Lifelike

"Nikolas, what are you doing here?" Alexis repeated herself.
"May I come in?" he asked.
"Oh! Certainly," she replied, opening the door further.
"There are a few things which have come to light that I feel you should be made aware of." Alexis raised her eyebrows.
"Really?"
"Yes. Ria and Lucky and myself have made some, ah, interesting discoveries."
"You mean about Stefan being your father?" Nikolas laughed bitterly.
"No. I mean about Luke Spencer being my father."

Chapter Sixty-Two

Alexis nearly dropped the cup of tea she was holding. She put it down on the table and whirled around to face Nikolas.
"What did you just say?"
"I said that Lu-"
"Nevermind. Are you certain?"
"Yes. Ria and I had a paternity test done and Luke himself had one done."
"Oh my God." Alexis ran one hand through her hair. "So this means that I am the heir?"
"No. Wait, what about Stefan?" Alexis laughed.
"I'm surprised you haven't uncovered this yourself."
"What?"
"Stefan isn't Mikkos' child. He's the product of one of Helena's affairs."

Sonny tried to concentrate on the business materials he was looking over for Jason, but his train of thought and line of sight kept travelling over to Ria.
She was asleep. Sonny sighed. She looked like an angel when she was asleep. Her perfectly still, perfect face, her eyelashes accented by shadow....
Sonny stood up and left the room. He turned on the radio, which was tuned, by Lucky, to one of Elizabeth's favorite stations.

Ria opened her eyes slowly. She could hear a song playing. Slowly, she stood and walked into the kitchen to see Sonny standing there, staring at the radio, mesmerized by it.

Sonny stared at the radio. That song voiced what he was feeling exactly, although it petrified him to the very core of his being.
"And that was "Possession" by Sarah McLachlan from her album "Fumbling Towards Ecstasy". Now, you can catch Sarah when she-" Sonny flipped the radio off.
"Possession! Great. That's perfect," he mumbled. No, he commanded himself. She's Luke's daughter. She's probably like seventeen or something. No. She's too young. No. She's-
"Penny for your thoughts," a voice broke in. Sonny looked over at Ria standing before him and all reason melted away.

Chapter Sixty-Three

"Wait. If Stefan isn't the heir then..." Nikolas trailed off, biting his lip in concentration.
"I'm the heir. Why else would Helena give a damn about me?" Nikolas glanced at Alexis.
"You don't know?"
"Know what?"
"Kristy and Mikkos never had any children."
"Who's Kristy?"
"Your mother, whose real name is Kristin Nea-Lison. She just shortened it when she met Mikkos. She used to go by Kristy."
"Oh. Wait, whoa, what? If Kristin and Mikkos never had any children, then who am I? I didn't just appear out of nowhere!"
"Your real name is Sarah Margaret. Helena killed your parents and she thought she killed you, but your half-sister Kristy rescued you."
"Half-sister? Nikolas, what are you talking about? Where did you get this information?"
"From you, ah, your nephew, I believe."
"My nephew? Here in Port Charles?"
"And your brother, your sister, two nieces and two nephews, actually."
"What?" Alexis sat down, putting one hand to her forehead. Her head was spinning out of control. She looked around her penthouse rapidly before focusing on Nikolas again. "Who?" she asked in a low voice.
"Your brother and sister think you're dead."
"Yes, Nikolas, I gathered that. Who are they?" Alexis demanded.
"Luke and Bobbie Spencer."

"Miss Webber?" Elizabeth glanced up to see an orderly looking at her.
"Yes?"
"I'm happy to tell you that both Mr. Spencers made it through the surgery." Elizabeth's worried face broke into a grin.
"Thank God! When can I see him- uh- them?"
"Well, Mrs. Spencer is already in there and she asked me to come and get you." Elizabeth jumped out of her seat, grabbing hers and Lucky's things.
"What room?" she demanded.
"239." With that, Elizabeth was off.

"Are you okay?" Ria asked, tilting her head in concern as she tried to assess why he had such a strange look on his face.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm- I'm fine," Sonny replied, turning his head away from the gaze that he could feel boring into his soul.
"No you're not. Something's wrong. I can tell," Ria replied, shaking her head. "Why don't you just tell me what it is?"
"Uh, I, I was just wondering, you know, how you could be Luke's daughter. I mean, I've never heard of you before," Sonny replied, feeling that she could completely tell he's lying.
"Uh-huh. Well, see, it's kind of a long story. Do you have an hour?" Ria asked, pretty certain that he was lying.
I have all the time in the world for you, Sonny thought involuntarily.
"Sure, I've got an hour. Shoot," Sonny said aloud.

Chapter Sixty-Four

"Knock knock!" Elizabeth called, opening the door to room 239.
"Elizabeth!" Lucky cried, struggling to sit up, but grimacing in pain.
"Hey, don't strain yourself on my account, okay?" Elizabeth smiled, her mind going a thousand thoughts a minute. She glanced around the empty room. "Where are your parents?"
"Dad went in for some testing and Mom went with him," Lucky explained. Elizabeth wondered how he could be so at ease.
"Uh, Lucky, do you, uh, remember what you said to me right before you went into surgery?"
"Not really. I just remember being kinda goofy. Why?" Lucky suddenly thought of what he might have said. "What'd I say?"
"You, uh, said, uh. Nevermind. You were probably too hopped up on anesthesia to think clearly."
"Elizabeth," Lucky said. Elizabeth glanced up and met his glance. "What did I say?"
Elizabeth bit her lip. They locked eyes.
"You said that you loved me."

"Luke and Bobbie Spencer?!" Alexis cried. "What in God's name are you talking about, Nikolas?" Nikolas sighed.
"Helena, before she married Mikkos, was involved with Luke's father, Robert Lucas Spencer. He left her to marry Kristen's mother, Margaret Nea. Margaret and Robert had three children, Luke, Bobbie, and Sarah. Helena tried to kill Robert's entire family. She killed Margaret, Robert, and thought she had killed Sarah. Kristen found out, through Mikkos, and saved Sarah. Luke and Bobbie ran away to Florida. Kristen changed Sarah's name to Natasha and made Mikkos swear to protect Sarah. When Helena killed Kristen, Mikkos took Natasha and Helena assumed it was his bastard daughter. Mikkos never corrected her."
"Oh my God!" Alexis cried, sinking into an armchair, her face pale. "Who- who knows?"
"Lucky, me, and now you."
"That explains Helena's grudge against Luke, I suppose."
"Yes, it does."
"My God. Helena killed my mother, father, and sister!"
"She killed my grandfather, grandmother, and aunt," Nikolas reminded Alexis. Alexis looked at Nikolas suddenly.
"You're my nephew again!" she exclaimed. Nikolas smiled.
"Yeah, I guess I am." Alexis smiled for a few seconds before her face returned to its blank expression.
"Luke doesn't know?"
"Nope... Alexis, it's okay. I know you're in shock. Trust me, I know."
"Jesus, we should form a support group!" Alexis glanced up and met Nikolas' eye. "Should we tell Luke?"
"It's completely up to you," Nikolas responded.
Alexis stared ahead of herself for a few minutes. Then she nodded.
"Let's tell him."

"Wait, so let me get this straight. Nikolas Cassadine is your brother and he's actually Luke's son?" Sonny cried. He and Ria were sitting together comfortably across from each other at the kitchen table. Ria found herself liking the handsome man who was Luke's friend.
"Yep. And a couple of days ago, Laura and I were walking along the beach in North Carolina and this guy grabbed us." Sonny sat bolt upright, a slight tinge of rage in his dark eyes. She laid a hand on his arm. "Chill out. It was Stavros."
"Cassadine?! I thought he was dead!" Sonny didn't want her hand to leave his arm.
"Yeah, well, join the club. Anyway, I picked the lock to my room and walked in on Stavros about to slap Laura, so I grabbed his arm. Then he tried to slap me-" Sonny got that rage in his eyes again. "-but I grabbed his other wrist and then," Ria began to laugh. "He tried to kick me, you know, make me lose my balance, but I let go of his wrists and pulled his leg straight up, making him fall flat on his back. I pinned him with my foot and told him if he ever so much as looked at her the wrong way again, I'd make sure he wouldn't be able to get back up." Sonny began to laugh.
"Remind me never to mess with you, okay?" Ria pretended to be confused.
"Why does everyone keep saying that to me?" She and Sonny laughed together. Suddenly he couldn't stand it anymore. He leaned across the table and kissed her.

Chapter Sixty-Five

The kiss caught Ria completely off-guard for a split second before she melted into it. Then a voice broke in.
"Hey! Sonny!" Ria and Sonny broke apart as fast as they could, staring at each other in shock. Sonny looked over to see Bobbie Spencer with a slight smirk on her face, looking at them.

"Oh, God, I'm sorry, Elizabeth!" Lucky exclaimed. Elizabeth got this weird look on her face.
"What? I - I mean, why?" Although she had convinced herself she wasn't ready for anything yet, she found herself unbelievably disappointed.
"It's too soon! I mean, I was thinking maybe in a year or so I might tell you, but- I have really messed up this time. I'm sorry. I know-" Lucky sighed deeply. "I know it's way too soon and-"
"Lucky?" Lucky looked up at her nervously. Elizabeth smiled sweetly. It was almost painful for him to see her smile at him that way. "I know you're right. I mean, under normal circumstances, it is way too soon, still..." she trailed off.
"Still...?" Lucky asked hopefully. She reached over and took his hand in hers.
"I love you, too."

"Bobbie!" Sonny cried, jumping up from his chair. "What are you doing here?!"
"I could ask you the same thing, Sonny," Bobbie replied, with her I-know-what-you're- up-to grin.
"I told Lucky that I'd watch the house for him. And, well, Ria kinda came home and, uh..." Sonny trailed off. How could he explain something that he didn't even understand.
"Came home?" Bobbie said, confused. She turned to Ria, doing a double take. "Who are you?"
"Uh... Are you Luke's sister, Bobbie Spencer?" Ria asked.
"Yes, I am. And you are?'
"She doesn't know?" Sonny asked.
"No, Sonny, she doesn't," Ria replied, biting her lip. "Um, when Luke came into the hospital, did he say anything about a Ria?"
"Yeah, that she was- You shot Stavros Cassadine?!"
"You what?!" Sonny exclaimed. Ria looked at the two and shrugged sheepishly.
"He slapped my mother!"
"Again?" Sonny cried.
"Laura is your mother?!" Bobbie cried at the same time.

Chapter Sixty-Six

"Yes," Ria replied to both questions. "Stavros slapped my mother, Laura, again."
Sonny sat down and clenched his jaw, wishing he could have killed Stavros for hurting Ria's mother that way.
Bobbie's jaw dropped open for a few seconds before closing her eyes and shaking her head briefly.
"Who is your father, Ria?" Bobbie asked.
"The same as my twin brother Nikolas." Bobbie shook her head.
"How's Luke taking it?"
"Surprisingly well, but I guess that's what happens when you find out that your wife didn't have children by your mortal enemy, but by you."

"I love you, too."
"But?" Lucky asked, looking deep into Elizabeth's eyes. She smiled.
"You know me too well," she said sadly. "But, part of my mind is saying that it's too soon and that even if it's you, I'll still be hurt and that I'll probably end up hurting you and-"
"My mind's saying the same things, Elizabeth. You don't have to worry. Things can stay exactly the same." The words almost pained Lucky to say them. He didn't want things to stay exactly the same.
"No they can't. You know it, Lucky. Once those words are out there, everything changes." Lucky sighed. "And there's a part of me that wants them to change."
"It's simple, Liz. You decide."
"What? I - I don't understand."
"Control was taken away from you that night, okay? I know that that's the most important thing. So, I am giving you complete control on what does and doesn't happen in our relationship. Everything's up to you."

Nikolas sighed as he waited for someone to come to his assistance. He had been standing at this nurses' station for ages!
"Nikolas!" he groaned, lifting his eyes to meet Sarah's adoring stare. "What are you doing here?"
"In case you hadn't heard, my brother just underwent surgery and I am here to visit him. Now will you kindly give me his room number?" He didn't feel like being polite today, especially to Sarah.
"I don't know if I'm allowed to do that. It's supposed to be family only." Nikolas sighed, running one hand through his hair in exasperation.
"Sarah, I'm his brother. That's family."
"Oh! Right, how silly of me!" Nikolas didn't comment. "Uh, it's room 239. That's on the second floor, I can take you there if you-"
"Thanks, no. I think I can manage," he replied, gesturing for Alexis to come over from where she had just gotten off the elevator.

Chapter Sixty-Seven

Stefan paced back and forth across the floors of Wyndemere. No better than Stavros! Ha! That showed how little Lasha knew about him! He saved Ria and Nikolas from Helena's wrath! Had he not intervened, Helena probably would have forced Lasha to have an abortion! His mother would not tolerate infidelity, even if it was before Lasha was married to Stavros. And Lasha had the audacity to blame him for Luke's death! Him! He was not the one who shot the man!
Stefan slowed his pace slightly as a realization came over him. Lasha could learn to love him again if he had one of her children living with him. Then! Then! She would come and they could live together always!
A crazed glint began to appear in his eyes.

"I cannot believe Stefan would do such a thing! Well, I can, but--" Bobbie's thoughts were cut short as her beeper went off. She glanced down. "Great. I have to go to the hospital for an emergency." She looked at Sonny and Ria. "We still have some things to discuss, though." She smiled.
"It was nice to meet you," Ria called after Bobbie's vanishing figure. They watched Bobbie's station wagon pull out of the driveway. Ria turned back around and her eyes locked with Sonny's.

The tentative kiss had grown nearly reckless by the time someone knocked on the door.
"Lucky, I need to talk to you!" Nikolas said walking into the room, not noticing Elizabeth, scarlet with embarrassment, struggling to sit back up. she and Lucky glanced at each other, both shocked at how passionate the kiss had become.
"You - you guys should probably talk in private. I need to go find Gram and tell her where I am, anyway." Elizabeth caught Lucky's eye. She smiled slowly. "Bye," she said softly.

Someone knocked on the door a few times, sharply, before Ria ran out of the kitchen to answer it. She flung open the door.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, the scorn very obviously present in her voice.
"You're coming with me." The next thing Ria knew, something had hit her on the head and she had slumped to the floor, unconscious.

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