CHAPTER 10

FEW DAYS LATER: HOTEL

Sydney joins Sark at the kitchen table as he looks at the pictures he'd had taken of Sasha, "I just got off the phone with Dad. Someone just emailed them a list of names Cassadines contacts."

"When was it sent?" Sark asks distractedly.

"Late last night. Who in his home is betraying him?" Sydney wonders aloud

"I have no idea." Sark admits. "Are we taking him now or later?"

"They're sending a team tonight. They say tomorrow night we'll do this."

Sark nods

"We're supposed to meet them at the airstrip."

"Sure."

"What have you learned?"

"According to some people in town she's rarely seen anywhere but at the beach... and every so often she comes into town to go to a bookstore. She has no friends. If he beats her he most likely has his own doctor attend to her wounds."

"So she's been living in Greece since he brought her here?"

"He takes her on trips every so often but she rarely leaves the island."

"What about school?"

"A tutor." Sark answers. "How's Niko doing?"

"He's getting grumpy and stubborn. Dad took him last night to give Samantha a break." Sydney replies

"Good" Sark says absently.

"You'll get all the answers you want soon Sark."

"I know." He looks at Sydney, "She's Lexa, Syd."

"She might not believe it Sark."

"I'll deal with that when I know." He leans back in his seat running his hands over his face. "I have to make things right Syd."

Sydney moves onto his lap her arms going around his neck, "You might not be able to Sark. She might not let you."

"I have to try." He says desperately his eyes meeting Sydney's "I have to."

"I know."

LOS ANGELES: CIA

"Jack" Dixon calls

Jack walks into the office "What is it Marcus?"

"I just received a weird email from someone. It's about the girl who might be Sark's daughter." Dixon hands Jack the email.

Sasha's in trouble. I haven't heard from her today. I hear from her every day so that I know she's all right. If you're going to do anything, do it soon

"Do you think it's reliable?" Jack asks

"It came the same way all the other information came."

"Telling Sark this will make him jump ahead of schedule before they have enough back up. We'll wait until just before they strike to tell him."

"And risk him killing Cassadine?"

"A grandfather hurting his own grandchild is unforgivable but hurting Sark's child... deadly despite everything. Hopefully Sydney will be able to keep him from killing Cassadine." Jack frowns. "Wait you said this came the same way everything else arrived."

Dixon nods then looks at Jack with understanding. "You can't mean..."

"Like father, like daughter." Jack says dryly. "She's our source. She managed to find out everything."

"But why?"

"If what Sydney has told me about Cassadine's treatment of his daughter is true, then it's understandable that his granddaughter would do something like this."

"So do you think she knows who her father is? Sark did say he hasn't seen her since she was five."

"We'll have to see what happens." Jack muses. "I will inform Sydney of this tomorrow."

SAME TIME: CASSADINE'S HOUSE

Sasha winces at the handcuffs digging into her wrists.

"Think about what you've done." Cassadine sneers walking out of the bedroom

Sasha closes her eyes 'I've got to get out of here.' She looks around the room hoping to see something that will help her jimmy the locks. After a few minutes she sighs, "I'm stuck." She mutters resting her head against the wall. 'I screwed up.'

THAT NIGHT: HOTEL

Sydney gasps as she feels Sark's lips trail down her neck, "Sark we're supposed to be" she groans as she feels him slowly slide his hands under her shirt, "working."

"We could use a little break." He murmurs turning her around he kisses her.

LATE NIGHT

Sydney rolls over and looks at the empty spot beside her. She sits up and looks around the dimly lit bedroom to find it empty. She stands grabbing Sark's discarded dress shirt she pulls it on walking out of the room. She notices Sark standing out on the balcony a cigarette in hand. She leans against the doorframe, "Since when did you smoke?"

Sark looks towards Sydney then at the cigarette in his hand, "I stopped a long time ago. Just suddenly felt the urge to light up again."

"Don't make it a habit though huh?"

"I won't." Sark promises. "Besides it wasn't an every day issue with me... just a few times a week." He stubs out the cigarette then walks back into the hotel room picking up the glass of wine he downs it.

"Come on let's go back to bed... we have a long day tomorrow." She holds her hand out to him.

Sark looks Sydney over from head to toe, "What if I don't want to get any sleep?" He asks with a smirk.

Sydney shivers at his expression then smirks, "Who said we'd go to sleep right away?" She grabs his hand pulling him back to the bedroom shoving him onto the bed.

MORNING

Sydney smiles when she feels Sark brush his lips over her shoulder, "Morning."

"Morning." Sark murmurs sleepily.

Sydney turns her head and smiles at his sleepy expression. 'He's cute first thing in the morning.' She reaches up running her fingers through his tousled hair with a faint smile.

"What?" Sark questions when he sees her faint smile.

"I was just thinking about when I saw you after I got back."

Sark smiles faintly, "You accused me of knowing where you were, of being behind your disappearance."

Sydney winces, "Yeah, sorry about that. It's just"

"I did try to kill you numerous times. But think of it this way... if I had wanted to kill you, you wouldn't be here." He points out.

Sydney rolls her eyes "Not if I hadn't killed you first." She sticks out her tongue

"Must you be so bloody childish?"

"Hey a person needs to act childish from time to time... otherwise life would suck." She rests her head on her hand, "Anyway I was thinking about when I saw how short your hair was."

Sark scowls "Wasn't my choice."

"I know."

"So what did you think of my short hair then?"

"I didn't think much of it. It's not like I liked it or didn't... it just didn't seem to fit you." She grins "Besides" she tangles her fingers in his hair pulling him in for a kiss then ends it leaving them both breathing heavily, "wasn't able to do that when you had short hair." She looks at the clock, "It's getting late. We have a long day... we should get moving."

"We have something more pressing first."

"Oh really?" Sydney grins

"Really." Sark pulls Sydney close kissing her lightly then deepening the kiss.

NEXT NIGHT: CASSADINES HOME

Sydney looks at Sark as they overlook the home, "You ready for this Sark?"

"I just want to end this. I want to get her and go home." Sark looks at Sydney.

Sydney nods "What about the Police here? Are they on his side?"

"Not right now. I contacted Irina and she took care of the police with no connection to us." Sark looks around seeing the men's attention on surveying the plans of the home.

"Sydney" Jack says over his daughter's earpiece.

"Yeah?"

"We have a slight problem occur last night. The person who sent us the information informed us they haven't heard from the person who sent them the information in the first place."

"Do you know who sent the information?"

"Apparently the girl."

Sydney looks at Sark who is looking at the house, "Why didn't you say anything last night?"

"Because I know that he would have jumped ahead."

"I'll tell him."

"Be careful Syd." Jack warns

Sydney joins Sark "Dad thinks he knows who the source is."

"Who?" Sark asks looking at Sydney.

"Sasha."

Sark starts "What?"

"It seems the person who sent the information received it from Sasha. They keep in contact every day and yesterday this person sent an email saying they hadn't heard from her." When she sees Sark's eyes ice over she grabs his arm, "I know you want to go get her but we can't right now." When he looks back at the house Sydney sighs "We just need to wait a while longer."

Sark nods

"You can't kill him Sark. If you do you won't get all of the answers you want."

"I know." He snaps

"Good."

HOUSE

Sasha sits in the corner of her room looking at the bloody marks on her wrists where the handcuffs were. 'Damn him.' She looks at the closed door then closes her eyes trying to relax.

HOUR LATER: HOUSE

Cassadine looks up as men burst into his office, "Who the hell are you?"

Sark enters "Where's Alexa?"

"Oh come now Mr. Sark we both know she's dead."

"You underestimated how well I know my own child Cassadine." Sark says coldly. "Unlike you when Eva was a baby, I did help care for Alexa. I dressed, bathed her and changed diapers, if you had realized that you would have had the birthmark removed."

Cassadine stares at the man hatefully. "She's my granddaughter and you shoved me out of her life."

"You were beating her mother." Sark retorts. "You almost killed them both. You had no right to either of them. Where's my daughter?"

"She doesn't remember you Sark. I made sure of it."

Sark shrugs "It will take time but I will deal with it. Now where is she?"

"She's upstairs in the room next to Evangeline's old room." Cassadine answers when he sees the look in Sark's eyes.

"You are never going near her again Cassadine." Sark warns walking out of the room and hurrying up the stairs while the other men round up the guards.

Sydney looks at Cassadine with disgust, "You should be glad he didn't hurt you."

Sark stops in front of the closed door next to Eva's old room. He checks the door only to find it locked, reaches above the door he finds the key and unlocks the door opening it to find Sasha... Alexa sitting in the corner her knees pulled to her chest, "Alexa?" He crouches before her wincing at the pained expression that crosses her face, "Lexa?" He frowns when he sees the marks on her wrists, "Oh Lexa." He reaches out to touch her wrists only to have her pull away from him and look at him wide eyed. "I'm not going to hurt you." He says gently. "No one will hurt you ever again." He gently pulls her fingers off her forearms frowning when he sees needle marks on her arm. 'What the hell did he do to her?'

Sydney stops at the top of the stairs when she sees Sark walk out of the bedroom with Alexa in his arms, "Is she OK?"

"I think he drugged her. She has a few marks that need to be checked out." Sark answers passing Sydney on the stairs he heads downstairs.

"Sark you can't take her" Cassadine says desperately as he sees Sark walk towards the front door with the girl in his arms.

When Alexa shudders in his arms at the sound of Cassadine's voice, Sark glares at his former father in law, "I am her father Cassadine. I can take her." He walks out of the house with Sydney a few feet behind.

HOUR LATER: JET

Sydney watches as Sark gently cleans the marks on Alexa's arms as the girl sits there watching him warily as though she expects him to hurt her.

Sark wraps Alexa's wrists then takes a look at the track marks on her arm, 'He'd done this more than once.' He takes a deep breath trying to control the rage that is building. "There. Better?"

Alexa looks at her bandaged wrists then nods slightly.

"Good. Why don't you get some sleep?"

Alexa nods curling up on the seat she closes her eyes.

Sark sits beside Sydney his eyes on Alexa as she drifts off to sleep.

"You OK?" Sydney asks after a few minutes.

Sark shakes his head "I want to kill him for whatever he did to her."

"You can't but you will get revenge. He's going to be stuck in jail for a long time." Sydney assures

"He better be because if he ever gets out I'm going to kill him."

Sydney shivers at Sark's tone.

17 HOURS LATER: NAVAL HOSPITAL

"How is she doing?" Jack questions Sydney as she waits for Sark.

"She slept the whole trip. They questioned the housekeeper and she admitted that Cassadine drugged Alexa from time to time. She still isn't talking." Sydney replies

"Cassadine should arrive soon. Dixon wants to question Alexa when she's ready."

"I'll tell him."

"Sydney is something going on?" Jack asks curiously.

"No. Everything is fine." Sydney gives her Dad a small smile.

"Alright." Jack nods unconvinced. "Dixon wants to debrief you two when you're ready."

Sydney nods "Sure."

"I should get back."

"Thanks Dad." Sydney hugs her Dad then watches as he walks away.

HOUR LATER

Sydney smiles at Sark as he sits beside her, "How is she?"

"She's still sleeping." Sark answers. "The doctor drew some blood and did a quick check. Why don't you go home? I'm going to stay."

"Are you sure?"

Sark nods "Besides Jack left security to make sure I don't take off." He looks over at the agents outside Alexa's hospital rooms.

"It's not because of that Sark." Sydney protests

"Believe what you want but it is. Look, go home get some sleep and give Niko a hug for me."

"Sure." Sydney gives him a small smile, "I'll be by in the morning."

Sark nods

"Oh Dixon wants to question Alexa when she's ready to talk."

Sark looks at the bed, "When she's ready."

"I'll tell him." Sydney nods

Sark watches as Sydney walks away then stands walking back into the hospital room he sits in the chair beside the bed his eyes on Alexa, 'I have her back Eva... but not you.' He closes his eyes taking a deep breath.

MIDNIGHT

Sark looks over at the bed as Alexa starts to toss and turn mumbling in her sleep. He watches as Alexa bolts upright, "Alexa?" He moves over to the bed, "Sweetheart?" He reaches out to brush her damp hair back only to have her flinch and drops his hand. "You OK?"

Alexa sits there in silence then slowly looks at the man watching her with concern memories from years before flashing through her mind.

/"Daddy" Alexa giggles uncontrollably as she's pushed higher on the swing.

Father and daughter forehead to forehead, "How's my Lexa?"

Alexa sitting on a floor playing with her toys when she looks up she sees her Mommy and Daddy sitting on the couch talking. "Daddy come play."

Alexa looks at her Grandfather, "Where's Mommy and Daddy?"

Grandfather crouching before her "Mommy and Daddy are dead. You are no longer Alexa... you are now Sasha."/

Alexa looks at the man, "He said you were dead."

Sark regards the teen, "Do you remember?"

Alexa nods, "Some. I remember the swings."

"You loved those swings. You'd go for hours if we'd let you." Sark reaches out to smooth her hair back only to have her flinch and drops his hand, 'Reflexive reaction to abuse.'

Alexa pulls her knees to her chest, "She's dead."

"Yes." Sark nods watching Alexa sit there. "I was told you were dead as well. I didn't know he had you Lexa. If I had, I never would have let him keep you."

"Why did he say you were dead?"

"He never approved of the fact your mother married me."

"Oh" Alexa starts rocking back and forth digging her nails into her arms.

"You're going to hurt yourself Lexa." Sark says gently.

The door opens and a nurse enters, "Oh she's awake. Hello sweetheart, how are you feeling?"

Alexa remains silent lost in her thoughts rocking back in forth.

Sark sighs as he watches Alexa shut everything out, "She just woke up." He explains

The nurse nods "I'll let the doctor know she's awake." She moves to check the girl's pulse only to have her quickly pull away.

"She doesn't like to be touched." Sark says coldly when he sees Alexa flinch.

The nurse nods then walks out of the room.

Sark turns his attention back to Alexa who is sitting on the bed staring at nothing, "We have a lot to talk about when you're ready."

MORNING

Sydney joins Sark as he stands at the window in Alexa's room, "Hey."

Sark looks at Sydney clenching his fists wanting to touch Sydney knowing he shouldn't. "How is Niko?"

"He wants you to come home soon." Sydney looks at the bed where Alexa is sleeping, "How is she?"

"She's sleeping on and off."

"What did the doctor say?"

"She'll be fine. He wants to keep her until tomorrow just to make sure the drugs are out of her system." Sark looks at the bed, "We talked some."

"And?"

"She remembers little before him. He didn't destroy all memories of me like he'd hoped."

"Have you told her about Niko?"

"Not yet. I'll tell her today."

"I talked to Dad. What she found and what we found could keep him for a long time."

"Good." Sark grinds out. "If he ever gets out" he trails off.

"He shouldn't" Sydney soothes. "Sark there is something else we need to figure out"

"What?"

Sydney looks at the bed, "Alexa's legally dead" she pauses as she sees Sark flinch, "do you want me to talk to Dixon about it or do you want to do it?"

"I'll do it later."

Sydney nods "I should get to work. I'm supposed to be in for a debriefing. Dixon wants you to come in as well."

"Not yet."

"Do you want me to stay with her this afternoon so you can get it done?"

Sark shrugs "If he wants me in today then I'll come in."

"All right. I'll try to put him off until she's out of the hospital."

Sark nods

"I'll see you later." Sydney gives him a small smile then walks out of the room.

HOUR LATER: HOSPITAL

"Alexa" Sark says relieved "how are you feeling?"

Alexa shrugs "Fine. How long do I have to stay here?"

"Until tomorrow. The doctor wants to make sure the drugs haven't affected you." Sark sits on the edge of the bed, "Lexa... how long has he been drugging you?"

Alexa lifts her shoulders

"The marks are pretty old." Sark nods at her arms "I'm guessing he's been doing that since he took you."

"Who was that lady yesterday?" Alexa asks changing the subject.

Sark lifts his brow at her change in topic, 'She's good.' "That was Sydney."

"Girlfriend?"

Sark regards Alexa thoughtfully, 'What is Sydney exactly? Semi-lover? Semi-girlfriend? Partner?' He mentally shakes his head, "Sydney is your brother Nikolai's mother."

Alexa stares at him, "I have a brother?"

Sark nods "He's almost three. Sorry no pictures... never carry them on missions. When Sydney comes by she's bound to have a couple."

"What's he like?"

"He's a lot like you were at that age. Funny, smart, inquisitive, curious, bossy... he's going to love having someone else to play with. He knows about you."

"He does?"

Sark nods "Couldn't exactly hide it. We lived in the house you grew up in, your bedroom stayed the same. I couldn't get myself to change anything in your room... but I bet it has changed since then."

"How so?"

Sark sighs, "After they found out where Niko and I were they confiscated everything. Everything of yours and what was left of your Mom's was put in storage. All I have of your things right now is a box that I haven't opened it in a long time."

"Why?"

"I'm not really sure why. Sometimes I could open it, other times I couldn't. It's been a while since I've been able to get myself to open it."

"Oh."

"Lexa... how did you find out what your grandfather was doing?"

Alexa looks at her hands, "He talks too much when he's drunk. He always assumes I don't pay attention. Learned a long time ago that the less noise you make the more you learn. I overheard him one night talking about what he was doing for a sideline business. I knew it was the only chance for me to get away from him." She shrugs

"And who helped you send the CIA the information?"

"A guy I met online. He's a hacker with extensive connections. I sent him the information I found on the computer and gave him ways to find out more. He did."

"When did this start?"

"Almost a year ago."

"The CIA wants to talk to you."

"Do you work for them?"

"Not by choice." Sark says dryly. "And they don't want me working for them but I am."

"Why?"

"I have no choice. If I didn't agree I'd still be in custody."

"Oh."

"It's not so bad. I still do the same things when I was freelance... just don't have as much freedom or get paid as much."

"So what do you do?"

"Provide information. Help Sydney on missions... though this was the first long-term mission we've done. Normally we don't leave Niko for more than a day or two."

MIDAFTERNOON

"Hey." Sydney greets walking into the hospital room to find Sark sitting on the chair in the watching Alexa sleep.

"How was work?"

"Dixon wants you in today. He doesn't want to put it off." Sydney says apologetically.

Sark sighs looking at the bed.

"I'll stay with her." Sydney assures

Sark nods "I have to do this sooner or later." He stands his eyes on the bed. "Call me when she wakes."

"Sure." Sydney hands him his jacket their fingers brushing causing them both to shudder slightly. "Niko is at daycare. Samantha said that she would pick him up." Sydney informs him as he pulls on his jacket. "Why don't you go home shower and grab some clothes after you meet with Dixon." She suggests

Sark shrugs "If there's time."

"All right." Sydney watches as he walks out of the hospital room then settles on the chair he vacated.

WHILE LATER

Alexa opens her eyes and yawns seeing the lady from the day before using a laptop, "Where's Dad?"

Sydney looks up from the screen and smiles, "He had to go into work for a while. He shouldn't be gone long." She closes the laptop setting it aside. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." Alexa answers curling up her arms around her knees. "How did you meet my Dad?" She asks curiously.

"What exactly has he told you?"

"A lot." Alexa admits. "He said he did some questionable things."

Sydney regards the girl "We worked together before he joined the CIA."

"When he was still doing questionable things?"

Sydney nods, "We hated each other with a passion. We fought constantly."

"And now?"

"We still fight and argue but not as bad. He still drives me nuts from time to time." Sydney shrugs, "We managed to survive living together when I was pregnant... and now."

"Oh"

"When he told me about you he was so proud. Never heard him sound so proud of anything until the night he showed me your room and told me about you and your Mom. He really loves you both. It was the first time I ever really heard him show any type of emotion." Sydney smiles faintly. "It made me realize for the first time... ever that he was human."

"So you like each other now?"

Sydney frowns then lifts her shoulders, "We put up with each other. We try hard for Nikolai's sake to not fight." She smiles, "He's a great Dad. He adores Niko... Niko adores him. I never thought I'd see that side of him."

"So you've been living together for over three years?"

"No... I um" Sydney looks at her hands, "I left Niko with Sark a few weeks after he was born. I wasn't ready to tell anyone about Nikolai. No one not even my parents knew about Niko until about seven months ago." She looks at the girl who is watching her with the same expression Sark gets when he's thinking, 'My god she is his daughter. That's a Sark expression.' "Niko is a good little guy. He's going to love having some else to pay attention to him."

SAME TIME: CIA

"We'll make this fast." Dixon assures as Sark sits down.

"Good."

"What happened when you arrived?"

"We made contact with Cassadine... needless to say my former father-in-law wasn't happy to see me. We managed to persuade him to work with us." Sark proceeds to relay their mission outline.

HOUR LATER

"Sydney said you had something you wanted to discuss." Dixon regards the former assassin.

Sark looks at Dixon in the empty conference room, "As you know I've believed that Alexa was dead for ten years."

Dixon nods

"Because of that... she's legally dead. She no longer exists."

"And you want papers."

"I would go through my old contacts for papers but unfortunately that is no longer as easy as it was." Sark scowls, "She needs to go to school but she needs papers."

"Well we managed to... resurrect Sydney when she returned. I suppose we could try that again. The only issue is do you want her to go by your current alias?"

"I'd prefer not too but it is safer especially once it's known that Cassadine has been arrested. Once that is known she could become a target to keep whatever he has done. I would like to keep as much of the truth of her past as possible."

"Sark... what exactly is your daughter's citizenship?"

"Alexa was born outside London. She has... had dual citizenship for England and Greece. Eva wanted it that way... just in case she'd ever have the chance to go back to Greece."

"We'll pull her original birth certificate... is it still on file?"

"Yes."

"What name is it under?"

"Lennox... an alias I used back then. Irina wouldn't allow me to use my surname. It would be under Alexa Grace Lennox."

"Date of birth?"

"June 4, 1992."

"I will see about keeping enough of the information so there isn't much for her to memorize."

"Who knows what she's believed all these years. He tried to remove a lot of her past."

"Yes, Sydney informed us that he claimed Alexa was the daughter of an unknown son."

Sark grimaces remembering that moment and nods.

"What does she remember?"

"We're still working on it but she does remember a little. It will take a while... if ever." Sark rubs the back of his neck, "We'll figure things out."

"Good." Dixon nods "Good luck Sark." He says as the man walks out of the room. 'He's going to have a journey ahead of him.'

COUPLE HOURS LATER: HOUSE

"Daddy" Niko runs to the door throwing his arms around his Daddy's legs.

Sark smiles as he picks up the little boy who hugs him tight "How's my boy?"

"Where you been Daddy?" Niko demands

"I was at the hospital with your sister."

"Daddy home now?"

Sark continues into the living room with Niko in his arms, "Not for long Nikolai. I just came home to get cleaned up." He nods at Samantha "But tomorrow Alexa will be home with us."

"Will she play with me?"

"I bet she will. But you'll need to give Alexa time to get used to you."

Niko nods solemnly "OK Daddy"

"Good. Now I have to get cleaned up." Sark sets Nikolai on the floor then walks out of the room then walks up the stairs to his room. As Sark walks into his bedroom his phone rings, removing it from his pocket he flips it open "Yes?" He says in greeting

"How'd it go?"

Sark smiles faintly hearing Sydney's voice, "Same as any other debriefing. I spoke with Dixon."

"And?"

"He'd see about paperwork." Sark answers as he unbuttons his shirt. "How are things there?"

"Good. She's asleep again."

"She's still working off the drugs."

"And the jet lag and the time difference." Sydney adds

"Yes that is true."

"So where are you?"

"I'm at the house. I was just about to take a shower." Sark replies

"Is Niko there?"

"Downstairs." Sark answers

"All right."

"I should be there in an hour."

"OK." Sydney hangs up

HOUR LATER: HOSPITAL

Sydney smiles when she sees Sark walk into the room, "Hey"

"Hi" He looks at the bed, "You two talk?"

Sydney nods "She's a bright girl... must get that from her mother." She teases

"That she does." Sark smiles slightly.

"I should get back to the house. It's almost time for his bath." Sydney pulls on her jacket, "Call before bed time?"

"I will." He promises

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then." Sydney tears her eyes away from his.

"We still need to finish that conversation Sydney."

"We will." Sydney promises "Just when things have settled down."

Sark watches as she leaves the hospital room then sits on the chair his eyes on Alexa. 'All is going to be all right my little girl.'

TBC…