Despite how much she hated it Carly had allowed her uncle to put her on a plane back to Port Charles. She'd wanted nothing more then to be with him when he went after Sam but there was just something about him that changed when he heard that Alexis' father was involved that kept her from pushing things. During the ten-hour flight back to up state New York Carly had a lot of time to think which caused her to worry. How safe could Sam be if her uncle was this concerned? He wouldn't give her any details, and what he did tell her was too hard to believe, so she just started thinking the worst. What would she do if something happened to Sam? Ever since she'd met the tiny, dark haired, big spirited kid she'd been a huge part of Carly's life, and Carly just couldn't see her life without her now. Sam was her little sister in every way that mattered, and Carly loved the kid with all her heart.

Carly had managed not to break down from her emotions despite being alone on the plane, but as she decided the stairs from the plane to the tarmac, she felt that resolve melting. Standing by the gate was her mother and the moment the blue eyed, blonde haired, independent seventeen year old saw her mama Carly felt her eyes began to burn, and suddenly she wasn't so grown any more.

Bobbie watched the change come over her daughter and all her anger over Carly's little stunt was set aside. She walked towards her little girl as Carly rushed towards her. "It's ok baby." Bobbie said softly as she wrapped her arms around Carly.

"Sam's in real trouble, Mama." Carly said in a teary voice as she hugged her mama as tightly as she could.

"Sam's going to be just fine, honey." Bobbie said reassuringly. "I know you're worried about her, I am too, but we have to trust Luke and Jax. They'll find them and they'll bring them home safely."

Carly pulled back enough to look into her mother's eyes. She could see that her mother was just as worried as she was, but there was a bit more certainly in Bobbie's hazel eyes. "You know about this Mikkos person, don't you?"

Bobbie nodded as she reached up to caress away Carly's tears. "I was here in Port Charles the first time Luke went up against him. I can't believe he's alive."

"The moment Luke heard Jax say his name he changed." Carly said as she took the comfort her mother was offering. "I've never seen him like that, Mama, not even around Stefan and I know how much he hates Stefan."

"Under all his Cassadine-ness Stefan is a good man." Bobbie told her daughter. "And it's because he loves his family. From what I've heard of Mikkos from Luke and from Alexis, he doesn't have that silver of grace that Stefan has." She heard Carly whimper and stopped caressing her cheeks and arms to hold her face firmly in her hands. "Sam is with Alexis, Carly. Alexis isn't going to let anything happen to her. Alexis would fight, even kill, to keep her baby safe, just like I would for you, or B.J. or Lucas."

Carly looked right into her mother's eyes and could see the truth in that statement. Like it or not she had to have faith in the other people who loved Sam just as much as she loved her. Even now it was sometimes hard for Carly to remember that it wasn't just her and Sam against the world anymore. They both had families and people who loved them and would protect them against everything.

When she saw understanding and relief in her daughter's eyes Bobbie asked, "Are you feeling a little better now?"

"Yeah." Carly said softly as she leaned her face into her mother's touch. "I'm still worried but maybe not so scared. Thanks Mama."

Bobbie smiled at her daughter and then leaned in and kissed her forehead before hugging her tightly. "Good." When they pulled apart Bobbie's hands went right to her hips. "Caroline Lee Spencer what the hell were you thinking? I can't believe you snuck off like that!"

Carly was a little taken aback by the sudden shift in her mother but quickly managed to look sheepish. "I had to do something, Mama!"

"I understand that Caroline." Bobbie said firmly. "Believe me I do. Luke Spencer is my brother for pete's sake! I have first hand experience with worrying about someone I love who's in a serious situation. But running off half cocked and clueless is not the best way to handle those kinds of situations!"

"I'm a Spencer, half cocked is how we do things." Carly said with a smirk before the look in her mama's eyes made her swallow any further smartass remark. For the first time Carly saw the worry and fear in her mother's eyes and it made her feel awful. "I'm sorry, Mama. I didn't mean to scare you."

"I know you didn't mean too, Carly." Bobbie said, her voice softening but still firm. "We'll talk about it more at home."

Carly just nodded and followed her mother to the car. She felt bad for causing her mother to worry, and maybe she could have handled things differently, but people she cared about were in trouble and she had to do something. Carly didn't like feeling helpless. Feeling helpless made her reckless, and that was something she was going to have to work on.

The grounds were as stunning as the house. Nikolas and Sam were walking around trying to shake off some of the cabin fever they were both feeling. As they walked around both of them were taking in their surroundings. There were beautiful stretching lawns, towering trees, and a breathtaking view of the snow covered Alps. There was also a glittering lake that Sam was nearly salivating to get too.

"Sam." Nikolas said in a firm tone. "Aunt Alexis said we couldn't go that far."

"Go how far?" Sam asked with as much innocence as she could muster.

Nikolas smiled lovingly at his water-loving cousin. "The lake. You look like a starving dog whose chain is to short to reach the steak."

Sam looked at her cousin oddly. "You come up with the weirdest analogies." She rolled her eyes at him as they continued to walk, with her steering them towards the lake despite his reminding her of her mother's restrictions. After a few seconds passed she looked over to the older boy. "How much longer do you think he's going to keep us here, Niky?"

"I don't know, Sam." Nikolas said with a soft sigh.

"My Mom's suppose to have the baby soon." Sam said softly. She'd noticed that her mother had been a little more fatigued lately, and she'd also noticed a pinched look to her eyes from time to time. "You don't think he'll force her to have the baby here do you?" Panic and fear lit up Sam's big brown eyes. "You don't think he's going to take the baby do you? He took me Nikolas, what if he wants to take the new baby?"

Nikolas took Sam's hand in his own and held it tight. "I'm sure Grandfather isn't going to take Aunt Alexis' baby, Sam."

"You don't know that for sure." Sam protested. "He took me didn't he? He took me and he let those people keep me. He's been watching us all Nikolas he let them keep me!"

"Sam," Nikolas said softly as he stopped them and turned to look at her face to face. "How bad was it with the McCalls?"

Sam had never given her family all the details. She'd talked to Gail Baldwin, her therapist, about it all but never her family. She didn't want them looking at her differently, and she was afraid they would if they knew the truth. She was a Cassadine now, and she didn't want people thinking she was trash. She didn't know that sometimes even rich and powerful people beat up on their kids; they just didn't end up on episodes of Cops like poor trash families did. "Bad enough that he should have done something. He hates me, Nikolas."

"I don't think he does, Sam." Nikolas replied.

"No," Sam said with a shake of her head. "He does." She paused a moment and then said. "I think he loves my Mom in some weird way, and I think maybe he even loved her then. So the only reason that makes any sense for why he tossed me away was because of my father."

"Sam." Nikolas said with a gentle shake of his head. "Aunt Alexis was sixteen. He was doing what he thought was best for both of you at the time. He didn't know the truth about that clinic, no one did."

Sam shook her head. "You're mother wasn't all that much older when she had you. The only difference is that she was married to your father, and your father was the Cassadine. My Mom wasn't married and my father is… Well, he's someone, and I bet he didn't fit. I bet he wasn't good enough or something. Which means I wouldn't have been good enough."

"Have you ever asked Aunt Alexis about your father?" Nikolas asked.

Again Sam shook her head. "I have a Dad. I don't really care about who knocked my Mom up back then, though I'm glad he did."

Nikolas gave his cousin a crooked smile. "So am I." Then he laughed. "Just don't tell Aunt Alexis I said that. It sounds so crud."

Sam chuckled softly. "I'm glad you're around too, Niky."

Mikkos couldn't tell what the children were talking about but he knew it had been heated. He could also tell that Nikolas was rather skilled at defusing his younger cousin. He could see closeness in the two that reminded him of Stefan and Alexis and it touched his heart. He knew what it meant to have someone like that in one's life. Growing up he'd had it with his own sister, and there had been many times since her death that he wondered if he would have made the same choices if she'd been there to confide in.

When it seemed that the children were finished with their discussion he quickened his pace and came up behind them. "Pardon me children. Nikolas, may I have a moment?"

Sam glared at the old man as she replied, "What do you want with him?"

Nikolas put his hand on Sam's arm. "It's alright, Sam."

The girl wasn't so sure about that. She knew that Nikolas was the key figure in the Cassadine family and that all their power was tied to him. She'd heard enough of the adults in her life say that he was the key in the sick and twisted game that Helena and to a certain extent Stefan played. Should she leave him alone with yet another person who could use him just so they could get their hands on all that so-called power? "I don't know, Nik."

"He isn't a player, Sam." Nikolas said softly as if he knew his cousin's thoughts. "He's not a threat."

"How can we be sure?" Sam asked.

"We can't." Nikolas admitted. "But does he make you feel the same way Helena does?"

Sam thought about it a moment and then said, "Yes."

Nikolas looked surprised and Mikkos looked hurt. "Oh." Nikolas said. He thought about what they'd just talked about and then nodded. "I guess he would." He paused a moment and the added, "I don't."

The two cousins shared a moment and then Sam sighed. "If you're sure I'll go."

"I am." Nikolas said with a nod.

"Ok." Sam replied. She turned to look at their grandfather and then started walking back up to the house.

Once they were alone Mikkos sighed softly. "She will never forgive me."

"You can't really blame her." Nikolas said cautiously.

"No, I certain can not." Mikkos replied. He watched Sam until she was out of sight and then turned to look at his grandson. "I have made many mistakes in my life, Nikolas. I hope that you will have better luck."

As they began to walk Nikolas thought about what Sam said before. "Did you know that the people who had Samantha were cruel to her?"

Mikkos knew that Nikolas was just a boy but he also knew that someday that boy would be head of the family, he also understood that he and Samantha had a very special bond and for that reason he decided to be honest with him. "I did, and as soon as I knew the extent of it I made sure the woman was taken care of."

Nikolas looked up at him. "What does that mean?"

"What do you know of the woman's demise?" Mikkos asked.

"Just what Sam's told me." Nikolas admitted. "Her adoptive brother accidently set their house on fire and Evelyn was killed in that fire." Nikolas stopped as he thought this all out. He thought about what his grandfather had just said and then it clicked. "It wasn't Danny, was it?"

Mikkos stood tall as he said, "Perhaps it was cruel to allow the boy to shoulder the blame, but it was believable that he could have caused the fire."

Nikolas just shook his head. "Why didn't you just take Sam and give her back to Alexis?"

"It wasn't time." Mikkos said simply and then began to walk again.

"I'm sorry Grandfather," Nikolas said firmly as he looked at the man. "But who were you to make that choice? Did you even truly know Alexis then? Have you known her at all since the death of her mother?"

"If I had allowed her to keep Sam then she wouldn't be who she is now." Mikkos replied.

"You're right." Nikolas said without missing a beat. "She would have been the woman who raised her daughter from birth. She wouldn't have the missing pieces that she has now." The look on his grandfather's face asked the silent question that he answered. "They're the same pieces my Mother is missing. The events and moments of my life that she missed and can never get back." He paused a moment before adding, "You and Helena got to raise your sons, you got to raise your eldest daughter to a certain extent, you got to have those most precious of moments in a child's early life. And yet, good, loving women like my Aunt and my Mother missed out on a huge chunk of their children's lives. If anyone ever needed reassurance that the world is unfair that would be their proof."

Mikkos regarded his grandson for several long moments before saying, "You are a remarkable young man, Nikolas."

Nikolas was taken aback by the comment. It hadn't been what he was expecting. "Thank you."

"You would do well to keep looking to both your Uncle and your Aunts for guidance." Mikkos said as he once again began walking. "Stefan will teach you how to be a good Cassadine, but your Aunts will teach you how to be a good man."

"And what of my Mother?" Nikolas asked with a touch of curiosity. He knew how his grandmother felt about his mother but not his grandfather and he found himself wanting to know.

"She will teach you how to be human." Mikkos said. "She has an element that not even Alexis has."

"And what is that?" Nikolas asked, uncertain if he wanted to know the answer.

"Commonalty." Mikkos answered.

It was a Cassadine gift to both praise and insult at the same time and clearly Mikkos was a master at it. Nikolas managed not to roll his eyes, nor did he reply. He simply shook his head and continued to talk with his grandfather.

In a village, above a small market, Luke went over the details of his plan with Jax and Jerry. He explained that they would be using the manor's weekly delivery as their cover. Jerry told them what he knew of the guards and security. When they'd discovered the hidden estate Jerry had been sent to do a little recon. Jax had felt the knot in his stomach loosen a little when his brother told him he'd seen Alexis and Sam and that they both looked well. Luke on the other had turned a reddish purple when Jerry confirmed seeing Mikkos. He was still a little leery about doing this armed but he knew enough to know that Mikkos Cassadine was a dangerous man and that dangerous man had his family. Jax would do anything to get Alexis and Sam back, even give his own life it came down to it.

"You ready to do this pretty boy?" Luke asked the younger man.

Jax nodded. "I'm ready."

"Are you sure?" Luke asked. The look that the tall blue eyed, blonde haired Aussie gave him said it all. "You're sure. Ok lads, let's do this."