Episode 93

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Episode 93

Scene 1:

Jude stepped forward and placed a restraining hand on Rick's arm. "Come on, Rick. You're upset about Phoebe. Don't make a scene right now."

"Get your hands off me!" Rick snapped spinning towards his rival. "You're damn right I'm upset about Phoebe. She was a great reporter and a good friend. But that has nothing to do with this."

"Maybe not, but you're not going to get anywhere acting like a lunatic." Rick took a step closer, his jaw clenched tight. "Rick, back off. This is not the time nor the place to behave like a teenager either."

"That's enough, both of you!" Maura said, placing a restraining hand on each man. "Rick, I promise, once everything settles down, we can talk. But right now, please let me have some time with my family."

"You're always putting this off Maura," he chastised. Jude watched as they exchanged gazes and just like that, Rick's demeanor changed. His shoulders dropped and the anger on his face was replaced by a melancholy look. It was unsettling how they communicated without words, Jude noted, traces of jealousy coloring his thoughts.

"I'm so sorry about Jory, Mo. Do you need me to stay?" Rick asked, the tension gone from his voice.

Maura shook her head, dropping her hand and ending the contact between them. Her other hand, however, slid down to Jude's own, fitting snugly in the curve of his own hand. He let the contact go, for now. "No. You should go home, Rick. Get some rest."

"I'll have to go to the paper," he muttered absently. "See what there is of coverage...and I'll have to call Phoebe's ex-husband. He'll know how to reach her family." He flashed Jude a quick warning look before leaning into Maura and kissing her cheek lightly. "Call me if anything changes with Jory, okay?"

He left the room, leaving Jude and Maura alone again. He let go of her hand and walked to the window in the room, confused and a little unnerved by the scene that had just unfolded. He still loved Maura, there was no question any longer. But the scene with Rick had shaken him. How could he love her knowing her history with Upton? It didn't help that Upton was in love with her, either, and of course, there was that child they had together. It was all so complicated. More complicated than life with Cynthia had ever been.

"Jude?" Maura's voice was timid and cautious. He kept his back to her, knowing full well all his emotions were readable right now. "Are you...?"

"I'm fine. I have to go see Hallie," he said turning towards her, hoping he had managed to conceal his thoughts. Maura nodded, her eyes focusing on a tile of the floor. "Will you be all right here?"

"Yeah. Actually, I was thinking I should go find Jillie and explain or apologize..." Jude nodded along with her thoughts. "Will you come back after you're done with Hallie?"

"Yes," he said without hesitation, though he knew he should have said no. "Of course, I will."

Scene 2:

She was going insane lying in her hospital bed. Especially when she wanted to be out looking for Stephen and making him take it all back. Hallie stared at the ceiling, her head spinning at the events of the last 24 hours. Just when she had made up her mind about what to do with the way her life was going, this had to happen. Everything was a mess now. It was a mess before but it was worse now.

The door to her room opened slowly. Twisting her head to see who was coming in, her stomach lurched at the sight of a bedraggled Dane shuffling into her room, his head down. "Dane? What's wrong?"

Dane looked up, his eyes bloodshot and tired. "You're awake," he said quietly. "I didn't wake you did I?"

"No," she replied. "No...I've been awake for a while. What's the matter, Dane? You look... You weren't worried about me were you? I'm okay, you know." She offered up a forced smile.

"I was worried about you," Dane said. He dragged the chair next to her bed closer, the legs of it making a terrible scraping noise across the floor. "But Jamie told me you were okay."

"I didn't realize Jamie even cared."

"Of course he does." Dane reached for her hand, clasping it tightly in his own. "We all care, Hallie."

"Well, then don't look so sad," she chided him. "I'm not dead. Far from it. Just a little worse for wear."

"It isn't you," Dane murmured. "It's Phoebe." Hallie shook her head, not understanding. Phoebe? That annoying reporter Dane had taken a liking to? She wasn't even in the building when the fire started. She had left earlier...when Luke left.

"What about her? Is she writing a terrible story about me? You know that woman is entirely unsuitable, Dane. You should seriously think about firing her...what?"

Dane's eyes burned with anger at her comments. He dropped her hand and pushed the chair away from her bed. "She died in that fire, Hallie," he announced. "She was there interviewing you at your request when she should have been somewhere else!"

"Are you blaming me?" Hallie asked incredulously. "I didn't ask her to come interview me. She said you told her to." He blinked owlishly at her, shaking his head.

"I didn't..."

"And I didn't either. She had her own ideas, Dane. I'm sorry she's gone. I know you cared about her but don't blame me for it."

"I don't...I'm sorry." He rubbed at his eyes making them even redder than they already were. "I just...I never really got the chance to get through to her. I tried everything and..." He broke off shaking his head. "Anyway, I hear you had a daring rescuer. What got into him?"

"Stephen? I don't know. I don't pretend to know what makes him tick."

"Well, I owe him a lot for getting you out. I don't know how I'll repay him but I will. I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost my sister."

Hallie smiled gently, stretching her hand out to him. "Yes, I can be grateful to him for that at least. I wouldn't want to cause any more grief than I already have for you."

"I'm just glad you're alive, Hallie. That's all." She held her arms open to him and let him embrace her. They still had each other after all. They still had each other.

Scene 3:

Jamie set the phone down, drumming his fingers on the counter. He hadn't been to the blaze at ME. He'd had his keys in hand and one foot out the door when the police had shown up at his door. After an hour of questions and reassurances about the extent of the damage, he had headed to the hospital and waited for Hallie and Luke to arrive. There was little else he could do. The police believed it was arson and it was an official investigation.

But here at the hospital, he discovered, there was little for him to do as well. He could stand around and wait to see Hallie but that would do no good at all. Michaela thought he should stay until he did though. She was right as usual. He would have to see her before the police did just to warn her. It was only fair. Not that she was a suspect, but that they wouldn't go easy on her at all.

He turned towards her room, coming to a standstill at the sight of a familiar figure approaching from the other end of the hall. Jude stopped where he stood as well, gazing back at Jamie with tired eyes. Almost as one, they both continued their approach, pausing outside her door. They were silent for a minute, knowing that one of them would have to speak first. Jamie decided to be that one.

"Jude," he said as a way of greeting. Jude nodded, folding his arms protectively over his chest. "I think Dane is in there with Hallie."

"Well, I guess I'll come back later then," Jude replied stiffly, turning on his heel.

"Wait, Jude." Jamie laid a restraining hand on Jude's shoulder.

"What?"

"I don't want you to be angry with me anymore," he said. It wasn't an apology. That would be a little harder. "I was wrong to ask you what I did."

Jude's shoulders slumped a little and he turned to face his brother. "Jamie, I know why you did it. I can understand that. But it was the way you asked. Like I didn't matter in the slightest. Or what I was going through wasn't difficult."

Jamie lowered his eyes briefly, knowing what Jude said was true. "I'm an insensitive jackass."

"That's putting it lightly," Jude replied. "But right now, I really don't want to get into apologies or who was right or wrong. There's a lot going on and I just can't think about it right now. Tonight is certainly not the night for you and I to hash out our differences when other families need us more."

"I heard about Luke's brother," Jamie said, reading Jude's mind. "Have you seen Maura?"

"I just came from her." He looked over his shoulder as if he had left her standing behind him somewhere. "The Conlans are pretty upset. Apparently, Piper was brought in a while ago."

"Piper? Was she at ME?"

"No. I'm not sure what happened to her." Jude shook his head at the situation. It did seem bleak for the Conlans indeed. "Look, I wanted to make sure Hallie was okay. But if Dane is in there, maybe I'll just come back later."

"Jude, wait. I know we're still at odds but will you at least talk to me again?"

Jude studied him, giving him a searching gaze, before shrugging uncertainly. "I don't know Jamie. I've got a lot to work out yet. I suppose I wouldn't run you over with my car though."

"Well that's a start," Jamie answered sarcastically. "Give my best to Maura." Jude nodded and returned the way he came. Nothing like a tragedy, Jamie thought, to bring a family back together. Or almost together.

Scene 4:

Noah turned the key in his door, bone tired after the day's events. Piper was sleeping for now. He would go back when he'd gotten some rest himself, if that was even possible. He'd gone and identified Dusty in the morgue, hating to see her lying there with all the life in her gone. But he'd done it just the same and now it was all he could think about. His last living relative was gone and he was alone in the world.

He didn't know how he could sleep with that weight on him. It wasn't as if he and Dusty had known each other their entire lives either. She had been the result of an affair his father had had years ago. They'd only met a few years ago and gotten close this last year. She was more of a pal than a sister but her death still stung.

The light was on in the living room when he pushed the door open. He dropped his keys on the small table next to the door and took a cautious step inside. He didn't remember leaving lights on when he left, but he could be wrong about that. He was tired after all.

"Noah?" Dinah's anxious voice called out from the living room. He could hear her footsteps in the hall as she approached him. "Thank god, you're here," she said throwing her arms around him.

"Dinah, what are you doing here?" He asked, too tired to shake off her embrace. She pulled back from him, glancing over her shoulder.

"I need your help...we need your help," she amended taking him by the hand and leading him to the living room.

"Dinah, who is that?" Noah asked catching sight of Tyler shivering under a blanket.

"His name is Tyler. He's the guy that crashed his bike in front of Galen's house," Dinah explained quickly. "He's really sick, Noah. Will you help him?"

Noah made a frustrated noise, shaking his head. "No. Call your parents or something, Dinah. I just want to be alone."

"I can't! Noah you're the only one who can help him!" She cried moving to Tyler's side. "He was at the hospital but he left and asked me for help. He can't go back there."

Noah dropped into the chair nearest to the sofa, sighing resignedly. Better this, he thought, than being alone and thinking about Dusty. "Why did he leave? If he's that sick he should have stayed there. And why did you even agree to help him? Jesus Dinah, you should know better than that."

"I promised him I wouldn't make him go back. I said I would help him." She looked over her shoulder at Noah, a pleading look on her face. "Please? I can't ask my parents for help and I can't ask Galen either. You're the only one I know who can help him."

"Dinah," Noah sighed. "I've had a really bad day..."

"I know. I'm sorry..." He shot her an alarmed stare. "I called the hospital looking for one of the Conlans. A nurse I know answered in the ER. I really am sorry, Noah. I liked her a lot."

"Thanks," he said his voice catching in his throat. "All right, I'll help. What's wrong?" He would do anything now, just to get the thought of Dusty out of his head.

Scene 5:

The nurse was probably tired of hearing him but she exhibited no less patience than she had come into his room with. "I'm sorry, Mr. Conlan. Dr. Gennaro wants you here for observation. You can't go home."

"What is your name?" Luke demanded, squeezing his fists in an effort to remain calm.

"Not that it matters in this conversation, but it's Georgia Corelli."

Luke nodded and pulled himself into a sitting position, flashing a smiled steeped in sincerity at her. "Georgia...that's a pretty name. Look, I'm fine. Dr. Gennaro, Galen," he amended hinting at a familiar relationship with the man he'd only met a few times, "is just being overly cautious. I'm fine. Not a scratch on me."

"Oh really?" She pulled back his hospital gown to reveal a large purplish bruise that was quickly turning yellow. "What's this then?"

"A bruise, not a scratch," he said quickly, yanking his gown out of her hands. "Come on. Go tell him I'm fine."

"No."

"Now, Georgia," he said trying again as the door opened. He turned hopeful eyes towards the visitor but it wasn't Galen. "Who's this?" He asked Georgia. "Another doctor to tell me I have to stay? I'm not staying," he added, aiming his comment at the man.

"Never thought I'd see the day when Luke Conlan was trying to escape a beautiful woman," Leo drawled as he leaned his shoulder against the door frame. "Oh, how times have changed," he grinned.

Luke turned a suspicious gaze on the man. "Do I know..." The question died on his lips. Of course he knew him. "Leo? What the hell are you doing in the Glen? Christ, I thought you were in Africa somewhere digging up a mummy!"

"What can I say? Even down there, it's not as hot as it is around here," Leo commented, sending another glance the nurse's way before taking a step into the hospital room and towards his old friend. "But I guess some of us can't take the heat, huh?"

Luke rolled his eyes. He dismissed the nurse with a wave of his hand. "You go tell Galen, I want out," he demanded pointing at the door. "Go on."

Georgia smiled sweetly, nodding at the men. "Of course, I would be delighted to pass on your message. Is there anything else I can do for you?" The sarcasm wasn't lost on Luke but he chose to ignore it staring at her pointedly until she left.

"Apparently, they think I need to stay here over night," he muttered before bringing the conversation back around to Leo. "What the hell are you doing here anyway? I haven't seen you since...what 98?"

"I took a job up at Hope College. It pays the bills, you know?" Pulling up a chair, Leo sat down, still grinning like a fool. "I hear you got yourself hitched to Hallie Lennox. I'm dyin' to know how you managed that one. And, by the way, I'd listen to the doctors if I were you. You look like you just got run over by a Mack truck."

"Try falling six stories in an elevator," he replied. "I'm sorry you couldn't be at the wedding, Leo. I did try to find you. It was a helluva show." He grinned at the memory of Gwen Mason being humiliated in front of her society friends. "Hallie though. Well, it just happened I guess."

"Just happened, huh?" Leo shook his head musingly. "Sounds to me like you really lucked out. Never thought you'd be the settling type, Luke."

Luke shrugged. "Truth is, it was a business deal. Hallie wanted the same thing I did. Didn't hurt that the sex was pretty good. But I don't want to talk about Hallie. What about you? What are you doing here? And I mean in the hospital. Did I make the 11 o'clock news?"

"Close to it. Actually, I'm here for reasons all my own," he said, holding up his bandaged hand. "But I happened to run into your sister and she told me what happened. Thought I'd drop in and see how you were holding out."

"Where is Maura?" Luke asked. "I've been holed up in here forever and she still hasn't shown her face. Dad was here though. I can't imagine why Maura hasn't come yet."

"Maura? Oh, uh, I don't know. Last time I saw her, she was in the...middle of something. I'm sure she'll be by soon. But that's not who I was talking about. I meant your other sister."

"Wait a minute Leo. I've got three sisters. You'll have to be more specific."

"The insufferably annoying one?" Leo supplied. "Jillian. I found her ranting and raving in the ER. She's got a few issues, doesn't she?"

"Are you kidding? It runs in the family. I'm surprised she even spoke to you. Jillie was never your biggest fan if I remember correctly. Or has that changed and I don't know it?"

"Please," he scoffed. "I wouldn't even have stopped to give her the time of day, if it hadn't been for.... Well, if she hadn't been so obviously distraught. There's no love lost between me and your sister, believe me. And something tells me I could say the same thing about her and Maura, judging from the way she went off on Maura earlier in the waiting room. Of course, your sister ditched me before she could explain that one."

"You don't even want to go there," Luke remarked. "Those two haven't gotten along since we were in elementary school. And even then, I think Jillie faked it." He grinned at Leo. "Man, I can't believe you're here. The only friend I've been able to count on lately is my brother..." He trailed off remembering where Jory was and why he was there. "Uh, has anyone..." He choked on his words trying to reign in his hurt. "Did Jillie tell you how he was?"

Leo averted his gaze for a moment, letting Luke keep his pain to himself. "Yeah. She managed to get in to see him.... He's in the ICU right now, Luke. It's looking pretty touch and go."

"Damn." He turned his head for a moment. "He shouldn't have even been there. I don't know why he was."

"I don't know what to tell you. But at least he made it out alive."

"This town is messed up. I don't know what brought you back, but I hope for your sake you get out again soon." He shook off the morbid thoughts, resigning himself to be positive about Jory's condition. He was alive after all. "So, tell me. Single? Married? Gay?"

Leo snorted. "Single. And straight, last time I checked. Why? You interested?" he asked jokingly.

"No definitely not. But I do have a recently single sister that a certain high school friend of mine had a crush on years ago," Luke replied pointedly.

He almost choked on his speechlessness. "Right. I know she's your sister, but that idea appeals to me about as much as the thought of ramming my own head through a glass window pane. And it would probably give me about as much of a headache."

Luke laughed. "Oh come on. I don't buy that for a minute. It's me, remember? I was there. I remember how you always came over when Jillie was practicing with her pom pom squad in the backyard."

"We're not in high school anymore, Luke," Leo pointed out. "I have done some changing since I left the Glen, even if your sister hasn't. She's just not my type anymore."

"Your loss," Luke shrugged. "Can you do me a favor though? Could you make sure Jillie gets home okay? I know Maura probably has Dad with her, but Jillie and Jory were....are close," he amended. "Just make sure she gets home safe? I don't need another sibling in the hospital."

Leo shrugged back at him. "Yeah, I can do that much." How could he not note the irony? After years of lusting after Jillie Conlan, here he was, Luke practically pushing him at her, and he was saying no. It was almost amusing.

"Thanks. Don't let her say no. She's stubborn sometimes."

"I never would have guessed that one."

Scene 6:

Piper was fine and resting comfortably. Jory was in ICU hanging on somehow. Luke wanted to be discharged immediately despite needing to be kept for observation. Hallie was fine, needed some rest, but fine. Galen had had a busy night. But now he was tired. More than anything, he wanted to be at home reading Mia a bedtime story. Lying down on the one spare bed in the ER, he prayed for a few moments of rest to keep going.

"Dr. Gennaro? Could you sign off on these charts?" His eyes blinked open and focused on the new ER nurse. What was her name again? It was a state name, his tired mind prodded. Georgia, that was it.

"Yes." He sat up on the bed, rubbing his eyes. He pulled a pen from his lab coat pocket and started with the top chart.

"Long night," Georgia commented. He nodded distractedly. That was the understatement of the year. "Luke Conlan wants to go home."

"Out of the question," Galen replied scrawling his name across another chart.

"That's what I told him. Oh and Dr. Stafford is looking for you."

"Why?" He handed the stack back to her, capping his pen as well. "Tell him you didn't see me. The last thing I need is John Stafford breathing down my neck."

"I don't know, Doctor. He seemed rather upset." She lowered her voice almost to a whisper. "You know that Tyler Jones went missing this afternoon, don't you?"

"Well, I'd have to be an idiot not to know that wouldn't I?" He remarked crossly. "I mean it isn't as if the whole staff didn't know about it. You'd think that kid was a mass murderer the way people freaked out about him."

"Well, he did rape that girl," Georgia protested.

"She says he did. I don't buy it personally. But whatever. Did John tell you why he wanted to see me?" Galen closed his eyes again. Maybe she would make it short and leave him alone.

"He said it was about his daughter..."

"Kelly?" Galen nearly leapt off the bed. Did John know where his missing wife was? Had she turned up somewhere? He didn't wait for an answer. Hurrying from the room, his mind turning dizzying somersaults with thoughts of his missing wife and what her reappearance might mean. He ducked around the ER desk towards the elevator. Of course, John would tell him about Kelly, he told himself. It had been Barbara that had pushed Kelly out of town after all. Barbara Stafford and her well-meaning advice. Well-meaning. That was a joke. He pressed the call button for the elevator, tapping his foot impatiently. The doors slid open, revealing John and Barbara Stafford looking more than worried. They looked frantic.

"Galen, thank god," Barbara breathed, stepping out of the elevator.

"What is it? Is it Kelly? Has she come back?" Galen asked directing his comment at John. John and Barbara exchanged guilty glances.

"No. It has nothing to do with Kelly," John replied dismissing the idea and Galen's hopes. "It's Dinah."

"Dinah?" Galen shook his head, confused. "What about her? I thought you might have some news about Kelly."

"Of course not!" Barbara snapped. "Dinah and John had an argument this morning about that Jones boy. And now he's missing and Dinah is nowhere to be found."

Galen clenched his jaw tightly, resisting the urge to tell Barbara Stafford a thing or two. "Well, I haven't seen her. So, is this turning into a hobby of yours? Running your daughters off?" He aimed the comment at the both of them, enjoying how their expressions of shock matched perfectly.

"What? It was never our intention to run them off!" Barbara announced. "In fact, we think Dinah may have been kidnapped."

Galen laughed aloud, unable to hold it in. "Kidnapped? Dinah? You two are shockingly bad parents." He shook with amusement. "Dinah would no more allow herself to be kidnapped than I would. Come on."

"Galen..."

"What John? Are you possibly going to tell me that I don't know your daughter like you do? Haven't I heard that one before?" He asked bitterly.

"Look, I know you have issues with us," John cut in coldly. "All of that is beside the point right now. Our primary concern is finding Dinah. Have you seen her?"

"No." He pressed his lips together tightly, adding to himself, and I wouldn't tell you if I did. "Sorry, can't help you."

"If you do hear from her," John said, "please do us all a favor and contact us." Galen shrugged noncommittally, stepping aside for them to pass. John moved on pausing to speak to another doctor. Barbara stayed back though and glared at Galen.

"You might as well move on already, Galen," she said, saying the same thing she'd been saying since Kelly's departure. "She's not coming back."

Galen nodded, humoring her. "Fine. If you'll excuse me Barbara, I have a daughter of my own to get back to," he told her. "And she doesn't like it when I'm gone for too long. It makes her think I've left her too. Like her mother," he added, taking pleasure in Barbara's angry expression. She had no one to blame but herself, he thought walking away. After all, Barbara was the one who had convinced his wife to leave him and their daughter.