Truth Sets Free

Chapters 1-5

one
Lucy ran quickly down the stairs of the lighthouse, a cell phone in one hand and a duck in the other. She placed the duck gently on the floor and hung up the phone.
"Doc!" she called. Kevin's head appeared from behind a door.
"What is it, Lucy?"
"Oh, a couple of things. First off, little Siggy Two somehow waddled his way upstairs."
"Actually, Mom, I took him upstairs to keep me company while I did my homework. Sorry, he must have gotten out somehow." A tall, stunning, teenage brunette walked down the stairs as she threw a simple black cardigan over her red T-shirt and jeans.
"That's all right, Victoria- what are you wearing? Ugh! I bet none of that stuff is anywhere near being designer!" Lucy exclaimed, looking at her daughter.
"Nope. It's not even name-brand!" Victoria replied, with an evil glint in her eye as she slipped her bare feet into white sandals. "But, don't worry, Mom! These are authentic 90's Birkenstocks, that's kind of a name brand, isn't it?"
"Doc!" Lucy complained. Victoria and Kevin began to laugh.
"I'm meeting Jakob for dinner after we finish at the firm, OK?"
"Ooh! Dinner! That's what I was going to tell you, Doc! Alexander's coming home for dinner tonight! And he's bringing someone for us to meet!" Lucy exclaimed.
"Really? Vic, is there any way you can skip dinner with Jakob?" Kevin asked. Victoria's nose wrinkled.
"Daddy! It's our two year anniversary! I'm sure Alex won't mind if I'm not there!" Victoria checked her watch. Her eyes widened. "Ooh, Mr. B hates when we're late! I really have to run! Say hi to Alex for me, and Mom, don't forget to give his friend the thrid degree!" she cried as she raced out the door.

"Hey, Victoria, what's the rush?" Scott Baldwin asked the young intern as she typed extremely fast.
"Oh, hey, Mr. B. I'm kind of in a rush, but it seems kind of pointless." Victoria sighed as she glanced up from her computer screen. "Have you seen Jakob around today?"
"No. And he should have been here awhile ago. Do you want to call Wyndemere for me?"
"Oh, thank you so much, Mr. B! Now I can give him what's coming to him!" Victoria grinned wickedly as she picked up the phone, putting a piece of paper over the mouthpiece to alter her voice.
"Cassadine residence."
"Hello, this is Baldwin and Jones Law Firm. Is Jakob Cassadine there?"
"No, he is not, but I can go get Mr. Cassadine for you."
"Thank you." Victoria drummed her fingers on the table impatiently.
"This is Nikolas Cassadine."
"Hello, Mr. Cassaddine. This is Baldwin and Jones Law Firm. We were wondering when your son wsd planning on coming in today for his internship hours."
"Actually, he has decided to not continue his intership. He will be leaving for Greece in a few days." Victoria felt sick. She smiled broadly into the phone, using an old trick her mother had taught her years ago.
"Oh, well, please have him call us if he ever decides to continue."
"I doubt that will happen."
"Thank you, Mr. Cassadine. Goodbye."
"Goodbye." Victoria heard a click as Nikolas hung up. She slowly put the phone down and walked out of the room.
"Scotty?" she said in a small voice. Scott turned around in alarm. Victoria rarely called him Scotty. His eyes widened as he saw the watery-eyed Victoria, standing in front of him, obviously upset.
"What happened, Victoria?" he asked gently. The tears began to overflow.
"Jakob's going to Greece in a few days. He won't be continuing his internship here." Victoria sniffled and walked over to Scott's desk to grab a Kleenex. "He didn't even bother to tell me, the bastard!" Victoria tried to compose herself. "Uh, Mr. B, would it be all right if I took off the rest of the day?"
"Of course, Victoria. Give Lucy and Kevin my love."
"Thanks." Victoria reached over and grabbed a few more Kleenex's before giving Scott a watery smile, and walking out of the office.

two
Jakob looked uncertainly at the simplistic diamond ring in the jewlers box. Maybe it was too soon, maybe they were too young. He didn't want to get married right away, of course. He wanted to wait until he was eighteen, which meant a two year engagement... He smiled to himself, he knew this was right. The night of their two-year anniversary, to ask his darling Victoria to marry him. If she accepted, he wanted to go to Greece with her so she could meet Uncle Stefan. If she declined, he needed to go to Greece to get away from her.
"Jakob, what is that? Is that why you're going to Greece?" Nikolas asked from behind him. Jakob turned around.
"I'm going to ask Victoria to marry me."
"What? Jakob, you're only sixteen!"
"I figured we could have a long engagement. If she accepts, then I plan for us to fly out to see Grandfather over the long weekend."
"And if she declines?"
"Then I'm going to Europe where the drinking age is lower." Jakob replied. "It's a joke, Father." He added, when he saw the look on Nikolas' face.
"Well, it's your choice, Jakob. Your mother, Robin, and I will be behind you no matter what."
"Well, in that case, it's not my choice. It's Victoria's." Jakob looked at his watch. "I better go. She's probably wondering where I am." He smiled at Nikolas before walking out the door.
Nikolas looked saddened. His baby was getting old enough to get married. Ugh. A two-year-old toddled up to him from an adjoining room.
"Why sad, Daddy?" she asked. Nikolas smiled and picked her up.
"Ana, promise me you'll never grow up, OK?" Luciana giggled.
"Daddy's silly."

Jakob took a deep breath and opened the door to Baldwin and Jones. He ran smack into Scott Baldwin.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Mr. Baldwin. I wasn't paying attention. Have you seen Victoria?" Jakob apologized, reaching his hand down to help Scott up. Scott swatted his hand away and stood up.
"She's not here. She went home."
"Why? I thought she wasn't getting off until six. Is she ill?"
"No. Why are you here anyway? You don't work here anymore. Shouldn't you be in Greece by now?" Jakob's eyes widened.
"You didn't tell Victoria that I was leaving, did you?"
"She told me!"
"So much for the element of surprise. Where did she go?"
"Why do you care? She knows you're leaving. You didn't even bother to tell her!"
"What? Oh, God! She thinks- Mr. Baldwin, I was going to propose tonight and if she accepted, I was going to take her to Greece to meet my Uncle."
"Oh boy. Um, she's probably at the lighthouse."
"Thank you!" Jakob ran out the door.

three

"Len, chill out, OK?" Alexander said, glancing over at his companion.
"Don't tell me to chill out, Ander! Your parents are pretty famous, don't blame me for being nervous about meeting Kevin Collins and Lucy Coe Collins!" an annoyed Len replied.
"Or as I like to call them, Dad and Mom. You look fine, sweetie." Len glanced nervously down at her short, simple black dress. Alexander grinned at her and rang the doorbell.
"Coming! Ooh, Siggy Two, get out of the way, you silly duck!" Lucy ran to the doorway and opened it. "Alexander!"
"Hi, Mom!" Alexander replied, hugging her. He pulled away. "Mom, this is Lenna Thorne."
"Hello, Mrs. Collins." Lucy shook Lenna's oustreched hand. Her eyes widened and she picked up Lenna's hand to see it more closely.
"Alexander, what's this?" Lucy asked, shoving Lenna's left hand in his face. Lenna and Alexander exchanged a look.
"That would be my fiancee's left hand." Lucy's mouth dropped open.
"DOC!" she yelled.

four

"Hello, Dominic," Carly Morgan said, as Remi let him into the penthouse.
"Hello, Mrs. Morgan. Is Virginia Jean ready?"
"Here I am!" Virginia Jean cried, racing down the stairs. "Momma, is it OK if I borrow your dress?" Carly glanced at her daughter in the black-and-white dress that Jason had bought her for their anniversary.
"You mean the one you have on?" Carly asked in amusement. Virginia Jean smiled and kissed Carly on the cheek.
"Thank you, Momma. We're going to the Collins' for dinner. I'll take Andrew with me, OK?" Carly gave Virginia Jean a hug.
"Be good."
"You too." Virginia Jean replied, as Dominic helped her put her coat on.
"Bye!"
"Bye." Carly sighed. She checked the clock. Almost time for Jason to come home. She settled in with a magazine and waited for her husband to come home.

"Luke, honey, are you ready?" Laura called.
"Ready for what?" Luke asked suspiciously.
"The invasion of the grandchildren. That was Nikolas on the phone. He has to go to Nepal on emergency business and he was supposed to watch Spencer for Lu and Dillon tommorrow night. And we already agreed to watch Louis-"
"Laura, I'm going out tomorrow."
"What? Why?"
"It's September 25th."
"Oh yeah. Well, while you're with Zo�, think of me, surrounded by two two- year-olds and a five-year-old."
"I will." Luke gave Laura a kiss. "Let me wish you good luck in advance."
"I'll need it." Laura smiled at Luke.

"Okay, everyone, this is my fiancee, Lenna Thorne. Lenna, this is my twin brother Dominic Collins, his girlfriend Virginia Jean Morgan, my mother Lucy Coe Collins, my father Kevin Collins, and- where is Victoria?" Alexander asked, looking around the living room.
"She's celebrating her two-year annniversary with Jakob."
"Oh. Well, Len, you'll meet them later."
"How old are you?" Lucy asked suddenly.
"Excuse me?" Lenna cried.
"You look like you're about fifteen!"
"Actually, I'm twenty. I know, it's a curse right now, but when I'm older it'll be great. You know, what I mean, Mrs. Collins. You have to be about forty or so, but you don't look a day over twenty-five!"
"Ooh, you can suck up with the best of them, can't you? I bet you're nothing but a gold-digging Kathy Bell!"
"Mother!" Alexander cried.
"Lucy!" Kevin cried at the same time.
"For your information, Mrs. Collins, I have plenty of money of my own. I assume that the Kathy Bell you're referring to is Katherine Bell, the owner of Deception Cosmetics. Let me assure you, that I neither blackmailed your son into proposing, nor did I get shot by him, nor did I pretend to be someone's sister. Do you have any other questions?" Lenna replied calmly and politely.
"Ooh!" Lucy cried.

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