General Hospital comings and goings: James Patrick Stuart muses another Valentin Cassadine return

Valentin Cassadine has left the General Hospital building once again, but it's not something that hasn't happened before. James Patrick Stuart has been coming and going from Port Charles since he first debuted nearly a decade ago.

Gone like the wind on General Hospital

When Stuart first appeared on the General Hospital scene, he sported a mustache and was known by a different name. He introduced himself to a visiting crew from Port Charles as Theo, the caretaker on Cassadine Island. Theo ended up shooting Nikolas Cassadine, leading Nik to fall through a window to his alleged death.

Once he was revealed to be Valentin Cassadine, the feared "most evil Cassadine of them all," he disappeared, only to show up in Port Charles months later. Valentin settled in quite nicely after a one-night stand with Nina Reeves (then played by Michelle Stafford, now Cynthia Watros). He claimed Charlotte (Scarlett Fernandez) as his after multiple baby daddy mix-ups, married Nina, and took over Wyndemere. We also learned he had been carrying a torch for Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) for decades, something that always got under Nina's skin.

Eventually, Anna arrested Valentin for his many crimes and sent him to an international prison at The Hague. Amazingly, Valentin managed to get released on a technicality and made his way back to Port Charles, where he and Anna fell in love. This week, after she arrested him again, Anna sent Valentin off to another international prison, but as we learned years ago, that doesn't mean he is gone for good.

Many happy returns for James Patrick Stuart

When Valentin went on the run from the law last summer, Stuart moved to Oregon to start a new life in the Pacific Northwest. The actor has been posting snaps of his new home base on social media for months, but that doesn't mean a quick plane ride can't bring him back to Port Charles every now and then. During his latest stint, Stuart had the perfect place to stay.

"It was three weeks in L.A., which is no longer my hometown," Stuart told Soap Opera Digest." I ended up crashing at Michael Knight’s [Martin] house and got to see the old gang again. I’m not on contract, so [Valentin going to jail] was no skin off my teeth...But who knows? Who knows what’ll happen in the future?"

Despite no longer living in the Hollywood area, Stuart wouldn't mind another return to tell another chapter in Valentin's story — as well as Anna and Valentin's story.

"You know as well as I do that stories get written and [characters] get put in corners all the time, but if they come up with something that serves the show, of course I’d be happy to be there," Stuart said. "I think whatever happens next, it’s a clean slate. I sure hope that I get to work with Finola [Hughes, Anna] again because I just think that when you put the two of us in a room, she and I really enjoy each other."

Before Jack hauled Valentin out of the PCPD and onto a plane to prison, he and Anna admitted those old feelings were still there. Will Vanna's love story continue one day? Stay tuned to find out...

Catch all-new episodes of General Hospital weekdays on ABC and Hulu.