Chapter Thirty-Two:
A Rose by Any Other Name

Hannah's bedroom.

Hannah lies against Nikolas's chest, asleep. Early morning light is breaking into the room through the curtains. Nikolas, also asleep, has an arm resting lightly across her shoulders. There is a sharp knock on the door of the apartment. It wakes Hannah with a start. Nikolas stirs. The knock comes again. She sits up and looks towards the door of the bedroom, half expecting to hear the front door come crashing down. The knock, more demanding this time, comes again. Hannah slides out of the bed as Nikolas rubs his eyes. She pulls her robe off the back of the door and wraps it around her as tightly as she can. Nikolas sits up.

Nik: What's going on?

Hannah: (whispering) Don't worry about it. Go back to sleep. (She exits the room, shutting the door behind her. The person on the other side of the apartment door is now bordering on pounding, and she dashes across the room, stepping over her coat and boots that are left when she abandoned them the night before. She pushes them aside, and reaches for the door handle. She takes a deep breath and prepares herself for whatever might be on the other side. She pulls it open, and is greeted by the sight of Lucky Spencer. Hannah's brain fights mightily to make some sense of this. Of all the people she could possibly expected, the last one she would have come up with was Lucky. She looks over her shoulder, then back at him. Nope. Still makes no sense. She frowns.) Lucky?

Lucky: (without emotion) Mornin', Sunshine. (Hannah shuts her eyes and tries to think of something to say in response. She opens them and shakes her head)

Hannah: Hi. (She struggles again a moment) What are you doing here?

Lucky: We need to talk.

Hannah: This is not a good time. (Lucky smirks at her)

Lucky: I don't care. (Hannah is somewhat surprised at that remark. She searches his face with her eyes, and realizes that something is going on. She clears her throat)

Hannah: Can't it wait until I come into work today?

Lucky: Work?

Hannah: Work. I'm performing tonight.

Lucky: I wouldn't count on that. But then, it's not like you're dependent on the income, is it?

Hannah: What is this about?

Lucky: Ummm... let's see. Honesty, integrity, passports stamped in Athens.... Any of this sound familiar? (all the color drains from Hannah's face, confirming that the one piece of tangible information he managed to come across means exactly what he thought it did). Yeah. I kinda thought you'd react that way. (He leans against the door jamb) So, like I said. We need to talk.

Hannah: I... I don't have anything to say to you.

Lucky: Do you not understand what's happened here? You're caught. The Cassadines -- that's who you're working for, right? They frown on that.

Hannah: I'm not --

Lucky: I don't care. I hope for your sake it's Stefan you're working for and not Helena. He'll be a little more forgiving. Helena -- that word isn't in her vocabulary. (Hannah stares at him, her heart beginning to pound. She can't for the life of her understand how he knows so much so fast. His matter-of-fact manner is doing nothing to calm her nerves either.) You've got one choice now, Hannah. Tell me exactly what's going on here.

Hannah: There's... I... (Hannah struggles to find something -- anything -- that will get him to go away) Look, I can't right now, it's not possible.

Lucky: These are not words I want to hear. (darkly) You think the Cassadines are threatening? You haven't seen a Spencer when his family's in jeopardy. I'm trying to be a gentleman here.

Hannah: Lucky -- (she's cut off by the sound of her bedroom door closing. She turns, Lucky looking past her, and sees Nikolas emerge, fully dressed if a little bleary. Now it's Lucky's turn to try to wrap his mind around something.)

Nik: What's going on here?

Hannah: Oh, God.

Lucky: (flatly) You're kidding me.

Hannah: Nikolas...

Nik: Lucky? (Nikolas stares at his brother, confused. Lucky is shaking his head, smiling ironically).

Lucky: You met him at the bar.... Wow, I'm getting slow in my old age.

Hannah: This isn't --

Lucky: What it looks like? You might want to throw on some clothes and try that one again.

Nik: (instantly protective) What the hell are you doing here? (Lucky doesn't answer. He struggles not to leap into familiar territory with Nikolas, a war he very rarely wins. Hannah leaves the doorway and heads towards Nikolas)

Hannah: (shakily) I think I have to talk to Lucky. (Lucky takes this opportunity to enter the apartment, closing the door behind him. Nikolas, he notes, looks more than a little confused.)

Nik: (hushed) Will you tell me what's going on?

Hannah: (gesturing helplessly) Nikolas, I have told you over and over again --

Nik: I don't want to hear it, Hannah.

Hannah: Wait a minute. We have an understanding, all right? Let me handle this.

Nik: Let you "handle" what?

Hannah: I can't get into this with you right now. Can you just let me talk to Lucky alone? (she looks at him pleadingly) I have to do this. (Nikolas looks over at Lucky, who is refusing to meet his glare. He's leaning against the wall, looking just a bit cockier than Nikolas can stomach, staring at the floor. Nikolas looks back at Hannah helplessly)

Nik: You're not really asking me to just turn around and walk out of here. Not now.

Hannah: Nikolas... Please. I promise you I'm not going to disappear. I'll.. I'll call you.

Nik: That sounds suspiciously like a line.

Hannah: You know it's not. (she reaches out to take his hand, but quickly retracts, not wanting to show even the slightest sign of affection in front of Lucky) I can handle this, but I can't handle you here as well, Ok? (Nikolas, realizing he's not going to win with Hannah, presses past her, and crosses to Lucky. Lucky stubbornly continues his examination of the floor with a carefully precise cool. Nikolas feels himself raging, confronted again with this mild reaction.)

Nik: What do you want?

Lucky: (glancing up at him) No one ever tells you anything, do they?

Nik: Get out.

Lucky: Hannah? (He looks over Nik's shoulder at her, still playing his game. Hannah turns away, feeling sick to her stomach) You know, he doesn't have to leave for this.

Nik: I don't know what you're doing here, Spencer, but I really recommend you leave. (Lucky looks up at Nikolas sharply at the sound of his family name. He struggles to cover the fact that it cuts like a knife. Nikolas had abandoned his tendency to reduce Lucky to a surname. He fights back the only way he knows how)

Lucky: (deadly quiet) Is that what's it's come down to again? Me Spencer, you Cassadine? (Lucky twists the name bitterly, glaring at Nikolas. Hannah takes in the moment, and is immediately concerned they're going to kill each other. She has come to the rapid conclusion that she knows nothing about Lucky, all her assumptions monstrously off the mark. She rushes across the room towards them)

Hannah: Nikolas, stop it! (Nikolas doesn't turn away, still looking intently into his brother's eyes.)

Nik: That's always been your choice. You make this about whatever you have to.

Lucky: Don't. Push me.

Nik: Whatever it is you're pulling on Hannah, it's going to stop now.

Lucky: Maybe we should talk about what Hannah is pulling on you.

Hannah: NIKOLAS!! (She physically pulls him away from Lucky, desperately seizing his attention) It's not what you think. (She steals a quick glance at Lucky, who's gaze has fallen back to the floor. His breathing is not as cool as before, and she realizes that his confrontation with Nikolas affected him more than he was letting his brother know.) I promise you, I'll be all right. (She struggles to keep the tremor out of her voice. She doesn't trust Lucky at all, and she has no idea what he's capable of . However, she knows that it's imperative that Nikolas leave).

Nik: I'm not leaving you here with him.

Hannah: (seriously) Right now it's better for both of you if you're not here. I don't know how else to tell you, Nikolas. You have to leave. (Nikolas turns away from both of them, feeling a swirl of emotions, from anger to deep injury. He looks at Hannah out of the corner of his eye, and senses the desperation. He exhales heavily and turns back to her)

Nik: I'm coming back. (Hannah nods. Lucky turns into the wall, so that he doesn't have to look at Nikolas at all as Nik comes towards the door, grabbing his coat angrily off a chair. He goes to the door, not giving Hannah another glance, and pulls it open. He turns and regards Lucky's back.) Don't touch her. (Lucky grits his teeth, but doesn't turn around to face him. Nikolas glances back at Hannah, who looks away, and leaves, slamming the door angrily after him. The noise echoes through the apartment, then silence descends. After a moment Lucky hits the wall angrily, and turns, pacing the length of the apartment. Hannah watches him, in amazement. The mask of the cool, threatening presence in the hall has fallen, and she realizes he's very much on edge. He turns to her, eyes blazing, an unmistakable tremor to his voice)

Lucky: Ok. You're going to tell me everything. Starting with your real name.

Hannah: (quietly) My real name's not important.

Lucky: Like hell. Who are you? Why did they send you here?

Hannah: I don't know!

Lucky: But you admit it was them, right? The Cassadines?

Hannah: Helena.

Lucky: (laughing bitterly) Hoo, boy. You're in deep now. I take it sleeping with the prince wasn't part of the deal. Or has the old woman gotten kinky in her old age?

Hannah: (utterly frustrated with the whole situation) I don't know! I don't know what you're talking about!

Lucky: (stopping his pace) Should I talk slower? You're working for the Grand Dame of the Cassadine family, right?

Hannah: Her name is Helena Cassadine. Yes.

Lucky: And she sent you here to spy on my family, right? Infiltrate the ranks?

Hannah: All I know was that I was supposed to get a job at the club. I have no idea why. I assumed it was because she knew I could sing.

Lucky: What?

Hannah: That's what she said. (she sighs heavily and sinks into a chair) I can't believe I'm telling you this.

Lucky: Way I see it, you don't have much choice. You do know how much trouble you're in, don't you?

Hannah: She'll... I don't know. I guess if she finds out --

Lucky: IF??? No, Hannah. You start thinking "when". Did she tell you to cozy up the Nikolas?

Hannah: (quietly) No.

Lucky: Didn't think so. Though... who knows. It might have been an interesting strategy. But it's not her style. She'd be more likely to pull something like that on me, not her precious heir.

Hannah: (head spinning) Heir?

Lucky: Jesus. You really are in the dark.

Hannah: Lucky!

Lucky: What?

Hannah: Look. I don't know anything, Ok?

Lucky: Explain how that can possibly be.

Hannah: What happens if I don't?

Lucky: You want to find out?

Hannah: I think that keeping my mouth shut has easily more advantages.

Lucky: You think wrong. You're working for the bad guys here.

Hannah: In your opinion.

Lucky: (Incredulously) MY opinion? This is a family who has made more than one attempt at world domination! Do you... Do you "get" that? We're not dealing with normal people here.

Hannah: World domination?

Lucky: Stop for a minute, and think. Just think, every terrifying, horrible, evil thing you've ever heard in your life. Shooting babies, drowning kittens, bathing in the blood of virgins -- you're working for a woman that is not only capable of these things -- she considers them sport. Think what you want of me and my family, we don't use each other as target practice. (Hannah stares at him chilled to the bone. This isn't the kid from the bar anymore. There's an intensity there she doesn't recognize, and she suddenly has no idea how to play this anymore. Denial is useless. But the whole truth is too extensive. She shakes her head)

Hannah: This is insane. This isn't some James Bond flick -- people don't act like this!

Lucky: People, no. But we're not talking about people. (Hannah digests this)

Hannah: (voice dead) Look, you want me out of town, I'm out of town.

Lucky: What, you mean run away?

Hannah: I've done it before.

Lucky: Not from a Cassadine.

Hannah: Look, you live a life on the run long enough, you pick things up. (Lucky laughs outright)

Lucky: Oh, man. You're telling me this? Didn't she give you the slightest idea of who you were dealing with?

Hannah: (flatly) I know less about you than I do about them.

Lucky: Word of advice. Don't give me any. I don't care what you've been doing before you came here, the rules have all changed. Up is down, right is left, and you're going to be Helena Cassadine's next trophy-kill. (he sits down on the arm of the sofa, getting into character again) Let's play a game. I'll tell me something about me, you tell me something about you. First off. I grew up on the run from the mob. The first ten years of my life was spent dodging bullets. There is nothing I don't know about fake identities, and getting lost in a crowd. You can't run from me any more than you can run from the Cassadines. And they have more money, more power. I could find you anywhere in the world. But they could fly in a specially trained hit man for the sole purpose of putting a bullet in your skull. (Hannah, by this point, has been reduced to a state of complete and absolute terror. Lucky's right. She can't even see straight anymore) Now, the only people on the PLANET that have ever avoided this fate -- I'm related to all of them. So your best bet is to throw in with us, because your ticket on the Cassadine pleasure cruise just expired. (He sits back, and takes in Hannah. She sits in stunned silence for a moment)

Hannah: (taking a deep breath) I was just a nanny. (Lucky covers the feeling of euphoria sweeping over him. He did it. His father would be proud). I wasn't even -- I worked for a family, the Medeiros family. Only for a year. And then one day... there was a woman, Mrs. Cassadine. She would come to the house occasionally, and it was like they were preparing for a visit from royalty. She was revered. I found out... just from being in the house, that she lived on another island, you could even see it from the house on a clear day. There was a reverence about the place. And a fear. I could sense this. So when she asked to see me, I didn't know what to think. It didn't sound like an invitation. (she shakes her head) I was just a nanny. I never imagined...

Lucky: What did she tell you?

Hannah: Wait... That was a piece of information. (Lucky smirks)

Lucky: Ok. Fair's fair. What do you want to know?

Hannah: Why do they hate you? The Cassadines.

Lucky: My father keeps killing them. What did she tell you? (Hannah struggles with this information a moment)

Hannah: Uhhhh.... I'm... She didn't tell me anything. Just that she wanted me to get a job singing at Luke's and that I should keep my eyes open. That was it. She didn't even... well she gave me a number but it didn't work. I haven't spoken to her since. I don't even know if she still HAS plans for me.

Lucky: She does.

Hannah: Well, she's not doing anything about it. I haven't heard a word from her and I've been here over a month.

Lucky: (incredulous) So you haven't even reported back?

Hannah; No. She just gave me a new identity, a bank account and an apartment. (Lucky sits up. He stares at her)

Lucky: (low voice) She set you up here?

Hannah: (slowly) Yes...

Lucky: (getting up) Come on.

Hannah: What? (Lucky turns to her gestures for her to follow him. Hannah shakes her head) I'm not even dressed! (Lucky turns back to her and mouths the familiar phrase "I don't care". He turns and walks out of the apartment. Hannah follows. He heads down the hallway, and finds the door to the garbage room, which he pulls open. Hannah follows him, unsure of what other option she has. He shuts the door behind them and leans against it.) What was that about?

Lucky: She may have the place bugged. She does that. If you're lucky, it's just the phone. I mean, she skimped on the identity, so maybe she underestimated surveillance as well. Pray for that. If she has the place bugged, your life is already over.

Hannah: Stop saying things like that!

Lucky: Just being honest. Speaking of which, we still haven't got to the subject of your real name.

Hannah: (heavily) I've had so many, I don't know if I even remember it anymore.

Lucky: I've been there. I don't believe you. (She says nothing, crossing her arms across her chest) Who was Sophie Clark?

Hannah: (with a low laugh) A very stupid little girl. (She shakes her head bitterly) So what else is new? Sophie died when I left the United States. I haven't gone by that name for seven years.

Lucky: Who were you before that?

Hannah: I was myself. (she smiles bitterly, staring at the floor) Corrine Gibbons. Lucky: Corrine -- (Lucky's mind immediately twigs on the familiarity of the name. After a moment he connects it with the source of the memory. His eyes widen, completely unprepared for this) What? (Hannah looks up in surprise. She hadn't expected him to know, just from the name, but it's apparent he does)

Hannah; I think you heard me.

Lucky: (hoarsely) Do.. You... what? (Hannah doesn't say anything to him. He shakes his head violently) No way. You're lying.

Hannah; How do you know --

Lucky: You're LYING! You've... Ohh... you're good. You had me there for a minute. That terrified bunny rabbit thing you had going. You're not in the dark. You know EXACTLY what's going on here!

Hannah; What are you talking about?

Lucky: (putting a hand to his head) So what's the angle here? That I'll be so moved to find Emily's only living relative that I'll forgive everything you've been up to?

Hannah: I didn't even know you'd recognize the name!

Lucky: We've been going out for years! Do you think that she never mentioned that name? Hell, we actually LOOKED for her! But you must have known that too. It's smart, I'll give her that. Get to us through my girlfriend.

Hannah: (still caught back a step) You looked for me?

Lucky: We looked for her aunt.

Hannah: When?

Lucky: It doesn't matter! You're not fooling anyone here. Emily's aunt --

Hannah: What? Where is she? You didn't find her, did you? (Lucky has no response to this. He runs over the rapidly twisting series of discoveries he's made in the last few hours, and can't help but wish he was operating on more sleep. Things are suddenly feeling incredibly complicated). I didn't know she was here. Emily QUARTERMAINE? I had no idea. (Lucky turns away)

Lucky: Stop it.

Hannah: (realizing she's hit a vulnerability) I didn't know until that night at the club! You and your father left us alone at the table, remember? I didn't know who she was until ... she laughed. And her eyes -- she has her father's eyes. They're distinctive. And it all suddenly fell into place. I panicked, and I took off -- REMEMBER? You saw me the next morning when I came to the club trying desperately to find out what had happened! You wouldn't tell me anything, so...

Lucky: (spinning to face her, fire in his eyes) PROVE IT!!!! Prove you're telling me one bit of the truth.

Hannah: I have pictures!

Lucky: They can be faked.

Hannah: Then look me up! You can find anyone, anywhere? Find pictures of Corrine Gibbons. They're out there. Driver's Licenses, school year books --

Lucky: I don't have time for that! (He looks at the wall, trying to stop the one thought that keeps racing through his mind. Emily said she looked familiar.....)

Hannah: It's true, Lucky. I haven't spoken to anyone in my family for ten years, I didn't know what had happened.

Lucky: (through gritted teeth) I don't care. You think even if you ARE her aunt I have anything to say to you? Her parents died! She was left completely alone in this world. That's something I can't even imagine -- she had no blood. Except for this aunt who didn't care to even let anyone know where she was!

Hannah: I didn't know!

Lucky: TELL HER THAT! How much difference does it make to an 11 year old who's mother just died of breast cancer? Who has left her in the care of a family that is, to put it mildly, sanity-challenged. Who has one person in the world left who she can call family! Explain to her what was so important that it was worth running out on your family.

Hannah: You sound like you take family pretty seriously, Lucky. Well, not everyone is like that! Paige had nothing good to say about me, she criticized every decision I made, and when I went to school, I was going to show her up! Well, things don't always work out the way you planned, them. So I figured that it was better to just let Corrine Gibbons disappear. No one knew where I was. And no one ever came looking for me.

Lucky: I came looking or you. (Hannah suddenly feels a surge of power)

Hannah: I thought you could find anyone --

Lucky: I was TWELVE! (Hannah stares at him)

Hannah: What?

Lucky: I was twelve. My best friend was going crazy, and she wanted out of this family who was smothering her. I was always up for an adventure, so we went looking for her aunt. Starting in Boston, ending up in the Albuquerque. Sound familiar? (Hannah turns away from him, a look on her face that does nothing to support his theory that she's not who she's claiming to be. He forces himself to continue.) We hit a dead end, and came back here. Life went on. She found a way to be a part of that family, and that was it.

Hannah: I didn't know.

Lucky: Sounds like there's a lot you don't know. Ok. You want to convince me you're Emily's aunt, fine. Start with what happened in Boston. You suddenly up and left.

Hannah: God, it doesn't matter.

Lucky: I'll decide that.

Hannah: (closing her eyes) I was just a kid. I thought I knew everything. It was going to be so easy. (she opens her eyes, and stares down at a corner of the room, telling the story in a monotone) I thought I'd fallen in love. Every dumb thing I've ever done in my life starts with those words... he was a professor, married. With kids. God, I thought he was everything. I don't know what I thought was going to happen, but... we got caught. By his wife. And she... she was not a well woman. She tried to kill me. It was.... (she exhales heavily) incredibly stupid. A crime of passion, trying to shoot me with her husband's gun in her own bedroom. Do you know what kind of attention something like that gets in a university? (Lucky watches her, emotionless) It was a scandal. Huge. I thought... I literally thought I would die of shame. I was left with nothing. He turned his back on me, tried to make it seem like I was some crazy love-starved student who had found her way into his bed in an attempt to seduce him. No one cared about my side. Even if it was all a lie, the seduction part -- I was still a slut. I was worthless. So I left, stupidly using my real name, and I went to another school across the country. Well, publicity like that, it follows you. I might as well have been wearing the scarlet letter. So I quit, dropped out. I went to the library, looked up dead infants my age, and took the identity of Sophia Clark. Got the birth certifi---

Lucky: I know that drill.

Hannah: Fine. I went to New York. I don't know what I was doing there. Just trying to loose myself. Even when no one else knew what I'd done, I still had that memory -- of being hated, ridiculed. I didn't want to be in my own skin. I didn't want anything. To say I once again chose the wrong man would be an understatement. To start with I didn't choose him -- him chose me. He was... I think the word is connected.

Lucky: Jacob.

Hannah: He was just some guy.... I barely knew him. I must have met him under a dozen times. Anyway, not to get into this too deeply, but... it became clear that it was in my best interests to leave. Not just because of... his name was Oliver... Not just because of him, but because of the lifestyle. It wasn't healthy. So I got a new identity, a passport, got on the plane, and I became Emma Layne. That was simple. No one ever came looking for me again, but I kept moving, just in case. Getting typical "American-in-Europe" jobs, not always above board. Waiting tables, that was a big one. Maids, whatever. I didn't care.

Lucky: You never sang.

Hannah: Not in public. But I've always... I always sang for myself. It was the only thing I had in me that I could find any joy in.

Lucky: (muttering) We really should have spotted that.

Hannah: I got the job with the Medeiros family because it fell into my lap. Another American I was working with told me about it, and suddenly, I was offered a job. I was in Prague at the time, and I was ready for a change. Greece. Why not?

Lucky: Wait. They came looking for YOU.

Hannah: (slowly) Yeah.

Lucky: (shaking his head) When was this?

Hannah: A little over a year ago.

Lucky: (amazed) She set this whole thing up.

Hannah: What?

Lucky: (snapping back into action) You aren't going anywhere, Ok? You go back into the apartment, don't talk, don't answer the door, nothing. You're calling in sick to the club, until I tell you different, Ok?

Hannah: Wait, what are you doing? (Lucky opens the door to the room)

Lucky: I've got some thinking to do.

Hannah: Wait. What about Helena?

Lucky: (severely) Find religion.