Spencer stood on his grandmother's doorstep, tightly gripping Trina's hand in his. This was his first visitation with Ace since Esme's release from jail and his petition for custody. He didn't know why he felt so nervous. Ace was only a baby, not some drill Sargeant or some boss that was to interview him for a job. Of course, they were going to have to deal with Esme, but thankfully his grandmother was there to play referee if need be.
"Calm down. Babies can sense anxiety, which will make him upset," Trina warned.
"I know, I know. But I can't help it. What if he doesn't remember me? What if he does remember me and thinks that I had abandoned him and hates me now? What if she turned him against me?" Spencer voiced his concerns.
"Spencer, sweetie. He's just a baby. He's not thinking that you've abandoned him. He doesn't hate you. And she can't turn him against you. He's a baby. You're going to be great. Now just ring the bell. They're probably waiting," Trina gave his hand a supportive squeeze.
Spencer took a deep breath and knocked on his grandmother's door, ready to face whatever was on the other side. "Here we go."
"You're not going before a firing squad," Trina chuckled.
The door opened to reveal Laura who gave the couple a tight smile. "Spencer, Trina. Come in, come in. They are ready for your visit," Laura beckoned her grandson and his wife into the penthouse, where Esme sat on a couch, tightly holding Ace in her arms, a small frown on her face.
"Esme," Trina greeted, keeping her tone civil. There was no point in antagonizing her formal rival.
"Hello Trina," Esme nodded. Her voice went colder as she looked at Spencer. "Spencer."
"Esme," Spencer's voice was just as cold if not a few degrees cooler. "We're here for visitation. The court's orders."
"You could have just asked. There was no need to put in a petition for visitation," Esme got to her feet.
"I wasn't sure if you would have let me see him."
"I was tempted not to. After all, you are trying to take him away from me."
Spencer rolled his eyes. "Because I don't want him to be used as a pawn or a way to manipulate me and my family."
Esme opened her mouth to protest, but Spencer continued.
"I know, I know. You don't remember anything and you are not that person anymore. But what about when your memory returns, Esme? Your memory returns and you return to form. You had manipulated me once. You're not going to get the chance to use my brother to do it again."
"Alright, you two. This is to be a visit between Spencer and Ace, not an opportunity to argue with each other," Laura stepped in, the worry clear in her eyes. "Look, I know that this is a less-than-ideal situation here. You don't like each other and with good reason. But this is not about you. This is about what is good for the baby. So let's keep this civil for Ace's sake."
"Nikolai," Spencer smiled at the baby, the name just coming to him. "His name should be Nikolai...after our father."
"His name is Ace," Esme stared, growing annoyed again.
"Ace is not a name. Kids will make fun of him with a name like that. Nikolai is not only after our father, but it's a proper Russian name, tied to the family's history."
"Oh dear…," Trina sighed. This was not going well at all.
"This is my baby. I get to name him, not you, who is only his brother! If you like the name so much, save it for your own baby! I am sure that you and Trina will have one of your own soon enough!"
"She has a point there," Trina mumbled and winced when she received a glare from Spencer. "What? She does. It is her baby...and I kind of like that name for our son, you know?" Trina rubbed his arm, trying to calm him.
"I just don't want him to be bullied when he goes to school and he will be with that name," Spencer spoke through clenched teeth. "Plus, I don't like the meaning. Ace in a hole. Which means her way out of trouble."
"Oh my god," Esme sighed shaking her head. "I am not going to use my baby against anyone!"
"I can't be sure of that, which is why I am suing for custody!"
"Alright, how about a compromise! His name is Ace...because Esme is right. I'm sorry, sweetie, but she is. He's her son. She has every right to name him what she wants...but how about Nikolai being his middle name. That way, you get the family history, and he can use it if he wants if people give him a hard time about Ace. That gives him a choice," Trina stepped in, seeing that things were going to get out of control soon.
Spencer wanted to roll his eyes, but the expression on Trina's face told him that doing so would piss her off and he didn't want to do that. "Fine. If that's the only way to make sure he won't get bullied. I still think Ace is a lame first name. I just want to state that for the record."
"Esme?" Laura stared at her house guest, hoping that she'd agree.
Esme just growled and rolled her eyes. "Fine. Fine, his middle name can be Nikolai, just to shut him up."
"I want to get this visit underway, can I have my brother now, please? We'll just take him to the park down the street and come right back."
Esme frowned, holding Ace a little tighter. "I don't know. Why can't you just visit him here?"
"Because fresh air is good for babies and I really need a break from you, right now," Spencer folded his arms.
"Spencer," Laura admonished.
"I'm sorry, Grandmother. I just can't forget what she had done to my friends. How Trina almost went to prison because of her...and because our whole relationship was a lie from the start. Her father had sent her to manipulate me. Making me believe that she really cared when it was all fake. I know she doesn't remember, but that doesn't make it better."
Trina squeezed his hand, seeing that he really was hurt over Esme's deception. In so many ways, he was still a young boy looking for a friend and Esme had taken advantage of that. "I think a walk to the park would be good."
Esme too dared to wince at Spencer's words. "Look, I am sorry. I know that it doesn't take away the hurt of what I had done. Just because I don't remember doesn't mean that the harm and hurt had disappeared and I am sorry. I wish that I could take it all back and I hope that the girl I used to be never returns. Honest." Seeing that her words were falling on deaf ears, she held the baby out for Trina to take. "Here. Take him. I'll get his bottle and diapers together. He could use a good hour outside, I suppose."
"Spencer...I wish that you could be a little more civil," Laura began.
"Grandmother, don't. Just...don't alright? It may be the Cassadine in me, but I can't just play nice with her. Not after all she's done. It's because of her that my father is gone. That he's not here to hold his baby son. I can't just forget about it and pretend that it doesn't matter. I can't pretend that she's some different person."
"I know...but remember that even if you're a Cassadine, you are still my grandson. You still have a kind, sweet compassionate soul inside you. I'd like to see you use that more."
"I am trying. And I will for my brother. But I have no kindness to give for Esme. Not after all she's done."
Esme returned with the baby bag full of baby supplies and a small jacket for Ace. "This should keep him warm."
Trina quietly accepted the jacket and put it on the baby. "Here you go, Ace. You'll be all nice and warm on our little walk to the park."
"We'll take good care of him. We won't be gone for long," Spencer simply stated, trying his best to keep all animosity out of his voice.
Laura and Esme watched as Spencer and Trina left with a bundled-up Ace in their arms.
"I do apologize for Spencer's attitude," Laura sighed, wanting to keep her role as peacemaker going. She figured if she could keep things at a civil level, Esme won't want to take Ace and leave as soon as she possibly could.
"No, don't apologize. He has a right to his anger. I just wish that I could make up for all the harm that I had done."
"Well, you can't take back what happened, but you can continue to try to be a better person. Especially for Ace's sake."
Esme didn't say anything. She just stood there and watched the door, waiting for her baby to return.
…..
Trina sat next to Spencer on one of the park benches and watched him cuddle Ace in his arms. They hadn't spoken since leaving the penthouse and she kind of felt that Spencer may be upset with her for taking Esme's side. So she just remained silent as Spencer bonded with his brother.
Spencer kissed the baby's cheek and smiled down at him. "Hey, you are so cute, aren't you? Of course you are, you're a Cassadine prince. You have all the best in genes and looks. You're going to have the best of everything. You are and I am going to make sure that you will never want for love and affection. Starting with the promise of no nannies for you. Not that nannies are bad...but...nothing can take the place of being cared for by people who love you because you're you. Not because they're paid."
Trina felt a pang in her heart when she heard this. Of course, Spencer was raised by a nanny. She should have known. She was pretty sure the same could be said about his father as well and with Spencer's mother being dead and even his godmother gone, there had been no real mother figure for him and his father wouldn't know how to raise a child on his own…
"I'm sorry," She barely whispered, resting her head against his shoulder.
"It wasn't too bad. Just don't want that for Nik."
"You're insisting on calling him Nikolai, huh?"
Spencer shrugged. "I just can't do Ace."
"Hmm...continue talking to your brother. I like seeing you bond."
Spencer smiled and leaned down to kiss the top of her head. "Anyway, Nik, I want to apologize to you. I'm afraid our father is MIA at the moment, even though I am sure he'll be back someday. He can't stay away forever. So in the meantime, I promise to take care of you. I'm hoping that you'll get to come live with me and Trina. But until then, I promise to come to see you as much as I can. In the meantime, let me tell you about our crazy family. Well, unfortunately, they are literally pretty crazy. But that's the old Cassadines. You, my brother, are a member of the younger, more sane Cassadines. We're pretty cool. And guess what? We're royalty."
Trina couldn't help it, she laughed. Spencer looked at her with an arched brow. "What?"
"Ok, I can't take it anymore. Everyone keeps saying that you're a prince and you're from royalty...but I'm confused. Prince of what? What country? Who's the queen and king and why are you guys here in America instead of set up in a palace somewhere with tons of servants and valets? I'm confused."
"Ah, so you don't know anything about the royal history of the Cassadines and why we claim to be royalty?"
"Right. I've really been curious...I just...didn't want to look stupid for asking…"
Spencer's amusement left and he looked so sincere and adoring that it made Trina's heart skip a beat. "You are anything but stupid. You're the smartest person I know."
"Keep it up, Cassadine. You're going to teach your brother your charming ways…"
Spencer shrugged. "That's my goal. Can't have too many charming Cassadines around. Kind of pushes out the crazy ones."
Trina just giggled. "I suppose. But anyway, explain. Where does the royalty claim come from? You have to be connected to somebody, right?"
"Yeah. The Cassadines are branched off of the Romanov monarchy of Russia…"
"Wait...you mean like...Princess Anastasia? Those Romanovs?" Trina's eyes widened.
Spencer simply nodded. "You know the story? How the Czar and his family were captured and shot…"
"Yes, and how everyone thought Anastasia might have survived, just to find out that she hadn't...how did the Cassadines survive that?"
"Well, let's just say the Cassadines at the time read the room and fled to Greece before all that went down."
"Wow...I'm married to a Romanov descendant…"
Spencer just laughed. "I suppose you are."
"I wonder why the Cassadines never tried to reclaim the throne…"
"Too busy building weather machines and trying to take over the world I guess. I don't know. I'm kind of glad that we didn't. The whole Prince thing is a title anyway. It just tells who gets the money and properties. The firstborn son of the firstborn son…"
"That's a rich, interesting family history you have there. You know, we should go to Russia someday. See the palace...or would that be too dangerous for you?"
Spencer frowned. "You know, I have no idea. Hmm…"
"Now I want to go home and watch Anastasia. I loved that movie."
"I did too!" Spencer grinned. "You know something we can do? We can have a movie night. I mean, we both have the same taste in movies it seems and it'd just be fun."
"I'd like that. There'd be nothing better than cuddling up with my boo and watching a movie. Just like in Paris. That was my favorite movie-watching experience," Trina sighed, remembering how they had watched Moulin Rouge and how Spencer had held her so close, she had felt like she was a part of him.
A whine from the baby disrupted the comfortable silence that fell over them and Spencer hugged his brother close. "Aww, I guess this little guy is ready to return home. God, I don't want to give him back. He fits into my arms so perfectly."
"You're really good with him. You're going to make a great father someday…"
Spencer happily smiled. "I look forward to it, but for now, I'll settle with being a good brother."
"Well, you're definitely a shoe-in for that," Trina smiled, kissing his cheek before gathering the baby's things so they can return to the penthouse.
It had been a nice, peaceful visit. She hoped that the peace would continue, at least until custody was all figured out.