Anger and disbelief flashed in Alexis' dark eyes as she made her way to her father's study. Sam had finally managed to convince her to let her go down to the lake with Kristina, which had allowed her time to talk privately with Nikolas. As she listened to what her nephew had to say she couldn't help but feel sorry for Danny. For a boy like him it must have been so confusing, so painful to think he'd killed his own mother, and it had been her father who'd allowed the poor boy to think that. That bothered Alexis but what really fueled her anger was the fact that he'd known Sam was being abused and yet he allowed her to stay with Cody.

Alexis didn't bother knocking she just flung the door open and walked in, slamming the door behind her. When her father looked up she didn't give him time to speak. "There's a scar on the small of Sam's back, a soft pink mark that's about three inches long, and she swears up and down that she doesn't remember how she got it. Do you?"

Mikkos stood and faced his daughter as he gave a slight nod of his head.

A small whimper bubbled in the back of Alexis' throat. "What is it from?"

"A belt." Mikkos answered honestly.

The whimper was a little louder this time. "How old was she?"

"Five." Mikkos answered. "It was the last time that vile woman ever raised a hand to her."

This time the whimper was followed by a soft growl. Alexis was so angry she didn't realize she'd picked up the decanter of scotch until she was hurling it across the room. "You allowed my daughter to be abused!" She'd always suspected, part of her even knew, but to be faced with the fact of it was staggering. "You let that sick, twisted bitch hurt my child! Why didn't you do something!"

"I did." Mikkos replied. "And you know this or you wouldn't be here right now."

"You had her killed." Alexis said coldly as she advanced on her father. "But you left my little girl with her husband! You left her in danger! You should have protected her!"

"Natasha." Mikkos began but was quickly cut off.

"No! I will not listen to your excuses, or your convoluted reasoning for taking my daughter from a loving mother and leaving her alone in hell!" Alexis hissed. "You've caused us so much pain. You've done nothing but hurt me over and over since Mama died, and you've caused my daughter nothing but pain since you took her from my arms. I should wish you dead but I'm won't. Instead I want you to live with what you've done. I want you to know every waking moment of the rest of your sad, pathetic life that you caused me the worse pain I have ever felt. Having you rip my beautiful innocent little baby girl from my arms and then spending ten years in the shadows watching her suffer, that's a million times worse then watching Helena slit Mama's throat, and I will never forgive you."

"I never expected you too." Mikkos said as he looked into his daughter's angry, tear shimmering dark eyes.

Alexis was trying like hell not to shed the tears she felt welling in her eyes. She would not let him see her that way. "Then why am I here? And don't say it's to settle things. You could have handled all the legal work without revealing yourself. I want an honest answer, Father, if you're even capable of one."

Mikkos looked at his daughter for several seconds before he said, "I wanted to see you one last time."

"What do you mean one last time?" Alexis asked. There was a very confusing, very unwelcome emotion blurring the edges of her anger.

"My heart is weak, Natasha." Mikkos explained. "And it grows weaker with each passing week."

Alexis slowly sank into a nearby chair while she stared up at her father. "You're dying?"

"Not today, or tomorrow, but Nassir believes I won't see the New Year." Mikkos admitted.

So many emotions washed over her that Alexis could feel her chest get tight and her breathing quicken. She was on the verge of hyperventilating. She was more then a little shocked when she saw a brown paper lunch bag appear in front of her. She took it from her father's hand and quickly started breathing into it while she looked up at him. Kristina had been spending time with him, so had Nikolas and even Sam. They would all have to greave for him again, even her as much as she hated to admit it. When she could breath normally again she looked him right in the eyes. "You selfish son of a bitch."

That night as Alexis laid awake thinking and watching Sam who'd taken to sleeping with her, Alexis let all her memories, good and bad, wash over her. As silent tears rolled down her cheeks from the mix of emotions she hoped that she wouldn't wake her little girl. She looked down at her sleeping baby, her hand resting on her other child who was still safe from the world and it's madness, and she wondered how anyone could cause this beautiful little girl harm. How could her own father allow her, allow either of them, to hurt so much. As she lay there staring at her baby, Alexis took several deep breaths. For the first time in months her breathing felt easier, which was good because she was having some back pain and taking a few deep breaths helped. It also helped to keep her sobs at bay.

The early morning sun was just starting to turn the sky gray when the delivery vans pulled up to the back door of the manor. Several men and woman climbed out of the vans as someone threw open their back doors. Luke, Jax, and Jerry were all dressed in coveralls and wore hats as they took the baskets of food they were handed. They carried them inside and used the commotion of the delivery to slip away. Luke and Jerry were quick to draw their guns as they moved quietly through the corridors and hallways, but Jax was holding out. He didn't want Sam seeing him waving a gun around. He didn't want to scare her any more then she already was. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as they made their way through the house. They had to be careful as they made their way up to where Jerry said the bedrooms were because of the staff and guards, but each man had his own experience in sneaking around old European castles and manors that made it some what easy to avoid being detected.

Jax was a little surprised when the doorknob turned easily. He'd been expecting it to be locked. Pushing opening the door carefully with Luke and his brother covering his back, he slowly stuck his head in the room. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the woman he loved and their child asleep on the massive bed. Jax rushed over to them as Luke and Jerry closed the door behind them. "Alexis." Jax whispered as he brushed her hair from her face. "Alexis, wake up."

Alexis moaned softly. "Go away." She moaned as she snuggled with Sam. "We're sleeping."

Jax smiled. "Alexis, baby wake up."

It took a few seconds for the just awoken fog to clear from Alexis' mind but once it did she realized what was going on and her eyes flew up. " Jax?"

"Hey beautiful." Jax said just as Alexis sat up and wrapped her arms around him.

"What are you doing here?" Alexis asked as she hugged him as tightly as she could. "How did you find us?"

"Luke's obsession with all things Cassadine." Jax admitted.

When Alexis pulled away from Jax she saw Luke and Jerry standing in her room as well. She was about to say something to them when she felt Sam stir. She had a pretty good idea that no one knew the three men were here and that it would be best if that continued to be fact, so Alexis turned her attention to Sam. "Baby, Mommy needs you to be very quiet when you open your eyes."

"Why?" Sam moaned.

Alexis smiled. "Because there's a surprise, but you can't scream, ok?"

"What kind of surprise?" Sam asked as she slowly started to open her eyes. The first thing Sam saw was her Dad, which caused her eyes to open wider.

Alexis knew her daughter, which is why she clamped a hand over Sam's mouth before the girl could scream. "Sam, we don't want anyone to know Daddy's here."

"I missed you too peanut." Jax said as he pulled Sam into his arms and held her as if he would never let her go.

"As touching as this is." Luke said softly. "We don't have time for all the lovey dovey stuff right now. Where are the others?"

"In their rooms." Alexis answered. "How did you get here?"

"Delivery vans." Luke answered and then asked in return. "Did you know he was alive?"

Alexis shook her head. "Not until he walked into the room."

"She passed out." Sam informed them. "Mikkos has a doctor who looked her and the baby over."

"We're fine." Alexis told Jax when she saw the look of concern cross his face.

"I'll feel a lot better when we get you all home." Jax said as he cupped Alexis' face in his free hand. "And you to the hospital."

Alexis smiled. "We're fine, Jax. We haven't been harmed."

"This is Mom's house." Sam explained. "When she was little she lived here with Mikkos and her Mama. Mikkos has been living here since he got well."

Luke snorted. "Got well from being dead."

Alexis decided she'd better explain everything so she said, "Sam, why don't you go get Kristina and Nikolas and bring there here, but don't tell them why, ok?"

Sam nodded. "Sure, ok, but if you want to get rid of me so you can grown up talk you could just say so."

"I want to get rid of you so we can grown up talk." Alexis replied with a smirk. Once Sam was out of the room Alexis explained everything. She told them about her memories about growing up here, and how Mikkos had been treating them. She told Jax about the inheritance and some of its assets.

"So he's been watching all of you all this time?" Luke asked.

Alexis nodded.

"Even Sam?" Jax asked.

Sadness and pain flashed in Alexis' eyes. "Yes."

Before anymore could be said on the matter Kristina came into the room, shortly followed by Sam and Nikolas. With everyone together Luke explained the next step in the plan. When he was finished Alexis shook her head. "We're not going to sneak out like we're escaping from Alcatraz."

"We're not?" Luke asked with a raised brow.

Alexis shook her head. "Mikkos keeps saying this isn't our prison. I generally believe he wants this place to be a home for Kristina and me. Now's his chance to prove it."

"Natasha." Luke began to protest but she cut him off.

Alexis didn't give him a chance to argue about this. She simply got up, with Jax's help, and headed into her bathroom to get dressed. As she walked across the room she told the others to get ready as well. While Alexis was getting cleaned up and changed she tried really hard to ignore the pain in her back. Sam had been snuggled so close to her during the night she'd been afraid to move, her whole body was stiff from it, and yet some of the tension she'd been carrying around since waking up in here had melted away at the sight of Jax. So many nights during this whole ordeal she'd fallen into a restless sleep thinking of him and wishing he were there. She smiled at the thought of how he seemed too magically appear as she opened her eyes just a little while ago.

"Alexis." Jax said softly as he came into the bathroom. "Are you sure you're alright?"

Alexis turned to look at the man she loved and tears welled in her eyes. "I'm fine."

Jax didn't say anything. He just went to her and pulled her into his arms and held her.

Alexis clung to him and finally let her tears flow. She didn't let all of her emotions out, but she let enough go that she cried for several minutes. "He wanted to say goodbye." She said softly. "His heart is weak, or at least that's what he said, and the whole reason he brought us here was to say goodbye. I know he's telling the truth, Jax, and despite that I still can't bring myself to forgiven him. Does that make me a horrible person? My father is dying and I can't forgive him for hurting us the way he did."

"No." Jax said as he wiped her tears. "No, that doesn't make you a horrible person. It makes you human."

Downstairs in the dinning room Mikkos was waiting on his family to join him for breakfast. He was of course well aware of their visitors but saw no reason to be alarmed. Though they did not appear to be, his men were armed. He also believed that despite their troubles Alexis would not allow her 'rescuers' to do him any harm. He had hoped that he and his beloved Natasha could come to terms with their issues, but now he understood the girl would need more time. When the doors opened and his beautiful daughter stood at their threshold he looked up to her and smiled. "Come in and sit, Natasha. Breakfast will be served shortly and there will be plenty for everyone. I look forward to sharing a meal with your young man."

Alexis looked surprised at her father's revelation. "How did you know?"

"A man such as myself must always be well aware of who and what is around him." Mikkos answered as he stood. "Now, come in, everyone, and have a seat."

Jax didn't see any reason to continue lingering out of sight since it was clear their presence was known. He stepped up behind Alexis and put his hand on the small of her back as he looked at the old man at the head of the table.

Mikkos smiled his most charming smile. "Ah Mr. Jacks. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Mr. Cassadine." Jax replied as he gave the man a slight nod of his head in greeting.

Alexis started to say something when Mikkos held up his hand. "After breakfast is finished I will have a car sent around to take you all to the air field. All I ask is for one last meal, Natasha."

"Funny." Luke said as he came into the room. "I thought I was the only one allowed to call her that. I'm a little hurt."

Mikkos looked at the man whose face was the last thing he saw before he froze to his temporary death. When he had first met Luke Spencer he had seen a great amount of potential in the young man, if only he had been able to see things his way he would have welcome the young man as an apprentice of sorts. "Time has been good to you Mr. Spencer."

"You haven't done so bad for yourself, Mikkos." Luke replied. "Death becomes you."

Sam groaned. "Those jokes have got to be getting old."

Alexis shot her daughter a look and was surprise to see Nikolas smirking. Ok, Sam had a point; the death jokes were getting a little lame.

Mikkos chuckled. "I'm afraid Sam dear that bad puns are a side effect of my aliment."

"You make death and resurrection sound like athlete's foot." Luke said as he continued to keep his gaze on the man. He didn't trust Mikkos Cassadine any more then he trusted the madman's insane wife.

"Shall we serve now, Master Mikkos?" Elsa asked after stepping into the door from the kitchen's connecting door.

"As soon as everyone is seated, Elsa, thank you." Mikkos replied and then once again waved at the table.

"You always did have a thing for dinner parties." Luke commented.

Nikolas, Sam and Kristina looked to Alexis yet again for instructions. Alexis glanced at Jax and then gave them a slight nod. They all took their seats but Luke and Jerry were more then a little reluctant.

"I am quite sure my daughter has explained the significance of this house, gentlemen." Mikkos said as he looked up at them after taking his own seat. "I will not dishonor that with violence or deception."

The men were still hesitant but eventually took their seats. After everyone was seated the servants began serving breakfast. Luke's gaze shifted from Mikkos to his surroundings. He took everything and everyone in. So many years ago he endured a formal dinner party with Mikkos, Laura, and many others while Mikkos tried to make him see things his way. He wasn't drinking the Cassadine kool-aide back then and he wasn't drinking it now.

"I must say Mr. Jacks, that I was rather pleased with the dossier I had done on you, at least financially." Mikkos said as he prepared the food on his plate to his personally liking. "You will certainly be able to provide for my daughter her children."

"I hear a but in there somewhere." Jax replied.

Mikkos looked up and grinned. "Indeed you do. I am concerned with some of your more personal choices."

"Father." Alexis warned.

"I merely wish to look out for your well being, Natasha." Mikkos replied.

Alexis shook her head. "You lost that privilege a long time ago."

Deciding that this line of conversation could go very bad very quickly Kristina cut in. "Father, what will you do after we've left?"

Mikkos smiled at the girl. Even though he'd only known her for a short time he could see that she brought a radiant light to the lives of his family. "I will continue as I have since my revival." He gave her a warm smile. "Don't worry about me, Kristina. I will be fine."

She returned the smile. "You could always come back with us, to Port Charles."

Alexis looked at her sister as if she'd just grown a second head or spouted polka dots all over her skin. Luke glared at her. Sam and Nikolas just looked surprised.

"A very gracious and touching offer, one made from a pure heart, like your mother's." Mikkos said with a touch of sadness in his eyes. "But, it would be impossible for me to do so because no one must know I am still alive."

"Why?" Sam asked before she could stop herself.

Mikkos looked at his granddaughter as he explained, "Helena must never know of this place or that I am alive. She would be less then happy if she were ever to find out, and an unhappy Helena is a dangerous Helena."

"A breathing Helena is a dangerous Helena." Luke said with a snort before adding, "There's also the small matter of the WSB. I'm sure they'd be more then interested in knowing you're alive and well."

"Yes." Mikkos replied. "I suppose they would, and since you seem to have my daughter's best interests at heart, I know you will not be informing them."

"What makes you think I haven't already told them?" Luke asked.

"Because you believe the Cassadines are your personal fight." Mikkos answered. "And, as I said, you care about Natasha and wouldn't harm her in anyway."

While her father and Luke played verbal ping-pong Alexis felt herself slipping into a sea of conflicting emotions. She wanted nothing more than to go home, to forget this whole experience ever happened, and yet somehow allowing her father to die here alone didn't sit well with her. Alexis looked up at her father, catching his gaze and holding it. Deep in the shadows of his soul she could see a glimmer, a flicker of the man she'd once known. Maybe, maybe if she reached out for him, stretched her grasp as far as it would go, she could pull him back to her, pull her Papa out of the shadows.

Mikkos smiled at his beloved Natasha. That look in her eyes, that look that told him she still loved her papa, was all he needed. "Go home, be happy, my beautiful Natasha."

The cabin of Jax's private jet was eerily quite. Jax, Alexis, and Sam sat together on one of the couches, Kristina and Nikolas in chairs close to them, and Luke lurked near the drinks cart. With the emotional highs everyone was on, the unease and uncertainty of it all, the disbelief everyone was feeling at how they were all just able to leave, no one noticed Jerry was no longer with them. Even now everyone was so lost in thought they didn't miss him. Before leaving Kristina had hugged her father, the only one to show him any physical affection. Nikolas shook his hand. Sam and Alexis were both torn over their goodbyes, with Sam completely holding out. Alexis spoke with her father privately. She confirmed that she would always love the man he had been with her mother in that house, and that was enough for them both.

"Perhaps," Mikkos said before kissing her forehead. "We will see each other again."

Maybe they would, Alexis thought as she played with the Cassadine medallion handing around her neck. It was going to take a long time for her to sort out her feelings, but that would have to wait. A sharp tight pain rocked Alexis, causing her to see spots before her eyes as she cried out.

"Alexis?" Jax asked, concern flooding his every cell.

"No, no no!" Alexis said as she shook her head. "We're 30,000 feet over the freaking ocean!"

"Alexis what's wrong?" Kristina asked as she rushed closer to her sister.

Huge brown eyes darted around the room before settling on Jax and just as Alexis was about to tell them what was wrong Sam asked, "Mom, why are you pants all wet?"