Luke was greeted by Lucas as he entered the Brownstone. Robert, Bobbie, Lucas, and Joey were spending the day in watching movies. "What can I do for my favorite uncle?"
"Um…" Luke hesitated.
"That doesn't sound good." Bobbie observed.
"I agree. Luke, are you sure this is the best time for whatever it is you came here to say?" Robert eyed him with a look of 'this better be really important.'
"No; it's not the best time. I don't know if there ever is a best time."
"Whatever it is just say it." Bobbie demanded.
"Lucky was hospitalized last night. He's okay, but they are keeping him for observation."
"Last night? But why didn't anybody say anything? What happened?" Lucas questioned.
"Nobody said anything because I asked them not to. He ran into the side of a semi, and I just wanted to make sure I knew what I was going to say before…"
"You wanted to make sure that you could report good news before bringing it to me." Bobbie inferred. Before he could reply back she continued. "You shouldn't have waited. I mean it worked out, but what if… I never got the chance to say goodbye to my daughter, and now you're telling me that my nephew…"
"Barbara Jean I swear I wouldn't have let you pass up your chance to say goodbye." He responded taking the seat in front of her. "I just didn't want you to go through the agonizing part of not knowing."
"But he's okay?" Robert clarified.
"Yeah; nothing major, but I'm pretty sure that it was part of Helena's grand design." He explained. "In the process of the crash Helena was able to get her claws on the child of the alleged Valentin Cassadine."
Everyone looked towards him questioningly.
"I didn't know we were aware of who Valentin Cassadine was." Lucas spoke up for them.
"McCall and Jackal PI continued investigation while others were looking into Caroline's whereabouts. Speculation was that the perceived nephew of Adriana Katsaros was actually her son, and that lead was followed."
"Apparently followed successfully; so who is this child?" Robert questioned realizing that the child would have also been a descendent of his uncle.
"The child is my son's girlfriend; Samantha McCall."
"How is that even possible?" Bobbie questioned. "Unless Alexis; oh my God, Alexis…"
"Had no idea when she met up the boy at boarding school he was Mikkos' suspected love child."
"It is a good thing he wasn't." Joey cut in trying to absorb the family history. "I mean the son of one mistress and the daughter of another; both born in the same year. No wonder Helena is off her rocker with envy."
"Almost 50 years later Helena has the chance to exact revenge on three different families that she believes betrayed her with one act. She hurts Sam and not only does it devastate Lucky, but…" Lucas responded.
"She knew Sam was a Scorpio and she wanted us to find out." Robert replied. "What are we doing about it?"
"Nikolas and Ethan are on their way to storming the Cassadine castle as we speak." Luke replied.
"They are going to keep us posted, right? Any back up needed…" Robert questioned.
"And I will let you know." Luke assured him. For the time being he was comforted knowing Robert was there for his sister. "I will also let you know when Lucky is released; for the time being I have guards set outside his door, and think it is best that we are all looking out for our own safety first."
***********
"Mom, how's Lucky doing?" Kristina asked upon her return.
"He's worried about your sister, as we all are." Alexis replied.
"Is there anything any of us can do?" Michael asked her.
"I think the best thing would be for all of us to stick together and stay safe." Jax replied coming into the room with Britni.
"Does Molly know?" Kristina asked her mom.
"Yes; I was able to talk to her, and told her what I'm going to tell you. Nikolas and Ethan are going to Greece. They are going to find her and bring her home."
"I'm not eight. I know it's more complicated than that, and I think I know someone that could help." Kristina replied.
"Who?" Alexis replied.
"Damon's father is pretty high in the Hellenic military, and he has a score to settle with Helena." Kristina replied. She had spent the better part of the day texting back and forth with him.
"Kristina, I don't think that getting them involved is the answer."
"Why? Sam is their family too. She's probably the only link they have to Adriana and Laertes."
"Sweetie, this isn't a military matter." Alexis argued.
"Sure it is; it's a war that has been going on for way too long. Helena needs to be stopped, and she needs to be stopped now." Kristina replied adamantly.
"I agree." Michael stepped forward. "She has cost too many lives; too much pain, and too much fear worldwide. Lucky could have died, and who knows what Helena has in store for Sam. If the military wants to step in, I say so be it; make the bitch pay!"
"Michael!" Jax yelled at him.
"I know; I sound like my father, right? And that scares you, but what if someone really deserves it?"
"Who are you to decide that?" Morgan asked coming into the room after hearing all of the shouting. "Dad and Jason have killed people. Do you want the families of those they hurt to come after them?"
"Dad and Jason do it to protect…"
"Their interests." Jax interrupted. "Whether it be their company, their territory, or their family. It may be just to them, but innocent people have been killed."
"Are you seriously comparing dad and Jason to the likes of Helena Cassadine? What about your brother?" Michael looked to Jax. "If Jason would have taken him out after the hostage situation mom would still be here."
"You're frustrated, Michael, I get that." Alexis attempted to empathize. "I would like for nothing better than go to Greece and slit Helena's throat in the exact place I watched her murder my mom so many years ago, but like Morgan said, how would that me any better than Helena?"
"But we've tried the legal route before. Helena made a double and…and got herself free. It doesn't work. The normal rules don't apply. Why not send an army after her?" Kristina questioned.
"Maybe." Alexis thought about it. "But let Nikolas and Ethan make sure my baby is okay first."
***********
"Claudia, what is this?" Stella questioned the stack of dishes that Claudia was putting away as they got back.
"You guys were taking forever, and whatever it was you wanted to make needed yeast which requires time to rise so I figured maybe I should make dinner instead."
"But it looks like you've already eaten." Joey observed.
"It was getting late, but I left some extra for the both of you." Claudia assured them.
"Great, where?" Stella asked. Claudia pointed out Joey's bedroom to which Stella shook her head.
"Shall we?" Joey invited her that way. They walked in to find an intimate table with place setting for two and candles spread out throughout the room.
"She really out did herself." Stella commented.
"Is this too much? Not your thing?"
"You weren't a part of this…?"
"No!" He insisted. "I swear I had no idea, but for possible future reference. If this makes you uncomfortable I was just wondering…"
Stella smiled. "This is fine; great even. I mean, who doesn't like a nice romantic evening with a guy that has sworn to protect her?"
"You believe I would, right?"
"Yeah, I think so, but since that's not something we have to worry about right now. Why don't you tell me a little bit about you?"
"What you would like to know?"
"I don't know. Favorite music?"
"Green Day."
"Really?" She questioned.
"What? Is that the wrong answer?"
"No, there's no… it's just…not what I expected."
"What were you expecting? The Italian opera? I heard a lot of mobsters are into that." He teased her.
"Okay, point taken."
"What about you? What do you spend your car trips listening to?"
"Italian Opera." She kidded.
"You do not." He called her out on it.
"I could." Stella replied. "Okay, no, the closest thing I like to opera is Phantom or Le Mis."
"Oh, good shows. Have you ever seen Phantom live?"
"Like on Broadway? No. I mostly just listen to the CD. I saw the movie version with the guy that plays Freddy Krueger."
"How was that?" He laughed.
"Eh; I heard the one with Gerald Butler was much better."
"So you're a movie buff?" Joey asked her.
"Not really, just a lot of free time where it is just me and the dog."
"The dog? You have a dog?"
"Why? Are you afraid of dogs?" She questioned the urgent reply.
"No; I just hadn't thought about there being anything at home depending on you to be there. What do you suppose happened while you were…"
"I try not to think about that. I don't know; I'm not even sure my co-workers know that Ali is there, but I hope that she found someone to take care of her. I assume the cops have been to my place since my disappearance."
"I'm sorry." He stroked her hair lovingly. She held his hand at her cheek.
"I don't blame you. Just…" She attempted to plead for his help before hearing something from the living room. "What's that?"
"Stay here." Joey cautioned her leaving the room to check it out. He grabbed a locked hand gun on his way out.
"Anthony; let her go." Sonny demanded as Zacchara held onto his daughter with a pistol in his hand. "She's not the one you want to hurt."
"Tell my son to drop his weapon." Anthony directed spying Johnny from outside the window.
"I'll drop mine, just let her go. You can have me." He replied seeing the fear in Claudia's eyes.
"Sorry Corinthos, but you're a little ill equipped."
"Zacchara, what's going on?" Joey questioned walking into the scene. Johnny had taken out Brutus on his approach unfortunately causing too much noise prompting Anthony to use Claudia for cover.
The momentary distraction from Joey's emergence allowed Claudia to worm her way free.
"Grab her!" He demanded.
Sonny's focus and weapon aimed at her father and his back in an old Western draw. Claudia ran into Sonny's free arm clinging onto him as he backed towards the open door.
"I wouldn't do that." Anthony insisted.
"Joey what's going…?" Stella questioned upon entering the room.
Anthony grinned as he pointed the pistol in Stella direction. The room watched in slow motion as he squeezed the trigger.
"Noo!!" Joey shouted out attempting to dive in front of her.
Another shot rang out causing the scene to go quiet.
