Scene 1:

The three dark-haired and fair-skinned women were a famous trio at the country club and it was a rarity to see the three together in public. But, such occurrences called for constant doting from those employed at the club and the lesser members, which was anyone other than the Masons. An eager waiter filled Catherine's glass which was barely half empty.

"That was the fifth time. If my bladder explodes can we sue?" Catherine asked. Eleanor rolled her eyes at her youngest. They resembled each other more than Genevieve and Eleanor. Genevieve was more laid-back and natural, while Eleanor and Catherine tended to share that flippancy which they so often bestowed on others in public. "So, Mother, have you been watching old reruns of Leave it to Beaver?" Catherine asked.

Eleanor's brow creased slightly, before she realized how unattractive that might appear. "What are you talking about, Catherine?"

"I was merely asking why you felt the sudden, overwhelming desire to bond with your two daughters and at the country club of all places?" Catherine replied coolly, "I thought you were embarrassed to be seen with me in public." Genevieve poked her eyes out from over the top of her breakfast menu at Catherine.

"Catherine must I always come under fire with you?" Eleanor asked with surprising calm.

"It's always good to know a person's motives-"

"Mother, how are the Eggs Benedict here?" Genevieve intervened.

"Very nice, dear," Eleanor returned. That kind of conversation was her favorite. "Genevieve will you be attending the Mason's ball?"

Genevieve nodded, "of course."

"With who? Catherine don't slouch in her your chair."

Genevieve looked up from menu, "I don't know. I hadn't even thought of it."

"Do you know who your sister is going with?" Eleanor asked with a little sniff. Catherine dramatically tossed a hand in annoyance at her mother's comment.

"Probably Jareth," Genevieve responded casually.

"And you know of this?" Eleanor asked.

"Actually I guessed," Genevieve returned. "They've only been flirting since Catherine was ten."

"Well, why don't you knock some sense into her. After all you married a McCormick boy," Eleanor explained.

"Mother, Jareth is a nice guy," Genevieve replied easily.

"Of all the McCormick boys, why can't one of you pick Ian!" Eleanor demanded.

"He's a bit old for me, Mother," Catherine answered sharply.

"He's too much of a prick for me," Genevieve followed in a sharper tone.

"Genevieve Diane watch your language!" Eleanor implored. Genevieve and Catherine both rolled their eyes simultaneously at their mother's hypocrisy. Shifting gears, Eleanor made another attempt at small talk with her daughters.

"Gen why didn't you attend church with me this morning?" she asked innocently.

"Mother, you know as well as I do that I don't go to church," Genevieve answered.

"For God's sake, why can't you two be normal?" Eleanor demanded rather loudly. Catherine and Genevieve were beginning to see the cracks in Eleanor's facade. Like a sculpture as she aged she tended to break easier. Catherine looked at her mother with annoyance and Genevieve with pity.

"Mom, don't you get sick of pretending that you are?" Genevieve asked earnestly, surprising the other two women at the table with her more affectionate usage of mother. Catherine's dark expression seemed to lighten slightly and Eleanor's lit up in surprise.

Eleanor stammered for several seconds, "what do you-?" she attempted to ask lightly, but gave up towards the end. She abruptly rose from her seat causing Catherine to jump in shock for she had been help in curious rapture as to what Eleanor would say. The metal chair scraped against the patio with drama and caused a few stares towards Eleanor and her haunting expression. "Cecilia Adams and I have another round of golf to wrap up, dears."



Scene 2:

"I'm not going home," Dinah repeated. She stared at Tyler's brother, seeing the likeness between them almost instantly. "You can just forget about that."

"I don't think so," Nicolas Tejera replied slowly.

Dinah crossed her arms over her chest. Who was this guy to tell her what to do? "You are *so* not the boss of me," she said standing her ground. "I helped Tyler because I wanted to and I'm here because I want to be here. There's no way I'll let you force me into going back there!"

"Dinah, wait, think about what you're saying," Tyler cut in, edging towards her. "You're throwing your life away just because your parents aren't the best parents in the world. Don't do that."

"Since when did you get into psychoanalysis?" She snapped in return. "I don't have anything to go back to, Tyler. I won't go."

"Maybe you'd like to reconsider that, Dinah," Nicolas said coming to stand next to Tyler. "Both of you are in danger..."

"From what? The guys that you sent to grab us?"

Nicolas glared at Tyler and Dinah, shaking his head angrily. "You didn't tell me about anyone trying to grab you," he muttered to Tyler. He reached into his pocket and withdrew another cigarette, lighting it quickly. "I never sent anyone to get you. As soon as I heard you were here, I got here as fast as I could." He stared at Dinah, his eyes burning into her and making her shift uncomfortably. "I know your sister," he said suddenly.

"Kelly? How?" Nicolas shrugged and took a seat on Angelina's sofa, making himself quite comfortable. Dinah waited but he offered no explanation. She didn't like this man already regardless that he was related to Tyler. He was arrogant and cold, she thought, quite unlike Tyler. "All right, so don't tell me. Why bother mentioning it though if you're not going to tell me?"

"I knew her in Miami," Nicolas replied. "She saw you leave with Tyler."

"Saw me leave?" Dinah repeated incredulously. "I don't believe you."

"You should. For some reason, she left Miami and showed up in your hometown. I haven't spoken to her yet, so don't ask me why. But she was upstairs when you left with Tyler and told the police that she didn't think you were kidnapped. Your father on the other hand, is certain that this young man..." He pointed at Tyler with his cigarette. "...is responsible for leading you astray and turning you wild. Your father, if you'll pardon me, is quite an arrogant jerk."

"I suppose it takes one to know one," Dinah muttered, feeling childish as she did so. Nicolas' eyes widened in amusement.

"You don't like me? Well, I suppose I don't make a very good first impression." He stubbed the second cigarette out and leaned forward. "I will tell you that I am a very pragmatic man, Dinah. And I have good instincts...it's likely what has kept me alive this long. Sit down, let me tell you a few things." He motioned to the loveseat nearby. Dinah sat down, watching him warily. "Up until two years ago, I was involved in a career that was dangerous and, I'll admit it, criminal. I survived by using my instincts and following them regardless of what I saw."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"Shut up," he warned, his eyes narrowing darkly. "I'm not opposed to letting you stay here just so you can see for yourself exactly what I'm trying to tell you."

"What are you trying to tell me?" Dinah snapped.

Nicolas sighed heavily shaking his head at Tyler. "Why did you have to find such a dense girl to help you? All right, someone is going after Tyler on purpose. I don't who and I don't know why. But I've talked to Melissa Cravens and she is hiding something...she's scared of someone. And that someone is deliberately trying to hurt Tyler."

"Why? What has he done?" Dinah blurted out turning to Tyler.

Tyler raised his hands in defense. "Nothing, Dinah. I'm just as confused as you are...I swear."

"That's the thing, Dinah. He hasn't done anything," Nicolas admitted. "I told you I have good instincts. Right now, my instincts tell me that it isn't really Tyler that this person is after...it's me. Which is why, the both of you need to be where I can protect you. And I can't protect you if you're on the loose running around New Orleans or some other city. The both of you are coming back to Conlan's Glen with me. I don't care if you don't go back to your parents' house. In fact, it would be better if you didn't. But you will be in Conlan's Glen whether you like it or not."


Scene 3:

"Mom, seriously, I cannot be here any longer than ten minutes," Ian said as Tavish herded Ethan into his coat. Tavish frowned at him but picked Ethan up and plopped him on the barstool at the kitchen counter.

"It wouldn't hurt you to have dinner here once in a while, Ian," she scolded. "Here Ethan, would you like some cookies while we wait for your mother?"

"Mom, I've told you I don't particularly care for these family gatherings. Besides, I have plans for the weekend."

"They don't include Ellen Mason do they?"

"No, why would you think that?" Ian asked covering his surprise. They didn't include her, but for his mother to think that they might meant someone was gossiping.

"I saw you talking to her at the hospital," Tavish replied as the back door swung open.

Genevieve blew through the back door and with out a second to think felt something attach itself to her leg as though it were a leech. Gen looked down at Ethan with an arched eyebrow.

"Hi Mommy!" he cried brightly.

"Hi dear," Gen replied, unwrapping Ethan's arms from around her leg and pulling him up into her arms. "Were you good for Tavish?"

"Jareth let me drive his car!" Ethan declared enthusiastically.

Genevieve nodded, "that's...um...nice Ethie."

"Ethan, remember you drove it around the block too," Tavish said with a wink. Ian rolled his eyes at the familial scene in front of him. It was enough to make him ill. But Gen looked good. As usual. She made Georgia look like the New Jersey girl she was. There was something refined and elegant about Gen that Ian had always liked. Too bad his dunce of a brother couldn't see it.

"Hello Genevieve," he said with a slow smile. "Haven't seen you in a while. How have you been?"

Genevieve found the ability, that she had learned from her mother who had perfected it, to conceal her actual feelings at the sight of Ian by not rolling her eyes and smiling benignly.

"I've been fine Ian and you?" she asked with a neutral tone, setting Ethan down. "Eth get your things together, please." The dark-haired boy nodded and started to do as told.

"Fine. I guess Mom told you they made me head of Emergency Medicine at St. Joe's?"

"Uh," Tavish bit her lip. "I forgot to tell Gen, Ian. I'm sorry."

Genevieve nodded, "I had heard from some gossipy friend of mother's at the country club."

"Oh. Well, I'm actually in the process of trying to get one of the medical representative seats on the board as well," Ian added though she looked far from impressed.

"Ian, you know you can't get one of those seats unless Barbara or John Stafford gives theirs up," Tavish interrupted with a frown on her face. Ian frowned back and shook his head.

"I have my ways, Mother." He turned to Gen once again, a pleasant smile on his face. "So settled into the Glen yet?"

This was like talking with her mother. "Yes, after all it's my home town," Genevieve answered as she caught Ethan in the act of stealing more of Tavish's cookies and trying to stuff them in his backpack. "Ethan, I'm sure if you ask Tavish, she'll let you have some," she chided, never one to be harsh in her reprimanding.

"Of course! Here Ethan." She pulled a plastic bag from a drawer and filled it with cookies. "How is your sister, Genevieve? I haven't seen her in a while. Well, since she asked Jareth to that ball at the Country Club at any rate."

"Catherine is...Catherine," Genevieve replied cryptically. It was hard to describe Catherine. "Making mother's days harder gives her immense satisfaction, so that, and ballroom dancing lessons keep her occupied. I do hope Jareth doesn't end up feeling a little lost at the ball, they don't strike me as his sort of thing." Jareth and Catherine were more polar opposites than Andrew and Genevieve had ever been, but yet that didn't seem to quench their odd attraction to each other.

"I doubt that very much. Jareth has been to a few of these before. Besides, he's naturally graceful," Tavish said with a warm smile. "Even if he can't dance..."

"Which he can't," Ian interrupted.

"Even if he can't dance," Tavish continued shooting Ian a look. "He'll look wonderful trying."

"Yeah. I bet he will." Ian rolled his eyes. "What about you Gen? Are you planning on going to this party?"

Gen smiled at the thought of Catherine patiently teaching Jareth to dance while Eleanor stared on in embarrassment.

"Since it's for charity, yes. I have to find someone to watch Ethan though."

"Oh Gen! I'll do it! I don't think I'll be able to attend anyway," Tavish explained.

"Well, there that settles that. Mom will watch Ethan and you can go to the ball...the next question is...do you need an escort?"

"I thought you were going Tavish?" Genevieve asked, trying to move away the conversation in a different direction. She had an uneasy feeling at where it might be leading.

"I was. But I have a conference in Santa Barbara the day after. I wouldn't get much sleep if I went to a charity function."

He had an idea. Genevieve was single. And she was highly placed in the Glen society. And she wasn't crazy like Ellen Mason. She might be a good candidate for trophy wife...

"Say, Gen. If you need a date, I could go with you. I don't think I'll have time to look for one before then," Ian offered trying to sound casual.

Genevieve's eyes widened, but she quickly concealed any negative emotion at Ian's suggestion.

"Ian, this is something my mother would say, but that just wouldn't look right. Me your ex-sister-in-law arriving on your arm at the Mason's ball," Genevieve answered carefully. She wondered what Andrew would think of that, but more than likely he would be indifferent. He was in no way threatened by Ian, not to mention, Andrew was so wrapped up in the Mason arson and finding Chase Garrett nothing really got through to him these days.

"I don't care what people thing. Do you?" He challenged. "Besides, it isn't as if we would be going on a date."

She wanted to say she cared what Andrew thought, but as she had reasoned he would more than likely be indifferent. With Tavish being in the room, Genevieve didn't challenge Ian back by saying 'I really have trouble believing 'you' don't care what people think.'

"Fine," she answered, scooping Ethan back up into her arms. After all, she didn't have a date, and she didn't mind going alone, but having to listen to her mother call it an embarrassment for the next ten years was enough to make her go to the ball with Bill Clinton.

Ian grinned in smug satisfaction. Andrew would love this one. "All right then. Mom, I have to go. Gen, I'll see you next week. I'll be by to pick you up around seven."

"Are you sure its okay that you can watch Eth? I'm sure Emily is going, is Macy?" Genevieve asked, checking Ethan's bag to make sure he had everything.

"I don't know actually. And it won't be a problem. Trust me." Tavish sent a glare at Ian as he backed out of the room. "If Andrew isn't going to this party, which I haven't heard if he is or not, maybe he could come over and spend time with us."

"Andrew is so wrapped up in the arson/Piper Conlan case, there currently is no other world beyond that at the moment," Genevieve assured with an attempt at an understanding smile.

"Well, all the same. Ethan and I will be fine and you should have a good time at the party. Okay?"

Genevieve nodded, "okay mom," she replied sarcastically, but with genuine warmth etched around the two words. "Ready to go Ethie?"

"Can we get McDonalds?"



Scene 4:

"I can't believe so much has been done," Jamie said giving the Drop an admiring gaze. The city block had gone from dilapidated warehouses to partially restored buildings ready to house new businesses. He saw a sign for a bookstore and a Starbucks already posted in front of their respective buildings as they walked along the stretch of sidewalk that snaked through the center of the city block.

Jude nodded, pausing in front of one of the finished buildings. "We got lucky with a couple of investors," he replied. "This one is supposed to be a dance club."

"Who invested beside you and Stephen?"

"Nicolas Tejera. This is his club actually. He's from Miami and I have no idea why he chose Virginia," Jude said with a shrug. "Then there was the original backer that Stephen won't tell me about. Says the guy is a silent partner and won't interfere. Fine with me, but I'd kind of like to know where the money is coming from."

"Probably better if you don't," Jamie offered turning away from the club to face his brother. "Then again, there has to be more than just one or two major investors for this to take place so quickly."

"Well, there is another. Someone contacted Stephen a week ago and offered him a nice sum for that corner over there. I don't know the details, but I think it's going to be a restaurant." Jamie nodded, distracted for a moment. "All right, I know we haven't spent a lot of time together lately, but I can still tell when something is bothering you. Out with it."

"It's probably nothing," Jamie replied. He began walking back towards the completed office building that housed Jude's office. "I was just thinking about Michaela, that's all."

"How is she?"

"I wouldn't know. I haven't talked to her in almost two weeks," Jamie answered. He hadn't heard from his wife. His phone calls went unanswered and he had the feeling he was getting the run around from her parents as well. Something was wrong; he could feel it in his gut. "Every time I call, she's out or asleep or too busy with Lily to come to the phone. But then she doesn't call back either. I'm sure it's nothing."

"Doesn't sound like nothing. Maybe you ought to go to Toronto," Jude suggested.

"No. I'm not going to check up on her like that. That's something Mother would do...or her parents. But I trust her."

"Then don't," Jude shrugged. He brushed past Jamie to open the door to the office building.

"Well, it'll be fine," Jamie said following Jude to the elevator. "What about you? You doing okay? Dane says he hardly ever sees you anymore."

"Come on, Jamie," Jude returned as the doors snicked closed. "I'm busy. You just saw what I've been doing for the last couple of months."

"Right. And you're not trying to avoid something by spending all your time here?"

"What do I have to avoid?"

"Mother?"

Jude laughed aloud as the elevator came to a stop on the top floor. "If you mean Gwen, I haven't spoken to her since the fire. She's not an issue in my life."

"Really? Come on Jude. Have you really come to terms with her lies?" Jamie asked. He trailed after Jude who was already half way down the hall. Jude paused at the reception desk and picked up a stack of mail. "Don't ignore me, man."

"I'm not ignoring you. What about you? Have you come to terms with her lies?"

"Honestly, yes." Jude flashed a skeptical look at him. "Now wait, hear me out. I say yes I have because it means that I've got something I always wanted...you as my brother."

"That's touching," Jude replied dryly. "But I don't really want to think about Gwen. I've got bigger fish to fry."

"It's Maura Conlan then." Jude's expression became stony at the name. Bingo. So apparently his feelings for Maura were a lot stronger than his feelings over their mother. "Come on out with it."

"Mind your own business, Jamie," Jude snapped.

"Sore spot isn't it? Look, last I heard you and Maura were a non-couple. Has something changed?"

"Don't play Dr. Phil right now, all right? Everything is fine. Maura just doesn't know what she wants," he added blowing off any other conversation. Jamie opened his mouth to pursue it but Jude held up his hand to stop him. "Nope. That's all I'm saying on the matter."

"Fine, but if you want my opinion..."

"I don't." Jamie snapped his mouth closed for a moment thinking of a different approach. Just as he was about to try again, the elevator doors slid open. A uniform policeman emerged and walked towards them. Jamie and Jude exchanged quick glances but remained silent.

"Mr. Fontaine?" The cop said, stopping in front of them.

"That's me," Jude answered taking a step forward. "What can I do for you?"

"Well, we picked up a hitchhiker about ten miles out of town. He says he's your nephew."

Jude frowned and glanced at Jamie. "My nephew? Last I heard one was in Canada and the other was at camp..."

"Says his name is Chris Mason."
 

On the next Episode of Secret Horizons...

Episode 127