CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

IT TOOK STEFAN awhile to locate Bobbie in the vast reaches of her mind. Mortals would be shocked if they knew how large their minds really were. It was like something that looked relatively small from the outside, but was huge on the inside. “Barbara, thank goodness I finally found you.”

“Stefan?” Bobbie said in disbelief. “Is that really you? Or am I just imagining this?” For weeks Bobbie had been in complete isolation. After watching the things Sorel was doing with her body, she actually preferred it, and she’d pretty much accepted her fate to be trapped alone in this vast blackness for all eternity. So seeing Stefan was incomprehensible.

“It’s really me, Barbara.” He assured her as he took her hands into his. “Haven’t you been watching what’s been going on?”

“No.” Bobbie replied. “I’d rather not know what Sorel is doing in my body. I saw more than enough when he killed Tony.” She got back to the topic at hand. “Stefan, what are you doing here? How did you get here?”

“I haven’t got long to talk.” Stefan told her. “I’ve left my body unguarded and I’m only waiting until I feel Sorel leaving yours to go into my body. Once he does that, I’ll finish him off.”

“You’re in here to save me?” Bobbie asked in shock.

“Of course, Barbara.” Stefan replied. “Why else would I be here.”

“Why?” Bobbie couldn’t comprehend this. “Why would you put yourself at such a great risk just to save me.”

“You’re the mother of my child, Barbara.” Stefan answered. “It’s my duty to save you.”

“Stefan, I think you should rethink this.” Bobbie retorted. “You don’t know how strong Sorel is. I tried to take back control of my body, but I couldn’t. If you let him get into your body, you may not be able to get him out.” She added. “Stefan, I’ve gotten used to Sorel being in control of my body. What you’re planning isn’t worth the risk you’ll be taking.”

“Barbara, my mind is made up.” Stefan told her. “Once you feel both Sorel and I out of your body, and yourself back in control, I want you to get as far away from Wyndemere as you can.”

“Why?” She asked, not liking the suggestion.

“Because once I expel Sorel from my body.” Stefan told her. “He’ll try to get back into yours and you might not be strong enough to fight him off.”

“I’m not going to desert you, Stefan.” Bobbie declared passionately. “Ever since this nightmare with Sorel has begun, you haven’t deserted me once. And I’m not going to desert you, either.”

“Barbara, you must!” Stefan grabbed her and shook her. “It’s the only way I can make sure Sorel doesn’t take possession of your body. If he manages to do it, again, I may not be able to help you. This trick I pulled will only work once.”

“If I leave you, Stefan.” Bobbie asked. “How can I be sure Sorel doesn’t have completely control over your body and you’re trapped inside your own body the way I’ve been trapped inside of mine.”

“It won’t happen, Barbara.” Stefan assured her. “Sorel is no match for me. I’m a warlock and you were just a mortal. That’s why you were unable to fight him off. But it’ll be a different case for me. I have more tricks up my sleeve than Sorel could ever dream of. So you must promise me that once your body is free of both me and Sorel, you must run from here as fast as you can.”

“What’s going to happen to Sorel once you expel him from your body and he has no place else to go.” Bobbie asked, conveniently getting out of promising Stefan anything.

“He’ll be what you mortals commonly refer to as a ghost.” Stefan answered. “He’ll have no physical substance. His consciousness will wander around aimlessly. He’ll probably be forced just to amuse himself to take up residence in some house making things go bump in the night, but he’ll no longer be of any threat to anyone. He’ll be one of the damned.” He went on to explain. “Sorel’s soul was supposed to go down to hell when he died, but instead he invaded your body and possessed it. Because of that it’s too late for Sorel to go down to hell. He knew the risks and took them anyway. So know he’ll spend the rest of eternity roaming aimlessly around making a nuisance of himself by taking up residence in some house haunting the place. And no one deserves that fate more than Sorel.”

Then Stefan suddenly looked around him. “It’s happening, Barbara.” Stefan announced.

“What is?” Bobbie looked around frantically, herself, trying to see what Stefan saw.

“He’s starting to leave your body.” Stefan told her. “It’s finally dawned on Sorel that my body is vacant. I have to go. If Sorel and I don’t leave your body at the same time and re-enter my body at the same exact moment this won’t work.” As he began to fade before Bobbie’s eyes he added. “Don’t forgot your promise to me, Barbara.”

SOREL ANXIOUSLY PACED around the room wondering what he was going to do. How could he survive with his consciousness as well as Bobbie Spencer and Stefan Cassadine’s residing in the same body. Would he still be in control, or would Spencer and Cassadine team up against him and take control away from him. No, to be trapped helplessly in Bobbie Spencer’s body was something Sorel wouldn’t be able to stand.

His eyes finally fell on Stefan’s lifeless body and it finally hit him like a ton of bricks. Cassadine was inside of Spencer’s body, but no one was inside of Cassadine’s. If he got inside of Cassadine’s body, he could have it entirely to himself without some other consciousness whining in the background.

“Cassadine, you fool.” Sorel yelled to the air. “To help the Spencer bitch, you’ve left yourself wide open.” Without a further thought he began to project himself out of Bobbie’s body and into Stefan’s.

Bobbie staggered on her feet as she felt herself back in control of her body for the first time in weeks. Just to make sure she looked at herself in the mirror and only saw herself looking back. “It worked, Stefan.” She smiled. “It worked. Sorel’s gone.”

She was so busy looking at herself she didn’t notice Stefan’s reflection in the mirror as he sat up on the bed and began running his hands all over his body. “Yes, Bobbie, I’m gone from your body.” Sorel sneered. “But I’m back in Stefan’s.” He added. “Face facts, Red, you’re never going to be free of me.”

Bobbie spun around to him and asked in horror. “Sorel?”

“That’s my name.” He retorted. “Ask me again, and I’ll tell you the same.” He began looking her up and down in a blatantly insulting way. “As fun as it was feeling you up when I was occupying your body, now that I have one of my own I think we’re going to have even more fun together.”

Bobbie backed away from him as he began to come towards her. “You stay away from me.” Bobbie ordered as she grabbed up a fire poker to fend him off.

“You think that’s going to stop me?” He laughed as he easily yanked it out of her hands and threw it against the wall. “Now, I said for you to take the robe off. How many times do I have to tell you that when I tell you to do something, you do it!”

Bobbie continued to back away from him. “I remember every horrible thing you did to me.” She spat. “Both when you enslaved me and when you possessed my body. I will never let you touch me, again.”

“Are you refusing me?” He asked in disbelief. “Ms. Spencer, you’re making me angry. Don’t make me angry. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.”

“I don’t like you period.” She spat back. “And I will die before I ever let you touch me, again.”

“Fine!” He snarled. “If that’s the way you want it. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Then he grabbed hold of Bobbie’s throat and began to strangle her.

SONNY AND CARLY jumped off the bed in the room they were being held in when a wall began to slide open before their eyes. Helena entered followed by two men. “Take her.” She ordered the men to get Carly.

Sonny stood in front of Carly and bared his fangs. “Come near my wife, and I’ll tear your throats out.”

“That won’t be necessary, Mr. Corinthos.” Helena assured him. “I only want your wife to be examined by a doctor. After all the traipsing around you and your wife have done in the past weeks, I want to make sure the baby is all right.”

“The doctor can examine Carly while I’m watching.” He told Helena. “You’re not separating us.”

“Fine, if that’s the way you want it.” Helena turned to her men. “Go and tell the doctor to come here.” She turned back to Sonny. “Satisfied.”

“Hardly.” He replied. “But it’ll have to do for the moment.”

Helena looked towards Carly. “While were waiting for the doctor to arrive, Mrs. Corinthos.” Helena suggested. “Why don’t you go into the bathroom and get ready for your examination.” She added. “That’s where it’ll be conducted.”

“I’d prefer it to be done in here in front of my husband.” Carly declared. “I haven’t got anything he hasn’t seen before, so there’s no reason it has to be done in private. In fact, Sonny knows my body better than I do, just like I know his body better than he does.”

“That’s really a little more than I care to know.” Helena said. “Don’t be tedious, my dear. I wish to speak to your husband in private without you around to hear us. So you will submit to be examined in the bathroom.”

The doctor entered the room. “Mrs. Cassadine, you wished for the examination to be done here.”

“Yes.” Helena told him. “Take Mrs. Corinthos into the bathroom and give her a thorough examination, then report your findings back to me.”

“But I don’t want to go into the bathroom.” Carly protested. “I want to stay with my husband.”

“Carly, just do it.” Sonny told her.