Chapter 21
There were few things that Nikolas was sure of. One was that he wanted to be a good father to his son. Secondly, he wanted Gia back into his life. The second one would and could be a lot harder. When they were together or with David, he felt his ties to Gia were strong and unbreakable. When others interfered, like his grandmother and this Richard guy, he saw doubt in her mind. He needed to erase that doubt, obliterate it. He could use their strong physical attraction toward other, but he knew that wouldn't be enough. It wasn't enough to hold her the first time, the time that David was conceived. She left just as quickly as she came. She was also venerable then, after the death of her mother. It was easy to console her, to love her.
Gia was at her best, when her defenses were down. She could love him to the bottom of your soul. That love changed him; transform him into something he'd never thought he could be. At least, he believed that. That was her power over him and most time, she didn't even know it. What he gave to her, he understood as well. Gia with him was better than Gia without him. He gave her a certainty that she would always be loved, understood and never alone.
For far too long he had let his relationship with Gia totally up to her. She could decide to love him or not, stay with him or not. His fear of controlling her, of being too 'Cassadine' always played in the back of his mind. His grandmother was always a good reminder of being what too Cassadine could lead to, a lonely unfulfilled life. He didn't want that either. However the time to be hands off about his was over.
He rode the Metro Court hotel elevator up contemplating these things. He'd left Gia and David at Wyndermere. He simply told her that he had to take care of some important business. She would know the truth soon enough, but at the moment he didn't need her distraction or her anger at what he was about to do. He inhaled deeply, still catching the scent of her on him. He hadn't time to change his clothing after they left the barn. Their lovemaking had been particular intense, with Gia finally telling him she loved him. It was the thing that propelled him to do what he was about to do.
Earlier that evening, they had all sat down for a light dinner. Afterward, David went to his room to play his new video games. It left his mother and him alone. The emotional day had left them without words and drained. All they could do was sit together on the sofa, embracing.
As the elevator doors opened up on the twelfth floor of the hotel ignored the voice in his head that told him to turn around. The voice he'd listen to all his life and gotten him nothing. If he's learned anything from his family, it was to follow his passion. He walked down the carpeted hallway, knowing this to be true. He knew it when he knocked on the door of room 1204.
A surprised Richard Lincoln opened his hotel room to find Nikolas staring at him. Nikolas thought he was a good looking man, a type Gia might like. Cocoa colored skin, tall, intelligent and assertive. He'd come all the way to Port Charles to be with her. Nikolas had to admire that. Both men stood there for a moment before Richard stepped aside to allow Nikolas in. Richard checked his watch.
"It's late," he said but Nikolas ignored him as he surveyed the room. It was one of the more modest ones.
"I thought we should get this over with," Nikolas said flatly. Richard's eyes furrowed, obviously confused by the statement.
"Get what over with?"
"Gia."
"What, you've come here to talk about Gia?" he said with a hint of annoyance in his voice. Nikolas raised an eyebrow at him and nodded.
"I think any conversation about Gia should include Gia don't you think," Richard said tersely.
"No not really, I'm just going to clarify what I'm going to do regarding Gia." Nikolas saw as the anger growing in Richard's eyes.
"You've got some nerve…" Richard began hotly but stopped himself.
"I'm not sure if Gia told you, but our relationship goes way back."
"That old woman said something about that, but…" Richard stopped himself again, possibly unnerved by Nikolas' calm.
"My grandmother, yes. She's a wealth of information. Most times, I wouldn't believe anything coming out of her mouth. This time she was right. I was engaged to Gia, we were going to be married. I loved her then, I love her now. Things keep on getting in our way it seems, mostly us. I like to give ourselves a real chance this time," Nikolas said.
"Because of David?" Richard said with certainty. Nikolas shook his head.
"He's just the catalyst. No, for ourselves, this time. We let everyone convince us we shouldn't be together."
"Maybe their right. I did some research on your family. I don't know if I like them," a wary Richard said. Nikolas laughed.
"I know I don't. But this isn't about them; it's about Gia and me. No more distraction, no more obstacles." His eyes narrowed on Richard.
"Is that how you see me?"
"Not really, my grandmother is more of a problem than you?" Nikolas said in earnest.
"Are you threatening me?" a defensive Richard said coming closer to Nikolas. They were face to face, nearly the same height. Richard was slightly taller; with a little more bulk but strength wasn't what Nikolas needed.
"No, of course not. Gia would kill me if I did that. No, what I'm telling you is what I'll do," Nikolas said calmly. This only seemed to annoy Richard more.
"Which is?" Nikolas gave a slight smile and took a step back.
"You know since she's arrived here, we've been sleeping together." Nikolas braced himself as Richard grabbed him by his suit lapels.
"That's a lie?" Richard cursed. Nikolas raised both eyebrow at him and stared down to where Richard was grabbing him.
"I'm sure if you ask her, she'll tell you. She won't like it but she will. The point is, Richard that's your problem, you see," Nikolas said calmly as he removed a shunned Richard's hand from him. He smoothed his lapel.
"What!"
"You could leave here with Gia, tell her you love her, marry her, take her half way around the world and it wouldn't matter. I'd buy a house across the street, send her flowers on her birthday, tell her I love her every time I saw her and eventually… without any doubt in my mind…." Nikolas made sure he was staring into Richard's eyes. He wanted the man to understand completely.
"I'd get her back. Without a doubt in my mind, I know I'll leave here and find Gia in my bed when I get home." Nikolas stepped away again, putting some distance between them. Richard's eyes had turned dark.
"No…that's not true." Richard shook his head.
"I don't care about you Richard. I'm going to be relentless about it. You may love her in your way, but I can guarantee you'll never really have her. You'll never understand what we mean to each other." Nikolas began slowly circling around an immobile Richard. Nikolas felt predatory, dangerous.
"No…no," Richard shook his head in denial.
"Try to put a ring on her finger, marry her and I'll make her an adulteress. I'm not going away." Nikolas stopped. Richard slowly turned to him and went at him. Nikolas tried to sidestep but Richard's momentum on his side. Both men when down and they rolled on the floor. Richard's anger was palpable. He had Nikolas penned beneath him. Nikolas knew the man wanted to punch him and maybe he should let him, but he preferred not having a black eye. With a move too quick for Richard to respond too, Nikolas flipped him over his head. Richard fell hard on his back and groaned. Nikolas slowly got up and told himself, he was really too old for this crap. He brushed himself off and went over to the fallen Richard. He held out his hand to help in up, but Richard slapped it away.
"The minute David came into my life; he brought his mother with him. I thought all I could ask for was a relationship with him. As time past, we both realized that being together again would lead to inevitable," Nikolas said as he watched Richard get up.
"Which is what?" Richard cursed.
"That I'll always love her and won't give up on us again," Nikolas said solemnly.
"You love her but does she love you?" Richard sneered at him. A part of him hated to hurt the man's feeling, another part really didn't care.
"She loves me, begrudgingly but she does. I'm not always what she wants sometimes but I'm what she needs all the time. I need her. So Richard you can try to stand between us or we could go at it again," Nikolas said tightly. Richard said nothing. Nikolas could sense his anger, not just with him, but maybe Gia. There was nothing more to say. Nikolas turned to leave.
"You know I'll call her and tell her what happen here," Richard promised. Nikolas turned back. He was hoping that Richard would be discreet about it and keep it between each other, man to man.
"I know. She'll be really pissed at me. She'll curse and scream and threaten to tear me a new one. In the end…the make up sex will be great," Nikolas gave Richard a slight smile before he opened and closed the hotel room door behind him.
As Nikolas walked to the elevator, he knew his return to Wyndermere wouldn't be an easy one. Gia would be upset but he would and could ride her out. If he could solve his next problem, her anger might be tempered. He pushed call button to the elevator and waited. When the elevator arrived, he stepped in a pressed the button to the penthouse. Richard would be easy compared to his grandmother. However, like Richard, he was tired of playing with her. He smooth out his suit jacket, finger combed his hair and braced himself. When the doors opened, he went to the penthouse door and knocked.
"Who is it?" the familiar sound of his grandmother voice came through the door. She didn't sound happy. What a surprise.
"It's Nikolas," he said quietly, hoping to calm whatever rage she had going. He heard her moving around and unlocking the door.
"It's about time," she cursed. Nikolas entered. The suite was almost entire dark.
"Grandmother?" He looked around to find her standing by the window, her silhouette outlined in the night sky.'
"Why is it so dark in here?" Nikolas complained as he groped for a light to turn on, relieved when he finally found the light switch.
"Don't!" his grandmother shouted, but it was too late. The lights flooded the room. Nikolas stood in both shock and horror at the sight of Helena.
She was in the hotel's plush bathrobe with her hair wrapped in a large towel. Her attire didn't shock him; it was the color of her skin. Her face, arms, legs were….blue.
Helena Cassadine was blue.
