Welcome to Chapter Fifty, which is being posted less than a month after Chapter 49. Such growth. Anyway, I'm sick and did not even reread this... so, yea... You'll tell me if it's crap, won't you? Please take a moment when you're done reading to review.
UNEDITED.
Chapter Fifty
Word is Bond
Noticing her mother's car in the driveway, Sam covered her face as her sister pulled in behind it. She was not prepared to deal with the woman's fury.
- "Why aren't I shocked that she's here?" She mumbled to herself. She felt once again like that teenager who nervously waited for her mother to return home from work so that she could explain the dent in the bumper on the car she had had no business moving from its spot in the garage. Her mother's rage had no consideration for the age of her children (or nephew). Where she felt those she had raised needed discipline for actions beyond foolishness and sense, Alexis had the ability to de-age them all. "We're going to be in so much trouble."
Over the last hour's drive, she had attempted to come up with excuses she might tell her mother as to the lies she had so obviously told her and the reasons behind them. Even when Dante had driven ahead and directed them instead to the Spencer home, and she knew she would need to eventually face not only the woman, but also her husband, she had remained lost for thought. The bottom line, she realized, was that there was no excuse. If given the chance to escape once more in order to face Kiefer, and to help her sister do the same, she would have taken it.
- "Are you ready to go in?" Kristina timidly asked her. She was unsure of where they stood in their relationship. She wanted her sister back; but she was uncertain if the feeling was mutual. "If we don't go in, you know she'll just come out, right? And God knows that's a hell of a lot more embarrassing especially since this cop is here. Maybe she'll take pity on us if she sees that we're willingly facing her wrath."
Sam smiled at the young woman's attempt to lighten the mood. Their mother had said that Kristina had gotten that trait from her big sister.
- "Listen," she turned to her. "I love you, Krissy." She decided to extend an olive branch to the girl. They had been through far too much in their lives to allow anything or anyone to come between them The rift had lasted long enough. "You're my little sister and my best friend. And regardless of how much pain you were in after... well... you know," she refused to say the word so as to avoid any association with the act to her daughter. "You had a baby and you gave her to me because... well, I don't really know why you did it, but you did-"
- "I gave Dani to you because you deserved to have her," Kristina stated matter-of-factly. "I don't think I could have ever taken that pill, even if you and Mom had shoved it down my throat. I think it has something to do with innocence... you know?" She thought of Michael who had died because of who his father was. He was an innocent who had deserved to be viewed as an innocent. Alas, not everyone thought the way she did... or had been taught to believe. "Children aren't to blame for what their parents do... or did. It's not right."
The older woman sighed as she looked down at her hands. She felt incredibly selfish for criticizing her sister for feeling as she did for something that had happened to her. She was disgusted with herself and her actions. Kristina was far stronger and braver than anyone dared to give her credit; she simply showed it in a different and more subtle form.
- "I'm sorry," she apologized. "I had no right to make you feel guilty for expressing the pain you experienced that night. Regardless of the good that came out of it, it's not right for me to act as though you don't have a right to-"
- "I know that you weren't trying to make me feel guilty, Sam," Kristina stopped her. "And I know that the only thing you want to do is protect Dani and the way people look at her. I mean, we all know that when she gets older, those who might know how she came to be might make her feel like... like a monster. You don't want those first thoughts to come from the person who gave her life," she continued. "I mean, that's why I gave her to you, Sam. That's why I thought you'd be the best person to take her and raise her the way she deserved to be raised." She grabbed her sister's hands. "Just because she came from... and I know you don't want to say it, but the truth is the truth, and it's looking like we're going to have to face it sooner rather than later... rape... it doesn't make her a monster. And believe it or not, I don't know if anyone else - besides Mom and Daddy, of course - would've been able to love her more than you do."
Sam hated to feel as though she would once again cry, but her emotions from having miscarried for yet another time, and the stress of their lives, made it difficult to not.
- "Well, I don't think there are enough ways for me to say thank you to really make clear how much both you and Dani mean to me," she said. "And I hope you know that not even for a second do I think of her as Kiefer's child. I don't see him when I look at her. I don't see Warren. I don't even see Melinda." Still holding the girl's hands, Sam gave them a squeeze. "I only see you, honey."
Flashback
The four year old woke up the next morning in arms she did not quickly recognize. She would have screamed at the thought that someone had yet again taken her from her parents and the people she loved, but she felt the familiar yank of her hair that would have been no one but her sister. She turned her head.
- "Stupid," she smiled sleepily at the girl whose body was enveloped by their mother's arms. Turning her head, she was ecstatic to find that the arms that held her belonged to none other than her father. "Da-" She stopped speaking when she felt her sister once again tug at her hair. "Stop it Sam!"
But the teen only wanted for the girl to try her best not to awaken their father who had fallen asleep while reading a bedtime story; their mother did not have the heart to awaken him and make him return to his empty home. Instead, Alexis took off his shoes, and covered him with a blanket, changed into her own pair of pajamas, and pulled Sam onto the king-sized bed (that always seemed smaller) and comfortably into her. And that was exactly how she awoke that morning.
- "Don't wake him up, Krissy," Sam whispered. "Mommy said he doesn't sleep much. This is probably more sleep than he's had in a really long time."
- "But how come he's here? Uncle Stefan's not gonna like it," Kristina whispered back as she wiggled out of her father's arms so that she could be closer to her sister. She pressed her face into the teen's face. "I don't think Uncle Stefan likes Daddy very much."
Although she knew that their mother would undoubtedly awaken if she moved from her arms, Sam also knew that the woman would not interrupt them; she appreciated those moments when they became the sisters Tina and she were. So, Sam turned with a smile to look at the woman before lifting her arm from her body,
- "Come on, let's go brush your teeth, Krissy," she smiled at her sister as she changed the subject. She knew better than to answer her questions concerning their uncle and father's complicated relationship. "You're kinda killing me right now. Plus, I have to pee... and unless you already went on yourself, I'm sure you have to go too."
Kristina blushed. She did not feel the need to relive herself as she appeared to have already done so at some point in the night. It was a good thing they put her in her "special underwear" before bed. She would not have wanted to have an accident with her father there; she would have been as mortified as a four year old could have possibly been. But embarrassment was not a feeling she ever felt around her mother, sister, and aunt who had taken great pains over the last few weeks to keep a smile on her tiny face.
- "Your breath smells bad too, Sam!" the little girl made a face as she hopped off the bed and took Sam's hand. "You gotta brush your teeth too!"
The teen rolled her eyes as they entered the bathroom. She grabbed Kristina's toothbrush, put toothpaste onto it, then ran to the toilet. For the first time in weeks, there was a sense of normalcy in their routine. On those school days when they had stayed at their father's house, while her mother prepared for work, Sam had taken on the responsibility of ensuring that her sister had awoken, brushed her teeth, and was dressed for her day at preschool. She smiled at her tiny companion.
- "You know, since Uncle Stefan is living here now, we could probably get him to take us out for breakfast," she suggested as she washed her hands before grabbing her own toothbrush. "Then we could avoid eating whatever Aunt Tina makes. Now that we only have one bathroom, I think it's probably for the best we avoid her cooking and menu options."
- "I don't think it's fair that Uncle Stefan and Nikolas get to have their own bathroom, and me, you, Mommy and Aunt Tina have to share this one," Kristina whined as she threw her toothbrush into the sink. "How come he can't share?"
Retrieving the toothbrush, Sam handed the girl a glass of water.
- "He can't share because between you and T, neither he nor Nikolas would have any privacy whatsoever, and you'd probably end up seeing something that might scare you half to death, and then Mama would have to explain-" she stopped speaking. "Well, let's just say as annoying as this situation is, it's probably for the best." When Kristina looked as though she wanted to question her, the teen quickly changed the subject. "Why don't you get in the tub so I can give you a bath? That way, we can already be dressed when we tell Uncle Stefan just how hungry we are and he'll be more willing to take us out to Kelly's or something."
Looking down at her feet, Kristina shook her head. When Faith had kept her, she had taken advantage of her fear of the dark by leaving her to bathe alone in pitch-black each night. She cried out for her mother until her captors set her free.
- "But I need Mommy," she whispered.
But Sam shook her head.
- "Krissy, do you now how proud Mama will be if she sees that you've taken a bath completely by yourself? That you didn't need her to be with you?" She knelt in front of the girl. "Look how you let Aunt Tina give you a bath yesterday! You didn't cry or anything when Mama left to go yell at Uncle Stefan." When the toddler would not meet her gaze, Sam continued. "You know I'll take care of you; I won't leave you alone like that bad lady did."
- "Even if I get on your nerves?" The four year old repeated a phrase her sister had used to describe her on countless occasions just before storming out of the room they shared. "You're not gonna leave me?"
Knowing that this was her chance to prove to her sister the depths of her love and loyalty, Sam stuck out her pinky finger to her.
- "Even if you get on my nerves and you make me want to hit you-"
- "Mama doesn't like that," she countered.
- "I know, silly!" Sam giggled. "But even still, I'd never leave you Krissy. You're my little sister; I'm gonna protect you and take care of you... always."
And trusting in her big sister, Kristina simply wrapped her arms around Sam's neck for she did not yet understand the concept of a pinky promise.
End of Flashback
- "Ladies, I know that you're probably afraid of facing your mother right now," Dante spoke loudly as he tapped on the window. Since they had pulled up to the Spencer home, he had allowed the two women some time to mentally prepare themselves for what was to come in facing the wrath of Alexis Davis. "And if she's anything like she is in the courtroom with you two, I'd probably be terrified too, but my orders are to bring you directly to her, so-"
Quickly giving her sister's hand a squeeze, Sam exited the car before the man could finish his statement. She was not concerned with his orders; she knew this was her mother's own plan to return them from the prison before they had a chance to see Kiefer.
- "We've got it from here, Detective," she spoke over him. "If I know my mother - and believe me, I know her very well - she's either waiting at the door, or she has our Uncle doing so. So, we can handle it from here. Consider your orders fulfilled." Without allowing him to continue to speak, she opened the driver's side door to allow her sister out. "Come on, Krissy."
The young woman immediately stepped out of the car and without a second's glance at the Detective walked hand-in-hand with her sister to the door. Given the butterflies that flew inside of her stomach, she prayed he would not insist on following them inside; she did not want to deal with the embarrassment. She simply wanted to get this situation done and over with.
- "Thank you for meeting with me on such short notice, gentlemen," Sonny calmly, but authoritatively stated as he took his place at the head of the table. It had been some time since he felt the power of such a seat. Looking upon the faces of the heads of the Five Families, he remembered the high he had once had while being in the business. He almost missed it. But in thinking of his family - his wife and their beautiful daughters - he knew he had made the right decision. "I'm here to accept the offer you made to me over fifteen years ago-"
He watched as the men sat straighter in their seats. He had their attention.
- "My daughter... the second one..." he cleared his throat so as to keep his emotions at bay in front of these powerful men. He would not show them weakness for in his acceptance of their offer, he also had a request to make of them. "My Kristina... when she was fifteen, she was attacked by a monster-"
- "Kiefer Bauer," Mr. Jerome flatly stated. "He dated your daughter for several months - and beat her for a majority of that time - before he brutally raped and nearly killed her in the middle of your family's living room." He recounted the story as though he were doing nothing more than reading items listed on a dinner menu. "Although the physicians at the hospital undoubtedly provided your daughter with the morning after pill, she either refused to take it, or pretended she had for your wife's sake, and she ended up pregnant. That baby, Danielle Natasha, is now believed to be the daughter of Jason Morgan and your wife's first daughter, Samantha, who because she was shot while dating Mr. Morgan, can't have children of her own. Am I correct?"
Sonny took a deep breath before he spoke. There was a lack of respect that was shown in the manner in which Mr. Jerome spoke of Kristina's rape; he did not appreciate it. But for the fact that these five men would have easily , and without any concern of being caught, murdered him right in his spot, he would have shown this man what it meant to be so brutally and savagely beaten as his daughter had been. Alas, he could do nothing more than to show reverence for this man, and the other men at the table.
- "Yea," he sighed. "Even though we tried to keep this a secret, both Kiefer and Warren found out about it, and now-"
- "Now, they want to take the girl," Mr. Jerome yet again spoke over him and in the same flat and lackluster manner. A meeting of the heads of these five dangerous families who were neither friends nor associates, was not meant to be social. They were not there to share pictures of their children with one another; they were enemies whose only shared opinion was for the safety of those offspring whom they loved so dearly. "What is it that you want from us, Mr. Corinthos?"
Of course every man at the table knew the answer to this question, but they required of this once arrogant and impulsive former mob boss to humble himself before them. In spite of the promise they had made to him so many years ago, they wanted to see him on his knees for it was in such a way that many of their friends had spent the final moments of their lives before having been taken out by his enforcer, Jason Morgan. This was a form of humiliation.
- "Years ago, when I left the business, you made a promise to me," he softly replied, but with his gaze falling upon each person at the table in a show of defiance. "When my son, Michael, was murdered and left out like trash in the woods to rot like an animal, and you allowed me to leave the business without issue and you agreed to spread the word that my family and I should not be harmed in any way as a result of mob violence, you also gave this-" He took out that second page of their agreement he had not dared to ever show his wife. He slid it down the table so that they each could see the words written on the page. "I'm cashing in on this."
For what felt like an eternity, silence filled the room as the page was passed from man to man until Mr. Jerome set it back onto the table. Not a word was spoken amongst the men for they knew that they would adhere to the agreement. Their word was their bond, after all. However, there lied a problem that each immediately saw: it was the singularity of the promise.
- "Whom shall it be?" Mr. Jerome vaguely asked. "The father or the son?"
Sonny laid both his hands flatly onto the table.
- "The son," he firmly replied. "The father is my problem. I will handle him."
And it was in this statement that the men stirred slightly in their chairs. Family men as they were, they stared at Sonny wondering if he understood what his actions would mean. They had given him an out - a free pass - from a life in which he had taken countless lives for the sake of money and territory. They had ensured his family's safety. But now, the terms of the agreement would be met. Surely he knew what this would mean.
- "Mr. Corinthos, I hope you're understanding this," Mr. Solito spoke up. "We kill Kiefer, we're done here. We don't owe you any favors on that end. But if you kill his father, our agreement is broken. We can't protect you or your family anymore. We won't. We already have the shipping supply against you-"
- "I did not place that order!" Sonny loudly defended himself. "That was Warren Bauer!"
Solito leaned forward in his seat in a clear showing of his disapproval of the way he had just been spoken. His voice lowered.
- "You take that man's life, we're done here," he said. "I'm not saying that we'll take you out, but understand that we're not protecting you anymore. You wanna look like you're back in, you're going to be treated like you're back in... especially from people who've been waiting for that moment when you cracked. They'll be on your doorstep before Warren's put in the ground."
But Sonny had been anticipating this response. And so, he too leaned forward in his seat and lowered his voice to meet that of Mr. Solito's.
- "If you ask me, it seems that our agreement wouldn't be broken," he said with a smile on his face. "My family didn't lose only one life because of the business," he continued. "It lost at least four-"
Mr. Jerome's nose flared as he narrowed his eyes at the man's continued arrogance.
- "And from where exactly did this number come?"
Sonny stood. He was done with this conversation. He had already won.
- "You were supposed to protect my family, yet MY daughter, Sam," he stressed the possessive for Mr. Jerome's benefit. "Was not." He was certain that the man had taken advantage of the fact that legally speaking Sam was not his child, and therefore not under the protection of the Families. He hated Jason Morgan more than anyone else seated at the table for it was at the man's hand that his brother was murdered. And although Sam had not been the target that night, she had been hit because she was not protected. "You allowed your hitman to take a shot at Jason even though MY daughter was in his arms. And that," he slammed his hand onto the paper that had returned in his possession, "has caused MY family continued grief as she has suffered miscarriage after miscarriage."
He allowed his gaze to fall upon each of the men who guiltily looked away from him. They knew what he said to be true.
- "Your word is your bond, right?" He calmly said. "And I'm not asking you for four additional lives. I'm just asking for one."
- "Hey, look who it is! It's Bonnie and Clyde," Luke laughed upon their entrance. Sitting in the arm chair drinking a beer, he ducked slightly when heard the light, but quick footsteps of the feisty redhead behind him; he barely missed the impact of her hand against the back of his head. "What? Weren't you all just complaining how they had gone on the run? I mean, that one over there-" he pointed to Sam. "She climbed out of a window to get out of this house. Although, I can't say I really blame her; I never did like this place. I should've burned it to the ground years ago."
- "Will you shut up," Tina half-seriously reprimanded the man before moving to her nieces. "Are you two okay?" She asked them as she pulled them into her arms. Seeing the continued sadness in both of their eyes that seemed to have been a constant over the last month, she placed a kiss onto each of their foreheads as though they were once again the little girls who had followed her around so long ago. She missed those simpler times. "I hope you know that if you are, you won't be for very long; I don't think I've seen my sister this angry in a really long time."
Sam shrugged out of her aunt's embrace. Her mother's anger with them was something that she could handle; it was her aunt's presence at the house that left her uneasy. Her baby girl, whom she had all but abandoned over the last week, was surely somewhere in the house. She hated herself for the pain she knew that she had undoubtedly caused her.
- "Where's Dani?" She asked. "I have to see her."
- "With your mother," Tina replied. "She was a bit upset at seeing Molly upset plus we had a bit of a situation at Kelly's this morning."
When he noticed Sam's face pale, Luke stepped forward to speak to his daughter-in-law. He had always liked the young woman; she, like her mother and aunt, were the exception to the stick in the mud Cassadines he hated - namely Stefan, Helena, Mikkos and Stavros. Thankfully, two of the four were dead.
- "Listen," he held his hand up to stop her from speaking. "Everything's fine. We handled it-"
She met her sister's worried gaze. In their hearts, they knew that the only incident that could have occurred was one involving a Bauer; since Kiefer was imprisoned, and Melinda was harmless, Warren was the obvious culprit for her daughter's distress. They both shuddered.
- "What happened?" Sam asked as she took Kristina's hand into her own. "Is Dani... Did he... did he hurt her?"
When both Luke and Tina shook their heads in response to her question, Sam and Kristina let out a sighs of relief. There mere thought that Warren had gotten close to their little girl was enough to make them change their course of action from Pentonville to the Bauer home. Their mother's threats on their lives would not have stopped them from first taking his.
- "Wilma and Pebbles came into Kelly's to pick up breakfast, and Ike snuck up behind them," he said in his normal fashion of giving nicknames to the people around him. "He started running his gob, we put him in his place, and your aunt and daughter left. It really wasn't anything for you to get too angry about because like I said, we handle it."
Sam stared from the man to the woman. There was something that she was missing in this story that they seemed unwilling to share with her; it did not sit well with her.
- "What aren't you telling me?" She questioned them. "If that's all that happened, then why would Dani be so upset?"
- "Because she saw Molly upset, honey," Tina covered well. They had already decided that they would not tell Sam and Kristina the full story of Warren's approach at the diner. If Sam had learned that he had managed to touch her little girl, she would have stopped at nothing to kill him. As much as they all wanted him dead, they would not have allowed this woman the opportunity to do it; Dani could not lose her mother. "And when we got here, you were already gone. So, when your mom took Molly upstairs, Dani followed."
Kristina frowned. Even she noticed the large hole in the story her aunt told. Much like her, the woman was not a very good liar; they always got caught.
- "But why was Molly upset?" She asked. "And when did you see Mol since you said you came here? Why would she even be here?"
But before the redhead could think of another lie, and before Luke could string together a story with the mismatched pieces Tina had thrown into the pot, Alexis cleared her throat. With her hands on her hips, she glared at her two daughters.
- "You want to know why your sister was upset?" Without any regard for the man seated in the armchair, she spoke calmly to the girls in Greek. "It's because she was so busy covering for you and your idiotic plan to go to Pentonville that she lied to your father. When he found out, he, of course, went berserk, and punched a hole into the wall. Your sister is now terrified that he'll do the same to her because, and I'm not certain if you two remember, he just got out of the hospital after having brain surgery for that tumor that was altering his personality? You do remember that, don't you?"
Luke's eyes widened.
- "Well, that was a whole lotta Greek," he commented with a chuckle as he took a sip from his beer. "I didn't need an interpreter to tell me that she just told you two off." He looked over to Sam whom he knew would speak up to defend both her sister's and her actions, and thus take the brunt of their mother's fury. "Your turn... and please keep it to English this time. You're not as animated as she is when you're angry. OW!" He rubbed his head; this time, he had failed to anticipate the redhead's assault. "Goodness, Wilma, for someone who calls herself a pacifist, you're pretty slap-happy today. You know that?"
Stefan cleared his throat as he entered the room. He hated to see the likes of Luke Spencer watching for sport his sister reprimand her children; the Cassadines were a private family. This was a private moment.
- "Samantha, Kristina," he held out his hand for them to follow. "Why don't we have this conversation in the kitchen. It is quite inappropriate to have this discussion out in the open."
But in that moment, Alexis was not as level headed as the man. Nor was she concerned with the privacy for which the Cassadine family was so well known; her anger was through the roof.
- "I am waiting for an answer," she icily stated as she continued to speak in the language. "What the hell were you two thinking? Did you think that you'd stroll into Pentonville, talk to Kiefer, and all would be right in the world? Or did you think that you could go in there and kill him without getting yourselves killed by the prison guards? Did you seriously think this ridiculous plan out at all? Did you even have-"
Releasing her sister's hand, Sam stepped forward to face their mother.
- "Did you expect us to sit around and do nothing after that son of a bitch beat and raped Krissy, then taunted her throughout this town over the last month?" She began.
- "Did you consider allowing us to continue to work this out?" Alexis found the level of her voice increasing. "What the hell is wrong with you two?!"
- "I mean, he got out of prison after serving five years for everything he's done!" Sam spoke over the woman. "How long do you think it would've been before Warren got Auerbach to get him out again? And then what would we have done? Let him kidnap Dani after her beat the crap out of either Krissy or me? What about raped one of us? I mean he has been in prison for a while, I'm sure he's pretty tired of being the bottom, Mom!"
- "Samantha!" Stefan disapprovingly called out to her. "That is disgusting!"
- "I swear to God, Samantha," Alexis growled at her daughter as she took a step forward, but was quickly stopped by her brother. Perhaps it was best that there was distance between the two women.
Noticing that her sister had winced at her final comment, Sam gave her a quick squeeze.
- "I'm sorry, Krissy," she whispered before turning her attention back to her mother and uncle. "You're right, Uncle. That is disgusting. But you know what? It's a fact. And I think that considering the way we've just sat idly by allowing the law to work in our favor, both Warren and Kiefer are using it against us!" She threw her hands up in the air. "God, I already took Dani and ran away from here and moved to St. Lawrence because of him; and I was ready to take my family and run away yet again to someplace even further away and away from you guys and from Lucky's sons. Tell me, Mom, how far do we have to take Dani before we finally win? 'Cause right now, it's looking like we'll be on the other side of the world without any type of relationship in order to keep her safe. And you tell me if we'll have actually won then!"
Luke puzzlingly stared at the group of hot-tempered Cassadines. If ever there was a time he wished he had taken the time to learn the language, it was in that moment.
- "Somebody wanna place subtitles on this dialog?" He asked. "I mean, isn't it a bit rude to carry on like this in the presence of a non-Greek?"
- "You're absolutely correct, Luke," Alexis stated... but in Greek. She knew he would not understand her words, but her actions were clear. To appease her friend, she moved toward her daughters, grabbed them both by the arms and dragged them from the room. "If you'll excuse us-"
Chuckling at the face their Spencer friend made when Alexis and the girls had departed, Tina leaned over to tap him on the arm.
- "Just in case you were still looking for a translator," she smiled. "She just told you that you were absolutely correct about it being rude to carry on in Greek when you don't understand it."
Flashback
When the couple finally awoke from a deep slumber - one that neither had experienced in some time - they quickly freshened up in the one bathroom that was shared with their daughters and Tina. No words concerning their future together needed to be exchanged between them as their presence with one another was enough. They were happy. It was a brand new day.
They walked hand-in-hand from the room and into the living room where they found their family finishing up a breakfast that was clearly not prepared by the redhead who sat beside her namesake. They were all chattering away in Greek concerning nothing in particular; it was simply a normal Cassadine meal. Except, this morning, they had a new guest.
- "Kalimera, Mama," Sam accepted a kiss from her mother before smiling at her father. "Morning, Dad."
Sonny awkwardly smiled at his two girls as he allowed Alexis to drag him to an empty seat. He wondered for how long this out-of-place feeling would last when it came to this family.
- "Good morning, Trouble," he caressed her cheek. "And good morning to you too, Princess," he winked at his baby girl who sat too far from him to reach. "Looks like Daddy fell asleep reading to you."
Stefan watched the interaction between Sonny and the children. Despite the man's faults, Stefan could not deny the love the girls had for him, and he for them. There was no doubting that he would have given his life for them; for this, the formal gentleman was grateful. However, the likelihood of such an occurrence happening was too great in his eyes. It terrified him. Kristina's kidnapping had shaken him to his core.
- "I took the children this morning to get breakfast while you... both... slept," he stiffly spoke. "We attempted to wait for you, but a certain little one," he placed his hand on top of Krissy's head. "She was too hungry to wait any longer."
- "English, Stefan," Alexis gently reprimanded him. Noticing his own discomfort at this change in his family's dynamic, she knew his act was not intentional. Breakfast and dinner were his favorite times of the day as he was able to spend it with the family, laughing and talking about their day. He never had to concern himself with whether or not someone understood what was said. Sonny's presence but yet another wrench into Stefan's life. "And thank you for taking the girls out for breakfast. I'm certain that given how we've just slept, a certain younger one, whom shall remain nameless, would've taken advantage of the time alone she had with them and had my children eating something disastrous."
Nikolas, who usually remained quiet throughout the clearly uncomfortable moments between his aunt's fiancé and his uncle, smiled; even he knew better than to eat anything prepared or ordered by the young woman.
- "Well, Aunt Alexis, in spite of any of that, I don't believe Krissy would've allowed it," he laughed. "She made it quite clear that because she can only use one bathroom in this apartment now, she has to take caution around Aunt Tina."
- "You people really act as though a little bit of vegetables will harm you in the least bit," Tina defended.
- "From what I've heard," Sonny slowly began with an encouraging squeeze from Alexis. "There was a bit of an incident... and I'll leave it right there seeing as we're eating."
Taking advantage of her father's slowly increasing comfort in their family's presence, Sam spoke up in rebuttal.
- "Actually, WE'RE all done eating," she said as she waved to the four other people apart from herself who had finished their meals. "And Mama doesn't exactly have a week stomach given all the cr-" She stopped herself when she noticed the darted glares coming from both her mother and uncle; Tina, of course, merely chuckled from her place. "Well, you know what I mean. It comes with the territory when dealing with Krissy."
Not fully understanding what it was her sister spoke about, but certain that she meant something embarrassing, the toddler leaned over her aunt to pinch the teen. Stefan, however, was prepared for her mischievous intentions; he quickly scooped her up from her seat and brought her to his lap. Crossing her arms against her chest as she leaned back into the man, Kristina stuck her tongue out her sister. The family could not help but laugh at the reemergence of her personality.
- "Are you gonna live here now, Daddy?" She asked after a beat. "Because Sam, me, Mommy, and Aunt T already have to share Mommy's bathroom. And Sam said we can't use the other bathroom because I'm gonna see something I don't wanna see." She noticed the family groan at her comment as they all looked over to Sam who blushingly sunk a bit in her seat. "I think if you live here-"
Seeing Sonny lean forward into his plate and Stefan tense his jaw, Alexis interrupted the curious little girl.
- "Sweetheart, Daddy isn't going to live here," she stated. "Daddy has his own house."
- "Are we gonna move to Daddy's house?"
In anticipation of her mother's response, Sam grabbed hold of her aunt's hand; she would not move into that house. She met her mother's knowing and understanding gaze.
- "No, baby," Alexis continued. "Daddy is going to live in his own house, and we're going to live here until we get married to one another. Then, we'll buy a brand new house so that we can all live together. Okay?"
- "And no one is gonna come get us when we're sleeping?"
The family all gasped at the child's innocent question. And their eyes fell on him... the outsider... to make this promise to the girl. It was one that he was certain he would need to make every day of his life until every last one of them believed him. He moved from his seat to her place on Stefan's lap. Taking her into his arms without request of the man, he brought her back to a sit with her mother and him. All four of them were now together.
- "No one will ever hurt you, Princess," he said as he placed a kiss onto the top of her head. He looked to Sam who sat to his right and gave her hand a squeeze. "Or you. I will NOT let anyone hurt you girls again. THAT is a promise." He looked over to Alexis. "I NEVER break my promises."
End of Flashback
Moving to stand on the other side of the kitchen island so that no harm would come of her daughters due to her terrible mood that they had only partially caused, Alexis let out a deep breath as she pointed to the two stools she wanted for them to find their bottoms.
- "I would simply like to know what it was you two thought you would accomplish by going to Pentonville," she more calmly and less icily asked the girls. "I mean, really, what did you think would happen? And I want an honest answer."
When Sam moved to speak up for her yet again, Kristina spoke first.
- "I'm just tired of all of this, Mom," she quietly replied. "I'm tired of someone taking care of me because you guys think that I'm too weak to take care of myself-" As both her mother and sister attempted to deny her allegations, Kristina shook her head; they did not need to spare her feelings. She knew the truth. "If you don't think I'm weak, then you definitely think that I'm not as strong as you guys. So, you think you have to take care of me. That's how it's always been for as long as I can remember."
- "And that's how it's always going to be," Sam defended her position. "You and Molly are my little sisters. And I'll be damned if I ever let you guys go through something alone... not again."
Both girls recalled the promise that had been made that morning so long ago. It was a promise that every member of the family had made to the girl upon her return to them. It was a promise that they all felt as though they had broken. They had not protected her.
- "You guys didn't cause this to happen to me," Kristina sighed. "There was nothing you could've done to stop it from happening. I mean, I didn't even tell you what was going on-"
- "We should've seen the signs-" Alexis spoke barely above a whisper the same words of guilt that had crossed her lips countless times over the years.
But Kristina rolled her eyes.
- "What signs? The ones where I was a moody overemotional teen who 'preferred,'" she made air quotes, "to be with my boyfriend than my family? Or that I asked for privacy by locking a door when I changed or showered? I mean, isn't that normal American teenager behavior? Not wanting to spend every waking hour with my family, and being a bit self-conscious about my changing body? How can anyone fault you for thinking that? Why would anyone ever think that someone like Kiefer, who was great at playing the part of the all-American teenaged boy, was beating me? Come on, Mom!" She threw her hands up in the air. "None of you knew what was going on because I didn't want you do know. It really is that simple. And you can't blame yourselves for it."
Sighing, Alexis knew that there was no arguing with her stubborn daughter whose strength was showing through her crumbling walls. Despite her fury with the girl, she admired and respected the respectable adult she was becoming.
- "But you cannot just go to Pentonville, honey," she scolded. "What were you thinking? Did you think that by telling Kiefer that Dani was-" The word caught in her throat; she could not say it.
- "He already knows! It's not a secret anymore, Mom!" she spoke over her. "He knows, and so does Mr. Bauer! We can lie all we want, but they already have figured out that all of this was a massive lie! And that's why they're mad."
Sam turned to look at her sister. Listening to her as she spoke, she now had second thoughts about having accompanied her to the prison. She was certain that whatever Kristina had wanted to tell him, it would have been an ambush not only on Kiefer, but also on her.
- "Krissy, I think it's safe to say that they're more than mad," she said. "Warren is determined to make us pay for lying. And not because he wants to know Dani, but because he thinks she's his property. And he'll do anything to get her back. God, what were you planning on telling Kiefer?!"
The young woman rolled her eyes as she moved from her seat at the kitchen island. She began to pace instead.
- "I wanted him to understand why we kept Dani from him, and why he wasn't a good fit for her," she began. "I wanted him to see how much you and Lucky loved her, and how much better off she is with you than anywhere near his family. I figured that if I told him the truth instead of lying - he hates it when people lie right to his face... that's why... that's how this all-" She let out a breath as her mind went back to the night of her attack. There were so many things she could have done differently to change the course of history. If only... if only... She shook her head. "I just thought that if we were finally honest with him, he would understand. He would see that we respect him and maybe then he'd listen."
Finishing her thoughts, she realized how stupid she must have sounded to her mother and sister, but she did not care. They did not know Kiefer the way she did. As damaged as he was, she understood him. And most of all, she pitied him. All he ever wanted was a chance at something normal and true, but that was not destined for him. She did not believe it ever would be.
- "But what about Warren, Krissy?" Sam broke the silence that had filled the room. It was rather obvious that the sisters had very different intentions concerning the trip to the prison. "Even if Kiefer understood and said he'd leave us alone, he's behind bars, honey. He doesn't really have much of a choice! But what were you going to do when Warren visited him and he tells him exactly what you said? Do you really think that that man would have been remotely as understanding as you'd like us to believe Kiefer would be?!" She realized that she was getting louder with each word she spoke, but the anger that filled her at the thought of Warren Bauer coming near her child had reached close to her boiling point. She had to make her sister understand. "If you think being partially deaf is the worst physical injury you've received from that family, when Warren comes into the picture, you'll be sorry! God, Krissy, what the fu-"
- "Samantha," Alexis warned as she smacked her hand on the counter to stop her eldest daughter from continuing any further. Clearly, where when of her children thought she could diffuse the rather tenuous situation by empowering the wounded predator, the other had every intention of pouncing on him in the same fashion as he had done to her sister. Neither of the girls' plans would have been successful. In fact, they were bound to wreak further havoc. The decision to stop them in their tracks had been a good one. She turned to her middle child. "Kristina, we have a plan in place. You cannot go against it... not if you want to protect that little girl upstairs. I know that you want to confront him... and God knows you have every right to, but you just..." She walked around the island to where the young woman stood. She took her face into her hands. "You can't, my love. You can't change him from what he is, sweetheart. And as much as you want to help this situation, you can't do so without consulting with me first. We have to do this together. That's what we-"
Before she could finish her statement, however, Stefan, who had entered the kitchen undetected several minutes earlier, cleared his throat.
- "I am sorry to interrupt," he began. "However, Jason has arrived. He says that he has some news."
Entering Auerbach's office with neither appointment nor announcement, he found the man staring intently at documents on his desk. He slammed the door shut in order to get his attention.
- "Seeing as you're hard at work, here's something that you can work on now," he stated as he threw the file onto the desk. "I want this family and everyone helping them destroyed."
And opening the file, Auerbach was in possession of both the original and doctored medical records for all of the Cassadine women.
- "And while you're at it, I want my granddaughter."
Kindly leave a review. Thank you.
Do you agree with Sonny's actions? Will they backfire?
What do you think Jason's come by to tell the family?
Warren's out for blood. Will he cause any to shed?
Alexis is maaaaaad...
