The last of the charts were signed and filed for the shift, thankfully. Georgia stretched, rolling her neck to release a bit of the tension that had built up during the eight hours she had spent trying not act like a spurned lover whenever Ian entered the room. How could he ask that mousy Ellen Mason to the Moonlight & Roses Ball after...everything? It made no sense. She sighed trying to work out the kinks in her shoulders.

"Let me help you with that," Ian said softly behind her, his hands touching her neck. Georgia nearly jumped out of her skin at his touch, pulling away sharply. "What's the matter?"

"We're at work," Georgia replied glancing at him over her shoulder. "Wasn't there some rule about physical contact at the hospital?" She added coldly, jerking away from him.

"I'm done for the day and I can see you are as well. I think that qualifies us as being officially off work," Ian replied quirking an eyebrow at her. "But if it makes you feel better, I'll keep my hands to myself until we are safely hidden from the world."

"Or you could just keep your hands to yourself all the time." She took a step away from him, keeping her back to him. She had no desire to let him see how hurt she was.

"What the hell is going on, Georgia?" Ian demanded.

"Nothing apparently," Georgia snapped back. She turned around and headed for the door, almost making it before Ian grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him. "Let go of me!"

"No. What is the matter with you? You're acting like I did something horrible to you. And by all rights, I should be the one who is angry considering the way I was treated the last time we were together."

"What does that mean?" She didn't want to defend Gina by any means, but in her current mood, Gina was a good deal more honorable than Ian McCormick.

"It means," Ian said releasing her, "that I should be pissed as hell at the treatment I received from your mother. But I'm not. In fact, in retrospect it's rather amusing. But I'm not angry, am I? In fact, I was planning on taking you away for the weekend, since we both have the same time off but now I'm not so sure I want to."

"Why don't you take Ellen Mason then?" Georgia asked stiffly. "I'm sure she would love to go. Or...is she too busy picking out a dress to wear to the Moonlight & Roses Ball?"

"How did you hear about that?"

Georgia glared at him, trying to stay angry. If she let herself, she would cry in front of him and she refused to let him see just how much she cared about him. "She told me, Ian! I just met her and she's telling me all about you and how you two used to date."

"Christ..." He ran a hand through his hair rumpling it.

"I thought maybe she was lying but why would she? Thanks a lot Ian."

"Wait a minute. Don't I get a chance to explain?" He demanded. She folded her arms over her chest and tapped her foot impatiently. "You look like your mother when you do that," he commented, pulling her towards the desk. "Look, Ellen and I used to date, that's true. It was years ago and I broke up with her because she wasn't what I wanted. In fact, she was a little crazy if you want to know the truth."

"People change..."

"Not her. She's certifiable, Georgia. The only reason I agreed to take her to that stupid party was because she offered me her proxy on the board here if I did. You know how important my career is and this is a good opportunity."

"Go ahead, Ian. Take her to the stupid ball. Be her Prince Charming. What do I care? What do I matter? I'm just some girl you screwed around with. Apparently, I'm not good enough to be seen in public with you."

Realization registered on Ian's face. "Is that what this is about? You're jealous."

"I'm not jealous!" Georgia snapped her face burning with embarrassment.

Ian laughed aloud at her expression and took her hands in his. "You are!" Ian exclaimed with a laugh. Georgia scowled darkly at him and tried to pull away but he held her hands firmly. "Now wait a minute. I think it's cute that you're jealous."

"Don't be an ass, Dr. McCormick!" Georgia snapped.

"Georgia, I promise, I'm not taking her to this shindig because I want to. I'm doing it solely to get a seat on the board. Once the party is over, where do you think I'll be? That's right, I'll be with you. I don't want anything to do with Ellen if I can help it. Her brother hates me and she is obsessed with me. The less I see of her the better off I'll be."

"Why bother taking her at all then if she's as crazy as you say she is?" She asked plaintively. "Why not just get a seat on the board of directors like everyone else?"

"Because you know as well as I do, you have to be appointed to a seat there and with John and Barbara Stafford filling the hospital representatives spots, I don't stand a chance." He lifted her chin and gazed into her eyes. "Now come on, don't let this get to you. It's for one night. That's it."

"You promise it's just the one time?" Georgia asked.

Ian placed his hand over his heart. "Cross my heart and hope to die," he said with a wink.

"Don't hope to die...okay, you're forgiven this time," she said with a small shake of the head. Just how many more times would she be able to forgive him, she wondered, before she couldn't any more?




Scene 2:

"He didn't rape me, okay? I had sex with him and my father came in at the end of it. He was the one who said I had to accuse Tyler of raping me. I went along with it because he threatened to hurt me if I didn't. My dad isn't afraid to punish me."

Nicolas turned the cassette recorder off and turned to Tyler whose face was a mixture of horror and relief. "Bizarre isn't it?" He asked dryly.

"That's an understatement," Tyler quipped back. "But at least it's settled."

"No, I don't think it is." Nicolas tucked the tape into his pocket, pulling out a pack of cigarettes to make room. He took one for himself then offered one to Tyler who shook his head. "Hope Angelina doesn't mind," he muttered, lighting the cigarette and taking a drag.

"Why don't you think it's over?" Tyler asked, pursuing Nicolas' statement.

"There's something she isn't saying," he remarked casually blowing a cloud of smoke into the clean air of Lina's living room. "She's afraid."

"Of her dad, she said as much."

"I think it's more than that....did you make the first move on this girl?"

Tyler shrugged, his brow knitting gently. "I don't remember...no, I didn't actually. We had a class together. We got to talking one day after class...I mentioned that I lived in Florida for a while, then the next day she asked me if I wanted to go for a ride. I think that would have been the first time."

"So that night wasn't the first time?"

"No. It was the first time at her house, but not the first time, no. That was probably about two months after the first time."

"Did she seem to be afraid of her father then?"

"Not that I can remember...why?"

"No reason," Nicolas muttered pacing the room. No reason except that it didn't make sense. Nothing that had happened to Tyler in the last couple of months made sense. Met a girl, seemingly at random, and had a relationship with her. Nothing too out of the ordinary there. But after a few dates and nights together, they get caught by her father who threatens her with bodily harm if she doesn't accuse Tyler of rape. That right there was just off. Sure, he was a politician and probably didn't want the publicity of a promiscuous daughter. But that didn't quite fit either.

And then there was Tyler's part in the whole matter. He had run instead of letting the police talk to him, because, as he had said, he was afraid of being connected to Nicolas. But Tyler had been stupid and had been linked to him even if the police weren't smart enough to realize they were brothers. So Nicolas had come looking for him. Yet Tyler had run from him too because someone had told him Nicolas was responsible for their brother's disappearance. Too coincidental.

"Nicky, if there is something going on, don't you think I should be in on it? This is my life we're talking about," Tyler interrupted.

"I don't know what's going," Nicolas admitted at last. "If I did I would tell you."

"So what happens now?"

Nicolas tossed his cigarette out the window carelessly. "What happens now...good question. First of all, you and your young lady are going back to Virginia and turning yourself into the police," he began turning to face his brother. "I'll get you a lawyer and give him this tape. You'll win in court of course."

"What about you? Aren't you afraid of the police using me to get to you?"

"Should I be? When it comes down to it, Tomas Tejera, what could you possibly tell them? That someone told you I had our brother killed? Hearsay and you know it. No, I think they will find out the connection on their own. We'll let them stew over why you changed your name for a while and then we'll give them a story about an argument we had after Papa's death. I think that ought to do it."

"And Dinah? She doesn't want to go back to Virginia at all," Tyler countered.

"I'm afraid she won't have a choice. Her parents have filed kidnapping charges against you and she's the only one who can clear you," Nicolas replied.

"I won't go back," Dinah said from the doorway. "I'll call my parents and tell them that I went willingly, but you can't make me go back."


Scene 3:

"Thank you for coming to the hospital with me," Kevin said giving Gina squeeze of her hand.

Gina smiled back at him, tilting her head slightly. "Of course I would come with you! You asked after all," Gina replied. She followed him to the elevator and stepped in after him. "I just hope your son doesn't mind," she added thinking about his daughter.

"He won't." Kevin looked positive and confident at that. She let the worry slide instead concentrating on him instead. Gina Corelli had spent most of her adult life taking care of her children, especially after her husband had left her. She'd worked a full-time job and a part-time job to make ends meet until Georgia had graduated from school and found work. Georgia had alleviated a lot of the stress and allowed Jay and Liza opportunities to be kids. Now that all of them were grown and off on their own, Gina found herself with time on her hands. time to be filled with what she wanted not what her kids wanted. If she had her way, she would fill her time with Kevin Conlan. Meeting Kevin had opened a whole new world for Gina. A world, she realized, she'd been missing for a long time.

The elevator doors slid open and they stepped out, hands still linked like teenagers. For once, Gina didn't care what anyone thought about it. She liked Kevin and he liked her. That was all she cared about. Jory Conlan's room was at the end of the hall, the door closed to passersby. Kevin raised his free hand to open the door but Gina stopped it with her own.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Kevin? After the way Maura reacted to my presence the other day, I'm just not sure that forcing me on your children is a good idea right now. They all seem to be going through so much...drama."

"Gina...before I met you, I wasn't real to anyone, let alone myself. You make me feel alive again and I want my kids to know it," Kevin said smiling at her. "Maura...I don't know what's gotten into her. I guess she's torn up about Jude Fontaine...with good reason. That girl is so used to being alone she doesn't know a good thing when she has it."

"I can understand that, Kevin," Gina said with a rueful smile. "I've spent most of my life alone. Maybe I should talk to her...well, I will when she isn't so angry with me."

"I would like that very much. But Jory is different. If Jory likes you, the others will have no choice," Kevin said with a smile. "And I have no doubt that he will adore you like I do." He pushed the door open and pulled Gina into the room. From where she stood, framed in the doorway, she could see Kevin's son laying on his bed staring at the ceiling. He turned a bored gaze on them, his eyebrows raising gently in surprise.

"I wondered when this visit would happen," he remarked slowly. His gaze settled on Gina, examining her from head to toe. "You must be Gina."

Kevin responded for her by pulling her farther into the room. "Yes, this is Gina Corelli and you're looking much better, Jory!" He exclaimed happily.

"Well, looking better than the last time you saw me, Dad," Jory replied pulling himself up to a sitting position. "At least I can see what kept you away for so long."

"I'm sorry Jory. But Georgia has kept us up to date on your recovery. She says you'll be out by this weekend. We can't tell you how happy that makes us."

Jory's eyebrows shot up again. "Us? When did you become a 'we' Dad?"

Kevin looked taken aback at Jory's sharp tone. Apparently, the Conlan children weren't ready to accept their father as a single man even though he had been one for nearly ten years. At least her own children didn't seem to mind. Of course, there were twice as many Conlans as there were Corellis. Gina stepped forward to stand next to Kevin.

"He didn't mean it like that, Jory. Georgia is my daughter you know..."

"I know that!" Jory snapped, rolling his eyes.

"Jory, please don't use that tone of voice," Kevin began.

"Fine. Whatever, Dad. I was only worried when you didn't come see me for two weeks. Then I had to hear about..." He waved a hand at them. "You two from Georgia...what am I supposed to think? That your love life is more important than my health?"

"That's not it at all!" Gina exclaimed before she could stop herself. "Your father and I met and it isn't as if we purposely ignored you, Jory. But Georgia said you were going through some rough physical therapy and slept a lot. We thought it would be for the best if we left you to it as much as we could."

"How noble. Nevermind that I really wanted to see my father. Nevermind that I was worried every day he didn't come by or call." He scowled fiercely at Kevin. "Why are you letting her talk for you?"

"Jory," Kevin returned calmly. "I don't know what has gotten into you or Maura but this behavior has to stop. I did not raise you to behave this way to strangers."

"You didn't raise me Dad. Mom did...and after she died, Maura did. But you're right, neither of them raised me to behave that way." He glanced at Gina. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Gina mumbled looking away. That was two out of five that didn't like her now. She was doing wonderfully.

"I'm sorry, Dad. I thought I meant more to you than some woman you just met." He fell silent and rolled over on his side facing the wall. Kevin glanced at Gina offering her an apologetic shrug.

"Come on, Kevin," Gina said softly laying a hand on his arm. "Let's leave him alone for awhile."

"All right...Jory? I'll be back later." Jory didn't flinch as they retreated back to the hallway. "I don't know what to say, Gina," Kevin managed once the door was closed. "I thought Jory would be the one to welcome you..."

"It's okay, Kevin. We did just meet and it'll take them some time to get used to the idea of you being with someone who isn't their mother," Gina reassured him, not so sure she believed it herself.


Scene 4:

"What's the matter with you?"

Maura looked up crossly from the vegetables she was chopping for beef stew. "What makes you think there is something wrong with me?" She snapped at Luke. He leaned against the doorjamb his arms folded over his chest.

"Because whatever you've done to that potato is just wrong," he remarked with a nod at what she was doing. Maura looked down at the mutilated potato, sighing in exasperation. She scraped what was left of it off the cutting board into the trash and picked another potato from the bag. "Gonna kill another one?" Luke asked coming into the kitchen.

"Very funny. What are you doing here anyway?" Maura snapped. "Shouldn't you be off trying to get a divorce?"

"Believe it or not, divorces aren't that easy to get," Luke replied pulling a knife from a drawer. He picked up a potato and peeled it quickly. "Here. Now why are you here? Shouldn't you be at the diner?"

"I'm protesting." Maura dumped the potatoes into a pot of water and turned the burner on underneath it. "I'm not going to work at the diner until Dad comes to his senses."

"Why? What's he done?" Maura raised her eyebrows in surprise for a moment. "Seriously," Luke added catching her expression. "Remember, I'm the guy who's been dumped twice in the last month. I haven't been around him like you have."

"Oh yeah...he's dating that woman," Maura snapped slamming her knife down on the cutting board with a loud crash. Luke raised his eyebrows and stepped back cautiously. "Sorry...I just...do you know he wanted to include her on Connie's business? Can you believe that?"

"So, Dad has a girlfriend. Big deal, Mo. It's about time don't you think?"

"No! I don't think! You obviously have not met her," Maura stormed. "She's... Well, she thinks she knows how to run a diner! She's a nurse for pete's sake. And the way she condescended to me? 'Oh Maura, you should respect your father.' As if I haven't done that for the last ten years since Mom died. Makes me sick."

"You know, you sound jealous." He retreated another step, inching away from the Maura's furious expression.

"I am not! Why would you even say that?"

"Because it's true. Look at you. You can't stand the idea of Dad relying on someone else. Go on, admit it," Luke grinned.

"I'd actually like it for a change. But Gina Corelli, no way. She's..."

"What? Using him for his money?" Luke interrupted. "Come on, Mo. Even you have to admit that's pretty farfetched. Maybe she really likes Dad and he likes her. There's nothing wrong with that."

"So, you don't care that she's trying to take Mom's place?" Maura blurted without thinking, not fully realizing that was how she felt in the first place. Luke shrugged and pulled a chair out, motioning for Maura to sit down. He jerked another chair over next to it and dropped down next to her.

"Look, I don't want anyone to take Mom's place. None of us do. But the fact of it is, Maura Rose," Luke said using her full name like Kevin did when chastising her. "Dad has a life just like us. He's entitled to a little happiness. Maybe you don't like this Gina but that's not your place to judge her. If she's the wrong woman for Dad, he needs to make that decision. And I can pretty much guarantee you that Dad isn't trying to replace Mom with this woman, either. He's probably lonely. You can sympathize with that can't you?"

"Low blow," she muttered throwing a pouting gaze at him.

"But the truth. Right?"

"Right. I hate it when you're all cool and smart. Why aren't you being a jerk like normal?" Maura asked reaching for a pile of napkins to fold.

Luke sighed and picked up a napkin. "I've been an ass all week. I don't feel like it tonight."

"You have? And why would you be an ass all week, Lucas Michael? You're so sweet normally."

"Ha ha. Hallie's done something...she's said something to Liza I know she has. That has to be why Liza decided she didn't want to see me anymore," Luke replied staring off into space. "Maura, I need a favor from you," he said suddenly.

"What?"

"Talk to her for me? Liza I mean. Maybe she'll talk to you. She certainly won't talk to me. And I'll be damned if I let Hallie screw with my life anymore than she already has."

"Jillie says if you want something you should go get it," Maura replied carefully. Liza and Hallie were touchy subjects for Luke and she didn't want to hurt his feelings any more than they already were. "Maybe you should just go after Liza."

"Jillie is full of crap, Maura. And since when did you start listening to her?"

Maura paused folding the napkins. When did she start listening to Jillie? How about when Jude decided that he needed "time." She'd decided then that at least Jillie got what she wanted. She must know what she's doing. At least Maura hoped she did.

"I asked Jillie for her advice on...about something," Maura replied casually. "Besides, she usually gets what she wants. Nothing wrong there."

"I suppose not, but Maura, you're not Jillie. You can't do what she does. Is this about Jude?" Maura averted her eyes from her brother's searching gaze. "It is. All right, I'll help you....if you help me. Talk to Liza for me, find out what's changed her mind and I'll talk to Jude and find out what it'll take for you to get him back. That is what you want isn't it?"

Of course it was. Maura nodded briefly, agreeing to a world of trouble, she was sure. "All right, I'll do it."

"Good, I was thinking that her ball is next Saturday. You can corner her there," Luke said scraping his chair back. "And I'll corner Jude and neither one of them will know what hit them."



Scene 5:

Hallie's doctor signed off on her release and handed it to the charge nurse. "You're in perfect health, Hallie. Just take it easy the next few days. Have your husband here wait on you hand and foot," he said winking at her. Hallie flushed darkly, averting her eyes from Stephen's grinning face.

"I'll do just that," Stephen remarked, playing along. "Come along my dear wife." He pushed her wheelchair towards the front doors, laughing to himself.

"Oh stop it already," Hallie hissed. "Quit being so damn amused by it!"

"Come on, Hal. Have a sense of humor about it. Besides, the way I see it," he added pausing at the door as they slid open. "As soon as your divorce is final, it won't be too long before we really are husband and wife."

"What?" Hallie twisted around in the wheelchair trying to see his face. He couldn't possibly be serious. Getting married after just getting a divorce? That was...well it was unseemly! "You're joking right?"

He stopped her chair and walked to kneel in front of her. "I'm not. I'm very serious about this. You and I should have been married two years ago and I don't intend to let you slip through my fingers again, Hallie."

"Stephen, don't be foolish. You have me now. There's no need to go proposing marriage. Besides, I don't want to get married again." She got to her feet with his help and waited while the orderly took the wheelchair away, looking eagerly to the car to get away from the hospital and Stephen's besotted act. "Besides, I think we ought to just take things slowly for a while."

"When did you ever take things slowly?" Stephen asked raising his eyebrow questioningly. "Don't you want to be with me?"

"I am with you. See?" She inched closer to him, nestling her chin on his chest. "I'm with you more than I ever have been before. Isn't this enough for now?"

"Wait a minute, Hallie." He pushed her away and searched her eyes. "You don't want to marry me, do you?"

Hallie sighed softly. "I didn't say that."

"You might as well have." He gave her a sharp look releasing his hold on her. "You don't want to stay married to that idiot do you?"

"Luke?" Hallie shook her head and rolled her eyes. "No. The sooner I get that divorce the better. I don't need a reminder of what a failure that idea was."

"So why not marry me when you're free? You were going to a couple of years ago. Just because you made a mistake with Luke Conlan doesn't mean you should give up on marriage completely."

"Stephen, listen to me. I don't want to marry anyone any time soon. I didn't like being married to Luke and I'm not so certain I'll like being married to anyone else," Hallie shrugged. "It's nothing personal. I just don't think I'm the wife type. Girlfriend, mistress...that's me. Not wife."

"You are though. Don't sell yourself short, Hallie. I would be proud to have you as my wife." He opened the car door for her and walked around to the other side. He couldn't be more serious, Hallie noted to herself as he climbed behind the steering wheel. That would never do because she had no intention of marrying anyone ever again. Stephen started the car, edging out into the morning traffic along Knightbridge Avenue, letting the silence fall between them heavily.

She should be thrilled, ecstatic, overjoyed even, at the idea of marrying Stephen. She was in love with him after all and had been since the day they had met. But after the disaster of a marriage she was trying to get herself out of, marrying Stephen and ruining whatever good feelings they had managed to build between them was not what she had in mind. Hallie wanted to focus on humiliating Luke Conlan for the time being. After all, he had gone out of his way to damage her reputation, why shouldn't she return the favor? She glanced over at Stephen with hooded eyes, sighing heavily.

"What's the matter?" He asked glancing over at her quickly.

Hallie shook her head innocently. "I was just thinking about going back to that house...."

"You're not. Dane and I moved most of your valuable things back to Four Winds and the rest of it went to my house. You're staying with me," he said, adding, "whether you like it or not."

"Oh no, that's what I was hoping for. But Stephen...what about Luke? Has anyone...have you talked to him?" She asked emphasizing the word "talked."

"Not yet," Stephen replied grimly. "But don't worry about it Hal. He'll get what he deserves."
 

On the next Episode of Secret Horizons...

Episode 126