CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Bobbie took a deep breath before steeling herself to face Stefan.
She entered the trauma room where he sat, alone. She wasn’t prepared for
the sight of him, clothes wrinkled and still damp from his earlier dive into
the Port Charles River, hair disheveled, eyes unfocused and staring straight
ahead. “What happened?” she asked softly as she walked up to him.
He didn’t register her presence at once. She walked over to him
and placed dry clothes on the bed beside him, “Alexis asked me to bring
these to you. Stefan, what happened?”
He looked up at her and said slowly, “She tried to commit suicide,
Barbara.”
Bobbie couldn’t help but gasp. “Why would Lisa do that?”
“She’d given up hope.” He reached out and took Bobbie’s hands in
his, “Barbara, you’ve been so good to both Nikolas and I. Nothing can
adequately prepare you for what I have to tell you.”
She nodded, “Let me save you the trouble. I know that you and
Lisa are married. And that our marriage is invalid.”
He sat there for a moment, processing what she said. “You know?
Then why have you not said anything?”
She crossed her arms defiantly, “I wanted you for myself,” she said
matter of factly. “It was only recently that I realized that I never had you
to begin with. Quite frankly, now I’m just enjoying the fringe benefits of
having Cassadine as a last name.”
He smiled slightly, “In Port Charles? And what benefits would
those be?”
She laughed, “Oh I hated you when I found out about Lisa.” Then
she shrugged, “Still do, probably. But Luke was just so damn insistent that
he was right. I hated having him be right about this. So, I was going to
win you back, to prove to him that what we had just wasn’t some game to
you.”
Stefan interrupted her, “Our ‘marriage’, if you will, was never a
game. At the time when you and I were first together, I hadn’t seen Leezia
in three years. At first, I didn’t even know that she was in Port Charles. I
assumed that our relationship would be good for Nikolas. He had been
rather insistent that I do something, rather than wait for Leezia to return to
us.”
“Despite what I think about you, I still want to be there for Nikolas,
if he needs me.”
Stefan nodded, “I’m sure he’ll appreciate that. I have more news
that will probably upset him somewhat.”
“If you’re going to purposefully hurt that boy!...” she started
angrily.
“Barbara, wait,” Stefan interrupted quickly, “This concerns you as
well, and the child that your father brought to the island.”
“Now just wait a minute. Nikolas has become very attached to
Andrea. If you’re going to insist that he not see her anymore, that’s
unfair!”
Stefan took a deep breath. “Nikolas will see a lot of the child. She
is my daughter, Anreya.”
Bobbie looked at him incredulously, “Are you insane? Did that
cold water just knock you off your rocker? I told you who she was, and I
don’t believe that your daughter was one of her qualifiers. She’s a
Spencer, through and through. Get over it!”
“I know that Anreya is a Spencer. Lisa is her mother.”
“Oh, don’t be ridiculous.”
“Your father is one of Helena’s personal minions. She wanted us to
think that our daughter was dead. The first time Anreya saw Lisa, she
called her ‘Mama’.”
“That proves NOTHING, Stefan. Absolutely nothing, except
maybe that you’re getting desperate for...” she stumbled to find her next
word, “something. I don’t know what. And I don’t know why you insist
on making up this ridiculous story. You have NO proof of what you say.”
Stefan only nodded slowly again. “I had a DNA test performed on
her only a couple of days ago. She is my daughter.” Stefan stood up,
“Thank you for bringing the clothes, Barbara. If you’ll excuse me, I need
to get ready for Nikolas and the Spencers to arrive,” he said dismissively.
Bobbie raised an eyebrow, “We haven’t spoken the last on this
matter, Stefan.” She left quickly and took another deep breath as she
walked out the door.
*****
Nikolas entered the waiting room of the ER with Anreya in tow,
looking for his uncle. Only he didn’t know that the girl in his arms was
Stefan and Lisa’s daughter. Not twenty seconds later, Laura, Lesley and
Lucky came rushing in as well.
Stefan, who had changed into dry clothes and cleaned himself up,
was waiting for them in the waiting room. He stood up and took his
daughter from Nikolas and hugged her tightly. He talked her softly and
lovingly, “Well, Little One, I haven’t had a chance to tell your Mama about
you yet, but I make this promise to you, if anything happens to her, Papa
will take excellent care of you.”
Laura, Lesley, Nikolas and Lucky all watched the one sided
conversation. Nikolas was the first to speak, “Uncle, are you all right?”
“Nikolas, don’t you think I had a reason for asking you to bring
her? Her parentage was suspect, so I had it checked. She is not Alexander
Spencer’s niece, she is my daughter Anreya. Alexander and Helena
worked together to keep her from us.”
Laura had to interrupt Stefan’s reverie. “How is Lisa?”
He shook his head, “Alan mentioned something about hypothermia
and shock. Her heart stopped in the ambulance. Right now, she’s hanging
on as best as she can.”
Nikolas looked at his mother, “Where is her father?” he asked
harshly.
Laura shrugged, “We couldn’t find him. We left messages for him
where we thought he might go.”
Nikolas nodded, “Typical.” He looked at Anreya, “He’s going to
love the fact that his precious daughter’s Cassadine child is still alive. After
all, look at how much he loves me.” Nikolas glared at Laura, but she just
turned away and looked at Lucky.
Laura walked over and squeezed Lucky’s shoulder supportively,
“Don’t worry, Lucky,” she whispered in his ear, “Lisa’ll be just fine.”
Harshly, Stefan scolded Nikolas, “Nikolas, hush. Have some
respect for your mother, as well as Leezia.”
Lesley watched the exchange. “He has a point about Luke, though.
Especially once he finds out about the baby.” All eyes turned to Lesley.
Shocked, Stefan said, “What baby?”
“But he knows about the baby already, doesn’t he?” Laura asked.
Lucky nodded, “Yeah, he knows. They had some sort of talk about
it and she left, according to the last time I saw him.”
Nikolas was harsh again, “Then all this is his fault!”
Lesley looked from one grandson to the other. “He didn’t say that,
Nikolas.”
Lucky looked from Lesley to Nikolas and sighed, “Yeah, but for
once, I agree with the Prince, here.”
Nikolas finally registered Lesley’s presence. “Who are you
anyway?”
Before anyone could respond, Alan came out of the trauma room.
Going over to the group, Alan said, “She’s awake and stabilized.”
Quickly, Stefan asked, “May I see her?”
Alan shook his head, “We’re going to move her to a regular room
shortly to keep her at least overnight for observation. You can see her
then, but right now, she’s asking for either Laura or Lesley.”
Laura looked at Lesley questioningly, “Mother?”
Lesley shook her head, “No, honey, you go ahead, but tell her I’m
here.”
Laura nodded and started to walk off with Alan when Stefan added,
“Tell her we are all here.”
“I will,” Laura said as she disappeared into the trauma room.
Nikolas turned and faced Lesley, “Then you’re Laura’s mother?
She told me that Helena killed you.”
Stefan asked his question. “She tried, but I protected your
grandmother. I knew how much it would mean to your mother to have
Lesley alive.”
Lucky flopped into one of the nearby chairs, “Can’t we do all these
introductions and happy talk later? Lisa could have died tonight!”
Stefan looked sincerely at Lucky, “We know that, Lucky. We all
care very much for your sister, otherwise, we wouldn’t be here.” He then
turned to Lesley, “Now what were you and Lucky saying about a baby?”
Lesley took Stefan’s hand in her own, “Lisa found out that she was
pregnant. That’s why we had to find you. She was very upset. I never
should have left her alone.”
Stefan stopped her, “Don’t blame yourself, Lesley. No one could
have known that Lisa was distraught enough to try and take her own life.”
“Gag me,” Lucky muttered under his breath as he stood up and
walked towards the doors to the trauma room, hoping to catch a glimpse
of his older sister.
*****
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Laura walked cautiously over towards Lisa’s bed. Lisa opened her
eyes. “Mom. How did I get here?”
Laura took a deep breath. “Stefan was standing nearby when your
car went into the water. He managed to get you out before you both
froze.”
Lisa shook her head in disbelief, “Why did he have to do that?”
Laura reached down and took Lisa’s hand, “Because he cares for
you. We all care for you. Mother, Lucky, Nikolas and Stefan are all
waiting outside to make sure you’re okay.”
Lisa started to cry, “I can’t lose another baby, I just can’t handle
that! Mom, you have to understand what I did, right?”
“We love you, Lisa. Whatever happened, we’d be there for you. I
don’t understand why you felt you couldn’t come to us with this,” Laura
said gently.
Lisa sniffed, “I talked to Daddy. There’s no way he’d accept this
baby because it’s Stefan’s.”
Laura frowned, “Then your father is wrong. I don’t care who your
baby’s father is, and I’m sure Stefan has gotten past who your father is.”
Lisa nodded slowly. Then she said, “Where’s Daddy? You didn’t
say that he was out there.”
Laura sighed, “We couldn’t find him. He had already left Kelly’s
when we dropped off Lu to come over here.”
Lisa looked down, she couldn’t bring herself to look into Laura’s
eyes. Her surrogate mother, the woman who understood her better than
anyone. “I’m sorry, Momma. I didn’t feel like I had any other options.”
Lisa hung her head shamefully, “I’m so sorry.”
Laura reached down and hugged Lisa, stroking her hair soothingly
as Lisa started sobbing into her shoulder. “It’s okay, Lisa. You’re okay
and whatever happens, we’ll work through it. I promise you that.” Lisa
sat back slowly and wiped away her tears. Laura smiled, “You need your
rest. I should go and let you get some sleep.”
Lisa shook her head, “Can you stay with me till I fall asleep? I
don’t want to be by myself.”
Smiling again, Laura said, “Sure.”
Lisa smiled slightly for the first time that night, leaned back and
closed her eyes.
*****
Back on that island in the Aegean, Helena looked at two pictures
beside her bed, one of Stavros and one of Erik (Billy) Wilhelm. “Luke
Spencer killed you both, my sons, but I will have my vengeance on his
daughter now.”
Then the phone rang. She picked up the phone, but didn’t say
anything, merely listened while the voice on the other end reported. After
a minute, she exploded, “What do you mean the little tramp is still alive? I
thought you said she tried to commit suicide. She didn’t succeed?
Nevermind, it is time for action...Just kill her.”
The voice on the other end exploded as well, “No, for once in my
life, you’re not going to order me around! I refuse to kill my own
granddaughter!” Alexander Spencer slammed the phone down in her ear.
Helena slammed the phone down as well. She looked lovingly at
the pictures. “My Sons, your father wouldn’t claim you before, but he will
before this is over. Every Spencer that ever lived and breathed will feel my
wrath before the end!”
*****
Later that night, Lisa had been moved to a regular room for
observation. Stefan sat nearby, sleeping, even though he sat straight
backed in the chair.
Lisa stirred slightly and frowned, as if having a nightmare.
Suddenly she sat bolt upright screaming. Stefan jumped to her side
instantly. He wrapped his arms around her and rocked her gently,
soothingly, “Leezia, you are okay. Calm down darling. You’re all right.”
Lisa caught her breath and held Stefan tightly, not wanting to let
him go. She spoke through choked sobs. “I had this nightmare. About the
night Anreya died. And what Billy did to me. It was all playing out in my
head. Like I was reliving it.”
“It's all right now. Billy won’t ever hurt you again.”
Lisa nodded, but still held on to Stefan, “What time is it? Are you
the only one still here?”
Stefan smiled, “It’s around 2 a.m., and yes, I sent everyone else
home.” He laughed slightly, “Laura and Lesley would only leave because I
insisted they go home and try to find your father and get some rest.”
Lisa sat back in the bed, “Then Daddy still doesn’t know.”
Stefan shook his head, “Not unless they’ve found him by now.
Which I doubt, or he’d be here, telling me just where to take myself and
our children.”
Lisa was tired, but she didn’t miss that reference. “Children. Like
plural? What are you talking about?”
Stefan leaned forward and kissed her forehead, then each of her
cheeks. Smiling, he held her face gently, “Leezia, I have news.”
“What kind of news?” she asked nervously.
“Lesley told me about the baby.”
Lisa pulled herself away so she wouldn’t be looking into her
husband’s eyes, “I can’t carry this baby,” she said sadly. “Remember what
the doctor told me after Anreya died? He said that there was too much
scar tissue for a baby to survive to term.”
Stefan took Lisa’s hands in his, “The doctor was wrong.
Remember your reaction to the child that Alexander brought to the island?”
Lisa simply nodded, trying not to remember any more than she had to.
Stefan continued, “I also had reservations about her. Leezia, I had her
paternity tested. She is our daughter.”
Lisa gasped, “How is that possible? Anreya died, the doctor said
so,” she said despondently.
Stefan shook his head gently, “Think back to the doctor and his
nurse, if you can.”
Lisa closed her eyes and forced herself to think back to that painful
time. Her eyes bolted open as she realized. “Alexander was the doctor!”
Stefan nodded agreement as Lisa continued, “The nurse took Anreya out
of the room immediately after she was born and said that she wasn’t well.
She came in a few minutes later and said she had died. It broke my heart.”
Stefan stood up and paced as he filled in the details with what he
had pieced together. “Alexander had been paid by Helena to take the child
away. He had been raising Anreya quietly, and brought her here to get
Bobbie attached to her, so that when she and I parted ways, she could get
legal custody of the child.”
Lisa nodded, her anger rising, “So that my aunt would wind up
raising my daughter without suspicion. Damn Helena. I swear to you
Stefan, I will kill that woman. I have never hated anyone as much as I hate
her. She has tried her hardest to destroy my whole world. And she very
nearly did. I was upset enough tonight to take my own life, and she would
be sitting back, gloating the whole time.”
Lisa started crying. Stefan knew how much she had to be hurting.
His mother’s betrayal of him, no matter how expected, was still a hard pill
to swallow. He sat again, on the edge of Lisa’s bed as she sat up and let
him embrace and console her. He kissed the top of her head, “I love you,
Leezia, and we will get through this. Together. Our whole family, you and
I, Nikolas, Anreya and soon this new child of ours,” he said proudly.
*****
Laura was sitting on the sofa waiting for Luke to come home, when
he wandered in the door about 4 a.m. “Where have you been?” she asked,
somewhat harshly.
Luke looked at his wife, she looked like she’d lost her best friend.
“Angel, what’s wrong? You look like something happened.”
“Something did happen, Luke. What did you say to Lisa before she
took off tonight?”
“We talked about her kid, that’s all.”
“Oh really. Do you know that she drove herself off the docks into
the river tonight?” Laura watched as the look of shock registered on
Luke’s face. She continued, “That’s right. And you might have known if
you’d checked in at the club or at Kelly’s or here.”
“Is Lisa okay?”
Laura shrugged. Luke grabbed her by the shoulders harshly,
“Look, Woman, is my daughter okay?” he yelled.
Laura looked up at him defiantly, “Barely,” she hissed. “You’re
lucky, Luke. Stefan saw it all, jumped in and saved her. Now you owe
both of your daughter’s lives to Cassadines.”
Luke let her go quickly and sat on the sofa. He ran his hands
through his hair. It would be easier to swallow hot coals then to admit that
she was right. He got up, kissed Laura on the forehead and said, “I’m
sorry, Angel.” He walked out the door, determined to see for himself if his
daughter was really okay.
*****
