Chapter Twenty:
Wildfire

Once again, Nikolas thought hazily as he kissed his wife, he was finding himself in exactly the same situation he'd been in that morning. Things he should say, things he should do… And a complete inability to pull away from her and think about them. Carly gave a contented sigh, twining her hands around his neck, and pulling him closer. That did nothing to help him.

Something was going to happen now. He knew that, and it nagged at him unmercifully. If he was going to maintain any sort of control over this situation he was going to have to act soon… like… Now.

"Ok," he moaned a little as he pulled back from Carly. "We… Have to do something."

"Like get out of here?" Carly asked, grabbing the front of his shirt and pulling him back to her.

Yes… that… and…

His mind went blank as Carly slipped her tongue between his lips, and pressed herself closer to him in a blatant attempt at arousal. Any awareness of where they were or what obstacles were presently approaching them disappeared from his conscious mind as his hands slid up her back into her hair. He'd never recover from how her skin felt under his hands, how she tasted…

"Don't you have something to say to me?" Carly's brushed against his lips as she asked the question, then pulled him back into another deep kiss. Nikolas struggled to comprehend her. Was she seriously suggesting conversation?

"I…"

Carly pulled back and suppressed an urge to smile at the glazed look in Nikolas' eyes.

"About what happened this afternoon? The whole silence thing?" Nikolas shook his head, hard, reality returning. Carly cocked her head to one side. "Do you want to tell me why that doesn't mean you're trying to keep me a secret?"

Oh. Right. That. Nikolas opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to find the best way to say this. Seeing as his plans had crashed and burned at Carly's hands there really wasn't any easy exit here. He lowered his head to rest against her shoulder.

"Can we talk about that later? I think we've got some more pressing problems…"

"HEY!" Carly protest, pushing him away from her. "Wait a second here. Aren't there some sort of rules you're violating? I showed you mine, now you're supposed to show me yours."

"There are rules to relationships?" Nikolas blinked. "God. No wonder I've been feeling so lost."

Carly punched his upper arm. "I'm not joking!"

Nikolas sighed and stepped back from her, rubbing the point of collision absently. "I know." He noticed her hands clenched suddenly at her sides. Uh oh.

"You don't have an excuse, do you?"

He looked at her sharply. "An excuse? No. I have a reason."

Carly crossed her arms and leaned against the car. "Ok. So let's have it."

Nikolas smiled weakly. "Ever hear of the element of surprise?"

"Yeah," Carly's voice was frosty. "And AJ looked pretty damned surprised to me."

"That's not what I mean…" Nikolas sighed heavily. "I meant… I didn't think it was a good idea to let the Quartermaines know because… Well, first of all… our parents don't know."

Carly snorted at that and looked heavenward, as if this was the most ridiculous thing he could have pointed out. Inwardly, she cringed. Damn. Bobbie was NOT going to enjoy finding out that piece of news from Monica, was she? It's funny just how far from her brain that had been when she'd been saying the words to the assembled company in the mansion. God, the butler probably knew by now.

"And…"

Carly looked back at her husband. There was more?

"I didn't want them to have to time to prepare. I mean… Let's face it. By the look on AJ's face, we can pretty many guarantees that he's going to be expecting to be served with some kind of papers any time now. I wanted… I was hoping we could catch him just a little off guard."

Carly felt the ground give way beneath her.

"What?" her voice was breathy, just this side of panicked. Nikolas moved towards her quickly.

"It's not a problem. I mean… Yes, that would have been a good way to proceed, but now we'll just proceed another way, alright? It's not going to change anything.

"I just made this harder for us, didn't I?" Carly looked terrified. Nikolas shook his head firmly. He reached out and gripped her arms with his hands and waited until she looked up at him before he proceeded.

"No. Absolutely not. It's the Quartermaines. We probably have a few days while they fly into complete and utter pandemonium. By then, we'll have all our pieces lined up."

Carly looked at him with skepticism, which broke, suddenly and without warning, into a wide grin. "Have I told you I love the way you think?"

Nikolas felt a warm feeling spread through him at the words. It took him a moment to find his breath. "No. You haven't."

Carly expression darkened. "But you should have TOLD me that! I mean, a little help, here!"

"Yes," Nikolas admitted. "That probably would have been a good idea." He decided not to share the detail that the idea of just TELLING the Quartermaines seemed so absurd to him that it hadn't occurred to him that it would be an issue. "Believe me, I will next time."

Carly opened her mouth to throw out her next point, then closed it in surprise. She looked at Nikolas with her eyes wide. "That's it? I mean… Is that seriously the end of our first fight?"

Nikolas raised his eyebrows. "That was our first fight?"

"Well," Carly shifted her weight, "Our first fight since we got married."

"You threw a plum at me!"

"Yeah, but I didn't MEAN anything by it."

Nikolas was troubled, briefly, by the fact that, by his definition of 'fight', he had already lost track of his altercations with Carly. He pushed that thought to the back of his mind. Didn't matter. Those, like this one, were over, and they were still standing. He relaxed his grip on her, moving one hand up to brush her hair out of her eyes and tucked the strand behind her ear.

"You looked beautiful with him," he said softly. "You looked like a complete natural. I could see how much a part of you he is."

Carly looked like she was about to burst. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. She didn't even have any words to tell him. Nothing would come out. But no one had ever said that to her. It was as close to being called a good mother she'd ever come.

After several moments, Carly released her grip on Nikolas and stepped back. She blinked back tears and smile at him. "Ok! Now what?"

Nikolas’ face clouded. "Now…” He let out a long breath. "Now we try to get to my father before the Quartermaines do. Knowing him, if he hears this from someone else, he'll smite them for heresy."

Somehow Carly didn't find that image particularly comforting. She gave a nervous laugh. "So what? We just go out to Spook…” she coughed suddenly. "Spoon Island and say 'Hey, guess what?'"

Nikolas made a face. "Admittedly, that wasn't my initial plan…"

"Great," Carly breathed. "This is something else I messed up, isn't it?"

Nikolas shook his head, looking at her tenderly. "No. I just want…” he paused. He didn't necessarily want Carly there when he broke the news to his father. It seemed cruel and unusual punishment for everyone involved. However, seeing as she was already feeling a little thrown by this afternoon's events, he didn't want to throw that one at her. Even if it was probably better for all concerned, he didn't want to risk making her feel insecure again.

"Bobbie…"

Carly's voice interrupted his thoughts. He looked down at her, to see that she was chewing her bottom lip and looking off into the distance.

"What?"

Carly looked back at him. "My mother? Who is probably having all sorts of different fits right now? I thought I was going to be home last night, you know? I'm a little surprised I haven't seen her."

Nikolas exhaled. "You're right. And she has closer to ties to the Quartermaines…"

"Had," Carly corrected. "Now she feels pretty much the same way I do about them."

"Regardless…” He sighed. "We can't be in two places at once."

Carly nodded, feeling a sensation of dread forming in her stomach. "No. WE can't be." She looked up at him, her expression uncharacteristically tentative. "But… If we split up…"

Nikolas lowered his mouth to hers, pulling her into a soft and tender kiss. Carly dropped her arms from around him, in shock at the gesture. She kissed him back, trying to drink in the way he was touching her. He pulled back much too soon.

"I hate being away from you," he said softly. Carly nodded.

"Me too."

At the sound of her voice, she felt her heart plummet into her stomach. Oh, what did she just say? Why did stuff like that keep coming out of her mouth on the strength of a kiss? She needed to have her head examine. Oh, wait. She already was. She shook herself and forced herself to push on with what needed to be done.

"Then we're agreed," she tried to make her voice brisk, but it sounded insubstantial to her own ears. She let her gaze wander anywhere that wasn't directly on her husband. "You go tell your father, I'll go tell my mother and…"

"I'll come to the Brownstone when I'm finished."

Carly nodded. For some reason she found that comforting.

"Ok."

"Can I drive you?"

Carly shook her head firmly. "No. No, I think I could use the walk to clear my head a bit. It's not far." She turned her body away from his, then spun back to him, her hand moving up and around his neck, pulling her back to him. She gave him a long and desperate kiss, as if she was trying to take as much of him with her as possible. She broke the kiss as suddenly as she'd delivered it and stepped back from him. He looked a little surprised.

"I…" she stopped, swallowing hard. "I better get going."

"Good luck," Nikolas whispered, unable to come up with anything else to say. Carly nodded and started to back away from him, down the road.

"Uh, yeah. You too. " She turned her back on him and walked away hurriedly. Nikolas watched after her, then forced himself back to the moment and turned to his care. He pulled the door open and slid into the car, intent of the act of driving.

"Alright," He muttered to himself. "Next stop: Wyndemere."

Emily spotted who she was looking for the minute she walked into the bar. She had walked here on her own steam, taking a short cut from the side of the Quartermaine grounds, along the docks. She hadn't wanted to risk running into anyone, she'd just wanted to get out of the house.

Lucky was seated at a table, his shadow… Elizabeth… at his side. They were talking, their heads together, hands entwined. Emily rolled her eyes. One would think she'd be used to this by now. Having been friends with both of them for years, Emily didn't stand on ceremony, and she walked across the room towards them, without embarrassment for interrupting a tender moment. There was nothing BUT tender moments with these two.

"Oh my GOD!" she exclaimed, approaching them. "Lucky, you are not going to BELIEVE what I just found out."

Lucky and Lizzie both looked up, but it was Lizzie, always eager for a little gossip, who responded.

"Whatever it is, it must be juicy," she grinned. "Spill."

Emily sighed and flopped down into the chair across from them dramatically.

"Juicy. Yeah, I guess that's one word for it. After scary, incomprehensible and INSANE!"

"Emily," Lucky said with minimal patience. "Just tell us what's going on."

Emily turned a mildly accusing glare on Lucky. Lizzie would know EXACTLY why this wasn't just simple gossip for her, but Lucky was a little more clueless, and she didn't feel like illuminating him right now.

"Your brother… Did you know that he's… 'rebounded'."

Lucky blinked. "Rebounded."

"Rebounded," Emily over-enuciated. "Rebounded and HARD."

Lucky laughed. "Great. Maybe he'll stop being so damned uptight all the time then. Who's the girl now?"

Emily raised her eyebrows. "Your cousin."

"Cousin?" Lizzie's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "PLEASE tell me you mean Lucas."

Emily continued to focus on Lucky. "It's true. They were at the mansion together… to see Michael… Lucky. Lucky, they're MARRIED."

Lizzie sucked in a lung full of air so fast she thought her head was in danger of exploding. Lucky just stared at Emily. Finally he blinked.

"He's married…" he said with eerie calm. "To Carly."

Emily nodded. "Yeah. He just up and married her. Out of nowhere!"

Lizzie finally exhaled. "Oh, man… Emily… That… That just SUCKS!"

Lucky looked at his girlfriend in confusion. "Sucks? Yeah, I guess that's one word for it."

Emily looked down at the tabletop, holding hard to her outraged shock of Nikolas’ actions, not wanting to explore her complete emotional devastation she knew was hiding around the next corner. Not like she'd been waiting for him… Not like she'd been as nuts as he'd been about Robin. She'd had boyfriends. She'd had a life. She just couldn't help but have hoped that, now that Robin was finally off the market, she could have just one unencumbered, fair, clear field CHANCE to see if anything could happen.

Well. Not so much.

"He's crazy," she spoke slowly, her voice low. "I mean… That's not normal behavior, is it?" She looked up at Lizzie for support. Lizzie's focus, however, was on Lucky.

"I thought I was supposed to be the reactionary one," Lucky muttered.

"He…” Lizzie frowned, as she searched for an insight and came up empty. "I didn't even know they knew each other."

"They didn't." Lucky sat back, still trying to put some sort of meaning on this. He looked at Emily in confusion. "You're sure this isn't a joke?"

"They weren't joking. Trust me. My brother is freaking out as we speak. I take it he didn't tell the family yet?"

"If by family, you mean me?" Lucky shook his head slowly. "My brother married my cousin… I'm one step closer to being a Jerry Springer Guest."

"Carly IS a Jerry Springer Guest!" Emily spit bitterly, surprised by her own vehemence. "She's Queen Bitch of the Springer People! It's the surest proof I have that she's from this planet!"

"Hey!" Lucky protested, "She's my aunt's daughter, you know. Chances are, we come from the same planet."

Emily shut her eyes, trying to still the venom racing through her veins. She hated being like this, but she didn't feel like she had a whole lot of control over what was coming out of her mouth.

"Whatever. My point is… it's crazy."

"I don't know…" Lucky slumped forward, trying to get a grip on this. Considering how superficial his relationship with his brother was, he spent a lot of time trying to explain him to people. "It's not like he gets out a lot. I mean… Robin's off the market. Who else is out there for him, anyway… OW!" Lucky jerked his chair back from the table, turning his attention to his girlfriend. "You just kicked me!"

Lizzie raised her eyebrows in mock innocence. "Did I?"

"Elizabeth."

"Maybe you should put some ice on it," she lowered her head, giving him a meaningful look. Lucky glanced across the table at Emily show was staring hard at the opposite wall, arms firmly crossed. Man, she looked ticked.

"Maybe I should stop hanging out with so many girls," he muttered, standing up. "I'm coming back."

"Yeah, could you grab me another diet Coke while you're up?"

Lizzie gave Lucky a sweet smile. He sighed. She was up to something. At times like this it was best to just play along.

"Sure, fine, whatever." He walked away displaying more annoyance than Lizzie believed he was feeling. She'd deal with Lucky later. It usually took him about half an hour to figure out how he was feeling about something like this and by then, Emily would probably be long gone.

"I'm sorry, Em…” she turned back to her friend. "Lucky can be really dense about this stuff."

Emily didn't seem to care. She just dropped her head into her hands, and stared at the top of the table.

"Elizabeth…” her voice was low. "The next time I say anything vaguely flattering… Or starry-eyed… or…” Emily made a face, twisting her hand against her chest like she was pulling out her own heart, "Ergh! Anything!" She looked up at her friend, a determined expression on her face, "Hit me with something, ok? You got to promise me as my best friend that you'll just KEEP hitting me until it sinks in… Nikolas Cassadine is a bad trip."

"Emily…” Liz cocked her head to one side, in deep sympathy. "I…"

"I mean," Emily let out a sharp laugh. "When am I going to learn? He's insane. And I don't think this is a sudden affliction… I mean, look at his history. The boy has big, big issues."

"Yeah," Liz admitted, tracing out a shape on the table with her fingertips. "But… I understand how you've felt about him…"

"I can't believe this. Carly!" Emily shook her head firmly. "Well. I guess men have done crazier things for sex."

Lizzie gave an involuntary shudder. She did not like this conversation. "Yeah… But is Nikolas really like that?"

"I don't know," Emily's anger seemed to fade a little and she looked down at her shoes, feeling a creepy sadness begin to seep into her. "My brothers sure are." She shook those thoughts off physically and looked up at Liz, her eyes wide again. "He's going to get so hurt."

Liz nodded, giving a small smile at the indication that Emily was returning to earth again. She never stayed mad at anyone very long unless she was related to them. "Yeah… Probably."

Emily exhaled. "Well. That can't be my problem. I'm… I'm finished with this."

"That's probably the best way to handle it, right now."

Emily leaned forward, resting her chin in her hand and gazing off into space. "I just… Wish I knew what was going on in his head."

Alexis hung up her cell phone and wondered just what must be going on in her nephew's head. She had the details of his financial transactions of the last twenty-four hours and she had no idea what to make of it. A hotel room and a rather hefty cash withdraw… Strange in any location, but given the city, particularly confusing. She shook her head and turned back to go into the living room where she had last seen Stefan.

He was standing by the drink cart when she entered the room, pouring a brandy.

"Can you pour me one of those?" she asked unsteadily as she moved towards her brother. He turned to her, drink in hand.

"Should I take that as an indication that you turned something up?"

She gave a slightly smile. "Never could put one past you…" she put the phone down on the table. "I'm serious. Drink, now." Stefan's expression clouded and he handed his snifter to his sister. She took a quick sip, then looked up at him, her eyes a little brighter than usual.

"Nikolas is in Las Vegas."

Stefan stared at her a long moment before this sunk in. Las Vegas?

"What possible reason could he have…"

"I don't know. But I think we can assume he's not there for any sort of…” she shook her head. "It's just so… strange." She flipped quickly through her mental Rolodex to come up with some reason for Nikolas’ location, besides the obvious attractions of Sin City.

"It…" she looked at Stefan questioningly. "It wouldn't have anything to do with Katherine, would it?"

Stefan shook his head firmly. "Katherine is in France. And she has compelling reasons to stay away from Nikolas. Indefinitely. No." His brow furrowed. "I suspect this is all about Miss Scorpio. He's been… Too calm. Too accepting. This week did not unfold as I had suspected it would."

Alexis had not desire to press for details.

"There were no plane tickets on his credit cards. He must have taken the jet."

"That's certainly easy enough to verify," Stefan said, moving to pick up his sister's phone. "The pilots could provide some idea regarding his motives…"

"Regarding who's motives?"

Alexis and Stefan both looked up in surprise at the sound of Nikolas’ voice. He was standing at the bottom of the staircase, having managed to enter the room without either's notice. Stefan put down the phone.

"We were attempting to locate you."

"I'm right here."

"So I see," Stefan's voice seemed to tighten by the word. Alexis took a long sip of her drink and put it down on the table.

"That's my cue to leave. I'll… See you both later." She turned and started for the door, not wanting get any deeper into whatever was happening between her relatives than she already had. She felt Nikolas’ hand on her elbow as she passed, and she stopped, looking over at him.

"I'll need to see you this week. Monday morning?"

Alexis gave a smile, feeling a little relieved. Nikolas really did look ok. She didn't want to think about the possibilities that had been running through her head. A part of her still thought of Nikolas as hopelessly sheltered and rebelled against any indication that he was susceptible to the sort of influences other men were. Self-destruction of any variety being at the top of the list.

"I'm available when you need me. You know that."

Nikolas gave her a sincere smile, which served to confuse Alexis all the more. He looked very relaxed. In control. She had a feeling there was a story behind all of this and she was going to know all the details soon enough. She returned the smile.

"I'll wait for your call."

With that she turned and exited the room with haste. Nikolas watched after her a moment. Alexis would handle this so much better than Stefan. But if it wasn't appropriate to have Carly here, it certainly wasn't appropriate to drag Alexis into this. He turned back to his father.

Stefan was standing, stock still, in the center of the room. His eyes were dark, holding the same look they always did when Nikolas stepped out of line. He hated that look. It always pushed him to further rebellion. He descended the three steps into the room slowly, feeling his blood begin to rush in his veins. He was having a hard time accessing any remorse for the worry his father must have been contending with.

"You know where I was, don't you?"

Stefan turned back to the drink cart. It was a trick, Nikolas knew. He did not so much desire a drink as he did a moment to collect himself.

"Yes," Stefan stated simply. Nikolas rounded the couch, coming up behind him.

"You don't approve"

Stefan poured a drink, his movements light but purposeful.

"I can't say I applaud some newfound interest in gambling, if that is what you are asking".

Nikolas stared at the back of Stefan's head, choosing his words very carefully, bringing them forth with the sort of practiced delivery he'd learned from this man in the first place.

"I wasn't gambling," he kept his voice even, vanquishing any sign of defensiveness or anger. "Not in the traditional sense."

Stefan paused at the drink cart, digesting the words, before he placed the drink down on the glass top, and turned, slowly, to look his son in the eye.

That was what Nikolas had been waiting for.

"I was getting married".