Chapter 25 – Welcome Back to Wyndemere!

PINE VALLEY

That night, Ian and Leora made their way to the cemetery, Ian carrying a shovel, and Leora holding a flashlight. It was pitch black, unlike the previous time Leora went to the cemetery and had her ghostly encounter with Peter, when the gravestones and the names on them were illuminated in the moonlight. They passed all the graves of the various members of the Hayward family before coming to David's own grave, next to which was the small grave with Leora's name on it. The sight of an infant's grave made Leora start tearing up, as even though the grave likely was empty, the message etched on the headstone "We hold you in our hearts until we can hold you in Heaven" was so beautiful and sad, and Leora felt terrible about disturbing it. Ian, however, insisted that they were justified in "exhuming" the grave without having to get authorization. Leora reluctantly accepted this as first they would need to get permission of a family member, though there were no known family members in the area. Nonetheless, she was very worried about being caught.

Leora: This is illegal you know. We could get in so much trouble!

Ian: So? There are lots of things that are illegal that aren't necessarily wrong. Besides, if you really are Leora, that means you were kidnapped when you were only a few months old, and your parents were told that their baby had died. Your father was not only devastated when they told him that you had died, but he also was rightfully outraged and blamed the chief of staff at the hospital for what happened. Not only is that illegal, but it's also cruel! What we are doing is taking back what is rightfully yours.

Leora: Yeah, but we're going about it completely the wrong way! I agree that before we go looking for potential relatives of mine who would be willing to take a DNA test, we should have the grave exhumed to see if there's a body inside. But we need to get authorization for it, and that takes time!

Ian: You've waited 21 years for answers! That's more than enough time. I promise you that if anything goes wrong, I will take full responsibility. I've dealt with much worse legal hurdles than what we are doing.

*Leora sighs and shines the light on the grave, and Ian begins to vigorously dig.*

Leora: You look like you've done this before.

Ian: That's because I have.

*Leora is curious about the previous time but feels it's something that Ian either wouldn't want to talk about, or she wouldn't want to know the answer. Ian continues to dig, only pausing every now and then to take a drink of water. After about four hours, Leann begins to worry about Ian's lack of sleep, and the toll which it had to be taking on him, especially with his heart condition.*

Leora: Aren't you getting tired?

Ian: No. This is why it's important to stay in shape. More stamina.

Leora: Oh I know you're very fit! I was referring to how you seem to have gotten no sleep tonight.

Ian: I've struggled with insomnia all my life, so I'm used to it. Plus my body clock hasn't fully reset itself from touring with the band. We do most of our driving at night, then when we arrive at the next destination, we sleep for most of the morning, eat breakfast, spend a few hours checking out various tourist attractions, eat lunch, then go to wherever it is we'll be performing, set up, perform, then pack up and head to our next stop. We pretty much do that each day until the tour is over.

Leora: Isn't that what tour buses are for?

Ian: We can't afford to hire a tour bus. Besides the only equipment I have is my bass guitar, amp, pedals, and cables. Also our gigs are limited to various locations in Pennsylvania and New York, and occasionally New England. It's not like we're touring the continents.

Leora: So you haven't slept at all?

Ian: Nope.

Leora: I don't see how one can go so long without sleeping!

Ian: Oh this is nothing! There are some people who work a graveyard shift. No pun intended.

Leora: I was about to say, isn't that what we're doing right now? *She giggles, feeling a momentary relief from the worry she was feeling.*

*There is suddenly a thud as Ian's shovel strikes something hard.*

Leora: Oh no!

Ian: What's wrong?

Leora: I guess there is a body buried here after all. Which means that I'm not Leora Hayward!

Ian: I was expecting there to be a casket buried here. That doesn't necessarily mean that there's a body inside.

*Ian clears the area around the casket. Leora is surprised at how quickly he's able to do it, though once it's cleared, she sees that the casket is quite small.*

Leora: Wow, it's so small!

Ian: Well, don't forget, this is an infant-size casket. An adult casket is much larger. Plus this is a vault. The actual casket is inside. Now, there's probably a seal that we'll have to break-

*He pries open the vault with his shovel with not too much effort.*

Ian: Or maybe not.

*While the vault appears to be made of rather inexpensive polystyrene, the actual casket is very ornate. Leora feels bad about opening it. Ian unlocks it with a casket key, which Leora decides that she doesn't want to know how he managed to obtain.*

Ian: Would you like to do the honors?

*Leora hesitates, then puts a pair of rubber gloves on, and, bracing for the sight of whatever might be inside, opens the casket. Inside is a small box that looks like it might contain jewelry, as well as a note, but no body.*

Ian: See, I told you it wasn't likely there was a body inside. What does the note say?

*Leora, feeling slightly relieved, reads the note.*

NOTE

June 1, 2003

Dear Leora,

Your parents had this made for you when you were a baby. They sadly never got the chance to give it to you. It has been left here in the hopes that you will one day find it. You will find it when you're ready, and you'll know when you're ready when you go looking for answers about the life that you unfortunately never got to live.

What happened to you when you were only a few months old was horrible and could have easily been prevented. If you are reading this however, it means that you survived. Your parents would be so blessed to know that the daughter that they thought they had lost is alive. Unfortunately, keeping you away from them and letting them believe you had died was necessary in order to keep you safe.

Take this with you as a reminder that even the most broken of hearts can be mended. We are all hoping and praying that it will help you find your way back to us.

– T.K.

*Leora is very confused. The way the note was phrased made it sound like it was written by someone from All Our Children, yet it was dated June 1, 2003, the day after her supposed death. The paper was yellowing and somewhat moldy, which meant that it had been there for quite a while. And who was T.K.?*

Ian: Don't you want to see what's inside that box?

Leora: I'm not sure.

Ian: Why? The note seems to be filled with information about what happened to you, and it sounds like whatever is inside the box is something your parents wanted you to have.

Leora: Not really. I have a feeling that the reason why I was kept away from them after they thought I had died during the heart surgery was because Anna's enemies could potentially use me as leverage against her, especially if she thought I was dead. They could have easily told her I was still alive and offered to give me back to her in exchange for whatever they were demanding. So, it doesn't really tell me anything that I didn't already know. Plus, what if it turns out I'm not Leora, and the real Leora actually is dead, and this is someone's idea of a joke?

Ian: Then I will help you find out what actually happened, but I feel very strongly that you are Leora and that you're on the right track, and that you were meant to find this when you did. You told me when we talked earlier that you're on a journey to learn more about who you are, and that you accomplished everything in you could in Port Charles and are ready to continue onward. It seems like whoever this T.K. person is had a feeling you would eventually find it, and now you have. I think you should at least see what's inside the box, even if you decide not to take it with you.

*Leora is silent for several seconds, then slowly opens the box.*

Leora: Oh my god!

Ian: Well I sure wasn't expecting anything like this.

Leora: I have a feeling that I've seen this before.

Ian: So have I, but where?

*Inside the box is a heart necklace exactly like the one that Nelle has, only this one is a whole heart as opposed to two halves.*

Leora: My friend Jan has a necklace exactly like this one, only hers has two half-heart pendants instead of a single whole heart. She gave one of the halves to Esme.

Ian: That's right! I remember that Esme was wearing her half when we were at the Savoy. I noticed it because…nevermind.

Leora: I remember Jan showing me her necklace and allowed me to hold it. She explained that there are other heart necklaces similar to this one, but they are tacky, and sold at places like Claire's, but this one is made from real gold, and has a custom clasp with the initials of the jeweller on it, just like this one, and…

*Leora looks closer at the necklace and notices that there's an engraved message around the edge of the heart.*

Message: For our dear Leora.

She looks at the heart for several seconds, then unclips the clasp and tries to fasten the chain around her neck, but is overcome with emotion.*

Ian: Want me to get that for you?

*Leora nods. Ian fastens the chain around her neck as she feels the tears welling up in her eyes.*

Leora: *Sniffle* I guess you were right about taking back what's mine.

*She hugs Ian and cries on his shoulder.*

PORT CHARLES

Spencer was sitting on the couch in the living room at Laura's penthouse, the bottle containing the single Pensieve Pill on the coffee table in front of him. He had done research on the drug, the benefits, risks, and side effects. He already knew of course that its purpose was to help those in the early stages of dementia continue to make new memories and make recovering memories they had previously forgotten easier by tuning out distractions. It could also help with amnesia, and Spencer found it suspicious why it had been prescribed to Esme to treat headaches rather than help her with memory recovery, which it ultimately did, though Spencer believed Cyrus was telling the truth when he said he had nothing to do with what happened to Esme. He also knew that those who were not cognitively impaired in any way should not take the drug, as it could cause hallucinations and was highly addictive. And this was where Spencer was conflicted.

He needed to remember the aftermath of Esme implying she had slept with someone else, and specifically how it made him feel. He compared what Esme had told him the other night when he had encountered her at the Savoy to the recollection he had had earlier that same evening. She had said they had already been broken up the last time they had slept together, and she would have told him she had been with someone else had he asked beforehand, but in his recollection of the last time they were together, Esme avoided directly answering him when he asked if she had been with anyone else, and more importantly, if she was on birth control. Esme did admit to him the other night that there was a chance that Ace was his son, which most likely meant that she had already stopped taking the pill the last time they had sex. And if she hadn't been taking the pill when she slept with Nikolas, it meant that she indeed was intending to get pregnant with Nikolas's child all along in order to break up Nikolas's marriage to Ava, which was already all but hanging by a thread, as opposed to "getting caught up in the moment" as a result of her own failed relationship with Spencer. Spencer did feel that Esme at one point genuinely had feelings for him, but her evil father made her use these feelings to take advantage of her.

He looked at the precautions for the drug. Most of them were typical things; don't take more than directed, don't exceed two milligrams in a 24-hour period, don't take with alcohol or in combination with certain drugs, don't skip dosages or discontinue, use precaution when operating a motor vehicle, keep out of reach of children, contact poison control if accidentally swallowed, etc. There was also a strong emphasis on the drug not being used for recreational purposes, and it was a violation of federal law that the drug be transferred to anyone other than for whom it was prescribed. But the bottle didn't have any label on it. The girl who gave it to him said that the medication was for her grandfather, but she seemed a little too eager to give it to him, almost as if she was able to convince the pharmacist to give her an extra pill in an unlabeled bottle. Either that, or she was lying about even having a grandfather who needed the medication. Regardless, he had no way of knowing whom the pill was prescribed for.

He knew he was about to take a big risk, but he also felt strongly that he needed to know what he wasn't able to remember on his own, as it would greatly impact his decision on whether he felt it was wise to try to make things work with Trina, or get back together with Esme and be the father-figure Ace needed. Having convinced himself that was reason enough to take the pill, he opened the bottle, put the large, silvery-grey pill in his mouth and tasted the intense, extreme bitterness on his tongue. Desperate to get the taste out of his mouth, he gulped down the large glass of water next to him. As he swallowed, he thought back to the first time he had tried various "recreational" substances and how horrible they tasted, and didn't understand how people could get addicted to them to the point where they needed to take more, until they began to take effect. Would it be the same with the drug he had just taken? He was glad he only had the one pill, as even if it made him feel good, he was taking to remember, not to get high.

Five minutes passed. Nothing. He got up and walked around, expecting to feel dizzy, but felt very steady on his feet. He looked around the room. Nothing out of the ordinary. He was still at the penthouse, alone. Everything in the room was where he remembered it. He pinched himself to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. It hurt, which made him conclude that he was still in the present day.

He sat back down on the couch. He could still taste the bitterness of the pill. There was a jar of round, red and white peppermints on the coffee table. Hoping that it wouldn't ruin the effect of the drug, he took a peppermint from the jar, unwrapped it, and put it in his mouth. The bitter taste went away instantly. He took the copy of Crimson Magazine that was on the table, lay down on the couch, and started reading, while allowing the mint to dissolve in his mouth.

At first he could see the text in the magazine quite clearly, but when he turned to a page with a picture of Sasha Gilmore, he noticed that there was a white aura in front of him, which prevented him from seeing the picture clearly. Initially thinking it was a glare from the sun coming in through the window, he got up from the couch in order to close the drapes, and found that he could see the glare even when he was looking at the dark curtains. He sat back down, hoping that the glare would go away, but it didn't. Instead it got larger every time he blinked his eyes, until eventually he could only just make out what was in front of him. He also noticed that he could no longer hear clearly, as there was a buzzing sound in his ears.

What was going on, he wondered? The pills were supposed to help him remember stuff, yet all they seemed to be doing were making it all but impossible to see and hear things clearly. He remembered that the medication worked by tuning out everything going on around a person to make it easier for them to remember. But why was everything white and buzzy? As soon as he asked himself that question, he began seeing and hearing things, but they weren't what he was hoping to see and hear. The girl who gave him the pill did tell him that he wouldn't necessarily remember the stuff he was hoping to remember, and so far he wasn't. But his brain didn't seem to be focusing on anything in particular, and instead seemed to be almost like looking at a collection of video frames of various sizes, and hearing the audio from all of them at once. They were memories nonetheless.

He could see and hear himself as a little kid, asking Nikolas to marry Britt Westbourne, whom he was close to, as a Christmas present. He remembered his childhood "crush" on his friend Emma Drake, and pretending to "date" Josslyn in order to make Emma jealous, and fighting with his friend/cousin Cameron over Emma. He remembered being comforted by the ghost of his mother Courtney, who had died shortly after giving birth to him, after he was badly burned in a fire. He remembered grieving for Nikolas after he thought he had been killed by his great uncle Valentin, and resenting Valentin's daughter Charlotte.

He remembered being enrolled in boarding school at Ecole Internationale De Chatel in France, breaking his legs on a skiing trip, returning to Port Charles and interfering with the mayoral election to give his grandmother Laura more time to campaign, and going back to boarding school. He remembered how overjoyed he was to learn that Nikolas was alive when Nikolas came to visit him, only to tell Nikolas to stay away once Nikolas revealed that he had purposely let everyone including Spencer believe he was dead. He remembered how resentful he was of his father because of this, and how determined he was to get revenge.

He remembered meeting Esme not long afterwards. At the time, he thought she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, with her long, silky smooth brown hair, gorgeous grey eyes, and slender figure. But what he found most attractive about her was the fact that unlike everybody else he knew at school, who wanted to get close to him simply because he was rich, she seemed genuinely interested in getting to know him as a person. She listened to him when he was having a hard time, and didn't just tell him what he wanted to hear because he was a Cassadine. This was what made him fall in love with her. He remembered not knowing what to get her for her birthday, and the "friends" who were leeching on him for money suggesting that he get her some expensive jewelry, however, he noticed how much she enjoyed playing with the snowglobe that he had gotten when he was little and had brought with him to school whenever she came into his room. He didn't understand why she liked it so much as he thought the snowglobe was rather cheesy, but he ended up giving it to her for her birthday along with the jewelry.

He remembered plotting with Esme to break up Nikolas and Ava's marriage, and Esme suggesting they send Ava a bunch of creepy gifts that would remind her of how Ryan Chamberlain had killed her daughter Kiki, and thinking it was rather extreme but agreeing to go along with it, not knowing at the time that Ryan was Esme's father. He remembered coming back to Port Charles and meeting Trina for the first time when he caused her to be drenched with fake blood at Ava's art gallery, and being instantly attracted to her. By that point, he had begun to grow tired of Esme's increasingly extreme "pranks," and felt that their flame was beginning to fizzle out, especially after Esme immediately made enemies with all of his friends upon meeting them.

He remembered going to the cabin with Esme, Trina, Cam, and Joss, playing "Never Have I Ever" with them in which they revealed a bunch of secrets which caused Joss and Trina to start fighting, and Trina angrily going to her room and passing out from the drugs that Esme had slipped into her drink. This was the moment when Esme had hidden the phone in Joss and Cam's room to record them when they made love for the first time. He felt his present-day self becoming angry that he didn't do anything to put a stop to it.

His head gave a sudden, extremely painful throb, and he snapped back to the present. Just like that, it was over. He knew that he was at Laura's penthouse and could see, hear, and taste (as the mint was still in his mouth) everything around him. Was that the end? He had heard various accounts of near-death experiences in which people "felt their life flash before their eyes." Was that what happened just now? He swallowed the mint and went to the kitchen to get some more water. As he was filling the glass, he could see the aura forming in front of his eye again. So it wasn't over after all.

He went back to the living room and sat back down on the sofa, taking a drink from the glass before setting it down on the coffee table. His head gave another throb, and he closed his eyes for several seconds from the pain. When he opened them, he found himself in the bedroom he and Esme shared at Wyndemere. He was sitting on the edge of the bed getting dressed, yelling at Esme who was lying on her side in the bed with the sheets covering her. He could not only hear the angry words he was saying to her, but felt his mouth move as they were coming out, and felt his arms reaching down to put his socks on and tie his shoes without thinking. It felt very strange to feel himself moving and talking but without thinking about what he was doing and saying. He heard Esme tell him that perhaps he had finally given her what she had been wanting from him.

Spencer: So I was right, wasn't I? You're not taking the pill anymore, are you?

Esme: That's no longer any of your concern, Spence! In fact, it never was your concern in the first place. This is my body, and I can do what I want to with it!

Spencer: ESME FOR THE LAST TIME, I DON'T CARE!

*He stands up, turns around, and looks at Esme, who, for the first time, looks startled at how angry he is.*

Esme: You obviously care, Spence, because if you didn't, you wouldn't be yelling at me!

Spencer: I don't want to yell at you Esme, but you're being infuriating! I don't care what you do with your own damn body, okay? But at the same time, I'm not ready to start a family, which is why, after we talked about it when we first got together, you went on the pill! I'm guessing you stopped with the pill when we broke up, and that would've been fine with me if you had told me prior to what happened just now!

Esme: Had you asked me before what happened just now, I would've told you! But you didn't!

Spencer: You should've told me regardless of whether or not I asked! This is important stuff Esme, and when couples-

Esme: Excuse me, but we are not a couple anymore! You told me we're "officially over" a few minutes ago, but we already have been "over" for weeks now! So I can do whatever the hell I want to, with whomever I want to, and I don't have to tell you a damn thing!

*Spencer is silent for several seconds. He can feel himself breathing heavily.*

Spencer: *Sigh* Get dressed, get your stuff, and get out of my house.

Esme: Excuse me, your house?!

Spencer: Yes, my house! I want you out of here! I don't want to see or speak to you ever again!

Esme: I'm sorry, Spence, but this is not your house!

Spencer: Okay, you're right, it's technically my father's house, but it doesn't matter. I want you out! NOW!

Esme: That's not what your father wants though. He told me I'm welcome to stay here for as long as I want to, and to make myself comfortable. Sorry Spence, but I'm not going anywhere!

*It takes Spencer several seconds for what Esme just told him to sink in.*

Spencer: Oh my god, you slept with my father, didn't you?!

*Esme smiles smugly.*

Spencer's head gave another throb, and he snapped back to the present. He was shaking with anger. He felt his forehead with the back of his sleeve, and saw that it was drenched in sweat. He took another drink from his glass, got up, and walked around the room a few times, hoping that it was the end. He now knew that Esme had been honest with him at the Savoy. Or was she? He still didn't trust that she would have told him if he were to have asked her before they had sex if she had been with anyone else or if she was still taking the pill. Maybe it was something that "New Esme" would do, but he didn't trust that "Old Esme" would have told him even if he had asked her before they did it.

He sat down at the table in the corner of the room, took a sip of water, put the glass down on the table, and tightly closed his eyes to see if there was still an aura. There wasn't, though he could feel his head throb. He opened his eyes and found that he was sitting at the table in the corner of the living room at Wyndemere near the liquor cabinet. There was a tumbler of Scotch in front of him, and the decanter, normally kept on top of the cabinet, was at the side of the table. It was nearly empty. Esme, in her pink floral top, was leaning against the back of the sofa and watching him getting increasingly drunk.

Esme: Spence, please, stop it! You're going to make yourself sick!

Spencer: Esme, if anyone makes me sick, it's YOU!

*He can feel his stomach churning and his head throbbing, the latter of which he isn't sure is an effect of the alcohol he was drinking in the memory he was re-living, or the drug he had taken in the present day.*

Esme: Spence, please, just listen!

Spencer: What more do you have to say about this that you haven't already said?!

Esme: Well, for one thing, that night when I stepped out onto the parapet at that party you were throwing and saw you with Trina, it really hurt me! I was about to tell you how I set Ava's car on fire for you at the hospital while you were here partying. I thought you'd be grateful to me! We made the perfect team.

Spencer: Is that really how you saw us Esme? A team?!

Esme: Well, what were we?

Spencer: Towards the end it didn't really seem like we were even a couple, let alone a team! You were wanting to do increasingly extreme things to my father and Ava, and stringing me along for the ride. As angry and betrayed I had felt from what my father did, I nonetheless was hoping he would one day realize just how much he'd hurt me, and genuinely change for the better, rather than just saying he was going to "try". You know, there comes a time when one needs to do more than just "try". They need to actually DO what they're saying they're going to do! And I thought my father would eventually do that. But he didn't. He failed me Esme, just like you did!

*He takes another sip*

Spencer: God this stuff tastes awful!

Esme: Well then why don't you stop?

Spencer: Because it's not nearly as awful as what you and my father have done to me. My father made me believe he was dead when I needed him the most. Then he came back and gave me some lame excuse why he had to stay away from me. It was so he could plot revenge against Valentin for stealing the Cassadine family fortune. My birthright. He could at least have let his own son know that he wasn't really dead, and maybe I could've even helped him take back what was rightfully ours all along, thanks to that codicil in Mikkos's will specifically disinheriting Valentin! It's true that in the beginning I was wanting to make him pay for what he did to me, but it was beginning to go too far! And now you're telling me that you slept with my father after I began spending more time with Trina, largely because I was growing tired of the things that you were making me do!

Esme: Exactly, Spence! I wasn't getting what I wanted…what I needed…from you! It's true I was your first but you were hardly my first. You were, however, the one who I, at the time, thought that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Maybe you couldn't satisfy me in certain ways but in others you were exactly what…exactly who…I wanted, Spence!

Spencer: I don't believe that for a second. I don't think you wanted anything from me other than my family fortune! Was that jewelry I gave you along with my snow globe not enough for you?!

Esme: That's not true Spence! I was looking forward to coming back to Port Charles with you, meeting your family, your friends, going to all the places you had told me about. You had mentioned that at one point, you and Joss had a bit of a thing, and you and Cam were fighting over some other girl, but that was back when you were kids! It was, as they say, "puppy love!" I didn't feel any sort of jealousy towards Josslyn at all, and, while I don't deny that I think Cam is kind of cute, he's even less of a man than you've proven yourself to be these past several months.

Spencer: You mean to tell me you had sex with Cam too?! Joss is going to be thrilled when she finds out!

Esme: Relax, Spence, we did not have sex. I just thought he was cute. Unlike you when you first saw Trina, and it was love at first sight! You became distant from me, and I no longer was getting what I needed from you, so I had no choice but to turn to someone else!

Spencer: And you could've turned to ANYONE ELSE! You could've turned to anyone else and I wouldn't have cared. But you chose my father. How could you? HOW COULD HE?!

Esme: Spence!

*Spencer can start to feel a gurgling sensation in his stomach. He knew what was likely going to happen soon.*

Spencer: God you make me sick!

Esme: Spencer…

*Her voice suddenly sounds comforting and sweet.*

Spencer: GO AWAY!

Esme: Spencer, what's going on with you?

*He looks over at Esme, who suddenly appears much taller, her outfit is much more businesslike, and her hair is very short.*

Spencer: I SAID GO AW-

*He feels queasy and leans over the edge of the chair…and feels someone catch him right as he's about to fall over onto the floor*

Male voice: SPENCER!

*Spencer's head gives another throb. He opens his eyes and gazes up at Kevin Collins's face, and sees Laura behind him, a terrified expression on her face.*

Kevin: Are you okay Spencer?

*Spencer looks up at both of them, sits back up in the chair, and sighs*

Spencer: I can explain.

*Outside, Betty Rutherford, who had been listening in on Spencer through an eavesdropping device, is frantically texting someone.*

Betty (text): He was flipping out just now about Esme. I'm pretty sure he's going to keep his distance from both her and Ace. What should I do?

Reply: I figured this would happen. Don't worry, I've got a plan.

The past few weeks were rather uneventful for Esme. She knew it was too good to be true, and was likely silence before a big storm. A few days earlier, however, she began to feel unwell. Tired, achy, grumpy, nauseous, all stuff she had experienced before. The nausea was especially concerning to her as she hadn't felt that way since they got back from Pine Valley following her overdose. She chalked it up to nerves, as today was the day she and Nelle were to move back to Wyndemere, tomorrow was the first meeting the group would be having since returning from Pine Valley, and the day after was when her classes at PCU were to start. She decided to take a creative writing class and a psychology class. She didn't have particular interest in pursuing careers in either of these fields, but thought they seemed interesting. Nelle, of course, was glad to help care for Ace while Esme was at school. But just to be sure there wasn't anything going on, she made a quick trip to the pharmacy before heading to the pier with Nelle and Ace.

They were sitting at the pier, waiting for the launch to arrive which would take them out to Spoon Island. Esme was holding Ace on her lap.

Nelle: You alright Esme? You seem rather quiet.

Esme: I'm just nervous, both about moving back to Wyndemere and starting college.

Nelle: I can understand why you're nervous about college, and I of course will be here for you and will help you any way I can. But why Wyndemere? I thought you wanted to live there.

Esme: I, uh, just fear it will bring back memories. Mainly of being locked in the tower, but seeing it might make me recall some of the other less pleasant memories.

Nelle: But you have good memories there too, right?

Esme: Um, I guess. But Spence was there, and I miss him, and I need him now more than ever!

Nelle: And we'll get him, I promise.

Esme: Thank you.

*They can see the launch approaching the docks. Esme points at it*

Esme: Look Ace, we're going to go for a ride on a boat!

Ace: Bo!

Esme: Oh my god, did you hear that?

Nelle: Sure did!

Esme: Is "boat" your first word Ace?

*Ace doesn't say anything else. The launch arrives at the docks, and Esme and Nelle get on board. They help Ace into his life vest before putting theirs on, and the boat departs. This is the first time Esme has been on the launch since getting her memories back. The water seems a bit rougher than she remembered. Her nausea flares up as they sail. She had done enough vomiting in Pine Valley to last a lifetime, and hoped it wouldn't happen again here. The boat gets closer to the island, and they can see Wyndemere in the distance. They were almost there, and Esme was already getting ready to disembark, when...*

Nelle: Hold it! Stop, stop.

*The pilot turns the motor off, and the boat stops and turns slightly around, and bobs up and down with the water. Esme feels even more nauseous. Nelle looks up at the mansion.*

Esme: What happened?

Nelle: I just want to check something that wouldn't be visible from any of the windows.

Esme: What is it?

Nelle: Maybe I can see it better though binoculars.

*The pilot hands her a pair of binoculars. Nelle spends several seconds looking at the mansion. She seems to be focusing on a particular area.*

Esme: What's going on?

Nelle: Hmm, I can't see it. Maybe from another angle?

*The pilot starts up the motor and moves the boat a little ways around the island to get a better view of the parapet.*

Nelle: Hey Esme, do you notice any cracks in the parapet?

*She motions for Esme to hand Ace to her so Esme can take the binoculars. Esme notices that some of the stone pieces look like they had very small cracks, but if Nelle hasn't told her about them, she wouldn't have noticed.*

Esme: I suppose I can see some small cracks.

Nelle: The stonemason I had to do some work elsewhere in the mansion told me to check it out. He said it's enough to where the parapet could potentially collapse, but I can't really see any sign that it's about to happen. Maybe my eyes are going bad?

Esme: Can we please go to the house? I'm feeling very nauseous.

Nelle: Oh, I'm sorry! Here, let me take those.

*She hands the binoculars to Nelle, who gives them back to the pilot, and hands Ace back over to Esme.*

Nelle: Okay, let's carry on!

*The pilot starts up the motor and sails back around the island to the front of the mansion. As soon as they reach the dock, Esme hurries off of the boat with Ace.*

Nelle: You sure you're alright Esme?

Esme: Still a bit queasy but I'm feeling a little better now that we're here. I haven't felt so nauseous since Pine Valley.

Nelle: That's not good. How long have you been feeling like this?

*Esme tries to think of the best response, as she doesn't want to make Nelle overly concerned.*

Esme: Not all that long.

Nelle: Let's go inside then. Maybe seeing what I've done with the place will help you feel better.

Esme: I hope so.

*They head inside. Esme is in awe of how different everything looks! She recognizes the rooms as exactly the same spaces, only the interior design was a lot more Gothic than it had been before. The wood paneling in the living room was gone, revealing richly textured stone. The door leading to the back garden now had beautiful, beveled diamond-shaped panes of glass in it, with a more traditional curtain. The ornate fireplace mantel was stripped of the hideous faux-marble Ava had painted it with. Gone was the ugly designer furniture that Ava made such a stink about keeping spotless (including the sofa on which Esme gave birth to Ace) and replaced with more traditional furniture, as were the wall sconces which looked a bit too modern for a place like Wyndemere. The original candelabra lamps were restored and put back where the sconces were. It was different, yet beautiful.*

Nelle: I tried to bring back a lot of the original details, and I was somewhat inspired by Wildwind.

Esme: It's nice.

Nelle: And let me show you your room.

*Nelle leads Esme to the room she and Spencer stayed in when she had been living there. It received a similar restoration. She remembers how comfortable the bed is and can't wait to plop down onto it.*

Nelle: Ace's room is just across the hall from your room.

*She leads Esme to a room that Nelle had set up as a nursery. It was much larger than the room he had slept in at the Dawn of Day house. There was a crib, a playpen, a changing table, and a bunch of toys, some of which Esme knew Ace was a bit young for, as well as stuffed animals.*

Esme: There are so many toys!

Nelle: I figured Ace will eventually want some additional things to play with as he gets older, so I thought I'd get a head start.

Esme: Thank you so much Nelle.

*Esme notices Ace is getting sleepy*

Esme: I think it's naptime for Ace.

Nelle: I think so too. Learning a new word must have tired him out.

*They both laugh as Esme puts Ace in the crib, kisses him on the head, and turns the monitor on. Nelle then proceeds to give Esme a full tour of the mansion, including rooms that she didn't even know were there. So many secret passageways. It felt even more like a castle than it had when she and Spencer were living there with Nikolas. They then reach the stairs that lead up to the North Tower.*

Nelle: I can totally understand not wanting to go to the tower where Nikolas had held you, so it's up to you whether you want to see it.

Esme: You've shown me the rest of the house, so yes I would like to see it.

Nelle: Follow me!

*They climb the stairs and come to the entrance to the room Nikolas held Esme captive in. The transformation couldn't have been more stunning! What was formerly a dusty storage room filled with empty picture frames and old books was now a very elegant study, with bookcases lining most of the walls and portraits, many of which in the frames that had previously been lying around, now hanging on the walls above the bookcases. In the middle of the room were two plush sofas with a coffee table between them, and an elegant Persian rug underneath. There was a warm fire crackling away in the fireplace, which made the room feel very cozy. The biggest differences were there was no longer a bed, with a computer desk against the wall where the bed had been (Esme remembered Nikolas telling her there was no Wi-Fi access in that part of the mansion when she asked for a computer), and the windows which Nikolas had boarded up were replaced with very ornate stained glass. Nelle also pointed out something Esme hadn't noticed when they entered the room.*

Nelle: No one will be locked up in here ever again, as I've removed the doors. *She indicates the empty archway where the doors had been.* I figured this would be an additional place for people hang out in, read, study, and what have you. And that way, when we rent out the rooms, you and I can still have the main living room downstairs to ourselves. What do you think?

*Esme looks over to the doorway next to the computer, which led into a small bathroom.*

Esme: I think I have to pee.

Nelle: Okay then.

*Esme goes into the bathroom and closes the door, and is pleased to see that the button to lock the door is now on the inside of the bathroom. Nelle sits down on one of the sofas and watches the fire in the fireplace. She is concerned due to Esme's seemingly unenthusiastic reaction to the renovation of Wyndemere. Maybe Esme had an upset stomach? She mentioned she was nauseous, but Nelle had dismissed it as motion-sickness from the boat ride. A few minutes go by, and Nelle hears what sounds like Esme crying through the bathroom door. Nelle gets up and stands outside the door.*

Nelle: Are you okay Esme?

Esme (Tearfully): No.

Nelle: What's wrong?

*A visibly-distraught Esme comes out of the bathroom.*

Esme: This.

*In Esme's hand is a positive pregnancy test!*

COMING UP: Nelle holds the first group meeting for All Our Children since coming back from Pine Valley, while Spencer has some explaining to do regarding the Pensieve Pill.