Episode 82

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Episode 82

Scene 1:

"Dad!" Dinah exclaimed trying to squirm out of his grasp. "I just came in to see how Ty was doing, no one would tell me at the desk." John Stafford gave her a disapproving glance before looking over her to where Ty lay.

"Mr. Jones has enough to worry about with you bothering him Dinah. You know patients cannot have unauthorized visitors," he added pulling her towards the door. Dinah stopped fighting with him and let him lead her out of the room. As long as her father knew she'd been there, might as well tell him what Ty had said, she thought, feeling better at being caught.

"Dad, he was trying to kill himself," she said when the door closed. "He told me he wished I had just left him to die!"

John gave her a strange look. "I am aware of that, Dinah, don't change the subject. How many times do I have to tell you that there are some rules of the hospital cannot break?" His tone made her wince and she took a step back. Being chastised by her father made her feel ten again.

"I'm sorry, but no one would tell me how he was doing," she apologized lamely. John Stafford had always been critical of Dinah and her motives, regardless of how true they were. She suffered from a symptom she liked to call Kelly-itis, meaning she wasn't her sister. She knew how people saw the two Stafford sisters; Perfect Kelly Stafford, high school homecoming queen, brilliant nurse, wonderful mother....and her sister Dinah. Looking at her father, she could see just that thought in his own eyes. "Nevermind," she added abruptly twisting out of his grip. "You're right as usual."

"Dinah, Tyler Jones is disturbed and needs to speak to someone who can help him," John admonished refusing to budge and let her by. "You are most certainly not that person, do you understand. I don't want to find you here again." He stepped aside and motioned to the elevator. "Go home. We'll continue this discussion when I get home."

Dinah slunk towards the elevator completely cowed. A rush of anger coloring her cheeks. She was 18, wasn't she? Was she always going to be treated that way by her father? She felt a stab in her throat as she looked back on the disapproving gaze of her father. It had always been that way. She tried to think of a time when she had made him happy or proud and couldn't think of one. But Kelly never failed him. Not even when she departed Conlan's Glen, leaving behind her husband and toddler.

She wiped away a tear and collected herself. Her father was just being his normal overbearing self. The elevator doors slid open at the second floor and a bevy of student nurses flooded into the elevator, jockeying for position. She nodded at a pretty brunette and flattened herself against the wall. She listened as they chatted about their classes and cute doctors, still smarting from her father's scolding. If someone would've just tell her how he was doing, she wouldn't have had to sneak into his room. She stepped off the elevator into the lobby, getting crushed in the gaggle of student nurses as they headed towards the exit.

"Tyler Jones is in 528," she heard the lobby attendant say. She whipped her head back to see who was asking, her mouth falling open at the set of police officers flanking another man.

"Thank you," the man replied and started walking away.

"Oh, Detective McCormick?" The attendant called after him. "Dr. Stafford said he would meet you there." The detective nodded and passed Dinah on his way to the elevator. What did the police want with Ty, she wondered as the doors closed on him. Was it a routine interview or was there something else going on? She had to find out.

Scene 2:

Rick stood the moment he saw Maura enter the room. She looked as lovely as she had ten years ago, he decided, pulling her chair out for her. She smiled nervously up at him, taking the seat he offered. He didn't notice how tired she looked though.

"God, Maura, you look stunning!" He told her taking a seat across from her. "But then, you are always beautiful no matter what you're doing."

Maura flushed a light pink and dropped her eyes. "Thank you," she murmured. "You didn't have to go to so much trouble," she added motioning to the roses on the table and the bottle of wine chilling next to them.

"Of course I did. This is a celebration after all," he grinned, waving down their waiter. "Only the best for us, Mo." The waiter appeared and opened the wine, pouring it into two delicate wine glasses. Rick took his glass and raised it in toast after the waiter departed. "I hope you know how long I've been looking forward to this. Here is to us and many years of happiness." She hesitated for just the briefest moments before tipping her glass slightly and taking a sip. "I went ahead and ordered for you, I hope you don't mind."

Maura shook her head. "No." She set the glass down and folded her hands in her lap.

"What's the matter?" He asked. She looked up, taken aback by his question. "You forget that I can read you like a Dick and Jane book. So out with it, what's on your mind?"

"I suppose it's Jillie right now."

"Jillie? Is something wrong with her?" Maura's eyebrows lifted gently.

"Well, considering she was just dumped, I think she's probably a little depressed," she answered.

"I doubt that," Rick answered, smiling lightly. "Your sister is quite adept at not getting emotionally involved with people. Or hadn't you noticed? Jillie didn't seem to be too upset at ending our relationship such as it was."

"That's rather callous, Rick. She does have feelings you know." Their salad arrived, silencing them both until the waiter left. "She must be hurt that you would just end your relationship with her for me."

"Maura, I don't think you know your sister very well," Rick pointed out, picking up his fork. "She's not into serious relationships and ours was anything but serious. Mostly sex as a matter of fact. She is a damn fine photographer though."

"Mostly sex?" Maura shook her head in disbelief. "That's terrible!"

"It's the truth. I'm sorry if it disturbs you," he said, watching her closely. She seemed distant towards him and he was pretty sure it had nothing to do with Jillie. "All right. Out with it. What's really bothering you?"

"I told you! You shouldn't have treated Jillie like that!" She exclaimed.

"This isn't about Jillie any more than it's about my Uncle Joe. Out with it. Is it Jude Fontaine? Is that what's really eating at you?" He demanded, dropping his fork angrily. What the hell did Jude Fontaine have over her anyway?!

"Don't snap at me!" She flared back. "He doesn't want anything to do with me thanks to..."

"Thanks to me? Go ahead and say it Maura." He leaned back in his chair.

"That's not it," she protested.

"Fine. So it wasn't thanks to me. Maura, when we kissed the other day, I was certain you wanted me as much as I want you. Was I wrong?"

"Oh God, Rick. I don't know! Don't ask me things like that!" She pushed her chair back and stood. "Don't rush me okay! I'm not like you! I can't just pick up where we left things you know. There's still a lot about what happened that you don't know." He leapt to his feet and went around to her side of the table, taking her hand.

"No, but you can tell me now. We can start over with a clean slate. Tell me why you left," he pleaded ignoring the gaping looks of the other diners. Maura swallowed hard and stared at him, her lips parting as she prepared to say what he had wanted to hear for ten years.

Scene 3:

Jamie shuffled through the mail on the table. Their trip to Utah for the Winter Olympics to watch Bryce compete was finally over and he was relieved to be home once again. Michaela had been thrilled when he presented them with the tickets but not nearly as much as Jesse. Jess adored Bryce and watched fascinated as Bryce competed. Chris had been pretty excited too, but not about the figure skating. He had taken an instant liking to the snowboarders and wanted to learn all their tricks immediately. Jamie chuckled at the image of Chris falling over as soon as the board was strapped to his feet. Maybe in a few more years, he had told Chris.

His phone rang in the office and he went to answer it, forgetting about the mail for a moment. Ryan had promised him an update on how the business proposal was being handled with the Hospital Board. Of course, a part of him hoped it was Jude as well, but he knew that was wishful thinking. Jude had washed his hands of all of them.

"Jamie Mason here," he said cutting the ringing short.

"Glad to see you're home on schedule," Ryan replied. "How were the Olympics? Watched them a little bit on TV, myself. Which one is your brother-in-law?"

"Bryce Robinson," Jamie replied grinning.

"Oh yeah...he was good...I guess. Don't know much about figure skating though." Jamie nodded silently, willing Ryan to get on with it. "Look, I took your proposal to John Stafford at St. Joe's. He's interested. Really interested."

"Good," Jamie replied, feeling better about leaving ME for the first time in two weeks. "When can I meet with him?"

"Well, that's just it. He's got some crisis going on with some criminal at the hospital..."

"What?! What's going on?"

"Don't know," he could hear Ryan's indifference over the phone line. "All I know is some kid was brought in and Dr. Stafford has to wait for the cops to come for him. Earliest he thinks he can meet with you is Friday. Is that okay?"

Friday. Jamie shuffled papers around on his desk looking for his calendar. "Friday...should be fine. Three o'clock?"

"I'll let him know. Look there's something else I need to tell you...Kerri House disappeared."
Jamie sat heavily in his chair, his mouth hanging open. "What? What do you mean disappeared?"

"Just that. Her lawyer called me two days ago and told me she couldn't find her anywhere. Went to her apartment and it was empty...Cynthia Mitchell officially dropped her as a client yesterday and I filed a brief today to have her case dropped. We should know by Friday."

"Wow. Oh my god," Jamie muttered. At last some good news. He couldn't wait to tell Michaela. "Does anyone know where she is? Anyone at all?"

"No...and I think maybe you'd better leave it that way," Ryan added. "Once her case is dropped, she'll never get another hearing in Virginia, I guarantee it."

"Ryan, you're a good man," Jamie grinned, leaning back in his chair. "If there's anything I can do for you, you let me know." There was the briefest of pauses on the other end before Ryan spoke again.

"Just doing my job, Jamie...just doing my job."

Scene 4:

Noah dropped Piper off at her house, kissing her gently before heading home. He paused at the corner of Crown and Regent, his thoughts filled with Piper. It was almost too good to be true. He'd made mistakes before with other girls, but he had no intention of doing anything to upset their tenuous relationship. He would do what it took to make sure everything went right.

Just as he was about to turn, he spotted Dinah's jeep fly by on her way home. Now was as good a time as any, he decided, turning around quickly and following her. She pulled to a stop in front of her house and hopped out of the jeep, oblivious to Noah as he parked behind her.

"Hey Dinah!" He called after her. She glanced over her shoulder, skidding to a halt. She seemed surprised to see him and not the slightest bit happy about it either. "Are you okay?" He asked, nearing her.

"I'm fine," she frowned. "What are you doing here Noah? Did we have a date or something?"

"No...are you sure you're okay?" He asked, catching the flush of her cheeks.

"I'm fine. Just had a run in with my dad that's all." She shifted her weight a little, her keys making a sharp metal noise in her hand. She looked at him expectantly waiting for him to speak again.

"I see. Well, do you have a minute to talk to me?" Noah asked before his resolve left him.

"Sure, what's up?" She glanced at the light that switched on above the front door. "Crap, Dad beat me home," she muttered.

"It's about us," he began but her eyes cut back to him sharply narrowing suspiciously.

"What about us? Wait let me guess," she said, holding a hand up to stop him. "You've decided that you never really cared about me and that it's been Piper all along. Am I right?"

"Yes, how did you....?"

"Christ, Noah! It doesn't take a brain surgeon to see how you felt about her. Though I suppose I must be a colossal idiot not to see it in the first place! But wait, why this sudden announcement? Unless...has Piper finally ditched that creep of a boyfriend?"

"She is tomorrow," he replied slightly stunned at her reaction. He'd expected something...different than this.

"Good. Chase is bad news," she said coldly. She turned away from him and started up the porch steps.

"Wait, are you okay with this?" Noah called after her.

"What choice do I have?" She replied, stopping on the middle step. "You pretty much made sure I never got too close to you or stood a chance as long as Piper was in town."

"What does that mean?"

"It isn't as if you let me get close to you Noah. You held me at arm's length the entire time we were...dating," she said, making quotations with her fingers when she said dating. "I thought it was because you were shy until Luke's wedding. When I heard you were with Piper, I knew the real reason. You wouldn't even kiss me half the time! Do Piper a favor though...don't pretend to like her if you don't."

"You're wrong, I did like you..."

"Oh I'm sure you did in your own little way," Dinah said with a roll of her eyes. "Look, Noah...I can't tell you this doesn't sting, because it does. I've been second best to pretty much everyone else in my life, why not Piper?" He tried to protest but she held up a hand. "Don't argue, okay? I don't have the strength for it." She turned a grim expression towards the front door that had opened. John Stafford watched them empirically from the doorway, arms folded across his chest. "See, I have to go face Raging Bull up there right now." Her expression softened and she turned back to him. "Just be good to Piper okay? She really likes you and deserves to be treated well. Okay?" He nodded, taken aback. She hurried back to him and gave him a hug before turning to face her father.

He waited until the door was closed before making his way back to his car. Dinah had been right, he hadn't given her much of a chance. He hadn't been fair with her at all. He would have to think of a way to make it up to her. Somehow, he would. They were still friends after all. And, with the way her father was looking at her, Dinah might need her friends more than ever.