Author's Notes: A few notes that should be made clear of things that will be AU from what actually happened on GH. First of all, since Stefan always knew that Alexis was his sister, the stuff where Stefan was shortly led to believe that Katherine Bell was his sister never happened. Though they will not be gone into in detail, there are other reasons that will be later referred to in regards to how Alexis tried to stop Stefan's relationship with Katherine. Anything else that may come up will be explained within the chapters that they are introduced.

Alexis didn't know whether to be grateful for the woman who stood before her, or to be filled with the utmost jealousy. Her feelings of envy had nothing to do with the fact that Irisa Valeskovna Yatskya was a true born Russian princess, nor that her air held no hint that she had ever been forced to make pretenses of her lineage. The time when those descended from the Romanov line had to hide their heritage had long since evaporated, and she could hold her head high.

No, Alexis's reasons for jealousy were because this woman was trusted by Stefan. There was a time when she was the only one that he truly trusted. She was sure that this woman, this princess, knew things in a short amount of time regarding the Cassadine family that it had taken Alexis years to discover. To believe that Stefan had finally opened himself to someone outside of the family hurt almost as the memories of her own betrayal.

However, she was not about to let her see the discomfort. Long before Irisa had arrived, Alexis had dried her tears and put herself together. She sat before the princess in a crisp navy blue suit. The skirt was cut just past the knee. Her jacket was tailored to conceal and encompass her ever-expanding belly. The cuffs and collar of her white blouse were crisp where they peeked out from her jacket. The front of her hair was pulled back in pins, leaving the back to hang behind her back. She was as close to reserved as one with raging hormones could hope to be.

Irisa sat before her, back straight, knees clamped tightly together. The hem of her flimsy white dress rose a few inches above her knees. Where Alexis seemed to be dressed for business, Irisa was dressed for summer. The material she wore was thin enough to whisk around her with a sturdy breeze, but thick enough that no prying male eyes could see through the material, which was thicker at the chest. The sleeves pushed up to to her shoulders, then coursed tightly to her wrists. She was exquisitely dressed for a modern princess, but there was one thing she lacked that gave Alexis reason to sit just a bit straighter.

Around her neck was the Cassadine medallion that had been taken from her years before. There was a time when Alexis thought that she would never possess the medallion again, and sometimes, she didn't care that it was gone. However, on nights where she felt the most guilt, when she realized that the loss of her brother's acceptance had been the start of her downfall, she missed that medallion. Now, it felt heavy around her neck, tucked safely inside of her shirt, and she relished the weight.

Alexis resisted the urge to reach up and caress the medallion. Even through her blouse, she would have been able to feel the heavy etchings of the Cassadine seal molded in gold on the black face. She closed her eyes for a second, forcing her body calm, then opened her eyes slowly. The princess looked at her with cool eyes and, though she may have had the distinction of being within Stefan's trust, she was still in Alexis's home, and she had the upperhand.

"Irisa, is it?" Alexis's head turned slightly to the side, casting her gaze towards the entranceway that led to the back hallway. Somewhere back there, Stefan was waiting. Perhaps he was teaching Kristina the Cassadine ways early. Or perhaps he stood just beyond the curve, listening to the interaction of the two women. "How long have you known my brother?"

"Long enough." Her voice was lightly accented, a testament to a woman well-travelled. Raised with Russian as her first language, she would never be able to truly rid herself of regional distinction, but it was light enough to not place her firmly in one spot. She was a traveller. "How long have you been willing to call him your brother, again?"

Alexis's eyes grew wider, the only hint of her shock over the woman's bluntness. "Let's get one thing straight, shall we? No matter what you are to Stefan, you are in my home. I don't allow my own husband to question me in my home. I am not about to let a woman I barely know do it, either."

Irisa showed no hint that Alexis's words affected her. "Stefan told me that his sister was once a proud and forceful woman. It is good to see that there is some of that remaining. I am sure we would both hate for him to have been mistaken."

"I hide my Cassadine well," Alexis told her. "It's something you learn when your life is at risk." Alexis leaned back against the cream sofa and rested her hand gently against her stomach. "I know why Stefan is here, and I'm grateful. You, however, are a different matter. My gratitude comes when I know that it's deserved, and all I know of you is that, for whatever reason, you've decided to help him."

In Irisa's silence, Alexis took in the rest of her appearance. Her skin was creamy, with only the slightest hint of a tan. She guessed that the princess didn't spend much time in the sun. Her lips were just a step or two above being thin, covered in a light pink sheen. When she first arrived, brown hair with lighter highlights hung loosely in her face, but now, one side was pushed back behind her ear to reveal high, structured cheekbones. Her brown eyes were even, revealing nothing too deep about her. She was definitely a product of intense and strong breeding.

"I am here for Stefan," Irisa finally said. "When we met, he had no one. He had recovered from the injuries inflicted upon him. And though his family had turned his back on him, his family was exactly where his mind lay. A man who can love those against him so dearly is truly a man, indeed."

"Nice words." Alexis's voice was flat. "Nice sentiment, too. But tell me this." She leaned forward slightly. "What do you get out of all of this? And don't tell me that you don't get anything. I've known royalty and dignitaries. I've conspired with criminals and I'm married to the District Attorney. Believe me, Irisa, I realize that no matter how magnanimous one may wish others to believe an action to be, there is no such thing as a purely altruistic motive. Stefan wants his family. I want my brother and my daughter. What do you want? Stefan gets the considerable resources of your money, and trust me, after the last place he went for funding, you're definitely the lesser of two evils. But, what do you get out of this all?"

"Natasha…"

"No," she interrupted her. Alexis rose her hand and sliced it through the air. "I gave up that name long ago, and there is only one person I will allow to bring it back. Until I know exactly who you are, you don't know who Natasha is."

"Very well." Irisa gave the barest nods, then emphasized, "Alexis." Her body language was silent. The only movement came from her lips. Even her hands stayed resting against her knees. "I am not in this for purely, as you say, altruistic reasons. I have the wealth and leisure to do what I please, and at the moment, I desire excitement. I desire a new setting. And I desire Stefan. Whether you trust me or not, Stefan does."

"Stefan trusts far too easily."

"If you are referring to Katherine Bell, believe me when I say that I am nowhere near that shrew. I love Stefan, and he loves me. There is no need for me to be awestruck by anything that I see in his company. I have seen it many times before, and have held even more in my hands." For the first time in the conversation, Irisa moved. She leaned forward, bringing herself closer. "I am here because I believe in Stefan. I forgive him for misdeeds that others are too high to forgive. He needs me and I am more than happy to lend my assistance as it is needed."

Alexis wasn't sure if she wanted to believe her, but she really had no choice. Stefan trusted this woman, and unlike Katherine Bell, she had given Alexis no reason to do the same. If nothing else, she gave Stefan a means other than organized crime to fund his endeavors. However, should Princess Irisa Valeskovna Yatskya decide that she was better off on the other side, as so many others had in the past, herself included… Well, she would just see how much Cassadine there was left in Alexis Davis. She would truly meet Natasha.

Alexis put none of these thoughts to words. Instead, she let the information fill her eyes and passed the knowledge through an intense glare. After several more minutes of silence, Alexis pushed herself up from the sofa. "Is there anything else that I should know about you?"

"I believe in what Stefan is doing, Alexis." Irisa stood slowly, her arms falling to her sides. "Had my own line been so fierce and fastidious in defense of family, perhaps the Romanov dynasty would not have ended in quite so brutal a fashion."

"And you would have eventually been a Grand Duchess."

"It is such a bore to be a Grand Duchess," Irisa said with a small laugh. "I much prefer being a modern day princess. There is so much freedom. I highly doubt that I would have been able to lead the life that I do if I were the wielder of such a title."

"I suppose not." Alexis sighed and shook her head. "Well, excuse me, Princess…" Even Alexis could taste the slight distain in the title. "There are plans that I must put into affect."

"As must I." She gave her a slight nod. "I will see myself out, da?"

"Da." Alexis stood with her arms folded and watched as the princess glided across the room. She disappeared with what Alexis would have sworn was a regal flare out the door. When she was gone, Alexis sighed, letting her body slouch. She turned towards the rear of the house again, and Stefan stood there, watching with a smile that she couldn't gauge. "What are you so happy about?"

"I'm merely glad to see that there is still a piece of Natasha within you."

"There always has been. How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough," he told her. He walked forward, his arms folded in front of him. "What do you think of my Irisa, Natasha? A beauty, isn't she?"

"Oh, and I'm sure she's so much more." Stefan's grin turned widened and Alexis knew that he was fully aware of her envy. He appreciated it. She could only be envious if she cared, and to speak of someone with such disdain and mistrust meant that she cared quite a bit. "What have you been back there teaching my daughter?"

Stefan laughed as he stopped in front of her, only a step between them. He leaned in and kissed her cheek lightly. "The same things I taught you and Nikolas, of course."

"How about we wait until she's a little older for a that, huh? She's not ready for lessons on Cassadine history. Or methods of torture."

"And how long would you say that we wait, Alexis?"

She didn't know whether to be astonished or humorous that he had called her something other than Natasha. He'd referred to her as nothing else since she woke up that morning. Opting to ignore it, sure that he would alternate between the two names many times in the future, she shook her head, then gave a small laugh. "At least a year. She really should be able to color between the lines before she learns how to destroy her enemies with a single phone call."