Rachel stood in the centre of the Lumina Ballroom.

"I have something to say to all of you." she said, "It's been six months since Carl died, and in those six months, the only one of you who has had any sympathy for my grief has been Paulina. The only one! The rest of you - my 'friends', my neighbours, my own family - all of you - have acted as though Carl's death was a relief! After everything Carl did for this town, not one of you had the grace to regret his passing! Some of you wondered why I didn't hold a memorial service. It was because I wouldn't have been able to stomach the hypocrisy of being in the same room with all of you while you pretended not to have distrusted my husband!"

"Come on, Rachel," said Cass, "We had reason to distrust Carl - you know that!"

"That Embers In The Snow nonsense?" said Rachel, "You have no evidence that Carl was behind that - none at all! But that didn't stop you turning on him, did it? You're a lawyer, Cass - haven't you ever heard of proof?"

Rachel paused, and looked around her. Chris Madison was scribbling in his notebook.

"Planning another story, Mr Madison - like that hatchet job you did on Carl? And you, Jake, how could you print that rubbish?"

"It was news!" said Jake defensively.

"Carl's death was news! But there was no need for you to dredge up his earlier life! Carl would be the first to admit that he hadn't been a saint, but he had reformed! You didn't just go into detail about every crime he ever committed - you listed every crime he had ever been accused or even suspected of committing! Innuendo, character assassination, libel -!"

"You can't libel a dead man, Rachel." said Jake.

"No - so you felt free to print lies about Carl! Never mind that you haven't led an exemplary life yourself, Jake! And you, Victoria! Carl loved you like a daughter, and you never so much as sent me a sympathy card! Did you even notice that Carl was dead? You certainly didn't care!"

(Note: Vicky never once mentioned the fact that Carl was dead! That really irked me!)

"I know Carl's death hit you hard, Rachel," said Felicia, "But you'll get over it, in time."

"The way you got over John Hudson, and Alexander Nikos? I'm not as shallow as you are, Felicia."

Rachel moved on to Matthew and Amanda.

"My children!' she said, "The spoiled, selfish brats who could barely restrain themselves from dancing for joy when Carl died. I suppose I should be grateful that you didn't even pretend not to gloat, since you're the ones who killed him!"

"Rachel - you don't know what you're saying!" said Paulina.

"Oh, I know exactly what I'm saying!" said Rachel, "When Matthew and Amanda's plot to drive Carl out of my life didn't work, they hired a hitman! Tell me, Joe, why didn't you figure that out? Are you too dense, or were you part of the plot? I know you hated Carl - and believe me, it was mutual!"

"Rachel, you and Joe have had your differences, but you know he cares about you." said Paulina.

"Now how would I know that?" said Rachel, "Judging from your behaviour, Joe, you hold me in contempt! But that's all right, because I despise you - you stupid, crude, loudmouthed -"

"Rachel, let me take you home!" said Paulina hurriedly, as Joe was clearly on the verge of losing it.

"Yes, Paulina." said Rachel, "Take me home. I can't stand to look at any of these people any more!"

As they drove towards the Cory Mansion, Paulina said, "That wasn't true, was it? Amanda and Matt didn't really hire -?"

"Indeed they did!" said Rachel, "I have all the proof I need! As far as I'm concerned, they are no longer my children. There are limits even to my ability to forgive and forget. I'm making a fresh start, as of tonight!"

They had just arrived home when a sudden BOOM! shook the whole house.

"What was that?" cried Paulina.

"Semtex." Rachel thought, "Only the best!"

(Note: It's military explosive, very powerful)

****

Key West, June 1999:

"The FBI announced today that the explosion which destroyed the Lumina Building in Bay City Illinois seven months ago was the work of domestic terrorists, believed to have ties to Timothy McVeigh -"

Rachel turned off the tv, and walked over to the French doors. The sweet scents of the Florida night entered on the breeze that fluttered the gauze curtains.

The FBI's announcement ended any fear Rachel had that they might figure out the truth - that Rachel had used the Lumina Ball to make a clean sweep of all the people she had come to hate. Maybe now she really could make a fresh start! The first thing to do was to find a bigger house: this one had never been intended for eight people, even if five of them were children!

"Goodnight Grandma! Goodnight, Aunt Paulina! Goodnight Allie!" Steven and Kirkland were in their pajamas. (Naturally, as their surviving grandparent, Rachel had been given custody of Vicky's sons.)

Good night, Darlings!" said Rachel. She checked on Cory and Elizabeth - both sleeping like angels -as was Dante, then decided to go for a walk along the beach.

She was gazing out at the moonlit sea when a noise behind her made her turn .

"Oh my god!" she gasped, when she saw who was standing there.

"Do you know me?" said Carl."Please, please, do you know me?"

Note: I thought it would be fun if Rachel's legendary patience finally ran out! :-D