Chapter 4- A Cassadine Heir
While Sam and Drew waited for the launch to Spoon Island, Sam sent her dad a quick text: Daycare said Mom/Helena took the kids… meet at Wyndemere, I think she's there.
They weren't surprised when they were the only passengers on the boat. Goosebumps prickled her arms. She hoped more than anything that Mom would take over and ensure Scout and Wiley's safety. But what worried her was Helena hated any child of Alexis' and that would probably include her grandchild.
When they arrived on the island, they entered the front door which was unlocked. They were greeted by instrumental waltzing music. Sam looked up at Drew and shrugged as they headed to the sitting room.
"One, two, three!" Alexis/Helena held each of Scout's hands and they waltzed back and forth. Scout wore a long white dress gown even more elegant than the one she wore to Molly's wedding. "One, two three!"
Wiley stood beside them smiling and moving his hips back and forth. Scout's dalmatian sat on the couch.
"One, two, three!" Alexis/Helena repeated, then let go of Scout's hands and lifted her arms in the air as the music stopped. "You are a natural! A true Cassadine!"
Scout spun around and Wiley clapped his hands. "I want to go to a ball like Cinderella, Grandma," Scout said as she curtsied.
"Oh, but Cinderella's ball is nothing like a ball in Russia," Helena/Alexis said.
Sam cleared her throat. "Scout, baby…"
Scout turned around. "Mommy! We're playing make belief. Grandma is Princess Helena and I'm Princess Emily. We're princesses from Rusta."
"Russia, dear," Alexis/Helena said then looked down at Wiley. "And this is Prince Stefan."
Wiley grinned. "Prince Steffy!"
Drew and Sam walked closer to them.
Scout began to curtsy for them but stopped when her eyes met Drew's. She looked up at him with her mouth slightly agape.
Drew smiled at her with tears in his eyes. "Hi baby girl."
Scout looked at Sam, then at Alexis/Helena, and back to Drew. "Daddy?"
He stepped a little closer and knelt to her level. "I've missed you so much Scout."
She leaned forward and hugged him. "I missed you too, Daddy."
Drew kissed the top of her head and tears spilled down his cheeks.
"Missed you…" Wiley toddled over and hugged Drew too.
Sam placed a hand over her heart as she watched them together and chuckled at Wiley. "Why don't you and Wiley head outside with Daddy while Mommy talks to Grandma?"
Scout nodded, clinging to Drew as he picked up both of them.
"You'll be okay?" Drew asked.
"Yeah, I'll be fine." Sam rubbed Scout's back, then looked over at Helena/Alexis.
"Bye Grandma." Scout waved, and Wiley mimicked her and waved too.
"Goodbye, Princess Emily." Helena/Alexis smiled and waved back at her. "We will have more waltzing lessons soon. You really are sweet as a cookie."
Sam watched as Drew left with the kids, then turned to Helena/Alexis and smiled.
"I am surprised Samantha. You have raised such a charming girl. Quite a suitable heir. She fits perfectly in the dress I wore to my first royal dinner with the King and Queen of Spain when I was a child."
Sam kept smiling.
"Quite the dancer too. She's a natural. She really has a dignified composure, hasn't she?"
"What is going on here?" Julian's voice entered the room before he did. "Why did you take the kids?"
"I was simply getting acquainted with the new Cassadine heir," Helena/Alexis said.
Julian scrunched his face. "Cassadine heir? You mean Scout?"
"I prefer using her formal name, Emily."
"Hey, Mom?" Sam pulled her phone from her pocket and stepped a little closer before tossing it to her. "Catch!"
Helena/Alexis raised her left hand and caught the phone. "What is the meaning of this?"
Sam looked up at Julian and smiled even wider. "Her mind isn't 100% Helena."
"What do you mean?" Julian asked.
"Well, first of all, Mom is left-handed, and she caught my phone with her left hand."
Helena/Alexis laughed. "Of all the absurdities."
"Second, how would she know that Scout goes to daycare and where it was?"
Helena/Alexis opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it.
"And she called Scout sweet as a cookie…" Sam added. "Helena wouldn't call someone that. Mom's the one who calls Scout Cookie. Some of Mom's memories are in there too."
Julian grinned.
Helena/Alexis placed a hand over her chest. "I am me. There is no Alexis in me at all, I simply have her bodysuit."
"Also, why would Helena call Wiley Stefan? Mom said Stavros was the son she favoured and Stefan was a disappointment to her. But Mom was close to Stefan. And most of all, why would she choose an heir from Mom's line? Mom was the illegitimate child Helena always loathed. She'd want her own descendant to be the heir and the heir wouldn't be a female."
"Interesting…" Julian said.
"I think… spending time with Scout did Mom some good." Sam reached for Helena/Alexis' hand and gave it a soft squeeze.
Helena/Alexis' eyes grew wide and she looked down at their joined hands.
"One of the things Dr. Cabot said is that muscle memory helps dissipate the mind control."
Julian groaned. "That doesn't mean I have to kiss her when part of her is Helena, do I?"
"It would probably help," Sam said. "But don't, that would be weird… Maybe just hold her hand."
Helena/Alexis swallowed hard and slipped her hand away from Sam's. "Your love for your mother is repugnant. I am Helena. Not the slightest bit of Alexis is here. She is finished."
"Come on," Julian said and reached for Helena/Alexis' hand. "I'm taking you back to the hospital."
"You're not taking me from my home," Helena/Alexis said.
"Valentin might be MIA," Sam said. "But he very well might come back here so we're not leaving you here."
"Valentin?" Her face paled and her eyes grew wide. "No… no… he is evil. He will stop at nothing until he has taken everything…"
Sam scrunched her face. "You're afraid of him?"
Helena/Alexis stood up tall and clenched her jaw. "He is the Cassadine all other Cassadines fear."
Sam's eyes grew wide.
Julian rolled his eyes. "Does that mean you'll come with us?"
"Well, I can't remain here. I'd even choose to go with Luke Spencer than remain where Valentin can find me."
Julian shrugged. "Whatever gets her to come with us. Yeah, Valentin will definitely go after you. You should definitely come with us."