Molly knocked gently on the door the lake house's home office. "Kristina says dinner will be ready in ten minutes, Mom."

Alexis thanked every deity in existence that Kristina had chosen to attend Port Charles University, because at least she had one child who had inherited decent cooking skills—which naturally came from Sonny's side of the family.

"Be right there, honey. I just have to call Rosalyn back, and tell her I found the precedent we were looking for."

Molly nodded, leaving the hallway, just as her mother's phone rang. "This is Alexis Davis."

"Miss Alexis, this is Vera Lansbury, Master Cassadine's housekeeper."

"Yes, of course, what can I do for you?"

"There's been an altercation at Wyndemere, ma'am."

"An altercation?"

"Master Cassadine and the other man have both been taken to the mainland for medical treatment. General Hospital."

"All right, thank you Vera."

"Mom?" Kristina gazed at the troubled face, as Alexis entered the kitchen. "What's the matter?"

"Come on, girls, we've got to get to the hospital."

"What? Why?"

"Your uncle is there, Molly. And now you know about as much as Vera told me, so we can find out the rest together."

0o0o0o

"Will you please hold still, Mr. Cassadine?"

"Ouch!" Stefan winced away from the disinfectant-coated rag.

Epiphany clicked her tongue. "Well, I don't know what you expected after wrestling with a man on a staircase. You're both lucky you didn't kill yourselves, if you ask me."

Stefan sighed impatiently. "I did not, and if it's all the same to you, Nurse Johnson, I prefer to take my bandages sans lecture."

There was an audible scoff from the doorway. "Believe me, if you had me as your nurse instead of Epiphany you would get a much worse lecture, considering that's my nephew you used as a cushion!"

"Hello, Barbara. Do either of you care to realize that Lovett is in this situation after trespassing on my property," Stefan wanted to know.

"The only thing it's my business to know is when this patient is going to be taken off my hands," Epiphany muttered grumpily.

Bobbie's smile for Epiphany was commiserating. "Your release papers are in the works, Stefan. You can be discharged as soon as we pass you off to a family member. Excuse me."

Stefan watched his ex-wife leave, before turning on Epiphany. "I can't leave this building on my own accord? That's asinine!"

"No, that's hospital policy," Epiphany remarked. "You've been through something that is known to cause head trauma, and we need someone to inform us if you start experiencing concussion-like symptoms. If you'd rather, you can always stay overnight…"

"I wouldn't recommend that course of action. After all, Ethan took the lion's share of the damage, as if Luke would look for a legitimate reason to smother you in your sleep."

"That's a charming thought, Alexis."

"You're lucky Luke detests lawyers more than he detests doctors, because any good attorney he hired for his son would have pointed out that Ethan's expectations of getting into the house were reasonable since I never formally terminated his employment."

"In that case, I suppose I should be grateful that Spencer has always had a taste for vigilante justice. Now may we move on from this distasteful subject to something more pleasant?"

"The girls are here."

"Samantha as well, or is she still angry with me for my error?"

"I don't know the answer to that, but in any event, Sam is with her son tonight."

"Just as well. The hospital is no place for a small child."

"Nor is it any place for an impossible man, so why don't we get you out of here, Stefan?"

"Please do, councilor."

Stefan ignored the surly nurse, and glanced though the slots in the blinds. "Pardon me, Alexis, but didn't you say my nieces were here, or was that niece in the singular, because Kristina appears to be absent without leave."

0o0o0o

Kristina stopped leaning on the stairwell railing, and hastened her pace to a jog as she caught sight of the first white coat in five minutes. "Patrick, hey, I need to talk to you."

"Hey, Kristina. If you're looking for your uncle, he's on the next floor getting treated."

"Oh, I know. I'm actually looking for Lulu's OBGYN. She had an appointment today."

"So I've heard. Listen, I want you to know how sorry I am."

Kristina leaned her elbow against the nurse's station counter. "About what?"

"Mac and I tried to convince Maxie to try again, but she didn't want to go through another miscarriage."

"I understand. You wouldn't happen to know how the consultation went?"

Patrick shook his head. "Sorry, but I've been in surgery all day, and unfortunately Dr. Lee just left for the night."

"Maybe I could help you,"

"Oh my God, Ethan!" Kristina ran through the open door of the nearby room. "What happened to you?"

"Sprained wrist and Patrick also thinks I may have a concussion, but I feel fine."

"Yeah, right."

"It's looks worse than it is, I promise."

"You're the one who fought with Stefan?"

"You didn't come here to see me."

He patted the end of the bed with his good hand, but Kristina remained standing crossing her arms across her chest. "You're avoiding my question."

Ethan whistled and saluted her. "A man can't bluff you, can he? Make me a happy man, and tell me you play poker. Oh, come on, Krissy, crack a smile."

"If you tell me I'm having a nephew or niece, then I'll be all smiles."

"About that…Dr. Lee thinks that Lulu's embryo wasn't as viable as they originally thought, and that Maxie's fall just hastened the miscarriage."

"That's awful!"

"They'll just have to have to implant more next time, and Lulu and Dante will have a better chance. Trouble is, surrogacy is a tough sell. There aren't many girls who are willing to nurture a baby for nine months just to give the baby up to another couple."

"Yeah, I know."

"Listen, Krissy, from what I've heard, Stefan is going to be released tonight, so you should go home and be with your family."

"This baby is my family too."

"And I'm telling you that everything is going to turn out fine. Go on, love." Even though he was essentially kicking her out of his room, there was something so sexy about the way he was doing it.

"Maybe I'll come back and see you sometime?"

"I'd like that."

"All right, feel better." She bent down and gave him a peck on the lips, and then ran out of the room before he could respond. Pausing by the elevator bay, so that she was just out of Ethan's earshot, Kristina whipped out her phone.

"Diane," she texted, her fingers flying across the keypad. "Have to talk, but don't tell Mom. Free tomorrow afternoon-Kristina."

There. It was done. There was no going back now.