Chapter Five

Two Days later

"I hate physical therapy!" came the shout from Theresa's new room.

Lucky and Nikolas both laughed as they approached the room. "That's Resa, all right," Lucky said.

"Yeah, that's true. Are you sure you really want to go in there? It doesn't sound like Resa's in a good mood," Nikolas said.

"Lucky, Nikolas, get in here!" Theresa shouted again a moment later.

"Looks like we have no choice but to go in. Let's move," Lucky said.

Both boys walked into Theresa's room and saw their good friend sitting in her wheelchair, her glasses perched on the end of her nose and her arms crossed in front of her chest.

"What's wrong, Resa?" Nikolas asked his good friend.

"I hate physical therapy! It is so hard!" Theresa exclaimed to both of them.

"I know, Resa. But if you want to stay in shape to possibly have the chance to walk again through experimental treatments they could use to help you, you have to do it," Lucky said.

"I know. But it is so hard. But to get out of this place, I'll do anything," Theresa said.

"We know, Resa. You'll get out of here soon. Ric, Sonny, Lucky, and I are working to get you a house where you can raise Matthew and Ethan Martin," Nikolas said to her.

"And Ric is looking into how you can regain custody of both boys. He's looking for anything he can to ruin Gwen and Ethan's chances to keep custody," Lucky said with a smile.

"I can't wait until I have both my boys with me," Theresa said. "I want them back with me so badly."

"We know you do, Resa. And we are doing everything we can to get them back with you. Ethan and Gwen are not winning this time," Nikolas said with a smile.

Fox Crane and Elisia McKay were sitting at his desk, looking through the information they had received on Gwen and her past from her father. So far, they had some information that could put a chink in Gwen's armor, but was not enough to totally bring her down. Anything that looked promising got placed in a pile on one side of Fox's desk in a gold box while the rest just got thrown on the floor.

Across the room, Chad and Cora were at his desk doing the same thing. So far, they had found some things to put a chink in Gwen's armor, but nothing that would bring her down and get the boys back to Theresa.

"God, I cannot believe all the things that Gwen has done," Cara said.

"I know. Gwen is one bad woman and she has hidden that fact from the rest of the world really well," Chad said.

"Hey guys! Any luck?" Vanessa asked as she came into the office.

"Not really, Ness. We found some things that could knock her down a few notches, but nothing that could get Theresa the boys back," Fox said.

"Hold that thought, Foxworth. I may have found something," Elisia said, buried in a piece of paper. A second later, she raised her head and smiled. "We have found what we need! We can get the boys away from her!"

"What is it? What did you find?" Fox asked.

"That bitch is a dead beat mother in Florida! She has never paid a single child support payment to support her own biological son and daughter. No court should have given her legal custody when she owes so much child support," Elisia said.

"Oh my god! Why did the judge rule to allow Gwen and Ethan to adopt him if this is true?" Cora asked.

"The judge did not know," came the voice of Alistair Crane. "He didn't think to look into Gwen's past since Rebecca bought off the judge so that Theresa would lose her parental rights."

"Will you help us, grandfather? Will you help us bring Gwen down and get the boys back to Theresa?" Vanessa asked.

"Of course. Anything to get rid of those gold diggers out of the Crane family. Rebecca has changed your father for the worse and I do not like it at all!" Alistair exclaimed.

Victoria's voice came into the office at that moment. "But this will be helping the family you say you hate!"

"I don't hate Theresa! I hate Luis because he is like his father. Theresa is not anything like her father and she also reminds me of Katherine with her spunk and fire," Alistair said.

"OK, grandfather, we understand. We see why you want to help Theresa, but are you sure you want to possibly alienate our father because this may just do it," Chad said.

"Julian will change back into the ruthless tyrant once he sees those secrets about his ho of a wife and step-daughter revealed, trust me. Well, maybe not all the way. He'll be free to be with your mother, Chad," Alistair said.

"Mom makes him happy. That's what matters is dad and mom's happiness. He won't be so miserable anymore once the secrets are out," Chad said, on the same wavelength as his grandfather.

The seven of them got to work on finding out more secrets about Rebecca and Gwen, little secrets to reveal before the big secret would be revealed.

Theresa sat in her bed, reading a book, when the door to her room opened. She looked up and saw the unfamiliar woman standing before her. But she believed she knew who this was. Mary Bishop, the woman who had tried, and was still trying, to turn Nikolas into her late husband Connor.

"Theresa, right?"

"Yes, Mary. What do you want?"

"I want you to help me with Connor…"

"His name, Mary, is Nikolas. Nikolas Mikhail Stavrosovich Cassadine. Connor Bishop is dead! You know that, Mary, and you know that Nik could never be him," Theresa said to her vehemently.

"Yes, he could. He was becoming…"

"Only because you kept him away from his family and friends. You lied, Mary! You liked to Emily and Lucky and you lied to Nikolas! And I don't care if someone else is on your side. Alcazar can do nothing! He is too busy fighting to get his niece off for almost killing me! And Helena can do nothing and she knows it!"

"But, Theresa…"

"But nothing! You can do nothing. We have Nikolas back with us. Face the facts! Connor is dead! There is nothing you can do to change that!" Theresa shouted at her.

Mary's face hardened. "Oh yes I can! I'll show you!" Mary shouted as she approached Theresa's bed and shoved her off.