Chapter 6

Laura twisted and turned in her bed as a nightmare plagued her.

Her Nightmare:

It started out as the same type of dream she had for years after she had left 
the island, it was bright and sunny, she was young again.  Nikolas (about 3 
here) chased after Lily, but then Stefan came out of nowhere and picked her up. 
Lily squealed with delight and then Stefan walked over to Laura and kissed her 
softly, "I've missed you Lasha" is all he says.  He places Lily back on the 
floor, and wraps his arm around Laura, she says "We're so lucky, they're so 
wonderful".

S: I know.

Stefan laughs as Nikolas is knocked over by the black, Lab puppy that they were 
playing with.

L: Nikolas, are you okay?

N: Yes, Mommy.

S: So incredibly lucky.

Lily: Daddy, come play with us.

S: Of course my sweet.

Laura smiles as she watches Stefan play with their children, then suddenly the 
sky starts to turn gray and then black, she screams for them, but they can't 
hear her over the thunder. Then suddenly Stefan and Nikolas disappear and Lily 
is standing alone in the field.  Laura starts to walk towards her, when suddenly 
she freezes as she sees Stavros approach Lily from behind.  Laura screams and 
Lily's eyes open wide with terror as Stavros' hand clamps over her mouth.  Laura 
lets out a scream "No!"

She wakes up screaming, gasping for breath, once again realizing that she 
allowed Stavros to take her daughter.  She wondered for the millionth time in 
her life if she had done the right thing by allowing Stavros to take Lily away 
to die.  Maybe if her little girl had her parents by her side she might have 
made it.  But it was too late to think of such things, that chapter of her past 
was closed and nothing could change it.

Wyndemere:  Stefan's dream.

She looked up at him, those beautiful, blue eyes looked right into his and saw 
everything he was feeling and she laughed.  His beloved Lasha laughed at him, 
were warm eyes suddenly turned cold as she said…

L: Why would I love you?  You're weak, pitiful in fact.  You're a tool of your 
mother.

S(turns cold): How do you figure that, she hates me.

L: No you're the son she wanted, you're worse than Stavros.  Not even Helena 
believed that possible, you're so cold.  Your unrequited love for me has made 
you hate the world and forsake everything good and soon you will be in hell with 
your father.  Soon Nikolas will know that you are his father, soon the reason 
you live will hate you.  And what about poor Callisto?  How will she react when 
she finds out you betrayed her mother and was the reason she had to grow up 
alone, not Helena?  Hmm?  How can they ever forgive you?

S: Forgive me? What about you?

L: My son is all ready well on his way to forgiving me, thanks to you that is.  
Soon my family will be whole once again Luke will return to my side, my sons are 
all ready forgiving me and you will be gone.  You will be just another forgotten 
evil Cassadine.

He would have been dreaming for hours if Lee's scream hadn't awoken him.  He 
rushed to her side.  He gently shook her awake.

S: Sweetie wake up it was just a dream.

L(tears are spilling down her cheeks): Daddy it was so horrible I saw her die 
again.  She just crumpled… the milk spilled… why won't it just stop… it's been 
fourteen years… haven't I suffered enough?

Stefan looks at his little girl, he knew she was no longer that but, the sight 
of her, just reminded him of her.  He could see that little five-year-old's 
tears, her curls tumbling everywhere in disarray, the fear and sadness in her 
eyes.  If he didn't know better he would believe it was still her.  So he did 
the exact same thing he had done all those years ago, he took her into his arms 
and told her everything would be fine, even though he was no longer sure it 
would be.