Chapter 5

Laura broke down that night following her and Lu's dinner with Stefan, Nikolas, 
Alexis and Lee.  She cried because she thought about what might have been, only 
if… She shook her head, she couldn't go back there it was too late nothing could 
change the past, but just if… only if their child had lived.  She collapsed 
utterly defeated on her bed it was not that she didn't love Nikolas, she just 
wanted to hold her daughter in her arms again.  She remembered the doctor right 
after Lily was born, while Nikolas was crying at the top of his lungs, she made 
no noise at all.  The doctor placed Lily in her arms, her little girl was so 
tiny and weak, the doctor gave her some medical mumbo jumbo about why it 
happened, but all she knew was that her little girl was going to die.  Stavros 
who had rushed into the room as soon as he heard Nikolas' cry, conversed with 
the doctor.  He told her it would be best if they never told anyone about Lily, 
it would be easier on them and Nikolas.  When he said that all she could do was 
think about all the pain Stefan would feel if he knew their daughter died, at 
that moment she agreed to Stavros' plan.  He had her daughter, who 
heartbreakingly had Stefan's features mirrored on her tiny face taken to a 
hospital where she died three days later.  She remembered scattering her baby's
ashes on the cove overlooking the water, the most probable place of her 
conception. 

Now she met Stefan's daughter, she knew that he was telling the truth about her, 
she truthfully had know since the baby was two months old, and she knew about 
the accident, that Stavros had caused rushing home to her.  The problem was 
seventeen years later, she had to face the girl she had given up love for, 
because there was no way she'd allow Stefan to abandon his daughter in order to 
be with her.  The girl who was the looked exactly how she had always pictured 
her daughter.  She collapsed on the bed sobbing, letting lose nearly twenty 
years of heartache.

Lee looked in on her father sitting in his study alone and wondered what was up 
with him and Nikolas' mom.  She knew that it was something major, she just 
wasn't sure as to what it was.  She remembered thinking once that she and 
Nikolas were brother and sister and because of the way her father looked at 
Laura tonight she wasn't so sure anymore that was wrong.

Nikolas looked into Lee's room looking forward to torturing her, he lucked out 
however, the room was empty but he entered anyway.  He walked over to her bed 
and picked up a familiar small brown teddy bear, he smiled as he looked at the 
charm on it's neck, it read Nikky Bear.  He had a matching Lilee Bear, their 
cousin Rory had given the bears to them on their first birthday, because they 
cried whenever they were apart.  Somehow having those bears made them feel 
closer to each other and that was what made the long separations so much easier.  
He turned as her heard the footsteps approaching the room, it was Lee. She 
smiled as she saw Nikolas holding the bear.

L: I'm assuming that you still have yours.

N: Of course, but mine sits on a shelf.

L: Too much of a man to display out in the open.

N(smiling): Something like that.

L: Don't worry, I'll never tell.

N: Gee thanks.

L: Hey Nikky, I've got a question.

N: What is it?

L: What's up with Daddy and your mom?

N: I think he loves her.

L: You think?

N: Well neither have admitted it, but the way he looks at her.  You can just 
tell.

L: Where's her husband?

N: Luke? I have no idea.  He split right after Uncle's trial.

L: Why?

N: Because Laura testified on Uncle's behalf.

L: Something's up Nikky, I think it's more than just Daddy's unrequited love.

N: How do you figure?

L: There was something about the way they acting together once they relaxed, it 
was way too comfortable.

N: You are not saying that they slept together.

L: Well, it would explain a lot.

N: Lee, I cannot believe that you are suggesting that my uncle slept with my 
father's wife. (He looked at her eyes and shook his head) Oh no, you are not 
even thinking that.

L(fakes confusion): Thinking what?

N: Don't even try to hide it.  I am not Uncle's son.

L: Well it does make sense.

N: Pray tell, how exactly do figure that your conclusion makes sense?

L: Nik, think about it.  Daddy had a warm, loving girlfriend who worshipped the 
ground he walked on and a baby girl he loved and a bright future, but instead he 
chose to live in the house he loathed, and give up his dreams all to what?  
Raise his nephew?  Does that make any sense?

N(getting annoyed): You're just upset that he didn't choose to raise you.

L: Nik, I know Daddy loves me.  I don't need to stress about the trivial facts 
about how I was raised.  Nik just think about it.

N(pissed off): I don't need to think about it, I know the truth.

Nikolas storms off.