Alexis returned from a breakfast meeting with Sonny, to the tune of yet another racket. She had not eaten, though Sonny had offered, because she preferred to spend the meal with her brother for the first time in many years. In fact, she was hoping they could have a much-needed conversation during that time. "Hello?" she called.

"In here, Alexis," came the muffled reply from the kitchen.

"Stefan? Where are the girls? And what in the world have you been doing in here?" she added when she saw the full extent of the mess that had evidently occurred in her absence.

"I, Alexis, have been trying to work the blasted coffee maker, trying being the operative word here."

"I see that," Alexis laughed, shooing him away from the machine. "My poor big brother can't get through his morning without a legion of servants at his command. Don't worry, I'll teach you how to get along in the real world."

"Oh, really. Are you sure you're the correct person to perform that duty, your cooking skills are negligible, if I remember correctly. Speaking of which, a perusal of the refrigerator tells me that your eating habits are far from improved."

"Correct on both counts," she confirmed unabashedly. "Lucky for me, I can manage coffee, because my long hours make it a requirement."

"Do you plan on actually eating this morning, or is caffeine your chief food group?" Stefan asked, with a nod of thanks as Alexis handed him a mug, and set her own down in favor of rummaging through the cupboard.

"Of course I plan on eating. Would you like anything?"

"I've already had my grapefruit, thank you."

"Good," Alexis pulled the foil off of a breakfast pastry. "Then I can eat this in front of you without feeling bad, not that I'd expect you to fully appreciate its—"

"Complete lack of nutritional value?"

"Deliciousness."

"Yes, well, I've bought some extra grapefruits and left them in fridge, not only for my own consumption when I dine here, but on the assumption that you, my dear, would not willingly add them to your shopping list. I advise you to eat them if you wish to avoid the delights of scurvy."

Alexis pushed the button on the toaster in an act of silence defiance that made Stefan smile grudgingly. "You never answered my question, where are Molly and Kristina?"

"Samantha picked them up bright and early—much to Kristina's distress—so that the three of them could take Daniel to the shopping mall. Her reception of me is still rather icy."

"Honestly, Stefan, what did you expect after you put your foot in your mouth last night?"

"Nothing less than what I received. After all, the woman can be just as headstrong as her mother before her when the stubborn mood strikes. This I've gathered after less than twenty-four hours. What I don't understand is why shopping malls have sales dedicated to spring, while it is still early February, and cold as Helena's black hole of a heart."

"The Western Christians have an early Easter this year, and that's how Sam is going to raise Danny, as Jason wanted."

"A mobster with morals and religion," Stefan scoffed. "Now that is a new phenomenon. I suppose he broke every commandment they hold dear in that faith."

"As the Cassadines could have also claimed, if we had practiced any religion."

"The Cassadines are Greek Orthodox."

"In name only. Besides, Jason only did what he did because Lila was religious."

"And were it not for his grandmother, I would doubt entirely that Jason Morgan knew the meaning of the word loyalty, and I am speaking about true loyalty not this preposterous idea of 'The Code'."

Alexis could not argue that much. She hated when Sonny threw around 'The Code' to justify his actions, and it was one of the things she had to deal with once again, now that she was back on retainer. "Be that as it may, Jason has many people around here who are still loyal to him, and Sam is among them. So, if you what to have any kind of relationship with her, you need to stop badmouthing her deceased husband, from whose death, if I heard correctly, you're here to help her recover. To be honest, I'm surprised you even know about Sam."

"I simply gathered it was nothing more than a strategic move on Father's part to send me off on my two years of military obligation so abruptly."

"You would have advocated for me."

"Hadn't I always? You deserved an innocent who could give you the same kind of unconditional love you showed me all those years ago. I looked after Samantha from afar, paying off the men swindled in the schemes she concocted in order to take care of the McCall boy. Samantha is a true Cassadine to be sure, but her qualities have escaped the corruption that so often accompanies them, and of that you should be proud."

"I suppose you compensated her latter husband from off-shore accounts while you were playing dead."

"I made use of them, yes, particularly in persuading that wretched Amelia Joffe woman to leave town."

"I would think it would've been in your best interest to inform me of all this, Stefan, especially the Amelia situation. After all, I never suited you better than when I was beholden to you by a debt of gratitude!"

"Ah, the crux of the matter." Stefan sat up a little straighter. "Go on, I will take willingly."

0o0o0o

"Ever heard that cell phone radiation causes cancer," Sam remarked, by way of commenting on Kristina's third call o the device in the last ten minutes. The two of them and Danny were sitting on a bench outside the Queens Point Mall's bookstore, into which Molly had just disappeared. "Who was on the phone?"

Kristina rolled her eyes. Her sister obviously needed a new case with which to occupy her time. "Ethan. Dante got called in, so Ethan went to Lulu's consultation with Dr. Lee. They're going to see if any of the others eggs in her sample are fit for implantation, so Dante and Lulu can make an informed decision about whether they want to go through the process of finding another surrogate."

"That's…that's great." Sam went over one of Danny's fallen toys with a baby wipe before handing it back to him—a good thing, because it was promptly reinserted into his mouth.

"You sound so enthused about the possibility that Ethan and I could still have a mutual nephew or niece."

"Oh, come on don't be that way. If anyone can sympathize with Lulu's struggles to have a baby, it's me. I hope everything works out for Lulu and Dante."

"Yeah, but neither you nor Mom is crazy about me reconnecting with Ethan, I can tell."

"We don't—oh, how do I put this—we don't want you to get hurt, or worked up over Ethan, or anyone else, but if Ethan is the person that can help you through your grief, then that's great."

"And the age difference?"

"Are you planning on dating him? Age didn't matter the last time you tried."

Kristina sat in thought for a minute. "Well, the last time I planned something potentially life-altering, the other key participant died, so I think I'll hold off on any plans."

"If you do…decide to date Ethan, I'm sure Trey wouldn't mind. He would want you to move on when you were ready, and to be happy."

"What Trey really wanted was my part of Dad's inheritance."

Sam shook her head. "No, honey, that was Joe Jr. I think Trey genuinely cared for you, and speaking of Sonny, if his reaction is the part you're worried about, I'll handle him and Mom. If you tell Mom I told you this I will deny it, but honestly, the five year difference thing really isn't as bad now as it was when you were barely eighteen."

Kristina smiled. It was nice to know her sister was behind her, though in principle it didn't matter. The combination of Cassadine and Corinthos genes within her gave her the knowledge that it was often better to beg for forgiveness, than ask for permission. "Oh, a text."

"From Ethan?"

"No, from Mom. She wants us all to meet her for lunch at Kelly's."

Sam tried not to groan. "Probably going to make another pitch for Danny and I to move back home. She seems to have forgotten she turned my old room into a home office."

"You and Danny can share my room when I'm gone."

"Oh yeah, and where are you going?"

"Just because I'm not at an Ivy League college anymore, doesn't mean I can't have my junior year abroad in Florence."

"That's one bombshell you're dropping on your own, sister. Now, can you go round up Molly? Danny here needs to put on a fresh diaper for Grandma."

0o0o0o

"There are my girls, and by grandbaby! Sit, sit!"

Danny looked around the diner with interest from his position on Sam's hip. His mother laughed. "No, babycakes, there's no doggie here. Grandma's just excited to see us."

"Where's Uncle Stefan?" Molly asked.

Alexis laughed. "Oh, darling, your uncle would never eat diner food, especially if doing so meant patronizing an establishment owned by Luke Spencer"

Kristina shook her head. "But Ethan is the only Spencer around here regularly, and Shawn gave him the morning off."

Alexis ignored the fact, deciding to address her daughter's memorization of the young man's work schedule later. "Your uncle also claims he and his staff are busy trying to Wyndemere livable again, and that could take months, no matter how well Ethan kept up the place."

"How big of a staff are we talking about?" inquired Sam, who had always seen Nikolas's sometimes high-maintenance attitude as a source of great amusement. She had often joked that her cousin saw Alfred as an extra, and much-needed limb.

"A valet. And Mrs. Lansbury's niece has agreed to cook for him and do light housekeeping, pretty low-key for someone in my family. Good thing too, because I caught him trying to brew coffee this morning, if you can try and picture that."

Molly surveyed her mother from over the plate of fries Shawn had just placed in the middle of their table. "You look upset."

"Oh, I don't know if 'upset' is the right word," Alexis replied. "Stefan and I had long discussion this morning. I guess you could say I'm still reeling. This is family time, Kristina, and I don't get as often as I would like. Silence the cell phone."

"Hold on, Mom, this is important."

"More important than spending time with your aging mother. That's what all this sweating means, you know. I'm getting old, and tired, and sweaty."

"And cranky," added Kristina from behind her cell phone, which earned her a glare.

"You're beautiful, Alexis." Shawn assured the woman with a wink to her middle daughter. "And if that's Ethan you're texting, tell him I need him back here ASAP."

0o0o0o

Ethan was not on his way back to Kelly's, however. In fact while waiting for Lulu at the hospital, he had overheard Bobbie telling Elizabeth Webber about a meeting regarding the reinstatement of Stefan Cassadine as the General Hospital's CEO, and had been unable to shake the feeling of uneasiness that gripped him since—a sudden urge to protect Kristina and Molly Davis by any means necessary. As soon as Lulu was in her apartment Ethan had hailed the launch, and now he found himself swathed in the mist that seemed characteristic of Spoon Island.

Taking care not to alert anyone to his approach, Ethan crept around the back of the castle, praying that the tunnel entrance he wanted was as he remembered it.

It was.

Hidden between the vines that had made a valiant attempt at claiming the place Ethan's absence was a sliding panel, leading into the main sitting room. It gave way at the slightest push.

His sudden appearance seemed to startle Vera Lansbury, who was dusting the mantelpiece.

"No, no, don't scream. I'm the caretaker here."

"We'll just see about that, won't we? Master Cassadine!"

Even if Ethan had it in his mind to run, he wouldn't have made it far. Stefan was upon them in seconds, having come from the foyer just outside.

"Yes, Vera, what is it? Strike that question, it does not appear to be accurate."

"He says Miss Alexis employed him as caretaker."

"I find it hard to believe that my sister—meticulous as she is—would have neglected to mention that there is both a front door, and a servants' entrance in the back. Nevertheless, the property has changed hands, as you no doubt see, so your services are no longer needed."

"The vines out there could use some work."

"I have the situation under control," Stefan assured as he studied the newcomer, while studying him with interest. "What a fascinating accent you have."

"I was raised in Australia."

"Ah, you're Ethan, are you not?"

"My reputation precedes me?"

"My nephew tells me many things. You are the child of Holly Sutton given up for adoption when Holly fell pregnant by Spencer, because Holly knew Luke would never leave the love of his life for a passing mistress. Luke Spencer, paragon of virtue, left sweet Lasha to struggle—caring for the toddler they shared, while always looking over her shoulder for Frank Smith's men, while he used his fake passport as the means for a London tryst."

"My conception is none of your business!"

"I am merely extending your stay, by imparting the results of the background check I had performed when Nikolas let your name slip. If you would care to leave, you may do so at any time. As a matter of fact, let me walk to the door."

"No. I came here to let you in on some of the things that actually are your business to know, and maybe you would have if you hadn't been so preoccupied with torturing your family by playing dead, or framing Luke for murder!"

"I have no interest in hearing your biased accounts on my family. You may see yourself out."

Ethan was silently fuming. The man needed to know what kind of hell Alexis had pulled her family out of, while Stefan couldn't even be bothered to place an international phone call.

"Did you know Sam was drugged and then raped by a psycho, while her husband was made to watch?" he shouted at the retreating back.

Stefan spun around. There was an almost feral look in his eye that would have been better suited to Mikkos or Stavros. "You are lying, sir!"

"I'd have to be a sick man to come up with a lie like that! If only it weren't the truth, Sam and Jason would've been spared a lot of pain. You see, I hear a lot of things over at the Haunted Star, and just before the lovely Helena threatened my life, I happened to be privy to Jason telling Carly that he wasn't sure he would be able to love a baby that was a daily reminder of his wife's rapist."

"If Morgan found himself unable to love a child with Samantha's blood running through his veins, than he—as I always suspected of his employer—was not worthy of the love of a Cassadine. "

"And then, there's Molly," Ethan continued solemnly. "You won't be able to run away when she's in the middle of a flashback, or a night terror, and you're the only one around to tell her that the bus isn't crashing…that Sam is at home with her baby, rather than inside an exploding limo!"

"Why do you insist on remaining here, Mr. Lovett?" Stefan drawled. He wouldn't dare let the spawn of Luke Spencer know how rattled he truly was over this information.

"Because I've yet to tell you the pièce de résistance, or has Nikolas told you that Kristina was psychically and emotionally abused by her prick of a boyfriend…beaten to a pulp not once, but twice…"

"Leave now!"

"…and slapped around plenty of times before then. I should know, I broke it up a time or two. Does knowing all this make you proud of yourself?"

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!"

"Perhaps you should be, you got the bettter end of the deal, after all. While you were sunning yourself, Alexis had to hold her crumbling family together alone! Does that make you feel like a man, Stefan!"

That was the last ounce of insolence Stefan would take from the likes of the Spencers. Ethan staggered with the force of a punch to his jaw….there was a tremendous crash as the staircase railing gave way.

Vera Lansbury screamed.