Chapter Twenty-Seven:
Horse-Trading

The sun had set while they'd been in the cabin. Now the moon was high above the water, and the stars were out. Carly tipped her head back and stared up at the dark sky. With a gentle rock of the boat, the light wind, and the cry of distant but persistent gulls... It wasn't hard to pretend this whole day hadn't happened -- to cast herself back to that, feel all the nervous anticipating the excitement, impending sense of doom that had accompanied her to this spot the night before.

The more things change...

They were going to have dinner. They had never had dinner together before. Just one more quirk in a long list of absurdities that she should really stop counting. They'd gotten through the rest of them; this would be a breeze.

She was pretty sure that she was going to throw up.

Carly glanced back over her shoulder. She'd gathered the pillows and blankets from the drawers under the benches in the hull -- both doubled as bunks for guests -- and had set up a makeshift picnic area in the cockpit. Seemed like a simple enough idea at the time, but now it only served to make her feel more queasy. It looked nice. A little reminiscent of the place they'd spent the previous night. Kinda like she'd just stumbled into an episode of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. She had a distinct sense of not belonging here.

A strong fluttering sensation that had been threatening in Carly's stomach made itself known, and she turned back to the water. Don't think about it... You don't want to waste the energy. But she just couldn't shake the feeling -- that something about all of this was really... off.

She wanted to blame that on Nikolas -- on the strange way he'd been acting. But now that he'd left her alone to forage for food she had to admit, this feeling was as much about her as him.

This was just not HER. Nothing about it resembled her life as she knew it. Nikolas, from all appearances, was the whole package. No strings attached, no hidden agendas, and no strange 'catches'. Well, if you overlooked the whole 'Cassadine' thing -- just concentrated on him, who he was, what he wanted from her... It was a little too simple.

It must have made sense last night. Otherwise, she wouldn't have said yes. But even then there were moments when every part of her had wanted to scream "Why are you DOING this!" -- none more than when she'd been trying to get through the vows. Sickness and health, richer or poorer, for better or worse -- she came down on the negative side of every article.

What was he THINKING?

He was thinking he was falling for her. That had been his answer. But... Who did stuff like this? Who agreed to take on someone else's insanity, baggage and court costs on potential? He had to be out of his mind. Carly had made a couple of people lose their minds in the past. They usually got them back again. And when they did, the first thing they did was get rid of her.

That was the next step, Carly thought, as she stared down at the black of the water. It's coming -- somewhere, somehow -- that moment of clarity was going to hit Nikolas and the plot would start. He'd married her on the basis of feelings stirred by what was a pretty passionate affair. She was good at those -- she knew what to do to wrap men around her finger. What happened when he wasn't in that haze anymore? When she wasn't something that inspired that kind of intense desire? God, she'd just tried to impress on him just how available she was to him. Good idea, Caroline. That was a brilliant move.

She'd fallen victim to a very basic need of hers. Affection. It was her addiction -- always had been, always would be. Just little things, more than anything else. Knowing that someone was willing to hold her hand. Put an arm around her. He was good at that. Small touches he'd made in her mother's living room -- letting her know he was there. He wasn't throwing her to any wolves.

She was becoming far too fond of the way he kissed her, too. How focused he was when they were together. How completely... present. There was no faraway look in his eyes. Hers was the only name that was hovering on his lips. He made her feel special. Cherished. Important. He made her believe she was worth something to him. And today. The way he shook against her. How he'd kept his eyes closed when she pulled away from a kiss, like he was savoring every touch. No one had ever been like that with her before. She hadn't let herself think too much about what it might mean. But looking at him, listening to him admit that he didn't know what he was doing... She'd felt like she was going to overflow, or burst apart. She'd wanted to laugh, or to scream. He was so easy to like. Easy to believe. And really easy to... love.

Carly sucked in her breath. Yeah -- that was the sticky part. Love. She'd already let the word escape from her once, in the throes of temporary insanity. It was still dancing around in the back of her mind. Trying to come forward. Trying to make itself heard. She didn't care how loud it screamed, though. She couldn't listen to it. Not if she wanted to hold herself together.

Carly shuddered. I don't want to do it, she thought suddenly. I really don't want to fall in love with him. She was too vulnerable to him already. Too close to the periphery. It would be really easy to step off the cliff edge from here. Looking into his soft, affectionate eyes, he could almost make her believe it was safe.

She knew better. In her gut, she knew it wasn't real. These things always ended the same way for her. Always ended, and always tore her apart. Couldn't do it again. Just couldn't let it happen. Maybe... Maybe eventually? Maybe when she knew this wasn't a phase he was going through. When she knew it was safe. Maybe then. Maybe.

Behind her, someone cleared his throat. Carly jumped, and turned a little too quickly. It was Nikolas, of course. Though that was nothing resembling a surprise, her heart still leapt into her throat. He was standing on the other side of the deck, holding a brown paper bag in one hand, and looking at her with a small might-be-shy smile on his face. He looked... Really good.

No, no. Be careful. Don't do anything ridiculous.

Oh, to hell with it.

She grinned at him, and jumped over the cockpit in a single bound, landing lightly on the opposite bench, before hopping up onto the other side of the deck to stand in front of him. She grabbed the brown paper bag out of his hand and slid her other hand around his neck, pulling him down into a kiss. He stumbled slightly before moving his hands to her hips. She brought the kiss to an end and tipped her head up to look at him.

"Welcome back."

There was that look. He was looking at her he'd never seen her before; like she was an object of fascination. Then he smiled. Her knees threatened to give out, and she tightened her fist around the collar of his shirt.

"I..." he licked his lips. "I didn't know what you like." She frowned at him, and he gestured to the bag she was holding. "The food."

"Oh," she let go of him and hopped back onto the bench, putting distance between them. "Food is good," she kept her voice light. "Right now, edible is key." She stepped, more gingerly, down onto the picnic blanket.

"Do you always go this long without feeding yourself?" he was following her down into the cockpit.

Carly shrugged, her back to him. "Only when I marry reformed princes three time zones away on the same day I have my visit with Michael."

"We'll time it better next time," his arm appeared around her waist -- a bolder move than he'd made all day. She felt herself flush, and leaned against him. "We'll make sure there's a dinner break..." his voice trailed off. "Wow."

Carly turned her face to rest against his chest. "Wow?"

"Yeah..." his body turned, letting her know that he was examining her dinner setup. "You've been nesting."

"No I haven't!" Carly turned, pulling herself out of his grip. "You just said we'd eat out here -- I thought, you know. Comfort."

Nikolas held up his hands. "I didn't mean anything about it. It's nice. It looks..." he winced. "Comfortable."

Carly exhaled. She realized she'd hunched her shoulder like a protective animal, and she forced them down again. God, she was insane. So desperate not to have anything change. Don't read anything into it, she wanted to tell him. Don't think it means I'm making myself at home, or anything.

"Sorry," she mumbled, turning her eyes to the bag in her hand. "What did you get?"

Nikolas reached out, taking the bag from her white knuckled grasp. She relented, allowed this. "There's a sandwich shop. Sort of. Wraps, they're called."

"Don't tell me that's a new thing."

"Uh... No." he sounded a little amused at the question. "Maybe the name, not the concept." he opened the bag. "They look suspiciously like pitas to me. Grilled chicken Caesar, or... " he picked up one of the wax paper wrapped bundles. "Tuna. They were closing, they really pushed the tuna."

"Just gimmie one. I'll manage."

He tossed her one in his hand and she managed to catch it despite her shock at the gesture. She saw him smile at her surprise, and she laughed. "Ok. What's gotten into you?"

"Nothing," he shook his head, moving towards her. "Just practicing."

Carly raised her eyes to his as he stopped, barely an inch away from her. "Being less tense?"

"Exactly." He bent his head and kissed her, softly. Carly's grip on the sandwich tightened. "I have to get something."

Carly blinked as he moved away from her. "What?"

He was already disappearing down into the hatch. "Just something I thought of. I'll be right back."

Carly furrowed her brow. What the...? Ok, fine. She sighed and sunk down to kneel on the deck. She'd been encouraging this change in demeanor, hadn't she? It was... affecting. Why did all of this make her feel so nervous? What was there to be scared of?

Besides the glaringly obvious, of course.

Carly shook her head hard and plastered an unconvincing smile on her face as she heard Nikolas ascend the stairs. He appeared in the doorway holding a bottle of wine and two glasses. Carly's faux smile vanished and a genuine laugh escaped her lips.

"Ok. Where did that come from?"

"Well," Nikolas closed the short distance between them in a few steps, and leaned to place the breakables down on the bench beside Carly. "My original plan for last night didn't include Nevada." He knelt down beside her. "I didn't originally plan to fly you across the country. I was actually going for something a little more modest."

Carly bowed her head, laughing softly. She had to stop finding him so damn cute. "Midnight sail and a bottle of wine? Charming."

"It gets worse." She caught him cringing. "There are also some cheeses, crackers and ... a pathetic and wilting rose."

"Ahhh," Carly reached over and picked up the bottle, examining it as if the label meant something to her. "Good old fashioned seduction, then."

"You seemed to require it."

She nearly dropped the bottle. "Oh, you've GOT to be kidding me."

"No..." he gave her an odd look as he took the bottle from her hands. "I thought I had my work cut out for me." he started to open the bottle. "I was trying to entice you to like me."

Carly felt herself -- all of her -- just soften... just a little. She watched him work the corkscrew, watched hands that were becoming familiar, grip the bottle, twist the diamond-shaped top of the corkscrew.

"You're never thinking what I think you're thinking." Her voice came out so softly, she wasn't sure it was really hers. Nikolas stopped turning the screw, and glanced over at her before forcing the arms of the gadget down, popping the cork.

"Considering some of the things you've thought I was thinking, I'd hope so."

"I think too much sometimes," Carly looked down at the wrapped sandwich in her lap. "And then, sometimes I don't think at all. It's a problem."

Nikolas didn't say anything while he filled the two glasses, waiting until he had put the bottle down to turn his attention to her.

"I like the way you think."

See -- it was that. It was EXACTLY stuff like that -- Carly leaned forward suddenly, seizing his face between her hands and kissing him, hard. Her sandwich rolled off her lap, onto the blanket as she crawled into his lap without moving her lips from his. One of his hands moved into her hair, the other circling her waist and pulling her close to him. She just kept kissing him. Kissing him like she'd just found something she'd been looking for forever. Like he was everything she'd ever wanted, and he was only a moment. Something that would vanish as fast as he'd arrived. When she finally pulled back it was more to make sure he really was there, more than anything else.

He stared up at her, blinked twice, then gave a short, breathless laugh. "Did I finally say the right thing?"

Carly slid her arms under his and she hugged him tightly, laying her head on his shoulder. She fixed her eyes on the dark, watching where the black of the lake met the dark of the sky. The waves were keeping a steady and lulling rhythm against the hull, and the line of the horizon rose and fell as she gazed out at it. She couldn't come up with anything to say him. Nothing except to beg him not to change. Not to ever change his mind about her.

She opted to say nothing at all.

Bobbie eyed her ex-husband warily as he stood framed in the doorway to her living room, back lit by the hall light. He was taking a moment to scan the room with eyes empty of emotion. It had been a long time since he'd been anywhere near her house, and she didn't like the way he was taking it in. Particularly since he wasn't answering her question.

"Are you looking for hidden assassins? Because Luke left hours ago."

Stefan granted a small smile in response, subtle, almost a twitch of his lip, and Bobbie felt immediately queasy. She gathered the folds of her sweater around her, and fixed her eyes on the coffee table. "I swear, Stefan, I'm counting to five, and then --"

"You've spoken to Nikolas, I presume," Stefan's tone gave no indication of having heard what she'd just said to him. Silk-smooth, and unaffected. It reminded Bobbie of all the things she hated about this man. All born of the things she'd allowed herself, at one point, to love. She let out an exaggerated sigh, covering up the lingering sound of his voice with her breath.

"Oh, you know I have or you wouldn't be here. I thought you weren't going to play games."

His eyes finally deigned to meet hers. "I wonder if that's ever been possible between us, Barbara. Despite our intentions."

Her ire rose, along with the hairs on the back of her neck and she vaulted to her feet. "Your intentions here are clear as glass, Stefan!" she hissed. "You lost command of Nikolas and now you're trying to do some damage control. Let me tell you -- this isn't the way to do it. You want to talk about Carly and Nikolas, fine -- I'm sure I can come up with some choice words for you. But the moment the topic turns to us, I'm sure my son will be happy to show you the door. Unless you've taken to drop-kicking preteens, among your other hobbies." Bobbie snapped her mouth closed. Oh, good move. Solid showing on the psycho-meter. Stefan was already looking just a little smug on the heels of her outburst.

"Ah," he threaded his fingers together. "Now that you've relieved some of that tension, perhaps we can talk."

Bobbie's face, already warmed from the alcohol, flushed the color of her hair. "You arrogant --"

"We were friends once, Barbara. It seems the time has come for us to explore that territory again."

"We weren't FRIENDS!" Bobbie's voice rose enough to carry through the house. "You were playing puppet master to my dancing marionette!"

"And who," Stefan asked smoothly, "betrayed whom?"

"Who was trying to TAKE OVER THE WORLD?"

His face clouded. "I have no idea what you're speaking of."

Bobbie turned away and paced to the opposite side of the room. Amazing how fast she could hit furious around this man. She glanced back at him, standing rigidly in front of the couch, his eyes dark and watching her like a hawk.

"Stefan, sit down," she nodded towards the couch. Her visitor just looked at her. She turned back, hands on her hips. "I'm not joking. If we're going to talk, we're going to do it like human beings, without the power trip. Sit. Down."

Stefan paused -- not unlike a cat or small child highlighting their independence before following your rules -- then took a seat on the couch. "It seems I've managed to put you on the defensive. That wasn't my motive in coming here."

Bobbie glowered at him as she settled back into her chair. "My daughter just married your son, I was on the defensive long before you got here."

"Then let's cut to the heart of the matter," he had an uncharacteristic edge of frustration in his voice, that stopped Bobbie cold. She'd been married to this man, after all. She knew his patterns. You knew Stefan was frustrated when he decided the information would help him and not one-second before.

Oh, God...

I'm screwed, Bobbie thought. Whatever's coming, I'm already screwed.

"Fine," she placed her hands carefully on the arms of her chair. "To the heart. I'll assume by that you mean Nikolas."

"And for you, Caroline."

"Her name," ice hung from Bobbie's words, "is Carly. Unless she's told you differently."

Stefan gave a stilted smile. "I have not yet had the pleasure."

"You've met her."

"Yes," he spoke carefully, "but I believe that, at the time, she was engaged in the undermining of your relationship with your ex-husband."

Bobbie's fingernails dug into the upholstery of the chair. She did not enjoy the topic of her past relationship with Carly. The list of things Carly had put her through still made her ill to think about -- though for radically different reasons than they had in the past.

"I understand, however, that much has changed since then," Stefan continued his effortless words, "So I think it's preferable if I put my previous dealings with your daughter aside."

"Just how angry is Nikolas with you, Stefan?" Bobbie turned to look at Stefan in time to catch the tightening of his mouth. Hey, one good punch in the gut deserves another. Stefan's eyes lowered to the coffee table.

"Your assumption regarding Nikolas was not far off the mark."

There was something in his voice that burrowed through Bobbie's defenses. Just floating on the end of his words. Oh, God, she thought. She knew he was here to manipulate her. She knew he'd probably succeed. She didn't want to FEEL for him, on top of that. But if there was one undeniable truth about Stefan, it was this: Nikolas was his life. He made no move that was not somehow linked to his son's best interests. And while Bobbie loved her daughter, she had to admit... In ten years, if Lucas brought home a girl with a reputation as bad as Carly's -- Hell, a reputation as bad as her own had been -- she'd have an absolute fit.

Of course, all this empathy just brought her back to the point at hand... She might not be spinning over Nikolas's intentions... but Stefan's? Oh yeah. She had a sinking feeling she was going to have to pull out all the stops to keep his claws out of her daughter.

"I can only guess," she murmured. "You had complied a dossier on her as thick as the King James Bible when we were married."

Stefan raised his eyes. "Before."

Bobbie sucked in her bottom lip, killing a smile before it took over her face. At least he wasn't treating her like an idiot.

"God, you must have had a heart-attack."

"I was caught off guard."

She errantly wondered if Nikolas had thought to take pictures.

"So there ARE some things even the great and powerful Stefan Cassadine doesn't know about."

"Nikolas prefers I keep my distance from his private affairs."

Bobbie raised an eyebrow. "Which begs the question... What are you doing here?"

He leaned forward without preamble, looking at her with an intensity that made her feel like cobra-food. "This is family, Barbara -- whether we approve or not, Nikolas has made his feelings abundantly clear. And I am not naive enough to presume to change them."

She fought not to shrink back into her chair. She didn't like this at all. Naive enough? No. Arrogant enough? Or protective enough? That was Stefan all over. Hell, would he even CARE if Nikolas hated him, if he thought he was saving the boy from certain ruin? She had no way of knowing. 'Abundantly clear' could mean anything. She had a feeling he probably hadn't gotten the same story she had... It was still possible that Stefan didn't know all there was to know about Carly. But he would soon enough.

"They seem determined to be together, Stefan." Bobbie allowed finally. She had to think... Figure out how he was setting her up and see if there was ANY way out of it.

Stefan straightened and leaned back, keeping his eyes on hers. One arm draped itself over the back of the couch. "It's no secret that the past few years have been very difficult."

No secret at all, Bobbie thought, furrowing her brow. Question was, did he mean for Carly, Nikolas or everyone in general? She decided that giving up any information would be unforgivably stupid, so she just nodded.

"I know."

Stefan dragged his index finger lightly along his jaw line. "He's withdrawn. From his mother.... From me. From a great deal of the people in his life."

Bobbie felt an urge to shiver. No matter how suspicious she was of Stefan right now, this was truth. Nikolas's behavior since his paternity had become public knowledge had been reserved, to say the least. Occasionally, bordering on cold. She, and many others along with her, had suddenly found themselves at arms length. He was still polite, still articulate and charming... but there was an undeniable difference. A lack of trust.

What's broken in Carly is broken in me.

Bobbie turned her eyes from Stefan quickly, and fixed them on the opposite wall. Stared at it like she could see through it.

"I'm not going to interfere in this relationship."

"I am not asking you to."

"Well," the words came out sharp, "you're asking me something."

"They did this in anticipation of our disapproval."

Bobbie shook her head, but didn't move her focus. "They did this for reasons that had nothing to do with us."

"You do seem to have decided you approve."

"Approve is a strong word." Bobbie's mouth twisted around the words. "From personal experience, I can't say that I recommend eloping with Cassadines. Thankfully, Nikolas's apple rolled down a sizable hill after it fell from your tree."

"We were far more mature when we embarked on our path together."

Bobbie pushed a bitter laugh out on the tail end of her breath. "And looked how nicely it all ended up," she shot him a look. "Or is that your point?"

"This is no time to alienate our children."

And there it was. Just as she'd thought. What kind of fly was she, inviting the damn spider right into her parlor?

"You want my help," she closed her eyes. "You need me to fix whatever damage you did with Nikolas."

"He's always been fond of you, Barbara."

Bobbie chuckled, then let her head loll in her ex-husband's direction. "I do not..." she opened her eyes and looked at him intently, "for a minute... Believe that you won't get rid of Carly at the first opportunity she presents you with."

Stefan held her gaze a long moment, then abandoned it to occupy himself with the removal of a piece of lint from his jacket cuff. "I know better than to expend the effort trying to change your mind."

"I don't believe that, either," Bobbie snapped. "but you knew I wouldn't. You knew I wouldn't, and that's why I have no choice but to go along with whatever you're about to suggest, because otherwise I won't have any way of keeping my eye on you."

Stefan examined his fingernails critically, a gesture Bobbie was sure was designed to infuriate her.

"The end result is always where my primary interest lies."

"Ohhhh," Bobbie's voice shook a little, much to her own agitation. "I'm well aware of that." She closed her hand into a fist and let her nails dig into her palm. "What do you want?"

"Dinner," was Stefan's disaffected answer.

She blinked. "Are you out of your tree?"

He glanced up at her like she was so much air. "Not here, and not at this exact moment. Tomorrow. I think it would be beneficial for Nikolas and I, Carly and yourself to sit down together. Smooth the waters."

"My waters are just fine!"

Stefan nodded slightly, then turned and glanced at the bottle of Scotch still sitting on the counter. By the time he turned back to Bobbie she was bright red.

"Would seven o'clock suit you?"

"I'm working," Bobbie bared teeth.

"Until four," Stefan gave a smile that smacked of triumph. "I do own the hospital, after all."

"There is no way I'll let you do anything to hurt my child. Do you understand that?"

"Perfectly."

"Seven," she spoke through gritted teeth. "Is fine."

Stefan nodded, and rose to his feet, apparently not willing to press his luck any further. "Good," he started to walk toward the foyer, as if he was exiting a business meeting. "I'll speak to Nikolas tomorrow and arrange the details."

"Some place public," Bobbie played the only card she really had as she trailed after him. "We're not going out to Spoon Island, I want to do this on common ground."

Stefan turned back and studied her, before nodding. "It's important you be comfortable."

"Oh, I just bet," she marched across the foyer and yanked open the door. "Sorry you have to leave so soon."

Stefan gave a nod that bordered on a bow as he passed her. "I'll be in contact."

"Great," Bobbie flicked her wrist as he stepped through the door and let it close with a satisfying slam.

She stood alone in the foyer for several minutes after listening to him depart, just staring into space.

"So number four's out the door again, huh?

Bobbie didn't turn from her spot, but caught the reflection of her son in the glass windows.

"You're a poet."

"Is he mad?"

"Who knows. He's not dancing on any tables." Lucas smirked, and Bobbie turned to share the smile with her son. "Now THERE is an image."

"Carly can take him. She can take anyone."

Her eyes softened as she took in her oh-so-adult son, who still thought of his big sister as the toughest kid on the playground.

"Well, I think she has her hands full right now. We might have to give her some help."

Lucas nodded, sinking down onto the stairs. "No problem. Rock crushes scissors, paper covers rock, Spencers rule all."

His mother burst out laughing. "What did you just say?"

He shrugged. "I figure, when it comes to Cassadines... Nikolas is good. Stefan is bad. And the rest of them are cannon fodder."

"That's it," Bobbie shook her head, "No more hanging out at the blues club after school! You're going to start going to Felicia's house, I don't care if Georgie makes you play Barbies with her."

"Georgie buried all her Barbies. She had a funeral for them and everything."

"What?"

"They had an accident in the Barbie Dream Car."

Bobbie stared hard at her son, before turning and walking back towards the TV room. She needed another drink.