Laura found Spencer sitting outside on the rundown gazebo once again, just staring down at his hands. His mouth was down turned in a frown and there was an infinite sadness in his eyes. She sighed and shook her head, her heart going out to the young man. He was even more of a tortured soul than his son Lucky. The Cassadine family's crimes were weighing heavily on his young shoulders and it was causing him to make decisions that would destroy his happiness and well-being. It just broke her heart!

"Spencer," She approached the young man and took a seat next to him. "Call Trina. Talk to her. Get her back. You are miserable without her, darling."

Spencer looked at his grandmother with tears in his eyes. "I can't, Grandmother. I can't have her staying here at ground zero, where she can get hurt or killed. I can't have her with me. She'll be in constant danger and I need her safe. Safe and happy…"

"I doubt she's happy, sweetheart. In fact, I'm pretty sure that she's really sad right now. The man she loves has pushed her out of his life, just as the man whom she had always known as her father is pushing her away as well. Baby, this is the time that she needs you the most! You're her safe place!"

"That's just it! I'm not! I'm not her safe place, not when there are dangerous people all around me! Why can't anyone understand that? Her mother was right about me all along! Trina's safe and sound now! She's away from everything Cassadine, including me! This is how it has to be...no matter how much it kills me! And it is...it is killing me! I love her so much grandmother, but I can't have her! I can't have anyone!"

Laura watched as Spencer broke down in tears, and her heart broke. It was so unfair that all of the crimes that the Cassadines had committed were now settling down on the shoulders of a young man who had no part in any of it. He had already paid for any wrongs he had done but was now paying for the sins of his forefathers. It wasn't right! She sat next to her grandson and wrapped her arms around him and allowed him to lean into her embrace.

"Baby, as the victim of the Cassadines, the one person who has suffered the most at their hands...I can tell you that none of it is your fault. None of it was done by you. No one can throw their crimes at your feet because you did not do any of them. Your last name may be Cassadine, but it's my blood that runs through your veins. Do you hear me, Spencer? You are innocent and you deserve to be happy and loved! You deserve to have the love of your life by your side! Let the older Cassadines who did bad things keep responsibility for their own wrongdoings. None of it has anything to do with you!"

"But Uncle Stefan...he…," Spencer's voice failed him, unable to even speak his suspicions and the guilt he felt that someone could be in danger because of him. A guilt that had made him send Trina out of his life.

"What did Stefan do? Talk to me, Spencer. Maybe I can help you sort it out, so Trina can come home. Don't you want that? Trina back by your side?"

"I want that more than anything, Grandmother. I know it's selfish of me...I've been selfish this entire time…"

"Baby, no…"

"I have! I should have left her alone. But I wanted her so badly. She was so sweet and beautiful and pure...I had to have her. I thought I could love her through anything, but...all I've done was put her beautiful life in danger! I hate myself for that most of all! Putting my beautiful Trina in harm's way! All because I'm selfish!"

"Spencer, you are far from selfish! You've laid your life on the line for Trina! You're giving her up because you think she'll be safer without you when you love her so much! That is rather selfless if you ask me! But you can't go on like this, sweetie! You love her so much and it's killing you to be away from her! Stop blaming yourself for the crimes of your forebears and come back to the present. Be the man that Trina needs you to be! Be her husband!"

"I want to," Spencer sobbed helplessly, feeling truly hopeless. "I want to so badly, but I'm afraid…"

"What are you afraid of, Spencer? What has caused you to push away the love of your life, hmmm?"

"Lasha?" Stefan stepped out and slowly approached the gazebo. He had spied Laura with her arms around an obviously upset Spencer and was curious.

"Not now, Stefan. Spencer and I are having a conversation," Laura glared at the elder Cassadine.

"Very well. I just want Spencer to know that his presence will be required at Cassadine Industries tomorrow. It is time for him to begin training for the time when he'll take over as head of the company. Nikolas had to do the same thing, may I remind you."

"Stefan, I really don't think it is a good time for such a task at the moment. Spencer is going through a very emotional time right now. Thanks to you," Laura glared.

"Be that as it may, business stops for no one. Be ready at eight sharp, Spencer. The car will be waiting Dress appropriately," Stefan gave a stiff nod before returning to the house.

"Grandmother...do I really have to do what he says?" Spencer tearfully looked at the only woman who had kept him safe all these years.

Laura simply wrapped her arms around her grandson and stroked his hair. "I'll talk to Nikolas. Surely, he'll have something to say about this."

…..

When Spencer and Laura returned to the mansion, they found Nikolas in the living room, facing a steaming mad Gia and a tearful Trina. Both of their bags were at their feet.

"Trina? Why are you back?" Spencer asked, his voice near panic to see Trina back at ground zero when he had to rip his heart out to do the impossible. She should be at her aunt's apartment safe and away from anything Cassadine. Instead, she was back in the thick of it again! He marched over to her took her hand and pulled her to the door. "You have to go. It's not safe for you here."

"Spencer," Laura frowned, not liking any of this. "We discussed this. You're hurting her, not helping her!"

"Your grandmother is right, son. I know you think that you're doing the right thing…," Nikolas began

"What do you know about the right thing?! You brought that man into our lives! Knowing how dangerous he is! Now I'm trying to keep her safe the only way I know how and you're ruining it!" Spencer turned on Nikolas, clear anger and blame in his voice. "You ran away without me for three years! You could have had both of us out of this cursed existence, but you abandoned me and then came back."

"Spencer…"

"I just want to save her!"

"She's pregnant," Gia flatly stated, her patience nonexistent. She had hoped that Trina would have said something, but all the girl seemed to be able to do for the past few hours was cry.

Spencer froze at those words. "What?"

Gia took the test out of her purse and tossed it on the floor. "She's pregnant with the next Cassadine heir. I doubt you'll be getting rid of her now."

The room was silent as everyone absorbed the news. Spencer finally covered his eyes and sobbed. "I'm sorry, Trina….I tried to save you and now I've doomed you. You're as trapped as I am. I'm sorry…"

"You didn't doom me," Trina sniffed, rubbing at her eyes, not knowing how to react. She couldn't be angry, but she couldn't feel any joy over this new discovery either. She was watching the man she love have an emotional breakdown and she had no idea how to help. "I don't understand, Spencer. What is making you think that I'm in some danger if I stay with you? Why is this pregnancy such a bad thing for you?"

Nikolas bowed his head, realizing what was behind all of this. He had come back to Port Charles behaving like THE Cassadine. Following his Uncle's example. He didn't have anything to do with Victor of course...but Esme…

"It's my fault. Mine and Stefan's," Nikolas spoke up, hoping that Stefan didn't come out of nowhere to stop this confession. He knew this could mean trouble, but his son was spiraling and the truth was the only way to stop it.

"What do you mean?" Gia frowned, not sure if she wanted to hear this.

"Yes, Nikolas. What do you mean? What did you and Stefan do? Or rather, what did Stefan do?" Laura gave her son a stern glare.

"Look, let's all sit and discuss this. Trina should be off her feet, yeah?" Nikolas motioned for everyone to sit on the comfortable furniture in the living room. Spencer and Trina took the love seat, even though they sat apart. Spencer wanted to move closer to her, but he still felt like he was a danger to her and now their baby.

Gia and Laura took the couch while Nikolas took the living room chair.

"Where is Uncle Stefan, by the way? He just told me about wanting me to start work at Cassadine Industries tomorrow...which I don't want to do...not yet anyway…," Spencer questioned, afraid that the elder Cassadine would go off the deep end if he knew his secrets were about to be revealed.

"He's sequestered in his office for the rest of the evening. Don't worry, I'll talk to him. I rather you work under me, anyway, not him. Uncle Stefan can be...intense."

"How about telling us what you and your Uncle did to cause all of this strife? How about that? My niece is pregnant, depressed, and in need of a loving husband who is acting like she has the plague right now," Gia grumbled.

Spencer frowned. "I'm the one who has the plague. Why can't any of you understand that I'm trying to protect her! I'm trying to keep her alive and safe!"

"By abandoning me? Especially now, when my dad is pulling away? I needed you, Spencer! You promised to be here for me, but you lied! You're letting me down!" Trina found her voice, which was full of hurt, anger, and pain.

"I didn't mean to lie...I never expected any of this to happen…"

"For what to happen? Because you still haven't explained anything to me! Did someone threaten me during the short time we were apart yesterday? Is that it?"

"No...not exactly...but I sensed the danger, Trina! I heard his threats to Cyrus and I knew that the same threats could be leveled at anyone who may get in the way! Anyone close to me and the closest person to me is you!" Spencer tried to explain himself.

"I don't understand. What threats?"

"Uncle Stefan was behind what happened to Victor and Esme. I'm sure of it...and he was threatening to have something happen to Cyrus Renault if he kept trying to get close to me...when I think of what he could do to the one person who is close to me…"

"You panicked. God, just like your father," Gia sighed in clear disgust.

"Gia, please. This isn't about us. There was actual danger towards you when I did that. You know that. It's not like now...where the danger to Trina is all in Spencer's mind," Nikolas interrupted Gia's rant.

"All in my mind?!" Spencer glared at his father.

"Yes, all in your mind Spencer! Do you really think I'd let Stefan threaten Trina? Allow him to harm her in any way, knowing what she means to you?! I swore to myself that I would never let you suffer the same loss that I had! That I'd never let you lose the love of your life! I'll protect Trina with my last breath if need be! I would never allow Stefan to threaten her!"

"What makes you think that you can stop him? You didn't stop him from doing what he did to Victor and Esme?"

"Of course, I didn't. Why would I? They were an actual threat to my family. Victor was going to kidnap you and Ace and take you god knew where. And Esme...well, we got the truth out of her real fast what her intentions were and I made short work of her myself," Nikolas confessed, getting to his feet to begin to pace.

"Nikolas? What did you do?" Laura asked, getting a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Nikolas sighed and glared at his mother and Gia, knowing that they both would have something to say about his actions. "What I'm about to tell you do not leave this room. Do I make myself clear?"

"Fine. Just get to what happened please," Gia folded her arms.

Nikolas sighed and ran a steady hand through his hair. "Alright. One thing you must know...I had nothing to do with what happened to Victor That was all Stefan. He had found out Victor's plans and wanted to stop him. So...he did. I didn't know that Spencer would be there to witness it all, but yeah. Stefan was the one who blew up the Haunted Star with Victor on it."

"God, see what I mean?" Spencer looked at Trina.

"It was to protect you and Ace from what I'm understanding," Trina simply replied.

"Exactly! Victor was a threat to you and Ace. Stefan simply neutralized it," Nikolas readily agreed.

"What about Esme?" Laura asked, afraid of the coming confession.

Nikolas took a deep breath and kept his eyes on Spencer, not wanting to see the disappointment in his mother's eyes. "Alright….I admit. I helped with Esme. She was standing outside of your house so Stefan and I grabbed her. Stefan tortured her, wanting to know what she thought she was doing...and she confessed that she was going to tie you up Spencer, make you watch as she murdered Trina, and then kill you too before taking off with Ace. I became enraged and the next thing I knew I was slashing her throat open with a knife, making sure that she would never be a threat to you and yours ever again and I can't say that I regret it. Esme was a menace that needed to be put down!"

"Oh my god," Trina gasped at the reveal of Esme's plans.

Spencer found an arm automatically wrapping around his stunned wife. "You saved her…."

"Yes. I saved her. I protected her and I will continue to do so. You're not alone in this Spencer...and what you perceived as threats was just Stefan protecting the family in the way Cassadines do. He doesn't mean any harm to Trina. I promise you that."

"So you murdered Esme?" Laura looked at Nikolas as if she didn't know him.

"Did you hear me, Mother? She was going to murder Spencer and Trina. I stopped her! If anything it was self-defense! And who knows what Stefan had stopped by going after Victor! We did what we had to do to protect this family and their loved ones!"

"They were still human, though. My god, Nikolas! What happened to you?" Gia looked at Nikolas as if he was a stranger.

"I became a father, that's what happened to me! I did what I did to protect my son and the woman he loves! You can't say that you wouldn't have done the same thing! You too, Mother!" Nikolas glared at both Laura and Gia, daring them to contradict him.

"So Trina's safe?"

"I swear that she is! I'll protect her and your unborn child with my life, Spencer!"

Spencer just sat there with tears in his eyes, his mind still full of self-blame and recriminations. "This family...is still bad...it's still cursed…"

"So what now?" Trina asked, the pain in her voice evident.

"You may stay in the wing that you shared with Spencer. You and Gia," Nikolas looked at Spencer curiously. "Will you be returning son?"

"No," Trina's voice was small and sad. Tears fell from her eyes as she looked straight ahead, avoiding looking at Spencer. She'd forgive everything right then and there and would take him back immediately if she looked at him. She wouldn't be able to do what needed to be done.

"Trina?" Spencer frowned, not knowing what to think.

"You need help, Spencer. Help that I now realize that I can't give you. So until you get that help, it's best if we keep separate quarters."

"I think that's a good idea. You're carrying so much weight on your shoulders sweetheart. Weight that does not belong to you. You need help in letting it go and letting the people who love you in and not push them away. I'll have Kevin make up a list of therapists and we'll choose someone," Laura sadly smiled, knowing that this was for the best.

"I only did what I did because I love you, Trina. I...thought you were in real danger and I panicked...it killed me to push you away...to try to deny my love for you...but I can't regret trying to protect you from this family."

"I don't need you to protect me. I never did. I just needed you to love me."

"I do love you…."

"Well then prove it by getting the help you need. We, the baby and I, we need you healthy and happy, Spencer."

"She won't be alone in this mansion of horrors. I'm staying with her," Gia stated, avoiding looking at Nikolas as her mind processed what he had just confessed. "In fact, if you don't mind, I want to take my niece and get her resettled."

"Sure. That'll be good," Nikolas nodded, sensing that the meeting was over.

Gia nodded and got to her feet. "Come, sweetie. Let's go get settled in."

Trina froze, realizing that she'd be returning to the wing without Spencer, who was looking at his hands, clear tears in his eyes. She sighed and got to her feet.

"Fine," without looking at her husband, Trina followed Gia out of the room, leaving Spencer with Laura and Nikolas.

"Son...I'm so sorry. I know that everything you're going through is my fault. I should have worked hard to make sure that none of this landed on your shoulders...Instead, I allowed it to crush you. But we'll get you through it," Nikolas placed a hand on Spencer's shoulder.

"I don't know what to say anymore, Nikolas. You murdered someone. Yes, it was to protect Spencer...but you have no remorse," Laura sighed, her voice dripping with disappointment.

"I have no remorse, mother. Not when it comes to protecting my sons. I know that's not what you wanted to hear, but it's the truth. I may be your son, but I'm also a Cassadine. I'm willing to do what it takes to protect my son. Do what you feel that you need to do, but I won't apologize for that."

"That's the problem! That's why Spencer is so tied up in his emotions like this! The whole Cassadine spiel that you and Stefan have going! You both giving into your darkness and forgetting about the light that I know is there! It has your son terrified of ending up the same way!"

"But he won't! Do you know why? Because he was raised by people who live in the light! I never cultivated that dark side like Uncle Stefan did to me when I was a teenager! He was raised by you and that's what makes the difference, mother!"

"Stop! Stop arguing alright? Just...I just need to be alone," Spencer got up and went to his room to process all that had just happened, leaving his father and grandmother worried about his state of mind.