"I can't think of anything better than time alone with you in a romantic country inn," Hannah said with a smile.
"Mmm," Marcus murmured, looking at something ahead at the side of the road. As he got closer, he saw it was a car that was pulled halfway off the street into a field. Hannah saw what he was looking at.
"Should we stop to check?" she asked.
"Yeah, I guess so," Marcus said, pulling off the road behind the other car.
They approached the car carefully. Hannah noted that the car seemed in good shape on the outside, no flat tires or the like.
Marcus walked up to the driver's side window and peered inside. He saw a young man and woman asleep on the front seat. He knocked on the window. "Police. Do you need assistance?"
The sharp rap on the window awakened Emily and Sly abruptly. They turned to the driver's side.
Marcus' eyes grew wide in surprise when he looked at the occupants of the car. It was Juan's girlfriend, Emily Quartermaine, and she was holding another man in her arms.
*-*-*-*-*-*
Nikolas looked at the misty hills that surrounded his property. He had taken his horse, Sheba, out for a ride. He gently stroked the horse's chestnut mane as he lightly gripped the reigns.
He led the horse along the trails slowly. It seemed that riding was the only thing that provided him some peace anymore.
He blinked his eyes a few times. He had not been sleeping well, and it was affecting his mood. His feelings were like an abstract painting. The colors were splashed over the canvas in a seemingly haphazard manner, but there was a deeper meaning to it all. It was just hard to decipher.
He sighed as he felt the steady rhythm of the horse's steps. Even as he was out enjoying the fall morning, his brother was in the General Hospital psychiatric ward. His mother was beside herself with worry. Nikolas shuddered as he tried to imagine the atrocities that his brother endured at the hands of Cesar Faison, and most likely, his grandmother.
He scowled at the thought of Helena. Everything she touched turned to poison. He hated how she lorded the Cassadine estate over him. Someday, it would all be his. The prince would eventually reign.
He sighed. There was a brief time when it looked like that birthright was no longer a burden. When he was Stefan's son, it was different. He was no longer the prince, but simply the son Stefan always wanted. And he had wanted to be Stefan's son much more than he realized. After the initial shock of the revelation, he was starting to get used to the idea. Then it was all ripped away again. Stefan was merely his uncle. His hopes were dashed. He was not the product of a loving relationship; he came from something so twisted it was impossible to comprehend.
Nikolas had Sheba break into full canter in a field not too far from his home. He squeezed his legs, urging the horse to go faster. The cold wind blew directly into his face as he gripped the reigns. Nikolas took a deep breath in an attempt to fill the hole in his chest that he got every time he thought of Stefan. Finally, he looked up at the sky that was rushing past him.
"How dare you?" he screamed. "How could you do this to me? You were the only one that I could count on!" He felt Sheba run faster and faster. Nikolas felt the emotion rise in his throat. "How could you leave me here alone?"
Suddenly, he felt Sheba stumble. Nikolas quickly fell to the ground with a hard thud. He felt as if the wind were knocked out of him. He watched as Sheba ran farther away towards the stables, apparently frightened. Nikolas lay still for a few minutes. He cried out in pain, not that it would do any good. It was hard to think of what to do next; the pain was clouding his thinking.
Suddenly, he heard footsteps running towards him. "Nikolas!" the person called. The voice, Nikolas thought. It can't be-
Stefan ran to his nephew. "Nikolas!" he cried again, until he was finally by his side. Nikolas opened his eyes. "Nikolas, are you injured?" Stefan asked, his voice full of concern.
Nikolas' eyes grew wide in shock. "No, no," he said, and promptly lost consciousness.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*
The door to Lucky's room was pushed open quietly. He looked with curiosity at his cousin who walked in with a secretive smile on her face. "Good morning," she said softly.
"What's that look for?" Lucky said, peering at the bag in Carly's hands.
"What no hello for your dear cousin?" Carly gently teased. "Do you think you know me well enough to read my expressions?" She walked and sat in a chair by the bed.
Lucky smiled. "Not all of them, but that one is a Spencer thing. You've done something you probably shouldn't have, and you can't hide your glee."
Carly laughed. "Before you judge me, maybe you should consider that there might be something in it for you."
Lucky looked at her with interest. "Come on, Caroline. Spill."
Carly winced at the name. "Because you called me that, I just might not give you this beautiful blueberry muffin," she said, taking it out of the bag.
Lucky's eyes lit up. "Edible food!" He reached out, but Carly held it out of his grasp.
"Uh-uh. Not until you say 'Thank you, Carly.'"
Lucky put on his best repentant face. "Thank you, Carly."
She put the muffin on his tray. "You're welcome. I figured you would like something with taste."
Lucky smiled appreciatively as he started to eat the muffin. "So what brings you to these parts?"
"I wanted to see how you were feeling. I've done nothing but worry about you the past few days."
Lucky didn't look up. "How did you get in here anyway? I thought it was immediate family only."
Carly moved in her chair. "It helps when your mother is the head surgical nurse." She observed Lucky as he ate. "Really, Lucky, how are you?"
Lucky finished the muffin, and then leaned back on his pillows. "Oh, I'm doing alright." Carly just gave him a skeptical look. "Why do I think that you won't leave until you've gotten a better answer?" Carly just shrugged her shoulders as she gave him a sympathetic look. Lucky closed his eyes for a moment. "Well, I'm doing a lot better since you saw me last."
"I could tell right away. You seem, I don't know, lighter somehow. Does that make sense?" she asked.
"It makes sense," Lucky said. "I've had a lot to think about, and it isn't all horrible news."
"Did you figure some things out?" Carly asked as she moved her hands in a circular motion.
"Well, sort of. I just don't know if I can believe it."
Carly scooted closer to Lucky. "Believe what?"
"Kevin thinks I've been brainwashed." Lucky blinked a few times. It still sounded too strange to believe.
"What do you mean?" Carly asked. "I mean, I know what brainwashing is, but not much else."
"Well, it can make you say things that you don't mean, it can make you forget things, or even remember things that didn't really happen," Lucky said slowly.
"This sounds too 'Manchurian Candidate', but that would explain a lot of things," Carly said, and Lucky could see the wheels in her mind turning.
"Like what?"
Carly got up and started pacing. "Well, the way you reacted at Kelly's for instance. You were fine when I first got there, but then, well, you know." She turned to look at Lucky. "It was like something set you off. I never knew you to change on a dime like that."
Lucky laughed derisively. "You should have seen me a few years ago."
"But this was different, Lucky. Yeah, your eyes were focused on Elizabeth, but it was almost like you were looking right through her."
Lucky's eyes were downcast. "I was remembering it," he said with a voice full of pain.
Carly sat down on the bed. "But it didn't seem like that, Lucky. You weren't just remembering. It was like you were reliving something. Don't you think that maybe this brainwashing stuff has screwed around with your memory, your feelings?"
"But how do I know I was brainwashed?" Lucky asked angrily. "I'm supposed to be smarter than that!"
"What do you mean?" Carly asked, her voice full of concern for her cousin.
"How could I let someone just play with my mind? Why didn't I try to stop it? Why did I give in? I should have been impervious to it." Lucky drew his knees up to his chest, and put his head down on them.
"Hey, don't be so hard on yourself. You don't know how persuasive they were," Carly said slowly.
Lucky looked up. "And that's what is so scary, Carly. I don't even remember. It's coming back in bits and pieces, each one worse than the last."
Carly looked at Lucky. "But isn't knowing better than not knowing?"
Lucky ran a hand through his hair. "You're probably right." He gave Carly a sideways glance. "Thanks." He sighed. "Who would have thought that we would be talking like this?"
Carly looked at Lucky. "Yeah. I thought you hated me."
"And I thought the feeling was mutual," Lucky confessed.
"I just didn't know you, Lucky."
"Same here. Maybe we can do something to change that."
Carly smiled. "Sure, kid," she gently teased. She looked at her watch. "Oh, I better get out of here before someone catches me."
"But you'll come back, right?" Lucky said, not eager to lose his unexpected confidante.
Carly walked to the door, but turned around and smiled. "You can count on it."
*-*-*-*-*-*
Emily was so surprised to see Taggert that she jumped, nearly pushing Sly off the seat. She quickly moved to turn on the power and then rolled down the window. "Lieutenant Taggert," she said quickly. "What a surprise to see you here!"
Marcus tried to keep his cool. He reminded himself that he didn't know the circumstances. "I could say the same to you." He looked at Sly. "You're the kid with the band, right?"
"Yeah," Sly said as he sat up on the seat.
"Did you run out of gas or something?" Marcus asked.
"Uh, no," Emily said, but it was too early in the morning for her to come up with a good cover story. "We're fine, really, sir."
Hannah took Marcus' arm. "They're ok. Why don't we just leave?"
Marcus gave Emily a cold look. "Maybe you better talk to Juan, Emily," he said. Then he turned and left with Hannah.
"Oh God," Emily said as she rolled up the window and watched them drive away.
"Not exactly the way I want to be woken up," Sly said ruefully.
"I've got to tell him before Taggert can get to him," Emily said. Just then a wave of nausea hit her. "I think I'm going to be sick," she said, opening her door quickly.
Sly moved to her side, and held her hair back as she vomited. He hated that she wasn't feeling well. He rubbed her back. "Maybe I should drive home."
*-*-*-*-*-*
Luke ran to Stefan. "Did you train for the Olympics or something?" he said as he tried to catch his breath.
Stefan ignored Luke. "Nikolas, Nikolas, wake up." He was becoming more frightened by the second.
"Why don't we just take him into the house?" Luke suggested.
"He was thrown from his horse. He could be seriously hurt. I don't want to move him."
Suddenly, Nikolas' eyelids fluttered. He opened his eyes to see his uncle's concerned face. "Uncle, you're, you're alive!" he said, his mind still reeling from the shock.
"Yes. Nikolas, can you feel your extremities?" Stefan asked.
Nikolas groaned in pain. "Yes. There's a lot of pain in my right leg." He very slowly sat up.
Stefan was slightly relieved that Nikolas didn't seem to suffer any paralysis. He was still concerned about his injuries, though. "We'll bring you back to your home," Stefan said.
Nikolas was in too much pain to argue, or to even let the reality of the situation sink in. Stefan tried to help him to his feet, but Nikolas screamed in pain when he tried to put any weight on his right leg. Stefan turned to Luke. "Don't just stand there, Spencer. Help me carry him."
Luke got on one side of Nikolas and Stefan took the other. They carried him across the field and into the cottage. They laid him down on the couch. "We'll have to call for an ambulance," Stefan said.
"Oh, and tell them that you aren't fish food anymore? Come on, Stefan, that will blow our cover," Luke said quickly.
"Cover?" Nikolas asked through gritted teeth.
Stefan crouched to Nikolas' level. "Yes, Nikolas. I'm sorry, but no one must know that I'm alive."
"Were you even going to tell me?" Nikolas asked as tears of pain and confusion formed in his eyes.
"Of course. It pained me that you thought I was dead. But you're just going to have to trust me." Stefan looked deeply into Nikolas' eyes, and Nikolas saw his sincerity.
"I do," Nikolas said.
Stefan nodded. He handed Nikolas the cordless phone. "You will have to call for the ambulance yourself."
"What do I tell them?"
"That you fell from your horse and that no one was with you, so you had to crawl to the phone." Stefan looked down at Nikolas. There was a sufficient amount of dirt on his clothes to support the story.
Nikolas nodded. "Fine."
"Nikolas, it's very important that you tell no one that you saw me." Stefan looked to Luke. "Either one of us."
Nikolas' voice cracked. "Will you stay with me until the paramedics arrive?"
"For as long as I can."
Nikolas dialed 911. "Hello. This is Nikolas Cassadine, and I've fallen from my horse..."
Stefan stayed with Nikolas for as long as he could until he heard the sirens approach. "I must leave, Nikolas."
Tears streamed down Nikolas' face, but he nodded. "I'll see you again?"
"You have my word." Stefan gently kissed Nikolas on the forehead, and then he and Luke slipped away through the back of the house.
Nikolas lay sobbing on the couch as he waited for the paramedics to arrive. His mind was a haze of pain and confusion. Stefan is alive, Nikolas thought, and he's already left me behind.