Joss came into the kitchen to refill her drink and gasped as she caught Spencer and Trina in what looked to be a deep, passionate kiss. She stood there blinking in shock, thinking that Trina had obviously made up her mind about Spencer. Finally, she cleared her throat, interrupting the kiss. She giggled as the pair came apart, both dazed and confused from what looked to be an awesome kiss.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but I needed a refill," Joss held up her cup.
"Damn it, Joss. You have awful timing," Spencer rubbed the back of his neck.
"OK," Joss chuckled, grabbing one of the bottles of sparkling apple juice.
"We better get out there," Trina was blushing furiously and she was avoiding both Joss and Spencer's eyes. Joss was sure that the girl was about to flee.
"I'll be right out, Trina. I have to ask you a few questions about that recipe we were talking about in the car," Joss waved as Trina disappeared out of the kitchen, leaving Joss and Spencer alone. "Don't hurt her, Spencer. She really likes you. So, be the man I know that you can be."
"I'd never hurt her," was all Spencer could say before following Trina out of the kitchen, taking a napkin as he went so he could wipe off the leftover lip gloss this time.
When Spencer entered the living room, he spied Trina near the door talking to her watcher.
"Trina!" He called out, quickly approaching her. "Please tell me that you're not leaving."
"I…"
"Please stay. I want you to meet my grandmother and...well...I really like your company. I know we have a date tomorrow but...I really want to spend more time with you now."
Trina looked into those dark eyes and felt the magnetic pull once again. She sighed as she felt herself give in. "Alright. I can stay for a few more hours. It's just that...I have some training to do, especially after last night…" She squeezed her eyes shut. She hadn't meant to mention last night.
"Last night? After we said good night?" Spencer frowned. Did something happen once he had left? Of course, it did. The docks at night were a very dangerous place in Port Charles. If you are looking for vamps, the docks are the place to be. He had learned that himself a few nights ago.
"Yeah, she was attacked by a vampiress claiming to be Helena Cassadine," Dawn explained, unaware that Laura was nearby.
"Did you say Helena Cassadine?" Laura approached with a frown.
"That was the name of my great-grandmother...but she's dead," Spencer frowned. "Or she's supposed to be…"
"Oh, she's dead alright. She's a vampire," Dawn nodded. "I wasn't there...but...Trina was…"
"And you killed her?" Laura questioned, her voice full of hope.
Trina winced again. She had not meant for this to come out, especially in front of Spencer, who looked more than scared and confused. "Um...no. She kind of got the upper hand on me…"
"But you're here alive," Laura frowned, not understanding this at all.
"Are you sure it was Helena Cassadine?" Spencer asked again, his mind reeling from all of this.
"I'm positive," Trina's tone was apologetic because she knew that Spencer was most likely putting everything in his mind together and coming to some conclusions about his family. "And I was rescued by a Dex Heller…"
"Errand boy?" Spencer frowned, feeling outraged that it was Dex that had saved Trina and not him.
"He had one of those super soaker water guns full of holy water. He aimed and hit Helena with it. She let me go and went screaming off into the night."
"Well that's a stroke of luck," Laura sighed in relief.
"I say. Who is this Dex Heller? Maybe I should call Buffy in on this. This Helena sounds more powerful than we thought...I want to keep my girl as safe as possible."
"
Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence!" Trina frowned.
"Trina, it has nothing to do about me being confident in you. You're a strong slayer. You've taken out a lot of powerful vamps. But this Helena...she seems to be on the same level as the master back in Sunnydale. That vamp had gotten the best of Buffy even, which is one of the reasons Faith had appeared at the time. You are not prepared to go up against a master vampire that old and that strong," Dawn tried to explain her reasoning.
"Well, then why have me come here at all if you think that I can't handle the vampires here? What was the point? You're just wasting my time!" Trina argued.
"Trina, come on. Don't be like that…"
"If you want to call Buffy, call Buffy...just...leave me alone," Trina pushed past her watcher and ran out the door.
"Trina! Trina come back!" Dawn called after her, feeling awful. "I didn't mean to make her feel like I had no faith in her…"
"I'll go after her," Spencer made a move to go after her, just to find Laura in his way. "Grandmother?"
"It's not safe, Spencer. If Helena's out there…"
"They don't attack in the daytime, remember? I'll be fine. Right now, Trina needs a friend. I'm going after her," Spencer gently pushed past his grandmother and followed the girl that he's been obsessing over from the moment he had set eyes on her.
…..
Spencer found Trina in a nearby park, leaning against a tree with her arms folded across her chest with tears in her eyes as she looked down at the ground.
"Hey, are you alright? You're upset?" Spencer frowned, wanting to wrap his arms around her, yet not knowing if that would be welcomed.
Trina just shrugged. "I don't know. It just...sometimes I feel like no one has any faith in me. It's not like I meant to let Helena get the best of me...she was just so fast Maybe. Dawn is right. Maybe These types of vampires are too old and too strong. Maybe I should leave this to the slayers with more experience…"
"So Helena really is a vampire now, huh? She's the walking dead and not just dead…"
Trina winced, realizing that this was his family that they were talking about. "I'm afraid so...unless there's another Helena that we're talking about."
"So you think that Luke Spencer is right?"
"Let's just say that you're human, so he's not all the way right if he's right at all," Trina shrugged, wanting to soothe his worries somehow, yet not wanting to lie to him. "I'm sorry for running off like that...for dragging you into my slayer insecurities."
"There's no need to be sorry. I understand. People tend to underestimate me too. They all see me as this rich privileged party boy who doesn't know how to take anything seriously…"
"But you're a lot more than that, aren't you?"
"Yeah. It's easy to be what people expect though. It puts up a wall that hides what people don't know."
"What don't people know about Spencer Cassadine?"
"That I'm a big art fan. I love all the big artists and the obscure ones and I always seem to have an eye for real talent. I like to discuss it and speculate on what the artist is trying to say. It's all so fascinating."
Trina found herself smiling. "Exactly, that's why I love it too."
"Ah, so we're kindred spirits, huh?"
Trina chuckles and shrugs. "It looks like it. I wonder what else we have in common."
"I don't know. But I look forward to finding out. I do know one thing. You are an amazing woman and you can do anything you put your mind to. As a slayer and as an everyday, ordinary girl. You're brave, determined, and compassionate. And you can kick ass, I know that from experience. So, no matter how your watcher may feel, I have complete and total faith in your abilities."
"Really?"
"Really. You saved my life once. I know if we come up against something, you can do it again. It's an undeniable fact. I don't even question it."
"Well...when you say it like that...maybe you're right."
"Oh you know I am," Spencer chuckled, taking her hand in his and pulling her closer. "You are an amazing Slayer, Trina. An amazing slayer and a fascinating woman that I really really like a lot…"
"I like you too," Trina breathed, stepping even closer.
"See. Something else we agree on," Spencer smiled, claiming her lips once again in another kiss.
"Why isn't this sweet?"
Spencer and Trina pulled apart to see an elderly man smiling benevolently at them. Well...his mouth was smiling, but his eyes weren't. In fact, Trina could tell right off that he was a vampire.
"Uncle Victor? You're back from your trip?" Spencer addressed the elderly man.
Trina inwardly sighed. Of course, another Cassadine and he was a vampire too. So far, Spencer was the only Cassadine she's met that wasn't a vampire!
"Yes and just in time for your birthday next month! I was afraid that I would miss it. May I ask who your young lady is?" Victor Cassadine asked, already knowing that the young lady was a vampire slayer. The power was coming off of her in waves, plus Helena had already confirmed the girl's presence.
"This is Trina Robinson. She's new here," Spencer introduced. "Trina, this is my great Uncle Victor Cassadine."
"My, you are a slip of a thing, aren't you?" Victor chuckled, eyeing the girl curiously. Judging from the girl's aura, she was indeed a strong slayer, but she was new. He was sure that she wouldn't be a problem for the becoming.
"I'm not really a slip of a thing, Mr. Cassadine. Size can be deceiving."
"Victor, what do you think you're doing?!" Laura came marching up and inserted herself between Victor and Spencer and Trina.
"I'm just saying hello to my great nephew and his new lady friend here. That is all. You're acting like I'm about to bite them or something. Really, Laura," Victor chuckled.
"Go back to the cave you crawled out of Victor and tell Helena to do the same thing. I know that she's with you," Laura growled.
"You speak out of turn, Laura. You know what I am capable of."
"And you know what I am capable of," Laura growled, her eyes glowing white for just a half second. "Go away and stay away from my grandson."
Victor just snorted and turned to go. "I will see you again, Spencer. Most likely on your birthday. It was interesting to meet you, Ms. Robinson."
The threesome watched Victor go. As soon as he was out of earshot, Laura whirled on Spencer. "You stay away from that man, Spencer! He is very dangerous, do you hear me? In fact, do not invite him into your new house. Trust me on this."
Spencer frowned, not getting why his Grandmother was so angry, but he simply nodded. "Yes ma'am."
"Come on. Let's get back to the house. Dawn is worried about Trina and it's not safe out here...not even during the day with the likes of Helena and Victor roaming about."
"Wait, aren't vampires only out at night? Uncle Victor can't be one...can he?" Spencer frowned, feeling confused.
"Don't worry about it right now. Let's just get home," was all Laura would say, heading back to the house.
Spencer and Trina walked side by side and he leaned over so only she could hear. "Is he a vampire or not?"
Trina looked at Spencer startled by the question. She was tempted to say no, to protect his innocence for just a little bit longer, but the trust she saw in those eyes, the knowledge that she was the one person in his life that wouldn't lie to him, there was only one answer she could give. "Yes."
Spencer didn't say anything. He just nodded and kept walking wondering what kind of family had he been born into and why were they keeping all these secrets from him?