They landed in Athens a few days later. Then on to a small village across the sea from the island.

From there, it was a relatively short boat ride.

Nikolas took Jonah, as Spencer grabbed Claudia's hand and started pointing out all of the landmarks to be seen from the deck.

"There it is!," Spencer suddenly shouted.

Claudia followed Spencer's pointing arm to a... that was no "small" island. It certainly wasn't as small as it had looked on the map she'd studied when she'd first found out she'd be living there.

Nikolas leaned over and whispered in her ear, "What do you think?"

"I think," Claudia murmured back, "That your island could hold the population of Port Charles two times over."

"Our island."

Claudia turned and looked at Nikolas. He had a crooked grin.

"Look, Jonah!," he said. "Look! Mommy's speechless. This happens maybe twice in a lifetime. Don't miss it."

She shook her head, looking back at him as Spencer grabbed her hand and led her around the deck.

*************************************

Viktor met them on shore, accompanied by a bevy of uniformed guards who took their luggage.

Glancing around, it looked like Nikolas had hired what looked like a small army to guard the coastline.

Nikolas helped Claudia into the passenger's side of a Jeep and then lifted Spencer up beside her and handed Jonah to her.

Then he climbed into the driver's side.

*************************************

They drove through some of the most beautiful terrain she'd ever seen, past gardens and tennis courts, past stables and a grove of olive trees.

They reached the house, which was large enough to have room for everything they could ever need, but small enough so they could always find each other.

Nikolas climbed out of the car and came around to first help Spencer out, then to take Jonah from Claudia, and then to help Claudia out of the Jeep.

They approached the door at the front of the house.

And Alfred opened the door.

"Welcome, Master Nikolas. Master Spencer. Miss Zacchara. And..."

"This is Jonah, Alfred," Nikolas said. "The grounds look beautiful. As does the house. Thank you for everything."

"Not at all, sir."

"And your wife?"

"Very much enthralled with her kitchen."

"Her kitchen?," Claudia said, under her breath.

"We'll talk about this later," Nikolas said. He leaned over and whispered in her ear. "She's our cook. She's Alfred's wife. Please."

Claudia smiled at Alfred. As soon as Alfred turned his back, she pinched Nikolas.

*************************************

They left Jonah and Spencer with a nanny, Spencer chattering away, "explaining" the island to Jonah.

Nikolas showed Claudia around the house.

Jonah had his own small bedroom off of theirs. Spencer's was right down the hall.

Nikolas' office had windows that went floor to ceiling.

He'd put in a gym for her. "My mother mentioned you might want one," he said.

Claudia thought she'd been so subdued about that. She wondered if Laura had noticed she didn't like anyone else doing the dishes.

And then he brought her to a sunlight-filled room that looked like a study. It was decorated sparingly. There was large oak table that was covered with files.

He looked expectantly at her.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "What?"

"Do you like it?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"It's your office. I know you have your hands full right now, but I've collected the profiles of all of our holdings and they're here for your review when you have time."

Claudia grabbed his hand and pulled him over to the oak table. She began scanning the files.

"I didn't want to decorate it," Nikolas said, "since you're the one who's going to be spending the most time in here, but I thought maybe you could --"

Claudia turned to him, and silenced him with a kiss that lasted a good long while.

When they finally pulled apart, panting, Claudia said, "If I could make love to you on this table right now, you'd be in more trouble than you could handle."

"I can wait," Nikolas said. "And I can handle it."

*******************************************************************

Nikolas headed downstairs to check on the evening's menu.

As he passed his old school room, he paused in front of it.

It had been left as it had existed the day he left for Port Charles all those years ago.

He went inside, and slowly made his way around the room, brushing his hand over the furniture as he passed it.

He and Claudia had decided to send the boys to school in the village once they were old enough. Their education could always be supplemented, but a childhood full of friends was something both Claudia and Nikolas had yearned for, and all the schooling in the world could never make up for loneliness.

On the plane to Athens, while Spencer slept, Claudia and Nikolas had joked about which languages they would have willingly have given up for a friend growing up.

Once loneliness takes hold of a child, it changes them indelibly. Nikolas and Claudia had that in common.

As he took Claudia around the house, showing her the rooms, while hearing Spencer's voice echoing down the halls, this place was already changing for him.

For this had been the place of his exile, as much as Milan had been for Claudia. This had been the place where he'd been groomed, motherless, for responsibilities rather than a life. And now the island was teeming with his life. And, unbelievably, love.

He took one last look around the room. It was a good size. It would make a good playroom.

He left the room, and closed the door behind him.

*******************************************************************

Jonah was quietly lying in his cradle.

And Claudia went to the phone. She dialed.

After a moment, the call connected.

"Ciao," she said. "E' Claudia. ... Grazie." She drummed her fingers nervously on the bureau top. "Sì, sono arrivato." Yes, I've arrived. "Siamo al sicuro." We're safe. "Yes, exactly her eyes. ... Uncle Rudy, I wanted to thank you for ... Yes. Yes, I do. I'm forever in your debt. ... Uncle Rudy, is John still there?" Claudia's face fell. "I understand. ... I know. ... I will. ... Ciao."

Claudia hung up the phone and sat down on the bed.

Nikolas came into the room. He took one look at her face and asked, "What happened?"

"I called Italy," she said, her composure crumbling.

He sat beside her on the bed and pulled her close to him.

"You were looking for Johnny."

"I expected this," she said, brushing her tears away.

"Well, yes and no," he said.

"Yeah." She turned her face up to his. "I told Spencer he was my first little boy. But really it was always John."

"Staying here would have meant he was stuck here. It's different for him than it is for us."

"I know. I'm just selfish."

"I know the feeling," he said.

She climbed into his lap and hugged him.

***********************************************************

Four days later, Claudia arranged a family picnic at the beach.

And while they were there, a boat arrived. A transport boat.

Nikolas had been idly watching the coast as it drew nearer. He glanced at Claudia and caught her studying him. She quickly looked away. It looked like she was stifling a grin.

The boat docked and a man went over to one of the guards. Papers were signed.

Nikolas stood up.

"Where are you going?," Claudia said.

"Something's arrived. I didn't arrange for anything to be delivered today."

"I know," Claudia said. "I did."

Slowly, from below deck, a handler led a familiar figure up onto the deck.

Sheba.

Nikolas' horse.

Nikolas began to walk, as if in a trance, toward the landing.

He stopped. He turned and walked back to Claudia, confused. "I sold him."

"Why would you do that?"

"I thought I -- I didn't have time to make arrangements. I wanted him to have a good home."

"And now he does," she said. "I bought him."

Nikolas stared at her.

"What?," she said. "You think you're the only one who's good at surprises?"

The look on his face was priceless.

Nikolas bent down and kissed her. And then he hurried toward the dock.

"Questo è il cavallo di papà," Spencer said. That's Daddy's horse.

"I know," Claudia said.

She'd been doing her morning crossword puzzle months ago, when she'd noticed a classified ad for Sheba. It had almost broken her heart. Even during her first visit to Spoon Island, which had barely lasted two weeks, she'd noticed how much Nikolas adored that horse. Seeing the ad, she immediately guessed the reasons behind the sale, back when he was determined that she should live, and she was making plans for after her death. So she'd taken some of her own money, out of the small portion which hadn't been put aside for Jonah's trust, and bought Sheba under an assumed name.

She'd used some of the rest of her money to pay for boarding fees. Once she'd gotten the whole scope of Nikolas' plan, it had taken most of her remaining money to arrange transport. All the while, she'd been altering Spinelli's records of her bank accounts and phone calls.

It had been nerve-racking and very risky. But it was worth every penny and stress-inducing moment.

It was enough that he had to leave his family behind for her. She was going to make sure that he never lost anything else.

***************************************************************

Claudia and Nikolas set sail for the mainland.

It was a beautiful day, perfect for sailing, and Claudia turned out to be a pretty good first mate, even though she was wearing completely impractical shoes.

They'd started adoption proceedings. Claudia for Spencer and Nikolas for Jonah. Nikolas would finish up with some paperwork while Claudia went to her doctor's appointment.

Nikolas felt Claudia's chin on his shoulder as he steered the boat closer to the shore.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi."

"This doctor's visit is just for show, to make you feel better." She nipped at his earlobe and Nikolas gripped the steering wheel harder. "I'm ready. I know I am."

"And I believe you," Nikolas said. "But if you're not, please do not kill the doctor. There are few enough as it is in this village."

****************************************************************

They had barely started the journey back to the island.

Nikolas did not give a damn about the weather or the sailing conditions.

The doctor on the mainland had given Claudia the all-clear. Her eyes were raking over him with an undeniable heat. He could barely contain himself as it was, but every time he looked at her and saw her eyes burning, her body in those tight fitting clothes --

Nikolas cursed himself for taking the sailboat. The trip back home was taking too long. With a speedboat, they would have --

His thoughts were interrupted by Claudia grabbing him around the waist from behind.

"Nikolas," she said, her voice rough. "Drop anchor."

Nikolas felt his heart begin to pound faster.

"Seriously, Nik," she said, reaching under his shirt and tracing his muscles. "I'm not going to make it to the island." She pulled at his shirt, ripping it open, the buttons breaking off and falling to the deck.

He turned around to face her. "I have to --"

She unbuttoned the top of his pants. "Months, Nikolas. Months of waiting."

Nikolas grabbed her and lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist. They made their way to the mast, while kissing each other.

He lowered himself on the deck, began taking the sail down. Claudia took off her shirt, losing her balance, falling backwards onto the deck. She reached up, stroking his chest.

He left the sail, lowering himself on top of her, kissing her neck and collarbone, unbuttoning the top of her pants.

He jerked himself away from her and finished taking the sail down.

He was trying to drive her crazy, she thought, with those bulging biceps.

A moan escaped her lips.

He quickly pressed the button to drop the anchor and returned to her.

Lifted her up again. Her lips on his. Her legs around his waist. Arms around his neck.

He carried her to the entrance to the below-deck quarters. He pulled his lips away from hers. "We don't have a bed," he managed to tell her.

"Try," she said, in between kisses, "Try... to imagine ... how little ... I care."

They stumbled below deck, without breaking apart for even a moment.

********************************************

Pentonville Prison. Upstate New York.

Anthony had been on his best behavior. There were gonna be no more outbursts, no more explosions of violence. He was gonna get out early no matter what it took.

A guard had come to him during afternoon yard recreation. Said he had a visitor. Anthony quietly and peacefully followed the guard up to the visiting area.

He was led to a seat. Someone he had never seen before was seating across from him. She gestured from behind the bulletproof divider. Anthony picked up his phone.

"Yeah?," he said.

"Anthony Zacchara?"

"Yeah."

The woman did not speak again. She just stared at him, studying him.

"I'm not getting any younger, lady. What do you want?"

"I'm Helena Cassadine. I believe your daughter has something I want."

"Then talk to her. She's definitely not gonna listen to me."

"I think an alliance between the two of us could prove exceedingly beneficial. You and me, that is."

"You and me? You think I'd team up with a woman?" He laughed and then glanced around, making sure his outburst had gone unnoticed. He lowered his voice. "Anthony Zacchara does not ally himself with anyone. And I definitely do not partner up with the weaker, emotional, more treacherous sex."

"And I do not, as a rule, partner up with thugs. Unless the partnership has something I need. If you can stifle your Neanderthal instincts for a moment, and gather what pitiful bits and pieces are left of your mind, you might find what I have to say very interesting."

"If it's about my daughter, I doubt it. I'd be happy never to see that conniving slut again."

Helena sat back, pleased. "Well, I see you do have some brain cells functioning. Tell me, Mr. Zacchara: how soon do you get out for good behavior?"

*******************************************

There is an island off the coast of Greece where the white warm sand covers the beach. Where the bluest ocean sends its waves to the shore.

And there is an awning set a little bit back on the shore. The sun is going down, but the beach is well-lit enough to see the little boy toddling around the man and the woman as they join hands.

An elderly couple stands nearby, as witnesses.

The priest gestures to the baby in a nearby cradle. He gestures to the little boy.

And then he steps toward the man and the woman.

When he asks, "Who giveth this woman in marriage?," the woman answers, "I give myself."

Neither the man nor the woman stumble over each other's names, even though "Claudia Antonia Zacchara" and "Nikolas Mikhail Stavrosovich Cassadine" are each quite a mouthful.

The vows aren't hurried, or said with a sort of deadening solemnity. Instead, it's as if both the man and the woman know that it's not the wedding that's important, but rather the marriage that is. They look into each other's eyes, and it's as if no other couple has ever said these words before, as if they have been invented for just this occasion. (And there is no "obey").

And when the priest asks for the rings, and the little boy accidentally drops them in the sand, no one takes it as a bad omen. Instead, the man and the woman laugh, and kneel down to help the little boy find the rings. Which he does.

The rings are exchanged. And when the priest says "You may now kiss the bride," the bride gets a mischievous look on her face and corrects the priest: "He will now kiss the bride."

The groom grins. She grabs his shirt. He wraps his arm around her waist. And they draw each other close. Her arms wind around him. They are still kissing when the priest says, "I now pronounce you husband and wife." In fact, they don't break apart even when the man lifts the woman and carries her toward the main house. The little boy trails in their wake, singing of pirates, and spinning on the sand. The elderly man picks up the cradle and takes the elderly woman by the arm. They follow the little boy.

The priest hurries after all of them, calling after them, asking about the signing of the marriage certificate.

************************************

And so we leave Nikolas and Claudia on the beach on their little island in Greece, heading toward their wedding night. They did eventually sign their marriage certificate, but not much else is known.

It is not known whether Claudia ever saw her brother again. It is not known whether Anthony Zacchara was ever released from prison. It is not known whether Helena's new plan ever came to fruition.

What is known is that a little more than two years from the day they were married, Nikolas and Claudia added the final member to their family. She was a little girl whom they named Laura Domenica Nikolaevichna Cassadine, whom everyone called Laura. And she was in every way her brothers' equal.