Chapter 31 – Bon Voyage
SEINE RIVER, FRANCE
Dr. Arthur Cabot and his henchman Warrington were aboard their helicopter, frantically trying to locate the yacht on which Spencer and Trina were spending the night. Things were not going to plan, and Cabot insisted they must find Spencer and Trina before the authorities did.
*Dr. Cabot looks through his binoculars down at the water, illuminated by the helicopter's searchlight. He spots the yacht*
Cabot: There it is! That's the vessel! There's a helipad on the deck! That's where we land!
Helicopter pilot: I can't do that sir!
Cabot: Why not?
Pilot: Because there's nowhere to land sir!
Cabot: Did you not pay attention in flight academy? Look down at the vessel! There's a helipad on the deck! It's that circle with an H in the center! THAT'S WHERE YOU LAND!
Pilot: Look down at the vessel and you'll see that the helipad is already occupied!
*Cabot and Warrington look down at the yacht and see an air ambulance on the helipad. They exchange nervous glances. Down below, the paramedics are loading Trina, who is still unconscious, into the air ambulance. One of them spots Cabot's helicopter and points at the sky.
Paramedic 1: Regardez, là-haut! It's the search and rescue team!
Paramedic 2: Quel soulagement! They will find Monsieur Cassadine. Let's get Mademoiselle Robinson to the hospital!
*The air ambulance takes off. Meanwhile, Cabot's pilot listens through his radio*
Pilot: The Robinson girl's alright! She's being taken to a hospital.
Cabot: How about Cassadine?
Pilot: He's fallen into the water sir!
*Cabot's eyes widen with panic*
Cabot: Are they sure it's him?
Pilot: The cameras on the boat showed Robinson falling unconscious on deck, but Cassadine fell over the railing and into the water. And the paramedics seem to think we're a search and rescue team!
Cabot: Well, what are we waiting for? We've got the necessary equipment on board!
Pilot: But we don't have a qualified search-and-rescue team on board, sir! We'll need divers! And the odds of Cassadine being found is very slim, and even if he were, he's most likely drowned by now, so we should prepare to do a search and recovery.
Cabot: I don't care if he's alive or dead! It's essential we find him before someone else does!
Pilot: Why?
Cabot: So we can do our job!
Warrington: What job is there to do? We did not get to the vessel in time before Cassadine fell overboard!
Cabot: That is why we must find him before the authorities do! Hopefully he can still be of use to us.
Warrington: What do you mean, sir?
Cabot: We can still remove his memories!
Warrington: With all due respect sir, you are insane!
Elsewhere in Paris, Kevin and Laura were in their hotel room. Neither of them had heard anything from Spencer or Trina since early in the morning, when Spencer texted them to say he was feeling a lot better than he had been the previous day, and he and Trina were going to do some sightseeing. It was now nearly midnight, and Laura was getting worried.
She had texted both Spencer and Trina earlier in the day to check in, but neither of them responded. At the time, she thought nothing of it, but a few hours later, she called Spencer, but he didn't pick up. She left him a message, then tried to call Trina, but she also didn't pick up. Eventually it seemed as if both of them had turned their phones off, as they went straight to voicemail. Kevin watched as Laura paced around nervously and tried to reassure her.
Kevin: Laura, I know you're really worried about Spencer, and I won't lie I'm concerned about him given what he's been through these past few days. But at the same time, there is nothing to suggest that anything's wrong. I'm sure he's enjoying his final evening with Trina before she heads off to school at the Sorbonne. I think we should let him enjoy himself.
Laura: I know, I know, but it's really hard not to worry about this.
*Laura's phone rings. She sees an unfamiliar number on the Caller ID but decides to answer anyway*
Laura: Hello? This is she. What?! Oh my god, are you sure? Does she know what happened? She's still unconscious?! Right, okay, we'll be there.
*She hangs up and begins to cry*
Kevin: Are you okay?
*Laura shakes her head and hugs Kevin tightly. It takes her several seconds for her to regain her composure enough to talk*
Kevin: What happened?
Laura (sobbing): They found Trina unconscious on the yacht and have taken her to the hospital! They suspect maybe she was poisoned.
Kevin: And Spencer?
Laura: They can't find him! They say it's likely that he and Trina both were poisoned, and Trina fainted on the deck, but they are thinking that Spencer most likely fell off the side of the boat!
*She and Kevin hug. Even though Kevin seems to be maintaining his composure, Laura can tell that he isn't taking the news well. They both are trying to console each other.*
Laura: Well I guess we should go see if Trina is okay!
Kevin: Alright.
Laura: I'm going to have to find a way to…tell Portia what happened.
Kevin: Maybe we should hold off on doing that until we get to the hospital.
Laura: Okay.
*They head down to the parking lot and get into their rental car. Kevin drives to the hospital while Laura sits in the passenger seat and looks at her own reflection in the side mirror*
Laura: Please be okay Spencer!
PORT CHARLES
Nelle got up later than she usually did following her bad night's sleep and went down to the dining room to find Esme giving Ace his breakfast. She noticed that Esme didn't look like she had gotten much sleep either, as she seemed very groggy, her normally silky hair was in need of brushing, and she hadn't done her makeup yet and there were dark circles under her eyes. She noticed Ace seemed crankier too.
*Esme (to Ace): Come on Ace, I know this stuff looks very gross, but please, just eat it! It's good for you! *She holds a spoon full of food out in front of his face, but he refuses to eat it*
Nelle (yawning): Good morning you two.
Esme: This doesn't seem like an especially good morning for any of us.
Nelle: It sure doesn't! I woke up in the middle of the night all sweaty, and feeling very anxious. First time that's happened since we've been back from Pine Valley.
Esme: Me too. I couldn't sleep, and neither could Ace. Did you hear him crying all night?
Nelle: I didn't, though as you know my room is downstairs and on the other side of the house, and the walls are very thick.
Esme: I'm glad you at least didn't have to wake up to tend to a screaming baby right when you finally were starting to fall asleep. My morning sickness was especially bad as well. There has to be some reason why none of us got any quality sleep last night and all are cranky.
*Ace starts crying, and Esme picks him up and tries to comfort him*
Nelle: I don't know. Maybe we should do something today to sort of have a little break from our usual routine. Unless you're busy with your assignments?
Esme: No they're finished. Too tired to care if they're any good. But you're right, I could use a break. I think Ace could too.
Nelle: How about after we've all freshened up and you and I have some breakfast, we can go out and do some errands. I know you've wanted to see me use my "secret weapon" for a while now.
*Esme smiles at the thought.*
Esme: That sounds like fun!
Nelle: Great!
Esme managed to get Ace to eat a few more bites of food before Esme threw the rest of it in the garbage ("I understand, Ace, I hated eating that stuff too when I was your age," she said). They then showered, got dressed, and did their makeup. Esme had been looking forward to how Nelle was able to make herself look so different.*
*Nelle is in her bedroom looking at herself in the mirror on her dresser. Esme is on the bed holding Ace on her lap.*
Nelle: This is going to take a while so if you or Ace get bored and want to do something else, I understand.
Esme: Okay, though I can't wait to see this.
Nelle: You've already seen the finished product. Watching me put it on might spoil the illusion.
Esme: That reminds me of the time Spence got a lava lamp for his dorm at school. We both thought they were the coolest thing, but then we learned that the "lava" is actually melted wax, and that ruined the illusion for me. Wow, that was really random! I don't know why I suddenly thought about that.
Nelle: Nothing wrong with randomness, but it was probably how I mentioned ruining the illusion.
Esme: Probably so. *Laughs*
*Nelle begins to apply the makeup*
Nelle: So, as you saw, a big part of this is making myself look older. Not "old" as in frail and elderly, but old enough to have many years of experience under my belt so that people don't underestimate me so much.
*Esme watches as Nelle uses various tones to give her face typical "older" characteristics such as age spots and broken capillaries*
Nelle: And then the next step is to give myself wrinkles, and this is probably the most time-consuming part.
*She takes a latex-based "wrinkle" formula, and dabs it around her eyes, letting it dry, and then applying more*
Nelle: If you notice I'm stretching the skin out as I'm applying it, and once it dries, you'll notice that it pulls the skin in the opposite direction.
Esme: Aren't you worried about it damaging your skin?
Nelle: This is the same stuff makeup departments for movies use to make actors appear older than they really are. If people see me the way I naturally look, they'll see the person I used to be, whom they're convinced I still am. Now I suppose if I do it every day it will damage my skin, so that's why I only do this occasionally. Unfortunately, this is what I am forced to do. I must literally put on a face.
*She finishes applying the latex formula and applies some water to wash away the powdery residue. Once she's finished, Esme is amazed at how convincing it is*
Esme: Oh my god!
Nelle: I know, right? And I'm not finished just yet. I of course need different hair...
*She puts her long, strawberry-blonde hair into a braid and carefully tucks it underneath a wig of slightly shorter, light brown hair with a few flecks of grey at the front*
Nelle: And now the real nasty part…I need to stain my teeth. This stuff tastes like poison.
*She uses a stain to make her teeth a bit less white, and has to keep her lips stretched in a wide "smile" while the stain dries. Once everything is finished, she looks in the mirror*
Nelle: Just think, in another 30 years or so I most likely am going to be doing the exact opposite. Trying to make myself look 32 again when I'm really 62!
Esme: Well you look great! And like I told you on the phone, while I can still tell it's you, you really look a lot like Nina! Not that Nina looks old, but…
Nelle: She's aging well, which is amazing considering she was in a coma for over 20 years, including while she was pregnant with me.
Esme: Oh my god!
Nelle: I know. And she spent so many years searching for her daughter, and you and other folks who have seen pictures of us have told me how much we look alike. I just wish that we both were able to see it. If we had, things would have been different.
Esme: Really? I don't know, Nelle. Now that I have my memory back, when I look at pictures of my mother, I don't see any resemblance to me at all. I just see the creepy old woman from Spring Ridge. And that's saying something, as before I lost my memory, I was desperate to find out who my mother was.
*She looks at Ace*
Esme: I just hope Ace isn't afraid of me when I'm older. I have no idea what's going to happen once *sigh* I am forced to face the consequences of what I did to Trina, Joss, and Cam. And even though I'm grateful to you and everyone else in our group, I really hope Spence will come back and help take care of Ace, if I'm forced to go away.
Nelle (talking in her "older woman" voice): Don't worry dear, he'll be back.
*They both start laughing*
PARIS, FRANCE
Laura and Kevin were at the hospital in France, waiting for updates, both about Trina's condition, and Spencer's whereabouts.
Laura: I've gotten in touch with Portia and Curtis. They're both on their way. Dante is coming with them. They're all worried!
Kevin: I know. I'm worried too. About Trina, and Spencer, but also about you.
Laura: I know, and I don't want to add to your worries.
Kevin: Trust me, you're not. This is why I'm here.
Laura: I'm glad Spencer was okay with us tagging along! I can't imagine what would happen if we weren't here.
*She is silent for a few seconds*
Kevin: What is it?
Laura: I can't help but feel that Portia somehow thinks this whole ordeal is Spencer's fault. I know Spencer put Trina through a lot of things that shouldn't have happened, but she seems to think that trouble follows Spencer wherever he goes.
*A doctor walks past the area where they are waiting. They stand up and walk over to him.*
Laura: Excuse me, sir, um, can you tell us anything about Trina Robinson's condition?
Doctor (speaking with a heavy French accent): Are you family of Trina Robinson?
Laura: I'm her boyfriend's grandmother, Laura Collins.
Doctor: Madame Mayor Collins of Port Charles?
Laura: Oui. *Laughs nervously*
Doctor: Madame, I unfortunately cannot tell you very much without Trina Robinson's family here.
Laura: They're on their way. Her mother is very worried, as am I.
Doctor: Well the good news is that Trina does not appear to be in any pain.
Laura: Is she awake?
Doctor: Not yet. But we don't have any reason to believe she won't wake up. We just don't know when. I am sorry that I cannot tell you more right now.
Laura: That's okay. Thank you.
*The doctor smiles and walks away. Kevin hugs Laura and holds her close.*
Laura: I'm not sure how to feel after hearing that.
Kevin: Why don't we sit back down.
Laura: Okay.
*They sit down*
Laura: You know, unfortunately I think Portia might be onto something about trouble following Spencer wherever he goes. A little while ago I got a call from the person Spencer booked the cruise down the Seine with. They looked at the CCTV footage from the yacht and they saw a suspicious person sneak on board, go to the dining room, then come back out and get off the boat, and it was around the time Spencer and Trina boarded. They said that it was a woman in her early-mid-20s with long, straight brown hair…and maybe I'm being paranoid, but that fits Esme's description perfectly.
Kevin: I understand why you might be thinking that, but that description is very vague. Were they able to see her face clearly?
Laura: No. I suppose you're right. We shouldn't automatically assume it's Esme.
Elsewhere in Paris, Betty Rutherford took off her long, brown wig and brushed her fingers through her much shorter natural hair. She then changed out of the dark clothes she had worn aboard the ship and put everything into a backpack, before tossing the backpack into a garbage can and setting it on fire. She now had to find a way to get rid of the bottle of wine without arousing suspicion. She knew that it was a very rare, very expensive wine, and it would be a shame to waste it.
She took the bottle of wine back to her hotel room. She turned on the TV, intending to see if there were any good French rom-coms available on-demand, and saw the live news coverage of the search for a young American tourist who had fallen into the Seine River during a private cruise while the young woman he was with had been airlifted to the hospital after being found unconscious. She was only semi-fluent in French and couldn't know for sure what they were saying without subtitles, but she had the sinking suspicion that the young man they were talking about was Spencer Cassadine, and her suspicion was confirmed when they showed a picture of Spencer and Trina together.
She realized the critical mistake she had made. She had been in such a hurry to finally be free of all the burdens she had been carrying over as a result of crossing paths with the wrong people that rather than remaining on the boat to make sure that Spencer and Trina got to the bedroom safely and waited for Cabot and his men to pick them up, she instead had bolted after planting the bottle of grape juice laced with sedatives. By leaving, she had no way of knowing if either of them had even drank any of it, and if they had, she had no way of knowing if either of them hadn't possibly passed out and potentially fallen into the water. Not only that, but in doing so, she was now enemies with the entire Pikeman organization on top of Sonny, Mason, and Cyrus, especially if either Spencer or Trina (or both) were dead. Jack Brennan had offered her an opportunity to do one task for them in exchange for lifelong protection from Sonny and allowing her to get back to her old life, and she had blown it.
The rescue crews spent all night searching the Seine for any sign of Spencer. By morning however, they were forced to abandon what little hope they had of finding him at all, let alone alive. There was no way that he could have survived falling into the frigid cold water on a winter's night and being swept away by the current. Spencer Cassadine was legally declared dead.
What nobody knew was that Cabot and his crew had already retrieved Spencer hours earlier. They found him near Normandy, barely alive, and had bribed the crew to not alert the authorities. They flew him back to Cabot's clinic in London.
LONDON, ENGLAND
Cabot: Get him to the lab! Now!
*They move Spencer into the lab and hook him up to machinery monitoring his very weak heart rate and shallow breathing. Dr. Cabot then begins attaching EEG sensors to his head.*
Warrington: Sir, this is highly unethical! We rescued him from the Seine yet we're not reuniting him with his family? I've received word that his grandmother and her husband are in Paris. Trina Robinson's family are on their way, as well as, from what I understand, a detective from the PCPD who will use every means possible to locate Spencer.
Cabot: Any word on Trina Robinson?
Warrington: She's in hospital, still unconscious. But it's only a matter of time before she wakes up, and she's no doubt going to want to know what happened!
Cabot: Then she shall be told that Cassadine has been declared dead, as that's exactly what's happened.
Warrington: But he isn't dead, sir.
Cabot: He's not likely to wake up though, and if he does, he no doubt will have brain damage as a result of being deprived of oxygen for so long. Which is why we must recover his memories while we still can.
Warrington: Forgive me sir, but what's the point in removing his memories now that he's been officially declared dead? You said it yourself that Janelle Clayton trusted us to retrieve Cassadine and Robinson from the vessel and brought to our facility to remove their memories they have of their time together so they would forget about each other and carry on with their lives as if they had never crossed paths, and that way Cassadine could go back to Port Charles and be a committed father to his children with Esme Prince.
Cabot: That is exactly what I said.
Warrington: Well, hasn't the fact that they found Trina unconscious and brought her to the hospital compromised this whole operation?
Cabot: Not completely.
Warrington: What do you mean "not completely?" The whole point of doing this was to remove their memories of each other so they can go their separate ways.
Cabot: And they can still do that. Just not in the way we initially planned.
Warrington: But we have betrayed Miss Clayton's trust!
Cabot: No we haven't. That was entirely Betty Rutherford's doing. She did not remain aboard the vessel like she should have. We shall let Jack Brennan deal with her, as she's not our problem anymore. As far as Cassadine goes, he can still be of use to me, and my ongoing research into memory mapping!
Warrington: How so?
Cabot: Spencer Cassadine currently is in the state where, as they say, his life is flashing before his eyes. All his memories are ripe for plucking!
Warrington: You're going to remove all of his memories?
Cabot: Indeed!
Warrington: Why, sir?
Cabot: Oh, come now! Who wouldn't want the memories of the young Prince Cassadine archived, if he has no hope of ever regaining consciousness? In the off chance he does recover, some of these memories might be able to be implanted back into him depending on if his brain is able to heal, but that outcome is very slim, and it would be many months until we're able to find out. Perhaps even longer. It would be foolish of us to tell his family that we've managed to save him when in fact we haven't, but as of right now, his brain is still active. So we must act quickly!
*Warrington watches as Cabot switches on the memory machine*
Portia Robinson and Curtis Ashford (not completely recovered from his paralysis as a result of being shot), were at the airport, waiting for their flight to Paris. They were both sick with worry, but Portia was especially unconsolable.
Portia (sobbing): I knew being with Spencer would put Trina's life in danger!
Curtis: Do you really think Spencer is responsible for this?
Portia: He's responsible for everything that has happened to Trina ever since they started dating! Not just him but also his great uncle Victor! That entire Cassadine family is evil! And of course there's Esme on top of everyone else.
Curtis: I know why you would say that, but do you really think Spencer would let anything happen to Trina? He loves her!
Portia: It doesn't matter. I want Spencer out of her life! I know I've made a lot of mistakes as her mother, but I don't understand why she would put her life in danger by continuing to date him. He's broken her heart so many times, and not to mention he continues to associate with Esme. And now she says she plans on helping him get custody of Ace, and told me that Spencer now is convinced that Ace is his son!
Curtis: Well honey, Spencer has been in Ace's life from the beginning. Spencer might not be the best role model, but Nikolas is even worse. And I know Trina cares about Ace, even though he's not her son.
Portia: That's correct. He's not her son. His mother is the woman who framed my daughter, our daughter, for revenge porn! And now she wants to adopt her son? No! I will not allow it!
Curtis: Portia, I understand how you're feeling, but you're not taking into consideration the fact that Trina is a grown woman. She's capable of making her own decisions, and she's much stronger than you give her credit for.
Portia: *Sigh* You're right.
Curtis: Look, now really is not the time to discuss this. We both are worried about Trina, but right now we need to focus on supporting her through this ordeal, and not worry about what's going to happen in the future. Pressuring her into breaking up with Spencer is only going to push her away.
Portia: You're right…you're right.
*She sighs and leans against Curtis, who puts his arm around her. They remain sitting together, not saying anything, until their flight arrives and begins boarding*
*Cabot looks at the computer screen*
Cabot: Ahh! Look at those beautiful brain waves! I told you our job would be easy!
*Cabot takes out an empty flash drive and inserts it into the USB port in the computer. They both watch the status bar on the screen showing the memory transfer progress while noticing the indicator showing Spencer's brain activity gradually decreasing*
Cabot: Look at how easily the memories are flowing out of him! No Pensive Pills necessary!
*The memory transfer finishes, and Cabot removes the drive, affixes the label "Spencer Cassadine" and puts it away in the drawer. He then shuts down the memory machine. As he does so, the alarm on the heart monitor starts beeping!*
Warrington: Sir, he's arresting!
Cabot: Well don't just stand there! Get the crash team!
*Warrington complies. The team rushes into the room with the crash cart. They try to restart Spencer's heart with the defibrillator, but their efforts are in vain*
Warrington: Aren't you going to call the time of death, Doctor?!
Cabot: That will not be necessary, as he's already legally been declared dead by the authorities.
*He switches off the heart monitor*
Warrington: Do you not realize what you've done? You've just killed Spencer Cassadine!
Cabot: His chances of surviving such frigid temperatures after falling into the Seine in the middle of winter were already very slim. I'm surprised he was alive when we found him.
Warrington: Well he certainly isn't alive anymore!
*Cabot sighs, looks down, and is silent for several seconds*
Cabot: He might still have a chance at being revived, but I am not the one to make it happen, as it is not my area of expertise. Go on and take him to the freezer, and get it ready for transport. You know where to take him.
Warrington: Right.
*Warrington does as instructed. Spencer's seemingly lifeless body is placed into a cryogenic freezer, which, in turn, is placed in a large shipping container. The container is loaded onto a cargo aircraft*
Cabot: Make sure he gets there safely. This means not letting him out of your sight, even for a moment! You don't want to end up in the same predicament as Betty Rutherford!
Warrington: Yes, sir!
*Warrington gets inside the aircraft, and they take off*
Nelle, Esme, and Ace were enjoying their day out in Port Charles. Esme felt much more comfortable and confident than she had in quite some time, perhaps for the first time since returning from Pine Valley. It felt good to get out of the house and act like ordinary people, without having everyone eying her suspiciously like they were at PCU. Nelle likewise felt good, even though she had to disguise both her face and voice.
They had lunch at the Port Charles Surf Lodge, a place that neither of them knew existed and hence felt like nobody there would recognize them. After they were finished eating, they decided to take Ace for a short walk through the park on their way to the grocery store. They were walking down the path, talking and laughing, when Esme noticed a familiar-looking woman approaching with a young boy walking along next to her, and a baby in a stroller. Esme looked apprehensively at Nelle, who seemed totally unphased.
Esme: Um, hi Willow. That's your name, right?
Willow: Yes it is. Hello Esme. I heard about what happened in Pine Valley. How's your head?
Esme: Oh, it's fine. Now that I've had a chance to recover, I feel pretty much the same as before.
Willow: Before when?
*Esme gets the feeling that Willow is trying to interrogate her and is careful not to tell Willow too much about recovering her memory*
Esme: Oh, I meant, before I fell. For a while I was getting really bad headaches, and was on a drug that I thought was a headache medication, but was actually-
Willow: Those "Pensieve Pills" I've heard about. Your friend Leann filled me in.
Esme: She did?
Willow: Yes. I called her because I wanted to ask if she could babysit for me and my husband Michael, and she wasn't available because she was still in Pine Valley with you. That was very good of her to stay with you. She told me she is thinking about becoming a nurse, so she did the right thing.
Esme: Umm, yeah, I guess. *Laughs nervously* Oh, um, this is my friend Jan Clayton, she's the director of All Our Children.
Nelle: Hello Willow, it's so nice to meet you!
Willow: It's nice to meet you too! I've heard so many wonderful things about All Our Children, and the work that you do.
Nelle: Well thank you. It feels really good to be making a difference supporting young parents in caring for their children and for themselves. There are too many parents who unfortunately aren't able to give their children the care they need because they are struggling.
Willow: I most certainly could have used that help when I was younger. Actually, I kind of still can.
Nelle: Of course! What do you need?
Willow: Well, my husband and I have been going through a rough time these past several months. I've been trying to reconcile with my mother, whom I have always had a strained relationship with. Honestly, I don't think we will get to the point where we will have the type of relationship that a mother and daughter should have, simply because she didn't raise me, but it nonetheless is something we both need to do for the sake of healing. But Michael and his mother Carly are not making it easy. That woman never seems to allow Michael to think for himself and be his own person. Whenever Michael dares do something that isn't what Carly would do in that same situation, Carly gives him a hard time about it and won't back down unless Michael changes his mind. For the longest time neither of them were on board with me allowing my mother to see Wiley, but I tried to get Michael to agree to let her see him, but Carly talked him out of it, and we've been arguing about it. Michael is burying himself in work because of how much we're arguing, so I've been caring for the kids pretty much by myself, and could really use a break. I was wondering if perhaps Leann would be available soon.
Wiley: I like Leann! She took me to see Grandma Carly at the restaurant while Mommy took Amelia to the hospital. I was really worried about Amelia, but Leann helped me feel better. Grandma Carly really likes her too!
Esme: I'm glad you like Leann, and I know she likes you too, and will be happy to hear it. I'll be sure to tell her next time I talk to her.
Willow: So she's not in Port Charles?
Esme: She's staying in Pine Valley for the time being. She also didn't know who either of her parents were growing up, and unlike me, was never adopted, so instead she spent a good portion of her childhood first in a clinic, as she was born with a heart condition, then was later moved to an orphanage. She was told that her parents didn't want her because she was so weak from her heart condition that they left her at the hospital after she was born. But while I was recovering in the hospital after…what happened, Leann figured out that Pine Valley most likely was where she was born, and that she most likely was taken away from her parents, who were then led to believe that she had died. There's a lot more to it, but basically, she's decided to stay in Pine Valley to try and piece together what actually must have happened to her parents. She plans to come back eventually, but she's not sure when. But I'll tell her you said hi.
Nelle: And meanwhile, Esme can babysit for you!
*Esme turns around and looks at Nelle with a stunned expression on her face*
Esme: I…can? I can, yes, I can babysit for you…if you'd like. I know I don't have the best reputation so I can understand why you might not feel comfortable.
Nelle: Esme has made so much progress since she came to me. She's learned so much about herself, and even though she's faced some additional challenges, she's come out of it a much stronger person. I am so proud of her!
*Hearing Nelle say these words causes Esme to feel very awkward. While she is happy to hear Nelle sticking up for her and acknowledging all her hard work, she couldn't help but feel like a young child whose mother was praising them for doing everything that was expected of them, rather than working extra hard to achieve goals they personally set for themselves. It also made her feel awkward because she was right there, and could easily be telling Willow these things herself, rather than Nelle doing it for her. Nonetheless, it felt good to hear someone speaking positively about her for a change*
Esme: Yes, it feels good to finally be taking steps to make my life better, and I hope that I can give back to society.
Willow: Well I certainly see how devoted you are to Ace! I'll have to talk to Michael about it, but between you and me, I can see how hard you're working, and I don't think you deliberately got addicted to those pills. I also think that the way you were treated after you came back from Pine Valley was extremely cruel! I don't want to talk badly about my mother-in-law, but-
Esme: You don't have to. Just hearing you acknowledge that it was unfair means a lot to me. It's honestly the kindest thing anyone outside of All Our Children has said to me since I've been back…
*Esme gets choked up*
Esme: *Sniff* I'm trying to go back to PCU and be a better person but I'm being harassed every day, and one of my professors is making my class unnecessarily difficult and I'm likely going to drop that class. And I have a guy who is stalking me. So it's likely that I'll drop out, in which case my schedule will be very open. *Sniff* But even if I don't drop all my classes, I'll still be available most of the time.
Willow: I'll have to talk to Michael about it, but I personally don't have a problem with it at all. You deserve a second chance, especially since you regret everything you did and want to change.
Esme: I do, and thank you.
Willow: Of course.
Esme takes out a piece of paper from her purse, writes down her number, and hands it to Willow*
Esme: Here's my number.
Willow: Great, thanks!
Esme: Sure.
Willow: I have to get going, but I'll be in touch.
Esme: Okay, have a good day.
Nelle: It was so nice meeting you Willow! Have a wonderful day!
Willow: Thanks, you too.
Wiley: Bye Esme!
*Esme awkwardly waves goodbye. Once Willow, Wiley, and Amelia are out of earshot, Esme turns back to Nelle.*
Esme: Why did you do that?
Nelle: Do what?
Esme: Volunteer me to be a babysitter without asking me first.
Nelle: Because I think it's a wonderful opportunity for you to get back on your feet and show the rest of Port Charles that you're a changed woman!
Esme: But for Willow of all people? She's Carly's daughter-in-law! That woman didn't seem to care at all about how I almost died, and threatened to evict me the second I walked in the door after I got back from Pine Valley.
Nelle: Willow isn't Carly. Besides, she mentioned that she and Michael are having trouble in their marriage, and personally I think she can do so much better. But if anything, Carly will see that you're good with the kids and in time will probably change her mind. And you know, she has a lot of influence in this town, so if she starts singing your praises, everyone else will too.
Esme: I think "singing my praises" is a bit much, but I suppose you're right. It's time I showed the rest of Port Charles that I am a changed woman!
Nelle: There you go!
Esme: Thank you Nelle.
Nelle: Of course.
*They finish up their shopping, then head back to Wyndemere. Once they walk in the door, Esme takes Ace into his room and puts him down for his afternoon nap. She then takes out her phone and starts browsing, and notices the headline*
NEWS REPORT
SPENCER CASSADINE PRESUMED DEAD
The 22-year-old Cassadine heir is believed to have fallen overboard while on a cruise down the Seine river in France with his girlfriend.
PARIS, FRANCE - Spencer Cassadine, the 22-year-old son of Prince Nikolas Cassadine and grandson of Port Charles mayor Laura Collins, is presumed to have drowned while vacationing in Paris with his girlfriend, 22-year-old Trina Robinson. According to authorities, Cassadine had booked a private overnight cruise down the Seine river. He was last spotted around 8 PM Central European Time boarding the vessel with Robinson. At approximately 11 PM, Robinson was found unconscious on the deck. CCTV footage showed Cassadine and Robinson standing on the deck near the railing before Robinson turned around and collapsed unconscious, while Cassadine fell overboard. Robinson was airlifted to a local French hospital, where she remains in stable condition. Authorities have called off the search for Cassadine, stating that due to the frigid 5C (41F) water temperature and strong current, it is unlikely that he survived.
Cassadine's grandmother, Port Charles mayor Laura Collins, has stated that her grandson had recently reconciled with Robinson following a breakup earlier in the month, and wanted to accompany Robinson to Paris to help her get settled in at the Sorbonne, where Robinson had been accepted into the art program. According to Collins, she and her husband, Dr. Kevin Collins, had been concerned about Spencer after he illegally obtained a mnemeophrine tablet. The highly controversial drug, normally prescribed to elderly dementia patients, is said to aid in memory recovery, however, it is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance by the NIH for its high rate of abuse among teens and young adults. At high dosages, mnemeophrine can cause hallucinations in which a person believes they are re-living their memory, hence why the drug is commonly referred to as the "Pensieve Pill." However, Mayor Collins has stated that she does not believe her grandson obtained the drug for recreational purposes.
"Spencer had been struggling with an unpleasant memory of a fight with his ex-girlfriend, after which he apparently got drunk for the purpose of forgetting about it," Collins said. "He eventually began remembering bits and pieces, but he wanted to remember the whole thing, hence why he took the pill. My husband and I came home to find him hallucinating and at one point he mistook me for his ex-girlfriend. It was so frightening to see him like that!"
Mayor Collins's husband, Kevin Collins, a psychiatrist, stated that Spencer did not appear to have overdosed, but he and his wife were concerned about the aftereffects of the drug. "Spencer was very lucky to not have permanent brain damage," Dr. Collins said, "but Laura and I cautioned him that he would likely experience withdrawal effects such as severe headaches and short-term memory loss, which he began struggling with the following day. I advised him not to drink any alcohol until he was sure that it was out of his system."
"We both were very concerned about him traveling such a long way while he was still recovering, especially with his girlfriend," Mayor Collins said. "We wanted to accompany him to Paris to make sure that he was okay. We knew he had purchased a bottle of wine which he meant to present to Trina during the cruise, and we urged him not to drink it. However, that morning, we had spoken to him, and he said that he felt back to his old self, so we thought it was safe for him to drink. In hindsight, I really wish he had waited."
Authorities do not think it is likely that the mnemeophrine was a factor in Spencer's falling overboard but are not ruling out foul play. "The fact that Spencer and Trina both fell unconscious at the same time suggests that they were drugged," said Det. Dante Falconeri with the PCPD, who accompanied Robinson's parents to Paris and is aiding in the investigation. "We have reason to believe the beverage that Spencer had purchased for the cruise is the culprit. The substance in the bottle, which was labelled as an expensive French wine, appears to be grape juice, which likely was laced with sedatives."
Falconeri stated that the authorities do not consider Spencer to be responsible. "Highly unlikely," he said. "We believe that the bottle of wine that Spencer had purchased was swapped out with the bottle of grape juice shortly before he and Trina boarded the yacht. The CCTV footage showed a suspicious person who boarded the yacht around the same time as Spencer and Trina, only to then get off the yacht before it departed."
The suspect is described as a white female in her early-to-mid-20s with long, brown hair. Anyone with information is urged to contact police.
Esme sat in disbelief at what she had just read. Spencer was dead! She had been counting on him to come back to her and help take care of Ace, like he had promised, regardless of whether or not he was Ace's biological father. And even if he wasn't Ace's biological father, she was now pregnant with a baby that definitely was his. And now he was dead.
The article made it sound like Spencer, after taking the Pensieve Pill, decided that getting back together with Esme was a mistake, and instead was going to make things work with Trina, despite the fact that she didn't think they were compatible with each other and would likely break up again. They were not meant to be. If it weren't for Esme's mother Heather, aka the Hook Killer, Rory Cabrera would still be alive, and he and Trina would likely still be together. She felt they were much more compatible, as Rory was a cop, just like her dad Marcus Taggert. While dating a cop came with its own risks, Esme felt strongly that at least Trina's parents approved of them. Rory and Trina should have remained together, Esme thought, while Spencer belonged with her. But it didn't matter anymore, since Spencer was dead.
Why, she wondered, did Spencer find it necessary to get a Pensieve Pill? He was aware of how she became addicted to it and nearly died after overdosing. While the drug ultimately helped with her amnesia, it wasn't the reason why it was prescribed to her. He already remembered a lot about their argument following their "official" breakup, and knew there was a possibility that he could be Ace's biological father. What more did he hope to remember by taking such a dangerous drug? Whatever it was, it most likely was the reason why Spencer had been avoiding her, and had seemingly decided against finding out whether or not he was Ace's father. And now that he was apparently dead, he would never know that he had a baby on the way who definitely was his, and the child wouldn't ever get to know their father.
And who was the mysterious girl with long brown hair who was spotted on the boat, who was the person of interest? The description was very vague, yet it matched Esme perfectly, even though she was far from the only girl with long, brown hair in the world. It had to be a setup. She had a feeling that, despite being in Port Charles the entire time, and not even being aware that Spencer had gone out of the country, people would no doubt assume it was her, and that somehow, she had managed to teleport to France, plant a fake bottle of wine on the cruise ship, then teleport back to Port Charles.
She was assuming the worst, when really she had no way of knowing what was going to happen. All she knew was that Spencer was dead. Even though they didn't find the body, there was no way he could have survived.
She went to Nelle's room to find her on the bed, also looking at her phone, her "old lady" makeup starting to peel off her face. Tears were streaming down her cheeks.
Esme (choked up): Nelle?
*Nelle looks at Esme and hugs her tightly, both of them sobbing hysterically. Nelle's own mind was a mix of extreme emotions. On top of being genuinely devastated to hear about Spencer and worried about Esme, Ace, and the new baby now that Spencer was dead, she also blamed herself, as neither Spencer or Trina were supposed to die!*
Nelle: I'm so sorry Esme! This wasn't supposed to happen!
Esme: No it wasn't!
*They both cry on each other's shoulders*
YORK, ENGLAND
The plane carrying Spencer's cryogenically frozen body landed at a small airport just outside the city of York. Cabot's henchman Warrington watched as the crate was unloaded from the plane. He was very confused as he had been told that the facility where Spencer's body was supposed to be taken to was located elsewhere.
Warrington: I don't understand. Why are we in York?
Worker: Because this is as far as we can transport the body by plane. The only way into the facility is through the city walls.
Warrington: Are you sure you're going to the right facility?
Worker: It's the only facility currently in operation since they reopened the project.
Warrington: But according to the directions it's over an hour away from here!
Worker: We will get him there! No need to throw a wobbly.
*Warrington watches nervously as a forklift unloads the shipping container from the plane and loads it into the back of a large truck. The truck driver walks over to the Warrington.*
Driver: Right, follow me!
*Warrington gets into the passenger's seat. The driver starts up the truck and navigates around the outside perimeter of the city walls via a narrow road, which eventually leads through a tunnel, taking them deep underground. They come to a stop at the entrance to an abandoned mine.
Warrington: It's freezing down here!
Driver: Perfect condition for transporting a cryogenically frozen body!
*They get out of the truck and watch as the workers unload the container from the truck and place it on a cart running along tracks on the ground, securing it tightly. A worker walks up to them with some paperwork on a clipboard*
Worker: I'll need both your signatures.
*They sign the document and hand it back to the worker, who tears off the top sheet and hands the yellow carbon copy to Warrington*
Worker: We'll take it from here.
Warrington: Am I not going too?
Worker: No. Only staff with proper security clearance are allowed inside the facility.
*A loud, ominous buzzer sounds, followed by the eerie squeal of the cart's motor as it begins rolling down the track and out of sight*
Driver: Right, let's get out of here.
Warrington: Where are we off to now?
Driver: London.
Warrington: But that's where we just came from!
Driver: You'll be reporting back to Cabot. He'll be needing that document.
Warrington: Why did I take this job?
*He sighs and follows the driver back to the truck, and they drive away, while the cart with Spencer's body rolls down the track to its destination. The workers there unload it and remove the freezer from the shipping container, place it on a trolley, and wheel the trolley through a set of heavy wooden doors, next to which is a sign that reads "Orpheus Labs, Whitby." They wheel it down a dark corridor lit with torch sconces. One of the workers looks up at the round skylights high above them, through which they can see the setting sun, then checks his watch.*
Worker 1: It's nearly dark. The Coroner should be here any minute.
Worker 2: Maybe he already is. Let's go in.
*They pass through another set of double doors which lead into the morgue, where a man with dark, shoulder length hair and a faint goatee is waiting, a hungry look in his eyes.*
Portia, Curtis, Dante, Kevin, and Laura waited at the hospital in France. They were all worried about Trina, both about her health, as well as how she'd react once she learned about what happened to Spencer.
*The doctor walks over to where they are waiting*
Doctor: Trina is awake.
Portia: Oh, thank God! Can we see her?
Doctor: Yes, but only one person at a time. She is very confused about what happened.
*The doctor leads Portia into Trina's room. Trina appears very groggy*
Trina: Mom…
*Portia walks over to Trina and gently strokes the top of her head*
Trina: Where…am I?
Portia: You're safe sweetie.
Trina: Why? What…happened?
Portia: I don't think we should talk about it now. I'm just glad you're okay.
Trina: I want to know…what happened. Spencer…is Spencer…okay?
*Curtis, Laura, Kevin, and Dante watch through the window as Portia breaks the tragic news to Trina, who hugs her mother and cries on her shoulder*
*The worker watches as the dark-haired man examines Spencer*
Worker: What's the verdict? Can he be saved?
Caleb Morley: It's not a question of "can" he be saved, but "will" he be saved!
Worker: And will he?
Caleb: That decision is out of my hands.
*He closes the freezer*