Epilogue


"I now pronounce you husband and wife."

Several women in the audience dab delicately at the corners of their eyes. Alan squeezes a tearful Monica's hand, while on the other side of the aisle, Stefan and Carly sit beside Alexis and Ned in the front row. Both women have noses red from crying, but their smiles say how happy they are. "You may kiss the bride."

Framed by a trellis covered in pink and white roses in the garden on the Quartermaine estate, Nikolas gazes at Emily for a long moment. "I love you Emily Bowen Quartermaine Cassadine..." He draws her veil off her upturned face, then bestows a long tender kiss that lasts until both of them come up for air. The married couple embraces while several members of the audience clap.

The reverend beams at the crowd. "May I present to you.... Emily and Nikolas Cassadine!"

Carly dabs at her damp face as Emily and Nikolas walk back down the aisle to begin the receiving line. Beside her, Stefan rubs her back soothingly. "Wasn't it beautiful?" She says once she composes herself.

"Nikolas and Emily look so happy and in love," Alexis chimes in from behind them. "And handsome. The ceremony was touching, don't you think? "

"A very moving ceremony," Stefan answers, his tone a bit wistful. "A testimony to how much they love each other."

Carly turns towards Stefan and gives kisses him soundly on the mouth. She loves him to distraction, but this topic was long past getting old. "Let's not get started on that again, okay?"

"I never stopped," Stefan retorts quietly, taking her hand and putting it in the crook of his arm. Bending so his lips are right against her ear, he promises. "And I won't cease until you've agreed to be my wife."

Later at the reception.


"I wish she'd just say yes."

"You can't be serious!" Luke scowls at the object of his sister's attention before downing the champagne in one gulp and depositing the glass on a passing tray. It wasn't his poison, but he needed all the fortitude he could get when the place was crawling with Cassadines. "It's enough to make a guy hurl. Personally I'm hoping she'll snap out of it and dump him on his royal heinie."

"I wouldn't bet on it." Bobbie gazes across the room at Stefan and Carly linked arm in arm in an animated conversation with Alexis and Ned. Any reservations about Stefan being the right match for Carly evaporated when she saw how radiant her daughter has been since their reconciliation. Bobbie is even more amazed in Stefan's transformation. He ... he smiled, he laughed, and his eyes never ever left Carly. And for a man who was known for hiding his feelings, his love was plainly written on his face. "She's had enough heartache, don't you think?"

Luke looks at Bobbie in horror. "You're not seriously asking me to make friends with the Count?!! Just shoot me now and put me out of my misery."

Bobbie's sharp elbow meets with the soft spot in Luke's side, eliciting a grunt. "Don't be an idiot, Luke. I just want your promise that you'll leave them alone!" She takes a sip of her champagne. "I don't want you hatching some scheme to bring him down, okay?" Tears fill her eyes. "God, look at her, Luke! Have you ever seen her this happy? I just want my baby to be happy. Is that too much to ask?"

Luke groans. "Damn it, Woman. Don't be batting your big brown eyes at me!" He grabs a glass of champagne off a passing tray and downs the contents in one gulp. "Fine, I'll leave the Bat alone. But don't be expecting me to shake hands with the bloodsucker."



"Soooo Eddie my boy!" By the buffet table full of elegant hors d'oeuvres, Luke slaps Edward on the back, just hard enough to jar him. "How's it shaking?"

"Spencer..." Edward growls. He won't deny that Luke could be useful at times, but he sure knew how to grate on a person. He turns away from the food to face the taller man. "What do you want?"

"Nice shindig. Did you hear what happened to Evans?" Luke snakes out a hand and grabs a mushroom toast and pops it into his mouth.

Edward's expression darkens slightly, further annoyed at being reminded of his latest blunder. "No. But frankly, I don't particularly care."

"Sad case, really. Went nuts in jail. Rumor has it he never recovered and was sentenced to the criminal unit of the state hospital." Luke tisks while he snags a cheese puff. "Kinda poetic justice for a psychiatrist, don't you think?"

Edward goes a bit gray. "Really. That's awful."

"It's just tragic. And now I hear that Monica has been suspended from the hospital. For what... unprofessional conduct?" He shakes his head in disbelief. "Seems that people who cross my niece haven't been faring too well." Luke's smile is wolfish as he pats Edward on the back. "You take care of yourself, Old Man. I Wouldn't want something awful to happen to you too."


"Lovely Emily." Stefan takes the hands of his new daughter in law and brings them to his lips. "You are exquisite. Thank you for marrying my son and making him happy."

"Thank you." Emily blushes. "I love Nikolas very much. Marrying him is a dream come true."

"He's entrusted you with his heart," Stefan says, tucking one of her hands into his elbow and walking with her towards the house. "I'm confident you will do everything to safeguard it. He is precious to me."

"I know he loves you too," Emily murmurs. After several moments of silence, she changes the subject. "I hope it's not too forward to say this, but I just want to say how happy I am that you and Carly are back together."

"You are family, you are far from overstepping your bounds." Nodding at a member of the hospital staff they pass, Stefan steers Emily through the crowd. "I love her very much and she brings me a sense of completion I have never known. I'm sure my feelings are plain to everyone, since I seem to be incapable of keeping them to myself. I have asked her to marry me numerous times..." For a moment his happiness dims. "But always she insists on keeping the status quo. I am at my wit's end, I have exhausted all avenues of persuasion I can think of." Catching the look of worry on Emily's face, Stefan brightens. "It was not my intention to darken your special day, please forgive me for being self-absorbed."

"You're not, really." Emily gives his arm a gentle pat. "I'm honored that you told me when we hardly know each other."

"I must apologize for that." Stefan stops and faces her. "You and I met at a very difficult time. I hope you know that despite my poor behavior to the contrary, I hold you in high esteem. I could not wish for a better daughter in law. I hope with time we can become good friends."

Emily finds herself wanting to hug him, but squeezes his hands instead. "I know we will."

"I think you've hogged my wife long enough, Father," Nikolas complains good-naturedly from behind Emily. He slides his arm around her waist and gives her a soft kiss in greeting. "I'm tired of sharing you with everyone. Are you ready to cut the cake, Darling?"

"Lead the way."


The wedding party cheers as Emily tosses the bouquet at the small group of eligible women. No one is more surprised at who catches it than the woman herself.

"Hey! You planned that!" Carly accuses, laughing as she holds up the bouquet she caught. On the sidelines, Stefan fights to stifle a triumphant smile. "It was catch it or be beaned in the head with it."

"I've always had good aim," Emily quips back with a mischievous grin. "Come on." She grabs Carly's free hand and tugs her out of the crowd and through the living room towards the steps in the foyer. The two women have become increasingly close while she helped Emily get ready for the wedding. It was inevitable given their devotion to the Cassadine men in their lives. "I need help getting out of this dress and you're just the woman to do it."

Carly scrambles up the steps to the second floor. "Is this some reference to my skill getting undressed? Should I be offended?"

"Oh will you shut up!" Emily tugs her into dressing room, locks the door behind them, then collapses backward on the bed. "This may be the most wonderful day of my life, but I'm so glad the wedding is over!"

"Nah, you just can't wait to get your man alone and do the wild thing," Carly guesses knowingly. "Can't say I blame you. If you want help out of your dress then you better get up so I can unhook you."

"You're right, as usual." Emily stands back up again, then unpins and removes her veil. She turns her back towards Carly, bending her head to give her better access. "As much as I love everyone downstairs, all I really want is to be alone with Nikolas."

Carly undoes the hooks then unzips the back of the dress. "What are you going to wear for your escape?"

"The dress is over there in the closet. The blue one."

Carly pulls it out, giving a low admiring whistle. This was definitely more daring than Emily's usual wardrobe. "Nice! Who picked it out?"

"Nikolas asked me to wear it." Emily steps out of her wedding gown and lays it gently on her bed. "So, give it to me straight. Why aren't you going to marry Stefan?"

"Don't tell me Stefan put you up to this?" Carly shakes her head ruefully. "I love him to death, but he's got a one track mind. Why can't we just be happy with what we have?"

"Stefan didn't ask me to talk to you." Emily takes the dress from Carly and steps into it, sliding it over her shoulders. "But why not make it official? You and Michael are living full time at Wyndemere already, you're madly in love with him. Why not?"

"Because it's working the way it is... turn around. " The skirt zips to right above Emily's hips, but otherwise has no back. "Do you have shoes?"

"Over in the closet. The black box.... He's crazy about you. What are you afraid of?"

"Becoming a wife of a Cassadine."

"What?!"

"He explained it to me once when we first got together. Cassadine men marry for property and children, not for love. They have mistresses to fill the other needs, like love and affection." Carly sits down on the bed. "Given that, why would I want to be his wife? I've got everything I want the way it is now. He loves me, we are deliriously happy. I'm not rocking the boat."

Emily sits down at the dressing table and removes her earrings. She's thoughtful for a long time as she puts them away in their box. Finally she asks. "Do you think Nik would do that to me?"

"Do what? Cheat on you?! NO WAY!" Carly snorts at the ridiculousness of the idea. "He adores you. All anyone has to do is take one look at him and know he's wild about you. He'd just as soon cut out his heart as hurt you."

"So what are you really afraid of then, Carly?" Emily asks pointedly. "Because from my standpoint, it's obvious Stefan loves you and there is no one else for him but you. He'd rather die than do anything that might make him lose you. So what are you waiting for? Do you really think there's anyone else out there who will love you like that?"

"Brat." Carly flops back on the bed and groans. "You're too smart for your britches."

Emily smiles at Carly through the reflection in her mirror. "You're welcome."



The wedding party assembles on the steps of the mansion to see Nikolas and Emily off on their honeymoon. The limo sits in the circular drive, waiting for it's occupants. Nikolas gives a quick hug to his father and Alexis and pauses briefly after hugging Carly. "Do me a favor, will you? Put him out of his misery."

Carly laughs and kisses Nikolas on the cheek. "Have a great honeymoon and see you when you get back."

On the verge of tears, Emily hugs each of her family members. A sob escapes when she pauses in front of Alan. Looking down at his little girl all grown up, his bottom lip quivers before he engulfs her in a bear hug. "You'll always be my baby girl, Em. Have a good time and we'll see you when you get back."

"I love you, Daddy. Take care of Mom, she needs you a lot right now." Turning away, Emily grabs Nikolas's hand and runs down the steps, waving one last time before slipping into the limo. A cheer rises from the group as the limo drives off.



Standing in the doorway to the room he shares with Carly, Stefan's heart stops. Their room is bathed in candlelight, flowers are on every surface, and reclining in the middle of their bed, the true heart stopper, his beloved dressed in a revealing rose colored silk negligee that barely covers her hips.

Carly's smile widens at Stefan's thunderstruck expression and she slips off the bed to greet him at the door.

"How--?"

"I'm not the only one with influence in this house..." Carly slides her hands up his chest to twine around his neck. She draws him down for a kiss, her mouth opening to invite entrance.

With a groan, Stefan's heart resumes beating as he kisses her back deeply, his arms wrapping around her waist to press her firmly against him. The filmy silk is raw sex under his fingers and he has to struggle with his self control not to tear it off her body. His body goes into immediate withdrawals when she pulls back from the kiss. "If your intention is to drive me insane, you are very nearly succeeding."

"Do you like your surprise?" Carly eyes rove Stefan's face while her finger tip traces his lips. Teasing him is as much a turn on for her as it is for him.

"I love my surprise." She gasps when he nips her finger and draws it fully into his mouth. Releasing the finger, he takes her hand in his and kisses her palm, her wrist, then smaller kisses down her arm toward her elbow. Stefan's voice is pure seduction. "I look forward to tasting my surprise all night."

"Oh God..." Carly's eyes nearly roll up into her head. She'd like nothing more than to give herself over to him and his magic touch. It is heaven to lose herself in him every night and have no fear of what the future would bring. She forces herself back into the moment, to her purpose. "There's more to your surprise, actually."

Stefan pauses in his worship of her arm. He should be used to her unpredictability. "More to my surprise?"

Carly takes his hands and leads him to the bed, patting it so he will sit down with her. She kneels on the bed in front of him and gazes steadily into beautiful green eyes. "I love you with all my heart and soul, Stefan. It's the kind of love that knows no bounds, knows no time. It's forever."

Stefan's heart leaps into his throat. Even though Carly often him how much she loves him, his reaction is always the same. Supremely grateful and awed. "Caroline..."

"Let me finish.... I know how much you love me, you show it in everything you do. I trust it, and that's not something that's easy for me. I know you mean it when you say you'll love me forever." Bringing his knuckles to her lips, Carly kisses each one. "I just have one thing to ask..."

"Caroline, Darling..." His voice quivers with emotion.

"Will you marry me?" Stefan's mouth works but no words come out. Carly kisses him hard. "Please."

Stefan draws in several breaths before he can speak. "You... you want to marry me... after I have asked you daily for weeks and you've said no. I... I don't understand."

Laughter and love bubble up in her throat. His reaction is exactly what she expected and just priceless. "You don't understand that I want to marry you?"

Stefan frames her face with his hands, memorizing her face before kissing her fervently. "Yes, I understand! I do... I do. I just began to despair that you would ever say yes."

"You've yet to give me an answer," Carly teases, then squeals when Stefan topples her onto back, her laughter muffled by a kiss so deep they lose sense of time and place.

Stefan breaks the kiss for just a moment. "I will marry you, Caroline Spencer. Now, tomorrow, next week. Anywhere and anytime you wish. But it has to be soon..." Unable to resist, Stefan kisses her again, his hands roving under the short negligee. How did she expected him to be rational when her body lured him like a siren?

Carly arches her back when Stefan's hands find her core. "I want... a big wedding. All the trimmings."

"And you shall your heart's desire, since I will have mine, " Stefan pledges. "You have made me happiest man in the world, Caroline. And I will gladly spend the rest of my life making you as happy as you've made me."

THE END

 

 

 

OUTTAKE


Across town, a drunk-appearing Luke, Roy, and Andreas stumble into Luke's club, arms over each other's shoulders, singing raunchy shanty tunes. Claude grimaces at the gruesome threesome, but Luke just gives him an face splitting smile. "A round of drinks on the house! Me, Roy and Andy here have been sharing shanty songs." At which point the three men break into another song:


Just show me the way to go home,
I'm tired and I wanna go to bed,
had me a couple drinks about an hour ago
and they've gone right to my head
no matter where I roam,
be it land or sea or foam,
you will always hear me singing this song,
show me the way to go home


Groans can be heard rumbling through the few stragglers left at the club. Luke staggers to the bar, almost falls but is caught by Andreas. Luke plunks onto a stool and pats Andreas on the back. "Thanks Andy, my man! What's your poison?"

Andreas winces before answering. "Anything but champagne."

"Yeah, I expect you've had enough of that to last you a lifetime...." Luke rubs his chin as he gazes at Andreas critically. "Hmmm, I think deep down you're a beer kinda man. Question is.. Domestic or Imported? Aw hell. Claude, give him one of each."

"So what's happening?" Claude asks as he puts two beers in front of Andreas and a bottle of beer each for Luke and Roy.

Luke pats Andreas on the back. "Andy's been teaching us some of the more rare sea shanty songs tonight. Certainly heard my share during my Florida days, but you wouldn't believe the ones he knows. Some even make ME blush!"

"Who'd have thought that someone as quiet and unassuming as Andy would have such a vast repertoire ," Roy joins in, taking a healthy swig of bear. After sniffing each, Andreas takes a cautious sip of one. A smile of pleasure spreads across his face.

A mischievous glint in his eye, Claude leans over the bar and suggests. "You know, Luke. I bet we can rustle up a singing group to sing some shanty songs here one night."

"Do that and you're fired," Luke says between his clenched teeth as keeps the huge smile pasted to his face. "Or worse, I'll feed you some SPAM."

Andy and Roy simultaneously spray beer across the bar counter, narrowly missing Claude who leaps back out of the way at the last minute. "EWWWWW!" Roy sputters.

"You're telling me," Claude mutters, disgruntled. He grabs a couple towels and tosses them at the offenders. "Not only am I threatened with processed meat, but nearly assaulted with beer. I deserve a raise."

"Forget the raise, and I already pay you hazard pay." Luke says as he hands over his dead soldier. "Hit me again."

"Deal." Claude uncaps another beer and slides it over before leaving to pour more drinks.

After several long moments between the three men, Luke breaks the silence. "Sooo Andy. What do you know about SPAM?"

 

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