To Dex's knowledge, homecomings usually aren't meant to induce panic.

A mix of emotions existed in the Wyndemere great room. The Cassadines exchanged a number of looks with one another: shock, anger, skepticism. Victor stood before them all, face-to-face with the man of the hour.

"Well?" Victor asked Dex, studying his troubled expression, "Isn't there anything you want to say?"

"Back off, Victor," Alexis spoke up, stepping closer to Dex. She gently grabbed his arm and guided him to the sofa. Dex could feel Nikolas's and Spencer's individual glares as he sat down.

"Irina Cassadine is your mother?" Nikolas asked, his face rife with a heated confusion, "Is that really true?"

"See for yourself," Victor replied, handing the birth certificate to his great nephew. Nikolas scanned the document, Spencer extending his neck out to look from afar. The man sighed and folded up the certificate, handing it back to the elder.

"Well, if no one else will say it, I will," Ava clipped, moving to take a seat on the sofa. She placed a gentle hand on Dex's shoulder, "Welcome to the family."

"Hang on," Spencer said, walking around to the front of the sofa, "How do we know if this is the real guy? This could be some moocher trying to profit off our family name."

"Well, we can always arrange for a DNA test, can't we?" Valentin replied, "We have the man here; it wouldn't hurt to try."

"That and verifying the authenticity of the birth certificate," Nikolas followed with, "I want to know exactly who we're dealing with-"

"Enough!" Dex shot up from his spot between Alexis and Ava, and made his way towards the closed doors. With a scowl on his face, Nikolas swiftly approached his newfound cousin.

"You got a problem, waif?" Nikolas scoffed.

Dex turned around, "With you accusing me of being a fraud? Yeah, I've got a problem."

"No one knew you were family until now. Forgive me if I don't fully accept you."

"I don't care if you accept me, Nikolas. I care that you're questioning my existence."

"So you are a Cassadine?" Ava asked.

"...I want the certificate," Dex held out a hand towards Victor. The older man obliged and passed it over. Dex scanned the document over, and a part of him felt defeated. He caught all the names he needed to: his own, his father's, and his mother's.

"It's authentic," Victor said with a smile, catching Dex's glare, "if you're curious."

"Then…then I guess I am."

"You guess?" Spencer asked, making a face, "If it says so on that birth certificate, then you are."

"That's not the point," Dex rolled his eyes.

"Don't be so defensive, Dexter," Valentin remarked. "We're family."

"I barely know any of you," Dex pointed out, "I may be related to you all biologically, but I don't consider you family."

"But your mother is your family, and you know plenty about her."

"As if you're entitled to that information."

"As if you know that information."

All eyes were on Alexis the moment the sentence left her mouth. She slowly took a step forward, her eyes locked on Dex. The two exchanged sharp looks the more Alexis centered herself between her relatives.

"You know something about Irina?" Spencer asked.

"I do. I know a lot more than most of you in this room do."

"And are you going to tell us?" Nikolas questioned.

"I think it's best if her son finds out first," Alexis said. She looked around the room for a beat, growing disappointed, "...that means without the rest of the family present."

"...Oh," Victor spoke up, "Of course. Yes, let's give these two some space."

"But-" Nikolas began as the doors reopened.

"Let's go, dear nephew. No need to bother your aunt and cousin."

Dejectedly, Nikolas, Ava, and Spencer made their way into the hallway. Valentin nodded at Alexis before exiting himself. Victor remained in the room, looking back at his relatives.

"Well, I hope you two have a productive conversation," Victor grinned, looking between her and Dex, "If you need me, I'll be making a very important call."

Dex's eyes lingered on the door as Victor shut it. He gulped as Alexis's hand fell on his shoulder, "Should I be worried about that?"

"Sure, but there's nothing you could do about it," Alexis answered, taking a seat again on the sofa, "Take a seat."

"Why did you kick everyone out?"

"I thought it would be better for you to learn some information about your mother in private. Plus, I could tell you were bluffing."

"I wasn't bluffing."

"You learned your mother's name five minutes ago," Alexis looked at Dex, who pursed his lips at her in response. He averted his eyes in shame, sighing. Alexis patted the sofa next to her, her gaze still on him. After a few moments of awkward silence, Dex slowly sat down, looking back at the woman. A part of him wanted to leave, to act like what happened was a hallucination, but as more time passed, the more he accepted that the incident was anything but.

"...What can you tell me about my mother?"

This ought to be good.

It wasn't often that Wallace received office phone calls at midday. The men that worked under him, who traded secrets like they were candy, had set times to report back to him. If there was a break in the cycle, it typically meant there was an emergency, and he'd pick up the call once a name popped up on the digital screen.

He instead saw a number he didn't recognize.

"Heller," Wallace greeted as he picked up the phone. He tucked the device in the crook of his neck.

"Heller? Wallace Heller, right?"

"Who's asking?"

"Someone you thought you could hide from."

"...I'm not sure it's smart for you to out yourself," Wallace said smoothly, "Pretty sure that's why you're considered 'undercover.'"

"A bit presumptuous to assume I'm part of law enforcement, isn't it?"

"You do have a British accent…"

"Oh, Wallace…how long did you think you could keep this up?"

"Keep what up?"

"This deception."

"What deception? I don't know who you are, but you're certainly not privy to whatever you think I'm keeping secret."

"Are you sure? Dexter would beg to differ."

Wallace froze for a brief moment. He slowly sat upright in his office chair, moving to grip the phone tightly in his hand. A tinge of sweat began to form on his neck.

"Seems like I've struck a nerve, no?"

"...Who are you?"

"Victor Cassadine."

"Cassadine," Wallace hissed, "Hurensohn…"

"There's no need for such crude language, Wallace," Victor scoffed sarcastically, "not when you have a question of mine to answer. How long did you expect to keep this ruse going?"

"Long enough that no one in your God-forsaken family would be alive to care."

"A little hostile, aren't we?"

"Where is my son?" Wallace asked hastily, his other hand gripping the office chair, "If that old hag laid one of her wrinkled fingers on him, I swear to God-"

"Dexter is fine," Victor's voice was calm, "A little shell-shocked, but fine."

"...What did she do to him?"

Victor stood in the parapet room, the door to the room locked. He meandered around the small area, his cellphone pressed against his ear. A smirk was firmly planted on his face as he traded words with the man on the other end of the call.

"Who-" Victor began, the realization immediately dawning on him, "Oh, Helena?"

"If that evil witch managed to sink her claws into my son-"

"Well, lucky for you, she's dead."

"So you did something to him."

"If by 'something,' you mean introducing my grandson to his maternal family, then yes."

"Grandson?" Wallace asked, "...You're Irina's father?"

"Guilty as charged," Victor swiftly replied, "but back to you, Wallace. I do believe I'm due for an explanation."

"I don't owe you anything."

"Did you honestly think you'd be able to keep Dexter away from his family forever?"

"I'm his family. You're nothing," Wallace snapped, "Your family is made up of bloodthirsty psychopaths who're more than happy to kill their own at the drop of a hat. Forgive me if I thought that was a detrimental environment for someone to grow up in."

"Such a terrible statement to make against the mother of your child."

"She agreed with me. Why else do you think he's so detached from your 'family?'"

"...Oh? Is that so?"

Damnit. Wallace kicked himself mentally the moment the words left his mouth. He closed his eyes in a silent defeat, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"You mean to tell me my own daughter openly allowed you to erase her son's heritage?"

"I'm saying she was a better parent than you and Helena combined. She actually prioritized her kid's well-being. You two made her a prisoner."

"We shaped her into the best she could be-"

"Until she defied you. Then you killed her."

"That was all Helena. I wasn't involved."

Wallace sighed angrily, air exiting his nostrils. He pinched the bridge of his nose again, trying to figure out what to say next. His eyes darted around the room, looking at the assortment of photos hanging on the wall. He found himself looking at the lone photo on his desk, the toothy smile from a younger Dex burning a hole in his chest: I failed.

"Well, if there's nothing else to say," Victor began, "Then I'll be taking my leave. It was lovely to hear from you, Wallace. Dexter's in good hands."

"Go to hell," Wallace said sharply, slamming the phone into its holder. He ran his hands down his face before picking up the phone again, pressing a number of keys.

"Hey," he said into the phone, "Get me on the next flight to Port Charles, New York. It's an emergency."

"...That's how she died?"

Dex knew that any information on his mother was worthwhile, and considering how little he knew, the smallest detail carried significant weight. He wasn't sure what to expect when Alexis shooed the rest of the family away, but a part of him hoped that whatever would be revealed would be normal or light-hearted.

Alexis's information was anything but.

"You didn't know that…?" Alexis said, trying to ask the question.

"I just knew she died."

"How'd you find out?"

"We got a letter in the mail a month after my fifteenth birthday. I never got to read it, but my father did and he told me."

"How did you take it?"

"I mean, how was I supposed to take it? How do you grieve someone you never really had a relationship with?" Dex asked, looking away from Alexis, "The last time I saw or heard from my mother, I was five. For years, I didn't know whether we'd reunite or not. After that letter, I had my answer."

"I'm really sorry," Alexis said, "All of this must be a tough pill to swallow."

"Don't apologize," Dex replied, stiffening his back, "It's not every day you find out your grandmother killed your mother, but I'm glad you told me."

"Well, your grandmother was a wicked, evil woman," Alexis sighed, "She'd do anything to get what she wanted, no matter how immoral or illegal. She made your mother into an assassin, after all. It's unfortunate that you share DNA with her."

"It is, isn't it?" Dex chuckled, sharing a smile with Alexis, "But you can't help who you're related to."

"Don't I know it," Alexis shook her head, briefly laughing, "But speaking of, your father-"

"What about him?"

"He never talked about Irina with you, did he?"

"No," Dex shook his head, shrugging his shoulders, "He…never liked to talk about her. All he'd tell me is that she loved me and had a good reason for not being around."

"And that was?"

"My safety."

Alexis paused, thinking of her next response. She had questions on the man's motivations, concerns about Irina's obvious absence, but a part of her worried that the answers she could get would only create more unknowns. She studied Dex's posture, her focus shifting until it landed on the ring.

"...What was going on that Irina had to leave you for your safety?" Alexis asked slowly.

"I can't answer that-" Dex began before hearing his phone vibrate in his pocket. He inhaled a small amount of air, briefly contemplating his next move.

Alexis carried an expression of grave concern, her eyes cast down at the floor, "I know you were quite young when you and Irina separated but-"

"I have to go," Dex slowly got to his feet, "Thanks for telling me about my mother. It means more than you know."

"Well," Alexis stood up, "as Victor crudely announced, you're family. You were owed that information. Plus, you deserve to know that not everyone here is upset with you."

"I appreciate that. A lot."

Alexis smiled sadly as she watched Dex turn and exit the great room. She sighed as she heard the front door close, sitting back down. There was an eerie emptiness that filled Wyndemere, and while she waited for her other relatives to swarm in for answers, she remained seated, thinking over the conversation an infinite number of times.

Dex stood on the ferry, watching as the castle disappeared into the fog that shielded it. A number of thoughts flashed in his head, then morphing into a hard silence. Eventually, he pulled out his phone and checked the text notification.

An indescribable level of rage coursed through his veins the second he saw who the sender was.

From: Dad (2:53 PM)
On my way to PC.
I'll text you when I land.

A/N: (According to online translations)

"Hurensohn" - Son of a bitch