She stood on the terrace of Whyndemere, looking out at the sun starting to set on the water. It had been nearly seven years since she had stepped foot in Port Charles and so much had changed yet so much was still very much the same. She watched the guests walking up the docks to the party. A party her daughter was throwing in her honor. To welcome her home.
Her daughter, she smiled as she thought about all the trouble she must have gone through to arrange this wonderful surprise for her. She was no longer a wild out of control girl looking for acceptance. She had been married to Jason for almost six years. They had two more children after Michael, "My beautiful grandchildren. Michael, Grace, and Hope." She thought about how happy they were and what a beautiful family Carly had and how each time they had come to see her had been more perfect than the time before. She knew Alexis, Nicholas, and even Stefan had explained to her the events of the evening that had taken the life of her father. She knew they told her it was Stavros who had insured her release from Ferncliff and sole custody of Michael. Yet mother and daughter have never spoke of him and maybe never would. She let out a small sigh and had to laugh at how Carly truly enjoyed being a Cassadine. She displayed her medallion as well as her fathers around her neck with pride.
She spotted Nicholas walking up the path with Emily on his arm. "A perfect picture of royalty she thought. Oh Nicholas title or not you are truly my prince." She looked at the smile he had on his face and the sparkle in his eye and wondered if they would actually make it another four months and have the traditional fairytale wedding they were planning or if they would decide they couldn't wait any longer and just run off and elope. "My money is on Vegas." She shook her head in amusement. She thought about this new glow Nicholas had and how it has replaced all the anger he carried for so long after he found out about Stefan being his father after he felt so betrayed. "Like life, time heals all wounds." She thought. "If only Stefan could have realized back then how much more important it was for Nicholas to have a father as apposed to a crown." But like her own child, Stefan's child has found his way in this world and to forgiveness. She now saw father and son embrace at the end of the path.
"Are my eyes betraying me? While I'll be." She thought as she spotted Luke, Laura, Lucky, Liz and Lulu walking up next. "I didn't think you would come." She said to herself. She remembered all the anger she felt for him the night she was taken away. The lies, the money he had taken. How the anger had overtaken her. And somewhere along the way none of it mattered anymore. Only he mattered. The one person in this world she had loved longer than any other. The last time she heard from him He told her of Lucky's sudden marriage to Elizabeth, and the baby they were expecting. He shared with her that he and Laura had been to marriage counseling. She remembered wiping the tears away that had started to fall from laughing so hard, trying to picture her big brother in marriage counseling. She must have harassed him for two hours straight before he had enough and hung up on her. But not before he said a quick "Love Ya." "Lulu your pictures have not done you justice baby." She whispered to the wind. Her niece was now 10 years old. How much I have missed. But I couldn't come back she told herself. I never would have got better being here. I know it is true. And her eyes moved from her beautiful niece to the woman she still has not forgiven. "Oh Laura, Your lies hurt so many people. If you would have been honest from the beginning, my daughter might be holding her fathers hand the way your daughter is." "No, You can't go there Barbara Jean. It is not healthy." And with that she forced her eyes elsewhere.
Ned was walking behind Luke and his family, along with a very fidgety Alexis Ashton. "Something's never change." She giggled. She thought about how close she and Alexis have become through the years. And how whenever she needed someone to vent to or to laugh with Alexis Magically appeared. She remembered how they agreed as children they must have been lost spirits leading such similar but such different lives. "Wow Bobbie, I am defiantly going to have to tell Alexis how much better our words of wisdom sound after a few mimosas."
She was still laughing as she saw Felicia Scorpio with Mac and the girls along with Monica and Alan. She remembered how they braved the storm to be near her when she needed them more than she needed the air she breathed. "My friends" she said. "Oh how I have missed you."
Audrey, the Quartermaines, and the rest of the people she had missed so much were now arriving. And she smiled.
He watched her like a hawk. He thought about how it had taken him weeks to get her to stop rocking back and forth whispering "My soul." And months to get her to trust him or anyone enough to let them close enough to touch her. And over a year for her to tell him she loved him, and another for her to agree to be his wife. But their marriage was five years strong now.
He walked up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist. "A penny for your thoughts," he whispered in her ear.
"I must say you are truly getting cheap in your old age Mr. Cassadine." She teased
"If you prefer the world Mrs. Cassadine?" Was all he said.
She turned to face him. "My thoughts are all about you," she paused "And about him."
It was the first time in seven years since the night of the storm right here on this very island that she spoke of his brother to him, or to anyone. Stefan asked cautiously afraid to loose her to send her back inside herself again. "Stavros?"
"Yes." She said softly, she saw the concern on her husbands face. "Well more the journey than the man."
"I do not understand?" He replied.
"The night Stavros showed up here the night he was murdered, the journey I shared with him ended. But it also reconnected the journey I was to share with you." She said as she looked deep into his eyes. Looking for understanding.
"He was your soul." Stefan said praying he hadn't gone to far.
Bobbie put her hands to his face and looked deep into his eyes. "The night he died, I thought I lost my soul. I thought I was drowning. But you, You took me away, for months and months you took care of me. You never pushed to far, you kept Carly and Michael safe and explained to her what had happened to her father to me. You brought her to me. You made sure Lucas was with me on the island and have helped him grow into the young man he is. When he was frightened and I couldn't comfort him because my mind was not connecting with my body you held him. You gave him security. Stefan, My soul WAS lost. But you found it for me. You gave me back my soul. You are my salvation. I love you, only you."
Stefan wiped a tear off her cheek. "You have given me far more than I have given you. I love you, Barbara." He kissed her lips lightly, pulled back and looked deep into her eyes.
"We shouldn't keep our guests waiting." She whispered.
"You go in. I need a moment." He smiled. As he watched her walk in he heard his brothers' words "You only want her because she is mine. You want what is mine." He shook his head and said to himself "Perhaps you are right brother. Perhaps Not. But she is now mine, along with the money the title, the power. My heart belongs to her and I will NEVER let her go." And with that Mr. Stefan Cassadine walked up to Mrs. Cassadine and linked their arms together as they greeted their guests.
