"What the hell are you talking about Carly?" Alexis aid mouth agape.

"Why aren't you with Matthew?" Carly said ignoring the question.

Alexis rolled her eyes at the woman, "I needed a quarter, but don't try to change the subject…what in the heaven's names are you talking about?" she asked again.

Carly looked at Jason put he just looked at her wide eyed and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Fine, fine, but not around Mattie" Carly said and Alexis agreed.

"C'mon buddy, want to go get some hot cocoa with Grandpa Mike?" Alexis asked and the boy nodded his head excitedly.

When they got to Kelly's Mattie ran behind the counter to hang with Mike. The odd trio took a corner booth.

Alexis just arched an eyebrow as Carly turned to Jason and started to speak. She spun the story; telling her all Patrick had said…When she finished Alexis put her hand over her mouth.

"Helena" she whispered.

"What?" the two blondes questioned.

Alexis just closed her eyes and shook her head, "you said they found her in Greece…this has to be Helena…it only makes sense"

Jason nodded, "how did I not know this…I have been watching her" he said almost slamming his fist to the table.

Alexis placed a hand on his arm, "you know how slippery she is…and no one would have expected this…we all saw her there…she was gone; what are we going to do now?"

Carly pinched the bridge of her nose, "what are we supposed to do?" I mean seriously Maxie and Nikolas are serious, right? Liz went over there to tell him today and she saw…Courtney is convinced he has moved on, but of course she wants to know her son."

Jason and Carly talked about Matthew, and how Courtney deserved a chance with her child when Alexis interrupted.

"He's not" she told them.

Both turned to her a look of confusion on both of their faces.

"He's not over her…not by a long shot" she told them which made it all the more confusing.

After they talked the odd trio made a pact…they would tell no one, but they would figure this out…they would make this right again.

Elizabeth stood on the terrace of the hotel looking out onto Spoon Island.

"Penny for your thoughts" Patrick said sliding up next to her.

She felt her body naturally arched to his, "How can it be too late…love just doesn't go away…they are meant to be together"

"How do you know that?" he asked turning her to him.

"I stayed with Lucky way too long because of 'love', I stayed with Ric for the same stupid reason…but it wasn't until I met you that I knew love…I fought it with everything I had Patrick…I didn't want to fall for you; you scared me…but it didn't go away. It grew stronger every moment we were together…and I saw the same thing happen with Nikolas and Courtney. I didn't want to see it…I didn't want to see how he fought to make things work with Em, but they didn't…it wasn't perfect, but what they had was real…and I can't believe it is gone" she said running out of breath.

He smiled and his dimples peaked out, "when you say it like that…I can't believe its gone either…so we will do something"

"What?" she said furrowing her brow.

"I don't know, but if it will make you happy…I will figure something out" he told her squeezing her tight and kissing atop her head.

Mattie ran ahead of them as Jason gave chase.

"MATTHEW" he yelled shaking his head at the athleticism of the boy.

She ran along the docks needed to clear her head; when a small figure bumped into her.

A big thud came as he fell on his butt.

"Are you okay?" she asked looking down. She gasped when she saw him…hers…her son. But she knew she had to go.

"I'm okay, sorry" he said getting up sheepishly.

She turned her head fast and whispered a bye. He saw the flash of blue eyes, and blond hair. She ran fast and he just stared…just watched her run.

"Matthew Cassadine" Jason said finally catching up to him.

"Mommy" he whispered.

"What sweetie?" Alexis said walking up.

"Mommy Angel…"

Nikolas sat in the living room waiting for his son…he didn't like to go to sleep with tucking Matthew in at night. Maxie had retired to bed, but he sat her thinking about his little boy's blue eyes. When the door opened Matthew ran to him and hopped in his lap.

"DADDY!" he squealed with delight.

"Hey buddy; how was your evening" he said bringing his soft hair to his nose.

"Good, I gotta eat dinner with Mikey and Morgan, and then I got a sundae with Grandpa Mike, and then I saw mommy angel" he told him matter of factly.

"What?" he questioned looking at Alexis and Jason.

When they both shook their heads he took the boy up to his room.

"Daddy, mommy was beautiful, huh?" he asked.

"The prettiest girl I have ever seen" Nikolas said smiling.

The boy yawned and closed his eyes but before he went to sleep her murmured, "mommy angel beautiful."

She came back to the spot her child had run into her…she couldn't explain the instinct she had to grab him and never let go…But she did…she had to for right now; if not it would confuse him…she knew she had no future with Nikolas…he had moved on, but she would know her child….soon.

As she felt the cool hair hit her face; she felt a weird pain in her head, and she remembered something…a green halter top, him in a blue shirt, breathless kisses, she felt the warmth of him, the feel of his heart beating against hers…

He looked out to the docks, and poured the brandy down his throat…He saw a flash of blond and stared…It looked like her…why did he keep conjuring up these images in his head…he needed to stop this and he needed to stop it now.

Two Days Later…

"Daddy what is a ball?" Matthew asked popping grapes in his mouth.

"It's a fancy party" he said smiling.

Matthew nodded, "why are we having one?"

"Well because the Bachanallia Ball is a tradition at Wyndamere" he told him rubbing his head.

Matthew seemed to shrug his shoulders.

Liz sat down at the breakfast nook, "Nikolas called; he knows we are in town and wants us to come to the ball tonight" she told Patrick.

He nodded, "tonight we tell him and the chips fall as they may"

She nodded.

Carly had a plan…she was all dressed for the ball but sent Jax ahead…she needed to see a certain blond.

Courtney sat watching a movie on cable in the room when the door opened to a flurry of arms.

"Get this on" Carly said thrusting a long red gown at her.

Courtney didn't have time to argue as the stylists started to curl her hair.

Nikolas was nervous as he played with the velvet box in his pocket…he had to move on, he had to move on…

Liz watched the ball and when Nikolas came up to make a speech she had a bad feeling, and then he got down on one knee.

"Maxie will you-"

And then the door swung open and everyone turned and gasped. Nikolas was the last.

She saw him on one knee, and ran as he stood mouth agape and then spoke.

"Courtney?"

A/N: Oh yeah…that is what I like to refer to as a cliffhanger…I will try to update ASAP! So leave me some feedback and tell me what you thought!