There was something seriously off about this abduction. Kristina had been right about the servants, as they made their way through what she now knew to be an old, European palace, the servants did in fact treat them as if they were in fact the ladies of the house. No one said a word as Alexis, Kristina, Sam and Nikolas explored, looking for any kind of clue as to where they were, who had taken them, and a way to contact someone. The women they passed curtseyed, the men bowed slightly and the guards, Alexis would know Cassadine guards when she saw them, nodded their heads in acknowledgement. It was almost as if they were guests or even residents rather then captives.
Even though Alexis was bothered by the way the people they passed acted, what was really bothering her were the flashes of memory she was having as they made their way to the grand staircase. As she'd walked through the halls, carefully checking rooms and heading towards where she hoped was a way out, Alexis would flash to another time but the same place. At first it was sounds. She remembered the sound of heels and soft laughter echoing in the long stone walled, wood floored hallway. She remembered her mother's voice drifting up from somewhere downstairs. She remembered the sound of a man's voice, familiar and yet not, as it called out for her in a happy, sing song tone as if perhaps she and he were playing a game.
The first visual memory came when they found a large room, a child's play room, updated for the presence of a twelve-year-old girl and fourteen year old boy, but with a few old things that belonged to a much younger child, a small girl. In that room Alexis saw herself as a child, perhaps four or five years old, playing with two beautiful Borzoi hounds. When she stopped at a window to look out over the front courtyard she flashed to sitting in the back of an old car, a dark gray Rolls Royce with gray interior, with her mother. When she closed her eyes she could hear the sound of the tires crushing the gravel as the car pulled up to the front entrance, the sound of someone walking on the gravel, she could see the door being opened by a servant, she could feel herself getting out of the car, taking a few steps and then being swept up into a man's arms.
When she reached the bottom of the grand staircase another memory hit Alexis so hard she had to sit down, with her sister's help. Kristina had seen her swag on her feet and was quick to easy Alexis onto the step. But Alexis didn't hear a word Kristina said, she was totally caught up in the sudden memory that played out before her like a vivid scene from a movie.
He was a day late and she was starting to worry. She sat on the bottom step and watched the door, wondering where he was. Was he angry with her? She couldn't remember being naughty, but maybe she had been. Maybe he'd found out that she'd been cross with Johann and stomped his foot on purpose because he wouldn't let her ride her pony in the rain, but Mama had taken care of that. Mama had spanked her bottom and made her apologize, so he shouldn't be angry with her for that. Maybe he wasn't cross with her, maybe he'd forgotten? That thought brought tears to her big brown eyes. Had he forgotten her birthday? She was six today. Six is a big deal. How could he have forgotten she was six today!
With her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands she continued to watch the door. She had on her brand new dress, the pretty pale blue one with the ruffles and satin sash that Mama had bought for her in Paris, and she wanted him to see her in it. She was trying hard not to cry, and then just as she thought she would give in she heard sounds coming from outside. She held her breath as the door began to open, and let it go when he walked through the door. He held a large brightly wrapped box but she didn't care, all she cared about was him. She jumped to her feet as she cried out, "Papa!"
He scooped her up into his arms and spun her around. "My beautiful Natasha!"
She laughed as he coved her face in kisses and then she turned very serious as she placed her hands on his cheeks. "Papa, you're late!" She chastised, but then the sadness and fear shown in her eyes. "I thought you forgot me."
He wiped the tears from her cheesk and kissed the tip of her nose. "I could never forget you my little princess, my beautiful Natasha, my most precious child."
There were tears running down Alexis' cheeks.
"Alexis?" Kristina called out to her sister. The fear and concern she was feeling clear in her voice.
Sam was scared and worried as well. She knelt in front of her mother, her hands gripping tightly to Alexis'. "Mom? Mommy, are you ok?"
It was the sound of Sam's voice that snapped Alexis out of her memory. She blinked to clear the tears from her eyes and then looked down into her daughter's. "I'm ok baby." She looked at her sister and nephew and saw the same scared, concerned expressions and tried to reassure them with a smile. "I'm fine."
"What just happened?" Kristina asked as she looked into her sister's eyes. "Where were you just now?"
"I know where we are." Alexis said softly.
"Where?" Kristina asked as she brushed at her sister's hair. The look in Alexis' eyes was really starting to worry her. She hadn't seen such pain, such grief, such longing in her sister's expressive brown eyes since the night she told her about their mother's murder and losing Sam.
Alexis looked her sister in eye despite her desire to look away. She knew the younger woman could read her and in that moment she both wanted her, and didn't want her to do that. "We're home."
"Home?" Kristina asked while Sam and Nikolas looked on in silence. "Alexis, I don't understand. How are we home?"
Alexis nodded. "Papa." She stopped and shook her head as if shaking the word from her mind. "Mikkos. He never stayed at the house in Sweden to long, a few days here and there, but here; here we were a family. Here he would spend weeks with us." She stood, though it was a struggle and Nikolas had to help her, and moved to the front door. She opened it and stepped out onto the stone entryway. "We're tucked into a valley surrounded by mountains and a lake. If you didn't know this place was here you would never find it."
Hearing this Sam sighed. "We're screwed."
Nikolas glared at her as he elbowed her in the side.
"Where are we Alexis?" Kristina asked as she looked at the breathtaking surroundings. There was nothing to be seen in any direction but mountains, green rolling hills, trees, a crystal lake, and the bluest blue sky she'd ever seen.
Alexis shook her head. "I don't know for sure. I was so young and I still don't remember much. I haven't had this many memory flashes since you came back into my life." She sighed as she tried to remember more. "Austria, I think, Johann he spoke German but it wasn't normal German."
"So we're what?" Kristina asked as she continued to look around. "Smack dab in the middle of the Alps?"
"Pretty much." Alexis said as she shivered. It wasn't the warmest place in the world, not even in summer, but it wasn't the coldest either. She went back inside and closed the door behind Kristina.
"You grew up here?" Sam asked as she her mother pulled her close and wrapped her arms around her. She could tell that her mom needed the comfort and Sam was glad to give it. She was feeling shaken up and scared herself.
Alexis wasn't sure how to answer that. She had, but she hadn't. "Natasha grew up here."
Sam looked even more confused. "Mom, you are Natasha."
Alexis just smiled at her little girl and hugged her a little tighter. How to explain being someone else as a young child? How to explain that when her mother died, when Kristina was taken, Natasha went away as well? After a few long minutes she broke the silence that had been building by saying, "I think it's time we start asking questions and getting some answers."
She didn't regret bringing Sam home to her family, but there were times, like now, when Carly wondered what the hell she'd gotten the poor girl into. When Jason got back to town he told her about Kristina, and then she found out about Alexis and Sam. Her mom tried to reassure her that Jax and Stefan were doing everything in their power to find them, and Carly knew that was true, but she also felt really helpless. Sam was like her little sister, Kristina was her best friend, and Alexis was like an aunt to her and they were out there somewhere with god only knows who. She had to do something, and the only thing she could think of was asking for help.
"Caroline." Luke greeted as he opened the door. Normally he would have teased her but the look on her face stopped him. "Come in. What's on your mind?"
"You know about what happened don't you?" Carly asked as she entered her uncle's home.
Luke nodded. "Alexis, Sam, Kristina and the boy are gone."
Carly spun around to face him. "If you know they're gone then why the hell are you still here?"
"I'm making chili." Luke said as he jerked a finger towards the kitchen. "You want some?"
"No I don't want some!" Carly replied in disbelief. "Why aren't you out there looking for them?"
"Count Vald's looking and so is Natasha's pretty boy." Luke answered.
Carly wanted to strangle her uncle. At least she'd be doing something. "Yeah, but they aren't you! Aren't you the self proclaimed expert on all things Cassadine?"
Luke smirked. "I know a thing or two."
"And isn't Alexis you're friend?" Carly asked. "And what about Sam? You know what she means to me! And Nikolas? He's Laura's son! Does she even know he's missing?"
"Easy Caroline." Luke said when he saw her getting really upset. "I'm not doing nothing."
Carly glared at him. "What the hell does that mean?"
"It means my dear sweet niece," Luke replied. "That you need to trust you ol' uncle Luke."
The girl eyed him carefully for several long moments before she finally said, "You're already looking for them."
"Of course I am." Luke said with a grin. "Now, how about some chili?"