Robin turned up the heat as she maneuvered the rented Ford Explorer through the snow covered mountains. Her gun lay on the passenger seat, the music turned up loud trying to drown out her thoughts.

She could think of a thousand reasons why turning the rented SUV around and going back to Maine would be the smart thing to do. Chief among them keeping her job and her relationship with the man she loved intact. Sean was going to be furious that she had taken off without letting anyone know where she was going. And Frisco? Hell she’d be lucky if Frisco let her out of his sight anytime this millennium.

Provided of course that he didn’t turn his back on her completely for this little stunt.

She shuddered even as she kept driving, telling herself that Frisco loved her, that Frisco would understand. He wouldn’t like it, but he would understand.

Or at least she hoped he would.

Oh yeah there were a thousand reasons why she should turn around, head back to Maine, and plead temporary insanity.

There was only one reason why she kept going.

The possibility, however remote, that her mother was still alive. Still alive and Faison’s captive. It had been over ten years since her parents had “died” in that explosion on Faison’s yacht. Ten years in which she’d grown up, fallen in love, lost that love, found love again, watched that love die, and then, when she thought nothing would make her whole again, she had found the most important love of her life. She’d fallen in love with a man who had shown her that love, real love, was so much more about what you did rather than what you said. Jason was always saying how much he loved her, but during their last six months together his actions had spoken louder than any words could have. Frisco on the other hand...Robin smiled to herself. Frisco’s love was there in his every touch, his every glance, his every action.

Chronologically a decade really wasn’t that big a space of time.

But for Robin the last ten years had been a journey she had never imagined her life would take.

And sometimes it killed her that she had had to take that journey alone.

Oh she loved her Uncle Mac and Felicia was like a big sister. But neither could replace her parents.

The parents that Faison had stolen from her.

Or at least that was what she had always believed.

Until she’d answered the phone and heard her mother’s voice.

Until Emily in her delirium had whispered about a brown haired woman.

She was crazy, certifiably insane. The woman on the phone could have been anyone. Hell it had been ten years since she had heard her mother’s voice- would she even recognize it? For all she knew the phone call was a cruel trick by Faison to unnerve her and the brown haired woman a coincidence.

If she was smart she’d head back to Maine.

Of course if she was really smart she’d have gone back to medical school all those years ago instead of joining the WSB.

And she would never have fallen in love with Frisco.

A smile played around her lips before a dark thought chased them away.

If it was her mother, what next?

A hospital in Maine

He watched her sleep and wondered if it was his imagination that her breathing was a little gentler, a little less ragged than it had been before. Was he an idiot to believe that the flush to her cheeks was paler?

Was he grasping at straws hoping that she was recovering? Or was he just too afraid to believe that this time God had listened to his prayers?

Lucky Spencer watched Emily sleep, his hand gently playing with hers, not wanting to wake her but giving in to the need to be connected to her again. To confirm for himself that she was real.

That she was safe.

He shuddered. It wasn’t over. It was far from over. There was still Lulu to rescue. There was still his past to be faced. And he knew that Faison would not give up on getting Emily back. His little visitor earlier had proven that.

But just for this second all he could think, all he could feel, was the relief coursing through him that she was with him again.

He didn’t bother wiping away the tears that fell down his cheek.

“I love you Em. You saved me when I didn’t even know that I needed saving.” He inhaled sharply. “When I left Port Charles, I was lost. I thought I’d lost everything. Elizabeth. My family. My best friend. I didn’t think there was anything that belonged to the boy I was that I could hold onto, so I did my best to pretend that that boy had never existed. I found a job I love and new friends that became the family I needed. The family I wanted. The only family I thought I needed.”

“I was an idiot. All it took was one look at your face in that board room at ELQ and I knew I needed more. And when I saw you fall when those bullets hit, I knew that what I needed was you. You are my sanity. You are the reason I keep fighting. You are the person that makes me who I am today.”

“I can’t imagine how empty my life would be without you. I don’t want to imagine it.”

He sighed softly and he flinched inwardly as he remembered that scene in the hotel room with Liz. It had been a mistake. He just prayed that it wasn’t the mistake that cost him Emily’s love. He couldn’t lie to her. Wouldn’t lie to her. Even if he could guarantee Lark’s silence, there would be no secrets between them. He knew what secrets did to a relationship, had witnessed it first hand. When she was stronger, he would explain it to her. Make her understand that it had been some kind of temporary madness that had nothing to do with her and more to do with the madman who was trying to claim his soul. When she was there, the doubts, the insecurities, the torment- they were all held at bay by the warmth of her love. Without her, he had been foolish and stupid, giving in to some kind of mad impulse to try to turn back time.

He wasn’t in love with Elizabeth Webber Cassadine. Truth be told, he barely knew the kind of person Elizabeth was today. She definitely didn’t know the kind of person he was today.

She didn’t know him like Emily did. So she couldn’t love him like Emily did.

And he couldn’t love her like he loved Emily.

With that thought uppermost in his mind, Lucky Spencer continued his silent vigil by Emily’s bed.

An island in the Caribbean

Nikolas Cassadine leaned back against the cement blocks as he sat in the corner of his jail cell, trying to drown out the sound of Luke’s voice singing some godforsaken song from the forties that was better left forgotten in Nikolas’s opinion.

Or at least he thought Luke was singing. Come to think of it, maybe they were torturing Luke, which would explain the noises emanating from Luke’s cell. The idea of Luke being tortured might make enduring that noise bearable. Maybe even enjoyable.

Nikolas glanced up and winced. The only torture going on in this place was the torture Luke was putting him through.

How the hell had his life come to this. One month ago he had it all. A job he thrived on. A beautiful home in a Manhattan high-rise. A wife he adored. Who he thought adored him.

Then Lulu had been kidnapped. And Emily. And suddenly Lucky was back in their lives full steam. And Nikolas had been left with the sickening certainty that his wife had never loved him at all.

Which was why he had been foolish enough to volunteer for this suicide mission with a man who he might not detest but he sure the hell wasn’t fond of either.

A mission that had left him trapped in a jail in a country that had never heard of such a thing as Miranda rights.

Not that he imagined there was even a phone in here to use and his own cell, as well as Luke’s, had been confiscated the minute they had been dragged in here.

Nikolas winced, deciding that the less he remembered about how they searched his belongings and himself the better he would sleep at night and the lower the cost in psychiatric bills he would have to pay.

At least they had managed to get the information on Faison’s estate in Canada to Robin before all hell had broken loose. With any luck, the WSB was on its way to storm Faison’s keep and this whole mess would be over.

Then his life could go back to normal.

Except now he had no idea what normal was. Was normal a wife who couldn’t love you because she was still hung up on your brother? Was normal a brother who could barely look you in the eye?

Was anything about being Nikolas Cassadine even remotely normal?

He looked up as he heard the outer door to the jail open and a commotion taking place.

“You have a clue as to what’s going on out there?” Luke quizzed Nik.

Nik shrugged. “You mean beyond hanging you for your singing? Not a clue.”

“If you ever felt like throwing your money and title around Princey boy this would definitely be the time to start.”

Nik only scowled in response and both men looked up as the door to the jail holding area opened and a tall, slender figure stepped forward.

“So you boys want to tell me what kind of trouble you’ve gotten into now?” A familiar voice drawled as Nik raked his eyes up and down it’s owner, from her delicate bared feet with toenails painted the same shade red as her hair. Her smile, not nearly as shy but still as brilliant, lit up the room.

Even as he connected the face with a name he heard Luke stammer. “V?”

The woman known as V smiled confidently. “That’s Judge V to you two. Now do you want to tell me why you two were trespassing or do I simply let them hang you?”

Maine

Still in a daze from the news about ex-wife, Alex Masters pushed the button and waited for the soda machine to dispense a Diet Pepsi. His blue eyes were etched with sadness as he stared at his long time friend.

“I don’t get it. Why Jocelyn? Why would Faison go after Jocelyn?”

Frisco shook his head. “I don’t know. If I could figure out a psychotic lunatic like Faison I’d make a million in psychiatry. Whatever the reason, the only safe guess is that there was a reason. Nothing with Faison is random. Nothing ever unplanned.”

“Then he went after Jocelyn because of me.” Alex said flatly.

“Maybe. Or maybe there’s some kind of connection that we don’t know about.”

“It still makes no sense. If he went after Ava, that would make sense. God knows he tried that one before. But Jocelyn? We broke up two years ago. I haven’t even heard from her in almost eighteen months. Jesus the last I heard she was working for some high powered firm in Manhattan and dating a stock broker.”

“We don’t know that he killed her.”

Alex looked at Frisco long and steady.

Frisco walked over to the soda machine to get himself something to drink. “All right, so I’ve sunk to giving out meaningless platitudes that don’t amount to anything. We both know that the odds that Jocelyn is alive are slim. That doesn’t change the fact that Faison is very much alive and very dangerous.”

“He still has the younger girl?”

“Lulu?” Frisco nodded. “And God alone knows what he will do with her, especially now that his little game with Lucky has been thwarted. What I do know is that somewhere Faison is regrouping but no way in hell is he giving up.” Frisco said evenly as he leaned against the wall and used the coolness of the can to alleviate the headache he was fast developing.

“This one is getting to you, isn’t it?”

“It isn’t about me. It’s about Robin and Lucky. This is tearing both of them apart. Robin is the most sane, most in control person I know but you bring up the subject of Faison, hell you even just say his name out loud, and its like every button there is to push gets pushed. And its even worse with Lucky.”

“You’re worried about them?”

“I’m scared to death for them. If we don’t get Faison this time.....” Frisco took a deep breath. “I don’t know what will happen. But I do know that I’m not losing either one of them.” Frisco popped open the Pepsi. “I love Robin more than my own life and Lucky, I don’t know if this makes sense but Lucky is part partner, part brother, part son, and most of all one of my best friends. I won’t let Faison win this game.”

“I know you won’t Frisco.” Alex began when they were interrupted by the local sheriff.

“Excuse me Agent Scorpio,” The sheriff approached the two agents hesitantly. “I don’t mean to interrupt but our local coroner wanted to know if you wanted him to perform the autopsy on the body your men brought to the morgue or if you were going to bring your own agents into the picture.”

Frisco tensed. “What body?”

“The one Agent Scorpio arranged to be delivered to the morgue before she took off. The man who tried to kill Miss. Bowen.”

“The one she dropped off before she took off?” Frisco repeated the phrase slowly as the alarm bells begin to sound. “What do you mean, before she took off?”

“Agent Scorpio borrowed one of our SUV’s. Said she needed to go check out a lead in the mountains.”

The can of soda that fell out of Frisco’s hand was quickly forgotten as he raced down the hallway with Alex quickly on his trail. Port Charles
Wyndemere

“We should have heard from Nikolas by now.” Laura Cassadine said softly as she came to join her husband on the terrace overlooking the river.

“Nikolas will be all right. He can take care of himself.”

“Yes but can he take care of himself and Luke at the same time.” Laura asked wryly.

They stood in silence for a few minutes before Laura sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For blaming you for what happened to Lulu. I’m her mother, it was my job as much as yours to protect her. We both failed her.”

“No, no you didn’t.” Sean Donnelly’s voice cut across the air. “Your daughter was kidnapped by a monster. There was nothing you could have done to have stopped him.”

“Sean?” Laura stepped forward. “It’s good to see again. I just wish the circumstances were different.”

“Me too beautiful, me too.” Sean paused. “We have news.”

“They found Lulu?”

Sean shook his head. “No, not Lulu. Emily. Apparently she managed to escape Faison. She’s in a hospital in Maine. It was touch and go for a while, but they expect her to make a full recovery. Lucky, Robin, and Frisco are in Maine now.”

“Thank God Emily is all right.” Laura whispered softly. “I don’t know how Lucky would have made it if anything happened to her.”

“He loves her a lot.” Sean agreed. “You can see it on his face when he talks about her. There’s also some other news. Apparently Lucky’s suspicions about one of your former staff being involved was correct. There was a body dragged out of the river this morning. We ID’d it as being the same man you identified as your former gardener. Lucky’s information he got from the DVX about there being a connection between him and Faison was correct. Your gardener was an ex-DVX agent, most likely planted by Faison.”

“My God,” Stefan breathed but then a perplexed look crossed his face. “But if the man was helping Faison, why...”

“Why kill him? My guess, one less possible complication for Faison to deal with. Anyway, I wanted you guys to know from me where the investigation stood. I’m heading back over to the PC Hotel. Contact me if anything comes up.”

“We will.” Laura paused. “Sean?”

“Yeah beautiful?”

“Now that he can’t play his little mind game, what will Faison do to Lulu?”

Sean shook his head. “I wish I knew. I really wish I knew.” Another pause. “Just remember your son and his friends, they are the best agents I’ve got. If anyone can rescue your daughter, they can.”

Laura nodded and after another silent moment, Sean turned and walked away.

Holding hands, Laura and Stefan walked further down the terrace.

At the door to the terrace, Elizabeth Webber Cassadine stood silently, her mind going over the implications of the conversation she had just overheard.

Maine

Lucky paced the room, his mind racing over what Frisco had just told him. Robin had taken off. Why? Whatever it was, it had to be pretty important for Robin to take off on her own like that. Robin was the one who was always preaching that they were partners and partners had to work together.

He ran his hand through his hair. It didn’t make sense. It wasn’t her style.

Whatever the reason, he knew instinctively that it had to do with Faison and that it was bad. Bad with a capital B.

Frisco had been frantic and Lucky didn’t blame him. It was stupid of Robin to take off on her and as soon as they found her he intended to deliver that lecture himself.

That is if they found her.

If they found her safe.

Alex had dragged Frisco away before Frisco could start an APB and spread out a dragnet of agents and law enforcement authorities to begin looking for Robin. Give her a little while. She’ll check in soon. Alex had reiterated what they all three new. Robin might be pursuing a lead but she wasn’t going to completely blow them off. She’d check in sooner or later.

And she damn well better make it sooner.

When Alex had quietly pointed out that if anyone, namely Sean, figured out that Robin was AWOL it could cost her her career they had all agreed to give her six hours before they pressed the panic button.

Lucky had a feeling they would be the longest six hours of Frisco’s life.

“What’s wrong?” The raspy voice caught his attention from his pacing and he froze, then turned in the direction of the bed.

“Emily? You’re awake?” He moved to the bed and picked up her hand with one hand and with the other brushed her hair off her face. Her brown eyes were dulled with pain and medications but he could see himself in them.

“Lucky.” She breathed his name like it was a benediction and coming from her, he felt like it was. “You saved me.”

He shook his head as his eyes filled with tears. “No, no I didn’t. You saved yourself Em. You didn’t need me.”

“I always need you. Always.” Her voice was little more than a whisper. “Faison.”

“Can’t hurt you. You’re safe, Emily. I promise you I’m going to keep you safe.”

“I know. You kept me safe the whole time. Every time I got scared or frightened, I’d remember that you loved me. You never left me.”

“I don’t intend to ever leave you again.”

Emily closed her eyes. “Lulu?”

“Shhh. Don’t worry about Lulu. You’ve been really sick babe, I just want you to concentrate on getting better.”

“Lucky?”

He hesitated. “Faison still has her.”

A tear escaped the corner of her eye. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. We’re going to get her back and everything is going to be okay.”

“AJ. Mom. Dad.”

“They know you’re okay. They were called a little while ago. AJ wanted to come up here but I think its better if no one knows that you’re here.”

A shadow crossed Emily’s face. “You think he’s going to try to get me again.”

Lucky nodded. His face somber. “I’m not going to let him. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” He gently kissed the top of her forehead. “You are way too important to me Miss. Quartermaine. for me to risk losing you now.” He smiled at her gently. “Besides, who else could put up with my cooking?”

Emily laughed but ended up coughing.

“Shhh....” Lucky whispered. “Take it easy. You were in pretty bad shape when they brought you in. It’s going to take a little time for you to heal.”

Emily nodded.

“Try to go back to sleep. I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

“Stay with me.”

“I told you, I’m not leaving you.”

“No, I mean stay with me. Stay with me now. I need you to hold me.”

“I know. I need to hold you.” Lucky carefully slipped into bed next to her. He put his arm around her until she was encircled in his strength. He watched with a smile as her eyes closed slowly as she drifted off.

“I have you back Emily and I’m not losing you again.” Then leaning his head back against the pillows, surrounded by the warmth of the young woman he loved, regardless of his worry over Robin, Lucky too found himself drifting off to sleep for the first time in days..

Canada

It hadn’t taken her that long to find it Robin thought as she parked the SUV outside of the gray stone manor house. It was the kind of place that she would have expected to attract a man like Faison, the regal design of the building would have appealed to his overblown sense of self.

The place was deserted. She could tell that right off the bat as she realized there were no cars anywhere to be found and no sign of the large staff it would take to upkeep a house of this size.

Her gun drawn, she approached the front door cautiously. When several hard shoves against the door didn’t even make it budge, she shot the lock instead.

Carefully she opened the door, her eyes alert for any sign of the booby traps that Faison was bound to have left all over the place. Walking through the entranceway, she made her way to the living room and stopped, looking at some pictures over the mantel.

Her heart beating in her throat, Robin picked up one of the pictures and stared at it, trying to fight the rising nausea that threatened to overwhelm her. Holding on to the picture, she made her way to the stairs leading to the second floor of the house.

A few minutes later, the quiet outdoor setting was shattered by an explosion as the manor house, and everything and everyone in it, was engulfed in flames.

An airplane over the Atlantic

Ceasar Faison poured another shot of brandy into his crystal glass and leaned back against the leather sofa to drink it as he studied the newspapers in front of him.

“Our man failed in the hospital attempt.” The man standing in front of him nervously reported. “The Quartermaine girl is alive and they expect her to make a full recovery.”

“A small bump in the road,” Faison dismissed this news casually. “Don’t worry. We have put into action a failsafe plan that will ensure that our two young lovers do not enjoy a happily ever after ending.”

“And the child?”

“Stays with us. I have plans for Miss. Spencer, plans that include her taking up where her brother, alas, left off.”

“What about the WSB? Jones won’t give up this easily. Look at what happened last time he got this close.”

The stem of the glass in his hand snapped but Faison kept his face controlled. “What happened last time was an aberration. Robin and her partner got, shall we say, lucky. This time they won’t get the chance. Our favorite WSB agents will find that they have their hands full with matters elsewhere. Besides, they would never dream that we are returning to the one place where everything began.” Faison paused. “And if by chance they do, then we will just have to make sure that we are ready for them. I do not intend to lose twice, especially when I created the game.”

Whatever the man would have said was lost as a woman entered the plane, her eyes reflecting concern she walked up to Faison and draped an arm around her shoulder. “Darling, is this trip absolutely necessary? I hate to see my little girl suffering so.”

Faison motioned for his assistant to leave them alone. “That is why the doctor recommended the sedative for the flight, sweetheart. We went over this before. You know how airsick she gets. But you also know how much she loves Greece when we get there. The mild sedative the doctor gave her will let her sleep until we are there.”

“I know that. And I know that I am just being an overprotective mother as always and you are so patient with me. I just can’t help this feeling that I am going to lose her.”

“You won’t. Ever. We are going to be a family, the three of us and no one can separate us now that we are together.”

“You are so good to me.” The woman sighed as she settled on Faison’s lap. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you.” She sighed. “Or what I would do without you.”

“That you don’t have to worry about. I promise that you and I and our darling Robin will be together forever my Anna.” And with a smile on his face, Faison leaned forward and passionately kissed his loving wife.

While in a separate compartment in the private jet, a drugged Lulu Spencer slept.