Chapter 17

Note: This chapter is slashy (PG-rated), in this case the female/female kind. If you're underage or don't dig slash of any kind, don't read it.

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I'm all you have now.

Alexis awoke with a start, her heart beating loudly in her chest, her face wet with perspiration. She sank deep inside her covers, hoping it had all been a nightmare.

"Good afternoon, Natasha."

Alexis gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut. She wasn't going to let Stefan down again. She would keep him safe, no matter what. She pulled the covers down, wincing slightly at the light that attacked her barely awakened eyes. She looked around the room for the guard that Helena had assigned to keep an eye on her, almost wishing he were there now.

"He's waiting outside, Natasha," Helena answered the unasked question. "I didn't want him to interrupt our girl talk, as the Americans say."

Alexis looked impassively at Helena. "Why do you keep calling me that? My name is Alexis."

Helena walked to the bed and sat down. She was going to enjoy this. "You are Natasha Cassadine, daughter of Mikkos Cassadine and Kristin Bergman."

"You're lying," Alexis dismissed her.

"I can assure you I am not," Helena laughed. She placed a folder in front of Alexis. "See for yourself."

Alexis looked suspiciously at the folder before taking it. She carefully opened it, and saw a worn photograph on top of a stack of papers.

"That's your mother," Helena murmured.

Alexis ignored her and flipped the photo upside down quickly, unnerved by the odd feeling that was growing within her. She was letting Helena get to her again. She needed to stay focused. Her budding legal mind scanned the papers, trying to find any anomaly. She couldn't find anything. She put the papers back in the folder and pushed it towards Helena. "All that can be easily falsified."

"But blood cannot," Helena countered.