Author's Note:I have ten chapters completed on this story and currently fighting the muse to get to eleven! So you have quite a bit of story before you have to worry about running out! I'm gonna try to update this story every Friday... Thanks for the love and reviews!

OXOXOXOXO, Toni

Chapter 2: Runaway Groom Leaves Bride Flat

He stood frozen in shock, watching as his best friend, the center of his universe for 20 years blew apart his life and left him alone to deal with the wreckage. In that moment as the doors closed behind her, he felt nothing—just a yawning emptiness as the truth hit him like a bullet through his heart. He was left with nothing but the realization that he was truly alone for the first time since that day in April at Jake's. More than anyone else in his life, Carly had always been his rock. She had always been there for him even when he had failed to do the same. No matter where in the world he had gone, he'd always known he had a home and a family because he'd always known she'd be waiting for him with open arms. Now that was gone, and he had no one to blame, but himself for the way things were now. He'd trusted the wrong person, made the wrong choice, and now it had cost him everything he'd ever loved.

Chaos reigned around Jason Morgan, but none of it touched him. The yelling, the crying, the recriminations—it was like he was watching it all from far away. He almost smiled. It was so like Carly to blow an event like this sky-high just to sit back and watch the aftermath to see where the pieces would land. To his left, the Quartermaines were attempting to show their solidarity by threatening and berating Sam and anyone else they could think of to blame for the debacle unfolding before them… all except him. Alexis, Kristina, and Molly were reacting in true Cassadine form quickly shifting from emotion to emotion while preparing to wage war against any one they considered an enemy, starting with Helena. He watched the pained shock, the demands for answers, and the calls for vengeance and suddenly, wondered how he'd missed the signs of Sam's lies for so long. He noticed Sonny was right in the middle unleashing his spleen on any & everyone, except Alexis, Kristina, Molly, and himself. Anyone else in attendance had already scurried out of the church like rats on a sinking ship looking for safety, although two women seemed hesitant to leave, each sending him heartfelt, longing glances. But what neither seemed to realize was that they were the last people he wanted to see.

In the midst of the bedlam, his fiancé, Sam, stood looking like a martyr under attack. She seemed to be holding her own, but she was trying to extricate herself from her attackers and get back to his side. Whether to seek solace or to provide it, Jason was unsure, but throughout the torrent of questions, accusations, and threats, she stood firm swearing to her innocence. When she looked at him he noticed a desperation in her eyes that made him sure that she was determined to "make him understand".

The only person who had maintained their silence and composure seemed to be Alexis's real daughter. Through it all, she stood tall and remained stoic, resolutely ignoring everyone and everything around her as she remained focused on him. It was almost as if she were completely oblivious to the maelstrom surrounding her. Feeling emotion stirring for the first time since Carly had walked away, he made a choice.

"ENOUGH!" Jason roared, effectively silencing the motley crew. Never taking his eyes off the young woman, he asked, "What is your name?"

"Jason—" Sam tried in hopes of gaining his attention. She succeeded beyond her wildest dreams when he turned his coldest stare on her effectively silencing anything else she may have said.

"Nikita Alexiou," she answered calmly and clearly as if never interrupted. "My adoptive parents told me I was given that name at birth and that any adoption would be a contingent on me maintaining that name. Although, they were told that they were allowed to add to the surname or make Alexiou a middle name."

Jason nodded. "Carly mentioned you had been held captive when Luke freed you."

"Yes," Nikita acknowledged her eyes flashing with many different emotions before closing again. "Caroline has been most wonderful as was Mr. Luke. I had been in Helena's 'care' for many years. She wished me to know how easy it had been to replace me and toy with what she considered peons. I received almost daily updates about her infiltration in the beginning. When I cultivated a less open response to her machinations, they began to lessen. That is until Ms. McCall's 'true' parentage was revealed."

She turned a disdainful eye to the bride. "Then I was once again treated to daily updates. I must congratulate Ms. McCall on her success in emulating Caroline and her ability to infiltrate and ingratiate herself within both the Cassadine family & Caroline's family. Helena had bored with toying with Mr. Luke's children as she felt they were unworthy adversaries unlike Caroline."

"She had a soft spot for Caroline after her initial kindness to Stavros, but being that she is a Spencer, Helena felt there was much to be gained by breaking the only one she felt might cause a problem if she were ever officially deemed a Spencer. She once spoke of how Ms. Barbara Jean was on worthy of such a spectacular daughter, and how Caroline reminded her greatly of both Luke and herself. I believe she would have been pleased to see Stavros choose Caroline over the 'weak little strumpet he had married'," she shared before shaking herself from her reverie. "Excuse my rambling. It has been some time since I have held a conversation willingly and I am usually more circumspect. As Caroline has said, you are very easy to talk to. Anyway, she felt Ms. McCall would effective in killing two birds with one stone. Your choice to champion her was an unexpected and unplanned bonus as you were expected to be greatest challenge."

Jason's heart twisted. "Why? What was the goal?"

"To eventually break Caroline along with Alexis and my sisters or at the very least, make her vulnerable enough to Helena to join her as she laid waste to Alexis and my sisters," she replied stoically. "When she realized the lengths you would go to for Caroline, even after her betrayal with your supposed best friend… well, you became Ms. McCall's primary target. It became clear to Helena that you were Caroline's weak link. That it was you, not Mr. Corinthos, who has the power to truly break dear Caroline's spirit. Of course, Helena once again underestimated the tenacity of the Spencers as Caroline has once again emerged, if not unscathed, then unbroken. Meanwhile, all of her would-be detractors are once more spinning their wheels looking like fools as they blame her for their own foolhardy choices. I much admire Caroline and hope she truly does intend to maintain contact with me as promised. She is the only one who has ALWAYS seen through Ms. McCall even from the beginning."

"Yes, she did," Jason mumbled, earning him a shocked gasp from Sam, which he promptly ignored. "Do you need anything? A place to stay? A ride? Protection? Carly is likely gone by now."

Nikita tilted her head as a smile slowly spread across her face. "Thank you," she replied quietly. "Caroline prepared me quite rigorously for this day and advised me well on what I could expect. She has been right on every count thus far except maybe one. Maybe the man she has trusted and cared for is not so far gone as she believed."

Jason blushed slightly, but Nikita wasn't finished. "A word of advice?" At his nod she continued, "Don't let her go. For over twenty years, she has stood and fought for you with everything she has, even she has disagreed with your choices. I would say that if she has meant anything at all to you, now, it's your turn."

Jason acknowledged the truth of those words with a nod before moving closer to her. "Thank you. Are you sure you don't need me to help you?"

"Thank you for your concern, Mr. Morgan, but Caroline has every detail well-covered," she assured him with a smile. "a car and driver awaits my convenience. She has also provided me with a guard and an apartment at the MetroCourt. She has even extended me a line of credit until I can get my life back on track. She has advised me that your mutual friend Mr. Spinelli might be able to help me when he has recovered sufficiently from his, uh, health concerns."

"Jason," he asserted. "Any friend of Carly's s a friend of mine and should call me Jason."

She nods her acknowledgement. "Thank you, Mr. Mo—Jason," she replies gratefully, as a light fills her eyes. "And you must call me Nikita. My friends used to call me Niki or Kita, but I must say it has been some time since I have had friends and now I have two. Three, if I count, Mr. Luke. I feel immensely fortunate."

Jason handed her a card with his numbers on it. "Call me if you need anything." When she nodded, he turned to leave.

He made it through the doors leading to the back of the church before anyone caught up to him.

"Jason, please!" Sam cried, lunging and grabbing his arm. "You can't believe her that I would do these things. I love you, Jason. And you love me. What we have can survive anything! It's a once-of-a-lifetime kind of love, Jason! Please, we're soulmates."

"No, we aren't," he growled, snatching his arm free. "We don't have anything. The only thing we are is a mistake that I thank God Carly stopped me from making even worse. You make me sick the way you traded on my bond with Carly and that baby. But I have to congratulate you on the role you played. Because you certainly played me to perfection. One little problem with your plan, Sam. It could never last because you were nothing more than a stand in for every other pretty brunette and just like them you could never really have my heart because you are NOT Carly and you will NEVER be. No matter how many babies needing a father, long-lost mothers, or affairs you have with that 'mother's' husband. You can NEVER be Carly."

"Thank God for that!" she sneered.

"Don't!" he roared. "Don't EVER even think about saying a word against Carly. You are the liar and the cheat and the WHORE! YOU! NOT Carly. Carly has NEVER lied to me about her past good or bad! CARLY has never stood by and let my SON BE KIDNAPPED because he stood in the way of what she wanted! NO keep you filthy, pathetic hands off me! What kind of idiot am I? How could I let myself be convinced I was in love with a grifter and a third-rate wannabe-Carly? Well, you never have to worry about me being that kind of idiot again!"

With that, he stormed out of the church leaving Sam sobbing on the floor.