Chapter 5: A Shocking Discovery 

Alexis shrugged as she waited for Cirtus to arrive at Kelly's. She knew this 
meeting was pointless, there was no way she was going to turn against Stefan for 
someone she didn't even know, but she could tell there was something she needed 
to know. 

Finally, a man sat down across from her. 

Cirtus: Hello, Ms. Ashton, I'm Curtis.

Alexis: So, Curtis, what is your relation to the Cassadine family?

Cirtus: Son of Victor Cassadine, brother to the late Mikkos Cassadine. That 
would make me your cousin. 

Alexis froze for a moment. 

Alexis: Victor is alive?

Cirtus: *nods* He's struggling though. 

Alexis: Well, I'm sorry, but you don't really have a claim anything. The legal 
right of all Cassadine properties goes from eldest son to eldest son.

Cirtus: What if I were to tell you that weren't true anymore and both of us have 
a shot at the Cassadine fortune? 

Alexis: What are you implying?

Cirtus: I'm not implying anything. What I'm informing you of is that Nikolas 
Cassadine is not the prince. There is no longer a sequence of eldest son to 
eldest son, the death of Stavros made sure of that. All that is left now is the 
rest of us.

Alexis: You have no right to make accusations you can't back up. 

Cirtus: I would never do such a thing. 

Cirtus opened his briefcase and handed some papers to her. 

Cirtus: These are the results of a paternity test taken when Nikolas was a baby. 
These show that Nikolas is not the son of Stavros Cassadine but in fact the son 
of his brother, Stefan. 

Alexis looked at the results and couldn't believe her eyes. 

Alexis: These were forged. 

Cirtus: There's only one way to find out… I know this may be quite a shock, but 
you and everyone else deserves to realize the truth, that they have a right to 
the Cassadine estate, including you and whatever children you may have. 

Alexis: I'm sorry, but this is just a little too much for me to believe. 

Cirtus: Order a paternity test and see it for yourself. 

Alexis threw the papers in front of Cirtus. 

Alexis: If what you say is true, how did you happen across this information? 

Cirtus: This information was left for me in a will. 

Alexis: A will? What will? 

Cirtus: The will of Helena Cassadine. 

Alexis: *scoffs* You can't believe a word that woman says. 

Cirtus: Well, again, there's only one way to find out what's true and what's 
not. Go and ask your brother yourself. Maybe he'll just tell you and none of 
this will be necessary. But I will get that test, with or without your help. 

Cirtus stands up. 

Cirtus: Thank you for your time. 

Alexis sat alone with her thoughts. What was she going to do? 

~^~ 

Henry arrived at the Hardy house to find Lizzie sitting at the front porch. She 
was doing her homework, or rather doodling on the side of her homework. She 
needed to get this stupid, long, hard assignment done by the time she got back 
to Colorado, but it was just so amazingly mindnumbingly boring. 

Henry: Long time no see. 

Lizzie jerked her head up and smile when she saw him. 

Lizzie: Henry. 

She got up and gave him a hug. 

Henry: Welcome back, Lizzie. 

Lizzie pulled away and looked at him.

Lizzie: You look different.

Henry: Well, you know the difference a year makes. 

Lizzie: So tell me, how have you been? 

Henry: I've been all right. Being a Cassadine isn't all it's cracked up to be. 

Lizzie: How are things between you and your father. 

Henry: They're all right, but sometimes I just have no idea how to talk to him. 
We're just so different. At least we're getting along all right. How about you 
and your family? 

Lizzie: Well… Sarah has been having kind of a bad year. 

Henry: How so? 

Lizzie: Well, she's been having a hard time keeping up in school. Ever since she 
broke up with Nikolas, she's just seemed totally distracted. 

Henry: Really? I'd think she'd be over him by now. 

Lizzie: I'm actually kind of worried about her. I mean, you know how much she 
bugs me, but she's still my sister. I told her she could maybe see the school 
counselor, which is a laugh coming from me, considering I'd never go to a shrink 
ever, but she said no. 

Henry: Man… I'm sure she'll be all right, though. I mean, it's high school. 
She's bound to meet someone else soon anyway, and then we can both stop feeling 
sorry for her cause she'll be back on our nerves again. 

Lizzie: Yeah… 

Henry: What about you, though? 

Lizzie: I've been doing all right. 

Henry: You- *clears throat* You have a boyfriend. 

Lizzie: No, I haven't even really dated at all. 

Henry: That really surprises me. 

Lizzie: Why? 

Henry: Well, Lizzie, I mean, what kind of guy would be stupid enough not to want 
to go out with you? You're great, you're funny, you're pretty, you're… 

Henry felt stupid. Why not just pull out a big sign that has an eye over a heart 
over the name Lizzie in bold. He decided to quickly change the subject. 

Henry: So, how long are you guys staying?

Lizzie: For a few days. Mom and Dad don't want us to miss too much school. 

Henry: Yeah, that sucks. Too bad you can't be here longer. You want to check out 
our house? I don't think you got the chance to see it before you had to go. 

Lizzie: No, I didn't and I'd really like to see it. Just let me tell my parents.

Henry: Okay… Oh, also, tonight there's this dinner party thing at Wyndemere, 
would you like to go to that too. 

Lizzie: You bet I would! When is it? 

Henry: Not for another couple of hours. 

Lizzie: I'll let them know. Thanks for inviting me. Oh my God, now I have to 
find something to wear, which means I have to go to the mall. 

Henry: All right, how about you go to the mall and then you can check out my 
house before the party begins. 

Lizzie: Yeah, that works. I have to call Emily, we haven't gotten together yet. 
Oh, and I haven't talked to Deena yet either. I'll see you later, Henry. 

Henry: *smiles* See you later. 

*~~* 

Venus watched as Jerry paced back and forth across her apartment. 

Venus: Jerry, maybe you should sit down. 

Jerry: I can't, all I can think about is what might have happened to Jax. 

Venus: Don't think like that. I'm sure Jax is fine. 

Jerry: I wish I could believe that. 

Then, there was a knock at the door. She went up to answer it and saw it was 
Taggert. 

Venus: Taggert, any news? 

Taggert: I'm sorry, but our last lead was a dead end. 

Jerry went over to Taggert. 

Jerry: Dead end? Well what are you going to do now?! 

Taggert: I'm afraid there's nothing we can do. 

Venus: There's got to be something. 

Taggert shook her head sympathetically. 

Venus: Well thanks for your help, Taggert. 

Taggert: No problem. I'm sorry about your brother, Jerry. 

Jerry didn't really give a reply. When Taggert left, Venus hugged Jerry. Just 
then, Lori entered. 

Lori: Hey guys. *notices how sad they are* What's wrong? 

Venus goes over and talks to her quietly. 

Venus: Jax still can't be found. 

Lori: Oh, well that's a bummer. Well, I have a date I have to get ready for. 
Chio. 

Venus rolled her eyes when Lori went into her room. She knew soon, very soon, 
she was going to kick her out. She WAS going to kick her out. But for now, she 
had Jax to worry about. 

~^~ 

Jax was growing weak. Janice wasn't feeding him enough and he hadn't moved for a 
long time. He didn't know how long she planned to keep him here, but he knew he 
would not last much longer. That was probably it. She was going to let him rot 
away, and when he was just about dead, then she would bring Venus in and kill 
her right in front of him. His shackles would be off because he would be too 
weak to get up, too weak to save her. All he would be able to do was watch in 
terror. He prayed day and night that someone would find him, or maybe Janice 
wouldn't come to her senses and let him go, but it never seemed to do any good 
at all. He was going to die and no one could help him. He only hoped that Venus 
would not have to share his same fate. 

~^~ 

Luke was getting sick of going through these bills, so it was a relief when he 
heard a knock at the door. 

Luke: Come in! 

Then entered Laura. 

Luke: Hey, baby, what are you doing here? 

Laura: I just came by to see if you wanted to have lunch or anything. 

Luke: I wish I could, babe, but I have a lot of crap I have to take care of 
here. 

Laura: Okay… I understand. *leans on desk, right next to him* What about supper 
tonight? 

Luke: *shrugs* I'm going to be working late tonight, I'm sorry. 

Laura: It's okay, I understand. 

She bent down and kissed him. 

Laura: I love you. You know that right. 

Luke: Of course I know. I love you too. 

Laura: And I couldn't be luckier because I have your love. 

Luke: It's the other way around. I couldn't be luckier. Laura, is something 
wrong? 

Laura: *shakes her head* No… I just wanted you to know. *stands up straight* 
I'll see you at home. Bye, Luke. 

Luke: Bye, babe. 

As she walked out of his office, Luke knew that something was definitely wrong, 
but he had no clue as to what it could be. He did have a feeling that he would 
be finding out soon enough. 

~^~ 

Alexis drove around for a long time wondering what she should do. The answer 
seemed lost on her, though. Was Nikolas Stefan's son? If so, how could he not 
tell her? So many questions filled her mind, but she was not going to find the 
answers. Not until tonight. She decided to herself that at the party, after they 
ate, after they announced her pregnancy, she would take Stefan aside and 
confront him with everything Cirtus claimed. She wouldn't accuse him, she was 
simply inform him and the see if he would give any indication of whether Cirtus 
was telling the truth or not. She had to find out one way or the other.