Nikolas Cassadine
Prince Nikolas Mikhail Stavrosovich Cassadine, a child born to the Laura Webber Spencer and Stavros Cassadine, during Laura's time of captivity on the Cassadine island, was raised in protective isolation by his uncle, Stefan. However, when his half-sister, Lulu, needed a transfusion, he stepped up with just the right blood, startling his mother, bewildering his half-brother, Lucky, and angering Luke Spencer. Thus, his reunion with Laura, his mother, was less than loving. Nikolas would spend years distrusting her before getting over the fact that she'd abandoned him and chosen Luke. However, his sweet half-sister Lulu immediately caught his eye, and he and his mother remained tied, though their relationship was strained.
Also strained was Laura's marriage to Luke Spencer, a mortal enemy of the Cassadine family, who pressured Laura into turning her back on Nikolas once more. This and the "death" of Lesley Webber caused Nikolas to decide to leave Port Charles; however, he decided he must say a final goodbye to his sister. Upon entering her hospital room, Nikolas first came face-to-face with his hot-tempered, younger half-brother, Lucky. The first of many scuffles between the two ensued, and Nikolas was nearly killed after falling down a flight of stairs.
It seemed impossible for the Cassadines and Spencers to co-exist, but Stefan refused to allow Laura to turn her back on them. He offered her an ultimatum as well - ask him and Nikolas to stay, or the Cassadines would not save General Hospital and it would close. She chose to invite the Cassadines to stay, and General Hospital remained open. Throughout this, Nikolas had developed a friendship with Bobbie Spencer, once Stefan's wife. However, after Bobbie betrayed Stefan, Nikolas severed ties with her. He also began turning to Katherine Bell for comfort - and developing a crush on the older woman.
Laura's greatest blow to Nikolas was her supposed "death," which she allowed him to grieve for, despite the fact that she was alive and well, at Luke and Lucky's knowledge. After she returned, Nikolas felt the bitter sting of Laura's betrayal and abandonment once more. His relationship with Stefan was also strained after he learned that Katherine's shooter had been not Luke, but Stefan.
Meanwhile,
Nikolas also competed with his Spencer brother, Lucky, for the affections of
Sarah Webber, Audrey's blond granddaughter. When Nikolas won her heart, he
earned an even deeper hatred from his brother. Later, this unlucky prince was
also victim to mob violence, when he was shot outside of Luke's club -
ironically, Luke rode in the ambulance, looking over his wife's Cassadine son.
Though Jason had performed quasi-surgery and saved Nikolas' life, from the
shooting, Nikolas had acquired Broca's Aphasia which prevented Nikolas from
speaking properly. News of his condition made Nikolas shut down and put a strain
on his relationship with Sarah - a relationship which he later ended.
Enter Helena Cassadine, Nikolas' deadly grandmother, who recognizing Nikolas as the Cassadine "prince," set out to take control of the Cassadine fortune through Nikolas. Helena manipulated Katherine and used Nikolas' speech problems to get closer to her grandson, but her plans failed to work; Nikolas grew wise to her meddling and shunned her, though, using both Katherine Bell and Alexis Davis - a "distant Cassadine cousin" who turned out to be Nikolas' aunt - Helena was able to strategically place gifts that made Nikolas wonder if his uncle was indeed obsessed with Laura.
Robin Scorpio also entered Nikolas' life while he was ill, and she was able to help him regain his voice. Nikolas developed a crush on Robin as well, though his Uncle was wary of the union, because of the long Scorpio-Cassadine feud and her ties to Jason Morgan. Eventually, she reunited with Jason, and Nikolas and she were never more than good friends.
His uncle and Katherine announced their engagement at a stunning bacchanalia. However, the party was ruined and Nikolas was devastated when Katherine took a dive off the parapet and "died." Worse yet, his uncle was put on trial for the case, but Alexis was able to get Stefan acquitted and shift suspicion to Helena, the initially intended target. Nikolas was already sick of secrets, with his mother's "death" and the realization that Alexis was actually Stefan's sister, thus his aunt. However, the greatest blow was yet to come.
When Helena revealed that Katherine was not dead, Nikolas was thrilled. The two began to strengthen their friendship and work together; eventually, they became lovers, but Katherine had an agenda. One night, after Nikolas accused Katherine of using him to get back at Stefan, a corner Katherine strategically revealed that Stefan was his true father. This sent Nikolas spinning, realizing that both Stefan and Laura had lied to him; however, he soon reconciled with both of them. By this time, Nikolas also had his brother on his side - the two had formed a truce and even become friends. Nikolas had also found friendship in Elizabeth Webber and Emily Quartermaine, who soon developed a crush on the young prince.
Nikolas' parents and friends were horrified when he announced his engagement to the scheming Katherine, who claimed she was pregnant with his child. However, just before they were wed, Katherine died for real (as far as we know) and a saddened Nikolas learned that she hadn't really been pregnant at all.
This was not the only loss Nikolas would feel this year. When a fire consumed Jason's motorcycle shop, Nikolas grieved his brother, Lucky and grew closer to Lucky's devastated girlfriend, Elizabeth. He even grew to feel an attraction for her, but he knew her heart would always be with his brother; so, when he learned that his brother might be alive, he and Elizabeth headed to New York City to look for him - but he wasn't to be found, yet.
Later, Lucky turned up in Port Charles, ready to see Nikolas, but not Elizabeth. Brainwashed by Helena, Lucky persisted in trying to pair Nikolas and Elizabeth, but, in the end, Lucky reunited with Elizabeth, leaving his brother to pair with an entirely different kind of girl - street-smart Gia Campbell, who met the group of teens in the most unlikeliest of ways - blackmail. She took Nikolas for five thousand dollars, after seeing Emily go into a motel; later, she was pulled into their scheme to catch Zander for the murder they believed he committed.
Now, Nikolas and Gia, who proved she had a good heart, are roommates at the cottage - and who knows what's next?
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Back at the Cottage...