CHAPTER 23
MONTH LATER
"Jack" Sark says calmly as he enters the elder Bristow's office.
"They accountants have been going over Cassadines finances. They found a trust fund... well two. One was set up for your wife by her grandparents. The other was set up by her parents for any grandchildren."
"I know about the accounts. I never had access to them. Why?"
"They discovered the account for your wife has been accessed. I ran the account..." Jack hands Sark a file.
Sark frowns reading the file, "Why would a hospital be accessing Eva's account?"
"I have no idea. I didn't check into it. I thought you would want to handle this one because according the your wife's grandparent's will the money would automatically go to Alexa in the event of your wife's death... and vice versa. And if both died... they accounts would go to charity."
"So then why would anyone else be accessing Eva's account." Sark finishes
Jack nods
"And why give this to me?" Sark inquires. "Normally you just deal with this yourself."
"I have more important issues to deal with right now."
Sark nods walking out of the office.
LATE AFTERNOON: HOUSE
"Hey what are you doing home?" Sydney asks when she finds Sark sitting on the couch staring at a file before him. "Sark?"
"He lied. Why doesn't it surprise me?" He asks bitterly as he rubs his forehead.
"Sark? What is going on? Dad said you just left abruptly."
"I needed to get out of there." Sark mutters
Sydney sits beside him, "What's wrong?"
"Jack asked me to look into something from Cassadine's records."
"I thought you were off it."
"It had to do with Eva's trust fund... and Alexa's."
"And?" She prompts
"A hospital has been accessing Eva's trust fund." Sark grabs his glass of wine taking a drink. "Eva's grandparents set up when Eva was a child... for Eva and any children she had."
"OK"
"According to their wills if Eva and Alexa died the money from the trust funds would go to charity."
"So the hospital was a charity?"
Sark shakes his head, "No"
"Then what?"
"I called the hospital. The trust fund is being used to pay hospital bills." Sark leans his head back against the couch cushion closing his eyes, "She's alive… my wife is alive Sydney."
"Oh" 'I'm going to lose him.' Sydney thinks panicked. 'If his wife is alive... he'll go back to her.' Sydney stares into space stunned by his announcement, 'Oh God. I'm going to lose him.' She is startled out of her thoughts when he speaks.
"I spoke with the doctor. Apparently my bastard of a father in law told the hospital I beat her into a coma." Sark says his voice pained. "That I found out she was pregnant and I beat her." He winces "The doctor wouldn't say much over the phone."
"She's in a coma?"
"Cassadine refused to pull her off life support." Sark downs his wine then stands.
"What did the doctor say?"
"He said life support is the only thing keeping her alive." He runs his fingers through his hair.
"What are you going to do?"
"I don't know. I just... I don't know." He says frustrated.
"Are you going to tell Alexa?"
"I don't think I can."
"Why not? Don't you think she deserves to know?" Sydney demands
"I just... I need to think about this." Sark grabs his car keys.
"Where are you going?" Sydney asks
"I don't know."
Sydney watches as he walks out of the house. She looks at the file before her then picks it up opening it to reveal a picture of Eva.
MIDNIGHT
Sydney walks into the kitchen where she finds Sark sitting at the table his gun in pieces as he cleans it. "Can't sleep?"
"No."
Sydney sits at the table, "Have you thought any more about telling Alexa?"
"What good would it do her Sydney? She has been through enough. She has believed her mother was dead for the last ten years. What good is it going to do to her to tell her she is alive... but not? I can't put her through this again Sydney."
"So what you won't tell her that her grandfather lied to her?"
"She knows he lied about things."
"Sark"
"I can't tell her."
"And what if she finds out you kept this from her?"
"Then I will have to explain."
"Sark"
"Just when I thought he couldn't do anything worse to us he does." Sark says bitterly. "He told them I beat her." He says his voice angry. "I never even yelled at her. We argued... who doesn't. But I never hurt her. And I never would hurt her while she was pregnant."
"I know"
Sark looks at her, "How do you know? After all I have injured you numerous times."
Sydney shrugs "I know but I also know you wouldn't have done it if you knew I wouldn't fight back... or couldn't."
"What makes you think that? Apparently I'm an abusive husband." He says bitterly
"Do you remember the time when I fell through the ice?"
"Same time you stabbed me with the ice pick."
"You could have killed me then... but you didn't. Hell, there have been numerous times I have been injured by you or others and you never did pull the trigger. I remember asking you why... and you said you didn't see the point in killing me when I couldn't or wouldn't fight back." Sydney watches him work, "And I do know that the people you care about... you wouldn't hurt. We have had many fights since we started living together... and every time they have come close to becoming physical, you have always been the one to walk away. Even when I know you want to hit me you've always walked away." She shrugs "Even when I picked fights while I was pregnant you probably yelled at me twice... but you never hit me."
"You were pregnant." Sark shrugs
"That's not the point Sark. Look, I know you and yes I admit my opinion of you at first was... bad but after everything that's happened I realized something, you weren't as bad as I thought."
Sark closes his eyes his gun abandoned, "I couldn't hurt her Sydney."
"I know."
Sark takes a deep breath then opens his eyes reassembling his gun. "I'm heading to Switzerland tomorrow. I don't know when I'm going to be back... it could be a few days."
"Sark"
Sark stands cleaning up his mess, "Lexa has her doctor's appointment at 3:30 tomorrow."
"Alright." Sydney watches him "What are you going to do?"
"I don't know. Right now... I just... I need to see her." He leans against the counter.
Sydney nods
Sark rubs his forehead, "I'll figure it out." He mutters
Sydney stands walking over to Sark she reaches up stroking his cheek, "I'm here if you need me."
"I know." He kisses her palm. "Go on back to bed. I'm going to finish cleaning up." He watches as Sydney walks out of the kitchen.
NEXT MORNING
Hearing a knock at her door Alexa buttons her shirt "Come in."
Sark enters "Morning Lex"
"Morning Daddy." Alexa smiles as she sits on the bed, "What's the plan for today?"
"Well" Sark sits on the window seat as he watches Alexa pull her socks on. "I have to leave for a while."
"Where are you going?"
"Switzerland."
"Why?"
"Jack asked me to check into some of Cassadine's dealings there." Sark lies
Alexa flinches at the mention of her grandfather. "Oh." She takes a deep breath, "When will you be back?"
"I'm not sure. A few days probably."
"OK"
"You have your appointment with the psychiatrist at 3:30. Sydney will pick you up from school and take you."
"OK" Alexa slips her shoes on tying them. "When do you leave?"
"In a few hours. I have to go do some paperwork then I'm leaving."
"Oh"
"You can call me at any time."
Alexa nods
"Finish getting ready we need to leave soon."
"OK"
Sark stands stopping he kisses Alexa's forehead, "I love you Lex."
Alexa smiles "I love you Dad."
"Now get a move on." Sark says sternly.
20 MINS LATER: SCHOOL
"Alright I will see you when I get back. If something comes up at school"
"I know call Sydney... Dad I know this stuff."
"I know you do sweets. I just worry. Be good."
"I'm always good."
Sark chuckles "You get that from your Mother."
Alexa grins
"I will call and check in tonight."
"OK"
"Have a good day at school."
"I will."
Sark watches as Alexa gets out of the car and walks up to the school. 'She's growing up.' He smiles faintly. 'Eva would be proud of her.' He winces pulling away from the curb.
HOUR LATER: CIA
"When do you leave?" Sydney asks Sark as she leans against his desk.
"Two hours."
"Given any thought to telling Alexa?"
"I'm not going to put her through this again Sydney." Sark says as he scans the papers before him.
"You told me to tell you when you are making stupid decisions. This is one."
"Well it is my decision." Sark says stiffly.
"Fine." Sydney sighs walking away. She storms down the hall
"Sydney"
Sydney sighs, "Yeah Dad?" She looks at her Father.
"Is everything alright?" Jack inquires
"He's being an ass." Sydney says annoyed as she glares at Sark who is working at his desk. "He refuses to tell Alexa that Eva's alive."
"Sydney she's brain dead. If there was any chance of Evangeline coming out of her coma, I am sure he would tell Alexa. He's doing what he thinks is best."
"Well you'd know. He's pulling the same crap you have pulled on me over the years."
Jack inwardly flinches at his daughter's words, "He's doing what he has to do to protect Alexa. And considering Alexa's emotional state what good would it do for her to know this?"
"She deserves to know Dad."
"Its his decision Sydney."
"And you think he's doing the right thing." Sydney states
"He's doing what he thinks is right." Jack remarks. "He's protecting her above anything else... even at the risk of her being angry at him in the future."
Sydney shakes her head, "Go figure you would take his side in this." She walks away.
3PM
"Hey sweetie." Sydney smiles as Alexa gets into her car. "How was school?"
"Same as always. Long and boring with such interesting conversations." Alexa says sarcastically.
"You definitely have your father's sarcastic streak."
"When did Dad leave?"
"Noon. He said he would check in tonight."
"I know."
"He'll be fine. He's just doing some research."
Alexa nods
10 HOURS LATER: SWITZERLAND
"Your father in law..."
"My father in law was an abusive bastard who sold his own granddaughter for sex." Sark snaps. "He no longer has a say in the care of my wife." Sark hands the doctor some papers. "The Swiss courts and the United States courts have granted me custody."
"Where is Mr. Cassadine?" The doctor demands. "I need to speak to him about this."
"He is currently in the custody of the US government for arms dealing, trading, and numerous other acts." Sark says coldly. "Where is my wife?"
The doctor sighs "Right this way."
Sark follows the doctor down the hall.
"She is brain dead. Mr. Cassadine refused to take her off the ventilators. Its the only thing keeping her alive. We keep her drugged up just in case. There is no chance your wife will ever come out of this. You can discuss it with the doctors if you wish... that is your choice. But the fact is unlike how Mr. Cassadine hoped... she won't wake."
Sark winces
"Here is her room." The doctor says as they stop outside a room. "We keep her comfortable... a nurse or a volunteer comes in every day to talk to her. We still don't know much about comas... but we believe they do hear things... understanding is another issue."
Sark nods walking into the room he finds Eva lying in a bed hooked up by monitors.
"Mr. Cassadine came to see her a few times a year. He called once a month to see how she was doing. He gave us access to the account to pay her hospital bills."
"I want to see her files."
"Sir"
"Just do it." Sark snaps
"If you want to speak with the doctors about the file... and her care let the nurses know." The doctor starts towards the door.
"She was pregnant."
"You knew that." The doctor states
"I didn't know until my daughter told me. Did she miscarry?"
"No... her father thought it was best given the situation that the pregnancy be terminated."
Sark winces not wanting to argue yet he nods walking over to the bed looking Eva over. He pulls a chair up to the bed, "Eva" he picks up her hand wincing at its stillness. "God I have missed you. I'm so sorry this happened. I never should have left that day." He sighs, "I'm so sorry for everything."
EVENING: LA
"Hey baby girl."
"Hi Dad." Alexa grins
"How was school?"
"It was the same as always."
"Long and boring?" Sark chuckles
"Uh huh. I have to write a paper for English"
"On what?"
HOUR LATER
"You OK?" Sydney asks
"No."
"Want to talk about it?"
"No."
"Sark"
"I have some files to look through." Sark says abruptly. "I'll call tomorrow."
"Alright."
"Night"
"Night." Sydney hangs up then walks into the living room where she fnds Alexa and Niko playing. "Alexa is your homework done?"
"Its done for the week."
Sydney smiles "Good."
"Mama, when is Daddy coming home?" Niko asks
"He's not sure baby. It could be a few days."
"Where is he?"
"In Switzerland."
"Why?"
Sydney smiles "You are full of questions."
"Daddy says its how I learn."
Sydney picks Nikolai up settling him on her lap, "He's right. Questions help people learn."
SAME TIME: SWITZERLAND
Sark takes a deep breath as he sits on the couch opening the file given to him by the doctor.
LATER: HOSPITAL
Sark stares at the still form of his wife, 'Eva why didn't you ever tell me?' He asks himself. 'I never would have left that day if I knew.' He smiles faintly remembering one of the times they discussed another child.
/16 YEARS EARLIER
"Alexander"
"Hmm" Sark says without looking up from his work.
Eva smiles dropping onto his lap.
"Eva" Sark laughs
"I was thinking"
"About?"
"The baby is going to need a brother or sister to pick on."
"The baby is six months old." Sark laughs looking at Alexa who is lying on the floor sucking on her toes. "Only thing she's interested in is sucking on her toes."
Eva laughs looking at her daughter, "Come on you know I'm right."
Sark chuckles "That you are. How about when we both are done with school we have this conversation?" Sark suggests. "By then she would probably appreciate having a sibling."
"Oh alright" Eva huffs/
Sark rubs his forehead.
MIDNIGHT: LA
Sydney grabs the ringing phone, "Sydney" she greets sleepily.
"I don't know what to do."
Sydney frowns at Sark's absent tone and reaches over turning on the lamp. "What do you mean?"
"I know she's never coming out of this. I know the machines are what is keeping her alive."
"What do you think she would want?"
"I know that if she knew her father was the reason she's like this she wouldn't want to stay like this." Sark sighs. "I don't know if I can."
"What did the doctors say?"
"That Cassadine refused to take her off the machines."
"Sark... I doubt he kept her on them out of love. You need to make the decision because you love her."
"I just..." Sark sighs heavily. "Go back to sleep." He hangs up
Sydney sighs closing her phone.
TBC…