming here; yes it was a calculated risk…but a risk none-the-less. Silently she pressed her body up against the wall, again shuddering at the cold, praying that her family thought she was trying to leave the island. Hoping that they wouldn't realize she was so close, Kristina pressed her ear against the wall and closed her eyes in concentration.

While it might seem foolish, this was her only way of finding Aleksandr quickly, there were too many places in Wyndemere to stash a prisoner…or hide a body. Knowing her family, first one and then the other would happen in rapid succession if they were left to their own devices. She had no time to play games, and struggled to focus only on the muffled voices on the other side. She couldn't hear much at first, except for the chattering of her own teeth.

Taking a deep breath Kristina pressed herself harder against the wall, annoyed that no one had installed a decent peep hole or way to spy on the other room. It was very inconvenient. Finally, she began to make out a few of the words, gradually piecing more and more of what they were saying together.

"…stupid…"

"Not your fault…"

She winced; Michael was blaming himself for letting her get away. She regretted that what she'd done had hurt him, but it was necessary.

"Alfred…hinges…tools…-than."

"Stupendous!" Luke's exuberant shout startled her and Kristina leaned her head farther away for an instant, and did her best to glare daggers at him through the layers of concrete and wood separating them. Apparently he was very close to where she was standing. "Dodge is free! To the tunnels! Ow!" The sound of a glass exploding as it was hurled into the fireplace had her jumping a full foot back.

"I. Have. Had. Enough!" Tracy's bellow could be heard all the way in Port Charles, Kristina was sure. The sound of a scuffle sounded, followed by several expletives and Luke's cry of '– but lamb-chop!'

"Don't you 'but lamb-chop' me!" A thud across from where Kristina stood indicated that someone, probably Luke, had been shoved enthusiastically against the wall. "I refuse to go to prison for this idiocy!" Tracy's lungs were impressive! "Just let them go, they're both on the loose anyway…we don't have the element of surprise anymore because your youngest son is a buffoon like his father, and Michael is as gullible as a puppy headed for its first trip to the vet!"

Kristina grinned and spun away, not bothering to stay and listen to anymore. Thank God for Tracy and her big mouth; so they were both loose? Aleksandr would never know Wyndemere the way she did, but they'd had a contingency plan for just such an occasion. Though he was nearly three years her junior, Aleksandr was shrewd, skilled, and cautious. He'd make his way through the mansion to the portrait of her Uncle Stefan in the stairwell landing of the East Wing. She'd clearly outlined that escape route to him; he'd follow it knowing that she was in no real danger from her family. He could not say the same.

Helena stepped out from the alcove on the opposite side of where Kristina had been standing just minutes ago, face split into a Cheshire grin. It would all be over soon. She turned and made her way in the opposite direction the girl had taken. The poor foolish child; she had no idea that she'd not been alone in the dark. It would have been so easy to end it all then; a flick of the wrist and a flash of the blade. Easy, but not clean, not simple…no…today wasn't the day.

She'd survived all these years, outlived her beloved husband, his scheming brothers, their sons because she was both cunning and patient. She had only to be patient a while longer and what she'd set in motion would resolve everything to her satisfaction and could never be traced back to her.

Still…Helena paused and allowed her fingertips to reach up and brush against the bandage still covering her cheek…it was a shame that she'd not feel that little bitches blood trickle through her own fingers.

Aleksandr scowled at the elderly man who hobbled around Spoon Island like a wraith, hiding behind a wing-backed chair as the old man creaked about the room. Aleksandr had ducked in upon seeing Alexis dash by. Unfortunately for him, the Butler had entered the room barely a minute later. Dear God, could the old fellow go any slower? What was his name? Albert? Albus? He just puttered around, using his white gloved hands to check for dust around the larger pieces of furniture in the sitting room.

Finally the old man exited the room when the phone he carried began to ring; Aleksandr counted to thirty and then stood to make his way across the little sitting room. He had only taken two steps towards the door when it banged open and Molly Lancing strode in, her face buried in a book. She turned and closed the door behind her as she entered…but spotted him from the corner of her eye as she turned back around. She jolted in surprise and dropped the hardcover she'd been reading with a thump.

They both froze, and Aleksandr watched her take a frightened step back, his mind going a million miles per hour. He recognized her instantly from Kristina's photos and the stories she'd shared; of course Molly wouldn't know him from Adam. He watched her take another hesitant step back, eyes wide in fear…but he made no sudden or threatening motions that might cause her to raise the alarm.

"Molly? You must be! Hello, it is a pleasure to meet you Zvyozdochka. Your sister tells me much about you." He purposefully thickened his accent, forcing a pleasant and relaxed tone into his voice. Then Aleksandr smiled, infusing his countenance with as much charm as possible; if she screamed he was as good as dead. He refused to give Kristya the satisfaction of saying 'I told you so' and gloating if he were shot. The very idea was intolerable.

Molly hesitated, cocking her head to the side and letting a waterfall of russet hair cascade over her shoulder as she studied him for a moment longer before hesitantly returning his smile. "Aleksandr?"

"Of course!" He forced a laugh as he combed his fingers through his disheveled hair. "My apologies, this is very rude of me…da? Please allow me to introduce myself properly, I am Aleksandr Sokolov! It is a very great pleasure to meet you." he extended his right hand, still not moving an inch so as to make her feel comfortable. He would let her come to him.

The teen took a hesitant step towards him, her tentative grin blooming into a full blown smile. It took him aback for a moment...she looked very much like Kristina…and yet at the same time – not at all like her. What was more surprising was when she took another step towards him, her hand extended to shake his, and then tripped over the book she'd dropped when she'd entered the room.

Even as she stumbled Molly did her best to right herself, failed, squeezed her eyes shut, and waited for the embarrassing crash that would completely humiliate her in front of Kristina's very attractive boyfriend. She was surprised when a pair of strong hands clapped around her upper shoulders and biceps as she staggered into Aleksandr, who'd managed to close the distance between them and keep her from becoming a graceless heap on Nikolas' ugly antique rug.

"Oh sorry" she rushed out "and thanks…but mostly sorry." He was very – firm – she realized as he steadied her against his chest and she blushed in mortification, as she did her best to untangle her feet from each other. This was just ridiculous; once she managed to right herself she immediately stood up straight instead of slouching forward into his chest. That was a mistake.

She felt the top of her skull make contact with his jaw, and stumbled back clutching the top of her head as it rang in pain; the instant thrum of a headache resonated throughout her cranium and she gasped and all but fell into a large wing-backed chair. She was seeing stars, and was certain that poor Aleksandr was doing the same.

He was holding his chin with one hand, and had the other clapped over his right ear as if fighting off the pain of a headache all the while muttering viciously in Russian. While she didn't speak Russian, she was certain that he was using every swear word he'd ever heard.

"Oh God, Aleksandr, I am so sorry." Molly could hear the tears in her own voice, and felt the ache in her head thrum even more, if that was possible, with every word she spoke. "I am such a klutz, oh man, worst first impression ever. Do you hate me? I bet you hate me? My head hurts so much that I hate myself. I'd really like a redo on this whole 'meet the boyfriend' shebang if you don't mind. This can't be how we tell people we met. I'll never live it down."

As she finished her little ramble Molly glanced at him; he was staring at her as if she were speaking Greek. "I feel really awful and Kristina will never let me live it down if I've cracked your skull and we have to take you to the hospital. C'mon, say something. Please. You have to say something. If you don't I won't stop rambling. It will only get worse."

Finally he grinned, his head still in his hands. "Zvyozdochka it is not your fault. I will be fine. What about you? Have you fried your eggs?"

Molly felt her stomach drop. Fried her eggs? She had cracked his skull. Aleksandr noticed the askance look she gave him and then watched the concerned look on her face morph into slight panic. He knew that look; her sister had the same one. What had he said wrong now?

"Perhaps this is not the right phrase. Scrambled your eggs?" he prompted. There was a long moment of silence before both her eyebrows shot up into her hairline.

"Wait, are you trying to ask me if you scrambled my brain?" her tone was caught somewhere between amused and concerned.

"Scrambled your brain…yes, this sounds familiar." He parroted back. "I am sure that my head is much harder than yours Molly. Are you certain that you are all right?"

"Oh, no it's all good. Nothing a little Excedrin Migraine won't cure." She promised waving away his worry.

Aleksandr crouched down and retrieved the book that had caused their little collision. He examined it for a moment before standing and handing it over to her.

"Tolstoy's Anna Karenina…that is very impressive. Kristya has often mentioned your love of books." Molly ducked her head and tucked the book against her chest before quickly rising to her feet.

"Well, impressive or not, Tolstoy won't do anything for our headaches. I'll run down to the kitchen for a moment and be right back with a painkiller. Will you still be here or will you be in one of the other wings with Kristina?"

"I will be joining Kristya shortly. We will be on our way out soon. Please don't concern yourself with me. I can take something once I return to my hotel." He assured her. He needed her to go so that he could make his way to the landing across the hall.

"Are you sure? I can grab it and be back in a jiffy! Please! I feel really bad for 'frying your eggs'." She said with air quotes.

"If you insist Zvyozdochka I will wait here for you." He acquiesced. She grinned at him and nodded before she darted for the door. As she reached for the handle Molly paused, Anna Karenina still in her other hand, and then glanced at him over her shoulder. "What does that mean?" her curiosity was piqued.

"Zvyozdochka?"she nodded. He winked. "Little Star." She smiled again, a light blush staining her cheeks before she opened the door and disappeared.

Aleksandr paused, giving her time to get out of sight before he stepped to the door, cracked it, and looked around. He then walked out and edged his way around the room, and up the stairs to the portrait of Stefan Cassadine…all the while doing his best to avoid the poorly concealed cameras.

Sestrenka – little sister

Kristya - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Kristina

Sasha - Russian diminutive (kind of like a nickname) of Aleksandr

Bolshoy Brat - Big Brother

Anfisa – Flower

Matʹ - mother of

lyubov – love

Zvyozdochka – little star

Kazan, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - Kazan is the capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,105,000 (2002), it is the sixth largest city of Russia.

Kolyma, Russia – *Wikipedia definition* - The Kolyma region is located in the far north-eastern area of Russia in what is commonly known as Siberia but is actually part of the Russian Far East.

Moscow, Russia - *Wikipedia definition* - Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia.

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