Destiny's Child

Chapter 6

The phone rang in the breakfast room, and Stefan considered not answering, but was afraid that perhaps it was Nikolas calling because something was wrong. No one called this early without a good reason. "Excuse me Barbara," he said, setting his napkin on the table and standing up. He picked up the phone on the buffet. "This had better be good." He said, not amused to be interrupted.

"Sir, its Aleksey, at the launch landing. I’ve sent two visitors over on the launch. Mr. Jacks was very insistent on coming over, and he and his female companion could not be dissuaded."

"It’s fine Aleksey, I’ll take care of it," he said as he heard the doorknocker. With a sigh, he set the phone down and turned back to Bobbie. "I’ll be right back, this won’t take long at all." He went and beat the butler to the door, dismissing him with a wave. He opened the door just wide enough to be seen but not to allow anyone in. "What is it that you want Mr. Jacks?" He asked, not wanting to show how surprised he was that it was Jerry, not Jax.

"We’ve got something that you might want to have a look at Cassadine." Jerry nearly spat the words out. He’d never gotten along with this particular family member, certainly no more then he got along with any of the rest of them.

"I’m sure that it is nothing that couldn’t wait until tomorrow. If you call my secretary at the hospital, I’m sure she can fit you in without a problem, sometime next week perhaps." Stefan said, backing out from the door and trying to shut it without having to admit his two visitors.

"We will talk now Stefan," Jerry said forcefully, pushing his way into the foyer of the mansion. Dangling from his hand was the medallion that V had received. "This is something that you’ll be interested in and that won’t wait for a week or so." He’d never seen the count speechless before, "So tell me who in your family would have access to such things and why are they sending them to my friend? This is the latest in a line of jewelry and expensive gifts that she’s received, and we’d like to know why."

"You received this in the mail?" Stefan asked, turning it over in his palm and seeing the initials on the back, and then looking again at the front to see if there were any discrepancies in it, to prove that it was a fake, but he could find none.

"Yes, it’s the last in a series of things." V chimed in, so far having kept quiet mostly because she hadn’t thought of anything productive to add to the conversation before now. "So far I’ve received some earrings, a necklace, a bracelet, a tiara and picture frame, with a picture of a woman in it. I haven’t been able to put together the pieces of where I fit into all of it though. Perhaps you can be of some assistance to me in finding out who is sending me these things."

"Ms. Ardanowski, I hate to break this to you, but there is only one person who could be sending you such things and that would be my mother. The question now is why." Stefan thought for a moment. "Why don’t you and Mr. Jacks have a seat in my office. I was just having breakfast, and if you would allow me to finish, I believe that maybe we can solve this mystery."

"Breakfast, it’s a good thing we haven’t eaten yet this morning Stefan," Jerry said, heading towards the informal dining room. He knew that there was never less then food for five, from his brief time with the family. He also knew that if he let Stefan out of his sight, the count would concoct some story to throw V and himself off of the trail and they would never find out the truth. "So what’s on the menu, or am I supposed to guess?" He asked, walking into the room, and staring right at Bobbie. "Perhaps the question should be who is on the menu. How are you Red, you’re looking quite fetching as always."

"Jerry, what are you doing here?" She asked in a hushed tone, pulling the robe tighter around herself. This wasn’t at all how she would have wanted him to find out. They were broken up, but he still deserved more than this.

"I could be asking you the same thing luv, but I think I can see what you’re doing here. It didn’t take you long, to replace me did it?" He said it grudgingly. "Is this worth all of the heartache and doubt, have you thought at all about how Lucas is going to take this? The boy still hasn't recovered from the last time Cassadine got his claws into him. Do you want to subject him to that again."

"My son is none of your concern, I'm sure that you had nothing to do with his not getting over what happened, leading him on the way you did, leading me on."

"Leading you on? Is that why you said it could never work, and as soon as you think it’s been long enough, you run back to the other psycho ex." Jerry would have continued on, but he felt a light touch on his arm.

"Let it go Jer, it’s not worth it. She’s moved on, you’ve moved on, maybe it’s better this way." V wrapped her arm around his waist, tucking her hand innocently in his pocket. She saw the look of surprise on Jerry’s face, and knew that for a moment she had the upper hand, and the power was heady.

"You’re right V, I suppose that old habits die hard." He said, putting his arm around her, but looking directly at Bobbie. "It’s a good thing I’ve moved onto younger ones." V elbowed him but he covered admirably, barely even flinching when her elbow connected with his side. He leaned over to whisper a warning in her ear, but made it look like a lover's caress. He lightly kissed her earlobe before pulling away just enough so that Stefan and Bobbie both felt like they were intruding on the lovers.

Bobbie walked quickly to Stefan's side and casually wrapped her arms around him. Stefan stiffened slightly at the obvious challenge but rubbed her back, sensing the depth of Bobbie's upset. Wondering if he really had her back, he regarded the young couple with disdain and curiosity. What was this V person's connection to his family?