Episode 110

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Episode 110

Scene 1:

"I've been looking everywhere for you," Luke announced to Liza as she opened the door to the house she shared with her brother. Liza frowned at him and stepped out onto the porch.

"What do you want, Luke?" She asked coldly her arms folded over herself protectively.

"To see you, talk to you...are you still mad?" He asked. She had been none too pleased with his inference that Gwen was toying with Hallie when she offered the job at the Foundation to Liza. "Liza, I'm sorry. I know you're capable of being the director at the Foundation...but forgive me if I am suspicious of Gwen's motives. It isn't as if she is a paragon of virtue, after all."

Liza stared at the ground, keeping her eyes firmly away from his. "I know Luke, but I thought you would support me..."

"And I am. But someone has to watch your back, Liza. I've seen those two in action and they are quite a pair."

"I guess you should know since they are your family!" Liza snapped, raising her head. Luke's brow creased angrily. She took a step back from him involuntarily.

"They are not my family, Liza. If you think that, then maybe everything I thought we had between us...well maybe that doesn't mean anything at all." He turned to leave but paused at her loud exclamation of his name. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw tears well in the corner of her eyes. "Liza...," he muttered going back to her and lifting her chin. "Come on...don't be angry because I doubted *Gwen's* intentions. I know you can do the job."

She nodded stiffly, letting the tears swell. "I'm sorry, Luke. But no one has ever believed in me except my brother and I thought you would...you know be supportive too like Galen."

"I am," he promised. "I am, Liza." He brushed a tear off her cheek. "You just have to know who to trust. You can't trust any Mason, no matter who it is."

"But I can trust you?" Liza asked collecting herself.

"Yes...for anything. I'd do anything for you, Liza. That's why I'm here," he said reaching into his breast pocket. He handed an envelope to her. "I started divorce proceedings this afternoon."

Liza took the envelope and stared at it incredulously for a moment before gazing back at him. "Luke! Hallie agreed?"

"Hallie doesn't know yet," he said softly. "She will tonight but, Liza, I had to show you I was serious about it didn't I? I don't love Hallie, you know that. I want to be with you," he told her earnestly. "And there can never be any doubt about that."

"Thank you Luke," Liza whispered falling into his arms clutching the papers tightly. Luke returned the embrace, glad for the brief moment of surrender with her. After this though, there would be Hallie, and *that* was not something he looked forward to at all.

Scene 2:

"Honey, I'm home!" Jewel called brightly shutting the door with her hip as her arms were loaded down with bags.

Piper looked up from her position on the couch in the living room. The couch and the TV being the only two pieces of furniture in the room. They were college kids what did one expect? "Hi."
Jewel's eyebrows furrowed, "well that was a crappy greeting."

"Pip's been like that all day. I think we should do something to her for it," Evan said as he came down the steps. "But, I'm happy to see you honey!"

Jewel brightened up, "awww! I love you Evan!"

They exchanged kisses in the air. "What did you bring me?" Evan asked.

"I spoiled myself and no you can't borrow any of it," Jewel said, dropping her bags on the kitchen counter.

Evan frowned and sat down at a stool, pulling things out of the bags.

"This is cute," he commented on a bright pink peasant top. "This is def your color, Jewelyanna."

Jewel nodded and pivoted on her heel, heading for Piper. "What's wrong kid?" she asked, leaning over the couch to look at Piper.

"Just one of those days. I had a kid throw up on my shoes. I had to break up two fights. I haven't talked to Noah in nearly a week-"

"And whose fault is that?"

Piper sighed, "and I have an appointment with Dr. McCormick tomorrow, she wants to put me on antidepressants."

"I use to take some. They rock, man."

"I don't want to be on antidepressants. It's not like I'm going to cut my wrists or anything."

"I'm sure Dr. McCormick has her reasons," Jewel soothed, sliding over the couch next to Piper.

"I told her every time I screw up...which is frequently...I think I just want to die or I just want to kill myself. I would never do it, but it's like automatic. I can't seem to do anything right..."

"Oh, Piper," Jewel said with a soft smile, "don't be so hard on yourself. Everyone screws up, fifty-million times a day, it's a part of being human."

"But, I just hate myself for being so oh, poor Piper because I'm acting like Maura or something. I mean Maura has her good points and so does Jillie...I always wanted to be more like Jillie, but you know not really. I don't want to be like either one. I don't want to be the little sister of the Conlan's Glen."

"But you are, Pip, so make the most of it, that's all I can offer you," Jewel replied with a smile and a shrug.

"Okay, Evan can't take all this Oprah crap, but I have an idea to perk up our precious little Pip!" Evan said as he bounced over. He smiled slyly. "It's ladies night at the Flamingo Club in Richmond!"

"That sounds more like something to perk Evan up," Jewel retorted.

"Oh, come on, Chippendale boys in black spandex panties, c'mon, please, please, please, pleeeeeeeeeaaaassssse," Evan begged, cupping his hands together.

Jewel turned back to Piper. "C'mon Pip, you know you want to," Jewel enticed.

"Um, yeah that will go over well with Noah...." Piper said.

Jewel and Evan rolled their eyes simultaneously. "He doesn't have to know!" Jewel said.

"C'mon Pip," Evan cheered.

"What about Ali?" Piper asked.

"She's visiting Mommy and Daddy in Texas," Evan said. They both pleaded to Piper with their eyes.

Piper sighed, "okay."

"Ohmigod, I love you," Evan squealed, embracing Piper.

Scene 3:

"Why do you want to know about Joshua Benton?" Gwen asked, raising her eyes from Liza's plans for the ball to Hallie giving her a searching look. "How do you know him?"

"I don't," Hallie replied carefully, going over her story in her head. It would never do to have Gwen curious. "I was talking to Denise Cleary at the PAC and she mentioned bringing a ballet troupe to the Glen. She said he was available if they needed a director and I just wondered who he was. I assumed you would know," Hallie added.

"I do know Joshua Benton...but not very well," Gwen answered warily. "He might agree to help a new ballet." She leaned back in her chair. "I'm sorry Hallie. I don't buy your story. I know you want me to but I don't. Why are you really interested in Joshua?"

"You're far too suspicious," Hallie answered sharply.

"Am I? I think I might have good cause to be suspicious of you, Hallie." Gwen stood and passed her niece to the open door. She glanced outside quickly before closing the door, secreting them both inside for the time being. "So, are you going to tell me why you want to know about Joshua Benton? Or are you going to make me guess?"

"Truthfully," Hallie replied with an airy laugh. "I think you're being ridiculous. I was curious...that is all."

"Right. I'm not buying it."

"Well, I don't care if you believe me or not," Hallie returned rolling her eyes. Gwen was a dead end, that was certain. She would have to try Ellen later. "I was curious, I'm sorry if you don't trust me."

"Trust you?!" Gwen laughed aloud at Hallie's comment, her hand covering her mouth as she did. "Trust you. That is rich coming from the very person who only a few months ago was trying to destroy my family."

"Wait a minute," Hallie shot back, getting instantly annoyed with Gwen's implication. "First of all, I was not out to destroy your family. Just you. Secondly, you're the one who forced me out of ME! You knew I wanted to run ME and yet you still begged Jamie to come home and take over from Dane."

"ME is Jamie's inheritance," Gwen answered haughtily.

"You mean Jude's. He is your first born after all. Or have you forgotten that already?" Hallie snapped back. "You did deny him his identity after all."

"You are the most self-centered, selfish, and vain woman I have ever met. And I have no inclination to help you no matter what your dirty little plan is," Gwen replied coldly. "Whatever it is you need Joshua Benton for, you can find it out on your own."

Hallie opened her mouth to respond sharply but thought better of it. Instead, she marched past her aunt to the closed door and yanked it open. Without looking back, she headed straight for the front door. There was no need staying here and letting Gwen upset her. She pulled the door open and came face to face with Stephen.

"What are you doing here?" Hallie demanded. Stephen raised his eyebrows in surprise taking a step back from her. "Well? What are you doing here, Stephen?"

Scene 4:

Neither could speak the moment they landed in New York. Maura's stomach twisted in knots at the thought of knocking on her cousin's door. Thinking about seeing Tristen though, made it worse. She watched Rick as they headed towards Katrina and Bruce's penthouse apartment. He seemed on edge and nervous, returning her looks with reassuring gazes that were none too convincing. What were they doing? Maura wondered, and not for the first time. She wanted desperately to see Tristen for herself, she couldn't deny that. But showing up, unannounced and unwelcome, would not be the way to go about it.

They left the cab at the corner and walked to Katrina's building. Rick gave their names to the doorman and let him announce them. If Katrina was going to deny them, now would be the time. The doorman returned, though, smiling helpfully and opening the door for them. They exchanged furtive glances and continued into the building.

"I suppose she must have known this would happen," Rick remarked, as the elevator doors closed them off from the foyer. It was the first thing he had said since getting off the plane.

"I always promised I wouldn't do this though," Maura replied. "It must be Bruce who let us in. Katrina wouldn't have."

"Don't be paranoid, Mo. Maybe your cousin is ready to tell Tristen about us."

"You don't understand, Rick. Tristen thinks that Katie and Bruce are her real parents. They told the world that she is their daughter. They wouldn't just back out of the lie now," Maura explained quickly. "Neither one of us is going to tell her any different either. Right?" She pressed. "Right?"

"I can't promise you that," Rick replied. He sighed and leaned against the wall of the elevator. "I'm feeling very...territorial right now. I want what's mine, Maura. I can't promise that I won't see my daughter and now want to take her home with me."

"Well, you can't," Maura insisted. "Bruce is her father and what's more, they have more money than you or I will ever see. If you try to take her, they'll beat you in court because they have the money to drag it out. Besides...that would only hurt Tristen and you don't want to do that, do you?"

He didn't have time to answer. The elevator doors opened just then, revealing an elegant hallway. Maura nodded to the door at the end, penthouse three, as they began the walk to the door. Maura's feet felt like lead and her heart hammered against her ribs. She'd waited ten years to see Tristen and yet, it all felt wrong. The door opened before they had a chance to knock. Katrina Ford, elegantly dressed in a white pantsuit, her hair swept off her face, and impeccable make-up, gazed at Maura coolly.

"What are you doing here? You were never supposed to come here," she whispered.

"I know, Katie. But things have changed." Rick cleared his throat behind her. Katrina's eyes shifted to Rick momentarily. "Katie, this is Rick. He's the father," she said pausing to glance back over her shoulder at Rick. "He wants to see Tristen."

"You can't," Katrina replied lifting her chin defiantly at him. "I won't let you."

Scene 5:

"What is going on between you and my daughter?"

Jude blinked in surprise at the bluntness of Kevin's question. "Excuse me?" He asked, swallowing a mouthful of coffee. "I wasn't aware there was anything going on."

"Jude," Kevin said patiently. "One day you're together, the next day you're not. And today, she's flown off to New York with Rick Upton. A man, up until a month ago, she claimed to despise and a man who was dating her sister. Now, Maura doesn't tell me everything, but I'm not stupid. I can see she and this Rick Upton have some sort of history. I don't like it and I don't like her running off on the spur of the moment either. Now, what is going on?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Jude replied, feeling his heart sink at the news of Maura and Rick in New York...together. "She broke up with me, Mr. Conlan. Seems to me, she's moved on."

"Who is Rick Upton to her then?" Kevin persisted.

"You'll have to ask her," Jude answered patiently, though he knew quite well what Rick was to her.

"I like you Jude. You're good for her," Kevin said suddenly, surprising Jude again. "About ten years ago, Maura came home from college with a lot of problems. She didn't smile for about half of those years. I thought maybe she'd get over her problems. Or at least deal with them better than she was...but her mother died and I wasn't any help considering everything. She didn't even have her sisters or brothers to turn to. But ever since she met you Jude, I see the old Maura again." He gave Jude a meaningful look and scraped his chair back away from the table. "Look, I can't make you want to sort this mess out with her, but let me just tell you that when you started coming around was when Maura woke up from sleeping her life away. Don't let this Rick Upton come between you."

"Mr. Conlan, Maura made it very clear that she didn't want me in her life," Jude began. Kevin waved him remark off with his hand.

"Let me tell you something about my daughter. Maura is a martyr. Plain and simple. She likes it when people think of her as the long suffering type. Just as her sisters do. But I'm telling you right now, whatever she said to you...she didn't mean it. You just wait and see. In the meantime, don't give up on her."

Scene 6:

Rick stepped forward, getting between Maura and her cousin. "Look, Katrina...I didn't know about her before," he said gently. "All I want is the chance to see her. That's it."

She looked distrustfully at him and then back at Maura. "You promised me you would never come here, Maura. Bruce will have a fit if he finds out you came and brought him."

"I know, Katie. But I couldn't deny him..."

"It isn't Maura's fault," Rick interrupted. "I wanted to see her and Maura was against it from the start. Don't blame her." Katrina stared at him incredulously. She certainly wasn't much of an actress, Rick thought, if she can't hide her disdain better than that. "Look, I just found out she existed. All I want is the opportunity to see her. Is that so wrong?"

"Yes!" Katrina Ford cried. "We had a deal! And you were not a part of it."

"Katie, I promise, we won't tell her who we are, just let us get a glimpse of her. Please?" Maura pleaded. "We're not here to challenge anything least of all the adoption. I would never ever do that to her or to you. But Rick...he didn't know about her. This is the very least that I owe him."

Maura's cousin didn't look convinced but after a moment, she stepped aside and let them into the marble hall of the penthouse. The Ford's had expensive tastes from what Rick could see as they stood in the hall. Tristen had a comfortable life at the very least. Katrina closed the door behind them and led them to the living room, her heels clicking loudly on the marble floor. Maura gave him a nervous glance. He wrapped a reassuring arm around her shoulder and followed Katrina.

"Ground rules," Katrina stated once they were seated on the large divan in the center of the room. "Tristen is due back from school any moment now. You will not say anything that might give her concern. I will introduce you as my cousin and her friend but nothing else. You're in New York on business and wanted to visit but won't be able to stay longer than an hour. Am I clear?"

They nodded together. Rick's stomach was lurching in an annoying fashion. Dammit, get yourself together Upton, he scolded himself. This was his daughter after all and he wanted her to remember him in some fashion, preferably in a positive way and being nervous would not help his cause. The Fords' maid brought them some tea and shuffled away leaving them to sit in silence. Katrina Ford was in no mood for pleasant small talk, he could see. And Maura looked as if she wanted to disappear into the sofa.

They heard the door opening and two sets of footsteps, one bouncy the other serious and plodding. Bruce Ford entered the room, Tristen at his side. Rick couldn't take his eyes from her. There was a vitality in her face that no picture could capture. She had his coloring but the rest was virtually Maura. He heard a sharp intake of breath from Maura and guessed correctly that she had seen the same thing.

Bruce Ford stepped forward, his eyes resting on Maura. Rick saw a moment of understanding in Bruce's wary gaze. "Well. Looks like Mother has company Tristi," he said to the girl clinging shyly to his hand. "I know one of our guests. This is your mother's cousin, Maura Conlan. Say hello Tristen."

"Hello," Tristen repeated obediently.

"And you would be?" Bruce asked of Rick giving him a suspicious stare. Rick glanced at Maura briefly before opening his mouth to reply.