Gia rushed into the dining room, frantically looking around for any sign of her missing niece. She had gone to bed, leaving Trina to turn in as well, but when she woke up that morning, her niece was nowhere to be found! Sadly, Trina was not in the dining room either. The only person she found was Nikolas, who was nursing a cup of coffee and reading the morning paper.

"Good morning, Sparky," Nikolas greeted, not looking up from his paper.

Gia rolled her eyes at the nickname. "Stop calling me that. Have you seen Trina? I can't find her anywhere and her bed hadn't been slept in last night. Oh my god...what if Spencer was right and she was kidnapped?!"

Nikolas chuckled and kept his eyes on his paper. "We have guards everywhere. This place is a fortress. No one could get in and kidnap her. Don't worry."

"How about you and that Uncle of yours? How do I know that you two haven't planned something and did away with my niece?" Gia glared, placing a slender hand on her hip.

"And have my son hate me forever? Nope. Besides, even though her mother is horrible, I like Trina. She's a sweet girl and she's good for Spencer. I meant what I said yesterday. I would never allow anything to harm that girl."

"Right."

"Right! God, Gia! Us Cassadines aren't as...evil as we used to be, you know! Psycho-granny and her minions are long dead and Uncle Stefan did away with the last evil Cassadine. So relax. Your niece is perfectly safe. Besides, I know where Trina is."

"You do?"

Nikolas nodded with a knowing smirk. Those two didn't see me, but I saw Spencer carrying his bride to his room and they were...preoccupied with each other."

"Oh god, of course! I should have known! You Cassadine men…"

"Why are you saying it's our fault? You women are quite the seductresses when you want to be...and I think Spencer and Trina...well from what I saw, no matter what there's a little Cassadine in the making. Oh, come on, Gia! You should be happy for your niece! She's in love! I'm happy for Spencer!"

"Has he made some therapy appointments yet?"

"We're doing that today once we're done with this meeting we're supposed to attend in another hour," Nikolas frowned, looking at his watch. "Damn it...where is he? Surely they must be awake now."

"Hello Aunt Gia," Trina came in wearing one of Spencer's shirts and his boxers. Both were huge on her. Nikolas couldn't help but think that she was the cutest thing. No matter what Spencer fell so hard.

"Did you have fun?" Gia crossed her arms, giving Trina an annoyed look.

Trina just blushed and shrugged as Spencer came in behind her, dressed in black dress pants, a black shirt, and a black suit jacket, but no tie. He looked great and Trina felt the tingle of desire threaten once again.

"I better go get ready to meet Daddy at Kelly's for breakfast," Trina tore her eyes away from Spencer and nearly went running to the wing that they had once shared.

"You Cassadine men," Gia tsked and shook her head before following her niece.

"Did I do something wrong?" Spencer frowned. That morning had started off really good. Trina had been in his arms and they had taken a shower together, after making love one more time and then she had decided to slip on one of his shirts and boxers, looking better in them than he ever did, and now she went running away. He didn't understand it.

"Nope. Nothing at all. Sit and eat. We have a meeting to attend soon," Nikolas motioned for Spencer to join him.

…..

Gia found Trina in her room, slipping on a blue sundress and a pair of matching flats. She watched as Trina sat on the bed and looked in the mirror to begin brushing her hair.

"Trina...what are you doing?" Gia questioned, her concern for her niece growing.

"Getting ready for breakfast with daddy. That is the one that is related to you," Trina kept her eyes on the mirror.

"Not that. Last night. With Spencer. I thought that you were mad at him and weren't going to forgive him so easily. Which is why he's still in the Cassadine part of the mansion and we're here."

Trina sighed and shrugged. "I am mad at him."

"Well, then what was last night?"

Trina sat the brush down and looked at her aunt. "I needed him, alright? I was craving chicken...Then I wanted to see Grams, but she's in Texas and I got emotional and I needed to be close to...close to him. Alright? I needed to be close to my husband? Is that some crime or something? It's probably this baby. It's making me more horny than usual."

Gia couldn't help it, she laughed. "What?"

"Seriously. You saw how good he looked in that suit he was wearing. I wanted to explore what was under that suit, which is why I ran away before my pregnancy hormones made me do something indecent. So you should be thanking me for my willpower, not interrogating me about why I slept with my husband last night, which I have every right to do, by the way."

"Never said that you didn't."

"I can have him right now if I wanted and it's perfectly fine because he's mine. Just like Mr. Cassadine...excuse me, Nikolas, could be all yours if you wanted him to be."

"Trina!"

"He could be! I see how he looks at you! He wants you back! All you have to do is say the word, Aunt Gia."

"Well, too bad."

"Why? You're not dating anyone. You're as single as can be and I can tell that you're sick of it. You have a tall, dark, and handsome man who wants you back in his life! I don't get why you don't grab the opportunity while it's there."

"Because. Just because. Look, enough about me. About you and Spencer."

Trina sighed and returned to brushing her hair.

"Make up your mind. If you're not angry with him anymore, great! Have him move back here or you move where he's at. But just be together! Or not. Like I said, make up your mind."

Trina sighed and looked at her aunt through the mirror. "I want to stay mad at him."

"You do? Well, prancing into the dining room, wearing his clothes, you could have fooled me."

Trina's shoulders slumped in defeat and she looked miserable. "But I can't. I'm a ball of emotions right now and this baby is making me want my partner and he's right there and...I just can't. Plus I'm crazy about him. So that doesn't help either."

"And the fact that he's hot is also a factor."

Trina's pout turned into a smirk. "Oh of course."

Both women looked at each other and then laughed. Gia went over to her niece and wrapped her in a warm hug. "It's ok to forgive him. You don't have to stay mad if you don't want to. Don't feel like you should feel something that you don't. If you need to be with Spencer, be with him. Just remember that you two have a lot to work through emotionally. As sweet and as hot as he is, sex is not a cure for your troubles."

"I know that, Aunt Gia."

"Good," Gia smiled, kissing her niece's cheek.

"Ok, I'm ready to go…," Trina got on her phone and began to text.

T: I've gone to Kellys to see my dad. Have a nice day at the office. We need to talk when you get home.

S: Thank you. Ok. Can I see you before you leave?

T: Not a good idea. We won't get anything done if I see you right now.

S: I love you, Trina. I am sorry I hurt you.

T: We'll talk tonight. I love you too.

…

Taggert was running late. He hated that. He knew that things were a bit tense between him and Trina and he hoped to clear the air between them today. He smiled as he saw her sitting at the table sipping on a glass of juice as she waited. He was about to go inside when Portia called out to him.

"Marcus, wait!" Portia jogged up to him.

"Hey, what's up? I was just about to go have breakfast with Trina. Do you want to join us?"

"Um...no," Portia began to nervously twist at her hands. She knew what she was about to do could be considered wrong, but she had put a lot of thought into this. Her family with Curtis was just taking shape and she knew that Trina and Curtis were going to work on their relationship. But she couldn't see that getting far if Marcus was still around. Marcus's presence in her daughter's life was a hindrance that she needed to get rid of if she was going to have the family she wanted. "But I have to talk to you before you go in to see Trina."

Taggert frowned. "What about?"

"Look...I know that things have been tense with the paternity reveal and I'm sorry about that. I really am. It was never my intention to hurt you. I still don't want to hurt you...despite what this may seem like…"

Taggert frowned, not liking this at all. "Portia, just tell me why you are here. No more beating behind the bush. We've had enough of that to last a lifetime."

"You're right. We have. So I'm going to come out and say what needs to be said. Curtis and Trina are working on this new phase of their relationship. They're trying to become more like the father and daughter that they should have been if I hadn't lied."

"Ok…?"

"What I'm trying to say is that...with you still in Trina's life, in that role that should be Curtis's...I don't see that happening. So I'm asking, for Trina's sake...that perhaps you take a step back, only for a little while? Only until Curtis and Trina get to a good place with each other and then you can come back."

"What the hell, Portia? First, you lie to me, making me think that Trina's my daughter for the past twenty years, and now you're telling me to take a step back? I've already done that if you haven't noticed!"

"I have! I have noticed...but I need you to take another one. I need you to let Curtis take the role for a while. He can't do that if you're here, having breakfast dates with Trina, you know what I mean?"

Taggert gave a derisive laugh and shook his head. "You are some piece of work, lady! Do you even care what you're doing to Trina by suggesting this?!"

"I'm making it easier for her! She feels guilty every time she gets close to Curtis! She feels like she's betraying you somehow! If you're not around, there's no guilt."

"Does Curtis even know you're here asking this of me?"

Portia shook her head. "No, he doesn't and we need to keep it that way. Come on, Marcus. Just think of how hard this is for her. How much easier it'll be if you were off somewhere else? I know it's hard, but it's what's best for Trina."

"Like you know what's best for Trina?"

"I'm her mother. Of course, I do."

Taggert sighed, again glancing through the glass window of the restaurant, seeing the girl he had raised as his daughter texting on the phone, waiting for his arrival. He could see that the girl was tense. She was having a hard time with all of this. Maybe Portia's right. Maybe it would be best if he stepped back some more and give both Trina and Curtis some breathing room.

"Alright. Fine. I'll take another step back. You can stop nagging me now," Taggert growled, turning away from the restaurant. "You know, I'm glad that you're getting your happy life. Even though it's at the expense of mine."

"Marcus!" Portia gasped, not knowing how to respond. She just stood there and watched as Marcus Taggert walked away, leaving Trina and Curtis to forge ahead.

"Was that my brother? What did you say to him?" Gia was suddenly behind Portia, startling her.

"Gia! I didn't see you there!"

"Figures! I wanted to check in on my brother and niece. I see my niece as my brother is walking away from you, so you must have said something."

"Gia, it doesn't concern you."

"What concerns Marcus, concerns me! Trina is going through a hard enough time right now as it is! She needs her father and here you are…"

"She has her father! Curtis is her father! He's here if she needs him! Just, let it go!"

"Oh my god! No, you didn't just dismiss my brother's role in that girl's life!"

Both women were too busy arguing, they didn't notice an upset Trina coming out of the restaurant.

"Aunt Gia! Have you seen my dad? He just texted me, saying he couldn't meet me after all and it'd be best if we didn't see each other for a while!" Trina handed the phone to Gia. "What is it with everyone?! Why is everyone so quick to abandon me?!"

"Oh, Trina…," Gia's heart sank as she handed the phone back. "I don't know what's gotten into him. I'll talk to him, alright?"

"Don't bother! I'm just...I'm sick of dealing with this!" Trina cried, heading for her car.

"Where are you going?" Gia stared after her niece with a sinking feeling.

"No one cares where I'm going, just as long as I'm away from them!" Trina cried, getting in her car and just driving away, not knowing where she was going or what she was doing. She just needed to get away.

Gia turned her glare back on Portia, just knowing that the woman had something to do with this. "You did this!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Portia frowned, taking a step back, remembering how volatile Gia Campbell could be when it came to family.

"You did this! Marcus was here ready to meet with Trina, then suddenly you show up and he's walking away and now he's sending a text to the poor girl saying that he's going to be out of her life! Now tell me how you have nothing to do with this!"

"I only did what was best for everyone, Gia! Curtis deserves a real chance to get to know his daughter! That won't happen if she keeps running to Marcus!"

"Marcus is her father you stupid diabolical bitch! Blood has nothing to do with it! He's the one who raised that girl up from childhood! That taught her right from wrong! That dried her tears and fueled her dreams! I'm sure that Curtis is a nice guy and I feel bad that you decided to steal those years from him, but you gave those years to Marcus and now here you are trying to rip them away!"

"You just don't understand! I did what was best! Curtis is Trina's father, not Marcus! He deserves a…," Portia cried out as Gia slapped her face hard and then slapped her again for good measure.

"You stupid bitch!" Gia balled up her fist and punched the stunned Portia and then grabbed her curls and began to pull and pull until the woman was down on the ground, trying to avoid Gia's punches.

"Gia! What are you doing!" Nikolas was suddenly there pulling Gia off of Portia who was screaming and sobbing. Spencer, who was with his father stood in the way so Gia couldn't reach Portia again.

"Beating the curls out of that poodle head bitch! That's what!" Gia screamed, trying to get back at Portia again.

"She is deranged! She just attacked me for no reason!" Portia panted as she picked herself up off the ground and brushed off her clothes.

"Ruining Marcus's relationship with Trina is reason enough!" Gia growled. "Let me go, Nikolas!"

"Not a chance, Sparky. Not until you calm down so you can tell us what's going on here," Nikolas refused to release his ex.

"Where's Trina? She was supposed to be meeting Taggert right about now?" Spencer frowned, not seeing his wife anywhere.

"She left. She just got in her car and drove away crying. She's really upset," Gia explained, beginning to calm down.

"If I let you go, will you behave?" Nikolas asked, not really wanting to let go. He was enjoying having his Sparky back in his arms, even if it was to keep her from beating someone up.

"Father, I need to go find Trina. If she's upset…"

"I can handle the rest of the meetings. Go, find your wife," Nikolas nodded and watched as Spencer got into the car that they were in and drove off.

"Gia, I need you to drive me back home so I can get my car. Are you cool with that?" Nikolas asked.

"I'm not finished…"

"I think you are, Sparky. Come on, let's go," Nikolas encouraged Gia, who just slumped in his arms and nodded. "Fine. But Portia, trust me. This is not finished. You will pay for what you had done to Trina and my brother."

Portia didn't say a word as Gia led Nikolas back to her waiting car. She was relieved that Gia was gone, but she was also sure that she had done the right thing for everyone.