Nikolas: Where is Gia?

Stavros: Those are your first words to your father?

Nikolas: I want to see her.

Stavros: You will, soon enough.

Nikolas: You back away from my mother. Now, where is Gia?

Stavros: She is perfectly fine, Nikolas. There is nothing here to protect her from.

Nikolas: I will believe that when I see her.

Stavros: You forget -- Gia and I are friends. We speak of you often. And every time, her eyes just light up with love. Even when you pretended that you were through with her, she didn't give up on you. Her loyalty and love were too strong. I admire that.

Nikolas: You know nothing about loyalty and love.

Stavros: God, yes, I do, because that's exactly the way I feel about your mother.

Laura: I doubt that Helena will be happy to hear that.

Stavros: Hmm. I can handle my mother. But I need to know that what I'm fighting for is possible.

Nikolas: If that means having me by your side --

Stavros: The both of you, you and your mother. We want the same thing, Nikolas -- a chance to be a family. So, why don't you tell me what you're thinking. Do you still wish your father had never existed?

~*~

Nikolas: When I said I wish you didn't exist, it was because I never wanted you to hurt my mother again. That is still true.

Stavros: I love your mother. I have no intention of hurting her.

Nikolas: What does that mean? You won't hurt unless you can't get what you want?

Laura: Nikolas, don't.

Nikolas: He controlled you, he held you prisoner and he lied to you, and I will not let that happen again.

Stavros: Good for you.

Nikolas: Well, I mean it.

Stavros: I know you do. It's one of the reasons why I am so proud of you. You have grown up to be a strong, intelligent young man ready to protect your mother from harm. But I assure you, she is in no danger from me. In fact, I'm hoping you could at least consider a future together, the four of us.

Laura: Helena?

Stavros: No. Gia.

Laura: Nikolas and Gia are in love. Their plans have absolutely nothing to do with us.

Stavros: They could. We could have a future together as a family. It would be different this time, Laura. I could make you happy. I could be a father to Nikolas.

Laura: Do you really expect us to believe that?

Nikolas: I might be willing to try. But you would have to show us proof of your good intentions.

Laura: Do you realize what you're saying?

Nikolas: I am finally meeting the man that I've wondered about all my life. I've seen pictures. I've heard hundreds of stories. I was prepared to meet a monster, but you're standing here before me telling me how much you love us. A part of me wants to believe that.

Stavros: You asked for proof of my good intentions. Allow me to present Gia.

Gia: {She comes around the corner and runs to Nikolas} Nikolas.

Nikolas: Are you all right?

Gia: I'm fine.

Nikolas: Has my father hurt you in any way, Hmm?

Gia: No, no, not at all. What's happening?

Stavros: We are brokering our future, bartering trust. You'll have to excuse me. This is a very emotional moment for me, all of this is so good. A more suspicious man might say to good.

~*~

Stavros: You gave a sustained performance for your grandmother, and your sincerity was flawless. You had her convinced that you were on her side. And Helena isn't easily fooled.

Nikolas: I had my reasons.

Stavros: I know you did. You were protecting your brother, here all along you had her convinced that you had turned on him, which is why I'm having a hard time believing that you would be open to the idea of us being a family. I'm going to need more than just your word for it.

Laura: Leave Nikolas alone. He's been tested enough.

Stavros: I know, and he passed those tests with flying colors, yet still proved to be deceitful.

Nikolas: You manipulate and you hurt the people you care about. But, hey, why not become a loving family, right?

Stavros: There is no reason to take that tone with me.

Nikolas: To hell with you trusting me. I am the one who needs assurances here. Everyone fights over me, claiming that I'm supposed to be to them, and for what? What's it all about? Using me? Owing me? Holding me up like some sort of Cassadine prize?

Stavros: You're your own man, Nikolas. That's one of the things I love about you. The day you were born was the proudest day of my life. And I still feel that pride as I look at you now.

Nikolas: I -- I wanted my father. No matter what Stefan told me, I used to wonder what he looked like and if he could love me the way a father should and if I felt that if I could meet him, my heart would know the truth, if I could be loved by him and protected in his arms.

Stavros: You still could be. All you have to do is come to me.

~*~

Stavros: Your mother is right. You have been tested enough.

Nikolas: I just want it to end.

Stavros: It will take time for you to realize that my intentions are sincere. It's clear to me that you know nothing of me except the negative things you've been told.

Laura: I've only told him the truth.

Stavros: Laura, you've never given me credit for being able to truly love. This will take time. This father-son relationship is new to the both of us. I know you don't love me, but I love you and I always have. Someday, maybe you will open your heart to me and we will be able to build a lasting connection that nothing will ever break. Why do you look troubled? Am I saying something wrong?

Nikolas: No. It's just -- {Lunges after Stavros with a gun}

Laura: No!

Stavros: {Takes the gun from Nikolas} You would kill your own father?

~*~

Stavros: What a fool I was to believe you. My own son is a liar.

Nikolas: Who do you think I got it from? You lied to my mother, you hold her prisoner like a bird in a cage.

Stavros: Shooting an unarmed man is an act of cowardice.

Laura: Don't you dare call my son a coward. He's the bravest person I know. What about you, skulking around my home and my office, playing your little mind games?

Stavros: I was preparing you for my return.

Laura: Maybe you didn't have the courage to face me.

Stavros: We spent a year and a half together. We made a beautiful son! And you're telling me that every moment was painful, every moment was agony, that I am pure evil? This is what you tell your son about his own father, that there's not one single ray of hope that I have any redeeming qualities at all?

Laura: You held me against my will. You kept me prisoner. What sort of love is that?

Stavros: Nikolas is proof that our marriage was not that bad. Because I am tam father of your son and despite everything, I still love you, Laura.

Laura: I've heard all this before.

Stavros: Fine. Let me prove to you that I am sincere. Come with me.

Laura: All right.

Nikolas: {Looks at Laura} No, you cannot go with him, no.

Laura: I'll be fine.

Stavros: I will not hurt your mother.

Nikolas: You can't trust him.

Stavros: Yes, she can. Guard! Take my son and his companion to the conference room.

Laura: Stay with Gia. I'll be fine. Don't worry.

Nikolas: {Guards take him and Gia away} Get your hands off me. I can walk on my own. Get off me.

~*~

Nikolas: What was I doing, Gia? Why did I stop?

Gia: Well, your father was right about one thing -- you couldn't hurt an unarmed man.

Nikolas: I came so close. I mean, I actually believed that it was the answer, that it could have somehow solved everything. But then they would have won. They would have turned me into exactly what they wanted me to be -- a carbon copy of themselves.