Chapter 9

(Setting: Laura is in her room thinking about the events that occurred between her and Stefan. Both Stefan and Stavros are away from the island and business so she is supposed to stay in the house."

"What am I going to do, this can't be happening!" Ever since Stefan had kissed her so passionately and she had responded Laura had been plagued with guilt and with confusion. She knew that Luke must be rolling in his grave over her current situation and actions toward Stefan. How could she despise Stavros as she does and feel about Stefan the way she does. She began to wish that Miranda was here to talk to, she would know what to do and she could trust her.

"I need to get control of my actions and thoughts before he gets back, and what about Stavros, I can't led on that anything out of the ordinary has occurred." Stavros had not demanded that she be a "proper wife" to him since she met Stefan but she knew that disgusting situation would present itself again soon. How can I do that when I feel like this about Stefan, oh Luke, she thought. Please help me!

(Elsewhere, Stefan is thinking about how he is going to handle his current situation with Laura)

Setting (Alexis is thinking to herself in the hotel where her and Stefan are staying on business.)

''There is something off about Stefan's behavior lately. Ever since Stavros married this Laura.'' Alexis thought. Maybe it was time she met the new wife of her other cousin. Although Alexis and Stavros had never been close and Alexis wanted to keep it that way, she was determined to find out why Stavros' new ''obsession'' as she had heard Stefan call her had such an effect on Stefan himself! Alexis was aware that Stavros had been away for two days on business in the last week or two and that was when Stefan and Laura had met, could something have occurred between them??

''I think its time to pay a long awaited visit to the island of horrors.'' Seemed such an apt name for that slab of land that Alexis had spent a lot of her childhood on. She hated the island so much and never understood why Stefan ever went back after college or any time after that, I mean, with the witch living there. Helena.

Alexis decided not to think on her but picked up her cell phone to make arrangements to make a trip to the island before Stefan was scheduled to arrive. ''I want to meet Laura for myself first!'' With that Alexis walked out of the room to make the important call.

(Meanwhile, back on the island.)

''LASHA!!''

''Dear God!'' she whispered. He was back. She wasn't ready, she hadn't sorted out her situation with Stefan. She couldn't deal with Stavros now! What was she going to do now, she was trapped. Laura made her way down the stairs toward Stavros and out of the corner of her eye she noticed that someone was coming into the room to join them. It was Helena! Laura's head started to spin, she couldn't deal with this. But she had to remain calm especially in front of that witch of a woman, she could see right through Laura's mind if she wasn't careful.

''Stavros, you're back!'' I didn't know when you would be?'' Laura said.

''Well I am, I missed my Lasha terribly.'' With that Stavros walked over to Laura and pulled her into his arms and gave her one of those kisses that made Laura want to throw up, the very thought of her body against his made her want to die of disgust. He thrust his tongue inside Laura's mouth and she wasn't surprised. He often liked to make a spectacle of his love or lust for her in front of Helena, Laura figured it gave him a power trip. All Laura could do was stand there and endure it. When he was finally finished he looked satisfied, for now. Then the icy voice that Laura knew all to well fell on her ears.

''Aren't you going to say hello to me daughter??? And what about telling your husband how much you missed him?''

Helena loved calling her daughter, she loved reminding Laura of her bind to her and her wretched son because she knew it made Laura sick, just like it was right now. Laura was in no mood to comply and Helena could feel that, Laura could see it on her face she wanted a confrontation. But since Laura was vulnerable concerning the ''Stefan situation'' she couldn't keep up her front so she simply said, ''Hello Helena! Stavros, hope your business went well.''

''That's my Lasha. Now, mother would you kindly leave me and my wife alone, we have much to attend to now that I am home again.''

Laura was staring at Helena to see her reaction to her greeting but she then felt Stavros leering at her from behind and could guess what he meant by that comment.

''Of course my son, anything you want.'' Helena said this to Stavros but her eyes never left Laura's.

''Take care of your husband now daughter, tis your duty as a good wife.'' And with that Helena left the room but Laura could hear her chuckling in the background. With that Stavros led Laura up to their quarters and made Laura show him how an obedient wife treated her husband when he came back from a business trip.

But first, he got incredibly drunk with the decanter of whiskey that he always kept in their room. Laura was somewhat thankful because last time he demanded to make love to her he was sober and tormented by prolonging the act enough to make Laura gag. She knew that if she was lucky he would pass out before he really had a chance to do all he wanted to do.

Laura was so desperate to make this night as painless as possible, emotionally that she walked over to the decanter and got herself drunk, hoping maybe she would pass out during and forget everything. She downed a couple of tall glasses and stood there, waiting.

Stavros approached her from behind, smelling like he spent the night with bathing in a tub of whiskey, he tossed her on the bed and began his ''torture'' as she preferred to call it.

And then, right in the middle of it, Laura could feel the whiskey begin to take hold and she began to hallucinate. And all of a sudden, she began to imagine it was Stefan and not Stavros making love to her and with that a screeching sound came out of her mouth, ''STEFAN!'' And it all went black!

(Laura is waking up from her drunken state in her and Stavros' quarters, yet she is alone!)

Laura slowly began to come out of her self-inflicted drunken haze. She looked around and tried to focus on the room to see where she was. Everything was so blurry and she didn't think she could walk due to the feeling of disorientation that she felt! It took her a minute or two but she realized that she was in her bedroom and thankfully alone! What had happened last night that had made this morning seem so off kilter. The last thing she remembered was coming into this room with Stavros! Then it all becomes hazy. Laura did vaguely remember drinking something, she looked across the room to see the empty glasses and empty snifter.

"What happened to me last night, what did I do?" Laura whispered to herself.

Laura tried desperately to think of what had occurred but every time she tried her head just pounded harder and harder. Laura knew she had to find answers so she very slowly moved to get off the bed. As she turned toward the bureau on Stavros' side of the bed she saw the picture of the whole family, before Laura had been brought into the family. There was Helena of course, in the middle since she was head of the family since Mikkos had died. Then there was Stavros on her right side and then there was Stefan and then.

'Oh my God!" She gasped, the events of last night all came flooding back to her in an instant! From the moment she got drunk to the second before she blacked out. That second before she blacked out came back crystal clear! She had screamed Stefan's name during her marital torture with Stavros because she was so drunk!

"What if he heard me, what if he hurts Stefan? What if he hurts me??" All these questions and more came into Laura's head all at one time and she knew that she had to find out the answers now before actions that could never be undone occurred. With that in mind, Laura's headache began to ebb, she had to get to Stavros and find out what he knew!

Laura bounded off the bed in a hurry to find Stavros. Before she was down the stairs she noticed him standing in his office next door to the library. He seemed in his usual spirits which made Laura feel somewhat better but not totally! She then walked over to the open office door and knocked, knowing how much he liked when she was polite and Lord knows she didn't want to set him off if he did remember last night!

"Stavros!?"

"Lasha, darling! You have awakened from your slumber I see! That is good for I wish to apologize to you for me last night."

Apologize, that word she had never heard from Stavros' lips. He turned to stand almost nose to nose with her and said.

"I should not have had that last snifter, I am deeply regretful both of our needs weren't satisfied to the fullest extent, I will not let it happen again!"

Laura felt like she was going to be sick yet felt relieved that he seemed to recollect nothing of the night before. "So you don't remember anything of last night?"

"Some details but they are blurry. But don't concern yourself with that Lasha. I must go and attend to mother and some business."

Stavros then walked toward the door but then thought twice, walked back to Laura and gave her a swift kiss, then left!

"Thank you!" Laura whispered to the heavens. With that said, Laura suddenly wanted to go out for some air! She left the now empty office and was heading to the door so she could take her walk and think!

"My mistake of last night can never happen again!" Laura said quietly to herself! "Never!"

These were her thoughts as she reached the doorway but before she could walk out the door she was blocked by a woman she had never seen before. At first, she thought maybe it was a business associate of Stavros' but as Laura thought about it she realized who this woman was..

"I assume you are Laura, I'm Alexis Davis, your husband's cousin."

"I know who you are!"

"Good, that will make it easier! I need to talk to you about Stefan"

With those words fear began to trickle down Laura's back, could she know?? Could Stefan have told her about what had transpired between them?? There was only one way to find out, as Alexis walked upstairs Laura followed determined to find out what was going on and just how much Alexis knew!

Alexis had made her way up the stairs and Laura noticed that she seemed to know where she was going and soon found herself in her quarters!

"We need to speak in private Laura. I know Stavros is somewhere around and I would hate for him to here our conversation."

"If you have come here to threaten me like Helena does you are wasting you time, I haven't broken under her scrutiny and..."

"I just want some questions answered Laura that's it. I'm sure you are aware that Stefan is away on business and I have seen him for the past few days, he is moping about not concentrating on the task in front of him. I know in the short time you have known him, you even know that is not like him. I think you might hold the key as to why he has become so."

Laura had the feeling that lying to Alexis would be useless. She was backed into a corner, if Stefan had told her about their kiss and what ever else and she lied about it to her now, she would know she was lying. What was she going to do??

"I have only known Stefan for two weeks, how could I know what makes him tick?"

"Let's just say that my instinct tells me that you know more about him, and he you than people who have known both of you even know. Can you deny that."

Laura didn't know how to respond to that!

"Come one Laura, I care deeply for Stefan and I don't like to see him miserable, has he told you why he feels so. Every time your name is mentioned, he either goes into a deeper state or lashes out. Why is that?"

"I DON'T KNOW ALEXIS! I JUST DON'T KNOW!"

Laura felt like crumbling. What was happening, she had to remain in control!

"Laura, if you won't tell me what is affecting Stefan in such a way and he won't tell me, then I will just have to find out for myself, and believe me. I will get to the bottom of this, you forget, I am a Cassadine even if my last name isn't!"

With that, Alexis walked out and slammed the door! Laura was thoroughly shaken and not totally by Alexis and her interrogation but by what she had said about Stefan's reaction to her name being mentioned.

"He must hate me, he must think I am a hoar for kissing him. But didn't he kiss me? Oh God, what does it matter. If Alexis finds out, she could tell Stavros or blackmail me with the information. I have to do something." At that moment, Laura realized that she had to find out more about Alexis Davis, to ensure that her own bleak future on this island wouldn't become more bleak. There was only one way to get information from off this island. On Stavros' computer! With that Laura, began to walk slowly toward the door to form a plan as to how to gain access to it!

(Meanwhile, on his private jet, Stefan is comtemplating his next move concerning Laura)

"Something must be done, I have to stop this now! But how am I going to face her?" Stefan had decided to go back to island after he realized that Alexis had left on such short notice. He later found that she had taken this jet to the island. Knowing her as well as he, did he knew she had gone there about Laura.

"If only I hadn't been transparent concerning Laura, Alexis saw right through it."

But didn't he really want to know what Laura's feelings concerning him were, if Alexis confronted her than he would surely find out. Alexis would never hide anything from him. Stefan was suddenly a little more than anxious to get back to the island.

So, while Stefan was dreaming of what Laura's reaction to Alexis' confrontation would be, at least the way he wanted it. Laura was out looking at the ocean that kept her on this island exile. Plotting how to get a message to the only person she could trust right now, Robert Scorpio.

And Alexis was planning on finding out what it was between Stefan and Laura that seemed to keep both of them so odd. And being a Cassadine by blood, Alexis would get to the bottom of this.

© 1997