Pygmalion Chapter 1 Stefan pours Carly a drink as he summarizes her situation. "So, you've run out of places to hide, have you? AJ Quartermaine has your son, Jason and Sonny are out for your blood, and Barbara has turned her back on you." Carly crosses her arms and glares at him defiantly. "Is it really necessary to go over it again and again? I'm desperate, okay? We've established that." Stefan dangles the glass in front of Carly, his eyes mocking. "This is how you think you can convince me to help you? By acting petulant?" Carly tosses her hair back, her eyes glittering with tears. The last two weeks have been a frightening nightmare, and standing here in front of Stefan, exposing her vulnerability to a man she doesn't like or particularly trust, only serves to make the nightmare more real. After a moment, she takes the drink he offers, gulping it. "I'm not acting petulant!" When Stefan's face darkens, the anger dissolves into fear and she capitulates. "Alright, I am. We both know that. I'm desperate. I'd have to be, to come to a man who's always looked down his nose at me." Stefan hides a smile. He has to give her credit. She has spirit, fire. Although he'd never let anyone know it, he found her compelling. Attractive even, in an primal sort of way, despite his preference for more mature lovers. She would make a good concubine, if she could be controlled. But while the thought of driving Luke and Barbara crazy by taking her as his mistress was appealing, she was more trouble than she was worth. "Go on." Carly's temper flares again, but she stifles it. He just wasn't going to make this easy for her. Fighting for control because she knows her life depends on it, she tries again. "I need a safe place to hide, at least for a couple days until I figure out what to do. Please, I'm begging you. If Jason finds me when he gets out of jail, he'll kill me, I know it. But he'd never think of looking here." "You are right about that." Stefan wanders the room as he considers her plea. A part of him is tempted to help her, he even felt sorry for her. Her whole family had effectively disowned her over Peyser's lie. But what would he stand to gain from helping Carly? If he were to step in, he'd want something in return. Something to use to his advantage. So far there wasn't a thing she could give him that would come close to making up for the trouble she'd cause him. Stefan's noncommittal response followed by silence addles Carly. "Is that ALL you have to say?" Stefan turns and pins her with a scathing stare. "What is the advantage of this arrangement for me, Ms Benson? I don't even like you. At best, your presence here would be a nuisance." Carly strolls boldly up to Stefan, allowing her body to brush ever so slightly against him. Looking into his fathomless eyes, her intuition tells her to continue, that he like every man she's known, would respond. She runs her hand appreciatively up Stefan's chest and her voice gets breathy. "I think we could get along quite nicely." Stopping her hand mid journey, Stefan grabs it in a bruising grip. "Do you have no pride?" He hisses. "You would whore yourself?" Carly struggles to free her hand, fear creeping into her voice. "Let go, you're hurting me! Don't you dare call me..." "Then don't play games with me," Stefan warns as he releases her hand. "You will lose every time." His patience spent, he waves her away like an unwanted servant. "I think it is best you leave. There is nothing for you here." "What?!" Carly's mouth hangs open for a full half minute as she digests his abrupt dismissal. He wasn't going to help her? Just like that? She was going to die. Fear causes her throat to close up. "You can't send me away!" Stefan hears the desperation in her plea, and is surprised that it actually touches him. Immediately he squashes it. Sentiment for a Spencer meant disaster. "That is your problem, not mine, Ms Benson. You have nothing I want." ...................... Hours later, Stefan hears Carly's loud angry voice in his entryway. Two times in one day? He cringes. "I'M SURE MR CASSADINE WILL WANT TO SEE ME...." Carly breezes in to the conservatory with Mrs Lansbury hot on her tail. "I think I have something you want, Stefan." Stefan's eyes narrow slightly. "Thank you, Mrs Lansbury, you did your best. You may go now. If anyone is to see Ms Benson out, it will be me." Turning back to Carly, he addresses her coldly. "I am quite sure we finished whatever business we had earlier. Frankly, I find unwanted visits tiresome. Next time I will inform the launch operator to refuse you passage.." "No, you won't. In a few minutes you'll be telling the staff to make up a room for me. Because I have something you want more than anything." Standing tall and proud in front of him, Stefan finds himself admiring her tenacity. One of the qualities, besides the ability to lie on a dime, Carly has in abundance. Stefan prepares himself a drink. "I highly doubt it. But don't let it stop you from attempting." "I have information," Carly says cryptically. "Go on." "What if I told you I could give you the information necessary to bury Luke? Information that only Sonny Corinthos has?" "If you're referring to the fact that he has resumed working for organized crime, then I'm afraid you came all this way for nothing. It is a well known fact." "What if I could give you information on what he's doing for the mob? With dates and specifics. Enough to put him in prison, or under your thumb." Stefan studies Carly's determined face and is impressed by the fact that she doesn't waver. Then he notices the file folder in her hand. He meets her eyes again. "Is that the proof?" Carly dangles it just out of his reach. "Yes, which I will be more than happy to unload once you agree to protect me." Her childish ploy irritates him, but he stifles it in favor of the goal. "Once I've examined the information and confirmed it's genuine and of use to me, I will see to it that you are protected." Carly shakes her head and wraps her arms around the file. "Not good enough. I'm not giving up my ace in the hole without a guarantee. Who's to say you won't kick me off the island once you have the file in your hands? You're asking me to sell out Luke." "A man who has trampled on you repeatedly. As for your concern I will renege, all I have to say is you will have to trust me." "Do you really take me for gullible, Stefan? I'm not stupid enough to trust my only bargaining chip on a 'promise' from a Cassadine." "My promise will have to be good enough," Stefan retorts. "Because that is all you will get until I have examined the file." "Then I'll take my information to someone who can give me more than a qualified promise." Brinksmanship, he had to admire her for her ability to play so close to the edge. If she had a better poker face, she might just have a chance. "Good luck, Ms Benson," he says with a smug smile before turning away. Backed into the corner again. Damn it all! Carly stomps her foot in frustration while at the same time trying to keep the tears that threaten at bay. "Okay, it's a deal." When he turns back to face her, she closes her eyes and hands over the file. Stifling the urge to laugh, Stefan takes the file from her hands. Crossing to his desk, he pulls out his glasses and starts going through the file, piece by piece. Carly paces anxiously while Stefan is engrossed in it. After several minutes, Stefan looks up at her in astonishment. "You obtained this from Sonny Corinthos' files? How were you able to accomplish it without getting yourself killed?" "I acquired it a couple months ago, as an insurance policy in case I needed to use it to hold on to Michael." Giving a derisive laugh, Carly shrugs her shoulders. "Obviously the information is useless now." "Not entirely." Sitting back in his chair, Stefan gazes at Carly speculatively. "Explain to me how you set it up for Morgan and Corinthos to be arrested." Ashamed, Carly plays with her hands nervously. "Does it matter?" "Yes. If I am to provide you with adequate protection, I need to understand the risks and liabilities." Breathing in deeply, Carly spills the story. "I.. uh overheard Sonny and Jason talking about an important illegal shipment they were handling. I made an anonymous phone call to Detective Taggert. Jason figured it out, he always knows when I'm hiding something." Tears flow freely as she remembers the whole disaster. "You see, AJ told me if Jason wasn't in the picture, he'd take care of me and Michael... that the custody suit would disappear and I'd get to keep Michael. I could see Jason and I were losing the battle. So I did what I had to do." Stefan offers her his handkerchief, and as she takes it from his hand, they lock eyes. She is amazed to see actual compassion in his eyes, and almost of their own volition, her tears flow even more profusely. "God! If I could just go back and change that moment, I would in a heartbeat! How could I have believed AJ for one second? Now that snake has my son, and I don't even get visitation rights! And I've lost everything and everyone who mattered to me in the process." Chapter 2 Late the same night, Stefan, wearing a dark blue silk kimono over his nightclothes, sits in the living room reading a book. At the sound of steps on the staircase, he looks up to find Carly descending them dressed in a light blue satin robe. She gives him a brilliant smile. "I could definitely get used to this place!" Stefan looks at her as if she's nuts. "This is a first. When visitors comment on Wyndemere, they usually complain of it's gloominess. Others are kinder and call it 'eccentric'. But no one has ever said what you just said." "Dark and eccentric fit this place, and your personality...." Carly strolls around the room, admiring the antiques. Her eyes catch an unattractive vase on the mantel. "Ew. That does not go with this room at all." Stefan chuckles. "I have meant to have that piece removed for some time. A 'friend' acquired it, and since she has left my life, I see no reason to keep it now. I allowed it's presence to 'humor' her, as it were." Carly lets her hand rest on the back of one of the ornately carved chairs. "Let me guess, Katherine Bell? God that woman is so annoying. I'm sure you remember I was her physical therapist for a while. What did you ever see in her anyway?" Stefan's relaxed posture suddenly stiffens. "My personal life is off limits, Ms Benson." "Oh, please don't call me that, only my adoptive mom was called that. Carly is just fine.... I didn't mean to offend you, it's just that you could have about any woman you want. You're filthy rich, mysterious, handsome, sexy..." The last adjective slips out of Carly's mouth before she realizes what she's done. She covers her choke of embarrassment with a cough. "Anyway, you know what I'm getting at." "You would do well to heed my earlier warning about playing games," Stefan warns darkly as he rises from the couch. "Since it is obvious that I won't get any further reading done, I will retire to my bedroom. Good night, Carly." ............... The week had been educational for both of them. Carly had practically spewed her coffee the next morning when she looked out her bedroom window to find Stefan doing his morning ritual of Tai Chi. The man wasn't just handsome. In his element, he was magnificent- not to mention powerful and sexy. Ever since, she made a point of watching him every morning, and fantasizing about what it would be like if he directed that kind of intensity towards her. She even went so far to imagine what he'd be like in bed. She envied his discipline. She couldn't even get herself out of bed in the morning at a decent hour, and here he was putting himself through a grueling exercise on a daily basis. Stefan, on the other hand, found her impulsive nature to be both irritating and entertaining. When they engaged in conversations, he found himself toying with her, manipulating the conversation so he would corner her, and then marveled as she did verbal somersaults to extricate herself. She had a long long way to go to be in his league, but he saw the raw talent. Then he found her snooping around his study one afternoon. He was amused. Did she really think he'd allow her within 100 miles of anything incriminating? Clearly, she needed to be taught a lesson. But rather than letting on that he caught her, he withdrew and made a louder entrance. Afterwards he planted some fake documents to see what she would do. The very next day he caught her red handed. He slips into the room like a silent panther, coming up right up behind her. "I can't tell you how much this saddens me, Ms Benson," He hisses, purposefully addressing her formally. Carly jumps, scattering the papers everywhere. "Stefan, I can explain! Mrs Lansbury..." Stefan grabs her by the elbows, twirls her around to face him, and shakes her just enough to get her to stop talking. "Do NOT compound your crime by lying! One more lie and I will deliver you to Jason Morgan's goons immediately." Seeing the barely controlled fury in his eyes, Carly quickly realizes the jig is up. There is no way to explain what she'd just done. Best to admit everything and plead for mercy. Mercy from a Cassadine? She doesn't stand a chance. "I was.. I was curious," She stutters. "I wanted to know what you were going to do with that information I gave you on Luke. So yesterday I came in here to look for anything I could find...." When Stefan nods slightly in acknowledgment, the light dawns. "Oh God, you KNEW about yesterday. Then why...?" Finally releasing her elbows, Stefan paces in front of her. "Yesterday, there was nothing of consequence in this office. Given your propensity to sell to the highest bidder, did you really think I would leave ANYTHING within your reach?" "So you did this to set me up?" Carly sputters with indignation. "You do NOT get to question my motives, Ms Benson. You are the one who betrayed my generosity. And you will pay the price. Do you know what I did to your mother when she betrayed me?" Carly cowers at his obvious rage. "You... you threw her out." "In the middle of the night with only the clothes on her back." Stefan stops pacing and pins her with his fierce glare. "What would happen to you if I did that?" Carly gulps. "I.. I would die. Jason and Sonny wouldn't hesitate to kill me. You can't--" "And whose fault would it be?" "Stefan, please. You can't do---" Stefan raises his voice. "ANSWER MY QUESTION." "My fault," Carly whispers meekly. Stefan paces in silence for several minutes, while Carly stews in fear. Finally Carly breaks. "Tell me what to do, and I'll do it! Just don't send me away!" Stefan fixes her with a piercing glare. "Give my one good reason *I* should care what happens to you now?" Trembling with shame, Carly shakes her head. "There isn't one." "Exactly. You are spoiled and deceitful, with no loyalty or honor." He walks away from her and stares out the window. "I suggest you retire to your room and consider what happened here. And how you are going to extricate yourself from this disaster." Tears streaming down her cheeks, Carly dashes up the stairs to her room. She collapses on her bed in sobs of self-loathing. ..................... After his dinner, Stefan summons Carly to the living room. Gone is the angry, self-righteous Carly. The woman in front of him is quietly humble, the antithesis of the Carly everyone knows. "Before we begin, would you like Mrs Lansbury to bring you some supper? The staff will be leaving for the evening." Stefan watches Carly shake her head. He takes a seat on the sofa. "Very well, let us begin." "Have you decided what is going to happen to me?" Carly asks tremulously. "No, once this conversation is complete, I will have made a decision. Have you come to any conclusions since we last spoke?" Carly nods somberly. "I... I really screwed up. I know you have no reason to help me now, but I want to find a way to convince you to give me another chance." Stefan looks at her curiously. "How would you convince me?" Carly walks over to Stefan and sits on his lap. Emboldened by the fact that he doesn't immediately push her away, she runs her index finger along his collar then buries her hands in his hair. "By offering you the only thing I have left. Myself." Carly brushes a soft kiss on his lips then runs her tongue provocatively along his closed lips, down to his chin and throat, sucking and nipping as she goes. His scent is heady and her heart starts to race. Ironically her fantasies of him had been of him ravaging her, but she finds this equally arousing. So far the only response she feels was muscles in his face and neck tightening, she guesses in an effort to keep himself from kissing her back. Carly's instincts urge her to keep going, that with time, he will break down and respond. But just as her fingers begin to unbutton the top of his shirt, his hands grab hers. "Enough of this game," He says harshly. "I warned you when first we spoke that you were not to play this game with me." "But I'm not playing a game!" Carly protests. "I'm dead serious." Stefan studies her earnest expression for any signs of insincerity. "You would whore yourself to stay under my protection?" His words are an accusation and a genuine question at the same time. "Yes," Carly bows her head in shame. "Yes, I would." "Well, unfortunately for you, I have no need or interest in a whore. Least of all, a capricious and deceitful one." He spits out. Carly is about to protest that he wasn't immune to her, but wisely stops herself from saying it. Angering him at this point would make her chances of staying under his protection even more slim. "Then what can I do to convince you not to kick me out? I know I was wrong to go snooping in your study and violate your privacy, and I can't TELL you how sorry I am that I did. I know at the very least I deserved to be kicked out on my butt. I'll promise never to touch anything at Wyndemere again without your express permission. Beyond that, what can I do?" "I want to believe you are sincere, Carly. But you are an impulsive spoiled child, who has been indulged her whole life. Has there ever been a time that you suffered the consequences of your actions?" "I think losing my son and being afraid for my life constitutes paying for my mistakes," Carly argues. "Yes, it would for most people, wouldn't it? But have you learned anything?" Without waiting for an answer, Stefan continues. "What did you do at the first opportunity?" "You're making your point, okay? I'm an ungrateful brat," Carly bursts out between her tears. "But how can I prove I've learned my lesson if you kick me out?" She shakes her head derisively. "Why would you want to give me a second chance? You didn't even want to give me a first one. All I am is trouble to you. Why don't you just be done with it. Kick me out and stop torturing me." She attempts to get off Stefan's lap to leave, but he stops her. "If I intended on kicking you out, Caroline, you would already be gone."

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