Noticed I've had a lot of silent readers later, and while I appreciate any and all support, remember to leave reviews.

MMM

PS. You may want to reread chapter five. After seeing the clip where Alexis was banished, I slightly altered Molly's reaction.

This is a shocking development, thought Alexis as she dazedly went upstairs to place her dying cell phone in its charger. If memory served her, Stefan was going through all the formalities of arranging a Cassadine family meeting. It would be the first in long while; there had been none when Nikolas was head of the family. Her nephew had detested the idea of such gatherings because he thought they were archaic, a delusion of grandeur misplaced when one considered the now-crumbling Cassadine dynasty.

Alexis had no idea what Stefan wanted to discuss with them, no clue what he had up his sleeve. With a jolt of trepidation, she considered the possibility that the meeting had been called to go over Helena's latest transgressions, but Stefan had summoned the girls as well, and there wasn't a way in the world Alexis would allow her daughters and baby grandson to be exposed to the inner workings of that woman's twisted mind. Still she wanted her family to experience the Stefan she knew of old, with the tenderness he showed to those he loved behind closed doors…

Flashback

"Hello?" Alexis spoke into the phone

"Alexis. Am I getting you at a bad time?"

"Stefan? No."

"Good. Is Kristina there with you?"

"Yeah, she's right here."

"Listen, I wonder if uh…if you and Kristina could come to Wyndemere to see me. It's important."

"Are...are you all right? What's going on?"

"I'll explain when you get here."

0o0o0o

She had thought her brother had called them all to the island to inform them that Helena had found a way to escape her blessed incarceration, but now Alexis stood at attention in Stefan's beloved library as she, Kristina, Nikolas, and Gia Campbell listened to him read from the journal he had kept as a boy, which the now deceased Chloe had found among his more recent belongings. "'This island, the Cassadine traditions…all of the ancient rules and codes. When I'm grown, I'll break away from them, and make a life that's my own.' Now, I made this promise to myself years ago. I haven't kept it until now."

Someone about that statement startled Alexis. "What happens now?" she inquired.

"Well, this afternoon I fly to Milan where I've rented a villa for an extended stay."

Nikolas nodded. "So what about after Milan?"

"I don't know. For once in my life, I'm playing it by ear." Stefan smiled at the smirk on his nephew's face, but it was replaced by a tender look as Nikolas asked,

"How long will you be gone?"

"As long as it takes for me to discover who I am beyond all this. I've left the estate in your capable hands, and I'm sure—"

"No, you can't!" Gia blurted out.

"Gia I'm flattered you want me to stay."

"She isn't the only one," Kristina spoke up. "Stefan, I just found you! And now I'm going to lose you again?"

"No, not at all. You're my family, you can visit anytime."

"Stefan isn't one to sever family ties," Alexis assured her sister gently.

"Maybe that's finally working in my favor," Stefan added causing his youngest sister to smile slightly.

Alexis sighed. "I'm going to miss you, big brother, but I think this is good. I think it's good that you're getting away."

"But does it have to me now?" Gia inquired desperately.

Stefan eyed her with concern. "Gia, is there a problem?"

"Look—"

"She wants her for the wedding, Uncle," Nikolas remarked by way of an explanation, one that Alexis would have deemed rather condescending if it were her place to do so. "As do I."

"I'll be there," Stefan promised.

"But…"

Nikolas placed a hand on his fiancée's arm, before she could say anything else. "Now is not the time, Gia. Stefan called us here to say goodbye."

"Gia, Wyndemere belongs to you now. I don't want you to concern yourself about me. Now if you two will excuse us, I would like to speak to my sisters in private."

End Flashback

The memory of the last family meeting flooding her senses, Alexis walked over to her dresser and ran the pads of her thumbs over the carvings of orchids and violets that covered her jewelry box. Gently, she lifted the lid and examined the contents. Buried beneath the earrings and necklaces Alexis wore on a daily basis, and the ones she reserved for the odd formal function were five pieces so rarely disturbed of late, she was surprised they hadn't developed cobwebs. These were the reminders of her former life: a two-piece necklace and sapphire ring that had both belonged to her mother, two heirlooms that had belonged to other Cassadine aristocrats (one was a necklace that Stefan had given to her before his departure, the other he'd given to Kristina, though Alexis had inherited her sister's personal effects when the warehouse exploded), and at the very bottom was her Cassadine medallion. It was the latter that she pulled out of the box's depths, and cupped in her palm gently removing the dust. The medallion felt weighty and strange and bounced anew against her neck.

Stefan had once asked her if she was ready to be a Cassadine again, but he had "died" before she could give him a proper response. Maybe he wanted one now.

She used the landline to call Sam.

0o0o0o

Stefan, on the other hand, was settling very easily into his old role as master of the house.

"Have your men groom and saddle some horses, in case any of my guests feel the need for an evening ride, especially…yes, that's the one. Thank you. Ah, Vera," Stefan acknowledged his entering housekeeper as he ended the call to the stable master.

"A package for you, Master Cassadine. Shall I set a place at the table for Miss Alexis?"

Stefan nodded. "As will her daughters, and I suspect Samantha will bring her son along." He moved across the room to disencumber her of the parcel. "Excellent, the last gift has arrived, last that is, if Gregory has completed the errand I asked of him. "

The valet appeared as if compelled to do so by the sound of his name. "Miss Alexis, her daughters, and grandson to see you, sir."

"Is there something troubling you, Gregory? Did you not acquire what it is I need?"

The valet withdrew an official envelope from his waistcoat pocket. "Ms. Quartermaine was rather difficult, sir. She wanted a larger sum."

Stefan scoffed. "Tracy Quartermaine's asking price was already criminal, but no matter. Show my guests in with my apologies. I will be with them shortly."

0o0o0o

"That was lovely, Stefan," Alexis smiled, crossing her silverware on top of her plate. "Vera may be not be Greek, but she sure knows her way around Greek food. I sincerely hope she shares her aunt's penchant for making the best scones the world has ever seen."

"They were good, weren't they?" Stefan agreed. "And was the meal agreeable to the rest of you?"

"Especially the baklava," Molly enthused, while Kristina nodded.

Alexis laughed. "I never thought I would find someone with a bigger hankering for baklava than your uncle, now I've found two."

"Three," corrected Sam from two seats over.

"But I doubt, Stefan, that you sent for us just for the pleasure of sharing our national cuisine with my daughters, so what pray tell are we doing here?"

"Patience, Alexis, I will tell you in due time."

"I don't mean to be rude, but when is 'due time' exactly?" Sam wanted to know. "I have to get Danny home eventually."

"I assure you if what I have to say takes enough time to offend Daniel's anti-nocturnal sensibilities, you are free to either go home, or if you like, you may put him down in one of our guest rooms. In the meantime, shall we move this into the conservatory?"

"All right," Alexis consented. "Come on, girls."

Molly grinned at the starlit sky that could be seen out of the conservatory's high windows. "The house doesn't seem as creepy now."

"Creepy." Stefan raised his eyebrows. "Why do I get the feeling that description was originally yours, Alexis?" He had a feeling that Alexis was using the mansion's checkered history as an avenue to keep Kristina away from Lovett, who was in Stefan opinion, unhealthily attached to the younger girl. It was a stroke of genius for which he had to applaud his sister, though he dare not say so aloud.

"Can you really blame me, Stefan?" she replied before turning to Molly. "I suspect your uncle's staff cleaned out the cobwebs."

"Any of the three of you is petite enough to check," Stefan offered his nieces playfully.

Alexis rolled her eyes. "It seemed staying with Nikolas has honed your teasing skills."

"A requirement with him."

"And with this crowd," Alexis assured him. "But better you than me."

"Or me," Sam added, setting a squirming Danny down next to her. The little boy used the back of the chaise to scoot himself along, but Stefan reacted deftly before Danny could fall over the arm, and placed the child in his own lap.

"Are you going to let Mama and Yaya would send me off like a lamb to slaughter?" he smiled.

"Don't feel too bad for your uncle, Danny," Sam cautioned. "He's Greek, so lamb is fitting. Hey, what are you looking at, buddy?"

Stefan followed his great-nephew's gaze to the package that had arrived earlier, and now sat encased in wrapping paper by Vera's apparently practiced hand, "Ah, yes. Daniel has redirected me to the purpose of tonight's meeting. As you know, I have recently had a rather unpleasant encounter with Lovett."

"You mean the one where you tossed him over the staircase like yesterday's garbage?"

"Kristina!" Alexis hissed warningly.

Stefan nodded his appreciation to his sister, but honestly what girl partially raised by Sonny Corinthos, would respect the Cassadine tradition of respecting and deferring to the family elders. Corinthos, after all, had respect for nothing except his shiny gun. "Rest assured, I don't usually let the likes of the Spencers get to me in that way, but the information Lovett had come to impart was most unsettling. It has shown me my own grievous error, one of many where my family is concerned."

"Which information?" Sam inquired tentatively.

Stefan gazed at her sadly. "I know everything. It's unfortunate that I have been denied the happy occasion of showing the —" Suddenly remembering the child in his lap, Stefan quickly censored his course. "—ahem, scoundrels who hurt my nieces my particular displeasure. If I had been in Port Charles in the first place, a tremendous amount of pain could have been prevented. With that in mind, I would like to offer each of you tokens of my regret."

"Stefan, that really isn't necessary."

"Alexis, please. You may think of them as collateral for the time lost between us, if the idea is more suitable to you. Here, take this."

"What is it?" Molly wanted to know.

"Whatever it is, it looks very legal," Alexis replied.

Sam slit the envelope with her thumbnail. "Oh my God," she gasped. "This is the deed to my office building, isn't it?"

Stefan nodded. "Forgive me for taking the liberty, but I've bought it in your name. You own the property outright, to do with as you like. You are an independent by nature, Samantha. You should never have to answer to anyone."

"Thank you, Uncle Stefan, thanks so much," Sam whispered into the man's shoulder as they embraced. Pulling away she fixed her uncle with one of her signature smirks. "And just so you know, I never do."

Stefan grinned. "Your mother's fire suits you well, darling. And here is something for a young woman who shares her mother's early and intense love of knowledge. For you, Molly."

Molly rushed forward and grabbed the parcel much to the protest of Danny,

The teenage aunt laughed. "Okay, okay, you can help me. Let me start it first." She sat cross-legged in front of her uncle's armchair and held the package at Danny's eye level.

The child demolished the wrappings happily, much to the amusement of his family, but for her part, Molly was enthralled by what was inside.

"The Odyssey," she gasped. "Uncle Stefan, it's beautiful!"

"And all yours. Perfect I think, since Nikolas tells me you borrowed The Iliad from your local library at the tender age of eleven."

"I couldn't find it in yours," Molly explained.

"I do have them, but my copies of both epics are in their original Greek. Perhaps I will give you lessons one day."

"Cool!"

"Kristina." Stefan turned to his last niece. "I'm afraid your gift won't fit in this room, but I'm sure he will be more his ease in the stables. "

Kristina's eyes lit up. "You didn't?"

"Oh, but I have. I rather enjoy riding myself, so I've brought along with me. Yours in particular is an Arabian, beautiful creature. Nikolas had his mother imported from the Middle East for breeding. He has no name, but I've been told to suggest one on Alexei's behalf."

"Yeah, what is it?" Kristina asked.

"Aladdin," Stefan replied, as though he didn't give much credence to a name spawned by a Disney cartoon.

Alexis snorted. "Let me guess, you would have gone with Hercules?"

"And what, dear sister, is wrong with the name Hercules?"

"While you guys decide his name, mind if I go see my new horse."

"Be my guest, darling, ride him if you like."

0o0o0o

Kristina let out a breath of relief. As far as she could tell she was alone on the grounds, and could therefore finally attend to her blinking cell phone.

"You have one new voice mail," the robotic voice prompted as Kristina entered her pass code. "Kristina, this is Diane Miller calling. As far Lulu and Dante are concerned, there is an anonymous party willing to carry their child. The three of us will meet you at GH tomorrow afternoon with the paperwork. Call me by then if you change your mind."

0o0o0o

"I know you want to see the horsies, buddy," Sam whispered, placing a gentle finger to her son's lips, to keep him from squealing at the sight of the animals, "but Mommy wants to know why Aunt Krissy is on the phone again."