�Andreas,� the matriarch purrs with satisfaction as his strong, sturdy hands kneed her tense flesh. Her face glows when his hands dip below the thin straps of her sleeveless top. She purrs once again, her body melting against his hands. Her body surges with hormones and the stresses slip off of her.
�Hello Mother,� Stefan Cassadine announces, catching Helena completely off-guard and her mood rapidly shifting. A scowl mares her face as she glances upon her unfortunate son.
�What can I do for you?� Andreas demands, not wanting to upset his madam. His hands continue to do their task, causing a split in Helena�s physical pleasure, and her intellectual disappointment at her son.
�I have come to inform you that Barbara and I will your gathering. Morbid curiosity beckons us.�
�And a messenger would be too costly?� Helena wonders, rising from the table to face her son. She wraps the towel tightly around her body, casting her eyes towards his. She takes a small, deliberate step forward before a gentle hand caresses his face. �Really Stefan, since you've married that unfortunate Spencer whore you really have become a miser.�
�Don't disparage my wife,� he quietly threatens, wrenching her hand from his face and advancing a step towards his mother. �You may live to regret it.�
�Stefan, more empty threats,� Helena remarks as she tears her hand away and steps back toward the table. She picks up a glass and pours herself a glass of port. �I will drink to my health then.�
Stefan half-bows as he notices Andreas' eyes shift, and instead exhales a bored sigh. He will leave his mother and her manservant for their entertainment for now. He and Bobbie will return to the yacht soon enough.
�Good bye Mother. I do hope that these pleasantries will continue. I, as is the rest of the family, am very curious about your family gathering.�
�I do love to keep my family in suspense,� she whispers, clutching the glass in her hand. Her eyes slide to the clock and she laughs. Everything will be culminating soon enough.
�Oh Andreas, do you think he has any idea what is coming?� Helena asks with a grin as she reclines back on the sofa. She motions for him to return to her massage.
�No madam, he doesn't seem the wiser,� he whispers as his hands return to their task. A wicked grin spreads across her face, a face glowing with sinister intentions.
�Excellent Andreas, excellent. My surprises simply cannot be ruined.�
***Jacks House***
Alexis Davis moans as her husband's fingers roam her backside, his palms kneading her tense flesh, making it turn into putty in his hand. He bends forward and brushes his lips against her skin.
�You're going to do this after I loose every motion right?� she murmurs as his fingers slip underneath her bra, deftly undoing the clasp with one quick motion.
�You're wish is my every command,� he murmurs, burying his lips against the soft skin of her neck. She rolls onto her back, wrapping her arms around his massive shoulders, draping his body over hers. Their hands roam the other's body as their lips make pledges of eternal devotion.
�Mama,� a voice calls, beckoning Alexis' attention. Jax groans, rolling onto his back and stares at the ceiling. Alexis runs a hand through her auburn hair and rises from the bed, grabbing his discarded dress shirt and buttons it up tightly.
�I'm coming Jonathan,� she calls, offering Jax a half smile. �Duty calls.�
�I know,� he whispers, leaning forward and capturing her lips with his, causing her to melt against him, falling more deeply into the embrace.
�I better go,� she whispers.
His eyes zero in on the framed photograph that stands proudly on their nightstand. Their wedding that took place in the penthouse with testimonies from Abbie and V�attended by family and friends for love. Before Sonny returned. Before his life got tossed into upheaval.
His love for Alexis intensified and she chose to stay with him. The man that she loves now, not the man from her past. Not the father of her children.
He shakes his head and glances at his wedding ring. He was Alexis' husband, not Sonny Corinthos. Sonny was her ex-husband, the father of Abbie and Jonathan�
�Goodnight Jonathan,� Alexis whispers as she stands in their doorway, after she returns from settling her almost two-year-old son down finally. She turns and smiles at Jax a devilish glint in her eyes as she returns to the bed. She stretches her body out and slowly undoes each of the buttons of his shirt. She has about five buttons left when Jax's hand stops hers and holds it to her side.
His lips press against hers in a kiss that is filled with urgency, searching, longing.
Alexis pulls away and sees his desire for her, put what she sees most in his pools of blue is intense devotion. Alexis was the one that made him happy, that completed him. And he completed her. He was the one that had given her an extended family that loved her, was devoted to her, to her children; he worshiped her.
�I love you,� Jax whispers as his nimble fingers undo the last button. He drapes her body over his, securing his hands at the base of her back, pressing her against him.
�I love you too,� she whispers as she playfully nibbles on his lower lip. �Forever.�
***Dublin Airport***
William Smith grabs the shoulder bag from the luggage carousel, rushing off to catch his next plane. Soon, he would be, what he suspected, may be his first real home. He sighs, weary from all his travels. It has been a long trip for him.
�Slow down,� his companion kids as she tugs at his sleeve. �Why are you running? We have ten minutes until they board, and,� she points to the left of her. �There is the gate.�
�You think you're cute,� he says, leaning downward and kissing her deeply on the mouth. His arms wrap around her waist and lift her up, her small frame meshing against his tall one.
�No one knows about us huh?� she says with a grin.
�I'm sure it'll ruin someone's designs of my life,� he says with a shrug. �I'm hoping that Port Charles contains a few less controlling people.�
�Dream on,� she says with a snort. �I've been there, done that. The exact opposite actually.�
�Okay then,� he says with a laugh, swinging her in his arms and placing her in his lap. �Who will plot against us?�
�My stepmonster. She hates me, and I hate her. She's been intolerable since my brother Liam was born. You'd think someone was going to do harm to him. That's why I left to go New Zealand. I needed a break.� He presses his long finger against her button nose.
Isabella Scorpio, the third daughter of Robert Scorpio, let out a sigh of love. She couldn't believe her luck when she stepped off the plane and stay on the farm with her mother's friend. She fell for the gorgeous new sheepherder.
And they've been inseparable since.
�Who are you suppose to see once you get there?�
�Andreas Andropolis. He's a family friend.� Bella smiles and snuggles closer to him before she laces her hand with his. �Are you nervous about going back?�
�No, it'll be good to see my sister again. Carly's husband was killed about a few months ago. She didn't want me to come back, but I know she needs some help. They were soul mates.�
�How do you know that?� he asks. �How did they know?�
�They completed each other. They fought to be together. They struggled through betrayal and heartache and some amazing obstacles. And five kids.�
�Five kids?�
�A son and quadruplet girls.�
�Wow,� he says with shock. �Five.�
�Don't worry. That won't be happening to us.� The light moment of fun and love dissipates under the stress of real life.
�Non-stop flight to Port Charles New York now boarding,� the flight attendant announces. William takes Isabella's hand and leads her home.
***Penthouse***
Abbie Davis adds the last swipe of polish onto her long nails and sighs. Her entire body screamed in protest against attending Helena�s gathering. Gathering doesn�t seem like the proper term for it. Public torture seems more fitting. The deep purple nails sparkle under the lamp. She sighs again.
She isn�t sure what is wrong with her. Abbie usually is curious about invitations from Helena. Ever since the bat returned from the dead, her fascination with the woman withered. It really suffered its death when Helena killed her father.
But, her father returned to them a year ago, after being nursed back to health by Helena. Abbie�s head spins whenever she thinks of her family�s dealings. No one stays dead, and nothing is as it appears.
She feels her throat tightening and every impulse in her body screams for her to stay home. Instead, she rises and picks up the hanger that holds her evening gown. She will be a trooper, a true Cassadine princess. She looks in the mirrors and sighs. �Time to play the role,� she whispers as the material falls over her body. Spoiled, pampered, cultured, Abbie Davis, proper society debutant.
�Sweetheart,� her father calls out as he enters the apartment. Abbie sticks her head out and smiles brightly at Sonny Corinthos.
�Hello Daddy,� she says with a wave before disappearing back into the safety of her room. Sonny pours himself a drink as he sorts through the bills on desk. He hears a door slam and the clicking of heels on tile. She must be going out.
He will never deny that he loves having his daughter in his home. The walls of the Penthouse often creep in on him, inching closer and closer until he is ready to scream. Abbie�s presence has made the apartment a home again, instead of rooms and walls.
�Where are you going?� he asks as he sorts through his mail that Graciella has left for him. He can feel her watching him from the top of the stairs, watching and wondering, and worrying.
�Dinner,� she cryptically answers as she saunters down the stairs. She does a turn, showing off her designer gown. Sonny cannot believer how beautiful, and adult his daughter is.
He wants to press her more, but he knows she will roll her eyes and not answer.
�Take Chris with you,� is what he says instead. Abbie presses a kiss on his cheek and smiles.
�Try to have some fun Daddy,� she says with a grin. She has been worried about him for a while. �I won�t be out too late.�
Sonny shakes his head in disbelief. That�s his Annabelle.
***Brownstone***
�Hi, you�ve reach the home of Serena Baldwin and Maxie Jones. We�re not here right now to take your call, so leave you�re name and number and we�ll get back to you. Bye.�
�Maxie, it�s Serena. I�m going to spend the night at my Mom�s house. See you tomorrow.�
Andrew Cassadine exits the bathroom, a towel slung around his waist and smiles at her. Maxie is sleeping peacefully, her long limbs covered under the sheet. The last rays of sunlight filter in from the windows, highlighting her blond mane. She is breathtaking to him.
He stuffs his legs into his pants and rakes a careless hand threw his dark hair. He is tired of obligations and everything else that his family has for him.
He wants to climb into bed with Maxie and not get up until the next afternoon, but he can�t. Because he�s the Prince.
The title of Prince has been the curse of his life. Growing up with his sister Calandra and mother in England, he was unaware that his father Alexandre Castille was truly the first son of Mikkos Cassadine, banished by his second wife Helena. It wasn�t until he stumbled into this town with his sister and her husband Jerry Jacks that his world turned upside. With obligations.
Meeting Lark Scanlon, the recent medical school drop-out and fleeing to Vegas and tying the knot seemed like the most fun, least responsible thing to do. He lived off of the trust fund that his father had established for him and his mother�s elaborate gifts. His life was fun.
�You�re leaving?� Maxie mumbles, lifting her head from the pillow. Andrew bends down and places a gentle kiss on her forehead.
�I have to. Us Cassadines have been summoned.�
�By Stefan?� she asks, wrapping the sheet around her body. She folds her legs Indian-style and starts to fidget. �Or someone else?�
�Someone else. Helena.�
�Oh,� she says, tracing the lines of her hands. �Helena. Gee, try not to get killed tonight.� Andrew laughs and kisses her again, softly on the lips. Her arms coil around his neck, draping him over her as they fall backwards.
�I�d love to stay with you tonight, you know that.�
�You could come back,� she pleads, her eyes lighting up with hope. �Serena�s not going to be here, and she�s discrete anyways.�
�Lark is going to be there tonight. I can�t ditch her with Helena.�
�Has Lark been summoned?� she demands, the jealousy screaming in her tone.
�Maxie,� he softly murmurs, placing soft kisses on her neck. �I have to. She�s lethal, and I can�t turn my back on responsibilities.�
�Andrew!� she pleads. �Please.� He sighs, feeling himself being pulled in two directions. He places another kiss on Maxie�s forehead before exiting the bedroom.
�I�ll call you later.�
�I love you,� she whispers to the empty room.
***Cottage***
Emily Cassadine searches through her daughter�s toy box in vain, hoping to find her missing shoe. Cordelia, a precocious two year old had developed the habit of hiding her parents personal objects. Sheba�s brush ended up under the pots in the cupboard last week, and her lab coat ended up in the playroom dresser.
�Have you found it yet?� Nikolas asks as he fastens his cufflinks and smiles at his wife. Watching her, even in her frenzied state of frustration, was like watching beauty in motion. He loves her.
�Does it look like it?� she snaps suddenly, before looking up with repentance. �I�m sorry Nikolas. I�m just�I�d rather listen to Grandfather rant then go to this.�
�I understand. But the invitation stated that we were expected to attend. Disappointing Helena is something I�d like to avoid at the moment. I enjoy having my wife in one piece.�
�You�re not the Prince Nikolas,� she says quickly, and brusquely. �Can�t we just ignore her, go to bed early and be awake for rounds tomorrow?�
�I may not be the Prince,� he replies with an awkward sadness. �But I�ve learned that you never ignore Helena Cassadine.� He reaches behind the fireplace statue and pulls out a strappy-heeled sandal. �You�re shoe.�
Emily leans forward and places a gentle kiss on his lips, that deepens into something that neither have to the time to follow up on. She buries her head in his chest and lets out a deep laugh.
�How did we get like this?� she wonders as she straps her shoe into place.
�Like what?�
�An old married couple.� She gives her hair a little pat and smiles at him. �I love you Nikolas.�
�I know,� he answers, his arm sliding around her waist. He reaches for the keys to the new jag and opens the front door for her. Leticia Jennings carries down Cordelia, who waves at her departing parents.
�Helena awaits,� Emily says, lacing her hand with her husband�s.
***Yacht: Helena�s Bedroom***
Helena dabs the last bit of perfume on the inside of her neck and smiles softly at her reflection. Cool, regal, elegant. She was the true leader of this family. They all arrive at her beck and call. So many of her plans are in motion, and tonight is only the beginning. Those relatives of hers are going to learn, and are going to pay.
�Madam,� Andreas gently calls as he enters the room. �These have arrived for you.� She smiles at the three-dozen, blood red roses that are arranged in crystal vases. She holds the card and reads the message.
The right people lose at Helena�s Games. She laughs and places the card on the table before adjusting Andreas� tie. She pats down the lapels of his jacket and smiles widely.
�Have the guests arrived?�
�As we speak.�
�Wonderful.� She takes his hand and leads him out of her bedroom. �It�s time to start.�