Written in 56 minutes. Basic spell check, but not reread for typos.

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Webber House: Cameron’s Bedroom

Spencer stared at the closed door with a suspicious look. “They’re very quiet down there,” he said.

Cameron wrinkled his nose and went over to the heating vent. He shoved his hockey uniform off and leaned closer. “Shut up, or I can’t hear anything,” he muttered.

“Whoa—I thought your mom found out—” Emma launched herself off the bed and joined Cameron the floor, laying on her stomach.

“What did I just say?” Cameron said to her with narrowed eyes. “Quiet.”

“Luke…Cassadines…”

“Oh, no,” Spencer muttered. “Not again—”

“Shhh—”

Cameron heard his mother’s voice, sharp, upset—but he couldn’t make out the words.

“Nikolas—” That was Grandma Laura this time. “Stavros—”

Spencer straightened, his face paling. “Stavros.”

“Who’s that?”

Cameron cleared his throat. “Uh, I think that’s not a good thing, is it?”

“That’s my grandfather. He died before I was born. A long time ago—”

“…worse than…”

“This is terribly inefficient,” Spencer muttered.

“I can’t just go to Greece!”

That was his mother again, and Cameron scowled. “Why would anyone go to Greece? What the heck—”

“Elizabeth—” Voices faded out again, and then Cameron heard Emma’s dad.

“Why the hell would they take Jake?”

Emma gasped loudly, then clamped her hands over her mouth as the voices in the living room stopped. Cameron shoved the hockey shirt back over the vent, grabbed Spencer and Emma and was dragging them over to his video games when the door opened.

Patrick was there, a brow arched. “Heating vents? Really. I’m disappointed. I would have thought with Spencer’s ingenuity, you would have rigged up a system to dangle one of you outside the window downstairs so you could hear everything.”

“Well, given some time and materials,” Spencer began.

Patrick crooked his finger. “Come with me.”

“We gotta get better that this,” Emma told Cameron as the three of them filed down the hall to Elizabeth’s bedroom.

In the back of the house, with a heating vent that was not at all connected to the living room. “I’m never gonna know anything again,” Cameron muttered. “And what’s this about Jake? Did someone hurt him? Is that why he died?”

Patrick hesitated, then handed them the remote. “Do me a favor, guys, stay young for a while longer. You got the rest of your lives for the crap Port Charles is going to throw at you.”

Then he closed the door.

Spencer glared after him, then turned to Cameron. “If someone hurt your brother, and it was from my family, then I’m honor bound to right this wrong.”

“What did he just say?” Emma said with a furrowed brow. “What’s happening?”

“If someone from your family killed my brother,” Cameron said, darkly, “then you’ll have to get in line.”

“You guys—” Emma began. Then sighed. “We should call Joss.”

The boys blinked at her. “You hate Joss,” Cameron said suspiciously. “A lot. You yelled at me for being nice to her.”

“That’s true,” Emma said. “But Joss has something we don’t. And if you guys think you’re gonna avenge something, it’ll probably be in Greece. I was listening in class the other day, and I think that’s on the other side of the world.”

“And Joss can help us with that?” Spencer said skeptically.

“Joss’s dad has a private plane. And her brother’s dad has a plane, too. Do you either of you dorks have a plane?”

“No,” Cameron said slowly. “But—”

“I’ll call Trina, too. She’s always got plans, and hers usually work.” Satisfied, she went over to the land line on Elizabeth’s night table. “Let’s get started.”

Living Room

 

Elizabeth dragged her hands through her hair. “I don’t understand how any of this is happening,” she said to Laura as Patrick came down the stairs. “How—”

Her little boy. Her precious angel—She looked at Jason whose jaw was clenched. The idea that their baby boy was alive and with the Cassadines—

“We can’t just go to Greece,” he said after a minute. “Not if this is about the Cassadines. We can’t jump into it. I remember when Helena was going after Emily—and I don’t—” He met Elizabeth’s eyes. “I can’t believe Nikolas would have helped anyone take Jake.”

“Luke didn’t explain why Lucky’s convinced of that, either,” Laura said. “The kids are in the back room now?”

“Yeah, but I don’t know what they heard,” Patrick told them. “You might want to do some damage control later.”

“This is—” Elizabeth picked Aiden up from the playpen where Laura had set him, started to pace. “Why would Helena take Jake? To get back at Luke?”

“Maybe, but why keep him? I mean, it came out pretty quick that Lucky wasn’t Jake’s father. That would have mattered,” Laura said. “Blood is everything to her.”

“She hates you,” Patrick reminded Elizabeth. “She lied about Aiden’s paternity to torture everyone, including Nikolas. Do you think she’d do this to go after you?”

“I—” Elizabeth hesitated. “I just—I don’t know. I don’t know anything. Jason—” She pressed her lips to Aiden’s curly hair, closing her eyes. Remembering another little boy that had been just a little bigger than him.

“How sure is Luke?” Jason asked. “If he’s screwing with us and Jake’s not—” He swallowed hard. “He saw him? He actually laid eyes on him—”

“He says he did. He says he and Lucky have both seen Jake, but they can’t get close enough.” Laura shook her head. “Luke might be a lot of things, but I don’t think he’d come to me with this if he didn’t know for sure. And I agree, we can’t just run off to Greece. Not right this second. But I’m worried about what else Luke told me—”

“Lucky threatening to kill Nikolas,” Elizabeth remembered. “If he thought Nikolas did this on purpose—but he has to know—I mean, God, everything else aside—Nikolas would never do to that to us.”

“But Luke saw Nikolas with Jake,” Patrick told her. “If that’s what he’s saying, Nikolas knows he’s alive and hasn’t said a word. In fact, he dumped his kid on Laura. Maybe so he could devote his time to whatever his grandmother and father are planning.”

“Stavros,” Elizabeth repeated. “How can this be possible? How many times do we have to kill him?”

“Now, you say he’s worse than Helena—” Patrick looked at Jason. “What do you know about him?”

“I don’t know,” Jason said, shaking his head. “I wasn’t living here the last time he was around. By the time I came home, it was over.”

“Stavros collects things,” Laura murmured. “He saw me when Luke and I went to the Cassadine Island to stop Mikkos from freezing the world. He decided he wanted me. So Helena kidnapped me. Forced me to live there. Marry him.” She sat on the sofa, weary. “For three long years.”

Because Laura was pale and shaky, Elizabeth took up the tale. “The official story was that Laura escaped, and Luke killed Stavros when Stavros came to get her back. That’s what we all believed. Until the garage fire. Helena kidnapped Lucky to brainwash him and turn him against the Spencers. Under her control, Lucky—” She rubbed her chest. God this was supposed to over.

Why didn’t Cassadines ever stay dead?

“Lucky threatened Lucas’s life if Tony Jones didn’t revive Stavros. Helena had all these labs and tunnels under the hospital. So Tony brought Stavros back to life.” Elizabeth took a deep breath. “Nikolas pretended to be loyal to Helena in order to get on her side, to get a head of things, but he had to kill me to prove his loyalty.”

“Of course he did,” Patrick muttered. “I don’t like where this is going—”

“You shouldn’t,” Jason said dryly. “She took a poison that made her heart slow down to the point she appeared dead. Sonny sent her to the island.”

Surprised, Elizabeth looked at him, and he smiled wanly. “Carly took a great deal of pleasure in contacting me to tell me you were dead.”

“Oh—” Elizabeth scowled. “Naturally.”

“Sonny got word to me—” He shook his head. “Anyway.”

“We won that time,” Laura said, “and Stavros—I thought he was dead. But no body. I should know better by now.” She got to her feet. “I understand if you can’t come to Greece right away, Elizabeth, but I have to go. I have to make sure Lucky doesn’t hurt Nikolas.”

“Of course, Laura, but just—” Elizabeth rubbed a finger against her bottom lip. “I want to go. I can—I can try to explain things at work—”

“You have more vacation time coming than most people get in a life time,” Patrick told her. “And you know I’ll take care of the boys. I might have to tie them up—” he said with a wince, “but I got this.”

Elizabeth looked at Jason. “Can—”

“I’ll call Sonny,” Jason told her. “And Spinelli. I’ll get the jet ready and he’ll meet us there. Whatever we need to know, we can figure out on the way there.”

“What are we going to tell the kids?” Laura said. “We can’t tell the truth—”

“Actually—” Elizabeth paused. “That’s exactly what we’re going to do.”

Jason & Elizabeth’s Bedroom

Elizabeth was unsurprised to find Emma on the phone while Spencer and Cameron were furiously writing things down, using the notepad she kept in her nightstand and a fuzzy pink pen from her vanity table.

“So who’s plane are you trying to commandeer?” she asked.

Cameron dropped the pen, scowling as Emma’s eyes widened. “Joss, I’ll call you back later.” She slammed the phone down, and smiled at Elizabeth. “Hi, Aunt Elizabeth. Everything okay?”

“Joss, huh? I know how you feel about her, so that’s real loyalty. Too bad for Joss that her father’s plane is out of town,” Elizabeth said, “and we’re taking Sonny’s. Any other friends with private planes?”

“No,” Spencer muttered. “But I’ll find one. This is Port Charles—”

“Mom, did someone hurt Jake?” Cameron asked, his lip trembling. “Is that why he’s gone?”

“Actually,” Elizabeth said, hoping she wasn’t making a mistake. “It looks like there’s a chance that he’s not—” Oh, God, her little boy—he was alive! Let it be true. Please, please, let it be true.

 

“We heard you guys talking about my family,” Spencer said. “If my family hurt Jake, I have to help fix it. It’s a matter of honor—”

“You are not responsible for your family,” Elizabeth told him. She sat on the bed, ruffled his hair. “As a Cassadine, you need to learn that early. Your father still hasn’t. I think the reason he left you with Grandma Laura was to do exactly that. Grandpa Luke says he’s seen Jake,” she said to Cameron.

“Seen him—” Cameron shook his head. “But—but when you saw him, you had to go away—”

“I was so sad, I dreamed I was seeing him. But Luke says he really—he really did. He’s in Greece with Lucky. They’ve seen Jake. Alive. On the Cassadine estate with Nikolas.”

“With my dad—but—”

“I think your dad found out that your great-grandmother has been keeping a lot of secrets that would hurt people, and he decided to make it right.” Elizabeth saw Jason standing in the doorway. “The jet?”

“Wheels up in an hour,” he said.

“Is it really true?” Cameron asked him. “Is Jake alive?”

“I don’t know,” Jason said. He met Elizabeth’s eyes. “I’m not sure I can trust it,” he admitted. “But whatever is going on, we need to find out.”

“You and Spencer are going to stay with Emma and Patrick,” she told Cameron. “I need you two to promise me—no, the three of you,” she said, crooking a finger at Emma who made a face. “That you are not going to tie Patrick up, steal a plane, and follow us.”

Jason raised his brows, but she just shook her head and continued. “I know you want to help. And I love all of you for it, but this isn’t a game. I’ve been fighting the Cassadines since I was a few years older than you. And I don’t want it for you.”

Emma sat next to her on bed. “But what can we do here? We have to do something. We need bring Jake home. And Spencer’s dad. We need to help.”

“You can help by staying here,” Jason told her. He looked at Cameron. “We’ll bring Jake home.”

“If he’s alive,” the little boy said with a sigh. “I’m afraid it’s not true,” he told his mother. He swiped at his cheek. “But if it is, don’t leave without him, okay? I want my brother back.”

“If Jake’s out there, there’s no way I’m not bringing him home.” Elizabeth pulled her eldest into a tight hug. “There’s nowhere in this world I wouldn’t go for my boys.” She kissed his forehead. “Now, go into your room. Get your things together. Spencer—”

“Grandma Laura brought my things in the car,” he said. He looked oddly vulnerable. “Do you really think my dad is away trying to make things right?”

“That sense of honor you have? The need to make up for your family?” Elizabet smiled at him. “Where do you think it comes from? It’s not Helena. Nikolas loves you. The only reason he’d give you up would be to keep you safe. Trust me — you don’t want to be in the middle of this, Spencer.”

Cameron’s Bedroom

 

Jason followed Cameron into his bedroom and watched the eight-year-old pull a bag from his closet. “Do you want me to help you with anything?” he asked.

“No, I’m okay.” Cameron sat on the edge of his bed, staring down at the carpet for a minute. “Mom told me what you asked her. That you wanted to adopt me.”

Jason hesitated, then sat next to him. “I know. She said you wanted time to think about it.”

“I want Jake to come home,” Cameron said. He sniffled. “I want it a lot. I love my brother. I want Mom to have him back. But mostly because I think if he’s here, we’ll be okay again.” He looked at Jason. “Why do you want me? I’m not a baby. I know I’m not your kid. Not really. Not like Jake.”

“If we decided to do this, you would be my kid. Just like Jake. I’m adopted,” Jason told him. “Monica isn’t my biological mother, either. She adopted me when I was a baby. And after the accident, when I didn’t remember her—she never stopped loving me. Sometimes you’re born in a family, Cam. Sometimes blood does that. But I got to choose a family after my accident. I chose Sonny and Carly. And your mother.”

“Mom told me Aunt Emily was adopted, too.” Cameron’s lip trembled. “And I never knew that because no one never said it. She wasn’t your real sister—”

“What does real mean?” Jason said. “It’s just a word, Cameron. I want to choose you because I love you. I’ve known you all your life. And I want to be part of the rest of it.” He ruffled Cameron’s curls. “But you have to want it, too.”

“Maybe. But I don’t know yet.” Cameron sighed heavily. “But maybe. I want Jake to be alive so much it hurts,” he whispered fiercely. He turned and hurled himself into Jason’s arms. “I miss him. Don’t let nothing else happen to him. Or Mom. Okay?”

“Okay.” Jason hugged him back. “I promise.”

“You scared, too?” Cameron said, his voice muffled. “That it’s not true?”

“Terrified,” Jason admitted. “I’m trying not to think about it. Just putting one foot in front of the other until we know.”

“Mom will be really said if he’s not alive. Don’t let her get too sad because she had to go away last time. I don’t want to lose Mom again.”

“You won’t,” Jason promised. “Let’s get your things together, okay?”

“Okay.”

Front Porch

Elizabeth watched as Laura walked over to Patrick’s house with all the kids, rubbing her arms. “Is this really happening?” she asked Jason as he came to stand next to her. “We’re going to Greece to bring our son home?”

“Maybe,” Jason cautioned. “I know Luke said he was sure—”

“I know you’re not convinced. And maybe I’m wrong to cling to it. But it makes a terrible amount of sense,” Elizabeth said. She looked at him, her eyes shadowed in the setting sunlight. “Helena has always hated me. And she came to taunt me while I was in Shadybrooke. She could have done this, Jason.”

“She didn’t do it alone,” Jason said softly. “If Jake’s alive, someone else had to know. How else did Joss get a kidney?”

Elizabeth pressed her lips together, then stared blindly out to her front lawn. “You think Luke is lying.”

“I don’t know,” Jason said, hesitantly. “I want it to be true,” he said in a low voice. “And if it is—if anyone at the hospital knew—”

“We’ll find out who took our little boy from us.” She lifted her chin. “And we’ll make them all pay.”

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