Chapter 7

The months passed. Laura was swept into an adventure with Robert
Scorpio and Luke. Stefan immersed himself in study. He started various
affairs, none of which lasted very long. During the days, it was easier
for them to forget about that fateful day. The dream-filled nights betrayed them. It had been a shock to both of them to realize that the Gods had played so cruelly with their lives... but they weren't done yet.

*****
Laura stood still, lost in thought, while the woman stuck pins in her wedding gown. She had met a Cassadine in this city. Stefan Cassadine, if that was his real name. Who was he? A cousin? A distant relative?

They had gotten caught. She clamped her jaw shut to keep from crying as the guards dragged her and Luke through the corridors. She had never been so frightened in all her life. Why the hell had she thought it was a good idea to come on this adventure? They were roughly pushed through the doors and came face to face with the maniacal Mikkos Cassadine. Robert was already there. Both he and Luke were putting on brave fronts. It would have reassured her if she didn't know they were scared to death, too. She turned back to Mikkos and froze as her eyes came upon the medallion on his chest. It couldn't be. But it was. The same as his. The same as Stefan's.

"All done!" the woman declared happily. "As soon as we make the alterations needed, we'll send it to you without delay. Have a wonderful wedding."

"Thank you," Laura said absently, as she walked out of the store, where Luke had been waiting for her.

"All set?" he asked.

"Mhm," Laura replied.

*****
Stefan had been walking for hours, impractical to say the least in a city like New York. He needed to be alone, but he couldn't sit still. Books didn't help and neither did music. Luke Spencer. She was marrying Luke Spencer. The man who had killed his father.

He had returned to the Island following the news of his father's death because it was expected, though he couldn't grieve a man who had never treated him kindly. His mother was in a rage, cursing the poor fools who had thwarted his father's idiotic plan. His brother, pretending to care, was at her side, offering his comfort. Stefan made an attempt to calm her as well, but she gave him a look that turned his insides cold. He didn't know why he still tried. He picked up the shredded newspaper from the United States and froze. The picture had been clawed but, it was her. He was certain. He looked down at the caption. Laura Baldwin.

He had played that scene countless times in his head, telling himself this was more than enough reason to finally forget all about her. She had probably done so, why couldn't he? He turned the corner...

And bumped straight into Laura.

"Watch it, dumbass," Luke barked.

"I'm--" Stefan and Laura began, but the word stuck in their mouths.

"Hi, Laura," Stefan said. Did she know who he was?

"You know this guy, Laura?" Luke asked as he possessively took her arm. There was something about him that bothered Luke, but he couldn't quite figure out what it was.

"Um, not really, Amy met him months ago when we came to buy my dress," Laura explained nervously. "What are you doing here?" she asked Stefan.

"Visiting my cousin. She goes to Columbia Univ--"

"That's nice," Luke interrupted, "Let's go," Laura's eyes sent out a silent apology to Stefan as they walked off.

They walked for a few minutes and then Luke suddenly stopped. "That's it!"

"Luke?" Laura asked worriedly.

"The medallion! He's a Cassadine!" Luke exclaimed.

"What? No." Laura said rapidly. "That's impossible."

"Darlin'," Luke said, "he had the same medallion that that Mikkos had."

"I don't think so, Luke..." Laura began but Luke cut her off by heading back to find Stefan. "Luke! Wait!"

Stefan was caught by surprise when a rude finger tapped him roughly on the shoulder. He turned to find Luke, and coming behind him, a very distressed Laura.

"Hello, Cassadine," Luke spat out.

So she did know, Stefan thought. He had suspected as much by the way she had obviously wanted to get away from him. He had to explain things to her. "We need to talk," he told Laura.

"Listen," Luke sneered, "we know your kind, and let me tell ya, you and Laura have nothing to talk about."

"That's right, we have nothing to talk about." Laura repeated, keeping her eyes focused on the building past Stefan's head. "Let's go, Luke."

"No? What about your fiancé killing my father?" Stefan asked, never taking his eyes off Laura. "Is that the kind of man you want to marry?"

It took a moment for Laura to recover from the shock. Her blue eyes moved to meet his green ones as she asked softly, "Your father?"

"Yes."

"Ah, so you're Mikkos' kid. Figures," Luke mocked.

"At least, sir, I know who my father is," Stefan replied evenly.

Luke decked him. Hard. Stefan fell to the ground, blood coming out of his nose.

"Stefan!" Laura cried out. She made a move to go to him, but Luke's sharp glance stopped her in her tracks.

"Did you say Stefan?" he asked incredulously.

"Y-yes," Laura stammered.

That's all she got to say. Luke grabbed her by the arm and said, "We're leaving."

"But he's hurt, Luke!" Laura protested. "We can't just leave him here!"

"I don't give a damn about a Cassadine, Laura! Do you?" He eyed her accusingly.

She couldn't look at him. Turning her back on Stefan, she said softly, "No."

Stefan watched them go. He had been wrong about her. He had thought she would understand. This is what he got for thinking he could escape his family legacy. He was a Cassadine. It was time he accepted it.