Chapter 44 Everyone sat there looking at Angelic wondering what she could tell them about Mikkos and Victor they already didn�t know about. Carly thought she knew everything about her father or as much as she really needed to know. Alexis felt the same way and figured her opinion of her father wasn�t ever going to change. Sonny and Jason both thought that Mikkos and Victor was waste of time and that the women they loved should just write them off. Angelic had other ideas. She got up went to where she did her afternoon prayers and pulled out a family bible. She opened it up to the page where births, deaths, and marriages were marked. �I got this from my mother. She gave it to me on my sixteenth birthday. I learned a lot about my family that day and I learned a lot about myself as well,� Angelic said placing the bible on a table near Alexis and Carly giving both women a good view of it. Angelic pointed to a place marking Merck�s name. �This is the only record left marking Merck Cassadine as the second son. He destroyed all other records. Merck not only killed his brother and forced his wife to be part of the lie. He also became the guiding force in his young sons� lives. He never once loved them. He never loved anyone. Merck treated Mikkos and Victor in the same manner Helena treated Stefan and you.� Angelic walked to the wall and took down a picture of Mikkos getting married to Ruby and placed it on the table. �The only time Mikkos ever stood up to Merck was when he married Ruby and looked what it cost him. It cost him his first born son and the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. He couldn�t do it again. So, he went on with life as it was and tried to make the best of it. Day by Day and year by year marriage to Helena slowly destroyed him.� Angelic went back to the wall where she took down several more pictures. One was of Kristina with a new born Alexis in her arms with Mikkos holding both of them in his arms. �Oh, he found love with Kristina briefly where you happy brought into his world. Sad to say that was taken from him as well by Helena�s hate.� The other picture was of Stefan lying in his crib with Mikkos stranding over his son playfully playing with the baby. �He found a way to love Stefan spite what he felt about Helena. Even if he had to still moments like these from his son because Merck wouldn�t allow him to show any open love to his son. He tried to show it to both of you all the time how much he loved you and when he couldn�t do it. He let his brothers take his place.� Angelic again went to the wall taking down another group of pictures. Some were of Tony helping Alexis learn to ride a horse for the very first time. Some were of Victor teaching Stefan self defense. Each time you could see the children smiling and hugging their uncles. �He stood back and watched as you both ran to Tony and Victor. As you looked up to them with loving eyes that should have been his.� The next set of pictures she took down was of Victor and Carly in different stages in her life. �And when Victor had a child out of wedlock from a girl that he refused to name to Helena or Mikkos. Not only to protect Bobbie but Ruby and Luke�s life as well. Mikkos just let it drop. He let his brother take care of his daughter the way he saw fit. Never once allowing Helena to get near, you Caroline to do you any harm.� Then Angelic took down pictures of Alexis and Stefan in their adult life, ones of them, going off to school, of Stefan and Nikolas in different stages of their life. �He even denied Helena�s wishes when, you Alexis, wanted to go to law school. Helena thought it was a waste of money and time. Mikkos saw other wise. He allowed you to go and stood in the back ground as you proved Helena wrong. He even went as far as to make sure that Stefan had a footing in life outside the family. Even in prison, Mikkos did what he could to protect his children. He secretly applauded as Stefan not only took over the family but also took it to a level that he could dream about. Then there was the kind person and lawyer you turned out to be.� Then she took down pictures of Luke and his family and placed them on the table as well with all the others. �He is very proud of all his children and yes, Mikkos is even proud of Luke. He watched as Luke survived men like Frank Smith and still managed to raise a son and bring a sweet little angel into this world.� When all the pictures were placed on the table for all to see she ran her hand over the pictures and went on with her speech. �It was only after years of fighting a tumor that almost took his life several times that Mikkos started to think and regret things he didn�t do. At first he didn�t want to face any of you. I was the one that talked to him into it. I kept telling him that if he showed you who he was deep down inside that you would find away to love him and forgive him.� Angelic looked at both Alexis and Carly and addressed both women. �Alexis, Mikkos isn�t a perfect man. Caroline, Victor isn�t perfect either but they do love both of you. If you can�t forgive them for their flaws, then how do you expect anyone to for give you for yours!� Angelic�s speech left everyone around her speechless. Alexis reached for the pictures picking some of them up and looking at them again and this time with the eyes of Mikkos. She thought about what it took to watch as your children ran to other people for love and not you. When you wanted it the most. What it took too finally find away to give them a life in the world spite what a bitch from hell thought. Carly was thinking about her father was well. She suddenly realized why she was kept way from the main family as much as she was. It wasn�t because of he was ashamed of her but he was protecting her from Helena and the pain that she might cause her. She remembered meeting with Mikkos and thinking how a great he was and realized that her father let Mikkos treat her in the same manner as Mikkos allowed him to treat his children. It was Alexis that finally found her voice and she looked up at her Aunt with a small tear running down her cheek. �Your right. I�m not prefect. I have made some mistakes not as bad as others in this family but I�m no saint. So, maybe I could find away to give him a chance. I mean, if I didn�t do that then I should stop preaching that everyone deserves a fair hearing. I should just let them be convicted without one,� Alexis said brushing her hand over her cheek. ********************************************** Alexis and Sonny went for a walk in the gardens giving Alexis time to think about her childhood and how she was going to deal with her father now. Angelic left Jason and Carly for a moment to go check on a few things and when she came back. The couple brought up the other reason they were there at her small little convent. �Ah, Aunt Angelic?� Carly asked as her Aunt sat down in a chair. �Yes, my dear,� Angelic said smiling. She thought that Carly and Jason fit perfectly together and saw how much they were in love with each other by just looking in their eyes. �We wanted to ask if there was way that we could get married here. We tried the big family thing and it really didn�t work out. We figured that maybe just small wedding with Jason and me and Alexis and Sonny standing up for us might be better. Is there way you can help us with this?� Carly asked her aunt. �Don�t you want your father here?� Angelic asked. �Now maybe after hearing all of this but he isn�t here and I really don�t want to wait any more,� Carly said gripping Jason�s hand tightly. �Don�t count on it!� Victor said as he walked into the room giving his daughter a disapproving look. �Father!� Carly exclaimed as she jumped up and raced to her father greeting him warmly. �How did you find us?� �It wasn�t hard,� Victor said kissing Carly on the cheek and looking down at her just the same as he had when she was a little girl after catching her doing something wrong. �Do you think I was going to allow you get sneak off to get married without me?� Angelic smiled at her brother and broke in the conversation. �Don�t sculled her Victor. You were in love once and you know that love doesn�t think to clearly sometimes.� Victor just smiled at his sister and hugged his daughter. ****************************** Alexis and Sonny were just about to head back to the main building when Alexis spotted three figures standing looking at them. Alexis smiled and said, �I guess we couldn�t sneak away that easy.� �Yeah,� Sonny said looking at Mikkos with cold hard eyes. Alexis might be willing to forgive him but to Sonny. What Mikkos did was unforgivable and he wasn�t ever going to openly trust the man with anything. �Hi, father,� Alexis said walking up and hugging a very stunned Mikkos. �Hi,� Mikkos said pulling back wondering what Angelic said to Alexis to grant him this open greeting. �Hi, partner,� Luke said and together Luke, Lucky and Sonny all walked way leaving Alexis alone with Mikkos. Even though it took a little nod from Alexis to get Sonny to go at first. After the three of them were gone, Alexis and Mikkos sat down on a stone bench to talk. �Why didn�t you tell me you wanted to come here?� Mikkos asked her. �I didn�t know you would allow me to come. I thought that Angelic was some kind patient here. I never dreamed that she ran the place,� Alexis said smiling. �I know where you got that from. The last time you saw your aunt it wasn�t under the best circumstances,� Mikkos said gripping Alexis� hand and for the first time she didn�t pull away from him. �Yes, I know and I thought it was my fault,� Alexis said looking down at her feet. �You fault? Why would think that?� Mikkos asked puzzled by this. Alexis looked up at him and said, �I know father. I know that you know what almost happened to me. I also knew that that Merck was hurting Aunt Angelic. I thought that if I would done what he wanted then she wouldn�t have been taken away.� �Alexis,� Mikkos said pulling his daughter to him and hugging her. �I didn�t send her way because she did something wrong. I did it to help her and protect her from Helena.� �I know that now but as child I didn�t,� Alexis admitted and she started to cry. Mikkos held her close and comforted her. �Natasha, if I was the one that walked in on Merck with you. I would have killed myself. What he did to you and your aunt was unforgivable. I hope and pray every day that he is in hell with Helena and Fasion. And I hope one day that you can forgive me for not being the father I should have been,� Mikkos said as he held her. �I do,� Alexis said resting her head on his shoulder. *************************************** Luke, Sonny and Lucky walked to the off but kept close enough to keep Alexis and Mikkos in their sights. �Why you here?� Sonny asked Luke looking at him puzzled. �Mainly because I wasn�t going to allow Bobbie to come along with Mikkos and Victor alone. She found out that Carly was planning on getting married and demanded to go along,� Luke said smiling. �I just wanted go,� Lucky said smiling. �Oh,� Sonny said. Luke could tell that he was upset about something. Luke looked at Lucky and said, �Go find your aunt.� �Ok,� Lucky said getting the point that he was being told to get lost. After Lucky was gone, Luke looked at Sonny and ordered, �Out with it!� Sonny took several deep breaths and told Luke what had been going on. Luke knew about this because Stefan had told him that night they sat and talked about things in Stefan�s secret room. What Luke didn�t know until they got on the plane to come here was that Angelic was alive and that she was the Mother Superior around this place. �Sonny, don�t take this wrong but if Alexis forgives Mikkos. I would stay out of it because he is her father and she has to be the one that has to live with her feelings.� �I know that and I will. I will not trust him,� Sonny said his voice flat and empty. �Well, for someone who messed up more the once. I guess I can give the guy a chance because I�m not perfect and I have done things I�m not proved of. In fact, I hope Lucky never has to learn about them because I would find it hard to look him in the eye,� Luke said and he walked way. He figured Sonny think about this and it gave him a chance to check this place out. ************************************ Victor made sure that Carly and Jason�s wedding was everything Carly wanted it to be. He had the staff back home pack the wedding dress Carly picked out. He also had the staff pick out something from Alexis� closet fitting for a wedding. Alexis stood on by Carly and Sonny stood on Jason�s side both of them smiled at how jumpy the bride and groom where. While the priest went through the ceremony, Luke sat next to Bobbie rolling his eyes. �Can�t he just get it over with?� Luke muttered to his sister. �Sssh,� Bobbie hissed at her brother. Luke might not believe in God but this was her daughter's wedding and she wanted to enjoy it. Luke was about to comment when he got hit in the back of the head. He turned around to see Angelic glaring at him and she put her finger to her lips to quiet him. Lucky giggled besides her father and got the same cold look as Luke did. Lucky turned around with cocky grin on his faces as Luke sat there scowling. A little bit later, the priest looked at Carly and Jason and said, �I now pronounce you husband and wife. You my kiss the bride.� Victor was the first one on his feet applauding the couple. ****************************** Carly and Jason stood by the limo holding each other as Victor gave them their wedding present. Bobbie was standing near wishing that Robert was with her. It might not feel as strange then. �Well, You two caused me lot of trouble on the way here. It took me a lot of talking to get this set up,� Victor said pulling out a set of keys and handing them to Carly. �The jet waiting for you to take you to your island. It will be your place to go when the world caves in on you.� �My island?� Carly said shocked to say anything else. �Your uncle sold me one of the Cassadine compounds and it is yours. All of it! Staff and all!� Victor said smiling. �Father, thank you,� Carly said leaping into her father�s arms. �Your welcome,� Victor said kissing Carly and then looking at Jason. �You take care of her and my grandchild.� �I will,� Jason said and after the couple said good bye to Bobbie. They climbed into the limo and it drove off. Alexis and Sonny watched from the stairs holding each other. �I hope they are happy,� Alexis said hugging Sonny. �They are,� Sonny said laughing. �What?� Alexis asked wondering what Sonny was laughing at. �Victor�s wedding present! I don�t think Jason expected to get a island,� Sonny said smiling. �Yeah, well. Carly is Victor�s only daughter and you can bet Victor has made sure she has enough money to take care of herself for her entire life,� Alexis said smiling. Chapter45 BAck to A Father's Love |