NIKOLAS AND EMILY
TYLER | NATALIA

Moments' Notice
By: Lori Latusek, Mara Levinsky and Tara Schaffer
Excerpt from: Soap Opera Digest
June 22, 2004

GH: Nikolas And Emily Make Love!

It's been a rough couple of weeks for GENERAL HOSPITAL's Emily: She discovered that her fiancé, Nikolas, is alive - only to learn that he doesn't remember his past, is going by the name Connor and has just married her newest pal and confidante, Mary. And although Emily has befriended "Connor," friendship is the last thing on her mind. Luckily, she received some wonderful news last week after Nikolas underwent an MRI and hypnosis, which yielded positive results. But as their "new" feelings grow for each other, will they be enough to bring back Nik's memory?

"Emily is thrilled that the doctors have said Nikolas does not have brain damage and that he could very well get his memory back," begins her portrayer, Natalia Livingston. "Nikolas is excited, too, becuase he didn't even know that something like hypnoisis oculd work for him until Emily suggested it." Despite hearing such wonderful news, Em has to be calm ... which is a hard task as the week begins. "Emily is trying to keep her emotions in check and not let Nikolas know that she's incredibly overjoyed that he can potentially regian his memory," Livingston explains. "Emily can't really tell him about his past quite yet; she wants him to remember everything on his own. She's worried that if she tells him, he could reject her."

Instead Emily gets to know "Connor," while also attempting to subtly jog his memory with stories and events of their past. "They feel really comfortable with each other," says the actress. " 'Connor' trusts Emily; she is helping him try to regain his memory, where Mary isn't helping him at all." As their friendship deepens, so does their attraction to one another, leaving Emily more hopeful that Nikolas will remember what was. "Even from the beginning, when 'Connor' first met Emily, there were a lot of times where they were drawn together," the actress points out. "There was definitely an attraction between them from the start, 'Connor' seems to automatically gravitate toward her, and he can't explain why. But, obviously, she knows [laughs]."

Em's lips stay painfully sealed, however, even when she brings him to Wyndemere. "Emily takes Nikolas there to try to trigger his memory," Livingston previews. "That has really been her main purpose this whole time - to get him to remember." But as the pair walks through the Cassadine manse, he remains in the dark. "He doesn't remember anything," she sighs. "It's funny because he actually starts to make fun of the decorations [laughs]! So, she decides to play a record of a waltz and starts telling him about the Bacchanalia. She relives it a lot for herself , but also for him." As Nikolas gets lost in Emily's recollection of the night (still having no memory of it), she asks him to dance. "They do a waltz around the room in Wyndemere and end up in each other's arms, having a great time," Livingston smiles. "And suddenly, they just give in to their passion."

The couples makes love in the place they once called home, but their bliss is short-lived when "Connor" gets a reality check: Something happens to Mary that leaves poor Emily more frustrated than ever. "He has to go back to Mary, despite still feeling drawn to Emily," teases the actress. "But Emily is not going to give up by any means."