Scene 2:

She wasn't a woman who took "No" for an answer. That much was plainly evident as Jillie stepped up to the nurses' station in the ER. "Jory - Jordan Conlan," she snapped, drawing more than a couple of surprised glances.

An older woman - obviously the Head Nurse by the way she took charge so quickly - shot her a harried look. "If you hadn't noticed, this is an emergency room. We're a little busy at the moment, so if you could please have a seat, we'll be able to see you - "

"If you hadn't noticed, I'm not a patient," Jillie interrupted. "My brother. Jordan Conlan. He was in the fire at ME. I want to know where he is now."

"Jillian?"

She looked up at the sound of her name, a vague sense of shock running through her to see Leo Kingston standing a few feet away.
"What are you doing here?" she asked dumbly.

He held up his hand, a white bandage wrapped around his palm. "Had a bit of an altercation with a runaway scythe." When that didn't get a reaction from her, he shrugged. "It was a long story anyway. So, what brings you here?"

"My brother," Jillie repeated, growing frustrated with the short exchange. She really didn't have time for this.

"Your brother?" Leo echoed, his brow furrowing. "Is something wrong with Luke?"

She turned back to the nurses' station, intent on getting information about Jory. "Yes. No. I mean, he's okay. I think. I'm just worried about Jory."

"What happened?" he asked, leaning against the counter.

"He was in a damn fire, okay? They both were. Now do you mind if I try to find out how he's doing?" she practically shouted.

Leo watched as she fumed, trying in vain to get the nurse's attention again. "Excuse me," he smiled, leaning forward to read the woman's identification badge. "Nancy, is it? My friend here is worried about her brother. I know she seems a bit...high-strung...but I was wondering if you might be able to let us know where he is? After all, it might get her out of your hair, and believe me, she can get loud. She's a real screamer. I should know," he murmured conspiratorially with a flirtatious wink.
Jillie rolled her eyes in disgust and turned her back on him, but strained to listen just in case his "charm" actually proved productive.

The nurse smiled and turned to her computer. "What was the name again?" she asked sweetly, which only caused Jillie's scowl to deepen.

"Jordan Conlan," Leo told her.

"Mmmhmmm. Yes. He was transported to the ICU," she told him, her beady eyes turning hard as she glanced at the back of Jillie's head.
"But I'm afraid he's not being allowed any visitors at this time," she added for the younger woman's benefit.

"Thanks, Nancy. You've been a doll," Leo replied with a grin before he grabbed Jillie's arm with his good hand.

"Wha-? Where are you taking me?" she demanded as he swung her towards the elevators.

"Where do you think?" he asked. "We're going to the ICU."

"But that witch just said - "

"Do you want to see your brother or not?"
 

Scene 3:

Georgia Corelli enjoyed her work until really awful things happened to decent people. Then she wasn't sure if she was cut out for being a nurse at all. Tonight was one of those nights. She worked ICU three days a week and the ER the other two. Tonight was an ER night. Conlan's Glen had been a quiet town and an even quieter ER until the fire at the Mason building. She'd seen enough burn victims to last her entire life. She would take a kid with a bean stuck up his nose right about now.

As if in answer to her prayer, the ER doors slammed open as an EMT pushed a gurney through the doors. She directed them to an empty room just as Dr. Gennaro caught up with them. Unconsciously, she smoothed her wild mane of hair and smiled. He cast a serious look at the girl on the gurney and turned to the men trailing him.

"Why don't you two wait outside while I take a look at her? Georgia, could you show Mr. Conlan to the waiting area? I promise I'll be out as quickly as I can." Georgia nodded, placing a comforting hand on Mr. Conlan's arm.

"Can I get you some coffee or anything?" She asked, even as he strained to see what was happening over her shoulder.

"No. Why does everyone think I want coffee?" He asked sharply, shaking off her touch.

"Mr. Conlan, she's okay. Nothing serious," the other young man interrupted, offering her an apologetic look. "She just fainted, that's all. Bringing her here was just a precaution."

"Jory's in the ICU," Mr. Conlan said suddenly. "He's probably dying. And Luke and Hallie are upstairs too, Noah. I just can't handle it if something happens to Piper too."

"Whoa, wait a minute! Jory?" Noah's eyes widened in surprise. Mr. Conlan nodded, rubbing his face. "You should be with Jory, then. I can stay here and wait with Piper."

"No, I don't want to leave..."

"I'll find you as soon as Dr. Gennaro is done," Georgia cut in. "Will that do? Mr. Conlan, she's going to be just fine. Dr. Gennaro is the best doctor on staff."

"I know that," Kevin said softly, nodding as he did so. "All right. Noah, promise me you'll stay with her?" Noah nodded seriously. "Fine. I'll be in ICU with Maura and Jude. Find me." Georgia watched him leave, feeling sorry for the man. It seemed his life had turned upside down in one night and she definitely knew how that felt. She looked back at the young man who looked like he could definitely use a cup of coffee.

"Noah is it? Why don't you come with me and I'll get you something," she said, smiling gently.

"Actually," he said turning to face her. He reminded her of her brother, she thought suddenly. Well, except Jay was never as polite as this young man. "Could you find out something for me instead?"

"Such as?"

"My sister was in the ME building. Could you find out if she's been brought here?"

"Of course," Georgia replied leading him to the registration desk. "What's her name?"

"Dusty Parrish." Georgia nodded, entering her password and beginning a search for the name. After a few minutes her search came up with a match.

"Found her," Georgia grinned looking up at Noah. An expression of relief flooded his features as he waited to hear more. She clicked on the name and scanned the screen. Brought in around seven that evening, seen by Dr. Finster, multiple burns, internal injuries... She paused, biting her lip as she read the bottom line.

"What? What's the matter?"

"I'm sorry, Noah. She didn't make it." The young man nodded, his expression frozen in grim acceptance. "Would you like to sit down?"

He shook his head. "No. I'm just going to go wait for Piper. Thank you...you've been very kind." He walked back towards the exam room, his head dropping to his chest. Poor guy, she thought. This was why she hated the ER tonight.
 
 

Scene 4:

Jillie stood outside of the ICU, her gaze riveted to the site of her brother behind the glass partition. The blinds had been opened, and she could just barely see him, pale, wan, and hooked up to so many machines that she couldn't tell where they stopped and he began.
"You should go in," Leo said, standing behind her.

"I can't," Jillie whispered, and she bowed her head as her voice cracked. She didn't want him to see her like this. She didn't want him to see her cry.

Leo glanced over his shoulder. This particular nurses' station wasn't as crowded and hectic as the one down in the ER. In fact, the only nurse currently on duty was a pretty young woman who looked as if she had a soft spot for her patients. He only hoped appearances weren't deceiving.

Jillie felt him move, but her attention was fixated on her brother. It seemed to surreal to see him lying there. So still. Like he was sleeping.

Leo touched her shoulder, looking back to the nurse and when she gave a nod, he opened the door to the ICU. "Go on," he told Jillie. "I was only able to get you a few minutes, and even then I had to tell her you're his wife and that you just found out you're pregnant." Once more, his attempt at levity failed, so he simply closed the door behind her and watched from the outside.

Sterile. That's how the room felt, Jillie thought. As if, if she were to touch anything, a contamination alarm would sound and rat her out. But the idea wasn't enough to keep her away from her brother. Pulling up a chair, she sat down next to his bed. Despite the rasp of the ventilator, the steady beep of the heart monitor, and all of the other little sounds coming from the life support he was on, it all seemed so eerily silent.

"You don't look good," she started, her voice cracking again with unshed tears. "I mean, just between the two of us, I know you've tried your hardest to let me be the pretty one, but this is going a little far, don't you think?" She unconsciously rocked back and forth as she rubbed her palms on her denim clad thighs. Breathing deeply, she looked around, everything so foreign. Jory wouldn't like that. He would have wanted to be somewhere familiar. Or at least somewhere that had a nice view.

"So, Luke's okay," Jillie said. "And can you believe they found The Barracuda with you? I hear she tried to save you, but I don't know what that's all about." Exhaling, she felt a tear slid down her cheek. "You know, when I said I didn't know what I'd do without you, that didn't mean I wanted the chance to find out," she whispered hoarsely, more tears falling. She reached up to wipe them away, but it was a steady stream.

"And you said I'd go on, but I don't think you were right about that one."
Reaching out, she let her fingers wrap around his hand. He was cool to the touch, and for some reason, that made her cry harder. "I'm not the survivor, Jory, you are. After Mom died, I felt so lost. Having you around was the only thing that kept me grounded. I can't lose you too...." She laughed, looking at the traces of mascara on her fingers, knowing she had to look like hell. "Besides, you wouldn't abandon me, would you? We've always stuck together, Jory. We were gonna do so much now. I'm free. You're free. It was going to be just like the old days." Jillie swallowed hard, her free hand trembling as she rested it on his shoulder. "So you have to come back to me, okay?" she whispered. "To all of us. I can't do this alone. I'm not strong enough."

Once again, a warm hand touched her shoulder, and she closed her eyes for a long moment before looking up at Leo.

"It's time," he told her, regretfully.

Jillie nodded and turned back to Jory. "I'm not going to leave you alone until you open your eyes and tell me to back off," she murmured as she stood, leaning down to kiss his cheek. "You know me. I was never one for subtle hints." Leo's hand dropped to her elbow as he began to pull her away. "I love you," she sighed, letting go of Jory's hand as Leo led her out of the ICU.

"I think your sister and your dad are in the waiting room. Do you want to join them?"

Jillie nodded, wiping at her eyes as he gently steered her down a brightly lit hall, to the large swinging doors that led into the waiting area.
"I don't know what's going on, Rick," she heard Maura insisting as Leo pushed the door open. Instinctively, she wanted to tell him to close it, to ignore them, but it was too late. "My brothers are hurt and my sister is hurt and I don't know!"

"Maura, I'm sorry about them. But listen to me. I love you. I've loved you since we met. Please, tell me what's going on. I want us back the way we were, before I messed things up between us." He gave her a searching look. "Please, Maura."

"I can't believe you," Jillie said, standing in the doorway. "Either of you," she spat, an angry fire snapping in her clear blue eyes. "People are dead. Jory's barely hanging on with life support. And all you two can do is think of yourselves and wonder what the hell went wrong? Fine, Maura. Why don't you tell him what's going on? Why don't you stop pretending like you actually give a damn about the people around you and just tell him the truth? Or can't you stand the thought of him seeing the real you? The one who doesn't care about who she hurts or who she sends away. Then Little Miss Perfect won't be so perfect anymore - "

She gave a little yelp as Leo tugged her out of the doorway. "I"m sorry," he apologized to the trio. "She's just a little distraught right now. Maybe we should come back after she's had some coffee." Or a tranquilizer, he added mentally, practically pulling Jillie down the hallway, fighting her all the way.

"Let me go!" she demanded, trying to wrench her arm from his grasp and stopping just short of kicking him.

"No," he told her, his hold on her tightening almost imperceptibly. "No, you're not going anywhere until you tell me what just happened."
 

Scene 5:

"You can go in now," the nurse said, smiling. "She's conscious but she does need her rest." Stephen nodded and pushed the door open to the room Hallie had been assigned. Her eyes were open watching the door. When she saw him, she smiled and tried to sit up a little in the bed.

"Don't," he said at once, pulling a chair up to her bedside. "Just be still, Hallie. How are you feeling?"

"Like someone ran over me with a truck," Hallie replied, her voice hoarse and dry.

"I'm not surprised. Someone did a helluva number on you." He adjusted her pillow and straightened her blankets.

"You saved me, didn't you." It was more of a statement than a question. Stephen nodded, masking the uneasiness that was still haunting him even now that she was safe and all right. He had never been one to express every one of his emotions, that simply wasn't his style. But whenever Hallie was around, it was near impossible to hide his feelings from her.

"Someone had to. Might as well be me." He had been rehearsing what he was going to say to her while he waited. They were at a point where they were make or break. She had initiated the conversation with her phone call and he was going to finish it. Taking a deep breath, he plunged on with his speech. "Before you say anything else, I have a few things to say. Just listen to me and don't say a word. Okay?"

"Only if you get me a drink of water first," Hallie answered nodding to the glass next to her bed. He nodded and picked up the glass, holding the straw steady as she sipped. "Thank you," she said, falling back on her pillow.

"Your husband," Stephen began, "is in another room here. He's fine. The man you were found with was his brother. He's not fine but he's alive and the Conlans owe you for that." Hallie's eyes grew round in surprise. She had thought Jory was Luke, he decided catching her expression. That explains the way she had been found, protecting Jory Conlan as best she could. "I know you're fond of your husband, Hallie. I suppose that's why I've been such a bastard. It makes me crazy that you are, that you can find comfort with someone else. I admit it, I'm jealous of him. I screwed up and lost you and he's got you now."

Hallie's mouth opened but he shook his head, holding up his hand. "You promised to listen...When I saw that building burning, Hallie, I thought I would die. And I did what I had to do. Now that you're safe, I don't intend to ever feel that way again." He scraped his chair back from her bed and stood, pacing the room for a moment, pausing at the window. It was pitch black outside, dawn being hours away as yet. "The way I see it, Hallie, I have two options. I can go on the way I've been going and letting you run roughshod over me, be at your beck and call, never know from one day to the next how you feel. Or I can set you free. I've proven just how much I love you. But I haven't seen anything from you."

"Stephen! You know I love you. I've told you so. I told you on my wedding day," Hallie protested, raising herself up on her elbows. "I was going to tell you..."

"Hallie, let's not kid ourselves any longer. I love you. I've said it a million times. You did tell me you loved me on your wedding day but you stayed married to another man. How can I believe what you say when your actions say the opposite?"

"Wait a minute, Stephen, I don't want this," Hallie cried suddenly realizing just what he intended to do. "I don't want this at all!"

"I know. I don't either. But I don't see much of a choice..."

"Stephen! Please. Don't do this. I'll show you, I will. I can get a divorce and you can have your job at ME. Just don't do this." He turned to her, catching a wild look in her eyes. He returned to her bedside, catching up her hand and pressing it to his lips.

"Hallie, listen to me. Listen to yourself. I don't want to go back to ME. I've got something else now. What I want is to know that you would risk your life for me. And I don't mean running into a burning building."

"How then? How can I prove it to you? Divorce Luke? Give up ME? What?"

Stephen shook his head, "I don't know, Hallie." He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "I just know that right now, I have to let you go. Don't hate me..."

"I don't hate you! Please don't do this, Stephen. I need you," Hallie sobbed, tears pooling in her eyes. She clung to his hands pulling him back to her.

"Hallie, oh God, don't make me regret this." He pulled away from her, a catch in his throat, and stood. Backing away from the bed, he swallowed hard and smiled. "Goodbye Hallie." He left the room quickly, making sure the door was closed behind him before he allowed himself to breathe again.

On the next Episode of Secret Horizons...

Episode 93