12:24pm

Stefan rises, his head pounding with a fierce head ache, looking around the unfamiliar bedroom. "What? How did I get here?"

Feeling a sense of dread, Stefan leaves the room and peers down the hallway, deciding to investigate, he takes the steps into the living room. His heart drops into his stomach when he sees Helena standing by

the fireplace mantel. She looks angry. Stefan hesitates before taking the last few steps down. "What is the meaning of this, Mother?"

Helena looks up at him and scowls. "Stefan. You live and breathe, just as I suspected. Wasn't poisoning me enough? There isn't any point in playing innocent. I know you brought me here. Question is, what do you plan to do?"

Stefan studies Helena closely. His first thought is that she had kidnapped him, but something in the edge of her voice tells him that's not the case. No, she's too annoyed. Usually when she was victorious, she gloated. She isn't gloating this time. "You were not the one who brought me here."

"Brought you here?!" Helena rolls her eyes. "Why would I waste such pretty surroundings on you? Why would I kidnap you when what I really want is to see you dead?"

Stefan grits his teeth to keep back his retort. "Obviously this is someone's idea of a joke. But who?"

"Leave it to presumed dead Uncle to figure it out," Nikolas announces, as he enters the room with Lucky behind him. "Uncle, I’d pretend to be surprised to see you alive, but it would be a waste of precious time.

Grandmother, I am pleased to hear you are comfortable."

Helena and Stefan look at Nikolas incredulously. Stefan is the first the speak. "I donut understand. How did you find out I was alive?"

"I have Chloe and Alexis to thank for that." Nikolas motions to the doorway, and Chloe and Alexis enter, both with smug smiles on their faces. "It didn't’ take her long to figure out who was really behind her

kidnapping. When you weren't looking, she found a the phone in your study and gave Alexis a call. The rest is history."

Chloe walks up to Stefan and wraps her arms around his neck in a feigned act of comfort. "I’m so sorry, Darling. This must be so terrible for you." After a moment of shock, Stefan disentangles himself from Chloe. Helena walks up to Nikolas, putting her hands on his shoulders. "Nikolas, I couldn't be more proud! How thoughtful of you to include me in this family confrontation! It’s time Stefan pays for what he’s done to all of us!"

Nikolas steps back and glares threateningly at Helena. "Don’t touch me, Grandmother. Ever. You both will pay for what you’ve done to me over the years. I’m finished being used as a pawn in your quests for power. You’ve made it abundantly clear that you are both dangerous to the welfare of this family and the society at large. I won't allow you to hurt anyone in my name again."

Pale, his knees weak at the venom in Nikolas’ voice for him, Stefan finally finds his voice. "Nikolas, you can’t mean this. You know what I’ve done has been to protect you. I would lay down my life for you. I

understand you must be furious with me, but you can’t mean it when you say I am as dangerous as Helena."

Nikolas stares Stefan down. "Oh, you had me fooled, Uncle. I was your dupe for years. I believed you loved me. I did. But then my eyes were opened."

Stefan shake his head adamantly. "NO! That’s not true. I love you, I have loved you from the moment you were born. I swore my loyalty to you...."

"Maybe you do love me, Uncle. But it’s not a love I want." Nikolas stands tall in front of the man he’s loved all his life, the man he always wished was his father. "I am ashamed of what you’ve done. Framing

Lucky’s father? You didn’t think that would come out? And you didn’t consider how much that would hurt me, Lucky, Lulu and our mother? Your love destroys what it touches. Perhaps you are more dangerous than Helena because you use your love to manipulate, to gain power. I won’t allow you to hurt anyone anymore."

"Nikolas," Helena implores. "I am your Regent. must insist you release me at once. The Cassadine estate needs my leadership until you are 25, when I will be happy to hand over the reins to you. Stop this nonsense and all will be forgiven."

Alexis steps forward, a wide grin on her face. "Oh, but here is where you are wrong. You aren’t Regent anymore. Nikolas and I petitioned the court. I have been named Regent, and I will work at the pleasure of

Nikolas until he is 25. Your brief stint in power is over." She shoves the court order into Helena’s hands.

Helena’s face turns to stone. "This can’t possibly be legal! Nikolas, cease this foolishness at once, or I will be forced to take drastic action!"

"It’s completely legal, Grandmother." Nikolas glowers at both Helena and Stefan. "The court didn’t take kindly to Lucky’s testimony of being kidnapped and brainwashed by you. Now I am finally free of both of you. And the world will be a much safer place without you two in it."

Lucky smirks at Helena and Stefan. "I thinks it’s a fitting punishment for the kidnappers be held captive, don’t you? We considered handing you over to the authorities, but what are the chances you would ever pay for your crimes? Nikolas, Chloe, Alexis and I talked it over and decided this was the best solution."

"Nikolas, this can’t be what you want," Stefan implores again. "Take some time to think about this, and you will know I am right. I have always wanted what’s best for you."

Lucky breaks out laughing. "What a crock!"

"We decided you and Grandmother would stay here for the rest of your lives," Nikolas continues, outwardly unaffected by Stefan’s plea. " It’s pretty here, the weather is temperate. The ocean is warm enough to swim in. The library is full of books. It is a home full of amenities. I believe in time you will be content to live here."

"You’ll even have each other for company," Lucky adds gleefully. "And with so much in common... "

Nikolas walks up to Stefan and takes his face in his hands, his voice tremulous with emotion for the first time since he walked in. "I never had a chance to tell you how I felt when you ‘died’. Lucky and Alexis

know how it tore me up that I didn’t have a chance to tell you how much I loved you. And since this will be the last time we speak, I want you to know exactly how I feel. I feel nothing for you but disgust."

Grabbing the chain around Stefan’s neck, he pulls off the Cassadine medallion. "Have a nice life, Uncle. You are no longer apart of this family."

Alexis clasps the chain around Helena’s neck and pulls off her medallion as well. "Good bye, Helena. I hope you live a long and healthy life."

Nikolas walks out without another word, with the others trailing behind him. Lucky is the last to exit, turning one last time before leaving. "Caio!"

Done 1:28pm