Emily and Zander are at a table outside of Kelly’s.
Zander: Baby?
Emily: Yeah?
Zander: I love you.
Emily: I love you, too. Zander, I'm so sorry for everything that I did --
Zander: No, no, no, I'm sorry, okay? I'm the one that made this harder for you.
Emily: Zander, you didn't.
Zander: No, I never let up. I was criticizing you for how you were handling your drug addiction. I was getting on your case about not sticking with it. I was badgering you about why you were pushing me away.
Emily: You knew I was lying to you.
Zander: No, I got so caught up in my own hurt and confusion that I couldn't see what I was -- what I was doing to you.
Emily: There was no way for you to know.
Zander: Yeah, but I should've known that it was more than a drug addiction.
Emily: But you did think it was more, and I was the one that forced you away. I was the one that hurt you again and again.
Zander: Nikolas -- he knew about this the whole time, didn't he?
Emily: Yeah. He told me that I should be honest with you and so did my mom and dad and Gia --
Zander: Gia? Gia knows?
Emily: Yeah. I swore them all to secrecy. I -- I just convinced myself that it was best for you not to know about my cancer because I didn't want you to watch me die.
Zander: Emily, you're not going to die. I won't let you.
Emily: Zander, I didn't think I could fight this disease. But something happened to change my mind.
Zander: Whatever that was, I'm sure grateful.
Drawing room at Nikolas’s house. Nikolas is sitting at the desk. Lydia walks up and sits down on the desk in front of him.
Lydia: You don't look very happy.
Nikolas: Well, the Cassadine finances aren't showing any signs of recovery, Lydia.
Lucky appears in the doorway and enters the drawing room.
Lydia: Well, cheer up. As soon as we're married, you will have a fortune at your disposal. Speaking of which, what about the ceremony? Large, small? You want Russian orthodox? Or we could always just have a civil service.
Lucky: Well, how about a handshake and a quick goodbye? Nikolas wants Emily, not you. He wants a real marriage, not a business relationship.
Nikolas: I've made my decision, Lucky.
Lucky: Well, does it matter that Lydia can't keep her hands off me?
Lydia: Excuse me? You're the one who keeps hitting on me.
The trio is still in the Cassadine drawing room.
Lydia: Lucky has kissed me twice now without my consent.
Lucky: Well, you threw yourself at me.
Lydia: We were having a conversation and out of the blue, you grabbed me.
Lucky: Well, what do you expect? You were practically on top of me.
Lydia: Oh, well, you're obviously not one to let your enormous ego intrude upon reality.
Lucky: My ego?
Nikolas: I don't care who kissed who! It makes no difference to me.
Lucky: Of course not because, Nikolas, you love Emily, and Lydia is nothing to you. So why are you trying to throw your future out the window to save the Cassadine empire?
Nikolas: I've made my decision.
Lucky: What is this, rebound?
Lydia: This may come as a surprise, but most people would consider me quite a catch.
Lucky: You have so much more to look forward to. You'll meet so many other women. Don't settle for this bogus arrangement.
Nikolas: I'm fulfilling an obligation, Lucky.
Lucky: And where does love come in?
Nikolas: Well, if you're referring to romance, it doesn't last.
Lucky: You don't know until you try.
Nikolas: I have. That's how I know love can't be a part of my life.
Emily and Zander are sitting outside at a table at Kelly’s.
Emily: The survivor group made me realize that I am not doomed to die of breast cancer just because my mother did.
Zander: Well, whoever got you to go, I -- I owe them.
Emily: Well, my mom and dad arranged it, but I couldn't face it. I ran. It's Nikolas, really, who dragged me back and got me mad enough to see that thing through.
Emily chuckles.
Zander: "Mad enough"? What do you mean?
Emily: Well, Nikolas made me see that I have to fight the cancer, you know, instead of just sitting back and waiting to die. He's been so amazing the way he's helped me through all of this.
Zander: Well, Nikolas, he -- he cares about you.
Emily: And that's why I asked him to pretend to love me -- so that you'd move on and make a life for yourself without me. And he agreed, against his better judgment, and I was so focused on what I needed that I didn't see the problems that I was causing for Nikolas. Zander, keeping my cancer a secret made everything harder on everybody.
Zander: No. You did the best that you could. And when you realized that that wasn't working, you told the truth.
Emily: Yeah.
Zander: And that's all that matters. We love each other, and I'm going to be with you every step of the way.
Emily: Thank you.
Emily: Well -- oh. Maybe you could help me repair a little of the damage I’ve caused.
Zander: Well, I'm -- I'm sure everyone will understand, you know?
Emily: Look, Gia wanted to tell you the truth, Zander. I -- I was the one that guilt-tripped her into keeping the secret. You know, I -- I wanted her to -- to help you move on. Zander, I am so sorry for hurting you.
Zander: Emily. You did what you thought was right. You're not responsible for the things that happened when we were apart.
Emily: But it happened because of me.
Zander: Yeah, I know, but I made my own choices. And it's my job to do damage control.
Zander gets up and walks into Kelly’s to talk to Gia.
Zander: Emily -- she told me everything and I get why she did it.
Gia: Yeah. I saw you through the window. I'm glad you worked things out.
Zander: Gia, you don't have to say that.
Gia: You and Emily belong together.
Zander: Gia, I gave you every reason to believe that we were moving past a friendship.
Gia: Yeah. Well, I always knew I was taking a chance. After all, the whole thing was based on a lie.
Zander: No, it wasn’t. Gia, I care about you. You're smart, you're beautiful, and you're funny --
Gia: Don't, please. I don't want to hear the pity speech.
Zander: Emily told me that -- that you wanted me to know the truth.
Gia: You're an incredibly caring, loyal person. I knew you would support Emily through her illness, give her strength, encourage her.
Zander: You don't have to be so nice about this.
Gia: What else am I supposed to do?
Zander: You can yell at me, you can say how unfair I’ve been, that you deserve better because you do.
Gia: Yeah, but you could ream me out for keeping Emily’s secret from you and letting you believe that she was in love with Nikolas. So, if it's all the same to you, let's just call it even and stay friends.
Emily walks into the drawing room to find Nikolas at his desk. He gets up and walks around it to pull her into a hug. (This is the hugging scene from the promo.)
Emily: I told Zander everything.
Nikolas: And how did he react?
Emily: He was wonderful. He totally understands.
Nikolas: I'm happy for you.
Emily: You know, this wouldn't be happening if you hadn't dragged me kicking and screaming to that breast cancer survivor group.
Nikolas: I knew you'd be okay the second you started fighting, Em. And you will be. You will live through this and have a long, full life.
Emily: Well, I know that now because you showed me. You saved my life, Nikolas. How do I ever repay you?
Nikolas: By being happy.
He leans over and brushes away the tear that has started to make its way down Emily’s cheek.
Emily: I know. And I want the same for you. But are you going to be happy with Lydia?
Nikolas: Lydia and I understand each other. We'll be carrying on the traditions that we were born into.
Emily: Mm-hmm. Sounds like prison.
Nikolas: I'm sure it does to you. But it works for me. And if I ever question the choice I made, I’ll just -- I'll just think of you, healthy and strong and -- and that everything worked out for the best.
Emily: I love you, Nikolas.
Nikolas: I love you, too.
Nikolas’s eyes tell it all here. He’s in love with her and dying inside. Emily’s face registers the look for a brief second but then she smiles again pretending she didn’t see what was plainly written on his face no matter how hard he tried to hide it.
Lydia storms into Kelly’s to find Lucky at the counter drinking coffee. She taps him on the shoulder and when her turns around she slaps him … hard.
Lydia: How dare you tell Nikolas that I was coming on to you when the exact opposite is true.
Lucky: For the record, I don't enjoy being slapped, so why don't you take your tantrum somewhere else?
Lydia: Get off. First, I need to make sure that you understand something, okay? You need to stay the hell out of my life.
Lucky: Next time use the phone.
Lydia: Oh, stop flattering yourself. You know perfectly well that you are the one that can't keep your hands off me.
Lucky: Well, you're the one that keeps trying to make excuses to see me.
Lydia: Look, let me make something really clear here, so that you can comprehend, okay? Leave me alone.
Lucky: Or what? You going to stomp your foot, try and slap me again, then jump into my arms?
Lydia: Oh. You know, you better treat me with more respect when I am Nikolas' wife.
Lucky: Oh, I think my brother's going to make sense of this whole thing before he signs up to marry a woman he can't stand.
Lydia: Nikolas and I have a business arrangement, and if you weren't such a throwback to prehistoric times, you would understand how a marriage of convenience works. Passion is one thing, matrimony is another. I won't stop Nikolas from pursuing his desires, and he won't stop me from pursuing mine.
Lucky: Don't look at me.
Lydia: Oh -- I wouldn't have you on a silver plate.
Emily meets back up with Zander at one of the tables outside Kelly’s.
Emily: Hi.
Zander: Hi.
Emily: Hey.
Zander: How are you?
Emily: Good. Did you talk to Gia?
Zander: Yeah. Yeah.
Emily: Is she all right?
Zander: She's okay.
Gia turns up in the drawing room at Nikolas’s house.
Gia: Thank you so, so much, Mr. Nobility. That "far, far better" gesture you just made stomped all over my heart.
Nikolas: What happened?
Gia: You played the phony engagement with Emily just long enough for Zander to buy it. He opened up to the possibility of starting over with someone else. Just when that someone else really started to care, Emily came running back to her true love.
Nikolas: You and Zander?
Gia: Oh, please, don't look so shocked. You noticed the attraction before Zander and I even knew it was there. Turns out you were right. I do care about Zander as more than a friend. Not that it matters. He's all about Emily.
Nikolas: Gia, I am so sorry. I was just trying to help Emily deal with the breast cancer, and I didn't mean --
Gia: Yeah, but she made you lie for her. It must have crossed your mind that someone would get hurt.
Nikolas: Emily needed me. Helping her was all that mattered. I wasn't thinking about you or -- or Zander. Or even myself. If I had to do it all over again, I’d make the same choice. I would do anything to make sure Emily survives this. It doesn't matter who gets hurt. As long as she comes through it alive.
Gia: This is real for you, isn't it? Emily may have been play-acting, but you're not. You're in love with her.
Nikolas just stands there looking at Gia - he does not deny what she has said … he can’t.
Lydia walks into the drawing room (*sigh* I’m getting sick of this damn set today.}
Lydia: I hope you don't let Lucky's ridiculous accusations throw you.
Nikolas: Not at all.
Lydia: I mean, for the record, I'm not the least bit interested in your brother. That's just his macho fantasy.
Nikolas: It doesn't matter. After we're married, it'll all be behind us.
Lydia: You don't have to sound so dismal. I mean, it's not like our lives are ending, Nikolas.
Nikolas: Of course not.
Lydia: After the wedding, you're free to see whoever you want. You can have as many love affairs as you'd like. The only thing I ask is that you confine them to sophisticated women who won't try to get you to divorce your wife, and I’ll limit my liaisons to men who understand that, as well.
Nikolas: There aren't going to be any liaisons, Lydia.
Lydia: You're kidding.
Nikolas: Try me. If you are ever unfaithful to me, I'll divorce you immediately.
Lydia: Why would you demand the fidelity of a wife you don't even love?
Nikolas: A marriage of convenience is compromise enough. I won't sleep around on you, and I won't let you cheat on me. I expect us both to honor our marriage vows whether we like it or not.
Table outside Kelly’s (*GRRR* this one too - use some more sets people}
Zander: I should have known that this wasn't real. I'd look into your eyes, and we still connect the way we always have.
Emily: Let's not look back, Zander. What we have now is all that counts.
Zander: Em, I want to give you everything. I want to give you strength when you're scared. I want to give you comfort when you're in pain. I want to listen when you want to talk. And I want to shut up when you want to hear your own thoughts.
Emily: There's only one thing I need right now.
Zander: Tell me. Anything.
Emily: For you just to put your arms around me and hold me tight.
Zander: Works for me.