Finn was excited, for the first time in what seemed to be for-ever, he was finally getting the talk with Hope that he needed. He knew where she'd been this morning, he had been keeping a very close watch on her, and had bribed a secretary at the law firm she'd been going to, to get some information, and from this phone call, and the tone in her voice, he was hoping it hadn't gone well, because that could give him a little leverage.

Hope arrived at Finns apartment just as Brooke was entering Deacon's restaurant. As she entered, she looked around at the disordered mess, empty pizza boxes, and the remains of other boxes of takeaway littered a – gouged? – dining room table, along with several empty bottles of Bourbon. And the floor was beginning to look as though it was about to start to grow grass there was so much dirt on it, but it was the smell that made Hope catch her breath and gag a little – like stale sweat, urine, and rotten food, all mixed into an unholy mixture of vomit inducing stench.

"Oh my god, how do you live like this?" she said as she dry heaved a little.

Finn looked around, colour heating his face as he realised the extent of the mess that was his apartment.

"Sorry, I've been a little pre-occupied, what with losing my marriage because of your husband, and having a little hiatus to think through my life, I guess things kind of deteriorated into a bit of a mess, don't worry, I'll hire a cleaner after you leave. Now, what do you want?"

Hope wanted to take a deep breath but instead continued to shallow breath through her mouth as she tried to formulate exactly what she wanted to say.

"Okay, I'm going to be totally honest with you. I've just come from a meeting with Steffy at my useless lawyer's office, and it didn't go well, in fact it didn't really go at all, in fact I now need money to pay both my own lawyers, and Steffi's. I'd go to my mother but she's overextended as it is, and my dad is paying off the huge mortgage he has on the bar, so I don't see how he could give me all I need, so, as the father of my child," she said holding her hand over her growing belly, "I'm coming to you for help. I'm desperate Finn, I need your help, please, not just for me, but for our baby." She entreated as tears glistened in her eyes.

"My names not Finn, not anymore, it's John, John Carter."

Hopes eyes widened. "What? Why? Why would you do that, your mother Li is a good woman, a fine, well-respected Doctor, why would you change your name from hers to Sheila Carters?"

A bitter smile curved his lips as he shrugged, "I guess of everyone I know, you're probably one of the few people who might understand." He looked over to corner as if listening to something, but when Hope looked around there was no-one there, as she turned back to face him, he continued.

"Don't you get sick of it? I did, all of them, continuously talking behind my back. The stares, the whispers, the sudden silences when you enter a room, followed by the guilty smiles, so you know they were just talking about you."

Hope blinked, she'd felt that way so many times herself, especially lately.

"But Sheila Carter?" she said.

"Sheila Carter is my mother, I can't get away from that fact, and she loves me, she proved that time and time again." He said glancing at the corner again before nodding.

Hope was starting to get a little creeped out by this, but he continued on relentlessly. "I got so sick of everyone continuously judging me that I came to a decision. Why should I keep trying? Especially for a pack of judgemental tools I didn't even like! So, I decided if they were going to judge me anyway, then they can damn well judge me for who I am, so I went and legally changed my name to that of my real mothers, and to hell with all of them!" he finished, this time looking just over Hopes shoulder.

Hope swung around, but once again no-one was there, was he doing this deliberately, just to freak her out? Well, it wouldn't work, she needed that cash, and she needed it now.

"I do understand what you mean . . . John, but I just can't believe you went that far. So, where does that leave me? I still need that money – desperately."

Finn stared over her shoulder for a moment, as if listening to someone, finally he nodded his head.

"Alright Hope, I'll give you the money," as Hope breathed a sigh of relief he added, "on one condition."

Hope frowned, "what? What do you expect from me?"

Finn smiled, a smile that never reached his cold calculating eyes, "I know you Hope, and what's worse, I know your mother, and how you both operate. I'll give you the money to pay both Steff's lawyers and your own but, you will have to sign a legal document giving me the right to name our daughter, and her last name will be Carter on her birth certificate, not Logan!"

Hope gasped, "you can't be serious? You're not naming my child, I won't allow it, it's never going to happen do you hear me? Never!"

John/Finn smiled, then don't expect my money or my help, and I'll also be applying for full custody of my daughter when she's born. And here's something else for you to think about Hope. Who do you think the courts will give custody of a defenceless, innocent child, a well-respected Doctor, or a cheap, bankrupt, whore, whose own mother is also a proven whore. Your choice of course, a simple name for our child and all your worries disappear or, refuse me, and I'll make sure they multiply exponentially, for both you and your mother."

He smiled maliciously, "I've had offers from several magazines already for "my side" of the story. I'd hate to have to crush what little reputation you have left."

Hope backed away, her eyes wide and fearful. "Why are you doing this to me?"

John/Finn frowned, "because I want my child to have my name, and I want to name her as I see fit! Because I'm sick of people walking all over me, this time I want to win something, just once."

Hope closed her eyes, knowing she had no choice, but also knowing if she got the money first, then things could change quickly.

"Alright, you have a deal, I'll have the lawyers send both theirs and Steffi's bill to you by the end of the week."

John/Finn smiled as he looked over Hopes shoulders again.

"And I'll have the legal papers drawn up for you to sign at the same time I hand over the cheque."

Hope pursed her lips in anger at his words before she swung around and quickly left the room before she vomited.

His laughter was still ringing in her ears as she drove away.

Meanwhile, back at Forresters . . .

Steffy hurried into Felicias office without knocking, as her aunt looked up Steffy grinned at her.

"It worked? You pulled it off?" asked Felicia, a smile of delight spreading across her face.

Steffy nodded and started to laugh happily, "it helped that she actually attacked me when she realised what I'd done, she kind of boxed herself into a corner with that move."

Felicia's head pulled back in surprise, "She attacked you?"

Steffi's laugh settled into a giggle as she nodded, "just a bitch slap, nothing I couldn't handle, and certainly worth the results it helped me get, everything is signed and sealed, legal costs included."

Felicia shook her head and looked around the room in deep thought.

"For so long this place, this company, our company, was never really ours. I'd come into these offices and see Brooke Logan smarming all over either my father, or Ridge, it was sickening. For years I watched her torment my mother, nothing, no depth of depravity was low enough for her to sink to, not if it meant getting what she wanted, including not one, but two of her own daughters' husbands. And all of that time there was nothing I could do about it, because Dad and Ridge always protected her, no matter what vile act she had committed. She was always one step ahead of me, of mum, and she even had the gall to bring her spawn into what was once our company, slowly but surely, she was turning it into Logan Enterprises."

She looked at Steffy, "but then you and Thomas, my glorious, inventive, ferocious niece and nephew changed everything."

Tears formed in her eyes as she walked over to Steffy and gathered her in her arms. "You both did the impossible, something no-one had ever been able to do before, you saved this company! And in doing that, you saved this family!"

She started to both laugh and cry at the same time as she exclaimed, "Their gone Steffy! The Logans are finally gone from Forresters – for-ever!"

Steffy smiled and hugged her ecstatic aunt, "Well, there's still Rick, but he's in international and not here, so there is that."

Felicia let her go and wandered over to grab herself a bottle of mineral water.

"I meant to tell you, I spoke to Thorne a couple of days ago, he said he'd had a long and very frank talk with Rick, apparently he laid everything out on the line, everything that really happened, including his real parentage and what Eric had done to Pam, and let's just say, my little brother was not a happy camper."

At Steffi's enquiring look she said, "Rick has fallen in love, with none other than Nicole Avant, that was what broke up both his marriage to Maya, and Nicoles marriage to Zende. Anyway, to cut a long story short, they've both found happiness together, and they've just bought a rather large estate just outside of Rome, so not only does Rick not want to rock the boat so to speak, he can't financially, he's got a family to support now."

She smiled, "Nicoles pregnant again, it's a bit of a miracle, and Rick is determined that no pressure from anyone is going to upset her. Thorne said he's even cut off all communication with Brooke and Hope, he doesn't want to know anything about their troubles, at least not until Nicole has the baby, he simply won't risk it."

"Wow," said Steffy in genuine surprise.

"I am happy for him though, it seems that being away from Brooke, and having the stable influence of someone decent like Uncle Thorne to guide him has been exactly what he needed."

Felicia nodded in agreeance, "yeah, I think so too. Thorne said he'd still be keeping an eye on him, so let's just hope it lasts."

She rubbed her hands together, "in the meantime, lets celebrate, how about dinner out tonight?"

Steffy shook her head, "sorry, I've already made some plans; raincheck?"

Felicia smiled, "next time you've got a free moment."

As Steffy walked to the door Felicia said.

"And Steffy," as Steffy turned back Felicia smiled.

"Thank you! Thank you for everything!"

Steffy smiled back at her happy aunt.

"Anytime Aunt Felicia, anytime."

Then she left to go to her office and arrange her next surprise for the day, something she'd found herself looking forward to more and more.

Felicia walked back to her desk and picked up a small photo of her mother, taken from a happy time in her life.

"She did it Mum," she said.

"All your faith in your family finally came to fruition. After all these years they're gone. The Logans are finally gone!"

She smiled as she put down the photo of a happy, smiling Stephanie Forrester Snr.