Risk

Chapter LXXXIVb

"Miss Carly will see you now." The maid says softly in the front room.

"It's about time." Bobbie says impatiently setting down her cup of tea. The maid makes as if to lead Bobbie up the stairs to the bedroom. "Is Carly in her room?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"I know my way." Bobbie strides away from the maid.

The maid just rolls her eyes and turn back around to the front room. "Master Stefan? The Prince will see you in the library."

Stefan just shakes his head as he gathers himself and walk into the library. Waiting for almost an hour has not improved his temper. But he doesn't allow himself to be drawn into the petty games at which Stavros excels. "Stavros." Stefan says firmly.

"Stefan." Stavros says with a sigh as he tightens the belt on his silk robe. And he'd been in such a good mood.

The closet door is ajar. "...I didn't get your message, Mama or I would have called you back."

"And I'd like to know why you didn't get my message?" Bobbie goes over to the vanity and checks her makeup quickly and tucks her hair behind one ear before turning back toward her daughter's voice.

"Cause I don't sleep with a phone to my ear?! What in the hell is so damn important anyway?!"

"Alexis showed up at Wyndemere this morning. Had some fine and dandies to show and tell over scones." Carly groans. Bobbie nods her agreement. "Oh yeah. Stefan was not happy..."

"He's never happy!" Carly interrupts from inside the huge walk in closet. Her apartment with Tony had been smaller than this closet.

"...and he went immediately to see Nikolas. To find out what was going on."

Carly comes out of the closet fully dressed for work and hopping on one foot as she pulls on first one heel and then another. "It's none of Stefan's business."

"Oh but Stavros can know?!"

"It's none of Stavros' business either. And I've really got to keep Stavros as far away from it as possible."

"Because he'll kill Jason?"

"No, because he'll kill Nik. Stavros is irate this morning, almost as irate as he was last night! I thought I almost had him over it and now you're telling me that Stefan is here. GREAT."

"What do you mean he'd kill Nik?" Bobbie squeeks at that one.

"Kill is an exaggeration." Carly restates to calm Bobbie down and then winces. "But I think slap his head off his shoulders was in the near future."

"What on earth happened?!" Bobbie protests.

"Nik called me a bitch."

"But Caroline... everyone calls you a bitch."

"Thanks Mama." Carly says wryly.

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah, I do." Carly sighs and sits down at the foot of the unmade bed. "I thought I'd have to peel Stavros off the ceiling. And it's not like Nik was really being personal... it was business."

"Caroline, I love you...."

"But..." Carly adds wryly knowing there is a but and she isn't to be disappointed today.

"But if Stavros is going to kill everyone that has ever called you a bitch..."

"He's going have to break daddy's ice machine out of mothballs; I know." Carly shakes her head. "I don't get it. His reaction is just... excessive."

"Really? Stavros overreact? Nooooo, not Stavros." Bobbie tilts her head to the side as she comments sarcastically.

"Mama, are you gonna help or not?" Carly demands. "The only thing I can figure is that bitch was really bad twenty years ago and he's taking it out of ... context or something? I mean it's not like Nik called me a... you know. I'd have knocked him into next week myself. All he did was call me a bitch. It was kinda sweet, I mean, it meant I won. I'd boxed him in."

Bobbie nods consideringly. "We have kinda reclaimed the word in the last twenty years. Being a bitch is something to be proud of now; it means that nobody is going to get over on you. You take it too far on occasion but..." Bobbie nods again. "You really need to clear this one up, Carly."

"Especially if Stavros is going to spend any time around Stefan."

"Oh you don't think...."

"If Stefan is relating anything that Alexis had to say.... You know the word bitch is going to come up. It definitely would if I were around."

"We better get down there." Bobbie hands Carly her jacket and purse and then grabs her own.

There isn't much conversation going on down in the library. Stefan is biting his tongue and Stavros just isn't interested. Or rather the subject that Stefan wants brought up is being avoided. "Any word on the diabetes trial?"

"General Hospital will be considered when they are ready for the second trials. And I've sent one of our top researchers down to Virginia to get up to speed and insure that we will be the top contender when they are ready."

"Top contender-- ha!" Stavros snorts. "Only contender." He counters.

"General Hospital needs to have a higher profile nationally if we're to be the only contender." Stefan declares flatly. "General Hospital is a regional hospital. It hasn't in the past attempted to top the Mayo Clinic or John Hopkins. Which is exactly why you've set up the lab in Uganda." Stefan adds. "Blood born illnesses, I believe."

Stavros eyes narrow at that. Someone had been talking out of turn. "I put Audrey Hardy in charge of that lab to facilitate your seizing control of the General Hospital board. Not so that she would inform you of the contents of the lab." Stavros snaps.

"And she hasn't. Mrs Hardy is overwhelmingly discreet while being impressed. I had to find out from other sources. But having Alexis... vacationing there meant that the lab would be discovered eventually. Alexis was already on her honeymoon by the time I received all the information." Stefan admits.

Changing the subject. "You have a plan for advancing General Hospital?" Stavros knows that Stefan does. His little brother always had a plan. One that looked innocuous at first glance but would pay dividends down the road. They were frequently tiresome even if they are effective.

"I have a five year plan, by then they should be ready for the second trials and General Hospital will be properly positioned." Stefan admits.

"And does that include reinstating the head of Cardiology? The only department where General Hospital is rated top notch?" Stavros comment indicates he has been keeping an eye on GH even if he has left Stefan in charge.

"No." Stefan's jaw is set there.

"Stefan!" Bobbie protests from the door. "You can't do that! It isn't fair to the patients. Monica and I will never be friends again..."

"... if you ever were." Carly mutters from behind her mother.

"...but she's a damn fine surgeon, she's served her suspension. You can't block her returning."

Carly points a finger at Stefan. "You're stopping Monica from working." She starts laughing and then shakes her head. "Gawd! Maybe there is hope for you yet. That sounds just like something I would do if I could get away with it."

Stefan winces. Not a comparison for which he strived.

Bobbie decides to try to make a point and hopes that Carly will go along. "Monica might be a bitch but she's a bitch with skills. Skills that the community needs, that General Hospital needs."

Carly makes sure her back is toward Stavros when she makes a face at her mother and rolls her eyes but plays along knowing that Bobbie isn't doing it for Monica but for Nikolas. "I know that, Mama. I know that Monica could never have gotten as far as she has without being a bitch. It's the only way that she could have gotten the skills, gotten the experience she needed to be the best. I have no problem with her being a bitch, I can even respect it. It's the crazy part that makes me nervous."

Bobbie bites the inside of her cheek on that one and winces. It was scary when she was in agreement with Carly. Alan had talked to her, actually pled AJ's case with Bobbie. Bobbie looks over at Stavros. If he found out the extent of Monica's ravings... Bobbie looks over at Stefan. Stefan is frowning wondering what on earth is going on. Elements of this conversation had nothing to do with Monica but he didn't know to what they are in reference. He can see the urging in Bobbie's face somehow wanting him to come in on this one and there is nothing better he'd like than to leave her hanging since he isn't getting the whole picture and he really hates when that happens. With a sigh and a shake of his head he finally gives a little. "Fine. I won't block Dr Quartermaine's reinstatement if she has a psych evaluation prior to returning to duty."

Carly does a little happy dance. "I love it." She goes over and strings an arm around one of Stavros. Tugging on the collar of his robe to bring his head down so that she can give him a quick smooch. "I have to get to work. I've already missed a couple of meetings and Nik will surely be swearing at me. Why don't you and Michael come on by Deception for... tea later since it's too late for lunch?"

"As soon as they return from the zoo." Stavros agrees.

"Mama, you want to give me a lift over to Deception?"

Bobbie looks from Stefan to Stavros wondering if it was safe to leave them be. "Sure, I guess." They leave.

Stavros looks at his younger brother and lifts a brow. "What exactly is going on with Monica Quartermaine?"

Stefan winces. Not that he particularly cared if Stavros found out how out of control Monica was and how she'd attacked Barbara but it would upset Barbara. "She had a disagreement with another staff member at General Hospital and was suspended."

The phone ringing distracts Stavros but he takes the time to say. "I told you to run General Hospital. It's not my concern." He waves a hand. "But I still want to know exactly what you're going to need to bring General Hospital to the forefront. It's too important to both of our plans. Yes, Stavros Cassadine." Stavros frowns listening to the other end of the conversation. "Thank you for the information; please send hardcopies to the house." Stavros hangs up the phone and forwards the calls to the voice mail. Stefan quirks a brow when Stavros happens to glance his way. Stavros shrugs. "Congratulations. It's a girl. We have a half sister."

Stefan pales not quite knowing how Stavros is going to react to that one and not wanting to do anything that will set Stavros off knowing that Kristina will be the one that suffers.

"I'm here. I'm here; don't get your boxers in a bunch!" Carly declares as she steps off the elevator about a half an hour later, going for the preemptive strike.

"You're late, Missy!" Elton says with a tsk and a shake of his head. "The Prince is not amused!"

"My father is the prince. I am not!" Nikolas snarls from the doorway of the office.

Carly rolls her eyes in Elton's direction as she is unfastening her coat and handing it to Elton, taking her time. "Stavros, Michael and Kris are going to be coming by for tea... oh... probably about threeish. Would you be a love and make a few calls?"

"High tea with the Prince." Elton's eyes get big. "I'm on it." He adds gleefully heading away to hang up Carly's jacket and to get her a beverage.

"Not a real high tea." Carly calls after him. "Michael's going to be there too. He'd take one look at a cucumber sandwich and hurl." me too had enough of those at the Garden Club. Carly turns to Nikolas. "What did I miss?" She watches as Nikolas' color becomes ruddier. And his hair which is normally so perfectly coiffed is mussed. His breathing while controlled becomes just a little heavier. "That much huh? Well it's all your fault."

"My FAULT?! How in the hell can you not showing up for appointments you scheduled be my fault?!"

Carly comes over and strings a hand thru Nikolas' arm. Her voice is both overly calm and overly sweet. "We need to talk about your dad. You know he's been kinda outta it for the last twenty years but do you really know what that means?"

Stavros swings by the coffee warehouse after calling Jason to make sure that he is there. "What?!" Jason growls when Stavros shows up. The things he did for Carly. He knew that if he tried to duck Stavros then he'd end up not only dealing with Stavros but Carly as well. And there just isn't enough aspirin in the world.

"I don't appreciate you comparing me to Stefan." Stavros gets right to the point.

"Then don't act like him." Jason reaches for a stack of invoices. It's done as far as he's concerned.

"I don't compare you to AJ." Stavros counters ignoring Jason's growl. "Or Corinthos for that matter. I am nothing like Stefan."

"Look, did Carly tell you, you had to come over here and make nice with me? Because you don't. You really don't. I'd prefer it if you didn't."

"Of course not." Stavros counters.

Jason leans back in his chair and just stares at Stavros before finally nodding. "I get it."

"Get... what?"

"Why you're here." Jason points to a chair with a sigh. "Have a seat. Hopefully this won't take too long." He starts ticking off points. "Carly lies. She steals covers and the last towel. She goes thru pockets, she comes up with plans and She. Comes. To. Me."

"And that is unsatisfactory." Stavros keeps his seat across from Jason but his frame stiffens and his eyes narrow.

"That's your problem. If you can't deal with it then cut Carly loose now before it ends up causing trouble." Jason shrugs and explains further. "When she had a problem with Dr. Jones... she came to me. When she had a problem with AJ she came to me. When she had a problem with Sonny..."

"Caroline came to me." Stavros says pointedly.

"Only cause I wasn't around. And when she has a problem with you, she'll come to me."

Stavros says, "You." At the same time. Stavros shakes his head. "Unsatisfactory. Besides, it wasn't about Caroline and me; it was about Nikolas.... or Laura."

"Guess that clues you in on whose side Carly figures you'll take in a fight: Nikolas or Laura not hers."

"Nikolas is my son." Stavros says flatly.

"Yeah, and what's Carly?" Jason retorts. "Carly won't discuss any person she figures you're going to take their side over hers. That's why she never discusses anything important with her mother." Jason grins but it is a grin with more than a touch of evil. "Cept maybe you. I bet Carly would talk to Bobbie about you. Cause I figure that Bobbie will never take your side over Carly's."

Stefan strides into the shop wondering if it is already too late. He and Stavros had split up each with separate errands to run. But he figured he had a head start because Stavros had to dress. "Kristina?!" Stefan calls out as he enters the shop not expecting anyone else to be in the shop.

Liz hesitates but then stands up straight coming out of the back room. When she taken the job and realized who Kristina was she knew this was going to happen eventually. "Kristina is out on a job. I could page her if you'd like."

"What are you doing here?!" Stefan grits his teeth. "That is unimportant. Yes, I wish to speak to my sister now on a number of issues."