Scene 1:

Liza let Dane lead her into the room careful not to make it seem like she was leaning on him for dear life. Her knees felt like jelly and her stomach turned nervously. All she wanted was for this to go over well. And to see Hallie squirm just a little she reminded herself. Dane squeezed her hand giving her a smile.

"I think you need to smile now," he said through gritted teeth. "Otherwise people will think I am a terrible date."

She smiled in spite of herself. "Thank you. What do I do first?" She asked scanning the room. Enough people had already arrived to fill up half of the room.

"Well, you mingle. You do know how to do that don't you?" Liza shook her head. Mingling and acting like Gwen Mason were two things she most definitely did not know how to do. Dane sighed but kept his smile in place. "All right then, this is going to be a long evening. Just follow my lead." He led them towards a small knot of people, most of them Masons, Liza realized. "Hello. So, I've brought the brains behind this evening at last. Liza, you know my aunt. This is my cousin, Jamie Mason. His son, Chris...nice monkey suit Chris...my cousin Ellen and this is Ryan Corday. He's Jamie's lawyer. Everyone, Liza Gennaro."

They all offered a pleasant hello, Chris a sullen nod. "It's a pleasure to meet you all," Liza said in a small voice.

"See, Dane? She is much better than that bimbette you were thinking about isn't she?" Gwen asked with a trace of triumph in her voice. Dane gave Liza's hand a small squeeze of reassurance.

"Of course, Gwen. You're right again as usual."

"And Liza, isn't Dane a better date than your brother?"

Four sets of eyes turned to stare at Liza. Swallowing hard, she managed a smile before replying, "Of course. Galen wasn't too thrilled, but I think ultimately he was relieved of having to be seen with his baby sister." They all smiled at her easing her discomfort quite a bit.

"Everything looks wonderful, Liza," Jamie offered. "You should see Max Jency. He's all puffed up over there by that bower you had built."

"Max Jency thinks he's more important than he really is," Dane scoffed. He nodded towards the bower. "Looks like a stuffed peacock. Who dresses him?"

"Dane! Don't insult Max," Gwen chided. "He's a dear old man and he's always been nice to you."

"And two minutes Gwen. I think that's a record. Did you guys notice how she didn't scold me for two whole minutes? I am impressed!" Dane laughed. "Come on, Liza. My work here is through. Sorry to leave you all, but Liza needs to greet more of her guests."

Dane steered her away from his family, snagging two flutes of champagne as they passed a waiter. "Here, drink this," he said handing her one. She took a sip following Dane's lead. "Now breathe," he added with a grin. "You're doing fine."

"Thank you. You're being very nice to me, Dane," she said with a small sigh.

"Why wouldn't I be? Look, I know this is nerve-wracking. I've been through a million of these and watched lesser women than you fall apart. I'm not going to let you fail tonight."

"I really appreciate this, Dane. I had no idea I was going to be this nervous."

"It's okay. Besides, you need to be in control when Hallie gets here. Just focus on your goals tonight and you'll do fine," Dane added. "Act like the girl in the lobby out there. Not like someone Hallie can push around. She loves to do that you know."

"Why are you so interested in seeing Hallie upset? I mean, you're her brother after all. Unless she's done something to you?"

"Nope. She leaves me alone." He swallowed down the rest of his champagne and left the flute on a table. "Maybe I'm bored."

"So bored you would help me get even with your sister?"

"Perhaps."

"Come on, what's the real reason you're helping me?" Liza pressed him.

Dane's face grew serious for a moment. "Liza, I happen to know what happened between you and my sister's husband...let me amend that. I know what Hallie said happened. I also happen to think that she married a man for the wrong reasons and treated him badly. I'm not saying that what he did was right either, but I think she needs to know that she can't mess with people like that. I don't know what she did to you but I'm guessing it was bad."

"It was..."

"Then she needs to know that she can't do that. Besides, I like you. You've got nerve...gumption my grandmother used to call it."

Liza rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile. Dane Lennox was so far a mystery to her and his reasons for helping her seemed out of left field. He hadn't steered her wrong so far. Could he really just want to see Hallie get a little of what she gave? Luke she could believe, but her own brother? She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, wondering what it was that made him want to help her, when he tensed suddenly.

"All right, I hate to say it, but it's show time," he muttered, taking her hand as he spotted Hallie entering the room with Stephen Roth. Liza turned her attention towards Hallie, making eye contact and managing a smile. Hallie, for her part, smiled back for a brief moment before realizing what she was seeing and began her march towards them. "Hang on to your hat," Dane whispered, "here comes Hurricane Hallie."




Scene 2:

"Chris, stop tugging at that tie," Gwen scolded, moving closer to straighten it. Chris ducked out of her way, annoyed that she still insisted on treating him as if he were seven years old. He would have made it away too if his father hadn't caught him by the arm and steered him back towards Gwen.

"What has gotten into you tonight?" Jamie demanded. Chris jerked his arm out of Jamie's grasp, his gut filling with righteous indignation at being treated like a kid by his own father. "Your grandmother is trying to help you look decent. Apologize."

"Sorry...," Chris mumbled to Gwen staring away from her angrily.

"It's all right, Chris. I'm sure you'd rather be off playing with your friends," Gwen chirped happily. "Look there is Emily McCormick. Why don't you go over and say hello." She pushed him off towards the buffet table where Emily stood uncomfortably next to her brother. His face blushed red as he approached her glancing over his shoulder at Gwen who nodded encouragingly.

"Wow, Jareth, I don't think I've ever seen you not covered in grease," Emily remarked with a smirk. Jareth frowned at his sister and tugged on his tie.

"I've had to deal with enough of this. Darcy, Ian, now you. I have to go outside and get some air," Jareth grumbled and quickly escaped.

A delicate frown creased Emily's brow. Jareth was always so laid-back and comfortable, it was unusual to see him this way. Emily nervously tucked her hair behind her ears only to turn around to see Chris Mason approaching her. She felt butterfly wings beat against the walls of her stomach and waited expectantly.

Emily McCormick was cool. She'd been one of the first kids in school to be nice to him when he had moved to town. She was also pretty; something that Chris was beginning to take note of in a big way. He stopped at the punch bowl and poured himself a glass, glancing over at her.

"Want a glass Em?" He asked, hoping he didn't sound like an idiot.

Emily shook her head, "nah, I'm good." She giggled suddenly stirring a curious response from curious. Giggling again she said, "nothing, it's just these functions are so dumb. I mean yeah it's all for charity, but seeing everyone stand around either entirely awkward or entirely too good at mingling just doesn't mesh well for me." She sent Chris a confident smile and a laugh.

"Uh huh," Chris managed between gulps of sweet fruit punch. What did they do, pour a can of Hawaiian Punch in the bowl and call it fancy?

Well, that had unsuccessfully broken the ice. "Chris what's wrong? Is your tie on too tight?" Emily asked. From the first day they had met on the playground and Emily had bounced right up to the painfully shy Chris the two had found a strong bond. And after seven years, Chris had broken out of his shyness with her only to have suddenly retreated back into it when they he left her behind in junior high for high school. "Just think Macy and I are going to be in high school with you now. And with Darcy and Cat. It's gonna be so fun, Chris!" Emily gushed, trying to get him to loosen up.

He smiled at her enthusiasm. "I think you need to experience high school before you decide whether it'll be fun or not," he remarked, rolling his eyes. "I've got Burke for English for the second year in a row and he's tough. Plus I've got chemistry this year and French Two."

"Mace and I have Burke, too! Darcy said he was cool. Catherine said he had a nice butt," Emily laughed. "And somehow Cat's valedictorian of her class, I'm not quite sure how though." She smiled brightly at Chris, glad and relieved to finally see him relax some.

"She's smart and she knows how to suck up to teachers," Chris shrugged thinking about the number he'd seen Catherine Fairchild pull on Mr. Robbins last year. "So...who dragged you here?"

"The whole fam got an invitation, but Mom couldn't go. Darcy refused, so she made the rest of us go. I don't think Andrew is here though," Emily said, briefly scanning the crowd.

"Good to know I wasn't the only one who was forced," Chris remarked.

Emily chuckled, "you're the youngest Mason, of course you have to show up."

"I wish I wasn't a Mason," Chris mumbled watching his father intently. "Sometimes, Em, my family sucks."

"Everyone's does at one time or another. It will be interesting when I get into high school and all my teacher's ask are you related to the other McCormicks? Ian, Jareth, Darcy? And I will grudgingly have to admit to it. I go through it every year," Emily sympathized.

"I guess. At least you aren't asked if you're one of *the* Masons. As if they couldn't believe the Masons would send one of their own to public school," Chris said with a roll of his eyes.

"No, just 'oh gawd, another McCormick troublemaker,' is more the tone I get," Emily laughed. "Oh well, if only we could pick our relatives like we could pick our friends."

"Yeah, you're right," Chris said actually looking at Emily. She was pretty. He was glad she had chosen him for a friend. "You wanna go outside or something? My grandmother is watching us pretty closely and I'd rather not be spied on like that."

Emily felt her eyes widen, but she nodded with a small smile. "Yeah, okay," she said, letting Chris lead the way through the crowd.

Chris took Emily's hand and led her across the dance floor ignoring the blatant gaze of his grandmother. They burst out onto the patio in the warm night. Chris looked around surprised at how many other people had the same idea. He nodded towards a path down to the golf courses. Might be all right for a walk.

Emily obediently followed, enjoying the warm pleasure she received from Chris's hand holding hers.
"Oh no, Chris, we're the new center of gossip. The Mason boy ran off with one of the McCormick twins!" Em laughed, catching up to his long strides once free from the claustrophobic atmosphere of the ball.

"Nah...Hallie will do something to distract them all," Chris replied matter-of-factly. If anything, he knew his family well enough to know that one of them would do something stupid. If not all of them. It was downright embarrassing. He paused at a bench and dropped down patting the seat next to him. "This is nice. Quiet."

Emily nodded, taking a seat next to him. "Definitely better away from everyone," she agreed, missing the feeling of Chris's hand in hers, but letting it go. "You know you haven't talked to me as much since you got in high school," Em teased, "I want to know what it's all about."

"Em, can I talk to you about my mom?" Chris asked suddenly wanting to talk about it at last with someone.

"Huh?" Emily responded at the abruptness of Chris's question. "Your mom? Michaela? What about her?"

"She went on vacation back in July...took my sister and my brother with her...when I was at camp...Jesse sent me a letter and told me she wasn't coming back. They're getting a divorce," Chris admitted sighing heavily.



Scene 3:

"Well, looks like your dastardly plan worked, Kevin Conlan," Gina whispered into Kevin's ear at the sight of Maura entering the ballroom with Jude Fontaine. Kevin glanced towards them, smiling brightly. "Look at you! You are downright proud of yourself!" Gina exclaimed.

"Of course I am!" Kevin defended himself. "Maura just doesn't know when to be happy and when to go after what she wants. Besides, sometimes, Father knows best."

"If I didn't know better I would think you were a bit of a romantic!" Gina teased. "Shall we go talk to them?"

"No. Leave them alone for a while," Kevin returned steering her towards the dance floor. "Those two need to spend some quality time together and remember why they liked each other in the first place."

Gina grinned affectionately at Kevin, squeezing his hand tightly. "You are a romantic! Listen to you talking about them. You amaze me Kevin, you really do."

Kevin blushed and pulled her close for a waltz as the music cued. "I haven't been for a long time, Gina," he admitted. "In fact, I think I could safely say that until I met you, I forgot what romance was all about."

"Oh and now you know?"

"Yes, I do. You made me remember, Gina. It's been an awful long time since I let myself relax and be myself. I've been so into playing the role of grieving father to my kids that I forgot what it was like to be a plain old man."

"You're not old. And I don't think it was a role you played either," Gina shrugged. "I know you loved Maeve. Anyone can see that you will always love her. But...if she was the woman I think she was, I bet she would have wanted you to get on with your life and find someone new. But you loved her so much that you couldn't. It's no wonder Maura has a martyr complex."

"Oh? So she gets that from me, does she? Well, maybe I can correct it before it's too late." He turned in a slow circle in time with the music, drawing her back close to him again. "She deserves to be happy at any rate and I think Jude can make her happy."

"What about you? Do you think you deserve to be happy?" Gina pressed.

"Now I do. Thanks to you." Kevin smiled, gazing into her eyes for what seemed like a lifetime before leaning in and kissing her, something he had wanted to do all evening.

"And what was that for?" She murmured falling against his chest happily.

"For reminding me of a lot of thing I'd forgotten about," he replied simply as the music ended. He pulled away from her again, clapping politely for the orchestra. He slipped his hand into Gina's and led her back to the buffet line, eager to spend the night with Gina and forget about the rest of the world.


Scene 4:

He was tired of the whole thing. Tired of shaking hands with people he barely knew, congratulating him on a speedy recovery. Tired of pretending to care what they said and felt about anything. Tired of being looked at with sympathetic eyes. Who were these people anyway? A bunch of socialites trying to make themselves feel better about the crappy world they lived in by getting dressed up and donating a load of cash to a cause they knew little about.

Jory stared out at the dance floor where his father was currently plastered to Gina Corelli. His mouth fell open as they kissed in plain sight of everyone. It was enough to make him sick. He scanned the room to see if anyone else had noticed the disgusting display. Maura apparently had. She was bright red with embarrassment. Jude whispered in her ear and they moved off away from the edge of the dance floor. He turned his head a little and caught Jillie shooting daggers at them, obviously pissed. Good. At least he wasn't the only one.

"I see our parental units are really hitting it off," Georgia commented. She set a plate of food down in front of him and a glass of water. "Sorry about the water. I didn't think you wanted soda."

"I'd rather have a beer."

"You can't have that either, Jory. What's wrong?"

Jory pointed towards where Kevin and Gina had been. "That." Georgia glanced in their general direction and shrugged noncommittally. "You don't think that your mother and my father dating like that...and having public displays of affection is just wrong?"

"No, I don't," Georgia replied raising her eyebrows. "Your dad is the nicest guy my mother has ever dated. And she's suffered through a lot of jerks," Georgia added. For a fleeting moment, Jory saw a shadow cross Georgia's face at her words. It disappeared quickly as she shook her head clear. "I think it's fine as long as they are happy. Don't you like my mother?"

"She's a little on the bossy side, isn't she?" Jory retorted.

"What would you know about that, Jory Conlan? My mother is a nice person."

"Really? Nice as in humiliating you in front of the guy you are supposedly nuts about? Who, by the way, just walked in with someone who isn't Ellen Mason." Jory nodded towards the door where Ian McCormick stood chatting pleasantly with Galen Gennaro. His date, someone Jory vaguely recognized but couldn't place, looked uncomfortable standing next to him. Georgia uttered a strangled noise of frustration at the sight. Damn, why did he have to go and do that to her? "It's probably his sister," Jory said quickly hoping to cover himself.

"He doesn't have one...who looks like that. They're all teenagers," she said staring daggers at him.

"Well, don't worry about it Georgia...I'm sure it's no one important." The woman detached herself from Ian and drifted off towards the main floor while Ian scanned the room. His eyes fell on Georgia after a moment. He grinned and winked at her, striding towards them.

"Oh god, here he comes. I can't believe his nerve!" Georgia exclaimed, turning several shades of red all at once at his sudden appearance at their table.

"Good evening Georgia," Ian said warmly. "I didn't know you were going to be here."

"I guess not," Georgia replied coolly. "Where's your date, Ian? I don't see Ellen anywhere."

"Ah. Last minute change in plans. I brought Genevieve...McCormick. My brother's ex-wife," he explained. Of course! That's who she was. Jory glanced over at Georgia to see if Ian's revelation meant anything to her. Apparently, it only angered her more.

"That's just wonderful, Ian. I hope you have a wonderful time with her."

"Georgia." His voice was calm but angry. "Could I speak to you alone for a moment?"

"No. I'm here with someone...Dr. McCormick. In case you haven't any got any manners to realize that. Oh, but where are mine? Ian, this is my date, the guy I came here with to spend the evening with, Jory Conlan. Jory, this is...my boss."

"I'm well aware of who he is. Practically a goddam celebrity here," Ian muttered. "We are going to discuss this, Georgia. You are going to hear me out whether you like it or not."

"I don't really care to hear any of your excuses..."

"Why don't you go talk about it now," Jory snapped at the both of them, tired of the scene they were creating. "Go talk about it somewhere else far away from me."

"Jory!" Georgia's eyes widened in surprise at his tone.

For his part, Ian seized the moment practically lifting Georgia out of her chair by her arm. "Good idea. Sorry to have bothered you Jory. We'll just be a minute," Ian said pulling Georgia away.

He was relieved to see them leave. Georgia's defense of her mother was getting on his nerves. He would rather be alone in his morose thoughts without Georgia's chirping about how happy their parents looked together. He snagged Georgia's champagne glass and downed the liquid without thinking twice.

"Jory?"

He looked up and sighed. Perfect, just perfect, he thought. This party was a blast. "Gina."

"I thought Georgia was with you," Gina started.

"She was. But her boyfriend showed up and dragged her off," he replied jerking his thumb towards the terrace. "Why don't you go break that up again."

"Look, Jory, I don't know what I did to you but...."

"You didn't do anything. No one has done anything." Jory rose from his seat, shaking a little with the effort of it. "I just don't want to deal with anyone. Least of all, you. I don't know even know you. And until I do, why don't you just stay out of my way?" He snapped letting off some steam at last. Gina gave him a shocked expression, looking tongue-tied. "Are we finished? Good, because there's one of my sisters you haven't annoyed yet. Why don't you go meet Piper and leave me in peace?"

Jory didn't wait for an answer. He turned painfully and made his way back to the foyer of the country club ready to call it a night.

On the next Episode of Secret Horizons...

Episode 130