Of course, he hated keeping Nikolas and Alexis in the dark. Hopefully someday they would discover the secret compartment in one of the hidden rooms in the tunnels underneath Wyndemere. There he left instructions on how to find him, and some crucial evidence to convince them that his death was a fake.
His eyes settled on the water in front of him. Someday they would understand what he did. They would find him. Until then, it was important to enjoy the moment. He raised his glass. "To victory."
He suddenly felt a sharp blade against his neck. "I wouldn't speak so soon," a voice said, and Stefan knew he was caught. Luke Spencer had found him. The masquerade was over.
*-*-*-*-*-*
Emily pulled her midnight blue BMW next to the curb near the front entrance of the Quartermaine mansion.
"Why not park it with the other ones?" Sly asked, looking over at Emily.
"Just in case we need to make a quick getaway," Emily smiled sadly.
They climbed out of the car and went into the mansion. They entered the huge front foyer and took off their coats.
Sly looked over the place. He had not been there in many years, not since around the time he first met Emily. It was funny- when he was a child, he never thought that he would see the inside of a mansion. It had been a modest life in Portland where he first grew up. His father would often work extremely long hours to make ends meet. There was never too much money for anything but necessities. When his parents divorced, it got even harder. His father had to take a job on the S.S. Tracy just to get back to Port Charles. Then when the ship exploded, he had to take a part time job as a garage mechanic, which was well below his expertise as a machinist. Who would have ever thought that Bill Eckert would end up co-owning Barrett Industries, and eventually thirty six percent of ELQ?
Sly shook his head. The Quartermaines never liked his family. What were they going to think of him now that he was the father of Emily's child? He looked at Emily, who was pacing nervously. "You look exactly like I feel."
Emily looked up. "How is that?"
"Like you're about to be led to your execution."
Emily laughed in spite of herself. "I think that's exactly what this is." She saw Reginald rush by. "Oh Reginald, where are my parents?"
"They're in the library with the rest of the family," he said, walking past them quickly.
Emily sighed. "They're all together? I have to face them all?"
Sly tilted his head to the side. "Hey, I'll be with you."
"Eventually." Emily walked over to Sly. "Here's my plan. I'll go in alone at first, just so I don't ambush them with you all at once. I'm sure that they'll have a lot of questions."
"Why am I being left out?" Sly asked.
"I'm just trying to protect you, Sly."
"Hey, I can take whatever they throw at me," Sly said.
"I have no doubt that you are strong, Sly, but my family can be like a tornado. All are mowed down in its path. I've thought about this for a while, and I think it would be best if I spoke to them first. You listen out in the hallway, and I'll say 'Sly, can you come in here' when I'm ready for you to make your entrance."
Sly frowned. "I trust your judgment, but I'll come in if I think you're in trouble."
"Thanks." Emily and Sly walked toward the library, and Emily looked in the room to see her parents, her grandparents, Ned, and even AJ. Oh, this is going to be so hard, she thought. "Wait here," she said to Sly, and positioned him right outside the door, well within earshot of the conversation.
Emily walked in on the usual Quartermaine chaos. She observed AJ, Ned, and Grandfather bickering, and Alan and Monica quietly chatting with Grandmother. She took a moment to observe them as they were that second. They would never look at her the same way again. That period of her life was over.
"Oh Emily. You're home," Lila said with a smile.
Emily walked over to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Hello, Grandmother."
"Oh good, Emily. Maybe you can talk some sense into your cousin and convince him to come back to ELQ," Edward said.
"I am not coming back to that miserable company," Ned shouted.
"I think you've already had this argument a million times!" Alan said, exasperated.
Emily attempted to smile at the familiar behavior. Why don't I just get this over with, she thought.
"I have something I'd like to say," Emily began, but the noise was too loud. "I have something to say…" The din continued. Finally, she put two of her fingers in her mouth and whistled loudly. The room grew quiet as everyone looked at Emily.
"Glad that there's still a way to get your attention," Emily smiled wistfully. "I have something to say," she whispered.
"If there's one thing that we do in this family, it's talk," AJ said.
"Be quiet!" Edward reprimanded. "What did you want to tell us, Emily?" he smiled.
Emily took a deep breath. "I just wanted to say thank you. It's been over five years since you took me in. So much has happened, but I hope it's been more good than bad."
"Of course it has," Monica said.
"I want you to know how much I appreciate everything that you have done for me."
"You're our daughter. We would do anything for you," Alan said with pride in his voice.
AJ shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Emily must have something pretty serious on her mind. He knew the look. He had given the "I screwed up" speech too many times.
"So that makes what I have to say that much harder. I've let you down," she said, her eyes tearing up.
"Is it the drugs? Did you fall off the wagon?" Edward said quickly.
"Edward!" Monica said, shocked.
"No, no, I'm still clean. That's not the problem," Emily said sadly.
"What's wrong dear? You know that you can tell us anything," Lila said comfortingly.
"And we'll cover it up if need be," Edward said.
Emily sighed. "Oh, there's no way you can cover this one up."
"Emily, you're scaring me. Just tell us what's wrong," Alan said, his voice full of concern.
Here goes nothing, Emily thought. She took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant."
The moment after was something Emily never thought she would witness. The Quartermaines were speechless.
Finally, Monica spoke. "How far along are you?"
"Only about a month."
"Have you seen a doctor yet?" Ned asked.
"No. I just found out myself. I used a test from the store."
Alan only stared straight ahead. "I'll kill him," he whispered.
Emily spun to look at him. "Don't say that," she pleaded.
"When we find that hoodlum, Juan, we'll take care of him," Edward seethed.
"I can't believe this. How could Juan do this to you?" Ned demanded.
AJ sat silently, observing Emily. He wished he could do something to help her.
"Stop it!" Emily shouted. "This is not Juan's fault!"
"It most certainly is," Alan said angrily. "He's the one who did this!"
"No, I'm the one who did this. I decided to have sex. But this is not Juan's problem."
"How can you say that?" Monica asked tearfully.
Because he's not the father, AJ and Emily thought at the same time.
Sly stood at the doorway, and he could take no more. He had to help Emily. He walked right into the room. He quickly spoke. "Because I'm the baby's father."
*-*-*-*-*-*
"Spencer," Stefan whispered.
Luke held the switchblade tight against Stefan's neck. "Did you think that you could really do it? Huh? You thought that you could just fake your death and frame me? You were wrong."
Stefan was confused. His plan was perfect. "How did you find me?"
Luke put his hands tighter around Stefan's neck. "I found your little stash of information. You gave yourself away. Survival, Escape, Invincibility, Neutralization, Evolution. S-E-I-N-E. Seine. You had to be hiding out by the Seine River. Really, I expected more of a challenge, Steffy."
Stefan sat stiffly in the chair. He found the instructions. "If you're so upset about your arrest for my murder, then why the knife? What use do you have for killing me now?"
Luke had a sinister smile. "Oh, I could probably get off. The evidence is all circumstantial. I could be free, and have the satisfaction of knowing that you really are dead." He quickly removed the knife from Stefan's neck and pushed the chair over, allowing Stefan to fall to the ground. "But you're right, you're of more use to me alive. You'll be accompanying me back to Port Charles."
Stefan got up slowly from the floor. "And why would I do that?"
"Because we'll both get what we want. I'll be cleared of the charges, and your mother will be brought down once and for all."
*-*-*-*-*-*
The whole room looked at the sudden intruder. Edward squinted at the young man in front of him. He seemed vaguely familiar. "Who are you?" he bellowed.
Sly laughed bitterly. "How easily we forget. I'm Sly Eckert, and I'm the father of Emily's child."
Ned looked to Lila. "Maybe we should take a walk, Grandmother?"
"Yes, let's give them some privacy," Lila said, moving out of the room with Ned. AJ wasn't really sure what to do, so he followed along, giving Emily a sympathetic look as he passed.
"What is going on here?" Alan asked, confused and angry.
"It's true. Sly and I are going to have a baby," Emily whispered.
"Oh, Emily. What happened to Juan?" Monica asked through her tears.
Emily sighed. "I don't know. I guess I fell out of love."
"And into bed with this trash?" Edward asked spitefully.
"I would watch what you're saying, Sir," Sly said, his voice dripping anger and sarcasm.
"When did you become involved with Sly?" Monica asked, trying to make sense of the situation.
"Only a few months ago. It just kind of happened," Emily said weakly.
Alan looked strangely calm. "There's only one solution. You'll have an abortion."
Emily gasped, but said nothing.
"No, you're not killing our baby," Sly said in a frightened tone of voice.
Alan suddenly grabbed Sly by the collar and pushed him against the wall. "You have no right to make a decision that will affect my daughter's life. You did this to her."
Sly tried to free himself from Alan's grasp, but he was strong. Sly was pinned against the wall. He tried to fight it, but he could feel his mind pulling him backward, to a time when he was in a similar position.
*-*-*-*-*-*
"You're worthless, you know that?" His grandfather's eyes were wild, filled with anger and intoxication. Sly tried to move, but he was stuck against the wall. Jack hit Sly across the face. "You cause nothing but trouble. I told Nancy to have an abortion, but she didn't listen to me. You should have never been born."
"Let me go," Sly asked desperately.
Jack twisted Sly's arm. "I want to hear you beg. Beg me."
Pain flashed through Sly's body. "Please let me go. Please!"
Jack punched Sly in the stomach, then let go and walked away.
*-*-*-*-*-*
Emily could see something in Sly's eyes, something terrible. It was almost like he wasn't in the room at all. She ran to her father and grabbed his arm. "You let go of him!" she cried.
Alan released Sly, who leaned against the wall in an attempt not to fall to the ground. The room was spinning. Suddenly, he felt Emily grab his hand.
"If this is the way you're going to treat us, then I can't stay here any longer. We're leaving." Emily quickly left the room, pulling Sly along after her. She grabbed their coats and her car keys. They left through the front door and Emily jumped into the BMW. Sly followed.
Edward and Monica ran after the teens. "Emily!" Monica shouted, but she was too late. They watched as the car sped off into the distance.