Trina had baby Ace in her arms when she made her way downstairs to prepare his bottle. She had settled him into the baby swing and was heading into the kitchen when there was a ring at the doorbell. She frowned, wondering who it could be at that time in the morning. Her stomach sank, thinking that it was probably Spencer's father and Uncle, here to collect baby Ace, just like Spencer said.

Reluctantly, she made her way to the door and sighed in relief to see her Aunt Gia and her father, both looking at her with concern in their eyes.

"Hey, Marcus and I came. Thought you could use some backup," Gia smiled.

"I kind of can. Come on in. I'm making the baby a bottle. Spencer's still asleep. He kind of had a hard night. I thought it'd be best. The more time he doesn't worry about his father coming to take the baby away, the better," Trina sighed, standing to the side to let them in. "I'm really glad that you're here, daddy."

"Of course, I'm here, baby girl," Taggert opened his arms and Trina went right into them. She had been so busy being strong for Spencer, she didn't realize that she needed someone's strength as well. It felt good to have her dad there to hold her. "How are you holding up? I know that this can't be easy for you."

"I'm not the one whose estranged father came out of the woodwork. But I am worried. I kind of got used to having Ace around, taking care of him, playing with him. I didn't realize just how much I enjoyed babies," Trina sighed, looking at her father with tears in her eyes. "I don't want to give him up. God, don't tell Spencer I'm like this or he really will refuse to give Ace up."

"Maybe it'd help if he knew that you're hurting over this too. You can support each other and share your pain," Gia suggested as she shed her coat.

"Believe me, his pain is heavy enough. He doesn't need mine to add to it," Trina sighed.

"Has there been any word from Cassadine?" Taggert asked, following his daughter into the kitchen as she prepared to make some coffee and the baby's bottle.

"Not yet. Of course, this is just the morning of the next day. I'm sure he'll be here soon enough. I just can't believe Ava. She saw how upset both Laura and Spencer were and she said nothing! Like she didn't do anything! Daddy, can she go to jail for this?"

"I suppose so. If charges are pressed. Do you want charges to be pressed?" Taggert eyed his daughter closely. He was very much aware of how close his daughter was to Ava Jerome and it had concerned him. He knew that she must be hurting because of this latest reveal.

"Yes...no...I don't know. I just know that I feel...betrayed. My mother lied to me in the biggest way. I had been so sure that Ava would be nothing but truthful with me. I knew that she and Spencer didn't get along...but I never thought that she'd purposefully hurt him...but she did. I mean...what am I supposed to do with that? How can I ever see her in the same way again? I can't! I just feel like right now it's me and Spencer against the world! Who knows, maybe that's what it's supposed to be when you get married."

"Hey, you have us too!" Gia placed her hands on her hips, a bit taken aback.

"Yes. We're in your corner here," Taggert agreed.

"Even when that corner includes Spencer?" Trina arched a brow, knowing that her dad didn't really care much for her husband. She didn't know why. Spencer was wonderful to her.

"Even when that corner includes Spencer," Taggert sighed, rolling his eyes. "Besides, the kid's not that bad."

"Good, because he's my family."

"Trina?" Spencer entered the kitchen with Ace in his arms. He blinked in surprise to see Gia and Taggert. "Oh, we have company?"

"Yes. Sit down, sweetie. I'm making Ace his bottle now and I'll have coffee ready soon," Trina forced a smile, trying to put on a happy facade for Spencer. "I was thinking, we should take Ace to the park. Then maybe to a gallery. We can get his love for art started now...and maybe the zoo…."

"That sounds great," Spencer watched her wearily, not wanting to mention that there may not be time for any of that. He had just received a text from his father saying that he'll be on his way to meet his new son. "But...we can't."

"Why not?"

"My father is on his way over," Spencer's tone betrayed no emotion as he entered the kitchen and took one of the chairs. He settled the baby on his lap and watched his wife closely, watching for any sign that she was upset by the news.

"Oh...ok. How are you feeling about that?" Trina poured the water into the bottle and begin measuring the formula and pouring the scoops in.

"I don't know really. I...I knew it was coming. I knew that he was going to want to see Ace. I can't say that I'm surprised."

"Spencer…," Trina walked over and handed him the bottle just as there was another ringing of the doorbell.

"What a busy morning we're having. I think I'll just take Ace out to the garden to enjoy his bottle," Spencer got up, kissing Trina's forehead before practically fleeing out into the garden with his brother.

"Well that was awkward," Gia frowned, She looked at Taggert. "Stop being so intimidating!"

"I wasn't intimidating the kid!" Taggert shook his head at his sister's antics as Trina went to open the door to Nikolas and Stefan. Thankfully, Nikolas looked nervous while Stefan looked as if he had every right to be there.

"Oh look. Two Cassadines have returned," Taggert stood behind his daughter, wanting it to be known that he was there to make sure that the two men didn't try to bulldoze his daughter.

"Detective Taggert. What a pleasure to see you again," Stefan forced a smile, placing a hand on Nikolas's shoulder.

"Hello, Trina. Is Spencer here? I sent a text saying that I'll be by for Ace," Nikolas's voice was friendly, trying to keep an air of levity. He did not intend to intimidate anyone, least of all his son's young wife. Besides, the way that both Gia and Taggert were looking at him, he had a feeling that he'd be flying out the door again if he tried.

"Come in, Mr. Cassadine. Spencer is feeding Ace at the moment. I'll go let him know that you are here," Trina stepped to the side to let Nikolas and Stefan into the house. She quickly made her way to the kitchen and out into the garden, where Spencer was feeding Ace, leaving the two men alone with Taggert and Gia.

Happy to see Gia, Nikolas took a step towards her, just to find his way blocked by Taggert.

"Not this time, Cassadine," Taggert folded his arms.

"You're a little too late for that, aren't you? I mean, my son is married to your daughter."

"She is, but Spencer's not you."

Gia pulled her brother back, rolling her eyes. "Thanks, but I really don't need the protective big brother act anymore."

Trina and Spencer came back into the house with Ace safely cuddled in his brother's arms, sucking on a bottle. Trina's hand was on Spencer's back, gently rubbing it in a circular motion.

"Father," Spencer greeted his face again void of emotion.

"That's Ace? My son?" Nikolas slowly approached Spencer, as if his son was a wild animal that he was afraid of spooking him.

"Yes, it is. Ace Nikolai Nikolasovitch Cassadine."

"Nikolas, you are forgetting to introduce me to your sons," Stefan cleared his throat.

"Oh...of course, right. Spencer, let me introduce you to your Uncle Stefan Cassadine He raised me and brought me to Port Charles when I was a teenager. Uncle, this is my son, Spencer Stefan Nikolasovitch Cassadine, and the baby, well you already know his name. We're both meeting him for the first time," Nikolas introduced, feeling proud as he looked his older son over. Spencer had filled out into a full-grown man. He had the good looks of both of his parents.

Trina had to smile as she saw the pride in Nikolas's eyes. She had to wonder if Spencer saw it, or was he too into his feelings? Probably the latter.

"You named him after Luke Spencer?" Stefan frowned, taken aback. He had thought that if Nikolas was to name his son after him, it'd be the first name and Luke Spencer would have nothing to do with it.

Nikolas just chuckled and shook his head. "I named him after Lucky and Lulu. His name is to honor them, Uncle. Luke had nothing to do with it...except maybe to annoy him a little."

"It's nice to meet you I guess," Spencer simply replied, not knowing how to react to the elder Cassadine. He was certainly nothing like Uncle Victor. There was no sense of malice there, but Uncle Stefan did come across as a man who one did not cross very often.

"Can I see him?" Nikolas asked, holding his arms out.

At first, Spencer looked as if he was going to refuse. His hold on Ace tightened a little and he seemed to take a step back, but then he simply nodded. "He doesn't know you, so he might cry. It's that stranger danger thing all babies seem to get."

Nikolas simply nodded and accepted the baby into his arms. Luckily, Ace was finished with his bottle. "Why hello there. I am your daddy. I am sure that your brother has told you all about me. He may seem so tall now, but he used to be little, just like you, and I held him just like I'm holding you now."

"I bet you were a cutie," Trina stepped closer, keeping her hand on his back.

"Too bad I don't remember any of that," Spencer shrugged, trying not to remember the times that his father had held him, like when he had gotten burned and had been so scared and his father's arms were always around him, making him feel safe and secure. As if nothing could hurt him again, or when he was sick...or...blinking, he realized that there were tears in his eyes. Embarrassed, he looked away. "Um...I think I left something in the garden...I'll be back…"

"Spencer," Trina frowned as Spencer turned and fled back into the garden. This time she followed him and frowned as she saw him sitting on the back steps, his face in his hand as his shoulders shook with sobs. "Spencer, what is it? What's wrong?"

Trina sat next to him and wrapped her arms around him, alarmed when he seemed to cry harder. "Baby, talk to me?"

"When...he talked about holding me when I was a baby...I remembered when I was a little boy...when I got burned in the fire...I remembered what it was like to be held by my father...to feel safe...and loved by him and...I haven't felt that way in so long...it hurts…"

"Oh, Spencer...I know...I'm so sorry...look...he obviously adores you. I mean...he practically stalked you before even revealing that he was back. The look in his eyes when he saw you last night and this morning...your father loves you. It's just all this stupid strife that's happened...you two need to really sit down and talk. Let him know that you still need him, just as much as he obviously needs you."

"How can he still love me like that after I ruined everything because of Esme and Ava? How can he even look at me again like he looks at Ace? I ruined it! I destroyed my father's love for me and there's no going back!"

Trina's heart broke in a million pieces, because what she saw, that obviously wasn't the case. Nikolas Cassadine looked at Spencer as if he was a man in the desert looking at a fresh glass of water. The fatherly love that Spencer obviously needed was still there, he was just having trouble recognizing it because he was looking through a lens of hurt and pain. There had to be a way to clear that up.

"He still loves you like that because you're his son. Parents don't really give up on us, Spencer. Not really. No matter how mad they get. We're a part of them, so they're going to always love us no matter what."

"I wish I could believe that, Trina," Spencer wiped away his tears. "I hate Esme...I hate her and Ava and Ryan Chamberlain. They took my father away."

"No, they didn't. He's right in there wanting to see his sons. Both of his sons. How can I make you see what I just saw?"

"Look...let's make another pact, alright. Because things aren't right with me and my mother either, unfortunately. So let's make a pact together," Trina took both of Spencer's hands in hers and made him meet her eyes. "I'll start earnestly working things out with my mom. No more dwelling on hurt feelings. No more keeping the lies and the pain at the forefront. I'll really start working on our relationship if you do the same with Nikolas."

"What if he doesn't want to. You weren't there during our last argument...you didn't see how bad things had gotten…"

"I don't need to be there. I just know what I saw last night when your father looked at you. I saw the look in his eyes when you came into the room with Ace."

"Why do you want me to make up with him so bad, Trina?"

"Because you love him so much, Spencer. I see it all over you. You need your father...just like I need my mother. It's time we both let go of our anger and heal the rift between us and our parents. Besides...we're going to want our babies to have all of their grandparents in their lives, right? Best have things all worked out before they get here."

Spencer laughed. "You still want babies with me?"

"Of course!"

"Your dad will kill me."

"Don't worry about him. He'll be turning into a big teddy bear once they get here," Trina giggled, leaning in for a kiss, then pulling away. "So, do we have a deal?"

Spencer simply nodded with a smile of his own. "Deal."