Where You Are A Passions Fan Fic of Eve and Julian

[Sarah81]

Where You Are

An Evian FanFic

By,

Sarah Carlson



















Chapter One

One week after Kay’s Bridal Shower

Eve lay in bed, in the guest bedroom at the Russell house. It’s where she had been staying since she broke up with Julian. She felt absolutely miserable now that her life was falling apart again. TC had his stroke, she lost Julian, and now the truth about her involvement in Ivy breaking up Sam and Grace had come out.

Eve hated herself for what she did to Sam and Grace, and wished she had never had done it. She knew she never meant to hurt Sam and Grace, but it didn’t make her feel any better about it. Now she had lost her best friend and the Bennett’s lives had been destroyed. She decided whatever consequences lay before her in regards to her medical license and her job she would accept.

As for Julian, that hurt her heart the most. She had lost the man she loved more than anything in this world. She never thought she would have to go through this again, twice in a lifetime. Eve tried to put on a happy face during the day, but deep down she was dying inside. What she and Julian had was so good and now it was gone. She felt so hurt and angry at him, for the way he had treated her. The fact that he could go back to his old self and hurt her after he promised never to hurt her again was beyond her. Still no matter how hard she tried she couldn’t get him out of her heart. She still loved him, dreamed about him, and missed him.

Then there was TC. Eve blamed herself for hurting him by lying to him all those years and for his recent accident. Now that she was back with him, she had been taking care of him, now that he had his stroke. They had spent some time talking together, but nothing intimate had happened between them. The truth was Eve cared about TC, but wasn’t in love with him. She just couldn’t see herself giving herself to him. And Julian, the man she loved and ached for, she no longer knew. Eve soon felt tears running down her cheek as she began to cry.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That same night Julian was sitting in the kitchen at the Crane Mansion. He was at the table going through his latest liquor bottle. Katherine came in and was disturbed when she saw Julian drinking. She had noticed Julian spiral downward for months since his breakup with Eve, but it seemed to be getting worse. She was definitely getting concerned and worried about her son.

“What are you doing?” Katherine asked him. Anger was in her voice.

“What does it look like I’m doing?” Julian replied. His speech was slurred.

“Oh my God. You’re drunk,” she exclaimed.

“That’s my business,” he grunted.

At that moment, Katherine had enough. She couldn’t let Julian hurt himself like this, and decided to take action. “All right that does it,” she said as she grabbed the liquor bottle out of his hand and emptied it in the sink.

“Wait a minute!” Julian exclaimed, irritated. “What are you doing?”

“I’m doing an intervention,” Katherine said in a stern no nonsense voice, and started making a
pot of coffee. “I’m going to make you a pot of coffee, you’re going to sober up, and then you and I are going to talk.”

“What do you mean? Why are you doing this?”

“Because Son, I’ve watched you spiraling down for a while now, and I'm not going to let you self-destruct.” Katherine brought over the pot of coffee, placed it in front of Julian and poured him a cup. “I’m your mother, do what I say,” she said as she pointed to the cup.

“You don’t have to treat me like I’m a child,” Julian said, annoyed.

“Well I do if you’re going to act like one.”

“You think that just because you’re my mother you can still tell me what to do!”

“Now!!” Katherine's tone was so firm that if anyone heard their parents use that tone, they would be afraid to defy them.

“Yes Ma’am,” Julian said obediently. After Julian finished his coffee and sobered up, Katherine sat down at the table with him.

“Now what’s gotten into you?” she asked gently. “You’ve been acting like a completely different person lately. What is it? Eve?”

“You might say that.”

“Well talk to me. What happened?”

"Her wretched ex-husband had a stroke, and she was at his side every waking moment," Julian said bitterly "I hired nurses to take care of him, but no she had to do it herself. I tried to pull her back, arranging a romantic rooftop dinner and all she does is talk on her cell phone to TC's nurse. Then I arranged a romantic getaway for the two of us, I even arranged for her patients to be seen by other doctors and she broke off our engagement."

"Wait a minute. You sent her patients away?" said Katherine, shocked.

"Yes, I did."

"Julian, by any chance when you were dealing with all of this with her, were you drinking and talking like you are now?"

"You might say that."

"I see," said Katherine, having a picture of what had happened. "So instead of sitting down and talking things out rationally with her, you decided to get drunk and act like your father."

"Why not, nice guys finish last."

"No, they don't," she said disgustedly. "And frankly I'm very disappointed in you. Darling, if you have a problem with the person you love, you sit down and talk it out with them. You don't act jealous and demanding. And you know better than that."

"Please. Father was right. The only way to win in this world is to be ruthless and trust no one."

Katherine was shocked beyond belief that Julian would say that about Alistair. "How can you even say that after everything Alistair’s done?”

"What I should have done was not let my guard down. TC wormed his way back into her life."

"No, the problem was that you were too forceful. And you know where that got you? Alone without Eve."

"Well the truth is love doesn't exist. It only exists in fairy tales. Besides I realized that when past loves are involved, there is no hope. Somehow they come in and split the couple up."

"That's not true," she said more gently. "Sometimes relationships are tested, and it's not about past loves, it's who you love more. And Eve loves you more. Everyone knows that."

"Then why did she choose TC over me?"

"Look I understand how you feel about Eve spending all of her time with TC. But I don't think she was trying to hurt you. If you want my advice, go to her and try to work things out. It's not too late. And what you're doing by drinking and behaving like this is only hurting yourself. And it's not how I raised you."

"No you didn't raise me at all. You left me, had plastic surgery, and headed south of the border with your housekeeper's husband."

Katherine was hurt that Julian had said that, even though it was partly true. "You're right I did leave you, and it was wrong. And yes I blame myself for a lot of the problems you've had. However, I'm here now and I love you too much to watch you self-destruct."

"Save your breath Mother," Julian said coldly. And then he stood up. "I don't need your help. You know it's funny. Everyone I ever cared about somehow leaves me. You left me, Timmy left me, and Eve left me. Well I'm never going to let anyone ever hurt me again."

Julian left the room and Katherine sat there feeling devastated and wondering where she went wrong with Julian.

Julian went into the library and sat down at his desk, when his cell phone rang.

"Hello," he said when he picked it up. All of a sudden the sound of his voice was completely different. "......Yeah, everything’s going like clockwork. Everyone completely thinks I'm Julian Crane. I even have his mother fooled. Not to mention the lovely Dr. Russell."

Chapter Two

The next morning, Julian Crane sat in the window seat at the Northern Crane Compound. It's where it had been held hostage for the past four months. His window was his only view of the outside world now. Since Julian had been at the compound, he hadn’t been allowed outdoors or out of his room for that matter. The door was always kept locked up by the guards.

The room Julian was kept in was large and luxurious. The size of it was slightly larger than his room at home. The walls were painted light blue. Facing the door, there was a large king sized bed, with a fancy headboard. On the right side of the room, there was a window seat, a wardrobe full of clothes, and a bookshelf. There was a door leading to a bathroom adjacent to the bed. On the left side of the room, there was a fireplace, next to a table and chairs.

As Julian looked out the window at the ocean, he longed for freedom and to be back with his beloved Eve. Eve. How he missed her and longed for her. He sighed with a heavy heart, as he thought back to how all this started.

~

Last summer, after Rebecca granted Julian a divorce, Eve and him were so happy that they could finally get married. Then TC had his accident and everything changed for them. When TC was first brought into the emergency room, after he was driving drunk, Julian felt bad for TC. He didn’t want TC to die or for Whitney and Simone to lose their father. Then Eve and him found out that the reason TC chose to drive drunk, because he had lost his family. Eve started to blame herself for TC’s accident. Julian then became furious with TC for that. Julian thought TC was completely selfish to care so little about his own life that his daughters would end up without a father. It wasn’t bad enough that TC treated Eve like dirt, but then he had her blaming herself for his outrageous behavior, when it wasn’t her fault. She didn’t deserve that.

Then TC had his stroke, and Eve began spending all of her time taking care of him. Julian felt jealous of this. Yes, he felt sorry for TC, but he wasn’t comfortable for Eve taking care of him. If it had been any other member of Eve’s family he would understand, but TC was her ex-husband. Paying for doctors and dropping in once in a while to say hello he could understand her doing. However, Eve spent all of her spare time with her ex-husband, he just couldn’t understand no matter how hard he tried. Julian soon became afraid that Eve would fall back in love with TC, and he would lose her.

Then one day in August, Julian dropped by the Russell house and asked Eve to come to Paris with him, like they had always talked about. Eve declined saying she had to take care of TC. They ended up having a fight and Julian left the house.

Afterwards, Julian went for a walk in the park to clear his head. He hated arguing with Eve. He adored her; he didn’t want to argue with her. Still he wasn’t comfortable with this situation. He hardly ever saw her anymore, now that she was taking care of TC, and he missed her. He loved her so much and he didn’t want to lose her.

Then it dawned on Julian that Eve had a tendency to blame herself for things that weren’t her fault, and when she did that she would try to punish herself for it. ‘That’s what she’s doing here,’ he thought to himself. ‘She feels guilty about TC's accident so she’s there out of obligation.’ He knew Eve loved him and what they had together was stronger than anything she ever had with TC.

Julian knew they could work this out. Next time he saw her; he would sit down with her and talk this out. He would apologize for coming down so hard on her, and help her see that she didn’t have to take care of TC or feel guilty about his accident. All of a sudden, he felt a lot better and knew Eve and him would be all right.

Then what happened next, nothing in the word could have prepared him for. As Julian was leaving the park, someone grabbed him from behind, putting their hand over his mouth to keep him from screaming. Julian gasped and felt his adrenaline shot way up and his heart began to pound inside of his chest. He was able to get a look at the person and it was Spike, Jessica Bennett’s pimp/husband and Harmony’s sleaze ball. Julian knew Spike was evil and that he had worked for Alistair. What did he want with him? Spike pulled a gun out of his pocket to Julian’s head with his other hand. “Not a word,” Spike hissed. “Scream or run away, I’ll kill you and then I’ll kill your precious Eve. Are we clear?” Julian nodded obediently.

Spike took his hand off Julian’s mouth and began to handcuff Julian’s hands behind his back.

‘Okay, stay calm,’ Julian thought to himself. ‘Just try to negotiate with him.’ “Look man,” Julian said to Spike. “If this is about money, I’ll give it to you. I’m loaded.”

“It aint your money I want,” Spike replied.

“Well whatever you want I’ll give it to you. You don’t have to do this.”

“Shut up, Rich boy.” Spike hissed as he grabbed Julian’s handcuffed hands. “I’ve got plans for you. Now any sudden moves and you and Eve die." Spike pulled the gun to Julian’s back and dragged Julian to the parking lot.

Julian felt his heart pound even harder, that this time he could even hear it. His adrenaline shot up even higher and his body was trembling. He never felt more terrified in his life. He realized he wasn’t going to be able to talk his way out of this one, and that Spike definitely had plans for him. Julian also knew how evil Spike was and that if he wanted to hurt him he would. Spike had done things even the ‘Old Julian’ would have found repulsive.

Then Spike opened his car door and pushed Julian inside. Once inside the car, Spike duct taped Julian’s mouth. Julian struggled to get away, but it was no use. Spike injected Julian with something and Julian blacked out.

When Julian came to, he was on a private plane in the air. His hands were still handcuffed and his mouth was still duct taped. His terror level rose even higher now. Where was he being taken? What was going to happen to him? He was scared to death he was going to be hurt or worse.

Finally, the plane landed, and two large goons came out and stood on either side of Julian. They
forced him to stand up and dragged him off the plane.

When they stepped off the plane, Julian saw they were at one of the Crane compounds. Julian had known Alistair had secret Crane Compounds around the globe; however no one knew where they were, not even Julian. The goons brought Julian upstairs, took off the handcuffs and the gag, and threw him in his room and locked the door.

Julian tried to break the door down, and when that didn’t work he tried banging on the door and yelling to be let out. He had tried to see if he could get out the window, but it was bulletproof and couldn’t even be broken down.

“Hello Julian,” said a voice behind him. Julian turned around and saw on the table, a video laptop with Alistair on the screen.

“Father,” Julian gasped as he stared at the screen in disbelief. He thought Alistair was dead. However, nothing at that moment made any sense to him.

“I’ll bet you’re wondering what’s going on right now,” said Alistair.

“You think?” Julian replied sarcastically.

“Well I’ll tell you. First of all, I’m alive. You didn’t really think I’d try to kill myself in that train explosion, did you? No, I only faked my death.”

“Oh my God!” Julian said in fear and disbelief. He knew this was bad.

“Anyways, I had you kidnapped. You see when you and Eve first got back together a couple of years ago, the reason I didn’t try to break the two of you up, was because I thought Rebecca would keep the two of you apart. Well I did lie to you about Chad being your son, but even that didn’t work. Well now that Rebecca’s granted you a divorce, there’s no way I’m going to let you marry your black whore.”

Julian grimaced at Alistair’s racist remark.

“So,” Alistair continued. “I had you kidnapped. You should have listened to me when I told you to stay away from that whore. Oh and no one will miss you. You see I’ve hired an imposter to pretend to be you. It’s a wonder what a voice disguiser and a latex mask can do. Oh and there is no way out. Try to escape and there will be dire consequences. Oh and there’s something else you should know about TC Russell.” What Alistair told Julian about TC shocked him. Julian knew TC was an angry man, but never in a million years did he ever imagine TC was capable of such evil.

After Alistair’s video clip ended, Julian went into his bathroom and threw up. He felt like this was some sort of nightmare where he couldn’t wake up from. He couldn’t believe his own father could do this to him. Actually, he could believe it. All of Julian’s life, Alistair had tortured him; abusing him when he was growing up, raping his mother Katherine, drove him to drink, kept Eve and him apart, kidnapped their son, and now this. How had he not seen this coming? Of course, Alistair would still try to keep them apart. Julian now wished he had taken some sort of action against Alistair when he had the chance. Maybe Eve and he would be safe and together now.

Julian paced his room trying to figure out what to do now, when he saw something come on the screen of the video laptop. It was a video feed of Harmony. It showed the hospital fair on the wharf, and what seemed to be the Julian imposter. Julian couldn’t believe the physical resemblance to himself. If he didn’t know any better he would say it was him. He figured the imposter must be using a voice disguiser and a latex mask. Then as Julian watched the imposter talking to Fox and then to Eve, he realized exactly what was going on. Alistair was having the imposter make everyone think that he was the ‘Old Julian’, so Eve would break up with him. It was too awful to be true.

~

Life at the compound had become routine for Julian. He was fed three meals a day, and maids even came to clean the room, and to do laundry. Julian made them taste his meals first to make sure they weren’t poisoned. The compound was surrounded by guards so he couldn’t get out or escape. At one point he tried to escape by pretending he was sick, to get one of the guards to come in. He punched him, knocking him out unconscious and was able to get downstairs but the guards caught him and threw him back in. Julian realized unless he had a helicopter or a boat there was no way out, even if he tried. The only thing he could do was pray for a miracle and he did. He had learned to pray like he had never prayed before.

The hardest part had to be watching what was going on in Harmony. There were his children Little Ethan and Endora. Julian right away found out that Little Ethan wasn’t his biological son. He was devastated. Even though he had never been a real father to Little Ethan, he still loved him and was hoping to make up for lost time. He wasn’t angry at Theresa, it wasn’t her fault, but it was just sad. He realized Alistair was having the imposter try to get custody was just a cruel way of torturing both him and Theresa. As for Endora, he realized Alistair must know that she was his daughter. Alistair was either trying to use the imposter to either take Endora away from Tabitha to raise her to be a true Crane, or just trying to cause as much pain as possible. Either way he feared for his children and wanted to protect them.

He had to watch Spike try to rape Fancy in the mineshaft, and it killed him to see someone hurting his daughter and he wasn’t able to protect her. Julian wasn’t sure why Fox was following the imposter’s advice about Kay, but he knew that if he ever became free he was going to give Fox a good talking to.

He also found out on the monitors that Chris was a fraud and that Alistair paid him to fall in love with Sheridan so she would forget Luis. Julian was furious with Alistair and Chris for that.

The worst part of it all was watching the imposter destroy his relationship with Eve. Julian hated the imposter for helping Alistair try to break them up, and most of all for the horrible way he treated Eve. It made Julian’s blood boil. He would have never treated Eve that way. He feared for her safety with the imposter and with TC. If TC could do what he did, what’s to say he could do to Eve.

Julian’s life had become hell. He felt stir crazy from being locked up in one room, and helpless that he couldn’t protect Eve and his family. He wasn’t angry at Eve for what happened or upset with her anymore for taking care of TC. She didn’t know what was really going on. The problems they were having before Julian was kidnapped, felt so petty to him now. At first, he was afraid Eve might fall back in love with TC, with the imposter poisoning her mind against him. However, as he had watched Eve on the video monitor, he saw that she was just going through the motions with TC. There was no love in her eyes for him. If anything Julian would say that Eve looked like she was dying inside. All he wanted to do was hold her, and comfort her, and let her know that he still loved her. Eve was what got him though the day now. Just the thought of being reunited with her was enough to keep him going.

Chapter Three

Back in Harmony, at the Russell house, Eve was still asleep and having a nightmare. In her dream, Julian was tied up to a stake, bound and gagged. Alistair was there whipping Julian, with vengeance, enjoying every moment he was torturing him. Only it was the kind and generous Julian that was tied up.

Alistair then snapped his fingers, and a gravesite with a headstone, that said “Old Julian,” appeared in front of them. Alistair then took the chalice that he had tried to steal from the Vatican last summer, pointed it towards the headstone and ‘Old Julian’ raised from his grave. Then Alistair pointed the chalice towards ‘Old Julian’ again and made him more evil than before and had him go out into the world. ‘New Julian’ was trapped helpless to get away.

Eve sat up in bed, waking up in a cold sweat. Her heart was pounding and her body was trembling. What had that dream meant? Was Julian alright? Why would Alistair be torturing Julian if he was dead? Eve didn’t know what the dream meant, but it sent chills up her spine. She thought about calling Julian to see if he was alright, but decided not to, thinking it would be too awkward.

~

An hour later, Eve was all dressed for work and in the kitchen doing the dishes. It had been a long time since she had done any dishes. Living at the mansion, she never had to do anything for herself. She missed the mansion. Not because of its wealth or glamor, but because she felt at home there with Julian. Of course, Julian now thought she was a gold digger.

As Eve thought this, she realized there was something very strange about Julian calling her a gold digger. In the entire two years that they were together, Eve never took a dime from Julian. If she needed to pay for something, she paid for it out of her own pocket. Not to mention, her salary as a doctor was very generous, and she could live quite comfortably on it. Eve wasn’t even materialistic. Yes, she had lived a wealthy lifestyle with him, but she would have been happy living in a shack with Julian, just as long as she was with him, and he knew that. Even when Julian bought her gifts, like when he took her to rodeo drive, it was he who offered. Even though Eve was flattered and touched by his generosity, she would tell him not to spend so much money on her, but still he would insist.

There were other things that were strange about Julian’s recent behavior, that didn’t sit well or make sense to Eve. For starters when Eve went back to the mansion, to get the brooch Julian had won for her, he didn’t remember the brooch or winning it for her. Julian usually had a good memory when it came to things that happened in their relationship. He could even recall things from their first date. Then Julian had accused her of stealing the brooch, thinking it was real. However, with his wealthy upbringing he could tell the difference between a real brooch and a fake one from a mile away.

Then there was Julian planning a Mediterranean cruise for the two of them. For two years, she and Julian had talked about going to Paris. It had been a dream of theirs. They did talk about going to some other countries in Europe later, but Paris was going to be their first and big stop. It seemed strange that Julian would plan a Mediterranean cruise, when they planned on Paris. Not that Eve would mind taking a Mediterranean cruise.

Then there was Julian giving Eve a hard time about her long hours at the hospital. Julian had never once complained about her being a busy doctor before. It was one of the things he loved about her. When they got back together two years ago, he adapted to the life of a doctor’s husband very well. He was always incredibly supportive of her and sang her praises. She never even got that kind of support from TC, even when they were married. Now why all of a sudden was Julian complaining about Eve being a busy doctor?

Then there was Julian trying to force himself on her at Kay’s bridal shower. In the entire time that Eve had known Julian, he had never once tried to rape anyone. He had tried to come on to her when he was the old Julian, but had never forced himself on her like he had. He never even raped Theresa in Bermuda. Even when Liz had lied about Julian raping her all those years ago and Julian thought that he had raped her, Eve had trouble believing it was true. Eve also knew how hard it was for Julian to watch his father abusing his mother Katherine when he was growing up, and how hard it was for him to learn later that Alistair had raped her. So it didn’t make any sense that he would do that.

Then there was Julian’s jealousy over TC, and the way he had reacted when they broke up. This was not the first time Julian had reason to be jealous, so why did he choose to become all mean and nasty to her now?

Then there was Julian all of a sudden deliberately trying to emulate Alistair. Julian hated Alistair for all the pain he had caused him, Eve, and their families. Just weeks before she and Julian started having problems, Alistair had sent lions to try to kill Julian’s daughter Fancy. Julian was furious with Alistair for that. Alistair had caused Julian nothing but pain his entire life. Alistair had abused Julian when he was growing up, forced his mother Katherine to abandon their family, kept Eve and him apart, and kidnapped their son. Now Julian was using Alistair as a role model. That didn’t make any sense to her either.

Julian had eventually stood up to Alistair for the abuse he had suffered. Eve knew that when people who were abused as children realized what their abuser did was wrong, they usually don’t start emulating them.

Julian wasn’t even this bad when he was the ‘Old Julian.’ Then, it was because of Alistair’s corruption. Now that Alistair’s dead, Julian was worse? Something didn’t add up.

The truth was ever since the hospital fair on the wharf last summer, when Julian first started regressing, she had a strange gut feeling in the pit of her stomach that something wasn’t right with him. At first, she had chalked it up to his behavior, but that didn’t seem to be it. Over time the feeling was growing stronger and stronger.

Eve had tried to think of any warning signs that she had missed, to Julian’s recent behavior and there were none. Ever since Julian had changed and came back into her life, three years ago, he had been nothing loving, gentle, kind, and considerate. Even when they first met all those years ago, he was the same way. For a while she had tried to convince herself that Julian had put on an act, but she knew in her heart that wasn’t true. She wondered maybe he was more vulnerable then she realized, or maybe she had pushed him over the edge with her tending to TC.

She finished washing the last dish and went into the living room, to leave for the hospital. However, when she got to the living room, she saw TC sitting on the couch looking at the floor with his hands folded. He looked upset.

“TC, is everything alright?” asked Eve.

“No, everything is not alright. Simone is out with that degenerate woman, Rae again. This lifestyle of hers is disgusting. I can’t seem to get her to see that.”

“You didn’t argue with her again, did you?” Eve groaned.

“Of course I did. Someone has to get her to see what she’s doing is wrong.”

Eve couldn’t believe how transparent TC was being. “This lifestyle of hers is not wrong. I thought you said you understood.”

“Well I don’t. You know this is all, your fault.”

“My fault!!??”

“Yes, it's your fault. If you hadn’t abandoned us, she wouldn’t have felt the need to become a lesbian.”

Eve was annoyed by this. One minute TC understood about Simone’s lifestyle and her past, and the next he didn’t. Either way she wasn’t going to pay attention to this. “Look,” she said to him. “I don’t have time for this. I have to get to work.”

“Don’t you walk away from me!” TC grabbed Eve by her arm and then slapped her across the face, causing her to lose her balance and then fall on the floor. She looked up at him in shock, not believing what he just did. Then TC got on the floor pinning her down and began punching and hitting her, all over her face, arms, and her torso.

“Please TC, stop it,” she cried. "You're hurting me." She had tears in her eyes as she squirmed to get away. She never felt so frightened. It was like TC was possessed. She tried to pull away and managed to a little bit, but TC pulled her down and she landed on her stomach and TC began punching her back. With every hit, she cried in distress.

“Can’t you ever do anything right around here? You’re nothing but a godless whore.”

Eve tried to get away again and this time managed to get out from his grip and stood up. TC got up too, and then pushed her against the wall. Then he lunged at her again and pushed her onto the floor where he began kicking her with his feet and hitting her with his cane.

Finally she was able to get away again, and ran upstairs to her bedroom and locked the door behind her. She couldn’t believe what TC had just done. She knew she couldn’t stay there anymore, and had to leave. So she quickly packed up all of her things. She shoved all of her clothes and things into her suitcases, as fast as she could. Then ten minutes later, when she was all packed, she went downstairs and went out the front door and got in her car and drove away from the Russell house and away from TC.

Chapter Four

Back at the Compound, Julian was still sitting in his window seat and looking out the window. He saw a seagull fly by, soaring in the air, by the ocean. As Julian watched the seagull, he envied it. That seagull was free, and could go where he pleased. No one was holding that seagull captive, or keeping him from the lady bird he loved. Julian, on the other hand, was being held captive, and being kept from the woman he loved. Somehow it didn't seem fair to him.

Then all of a sudden, Julian had a horrible feeling come over him, like someone had just walked over his grave. Only the feeling was about Eve, like she was in some sort of trouble. It was very unsettling to him. Then he noticed the video monitor go on, and he left the window seat and went over to sit on the edge of his bed to watch what was going on. The first thing he saw was Eve sleeping in bed. He sighed as soon as he saw her, feeling relieved to see she was safe. He smiled at her, as he saw her. She looked so beautiful as always. He missed her so much. He longed to touch her and let her know what was really going on, and tell her that he still loved her. Now the only way he could see her these days was through a video feed.

Then he saw her sit upright in bed. It looked to him that she had had a bad dream. He wished he was there to comfort her, after her dream. Only now he couldn't. Then he saw her get ready for work, and wash the dishes. She looked so troubled as she was doing the dishes, like something was on her mind. Eve and him had always been connected. They could always tell what was on each other's minds or if something was wrong with the other one, without even having to speak. Even now he still felt connected to her. And he could tell that she was unhappy and miserable without him. 'Damn you TC Russell,' he thought to himself. 'If you really cared about Eve, you would have let her go. You would have let her be happy with me, and not let her blame herself for your actions. And you wouldn't have done what you did. You want people to feel sorry for you. Well I don't and I never will again.' Julian knew if Eve knew what TC had done, she would be furious with him.

Then he saw Eve go into the living room where TC was sitting on the couch moping.

“TC, is everything alright,” asked Eve.

“No, everything is not alright. Simone is out with that degenerate woman, Rae again. This lifestyle of hers is disgusting. I can’t seem to get her to see that.”

“You didn’t argue with her again, did you?” Eve groaned.

“Of course I did. Someone has to get her to see what she’s doing is wrong.”

"TC's still giving Simone a hard time for being gay!?" Julian said, perplexed. He rolled his eyes. He felt so bad for Simone having to put up with TC's bigotry. Granted Julian had not been the best father in the world to his own children, but he couldn't imagine how any parent could turn their back on their child for being gay.

“This lifestyle of hers is not wrong. I thought you said you understood.”

“Well I don’t. You know this is all, your fault.”

“My fault!!??”

“Yes, it's your fault. If you hadn’t abandoned us, she wouldn’t have felt the need to become a lesbian.”

"There you go," Julian said to TC on the monitor. "You're blaming Eve again. Well why don't you leave her alone and let her be happy with me."

“Look, I don’t have time for this. I have to get to work.”

“Don’t you walk away from me!” Then Julian saw TC grabbed Eve and slapped her across the face, causing her to fall on the floor.

"Oh dear God!" Julian exclaimed standing up. His mouth just hung open, not believing TC had just hit her. Then he saw TC get on the floor with Eve, pinning her down and began beating her.

"No!!!!!!!!" Julian screamed. He could not believe what he was seeing or that TC was beating his lovely Eve. Tears began to fill his eyes as he watched this. "Get off of her!! Get off of her!!" he screamed at TC. He never felt more helpless, that he couldn't protect her.

Then a Turkish guard came into his room, wondering what all the commotion was about. "Mr. Crane, why do you scream?" the guard said in a thick Turkish accent.

Julian never took his eyes off the screen. Something inside him wouldn't let him. "Listen Man," Julian pleaded through his sobs. "Call TC Russell, distract him, do anything. Get him away from Eve." Julian hoped maybe he could still try to help her beloved Eve.

"No can do. Keep it down." Then the guard left.

"Bastard," Julian said after him. Julian continued to watch as Eve pleaded with TC to stop, but he didn't. "God," Julian prayed. "Please help Eve, I don't care what you do to me, but please get TC away from her." Then he saw Eve stand up, but TC shoved her against the wall. "You Bastard," Julian yelled at him. "Leave her alone." Then he saw TC lunged at her, pushing her onto the floor where he began kicking her and beating her with his cane. Julian began to cry even harder now. "Eve, my love, I'm here," he said to her. "Just try to get away from him sweetheart. You can do it." Then finally Julian saw that Eve was able to get away from TC again, and he saw her run upstairs to her room and pack up her things and leave the house. Julian breathed a sigh of relief seeing that she was safe. Then the screen went out.

At that moment, Julian sat down on the bed, broke down into tears. He hated seeing the woman he loved more than life itself go through that, and he hated it even more that he wasn't there to protect her. "Eve," he said "Wherever you are, right now, just know that I love you. And that if I could, I would be there with you now. You stay strong and I'm here with you in some form."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back in Harmony, Eve checked into a hotel right away. She had nowhere else to go and she couldn't go to Grace's B and B, after what she had done to the Bennetts. As soon as Eve checked into her room, at the hotel, she called in sick for work. She was in no condition, physically or mentally to work today.

Eve just sat on the end of the bed crying and shaking. She couldn't believe what had just happened or that TC had done this to her. Her body ached from the beating. Bruises were beginning to form on her body as well. Both of her eyes, right cheek, and neck were turning black and blue. She also had black and blue marks, and bruises on her back, torso, legs, and arms. However, it didn't begin to compare to the pain she felt inside. She knew TC had a temper, but she never thought he was capable of anything like this. "He's a good man," Eve said to herself. "He just has a temper, and he's been through a lot with his stroke, not to mention I did hurt him from lying to him all these years."

Then as Eve said those words to herself, she realized that’s what every single battered woman who came into the ER said to her. Then Eve remembered things that Julian had said about TC, about the way TC had treated her.

~~~~ “You know what, I didn't believe that you were a liar, either, or Julian's mistress, but you are -- all that and worse.”

“All right, that's enough, TC Yes, Eve has made some mistakes -- we all have -- but she's paid for them. She lost everything that mattered to her!”

“Except you, Julian.”

“She never intentionally set out to hurt anyone. Her mistakes are in the past. She's trying to move on and forget about them.”

“With lies?”

“Those lies were meant to protect the people that she loved -- you and the girls. And if you'd have loved Eve as much as you pretended to, you'd have been man enough to forgive her and keep your family together. But you didn't. You took the easy way out. You threw Eve away, you threw your marriage away, and you betrayed her with her own sister!”

“You turned Eve into a tramp, you Bastard.”

“Now who's the potential murderer, TC? The truth hurts, doesn't it?”

“I'll get you, Julian. You ruined my family!”

“No, you did that to yourself by giving it up. A real man would've fought to keep his family together, but you threw it away like a spoiled little kid!”

“You want a fight? I'll give you a fight!”

“What happened to all that talk about how you loved Eve? Whatever happened to "for better or worse?”

“You son of a bitch!”

~
“I knew that you would welsh on your deal.”

“Well, maybe I am, but I just heard a couple of words that I don't like, words that gave me second thoughts. One word is "wife." She is not your wife, TC, not anymore. You treated her like dirt. You divorced her and you turned your back on her, remember?”

“Eve needs her family. Family is most important to her.”

“Oh, look, now who's using your daughters? I mean, family didn't mean a damn thing to you when you turned your back on her. You divorced her and welcomed her sister into your bed, huh? Eve was devastated, but she swallowed her pride. She asked for another chance. She'd have done anything to save her -- her family and her marriage, but you wouldn't hear of it.”

~

“God, I feel so guilty.”

“No, listen, listen, listen, you mustn't.”

“How can I not, Julian? I broke TC's poor heart lying to him all those years about you and me and the baby that we had together.”

“Listen to me, he made a choice. He could've taken you back when you literally begged him to.”

“No. No, he felt too betrayed. But don't forget, though, he did come around. Remember? He did find it in his heart to forgive me. He did take me back, and then it was I who left him again. I'm responsible for all of this, Julian. I've killed one of the finest men who ever walked the earth.”

“Listen, I am not going to let you put this on yourself. TC is a grown man who made choices. He didn't have to let things go the way they did.”

“No, he was happy. He was a happy man till he found out the truth about me. I stole the joy out of his life.”

“No, you didn't.”

“I stole his will to live, Julian.”

“I am telling you, you did not. You did not put him behind the wheel of that car, you did not make him drink. If anyone's to blame for this, it's TC himself.”

“I don’t think it’s fair to place the blame on the victim.”

“But, darling, I don't see TC as a victim of anything, unless we're talking about self-pity.”

“I don't believe you could be so callous.”

“What, you can call it callous. The way I see it, TC is a grown man with freedom of choice. He is the one who decided to let everything go the way he did, he is the one who decided to drive when he shouldn't have.”

“That's because he was distraught over our divorce.”

“My darling, couples get divorced every day. Your marriage ending is not new news. No breakup is ever easy, but that is just no excuse to give up on life.”

“Yes, but -”

“If nothing else, TC had a responsibility to Whitney and Simone. Instead, he let his anger eat away at him until he was consumed by it.”

“Well, I still don't think that you should blame him when I am the one that ended the marriage.”

“Oh, you think you abandoned him? No, I think it was TC who let you and your girls down by driving drunk, by caring so little about his own life that his daughters could end up without a father.”

~

“The only person he'll let help him is me, and he throws me out half the time.”

“That is TC's choice. He's stubborn and pigheaded like he's always been. You can't do anything about that.”

~
“And return to what? A high school gym coach with a nasty temper?”

“You know, TC is a wonderful man, Julian. And he's a loving father, and he was a devoted husband.”

“And that's why he divorced you when he found out about the problems in your past?”

“He forgave me for that, and -- and he even wanted me back. And still, when I had to choose, I chose you. A stupid mistake.”

“Well, if that's the way you feel, fine. What about Simone -- how he banished her when he found out she was gay?”

“Well, he's gotten over that now, and they've made up.”

“Oh, how nice for you all. It's just like, forgive and forget, especially when all the sins are kept in the family.”

~

"You see, that's the root of the problem. TC is no longer your responsibility. You are not married to him. He divorced you in one of the nastiest divorce cases this town has ever seen. And still he wouldn't let you go."

~

“I may be a bit tipsy at the moment, but you, my dear, are stark raving mad. I never wanted to be your master. I wanted to be your partner, your equal in every way. How could you cast that aside and go back to some man who kicked you out of your own home when he found out that his perfect wife wasn't just so perfect when she was growing up? How can you honestly love TC more than me? He's angry, he's unforgiving, he's judgmental.”

~~~~

'Oh my God! Was Julian right?' Eve thought. She didn't know what to think or believe anymore. It was strange, but somehow she could feel Julian's presence around her. The good Julian, the man she loved. Somehow it felt like he was trying to comfort her. Eve wasn't sure why she was feeling that, but it felt good. Even after everything that had happened between them; she wished he was there with her right now. She could always draw on his strength and support. Now he was gone and she was alone again.

After a while, Eve's body was beginning to ache some more. As a doctor, she knew she should get checked out, in case of internal injuries. However, the woman in her, wanted to lay down and die. However, she felt a voice inside of her telling her to get help. Eve didn't want to go into the hospital. She didn't want anyone to know that TC had beaten her, and she knew if the other doctors saw her they would know she was beaten. She decided to call the hotel doctor; it was less hassle that way. She went over to her night stand and called the front desk.

At the front desk, a male receptionist answered the phone. "Hello, front desk," he answered.

"Hi, is the hotel doctor in?" Eve asked.

"The hotel doctor? I'm sorry he's not in right now. Is this an emergency?"

A pretty blonde middle aged woman was standing in front of the desk, when she overheard the receptionist. "Ah excuse me, I'm a medical doctor. If someone needs medical attention, I'd be happy to lend my services."

"Just a second," The receptionist said to Eve on the phone as he heard this, and then he turned to the woman.

"You're a medical doctor?" he asked.

"Yes, does someone need help?"

"I think so," he replied and then got back on the phone with Eve. "Miss, there is a medical doctor here in the lobby, who said she would be willing to help you."

"If it's not too much trouble," Eve asked.

"If it's not too much trouble," The receptionist said to the woman.

"No it's not."

"It's not," the receptionist relayed back to Eve.

"Okay, well then that would be fine, if you could have her come back to Room 214 that would be wonderful."

"Okay, certainly."

Eve got off the phone with the receptionist and dried her eyes and tried to make herself look as presentable as possible. She would just tell this doctor that she fell down the stairs. It was the closest thing she could think of to explain what happened.

Then a few minutes later, there was a knock at her door and Eve opened it and saw the pretty blonde middle aged woman standing there, carrying her purse and her medical bag. "Hi," the woman said to her warmly. "I'm Dr. Marlena Evans."





Chapter Five

"How do you do?" Eve said. "I'm Dr. Eve Russell. Please come in."

Marlena walked into the room and Eve closed the door behind her. "You're a medical doctor too?" Marlena asked.

"Yes, I'm a general practitioner. What's your area?"

"Psychiatry and I volunteer at a free clinic."

Marlena had been in Harmony giving her self-esteem workshop. She had just given a lecture that morning at the hotel and was planning to give some more at Harmony Hospital over the next month. Her husband John was going to join her later.

"Well I'm glad you're here, thank you so much for seeing me," said Eve.

"Oh of course, no problem," Marlena replied. "What seems to be the trouble?"

"I was in an accident this morning."

"I can see that," Marlena said, noticing her bruises. "How did it happen?"

"I accidentally fell down the stairs."

"I see." Marlena had been a doctor for a long time, and worked with a lot of battered women, not to mention being one herself once. Eve's bruises did not look like ones that people got from falling down the stairs. "Okay, why don't you sit down and we'll take a look."

Eve sat down on the bed, while Marlena pulled up a chair to Eve's bed and got out her medical bag.

"I haven't seen you around Harmony before, are you new here?" Eve asked Marlena.

"No, I'm from Salem. I'm just in town on business for a few weeks. I'm giving a self-esteem workshop."

"Oh, I heard about that at the hospital. I was hoping to attend this week."

"Well that will be great, look forward to seeing you." Marlena sat down in the chair and began her exam. "Okay, where were you hurt?" she asked.

"All over," Eve answered.

"Okay, why don't we have a look." Marlena rolled up Eve's sleeve and saw that her forearm was all black and blue, there were even hand marks wrapped around it, showing that someone had grabbed her really hard. "Eve, this doesn't look like you fell down the stairs. This looked like someone hit you or beat you repeatedly."

Eve looked down at her forearm and saw T.C.'s hand mark from when he grabbed her. She hadn't noticed it before. "Well I did fall down the stairs," Eve said, trying to keep up with her story.

"Eve," Marlena said to her firmly. "Cut it out. You and I are both doctors, and we both know you did not fall down the stairs. The receptionist also told me you just check in here this morning, now people don't usually check into a hotel right after they fall down the stairs. If you're in an abusive relationship, you need to get help, and you need to get out."

"No, I'm not in an abusive relationship, it's not like that." Eve felt herself choking back tears.

Marlena gently put her hand on Eve's upper arm trying to calm her down. "Look there's nothing to be ashamed of. You didn't do anything wrong. Now what happened? Just let me help you."

Eve knew she couldn't fool Marlena. If a patient came to Eve with the same bruises she would have said the same thing. "Okay, I was beaten," Eve sobbed. "By my ex-husband. But he's never done anything like this before. This is the first time."

"Okay," Marlena coaxed gently. She rubbed Eve's arm trying to comfort her. "Is he a violent man?"

"Not with me."

"How long were you married to him?"

"Over twenty years, we've been divorced for two years."

"All right, are you safe from him? Should we call the police?"

"No, no. I don't want anyone to know about this."

Marlena could see how shaken up and upset Eve was. At least Eve had gotten herself to a safe place for now. Marlena figured the best thing she could do for Eve right now was tend to her wounds and then try to talk to her. "Okay, first, why don't I examine you to see if you're alright."

"Okay," Eve said between her sobs.

After Marlena examined Eve, she closed her medical bag, sat back in her chair in front of Eve. "Okay, you don't have any broken bones or internal bleeding. But you did get pretty bagged up. The bruises should go away in a few weeks. You're going to be sore for a while, so you might want to take some aspirin."

"Okay, thank you." Eve nodded as she dried her tears with a hankie.

Marlena took Eve's hand and said to her gently. "Eve, I know you don't know me. However, I'm a psychiatrist, I've worked with a lot of battered women, and I was a battered woman myself once. Not to mention I've had a lot of life experiences. If you need someone to unburden yourself to, you can talk to me. I'm here to listen and I won't judge you."

Eve realized she could use someone to talk too. For four months she hadn't had anyone to really listen to her, and she had kept everything that she was feeling inside of her. And there was something about Marlena that made Eve feel like she could trust her and that she would understand. "Okay, I guess I could use somebody to talk too. I just don't know where to begin."

"It's okay Honey," Marlena said rubbing her hand “Just take your time."

"All right, I might as well begin at the beginning." Eve took a deep breath and began. "Years ago when I was eighteen, I left home to become a singer. I began singing in this nightclub in Boston, and I met this man, Julian Crane."

"Wait a minute. You don't mean Julian Crane of the Crane's?" Marlena asked.

"Yes I do."

"He's not your ex-husband is he?"

"No, no. He's my ex-fiancé."

"Okay."

"Well we met and we fell in love with each other. He was so wonderful to me, he was sweet and tender and loving. It was the love of a lifetime. We both got swept up into the era of the seventies, and he introduced me to this life of drugs, and alcohol. It was very destructive. But our love for each other was strong. His father Alistair Crane was a very powerful, ruthless, and horrible man. He was a racist as well, and he didn't want Julian to marry a black woman and have that in his family and empire. Well he forced Julian to leave me, but what he didn't know was that I was pregnant with his child. I was so angry with Julian for leaving me at the time, and I didn't have anywhere else to go. My parents disowned me when I wouldn't give up the baby for adoption. I poured my sorrows in drugs and boozes, and singing. Then eventually I was able to stop the drugs and the drinking, turn my life around, and then I had my baby. It was a boy. He was beautiful. I held him and nursed him, and then they took him to the nursery so I could get some rest, and then I woke up and I was told the baby had died."

"Oh Sweetie, I'm so sorry," Marlena said, rubbing her hand trying to comfort her. Marlena's heart went out to Eve, she couldn't imagine going through something as horrible as that all alone. She remembered how awful it was when she lost her baby with Don, and when she miscarried Roman's child. "That must have been so hard for you."

"It was. I was devastated. I went back to college, studied to be a doctor. Alistair paid my way, in exchange that I never mentioned that I ever had a relationship with Julian. So I just buried myself in work. A few years later I met TC, my ex-husband. He was actually one of my first patients. He had been in a car accident a few years before. He was a tennis player and he was all set to play Winbolton, but the car accident damaged his knee and it ruined his career. We fell in love and got married. However I never told him about my past with Julian."

"Why not?" Marlena asked.

"TC, thought I was perfect and he wanted perfection in his life, and I didn't want to disappoint him. And I was afraid he would hate me if he knew about Julian."

"Why would he be upset about Julian?"

"TC and Julian were all set to play this tennis match, and for years TC thought Julian was the hit and run driver behind the wheel that night. And TC has a really bad temper. He's been known to physically attack Julian on more than one occasion, and threatened to kill him. I knew he wouldn't forgive me for loving his worst enemy."

Marlena raised her eyebrows. She was beginning to get a clear picture of TC. She couldn't imagine anyone having such a temper.

"Well," Eve continued. "The years went on, and TC and I had two daughters together, Whitney and Simone. We were happy, I guess. But then seven years ago, Julian and I ran into each other again. He had changed a lot over the years. He was drinking more and he'd become mean and nasty, and did whatever bad thing Alistair wanted him to do. We both were on the hospital board, so we ran into each other from time to time, and let me say we would argue a lot. However, a couple of years later, Julian had this spiritual awakening. He was on the road with this boy named Timmy, who taught him about the true meaning of life. Then I remember when he came back to Harmony, this is going to sound crazy, but one night at this party, there was this green fog."

"Green fog?" Marlena asked, not quite understanding.

"Yeah, if you lived in Harmony long enough you'd understand. Well Julian and I had this vision of what our lives would have been like if we had stayed together all those years ago. And we were very happy and in love. Then after that I remember my daughter Simone accidentally wrecked his car, and he didn't even make her pay for it. And then the next day, he and my daughter Whitney were in this elevator together that crashed, and he literally risked his life to save hers."

"Wow."

"Yeah, then around that time, my half sister Liz, came to Harmony to seek revenge on me."

"Why?"

"Well when I left home all those years ago, her father molested her. I didn't know anything about it or that her father was even capable of such a thing. And she blamed me for it."

"Why would she blame you, if you didn't know?"

"Well because she didn't see it that way. And my sister is a crazy, nasty, evil, vindictive bitch. I told her how sorry I was and I even offered to help her get her life back, but she wouldn't hear of it. So she wormed up to TC, pretending to be a stranger and TC invited her to stay in our home. And she set out to accomplish her life goal; to destroy me in every way possible. She wanted to steal my husband, my daughters, my job, my friends, everything, so that I was all alone and left with nowhere to turn."

"Oh my God, that's terrible. She seems like a real piece of work."

"That's putting it mildly. At that point, I hit a low spot and I didn't know what else to do. I remember one night I was upset about my family being torn apart by Liz, and I ran into Julian and he took me to this diner and comforted me and told me that he would help me get Liz out of my life and he would stand by me this time. We also had a hunch that our son was still alive, shortly before I had had this vision that he was still alive, and I was proven right. It turned out our baby didn't die at all. Alistair had him kidnapped from the hospital."

"Oh my God! How horrible! I can't imagine how anyone can be that evil."

"Alistair Crane's evil has no bounds." Eve took a deep breath and then continued her story. "So Julian and I set out to find our son and keep Liz from destroying my family. And Julian began changing into a better person, like the man I knew all those years ago. He was my rock. He still loved me, but was willing to help me hang on to my family just so that I'd be happy. There was this woman, Rebecca, whom Julian had been involved with, and she found out about us, and blackmailed him into marrying her, or she would expose his dirty business dealings with Alistair and our past."

"Really?"

"Yeah, she's a gold digger and a nymphomaniac."

“I see.”

"Well Julian agreed to marry her to keep our secret. I told him not to, but he insisted knowing that I would be able to keep my family. Over time I began seeing that I still loved Julian, and that my love for him had never died. The feelings I had for him were so strong, it was just getting so hard to fight it. For so many years, I had hated Julian, but in reality my hatred just covered up my love for him. I had blamed him for leaving me all those years ago, but once Julian began to change, and I saw more of what a monster Alistair was, I began to see how much of a hold Alistair had over Julian, and realized he did the best he could given the fact that he had a monster of a father."

"Did Alistair abuse Julian?"

"Oh yeah," Eve said. "It was mainly emotional and verbal abuse, but it was bad. Then in the midst of fighting my feelings for Julian, I had a memory of TC's accident all those years ago that I was that hit and run driver that caused TC's accident. I went to Julian and asked him about it. He told me that it wasn't that he was the hit and run driver and that I was in the passenger seat. He said he was driving drunk. Well then just after that Liz exposed my past in the worst way possible to TC and my daughters. And they were furious. They hated me; they called me the worst names anyone could think of. My daughter Whitney even slapped me more than once. And TC threw me out of the house. They all went on for months about how I ruined their lives. Julian was there for me, and he took me in. However, right after that Alistair told Julian the name of our son, and he said it was the boy Whitney was engaged to."

"Oh my God!" Marlena said gravely. She couldn't believe how evil Alistair Crane sounded. He even sounded worse than the Dimeras.

"A few years before, Chad came to Harmony looking for his birth parents. We did a DNA comparison to everyone in Harmony but there was no match. It turned out Alistair falsified the DNA results. Both Whitney and Chad were devastated, we all were. And Whitney hated me with a passion. That same day Liz exposed the truth about TC's accident. Apparently, she had gotten her hands on some information about that night, and she found out that it was me behind the wheel of Julian's car. Then it all came back to me and I remembered that it was me behind the wheel and not Julian. Julian was in the passenger seat. We were both drunk. I had hit TC, and then Julian changed seats with me and drove off, and took the blame for me all these years. I hadn't remembered it until that moment. TC was furious with me. He divorced me and took Liz into his bed. However, Julian and I were able to get back together. It wasn't a rebound, it was a reunitement. We were so happy together. Our love for each other hadn't changed a bit. I remember that Christmas, he took me to rodeo drive and bought me a Christmas present for every Christmas we missed being together."

"Really," Marlena said smiling.

"Yeah."

"That was sweet."

"Yeah he was. However, I soon found out that Whitney was pregnant with Chad's baby."

"Oh God!"

"And she hated me for it. In the midst of all that, Liz was worming up to TC and the girls and I hated that. Not so much TC, but my daughters. It was too much. I threatened to kill her in a fit of anger, however it backfired on me, because Rebecca wanted me out of the picture so she could stay married to Julian. So we were at this wedding for Julian's sister Sheridan, and what we didn't know at the time was that Rebecca had poisoned my drink. Well Liz and I were in the basement arguing and Liz drank from the wrong cup and almost died. However, when she came to, being her vindictive self she lied and told everyone that it was me. So I was arrested and charged with terrible attempted murders of Liz, Alistair and Julian."

"Wait a minute, why would they charge you with Alistair and Julian's murder?"

"A few weeks before Alistair had been poisoned with the same exact poison to kill Liz. And a few years before Julian was shot and everyone thought he was dead. Of course he wasn't. However, at the time I hated him. I didn't try to kill anyone though."

"It's okay. I believe you."

"Well there I was dealing with attempted murder charges and having my daughter pregnant with a baby by her half brother. TC hated me and thought I tried to kill Liz, eventually he came around during the trial. But in the midst of that I had Julian, and we were happy together and in love. He proposed to me and I said yes. Whitney wound up going to a convent to stay away from Chad and Miles, her son. Well I went through my trial, Julian stood by me through all of it. Luckily I was cleared. Julian and I were together and happy. He struggled to get a divorce from Rebecca and early last summer he finally did. Well of course Julian and I were happy to finally be getting married. We also found out that Chad wasn't our son. It turned out Alistair lied to keep Julian and me apart. And Alistair also died several months ago. Thank God."

"Well that must have been a relief for you."

"It was. However, my troubles didn't end there. Right after Julian told me he was getting a divorce from Rebecca, TC was in a car accident. He was driving drunk. It turned out that he was devastated by our divorce and regretted letting me go. He had also been disappointed that Whitney had chosen to go into singing and not tennis like he wanted her too. And he was also upset because Simone had come out to us telling us she was a lesbian and TC is against homosexuality. Pretty much disowned her. So TC was feeling bad about alienating us, so he decided to drink and drive. He almost died, but he survived, but then he had a stroke and I blamed myself for making him drive drunk, and I felt guilty. So I began spending my time taking care of TC. Julian resented every single minute of it and almost overnight he reverted to his old ways, even worse. He said some really nasty things to me and we broke up. Since then I've been staying at TC's taking care of him. And something else happened to me recently too. See I did something, some really stupid things to keep my past with Julian a secret, before the truth came out. Julian's ex-wife Ivy was involved with TC's best friend Sam years ago. However Alistair and Ivy's father, the former governor, forced Ivy and Julian into an arranged marriage for business reasons. And of course that was the same time Alistair forced Julian and me to break up. Well she and Julian had a loveless marriage, and when her past with Sam was exposed, Ivy and Julian got divorced. Well Ivy wanted to get back with Sam and Sam was already married to my best friend Grace. So Ivy hired this David man to pretend to be Grace's long lost husband, and Grace had amnesia and couldn't remember the first half of her life, so he had no recollection of him at all. She even had David use his son to be Grace's son. However, when they did the DNA test, Ivy blackmailed me to change the results or she would expose my past. I was ready to take the fall, but then she drugged Whitney. I still wouldn't budge and then she put a gun to my head, then she threatened to turn my daughters into drug addicts. And she had enough Crane power to do it. I was afraid for my girls, and I was so desperate not to lose everything that I had worked so hard for, and I was so weak and I did it. And I never said a word. And just recently the truth about the whole thing came out. And then today, TC was upset because Simone is gay. And he started to blame me for it, and then he started beating me. And that's how I ended up here."

"Wow, you've really been put through a ringer lately." Marlena felt so bad for Eve, for all the pain she went through. She could identify with her on so many levels.

"You have no idea."

"I'm so sorry you've had to go through any of this."

"It's okay, it's my own fault," Eve said, wiping the tears from her eyes. "If I had only told the truth, none of this would have happened."

"Well Eve, I think there was a reason why you didn't," Marlena said pointing out Eve's bruised forearm.

"No, no," Eve said, pulling back her arm. "TC's a good man. Really he is. He just has a bad temper."

"Obviously," Marlena said firmly. Marlena could not believe what a jerk TC sounded like. And Eve seemed to take his crap, like she was some sort of door mat. She didn't deserve that, and Marlena was determined to help her see that. "Eve, good men don't beat their wives, they don't expect them to be perfect, they don't throw them out when they find out that they're not, they don't have them arrested for crime they didn't commit, they don't abuse them like this, and they don't disown their children for being gay."

Eve knew Marlena met well, but she knew TC longer than she did. Eve was convinced TC was a good person and she would let Marlena know that. "TC never abused me before," Eve said defensively as she stood up.

"Oh no," Marlena challenged. She stood up, folded her arms across her chest, and faced Eve. "Eve, what do you call throwing you out of your home and calling you the worst names in the book and letting your daughters do the same thing?"

"He was upset. He had every reason to be," Eve said as she held up her hand.

"Why because he found out you weren't perfect? Eve, nobody is perfect, everyone makes mistakes and the fact that he expected you to be perfect is wrong. It is a completely unrealistic, unfair expectation to put on anyone. And the fact that he would do that says that he has some pretty serious issues."

"You don't know him." Eve looked away from Marlena and stared at the floor.

"Maybe not, but I know you. And maybe we just met, but I can see what he's put you through."

"Look, I hurt him when I lied to him all these years, I ruined his knee and I made him drink and drive."

"Yes, you should have told the truth," Marlena agreed. "However, he obviously gave you a good reason to lie to him and you were proven right. And you certainly did not make him drink and drive that was his own choice. Eve let me ask you something, has he ever said to you before this that he was sorry and then began blaming and bullying you again."

"Well yeah, after Julian proposed to me he said he wanted me back and then I told him I was in love with Julian, and then he found out Simone was gay, and he blamed me for it saying I abandoned them. Which I did."

"See right that. That's the cycle of violence. He blows up and then says he's sorry and then it begins again."

"He was never angry like that with me before Liz came to town. It was Liz's influence that did it."

"Liz isn't here now. She didn't have anything to do with today," Marlena said matter-a-factly. "She may not have helped the situation, but if TC really loved you, he wouldn't have let Liz influence him like that. Eve, somehow you were able to live up to TC's expectations before Liz came into your life, because he thought you were perfect. But what did that do to you? What did that do to your self-esteem? It had you so afraid that it made you do Ivy's bidding. It had you so afraid that you couldn't even be yourself. It had you so afraid that you thought you had to be perfect. And you actually believe that you abandoned him?"

"Yes, I know I did."

"Eve, you said that he threw you out and took your sister into his bed."

"He was entitled to his anger. He felt too betrayed to take me back. And he did ask me to come back and I said no."

"So he gets to throw you out, and treat you like dirt. Then you're supposed to go back to him, because he said so!!??" Marlena said, trying to prove her point. "Eve, he was angry because he found out you weren't perfect. So what! You made some mistakes when you were younger, we all have. But that doesn't give him the right to treat you this way. You can't keep making excuses for him. You are not to blame for his actions, he is."

"How can I not blame myself?" Eve said, looking back up at Marlena.

Marlena could not believe what a doormat, TC had turned Eve into. She was even more determined to help Eve see the light now. "What is it, Eve? Do you feel so ashamed of your past mistakes that you have to subject yourself to that kind of treatment? So you made some mistakes in your life, big deal we all do. I, for one, admire you for how you turned your life around and overcame all that. I think that shows a lot of personal courage and character."

"You do?" Eve was touched. The only other person she had ever heard say anything like that to her was Julian.

"Yes I do." Marlena walked toward Eve and gently placed her hands on Eve's arms. "Eve, you have the right to be less than perfect. And you have to forgive yourself for your mistakes. I mean you said that TC, Whitney, and Simone said you ruined their lives and that they paid for your mistakes. That to me is ridiculous. They found out that you weren't perfect and they couldn't handle it."

"Whitney thought she had made love to her half brother. And if I had told the truth she would have been on guard."

"You said you thought the baby died. And that Alistair Crane falsified the DNA results. What happened was beyond your control. Even if you had told them the truth, what would Whitney and Simone have done? A DNA test on every guy they met? Frankly, if my daughters ever talked to me or treated me the way Whitney and Simone treated you, they would catch hell from me. You have to forgive yourself for being human and stop blaming yourself for things that are beyond your control, and taking crap from people. I mean Eve if you were to go back to TC, I guarantee you there would be more of this. You might not even be so lucky this time."

"I don't know Marlena."

"Eve, look at yourself in the mirror."

Eve stood up and went to the mirror and looked at her reflection. She didn't recognize the person that she saw. She was a woman who was battered and beaten inside out.

"Look at what he's done to you.," Marlena said as she stood up. "You call this love? Look at how he's hurt you. It sounds to me that you don't even love him; you're in love with this Julian guy. I mean, were you really happy with TC, all these years? What if the situation were reversed, would you throw him out because he wasn't perfect?"

"No."

"Would you verbally and emotionally abuse him and let your daughters do the same?

"No."

"Would you beat him?

"No."

Eve looked at herself closely again in the mirror at herself and at her bruises. She remembered Julian trying to tell her the same thing about TC, but she wouldn't listen. She couldn't see TC that way. The truth was she knew everything Marlena was saying was right. If someone had said the same thing to her before this she would have denied it, but now she had bruises on her face. She couldn't deny it anymore. She finally saw TC for exactly who he was. She put her hands on her face and began to cry.

Marlena went over and gave her a hug trying to comfort her. "Sshh," Marlena coaxed. "It's going to be all right. You're going to be alright."

"Why Marlena? Why did he do it??" she sobbed.

"I don't know Sweetie, but it's his problem, not yours. At least now you see it and you can break away from that. I've been there too. My former husband used to abuse me. He almost killed me, but I was lucky to be alive and get away from him. Now I try to help other women who have been abused. But I was okay and you'll be too."

"Well thank you for helping me see it."

"Of course, Sweetheart."

Eve and Marlena sat back on the end of the bed and Eve dried her eyes.

"Do you want to press charges against TC?"

Eve shook her head no. "I don't want my daughters to hate their father."

"Okay, but if he comes after you, you'll need to get protection. You know that? If you need me to testify I will, but just to be sure in case some defense attorney gives you a hard time, I think it would be wise to get some pictures of your bruises just in case."

"Okay," Eve agreed. "I don't have a camera with me though."

"That's okay, I have one in my purse."

"Okay."

Marlena took a roll of pictures of Eve's bruises, and then she gave the roll of film to Eve. "Make sure you get that developed."

"I will."

"Is there anything more I can do for you? Is there anyone you want me to call?"

"No, I'll be okay."

"All right. I'm going to give you the number to my cell and the number at the B and B, which I’m staying at," Marlena said as she wrote it down on a piece of paper. "You call me if you need anything, day or night, even if it's 3 in the morning, and you need to talk."

"Thank you Marlena," Eve said she took the number from Marlena. "You've been wonderful. More than wonderful."

"Hey anytime!"

"Listen, I know you're giving your seminar this week, so hopefully I'll run into you again."

"I'd like that."

"Okay. Oh and you won't say anything to anyone about this."

"No, I won't. As long as you've gotten protection and you’re not in any danger, I'm bound by confidentiality. But if he comes after you or hurts you again, you'll go to the authorities?"

"I promise."

"Okay." Marlena gave Eve a hug. "It's going to be alright, you just hang in there."

"I will." Marlena left Eve with her thoughts.

Chapter Six

Later that night, Eve had changed into her nightgown, and was standing in front of her bathroom looking at herself in the mirror. When she looked at her reflection, she didn't recognize herself. Her bruises were even more swollen now. Both of her black eyes touched her forehead and the top of her cheeks. Her whole right cheek was bruised and the bottom of her left. Her neck was swollen and bruised also. She even had bruises and cane marks on her neck, torso, back, and legs. It was like she was looking at what she had closed her eyes for twenty years, and it wasn't pretty. She saw what TC's abuse had turned her into; a battered woman with little self esteem, and who blamed herself for everything even when it wasn't her fault. She felt tears running down her cheeks. For the first time in twenty years, she felt the pain that TC had caused her, but she denied it was there and it hurt. She wasn't even sure how she was going to face people now, when she went out. They would wonder why she left T.C., and how she got her bruises. She knew she could cover up the bruises, but what about what she would say about leaving TC?

Eve left the bathroom, picked up a cold compress she had put in her refrigerator and tucked herself into bed. She wiped the tears from her eyes, and pressed the compress to her eyes to relieve the pain and bring down the swelling. Her whole body ached and felt like one big bruise. Her back was especially sore. It looked as though the beating had caused her to pull some muscles in her back, causing her to limp when she walked. However, whatever physical pain she felt didn't even compare to the emotional pain she felt inside. She was numb from the day’s events. It had been a harrowing day for her. She felt emotionally and physically exhausted from what had happened. Eve knew the bruises that TC left on her would eventually heal, but she wasn't so sure about the ones on the inside. The image of TC beating her while she begged him to stop struggling to get away, was burned in her brain. She had been so scared that he was going to really hurt her, or worse. The whole experience haunted her mind. Never in a million years had she ever imagined TC, the father of her children and husband for over twenty years, would beat her. TC had tried to call her on her cell throughout the day, but whenever Eve saw his name come up on the caller id, she dodged the call. She no longer trusted TC, if anything she now feared him more than ever.

Eve's awakening about TC was sinking in slowly. She knew Marlena was right about what she had said about TC. A part of her had always known deep down inside, but she chose not to see it. TC had abused her before today's incident. Throughout her whole marriage to him, she tried to do whatever she could to please him and make him happy. She knew he wanted a perfect wife, so she tried to be perfect. She also knew how disappointed he would be if he found out she wasn't perfect. So she decided not to tell him about her past and played the role of the perfect wife. However, inside it killed her spirit and she died a little inside, when she couldn't be herself. It made her feel alone and unloved. She blamed herself for TC's behavior towards her, because she felt guilty about what she had done to him. However, she never really thought about the pain he had put her through. The fact that he expected her to be perfect and then throwing her away when he found out that she wasn't, cheating on her with Liz, letting Whitney and Simone attack her, trying to have her arrested for a crime she didn't commit, and so on. She blamed it on Liz, thinking she was poisoning his mind against her. While Liz certainly did that, if TC really loved her he wouldn't have let Liz or Eve's past come between them. He wouldn't have cared if she had a past or not. The bottom line was T.C. was upset because she wasn't perfect, and never really loved her. She also saw that by letting TC to get away with his abusive behavior, she had taught Whitney and Simone that that kind of behavior was okay, when it wasn't. No wonder Whitney and Simone treated her the way they did, when the truth about her past came out. They got that kind of thinking from their father.

Eve set the compress down next to her on the bed, and folded her arms across her chest and sighed with a heavy heart. Julian had tried to get her to see the truth about TC, but she wouldn't listen. For so long, Eve had blamed herself for things whether they were her fault or not, that it became second nature to her. It blinded her from thinking rationally and seeing the truth about her life. But now Eve couldn't close her eyes anymore, because the bruises on her body didn't lie. Not blaming herself for everything was going to take some getting used to, but she knew she had to do it or she'd continue to be hurt.

She wished she had never gone back to TC after his stroke. The whole thing felt ridiculous to Eve now. She didn't even love TC anymore, and the only reason that she did go back to him was out of guilt and obligation. She saw now that TC's accident was not her fault, it was TC's. Julian was right when he said that TC made his own choice to let things go the way he did. He threw her out when the truth about her past came out and then drove drunk, caring so little about his own life that his daughter's would end up without a father. She didn't put him behind the wheel of the car or make him drive drunk, it was all TC's doing.

Now that Eve saw that going back to TC was a mistake, she also saw how unfair she was to Julian. She was completely insensitive to him and his feelings. Julian had every right to feel the way he did about her going back to TC. It wasn't her place to play nursemaid to TC, especially when she was engaged to another man. Of course Julian would have been uncomfortable and upset by this. What was she thinking? She had turned her back on the man she loved more than anything in the world, for a man who she didn't love and who abused her. It was a huge mistake on her part. She wished she could turn back the time to four months earlier, and let TC's nurses do their job, and kept her distance emotionally. Maybe Julian wouldn't have regressed.

Still Eve couldn't forget the fact that Julian did regress, or the horrible things he said to her. She could take that kind of crap from a lot of people, but not Julian. He was the one person she loved most in the world. If Julian hadn't regressed, Eve would have gone back to him and begged him to forgive her and take her back. However, he regressed and she couldn't forget that. She picked up a frame picture of her and Julian that she set on her nightstand. As she stared at the picture of the two of them she saw how happy they once were together. She felt more tears fall down her cheeks. She missed him terribly. She felt heart broken, living without him. It was like a part of her soul was gone. When they were together, she always felt so safe, loved, and happy. Now when she saw Julian she didn't even recognize him anymore. Eve had never had never stopped loving Julian all those years ago, and she didn't see herself stopping loving him now. Even after all that had happened between them, then and now he still owned her heart.

She had tried to convince herself since her break up from Julian, that the New Julian was all an act. However, she knew deep down that it just wasn't true. She didn't twist his arm to change, Julian changed all on his own. He had made sacrifices for her, when he had everything to lose and nothing to gain. Three years ago, when Julian started to change, Eve was still married to TC, and he had absolutely no shot at getting Eve back. However, he was willing to help her hold on to another man just to make her happy. If he had been putting on an act to get Eve back then, why didn't he just team up with Liz to break her and TC up? Why not expose her past to TC? She knew very well that Julian didn't do that. And if he was putting on an act, why didn't he regress sooner, like before Eve's trial when she was thinking of going back to TC. Julian never put on an act. He was wonderful when she first met him all those years ago, and he was wonderful when they were together. It was Alistair who caused Julian to turn into the Old Julian. He would have never done it on his own. So why did he regress now? It had to be more than her taking care of TC, she wasn't sure what. She didn't even know what was real or true anymore, or what to believe. All she knew was that she was heartbroken over Julian and was all alone now.

She looked at the picture again, and felt more tears flood down her cheeks. "Oh Julian," she sobbed. "Why did you have to regress? What happened to you? What happened to us?" Eve pressed the picture to her chest as she cried.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the compound, Julian feverishly paced his room. It had been hours since he saw TC beat Eve, and there hadn't been anything on the video monitor since after he saw Eve leave the Russell house. Julian was going out of his mind with worry. He didn't know if Eve was okay, or safe from TC or the imposter, or badly injured. All Julian wanted to do was hold her and be there for her. He felt so helpless that he couldn't comfort or protect his lady love.

In the past four months, Julain had seen a lot of excruciating things on that monitor. His relationship with Eve being destroyed; and his children's lives being put in jeopardy by Alistair. However, next to watch Spike try to rape Fancy in the mineshaft, nothing on it did even begin compare to watching TC beat Eve. Julian stopped pacing and stood in the middle of the room, as he felt tears come to his eyes. Both times Julian had been completely helpless and unable to protect the women in his life. It broke his heart to think of something that horrible happening to Eve and to Fancy, and the pain they must have experienced.

At that moment, Julian felt his rage turn towards TC. He didn't think he could hate that man anymore than he already did, but he was wrong. It wasn't bad enough TC treated Eve like dirt, and did what he did, but to hurt Eve this way was too much. How dare he hurt her like that! As angry as Julian was at TC for what he did, it didn't even begin to compare to the rage he felt towards him for beating Eve. Now he wanted TC's blood. TC was not going to get away with this, not by a long shot. Julian was going to make him pay if it was the last thing he did.

"Okay, Russell you asked for it," Julian yelled out loud. "I am going to kill you for what you did to Eve. You are going to pay and you are going to pay dearly. You're just going to get a little taste of what you've been giving me all these years. And just when you think it's over, just know it's only begun. As God as my witness, you are going to pay."

Julian sat down on the end of his bed and put his head in his hands. He couldn't believe any of this was happening. He should have been there to protect Eve from TC, but he couldn't because he was being held hostage. Seeing TC beat Eve today, reminded Julian of when he was growing up and he used to see his father beat his mother. He remembered one night as a teenager, he had just finished reading Sheridan a bedtime story and went downstairs to the Crane living room and saw Alistair beating Katherine.

"Hey, leave her alone," young Julian said as he went to Alistair trying to hold him back from Katherine.

"Stay out of this," Alistair snapped at Julian, as he pushed him away, causing Julian to land on the floor.

"No," said Julian as he got up. He stood in front of Katherine trying to keep Alistair from getting to her. "I'm not going to let you hurt, mother."

"Julian, I'm all right," Katherine said gently as she turned to him. "Just go." Obviously Katherine wanted to keep him out of harm's way. However, something in Julian wouldn't let him stop trying to protect his mother.

"No Mother, I'm not going to let him hurt you," Julian said firmly. He could see his mother's face was tear stained and she had bruises on her.

"If you don't leave right now Julian, you're going to regret it," Alistair threatened.

"Alistair, don't you dare hurt him," Katherine said, getting into mother lion mode.

"He's my son, and I'll do what I like with him," Alistair growled.

"He's my son too, and I won't let you hurt him!" Katherine yelled back at him. She then turned to Julian again. "Please darling, just go," she pleaded.

"No, I won't," Julian said firmly.

Alistair then called some of his goons to come in and take Julian upstairs to his room and lock him in there. Katherine tried to stop them, but it was no use. The goons locked Julian in his room, and he couldn't get out to save his mother. Later that night Julian heard Alistair and Katherine yelling at each other in the hall as Alistair shoved Katherine into their bedroom. He now knew that Alistair must have raped her again.

"I should have tried harder to protect her," Julian said out loud, as he came back to the present. "I should have found some way to stop those goons from locking me in my room, so I could have protected my mother." Julian felt tears come to his eyes. Alistair's abuse of Julian still haunted him even to this day. "People say sticks and stones can break your bones, but words can never hurt you. That's a lie," Julian thought as he wept away his tears. "If anything they hurt more."

Alistair never laid a hand on him or Sheridan when they were growing up, because they were his heirs. So instead he abused them verbally and emotionally. Since the day Julian was born, Alistair abused him, telling him he was a sorry excuse for a son and other garbage like that. Not to mention he witnessed Alistair abusing Katherine. Not the rape, of course, but the emotional and physical abuse. After Katherine had left with Martin, Alistair's abuse of Julian and Sheridan got dramatically worse. Alistair blamed Sheridan for Katherine's death and sent her to school in Europe, and then tried to turn Julian into a corrupt Crane. Julian remembered Alistair's abuse of him got way worse than it did before. He drove him to drugs and to drink, and do anything to survive. Julian started trying to do whatever he could to please Alistair so he wouldn't hurt him. However, slowly over time it made him lose himself. It wasn't until Timmy and Eve came into her life, did he find himself again. And in the end he lost them both.

Even now, the thought of how his own father could kidnap him, and keep him from the woman he loved was beyond him. "What have I ever done to you Father?" Julian said out loud. "Why do you hate me so much? Why can't you just let me be happy?" Being locked up in this compound, he felt the same way he did when he was a little boy when Alistair was abusing him. Lost and alone, and unable to protect the people he loved. The only difference between then and now was back then he was unable to protect his mother and his sister. Now he was unable to protect his entire family and Eve. Eve. He missed her so much. Everyday that he spent away from her, made him die a little more. The worst part was Eve didn't even know he still loved her. She thought he had regressed into the Old Julian. Now she was in danger from TC and the imposter, and he couldn't even protect her.

Julian knew that even if someone in Harmony realized that Alistair had him kidnapped, Alistair wouldn't let him be found. Alistair would probably kill Julian or fake his death. Alistair did the same thing to his Aunt Rachel, Luis, and Sheridan. Why not him too? It had been four months and no one even knew that he was kidnapped, and probably never would. Julian solemnly looked around the room. Were these walls going to be his life now? Was he going to stay here until he died? Would he ever see his beautiful Eve again? The thought of that was more than he could bear. "Why is this happening to me God?" he said out loud. "Are you trying to punish me for all my past sins? If so fine, but don't hurt Eve or my family. I love Eve so much. I don't think I can live without her." Julian busted into tears and fell back on his bed. He could endure almost anything, but not losing Eve. How was he going to live without her? It broke his heart, thinking of never seeing her again, or feeling her sweet touch. She was his everything, and losing her like this was worse than death. He just stared up at the ceiling as he sobbed.

"Julian," he heard a voice say.

'That's strange,' Julian thought as he continued to look at the ceiling. 'I thought I was alone in here.'

"Julian," he heard the voice say again.

Julian knew that voice, it belonged to-No it couldn't be, could it? Julian slowly sat up and couldn't believe his eyes. It was his little friend Timmy standing across the room from him. "Timmy!!??" he said in disbelief. "Is that really you?"

"Yes, it's Timmy."

"What are you doing here? My God you're dead. Am I dreaming?" Julian said, rubbing his eyes.

"No, Julian's not dreaming. Timmy's still dead, it's just his ghost. He came here to see Julian."

"Oh my God!" Julian said with tears in his eyes. He couldn't believe it. It was really his little friend Timmy. Julian got up and went over to Timmy, kneeling on the floor to give him a hug. Julian had missed Timmy so much, ever since he died, and now he was really here. After they embraced, Julian held Timmy back and looked at him. "Oh Timmy, my sweet friend. I can't believe you're here. I've missed you so much. I think about you all the time."

"Timmy knows. He misses Julian too, but he's never left Julian. He is Julian's guardian angel."

"You are?"

"Yes, that's why Timmy's here to help Julian."

Julian hung his head and sighed. "I guess then you know what's been happening to me," he said solemnly as he got up and sat back down on the end of his bed.

"Yes he does," Timmy replied, standing in front of Julian, and taking his hand.

"How did this happen, Timmy?" Julian sobbed. "Why is this happening? Is God trying to punish me for all my past sins?"

"No, God's not punishing Julian," Timmy answered kindly. "God loves Julian, and He forgives Julian for all his mistakes."

"He does?"

"Yes, He knows that Julian had an abusive father and did the best he could under the circumstances. He knows you've changed, and he's proud of you."

"Then why is this happening?" Julian sobbed.

"Because God gave people free will. And Alistair chooses evil over good."

"Believe me, I know." Julian wiped away the tears from his eyes.

Timmy put his other arm on Julian's arm. "Timmy knows how bad things are now, but you can't give up hope Julian."

"How can I not?" Julian said hopelessly. "It's been four months. No one even knows where I am, or that I'm missing. I'm losing Eve, and now TC beat her."

"Timmy knows, and Eve's okay and safe now."

"She is?"

"Yes and she still loves Julian. She just doesn't understand that she's been dealing with an imposter."

"I love her too. I can't lose her Timmy. She's my life."

"Julian won't lose Eve," Timmy reassured him. "Help is on the way for him, and you will get out of here."

"I will?"

"Yes, Julian just has to hold on for a while longer, and he'll be with Eve again."

"Really?" Julian asked in disbelief.

"Eve and Julian are meant to be together. It's written in the stars."

Julian felt more tears come to his eyes. For the first time in four months he had some hope. "Oh Timmy, thank you so much."

"You're not alone Julian. Timmy is watching over you and he'll be with you."

"Thank you," Julian said, taking his hand. "You've done so much for me. Because of you and Eve, I became a better man."

"Timmy and Eve just showed Julian that he could be a better man. What Julian did with it was him. Julian always was a good man; it was Alistair's cruelty that caused Julian to become the Old Julian. Believe in yourself Julian, and forgive yourself for your mistakes."

"I'll try." Julian wiped the tears from his eyes. "Will you do one more favor Timmy?"

"Of course."

"Will you watch over Eve and my family, until I can get back? And will you let Eve know that I love her?"

"Timmy will. Will Julian do something for Timmy too?"

"Of course, anything."

"Keep your promise about believing in yourself and forgiving yourself, and be happy. And when you see Tabitha again, tell her Timmy said to let Julian be a father to Endora."

Julian smiled at Timmy. "I will."

"Timmy will be watching over Julian and helping him through this."

"Thank you," Julian said, all choked up. "I love you Timmy. I'll never forget you."

"I love you too Julian. Timmy will always be with you."

Julian and Timmy hugged each other again.

"Good bye for now." Timmy said

"Goodbye Timmy. Godspeed."

Timmy turned away from Julian and disappeared through the wall.

Chapter Seven

A couple of days later, Eve was back at work at the hospital. She had spent the past two days in her hotel room, trying to regroup from what TC had done to her. Her bruises were still there and she still was very sore from the beating. She knew it would take a few weeks before the bruises and the muscle aches would go away. However, until then she would cover up the bruises with makeup and clothing. As for the muscle aches, she would write herself a prescription for some pain pills.

TC had continued to call Eve on her cell phone, but she still dodged his calls. Finally, she called her cell service and asked that her number be changed. Eve was scared to death of TC coming after her. If he could beat her, what else was he capable of? She had called TC's nurse and asked her to take care of TC while he was still recovering from his stroke. In addition, Eve asked the nurse if there was a problem with TC not to call her about TC under any circumstances.

Now she was back at work, trying to act as though everything was okay. Early that afternoon Eve sat in her office, working on her patient's files. She was hoping to get them done before her rounds and Marlena's lecture. Christmas was now a few weeks away, and Eve was not in the Christmas spirit. She had now alone again, and had lost Julian. She wasn't sure now what she was going to do with her life. Over the past couple of days she had gone through the apartment ads in the newspaper, hoping to find an apartment in town. She was also thinking of the possibility of leaving Harmony all together. There were too many memories of Julian. However, if she moved to another town, it would be hard to find work as a doctor, after what she did to the Bennetts. That was another problem she had to face, of how she would support herself financially if she lost her job and medical license. She could always go back to singing in the clubs. Not drinking or doing drugs of course, but maybe some nightclub needed a singer. She didn't know what to do about the whole mess. All she could do was wait and see what happened.

Right now she couldn't seem to get Julian out of her mind. The gut feeling she had experienced for months was getting stronger and stronger by the day. Now she was beginning to sense that Julian was in some sort of danger. She thought back to her dream, she had before, about Alistair having Julian tied up to a stake. She was beginning to think that that dream was some sort of premonition, but she just wasn't sure what it was. She had seen Julian around town, but except for the fact that he was drinking and behaving badly, she couldn't see anything else wrong with him. So why was she feeling like Julian was in danger?

Eve knew that she and Julian had always been connected. They could always tell what was on the other person's mind or if something was wrong with the other one, without even having to say a word. However, ever since his regression she felt there had been a change in the connection. When Eve was alone and by herself she felt the connection, but when she saw him she didn't feel it as much.

Eve missed the days of when she and Julian were a couple, recently and in the past. She wished they had been able to make it then and now. Both times Eve's love for Julian never seemed to die or go away. Eve remembered when she and Julian first met, how happy and in love they were. They had both done drugs and alcohol back then, but even under the mess they made they had a wonderful love. Then Alistair forced them to break up, Eve felt so angry and hurt by Julian that she tried to forget him. She even tried to convince herself that she no longer loved him and that she hated him. However, she was only fooling herself. She could never really hate Julian, not then or now. It wasn't until years later, Eve realized just how much Alistair tortured and abused Julian, realized that Julian did the best he could under the circumstances. That was one of the reasons Eve forgave Julian for abandoning her all those years ago, and for his past sins. What she didn't understand was why did he regress? It had to be more than her going back to TC when he had his stroke. If someone had asked her, before all this, if she thought Julian would regress like this she would have told them no. She could see Julian being frustrated, but she couldn't see him turning into Alistair. She wondered if Alistair's abuse scarred Julian worse than she realized. Maybe it made him more vulnerable than she realized. She knew Julian never had a very high opinion of himself. She did remember Julian saying that her love kept him from becoming Alistair. Maybe Julian didn't think he could make it without her. However, she also remembered before and shortly after the truth about their past came out, Julian said he would be fine if she went back to TC, and that all he wanted was her happiness. It didn't make any sense to her. She wondered if he was having some sort of breakdown.

Since their recent break up, Eve had tried to do the same thing that she did when Julian left her years ago. She tried to forget him and fool herself into thinking that she hated him. However, she now realized she was no longer eighteen. She couldn't lie to herself anymore, into thinking that she didn't love Julian. Julian was the only man she really loved, the one she dreamed of, and the one she ached for. However, right now she couldn't figure Julian out or what the gut feeling she had been having was telling her.

Her office phone rang, interrupting her thoughts.

"Dr. Russell," Eve said when she picked up the phone.

"Eve, it's me TC, I --"

Eve quickly hung up the phone. Just hearing TC's voice scared her. She almost wished she could get a restraining order against him, but then Whitney and Simone would know that TC had beaten her. Eve would just have to make sure that TC didn't call her or know where she was living. She picked up the phone again and called the hospital operator. "Hi, this is Dr. Russell, can I get a blocked call?.... Thank you?" She gave the operator TC's telephone and cell number and the operator said they would block the number for her. Then she dialed hospital security. "Hi, this is Dr. Russell; I need a favor"...."Yes, could you keep TC Russell from coming into the hospital?"...."It's a domestic matter"...."Thank you." She hung up the phone again. At least she would be safe from TC while she was at work.

Eve finished up the last of her files and stood up to get ready for rounds. Then she heard a knock at the door.

"Come in," she said.

Simone walked in looking frustrated and worried.

"Simone," Eve said smiling. "Hi Honey."

"There you are," said Simone, feeling exasperated. "I've been wondering where you've been for the past couple of days. I tried calling you on your cell phone, but I couldn't get through. And then I called you at work and you weren't here. Where have you been?"

"Oh I'm sorry sweetie. I had to change my cell number because some prankster kept calling me, and I was sick for a couple of days, so I haven't been to work." Eve walked across the room to put away her files in her filing cabinet. Simone noticed Eve limping as she walked.

"Mom, why are you limping?"

"I threw my back out the other day," Eve covered as she walked back to her desk. She hoped Simone wouldn't ask her anymore questions, but she knew that wasn't going to happen. She didn't like keeping secrets, but she couldn't let her daughters know that their father had beaten her.

Simone had a feeling there was more going on here that met the eye. After talking to her father and now her mother, she could tell they were both keeping something from her. "Mom, what's going on? Why did you move out from Daddy?"

"Did your father say something to you?" Eve asked. Her voice sounded worried. The last thing Eve wanted was TC to let on what had happened.

"Just that you moved out without telling him, and that he doesn't know where you are."

"Thank you for not making me look like the bad guy TC," Eve thought sarcastically to herself. Still Eve was determined not to tell Simone what really happened. So she turned back to her youngster daughter and gave her a small smile. "I had my reasons for leaving," she said.

"Did something happen?"

"No, it's personal. You just have to trust me."

Just then Whitney stormed into Eve's office.

"Mom, why did you leave Daddy??!! Whitney demanded as the door closed behind her.

"What?"

"I just saw him. He said you left him a couple of days ago without even telling him that you were leaving or where you were going?"

Eve cringed. Things had not been good between her and Whitney again, ever since the truth about Ivy breaking up, Sam and Grace came out. Now that she had moved out from TC, it looked like Whitney was even more angry with Eve than before. "It's personal Whitney," Eve replied gently. "I have my reasons."

"You mean excuses. How can you leave him after he's had a stroke? Isn't it not bad enough you lied to him, but now you walk out of him while he's recovering from a stroke! You're unbelievable!"

"Stop it Whitney," said Simone.

"Well it's true!" Whitney turned back to Eve. "Are you back with Julian?" she asked.

"No. Like I said, it's personal and complicated. I don't want to get into it."

"You have an excuse for everything." Whitney rolled her eyes at her mother. Then she folded her arms across her chest and angrily looked at Eve. "You know what you are Mom? You're like some sort of bomb, who destroys everything and everyone that you touch. I mean it's not bad enough you have a sorted past, but because of it, it ruined all of our lives, and we all have to pay for your sins. You broke Daddy's heart lying to him all these years, and ruined his knee. Then you cause him to drive drunk and have a stroke, and now you abandon him again. Then your latest lie is that you helped Ivy break up Sam and Grace. You know your secrets may have destroyed my relationship with Chad again. I think he's cheating on me with another woman that he hooked up with when I was at the convent. If you had just told the truth about your relationship with Julian, Chad and I would have never thought we were half brother and sister, I would have never joined the convent and he would have never hooked up with some other woman. How many lives are your secrets going to destroy? You're so pathetic!"

At that moment, something in Eve snapped. "All right, that does it," Eve said angrily. "There is something I have to say to both of you that's long overdue. First of all, Whitney, you cannot talk to me that way. I am your mother and you will treat me with respect. Second of all, I am sick and tired of being blamed for everything that goes wrong in your lives. And you what else? You are not paying for my mistakes. I am. And furthermore I did not ruin your lives. My mistakes are about me, they are not about you. But you have used them to hold over my head and as an excuse to blame me for everything, except for global warming. And you too Simone. Well it ends right here and now," said Eve as she pounded her finger on her desk. "I am not going to be your scapegoat any longer or feel guilty for things that I had no control over." Eve folded her arms across her chest and took a deep breath. "You know, the way you two treated me when the truth about my past came out was horrible. You called me every name in the book, insulted me, and practically disowned me. All because I wasn't perfect. And Whitney you were worse. You slapped me more than once, for God sakes. And the things you said to me were beyond hurtful. Then both of you never even apologized to me for it. And I was wrong not to lay in to both of you for it, but I'm telling you both right now that it's not okay and I am not going to let either one of you get away with it. You know I hope that one day that your children treat you the same way you treated me, so you will understand exactly what I felt like." Then Eve's tone began to get a lot speedier. "Would you two like to know why I lied about my past? I didn't trust your father, or the two of you. Because I was afraid that if I told the truth you all would hate me. And in the end I was proven right. You all threw me out when you found out I wasn't perfect. You know what? I'm not perfect, and I've made some mistakes in my life! Get over it! Now I am sorry I lied about my past and I'm sorry that you both were hurt, but that does not give you two the right to treat me the way you did. And I refuse to let the two of you act like you're paying for my sins, when you haven't. And as for your father having a driving drunk and having a stroke, I'm not taking the blame for that either. He did it to himself. He's the one who threw me out, and then when he didn't like it, he acted recklessly. That's right, I didn't abandon your father, he threw me out." Then Eve looked right at Whitney. "And as for you and Chad, am I no longer taking the wrap for that anymore either. You want to blame someone for that, blame Alistair Crane, not me and Julian." Eve then looked at both of them again. Her voice got lower now. "Did it ever even occur to either one of you that I've been hurt? Or did it ever occur to you that I lost a baby or just how painful that was for me? Or that I've gone through more pain than most people have endured in their entire lifetime. Do you even care? No you don't care. You've even said as much. And your actions have definitely proven so. You've even accused me of throwing my baby away. I did not lose that boy on purpose, he was kidnapped from me. Kidnapped! And then I was made to believe he was dead. Do you two know what that feels like? That's something I wouldn't wish on anyone. And Whitney after you and Chad found out that you were not half brother and sister, you didn't even care that that meant I lost my son all over again. Now no one is happier than I am that you and Chad are not related, but at the same time I lost a child and I live with that everyday. Did you two ever really love me? Or did you only love me because you thought I was perfect? Even now, I wonder if you two even love and care about me, or if you two just tolerate me. Well I don't want to just be tolerated. And if that's the case then I really don't want anything to do with either one of you."

"Wow Mom," Simone said, shocked. "Where is this coming from? Why didn't you say anything about this before?"

"Because I was stupid before, I'm not anymore. Now if you two will excuse me, I have patients to see." Eve picked up her stethoscope and left the room, leaving Whitney and Simone standing there with their mouths wide open and feeling dumbfounded.

As Eve walked down the hospital corridor, she was still in shock that she actually told Whitney and Simone off. The truth was it felt great. It brought a smile to her face. It was as if a weight that she had been carrying for two years had been lifted off of her. Before TC beat her she would have taken Whitney's crap, but not anymore. It was a new day for her.

After Eve finished with her rounds, she went to attend Marlena's lecture. She found it very inspiring. Marlena talked about loving yourself, and how to gain self esteem and self forgiveness. Eve took it all to heart. She knew it was going to take awhile to get used to not blaming herself for everything anymore, but she knew she would do it.

After the lecture, Marlena talked and greeted some people. Then she finally eyed Eve and went up to her. "Hi," Marlena said to Eve sweetly.

"Hi Marlena," replied Eve.

"How are you doing?" she asked, feeling concerned about Eve. "I'm okay. I feel a little better."

"Well you look better." Marlena couldn't see any of the bruises on Eve's face, which she had from the other day. "Did your bruises heal that quickly?"

"No, it's a concealer. I'm going to be wearing it for the next few weeks."

"Well it's working. I can't even see anything."

"I really enjoyed your lecture," Eve said.

"Well thank you," Marlena said, smiling warmly. "I'm so glad you could come."

"Me too. Listen, are you busy this afternoon?"

"No. Why?"

"Well I was thinking if you're not busy, maybe we could go out for a late lunch and I could show you around Harmony. My treat."

"I'd love to if it's not too much trouble."

"No, not at all. Besides, it's the least I can do after you helped me the other day."

"All right then. Let's go."

Chapter Eight

Eve showed Marlena some of Harmony's attractions. However, after a little while, Eve's back couldn't take walking anymore, so they got a booth at the lobster shack and had some lunch.

"Harmony's a lovely town," Marlena told Eve as they were having their meal.

Eve smiled, "Yes, I like it."

"How long have you lived in Harmony?"

"Most of my adult life. I moved here while I was finishing up medical school. I did my internship at Harmony Hospital and have stayed ever since."

"Wow, that's a long time."

"Yes it is." Eve dabbed her hands with her napkins, and then set it in her lap and then folded her hands in front of her on the table. "So where have you been staying?" she asked Marlena.

"At this bed and breakfast called Grace's B&B."

"Oh that's my best friend Grace Bennett's B&B."

"Really, small world."

"Yes it is." Eve tried to hide her sadness when she heard Grace's name. It broke her heart thinking about how much Grace now hated her. So she put on a smile, and willed herself not to think about it for the moment.

"My husband John is going to be joining me here in a couple of weeks," said Marlena.

"Oh that will be nice," Eve said. "So how long have you lived in Salem?"

"Most of my adult life too."

"Do you have any children?"

"Yes, I actually have three children. They're all grown now. My oldest are Eric and Samantha, their twins, and they're from a previous marriage. And my ex-husband Roman has a daughter, Carrie, who I pretty much raised and still think of her as my daughter. Then John and I have a daughter together, Belle. Then John has a son from a previous marriage, Brady. Then I have two grandchildren. Will, he's Sami's son, he's a teenager now. And then my daughter Belle had a baby girl about a year ago, and her name's Claire."

"That's nice, you have a little granddaughter."

"Yeah I'm crazy about her." Marlena pulled a picture from her purse of little baby Claire and showed it to Eve.

"Here she is."

"Oh she's so cute," Eve cooed.

"Thank you. I think so too," Marlena said beaming with her Grandma pride.

"I'm crazy about my grandson, Miles too." Eve pulled a picture of Miles from her purse and showed it to Marlena.

"Oh he's adorable." Marlena smiled at his picture.

"Thanks. I know."

"How old is he now?"

"He's one. He has me wrapped around his little finger."

"Claire has me wrapped around her little finger too."

Both women put their picture of their grandchildren away, and the waiter came to take their dishes, leaving Eve and Marlena to their conversation.

"So Roman, is he the guy who abused you?" Eve asked Marlena.

"Oh, no, no. Roman's a good man," Marlena answered. "The guy who abused me is a different guy."

"I see." Eve could tell whoever the man was, that Marlena despised him.

"So how have you been since I last saw you?" Marlena said feeling concerned about her new friend.

"I'm okay. Just hanging in there. I stayed home from work until today, and I'm still pretty sore from the beating."

"I'll bet. Has TC tried to get in contact with you?”

"Yeah, he kept calling me on my cell phone, so I just dodged his calls and then I changed my number."

"That was good thinking."

"Whitney and Simone came into my office today. Apparently, TC told them that I left him without any notice and didn't tell him that I was leaving."

"Unbelievable." Marlena shook her head. She couldn't believe what a jerk TC sounded like. She couldn't imagine how Eve was able to put up with someone like that for twenty years.

"I know. Then Whitney lashed out at me again for my past sins, and for what I did to Sam and Grace, and her current problems with Chad."

"Why what's going on with that?"

"Whitney thinks Chad's cheating on her, and now she blames me because she thinks if I had just told the truth Chad and she would have never thought we were half brother and sister, she would have never joined the convent and he would have never hooked up with some other woman."

"What? That's ridiculous." Marlena felt sorry for Eve having to put up with a family like hers.

"I know. Well today, I finally stood up to both of them for the way they treated me, and told them off."

"That's great. How did it feel to do that?"

"Fantastic! It felt like a weight was lifted off me."

"Good for you. How did they respond?”

"They just stood with their mouths open. You know, I think for the first time in two years I really feel angry at them. I'm angry at how they treated me, I'm angry that they don't love me, and I'm angry that they don't have any remorse."

"Well you should be angry."

"I told them that if they didn't love and only tolerated me that I no longer wanted anything to do with them. And the truth is I meant it." Eve looked sad as she said this.

Marlena gently put her hand on Eve's forearm. "That's perfectly understandable," she coaxed. "I don't think most mothers would have had the same kind of patience you had."

"I know." Eve nodded in agreement.

Marlena pulled her hand back from Eve's arm. "Do you know what you're going to do now?" asked Marlena.

"With Whitney and Simone? I don't know. I am thinking about leaving Harmony though."

"How come?"

"Too many memories of Julian. Although if I do move to another town, I don't know if I can get another job as a doctor, after what I did to the Bennetts."

"Have you heard anything from the medical board yet?"

"No. I still have my job and I haven't heard anything from the medical board. Whatever happens I'm just going to accept it."

"You know if you tell them how Ivy blackmailed you, they might just suspend your license for six months."

"I'm not taking the easy way out on this one. I'm just going to take whatever they give, because that's what I deserve."

"You're not the one who brought the imposter to town. That was Ivy. Besides, you said she threatened you more than once."

"It doesn't excuse what I did," Eve stated. "I talked to Grace on the phone recently while she was still in Italy. I told her what happened and she was furious with me." Eve hung her head in shame. "She said she'd never forgive and I don't blame her."

"She was upset, I'm sure that once she calms down she'll forgive you."

"I hope so. She deserved a better friend than me."

Marlena put her hand on Eve's forearm again and looked her in the eye. "You're a wonderful person, and a wonderful doctor. I heard them rave about you at the hospital, saying what a good doctor you are, and how you care about your patients and your employees. I know things are hard for you now, but they can get better. Really. I've gone through some really hard things too, and let me tell you they can and will get better."

"Thank you," Eve said, giving Marlena a grateful smile."What have you gone through if you don't mind me asking?”

"No, it's alright. It's just that I don't know if you'll believe it."

"Honey, after living in Harmony, I'll believe anything."

"Okay, then I'll tell you."

Marlena then proceeded to tell Eve her life story.


Chapter Nine

Back at the Compound, Julian was sitting at his table and reading a book. Since he had been at the Compound, reading had been how he learned to pass the time, to keep himself from dying of boredom. So far he had read almost all of the books on the shelf. Somehow, that afternoon, reading wasn't helping his nerves, so he got up and went to look out the window. He leaned his left forearm against the glass, while he stood up and leaned his head against his forearm.

It had been two days since he saw TC beat Eve on the monitors, and since then the monitors had been blank. Julian definitely thought that was strange. For four months Alistair seemed adamant that Julian see everything that was going on in Harmony. If Timmy hadn't visited him a couple of days ago telling him that everything would be okay, and that he was going to look after Eve and his family, Julian would be on the verge of panic with worry. However, now he knew they would be safe with Timmy, and he could take comfort in that.

Actually, since Timmy's visit, Julian was feeling a lot better than he had been since he was kidnapped. He now had hope that he would get out of this hell hole, and be with Eve again. Julian sighed with a heavy heart. "Oh Eve, how I miss you,” he said out loud. "Please believe that I love you my darling."

Julian hated thinking of what Eve had to go through with that horrible imposter. The way he treated her was horrible. Julian wasn't usually a violent person, but now he wanted to hurt the people who wronged him and the people he loved more than anything, most of all TC. Julian was still furious with TC for beating up Eve. He shuddered to think what could have happened to her. All Julian knew now that he was certain that he was going to make TC pay for what he did to her. He wasn't used to being the one who was doing the beating when it came to TC; however he was looking forward to it. For the past couple of days, he had actually been doing push ups, to get ready for when he attacked him. The only other time when he attacked TC, was the night when their past was exposed. Before that night, Julian had imagined what TC would do to him if he ever learned the truth. However, Julian never imagined he would want to kill TC at the same time. Before that night, even though Julian and TC had had their differences over the years, a part of him respected TC, and he had to admit he was even jealous of him. TC had been a better tennis player than Julian; he had Eve, and a loving family. That all ended that night. He felt sorry for TC, and began to loathe him for the way he treated Eve. He hated the way TC had treated Whitney and Simone as well. TC had no right to berate Simone for being gay, or to push Whitney to be a tennis player, when she wanted to be a singer instead. Now Julian's loathing for TC had tripled in size. He could only imagine what Eve was going through now that TC attacked her. She must be so sad and alone. It killed him that he couldn't be there for her now, to help her get through this and to protect her.

One of the things that got to Julian the most was that the last time he saw Eve, they had a fight. He hated himself for getting upset with her. He should have realized that Eve was tending to TC out of misguided guilt, not because she was falling back in love with him or to hurt Julian. If Julian had been smarter he would have just gently shown Eve that she didn't have to play nursemaid to TC. If he had known that it would be the last time he would see her, he would have at least told her how much he loved her, and how much she meant to him. Instead, he chose to fight with her. Now all he wanted to do was hold her.

Julian sat down in the window seat, and continued to stare out the window. The stir craziness was eating him alive. Being locked up in one room for four months was torture for him. He was sick and tired of being in the same room, and he was desperate for some fresh air. In the beginning of his captivity, he had asked the guards if they could let him go outside just for some exercise. He even suggested that one of the guards could supervise him so he couldn't escape, but they refused. He remembered when he was in school, learning about the Nazi Holocaust, and hearing about how some Jews were forced into hiding to protect themselves from the Nazis. He also remembered hearing about how Anne Frank and her family hid in an annex, where her father used to work. For two years they were forced to remain indoors. He wondered how they managed it. However, they had people there to talk to, and weren't forced into complete isolation like he was. Of course, in their case, they were desperate not to be found, unlike him who was desperate to be found. Not to mention the alternative for the Jews during that time was far worse at time, going to concentration camps. When Julian thought of how those poor people were tortured; having their hair chopped off, working long hours, being denied food and sleep, beaten, and gassed and worse; somehow his prison didn't look so bad. He remembered his teacher telling his class how the concentration camp victims couldn't give up for a second, if they wanted to survive. Maybe if he could look to their example, he could survive this too.

If one thing that being at the Compound taught him was that life was short. You should never take anything or anyone for granted. He had already taken so much for granted in his life. All those years ago, he took Eve for granted. Then he took his life for granted when Alistair forced them to break up. Then for years he took his family for granted. Since being at the Compound, he thought about his children and how much he loved them and how badly he felt that he hadn't been a better father to them. Seeing Alistair torture them on the monitors was unbearable, and he felt terrible that he couldn't be there to protect them. He decided when he got out of here, he would make amends with his children and be a better father to them. Then he would spend the rest of his life trying to make up for not being there for them.

Julian had hoped he would have got the chance to be a father to Little Ethan, but it looked as if it wasn't going to be possible now. Maybe it was for the best. Little Ethan had always been closer to Ethan, so it wouldn't be so painful for the little fellow. Still it didn't make the pain any easier for Julian. Losing Little Ethan was like losing Ethan all over again. Julian had felt horrible about the way he had treated Ethan when the truth about his paternity came out. If only Julian hadn’t let himself be swayed by Alistair, he wouldn't have treated Ethan the way he did. He didn't care about biology, in his heart Ethan and Little Ethan would always be his sons.

Then there was his little daughter Endora. She was so cute and so sweet. She already had her Daddy wrapped around her little finger. The last time he saw his angel was when he had stopped by Tabitha's house to give her a balloon. He missed his baby girl. It made him furious seeing the imposter worm up to her. If that character hurt Endora in any way, Julian would kill him. When Julian got back to Harmony he decided he would tell Eve about Endora. He wanted to respect Tabitha's wishes about keeping Endora's paternity a secret, but he felt that Eve had a right to know. Maybe now, Tabitha would let him have visitation rights of Endora. He loved to think about spending time with Endora. Eve and him could take care of her and take her places, it would be so wonderful. Julian knew Eve was going to be a wonderful stepmother to Endora.

Eve was so wonderful with children and a wonderful mother, as well. It was one of the many things Julian loved about her. She was so loving, gentle, and nurturing with children and with her daughters. He could never understand how Whitney and Simone could say that Eve wasn't a good mother, just because she lied about her past. He liked Whitney and Simone, and cared for both of them, just as Eve did for his children. However, he thought the way Eve's daughters had treated her since Liz had exposed their past was horrible. They owed her an apology for the way they behave after their past came out, especially Whitney. Whitney may have been hurt by thinking that Chad was her brother, but that was not Eve's fault. Whitney needed to grow up and realize that Eve was a victim in that situation just as much as she was. He knew it wasn't completely the girls fault, given the fact how TC influenced them. Whitney and Simone were lovely young women, just like their mother, but they had their father's stubbornness, unfortunately. Julian hadn't said anything to Eve about how he felt about Whitney and Simone's treatment towards Eve before, because he didn't want to make matters worse for her. Now he wasn't sure that was the right thing. Maybe if he had said something Eve would have seen what a cad TC is. Then Eve would have put some distance between herself and TC, and wouldn't have felt guilty about his accident. If Julian had had any idea that TC would have beaten Eve, he would have intervened a long time ago. By the time Julian was done with TC, he was going to be wishing that the car accident had killed him.

Just then Julian heard someone unlock the door from the other side. He figured it must be 'Satin,' the head guard at the compound. 'Satin,' was what Julian called the head guard in his head. Satin was a large Turkish guard who was very cold and nasty. Julian thought he must have got his training from the Gestapo. He could tell why Alistair hired 'Satin' to make sure he didn't escape. Personally he thought Satin and Liz would make a good pair given the fact that they were both meaner than rattlesnakes. The door opened and it wasn't Satin. It was Spike, the other bane of his existence.

"Well, hello there. Top of the mornin to ya." Spike said with a big smirk on his face. "And how is our prisoner today?"

Julian hadn't seen Spike since he saw him tried to rape Fancy in the mineshaft, on the monitors. Now that Julian saw him, he felt all his rage come back to him for what Spike had done to his daughter. "You Bastard!" Julian yelled as he got up. He grabbed Spike by the collar and pushed him up against the wall.

"Hey, what's the matter with you?" Spike asked defensively.

"You tried to rape my daughter and left her for dead, you psychopath."

"Hey, I do not know what you're talking about!" Spike was trying to feign his innocence.

"Don't play dumb with me Man. I saw what you did in the mineshaft to my little girl. And I'm going to kill you for it."

Julian latched his hands around Spike's neck, trying to strangle him. However, Spike pushed him down to the floor instead, causing Julian to land on his bottom.

"Hey, you don't want to mess with me man!," Spike said, shaking his finger at Julian. "Remember who you're dealing with."

Julian stood up and rubbed his tailed bone. "No, you remember who you're dealing with. And now I'll say it again, YOU TRIED TO RAPE AND KILL MY DAUGHTER!!!"

Spike put his palms together, and made his face look really innocent. Then he began to talk like a baby, “Hey, I didn't want to kill her but she would have turned me in. And I just wanted to have some fun with her."

Julian felt the father lion in him get enraged ever more, as he heard Spike talk about Fancy that way. How dare Spike defile his little girl, then make light of it! He was not going to let his psycho get away with this. Julian put his hands on his hips and looked at Spike with venom in his eyes and said, “Don't you dare talk about my little girl like that," Julian yelled. “You had no right to hurt her like that. And in the code of fathers, what you did to her earns me the right TO HAVE SOME FUN WITH YOU." Julian lounged at Spike again grabbing his neck again, trying to squeeze the air out of his lungs. Spike tried to pull Julian's hands off of his neck, but Julian's grip was too tight. So he pushed Julian away again, causing Julian to almost lose his balance this time.

Then Spike took his knife out and pointed it at Julian. "Hey, I ain't telling you again!" Spike said in a no nonsense voice, motioning to his knife.

Julian knew he wasn't going to be able to kill Spike today, if he had his knife out. So he took a deep breath and decided to use the only weapon he had for now - threats. Julian put his hands on his hips, and looked Spike straight in the eye and said, “You ever go near my daughter again, I'll kill you."

"Yeah, who’s going to stop me, Daddy?" Spikes said, stressing the title.

"Don't mess with me Spike," Julian snarled.

"No, you don't mess with me," he countered.

"I mean it, Spike. You stay the hell away from Fancy, Eve, and the rest of my family. And while you're at it, next time you see the imposter tell him that I said to do the same. Then I want you to drop a message to TC Russell, as a personal favor for me, and tell him to stay away from Eve, and that I'm going to kill him."

"Hey, I ain't your personal messenger service Man. You want to tell them that, go mail them a letter. Oh that's right, you can't send it," he quipped. "Then everyone would know where you are."

Julian gritted his teeth. Spike was as obnoxious as he was evil. "You are not going to get away with this," Julian said to him in a low voice. "I am Julian Crane, one of the most powerful men in the world. I will destroy you."

"You can't destroy me," he replied. He had a big smirk on his face. "You have no power no more. You're Daddy kidnapped you and no one knows where you are. Poor baby."

"Yeah, well we'll just see about that," Julian said defensively. Then he began to scoff. "You know, I'll never understand why Sam Bennett hasn't carved you up by now. Because if you did to my girls, what you did to Jessica Bennett, I'd crucify you."

"Oh don't you go playing holier than thou with me Pal," shaking his finger at Julian. "From what I understand years ago, you did the same thing to the good lady doctor there."

"Oh no, no, no," Julian countered defensively. "I never pimped Eve out, and I certainly never treated her the way you treated Jessica. I love her. I always have and I always will. And if it hadn't been for my father we would have been together."

"Well talk about deja vu." With that Spike left the room.

Julian shook his head in disgust. He had grown to loathe Spike just as much as Sam did. Since Julian had been at the compound, Spike usually went back and forth between Harmony and the compound. Now it looked like he was back again. 'What happened?' Julian thought sarcastically. 'Was raping women not enough for him anymore?' At least Jessica wouldn't have to deal with him for the time being. ‘Poor Sam,' Julian thought. 'It must be awful for him to have to put up with Spike as his son-in-law.' As a father, Julian could relate to Sam's anger towards Spike. Watching Spike try to rape Fancy in the mineshaft had been the most devastating thing he saw on the monitors, next to watching TC beating up Eve. Julian cried like a baby the whole time. He tried to get Satan to call Spike to get him away from Fancy, just like he did with Eve. However, Satin said no, so it didn't work. So he just prayed really hard, and thankfully Fancy was saved.

Chapter Ten

Julian sat back down in the window seat. Thinking about the Bennetts reminded him of when he learned about Ivy hiring David Hasting to pose as Grace's first husband so she could have Sam all to herself, on the monitors. Not to mention that Ivy had blackmailed Eve to go along with it. That was definitely a surprise for him. It had been Halloween night, and another day in hell for Julian. Earlier that day, Julain had the disturbing pleasure of watching Rebecca with the imposter in his office having one of their sex games and the imposter trying to turn Fox into a true Crane.

Later that night, Julian had been sitting in his room worrying about Fox with the imposter and the screen on the monitors came on again.

"What do they want me to see now?" Julian said, rolling his eyes. He was getting tired of watching his life being destroyed and feeling helpless to stop it. He grudgingly sat on the edge of the bed to watch what was going on. The screen flashed to the Bennett's house. He watched Fox and Miguel get into it with each other. Then he saw Ivy go into the kitchen to get the stain out of her dress.

"Damn Miguel. He's ruined my dress. Ok, there must be a book around here to tell me how to get the stain out. Oh, let's see what Martha has to say."

Then he saw Eve walk in the back door. He smiled when he saw her. She looked so beautiful, as always. He missed her so much, it felt unbearable to him.

"Hello, Ivy. "

"Eve, what are you doing here?"

"I need to speak to Sam."

"What about?"

"Jessica missed her therapy session."

"Oh. Well, now may not be the best time. Sam's in the living room. He's really upset. Jessica and Spike have moved out and we have no idea where they are."

Julian shook her head in disgust at Spike. The man was a sociopath. Julian felt sorry for Sam and Jessica having to put up with Spike. He could empathize. Spike was certainly doing everything he could to make Julian's life a living hell.

"You mean she's out there with Spike?"

"Yes. And she's working the streets again."

"God, Sam must just be so devastated."

"Yes, he is. He's devastated. We're all devastated. And now on top of everything else, we're getting married right away. And my dress has a stain on it. All right. Well, Martha says some seltzer or baking soda and a little lemon juice."

"I can't believe that you're going through with this, Ivy."

"What? Marrying Sam? You know it's what I've always wanted."

"I know. I also know what you did to -- to get him away from his wife."

"Ivy did something to get Sam away from Grace?" Julian asked out loud.

"Please -- ancient history. Just drop it."

"Ivy, won't you please learn from my experience? Secrets always come out."

"My secret is safe."

"Do you know why I think my life really went all to hell? Because I helped you to manipulate Sam. Bad karma."

"Wait a minute," Julian said, trying to figure out what they were talking about. "Ivy did something to get Sam away from Grace, and Eve helped her? No, no, no. There is no way Eve would willingly do something like that, and certainly not to her best friend."

"Oh, please, Eve, stop being a drama queen. Just help me get this stain out."

"I helped you to keep your secret, Ivy. I'll be damned if I'm going to help you get a stain out of your dress. Frankly, I think that it's fate telling you that you are not supposed to marry Sam."

Julian could tell by the way Eve looked and sounded, that she was angry at Ivy for whatever Ivy had Eve helped her with. Eve did tell him once that Ivy had blackmailed her into doing something but wouldn't tell him what it was. "This must be what they're talking about, but what is it?"

"You are being ridiculous, Eve. The stain on my dress is because Miguel and Fox were fighting. It has nothing to do with fate."

"Miguel and Fox were fighting? Was that over Kay?"

"Yes. Apparently Miguel has decided he wants to be with Kay. Personally, if I were Fox, I'd just let her go. But it's none of my business. Anyway, this stain has nothing to do with fate."

"Do you think that maybe everything that we -- that we do is maybe just meant to be?"

"Eve's talking about herself isn't she?" Julian said sadly. He was beginning to see more and more every day that Eve was not happy with TC, and was missing him, just as he was missing her. He knew she was putting on an act, to hide the pain she was feeling. It broke his heart to see her like this, especially when she didn't know that the Julian she was dealing with was a fraud.

"Oh, like my ex-husband divorcing Rebecca so he could be with you and then you dumping him so you can go back to your ex-husband. That was all just fate?"

"Oh that was a lot of things, but it certainly wasn't fate!" Julian exclaimed.

"Maybe."

"Oh Eve if only you knew the truth," Julian said sadly as he hung his head. All of this was all too heartbreaking for him.

"Please, Eve, you're beginning to sound like Theresa. No, no. I don't buy into all this metaphysical nonsense."

"And you're probably right, Ivy. You know, because there's lots of people who'd have thought Grace leaving Sam to go back to her first husband was fated. You and I both know that that was all your doing."

"All right well what was it?" Julian was getting impatient now. He wanted to know what this secret was.

"Well, and it all worked out, didn't it? I'm with the man I love. You're with your husband. Wow, the only loser I can see in this picture is poor Julian."

"Gees Ivy do you have to rub it in?" he quipped to her.

"But TC had a stroke. He needed me to take care of him."

"TC needed a lot of things but he certainly didn't need anybody to take care of him."

"No, Eve, he needed a full-time nurse, not a doctor working night and day. Admit it, Eve. You went back to TC out of guilt."

"All right, Ivy, unlike you, I have a conscience. It must be just pure bliss going around without one."

"I knew it, she still loves me. She just doesn't know the truth."

"Well, we all make decisions that we have to live with for the rest of our lives. And you, in my opinion, have made some really stupid ones. You were a fool to give up on Julian -- who adores you and is one of the richest men in the world -- to take care of an invalid."

"Don't blame Eve, it's not her fault. She doesn't know what's really going on."

"It's TC, Ivy. I couldn't just turn my back on him, could I?"

"I knew it; she never fell back in love with him. It was her guilt talking. Only TC took advantage of her."

"Well -- well, I hope you're happy, Eve. I really do. I don't wish you any ill will."

"Thanks, Ivy. So what am I supposed to say now? Good luck with your marriage? When I know that you tricked Sam into it?"

"All right, will somebody tell me what happened?"

"I didn't trick him into proposing to me. That was his own idea."

"Please, Ivy. Sam and Grace had a wonderful marriage. And then you hired a man to pretend he was Grace's first husband. And she couldn't tell the difference because she'd had amnesia."

"Oh my God!" Julian exclaimed now that he knew what the secret was. He shot right up from his seat. "Ivy, you didn't! I knew you wanted Sam back, but I never thought you'd go this far. And Eve helped her? I knew Ivy blackmailed Eve with her past before." Then Julian paused for a moment realizing Ivy must have blackmailed Eve about her past with him. He couldn't believe it. Then shook his head back and forth, “No, no, no there is way Eve would give in that quickly. I know her. Ivy had the Crane power at the time, maybe she threatened Eve's life or Whitney and Simone's life, after she blackmailed Eve about their past." He did remember hearing about Whitney being drugged at a dance around that time when David Hastings first came to town. Maybe Ivy did that to get Eve to do her bidding.

"Ok, look. Grace is having the time of her life in Europe with David and their beautiful son. She's fine."

"And what if David decides to tell Grace the truth one day?"

"David can't tell the truth, because David faces jail time if he does. No, Grace is staying where she is. I'm going to marry the man I love and we're going to grow old together. And no one can stop us."

"I could. All I'd have to do is walk right in there, tell Sam the whole truth."

"You are not going to tell Sam anything. Don't you get it? I will do whatever I have to do to keep Sam. I will lie, I will cheat, I will ruin your reputation. I would revoke your medical license. I will kill you, if I have to, to keep Sam."

"And now I'm sure of it," Julian sneered as he folded his arms across his chest. Julian couldn't believe it. His poor Eve, what she must have gone through all this time. The guilt she must have felt. It must of have been torture for her.

"Now, Ivy, put down the knife, because you cannot marry the chief of police if you're in jail."

"Please, Eve, please, please, please just leave it alone. Grace isn't coming back, ok? She's gone. She's never coming back. And I -- I love Sam. And we are going to be the happiest couple on the face of the earth. I promise I'll make him happy. Please."

"I seriously doubt that, Ivy."

At that moment, Julian just stood there in shock. "Ivy, you bitch, I'm going to kill you," he sneered at her. Then before he knew it, he saw Kay confessing to everyone that she knew about what Ivy had done. Julian felt devastated. He slowly paced around the room aimlessly for a little bit and then he stopped and leaned his back up against the wall adjacent to the door. He was completely baffled by the whole thing. He could not believe that Ivy would do something like this. He had not been this furious with Ivy since he learned about her lying to him about Ethan being her son. How dare Ivy blackmail Eve the way she did! Eve didn't deserve that kind of pain.
Then Julian slowly slid to the floor and sat down with his knees in front of him. 'My poor Eve,' he thought. He couldn't deny what Eve did was wrong, and he wasn't thrilled that she had done it. However, he wasn't angry or upset with her. He knew better than anyone what it was like to be up against a Crane. All of his life, Alistair had threatened Julian the same way. He also remembered how kind and understanding Eve was about his past sins, and still loved him unconditionally. He would do the same for her. Julian thought it seemed like a crazy twist of fate, that here he was being held captive and he learned about this. He should have been back in Harmony, standing by Eve while she was going through this. She needed him, and he couldn't be there for her. It wasn't right.

For the rest of the night, Julian watched the rest of the Bennett's learn Ivy's secret. He didn't feel sorry for Ivy one bit. If anything he thought the Bennetts were letting her off easy. The only thing he worried about was Eve, and what was going to happen to her. He understood that Sam and Grace would be angry at her, but Eve was not the culprit in this mess. She certainly did not deserve to be made out to look like she was or to lose her job or her license. Later that night he saw Eve and Ivy at the blue note talking and the imposter came over to them. If Julian would have been there he would have given it to that creep for the way he talked to Eve.

"But you, Eve? God, I am so shocked. You cast yourself as someone in between Florence Nightingale and Mother Teresa. You parade around here like a paragon of virtue. You even preached to me about, "oh, Julian, you've changed, you've regressed to the bad Julian I thought was gone forever". The hypocrisy. Well, I suppose thank God for that. I mean, it's what makes life interesting."

"Hey, don't talk to her like that!" Julian yelled at the imposter through the screen.

"Julian, please,” Eve begged the imposter.

"Hypocrisy! I should practice that, because, you know, the one thing I'm not is a hypocrite. I'm quite open about the bad things I've done, that I should be ashamed. But you know that I am most ashamed of myself the most for turning myself inside out to prove that I was a better man, someone that you could love. God, what a fool I was. Ivy? I want to thank you for helping me take the blinders off. I now see that your partner in crime is just as morally bereft as I, if not more so. She's probably even worse than you are. "

"Shut up," Julian yelled at him again. "You don't even know what you're talking about."

"Enough, Julian,” Ivy said to him.

"I'm telling you, Eve, it was just killing me to try to suppress my natural bad self for your sake. I wanted to prove that I was worthy of you, and all the time you were just sitting back and watching Sam and Grace's marriage be destroyed. In fact, you helped make that happen. I mean, don't you ever, ever point your finger at me. Not you ever. You know, Eve, I -- I suppose I admire you. You had the gall to play holier than thou with me at the same time you were a participant in perhaps one of the most vile, base plots in Harmony history."

"Oh you're one to talk," Julian said sarcastically to the imposter. "You who don't care that I'm being held hostage, only that you're getting paid you *******."

"Yeah, you once said that you -- you didn't want to spend your life with someone like me. Well, I think now the shoe's on the other foot. I really don't want to spend another minute with someone so malevolent as you. God help that stroked-out, crippled husband of yours. Let's just hope he gets his health back so he can make his escape from you. "

Julian wanted to ring his neck for that. The imposter had no right to berate Eve like that. Then if he didn't think Ivy couldn't stoop any lower, he was wrong. He saw her tell Whitney about Eve's involvement with her scheme. He was even more furious with Ivy for that. It wasn't bad enough that she blackmailed Eve, but now she made Eve look like it was all her doing when it wasn't. He was especially angry when Ivy said to Whitney that Eve was a former drug addict, not to mention she had a child out of wedlock with him. And that she had a half-brother or half-sister running around out there somewhere that her slut-turned-saint of a mother gave birth to. That was totally uncalled for and untrue about their baby that they share. Julian told himself that if he ever got out of the compound, he was going to give Ivy hell. Then he saw Whitney berate Eve on the phone. He was really disappointed in Whitney for that. That girl never seemed to learn. He was beginning to wonder if Whitney really did love Eve at all.

"Oh Ivy," Julian said as he snapped back to the present. "You're in for it. If you thought Sam and Grace gave you a bad time, it's not even going to compare to the hell I'm going to give you." Julian and Ivy had managed to be friends in the past few years, but not after this. He couldn't be friends with someone who hurt the woman he loved like that. He really hoped Grace and the rest of the Bennetts would eventually forgive Eve for what she did.

Julian looked out the window at the waves and the blue sky. "I love you Eve," he said. "Never forget that I love you."

Chapter Eleven

While Julian was looking out the window at the compound, Marlena had just finished telling Eve her life story, at the lobster shack.

"Wow!" Eve said after Marlena told her about her life. Eve was shocked to learn about everything that Marlena had gone through. The situation with her twin sister Samantha, losing her baby with Don, being kidnapped and raped, being possessed, being made to think she was the Salem Strangler, her abusive ex-husband trying to erase her memory, not to mention the love triangle between her, John and Roman. It was unbelievable. Eve felt so bad for her new friend going through all that pain. She could definitely empathize with her on a lot of levels. "That's quite a life story. I am so sorry you had to go through all that."

"It's okay," Marlena said as she smiled. "It hasn't always been easy but having John in my life makes my life complete."

"I can't believe what Alex North did to you," Eve said, shaking her head. "That was so horrible."

"I know," Marlena nodded in agreement. "All I can say is I'm thankful that he's dead."

"I would be too."

Marlena gently put her hand on Eve's arm trying to convey her empathy. "But you can see, I've made some mistakes in my life, but I try to move on and learn from them. We all make mistakes, but it's how we deal with them and make them right is what matters. When we forgive ourselves, we can move forward with our lives."

"I guess you're right," Eve gave Marlena an appreciative smile and put her hand on Marlena's letting her know how much she appreciated her kindness. "Unfortunately, I've had to learn that one the hard way."

"Well no one's perfect," Marlena reiterated.

Both Eve and Marlena laughed at that.

"You know," Eve said. "You and John remind me so much of me and Julian, way back when."

"Yeah, you were telling me about him," Marlena said as she stirred her tea. "What's the story between the two of you?"

"Julian Crane, my first love, the love of my life," Eve's eyes became all dreamy like when she talked about him as she remembered the love they shared. "Like I said before, we met years ago in Boston. We were madly in love with each other. He swept me off my feet right away. Then Alistair found out that we were together, and he didn't want his son to be with an African-American woman. So he forced Julian to leave me, and made sure Julian didn't know I was pregnant," Eve's voice became solemn as she began to talk about the pain she had experienced when she first lost Julian, and her eyes looked sad. "For years, I was so angry at Julian for leaving me, but when I learned just how abusive Alistair was to Julian, I realized he did the best he could under the situation. For twenty years, I tried to deny my feelings for Julian, but I never stopped loving him. Then seven years ago, our paths crossed again. Alistair had turned Julian into his flunky. Julian had become mean and nasty, and was drinking a lot. Then Julian had a spiritual awakening and started to change. Around that time, Liz was making my life hell, and he promised he would do whatever he could to protect me from her. At that time, we also began looking for our son. He became like the Julian he was when we first fell in love. He was warm, tender, loving, and generous. He was my rock. He told me he still loved me, and that he was willing to help me hang on to my family just so that I'd be happy. No matter what kind of trouble I was in, he was there to rescue me. I remember there was this one time, we were on his private plane, and the door flew open and I flew out and I was hanging on to the wing of the plane. Julian puts these seat belts together, and goes out on the wing of the plane in midair to rescue me, risking his own life to save mine." Marlena's eyes widened.

"Wow, that must have been so scary for you."

"It was. Soon, I realized my feelings for Julian were growing stronger and stronger. I realized I never stopped loving him and that's why I couldn't give myself to TC. Then after Liz exposed my past, we got back together and it was wonderful." Eve gave a sad smile, as she remembered how wonderful everything was between her and Julian, and how much she missed those days. "Nothing had changed between us. Our love for each other was beautiful, magic, passionate, healing, unconditional, and so much more. He was always there for me no matter what. Then proposed to me, and I said yes. When he was finally about to get a divorce from Rebecca and we were ready to get married and then TC had his accident." Eve's tone became very matter of fact. "At first Julian was very supportive. He even paid for doctors for TC. Then all of a sudden he became jealous of the attention that I was giving TC, and reverted back to his old ways, only worse this time. So we broke up." Eve then became all choked up. "When we broke up he called me a whore and a gold digger. It really hurt, because he's the one person I can't take it from. Now I know I was wrong to treat Julian the way I did, by going back to TC when he had his stroke. I was incredibly insensitive to his feelings and he didn't deserve that. However, I can't forget that he regressed the way he did." Eve felt a few tears come to her eyes as she thought about how much she missed Julian. "My heart's been empty ever since we broke up. I've tried to put on a brave face in front of people, but the truth is I feel like I'm dying inside without him. I've tried to forget him, but I can't. He's all I think about. I've tried to convince myself I no longer care for him, but that's a lie." Eve began to get all choked up again. "I ache for Julian. It's tearing me apart." Eve muffled her sobs not wanting to cause a scene in the restaurant.

"I am so sorry Honey." Marlena gave Eve's arm a gentle squeeze. "That must have been so hard for you."

"Thank you," Eve said, drying her tears. "It has been."

"I've got to tell you though, as a psychiatrist, I have to say, his behavior doesn't add up," Marlena said matter of factly.

"What do you mean?" Eve was curious as to what she meant.

"Well you mentioned that Alistair abused Julian, but then Julian eventually stood up to him. Usually, once abused children stand up to their abuser and realize what they did was wrong, they don't start emulating them. Also, you mentioned that when Julian was bad, it was because he was Alistair's puppet. Now Alistair's dead and Julian's worse? That doesn't make much sense. Not to mention this was not the first time he had a reason to be jealous, and he never acted this way before. Why would he start now? You weren't even going to leave him. Am I way off base here?"

Eve shook her head. "No, you're not." She felt gratified that Marlena was thinking the same thing she had been thinking about. "I've been having the same thoughts myself. Ever since he started regressing I've had this feeling in the pit of my stomach, like something wasn't right about him. I dismissed it as that he was regressing, but it hasn't been that. It's something much more and the feeling has been becoming stronger and stronger." Eve gave a heartfelt sigh. "Julian tried to warn me about TC. He told me that TC was angry and selfish, and I didn't deserve that kind of treatment from him. However, I didn't listen, and I may have killed the man I love."

"Now don't say that," Marlena coaxed. "Julian's a big boy, he needs to take responsibility for himself."

"I said something to him at Thanksgiving. I told Julian that he treated me like a slave, and how good it was to be with a man who accepts me for exactly who I am."

Marlena was surprised that Eve would say something like that. From what Eve had told her about TC sounded like it TC was the one who treated her like a slave. "Was that true? Did you mean that?"

"No," Eve solemnly admitted. "It was completely untrue and unfounded. Julian never treated me like a slave. And as for TC, he's the one who didn't accept me for who I was," she said firmly, as she reiterated the truth about TC to herself. "TC is the one who threw me out when he found out I wasn't perfect. Julian even pointed that out to me, but all I said was that TC was hurt and felt too betrayed to take me back at that time. I even said that it was TC putting me up on a pedestal that made it so hard to come to terms with what I had done, and now things were fine. Now I see I was a fool. Julian is the one who took me in after TC threw me out. No strings attached. His love didn't come with any conditions attached either. He was the one who showed me that it was okay to be human and to make mistakes. And what did I do in return? I betrayed him."

"Look, I've been where you are. I know what it feels like to be in love with two men at the same time. However, the truth is the only way to find true happiness is to follow your heart. Because if you don't it's just a recipe for disaster for everyone involved."

"I realized that now."

"Eve, you said that when you met Julian he was a good man, and in all the years that you two were apart you never stopped loving him?" Marlena asked. She was in her psychoanalyzing mode now.

"Yes,” she replied.

"Could it be that maybe you know deep in your heart that Julian really is a good man?"

Eve raised her eyebrows at that. She had never considered that. However, it made so much sense to her. There had to be a reason that even with Julian's faults she could never stop loving him. "I never thought about it that way before," she said.

"Eve, let me ask you something. What does your head tell you about Julian?"

"That he's regressed."

"What does your heart say about him?"

"That I'm still madly in love with him."

"What does your gut say?"

Eve paused for a moment and then took a deep breath. "That there's something more going on with him that meets the eye," she admitted.

"Can I give you some advice?"

"Sure."

"Don't take anymore crap from him or anyone else. However, find out what this gut feeling is telling you. I'm pretty sure when you find out what it's saying; it will answer your questions about Julian."

Eve realized Marlena was right. Ever since this whole ordeal began, that gut feeling had been nagging at her. If she could figure about what was really going on with Julian, then she could figure out what was really going on. "Thank you Marlena. You know what; I think I'll do that."

"You know my daughter Belle once had a situation similar to yours."

"Really what was it?"

"Well it was around the time that everyone thought I was the Salem Stalker. Her boyfriend had left town, but his crazy ex-girlfriend kidnapped him, and held him hostage in his cage she had made for him."

"Oh my God!" Eve was shocked. That sounded so horrible.

"I know," Marlena agreed. "His ex-girlfriend's not well I'm afraid. Well she made everyone think that Shawn no longer wanted anything to do with Belle but of course that wasn't the case. But eventually Shawn was able to escape, and when he did he fell off his motorcycle and hit his head. He was rushed to the hospital and had to have emergency brain surgery. Well when he woke up he was mean and nasty, completely not like himself. He even thought he loved his ex-girlfriend, which wasn't true."

"Well with a head injury and brain surgery, that will do it,” Eve said in doctor mode. "Did Shawn eventually get better?

"Yes he did, and then we all understood his behavior."

"So you're saying Julian might have a neurological condition?" she clipped.

"It's possible. We're both doctors, we both know that certain neurological and medical conditions can make people not act like themselves."

'Why hadn't I thought about that before?' Eve thought. "You're right," she said to Marlena. "I've never thought about it that way before. Thank you Marlena, you know I'm going to look into that."

"You're welcome. What are friends for?"

Eve smiled affectionately at Marlena. "Well you certainly are a wonderful friend. I hope when you return to Salem we can still stay in touch."

"Of course we will,” Marlena said, smiling back at Eve.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the compound, it was almost sundown, and Julian was still sitting in his window seat. Days were long at the compound. One of the most frustrating things about being there was that he was forced to watch the time go by, as he was forced into isolating captivity. He wondered what it was like for his Aunt Rachel when she was forced to be Alistair's prisoner for all those years. Julian knew Rachel had it worse given the fact that Alistair would repeatedly rape her. Since Julian had been at the Compound, he had tried everything he could possibly think of to escape. He even tried bribing Spike and the guards with money and offering not to press charges, but none of them budge. They were all too afraid of Alistair. Julian even offered to say that he escaped on his own, so they wouldn't get in trouble, but again they refused. The guards had taken Julian's cell phone from him, the day he was kidnapped so he couldn't call for help. Julian had thought that maybe if he did manage to escape he could swim to safety, but he knew as a doctor's fiancé that the effects of the hypothermia would kill him in minutes. Plus there were probably sharks in the water. The only thing he could do was wait for a miracle.

One of the things Julian decided, since his captivity, was that once he got home, he would find a way to bring Alistair down once and for all. Julian couldn't have Alistair hurting him and the people he loved anymore. As long as Julian could remember Alistair was always indestructible to him. When Julian was a child and Alistair was abusing him, Julian knew that no one could come and save him and his mother and his sister. Alistair was too powerful. Any other family, social services would have intervened, but not with the Crane Family. So Julian was forced to turn inside of himself, and deny what he knew to be good and true in order to survive.

He thought about his mother, Katherine. Ever since he was a little boy he loved his mother so much. She was always so loving and kind and gentle with him and Sheridan. Katherine had taught him right from wrong, and how to be a good man. Then when Timmy and Eve came into his life, he went back to the values that Katherine had taught him. For a long time, Julian feared how disappointed Katherine would be if she knew how he turned out. Then when Katherine came back into his life, Julian found out that Katherine was not disappointed in him and if anything she understood. Julian understood why his mother had to leave, but the memory of losing his mother at such a young age was still painful and anyways would be. Now Julian missed his mommy, the same way he did when she died. Julian felt a tear fall from his eye. Thinking about Katherine now made him feel like a little boy again. He missed her so much. A few nights ago, he saw Katherine lecture the imposter on the monitors. Julian was furious that the imposter was putting his mother through hell too now. He felt so bad for Katherine, having to put up with the imposter. He knew that if Katherine knew that her son was kidnapped she'd be devastated. Julian hated to think what Katherine would do to Alistair when she found out that Alistair had kidnapped him. Julian remembered Katherine had tried to kill Alistair twice, for what he did to him and to Sheridan.

Julian wasn't sure if it was possible to repair his family, but he wanted to try. He thought about the Lopez-Fitzgerald’s and the Bennett’s, who had close loving families. He would have given anything to grow up in a family like their families. When Julian was growing up Katherine, Julian, and Sheridan were all close. Then Katherine left, and Julian tried to be there for Sheridan but Alistair sent her away to live in Europe. Julian was then left to be tortured by Alistair. It was then that he began to lose his innocence. Julian hadn't realized until now the depth of the pain he suffered in his childhood and that it was still with him. Inside he still felt like that same little boy who was being abused. 'How does one recover from having Alistair Crane as a father?' Julian wondered. The answers never came to him. He didn't know how to heal the hurt little boy inside of him. Julian felt more tears come out of his eyes. Alistair had taken so much from Julian; his childhood, his mother and sister, his innocence, his self-esteem and self-respect, his values, Eve, the years they could have spent together, their son, his dignity, and now his freedom.'

Julian wished he had Eve to talk to about this right now. She was always so comforting to him when he was down. Maybe when he got home Eve could help him sort all of this out. Julian didn't like the idea of getting Eve involved with something that was as horrible as his childhood, but he realized he needed the woman he loved to help him through this.

Just then Julian heard a noise coming from somewhere. He wiped away his tears and got up to investigate. It seemed to be coming from behind the wall that was left, behind his bed. Julian put his ear up against the wall to hear what was going on. It sounded like Spike and Satin were on the other side and then after a few minutes they left. Julian had never noticed before that the wall was hallowed. He wondered if there was a secret passageway behind it or something. He saw a candle stick that was built against the wall. He turned it and all of a sudden the wall opened up into a door. Julian's heart skipped a beat. Maybe there was a way out of here after all. Julian opened the door, and walked right into a child's bedroom. 'What the hell!' he thought to himself. He wondered why Alistair had a child's bedroom in the house. It seemed strange to him.

To the right of the room there was a canopy bed against the wall. On the left of the room there was a window seat and near it was a rocking chair. The room was filled with shelves of children's books and toys. The walls were covered with teddy bears. Then Julian saw another door across the room. He immediately went over to it to see if he could open it, but it was locked shut. When he realized that the door wouldn't open, he went over to the window to see if he would open or break it open, but it was bullet proof. "Damn it," he said in frustration. Then he heard soft crying from the side of the wall of the door that he came in. He turned around and saw a small boy with blonde hair, who was about four years old. The boy had his knees against his chest and his head buried in his hands as he cried. Julian realized he knew that boy, he had seen him before.

"Marty," he said to the boy.

Marty is played by the Gerber twins.







Chapter Twelve

Marty looked up and saw a man standing in front of him. It was the first time in a long time that he had seen anyone with a kind face. He remembered he once saw that his grandfather Alistair had a picture of this man, only Grandpa had his picture pasted to the dart board so he could throw darts at it. Somehow however he felt a connection with this man, but he didn’t know why. “Yes,” Marty answered in a small voice.

Julian couldn’t believe his eyes. It was his long lost presumed dead nephew right in front of him. “Are you Marty Lopez-Fitzgerald?” Julian asked.

“Yes,” Marty replied.

Julian gave a sigh of relief knowing that Marty was really alive. ‘It’s a miracle,’ he thought to himself. Then he knelt down next to Marty and smiled kindly at him. “I’m your Uncle Julian,” he said. “Your mommy Sheridan is my sister,” Julian pulled out his wallet from his back pocket and then pulled out his wallet photo album and showed Marty the picture that was taken of Julian and Sheridan. “See,” he said as he showed him the picture.

“Mommy,” Marty chirped. He realized then that Uncle Julian was who he said he was.

“That’s right.” Julian put his wallet and the picture in the back in his pocket. “What are you doing here?”

Marty began to cry again. “Grandpa told his men to put me here so no one would ever find me and then he had his men shoot my other mommy.”

“You mean Beth?”

“Yes,” he sobbed.

Julian looked at Marty sympathetically and wiped his tears away with his thumbs. “It’s okay,” he said tenderly. Then Julian stood up and picked Marty up and took him in his arms. “Sshh,” Julian said as he rubbed Marty’s back. “It’s all right now.” Julian could tell this child had been through hell at Alistair’s hands. His heart broke for Marty at the thought of what he must have been through. He grew up with Alistair and knew just how cruel he could be.

Then he heard a sound from outside the door of the other room. Julian went back into his room, while still holding Marty, to find out what the noise was. He went to the door and knelt down so he could look through the keyhole. He was shocked to see Spike and Satan pulling a gurney with Beth Wallace on it and she was dead. It looked like she had been shot several times. “Oh my God!” he whispered. He realized then that Alistair had only faked the train explosion in Rome. ‘I don’t believe this,'' Julian thought.

“Well another one bites the dust.” Spike said to Satan. “Beth should have known better than to try finding a way to be with Luis against her father’s wishes, and then Mr. Crane wouldn’t have had us shoot her. I’m just glad I ain’t one of Mr. Crane’s kids. He already kidnapped Julian and broke Luis and Sheridan apart. God knows what he would do to me.”

“Are you kidding?” Satan clipped. “Looking at the two of you, I would think you were related.”

“Well come on let's dump Bethie’s body in the sea.”

“Oh my God, father, what have you done now?” Julian said quietly to himself. He felt a sickening feeling come over him as he watched Spike and Satan carry his long lost half sister’s dead body away. Julian didn’t have any love lost for his half sister Beth. He never knew Beth was his sister and he was furious at Beth for what she had done to Sheridan. However the thought of Alistair killing his own flesh and blood brought chills up his spine, and he was completely dumbfounded and baffled by what he just saw.

Julian stood back up with Marty and looked at Marty in his arms. Julian realized that Alistair was planning on keeping Marty here at the compound so no one would find him or know he was alive, and he was planning on keeping him in one room just like Julian had been. What was Alistair thinking about keeping a child locked up like this? That was no way for a child to grow up and to live. This was beyond cruel even for Alistair. Then it dawned on Julian that Spike would be making sure that Marty stayed hidden. Julian knew Spike was capable of anything just like Alistair, and would do anything to hurt Marty if he had the chance.

This was his nephew, Julian had to protect him. He was not going to let Alistair or Spike hurt Marty, even if he had to die trying. Julian had let Sheridan down too many times in her life, and he was not about to let her down now or Marty. “It’s okay,” he said to Marty as he sat down on the bed with the child in his lap. “You’re Uncle Julian is here. And he’s going to take very good care of you and he’s going to find a way to get us out of here.” Julian held Marty in his arms rocking him back and forth as he cried. ‘I promise you Sheridan,” Julian thought to himself as he rocked Marty, “I’ll protect Marty with my life and I’ll bring him home to you. As God as my witness I will.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back in Harmony, at the Bennett house Grace Bennett was in the living room going through a box of things that she had brought down from the attic. She had just got back to Harmony two days ago and was thrilled to be back in Harmony with her family. She missed them so much while she was away and was determined to make a fresh start with Sam. The reason why she had chosen to leave with David Hasting to begin with was because she felt obligated to him because she thought he was her first husband, even though she loved Sam more. Unfortunately she realized that a relationship without love isn’t a relationship at all. She was determined never to let anything come in between them again. After some discussion she had convinced Sam, Noah, and Jessica to forgive Kay for her part in splitting up her and Sam, and they agreed. So far their family reunion had been wonderful with them talking, spending time together and getting ready for Christmas. To everyone’s relief Spike hadn’t been seen in days. He had told Jessica he had some business to attend to, which was fine with her. At least he wouldn’t be beating and raping her.

As Grace looked in the box and saw a frame picture of her and Eve. She picked up the picture and looked at it solemnly. For the past week, she had felt so angry, hurt, and betrayed by Eve. She couldn’t understand how her own best friend could fake John’s DNA test and not tell her the truth about David being a fraud. However, despite her anger she couldn’t forget that Eve had been her best friend for over twenty years and except for giving into Ivy’s blackmail, Eve had been a wonderful friend to her and to her family. Grace took the picture and sat on the couch with it and continued to look at it. The truth was Grace knew that what Eve did was wrong, but Ivy did push her into a corner threatening to expose her past, and then when Eve told her no Ivy drugged Whitney, put a gun to her head, and then threatened to turn Whitney and Simone into drug addicts, and had the power to do it. Grace couldn’t imagine the fear Eve must have felt. Then there was TC’s temper and the way he had always threatened to kill Julian. When Sam had told her over the phone about TC throwing Eve out the way he had when he found out about Eve’s past, Grace had been very angry with TC for treating Eve that way. She didn’t deserve that from him. She made some mistakes when she was younger, everybody does, but they weren’t about TC, Whitney and Simone, they were about Eve. Not to mention she had already gone through more pain than most people will ever know in a lifetime. Personally, she couldn’t understand how Eve could go back to TC even if he did have a stroke. She missed Eve and her friendship and no matter what Eve had done, it didn’t feel right to her to throw her out of her life.

Just then Sam came into the living room, and gave Grace a kiss on the cheek from behind her. “Hey, Sweetheart, what are you looking at?” Then he saw Grace was holding a picture of her and Eve. “Oh,” Sam said as he saw the picture. Then he sat down at the couch next to Grace and held her hand. “Are you okay?” he asked her.

“No, I’m not,” Grace said sadly. “Ever since I found out what Eve did I’ve been so angry with her, but now I still can’t forget that she was my best friend and was a pretty good friend except for this.”

“I know,” Sam said sympathetically. He had been just as upset as Grace was when he learned the truth. He loved Eve too, just like a sister. But now he was beginning to not feel angry with her anymore and was feeling more understanding of the position that Ivy put her in. “I’ve been having the same thoughts about myself.”

Grace turned to look at Sam, “I miss her Sam and I still love her. I know what she did was wrong and I’m not trying to make excuses for her, but I can’t forget that she was repeatedly pushed into a corner by Ivy.”

“Not to mention TC’s temper,” Sam chimed in. “The way he talked about killing Julian scared even me and I’m his best friend.”

Grace smiled a little. “You know I remember whatever I was going through Eve was always there for me no matter what. She was always so kind and supportive. You know she saved my life when I had the miscarriage and Kay’s life when she was accidentally spared by Miguel, and Maria’s life when she was born.”

“Yeah, I remember,” Sam said smiling.

“I want to forgive her and be friends with her again, Sam. I know what she did was wrong, but the truth is we’ve all done things that we’re not proud of, and the church preaches forgiveness. And let’s not forget Ivy played a major role in what she did. Do you think I’m crazy?”

“No I don’t,” he answered. “I’ve been having the same thoughts myself. I love Eve too, and I know what she did was wrong, but you’re right she was pushed by Ivy, and if Ivy hadn’t blackmailed Eve, Eve wouldn’t have been in that position to begin with. And you’re right, you shouldn’t throw out the whole barrel because of one bad apple.”

Chapter Thirteen

Julian held Marty in his arms for two hours comforting him. Marty cried for a little while and then the little guy seemed to calm down a bit. Julian felt so bad for Marty. He didn’t deserve to go through this. It made him wonder if his own son with Eve had suffered the same fate. Alistair had kept him and Sheridan from the people they loved and kidnapped their children making them believe they were dead. It was all too cruel. Julian was even more determined now that Alistair would not get away with his cruelty any longer. When Julian looked at Marty, seeing his sad face it was like looking in a mirror seeing himself as a boy. It was enough to break his heart. Then he began to worry about how he was going to take care of Marty on his own. He hadn’t had too much experience with children. He did take care of Sheridan when she was younger, and he did spend a little time with his children when they were growing up, and he did help Eve take care of Miles, and then he spent time with Endora before he had been kidnapped. He would just have to use his instincts and remember what little knowledge he had about children. After all he had been a little boy once himself.

Just then Julian heard Spike in Marty’s room, “Hey where’s the brat?” he heard Spike say. Then Spike came into Julian’s room. “Hey there he is!” he said when he saw Marty.

“Yeah,” Julian said to Spike sarcastically. Then Julian stood up while still holding Marty in his arms. He felt his blood boil as he looked at Spike. “So you’ve been keeping my nephew hostage as well!” he accused.

“Hey, that ain’t Marty!” Spike lied. “It’s just a kid who looks like him.” Spike was hoping he could fool Julian.

“Please, how stupid do you think I am!!??” he snapped.

“Okay fine it is Marty,” admitted Spike. “You caught me.”

Julian looked at Spike with hatred in his eyes. “Just when I think I can't hate you anymore than I already do, you make me hate you even more,” he said in a low voice. Then he yelled, “How dare you keep my sister’s child away from her!” Julian was trying to fight the urge to strangle Spike. “It wasn’t bad enough that you and Alistair hired Christopher Boothe to fall in love with Sheridan, now you’re keeping her child from her?”

“Hey, I’m just following the boss’s orders.”

“I don’t care. You have no right to keep a child locked up like this,” he yelled. Julian wanted to say, ‘wait till I get back to Harmony and I tell Sheridan the truth and expose you all,’ but he knew he had to act like he had no hope of ever leaving the compound in front of Spike and the guards.

“Oh you mean like you,” Spike quipped. “Yeah ain’t it funny, your old man kept you and your sister from the people you love. Now Chris is with Sheridan, and the lovely doctor is back with Coach Russell. I bet she’s forgotten all about you by now. You know I heard that they’ve been doing great together.”

“Shut up Spike,” Julian snapped. He knew he shouldn’t talk that way in front of Marty but Spike was provoking him. “Eve loves me. She would never forget me anymore than I could forget her. The only reason she went back to TC was because she feels sorry for him and doesn’t know what kind of a man he really is. And after once she finds out what TC Russell did, she will never speak to him again.”

“Yeah well, she ain’t never gonna find out, will she?”

‘She will if I have anything to say about it,’ Julian thought. “Don’t even think of doing anything more to her,” Julian threatened.

“Or what?”

“Don’t mess with me Spike,” Julian growled. If he hadn’t been holding Marty he would have grabbed Spike. “I love Eve more than my own life, and I will kill anyone who causes her any harm.”

Before Spike could say anything Satan came into Julian's room. “What is going on?”

“I came in here to get the kid and the prisoner here started yelling at me.” Spike replied.

“Oh is the prisoner being a bad boy?” Satan taunted Julian.

“Oh shut up!” Julian snapped back at Satan. After four months, Julian was at his wits end with both Spike and Satan. They had gone out of their way to make his life a living hell, and now they were holding Marty prisoner. It was all too much. He was done letting them walk all over him.

“Okay, enough of this, fork the kid over,” Spike said to Julian with his hand out to take Marty.

“Not in your life,” Julian held Marty tighter trying to protect him from Spike.

“Why not?” asked Spike.

“Because I wouldn’t trust a goldfish with you let alone a child.”

“Hey, I have my orders.” Spike stated.

Julian looked Spike straight in the eye, “You touch one hair on my nephew’s head and I’ll kill you myself.”

“Don’t let them take me,” Marty pleaded to Julian as he wrapped his arms tightly around his uncle’s neck. Marty had been exposed to Spike more than he would have liked and knew he was a bad man.

“Sshh,” Julian said gently, patting his back. “Don’t worry I won’t,” he reassured Marty.

“Hey come on kid,” Spike said to Marty. “It’s uncle spike man here.”

“No,” moaned Marty.

“For god sakes you’re scaring him,” Julian said.

“Julian, you dun’t wunt me to whipped you now do you?” Satan threatened Julian. “

“If you two dunt back off you two will be the ones who will be hurt. He is my nephew and I will look after him.”

“Mr. Cron, did not give permussion for zis,” Satan said to Spike.

“Well I dun’t care if Mr. Cron, gave permussion or not,” Julian said pooking at his accent. “The child is staying right here with me.

“Hey,” Satan said, pointing his finger at Julian. “Dun’t make fon of my accent.”

“Look,” Julian said calmly. “I’m not going anywhere and neither is Marty. You all have made it impossible for either one of us to escape.”

“Ah, but you did try to escape that one time,” Spike pointed out.

“And he punched me in the stomach.” Satan added.

‘And what fun it was,’ Julian thought as he remembered the satisfaction he felt when he punched Satan. “What do you think I’m going to do?” Julian said to them, “Swim away from here in the North Atlantic Ocean in winter?”

Both Spike and Satan couldn’t argue with that logic. “He’s right,” Satan said to Spike.

“All right fine the kid can stay with you,” Spike said. “But no funny business now. Remember who’s in charge here.”

“Oh go sell some drugs,” Julian yelled sarcastically.

Both Spike and Satan left the room. Julian was glad to be rid of them. It did feel good to give him a piece of his mind. Then he looked at Marty who had his head buried in Julian’s shoulder. “It’s okay Marty, they’re gone now.” Marty looked up at his uncle and could see that he was safe from Spike now. “Are you okay son?” Julian asked.

“Yeah,” he said. “I don’t like Spike.”

“You and me both.” Julian sat Marty down on the floor and knelt down next to him. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”

“Did Grandpa and his men put you in here too like they did me?”

“Yeah, I’m afraid so son,” Julian answered.

When Marty said that, Julian realized that his poor little nephew had had to grow up really fast. He knew what was going on, and that he and his uncle were in danger from Alistair.

“Why?”

“Well because your Grandfather is a very bad man.”

“I thought you said you were going to find a way out of here. But you told Spike that we weren’t leaving.”

“Sshh, keep your voice down. We can’t let him hear us.”

Marty realized what Julian was saying and whispered to him, “Why did you tell Spike that we weren’t leaving?”

“Because he can’t know about it,” Julian whispered back. “If he were to find out he would try to stop us, so it has to be our secret. And that means no matter what happens you can’t tell anyone. Can you do that for me son?”

“Yes. When are we going to get out of here and go home?”

“I don’t know yet. It could be days or weeks even. But I promise you we will. In the meantime, I’m going to take good care of you and I promise I will not let anything happen to you.”

“Okay.” Marty had just met his Uncle Julian, but he could tell that his uncle was a nice man and really cared about him and would make sure that he was okay.

“Good boy,” Julian gave him a hug.

Then a French maid came in with a dinner table for Julian and Marty. "Dinner is served,” she said.

Julian stood up from the floor. “Okay you know the routine and the child’s food too.”

“Oui Monsieur Crane,” she said as she began tasting the food.

“Why is she doing that?” Marty asked Julian.

“She’s just making sure it tastes good.” Julian didn’t want Marty to know that he was really making sure that the food wasn’t poisoned. A child didn’t need to know that.

After the maid left, Julian put Marty in the chair that had the booster sheet for him and cut his food for him. Then Julian sat down at the table and began to eat his dinner.

“So Marty,” Julian said, “what do you think to do for fun?”

“Play with my toys, read, and watch hockey.”

“You like hockey do you?”

“Yeah, I like the Bruins. I wanted to play pee wee hockey, but other mommy said that I couldn’t because then they would find us.”

Julian was shocked to hear this. “Did your other mommy and your grandfather ever let you play with other children?”

“No, other mommy said it was too dangerous and we’d be caught.”

‘Beth you are unbelievable,’ Julian thought to himself. ‘You were truly father’s daughter.’ Then he turned to Marty and said, “Marty last summer back in Rome, there was a train explosion. Do you remember that?”

“Yeah, Grandpa paid his men to make it look like me, grandpa, and other mommy died. But we didn’t. He took us to a place to hide. I saw him one day throwing darts at a picture of your face. I heard him say he would get you.”

‘That doesn’t surprise me,’ Julian thought. “Did he say anything else?” he asked.

“No,” Marty replied. “After that he brought me and other mommy here. Then he had Spike shoot other mommy, because she tried to find a way to be with Daddy.”

“I’m so sorry that you had to go through this son,” Julian said. “I do know that your mommy and daddy miss you very much and want you home.”

Marty looked at the window in the room, and he turned to Julian and whispered, “Do you think we could escape from going out the window?”

“I tried,” Julian whispered back. “It’s built with very strong glass that won’t break.”

“Oh,” Marty said disappointedly.

After dinner Julian ran Marty a bath in the bathtub. He found some bath toys in Marty’s room for him to play with. He sat next to the tub while Marty played. Marty seemed to enjoy playing in the tub, and Julian actually found him enjoying taking care of his nephew. He couldn’t give over how much he looked like Sheridan. Being with Marty reminded him of when he used to take care of Sheridan when she was little. It seemed like a lifetime ago now.

“Marty, look at this,” Julian said as he put his hand in the tub, making a fountain out of it. Marty laughed when he saw that.

“Oh you like that,” he said. “You know you look just like your mommy did when she was your age. You know, I used to take care of her when she was little, the way I’m taking care of you now.”

“Oh,” Marty said.

“Yeah, I did. I know she misses you very much and can’t wait to see you. And once I k-i-l-l your grandfather there won’t be anything keeping you from her.”

After the bath, Julian dried Marty off, changed him into his pajamas, read him a story and put him to bed in Marty’s room. “I’m really glad I found you, son,” Julian said to Marty as he was sitting on the edge of his bed, tucking him in. “You know you’re the first nephew I’ve ever had. I want you to know I’m here for you.” Julian gave Marty a kiss on the forehead. “Good-night son,” he said.

“Good-night Uncle Julian,” he replied. Julian smiled at him. Hearing Marty call him Uncle Julian warmed his heart. Julian got up and turned his night light on, and the main light off. “I’ll be in my room,” he said as he closed the secret door to Marty’s room.

Chapter Fourteen

(Author’s Note: I made a bonus montage for this chapter. Click on this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj3fYBtiw3w&t=12s when the lyrics come up play the montage.

Julian went back into his room and dimmed the lights down low. He was feeling really happy about finding Marty. He had been very worried about Marty when Beth had kidnapped him, and now miraculously he was alive. It was definitely nice for Julian to have some company for a change, he just wished it wasn’t at the compound. He was feeling proud of himself for being able to take care of Marty all by himself. Maybe he did have some paternal instincts in him after all. He knew Eve would have definitely been impressed.

Julian changed into his pajamas and bathrobe and sat in the window seat and looked out at the stars. As usual his thoughts turned to Eve. He wondered what she was doing now. Four months without her felt more like an eternity to him.

However, that night Julian could feel Eve’s love all around him. It was as if her love was circling around him and she was holding him. Julian and Eve had always shared a connection that was deeper than just love. They could always tell what the other one was thinking or feeling without even having to speak. Even though they were apart now Julian could still feel that connection with her and it was still strong. Somehow as he looked out the window at the stars that night, he could feel her love. It was as if she was telling him that she loved him and hadn’t forgotten about him, and that everything would be okay and he wasn’t alone. Julian could tell no matter what happened with the imposter, it didn’t change Eve’s feelings for Julian, in any way. She knew something wasn’t right and knew that the man she loved was somewhere, but she couldn’t reach him. Feeling Eve’s love made Julian feel at peace and gave him hope that they would be together again.

He thought back to the fight he had with Eve the day he was kidnapped. It felt so petty to him now. He had been so frustrated at the time, and just when he realized the truth of the situation Spike kidnapped him and it had been too late. Julian made a promise to himself never to take anything for granted ever again. He also promised that he would find a way out of the compound with Marty if it was the last thing he did. Then he would bring Marty home to Sheridan and find his lady love and never let her go. The love that Eve and Julian shared was too precious to let go, and Julian wouldn’t let one of Alistair’s plots come between them. They would find their way back to each other, Julian was certain of that.

Julian started to hear the maid out in the hall cleaning and listening to the radio and a song began to play. The song was pretty and made him think of his beloved Eve and all the love they shared.

The first time I laid my eyes on you I knew.
We'd spend this life side by side.
I still feel the same though you're so far away.
I swear that you'll always be mine.

Forever Love. I promise you.
Someday we'll be together. Forever love.
I won't give up. No matter what.
I'll be waiting for you. Forever love.

Minutes and hours and years may go by.
But my heart knows nothing of time.
So don't cry, just keep me right there. In your dreams.
And hold on to these words of mine.

Forever Love. I promise you.
Someday we'll be together. Forever love.
I won't give up. No matter what.
I'll be waiting for you. Forever love.

Love is the road to our destiny.
Nothing can change what is meant to be.

Forever Love.
Forever Love.
Oh, I won’t give up. No matter what.
I'll be waiting for you. Forever love.
I'll be waiting for you. Forever love.

Julian smiled as he listened to those words, remembering Eve and all the wonderful times they shared. “I love you Eve,” he said. “Now, always and forever.”

Julian was beginning to feel tired so he took off his robe and crawled into bed and went to sleep. As he slept he dreamed he was with Eve back home in Harmony in the Crane Mansion. They were making love in their bedroom suite with the room candlelit. They both were under the covers naked, kissing each other tenderly. Julian was on the top and Eve was on the bottom. As they were kissing each other, Julian held her back for a second, putting his hand gently on her cheek and looked lovingly in her eyes. “I love you so much,” he said to her.

“I love you too,” Eve said breathlessly. She tenderly caressed his face with her left hand. “I’ve been so lonely without you.”

“So have I. I was so afraid that you would forget about me.”

“Oh no Darling,” she put her hand on his cheek tenderly. “I could not forget you. I just didn’t understand how and why you regressed.”

“I didn’t regress,” he answered. “They took me away.”

“They took you away?” Eve was confused. “Where are you?”

“I need you to find me,” he said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While Julian was taking care of Marty, Eve went back to the hotel after her afternoon with Marlena. Her muscles were beginning to ache again, especially her back. She took a muscle relaxant to help with the pain which made her feel groggy so she decided to take a nap. After a couple of hours (after Julian had gone to sleep) she dreamed she was with Julian. They were back home in the Crane Mansion. They were making love in their bedroom suite with the room candlelit. They both were under the covers naked, kissing each other tenderly. Julian was on the top and Eve was on the bottom. As they were kissing each other, Julian held her back for a second, putting his hand gently on her cheek and looked lovingly in her eyes. “I love you so much,” he said to her.

“I love you too,” Eve said breathlessly. She tenderly caressed his face with her left hand. “I’ve been so lonely without you.”

“So have I. I was so afraid that you would forget about me.”

“Oh no Darling,” she put her hand on his cheek tenderly. “I could not forget you. I just didn’t understand how and why you regressed.”

“I didn’t regress,” he answered. “They took me away.”

“They took you away?” Eve was confused. “Where are you?”

“I need you to find me,” he said.

“Julian,” Eve said as she was coming out of sleep. She could actually feel Julian holding her. However, when she opened her eyes he was gone. Still feeling him holding her, made her feel wonderful.

Eve got out of bed and went to look out the window. As she looked out the window, she could feel Julian’s love all around her. It was as if his love was circling around her and he was holding her. It made her feel at peace. Julian and Eve had always shared a connection that was deeper than just love. They could always tell what the other one was thinking or feeling even without having to speak. Even though they were apart now Eve could still feel that connection with him and it was still strong. It was telling her that Julian still loved her and that there was something that was going on with him that she didn’t know about. As Eve continued she could feel his love around her, she also could feel that Julian was somewhere very far away and didn’t know how to come back from that place. Somehow it gave her hope that she and Julian would be together again.

As Eve thought about how Julian had coped with the pain of losing her all those years ago by drinking. She had coped with the pain of losing Julian by hiding her pain inside and acting like she was happy when she wasn’t. Now history was repeating itself again. Eve was beginning to realize that her hiding her pain was just as destructive as Julian drinking. Her biggest mistake was that she let her guilt over TC cloud her judgment when he had his stroke, and she made the same mistake before when TC wanted her back last year. She was now beginning to see that she couldn’t keep letting her head rule over her heart. Marlena was right; a relationship without love is just a recipe for disaster.

Eve remembered Ethan, Theresa, and Gwen. Ethan loved Theresa more, and married Gwen out of obligation. Now there was turmoil between the three of them. Then there was Sheridan and Luis. Sheridan loved Luis more, but stayed married to Chris out of obligation. Now she was miserable without Luis. Eve couldn’t keep making the same mistake with Julian. Julian didn’t deserve that from her, no matter what he did.

She decided to take Marlena’s advice, to try to figure out what was really going on with Julian. The truth was if Alistair was still alive she would have thought he had something to do with it, but Alistair was dead. However, the possibility of Julian having a neurological condition was very plausible. As far as Eve knew even though Julian was a long time drinker, he had always been healthy. He had never had any physical complaints when they were together, and even if he were sick she would have noticed something. Julian had started drinking more again that summer, and any physical symptoms he could be having might be mistaken for drunkenness. She got out her laptop and printed out a copy of neurological and medical conditions that cause personality changes.

Her neck was beginning to hurt so she got out a cold pack and pressed it to her neck. Also her back was giving her a hard time too. Eve’s entire body was still in a lot of pain from the beating. Being on her feet all day at the hospital had been difficult for her, now that the beating had caused her to walk with a limp temporarily. She thought about getting a cane until the pain healed, but the image of a cane reminded her of when TC struck her with his. She just hoped the injury would go away soon. Mainly because she didn’t want to have to go to a doctor and have to explain herself. As a doctor, she knew that physicians were trained in spotting physical abuse and any doctor would be able to tell in a minute that she had been beaten. All she could do was hope that she would get better.

Eve sat down at the small table in her room with her cold pack pressed up against her neck, and looked over the list of conditions to see which ones applied to Julian. Alcoholism, she read. Julian was a long time drinker so she marked it down. Alzheimer’s disease or Dementia. No Julian was too young for that, so Eve crossed it off. A brain tumor. That was entirely possible, so Eve marked it. Bing-Neel syndrome. Another possibility, so Eve marked it. Brain surgery. No, Julian hadn’t had any recent brain surgery. A cerebral hemorrhage. No, there was no way Julian would be able to survive this long with a cerebral hemorrhage, so she crossed it out. Cirrhosis of the liver. That was a definite possibility. Julian had always been a long time drinker, and drinking was a risk for cirrhosis, so Eve marked it down. Encephalitis. No, if Julian had encephalitis he would have been diagnosis by now. Fabry's Disease. No, Julian didn’t have any problems with his weight, so Eve crossed it out. Huntington’s Disease. It was possible, it might explain why the Cranes were so nasty. However, for Julian’s sake Eve hoped that it he didn’t have it knowing what a nasty disease it was. Korsakoff's psychosis. Entirely possible. The symptoms fit and drinking was a risk factor. Lead poisoning. Possible. Mental illness. The only thing related to mental illness regarding Julian that Eve could think of was alcoholism and his child abuse issues. If he had had bipolar disorder or something like that, surely it would have been noticed a long time ago. Nervous breakdown. Possible. Prion diseases. Possible. Reye’s syndrome. Possible, the mental symptoms fit and the alcohol use was a risk factor. Traumatic Brain Injury. No, Julian hadn’t been in any accidents. Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. The behavior symptoms fit and as drinking was a risk factor. Wilson’s disease. That was another possibility, like Huntingtons. Young McKeever Squier syndrome. No, Julian didn’t have any problems with seizures or breathing problems.

Eve looked over the list. So far she had it narrowed down to alcoholism, a brain tumor, Bing-Neel syndrome, cirrhosis of the liver, Huntington’s Disease, Korsakoff's psychosis, child abuse trauma, a nervous breakdown, Prion diseases, Reye’s syndrome, Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, and Young McKeever Squier syndrome. Now the question was how to diagnose him.

Eve hated the idea of Julian being sick. She didn’t want anything bad happening to him, she loved him. Eve kicked herself for not realizing something might be wrong with Julian in the beginning. Unfortunately, Julian’s behavior had really scared her, ever since that day at the wharf fair for the hospital. Somehow she felt if she could find out what was really going on with Julian, that it would give her a big insight to Julian and it would help her find her way back to him.

Eve knew that Julian had been abused terribly by Alistair, which was one of the reasons she forgave him for leaving her all those years ago and for his past transgressions. But for him to regress now made absolutely no sense. The bottom line was Julian had every right to be angry with her over her spending so much time with TC after his accident. She had no right to do that to him. If the situation had been reversed and Ivy was all alone and had a stroke, Julian would never have treated Eve, the way she treated him. Julian would have got Ivy medical care and dropped in once in a while to see her, but he never would have been as insensitive to Eve as she was to him. Julian was right when he said when you love someone you put them first consciously, and subconsciously. He had always been first in her heart, but she hadn’t always shown him. Julian had been absolutely wonderful to her when they were together, and would do anything to make her happy. However, when he was uncomfortable with the situation with T.C. she couldn’t even show him the same courtesy.

“I’m so sorry Julian,” she said out loud. “I truly am. I never met you hurt you. I love you. I love you so much. I always have and I always will. I never fell back in love with TC, and in the end you were right about him. I miss you so much, and I want you back. Please come home Darling, I need you.” From out in the hallway, Eve could hear the cleaning lady listening to a song on the radio. It made her think of Julian.

The first time I laid my eyes on you I knew.
We'd spend this life side by side.
I still feel the same though you're so far away.
I swear that you'll always be mine.

Forever Love. I promise you.
Someday we'll be together. Forever love.
I won't give up. No matter what.
I'll be waiting for you. Forever love.

Minutes and hours and years may go by.
But my heart knows nothing of time.
So don't cry, just keep me right there. In your dreams.
And hold on to these words of mine.

Forever Love. I promise you.
Someday we'll be together. Forever love.
I won't give up. No matter what.
I'll be waiting for you. Forever love.

Love is the road to our destiny.
Nothing can change what is meant to be.

Forever Love.
Forever Love.
Oh, I won’t give up. No matter what.
I'll be waiting for you. Forever love.
I'll be waiting for you. Forever love.

“I love you Julian,” Eve said again after the song. “Now, always and forever.”

Just then there was a knock at Eve’s door. ‘Who could that be at this hour?’ she wondered. She put the cold pack back in the freezer and limped over to the door and opened it.

“Oh my God! It’s you,” she said.

~

Song credit: Forever Love, by Reba McEntire

Chapter Fifteen

Eve couldn’t believe her eyes, it was Grace Bennett at her door. “Grace,” she said feeling surprised.

“Hi,” Grace said smiling. “I hope I’m not disturbing you. I was wondering if we could talk.”

“Of course, come on in,” Eve said as she stepped aside so Grace could come in, and she closed the door behind her as she turned to face Grace. Eve couldn’t believe Grace was there and that she wasn’t spitting out some sort of venom at her. It was definitely not what she expected after they talked on the phone last week. If it had been under different circumstances, Eve would have thrown her arms around Grace, after being apart for so long. She had missed her best friend so much.

“It’s good to see you again,” Grace said, smiling warmly. She was being sincere to Eve.

“You too,” Eve replied, smiling back at her. “When did you get back to Harmony?”

“A couple of days ago.”

“That’s great,” Eve answered. “How did you know I was here?”

“Sam did a little digging. I hope that’s all right.”

“No it’s fine.” Then Eve began to worry if Sam told TC where she was. After all, Sam was TC’s best friend. “You and Sam didn’t tell anyone else where I was, did you?”

“No, why?” Grace asked.

“Oh it’s nothing.” Eve hid her relief from Grace. “Would you like to sit down?”

“Sure.”

Grace sat down at the table in Eve’s room. Eve cleared the list of diseases she had been looking at from the table, and put it in her medical bag, and then sat down at the table with Grace. Grace couldn’t help but notice that Eve was walking with a limp and the right side of her neck was bruised. She decided to ask Eve about it later. Eve sat back down at the table across from Grace, feeling nervous about whatever Grace was going to say. Grace had been very angry with Eve and rightfully so. Now Eve was afraid of what would happen next, and what Grace was going to do. “So what did you want to talk about?” asked Eve.

Grace folded her hands and rested them on the table and took a deep breath and said, “Okay look, I’ve had a lot of time to do some thinking since we last talked. And I realized that with the exception of this one incident, you’ve been a really good friend to me and my family. I also realize that Ivy blackmailed you repeatedly to the point that she threatened your daughters, and that she had the Crane power at the time. Not to mention TC threats about killing Julian. The truth is I can’t imagine how difficult that was for you or the pressure you must have felt. Regardless, it just doesn’t seem right to throw away our friendship. So, I talked it over with Sam and the kids and they agreed with me. So, we decided to forgive you.” Grace then looked sheepishly at Eve. “And I was hoping if you can forgive me for the terrible things I said to you on the phone, if we could be best friends again?”

“Oh my God,” Eve cried as she put her hand over her heart. “Do you really mean that?”

“Yes, I do,” Grace nodded, smiling. She put her hand on Eve’s arm. “You’re a good person Eve. We’ve all done things that we’re not proud of. And I didn’t mean the things I said to you on the phone. I was angry, and I know that’s not an excuse. I’m very sorry that I did.”

“Grace, there’s nothing to forgive. You have every right to be angry with me.”

“I didn’t have the right to call you all those names though. I love you Eve."

“I love you too.” Eve and Grace stood up to hug each other. Eve had tears in her eyes. She was so happy and relieved that Grace had forgiven her. Eve loved Grace like a sister and it had killed her knowing that she had hurt her. Having her friendship meant everything to her. After they hugged Eve looked Grace in the eye and said, “I am so sorry Grace. I never in a million years wanted to hurt you or your family, but I know I did. And I promise you I will spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you.”

“It’s okay,” Grace said, kindly rubbing Eve’s arm. “I understand. You don’t have to feel bad about it anymore.”

Eve sighed and then said “I don’t deserve a friend as wonderful as you.”

“Yes you do,” Grace smiled affectionately at Eve. Eve smiled back with appreciation for Grace’s kindness.

Then Eve and Grace sat back down at the table, “So how are things?” Eve asked.

“Things are good. It’s been great being back with Sam and the kids, and I think Sam and I will be able to help Jessica now.”

“That’s great,” Eve smiled. “I’m so happy for you.”

“Thank you. So what about you? What’s been going on with you since I’ve been gone?”

“Oh Grace,” Eve sighed. “You won’t believe what’s happened.” Eve pushed her hair behind her ear causing the right sleeve of her blouse to fall down exposing her bruised forearm.

“Eve, what happened to your arm?” Grace asked as soon as she saw Eve’s bruises.

Eve looked down and saw that her arm was exposed. “Oh it’s nothing. I accidently fell down the stairs the other day,” she said.

“It doesn’t look like nothing.” Grace took Eve’s arm and rolled up her sleeve and saw bruises all over Eve’s arm. “Oh my God!” Grace exclaimed in horror. Grace remembered when Sam was just starting his police career; he had brought home a book on battered women. Grace had taken a look at it herself and remembered seeing pictures of women after they had been beaten and the bruises that they had. Eve’s bruises looked just like those she had seen in the book. “Oh my God!” Grace exclaimed again.

“Grace, I’m fine,” Eve said standing up.

Grace stood up as well and stood in front of Eve. “Eve let me see,” she said firmly, allowing for no argument. Then Grace rolled up Eve’s other sleeve and saw that her other arm was bruised the same way as well. Then Grace remembered that Eve’s neck was bruised and was walking with a limp. “Oh my God!” she exclaimed a third time. “Eve, who did this to you?”

“No one did this to me Grace,” Eve said, pulling down her sleeves. “I told you I fell down the stairs the other day. I'm fine.”

“Really,” Grace folded her arms across her chest. “When you fell, did you land on the side of your neck?”

“What?” Eve looked in the mirror and saw that the cold pack had removed the coverup she had put on this morning, exposing where TC had kicked her and struck her with his cane.

“Eve,” said Grace. “I don’t have to be a cop’s wife to know that you did not fall down the stairs. Now who did this to you?”

Eve turned around to face Grace and looked at the ground in embarrassment. She knew Grace well enough to know that Grace was not stupid and she was not going to let up until Eve told her the truth. Eve looked up at Grace with sad eyes. “You can’t tell anyone about this Grace,” she pleaded. “Not even Sam.”

“Eve, if someone is hurting you we need to tell Sam and let the police know so we can get you protection.”

“No, it’s not like that,” she cried. “I’m not in any danger.”

Grace wasn’t sure what was going on but she decided to humor Eve for the moment. “Okay, fine,” she agreed.

Eve took a deep breath. “You’re right,” she said. “I didn’t fall down the stairs, I was beaten.”

“By who?”

“TC,” she said in a low voice.

“TC?!” Grace exclaimed.

“It was a couple of days ago. He got angry with me because Simone is a lesbian and he beat me.” Eve started to cry as she recounted what TC did to her. “He slapped me, and punched me, threw me to the floor while he kicked me and struck me with his cane.”

“Oh my God, I don’t believe this,” Grace had tears in her eyes. “I knew TC had a temper but I never thought he’d take it out on you!” Then Grace began to feel angry at T.C. for doing this unspeakable thing to her best friend. How dare TC hurt Eve like this, “I’m going to kill him!” she stated.

“Don’t,” said Eve. “I don’t want Whitney and Simone finding out about this.”

“Are you okay?” she asked with concern.

Eve nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just really banged up.”

“How bad?” asked Grace.

Eve went to the mirror and wiped off the makeup from her face exposing her bruises. Then she turned around and lifted up her skirt to show Grace her bruised legs, and then she lifted up her blouse to show her bruised torso.

When Grace saw the rest of Eve’s bruises, she could see the horror that TC had put Eve through. TC had attacked Eve very badly. “Oh my God,” Grace cried, all choked up. She gave Eve a hug, and Eve began to cry again. Grace held Eve as she cried, trying to comfort her. Her heart broke for her best friend. Grace could tell Eve had put through an emotional ringer, since she had been in Europe, and it had taken a toll on her and still was taking a toll. Then after a few minutes Grace looked at Eve and said, “Oh sweetie, I’m so sorry.”

Eve wiped away the tears from her eyes. “It’s okay, it’s not your fault.”

“What happened? What’s been going on since I left?” she asked.

“I don’t deserve your sympathy Grace,” Eve replied.

“You let me be the judge of that.”

Eve nodded. Eve and Grace sat on the end of the bed and Eve told Grace the whole story about what happened after Grace left. She told her about how when she and Julian were looking for their son how their feelings for each other grew stronger and stronger; the night of the founders day dance; Liz exposing her past; Eve finding out that it had been her driving the car the night of TC’s accident that ruined his knee; being told that Chad was her son with Julian; her divorce from TC; getting back together with Julian; the way TC, Liz, Whitney, and Simone had treated her; Whitney thinking that Miles had been conceived by incest; being on trial for triple attempted murder; Simone coming out as a lesbian; Liz lying to Julian about Julian raping her; finding out that Chad wasn’t their son; TC’s recent accident and stroke; Julian’s regression and her recent break up with him; and TC beating up Eve.

“Oh Sweetie,” Grace said after Eve finished telling her. She put her arm around Eve. All of a sudden Grace felt so guilty about complaining about her pain, when Eve had gone through a lifetime of it. At least Grace was lucky to have a family to forgive her for leaving with David. Eve’s family just kicked her to the curb. “I am so sorry that you had to go through that, and that I wasn’t there to help you. Would you like to know what I would have said if I had been here?”

“What?”

“That TC’s a jackass for throwing you away just because you’re not perfect; and that he and Whitney and Simone need to grow up and stop blaming you for everything.”

Eve smiled back at Grace. “Thank you,” she said.

"I hope you’re not thinking of going back with him.”

“No,” Eve shook her head firmly. “I’m not going back to him. I finally see the truth about him.”

“Good.”

“Actually, I finally stood up to the girls today.”

“Really, what happened?”

“They came into my office at work, wanting to know why I left TC, and Whitney started chewing me and lashing out at me for my past sins, her problems, what I did to you and Sam, for leaving TC. Then I finally told them off for how they treated me and told them that they’re not paying for my mistakes and I’m not going to put up with them blaming me anymore. Then I told them if they didn’t love me and only tolerated me that I no longer wanted anything to do with either one of them.”

“Good for you,” Grace commended. Then Grace shook her head in disgust. “I can’t believe how Whitney treated you, slapping you and saying you ruined her life and that she was paying for your mistakes. She found out you weren’t perfect, that’s all.”

“I know,” Eve nodded solemnly. A week ago, Eve would have made excuses for Whitney, but not anymore. Whitney had betrayed Eve, and treated her horribly. It hurt Eve greatly knowing that her own daughter had been so cruel.

“Look, I’ll talk to her about what happened with Ivy,” Grace said.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to. Right now I’m too angry at the girls to be around them.” Ever since that afternoon, Eve was starting to feel the anger and betrayal that she should have felt two years ago at Whitney and Simone. It made her blood boil when she thought back to the horrible way they treated her. She was also equally angry at herself for putting up with it. She wished she would have just stood up to them then, instead of letting herself become a doormat.

“Well I’m glad you’re finally standing up for yourself with them,” Grace said.

“I wouldn’t have been able to if it wasn’t for Marlena,” she answered.

“What?” Grace was confused.

“Marlena Evans,” Eve answered. “She’s staying at the B & B.”

“Oh Dr. Evans,” Grace said. “Yeah, I met her. She’s really nice.”

“Well after TC beat me, I came here, and when I called down at the front desk for the hotel doctor, they said the hotel doctor wasn’t in, but Marlena was there and offered to see me. Of course when she examined me she could tell that I had been beaten, and she talked with me and helped me see the truth about TC. We had lunch this afternoon and we struck up a friendship.”

“You like her better than me!?” Grace teased.

“Never,” Eve said light heartedly.

They both laughed.

Then Grace said seriously, “Well I’m glad she helped you. What about you and Julian?”

“It’s been really hard. I know now that I was wrong to be so insensitive to him when it came to TC, and I feel terrible about it. However I still can’t understand how and why he would regress like this. I mean I wasn’t even planning on leaving him, until he regressed. Also this is not the first time he had a reason to be jealous and he never acted like this before. I’ve had this gut feeling inside of me for the longest time that there’s something going on with Julian that I don’t know about, and after talking to Marlena, I decided to try to find out what it is.”

“Well just be careful,” said Grace. “I don’t want to see you get hurt again.”

“I will be.”

“So what are you going to do now?”

“Stay here, until I find a more permanent place to stay.”

“No, you’re not,” said Grace. “You’re not staying here. You’re going to come home with me and you can stay in the garage apartment, until you find a place.”

“Oh no Grace, I couldn’t impose,” Eve said.

“You’re not imposing. We want you there. Plus we can spend time together, and you’ll be near Dr. Evans.”

“What about TC? I don’t want him knowing where I am.”

“I’ll make sure that Sam doesn’t bring him to the house.” Grace smiled at Eve, “Come on, I won’t take no for an answer.”

Eve wanted to go home with Grace so badly, but she felt like she didn’t deserve Grace’s hospitality after what she did.

Grace could tell what Eve was thinking and she said, “Eve, I’ve forgiven you. Now it’s time to forgive yourself.”

Hearing that made Eve realize just how much Grace loved her, and she couldn’t refuse that kind of love from Grace. So she smiled at Grace and said, “Okay, I accept.”

“Great,” Grace said beaming.

Eve went to get her suitcase in her closet. As she bent down to pick it up, she felt a sharp pain in her back. It caused her to wince as she put her hand on her back.

“Are you all right? Grace asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she said. “I’m just really sore from the beating.”

“I saw when I came in here you were limping.”

“I know, I threw my back out from it.”

“Well here, let me get your suitcase.” Grace went over and picked up Eve’s suitcase from the closet and put it on the bed.

Eve walked back over to the bed and said “You’re not going to tell Sam about TC. Are you? I don’t want Whitney and Simone to hate their father.”

“You mean you’re not even going to press charges against him?” Grace asked, shocked.

Eve shook her head no.

Grace grimaced. She wanted to strangle TC for what he did to Eve, and wanted to protect Eve from any possible threat that TC might have over Eve. However, Grace could see that Eve was adamant about the girls not knowing. She reluctantly sighed and said, “Okay, I won’t tell, on one condition. You have to promise me that if TC hassles you again in any way, you’ll get a restraining order against him.”

“I promise,” Eve agreed.

“Okay.”




Chapter Seventeen

(Note to Reader: In this story, Sheridan does not become evil and the incident in the park where Sheridan lashed out at Eve never happened)

An hour later, Eve and Grace arrived at the Bennett house. Grace had called ahead to let Sam know that she had invited Eve over to stay in the garage apartment until she found a place of her own. When Eve and Grace arrived, Sam, Noah, Kay, and Jessica were all sitting in the living room. When Eve stepped into the living room, she felt nervous as she was facing the people who she had hurt.

“Oh good you’re both here,” Sam said when Grace walked in with Eve in. He stood up and gave Grace a kiss. Then he turned to Eve, “Hi Eve,” he said to her.”

“Hello,” she said demurely.

“It’s good to have you here,” he said.

“Thank you,” Eve smiled shyly back.

“Ah, kids,” Grace said to Noah, Kay, and Jessica. “Eve’s going to be staying with us in the garage apartment for a while.”

“We know,” replied Noah. “Dad told us.”

Then Eve took a deep breath and said, “I want to thank all of you for letting me stay here. And I want all of you to know how sorry I am for what I did. I never in a million years wanted to hurt any of you, but I know that I did and it shames me. I promise I will spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to all of you.”

“Dr. Russell, it's okay,” Noah said kindly. He stood up from sitting on the couch. “We’ve all done things in our lives that we’re not proud of. I know I have and it’s people that I love and care about who have given me a second chance.”

“Yeah Noah’s right,” said Kay. “Besides we know that Ivy forced you into it.”

“You know, TC's temper and all his talk about killing Julian scared even me and I’m his best friend,” said Sam. Then he smiled warmly at Eve, “It’s okay, we understand and we still love you. We all make mistakes sometimes. You’re like family to us, and you forgive family.”

“Besides,” said Jessica. “You’ve done a lot of good things for us and we haven’t forgotten that.”

“Thank you,” Eve said teary eyed. “That means a great deal to me.” Eve still felt guilty for what she did, but at the same time she never felt more loved, which made her feel good inside. She realized the kind of love she had from the Bennetts was the kind of love she had wanted all of her life from her family growing up, and from the Russell’s but never got it. It was the kind of love she had when she was with Julian. Unconditional love. That’s what true love was made of, and the kind of love that a family was made of. The kind of family she had with TC was not unconditional and was not good. It was the kind of family where everyone walked on eggshells and hid the truth. Families shouldn’t care if someone made a mistake or decided to choose their own path. She knew she had hurt the people in her life who had loved her unconditionally, Julian and the Bennetts, for a family who didn’t love her. Well, that was over now. She was not going to be that Eve anymore, who let guilt and obligation cloud her judgment

“We’re just glad to have you here,” Sam said.

“Well thank you for having me,” said Eve. “I really appreciate it.”

“Anytime,” he replied. “Where are your things?” he asked.

“They’re in the car,” Grace answered. “Noah, could you get her bags and put them in the garage apartment? Eve hurt her back the other day.”

“Sure Mom,” Noah answered and went out to the car.

“Yeah, I noticed when you came in here you were limping,” Sam said to Eve. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, I just threw my back out that’s all.” Sam accepted her answer, but the cop in him was a little suspicious.

Eve had dinner with the Bennetts, and after dinner when they were picking up the dishes Sam said to Eve, “You know Eve I was talking to TC the other day and he’s really worried about you. He said you just left the other day with no notice.”

“Yeah,” Eve said tensely. “It’s a long story, and I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t tell TC I’m staying here.”

“Why?” Sam was confused.

“Just trust her Honey,” Grace said to him. Then she turned to Noah, Kay, and Jessica. “Listen kids, whatever you do don’t let TC or anyone else know that Eve’s staying here and don’t bring TC by the house.”

“Okay,” they said.

After they left Sam turned to Eve again and said, “Eve, what’s going on? Maybe I can help.”

“You can’t,” she said. “You just have to trust me.”

Sam gave Grace a ‘what’s going on look?’

Grace whispered, “I promised Eve I wouldn’t say anything, but trust me TC can’t know that Eve’s here.”

Sam didn’t feel comfortable keeping a secret like this from his best friend, but something in Grace’s voice and the look on Eve’s face told him to do what they asked. “All right I will,” he said reluctantly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few nights later Eve was working late at the hospital. It had been a week since she left TC after he beat her. Since then she had managed to block his calls and told security at the hospital not to let him in. The Bennetts had done a good job of keeping her secret as well. Her body still ached and her bruises were still there. It hadn’t been easy having to be on her feet at the hospital with her back the way it was. Still that seemed to be the least of her problems.

It was Julian who had been on her mind. It had been two weeks since she had seen Julian when he tried to force himself on her while he was drunk. It just was so unlike him to do something like that. She couldn’t understand how something like that happened. Nonetheless, she really missed him and needed him, especially now that TC had attacked her. When they were together Julian would have held her and comforted her, and would have been so wonderful and caring. Now she didn’t know where Julian was these days. The gut feeling that she had was growing by the day. It was telling her that Julian was in trouble and not to believe what she saw when she did see Julian, whatever that meant.

However, Eve decided to take matters into her own hands and tried to figure out if Julian had a neurological condition. Eve had asked Marlena for a second opinion, regarding Julian’s psychiatric health. Eve gave Marlena, Julian’s psychological history about how he was abused by Alistair, him leaving her all those years ago, the way he was when he was the old Julian, Julian befriending Timmy and then helping Eve when Liz came to town, then when they got back together, and his recent regression. Marlena said that it sounded like Julian made some really bad decisions in the past, but being abused the way he was would definitely cause Julian to try to adopt Alistair’s values and do whatever he could to please Alistair. She said it sounded like Alistair wanted a lacky in Julian and did whatever he could to do it, which would definitely cause Julian to become the Old Julian. Then she said that the time he spent with Timmy away from Alistair definitely helped him begin to be his own man, and along with his love for Eve. However, she said for Julian to regress the way he did recently made absolutely no sense. Julian had broken away from Alistair and stood up to him. Once a child abuse victim realizes what their abuser did was wrong, and they stand up to them, they don’t start emulated them. As for Eve taking care of TC, after his accident, it would be normal for him to be frustrated, but not for him to regress. So that left Eve with trying to figure out if the problem was neurological.

That night Eve was sitting in her office at her desk, looking at the Crane and Barrett medical files to see if any neurological or medical conditions ran in either of the Crane and Barrett families. There was nothing in the Barrett files that stood out to Eve. They all seemed to be pretty healthy. Of course, everyone thought Katherine died of kidney failure but of course that was a lie. Then Eve looked at the Crane files, and saw nothing alarming either. No preexisting conditions and all of them seemed to be pretty healthy. Although Eve was surprised that all of the cigars Alistair smoked didn’t kill him when he was alive. It did say that Julian's grandmother went mad when she lost the man she loved. She wondered if that might be the case with Julian, but then she remembered that this wasn’t the first time they broke up, and he never acted this way then. So Julian’s grandmother’s condition probably wasn’t passed onto him.

Then Eve took out the list she had made of possible neurological conditions Julian might have and looked them over. There was a very good chance this problem was due to alcoholism. Julian was a long time drinker, which could lead to other medical problems such as the ones she had on her list. To determine if Julian had any one of these diseases she would have to examine him thoroughly and run a bunch of tests on him. Eve knew that a brain tumor could cause personality changes and irritability, especially if it’s in the frontal lobe. It could be a Gliosarcoma, Ganglioglioma, Meningioma, Ependymoma, or Astrocytoma. Eve didn’t know that much about Bing-neel syndrome or Young McKeever Squier syndrome because they were so rare. Julian would be at risk for cirrhosis of the liver with his drinking, which would make him a good candidate for that. Eve hoped to God that Julian didn’t have Huntington’s, but she was worried that he might because the first symptoms of the disease of personality changes and irritability. It was a genetic disease, so maybe Alistair had it and just didn’t know it or maybe Alistair hid the fact that he did. Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome A.K.A. Korsakoff's psychosis might explain Julian’s behavior, and people who are at risk for Wernicke-Korsakoff are chronic alcoholics. Julian actually almost fit the perfect descriptions for Wernicke-Korsakoff. Reye’s syndrome was unlikely given that very few adults get it, and Eve was beginning to doubt that Reye’s syndrome was a possible diagnosis.

At the top of her differential was now alcoholism, brain tumor, Huntington’s, and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. What she really needed was to have Julian come in for a complete physical exam and tests, but given the way things were between her and Julian now that would be difficult. Now all she had to figure out how to diagnose him without him being there to test him.

Just then she heard a knock at her door. “Come in,” she said. Sheridan opened the door and walked in. She looked like she had been crying. “Sheridan, Honey are you all right?” Eve was really worried about Sheridan now, especially with everything Sheridan had been going through. Eve had been hoping that Sheridan would come and talk to her, so she could help her.

“No,” Sheridan replied, brushing the tears away from her eyes. “Can I talk to you please?”

“Of course Sweetheart,” Eve said kindly. “Have a seat.”

“Thanks.” Sheridan sat down in the chair in front of Eve’s desk, she managed to dry her eyes and pull herself together a little bit. “I’m sorry to come in without an appointment, I just didn’t know what to do.”

“It’s all right, Sheridan,” coaxed Eve. “I’m just glad you’re here. What’s going on?”

“You were right,” Sheridan said. “I’m still in love with Luis. The truth is I never loved Chris, it was James that I loved and I was just so devastated when I thought Luis had died that I let myself think that I loved Chris. I’ve never gotten over Luis, I’m still angry with him for Marty’s death, but I still love him and now I’ve lost him forever. And I can’t leave Chris, because of James and we're still married, but I can’t live without Luis either. I don’t know what to do.”

As Eve was looking at Sheridan while she talked it was like looking in a mirror of her own story with Julian. It was enough to break her heart. Eve solemnly folded her hands in front of her and said, “I know how you feel Sheridan. I know a lot of people say that, but I really know. The truth is I’ve been where you are.”

Sheridan knew Eve was talking about her relationship with Julian.

“When Julian left me all those years ago,” Eve continued, “and Alistair kidnapped our baby from the hospital, I was devastated. I was so angry at Julian for leaving me that I tried to fool myself that I hated him. And I blamed him for our baby’s disappearance. Then when I met and married TC, I thought I was happy but the truth was I couldn’t give him my heart because I still loved your brother. When Julian came back into my life again I eventually realized that I could never hate him and I finally admitted to myself that I still loved him. I also realized that Julian made a mistake in leaving me but our baby being kidnapped wasn’t his fault. Alistair would have found a way to kidnap him regardless. Then recently I made the same mistake of letting obligation cloud my judgment when I went back to TC after he had his stroke, and now I’ve lost the man I love.” Eve took a deep breath and said, “The point I’m trying to make Sheridan is that it’s one thing to do the right thing by James and Chris, but a relationship without love is just a recipe for disaster. The heart wants what it wants. And as far as Marty goes, Luis made a mistake by not listening to you, but in the end it wasn’t his fault. Just like it wasn’t Julian’s fault about our baby.”

Sheridan nodded. She could really relate to Eve’s story. Somehow seeing the comparison with her situation with Luis, and the situation with Eve and Julian made sense, and she began to see things with Luis more clearly. “I see what you mean. I know I was unfair to Luis about Marty. But what am I supposed to do about James? He already lost one mother.”

“Well honey, I don’t think it’s good for him to have two parents who don’t love each other. Do you want James to have that kind of relationship when he grows up?”

Sheridan shook her head no.

“Maybe,” Eve continued. “You and Chris could get joint custody of James.”

“That could work,” Sheridan agreed.

“Look,” said Eve. “I think what you need to do is go to Luis and tell him how you feel. I know he’s with Fancy, but I’m sure he still feels the same way about you.”

Sheridan smiled, starting to feel some hope, “You know Eve, you’re right. I’ll do that. Thank you, I feel so much better.”

Eve smiled at her, “I’m glad Sweetheart.”

“Listen Eve,” said Sheridan. “I’m not trying to pry, but what you were saying about Julian and going back to TC. Is everything all right? I mean I heard you moved out from TC about a week ago.”

Eve sighed. “No, it’s all right,” she said to Sheridan. “Do you remember last year after we thought Luis died, and I said that TC and I had a beautiful love? Well I was wrong. Julian tried to warn me about him and he was right, and I didn’t listen and now I’ve lost the man I love.”

“Then why did you go back to TC in the first place?” Sheridan was trying to figure out what was going on.

“I felt guilty, I blamed myself for hurting TC in the past, only now I understand exactly why I lied to him about my past.”

“Did something happen that made you leave TC last week?”

Eve couldn’t tell Sheridan what happened. She was still determined to not let anyone know that TC beat her. “Yeah, but I don’t want to talk about it,” Eve said.

“Okay,” Sheridan said, respecting Eve’s wishes.

“I had no intention of leaving Julian for TC and I never stopped loving Julian," Eve explained. "But when Julian regressed I didn’t know what to do.”

“Well Eve, I’m not trying to take sides or defend what my brother did or his behavior. However, I can understand how he felt about you taking care of TC. I mean you’re not married to TC, and that would make Julian or anybody else uncomfortable.”

Eve nodded solemnly at what Sheridan was saying knowing just how true it was. “I know, and I see that now. I had no right to do that to him, and I feel terrible about it.”

“Have you tried talking to him about this?”

“No,” Eve said, shaking her head. “Things are already pretty tense between us.”

“Look, Eve,” Sheridan said. “I know my brother has his faults. But I do know that he wasn’t born the Old Julian. It was father who destroyed him. Deep down Julian is that good Julian.”

“I know that,” Eve agreed. “That’s why I can’t understand why he regressed.”

Sheridan felt bad for Eve and Julian. They were so perfect together. She had been so excited when they decided to get married. She wanted her brother to be happy, and she wanted Eve to be her sister-in-law. Now, these days, Julian was acting like a complete stranger. “Would you like me to talk to him?” she asked Eve.

Eve smiled at Sheridan’s kindness, “No thank you Sweetheart. I need to deal with this myself.”

“Okay,” Sheridan said. “If there’s anything I can do, let me know.”

“Thank you,” she said. Then Eve got an idea. “Ah Sheridan, can I ask you something?”

“Sure, what?”

“Do you know if any medical or neurological conditions run on either side of your families?”

“No, not that I’m aware of,” she said.

“Really, what about Huntington’s Disease or cancer?”

“Not that I’m aware of. Why?”

“Just curious.”

Chapter Sixteen
(Note to reader) When you see a computer link in this chapter click on it. It’s a bonus montage.
Back at the Compound, Julian was standing by the window and looking out at the stars. He had put Marty to bed, about a few hours ago, and had changed into his pajamas and bathrobe. In the past few days, Julian and Marty had really bonded. Julian played with him, read him stories, bathed him, and tucked him in at night. It was nice for Julian to have some company for change, and he was enjoying being an uncle. Marty was such a sweet little boy, it was impossible not to fall in love with the little fellow. Julian loved his nephew very much, and had grown very protective of Marty since he found him. He would lay down his life for Marty if he had to now. Both Julian and Marty were also bonded by the nightmare of being kidnapped. They both knew that all they had were each other right now, but together they would find a way to get out of the compound. Of course, being locked up in one room had been hell for both of them, especially Marty. The child was only four years old; Julian wondered how Alistair expected Marty to be locked up in one room for the rest of his life. Still Julian did whatever he could to keep Marty happy and his mind off the stir craziness.
Julian wondered if his son with Eve had suffered the same fate as Marty. It was enough to break Julian’s heart. When Eve and he both found out that Chad wasn’t their son, they were both relieved. However, it didn’t change the fact that their son was still out there somewhere. People said there’s nothing worse than losing a child, and they were right. For years, Julian had grieved over his son with Eve, and wanted him back. Julian hated himself for letting Alistair force him into leaving Eve all those years ago. Alistair was so powerful, that Julian became extremely intimidated by him. As much as Julian regretted that mistake, after being kidnapped, Julian was beginning to wonder if Alistair would have come after him and Eve regardless if he had stood up to him. Julian had made Eve a promise to find their son and to find a way back to her, and he was determined to keep those promises.
Alistair had kept Eve and Julian apart and stole their son when he was born, and now he did the same thing to Luis and Sheridan. Now Julian was being kept apart from Eve, and Sheridan was being kept from Luis. Sheridan would be with Luis right now if Chris hadn’t tricked Sheridan into marrying him. Julian still couldn’t understand how Chris could be so selfish, knowing how much Sheridan loved Luis. The only reason Sheridan stayed with Chris was out of obligation, just like Eve was staying with TC out of obligation. However neither Eve nor Sheridan knew the real truth about TC and Chris.
Then there was Noah and Fancy. While watching the monitors, Julian learned exactly why Fancy broke up with Noah. Julian had no doubt in his mind that Alistair planned the whole thing with Maya and Lena, so that Fancy would break up with Noah. It made Julian furious at Alistair for hurting his daughter that way. Alistair had no right to interfere with Fancy's life like that. Personally, Julian had always liked Noah. Noah was a nice young man, who was respectful, and was everything and was more that he could have wanted for Fancy. He knew Noah didn’t make some very wise decisions regarding Maya, but Julian knew better than anyone what it was like to be pushed into a corner by a Crane. If Julian had known what happened before he was kidnapped, he would have sat down and had a talk with Fancy after she came home from Rome. However, now Julian was planning to do as much as soon as he got back to Harmony. Julian knew that Fancy had started seeing Luis. Of course, Julian liked Luis but it seemed to Julian that Luis and Fancy were rebounding from losing Sheridan and Noah. Julian loved Sheridan and Fancy very much and didn’t want either one of them to be hurt. The bottom line was that if Alistair hadn’t tricked Sheridan and Fancy they would be with the people they truly loved right now.
Julian wondered if it was possible to ever bring Alistair Crane down, or if he would ever be free of him. Julian knew he had to bring Alistair down, but he still wasn’t sure how. He was still racking his brain trying to figure out a way to do it. Alistair already had so much power as it was, that he could get away with anything. It would be no problem for Julian bringing TC down. Julian couldn’t wait to beat him to a pulp for beating up Eve. The man deserved that and worse for what he did to her. Julian still couldn’t get the image of Eve’s face on the monitors as she pleaded with TC not to beat her. It made Julian sick knowing that TC beat her. If Julian had ever thought for a single second that TC was capable of doing that to Eve, he would have taken measures against TC a long time ago. Julian had begun to worry about Eve’s safety as well. Alistair was hell bent on keeping Julian away from Eve. Julian was beginning to worry that Alistair might do something to Eve, like hurt or harm her. Julian knew that Alistair would have to get through him before that happened.
Julian pulled out a picture of Eve and him from the pocket of his bathrobe and looked longingly into it. Julian ached for Eve. He longed to hold her and touch her, and just be with her. It wasn’t fair that they were being kept apart. Eve was his life, his inspiration and his reason for living, and being without her was like being without air. Eve meant everything to Julian. She had loved him in spite of all his mistakes, and saved him from the Old Julian. She was his angel on earth. She believed in him and loved him for who he was, not his money. No other woman that he had ever been with loved him that way before. Eve was his whole life, and without her Julian wasn’t sure what would have happened to him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGl8vyCZiGc
“Oh Eve,” Julian said looking out the window. “I miss you so much. I’ll find my way back to you, I promise you.” Then Julian began to hear Marty screaming in his room. Immediately Julian raced into Marty’s room. As soon as Julian opened the door he saw Marty crying out as he tossed and turned violently in his sleep. Julian sat down on Marty’s bed and said, “Marty, Marty wake up you’re having a bad dream. Marty sat upright in bed and opened his eyes, as he screamed. “It’s okay son,” Julian reassured him, “you were just having a bad dream.” Marty looked around and when he saw Uncle Julian he realized the dream was over. “It’s okay come here,” Julian said tenderly as he took Marty into his arms. Julian held Marty rocking him back and forth like a baby. “Sshh,” Julian said to Marty. “It’s okay I’m here.” Julian kissed Marty on the top of his head. Marty felt safe in his uncle’s arms. He could tell just how much his uncle Julian loved him and cared about him. It made him feel safe and secure knowing that he was not alone. After a few minutes, Julian held Marty back and looked at him.
“Are you right son?” he asked lovingly as he wiped the tears away with his thumbs.
“There are monsters in here,” Marty moaned.
“There are no monsters in here,” Julian said, smiling at Marty’s innocence.
“Yes, there are. They’re under the bed in and in the closet. Big mean purple monsters with scary teeth.”
“I'll tell you what,” Julian said. “I’ll go look under the bed and in the closet for you, okay?”
“Okay.”
Julian opened the closet door and then knelt down on the floor to check under the bed, and then sat back down on the bed with Marty who had laid back down now. “You see son, there are no monsters in here. You were just having a bad dream. You all have bad dreams sometimes, but you know what?”
“What?”
“They're not real.”
“Are you sure?” Marty asked, still feeling shaken up by the dream.
“Absolutely, it’s just your imagination.”
“It still was scary.”
“I know,” Julian said sympathetically. Julian remembered when he was little and whenever he had a bad dream Katherine would stay with him in his room, sleeping right next to him, so he wouldn’t feel scared. It always made Julian feel better. Julian thought it would be a good idea to do the same thing for Marty. “Would you like to sleep with me in my bed tonight?” Julian asked him.
Marty nodded.
“Okay.”
Marty picked up his stuffed bunny rabbit and got out of bed and followed Julian into Julian’s room where they both crawled into the bed. Julian lay on the bed with his back against the headboard. Marty lay on the left side next to Julian, cuddling up against his uncle's side. Julian put his arm around Marty. Marty seemed calmer now that he was with his Uncle Julian.
“Are you all right now?” Julian asked Marty tenderly.
Marty nodded. Then he noticed a picture of Eve on the bed and picked it up. “Who is this?”
Julian saw the picture and said, “That’s my fiancée Eve.”
“What’s a fiancée?” That was definitely a word Marty hadn’t heard before.
“Someone you’re going to marry,” Julian answered.
“You’re going to marry her?” asked Marty.
“Yeah, I am.”
“Will that make her my aunt?”
“Yes, she will,” Julian answered.
“Do you think she’ll like me?”
“Are you kidding? She’s going to love you,” Julian kissed the top of Marty’s head again. “Just as much as I do. I’ll tell you one thing I sure miss her right now though.”
“Because you’re kidnapped like me?” Marty asked, summing up the situation.
Julian looked at Marty with sad eyes. “Yeah, because I’m kidnapped.”
Marty then got a pensive look on his face and said, “Uncle Julian, where do I belong?”
“What do you mean son?” Julian asked as he turned to look at Marty.”
“Who do I belong to? Beth said I belonged to her, but I don’t know.”
Julian's heart broke for Marty when he said that. Even though Marty was four years old he knew that Sheridan was his real mother and he knew things were not the way they should be. Julian signed and said, “You belong with your mommy Sheridan and daddy.”
“Then why am I not with them?” he asked sadly.
Julian could tell that this question had been eating away at Marty. The uncle in Julian wanted to protect Marty from the truth, but he also could tell that the longer Marty didn’t know the harder it would be for him. So Julian sighed and said, “Your grandfather and your other mommy Beth kidnapped you from Sheridan when you were born.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know son, I wish I knew.” Julian knew why, but Marty was too young to understand right now. “But,” he continued. “I know that you’re mommy and daddy love you and miss you very much.”
“I miss them too.”
“I know you do,” Julian squeezed Marty tighter and gave him a kiss on the top of his head.
“Why does Grandpa hate me so much? Was I bad?”
‘My God, Father,’ Julian thought to himself. ‘What have you done to this child?’ Then Julian said to Marty, “Oh no son, you weren’t bad. You’re the best little boy in the world. None of this is your fault. Your grandfather is a very mean and bad man. He’s mean to everybody, but it’s his problem not yours. You know when Sheridan and I were little your grandfather was mean to us too.”
“He was?”
“Yes.”
"Why is Grandpa so mean?"
"I wish I knew." Julian really didn't know the answer for the one.
“Someone should teach Grandpa to be nice.”
‘That will be the day,’ Julian thought.
“Uncle Julian,” Marty asked. “Why did Grandpa kidnap you?”
“Because he didn’t want me to marry Eve,” Julian answered.
“Why?”
“Because her skin is a different color than mine.”
“Just for that?” That seemed crazy to Marty.
“Yeah, just for that,” quipped Julian.
“I’m scared,” Marty said. “I don’t think Grandpa is ever going to let us out of here.”
“Ssshh,” Julian coaxed. “Hush now. I know it’s hard right now, but we are going to get out of it. I promise you.”
“How do you know?”
“Because before I found you I saw an angel and he told me that we would get out of her and go home to our families. He didn’t say when, but that it would be soon.”
“Really?” asked Marty, starting to feel hopeful.
“Really,” answered Julian. Then he looked Marty in the eye as he put his hand on the back of Marty’s head. “I can also promise you this. I am not going to let anything happen to you. I’m not going to let anyone hurt you, and I’ll bring you home to your mommy and daddy.”
“You will?” Hearing Uncle Julian tell him that gave Marty hope and made him feel loved.
“Absolutely, I know things are hard right now, but we still have each other.”
“I love you Uncle Julian,” Marty said.
Hearing those words warmed Julian’s heart. It made him feel choked up inside. “I love you too, son.”
Julian and Marty hugged each other. A true bond had formed between Julian and Marty that would last them the rest of their lives. Julian held Marty in his arms until Marty fell asleep and then Julian fell asleep as well.
Chapter Eighteen
(Note to reader) When you see a computer link in this chapter click on it. It’s a bonus montage for the story.
Back in Harmony, at the hospital; Sheridan had just left Eve’s office and Eve all of a sudden had an idea to determine if Julian had a neurological condition. She remembered that the Cranes keep blood in the hospital for emergencies. She knew Julian frequently donated blood because of his rare blood type. All she would have to do is obtain a blood sample from the blood he donated and she could run some tests on him.
Eve left her office and walked down to the blood bank. As she walked, she felt her muscles throb again. It caused her to limp slowly. Grace had strongly suggested to Eve that she see a chiropractor, but Eve knew that the second the chiropractor saw her bruises they would know she had been beaten and she would have to deal with a lot of questions. Eve had made up her mind that she would have to wait to see a chiropractor until her bruises were healed, which would probably take weeks.
As Eve was walking down the hall, she saw Pilar.
“Eve,” Pilar said cheerfully as soon as she saw Eve. Pilar noticed that Eve was limping as she walked.
Eve smiled, “Pilar, hi it’s good to see you again.”
“You too.”
Eve and Pilar gave each other a hug. “
“What are you doing here?” Eve asked as she smiled at Pilar.
“Oh I was visiting a sick friend. Are you all right? I noticed you were limping.”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I just threw my back out the other day.” Eve was getting used to saying that to people when they asked why she was limping. Little did they know the horrible truth. Then Eve had an idea. Pilar worked at the Crane Mansion for years. Maybe she could confirm some facts about Julian’s history of being abused by Alistair. “Aw Pilar, do you have a little time? There’s something I wanted to ask you.”
“Sure,” Pilar answered. “What about?”
Eve looked around. She didn’t want to talk out in the hall, in case someone heard them. “Could we go to the chapel and talk?”
“Sure.”
Eve and Pilar walked into the hospital chapel and sat down on the chairs as they faced each other.
“So what’s on your mind?” Pilar asked.
“When you and Martin started working at the Crane mansion Julian was a teenager, right?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Did you or Martin ever notice or witness Alistair abusing Julian?”
“Oh yeah,” Pilar nodded. “All the time.”
“What was it like? I mean how did Alistair abuse Julian.”
“It was mainly verbal, emotional, and psychological abuse, but it was bad. Alistair would belittle Julian, call him names, and nothing Julian ever did was good enough for Alistair. Even when Julian did a good job at something Alistair would tell him that he was a failure. He did the same thing to Sheridan too. Katherine tried to protect Julian and Sheridan from Alistair, but it was no use. Then of course, Alistair emotionally, physically, and sexually abused Katherine. Of course no one knew that Alistair was raping Katherine, but Julian and Sheridan both witnessed the emotional and physical abuse Katherine suffered at Alistair’s hands. Julian tried to protect Katherine from Alistair as well, but it was no use either.”
Eve remembered Julian telling her about how he witnessed Alistair abusing Katherine. “What about after everyone thought Katherine was dead? What was the abuse like then?” she asked.
“Well, at that time it was just me working at the mansion, but Alistair’s abuse towards Julian and Sheridan grew a hundred times worse. As you know, Alistair blamed Sheridan for Katherine’s death. Julian tried to be there for Sheridan but Alistair sent her away to school in Europe. However, Alistair’s belittling and bullying of Julian grew worse. Alistair did everything he could to mold Julian into a true Crane. He would even threaten Julian if he didn’t do what he said. Julian knew that Alistair meant it and exactly what his father was capable of. Then Julian started turning to drugs and alcohol to cope with the pain, and doing whatever he could do to survive. Even when Julian went off to school, Alistair hired spies to watch him and Julian knew it. Actually, based on what I know now about your history with Julian, I think in between him thinking his mother died and losing you all those years ago, that he just slowly lost himself.”
Eve’s heart broke hearing how Alistair tortured her beloved Julian. It was just so horrible. “What was Julian like when he was growing up?” Eve asked.
“Well I just knew him when he was a teenager, but he was nice. He was really friendly, down-to-earth, and funny. He was spoiled of course from being a Crane, but still he was a really nice young man. A lot like how he was when he was with you. I remember he loved taking care of Sheridan. A lot of older siblings complain about having to take care of their younger siblings but not Julian. He loved it. It was one of his favorite things to do. He didn’t even have to be asked, he just volunteered.”
“I see,” said Eve. Pilar had confirmed what Eve had known all along about Julian being abused. “Do you know if any medical conditions ran in the Crane or Barrett family, like maybe a neurological condition?”
“No, that I’m aware of. They’ve all been pretty healthy as far as I know.”
“Did you ever hear anything about Huntington’s disease at all?”
“No, why?”
“Just wondering.”
“Eve is everything alright?” Pilar asked with concern. Pilar knew Eve had been through a lot lately with her break up from Julian and she had heard that Eve had left TC last week without any warning.
“Yeah, I’m okay,” Eve said. “I just have a lot of things that I’m trying to work through right now.”
“I heard that you left TC last week, did something happen?”
“Nothing worth mentioning,” Eve replied as she rubbed her sore forearm.
“Look if you need anything or someone to talk to you know that I’m here for you.”
“Thank you Pilar,” Eve said, smiling at Pilar’s kindness. “I appreciate that.”
Eve and Pilar stood up and hugged each other. “Thanks again for answering those questions for me,” Eve said.
“Oh no problem,” Pilar replied. “I’m glad I could help. I hope everything works out for you.”

“Thank you.”

After Pilar left, Eve made her way to the blood bank. Regardless of what Pilar and Sheridan knew about the Crane and Bennett family medical history, Eve knew as a doctor that it didn’t mean that Julian didn’t have a neurological condition, or that some relative of his had a medical condition and they didn’t know it or they kept it a secret. When Eve arrived at the blood bank, she went over to the cooler where they kept the Crane blood, however according to the label it said that the last time Julian donated blood was six months ago, before TC's accident. Eve took the IV bag of Julian’s blood and went over to the computer to see if Julian had come by the hospital to donate blood recently or to have some blood drawn for any reason, but it said that he hadn’t. That was definitely strange. Julian usually donated every two to three months. She wondered why he hadn’t. Eve knew without the blood having been recently drawn she couldn’t determine much on Julian’s current state of health, but she could run a test to see if Julian had the genes for Huntington’s Disease or Wilson’s Disease. She got a catheter and took a sample of Julian’s blood from the IV bag and put his blood back in the cooler. Then she went to the lab to run the genetic tests. After Eve was done, the computer printed out a copy of Julian’s lab report. Under the gene for Huntington’s Disease it said the word “negative.” And under the gene for Wilson’s Disease it also said “negative.”

~

A half hour later Eve entered the Bennett’s garage apartment feeling tired, and her muscles throbbing. On her refrigerator there was a note from Grace.

“I knew you would be working late so I put a plate in the microwave for you and some ice and fresh cold packs in the freezer. Love Grace.” Eve picked up the note smiling at Grace’s kindness. It was really wonderful for Eve having her best friend back in her life again. She really needed Grace more than ever.

Eve took a shower, put her nightgown on, and took some aspirin for her muscles. As she looked in the bathroom mirror at her bruises, she hated the way she looked. TC had beaten her so hard that it would take weeks for the bruises to heal. She just hoped she could get away with nobody finding out.

Eve left the bathroom and crawled into bed. She was relieved to know that Julian didn’t have Huntington’s Disease or Wilson’s Disease, knowing how awful those diseases are, especially Huntington’s Disease. Still she didn’t know what was wrong with Julian and she still didn’t know how to find out. Eve picked up the picture of Julian from her nightstand. She missed him so much. Living without him made her feel like a part of her heart was gone. The truth was Julian was and always would be the love of her life, her soul mate, her one true thing, and her rock. Eve’s love for Julian was so deep that no matter what happened between her and Julian that it would never die.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBhtEL-9Zis

As Eve thought back to all the wonderful times she and Julian shared she ached to feel his arms around her and to hold him in her arms. Eve looked longing into the picture. She knew couldn’t deny her feelings anymore. She had always loved Julian and always would, and she knew that something was going on with him that was causing him to act like this, that she didn’t know about. “Please God,” Eve prayed. “I know Julian, and he’s not like this. Please have him come back to him. I need him.” Eve set the picture back down on the nightstand and turned out the lights and went to sleep.

~

Over at the Lennox House, Endora couldn’t sleep so she decided to go downstairs to the living room. Mummy was in the kitchen with Kay, and had left the magic bowl in the living room, leaving Endora to see what was going on in Harmony. She got up on the chair and looked to see what was going on in Harmony tonight. She saw some parties going on but then she saw her Daddy in the bowl. Endora smiled when she saw her Daddy. She loved him so much. She just wished Mummy would let her spend time with him. Hopefully in time, Mummy would see just how wonderful her Daddy was.

As Endora looked in the bowl, she saw that something was very wrong with her Daddy. The bowl showed five months ago, her grandpa Alistair had faked his death in Rome. Then the bowl showed Spike putting a gun to her Daddy’s head and kidnapping him. Then the bowl showed that grandpa Alistair had had her Daddy kidnapped to break up Daddy and that nice, pretty Dr. Russell. Then grandpa Alistair replaced her Daddy with an imposter so Daddy wouldn’t be found. And that mean TC Russell did what!!!??? Endora couldn’t believe it!! “How dare TC do that!” Endora said in her thought bubble with anger. The bowl also showed the reason Eve left TC was because he had beaten her. The bowl wouldn’t tell Endora where her Daddy was, it only showed Daddy in some room locked up somewhere. And her cousin Marty was being held captive with Daddy. Grandpa didn’t kill Marty after all. However, all of this meant the last time Endora saw her real Daddy was when he brought her a balloon.

Endora went over to the couch and bursted into tears. She couldn’t believe that her beloved Daddy had been kidnapped. She loved him so much and now he was gone. The worst part was that she didn’t even know where he was so she couldn’t use her magic to go save him. It wasn’t fair. Endora continued to sob. She felt like her heart was breaking. She wanted to hurt that imposter for taking her daddy away from her and for being a part of kidnapping her daddy. Then Endora had an epiphany. She could still help her daddy. After all she was a witch of course. Endora went back over to the bowl. She realized she maybe didn’t know where her Daddy was but she could cast a spell to let it be known what had been done to her Daddy, and that he was missing. Endora also wanted to help her Daddy get back with Eve Russell. Endora didn’t know Eve that well, but what she did know of her Endora liked. She was nice and very beautiful. While Eve could never take mummy’s place in Endora’s heart, Endora wanted her daddy to be happy, so if Eve made daddy happy then Endora would help her daddy be with Eve. Endora would also help Daddy bring Marty home to Aunt Sheridan. “Don’t worry Daddy,” Endora said in her thought bubble. “I love you and I’ll protect you. and I’ll help you get back with Eve. No one’s going to hurt you, not while I’m around. And I’ll protect you too Marty. I’ll bring you home to your mommy.”

Endora pointed her finger at the bookshelf and used her magic to bring over the book about the history of Harmony couples. She turned to the page about Eve and Julian. In it, it said that Daddy and Eve had been together in other lifetimes; the American Revolution, the Civil War, The Titanic. During the American Revolution they were Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings. Then they were together again in the Civil War, and on the Titanic. Endora being the romantic she was, thought it was so wonderful. She decided while she was working on casting her spell she would let Daddy and Eve remember being together during the civil war. Endora pulled up Daddy and Eve in the bowl to see what they were doing at that moment. They were both asleep. “Perfect,” Endora said in her thought bubble. “Now I’ll let them remember it in their dreams.” Endora waved her finger to have Daddy and Eve remember being together during the civil war. Endora looked in the bowl and saw that the spell had been cast. Now all she had to do was come up with a spell to let everyone know what had happened to her Daddy.

Chapter Nineteen

Jonathon Crane = Julian

Essie = Eve

Thornton = TC

Alfred Crane = Alistair

Priscilla = Rebecca

Louisa = Katherine

The year was 1860 on the Crane Plantation in Virginia during the early summer. Twenty-one year old Jonathon Crane “John” was the son of Alfred Crane the plantation owner. Alfred Crane was the younger brother of Neville Crane, who lived up North and ran the Crane Empire. Alfred was Neville’s second in command when it came to the Crane Empire and ran the cotton plantation in Virginia.

One afternoon John was sitting on the porch, in the porch swing. He had just finished his studies at Harvard and was now home until he went to law and business school. Despite becoming a Crane and born to privilege and wealth, John’s life had not been a pleasant one. Alfred had abused John from the time he was born. Alfred would bully and belittle John verbally and would even hit him and whip him. When John was growing up he even witnessed Alfred doing the same thing to his mother Louisa. Both John and Louisa tried to protect each other from Alfred, but they were no match for Alfred. The marriage between Alfred and Louisa had not been a pleasant one either. It had been an arranged one, where Louisa had no say in the matter. If it had been up to Louisa she would never have married Alfred. She was an abolitionist and condemned anyone who supported slavery and bigotry. Louisa raised John with the same values even though Alfred had tried to teach him differently. When John was twelve, Louisa had died falling down the stairs. Although rumors said that Alfred had killed Louisa, no one could prove it. John believed it though and was forced to endure not only the loss of his mother but had to endure Alfred’s abuse as well.

The years of Alfred’s abuse had taken a toll on John. He had no self esteem or self confidence and felt helpless to escape his father’s cruelty. Even when John was at Harvard, Alfred hired a spy to watch John constantly, and John knew it. Alfred wanted John to take over the plantation and the family business once John graduated. When John was growing up, he believed in the prosperity of the south but he did not believe in slavery. He felt that it was a cruel practice that must be stopped. Even when John told Alfred how he felt, Alfred slapped his face. Now that John was an adult, he no longer supported the prosperity of the south, and desperately wanted to move Boston and join the Union in fighting the war and get his law and business degree, so he could start his own business where he would treat his workers fairly. When John was in Boston he learned about how people, even children in the north, were treated in factories under dangerous conditions, for long hours and little pay. It horrified and disgusted him. ‘Business can thrive by treating its workers decently,’ John felt. Still John was afraid of his father’s wrath of what he would do to him. It wasn’t just that Alfred would disinherit John leaving him with a penny, not to mention John had never worked a day in his life, John was afraid that Alfred would hurt him like he did Louisa. He knew Alfred was definitely capable of it. John saw what Alfred had done to him and his mother, not to mention the brutal way he treated the slaves. John felt at a loss at what to do. He could empathize with the slaves, for he had endured Alfred’s cruelty too and Alfred’s abuse had imprisoned John both body and soul. John looked up at the sky, “Oh Mother, tell me what to do,” he said feeling all choked up. “I don’t know how to get free of Father.”

Several moments later John saw Alfred and Thornton the overseer coming up the walk. Thornton was a slave on the plantation that Alfred had appointed as overseer, because of his nasty temper. When Thornton was angry about something he would show it. “John what are you doin’ sittin’ there. Get over here and help me.” John got up and walked out to the yard where Alfred was standing.

“What is it father?” John asked.

“We have a new slave girl coming in.”

“We’re getting more slaves?” John asked in disgust. He felt sorry for the poor woman that was coming. She didn’t know what she was in for with Alfred. Alfred was known to be the most brutal slave masters in the state. He brutally beat and whipped the slaves, raped the female slaves, and even killed several of them.

“Yes, of course you stupid idiot,” Alfred clipped. “You can’t run a successful business or plantation without slaves.”

Even after all these years, it still got to John when Alfred called him that. Just then a wagon came with a black woman in the back shackled in chains about eighteen years of age. The moment John saw her, his breath was taken away, for she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She was slender and had soft coconut skin with long beautiful black hair and beautiful brown eyes. There was something about her that drew John to her. It was as if he had met her before, even though he hadn’t.

Alfred went to the back of the wagon and approached her. “What’s your name girl?” Alfred asked coldly.

“Essie,” she replied feeling intimidated.

“What can you do?” Alfred asked with the same coldness.

“Anything sir. I can do indoor and outdoor work.”

“All right then, I’ll take ya. But if you do what I say and do your job or you’ll be whipped.”

Thornton unchained Essie and brought her back to the barn. As John saw her leave, he watched Essie with memorization. He had heard stories of love at first sight, and he didn’t believe it until now.

~~~~~~~

The next morning Essie was in the kitchen in the main house kneading bread. She was only eighteen and had spent her whole life as a slave. Essie’s parents were sold when she was twelve leaving her to fend for herself on the plantation. Around that time she had befriended the plantation owner’s daughter Sadie who taught her how to read and write. Sadie leant Essie books and would teach her the same lessons she learned in school. Sadie and Essie had been very good about concealing this secret from Sadie’s father and from other people as well. Essie knew how to make herself look illiterate to others. If there was a sign or any writing she pretended to not know what it said and no one ever even suspected anything.

Essie had proven herself to be very smart. She excelled in her lessons with Sadie and wanted to be a nurse or even a doctor. Essie knew how to cure any ailment on her own and tend to people who were sick. She had heard about Elizabeth Blackwell becoming the first woman doctor eleven years earlier, and the works of Florence Nightingale which had inspired her. Most of all she longed for freedom and for slavery to end. She wanted to go to the north and join the abolitionist movement and the women’s suffrage movement. Essie hated being someone else’s property and not having the right to be free. She had heard about the Underground Railroad but she knew it wasn’t an easy thing to do.

Her previous owner had died a month ago and his son had sold her to Master Crane. When Essie learned that she was being sold to the Crane plantation it made her nervous. She had stories from other slaves about how cruel Alfred Crane was. One man said that Master Crane cut off his hand once. Another woman said that he had brutally raped her. Essie just hoped that she could stay safe from Master Crane. Since she had arrived at Crane plantation the overseer Thornton had tried to flirt with her. However, Essie wasn’t interested in him. She was put off by his nasty temper. When Thornton took her back to the barn, she witnessed him whip a slave five times for accidentally dropping a saddle. Even though he was the overseer Essie thought Thornton’s cruelty towards the rest of the slaves was a disgrace to their race. Even so, ever since yesterday, she couldn’t stop thinking about Master John. It wasn’t just his handsome looks that drew her to him, there was something else too. It was like she had known him for years. Of course she knew it was impossible for a colored person to marry a white person. There had been rumors about Thomas Jefferson having a love affair with one of his slaves, but even if that were true they were not able to get married. Essie knew that most white men would take advantage of colored women and would rape them like Master Alfred had a reputation for. However, there was something different about John. He seemed kind. She remembered yesterday when Master Alfred had been questioning her how sad he looked for her. When Essie met Master John he made her heart beat a thousand miles.

Just then Eloise, another slave in her late fifties, came into the kitchen.

“How’s the bread comin’?” Eloise asked Essie.

“It’s comin’.” Essie answered.

“Listen,” Eloise said seriously. “You’re new here, so I think it's best that I warn you. Master Alfred is a brut. He’s been known to rape the female slaves here, so be careful given that you’re a pretty girl.”

“I know,” Essie acknowledged. “I heard about Master Alfred from other plantations.”

“Good. You know rumors say he killed his wife. I knew her. Sweet woman. She was an abolitionist. They’re marriage was arranged so she didn’t have any say. They say she accidently fell down the stairs, but rumors say he pushed her and the good lord took her to heaven.”

“That’s terrible,” Essie said in horror.

“I know. She was one of the finest women that ever walked the earth. But Master Alfred abused her mercifully and Master John.”

“What about Master John? What’s he like” Essie asked with curiosity. She wanted to learn everything she could about this man who had taken her interest.

“Master John?” answered Eloise. “He’s nice. He’s always nice to us slaves. The poor thing has been tortured by his old man since the day he was born. Between you and me and the man upstairs, I think he’s an abolitionist. I think he would go up north if he could and leave the family business.”

“Why doesn’t he?”

“Master Alfred’s abuse has killed his self worth.”

“That’s awful.” Essie felt her heart break for Master John and his mother. At the same time, she felt even more drawn to him knowing that he was an abolitionist. She was falling for a man that she could never be with. She knew in her head that society would never allow for her to be with John, but in her heart was telling her that John was the one. The truth was Essie fell in love with John at first sight and she couldn’t be with him. This was a terrible situation she was in.

~

Out in the dining room, Alfred and John were sitting across the table from each other when Essie came in carrying the breakfast tray for them.

“I have some news you might be interested in,” Alfred said to John as Essie began serving them.

“And what news would that be father?”

“As you know, we’re going to have our annual ball soon and I’ve invited Priscilla Osborn.”

“You mean that wench who flirts with any man who comes her way?” John found Priscilla shallow, rude, and was a complete air head. She was a narcissist and the only person she cared about was herself. She was only interested in men with money and would have sex with any man that came her way. John had courted her a couple of times when they were teenagers. Given that he was fifteen, he had been attracted to her beauty, but once he got to know her he no longer wanted anything to do with her.

“Yes, her stupid. And you are going to entertain her while she’s here.”

“Please Father,” John groaned. “I can’t stand the woman.” The thought of having to entertain that awful Priscilla Osborn made his stomach churl.

Alfred banged his fist on the table. “I don’t care if you like it or not. I’m your father and you’ll do what I say dammit. You’re Uncle Neville has talked to Priscilla’s father and we’re creating a merger with Osborn’s company and we decided that you and Priscilla would be a perfect match for one another.”

As soon as Essie heard this she found herself feeling very disappointed. Even though she knew that she and John couldn’t be together, she couldn’t help but feel jealous.

“Isn’t it my choice who I choose to be with Father?” John said to his father.

Alfred got up and put both of his hands on the table and leaned forward looking at John with vengeance. “Are you trying to cross me John, because if you are,” Alfred said, making a fist.

“No father, of course not.” John knew when his father got like this, he was at a loss. “I’ll do what you say,” he said, hanging his head.

“Good,” Alfred clipped.

After Alfred left the dining room and Essie went back into the kitchen, John sat alone in the dining room feeling sorry for himself. He hated having his father run his life and choose who he married. He knew his parents had an arranged marriage and there was no love between them. His mother had been miserable and if he married Priscilla he knew the same thing would happen to him. The woman he was interested in was Essie but he knew the law would never allow him to marry Essie. Still he couldn’t get her out of his heart. He didn’t know anything about her and he felt like he had known her forever.

As soon as John got up Essie came in with a pitcher of water and tripped over the carpet causing the pitcher to break and for her to spill the water all over John.

“Oh Master John, I’m sorry, please forgive me,” Essie pleaded.

“It’s okay,” John said, smiling at her kindly. “Accidents happen. No harm done. Here let me help you,” he said as he knelt down to pick up the broken pieces of the pitcher.

“Thank you,” Essie smiled at John as she knelt down to help John pick up the broken pieces. While they were kneeling on the floor their eyes were locked on each other as they felt the attraction to one another. Just then Alfred came in and saw the mess.

“You clumsy fool girl!” Alfred snarled at Essie. “Look at what you did! You’re going to be whipped now!”

Essie felt fear trembling in her as she heard Alfred say that knowing what awaited her.

“It’s my fault, father,” John said standing up.

“What?” Alfred asked.

“I went to pour a glass of water for myself and I accidently broke the pitcher when I picked it up and spilled water all over me and Essie was helping me pick it up.”

“Well why didn’t you tell Essie to pour you the water? And she can pick up the mess herself. That’s why we have slaves.”

Alfred left and Essie put the pieces of the broken pitcher in the waste basket next to her. John went over to her and offered her his hand to help her up. Essie accepted.

“Thank you,” Essie said with gratitude. “That was so wonderful of you. I don’t know how to repay you.”

“There’s no need, I'm happy to do it.” John smiled. He was just happy to help Essie. He couldn’t live with himself if he let anything happen to her.

Essie smiled back at John. Except for Sadie, Essie had never met a white person who had been so kind to her. John treated her like a person, a lady, not a slave.

Chapter Twenty

A week later at Crane Plantation, at the Crane annual ball, Essie was working as a server at the ball and looking across the room at John dancing with Priscilla Osborn. She wished desperately that John was dancing with her instead. All week she had tried to get John out of her mind but she couldn’t. Somehow he had become a part of her. It tore Essie up inside knowing that she could never be with John because society would never allow it. It was enough to break her heart. ‘Poor John,’ she thought to herself. He looked miserable dancing out there with Priscilla. She knew from the conversation between Alfred and John that John didn’t love Priscilla. ‘If only John believed in himself,’ Essie thought.

On the dance floor, John was having a miserable time with Priscilla. Her conversation was only limited to fashion and her self-absorbed ego. The only thing Priscilla seemed interested about John was his money and family name. She didn’t seem to care at all about him as a person. The thought of having to spend his life with this woman made John’s skin crawl.

When the song ended John started to leave to get something to drink. “Ah, where are you going?” Priscilla demanded as John started to leave.

“I’m thirsty,” John replied.

“Oh come on, let’s dance some more,” Priscilla said, putting her arms around John.

“No, I need a drink,” he said, pulling Priscilla’s hands off of him. John went over to the food table to get his drink and Priscilla followed him.

“I can’t wait until this war is over,” Priscilla said as John took his drink. “I am so sick of all of this talk about dead or injured soldiers.” She talked about it as if it were nothing more than spilled milk. “I swear President Lincoln is a fool, abolitionists make such a big deal about slaves having no legal rights and how they have the right to be free, be educated, be paid for their work, and not to be beaten. Colored people are inferior to whites and therefore are meant to be slaves and are not entitled to any rights.”

“Oh you mean just because their skin is a different color?” John asked in disgust. He couldn’t believe how racist Priscilla was being.

“Yes,” Priscilla stated matter of factly. “If anything, bringing them to the United States from Africa was the best thing that could have happened to them. At least here they’re not living like savages.”

“No, we only kidnapped them from their homeland, put them in chains, and forced them to be slaves. And on top of that we torture them and don’t give them any rights of any kind,” John said sarcastically. John couldn’t believe the racist things that came out of Priscilla’s mouth. If his mother Louisa were alive she would be horrified to know that Alfred wanted John to marry such a horrible woman.

“Oh please,” said Priscilla. “You sound like Fredrick Douglas and Elizabeth Cady Stanton up north. Next you’ll be telling me that women should have the right to vote.”

“Why not?” asked John. “Why shouldn’t women have a voice in government? They are legitimate citizens too.”

“Oh please, women are meant to be wives and have babies. I should think that’s something women would need less of. The next thing we know women will be trying to become men.”

Just then Essie came up to the food table with a tray of appetizers and set it on the table.

“Hey girl,” Priscilla demanded. “Pour me a glass of water.”

Essie obliged and didn’t say a word and then left.

“You don’t have to talk to her like that,” John said to Priscilla.

“Oh come on, she’s just a slave.”

When everyone left after the ball, John sat on the front porch after the miserable time he spent with Priscilla. He knew if he married her his life would be ruined. However he still didn’t have the courage to stand up for himself with his father. The things that Priscilla said disgusted him. John remembered how his mother Louisa's marriage was arranged and how miserable she was in the marriage. Like John she was also an abolitionist who had an arranged marriage to a confederate. John was afraid he was going to end up just like Louisa. The thought of it killed him inside.

John then looked out over the plantation where the slaves were housed and saw Essie outside her cabin. She looked so beautiful. Something about her drew her to John. John decided to go over to the cabin and see her. He wasn’t sure what he was doing or what he was going to say to her, but some force that was stronger than he was pulling him there.

~

“Wade in the water, Wade in the water, children, Wade in the water, God's a-going to trouble the water.” Essie was standing outside of her cabin, leaning her back against the cabin while looking at the moon and singing. Essie was known to have a beautiful singing voice and she liked to sing. It helped her to know that singing Negro spiritual songs would help other slaves to find their way to freedom. If only she could find her own way there.

Just then she saw John appear next to her. “You have a lovely voice,” he said as he approached her.

“Oh thank you Master John,” Essie said blushing and feeling rather shy.

“Please, it's just John,” he said. “I wanted to come by and apologize to you for Miss Osborne’s rudeness at the ball." While he did come to apologize for Priscilla, he was too embarrassed to admit yet that he was smitten with Essie.

“Thank you,” Essie replied, overwhelmed by John’s thoughtfulness. “But it isn’t necessary. I’ve dealt with much worse.”

“Well you shouldn’t have to deal with that kind of treatment at all.”

Essie smiled at John. “I heard that you were an abolitionist.”

“Yes,” John said, standing next to Essie and leaning his back against the cabin as well. “My mother was an abolitionist and raised me to be one too. She believed that all people are equal and deserve civil rights, and condemned bigotry of any kind.”

“She sounds like a wonderful woman,” Essie replied.

“Yes she was. She died several years ago.”

“I’m sorry,” Essie said with sympathy.

“Yes, it hasn’t been easy, especially living with my father. I’d love to go up North and join the Union and make my own way.”

“Why don’t you?”

“I’m not smart enough. Besides I’d have no money and I don’t know anything about manual labor.”

“I’m sure, you’re smart and as far as manual labor goes you could learn.”

“Even if I were, my father would make me pay for it for the rest of my life. He doesn’t take well to people who defy him. I ache to be free from him.”

“Yeah, I know the feeling,” Essie said, empathizing with her own plight of being a slave.

“Would you like to go for a walk in the woods?” John asked. He wasn’t sure exactly what he was doing, all he knew is he wanted to spend time with Essie.

“A walk in the woods?” Essie was completely caught off guard. “Master John I--”

“I told you it's John, not Master. And I can assure you my intentions are good.”

Essie wasn’t sure what to think. However, her desire for John made her want to go with him. “All right then John,” Essie said, smiling at him.

John offered her his hand and Essie took in as they walked out to the woods. In the woods, John and Essie were walking by along the river. Eventually they decided to sit down by the shore of the river together.

“So do you have any family around here?” John said to Essie as they sat by the river bed.

“No,” Essie replied. “My parents were sold when I was twelve and I don’t know where they are. I’ve been taking care of myself since then.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, I just pray for the day when slavery comes to an end.”

“What would you do if you were free?”

“I would go up north to join the abolition and suffrage movement. Then I’d like to become a nurse or maybe a doctor.”

“A doctor?” John replied in amazement.

“There are women doctor’s now. Look at Elizabeth Blackwell.”

“How did you know about Elizabeth Blackwell?”

“I heard about her,” Essie said, trying to cover up the fact that she read about her.

“Wait a minute, do you know how to read?” John asked.

Essie didn’t know what to say, she just sat there speechless.

“Essie it’s okay if you do,” John said gently rubbing Essie’s arm. “I think colored people should have the right to be educated. And I promise I won’t tell anyone.”

Essie gave a sigh of relief. “Oh thank you John. I would be in big trouble if anyone found out.”

“Don’t worry, your secrets are safe with me,” John reassured. “How did you learn how to read?”

“I befriended my last owner’s daughter and she taught me to read. She would teach me the same lessons she learned in school so I learned a lot then. I remember she would lend me books sometimes. I love to read, but now I don’t have access to any books.”

“Yes you do,” John answered. “I can supply books to you now.”

“Well thank you,” Essie said, amazed at John’s generosity. “You’re very kind.”

“It’s my pleasure.”

~

From then on John and Essie were inseparable. Every night they would go to the back of the woods and spend time together talking, laughing, swimming in the river, and kissing under the stars. John would bring Essie flowers and books to read. One night they were together, they found a nearby cave and they made passionate love. It was the most incredible experience of their lives. They’re souls were intertwined.

As the sun rose, and they were holding each other, John said to Essie, “I have a confession to make to you. I love you. I’ve loved you ever since the moment I ever laid eyes on you.”

“I have a confession to make too,” said Essie. “I’m in love with you too. Ever since the day we met each other.”

“I love you Essie,” declared John. “I love you more than anyone or anything. Ever since we’ve been together, you’ve helped me to believe in myself. I feel like a whole man for the first time in my life. Because of you I’m no longer afraid of my father. I want to be with you forever. I want to marry you and go up north with you and live together forever.”

“Oh Darling,” Essie said, caressing his cheek. “How can we?”

“We’ll run away together. I know father will leave me penniless, but we'll take the Underground Railroad and go to Philadelphia.”

“Well,” said Essie. “There is this woman named Harriet Tubman, who’s a conductor for the Underground Railroad. She’s a former slave herself who ran away to freedom and now works as a conductor.”

“I know I remember father talking about her when he was worried about his slaves escaping.--- So does that mean that you’ll marry me?”

“Yes John yes,” Essie looked at John with deep love and passion in her eyes. “I will marry you. I love you John more than anything. I don’t care about what the laws say, I just want to be with you.”

“Oh my darling you won’t regret this.” John then pulled her into a passionate kiss.

Thornton the overseer was listening outside the cave as John and Essie talked. All of a sudden he was filled with rage.

“No,” he thought to himself. “Essie’s mine, Master John can’t have her. Not if I have anything to say about it.

Note to reader. "Wade in the water" is a negro spiritual song written to guide slaves to freedom.




Chapter Twenty-One

(Note to reader; All the activists mentioned in this chapter were real people)

Later that day, Alfred called John into his study. “I’m disappointed in you Son,” Alfred said coldly. “I would have had no objection to you using a black girl for sex, but to fall in love with her.”

John felt fear running through his veins like ice water. “What are you talking about Father?”

“You and Essie, that’s what's going on. Thornton saw the two of you together this morning and told me about it. Apparently he wanted Essie for himself and out of revenge decided to blow the whistle on the two of you. Well I sold Essie this morning and I doubt you’ll ever see her again.”

John felt his heart break into a million pieces. “No, you can’t do that!!” he cried. His face was turning bright red. “I love her and I want to be with her.”

“No son of mine is going to marry a ******.”

“Don’t you dare call her that,” John hissed. This was the first time in his life that he was standing up to his father. “I love Essie. She’s all I want. I don’t care about your money; I just want to be with her.”

“I don’t care what you want. I won’t have you defile the family name by marrying a slave.”

That night John packed up all of his belongings and left Crane Plantation. He didn’t even tell his father where he was going and didn’t care if he never saw him again. He traveled up north to Philadelphia and got a job working with Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society campaigning against slavery and for black people’s rights. John used every connection he could find to help look for Essie but it was no use. He vowed he would not rest until he found Essie.

While he was working for the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society he had the pleasure of getting to know James and Lucretia Mott, the founders of Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society. Mr. and Mrs. Mott became good friends with John. John found them to be wonderful people who were generous and had strong convictions. John was especially impressed with Mrs. Mott. She had a clear sense of justice and was not afraid to fight for what was right. Mrs. Mott’s sister Martha Coffin Wright was also a suffrage like Mrs. Mott and both of these women worked for women’s suffrage and abolitionism and negro rights. They even worked as part of the Underground Railroad. When Mrs. Mott heard that John didn’t have a place to stay, let him stay in one of the back rooms of the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society office, and made it into a room for him.

John also befriended Frederick Douglas and became very inspired by him. A few months earlier Mr. Douglas’s daughter Annie had died and he still was grieving her loss. John was in awe of Mr. Douglas. Mr. Douglas was exactly the kind of man John wanted to be, a strong man with conviction and an advocate for civil rights for all people. After hearing Elizabeth Cady Stanton talk at the lecture, John befriended her as well and joined the temperance and the women’s suffrage movements and campaigned for women’s rights, Negro rights, Native American rights, temperance, labor reforms, the poor, children and other progressive causes.

One day John was sitting down talking with Mr. Mott, Mrs. Mott, Mr. Douglas, Mrs. Wright and their friends Susan B. Anthony and Matilda Joslyn Gage, who all worked for the Underground Railroad and John told them about his past with Essie and how desperate he was to find her. Mr. Mott, Mrs. Mott, Mr. Douglas, Miss Anthony, and Mrs. Gage’s hearts all went out to John and agreed to help John in any way they could to find Essie. They agreed to use every connection they could find on the railroad to see if anyone had seen Essie. Mrs. Wright and Mr. Douglas were both close personal friends with Harriet Tubman and said they would enlist her help as well.

For a year, all of them looked but none of them could find Essie. Then one day in 1861, Mrs. Wright and Mr. Douglas came to John’s office in the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society, with Harriet Tubman. “Mr. Crane,” Mr. Douglas said, “I would like you to meet Moses.”

John stood up from his desk and shook Mrs. Tubman’s hand. “Mrs. Tubman it is an honor and a privilege to meet you,” he said.

“You too sir,” Mrs. Tubman replied. “Mr. Crane I have news on your beloved Essie. About six months ago, I was guiding some slaves to freedom and there was this girl about eighteen. Her name was Essie and she matched your description. She told me that her master had sold her to the Deep South in Georgia. However once she got there she ran away and took the Underground Railroad and eventually she met up with me and I took her to New York. By that time the war broke out and she told me she was going to volunteer as a union nurse for the army. I’m sorry I don’t know where she is right now, but I thought you should know.”

“Oh thank you Mrs. Tubman,” John said gratefully. “You don’t know what this means to me.”

“What are you going to do now?” asked Mr. Douglas.

“I’m going to join the Union Army and find Essie.”

“That’s so dangerous,” said Mrs. Wright. “You could be killed. I know you want to find Essie, but stay here and we’ll contact the union to look for her.”

“We both know Mrs. Wright how secretive the army is during war,” said John. “If I join the army, I will have better access to finding her and putting an end to slavery.”

“He has a point,” said Mr. Douglas.

Mrs. Wright nodded in agreement.

“Mr. Crane,” said Mrs. Tubman. “I only wish more white men were like you.”

Two weeks later, John was in his army uniform at Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society saying good-bye to Mr. Mott, Mrs. Mott, Mrs. Stanton, Mr. Douglas, Miss Anthony, Mrs. Wright and Mrs. Gage. It wasn’t easy for any of them to say good-bye, for John had become a real friend.

“I’m going to miss all of you so much.”

“We’ll miss you too,” Miss Anthony said. “You come back safe now you hear?”

“Yes ma’am I will,” replied John. “I promise to write as often as I can.”

“So will we,” answered Mrs. Gage .

"I don’t know how I will ever repay your kindness.”

“There’s no need,” said Mrs. Stanton. “You just find, your beloved Essie.”

“Listen if anything happens to me; before Essie is found please tell her that I looked for her and how much I love her.”

“We won’t have to,” said Mr. Mott. “Because you’re coming home safe.”

“Amen to that,” added Mr. Douglas.

~

For two years John fought with the Union army, and looked everywhere for Essie, but still couldn’t find her. Harriet Tubman also worked as a nurse and a spy for the union and promised to let John know if she heard anything. He still wrote to his friends as often as he could and they wrote to John as well. Then in June 1863, John was ordered to Gettysburg to fight in the battle. He survived the first day, but the second day he was shot in the chest. He was rushed by his comrades to the field hospital. When they arrived at the field hospital they called out for a nurse and low and behold there was Essie. When she reached John’s cot she gasped.

“John,” she said, taking his hand and caressing his face. “Is it really you?”

John couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw Essie standing over him. “Oh my darling Essie, at last I found you.”

“I can’t believe it,” Essie had tears of joy in her eyes. “I missed you so much.”

“I missed you too,” John squeezed Essie’s hand. “I’ve looked for you ever since my father sold you.”

“I looked for you too. A few months after I was sold, I ran away to the north. One the way I stopped at Crane Plantation and they told me you had left right after your father sold me.”

“I know. I couldn’t stay after what he did to us. I went up north and joined the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society. Two years ago Mrs. Tubman told me she helped you escape to New York and you joined the cause as a nurse, so I joined the army so I could find you.”

“Everything’s going to be fine now,” Essie reassured him. “We’re together now.”

However, John could feel death approaching him as the internal bleeding spread through his body.

“I know, at least I got to see you one last time.”

“No,” Essie cried. “Don’t you talk like that; you’re going to be fine.”

It was no use. Death had come for John.

“I’m so sorry,” he said. “Always remember that I love you.” Then he closed his eyes and died.

“No,” Essie sobbed as she laid her head on John’s dead body and cried.

After the war, Essie went to Philadelphia and met John’s friends who told her about John when they were working with him. Essie became lifelong friends of theirs too. Essie graduated from Oberlin College in 1869 and continued her work as a nurse and campaigned for women’s rights, Negro rights, Native American rights, temperance, labor reforms, the poor, children and other progressive causes. She never got married or had children, and she never got over losing John. She never stopped loving John and in her heart she was married to him. She died at age forty-eight of cancer.

~

Back in the present day, Endora had finished conjuring up her plan to let everyone know that her daddy had been kidnapped, by casting a spell on Chief Bennett and the District Attorney. Still even with her plan she didn’t know where her Daddy was. Endora sat down at the desk in the living room feeling very sad about her daddy. Just then Tabitha walked in.

“What are you doing up Sweet Pea? You’re supposed to be in bed.”

Then Tabitha noticed how sad Endora looked. “Are you all right?" she asked with concern.

“Daddy was kidnapped five months ago,” Endora said in her thought bubble.

“What?” Tabitha was confused.

“Look in the bowl,” Endora replied in her thought bubble.

Tabitha went over to look in the magic bowl to see what Endora was talking about. “Alistair Crane faked his death in Rome and is still alive!!?” Tabitha said as she looked in the bowl. “Then he had Julian kidnapped and replaced him with an imposter to keep him and Eve apart. … And TC Russell did what? Oh I never in a million years dreamed he was capable of something like that.” “Oh my stars,” Tabitha exclaimed. “TC beat Eve and that’s the reason why she left him last week! Oh the boys in the basement ought to be loving this.”

“It’s not funny Mummy,” Endora said in her thought bubble.

Tabitha went over to Endora and put her arm around her daughter to comfort her. “I know sweet pea. I didn't even want this to happen to you father. Although, this does explain everything that’s happened with him these past few months.”

“Daddy’s going to come home,” Endora replied in her thought bubble.

“Why do you say that?” Tabitha asked with suspicion.

“You’ll see.”


Chapter Twenty-Two

The next morning, at the Crane Compound, Julian was in bed, still not awake yet and muttering in his sleep the name Essie. When he opened his eyes and woke up he saw that he was back in his room at the Compound. “Oh my God,” he said in amazement when he realized he was back in the present. He tossed the covers off of his body, and sat up on the side of his bed feeling very perplexed. Julian had had the strangest dream or vision you might say. He dreamt that he was with Eve during the civil war. He was a young man named John and Eve was a slave named Essie. They were in love, but Alistair sold Essie and John went to look for her and found her after he had been wounded in the battle of Gettysburg. Unfortunately John had died then. The strange thing was that Julian actually remembered this lifetime as well as being John in the Civil War.

Julian remembered that Luis and Sheridan had shared past lives together, now he wondered if he had shared past lives with Eve. Then Julian remembered when he was younger hearing about a great-great-great-great-great something uncle of his who died in the battle of Gettysburg. He had asked his father and grandfather about it at the time but they said this uncle had been a bad seed and refused to even mention his name. “Oh my God, could it be?” Julian said in amazement. “Was I that uncle in a past life?” Julian wasn’t certain what exactly all of this meant, but he didn’t doubt that vision was real and that he shared the past life with his beloved Eve.

“Uncle Julian,” Julian heard Marty say from behind him. Julian turned around and saw that his sweet little nephew had woken up.

“Hey Son,” Julian said, smiling at Marty. “How did you sleep?”

“Fine,” Marty replied.

“No more bad dreams?” he asked.

“No.”

“Good.”

Julian got Marty dressed and they had breakfast together, and an hour later they were playing with Lincoln logs on the floor. It was cold up at the compound on that day. Even indoors Julian could feel the chill from outside. It didn’t bother him though. After being locked in one room for five months, the air from outdoors felt nice for him. He was worried though Marty might get sick. However, the little fellow seemed to be alright, while he played with his Uncle Julian.

“Uncle Julian," Marty asked looking up at Julian. "When we go home will you still come over to play with me sometimes?”

“Wild horses couldn’t keep me away,” Julian said to Marty as he gave him a kiss on the head. Marty had formed a special place in Julian’s heart, just as Julian had formed a special place in Marty’s heart.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Back in Harmony, at the Bennetts, Eve was still in bed, and not awake yet and was muttering the name John in her sleep. When she woke up she saw that she was back in Harmony. “Oh my God,” she said in amazement when she realized she was back in present. Eve had the strangest dream or vision. She dreamt that she was with Julian during the civil war. Julian was a young man named John and Eve was a slave girl named Essie. They were in love, but Alistair sold Essie and John went to look for her and found her after he had been wounded in the battle of Gettysburg, but unfortunately John had been unable to survive his wounds and he died. The strange thing was that Eve actually remembered this lifetime as well as being Essie in the Civil War. She remembered that Luis and Sheridan had shared past lives together, so was it possible that she and Julian shared a past life as well? Eve wasn’t certain what exactly all of this meant, but she didn’t doubt that the vision was real and that she shared the past life with her beloved Julian.

Eve got out of bed to get ready for work. She got dressed and covered up her bruises with make-up and clothing. Then she went down to the Bennett’s kitchen and had breakfast with Sam, Grace, Noah, and Jessica. After breakfast, Sam, Noah, and Jessica left and Eve stayed
with Grace in the kitchen helping her with the dishes. While Eve was rinsing a dish she felt a sharp pain go through her back, which caused her to wince as she put her hand on her back.

“Are you all right?” Grace asked with concern as she saw Eve wince.

“Yeah,” Eve groaned in pain. “I just need to take something.”

Grace went over to the kitchen table and pulled out a chair for Eve, “Here sit down,” she said to Eve. Eve sat down and Grace got a glass from the cabinet and poured some water into it and set it down on the table next to Eve so she could take her medicine. “Here” she said to Eve as she gave her the water.

“Thank you,” Eve said as she took the medicine with her water.

“You know,” said Grace as she went to stand in front of the sink facing Eve. “You should be taking it easy with your injury. Being on your feet all day at the hospital isn’t good for you right now.”

“I know,” Eve agreed. “But I have patients, and besides it keeps my mind off my troubles.”

Hearing Eve say that about her troubles and seeing what she was going through now, broke Grace’s heart. Grace was still fuming about TC beating Eve. It made Grace furious to think about what TC had done to her best friend. TC had been Sam’s best friend all of his life, but now that TC had beaten Eve, Grace was officially done with him. Grace folded her arms across her chest and grimaced. “I am never going to forgive TC for this,” Grace said with anger in her voice. “I swear if TC ever lay a hand on you again, I'm going to kill him.”

Eve smiled at Grace’s love for her. It touched her to know that Grace would do that for her, even after what Eve gave into Ivy’s blackmail. “Thank you, I appreciate that,” Eve said feeling touched.

Grace put her arms back at her sides and smiled back at Eve, “You’d do it for me,” she replied. Then Grace gave a wink letting Eve know how much he valued Eve’s friendship and that in spite of what happened Eve was a good friend.

“Yes I would,” Eve said with sincerity. Then Eve had an idea about telling Grace about her vision. Grace would understand, after all she was known for having premonitions herself and was her best friend. “Grace?” Eve asked. “Can I tell you something and can you promise that you won’t think I’m insane?”

“Sure Honey, what is it?”

“Do you remember how Luis and Sheridan shared past lives together?”

“Yeah? Why?”

“Well I think Julian and I did too.”

“What do you mean?”

Eve told Grace all about the vision she had. “And the strange thing is,” Eve said as soon as she was done telling Grace about John and Essie, “I actually remembered being Essie in that life.”

“Oh my God, that’s amazing,” Grace said with fascination. She couldn’t believe that Eve and Julian actually shared a past life together.

“So you believe me?”

“Of course I do. I’ve had premonitions myself,” Grace answered. “So did Essie ever get married after John died?”

“No,” said Eve. “She worked as a nurse and as an activist for the rest of her life, but she never got over losing John.”

“That’s so sad.”

“I know,” Eve said solemnly. “I just hope it won’t be like this for me and Julian in this lifetime.”

“You think that vision was a sign of some kind?”

“I don’t know but I know this, I’ve never been able to stop loving Julian and no matter what I do I can’t stop loving him now. Even after everything he did,” said Eve as she sighed with a heavy heart.

“Well how’s it been trying to find out what's been going on with Julian?” Grace asked.

“It’s going,” said Eve. “I’ve been exploring the possibility of Julian having a neurological condition. I made a list of conditions that apply to Julian, however my top three are a brain tumor, Cirrhosis of the liver, alcoholism.”

“I’ve heard that brain tumors can cause personality changes sometimes.”

“Yeah,” Eve agreed. “When it’s in certain areas of the brain, usually the frontal lobe.”

“What’s Cirrhosis of the liver?” Grace asked.

“It’s when the liver becomes permanently damaged by scar tissue.”

“How can that cause a personality change, if it’s in the liver?”

“It’s because of hepatic encephalopathy. When the liver shuts down it’s unable to remove toxins from the blood, so they build up toxins in the brain, which is known as hepatic encephalopathy. When that happens then not only is the toxin accumulating in the blood but it impairs the function of brain cells which can cause one’s mental function to decrease, causing the person to display symptoms of personality changes.”

“Wow, I didn’t know that,” said Grace. “I’m no doctor but that sounds a lot like Julian to me.”

“I know, Cirrhosis of the liver is at the top of my list. I was considering Huntington’s disease for a while too.”

“Huntington’s Disease,” said Grace. “I think I heard about that disease one time, what does it do?”

“It’s a progressive, degenerative neurological disease that causes nerve cells in the brain to waste away. One of the main symptoms of Huntington’s disease is irritability, emotional disturbances, mental deterioration, and personality changes.”

“It sounds bad.” Grace shuddered at the thought of having someone having their brain waste away like that.

“It’s very bad. It’s a genetic disease someone gets from a parent. The onset of the disease usually happens between the ages of 30 to 50.”

“Well, it might explain why the Crane’s are so nasty.”

“He doesn’t have it. Last night at work, I found an old blood sample of Julian’s on file and I did a genetic test for Huntington’s Disease on Julian and it came up negative.”

“Well thank God, for Julian’s sake. I have to say you’re off to a good start. So if Julian has a brain tumor, Cirrhosis of the liver or any of these diseases what’s his prognosis?”

“I don’t know. I can’t tell without an accurate diagnosis.”

“Can’t you run some more tests on the blood sample of Julian’s that you found?”

“No, it has to be recent. Besides I can’t diagnose him just based on a blood sample. I would need to do a full work up on him, a complete physical, blood work, urine, ekg, eeg, ultrasound, echocardiogram, x-ray, CAT Scan, PET Scan, MRI, the works.”

“So what are you going to do now?”

“Honestly Grace I have no clue,” Eve clipped. Eve was at a loss as to what her next move should be. She knew she couldn’t diagnose Julian without running tests on him. However, things had been so bad between them, Eve wasn’t sure if Julian would listen to her.

“You don’t think you could get him to come into the hospital for some tests?” asked Grace.

“Not with the way things have been between us,” Eve scoffed at the thought of how Julian would react if she called him and told him to let her examine him to see if he was sick.

“What have things been like between the two of you since the break up?”

“Not good,” Eve clipped.

“Define not good.”

“Well just after we broke up, I went back to the mansion to get this fake brooch that Julian won for me at a carnival booth. However, as I was getting it, Julian comes into the room and accuses him of stealing it and calls me a gold digger again.”

“How can Julian call you a gold digger?” Grace clipped. “You’re not even materialistic, and you make a very generous salary as a doctor.”

“I know, that’s one of the things that puzzles me too. In the entire time that we were together, recently and in the past, I never took a dime from him. Even when he bought me gifts like when he took me to Rodeo drive, it was his idea. I was touched but I told him not to spend so much money on me but he insisted. And even then it wasn’t the gifts that mattered to me, it was that he gave them to me. And you know what else? He didn’t even remember winning the brooch for him, and he had won it for him only six months beforehand. Not to mention he always remembers everything about us as a couple, just like I do.”

“You said that he accused you of stealing the brooch. But if it was a fake one wouldn’t someone with his upbringing be able to tell a fake one from a real one a mile away?”

“Yes, and that’s another thing I can’t figure out either.”

“What happened to the brooch?”

“I threw it on the floor and stepped on it with my foot and then stormed out. Then the next time I saw him was the night that Kay told everything about Ivy hiring David to break up you and Sam.”

“What happened?”

“I had just heard about the truth coming out and I went to the blue note where Ivy was and asked her what happened. While we were talking about it, Julian overhears and chews me out about what I did and goes on about what a hypocrite I am. Then he said how I talked about how I once said I didn’t want to spend my life with someone like him, and that now the shoe was on the other foot, that he didn’t want to spend another minute with someone as malevolent as me, and then he said to me, ‘God help that stroked-out, crippled husband of yours. Let's just hope he gets his health back so he can make his escape from you.’”

“Okay,” Grace said firmly, feeling angry at Julian for berating her best friend. “You tell him that I said he has absolutely no right to give you a hard time, especially since you were so understanding and forgiving of his past sins. Then you tell him if he doesn’t shape up and keeps treating you this way he’s going to be answering to me.”

“Thank you,” said Eve.

“I’m serious. So when was the next time you saw him?”

“At thanksgiving, only this I was in the wrong and the fight was all my fault.”

“What happened?”

“I was feeding TC his dinner, and I heard something outside and I went to go see what the noise was and it was Julian outside. He said that he couldn’t believe that I would rather be spoon feeding TC his dinner than being with him at the mansion and I told him yes that would rather be with a man who accepts me than who runs my life like they own me. Then he asked me if I was saying that he treated me like a slave and I said how he always wanted me to be at his beckon all to do whatever he wanted to do whenever he wanted to do it, and that yes he treated me like a slave, and I told him thank god I was free at last. And then Julian said that he never wanted to be my master, he wanted to be my equal, and how could I cast that aside for a man who threw me out when he found out I wasn’t perfect. I said that I hurt TC by lying to him and that it was him putting me up on a pedestal that had made it so difficult to come to terms with what I had done, but now he had come around.”

“Oh honey,” Grace said in horrified disbelief. “Don’t you ever say or think that about TC again.”

“Don’t worry I won’t,” Eve replied. After what TC did, she knew she could not have been more wrong about what she had said to Julian about TC that night.

“What happened after that?”

“Julian said that I was staying with TC out of guilt and how can I stay with TC being angry, unforgiving, and judgemental? And then I said to him, ‘And you’re not?’ And then said to me I could stay there wiping TC’s droll and he didn’t give a damn.”

“Look you lost your temper,” Grace gently reassured. “We all do. Don’t forget he’s put you through a lot lately.”

“Still it was wrong. The bottom line is that was completely untrue and unfounded and no matter what he did he didn’t deserve that.”

“So when was the next time you saw him?”

“Two weeks ago, and that was the last time I saw him. I was concerned about Fancy and Sheridan pining for Luis and I expressed my concern to Julian, and he brushed me off and told me how much I hurt him, and how he didn’t care that he lost me. I tried to tell him that I knew he was hurt, but I couldn’t be disloyal to TC and then he left. Then you called me and of course you know what happened.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry about my timing,” Grace said as she realized what it must have been like for Eve dealing with Julian and then Grace’s tirade at the same time.

“Don’t worry about it,” Eve reassured. Eve didn’t blame Grace one bit.

“Well after I got off the phone with you, Julian appeared to me again this time drunk and he attacked me.”

“He attacked you!!??” Grace exclaimed with horror.

Eve relayed the whole incident to Grace.

“Well, I don’t care if TC had a stroke or not,” Grace said when Eve was finished. “He deserves that and worse for what he did to you.”

“I know,” Eve agreed. “Now that I look back, I can see that I may have overreacted.”

“Look, Eve,” said Grace. “I don’t care about Julian hitting TC, but as for Julian, are you sure you want to be with a guy who tried to force himself on you like that?”

“That’s another thing that doesn’t make any sense. Julian’s never tried to rape anyone, not even when he was the Old Julian. Remember he didn’t even rape Theresa back in Bermuda. Even when Liz made Julian think that he raped her all those years ago I didn’t even completely believed it. Plus I know how affected Julian was when he found out that Alistair raped his mother Katherine. Not to mention I remember when Theresa married Alistair last year, how disgusted Julian was when he found out Alistair was raping Theresa. Rape is just not in Julian’s nature.”

“Okay let’s just say for argument's sake that this new kinder Julian was all an act, have you considered that?”

“When Julian first started to regress, I couldn’t believe it, but somehow the thought of the New Julian being a lie seemed to be the only explanation. However, the whole time I had this feeling in my gut telling me that there was something seriously wrong with him and it wasn’t that he regressed and over time it’s just grown stronger and stronger. I mean three years ago when Liz first came to Harmony and she was blackmailing me and Julian started to change, he had absolutely no shot of getting me back at the time. And he made sacrifices for me when he had everything to lose and nothing to gain, including me. I know what we had together Grace, and they weren’t lies.”

“Have you tried talking to Marlena about this? I mean she’s a psychiatrist, maybe she might be able to shed some light on the situation.”

“I did. I gave Marlena, Julian’s complete psychological history.”

“What did she say?”

“She said that Alistair’s abuse caused Julian to adopt Alistair’s values and led him to make the decisions he made in the past, but that when he was on the road with Timmy the time Julian spent with Timmy and the time away from Alistair helped him to begin to become his own man and along with his love for me. As for Julian’s regression, she says it doesn’t add up. She said that Julian feeling jealous and uncomfortable about me taking care of TC after his accident was normal, but not for him to regress. Also she said Julian emulated Alistair at this point doesn’t make sense either.”

“How so?”

“Psychologically, when a child abuse victim realizes that his or her abuser was wrong to abuse them, the victim doesn’t start to emulate their abuser. Julian had stood up to Alistair and realized that Alistair was wrong to abuse him.”

“Yeah I’ll even admit that sounds strange,” Grace agreed. “Have you tried talking to Julian about this?”

“How can I, with the way things have been between us? Besides after what I did to Julian I wouldn’t blame him if he never wanted to speak to me ever again.”

“Don’t forget he had a part in this too. He’s just as much to blame for this if not more.”

“I know, but that doesn’t make what I did any less wrong. I guess a part of me is scared to talk to him too. I mean the last time I wanted to work things out with Julian, I found him having sex with Valerie.”

“I still can’t believe you slept with Julian after that.”

“What can I say, he’s a good kisser,” quipped Eve

“Still I hope you got a STD test afterwards, because from what I hear Valerie's slept around.”

“I did and I tested negative,” answered Eve. It was true. A few days after she broke up with Julian she had an STD test performed on her. As grateful as she was to find out the test was negative, it seemed trivial to her compared to losing Julian.

“Thank God,” said Grace.

“Although,” said Eve, “when I was having sex with Julian, it wasn’t that great.”

“Well Honey, you did just see him sleeping with his secretary.”

“It wasn’t that, something about it just felt different. I can’t put my finger on it.”

Grace sat down at the table next to Eve and looked at Eve. “You know what I think. I think you should fight for Julian.”

“You do?” Eve was surprised at this. Grace had hated the Cranes for years.

“One thing that I always regretted when Ivy tried to break me and Sam up was that I didn’t fight harder for him.”

“But-” Eve said.

Grace put her hand up in front of her, “It doesn’t matter what anybody did or didn’t do. The bottom line is that I should have fought harder for him. And the reason I didn’t was because I felt obligated to David, the same way you felt obligated to TC. However, I learned that a relationship that isn’t based on love, simply doesn’t work. And I think if you believe that Julian is in some sort of trouble you need to find out what it is. Don’t let love go.”

“But what am I supposed to do?” Eve said. “Go up to him and say, ‘I’m sorry I betrayed you when I went back to TC. I had no right to do that to you. I’m still angry at you for what you did, and by the way I think you might have a neurological condition!?’”

“Well I know things have been awkward between the two of you, but if he has a neurological condition, isn’t early detection important?”

“I guess so,” Eve admitted.

“Look, I'll help you think of a good way to approach him.”

“Thank you Honey,” Eve said smiling. “I appreciate that.”

Eve and Grace hugged and then Eve went off to work.

Preview: Next chapter TC’s secret is revealed.




Chapter Twenty-Four

Back at the police station, Sam and Luis had set up a wiretap. That morning Sam had the idea of getting permission from the D.A. to wiretap Spike’s cell phone, thinking he could find some dirt on him so Sam could arrest him. Sam and Luis were now sitting in one of the back rooms of the station, at a table across from each other with a wiretap machine sitting right in the middle of the table; waiting for Spike to receive some calls. It had been two hours and they still hadn’t found anything incriminating yet.

“Well I’ve got to hand it to you,” Luis said to Sam. “That was a good idea of you getting permission from the D.A. to wiretap Spike.”

“Yeah, the idea just came over me this morning. I was surprised the D.A. had agreed to it so quickly.” It was true. That morning the idea of wiretapping Spike had come on Sam like a bolt of lightning. Sam didn’t have to convince the D.A. The office just agreed right away.

“You got lucky,” said Luis. “I definitely want to bring Spike down too for helping Alistair and Beth keep Marty from me and Sheridan.”

“I don’t blame you, I would too.” Sam grit his teeth as he felt his anger towards Spike come over him. He thought about all the horrible things Spike had done to him, Jessica, and his family. For over a year, Spike had made his life miserable, and Sam just couldn’t take it anymore. “I’m telling you,” Sam said as he shook his head and grimaced with anger. “I can’t wait to bring Spike to his knees.” He banged his fist on the desk. “When I think of everything he’s done to Jessica and everyone else it just makes my blood boil.”

“I know,” Luis agreed. Luis’s heart went out to Sam knowing all the turmoil Spike had put the Bennett’s through. He looked at Sam sympathetically and said, “I don’t know how you’ve put up with Spike all this time.”

“It hasn’t been easy, that’s for sure. To be honest, I think Spike is holding something over Jessica to have her stay married to him.” Sam knew that since earlier that year, Jessica had begun to see Spike for who he really was. She hated Spike now and still she married him even though she hated him and hated being married to him. It didn’t make sense to Sam that Jessica would willingly stay with Spike.

“Do you know what it is?” Luis asked curiously.

“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out. I just want him out of hers and my life forever.”

“Amen to that.”

Just then some noise came on in the wiretap.

“Look, someone’s calling Spike’s phone,” Sam said.

Sam and Luis looked at the wiretap machine and began to listen intently.

Spike: Hello.

Alistair: Spike, it’s Alistair Crane. How’s it going?’

“Alistair!” Sam and Luis exclaimed at the same time. They both looked up at each other in shock. Alistair was supposed to be dead.

Spike: It’s going great Boss, but it’s cold out here today, bbrrr.

Alistair: Never mind the weather report. How’s it going with the plan?

Spike: Everything’s going great. Everything totally thinks that Mitch Wagner is Julian. I still can’t believe you kidnapped Julian five months ago and replaced him with an imposter. That latex mask he’s been wearing has really worked.

“What!!??” Luis exclaimed as his eyes widened.

Alistair: Well I had to. Rebecca had granted Julian a divorce, and my current leverage for keeping Julian and Eve apart was gone.

Spike: I still can’t believe you got TC Russell to team up with you in kidnapping Julian.

Sam’s jaw dropped as soon as he heard this about his best friend.

Alistair: Sure, it was easy. All I had to do, after his car accident, was convince him that I would help him get back together with Eve. Then I just rubbed into TC, all the things Julian had done to him. TC was more than happy to have Julian kidnapped.

Spike: Well getting the coach to fake his stroke was brilliant man.

Sam and Luis looked at each other in shock, not knowing what to think.

Alistair: Sure, TC and I both knew that Eve would play right into our hands if we played on her guilt for lying to TC when they were married. And with the good lady doctor thinking Wagner is Julian who has regressed, there’s no way she’ll ever look at Julian again.

“No way, this isn’t happening,” Sam said as he shook his head back and forth vigorously. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing about TC.

Alistair: And with me faking my death back in Rome, no one will ever think I was behind it. Now what’s the scope of that situation, Eve left TC a week ago. Is she back with him yet?

Spike: No, the coach won’t tell me why she left and ain’t no one else knows either.

Alistair: I know why she left.

Spike: Yeah what happened?

Alistair: I’m not telling you. You just tell TC to get Eve back with him and make sure you tell Wagner to keep repelling Eve whenever he can.

Spike: Got it. Alistair: Now what’s the situation on Sheridan.

Spike: Well Sheridan still loves Luis, but she ain’t gonna leave Chris. Too bad she don’t know that you paid Chris to fall in love with her and that he’s not James' father.

Luis’s jaw dropped when heard this. He knew Chris was up to something but he didn’t think that Chris would sink so low as to pretend that James wasn’t his child. Even though Luis now had the dirt he needed on Chris, it made him sick to know how Alistair and Chris had teamed up to keep him apart from Sheridan.

Sam gave Luis a long look.

Alistair: Well I couldn’t have Sheridan be with Luis, and what better was to punish my daughter than to have her be forced to stay married to a man she doesn’t love. Are you still blackmailing Chris to embezzle money from Crane?

“Oh my God!” Luis said as he hung his head in distress.

Spike: Yup, and I’m still forwarding it to you.

Alistair: Good. Now make sure you check in with Chris and TC. And tell TC to get Eve back with him. Both of my brats with Katherine, have always married beneath their class, and I won’t let them get away with betraying me and I’ll do whatever I have to do to keep Luis and Sheridan and Eve and Julian apart.

Spike: Got it.

Just then Sam and Luis heard Spike dial the phone to call someone else.

Chris: Hello.

Spike: Hey yo Chris, it’s Spike.

Chris: What do you want?

Spike: How about that money you were going to embezzle for me?

Chris: It’s coming all right. I have to be careful. I have an audit coming next month.

Spike: Well get it to me soon, or I’ll tell Sheridan the truth about you.

Chris: All right. All right.

Spike hung up the phone and dialed another number.

TC: Hello.

Spike: Hey coach, it's Spikeman.

TC: What do you want?

Spike: Hey don’t get testy with me or I’ll tell Eve that you kidnapped Julian and faked your stroke.

TC: You can’t without incriminating yourself. If I go down I’m taking you down with me.

Spike: All right, don't have a cow. I just got off the phone with old man Crane. He wants you to get the lady doctor back.

TC: I’m trying but I don’t know where she is. She changed all of her numbers and even told security at the hospital not to let me inside.

Spike: Well do something man. Send her some flowers.

TC: Oh I’m going to take romance advice from you!?

Spike: Look, don't shoot the messenger. I’m just telling you what the boss said.

TC: All right, all right. You just make sure that no one knows that Julian has been kidnapped and that I was behind it. And ask Alistair when I can stop with this stroke act.

Spike: Okay.

Chapter Twenty-Five

With that Spike hung up the phone. Sam immediately shot up from his chair like a bolt of lightning. “I don’t believe this,” he said, as he slammed the palm of his hand on the table. Then he folded his arms across his chest as he shook his head in disbelief.

Luis immediately took action. He stood up and dialed the courtesy phone that was also on the table. “Hi, this is Lopez-Fitzgerald,” he said in a no nonsense voice. “I need phone records for both Christopher Booth and T.C. Russell. I need to see if either of them received any incoming messages in the past few minutes. And get ballistics in here and ask them to bring the device to see if a recording was dubbed in here. I need to see if a wiretap was dubbed. Now!”

Someone from ballistics brought in the device to see if the wiretap was dubbed. After Sam and Luis played the wiretap again with the device, the results showed that the voices or what was said hadn’t been dubbed. Then an officer brought in the results of the phone records and handed it to Sam.

“Here you go Chief,” the officer said.

“Thanks officer,” Sam replied. Sam looked at the report and then looked up at Luis with a distressed look in his eyes. “It’s true,” he said.

“Oh God,” Luis said in a low voice.

“Dammit,” Sam said as he slammed his hand on the table again. As cops, Sam and Luis were taught that anything is possible when it comes to people committing crime, but nothing in the police academy could ever have prepared them for this.

“I knew that Chris was up to no good,” Luis said. “I knew it.”

“My God,” Sam said, shaking his head. “I can’t believe Alistair faked his death in Rome.”

“Well this is Harmony,” Luis pointed out. “It makes sense to me, especially with Julian. Alistair never wanted Eve and Julian together. He forced them to break up all those years ago, and then stole their child just like he did with Marty. Then they get back together two years ago and Alistair tells them Chad was their son to keep them apart, but that didn’t work. However, Rebecca was determined not to let Julian go, so Alistair didn’t have to do anything to keep them apart then because Rebecca was doing it for him. Then when Eve and Julian were going to leave the country last year, Alistair called the authorities to keep them from leaving. Then Rebecca finally grants Julian the divorce last summer and Alistair doesn’t have Rebecca as bait anymore to keep Eve and Julian apart. So Alistair has to come up with a new plan. I mean Rebecca granting Julian the divorce, Alistair dying, TC having a stroke, and Julian regressing all at the same time does seem more than a coincidence to me.”

“Yeah,” Sam nodded in agreement. “I know that everyone has said since Julian regressed that he was only pretending to change so he could get back with Eve. But this wasn’t the first time something or someone was standing in his way of being with Eve. Three years ago, Julian had no chance whatsoever of getting back with Eve and he was willing to do whatever it took for Eve to be happy, even if it meant she stayed with TC.”

“Yeah, when Julian was helping me rescue Sheridan from the psych ward, he was telling me about his love for Eve. I didn’t know it was Eve at the time, but he said the same thing to me about not interfering with their marriage. And don’t forget before Eve’s trial when TC wanted Eve back, Julian didn’t regress then.”

“That’s true,” Sam clipped. “Eve told me that night that she had said she was going to go back to TC, Julian was at the Seascape drinking and feeling depressed over losing Eve. Eve went to talk to him and he was saying how it seemed easier for him to go back to the way he was before, but if this improved Julian was all an act, why didn’t he regress right then?”

“Exactly,” Luis replied. “I mean let’s face it, it’s obvious Julian’s never had very good self-esteem no matter how arrogant he acted in the past, and lately.”

“Eve wasn’t even planning on breaking up with Julian until he regressed,” Sam pointed out. “I mean I can understand how Julian would feel uncomfortable about Eve spending all of her time nursing TC, but him regressing like that seems a little extreme.”

“I know. If I were in his situation, I would think that if I acted the way he did, I might as well kiss the relationship good-bye. It was almost like he was deliberately sabotaging himself.”

“And if this new Julian has all been an act,” said Sam. “I would think he would keep up with the act than let Eve know the truth and risk losing her. I know that ever since Julian regressed that he has been emulating Alistair. Alistair abused Julian, all of his life. And we both know that he eventually was able to stand up to Alistair and saw what Alistair did to him was wrong. As a cop, I know that once a child abuse victim realizes what their abuser did to them was wrong, they don’t start emulating them.”

“Also, Sheridan told me that when Julian was growing up he was a good person, and it was after Katherine left and Julian lost Eve that he became the old Julian,” said Luis. “Mama even told me a few days ago that she and Papa both remembered the same thing about Julian when they were working at the mansion. And don’t forget when Julian was the old Julian, he was Alistair’s puppet. Whatever Julian did, it was because he received orders from Alistair or because Rebecca persuaded him to do something. And now Alistair’s dead and he’s acting worse than he was when he was the old Julian. That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Yeah, this current Julian definitely doesn’t add up,” Sam agreed. “But TC, he's my best friend.” Sam had a heartbroken look in his eyes. “I know he hates Julian but it’s so hard to believe that he would kidnap Julian and fake his stroke just to get Eve back.”

“I know,” said Luis. He felt bad for Sam knowing that his best friend since childhood could do something so despicable. “I can’t believe it either, but he’s always hated Julian and he wanted Eve back, and we can’t ignore the evidence.”

“I know,” Sam nodded as he felt tears come into his eyes. Sam didn’t want to believe that TC did this, but he knew it was true. Sam also knew he was only to be unable to defend TC or get him out of this mess. TC was like a brother to Sam, and for TC to commit a crime of this nature, made Sam feel like a member of his own family had committed the crime. Sam threw his hands up in the air. “How could TC do this?” he yelled. “What would possess him to do something so stupid? Did he actually think he could get away with this?”

“I don’t know Sam,” Luis said sympathetically. “But I am sorry. I know how hard this must be for you right now.”

“I’m not even going to be able to defend him. There isn’t anything I can do to get him out of this.” Then Sam raised his voice again. “Did he even think about what that would feel like for me if he got caught?”

“He was being selfish,” answered Luis. “He didn’t think about what faking his stroke and kidnapping Julian, and replacing him with an imposter would do to people.”

“No, he didn’t,” Sam said in a low voice. “I’ll tell you one thing, I’m going to kick his ass for this.”

“There is one thing I was wondering about,” said Luis. “Eve moved out from TC last week. Do you think she knows anything about this?”

“I don’t think so. TC’s may be my best friend, but I know that Eve went back to him out of guilt. Eve loves and adores Julian, and if she had known, she would have said something to someone.”

“Did TC tell you why she left?”

“No,” Sam shook his head. “He was really evasive about it. He just said that Eve left last week with no warning or note and changed all of her phone numbers and told security at the hospital not to let him in.”

“That doesn’t sound like Eve,” said Luis. Luis knew that as a doctor Eve had to let people know where she was in case of an emergency. Not to mention he thought TC had had a stroke, and if she was taking care of him, it wouldn’t make sense that she would leave him with notice, if she thought he was sick. “I did talk to Mama last night and she said that she ran into Eve last night and Eve was limping because she said she threw her back out.”

Sam knew that Eve and Grace were adamant that no one knew where Eve was, but now this was a police investigation and he had to let Luis know what he knew. “Listen,” Sam said to Luis, “there is something you I should tell you but you can’t tell anyone. It’s strictly police business.”

“Okay,” Luis agreed.

“Eve’s been staying at our house this past week.”

“What? I didn’t think you and Grace were even speaking to her.”

“We weren’t but we decided to forgive her after we realized the position Ivy put her in. I was able to find out the hotel she was staying at through her credit card, and when I did Grace went to go see her and they talked things out. Grace invited Eve to stay in the garage apartment until Eve found a more permanent place to stay. However, Eve and Grace were adamant that TC, not know where Eve was. They even told me and the kids not to bring TC by the house and not to let anyone know where Eve was, under any circumstances. When I asked Grace about it, she said she couldn’t tell me because she didn’t want to betray Eve’s confidence, but I just had to trust her on this one, so I didn’t tell anyone. And she’s also been limping this past week and told us the same story about her back."

“You don’t think Eve and Grace knew anything about this?”

“No, Eve loves Julian. I’ve known her for years, she may not show it but I can tell she misses Julian and wants him back.”

“Yeah, I’ve known Eve for years too,” said Luis, “and I never saw her look at TC the way she looked at Julian.”

“You know what this means?” said Sam. “Julian was kidnapped five months ago, and we don’t know where the hell he is. And it’s going to be that much harder finding him because we weren’t able to catch this earlier.”

“I know,” Luis said, having the same feelings that Sam was.

“Look,” Sam said in a no nonsense voice. “We need to get everybody involved here right away. I need you to call Eve, Sheridan, TC, Chris, This Mitch Wagner guy, and Katherine.”

“Katherine? Why, Katherine?”

“She’s about to find out her son has been kidnapped, I think it’s better that she hears about it from us and not on the news.”

“All right,” Luis agreed. Katherine wasn’t one of Luis’s favorite people, but right now he couldn’t help but feel bad for her, as she was about to get the worst news of her life. Luis knew better than anyone how painful it was to have your child kidnapped.

“Whatever you do,” Sam instructed, “don’t tell any of them about the wiretap. Just tell them that we need them to come in right away. And while you’re out there tell Fancy to come back here so I can tell her about what happened. Also call the D.A. and get a search warrant to search Wagner’s face for a latex mask.”

“All right,” said Luis.

Luis left the room and Sam just paced the floor trying to think of a way to break the news to Fancy. He wasn’t sure how close she was with her father, but either way this was going devastating for her, the Cranes, Eve, and Whitney and Simone.

Just then, Fancy came into the room in her police uniform. She had just graduated from the police academy the day before and was now officially a cop. “You wanted to see me Sam?” she asked.

Sam walked toward Fancy and put his hands gently on her shoulders and looked kindly into her eyes. “Fancy, I want you to be strong now.”

“Why what’s the matter?” she asked.

“Luis and I wiretapped Spike this morning and we found out that your father was kidnapped five months ago.”

“What!!!???” she exclaimed. “How could my father have been kidnapped five months ago? He’s been here all this time.”

“Well just listen,” Sam played the wiretap again for Fancy.

After Fancy was done listening to the tape, she just stood there with her body trembling in fear. Her face had now turned red. “No, no, that’s impossible,” she cried. “Grandfather died last summer in Rome.”

“Well it looks like he faked his death,” said Sam.

“The tape’s a fake,” Fancy yelled. She wasn’t going to believe that her father had been kidnapped. “Someone could have dubbed it to play a cruel joke.”

“We checked,” said Sam gently. “The tape wasn’t dubbed and we even checked TC and Chris’s phone records and they show that Spike called him during the wiretap.”

“That doesn’t mean Daddy was kidnapped,” Fancy said, trying to convince Sam that her father was fine. “I mean I know he was upset about Eve and that he regressed but” as soon as Fancy said those words she knew in her heart and her head, and as a cop and a daughter that what Sam was telling her was true.

“Oh my God, Oh my god!” Fancy shrieked as she burst into tears. Her knees buckled and she began to sink to the floor. Sam caught her before she could land on the floor. He held her as she sobbed violently in his arms.

Fancy couldn’t believe this was happening. At that moment, she felt her whole world fall apart knowing her father had been kidnapped. Fancy knew she hadn’t been close with her father when she was growing up, but he was still her father and she loved him. Ever since Fancy had come back to Harmony, Julian had changed for the better and she was looking forward to having a better relationship with him. Last summer before Julian was kidnapped, he had apologized to Fancy for not being a better father and they talked about having a closer relationship. However, knowing that her father was out there kidnapped was enough to break her heart. Whatever upset she had experience over how her father used to be was now gone. Now that her father had been kidnapped the only thing that mattered to Fancy was that Julian was her father and that they loved each other.

Fancy looked at Sam and said through her sobs “This can’t be happening. He’s my father. He can’t be gone.”

“I know Fancy,” Sam coaxed gently as he wiped the tears from her eyes. “I am so sorry. I want you to know that we are going to do everything we can to bring him home. Now I’ve called Eve, Sheridan, TC, Chris, This Mitch Wagner guy, and Katherine to come in and we’re going to get to the bottom of this.”

“Oh my God, Eve and my grandmother are going to be so devastated.”

“I know.”

“I’m going to kill TC,” she said angrily. “I’m going to make him pay for this.”

“I know. I want you to know how sorry I am for what my best friend did to your father.”

“It’s okay, it’s not your fault.” Fancy took a tissue from her pants pocket to dry her eyes. “All these years, I thought Grandfather was a sweetie pie, and that he loved me.” Then Fancy started to yell again. “But he was the reason Daddy was never there for me and my brothers and Pretty while we were growing up. And now Grandfather has taken Daddy from me again.”

“I am so sorry.” Sam’s heart broke for Fancy as he saw her going through all of this pain.

“Listen Sam,” she said, “I want to be put on this case.”

“Fancy, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he said.

“He’s my father,” she cried.

“Exactly,” stated Sam. “Which is why I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Sam,” Fancy said firmly as she folded her arms across her chest. “I’m a cop. I was trained to be objective. A cop is supposed to rescue people from danger and my father’s life is too important.”

Sam knew Fancy was serious and it would be pointless arguing with her on this one. “All right,” he said. “But if at any time you can’t handle it, I’m taking you off the case.”

“I can handle it,” Fancy said with confidence and then she began to cry again.


Chapter Twenty-Six

(Note to readers: Paloma in this story is played by Silvana Arias)

Over the next ten minutes, Luis phoned Eve, Sheridan, TC, Chris, Mitch Wagner, and Katherine. He didn’t tell any of them what was going on, just that they needed to come down to the police station immediately. Luis was lucky that he was able to reach all of them right away and that they all agreed to come in. Sam gave orders to Luis not to tell any of the other police officers on the force yet, except for Paloma, about Julian being kidnapped. Sam would make a public announcement after they confronted TC, Wagner, and Chris.

Twenty minutes later, Eve walked into the police station and saw Katherine, Sheridan and Chris standing around in the front area of the police station. Katherine was standing in front of Luis’s desk, and Chris and Sheridan were standing on the left side of Sam's desk adjacent to the door that led to the back of the station.

“Eve,” Katherine said as soon as she saw Eve.

“Katherine, hi,” Eve smiled at Katherine and went back to her and they gave each other a hug. “It’s so good to see you again.”

“You too.” Katherine loved Eve. Eve was everything and more than she could have wanted for a woman for Julian. She was kind, loving, beautiful, smart, and so much more. Katherine didn’t think any less of Eve because of her past or mistakes that she made. As far as Katherine was concerned, people make mistakes and she admired Eve for overcoming everything she had in her life. Katherine thought that Eve’s family were wrong to treat her the way they did when her past came out.

“How have you been?” Eve asked Katherine after they hugged.

“I’m good, how are you?”

“Okay.” Eve didn’t have the heart to tell Katherine how she really felt, heartbroken and lost without Julian. Katherine was another loss for Eve. Eve liked Katherine and had been looking forward to having Katherine as her mother-in-law. Katherine had been wonderful to her and to Julian ever since she came back to Harmony. She was very supportive of their relationship, and she didn’t judge Eve for her past mistakes. Katherine had been kinder and better to Eve than even her own mother ever was. When Eve thought of Julian really being a good man, she could see that he took after Katherine not Alistair.

“I’m so sorry to hear about you and Julian,” Katherine said kindly to Eve.

“Thank you,” Eve said appreciatively.

Katherine could tell that Eve was trying to put on a brave face, but she could see that Eve still loved Julian and missed him and wanted him back. Katherine didn’t have any ill will against Eve for Julian and Eve’s break up. Katherine understood how Julian felt about Eve spending all of her time playing nursemaid to TC, but she didn’t believe that Eve was trying to hurt Julian for a second or that Eve had fallen back in love with TC. However, she had not been happy with her son’s behavior lately, and was at a loss to figure out how to help him.

“What are you doing here?” Katherine asked Eve.

“I received a call telling me to come down here,” Eve replied.

“So did we,” said Sheridan.

It seemed strange that Sam and Luis would call all of them down to the police station like that.

“Do you have any idea why we were all called down here?” asked Eve.

“I have no idea,” Chris answered.

“Listen Eve, are you all right?” Sheridan asked. “I saw that you were limping when you came in here.”

“Yeah I did too,” said Katherine.

“Yeah I’m fine, I just threw my back out the other day,” Eve said. Saying that was becoming second nature to her now.

Just then TC walked into the police station. He was still using his cane. Eve shuddered when she saw him. TC was the last person in the world that she wanted and needed to see right now. When TC saw her, he stopped dead in his tracks. He couldn’t believe after a week of looking for Eve, he had found her. However, the second he looked at Eve, she looked away from him. TC wanted to go up to Eve and talk to her, but given the fact that they were in a police station and Eve was standing with her would have been mother-in-law, he didn’t think it was the right time, especially given what had happened last week. He decided he would talk to her later and try to beg Eve for her forgiveness for beating her. TC was just glad that Julian was kidnapped because if he weren’t, Julian would try to sweep in pretending to be Eve’s hero and Eve would fall for his act again.

“TC, what are you doing here?” asked Sheridan.

“I was told to come down here,” TC answered.

“So did we,” replied Chris.

All of a sudden Eve felt annoyed with Sam. Sam knew that Eve didn’t want to see TC, so why on earth would he have TC come down to the station while she was there?

“Does anyone know what’s going on?” asked TC as he walked across the room to stand on the right side of Sam’s desk.

“No,” answered Chris. “We were all wondering the same thing.”

TC tried to look at Eve from across the room, but she couldn’t and wouldn’t look him in the eye. Katherine immediately could pick up on the tension between Eve and TC and wondered what was going on between them. Katherine had never liked TC. She thought he was an angry, mean, abusive man. He treated Eve like dirt, and he behaved like a school yard bully towards Julian. She also didn’t approve of the way he treated Simone now that she was a lesbian, and the way TC allowed Whitney and Simone to treat Eve when her past came out. Katherine especially hated the way TC would beat up and attack Julian. Katherine knew that Julian and TC had a long history of being enemies, and there was the car accident that ruined TC’s knee. While Katherine knew that Julian and Eve were wrong to drive drunk, she also knew that it was an accident and that neither Julian nor Eve meant for it to happen. As far as TC blaming Julian for breaking up his family, Katherine laughed at that. TC did that to himself, not Julian. Katherine just hoped that somehow Julian would come out of this regression, and that he and Eve would get back together and get married. Katherine knew Julian and Eve belonged together. They were perfect together and she would feel the same way if Julian weren’t her son.

~

In the back hallway of the police station, Luis was holding Fancy in his arms, comforting her as she sobbed into his shoulder. Sam was standing across from them waiting for word on the search warrant for Wagner and the arrest warrant for Chris, TC, and Wagner. As Sam looked at Fancy sobbing into Luis’s arms, his heart broke. He knew that pretty soon, Eve, Katherine, and the rest of Julian’s family would be just as distraught as Fancy was. As a cop, Sam had seen people’s grief over losing a loved one to a kidnapping, murder, etc. However, for Sam seeing it happened to people he knew and loved, was especially hard. Sam loved Eve like a sister, he had grown to love Fox and Fancy like they were his own children, and Sheridan was a close family friend; seeing their pain was not going to be easy for him.

Just then Paloma came back into the hallway and approached them very solemnly. Her eyes had a very sad and sympathetic look to them. She was still shocked to learn about Julian. She still couldn’t believe that this had happened, and that Alistair and TC could do something like this. Her heart broke for Julian, Eve, Fancy and the rest of the Cranes. She wished there was something she could do to take this all away from them. However, she was planning to join the task force for finding Julian and she would try to be there for Eve, Simone, Fancy, Sheridan, and the rest of their family. “The D.A. called,” she said as she approached them. “Their office agreed to the warrants, and everyone except for Wagner has arrived. I called Wagner on his cell phone and he should be here in a few minutes. I also cleared the rest of the officers out of the front area, so there’s just Eve, Sheridan, TC, Chris, and Katherine out front.”

“Thank you Paloma,” said Sam. Sam didn’t want to wait for Wagner. Wagner was on his way and Wagner being present while they questioned TC, might be too much for Eve and Katherine. “Okay, I think we can get started without Wagner.” Then Sam gently put his hand on Fancy’s shoulder. “Fancy, are you sure, you feel up to this Sweetheart? You know you don’t have to do this.”

Fancy broke away from Luis and dried her eyes. “Yes, I do,” she said, nodding. “He’s my father, I have to. I’ll be fine.”

“Okay,” said Sam.

“Fancy,” Paloma said sweetly. “I want you to know how I am so sorry about your father. And I want you to know I’m going to pray for him and you and your family, and I’m going to do everything I can here at the station to help find him.”

“Thank you Paloma,” Fancy smiled kindly back at Paloma through her tears. “I appreciate that.” Paloma and Fancy gave each other a heartfelt hug. Fancy was grateful to have a friend as wonderful as Paloma. Ever since Fancy and Paloma had joined the police academy, they had become really close friends. Paloma knew right now Fancy was going to need all of the love and support she could give her now that her father had been kidnapped.

After Fancy and Paloma hugged; Sam, Luis, Fancy, and Paloma all walked out solemnly to the front of the police station. No one said a word to each other knowing the gravity of the situation. Sam wondered how he was going to break this to Eve and Katherine. ‘How do you break this kind of news to anyone?’ As a cop, Sam had to break bad news all the time, but nothing like this. This wasn’t going to be easy.

“Well, I’m glad you’re all here,” said Sam when he, Luis, Fancy, and Paloma entered the room. Sam stood behind his desk and Luis stood at the left side of Sam’s desk, with Chris and Sheridan adjacent to him. Paloma stood in next to Sheridan.

As soon as Katherine saw Fancy, she saw that Fancy’s face had been tear stained and that her eyes were red from crying. “Fancy, you are all right?” Katherine asked with concern for her granddaughter.

“No, I’m not,” Fancy replied as she went to stand next to Katherine. Then she looked at Katherine and Eve. “Listen you two are going to have to brace yourselves.”

“Why, what’s going on?” asked Eve. Eve’s curiosity as to what was going on was growing now.

“This morning,” said Sam. “Luis and I did a wiretap on Spike’s cell phone, and we found out some information that you should all hear.” TC and Chris immediately began to look nervous knowing that they both had talked to Spike that morning. Sam picked up on their nervous looks and so did Luis. Sam and Luis both looked at each other in agreement, knowing that they would make a note of TC and Chris’s nervous looks when they made their official police report. Then Sam pushed the play button, and began to play the wiretap.

Spike: Hello.

Alistair: Spike, it’s Alistair Crane. How’s it going?’

Everyone gasped in shock as soon as they heard Alistair say his name, even TC. However, TC was shocked for a different reason than everyone else.

Spike: It’s going great Boss, but it’s cold out here today, bbrrr.

Alistair: Never mind the weather report. How’s it going with the plan?

Spike: Everything’s going great. Everyone totally thinks that Mitch Wagner is Julian.

Eve was confused. What was Spike talking about and who was Mitch Wagner?

Spike: I still can’t believe you kidnapped Julian five months ago and replaced him with an imposter. That latex mask he’s been wearing has really worked.

“What!!??” Katherine exclaimed in a low voice.

Eve gasped with shock as soon as she heard that sentence. For the past five months, Julian had regressed and now he supposedly was kidnapped and replaced with an imposter? ‘Could it be true?’ she wondered. She felt chills go up and down her spine.

‘Oh no,’ TC thought to himself. He knew he was in trouble now. However, he told himself to just stay calm and deny everything.

Alistair: Well I had to. Rebecca had granted Julian a divorce and my current leverage for keeping Julian and Eve apart was gone.

“No,” Eve gasped in disbelief. She felt her heart skip a beat as her body trembled even more. She didn’t want to believe any of this was true, but somehow what she was hearing made sense.

All of the color had now drained from Katherine and Sheridan’s faces.

Spike: I still can’t believe you got TC Russell to team up with you in kidnapping Julian.

Eve’s mouth dropped open.

‘Oh my God,’ TC thought to himself. ‘This is bad, this is so bad.’

Alistair: Sure, it was easy. All I had to do, after his car accident, was convince him that I would help him get back together with Eve. Then I just rubbed into TC, all the things Julian had done to him. TC was more than happy to have Julian kidnapped.

Spike: Well getting the coach to fake his stroke was brilliant man.

“No way,” Eve said under her breath. Eve shook her head in disbelief. She didn’t think there could be any more surprises on that tape, but she was wrong.

Alistair: Sure, TC and I both knew that Eve would play right into our hands if we played on her guilt for lying to TC when they were married. And with the good lady doctor thinking Wagner is Julian who has regressed, there’s no way she’ll ever look at Julian again.

Eve glared at TC in shock. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. At that moment Eve felt as though she had been knocked over with a brick. She didn’t know what to believe. Her gut was telling her that what she was hearing was true, but another voice was telling her that this tape could be a fake. Overall, she didn’t want it to be true, because then it meant that Julian had been kidnapped.

Katherine and Sheridan gave each other a long look, neither one of them knew what to believe either.

Alistair: And with me faking my death back in Rome, no one will ever think I was behind it. Now what’s the scope of the situation? Eve left TC a week ago. Is she back with him yet?

Spike: No, the coach won’t tell me why she left and ain’t no one else knows either.

Alistair: I know why she left.

Eve felt herself cringe.

Spike: Yeah what happened?

Alistair: I’m not telling you. You just tell TC to get Eve back with him and make sure you tell Wagner to keep repelling Eve whenever he can.

Spike: Got it.

TC was grateful that Alistair didn’t tell the truth about him beating Eve.

Alistair: Now what’s the situation on Sheridan.

Spike: Well Sheridan still loves Luis, but she ain’t gonna leave Chris. Too bad she don’t know that you paid Chris to fall in love with her and that he’s not James' father.

Sheridan looked at Chris in shock, and so did Katherine. Chris just stood there emotionless.

Alistair: Well I couldn’t have Sheridan be with Luis, and what better was to punish my daughter than to have her be forced to stay married to a man she doesn’t love. Are you still blackmailing Chris to embezzle money from Crane?

Spike: Yup, and I’m still forwarding it to you.

“Oh my god,” said Sheridan as she hung her head bewildered.

Alistair: Good. Now make sure you check in with Chris and TC. And tell TC to get Eve back with him. Both of my brats with Katherine, have always married beneath their class, and I won’t let them get away with betraying me and I’ll do whatever I have to do to keep Luis and Sheridan and Eve and Julian apart.

“Oh my God,” Katherine said, all choked up.

Spike: Got it. There was a dialing sound on the tape.

Chris: Hello.

Spike: Hey yo Chris, it’s Spike.

Chris: What do you want?

Spike: How about that money you were going to embezzle for me?

Chris: It’s coming all right. I have to be careful. I have an audit coming next month.

Spike: Well get it to me soon, or I’ll tell Sheridan the truth about you.

Chris: All right. All right.

Then there were more dialing sounds on the tape.

TC: Hello.

Spike: Hey coach, it’s the Spikeman.

‘I’m doomed,’ TC thought.

TC: What do you want?

Spike: Hey don’t get testy with me or I’ll tell Eve that you kidnapped Julian and faked your stroke.

TC: You can’t without incriminating yourself. If I go down I’m taking you down with me.

Spike: All right, don't have a cow. I just got off the phone with old man Crane. He wants you to get the lady doctor back.

TC: I’m trying but I don’t know where she is. She changed all of her numbers and even told security at the hospital not to let me inside.

Spike: Well do something man. Send her some flowers.

TC: Oh I’m going to take romance advice from you!?

Spike: Look, don't shoot the messenger. I’m just telling you what the boss said.

TC: All right, all right. You just make sure that no one knows that Julian has been kidnapped and that I was behind it. And ask Alistair when I can stop with this stroke act.

‘Please tell me this isn’t happening,’ Eve thought to herself.

Spike: Okay.

Chapter Twenty Seven

After they heard Spike hang up the phone and Sam turned off the tape. Eve, Katherine, and Sheridan all stood there in shock feeling completely dumbfounded. All three of them couldn’t believe what they just heard. They weren’t sure what to believe about what to believe about what was said on that tape. Was it real? Was Julian kidnapped and was Chris a fraud? Or was it some cruel joke or plot? None of them wanted to believe that Julian was kidnapped, but something was going on that wasn’t right. They were all suspicious now. TC and Chris just stood there trying to hide their true emotions.

“All right, Chris and TC,” said Sam. “I think you two have some explaining to do.”

“It’s a lie,” cried Chris pretending to be innocent. “Alistair never paid me to fall in love with Sheridan.”

“The tape says differently,” Luis clipped.

“Well the tape is probably a fake,” said Chris. “I never did any bidding for Alistair.”

“The tape is not a fake,” quipped Luis. “Sam and I checked it for ballistics and it hadn’t been dubbed in any way. Besides, we have phone records that show that Spike called both of you and TC, at the very same time of the wiretap.”

“You’re a cop Luis, you could have easily dubbed the tape and faked the records. This is just some plot of yours to get back together with Sheridan and you got Sam to go along with it.”

“Oh give it up Chris,” Luis snapped, feeling annoyed with Chris’s innocent act. “You’ve been caught.”

“T.C.’s my best friend,” Sam said to Chris. “Why would I try to bring T.C. down in order to help Luis get back together with Sheridan?”

“Sammy, you don’t actually think that I did that, do you?” TC said shocked.

“Did you?” Sam asked.

“No,” TC cried. “Sam, this is absolutely ridiculous. I did not fake my stroke or kidnap Julian.”

“TC, don’t lie to me,” Sam said firmly. Sam already knew that TC was guilty and he was upset enough about what TC had done.

“Are you exactly accusing me of this?” TC asked. His tone was defensive now.

“Hell yeah, I’m accusing you.” Sam still couldn’t believe that TC could stand there and lie to him in the face like that. “Everyone knows that you hate Julian.”

“Not to mention you threatened to kill him for years,” added Fancy.

“Sam,” TC said. “We’ve known each other our whole lives. You know I’m not capable of this.”

‘I didn’t think TC was capable of beating me, but he did,’ Eve thought to herself.

“Look,” said TC. “This is probably some scheme of Julian’s to manipulate Eve to get her back.”

“Oh please,” Katherine said as she rolled her eyes in disgust at what TC was talking about Julian. The mother lion in her wanted to sock him.

‘Julian’s never manipulated me before,’ Eve thought. ‘He’s manipulated other people in the past, but never me. And even then he did it because Alistair ordered him to.’ Eve knew if this were true it meant that Julian had been kidnapped and that he was probably in terrible danger. ‘Please don’t let this be true,’ Eve prayed to herself. ‘Let Julian have a brain tumor, let Julian have regressed for no reason, but please don’t let him be kidnapped.’

“Eve,” said Sam. “You moved out from TC last week. Did it have anything to do with this or did you have any idea about this?”

“No, absolutely not,” said Eve. “I knew nothing of this. I left TC for a completely different reason.”

“It’s okay, I believe you,” said Sam. Then Sam turned to TC, “TC, do you know why Eve left you?”

“It’s a long story,” TC said.

Eve scoffed and rolled her eyes at TC’s response. She couldn’t believe he could stand there and say that after what he did.

Then TC looked at Eve and said, “Come on Eve, don’t tell me you believe this.”

Eve was in no mood to talk to TC, after he beat her, so she looked at Sam and said flippantly, “Sam, tell your friend not to talk to me.”

“Why can’t you tell him yourself?” Sam asked. A trace of annoyance was in his tone. He thought this seemed like a ridiculous request.

“Because I’m not talking to him,” Eve said, gritting her teeth.

Sam turned to TC. “TC, why is Eve not speaking to you?”

TC shrugged his shoulders.

Sam realized now whatever happened to make Eve leave TC, last week was bigger than he realized before. Eve was very angry at TC, and so was Grace. TC had done something to make Eve extremely upset and whatever it was, it wasn’t minor. “What did you do TC?” Sam asked with suspicion.

“What are you talking about?” TC rolled his eyes.

“Well judging from Eve’s attitude,” Sam said. “It’s obvious that you did something to her to tick her off. Not to mention she left you last week with absolutely no word or notice and changed all of her phone numbers. And while I believe her when she says it wasn’t because of anything on this tape or these alleged accusations, it seems to me that you did something to make her really mad and I’m not talking about ‘forgetting to take out the trash,’ kind of mad.”

“Why don’t you mind your own business,” TC replied. TC knew that Sam was his best friend but he was annoyed that Sam was asking him personal questions in public.

“TC, I’m a cop. I'm trying to find out what’s going on here. What did you do? Have an affair?”

“Worse,” clipped Eve.

“Worse than an affair!!??” Sam asked her.

Eve nodded.

“Okay,” said Sam, summing up the situation. “The reason Eve left wasn’t because of anything on this tape and the reason she left was because TC did something that was worse than an affair.” Sam put up his hand waving off the situation. “You know what I don’t want to know anymore.”

“Thank you,” TC said sarcastically.

“But I will say this,” Sam said sternly. “There is something rotten in the state of Denmark. First Rebecca grants Julian a divorce, then TC has a car accident, then Alistair supposedly dies, then TC has a stroke, then Julian regresses, then Eve and Julian break up, then last week Eve leaves TC with absolutely no notice and doesn’t tell him where she is or where she’s going, and now this wiretap. I want to know what’s going on here.”

“So do I,” said Eve.

“What are you talking about?” asked Sam.

“For the past five months I have watched Julian; my fiance and the man that I love and adore regress,” explained Eve. “I know now that I had no right to treat Julian the way I did when I went back to TC after his accident. I never wanted to break up with Julian and I never stopped loving him. I never even fell back in love with TC. The only reason I went back to TC was because I felt guilty about his accident and for lying to him all those years, but that’s not an excuse for what I did to Julian.” Eve looked at Katherine, Sheridan, and Fancy. “I’m sorry,” she said to them. “I’m so sorry. I truly am.”

“It’s all right,” Katherine kindly assured. Katherine’s heart went out to Eve as she was saying this. She could see how much pain Eve was in. She gently rubbed Eve’s arm trying to comfort her.

“Yeah, Eve it’s okay,” Fancy added gently.

“Yeah, we understand,” Sheridan chimed in.

“However,” Eve continued. “Now I realize that my marriage to TC was not a good one. He treated me like dirt throughout our entire marriage and when we got divorce, and now I understand why I lied to him all those years. I also realize that Julian was right about TC. TC is an angry, self-centered, judgmental, unforgiving jerk; and that his accident last summer was not my fault.”

“I never said it was your fault,” TC said to her.

“She told you not to talk to her,” Fancy snapped at TC Fancy didn’t know what was going on with Eve and T.C., but she was sick and tired of TC trying to undermine her father’s relationship with Eve.

Eve gave Fancy an appreciative look for sticking up for her. “However,” Eve continued again. “In the process I betrayed Julian, and he regressed and I don’t know why, because I know him and I know with every fiber of my being knows that Julian really is a good man, and his behavior lately doesn’t make any sense, and I want to know why he regressed and what really happened to him.”

“So I do,” said Katherine.

“Me too,” said Sheridan.

“Me three,” said Fancy.

“Oh come on, I can’t believe you all actually believe this,” said TC.

Then Eve remembered the dream she had had about Julian the morning that TC had beat her. Alistair had created an evil Julian with the chalice and Julian was helpless to get away because he was bound and gagged by Alistair. Then there was the dream she had when they were making love and Julian told her, “I didn’t regress, they took me away.” Those dreams were trying to tell her that Julian had been kidnapped. Eve never told anyone about those dreams, not even Grace and Marlena, so there was no way anyone could have found out about them to play a trick on her. Then she remembered the brooch. ‘Julian didn’t remember it because that Julian never won it for me,’ she thought. All of a sudden Eve felt the oxygen being sucked out of the room. ‘This can’t be happening,’ she thought. ‘Julian can’t be gone.’

Just then Mitch Wagner came into the station still dressed as Julian. Luis immediately went up to him with the warrant. “Mitch Wagner, I have a warrant to search your face,” Luis said as he showed him the warrant.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Wagner asked. Then Luis peeled off the Julian mask and wig, exposing a balding middle aged man who wasn’t Julian.

“Oh my God!” Eve, Katherine, and Sheridan shrieked as soon as they saw Wagner.

“Hey what’s the big idea?” Wagner said.

“WHO ARE YOU?” Eve yelled at him.

“Well, I think I should let you know now, that I’m the guy who’s been pretending to be Julian these past five months,” his tone was sadistic and cold.

“No!” Katherine cried in horror, now knowing for sure that her son had been kidnapped.

Eve felt her heart sink. For the first time in five months the gut feeling she had been having about Julian had disappeared. She now knew and understood what that gut feeling had been telling her. “I’ve been dealing with you all this time?” Eve asked Wagner on the verge of tears herself.

“Yeah,” Wagner answered.

“Where’s Julian?” Eve sobbed.

“How the hell should I know? Alistair wouldn’t tell me or TC.”

“NOOO!!!” Eve screamed. She bursted into tears, buried her face in her hands and began to sob violently.

“Oh my God! Oh my God!” Katherine sobbed. Her knees buckled as Fancy caught her before Katherine could hit the floor. “My Baby, not my baby.”

Another cop came into the front of the station and read Wagner his rights, and took him to the back of the police station to book him as an accessory in the kidnapping of Julian Crane.

No one could deny it anymore. Julian had been kidnapped by Alistair and TC.


Chapter Twenty-Eight

Another cop came into the front of the station and read Wagner his rights, and took him to the back of the police station to book him as an accessory in the kidnapping of Julian Crane.

No one could deny it anymore. Julian had been kidnapped by Alistair and TC.

TC and Chris knew there was no way out for them now. They had been caught and there was nothing they could do to get out of it.

Eve, Katherine, Sheridan and Fancy were sobbing over Julian’s kidnapping. Eve felt like her heart had been ripped out from her. She had known something was wrong with Julian, but she had no idea it was something as terrible as him being kidnapped. Now it all made sense, the timing of the events of the past six months, Julian’s behavior and regression, everything. However, all this time Eve thought Julian had regressed, but instead he had been kidnapped and in terrible danger. It was all too horrible and too surreal.

“Are you happy now TC?” Fancy shouted through her tears. “How could you do this??!!” Her voice filled with anger.

Eve looked up at TC, with her face tear stained. When she saw TC she no longer recognized him. It was like she was looking at a stranger, an abuser, a kidnapper. As angry as Eve was at TC for faking his stroke, making her think that Julian had regressed and keeping them apart, and beating her; it didn’t even compare to the rage she felt at TC for kidnapping and hurting the man she loved. Julian had been kidnapped for five months and now was nowhere to be found, and was probably in terrible danger thanks to TC. She stared at TC with venom in her eyes. She was not going to let TC get away with doing this to the man she loved, no matter what she had to do.

“You bastard,” Eve snarled at TC through her sobs. The silent treatment was now over. She went right up to TC and slapped him across the face so hard that he almost lost his balance. Then she started attacking him by pounding her fists against his chest. “I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!” she cried.

Sam went over to Eve and pulled her off TC and held her back trying to restrain her. “Eve! Eve!” Sam said coolly as he moved her back away from TC back to where Eve was standing before.

“Where is he TC?” Eve screamed at him. “WHERE IS HE?” The tears continued to run down her face.

“I don’t know,” TC shouted. He felt helpless now that he was exposed. He was in big trouble and now not even Alistair could help him.

“The hell you don’t,” Katherine screamed at TC through sobs. “Where’s my son?”

“I don’t know all right!,” TC shouted again. “Alistair wouldn’t tell me.”

“Oh my God!!” Eve sobbed as her knees buckled and she started to fall to the floor. However Sam caught her before she could hit the floor. She continued to sob hysterically, as she realized the danger her beloved Julian was probably in. Never in a million years, did Eve ever imagine anything like this could ever happen to Julian. It was a nightmare she couldn’t wake up from.

As Katherine looked over at Eve, her heart went out to her, when saw how much pain Eve was in. It was the same pain Katherine was going through. Katherine went right over to Eve and took her from Sam into her arms to comfort her. “I know Darling, I know,” Katherine coaxed Eve as they hugged each other as they cried for Julian. Once Sam saw that Eve and Katherine were comforting each other, he went back to stand behind his desk.

Chris put his hand on Sheridan’s shoulder as she sobbed over Julian’s kidnapping. As angry as Sheridan was at Chris, it didn’t even compare to the pain she felt over her brother. “Sheridan,” Chris said gently to her.

“Don’t talk to me Chris,” Sheridan cried as she turned around and slapped Chris across the face. She looked at Chris in disbelief and shock about what he had done. She couldn’t believe how fooled she had been by him. “How could you do this to me?!”

“Sheridan, listen to me,” Chris said calmly. “It’s true that Alistair paid me to fall in love with you and that I never met Maureen, and I’m not James' biological father, but I really did fall in love with you and James.”

“And you think that’s supposed to make this okay?!” she asked. “Did you have anything to do with my brother’s kidnapping?”

“No, absolutely not! This is the first time I’m hearing about Julian.”

“Chris I swear if you’re lying about that,” Katherine threatened him as tears were still rushing down her face. She was still hugging Eve.

“I didn’t Katherine, honest. Look I’m sorry about Julian but I didn’t know anything about him being kidnapped until now.”

“And that’s supposed to make me forget about that you’ve lied to me since the day we met,” Sheridan quipped. Then she looked Chris straight in the eye and began shaking her finger at him. “You knew how much I had been hurt in the past and how much I love Luis and you didn’t care, just as long as you got what you wanted. And I got angry at Luis for Marty’s death, and I was so grateful to you thinking you were there to catch me when I fell. But Marty’s death wasn’t Luis’s fault. I can’t believe how I ranted about Luis hurting me when he believed Beth over me, when he is the one who truly loved me and was always there for me. You never caught me when I fell. You manipulated me. YOU ARE THE ONE WHO HURT ME, YOU BASTARD.”

Eve turned to Sheridan letting go of her hug from Katherine, and looked at Sheridan with empathy in her eyes. “I know exactly how you feel Sheridan.” she said.

Sheridan looked over at Eve and returned the same look to Eve, “Oh Eve,” Sheridan replied. Both of them had both been deceived by Alistair in an effort to be kept apart from the men they truly loved, Julian and Luis. Only in the process they were both deceived by the men they didn’t love, TC and Chris. Sheridan left Chris' side and went over to stand next to Eve. She wanted and needed to be with her family right now. Eve and Sheridan took each other's hands trying to comfort one another, both feeling grief stricken over Julian.

“Come on Sweetheart,” TC said to Eve. “You don’t mean that.”

Eve looked at TC with hatred in her eyes. She never thought she could hate TC with a passion, but she did now and would for the rest of her life. It wasn’t the kind of hatred someone feels because a lover scorned them, but the kind of hatred that someone feels when they feel at a kidnapper and a murderer when they kidnapped and murdered someone they love. Whatever love Eve felt towards TC was now dead. She felt absolutely nothing for him. She didn’t care anymore if she and TC had been married for twenty years and had two daughters. TC kidnapped Julian, the love of her life and her real husband, and that was enough for Eve to hate TC for life. “Don’t call me Sweetheart,” Eve snarled at TC as she felt more tears come down her cheeks and let go of Sheridan’s hand. “Don’t you ever call me anything but my name ever again. HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO JULIAN?”

TC knew that he was in hot water, but he hoped that maybe if Eve should still see how much he loved her, she might forgive him and come back to him. He still loved Eve and wanted to be with her more than anything. He had felt terrible all week for beating her and he so badly wanted to apologize to her and make things right between them. Maybe there still was a chance for him to be with Eve and work this out. He took a calm and loving tone and said, “I did it because I love you.”

Eve’s eyes popped out of her head. “You tell me what kind of a person, who loves a person, does what you did!” she accused in a demanding tone. She was shocked and outraged by TC’s response. How could he stand there after kidnapping Julian and be so cold and callous?

“I was desperate to get you back,” TC explained. “For months I felt like I died without you, and after my car accident I wasn’t sure I wanted to go on without you. Then Alistair came into my room at the hospital when you and Julian were out of the room, and told me he would help me get you back. I didn’t want to do it at first, but then I realized that there was no other way, because Julian would just manipulate you to stay with him. Julian’s a bum and I knew he would hurt you eventually, so I did what I had to do to protect you.”

Eve had her arms folded across her chest. “To protect me TC?!” Eve exclaimed in disbelief. “You call deliberately ruining my life and kidnapping the man I love protecting me!? I don’t think Julian’s the one I need protecting from!”

“Yes, you do,” TC said. “I know I’ve hurt you and I’m sorry. But Julian’s a bastard, who was just using you. You were blinded by him, when he used his money and his phony charm to woo you over. He’s an evil pig who doesn’t love anyone but himself.”

“Don’t you ever talk that way about Julian again!!,” she yelled at TC defending Julian. Eve wanted to strangle TC at that moment. She couldn’t believe TC could be so evil and so cruel. ““He is the most wonderful man I have ever known. And you know what? Your little plan didn’t work. I love Julian. I’ve loved him since the day we met, I loved him all the years we were apart, I loved him when we were together again, I loved him when I thought Wagner was him, I loved him when we broke up, and I still do, and I will love him even after I die.”

“Come on,” TC scoffed. “How can you still love him? Wagner, treated you like dirt.”

“Well that’s how strong my love is for Julian!” Eve was still shouting at TC. “I know him and I know who he really is inside, and he is a better man than you are any day. And as far your ‘protecting me,’ I am a grown woman. I can take care of myself. And you didn’t do it to protect me, you did it because you wanted to control me. You did it because you’re hateful and selfish. You did it because you wanted to get what you wanted and didn’t care who got caught hurt in the process.” Eve began to sob harder now. “I was miserable without Julian ever since we broke up and I know you knew that. You knew that he was being held hostage and suffering god knows where. And whatever your intentions were it doesn’t matter. YOU HURT JULIAN, YOU BASTARD!!!”

“Look,” TC said in a firm tone. “I know I was wrong to lie to you and I’m sorry, but what about how Julian hurt me? He ruined my tennis career, he got you addicted to drugs and alcohol, he caused my father to die of a broken heart, and he ruined our marriage.”

“Oh shut up TC,” Katherine yelled at TC. She was in full mother lion mode. She wanted TC’s blood for what he had done to her son. Her tone was angry and speedy now. “Julian never meant to ruin your tennis career. That was an accident. Eve and Julian both made some mistakes when they were younger, we all do. And Julian didn’t ruin your marriage to Eve, you did that to yourself when you threw Eve out when you found out she wasn’t perfect. And as far as your father is dying of a broken heart because of your tennis career, no decent parent dies over a broken heart because of their child’s lost career. They die of a broken heart because their child died or was taken from them.” Katherine pointed to herself “Like, I am right now.”

“Don’t you dare talk about my father, lady,” TC threatened, feeling angry at Katherine for disrespecting her dead father. “My father sacrificed everything for me, so I could be a big time tennis star and go to Wimbledon. It was his dream and his father’s before that. Then my knee got destroyed and my career was gone. My father’s dreams died with me. It killed him and that’s how he died of a broken heart.”

“How?” Katherine shouted back at TC through her tears. Her tone wasn’t speedy anymore, but it was angry and her devastation could be heard in her voice. “How would that kill him? You didn’t die. He should have been happy he had his son with him, and that his son was alive and safe.” Katherine’s tone became angry and speedy again. “My son isn’t with me! My son has been kidnapped and taken away from me and I don’t know where the hell he is! My son is being held captive as we speak and is probably being tortured. I’m his mother, do you know what that feels like?” Katherine pointed to herself again, and her tone became speedy again. “This is what it means for a parent to die of a broken heart. You took my child away from me and my heart is broken right now, thanks to you and your pathetic need for revenge.”

“Your son is a low life bastard Katherine,” TC said to her coldly. “Julian doesn’t count as people. He is nothing but a pathetic junkyard dog, who doesn’t deserve the space he takes up the planet. We’re all better off without him.”

“You monster!!” Eve yelled at TC.

Katherine's eyes were wild with rage now, “I’m going to rip your heart out!” she yelled as she started to lunge at. TC, but Fancy restrained her, holding her back. Katherine was seeing red right now. If she were a wild animal she would have devoured TC by now for what he did to her cub. “I’m going to make you pay for what you did to my son, TC!” she screamed at TC through her sobs. “I’m going to make you pay if it’s the last thing I do!”

“Oh he will, Grandmother,” Fancy said as she stared at TC with hatred. “He will.”

“You’re evil TC,” Sheridan cried.

Eve shook her head furiously in disgust. “I can’t believe you just said that!” she shouted at TC. Anger and rage filled her voice. “Have you no feelings at all?”

“Well it’s true,” TC clipped.

“No, Katherine is right,” she contradicted, putting her hands on her hips. “Julian and I made some mistakes when we were younger. But Julian never forced me to do drugs and alcohol. I made my own decisions, and you are the one who ruined our marriage, not Julian. You threw me out and treated me like dirt, all because I wasn’t perfect.”

“I know and I was wrong,” TC said, taking a guilty tone. “But I did take you back and things were good between the two of us these past five months.”

Eve rolled her eyes. “Right, right,” she said sarcastically. “You lied to me about having a stroke, you kidnapped the man that I love, you made me think he betrayed me, and you beat me.”

“Wait a minute!” Luis exclaimed as soon as he heard the last part of Eve’s sentence. “He beat you?!”

Eve realized that she had inadvertently let the cat out of the bag. However, she was so angry at TC, that she no longer cared if anybody knew. “Yeah, yeah, that’s right, TC beat me.” Eve said. “It was last week, that’s why I moved out and changed all my phone numbers. TC got upset with me about Simone being a lesbian and he started assaulting and attacking me.” Eve rolled up both of her sleeves to expose her bruised forearms. “You see this?” And then she took out a tissue from her purse and rubbed off the makeup from her cheeks, exposing part of her bruised face. “And this?” she said as she wiped off the make up. “This is all from him.”






Chapter Twenty-Nine

Everyone gasped in shock when they saw Eve’s bruises. They couldn’t believe it. None of them had ever thought TC would beat Eve. Now they understood what Eve meant when she said the reasons she left TC wasn’t because of anything on the tape and the reason she did leave was because TC had done something worse to her that was worse than an affair.

TC felt his heart stop. He was caught completely off guard by Eve's admission. He knew he was in even more trouble now.

Sam looked at TC. “My god TC!” Sam asked him with anger and shock in his voice. “Is this true?”

“Tell him TC,” Eve demanded. “Tell everyone how you hit me, punched, threw me to the floor where you kicked me and struck me with your cane repeatedly. And how I begged you to stop but you wouldn’t. TELL THEM!!”

TC didn’t say anything. He just looked at the floor not knowing what to say.

Sam angrily shook his head back and forth in disbelief. “I don’t believe this,” Sam was yelling in TC’s face now. “What the hell were you thinking?”

“I wasn’t. I lost my temper.” TC’s voice was barely audible now

“You lost your temper?!” Sam was shocked and disgusted by that answer. “You beat Eve and all you can say is you lost your temper?! From the looks of her bruises you did a little bit more than just losing your temper.”

“I know!” TC looked up at Sam with his eyes filled with guilt. “I was wrong. I didn’t mean to.”

“Don’t you dare give me that TC! There is no excuse for this. I don’t care if you lost your temper or not. She is the mother of your children for God sakes.”

“I know. I feel terrible about it.”

“You should feel terrible!” Sam shook his head in disbelief. “God, I cannot believe this. I have warned you about your temper for years TC, and now you beat a woman and the mother of your children of all people! How could you do this?!”

“I don’t know,” TC said as he hung his end in shame.

Katherine looked at Eve, her son’s lover and hopeful future daughter-in-law, standing next to her. “Oh my God! Are you all right?” Katherine asked Eve with concern as she put her arm around Eve.

“I’m fine, I’m just really banged up,” Eve answered, all choked up.

Sheridan’s mouth dropped open. “You mean you have more bruises than this?” she asked Eve.

“Oh yeah,” Eve nodded her head vigorously. “All over my body.”

“Oh my God!” Fancy said in a low voice as she thought about the horror TC had put Eve through when he attacked her. “Eve I am so sorry.”

Eve looked over at Fancy. “Thank you Honey,” Eve said warmly to Fancy and gave her an appreciative smile. Her eyes still filled with tears over Julian.

Sam looked over at Eve. “Why didn’t you say anything about this?” he asked her.

“I didn’t want Whitney and Simone to hate their father,” she answered.

“Is that how you hurt your back?”

“Yeah,” Eve answered. “The only other people who knew were Marlena and Grace and I swore both of them to secrecy.”

Sam’s eyes widened. “That’s what the two of you didn’t want us to know?!” Sam asked.

Eve nodded.

Sam was glad now that he didn’t tell TC or anyone else about Eve staying with them.

“Wait a minute,” TC said to Sam and Eve. “What the hell are you two talking about?”

Eve had nothing to hide anymore. She no longer cared if TC or anyone else knew where she had been staying last week. At least now, she could get a restraining order against TC if she needed to, with no questions. Eve gave Sam an ‘it’s-okay-go-ahead-and-tell-TC-look.’

Sam turned to TC and said, “Eve’s been staying with us this past week in the garage apartment.”

“What?!” TC exclaimed. “You knew I was looking for her and you didn't say anything to me!!??”

“Eve and Grace were adamant that you did not know where she was and now I understand why. And now I know why Grace looked like she wanted to kill you if your name was even mentioned.”

“I thought you and Grace weren’t speaking to Eve.”

“We weren’t but we decided to forgive her, given the way Ivy threatened her.”

“I don’t believe this.”

“Oh and there’s something I think I should let you know,” Sam said in a flippant tone. “Grace and Eve are closer than ever now. You’re the Russell, Grace hates and despises for what you did to her best friend.”

“Sam, come on,” TC rolled his eyes.

“I’m serious TC. If you come by the house, you better wear a bulletproof vest. God only knows how she’s going to react when she finds out about this.”

“I’m not a Russell anymore,” Eve said grimacing. The volume of her voice was low and her tone was grave. She no longer wanted anything to do with TC. As soon as she had the chance, she was going to take all of the legal formalities to go back to her maiden name.

TC looked at Eve with a guilty look on his face. “Look Eve I-”he started to say.

“Save it TC,” Eve snapped. “I don’t want to hear it.”

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for beating you. It was wrong and indefensible and I had no right to do that to you. I have absolutely no excuses. I swear I never meant to hurt you.”

“You never meant to hurt me?!” Eve said in disbelief. Anger still filled her voice. “You beat me TC!! You hit me, and struck me, and kicked me over and over again and all the while, I was begging you to let me go and you didn’t. How can someone beat someone else and not mean to hurt them?!”

“I know, believe me I hate myself for hurting you the way I did.”

“What do you mean by hurting me TC? Do you mean for expecting me to be perfect during our marriage? Or for throwing me out of the house and treating me like dirt when we got divorce and letting Whitney and Simone treat me like dirt? Or for you turning against Simone when she came out to us? Or for you faking a stroke? Or for you teaming up with Alistair Crane, the devil himself, while you kidnapped and hurt Julian? Or for replacing Julian with an imposter and making me think he regressed? Or for breaking my heart when I thought Julian regressed? Or for you beating me? Which one is it TC?! I want to know.”

“Look,” said TC. “I know we can work this out if you just come back to me.”

“Eve, don’t listen to him,” Fancy said. “He’ll do it again.”

“She’s right Eve,” Katherine said.

“Yeah,” Sheridan added.

“Will you three stay out of this!?” TC snapped at Katherine, Sheridan, and Fancy. “This is a private family matter.”

“TC stop it,” Sam chided.

“You are not my family!” Eve snarled back at TC.

“I know you’re angry at me now,” TC said to Eve. “I don’t blame you. But I promise I’ll never do it again.”

“Yes you will,” she said in a matter-a-fact voice. “You’ve abused me before and you’ll do it again. Only this time I’m not going to stick around when you do.”

“What do you mean abuse?” TC said, taking a defensive tone. “I have never laid a hand on you before this.”

“I’m not talking about physical abuse I’m talking about emotional abuse,” Eve declared. “You expected me to be perfect throughout our entire marriage. Then when you found out that I wasn’t you treated me like dirt. You called me every name in the book, and threw me out of the house like I was garbage. Then you allowed our daughters to treat me the same way. You let Whitney slap me!” Then Eve began to raise her voice again. “You let our daughter slap me! How could you do that?! They would have kept treating me that way if Julian hadn’t had tolerated it. Then you tried to have me sent to jail for crimes I didn’t commit.”

“I know I was wrong back then, but I was brainwashed by Liz,” TC said.

“Don’t you blame this on Liz!” Eve cried. “Yes, my sister is a vindictive bitch, but she didn’t hold a gun to your head. She didn’t force you to turn against me. You did that on your own. You knew that I was a devoted wife and mother throughout our marriage, and the second you learned that I made some mistakes in my life, it didn’t matter to you. I know that I was wrong to lie to you, and I was wrong to drive drunk all those years ago, but I didn’t ruin your life or Whitney and Simone’s lives. With the exception of your knee, you all are not paying for my mistakes, I am. You found out that I wasn’t perfect and you couldn’t handle it. Well I am not perfect. No one is. For years, I tried to be perfect and it killed me inside. I am so tired of you, the girls, Liz, Ivy, Rebecca, Aunt Irma, Grace Nancier, and whoever else; painting me like I’m the devil. Well I’m not the devil and I’m not perfect. I’m human and that’s all I can be. I am not going to let myself be a doormat anymore." Eve took a deep breath. "I have only had two people in my life who loved me unconditionally, Julian and Grace. Neither one of them cared about my past or thought any less of me because of it, and I betrayed them both for you. And the funny thing is, my love for you had always been misplaced for Julian.”

“Eve, you don’t mean that,” TC said.

“Yes I do.” Her voice became choked up again as she sobbed more tears. “I have always loved Julian more than you. Of course now any love I ever felt for you is now dead. Julian tried to get me to see what you were really like, but I didn’t listen to him. Instead, I just made excuses for you. Well no more. Julian’s right about you. You are an angry, hot tempered, abusive bastard.”

“Eve, you’re upset, you’re not thinking clearly,” TC said.

“Yes I am,” Eve sobbed. “I’m thinking clearly for the first time in my life. You viciously hurt Julian, the man that I love, and took him away from me. My fiancée, the love of my life, my soul mate, my rock, my lover, and my best friend. You not only took him away from me, but from his whole family. Julian needed me to be there for him, but I couldn’t because I was taking care of you while you were having a fake stroke! Now he’s kidnapped and you’re here. God, how I wish it were the other way around.” Hatred filled her voice. “I wish you had died last summer in that car accident. At least Julian would be here right now. I regret the day I ever met you. I will never forgive you for this as long as I live.”

“Eve please.”

“We’re done TC, for good. I don’t ever want to see you again.”

“Look Eve you’re upset, you don’t know what you’re saying. We can work through this.”

Will you stop it!!??” Fancy yelled at TC. “Anyone with eyes can see that Eve loves my father more than she ever loved you. But you couldn’t handle that, could you? You not only took my father away from Eve, you took him from his entire family. I swear, TC Russell, I will make you pay for what you did to my father if it’s the last thing I do.”

“Typical Crane,” said TC “only caring about themselves.”

“How dare you TC!” Sheridan cried. “Can’t you see what we’re going through? You did this to us and to Julian, and you don’t even care.”

“All right that’s enough of this,” Sam said then he turned to TC and Chris. “Now look, you two, this is important. I want to know truthfully, do either one of you know where Julian is?”

"Oh please,” said Katherine. “Neither one of them have told the truth so far, what makes you think they're going to tell the truth now. All though if they do know, they better tell, if they know what’s good for them." Katherine implied in a threatening manner.

“Sammy I don’t know,” said TC. “Alistair wouldn’t tell me, in case we got caught.”

“I swear I didn’t know anything about Julian being kidnapped until today,” Chris said. Then Chris looked at TC, “And frankly I’m shocked.”

“Oh don’t you point fingers at me, Mr. I-was-paid-to-fall-in-love-with-Sheridan,” TC snapped at Chris.

“Yeah well we both took bribes from Alistair to keep Julian and Sheridan from the people they loved.”

“How could the two of you do this to my children?” Katherine said to Chris and TC. “Chris, Sheridan trusted you. You knew how much pain she has gone through in her life and how much she loves Luis, and you didn’t even care as long as you got what you wanted.” Then she turned to TC looking at him with venom in her eyes. “And TC, I never liked you to begin with. I didn’t like the way you bullied and attacked Julian all these years, and I think the way you treated Eve throughout marriage and when the two of you got divorced was despicable. But this!!?? You kidnapped Julian and replaced him with an imposter to break them up, so you could get back together with Eve.” Katherine grimaced harder now. “If anything happens to my son, I will kill you. I will hunt you down like a dog and kill you.”

“Katherine you might not want to say that in a police full of witnesses,” Sam gently warned.

“I don’t care who hears it," Katherine cried. "My son has been kidnapped, and this monster is going to pay.”

“You know what Katherine," TC countered. "Your son got drunk and then let Eve drive drunk, causing her to crash Julian's car into mine. Then Julian decided to leave the scene, leaving me to die.”

“Oh no, no, no,” Eve replied to TC. “Don’t you dare compare that to this! Yes, Julian and I were wrong to do what we did and we live with the shame and guilt of that everyday, but we did not intend to hurt you. You intended to hurt us.”

“Eve’s right,” Katherine added. “I know my son, and I did not raise him to deliberately hurt anyone. Whatever problems he had in the past were a result of Alistair’s cruelty and me not being there for him, and because he was trying to survive Alistair’s abuse of him that he experienced from his father his whole life. Julian is a good and decent man, who was able to overcome the effects of Alistair’s abuse.”

“Katherine’s right,” Eve chimed in. “I for one don’t care about the mistakes Julian made in his life. He did the best he could under terrible circumstances. I never twisted his arm to change. He did that on his own. I know who he really is, good, decent, and kind. That is why I never fell out of love with him.”

“Yeah,” Sheridan and Fancy said in agreement.

“All right everyone calm down,” said Sam trying to keep the situation under control. “Now what about Marty?” asked Sam. “Alistair didn’t die last summer, so what happened to Beth and Marty?”

“I don’t know what happened to Beth and Marty,” answered Chris. “I didn’t even know that Alistair was even alive until today.”

“Yeah, I don’t know anything about Beth or Marty either,” said TC.

“Oh and you two think that makes everything okay?!” Luis asked Chris and TC sarcastically.

“Luis I swear,” said TC. “I would never keep Marty away from you and Sheridan.”

“Yeah well forgive me if I no longer have any respect for you TC,” Luis stammered.

“You know what TC,” Sheridan said through her tears. “I don’t care if you had nothing to do with what happened to Marty. You kidnapped my brother, and I will never forgive you for that.”

“Neither will I,” said Katherine.

“That goes for me too,” Fancy added.

Sam looked at TC and said, “TC you’re in a lot of trouble and if you can tell us what you know about Julian’s kidnapping it will go a lot better with the D.A..”

“All right,” said TC. “Julian was kidnapped early last August. It was the day that I had just come home from the hospital and he stopped by to get Eve to go with him to Paris. They had a little argument and then Julian left. Then the plan was for Spike to kidnap Julian and take from somewhere he couldn’t be found and then Wagner stepped in right away playing Julian. And everything went according to plan.”

‘Oh my God,’ Eve thought to herself. ‘That was the last time I saw Julian.’ Eve’s heart sank. She couldn’t believe the last time she saw her real Julian, they had argued, after she had been so insensitive to him. If only she had known he would have walked right into his abduction. Then it registered to Eve that Spike had kidnapped Julian. She now was on the verge of panic now, when she thought about what Spike would do to Julian.

“Wait a minute,” Katherine exclaimed. “You let that sociopath kidnap my son, you bastard!?”

“Are you out of your mind?!” Fancy asked TC. “Spike is a dangerous criminal.”

“Yeah,” Sheridan agreed.

“If Spike hurt Julian in any way, I’ll kill you TC,” Eve threatened.

“Where’s Spike now?” Sam asked TC.

“I’m not sure. I think he’s probably guarding Julian,” TC answered. “I don’t know where.”

“Oh my God!” Eve shrieked in horror as she thought about that psychopath guarding Julian.

“Well Spike won’t be any trouble to anyone else again when he’s found, because he is now wanted for first degree kidnapping," Sam said. His voice was calm and matter-a-fact. “And when I find him I will make sure he rots in this country's worst prison for the rest of his life.”

“Sam, I want TC arrested right now,” Katherine demanded. “I may not be legally married to Alistair or a Crane anymore, but I am Julian’s mother and I was born into a wealthy and powerful family. I will use every bit of power I have to make sure TC spends the rest of his life in jail.”

“I know,” said Sam. “I have arrest warrants for both TC and Chris.” Sam looked at Chris. “Chris, after Luis and I got the wiretap we called the FBI and we have information on your past, you’re being charged with that in addition to fraud.” Then Sam looked at TC, “TC, I’m going to have arrested you too. I can let you out on bail, but you’re going to have to find a lawyer. If Julian is found, it will be up to him if he decides to go through with pressing charges against you for kidnapping him. Until he’s found it will be up to his family.”

“Oh there will be charges,” said Fancy. “I will use every bit of clout I have as a cop and a Crane to make sure TC goes to jail for a long, long time.”

“So will I,” said Katherine.

“So will I,” said Sheridan.

“So will I,” said Eve.

TC couldn’t believe Eve was going to press charges against him. He never thought she would have done that before this. “Eve, you can’t be serious,” he said.

“Oh I’m deadly serious. And if Julian decides to press charges against you, I’m going to support him.” Then she looked at Sam and said to him, “I also want to press assault and battery charges against TC for beating me.”

“Eve, I don’t know if you can at this late point,” Sam said gently to her. “You need to have hard evidence.”

“I have hard evidence.” Eve dug into her purse and pulled out a copy of the pictures that Marlena took of her the day she was beaten. Eve had them developed a few days ago and had doubles made of them just in case. Eve limped over to Sam and handed him an envelope of the copy of the pictures. “These are pictures that Marlena took of me, right after TC beat me. She tended to my wounds at the time. You can even ask her and I know she’ll be more than happy to testify on my behalf and so will Grace.” Then Eve limped back where she was standing before.

“I’ll also have a word with the D.A. myself,” said Fancy. “I’ll make sure that they take Eve’s case seriously.”

“Eve, you can’t do this,” said TTC. “We have two children together.”

“Really? You didn’t feel that way about me when Liz framed me for horrific crimes that I didn’t commit."

“I believed you in the end.”

“Too little, too late,” Eve declared.

Fancy had had enough of TC. She went right up to him and stood behind his back and pulled out her handcuffs. “TC Russell,” she said as she put the handcuffs on TC’s hands. “You’re under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you can’t afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand these rights?” Then she grabbed TC's hands very hard and snarled in his ear. "And if the system doesn’t provide justice, I will.”

“Fancy, let me do this,” Sam said to Fancy as he saw how aggressive Fancy was being given her state of mind at the moment. So Sam took over the responsibility of booking TC and took him to another room to book him. Paloma took Chris to another room to book him as well. After they had gone Eve and Katherine fell into each other's arms and sobbed over Julian being kidnapped. Sheridan and Fancy did the same thing with each other.

Finally, Sam came into the room and gently put his hand on Eve’s shoulder. Eve looked up from Katherine’s shoulder and saw Sam standing there. “Eve, I need to get a statement from you.”

“Okay,” she said. Eve let go of Katherine’s hug and Sam took Eve to the back of the station to question her.

Katherine got on her cell phone and dialed a number. “Is Fox Crane in? This is an emergency.”

Luis picked up the phone on Sam’s desk, dialing a number. “Hello, this is Lopez-Fitzerald. I have a missing person to report. A Kidnapping. The name is Julian Crane…yes Julian Crane of the Cranes. I want an APB put on him and I want him put on the FBI and interpol watch list too…When was he kidnapped? Five months ago…I’ll explain.”

Sheridan took out her cell phone too and dialed a number as well. “Hello Chad, I know you’re in Tokyo on business, but I have some bad news for you.”

Fancy got on the phone on Luis’s desk as well and dialed another number. “Hello, National Center For Missing Adults,” she said into the phone. “This is officer Fancy Crane, I have a kidnapping to report…Julian Crane…my father.” Fancy whimpered as she said “my father.” Fancy sat down at Luis's desk as she felt tears rushing down her cheeks.

Chapter Thirty

(Note to readers: Fox in this story is played by Justin Hartley. In this story he did not become evil, and did not pretend to be dying to keep Kay and Miguel apart. He did break up with Kay for other reasons, and Miguel went back on the road to find Charity.)

Back at Crane Industries, Fox was sitting in his office and working at his computer. He was about to look up a company on the internet, however on the search engine’s homepage under the news section, it said “Breaking News, Billionaire Julian Crane Kidnapped.”

Fox’s eyes widened. “What!?” he exclaimed. Fox felt a wave of panic come over him. He immediately clicked on the link. When the article opened up it said that Chief Sam Bennett discovered today on a wiretap that Julian had been kidnapped by Spike five months ago. It turned out that Alistair only faked his death back in Rome, and got TC Russell to team up with him to break Eve and Julian apart. TC had faked his stroke after his car accident, and he and Alistair had Julian kidnapped and replaced him with an imposter named Mitch Wagner. While they arrested Mitch Wagner and TC Russell, they did not know where Julian was.

Fox couldn’t read anymore. He couldn’t believe that his own father had been kidnapped, it was all too surreal. He felt tears coming out of his eyes as he felt his heart break over his father’s
disappearance. Inside he was numb with grief, feeling like he had just been hit by a brick. He had known something was off with his father for months, but he had no idea that this was the cause of it. Fox had known that Julian had been regressing for months, but Fox thought it was because he was upset about losing Eve. People were saying Julian had only pretended to change only to get Eve back, but Fox knew better. Three years ago, Fox had seen first hand his father change for the better and he knew those weren’t lies. When Julian started to regress, Fox thought it was because losing Eve had pushed Julian over the edge. He never thought for a second that his father had been kidnapped.

Fox shot up from his desk and slammed his hand on his desk. “Dammit!” he cried. “How could I have been so stupid?! I should have known something was wrong with Dad when he regressed! Why didn’t I do anything?!”

Fox sunk back down at his desk as he felt his legs turn into water. He was in shock about his father’s kidnapping. It was no secret, Fox and Julian had their differences over the years, but ever since Fox came back to Harmony, Julian had changed for the better. While there was still a lot of tension between Fox and Julian, they had gotten closer. Fox remembered all the heart to heart talks they had in the past three years. For Fox, those talks and time spent with his father meant a lot to him. Fox had been inspired by Julian’s new found goodness, and tried to follow his example. Fox had also begun to see how Alistair’s abuse of Julian had damaged him, causing him to be the old Julian. Regardless of what happened between them in the past, Fox still loved his father and knew that his father loved him. However, now Julian was gone and nowhere to be found. “Oh Dad,” Fox sobbed as tears rushed down his face.

Just then his phone rang and Fox picked it up, “Fox Crane,” he answered.

“Fox, it’s me,” Fancy said.

“Fancy, I just heard,” Fox said. “Is it really true?”

“I’m afraid so,” Fancy said as she cried. “Grandmother tried calling you to tell you, but she couldn’t get through to you.”

“Yeah I was in a meeting before.” Fox slammed his fist down on his desk. “Dammit, how can this be happening?”

“I wish I knew.”

Fox knew he had to be strong now for his father, so he could bring him home. So he tried to pull himself together and so he could figure out how to bring Julian home. “What’s happening with the search?” he asked.

“TC and Wagner have been arrested and TC’s going to be released out on bail soon. We’re going to set up a task force here.”

“All right, what can I do to help?”

“I called the National Center for Missing Adults, and we’ve been assigned a case manager and Luis has called the FBI and Interpol. However, we need to set up some volunteer search efforts, and that’s what you can do,” Fancy explained.

“All right, I can do that.” Fox got out a tablet and so he could write down what Fancy told him.

“I need you to call the Sund/Carrington Foundation, One Missing Link, Inc., the Rachel Alert Network, The Kristen Foundation, The Doe Network, and America’s Most Wanted.” Fancy continued. “These are all organizations that deal with adult kidnappings. They will tell you how to set up the search efforts and hook you up to resources. Then I need you to get Crane PR on this so we can get the word out about Daddy’s kidnapping. Then I need you to try to have as many colored missing persons posters of Daddy as possible printed, and get the posters also put up on billboards. We need to get this out nationally and worldwide.”

“Okay, I got that,” Fox jotted all of this down. “Fancy, we have to find Dad,” he said seriously with distress in his voice. “We have to. I don’t know what I’ll do if anything happens to him.”

“I know we do,” Fancy said, choking back tears. “I don’t know what I’ll do if anything happens to him either. I won’t rest until he’s home.”

“Neither will I.” For the first time in years, all the resentment Fox and Fancy had toward their father was gone and they felt nothing but love and forgiveness for him. Inside they were both beyond devastated that Julian had been kidnapped and scared for his safety, and they were going to do whatever they had to do to bring him home.

“Listen,” said Fancy. “Can we get together and talk later? I think we really need to be there for each other right now.”

“I think we need to be there for each other too.” Fox agreed. “I love you Sis.”

“I love you too Bro.”

After Fox and Fancy hung up, with each other, Fox buried his head in his hands as he bursted into tears, sobbing for his father.

~

Back at Ethan’s law office, Ethan was also working at his desk, sitting in his office and working at his computer. He was about to look up a recent case law on the internet that he needed for a case he was working on. However, on the search engine’s homepage under the news section, it said “Breaking News, Billionaire Julian Crane Kidnapped.”

Ethan’s jaw dropped when he saw the headline. “What!!??” he exclaimed. Ethan immediately clicked on the link. When the article opened up it said that Chief Sam Bennett discovered today on a wiretap that Julian had been kidnapped five months ago. It turned out that Alistair only faked his death back in Rome, and got TC Russell to team up with him to break Eve and Julian apart. TC had faked his stroke after his car accident and he and Alistair had Julian kidnapped by Spike and replaced him with an imposter named Mitch Wagner. While they arrested Mitch Wagner and TC Russell, they did not know where Julian was. It also said the reason that Eve had left TC last week was because he beat her, because he was still upset about Simone being a lesbian. Eve was badly bagged up and had pulled some muscles in her back from the beating. For the past week, she had been covering her bruises up with makeup and was now walking with a limp. Eve hadn’t told anyone that TC beat her until today, because she didn’t want her daughters to hate their father. However, once she found out about Julian being kidnapped she told everyone and decided to press charges against TC, not just for the beating but for kidnapping Julian as well. It also said that Eve had never stopped loving Julian and she only went back to TC out of guilt, not love. It said she was devastated by Julian’s kidnapping and now had disowned and washed her hands of TC for good.

Ethan felt like he had the wind knocked out of him. He couldn’t believe that the man who raised him and believed was his father for over twenty years had been kidnapped. Ethan printed out the article and after it was printed, he just stared at it as the situation began to sink in. Tears began to fall down Ethan’s cheeks as he began to cry. For months, Ethan had thought Julian regressing seemed strange, however he never thought it was because of anything like this. Ethan knew that ever since his paternity was leaked to the tabloid, that things hadn’t been easy between him and Julian. However, once Julian changed their relationship had begun to heal. Ethan knew that Julian was sorry for the way he treated him when his paternity came out and that Julian still loved him and still thought of him as his son. While Ethan had a wonderful father-son relationship with Sam, Ethan still thought of Julian as his step-father, and as hurtful as the way Julian treated him when his paternity came out, Ethan knew that Alistair had been the one who had officially disowned him and Julian went along with it. Ethan knew how badly Julian had been abused by Alistair his whole life, which ended up having devastating effects on Julian. However, none of that mattered to Ethan now. Julian, his former step-father and the man who raised him, had been kidnapped and all Ethan could think about was that he loved Julian and how worried he was about him.

Ethan felt terrible for Eve as well. He knew how much Eve and Julian loved each other. Even when they broke up, Ethan could tell they still loved each other. Ethan still couldn’t believe that TC had beaten Eve. He knew TC had a temper but he never thought he would take it out on a woman and the mother of his children, no less. Ethan now wanted to ring TC’s neck for kidnapping Julian. He couldn’t believe that T.C. could be so evil.

Just then the phone rang, and Ethan picked it up. “Winthrop Law Office,” he answered.

“Ethan, it’s Sheridan. Listen, I have something to tell you and you’re not going to believe it.”

“I just heard,” Ethan answered. “Is it really true?”

“I’m afraid that it is,” Sheridan said through her tears. “I can’t believe my own brother has been kidnapped.”

“I can’t either,” said Ethan. “Julian raised me my whole life and now he’s gone!”

“I know, I feel the same way,” Sheridan answered. Sheridan and Ethan couldn’t believe how things had changed. Several years ago they were both furious with Julian. However, once Julian came back from the road from being with Timmy, they saw Julian change. Both Sheridan and Ethan began to see the hold Alistair had over Julian for years, and they began to understand Julian’s past behavior a little more. They had forgiven Julian for hurting them and they had gotten closer over the past couple of years. Now whatever Julian did to them in the past didn’t matter to them anymore. All that mattered to them was that they loved and forgiven Julian. Now both Sheridan and Ethan were frantic over Julian’s kidnapping.

“Listen, what is Sam planning to do to find Julian?” Ethan asked.

“He’s setting up a task force and Fox is setting up some volunteer searches. Luis is alerting the FBI and interpol too.”

“What can I do to help?”

“Probably help Fox setting up the volunteer searches, and Eve’s going to probably need a lawyer for when she testifies in court.”

“I’ll do that,” Ethan answered. “Listen, Sheridan, I want you to call me the minute anything happens.”

“I will, don’t worry.”

“Thank you. How’s Eve?”

“Not good. She’s beside herself with grief over Julian. She never stopped loving him, she only went back to TC out of guilt, because she thought he had a stroke.”

Ethan shook his head. “I still can’t believe TC actually beat her.”

“Neither can I. You should see some of the bruises on her. It looks like TC beat her really badly.”

“Well TC or Alistair won’t get away with this one. I’ll talk to the D.A. myself to make sure that Alistair, TC, Wagner and Spike pay for this.”

“We all will, even Eve has agreed to press charges against TC.”

“Good.”

After Sheridan and Ethan hung up with each other, Ethan rested his hands on his forehead and sobbed over Julian. He felt his heart break for his former step-father knowing that he was kidnapped and being held captive somewhere god knows where. “I’m so sorry Julian,” Ethan sobbed as he buried his head in his hands.

A few minutes later, Gwen and Rebecca came into the office after having lunch. “We’re back,” Gwen said cheerfully.

Ethan looked up and saw his wife and mother-in-law coming into the office. Rebecca was the last person Ethan needed to see right now. “Oh hi,” he said to them.

Then Gwen saw that Ethan was crying. “Honey, are you all right?” she asked as she and Rebecca stood in front of Ethan’s desk.

“No, I’m not alright,” Ethan said. His voice was low and grave.

“Why? What’s the matter?” she asked.

“Julian,” Ethan replied, wiping the tears from his eyes.

“Why? What’s wrong with Julian?” Gwen asked.

Ethan picked up the article from the internet and handed it to Gwen.

“This is what’s wrong with him,” he said.

Gwen took the article to read it. “Please tell me this is a joke,” she said flippantly after she had read it all the way through.

“I wish it were,” Ethan replied.

Gwen had a perplexed look on her face. “Oh my God, this is unbelievable,” she said.

“Why, what is it?” Rebecca asked.

“Julian’s been kidnapped,” Gwen said gravely.

“What!!??” Rebecca snatched the article from Gwen. “Oh my God! My poor pookie!” Rebecca exclaimed after she was done reading the article. Then she shrugged it off and said, “Well I have to say I’d liked Wagner better than the stiff that Julian became after spending time with Timmy. Wagner was so much more fun and virile.”

“Rebecca!” Ethan chided. Anger was in his tone. He couldn’t believe Rebecca’s coldness and insensitivity. “Julian has been kidnapped!”

“Well duh.” Then she looked at the article again. “TC beat Eve. I never would have thought. Well, at least Eve got what she deserved.”

Ethan felt himself losing his patience. “How can you be so cold?” he asked Rebecca. “Eve was viciously beaten by her ex-husband. No one deserves that.”

“Hey what goes around comes around,” she replied light heartedly. “I can say one thing, Mitch Wagner is an animal in the bedroom. I wonder if he’s going to be let out on bail. I’d like to have another rendezvous with him.”

Ethan sprang up from his desk. “Rebecca, would you shut up!” Ethan said feeling exasperated by his mother-in-law’s selfishness. “The man who raised me and who I believed was my father for over twenty years has been kidnapped. Can you show a little respect?”

Rebecca put her hands on her hips. “Hey, don’t blame me,” Rebecca said defensively. “If Julian only had stayed married to me, instead of deciding to marry that whore, then Julian wouldn’t have been kidnapped."

Just then Ivy walked into the room overhearing what Rebecca just said. “Did you just say Julian was kidnapped?”

“Yeah Mom,” said Ethan. “He was kidnapped five months ago.” His voice went back to low and grave again.

“Five months ago?” Ivy was confused. “How is that possible?”


“Long story short,” Ethan explained to Ivy. “Alistair didn’t die last summer. He only faked his death back in Rome. And since Rebecca had given Julian a divorce, his current leverage for keeping Eve and Julian apart was gone; so after TC’s car accident last summer, Alistair got TC to team up with him in breaking up Eve and Julian. So TC faked his stroke and they kidnapped Julian and replaced him with an imposter named Mitch Wagner.”

“You have got to be kidding me!” Ivy exclaimed.

“No, I wish.”

“Is that why Eve moved out from TC last week?”

“No, Eve moved out from TC because he beat her.”

Ivy’s eyes widened. “TC beat Eve! Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t believe it. Is she okay?”

“She’s all right, but she was really banged up and she’s walking with a limp now.”

“How come no one saw it before?”

“She was wearing makeup to cover up her bruises, and she didn’t tell anyone before because she didn’t want Whitney and Simone to hate their father.”

“Well how did everyone find out?”

“This morning Dad and Luis were wiretapping Spike and they found out everything. When they called Eve, TC, Katherine, Wagner, Chris and Sheridan, into the police station for questioning, they searched Wagner’s face and TC was exposed. While Eve was ranting at TC for hurting Julian, she admitted that TC had beaten her. She never stopped loving Julian and she is beside herself with grief now. She is planning on pressing charges against TC and Wagner for Julian’s kidnapping and probably whoever else was involved, in addition to assault and battery charges. Not to mention she has washed her hands of TC for good.”

“So do they know where Julian is?” Ivy asked.

“No,” Ethan answered. “Alistair didn’t tell TC or Wagner in case they got caught, Julian couldn’t be found.”

“I don’t believe it!” Ivy gasped. Ivy was in shock. It was true that Ivy and Julian never had a good marriage, but that didn’t mean that she still didn’t care about Julian.

“Why?” Rebecca said coldly to Ivy. “Didn’t you do the same thing to Sam and Grace?”

“Oh shut up Rebecca,” Ivy snapped.

“I’ll tell you one thing,” said Gwen. “If Julian is still alive, he is going to kill TC when he finds out about this.”

Rebecca smiled with excitement. “Oh yes,” she said. “Maybe they can get them to take their shirts off.”

Everyone ignored Rebecca’s remark. Ivy could see how upset Ethan looked over Julian, and felt concerned for her son. “How are you doing Darling?” she asked gently, putting her hand on his shoulder.

“I’ve been better, that's for sure. I can’t believe we were all fooled by Wagner and TC. I was working with Julian for all these months on Little Ethan’s custody case and I had no clue.” Ethan wiped the tears from his eyes. “Now he's gone and is somewhere being held hostage by Alistair.”

“I know it’s terrible,” said Ivy. “This certainly explains Julian’s behavior lately, that’s for sure.”

“Wait a minute,” said Gwen. “If Alistair’s alive and he was using an imposter to play Julian and Julian was trying to get full custody of Little Ethan, then Alistair must have been using the imposter for some reason to hurt Theresa.”

“Yeah that’s what I was thinking too,” Ethan said.

All of a sudden Gwen and Rebecca felt happy that they knew they could use this information to try to find Theresa's secret and bring her down. They gave each other a sly smile.

“I have to go,” said Ethan.

“Where are you going?” Gwen asked.

“I’m going to help Fox set up some volunteer search efforts,” he replied.

“Ethan you can’t,” Gwen cried.

“Why not?”

“Because Alistair is alive now,” Gwen explained. “If he finds out you helped bring Julian home, he’s going to get mad and do something bad to us.”

Ethan felt annoyed with Gwen at that moment. He knew she probably meant well, but Julian was kidnapped. “Gwen, the man who raised me and who I believed was my father for over twenty years, has been kidnapped. I can’t just sit here and do nothing.”

“What about our family!?” she cried.

“Our family is fine. And what about Julian? He’s part of my family and he’s Little Ethan’s father. I have to go.” Ethan left before Gwen could say anything more.



Chapter Thirty-One

Back in Tokyo in the Crane Condo in Japan, it was early morning and Chad was getting out of bed. When he opened the curtain of his bedroom window, he saw that outside there was fog as thick as pea soup. He couldn’t even see anything out of his window. He figured it would definitely be hard for people to get to work today. He wondered if anyone would come to the business meeting that he was scheduled to go to. He turned on the news to check the weather report, and was not prepared at all for what he saw. “In major breaking news, Billionaire Julian Crane has been kidnapped!” the news reporter on the T.V. said.

Chad his eyes popped out of his head. “What!?” he exclaimed.

“And in a bizarre twist of fate it turns out that Crane was kidnapped five months ago.”

“Five months ago?” Chad asked out loud, in confusion. “How’s that possible?”

“Today, in Harmony, New England, Chief of Police Sam Bennett found out on a wiretap that Alistair Crane hadn’t died last summer in Rome. He only faked his death.”

“That bastard’s still alive?!” Chad’s heart sank. Chad hated his father, Alistair, with a passion and now that he knew that he was alive, it was like a kick in the groin.

“Last summer, Julian Crane’s ex-wife Rebecca Hotchkiss Crane had granted him a divorce. According to reports, Hotchkiss had blackmailed Crane into marrying her three years ago, and they had a loveless marriage. Crane had been trying to get out of the marriage, and last summer Hotchkiss finally agreed to the divorce. Crane was planning to marry his lover Dr. Eve Johnson Russell. However, Alistair Crane never wanted his son to marry or be with Johnson Russell because she’s African-American. Alistair Crane had conspired for years to keep Johnson Russell away from his son, but he was using Hotchkiss as current leverage to keep them apart.”

“All right, I know that,” Chad said feeling impatient. “Tell me what happened to Julian.”

“According to the wiretap, once Alistair Crane’s leverage in Hotchkiss was gone, he enlisted help from Johnson Russell’s ex-husband and lifelong enemy of Crane, TC Russell.”

Chad's mouth dropped open. “What?!” he exclaimed.

“Russell was in a car accident last summer, and Alistair Crane convinced Russell to help him break up Crane and Johnson Russell. Last August, Russell faked a stroke after his accident and both of them had Crane kidnapped and replaced him with an imposter named Mitch Wagner.”

“He didn’t!?” Chad shouted. There was anger and shock in his voice. Chad grimaced with anger. He couldn’t believe that Coach Russell would do something like that to his brother.

“It wasn’t until today that the truth was revealed. However, neither Russell nor Wagner are aware of Crane’s whereabouts and no one knows where Crane is.”

Chad felt panic come over him as he heard that no one knew where Julian was. He knew that Julian was in serious trouble if Alistair had him kidnapped and nobody knew where Julian was and had been missing for five months. Tears began to come out of Chad’s eyes as he thought about his brother being gone.

“Wagner made Johnson Russell and everyone else think that Julian had been led astray for five months. Johnson Russell broke up with Wagner thinking he was Crane, when she saw Crane’s behavior. Johnson Russell claims that she only went back to her ex-husband because she thought he had a stroke, and her actions were out of guilt and obligation, not love. She never stopped loving Crane and was not planning to break up with him until she thought he started acting badly. Johnson Russell is devastated over Crane’s kidnapping.”

“I knew it,” said Chad. “Those two are soul mates, nothing could stop them from loving each other.”

“According to the police report, Johnson Russell moved out from her ex-husband last week, with no notice or warning and changed all of her phone numbers and did not let anyone know where she was staying. Today, when Johnson Russell found out that her ex-husband had kidnapped the love of her life, she revealed that Russell had beaten her last week and that’s why she left.”

“No way! You’ve got to be kidding!” Chad cried. He couldn’t believe TC.would do something like that. Chad was very aware of TC’s temper. He and Julian had been the brunt of TC’s temper on more than one occasion. But he never thought TC would ever beat a woman and let alone Eve of all people.

“Johnson Russell was badly banged up from the beating. She hadn’t told anyone, except for a doctor friend of hers who examined her after the beating and her best friend, Grace Bennett.”

“Eve and Grace, are friends again?” Chad asked.

“She didn’t want anyone else to know about the beating before because she didn’t want her daughters that she had with Russell to hate their father. However, now she has agreed to press criminal charges against her ex-husband for the kidnapping of her fiancé and for assault and battery. Sources say she is beside herself with grief right now and is planning to do whatever it takes to bring her lover home.”

“Dammit,” Chad shouted as he slammed his fist down on the dresser. He sank down on his bed and burst into tears. He couldn’t believe that his own brother had been kidnapped. Chad and Julian were just getting closer again, and just as they were, Julian was kidnapped. It wasn’t fair. Chad didn’t have a family growing up. It wasn’t until he got older that he found his biological family, and it was no secret that it had not been easy. It was bad enough to learn that Alistair Crane was his father and his mother Liz was an attempted murder and was meaner than a rattlesnake; but Chad felt grateful to know that he had his brother Julian. Julian and Chad had a wonderful relationship before Alistair lied about Chad’s paternity. Julian had been nothing but good to Chad, and Chad just blamed him for things that weren’t his fault when Alistair told everyone that Eve and Julian were his parents. Chad felt horrible for the way he treated Julian back then. Even if it had been true that Chad was Eve and Julian's son, it wasn’t Julian and Eve’s fault that he was kidnapped at birth and made to think Whitney was his sister. Alistair was the one who threw Chad away when he was born and tried to keep him from Whitney, the woman he loved, but now Alistair took away his brother. Chad felt like a knife was going through his heart.

Chad couldn’t believe TC could do something so horrible to Julian, Eve, Whitney, Simone, and to him and his family. Chad knew TC had a temper, but he never thought TC would stoop as low as kidnapping and certainly not beating up Eve. He knew that Whitney and Simone were going to be devastated when they found out about what they’re father did. He thought about calling Whitney but she was taking her final exams today and would have her cell phone off.

Then Chad immediately sat up and dialed the phone next to his bed. He knew he had to get out of Tokyo and get home to help find Julian. “Hello, this is Chad Harris-Crane. I want you to book me the next flight out of here to Harmony, New England….I don’t care if there’s fog or not. My brother has been kidnapped and I have to get back home…Well see what you can do.” As Chad hung up the phone, it rang again. “Hello,” he said as he picked it up for a second time.

“Chad, it’s Sheridan.”

Chad could tell Sheridan was crying. “ “Hey Sis,” Chad answered. “I just heard. Please tell me this is some kind of joke.

“I wish it were,” Sheridan sobbed. “Oh God I can’t believe this is happening.”

“Me too,” Chad was crying too.

“Do they know anything yet?”

“No, but they’re looking.”

“How’s everyone doing?”

“Not good.”

“Listen, I'm coming home,” Chad said. “I don’t know when I can get a flight out of here. There’s huge fog here.”

“It’s okay, we’ll be waiting.”

“All right.” After Chad got off the phone with Sheridan, continued to sob for his brother.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Back at Crane Industries, Theresa was sitting at her desk working when the phone rang. “Theresa Crane,” she said into the receiver.

“Hey Sis, it’s me,” said Luis.

“Hey Luis,” she said cheerfully as she heard her brother’s voice. “What’s up?”

“Listen, are you sitting down?” Luis’s tone was serious.

Theresa was suspicious when Luis asked that. She wondered what was going on that would make him ask that. “Yeah, why?

“I have some shocking news to tell you,” Luis said. “Julian Crane was kidnapped five months ago.”

“What are you talking about?” Theresa scoffed. “He’s been in Harmony these past five months, making my life miserable.”

“Today Sam got a warrant to wiretap Spike and on it we all found out that Alistair Crane didn’t die in Rome last summer,” Luis explained. “Turns out he only faked his death.”

“Alistair’s alive!” Theresa exclaimed. She felt like she had been shot with a thirty-eight, realizing her abusive husband, who viciously raped her for his pleasure was alive.

“I’m afraid there’s more.”

“There’s more?!” Theresa cried.

“On the wiretap we found out that Alistair paid Chris to fall in love with Sheridan and he’s not James' biological father.”

“Oh my God, Luis! I’m so sorry.” Theresa’s heart broke for her brother knowing how Alistair kept him apart from Sheridan.

“That’s just the beginning,” Luis said. “We also found out that when Rebecca granted Julian a divorce last summer, Alistair’s current leverage to keep Eve and Julian apart was gone. So he got TC to team up with him to break Eve and Julian apart.”

“Wait a minute?!” Theresa exclaimed. “Coach Russell schemed with Alistair to break up Eve and Julian?!” Theresa had known Coach Russell her whole life, but she never imagined he would do something like that.

“Yeah,” answered Luis. “It turns out, TC faked his stroke after his car accident and last August Alistair and TC had Julian kidnapped by Spike and replaced him with an imposter named Mitch Wagner.”

Theresa’s jaw dropped open. “You have got to be kidding me?! You mean for the past five months while we all thought Julian had regressed and he was fighting me for partial custody of Little Ethan; we were dealing with an imposter and the real Julian has been kidnapped?!”

“I’m afraid so. I’m guessing Alistair got Wagner to fight you for custody of Little Ethan to hurt you and Little Ethan somehow, and probably Julian.”

Theresa hung her head. For the first time in five months, Theresa understood why “Julian” was trying so hard to fight her for custody of her son. Alistair must have found out about Little Ethan’s paternity through his spies and was trying to torture Theresa by using Wagner as Julian. “Where’s Julian now?” she asked Luis.

“We don’t know. Alistair didn’t tell TC or Wagner where he’s been holding Julian hostage.”

“Oh my God!” Theresa stammered. Her heart broke for Julian, Eve, the Cranes, Ethan and Whitney and Simone. They had to be so devastated knowing Julian had been kidnapped. Theresa knew that Julian being kidnapped by Alistair and missing for five months was bad. The odds were now that Julian was in serious danger from Alistair. “Is that why Dr. Russell left Coach Russell last week?” she asked Luis.

“Get ready for your second surprise,” Luis clipped. “It turns out that Eve left TC last week because he beat her.”

Theresa’s eyes popped out of her head. “TC beat her!?” she exclaimed. “Are you serious?”

“I’m afraid so.”

“Is she all right?” Theresa asked, feeling worried about Eve, a woman who was like a second mother to her. “Was she hurt?”

“She’s pretty banged up and has been walking with a limp,” Luis explained. “She didn’t want anyone to know because she didn’t want Whitney and Simone to hate their father and was covering up her bruises with makeup this past week. However, when she found out about Julian, she told everyone.”

“Oh my God,” Theresa said in a low voice. She knew that Whitney was going to be devastated when she found out about her father beating up her mother. “How’s Dr. Russell holding up about Julian?” she asked.

“Not good.” Luis answered. “She’s really devastated over Julian, and she’s never stopped loving him. Listen Sis, I want you to know that I’m going to make sure you get protection from Alistair once we find him. However, since you’re still the head of Crane Industries, it would help with the investigation if you could back the effort to find Julian and arrest Alistair.”

“Yes, absolutely, do whatever it takes,” said Theresa. “And if there’s any additional costs with the investigation Crane will pay for it.”

“Thank you,” said Luis. “And there’s another thing too. You’re going to need to give a statement to the police about Wagner pretending to be Julian, while he was fighting for custody of Little Ethan.”

Theresa knew now she had to tell Luis the truth about Ethan being Little Ethan’s father. She still wasn’t ready to tell Ethan the truth and risk losing her son, but now Julian was kidnapped and this was a police investigation. She had to at least let Luis and Paloma know. “Listen Luis,” Theresa said. “There’s something I need to tell you about and you have to promise me to take it to your grave.”

“Theresa, if it’s something that will lead us to Julian-”

“It’s not, okay. You just have to promise me that you won’t tell anyone except for Paloma.”

“Okay, I promise,” Luis agreed.


“When we were in Rome last summer I found out from JT Cornell that Ethan is Little Ethan’s biological father, not Julian.”

“My God!” Luis exclaimed. "Why didn’t you tell Ethan?”

“I wanted to, believe me I did. But before I was going to tell him about Little Ethan being his son, I heard him tell his friend to sue the mother of his child for full custody, and I’m scared that if Ethan found out he would stay with Gwen and Gwen and Rebecca would convince Ethan to take Little Ethan away from me. They’ve done it before and I know they will do it again.”

“Did you tell Julian about this at all?”

“No, I didn’t. I do remember that at the end of July, at the Blue Note Julian asked me for visitation rights for Little Ethan and I said no, and we argued about it. During the time you said Julian was kidnapped, Wagner was hounding me for custody of Little Ethan and at that time, I thought Julian had regressed.”

“Oh my God,” Luis said, realizing what his sister had been going through.

“The truth is,” Theresa explained. “If I hadn’t found out about Little Ethan’s paternity and if I hadn’t thought Julian regressed I would have let him have visitation rights of Little Ethan. I should have known Julian would never take a mother away from her child. He was scarred enough by having Katherine leave him when he was growing up and then losing his own son with Eve. I mean even when I found out that I wasn’t legally married to him, and he wanted to take Little Ethan away, that was Rebecca’s idea, not his.”

“Yeah,” Luis agreed. “Back then all Alistair and Rebecca would have to say is jump and he would do it.”

“I remember seeing Julian interact with Alistair back then,” said Theresa. “He was like a little kid who was scared of his father. I also remember the way Alistair would treat Julian and the way he talked to him. It’s no wonder Julian had the problems he did in his life.”

“I know, Sam and I were talking about that today,” said Luis. “Look sis, I understand about you worrying about Gwen and Rebecca taking Little Ethan away, but Ethan has a right to know and so does Julian.”


“I know I want to, but I can’t risk losing my son to Gwen. She’s done it before and she’ll do it again. Not to mention she already has Jane.”

“Does anyone else know about this?”

“Only Mama, Whitney, and Chad.”

“Well it looks like Alistair must know now and has been using Wagner to torture you,” Luis pointed out.

“I know I realize that now.”

“Look,” Luis said firmly. “You have a right to Little Ethan too, but so does Ethan.”

“Exactly, but what about Gwen?” asked Theresa. “If I tell the truth she will take my son away from me and I will lose the Crane power, leaving me with no power or money to fight for Little Ethan or Jane in court; and then Gwen will probably take her hatred of me out on Little Ethan.”

As much as Luis wanted Theresa to tell the truth about Little Ethan’s paternity to Ethan, he also understood how Theresa felt about protecting her children. Luis knew how horrible it was to have your child taken away. The last thing he wanted was for Gwen and Rebecca to keep stealing away Theresa’s children. “Well I understand your concern,” Luis said.

“You do?”

“Yes I do. Look, Paloma or I will question you when you come into the station, but you’re going to have to deal with the truth about Little Ethan’s paternity eventually. Secrets always come out and it looks like Alistair already knows about Little Ethan being Ethan’s son.”

“I know. I will,” Theresa said acknowledging the seriousness of the situation. “And I’ll come into the station right away.”

“Okay.”

Once Theresa got off the phone with Luis, she pressed her finger tips against the top of her nose and she started to cry for Julian, Eve, the Cranes, Whitney, and Simone. She felt terrible about what was happening to them. Julian was being held captive somewhere and his family and loved ones were sick with worry and grief. Whitney and Simone were going to be devastated knowing when they learned about what their father had done.

Theresa felt awful now for getting angry at Julian before he was kidnapped and when she thought Julian was Wagner. All Julian had wanted at the Blue Note was the chance to be a good father for a change. Theresa knew she should have told Julian the truth about Little Ethan’s paternity right then. He would have kept her secret. As for what happened after that, Theresa wasn’t angry at Julian anymore now that she knew Wagner had been pretending to be Julian.

It was true that Julian and Theresa had a difficult history between the two of them, but Theresa never wanted this to happen to Julian. When Julian started to change, Theresa began to really respect him for the good man that he became, and admired him for overcoming his demons. Theresa remembered how Julian helped her family get their home back after Gwen and Rebecca stole it from them and how two years ago Julian helped Luis and Sheridan so they could be together. Theresa also remembered how kind Julian was to her when she had accidentally poisoned Ethan and when Alistair was raping her, and when Ethan and Gwen were going to leave Harmony back in January.

Ever since the truth came out about Eve and Julian’s past together, Theresa thought Julian and Eve were good together as a couple. The love between them was so evident; it was obvious to Theresa that they were soul mates. Theresa had known the Russell’s her whole life, but when she found out about Eve and Julian’s past she saw that Eve’s relationship with TC was like Ethan’s relationship with Gwen and Sheridan’s relationship with Chris and Antonio. It wasn’t true love. The love that Eve and Julian shared was like her love with Ethan and Luis and Sheridan’s love, passionate and eternal. Now Theresa couldn’t believe Julian had been kidnapped. For months Theresa had been furious with Julian, but now she wanted to give him a hug and tell him how sorry she was that this happened to him. Theresa prayed to God that he was still alive.

Just then Pilar walked into Theresa’s office and stood in front of Theresa’s desk. Theresa and Pilar had a lunch date planned. “Are you ready to go to lunch, Mija?” Pilar asked.

“I’m sorry I can’t make it for lunch today Mama,” Theresa said, drying her tears. “Something’s come up and I’m going to have to cancel."

As Pilar looked at Theresa she saw that she was crying. “Mija, are you all right?” she asked with concern for her daughter.

“No I’m not alright,” Theresa said all choked up. “Julian Crane was kidnapped five months ago.”

Pilar was confused now. “What are you talking about?” she asked as she sat down on the chair in front of Theresa’s desk.

“Long story, short,” Theresa explained as she folded her arms on her desk. “Luis just called and this morning he and Chief Bennett wiretapped Spike. On the wiretap, they found out that Alistair didn’t die last summer. He only faked his death back in Rome. They also found out that Alistair paid Chris to fall in love with Sheridan and he’s not Jame’s biological father.”

“Oh my God!” Pilar said as she realized what Alistair had done to her son and that her daughter’s abusive husband was still alive.

“Wait there’s more,” Theresa said. Theresa’s tone was very solemn now. “When Rebecca gave Julian a divorce, Alistair’s current leverage for keeping Dr. Russell and Julian apart was gone; so after Coach Russell’s car accident last summer, Alistair got the coach to team up with him in breaking up Julian and Dr. Russell. So TC faked his stroke and they kidnapped Julian and replaced him with an imposter named Mitch Wagner.”

Pilar’s eyes popped out of her head. “You’re kidding me?!” she exclaimed. “You mean all this time we all thought Julian had regressed and we were dealing with this Mitch Wagner guy?!”

“Yeah.”

“Where’s Julian now?”

“No one knows. Alistair didn’t tell TC or Wagner where he was keeping Julian prisoner.”

“Dios Mio,” Pilar said gravely, looking down at the floor, realizing the kind of danger Julian was and had been in for the past five months. Pilar’s anger that she had felt towards Julian the past five months was gone, now that she knew Theresa had been dealing with an imposter. She felt terrible for Julian and his loved ones.

“That’s not all, either,” Theresa said. “It turns out that Eve left Coach Russell last week because he beat her.”

“TC beat Eve?!” Pilar exclaimed. “Are you serious?”

“I’m afraid so.”

“I saw her last night at the hospital and I remember her limping. Was that from TC?”

“Yeah,” Theresa nodded. “Luis said she’s been walking with a limp from the beating and that she’s badly banged up,” explained Theresa. “She was wearing makeup before to hide the bruises.”

Pilar had tears coming out her eyes. “Is Eve all right?” Her voice was filled with worry for her friend.

“She’s all right,” said Theresa. “She’s like I said she’s banged up and walking with a limp for now.”

“How come Eve didn’t say anything before?”

“She didn’t want Whitney and Simone to hate their father, but when she found out about Julian she told everyone. And it looks like she’s done with TC for good and she’s going to press charges against him for Julian’s kidnapping and for assault and battery.”

“Good. At least now I won’t have to convince her to do otherwise.” Pilar grimaced with anger, as she felt herself become furious at TC for hurting one of her closest friends. “I can’t believe TC did that to Eve. I know he has a temper but to beat up a woman and Eve of all people. I’m going to kill him.”

“I don’t blame you,” Theresa said, sympathizing with her mother. Theresa had a few choice words for TC herself about hurting Whitney, Ethan, Fox, Fancy, Eve, Sheridan, and the people she loved, by taking away Julian. Theresa also knew that Little Ethan would be sad to hear about Julian as well. “My God,” Theresa said, shaking her head at the severity of the situation. “Whitney’s going to be devastated when she finds out about what her father did. I know she told me about when she asked Eve last week why she left TC. Whitney lambasted her mother again for her past sins and Dr. Russell stood up to her and Simone and told them that they weren’t paying for her mistakes, she was. Then Eve chewed them out for the way they treated her when her past with Julian came out.”

“Well it’s about time,” Pilar said firmly. “The way Whitney and Simone treated their mother when Eve’s past came out was horrible. I still can’t believe Eve let the girls and TC treat her that way.”

“Yeah,” Theresa agreed. “Whitney’s my best friend, but I don’t approve of the way she treated her mother. I even told her back then that she was wrong to blame Eve for everything.”

“I can’t imagine what Eve must be going through right now,” Pilar said as she thought about her Eve, and the pain she was going through right now. “She loves Julian so much, she must be so worried about him.”

“I know she does.” Theresa sighed with a heavy heart. “It’s horrible to have someone you love kidnapped. I remember what it was like when Gwen kidnapped Jane. It’s just this constant state of fear and panic worrying if your loved one is all right.”

“I know,” said Pilar. “No one should have to go through that.”

“I know.” Theresa's eyes were filled with sadness over Julian’s kidnapping.

“Do you know how Eve and the Crane’s are doing?” Pilar asked.

“Luis said not good.”

Then all of a sudden, Pilar realized that Alistair must know the truth about Theresa’s secret. “Wait a minute, Mija!” Pilar said. “If Alistair hired Wagner to be Julian and we thought Julian was trying to take Little Ethan away from you, Alistair must know about Little Ethan’s paternity.”

“I know,” Theresa said. “And I told Luis already about Little Ethan’s paternity and he and Paloma will interview me when I go down to the station to give my statement against Wagner.”

“Listen Mija,” Pilar said, trying to convey to her daughter the seriousness of the situation. “If Alistair knows your secret, your secret is at even greater risk of coming out now.”

“I know,” Theresa said, understanding what her mother was saying. “I’m going to try to figure out what to do about that. But right now I have to help find Julian and bring him home.”

“I know,” Pilar agreed. “Julian needs to be found. We have to pray for Julian and that he comes home safe.”

“Yes we do,” Theresa agreed. “I better get to the station and give my statement.” Theresa got up and put her coat on and grabbed her purse

“Tell Eve I’m praying for Julian,” Pilar told Theresa.

“I will.” Then Theresa went out the door. After Theresa had gone, Pilar burst into tears crying for Eve and for Julian and his loved ones.

Chapter Thirty-Three

(Note to Readers; In this story Kay is played by Heidi Mueller and Jessica is played by Danica Stewart)

Back at the Bennett House; Grace, Kay, and Jessica were having lunch at the kitchen table when Noah came into the room with a grime look on his face. “Noah, honey what’s wrong?” Grace asked. “You look upset.”

“I just got off the phone with Dad,” Noah said gravely. “And I have some bad news to tell you all.”

“Oh my God!” Grace cried. “Is your father hurt?” As a cop’s wife, Grace always got nervous when she heard something about Sam being in trouble at work.

“No, Dad’s fine,” Noah assured his mother.

Grace breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank God!” she said.

“So what’s the bad news then?” Kay asked with curiosity.

Noah took a deep breath. His head was still reeling from what his father told him. “Julian Crane was kidnapped five months ago,” he said.

“Five months ago?” Grace quipped. “What are you talking about?”

“Today Dad and Luis got a warrant to wiretap Spike,” Noah explained.

“Daddy wiretapped Spike?!” Jessica cried feeling ambivalent about her father going after Spike.

“Yeah,” said Noah. “And it turns out your husband’s even more evil than we thought. On the wiretap, they heard him talking to Alistair Crane.”

“Alistair Crane is supposed to be dead,” Kay clipped.

“Well it looks like he faked his death.”

“You’re kidding!” Grace exclaimed, shocked. Grace couldn’t believe Alistair had faked his death and was still alive. The man was too evil for words. Then Grace remembered that Eve said Julian started to regress after Alistair’s death, and about what Eve had told her about Julian’s behavior lately not adding up. Then all of a sudden, Grace had a sinking feeling come over her.

“I wish I were,” said Noah. “While they were listening to the wiretap, they found out that last summer when Rebecca granted Mr. Crane a divorce, Alistair’s current leverage for keeping Mr. Crane and Dr. Russell apart was gone. So right after Coach Russell’s car accident last summer, Alistair got TC to help him break up Mr. Crane and Dr. Russell. So Coach Russell faked his stroke and they had Spike kidnap Julian and replaced him with an imposter named Mitch Wagner.”

Grace shot right up from her seat like a bolt of lightning. “They didn’t!?” she exclaimed. Anger and disgust was in her voice.

Kay and Jessica both stood up from the table with shocked and perplexed looks on their faces.

“Spike kidnapped Mr. Crane?!” Jessica exclaimed.

“Are you serious?” asked Kay.

“I’m afraid so,” said Noah.

“I don’t believe this,” Kay said, putting her hands on her elbows.

Grace had smoke coming out of her ears now. “You mean to tell me all this time Eve was heart broken over Julian’s regression and her break up with him, she was dealing with some imposter that Alistair and TC deliberately siege on her. And all the while Julian, her beloved fiancé, has been kidnapped?” she asked Noah.

“Yeah,” said Noah. “And the worst part, no one knows where Julian is. Alistair didn’t tell Wagner or Coach Russell.”

Grace pierced her lips feeling her anger at TC rise over her like a volcano. She wanted to strangle TC at that moment. She didn’t think she could hate TC anymore than she already did for hurting Eve, but she was wrong. It wasn’t bad enough, everything that TC had done to Eve, but now this? No this was too much. “I’m going to kill TC Russell,” she cried. “I’m going to kill him with my bare hands. He’s gone way too far this time.”

“Mom, what do you mean TC’s gone way too far this time?” Kay asked, not sure what her mother was talking about. It sounded to Kay that Grace was saying TC did something else to Eve.

“Nothing,” Grace said, keeping Eve’s privacy about the beating.

“Is that why Dr. Russell moved out from Coach Russell last week?” asked Jessica.

As soon as Jessica asked that, Grace cringed trying to figure out a way to cover for Eve.

“This you won’t believe,” said Noah. “It turns out the reason Dr. Russell left was because TC beat her.”

“Coach Russell beat her?!” Kay exclaimed as her jaw dropped open.

“Wait a minute!” Grace said to Noah, surprised and caught off guard. “You know?”

Kay turned to her mother, with her eyes widened. “You know, Mom?” Kay asked, taken aback.

Grace nodded. “Yeah I’ve known for a week now. I found out when I found Eve staying at the hotel. I accidentally saw one of her bruises on her arm. She denied it at first, but I could tell someone had attacked her. When I wouldn’t let up, she finally told me that TC had beaten her; and that’s why Eve and I told all of you not to tell anyone that Eve was staying with us and not to bring TC to the house. And that’s how she hurt her back.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Jessica asked.

“I wanted to, but Eve didn’t want Whitney and Simone to hate their father and I told Eve I would only keep quiet if she promised to take legal action if TC came after her again. Believe me if I had told, I would have killed TC by now, and from the looks of things I just might.”

“Did anyone else know?” asked Noah.

“Dr. Evans knew,” Grace answered.


“How did Dr. Evans know?” Kay asked.

“She examined Eve after the beating.”

“My God,” Kay said, shaking her head. “I know Coach Russell has a temper but I never thought he would beat a woman and Eve of all people.”

“Is that why Dr. Russell was limping?” Jessica asked.

“Yeah Honey, it was.” Then Grace looked at Noah. “How did you find out?”

“Dad said that once Eve found out what TC did to Julian she told everyone and is pressing charges against TC for Julian’s kidnapping and for assault and battery. Dad also said that you’re going to need to testify on Eve’s behalf.”

“Oh believe me, I’ll be more than happy to,” Grace said with a vindictive tone to her voice. “Right after I ring TC’s neck.”

“Is Dr. Russell okay?” Jessica asked with concern.

“She’s really banged up,” Grace answered, all choked up. She had tears in her eyes now as she thought about the pain Eve must be going through right now.

“I didn’t see any bruises on her before,” said Kay.

“She was wearing makeup,” Grace said, drying her tears. Kay put her arm around her mother trying to comfort her.

“Jessica, did you know anything about Spike being involved in Julian’s kidnapping?” Noah asked.

“No absolutely not,” Jessica said with conviction. “I had no idea. I don’t even know where Spike is now. He just told me he was going away on business and wouldn’t tell me when he would get back.” It was true. Jessica had no idea about Spike kidnapping Julian before this. Personally, she was disgusted with Spike for doing that to Mr. Crane. Jessica knew Spike was going to use the dead Johns against Jessica regarding Julian’s kidnapping. Probably make her testify on his behalf saying he didn’t do it or something like that. Jessica was tired of doing Spike’s bidding and having him abuse her and pimp her out. It was bad enough for Jessica being married to him and then lying to Fancy about Noah and Maya back in Rome, but now an innocent man was kidnapped. Jessica knew that if Spike called her now and she kept quiet to save herself from going to jail or if she lied about Spike being innocent, she would never be able to look at herself in the mirror again. She had to do the right thing. If Spike called her now, she was going to tell her father, no matter what the consequences.

“Oh that’s considerate of Spike,” Kay said sarcastically. “A husband goes on business and doesn’t tell when he’s going to be back.”

“How’s Eve doing?” Grace asked Noah as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

“Dad says she’s devastated,” he answered. “Eve’s giving her statement to the police right now, but Dad says she needs you.”

“I’m on my way.” Grace put on her coat and grabbed her purse. “Listen if you see Dr. Evans, I need you guys to tell her about what happened.”

“Sure, don’t worry about it,” said Noah.

“Call if there’s anything we can do Mom,” Kay said solemnly; feeling terrible for Julian, Eve, and the Cranes.

“I will.”

“Mom,” Jessica said sweetly. “Will you tell Dr. Russell, how sorry I am about what Spike did to Julian, and I’m more than willing to do whatever I have to find Julian and have Spike arrested.”

“You mean that, Jess?” asked Noah.

“Yes,” Jessica replied. “I do. I can’t stand by and let Spike get away with this.”

“I’ll tell her,” Grace said, feeling proud of Jessica, and then she left.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Back at the Police Station, the rest of the Harmony Police Force had been told of Julian’s kidnapping and were setting out to find him. Eve was now in the bathroom, putting back her clothes on. She had finished giving her statement to the police, and Paloma had taken pictures of her bruises which required her to remove some of her clothing and to take off all of her makeup. Once Paloma finished with the pictures, Eve was able to get dressed again.

After Eve finished putting her clothes on, she stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. As she looked at her bruised and tear stained face in the mirror, she saw that except for the black and blue of her bruises, all the color had drained from her face. She knew it would be pointless to put her makeup back on now. At the rate she was crying, she knew her tears would just wash it away. Somehow that didn’t matter to her now. Julian had been kidnapped and that was all she cared about.

Tears began to fall from Eve’s eyes again. She couldn’t believe that the man she loved and adored had been kidnapped and was being held hostage by Spike and Alistair. It was all too horrible. Inside Eve was in shock and numb with grief over Julian. She felt like she was having an out of body experience, watching herself from the ceiling. Nothing seemed real to her right now. Eve prayed that this was all a bad dream that she would wake up from, but it wasn’t. Julian was kidnapped and in terrible danger.

Eve sat down on the toilet and buried her face in her hands as she sobbed. She was scared to death for Julian’s safety. She didn’t know where he was, if he was cold, or sick, or hungry, or hurt, or if Alistair or Spike were torturing him. Julian was the man that Eve loved, her fiancé; and she was supposed to know where he was and to protect him; but right now didn’t and couldn’t. ‘Of course Alistair would do this to me and Julian,’ Eve thought to herself. ‘What did I expect?’

Then Eve began to feel sick to her stomach. She stood up and knelt down in front of the toilet, opening up the lid of the seat and threw up in distress. She grabbed a tissue from her pocket to wipe off her face and then flushed it down the toilet with the rest of her vomit. At that moment, Eve felt like she couldn’t move or get up from the floor. She wasn’t sure what to do or where to go. It was like her legs had turned to water.

Eve leaned her back against the bathroom wall, sitting on the floor with her knees pressed against her chest, sobbing her eyes out. Her heart felt like it had been ripped out from her chest and broken into a million pieces. Eve wanted to die, knowing Julian was kidnapped and missing. Julian meant everything to her and now he was gone. It wasn’t fair. All the anger Eve had at Julian when she thought Wagner was Julian had disappeared. She now understood she had been dealing with an imposter, not the man she loved. Eve hated that she assumed the worst of Julian. Julian hadn't done anything wrong. All he did was love and adore Eve unconditionally, and was now taken away from her. Eve looked up at the ceiling as she sobbed even harder, with her face flooding with tears. Inside Eve felt so lost without Julian, and wasn’t sure if she could go on with him. She wished Alistair had kidnapped her instead of Julian. She would have gladly traded places with Julian, to keep him from being hurt. “Oh Julian,” she sobbed. “I’m so sorry Baby. I love you so much. Please you have to be all right. I can’t live without you.”

Just then Sam knocked on the bathroom door and came in. “Eve, are you all right?” he asked with concern and then he saw Eve sitting on the bathroom room crying. Sam’s face dropped when he saw Eve’s entire bruised face, shocked at what his best friend had done. He looked at Eve with sorrow and sympathy in his eyes and his face, seeing the distress she was going through over Julian. It was enough to break his heart. “It’s okay,” Sam said gently to Eve as he extended his hand to her and helped her up off the floor. Then Sam took Eve in his arms and as she cried on his shoulder. “Sshh. I know,” Sam coaxed her as he held her.

After a few minutes, Sam looked into Eve’s eyes, wiping the tears away from her cheeks. “Listen,” he said. His tone was kind and loving. “I know you’re scared right now, but we are going to do everything we can to bring Julian home. I promise you that.” As a cop, Sam knew that he couldn’t promise to bring Julian home alive, but he could promise to bring him home.

“You have to find him Sam,” Eve pleaded through her sobs. “You have too. I love Julian so much. I can’t lose him.”

“I know you do and we will. I want you to know that Grace and I are going to be with you every step of the way. You’re not going to be alone in this.”

Eve smiled with appreciation knowing her best friends would be there for her during this terrible ordeal. “Thank you,” she said. “I really appreciate that especially after-”

“Shh, don’t you even think that,” Sam said, stopping her from thinking she didn’t deserve their support after giving into Ivy’s blackmail. “You’d do it for us.”

“I would,” Eve said, nodding her head.

~

Eve walked out to the front of the police station where Katherine, Sheridan, Fancy, Theresa, and Grace were waiting. Grace rushed to Eve and took her best friend in her arms. “I came as soon as I heard,” she said, hugging Eve. “I’m so sorry.”

Eve wrapped her arms around Grace. “Oh my God, Grace, where is he?” Eve sobbed.

As a friend, Grace never felt more helpless. She so desperately wanted to take Eve’s pain away from her but she couldn’t. “I don’t know Sweetie,” Grace coaxed reassuringly. But they’re going to find him.”

“This is all, my fault,” Eve cried.

“What?” Grace let go of the hug and looked right at Eve.

“I should have been there. I should have protected him.”

“Eve this is not your fault!” Grace said firmly, desperate to assure Eve she was not to blame for Julian’s kidnapping.

“Yes, it is,” Eve said, wiping away some more of her tears. “If I had only stayed with him, he would be here right now.”

Katherine went right up to Eve as soon as she heard Eve say this. “Eve, you are not to blame for this!” Katherine said in the same firm and reassuring tone that Grace had.

“How can you say that of all people?” Eve asked Katherine. “I’m responsible for your son being kidnapped.”

“No, you’re not,” Katherine replied, allowing for no argument. “There wasn’t anything you could have done to prevent this. If Alistair wanted Julian kidnapped, he would have found out some way to do it do matter what you did. You can’t keep blaming yourself for everything.”

As soon as Katherine said ‘you can’t keep blaming yourself for everything’ Eve remembered what Julian and Marlena had told her. Eve knew Katherine was right. Even though she still wished she had been able to protect Julian, she knew that Alistair would have found a way to kidnap Julian one way or another. And Eve also knew the trouble she had gotten herself into in the past for blaming herself for everything. “Yeah, I guess that's why I got into this mess to begin with,” Eve said. Then she took Katherine’s hand. “I know this is killing you as much as it’s killing me.”

“I know,” Katherine nodded, choking back tears. “But we’ll get each other through this, and we’ll bring Julian home.”

“I can’t tell you all how sorry I am about Julian,” Grace said with sympathy to Katherine, Sheridan, and Fancy. “I want you all to know that Julian is in my prayers.”

“Thank you, Grace,” Sheridan said.

“Yes, thank you Mrs. Bennett,” added Fancy.

“That’s very kind of you,” Katherine told Grace.

As Theresa looked at Eve, she couldn’t believe the bruises on Eve’s face. Her heart broke for her. Theresa could tell TC must have really beaten Eve up really good. It was distressing to Theresa seeing her best friend’s mother, friend of hers herself and a woman who was like a second mother to her, like that. “Dr. Russell,” Theresa said kindly. “I want you to know how sorry I am about Julian; I want you to know that I’m having Crane backing the police investigation to find Julian, and I’m also having other search efforts set up as well. I also want you to know that Mama and I are praying for Julian and if there’s anything I can do for you please let me know.”

“Thank you Theresa,” Eve said, smiling at Theresa’s thoughtfulness. “That’s very kind of you. Actually there is something you could do.”

“Sure, name it.”

“Could you maybe pull a few strings with Crane legal so I can go back to my maiden name?” Eve knew her maiden name may seem trivial to some people at that moment, but after what TC did to Julian, she didn’t want TC’s name anywhere near her name. It made her sick to have her last name be Russell now. Theresa and everyone else understood where Eve was coming from.

“Sure,” said Theresa. “I’ll call Crane legal and you’ll have your maiden name back within the hour.”

“Thank you,” said Eve.

“Theresa,” Katherine said. “I want you to know how much I appreciate everything you’re doing to help find Julian. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

Theresa was still furious at Katherine for what she did to her family, but right now Theresa couldn’t help but feel sympathy and empathy for Katherine. Theresa knew what it was like to have your child kidnapped, and she wouldn’t wish that on her worst enemy. “Of course, Katherine,” Theresa replied gently. “I’m a mother myself, I understand.”

“We appreciate it too, Theresa,” Fancy said.

“Yes thank you Theresa,” Sheridan added.

“Don’t worry about it,” Theresa replied. “The important thing is that we find Julian and bring him home.”

Grace then turned to Eve. “How are you holding up?” she asked her.

“Not good,” Eve sobbed. “Grace, I’m so scared. I don’t know where Julian is or if he’s safe or what’s happened to him.”

“Listen to me,” Grace said, putting her hands on Eve’s upper arms. “They’re going to find him and they’re going to bring him home. Julian is strong and resourceful and he’s a fighter, not to mention he has you to live for. The important thing is that you stay strong for Julian.”

“I know,” Eve said in a low voice. Eve knew that Grace was right. She had to stay strong for Julian, but she wasn’t sure how. In Eve and Julian’s relationship, Julian was always the strong one between the two of them. Whatever the situation or how terrible it was, Julian had enough strength for both him and Eve. Julian always knew what to do and Eve knew she could lean on him and count on him to be her rock. Most of the time, it was Julian who was rescuing Eve; but now the tables were turned. Of course, Eve had been there for Julian in the past when he was down or feeling sad, or when he was hurt; but she had never been the rescuer. Eve knew she had to rise to the occasion, she didn’t have a choice. However, she wondered if she had the same strength that Julian had.

Just then TC came into the room, causing everyone else to coldly look away from him. TC had just been processed and was being released on his recognizance. He was still desperate to try to get through to Eve, so he decided to take another try at getting her to forgive him.

“Eve,” TC said, standing across the room from Eve. “I have something to say to you.”

“Save it for someone who cares.” Eve’s tone was low and angry.

“Eve, please,” TC begged as he began to approach her.

Grace put her arm straight out in front of her with her palm up at TC “Get away from her TC,” she angrily demanded as she saw TC walking towards Eve. “I mean it.”

“Grace I-” TC said.

“Haven’t you done enough to her already?” Grace snapped as she walked towards TC. “And while you’re here I have something to give you.”

“What?”

“This,” Grace slapped TC across the face.

TC put his hand on his cheek. “Hey!” he cried

Grace had tears in her eyes now. “It wasn’t bad enough that you expected my best friend to be perfect throughout your marriage, threw her away when you found out she wasn’t, and emotional and verbally abused her, allowed your daughters to do the same, betrayed her with her own sister, then tried to have her sent to jail for crimes that she didn’t commit and turned against your youngest daughter for being gay. But you had to kidnap the man Eve loves and make her think he betrayed her, and then beat her!” Grace cried. “How could you do this to her?”

“How could you not tell me Eve was staying with you, when you knew I was looking for her?” TC angrily countered.

“It’s because I saw the bruises on her, you son of a bitch!” Grace yelled. “How could you do that, to her?”

“I was wrong, I know. But I promise it will never happen again.”

“You’re right it’s never going to happen again,” Grace said, shaking her finger at TC. “And I’m going to make sure of it.”

TC folded his arms across his chest and asked her flippantly, “What are you going to do?”

“Oh believe me,” Grace snarled. “You don’t want to know.”

“Look,” TC said, feeling frustrated with being yelled at by everyone. “Don’t project your anger on Ivy out on me.”

“Oh this has nothing to do with Ivy, although the two of you are cut from the same cloth,” Grace said. “This has to do with you hurting and trying to ruin my best friend’s life.”

“Oh really, you seemed pretty quick to forgive Eve for ruining your life,” TC clipped.

“Wait a minute,” Sheridan said, sticking up for Eve.

“Eve didn’t ruin my life,” said Grace. “She made a mistake. We all do. And if you didn’t have such a hair-trigger temper, she wouldn’t have had to keep her past a secret.”

“Oh are you blaming me for Ivy breaking up your marriage?” TC asked Grace defensively.

“No, I blame Ivy for breaking up my marriage. I blame you for treating Eve like dirt, beating her, and kidnapping Julian.”

“Join the club,” Fancy quipped.

“Look,” TC said to Grace. “What I did to Eve was wrong, but Julian had it coming.”

“You monster!” Katherine cried. “Julian didn't deserve this!” She began to lunge at him again, but Sheridan and Fancy held her back, before she could reach TC.

“Burn in hell, TC,” Fancy cried as she held Katherine back.

“I hate you!” Katherine yelled at TC. “I’m going to kill you for this.”

“Do you see what you’ve done TC?” Eve cried. “I hope you’re happy now.”

Never in TC’s life did he feel as small as he did at that moment. It was like he was in front of a firing squad.

“Julian loves and adores Eve,” Grace said to TC, folding her arms across her chest. “And he’s been very good to her. And it’s a pity I wasn’t here two years ago, because I would have made sure that she saw you for who you really are, when you threw Eve out and treated her like dirt.”

“Honestly Grace, how can you approve of Julian over me?” TC asked. “The man turned Eve into a drug addict, a drunk, and whore. Then he abandoned her when she got pregnant.”

“How dare you TC,” Eve snarled. “Julian didn’t hold a gun to my head. I made my own decisions back then. Julian and I both got swept up in the era, and we made some mistakes that we now regret. And you know what else? I am not a whore and I never was. I was never with anybody except Julian back then. As for Julian abandoning me, he didn’t know I was pregnant until our baby died, and he had an abusive father and he did the best he could under the circumstances.”

“Yeah,” Sheridan said to TC, with anger in her voice. “Alistair tortured and abused Julian and I our whole lives. Father did everything he could to mold Julian into his image, all the while abusing Julian. Only unlike most abused children, Julian and I knew that child protective services weren’t going to come to save us, because our father was Alistair Crane. It’s a miracle Julian came out of it as well as he did.”

Katherine's eyes continued to fill up with tears as she heard Sheridan talk about how Julian suffered from Alistair.

“You know,” Theresa said to TC with her arms folded across her chest. “Julian and I have had our differences in the past, but even when I thought I was legally married to him, I saw how cruel Alistair was to Julian.”

TC rolled his eyes. “Theresa, how the hell can you say that after Julian raped you in Bermuda?”

“Julian never raped me or forced me into anything,” Theresa said defensively. “We both got drunk and neither one of us are proud of how we acted that night. But if it wasn’t for Julian I wouldn’t have my son.” Theresa knew that the last part of her sentence wasn’t true, but she had felt that way before she found out about Little Ethan’s paternity.

“Julian is a good and decent man,” Eve told TC. “In my heart, I have always known that, and that’s why I never feel out of love with him. And if it hadn’t been for Alistair, his entire life would have been totally different. I know Julian’s heart is good and loving and kind; and that’s all that matters to me. And you know what else TC? Julian didn’t leave me willingly. And he never abused me or ever laid a hand on me.”

“If you want to know why I approve of Julian over you, TC,” Grace said. “I think you just got your answer. Julian has been nothing but wonderful to Eve, and I’m grateful that she has a wonderful man to love her so much. ”

“How can you all buy Julian’s act that he’s a good guy?" TC asked in disbelief. "It’s all a hoax that he’s been putting on for the past three years.” Then TC looked at Theresa hoping to get support from her. “Come on Theresa, you’re my daughter’s best friend. Aren’t you going to back me up here?”

“Back you up?! Theresa quipped.

“You know how it is when you love someone,” TC said, trying to get Theresa to understand why he schemed to get back with Eve. “Look at all the crazy things you did to be with Ethan. You know the old saying, ‘all’s fair in love and war.’ You even said just now that you and Julian haven’t gotten along.”

“No way Coach Russell,” Theresa said firmly, shaking her head at him. Her tone was upset and calm at the same time. “You’re not getting any sympathy from me. I don’t have an ounce of respect for you or anything you did. People that l love like Whitney, Eve, Simone, Chad, Fox, Ethan, and Fancy; have been hurt because of what you did. Not to mention, I just spent the past five months being put through anguish because Wagner was trying to fight me for custody of my son, while he was pretending to be Julian.”

“Look I’m sorry about Wagner trying to fight you for Little Ethan. I didn’t have any part of it and I didn’t have any idea that Alistair would have Wagner do that.”

“Well what did you expect Alistair would do when you helped him kidnap Julian and replace him with an imposter?” Theresa pointed out. “I could have lost my child TC, and it would have been your fault.”

TC hung his head in shame. He knew that Theresa was right about Little Ethan.

“And as far as all fair in love and war,” Theresa continued. “Eve and Julian are soul mates. They’re meant to be together. And yes, I’ve done some crazy things to be with Ethan, but I never kidnapped anyone or faked an illness or beat up the man I love.”

“Oh come on,” said TC. “What about when you accidentally poisoned Ethan and then kidnapped him to the Crane cabin? Then you tried to kidnap Little Ethan two years ago.”

“Poisoning Ethan was an accident,” Theresa said defensively. “I never meant to hurt Ethan. And when I kidnapped him I was trying to save his life. I didn’t hold him hostage. And I kidnapped Little Ethan, because Gwen and Rebecca stole my son from me and I was trying to protect him. You deliberately kidnapped Julian, because you wanted to get back together with Eve and hurt Julian, and you didn’t care who got caught in the process.” If anything TC now reminded Theresa of Gwen. Gwen and TC both had quick tempers, and both of them schemed their way into being with Ethan and Eve. Only Ethan or Eve couldn’t see through their acts. At least Eve saw through TC’s act now. “And you know what else?” Theresa continued. “I forgive Julian for what happened in the past, and he’s been very kind to me and my family over the past few years. And I never wanted this to happen to him or his loved ones.”

“Please,” TC scoffed. “Julian is a low life piece of garbage, who destroys everything he comes near.”

“That does it,” Katherine cried. “I had enough of you attacking my son!” This time she went up to TC and slapped him across the face, and began attacking him. However, Sheridan and Fancy pulled her off TC and held her back trying to restrain her.

“Mother, come on. He’s not worth it,” Sheridan said as she and Fancy moved Katherine back away from TC back to where they were. “TC will get what’s coming to him for what he did to Julian.”

“I will never forgive you for this TC,” Grace said in a hateful tone. “You are done with me for good. I hope Julian rips you to shreds when he comes home.”

“Please Julian’s too much of a coward to fight me,” TC quipped.

“Who are you calling a coward, you kidnapper!” Fancy yelled at TC.

“Coach Russell, I think you should go,” Theresa said, trying to get the situation under control.

“With pleasure,” TC said in a huff.

“Enjoy your freedom while you can TC, because soon all the outdoors you’ll see will be through the prison’s fences,” Fancy called after TC as he went out the door and left the police station.

As soon as TC left, Eve turned to Grace. “Thank you for sticking up for me Honey.”

“Anytime,” Grace said, putting her arm around Eve.

“I appreciate what you said about my father too Mrs. Bennett,” said Fancy.

“Of course, I meant it,” Grace replied.

Just then Sam and Luis came into the room.

“Hey sis,” Luis said to Theresa. “We’re ready to take your statement.”

“Okay,” Theresa said as Luis took her to the back of the station.

As soon as Luis and Theresa left, Fancy turned to Sam and said, “Sam the APB has been issued, and Daddy’s kidnapping report has gone into the national database. I also talked to the National Center for Missing Adults. We’ve been assigned a case manager and they’ll be flying out here to help. I also talked to Fox and he and Ethan are going to be putting together some volunteer search efforts.”

“That’s good,” replied Sam. “Great work.”

“What about issuing an Amber alert?” Sheridan asked.

“Amber alerts are only issued for missing children, not missing adults,” Sam explained.

“Why?” Eve asked. “Adults get kidnapped too.”

“I know, but there’s a separate procedure for adult kidnappings,” Sam said.

“Well there is a Rachel Alert,” Fancy pointed out.

“What’s a Rachel alert?” Katherine asked.

“A Rachel alert is like an Amber alert, only there’s no age limit,” Fancy explained. “It was named after a nineteen year old young woman named Rachel Cooke from Texas. She was kidnapped in 2002, and was never found. Her parents set up an organization called the Rachel Alert Network, helping families whose loved ones have gone missing or have been kidnapped. I know some counties in some states have issued a Rachel Alert, for missing children and adults.”

“Well let’s do it,” said Katherine.

“Harmony isn’t set up with the Rachel alert system,” Sam replied.

“Well we can still issue one with the Crane power,” Fancy said.

“It’s not that simple,” Sam explained. “I agree with all of you. But if the Rachel alert system isn’t set up in this state, even with the Crane power there’s nothing we can do. It has to be taken up with the legislature.”

“Yeah well the legislature will be hearing about this from me,” said Katherine.

“Me too,” said Eve.

“Look, even without an Amber or Rachel alert, the media is going to be all over this, and people will know about it,” Sam reassured. “Don’t forget Julian’s a very high profile person.”

All of them felt a bit more reassured now. Sam looked over at Eve. She looked like she had turned to stone. “Eve, you’re going to need to get a lawyer for when you testify in court.”

“Why?” she asked in a low voice.

“It’s like Amber Frey in the Laci Peterson trial," Sam explained to her. "You need an attorney to protect you from the media, and the integrity of your testimony. I’m going to talk to Ethan and ask him to represent you.”

“I’ve already talked to Ethan,” answered Sheridan. “And he said he would.”

“Thank you,” Eve replied. Her voice was still low.

Sheridan turned to Sam and asked, “Sam what can we do now?”

“Go home, and save your strength. You’re going to need it. In the meantime, we’re setting up search operations, along with the investigation, and we’re getting word to the media. And I promise we’ll call you if anything happens.”

“It’s okay,” Fancy said to Eve, Katherine, and Sheridan. “I’ll be here and I’ll let you know what’s going on.”

“All right,” Eve said in a daze.

“I’ll drive all of you back to the mansion,” Grace offered to Eve, Katherine, and Sheridan, knowing they were all probably too upset to drive right now.

“Thank you Grace,” Katherine replied.

“Of course,” Grace said.

Then Sam turned to Eve, Katherine, Sheridan, and Fancy. “I want you all to know that we are going to do everything we can to bring Julian home. Finding Julian is the department's number one priority right now.”

“Thank you,” Eve and Katherine said.

Sam turned to Grace and whispered to her, “Make sure Eve takes care of herself, and that she eats and sleeps everyday. Also keep Marlena nearby in case she breaks down.”

“I will,” Grace nodded, listening carefully to every word Sam said. Grace knew that Eve was in for some dark days ahead of her and she was going to need her to be Eve’s rock now. Sam and Grace kissed each other good-bye and Grace drove Eve, Katherine, and Sheridan back to the mansion.

(Note to readers; All the missing persons organizations I mentioned before are real organizations. The Rachel Cooke situation really happened too.)


Chapter Thirty-Five

It had been exactly an hour since the APB for Julian was issued. The news media had picked up the story and all of Harmony and most of the world knew about Julian’s kidnapping. There was continuing coverage on every radio and television station in the country. Roadblocks were put all around Harmony and around the state, and helicopters were flying in the air looking for Julian.

Back at the Crane Mansion, Sheridan had gone back to her cottage to tell James about Chris. Eve and Katherine were sitting on the couch in the Crane living room; still in shock over learning Julian had been kidnapped. The room had been decorated with Christmas decorations since the day after Thanksgiving, and the Christmas tree was all set up. However, everyone in the Crane Family knew this was going to be a very grime Christmas, this year. As Eve and Katherine sat on the couch, they looked as if they had turned to stone. Neither one of them said a word to each other at first.

Finally Katherine was the first one to speak up. “I can’t believe this is happening,” she said to Eve. Her voice was small and had a devastated tone to it. Katherine still couldn’t believe that her child had been kidnapped. She was experiencing every mother’s worst nightmare. Even all the years that Katherine was separated from Julian and Sheridan when she was living in Mexico, it wasn’t anything as painful as this. At least she knew where they were then. Now she didn’t know where Julian was or if he was safe. It was like a knife in her heart.

“Neither can I,” Eve said taking Katherine’s hand as fresh tears filled her eyes as she thought about her poor Julian out there lost and kidnapped. “I keep hoping this is going to be a dream that I’m going to wake up from, but it’s not.” Eve wiped her eyes with a tissue as she trembled in fear. “I’m so worried about him.”

“I know you are, Sweetheart,” Katherine replied as she lovingly squeezed Eve’s hand. Her tone was sympathetic and kind. “I am too.”

As Eve looked at Katherine, she felt so guilty about the way she treated Julian, for going back to TC, for the events that led up to this, and for her ex-husband kidnapping Julian. Eve wondered what Katherine really thought of her deep down. “Katherine, I am so sorry,” Eve said in a guilty tone. “You must hate me.”

“No, don’t you say that,” Katherine said firmly, allowing for no argument. “I don’t hate you, I could never hate you. None of this is your fault Eve. You were just as much a victim in this as Julian.” Katherine meant everything she was saying. She held no ill will against Eve for what happened to Julian. She knew how much Eve loved her son and that Eve had been wrongly deceived by the situation. Katherine also knew she could never hate Eve. Katherine adored Eve, as much as Julian did, and wanted Eve to be her daughter-in-law.

“How can you not hate me after I went back to TC after his accident?” Eve cried with guilt.

“Because, I know that you were deceived by TC, and I understand how being emotionally abused by TC would make you blame yourself for everything.” Katherine knew better than anyone what it was like to be abused and the effects that would have on a person. Even last summer, Katherine figured that was the reason Eve went back to TC after his fake stroke, because of misguided guilt.

“That’s not an excuse for the way I treated Julian,” Eve said between broken sobs. “Not to mention, I assumed the worst of Julian, when I thought Wagner was him. I’m his fiancé and his partner. How could I not tell the difference between Julian and Wagner?”

“I’m Julian’s mother and I couldn’t tell the difference either,” Katherine reassured her. “Actually, last week I tried to get through to Wagner thinking he was Julian and told him to shape up and that he was wrong to treat you the way he did.”

Eve sniffled. “I meant everything I said in the police station. I never stopped loving Julian. I felt guilty about TC’s accident and when I thought Julian had regressed it was just so devastating for me. I know that’s not an excuse. But you have to believe me when I say that I love Julian more than anything in the world. He means everything to me. Whatever I felt for TC in the past is nothing compared to the love and what I share with Julian. Nothing could ever even begin to.”

Katherine let go of Eve’s hand and gently put her hand on Eve’s arm. “I know how much you love Julian.” Katherine’s eyes were filled with love for Eve. “I’ve always known, and I love you for loving my son so much.”

Eve brushed away her remaining tears from her cheek. “It kills me to know that if Julian never met me, he would be home and safe yet now.”

Katherine put both of her hands on Eve’s arms and looked straight into her eyes. “Eve, listen to me.” Her tone was firm and no-nonsense. “You are the best thing that ever happened to my son. I thank God everyday, you came into his life. You have done more for him than anyone possibly could. If it wasn’t for you Julian would have never known the joy and the love that you gave him. Don’t even think that it would have been better for Julian if he never met you.”

Tears continued to run down Eve’s cheeks. “I just wished Alistair had kidnapped me instead,” she said as her voice cracked.

“If Alistair had, Julian would be going through the exact same thing you are right now,” Katherine pointed out. “Julian loves you, I know he does and wherever he is, I know that he loves and misses you too.”

Eve smiled at Katherine. “Thank you.”

As Katherine looked at Eve’s bruised face, her heart went out to her. Katherine remembered seeing those exact same bruises on her face when she was married to Alistair. “I am so sorry TC did this to you,” Katherine said lovingly as gestured to Eve’s bruised cheek. “You did the right thing by leaving him, and I’m not just saying that because I’m Julian’s mother.”

“You mean because Alistair did the same thing to you?” Eve asked.

Katherine nodded.

Eve swallowed hard as she realized that she and Katherine shared something else in common besides Julian. “Why didn’t I see it Katherine?” she asked. “I’m a doctor, I see battered women everyday. Why didn’t I see it in myself?”

“It’s because you never do, at least not at first,” Katherine explained in a gentle tone. “You think it’s your fault and you think maybe if you do things differently the abuse won’t happen. However, slowly overtime your self-esteem fades away. Then one day you realize you’ve had enough and you decide to get out. Only the abuser doesn’t make it easy for you.”

As Katherine said the last part of that sentence, Eve shuddered to think about what Katherine went through. “I can’t imagine how horrible it must have been for you with Alistair,” she said.

“It was horrible,” Katherine told her. “However, now I know never to fall for another abuser ever again, and you will too.”

Eve remembered all the times Julian tried to get her to see the truth about TC, and how she made excuses for her ex-husband. “I should have listened to Julian about TC,” she said. “He was right.”

“Julian understands,” Katherine replied. “I know he does.”

Then all of a sudden, Eve remembered how Julian got into a physical fight with TC the night that Liz exposed their past together, and it reminded Eve of how protective Julian was of her. “Oh my God!” Eve groaned as a realization came over her. “Julian’s going to go ballistic when he finds out that TC beat me.”

“Oh I know,” Katherine now realized the same thing. “I hate to think about what he’s going to do.”

“I know what he’s going to do,” said Eve. “He’s going to turn the tables on TC.” Eve knew there would be no stopping Julian when he found out about TC beating her. He was going to rip TC to pieces, and this time TC would be the one who was being attacked and none other than by Julian.

Katherine looked at Eve with concern for her son. “Has Julian ever attacked TC physically before? Or has he ever fought back when TC was attacking him?” she asked, feeling worried about Julian fighting TC, who had a violent temper and who her son had been a prime target for in the past and present.

“Once,” Eve answered. “It was the night Liz exposed our past together. Julian was waiting outside the house, and TC was calling me all these horrible names and verbally abusing me, and Julian came in and told TC to stop it. And of course, TC attacked him, but Julian attacked him for emotionally abusing me. They were so angry with each other that not even Chad and Fox could break them up. Sam had to shoot his gun up in the air to get them to stop fighting.”

“Oh God,” Katherine said as she imagined Julian and TC fighting each other that night and how Julian was going to react now. “If I was smart I would go kill TC myself to keep my son from going to jail.”

“I’ll help you,” Eve quipped.

Katherine and Eve both stifled a laugh at that. “Julian told me about how TC and your girls treated you when the truth about your past came out,” Katherine told Eve. “If it makes you feel any better, I thought they were way out of line.”

“Thank you,” Eve said with appreciation. “I know you spoke once with Whitney about it around that time and I want you to know how much I appreciate that.”

“Of course. I was happy to help. I’m just sorry I couldn’t get through to her. Did Whitney or Simone ever apologize to you?”

“No,” Eve answered. “They tolerate me now. They only stopped cursing me because they knew Julian wouldn’t tolerate it. Now they say they love me, but I’m not sure I believe them. Last week, a couple of days after the beating; Whitney was berating me for leaving TC, and I finally stood up to her and Simone, for the way they treated me. I told the girls I wasn’t going to let them blame me for everything anymore and if they didn’t love me then I didn’t want anything to do with either one of them.”

“Well good for you,” Katherine commended her. Katherine took Eve’s hand again and looked at her. “I want you to know that the family and I are here for you, and I’d like to invite you to stay here at the mansion for a while or for as long as you want.”

Eve so desperately wanted to move back into the mansion, so she could be near Julian. She knew the Bennett’s would understand and still be there for her during this ordeal. However, right now she wanted and needed to be as close to Julian as possible. Eve looked at Katherine and said, “I’d like that. That means more to me than you know.”

Then Grace came into the living room carrying a tray with a pot of tea and a plate of biscuits on it. “I mean you both some tea,” she said.

“Thank you Grace,” Katherine replied warmly to Grace. “I appreciate everything you’ve done.” Katherine had just met Grace, but she was overwhelmed by her generosity and her kindness. She was grateful that Eve and Grace were still friends after what happened with Ivy, and that Eve had her best friend to get her through this terrible time.

“Me too,” Eve said looking at Grace, echoing Katherine’s appreciation.

“Oh there’s no need,” Grace said as she put the tray down on the coffee table. “I’m just sorry for what you all are going through.” Grace felt so helpless, as she looked at Eve and Katherine. She so badly wanted to ease and take away their pain, but she couldn’t. Grace knew the only thing that would take away their pain was bringing Julian back. “Is there anything I can do for either one of you, get you anything, or call anyone?”

“No thank you,” Eve stammered.

“Just my son,” Katherine said gravely.

Grace sat down on a chair in the living room, pouring herself some tea, and turned to Eve. “Jessica wanted me to tell you, Eve, that she’s sorry about Spike kidnapping Julian and that if she hears from Spike she’s going to tell the police.”

Eve was able to manage a small smile. “Well tell her I said thank you and that I have absolutely no ill will against her or blame her for what Spike did.” It was true. The only people Eve blamed for Julian’s kidnapping were Alistair, TC, Wagner, and Spike. While Eve knew in her head that she wasn’t to blame for Julian’s kidnapping either, she still felt guilty about not being able to protect Julian from Alistair and TC. Eve never thought she could hate Alistair anymore than she already did but she was wrong. She hated him now more than ever.

“Please tell Jessica that none of us in the Crane family do either,” Katherine said to Grace.

“Thank you,” Grace replied. “I know that will mean a lot to her.”

“Has Jessica talked to Spike lately?” Katherine asked Grace trying to figure out what was going on with Spike and his whereabouts.

“No, he hadn’t been seen or heard from in over two weeks,” Grace told her. “I’ll tell you one thing when I get my hands on him I’m going to ring his neck.”

Eve trembled with fear as she thought about that sociopath guarding Julian and holding him prisoner. Spike had done so many horrible things to so many people. Eve shuddered to think about what Spike would do to her Julian. “I’m so scared,” Eve moaned. “Spike’s a monster, what if he hurts Julian?”

Grace reached out for Eve’s hand and it took in hers. “Eve, look at me,” Grace said, trying to lovingly reassure and coax Eve. Eve turned to look at Grace. “Julian is strong and he’s smart,” Grace told her. “He knows how to survive difficult situations and being exposed to Alistair his whole life he knows how to deal with evil people like Spike. And don’t forget Spike is stupid and doesn’t have the brains he was born with.”

“I hope so.” Eve quivered as she bit her lower lip. “I know Julian’s alive. I can feel it. I know he’s in trouble now, but he’s alive.”

“He has to be,” Katherine stammered. “I don’t know what I’ll do if I lose my son.”

Eve looked at Katherine. “I don’t know what I would do if I lost him either.” As Eve and Katherine looked at each other, they both knew that they both loved the same man, but in different ways; and that they would do whatever it took to find him and bring him home.

“Sam called when I was in the kitchen,” Grace told them. “He told me that Fancy is going to be making a statement on T.V. soon. Do you want me to turn it on?”

“Sure,” Katherine replied.

Grace got up and turned on the television, and then went to sit back down.

There was a lot of talk about what had happened to Julian and details of the case. Then finally Fancy came on the T.V. scene. She was standing outside the Harmony police station, in her police uniform to give a statement in front of reporters. She still looked distraught and her face was red from crying. “Whoever is holding my father captive, I beg of you please let him go,” Fancy pleaded. Her voice sounded desperate and sad. “His family and loved ones miss him so much and we need him here with us. If it's money you want, we’ll give it to you, but please don’t hurt him and let him go.” Then Fancy looked straight into the camera. “Daddy,” she said as fresh tears fell down her face. “If you’re out there and you’re listening to this, I want you to know how much I love you and miss you. We all do, and we want you home with us. I promise you, we’re not going to give up looking for you until you’re home and safe. You just have to be strong and hang on now. I love you with all of my heart.” Fancy began to cry again and covered her hand horizontally across her eyes.

“That was Fancy Crane, daughter of the missing billionaire,” the report said.

Then Katherine, in an angry demeanor, got up and turned off the T.V..” “Damn Alistair!” she shouted as she turned out to look at Eve and Grace. “How can he do this to my baby, to my little boy?”

“I know,” Eve said, feeling the same thing.

“I’m Julian’s mother,” Katherine cried. “And I could never protect him from Alistair, even when he was a boy. What kind of a mother can’t protect her child?!”

“Katherine, Alistair’s a monster,” Eve said, trying to reassure her. “No one is any match for him. I know Julian felt the same way about not being able to protect you from Alistair as well.”

“It wasn’t Julian’s fault what happened to me,” Katherine said. “I regret ever marrying Alistair. Our marriage was a nightmare from hell. However, I did get two good things out of marrying Alistair and they were Julian and Sheridan, and I never regretted them for a second. And I let them down.” Fresh tears came out of Katherine’s eyes. “It’s my fault, this has happened. If I hadn’t left Alistair all those years ago, the whole course of Julian’s life would have been different. Yours too Eve. And Alistair wouldn’t have kidnapped Julian.”

“Katherine, don’t say that,” Eve said. “Alistair’s a racist, you know that. He always has been. And you raised Julian to be the wonderful man he is and I’m grateful to you for that.”

“You’re the one who saved him, Eve,” Katherine said, feeling that she didn’t deserve any credit for Julian being a wonderful man.

“I couldn’t have done it, if Julian didn’t have a good mother to raise him,” Eve pointed out. “He takes after you, I can see it.”

Katherine sat back down on the couch. “I just want my little boy home,” she sobbed.

“Me too,” Eve sobbed as gently rubbing Katherine’s back.

“They’re going to find Julian,” Grace reassured Eve and Katherine. “Sam’s a good cop. He won’t give up until Julian is found.”

“I know,” Katherine stammered. “I’m just so scared for Julian right now. God help him, wherever he is.”

Just then Fox and Ethan came into the room. They were still wearing their suits from work, each carrying a box of papers. Both of their faces were tearstained from crying.

“Hey,” Fox said in a grave tone. “We got here as soon as we could.”

“Thank God,” Katherine said, feeling relieved that Fox and Ethan were there. Eve and Katherine, both hugged Fox and Ethan.

“How are you holding up?” Ethan asked Eve as they embraced.

“I’m not doing good,” Eve replied with her voice cracking.”

“Eve I am so sorry.”

“Me too.”

After all of them hugged, Ethan’s face fell as he looked at Eve’s bruised face. He was stunned at TC’s handy work. Fox, who hadn’t heard yet about TC beating Eve, was taken aback when he saw Eve’s bruised face. “Listen Eve,” he asked. “What happened to you?”

“You haven’t heard?” Katherine asked Fox.

“Fox,” said Ethan. “I thought you said you read the same article on the internet about Julian as I did.”

“I did,” answered Fox. “But after I learned about what happened to Dad I couldn’t read anymore.”

“It’s okay,” Eve said to Fox. “TC beat me.”

“Please tell me that it was at playing poker,” Fox replied in disbelief.

“I wish,” Eve answered. “It was last week, TC got upset about Simone being gay, and he attacked me and that’s why I moved out from him. And I didn’t tell anyone about it until today because I didn’t want Whitney and Simone to hate their father.”

Fox’s mouth dropped. He couldn’t believe that Eve had been beaten by her ex-husband. “My God,” he exclaimed. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine," Eve explained. "I’m just really banged up and sore.”

“Eve, I am so sorry,” Fox said, feeling horrible for his father’s lover. “Is there anything I can do like get a protection order for you?”

“Thank you,” Eve replied. “But I’m pressing charges against TC now for assault and battery and for your father’s kidnapping.” Then Eve turned to Ethan. “And Ethan, thank you for agreeing to represent me. If you could let me know your rates so I can pay you-”

“Eve, there’s no need to pay me,” Ethan assured her. “I’m taking your case pro bono.”

Eve put her hand on her heart. “Thank you.”

“Don’t,” Ethan replied. “We’re friends and Julian raised me. I’ll do anything to bring him home. Oh and when Fox and I stopped off at the station, Theresa wanted me to tell you that she called Crane legal and you have your maiden name back now. She even took the liberty to have your name on your checks, driver’s license, etc changed back to your maiden name as well.”

“Thank you,” Eve replied feeling relieved and grateful to Theresa for taking care of all of that. She wouldn't have been in any condition to do that herself, right now.

“I want you both to know how I am so sorry about Julian,” Grace said to Fox and Ethan.

“Thank you Grace,” Ethan replied appreciatively to his stepmother.

“Yes, thank you Mrs. Bennett,” echoed Fox. “I just can’t believe my own father has been kidnapped.”

“Neither can we,” Katherine said, choking up.

“Yeah well, Ethan and I are putting together a search center for Dad,” Fox said. “It looks like we’re going to have to set up volunteer search centers globally. Knowing Alistair, Julian could be anywhere.”

“Won’t they cost a lot of money?” Eve asked.

“Crane Industries will pay for it, and we’re also going to ask people to send donations,” Fox explained. “Also I’ve contacted some other missing persons organizations and they said they would help out as well.”

“Good,” said Katherine.

“I also spoke with someone at the Carole Sund/Carrington Memorial Reward Foundation,” said Ethan. “They said we need to keep Julian’s name front and center. They also said courtesy of the Laci and Conner Rescue Fund they’re going to send money for dog handlers and other means that we need to find Julian. We’re also setting up a web page and issuing a one million dollar reward for Dad’s safe return.”

“Yeah,” said Fox. “I also printed out some information from the Laura Recovery Center and from the Klaas kids foundation. They have guides on what to do if someone has been kidnapped.”

“Don’t usually volunteers put the search centers together?” Grace asked, drawing on her knowledge as a cop’s wife.

“Yes,” Ethan answered. “But given the fact that Alistair has some many spies around Fox and I, are going to head it ourselves. Fancy, Sheridan, and Chad are going to help too. I even talked to Noah and Kay and they’re going to help us.”

“I think that’s a good idea,” Eve agreed. “We’ll all help out.”

One thing was certain. No one in the Crane family was going to rest until Julian was found.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Later on that afternoon, Fox and Ethan were busy setting up a website and putting together missing person posters of Julian, along with the search center. Fox had tried to reach Pretty, but he couldn’t find her. Fancy was still working at the station trying to find her father. Chad was still trying to find a flight out of Tokyo. Sheridan had already told a devastated James the truth about Chris. She decided that she and James would stay up at the mansion, while they were searching for Julian, not wanting to be alone right now. Once Eve told Grace she had accepted Katherine’s offer to stay at the mansion, Grace totally understood and called Kay to have her bring Eve’s things to the mansion. Marlena even called Eve on her cell phone, when she found out about Julian, offering her condolences and her support. Eve was grateful to everyone who was helping find Julian and for her friends being there for her. However, she still never felt so alone without Julian.

Eve had been sitting by herself, on the couch in the solarium for over an hour, looking outside at the snow falling, as Julian’s kidnapping began to sink in. As Eve saw the snow come down, she began to wonder if Julian was cold right now. Was he indoors or outdoors? Did he have a blanket to keep him warm? Who was with him? What was he thinking about? Did he know how much Eve loved him?

Eve kept waiting for Julian to walk through the door, but he didn’t. He had been kidnapped, and couldn’t come home right now. Eve felt fresh tears run down her cheeks as she thought about Julian. She couldn’t get the image of him being held hostage, out of her mind. It had put her in a virtual state of panic and fear. As a lover and as a human being, Eve never felt more helpless than she did at that moment. She hadn’t been able to protect Julian from being kidnapped and didn’t know how to protect him now.

‘How did it come to this?’ Eve wondered. ‘How did I go from being engaged to marry Julian, to thinking he regressed to making missing person posters of him?’ Eve couldn’t believe that this morning she thought that the worst thing that could have been the reason behind Julian’s regression was that he had a neurological condition. Somehow, this felt ten times worse. “God please,” Eve prayed. “Keep Julian safe wherever he is. Do what you want to me, but don’t hurt Julian. And please bring him home safely. I love him so much and so does his family. We need him here with us.” Eve still shared a connection with Julian and she knew in her heart that he was alive, and she couldn’t give up on him no matter what.

As Eve looked at the snowflakes falling down outside, she thought back to the last time she saw Julian, before he was kidnapped. Julian came back to the Russell house and wanted to take her to Paris like they talked about, and they had a fight.

Julian: Darling, I've barely seen you.

Eve: Oh, oh, Julian, I'm sorry. I know. It's just, I just have been so busy with TC and with the fair, but I promise I'm going to make time for you very, very soon.

Julian: I -- I don't care to wait any longer. I mean, if you think about it, there is really nothing to keep you here. I've hired full-time nurses for TC. You've done your duty. Remember what we talked about at Christmas? I mean, Paris?! I mean, my jet is fueled and ready to go. We can -- we can spend the rest of the summer in Paris, the fall, the winter, too, if you like. Listen, darling, I -- I really need to be with you.

Eve: Julian, keep your voice down.

Julian: Please, come with me to Paris.

Eve: I can't. There's -- there's too much for me to do.

Julian: Well, so I lose out. I'm the man you supposedly love, yet you spend no time with me. How much longer do you think I'm going to put up with this sort of treatment?

Eve: Julian, what is wrong with you? Would you please keep your voice down? I love you, but TC needs me right now.

Julian: I need you.

Eve: Look, do you think that I am trying purposely to keep us apart? TC had a stroke, Julian. The fair is coming apart at the seams.

Julian: I have hired nurses to watch TC, around the clock. We can hire someone to take over the fair. I cannot hire someone to accompany me to Paris. Well, I suppose I could, but I'm not that Julian anymore. And we don't want that Julian to return ever again, now do we?

Eve: No, of course we don't. Julian, I understand your frustration, but right now TC needs me.

Julian: Yeah, TC needs to be taken care of, but you don't need to be the one to do it. I think that you're using TC as an excuse to stay away from me.

Eve: That is so not true.

Julian: Then come to Paris with me, now.

Eve: I can't.

Julian: Fine. I'll go myself. Enjoy your responsibilities.

It killed Eve to know that was the last time she saw Julian, and right after that he walked into his abduction. Julian’s words, “Well, so I lose out. I'm the man you supposedly love, yet you spend no time with me. How much longer do you think I'm going to put up with this sort of treatment?” rang through her head like ice water. Thinking about it made more tears roll down her face, as she thought about how hurt Julian must have felt. To make matters worse, Eve even said to TC that Julian was used to getting his own way all the time, which wasn’t even true.

Eve remembered after TC’s accident, Julian had been concerned about TC. Then after Eve had read the letter TC had been writing to her and while Eve was tending to TC in the hospital after he woke up from his coma, Julian began to look really uncomfortable. Eve didn’t even consider how her fiancé felt. All the while Eve was worried about TC, he was faking his stroke. Julian never regressed and had been the one who was really in trouble. It felt like a dagger in her chest now that Eve knew that she was wrong to treat Julian the way she did and everything else that had happened was Wagner’s doing. If Eve had any idea what Alistair and TC were up to she would have killed them both before she would let them hurt Julian. She would have stayed with Julian, never letting him out of her sight for a second. “I promise you Julian,” Eve said out loud. “I will never let Alistair and TC ever hurt you again. I will see them dead before I let that happen.”

As Eve thought back to how upset she had been at Julian when Wagner was pretending to be him, all the anger and blame she had towards Julian at the time, was gone now that she knew the truth. Julian hadn’t done anything wrong and it was never Julian she had been dealing with to begin with. Somehow all the fighting that had happened over the past five months seemed so petty to her now. If Eve was angry at anyone it was Wagner for assisting with Julian’s kidnapping and making her think that the man she loved had regressed. Eve now regretted all the things she had said in anger to Wagner about her relationship with Julian. She hadn’t even meant it; she was just upset at the time, at who she thought was Julian. Now all Eve wanted to do was hold her man in her arms and never let him go.

One thing Eve was certain of now was that she wanted Julian back. Not just home, safe and sound; but she wanted to be together with him forever. Eve knew she had to tell Julian the truth about what happened with Wagner, not to mention she had sex with him. Eve didn’t know how Julian was going to react when she told him, except that he was going to kill TC when Julian found out TC had beaten her. Eve didn’t even know how this was going to affect their relationship in the future, but she wasn’t going to give up on their love ever again. However, now Eve couldn’t think about how Julian was going to react. Now she had to focus on finding Julian and bringing him home.

~

Later on Eve went up to Julian’s room. It was the first time she had been in the room, since she had come back to get the brooch Julian won for her. However, now the brooch was gone and so was Julian. As Eve walked in the room and closed the door behind her, the room felt so empty with him. Julian wasn’t there to tell her he loved her or to hold her and she couldn’t tell Julian that she loved him or hold him. Alistair had taken so much from Eve already. He took Julian away from her years ago, he took away their son, and now he kidnapped Julian. Both times Eve had been unable to protect Julian and their son from Alistair. Now she didn’t know where either one of them were.

Then Eve went into the closet. Except for Eve’s rodeo drive outfits and jewelry Julian had given her, her side of the closet was completely empty. ‘At least Wagner had some heart not to sell them,’ Eve thought to herself. Then Eve noticed that there was a separate set of clothing for Wagner and Julian. Each set was the same but Julian’s set had been pushed to the other end of the closet. Eve wondered why that was. Then Eve went to where Julian’s clothes were and gently took one of his suit blazers off the hangers. It was all she had of Julian right now. After she took the blazer off the hanger, she slowly trailed her finger tips over it. Then Eve noticed there was something in the breast pocket of Julian’s blazer. When Eve pulled out what was in there, she saw a picture of her and Julian together. She smiled at the picture for a moment, seeing how much Julian loved her and how much she loved him. Eve pressed the blazer to her cheek and then pressed it up against her nose as she breathed in Julian’s scent.

As Eve breathed in Julian’s scent, she could feel his love, his warmth, his tenderness, and all the love and wonderful memories they shared all around her. Then tears welled up in Eve’s eyes again and she leaned against the wall as she slid to the floor, bursting into tears and crying out with grief. Eve missed Julian so much that it hurt. A million questions filled her mind, ‘where was he? Was he safe? Was he hurt? Was he sick? Was he scared? Was he cold? Was he hungry? Was he thirsty? Were Alistair and Spike torturing him? Did he feel love? Did he know that Eve loved him?’ It was all too much to bear. Later on, she left the closet and sat on the edge of the bed as she held Julian’s blazer and sobbed. She cried until there were no more tears left and her eyes stung.

By nightfall, Eve turned on the radio to listen to see if there were any developments on Julian. However, in between commercials a song came on that got to Eve.

There are times
I swear I know you're here
When I forget about my fears
Feeling you my dear
Watchin over me
And my hope seeks
What the future will bring
When you wrap me in your wings
And take me:

Where you are
Where you and I will breathe together
Once again
We'll be dancing in the moonlight
Just like we used to do
And you'll be smilin back at me
Only then will I be free
When I can be
Where you are

Back at the compound, Julian had just put Marty to bed and he was sitting in the window seat, thinking about Eve. The maid, outside in the hallway, was playing the same song as she worked. Somewhat the song got to him.

And I can see your face
Your kiss I still can taste
Not a memory erased
Oh, I see your star
Shining down on me
And I'd do anything
If I could just
Be right there:

Where you are
Where you and I will breathe together
Once again
We'll be dancing in the moonlight
Just like we used to do
And you'll be smilin back at me
Only then will I be free
When I can be
Where you are

When I will be free
So take me where you are
Now baby there were times when selfishly
I'm wishing that you are here with me
So I can wipe the tears away from your eyes
And make you see
That every night while you are dreaming
I'm here to guard you from a far
And anytime I feel alone
I close my eyes and just be there:

Where you are
Where you and I can breathe together
(and we will breathe together baby)
Once again
(oh, we'll be dancing in the moonlight)
We'll be dancin in the moonlight
Just like we used to be
And you'll be smilin back at me (only then will I be free)
Then I will be free

Baby I still believe
Oh I've got to believe
I will touch you that sweet day
That you take me there
Where you are
I still believe
Oh I've got to believe I will touch you that sweet day
That you take me there
Where you are
Oh where you are I've got to believe
I'll always be waiting here
That sweet day yeah
Only wanna be where you are I still believe

At bedtime, Eve lit a candle by the window, hoping it would bring Julian home. After she lit the candle she looked up at the stars. “I’m going to find you,” Eve said to Julian. “And when I do I’m never going to let you go.

~

Back at the compound, Julian was still sitting in his window seat, also looking up at the stars. Somehow he could feel Eve’s love encircling him again. “Eve still loves me,” he said out loud. “I’ll be with her soon.”

~

Song credit: Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey “Where You Are”

Chapter Thirty-Seven

The next morning, Simone woke up at Rae’s apartment. Simone had been staying with Rae for the past week, after getting tired of having TC bash her for being a lesbian. Simone had hoped after TC’s stroke things would be better between her and her father, but they weren’t. TC still disapproved of Simone’s lifestyle. However, Rae had been wonderful to Simone, letting her stay with her. Simone and Rae’s relationship had been growing and they were getting closer all the time.

The day before, Simone had taken her final exams, and then she and Rae spent a romantic night together to celebrate, so neither one of them had heard about Julian’s kidnapping yet. That morning, Simone was in the dining room setting the table for breakfast. She was still wearing her pajamas and bathrobe. All week long Simone couldn’t get over the tirade that Eve gave her and Whitney last week. It came so out of the blue. Simone knew that something had happened to Eve to bring that on, but she wasn’t sure what.

However, regardless of what brought it on, Simone knew that her mother meant everything she said last week and that Eve was right. Simone knew that she, Whitney and her father were horrible to Eve when the truth came out about her past. As hurt as Simone was when she found out the truth about her mother, she also knew that Eve was right when she said they weren’t paying for her mistakes and that she didn’t ruin their lives. The truth was Eve was human and she made some mistakes in her life, and when her family found out that she was human, they couldn’t handle it. When Simone looked at it with a clear head, she saw that Eve’s mistakes were in the past and they were about things she did to herself, not to her family. Eve’s mistakes were about her not about them, but instead Simone, Whitney, and TC choose to make it about them.

Simone now knew that she, Whitney, and TC, had been incredibly unfair and cruel to Eve. Eve had been a wonderful loving wife and mother, and she would have never treated her husband and daughters the way they treated her. Now Simone felt horrible for what she did to her mother. Eve had always been there for her and Whitney, and in return Simone disrespected her mother and turned her back on Eve. Now Simone wanted to apologize to Eve, but she also knew that what she did to her mother could not be mended with just an apology. When Eve told Simone and Whitney off last week, Simone could tell that she and Whitney had lost their mother’s trust and it would take a long time to get it back.

Rae came into the dining room also still wearing her pajamas and bathrobe. She hugged Simone from behind her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Good morning Beautiful,” Rae said playfully.

“Good morning,” Simone replied in the same playful tone. Then Simone turned around and gave Rae a big hug and kiss on the lips. After the kiss, Simone looked into her lover's eyes, as she smoothed Rae’s hair. “Thank you for a wonderful evening last night.”

“No, thank you,” Rae said in a seductive tone. Then she smiled back at Simone. “Have I told you how much I love having you live with me?”

“One or twice,” Simone smiled. Simone and Rae kissed again and then Simone finished setting the table.

“You know,” Rae said to Simone. “You seriously should think of moving in here full time.”

“Well with the way things have been at home it looks like I might have too,” Simone replied acknowledging the reality of the situation with her father. “Daddy’s still on my case all the time. You know I really thought things were getting better between us after his stroke, but they're not. I just wish he could accept me.”

“I’m sorry Baby,” Rae said with love as she put her hand on Simone’s back.

“Yeah, me too,” Simone smiled back at Rae letting her know how much she appreciated her support. Simone was done setting the table. However instead of sitting down she and Rae just stood there talking. “I thought after Daddy had his stroke things would get better between us but they haven’t. Now to make things worse my mom’s mad at me and Whitney now.”

“What exactly happened again when you and Whitney saw your mom last week?” Rae asked as she folded her arms across her chest.

Simone told Rae all about what happened when she and Whitney were at Eve’s office and the tirade Eve gave them.

“Maybe your mom was just having a bad day,” Rae said after Simone had finished.

“No,” Simone corrected. “Mom meant everything she said and she was right.”

“What do you mean?”

“We treated her like dirt when her past came out.”

Rae was getting curious now. “What did you do?”

Simone related to Rae the exact way she, Whitney, and TC had treated Eve when her past came out.

Rae’s eye’s widened when Simone told her of how they called Eve every name in the book, chewed Eve out because she wasn’t perfect, blamed her for things that weren’t her fault, and Whitney slapping Eve. Rae understood Simone being upset about Eve lying about her past, but Eve didn’t deserve to be treated that way. Rae drew a harsh breath. “Simone, I love you, but are you crazy? How could you treat your mom that way?”

“I know it was wrong,” Simone said as she hung her head in shame. “We were all just so angry at the time.”

“Look,” Rae said gently. “I understand you being upset because your mom lied, but to treat her that way and because she’s not perfect. That’s just wrong. No one’s perfect and that’s not fair to put on someone. I mean my mother disowned me when she found out I was gay, and your mother was there for you your whole life and has been incredibly supportive of you ever since you came out to her. And except you and your family for being hurt that she lied, I really don’t see how you all are paying for her mistakes. Even with Whitney thinking that Chad was her brother, your mom was told that the baby died. She didn’t know her son was alive, and even if she had told there wasn’t anything you or Whitney could have done. I mean think of the pain she’s been through in her life. I don’t think I could have handled that.”

“I know.” Guilt filled Simone’s voice. “I feel terrible about the way I treated her.”

“Have you tried telling your mom that?” Rae asked her.

“I want to, but I don’t know where she’s staying and I have the feeling I’m going to be paying for this for a long time.”

Rae looked loving into Simone eyes and put her hands on Simone’s arms. “I’m not trying to make you feel bad. I just don’t want you to have an estranged relationship with your mother.”

Simone smiled at Rae. “I know and I appreciate you caring so much.”

“You know,” Rae said, trying to give her take on the situation. “I know I don’t know your mom that well, but based on what I’ve seen of your father, I think your mom didn’t tell you the truth about her past because of your father. I mean you saw how worried you were about telling him that you were gay and how he reacted, and then the way he treated you afterwards. I think it was the same thing with your mom.”

“I know,” Simone acknowledged. “I can see that now.” Simone knew Rae was right. TC demanded perfection and if something didn’t go his way he would blow up. It had been very difficult for Simone to live with throughout her life and she knew it was difficult for her mother and Whitney as well. Simone and Rae sat down at the table facing each other. “I feel bad for mom,” Simone said to Rae. “She’s been through a lot in her life and lately.”

“Did you ever find out why you moved out from your dad last week?” Rae asked.

“No. No one seems to know,” answered Simone. “It just seems kind of weird that mom would move out from daddy while he’s recovering from a stroke, with no notice and change all of her numbers and not let anyone know where she is. Whitney even told me that Daddy said that Mom told the security guard at the hospital not to let him in the hospital.”

“You’re kidding,” Rae said surprised. “Do you have any idea why she would do that?”

“Well from the looks of things and given the way Mom lashed out at me and Whitney, I think they had a fight.”

“I’m guessing it was a pretty big fight, if your mom took all those steps,” Rae pointed out. “Do you think your mom’s back with Mr. Crane?”

“She said she wasn’t,” Simone answered. “You know as much as I wanted my parents back together, I have to admit mom and Julian were really good together as a couple.”

“I know,” Rae said as she remembered when she saw Eve and Julian together. “I thought they were too.”

“I still can’t believe Julian regressed,” Simone said, feeling perplexed as she thought about Julian’s behavior lately. “I mean I can understand Julian being uncomfortable with mom spending all of her time taking care of Daddy, but to regress seems a little bit much. At first when mom and Julian broke up last fall, I thought that this new Julian Crane was all an act. But then I remembered that this wasn’t the first time mom and Julian broke up. Last year, before mom’s trial, I heard Julian say that he would do whatever it took for mom to be happy, even if it meant she stayed with Daddy and he meant it. And mom wasn’t even planning on breaking up with Julian until he regressed. I mean if Julian was that uncomfortable with mom taking care of daddy, then he would have to know that by acting that way he was only sabotaging himself.”

“Yeah I don’t know.” Rae answered. Rae wasn’t sure what she thought about Julian’s recent regression. On one hand she thought it seemed strange that Julian would regress the way he did. On the other hand she thought that they couldn’t ignore the fact that Julian had been behaving badly lately. “Do you think Mr. Crane was having a nervous breakdown or something?”

“Who knows,” Simone replied.

“How did Mr. Crane treat your mother when they were first together all those years ago?” Rae asked, feeling curious about Eve and Julian’s history together.

“Mom said, Julian was really good to her, like he was when they got back together,” Simone told. “I know they were both into drugs and alcohol back then, but that was during the seventies. It was Alistair Crane that forced them to break up.”

“That’s so sad,” Rae said as her heart went out to Eve and Julian. “Didn’t you tell me that Mr. Crane was emotionally abused by his father his whole life?”

“Yeah he was. From what I know, after everyone thought Julian’s mother Katherine died, Alistair’s abuse of Julian and Sheridan got worse and he tried to mold Julian into being a corrupt Crane. Then after mom came back into his life, he changed.”

“If I had Alistair Crane as my father, I’d probably drink and do drugs too,” Rae quipped.

Simone sighed with a heavy heart. “I feel so bad for mom. She loves Julian more than the air she breathes and I can tell she still does. Mom never stopped loving Julian when Alistair forced them to break up all those years ago, and I don’t see her being able to stop loving him now. I mean even when mom was married to Daddy she never looked at him the way she looked at Julian.”

“Then why did your mom go back to your father after his stroke?” asked Rae trying to figure out what was going on.

“Guilt,” Simone answered flatly.

“Do you think there’s a chance your mom and Mr. Crane will get back together?”

“I don’t know,” said Simone. “I did think about talking with Julian myself to see if I can’t knock some sense into his head. But I’m still pissed at him for the way he treated mom when they broke up.”

“Well you know what they say,” Rae reassured. “True love always wins in the end. Maybe somehow your mom and Julian will find their way back to each other.”

“I hope so. But first Julian needs to pull his head out of his ass.”

Rae chuckled.

Simone stood up. “I’m going to get some coffee,” she said.

“Okay.”

As soon as Simone left, Rae stood up and turned on the television to check the morning news. On the scene, Julian’s picture flashed on the screen. “We bring you continuing coverage of the kidnapping of Julian Crane, who was recently discovered to have been abducted yesterday,” the news reporter on the t.v. said.

Rae’s eyes widened in horror. “Simone, get in here!” she yelled in an urgent tone.

Simone rushed back into the dining room. “What’s going on?”

Rae turned to look at Simone. “I just turned on the news. Julian Crane has been kidnapped.”

“What?!” Simone exclaimed in distress. She glared straight at the television set.

“For those of you who just joined in,” the news reporter said. “It was discovered yesterday that Billionaire Julian Crane was kidnapped five months ago.”

“What?!” Simone asked, confused. “How could Julian have been kidnapped five months ago?”

“In a bizarre twist of fate,” the reporter continued. “Last summer, Julian Crane’s ex-wife Rebecca Hotchkiss Crane had granted him a divorce. According to reports, Hotchkiss had blackmailed Crane into marrying her three years ago, and they had a loveless marriage. Crane had been trying to get out of the marriage, and last summer Hotchkiss finally agreed to the divorce. Crane was planning to marry his lover Dr. Eve Johnson.”

“Johnson?” Simone asked in the same confused tone. “Why are they using mom’s maiden name?”

“However, Alistair Crane never wanted his son to marry or be with Johnson because she’s African-American. Alistair Crane had conspired for years to keep Johnson away from his son, but he was using Hotchkiss as current leverage to keep them apart. Then yesterday the Harmony police department found out on a wiretap, Alistair Crane didn’t die last summer in Rome. Instead he faked his death.”

“No way!!” Simone exclaimed in amazement. She couldn’t believe that monster was still alive and only faked his death.

“However, because Hotchkiss had granted Crane a divorce Alistair Crane’s leverage in Hotchkiss was gone, he enlisted help in Johnson ex-husband and lifelong enemy of Crane, TC Russell.”

Simone felt like she had been knocked over with a feather. “What in the world?!” Simone shrieked as she heard this about her father. Rae put her arm around Simone to comfort her.

“Russell was in a car accident last summer and Alistair Crane convinced Russell to help him break up Crane and Johnson.

“No, that’s not possible,” Simone cried in disbelief. She prayed that this was all a mistake and that her father didn’t do what they were saying he did.

“Last August, Russell faked a stroke after his accident and both of them had Crane kidnapped by a man named Spike Lester. Alistair Crane and Russell replaced Crane with an imposter named Mitch Wagner. It wasn’t until yesterday that the truth was revealed.”

At that moment, Simone’s eyes popped out of her head. “He didn’t?!” Simone yelled in disgust. Simone knew now what they were saying about TC was true.

“Oh my God!” Rae stammered.

“However, neither Russell nor Wagner are aware of Crane’s whereabouts and no one knows where Crane is. Wagner made Johnson and everyone else think that Crane had been led astray for five months. Johnson broke up with Wagner thinking he was Crane, when she saw what she thought was Crane’s behavior. Johnson claims that she only went back to her ex-husband because she thought he had a stroke, and her actions were out of guilt and obligation, not love. Nothing romantic happened between them. Johnson never stopped loving Crane and was not planning to break up with him until she thought Crane had turned against her. Then yesterday Johnson finally found out the truth and is devastated over Crane’s kidnapping. According to the police report, Johnson moved out from her ex-husband last week, with no notice or warning and changed all of her phone numbers and did not let anyone know where she was staying. Yesterday, when Johnson found out that her ex-husband had kidnapped the love of her life she revealed the reason why she left her ex-husband. It turns out that Russell had beaten her last week and has bruises to prove it."

“No way!” Simone yelled. Simone thought there couldn’t be any more surprises, but she was wrong. “Please tell me this is a joke!”

Rae tighten her arm around Simone.

“Johnson hadn’t told anyone of the beating beforehand, because she didn’t want anyone else to know about the beating before because she didn’t want her daughters to hate their father. Johnson is banged up and has been walking with a limp since the beating. She had been covering up her bruises with makeup before she told the police what happened. However, now Johnson has agreed to press criminal charges against her ex-husband for the kidnapping of her fiancé and for assault and battery. Johnson has even gone back to her maiden name since yesterday, and has washed her hands of her ex-husband for good. Sources say she is beside herself with grief right now over Crane’s abduction and still loves Crane as much as she ever did. Johnson is planning to do whatever it takes to bring her lover home. Wagner has been arrested and is currently sitting in the Harmony jail and Russell has been released on bail. Both of them face criminal charges. Nobody knows where Alistair Crane or Spike Lester are, but it is believed that Lester may be guarding Crane.

Simone turned off the television, not being able to listen to it anymore. Her body began to tremble. “No! No! No! No! No! No! This can’t be happening!” she screamed.

“Honey, I am so sorry,” Rae said, feeling horrible about the situation.

Simone sat down at the table and began to sob. Rae stood by Simone rubbing her back and trying to comfort her. Simone wasn’t sure what she was more upset about at that moment; that her mother’s fiancée had been kidnapped or that her father had kidnapped her mother’s fiancée and beaten her mother. “Oh my God, my poor mother,” Simone cried out. “How could my father do something like this?”

“I don’t know.” Rae had tears in her eyes now.

“I know my father hates Julian, but to kidnap him!” Simone yelled. “What was he thinking?!” Then Simone remembered something her mother said to her and Whitney last week. “Would you two like to know why I lied about my past? I didn't trust your father, or the two of you. Because I was afraid that if I told the truth you all would hate me. And in the end I was proven right. You all threw me out when you found out I wasn't perfect.” “Oh my God,” Simone said as a horrible realization came over her.

“What is it?” Rae asked.

“Last week, when mom lashed out at me and Whitney it was after she moved out from Daddy, because Daddy had beaten her. She was also walking with a limp when I saw her.”

“Oh my God,” Rae said, realizing what Simone was saying.

“I have to get dressed and get out of here,” Simone said, getting up from the table, as she headed to her bedroom.

“I’m coming with you,” Rae said as she followed Simone.

~

Back at the Crane Mansion, Eve lay wide awake, resting on her side, staring at the wall. She was still holding Julian’s blazer like someone would hold a stuffed teddy bear. Julian’s blazer was her only comfort now. Eve decided she was going to ask the servants for some plastic clothing bags, to keep Julian’s clothes in, so she could preserve his scent.

Eve’s back was killing her and she hadn’t eaten anything in the past twenty-four hours, not to mention barely getting a wink of sleep that night. Every time Eve closed her eyes, she saw Julian crying out for help. Sometimes during the night, when Eve was able to get a little bit of shut eye, she would feel Julian holding her. For a moment she felt safe and secure, only to wake up to have his side of the bed empty. When she did wake up, she would cry again.

As Eve lay there that early morning, she remembered how whenever she was in trouble Julian would take her in his arms and tell her everything was going to be alright. She always felt safe in Julian’s arms and his strength would give her hope. Now Julian was the one in trouble, and Eve knew that nothing would be alright until Julian was back in her arms again. Eve didn’t even know how to reach Julian so she could find him. It made her feel so helpless. ‘Julian always knew what to do when I was in trouble,’ Eve thought to herself. ‘Why don’t I know what to do?’ Eve felt tears fall down her cheeks. She was experiencing such heart wrenching pain that she felt like she was going to die. “Please Julian,” Eve sobbed. “You have to be all right. You have to come home safe. I can’t live without you.” Eve buried her head in her pillow and sobbed.


Chapter Thirty-Eight

(Note to Readers; In this story Alistair Crane is played by John Reilly)

Back at the Russell house, TC was sitting at the kitchen table, solemnly drinking his morning coffee. There was a graveness to his demeanor, and he had a devastated expression on his face. TC’s head was still in shock, since his involvement with Julian’s abduction was exposed yesterday. TC couldn’t believe that his crimes had been discovered and now he was facing jail time for kidnapping Julian and beating up Eve. It was all so surreal. Now TC didn’t know what lay in store for him. TC wondered how Whitney and Simone were going to react when they found out what he did. If it was anything like Eve’s reaction, TC was in for even more trouble.

TC felt horrible about beating Eve. Last week when TC was upset about Simone being gay, he was so angry that he felt like he was losing control. TC didn’t know what came over him when he attacked Eve. He knew what he did was wrong and inexcusable, and all week long, he wanted to talk to Eve so he could apologize to her. However, now Eve was furious with TC for kidnapping Julian. TC looked at Eve’s picture on the refrigerator, and leaned over to remove it from the magnet and held the picture in front of him. “I know you still love me Baby,” he said to the picture as if he were talking to Eve. “I know we can work this out if you just give me a chance.” TC couldn’t give up on Eve again. He loved her too much and couldn’t let Julian Crane win.

TC sighed with a heavy heart. He knew he was wrong to fake his stroke and to lie to Eve and the girls, but he hated Julian Crane so much that he still felt that Julian deserved to be kidnapped and have Eve taken away from him. “Julian’s only ever used Eve,” TC said to himself. “He’s no good for her. At least I was trying to protect her.” TC thought about how Julian took everything away from him; his tennis career, his father, his wife, and his family. Julian got away with everything he did to TC, while TC suffered and was still suffering because of Julian’s actions. Now thanks to Julian, TC could go to jail. “Damn you Julian, you drove me to this,” TC yelled out loud. “You made me do it. What did you expect?”

Regardless of how T.C. felt about Julian, T.C. now wished he had never teamed up with Alistair. Alistair Crane was evil and anyone who ever got mixed up with Alistair Crane, had their life ruined. “I could have found some way to break Eve and Julian up myself,” T.C. said to himself again. “Why did I have to use Alistair? Because I’m stupid that’s why.”

Then TC thought back to when Alistair bribed him to help him break up Eve and Julian. It was after TC came out of his coma, and he was still in the hospital. Eve and Julian had left the hospital, for a dinner at the Seascape hours ago, and TC had been lying in his hospital bed, by himself. As TC lay there, he felt so depressed about losing Eve to Julian. TC had been kicking himself for the way he lost his family, at the same time feeling like he had been stripped of everything thanks to Julian Crane. TC desperately wanted Eve back, but he knew she was blinded by Julian’s slick nature. Somehow everything in TC’s life felt like a lost cause to him.

Then to TC’s surprise, Alistair Crane came into the room, “Hello TC,” Alistair said with his sly grin.

TC rolled his eyes when he saw Alistair. Alistair Crane was the last person TC wanted to see right now. “What are you doing here Alistair?” Annoyance was in TC’s voice.

“Can’t I come and wish you well, without a reason?” Alistair replied, feigning kindness.

“No,” TC quipped.

Alistair stood by the side of TC’s bed. “Don’t turn me away just yet, TC. I think I can help you.” It was obvious according to Alistair’s voice that he was up to something.

“Help me with what?” TC scoffed as he readjusted his position in bed.

“Getting your wife back, of course,” Alistair answered. Then Alistair began his plan to bribe and manipulate TC. “You know neither one of us have ever wanted Eve and Julian ever to be together. Everyone knows Eve belongs with you. It’s such a shame that Julian broke up your marriage to Eve, when you and Eve are clearly meant for each other.”

“Tell me something I don’t know,” TC replied sarcastically.

“Julian has only used Eve,” Alistair said, rubbing in his words, so they would get to TC. “He used her all those years ago and he uses her now. Even I know my son’s new found mortality is all an act.”

“Of course, it’s an act,” TC said, feeling annoyed by Alistair reminding him of what Julian was really like. Then TC looked straight at Alistair “Julian’s a manipulative bastard, just like his father.”

“Well that may be,” Alistair admitted. “But I have a proposition for you. And if you accept, I guarantee you that you will not only get Eve back, but Eve will never want to speak to Julian again. All you have to do is team up with me, and we can break up Eve and Julian once and for all.”

“Why the hell would I team up with you?” TC quipped.

“Because,” Alistair said. “You know as well as I do that Julian will use any means he must to woo and impress Eve so she will stay with him. Only Eve won’t be able to see through it. You do still love Eve and want her back, don’t you?”

“Of course I do,” TC said with conviction.

“Well, I can help you get her back.”

TC eyed Alistair. “Why should I believe anything you say Alistair?” he asked suspiciously. “You’re nothing but a lying monster.”

“Because, I don’t want Eve with Julian anymore than you do,” Alistair pointed out.

“That’s because you’re a racist pig,” TC snapped.

“That may be, but so what if we both have different motives here. We both want the same goal.”

TC thought this seemed a little strange. Why did Alistair Crane want his help breaking up Eve and Julian and now? Alistair was a powerful man who could use any means he wanted to. “Why the sudden urge to break Eve and Julian up now?” TC asked.

“Because, Rebecca has recently agreed to give Julian a divorce, and Julian and Eve are planning to get married soon.”

TC’s heart sank. “Oh no,” he said as he realized how close he was to losing Eve again.

“I have tried other times to break those two up,” Alistair admitted. “I did make Eve and Julian, think that Chad was their son, but the truth is he’s mine and Liz’s son.”

TC’s eyes popped out of his head. “What?!” he exclaimed.

“I might as well tell you. You’re going to find out soon anyways, thanks to JT Cornell,” Alistair explained. “I changed the D.N.A. results, to make Eve and Julian think Chad was their bastard love child. I was hoping that would break them up, but it didn’t. The truth is that Chad is my son with Liz. It turns out that I had a little rendezvous with Liz, when she came to visit Eve when she was singing at the Blue Note back in Boston. Oh and Liz was adopted, which neither Eve nor Liz knew, but I knew. However, like I said, lying about Chad’s paternity failed to break Eve and Julian up. However, lucky for me Rebecca was hell bent on keeping Julian for herself that I didn’t need to do anything then. ”

“You bastard,” TC snarled. He had venom in his eyes. If TC hadn’t been in that bed he would have strangled Alistair. “You made my daughter think she had committed incest.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m willing to make it up to you now,” Alistair replied. “So do you want to hear my plan or not?”

TC sighed. As much as he wanted to kill Alistair, something made TC intrigued about Alistair’s offer. “Okay I’m interested,” TC said reluctantly. “What’s your plan?”

“First you get really sick, let’s say with a stroke,” Alistair explained. “But of course, you won’t really have a stroke. You’ll just fake it.”

“How the hell am I supposed to fake a stroke?” TC quipped.

“By changing your test results of course,” answered Alistair. “We’ll also inject you with bottoks and give you some injections in your legs and arms to temporarily impair the muscles to make it look real. Then Eve will feel bad for you and she will want to nurse you back to health. Then we have Julian kidnapped and taken to someplace where one will ever find him. Then we’ll replace Julian with an imposter. We’ll get him a sterile latex mask and a voice disguiser with Julian’s voice. Then the imposter will make Eve think that Julian is getting all jealous and demanding and that he has resorted back to his old Crane ways, and that he never really changed to begin with. Eve will dump Julian and she will go right back to you, and you’ll get your family back.”

TC had heard of some pretty crazy ideas in his life, but this was by far the craziest. As tempting as Alistair’s plan to destroy Julian was to TC, he thought that it had more holes in it than a slice of Swiss chess. “Are you out of your mind, Crane?” TC exclaimed. “This is crazy. There is no way anyone would be able to get away with that. Someone will find out for sure.”

“I’m Alistair Crane, I can get away with anything. If you’re worried about going to jail, I should remind you that I’ve never gotten into trouble with the law, and I’ll make sure you don’t get into trouble either.”

“And I should trust you, why?” TC asked sarcastically.

“Because we both want the same thing here,” answered Alistair. “You do for me, I do for you.”

“What if Julian escapes and comes back home?” TC asked, trying to point out the obvious.

“He won’t,” Alistair explained. “I’ll have my goons guarding him twenty-four seven.”

“For god sakes Crane, this is illegal.” TC shook his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe you would do something like that to your own son.” TC shuddered at the thought of someone hurting their child like that. If TC didn’t hate Julian so much, he would have felt sorry for Julian.

“My son’s a loser,” Alistair said coldly. “He’s always been a disappointment to me since the day he was born.”

TC was extremely tempted to accept Alistair’s offer, but his conscience was yelling at him telling him not to. “No way,” TC said. “I will have no part of kidnapping.”

“So, you’re just going to let Julian win?” Alistair asked.

“No,” TC said stubbornly. “I’ll figure out some other way to get Eve back.”

“You tried before and it didn’t work,” Alistair reminded TC. “And what about all the pain and hurt Julian caused you? He ruined your tennis career, caused your father to die of a broken heart, turned Eve into a whore, and then stole Eve away from you. That caused Simone to become a lesbian. Why should Julian get everything and you get all the pain?”

“I know Julian’s a low down jerk,” TC said with anger in his voice, as he thought about all the horrible things Julian had done to him. “But that doesn’t mean I need your help.

“Julian’s got money and power,” Alistair pointed out. “He will lie, cheat, manipulate, and do whatever he has to do to get Eve back. You know, he’s only going to hurt Eve later on. This way you’d be protecting Eve and getting your family back at the same time."

“No thanks.” TC answered.


“Suit yourself.” Alistair dropped his business card on TC’s bed. “In case you change your mind.”

After Alistair left, TC thought about what Alistair said to him. “Julian’s got money and power. He will lie, cheat, manipulate, and do whatever he has to do to get Eve back. You know, he’s only going to hurt Eve later on. This way you’d be protecting Eve and getting your family back at the same time.” All of a sudden TC’s hatred for Julian Crane drowned out his conscience. ‘Julian Crane destroys everything he comes near, and I know he would only hurt Eve in the end,’ TC thought to himself. TC remembered how his poor father died of a broken heart thanks to Julian and he had promised to avenge his father’s death. He thought about all the times he saw his father’s ghost telling him to get revenge on Julian Crane. Now this was TC chance. TC would protect his family at all costs and he didn’t care what he had to do. Whatever pain Eve felt by kidnapping Julian and replacing him with an imposter would be minor compared to the pain Julian would cause her later. TC took the phone next to his bed and dialed the number on Alistair’s business card. “Alistair, I changed my mind.”

~

As TC snapped back to the present, he knew that it had been his promise to his father, his hatred for Julian, and his desire to get Eve back that had driven him the past five months. TC and Wagner had worked closely together on several occasions to find ways to make Eve hate Julian. Alistair would tell Spike to tell TC and Wagner what he wanted them to do and they would do it. Both TC and Wagner never spoke to Alistair during the past five months, and were both forced to keep the secret that Alistair was still alive.

The day that Julian was kidnapped, after TC got word from Spike that the kidnapping had been completed, TC tried to kick Eve out of the house, so she would find Wagner and think Julian had regressed. Then when Eve found Wagner at the wharf fair, she fell right into their trap. The romantic night that Eve thought Julian planned for her on the hospital roof was also a set up for Eve. Alistair thought if Julian acted nice and understanding to Eve and then went back on his word, Eve would lose her trust in Julian even more. TC had been the one calling Eve’s cell phone that night, using a voice disguiser, to make Eve think it was his nurse. Then the day that Eve officially broke with Wagner thinking he was Julian, had also been a set up. Alistair and TC knew Eve would break up with Julian for sure, if Julian tried to ruin Eve’s practice, cut the funding for the hospital, cheated on Eve, and then called her horrible names. Wagner having sex with Eve had been his own idea. Alistair and TC gave Wagner both a lot of grief over that. When Eve went back to the Crane Mansion to get the brooch Julian had won her, TC called Wagner ahead of time, so he could turn Eve off to Julian even more. When Ivy’s secret came out, TC told Wagner to get angry with Eve about what she did to Sam and Grace. That way TC could be there to be Eve’s night and shining armor, while Eve thought that she no longer had Julian to be her rock. TC wasn’t sure why Wagner came by at Thanksgiving. He figured Alistair told Wagner to do it for some reason. Then a couple of weeks ago, at Kay’s shower, TC and Wagner had planned that Wagner would try to force himself on Eve, and TC would rescue her so Eve would think that TC was her hero. It had been TC’s idea to have Wagner hit him, so Eve would feel sorry for TC and hate Julian even more.

TC remembered the day that Julian was kidnapped, Julian came by the house and TC saw Eve and Julian fight. At the time, TC was glad Julian got upset, because that would make Eve believe even more that Julian regressed. TC thought Julian had been such a sucker, paying for doctors and letting Eve take care of him. TC hoped that if Julian did come home alive, he would still be angry at Eve. Then TC could get Eve to forgive him and they could be together.

Just then the phone rang interrupting TC’s thoughts, and he got up from the table to get the phone. For the first time in months TC didn’t have to use a cane or a walker. The injections to temporarily impair his muscles had worn off last week, before he attacked Eve. Since then he had been using his cane and pretending to walk with a limp. That was all over with now. “Hello,” TC said as he picked up the phone.

“Hi TC,” the other voice on the other end of the line replied. “This is Tom Iverson,” Tom Iverson was the principal at Harmony High School.

“Hey Tom,” TC said. “What’s up?”

“Well,” Tom said in a very grave and serious tone. “As you probably know, we’ve heard about you being involved in Julian Crane’s kidnapping, faking your stroke, and beating your ex-wife.”

TC felt chills go up his spine. He knew this was bad. “Look Tom, I can explain,” he replied.

TC,” Tom gently began to explain, feeling uncomfortable enough as it was. “A lot of parents have called in to the school since yesterday. Our phones have been practically off the hook. The parents were very concerned when they found out what you did, and they don’t want you teaching their kids anymore.”

“What?!” TC cried. “I’ve taught and worked with their kids for years, motivating them, helping them make it to the state championships.”

“That may be,” Tom replied. “But now they think you’re a bad influence on their kids, especially given the fact you abducted someone and beat your ex-wife.” Then Tom took a deep breath. “Look, given the crimes you're being charged with and the fact that you took a medical leave of absence because of a fake stroke, you’re going to have to appear before the school board to determine if you should be terminated from your job.”

TC shut his eyes. He knew this was coming. “I know,” he stammered.

“You’re going to be served a summons today, I just felt that I should call you and tell you first. You’re going to need a lawyer to represent you for the board hearing. Also, I think I should let you know that there’s a good chance that the state education board is going to revoke your teaching and coaching license.”

“What?!” TC gasped. “How the hell am I supposed to support myself if I can’t work?!” TC cried. “Are the Cranes behind this?”

“No, the Cranes have nothing to do with this,” answered Tom. “Besides I think they have other things on their minds right now than your job and career.”

“Will any of the other teachers testify on my behalf?” TC asked.

“It’s unlikely,” Tom replied. “They’re all pretty disgusted with what you did.”

“Tom,” TC pleaded. “I’ve worked at the school for over twenty years. I helped the sports teams make it to the nationals. You can’t all erase that. Julian Crane-”

“TC, I suggested you not tell me anything that can be used against you later,” Tom warned. “Look, I know you’ve been a great teacher and coach. However, your actions over the past five months aren’t minor. I can’t ignore that and neither can the school. I can get you the name of some good education and employment lawyers I know, but that’s all I can do.”

“Thank you,” TC said, trying to hide his humiliation from Tom. “And I’m sorry about all the adverse publicity this has caused the school.”

“Me too,” Tom replied feeling upset with T.C. “Maybe you should have thought about that before you decided to commit three felonies.”

After T.C. got off the phone with Tom, he took a dish and threw it across the room. “Dammit!” he shouted. “Where are you Alistair? I thought you said you wouldn’t let me get in trouble.” TC sat back down at the table, feeling sorry for himself again. Fifteen minutes later, Sam walked through the kitchen door. He was wearing his police uniform.

“Hey,” Sam greeted TC, as he closed the kitchen door behind him.




Chapter Thirty-Nine

Just then Sam walked in the kitchen door, wearing his police uniform. “Hey,” Sam greeted TC, as he closed the kitchen door behind him.

“Hey,” TC said in a low voice. TC didn’t look even up at Sam.

Sam stood in front of TC, pulling out the list from his pocket and set it on the table next to T.C.. “I thought I’d stop by before I went to the station, to give you a list of good criminal defense attorneys I know,” Sam told TC. “You’d be wise to contact them as soon as possible.”

“Thanks,” TC replied, staring down at the table.

Sam could tell from TC’s demeanor that he was still really upset from yesterday. TC looked like to Sam that he was still in shock. However, that couldn’t keep Sam from doing what he came to do. Ever since yesterday, Sam had learned that his best friend had committed some very serious crimes, and now could face jail time. Now Eve and the Cranes were going through anguish over Julian’s kidnapping, and now Grace was so furious at TC that she disowned TC as her friend for good. Sam wanted answers from TC, and he wanted them now. “How are you doing?” Sam asked, feeling concerned and upset with TC at the same time.

“I’ve been better,” TC stammered while sipping his coffee.

Sam gave a weary breath. “You know TC,” Sam said, sounding upset. “We’ve been best friends all of our lives, and I love you like a brother. But I’m having a really hard time trying to understand how you could do what you did.”

TC looked up at Sam. “Are you asking me as my best friend or as the chief of police?”

“Don’t push it TC!” Sam snapped.

TC sighed. “Julian drove me to do it,” he explained. “He took everything from me; my tennis career, my father, my wife, my family, everything. What did he expect?”

“TC, Julian ruining your tennis career was an accident,” Sam replied, trying to reason with TC. “He didn’t attend to hurt you. And furthermore, Julian didn’t take away Eve or your family. You threw Eve out.”

“I know,” TC acknowledged as he stood up from the table. “I know I made some mistakes. But I wouldn’t have made them if Julian hadn't pushed me.”

Sam folded his arms across his chest, and his eyes brows narrowed. “Oh really?!” Sam yelled at his friend. “Did Julian push you to beat Eve? Don’t you dare make excuses for what you did TC! There is no excuse for this! You can’t explain this away! I don’t care how much you hate Julian.” Sam threw up his hands in the air. “My God! Have you any idea what you’ve done?! A man is missing and there is a family out there, who is beside themselves with grief and distress because of what you did!”

“Please,” TC grunted, rolling his eyes. “The Cranes don’t care about Julian. All they care about is the bad publicity this has caused them.”

Sam almost didn’t recognize TC at that moment. He couldn’t believe how cold TC was. “Really?” Sam quipped. “Then explain why Katherine Crane wanted to kill you yesterday. And explain why Julian’s children and siblings are now working around the clock to bring Julian home. I’ve seen them since yesterday TC, they are devastated beyond belief. All of them, especially Eve. Did you actually think you were going to get away with kidnapping Julian?!”

“Alistair said he would make sure I didn’t go to jail,” TC answered.

Sam eyed TC. “TC, please tell me can’t be that stupid,” he quipped. “Everyone knows Alistair Crane can’t be trusted.”

“Well apparently, I am that stupid,” TC clipped knowing that Sam was right about Alistair. Then he looked up at Sam with a guilty expression on his face. “I know, I was wrong to lie to Eve, to fake my stroke, and to beat Eve. And I know it was stupid of me to accept help from Alistair Crane. I accept responsibility for that.”

“But you’re not sorry for hurting Julian, are you?” Sam said, letting TC know that he wasn’t buying any crap from him.

“After everything Julian did to me, hell no,” TC clipped.

Sam scoffed, shaking his head. “You’re unbelievable TC.”

TC closed his eyes, feeling like he was being hit from all angles. First his crimes were exposed, then he found out he could go to jail and now he found out he could lose his job. “Sam, please don’t do this to me now,” TC begged, feeling overwhelmed as it was. “Principal Iverson just called me and I just found out that I have to appear before the school board to decide if I should be fired or not. Apparently, a lot of the parents have called in.”

“Are you surprised?” remarked Sam.

“No,” TC stammered, shaking his head. Then TC looked at Sam with desperation in his eyes, not wanting to go to jail. “Sammy, you're my best friend and the chief of police. You have to help me.”

“That depends on how you define help,” Sam said. “If you mean, be there for right now, of course I’ll help you. If you mean, defend what you did, or try to get you off the hook for your crimes - that I can’t do. I can’t and won’t defend what you did and I couldn’t get you off the hook even if I wanted to.”

When TC heard Sam say that he couldn’t get him off the hook even if he wanted to, it broke TC’s heart knowing how disappointed Sam was in him. TC had tears coming out of his eyes now. “So I guess this means I can’t count on you to be a character witness for me.”

“Don’t you do that TC,” Sam snapped. “Do you have any idea what it was like for me yesterday to learn about what you did? That my best friend could stoop so low as to kidnap another human being and beat the mother of his children?! TC, it’s sick!”

“I know,” TC choked.

Sam took a deep breath. “Look TC,” Sam said calmly. “I know you’re scared about going to jail, but I have to tell you there’s a very real chance that it will happen. Eve and the Cranes are going to pull all of the stops to make sure that you do. And with Fancy as a cop and a Crane, the D.A. is going to listen to her. Your only hope for not spending the next thirty to forty years in jail is to pray that Julian is found and comes home safe, and decides not to press charges against you. Provided he doesn’t kill you first.”

“Julian? Kill me?” TC quipped. “Please, that’s a laugh.”

“You’re kidding me right?” Sam quipped back. Then Sam began to raise his voice again. “TC you kidnapped Julian, tried to break up his relationship with Eve, and then you beat her! When Julian finds out how you attacked Eve, he is going to rip you to shreds.”

“I think I can handle him,” TC chuckled as he remembered all the times he attacked Julian.

“Well you’re deluding yourself if you think that’s true,” Sam said flatly. Then Sam looked at TC with sympathy as he thought about how scared his best friend must be right now. “I don’t even know what you’re going through right now,” Sam said gently. “And I feel just as bad as you do about this. You know I don’t want you going to jail. But I’m a cop and I can’t ignore what you did. If worse comes to worse, I can try to see that you serve your time in a minimum security prison. I also want you to know that I won’t be the cop testifying in your trial due to conflict of interest. ”

“Thank you Sam,” TC said with appreciation. TC was glad he still had his best friend, even though Sam was disappointed in him.

“I have to go,” Sam said, giving TC a supportive hug. “I want you to know that even though Grace hates you, she’s still going to let me play with you.”

TC smiled. “Thank you.”

“I’ll see you later,” Sam said as he left for the station.

~

Back at the Crane Recording studio, Whitney was waiting for the baby-sitter to arrive, so she could go take care of her father. The day before she had taken her final exams and then Miles had an ear infection, so she had been taking care of him. As a result, she hadn’t heard about Julian’s kidnapping yet.

Just then the phone rang and Whitney picked the phone. “Hello,” she answered.

“Hey Baby, it’s me,” Chad said on the other end of the line.

“Hi Honey,” Whitney answered cheerfully. “How’s Tokyo?”

Chad took it from the sound of Whitney’s voice that hadn’t heard about what her father did yet. “I’m on a plane back home now,” Chad answered, still feeling distressed over Julian’s kidnapping. He had spent all night sobbing his eyes out.

Whitney wrinkled her forehead. “I thought you weren’t coming home for a few more days.”

“You haven’t heard yet?” Chad asked.

Whitney was confused. “Heard what?”

Chad sighed. He knew that Whitney had to be told, but telling her over the phone was not a good idea right now. “I don’t want to tell you on the phone,” he said.

“Okay,” Whitney stammered confused. “I’m going over to see Daddy. Why don’t you meet me over at the house?”

“No way,” Chad replied. “I’m not going over to your father’s house.”

“Why not?”

“Because if I do I’ll kill him,” Chad said, feeling furious with T.C..

“What are you talking about?” Whitney asked, trying to figure out what was going on.

“Listen,” said Chad. “I don’t want your father to have anything to do with Miles anymore.”

“Chad what’s going on?” Whitney asked, getting nervous and frustrated.

“I’ll tell you when I get back. Just meet me at the airport. I have another call coming in. I have to go.” After Chad hung up the phone, Whitney had a sinking feeling come over her. She knew whatever Chad was talking about was not good, and that something was seriously wrong. As soon as the babysitter arrived Whitney bolted out the door like lightning.

Chapter Forty

Back at the Russell House, TC had just walked into the living room, when Whitney walked in the front door. “Hi Daddy, how are you?” Whitney asked TC as she came into the living room. Then Whitney noticed her father was walking without his cane or walker. Whitney knew her father had been getting better, but she also knew he wasn’t ready to be walking on his own yet. Whitney began to worry that TC was pushing his recovery too fast. “Daddy you’re walking without your cane! Should you be doing that?”

“Don’t worry about that,” TC said, waving off his cane. TC figured Whitney probably didn’t know about what had happened yet, given that she had been taking her final exams yesterday and Chad was in Tokyo. Still TC knew he had to tell Whitney, before anyone else did. It wasn’t going to be easy, but he knew he had to do it. “Listen Honey, I need to talk to you.

“Well actually I have something to ask you first,” Whitney said. “I just got off the phone with Chad and he sounded really upset. He didn’t tell me why, but he said he wouldn’t come to meet me here. He said it was because if he did, he would kill you. He also said he doesn’t want you to have anything to do with Miles anymore. Can you tell me why he would feel that way?

TC’s eyes popped out of his head. “What?!” he exclaimed. “Chad can’t keep my grandson from me!”

“Daddy what’s going on?” Whitney said firmly not wanting to beat around the bush.

TC sighed. He had been dreading it ever since yesterday. “There’s something I have to tell you,” he stammered.

Before TC could say anything more, Simone stormed in the front door and into the living room. She had smoke coming out of her ears. “How could you do it Daddy?!” she yelled at TC with anger and rage filling her voice and eyes. “How?!”

Whitney looked at Simone wondering why her sister was so angry. “Simone, what’s the matter?”

Simone looked back at Whitney. “You haven’t heard?” she replied with anger. “Our father is nothing but a criminal!”

Whitney scoffed. “What are you talking about?” The idea of TC being a criminal was absurd to her.

“First of all, Alistair Crane is alive,” Simone answered. “He only faked his death back in Rome.”

Whitney’s eyes widened. “He is?!” she gasped.

“Yeah, and that’s just the beginning,” Simone explained. “When Rebecca granted Julian a divorce last summer, Alistair’s current leverage for keeping Mom and Julian apart was gone. So Alistair talked Daddy into helping him break up Mom and Julian. So after Daddy’s car accident, he faked his stroke, so mom would feel sorry for him. Then Alistair and Daddy had Julian kidnapped by Spike, after Daddy came home from the hospital, and replaced him with an imposter by the name of Mitch Wagner. It was to make Mom think that Julian had regressed so she would break up with him. And it wasn’t until yesterday when Sam and Luis were wiretapping Spike that everyone found out about it.”

“What?!” Whitney exclaimed thinking that Simone was out of her mind for accusing TC of this.

“Yeah and there’s more,” Simone said.

“There’s more?!” Whitney quipped. She couldn’t imagine there being any more than this.

“You want to know why mom left Daddy last week?” Simone said as anger continued to fill her voice. “Daddy beat Mom, as in physically attacked her!”

Whitney scoffed. She had heard enough. The things that Simone was saying were too outrageous to be true. “Simone, this is crazy!” Whitney replied, trying to reason with her sister. “Daddy would never do something like this.”

“It’s in all the papers and all over the news Whitney!” Simone informed her.

“That doesn’t mean it’s true,” Whitney pointed out. “Only an idiot and a monster would do that.” Then Whitney turned to TC. “Go on Daddy, tell Simone you didn’t do it.”

TC just looked down at the floor. He couldn’t bring himself to say anything. However, when Whitney looked at her father’s guilty expression, she knew that her father was guilty.

Whitney’s mouth dropped open, gasping in shock, as soon as she realized that what Simone was saying was true. She felt as though she had been knocked over with a feather. “What!?” she exclaimed to TC. “It’s true?!”

“I’m afraid so Honey,” TC stammered, still looking at the floor.

Whitney folded her arms across her chest. She wanted to hear the full story from her father’s lips. “You teamed up with Alistair Crane to break mom and Julian up?” she asked.

“Yes.” TC answered.

“And you faked your stroke?” she asked.

“Yes.” TC answered.

Whitney shook her head in anger and disgust. “How could you do that to us?” Whitney shouted at her father. “Do you all know how worried we were about you? How could you put us through that?”

“I know,” TC said, looking up at his daughter. “I know I was wrong to lie to you all, and I’m sorry.”

Whitney couldn’t believe that she was actually hearing this about her father. It was like she was having a bad, bizarre dream that she couldn’t wake up from. It was completely surreal to her. “And then you kidnapped Julian and replaced him with an imposter?” she asked in disbelief.

“Yes.” TC answered.

“Well, where’s Julian now?” she wanted to know.

“Wagner’s in jail,” TC explained, feeling uncomfortable. “I don’t know where Julian is. Alistair didn’t tell Wagner and I where he was keeping Julian.”

“Okay what’s this about you beating up Mom?” Whitney also wanted to know.

“Last week I lost my temper at your mother, and I lost control and I attacked her,” TC explained feeling embarrassed and ashamed.

“Why?”

“Oh I’ll tell you why,” Simone replied to Whitney in the same angry tone. “When I was driving here, I spoke to Kay on my cell and she told me it was because Daddy was upset about me being a lesbian and he was blaming mom for it.”

“Oh my God!” Whitney stammered. She hung her head in distress, feeling in shock that TC could do something so outrageous to her mother and her sister. Never in a million years did Whitney ever imagine her father beating her mother. It made her sick even to think about it. Whitney looked back up at Simone. “Is Mom okay?” Whitney asked her sister, feeling worried about her mother.

“Kay says she’s really banged up and she’s walking with a limp now,” Simone answered.

“I didn’t see any bruises on her when I saw her last week after she moved out,” Whitney replied.

“She was wearing makeup,” answered Simone. “Remember when we saw her limping. That was from Daddy.”

Whitney felt like she was going to be sick now. “Why didn’t Mom say anything about it?” she asked.

“She didn’t want us to hate daddy,” Simone explained. “Then yesterday, when she found out about Julian, she told everyone. Now she’s washed her hands of Daddy for good and she’s beside herself with grief over Julian. Mom’s also pressing charges against Daddy for kidnapping Julian and for assault and battery.”

“She is?!” Whitney cried. Now Whitney was certain that this wasn’t a bad dream, it was a nightmare.

“Well what did you expect?” Simone remarked to her sister. “Daddy kidnapped the man Mom loves and then beat her.”

“You’re mother’s just upset right now,” TC replied. “She’ll come back to me when she cools off.”

“Oh really?” Simone quipped. “Then explain why Mom has pressed charges against you and went back to her maiden name.”

“Oh my God!” Whitney groaned, grasping the reality of the situation. “Please tell me this isn’t happening to our family.”

“I wish,” Simone said echoing Whitney’s feelings.

TC took a deep breath. “I know that beating your mother was wrong and indefensible,” he said to the girls. “And I feel terrible about it. And you have to know how sorry I am.”

“Oh geez that makes me feel so much better,” Simone clipped sarcastically as she folded her arms across her chest. “What about Julian? Do you feel terrible about that too?”

“Julian’s a bum, who took everything from me,” TC answered.

“Oh don’t you give me that,” Simone snapped. “Julian never intended to ruin your knee. That was an accident. And you’re the one who threw mom out.”

“Look Sugar Bear I-” TC began.

“Don’t you Sugar Bear me, Daddy,” Simone snarled. “I am so angry at you, I could kill you right now. How could you do this?!”

“I was desperate to get your mother back,” TC answered with his eyes pleading for mercy. “And I didn’t know how else to do it with Julian always trying to act like her hero. I was trying to protect her from him. I know he was only going to hurt your mother in the end.”

“Protect her?!” Simone quipped scoffing. “Oh that is so romantic.” A trace of sarcasm was in her voice.

“Daddy,” Whitney said gently to her father. “I’ve seen Julian with Mom and he genuinely loves her.”

“Oh don’t you act all high and mighty, Whitney,” Simone snarled. “Do you remember what mom told us in her office? That was after Daddy beat her. She chewed us out for the way we treated her when her past came out.” Then Simone turned to her father. “You know Daddy, for the first time in two years I understand why Mom lied about her past. It was because of you. You treated her like dirt throughout your entire marriage, expecting her to be perfect all the time. Then when you found out that she wasn’t you threw her out and treated her despicably.” Then Simone turned to address Whitney and her father. “You know I’m ashamed of the way I treated my mother, but I can’t even hold a candle to the two of you.” Then Simone addressed Whitney. “Whitney, you were horrible to mom, even worse than I was. All mom ever did was love you, and when you found out she wasn’t perfect you slapped her more than once, called her even worse names than I did, and blamed her for things that weren’t her fault. If Julian hadn’t had tolerated it, you would have kept on doing it. Well guess what? You are not paying for mom’s mistakes, she is. You found out that she wasn’t perfect and you couldn’t handle it. And if you weren’t so selfish you would have realized that a long time ago. But I am telling you this right now, if you ever mistreat mom or if you give her a hard time about her past mistakes or anything related to that again I’m going to kill you.” Then Simone addressed T.C.. “And you Daddy, you let us mistreat our mother. You threw her out when she found out she wasn’t perfect. You verbally and emotionally abused her, and betrayed her with her own sister. Then you tried to have her sent to jail for crimes she didn’t commit. Now you kidnap the man she loves, made her think he regressed, and then beat her. You’re a monster Daddy! Mom was a wonderful wife and mother to all of us, and we were the ones who betrayed her two years ago, not the other way around. You ruined this family Daddy, not Mom. I’m guessing from Mom’s tirade, last week that once you beat her, she finally saw who you really are. Well I do now too.”

“Simone-” TC pleaded.

“I thought you had changed after your car accident, but you didn’t,” Simone cried as tears filled her eyes again. “You are the same angry, demanding, abusive, judgmental man you always have been and always will be. Well I’m done with you for good.” Then Simone looked at Whitney, “And Whitney if you have any sense, you’ll do the same,” she stated and then stormed out of the house.

The second Simone went out the door, tears began to fill Whitney’s eyes. A part of Whitney wanted to believe that Simone was wrong, but Whitney knew that Simone wasn’t wrong. Suddenly Whitney felt the guilt she should have felt, two years ago, for the way she treated her mother. Whitney finally saw the truth, and that was she wasn’t paying for any of her mother’s mistakes. Eve’s mistakes were about her not Whitney. However, when Whitney found out that her mother wasn’t perfect and she couldn’t handle it, and made her mother’s mistakes about her when they weren’t.

Whitney finally understood how wrong and selfish her behavior towards her mother had been. It shamed Whitney to know how horrible she had been to her mother. The fact that Whitney expected her mother to be perfect and then disowned her when she found out she wasn’t, was cruel on Whitney’s part. No one was perfect, and Eve had the right to be loved and accepted for that, not tolerated or hated. It killed Whitney to know how much she hurt her mother and how cruel she had been to her. Now Eve’s mistakes seemed trivial to Whitney, now that she understood that her mother had a right to be human. Everyone makes mistakes and Eve didn’t deserve that kind of treatment.

Whitney had ranted about how she thought Chad was her half brother, and blamed Eve for it. However, now Whitney saw that her mother was just as much a victim in that as she was. Eve was made to believe that her baby died. She didn’t throw him away. None of what happened was Eve’s fault and Whitney realized that now. Whitney had never even considered for a second the pain her mother had gone through. All Whitney did was think about herself and her pain. Now Whitney couldn’t believe how selfish she had been. Whitney knew from her mother’s tirade last week, that she had a lot of graveling to do with Eve, if she ever wanted to be close with her mother again. There was no way her mother was going to let her off the hook this time, and Whitney wasn’t going to let herself off the hook for her behavior towards her mother either. As Whitney thought about the pain her mother must be feeling over Julian’s kidnapping, it broke her heart. She couldn’t imagine what her mother was going through right now.

“So do you hate me too?” TC asked Whitney, not sure how much more he could take of people hating him right now.

Whitney looked at her father with devastation in her eyes. She couldn’t believe that her father, the man who had raised her, had done such a terrible thing. “How could you do it Daddy?” she asked.

Those words cut TC like a knife, knowing that Whitney was against him now too.

“I know you hate Julian,” Whitney continued. “But to kidnap him and to make mom think he regressed? What were you thinking?”

“Like I said,” explained TC. “I was desperate to get your mother and our family back. I didn’t know what else to do.”

Whitney couldn’t believe the answer from her father, and he would make an excuse like that. However, she wasn’t going to take any crap from her father now. “Yes you did,” Whitney countered to her father. “You had a choice and you chose to hurt people and to break the law.”

“I only wanted to hurt Julian, not your mother.”

“What did you think would happen when you kidnapped Julian and made Mom think that he regressed?! You didn’t think that Mom wouldn’t be hurt when you did that?! I can’t believe you teamed up with Alistair Crane, devil himself. You taught Simone and me, right from wrong. How could you turn your back on that?!”

“Julian drove me to do it,” TC answered. “He’s an evil pig, who took everything from me that I cared about.”

“That’s pathetic Daddy,” Whitney remarked.

“I thought you didn’t like Julian,” TC said remembering all the times that Whitney had ranted at Julian.

When TC said that, Whitney felt horrible for the way she had treated Julian for the past three years. All Julian had done was love her mother, and wasn’t even the one who broke up her parents. Julian was still good to Whitney and still cared about her even after the way she treated him. Whitney now realized that Julian wasn’t to blame for Whitney’s problems either. “I was a brat to Julian,” Whitney stated to her father. “I had no right to treat him the way I did.”

TC felt like an arrow had been shot through his heart. “How can you take sides with the man who ruined my knee?!” TC asked, feeling betrayed.

“Daddy that was an accident,” Whitney pointed out. “Mom and Julian didn’t mean for that to happen. And what happened to your knee, pales in comparison to what you did. I still can’t believe you beat mom!” Whitney cried. “How could you do that to her?”

“I got angry, and it was wrong,” TC admitted.

“You’re damn right it was wrong,” Whitney snapped. She began to choke back tears as she thought about her mother being beaten by her father. “I know you have a temper, but to beat up mom! It’s sick Daddy!” She bit her lip to keep from crying. “Simone’s right about the way we treated mom. We’re not paying for her mistakes, she is. But we used them against her, because we were upset that she wasn’t perfect. Daddy let me ask you something, when I slapped mom why did you let me?

“What?” TC asked, confused.

“Yeah you see I deserved to be shot for the way I treated my mother, but you didn’t stop me. Now I know I’m responsible for my actions, and I plan to spend the rest of my life trying to make up for what I did to my mother, but you were her husband and my father. Any decent man wouldn’t have let their children do that to their mother. Why didn’t you stop me?”

“I was angry.” TC shamefully admitted.

“That’s always your reason for everything,” Whitney said, seeing for the first time, who her father really was. Then Whitney began to sob. “I blamed mom for ruining our family, but it was you who ruined our family. You taught me how to be mean and cruel, and I hate myself for letting you do that. Well, never again.”

“I’m sorry Baby,” TC’s voice was filled with guilt.

“That’s not going to cut it this time Daddy,” Whitney choked. “My mother and my fiancé are now devastated over Julian’s kidnapping! Julian is Mile’s uncle! How do you think my son is going to feel when he finds out that his uncle has been kidnapped?! Theresa has been put through hell this past five months, because she thought Julian was trying to take her son away from her! How could you do that to the people I love?!”

“I didn’t do it to hurt you, or to your mother or Chad or Miles or Theresa,” TC reassured his daughter.

“No, you did it and didn’t care who got hurt in the process,” Whitney countered.

“Whitney please,” TC pleaded, feeling terrified at the thought of his daughter turning her back on him. “I don’t want you to lose you.”

“You’ve already lost me Daddy,” replied Whitney.

“Whitney, I could go to jail,” TC pleaded. “I need you right now.”

“No, my mother needs me right now,” Whitney countered. “I don’t relish the idea of you going to jail, but you brought it on yourself. And I’m following Simone’s lead.”

“What about Miles? He’s my grandson?”

“How can you ask me that, when I can’t even trust you?” Whitney scoffed with anger.

“I love Miles,” TC replied. “You know I would never hurt him.”

“I never thought you would hurt mom either, but you did,” Whitney whimpered. “Chad’s very angry at you, and I don’t blame him. I have to respect his wishes.”

Then Whitney turned away and walked out the door and ran outside into the cold. She got in her car and drove for several blocks, and then pulled the car to the side of the road and began to sob. Inside Whitney felt numb, with disbelief and still couldn’t believe that this was happening. She was crying for her mother, the Cranes, and for her father’s crimes and for her remorse for how she treated her mother. Whitney was hurting so much for her mother, that she almost felt like Eve was her daughter at the moment. All Whitney wanted to do was hold her mother in her arms and take away her pain. Right now, Whitney didn’t care about her own pain, of learning that her father had kidnapped Julian and beat her mother. She cared about her mother and Chad’s pain, and the rest of the Cranes. Whitney knew she had to do the right thing right now and that was to be there for Chad and Eve right now and help bring Julian home. However, first she had to go to confession, and ask God for forgiveness for dishonoring her mother, when her past came out.

Whitney pulled herself together and drove to St. Margaret Mary’s Church. When she arrived at the church and walked inside, she saw Simone standing in the front entrance inside the church. “Simone, what are you doing here?” Whitney asked her.

“I’m here to make a confession to Father Lonigan for dishonoring my mother,” Simone answered.

“Me too,” Whitney replied.

Simone smiled at Whitney knowing that her sister was following her lead, regarding their mother. Both Whitney and Simone hugged each other and sobbed in each other's arms.


Chapter Forty-One

Back at the Compound, Julian was in the bathroom, brushing his hair. He was still wearing his pajamas and bathrobe. Marty was still asleep and the maids hadn’t brought breakfast up to the room yet. Ever since yesterday, Julian had noticed that the guards seemed very agitated and nervous, like they were scared of something. From inside his room, Julian could hear them whispering and talking about something in the hallways, as if they were upset. However Julian had been unable to make out what they were saying. Julian knew something was going on to make the guards act that way. Either way, it made Julian nervous, wondering if the guards were going to do something to him and Marty. Regardless, Julian was going to make a point to be extra cautious from now on.

As Julian set his brush on the counter, and looked at his reflection in the mirror, he wondered how his life got stolen away from him. For the past five months, Julian had been held captive, while Wagner was living Julian’s life back in Harmony. Ever since Julian first heard Wagner’s name, five months ago, Wagner had become the bane of Julian’s existence; or at least one of them along with Alistair, TC, and Spike. Wagner had not only stolen away Julian’s good name, but stood by and let Julian get kidnapped. Then Wagner stole Eve away from Julian and treated her like dirt. “Damn you Mitch Wagner, how could you do this to me?!” Julian said out loud. Anger was in his voice. “You are not Julian Crane. I am Julian Crane. You are nothing but a bum, who's an accessory to kidnapping.” Julian slammed his fist down on the counter, wanting to ring Wagner’s neck. Julian was certain of one thing. When he got back to Harmony, he was going to sue Wagner and take him for everything he was worth.

Julian still remembered the day that he was kidnapped, vividly. It would probably haunt him, the rest of his life. Julian would never forget the terror that went through him when Spike pulled a gun to his head and forced him into the car, and then waking up on a plane and being forced into the compound. Julian never forgot how shocked he was to learn that Alistair was alive; and that TC had teamed up with Alistair, to break up him and Eve. Not to mention that TC had faked his stroke. Julian still remembered every word on that video tape that Alistair had taped, to tell Julian he had kidnapped him. Alistair’s words still rang through Julian’s head like ice water. “Oh and there’s something else you should know about TC Russell. You see after TC’s accident I bribed him into helping me break you and Eve up and he gladly agreed. So we both decided to have you kidnapped. Yes that’s right, TC Russell is my partner in crime. And he didn’t have a stroke either, he’s only faking it.” The fact the T.C. had faked his stroke and kidnapped Julian, still boggled Julian’s mind. In all the years that Julian had known TC Julian had never imagined that his worst enemy would kidnap him or hurt him like this.

For months, Julian had been furious with TC, for not only hurting him, but Eve as well. TC allowed Wagner to treat Eve horribly, and was putting her safety at risk with Wagner, along with Julian’s family’s safety. Not to mention Eve could have gotten AIDS thanks to Wagner. Julian was just glad Eve had gotten tested, after she slept with Wagner, and that the test came back negative. When Julian saw TC beat Eve, his anger at TC tripled in size. Before T.C. had beaten Eve, Julian would have just given him a punch in the face. Now that TC had beaten Eve, TC was going to be lucky if he had any teeth left, after Julian was done with him. Julian just hoped now that TC had beaten Eve, that Eve saw the truth about her ex-husband’s abusive nature. Regardless, Julian was never going to let TC hurt Eve ever again. Julian knew that he was going to have to be gentle with Eve when he got home, given the way Wagner had treated her and that TC had attacked her. Julian would have to let Eve know that she was loved and that she was safe with him. Julian also knew Eve well enough to know that once she learned that TC was behind Julian’s kidnapping, that that would be it for TC with Eve. TC would disgust Eve and she would probably hate TC forever.

As much as Julian wanted to be found, he hoped that if anyone in Harmony did find out that he had been kidnapped, that they would also find out where Julian was, at the same time. Julian knew that if Eve found out that she had been dealing with an imposter for the past five months and that her real lover had been kidnapped, Eve would be devastated, along with his mother. Julian hated to think about Eve and his mother, being beside themselves with grief over knowing that Julian had been kidnapped and not knowing where he was.

Julian still remembered the day he was kidnapped, after he arrived at the Compound, watching his life being destroyed on the monitors. First Julian watched Wagner try to get custody of Little Ethan, at the same time finding out that Little Ethan was not his biological son. Then Julian saw Eve taking care of TC and then Wagner fought with Eve at the wharf fair.

Julian had been sitting on his bed, watching the monitor, at the time. He was still numb from being abducted and learning that Little Ethan was his son. He kept praying that this was a bad dream he would wake up from, but it wasn’t. Then he saw Eve was standing outside the Russell house watching TC from the window. As Julian saw his lady love, he longed to be with her so much. He hated that he argued with her just a few hours earlier. If Julian had been thinking clearly, when he was feeling jealous of the attention that Eve was giving TC, he would have known that Eve was letting her guilt get the best of her. “Why did I have to act so pigheaded?” Julian said to himself. “Why didn’t I just tell Eve that I was uncomfortable with her taking care of TC and tried to calmly reason with her?” Julian wasn’t upset with Eve anymore. Now all the jealousy that Julian had felt over the past few weeks, felt so petty to him now. All Julian wanted to do now was hold her.

Julian was furious at TC for manipulating Eve and everyone else with his fake stroke, so he could have Eve all to himself and kidnap Julian. If Julian had known what was really going on, he would have argued with TC at the Russell house, not Eve. Julian also realized that he had shot himself in the foot, by arguing with Eve in front of TC, before he was kidnapped. Not only was it wrong on Julian’s part, but that gave TC ammunition over Julian.

Then Julian saw, on the monitors, that inside the Russell house, TC received a call on the kitchen phone, letting him know that Julian had been kidnapped. When Julian saw TC he wanted to strangle him. “Damn you TC Russell!” he yelled at TC through the screen. “I’m going to get you for this.” Then TC came into the living room, wobbling from the muscle injections that Alistair had given him.

Eve: Oh, TC. Why of all people did you have to have a stroke? Recovering from a stroke requires patience, and God knows you've never had any. Come on, honey. You can do it. You can do it. Oh!

“Oh Darling, if you only knew the truth,” Julian said to Eve through the screen. “I’m so sorry I got angry with you, my love. I didn’t mean it. I was just frustrated at the time. You have to believe that I love you.”

Then Julian saw TC fell down and Eve raced in to help him.

TC: Ah, damn!!

Eve: God, TC, Are you ok? Let me help you.

TC: Why are you here? I told you to leave! Ah.

Julian stood up. “Hey don’t you dare yell at Eve, you Kidnapping Homewrecker!” Julian yelled at TC through the screen. Anger was in his voice. Julian folded his arms across his chest, as he watched his life being destroyed.

Eve: You know, that would've taken half the time if you would've just let me help you.

“You’d be better off pushing him off a cliff,” Julian quipped to Eve, feeling furious with TC.

TC: I don't need your help, Eve. I'm not a charity case.

“Then let me be with her, if you don’t need her help!,” Julian shouted at TC. “And we both know you don’t.”

Eve: It's not charity -- just simple human kindness. TC, you've had a stroke. That's more complicated than a simple broken leg, but it's still an injury. Why won't you just let me help you?

“Darling, he doesn’t deserve your kindness,” Julian said gently to Eve.

TC: No. I don't need your pity, Eve!

Eve: It's not pity.

TC: What's -- what would you call it, huh? Huh, are you feeling sorry for me because I'm a wreck? Because you think I'm half a man? Hell, I can do better without you, Eve!

“Oh you’re good TC,”Julian quipped sarcastically at TC’s performance. “Don’t you dare give me that helpless act, TC Russell. I know you’re faking that stroke. And you are less than half a man.”

Eve: Do you realize that -- that your speech patterns are much clearer when you get angry because your brain is functioning and –

“That’s because he’s faking his stroke,” Julian said flatly.

TC: Go, Eve! Just go! Get out now!

Eve: TC --

TC: And don't ever come back -- go!

Eve: You don't mean that.

TC: Yes, I do.

Eve: All right. If you change your mind –

TC: Eve, I won't change my mind.

Then the monitors flashed to the wharf fair, where Julian saw Wagner with Fox. Julian was shocked and sickened, when he saw that Wagner was trying to act like the old Julian, but only worse. Now Julian really regretted arguing with Eve, and saying to her that he could hire someone to go to Paris with him, but they didn’t want that Julian to return again.

Wagner/Julian: Now, take it from me -- you have to be very careful of past loves. They're the most dangerous.

“No, you’re what’s dangerous, Man,” Julian snapped at Wagner. “Eve and I were fine until you Alistair, TC, and Spike came up with your vile little plot.”

Fox: What are you talking about?

Wagner/Julian: Have you and Kay set a -- set a date yet for your wedding?

Fox: Yes. No -- well, yes, we had a date, but we're -- we're postponing it.

Wagner/Julian: Son, I'm telling you something -- do it now. Marry the girl. The sooner, the better.

Fox: Are you upset about something?

Wagner/Julian: Listen to me. Marry her. Elope tonight if you have to, but just don't lose her.

“Hey, how dare you influence my son!” Julian yelled at Wagner.

Fox: Why are you saying all this garbage? Are you trying to make me feel insecure?

Wagner/Julian: I'm trying to prevent you from making the same mistake that I have. I thought everything was perfect with Eve. I talked your stepmother into signing the divorce papers, I was planning my wedding to Eve, and then TC has his accident and his stroke and presto, she's back by his side every waking minute and I'm left out in the cold.

“Yeah I made a mistake all right,” Julian clipped to Wagner, in an angry tone. “I should have killed Father and TC while I had the chance. You’re right. Everything was perfect with Eve, until TC faked his stroke. Now I’m kidnapped thanks to you and TC, you imbecile.”

Fox: Father, I'm sure it's just temporary. TC Is -- needs help right now from Eve. She doesn't have a choice.

Wagner/Julian: You know, I'm afraid it's much more than that. They shared an entire life. For many years, they loved each other very much and now he's helpless and hurt. She feels sorry
for him and he's drawing her back. Now, Miguel could do the same thing with Kay, but you must stop him. You're a Crane. You know what -- what you have to do to get what belongs to you. You do whatever you must to stop Miguel and make Kay yours.

“You’re right, Eve does feel sorry for TC. Only he’s not helpless and hurt,” Julian snarled. “You don’t know anything about the love that Eve and I share, Wagner.”

Fox: Listen to you. I thought you changed. Have you been fooling all of us all along? Because you sure sound like the same selfish bastard I grew up being ashamed of.

Wagner/Julian: So be it. I tried turning over a new leaf. What did that get me? Nothing.

Julian felt chills go up and down his spine, as he realized that Wagner was trying to make everyone think that Julian had regressed. “Oh my God, this is bad. This is so bad,” he trembled with fear. Julian knew that no one else knew that he had been kidnapped and now everyone was going to think that he had regressed instead.

Fox: That's not true, Dad. You –

Wagner/Julian: You know, I hated your grandfather so much, it blinded me from realizing he was so right about the world. He said that nice guys finish last, and he was right. Because if you want something, you take it -- no matter who you have to step on to get it.

“How dare you make everyone think I’m emulating my father!” Julian yelled back at Wagner.

Fox: Come on, Father, that's the booze talking. You know that grandfather wasn't somebody to emulate. Come on, dad, why don't you put down the drink, grab a coffee, and try to remember how to be nice.

Wagner/Julian: Oh, nice -- what a repulsive, meaningless, wishy-washy word. Nice people get walked on. I was nice to Theresa. She took my son from me. I didn't fight back when Alistair adopted the boy. Now, I have no relationship with him at all. Theresa's trying to make sure I never have one.

“Hey, I know now that Little Ethan isn’t my biological son, but I’m not going to let you anywhere near him,” Julian snapped at Wagner.

Wagner/Julian: I tried to be nice with Eve and TC. I stood by. She felt he needed her to recover from his stroke. He used my weakness to draw her back in. And she is letting him. I am competing with a high school coach and I am losing!

“Okay, that part I agree with,” Julian quipped.

Wagner/Julian: I'm through being nice. It's time I took control again. It's time I reaffirm my birthright, and start acting like a Crane.

Fox: I can't believe this.

“Neither can I,” Julian chimed in, perplexed. Then Julian saw Eve appear on the monitors, listening to everything that Wagner was saying to Fox. She looked so upset. It killed Julian to know that Eve was not going to be able to tell the difference between him and Wagner.

Wagner/Julian: Well, why not? Being a good guy has cost me everything I want. My young son, the only woman I ever loved. Listen, I want what I want when I want it. Like all the other Cranes before me. The hell with being a -- a doormat.

Eve: Julian -- oh, I can't believe that you mean that.

Fox: You know, maybe the two of you guys need to speak alone.

Wagner/Julian: Well, you do as I say, Fox. You don't lose Kay. You be strong, but you be as sneaky as you must be, but you grab what you want! The hell with the consequences.

Fox: Maybe you can talk some sense into him.

Then Fox left Eve with Wagner.

Eve: God, Julian, I haven't heard such filth coming out of your mouth in years.

“Darling, don’t believe it,” Julian begged. “That’s an imposter. It’s not me.”

Wagner/Julian: It's true, isn't it? TC’s drawing you back into his orbit. He's reeling you in like a fish. And you're letting him. I mean, TC-- He needed a little help, but you went running so fast. I hired nurses. I guess you just can't stay away from the man. He wants you back. I know it. You're falling for it. You're letting him drag you back.

Julian shook his head in disbelief. “I don’t believe this,” he stammered. Now Julian understood that Alistair and TC had specifically set up TC’s stroke, knowing that would pay on Eve’s guilt, so she nursed TC back to health. That gave the fake Julian reason to regress, and that way everyone, including Eve would think that Julian changing for the better, was all an act.

Eve: Julian, I am not! Now, you know that TC came this close to dying. And then he had that horrible stroke. Well, of course I care for him. You know that I do. He's the father of my children. But you are the man that I love. I'm simply trying to be helpful.

Wagner/Julian: Oh, that's nonsense. He's using his condition to take you from me.

“You’re half right,” Julian shouted at Wagner. “T.C. is using his condition to take Eve away from me. But we know he doesn’t have a condition, does he?”

Eve: Oh -- you're drunk. And you are so wrong. Don't you know TC just kicked me out of the house? He told me he doesn't want to ever see me again. So I came here to find you, the man that I love. And now, I'm not even so sure I want to find you.

“No,” Julian sobbed as he heard the last part of Eve’s sentence.

Wagner/Julian: Oh, well, then TC’s plan is working, isn't it?

“You’re damn right his plan is working,” Julian shouted at Wagner. “I’ve been kidnapped, and now everyone thinks I’ve regressed, thanks to you!”

Eve: What plan, Julian? TC isn't doing a damn thing! He's just not manipulative like that.

“Oh Eve, if you only knew what TC did,” Julian said.

Eve: Frankly, the only person I know besides your father who is that manipulative is you. But I thought that side of you had disappeared forever. I thought that you had changed. But I guess I could be wrong. Maybe the old Julian's still alive and well.

After the monitor went out, Julian felt like he couldn’t breathe. Suddenly, his legs turned into water as he fell to the floor and burst into tears.

As Julian snapped back to the present, he thought about something that he found ironic about this whole thing. Last spring, after Julian found out that Liz had tried to kill him and his father, Julian had felt like someone had been walking on his grave. Julian hadn’t been able to put his finger on it, but he knew it wasn’t because of Liz. He felt like something was lurking around waiting to hurt him in some way. However, the feeling had been a very eerie feeling and he couldn’t shake it. Julian had never told anyone about the feeling, not even Eve.

After seeing Ethan when he was in his coma, it made Julian think about his own mortality. So Julian decided he needed to update his will. At the time, Julian wasn’t sure how to get Rebecca to grant him a divorce. Julian had worried that if anything happened to him, like if he were in an accident, Rebecca would be the one to make decisions for him in the event that he was incapacitated, because she had been Julian’s legal next of kin. Knowing Rebecca, Julian didn’t trust her or what she would do. As far as Julian knew, Rebecca could deny Julian treatment and bar Eve from Julian’s hospital room. So Julian had his lawyer draw up a durable power of attorney agreement for Eve. In it Julian stated that Eve would make any decisions that needed to be made regarding his life, in the event that he became incapacitated. It also stated Rebecca or his father would not have any authority in the matter at all.

Then Julian took out a ten million dollar life insurance policy for Eve, in addition to leaving her his trust fund. Then he took out a two hundred million dollar life insurance policy to be divided
evenly between his children, siblings, nephews, mother and aunt. Julian even included Ethan, Little Ethan, Endora, and his son with Eve in the insurance policy. He left his processions to Eve, with the exception of some things for his family members.

Another thing that Julian was most afraid of was that, if anything did happen to him in the event of his untimely death, was that he wouldn’t get to tell his loved ones how much he loved them. Then there was the issue with his children. Julian knew that he had a lot of work to do, to make amends with his children, but if he died unexpectedly he wanted to let his children know how much he loved them. So Julian had sat down one day last spring, and wrote letters to Eve, his mother, Sheridan, his Aunt Rachel, Chad, Fox, Fancy, Pretty, Miles, Ethan, Little Ethan, and Endora. Then after Alistair’s fake death in Rome, Julian had found out that Chad was his brother, not his son with Eve. Also everyone had thought that Marty had died at the time. Then Julian rewrote his letters to Sheridan and Chad, and wrote one for his son with Eve, in case he was found after he died.

Except for his lawyer, Julian never told anyone about the new provisions in his will. Eve didn’t even know about Julian updating his will, except for the power of attorney agreement. When Julian had first told Eve that he wanted her to be his durable power of attorney, she didn’t even want to entertain the possibility of anything happening to Julian. However, when Julian told her not to worry, that it was just a precaution, and warned her of what Rebecca and Alistair might do; she reluctantly signed the papers. At the time, Julian didn’t want to worry Eve, so he didn’t tell her about the life insurance policies, the letters, or about making her heir of most of his personal processions.

Then a few days after Julian had been kidnapped, Julian saw on the monitor that Alistair had Wagner cancel the life insurance policy for Eve, and took her out of Julian’s will and issued a Revocation of Power of Attorney. This was before Eve had even broken up with Wagner thinking he was Julian. Julian could tell Alistair had really wanted Eve out of the picture. However, Julian knew that once everyone knew that Wagner was an imposter, the Revocation of Power of Attorney would be null and void.

One of the saddest things that broke Julian’s heart was his children. Julian knew that if his children found out that he had been kidnapped, they would be concerned for their father of course. However, they probably wouldn’t feel any love loss given the way Julian had treated them, in the past. It killed Julian to know that, and he blamed himself for it.

Now all Julian wanted to do was go home with Marty, and be with Eve and his loved ones. Julian still wasn’t sure how he and Marty would get out of the Compound yet, but he wasn’t giving up hope.

Chapter Forty-Two

Outside in the hallway of Julian’s room, at the Compound, Spike was waiting to hear back from Alistair Crane. Everyone at the Compound, except for Julian and Marty, had found out that Chief Bennett had wiretapped Spike yesterday and that everyone found that Alistair and TC had Julian kidnapped and replaced with an imposter. Spike and the staff were all panicking now about the fact that everyone at the Compound could get caught and set to jail. Spike had been trying to get a hold of Alistair since yesterday, however he was having trouble getting a hold of him.

Finally the phone rang, Spike saw Alistair's name on the caller id and he picked it up. “Yo boss, thank God it’s you. Look, we are in major trouble here.”

“What’s going on?” asked Alistair as he was smoking one of his cigars as he lay back on a long chair on the beach, with his swim suit on, and many beautiful young women waiting on him hand and foot.

“Yesterday, the chief wiretapped me talking to you, Chris and T.C. and now everyone knows what we’ve done.”

“What??!!” Alistair shrieked, making a fist smashing his cigar. “How could you let this happen you idiot?!”

“Hey I didn’t know they were going to wiretap me. I told you before my father-in-law has it out for me.”

“I hired you to get this right, not screw it up,” Alistair snarled at Spike, as he sat up. “Now look where we are!”

“Look I ain’t happy about this neither”

Alistair sighed and tried to assess the situation. “Okay, what’s going on so far?”

“Well, Sheridan has dumped Chris and Chris has been arrested. The Coach is out on bail and is being charged with kidnapping, fraud, and assault and battery. It turns out, last week, the coach beat the good lady doctor, and now she wants nothing to do with him and is pressing charges against him. If you ask me, the good doctor wants her ex’s blood.”

“Yeah I know TC beat Eve last week,” Alistair replied, rolling his eyes.. “I don’t know why she’s so angry about it. It’s a man’s right to beat his wife.”

“Hey, you don’t have to convince me,” replied Spike. “I beat my wife all the time.”

“Okay,” said Alistair. “Does anyone know where Julian and Marty are?”

“No. No one knows where they are. Everyone still thinks the kid is dead. But they are starting searches for Julian and it’s all over the news.”

“Damn it,” Alistair yelled. “ This is all falling apart.”

“Look boss, just tell me what to do and I’ll do it.”

“Okay, do Julian and Marty know about this?”

“No. They don’t know nothing.”

“Okay, good. Don’t tell them anything. Make sure that everyone in Harmony still thinks that Marty died in Rome last summer. I’ll deal with keeping Sheridan and Luis apart later. First we need to deal with my idiot son.”

“Sure boss, what do you want me to do?”

“I don’t know yet, but I promise you Julian will never be found. I don’t care what I have to do. Neither Julian nor Sheridan will be with the people they love. I will bring them down one way or another. But make sure that TC doesn’t go to jail. As long as he’s with Eve, Eve won’t be with my loser son. In the meantime, don’t do anything until you hear back from me.”

“I don’t think the lady doctor wants nothing to do with the coach.”

“I don’t care. I will not have Eve marrying my son and defile the Crane name.”

“Got it.”

Alistair then hung up on Spike.

~

Back in Julian’s room he had finished getting dressed, as he walked out of the bathroom. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. He decided to go and listen at the door, to see if he could hear anything. As he knelt down and placed his ear to the door he could hear Spike and Satan talking.

“What did Mr. Crane say for us to do?” Satan asked Spike.

“He said to wait, but that there ain’t no way he’s going to let Julian and Sheridan be with Eve and Luis.”

Julian shivered as he heard that. He knew his father was up to something and whatever it was, it wasn’t good. If only Julian could find out what it was.

“In the meantime,” Spike continued. “He wants the coach to get back together with the doc.”

‘Over my dead body,’ Julian thought to himself.

“I saw on the monitors last week, the coach was beating up the good doctor,” replied Satan.

“Yeah, that’s a hot one,” replied Spike. “I don’t know why the doc is throwing such a hissy fit about it. I beat up my wife all the time.”

Julian grimaced as Spike said that.

“What if your wife rats you out?” Satan asked.

“She ain’t never gonna rat me out. I got her right where I want her.”

“How so?”

“Can you keep a secret?”

“Sure.”

Then Spike told Satan about how he tricked Jessica into thinking that she killed all of those dead johns, when Spike was the one who did it. “And the great thing about it is that she totally believes me. Now she ain’t never gonna to leave me, because she knows she’ll go to jail if she does. Now she’s got her friends Simone and Paloma covering her ass too, although they don’t know that it was really me who killed those dead johns. But they hate me. In the meantime, I can do whatever I want to Jessica, and there ain’t nothing she can do about it.”

Julian hung his head as his heart sank as he heard this.

“If the chief finds out about this, he’ll kill you,” replied Satan.

“Well he won’t and I’ve made sure of that with my plan of blackmailing my wife. She’ll cover my ass.”

Then Spike and Satan walked away.

Julian stood up from the door feeling sick to his stomach from that story. He couldn’t believe that Spike could do something so low and so evil to another human being. ‘Poor Jessica and poor Sam,” he thought to himself. Julian couldn’t imagine if someone did that to Fancy or Pretty. He didn’t like the idea of Simone, Eve’s daughter, being involved in that either and neither would Eve. At that moment, Julian made another promise to himself that when he got back to Harmony, he would tell Sam the truth so Sam could arrest Spike and get him out of Jessica’s life for good. In the meantime, Julian couldn’t let anyone know what he knew, or Spike would do something to him and Marty.

At that moment, Marty opened the door to his adjoining room, with red spots all over his face. “Uncle Julian,” Marty said, groaning.

Julian turned around and saw Marty standing at the door with his favorite stuffed bunny. “Hey Son, are you okay?” Julian asked as he went over to his nephew, when he saw all of the spots on Marty’s face. Julian knelt down in front of Marty.

“No, I don’t feel good,” Marty groaned.

“Yeah, what’s the matter?” Julian soothed in a loving tone.

“I feel sick.”

Julian felt Marty’s forehead and his head was hot. “Yeah you feel warm,” Julian replied. “Let me take your temperature.”

Julian went to the bathroom and pulled out a thermometer from the medicine cabinet and went out to Marty.

“Will that hurt?” Marty asked as soon as he saw the thermometer.

“No Son, I’m going to use it on your ear so it won’t hurt,” Julian assured. Julian stuck the thermometer in Marty’s ear and then looked at it and saw it was 101 degrees. “Yeah you do have a fever,” Julian told his nephew.

“Why do I have all of these red spots on me?” Marty asked Julian as he lifted up his shirt showing Julian even more red spots on his chest and tummy.

“It looks like you have chicken pox, Son,” Julian told him.

“Am I going to be okay?” Marty asked. Marty didn’t like being sick. It was no fun for him.

“You’re going to be fine. You need to stay in bed for a while, but I’m going to be right here and I’m going to take care of you.”

Julian picked Marty and placed him in Julian’s bed and Julian sat next to him on the bed. Julian started to feel nervous again, given that he had never taken care of a sick child before. He remembered when he had chickenpox when he was little and how his mother sat with him and took care of him. It seemed like a lifetime ago to him now as he thought about those simpler times. Now he had a sick nephew to take care of and he didn’t know what to do. He wished Eve was here to help him. She was a doctor and a mother after all. She would know what to do. In the meantime, all Julian could do was remember what his mother did for him when he had chickenpox and remember what Eve did when Miles was sick.

“Uncle Julian, what if you get chickenpox?” Marty asked, not wanting his beloved uncle to get sick too.

“No, I won’t get it, because I already had it when I was your age, and once you’ve had it you'll never have it again,” Julian reassured.

“I feel itchy,” Marty complained as he squirmed.

“I know, but try not to scratch,” Julian replied. “In the meantime, would you like me to read you a book?”

“Sure.”

Julian got up and pulled out some children’s books from the bookshelf that he thought Marty would like.










Chapter Forty-Three

Back in Harmony, everyone was still buzzing about Julian’s kidnapping. The FBI and Interpol were working actively with the Harmony Police Department in order to find Julian. All of the media still had continuing coverage of Julian’s kidnapping. Helicopters were still flying in the air searching for Julian and road blocks were still everywhere. Missing person's billboards had also been put up of Julian all around the country.

The night before, when Sam found out that Ethan and Fox were going to run the search center for Julian, he told them they couldn’t run it because they were family. However, Marlena’s husband John Black had just arrived in Harmony when the news about Julian’s kidnapping broke out and he gladly agreed to run the search center for them. Noah was going to be in charge of volunteer search teams in Harmony, where he would be leading search teams in the hills and other places around the state. Kay was going to run the volunteer phone banks, and that morning Rae called and volunteered to be flier coordinator. She even called her friends from her LGBT causes and they all agreed to volunteer with the search.

At the Crane Mansion, a police officer had been stationed at the main house and they tapped the phone lines, in case whoever was holding Julian captive called demanding a ransom. Ethan, Fox, and Chad had taken some personal time off of work, to look for Julian. They all agreed that Theresa would deal with business at Crane, and deal with the buyers and the foreign markets. Eve had also called into the hospital the day before, and told them that she needed to take some personal time off to look for Julian.

A ten million dollar reward had been set up for Julian’s safe return. Katherine, Sheridan, and Fancy each put up two million dollars from their trust funds, and Theresa also put up two million from the Crane Trust. Also John put up two million dollars of his own money as well. As far as John was concerned, he was glad to help. He considered any friend of his wife’s a friend of his, and he could empathize with what Eve and the Cranes were going through.

Back in Eve and Julian’s suite, Eve was sitting at the end of the bed looking at a picture of her and Julian. She had managed to get out of bed and get dressed. She was exhausted and all she wanted to do was cruel up and die, but her love for Julian and her desperation to find him was keeping her going. Her cell phone was ringing off the hook, and every time she saw the caller id from calls from the televisions news stations and newspapers. She didn’t answer any of them, feeling unsure about what to do.

In addition to feeling grief and panic stricken, Julian’s kidnapping had officially sunk in for Eve. Now when Eve though back to the past five months, it made her sick to think about how she turned to TC and thought the worst of Julian, when Julian hadn’t done anything wrong to begin with and especially after Julian had been the one who stood by her, when TC and Liz hounded her, and when her daughters disrespected her. Eve was angrier at Alistair, TC, Wagner, and Spike for making her think that Julian had regressed, than she had been at Julian when she thought Wagner was Julian. Julian was the man she loved and adored and thinking that he had regressed had been devastating for her. Alistair, TC, Wagner, and Spike all knew how much she loved Julian and how it would affect her, and she couldn’t help feeling violated.

She also felt furious with herself, for assuming the worst of Julian. He was her rock and her protector, and she couldn’t protect him when he needed her the most.

Eve wondered what kind of torment Julian had dealt with these past five months. She wanted to take away all of his suffering from him, and take it all herself. She wondered if she had the strength to cope with Julian’s kidnapping. Julian had always been the strong one in their relationship. No matter what the situation, Julian had enough strength for both of them. He was her knight in shining armor, getting her out of trouble whether it was from Alistair, Liz, TC, her girls, or whatever. Now Julian was the one in trouble and Eve wasn’t sure what to do. Regardless, she knew she had to rise to the occasion. She didn’t have a choice.

“I promise you Darling,” she said as she looked at the picture. “I won’t give up looking for you. Not until you’re safe in my arms again.”

Just then Eve heard a knock at the door.

“Who is it?” Eve asked. She would have got up to open the door, but her back hurt too much.

“Eve, it's Luis.” Luis replied from outside the door.

Eve wept her eyes. “Come on in.”

Luis came into the bedroom dressed in her police uniform. As he saw Eve, his heart broke for her. She looked so devastated. It reminded him of all the times when he thought Sheridan had died. “How are you doing?” he asked her tentatively.

“Not good,” Eve answered as she wiped her eyes. Her voice was all choked up. “Has there been any word on Julian yet?”

“Not yet. I’m sorry.” Luis answered. “Listen, we're going to need to do a search of the room to see if Wagner left any clues.”

“Sure.” Eve replied as she stood up. She was more than willing to comply with any and all police procedures to bring Julian home.

“Did you notice anything different about the room?” Luis asked her.

“There was one thing,” Eve remembered. “In the closet, there was a separate set of clothing for Wagner and Julian. Julian’s clothes had been pushed to the end of the closet.”

Luis nodded as he took out his notepad and made a note of it. “Okay, have you touched any of the clothes at all?”

“Just a sports coat of his. I had the servants put it in a plastic bag to preserve his scent. That's all I have of him now.” Eve began to get choked up again as she thought about how much she missed Julian.

“Eve, it’s okay,” Luis reassured her as he put his hand on her arm. “You can still hang on to that. However, we are going to need to take some of Julian's clothing for the dog handlers.”

“Sure.” Eve stood up and limped over the closet and grabbed some old dress shirts of Julian’s and handed them over to Luis. As she looked at the shirts, she felt like she was handing over a piece of Julian. It made her start to cry again. Luis gave her supportive hug to comfort her.

“It’s okay, sshh,” Luis coaxed as he gently hugged her and patted her back. Eve cried in his arms for a few minutes, and then Luis pulled back from the hug and wiped the tears from her eyes. “I know how hard this is for you, but we are going to find him. I promise you that.”

“You have to Luis,” Eve begged through her sobs. “He means everything to me. I can’t live without him.”

“We will.”

“Listen,” Eve said as she dried her eyes. “I was wondering, do you know if there’s a chance that Marty is alive, now that we know that Alistair is alive?”

“Yeah,” Luis answered. “I looked into it this morning and it turns out that Marty did die back in Rome.”

Eve’s face fell. Her heart broke for Luis and Sheridan. She knew better than anyone what they were going through. “Oh Luis, I’m so sorry.”

“Thanks.” Luis said, looking at the floor trying to contain his grief.

“How’s Sheridan taking the news?”

“She’s pretty upset. Losing first Marty and having Julian kidnapped is really hard for her.

Eve solemnly nodded. “I can imagine.”

Luis gave a sigh. “I know this isn’t the best time to tell you but Sheridan and I got back together last night.”

Eve raised her eyebrows. “You did? But what about Fancy?”

“We broke up last night,” Luis explained. “We both realized that we were projecting our feelings of Sheridan and Noah onto each other. It was a mutual decision and we agreed to stay friends.”

Eve’s heart went out to Julian’s daughter, but she was glad Luis and Sheridan were back together. “Well I’m glad for you and Sheridan. True love is a gift. Don’t ever let it go.”

“I won’t.”

Eve set down the picture and limped downstairs, while Luis began inspecting the room.

Chapter Forty-Four

Sheridan stood in front of the window looking outdoors, from her bedroom where she and Luis were temporarily staying at the Crane Mansion with James. She had tears streaming down her face, as she thought about Julian being kidnapped. Sheridan couldn’t believe this was happening. Her own father had kidnapped her brother. Alistair had prevented Julian from being there for her after they thought Katherine died, and now Alistair had taken Julian from her again. She loved Julian so much. When they were growing up, they were each other’s best friend, always playing together and having fun. She always felt so safe when he was around. Then the last few years they had reunited and gotten close again. Now she didn’t know where he was or if he was safe. Sheridan knew that if Alistair had Julian kidnapped, Julian was in a lot of danger. It felt too much for Sheridan so close after losing Marty.

“God,” Sheridan prayed. “Please let Julian be alright and let him come home safely. I don’t think I can bear losing him again.” Then she began to sob.

Luis walked in the door. “I just finished searching Julian’s room,” he told Sheridan.

Sheridan nodded without turning to look at Luis.

Luis could see Sheridan was crying from her reflection in the window. “Hey,” he said to her as he went up to her, putting her hands on her shoulders as Sheridan continued to face the window. “Are you okay?”

“No,” Sheridan replied, shaking her head, as she sobbed. “I’m trying really hard to be strong for my mother, but I feel like I’m falling apart over my brother’s kidnapping.”

“I know Honey, I know,” Luis coaxed as he kissed the side of her forehead. “We’re going to find him. Okay? Sam and I are going to make sure of that.”

“God, where could he be?” cried Sheridan. “It’s been five months. I should have reached out to him when we thought that he had regressed. Maybe I could have noticed something, and we would have found him sooner. He’s my brother. I should have realized something was wrong.”

Luis turned Sheridan around. “Hey Honey, look at me,” Luis said, wiping the tears away from her eyes with his thumbs. “It wasn’t your fault. Wagner had us all fooled. Don’t put that on yourself. Julian wouldn’t want you to blame yourself either.”

“We have to find him Luis,” Sheridan sobbed. “I don’t think I could handle losing Julian so soon after losing Marty.”

“And we will, I promise you that,” replied Luis.

“Father tortured Julian and I our entire lives. He abused us, drove mother away, and then kept us from the people we loved and then stole our babies. “How can he be so cruel?!”

“The man is a monster. His evil has no bounds,” Luis replied.

“Poor Eve,” Sheridan said. “I know exactly how she feels, losing the man she loves and their son together.”

“I feel the same way. Eve’s been through so much pain in her life and now this.”

“I just feel so lucky that we’re back together now. All that fighting we did before feels so petty now. I don’t want to end up like Julian and Eve where they spent years apart from each other. I just want to be with you.”

“I agree,” Luis replied, putting his hands on Sheridan’s cheeks. “I promise you I will never let anything come between us again. We belong together now, always, and forever.”

Luis and Sheridan kissed and then hugged.

~

At St. Margaret Mary’s Church, Whitney and Simone were still holding each other sobbing in each other’s arms. Neither one of them could believe that this was happening. Their father had kidnapped Julian, their mother’s fiancee, and then beat their mother. It was all too horrible to be true. Both Whitney and Simone knew they were never going to be able to look at their father the same way again after what he did to Eve and Julian, and there was no way they would ever be able to have a relationship with him again. They were both devastated for their mother and sick with worry about Julian, in addition to feeling an enormous amount of guilt for what they did to their mother.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Simone sobbed into Whitney’s arms.

“Me too,” Whitney sobbed. “I can’t believe our own father could do something like this.”

“Julian has to be alright. I don’t think Mom could handle it if she lost him.”

“We’re going to help look for him,” Whitney sobbed. “We have too.”

Father Lonigan walked into the room with his cane hearing the sound of sobs. “Who’s there?” he asked, feeling concerned about whoever was crying.

“It’s Whitney and Simone Russell,” Whitney answered, releasing Simone’s hug.

“Are you two alright?” he asked. “It sounds to me like you two have been crying.”

“We are crying,” Simone replied, wiping her eyes. “We’re here to make a confession. We have sinned.”

“I see,” Father Lonigan answered. Father Lonigan had heard about Julian on yesterday's news. He was just as shocked as everyone else was. He was planning on making a visit to Eve and the Cranes later and in the meantime he was praying for Julian’s safe return. “I take it this is about your parents and Julian.”

“Yes,” Whitney replied in a small voice.

“I was so very sorry to hear about what happened,” Father Lonigan told them. “You both must be devastated.”

“We are,” Whitney sobbed.

“I want you to know that I am praying for Julian’s safe return and for your mother as she is going through this difficult time,” he replied.

“Thank you, Father,” Simone cried. “We are too.”

“If you two want to make a confession, I am happy to hear it. Would you like to go into the confessional?” he asked.

“Sure,” Whitney replied

Father Lonigan walked to the confessional and sat down. Whitney and Simone sat down together on the other side.

“Bless us Father, for we have sinned,” Whitney said in a low voice.

“What is this sin you wish to confess, my children?”

“We have dishonored our mother in the most horrible way,” Whitney sobbed as she thought of all the horrible things she said to her mother. “Me most of all.”

“I’m taking it that you are referring to the way you treated your mother when her past came out?” Father Lonigan asked.

“Yes,” Whitney said, wiping her tears. “I was the worst. I called her the most horrible names, I verbally and emotionally abused her, I slapped her more than once, and I blamed her for things that weren’t her fault.”

“I called her horrible names, abused her, and blamed her for things that weren’t her fault too,” Simone added, feeling tears stumbling down her cheeks. “Last week she told us off for the way we treated her and that was after Daddy beat her.”

“I see,” Father Lonigan said, putting the picture together.

“At the time when her past came out, I didn’t think about her pain or what she had been through,” sobbed Whitney. “All I thought about was myself and I told her she ruined my life, but she didn’t. It was just so easy to blame her for everything because I found out she wasn’t perfect. All she ever was, was a loving mother to us and I was horrible to her.”

“Me too,” sobbed Simone. “And the worst part of it is, we never apologized to her.”

“No one is perfect,” Father Lonigan said. “The only people who are perfect are our Heavenly Father and Our Lord and Savior. It was wrong for your father and the two of you to expect her to be that way. Eve’s mistakes were in the past and God loves her just the way she is and forgives her for her past mistakes. The only thing he cares about is the woman she is now.”

“We know that now,” Simone sobbed.

“Our mother is such a loving and caring woman,” Whitney cried. “She’s been through more pain in her life than anyone should have, and we treated her like she was garbage.”

“How do we make this right, Father?” Simone sobbed. “I don’t know what to do.”

“You must ask for God’s forgiveness, and then you must apologize and ask for your mother’s forgiveness. Be there for her now, in her hour of need, while she is trying to find Julian. Then honor her the rest of your lives, trying to make it up to her.”

“But what if she doesn’t want to see us?” Simone asked.

“Be there for her in your heart and when the time is right go to her,” Father Lonigan told them. “She needs both of you now as she is suffering so much.

“We will,” Whitney sobbed, putting her arm around Simone as they cried. “I just still can’t believe that Daddy would kidnap Julian. Julian was never anything but good to us, and I treated him terribly. Now he’s out there in terrible danger.”

“Your father will have to answer for his sins,” Father Lonigan told them. “We all must pray for Julian’s safe return home. Our heavenly father is watching over him right now. God will not let him or your mother down.”

“I hope so,” Whitney replied.

“I know this is a dreadful time for you two as well,” Father Lonigan added. “I will pray for you both too.”

“Thank you,” Simone cried.

Whitney and Simone left the confessional and went into the church where all the pews were and sat down in a pew and knelt down and folded their hands.

“Father, we ask for your forgiveness for the way we have treated our mother,” Whitney prayed to God. “She did not deserve that, and I am ashamed for what I did to her.”

“Me too, God,” Simone prayed. “We will spend the rest of our lives making it up to her.”

“We also ask that you help bring Julian home safely,” Whitney sobbed. “Our mother needs him. He doesn’t deserve this Lord. We pray for Julian, our mother, and the Cranes.”

At that moment, a light from outside shone through the stained glass window onto the girls.

Chapter Forty-Five

Back at the Crane Mansion, in the living room, Katherine was asleep on the couch. She was sitting up and had nodded off a little while ago. She looked like she had aged ten years since yesterday. She had barely gotten any sleep the night before, frantically worrying about Julian. It was all that consumed her every thought.

As Katherine slept she started to have a dream, where Alistair had Julian and Sheridan behind bars with them begging for their father to free them. Katherine tried to get to them to free them, but Alistair punched her in the face, knocking her to the ground leaving her unconscious. Then Alistair snarled at Julian and Sheridan and said, “I will never let you two go!!!” Finally Alistair walked away leaving Julian and Sheridan pleading for their freedom.

Katherine jolted out of her sleep, gasping in shock. She looked around her and saw that her dream was over, but she was still living the nightmare of her son being kidnapped. Katherine felt tears roll down her cheeks. It was too awful to be true. Julian, her baby and the fruit of her womb, was in grave danger and she didn’t know where to find him. She didn’t know if he was safe or where he was or what was happening to him. All she knew was that if Alistair was holding her son hostage, it wasn’t good. Katherine began to sob into the couch pillow, devastated and scared to death about Julian.

Eve walked into the living room as she saw Katherine in tears. “Katherine, are you alright?” Eve asked.

“No,” sobbed Katherine. She stood up and went over to Eve and gave her a hug. Eve knew what she was crying about, as she was feeling the same pain herself. She wrapped her arms around Katherine comforting her.

“I know,” Eve sobbed as she held Katherine. “I know.”

After they were done crying, they released the hug. “Thank you Eve,” Katherine said.

“Of course,” Eve replied.

“How are you?” Katherine asked Eve. “Did you get any sleep?”

“Not very much,” Eve answered. “How about you?”

“The same,” Katherine replied. “Whenever I closed my eyes, I just saw Julian in terrible danger. It was horrible.”

“I had the same dreams too,” Eve replied. “It’s just too horrible.”

“I know,” Katherine agreed.

“I just saw Luis and he says there hasn’t been any word on Julian yet,” Eve told Katherine.

“I know,” said Katherine. “They have set up a search center and a hotline for people to call in for tips to see if anyone has seen Julian.”

“Good,” answered Eve.

“How’s your back?” Katherine asked, noticing that Eve was still limping.

“It’s killing me, but not as much as knowing that Julian has been kidnapped. I took some painkillers for it a few minutes ago.”

“You should be taking it easy with your injury,” Katherine told Eve, worrying about her son’s lover.

“I can’t, not with Julian missing,” Eve replied.

Before Katherine could say anything, Grace and Pilar came into the living room. Grace was holding a casserole dish.

“Eve, I heard about Julian,” Pilar said to Eve going up to her with her arms out to Eve giving her a hug. “I’m so sorry.”

“Thank you Pilar,” Eve replied, choking back tears as she hugged Pilar back. It felt good to have all of her friends support.

After they hugged Pilar saw the bruises on Eve’s face, seeing TC’s handy work. “Dios mio!” she exclaimed. Pilar was still in shock that TC could do something so horrible to one of her closest friends.

“Don’t worry about me,” replied Eve. “I’ll live.”

“I swear to God Eve,” Pilar said in an angry tone. “If I ever see TC again I’ll kill him.”

“Thank you,” replied Eve.

Pilar looked at Katherine who was all grief stricken. While Pilar was still furious with Katherine for breaking up her marriage to Martin, at that moment, Pilar couldn’t help feeling compassion for Katherine as she was going through every mother’s worst nightmare. She knew better than anyone what it felt like to lose a child. “Listen Katherine,” Pilar said. “I know we’ve had our differences, but I want you to know how sorry I am about Julian. And that I’m praying for his safe return.”

Katherine managed a smile. “Thank you Pilar, that’s very kind of you. I appreciate that more than you know.”

“How are the two of you holding up?” Grace asked Eve and Katherine.

“Not good,” Eve replied in a small voice.

“Same here,” Katherine added.

“I brought you a casserole that I made,” Grace said.

“Oh thank you Grace,” Eve replied. “That was very thoughtful.”

“Of course, it’s the least I can do with what you all are going through,” Grace replied.

Eve had one of the servants take the casserole to the kitchen. Then all of the women sat down. Eve and Grace on the couch and Katherine and Pilar in the side by chairs.”

“Have you heard from Whitney and Simone yet?” Grace asked Eve.

Eve shook her head no. “Knowing them, they're probably going to be angry at me for pressing charges against TC, or saying that I drove TC to it. But I don’t care what they think. I’m not backing down. Anyways, I can't deal with them today.”

“Of course Sweetheart,” Grace replied, rubbing Eve’s back. “Sam told me he wants you and the Crane family to come to the search center in about an hour. He needs to discuss strategy with all of you.”

“Of course, we’ll do it,” Katherine replied.

“Sam also wanted me to tell you that he got Marlena’s husband John to run the search center for Julian,” Grace told Eve and Katherine. “People are making flyers, setting up phone banks, and creating searches in the hills.”

“That’s wonderful,” replied Eve. “We can join them.”

“Eve, are you sure you should be doing that with your injury?” Grace asked.

“I don’t care about my injury,” Eve cried. “I care about Julian.”

“Eve I know my son, and he would not want to risk hurting yourself,” Katherine chimed in.

“Grace and Katherine are right, Eve,” Pilar added. “Besides, it looks like you have barely slept or eaten anything.”

“How can I when Julian has been kidnapped?!” Eve replied, choking back tears.

“Eve, you can barely walk,” Grace said. “How do you expect to go searching in the hills?”

“If that’s what it takes to find Julian, then I will,” Eve snapped.

“You just said that your back was killing you,” Katherine added.

“Eve, you’re not going to be any good to Julian if you re-injure yourself,” added Pilar.

“What am I supposed to do?” Eve cried. “I can’t just sit here.”

Grace, Pilar, and Katherine knew that it would be pointless to argue with Eve, at the same time, they couldn’t risk her being re-injured.

Finally Grace sighed and said reluctantly, “Okay, but Pilar and I are going with you. We can work at the call center and go around putting up posters around town. But we’re in charge. At any time your back starts to hurt or you're too exhausted we’re calling it quits for the day.”

“And you’re getting something to eat,” Pilar added. “Katherine, you too.”

“Okay,” both Eve and Katherine agreed.

Pilar made Eve and Katherine breakfast and brought it out to the living room, but they barely ate anything. Afterwards, they took off for the search center.

~

At the airport, Whitney stood outside waiting for Chad’s plane to come in. Simone had gone with Rae to put up flyers and was planning to meet up with Whitney later. Whitney was shivering from the cold and kept checking her watch feeling impatient about Chad’s plane arrival. She knew that there had been a huge fog storm in Tokyo, making it hard for Chad to get a plane out of there. Whitney also knew that Chad was going to be devastated when she saw him.

Finally Whitney saw Chad’s plane in the sky and landed on the ground.

“Thank God,” Whitney said as the plane arrived.

As Chad stepped out of the plane, he saw Whitney and Whitney saw him. Both their eyes were red from crying. As Chad looked at Whitney he knew that she had found out about what happened. They both ran to each other and embraced sobbing in each other’s arms.

“I’m so sorry Baby,” Whitney sobbed.

“I’m sorry for you too Baby,” Chad sobbed back.

After they had finished crying they let go of their embrace.

“How are you holding up?” Whitney asked, feeling concerned for her lover.

“Terrible,” Chad replied. “I can’t believe my own brother has been kidnapped.”

“Neither can I. If it makes you feel any better, Simone and I have officially disown Daddy and we’ve told him to his face.”

“Good. Thank you for that,” Chad replied. “How are you holding up?”

“Not good,” Whitney replied, choking back tears. “I can’t believe that my own father could do something so horrible as to kidnap Julian and beat my mother.”

“Yeah, I was shocked when I found out your Dad did that to your Mom too,” Chad replied. “Have you talked to her?”

“No,” Whitney replied. “Last week she was really angry with me for the way I treated her when her past came out, and now I realize that was after Daddy beat her.”

“Oh God,” Chad said, realizing what Whitney was talking about. “Hopefully you and your mother can work this out.”

“I hope so,” Whitney replied.

“Have you heard any news on Julian?” Chad asked.

“No,” replied Whitney. “But they are setting up a search center.”

“I know. Ethan texted me. Chief Bennett wants the family including your mother to be there in about an hour.”

“I’m not sure I should go,” Whitney replied thinking about how her mother and the Cranes would react to her there. “The Crane’s probably don’t want to see me, given what Daddy did, and the last time I saw Mom she was angry with me. At the same time, I don’t want Mom to be alone as she’s going through this.”

“Why don’t I go to the search center, and I’ll let you know how she's doing and if today would be a good day,” Chad suggested.

“Thank you Honey.” Whitney and Chad kissed and Chad went to the search center and Whitney went to hang up flyers with Simone.

Chapter Forty-Six

The search center had been put up at one of Harmony’s hotels. The hotel cleared one of its ballrooms where the press could meet, another room for the calling center for the tip line, and they had cleared out a conference room so the police could talk to the family and another conference room for strategizing volunteers.

As Eve, Katherine, Grace, and Pilar walked into the hotel lobby there were about a dozen reporters shoving microphones and cameras in their faces and taking pictures of Eve and Katherine. Eve was wearing her big dark sunglasses to cover her bruises and wearing her hair down in front of her face so no one could see.

“Dr. Johnson, how does it feel to know that your ex-husband kidnapped your fiance?” one reporter asked as he stoved a microphone in Eve’s face.

“Mrs. Crane, do you hold a grudge against Dr. Johnson for leaving your son?” another reporter asked Katherine.

“Do you mind?!” Pilar shouted at the reporters. “Can’t you see that these women are in pain??!!

Grace and Pilar stood on either side of Eve and Katherine, as Eve and Katherine ducked their heads down to avoid getting their pictures taken.

“Back it up,” Grace shouted at the reporters and she and Pilar led Eve and Katherine into the conference room where the family was. As soon as they reached the room, Sam ushered Eve and Katherine in, and told Grace and Pilar to wait outside.

Already in the conference room was the entire Crane family, along with Sam, Luis, Marlena and John. Theresa was at the office at Crane Industries trying to deal with the buyers and the foreign markets, along with the media about Julian’s kidnapping.

As soon as Marlena saw Eve, she went up to her and gave her a hug. “Hi,” Marlena said. “How are you doing?”

“Not good,” Eve cried.

“Eve I am so sorry.”

“Thank you.”

Eve and Marlena released the hug and John went up to Marlena and Eve, standing next to his wife.

“Eve this is my husband John,” Marlena said. “John, this is my friend Eve.”

“Hi Eve,” John said, shaking her hand. “I’m sorry we couldn’t meet under better circumstances.”

“Me too,” Eve replied. “I can’t thank you both enough for agreeing to help with the search and for donating to Julian's reward fund,” Eve replied.

“Oh it’s our pleasure,” said John. “I’m just so sorry about Julian.”

“Thank you.”

Eve immediately liked John. He seemed kind and that he truly wanted to help. She could tell he had experience with this kind of thing before and seemed to know what he was doing.

Sam called everyone in the room to order as they all sat around the conference table. Eve and the whole Crane family looked solemn and sad. All of them had their faces down, and they barely had a wink of sleep the night before all frantic about Julian. Sam, John, and Marlena all knew they were going to have to be sensitive to them given what they were all going through.

“Okay,” Sam said. “As you can see we’ve set up the search center. We’ve set up search teams to look for Julian. We’ve contacted the FBI and Interpol too. We’re also checking all of the Crane properties. We’ve set up a website. Finding Julian is the department's number one priority right now.”

“Thank God,” Katherine sighed.

“Have there been any clues or tips to find Julian?” Eve asked. Her voice sounded small and tears were streaming down her face.

“Not too many,” Sam answered. “We tried to trace Spike’s location from where he was calling from, but it was blocked. We do know from the wiretap, Spike said it was cold out where he was, so we’re looking into Crane properties where the temperature was cold yesterday. Now does anybody here have anything that might come to mind that might help?”

“There is one thing,” Eve replied softly. “Julian frequently gives blood to the hospital. For the past week, I was considering that Julian might have a neurological condition that might have been the cause that he regressed. Two nights ago, I was at the hospital hoping to find a recent blood sample from him so I could diagnose him, but it showed that he hadn’t donated in about six months, before he was kidnapped. I was able to do a genetic test on his blood in order to see if he had Huntington’s disease or Wilson’s disease, but they came back negative.”

Sam turned to Katherine, “Katherine do you know if anyone in your family or the Crane family has ever had those diseases?” he asked.

“No one,” Katherine answered.

“Okay, that’s good information,” Sam replied, jotting it down on his notepad. “We do have some information from Julian’s lawyer. It turns out Julian updated his will almost a year ago. According to his lawyer, he wanted to make sure his loved ones were taken care of in case of his untimely death. He made Eve his durable power of attorney, if he became incapacitated.”

“I know,” said Eve. “We talked about it and I signed it reluctantly.”

“Well there’s more,” Sam said to Eve. “He also took out a ten million dollar life insurance on you and left you his trust fund and most of his personal possessions, in case something happened to him. Then he left the two hundred million life insurance policy for the rest of his family.”

“I didn’t know anything about this,” Eve replied.

“His lawyer said Julian didn’t want you to worry,” Sam explained. “Then a few days after the kidnapping, Wagner canceled the life insurance policy for you, and took you out of Julian’s will and issued a Revocation of Power of Attorney. It looks like Alistair wanted you out of the picture.”

“What about the amendments to his will that Wagner made?” asked Fox in a low voice. “Do they still apply?”

“No they wouldn’t,” Ethan answered. “What Wagner did was fraud. Eve is still entitled to power of attorney and the benefits and possessions Julian left her.”

“I don’t care about Julian’s will or his money,” Eve cried as she wiped the tears away from her eyes underneath her sunglasses. “I care about Julian. I just want him home safe.”

“We all do,” added Sheridan.

“I know,” Sam assured. “And we’re doing everything we can. However, because of these provisions in Julian’s will, we’re asking all family members to take lie detector tests.”

“Why?” asked Chad.

“It’s procedure in kidnapping cases,” Sam answered. “Fancy has already taken one and she was cleared. However, I need the rest of you to take one. It shouldn’t take too long.”

Ethan turned to Eve, “Eve as your lawyer, I want you to take one right away.”

“Of course I will,” replied Eve. “There’s something else that I need to talk to you about. My cell phone is ringing off the hook from news stations and reporters. I haven’t talked to any, but I don’t know what to do about it.”

“I’ll handle it,” Ethan said. “I don’t want you giving any interviews, unless I approve it first.”

“Okay,” Eve nodded.

“Also Eve,” Ethan explained. “My Dad and John and I talked it over and we want you to give a statement to the media, to give your side of the story and also plead with Julian’s kidnappers for his safe return today. We don’t want anyone to think that you were involved in this.”

“I don’t know what to say,” Eve replied.

“Just tell the truth, Eve,” Fancy said. “You have nothing to hide.”

“Okay, whatever you want me to do, I’ll do anything to save Julian,” Eve cried.

“The question is what do we do with Eve’s bruises in front of the camera,” Luis chimed in. “Should she show them or not?”

“I don’t know, “ said John. “How bad are they Eve?”

Eve took off her sunglasses showing off her bruised and battered face. John’s face fell.

“Oh my God,” Chad said as soon as he saw Eve’s face. He couldn’t believe that T.C. could do something so horrible.

“I know,” said Eve. “I still can’t believe it either.”

“If we show the bruises, that’s what people are going to focus on,” John said.

“I’m covering up my bruises with makeup. I don’t care about how I look, but if Julian is out there watching me I want him to focus on him getting back to me, not my bruises and I want the public to do the same.”

“Okay then we’ll do that,” John said.

“There’s something else I want all of you to know,” Eve said as she turned to Cranes. “When we find Julian, I’ve decided I want him back in my life as my fiance, lover, and husband. I’m going to tell him everything that happened with Wagner and T.C.. I don’t know how he’s going to react, but I promise all of you. This time I’m never letting him go.”

“Of course, Darling,” Katherine said to Eve. “If he doesn’t understand we’ll all talk to him.”

“My brother adores you Eve,” Sheridan added. “I’d be very surprised if he didn’t understand.”

“I also want you to know Eve, we all support you and we’re here for you and we’ll let the media know too,” Fox reassured.

“Thank you all,” Eve cried.

~

As everybody left and got ready for the press conference, Chad stayed for a few minutes to call Whitney to give her an update on her mother.

As soon as Whitney heard her cell phone ring, she saw on the caller id that it was Chad. She immediately picked up. “Chad?” she answered.

“Hey Baby,” Chad replied.

“Thank God it’s you,” she said. “How’s Mom? Is she okay?”

“She’s not okay. She’s wracked with grief.”

“Oh God,” Whitney whimpered. “Did you see her bruises?”

“Just the ones on her face and they looked pretty bad.”

“Oh God,” Whitney cried as she wiped the tears from her eyes. As a daughter, she never felt so helpless.

“There’s going to be a press conference soon, and your Mom is going to be talking to the media.”

“Okay do you think it would be a good idea if Simone and I went to her today?”

“Not today,” Chad replied. “She’s way too upset. If you want my advice, wait a few days.”

“Does she have anyone there for her?”

“Yeah,” Chad answered. “Grace, Pilar, her new friend Marlena, and the rest of us are looking after her.”

“Mom and Grace are friends again?”

“Yeah, apparently the Bennetts forgave your Mom.”

“Good.”

“I’m going to be joining Ethan and Fox in the search teams,” said Chad. “ Are you going to be alright?”

“Yeah I’m fine,” Whitney replied. “Don’t worry about me. Just find Julian.”

“Okay,” Chad replied. “I love you, Baby.”

“I love you too.

Chapter Forty-Seven

A few hours later, back at the Harmony police station, Eve was sitting down, hooked up to a lie detector set, in a private room, with a man from the station asking her questions.

“Is your name Eve?” he asked.

“Yes,” she answered.

“Do you live in Harmony?”

“Yes,” she answered.

“Are you divorced from TC Russell?”

“Yes,” she answered.

“Do you love TC Russell?”

“No.” Eve answered firmly, thinking about her anger and rage at TC.

“Do you love Julian Crane?”

“Yes,” Eve whimpered.

“Do you know where Julian Crane is?”

“No,” Eve whimpered.

“Did you plan the abduction and kidnapping of Julian Crane?”

“No,” Eve sobbed.

After what seemed like an eternity, Eve passed the lie detector test. Grace and Pilar took her back to the hotel for the press conference. As Eve was getting ready for the conference she was trying to put concealer on her face to cover up the bruises. However, Eve’s hands were too shaky to put on concealer so Grace and Pilar had to put it on for her. After Grace and Pilar finished with Eve, Sam walked into the room.

“We’re going to be starting the press conference now,” he told Eve.

“Okay,” Eve’s voice was barely above a whisper.

“I’m going to give a brief statement,” Sam explained. “Then you’ll go. Are you going to be okay?”

“Yeah,” Eve cried, fighting off tears. “I have to do this.”

“Okay good,” Sam told her as he patted her shoulder.

Sam went out into the ballroom where a bunch of reporters were sitting in chairs, and he stood at the podium on the stage.

“Thank you for being here,” Sam told the reporters. “This is a very tragic situation, especially for Julian Crane’s loved ones. Finding Julian Crane is the police department's number one priority right now. The family has issued a ten million dollar reward for anyone who can lead us to Julian Crane whereabouts. We are asking if anybody knows where Julian Crane is that you call the tip line or the Harmony police department. I want to be clear that Dr. Eve Johnson is not a suspect in this case. She is cooperating with the police and is anxious to find her fiance. The Crane family supports her and is standing by her. You are going to hear from Julian’s fiance Dr. Eve Johnson with no questions afterwards. Also I want to let you all know that Dr. Johnson has decided to cover up her bruises in front of the camera, because she wants people to focus on finding Julian, not on her bruises and this decision has been backed up by the Crane family and the police department.”

Sam stood down and Eve walked into the conference room, up the stage, and stood at the podium.

“My name is Dr. Eve Johnson,” Eve whimpered, choking back tears. “I am the fiance of Julian Crane.” Suddenly Eve felt her hand’s shake. She felt scared to death talking in front of all these reporters, like a rape victim would be testifying on the witness stand. Then she remembered that Julian was counting on her and she took a deep breath and pulled herself together. “We met years ago, and we fell in love and had an intimate relationship. However, Julian’s father, Alistair, ended our relationship because he is a racist. Julian and I had a baby together all those years ago, but thanks to Alistair Crane’s treachery he kidnapped our baby and made us believe that the baby had died at birth. It wasn’t until a few years ago that Julian and I realized that the baby hadn’t died but was kidnapped when he was born and we began looking for him. We still don’t know what happened to our son.”

Eve felt more tears come down her cheeks. “Even though we married other people, Julian and I never stopped loving each other, no matter how hard we tried. I had a terrible marriage to my ex-husband TC Russell. He emotionally abused me for years expecting me to be perfect. When TC found out about my relationship with Julian, he divorced me. Except for the two daughters we share, I regret that I ever married him. After my divorce, Julian and I were reunited and the love we shared together was beautiful. He is my soulmate. Last summer we were going to start planning our wedding, when TC had a car accident and almost died. I had no idea that he had faked a stroke and was teaming up with Alistair Crane to kidnap Julian and break us up. Against my better judgment I blamed myself for breaking TC’s heart and went back to him to be his nurse maid. I never fell out of love with Julian, or back in love with TC. I only went back to TC out of guilt. However, when what I thought was Julian started treating me badly and I broke up with him. It took TC beating me recently, for me to realize that Julian was right about TC.”

Then Eve started to sob with tears in her eyes. “I regret that I went back to TC and didn’t see him for who he is sooner. I had no right to treat Julian the way I did. It kills me that I wasn’t there to protect the love of my life, when he needed me. I love him and miss him more than words can say. I am pressing charges against my ex-husband for kidnapping Julian and for assault and battery.” Then Eve spoke into the camera. “Whoever is holding my Julian hostage please, please, please let him go. I beg of you. He doesn’t deserve this. Julian, darling if you’re listening to this I want you to know how sorry I am that this happened to you. I’m going to do everything I can to bring you home. I won’t stop until I find you. You just be strong Baby, I’m coming for you.”

Eve walked off the stage sobbing and left the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the Compound, Marty was lying in Julian’s bed, with Julian lying next to Marty, trying to tend to his chicken pox. Julian put chamomile lotion on Marty’s skin and rubbed his forehead with a wet washcloth to get his fever down. In the meantime, Julian tried reading books to Marty to entertain him and keep him from scratching. Julian felt especially bad that he couldn’t give his nephew any pills to make him feel better. He was afraid to ask the maids for something to give Marty for fear that they would have the pills tampered with. Plus he hadn’t had much experience with taking care of children when they were sick and he didn’t want to risk giving Marty something that would be bad for him. When his children with Ivy had been sick when they were little, he let the nanny take care of them. It shamed him now.

That wasn’t all that was bothering Julian. He couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling he had about Eve being in trouble and what was going on with the guards. He heard the guards say that Alistair was going to do something, and Julian knew better than anyone knowing Alistair that wasn’t good.

“My head hurts Uncle Julian,” Marty complained, snapping Julian out of his thoughts.

“I know Son, I’m sorry,” Julian replied, kissing Marty’s head.

“I don’t like being sick.”

“Nobody does,” replied Julian. “But don’t you worry. I’m going to do everything I can to get you better.”

At that moment Spike entered the room.

“Well Good-morning to you both,” Spike said, feigning cheerfulness. “And how are we today?”

“We would all be better if you would choke and die,” Julian snapped.

“Hey now that’s not very nice!” Spike replied.

“I wasn’t trying to be nice, you Bastard,” Julian snapped.

“Not a very good example in front of the kid.”

Julian rolled his eyes. “What do you want Spike?”

“Well I have news for you. Your lover, the lady doctor, has decided to remarry T.C. and they are planning a wedding. They’re madly in love and the good doctor has forgotten all about you.” Spike lied. Alistair told Spike not to turn back on the monitors, so Julian wouldn’t have hope of getting out of the compound, but to lie to him to make him feel miserable.

“Yeah right,” Julian clipped. He knew Alistair was behind Spike telling him this. If that were true, the monitors would have been turned back on to torture Julian.

“Denial, ain’t just a river in Egypt,” Spike quipped.

“Why should I believe you?” Julian shouted.

“Because I’m your eyes and ears to the outside world,” Spike bragged.

“I also happen to know you lie the way most people breathe oxygen.”

“I ain’t lying about this.”

“Let me tell you something about Eve’s and my love,” Julian lectured to Spike. “It’s strong and powerful. Even if you and my father try to break us up, you will never kill our love for each other. In fact our love is so strong that Eve and I can tell what the other one is feeling without even having to speak, and I can tell that Eve still loves me. But what would you know about love? You treat Jessica like dirt.”

“Hey! My marriage to my wife ain’t nobody else's business!”

“I doubt Jessica’s family and friends feel the same way,” Julian quipped. Julian took satisfaction in knowing that once he got back to Harmony, Jessica would finally be safe from Spike and Spike would be in jail.

“What are you doing being so high and mighty with me?” Spike quipped. “You and the kid ain’t never getting out of here. You’ve lost and I’ve won.”

“You actually think you’re going to get away with this Spike?” Julian quipped. Anger was in his voice.

“Yeah, I already have,” Spike declared.

“How do you sleep at night with all of the terrible things you’ve done?” Julian asked. “Don’t you even have a conscience?”

“Nope, and I ain’t never gonna get one.” Spike turned around to leave, accidentally slipped on one of Marty’s toy balls and landed on his buttock.

Julian and Marty bust out laughing seeing their tormentor like that.

“Oh you two think that’s funny?” Spike snapped as soon as he got up.

“Yes,” Julian laughed, nodding his head.

“Well,” Spike huffed and then left the room and shut and locked the door.

“We got him,” Marty said in a moment of triumph.

“Yes we did,” Julian laughed.

Then Marty turned to his uncle. “Uncle Julian, who is TC Russell?” he asked, feeling curious about what Julian and Spike were talking about.

“He’s somebody in Harmony who doesn’t like me very much,” Julian answered, putting his arm around Marty.

“Why doesn’t he like you?”

“It’s a grown up thing. He’s just not a very nice man.” Julian knew that Marty was too young to know about his history with his worst enemy, however, Julian wanted Marty to stay away from TC when they got back to Harmony and he knew once Sheridan found out about TC kidnapping him, she would feel the same way.

“Is he going to marry Eve?”

“No, you see it’s like I told Spike. Eve and my love is so strong that we can tell what the other is feeling without even having to speak and we will never forget each other. Just like I know that your Mommy and Daddy’s love for you is so strong that they will never forget or stop loving you.”

“Uncle Julian, don't worry if TC Russell doesn’t like you. I like you just fine.”

Julian smiled. “Thank you,” Julian said as he kissed Marty on the head.



Chapter Forty-Eight

Back in Harmony, Eve, Grace, and Pilar were working on the streets asking store owners to put up missing persons posters of Julian up in their place of business and asking people if they had seen Julian. Luckily the store owners were more than willing to do that. Unfortunately, most people hadn’t seen Julian. At one point, Eve was putting up a poster of Julian on a brick wall with Grace and Pilar helping her.

“I swear to God,” Eve told her friends. “I’m going to kill Alistair, T.C., Wagner, Spike, and any one who helped them for doing this to Julian. I swear I will kill them with my bare hands.”

“I know Eve, I know,” Grace comforted rubbing Eve’s back.

Eve turned away from the wall and faced Grace and Pilar. “I don’t understand how something like this could happen,” Eve cried. “I only wish Alistair had kidnapped me instead of Julian.”

“Eve don’t say that,” Pilar reassured. “If that had happened Julian would have felt the very same way about you right now.”

“Julian’s always been the strong one in our relationship. He always knew what to do no matter what. I don’t know if I have the same strength.”

“Yes you do,” Grace assured. “You’ve been through more in your life than anyone should have and yet you survived.”

“Grace is right, Eve,” Pilar chimed in. “You can do this for Julian.”

“I hope so,” Eve replied.

Grace could tell there was something else that was bothering Eve, that she wasn’t telling her and Pilar. She knew Eve well enough. “Eve, what’s going on?” asked Grace. “There’s something else bothering you. Tell us.”

“Well there is something else. The last time I saw Julian before he was kidnapped, we had a fight. It was the only fight we had.”

“What happened?” Grace asked.

“It was last summer,” Eve began. “I was taking care of TC, after he came home from the hospital, Julian came over to the house wanting to go to Paris with me like we always talked about. I told him I couldn’t because I was in charge of the wharf fair and taking care of TC. Julian got angry with me for spending so much time with TC, and accused me of using TC’s illness as an excuse to stay away from him. He was really upset and hurt about me taking care of TC, and then he left in a huff and then walked into his kidnapping.” Eve was sobbing now.

“Eve, I’m sure wherever Julian is, he’s not even thinking about that,” Grace assured.

“Grace is right, Eve,” Pilar agreed. “Julian adores you. He’ll understand. If anything he’s going to be angry at Alistair, TC, Wagner, and Spike. Julian knows you love him.”

“Does he?” Eve asked. “I treated him terribly. After TC woke up from his coma, Julian looked so uncomfortable when he saw me with TC. I didn’t even think about how he would feel about me taking care of TC or going back to stay with him. Wagner was right about me.”

“What are you talking about?” Pilar asked.

“I haven’t always been good to Julian. I was wishy washy with him when it came to TC and I didn’t always put him first. I even went back to TC last year before my trial, not out of love but out of guilt. Julian didn’t deserve that. Plus I slept with Mitch Wagner thinking he was Julian and assumed the worst of Julian.”

“Eve, you didn’t know you were dealing with an imposter when you were dealing with Wagner,” Grace assured. “And as far as TC goes, you weren’t thinking clearly about him given the abuse you suffered by him.”

“Julian tried to warn me about TC but I didn’t listen. He always stood up for me with TC and protected me from him and look at how I repaid him.”

“Eve, you can’t do this to yourself,” Pilar said.

“How can I not? I betrayed the man that I love,” Eve sobbed. “I’ve decided one thing though when we find him, I’m going to tell Julian everything that happened. I’m not going to keep any secrets from him. I don’t know how he’s going to react or how it will affect our relationship, but I promise you this. This time I’m not letting him go. I will fight for him this time.”

“Good for you,” said Pilar.

“You will,” Grace assured. “Julian’s going to understand and you and I will pick out the most beautiful wedding gown for you.”

“You approve of me and Julian?” Eve asked. “I thought you didn’t like the last name Crane.”

“Well after Pilar shared with me how he changed and what he was like when he was with you, I decided I approve,” Grace replied.

“I’m glad,” Eve said, drying her eyes. “Will you be my matron of honor?”

“Try and stop me!” Grace declared.

Eve turned to Pilar, “And Pilar I want you to be one of my bridesmaids.”

“Oh I am there,” Pilar said.

Eve hung her head. “The one thing I know for sure, is that when Julian finds out that TC beat me, he is going to kill TC.”

“Do you think you’ll be able to stop Julian?” Grace asked.

Eve shook her head no. “There will be no stopping him. Once Julian finds out and see’s TC, he won’t be able to control himself. Anyways, I can’t think about that now, I have to focus on finding Julian.”

Eve, Grace, and Pilar continued to put up posters around town. Then they reached an electronic store that sold televisions. The news about Julian’s kidnapping was on every TV set. Eve, Grace, and Pilar went into the store to see if there were any new developments. The first thing they saw was Katherine pleading for her son’s safe return.

“Whoever has my son, please let him go,” Katherine sobbed on the screen. “Don’t hurt him. If it’s money you want, I’ll give it to you, but please bring him home. Julian if you’re out there Darling, I want you to know that I love you and that I’m looking for you. I won’t give up until you’re home.”

The scene turned back to the reporter covering the story. “That was Katherine Crane, mother of Julian Crane, pleading for her son’s safe return,” the reporter said. “In recent developments, there are continuing searches going on in Harmony for kidnapped missing billionaire Julian Crane. We will now hear from Officer Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald on the latest on the search.” The reporter went over to Luis with his microphone. “Officer Lopez-Fitzgerald,” the reporter asked. “Can you tell us if there has been any new developments in the search for Julian?”

“No not yet,” answered Luis. “We have heard tips come in from the tip line, but none of them have panned out. The Harmony Police Department is now issuing house to house searches and we’re asking all citizens to cooperate.”

“Do you think Julian Crane will be found?” asked the reporter.

“We’re doing everything we can,” Luis assured. “The frustrating thing about this abduction is that we should have been able to start searching five months ago, when Julian was first kidnapped. Unfortunately, we didn’t know what happened until yesterday.”

“How is the family and Eve Johnson dealing with this?

“They’re all devastated,” Luis said. “This is a very difficult thing for Julian’s loved ones. Alistair Crane has been known to be very cruel to his own family and to the people of Harmony. His evil has no bounds.”

“You’re close to the family and Eve Johnson. Can you comment on the relationship between Julian Crane and Eve Johnson?”

“I didn’t know about their history until two years ago, but they are madly in love. When you see them, it’s like they are the only two people in the room.”

“Has there been any news on Alistair Crane’s whereabouts?

“No not yet, but a warrant has been issued for his arrest. We’re asking if anyone sees Alistair Crane, do not approach him. Call the police first. This is a very dangerous and evil man.”

The reporter turned to the viewers. “If anyone has any information on Julian Crane please call the hotline or the police.”

As Eve stood there watching Luis on air, it was too much for her seeing that there hadn’t been any news on Julian. All of a sudden, she felt her legs buckle, and burst into tears. Grace and Pilar had to hold her up to keep her from collapsing. They brought Eve outside to a bench on the street and sat her down as she sobbed, with Grace and Pilar kneeling next to her on each side of her comforting her.

Some people walked by, looking wondering what was going on.

“Go on,” Grace told them. “There's nothing to see here.” After the people had left, Grace rubbed Eve’s arm. “Sshh, it’s okay Eve.”

“I’m sorry for breaking down like this,” Eve sobbed. “I’m just so emotional.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for Eve,” Pilar reassured. “It’s okay.”

“We have to find him,” Eve said through tears. “We have to.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at Alistair Crane’s hide away, Alistair was watching on his monitors, Eve sobbing on the bench. He was laughing at Eve’s pain, enjoying her torment.

“You’ll never find Julian, Eve,” Alistair said to Eve through the monitors. “I will make sure that you and Julian will never be together.”









Chapter Forty-Nine

Later that evening, Eve, Grace, and Pilar were on the wharf still putting up missing persons posters of Julian up. Eve was exhausted. Her back was killing her and she was sleep deprived, but she couldn’t bring herself to stop for fear that Julian was out there being tortured. Grace and Pilar were starting to notice Eve’s exhaustion too and were concerned about Eve’s mental state.

“Eve it’s time to stop for the night,” Grace told her. “You’re exhausted.”

“I can’t,” Eve cried. “Julian is out there in danger.”

“Yes, but you’re not going to be any good to him, if you don’t take care of yourself,” said Pilar.

“I have to find him,” Eve cried. “I have to. He’s out there. I have to-” Then all of a sudden she saw a man standing in front of her from a distance with his back facing her. It looked like to her that it was Julian. “There he is,” Eve said to Grace and Pilar, pointing to the man. “There’s Julian.”

“What?” Grace and Pilar asked.

Eve ran to the man hobbling with her limp. “Julian!!!” she screamed. Then the man turned around and Eve saw that it wasn’t Julian. “I’m sorry,” she said to the man. “I thought you were someone else.”

The man walked away and Grace and Pilar went up to Eve. “Eve, that’s it. We’re going home now. This is not up for discussion,” Grace stated, allowing for no argument.

“Okay,” Eve sobbed as she and Grace and Pilar walked back to the car.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the Compound, that evening, Julian was in his pajamas and bathrobe, getting Marty ready for bed. Julian decided to let Marty sleep in Julian’s bed that night so Julian could take care of him given that he was sick. Earlier that afternoon, one of the servants brought in a decorated Christmas tree and put it in the corner of the room. While it was beautiful, neither Julian or Marty felt much in the Christmas spirit given that they were being held hostage.

As Julian was tucking Marty in, Marty looked up at his uncle. “Uncle Julian,” said Marty. “Christmas is coming soon, isn’t it?”

“Yes, Son it is,” Julian answered.

“Do you think we’ll get a Christmas miracle and be set free and go back to Harmony?”

Julian took a deep breath, wondering the very same thing. “I certainly hope so.”

“All I want for Christmas is to go home to Mommy and Daddy.”

“I know Son,” Julian comforted as he stroked his nephew’s face. “I want that too.”

“What do you want for Christmas?” Marty asked his uncle.

“The same thing and to be reunited with Eve.” It was true. As far as Julian was concerned, if he and Marty could be free, go back to Harmony, and be reunited with their loved ones, especially Eve, he would never ask for anything as long as he lived.

“Do you think Santa knows we’re here?” Marty asked.

“Of course he does,” Julian reassured. “And God knows that we’re here too and he has not forgotten us.”

“I just want to go home.”

“Me too. Why don’t you say your prayers?”

“God bless Mommy, and Daddy, and Uncle Julian, and Eve. And please God let Uncle Julian and I leave here and go home to Harmony to be with the people we love. Amen.”

“Amen,” Julian replied. He knelt down to give Marty a kiss. “Good night Son.”

“Good night Uncle Julian.

After Marty went to sleep, Julian turned off the lights, with only the Christmas lights shining. He went to the window seat and looked out the window. He wondered what Christmas this year would be like. Hopefully, not as bad as the awful Thanksgiving he had.

Julian thought back to that horrible day. He had been absolutely miserable. It was a holiday to give thanks and he had nothing to be thankful for. The servants had made him a nice thanksgiving meal, but that didn’t cheer him up at all. All he could think about was how he should have been in Harmony celebrating the day with Eve, but they were apart.

After Julian finished with his dinner, the monitors came back on and Julian went over to watch it. The first thing he saw was watching Wagner and Rebecca having sex in his bedroom with Eve. It was a disturbing site. It was like watching a bad home movie about how he used to be.

Then the monitors turned to the Russell house, with Eve feeding TC his dinner.

TC: Eve, why'd you go through so much trouble for me?

Eve: It's no trouble. Besides, it's Thanksgiving. And we have so much to be thankful for. You're on the mend, and Whitney is happy with Chad, and Simone is happy with Rae, and I'm happy with you.

“You can’t fool me Darling,” Julian said to Eve on the monitors. “I know you’re not happy.”

TC: I'm the luckiest man in the world. I still can't believe you came back to me.

“I can,” Julian shouted at TC. “You faked a stroke, playing on Eve’s guilt, and then you kidnapped me and tricked everyone into thinking that I regressed.”

Eve: We're both lucky, TC we have each other, and we have two beautiful daughters, a beautiful grandchild. I think it's important that we realize each and every day just how fortunate we are.

“Oh Eve,” Julian sighed.

Then Julian saw Wagner with his flask outside of the Russell house looking in the window.

“What is he doing?” Julian exclaimed.

TC: What was that?

Eve: I don't know. I'll just go and have a look.

Then Eve walked outside and saw Wagner there.

Eve: Julian, are you out here spying on me?

Wagner/Julian: I would never have believed it unless I'd seen it with my own eyes that you'd actually rather be spoon-feeding TC his dinner than having a wonderful time with me at the mansion.

“I believe it. You all are playing on Eve’s guilt and making her think I regressed.”

Eve: Yes, Julian, I would rather be with someone who accepts me than someone who runs my life like they own me.

“Eve, I know you don’t mean that,” Julian said, choking up. “I know you’re angry at what you think is me, but you know what we shared.”

Wagner/Julian: Are you saying I treated you like a slave?

Eve: No, I'm saying that you always wanted me to be at your beck and call to do whatever you wanted to do whenever you wanted to do it. So, yes, ok, yes, you treated me like a slave. Thank God I'm free at last.

Julian hung his head. Those words broke his heart. He knew that Eve was angry and that she didn’t mean it, but it still hurt. Besides TC is the one who tried to control her.

Wagner/Julian: I may be a bit tipsy at the moment, but you, my dear, are stark raving mad. I never wanted to be your master. I wanted to be your partner, your equal in every way. How could you cast that aside and go back to some man who kicked you out of your own home when he found out that his perfect wife wasn't just so perfect when she was growing up?

“Because TC abused and manipulated her,” Julian shouted at Wagner. “Just like you are now.”

Eve: Julian, you listen to me. I hurt TC by lying to him day after day for all those years, just like when Ivy lied to you about Ethan. Remember? You were furious. But now that time has passed, he's starting to realize that it was his putting me up on a pedestal as a perfect wife or a perfect mother that made it so hard for him to come to terms with what I had done.

“Darling he’s tricking you,” Julian cried. “He’s putting on an act."

Wagner/Julian: So I take it that you and TC are fine and dandy again.

Eve: For now, yes.

Julian could tell from the look on her face that she wasn’t happy.

Wagner/Julian: You're making the same mistake that Ethan is, Eve.

Eve: What are you talking about? What mistake is Ethan making? Answer me, Julian. What are you talking about? What mistake is Ethan making?

Wagner/Julian: He is staying with Gwen out of guilt. Everyone, including Gwen knows that Ethan loves Theresa much more.

Eve: So you think that I'm staying with TC out of obligation.

Wagner/Julian: Well, that or guilt, whatever you want to call it. How can you honestly love TC more than me? He's angry, he's unforgiving, he's judgmental.

Eve: And you're not?

Wagner/Julian: Fine, you stay here. You feed him, you wipe his drool, you change his diapers. I don't give a damn.

Eve: Julian. Julian!

The monitors turned off and Julian just sat on the bed feeling depressed. As much as what Eve said hurt him, he knew that she was speaking to Wagner, not the Julian she really loved. If she knew she was dealing with an imposter and that TC was behind it she would be furious.

As Julian snapped back to the present, he thought back to the last time he saw Eve before he was kidnapped and the way he treated her. “Why did I have to argue with her the last time I saw her?” Julian wondered out loud. “I made an ass out of myself, and all I did was give Father and TC exactly what they wanted.” Julian wished that he would have realized that Eve was acting on her guilt about TC, and tried to reason with her.

Now Christmas was coming up and he was without Eve again. He remembered their first Christmas two years ago, when he took her to Rodeo Drive and bought her a Christmas present for every Christmas they missed being together. It was such a happy time. They should have had more Christmas together. They should have been happily married with their son, and given him brothers and sisters. Instead Alistair came between them, just like he was doing now. It wasn’t fair.

‘I have to bring Father down once and for all,’ Julian thought to himself. He knew he would press charges against Alistair as soon as he got back to Harmony, that was if he was able to prove his case.

Julian sincerely hoped that he wouldn’t have to spend another miserable holiday at the compound and that he and Marty would get their miracle. He felt worse for Marty given that he was a child. Being at the compound was no way for a child to spend Christmas. Julian had to think of a way to make Christmas at the compound happy for Marty, if they weren’t rescued by Christmas Eve. Then Julian had an idea. He went up to the door and gently knocked on it, trying to be careful not to wake Marty.

After a few minutes, Satan came in. “What you want?” Satan asked in a grumpy state.

“Listen, I need to ask you a favor,” Julian said to him.

“I do no favors for you,” Satan declared.

“I’m not asking for myself, I’m asking for the child. Christmas is coming up and I was wondering if you could ask my father to get Marty some presents to put underneath the tree so he could open them on Christmas?”

“Never!!” exclaimed Satan. “Mr. Cron has said no presents for the boy.”

“He’s a child,” Julian exclaimed. “He’s not going to understand if there are no Christmas presents for him. How can you be so cruel??!!”

“I only follow orders,” Satan stated. “Good-night.” With that Satan closed the door and locked it from the outside.

“It’s just as well,” Julian said to himself. He went back to the window seat and looked out the window.

Chapter Fifty

Back at Grace’s B & B, Ethan was sitting in the front lobby. He had spent the day searching in the hills looking for Julian. Right now he was exhausted and sick with worry about Julian. He still couldn’t believe this was happening. The man who had raised him since birth had been kidnapped. Ethan felt guilty for not realizing someone was wrong with Julian, when Wagner was trying to get custody of Little Ethan. Maybe if Ethan had, they would have known Julian was missing sooner.

To make matters worse, things were not between him and Gwen. Gwen was angry with Ethan for helping with the search. She kept saying that Alistair would try to take Jane away from them and try to use Theresa to come between them, if he helped with the search. Ethan assured her that Theresa was with Jared, that Jane was fine, and that the most important thing was finding Julian. Somehow Gwen nor Rebecca seemed interested in helping in the search for Julian. They were more concerned about whatever Theresa was hiding from them.

As Ethan thought about the love triangle that he was in with Gwen and Theresa, it reminded him of the love triangle between Julian, Eve, and TC. Eve went back to TC out of guilt and obligation, only to be deceived by TC, when Julian was the man Eve loved more. Somehow he did the same thing with Gwen and Theresa. Ethan couldn’t deny it to himself. He loved Theresa more than Gwen, but stayed with Gwen out of guilt and obligation putting him in an awful mess. Ethan knew that Theresa had said that Gwen had sent the truth about his paternity to the tabloid, but he couldn’t believe it unless he saw proof. However, seeing Julian and Eve go through what they were going through now, Ethan was afraid he was going to end up like Eve. Caught between two people he loved, only to be heart broken in the end. Yet he was stuck in this situation and didn’t know how to get out of it.

Ethan sighed. ‘I can’t think about that now,’ he thought to himself. ‘I have to focus on finding Julian.’

At that moment, John and Marlena came downstairs. “Hi Ethan,” John asked. “How are you holding up?”

“I’m not good,” Ethan said as he stood up. “Have there been any leads on Julian?”

“No not yet,” John answered.

“Oh my God, this is torture,” Ethan replied as he thought about how this waiting on Julian’s whereabouts were killing him.

“I know, but we’re doing everything we can,” John assured.

“I appreciate that,” Ethan said.

“You know,” Marlena said. “I am a trained therapist and you can talk to me if you need to.”

“Thank you Dr. Evans,” Ethan replied. “I’ll let you know.”

All of a sudden Rebecca came into the room and immediately set her eyes on John. “My, my,” she said to John as she walked up to him and put her arm on his arm. “I thought I knew every handsome man in town, but I was wrong. I’m Rebecca. What’s your name?”

“I’m married,” John answered, rolling his eyes at Rebecca’s flirtation.

“Yeah, to me,” Marlena snapped to Rebecca. She figured this must be Julian’s gold digging nymphomaniac ex-wife that Eve told her about. Marlena saw that Eve was not kidding.

“Don’t have a cow Honey,” Rebecca told Marlena. “A girl can look can’t she.”

Ethan rolled his eyes at his mother-in-law. Rebecca was the last person he wanted to deal with now. “Rebecca, don't you have something better to do?” he asked. Annoyance was in his voice.

“Ah!” Rebecca exclaimed. “Is that anyway to talk to your mother-in-law?”

“Rebecca, Julian has been kidnapped, I haven’t slept in 24 hours, I don’t need this today,” Ethan snapped.

“Well don’t blame me for Julian being kidnapped,” exclaimed Rebecca. “If Julian stayed away from that whore, he would still be here.”

“I can’t believe you just said that,” Ethan exclaimed.

“Well it’s true,” Rebecca clipped. “My poor Pookie has been kidnapped, but that slut of a doctor couldn’t keep her hands off my man.”

“Will you stop it?!” Ethan shouted. “You never loved Julian, you were just after his money!”

“Well at least I would have never left him to take care of a man who had a stroke,” Rebecca clipped.

“TC didn’t have a stroke,” Ethan snapped. “He faked it to get Eve away from Julian.”

Before Rebecca could say anything, TC walked into the lobby. As soon as Ethan saw TC, Ethan's face turned red with fury. “You bastard,” Ethan yelled at TC as he pinned TC against the wall with his hands around TC’s throat. “Where’s my step-father TC? Where is he?”

“I don’t know,” shouted TC.

“Yeah right,” Ethan shouted. “You lied about your stroke, why should I believe you now?

“Because I don’t know,” TC shouted back.

“I could kill you for this!” Ethan yelled with anger in his voice.

“Why would you care about Julian anyway?” TC quipped. “He disowned you when he found out you weren’t a Crane!”

“Shut up TC,” Ethan shouted as his hands gripped around TC’s neck. “You’re a dead man.”

“Get off of me!” TC shouted.

“Come on fight,” said Rebecca. “Shirts off.”

At that moment, John pulled Ethan off of TC restraining him. “Come on Ethan,” John told him. “This isn’t helping.”

“He kidnapped Julian,” Ethan shouted.

“I know, but you don’t want him to get off on a technicality,” Marlena reasoned to Ethan.

“Marlena’s right,” John said to Ethan. “He will get what’s coming to him.”

“Wait a minute,” TC said to Marlena. “Aren’t you the same Dr. Marlena Evans who treated Eve for her injury?”

Marlena folded her arms across her chest. “Who wants to know?” she asked flippantly.

“Don’t toy with me lady,” TC threaten.

“Don’t you threaten me,” Marlena threatened back.

“I knew it,” TC clipped. “I heard about you on the news this afternoon. You treated Eve for her injury and then poisoned her mind against me, telling her I’m abusive.”

“Abusive. Geez, why would I think that? Maybe it’s because you are abusive and that you beat her,” she countered.

“I beat her once. That was all. I love her,” TC argued.

“The bruises on her showed otherwise.” Marlena stated.

“You had no right poisoning her mind against me,” TC yelled pointing his finger at Marlena.

“I only did what I’m trained to do when I treat battered women,” Marlena argued stating her case. “If anything you are the one who poisoned Eve against you with your temper and hatred of her lover Julian Crane.”

“How dare you!,” TC yelled. “Eve and I were happy until Julian Crane corrupted her and ruined my family. He deserved it.”

“TC I swear-” Ethan threatened pointing his finger at TC, at his wits end.

“Besides I know Eve and I can work this out, but you had to turn her against me” TC snapped.

“All I did was listen to Eve’s story and tell her the truth,” Marlena stated. “You are abusive. You’re sick and you need help. And Eve is also my friend and I’m not going to let you hurt her again.”

“If you become between me and my wife, I will sue you and-” TC threatened pointing his finger at Marlena.

John grabbed TC by the collar and got in his face. “You so much as look in my wife’s direction they won’t be able to identify you in dental records pal,” John threatened.

“Oh are you threatening me?!” TC quipped.

“Oh it’s more than just a threat, it’s a promise,” John stated with his hands still around TC’s collar. “Somehow I have the feeling that Julian Crane is going to do the same thing to you when he finds out you beat up his fiance. And you know what? I’m going to cheer him on.”

“Please Julian’s too much of a coward to fight me,” TC said, taking John’s hand off his collar.

“You’ve got to be kidding me TC,” Ethan yelled. “Julian is going to kill you for what you did to Eve. He is going to kill you dead. And I don’t blame him.”

“I can handle him,” TC quipped.

“Is there some reason you’re here other than bad mouthing Julian to us?” Ethan said to TC rolling his eyes.

“Yes I was going to ask you if you would be my attorney,” TC said to Ethan.

“Are you kidding me?! Are you freaking kidding me?!” Ethan yelled in disgust. He couldn’t believe TC’s nerve. “No way am I going to be your attorney. I’m Eve’s attorney. And I’m going to talk to the D.A. to make sure you get the maximum penalty.”

“Ethan, come on,” TC begged. “We’ve been friends for years.”

“Not anymore,” Ethan argued. “Friends don’t kidnap other people’s step-fathers. Did you know that Wagner was trying to get custody of Little Ethan?! Do you realize what kind of risk you would have put that poor little boy through if he had won?! Little Ethan’s my Godson TC. How could you have put him through that?!”

“I had nothing to do with that part,” TC said, putting up his hands.

“Well what did you think would happen when you and Alistair kidnapped Julian and replaced him with an imposter?!” Ethan yelled. “You didn’t think that Wagner would wreak havoc all over Harmony?! No, you just wanted what you wanted and didn’t care who got hurt in the process.”

“Come on Julian does that all the time,” TC countered. “You actually believe that he’s changed?!”

“I know he’s changed,” Ethan stated. “You obviously have not.”

“Don’t worry TC I don’t hate you,” Rebecca said in a seductive tone going up to T.C. and putting her arm on TC’s arm. “Eve may mind being beaten but I don’t. I would be happy to hook up with you. We could have a lot of good times together. I’m an animal in bed.”

John, Marlena, and Ethan rolled their eyes at Rebecca’s inappropriateness.

“I wouldn’t hook up with you if you were the last woman on earth Rebecca,” TC snapped.

“You know what TC, Rebecca get out of my sight,” Ethan snapped. “I don’t want to see either one of you.”

“Fine,” TC huffed. “ I’m sorry I came here anyways.”

“That goes double for me,” Ethan snapped.

TC turned and walked out the door and followed by Rebecca.

“Wow!! Eve wasn’t kidding about T.C.!” Marlena stated.

“I know,” said Ethan. “The man’s temper is legendary.”

“Are you okay Ethan?” “Marlena asked.

“No, I'm not okay,” Ethan sobbed with tears in his eyes. “Everythings a mess. The man who raised me has been kidnapped, my marriage is falling apart. I just don’t know just how much more I can take this without knowing where Julian is.”

“We’re going to find him,” John assured. “You just have to hang in there and be patient.”

“How can I be patient?!” Ethan sobbed. “He could be being tortured as we speak.”

Chapter Fifty-One

Back at the Crane recording studio, Chad and Whitney had just put Miles to bed. They both came into the living room looking grief stricken, as they both sat on the couch. Chad had spent the day in the hills searching for Julian and Whitney and Simone had gone around town putting up flyers and asking people if they had seen Julian. Unfortunately, none of them found anything.

“I can’t believe my own brother has been kidnapped,” Chad said in distress.

“I know,” said Whitney. “Neither can I.” A tear streamed down her cheek.

“I should have done something when we thought Julian regressed,” Chad said, all choked up. “I should have talked to him. We could have found him sooner.”

“Honey, this wasn’t your fault,” Whitney comforted, rubbing Chad’s arm. “Nobody knew.”

Chad gritted his teeth as he thought about his rage towards TC for kidnapping his brother. It wasn’t bad enough that TC had a temper, but to resort to kidnapping was too much. “I know he’s your old man, but right now I just want to ring his neck,” he said to Whitney, making a fist.

“You don’t have to apologize to me,” Whitney comforted, rubbing his arm. “I feel the same way.”

Tears were beginning to form in Chad’s eyes. “Julian was never anything but kind to me, and when Alistair lied to us about my paternity I treated him like dirt. I didn’t even think about what he had gone through or was going through. I never even apologized to him when we found out the truth. And all that time, Julian never turned his back on me.”

“I was awful to him too,” Whitney said as she started to cry. “All he ever did was love my Mom, and I was a bitch to him and yet he still cared about me. He even risked his life to save mine in that elevator.”

“I know,” Chad nodded. “He’s a good man.”

Whitney thought about how much her Mom loved Julian. When she watched Eve’s press conference that afternoon, Eve looked like she was a wreck. Whitney knew Eve would be destroyed if Julian didn’t come back home. “My mother is going to be devastated if anything happens to him. We’ve got to find him.”

“We have to,” Chad sobbed. “I don’t know what I’ll do if that happens.” Chad looked at Whitney. There was something else bothering her besides the kidnapping, he could tell. “What is it Baby?” he said, putting his arm around her. “Something else is bothering you.”

“It’s my Mom,” Whitney sobbed, wiping her eyes. “All she ever did was love me, and I treated her like dirt. I can’t believe how horrible I was to her. I even slapped my own mother more than once. What kind of a daughter does that?!”

“You were upset. You didn’t mean it.”

“That’s not an excuse.” Whitney had more tears streaming down her cheeks. “She didn’t ruin my life. It was unfair to expect her to be perfect. She never expected us to be perfect.”

“You’ll be able to work things out with your mom. She loves you.”

“I hope so,” Whitney said, wiping her tears. “She was really angry with me when I saw her last week.”

“Well hopefully she’s calmed down by now.”

“I wouldn’t blame her if she never forgave me,” Whitney cried.

“She will,” Chad assured. “Just wait a few days and then talk to her. In the meantime, we just have to have faith that Julian will be found.”

“I know,” Whitney replied, looking at Chad.

Chad and Whitney took each other in their arms and began to sob.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the Crane Mansion, Grace and Pilar had gone home and Eve was by herself now. Eve was sitting, in the living room, on the couch with tears in eyes, looking at a picture of her and Julian. Since Eve found out about Julian’s abduction yesterday, there were times she was so grief and panic stricken she could hardly breathe. Other times she left like she was having an out of body experience, watching someone else’s life. She didn’t know how much more of this she could take. All she wanted was for this nightmare to end and Julian to come home safe. One of the maids offered Eve something to eat, but she refused. Food had no appeal to her now. She was sleep deprived, but couldn’t sleep. Nothing else mattered to her except for Julian.

Fancy walked in the room. “Hey Eve, are you okay?” she asked, feeling her concern for her Father’s lover.

“Not really,” Eve replied, wiping her eyes. “How about you?”

“The same,” replied Fancy, as she sat next to Eve on the couch. “We don’t have any leads on Daddy yet. I just feel so helpless.”

“I know I do too,” Eve said, rubbing Fancy’s back trying to comfort her. “I know your father would really appreciate all that you’re doing at the police station to find him.”

Fancy wiped her eyes. “The one thing that gives me comfort is knowing that before Daddy was kidnapped, I told him that I loved him and that I forgave him for not being there for me and siblings when I was growing up.”

“Your father loves you so much,” Eve assured Fancy. “I know he didn’t always show it very well, but he’s always loved you. I could tell. I remember last winter when you and Noah got in that accident and you almost lost your eye, he was very worried about you.”

“I love him too,” Fancy said looking at Eve. “He really loves you too. I had never seen him happier than he was when he was with you. If it makes you feel any better, the last time I saw Daddy before he was kidnapped, he told me that while you were taking care of TC he was missing you, but that he understood.”

“Thank you Fancy,” Eve said, all choked up. “That does help.”

Fancy put her elbows on her knees and her fists on her chin. “God, I just feel so guilty, I should have done something when we thought Daddy regressed. We could have found him sooner.”

“Honey, it wasn’t your fault,” Eve reassured. “I was fooled too.”

“Yeah, but I’m a cop. I should have noticed something. God, I just miss him so much.”

“Me too,” Eve replied, wiping the tears from her eyes.

“I can’t believe Grampy could do something like this. For years, I couldn’t even tell that Grampy is a monster. I should have listened to Noah.”

“What exactly happened between you and Noah?” Eve asked, feeling concerned about her future step-daughter.

“Oh I found him in bed with his ex-girlfriend Maya. He claims that this woman from the mob blackmailed them into it or she would hurt the people he loves and that Grampy also helped arrange for that to happen to break Noah and I up.”

Eve immediately got the picture of what happened. “Fancy, I have known Noah ever since he was a baby, and I can guarantee you he wouldn’t do something like that unless he thought you were in danger.”

“How can I believe that?” Fancy cried. “Noah lied to me over and over again.”

“To protect you,” Eve said. “I can also guarantee you that Alistair would do anything to keep people out of the Crane family, who don’t have the right pedigree. Look what he did to your father and I, and Luis and Sheridan.”

“I don’t know.”

“You know for years I believed that your father left me willingly and that he was responsible for having our baby kidnapped, but then later found out that it wasn’t true. I tried to convince myself my love for him was dead, but in the end I could never stop loving Julian because I know who he really is.”

“What are you saying?” Fancy said looking at Eve.

“I’m saying if you still love Noah, listen to your heart, and go after him. Don’t let true love get away. Don’t end up like me and Julian. I think if your father were here he would say the same thing.”

Fancy sighed. She didn’t want to end up like Julian and Eve and in her heart she still loved Noah. She had just been projecting her feelings of Noah onto Luis. “Maybe you’re right,” she said, “I’ll think about it.”

“Good for you.”

~

Later that night, Eve went back up into her and Julian’s bedroom, put on her nightgown, and took some pills for her aching back and got ready for bed. She felt good that she was able to help Fancy. Hopefully Fancy and Noah would get their happy ending. If only she and Julian could get theirs. If one thing this experience taught Eve was never to give up on true love, no matter what. From now on she was following her heart.

As soon as she stepped out of the closet, she saw Julian standing in front of her.

“Hi Darling,” he said to her smiling.

Eve’s eyes widened. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

“Hi Darling,” he said to her again. Then he disappeared into thin air.

Eve covered her hand with her mouth, letting out an uncontrollable sob. As a doctor, she knew what her mind was doing, and that it wasn’t really Julian. Her mind was playing tricks on her. Julian was somewhere being held hostage and no one knew where he was. It was too unbearable for her. Eve picked up Julian’s blazer that she had the servants put in a plastic bag to preserve his scents, and sat down on the edge of her bed and sobbed. Julian had been gone for five months now, and there was no trace of him. “I don’t know where he is,” she sobbed out loud. “I don’t know where he is. Julian, where are you?”

Eve sobbed so hard that her eyes stung. Finally, after she finished crying, she lit the candle in the window for Julian to come home. Then she got down on her knees and prayed.
“God, please let Julian come home safely. I don’t care what you do to me. Just let him be okay. I’ll do anything I promise,” she cried.

After Eve was done praying, she got up and turned on the radio to see if there was anything news on Julian. Instead a song came on the radio. Somehow the song got to Eve as she sat on her bed, looking out the window, at the moonlight, with tears in her eyes.

Walking underneath
The moonless sky
I'm alone tonight
Every stranger that I pass
Is stranger than the last
And leave 'em all behind

Nothing they say
Can turn me away
I keep going
'Cause I know you are

The voice inside my heart
I always hear
Reminding me
What matters in this life

Back at the compound, Julian was still sitting in the window seat, thinking about Eve. The maid, outside in the hallway, was playing the same song as she worked. Somewhat the song got to him, bringing tears to his eyes as he thought about the woman he loved, who he missed so much.

Like an angel
I can see your face
Right before my eyes

Yes, I can almost
Read your thoughts
And that's what keeps me
Breathing and believing
You're all right

I don't know when
I'll see you again
But you're with me
You'll forever be

The voice inside my heart
I always hear
Reminding me
What matters in this life
Whenever we're apart
I think of you, yeah
And listen to
The voice inside my heart

Say it here
Whisper in my ear
You and I
Will always be here
Together
Forever

Oh, you're the voice inside my heart
My guiding light
What matters in this life
Whenever we're apart
I think of you
And listen to
The voice inside my heart
No matter where you are
I am with you
You'll always hear
The voice inside my heart

Whisper in my ear
The voice inside my heart

~

Back at the Compound, Julian looked up at the stars, with tears in his eyes. “Please God,” he prayed. “Let Marty and I get out of here and get back to Harmony to be reunited with our loved ones. I don’t know how much more we can bear being locked up like this. And please let Eve know that I love her and that I am going to find my way back to her.”

~

Back in Harmony, at the mansion, Eve looked up at the stars with tears in her eyes. “Hang on Darling,” she said to Julian. “I’m coming for you.”

~

Song credit: Patti LaBelle “The voice inside my heart.”




Chapter Fifty-Two

Two mornings later at the Compound, Julian and Marty were asleep in Julian’s bed. Marty’s fever still hadn’t gone down and he still had the chickenpox. For the past two days, between Marty’s fever and the guards being on edge, Julian’s blood pressure was going up. He was worried about Marty not getting better and what the guards were planning to do to him and Marty. At the same time, Julian couldn’t shake the feeling that Eve was in some kind of distress, like she was in pain. It made him worry and want to get back to Harmony even more. The only thing he could do now was pray to God and to Timmy to look after her. Somehow, Julian wished someone would come and rescue him and Marty right now, so he could take his nephew to a doctor and so they could get out of danger and go back home.

While Julian was asleep, that morning, he heard someone say his name.

“Julian,” the voice said, caressing his face.

Julian opened his eyes and there to his amazement was Eve sitting next to him on the edge of his bed. “Eve,” he exclaimed, as he immediately sat up in bed. “Is it really you my love?”

“Yes, it’s me Darling,” Eve replied, putting her hands on his cheeks. “I’ve come to take you home.”

Julian stood up and Eve and him hugged and kissed each other passionately. After they kissed and looked at each other, with Julian’s arms on Eve’s arms and with Eve caressing his face. “Oh my God! It’s a miracle,” he sobbed. “I kept praying for this day. I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” Eve replied. “I never stopped and I never will.”

Eve and Julian kissed each other again passionately.

Then Julian heard the alarm clock ringing. “Eve,” he said as he was coming out of sleep. “Eve.” Julian woke up and saw that Eve was gone. It had all been a dream. Julian was still being held prisoner, being kept apart from his precious Eve. He so wished that dream had been real, but it hadn’t. Julian sat up in bed and wiped tears away from his eyes, as he thought about how much he wanted it to be real. Every day that went by was another day he was separated from the woman he loved. It ached so much his heart hurt. Julian knew that Timmy said that he would be reunited with Eve, but when? As time went on, it was getting harder and harder to bear.

Regardless, Julian knew that for the time being all he could do was take care of Marty and get his fever down, so he did the only thing he could do at the moment. He got up and got dressed for the day. The maid brought in breakfast, and as usual Julian made her taste the food first. After the maid left, Julian sat down next to Marty’s side of the bed, gently rubbing his back. “Marty, time to wake up son.” Julian soothed.

Marty opened his eyes “Let me go back to sleep Uncle Julian,” he said weakly. “I’m so tired.” Marty then closed his eyes again.

“Marty, what’s wrong? Are you all right?” Julian asked as he put his hand on Marty’s forehead. It was ten times hotter than before. Julian immediately rushed to the bathroom and got the thermometer and put it in Marty’s ear. When Julian looked at it, it said 105 degrees. Julian began to panic and started to feel his heart pound. He knew 105 degree temperature was bad, especially for children. Julian had no idea on how to deal with a sickness of this magnitude. Eve would know, but she wasn’t there. The only thing to do was to get the guards to let a doctor come into the Compound and treat his nephew.

Julian immediately began banging on the door leading to the hallway to get one of the guards attention. After a few minutes Satan came in.

“What do you want now?!” Satan snapped. Annoyance was in his voice.

“Listen, you need to get a doctor in here immediately,” Julian shouted. “My nephew has a fever of 105.”

“Why should I care?” Satan snapped.

“Because Marty is sick,” Julian yelled. “Do you want one of my father’s grandchildren to die on your watch?!”

“Your father doesn’t care anything about Marty and neither do I,” snapped Satan.

“What is wrong with you man?!” Julian shouted. “If Marty doesn’t see a doctor he’s going to die.”

“So what!! Stop bothering me!!!” Satan left, closing the door and locking it.

“Dammit,” Julian shouted. He knew it was up to him to save Marty now. He was not going to let Marty die. Sheridan and Luis would never forgive him if he let anything happen to him. The only problem was Julian wasn’t a doctor, and didn’t know what to do. “Okay,” he said to himself. “What did Eve do when Miles was sick? She ran a lukewarm bath.”

Julian carried a sleeping Marty to the bathroom, and took off his pajamas and underwear. Then he ran the bath for Marty and put him in it. Julian rolled up his sleeves and took a sponge to rub all over Marty’s body. “Come on Marty you’ve got to wake up, Son,” Julian said as he patted Marty’s cheek to keep his nephew from losing consciousness. However, the child didn’t wake up, Julian could help but notice that Marty was sweating and Marty’s eyes were sunken.

Then Marty slowly opened his eyes again. “What are you doing Uncle Julian?” he asked in a weak tone.

“It’s okay Son, I’m trying to get your fever down,” Julian reassured. Julian knew he had to keep Marty talking and awake so he wouldn’t lose consciousness again. “How are you feeling?”

“Yucky,” Marty clipped.

“Yeah why do you feel yucky?” Julian asked.

“I hurt, especially my neck. I have a headache.”

“Yeah well don’t you worry,” Julian assured, as he rubbed Marty with the sponge. “I’m going to take care of you.”

All of a sudden, Marty threw up while he was in the bath.

“Gross,” Marty clipped.

“Don’t worry about that,” Julian reassured, “We’ll have the maid clean it up later.”

“I want to go back to sleep,” Marty said as he closed his eyes again.

“Marty, stay with me now,” Julian said, trying to pat Marty cheek, but it was no use.

Julian knew this was a bigger situation than he could handle. Marty was extremely sick and if Julian didn’t do something his nephew was going to die. Julian looked up at the ceiling. “Please God,” he prayed. “Help me save Marty.”

~

Back in Harmony, the past two days had been a blur of searching for Julian with no leads. All of the known Crane properties around the world had been searched and they found nothing. The house to house search in Harmony didn’t turn up anything either. The same with the tip lines. The police were desperately trying to find clues but it was getting difficult, because Julian had been kidnapped five months before, preventing them from starting the search soon enough. A candlelight vigil had been set up for that evening for Julian, and Eve and the Cranes of course were going.

That morning Eve was in her and Julian’s suite, still a wreck over Julian’s kidnapping. She had managed to get some sleep, but most of the time she would wake up in a cold sweat over a nightmare about Julian being in danger. She barely ate and had been living in coffee, and would cry at the drop of a hat. Marlena prescribed Eve some anti-anxiety medication to help calm her nerves. It helped some but not a lot. All Eve could think about was Julian and wondering if he was safe.

However, that day Eve decided to do some looking for Julian on her own, by looking in the wall safe in their bedroom and asking for Grace to come over to see if Grace could see if she had any premonitions about where Julian was.

While Eve was waiting for Grace, she opened the safe, and saw the jewelry boxes of the two necklaces that Julian gave her. The pearls that he bought her at rodeo drive and the diamond necklace he had bought her last spring. Eve took out the box of the pearls and opened it. As Eve looked at the pearls that Julian had bought her, she couldn’t help but smile. She remembered when Julian took her to rodeo drive two years ago. They had such a wonderful time there. Julian was so cute, the way he spoiled her. Not only that he made her feel so loved. Then she took out the box of the diamond necklace and opened it up. Last spring, Julian prepared a romantic evening for them in the solarium and gave it to her then. It was such a nice surprise for her. Unlike Rebecca, Eve didn’t care about how much they cost. The fact that Julian had given them to her, made them priceless. Julian always treated Eve like a queen, and now he was gone.

Eve put the necklaces back in the safe and then saw a picture of Endora Lennox, Tabitha Lennox’s daughter in the safe. She pulled out the picture of Endora, looking at it, and wondered why Julian had a picture of Endora in there. She knew Julian delivered Endora, she figured it must have had a big impact on him. There was something about Endora that felt familiar to Eve that reminded her of Julian. The little girl had Julian’s smile. Eve wondered why that was. ‘It’s impossible,’ Eve thought to herself. She put the picture back and closed the safe.

At that moment, there was a knock at the door. “Come in,” Eve said.

Grace walked into the room and went up to Eve. “Hi Honey,” Grace said. “I came as soon as I got your message. What’s up?”

“Thank you for coming,” Eve said. “I had an idea about how to find Julian that I need your help with.”

“Sure anything,” clipped Grace. “ What is it?”

Eve took a deep breath. “I know that you’ve had premonitions before and I was wondering if you could try to feel around here to see if you have premonitions to see where Julian is.”

“Of course Sweetheart,” Grace replied, putting her arm on Eve’s arm. “I’ll do anything to help you find Julian.”

“Thank you so much,” Eve replied, choking back tears, as she put her hand over her heart.

“No need,” Grace said, as she gave Eve a hug. “We’re best friends, remember?” After the hug Grace added, “besides what the point of having premonitions if you can’t help people. Now where do you want me to start?”

“If you could just go around the room and feel things and let me know if you see or feel anything.”

“Okay,” Grace clipped. Grace put her hands on the dresser and waited for a minute. However, it came up blank. “No, I do see or feel anything.”

“Try the bed,” Eve suggested.

Grace went over to the bed and touched the blankets, sheets, and pillows. Again it came back blank. “No, I don't see or feel anything here either.”

“I have an idea.” Eve went to the closet and pulled out one of Julian’s sport coats. “How about now?” she asked as she handed Grace the sports coat.

As Grace took the jacket, she started to have a vision. She saw Julian in the park last summer with some man grabbing him from behind. “I’m starting to see something.”

“You can?!” Eve asked, grabbing Grace’s arm. “What is it?”

“I see Julian. He’s in the park. And it’s summer out and somebody’s coming up behind him and putting his hand over Julian’s mouth to keep him from screaming.”

Eve felt a couple of tears come down her cheek as she heard about someone coming after her beloved Julian like that. “Who is this man?” Eve asked.

“I don’t know,” Grace replied. “He’s about the same height as Julian, has brown eyes, and brown curly hair that touches his shoulders.”

“That’s Spike, I know it,” Eve exclaimed.

Grace turned to Eve and said, “Why do we go to the park and see if I can see anymore while we’re there.”

“Okay, let’s do it,” Eve agreed.

Both Eve and Grace went downstairs, put on their coats and went out the door.

Chapter Fifty-Three

Grace drove Eve to Harmony’s park and parked in the parking lot. Eve was wearing her sunglasses. As they got out of the car, Eve felt a sharp pain in her back and winced, as she put her hand on it.

“Are you okay?” Grace asked, from the other side of the car, as she saw Eve wince. “Is it your back?”

“Yeah,” Eve groaned. “I just need a pain pill. I have something in my medical bag.” Eve reached into her medical bag, inside the car and took a pain pill.

“Do you need to sit down for a while?” asked Grace.

“No, I’ll be fine,” said Eve. “Let’s go.”

Eve and Grace walked around the park, with Grace carrying Julian’s sports coat. Luckily, the snow wasn’t too deep, or it would have made it difficult for Eve to limp with her injury. After a while of walking, Grace finally saw something and she stopped in her tracks as she saw the same vision she had earlier at the mansion, with Spike coming behind Julian putting his hand over Julian’s mouth to keep him from screaming. Only Grace saw that it took place in the same spot where she and Eve were standing at that moment.

“What is it?” Eve asked as soon as she saw Grace stop. Her voice sounded anxious.

“I see something,” Grace replied. “This was the spot where Julian was kidnapped.”

“Okay, so it was here,” Eve said, “What else do you see?”

“I see Spike putting a gun to Julian’s head, and handcuffing him and forcing him into a car and injecting him with something.”

Eve covered her mouth with her hand as felt tears come down her cheeks as she heard that. “What happened after that?” she asked.

“I don’t know, I can’t see anything,” Grace replied, drawing a blank.

“Please don’t give up Grace, “ Eve sobbed, putting her hands on Grace’s arms. “Can you at least try to see where Julian is now? Is he alive?”

All of a sudden, Grace saw Julian in a gray area, yelling “Let us out.” Julian was holding a child, but Grace couldn’t tell if it was a boy or girl, because the child’s face was blurred.

“I do see Julian,” Grace replied.

“What do you see?” cried Eve, with her hands still on Grace’s arms.

“I can’t see where he is, but he’s alive. He’s somewhere he can’t leave, but he’s alive.”

“Thank God!” Eve exclaimed.

“He’s also with a child that he’s trying to protect.”’

“Who is the child?” Eve was confused.

“I can’t tell. The child’s face is blurred.”

“What else can you see?”

Suddenly Grace’s premonition drew another blank and nothing else came up. “I’m sorry, I can’t see anything else.”

Eve sat down on the park bench, taking off her sunglasses, and started to sob not knowing where Julian was. Her nerves were almost gone. All of this was so frustrating. There were no leads and every minute that went by, was another minute that Julian was in danger.

Grace sat down next to Eve on the bench, gently rubbing her back. “I’m sorry Sweetie,” said Grace. “I wish I could have helped more.”

“It’s not your fault,” Eve sobbed as she dried her eyes. “I just don’t know how much more of this I can take. I feel like I’m losing my mind.”

“I know, but hang in there,” Grace reassured. "Anything can happen. We might get some new leads soon.”

“Why is this happening Grace?” Eve sobbed. “Julian and I should be together planning our wedding and getting ready for Christmas, but he’s gone.”

“I don’t know Honey,” Grace coaxed, with tears of her own in her eyes. “But you and Julian don’t deserve this.”

“I hate Alistair Crane with a passion,” Eve cried. “First he forced Julian to leave me all of those years ago, kidnapped our baby boy and let us believe he was dead, then lied to us about Chad being our son, and now kidnaps Julian.”

“The man is a monster,” Grace replied, all choked up. “But they’re going to find Julian. You just have to have faith.”

“I still don’t know where he is, or if he’s hurt.”

“I know Sweetheart, I know.” Grace put her arm around Eve, and held her as she cried.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the Compound, for what seemed like an eternity later, Julian had gotten Marty’s fever down, by three degrees. Julian put Marty back in his pajamas, and placed him on Julian’s bed where the child slept. Marty still hadn’t regained consciousness yet. Julian was sitting next to Marty on the edge of the bed.

“Come on Son,” Julian pleaded to his nephew. “Fight. You need to wake up.”

Julian knew this wasn’t good at all for his nephew. Marty needed a doctor and a hospital right now, but Julian knew he couldn’t waste his energy on begging the doctors to get Marty help. The guards would only refuse. It was up to Julian to save him. Of course, Julian had watched Eve take care of sick people, but that didn’t change the fact that Julian was still a layman when it came to medicine.

“God I wish you were here right now, Eve,” he said out loud. “You would know how to help Marty.”

Then all of a sudden Marty woke up and screamed.

“Marty, what’s wrong?” Julian asked in an urgent tone.

Then the child lost consciousness again and started shaking uncontrollably.

“Oh my God!” Julian exclaimed. Julian knew he was having a seizure. He immediately rolled Marty on one side and put a pillow under his head. “Marty, are you okay?” he exclaimed as Marty shook. “It’s okay, Son. I’ve got you.” Julian felt his heart pound and his adrenaline go up, as he panicked for his nephew. The only thing he could do was pray that Marty’s seizure came to an end.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back in Harmony, Whitney and Simone had been putting up missing persons posters of Julian. They even drove to the outskirts of town to put up posters and to ask people if they had seen Julian. However, they turned up nothing. Chad had been searching in the hills that day, and was coming back later for the candlelight vigil for Julian.

The past two days had been exhausting for Whitney and Simone. Theresa was giving Whitney updates on how Eve was doing, only saying that Eve was grief stricken and a wreck over Julian. Whitney and Simone spent their time putting up posters, leaving Miles with the baby-sitter for long periods of time. Both of their cell phones were ringing off the hook from reporters wanting to interview them, but the girls dodged the calls as soon as they saw the caller id.

That day, when Whitney and Simone drove back to Harmony, they stopped at the Book Cafe, to get some coffee and take a break. As soon as they got their coffee they sat down at a table. At first they sat in silence, not knowing what to say. Finally, Simone broke the ice.

“I’m getting worried,” Simone told Whitney. “There hasn’t been any leads, and Mom’s has got to be a wreck by now.”

“I know. I’m getting worried too,” Whitney replied. “Alistair would do anything to keep Mom and Julian apart, I just hate to think of what’s going to happen to Julian if he’s not found.”

“He has to be okay. Mom won’t be able to handle it if anything happens to Julian.”

“I know.” Whitney wiped her tears away from her eyes, thinking about her Mother’s pain. “Mom’s been through so much pain in her life. She doesn’t deserve this.”

“I know,” Simone replied, feeling tears coming to her eyes as well. “How’s Chad holding up?” she asked.

“Same as before,” Whitney answered. “Miles doesn’t know what’s going on, but he can sense something is not right. Someday, I’m actually going to have to tell him that both of his grandfathers are criminals, and kidnapped his Uncle Julian.”

“I know it’s terrible,” Simone agreed. Then Simone thought about Eve. It had been three days since they found out the truth about what their father had done, and from what she and Whitney heard Eve was devastated over Julian. Simone knew she and Whitney couldn’t hide from Eve forever. They needed to go see Eve and the sooner the better. “I think we should go see Mom tonight, after the vigil,” she told Whitney.

“I think we should too,” Whitney agreed. She had been having the same thoughts herself. “We can’t wait any longer.”

“I just hope she’s still not too angry at us,” Simone quipped.

“All I know is that I’m going to have some graveling to do,” Whitney said, as she thought of the terrible way she treated her mother when her past came out, and how angry Eve had been with her the week before.

Then Simone's cell phone called and saw it was from the New York Times on the caller id. “Dammit, it’s from the New York Times.”

“I keep getting calls from reporters too.”

“What should we do Whitney?” Simone asked. “I don’t know what to do about this.”

Whitney had been thinking about this a lot. As much as she wanted to keep dodging the media calls, she had a feeling they weren’t going to go away. “I think we should talk to the media to let the Crane’s know that we’re sorry about what Daddy did, and that we knew nothing about it,” Whitney told Simone.

“Okay, but how do we do that?” Simone asked.

“I think we should call Chief Bennett and ask him what to do and how to set it up. He’ll know what to do. I also think we should offer to testify in Mom’s assault and battery case against Daddy. I mean Daddy did slap you, last New Years Eve. Maybe if the judge see’s that it will help Mom’s case.”

“I’m willing to do that for Mom,” Simone agreed.

“Me too.” Whitney picked up her phone and called Sam.

~

Within the next hour, Whitney and Simone were standing on the wharf, with a bunch of reporters in front of them with microphones in their faces. The girls had both prepared their speech on what they would say to the media.

Simone was the first to begin. “First of all, my sister and I would like to give our condolences to the Crane family and let them know how sorry we are for what our father has done. We had no idea that he was planning to kidnap Julian, and if we had known what was going on, we would have called the police. We do not condone our father’s actions and have disowned him. We know that the Cranes are pressing charges against our father, and we understand why, and will not get in the way of that. Our hearts are broken for Julian and we are praying for his safe return and have been helping with the search. Whoever is holding Julian captive, please let him go. He doesn’t deserve this. Our mother needs him, as she loves him so much. Julian, if you're out there listening to this, I want you to know how sorry we are that our father did this to you and we’re doing everything we can to bring you home safely. Stay strong, and hold on. We’re here for you.”

After Simone was finished, she and Whitney hugged each other sobbing into each other’s arms.


Chapter Fifty-Four

Back at the Crane Compound, after two minutes, Marty’s seizure had stopped.

“Thank God,” Julian breathed a sigh of relief, after it was done. He never felt more scared in his life. The only bad thing was Marty was still unconscious, and Julian had no idea what to do to bring Marty out of it. Julian felt tears coming out of his eyes. He had grown to love his nephew so much that he would be devastated if he died. When Julian found Marty, he had made a promise to himself to look after Marty and bring him home safe and sound to Sheridan and Luis. Julian knew he couldn’t break that promise. He hated Alistair for doing this to Marty. If Marty were back in Harmony, he could have been treated by a doctor by now.

All of a sudden Marty opened his eyes only this time he was having trouble breathing, and choking for air.

“Marty, what is it, Son?” Julian exclaimed, putting his hands on Marty’s arms.

“I can’t breathe,” Marty wheezed.

“It’s okay Son,” Julian reassured. “I’m right here.” Julian was scared, and didn’t know what to do.

Then Marty passed out and lost consciousness again..

“Marty?!” Julian shouted. He felt Marty’s pulse but it was gone. “Oh my God,” Julian cried as he immediately began giving CPR. “One, two, three, four, five,” Julian counted, as he gave compressions.

Then he held Marty’s nose shut and breathed into his mouth.

Julian checked Marty’s pulse again, but it still wasn’t there. So Julian gave more compressions. “One, two, three, four, five,” Julian counted.

Julian knew if Marty didn’t get his pulse back soon, Marty could have brain damage. “Come on Marty. Stay with me,” Julian said to the child.

Julian tried breathing into Marty’s mouth again, and gave him more compressions, but it didn’t work. “God, if you’re listening, do something. Please don’t let my nephew die,” Julian begged, choking back tears at the thought of losing his beloved nephew, and Luis and Sheridan losing their child again.

After a couple of minutes, Marty regained a pulse. Julian breathed out another sigh of relief. He felt tears of joy come into his eyes knowing that Marty was alive. Julian would never have forgiven himself if something happened to Marty. Only now, he seriously hoped that Marty was out of danger.

Julian sat next to Marty on the bed, holding his hand and prayed for his nephew to wake up, get better and to live. “God,” Julian prayed. “Please don’t let anything happen to Marty. He’s just a little boy and he’s needed here on earth. Please don’t let my sister be heartbroken again.”

Then to Julian’s amazement, Marty opened up his eyes. “Uncle Julian?” he asked in disbelief.

Julian had more tears coming out of his eyes. “Yeah, I’m right here Son,” Julian replied, as he stroked Marty’s hair with his hand.

“What happened?” Marty asked, only having snippets of memories of being conscious throughout the day.

“You were very sick, and had a high fever. But you’re going to be okay now.”

“I saw a bright light,” Marty said. “It was so beautiful. Then I saw a boy, who said he was your friend Timmy.”

“Timmy!” Julian exclaimed, as he realized that Marty had a near death experience and saw his beloved friend. “Yes, Timmy is my friend. He died years ago, but he’s my guardian angel now.”

“Timmy told me to go back to earth, and that it wasn’t my time. And then he said to hang on with my Uncle Julian, and he would help us get back to Harmony.”

“Thank God for Timmy,” Julian sobbed. Next to Timmy saving Julian from his old self, Julian never felt more grateful to Timmy for helping him save Marty.

Marty stroked his uncle’s face with his hand. “Why are you crying Uncle Julian?”

“I’m crying, because I’m happy,” Julian told Marty. “I’m happy that you’re going to be okay.”

“Don’t worry,” Marty told Julian. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Marty sat up and gave his Uncle Julian a big hug. As Julian held his nephew, a flood of tears went down his cheeks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back in Harmony, at the Russell house, TC was waiting for his lawyer to come by and meet him at the house so they could discuss strategy. TC had hired a hot shot lawyer, Greg Marcus to represent him in his criminal cases and his employment cases with his job and teaching license. Mr. Marcus had told TC over the phone that his case would cost him a fortune, but luckily TC still had a lot of money in savings. All TC could do now was hope that this lawyer was good enough to get him off the hook.

All of a sudden TC heard a knock at the door and he went over and opened it to a man in a business suit, holding a briefcase.

“Hi I’m Greg Marcus,” Mr. Marcus said to TC, shaking his hand.

“TC Russell,” TC replied, shaking Mr. Marcus’s hand. “Come on in.”

Both men walked into the living room and sat down on the couch.

“Thank you for coming by,” TC told the lawyer.

“Oh of course, it’s no problem,” Mr. Marcus replied, opening up his briefcase, and pulling out his papers. “Okay,” Mr. Marcus began. “I’ve read the police reports and I’ve talked to Sam Bennett and the D.A., and I have to say you’re in a lot of trouble. But I’m a good lawyer, so I think I can get it so you don’t have to spend one night in jail.”

“Great,” TC replied. “How do we do that?”

“Well for the kidnapping and fraud charges, I’m going to have you plead insanity.”

TC’s eyes widened. “What?!” he exclaimed.

“Well from what I can tell Julian Crane drove you to do what you did,” Mr. Marcus explained. “He ruined your tennis career and broke up your family.”

“You’re damn right he did,” TC exclaimed, thinking of everything Julian had done to him.

“We can find a psychiatrist to back you up, and hopefully we can find a sympathetic judge and jury.”

“Okay great,” said TC, feeling relieved that hopefully he could stay out of prison and clear his good name. “What about the rest of the charges?”

“Since you have no previous criminal record,” Mr. Marcus explained. “For the assault and battery charge, I think I can plead you out to probation, community service, anger management classes, and domestic violence intervention. However, I have to warn you, your ex-wife is asking the D.A. for the maximum penalty and the Crane family is backing her up.”

“What is the maximum penalty?

“Minimum five years in jail,” Mr. Marcus answered.

TC couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Minimum five years in jail?!” he exclaimed. “Are they out of their minds?”

“It’s the law, TC,'' Mr. Marcus stated. “Basically, it will be a hearing before a judge with no jury, and both sides will share what they think what sentence you should have. If you are found guilty I can argue for a suspended sentence.”

TC didn’t like the idea of having a criminal record, but he knew there was no other way out. At least it was better than jail. “Okay, I’ll do it,” TC agreed.

“Good. As for the issue with your job at the high school and your teaching license, there will be two separate hearings. The first one will be in front of the school board, on whether or not you should stay on as a teacher. The second one will be in front of the state teaching board on whether they should remove your license. However, I have to warn you, the Crane’s are going to use every clout they can so that you go to jail and never teach again.”

“They can’t do this to me!” TC shouted, as he felt his blood boil at how much he hated the Cranes.

“Oh they can and they will,” Mr. Marcus stated. “I’m going to do everything I can to argue for leniency, but it’s not going to be easy.”

“What if Julian comes back home?” TC asked.

“Then it will be up to him, if he decides to press charges.”

“My God, this is a nightmare,” TC stammered.

“I know,” Mr. Marcus replied. “But like I said, I am a good lawyer and I’ll do everything I can to get you off.”

As scared as TC was about going to jail, he knew that the only way he could be free was if he did what Mr. Marcus told him. There was no other way out. TC didn’t know what the future held for him, but he knew he was in a lot of trouble. “Okay I’ll do whatever you say,” TC told Mr. Marcus.

“Good,” clipped Mr. Marcus. “I’ll file these with the court as soon as possible.” Mr. Marcus put his papers back in his briefcase.

“When will the hearings be?” TC asked.

“I can try to move up the domestic violence hearing and the school board hearing pretty soon. In the meantime, I want you to stay out of trouble. I need to portray you as a model citizen.”

“Don’t worry,” TC said, meaning every word he said. “I’ll stay out of trouble.”

“Good,” Mr. Marcus replied, standing up and picking up his briefcase.

As soon as Mr. Marcus left, TC stood up and shouted, “They can’t do this to me!!” TC took a knick knack and threw it at the wall. “Julian drove me to do it!” he shouted out loud. “If he had never come into my life, I would be a star tennis player, my father would still be alive, and I would have my lovely family.” TC made a fist. “I hate Julian Crane!!! He deserves whatever he gets!!”






Chapter Fifty-Five

Back in Harmony, that evening, in the park, the candlelight vigil for Julian was being set up. A stage was set up with a microphone for people to talk, and Harmony’s citizens were standing in front of the stage holding candles and lighting them for Julian. A big picture of Julian had been blown up and was standing on an easel on the stage. The media was there to film the event.

Whitney and Simone stood way in the back of the crowd, trying to avoid being seen by the Cranes. They didn’t want to upset them, anymore than they already were. However, nothing was going to stop them from being there for Eve.

Pilar, Luis, Theresa, Paloma, Little Ethan, Grace, Noah, Kay, Jessica, John and Marlena were all standing in the front row giving their support.

Eve and the Cranes were standing backstage, getting ready for the vigil. It was agreed that Sheridan and Fox would be the family members speaking at the vigil that evening. Eve decided to cover up her bruises with concealer again, given that she couldn’t see very well through her sunglasses at night. Eve and the Cranes were all emotionally exhausted. All of them looked devastated and liked they hadn’t slept in days. The past several days had been torture for them, not knowing where Julian was. They were all anxious to get a break in the case in order to find Julian. The only thing that was keeping them going was finding Julian.

At that moment, Father Lonigan came backstage to where they all were.

“Father Lonigan, thank you for coming,” Ethan told him.

“Oh course,” Father Lonigan replied. “I am just so sorry about Julian. I have been praying for his safe return.”

“Thank you Father,” Eve whimpered, as she wiped tears away from her eyes.

Father Lonigan turned to Eve. “Eve I am so sorry to hear that TC beat you and what he put you through.”

“Thank you,” Eve replied. “I know that TC and I were married in the church, but I can never be with him ever again.”

“In light of the domestic violence you experienced, the church recognizes your divorce,” Father Lonigan told her.

“I’m glad,” Eve replied, feeling relieved that the church wouldn’t judge her for being with Julian.

“I know how much you and Julian love each other, and I truly hope that the two of you can be reunited,” Father Lonigan said.

“I’m hoping for that too,” Eve answered.

“How are the rest of you?” Father Lonigan asked.

“Not good,” answered Chad.

“I know that all of you are scared, but God is watching out for Julian right now. He will not let you down,” Father Lonigan told them.

“I wish God would tell us where Daddy is,” said Fancy.

“He will, in his own time, my child,” Father Lonigan answered.

Just then Sam came backstage, in his police officer’s uniform. “Are you all ready for the vigil?

“Yes we are,” Katherine said. Her tone was grave.

Sam led Father Lonigan to the stage, followed by Eve and the Crane family, who all sat in the folding chairs on the stage. Father Lonigan stood in front of the microphone and began to speak.

“Thank you all for coming,” Father Lonigan began. “This is a shocking turn of grace. How anyone could kidnap another human being is incomprehensible. Father, we ask that you hold Julian in your arms tonight, and give him all the love and strength he needs to come safely home. We ask that you look out for his loved ones who are so worried about him. Let them know your comfort and peace. Please give the authorities your guidance in finding Julian and bringing him home. We ask this through your son Jesus Christ, our lord and savior. Amen.”

“Amen,” everyone replied.

Father Lonigan sat down on the stage, and a song played on the stereo.

Somewhere out there
Beneath the pale moonlight
Someone's thinking of me
And loving me tonight


Somewhere out there
Someone's saying a prayer
That we'll find one another
In that big somewhere out there


And even though I know how very far apart we are
It helps to think we might be wishing
On the same bright star


And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby
It helps to think we're sleeping
Underneath the same big sky


At this point in the song, Eve and the Cranes had tears coming out of their eyes as they thought about Julian being somewhere being held hostage.


Somewhere out there
If love can see us through
Then we'll be together
Somewhere out there
Out where dreams come true


And even though I know how very far apart we are
It helps to think we might be wishing
On the same bright star


And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby
It helps to think we're sleeping
Underneath the same big sky


Somewhere out there
If love can see us through
Then we'll be together
Somewhere out there
Out where dreams come true

After the song was over, Sheridan went up to the microphone. “Julian would be amazed about how many have shown up for him here tonight. Our family cannot thank the public enough for their thoughts and prayers, and their help with the search. We ask whoever is holding Julian hostage, to please let him go. Our family needs him with us.” Then Sheridan looked into the camera. “Julian, if you’re listening to this, I want you to know how sorry I am that this has happened to you. I love you very much, and I’m not going to give up searching for you, until you come home. Don’t give up hope. We are coming for you.” Sheridan covered her mouth with her hand and began to sob as sat back down next to Fancy and she and Fancy hugged, comforting each other.

Fox got up and approached the microphone and began to speak, all choked up. “Like my aunt said, we are all so grateful for all of your support. This has not been an easy time for us. How this could happen to our father is unbelievable. All I can say is that I love my father very much, and I want him home.” Then Fox began to sob, “Dad, if you’re out there, I want you to know that I am so sorry this happened to you. I only wish I could have protected you from this. I am going to keep looking for you, even if it takes me the rest of my life. Whoever has my father, please let him go. If it’s money you want we’ll give it to you, but just let him go.”

Fox sat back down in his chair crying. Then Father Lonigan got up to speak again and gave another prayer.

“Let us all pray,” Father Lonigan said. “Heavenly Father, we ask that whoever is ever holding Julian hostage, that you show them the way of Jesus Christ, so they may let Julian go. May they have mercy on Julian and set him free. We ask that you give strength to Julian so that he may fight this ordeal and find his way home to his loved ones. We ask that you keep Julian safe from harm and have his life spared. In Jesus’s name, Amen.”

“Amen,” everyone replied.

Then another song played on the stereo.

A hundred days have made me older
Since the last time that I saw your pretty face
A thousand lies have made me colder
And I don't think I can look at this the same.
All the miles that separate
Disappear now when I'm dreamin' of your face.

I'm here without you baby
But you're still on my lonely mind.
I think about you baby and I dream about you all the time.
I'm here without you baby
But you're still with me in my dreams
And tonight girl, it's only you and me.

As the song played, Eve and the Cranes were sobbing. The song described exactly what Eve was feeling. It made Eve think about how much she missed Julian and how worried she was about him.

The miles just keep rollin'
As the people leave their way to say hello
I've heard this life is overrated
But I hope that it gets better as we go.

I'm here without you baby
But you're still on my lonely mind.
I think about you baby and I dream about you all the time.
I'm here without you baby
But you're still with me in my dreams
And tonight, it's only you and me.

Everything I know, and anywhere I go,
It gets hard but it won't take away my love.
And when the last one falls, when its all said and done.
It gets hard but it won't take away my love.

I'm here without you baby
But you're still on my lonely mind.
I think about you baby and I dream about you all the time.
I'm here without you baby
But you're still with me in my dreams
And tonight, it's only you and me.

~

After the vigil was over, and Eve and the Crane’s had left the stage Noah went up to Fancy.

“Fancy, I want you to know how sorry I am about your Dad.”

“Thank you Noah,” Fancy replied, as she burst into tears burying her head in Noah’s shoulder as she sobbed. Noah held her and comforted her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the Crane Compound, Julian was reading Marty a bedtime story of ‘An American Tail,’ as Julian and Marty sat up against the headboard of the bed. After Julian was done reading the book, Marty turned to his uncle. “Uncle Julian, do you think we’ll be able to go home the same way Fival did?”

“Well I don’t think we'll be able to go there in a bottle, but I think we’ll be able to go home soon,” Julian answered.

“When?” Marty was getting impatient being held prisoner.

“I don’t know Son,” Julian said, putting his arm around his nephew. “You see, in order for us to become free and go home to Harmony, someone has to come and let us out.”

“I want to go home now,” Marty whined.

“I know you do, Son. So do I.” Julian gave Marty a kiss on the head.

“I miss Mommy and Daddy.” Marty cried.

“I know,” Julian coaxed. “I’m going to do everything I can to get you home to them.”

“Do you miss Eve?” Marty asked.

“Yes I do,” Julian answered, as his face fell. “Every day.”

~

After Julian tucked Marty in, Julian fell asleep after a long harrowing day of Marty almost dying. While he was sleeping, he had another dream about Eve. This time she was in the living room of the Crane mansion, sleeping on the couch and Julian came into the living room, sat next to her on the couch and kissed her.

Eve woke up and saw her beloved Julian. “Julian, you came back!!!” she exclaimed.

“Nothing could keep me away from you my love,” Julian declared. I love you.”

“I love you too,” she replied. She sat up and they gave each other a passionate kiss.

~

Back in Harmony, at the Crane Mansion, in the living room, Eve was asleep on the couch and having the same dream. “Julian,” she said as she was coming out of sleep. However, when she opened her eyes she saw Julian was gone and it had just been a dream.

Eve sat up, holding a picture of her and Julian and she cried.

~

Song credits: Somewhere out there, sung by Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram & Here without you, sung by 3 doors down.










Chapter Fifty-Six

After Eve was done crying, she sat on the couch, looking at the picture of her and Julian. As she stared at his handsome face aching for him, wondering where he was and if he was safe. She hated that the last time she saw Julian they had a fight. If she had known that was the last time she would have seen him, she would have told him how much she loved him. Now she wondered if Julian did know that she loved him, given the way that she had been treating him, after TC’s accident.

“I’m so sorry, my Darling,” Eve said to the picture. “I promise I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you.”

At that moment, Wendy, one of the maids, came into the living room and went up to Eve behind the couch. “Can I get you anything, Dr. Johnson?” she asked, feeling concerned about Eve’s grief.

Eve shook her head no.

“There are some people here who want to see you,” Wendy told her.

“I don’t want to talk to any reporters right now,” Eve stammered.

“They’re not reporters,” Wendy explained. “It’s your daughters.”

As soon as Eve heard that, the hair on her arms went up. The last thing she needed was to hear Whitney and Simone ranting at her about having their father arrested, and Eve was still really angry with them. “Tell them to go away,” Eve said to Wendy.

“Are you sure?” Wendy asked.

“Yes I’m sure.”

Wendy left the room to go tell Whitney and Simone in the entryway, however, Whitney and Simone came into the living room anyway.

“Mom?” said Whitney.

Eve looked up at them like she had a headache, feeling upset that they came in to see her when she told them that she didn’t want to see them. However, when Eve looked up at them, they saw the bruises on her face for the first time.

Whitney gasped as she covered her mouth with her hand, fighting back tears.

“Oh my God,” Simone sobbed as she saw the bruises. “Oh my God.”

Neither one of them could believe that their father could do something so horrible.

Eve rolled her eyes. Whitney and Simone were the last people she wanted to see right now. “What are the two of you doing here?” she snapped.

“We came here to see you,” Whitney answered.

“Look if you two are here to get me to drop the charges against your father or blame me for what he did, you can forget it,” Eve replied with anger in her voice. “Your father is a bastard and he’s going to pay for what he did if it’s the last thing I do.”

“We’re not here for that,” Simone explained, gently. “We’re here to tell you how sorry we are about Julian.”

“Why?!” Eve cried. “Why would you even care?! You never appreciated him. Julian was never anything but kind to the two of you, and you treated him like dirt.” As Eve said this, she felt herself fighting off more tears. “You know what, just go away! I don’t want to talk to the two of you.” Eve turned away from them, looking at the picture of her and Julian.

Whitney and Simone stood behind the couch, on either side of Eve. “We’re not leaving,” Whitney stated, with her feet rooted in the ground.

“Pray tell why not?” Eve snapped.

“Because your fiance has been kidnapped,” Simone replied.

“Tell me something I don’t know,” Eve snapped.

“Mom,” Whitney started to say.

“No, don’t give me that,” Eve snapped, as she stood up from the couch, with her back facing the fireplace, facing Whitney and Simone. “I don’t need you two to pretend that you care about me and I certainly don’t need the two of you. You think I’m supposed to forget all of the hateful things you two have said to me over the years?! And the way you have treated me?! Well Whitney I can say one thing for you. I certainly see where you get your abusive streak from. Emotionally and physically.” Eve was referring to how Whitney took after TC in the way she treated her mother and compared to how Whitney slapped her to TC beating her.

Simone immediately looked at Whitney, feeling bad for her sister that Eve had said that. However, Whitney didn’t flinch.

“It’s okay, I deserve that,” Whitney told Simone. Then Whitney turned to her mother. “Go ahead Mom. Yell, scream. Hit me if you want. Get it out. If it makes you feel better, then do it. I deserve all of that from you and more.”

“Just stop it,” Eve said, and then limped across the room with her back facing the girls.

“Mom, that’s another reason why we’re here,” Simone explained. “We came to tell you that we heard what you were saying in your office and we came to apologize.”

“What?!” Eve asked, as she turned around to look at them.

“Yes Mom,” said Whitney. “I am so sorry for the way I treated you. I was horrible to you. Beyond horrible. I had no right to treat you the way I did. I was wrong.”

“I am too Mom,” Simone added. “I’m so sorry.”

“You were right when you said that we weren’t paying for your mistakes and that you didn’t ruin our lives,” Whitney said. Compassion and sorrow was in her voice. “Your mistakes were about you and they were in the past, but we used it as an excuse to blame you for things that weren’t your fault. I was incredibly selfish. I never thought about the pain that you had suffered and were going through at the time. I just thought of myself, and it was just so easy to blame you for everything. And that wasn’t fair.”

“No it wasn’t fair,” Eve replied with her arms folded across her chest. “I didn’t deserve it and neither did Julian.”

“I know that now,” Whitney said. “I am so sorry for blaming you for everything, for all of the horrible names I called you, for all of the hateful things I said, for expecting you to be perfect, and for all the times I slapped you.”

“Yeah well so am I,” Eve snapped.

“We love you Mom,” Simone said, in the same compassionate and sorrowful tone as Whitney. “I know we haven’t always shown it and that we have been really lousy daughters, but we do. It’s okay that you’re not perfect and it was unfair to expect you to be that way. What you are is the best Mom and one of the most loving and strongest women there ever was.”

“How do I know that you mean this?” Eve cried. “How do I know that you’re not going to throw this in my face for the rest of my life?”

“Because we do,” Whitney said. “And to prove it to you we’ve given and signed affidavits to testify in court on your behalf.”

Eve’s eyes widened. She never expected them to do that and certainly didn’t want to put the girls in the middle of her problems with TC. “To testify against your father?” she asked. “You don’t have to do that.”

“We want to,” said Whitney. “And we’ve even disowned Daddy and told him off for what he did to you and Julian. And we went to Father Lonigan to make confessions asking for God’s forgiveness for dishonoring you.”

“And we’ve been helping with the search for Julian,” Simone explained. “I even gave a speech this afternoon, telling the media about how sorry we are for what Daddy did and pleading for Julian’s safe return.”

Eve couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Ever since her past came out, she never saw such depth of love from her daughters. “I don’t know what to say,” she said. “Thank you.”

“Of course Mom,” Simone said.

As angry as Eve was at the girls, she could tell that they were really sorry and were trying to show them their love for her, wanting to make what they did to her right. Eve also couldn’t forget that Whitney and Simone were still her daughters and that she loved him very much.

Eve took a deep breath and said, “Look I’m still angry at the two of you. It’s hard to understand how the two of you could be so cruel. However, I haven’t forgotten that I played a role in this too, and I am so sorry that I lied to the two of you about my past. It was wrong.”

“Mom, you don’t have to be sorry anymore,” Whitney told her. “In all fairness we didn’t make it easy for you to be honest.”

“I want you to know that my marriage to your father was not a good one,” Eve explained. “It was based on lies and abuse. I don’t want the two of you to have a marriage like mine and I don’t want you two to ever let anyone do this to you.” Eve pointed to her bruises on her face as she said this.

“We won’t,” Whitney said. “I still can’t believe Daddy did that to you. I’m so sorry.”

“I’m sorry too,” Simone added.

“It wasn’t your fault,” Eve told them.

“Are you okay physically from the beating?” Simone asked.

“I threw my back out and I’m really banged up, but I should be okay,” Eve told them.

“I never thought Daddy was capable of something like that,” said Whitney.

“Neither did I,” Eve replied. “I never should have put up with his abuse all these years and I certainly didn’t set a good example for the two of you on what a loving relationship looks like.”

“We understand,” Whitney replied.

Eve sighed. “Look, the bottomline is I’m not perfect,” she explained. “I’m not the devil. I’m just me. I’m human and that’s all I can be. I need to be accepted and loved unconditionally for that, especially by the two of you. I want to have a relationship with the two of you, but it can’t be like it was before. I don’t want to be on a pedestal and I don’t want to be tolerated, I just want to be loved for who I am.”

“We do now,” Simone replied.

Eve sighed. She didn’t know what her relationship with the girls would look like now, but she was willing to give it a chance. “Well I guess we can start over and start from scratch,” she told them.

“Okay,” Simone said with tears in her eyes. Whitney had them in her eyes too.

Eve put her arms open to them and they both went up to their mother and the three of them hugged.

After they hugged, Whitney turned to her mother, and said, “I want you to know Mom, that I’m going to spend the rest of my life making it up to you for the way I treated you.”

“Thank you,” Eve said, with tears in her eyes.

“And the first thing we’re going to do is be there for you right now, as you’re going through this ordeal with Julian,” Simone told Eve.

“I’m fine, really,” Eve replied as she sat back down on the couch. She didn’t want to burden the girls with her troubles.

Whitney and Simone sat down on the couch on both sides of her.

“You’re not fine,” Whitney stated. “Theresa told me you’ve been a wreck.”

“She shouldn’t have told you that,” Eve replied, trying to put up a brave front. “Really I’m okay.”

“Mom, you’ve always been too self-contained,” Simone said, firmly. “You need to let us in, and be there for you now.”

“It’s okay, we can take it,” Whitney added.

Eve knew she couldn’t fool the girls, and the truth was she needed them right now. Besides, they were adults now. “Okay, I have been a wreck,” Eve replied, all choked up. “I don’t eat. I don’t sleep. All I do is think about Julian and I’m frantic about his safety and where he is. I’m so worried about him and I’m so scared. I don’t know if he’s warm, I don’t know if he’s being tortured by Alistair or Spike. I just want him back safe.”

Whitney put her hand on her mother’s back to comfort her and said, “They're going to find him Mom. You just have to have faith.”

“Oh I know he’s alive. I can feel it in my heart. I’m just scared to death,” Eve replied, wiping her tears. “The truth is I never stopped loving Julian. I never went back to your father out of love. It was out of guilt and obligation. And I wasn’t there to protect Julian when he needed me.”

“It wasn’t your fault, Mom,” Simone comforted, as she also put her hand on her mother’s back. “Alistair would have found some way to come in between you and Julian.”

“I should have listened to Julian, when he told me the truth about TC, but I was in denial,” Eve replied, all choked up. “And the saddest thing about it, Julian and I had a fight before he was kidnapped.”

“What happened?” Simone asked.

Eve told the girls the whole story about the fight she had with Julian at the Russell house before Julian was kidnapped. “And Julian was right. I had no right to treat him like that, after TC’s accident.”

“Mom I’m sure wherever Julian is, he’s not even thinking about that,” Whitney reassured.

“I wouldn’t blame him if he was,” Eve cried. “I was horrible to him.”

“Julian adores you,” Simone reminded her. “He’ll forgive you and understand.”

“I hope so,” Eve replied. “I want him back in my life, and when he comes home I’m going to tell him everything that happened. I don’t know how he’s going to react, but I do know one thing. I’m not giving up on him this time.”

“Good for you,” Whitney commended. “We’ll support you in that.”

Eve looked up at them. “You two are okay with me being with Julian?” she asked.

“Yes we are,” Simone replied. “He’s a wonderful man and we can see how much you two love each other.”

“I’m sorry about the way I treated Julian when your past came out,” Whitney told Eve. “It was wrong. All he ever did was love you, and even after all of the things I did, he still was kind to me when I didn’t deserve it.”

“He cares about you two so much,” Eve told them. “He wants very much to be a step-father to both of you”

“We can tell,” Simone replied. “We’d like to get closer to him when he comes home.”

“I’m glad.” Eve told them. Then Eve felt her emotions give way as she thought about Julian and couldn’t hold the tears back any longer. “Oh God, I miss him so much,” she sobbed and burst into tears.

Whitney and Simone rubbed Eve’s back and sat next to her as she cried.

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Back in Harmony, the next morning, TC went to St. Margaret Mary’s church, to give a confession to Father Lonigan, hoping that God would have mercy on him with his soul and on the upcoming trials coming up against him. Today was the first time TC had been outdoors. He had been staying inside, to avoid all of the stares and the whispers. Except for Sam, everyone had turned away from TC, and Sam was still not happy with TC for what he did. TC just hoped that God wouldn't turn away from him.

TC sat down in the confessional where he made the sign of the cross. He saw that Father Lonigan was sitting on the other side. “Bless me Father for I have sinned.” TC said. His voice was low and grave.

“TC is that you?” Father Lonigan asked.

“Yes it’s me,” TC answered.

“What are these sins you have come to confess, my Son?” Father Lonigan asked, already knowing what they were.

“I beat my wife, faked a stroke, and teamed up with Alistair Crane,” TC explained.

“So I’ve heard,” Father Lonigan answered. Father Lonigan knew that God was TC’s ultimate judge, but all he could think about was how devastated Eve and the Cranes were. “TC, these are very grave sins that you have committed.”

“I know, and I’m in a lot of trouble now,” TC replied as he looked down at the ground. “I could go to jail, lose my job, and have my teaching license taken away from me.”

“Are you surprised?” Father Lonigan quipped.

“I honestly thought Alistair would protect me from getting caught,” TC answered.

“TC, you know you can’t trust Alistair Crane,” Father Lonigan said, not believing TC’s naivete. “You’re an intelligent man. What were you thinking?”

“I wasn’t thinking,” TC explained, as he thought about what he did. “For months, I was so depressed about losing Eve. I was willing to do anything to get her back. When Alistair came into my hospital room and told me he could help me, I was desperate.”

“TC, Alistair is the devil himself,” Father Lonigan told him. Anger and disappointment was in the priest's voice. “You were raised in the church and taught to reject evil.”

“I know,” TC cried. “I should have never teamed up with Alistair. I should have found a way to break Eve and Julian up myself.”

Father Lonigan couldn’t believe what he was hearing. TC Russell had fallen from grace and had no remorse for his actions. “Are you saying that you’re not remorseful for kidnapping Julian?” he exclaimed.

“Absolutely I don’t have any remorse,” TC declared, looking up. “Julian drove me to do it. He ruined my tennis career, caused my father to die of a broken heart, corrupted Eve, and ruined my family. He was going to hurt Eve eventually, I had to protect her and the only way I knew to get her away from Julian was to do what I did.”

“Did Julian drive you to beat Eve?” Father Lonigan pointed out.

TC hung his head in shame. “No.”

“TC, Julian ruining your tennis career was an accident,” Father Lonigan explained. “And you are the one who threw Eve out when you found out about her past. Julian was not responsible for breaking up your family. And making Eve think that her fiance had regressed was hurting her, was not protecting her. Either way that is not an excuse to kidnap another human being and to do what you did.”

“What about Julian?!” TC asked the priest. “He is my worst enemy and I was tired of him walking all over me. Look at all the terrible things he has done in his life. Why should he get away with all of his sins?”

“TC, Julian has repented for his past sins and has become a good man.” Father Lonigan explained. “The only thing God cares about is the person he is now. What about how you hurt Eve, expecting her to be perfect, throwing her out when you found out she wasn’t and then beating her?”

TC looked at the priest, hoping Father Lonigan would give him support for Eve and TC being married in the church. “I feel terrible for throwing Eve out and for beating her. But I know that we can work this out if Eve comes back to me. Eve and I were married in the church, Father. We are meant to be together.”

“The church does not condone domestic violence, and because of that the church recognizes your divorce to Eve,” Father Lonigan told TC.

“So, we’ll get married again.”

Father Lonigan grimaced as he was getting frustrated with TC trying to get him to see his wrongdoings. “TC, your marriage is a sham. Eve is furious with you and is in love with Julian and always has been. The only reason why she went back to you was because of misguided guilt.”

“She doesn’t mean that,” TC cried. “She’s just upset right now.”

“Then why is she pressing charges against you?!” Father Lonigan exclaimed. “TC it wasn’t just Eve and the Cranes you hurt, by kidnapping Julian and replacing him with an imposter. Alistair had Wagner unleash hell onto Harmony.”

“I had nothing to do with that part,” TC explained.

“Did you think they wouldn’t?!” quipped Father Lonigan.

“I just thought I’d focus on getting Eve back.”

Father Lonigan sighed. “TC, what are you remorseful for?”

“For beating Eve and for teaming up with Alistair,” TC answered.

“But you’re not sorry for what you did to Julian and you blame Julian for your actions in kidnapping them and deceiving people with your stroke.”

“Yes.”

Father Lonigan sighed. “TC, the only way I can grant you an absolution for your sins, is that if you repent for kidnapping Julian, along with the rest of your sins, take full responsibility for your actions and stay away from Eve.”

“I can’t do that, Father,” TC answered. “I can’t give up on her.” TC was going to fight for Eve if it was the last thing he did.

“Well then I’m afraid there is nothing I can do,” Father Lonigan told him. “I will pray for you, TC, that you may find God’s goodness again.”

With that, TC got up and left the church and went back home.

~

In front of the church, Katherine was kneeling down in a pew, praying. “Please God, let my Julian come home alive,” she sobbed. “Do what you want to me, but don’t hurt my son. He’s needed here on earth. I’ll do anything you ask, just please bring him home. Eve needs him, his children need him, his siblings need him, I need him. Oh God, how I need him. He’s my first born, my pride and joy. I held him in my arms the day he was born, and I vowed to protect him. I know I have failed in that area, by abandoning him and Sheridan, but I will trade places with him if that's what it takes to bring him home.” Katherine continued to sob, as she felt a flood of tears coming out of her eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the police station, Sam was leading a meeting with the task force to find Julian. He was standing up in front of a table of seated police officers and detectives, including Luis, Fancy, and Paloma. Fancy had reconciled with Noah the night before, and they got back together. That was the only good thing that had happened that week for her. Fancy had spent her time frantically searching for her father, searching in the hills and on the police task force. Sam had let her only work on the task force, as she was too devastated to focus on any other cases. Fancy’s only goal was to find her father.

“Okay people,” Sam said to the team. His tone was serious. “It’s been almost a week and we still don’t have any leads on Julian Crane. We need something.”

“Sam, interpol has checked all of the Crane properties that we know about and they haven’t found anything and all of the leads have turned up dead ends,” Luis said.

“What about the people who saw and interacted with Wagner when they thought he was Daddy?” Fancy asked. “Maybe they noticed something that would be helpful.”

“We’ve already questioned them and they didn’t notice anything,” Sam told her.

“What about the dog handlers?” Luis asked. “Did they pick up Julian’s scent?”

“No, they didn’t turn up anything,” Sam answered. “And since it’s been five months since Julian was originally kidnapped, there was probably nothing for them to find.”

“What about psychics?” asked Paloma. “Maybe they could help.”

“Yesterday, Eve had Grace try to see if she could have a premonition about where Julian was, and she couldn’t see where he was,” Sam explained. “All she knows is that Julian is still alive.”

“Well then he’s obviously somewhere he can’t get away,” Fancy declared. “We can’t just sit here on our behinds. This is my father we are talking about.”

“I know Fancy, and we’re doing everything we can,” Sam reassured her.

“Really?” Fancy asked. “Every minute my father is out there, makes the chances of finding him that much harder. It has been five months. We weren’t able to search for him earlier because he was replaced with an imposter.”

“Fancy don’t forget that Elizabeth Smart was found alive after nine months,” Paloma reassured her, rubbing her arm.

“Yes and she was tortured during her captivity,” Fancy stated.

“Fancy, Paloma’s right,” Sam told her. “There have been people who were found after years of being held captive.”

“I don’t care. I want Daddy home now.”

“What about trying to see if Jessica could reach Spike on the phone, and we could track his location?” Luis asked.

“Jessica’s already tried calling Spike, and he won’t pick up,” Sam replied. “I’m guessing that he knows people are looking for him, and he’s trying not to get caught.”

“Then that puts my father in even more danger,” Fancy exclaimed.

“I know,” Sam told her. “But we need the media right now, in order to find your father. This is how we find missing people.”

Fancy couldn’t take it anymore. She left the room, and went out in the hallway and cried. “Daddy, where are you?” she sobbed. As a cop, she was taught how to save lives, but now she couldn’t even save her own father.

Paloma came out into the hallway, to comfort her friend. “Fancy, are you all right?” she asked.

“No,” Fancy sobbed. “My father has been kidnapped and no one knows where he is. It’s been almost a week. I don’t know how much more of this I can take.”

Paloma put her hands on Fancy’s arms, forcing her to face Paloma. “We’re going to find him,” Paloma reassured. “It’s just going to take some time.”

“How much time?” Fancy cried. “Grandfather will stop at nothing to keep Daddy away from Eve.”

“You can’t think about that now. It’s only going to drive you crazy.”

“I’m already going crazy. He’s my father and we don’t know where he is.”

“I know,” Paloma coaxed, as she took Fancy in her arms and held her as she sobbed.


Chapter Fifty-Eight
Back at the Compound, Spike was pacing the hallway waiting for Alistair’s call. Spike had been following the news about Julian’s kidnapping for the past several days, knowing that if he were caught, his father-in-law would have no problem arresting him. At least Spike knew he had Jessica to back up an alibi for him. All he had to do was threaten Jessica into going to jail for killing all of those dead johns that he had in fact killed. Jessica had been trying to call Spike for the past several days, but he had dodged the calls for fear that the authorities would track him down. The only thing that gave Spike comfort was that there were no leads on Julian’s whereabouts.
Suddenly Spike heard his cell phone ring, and on the caller id it was from Alistair Crane. Spike picked up the phone and put it to his ear. “Yo boss,” Spike said. “It’s me. What’s up?”
“Okay, I want to know what’s going on,” Alistair told Spike. “Does Julian know that people are looking for him?”
“Nope,” Spike answered. “He don’t know nothing.”
“Good, keep it that way,” Alistair said. “What did he say, when I told you to tell my son that Eve and TC were getting remarried?”
“He don’t believe that neither.”
“Damn my idiot son!” Alistair exclaimed.
“If you ask me Boss, he still believes that he and the doc will end up together.”
“Well he’s living in a fantasy world if he thinks that's true.” Alistair told Spike. “I will never let my son be with that black whore again.”
“Got it,” Spike replied.
“The good thing is that there have been no leads on Julian, and everyone still thinks Marty’s dead,” Alistair explained.
“Yeah, but the kid almost died yesterday,” Spike said. “From what I hear Julian saved him.”
“I don’t care if that child lives or dies. Just as long as he’s not raised by Luis and Sheridan, and they stay apart.” Alistair replied.
“Don’t worry Boss. I just do as I’m told,” answered Spike.
“Good,” Alistair said. “Okay now listen to me. I am working on my plan to make sure Julian and Marty are never found. But don’t do anything until you hear from me. In the meantime, I want you to torture Julian and Marty for me.”
“How?” Spike asked.
Alistair gave Spike the instructions, as Spike listened.
~
Back in Julian’s bedroom, Julian was still asleep. He was having a dream that Eve and him were slow dancing at the Blue Note back in Harmony. It was just the two of them in the club, and they were dancing cheek to cheek. The room was candlelit, and soft music was playing in the background.
As they were dancing, Julian cupped Eve’s cheek. “I love you,” he told her.
“I love you too,” Eve told him. “I never stopped.”
“I promise, I will find my way back to you,” Julian told her.
“I’ll be waiting,” Eve told him.
Then they kissed each other passionately.
Julian woke up to feeling Eve holding him, only to see she wasn’t there. However, for a moment Julian felt like he was at peace, to feel the woman he loved holding him. Julian sat up in bed and took the picture of Eve and him from his nightstand and looked at it. He couldn’t help but smile as he looked at her. Julian loved Eve more than life itself. She was his everything. He smiled at how Eve mesmerized him and how wonderful she was. As far as Julian was concerned, Eve was his angel. He considered himself to be the luckiest man in the world to be loved by her. All he wanted to do now was to hold her in his arms and never let her go.
“I love you my Darling,” Julian said to the picture. “I promise we will soon be together again.”
Julian got up to take a shower and get dressed. After Julian came out of the bathroom, he saw that Marty was still lying on Julian’s bed and he had just woken up. “Well good morning Son,” Julian said to his nephew with a smile. “How are you feeling today?”
“Much better,” Marty chirped.
“Really?! That’s great,” Julian said. “But let me take your temperature first.” Julian picked up the thermometer from the nightstand, and sat next to Marty on the bed, and put the thermometer in his ear. It read 98 degrees. “Well it looks like your fever is gone now.”
“Yay,” Marty said, clapping his hands.
“What do you say, we have some breakfast and find something fun to do,” Julian replied.
“Okay,” Marty replied with a smile on his face.
Julian got Marty dressed and then they had breakfast together. It was such a relief for Julian to see that Marty had recovered from his fever. Afterwards, Julian and Marty were sitting on the bed, playing with Marty’s toys. Julian had to admit, spending time with his nephew, took his mind off his troubles and made him feel better for a while.
Then suddenly Spike came into the room. “Good morning Gentleman,” Spike said with a sly smile on his face.
Julian turned to Spike rolling his eyes. “Go away Spike,” he snapped. Julian hated whenever Spike came into the room to taunt him and Marty.
“Come on,” Spike clipped. “Don’t you want to hear what I have to say?”
“No,” Julian snapped, and then turned back to Marty.
“I have an offer for you that you can’t refuse,” Spike bragged.
“Unless it’s about getting out of here and going back to Harmony, I don’t want to hear it,” Julian clipped.
“Actually it is.”
Julian’s eyes widened as he looked at Spike. “What?”
“How would you like to go home and be set free?”
Julian knew there had to be some other motive behind this. In the beginning of his captivity, Julian offered Spike all the money in the world to be set free, but Spike refused. Why was Spike offering Julian his freedom now? “What is this? What game are you playing?” Julian asked.
“Aint no game. In the spirit of the holidays, I thought it would be nice for you to go home.”
“You don’t have a nice bone in your body,” Julian pointed out.
“Come on. Think about it,” persuaded Spike. “Being back with your precious doctor. I’ll bet she’s an animal in bed.”
“Shut your mouth,” Julian snapped, pointing his finger at Spike, trying to fight every urge not to strangle him.
“I’m just trying to help you,” Spike clipped. “You’re the one who wants to get out of here so badly.”
Julian rolled his eyes. “Okay, what’s the catch?”
“No catch, expect one.”
“I knew it,” Julian quipped.
“If you leave here and go back to Harmony, you leave the kid here and never tell anyone that he’s alive,” Spike explained.
“No!!!!!!” Marty cried, with tears forming in his eyes.
Julian immediately put his arms around Marty. “Have you lost your mind, man?!” Julian exclaimed. “No way in hell will I do that.”
“Come on, it’s your freedom,” Spike pointed out.
“Absolutely not,” Julian shouted. “I am not leaving here without my nephew.”
“What about the good lady doctor you claim to love so much?” Spike rubbed in.
“Eve wouldn’t want me to leave here without Marty,” Julian declared. “She’d never respect me again.”
“She ain’t that moral,” Spike pointed out. “She did help break up my in-laws' marriage.”
“You watch your mouth Spike,” Julian snarled.
“Well it’s true,” Spike quipped.
“You know damn well she was blackmailed into that,” Julian shouted. “She’s got more moral integrity than you anyday.”
“Ain’t nobody would have to know, Marty was still alive,” Spike explained.
Julian couldn’t believe how sick Spike was being. He knew Alistair had to be behind this, in an effort to torture him and Marty. However, Julian was not going to give in. “I will not leave Marty here without me to protect him,” Julian shouted. “I will not betray my sister again.”
“Don’t leave me Uncle Julian,” Marty cried, grabbing onto his uncle for dear life.
“No, don't worry son, I won’t,” Julian replied as he held onto Marty.
“Even if it means that Eve remarries TC,” Spike pointed out.
“Eve doesn’t love TC,” Julian snapped with irritation in his voice. “She loves me.”
“Denial again,” Spike quipped.
“No TC is the one who is in denial,” Julian yelled. “And so are you if you think you’re going to get away with this.”
“Your old man ain’t never going to let you out, unless you leave the kid,” Spike stressed.
“Either Marty leaves with me or I’m not leaving,” Julian stated.
“Suit yourself. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
After Spike left and locked the door, Marty burst into tears. Julian took him in his lap, sitting over the edge of the bed and held him and rocked him.
“It’s okay son,” Julian coaxed. “I’m here.” Julian kissed Marty on top of his head.
“I’m scared Uncle Julian,” Marty sobbed. “I don’t want to be here alone.”
“Son, look at me,” Julian said to Marty.
Marty looked up at his uncle.
“I promise I will never leave here without you,” Julian told the child. “I promised you I would stay here with you and protect you and that is exactly what I’m going to do.”
“What about Eve?” Marty asked.
“Eve wouldn’t want me to leave you here,” Julian explained. “She’ll understand.”
“I hate Grandpa and Spike,” Marty cried. “They’re mean.”
“I know,” Julian replied, wiping the tears away from Marty’s eyes, with his thumbs. “I hate them too. But remember good always wins over evil. Someday your grandfather and Spike will be punished and you and I will get out of here.”
Julian continued sitting, holding Marty, rocking him as he continued to cry.
Chapter Fifty-Nine

Back in Harmony, later that morning, Ethan scheduled a meeting with Eve and the Cranes, at the search center in the conference room, to deal with TC’s upcoming court hearings. Of course, the last thing any of them wanted was to be pulled away from the search, but they had no choice for the time being. Whitney and Simone offered to go with Eve for moral support, and Eve accepted.

When Eve (who still wore her sunglasses) and the girls reached the conference room, all of the Cranes were there sitting at the conference table. Everyone looked at Whitney and Simone when they came in, feeling surprised that they were there. As soon as everyone looked at them, Whitney and Simone felt awkward, worrying that the Cranes would be angry with them about what their father did.

“We came to support Mom.” Simone told the Cranes. “I hope it’s okay that we’re here.”

“Of course it’s okay,” Katherine replied warmly. She had always liked Eve’s daughters and held no ill will against them for what their father did.

“We are so unbelievably sorry about what our father did,” Whitney told them. “We had nothing to do with it and if we had known we would have called the police.”

“We know you had nothing to do with it,” Fox answered.

“It’s okay,” replied Sheridan. “We don’t hold you responsible for what your father did, nor do we have any anger towards the two of you. We’re sorry for what you’re going through now.”

“Thank you,” said Simone.

“Why don’t we all begin,” Ethan said.

Eve sat down at the conference table, with the girls sitting on either side of her.

“Okay,” Ethan began. “I’ve spoken with the DA’s office and as for the domestic violence charge, if convicted, TC will be facing a minimum of five years in prison. However, TC has hired a very slick lawyer, Greg Marcus. He’s known to be a shark. TC wants to take a plea bargain for the domestic violence charge. His lawyer is asking for leniency and wants to plead TC out to probation, community service, anger management classes, and domestic violence intervention.”

“Is this lawyer out of his mind?” Eve exclaimed. “Has he seen the pictures of my bruises?”

“He has,” answered Ethan. “But that’s what they’re going for.”

“Absolutely not!” Eve exclaimed. “I want TC to have the maximum penalty.”

“I know Eve, I want that too,” Ethan replied. “However, it’s going to be up to a judge to decide.”

“Okay, well then how can we win?” asked Eve.

“I’ve asked Marlena Evans to testify,” Ethan explained, “And Eve I am going to need to put you on the witness stand.”

“Of course,” Eve replied.

Ethan turned to Simone. “Simone I know this isn’t going to be easy for you, but I am going to need you to testify against your father about the time he slapped you and about his character.”

“Of course I’ll do it,” Simone replied. “Daddy needs to be punished.”

“What about the school board hearing and the Coach’s license?” Chad asked.

“Well before I get into that,” Ethan explained. “I should let all of you know that TC is pleading insanity to the kidnapping and fraud charges.”

“Based on what?!” Fancy exclaimed.

“Well TC’s lawyer is claiming that Julian drove TC insane by ruining his tennis career and his family,” Ethan replied.

“That’s ridiculous,” Eve exclaimed. “Julian never drove TC to do anything. TC has always had a problem with anger.”

“I know that,” said Ethan. “We all know that. But the question is how do we convince a jury.”

“Ethan, we can't let that happen,” Fox said.

“I know and I’m going to talk to the DA and try to do everything we can,” Ethan replied. “As for the school board hearing, it’s tomorrow night.”

“That soon?” Sheridan asked.

“Yes, I’m afraid so,” Ethan replied. “I want somebody from the family to go there and talk to the board about why TC should be fired for his crimes.”

“I’ll do it,” Fox volunteered. He was determined to make his father’s kidnapper pay.

“Good,” Ethan said. “The domestic violence hearing is going to be held the day after tomorrow. So Eve I want you to stick around for some dispositions.”

“Okay,” Eve replied as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

“The DA should be here any minute to discuss strategy,” Ethan explained.

At that moment the DA walked into the conference room, and to everyone’s surprise and horror it was Grace Nancier.

“Well hello Eve,” Ms. Nancier said with a sly smile. “Long time no see.”

“What is she doing here?” Eve exclaimed to Ethan, pointing to Ms. Nancier, as her eyes widened. Eve knew how evil and ruthless Grace Nancier was, especially from her trial last year. Everyone in that room knew that Ms. Nancier was not going to help someone she once prosecuted.

“Grace, what are you doing here?” Ethan asked, having a bad feeling about this.

“Haven’t you heard?” Ms. Nancier asked, as she sat down at the conference table. “I’m Harmony’s new DA.”

“Oh God!!!” Eve groaned, hanging her face in her hand. She knew this was bad and dealing with Grace Nancier was the last thing she needed right now. Whitney and Simone both put their hands on Eve’s back and arms comforting her.

“You’re going to be trying this case?” Sheridan asked in disbelief.

“I most certainly am, only not in the way that you think.”

“I knew it,” said Fox.

“Did you all think I was going to put Dr. Eve Johnson on the stand as the victim when we all know that she is a triple attempted murderer?”

“I didn’t try to kill anyone,” Eve exclaimed.

“And I’m supposed to believe a liar like you?” Ms. Nancier quipped.

“Leave my Mother alone,” Simone shouted at Ms. Nancier.

“I’m only doing my job Sweetheart,” Ms. Nancier told Simone.

“Sure,” Whitney snapped at Ms. Nancier. “Trying to have an innocent woman sent to jail for crimes she didn’t commit and then berating her while her fiance’s been kidnapped. Nice.”

“How can you defend your mother after everything she’s done to you two?!” Ms. Nancier quipped.

“Our mother is a wonderful mother and a wonderful person,” Simone countered.

“You two poor dears, you're clearly in denial.” Ms. Nancier replied feigning sympathy.

“We are not in denial!” Whitney cried. “We were horrible to her when her past came out, especially me.”

“How do you know that your mother didn’t have anything to do with Mr. Crane’s kidnapping?” Ms. Nancier asked.

“I did not have anything to do with Julian’s kidnapping,” Eve shouted. “The police cleared me and I took a lie detector test.”

“Easy enough to fake for a liar like you,” Ms. Nancier countered.

Eve grimaced, feeling her blood boil over. “I would never try to hurt him. I love him with every fiber of my being.”

“Sure you do,” Ms. Nancier replied with a sarcastic tone. “And that’s why you went back to your ex-husband.”

“Yes I was stupid to do that,” Eve exclaimed, “but it wasn’t because I stopped loving Julian.”

“Alright that’s enough,” Ethan declared to Ms. Nancier. “I want to know what you are going to do to make sure TC Russell receives the maximum sentence for the assault and battery of my client.”

“Nothing,” Ms. Nancier clipped.

“What?!” exclaimed Chad.

“You heard me, nothing. I think after being married to someone like Eve, Coach Russell snapped and Eve drove him to it.”

“Oh you think I drove TC to this?!” Eve exclaimed, taking off her sunglasses exposing her bruised face.

“Ouch,” Ms. Nancier replied when she saw Eve’s bruises. “But yes I do. Which is why I want to accept the Coach’s plea bargain. Along with accepting his insanity plea for the kidnapping and fraud charges.”

“Oh I get it,” Ethan replied. “Because having Eve as the victim would make you look bad after you prosecuted her last year.”

“Whatever works, counselor,” Ms. Nancier replied.

“How dare you?!,” Katherine shouted at Ms. Nancier. “My son has been kidnapped and all you care about is your own reputation?! You’re supposed to go after criminals, not their victims. Julian and Eve are victims in this and they deserve to be treated as victims.”

“My Grandmother’s right,” Fancy said, with anger in her voice. “I have heard you going after people like TC with less evidence than this.

“I’m the DA,” Ms. Nancier clipped. “I have discredition to do what I want.”

“Well not this time,” Fox replied with anger in his voice, standing up from his seat. “I’ve had it with you lady. I want your next best guy on this case, and I want your office to go for the maximum penalty for TC Russell. And if you and your office doesn’t do that and if you so much as look in my father’s fiance’s direction, we will sue and have you disbarred.”

“Are you threatening me Mr. Crane?!” Ms. Nancier quipped, surprised that anyone would threaten a DA.

“No, it’s a promise,” Fox shouted. “And don’t think we can’t do it. We’re Cranes. Our family owns this town. Our tax dollars pay for your salary.”

“And I’ll be sure to represent the Crane family in that as their lawyer,” Ethan chimed in.

“Fine,” Ms. Nancier replied in a huff and walked out the door.

As soon as Ms. Nancier left, Eve turned to Fox. “Fox, are you sure that was wise? Threatening the DA? She could make things worse.”

“Eve, I know what I’m doing,” Fox replied. “I’ve got the Crane power here and my Dad would never forgive me if I let anything happen to you.”

“He’s right Eve,” Ethan replied. “I can fight this.”

“Okay,” Eve replied, trusting Fox and Ethan’s judgment.

“So what do we do now?” asked Fancy.

“I’m going to take Eve, Simone, and Marlena to prepare for depositions for TC’s assault and battery charge,” Ethan explained. “The rest of you continue with the search and keep your cell phones on in case I need to call you for any statements.”

Chapter Sixty

Back at the Compound, that evening, Julian had just finished putting Marty to bed. Julian let Marty sleep in Julian’s bed that evening given that Marty was still shaken up by Spike’s threats earlier that day. After Marty fell asleep, Julian changed into his pajamas and bathrobe and sat in the window seat, looking outside at the moon and the stars. The lights were off in the room, with the exception of the Christmas lights on.

As Julian looked out the window, he wondered what Eve was doing at that moment. Was she thinking about him? Did she suspect that she was dealing with an imposter yet? Was she safe from TC and Wagner? Did she miss him the way he missed her?

Julian felt a tear pour down his cheek. It just felt all too much to bear. Five months felt like an eternity to him. He remembered the first time he ever laid eyes on Eve. She was so beautiful. It was love at first sight for him. He knew right there and then that she was the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Julian and Eve had so many dreams together about getting married, finding their son, traveling to Europe, among other things. They should have been planning their wedding right now and preparing for Christmas. Instead Julian was being held hostage.

The only thing Julian wanted for Christmas that year, so he could be set free with Marty, go back to Harmony and be reunited with Eve. Julian knew that if Wagner hadn’t been discovered as a fraud yet, he would have a lot of convincing to do for people so they would believe that Julian was who he said he was. The only thing that was giving Julian hope was the message from Timmy saying that he would be out of there, but it still hadn’t happened yet.

Julian felt so guilty for doubting Eve’s love for him last summer before he was kidnapped. He knew Eve frequently blamed herself for things that weren’t her fault and let guilt cloud her judgment. If he hadn’t let his jealousy get the better of him maybe he could have reasoned with Eve, and his father and TC’s plan would have backfired. Julian was furious with Wagner for the way he treated Eve. Julian never wanted to handle the situation with Eve the way Wagner did and he didn’t agree with anything Wagner said or did to Eve.

That reminded him of the night that Wagner planned that rooftop dinner for him and Eve at the hospital. The whole thing had been a set up between TC and Wagner, and Julian saw them put it together on the monitors. The whole point was to make Eve lose faith in Julian even more and throw her off balance. The waiter who was serving Eve and Julian was one of Alistair’s goons, who was in on it. The nurse who called Eve on her cell phone was really TC on a voice discorder. Once everything was set up, Wagner paged Eve and had her come up to the roof.

Eve: Hello? I was paged up here. Is anyone here? Hello?

Wagner/Julian: I paged you.

Eve: Julian, what on earth--?

Wagner turned on the lights, and Julian saw Eve fall for it.

“What are you doing?” Julian shouted at Wagner, not liking Wagner romance the woman he loved.

Eve: Julian, it's lovely.

Wagner/Julian: Well, things have not been--have not been good between us for quite some time and it's my fault.

“You’re damn right it’s your fault!!” Julian shouted at Wagner.

Wagner/Julian: I miss you. I want to make it right again. I thought perhaps a romantic interlude this evening with just the two of us.

Eve: Oh, Julian. This is just what we needed.

Then Julian saw Eve and Wagner kiss and then began to slow dance.

“Hey get your hands off my fiance!” Julian shouted at Wagner. Julian didn’t know what bothered him more. The fact that Wagner was trying to come on to Eve or that Eve thinking that Julian had regressed.

Eve: Can you feel it?

Wagner/Julian: Feel what?

Eve: Romance, it's in the very air. Oh, Julian, this is magic.

Julian breathed a sigh of relief knowing that Eve still loved him.

Wagner/Julian: I've been such a fool. I mean, I'm so tired of arguing with you. I wanted to show you how much I love you.

Eve: You don't have to show me. I know it.

Julian breathed a sigh of relief again. He was glad to know that Eve still had faith in their love.

Wagner/Julian: And those things that you heard me say to Fox at the fair --

Eve: No, no, let's not talk about that. Suffice it to say that I know that the man that I love would never revert to that despicable creature that I loathed all those years.

“I wouldn’t,” Julian cried. “I swear Eve.”

Wagner/Julian: Well, it's just --

Eve: And this distance between us -- it's my fault, too, because I've been so worried about TC.

“It’s not your fault Darling,” Julian told her. “You’re being tricked.”

Wagner/Julian: Well, of course you have, and I totally understand.

Eve: Do you?

Wagner/Julian: Well, yes. I mean, watching you spend every free moment of your time with your former husband doesn't exactly thrill me, but I'll put up with it.

“I’m not putting up with anything!” Julian shouted at Wagner. “I will find my way out of here and put an end to your charade.”

Eve: You don't know how it makes me feel to hear you say that.

A while later Eve and Wagner were having dinner when Eve’s cell phone rang.

Eve: Oh, shoot. I'm sorry, honey. I am on call.

Wagner/Julian: Of course.

Eve: Dr. Russell.

Then Julian saw on the opposite screen, TC on his cell phone using a voice discorder pretending to be his nurse.

Eve: No. No, nurse. No, don't listen to him. You have to stay there with him, he needs you. Well, I don't care what he says, you listen to me. Is that clear? Ok. Good night then.

Then Eve turned to Wagner.

Eve: TC’s nurse. He blew up at her and then he threw her out of the house.

Wagner/Julian: Oh, not again.

Eve: I told her to go back. He can't stay there alone.

Wagner/Julian: He's acting like a child.

“No, he’s a fraud and so are you,” Julian shouted at Wagner.

Eve: Well, he's hurt, Julian. Not being able to take care of himself is a huge blow to his pride.

“He’s not hurt, he’s faking it. The only thing that’s a blow to his pride is that he doesn’t have Eve.”

Wagner/Julian: I know.

Eve: I'm sorry that it came into our evening.

Wagner/Julian: Don't -- stop -- don't be absurd. I'm in love with a doctor. I have to accept the consequences.

Eve’s phone rang again, with TC on the other end, pretending to be the nurse.

Julian rolled his eyes.

Eve: I'm sorry, baby. Dr. Russell.

As Eve picked up the phone she said, “Nurse, plea -- I know that my hu -- that my ex-husband's a difficult patient. Can you hold on for a minute? Honey, can I just -- it's just going to take a minute. Will you excuse me?”

Wagner/Julian” Oh, certainly, go ahead, go ahead.

After a while with Eve on the phone with TC, Wagner signals for the fake waiter to come by.

Wagner/Julian: Don't touch that. We're not finished with our appetizers.

Man: I'm sorry, sir. The next course --

Wagner/Julian: Leave them alone, you idiot, and leave!

Eve: Julian, what's wrong with you? You almost took that poor guy's head off.

Wagner/Julian: You're what's wrong with me.

“Hey don’t talk to her like that!” Julian shouted at Wagner.

Eve: You just said that you loved me.

Wagner/Julian: I do love you, but this damn business with TC.

Eve: You just said that you understood.

Wagner/Julian: I do understand, but I can understand and not like it, can't I? You can't stop checking on the man for one moment, let alone one evening.

“That’s because you all are manipulating her,” Julian shouted at Wagner. “Don’t blame her.”

Eve: What do you want me to do, Julian? He's had a stroke. He can't take care of himself.

“Trust me he can take care of himself,” Julian said to the monitor.

Wagner/Julian: Well, I'll tell you, that's what the nurses are for. That's what I'm paying for.

“No, I’m paying for the nurses, so he can pretend he’s had a stroke.” Julian shouted at Wagner.

Eve: Don't throw that in my face, ok? Now, he won't let them do their jobs. The only person he'll let help him is me, and he throws me out half the time.

Wagner/Julian: That is TC's choice. He's stubborn and pigheaded like he's always been. You can't do anything about that.

“For once I agree with you,” Julian told Wagner.

Eve: Yes, but it doesn't stop me from worrying about him.

“Darling, you don’t need to worry about him,” Julian cried. “He’s faking it.”

Wagner/Julian: Worrying about him? You're obsessed with him. You put his welfare above everything else in your life -- your job, your children, me. All I wanted was a pleasant, romantic evening with the woman I love -- my fiancée -- but you can't stop talking on the damn phone every damn minute to your damn ex-husband. Enough is enough!

Eve: You know what, Julian? You're absolutely right. Enough is enough. I'm leaving.

Wagner/Julian: Go ahead then. Get out. Damn it!

After Eve left, Wagner and the fake waiter gave each other a high five and called TC on his cell phone letting him know that they pulled it off.

Julian snapped back to the present. “When I get back to Harmony I am going to ring Wagner’s neck and make sure that he goes to prison for the rest of his life,” Julian said out loud with anger in his voice. As far as Julian was concerned, Wagner making Eve think that Julian had regressed was too much for him. It broke Julian’s heart to see the pain in Eve’s eyes when Wagner was cruel to her. She didn’t deserve that. Julian would never have treated Eve that way even when he was the old Julian.

Then Julian remembered after Eve went back to TC’s house, after she broke up with Julian, she went back to the mansion to get a brooch that Julian had won her at a carnival booth once. Julian saw on the monitors that TC called Wagner to let him know that Eve was coming to the mansion to pick up something of hers and told Wagner to be on guard. When Wagner walked into Julian’s bedroom, he saw Eve there.

Wagner/Julian: What are you doing here?

Eve: I'm sorry. I just -- I thought that I would be gone before you got back from the fund raiser --

Wagner/Julian: I don't mean to disappoint you, I left early because I had to conduct overseas business.

Eve: Well, don't let me keep you, I just wanted to get some things -- some of my things.

Julian: I thought I had all of your things packed up and sent over to TC's house. That's where you're shacking up now isn't it, with your invalid ex-husband?

“We all know he’s not an invalid,” Julian shouted at Wagner.

Eve: You know I'm staying at TC's.

“Darling, get away from him and Wagner as soon as you can,” Julian told Eve over the monitors. “They are setting you up.”

Wagner/Julian: The lovemaking must be grand with his weakened limbs and his drool-infused speech.

Julian rolled his eyes at Wagner’s remark.

Eve: Whoever packed up my things forgot something. I just wanted to come over and get it.

As soon as Eve said that, Julian recognized the brooch he had won her at a carnival booth. It brought a small smile to his face as the memory came back to him and knowing that Eve still loved him.

Wagner/Julian: You should make sure that you take everything I gave you, that only proves what I came to realize that you are nothing but a gold digging whore.

“Watch your mouth!” Julian yelled at Wagner wanting to ring his neck for verbally abusing Eve like that.

Eve: I have better things to do than listen to you call me names.

“Good for you Eve,” Julian told her. “Don’t let him talk to you like that.”

Wagner/Julian: By that, you mean pillaging the mansion for other valuables. I wouldn't bother, security will be waiting to frisk you before you leave.

Eve: I was so stupid to come back for this.

Wagner/Julian: Because I caught you stealing it?

Eve: For your information, Julian, it isn't even real. It's something that you won for me at a fundraiser, at a stupid little carnival booth.

Wagner/Julian: I did?

“Yes I did,” Julian shouted at Wagner. “I remember those precious memories Eve and I had together.”

Eve: Yes, and you were so cute. Because you wanted to impress me with your ring toss ability except you were so bad at it you had to keep playing and playing to win. I think you could have gotten me a real broach for what you paid for that one. It meant a lot to me Julian and that's why I came back to get it.

Wagner/Julian: I'm sorry.

Eve: No, just shut up. I don't even want to hear it. I just want to forget that I ever knew you.

Then Julian saw Eve throw the brooch on the floor and step on it, and left the room.

Wagner/Julian: Make sure to use the back way. Whores like you aren't fit to use the front door.

“You bastard!” Julian yelled at Wagner.

As Julian came back to the present, he realized that in the entire time he had been held hostage at the compound he could tell that Eve still loved him. Julian knew that Eve was angry at what she thought was him, and he didn’t blame her. But when Julian looked in her eyes, he could tell Eve missed him as much as he missed her.

Chapter Sixty-One

The next evening, at Harmony HIgh School, in the school gym, everyone was gathered for TC’s school board hearing regarding whether he should be fired or not. There was a long conference table in front with five chairs where the school board members were going to sit. Another folding chair was next to the table where the witnesses would sit when they were called to testify. Across from the long conference table were two smaller tables, where the lawyers would sit. Behind the two tables were chairs for the spectators, reporters and witnesses.

Fox sat on the prosecution's side, wearing a business suit and a button on his jacket, with a picture of his father that said ‘find Julian Crane.’ He was going to testify for the prosecution. The past week had been torture for Fox. Like the rest of his family he had barely slept or eaten, and was in a state of panic and grief. While Fox and Julian had their differences over the years, Fox had still loved his father and admired him for the good man he became in the past few years. Fox so badly wanted a chance to tell his father how much he loved him. He just hoped it wasn’t too late. ‘Please God, let Dad come home safe,’ Fox prayed silently, to himself. ‘Please let justice be done here tonight.’

At that moment, a TV reporter and camera person came up to Fox and put a microphone and a camera in his face, “Mr. Crane,” the TV reporter asked. “What do you hope happens tonight for TC Russell?”

Fox rolled his eyes. This seemed like an inane question. “What do you think I want to happen for him?!” Fox snapped with annoyance in his voice. “I want him to be punished and if there is any justice in this world, he will be.”

“How is your family holding up?” the TV reporter asked.

“We’re all devastated, that’s all I can say,” Fox replied. With that the reporter left.

Then Luis came in with his police uniform on and sat next to Fox. “Hey, how’s it going?”

“Hey,” Fox replied. “What are you doing here?”

“The prosecution asked me to testify,” Luis replied.

“Oh well thank you.”

“How are you doing?” Luis asked with concern.

“Not too good,” Fox replied, in a grave tone.

“I’m sorry,” Luis comforted. “I know your Dad would be grateful for everything you’re doing for him.”

“Thank you,” Fox replied, wiping the tears from his eyes.

TC and his lawyer were sitting on the defense table. TC was wearing a business suit and tapping his foot feeling nervous about the outcome of the hearing. He needed to get his job back so he could support himself financially. All he could do was hope that the school board would go easy on him.

“Stop tapping your foot,” Mr. Marcus whispered to TC. “I need you to sit here, look emotionless and don’t say anything unless you’re spoken to.”

“Okay, sorry,” TC replied, and he stopped tapping his foot. TC had asked Sam to come for moral support, but Sam refused saying that it would be in conflict of interest with his job to represent the state. Except for Sam, TC didn’t have a friend left in the world.

At that moment, the school board members took their seats. The president of the school board, Dana Parks, sat in the middle of the table with two other school board members on either side of her. President Parks pounded her gavel on the table and everyone in the room stopped talking. “This hearing will now come to order,” Parks said. “We are here in the matter regarding the termination of employment of TC Russell. We will hear from all sides, however, the final decision will be up to the school board. Is counsel ready for opening statements?”

“Yes, we are,” replied Soyna Madison, the prosecutor for the school board.

“We are too,” replied Mr. Marcus.

“Prosecution, when you’re ready,” Ms. Parks said to Ms. Madison.

Ms. Madison stood up in front of the school board, and began her opening statement. “Ladies and gentleman,” she began. “We are here today, because the defendant TC Russell, an employee at Harmony High School, committed not one, not two, but three deliberate and calculated felonies. Kidnapping, fraud, and assault and battery. Many of you have heard by now the story of the love triangle between the defendant, his ex-wife Dr. Eve Johnson, and her lover Julian Crane. Now may I remind you ladies and gentlemen, the defendant’s marriage to Dr. Eve Johnson ended two years before, because the defendant found out that his wife wasn’t perfect and had a romantic relationship with Julian Crane years before the defendant met his ex-wife. He kicked her out of their home, emotionally abused her, and divorced her in one of the nastiest divorce cases this town has ever seen. However, we are here today about the latest development regarding the defendant’s acts.

Last summer, the defendant was feeling depressed over the end of his marriage to Dr. Eve Johnson. Instead of getting help for his depression, he selfishly and recklessly drove drunk causing him to have a car accident and end up in a coma. When he woke up from his coma, Alistair Crane, Julian Crane’s father, came into the defendant’s hospital room and told the defendant he could help the defendant get back with his ex-wife if he teamed with him in breaking up his son and Dr. Johnson. His plan? First, it was for the defendant to fake a stroke, to make his ex-wife feel sorry for him. Second, it was to kidnap Julian Crane, and replace him with an imposter to make Dr. Johnson think that her fiance Julian Crane had turned against her, causing her to break up with him. Finally, the defendant, who has a problem with anger, viciously beat Dr. Johnson.

Now the defendant is currently awaiting a criminal trial on these charges, and has admitted to committing all of these crimes. However, the defense wants you to think that Julian Crane, the victim in this case, drove the defendant insane. Let me assure you ladies and gentleman, that is not the case. You will hear from witnesses that the defendant has a severe problem with anger management and has hated the victim for years and has shown abuse to his ex-wife. Evidence will show you that the victim never on any occasion intentionally hurt the defendant.

To allow the defendant to continue to teach at Harmony High School would be the same as condoning his crimes. There are young impressional students at this school and they don’t need to think that this kind of behavior is okay. Therefore I ask that the school board terminate the defendant's employment.”

Ms. Madison sat back down at the prosecution’s table and Mr. Marcus stood up and gave his opening statement.

“Ladies and Gentleman,” Mr. Marcus began. “My client, TC Russell, has been a dedicated teacher and coach at Harmony High School for years. He has inspired students, and helped take sports teams to state and national tournaments. Until now, he has never had a criminal record. I can guarantee you the victim in this case, Julian Crane, is no angel.”

Fox’s mouth dropped open in disgust, fighting every urge not to shout out and tell the lawyer differently. Luis put his hand on Fox’s arm to pacify him.

“Years ago, before my client met his ex-wife, the victim, Julian Crane and Dr. Eve Johnson were lovers. Mr. Crane introduced Dr. Johnson to drugs, alcohol, and casual sex. During that time, my client was a talented tennis player with hopes of going to the Olympics and Winbolton. However, on the night of an important match, my client was driving to the match, Mr. Crane and Dr. Johnson were drinking and driving. They ended up hitting my client’s car, and then drove off. My client's knee was destroyed by the accident ending his tennis career. My client ended up marrying Dr. Johnson years later, not knowing about her past with the victim. Then two years ago, he learned about Mr. Crane’s love affair with his wife along with the truth about the accident that ended his tennis career, causing their marriage to end. The victim, Julian Crane, stole away my client’s dreams of a tennis career and corrupted the woman he loved, and destroyed his marriage and his family.”

Fox grimaced and tried to stand up, but Luis held him back.

“For months my client was severely depressed over the loss of his marriage. Then when Mr. Russell had hit rock bottom, the victim’s father, Alistair Crane offered my client help with getting his family back together. My client snapped and lost all sense of right and wrong and went along with Alistair Crane’s scheme.”

As the prosecution said, we are not here to determine guilt or innocence. We are here to determine whether my client should have his job back. Given the state of his mind, we ask that you offer leniency to my client and offer him his job back with probation. Thank you.”

Mr. Marcus sat back down in his seat next to TC.

Ms. Madison stood up and said, “The prosecution calls Tom Iverson to the stand.”

Principal Inverson stood up and walked to the witness stand and was sworn in and sat down in the witness chair.

“State your name for the record,” Ms. Madison said to Principal Inverson, as she approached him.

“Tom Inverson,” he answered.

“What is your profession?” Ms. Madison asked.

“I am the principal at Harmony High School.”

“How do you know the defendant?” Ms. Madison asked.

“He is one of my teachers,” Principal Iverson replied. “He has served as head of the athletic department as a teacher and as a coach.”

“Principal Iverson, I’d like to take you back to last summer,” Ms. Madison stated. “What if any news did you hear about the defendant?”

“I heard that he had been in a car accident and had a stroke,” Principal Iverson explained. “His ex-wife told me he needed to take a leave of absence from work so he could recover.”

“Did you grant him that leave?” Ms. Madison asked.

“Of course,” answered Principal Iverson.

“Did you have any idea at the time that the defendant was faking the stroke?” Ms. Madison asked.

“Absolutely not.” answered Principal Iverson with conviction in his voice. “Had I known I never would have granted him the leave.”

“So the defendant lied to you?”

“Objection,” Mr. Marcus said standing up. “Counsel is leading the witness”

“Overruled,” President Parks stated and turned to Principal Iverson. “The witness may answer.”

“Yes, he lied,” replied Principal Iverson.

“Mr. Iverson, when did you learn about the defendant faking his stroke and the other crimes he committed?” Ms. Madison asked.

“Less than a week ago,” Principal Iverson answered.

“What kind of adverse publicity has the defendant’s actions caused the school?” Ms. Madison asked.

“It’s been terrible,” Principal Iverson answered with anger in his voice. “The media has been calling off the hook asking why we would hire someone like that. Parents have been calling in saying they don’t want Coach Russell teaching their kids anymore. It’s been havoc.”

“Mr. Iverson, do you have any opinion on whether the defendant should keep his job or not?”

“I’ve never had a problem with the guy personally before this. But after this, I don’t think I can look him in the eye and wonder if he’s lying to me or not. I don’t know what he’s capable of anymore. Like I said this has caused the school adverse publicity, and I don’t think giving Coach Russell his job back would set a good example to the other students. So no, I don't want him back.”

TC hung his head, knowing that his boss that he had always gotten along with, had now turned against him.

“No further questions.” Ms. Madison sat back down at the prosecution's table.

Mr. Marcus stood up and approached the witness and began questioning. “Mr. Iverson, up until now, Coach Russell has been a loyal employee, is that correct?”

“Yes,” Principal Iverson answered.

“Inspired his students?” Mr. Marcus asked.

“Yes.”

Fox rolled his eyes at TC’s lawyer glorifying him after what TC did to his father.

“Taken teams to state and national championships?” Mr. Marcus asked.

“Yes.”

“Helped his students?”

“Yes.”

“So you’re more concerned about how my client's behavior looks for the school, than the fact that my client wasn’t mentally well at the time? Mr. Marcus asked.

“Objection, badgering,” Ms. Madison replied as she stood up.

“Sustained,” said President Parks.

“Let me rephrase,” Mr. Marcus said. “You are letting one mistake that my client made, while he was not in his right mind, ruin years of loyal service to your school?

“It wasn’t just one mistake,” Principal Iverson answered. “He broke the law, Three of them. And they were not minor laws.”

“You are aware that the reason why he did what he did was because he was insane at the time? Mr. Marcus asked.

“Objection.” Ms. Madison replied as she stood up again. “That has not been proven yet.”

“Let me rephrase,” Mr. Marcus said. “You are aware of the fact we are going with an insanity plea for his crimes?

“Yes,” replied Principal Iverson. “And while I’m not a psychiatrist or a mental health expert, either way I don’t condone his actions. I don’t want my students copying his behavior or thinking that kind of behavior is okay.”

“You’re also angry at my client for the bad publicity this has cost you?” Mr. Marcus asked.

“Of course I’m angry,” Principal Iverson snapped.

“And you want my client to be punished for that?” Mr. Marcus asked.

“If you mean if I want him to take responsibility for his actions then yes I do.” Principal Iverson answered. “I believe in holding my teachers and students responsible for their actions and that no one is above the law.”

“Mr. Iverson, the Crane family donates a large amount of money to this school?” Mr. Marcus asked.

“That is correct.”

“So the outcome of this hearing could affect the school’s funding?

“I don’t know and that’s not on my mind right now.”

“But if the Crane family did cut the funding that would have a negative impact for the school?

“Yes it would.”

“No further questions.”

Chapter Sixty-Two

Back at the Compound, Julian was in his pajamas and bathrobe and was tucking Marty into bed, in Marty’s bed room. After Julian read him a story, Marty said his prayers.

“God bless Mommy, and Daddy, and Uncle Julian, and Eve. And please God let Uncle Julian and I leave here and go home to Harmony to be with the people we love. Amen.”

“Amen,” Julian replied.

“Uncle Julian,” asked Marty. “Do you pray for us to get out of here too?”

“Everyday,” Julian replied, with a smile on his face.

“Then why are we still here?” Marty asked.

“I don’t know,” Julian replied with a heavy heart. “But I know that God has not forgotten about us and he loves us.”

“I hate it here,” Marty replied as he scowled.

“Me too,” Julian replied, caressing his nephew’s cheek. “But we still have each other, and we’ll get through this.”

“I’m glad,” Marty replied, smiling, feeling a little better from his Uncle Julian’s words.

Julian leaned over to give Marty a kiss on the forehead. “Good night Son.”

“Good night Uncle Julian.”

Julian turned on Marty’s night light and closed the door. He turned off the lights in his room with only the Christmas lights on, and then he sat in his window seat looking out into the night sky.

The days and nights felt long to Juliian. He was sick and tired of being locked up in one room, not having his freedom, and being away from Eve. Julian hated that Eve thought he regressed. It broke his heart whenever Wagner was cruel to Eve and seeing the pain in her eyes. Never in a million years would Julian have treated Eve that way. The fact that TC and Wagner could put her through that made his blood boil.

It reminded him of the day that Eve broke up with Wagner thinking he was Julian. Eve had been at the book cafe upset about the construction being done in her office and Wagner came in and sat down at Eve’s table.

Eve: Julian. A construction crew came to the hospital last night and started remodeling the entire office wing. The entire place is a construction site. I have no office -- no place to work, no place to see patients.

“What?!” Julian was confused as to why that had happened.

Wagner/Julian: Ah, not to worry. I know all about it.

“This I’d like to hear,” Julian snapped at Wagner through the monitors.

Wagner/Julian: I wanted to surprise you. I authorized the construction. I hired the architect, the contractors. Before you know it, you'll have a whole new workplace.

“You did what?!” Julian shouted.

Eve: Julian, how could you do such a thing?

“I would like to know that too,” Julian said to Wagner.

Eve: What would possess you to make such a huge decision that affects my professional life behind my back? Have you seen my office, Julian? There are no walls. I can't work there.

Wagner/Julian: It will all be taken care of. And that's just the first part of my surprise. I bought a new yacht. I would like for you to help me break it in. The crew has it waiting for us and we'll sail the entire Mediterranean, the Greek Islands, Morocco, the Italian Riviera. Fall -- early fall is really the best time to go there. And if we're lucky, the first white truffles of the season –

“Oh no, you’re not going anywhere with the woman I love,” Julian threatened Wagner on the monitors.

Eve: What on earth were you thinking?

“He’s trying to break us up, Darling,” Julian told Eve. “Don’t believe what you see.”

Wagner/Julian: I knew that you would never take time off from work on your own, so I arranged to have your office redone to force you to do it. There's no way you can work there now. You'll have the time. But, God, think of it. Cruise the Mediterranean with just the two of us. It'll be so romantic. It'll be unbelievable.

“The only way you’ll be taking my fiance on a cruise is over my dead body,” Julian shouted at Wagner. “How dare you make Eve think I would treat her this way!!”

Eve: Oh, God, Julian. Do you have any idea what you've done? I have patients. I am a doctor. These people trust me. Do you think that I'm just gonna desert them with no notice because you have some obscure whim?

Julian knew what Wagner was doing. Wagner was trying to make Eve think that Julian was trying to control her, so Eve would be angry at what she thought was Julian to push her back into TC’s arms. Julian hung his head in sorrow.

Wagner/Julian: I thought of that. I've arranged to have your patients seen by other doctors. I even had some of them sent to Boston. They'll be treated as well as if they were with you.

“How dare you try to ruin her practice!!!” Julian shouted at Wagner. “I for one don’t mind that Eve’s a busy doctor. It’s one of the many things I love about her.”

Eve: Really, Julian, do you think that I'm that easily replaced, that just any old doctor could do what I do? Well, fine, then. I guess that people are just automobiles and doctors are just mechanics. You went behind my back. You took control of my practice -- a practice, by the way, that has taken me years to build up -- and you sent my patients away. Do you have -- or do you even care about the damage that you have done? My patients trust me, Julian, and you've taken them and you've shoved them off on doctors that don't even know them. That's not how medicine works. I have a personal relationship with my patients. I don't know how you can be so self-centered, Julian.

“Darling, don't believe what you see,” Julian said to Eve on the monitors.

Wagner/Julian: How dare you say that. You've been ignoring me for months. All you seem to care about is your ungrateful, ailing ex-husband, your precious patients. I'm the one who's been trying to arrange something nice for us, a way to reconnect, perhaps rekindle that romantic spark we seem to have lost.

“She’s only doing that because you and TC are manipulating her, you Bastard,” Julian shouted at Wagner. “Don’t blame her. Eve and I had a wonderful romance until you came along.”

Eve: So you make a few phone calls and you dismantle my life? The old Julian is alive and well.

“No,” Julian sobbed.

Eve: You just don't seem to get it, do you? I'm not angry because you wanted to plan a trip for the two of us. I am furious because you didn't consult me. Julian Crane looked at the way this relationship was going. Julian Crane, he didn't like what he saw, so Julian Crane just rearranges everything to his liking. You didn't leave me any options, Julian. You just treated me like I was a puppet.

“Darling, it’s not me. You know what we shared.”

Eve: I know how your brain works and I know how much thought that you put into this. But you know what you left out of the equation, Julian? I have changed. I'm not that young, stupid girl that took those drugs that you fed her and let you control her, not anymore. I don't like being controlled. Now, if you had just asked me to take some time off to be with you, I would've said yes. But, no, you just couldn't deal with the chance that I might say no. You know, Julian, I've changed, and I made the mistake of thinking that you had changed as much as I have. But obviously that's not true. Obviously, that old Julian is alive and well and still there, and I've been seeing it more and more every day from you -- that cool, vindictive man who swallowed every lesson that Alistair imparted as if it were the gospel. That "I want what I want when I want it." That is so familiar, and it's very sad because I don't like that man, Julian. Not that younger you, that one that broke my heart and broke my spirit. I thought he was dead and buried, but, obviously, he's sitting right here in front of me.

Then Julian saw Eve give Wagner back her engagement ring and left and the monitor went off. All Julian could do after that was sob tears of sadness.

As Julian snapped back to the present, he thought to himself that he wanted to take all the pain that Eve was feeling and take it himself. He would rather be tortured everyday at the compound than to see Eve hurt by TC and Wagner. She didn’t deserve this. As far as Julian was concerned, if TC really loved her, he would not put her through this, making her think that Julian had regressed for his own selfish purposes. If only Julian could be there to protect her. Thinking about it made tears run down Julian’s cheeks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back in Harmony, the school board hearing was still proceeding. Luis had been called to the stand, was sworn in, and sat down in the witness stand.

“State your name,” Ms. Madison told Luis.

“Officer Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald,” Luis answered.

“And you are a police officer for the Harmony Police Department?”

“That is correct,” he answered.

“How are you involved in today’s case?” Ms. Madison asked.

“I am working on the Julian Crane kidnapping case,” Luis answered. “I am here for the police department to talk about the crimes the defendant has committed.”

“And what are those crimes?” Ms. Madison asked.

“Kidnapping, fraud, assault and battery.”

“I’d like to draw your attention to the kidnapping and fraud charges,” Ms. Madison began. “What is your knowledge of them?”

“It is my understanding that the defendant teamed up with Alistair Crane to break up the relationship between Dr. Eve Johnson and Mr. Julian Crane.”

“How did they do that?” Ms. Madison asked.

“From what I know, the defendant faked a stroke so his ex-wife would feel sorry for him, and then kidnapped Julian Crane and then he and Alistair Crane replaced Julian with an imposter making Eve think he had changed and was hurting her,” Luis explained.

“I’d like to now focus on the assault and battery charge,” Ms. Madison continued. “What are the details surrounding that?”

“From what I understand, the defendant beat his ex-wife two weeks ago,” Luis replied.

“What is the extent of her injuries?”

“She is banged up and bruised pretty badly and she threw her back out and is now walking with a limp.”

Ms. Madison turned to the school board. “If it may please the board, the prosecution would like to request that they may show pictures of the bruises?”

“Objection. Hearsay,” Mr. Marcus declared standing up.

“This is not going to prove the truth of the matter asserted,” Ms. Madison assured.

“I’ll allow it,” President Parks replied.

The prosecution brought in a slide projector showing pictures of Eve’s bruises. Everyone gasped in horror when they saw them. After they put the slide projector alway and turned back on the lights, Ms. Madison approached Luis.

“Officer Lopez-Fitgerald, what do those pictures of Eve Johnson’s bruises tell you?”

“That Dr. Johnson was viciously beaten,” Luis answered.

“Officer Lopez-Fitgerald,” Ms. Madison continued. “I’d like to talk to you about the defendant’s temper. You’ve known the victim’s families and the Russell families for years. Can you describe the defendant’s temper?”

“It’s legendary,” said Luis with conviction. “I’ve seen the man explode in anger where he’ll be yelling loudly, saying nasty and abusive things to people, and physically beating people up.”

“Do you know how the defendant feels about Julian Crane?” Ms. Madison asked.

“TC has always hated Julian Crane with a passion,” Luis explained. “I’ve seen the defendant attack Julian if he accidently bumped into him. The defendant has threatened to kill Julian for years. To be honest I’m not surprised TC did this to Julian.”

“No further questions.” Ms. Madison returned to her seat, and Mr, Marcus approached Luis.

“Officer Lopez-Fitzgerald, in all the years that you have known my client has he ever hit a woman before this?” Mr. Marcus asked.

“Not that I’m aware of. No.” Luis answered.

“Officer Lopez-Fitzgerald, you are aware that the reason why my client has hated Julian Crane for years, is because of the car accident that Mr. Crane and Dr. Johnson caused, that ended his tennis career?” Mr. Marcus asked.

“Yes I’m aware of that,” Luis replied. “I also know that neither Mr. Crane or Dr. Johnson meant for that to happen and that they feel terrible about it.”

“You’ve known my client for years as a family friend?” Mr. Marcus asked.

“Yes I have.”

“Other than his temper he has been an upstanding citizen?” Mr. Marcus asked.

“As far as I am aware, until now,” answered Luis.

“No criminal record?” Mr. Marcus asked.

“No.”

“Now Officer Lopez-Fitzgerald, your partner, Sheridan Crane is the victim’s brother?” Mr. Marcus asked.

“Objection. Relevance,” Ms. Madison declared standing up.

“This goes to prove bias,” Mr. Marcus told the board.

“I’ll allow it,” said President Parks.

“Yes she is,” Luis answered.

“She is obviously grieving over her brother?” Mr. Marcus asked.

“Of course she is.” Luis thought this seemed ridiculous.

“She wants my client to be punished.” Mr. Marcus said.

“Yes.” Luis answered.

“In fact, before last week when we found out that the victim had been kidnapped, Mitch Wagner was trying to take child custody away from your sister, Theresa Crane, for the child that the victim and she share together?” Mr. Marcus asked.

“That’s right.”

“So you’re angry with the defendant for the pain, my client put your lover and your sister through?” Mr. Marcus asked.

“Of course I’m angry,” Luis snapped. “TC has hurt a lot of people.”

“You want him to be punished?”

“Yes I do.”

“No further questions.”

Chapter Sixty-Three

Back at the Compound, Julian continued to sit in his window seat, remembering the day that Eve broke up with what she thought was Julian.

After Julian saw Eve walk out on Wagner in the book cafe, Julian saw on the monitors, Wagner getting a call from Alistair telling him to cut the hospital funding from the trust that Julian created when he and Eve got engaged. It made Julian furious that Alistair had Wagner do that. The hospital needed that funding and Julian would have never have done something like that to Eve.

A while later, he saw Eve storm into Julian’s office.

Wagner/Julian: Well, Eve, what can I do for you? You seem upset.

Eve: You cut the funding from the Crane trust. The hospital relies on that money, Julian. Without it, we're going to have to cut important programs. And you know that we are running our budget on a shoestring as it is.

Wagner/Julian: Well, that's a pity. You see, I established the Crane trust in your honor when we were together. But now that you've broken off our engagement, I really don't see the point in contributing such a large sum of money to an enterprise that really does not interest me. Surely you understand that.

“Damn it,” Julian snapped, as he made a fist. “I’m tired of Wagner ruining my reputation.”

Eve: What I understand is that the selfish old Julian is back in action, the one who uses money to control people. Well, let me tell you something, Julian; it's not going to work. The Crane family has always supported the hospital. I don't even know if we can continue to survive without your continued donations.

Wagner/Julian: When you agreed to be my wife, I set up the Crane trust, which more than doubled my family's contributions. I'm not the one who decided to break our engagement. Surely you were aware that by rejecting me, you'd also be rejecting my money.

“No I didn’t decide to break off my engagement to Eve,” Julian yelled at Wagner. “You, TC, my father, and Spike decided to break us up. If you hadn’t Eve and I would still be together, planning our wedding.”

Eve: No, because I thought that you were above revenge. I know what this is that you are doing, Julian. This is emotional blackmail. This is your way of trying to get me to come back to you.

Wagner/Julian: Well, you felt the need to end something and so did I.

“Because you manipulated her,” Julian shouted at Wagner.

Eve: Julian, you pushed me into breaking our engagement.

Wagner/Julian: I did nothing but try to patch up what had become a one-way love affair. Romantic rooftop dinner for you and all you do is talk on your cell phone to TC's nurse. I planned to contribute hundreds of thousands of dollars to renovate your office wing. While we took a cruise through the Mediterranean, what do you do? You throw your engagement ring at me.

“Can you blame her?” Julian shouted at Wagner.

Eve: Julian, this is so infantile. If you regress any further, you're going to need a wet nurse. Are you so self-centered that you can't see why I might want to help the father of my children when he has a debilitating stroke? Is it really that hard to understand that I have dozens of sick patients who need me, who count on me? I can't just drop my career in the blink of an eye to go on a pleasure cruise with you. Cut the funding. Julian, you're like a little kid who doesn't like the rules of the game, so he's going to take his toys and run away home. Hundreds of people can suffer from this decision, Julian, if not thousands. I mean, it's absurd. Every five-year-old knows, Julian, that you can't call all the shots all the time.

Wagner/Julian: Neither can you.

Eve got a call on her cell phone and went to take care of Theresa getting locked in the steam room. Then he saw Eve talking to Gwen about her break up from what she thought was Julian and Gwen advising Eve to work things out with Julian and Eve agreeing to do that.

Eve: Oh, Gwen is right. Julian loves me. And I love him. Of course, he's going to have to learn how to -- how to not lash out when he's angry. But I think if we talk things through, we can salvage this relationship. Our love is much too important to just walk away from.

“Darling, don’t believe what you see,” Julian pleaded with her. “You need to get away from Wagner and TC.” Julian was frantic for Eve’s safety with these two despicable men,

Then he walked into his office, where she saw Wagner having sex with Valerie. Julian felt more tears in his eyes as he thought about the pain Eve was in and that Eve was being made to believe that Julian had regressed.

Wagner/Julian: It's -- it's not like you caught me cheating, Eve. You did break off our relationship.

“Shut the hell up,” Julian shouted at Wagner, feeling his blood boil over.

Eve: I don't want to hear your apologies, Julian.

Wagner/Julian: What you walked in on just now was your fault, not mine.

“How dare you treat her like this!” Julian yelled at Wagner. “I never would have cheated on her in a million years.”

Eve: So I'm to blame for your having sex on your office desk with an employee. Oh, Julian, you sure have got a lot of nerve.

Then Julian saw Wagner take Eve back into his office and Eve lectured Valerie and Valerie called Eve a drug-addicted whore. “Okay,” Julian said to himself. “When I get back to Harmony, Valerie’s fired.” Julian was not going to stand for any of his employees treating the woman he loved like that.

Then he saw Eve and Valerie fight and Wagner dismissed Valerie.

Eve: Damn you to hell, Julian.

Wagner/Julian: So you're banishing me to an eternity of hellfire for what infraction? You can't cheat on someone who's already broken up with you.

“I could kill you,” Julian snarled at Wagner, when he thought about the pain he was putting Eve through.

Eve: Oh, and thank God I did. 'Cause you're -- you're just as despicable as your father. Maybe even more so because you pretended to be a decent person. You pretended that there was some decent human being under those -- those ugly Crane trappings.

“Eve don’t believe what you see,” Julian pleaded through sobs. “You know me and you know what we have.”

Wagner/Julian: I pretended nothing. If I'm not the man you want, you only have to look in the mirror to see the reason why. I loved you, Eve. Not only was I willing but eager to be the man of your dreams for the rest of my life. But you thought it was more important to go back to TC than be with a man who would've laid down and died for you. You made me the man I am today. You must be very proud. If you hadn't decided to dump me for your ex-husband, I -- I wouldn't have felt the need to seek solace elsewhere.

“The only reason why Eve went back to TC is because you all are manipulating her,” Julian raged.

Eve: Seek solace, Julian? Is that what you call having sex on your office desk with your employee? Oh, I don't want to even be in here with you.

Wagner/Julian: You are not leaving until you listen to what I have to say.

“Let go of her,” Julian shouted at Wagner, when he saw him grab Eve.

Wagner/Julian: You judge me... but you were the one who treated me like dirt. You knew how much I loved you. You knew I would do anything for you.

Eve: Only as long as it served you.

“Darling you know that’s not true,” Julian cried through his sobs.

Wagner/Julian: I loved you with my whole heart and soul. I loved you more than I've ever loved another human being in my life, Eve. And what did you do to that? You trampled on it. You validated my worst fears. About love and trust -- they only exist in fairy tales. You've proven that.

“Don’t you dare talk to Eve that way,” Julian snarled.

Eve: I'm not going to let you pin your twisted feelings on me, Julian. You having sex with Valerie on that desk just proves to me that you are the same callous, unfeeling person today that you always were.

Wagner/Julian: That's not so. I did change but apparently not enough. Not when he of the dark moods plays it to the hilt to win his wife back.

Eve: You're not trying to blame this on TC?

Wagner/Julian: No, I really don't blame TC. I blame you for leaving me, for returning to a man that doesn't deserve you.

“I blame TC and you’re right he doesn’t deserve her,” Julian shouted at Wagner.

Eve: I'm a doctor, Julian. He was seriously ill. He had a stroke for God –

“Darling, he’s faking it,” Julian cried. “Don’t believe what you see.”

Wagner/Julian: Eve, the world is full of doctors. You are using his illness as an excuse to run away from me. And return to what? A high school gym coach with a nasty temper?

Eve: You know, TC is a wonderful man, Julian. And he's a loving father, and he was a devoted husband.

Julian shook his head. “Eve, my love, you’re in denial.”

Wagner/Julian: And that's why he divorced you when he found out about the problems in your past?

Eve: He forgave me for that, and -- and he even wanted me back. And still, when I had to choose, I chose you. A stupid mistake.

Julian hung his head as he felt his eyes well up with more tears.

Wagner/Julian: Well, if that's the way you feel, fine. How nice for you all. It's just like, forgive and forget, especially when all the sins are kept in the family. But me, I guess I've always been an outsider, haven't I? My mistake. You see, what I thought we had, Eve, was something very special, something -- something deep and unbreakable. Remind me to have a stroke next time I'm afraid of losing the woman I love.

“Oh you should talk,” Julian snapped at Wagner.

Eve: God, you're so vicious.

Wagner/Julian: Julian: Well, his strategy worked, didn't it? Oh, poor TC lying half paralyzed in a hospital bed. But now he sees the error of his ways and voila -- he gets his family back.

“Because he is manipulating Eve and playing on her guilt.”

Eve: Julian, you're so wrong if you think TC planned this. You know that he -- that he was apologizing to me before he even had the stroke. Because you saw the letter that he was writing.

“Eve, don't believe it,” Julian cried. “TC is evil.”

Wagner/Julian: Stop making excuses for the man.

Eve: God, I can't believe I came back in here to try and give you another chance. You know, I -- I thought about it and I -- I wanted to come back and apologize to you for breaking our engagement and to ask you if we could -- could get back together and start again where we used to be. [Crying] God, it's a good thing I found out because this would have compounded my mistake.

Then Julian saw Wagner come onto Eve and they started kissing and Eve gave in and they were having sex.








Chapter Sixty-Four

Back in Harmony, at the school board hearing, Fox was called to testify for the prosecution. He walked up to the witness stand with a very sad and devastated look on his face, dealing with his grief. Fox sat down in the witness chair and was sworn in.

TC rolled his eyes as soon as he saw Fox. As far as Fox was concerned, he just wanted to protect the Crane family name. Either way, TC knew this was not going to be pretty.

Ms. Madison approached Fox. “Please state your name,” she said.

“Fox Crane,” he replied in a low voice.

“How are you related to the victim in this case?” Ms. Madison asked.

Fox sniffled. “He’s my father.”

“Do you know where your father is now?” Ms. Madison asked.

“No I do not, because he’s been kidnapped, BY THAT MAN OVER THERE,” Fox shouted, pointing at TC.

“Objection your honor,” Mr. Marcus declared standing up.

“Sustained,” President Parks said. Then she turned to Fox. “Mr. Crane I know that you are going through a terrible ordeal, but we cannot have any outburst like that.”

“Okay, I’m sorry,” Fox replied in a low voice.

“Mr. Crane, can you tell us about the relationship between your father and Dr. Eve Johnson?” asked Ms. Madison.

“They’re lovers,” Fox declared. “My father loves Eve more than his own life and I know she feels the same way about him.”

“Mr. Crane, did your father try to break up the defendant’s marriage with Dr. Johnson?” Ms. Madison asked.

“Absolutely not!” Fox declared. “My father respected their marriage and was even willing to help Eve stay married to TC even though it killed him.” Anger was in Fox’s tone.

“Were you there the night Dr. Johnson’s past with your father was exposed?”

“Yes,” Fox replied in an angry tone. “The defendant physically attacked my father, he verbally and emotionally abused Eve, and let her daughters do the same.”

“Was that the last time you saw the defendant attack his ex-wife like that?”

“No, I’ve seen him attack Eve and my father many times like that,” Fox replied in the same angry tone.

“No further questions.” Ms. Madison sat back down at the prosecution's table, and Mr. Marcus stood up and approached Fox.

“Mr. Crane, you and your father were estranged for many years,”

“Objection. Relevance,” Ms. Madison declared standing up.

“This goes to show the witness's motivation for testifying,” Mr. Marcus explained.

“Sustained,” said President Parks.

“Mr. Crane, you are angry at my client for kidnapping your father?” Mr. Marcus asked.

“Damn right I’m angry,” Fox snapped, as he thought about his rage towards TC.

“And you want him punished to the fullest extent of the law? Mr. Marcus asked.

“Absolutely.”

“And that’s why you’re testifying tonight?” Mr. Marcus asked.

“I’m testifying because I want justice.” Fox shouted at Mr. Marcus. Then he turned to the school board. “May I say something please?”

“Of course Mr. Crane,” President Parks said.

“You all talk about how Coach Russell has contributed to his high school,” Fox declared. “Well may I remind you that my father has contributed millions of dollars to this high school.” Fox began to choke back a sob. “Now regardless of the verdict here today, I will make sure that Harmony High receives its funding. I say this to remind you that if you want to talk about Coach Russell’s contributions you have to remember my father’s contributions too.” Fox began to sob even more. “When my father came from the dead, he told me how he wanted to do good in this town, and I don’t see how letting a kidnapper, fraud, and wife beater to be a teacher at this school is doing good. I have seen the bruises on Coach Russell’s ex-wife. I saw the havoc Coach Russell caused in Harmony by kidnapping my father and replacing him with an imposter. I have also experienced grief and anguish along with my family and Eve, over my father’s kidnapping, that I can’t even describe.” Fox wiped his eyes with a handkerchief. “I ask that you remember that when you reach your verdict.”

“Thank you Mr. Crane,” President Parks told Fox. “We are very sorry about your father and we are all praying that he comes home safely.”

“Thank you,” Fox sobbed.

“Witness, may step down,” President Parks said.

Fox stood up and went back to sit next to Luis, as Luis rubbed Fox’s back trying to comfort him.

Mr. Marcus stood up and said. “The defense calls Trevor Winters to the stand.”

A young teenage boy stood up from the chairs behind the defendant’s table and was sworn in and took his seat in the witness chair.

“State your name,” Mr. Marcus said to Trevor.

“Trevor Winters,” he answered.

“How do you know my client?” Mr. Marcus asked.

“He’s my coach for football and other sports,” Trevor answered.

“Is he a good coach?” Mr. Marcus asked.

“Excellent.” Trevor answered.

“How so?”Mr. Marcus asked.

“He tells us to dream big and aim high and to believe in ourselves. He’s there for us when we have a problem, he’s nice, and he helps build winning teams.”

TC smiled, hoping that the hearing might go his way.

“Have you ever seen my client lose his temper?” Mr. Marcus asked.

“Not in school. He tells us violence never solves anything.”

“No further questions.”

Mr. Marcus went back to the defense table and Ms. Madison stood up and approached Trevor.

“Mr. Winters, you testified that the defendant has never gotten angry at school?” Ms. Madison asked.

“Yes.”

“However, you’ve heard throughout town that the defendant has a problem with anger management?” Ms. Madison asked.

“Everybody has,” Trevor answered.

TC hung his head knowing that this wasn’t good.

“You’ve also heard about the defendant’s hatred for the victim, Julian Crane?” Ms. Madison asked.


“Yes.”

“Mr. Winters, you are expected to get scholarships to play college sports, are you not?” Ms. Madison asked.

“Objection. Relevance,” Mr. Marcus declared as he stood up.

“This goes to show motive for testifying.” Ms. Madison explained.

“I’ll allow it,” said President Parks. “Overruled.”

“Yes I am,” answered Trevor.

“And you need the defendant’s help in getting those scholarships?” Ms. Madison asked.

“Yes I do,” answered Trevor.

“And having the defendant coming back to work at Harmony High, would help you win state and national championships, so you could get those scholarships?” Ms. Madison asked.

“Yes.”

“No further questions.”

Ms. Madison sat down.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the Compound, Julian was still remembering when Eve broke up with Wagner. He remembered how excruciating it was to watch the woman he loved have sex with another man.

“Get your hands off my fiance!!!” Julian shouted at Wagner. It was too painful to watch. He had to look away while the sex was taking place. He wasn’t angry at Eve. She didn’t know that she was dealing with an imposter. After Eve and the imposter were done making love, Julian looked back and saw them laying together underneath a blanket, on his couch. Julian gave a sigh of disgust and shook his head, He could only pray that Eve didn’t have a sexually transmitted disease.

Wagner/Julian: You're mine, Eve, and you always will be.

“She is not yours,” Julian shouted at Wagner.

Eve: Oh, Julian, I do love you so.

“I knew it,” Julian sobbed, feeling relieved.

Wagner/Julian: Well, you certainly -- you certainly proved that. Do you think it would be possible if we just pretended the last month or so just -- just didn't happen? And you could start wearing your engagement ring again? We could even set a date for the wedding.

“If anybody is going to be marrying Eve it’s going to be me,” Julian shouted at Wagner. “Not you and certainly not TC.”

Eve: Oh, baby.

Julian bit his lip, remembering when Eve used to call him that.

Wagner/Julian: It'll be so incredible. For the rest of our lives like I dreamed of all those years ago before Father stopped us. You know, we can even -- we could set off on that Mediterranean cruise.

Eve: Oh, yes. Just as soon as I'm sure that TC is well on the road to recovery.

Wagner/Julian: What?

Eve: Oh, that hasn't changed, sweetheart. I'm still worried about his recovery. You must understand that.

“Darling, he’s perfectly healthy. He’s faking his stroke,” Julian told her through the monitors.

Wagner/Julian: Eve, your obsession with your ex-husband's health has been what's destroying our entire relationship.

“No, you are destroying our relationship,” Julian shouted at Wagner.

Wagner/Julian:Really I don't understand you. Why do you put TC first when you're with me?

“Because all of you are playing on Eve’s guilt and manipulating her,” Julian shouted at Wagner.

Eve: Honey, it's complicated.

Wagner/Julian: No, no, no, it's really very simple. Do you love me or do you love TC?

Eve: You. I love you, Julian.

Julian breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank God!!”

Wagner/Julian: Well, then forget about TC and concentrate on us. Forget about everything else. If you do love me, it's me, and it's only me.




Chapter Sixty-Five

Back in Harmony, at the school board hearing, Mr. Marcus stood up addressing the board. “My client would like to say a few words if that may be permitted,” he said.

“Of course,” said President Parks.

Mr. Marcus sat down and TC stood up, trying not to look at the floor with all of the humiliation he was feeling at that moment.

“First of all,” he began. “I would like to apologize to everyone here for the adverse publicity that my actions have caused the school and for lying to Principal Iverson about my stroke. I was severely depressed at the time, I did what I did and was not thinking clearly.”

Fox rolled his eyes.

“I promise all of you,” TC continued. “This will never happen again. I have agreed to anger management treatment, which I have received in the past and will continue to do so. If you give me my job back, I will agree to whatever probation terms you give me. Thank you.”

“Thank you Coach Russell,” President Parks replied. Then she turned to the lawyers. “Is counsel ready for closing statements?”

“Yes,” they both answered.

“Proceed,” President Parks told them.

Ms. Madison stood up and stood in front of the school board.

“Ladies and gentleman,” she began. “The crimes that the defendant has committed are not minor. The defendant kidnapped another human being, without any regard for the victim’s safety and at the present time, nobody knows where he is.”

Fox had tears coming out of his eyes.

“You heard from Officer Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald and the victim’s own son, Fox Crane, that Mr. Crane never sought out to hurt the defendant in any way. The car accident that ended the defendant’s tennis career was a reckless accident, however it was still an accident. Mr. Crane respected Dr. Johnson’s marriage to the defendant and did nothing to back them up. The defendant is the one who ended the marriage when he found out that his wife wasn’t perfect. The defendant, who admittedly, has a problem with anger, chose to break the law, when he didn’t get what he wanted.

He lied to everyone in Harmony when he faked his stroke and tried to destroy the victim’s reputation by replacing him with an imposter. The defendant didn’t care who he hurt, as long as he could get his ex-wife back. You all saw pictures of the bruises on Dr. Johnson and they were severe. You heard Fox Crane talk about the pain that he and his family are in right now. Let our sympathies be with the victim and not the victimizer.

To allow the defendant to continue to teach here would be teaching all of the students that it’s okay to hurt people, and it’s not. Therefore, I ask that the board terminate the defendant’s employment.”

Ms. Madison sat back down in her seat and Mr. Marcus stood up and stood in front of the school board.

“Ladies and Gentleman,” he began. “The crimes that my client has committed were an act of desperation. You heard from Trevor Winters that my client has been an outstanding teacher and coach. In his entire teaching at this school, he never lost his temper while teaching and was kind to his students. Even the prosecution's own witness Officer Lopez-Fitzgerald admitted that before this, Coach Russell was a model citizen. My client lost everything to the victim.”

Fox began to stand up, but Luis pulled him down.

“The victim corrupted Dr. Johnson,” Mr. Marcus continued. “Allowed her to drive drunk causing her to hit the defendant, ending his tennis career. Then instead of calling for help, the victim drove off leaving the defendant to die. All of these actions caused the end of Coach Russell’s marriage and family. Of course Coach Russell would be angry at the victim. All of these things caused Coach Russell to snap and give into teaming up with the victim’s father in breaking up Dr. Johnson and Mr. Crane.

Fox griminced and made a fist.

“Therefore we ask for Coach Russell to get his job back with probation.”

Mr. Marcus went back to his seat and sat next to TC.

“Thank you counsel,” President Parks said, “The board will now take a vote.”

The board all wrote their votes on post it notes and handed them to President Parks as she read them. Then President Parks turned to TC and said “Will the defendant please rise?”

TC and Mr. Marcus stood up.

“Coach Russell,” President Parks began. “We appreciate your many years of service to this school. However, as Ms. Madison said your actions are not minor. You not only have embarrassed this school and taken a medical leave of absence for a medical condition you didn’t have, you have also hurt a lot of innocent people. If we looked the other way, it would be the same as condoning your actions and that would be bad for everyone at this school. Therefore we have no choice but to terminate your employment here at Harmony High School.”

TC hung his head in devastation.

“We will offer you a severance package,” President Parks continued. “But your future here at this school is over. We ask that you go and clean out your office and you will be escorted from the building.”

“Yes,” Fox said to himself.

“Congratulations,” Luis told him.

“Thank you.”

As TC and Mr. Marcus walked out of the room, reporters were asking them questions but they declined to answer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the Crane mansion, Fox was in the library looking out the window with tears rolling down his cheeks. He wondered where his father was that night. Was he cold? Was he hungry? Was he hurt? The truth was Fox felt guilty about not being able to protect his father when he needed him, and about not doing any investigating when they thought Julian regressed. Maybe Julian would have been found sooner.

Fox thought about the conversations that he and his father had since Julian had changed. Julian taught him how to be a good man and not to follow the example of previous Cranes. Fox thought about the year before when he was fighting with Chad all the time, and how Julian was trying to be there for both of them and how critical Fox was of his father during that time. He realized now Julian was doing the best he could under difficult circumstances. Fox thought about all the abuse that Julian had suffered from Alistair and how painful that must have been for him. Fox realized now that Alistair was the reason Julian was never there for him as a father growing up. Now Alistair had taken Julian away from him again. It was too much to bear.

Eve walked in the library in her nightgown and bathrobe. She had spent the day with Ethan giving dispositions and preparing for the assault and battery trial the next day, and working at the call center that evening. As exhausted as she was, it didn’t stop her from searching for Julian.

“Hey Fox,” she said, concerned about her fiance’s son.

“Oh hey Eve,” Fox replied, still looking out the window.

“I heard about the school board meeting,” Eve said, in a soft tone. “It sounds like you did a really great job. I’m sure your father would be proud.”

“Thanks.”

Eve saw how sad Fox seemed so she limped over to Fox and put her hand on his shoulder. “Are you okay?” she asked.

Fox sniffled, still looking out the window. “I know Dad and I had our differences,” Fox stammered. “But I love him. I’ve always loved him. And if I hadn’t been so wrapped up in my own life when we thought he had regressed, I could have done some investigating, and maybe we could have found him sooner.”

“Honey, this wasn’t your fault,” Eve reassured. “I was fooled too,”

Fox turned around and looked at Eve. “Is it? I assumed the worst of him. How could I do that?”

“We all did Sweetheart,” Eve comforted.

Fox choked back a sob. “I think of all the times I criticized Dad for not being there for me, I didn’t think about all the abuse that Grandfather had inflicted on him or the pain Dad suffered in his life.”

“He understands. Your father loves you,” Eve said, putting her hand on his arm. “You have to believe that. He has told me how he wishes he had been there for you and your siblings growing up.”

“I don’t care about any of that anymore,” Fox sobbed. “I just want to hold him and tell him I love him.”

“Me too,” Eve sobbed.

Eve and Fox held each other as they sobbed over Julian.

Chapter Sixty-Six

Back at the Compound, Julian was still remembering the day Eve broke up with Wagner, thinking it was him. He remembered sitting on the edge of his bed as things went bad to worse.

Then on the monitors, Julian saw Eve and Wagner change back into their clothes.

Eve:Julian, don't give me ultimatums. I can still be in a loving relationship with you and still be concerned about TC. It's not an either/or situation.

“She’s not thinking clearly,” Julian told himself. Julian knew that Eve was letting her guilt over TC’s accident and lying to him for years was clouding her judgment.

Wagner/Julian: It is to me. I lay the blame for the destruction of our relationship completely on you.

“How dare you blame her,” Julian shouted at Wagner. “It’s you and your little quartet that is destroying our relationship.”

Wagner/Julian: No. I mean, ever since TC had his -- his very convenient stroke, I mean you broke off our engagement.

Eve: Honey, you almost destroyed my practice.

Wagner/Julian: No. We both know that you are hovering by TC's bedside out of some insane need to recreate your family -- a family that doesn't exist anymore. I mean, don't forget, TC divorced you when he found out about your past.

“No, she’s hovering over TC because she’s being manipulated,” Julian shouted at Wagner.

Wagner/Julian: I mean, he turned his back on you like everyone else in this town except for me. I loved you no matter what. I am asking you, is the reverse true? You accuse me of using you as a plaything, when in truth it is you who has used me. You have used me as a way to pull yourself out of the wreckage of your dull, middle-class life.

“Don’t you dare talk to her like that!” Julian shouted at Wagner. “Eve never used me for anything!”

Wagner/Julian: It's true, admit it. You miss the thrills and the riches of a life with me. And then once you got to be the -- the lady of the manor, you so enjoyed it until your dull middle-class guilt took a hold of you, and you developed some nostalgia for a non-existent family. And lo and behold, TC has his accident, his stroke -- a very smart move on his part -- and voila, the noble doctor has the perfect excuse to turn her back on this new exciting life that her puritan core can't handle. I mean, you -- you are using TC's health as an excuse to push me away. Now, how pathetic is that?

“Eve loves me,” Julian shouted at Wagner. “You don’t even know her. But I do. I know her heart and it’s good.”

Eve: You are so out of line, Julian. I have never used TC's stroke to justify anything. I am a doctor. He is a patient that I care about. If I want to use my medical skills to make sure that he recovers, I think that's my business and nobody else's.

Wagner/Julian: You see, TC is no longer your responsibility. You are not married to him. He divorced you in one of the nastiest divorce cases this town has ever seen. And still he wouldn't let you go. I was such a gentleman, I just offered so many times to bow out so you could be with him. But, Eve, you chose me. And since his stroke, I have gone out of my way to make sure that that son of a bitch has had the best medical care 24 hours a day.

“Okay, I agree with that,” Julian clipped.

Wagner/Julian: I care for you. I want to spend my life with you. Ever since I saw you singing at the Blue Note in Boston, you have been the goddess of my dreams. I will never forgive myself for letting my father stop us. And, Eve, you have no idea what it has been like living with Ivy and watching you from afar. You seemed so happy, your whole family. All I had was the best scotch that money could buy. My life all these years has been torture because I thought you were perfection.

“I never thought she was perfect. I love her despite her mistakes,” Julian yelled at Wagner.

Eve: I am not perfection, Julian.

Wagner/Julian: No, you're not. I think I know now what you really are.

Eve: What do you mean by that?

Wagner/Julian: Damn you. If you really want to know what I think of you --

Eve: Yes I do. No holds barred.

Wagner/Julian: I used to think you were perfection, Eve. God must laugh at all of us poor sods who were fool enough to put the women we love up on pedestals, because when you are so high up there, it's very difficult to see the cracks on the surface.

“I never put her on a pedestal,” Julian shouted at Wagner. “I love her unconditionally. I always have and I always will,”

Wagner/Julian: I discovered that you are not perfection. You are far from it. And you accuse me daily of reverting to the old Julian, of being a cold, soulless man. What about the old Eve? What about you? You know, I used to think it was the drugs that made you promiscuous -- that when you were high, you really didn't care what I did to you. That, of course, explains those delightfully pornographic photographs you let me take of you.

Eve: That is such a lie.

Wagner/Julian: But you see, the drugs -- the drugs really had nothing to do with it. That's why it was so easy to turn you into a tramp, because -- you really are nothing but a whore at heart. You are a whore, Eve.

“How dare you!” Julian snarled at Wagner, jumping out of his seat. If Julian could have at that moment he would have strangled Wagner. Julian was furious that Wagner not only called the woman he loved a whore, but made her think that Julian, the man she loved, had done that. It had to be excruciating for her.

Eve: I took that from TC, and I took it from Liz, and I took it from Aunt Irma, and I even took it from the girls. But I cannot take it from you, Julian. How could you call me a whore after everything that we've been through together, after everything that we've meant to each other? It's like you never really loved me at all.

“I do love you my Darling,” Julian told Eve, choking back tears. “Don’t believe what you see.”

Wagner/Julian: Oh, good God! I worshiped you! I was blinded by your beauty, your voice, your heart, your -- you knew that and you took advantage of it. You used me. You loved me for my money. See, I was your ticket to a life far from what a poor girl like you could ever have achieved on her own. You seduced me with your voice and with that body, but you never loved me.

“You know nothing about my and Eve’s love for each other you Bastard,” Julian yelled at Wagner. “Eve’s not a gold digger and never was.”

Eve: Julian, if you really believe that, then how could I have ever loved anyone like you?

Wagner/Julian: What are you waiting for, Eve? We're finished here. Go home to TC and empty his drool cup and clean up the mess he's no doubt made in the bathroom. Those are considered acts of love in the middle class, aren't they? Which reminds me, I've yet to pay you for your services rendered this evening. Would a check be all right? I think I'm short of cash.

“You pig!!!” Julian shouted at Wagner.

Eve: You always did go for the jugular and especially when you were hurt.

Wagner/Julian: You cannot hurt me, Eve. Not anymore.

Eve: I'm sorry that I ever did hurt you. I never meant to. I loved you, Julian, not your wallet. And I never used you as a meal ticket back in Boston any more than I used you as a distraction from my hum-drum middle-class life with TC and the girls. I wanted to be with you just like I thought you wanted to be with me.

“I knew it,” Julian sobbed. “Eve never stopped loving me. I should have never doubted her love for me, after TC’s accident. I was a fool.”

Wagner/Julian: You say that now, but if you wanted to be with me, why did you choose TC over me, over us?

“Because you all are playing on her guilt and tricking her into thinking I regressed,” Julian shouted at Wagner.

Eve: You know why, because he had a stroke. He almost died, and you were so good about it when it first happened. It just made everything that you did afterwards just inexplicable to me.

Wagner/Julian: That you couldn't see the problem is inexplicable to me. When you love someone, you put them first, above all else, consciously, subconsciously. As it turns out, I was never first with you. I was, at best, what, fourth behind TC and the girls and your patients?

Julian had more tears come into his eyes. “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Julian shouted at Wagner.

Wagner/Julian: Will you just stop lying to me, Eve? Stop lying to yourself and just admit that you really want to be back with TC.

Eve: Julian, you might think that this situation is due to my past with TC, but it's not. This is because you don't trust me or my love for you.

Wagner/Julian: You're right, I don't. You know why? Because I have watched you pull away from me and draw closer to TC I saw that you didn't love me enough to put me first in your heart. If you loved me enough, we would still be together. What was it that made you realize that you couldn't be with me? What was it? Were you afraid of the stares that interracial couples get, even now, in this day and age?

“You know nothing of Eve’s heart,” Julian yelled at Wagner. “Or what we’ve been through together. And we would still be together if you hadn't kidnapped me.”

Eve: If I didn't care decades ago, Julian, why would it bother me now?

Wagner/Julian: Well, then, it's as I said. You didn't love me enough. You never loved me enough.

“Eve loves me enough,” Julian yelled at Wagner. “I know Eve better than you or TC will anyday.”

Eve: So, then, we're back to my not deserting TC after his stroke.

Wagner/Julian: You put him ahead of me countless times.

“Because you’re playing on her guilt, you bastard,” Julian yelled at Wagner.

Wagner/Julian: You say you love me, but why do you always have to put someone or something ahead of me, ahead of us? "Julian, I love you, but I have to take care of TC" "Julian, I love you, but my patients need me." "Julian, Julian!"

Eve: Yes! Everything you said is true. Yes, it's all true. I do love you, and I do have responsibilities and patients who need me. I just don't understand why that is so hard to understand.

“I don’t mind that you’re a busy doctor, Darling,” Julian cried. “It’s one of the many things I love about you.”

Wagner/Julian: Understand? What I don't understand is that you always seem to put something or someone ahead of your love for me.

“That’s not true,” Julian yelled at Wagner.

Eve: So, then, it's just -- it's all or nothing.

Wagner/Julian: You tell me.

Eve: Well, I guess given that choice, you don't want to be with me.

Wagner/Julian: I guess. So that's it, then. We're finished. Our relationship is over.

Julian began to sob even more tears.

Eve: So, if that's what you want, Julian, if you want our relationship to be over, then fine. Then it's over.

Wagner/Julian: You agree with me?

Eve: Oh, that's always been kind of the bottom line of our relationship, hasn't it -- that I agree with you. That's ok. If that's what you need, yes, I agree with you because it's obviously proven futile not to.

“Darling, you know that’s not true,” Julian sobbed. “TC did that to you.”

Eve: Not that it makes any difference to you now, but I want you to know that I loved you. And my love was deep, and it was abiding, and it was heartfelt. You really were the light of my life.

Somehow hearing those words broke Julian’s heart even more, knowing that Eve had never stopped loving him.

Wagner/Julian: Really?

Eve: Julian, yes, really. The way you're looking at me right now just makes it hard to believe that you ever felt anything for me at all.

“I love you Eve,” Julian sobbed. “I love you more than anything in this world.”

Wagner/Julian: I loved you more than you could possibly know. That's why when I lost you years ago, I was so hurt and angry, I drank myself into oblivion. I treated my wife and children so horribly, I used women. I took pleasure out of other people's...pain. And when I got you back, it was a dream come true. But I never really got you back, did I? You were using me and my love for you. Your heart stayed with TC.

“You liar!” Julian snarled at Wagner.

Eve: No, Julian, that's not --

Wagner/Julian: I really do not want to hear this. I now see you for the shameless opportunist you really are.

“Who are you calling a shameless opportunist!!!” Julian yelled at Wagner.

Eve: How dare you, Julian.

Wagner/Julian: Shut up. Shut up and go back to your boring bourgeois life. When that life is over, you can go straight to hell.

The monitors turned off and Julian laid down in his bed and sobbed his eyes out. He couldn’t believe this was happening. Alistair, TC, Wagner, and Spike had kidnapped him and replaced him with an imposter to make Eve and everyone in Harmony think that he regressed, so Eve would go back with TC. The worst part was Julian could tell that Eve had never stopped loving him, and now she thought Julian had regressed and betrayed her, which broke his heart. He felt like he wanted to die at that point.

As Julian snapped back to the present, he thought about his feelings about what had happened. The truth of the matter was after TC’s accident, Julian had doubted Eve’s love for him and felt jealous of the attention she was giving TC, causing him to have an argument with her before his kidnapping. Right before the kidnapping he remembered that Eve has a tendency to blame herself for everything and she often let guilt cloud her judgment. ‘If I realized that sooner, I could have reasoned with her and none of this would have happened,” Julian thought to himself.

Watching everything that had happened on the monitors had been painful. Seeing Eve tend to TC had been painful, but Julian knew that TC and Wagner were just playing on her guilt. Julian saw how much Eve loved him and had never stopped. As far as Julian was concerned, he didn’t mind that Eve was a busy doctor, a devoted mother, and that she helped people. Those were some of the many things he loved most about her. However, Julian drew the line when it came to sharing her with another man, especially TC. Julian knew that Eve had gone back and forth between him and TC and had conflicting feelings about them and it had been hard on him. However, Julian understood and knew that if he had stood up to his father years ago, there wouldn’t be a TC.

Julian wasn’t sure about how Eve felt about TC now, but Julian knew her well enough to know that once she found out about TC kidnapping him, Eve would wash her hands of TC for good.

“Please God,” Julian prayed as he looked out the window at the stars. “Please let me be reunited with Eve.”

Chapter Sixty-Seven

The next morning at the Compound, Spike was pacing the hallway waiting for a call from Alistair Crane on what to do next. All of the guards and servants were feeling nervous about being discovered by the authorities, especially Spike. Spike knew if his father-in-law caught him, Spike would definitely spend the rest of his life in jail. Hopefully Old Man Crane would come up with a plan.

At that moment, Spike’s cell phone rang and saw from the caller ID it was Alistair. He picked it up, “Yo boss, what’s up?”

“First tell me what’s going on there,” Alistair answered, wasting no time with pleasantries.

“Well Julian still don’t know nothing that people are looking for him,” Spike replied.

“Good. Keep it that way,” Alistair declared. “I don’t want to give my son any hope of reuniting with Eve or getting his freedom back. Now today is TC’s assault and battery trial. He needs to be found innocent so he and Eve can get back together.”

“From what I heard, the good doc don’t want nothing to do with the coach no more,” Spike told Alistair.

“I don’t care,” Alistair snapped. “I will not have my son marry that black whore.”

“Well how are you going to do that?” asked Spike.

“I’m going to bribe the judge on the case and make sure that it’s Judge Reilly,” Alistair explained.

“Good one,” Spike replied with a smile on his face.

“Now I want you to taunt Marty,” Alistair said.

“How am I supposed to do that?”

“I’ll tell you.”

~

Back in Julian’s room, Julian was playing on the floor with Marty. Julian was trying to help him with a lego project. However, Marty seemed to be bored that day and antsy from being inside. At one point, Marty went over the fireplace and looked up the chimney.

“Son, what are you doing?” Julian asked with a chuckle.

“I’m trying to see if we can climb up the chimney so we can get out of here,” Marty replied.

Julian stood up and got Marty’s head out of the fireplace and got down on the floor with him. “Son, the chimney is too small for us to go up.”

“Santa can go up and down the chimney,” Marty pointed out.

Julian smiled at how simple life could be for a four year old. “Well that’s because Santa has magic powers that people don’t have,” Julian replied, trying not to destroy the child’s belief in Santa.

“I hate it here,” Marty complained, folding his arms across his chest and scowling. “I want to go outside.”

“I know Son. I do too,” Julian replied, stroking Marty’s cheek. “But you know what I do when I want to go outside? I go to look out the window,”

“You do?” Marty asked.

“Yeah, come over here and look.” Julian stood up and picked up Marty in his arms, and sat down in the window seat with Marty on his lap.

“Wow!” Marty exclaimed, as he saw all of the interesting things outside.

“I know, isn’t it amazing?” Julian said.

“Is that a seagull?” Marty asked pointing to a seagull flying by outside,

“It is,” Julian answered.

“I wish I were a seagull so I could be free,” Marty said in a thoughtful tone.

“I know,” Julian replied. “I wish the same thing myself sometimes.” Julian stroked Marty’s hair and kissed the top of his head.

“If I were a seagull I would fly home to Harmony and see Mommy and Daddy,” Marty told his uncle.

“I would do the exact same thing,” Julian replied. “Hey, what do you want to do when you’re free?” Julian was hoping if Marty could think about things to look forward to when they were free it might cheer the child up.

“Play outside,” Marty answered.

“Sounds good to me,” Julian told him, wanting the same thing for himself.

“Uncle Julian, what do you want to do when you go back to Harmony?” Marty asked.

“Spend time with Eve,” Julian answered. It was true. He longed to spend some time outdoors with Eve. He didn’t care what the weather would be like, as long as he could be with the woman he loved and feel fresh air on his face.

“Uncle Julian, what is Eve like?” Marty asked.

“Oh she’s wonderful, smart, kind, strong, beautiful inside and out,” Julian told him. “She’s the most wonderful woman I know.”

“Does she like kids?” Marty asked.

“She loves kids,” Julian answered. “And I know she is going to love you.”

“I’m sorry you miss her,” Marty told his uncle.”

“Thank you Son,” Julian smiled. “That’s very thoughtful of you.” He gave his nephew a kiss on top of his head.

At that moment, Spike walked into the room. “Well good-morning my two merry prisoners,” he said with his most obnoxious smile.

Julian rolled his eyes. “It was a good morning until you came in,” he snapped.

“Can’t I come in, just to be nice?” Spike clipped.

“No,” Julian replied.

“Come on, give me a smile,” Spike encouraged.

Julian covered Marty’s eyes and gave Spike the finger with his other hand and then put his hand down and uncovered Marty’s eyes.

“Come on now. It’s the holidays. Remember peace on earth and good will to men.”

“There won’t be any peace on earth or good will to men, until you’re in prison,” Julian snapped, with anger in this voice. “And I know Sam Bennett would love sending you there. In fact I’d cheer him on.”

“Yeah well the chief don’t know where I am and neither will anyone else,” Spike bragged.

Julian gritted his teeth. He had just about had it with Spike. “Is there some reason you came in here Spike?” Julian snapped.

“Yes,” Spike clipped. “I got a message from Santa for Marty.”

“I have a message from Santa?” Marty asked, with a smile on his face feeling excited.

Julian immediately took Marty off of his lap and sat him in the window seat, and stood up. “Wait a minute. What’s going on?” Julian asked Spike. Julian could tell something was not right with this.

“Santa told me that you have been a very bad little boy this year Marty and that you won’t be getting any presents,” Spike told Marty.

“How dare you!” Julian yelled at Spike, wanting to ring his neck. Julian knew his father was behind this, and was doing this to torment his grandson.

“I’m a bad boy?” Marty sobbed.

“Yes you are,” Spike taunted.

“Shut up Spike,” Julian snarled.

“Yes in fact Marty,” Spike continued. “You have been so bad that your Mommy and Daddy don’t love you anymore and they don’t want anything to do with you.”

“No,” Marty sobbed as he burst into tears.

“Spike if you don’t stop right now,” Julian threatened. Anger was in Julian’s voice.

“I’m just telling what Santa told me,” Spike said to Julian. Then Spike turned back to Marty. “In fact Santa doesn’t even love you, because you’ve been such a bad boy.”

“I’m a bad boy,” Marty sobbed.

“No Marty, don't listen to him,” Julian reassured.

“It’s true and Santa don’t lie,” Spike clipped.

“That’s enough Spike, if you don’t leave right now,” Julian threatened, feeling his rage at Spike boil over.

“Who's going to make me?” Spike bragged. Then he turned to Marty again and said, “Marty you’ve been so bad that God doesn’t even love you. That’s why He told your Grandpa to lock you up here.”

Julian had finally had enough, he went right up to Spike and punched him right in the eye, causing Spike to fall on the floor.

“If you ever verbally assault my nephew again, it will be the last thing you do,” Julian shouted at Spike, pointing his finger at him. “Do you understand me?!”

Spike got up off the ground. “You’re going to pay for this,” he said to Julian. Then Spike left the room and locked the door on the outside.

Marty continued to sob. Julian went right over to him at the window seat, picked Marty up, sat back down in the window seat, and took Marty into his lap, holding and rocking him as he cried. Seeing Marty like that reminded Julian of when Alistair would verbally abuse him as a child. Julian knew exactly how his nephew felt and it broke his heart.

“Sshh,” Julian soothed Marty. “It’s okay Son, I’m here.”

“I’m a bad boy,” Marty sobbed. “Santa even said so.”

“No, no Son you’re not a bad boy,” Julian coaxed stroking Marty’s hair. “You’re the best little boy in the world. Spike is lying to you. He’s the one who’s bad, not you.”

“Mommy and Daddy don’t even love me,” Marty sob0bed.

Julian lifted up Marty’s chin so the child could look into his uncle’s eyes. “Marty I know your Mommy and Daddy and I have seen how much they miss you and love you, and there is nothing you could do to make them stop loving you. And I would never lie to you.”

“But Santa knows everything and he talked to Spike,” Marty replied with tears in his eyes.

“Son, Santa didn’t talk to Spike,” Julian reassured. “Spike is making it up. I guarantee you Spike is on Santa’s naughty list, and that you are on his nice list.”

“How can I be when Santa doesn’t love me?” Marty sobbed.

“Santa loves you Son, and I love you too,” Julian reassured.

“But God doesn’t love me. He had Grandpa lock me up here.”

“Son, God is good and kind and he would never allow someone like your grandfather to do that to you. Remember you saw my friend Timmy, when you were sick, and told you he would help us get out of here. And God loves you and everyone else in the world.”

“But Spike said I’m a bad boy,” Marty sobbed. “I’m a bad boy.”

Julian continued to hold and rock Marty as he cried.



Chapter Sixty-Eight

Back in Harmony, Ethan was driving Eve and Simone to the courthouse for TC’s assault and battery trial. Eve was wearing her dark sunglasses again to hide her bruises and sitting in the front seat with Simone in the back seat. When Ethan approached the parking lot and parked his car, a whole flock of reporters came by.

Simone put her hand on Eve’s shoulder. “Are you going to be okay, Mom?” she asked, feeling worried about her mother’s mental state.

“I’ll be fine,” Eve stammered. She was determined to do this.

“Okay,” Ethan said to Eve and Simone. “I’ll guide us in. You two just follow me and we’ll get inside.”

“Okay,” Simone answered.

As soon as they stepped out of the car, Simone and Ethan were on either side on Eve trying to guide her in. Then reporters began shoveling their cameras and microphones in Eve’s face.

“Dr. Johnson, what is your hope for your outcome today?” one reporter asked.

“If there is any justice in this world, TC will get the maximum penalty,” Eve stated with conviction.

“Can you tell us how you are feeling right now?” another reporter asked her.

“That’s enough,” Simone said to the reporters, trying to protect her mother. “Back off.”

“My client has nothing else to say at this time,” Ethan said to the reporters.

Finally, Eve, Ethan, and Simone stepped inside the courthouse. They walked to the hallway outside where the courtroom was and saw the entire Crane family, Luis, Chad and Whitney, Rae, and Sam, Grace and Noah sitting there waiting. Along with John and Marlena. When Marlena saw Eve she went up to her and gave her a hug.

“How are you doing?” Marlena asked after giving Eve the hug.

“The same,” Eve replied. “Thank you for agreeing to testify on my behalf.”

“Of course,” said Marlena. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Eve sat down on one of the benches with everybody else. Everyone there had serious and solemn looks on their faces. The past week had been hell for Eve and the Crane family. They were all devastated and frantic about Julian’s safety. It was taking everything they had, to keep themselves together for Julian’s sake.

“When will the hearing start?” Simone asked.

“They said soon,” answered Sheridan.

Just then TC walked down the hallway. As soon as Fox saw TC, he saw red, and ran up to TC and pushed him against the wall with Fox’s hands around his neck. “You bastard!!” Fox yelled at TC.

“What the hell?!” TC shouted.

“Where’s my father TC?! Where is he?!” Fox yelled.

“I don’t know.” TC shouted.

“Yeah well maybe this will help you remember,” Chad said as he came up and put TC in a headlock.

“Stop it,” TC cried.

“What’s the matter TC?” Chad snarled. “You couldn’t handle the fact that Eve loves my brother more than you?!”

“Get off of me,” TC cried as he was trying to break free.

Luis and Noah went up to Fox and Chad and pulled them off of TC. “Come on guys, this isn’t helping,” Luis told them.

“Luis is right,” Noah added. “TC will get what’s coming to him.”

“You’re right,” Fox snarled at TC. “We wouldn’t want him to get off on a technicality.”

TC turned to Noah. “Thank you Noah,” he said to him, grateful for Noah’s rescue.

“Don’t,” Noah snapped and went to sit down next to Fancy.

TC left the hallway and went into the courtroom.

“You have no idea how much I want to hurt him,” Eve whispered to Sheridan who was sitting next to her.

“We all do,” Sheridan clipped.

The bailiff came out and called everyone into the courtroom. TC was already sitting at the defense table with Mr. Marcus. Everyone else sat on the prosecution's side. The prosecutor who had been assigned to their case was Tom Davis. Ethan had made sure he had a stellar reputation.

“The honorable Judge Reilly presiding in the state vs. TC Russell,” the bailiff said.

As soon as they all saw that it was Judge Reilly, everyone’s mouths dropped open.

“What is Judge Reilly doing here?” Katherine asked Ethan.

“I don’t know,” Ethan replied.

“I know why,” Fancy said. “Grampy’s behind this. He’s paying Reilly off so that TC will be given leniency hoping he’ll get back together with Eve.”

“That will happen over my dead body,” Eve said.

“Let’s not give up hope yet,” Ethan assured. “This could go either way.”

“Let’s hope so,” Sheridan replied.

Both sides gave their opening statements. Mr. Davis painted TC as a domestic abuser with severe anger management issues, while Mr. Marcus painted TC as a model citizen who made one mistake. Eve griminced when Mr. Marcus said that. Fox had told her what Mr. Marcus was like from last night's school board hearing, so Eve prepared herself for him.

Mr. Davis called Eve to the stand. Eve limped over to the witness stand and was sworn in.

“Please take your sunglasses off,” the bailiff told her.

Eve removed her sunglasses exposing her bruised face. Even Judge Reilly’s face fell when he saw her bruised face.

“State your name for the court,” Mr. Davis said to Eve.

“Dr. Eve Johnson,” Eve replied.

“How are you related to the defendant in this case?” Mr. Davis asked.

“He’s my ex-husband,” Eve answered, with a trace of anger in her voice.

“How would you describe your marriage to him when you were married?” Mr. Davis asked.

“TC expected me to be perfect. It was like walking on eggshells all the time,” Eve declared with anger in her voice, looking at TC with venom in her eyes.

“Does the defendant have a temper?” Mr. Davis asked.

“Yes,” Eve answered. “He has serious anger management issues.”

“How does the defendant react when he’s angry?” Mr. Davis asked.

“Yells, screams, says unkind things, sometimes even physically attacks a person. It’s like an explosion,” Eve replied in the same angry tone.

“Dr. Johnson,” Mr. Davis asked. “When the defendant found out that you weren’t perfect, what did he do?”

“Said hateful and cruel things to me, let my daughters do the same, betrayed me with my sister and divorced me.”

“Dr. Johnson,” Mr. Davis asked. “I’d like to take you back to two weeks ago, when you claimed the defendant attacked you. What happened that morning?”

“I was getting ready to go out to work, and TC got upset because our youngest daughter is a lesbian and blamed it on me.”

“What did you do?” Mr. Davis asked.

“I was about to leave and he slapped me so hard that I fell on the floor.” Eve felt tears run down her cheeks as she remembered the terrible ordeal. “Then he pinned me down and began punching and hitting me all over my body. I begged him to stop but he wouldn’t. Then he pulled me down on my stomach and began punching my back,” Eve sobbed.

As Whitney and Simone heard this, they felt tears go down their cheeks too, as they learned more about what their mother went through.

“Then what happened?” Mr. Davis asked.

Eve was still crying and dabbed her eyes with a kleenex. “I managed to get out of his grip and stand up, but TC threw me against the wall, lunging at me and then threw me to the ground where he was kicking me with his feet and hitting me with his cane.”

“What are your injuries from this assault?”

“I threw my back out and I am now walking with a limp and as you can see I’m really banged up,” Eve sobbed.

“Thank you. No further questions.”

Mr. Davis sat back down and Mr. Marcus stood up and approached Eve.

“Dr. Johnson, before two weeks ago, my client never hit you?” he asked.

“No,” Eve sobbed.

“Or any other woman?” Mr. Marcus asked.

“No,” Eve sobbed.

“Dr. Johnson, you claim my client threw you out because you weren’t perfect,” Mr. Marcus asked.

“Yes,” Eve sobbed.

“However, you had lied to him for over twenty years about a sorted past you had with your now fiance Julian Crane.”

“Objection relevance,” Mr. Davis declared standing up.

“Your honor this goes to prove the motive for my client’s anger,” Mr. Marcus explained.

“I’ll alway it,” said Judge Reilly. “Overruled.”

“Yes,” Eve sobbed.

“In fact it was discovered at that time that you were behind the wheel of the hit and run accident that ruined his tennis career,” Mr. Marcus asked.

“Yes, but I never meant for that to happen,” Eve shouted.

“So you don’t think he’s entitled to his anger?” Mr. Marcus asked.

“Of course I think he had the right to be angry, but not to abuse me,” Eve shouted.

“You’re also angry with my client for kidnapping your fiance Julian Crane,” Mr. Marcus asked.

“Of course I’m angry at TC,” Eve snapped. “Julian didn’t deserve that.”

“And you want my client punished to the fullest extent of the law?” Mr. Marcus asked.

“Yes I do,” shouted Eve.

“No further questions.”

Mr. Marcus sat back down next to TC at the defense table.

“Witness, may step down,” Judge Reilly said.

Eve stood up and limped back to her seat.

“You did a good job,” Ethan said, putting his hand on Eve’s arm.

“Thank you.”

Mr. Davis stood up and said, “the state calls Dr. Marlena Evans to the stand.”

Chapter Sixty-Nine

As soon as Marlena’s name was called, she stood up and walked up to the witness stand and was sworn in and sat down. Mr. Davis approached her.

“State your name for the court,” he said.

“Dr. Marlena Evans,” she stated.

“What kind of a doctor are you?” Mr. Davis asked.

“I’m a psychiatrist.” Marlena answered.

“How do you know the victim, Dr. Eve Johnson?” Mr. Davis asked.

“I met her two weeks ago when I treated her injuries after she was beaten, and since then she and I have struck up a friendship,” said Marlena.

“Dr. Evans, I’d like to take you back to two weeks ago, when you first met the victim. Where did you meet her?” Mr. Davis asked.

“It was at a hotel, where I was giving a lecture,” Marlena explained. “When I was at the front desk, I heard the receptionist say that someone needed a doctor and I offered my services.”

“How did the victim look when you first saw her?” Mr. Davis asked.

“She was banged up, like she had just been beaten by someone,” Marlena answered.

“What did you do next?” Mr. Davis asked.

“I got her to admit that her ex-husband had attacked her that morning, and then I attended to her injuries,” Marlena explained.

Mr. Davis turned to Judge Reilly and said. “Your honor at this time, the prosecution requests to show a slideshow of pictures of the victim’s injuries.”

“I’ll allow it,” said the judge.

After Mr. Davis had finished showing the slides, he turned to Marlena and asked, “Dr. Evans, what was your diagnosis of the victim’s injuries?”

“Physical abuse and domestic violence,” answered Marlena.

“What did you do next?” asked Mr. Davis.

“I listened to Eve and I realized from hearing her story that she had been emotionally abused by her ex-husband for years,” explained Marlena.

“How was he emotionally abusive?” asked Mr. Davis.

“Expecting her to be perfect, exploding when things didn’t go his way, the names he called her when her past came out, those kinds of things,” Marlena explained.

“Thank you. No further questions.”

Mr. Davis went to sit back down and Mr. Marcus stood up and approached Marlena.

“Dr. Evans, you yourself are a former battered woman?” he asked.

“That is correct,” Marlena answered.

“In fact, your ex-husband tried to kill you?” Mr. Marcus pointed out.

“Yes.”

“So do you really think you can be objective in saying that my client is a domestic abuser?” Mr. Marcus asked.

“Objection, argumentative,” Mr. Davis said, as he stood up.

“Your honor, I’m trying to prove bias here,” Mr. Marcus explained to Judge Reilly.


“Overruled. The witness may answer,” said the judge.

“I’m trained to be objective,” Marlena explained. “It’s part of my job. My past of being a survivor of domestic violence has nothing to do with how I treat patients.”

“Dr. Evans, you are aware that my client has never hit a woman before in his life?” Mr. Marcus asked.

“I’m aware of that,” replied Marlena. “However, I happened to know as a doctor, if it happens once it won’t be the last time.”

“You only met my client once?” asked Mr. Marcus.

“That is correct.”

“So after talking with his ex-wife and meeting him once was enough for you to determine he was a domestic abuser?” Mr. Marcus countered.

“The bruises on Eve and her history with the defendant were enough to determine that,” Marlena said in a defensive tone. “Also when I did meet the defendant he threatened me for coming between him and his ex-wife, and berated Ethan Winthrop, Julian Crane’s former step-son, while he was grieving.”

“No further questions.”

Mr. Marcus went back to his seat and Mr. Davis stood up.

“The state calls Simone Russell to the stand,” Mr. Davis said.

Simone got up to the witness stand, was sworn in, and sat down.

“State your name for the court please,” Mr. Davis told her.

“Simone Russell,” she answered.

“How are you related to the victim in this case?’ Mr. Davis asked.

“She’s my mother.”

“How are you related to the defendant in this case?” Mr. Davis asked.

“He’s my father.”

“Ms. Russell, how would you describe your father’s temper?” Mr. Davis asked.

“It’s legendary,” Simone explained. “He has been known to explode and attack people when he’s angry. It’s like a bomb going off. It can be really scary.”

“Ms. Russell, I’d like to take you back to New Years Eve 2006,” Mr. Davis said. “What did your father do to you on that occasion?”

“He slapped me, across the face, because I am a lesbian,” Simone answered.

“No further questions.”

Mr. Davis sat back down.

“Would counsel like to cross examine the witness?” Judge Reilly asked Mr. Marcus.

“No your honor,” Mr. Marcus answered.

“As you please,” Judge Reilly said. Then he turned to Simone. “Witness, may step down.”

“The state rests,” said Mr. Davis.

“Does the defense have anything to add?” asked Judge Reilly.

“My client would like to say a few words for the court,” Mr. Marcus said to the judge.

“Granted,” said Judge Reilly. “Proceed.”

TC stood up and gave his speech. “Your honor, I am deeply sorry I beat my wife. It was wrong and indefensible. I love my wife more than anything in this world. I would never want to hurt her.”

Eve scoffed, rolling her eyes, and shaking her head..

“I have never hit a woman before this and I never will again,” TC continued. “As for my behavior, I admit that I have a problem with anger that I am committed to getting help for. I know that does not excuse my actions and I will spend the rest of my life trying to make up for the pain I caused my family,” With that TC sat back down.

“Thank you Mr. Russell,” Judge Reilly said to TC. Then he turned to the lawyers. ”Is counsel ready for closing statements?”

“Yes, your honor,” they answered.

During the closing statements, Mr. Davis told the court the seriousness of Eve’s injuries and that with TC’s problem with anger, he would probably reoffend. Mr. Marcus told the court that this was TC’s first offense and should be given leniency, and that Eve was biased against him.

After both attorneys had finished their statements, Judge Reilly addressed the court. “Thank you,” he said. “I have made my decision. While domestic violence is a very serious charge, I have to take into consideration that this is Mr, Russell’s first criminal offense. While it is obvious he has anger management issues, he has never assaulted a woman before two weeks ago. He has remained an upstanding citizen and is clearly remorseful for his actions and is committed to getting help for his sickness. Therefore, I sentence you TC Russell to one year's probation, to which you will undergo anger management treatment, and community service. This court is adjourned.”

Judge Reilly pounded his gavel and left the courtroom, back into his chambers. TC and Mr. Marcus hugged.

“What?! He can’t do that,” Eve exclaimed to Ethan.

“Unfortunately, he can,” Ethan told her.

“This has my grandfather's fingerprints all over it. I know it,” Fancy said with anger in her voice.

As TC headed to the door, Sheridan stood up and shouted at him, “You’re not going to get away with this TC. You’ll pay.”





Chapter Seventy

Back at the Compound, Julian had spent the day comforting Marty and trying to cheer him up, but nothing seemed to help the little fellow, after Spike verbally abused him. Later that night, Julian told Marty he could sleep with Julian in his bed and he read Marty his favorite story, but Marty was still sad and had a long face.

After Julian had finished reading Marty his story, Julian turned to Marty and put his arm around his nephew and asked, “Do you want to say your prayers?”

“Why?” Marty replied in a depressed tone. “God doesn’t love me because I’m bad.”

“Son, you are not bad and God does love you,” Julian reassured. “Don’t listen to Spike.”

“I want to go to sleep now.” Marty rolled over with his stuffed bunny and rested his head on the pillow.

“Okay,” Julian replied. He gave Marty a kiss on the cheek. “Good night Son. I love you.”

“I love you too, Uncle Julian,” Marty replied.

After Marty was asleep, Julian changed into his pajamas and bathrobe and turned off the lights with only the Christmas lights on. Then he sat in the window seat looking out at the stars. Julian’s heart broke for Marty. He remembered when he was a child and his father said abusive things to him. His mother would try to assure him that the things his father said weren’t true, but Julian still didn’t believe it. The truth was Alistair’s verbal abuse and his cruel words haunted Julian to this day. Julian knew better than anyone that when a child is verbally abused, they think what the abuser is saying is true, and he can haunt them the rest of their life. He had to find a way of preventing Marty from going through that.

Then Julian had an idea. He saw a notepad on the table and got a pen and took the notepad and began to write a letter. Once Julian was done writing he put it in an envelope and wrote on it ‘To Marty, Love Santa.’ Then Julian set the envelope in the fireplace.

The next morning, Julian woke up and was grateful to see that the envelope was still there in the fireplace. He looked over at Marty, who was still asleep next to him, holding his stuffed bunny. Julian stroked his head. The poor child was only four years old and had been through more pain in his life than anyone should have. “I’ll never let your grandfather hurt you again,” Julian said to the sleeping child. “I’ll find a way to bring him down if it’s the last thing I do.”

All of a sudden, Marty opened his eyes.

“Good morning Son,” Julian said to Marty, with a smile on his face.

“Hi,” Marty replied, in a sad tone. He still was in a blue mood from yesterday.

“You know I just saw a letter in the fireplace,” Julian told him. “I wonder who it’s from, do you want to go see it?”

“Sure.”

Julian and Marty got out of bed and sat down on the floor next to the fireplace. Julian picked up the letter.

“It says it’s to Marty, Love Santa,” Julian said to Marty. “Santa wrote you a letter. Do you want to see what it says?”

“No,” Marty replied glumly. “Santa’s probably just going to tell me that I’m a bad boy.”

“Well I don’t know about that,” Julian replied. “Let’s read it and see.”

Julian opened up the letter and began to read. “Dear Marty; I saw what Spike said to you yesterday, and I want you to know that Spike was lying to you. You are a very good boy and I love you very much. So does your Mommy and Daddy and they want you to come home. They miss you very much and there is nothing you could do to make them stop loving you. God loves you too and he never told your Grandpa to lock you up. You never did anything to deserve any of the things your Grandpa has done to you.

Spike is the one who is bad, and I promise you he will get nothing but coal in his stocking this year. I have presents for you, but I don’t know if I can deliver them with the guards watching. However, if I can’t deliver them on Christmas, I promise you the day after you return to Harmony, I will have a huge sack of presents delivered to you because you have been such a good boy, that you are one of my favorites.

In the meantime, hang in there with your Uncle Julian and know that God and your Uncle Julian’s guardian angel Timmy are working on getting the two of you out of the Compound, so you can go back to Harmony and be with the people you love. I don’t know when it will be, just be patient.

Love, Santa”

Marty’s face lit up with a huge smile and began clapping his hands. “Yay!!! Spike was wrong. I am a good boy.”

“Yes you are,” Julian said, putting his arm over Marty and leaning down to give him a kiss on the head.

“Uncle Julian,” Marty said to Julian. “I’m glad that Spike is getting coal in his stocking this year.”

“Me too,” Julian smiled.

Julian and Marty got dressed, had breakfast, and were playing on the floor with Marty’s toys.

At one point, Marty looked up at Julian and said, “Uncle Julian, if we have to stay here for Christmas, what will we do to celebrate?”

“We’ll have some good food, sing Christmas carols, and we’ll spend time together,” Julian said, trying to think of ways to make the holiday happy for the child. “The important thing is that we have each other and that we’re not alone.”

“I’m glad,” Marty answered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back in the hallway at the Compound, Spike was waiting for Alistair to call him to tell him what to do next. The one thing Spike took comfort in right now, was that there hadn’t been any leads about where Julian was or that Marty was alive. Also Spike hoped Old Man Crane had a plan so that Spike wouldn’t go to jail. In the meantime, Spike had to stay at the Compound, otherwise someone would see him, from the wanted posters.

Spike’s cell phone rang and he picked it up. “Hello?” he said.

“Spike it’s me,” Alistair replied.

“Hey Boss, what’s up?” Spike clipped.

“Listen,” Alistair explained. “I have the final plan to make sure that my idiot son is never seen again and never ends up with Eve.”

“Good, what is it? I’ll do whatever you want,” Spike said.

“Now listen carefully…..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back in Harmony, at the Crane Mansion, Eve was in her and Julian’s room, laying her bed on her side, with tears in her eyes. It had been a week since they found out that Julian had been kidnapped, but for Eve it felt more like ten years. For Eve it had been the worst week of her life. There had been no leads and every minute that went by, was another minute that Julian could be in danger and was still missing. All Eve wanted to do was hold her beloved Julian and never let him go.

Eve heard the clock radio go off and there was a song that played on it.

Tell me I will never die
Take away my pain
Rock me gently in your arms
Say that I'll remain in your keeping

Brush the hair out from my eyes
Read me a good story
Kiss my fingertips goodnight
Say that I can stay in your company

And I know this much is true
I have lived inside of you
You have always seen me through
While I am peacefully sleeping

You have always been my friend
I can see you beauty shining
I will love you 'til the end
Long will I remain in your keeping

And I know this much is true
I have lived inside of you
You have always seen me through
While I am peacefully sleeping

While I am peacefully sleep…

At the end of the song, Eve was sobbing into her pillow. “Please Julian, come home. Please come home,” she sobbed.

At that moment, there was a knock at her door.

“Come in,” Eve said, looking up from her pillow.

Grace opened the door and saw that Eve had been crying. “Sweetie, are you okay?” Grace asked with concern.

“No,” Eve sobbed, and buried her face back into her pillow as she cried.

Grace went over to Eve’s bed, sat next to her, and rubbed Eve’s back and arm comforting her. “Sshh, it’s okay,” Grace soothed. “Just let it out.”

As Eve sobbed into her pillow, she felt comforted by Grace’s presence. She needed Grace more than she ever had in her life. After Eve was done crying, she rolled over in bed to face Grace. “Thank you,” she said.

“Of course Sweetheart,” Grace told her. “I can’t imagine what you’re going through right now.”

“Oh Grace, it’s just horrible to imagine,” Eve replied, taking a tissue from the nightstand to dry her eyes.

“I know. I know,” Grace coaxed, as she rubbed Eve’s arm. “Why don’t I get you some breakfast and then we can go to the call center.”

“Okay,” Eve answered. However, the second Eve got out of bed, she felt a sharp pain in her back. “Ah!” Eve yelled, as she put her hand on her back.

“Are you okay?” Grace asked, reaching out to catch Eve.

“Yeah,” Eve whimpered in pain. “It’s just that my back is killing me.”

Grace knew that Eve was in no shape to be looking for Julian right now. Eve’s health had to come first. “Okay, you’re not going anywhere right now,” Grace said, putting her foot down. “You’re going to take something for your back, have something to eat and if you’re feeling better later we can work at the call center this afternoon.”

“Grace, I have to find Julian,” Eve cried.

“You’re not going to be any good to him if you don’t take care of yourself,” Grace said, firmly.

“But-”

“Eve, look at you,” Grace stated, with her arms folded across her chest. “You’re injured, you’re exhausted, you’re sleep deprived, and you’ve barely eaten. I think if Julian were here, he would be saying the same thing that I am saying. Let me take care of you and then we can look for Julian later.”

“Okay, Eve replied, feeling too tired to argue.

~~~Song Credit goes to Jann Ardern “In your keeping.”

Chapter Seventy-One

Note to reader: In this story Vincent never existed.

Downstairs in the kitchen, in the Crane Mansion, Eve was sitting at the kitchen table. She was still wearing her nightgown and bathrobe. Grace had made Eve a plate of scrambled eggs and toast, which she barely touched. Instead Eve was drinking a cup of coffee and watching the news coverage of Julian’s kidnapping on a small tv sitting on the table.

Grace was standing at the kitchen counter, wiping up the counter surface. She was worried about Eve not eating and how upset she looked watching the news. Grace had to put a stop to it. She picked up the remote for the tv and went over to where Eve was sitting and turned the TV off.

“What are you doing?” Eve asked, taken aback.

“They're just saying the same thing over and over again,” Grace replied, firmly. “You don’t need to hear it.”

“But what if there is a new development?”

“Then Sam will call us.”

“Okay.”

Grace sat down next to Eve at the kitchen table. “You’ve got to eat,” she said pointing to Eve’s plate. “You can’t keep living on coffee.”

“How can I eat if I don’t know if Julian is eating?” Eve sobbed. “I can’t eat. I can’t sleep. I can’t do anything but worry about Julian and whether he’s safe.”

“I know Sweetie,” Grace said, putting her arm around Eve. “But if you don’t eat you’re going to get very sick and that won’t help Julian.”

Eve leaned her elbows on the table, and put her face in her hands. “God I am such a terrible person,” she sobbed. “I only had two people in my life who loved me unconditionally. You and Julian. And I betrayed you both for a man who abused me and treated me like dirt.”

“Honey, don’t go there,” Grace replied, with her arm still around Eve.

“How can I not?!” Eve said, looking up at Grace with tear stained eyes. “I’m such a fool.”

“You were abused,” Grace pointed out. “When people are being abused they don’t think clearly.”

“That’s no excuse. If anything happens to Julian….” Before she could finish that sentence Eve burst into even more tears. “Oh God!!!!” she sobbed.

Grace took Eve in her arms and held her as she cried.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back in the living room, in the Crane mansion, Theresa, Chad, and Whitney walked into the room, after handing out fliers to people in town asking them if they had seen Julian. Unfortunately, they had no luck about Julian’s whereabouts.

“Thanks for helping us with the search, Theresa,” Whitney said.

“Sure it’s no problem,” Theresa replied. “I’m just happy to help.”

“I don’t know how much more of this I can take,” Chad exclaimed. “My brother is out there, God knows where, and nobody has any idea where he is.”

“I know Honey,” Whitney said, rubbing Chad’s back. “We’re all worried.”

“There’s got to be something else we can do,” Chad said, holding back tears.

“Actually,” said Whitney. “I had an idea that might help.”

At that moment, Ethan walked into the living room. “Hey Whitney, I got your message. What did you need my help for?”

“This was my idea,” Whitney said to Chad and Theresa. Then she turned to Ethan. “Ethan I know you worked with Alistair and Julian when everyone thought you were a Crane, so I was thinking maybe you could hack into Alistair’s computer to maybe find out where Julian is.”

“That’s a great idea,” Theresa said.

“Of course,” Ethan answered. “I’d be happy to. You know I want to find Julian too.”

“Great, let's go to the library and do it,” Whitney replied.

Before they could go to the library, Gwen and Rebecca burst into the Crane living room, and Gwen went right over to Theresa and slapped her across the face and began ringing her neck. “You bitch!!” Gwen shouted.

“Gwen, get off of her,” Ethan said, as he pulled his wife off of Theresa and restrained her.

“What is the matter with you?” Theresa shouted at Gwen.

“You called Ethan to come over here,” Gwen yelled at Theresa, while Ethan was still holding her back. “And to do what? Seduce him?”

“No, I never called Ethan,” Theresa shouted at Gwen.

“Liar,” Rebecca exclaimed at Theresa “Why should we believe a slut like you?!

“Rebecca, that's enough,” Ethan said.

“I called Ethan over here to help with the search for Julian,” Whitney explained to Gwen. “I was hoping that Ethan could help us hack into Alistair’s laptop so we could find out where Julian is.”

Gwen pulled out of Ethan’s grip and then faced him. “No, absolutely not,” she said to Ethan, with anger in her voice. “You will do no such thing. I don’t want Alistair taking revenge on our family because you were searching to find Julian.”

“Wow!!!” Chad shouted at Gwen. “My brother has been kidnapped and you don’t even want Ethan to help?!”

“Well I have to put my family first, so that Theresa doesn’t break it up,” Gwen answered.

Theresa rolled her eyes. “Trust me Gwen, I have other things on my mind right now,” she snapped. “Like finding my son’s father.”

“Oh please, you don’t even like Julian,” Gwen quipped.

At that moment, Whitney had enough. “Look Gwen,” Whitney snapped, with anger in her voice. “My mother’s fiance has been kidnapped and is probably in grave danger. She is not eating, or sleeping and is going out of her mind with grief. I really don’t care about your selfish insecurities right now. I care about finding Julian.”

“And whose fault is it that Julian has been kidnapped?” Rebecca pointed out. “If Julian hadn’t divorce me, he would be here right now.”

“Shut up Rebecca!!!” Chad yelled.

“Look Gwen, I have to help find Julian,” Ethan told her, putting his hands on Gwen’s arms, trying to calmly reason with her. “Julian raised me. I believed him to be my father for over twenty years. If I don’t help, I don’t think I can live with myself.”

“This is so typical,” Gwen snapped. “You put everyone, but me and Jane first.”

“I’m not abandoning you and Jane, I’m trying to help find someone I love who's been kidnapped.”

“We have the police for that,” Gwen snapped.

“Yes, but we all have to do our part,” Ethan pointed out.

“Ethan you can’t listen to her,” Chad begged. “Julian needs us right now.”

“Oh shut up Chad,” Gwen snapped.

At that moment, Ivy walked into the room, carrying a tabloid.

“Mother, what are you doing here?” Ethan asked.

“I don't know what's going on here, but it will have to wait. JT Cornell published everyone’s secrets in the tabloids, and I think you should see this. Look at page four.

Ethan took it and saw an article that read The Hotchkiss Women’s crimes. Underneath it listed various things Gwen and Rebecca had done with a paragraph underneath each crime. The one that stood out the most for Ethan was that Gwen and Rebecca had sent the truth about his true paternity to the tabloids and framed Theresa for it.

“It says here that you and your mother sent the truth about my true paternity to the tabloids and framed Theresa for it,” Ethan said to Gwen.

“Oh God, not this again,” Gwen said, rolling her eyes. “Theresa probably got JT Cornell to print that.”

“No I didn’t Gwen,” Theresa snapped. “Just like I never sent the truth about Ethan’s true paternity to the tabloids.”

“You’re such a liar,” Rebecca cried.

“No, Theresa didn’t send this to JT Cornell,” Ethan said, still reading the tabloid.

“How do you know that?” Gwen asked.

“Because it also says here that Little Ethan is my biological son, and that Theresa has known since Rome!,” Ethan exclaimed.

“What?!” Gwen exclaimed.

Theresa’s face fell and Whitney put her hand on Theresa’s back to comfort her.

“Okay. One problem at a time,” Ethan said. Then he turned to Gwen and yelled, “YOU SENT THE TRUTH ABOUT MY PATERNITY TO THE TABLOIDS!!!”

“Yes okay,” Gwen admitted. “Theresa had stolen you away from me and I couldn’t let her get away with it.”

“I fell in love with Theresa on my own,” Ethan said, with anger in his voice. “No one forced me to do that. You ruined my life, just to hold onto me.”

“I told you,” Theresa chimed in.

Ethan turned around to address Theresa. “Don’t even start with me Theresa,” he yelled. “You lied to me about Little Ethan being my son?!”

“I wanted to tell you Ethan,” explained Theresa. “But I was afraid that you would stay with Gwen and she would convince you to take Little Ethan away from me. You talk about father’s rights, but what about mother’s rights?! You allowed Gwen to take my children from me. How was I supposed to trust you?! Do you see now what I have had to put up with from Gwen all these years?!”

At that moment, Ethan realized that Theresa was right. Gwen was evil and he had let Gwen get away with stealing Theresa’s children. “You’re right Theresa. I am so sorry I believed Gwen all these years over you.”

“Yeah Theresa I am too,” Ivy added.

Ethan turned to Gwen again. “How could you do this to me, you bitch?!” he yelled. “I lost everything that night, thanks to you. It wasn’t just me you hurt, but the Crane and the Bennett families. You don’t care about anybody but yourself do you?!”

“Ethan, you know that’s not true,” Gwen cried.

“How am I supposed to believe that when you sent the truth about my paternity to the tabloids?! Ethan exclaimed. “And look at this,” he said, referring to the tabloid again. “It says here that when Alistair was raping Theresa, you heard it and didn’t help her.”

“You monster,” Theresa shouted at Gwen.

“Hey, you’re the one who made a deal with the devil,” Gwen pointed out to Theresa.

“That is no excuse,” Ethan yelled at Gwen. “You’re evil. I can’t believe you would do that to another human being, even someone you hated. It also says here that Rebecca is the one who poisoned Liz in an attempt to kill Eve and then framed Eve for, and you knew about it and not only did you not tell anyone, you told Rebecca not to try to free Eve?!”

“You bitch!!!” Whitney yelled at Gwen trying to go after her, but Chad and Theresa restrained her. “How could you do that to my mother?!”

“I needed her here to keep Theresa away from Ethan,” cried Gwen.

“Hey, don’t blame me because you broke the law,” Theresa shouted at Gwen.

All of a sudden Whitney noticed something on the cover on the tabloid about Chad. She went up to Ethan and took the tabloid from him and turned to the article about Chad having an affair with Valerie, which started while Whitney was in the convent, and Chad was still seeing her. Whitney looked up from the tabloid and turned to Chad. “Chad, it says here that you’ve been having an affair with Valerie,” she exclaimed.

“Baby, I can explain,” Chad said to her. “It means nothing to me. It’s just sex.”

“Chad, how can you do this to me?!” Whitney cried, holding back tears. “You’ve been cheating on me more than once. I thought you loved me.”

“I do love you, Baby. I do,” Chad declared.

“No, if you loved me, you would have been faithful. Do you realize you could have given me an STD?”

“I used protection.”

“I don’t care!!! I can’t even look at you right now!!! We’re over.”

“Baby, please,” Chad pleaded.

All of a sudden, Grace came into the living room, “Hey, what’s going on in here?” she shouted in frustration. “You’re disturbing Eve.” At that moment, Grace saw Ivy. It was the first time she had seen her since Grace returned to Europe.

“Ivy,” Grace said, folding her arms across her chest.

“Grace,” Ivy replied. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here with Eve,” Grace answered.

“I didn’t think you were speaking to her.”

“I wasn’t, but I decided to forgive her given how you blackmailed her.”

“Now wait a minute,” Ivy said, in a defensive tone.

Grace rolled her eyes. She wanted to deal with Ivy, but at that moment she was still too consumed with Julian’s kidnapping and too worried about Eve. “You know what,” Grace snapped at Ivy. “I don’t have time for this right now, I’ll deal with you later.”

“That I’d love to see,” Rebecca whispered to Gwen.”

Then Eve walked into the room.

Chapter Seventy-Two

Then Eve walked into the room.

“What’s going on here?” Eve whimpered. Her face was tearstained and was holding back tears.

As soon as Ivy, Rebecca, and Gwen saw Eve’s face their eyes widened at the sight of her bruises on her face. They had heard that Eve had been badly beaten, but they didn’t know just how bad.

“Oh Eve, you look dreadful,” Rebecca said, feigning sympathy.

“Rebecca, please don’t start with me today,” Eve stammered in a low voice.

“Oh and who did that to your face?” Rebecca said pretending to care. “Oh I forgot. TC beat you.” She was smiling and holding back a laugh.

“What’s the matter with you Rebecca?” Whitney shouted. “Can’t you see my mother’s in pain?”

“Yes, with those bruises who wouldn’t be,” Rebecca quipped.

Eve ignored Rebecca’s nasty remark and asked, “What’s going on? Has there been any word on Julian?”

“No Mom, there hasn’t,” Whitney replied in a gentle tone.

“Come on Honey,” Grace said to Eve, putting her arm around Eve. “Let’s go.”

“No, don’t coddle me,” Eve snapped, in a whimpering tone. "I want to know what’s going on.”

Whitney and Theresa looked at each other with the same message on their faces. They were both worried about Eve’s mental state, but they knew they couldn’t stop Eve from finding out about the tabloid.

“There was a tabloid that came out today, about people’s secrets in town,” Whitney explained to her mother. Then she looked at Chad and said in an angry tone, “One of them being that Chad has been having an affair with Valerie behind my back.”

“Chad, you’ve been cheating on my daughter?!” Eve shouted.

“Yes, but it means nothing to me, Eve,” Chad explained. “It was just sex.”

“I don’t care,” Eve shouted at Chad. “I know I once thought you were my son, but right now I feel like strangling you.”

“You might want to save your energy,” Whitney told Eve. “It was also found out that Rebecca is the one who poisoned Liz in an attempt to kill you and then framed you for, and Gwen knew about it and not only did you not tell anyone, told Rebecca not to try to free you or tell the truth?!”

“What?!” Eve exclaimed, grabbing the tabloid from Whitney and reading it amazement. “Gwen, is this true?” she asked as she limped over to Gwen.

“Yeah Eve it’s true,” Gwen admitted.

“How could you?” Eve asked in a small voice.

“Eve, I’m sorry,” Gwen replied, feigning remorse. “I couldn’t let my mother go to jail.”

“It says here that you didn’t care if I went to jail,” Eve pointed out. “And while I’m not one who usually believes what’s written in a tabloid. This one seems pretty accurate to me.”

“Okay fine. I didn’t care,” Gwen admitted. “I needed my mother to help me keep Theresa from Ethan.”

“Because according to this,” Eve said pointing to the magazine. “You didn’t want Ethan to find out that you and your mother sent the truth about his paternity to the tabloids?”

“Wait a minute, you two sent the truth about Ethan’s paternity to the tabloids?!” Grace exclaimed.

“Oh yeah!” Ethan said to Grace. “And framed Theresa for it.”

“Yes,” Gwen clipped.

“That is the worst excuse I have ever heard in my life, Gwen,” Eve shouted. “Even if I agreed with you, which I don’t, but even if I did you didn’t need Rebecca.”

“Well Eve was I supposed to do?” Gwen exclaimed. “I needed to protect my marriage.”

“I could have gone to jail, Gwen,” Eve shouted. “For crimes I didn’t commit. My God, I’ve never been anything but nice to you and you would hurt me like this.”

“That’s not true,” Rebecca pointed out. “You did give Theresa the pills to poison Ethan.”

At that moment, Eve felt three years of repressed anger come out at Rebecca, and Eve decided to tell Rebecca exactly what she thought of her. “Oh shut up Rebecca!!!” Eve yelled. “You know Julian and I suspected that you tried to kill me, but we never had the proof until now. Why? How could you do this?!”

“Hey, you messed with the wrong woman’s husband,” Rebecca quipped.

“Please you never had Julian to begin with,” Eve pointed out. “You were just using him for his money, and the only way you got him to marry you was because you blackmailed him. I am his wife in every way that really matters. But no you couldn’t handle that could you? You just had to have what you wanted and didn’t care who got hurt in the process. And then I find out that you two sent Ethan’s paternity to the tabloids. Julian was devastated when he found out that Ethan was his son. But did the two of you care? No. Just as long as you could get your hands on all that Crane money.”

“Hey, I had Julian. I dare you to do the things I did in the sack to make him happy,” Rebecca countered.

“Oh Honey, I didn’t have to put on a costume to please Julian in bed,” Eve bragged. “I could satisfy him just fine, and he said it was the best sex of his life.”

“Okay, can we keep this on a need to know basis here,” said Whitney, not wanting to know about her mother’s sex life.

“We care about Julian,” Gwen pointed out.

“Then why haven’t you two been volunteering with the search and were just telling Ethan you didn’t want him to help find Julian,” Chad snapped at Gwen.”

“Oh my God! The fact that Julian has been kidnapped and is in grave danger means nothing to the two of you?! You two are monsters!” Eve exclaimed. “And Gwen, if I had any doubt about you before I certainly don’t now.”

“I was trying to protect my family,” Gwen snapped. “I was worried that Alistair would allow Theresa to come in between Ethan and I.”

“Oh that’s terrible. You know what Gwen, I'm scared too,” Eve yelled. “I’m scared that Julian is being tortured as we speak, I’m scared that he’s lying in a ditch somewhere, I’m scared if he’s cold or hungry, I’m scared that his life is in danger. I don’t eat. I don’t sleep. All I do is think about Julian worrying about his safety. Which is why I am praying every single moment that this nightmare comes to an end.”

“Well I hate to break it to you Eve, but Julian’s probably dead,” Gwen replied, coldly.

Eve couldn’t believe that Gwen just said that to her. “You bitch!!!” Eve shouted, slapping Gwen across the face. “Don’t you dare you say that to me. He’s alive and I know it and I am not going to stop looking for him until he’s found.”

“Hey, how dare you slap me?!” Gwen said, grabbing Eve’s arm.

“Ow,” Eve exclaimed, as Gwen grabbed her bruised forearm.

“Oh please I didn’t grab you that hard,” Gwen replied, rolling her eyes.

“Gwen, she’s injured,” Grace snapped.

“Not enough to keep her from slapping me,” Gwen pointed out.

Eve released her arm from Gwen’s hold.

“You know what Eve,” said Rebecca. “You claim to care about Julian, but you left him to take care of a cripple.”

“I left what I thought was Julian, after I thought he regressed,” Eve yelled. “I never fell back in love with TC and out of love with Julian. If I had any idea what Alistair and TC were planning, I would have killed them both before I ever let them hurt Julian.”

Rebecca rolled her eyes. “Oh please Eve, you are nothing but garbage,” she replied. “As far as I’m concerned, Julian’s better off dead, than with a ****** of a whore like you.”

“Rebecca!!” Ethan exclaimed, at the outrageousness of what his mother-in-law had just said.

“You little bitch!” Eve yelled at Rebecca, as she slapped her, and then began attacking her. Eve wasn’t sure what she was more angry at Rebecca for. Saying that Julian was better off dead, or being called the N word.

“Oh you want another beauty mark on your face. I’ll give you one,” Rebecca said, making a fist at Eve.

“Go ahead,” shouted Eve. “You can’t hurt me anymore than I’ve already been hurt.”

Grace and Whitney grabbed Eve, holding her back trying to restrain her.

“Mom, come on,” Whitney said, holding her back. “Don’t aggravate your injury.”

“Don’t listen to her,” Grace told Eve. “She has less brains than a centipede.”

“Who are you to judge my mother and I?!” Gwen shouted at Eve. “Everyone knows you stabbed Grace in the back. Not to mention you’re nothing but a drug addicted whore.”

“Gwen!” Ethan exclaimed.

“Hey, how dare you talk to my Mother like that!” Whitney yelled, going up to Gwen and slapped her across the face.

“Oh how rude,” Rebecca exclaimed at Whitney.

Whitney immediately went up to Rebecca and slapped her across the face too. “And that is for trying to kill my mother, framing her for crimes she didn’t, and calling her the n word,” Whitney yelled at Rebecca. Then she turned to both of them. “You know I am so sick of the way you two have treated my mother and Theresa for years. Well I’ve had it and I’m not going to let the two of you do it anymore. So you two better watch out.” Whitney went back to stand next to her mother.

“I cannot believe the two of you had the nerve to say that to Eve,” Ethan said, lecturing to Gwen and Rebecca. “And now with everything that she’s going through.”

“Oh come on, don’t black people call each other that all the time,” Rebecca pointed out.

“Rebecca, one more word and I swear,” Whitney threatened.

“Oh come on Ethan,” said Gwen. “Eve parades herself as a paragon of virtue, but we all know that she teamed up with Ivy into breaking up Sam and Grace’s marriage.”

“You know what Gwen, I didn’t want to break up Sam and Grace’s marriage. Ivy blackmailed me into it,” Eve snapped. “First she threatened to expose my past. I said no, willing to take the fall. Then she drugged Whitney at a dance, almost killing her. I still said no. Then she pulls a gun to my head. I still said no. Then she threatened to turn my daughters into drug addicts and had the Crane power at the time to do it. At that point, I got scared and I gave in and I’ve lived with the guilt ever since. Now I know that’s not an excuse and what I did was incredibly selfish. But I did not intend to hurt the Bennetts. You and your mother intended to hurt me.”

“Mother, did you really do all of that to Eve?!” Ethan exclaimed to Ivy.

“I was desperate to get Sam back, and Eve wouldn’t budge,” Ivy explained.

“My God, you’re worse than I thought,” Ethan yelled at his mother.

“Eve’s right, Gwen,” Grace said.

“What?!” Gwen exclaimed.

“Eve was backed into a corner, to the point where her children’s lives were put in jeopardy by Ivy. You had nothing to lose but your own selfish pride.”

“Wow Grace, I cannot believe this is coming from you,” Gwen exclaimed in disgust.

“Because it’s the truth,” Grace snapped. “I lost my baby because of the two of you. My whole family’s lives were destroyed that night. How do the two of you live with yourselves?!”


“Pretty good with all of the Crane money,” Rebecca clipped.

“You two only care about yourselves, do you?,” Grace yelled. “I will never ever forgive either one of you for what you did to my baby, Ethan, the rest of my family, and Eve.”

“You know you all are ganging up on my mother and I,” Gwen shouted. “But what about Theresa, all of the things she did to me. She killed my Sarah, drugged my surrogate, tried to kill me more than once….”

“I did not kill Sarah, that was an accident,” Theresa yelled at Gwen. “However, you and your mother caused the death of Grace’s unborn baby. However, as much as I hate and despise you I would never ever stand by and let you get raped.”

“Gwen let you get raped,” exclaimed Grace.

“Oh yeah,” Theresa answered. “It was written up in the tabloid article. When Alistair was raping me, Gwen heard it and walked away and turned up the music her bedroom, so Ethan wouldn’t hear it.”

“Oh my God,” Eve exclaimed, in horror.

“Oh come on,” Gwen shouted back at Theresa. “You kept Little Ethan’s paternity from Ethan all this time….”

“Wait a minute, what?” Eve asked, being caught completely off guard.

“Yeah Dr. Johnson, I’m sorry you had to find out this way,” Theresa explained. “Last summer in Rome, I found out from JT Cornell that Ethan is Little Ethan’s biological father.”

“And you didn’t tell Ethan or Julian?” asked Eve.

“No, I was afraid if I told Ethan, Gwen would convince Ethan to take Little Ethan away from me the same way she did Jane, so I kept it a secret,” Theresa replied.

“Well I understand that,” Eve answered. “I know what it feels like to lose a child, and I know Julian will too when he finds out.”

“How can you condone Theresa doing that?!” Gwen shouted at Eve. “She kept Ethan’s son from him.”

“Just like you kept Theresa’s children from her,” Eve shouted back at Gwen.

“You know what Gwen,” Ethan snapped at her. “Theresa was right. You are just as evil as your mother, but even worse. At least Rebecca doesn’t pretend that she’s not evil. My God the excuses I made for you to Theresa, the things I let you get away with, well no more. We’re done. I’m filing for a divorce as soon as possible.”

Ethan left the living room, with Gwen and Rebecca going after him.




Chapter Seventy-Three

Eve and Grace walked into the library in the Crane Mansion and sat down on the couch. Eve set the copy of the tabloid on the coffee table. Just when Eve thought things couldn’t get any worse, they already did. Eve was totally devastated by the news she had just received, on top of dealing with Julian’s kidnapping. She knew she would catch up with Whitney later and she would comfort her daughter over her break up with Chad. In the meantime, she was too overwhelmed by what she just learned to do anything else about it.

“Are you okay?” Grace asked Eve, putting her hand on Eve’s back.

“Yeah, I’m great,” Eve quipped. “The man I love has been kidnapped, my ex-husband beat me, my daughter’s fiance has been cheating on her with some office skank, I find out a woman who I thought was my friend stabbed me in the back, Rebecca called me the N word, and Little Ethan is not Julian’s biological son. I’ve never been better in my life.”

“I’m so sorry sweetie,” Grace comforted, as she put her arm around Eve.

“I can’t believe Gwen,” Eve exclaimed in anger. “She knew that Rebecca was framing me and she did nothing and all the while she’s pretending to be all kind and supportive and in reality she didn’t care if I went to jail or not.”

“We were all fooled by Gwen,” Grace replied.

Eve looked at Grace, realizing that she had done something similar to Grace and began to feel like a hypocrite. “I’m sorry,” she said to Grace. “This must sound really pathetic coming from me.”

“No it doesn’t,” Grace reassured. “I meant what I said out there. Gwen had nothing to lose and didn’t care. You had everything to lose and you did care.”

“Thank you, that’s more than I deserve,” Eve said, grateful for Grace’s understanding. “If it makes you feel better, I think what Gwen and Rebecca did to your family by sending Ethan’s paternity to the tabloids was really evil.”

“Thank you,” Grace clipped.

Eve put her face in her hands as she thought about Little Ethan’s paternity coming out. “Oh my God, my poor Julian,” she groaned in distress. “He’s going to be so devastated when he finds out that Little Ethan isn’t his son. He wanted so much to be a better father to his children. I know how much it broke his heart when he found out Ethan wasn’t his son and now he’s going to have to go through that all over again.”

“I’m so sorry,” Grace consoled. “You’ll be there to get him through it.”

“I will,” Eve clipped and then she looked up. “You know if Julian had the chance I think he’d be a good father. We should have been able to raise our son together and give him brothers and sisters. But no, Alistair had to rob us of that too.”

“Oh Honey.”

“And now Alistair has taken Julian and my son from me, and I couldn’t protect either one of them from Alistair.” The truth was Eve had been thinking about that since she found out Julian was kidnapped. Julian and their son had been the two most important men in her lost and Alistair stole both of them from her, and she was without them unable to protect them from Alistair’s torment.

“It’s not your fault what happened to them, Eve.” Grace reassured her. "Don’t put that on yourself. And there is a good chance that Julian and your son are still alive. Don’t give up hope.”

“Hope is all I have left,” Eve replied as she hung her head.

At that moment Ivy walked into the room and closed the door behind her, causing Eve and Grace to look up and see their enemy standing in front of them.

“Oh God,” Grace groaned, as she rolled her eyes, taking her arm away from Eve.

Eve rolled her eyes. Ivy was the last person she needed to deal with now. “What are you doing here Ivy?” she snapped.

“I live here,” Ivy clipped. “Wagner invited me to stay until I found a place.”

This was certainly news to Eve. She had been so preoccupied with Julian’s kidnapping she didn’t know that Ivy was staying at the mansion. Eve turned to Grace, and said “Grace, I swear I didn’t know anything about this.”

“It’s okay, don’t worry about it,” Grace assured her. “You have other things to worry about right now.”

“My, that is some face TC gave you,” Ivy said to Eve.

Eve grimenced. Ivy could be so exasperating. “Is there some reason why you came in here other than to gawk at my bruises?” she snapped.

“Yes. I came in here to tell you that if you think I am going to stand here and let you get away with that story of how I threatened you and your daughters lives, you can think again,” Ivy yelled at Eve.

“Well it’s true,” Eve quipped.

“Oh please Eve you had a choice and you made a choice. And you choose to stab your best friend in the back,” Ivy shouted.

“You know what Ivy just shut up,” Grace shouted as she stood up and faced Ivy. “You blame everyone else for your actions but you. You are the one who chose to listen to your father and leave Sam, all those years ago. You choose to lie about Ethan’s paternity. You choose to hire David to pretend to be my first husband, to break up my marriage. And then you blame Eve, Kay, and whoever else and parade yourself like you’re the innocent victim. Well I’m sick of it and I’m not buying it.”

“Oh please Grace, do you know what it was like being married to Julian all those years, trapped in a loveless marriage?!” Ivy shouted back. “All the times he cheated on me, treating me like dirt. It was hell.”

“Shut up Ivy,” Eve shouted as she stood up, folding her arms across her chest, facing Ivy. She was not going to let Julian’s ex-wife berate the man she loved. “Don’t you dare blame Julian. You were no angel to him either. You only married Julian to make your father happy and then lied to Julian about Ethan being his son. Unlike you and Rebecca, I never cared about Julian’s money. I care about Julian. I would choose to be with him no matter how much he was worth. Julian didn’t deserve to be married to a bitch like you.”

“Oh I’m a bitch?!” Ivy shouted at Eve. “Don’t take it out on me because Julian has been kidnapped!”

“Oh I wouldn’t dream of it,” Eve snarled back at Ivy.

“How dare you berate Eve right now and with everything that she’s going through!!” Grace shouted at Ivy.

“Oh you think Eve’s innocent in all of this!” Ivy shouted. Then she turned to Eve. “Eve, do you think Julian’s going to come back and be okay that you assumed the worst of him?! But knowing you, you're just going to lie to him the same way you lied to TC for years about your past.”

“Well that’s where you’re wrong Ivy,” Eve explained. “You see, unlike you, I've learned from history. When Julian comes home I’m going to tell him everything that’s happened. I don’t know how he’s going to react or how it’s going to affect our relationship. But this time I’m not giving up on him, no matter what.”

“Good luck with that one,” Ivy quipped. Then she turned to address both Eve and Grace. “You two are a piece of work. You claim to love Sam and Julian, yet you both left them out of guilt. Well unlike the two of you, I fought for the man I love.”

“Eve and I were both manipulated into making those decisions,” Grace shouted at Ivy.
“And yes we made some mistakes by doing that. But we never stopped loving the men we love, and would never do anything to hurt them intentionally. If you truly loved Sam, you wouldn’t have put him through all the pain you caused him, but leaving him all those years ago, lying about Ethan’s paternity, and breaking up our marriage.”

“Grace is right, Ivy,” Eve chimed in.

“Oh please. Sam and I were happy together and our love was beautiful.”

“Beautiful?! You had to lie to him to get back together,” Grace shouted. “I’ve got news for you Ivy. You lost. Sam’s never going to want to be with you again.”

“Oh and you think he’s going to want to be with some Martha Stewart want-to-be like you,” Ivy shouted at Grace. “It doesn’t matter what Sam says. He has always loved me more than you and always will.”

At that moment, Grace felt all of the rage she had been feeling towards Ivy for the past couple of months, boil over and something in her snapped. “All right, that does it.” Grace went up to Ivy and started attacking and beating her across the room. At one point, Grace had Ivy on the floor while she was attacking her. “I’m going to kill you.” Grace shouted at Ivy.

“Are you crazy?” Ivy shouted, “Get off me.”

Eve tried to pull Grace off of Ivy, as much as she could with her back injury. “Grace, come on. I hate her too, but she’s not worth you going to jail for,” Eve reasoned.

Grace got up and released Ivy. “You’re right. I want her to rot in jail.”

Ivy got up and left the room.

Grace turned to Eve and said, “That felt good.”

Eve gave Grace on the back, letting Grace know that she supported her.

Chapter Seventy-Four

Later that afternoon, the media had gotten word about Little Ethan’s paternity and it was all over the news. Fox had immediately stepped up as the new head of Crane Industries, until Julian came back and they could name a new permanent CEO. Of course it wasn’t easy for Fox to concentrate on work with everything going on with his father. However, he still rose to the occasion and did what Julian would have expected of him.

Eve was spending her time that afternoon working at the volunteer call center for Julian. As usual there were still no leads on him. In between calls, Eve combed the tabloid that had come out that afternoon to see if there were any clues in the magazine to where Julian was, but there wasn’t. Then Eve had an idea. She remembered hearing about how JT Cornell was able to get a hold of everyone’s secrets and how he found out that Whitney and Chad were not related, and thought that maybe JT could help find Julian. Eve knew it was risky, but nothing else had seemed to work to find Julian and time was running out. However, Eve knew she couldn’t do it alone. She would need someone who had dealt with JT before and someone with a lot of money. The only people she could think of were Theresa and Fancy.

So Eve called up Theresa and Fancy and asked them to meet her at the search center. When they arrived they went into an empty hotel room and sat down on the beds to talk.

“What did you want to talk to us about Eve?” Fancy asked.

“I have an idea about how to find Julian and I need the two of you to help me,” Eve explained.


“What is it?” Theresa asked, wondering how they could possibly help.

“I was thinking we could hire JT Cornell to help us figure out where Julian is,” Eve explained. “I know it’s a long shot, but at this point he might be our only hope.”

“Eve, are you sure that’s a good idea?” Fancy asked. “From what I hear he’s a sleaze.”

“Fancy’s right,” added Theresa. “He lies at the drop of a hat. He’s not to be trusted.”

“I know that, but he did find out that Chad and Whitney are not related and I’m getting desperate,” Eve pleaded.

“Well so am I,” Fancy replied. “But how do we know that JT will be telling us the truth?”

“I figured that,” Eve pointed out. “But what if there is a chance he could be telling the truth and at this point nothing else has worked to find Julian.”

Fancy and Theresa looked at each other thinking the same thing, that Eve had a point that this might be their only shot.

“Well if we did pay him enough money, he might confess,” Theresa admitted. “But I should warn you, he doesn’t come cheap.”

“Well we have the reward fund and I have some money in savings I could put up,” Eve said.

“Trust me, he’ll want more,” Theresa pointed out.

“I can make sure we have enough money,” Fancy offered. “If I have to I’ll cash in my trust fund.”

“Your father would be very touched,” Eve told Fancy.

~

An hour later, Eve, Fancy, and Theresa were all sitting in back of the Crane limo driving to JT Cornell’s place. Eve had decided to cover up her bruises with make-up to deal with JT. Fancy had changed out of her police officer’s uniform as well, so JT wouldn’t be intimidated by a police officer. She still had her gun on her along with her badge. All three of them sat in silence very solemnly for a while until Eve broke the ice.

“How are things with you and Ethan?” Eve asked Theresa.

“They're good,” Theresa replied. “Ethan and I are moving back with my mother and the children and we’re getting back together.”

“That’s great,” Eve said with a smile. “I'm so happy for you both.”

“Yeah I am too,” Fancy said to Theresa, happy that her brother could finally be with the woman he truly loved.

“Theresa I am so sorry, I didn’t believe you about Gwen being as nasty as she is,” Eve said to Theresa. “I had no idea.”

“It’s okay, most people don’t,” Theresa said. “And I’ll admit that I have done some crazy things to be with Ethan.”

“I don’t know,” Eve whimpered as she felt tears going down her cheeks. “Maybe if I had been more like you and followed my heart Julian would still be here now.”

Theresa put her hand on Eve’s arm. “First of all, you don’t want to be like me,” she told Eve. “Okay, I’ve gotten into a lot of trouble because of it. And second of all it’s not your fault what happened to Julian.”

“Theresa’s right Eve,” Fancy reassured. “My father adores you. He’s not going to blame you for what happened to him.”

“I hope so,” Eve replied gravely, as she wept her tears. “I don’t know how much longer I can go without knowing where Julian is.”

“Me too,” Fancy said, taking Eve’s hand, as she felt tears go down her cheeks too.

“They’re going to find him,” Theresa assured Eve and Fancy. “You two just have to hang in there.”

Finally they arrived at JT’s apartment, and got out of the limo having the driver wait in the car.

“Here goes nothing,” Eve said.

“Okay, everyone remember the plan,” Fancy said.

“We do,” Theresa replied.

They all went up to the door and knocked on it. Then JT opened the door.

“Well, well, well!!” he said. “What did I do to deserve the pleasure of three beautiful ladies to come visit me?”

All three of the women walked into his apartment, without being asked.

“Let’s get one thing straight JT,” Theresa stated in a no-nonsense voice. “We’re here for business and business only.”

“Oh no, I’m not doing any more favors for you,” JT replied, remembering how Theresa had hassled him before.

“Then do one for me and Fancy,” Eve said to JT.

“Oh and what favor would that be, my pretty lady,” JT replied, giving Eve a flirtatious smile, and kissing the top of her hand.

Eve jerked her hand away. “You know damn well that my fiance Julian Crane has been kidnapped,” Eve replied, trying to fight her anger at JT for publishing the article that exposed Ethan’s real paternity and how much it hurt Julian. “Well we need your help in finding him.”

“Hey, I ain’t no police officer,” JT claimed.

“No, but you know how to dig up dirt on anyone. And if we find out that you are lying to us JT, I will use every bit of Crane power to make your life miserable,” Fancy threatened.

“Wow ladies please, there is only so much I can do here,” JT stated. Then he gave a smug smile. “I might be willing to help you for a price.”

“There is a ten million dollar reward to whoever finds Julian,” Theresa pointed out.

“Please, ten million dollars,” JT quipped. “That was yesterday's price.”

Eve grabbed JT by the collar, and threatened, “Look we don’t have time for games here. The man I love is in grave danger and I will kill anyone who gets in the way of us finding him.”

“Hey Lady, take it easy, I'm just negotiating here.”

“Come on Eve, this isn’t helping,” Fancy said, putting her hand on Eve’s shoulder.

Eve let go of JT’s collar. “Okay, fine. How much more do you want? I have fifty thousand dollars in savings I can give you.”

“Add twenty million more dollars to that and I’ll help you find him,” JT answered.

“Okay,” said Fancy.

Eve and Fancy began to dig into their purses to pull out their checkbooks and then all of a sudden a man wearing a face mask burst into the apartment, went up to JT and shot him in the chest and stomach.

“Oh my God!!!” Theresa screamed.

Fancy pulled out her gun on the man, pointing it at him, saying “Police!!” However, the man ran off before Fancy could shoot him.

Eve immediately ran to JT to check his pulse.

“Is he alive?” Theresa cried, as she and Fancy rushed over to JT’s body.

“Barely,” Eve said, kneeling next to JT on the floor. “Theresa call 911. Fancy go out to the limo and get my medical bag.”

“Okay,” Fancy replied as she ran out to the limo.

Theresa got out her cell phone and called 911 asking for them to come. Fancy came back into the apartment with Eve’s medical bag, as soon as Theresa got off the phone. They both kneeled down on the floor next to Eve.

“What do you want us to do?” Fancy asked Eve.

“Fancy, do you know CPR and first aid?” asked Eve.

“Yes,” Fancy answered. “I learned it at the police academy.”

“Good,” Eve said to Fancy. “We need to give him CPR. You hold his nose and blow into it. I’ll give him chest compressions.”

“Okay,” said Fancy.

Both Eve and Fancy gave CPR for a couple of minutes, but nothing seemed to work. Then Eve pulled out her stethoscope and listened to his heart.

“He’s still not breathing,” Eve told Fancy. “I need to open up his airway.” Then Eve turned to Theresa and said, “Theresa, I need you to find me a knife sharp enough to do a tracheotomy.

“I’m on it,” Theresa replied and went to JT’s kitchen to find a knife.

“Come on JT,” Eve threatened, knowing that he was the only hope in finding her beloved Julian. “Don’t you die on me.”

Theresa came back with a knife. “Will this work?” she asked, as she knelt back down next to Eve.

“We’ll see,” Eve replied. She made an incision in JT’s throat, but still nothing seemed to work. “Okay, I’m going to give him a shot of adrenaline to get his heart starting.” Eve went into her medical bag and pulled out a syringe and injected it into his heart. Then she felt his pulse. “He’s still not breathing,” Eve said. “We need to continue CPR.”

Eve and Fancy kept giving CPR for three more minutes and when JT’s heart still wouldn’t beat, they knew he was dead.

“Nooooo!!!” Eve screamed, knowing that JT would no longer be able to help them find Julian. Fancy went over to Eve and they hugged as they sobbed in each other’s arms.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at Alistair Crane’s hide away, Alistair was watching on his monitors, smiling that his plan to kill JT Cornell to keep him from finding Julian was complete.

“You’ll never find Julian,” Alistair said to Eve through the monitors. “You might as well give up now.”

Chapter Seventy-Five

An hour later, JT’s apartment had been turned into a crime scene. The paramedics had his body laying on a gurney, with his face covered up by a sheet, taking him to a hospital for an autopsy. The police were investigating JT’s apartment for clues, while Sam was outside with Eve, Fancy, and Theresa asking them questions about what happened.

“And none of you saw the shooter’s face?” Sam asked them as he was writing down their statements.

“No Chief Bennett,” Fancy replied. “He was wearing a face mask.”

“Alistair was behind this,” Eve said, still shaken up from what she just saw. “He was trying to prevent us from finding Julian.”

“I think so too,” Sam replied. “But unfortunately we can’t prove that yet.”

“Sam, if Alistair is behind JT’s shooting, what does this mean for Julian?” Eve whimpered, holding back tears. “Will he kill anyone who has any information on him?”

“I don’t know Eve, but I won’t sugarcoat it for you. It doesn’t look good,” Sam replied.

“Oh God,” Eve cried. Fancy put her arm around Eve to comfort her.

“Listen,” Sam told them in a no-nonsense voice. “I know the three of you were just trying to help, but you all have to be more careful. It could have been a lot worse.”

“We understand,” replied Theresa.

“Fancy, I want you to go back to the police station,” Sam told her, and then he turned to Theresa. “Theresa, I want you to take Eve back to the mansion.”

“Of course,” said Theresa.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the Crane Mansion, Katherine was sitting in the living room, when Eve and Theresa entered the room.

“I heard about what happened on the news with JT Cornell,” Katherine said to them. “Are you two alright?”

“We’re fine, just shaken up,” Eve replied, as she sat down on the couch, next to Katherine

Katherine took Eve’s hand. “I’m so sorry to hear that you didn’t get any word on Julian,” she said to Eve.

“Me too,” Eve replied. “It was Alistair’s doing. I know it.”

“I agree,” Katherine replied.

“Well I’m going to go upstairs and pack up my and Little Ethan’s things,” Theresa said, excusing herself.

“There’s no rush for you to move out, Theresa,” Katherine told her. “You can take your time.”

“Thank you Katherine. I appreciate that,” Theresa replied.

As soon as Theresa went upstairs Katherine turned to Eve. “How are you holding up?” she asked Eve.

“Like hell,” Eve answered, in a grave tone. “This has been the worst week of my life.”

“Mine too,” Katherine added, holding back tears. “I don’t know how much more I can go without knowing where Julian is.”

“Neither can I,” Eve replied, as she felt more tears come out of her eyes. “I know Julian’s alive, I can feel it in my heart, but I know he’s somewhere he can’t get away and that scares the hell out of me.”

“It scares me too,” Katherine replied.

Eve and Katherine squeezes each other’s hands, comforting the other one.

At that moment, Whitney came into the living room. “Mom,” she said to Eve.

Eve got up from the couch and went over to her daughter to give her a hug. “Oh Honey, are you okay?” she asked Whitney, knowing how devastated she must be over Chad.

“No I’m not,” Whitney replied as soon as they released the hug. “I heard about what happened with JT Cornell. Are you okay?”

“I’ll be fine,” Eve answered. "Now what about you and Chad?”

“I’m completely devastated,” Whitney cried, as tears came out of her eyes. “I thought Chad loved me. I never thought he was capable of anything like this.”

“I know Sweetheart,” Eve replied, wiping the tears away from her daughter’s eyes. “I didn’t think he was either.”

“I’m going to be a single mother now,” Whitney cried. “I don’t know how I can do it.”

“Yes you can,” Eve told her daughter. “I will help you take care of Miles.”

“Yes but I don’t know where to go now.” Whitney cried. “Where am I supposed to live?”

“You and Miles can stay right here at the Mansion with your mother.” Katherine told Whitney.

Whitney couldn’t believe how kind Katherine Crane was being to her. After everything her father had done to Julian, Katherine was welcoming her into her home with open arms. “Are you sure Mrs. Crane?” she asked.

“Of course, I’m sure,” Katherine replied warmly. “There are plenty of servants that can help you with the child and you and your mother can be near each other right now.”

“Katherine, thank you,” Eve told her, putting her hand over her chest.

“Yes, thank you Mrs. Crane from the bottom of my heart,” added Whitney.

“There’s no need,” Katherine told them. “You two are family. I’ll have Crane movers pack up your things from the recording studio and I’ll have the servants prepare rooms for you and Miles.”

“Thank you so much,” Whitney said again.

Katherine went to the desk to call Crane movers and the serverts to prepare two rooms for Whitney and Miles in the mansion.

“Whitney, I want you to know that I am going to get you through this,” Eve said, putting her hands on her daughter's arms.

“Thank you Mom,” Whitney replied, wiping her eyes. “You’re so incredible with everything that you’re going through to be there for me.”

“That’s what mothers are for Sweetheart,” Eve replied, caressing Whitney’s cheek. “You’ve been wonderful to me while I’ve been going through this ordeal.”

“You’re my Mom. I love you.”

“I love you too Baby.”

Both Eve and Whitney hugged. Somehow their relationship was healing since Whitney and Simone had apologized for their behavior when Eve’s past came out and as they were helping each other through their terrible ordeals they were going through right now. It was almost like they were closer than ever.

At that moment, the phone rang, and Katherine picked it up.

“Hello?” she answered.

“Hello Katherine,” said the other voice on the other end of the line.

Katherine knew who it was. She knew that voice anywhere. Alistair?!” she exclaimed. “Is that you?!

Katherine immediately put Alistair on speaker phone. Eve and the Cranes had been told what to do if Alistair called them or if someone called for a ransom.

Eve turned to Whitney and whispered, “Go find the police officer who is staying in the mansion. He’s probably in the library.”

Whitney nodded and went to the library. Eve stood next to Katherine.

“Thought you heard the last from me,” Alistair quipped to Katherine.

“Where’s my son, Alistair?” Katherine shouted, with anger and rage in her voice of a mother lion.

“Don’t you mean our son?” quipped Alistair.

“Alistair I swear, if you don’t tell me where Julian is right now,” Katherine threatened.

“Or what? You can’t do anything to me,” Alistair clipped. “I’m Alistair Crane, one of the richest and most powerful men in the world.”

“I don’t care,” Katherine cried. “I will kill you for this.”

“Oh I’m really scared,” Alistair replied in a sarcastic tone.

“You know, you’ve done some pretty horrible things to our children, but this is too much,” Katherine snapped.

“I’m just trying to protect the Crane name,” Alistair replied. “I will not have our son marrying that black whore.”

“Eve is not a whore and never was,” countered Katherine. “She’s a wonderful woman, she’s everything and more that I could want for a woman for Julian.”

Whitney and the police officer came into the living room. Whitney stood by Eve for moral support, and the police officer wrote on a piece of paper telling Katherine to keep Alistair talking so they could get a trace. Katherine nodded to the police officer.

“Please Alistair,” Eve begged. “Just let Julian go, don’t hurt him. I’ll do anything you want. I’ll even break up with him if that’s what it takes.”

“Why should I believe a lying whore like you?!” Alistair countered.

“Because I love Julian more than anything and I want him to be safe,” pleaded Eve.

“Don’t try making a bargain with him Eve, he won’t live up to it,” Katherine told her.

Eve started to feel at her wits end with Alistair, as she felt her rage towards him boil over. “Alistair, it’s not bad enough you forced Julian and I to break up all of those years ago and stole our son, but now you had to kidnap him,” Eve yelled. “Why don’t you just stab me right in the heart?!”

“Don’t tempt me,” Alistair quipped.

“Where is Julian, Alistair?” Eve snapped.

“I’m never going to tell you.”

Then Alistair hung up the phone.

“Did you get a trace?” Whitney asked the police officer.

“No,” he said. “It wasn’t enough time.”

“Dammit,” Eve yelled, pounding her fist on the desk and began to cry. Whitney stood behind her mother with her arms around her, trying to comfort her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As soon as Alistair hung up the phone, he heard his cell phone ring and saw on the caller id that it was Spike.

“Hey Spike, what’s up?” Alistair asked as soon as he picked up the phone.

“The plan is done,” Spike answered. “The good doc and your son ain’t never going to be together now.”

“Finally,” Alistair replied.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A couple of hours later, Eve was in her room taking a nap, when Whitney gently knocked on the door and came into Eve and Julian’s suite. She sat down next to her mother on her bed and gently rubbed her arm.

“Mom?” Whitney said, as she was trying to wake her mother up.

Eve opened her eyes and saw Whitney sitting next to her.

“Whitney?” Eve said. “What’s going on?”

“They found Julian,” Whitney started to explain.

Eve sat up and gasped.

“He’s alive, however he’s been hurt. His body was washed up by the wharf. It appears that he was dumped in the ocean and he’s suffering from hypothermia. They're taking him to the hospital now.”

Before Whitney could say anymore, Eve stood up and went out the door with Whitney following her.

Chapter Seventy-Six

At Harmony Hospital, there were floods of reporters blocking the entryway trying to get someone to give a statement, that Eve and the Cranes had to fight their way into the front doors. Sam ushered them in, along with Whitney, Simone, Rae, Grace, Luis, Noah, and Theresa so they could be there for moral support.

As soon as they entered the hospital they saw Julian’s body on a gurney. He had a tube in his mouth from being intubated. The paramedics were taking him into a treatment room. Eve tried to go in with them, but the doctors told her she couldn’t go in at the time, so she went into the waiting room with everyone else to wait.

Eve sat down in the chairs, with tears coming out of her eyes. She was so scared about what would happen to Julian. As a doctor, Eve knew how deadly hypothermia could be. She couldn’t believe they had come this far in finding Julian only to face this. “Please God,” Eve prayed, between sobs. “Don’t let Julian die. Please let him be okay.”

After a while, the same doctor, Dr. Richards, who had treated TC for his stroke, came out to the waiting room. Everyone immediately stood up, when he came into the room.

“Dr. Richards, how’s my fiance?” Eve asked.

“Well he’s suffering from hypothermia.” Dr. Richards explained. “We’ve intubated him and we’re working on re-warming his blood right now and irrigating him through his lungs and his stomach.”

“But will he be okay?” Fox asked.

“It’s too early to tell,” Dr. Richards replied. “Right now he’s unconscious and we’re doing everything we can.”

“Oh God,” sobbed Katherine as she covered her mouth with her hand. Sheridan put her arm around her mother to comfort her.

“Well can we see him?” Eve asked.

“I can let you see him right now, Eve,” Dr. Richards answered. “The rest of you can see him later.”

Dr. Richards led Eve back to the cubicle where Julian was. He had a tube down his mouth, a heart monitor was on his bare chest, he had a blood pressure cuff on his arm, he had an IV in his arm, and a pulse ox on his finger. There was also catheters going into his lungs and stomach. As a doctor Eve was use to seeing patients like that, but when it was her own fiance it broke her heart.

Eve pulled up a chair and sat next to Julian, holding his hand in hers and stroking his forehead. “Hi Baby,” she said to him. “It’s me Eve, I'm right here.”

Dr. Richards stood in front of Eve. His heart broke at the sight of Eve’s bruises, and seeing how sad she looked. This was definitely a tragic situation. “Eve, I’m afraid I owe you an apology,” he said.

“What for?” Eve was confused.

“When I was treating TC after his car accident and when he woke up, he was so depressed that I was worried about how it would affect his recovery,” Dr. Richards explained. “So I told him that it seems to me that a lot of people loved him and that you also still loved him. I personally never had an opinion either way. I was just trying to help my patient, however, I had no idea it would lead to this.”

“I only hire doctors with good bedside manner,” Eve stammered. “You’re not to blame. Alistair and TC are.”

“Thank you, I appreciate you saying that,” Dr. Richards replied. “I’ll leave the two of you alone.”

Dr. Richards left the cubicle, leaving Eve with Julian.

As Eve looked at Julian, she couldn’t believe what Alistair had done to him, that she felt tears forming in her eyes. However, she knew as a doctor and as a lover she had to be strong for Julian right now. She decided to try to talk to him, to see if that would wake him up. “Baby?” she said to him as she stroked his forehead, while still holding his hand in hers. “Can you hear me? I’m so glad you’re home. I’ve missed you so much.” Eve bit her lip to keep the tears from coming. “I’m so sorry about our fight that we had the last time I saw you. It was all my fault. You were right. I had no right to treat you like that. You were also right about TC too. I should have listened to you. I promise he is out of my life for good. I never want to see him again.” Eve waited to see if there was any sign of consciousness from Julian, but there wasn’t. So she decided to keep talking to him.

“Grace is back from Europe,” Eve told him. “I’ve been telling her all about you. She thinks you’re good for me. She always sensed that I still loved you, even when I tried to deny it. Now that you’re home we can start planning our wedding. We could honeymoon in Paris, like we always talked about. Maybe we could find our son and have him come to the wedding.”

Still Julian didn’t stir.

“You listen to me Julian Crane, don’t you dare die on me,” Eve said to him angrily. “I need you. You’re the love of my life. There is no one else you could take your place in my heart, no one ever could. Crane Industries needs you, your family needs you, I need you. Oh God how I need you. I don’t think I could bear living without you.”

Then Eve had an idea that maybe if she could sing her and Julian’s song, maybe that would wake him up. So she began singing.

“I thought I knew I could live without you
I thought I could tell if I fell under your spell
it seems that I was wrong
your magic lingers on
every moment you’re gone
I taste your kiss at moments like this.
Long after your touch
You gave me such a russ
Now I know it’s true
There’s not one second or two.
I could live without you.
Oh I how have tried to pretend
That I could make this feeling end
Because the thought of losing you
Leaves me cold and turns me blue

Whitney and Simone came into the cubicle hearing Eve sing.

“You have a beautiful singing voice Mom,” Whitney told her mother, as she put her hand on Eve’s shoulder.

“Thank you,” Eve replied, wiping her eyes. “That was the song I sang to Julian the first time I met him. I was singing in the blue note and he came in. It was love at first sight for both of us.”

“Sounds romantic,” said Simone, putting her hand on Eve’s other shoulder.

“How’s he doing?” Whitney asked.

“He’s still unconscious,” Eve said in a low voice. “I keep talking to him, but he doesn’t respond.”

“He knows you're here Mom,” Simone told her. “Julian’s strong and he’s a fighter.”

“He has to live. He has to,” Eve sobbed.

“I know Mom, we’re all praying for him,” Whitney soothed.

“Hey Julian, it’s Simone and Whitney,” Simone told him. “We’re rooting for you.”

“That’s right,” Whitney said to him. “I want you to know that I finally approve of you and Mom as a couple.”

“You hear that Sweetheart,” Eve said to Julian, as she stroked his cheek. “Whitney and Simone want you to get better too,”

“You know, Miles would be really sad if he lost his Uncle Julian. He really loves you,” Whitney told him.

“So many people love you Darling,” Eve told him. “Especially me. I love you so much. You have so much life to live, don’t leave us.”

All of a sudden Julian’s heart monitor went off and he was beginning to flatline.

Eve immediately stood up “Julian?! Julian?!” Eve shouted.

Dr. Richards raced into the room, with a couple of nurses.

“Stand back Eve,” he said to her.

Whitney and Simone pulled Eve away from the gurney, holding her back.

“He’s flatlining,” said Dr. Richards to the nurses. He grabbed a crash cart and took the paddles and put them on Julian’s chest. “Charge to 60. Clear.” he said to the nurse.

The nurses charged but the line on the monitor was still flat.

“Again,” said Dr. Richards. The nurses charged but the line on the monitor was still flat.

“No Julian, please don’t die,” Eve sobbed.

Dr. Richards tried shocking Julian’s heart for a few more minutes, but he never regained a pulse and finally Dr. Richards called the time of death.

“NOOOOO!!” Eve screamed. Her knees buckled to the floor as she sobbed with Whitney and Simone comforting and holding her.

Dr. Richards went up to Eve, with a sorrowful look on his face. “Eve I’m so sorry,” he told her.

“There’s got to be someone more you can do,” she sobbed. “He’s my life.”

“I did everything I could. I’m sorry,” Dr. Richards replied.

“No, no, this can be,” Eve sobbed.

“I’m so sorry Mom,” Simone said, stroking Eve’s hair.

“I’m so sorry too,” Whitney told her mother.

Eve stood up and went over to Julian. “I’ll save him,” she cried. “There’s got to be a way.”

“Eve, he’s brain dead,” Dr. Richards said. “If there was something we could do, I would have done it already.

“Come on Mom,” Simone told her mother, putting her arm around her. “Julian’s in a better place.”

“No, not without me,” Eve sobbed. Whitney took Eve in her arms and held her mother as she cried. Simone was rubbing Eve’s back.

Eve never felt this kind of devastation before. It was like her heart had been ripped out of her chest. She never felt so empty. Julian was dead and he was never coming back. The man who loved her more than anyone else ever had and brought her the most joy. The man she loved more than anyone in the world. Life would never be the same without him.

After Eve released Whitney’s hug, she dried her eyes with her sleeve.

“I need your consent for an autopsy,” Dr. Richards said to Eve, handing her a clipboard.

“Of course,” she replied, taking the clipboard and signing it and then handing it back to Dr. Richards.

“Do you want me to go out and tell the Cranes?”

Eve shook her head no. “I’ll do it,” she stammered.

“If there’s anything I can do,” Dr. Richards said. “I’ll be thinking of you.”

“Thank you,” Eve whimpered.

As Eve walked into the waiting room, with Whitney and Simone following her. As soon as the Crane’s saw the look on Eve’s face, they knew Julian was dead.

“Noooo,” Katherine screamed as she burst into tears. Fox immediately embraced her as they cried in each other’s arms. All of the Cranes began crying and sobbing in each other's arms.

Grace immediately went up to Eve and hugged her, as Eve sobbed in her arms.

“I’m so sorry Sweetheart,” Grace said, holding back tears herself.

Eve couldn’t say anything. All she could do was cry.

~~~~~
The song “Moments like this,” was sung by Tracey Ross.


Chapter Seventy-Seven

At the hospital, Eve and the Cranes were still sobbing in each other's arms. None of them could believe that Julian was dead. They had spent the past week hoping that Julian was still alive and now he was gone forever. All of their hope was gone. It was all too horrible to be true.

As Eve was sobbing in Grace’s arm, she started to say, “He’s not dead. He’s supposed to be here with me.”

“I know Honey, I know. Sshh.”

Sam went over to Eve and Grace and put his hand on Eve’s shoulder. “Eve I’m so sorry,” he told her. “If there is anything Grace and I can do.”

Eve turned around to face Sam and gave him a hug. “Thank you Sam,” she sobbed. “You have to make sure that Alistair, TC, Wagner, and Spike are punished to the fullest extent of the law. You have to.”

“I will,” Sam assured her.

“You’re not alone right now,” Grace coaxed Eve. “Sam and I are going to get you through this.”

“Thank you,” Eve replied, through her sobs. “You both have done so much already.”

At that moment, Paloma came into the room and went up to Sam. “Chief Bennett, the media wants to get a statement from you.”

“I’ll go talk to them,” Sam said to Paloma. “In the meantime, I need you to escort Eve and the Cranes out of the building so they can avoid reporters.”

“Of course,” replied Paloma.

Sam left the waiting room and went outside to talk to the reporters. “This is a devastating tragedy. This certainly wasn’t the outcome the police department was hoping for when we started this investigation, a week ago. Eve Johnson and the Cranes are devastated over this turn of events and are grieving their loss. Finding Alistair Crane and prosecuting him and anyone who helped him in kidnapping Julian Crane, is the police department's top priority.”

~

An hour later, at the Crane Mansion, Pilar, Kay, and Jessica had put together a meal, in the living room, for Eve and the Cranes, in an effort to help.

As Eve, her girls, Rae, and the Cranes, Sam, Grace, Noah, Luis, and Theresa came home into the living room, Pilar immediately went up to Eve and gave her a hug.

“I’m so sorry,” Pilar said to Eve, choking back tears herself.

“Thank you,” Eve whimpered.

Pilar released the hug and asked, “How are you holding up?”

“Heartbroken,” answered Eve.

“Eve, if there is anything I can do,” Pilar assured her.

“I appreciate that,” Eve replied.

Pilar turned to everyone and said, “I fixed everyone a meal in case anyone was hungry.”

“Thank you Pilar,” said Sheridan. “That was very thoughtful of you.”

At that moment, one of the maids escorted Father Lonigan in.

“Father Lonigan,” Eve said as she went up to him. “Thank you for coming.”

“I am so sorry about Julian,” Father Lonigan said in a sorrowful tone. “I can’t imagine what you’re all going through right now.”

“Thank you Father,” Fox replied.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Fancy sobbed, with Noah putting his arm around her.

“I can’t either,” Sheridan sobbed. Luis put his arm around Sheridan to comfort her too. “It wasn’t supposed to end this way.”

“My baby is dead,” Katherine sobbed. “A mother shouldn’t have to bury a child.”

“I know Katherine,” Father Lonigan soothed. “Remember that Julian is in the arms of his heavenly father right now. Our Lord and savior understands your pain, and He will help all of you through this.”

“We have to get justice for Dad’s murder,” Fox sobbed. “We have too.”

“If I have anything to say about it, justice will be done,” Ethan replied, choking back tears.

“I know he’s dead, but in my heart I can tell he’s alive,” Eve cried.

“Mom, you saw Julian flatline,” Simone comforted, putting her hand on her mother’s arm. “He’s not coming back.”

“Believe me Darling, I wish it were true,” Katherine said to Eve, going up to her, taking Eve’s hands in hers. “I want you to know that even though you and Julian weren’t legally married you will always be like a daughter to me and you and your daughters will always be family.”

“Absolutely,” said Sheridan.

“Thank you all so much,” Eve whimpered, drying her eyes at Julian’s family's kindness.

“You brought more joy into my son’s life than anyone has. I’ll always be grateful to you for that,” Katherine told her.

“He was a wonderful man,” Eve sobbed. “The best one I knew. I was very lucky.”

“Maybe we could all go around the room and say some of our favorite memories of Julian,” Sam suggested.

“I think that’s a lovely idea,” Father Lonigan added.

Eve and Katherine sat down on the couch, with Whitney and Simone standing next to Eve, and Sheridan sitting on the other side of the couch next to her mother, with Luis standing next to Sheridan. Fancy was sitting in one of the chairs with Noah standing by her, and Fox was sitting in the opposite chair with Chad standing next to him. Everyone else was standing.

“I’d like to go,” Simone said.

“Of course,” Sheridan said to her. “Go ahead.”

“Four years ago, at a party here in the mansion, I went joy riding in one of Julian’s cars and I busted it up really badly,” Simone explained. “However, he was kind enough not to press charges or make me pay for it. I also remember how supportive Julian was of me when I came out as a lesbian and Daddy was hounding me about it. However, Julian stood up for me with him, knowing full well how much my father hated him and how bad his temper was. He also made my Mom happier than I had ever seen her and I’ll always be grateful to him for that.”

“Julian was my older brother,” Sheridan began. “Some of my first memories of him were him playing with me and taking care of me.” Then Sheridan began to sob. “I always felt so safe when he was around. We loved each other so much. He was the best big brother a girl could ask for. Then two years ago, after he was reunited with Eve, I was able to restore that relationship I had with him when we were growing up. And now losing him so soon after I lost Marty is like losing a part of my soul. The only thing that I can take comfort in is that Julian and Marty are together in heaven and they won’t be alone.” Sheridan took out a tissue and dried her eyes. Luis put his hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

“One of the memories I have with my Dad growing up, was one where he took me kite flying,” Fox explained. “It was one of the best days of my life. After Dad came back from the dead three years ago, I saw him change for the better. He told me to break the cycle of Crane legacy and how to be a good man. I saw how much he loved Eve and how he wanted to make up for the mistakes he made in his life.” Fox began choking back tears. “I’d do anything to have him back and to have a real father and son relationship with him.”

“I remember holding Julian for the first time when he was born, and thinking what a beautiful baby he was,” Katherrine said. “He was so sweet while he was growing up. When Sheridan was born, Julian was so excited to be a big brother. He loved taking care of her. I remember the two of them playing together, and how Julian would tuck her in at night.

Sheridan felt more tears coming down her cheeks as she heard this.

“Then two years ago, when I came back to Harmony, I saw that my son had become a wonderful, extraordinary man who I was so proud of,” Katherine sobbed. “I saw how wonderful he was with Eve and I wanted them so much to be together. I will miss him the rest of my life.”

“Four years ago, Julian and I were in an accident at Crane Industries when the elevators collapsed,” Whitney said. “I remember being so scared, but Julian was wonderful to me. He comforted me, and even risked his own life to save mine. If it hadn’t been for him, I would have died. When the truth about my Mom’s past came out, I was horrible to him. But somehow he still cared about me and looked out for me, when I didn’t deserve it. I wish I could tell him how sorry I am and I wish I would have given him a chance as my step-father. I am so grateful to him for all the love he gave my mother and I always will be.”

“I remember two years ago, after we had lost our home to Rebecca, that Christmas Julian gave us our family home back,” Pilar said. “It was a wonderful gift. I remember hugging him saying “how can we ever thank you?” and he said that there was no need, that seeing the joy in our eyes was payment in full. I remember him as a teenager when I first started working here and I saw how much he loved playing with Sheridan and what a kind young man he was. In the last couple of years, I saw how loving Eve made him change into a wonderful man, and it breaks my heart that this has happened to him.”

“I remember when Julian gave me the Crane recording studios, it really helped me build my career and not only that, I had a place to stay,” Chad explained. “He was always so kind to me. I remember he told me about this woman from his past who he loved so much and told me not to let anything separate me from the woman I love.” Then Chad began to get choked up. “I was really nasty to him when we thought I was Julian’s son, but he never gave up on me. I was looking forward to having a relationship with him as brothers, but now that’s gone.”

“I remember when I was in third grade, Daddy took my friend Esme out for ice cream,” Fancy said. “It was one of my favorite memories with him. When I came home last year, I couldn’t believe how much he had changed. I had never seen him happier than he was when he was with Eve.” Fancy bit her lip, as she felt tears coming down her cheeks and began to sob. Noah put his hand on her shoulder. “The last time I saw him before he was kidnapped, he apologized for not being there for me and we talked about how we wanted to be closer. Now that will never happen.”

“When Julian came back from the dead four years ago, I remember having a heart to heart talk with him,” Ethan said. “He told me that I needed to follow my heart when it came to love and not let anything separate me from the woman he loved. He told me how to be an honorable man who stands by the woman he loves.” Ethan began to get choked up. “One of the things I remember when I was in my coma last year was hearing Julian telling me how sorry he was for what happened when my paternity came out and that in his heart I was still his son.”

“One of the things I remember about Julian, was two and a half years ago when Sheridan was locked in the psych ward, him willing to help me get her out of there,” Luis said. “I saw a side of him that I had never seen before. A side that was noble and kind. He told me about this woman from his past who had loved very much and had lost and never got over her. I saw then that Julian had been every bit a victim of Alistair’s abuse as Sheridan had. He became so supportive of Sheridan and I. I was looking forward to being brothers-in-law with him and I’ll always miss that.”

“He was a wonderful man,” Eve sobbed, drying her eyes. “My life will never be the same without him.”

“May I offer a prayer?” asked Father Lonigan.

“Yes, of course Father,” Katherine said.

Everyone took hands in the room.

“Heavenly father,” Father Lonigan prayed. “We ask that you welcome Julian into your kingdom of Heaven. We ask that you comfort his loved ones in their hour of grief. May they know your love. Amen.”

“Amen,” everyone replied.


Chapter Seventy-Eight

A few days later, Eve was in her bedroom at the Crane Mansion, getting ready for Julian’s funeral. It was agreed that Eve would give the eulogy and Whitney was asked to sing a song, which she agreed to. The funeral service was going to be televised, but the burial would be private.

Eve was standing in front of the bedroom mirror, putting on her makeup. She decided to cover her bruises up with makeup because she felt that she owed it to Julian to look nice for his funeral. She was wearing a black suit with a skirt that came to her knees and a black blazer that went with it. Then she opened up the safe in her and Julian’s room and pulled out the pearls that Julian had brought her two years ago, at Rodeo Drive, and put them on. They made her feel close to him.

There was a knock at Eve’s door and Whitney came in. “Are you ready Mom?” she asked.

“Yeah I am,” Eve answered.

When Whitney saw the pearls she remembered that those were the pearls that Julian had bought her mother at Rodeo Drive two years ago. Whitney remembered the nasty remark she made to Eve when she first saw them on her. It shamed her now when she thought about it. “Those pearls look really nice on you,” Whitney said to her mother.

“Thank you,” Eve replied. “Julian gave them to me.”

“I know,” Whitney replied. “He has good taste.”

“Thank you,” Eve cried, as she gave Whitney a hug.

~~~~~~~

At the church, it was filled with members of the business community, the Cranes, the Lopez-Fitzgeralds, the Bennetts, Ivy, and John and Marlena. In front of the church was Julian’s open coffin. He looked like he was sleeping but he wasn’t.

Before the ceremony started, Fox went up to Julian’s coffin, with tears in his eyes. “I’m so sorry Dad,” he sobbed, stroking Julian’s forehead. “I love you so much.” He bent down and kissed his father’s forehead, and then went to sit down.

Eve came into the church with Whitney and Simone and sat at the front pew. Rae was sitting next to them holding Miles.

Eve’s eyes filled with tears as she looked at Julian’s lifeless body in his coffin. The whole thing seemed surreal to her. None of this was fair. Eve should have been planning her wedding to Julian, not his funeral. She should be writing out her wedding vows to Julian and picking out a wedding dress, not his eulogy and what black dress she would wear to his funeral. All of the plans Eve and Julian had made for their future were now gone. Worst of all, Julian was gone. All Eve had now was her memories.

Rae reached her hand over to Eve’s hand. “I’m so sorry Eve,” she said. “I always liked Mr. Crane.”

“Thank you Rae,” Eve replied.

Father Lonigan stood up at the altar to begin the ceremony. He said a few words and then invited Eve up to give the eulogy. Eve limped up to the altar and stood next to Julian’s coffin.

“We’re here to say goodbye to my fiance, Julian Crane,” Eve began. “Julian was the finest man I ever knew. We met when we were young and fell in love at first sight. He swept me off my feet with his love, his tenderness, and his charm. It was some of the happiest times of my life. We were separated by Julian’s racist father, Alistair Crane, but somehow we found our way back to each other twenty years later. No matter how much time had gone by, we learned we never stopped loving each other.” Eve began to get choked up. “He was my soul mate, my rock, the love of my life, my knight in shining armor, and my best friend. No matter what kind of trouble I was in, he was there to rescue me. He stood by me through thick and thin, never leaving my side. It was the greatest love I ever experienced in my life. Our love was magical and healing and so beautiful.” Eve was sobbing now. “We had so many plans together. We were going to get married, have a family, rebuild Crane Industries, travel the world, and grow old together. Now all those dreams are gone. I knew Julian’s heart and it was good, and now it breaks my heart that he’s no longer here.” Eve put her hand on Julian’s coffin. “I would never trade a moment of the time we spent together for anything,” she said, talking to his dead body. I would do it all over again, just for the chance to be with you. I promise you, my Darling, your death will not go in vain. I will see that justice is served for your murder, I look out for your family, I will love you for the rest of my life, and I will be dreaming of the day that you and I will be together again.” Eve leaned over and kissed Julian on the lips.

Eve went back to her seat, with tears in her eyes, with Whitney and Simone on either side of her rubbing her back.

Father Lonigan went back to the altar and gave some readings. Then he invited Whitney to the altar to sing the song that Eve and the Cranes asked to sing.

Say goodnight not good-bye
You will never leave my heart behind
Like the path of a star
I'll be anywhere you are

Sheridan began to cry and Luis put his arm around her to comfort her. Ethan was also crying and Theresa put her arm around him, as he sobbed into her shoulder. Eve was crying too as Simone held her.

In the spark that lies beneath the coals
In the secret place inside your soul
Keep my light in your eyes
Say goodnight not good-bye

By now Katherine was crying. Fox held her as he cried too. Chad was also crying.

Don't you fear when you dream
Waking up is never what it seems
Like a jewel buried deep
Like a promise meant to keep

You are everything you want to be
So just let your heart reach out to me
I'll be right by your side
Say goodnight not good-bye

You are everything you want to be
So just let your heart reach out to me
Keep my light in your eyes
Say goodnight not good-bye

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When they arrived at the cemetery, Ethan, Fox, Chad, Noah, and Sam carried Julian’s coffin to the Crane mausoleum and set it down.

Eve and the entire Crane family, along with Whitney and Simone stood around Julian’s coffin, crying over Julian’s death.

“For as much as it has pleased our Heavenly Father in His wise providence to take unto Himself our beloved Julian Crane we therefore commit his or her body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God in our Savior Jesus Christ who shall change the body of our humiliation and fashion it anew in the likeness of His own body of glory according to the working of His mighty power wherewith He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself,” Father Lonigan stated.

As Father Lonigan talked, during the burial, Eve had tears rushing down her cheeks. She couldn’t believe that this was happening, that Julian was gone. Eve thought about the first time she met Julian, their first date, going to studio 54, their trip to Bermuda, the shopping spree in New York and in Rodeo Drive, all of their kisses, dances, lovemaking, being reunited, when Julian proposed to her, and all the happy times they spent together. Now she was never going to wake up with Julian holding her, or have him come home at the end of the day, or be in his arms again. What she wouldn’t have given to have Julian holding her right now.

At the end of the service, Eve and the Cranes all placed roses on Julian’s coffin.

As Eve placed her rose on Julian’s coffin, she began to sob harder. “I’m so sorry Baby,” she sobbed. “You didn’t deserve this. I’ll never stop loving you.”

As the coffin was lowered into the ground, Eve felt her knees buckled and she slid to the ground, sobbing her eyes out. Whitney and Simone knelt down with her, rubbing her back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the Mansion, in the living room, there was the reception, and Eve was sitting on the couch, looking out into space, with tears still streaming down her face. Eve wondered how she was going to get through this and what her life would be like now without Julian. When Julian was alive and they were together, Eve felt like she could get through anything as long as she was with him. Last September when Eve broke up with what she thought was Julian, she mourned him. However, now this felt a hundred times worse.

Ethan came over to sit down next to Eve. “Eve, I’m so sorry,” he told her. “I want you to know that I’m here for you as your lawyer and as your friend.”

“Thank you Ethan,” Eve replied, in a low voice. “Actually there is something you can do. I want to sue Alistair and TC for Julian’s death and I was wondering if you could represent me.”

“Absolutely,” he said. “I’ll get to working on the case right away. But I have to warn you, even if we win there is a good chance you’re never going to see a dime of the settlement.”

“I’m not doing it for the money. If I am awarded anything I’m going to donate it to domestic violence and missing persons charities. I just want something that says that Alistair and TC are responsible for Julian’s death and that they have to pay for it.”

“Well in that case I’ll waive my fee too,” Ethan replied.

“Thank you.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An hour later, Julian’s lawyer came by to read Julian’s will. Eve and the Cranes were gathered in the library to hear it. Grace went into the library with Eve for moral support.

“To my fiance, Eve Russell, I leave my trust fund and a ten million dollar life insurance policy, along with all of my personal possessions,” Julian’s lawyer said. “For the rest of my family, I leave a two hundred million dollar life insurance policy to be divided equally.” Julian’s lawyer looked up from Julian’s will. “He also left letters for all of you in case of his untimely death.”

Julian’s lawyer distributed them around the room. When Eve received her letter, she saw that Julian had written her name on it.

“Aren’t you going to read it?” Grace asked her.

“I can’t. Not yet,” Eve whimpered. “You know receiving millions of dollars would make most people happy, but to me it’s just a painful reminder that Julian is gone. The one thing I want, money can’t buy. I never even had a chance to say good-bye or tell Julian that I love him.”

“Julian knew you loved him,” Grace assured her.

“Did he?” Eve cried. “The last time I saw him, he was upset because I was spending all my time with TC.”

“He did know and he knows now.”

“This is just too horrible.” Eve stood up. “I don’t think I can be here right now. I need to go and lay down.”

“Of course sweetheart,” Grace said, and gave Eve a hug. “Call me if you need anything.”

“I will.”

Eve went upstairs to her and Julian’s bedroom, washed off all of her makeup, changed into her nightgown and lay in bed. She sobbed into her pillow for what seemed like hours, until finally she cried herself to sleep.

~~~~~
Song credit: Say goodnight, not goodbye, by Beth Neilsen Carpenter


Chapter Seventy-Nine

As Eve fell asleep, she could feel Julian holding her in his arms. It felt wonderful. At one point she rolled over to see if it was Julian, but it wasn’t. His side of the bed was empty. As soon as Eve saw that she began to cry again. “Why did you have to leave me Julian?!” she sobbed, looking up at the ceiling. “Why?! It wasn’t supposed to be this way.” Eve cried for a while and then managed to get herself back to sleep. She ended up sleeping for two days straight.

By the third day, Eve had woken up, but she just stared at the wall. She was afraid that if she said or did anything, she would start to feel again. Whitney had been looking after Eve ever since the funeral. Chad had gotten a job offer in New York working in the music business and he decided to take it. Whitney and Chad were going to work out some sort of visitation for Miles. Chad had already packed up the recording studio and left that morning.

That afternoon, Whitney sat by Eve’s bedside, trying to get her to eat. “Come on Mom,” Whitney said to Eve, with some food in her hands. “You have to eat. You’re going to get very sick.”

Still Eve didn’t move. Whitney felt like crying herself, seeing her mother in so much pain. She was at a loss of what to do. So she sat the food down and called Marlena to come over.
.
A half hour later, Marlena was at the mansion, in Eve’s room, examining her. “Eve, can you talk to me?” she asked.

Eve didn’t respond.

“What’s wrong with her Dr. Evans?” Whitney asked.

“Her brain is overwhelmed with stress and has gone into a protective, shut down mode,” Marlena explained. “She’s basically gotten herself into a comfortable place and doesn’t want to feel right now.”

“Well what can we do to bring her out of it?”

“Give her a few days, but try to get her to eat and drink.”

“I will.”

A few days later, Eve saw herself it was the day before Christmas Eve, and willed herself to get out of bed and take a shower. She noticed when she looked at herself in the bathroom mirror, the bruises on her face were gone. She still had some on her back and arms, but the rest of them had faded. Also her back had healed, and she was no longer walking with a limp.

After Eve changed into her clothes she saw the letter from Julian sitting on her dresser. Eve decided now was as good a time as any to read it. She picked up the letter from the dresser and sat on the bed and opened up the envelope and began to read it.

“My Darling Eve,

I hope you never have to read this letter, but if you’re reading it I’m probably dead. I know that you’re grieving me, but you should know that I will never leave you, even in death. I will always be with you and looking out for you.

I want you to know, my love, you brought me more joy and love in my life than anyone has. You were my angel on earth. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be the man that I am today.”

Eve had more tears coming out her eyes as she continued to read it.

“I wouldn’t trade a moment of the time we spent as a couple for a thousand years on earth. I haven’t done a lot of things right in my life, but I know I must have done something right to have a wonderful woman as you. I will always miss you, and if God lets me into heaven, I will be meeting you at the gate when we are together again.

I want you to move on with your life. Find someone new to love, who is worthy of you. I love you. I will always love you even in death.

Love, Julian.”

As soon as Eve finished the letter, she began to cry again. “I can’t Julian,” she sobbed. “I can never be with anyone but you.” Eve clung the letter to her chest, as she cried. “There will never be anyone else for me.”

The truth was Eve had a new gut feeling in her this time that Julian was still alive. It was nagging at her, the way it did the first time when Julian regressed. She knew in her head that Julian was dead, but her heart and her gut was telling her another story.

~

A while later, Eve went downstairs to the kitchen, and saw Fox and Fancy sitting at the table, looking at some piece of paper.

“Eve, you’re up,” Fancy clipped.

“Is there coffee?” Eve stammered.

“Yeah,” Fancy answered.

Eve poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table next to Fox and Fancy. “What are the two of you doing?” she asked them.

“We’re creating a scholarship in Dad’s memory for students who want to go into business for the purpose of making the world a better place,” Fox explained.

“That’s a lovely idea,” Eve told them. “I’m sure your father would be touched.”

“Listen Eve, in the letter that Dad gave me, he asked me to look out for you and I intend to do that,” Fox told her.

“Thank you Fox,” replied Eve. “I appreciate that.”

“You should also know Eve, Grandmother, Sheridan and Luis, Fox, Whitney, Miles, James, and I are going to celebrate Christmas together, and you’re welcome to join us,” Fancy told Eve.

“Thank you,” Eve said. “I’d like that.”

“We won’t be doing presents this year though,” Fox explained. “Sheridan and Whitney already bought presents for Miles and James, but that’s it.”

“No it’s okay,” Eve agreed. “I’m not in the mood to go Christmas shopping anyways.”

~

A few hours later, Eve stopped at a florist shop, to buy a bouquet of red roses to put on Julian’s grave. After she picked them out, she went to the cashier to pay for them.

“How much do I owe you?” Eve asked the woman, behind the counter, as Eve pulled out her purse.

“It’s on the house,” the woman said.

“What?”

“We know who you are, Dr. Johnson,” the woman told her. “We’re very sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you,” Eve replied, as her eyes welled up with tears, at the cashier's kindness.

~

After Eve left the florist shop, she went to the Crane mausoleum to visit Julian’s grave. She saw his headstone had been put up. It said, “Julian Linus Crane. Beloved fiance, father, son, brother, nephew, uncle.” Eve knelt down on the ground and put the roses in front of Julian’s headstone.

“Julian Darling, it’s me Eve.” Then Eve burst into tears. “I miss you so much,” she sobbed. “It’s been torture living without you. All I do is think about you and everything we lost together. Baby, I’m so sorry I didn’t realize that I was dealing with an imposter all these months. If I had known what Alistair and TC were doing I would have killed them both before I let them hurt you. You have to believe that. You also have to know how much I love you and always have. I never stopped. I don’t know what to do any more. I know you’re dead, but my heart is telling me that you are still alive. Please give me a sign of what I should do.”

~

After Eve left the cemetery, she went out for a walk on the wharf. She saw the place where she told Julian that she loved him, three years ago. As she continued to walk on, she saw the bar that she and went to a year and a half ago. She remembered they shared a dance and some of the things they said to each other then.

Eve: Gosh, I wish life would let you have a do-over. You know, where you could roll back time and undo all your mistakes? Oh, gosh, things would be different then.

Julian: And I'll tell you, I think about that all the time. If only I had stood up to Father, we would've been married and we'd have been so happy together.

Eve: And there would be no grandchild born of incest.

Julian: Well, but there would also be no Whitney and no Simone and I know you wouldn't trade your girls for anything.

Eve: No. It's just we've -- we've created so many problems.

Julian: Well, they're problems we'll face together. But I tell you, I don't -- I don't know if I'd take a do-over if one were offered to me. I think I'll just accept the miracle that -- that we've been given another chance at happiness together. I -- I don't know what I did to deserve it.

Eve: Oh, I know what you did to deserve it. You stood by me through thick and thin and no one else ever has.

As Eve walked on the wharf, she secretly wished for a do-over with Julian. She wished she could go back six months ago, when TC had his stroke and stayed away from him and she and Julian could have ran off together somewhere where they could be safe from Alistair. It was too late now. One of the things that scared Eve was that she kept having these thoughts of murdering Alistair, TC, Wagner, and Spike. The truth was a part of her wanted to do it. She wasn’t going to do anything about it, but thought it scared her.

Suddenly Eve found herself right in front of the Blue Note. It was where she and Julian first met. It was ironic, three and a half years ago Eve tried to burn down the Blue Note. Now it meant everything to her because of her memories with Julian.

Eve went inside the club, and sat down at the bar and ordered a ginger ale. She remembered all the happy times she had with Julian at the Blue Note. The first time they met, all the nights that he came in to listen to her sing and how they danced the night away, and it was the place where Julian asked her to marry him. Eve remembered whenever she would sing, seeing Julian’s face in the front row, smiling at her and cheering her on meant everything to her.

Then all of a sudden Eve had an idea. She was going to sing for Julian. So she went up to the stage and asked the keyboard player permission to sing her song for Julian.

As Eve stood in on the stage with her microphone, she whispered to herself, “This is for you, Julian.”


Do you remember how
We’d hold each other tight?
It was all I had to get me through the night
I can’t believe that you are gone
Everything right it all went wrong.


Do you remember how we kissed?
You said you never felt like this
I guess I thought it’d never end
You know that you were my best friend


I cried
And I don’t care who knows it
I cried
I ain’t too proud to show it
I cried
When you said goodbye
Ooh, baby
I cried


Grace and Pilar came into the Blue Note and saw Eve singing. They couldn’t believe it. They had never heard Eve sing before and had no idea how good she was. At the same time, they were concerned about her because it was obvious that she was singing her pain out.


I wonder if you ever think of me
Or am I just another distant memory?
And after all, that we’ve been through
It’s just so hard to give up on you
\
I cried
And I don’t care who knows it
I cried
I ain’t too proud to show it
I cried
When you said goodbye
Ooh, baby
I cried
And I don’t care who knows it
I cried
And I ain’t too proud to show it
I cried
When you said goodbye
When you said goodbye
I cried


I cried
When you said
When you said
When you said goodbye
Ooh, baby
I cried, I cried

~

Song Credit: “I cried,” by Joey McIntyre


Chapter Eighty

After Eve had finished her song, and stepped off the stage she saw Grace and Pilar come over to her.

“Eve it’s so good to see you,” Grace said, giving her a hug.

Pilar gave Eve a hug too. “It’s great to see you up and about,” Pilar told her.

“Thank you. It’s good to see the two of you too,” Eve said softly.

“I had no idea what a good singer you were,” Pilar told her.

“Thank you,” Eve replied.

“I noticed that you’re no longer limping and your face has cleared,” Grace pointed out.

“Yeah, I still have some bruises left, but they’re fading and my back healed,” Eve replied.

“That’s great,” Grace said. “Come let’s sit down.”

Eve, Grace, and Pilar sat down at an empty table.

“How are you holding up?” Grace asked Eve, putting her hand on Eve’s hand.

“As opposed to what?” Eve asked, in a low voice. “I’m devastated. My life has no meaning anymore. All I do is grieve and think about Julian.”

“Honey, you’re going to get through this.” Grace assured her. “Just give it time.”

“I don’t know if there is enough time in the world,” Eve stammered. “You know, I finally got out of bed today for the first time in a week and I read the letter that Julian wrote me.”

“What did it say?” Pilar asked.

“Just how much he loved me, and how much I meant to him,” Eve replied. “And he told me he would always be with me, and that I should move on with my life and find someone new to love, but I don’t think I can.”

“Eve, Julian would want you to be happy,” Grace told her. “I understand that you’re not ready for a new relationship right now, but in time.”

“No, it wouldn’t be fair to whoever I was with,” Eve whimpered. “I never stopped loving Julian in all the years we were apart and I don’t see myself doing it now. Our love was a once in a lifetime love, and it was too beautiful.” Eve bit her lip to keep from crying. “I have lost so much to Alistair Crane. He kidnapped my baby with Julian and then he kidnapped Julian and murdered him. And I couldn’t protect either one of them.”

“It’s not your fault what happened to Julian and your baby,” Pilar pointed out. “That was Alistair’s doing.”

“It doesn’t make me feel less guilty about not being there to protect them,” Eve said “Can I tell the two of you something?”

“Sure,” Grace clipped.

“I have been having these thoughts about wanting to murder Alistair, TC, Wagner, and Spike,” Eve explained. “I mean a slow and painful murder, and while I’m not planning on doing anything, a part of me wants to. It scares me.”

“Eve, that’s normal,” Pilar told her, putting her hand on Eve’s other hand. “I went through the exact same thing after Alistair murdered Antonio and I felt exactly the same way. But then I joined an online support group for family and friends of murder victims and I learned that’s a common feeling victim’s family and friends feel after losing someone to a murder. It doesn’t mean that you’re a bad person or that you’re going to do anything. It just means that you’re human.”

Eve managed a small smile. “Thank you Pilar for telling me that. It makes me feel better.”

“Losing someone you love to a murder is the worst loss a person can go through,” Pilar explained. “It’s not something you ever get over, you just learn how to live with it.”

“Does it get any easier?” Eve asked.

“I’ll let you know,” Pilar replied.

“Maybe you could try grief counseling or a support group,” Grace suggested to Eve. “That could help.”

“I don’t know,” Eve replied.

“Eve, you have always kept everything bottled up inside you,” Grace pointed out. “It’s not healthy Sweetie. Remember when you talked to Marlena and she helped you see things clearer? Well therapy could help you too.”

“I’ll think about it,” Eve replied. She took a deep breath. “You know what else is crazy? I keep having this feeling that Julian is still alive. I mean I know I saw him flatline, but what if he is out there somewhere and is alive?”

“Eve, that’s impossible. You saw him die,” Grace said.

“I know, but stranger things have happened,” Eve pointed out.

“Honey, I know it’s hard but you have to find a way to accept it,” Pilar said.

“I don’t think I ever can,” Eve whimpered.

“Eve, you’re very strong,” Grace pointed out. “You’ve been through more pain in your life than anyone should have and yet you survived, and you’ll survive this. You have family and friend who love you and you have your career. Just ask yourself, what Julian would want you to do.”

“I’ll try,” Eve sniffled.

“In the meantime, Christmas is tomorrow,” Grace said. “You’re more than welcome to join us at the Bennett house.

“Thank you,” Eve said. That’s very kind of you, but I’m going to be having Christmas with Julian’s family.”

“Okay,” said Grace. “If you change your mind, the invitations open.”

~

Later on that afternoon, Eve went back to the Crane Mansion, and went into her room to take a nap. As Eve slept she drifted off into a dream. In the dream, she saw Julian in the dream calling out to her.

“Eve, I’m alive,” he said to her. “Help me. Help me.”

Eve woke up, in a cold sweat. She couldn’t believe what she just saw in her dream. Julian was alive and he was asking her to save him. None of these made any sense to Eve. She saw Julian flatline, but still she had a gut feeling he was still alive. ‘What’s going on?’ Eve thought to herself. ‘Why is this happening?’

Then it dawned on Eve, Alistair had kidnapped Rachel, Sheridan, and Luis and then faked their deaths, why not do the same thing with Julian. She could feel her heart pounding a mile a minute at the thought of the man she loved being alive. This was the sign that she asked Julian for earlier that day at the cemetery. Eve knew she made a mistake not listening to her gut five months ago and she certainly wasn’t going to make the same mistake again.

Eve went to the phone to call Sam to tell him this news, so he could help find Julian, however, she stopped herself when she realized that Alistair was probably watching, which could jeopardize finding Julian. No, it was up to her to find and save Julian. But how? She wasn’t a police officer and she didn’t know where to look. Then she said to herself, “Come on Eve, you diagnose medical conditions, you can certainly find the man you love.”

Then Eve remembered after Katherine came home from the Crane Compound a year and a half ago, Katherine had told them that the pilot held out a bunch of papers and told her that each one had the name of a location on it. Well the one Gwen picked was a Crane Compound. Julian said he believed that there must be more than one Crane Compound, but except for the one that Katherine and Gwen went to, nobody but Alistair knew where they were. Not even Julian. ‘If Alistair wanted to hide someone, that would be the perfect place to do it,’ Eve thought to herself. Then Eve remembered on the wiretap, Spike said it was cold outside that day. Now all Eve had to do was find where the Crane Compounds were and what the temperature was in the area of that Compound that day. But where could she look? Then she remembered Alistair’s laptop was still in the library.

So Eve went downstairs to the library and pulled out Alistair’s laptop. She remembered when Jullian was helping Sheridan hack into Alistair’s laptop to find Marty, Julian told them that Alistair used passwords of great novels that assumed him. For example, for Rachel, Alistair used ‘Treasure Island,’ because she was his treasure. Now all Eve had to do was think of novels about hidden hideaways.

Eve put in ‘Swiss Family Robinson.’ However, that was denied. Then she put in, ‘Lord of the Flies.’ It was denied again. Then she put in ‘Gulliver’s Travels.’ It worked and opened up. Eve smiled and breathed a sigh of relief. However, all the files were locked. Then she remembered how Julian was able to find a picture of Otto, by putting in a search. So she typed in Crane Compound. Then suddenly the computer produced a map of the world, marking all the locations of the Crane Compounds. This was exactly what she needed.

Eve printed out a copy of the map, and took it upstairs to her bedroom, and opened up her own laptop and pulled up a website about global weather forecasts. She put in the date that she was looking for and put in the location of each Crane Compound and checked to see what the weather was that day. Finally when she came to the last one between Greenland and Norway, she saw that it was thirty below zero that day. ‘That’s it,’ she thought to herself. ‘That’s where Julian is.’

Now the question was how to get there to find Julian. Eve knew calling the police was out, because Alistair was watching. It was up to her to bring Julian home, but how? Then Eve came up with an idea. It could cost her her life. However, she was willing to risk it to save Julian.


Chapter Eighty-One

Eve spent the next hour writing letters to the people she loved in case she didn’t come home alive. They were written to Grace, Whitney, Simone, Miles, her long lost son, and Julian. She also wrote a letter in case of an emergency.

As Eve finished writing her letter to Julian, she read over her letter to Julian.

“My Darling Julian,

If you’re reading this I’m probably dead and have probably heard about what happened the past five months with Alistair and TC replacing you with an imposter.

I want you to know how sorry I am that I doubted you. I should have realized you would never act that way. I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to protect you when you needed me.

I am also equally sorry that I went back to TC after his stroke. You had every right to be angry with me, the last time I saw you. I had no right to treat you that way. It wasn’t because I fell out of love with you and back in love with TC, it was because I blamed myself for his accident. I now see that you were right about TC all along and I should have listened to you.

Baby, I want you to know, you have always been the love of my life. I love you more than anything. You are my soulmate. You brought me more joy to my life than anyone has. You were my rock, standing by me through thick and thin, when no one else ever has. Everything good that came from my life started with you.

I remember how you have said in the past that Timmy and I helped you to change into the man you are today. Well I want you to know that Timmy and I never forced you to do anything. You changed on your own. You don’t need me to keep you from becoming the old Julian. I know who you are and I’ve seen your heart and it’s good. I know now that’s why I never fell out of love with you. You are a wonderful man, the best I know.

I know you’re grieving right now. However, I want you to move on with your life and find someone new to love someday. Someone who knows how wonderful you are. I want you to know that I will be watching over you from Heaven, and I will always be with you.

Love, Eve.”

Eve put the letter in an envelope, sealed it, and put Julian’s name on it. Then she put all of the letters in a manilla envelope that was marked confidential. Now it was time for the next part of her plan. To make people think she left the state. Eve went to Whitney’s room in the mansion and knocked on the door.

As soon as Whitney opened it she was surprised to see her Mother.

“Mom, you’re up,” Whitney said. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m okay,” Eve answered. “Listen Honey, I need to ask you a favor.”

“Sure, what is it?”

“I have been treating this patient for a long time for this rare complicated disease,” Eve explained. “WellI just got a call that she’s in Boston, hospitalized and has taken a turn for the worse. She needs me to come and treat her. It’s a matter of life and death.”

“Can’t the other doctors treat her?” Whitney had to admit this seemed strange. Eve had taken a leave of absence from her job and hadn’t been up to doing much since Julian died.

“They don’t know her case like I do,” Eve replied. “Anyways I was going to give this to Marlena. But since I have to go out of town right away, I need you to give it to her if she comes by and asks for it.”

“Of course,” Whitney replied, taking the envelope. “Do you know when you’ll be back?”

“I’m not sure,” Eve answered.

“But you’ll miss Christmas,” Whitney pointed out.

“I know, but I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened to my patient,” Eve explained.

“Okay, well safe travels,” Whitney replied.

“Thank you.”

After Eve left Whitney’s room, packed a suitcase with her medical bag, checkbook and billfold, surgical field kit, the map of the Crane Compounds, a new outfit, sunglasses, one of her winter coats, and a blonde wig. She finally knew what she could do with all the money that Julian left her in his will.

Then Eve went downstairs and put on her coat and got in her car and drove to the airport. As Eve drove, she turned on the radio and heard a song that described exactly what she was feeling about Julian.

I paint a picture of you in my mind
As I lie awake all through the night
the anger in my heart had all been gone
now the morning starts to cry

To reach you I'll fly across the sky
To tell you we belong together
we were meant to stay forever
to reach you and touch you

A cold silence is behind me now
I'd set the pain, the doubts, the tears outside
I must heal the wounds set my heart
To love you forever is all i desire

To reach you
I'll fly across the sky
to tell you we belong together
we were meant to stay forever
to reach you and touch you

the anger in my heart has long been gone
(to reach you i'd fly across the sky)
and tell you we belong together we belong together
we were meant to stay forever
to reach you and tell you we belong together
we were meant to stay forever
(flying high above)
To reach you

After the song ended, Eve had tears in her eyes. “Hang on, Julian,” she said. “I’m coming for you.”

When Eve arrived at the airport, she parked her car in the long term parking garage and got out of her car, with her suitcase and went into the airport. She immediately went into the ladies room and got into a stall and changed into the spare outfit she had. Then she put on the blonde wig and sunglasses. Then she put on the other winter coat and then put her other outfits back in the suitcase.

Eve came out of the stall and she could barely recognize herself. ‘Good,’ she thought. ‘This will throw Alistair off his tracks.’ She left the bathroom with her suitcase, and went outside to the front of the airport and hailed a taxi.

As soon as Eve got into the taxi, she told the driver to drive her to a warehouse by the wharf. When the cab driver dropped her off at the warehouse, Eve devised the next part of her plan. To find a way to get to the Crane Compound. She went to a nearby payphone and called up Marlena.

“Eve, hi,” Marlena said as she picked up the phone.

“Marlena, I need your and John’s help,” Eve said, in an urgent tone. “I need you to come to a warehouse by the wharf right away. It’s a matter of life and death.”

“Eve, what’s going on?”

“I can’t explain right now,” Eve replied. “I just need you to come and don’t tell anyone and make sure you’re not followed.”

“Okay,” Marlena answered.

Eve gave Marlena the address and hung up the phone.

~

Twenty minutes later, Marlena and John arrived at the warehouse. Eve had taken off her wig and sunglasses, as soon as she saw them.

“Thank you both so much for coming,” she said to them.

“Hey Eve,” John said. “What’s going on?”

“I know this is going to sound crazy, but I think Julian’s still alive,” Eve told them.

“Eve, Honey, you’re grieving,” Marlena said, gently. “I know you want Julian to come back, but you saw him flatline.”

“Yes, but Alistair has kidnapped other people before and faked their deaths,” Eve explained. “He did it with Julian’s Aunt Rachel and Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald. Why not Julian too? Plus I’ve been having this new gut feeling that Julian is still alive. Then this afternoon I had a dream that Julian was telling me that he was alive and that he needed me to help him.”

“Well even if that’s true, shouldn’t we get Sam Bennett involved?” John asked.

“No, Alistair has spies everywhere,” Eve explained. “It will just put Julian’s life in more danger.”

“Well what can we do?” John asked.

“I remembered today that Julian told me that Alistair has these hidden Crane Compounds all over the globe and that he didn’t know where they were,” Eve explained, as she showed them a map of the Crane Compounds. “Well I was able to hack into Alistair’s laptop and I found this map of the Crane Compounds, and I remembered from the wiretap that Spike said it was cold out wherever they were, and I looked up the weather temperatures of each of the Crane Compounds and I narrowed it down to this one between Greenland and Norway,” Eve said, pointing to the Compound on the map. “He’s there. I know it.”

“Eve, we don’t know if that’s true,” John replied, trying to reason with her.

“Come on Honey,” Marlena said to John. “You remember two and a half years ago when everyone thought I was dead, you believed I was still alive and you were proven right.”

“Okay, even if Julian is at this Compound, how are we going to get there without the help of the authorities?” John asked.

“That’s my plan,” Eve explained. “I want you to take me there on your plane, and I’ll go in and find him.”

~~~~~

Song Credit: To Reach You by Regine Velasquez


Chapter Eighty-Two

“Wait a minute,” John said, as his mind wrapped around what Eve just said. “You want me to let you, a civilian, go into a dangerous area for the purpose of the opt chance that Julian is still alive?”

“Yes,” Eve clipped.

“No way, this is way too dangerous,” Julian replied, shaking his head. “You could get killed.”

“I know,” answered Eve. “But I’m willing to take the chance to save Julian.”

“Eve, this is crazy,” John told her.

“I know, but it’s the only way,” Eve begged. “If you have any other ideas, I’m all ears.”

The truth was John didn’t know of any other ideas, but he couldn’t put Eve in so much danger. “You have no police training,” he said, trying to reason with her.

“I can learn,” Eve assured. “You can teach me.”

“Eve, I don’t think Julian would want you to do this,” John pointed out.

“Julian would do the same thing for me, if the situation were reversed,” Eve stated.

“But would you want Julian to do that?” John asked her.

“No, but he wouldn’t listen and neither will I,” Eve answered.

“Okay, let’s just say that you’re right, I think Julian would kill me for putting you in so much danger,” John pointed out.

“He wouldn’t do that,” Eve countered.

“Really?” John quipped.

“Okay, fine he will,” Eve admitted. “But like I said he would do the same thing for me.”

“John, I think you should do it,” Marlena said to her husband.

“Honey, this is dangerous,” he said to his wife.

“I know, but she’s smart,” Marlena pointed out. “You can teach her what to do. Remember you flew a plane into New Salem to rescue me, risking your life?”

“Yeah, but I have training in law enforcement and I’m with the CIA,” he pointed out.

“John, I’m serious,” Eve threatened. “If you won’t help me, I will find a way to get to that Compound, even if I have to swim there or build myself a raft.”

John looked at Eve at that moment and saw how serious and desperate she was. He knew that if he didn’t help Eve she would be in more danger if she went in herself. “How’s your back?” John asked Eve.

“Totality recovered,” answered Eve.

John sighed. “Okay fine, I’ll do it,” he said, reluctantly.

“Oh thank you John,” Eve cried. “You won’t regret this.”

“Yeah, remind me that, after I’m being questioned by Sam Bennett,” John replied. “However, I’m not letting you go empty handed. I have just a couple of hours to turn you into a cop.”

“I’m all in,” Eve answered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

John and Marlena took Eve to a hidden center reserved for the CIA to train her. John had Eve target shooting, and practicing all kinds of self-defense. It turned out she was pretty good at it. She only wished she knew self-defense when TC was beating her. After Eve had learned how to target shoot and do self defense, John had packed a knapsack for her with all the necessary tools she would need, along with her medical bag and some surgical supplies in case Julian needed a doctor.

Finally, Eve was dressed in black pants and shirt, wearing a black leather jacket, with her hair up, wearing her black knapsack on her back.

“You look just like a professional,” Marlena told her.

“Thanks,” Eve quipped. “I just hope it turns me into a professional.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

John and Marlena drove Eve to the corporate airport. It was agreed that Marlena would stay in Harmony, while Eve and John went to the Compound, as a decoy.

John went into the plane to fuel it up, while Eve and Marlena stood outside the plane.

“I’m really proud of you for doing this,” Marlena told Eve. “You have a lot of courage.”

“It’s courage I get from Julian,” Eve replied. Then she took Marlena’s hand. “How can I ever thank you for everything you’ve done for me?”

“There’s no need, I was happy to do it,” Marlena said, smiling back at her.

“No, it was more than that,” Eve replied. “You got me to see the truth about TC and you stayed by my side through this whole ordeal. I don’t know how to repay you.”

“You just find Julian and bring him home safely,” Marlena told her.

“I will,” Eve replied.

Eve and Marlena hugged and Eve went into the plane and sat in the cockpit next to John. John started the plane and took off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the plane was flying in the air, in the night sky, Eve felt a sense of strength and peace that she hadn’t felt in the past six months. She knew Julian was at the Compound and she couldn’t wait to see her man again. Eve knew when she saw Julian that he might have amnesia, or might have been tortured, but no matter what happened she was not letting him go this time. She knew that she would have to tell Julian everything that had happened since she last saw him, not to mention what she did to Sam and Grace. Eve didn’t know how Julian was going to react or how it would affect their relationship, but she knew this time she was going to fight for him.

John looked over at Eve, “Are you okay?” he asked her.

“I’m fine,” Eve answered, turning to John. “I’m just anxious about seeing Julian.”

“You really believe he’s there?” John asked.

“I know it,” Eve replied. “I’m just nervous about how he’s going to react when I tell him about what happened with Wagner and I.”

“Well if he loves you as much as I love Marlena, he’ll understand. Just tell him the truth,” John advised.

“I will.”

“I’ll tell you one thing, he’s going to want to kill that ex-husband of yours for beating you,” John told her.

“Oh believe me, that part I already know,” Eve quipped. “Julian’s not a violent person, but the second he finds out about that it’s going to push him right over the edge.”

“Yeah well I don’t blame him,” John replied. “I would do the same thing if somebody did that to Doc.”

“I’m just worried about Julian going to jail for TC’s murder,” Eve pointed out.

“Well hopefully it won’t get to that point,” John reassured.

“I hope not.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few hours later, John spotted the Crane Compound.

“Okay, we’re here,” he said to Eve.

“Can you find a place to land?” Eve asked.

“Yeah I think so, right behind that wall,” John answered.

John was able to land the plane, as predicted. Once they were landed, Eve put vaseline on her neck, and brass knuckles on her fingers. Then she put the gun John gave her to put in her gun belt. Finally Eve put on the bullet proof vest. As they approached the plane door, John pulled something out of his pocket.

“I want you to put this in your ear,” John said, handing it to her. “It’s so we can communicate while you’re in there.”

Eve put it in her ear.

“I also want you to wear this bracelet. It’s so I can hear you and what’s going on. I also want you to put this ankle bracelet on,” he said as he handed them to her. “It's a GPS device so I can track you.”

“Thank you John,” Eve replied, as she put them on.

“Listen Eve, I still think this is a crazy idea, but I’ve got faith in you. I know you can do this.”

“Thank you John,” Eve said. “I don’t know how I’ll be able to thank you for everything you’ve done.”

“Just bring Julian home,” he told her.

“I will,” she replied.

Eve and John hugged, and then Eve stepped out of the plane. There was no turning back now.


Chapter Eighty-Three

As soon as Eve stepped out of the plane, she went behind the wall and saw an area with trees and bushes.

“Okay, what do you see?” John asked her from the plane.

“I see an area of trees and bushes,” she said.

“Okay, now I want you to get down on the ground,” John instructed.

Eve did as she was told. “Okay, I’m on the ground.”

“Alright, now I want you to reach into your knapsack and pull out the hairspray and spray it towards the Compound and you’ll see why I had you pack it,” John told her.

Eve dug into her knapsack, and pulled out the hairspray and sprayed it towards the Compound and saw laser beams appear in front of her.

“There are laser beams in front of me,” she told John.

“I know, that’s the force field,” John replied. “Do you think you can get through it?”

“I don’t think Houdini could get through this,” Eve said, as she noticed how close the beams were.

“Not to worry, I brought a laser pointer just in case,” said John.

“What will that do?” Eve asked.

“Well just watch and see.” John opened the plane window in the cockpit, and aimed the laser pointer at the security boxes turning them off. “How’s that?”

“Better, I think I can squeeze through this,” Eve said as she noticed that there were less of them now. She slid underneath the laser beam and made it to the other side.

“Okay, now you can stand up, but be careful nobody sees you,” John told her.

Eve stood up and walked behind the trees, so none of the guards could see her. Finally she saw the front door from a distance and there were two guards in front of it. “There are two guards in front of the door, I can’t get in,” she whispered to John.

“Well we knew it was going to be risky,” John said. “Is there another entrance?”

Eve looked around and saw that there was a basement window. “Yes there is a basement window,” she replied.

“Okay, try to get in that way,” John replied.

Eve was able to open up the basement window and jump inside. “I’m in,” she whispered to John. Eve walked into a long corridor and reached an area that led upstairs. But before Eve could go anywhere, she heard voices coming from upstairs. She immediately stood behind the wall. There were two maids coming from upstairs.

“I just came from Mr. Crane’s room,” one of them said.

“Poor Mr. Crane, being locked up here like this. I sure wouldn’t want Alistair Crane to be my father.”

“Me either.”

The maids then walked in the opposite direction from Eve.

“I just heard two maids talking,” Eve whispered to John. “Julian is here.”

“How do you know that?” he asked her.

Eve told John what she just heard.

“Okay, be careful,” John replied. “It might be a trap.”

“I know.”

Eve looked from behind the wall and saw that the coast was clear. Then she went upstairs to the second floor trying to find a room with a lock on it. As she was looking all of a sudden a large guard came up behind her “Hey, what you doing here?” he yelled.

Eve immediately turned around and saw the guard. He did not look friendly. Eve noticed that he had a Turkish accent. “I’m the new guard,” she said, thinking quickly. “Alistair Crane hired me.”

“I hear nothing of this,” the guard yelled. “Wait a minute, I know you. You’re Mr. Crane's son's lover. How you get here?”

“Eve, is everything okay?” John asked. “What’s going on?”

Eve didn’t answer, too afraid as to what to do.

“Well I have to admit, you’re a beauty,” the guard told her. Then he forced a kiss on Eve and she kneed him in the testicles, causing him to fall to the floor crying out in pain. Then Eve pulled out her gun and pointed it at him. “Freeze,” she shouted at him. “Drop your gun. Hands in the air.”

The guard stood up, leaving his gun on the ground, putting his hands in the air..

“You tell me where Julian Crane is and no one gets hurt,” she threatened, with anger in her voice. At that moment, Eve was never more serious in life. She didn’t care if she had to kill if it meant saving Julian.

“Good job Eve,” John told her from the plane. “Keep doing what you’re doing and let him know you mean business.”

“I know not what you’re talking about,” the guard replied.

“Yes, you do,” Eve snapped. “I know Julian is here, and you’re going to take me to him.”

“Last I heard Julian was dead,” the guard countered.

“So you want me to think, but Julian and I have a connection and I know he’s alive,” Eve replied. “Now it’s my way or the highway.”

All of a sudden Spike appeared in the hallway. His eyes popped open when he saw Eve. “Doc, what are you doing here?” he exclaimed.

Eve pointed her gun at Spike, “Hands up in the air! Drop your gun!” she shouted at him.

Spike put his gun down and put his hands in the air.

“Go stand by him,” Eve told him.

Spike went and stood next to the guard. “Well if it ain’t the lovely Dr. Russell,” Spike said, in a sly tone of voice. “To what do we owe the pleasure of this visit?”

“It’s Dr. Johnson to you,” Eve snapped. “All right boys, listen up. I’m in charge now. Unless you two want to die, you’re going to take me to Julian Crane and you’re going to let us go, or I will unleash hell on you.”

“Doc, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Spike quipped.

“Yes you do and unless you want to live, you’ll do as I say,” Eve threatened.

“You wouldn’t,” the guard countered.

“Oh you bet I would,” Eve threatened. “And I’m a doctor. I know exactly where to shoot to make sure that no medical procedure in the world will bring you back, or that you never make love to another woman again.”

“Come on. A sweet little thing like you?” the guard patronized.

“Let me tell you, she ain’t so sweet,” Spike said to the guard. “When she was younger-

“Shut up Spike,” Eve yelled, knowing what Spike was going to say. “You know I have a good mind to shoot you right now”

“What did I do?” Spike quipped.

“You teamed up with Alistair and my ex-husband to kidnap Julian,” Eve said, in an angry tone, thinking about what he had done to the man she loved. “Well you’re not getting away with it this time. Now you two are going to take me to Julian and you’re going to let us go, or God help what I’ll do to the two of you.”

All of a sudden the guard went towards Eve. She tried to shoot him, but missed and hit the wall. As the guard held her against the wall, Eve fought back punching him in the chest and kneeing him in the groin. The guard fell down on the ground, and Eve tried to run away, but Spike grabbed her from behind and before Eve could fight back, pulled a knife to her face.

“You try one move and you’re dead,” Spike threatened.

“Eve, what’s going on? Are you okay?” John asked.

The guard got up off the floor and grabbed Eve’s gun and then unlocked a locked door and threw Eve in and locked the door.

“Eve, talk to me. What’s going on?” John asked again.

As Eve looked around the room she saw large and luxurious. The size of it was slightly larger than her and Julian’s room at home. The walls were painted light blue. Facing the door, there was a large king sized bed, with a fancy headboard. On the right side of the room, there was a window seat, a wardrobe full of clothes, and a bookshelf. There was a door leading to a bathroom adjacent to the bed. On the left side of the room, there was a fireplace, next to a table and chairs. In the corner of the room there was a Christmas tree. She tried to open the door, but it was locked.

“I’m locked in here,” Eve told John.

“Okay, is there a window you can get out of?” he asked.

Eve went to the window and tried to break it open, but it wouldn’t budge. “No it’s bulletproof,” she replied.

“Dammit, we should have had a plan B,” John said. “Do you want me to come in there?”

“No, John, it's too risky, if they catch you in here, there is no way we’ll be able to get out of here,” Eve told him. “You need to go back to Harmony and get help. I left a manilla envelope with Whitney with instructions on what to do if something like this happened.”

“Are you sure about this?” John asked, not wanting to leave Eve alone in a situation like that.

“I’m sure. In the meantime, I can look for Julian,” Eve replied.

“Okay, hopefully I can be back sometime tomorrow,” John told her. “In the meantime be careful.”

“I will.”

John took off the plane and flew back to Harmony.

“Oh God, what have I gotten myself into,” Eve said as she looked around the room. “Come on Eve, think. The man you love is counting on you. Try to find a way to find him.”

Eve took her knapsack and her jacket off and began to think.

~

Back in Marty’s room, Julian was reading the child a bedtime story, when they heard a loud thud from his room.

“What was that?” asked Marty as soon as he heard it.

“I don’t know Son, but I’m going to have a look. You just stay there,” Julian told Marty.

Julian got from Marty’s bed and went to the door to listen as to what was going on. He heard someone talking in the other room. After a few minutes Julian went into his bedroom and saw a woman from the other end of the room, standing there with his back turned to him. Whoever this woman was, she wasn’t one of the guards, because she wasn’t wearing a uniform. However, there was something familiar about her that drew Julian toward her.

“Excuse me, what are you doing here?” he asked. Then Julian looked closer at the woman, and realized why she felt familiar. ‘Oh my God,’ he thought to himself. ‘Could it be?’

Chapter Eighty-Four

As Eve was standing trying to think of a plan to find Julian, she heard a voice from behind her ask, “Excuse me, what are you doing here?”

Eve turned around and she couldn’t believe her eyes. It was Julian. Not an imposter or the old Julian, but her beloved Julian. She knew it was him, she’d know him anywhere.

“Julian?” Eve said in disbelief, as she choked back tears.

“Eve?” Julian sobbed. “Is that really you? I’m not dreaming this time?”

“It’s me, I’m here,” Eve sobbed.

“Oh my God!” Julian stammered.

Neither one of them were dreaming this time. They were finally together again. For a moment the two of them just stood there, looking at each other. Then they ran across the room into each other’s arms. It was right out of a movie. As soon as Eve was in Julian’s arms he lifted her up in the air and then sat her down, and then they pulled each other into a long passionate kiss. After the kiss, Eve put her hands on Julian’s cheeks as she looked into his eyes. There was no mask on him and no plastic surgery marks on his face. Her Julian had come back to her.

“Oh my God, it’s you,” Eve cried. “It’s really you.”

“It’s me, my love,” Julian replied, through his sobs. “I’m here.

Then the two of them hugged for dear life and began crying tears of joy. After five long months of being apart from each other they were finally reunited. There were no more tears of sadness. Just tears of joy.

“I was so worried about you,” Eve sobbed. “I missed you so much.”

“I missed you too,” Julian sobbed. “I was so afraid that I would never see you again.”

“Sshh,” Eve said as she stroked the back of Julian’s head. “It’s okay Baby. I’m right here now.”
.
Eve and Julian spent a few minutes crying and holding each other. Then when they finally release their embrace, Eve put her hands on Julian’s elbows. “I knew it,” she cried.

Julian took a deep breath. “What are you doing here?” he exclaimed, knowing this was not one of his dreams. “How did you get here? How did you know where to find me?”

“Long story short, a few weeks ago, Sam and Luis wiretapped Spike and we found out that Alistair was alive and that he had had you kidnapped,” Eve explained. “Then a week later, Alistair rigged up a body that matched your description and we all thought you were dead. However, I couldn’t shake the feeling that you were still alive. So I did some digging on my own and I remember you telling me about the Crane Compounds and I figured that would be the perfect place for Alistair to hide someone. So I hacked into Alistair’s computer and was able to get a map of the Crane Compound and narrowed it down to this place. So I got my friend Marlena’s husband John, who is a licensed pilot, to bring me here to get you out. Only the plan backfired on me a bit because Spike and this nasty guard caught me and now I’m locked in here with you.”

“Oh my God,” Julian exclaimed, as his mind wrapped around that story. “Are you mad?! You could have gotten killed.”

“I know and I don’t care,” she cried.

Julian’s eyes filled with tears. “You risked your life to save mine?!”

Eve nodded. “You’d do it for me,” she said.

Julian took his hand and cupped her cheek. “You’re right I would,” he said. “This has got to be the bravest, most dangerous thing anyone has ever done for me.”

“Oh I’d do it again,” Eve said. “Oh my God! Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” Julian said. “I was going to ask you the same question.”

“I’m alright,” Eve replied with tears still in her eyes. “I’m just so glad to be back with you.”

“Oh I love you so much,” Julian said, breathlessly.

“I love you so much too,” Eve replied.

Eve and Julian pulled each other into another long passionate kiss, when they heard a noise in front of Marty’s room.

“Uncle Julian! Uncle Julian!,” Marty chirped.

Eve and Julian turned and Marty was standing in the entryway to his room. Eve couldn’t believe what she saw.

“Oh my God! Is that Marty?!” Eve exclaimed to Julian.

“Yeah it is,” he told her. Julian went over to Marty and picked him up. “Don’t worry Son, everything’s fine.” Julian brought Marty over to Eve. “Marty, I have someone I’d like you to meet,” he said to him. “This is Eve. Remember I was telling you about her?”

“Hi,” Marty said to Eve, waving his hand.

“Hi Sweetheart,” Eve said to Marty, with a smile on her face. Then she turned to Julian, “Oh my God! How is this possible?” she asked him.

“Well a few weeks ago, I found Marty here and I have been looking after the little fellow ever since,” Julian explained.

“Oh my God, Luis and Sheridan are going to be so happy,” Eve replied.

“Are you here to get us out?” Marty asked Eve.

“Well Honey, I tried, but unfortunately the guards locked me in here too,” Eve explained to him.

“But don’t you worry,” Julian told Marty. “Eve and I are going to figure everything out. In the meantime, let’s get you to sleep.” Then he turned to Eve, “do you want to come with us?”

“Sure,” Eve said.

When they all were in Marty’s room, Julian continued to read Marty his bedtime story, doing the voices of characters.

Eve was standing at the door, laughing silently at Julian’s imitations. They were too cute.

After Julian was done reading the story, Marty said his prayers. “God bless Mommy, and Daddy, and Uncle Julian and Eve and please let Uncle Julian, Eve and I get out of here and return to Harmony. Amen.” Marty prayed as he did every night.

“Very good,” Julian said to his nephew. He leaned down to give Marty a kiss on the forehead. “Good night Son, I love you.”

“I love you too, Uncle Julian,” Marty replied.

Eve smiled and put her hand over her heart. She could see that Julian and Marty had really bonded being at the compound. The image of Julian taking care of his nephew was an image she would keep with her always.

“Eve and I will be right in the other room,” Julian told Marty.

“Okay,” Marty replied.

“Good night Sweetheart,” Eve said to Marty.

“Good night,” Marty said back.

Eve and Julian went into the other room and Julian dimmed the lights with only the Christmas tree lights on. Then he put his hands on Eve’s arms.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” he said to Eve. “I dreamed about you every night. I’m afraid to blink for fear I’ll wake up.”

“Oh Baby, I can’t believe it’s you,” Eve gave him a hug. “I was so worried about you. I’ve barely eaten or slept since we found out that you were kidnapped.”

“It’s okay my love,” Julian coaxed, as he stroked Eve’s hair. “I’m here and I’m never leaving you again.”

When they released the hug, Eve looked around the room. “Have you been here all this time?” she asked him.

“Yeah,” Julian answered. “In this very room. They won’t let me pass the door.”

“Oh my God, you must be going stir crazy,” Eve exclaimed.

“You have no idea,” Julian quipped.

“Is there any way out?” Eve asked.

“No, I’ve tried everything short of setting the place on fire,” Julian explained. “The only way out is if someone with a helicopter, plane, or boat comes here and lets us out.”

“Are we being watched?” Eve asked.

“I’m not sure,” Julian said. “But keep your voice down just in case.”

“John, the pilot who brought me here, has gone back to Harmony for help,” Eve whispered.

“What?!” Julian exclaimed. “He brought you here, putting you in all this danger and then left?!”

“There wasn’t any other way. The guards would have caught him too. I told him to go,” Eve explained. “Besides, he trained me before he took me here and gave me a bulletproof vest. See?” Eve pointed to the vest to show Julian.

“Okay, who is this friend of yours, Marlena?” Julian asked. “Have I met her?”

“No you haven’t. I met her a few weeks ago.”

‘It must have been after father turned off the monitors,’ Julian thought to himself. “Okay, are you sure that she and her husband John aren’t working for father?”

“I’m sure. They’re good people,” Eve told him. “John even ran the search center for you, while we were looking for you.”

“Well right now, I don’t know whether to thank this fellow or murder him for putting you in so much danger,” Julian said.

“John was worried about you having the same reaction,” Eve explained. “However, I practically had to twist his arm to agree to help me.”

“Couldn’t you have just called the police?” Julian asked.

“I couldn’t,” replied Eve. “I couldn’t take the chance that Alistair would be watching.”

“Listen Darling,” Julian said, putting her hands on Eve’s shoulders. “I’m so grateful to you for rescuing me, but to put yourself in this kind of danger?”

Eve put her index finger to Julian’s mouth. “You are the man I love. I was not going to leave you here.”

Julian smiled at Eve. Looking at the love in her eyes and how she was so selfless to risk her life for his, warmed his heart. “How am I supposed to lecture you when you’re this wonderful?!”

“Then why try?” Eve said, as she smiled, stroking his cheek.

Julian gave her a hug. “God, I hate that you put your life in danger for me, but I’m so grateful to you that you did. How can I ever thank you?!” Julian said.

“There’s no need,” Eve said, looking back at her man, stroking the back of his head. “I would have gone into hell itself to save you. I couldn’t live without you in my life.”

“Nor I you,” Julian cried.

Eve and Julian embraced and kissed each other passionately again.

After they let go of the kiss Julian asked, “So when did John say he would be back to rescue us?”

“He said sometime tomorrow,” Eve answered.

“Well then I guess we have some time on our hands,” Julian said. “How about I build us a fire and we can talk?”

“I’d like that,” Eve replied.

The two of them kissed again.



Chapter Eighty-Five

An hour later Julian was changed into his pajamas and bathrobe, and building a fire, while Eve was in the bathroom changing and freshening up. One of the maids brought Eve a nightgown similar to the one that she wore to bed at home, to wear.

As Julian was building the fire, he had a big smile on his face. He was overjoyed, being reunited with the woman he loved, even though it was at the compound. Not to mention that Julian would finally be free soon. Julian was awestruck at Eve and how she risked her life to save his. Five months ago before Julian was kidnapped, he was doubting Eve’s love for him. Now Julian saw that Eve loved him so much, that she was willing to sacrifice her life for his. Julian felt like a fool for ever doubting her love for him.

The Eve Julian saw now was nothing like the Eve he saw five months ago playing nursemaid to TC. When Julian looked into Eve’s eyes he saw the love and devotion she showed him before TC’s accident. Nor did Julian see the hurt and resentment towards him in her eyes, when she was dealing with Wagner.

Julian knew he was going to have to tell Eve that he knew everything about what happened with Wagner. He could tell from looking at Eve that the past five months had taken a toll on her. Julian wasn’t sure exactly what happened after Alistair turned off the monitors, but he could tell that Eve had been put through great anguish when she found out that he had been kidnapped and murdered. Julian figured Eve must know about the imposter by now, but he wondered if she knew TC faked his stroke and teamed up with Alistair to break them up. Julian knew if Eve didn’t know, it would come as a huge shock to her, especially after he beat her.

~

Back in the bathroom and Eve was freshening up and putting on her nightgown. Eve was overjoyed with happiness at finding Julian alive and being reunited with him. All of the grief that Eve had experienced since she found out that Julian was kidnapped was all gone now. Hopefully, John would be able to come and rescue them tomorrow and they could be home for Christmas.

Eve knew that it was now, that she had to tell Julian the truth about what happened with Wagner. It was better that he found out here at the Compound, instead of when he got home to Harmony, risking hearing it from somebody else. Eve wasn’t sure how Julian would react to the news, only that he was going to kill TC when he found out that he beat her. All she could now was pray and hope for the best. Eve didn’t know exactly what happened to Julian at the compound these past five months, but she could tell by looking at him that it had taken a toll on him and that he had been through hell.

Julian knocked on the bathroom door and came in, “Finding everything okay?” he asked her.

“Yeah I’m fine,” she answered.

Then Julian noticed Eve’s back was all bruised. “What happened to your back?” Julian asked her without thinking.

“What?”

“It’s all bruised,” Julian said as he went up to Eve, and touched her back. “Did Spike hurt you when he caught you?”

“No, it’s from something else,” Eve replied, as she turned around, putting her bathrobe on. “I’ll explain later.”

“Okay,” Julian replied. As soon as Eve said that Julian knew it was from TC beating her.

Eve and Julian took each other in their arms and hugged each other for one long minute. Then Eve stroked Julian’s face and said to him, “Julian, I love you. I always have and I always will.”

“I know,” Julian replied, kissing Eve’s hand. “I love you just as much.”

Eve smiled at him, and then Julian left the room.

After a few minutes, Eve collected herself and left the bathroom to face Julian.

Eve went out to Julian’s bedroom and saw him sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace, and she joined him on the floor there.

“So you said everyone thinks I’m dead?” Julian asked her, as he poked at the fire.

“Yeah,” Eve replied. “I gave your eulogy at your funeral last week.”

“Oh my God! I’m so sorry you had to go through that,” Julian replied, looking at Eve, thinking about what she must have been through.

“It’s okay, it’s not your fault,” she replied, stroking his cheek. “I’m just so happy that you’re alive.”

“How’s mother and Sheridan dealing with it?” Julian asked.

“Not well,” she answered. Eve took Julian’s hand and looked into his eyes. “What happened to you Julian?”

Julian swallowed hard. This was the first time in five months that he was able to tell anyone about what happened to him. “Last summer after I left you at TC’s I went out for a walk in the park to clear my head. The next thing I know, Spike comes up behind me and puts his hand over my mouth and points a gun to my head and tells me if I scream or run away, he’ll kill me and then he’ll kill you. Then he handcuffs me, and then forces me into his car, duct tapes my mouth and then injects me with something and I black out.”

Eve had tears in her eyes, as she listened to this story.

“The next thing I know I’m on a plane and when the plane stops, two of my father's goons drag me off the plane and throw me in here. Then father comes on a video feed, telling me that he’s very much alive and now that Rebecca granted me the divorce, he’s not going to let us be together. He also told me something else I don’t know if you’re going to believe this, but it turns out TC-”

“Faked his stroke and teamed up with Alistair to break us up,” Eve finished his sentence.

“You know?” Julian asked, as he raised his eyebrows.

Eve nodded. “We found out about it during the wiretap. We can talk more about it later, I want to hear more about what happened to you.”

“Well ever since then, this is where I’ve been,” Julian explained.

“Baby, I’m so sorry that happened to you,” Eve told him, as she cupped his cheek, with tears in her eyes. “It must have been so horrible for you.”

“It was,” Julian said, as he took her hand and kissed it. “The worst part being away from you.”

“Did they hurt you at all?” Eve asked.

“Not physically,” Julian answered.

“I am so sorry I wasn’t there to protect you when you needed me,” Eve said, choking back tears.

“It wasn’t your fault, my love,” Julian told her. “Father would have found a way to do it somehow.”

Eve knew this was the moment that she had to tell Julian the truth. It was now or never. So she took a deep breath and began her prepared speech she had been practicing in her head. “Listen Julian, there is something I need to tell you and I don’t know how you’re going to take it.”

Julian knew what she was going to say. “It’s okay, my love you don’t have to tell me anything.”

“I don’t?” Eve was confused.

“I know everything that happened with you and Wagner,” Julian replied.

“What?!” Eve exclaimed, as her mouth dropped open.

“Father had me watching everything that was going on in Harmony on a video feed, until a few weeks ago,” Julian explained.

“No,” Eve gasped. She couldn’t believe it. Eve had imagined every possible reaction that Julian might have when she told him the truth but she was prepared for this. It was too surreal. “How much did you see?”

“Everything that had to do with you, Wagner, Little Ethan, and Tabitha and a few other things,” Julian answered.

“Tabitha?!” asked Eve. “What does Tabitha have anything to do with this?”

Julian knew he had to tell Eve the truth about Endora, but now was not the time. “It’s a long story, I’ll explain later,” he said

“Will you excuse me? I’m not feeling too good.” Eve got up and went to the bathroom.


Chapter Eighty-Six

Eve went into the bathroom, and put her hands on the counter as she was hyperventilating. She couldn’t believe this. She thought Julian would be the one who was at loss for words when she told Julian what happened with Wagner, not the other way around. This whole time Julian was forced to watch everything that had happened. Eve just hoped Julian didn’t see the part where TC beat her. ‘My poor Julian,’ she thought to herself. Eve felt so ashamed and so embarassed. What Julian must have thought when she believed the worst of him and went back to TC. He must have been devastated. Julian didn’t deserve that. Eve sat down on the toilet and hung her head down. She didn’t know how to face him now.

Julian opened the door to the bathroom and came in. Eve couldn’t even bring herself to look at him.

“Julian, I know that you must be angry with me, and you have every right to be,” Eve said.

Julian lifted up her chin, so that his eyes meant hers. “Let’s get one thing straight,” he said. “In the entire time I've been here I’ve only been angry at four people. Father, TC, Wagner, and Spike. Not you.”

“You’re not?”

“No,” Julian replied.

Julian took Eve’s hand and took her back to the fireplace where they sat back down on the floor. “None of this was your fault, my love,” Julian said to her. “You were just as much a victim in this as I was.”

“How can you say that?” Eve cried. “I assumed the worst of you.”

“Darling, if I didn’t know better, I would have thought Wagner was me too,” Julian said, wiping Eve’s tears with his thumbs.

“I don’t know how I could have been so fooled,” Eve said, through her tears.

“Actually, you were set up pretty good,” Julian told her.

“How so?”

“Well the day that I was kidnapped, when you were looking outside the window when TC was in the kitchen, he was really on the phone with Spike letting him know that I had already been kidnapped,” Julian explained. “The reason that TC kicked you out of the house, so you could find Wagner to make you think I regressed. Then the night that Wagner prepared you a romantic rooftop dinner, it was all a set up to make you lose faith in me. The waiter was really one of father’s goons, and it was TC on a voice disguiser pretending to be his nurse. When you went back to the mansion to get the brooch I won for you, TC called Wagner to tell him that you were coming, so Wagner could hurt you more. Also when Wagner attacked you at Kay’s bridal shower, it was planned between TC and Wagner to make TC look like the hero and me the villian.”

“That explains it. Those bastards,” Eve said. “Listen Julian, the things I said about you to Wagner in anger, I didn’t mean. Especially what I said to him at Thanksgiving. I was angry at what I thought was you, and I know that’s not an excuse.”

“Darling, it’s all right,” Julian reassured, putting his hands on her cheeks. “I know you didn’t mean those things. Wagner treated you like dirt, you had every right to be angry, even if you thought it was me.”

“Well you were right about TC, what kind of man he is, and I now see that I am not responsible for his behavior,” Eve replied. “I want you to know that I am done with him for good. I don’t care if he is my daughter’s father. I never want to see him again.”

“I saw him beat you,” Julian said.

“Oh my God,” Eve gasped in horror, as she thought about how horrible that must have been for him.

Julian put his hands on her arms. “Are you alright? Were you hurt?” he asked with tears in his eyes.

“Yeah I’m okay,” Eve whimpered. “I was really banged up afterwards and the beating caused me to throw my back out, but it’s better now and most of the bruises have faded. At least the ones on the outside are.”

Julian took Eve in his arms and rocked her as she cried. As Julian stroked her hair, he felt tears going down his cheeks as he thought about what Eve must have been through. As Eve cried in his arms, it felt wonderful having the man she loved comforting her. It was what she needed since the beating.

After Julian held her, Eve looked up at Julian. “It was so awful Julian,” Eve sobbed. “I was so scared.”

“I am so sorry TC did that to you my love and that I wasn’t there to protect you from him,” Julian said, as he wiped her eyes with his thumbs.

“It wasn’t your fault,” Eve said.

“What happened to you after that?” he asked.

“You don’t know?”

“No, that’s when father turned off the monitors.”

“Oh God, -” Eve gasped, as she realized how worried Julian must have been about her.

“No it’s okay,” Julian reassured. “Just tell me what happened.”

“Well I checked into a hotel, and called in sick for work,” Eve explained. “I called for the hotel doctor but he wasn’t in, but Marlena, who happens to be a psychiatrist, was at the front desk, giving a lecture at the hotel and offered to see me. Of course when she saw me she could tell that I had been beaten and got me to tell her the truth about what happened, and she helped me see that TC is an abuser. She’s been wonderful and we’ve struck up a friendship.”

Julian gave a sigh of relief. “I am so glad she was there for you when I couldn’t be,” Julian told her.

“Before that I would have denied it, but Marlena made me look at the bruises on my face,” Eve quipped.

“I’m just glad that you now see TC for who he is,” Julian replied.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t listen to you before,” Eve confessed.

“It’s okay,” Julian said. “I just hoped that one day you would see the truth about him.”

Suddenly it dawned on Eve that Julian probably saw her and Wagner having sex. She felt her heart skip a beat. “By any chance, did you happen to see Wagner and I on your couch in your office, if you know what I mean?” she asked him.

“Did I see the two of you having sex? Yes,” Julian answered.

Eve’s heart sank. “I am so sorry Honey,” she cried. “I swear I wouldn’t have done it if I had known it wasn’t you.”

“Darling, it’s fine,” Julian reassured her. “You didn’t know. I’m angry with Wagner for taking advantage of you. And I’m so relieved that you didn’t get an STD from him.”

As Eve looked at Julian, she couldn’t believe how understanding he was being. She felt like she didn’t deserve it. “How can you not be angry with me?” she cried to Julian. “ I’m angry with myself.”

“Because it wasn’t your fault,” Julian reasoned. “And I didn’t agree with anything Wagner said or did. I was jealous of the attention you were giving TC, but I never wanted to handle it that way. That reminds me I have yet to apologize for my behavior the last time I saw you. I made a complete ass of myself.”

“It’s okay. It’s okay,” Eve said to him. “You had every right to be angry with me. I was the one who was wrong.”

“What?”

“I had no right to go back to TC after his accident, and I had no right not to consider your feelings,” Eve confessed. “I betrayed our love and I betrayed you and I will never forgive myself for that. It wasn’t because I fell out of love with you and back in love with TC. It was because I felt guilty about TC’s accident and I blamed myself for it. I thought if I could fix TC, I could help him, while still being engaged to you. Which I now see was wrong.”

“I know that’s what you were going through,” Julian said. “I figured it out right before I was kidnapped. And instead of acting all jealous and demanding, I should have realized that and trusted you.”

“I gave you every reason not to,” Eve pointed out. “I also realized that Wagner was right about me. I haven’t always been good to you.”

“What are you talking about? You’ve always been wonderful to me,” Julian said.

“No I haven’t,” Eve confessed. “Don't you let me off the hook here. I have put TC ahead of you before and that’s not right. I have always loved you more, but have let guilt and obligation cloud my judgment when it comes to the two of you. And that’s not fair to you.”

“What about everything I’ve done to you? If I had followed my heart years ago, there would be no TC.”

“No, that's not an excuse.”

“Well from where I sit, I think I have it pretty good,” Julian replied. “You saved me from the old Julian, you love me unconditionally despite my sins, you make me happier than anyone else ever has. You risk your life to save mine. I don’t think it gets much better than that.”

“Oh Julian,” Eve sighed.

“Look, the thing is I know you have been conflicted when it comes to me and TC,” Julian explained. “And I told you years ago if being with TC made you happy I would accept that.” Julian then cupped Eve’s face into his hands. “However, I’m not TC and I’m not Wagner. You can’t fool me, my love. I know that you love me as much as I love you. So I’m going to fight for you. I’m not going to regress, but I’m going to fight for you.”

“And I want you too,” Eve replied.

“And I don’t mind that you’re a busy doctor,” Julian went on to explain. “It’s one of the things I love most about you. It’s just that I draw the line at sharing you with another man.”

“You shouldn’t have to,” Eve said. “I am truly sorry for what I did to you, and I hope you can forgive me.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” Julian told her.

“What?”

“Because love means never having to say you’re sorry,” Julian replied, with his hand still cupping Eve’s cheek. “You don’t ever have to say you’re sorry to me.”

Eve smiled at Julian and breathed a sigh of relief. She was so overwhelmed by his unconditional love for her. “I want you to know before we found out that you were kidnapped, I had this gut feeling that there was something else behind your regression,” Eve said. “Actually it’s kind of ironic, the week in between me leaving TC and finding out that you were kidnapped, I was considering that you might have a neurological condition.” She was chuckling now.


“You’re kidding,” Julian laughed. “What did you think I had?”

“Well at the top of my differential I had a brain tumor, Cirrhosis of the liver, and alcoholism,” Eve replied, with a smile. “I was also thinking that you might have Huntington’s disease.”

“Huntington’s disease? What’s that?”

“It’s a progressive, degenerative neurological disease that causes nerve cells in the brain to waste away,” Eve explained. “One of the main symptoms of Huntington’s disease is irritability, emotional disturbances, mental deterioration, and personality changes. It’s a genetic disease someone gets from a parent. The onset of the disease usually happens between the ages of 30 to 50.”

“It might explain why us Cranes are so nasty,” Julian replied, with a chuckle.

“You don’t don’t have it though,” Eve told him. “I did a genetic test at the hospital on an old blood sample of yours and it came back negative.”

“Good to know,” Julian quipped. “Well I can assure you that the only neurological conditions I’m suffering from is cabin fever and homesickness and I’m pretty sure that once I’m out of here I can recover from that.”

“Good,” Eve smiled.

“You know I dreamed about you all the time, about the two of us being reunited,” Julian told her. “I know this is going to sound crazy, but there was this one night I had sort of a vision that we were together in the Civil War.”

“So did I,” Eve exclaimed.

“You’re kidding! I was John and you were Essie.”

“Yes and we fell in love, but John’s father Alfred sold Essie and then they were reunited at the battle of Gettysburg, but John died.”

“That’s the same one I had,” Julian replied.

Eve and Julian both smiled at each other.

“You know what this means?” Eve said.

“Yes, that we were together in other lifetimes like Luis and Sheridan,” Julian said.

“We really are soul mates,” Eve replied, taking Julian’s hand in hers.

“Yes we are.”

“Listen Julian,” Eve said. “I know what went down this past five months happened, but the truth was there wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t think about you and miss you and want what we had back. When I found out that you were kidnapped, I was a wreck. Then when I thought you had died. I wanted to die too. I love Julian. I love you so very much.”

“I love you too,” Julian told her.

“Is there any way you could take me back?” Eve asked. “All I know is that I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“Are you kidding me?” Julian exclaimed. “That’s the one thing that’s been getting me through being held hostage.”

Eve and Julian took each other in their arms and kissed each other passionately. Their love was so strong that it survived this ordeal and their love for each other remained unconditional. Then they leaned against the bed holding each other.

“I am never letting you go again,” Julian said, choking back tears.

“I’m never letting you go either,” Eve cried. “I promise I will put you first from now on.”

“I don’t want you to think you have to walk on eggshells for me,” Julian said. “I always want to be supportive of you.”

“I don’t want you to walk on eggshells for me either,” Eve replied. “I think if our love could survive this, it can survive anything.”

“Our love is immortal, and always will be,” Julian said. “There is nothing you could do to make me stop loving you, my Darling.”

“I feel the same way about you, Sweetheart,” Eve cried.

Eve and Julian began to kiss again this time leading to making love.

Chapter Eighty-Seven

Note to reader: This chapter is rated R.

As Eve and Julian were kissing, they stood up, holding each other tenderly. Eve removed Julian’s bathrobe, while Julian removed hers. They put their hands on each other’s cheeks, kissing each other passionately. After being apart for five long months they were finally back together, and their love was still as strong as ever. Eve unbuttoned Julian’s pajama top, taking it off of him, and throwing it on the floor, with his bare chest exposed. Julian pulled Eve’s nightgown off of her, exposing her naked body. Eve pulled down Julian’s pajama bottoms, exposing his naked body.

Then Eve and Julian moved to the bed. Their knees were kneeling on the mattress and they were facing each other. Julian began kissing Eve’s neck, and Eve began to pant as Julian slipped his penis in her vagina. Eve put her hands on Julian’s cheeks and pulled him into a passionate kiss.

When they released the kiss, Eve had tears of joy in her eyes. “Is this really happening?” she asked Julian in disbelief.

“Believe it, my love,” Julian said breathlessly.

Julian began to kiss Eve’s breasts and kissed her all the way down to her stomach. Then Julian rose and began kissing Eve’s lips again. “I don’t ever want to be apart from you again,” Julian patted.

“I don’t ever want to be apart from you either,” Eve replied, and then kissed him back. Neither one of them could believe how long they had away from each other, not being able to be close together. Right now it was heaven for them. Their hearts were overflowing with joy.

Outside in the hallway, the maid was playing a song on her stereo.

Pray God you can cope
I'll stand outside
This woman's work
This woman's world
Oh it's hard on the man
Now his part is over
Now starts the craft of the Father

I know you've got a little life in you yet
Now I know you've got a lot of strength left
Now I know you've got a little life in you yet
I know you've got a lot of strength left

I should be crying but I just can't let it show
Should be hoping but I can't stop thinking
Of all the things we should've said that we never said
And all the things we should've done that we never did
All the things we should've given but I didn't

Oh, darling, make it go, make it go away

Give me these moments
Give them back to me
Give me your little kiss

Give me your...
I know you have a little life in you yet
Give me your hand, babe
I know you have a lot of strength left
Give me that pretty hand
I know you have a little life in you yet
Show me you understand
I know you have a lot of strength left

My love child
I know you have a little life in you yet
Whatever you need me
I know you have a lot of strength left
Give me your hand
I know you have a little life in you yet
Give me your hand
I know you have a lot of strength left

Should be crying but I just can't let it go, baby
Should be hopin' but I can't stop thinkin', thinkin', thinkin'.
Of all the things we should've said that we never said
All the things we should've done that we never did
All the things that you wanted from me
All the things that you needed from me
All the things I should've given but I didn't

Oh, darling, make it go away, just make it go away

“I love you,” Julian patted, as he put his hands on Eve’s face,

“I love you too,” Eve said, breathlessly. “Don’t ever leave me again.”

“I won’t,” Julian said, as he continued to kiss her.

Eve took her hands and rubbed them softly now Julian’s chest and stomach, as they looked passionately into each other’s eyes. Then they pulled each other into another kiss.

Eve and Julian lowered their bodies onto the bed. Julian was laying down on his back, while Eve was sitting up on top of him kissing his chest and his stomach. After Eve was done, Julian rolled Eve on her back, and this time was on top of her as they kissed. They were one again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, back in Harmony, John and Marlena walked into the police station to tell Sam and Luis about what happened to Eve. They had stopped off at the Crane mansion earlier, to get the manilla envelope from Whitney.

Sam was sitting at his desk, with Luis standing next to him. “John, Marlena,” Sam said, as soon as he saw them. “It’s good to see you.”

“Listen Sam and Luis, we need to talk. It’s important. Can we talk in private?” John said.

“Sure,” Sam answered.

Sam and Luis took John and Marlena into the interrogation room and they all sat down at the table.

“What’s up?” Sam asked.

“There is a good chance that Julian is alive,” John explained.

“How is that possible?” Sam asked. “We all saw his body at the funeral.”

“Well last night, Eve came to Marlena and I and told us that she had this gut feeling that Julian was alive. She pointed out that Alistair Crane had kidnapped other people and then faked their deaths, so she figured out that Alistair would do the same thing with Julian.”

“Eve has a point,” Luis pointed out to Sam. “Remember Alistair kidnapped me and faked my death last year.”

“Okay, well where would we even look?” Sam asked.

“Well Eve told us that Julian had told her that there were these Crane Compounds all around the globe, but he didn’t know where they were. However, Eve was able to hack into Alistair’s computer and she got access to this map of the Compounds,” John said, as he handed it to Sam. “Based on Spike saying during the wiretap, that it was cold outside that day, Eve narrowed it down to the compound between Greenland and Norway.”

“Well I’ll give Eve credit,” Sam said. “She’s a good little detective. Where is she now?”

“That’s the problem,” John said. “Last night when Eve came to Marlena and I, she begged me to take her to the compound to rescue Julian.”

“Please tell me you didn’t take her there,” Sam clipped.

“I did,” John answered.


“Are you out of your mind?!” Sam yelled at John. “She could have been killed.”

“She was willing to take the risk to save Julian,” John explained. “I didn’t want to, but she practically twisted my arm. I taught her self-defense, and how to use a gun, and gave her a knapsack full of necessary equipment. I also gave her a GPS device and a communication device so we could talk while she was inside.”

“Still you should have never taken her there,” Sam snapped. “Where is she now?”

“Well Eve was able to break through the force field, but Spike and this guard caught her and now she’s locked in there too.”

“And you left her there?!” Sam exclaimed.

“There wasn’t anything else to do,” John explained. “Eve told me to go and get help.”

“I don’t believe this,” Sam shouted. “Are you sure you’re not working for Alistair?”

“Sam, you have to believe me, I’m as honest as they come,” John told him.

“Why didn’t Eve and the two of you come to me and Luis instead?” Sam asked John and Marlena.

“Eve was afraid that if anybody else knew about it, Alistair would find out and Julian would be in more danger,” Marlena explained.

“So you’re saying that no one else knows about this,” asked Sam.

“That’s correct,” John answered. “Eve told Whitney that she was going out of town to help a patient.

“I can’t believe that Eve would do something this stupid,” Sam exclaimed.

“Sam, she loves Julian,” Luis explained. “Remember the lengths I went to to save Sheridan.”

“I don’t care. Eve’s a civilian,” Sam pointed out, with a trace of anger in his voice,

“Sam, based on what Eve told me there is a good chance that Julian is alive,” John pointed out. “The compound was heavily guarded and Eve overheard a maid say something about Alistair Crane locking up his son. Besides, we know that Spike is there and we can finally arrest him.”

“Also, Eve left a message with Whitney in case something happened to her,” Marlena explained, as she pulled out the manilla envelope and pulled out the letter that was marked in case of an emergency and handed it to Sam.

Sam opened up the letter and read it out loud. “If you’re reading this I must be in some sort of trouble. I went to the Northern Crane Compound to find Julian. Please help.” Sam set the letter down on the table. “Okay, I’ll admit, based on all of this, there is a good chance that Julian is still alive. I guess we have no choice but to go to the compound.”

“Should we tell anyone?” Luis asked.

“No,” Sam replied. “Eve was right about one thing that if people know Alistair will find out and that will ruin everything. Regardless, she still shouldn’t have gone there. Besides, in case Julian isn’t alive, we don’t want to get the Crane’s hopes up.”

“Okay,” Luis replied.

Sam, Luis, John, and Marlena began to strategize their plan.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the Compound, Spike was in the hallway trying to call Alistair Crane to tell him about Eve sneaking into the Compound. Finally Alistair picked up his phone.

“What’s going on Spike?” Alistair asked, as he picked up the phone.

“Boss, we are in big trouble. The doc snuck into the compound last night,” Spike explained.

“WHAT!!!” Alistair shrieked. “How did she get there?! How did she even know where he was?”

“Beats me Boss,” answered Spike.

“Okay, where is she now?” Alistair asked.

“I locked her up in Julian's room,” Spike explained.

“YOU IDIOT!!!” Alistair yelled. “Now they're together.”

“Sorry boss, I wasn’t thinking,” Spike replied.

“No you weren’t,” Alistair clipped. “Okay, this is what I want you to do.”

~

Song credit: This woman’s work by Maxwell







Chapter Eighty-Eight

Back in Julian’s room, as the sun shined through the window, Eve and Julian were sleeping naked together in each other’s arms, after a night of exquisite love making. Julian was the first one to awake. When he saw Eve sleeping peacefully in his arms, he smiled. It was the first morning since he had been at the compound that he was at peace. Julian was finally reunited with the woman he loved and hopefully today, they would be finally rescued. He kissed Eve’s forehead and she woke up with a smile on her face.

“Good morning Beautiful,” he said to her, smiling.

“Good morning Handsome,” she replied, as they kissed. “I can’t believe I’m waking up next to you. I never thought this would happen again.”

“So did I, but I’m so glad it did,” Julian said. “Eve, I've never ever stopped loving you.”

“I’ve never stopped loving you either,” Eve replied. “You couldn’t make me stop loving you. Not even if you tried.”

“I have to be the luckiest man in the world to have such a wonderful woman as you,” Julian said, as he caressed her hair.

“I’m so lucky to have you,” Eve declared. “I thought I’d die without you.”

“Don’t you worry, my love,” Julian told her, kissing the top of her head. “That will never happen again.” Julian shifted his position a little bit, wondering how soon they would be rescued. “Do you have any idea when John should be here?” he asked.

“I’m not sure,” Eve answered. “I have a communication device in my ear and this bracelet so John can talk to me and he gave me a GPS device. But so far I haven’t heard anything.”

“It would be nice to get back for Christmas,” he said.

“I know a whole lot of people who are going to be happy to see you,” Eve told him as she grinned.

“Who?” Julian asked.

Eve shifted her position to face Julian. “Your family of course,” she said.

“All of them?” Julian asked.

“Of course. Why wouldn’t they be?

“Well I just know given the way I’ve treated my children in the past, they probably didn’t feel much love loss when they found out what happened to me,” Julian explained. “Probably most people in Harmony.”

Eve gave a small laugh. “Honey, you couldn't be more mistaken,” she said. “Your children love and adore you. Harmony loves and adores you. Everyone in your family was devastated when they found out about what happened to you, including Fox, Fancy, and Ethan. We all worked around the clock to find you, and we were all a wreck when we were looking for you and when we thought you had died. Your kidnapping made international news. People all over praying for you and helping with the search.”

“You mean to tell me the same people who wanted me dead four years ago, actually were looking for me and feeling sorry for me?” Julian asked in amazement.

“Yeah,” Eve answered, nodding. “You’re quite popular in Harmony. And your children love you very much and they’ve forgiven you.”

Julian began to wipe his eyes as he began to have tears in them.

“Honey, why are you crying?” Eve asked.

“Because I’m happy,” Julian answered, all choked up. “While I was here I had a lot of time to think and I thought about how regret that I wasn’t a better father to my children and I made a promise to myself if I was freed I would make it up to them and be a better father from now on and I now I know I have a chance to do that.”

“Believe me you will,” Eve said, drying his tears with her thumb.

Julian took a deep breath. “Speaking of children, there is something I need to tell you that I have kept a secret from you for years,” Julian said, knowing that he had to tell Eve about Endora.

“Okay, what’s the secret?” Eve asked.

“I have another child out there that nobody knows about,” Julian explained.

Eve’s eyebrows rosed. She was definitely taken aback from this. “And you didn’t tell me about this?”

“No, I’m sorry. I wanted to but the mother didn’t want anyone to know that I was her child’s father and I wanted to respect that,” he explained.

“Okay, do I know this child? Do they live in Harmony?” Eve asked.

“Yes you do.”

“Who is it?”

“Endora Lennox,” Julian clipped.

“Tabitha Lennox’s daughter?” Eve exclaimed.

“Yes.”

Eve scoffed. “Very funny,” she said.

“I’m serious,” Julian clipped.

“Come on, that means you and Tabitha would have had to-” Eve looked at Julian’s face and saw that he was serious. Then she remembered the picture of Endora in Julian’s safe. “No!!!” she exclaimed. “You and Tabitha?!”

“It was after Timmy’s death and I went to pay my condolences and we had one too many Martimmys and nine months later Endora was born,” Julian explained.

Eve burst out laughing.

“What’s so funny?” he asked

“I can’t believe you slept with Tabitha,” Eve laughed.

“It’s true,” Julian clipped.

“I know, that’s why I’m laughing.” After a minute, Eve stopped laughing, and put her hand on Julian’s arm. “It’s okay. I know how much Timmy meant to you and I understand.”

“Thank you,” he said with a smile. “I want so badly to be a part of Endora’s life, but Tabitha doesn’t want me to. I have sent child support and set up a trust fund for her.”

“Well maybe I can have a talk with Tabitha,” said Eve. “Mother to mother.”

“Really? You’d do that for me?” Julian was so touched at Eve being so supportive.

“Absolutely.”

“You do know this means that we would have Endora on the weekends and things like that?”

“Honey, I don’t mind,” she told him. “I love children. And I’ve seen Endora around with Tabitha. She’s really cute.”

“I know I’m crazy about her,” Julian smiled. “The last time I saw her, I stopped by to give her a balloon. I told her it was red for love.”

“Really that’s so sweet.” Hearing that warmed her heart. “I can see where she gets her smile from.”

“You think so?”

“Yes I do,” Eve said, caressing his face.

All of a sudden Julian’s face became all serious and he swallowed hard “Listen Darling, there’s something I need to ask you,” he said.

“Sure Honey, what is it?” Eve clipped.

“I found out on the monitors about what you did to Sam and Grace,” he told her.

“Yeah,” Eve stammered. She knew she had this coming.

“What happened?” he asked. “I mean I know Ivy blackmailed you. I just want to know how she did it.”

“Ivy blackmailed me into changing John’s DNA test. I said no, willing to take the fall,” Eve explained, looking down. “Then Ivy drugged Whitney at a dance almost killing her and I still said no. Then she pulled a gun to my head and I still said no. Finally, she threatened to turn my girls into drug addicts and I gave in, and I’ve lived with the guilt ever since.”

“I figured she must have done as much,” said Julian.

“I know it was wrong and I don’t blame you for being disappointed in me,” Eve said, in a guilty tone.

“I’m not here to judge you,” he told her, as he caressed her face with his hand. “I’ve done way worse in my life and I recall having a beautiful angel come rescue me and love me unconditionally in spite of myself.”

Eve smiled. “Thank you,” she said.

“I told you years ago that there was no secret from your past that could make me stop loving you or think any less of you,” Julian told her, still caressing her face. “I'm just sorry I wasn’t there when it came out. Why didn’t you tell me about it before?”

“I didn’t want to involve you,” Eve explained.

“I wish you had, I could have helped you.”

“Thanks, but it was my responsibility,” she confessed.

“Has Grace come home yet?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Eve said. “Actually a couple of days after I checked myself into the hotel, after the beating, Grace found me and told me she understood the position I was in and she forgave me and we reconciled. She even invited me to stay at the Bennett house while I looked for a place and I stayed there until I found out that you were kidnapped and then I moved back into the mansion. Grace has been absolutely wonderful to me throughout this whole ordeal and has gotten me through it.”

“That’s marvelous,” Julian said. “I’m so happy that you two are friends again.”

“Yeah, it also makes me feel worse,” Eve confessed.

“Why?”

“Because the Bennetts are so nice,” Eve explained.

“Darling, you’re not the one who brought David Hastings to town, that was Ivy’s doing,” Julian told her. “Besides I know what it’s like to be blackmailed by a Crane. You’re looking at a fellow who tried killing his sister, twice.”

“Yeah, but your life was threatened,” Eve pointed out.

“So was yours,” Julian also pointed out. “Where is my darling ex-wife right now anyways?”

“Wagner invited her to stay at the mansion, and I’ve been too racked with grief to do anything about it,” she said.

“Well when I get back I’m kicking her out,” Julian said.

“Thank you,” Eve smiled. “I know Grace will thank you too.”

“So now that you and Grace are friends again I’m going to be eating more of that God awful tomato soup cake of hers,” Julian teased.

“You don’t you like her tomato soup cake?”

“No, I can't stand it. But for you I’ll force it down.”

“Thank you. I’ve been telling her about you,” Eve said playfully.

“Really having some girl talk?” he grinned.

“Yes,” she smiled. “She wasn’t crazy about the Old Julian or Mitch Wagner, but you she likes. In fact she thinks you’re good for me. And he hates TC for what he did to me, and has washed her hands of him.”

Julian smiled. “I’m glad to hear it. Any friend of yours is a friend of mine.”

“Thank you.” Eve caressed Julian’s face again. “God I’ve missed you.”

“What? Wagner gave you a run for your money?” quipped Julian as he kissed her hand.

“That and being close and feeling safe in your arms,” Eve said. “I’ve always felt safe with you Sweetheart, when they were together and I always felt so loved by you that it was overwhelming. However, being without you these past five months I felt so alone. It was torture.”

“I felt the same being without you,” Julian confessed. He put his hand on Eve’s cheek. “You are safe with me, my love. I promise I will never treat you the way TC and Wagner did.”

“I know.” Eve nodded.

Julian noticed a bruise on Eve’s forearm. He took it in his hand. “Is this from TC?” he asked.

Eve nodded.

Julian kissed it, like a parent would kiss a boo-boo. “Are the bruises on your back from TC too?

Eve nodded again.

“How badly were you banged up?”

“I had bruises all over my body and when I threw my back out, it caused me to limp for a while.”

“Did you call the police?” he asked.

“Not right away,” Eve explained. “At first I didn’t tell anyone but Marlena and Grace, because I didn’t want Whitney and Simone to hate their father, but when I was in the police station and I found out that you had been kidnapped I let it slip out and at that point, I was so angry at TC, I no longer cared who knew. It was then I decided to press charges against TC for assault and battery.

“Good for you,” he commended.

“Yeah well not much came of it, because TC took a plea bargain for probation, community service, and anger management and Judge Reilly accepted it,” she said.

“Dammit, father must have been behind that,” Julian said with anger in his voice.

“That’s what we all thought,” Eve quipped.

“How are the girls dealing with what TC did?” Julian asked.

“They’re pretty upset,” Eve said. “The same day that Grace and I reconciled, the girls came into my office wanting to know why I left TC while he was recovering from a stroke, and of course I didn’t tell them. Then Whitney starts berating me for my past mistakes and I finally told the girls off for the way they treated me when my past came out.”

“It’s about time,” Julian said.

“I was serious,” Eve replied. “After talking to Marlena I was finally able to see with the exception of TC’s knee that they are not paying for my mistakes. Then a few days after we found out that you were kidnapped, Whitney and Simone came to me apologizing and we reconciled and they’ve also been there for me while we were looking for you and when we thought you had died. They’re okay with us being together now.”

“I’m so happy to hear that,” Julian smiled, knowing how much Eve’s girls meant to her. Then his face turned all serious and he took Eve’s hand in his. “There were days I was here that I felt so much rage and despair. But then I thought of you and I made it through another day. I love you Eve. I love you so very much.”

“I love you too. When I found out that you were kidnapped, I lit a candle in the window every night so you would come home to me. I made a promise to myself right there and then that I would find you and I wasn’t going to give you up again.”

“Oh Eve,” he said.

Eve and Julian kissed each other passionately again.


Chapter Eighty-Nine

As Eve and Julian were kissing, they heard Marty in the next room.

“I think Marty’s up.” Eve said. “We better get dressed before he sees us.”

“When he’s older he’ll understand,” Julian teased, as he continued to kiss her.

“Honey,” Eve laughed, playfully slapping him on the arm.

“Okay, okay,” he replied.

Eve and Julian got out of bed and put their nightwear back on from the night before and Julian went into Marty’s room and brought him out into his room.

“Look who’s up,” Julian said, as Marty was walking beside him.

“Hi Eve,” Marty clipped.

“Hi Sweetheart,” she said as she leaned down to put her hands on her knees to reach Marty’s level.

Julian sat on the end of the bed with Marty next to him, and Eve sat on the other side of Marty.

“Did the two of you find a way to get us out of here?” Marty asked them.

“Well Honey, there is someone coming, I just don’t know when,” Eve explained to him.

“I want to get home for Christmas,” Marty said.

“We all want that Son,” Julian replied, putting his arm around Marty.

Marty turned to Eve. “Eve, when we get rescued, can I come too?” he asked.

“Of course you’re coming with us,” said Eve. “Why would you think that you weren’t?”

“A couple of weeks ago, Spike came in here and told me in front of Marty that he would set me free and let me go home to Harmony, if I left Marty here and never told anyone that he was still alive,” Julian explained to Eve

“How repugnant,” Eve said at the thought of someone doing that to a child. Then she turned to Marty. “No Honey, you’re Uncle Julian are not leaving here without you.”

Marty’s face lit up with a smile and turned to Julian and said to him, “You’re right Uncle Julian, she is nice.”

Eve smiled.

“I told you,” Julian said to the little fellow, as he kissed the top of his head. Then he turned to Eve. “Darling, there is one thing I was wondering if you could do. A couple of weeks ago Marty had chickenpox and hiked a fever of 105 and had a seizure and stopped breathing. I was able to get his fever down with a lukewarm bath and I gave him CPR. But I was wondering if you could take a look at him?”

“Of course,” Eve said. “I brought my medical bag with me.” She got up to where her knapsack was to get her bag.

“Great,” he said. Then Julian turned to Marty. “Marty, Eve’s going to examine you, to make sure you’re okay from having chickenpox. She’s a doctor.”

“I don’t want a shot,” Marty cried.

“No, no shots Honey,” Eve assured Marty, as she got her medical bag and sat down back on the bed, next to Marty. “I’m just going to examine you. Now you just sit there on Uncle Julian’s lap.”

Julian took Marty on his lap, as Eve began the examination. She took Marty’s vitals. Then she had him lift up his pajama top and listened to his heart and lungs and poked around his stomach. Then Eve checked Marty’s reflexes. Finally, Eve shone a light in Marty’s eyes, and then looked in his mouth, nose and ears.

“You were so good for me,” Eve told Marty after she was done with the exam. “You’re such a good boy.”

“Is he okay?” Julian asked her.

“He’s fine,” Eve replied. “It’s a good thing you were there. Whatever you did saved his life.”

Julian breathed a sigh of relief. “Why did he get so sick?” he asked.

“From what you described It was probably encephalitis,” Eve explained.

“What’s that?”

“It’s an inflammation of the brain that can sometimes be a complication of chickenpox in small children. When we get back to Harmony, Sheridan should bring him in for a complete check-up and tests. But from what I see, he’s made a complete recovery.”

“Thank God,” Julian said.

At that moment, the maid came in with a table full of three breakfast dishes. “Breakfast is served,” she said as she began tasting the food.

As all of them stood up, Eve was wondering why the maid was tasting their food.

“Uncle Julian makes the maid’s taste our food first to make sure it’s good,” Marty told Eve.

“It’s to make sure they don’t poison it,” Julian whispered to her.

“Okay,” she nodded, understanding why.

After the maid was done she left the room.

“Well I for one am starving,” Eve said.

“I’ve noticed you’ve lost some weight,” Julian pointed out to her.

“What?” Eve quipped.

“No, I didn’t mean it that way,” Julian explained. “It’s just you told me that you hadn’t been eating or sleeping since you found out that I was kidnapped and I’m concerned about you.”

“Okay, you’re right. I haven’t been eating,” Eve admitted. “I lost my appetite when I found out what happened to you. Back now that I know that you’re alive and back with me, my appetite has returned.” She patted his cheeks.

“Good,” Julian clipped. “I don’t want you going on any more hunger strikes for me.”

“I won’t.”

Eve and Julian gave each other a kiss.

“Ewww. Gross!” Marty exclaimed as he saw them kissing.

They turned to Marty and laughed.

After breakfast, they all changed out of their nightwear and into their daytime wear. Eve was wearing one of Julian’s white business shirts tied at the waist, with the same pants she wore to the compound. Now Eve and Julian were on the floor playing with Marty. Eve couldn’t believe how wonderful Julian was with his nephew. Not only was Julian tender and loving with Marty, he was actually paternal. Julian and Marty seemed to adore each other.

“You are so good with him,” Eve told Julian. “Marty loves you.”

“I’m quite crazy about him too,” Julian said. “He and I have really bonded since I found him.”

“I can tell,” she said. Then Eve got a solemn look on her face.

Julian saw Eve’s face change and he could tell something was upsetting her. He went over to her and put his arm around her. “What’s wrong? What is it, my love?” he asked, tenderly.

“Seeing Marty just makes me think of our son,” Eve confessed. “When we thought that Chad was our son, even thinking that he and Whitney were brother and sister, it brought such a fire to my heart knowing that we had found him. Now that I know that our son is still out there missing and we don’t know where he is, it hurts.”

“I know. I feel the same way,” Julian told her. “But we will find our son. I made a promise that we would find him and that’s a promise I intend to keep.”

“Thank you,” Eve said. “I just hope he’s been happy and had a good life.”

“So do I,” replied Julian. “I just hope he hasn’t faced the same fate as Marty has.”

“Me too,” Eve said. “Alistair’s cruelty has no bounds. When I thought you had died, I felt so guilty that I couldn’t protect the two of you from him.”

“My love, it wasn’t your fault what happened to us,” Julian said, stroking her cheek with the back of his fingers. “Father would have found some way to kidnap us.”

“The truth was when I heard that you were kidnapped, I wished it were me that Alistair had kidnapped instead of you,” Eve confessed. “I would rather be on that floor with TC beating me, then have you be hurt the way you were.”

“I wouldn’t let that happen to you trading places with me. The truth is I would rather be kidnapped than for TC to beat you,” Julian told her. Then he cupped her face in his hand. “All I know is I am so incredibly grateful to you for coming here to save my life.”

“You’re the man I love. I’d do anything for you,” Eve said, looking into his eyes, as she stroked his face.

“I love you too.”

Eve and Julian pulled each other into another kiss.

Then Julian turned to Marty and said to him. “I think it’s somebody’s nap time.”

“Please Uncle Julian,” Marty begged.

“No, I'm sorry,” Julian said as he picked him up. “It will just be for a little while.”

“Okay,” Marty said.

Julian took Marty into his room, while Eve picked up the toys. All of a sudden Spike came into the room.

“Hey Doc, enjoying the accommodations?” he said.

Eve rolled her eyes. “What do you want Spike?” she snapped.

“Can a gentleman come to check on a pretty lady?” Spike quipped.

“Let’s get one thing straight Spike,” Eve said with anger in her voice. “I will never ever forgive you for what you have done to Julian and I these past five months.”

“You think I care?” Spike said with a laugh.

“Go away,” she snapped.

“I can’t do that,” he said, in his sly voice. Spike pushed Eve onto the bed, and got on top of her., trying to have this way with her, and took her knife out. “You try any of that fancy self-defense crap, and I’ll kill Julian and the kid.”

Eve let out a scream, but Spike put his hand over her mouth.

Julian heard the scream from the other room and immediately came out and saw Spike assaulting her.

“Oh my God!” he exclaimed.

Julian grabbed Spike from behind and then threw him against the wall, with Julian’s hands around Spike’s neck.

“You bastard!,” Julian yelled. “Give me one good reason I shouldn’t kill you right now.”

“You don’t have the guts,” Spike taunted.

“Oh no, you kidnapped me, you helped make Eve think I betrayed her, you conspired to kidnap my sister’s child, you tried to rape and murder my daughter and now you tried to rape the woman I love,” Julian shouted. “I could kill you right now.”

“Honey don’t, he’s not worth it,” Eve said to him, as she stood up from the bed.

“She’s right,” Julian snarled at Spike. “I want you to rot in jail.” Then Julian went over to Eve and put his arm around her. “Darling, are you all right?’ he asked her.

“I’m fine,” she told him. Then she turned to Spike. “Spike please just let us go and I promise you, we won’t press any charges.”

“Uh ah. No can do babe,” he clipped.

“I have my checkbook with me,” Eve reasoned. “Julian left me a ten million dollar life insurance policy and I have a lot of money in savings.”

“Don’t bother, I’ve already offered him the Crane fortune and he won’t budge,” Julian said.

“What are the two of you complaining about?” Spike asked. “You’re back with each other now.”

“With no freedom,” Julian pointed out.

“Hey life ain’t fair,” Spike quipped.

“No, what would be fair is if you would drop dead,” Eve shouted at Spike. “It would make the world such a better place.”

“Such a pouting mouth for such a pretty woman,” Spike patronized.

“Get out of here Spike” Julian yelled.

“No just yet.” Spike went towards Eve with a syringe.

“No!” Julian screamed as soon as he saw the syringe. He pushed Eve out of the way, causing Spike to accidentally stick the syringe in Julian, causing him to collapse on the floor.

“Nooo!” Eve screamed.

Spike fled the room.

Chapter Ninety

Eve immediately got down on the floor and checked Julian’s pulse and he didn’t have one.

Her heart began to pound with fear at the thought of losing the man she loved again. “Come on Baby, don’t leave me,” she pleaded to Julian. “I just got you back,”

Marty came out of his room, and saw Julian on the floor unconscious.

“What’s wrong with Uncle Julian?” he cried.

“He’s hurt, but I’m going to help him,” Eve told Marty, as she turned to look at him. “Sweetheart, I need you to go over to that side of the room and get me that small back bag.”

Marty went over to get Eve’s medical bag and handed it to her.

“Good,” Eve told him. “Now I want you to go back to your room and wait there until I come and get you.” She knew it wouldn’t be appropriate for Marty to watch her try to save Julian given that he was still a child.

“Okay,” Marty replied, as he went back to his room.

Eve started giving Julian CPR. “One, two, three, four, five,” she counted, as she gave compressions.

There was still no pulse. Then Eve started blowing in his mouth, while holding his nose. However, there was no response.

“Please God, don’t make me lose him again,” Eve sobbed, as she gave compressions.

Finally she reached into her medical bag and gave him a shot of adrenaline to start his heart, but it didn’t work.

~

Back in Harmony, Endora was watching what was going on at the Compound, from her magic bowl. She was so relieved that Eve had found her Daddy, but was heartbroken to see that Spike tried to kill her daddy. Endora knew she had to save her daddy. So she took her finger and planted an antidote to what Spike injected her daddy with in Eve’s medical bag.

~

Eve looked in her medical bag again to see if there was anything else she could give Julian, but then she saw a syringe that she didn’t remember packing. It looked to be an antidote of some kind. She wasn’t sure if she should use it, but something told her that she should do it. So she injected it in Julian and then he opened his eyes.

“Oh Thank God,” Eve exclaimed, as she wrapped her arms around his neck.


“I must have died and gone to heaven,” Julian said, smiling at her.

“No, you’re not there and you’re not going there for a very long time,” she said, smiling as she caressed his cheek.

Julian sat up. “What happened?” he asked.

“You passed out from what Spike injected you with, but luckily I was able to give you an antidote that I didn’t know was in my medical bag,” Eve explained.

Julian smiled at her. “You saved me life again?” he said, overwhelmed by Eve’s love for him.

“After you saved mine,” Eve pointed out.

“Oh Eve.” Julian pulled into a kiss of gratitude and love.

After the kiss, Eve said to him, “I think I better get you checked out just in case.”

“Yes doctor,” Julian replied.

After Eve examined Julian, she closed her medical bag, she said to him, “well it looks like you’re going to be okay.”

“Good to know,” Julian replied. Then he cupped Eve’s face in his hands. “Thank you for saving my life, my love.”

“Thank you for saving mine,” Eve replied. “But you’ve got to stop scaring me like this. Between the kidnapping, thinking you were murdered, and now this, I don’t think my heart can take anymore.

“I’ll be good from now on,” he told her.

“You better.”

Marty stuck his head out of his room. “Can I come out now?” he asked.

Eve looked over at him and said, “Of course sweetheart. Uncle Julian is just fine now.”

Marty went up to his Uncle Julian and gave him a big hug.

“I was scared Uncle Julian,” Marty said. “I was scared.”

“Don’t worry Son, I’m just fine,” Julian said as he hugged Marty back, and gave him a kiss on top of his head. “Eve saved my life.”

“She’s the best doctor in the whole world,” Marty said, as he sat on his Uncle Julian’s lap and looked at Eve.

“Yes she is,” Julian smiled.

“You two are sweet,” Eve told them. Then she turned to Julian. “Do you have any idea why Spike was trying to kill me?” she asked him

“I know why,” Julian answered. “My father put him up to it.”

“Julian I’m scared,” Eve said. “Now that Alistair knows that we’re together, God knows what he'll do to us.”

“I know,” Julian agreed. “I think it’s best that the three of us stay together in one room, until we’re rescued.”

“I think so too.”

~

Several hours later, it was early evening, at the Compound. Marty was on the floor playing with his toys, while Eve and Julian were sitting in the window seat looking out the window. Julian was sitting against the wall of the window seat, with Eve sitting with her back to Julian’s chest, with his arms around her.

“I can’t tell you how many times I sat at this window during the past five months just longing to be free,” Julian told Eve.

“I can onIy imagine,” Eve replied, thinking how horrible it must have been for Julian and what it must have been like to be locked in one room for five months.

“It’s been hard to say the least,” he said. “I’m dying to go outside.”

“I’ll bet you are,” Eve quipped.

“It’s funny how I took nature for granted before,” he said. “Now all I want to do is be in it all the time.”

“When we get back to Harmony, we can definitely spend time outside,” Eve promised, as she turned and looked back at him.

“Thank you.”

“It’s funny, I took a lot for granted too,” Eve admitted.

“Like what?” he asked.

“Well one of the things I felt guilty about when I found out that you were kidnapped is that I didn’t tell you I loved you the last time I saw you,” she confessed.

“I felt the same way too, that I also should have told you that I loved you before I left,” he also confessed.

At that moment, Eve and Julian looked at each other, they realized that as close as they were, they had taken each other for granted five months ago, by not telling each other they loved each other the last time they saw each other, regardless of the argument they were having. They realized how fragile life was and they couldn’t take for granted their relationship as strong as it was.

“We have to promise each other from now on when we’re leaving to go somewhere that we tell each other we love each other,” Eve said.

“Absolutely,” Julian agreed. “No matter what’s going on.”

“No matter what’s going on,” Eve added, taking Julian’s hand. “It’s funny I think about the fight we had the last time we saw each other and all the fighting I did with Wagner, it all feels so petty now.”

“I know. It really makes you think about what’s important in life.”

“It really does.”

Julian took a deep breath. “Darling there is something else I need to tell you,” he said to Eve.

“Sure, what is it?” Eve clipped.

“I have decided to try to take down my father once and for all,” Julian explained. “I don’t know how I’m going to do it, but I’m going to do it. I can’t have him hurting me and the people I love.”

“Honey, I’m all for that,” Eve said. “I’ll even help you do it.”

“You will?”

“Absolutely.”

“Thank you,” he said in a grateful tone. “If there is a chance that my father isn’t arrested, I want to leave the mansion and Crane Industries. Now I have my trust fund and money in savings to support us and I can try to find a new job, but I know this affects you too so if you don’t want me to-

“Of course I’m okay with that Sweetheart,” Eve told him. “I don’t care about your money. I just want to be with you. Besides I make a good salary as a doctor, I can also help out financially too.”

“You have no idea how much that means to me.” Julian couldn’t believe how wonderful Eve was to him. She was the only woman he had ever been with who didn’t care about his money, saw him for the person he was inside, and loved him unconditionally.

“There is something else you need to know before we get back to Harmony,” Eve told Julian, “A couple of weeks ago, we found out that Little Ethan isn’t your biological son.”

“I know,” Julian answered. “I found out about it on the monitors.”

“You did?”

“Yeah, the first day I was here.”

“I am so sorry,” Eve said. “You must be devastated.”

“I am, but I want what’s best for the boy, and if that means letting him go, I’ll do it.”

“That’s very noble of you.”

“How did you find out about it?” he asked her.

“The morning before we thought that you had been murdered, the same tabloid reporter who exposed Ethan’s true paternity published a tabloid attention of people’s secrets and that’s when I found out,” Eve explained. “Also that Theresa was right about Gwen, that she is a carbon copy of her mother.”

“How so?”

Eve told Julian about how Gwen and Rebecca sent the truth about Ethan’s paternity to the tabloid and how Gwen covered for Rebecca being the one who poisoned Liz, and didn’t care if Eve went to jail or not. Not to mention how cruel Gwen and Rebecca were to Eve when she confronted them.

“Unbelievable. I never would have suspected that of Gwen,” Julian said. “I’m going to kill Rebecca for calling you the N word.”

“You don’t have to. I already did.”

“What did you do?”

“I attacked her,” Eve clipped.

“Good for you,” Julian commended.

“Yeah well, it didn’t last very long between my back injury and Grace and Whitney pulling me off of her,” Eve said. “We also found out in the tabloid that Chad has been cheating on Whitney with Valerie.”

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry to hear that,” he exclaimed. “How’s Whitney doing?”

“She’s devastated and has broken up with Chad and Chad has moved to New York for a music recording job and they are going to work out some kind of joint custody agreement for Miles,” Eve explained. “Your mother invited Whitney and Miles to stay at the mansion. I hope that’s okay with you.”

“Of course it is,” Julian replied. As far as Julian was concerned Eve’s girls were family to him and they were welcome at the mansion any time. “Whitney wasn’t the only one who got screwed over for love. I found out on the monitors that Chris was hired by father to fall in love with Sheridan and is really a fraud.”

“I know, we found out about it on the wiretap,” she told him.

“Really?! How’s Sheridan dealing with it?”

“She was pretty furious, but she’s back with Luis and Fancy is back with Noah, and Ethan and Theresa are back together too.”

“That’s marvelous,” Julian replied.

“Yeah I was happy for them too.”

Julian looked at his watch, wondering what time it was. “I just want to get out of here for Christmas.”

“So I do,” Eve replied. “However I got what I wanted for Christmas this year.”

“Yeah, what’s that?” Julian asked.

“Getting you back and knowing that you are alive.”

“Really? That’s what I wanted for Christmas too.”

The two of them kissed again. Then all of a sudden Eve heard noise from her earpiece. She sat up and was tapping on her ear.

“What is it, my love?” Julian asked her.

“I think I heard someone talking to me,” she replied.

“Eve, can you hear me?” said Sam from the plane.

“Sam is that you?” she asked in disbelief.

“Yeah it’s me,” he answered. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she said with a big smile on her face. “I’m fine. I’m with Julian. He’s alive and he’s okay.”

“Okay don’t move, we’re coming to get you,” he told her.

Eve turned to Julian and said, “We’re getting out of here,” she said to Julian, with her face beaming.

“Thank God,” Julian exclaimed. He stood up and went to Marty and picked him up. “Marty, we're going home.”

“Yay!!” Marty said, clapping his hands.

As Eve stood up and began to get ready to leave the compound, she heard Sam say something to her.

“Listen Eve, now that I have you here there is something I want to ask you,” Sam said. “Are you out of your mind?”

“No Sam, I’m just a woman very much in love,” she answered.

“Well I hope you know I’m going to kick your ass when I see you,” Sam told her.

“I know,” she quipped.


Chapter Ninety-One

Eve and Julian were getting themselves and Marty ready to leave. Eve put on her leather jacket that she came to the compound with, and put her medical bag back in her knapsack. Julian found a winter coat for him and Marty.

“I want to take my bunny with me,” Marty told Eve and Julian, as he held his favorite stuffed rabbit.

“Absolutely,” Julian told him.

“Of course you can take him with you, Sweetheart,” Eve said to Marty. “You can even put him in my knapsack, so nothing happens to him.”

“Okay,” Marty clipped and gave Eve the stuffed animal as she put it in her bag.

Then Julian picked up Marty and the three of them stood together to wait to be rescued.

~

Back outside the Compound, John landed the plane in the same place where he had landed it before. Then he, Sam and Luis went out to the body of the plane to begin their mission.

“Okay now everybody remember the plan,” John told Sam and Luis, “Sam I’ve got the voice disguiser all set up with Alistair’s voice on it, and I’ve traced Spike’s cell phone number. Let’s just hope he picks up.”

“He better,” Sam clipped, as he thought about how desperate he was to finally arrest Spike once and for all.

“Are you sure this is going to work?” Luis asked, having some doubts about their plan.

“It has to,” Sam answered. “It’s the only plan we’ve got.”

“Let’s just hope it doesn’t fail,” Luis clipped.

All three of them had to admit they were nervous. This was a very risky operation and people’s lives were depending on them. But still they had no choice. They had to get Eve and Julian out of there and arrest Spike before he hurt anyone else.

“No time to worry about that,” said John. “First step is to call Spike and create a diversion.”

“Got it,” Sam replied.

Sam dialed up Spike’s number and luckily Spike picked up.

“Hello?” Spike answered.

“Spike, it's Alistair Crane,” Sam said, pretending to be Alistair.

“Yo boss, good news I killed Julian right in front of Eve like you told me too,” Spike explained, feeling proud of his triumph. “I know you wanted me to kill the doc, but Julian pushed her out of the way. The good doctor was crying hysterically.”

Sam wasn’t sure what Spike was talking about, but he knew from talking to Eve just now that they were okay.

“Okay good,” Sam said, playing along. “Now I want you to listen to me very carefully. I am coming to the Compound to kill Eve myself, and I don’t want any witnesses to see what I’m going to do. So I want you to take all of the guards and maids and lock them in the basement.”

“Why?” Spike had to admit this sounded strange.

“Don’t question me, just do as you're told!!” Sam snapped, pretending to be Alistair.

“Yes boss,” Spike said, feeling afraid to disobey the likes of Alistair Crane.

“Good,” Sam replied, still pretending to be Alistair. “When after you do that I want you to call me for further instructions. Also turn off the security system, so I can come in, while you’re at it. Can you do that?”

“Sure thing.”

Spike hung up the phone and then began to gather up the guards and maids telling them that Old Man Crane wanted them all in the basement. They all thought it was strange, but they knew better than to question Alistair Crane. Finally when Spike had them all locked up in there, he disabled the security system, and called Alistair back.

Sam picked up the phone again.

“Spike?” Sam asked.

“Yeah boss, I have them all locked in and I’ve disabled the security system, just like you asked,” Spike replied.

“Good, now I want you to come outside to the east end of the compound and wait for me,” Sam instructed.

“Sure boss, whatever you say,” Spike said as he hung up.

John was watching the front entrance of the Compound through his binoculars through the plane window, and saw Spike go outside the front entrance of the house, and take a right.

“Okay, Spike is going out the front door and to the east end,” John told Sam and Luis. “Are you two ready now?”

“Yeah we are,” Sam replied.

“Got your communication devices?” John asked.

“Check,” Luis said.

“Okay, here goes,” said Sam.

Sam and Luis stepped out of the plane, with Sam going to the front of the compound and Luis going to the east end. Sam went into the front entrance of the Compound, following Eve’s GPS device, leading to a locked room.

“Eve, Julian are you in there?” he asked from outside the door.

“Yeah we are,” Eve answered.

“Okay, step away from the door, I’m going to shoot it down,” Sam told them.

Eve and Julian stepped away from the door with Marty.

“Cover your ears, Son,” Julian said to Marty.

Marty did as he was told.

“One, two, three,” Sam said, as he took his pistol and shot the lock off the door. He came into the room to see Eve and Julian standing there.

“Sam, am I glad to see you,” Julian said to him.

Sam went up to Eve and gave her a hug. “Are you two okay?” he asked them.

“We’re fine,” Eve said. “We just want to get out of here.”

Then Sam noticed that Marty was in Julian’s arms. “Oh my God?! Marty?!” Sam exclaimed, when he let go of Eve’s hug.

“Yeah it is,” Julian answered.

“Listen, we've got to get the three of you out of here. Now follow me,” Sam instructed.

Eve, Julian and Marty followed Sam down the hall and to the front entrance of the house.

“Where are all the guards?” Julian whispered to Sam.

“I’ll explain later. Just do as I tell you to do,” Sam told him.

“Sam, I got Spike,” Luis said from his communication device. “He’s in the plane handcuffed.”

“Copy,” Sam replied. Then he turned to Eve and Julian. “Now when I say go I want the two of you to run faster than you ever have to the plane.”

“Got it,” Eve said.

Sam waited to make sure the coast was clear and then he said, “Go!!!”

As soon as Sam said that, Eve and Julian ran as fast as they had before in their lives, following Sam to the plane. As they ran, it felt surreal for Julian being outside for the first time in five months, and feeling the fresh air on his face again. His heart was pounding the whole time. It seemed like a dream to him.

As soon as they were in the plane, they all buckled their seat belts.

“Go, go, go!!!” Sam said to John, in his ear piece.

As the plane took off, Julian had a huge smile on his face as he realized that after five months he was finally free and had made it out of the compound safely with Marty. “Oh my God!!! I’m free! I’m free!” he exclaimed to Eve. It was one of the greatest moments of his life.

“I know,” Eve cried, feeling the same joy.

Eve and Julian hugged and pulled each other into a passionate kiss. At last this ordeal was finally over and they were together again, free and they were going home for Christmas. After they released their kisse, Julian looked deep into Eve’s eyes. ”Thank you,” Julian said to her breathlessly.

As far as Eve was concerned there was no thanks necessary. Julian was the man she loved, and she’d do it again in a heartbeat.

Julian turned to Marty and said, “Son, we're free. We’re going home. We’ll be home in time for Christmas.”

“Yay!!” Marty said, clapping his hands with delight.

“Eve, I’ve got to hand it to you,” Sam said. “This has got to be the bravest, most stupidest thing you’ve ever done.”

“I know, go ahead and lecture me, Sam,” Eve replied. “I know you want to.”

“I should, but it looks like you saved the day,” Sam admitted. “But do me a favor though will you?”

“Sure, what is it?”

“Next time you decide to do something this dangerous, will you tell me about it first,” Sam begged.

“I will.”

“Don’t be too hard on her Sam,” Julian said. “I was worried about her putting herself in danger, but then she convinced me that I’d do the same thing for her.”

“Seriously though Eve, if you ever get tired of being a doctor, you would have hell of a career in law enforcement,” Sam pointed out. “The way you were able to get a hold of the map of the Crane compounds and throw Alistair off your tracks was just brilliant.”

“Can I take that as a compliment?” Eve quipped.

“You bet you can,” Sam said with a smile. “And I know I shouldn’t be but I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you.”

After the plane was flying in the air, Eve, Julian, and Marty took off their coats. Julian was still trying to adjust to his surroundings after being locked up in one room for five months. It was such a difference in change, that it was overwhelming. Still he was just so happy to be going home.

Then Sam turned to Marty and said, “I know a certain young man’s daddy who’s here on this plane who’s going to be really happy to see him.”

“Daddy’s here?!” Marty cried with excitement.

“Yeah, he’s in the front of the plane,” Sam told him.

“Come on, let's surprise him,” Eve said to Marty as she took his hand, behind the curtain, to where the food was stored.

Luis came out to the body of the plane and to his delight, saw Julian.

“Julian, thank God,” Luis said, as he gave Julian a hug.

“It’s good to see you Luis.” Julian said as he hugged Luis back.

“Are you okay?” Luis asked after they released the hug.

“I’m better for the first time in five months,” Julian answered.

“I’m glad to hear it.” Luis looked around and didn’t see Eve anywhere. “Is Eve with you?” he asked.

“Yes, and we brought you a present from the Compound,” Julian said with a sly smile.

“A present? What do you mean?” Luis was confused.

Julian turned to the curtain and said, “You can come in now.”

At that moment, Eve came behind the curtain holding Marty.

“Daddy,” Marty cried with joy, with his arms out to Luis.

“Marty?!” Luis exclaimed as his eyes popped out of his eyes. He immediately went to Eve and took his long lost son in his arms. “Is it really you?”

“It’s me Daddy, I’m here.”

Luis hugged him for dear life and began sobbing tears of joy. “How is this possible?” Luis asked Julian and Eve.

“Well a few weeks ago, I found him at the compound and I’ve been looking after the little fellow ever since, hoping to bring him home to you and Sheridan,” Julian explained.

“Thank you Julian,” Luis said as he gave Julian a hug, while still holding Marty. “How can I ever thank you?”

“There’s no need. He’s my nephew and seeing him back in your arms is payment in full.”

“Oh Marty, Mommy and I have missed you so much,” Luis told his son.

“I’ve missed you too, Daddy,” Marty replied, giving his Daddy a hug.

Eve and Julian put their arms around each other and as they smiled at the joyous reunion between Luis and Marty as did Sam. It was a moment to be treasured.

Then Sam went up to Julian and said to him, “Listen Julian, I need to get a statement from you.”


Chapter Ninety-Two

Eve, Julian, Sam and Luis all sat down in the plane to get Julian’s statement. Luis was holding Marty in his lap.

Sam pulled out his notepad. “Okay, Julian tell me what happened,” Sam said.

“Last summer, after I left Eve at TC’s I went for a walk in the park, and then Spike came up behind me, covering my mouth and putting a gun to my head telling me if I scream or run away he’d kill me and Eve,” Julian explained. “Then he handcuffed me, forced me into his car, duct taped my mouth, injected me with something, and I blacked out. The next thing I know I wake up, bound and gagged, I’m on a private plane. The plane stopped at the compound, and two of my father's goons dragged me off the plane and into the house where they threw me in the room you found us in. Then father came on a video feed saying that he was very much alive and that TC has faked his stroke and that they had me kidnapped and replaced with an imposter, where I spent the past five months in one room and where I was forced to watch what was going on in Harmony on a video feed, up until a few weeks ago.”

“You mean to tell me that you know everything that’s happened in Harmony these past five months?” Sam asked in amazement, thinking how horrible that must have been for him.”

“Yeah,” Julian answered. “The last thing I saw was TC beating up Eve.”

“Julian, I am so sorry you had to go through that,” Sam sympathized.

“Thank you.”

“Could you escape?” asked Sam.

“No,” Julian said. “I tried once by punching out the head guard in the stomach and running down the hall, but they caught me and it was no use.”

“How did you find Marty?” Luis asked Julian.

“A few days after Father turned off the monitors, I found him in an adjoining room next to mine. From what I understand, Father locked Marty and Beth alway at the Compound too to keep Beth away from Luis. Beth tried to get away to be with him, and father had his men shoot Beth and dumped her body at sea. According to what Marty told me, my father’s plan was to keep Marty locked up so no one would ever find him.”

“Unbelievable,” Luis replied, shaking his head, wanting to ring Alistair’s neck.

“Sam there is something else you should know,” Julian continued. “Spike is the one who tried to rape and murder Fancy in the mineshaft about a month ago. Also I found out the reason why Jessica still hasn’t left Spike.”

“Why’s that?” Sam asked.

Julian told Sam how he heard Spike tell the head guard that he had killed all those dead johns and made Jessica think that she did it while she was drugged, in order so Spike could blackmail her into staying married to him.”

“I knew something was up with that,” Sam snarled as he made a fist. “I’m going to kill Spike.”

“You’ll have to get in line,” Julian quipped.

“Thank you for telling me this, Julian. I owe you one,” Sam replied. “At least now we can keep him away from Jessica for good.”

“So what happened after you got in there Eve?” Luis asked.

“Well I was trying to find a locked door when I was caught by this mean nasty guard. I think he had a Turkish accent,” Eve explained.

“Oh you mean Satan?” Julian quipped, as he realized that Eve had met the other bane of his existence for the past five months.

“Satan?” Eve asked.

“It’s what I called the head guard in my head,” Julian said.

“The name suits him,” Eve quipped.

“All right, well just tell us what happened,” Sam said.

“Okay, well Satan tried to make a move on me, but I kneed him and pulled my gun on him, and told him to tell me where Julian was, but he wouldn’t budge,” Eve continued. “Then Spike came by and I pulled my gun on him and told them both if they wanted to live, they would take me to Julian and let us go or I would shoot. And I swear I was dead serious. I had had enough. However, Satan went towards me and held me up against the wall. I used self-defense on him, and then tried to run, but Spike grabbed me and pulled his knife out on me and then Spike and Satan threw me into Julian’s room and locked it, taking away my gun. I told John to go back to Harmony to get help, and after he left Julian came out from Marty’s room and that’s when I found them.”

“Did Spike or any of the guards do anything to try to hurt you all after that?” Sam asked.

“This afternoon, Spike tried to assault me, but luckily Julian was in the next room and he came to rescue me,” Eve explained. “Then Spike tried to inject me with something, but Julian saw it and pushed me out of the way and was injected himself. I tried to revive him, but luckily I had an antidote in my medical bag and I gave it to him and he woke up.”

“Thank God,” Sam said.

My father was behind it,” Julian told Sam. “I know it.”

“Well I think we have enough evidence to lock up Alistair and Spike for a long time,” Sam replied, as he closed his notebook. Then Sam turned Julian. “Julian, do you want to press charges against them?”

“Absolutely. Wagner too,” Julian answered. He was not going to let his father or anyone who helped him get away with this.

“You can press charges against TC if you want to,” Sam told him. “Basically, as I told everybody before, it was basically up to you if you wanted to press charges against him for kidnapping. But until you were found it was up to your family and they agreed and so did Eve. Now it’s up to you again.”

Julian turned to Eve “Darling, you really did that for me?” he asked, amazed that Eve would go as far as to have TC arrested..

“Yes, absolutely,” she answered. “And the girls are okay with you pressing charges against him too.”

“Yeah, but TC is part of your family and the girl’s father,” Julian pointed out.

“What about you? You’re my family, not TC,” Eve said, putting her arm around him. “I am so furious at TC for kidnapping you that as soon as I found out about what he did, I went back to my maiden name. I don’t care if he rots in prison for the rest of his life.”

“Wow!!!” Julian said in disbelief.

“It’s true, you should have seen her in the police station when she confronted TC,” Luis told Julian. “I had never seen her that angry. You’re whole family too.”

“Well I don’t know,” Julian answered. “I don’t want TC to get away with what he did, but at the same time I don’t want Whitney, Simone, and Miles to suffer the stigma of having a father and grandfather in prison. I’ll have to think about it.”

Everyone there knew that whatever Julian decided about pressing charges against TC, TC would not be getting away with a slap on the wrist and that Julian was going to kill TC for beating up Eve. Only time would tell.

“Listen Julian, TC may be my best friend, but I don’t for a second condone what he did to you and Eve and I’ve told him as much,” Sam said to him.

“Thank you, Sam. I appreciate you saying that,” Julian replied.

“I would like to press charges against Spike too for kidnapping me and assault,” Eve told Sam.

“Eve are you sure?” Sam asked her. “We have enough evidence to send him to jail for life, maybe even get the death penalty. You know how brutal rape trials can be.”

“I’m not doing it for myself. I’m doing it for Jessica,” Eve said. “If I can say that Spike tried to rape me, it will back up Jessica’s case when it comes to trial.”

Sam couldn’t believe how noble Eve was being, that she was willing to put herself through a rape trial just for their family. “Eve, if you were to do that, it would make up for everything you did with Ivy. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Eve smiled, knowing that she was able to help the Bennetts and make up for what she did.

All of a sudden they could hear groaning from the other end of the body of the plane.

“What’s that?” Julian asked.

“That would be Spike,” Luis answered.

“Spike?! How did Spike get on the plane without alerting the guards?” Eve asked.

Luis told Eve and Julian how he, Sam, and John got Spike to lock up all of the guards and maids, disable the security system while Sam was rescuing them. “Then we had Spike go outside to the east end of the compound, and I came up behind him and chloroformed him and then handcuffed him and brought him on the plane.”

“Thank God,” Julian said.

“What do you say we go and pay Spike a visit?” Sam said with a sly smile on his face.

“I think that’s a must.” Julian agreed.

Spike was sitting in an airplane seat with his hands handcuffed behind his back along with his feet being cuffed. The last thing he remembered was someone coming up behind him, putting something on top of his mouth and nose, and then blacking out. Now he saw he was on a plane going somewhere. “What the hell is going on?” he exclaimed.

Then Spike saw Sam come into the area with a smug smile on his face. “Hello Spike,” Sam quipped.


“Sam, what the hell is going on?” Spike shouted.

“Exactly what I wanted to happen to you since the day I met you,” Sam replied with the same smug smile.

Then Julian, Eve, and Luis, who was carrying Marty, came into the area.

This felt like some kind of conspiracy to Spike as soon as he saw that his prisoners were freed. “What is this? What’s going on?” he exclaimed.

“Spike, do you think I look stupid to you?” Eve asked him. “Do you think I flew to the compound or came here without any insurance?”

“What is she talking about?” Spike asked Sam.

“Eve had a friend of hers fly her to the compound and when you locked her up, he went back to Harmony to get help,” Sam explained. “That was me on the phone who called you just now telling you to lock up the guards and disable the security system, and Luis chloroformed and arrested you.”

“Hey Spike, how does it feel to be on the other end?” Julian quipped. “Not too fun to be drugged and taken somewhere against your will and lose your freedom.” Julian was referring to how Spike had done the same thing to him.

“He’s lying, I ain't never done nothing to him.” Spike cried to Sam.

“Give it up Spike, you’ve been caught, and you’re under arrest for the kidnapping of Julian Crane and Marty Lopez-Fitzgerald,” Sam snapped with anger in his voice.

“Yeah!” Marty said to Spike.

“Please Sam, we're family,” Spike begged.

“Not anymore,” Sam snapped, as he got into Spike’s face. “I know all about the dead johns that you made Jessica think she had murdered while under the influence of drugs and how you blackmailed her about it. You’re lucky I’m a cop and that I was sworn to uphold the law, because I would kill you otherwise.”

“What are you talking about?” asked Spike, feigning innocence.

“I heard you telling the head guard all about your little plan to stay married to Jessica and I’ll be telling it to a grand jury and in court,” Julian snapped at Spike, in anger.

Spike knew there was no way out of this and that not even Alistair could help him now. “Please all of you, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do it. Just don’t send me to jail,” Spike begged.

“Oh no,” said Julian. “I gave you a chance to let me go when I offered you the Crane fortune, but you didn’t listen. Now you’re going to rot in jail.”

“If I have anything to say about it, you’ll be in this country’s worst prison there is,” Luis snapped in anger at Spike, as he thought about everything Spike had done to keep Sheridan and him apart and to kidnap Marty.

“Please just give me another chance,” Spike begged again.

“What do you say?” Sam asked Eve, Julian, Luis and Marty. “Should we give him another chance?”

“No,” they all answered at once.

They all left Spike there handcuffed, knowing he was finally going to jail this time.




Chapter Ninety-Three

A few hours later, Eve and Julian were sitting together in the airplane, looking out the window at the stars in the sky. It was so wonderful for them to be together and to be free again, that it felt like they were on cloud nine. Julian and Marty were all going to be going home and not only that but they were going to be home for Christmas. They had gotten their Christmas miracle. Julian was so excited to see his family, knowing that they had missed him, as much as he missed them and would finally be with them soon.

“Hey do you all want to call ahead and let everyone know that we’re on our way?” Sam asked Eve, Julian, and Luis as he walked up the airplane aisle.

“Actually, I’d prefer we didn’t Sam,” Julian said as he turned to him. “The media will find out and I don’t want to deal with them tonight.”

“Besides, I kind of wanted to surprise Sheridan with Marty,” Luis told Sam.

“She will be surprised,” Eve said. “Probably faint.”

“I think everyone will,” Julian said with a smile.

“Okay,” Sam agreed, as he smiled at them. “But first let’s get some Christmas music going on in here.”

Sam went to the stereo, in John’s plane, and pulled out a Christmas music CD and put it in the stereo.

Crossing the ocean with my window view
Thinking of the time I spent with you
And I close my eyes
I see the family
Making out their wish list
All dressed up for Christmas
On my own for too many years
I miss the happiness
I miss the tears
When I close my eyes
And I'm all alone
I think of all the love we shared
When I need a friend
Or a helping hand
I know that you will all be there
I've been gone for too many holidays
But you can light the fire
Cause this year (this year)
I'll be home for Christmas Day

I see the children playing in the snow
Precious memories I used to know
When I see the love in the mother's eyes
Always there to teach us
The real meaning of Christmas
On my own for too many years
I miss the happiness
I miss the tears

When I close my eyes
And I'm all alone
I think of all the love we shared
When I need a friend
Or a helping hand
I know that you will all be there
I've been gone for too many holidays
But you can light the fire
Cause this year (this year)
I'll be home for Christmas

It doesn't matter how alone you think you are
Something happens to you
When you see that shining star

When I close my eyes
And I'm all alone
I think of all the love we shared
When I need a friend
Or a helping hand
I know that you will all be there
I've been gone for so many holidays
But you can light the fire
Cause this year (this year)
I'll be home for Christmas

When I close my eyes
And I'm all alone
I think of all the love we shared
When I need a friend
Or a helping hand
I know that you will all be there
I've been gone for so many holidays
But you can light the fire,
I'm sending a wire
That this year
I'll be home for Christmas Day

ooh, ooh, ooh yeah
ooh, I'm comin' home
ooh, ooh, ooh yeah
ooh, I'm comin' home
one more time say ooh...
ooh, ooh, ooh yeah
ooh, I'm comin' home
ooh, ooh, ooh yeah
ooh, I'm comin' home
ooh, ooh, ooh yeah
ooh yeah, I'm comin' home

Finally, the plane landed in Harmony. Sam and John escorted Spike out to the police car that Sam had parked at the airport and put Spike in it, and Sam drove off to the station.

Luis carried Marty off the plane next and went to his police car, to wait for Julian and Eve.

As Eve and Julian stepped off the plane, Julian could feel the fresh air of Harmony on his face again for the first time in five months, as he looked at his beloved hometown. Julian knew that he had conquered this horrible ordeal and survived. He couldn’t help, but feel proud of himself. Eve and Julian walked down the steps of the airplane, holding hands and when they got to the bottom of steps, they looked at each other and gave each other a big passionate kiss. When they finally released it, both of them could tell what the other one was thinking. That they had never been happier than they were at that moment.

“Eve!!!” someone called to her from behind her.

Eve turned around and saw Marlena running towards her with John.

“Marlena!” Eve exclaimed, as they hugged like two long lost sisters.

“I was so worried about you,” Marlena said, as they let go of the hug.

“Oh don’t worry about me, I'm just fine now,” Eve replied, smiling as she put her arm around Julian. “I’d like the two of you to meet my fiance, Julian Crane.” Then she turned to Julian. “Honey, this is my friend Marlena Evans and her husband John Black.”

“Pleasure to meet you Mr. Crane,” John said to Julian, putting his hand out to shake Julian’s hand.

“Oh please call me, Julian,” Julian said to them as he shook both of their hands. “How can I ever thank the two of you for what you did? Setting up a search center for me, being there for Eve, and coming to rescue me. It’s all too much.”

“It was our pleasure,” Marlena said with a smile.

“Actually I was worried you were going to kill me for putting Eve in so much danger,” John admitted to Julian.

Julian smiled as he remembered Eve first told him how John had helped her. “Believe me, I thought about it, at first,” he confessed. “But then Eve reminded me I’d do the same thing for her.”

“Are you all right?” Marlena asked Julian with concern.

“I’m fine,” Julian answered. “My father thought it would be fun if he kept me locked up in one room at the compound for the past five months, forcing me to watch everything going on in Harmony on a video feed until a few weeks ago.”

“Oh my God!” John exclaimed.

Marlena mouthed to Eve, “He knows?”

Eve nodded, and then gave Marlena a big smile letting her know that she and Julian were still good.

Marlena smiled back, feeling so happy for Eve.

“Yeah well the good news is after the video feed was off, I found my long lost nephew Marty and I was just able to reunite him with Luis just now,” Julian told them.

“That’s wonderful,” said Marlena.

“Yeah, that’s great,” John replied. “I’m telling you Julian, I’ve dealt with some pretty evil people in my time, but your father takes the cake.”

“You don’t have to be polite John. He’s a monster,” Julian said.

“Well you’re a very lucky man,” John told Julian. “Eve wouldn’t give up on you this whole time. She worked like crazy trying to bring you home. I’ve never seen a woman so worried about a man.”

“Believe me I know how lucky I am,” Julian said as he put his arm around Eve and smiled.

John and Marlena smiled at Eve and Julian being reunited. It was obvious to them how much Eve and Julian loved each other. It was a beautiful kind of love.

Then Julian turned to them and asked, “How long are you two going to be in Harmony?”

“For a while,” John answered. “I promised Sam I would help out with finding Alistair.”

“That’s wonderful,” Julian replied. “I’d love for the four of us to have dinner sometime, on me.”

“We’d like that,” Marlena said,

“We definitely would,” John said. “Merry Christmas to you both.”

“Merry Christmas,” Eve said.

Julian and John shook hands again and Eve and Marlena gave each other a hug and a kiss. John gave Eve a kiss on the cheek and Marlena gave Julian a kiss on the cheek, and then John and Marlena drove back to Grace’s B and B to get ready for church.

Eve turned to Julian and took his hand and asked, “Are you ready to go home?”

“Am I ever,” Julian replied, with conviction.

Eve and Julian went to Luis’s police car and got in the back seat.

“Here buddy, you just sit there on Uncle Julian’s lap,” Luis said to Marty as he put him on Julian’s lap.

As Luis was driving, Julian was looking around at Harmony. It felt so wonderful for him to be home again. He had waited five long months for this moment.

“Look Uncle Julian, it’s you,” Marty said as he pointed to a missing persons billboard of Julian that was still up.

“Yes I can see that,” Julian said as he looked out the window and saw the billboard.

“Your kidnapping was quite the story Julian,” Luis told him. “You’d be amazed at how many people cared about you.”

“Eve told me, and I am amazed,” he said.

As Luis pulled up to the Crane Mansion, Julian realized that now he was officially home. Nobody could take that away from him.

“You two go head in,” Luis told them, when he parked the car. “We’ll be in, in a few minutes.”

“Okay,” Julian said.

Eve and Julian walked hand in hand to the front door to the mansion and walked inside. As soon as they took their coats off Julian said to Eve, “I can’t believe I’m free. Have I thanked you for saving my life?”

“Yes you did,” Eve said, as she put her arms around him and they kissed.

~

Song credit. Home for Christmas by NSYNC




Chapter Ninety-Four

In the Crane living room, Katherine was sitting on the couch, with tears in her eyes. She was still grief stricken over Julian. Katherine knew that from now on Christmas wouldn’t have the same joy to it anymore, as it would always be around the anniversary where Julian was killed. The only reason why Katherine was even celebrating Christmas this year for James and Miles. She was planning to go to midnight mass to light a candle and say a prayer for Julian.

Sheridan came into the room from behind the fireplace and saw her mother sitting on the couch looking sad. “Mother, are you okay?” she asked as she sat down on the chair with her back to the fireplace.

“No I’m not,” Katherine cried, she dried her eyes. “I’m missing your brother.”

“I know. So am I,” Sheridan said, putting her hand on her mother’s arm to comfort her. “I miss Marty too. It’s my first Christmas knowing that he’s dead.”

“Oh darling, I’m so sorry,” Katherine said to her grieving daughter.

Sheridan swallowed hard. “Like I said, the one thing that I can take comfort in is that they are together in heaven,” Sheridan replied, all choked up. “I would give anything for Julian and Marty to be alive again.”

“Me too,” sobbed Katherine.

At that moment, Eve opened the door to the living room half way and came in with a big smile on her face, “Hi,” she said to them in a cheerful tone.

“Oh you’re back,” Katherine said to her, remembering that Whitney had told her that Eve had gone out of town to help a patient.

“And what’s with the smile?” Sheridan asked Eve. “That’s the first time I’ve seen you smile in weeks.”

“Well I went out and got us a Christmas surprise, that I think will make you all very happy,” Eve said, still smiling.

“Oh Darling, I’m really not in the mood for any surprises,” Katherine said.

“Trust me you’re in the mood for this one,” Eve reassured. “I want you two to know that this surprise has been checked and it’s authentic, in perfect condition, and it’s the real thing, not a fake.”

“What are you talking about?” Sheridan asked.

“See for yourself,” Eve said, as she stepped aside.

Katherine and Sheridan looked at each other and shrugged wondering what this surprise could be.

Eve stepped aside and then Julian walked into the room. “I’m home,” he said to his mother and sister with a smile.

Katherine and Sheridan sat there for a second with their mouths hanging open, looking all glassy eyed like they had seen a ghost. Then they remembered what Eve said, "authentic, perfect condition, and not a fake.” When they remembered that they realized that Eve was saying that Julian was alive.

“Oh my God! Oh my God,” they shrieked at each other with joy.

“It’s really me, I’m alive,” Julian told them, with tears forming in his eyes.

That was all Katherine needed to hear. She got up and went over to Julian and threw her arms around him and began sobbing tears of joy.

“Mother,” Julian sobbed, as he embraced Katherine in his arms. It was like the death grip between them.

Finally, after Julian and Katherine released the hug, Sheridan went up to Julian and hugged him too as they also sobbed tears of joy into each other's arms.

“I can’t believe it’s really you,” Sheridan sobbed, as she hugged him.

After they were all done hugging, Sheridan asked, “My God, how is this possible?”

“Father didn’t kill me,” Julian answered, with tears still in his eyes. “He only faked my death so you wouldn’t know he was still holding me hostage.”

“Oh thank you God,” Katherine exclaimed, knowing that her son was safe and that she was not dreaming. Then she put her arm around Julian and asked, “Are you alright Darling?”

“I’m alright,” Julian replied, choking back tears. “I’m just so happy to be home. I missed all of you so much.”

“Oh you have no idea,” said Katherine.

At that moment, Luis came into the room and went up to Sheridan and gave her a kiss, “Hey,” he said to her.

“Hey,” she said. “Where have you been?”

“Saving Julian and Eve’s asses,” he quipped, as he looked at Julian and Eve.

“What?” Sheridan was confused.

“It’s a long story, we’ll explain in a minute,” Luis told her. “But first we have another surprise for you.”

“Another surprise?” Sheridan asked. “Bigger than this?”

“I’d say the same amount,” Eve replied, with a smile on her face.

Luis turned to the living room door “You can come in now.”

As soon as Luis said that, Marty ran into the room and raced to Sheridan.

“Mommy!” Marty cried.

“Marty?!” Sheridan shrieked, as she picked him up into her arms “Is it really you?!”

“It’s me Mommy. I’m here,” Marty reassured her.

Sheridan began crying buckets of tears of joy again. She wasn’t sure what had happened, but all she knew was that her son was now with her.

“How is this possible?” she asked.

“Well a few weeks ago, I found him at the same place where father was hiding me and I’ve been looking after the little fellow ever since, hoping to bring him home to you and Luis,” Julian explained.

“Thank you Julian. Thank you,” she sobbed as she went up to her brother and gave him a big hug, while still holding Marty. Then she went back to stand next to Luis. “Am I dreaming? The two of you are really alive?”

“If we are, then we’re having the same one,” said Katherine, choking back tears. “This is definitely a Christmas miracle.”

“I say this is cause for a celebration,” Luis said.

“Here, here,” Julian said.

“I’ll go get the drinks,” Katherine said.

Before Katherine could do that, Sheridan introduced Marty to his grandma Katherine.

“Marty this is Grandma,” Sheridan said to him.

“Hi Darling,” Katherine said to Marty, smiling. “Oh he looks just like you did when you were that age,” she told Sheridan.

“I thought the same thing,” Julian added.

“Well the important thing is that he is home,” Sheridan said.


Chapter Ninety-Five

Katherine went to go get some drinks in the kitchen, while Eve and Julian sat together on one hold of the couch, holding hands. Sheridan was sitting on the other end of the couch with Marty on her lap and Luis sitting on the arm rest.

“I can’t believe how big he’s gotten,” Sheridan said, looking at Marty.

“He really has,” Luis added.

“He’s a fine young fellow,” Julian said.

Then Sheridan turned to Julian. “Julian, I don’t know how I can ever thank you, for taking care of Marty and bringing him home to me.”

“There’s no need, he’s my nephew and I love him,” Julian said to her. “Marty and I have really bonded the past few weeks.”

“You should see them together,” Eve said to Sheridan and Luis. “They adore each other. Julian is wonderful with him. He even saved Marty’s life.”

“Did something happen to Marty?” Luis asked with concern.

Julian told Luis and Sheridan about Marty having the chickenpox and how he got really sick and how Julian saved him.

“I examined Marty at the compound and from what I can it was encephalitis, which can sometimes be a complication with chickenpox with small children,” Eve explained. “Marty was lucky Julian was there. He saved his life.”

Sheridan put her hand over her heart with tears in her eyes realizing that her brother had saved her son’s life. “Julian, thank you.”

“Yes, thank you,” Luis said to Julian with tears in his eyes.

“There’s no need,” Julian said. “I would do anything for Marty. As soon as I found him, I made a promise that I would look after him, and protect him with my life and bring him home.”

“Well you certainly did,” said Sheridan.

“You should take Marty in for a checkup and tests as soon as possible,” Eve told Sheridan. “Also look into having him see a child psychologist for his trauma.”

“Absolutely,” said Sheridan. “We’ll make sure he has everything he needs.”

At that moment, Katherine came into the room with a tray of drinks and a sippy cup for Marty. “Well I have eggnog for everyone and I left messages for Fox, Fancy, and Ethan to call,” she told everyone.

“Thank you,” Julian said as he took his glass.

Katherine stroked Julian’s hair, and said with tears in her eyes, “I’m so glad you’re home.”

“It’s okay Mother, don’t cry, I'm here now,” Julian assured his mother, as he rubbed her arm trying to comfort her.

“I know, I have just been out of my mind with grief ever since we found out that you had been kidnapped,” Katherine said as she sat down on a chair.

“We all have,” Sheridan said to Julian. “So what happened to you?”

“Last summer after I left Eve at TC’s house, I went for a walk in the park,” Julian explained. “Then Spike comes up behind me, covers my mouth, puts a gun to my head, and tells me if I scream or run away he’ll kill me and then he’ll kill Eve. I offered him money, but it didn’t work. Then he handcuffed me, forced me into his car, duct taped my mouth, injected me with something, and I blacked out. The next thing I know I wake up, I’m on a private plane and bound and gagged. The plane stopped at the Northern Crane Compound, and two of Father's goons dragged me off the plane and into the house where they threw me into a room. Then father came on a video feed saying that he was very much alive and now that Rebecca granted me the divorce, he’s not going to let me be with Eve. He also tells me that TC had faked his stroke and that they had me kidnapped and replaced with an imposter, where I spent the past five months in one room and where I was forced to watch what was going on in Harmony on a video feed, up until a few weeks ago.”

“Oh my God!” Katherine exclaimed. “How horrible!!”

“It was,” Julian said. “However, it wasn’t a total waste, because a few days after father turned off the monitors I found Marty in an adjoining room.”

“Did Uncle Julian take good care of you, Sweetheart?” Sheridan asked Marty.

“Yeah, he’s fun. He read my stories, played with me, tucked me in and made me feel better when I was sad. I love him.”

“I love this little guy too,” Julian said to Luis and Sheridan.

It was obvious to everyone how wonderful Julian was with Marty the past few weeks and how they really bonded at the compound. They all could see the love between Julian and Marty.

“So then how did the two of you get out of there?” Katherine asked.

“Well it just so happens I had a beautiful angel come and rescue me,” Julian said, smiling looking at Eve.

“What are you talking about?” Sheridan asked, feeling confused.

“Well you remember when I said after we thought that Julian had died, that I felt that he was still alive?” Eve told Sheridan and Katherine.

“Yeah,” said Sheridan.

“Well I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was still alive, and then yesterday I was taking a nap and I had a dream about Julian where he was telling me that he was still alive and that he needed me to come and save him,” Eve explained. “When I woke up it dawned on me, Alistair had kidnapped Rachel and Luis and faked their deaths, of course he would do the same thing to Julian. Then I remembered Julian telling me about the Crane Compounds and I thought if Alistair was going to hide someone, the compound would be a perfect place to do it. So I hacked into Alistair’s computer and was able to find a map of the Crane Compounds and I was able to narrow it down to the Northern one between Greenland and Norway, based on Spike saying that he was cold outside the day of the wiretap.”

“Why didn’t you tell us any of this?” Katherine asked.

“Because I was afraid Alistair would find out,” Eve explained. “I realized then that it was up to me to save Julian, so I told Whitney that I had to go out of town to help a patient of mine as a cover for going to find Julian. Then I drove to the airport and went into the bathroom and put on a disguise and left to throw Alistair off his tracks. Then I called for a cab to take me to this abandoned warehouse by the wharf and I called John and Marlena. When they arrived, I told them that I believed Julian was still alive at the compound and I asked John to fly me there on his plane so I could get Julian out of there.”

“Oh my God! You could have gotten killed!” Sheridan exclaimed, realizing the danger Eve put herself in.

“I know,” Eve replied. “But I was willing to take the chance in order to save Julian. It took some convincing but John finally gave in. He taught me how to shoot a gun, and self-defense and then he flew me to the compound. I was able to break through the security system and made it inside, with John’s help through a communication device. When I was looking for Julian, Spike and the head guard caught me. I pulled my gun on them but it didn’t work. Then I tried fighting them off but Spike grabbed in and locked me up in a room. I told John to go back for help, but it turns out Julian came out from Marty’s adjoining room and that’s when I found Julian and Marty.”

“They were kissing,” Marty told everyone, in a playful tone of voice.

Everyone burst out laughing at Marty’s cute remark.

“Yes we were,” Julian clipped.

“So then how did you all get out of there?” Katherine asked.

Luis told the rest of the story how he, Sam and John devised a plan to rescue Julian, Eve, and Marty and arrest Spike.

“Oh God bless you, Eve,” Katherine said to Eve after Luis was done telling his part of the story.

“There’s no need,” Eve told Katherine. “I'd do anything to save Julian.”

Then Katherine turned to Luis and said, “And you too Luis, thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

“I was just doing my job,” Luis replied. “If anybody deserves the credit it’s Eve. If it wasn’t for her, Julian and Marty would be here right now.”

“Oh come now,” Eve said modestly.

“No Darling he’s right,” Julian told her. “You were a real hero. You’re my hero.” Julian kissed her hand as they looked lovingly at each other.

“So I take it from the looks of things, you two are back together again?” Sheridan asked.

“You bet we are,” Julian said. “It would take a lot more than Father and an imposter to break us up.”

“You got that right,” Eve replied.

“I am just so glad that both my children are alive and safe, and back with the people they love,” said Katherine.

Then Julian turned to Sheridan and Katherine. “Eve told me how all of you looked and searched for me. I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart.”

“Oh Darling, of course we would,” Katherine said. “We love you. We’re just sorry we didn’t realize that we were dealing with an imposter all this time and that we assumed the worst of you.”

“Yeah I am too,” added Sheridan.

“Listen, it’s not your fault,” Julian told his mother and his sister. “If I didn’t know any better I would have thought that Wagner was me too. I want you to know I didn’t agree with anything Wagner said or did.”

“We know that,” Sheridan said. “I’m just so happy that you and Marty are both alive. Then Sheridan turned to Eve. “And Eve, thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving my brother.”

“Oh Honey, you don’t have to,” Eve said. “I love Julian as much as you do.”

“I know I got what I wanted for Christmas this year,” Sheridan said snuggling Marty. “Having all of the men in my life back is more than I could ask for.” She was referring to being reunited with Luis and having Julian and Marty alive.

“Santa was right,” Marty said to his parents. “I am a good boy and you two love me.”

“Of course we love you Sweetheart,” Sheridan said to Marty. “Why would you think that?”

“Spike told me that Santa told him that I was so bad that Santa I wouldn’t be getting any presents this year, and that you two didn’t love me anymore and didn’t want anything to do with me. And that Santa and God didn’t love me because I was so bad and that because I was so bad God told Grandpa to kidnap me. ”

“Spike said that to you?!” Sheridan exclaimed.

“That bastard,” Luis snapped in anger, wanting to ring Spike’s neck.

“Yeah, I was right there,” Julian told Luis and Sheridan. “And when Spike didn’t stop when I told me to, I punched him out.”

“Julian, thank you,” Luis told him. “You saved me the trouble of doing it.”

“Oh Marty, don’t believe Spike for a minute,” Sheridan said to her son. “You are a wonderful boy. And Daddy and I love you so much, and there is no way we wouldn’t want you.”

“That’s right Son,” Luis told Marty. “Mommy and I love you and the whole time you were away we missed you so much and wanted you back.”

“I know, Santa told me,” Marty clipped.

“Santa told you what?” Luis asked, wondering what Marty was talking about.

“The next day, Santa left me a letter in the fireplace, telling me that Spike was lying to me and that I was a very good boy and that Santa loved me very much and so did my Mommy and Daddy, and God. He also said that Spike was the one who was bad and that he would get nothing but coal in this stocking this year. Then Santa said the day after I got back to Harmony he would be bringing me a huge sack of presents.”

“Really Santa did that?” Sheridan asked, looking up at Julian.

Julian smiled and winked at Luis and Sheridan, letting them know he was responsible for the letter.

“Well we’ll have to thank Santa for that,” Luis said to Marty, while looking at Julian. Luis put his hand over his heart and mouthed the words, “Thank you,” to Julian.

“I think you two should know that this little guy is going to be very spoiled by his uncle,” Julian told Luis and Sheridan.

“After what you did, spoil him away,” Sheridan replied.

“Mommy and Daddy, can Uncle Julian still come over and be in my life?” Marty asked his parents, not wanting to lose his beloved uncle now that they were home.

“You bet he can, Son,” Luis told him.

“Uncle Julian will be a part of our lives forever,” Sheridan added.

“I was going to ask, do you know where your father is?” Katherine asked Julian.

“No I don’t,” Julian answered. “But I have decided to press charges against him, Wagner and Spike. I haven’t decided about what I’m going to do about TC yet.”

Sheridan turned to Eve and asked, “Does he know about what TC did to you?”

Eve nodded.

“You mean that he beat her? I saw it,” Julian said. “It was the last thing I saw before Father turned off the monitors.”

“Oh my God,” Katherine gasped, knowing how angry Julian must be at TC by now.

“What are you going to do?” Luis asked Julian.

“I haven’t decided yet,” Julian replied. “But I promise you all this much, he will pay.”

All of them knew that whatever Julian decided to do about TC was not going to be pretty and that Julian was going to make TC pay dearly for what he did to Eve. However, for that night they decided not to worry about it. Tonight was about celebrating Christmas and that Julian and Marty were alive.

“Well let’s go to church and give thanks for this wonderful miracle,” said Katherine as she stood up.

“That sounds good to me,” Eve said as everyone else stood up.

Sheridan set Marty down and gave Julian a big hug. “I love you so much,” she said to her brother. “And I’m so glad you’re safe and that you’re home.”

“I love you too,” Julian replied. When they released the hug, Julian looked down at Marty and picked him up. “You my boy,” Julian said to his nephew. “Will you do me a favor?”

“Sure,” Marty clipped.

“Be good for your Mommy and Daddy, and come visit me,” Julian told him.

“Yes,” Marty answered and then gave his uncle a big hug. “I love you Uncle Julian.”

“I love you too, Son,” Julian said, as he hugged Marty back, giving him a kiss on the cheek, and then handed him back to Sheridan.

Luis and Sheridan took Marty upstairs to get ready for church and to introduce him to his new adopted brother James.

Julian turned to his mother and they hugged.

“I love you so much,” Katherine said as she was hugging him.

“I love you too,” Julian replied.

Then Katherine looked at him, and put her hands on his arms. “I am so proud of you, and that I can stand here today and call you my son.” Then Katherine turned to Eve and gave her a big hug. “Thank you, thank you, thank you for saving my son,” Katherine told her.




Chapter Ninety-Six

While they were all getting ready for church, Julian went out to the hallway holding Marty’s favorite stuffed bunny that he had packed in Eve’s knapsack, and knocked on Luis and Sheridan’s door. Luis opened it and came out into the hallway.

“Hey Julian what’s up?” he asked.

“Marty left this in Eve’s knapsack,” Julian said, handing Luis the bunny. “It’s his favorite stuffed animal.”

“Oh well thank you,” Luis said, taking it. “I’ll give it to him.”

“How are Marty and James getting along?” Julian asked.

“Oh they love each other,” Luis told him. “They’re really happy to have a brother.”

“That’s marvelous,” Julian replied, with a smile. “I’ll make sure I send out a sack of toys for James tomorrow too.”

“Thank you. Sheridan and I really appreciate that.” Luis said. “Hey Julian, level with me. What are you really going to do to TC Russell?”

“About pressing charges. I don’t know,” Julian answered. “But for assaulting Eve, I’m going to beat him to a bloody pulp.”

“Well I would do the same thing, if I were in your shoes,” Luis replied. Luis couldn’t have imagined what Julian had been through these past five months, especially watching Eve get attacked by TC. Luis knew that if Sheridan had an ex-husband who beat her, he would want to kill that person too. “Listen, take my advice as your friend,” Luis told him. “Just be careful, I don’t want to see you do anything that you’re going to regret later.”

“I won’t,” Julian assured.

“Good.”

“Hey, do you really consider me a friend?” Julian asked Luis, feeling overwhelmed that after years of Luis hating Julian, that Luis actually had a soft spot for him.

“Yeah, after what you did I really do,” answered Luis. “You’re my son’s uncle and once Sheridan and I are married we’ll be officially family, so yeah I do.”

“Thank you Luis, I feel the same way about you.” It was true. Ever since Julian had changed three years ago, he began to respect and admire Luis for the good man he was and so glad that his sister had him in her life. “Thank you for coming to rescue Eve and I,” he told Luis.

“It’s my pleasure.”

Julian and Luis hugged each other, looking forward to having a new brother-in-law relationship with each other.

~

Back at the Bennett house, Fancy and Noah were sitting on the couch in the living room, waiting to go to church. Fancy wasn’t in much of the Christmas spirit that year, now that she was grieving her father. She was feeling depressed missing him and feeling guilty that she couldn’t save him. Noah had been looking after her, helping her get through her grief and pain. Grace had been very kind to Fancy welcoming her into her home and being supportive of Noah’s relationship with her.

At that moment, Sam came home and walked into the living room.

“Hey Dad,” Noah greeted his father.

“Is your mother here?” Sam asked.

“Yeah she’s in the kitchen,” Noah replied. Then he turned to the kitchen and called out, “Mom!”

Grace came out as soon as she heard her name. “Hey Honey,” she said to Sam, as soon as she saw him. “Where have you been?”

“It’s a long story,” Sam answered. Then he turned to Fancy and smiled. “Fancy I have a surprise for you.”

“What is it?” The truth was Fancy wasn’t in the mood for any surprises, unless it meant that her father had come back from the dead.

“Remember when Eve said she had a feeling that your father was still alive?” Sam asked her.

“Yeah.”

“Well it turns out that she couldn’t shake the feeling that he was alive, so she decided to look for Julian herself, and she remembered that Julian told her about these Crane Compounds that your grandfather has all over the world, and figured that if Alistair wanted to hide someone there, that would be the perfect place,” Sam explained. “So she hacked into Alistair’s computer and was able to print out a copy of the maps of the compounds and was able to narrow it to the northern one, based on Spike saying it was cold outside the day of the wiretap. So, she asked John to take her on his plane to the compound so she could get Julian out herself.”

“You’re kidding?!” Grace exclaimed, not believing that her best friend would do something that dangerous and noble at the same time.

“Is she insane?!” Fancy shouted. “Does she know how dangerous that is?”

“Well she knew it could cost her her life, but she was willing to save your father,” Sam continued. “I just went to rescue her after she had been caught by the guards and it turns out she was right about Julian.”

“Are you saying Daddy’s-” Fancy asked, as she began to smile at the opt chance her father was alive.

“He’s alive and he’s okay,” Sam told her, smiling back at her.

“Thank God!” Grace cried out, putting her hand over her heart.

Fancy immediately stood up bursting in excitement. “Where is he?! Where is he?! I’ve got to see him,” she cried.

“He’s probably headed for church with Eve right now,” Sam told her.

Fancy gave Sam a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.

“Come on Noah, let’s go,” she said to her boyfriend.

“I’ll drive,” Noah said as he stood up and followed Fancy out the door.

As soon as they left, Grace began sobbing tears of joy for Eve and Julian as she and Sam hugged. “It’s a miracle,” she said.

“I know,” Sam replied.

After they hugged, Grace looked at Sam and asked, “How’s Eve? She must be so happy.”

“She is,” Sam told her. “I’ve never seen her happier. They’re back together now.”

Then Sam began to tell Grace the whole story about what happened to Julian.

~

At the Lopez-Fitzgerald’s house, Ethan and Theresa were putting on their coats to go out the door, when Ethan’s cell phone rang.

“Hello?” he said as he picked it up.

“Ethan, it’s Sheridan, turn on the news right now!”

“Why? What’s going on?” he asked her.

“Just do it,” Sheridan told him.

Ethan hung up the phone and turned on the TV.

“In major breaking news, we are here to report that billionaire Julian Crane is still alive,” the news reporter said.

“What?!” Ethan exclaimed.

“Mama! Paloma! Get in here,” Theresa called out to her mother and her sister, in the next room.

Pilar and Paloma came in as soon as Theresa called them.

“What’s going on Mija?” Pilar answered.

“We just heard on the news that Julian is alive,” Theresa said, smiling.

“What, how can that be?” Paloma asked.

They all turned to the TV and listened to the news. The news told the whole story about how Eve never stop feeling that Julian was alive, so she had did her own investigating and found out about the Crane Compounds, and how she set up a plan to have John Black take her to the compound that she had narrowed down and how she was caught but that she had found Julian alive with Marty. And that Sam and Luis had just come back from rescuing them.

“Julian and Marty are really alive?!” Ethan exclaimed, smiling a mile wide.

“Oh my God!” Theresa cried, knowing that her nephew and Julian had been saved.

“Gracias senor,” Pilar said at this miracle.

All four of them began hugging and crying tears of joy. They were so happy for Eve and Julian but also thrilled that their grandson and nephew were still alive. It was a dream come true for their family.

“I’ve got to go see Julian,” Ethan said to Theresa.

“Honey of course, go ahead,” Theresa replied. Ethan and Theresa kissed and he handed out the door. They both knew they would have to tell Julian that Little Ethan wasn’t his biological son, but they knew there was plenty of time to do that after Christmas. Right now all they wanted to do was celebrate.

Pilar picked up her cell phone and called Luis.

“Mijo, I just heard. “Is it really true?”

“It’s true Mama. I have Marty with me right now. Julian took wonderful care of him.”

“Thank God for Julian. I can’t wait to hold my grandson.”

~

Fox was driving to church for midnight mass, listening to the radio, when all of a sudden there was a major breaking news bulletin.

“We are here for a special report to bring you news that billionaire Julian has been found alive” the announcer said.

“What?!” Fox shrieked, as he pulled over the car to listen. His heart was pounding.

The radio told the whole story about how Eve never stop feeling that Julian was alive, so she had did her own investigating and found out about the Crane Compounds, and how she set up a plan to have John Black take her to the compound that she had narrowed down and how she was caught but that she had found Julian alive with Marty. And that Sam and Luis had just come back from rescuing them.

Fox began sobbing tears of joy, as he heard this story. His father had been found alive and now there was a chance he could reconcile with him.

“Thank you, God,” Fox said, looking up at the sky.

He started his car again and drove to the church to see his father.

~

Back at Rae’s apartment, Rae and Simone were getting ready for midnight mass. Whitney had stopped by with Miles to see Simone and Rae, when Simone’s cell phone rang.

“Hello?” Simone said as she picked it up.

“It’s Paloma, are you alone?”

“I have Rae and Whitney with me,” Simone answered.

“Good, put them on speaker phone,” Paloma told her.

“Okay,” Simone said as she pushed the speaker button for Whitney and Rae to hear.

“I have some wonderful news for you,” Paloma told all of them. “Julian Crane is alive.”

“How is that possible?” Rae asked.

Paloma told them the story that she heard on the news.

“Julian’s alive???!!!” Simone exclaimed as soon as Paloma was finished with her story.

“And Marty too,” Paloma added.

Whitney, Simone, and Rae were all screaming and jumping up and down with excitement.

“Where is he? Where’s Mom?” Whitney asked, smiling with excitement.

“Last I heard they were going to midnight mass,” Paloma told them.

“Well then let's go see them,” Simone said.

“Yeah,” Whitney replied.

Whitney picked up Miles and all four of them raced out the door.

Chapter Ninety-Seven

An hour later, Eve and Julian were all dressed up in their church clothes, walking on St. Margaret Mary’s church lawn, with their arms locked in the other one. By now, all of Harmony had gotten word that Julian and Marty were alive. Now that Julian was home and no longer locked up in one room, Harmony never looked more beautiful to him. He felt like he was living a dream.

Then all of sudden Eve and Julian saw Fancy running, across the church lawn, to Julian.

“Daddy!” she shrieked.

“Fancy!” Julian shrieked back.

The two of them ran to each other and embraced in a hug and began sobbing tears of joy. At one point, Fancy looked at her father with tears in her eyes. “Is it really you?” she sobbed.

“It’s me, my Darling,” Julian comforted his daughter. “I’m here.”

“Oh my God!” Fancy cried, as she continued to hug him.

“Dad!!!” Julian heard a familiar voice call out. When he looked up he saw Fox was running to him, with his arms wide open to him.

“Son!” Julian exclaimed, as he let go of Fancy and hugged Fox, and the two of them began to cry tears of joy.

“Is this for real?” Fox sobbed as he was still hugging his father.

“It’s for real,” Julian sobbed back.

“Julian!” Julian heard his name being called out from another familiar voice. This time it was Ethan running to Julian. Julian released Fox and embraced Ethan as they cried tears of joy too.

Then Julian, Fox, Fancy, and Ethan embraced the four of them all hugging each other for dear life and crying tears of joy. After five months of Julian missing his children he was reunited with them, and after a few weeks of hell Julian’s children were overjoyed that he was alive. When they were finally done crying, Julian looked back at all of them.

“You have no idea how much I missed all of you,” Julian said, choking back tears.

“You have no idea how much we missed you,” Ethan said to Julian.

“Are you okay?” Fancy asked her father.

“I’m fine,” Julian explained. “Your grandfather decided to hold me hostage at one of the Crane Compounds, where he kept me locked up in one room at the compound for the past five months, forcing me to watch everything going on in Harmony on a video feed until a few weeks ago.”

“Oh my God!” Fox exclaimed, as he thought about how horrible that must have been for him.

“Yeah, but the good news is a few days after father turned off the monitors, I found Marty and I was able to look after him and just reunited him with Luis and Sheridan,” he continued.

“Yeah I heard,” Ethan said. “That’s great.”

Fancy turned to Eve, who was now standing next to Julian. “Eve, Sam told me what you did,” she said. “Thank you so much for saving my Daddy’s life.”

“Yes, thank you Eve,” Fox added.

“Thank you so much,” Ethan added.

“There’s no need,” Eve told them. “I’d do it again.”

“Eve told me about how the three of you searched for me, and stood up for me when you found out about what happened to me,” Julian said to them. “I can’t thank you all enough for that.”

“Of course,” said Fox. “We’re just sorry we assumed the worst of you and didn’t realize that you had been kidnapped.”

“There’s no need for apologies,” Julian reassured them. “If I didn’t know anybody better, I would have thought Wagner was me too.” Julian took a deep breath. “Listen, I did a lot of thinking when I was at the compound about things that I regret in my life and one of the things that I regret was that I wasn’t a better father to all of you.”

“Daddy, it’s okay,” Fancy said. “We read your letters from your will.”

“I meant every word,” he told them.

“We know,” Ethan told him.

“All I can say now is that I am so sorry for the way I treated you when you were growing up and throughout your lives,” Julian said. “I know I don’t deserve it, but I’d like to make it up to all of you and try to be the father that I haven’t been in my life. If you’d give me a chance.”

“Of course, we’ll give you a chance,” Fox said. “We love you and we forgive you.”

“Absolutely,” Ethan added.

“Thank you,” Julian said, with tears in his eyes. “I don’t know what I did to deserve it.”

“You’re here now,” Fancy told him.

All four of them hugged again. They were all so relieved to know that they had another chance to be the family they never were before. They knew it would take time and a lot of healing, but they knew they could do it.

After they hugged, Fox, Fancy, and Ethan went inside the church. Eve and Julian joined hands again and walked inside where they saw Grace kneeling besides the prayer candles where she had just lit one and gave the sign of the cross, and then stood up.

“Grace,” Eve called to her.

When Grace turned around and saw Eve standing there with Julian. “Eve,” she exclaimed. Grace ran to her and gave her a big hug. “Thank God you’re okay!” she said.

“Don’t worry about me,” Eve said to Grace when they released the hug. “I’m just fine.”

“I can see that.” Then Grace turned to Julian. “Hey Julian, welcome home,” she said to him.

“Thank you,” he said with a smile. “Same to you.”

“Sam told me about what happened,” Grace said. “I’m so glad that the two of you are all right,”

“Well I wouldn’t be if it wasn’t for Eve here,” Julian said, putting his arm around her.

“Yes Eve, I can’t believe you would risk your life like that,” Grace said “I am so proud of you.”

“Thank you,” Eve replied. “But I was willing to do anything to bring Julian back.”

“Well I can’t thank the two of you enough for agreeing to testify against Spike, and especially about the dead johns.” Grace told them.

“I’m happy to do it,” Julian said. “I want Spike off the streets as much as you do.”

“Well my family and I will always be in your debt,” Grace replied.

“Well, I want to thank you for being there for Eve, throughout this ordeal,” Julian said to Grace. “I really appreciate it.”

“Eve’s my best friend, I was happy to do it,” Grace told him. “I’m just so happy that you’re alive.”

“That makes two of us,” Julian quipped.


“Sam and I want to have the two of you over for dinner sometime soon.”

“We’d like that,” Eve said.

“Absolutely,” Julian replied. “Any friend of Eve’s is a friend of mine.”

“Great,” Grace said. “Merry Christmas to you both.”

“Merry Christmas,” they both said.

Grace walked into church and then a minute later Eve and Julian walked in, holding hands again. Slowly heads began to turn when people saw that Julian was standing there alive with Eve. Then everyone stood up and began clapping for Julian.

Julian had tears in his eyes, feeling overwhelmed by people’s kindness towards him. Now he felt like he was really home. “Thank you,” he said. “Thank you.”

Father Lonigan walked up to the sound of Julian’s voice with his cane. “Julian, is that you, my son?” he asked.

“It’s me Father, I’m alive,” Julian told the priest.

“Merciful heavens, this is an absolute miracle,” said Father Lonigan. “I’m so glad that you’re alive and that you’re home. I prayed for your safe return.”

“Thank you Father, that means a lot to me,” Julian said.

“I also heard about what you did to save Marty,” Father Lonigan added. “That was a wonderful thing you did.”

“He’s my nephew, I’d do anything for him.”

Then Father Lonigan turned to Eve. “And Eve I heard about what you did to save Julian. That was nothing short of brave and heroic.”

“I was just saving the life of the man I love, Father,” Eve said, modestly.

“Well God bless you both and keep you. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas,” Eve and Julian said to the priest.

After Father Lonigan left, Whitney and Simone ran to Julian and gave him a hug.

“Thank God! You’re okay,” Simone cried to him, after they released the hug.

“I should get kidnapped more often,” Julian told them, touched by the girl's sentiment.

“Julian, we are so sorry about what our father did,” Whitney told him. “We had no idea about it.”

“No apologies are necessary. Your father is responsible for what he did, not the two of you,” Julian told them. “Your mother told me how you two searched for me. You have no idea how much I appreciate that.”

“It was our pleasure,” Simone said. “We’re just so happy that you’re alive and safe.”

“We heard about what happened on the Compound,” Whitney said. Then she turned to her mother. “Mom, do you have any idea how proud of you I am?”

“Me too,” Simone added. “That was so brave.”

“Thank you,” Eve said as she hugged both of them at once, happy that she made it home to her girls.

Then Whitney turned to Julian. “Julian, I want you to know that Simone and I approve of you being with Mom,” Whitney told him. “I am so sorry for the way I have treated you over the years. You were never anything but kind to me, and I treated you like dirt.”

“It’s okay, I understand,” Julian told her.

“No it’s not okay,” Whitney said. “I had no right to treat you and Mom the way I did. But I’d like to make it up to you by accepting you into our family.”

“I’d like that very much,” Julian said, smiling at Whitney. The two of them hugged, reconciling after years of differences and to begin a better relationship with each other.

Then everyone went to sit down in the pews. Eve and Julian sat together, holding hands. They had been expecting a miserable Christmas, but now it looked like it was turning out to be the best one ever. One that they would never forget.

Father Lonigan stood up at the altar and began the service. “Heavenly Father,” he said. “We thank you for all your blessings this Christmas season. And we especially thank you for the safe return of Julian Crane and Marty Lopez-Fitzgerald.”

The choir began singing ‘joy to the world.’



Chapter Ninety-Eight

After midnight mass, Eve and Julian walked into the Crane living room and found Katherine, Sheridan and Luis, Marty, James, Fox, Fancy, Whitney, and Miles were getting ready to celebrate Christmas. Sheridan had brought some Christmas presents for Marty that she had saved from the previous year that she had bought for him when they were still looking for Marty.

“What’s all this?” Julian asked, as soon as he came in.

“Well we decided to celebrate Christmas as a family this year,” Katherine told him.

“That’s great,” he said with a smile. “I just wish I had presents for all of you.”

“It’s okay,” Sheridan told him. “We decided not to do presents this year except for the kids. Besides, having you home and alive is all the Christmas present we need.”

“Well I’d like to propose a toast,” Fox said, as he raised his glass. “To Dad. Who is one hell of a stand up guy, who survived his ordeal, and brought Marty home. We all love you Dad and we’re glad you’re home.”

“Thank you,” Julian said. “I would like to say something too. I want to thank each and every one of you in this room for what you did to search for me and get justice for me. You have no idea what that means to me. During my captivity, there were some pretty dark days. There were times I wasn’t even sure this day would come. But one of the things that kept me going was being reunited with all of you. I love you all.”

“We love you too,” Eve told him.

Then Eve and Julian turned to each other and kissed, in front of everyone.

After they kissed, Fancy said, “All right let’s get this party started.”

That night the adults watched the kids open their Christmas presents, seeing the joy in their faces. While the grown ups didn’t have any tangible presents that year, all of them could not have felt more joy to have Julian home. Two days ago, no one could have imagined that Julian would be found alive with Marty. Eve and Julian couldn’t have been happier to be back together, as they sat together on the couch, holding hands all night.

At one point, Fox turned on the stereo and played a song.

Cozy we are
Closer than far
Sounds of forever still around

Lovers in love
Just like we were
'Cause being apart's a lonely sound

And when people ask how we stay together
I say you never let me down, ye
And you make it feel like Christmas
Even when things go wrong
I hear the sound of Christmas in your song
All year long

Look at the sun
Shining on me
Nowhere could be a better place

Lovers in love
Yeah, that's what we'll be
When you're here with me
It's Christmas day

'Cause you make it feel like Christmas
Even when things go wrong
I hear the sound of Christmas in your song
All year long
That's how you know that's it true baby

Just look at us now
Part of it all
In spite of it all
We're still around

So wake up the kids
And put on some tea
Let's light up the tree
It's Christmas day
And, you make it feel like Christmas
Even when things go wrong
Say it now
I hear the sound of Christmas in your song
All year long
Yes, you know that I do, baby
All year long

~

Song credit: You make it feel like Christmas, by Neil Diamond.


Chapter Ninety-Nine

The next morning, the day after Christmas, TC was sitting on his couch, reading a book, when Julian burst into his house pointing a gun at him. “You bastard!” Julian shouted at him, with hatred in his voice.

TC immediately jumped off the couch, in shock to see Julian. “Julian,” he exclaimed. “You’re supposed to be dead.”

“No, I’m very much alive and I’m here to kill you,” Julian snarled.

Julian was walking towards TC, still holding his gun, while TC was walking backwards for fear of being killed.

“Julian, I can explain,” TC said, trying to pacify him.

“Explain what?!” Julian yelled. “That you kidnapped me?! You stole the woman I love and then beat her?!”

“Julian, please no I’ll do anything.” TC pleaded as he begged for his life.

All of a sudden TC woke up from his dream, sitting up in a cold sweat. His heart was pounding. TC couldn’t believe the dream he had. It sent chills down his spine. Then he took a deep breath, remembering that Julian’s body had been found and that he was dead. “Julian’s dead,” he told himself. “He’s not coming after me.”

TC got out of bed and went downstairs to check the newspaper and picked it up and it said “Billionaire Julian Crane found alive.”

“What?!” he exclaimed, as his eyes popped out of his head. “How is that possible?!” TC couldn’t believe this. Before he could read anymore, he got dressed and went over to the Bennett house to ask Sam about this.

A half hour later, TC walked into the Bennett kitchen where Sam was wiping the kitchen counter.

“Hey TC,” Sam said to TC, as he walked in the door.

“Sammy, I just saw the newspaper,” TC said, holding up the newspaper. “Is it true that Julian’s really alive?”

“Yes it’s true,” Sam clipped.

“But how?!” TC asked.

“Well it turns out that Alistair only faked Julian’s death so that no one would know that he was still holding Julian hostage,” Sam explained.

“Yeah well how was he found? What happened to him?” All of this seemed unbelievable to TC.

Sam told TC the whole story about how Julian was kidnapped by Spike and held hostage at the Northern Crane Compound, in one room where he was forced to watch everything going on in Harmony on a video feed, until a few weeks ago, with the last thing he saw was of TC beating up Eve. Then Sam told TC about Julian finding Marty and how Eve figured out that Julian was still alive and that Julian was at the Crane Compounds, and asked John and Marlena to take her there, and how she was caught by Spike, and how John, Sam, and Luis rescued them.

“Is Eve crazy?!” TC exclaimed, at the end of that story. “She could have been killed.”

“TC, she knew that going in, but she was willing to risk her life to save Julian,” Sam pointed out. A trace of anger was in his voice. “And she wouldn’t have had to risk her life, if you hadn’t kidnapped Julian in the first place.”

“Why didn’t she just call the police?” TC asked, not understanding the logic of Eve’s plan.

“She was afraid Alistair would find out,” Sam clipped.

TC took a deep breath. “Okay, is Julian going to press charges against me?” he asked, worried about the answer to that question.

“He hadn’t decided yet,” Sam replied. “But don’t expect to get away with a slap on the wrist.”

“I could kill that John Black for taking Eve there, putting her life in danger,” TC said, making a fist.

“TC, John didn’t want to put Eve’s life in danger, but Eve twisted his arm,” Sam explained. “He made sure Eve knew self-defense and was equipped to handle the situation.”

“I just hope that there is a chance now that Eve will forgive me and we can get back together,” TC said, hopefully.

“Are you kidding me TC?!” Sam snapped. “Get it through your head, Eve doesn’t love you anymore!”

“She doesn’t mean that. She’s just confused.”

“Confused?!” Sam exclaimed. “TC the woman risked her life to save Julian, knowing full well it could cost her her life. She has tried to have you arrested and has gone back to her maiden name. I even heard her give Julian her blessing to press charges against you. Eve has always loved Julian more than you. You have to accept that.”

“Well I can’t,” said TC.

At that moment, Grace walked into the kitchen and the minute she saw TC the smile on her face faded.

“What is he doing here?” she asked Sam, as she rolled her eyes.

“Sorry TC, you’re on your own,” Sam told TC.

Grace went over to the kitchen counter and began to chop vegetables.

“Grace, please you have to forgive me,” TC begged.

“TC, how long have we known each other?” Grace asked as she looked at TC.

“Over twenty years,” TC answered.

“And in that period of time, Eve and I have been best friends,” Grace replied.

“Yes,” TC answered.

“So did you really think you could treat Eve in the way you did, and still be okay with me?” Grace asked.

“Grace, I made some mistakes,” TC admitted.

“No TC, Eve made some mistakes when she was younger,” Grace corrected. “What you did to Eve was no mistake. You did that on purpose.”

“Are you really going to hate me for the rest of my life?” TC asked.

“Let me put it to you this way,” said Grace. “When Julian kills you I’m going to cheer him on.”

“Please, Julian is not going to kill me.” TC thought that was ridiculous.

“Yes he is TC,” Sam snapped at him. “He is going to kill you dead, for beating up Eve.”

“Like I told you before, he’s too much of a coward to fight me and even if he does I can handle him,” TC pointed out.

“If you believe that, there’s a river in Egypt I can sell you,” Sam replied. “I’m telling you TC, if you know what’s good for you, stay away from Eve and the Cranes.”

“And while you’re at it, you can leave my house,” said Grace.

“Fine,” TC said, knowing that he had worn out his welcome and left the Bennett house.

Then Grace turned to Sam. “I know I would love to be a fly on the wall when Julian see’s TC.”

“Sometime tells me I won’t have to be,” Sam pointed out. “I’ll be breaking up the fight.’

“You really think that Julian can take TC?” Grace asked Sam.

“Well Julian knows how TC fights, and Julian has had all of this anger towards TC for the past five months and even more since he saw TC beat up Eve,” Sam reasoned. “I’d say my money’s on Julian.”

“I know Eve has been worried about Julian going to jail for TC’s murder,” Grace said.

“Well let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that,” Sam said, hopefully.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the Crane Mansion, Julian was sleeping peacefully in his and Eve’s bedroom while Eve was watching him sleep, with a smile on her face. After all of the sleepless nights that Eve had worrying about Julian and grieving his death, he was finally beside her. Eve knew that Julian had a lot to come back from regarding his trauma and being locked up in one room for five months, but she knew she was going to be with him every step of the way. She knew as long as they had each other by their sides they could get through anything.

All of a sudden, Julian opened his eyes and saw Eve beside him in his bedroom.

“Good morning Sweetheart,” Eve said, caressing his cheek.

“Did it really happen?” Julian asked her, as he smiled. “I didn’t dream it.”

“No, it really did happen,” Eve told him. “You’re home now.”

As soon as Eve said that, Julian pulled her into a kiss. After the kiss, Julian put his arm around Eve, so that she had her head in his armpit. She had her arm around his chest.

“You have no idea how good it feels to be home, my love,” Julian told her.

“You have no idea how good it is to have you home,” Eve added.

“It feels so different not being in one room anymore,” Julian confessed. “I’m still getting used to everything.”

“Well that’s normal,” Eve pointed out, speaking as a doctor. “You’re short circuited from what just happened. It’s just going to take some time.”

“Seriously though, in spite of that, I’ve never been happier,” Julian admitted. “Things have never looked more beautiful.”

“I’ll bet they do,” Eve replied. “What would you like to do today?”

Julian looked at her. “Don’t you have to work?” he asked.

“No, I took some personal time off when we found out that you had been kidnapped and the hospital isn’t expecting me back yet. So I’m all yours,” Eve said.

“I think I’d like to be outside today,” he said. “Like go ice skating.”

“I think that can be arranged,” Eve said with a smile, knowing how stir crazy Julian had been at the compound.

“I have to do a little damage control,” Julian said. “They’re probably going to want me to give a statement to the media. And then I have to talk to Theresa and Tabitha, but it shouldn’t take too long.”

“It’s okay. After what happened I just want to be as near you as possible.”

“You’re not letting me out of your sight, are you?” Julian quipped.

“No, never again,” Eve quipped back.

Both of them laughed.

After Eve and Julian got out of bed to get ready for the day, Julian saw pictures of Eve, on his dresser, with bruises on her face.

“Oh dear God!” he exclaimed as he saw them. Julian realized this must have been from when TC beat Eve. He knew that Eve had said she was banged up, but he had no idea it was this bad. Julian then put the pictures in his pocket. He knew then what he had to do about pressing charges against TC.


Chapter One Hundred

An hour later, Eve and Julian were in the living room, having their morning coffee. All of the servants were happy to have Julian back home. Whenever one ran into him, they would say ‘welcome home Mr. Crane.’ It made Julian feel good to know how many people cared for him while he was away.

All of a sudden, Ivy came into the living room and saw Julian with Eve. “Julian, welcome home,” she said with a smile. “It’s so good to have you back.”

“You treacherous bitch!” Julian snapped at Ivy.

“Excuse me?” Ivy was taken aback.

“How dare you blackmail Eve into doing your bidding!” Julian said as he stood up and walked over to Ivy.

“Oh that,” Ivy quipped. “What no hello, how are you, it’s good to see you?”

“Don’t you dare try to weasel your way out of this one Ivy,” Julian threatened. Anger was in his voice. “You know the night that I found out that you lied to me about Ethan being my son, I was really very sore at you. And I didn’t think you could do anything that would make me that angry with you again. Well you know what?! I was wrong. What is wrong with you? Are you so morally bankrupt that you don’t care who you hurt?”

“What I did, I did for love,” Ivy explained.

“For love?” Julian quipped. “You broke up a twenty year marriage!”

“Eve helped me,” Ivy said defensively.

“Because you blackmailed her,” Julian shouted. “Not to mention you threatened her life and her daughter’s lives.”

“Oh Eve told you about that,” Ivy said.

“Yeah,” Julian clipped. “I also figured as much when I saw you pull a knife on Eve in the Bennett’s kitchen.”

“What do you mean saw?” Ivy asked, not understanding what Julian was talking about.

“Father, had me watching everything going on in Harmony, on a video feed, until a few weeks ago, while he was holding me captive,” Julian explained.

“Oh,” Ivy replied, realizing that Julian was not going to go easy on her.

“Yeah. So you can imagine what it was like for me, while I’m going through the hell of my life and I find out that my bitch of an ex-wife blackmailed the woman I love,” Julian yelled.

“Look Julian-” Ivy started to say.

“Eve’s gone through more pain in her life than most people ever will have and you knew that and you took advantage of her?!” Julian shouted.

“I was desperate to get Sam back,” Ivy explained. “I ached everyday being apart from him.”

“Oh cry me a river,” Julian snapped at her.

“Who are you to judge me?!” Ivy exclaimed. “You ached being apart from Eve all of these years.”

“Oh no. Don’t you dare compare yourself to me,” Julian snapped, shaking his finger at her. “I didn’t break up the Russell marriage, TC ended it. If anything I know how Grace feels. I just spent the past five months being held hostage because my worst enemy decided to steal the woman I love.”

“Look I am sorry about what Alistair and TC did to you. I really am,” Ivy said. “But you have to understand that Eve went along with what I did, and kept it a secret all this time-”

“Oh no, you’re not going to blame this on Eve," Julian snapped. “I have watched you the past few months blame everyone but you for what you did. You blame Eve. You blame Kay Bennett. You blame your father. You blame Alistair. Everyone except you. Well I’m not buying it. You are the one who put this plan in motion and didn’t care who got hurt in the process, just as long as you got what you wanted.”

“Please Julian, I don’t need a lecture from you,” Ivy snapped, having had enough of her ex-husband’s tirade. “I don’t have to answer you for what I did to the Bennetts.”

“You know you’re right. You don’t have to answer to me for what you did to the Bennetts. But so help me God, Woman, if you ever hurt Eve or drag her into one of your vile schemes it will be the last thing you do. Do you understand me?”

“Yes.”

“Good,” Julian said. “Now I want you to go upstairs, pack up your things, and leave my house.”

“You told me I could stay here,” Ivy pointed out.

“No Mitch Wagner told you you could stay here,” Julian corrected. “I’m Julian Crane. I want you gone.”

“Where am I supposed to go?” asked Ivy.

“I pay you enough in alimony for you to find a place. And don’t think that we’re friends any more because we’re not.”

“Fine,” Ivy said in a huff.

As soon as Ivy left, Julian sat down on the couch next to Eve.

“Thank you,” Eve said, putting her arms around him.

“God it feels good to be back in control again,” Julian said, thinking about all of those days at the compound where he saw his life and the people he loved being destroyed and there was nothing he could do about it.

“I’ll bet,” Eve said. “I know Grace will thank you too.”

Before Julian could say anything, his cell phone rang and he looked at the caller id. He turned to Eve and said, “Will you excuse me for a minute? It’s business. I need to take this into the library.”

“Sure Honey. Go right ahead.”

~

Julian went to the library and took care of his business call. Then he called FAO Schwarz and asked them to put a bunch of toys in a Santa sack. Two sacks for 4 year old boys, one for a two year old boy, and one for a four year old girl for Marty, James, Miles, and Endora. Then he ordered that they be delivered that day. Julian remembered his promise that he had made as Santa Claus to Marty about the sack of presents that would be available for him the day after they got back. He also didn’t want James, Miles, and Endora to feel left out.

At that moment, Fox came into the room.

“Hey Dad,” Fox said with a smile on his face, happy that his father was home and alive.

“Hey Son, it’s good to see you,” Julian said, equally happy to see his son.

“I wanted to let you know that I’ve been taking care of business with Crane Industries, and came up with a plan for the foreign markets and the buyers while you were gone,” Fox explained.

“I know, I just got a call about that and I was reading your report,” Julian told him. “You did an excellent job. I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you,” Fox replied, feeling good that he had made his father proud. “I also reversed everything that Wagner did when he was working at Crane Industries as you.”

“I appreciate that,” Julian clipped. “I just wish I could press charges against Wagner for identity theft. The bastard defiled my good name, one that I worked for three years to build.”

“Well hopefully, he’ll rot in jail,” Fox pointed out.

“Amen to that.”

“How are things with Eve?” Fox asked, wondering what was the status of his relationship with Eve, given what had happened these past five months.

“They’re great. We’re closer than ever now,” Julian answered. “I was never angry at Eve for what happened. She was just as much a victim in this as I was.”

“Well you should have seen her when we were looking for you and when we thought you had died,” Fox told him. “She was devastated. Even with her back injury, she worked around the clock trying to find you.”

“I heard. Believe me I’m the luckiest man in the world to have a woman as wonderful as Eve. And a wonderful family too,” Julian said, smiling when he thought about how much his loved ones cared about him. “I’ll never be able to thank you all enough for what you did for me while I was gone.”

“Well you’re my Dad,” Fox said. “I couldn’t let anything happen to you.”

“Well thank you.”

“While we were looking for you, there was a school board hearing at the high school to determine if Coach Russell should be fired, and I testified on your behalf,” Fox explained.

“That’s great. Were you successful?”

“Yeah.”

“Good. Thank you,” Julian clipped.

“You should know that TC is planning on pleading insanity for what he did to you,” Fox told Julian.

“What?!” Julian exclaimed, with his mouth dropping open.

“Yes he claims you drove him insane,” Fox explained. “And that’s why he kidnapped you and faked his stroke.”

“Unbelievable,” Julian said, shaking his head at the absurdity of it. “Does he claim that’s why he beat Eve?”

“No, that one he’s taken responsibility for,” Fox answered. “We’ve been working with the prosecutor’s office to fight against it.”

“Good.”

~

Back in the living room, Eve was still sitting in the living room, waiting for Julian, when all of a sudden TC came in.

“Hello Eve,” he said to her.

Eve immediately sprang up from the couch. This was the first time she had seen TC since his court trial. “TC what are you doing here?!” Eve yelled.

“I heard about what happened to you at the compound and I came to see if you were all right,” TC explained.

“I’m fine, no thanks to you,” Eve snapped, with anger in her voice. “Now get out! Now!” She was pointing to the door.

“Eve please,” TC begged her.

“Look Julian is back and he does not need to deal with you today,” Eve said. “Not to mention he is furious with you.”

“I can handle Julian,” TC quipped.

“Don’t hold your breath,” Eve snapped.

At that moment, Julian came into the room from the library.

“Hey Darling I-” he said to Eve and then he looked up at TC Russell and stopped dead in his tracks.



Chapter One Hundred and One

As soon as Julian saw TC standing there, Julian stopped dead in his tracks. Julian looked at his worst enemy and remembered when he first arrived at the Compound, his father telling him that TC had faked his stroke and teamed up with him to have him kidnapped. Then Julian remembered seeing TC cuddling up to Eve and Wagner making Eve think that Julian had regressed, and then Julian remembered the images of TC beating up Eve. Those images of Eve being beaten stood out to Julian the most. It was then Julian remembered his promise to himself to kill TC for beating up Eve, when he got back to Harmony and that was exactly what he was going to do.

“You son of a bitch,” Julian snarled at TC. Julian went right up to TC and punched him in the eye, causing TC to fall on the floor. Then Julian got on top of TC and began punching him in the face. “I’m going to kill you!” Julian yelled at TC. “This is for beating up Eve,” Julian told him. “What? Did you really think I was going to be held hostage for the rest of my life and you wouldn’t have to answer to me? Sorry to disappoint you.”

“Get off of me,” TC yelled at Julian, as he struggled to get away.

“So kidnapping me wasn’t enough for you, you had to go beat Eve,” Julian snarled as he continued to punch TC in the face. “Did it make you feel like a big tough man? Well let’s see how you like it.”

Julian continued to punch TC in the face, while TC squirmed underneath. He hadn’t seen Julian like this since the night that Eve and Julian’s past came out. Finally TC was able to get out from under Julian, but Julian kicked TC in his bad knee and stood up and began kicking TC all over his body.

“Stop it,” TC shouted in pain, at Julian.

“Why? You didn’t stop when Eve begged you to stop,” Julian snapped, as he continued to kick TC with all of his might. “Oh what are you going to do, cry stroke again? I think that routine is becoming a little old by now.”

TC got up, and looked at Julian, with venom in his eyes. “Okay Crane, you asked for it,” he said with anger in his voice. TC went toward Julian and threw him up against the wall, but Julian was able to punch him in the stomach and then in the face, causing TC out to the floor again.

“Stop it. Both of you,” Eve cried.

Julian got back down on the floor and began punching TC again.

“Julian, please stop,” Eve begged. “I don’t need you to do this. If you kill him, you’ll just go to jail.”

“I have enough money to get away with one murder,” Julian told her, as he continued to punch TC. Then Julian grabbed TC by the collar and threw him up against the wall again, with his hands around TC’s neck. “So you like beating up women?!” Julian shouted at TC. “Does it make you feel good?”

Then TC punched Julian in the face causing him to fall on the floor.

“TC don’t you dare hurt him,” Eve threatened TC with anger in her voice.

“What do you call what he’s doing to me?!” TC said to her.

“Payback,” Eve shouted.

Julian got up off the floor and started to go at TC again, with this time Julian threw TC to the floor and now Julian and TC were on the floor fighting each other. Eve was trying to pull them apart, but it was no use.

Suddenly Sam came into the living to see Julian and TC fighting each other.

“What’s going on?” he asked Eve.

“Sam help me break this up,” Eve cried.

Sam went and took hold of TC, while Eve took hold of Julian. When they were separated, Julian and TC were standing up, with Eve holding Julian back trying to restrain him, and Sam standing in between Julian and TC.

“What the hell is going on here?!” Sam shouted to Julian and TC.

“Sammy, don’t look at me,” TC said. “I just came in here and that bastard started attacking me.”

“That’s right and I’m not finished yet,” Julian snarled as he tried to lounge at TC again.

“Yes you are,” Sam told Julian, as he put his hand in front of him.

“You want a fight, I’ll give you a fight,” TC snapped at Julian and he went toward him.

Sam turned to TC and put his hand in front of TC this time. “TC, you are in enough trouble already,” Sam warned. “What the hell are you doing here anyways?”

“I came over to see if Eve was okay from being kidnapped at the compound,” TC explained.

“Dammit TC, didn’t I tell you this would happen?!” Sam shouted at him. “You don’t listen.”

“Wait a minute Sam,” Julian quipped. “Are you telling me, your friend here didn’t think I would ring his neck?”

“Yeah, apparently he’s that stupid,” Sam said, looking at TC when he said the word stupid.

Julian took a deep breath. “WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!” he yelled at TC. Julian had this speech stored up in him for the past five months. “You know I know you and I have never gotten along since day one, but in that period of time, I never thought you were capable of anything like this. Why TC? How?”

“You drove me to do it,” TC snapped.

“Oh I drove you to do it?!” Julian quipped.

“Yes,” TC snapped, with anger in his voice. “You destroyed my knee, ending my tennis career, causing my father to die of a broken heart. You turned Eve into a whore, destroying my family and stealing her away from me.”

“Let me make something abundantly clear,” Julian replied, with anger in his voice. “Eve is not a whore and never was. I did not steal her away from you or destroy your family, you threw Eve out. And while I’m ashamed of my actions that ended your tennis career, I did not intend to hurt you. You and my father intended to hurt me. Do you have any idea of the hell I have been through these past five months. I was kidnapped by Spike at gunpoint, forced into his car, where I was kept in one room all that time, guarded by some man with the mean strike of Satan.”

“Hey, that was Alistair’s idea. Not mine,” TC clipped.

“OH GEEZ THAT MAKES ME FEEL SO MUCH BETTER!!!” Julian shouted. “And then I was forced to watch everything go on here in Harmony, on a video monitor, where I got to watch you steal my fiance and let’s not forget that lovely little scene, WHERE I SAW YOU BEAT HER!!!!”

“That was a really stupid thing that I did, that I feel terrible about,” TC admitted.

“DON’T YOU DARE DOWNPLAY IT WITH ME. I SAW IT YOU BASTARD!!!” Julian yelled as went toward TC.

Sam held Julian back. “Hey, hey,” Sam said, trying to pacify him.

“Sam, he beat her,” Julian snapped.

“I know. I know,” Sam replied.

“Let me kill him and I’ll make a large donation to the police station,” Julian bargained.

“Look I know you’re upset,” Sam told Julian, trying to reason with him. “If I were in your shoes, I would be too. But if you insist on attacking TC, I’ll have no choice but to arrest you.”

Julian knew as soon as Sam said that, he had to control himself. So then he pulled out the pictures of Eve’s bruises and handed TC the photographs. “Look at these pictures,” Julian yelled at TC.

“I’ve already seen them,” TC said.

“LOOK AGAIN!!! MEMORIZE THEM,” Julian yelled.

TC went through them, looking at all of Eve’s bruises.

”You know I thought it was bad when you expected Eve to be perfect,” Julian shouted at TC. “I thought it was bad when you disowned Whitney when she wanted to be a singer. I thought it was bad when you threw Eve away because you found out she wasn’t perfect, emotionally abused her, let your daughters do the same, took her sister into your bed, tried to have her arrested for crimes she didn’t commit, and turned against Simone for being gay. I thought it was bad when you drove drunk, not caring how it would affect your daughter’s lives. BUT THIS?! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO HER?!”

“Don’t go playing all high and mighty with me Crane,” TC snapped. “I know how you’ve treated women over the years.”

“Oh no, don’t you ever point your finger at me again. Not after this,” Julian snapped. “I've done a lot of things in my life that I’m not proud of, but I’ve managed to steer clear of kidnapping and wife beating.”

“Oh come on,” said TC. “Everyone knows that you hired an imposter to break up Luis and Sheridan, years ago.”

“I didn’t kidnap anyone when I did that,” Julian pointed out. “Did you really think that you were going to get away with this?”

“Your father offered to help get Eve back. I was desperate,” TC explained.

“Yeah I’m used to this kind of garbage from my father. I’ve been putting up with it since the day I was born, ” Julian snapped. “You on the other hand, I at least thought had a conscience.”

“Look,” TC said, getting irritated with Julian. “Eve and I had a wonderful marriage until you came along.”

“Oh sure, expecting her to be perfect and dealing with your hair-trigger temper,” Julian quipped, sarcastically. “That must have been wonderful for her.”

“I know Eve and I can work this out, if she comes back to me,” TC shouted at Julian.

“Well forgive me for not wanting to be the poster girl for battered women anymore,” Eve snapped at TC.

“Eve, please I love you-” TC begged, taking her hand.


“Don’t you dare touch her,” Julian yelled at TC, slap his hand away from her.

“She’s my wife,” TC yelled at Julian.

“Not anymore she’s not,” Julian yelled back. “I wasn’t able to protect Eve from you while I was at the compound, but I sure am able to protect her from you now.”

“Hey, I love Eve,” TC said, trying to defend himself.

“You don’t know the meaning of the word,” Julian snapped. “If you did, you wouldn’t have let her be happy with me, instead of teaming up with my father and breaking us up. You and Wagner made Eve think I had betrayed her! You didn’t even care how hurt she would be.”

“I was trying to protect her from you,” TC snapped.

“Protect her?!” Julian exclaimed. “I don’t recall being the one who hurt her.”

“But you would have,” TC pointed out. “You may have convinced everyone else in this town that you changed, but I know it’s all an act so you can get Eve back.”

“How dare you, TC!” Eve shouted. “Julian is the most wonderful man I have ever known. He was wonderful to me twenty years ago and he’s been wonderful to me now. He has made sacrifices for me, when he had everything to lose and nothing to gain, including me.”

“My God TC, I felt sorry for you after your accident,” Julian shouted. “I went out of my way to pay for doctors and nurses to take care of you, and the whole time you were faking your stroke and planning for my kidnapping!!!”

“I never asked for you to do that,” TC snapped at Julian.

“Well I think you would feel differently if you spent thousands of dollars for someone to have a fake stroke,” Julian replied.

“All right, that’s enough of this,” Sam said to both Julian and TC. “Now Julian I came here to ask you if you had made up your mind about pressing charges against TC.”

“I have thought about it and come to my decision, and Eve and the girls have given me their blessing to do it as well,” Julian said.

“So are you going to press charges against TC or not?” Sam asked.

“No,” Julian answered.




Chapter Hundred and Two

“No??!!” Eve, TC, and Sam exclaimed at Julian.

“You’re not going to press charges against me?!” TC asked, in disbelief.

“I should. And believe me I want to,” Julian told TC. “You know there’s almost nothing more that would love to see you behind bars in the same cell with my father, Wagner, and Spike. And I know a lot of people are going to say I’m crazy, but I don’t care.”

“Why are you doing this?” TC asked.

“I’m doing it for Whitney, Simone, and Miles,” Julian snapped. “I don’t want them to suffer the stigma of having a father and grandfather in prison. However, I’m only doing it if you agree to the following two conditions.”

“What conditions?” TC snapped back at Julian.

“Number one, you never come near Eve and I ever again. You respect our relationship. And so help me God, TC if you ever hurt her or lay one hand on her again, I’ll kill you,” Julian threatened. “Number two, I want you to testify against my father, Wagner, and Spike about your involvement in my kidnapping. I’ll talk to the DA about getting you immunity.”

“No way,” TC exclaimed, at the thought of never seeing Eve again. “You can’t do this to me!”

“TC, I have been through hell because of you,” Julian quipped. “The people I love have been put through hell because of you. I really don’t have to do anything.”

“TC, I think he’s being very generous,” Sam pointed out.

“Sam, come on,-” TC cried.

“It’s either this, or spending the rest of your life in jail,” Sam reasoned.

“I’ve already lost my job, and now Eve,” TC shouted. “What am I supposed to do now?!”

“You get to move away from here and start over,” Sam replied.

“Harmony is my home. I can’t leave here,” TC cried

“TC people are referring to you as ‘the man who cried stroke.’” Sam pointed out. “You really want to be in a town where people hate you?”

“No,” TC said.

All of a sudden, Ivy walked into the room, with her suitcases and saw Julian and TC standing across from one another, with Sam in between them.

“Whoa-ho-ho,” she said, sizing up the situation. “Okay, how much have I missed? Don’t leave out any details.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “What are you doing here, Ivy,” he snapped.

“I’m leaving, because Julian has kicked me out of the mansion,” she said, looking at Julian in anger.

“Well you should have thought about that before you blackmailed Eve,” Julian snapped at her.

“You know Ivy, I could kill you for what you did to Sam and Grace,” TC chided her. “They almost lost their marriage because of you.”

“Eve helped me,” Ivy pointed out.

“Ivy if you use that excuse one more time,” Julian threatened.

“Besides who are you to judge me TC?!” Ivy snapped at him. “You who teamed up with Alistair, faked a stroke, kidnapped Julian and then beat Eve!”

“Julian deserved it,” TC clipped.

“Oh and did Eve deserve to be beaten?!” Ivy pointed out.

“Oh so now you care,” Eve quipped.

“You know Ivy and TC, if you two are starving for companionship, maybe you two should hook up together,” Julian quipped. “After all you both are so good at destroying other people’s lives.”

“What is with you today, Julian?” Ivy asked. “Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?”

“No, I just have spent the past five months being held hostage and I think I have the right to get angry at the people who hurt me and the people I love,” Julian snapped.

“That’s enough,” Sam said. Then he turned to Ivy and said to her, “You get out of my sight.”

“Fine,” Ivy said in a huff.

As soon as Ivy left, Fancy came into the room from behind the fireplace and saw TC.

“What is he doing here?!” she exclaimed, as she walked into the living room.

“Fancy calm down,” Sam said to her.

“No,” Fancy replied and then turned to TC. “How dare you show your face here after what you did!!! Well I plan to make sure you spend the rest of your life in jail.”

“Right. Like I’m afraid of some little rich brat, playing cop,” TC quipped, rolling his eyes.

“Hey don’t talk to my daughter like that!!” Julian shouted at TC, pointing his finger at him.

“Oh come on,” TC said. “She’s been making my life miserable for the past few weeks.”

“I made your life miserable?! You kidnapped my father TC,” Fancy shouted at him. “Well I’m going to talk to the DA about you getting the maximum penalty. How does life in prison without parole sound?”

“I’m not pressing charges against him Darling,” Julian said to Fancy.

“What?! Daddy, he kidnapped you!” Fancy exclaimed.

“I know. I have made it conditional based on if TC stays away from Eve and I and testifies against your grandfather, Wagner, and Spike,” Julian explained.

“TC it’s up to you,” Sam said to him. “You can spend your life in prison, or you can move far away from here and start your life over in another state. Either way you have lost Eve.”

TC knew that Sam was right. Even though he hated his options, he knew the only way he could stay out of prison was to take Julian’s deal. “Okay fine I’ll agree to your conditions,” TC said, with anger in his voice. “I hate you Crane. You’ve ruined my life time and time again.”

“Good-bye TC,” Julian snapped at him.

“Oh and TC, take me off of your emergency contact list,” Eve said to him. “Because if you drink and drive and get in another accident. I won’t come.”

TC turned and went out the door of the Crane Mansion, knowing that he had been defeated.

Eve put her arm around Julian. “Are you okay?” she asked him.

“I’m better than I have been in a long time.” Julian extended his arm to Fancy. “Come here,” he said to her.

Fancy went up to Julian and gave him a hug.

“Thank you for standing up for me,” he told his daughter.

“You're my Daddy. I’d do anything for you.”

After they released the hug, Sam said to Julian, “You’d be proud of your daughter, working at the police station trying to bring you home.”

“I heard,” Julian said to Sam. Then he turned to Fancy, and said. “I can’t thank you enough for that my Darling. And I can’t believe my primadonna daughter has become a cop.”

“Yes, I have,” Fancy quipped, at her father teasing her.

“She’s pretty good at it too,” Sam told Julian.

“Well, when Grandfather is finally found guilty I’m going to quit,” Fancy said.

“You’re going to quit?!” Sam asked.

“Yeah, I only joined the police department to be near Luis,” Fancy pointed out. “I was never really interested in it. But once Grandfather is in jail, I’d like to go back to Crane Industries and be head of the fashion department.”

“Okay, that’s fine, Whatever you want,” Sam told her.

“Just be careful out there,” Julian said to Fancy. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“I will be.” Fancy assured him.

Julian and Fancy gave each other a kiss on the cheek and Fancy left the room.

“I just came here to let you know that Interpol went back to the compound and arrested all of the guards and maids that we had Spike locked up in the basement,” Sam explained to Eve and Julian.

“What about Alistair? Have they found him yet?” Eve asked, worrying about Julian’s safety.

“Not yet, but we’re looking for him and I promise you we will find him and arrest him,” Sam replied.

“Good,” Julian said. “Listen Sam I want to thank you for coming to get Eve and I out of the compound.”

“Happy to help,” Sam said to him, patting his arm. “I’m just glad that you’re alive.”

“Thank you,” Julian replied. “I was wondering if I could have five minutes with Wagner today?”

“Julian I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” Sam said, worried that it would be like the way he was with TC just now.

“I promise I’ll behave myself,” Julian reassured.

“Okay, I’ll see what I can arrange,” Sam said. “Oh and you both need to get physicals at the hospital right away.”

“Why?” Julian asked.

“It’s procedure after a kidnapping,” Sam explained.

“But I feel fine,” Julian pointed out.

“Come on Honey, you were injected with something by Spike,” Eve said to him. “It’s better to be on the safe side.”

“Oh all right,” Julian reluctantly agreed.

“Oh and the press are wondering if you want to make a statement,” Sam said to Julian.

“Sure I’ll make one,” Julian replied. “I want to thank everyone who searched for me.”

“Great. I’ll see you both later.”

~

As soon as Sam left the mansion, Rebecca and Gwen came into the living room.

“Pooky, you’re home,” Rebecca said to Julian as she went up to him, and leaned her body next to Julian.

“Don’t talk to me you bitch,” Julian snapped at her.

“Is that any way to talk to your Becky wecky?” Rebecca said, in a seductive tone.

“Well let’s see you and your bitch of a daughter, sent the truth about Ethan’s paternity to the tabloid and then you tried to kill Eve and then frame her for attempted murder, and then Gwen covered for you and was willing to let the woman I love go to jail for crimes she didn’t commit. And you called her the N word,” Julian snapped with anger in his voice. “If you were a man I’d do to you what I just did to TC Russell, just for that.”

“Go ahead. Eve may mind being beaten, but I certainly don’t,” Rebecca replied.”

“Oh mother, shut up,” Gwen snapped at Rebecca.

“And you,” Julian snapped to Gwen as he walked towards her. “Eve and I were never anything but kind to you and you were willing to let her go to jail for crimes she didn’t commit and you didn’t care.”

“I needed my mother to keep Theresa away from Ethan,” Gwen explained, with annoyance in her voice,

“Because you didn’t want Ethan to find out that you sent the truth about his paternity to the tabloid and framed Theresa for it,” Julian quipped. “Theresa was right about you. You and your mother are two of a kind."

“Oh come on, Pooky. You wanted to get rid of Ivy as your wife,” Rebecca reminded him.

“I didn’t want to be humiliated in front of the whole world, that my wife had been playing me for a fool,” Julian shouted at the two of them. “Do the two of you know how devastated I was when I found out that Ethan wasn’t my son?! And then trying to have Eve sent to jail?! Do you two think she would have actually survived in prison?!”

“Come on, are you two going to hold that over our heads forever?” Gwen snapped, rolling her eyes.

“Let me put it to you, this way Gwen,” Eve said. “You better find yourself a new doctor. Because as of this moment, I have an opening for a new patient.”

“Well at least I didn’t leave you to take care of a cripple,” Rebecca pointed out to Julian.

“TC was never crippled. He faked his stroke to play on Eve’s guilt,” Julian snapped. “And thanks a lot for having sex with Wagner in my office and in my bed.”

“Oh God, I slept in that bed afterwards,” Eve groaned.

“Well I have to admit I preferred Wagner over the stiff you became after being on the road with Timmy,” Rebecca said to Julian.

“Then go hook up with Wagner and leave me and Eve the hell alone,” Julian yelled at Rebecca. “Get out of my house or I’ll throw the both of you out.”


Chapter One Hundred and Three

After Rebecca and Gwen left, Julian noticed a DVD disk on top of the TV set, marked ‘Julian’s kidnapping.

“What’s this?” he asked as he picked up the disk.

“I don’t know,” Eve replied.

“I want to see what it is,” Julian said as he put the DVD in the DVD player.

When Julian turned it on, he saw news clips of his kidnapping and saw people out there searching for him. He saw his family members pleading with Alistair to bring him home, and Eve at the press conference telling her story and pleading for his safe return. Then Julian saw the candle light vigil being filmed. He couldn’t believe how many people were there praying for him. Finally Julian saw his funeral service and Eve giving his eulogy.

After the DVD was done, Eve had her arm around Julian, and Julian was standing there with tears in his eyes. He had heard about what happened when they were looking for him and thought he was dead, but actually seeing it was something else. For Julian seeing the love and devastation that Eve and his family had for him was overwhelming.

“Are you okay?” Eve asked him as she looked at the tears going down his face.


“Yeah, I just feel like I’m the luckiest son of a bitch in the world,” he said, all choked up.

“You are,” Eve told him, and then they kissed.

~

An hour later at the hospital, Eve had finished getting dressed after her physical, when the doctor came into the room.

“Well Eve, all of your tests look great,” said Dr. Ellen Matthews. “You’re going to be just fine.”

“Thank you Ellen,” Eve replied.

“That was a heroic thing you did, saving Mr. Crane the way you did,” Dr. Matthews told Eve.

“Well the man I love was in danger. I just did what anybody else would do,” Eve replied, modestly.

“Well we’re all really proud of you.”

“Thank you.’

“By the way, I think you should see the results of one of your tests,” Dr. Matthews said, handing Eve her chart, leaving the room.

As soon as Eve opened up her chart and saw her test results, she put her hand over her mouth and began to sob tears of joy.

~

After Eve and Julian left the hospital, they went to the police department to see Wagner. Sam brought them to a visitors room, where they stood waiting.

“Are you going to be okay?” Eve asked.

“I’ll be fine,” Julian replied.

The police officer brought in Wagner in handcuffs and sat him down at the table and left. Then Wagner looked up and said to Julian, “Hey, it’s you” Wagner exclaimed.

“Yeah. Look familiar?!” Julian shouted, as he leaned his hands on the table and got in Wagner’s face.

“What do you know? The two Julian Cranes,” Wagner quipped.

“There is only one Julian Crane here,” Julian shouted, pointing to himself.

“Don’t get so touchy,” Wagner clipped.

“I could kill you. I could ring your neck and dissolve you into a million pieces,” Julian snarled. “How could you do this?”

“I was broke. Alistair Crane offered me money I couldn’t refuse,” Wagner explained.

“Ever heard of getting a job?!!” Julian snapped

“No one would hire me,” Wagner answered.

“You really think I care,” Julian snarled. “I was held hostage for the past five months, and then you and TC Russell made Eve think I betrayed her.”

“I was just following the boss’s orders,” Wagner clipped.

“Oh really? If my father told you to jump off a cliff would you do it?!” Julian shouted. “How could you let Eve think that I regressed?! Didn’t you see how devastated she was?!”

“Hey she ate it right up,” Wagner replied. “Let me tell you something, your lady lover is an animal beneath the sheets.” Wagner was referring to when he had sex with Eve in Julian’s office.

“Shut up!” Julian shouted, not letting anyone defile Eve’s honor.

“Jealous are we?” Wagner quipped.

“Of you? Never,” Julian replied, in the same angry tone. “I saw everything you did to Eve these past five months on a video feed, making her think I had regressed to verbally abusing her and attacking her.”

“Hey from what I heard you’ve done some bad things in your days,” Wagner pointed out.

“Don’t you dare talk to Julian like that,” Eve shouted at Wagner. “He had an abusive father and did the best could. You on the other hand accepted Alistair’s offer without even thinking about it. Julian’s a better man than you anyday.”

“That’s right,” Julian countered. “I wouldn’t even think of doing the things you did, even when I was the Old Julian.” Julian stood up from the table. “Now look at us. I’ve gotten my freedom back and you’ve lost yours. I never want to see you again, unless it’s from a courtroom, and I will make sure you get the maximum penalty.”

“Please Julian,” Wagner begged. “I’ll do whatever you want.”

Eve and Julian left the room and closed the door behind them.

~

Back at Crane Industries, Julian was in Alistair’s office, preparing his speech for the media. Eve was sitting on his couch, when Valerie came into the office, carrying a box of documents.

“Mr. Crane, welcome home,” Valerie said to Julian. “These were just delivered to you.” Valerie set the box on Julian’s desk.

“Oh thank you,” Julian replied. Then he stood up, “Valerie now that you’re here there’s something I need to tell you.”

“Sure, what’s that?” she asked.

“You’re fired,” Julian clipped.

“Fired?!” Valerie exclaimed.

“In your future employment Valerie, I suggest you not call the boss’s fiance a whore,” Julian told Valerie.

“Look Mr. Crane, thought you two had broken up and Eve attacked me,” Valerie explained.

Eve rolled her eyes.

“What you thought makes no difference to me Valerie, I will not stand for you or any of my employees to treat the woman I love like that,” Julian replied, with anger in his voice. “Now I want you to go to your desk, and pack up your things. I’ll expect your resignation on my desk in about two hours.”

Valerie turned to Eve. “Are you going along with this Dr. Johnson?” Valerie asked.

“If you think I’m going to defend the woman, who broke up my daughter’s engagement to her fiance and called me a whore, you’ve got another thing coming, Honey,” Eve said, standing up.

Valerie knew there was nothing more she could do. She left the room and went to her desk to write her resignation.

Eve looked at Julian and smiled. “Thank you Sweetheart,” Eve said to him.

“I was planning to do it anyway when I first saw her call you that.”

Eve went up to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Then she looked down at his speech on the desk. “How’s your speech coming along?” she asked.

“I think I have what I need,” he replied.

Then the two of them took hands and went downstairs for the press conference.

~

As soon as Eve and Julian entered the press conference room, reporters stood up and began to clap for Julian. Julian reached the podium, with Eve behind him standing on the side.

“Thank you,” Julian said to the reporters. “It feels great to be back. There were days I didn’t think this day would come. I’m going to give a brief statement with no questions afterwards. It is true that my father and TC Russell had me kidnapped, and replaced me with an imposter five months ago, where I was forced to endure watching everything that was going on in Harmony, up until a few weeks ago. The only good thing that came from my captivity was that I was able to find my long, lost nephew Marty and bring him home to my sister. I have decided to press charges against Mitch Wagner and Spike Lester. I have chosen not to press charges against TC Russell, given that he stays away from me and my fiance and testify against my father. I did see him this morning and let’s just say I responded to him anyway a man would to another man who beat up the woman he loved. I am asking anyone who knows where my father, Alistair Crane, is to please come forward. I am willing to pay a reward. I will be taking on the role of CEO of Crane Industries from now on, with the hopes of creating a new empire for the use of good. Finally, I would like to thank everyone who searched and prayed for me and supported Eve and my family. I would like to thank my family for caring and searching for me. I would especially like to thank John Black, Marlena Evans, Chief Sam Bennett, and Officer Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald for their assistance in rescuing me. And last but certainly not least, the love of my life and my fiance, Dr. Eve Johnson. Who not only risked her life to save mine, but kept me going while I was being held hostage.” Julian turned around and extended his arm to her. “Come here,” he said to her.

Eve went up to him and they kissed, with all of the reporters taking pictures of them.








Chapter One Hundred and Four

After Eve and Julian left the press conference, they went to the skating pond. Julian was tying up Eve’s laces on her skates. Then they went out on the pond and skated, holding hands as they glided across the pond. It felt wonderful for Julian, to be outside again and to feel the fresh air, not to mention being back with the woman he loved. Eve was so happy to see Julian so happy and to be back with the man she loved again.

“How does it feel to be outdoors?” Eve asked him, as she smiled at him.

“It feels wonderful,” Julian replied with a big smile on his face, as he put his arms around her waist. “Especially being with you. It’s like heaven.”

“I feel the same way, being back with you,” Eve admitted, as she put her arms around his neck. “I’m never letting you out of my sight again.”

“Well you don’t have to worry, my love, because I’m not going anywhere,” he told her.

“You better not,” Eve quipped. “You have no idea how much I ached for you these five months.”

“Probably as much as I ached for you,” Julian replied, remembering the sad days he spent at the compound missing her.

“How did you cope with being at the compound?” Eve asked as she stroked Julian’s hair.

“I learned to pray, like I never had before,” Julian explained. “I read books to pass the time, and I spent time looking out the window. When I found Marty, I spent my days taking care of him. As soon as I found Marty, I made a promise to protect him with my life and to bring him home to Luis and Sheridan.”

“I could tell when I first saw you and Marty together,” Eve told him. “I’m so proud of you for the way you took care of him.”

“He’s my nephew. I’d do anything for him,” Julian replied. “That child has been through so much in four years of life. He has so much to come back from.”

“Well hopefully Sheridan and Luis will be able to help him through it, and we can be there to support them,” Eve pointed out.

“Oh absolutely,” Julian replied. “There was something else that happened at the Compound that I didn’t tell you about yet. The day that TC beat you, as you know father had turned off the monitors and I was worried sick about you, and hit a low point. You’re not going to believe this, but Timmy came to see me.”

“He did?” Eve exclaimed, as her eyes popped open.

“Yes,” Julian answered. “I know it sounds crazy, but it’s true.”

“No Honey, I totally believe you,” Eve told him. It was true. After the vision that she and Julian shared about being together in the Civil War, she now believed anything. “So what happened?”

“Well Timmy told me that he was now my guardian angel and that he’s never left me and that he was there to help me,” Julian explained. “He told me you were okay and safe and that you still loved me, and that you didn’t know that you were dealing with an imposter. Then Timmy told me to hang in there a little longer and that you and I would be together again. And that we were meant to be together. That it was written in the stars.”

Eve had tears in her eyes, when she heard Julian's friend was looking out for them and that their love was written in the stars. “God bless Timmy,” she said.

“He also told me to believe in myself and try to forgive myself for my past mistakes,” Julian added.

“He’s right,” Eve replied, feeling glad for Timmy getting Julian to do what she wanted him to do for years.

“I just don’t know if I can, I’ve hurt too many people,” Julian said, looking down at the ground.

Eve lifted up his chin, so that his eyes met hers. “Look at how much you’ve done to make up for it,” Eve told him. “You had an abusive father, Sweetheart. You did the best you could.”

“I know, but it’s still hard,” Julian replied. “I’ll try but it’s going to take some time.”

“Well I’ll be there to help you,” Eve said, declaring her devotion to him.

“Thank you, my love,” he said, stroking the side of her head. “Timmy also told me to tell Tabitha to let me be a father to Endora.”

“Well you see Timmy believes in you too. And so do I,” Eve pointed out.

Julian looked deep into Eve’s eyes and said, “I’ll never be able to thank you and Timmy enough for saving me the way you both did.”

“Timmy and I just showed you you could do it,” Eve said as she stroked Julian’s cheek with her hand. “What you did with it, that was all you, and I am so proud of you Darling.”

“Thank you,” Julian replied with tears in his eyes.

“You know while you were away, after Alistair turned off the monitors and I was trying to figure out why you had regressed, I had a talk with Marlena about you and she made me understand something.”

“Oh yeah what was that?” Julian asked.

“That one of the reasons I never fell out of love with you, is because I know that you really are a good man.”

“Really?” Julian quipped.

“And I realized she was right,” Eve told him. “You weren’t born the ‘Old Julian,’ Darling. It was your father that corrupted you. You are that wonderful man that I fell in love with in the blue note, all of those years ago and I have never stopped.”

“Loving you is what has brought out the best in me,” Julian declared. “You’re my angel, my Darling. You saved me from the Old Julian and you saved me from the compound. I was a fool for doubting your love after TC’s accident.”

“Yeah well you don’t have to worry because I’ll never give you a reason to doubt me again.”

Eve and Julian then pulled each other into a long and passionate kiss.

~

After a while of skating, Eve and Julian saw Ethan, Theresa, Little Ethan, Jane, and Pilar, at the skating pond.

As soon as Pilar saw Julian she went up to him and gave him a big hug. “Julian, thank God, you’re home,” she said to him.

“Thank you Pilar,” Julian said smiling, when they released the hug.

“I can’t thank you enough for saving my grandson and bringing him home,” Pilar said, with tears of gratitude in her eyes.

“There’s no need,” Julian replied. “He’s my nephew. I’d do anything for him.”

Then Pilar turned to Eve. “And Eve, I can’t believe you risked your life like that,” Pilar told her, taking her hand. “I’m so proud of you.”

“Thank you,” Eve said with a smile.

“Yeah she was pretty wonderful,” Julian said, smiling as he put his arm around her.

Eve turned to Julian and said, “Pilar prayed for you, helped with the search, and was there for me when we found out what happened to you.”

“Well, thank you Pilar,” Julian told her. “From the bottom of my heart.”

“Happy to do it. I’m just glad that you are both safe,” Pilar told them.

“So are we,” Eve quipped.

At the moment, Theresa went up to Julian.

“Julian, welcome home,” she said with a smile. Even though Theresa had her differences with Julian she was glad that he had been found safe.

“Thank you, I appreciate that,” Julian replied with the same smile. “I want to thank you for everything you did to help with my search.”

“No need,” Theresa replied. “Just knowing that you’re home and safe is all the thanks that I need. Thank you for saving Marty.”

“It was my pleasure. He’s my nephew too.”

Julian and Theresa both knew they needed to talk about what had happened the past five months, with Alistair tormenting them through Wagner and about Little Ethan’s paternity. Ethan and Theresa had already reasoned that given that Julian was forced to watch everything going on in Harmony on a video feed, that he must know by now that Little Ethan wasn’t his son.

“Theresa, can I talk to you for a moment in private?” Julian said to her.

“Sure,” Theresa replied.

As they walked away from everyone else, Julian began talking.

“First of all,” Julian said. “I want to apologize to you for the way I behaved the last time I saw you five months ago. I was upset about some other things and I had a little too much to drink, and I was taking it out on you. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I understand,” Theresa replied. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Little Ethan’s paternity.”

“I understand why you didn’t,” Julian told her. “Eve told me about Gwen and Rebecca’s secrets coming out in that tabloid, and you were right about Gwen. You have my condolences.”

“Thank you,” Theresa clipped, glad to have someone else on her side about Gwen.

“You know if you had told me about Little Ethan’s paternity, I would have kept your secret,” Julian said.

“I know that now.”

“Anyways the reason why I wanted to talk to you, is because as you’ve probably heard by now, while I was being held captive, I was forced to watch everything going on in Harmony on a video feed and I found out about Little Ethan not being my son,” Julian explained.

“I know,” Theresa answered. “Ethan and I figured that out when we heard about what happened to you. I’m so sorry you had to find out that way.”

“It’s not your fault,” Julian told her. “I’m just sorry Alistair subjected you to Wagner. I didn’t agree with anything he said or did. I did want visitation rights, but I never wanted to take Little Ethan away from you.”

“I believe you,” Theresa replied, knowing that Julian was no longer the kind of man who would take a child away from its mother.

Julian took a deep breath. “Look as devastated as I am about Little Ethan not being my biological son, I want what’s best for him, so if that means I’m not in his life, I’ll accept that.”

“Thank you Julian. I appreciate that,” Theresa said gratefully. “You know when we thought you were dead, Little Ethan received the letter you put to him in your will and he showed it to me and it was really nice.”

In the letter, Julian had said how sorry that he wasn’t there for Little Ethan and that it had nothing to do with him and that Julian had always loved him, even if he hadn’t shown it. Julian told Little Ethan to be a good man and not to follow the example of previous Cranes, and that he had a mother who loved him very much and to always do right by her.

“I meant every word,” Julian told her.

“I know and I appreciate that,” Theresa replied. “You know if I hadn’t found out from JT Cornell in Rome, about Little Ethan’s paternity I would have considered letting you have visitation rights of Little Ethan.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, with you being the good man you are now, I think you would be a good father,” Theresa confessed. “I know we’ve had our differences, but I never forgot how kind you were to me when I accidentally poisoned Ethan during that time. Also I’ve always respected this new Julian you’ve become.”

“Well thank you Theresa, I appreciate that,” Julian replied. “You’re all right yourself there.”

Theresa stifled a small laugh, thinking about how they made each other miserable when everyone thought she was married to Julian.

“You’re also more than welcome to stay on at Crane Industries in some capacity,” Julian told Theresa. “You did an excellent job when you were working there.”

“Thanks, but I’ve decided to be a stay at home mom for now, while my children are still young,” Theresa replied.

“Well if you change your mind in the future, the offer will still be on the table,” Julian replied. “And if there is anything that you or your family ever need, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Thank you.”

Julian and Theresa shook hands. It was nice now that they were able to have a truce between them after years of not getting along.

Then Julian and Theresa walked back to where Eve, Pilar, Ethan, Little Ethan, and Jane were. The first thing Julian did was go up to Little Ethan.

“Hi Little Ethan,” Julian said to the boy.

“Hi,” Little Ethan replied to Julian, feeling awkward knowing that Julian wasn’t his biological father anymore. “Welcome home.”

“Thank you,” Julian replied. “That’s very kind of you. Your mother told me that you got the letter I left you in my will.”

“Yeah.”

“I meant every word and I still do. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you when we thought you were my son. It had nothing to do with you. It was me. I had a lot of problems for a long time. But I still loved you nonetheless.”

“I know. My Mom and Dad told me. I’m sorry that happened to you.”

“Don’t be it wasn’t your fault.”

“Are you sad that you’re not my real Dad?”

“Yes I am. However, I know that Ethan has always been your father in your eyes and I want to respect that, and do what’s best for you so I’ll step aside. However, there will always be a special place in my heart for you and Ethan.”

Ethan smiled at Julian, knowing that he and Julian had healed the rift that became between them, when his paternity came out, and that Julian wasn’t going to stand in the way of Ethan and Little Ethan being father and son.

“Thank you,” replied Little Ethan. “I’m glad you’re back safe.”

“Thank you,” Julian clipped.

Ethan then went up to Julian and gave him a big hug.

“I love you, Son,” Julian said, as he hugged Ethan.

“I love you too, Julian,” Ethan replied.





Chapter One Hundred and Five

After Eve and Julian left the skating pond, they went down to a toy store on the wharf to buy a doll for Endora. Julian decided to pay a visit to Tabitha and to see his daughter. He had missed his little girl like crazy for the past five months and was desperate to see her. Julian was also hoping he and Eve could persuade Tabitha into letting Julian have visitation rights of Endora.

An hour later Eve and Julian were walking up Tabitha’s yard, with Eve carrying Endora’s gift in one hand and holding Julian’s hand in the other.

“It’s been such a long time since I’ve been here,” Julian told Eve. “I just hope Endora likes the doll I brought her.”

“She will,” Eve reassured him. “Now I don’t have to worry about there being any sexual tension between you and Tabitha,” she teased.

“Very funny,” Julian quipped. He turned around and put his arms around Eve’s waist. “I can assure you I haven’t had sex with any other old ladies.”

“Good to know,” Eve quipped.

Eve and Julian gave each other a quick kiss and then Julian rang Tabitha’s doorbell and Kay opened it.

“Mr. Crane, welcome home,” Kay said with a smile.

“Thank you Kay,” Julian replied. “And thank you for helping with the search to find me.”

“It was my pleasure,” Kay replied. “Thank you for agreeing to testify against Spike. You have no idea how relieved we all are to have Spike out of our lives, especially Jessica’s life.”

“You and me both,” Julian quipped. “He made my life miserable the entire time I was at the compound. I’m happy to do whatever I have to do to have him locked up so he doesn’t hurt anyone else.”

“Well we all appreciate it.”

“Listen, is Tabitha here?” Julian asked.

“No she’s out running errands, and I’m hoping she’ll come back soon because I have to take Maria shopping for some new clothes and I can’t leave Endora here by herself,” Kay explained.

“Well we could watch Endora for you, while you’re out, until Tabitha comes home,” Eve offered, hoping that would give Julian some time with his daughter.

“Are you sure?” Kay asked.

“Of course,” Julian replied. ‘It’s the least I can do after what your family did to find me.”

“Okay, great thank you,” Kay said, grateful for the help. “Come on in.”

Eve and Julian walked into Tabitha’s house and Kay closed the door behind them, and then went to the living room and put Maria’s coat on her and then went to Endora and said, “Endora, Mr. Crane and Dr. Johnson, are going to watch you until your Mom comes back. Behave.” Kay was stressing the word ‘behave,’ which literally meant no magic in front of the mortals.

Endora smiled at the thought of her Daddy being back and getting to spend time with him.

Kay picked up Maria and went out to the entryway where Eve and Julian were standing. “I have my cell phone on me. Call me if you have any trouble.”

“We will,” Eve said.

As soon as Kay went out the door, Eve and Julian went into the living room and saw Endora sitting on the couch wearing a smile that could light up a Christmas tree.

“Hi Sweetheart,” Julian said to her, as he smiled.

Endora got up off the couch and ran right into her Daddy’s arms, as he picked her up and held on to her for dear life. Julian had tears in his eyes, at the joy of being reunited with his youngest daughter. Endora kissed her Daddy on the cheek.

“Oh my Darling, Sweetheart,” Julian said to her, choking back tears. “Daddy missed you so much. He is never ever going to leave you again.”

“Well someone’s happy to see you,” Eve said smiling, as she saw Julian with his little girl.

“Endora, darling, this is Eve,” Julian said to Endora. “Do you remember her?”

“Hi,” Endora said to Eve, waving her hand.

“Hi Sweetheart,” Eve said to Endora in a cheerful tone.

“Thank you for bringing my Daddy home,” Endora said to Eve in her thought bubble. “Now what are your intentions with my father?”

“Oh Julian, she’s adorable,” Eve told him.

“I think so too,” Julian said and then gave his little girl a kiss on the cheek. “Darling, Eve and I bought you a present. Would you like to see what it is?” Julian asked Endora.

“Yes,” Endora exclaimed.

Eve and Julian sat down on the couch with Endora in Julian’s lap. Eve handed her the package to Endora so she could open it. When Endora opened it she saw a soft girl doll. She immediately hugged it to her chest and gave her Daddy another hug and kiss.

“Thank you Daddy,” she said out loud, to Julian.

“You’re welcome sweetheart.”

“I got a sack of presents from Santa today,” Endora told them.

“You did? Well you must have been a very good little girl,” Julian told her.

“I am. I share them with Maria too,” Endora replied.

“Well that’s very good,” Eve said to Endora. “Sharing’s important.”

For the next hour and half, Julian and Eve played with Endora. Julian even played tickle monster with her, which she loved and couldn’t stop laughing. It warmed Eve’s heart to see Julian so good with Endora, just like he had been with Marty. It made her feel hopeful for the future.

All of a sudden Tabitha walked into the living room.

“Julian. Eve. What are the two of you doing here?” Tabitha exclaimed, surprised to see them there.

“We stopped by to see you and Kay had to go shopping with Maria, so we offered to watch Endora,” Eve replied, as she stood up from the couch.

“Oh well thank you.” Then Tabitha turned to Julian. “I suppose I should say welcome home.”

“Thank you Tabitha, that’s very kind of you,” Julian said as he set Endora on the couch and stood up. “I came by because I wanted to apologize to you for my father inflicting Wagner on you these past five months. As you probably have heard, Alistair had me watching everything going on in Harmony, on a video feed, while he was holding me prisoner, and I saw what he was doing to you and Endora. I didn’t agree with anything that Wagner did. I did want visitation rights of Endora, but I never wanted to take Endora away from you.”

Tabitha was wondering why Julian was telling her this in front of Eve.

“It’s okay, Tabitha,” Eve said to Tabitha, reading her mind. “I know that Julian is Endora’s father.”

“You told her?!” Tabitha exclaimed to Julian.

“I had to,” Julian explained. “I couldn’t keep a secret from the woman I love.”

“Don’t worry,” Eve reassured Tabitha. “I won’t tell anyone.”

“Of course I know how well you can keep a secret, dear,” Tabitha quipped, referring to how Eve kept her own past a secret for years.

“Look Tabitha, I know we’ve talked about this before but I really would like visitation rights of Endora,” Julian said to her. “I want so much to be a part of her life.”

“And I would be there to help,” Eve added. “I love children.”

“You expect me to let you take the place of mother to my daughter,” Tabitha exclaimed at Eve.

“Absolutely not,” Eve replied. “I would never want to replace Endora in your heart. I’ve lost a child, and I know how painful that can be and I would never do that to another mother. I just want to be a step mother to Endora.”

“And I don’t want to take Endora away from you either,” Julian reassured Tabitha. “I lost my mother when I was very young, and I wouldn’t want that for Endora. I was just thinking of having her on weekends, during the summers, and birthdays and holidays. I promise to do right by her.”

“You expect me to trust you Julian?!” Tabitha said. “Your other children despise you.”

“Not anymore. I’ve reconciled with them since I got back,” Julian explained.

“And I saw how wonderful Julian was with Marty at the compound,” Eve told Tabitha. “Marty adores him. Julian protected him with his life.”

“And I know this is going to sound crazy,” Julian told Tabitha. “But when I was at the compound I saw a vision of Timmy telling me not to give up hope and he also told me to tell you to let me have visitation rights of Endora.”

“How dare you use Timmy's memory to get what you want!” Tabitha snapped at Julian with anger in her voice.

“It’s true,” Julian replied. “I wouldn’t lie about something like this.”

Endora walked up to Tabitha and stood next to her mommy and said in her thought bubble, “Please Mommy, let me have Daddy in my life. I love him. I still love you just as much. Timmy wants this too.”

When Tabitha saw Endora’s face asking her mother to let Julian be a part of her life, it broke her heart. Tabitha remembered how devastated Endora was when she found out that Julian had been kidnapped and how she cast a spell to bring him home. Tabitha picked up Endora and held her in her arms and looked at Julian and Eve.

“Oh all right,” Tabitha said to them. “You can have visitation rights. Every other weekend, and a month during the summer. I can have thanksgiving, and mother’s day and you can have Christmas, and father’s day. Then we can work out the other holidays and her birthday.”

Julian and Eve began smiling.

“That’s wonderful,” Julian said. “Thank you Tabitha. I promise to take good care of her.”

“You better. You have to be a hands-on father Julian,” Tabitha warned.

“Oh I will be,” Julian reassured. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ll have a special room made for her at the mansion.”

“Great,” Tabitha clipped. “You can pick her up next Friday.”

Julian looked at Endora and said, “Sweetheart, I’ll see you next Friday. I love you.”

“I love you too Daddy,” Endora said out loud.

Julian gave her a kiss on the cheek.

“I’ll see you later Honey,” Eve said to Endora.

Endora smiled at Eve. As far as Endora was concerned, no one could replace her Mommy, but Eve seemed nice and she was grateful that Eve saved her Daddy and made him happy.

When Eve and Julian left the house, Tabitha turned to Endora and said, “Now you have to be careful to watch your magic when you’re with your Daddy and Eve and not let them know that we’re witches.”

Endora made her eyes twinkle.



Chapter One Hundred and Six

Back at the Blue Note, in the late afternoon, TC was sitting at the bar, drinking and getting drunk. He had planned to take a cab home this time. While TC was relieved that he wasn’t going to spend the rest of his life in prison, he still lost Eve and his job and was now one of the most hated men in Harmony. Not to mention TC had to face that he could lose his teaching and coaching license. TC knew Sam was right. The only way TC could ever have a normal life again was move to another state and start over. Now none of his family or friends wanted anything to do with him anymore, except for Sam. Even Sam was still not happy with TC for what he did. TC hated that Julian Crane had won again, and left TC with nothing.

At that moment, Pilar walked up to the bar asking for something to drink, and TC saw her standing there next to him.

“Hi Pilar,” TC said through slurred speech.

“Hi Pilar?!” Pilar quipped, with anger in her voice. Then she turned to TC and started yelling at him in spanish. “How dare you talk to me, after what you did to Eve!!!” she snapped, after she was done with her spanish tirade.

“Don’t tell me, you hate me too now?” TC quipped, rolling his eyes.

“Well let’s see, you beat up one of my closest friends, and you inflicting Wagner on Harmony almost cost my daughter her son. Yeah I hate you,” Pilar quipped. Then she sighed and shook her head. “What gave you the right TC?! I saw the bruises on Eve and I saw how distressed she was when she found out about what happened to Julian.”

“I was trying to protect her from that bastard,” TC claimed, in a defensive tone.

“Oh sure, by devastating her by making her think he regressed,” Pilar replied sarcastically. “You didn’t even care about how much that would hurt her, just as long as you got what you wanted. And what about my Theresa? She could have lost her son.”

“Hey, I had nothing to do with that part,” TC replied with his speech slurred.

“Oh really? You didn’t think that Alistair would have Wagner unleash hell upon Harmony?!” Pilar pointed out.

“I screwed up. I get that,” TC snapped, as he took another drink. “Besides, I thought you didn’t like Julian.”

“Julian saved my grandson’s life and for that I will be forever in his debt,” Pilar snapped.

“Well lucky for Julian, he gets to steal everything away from me, and I get nothing,” TC quipped.

“Julian didn’t steal anything from you, and if you think Julian has had it easy, you’re wrong,” Pilar told TC. “He grew up with an abusive father. I saw the cruelty Alistair inflicted on him when he was growing up. He thought his mother was dead for years. He spent years without Eve. I think if anything, he would rather have had what you had, a loving family as a child.”

Suddenly Katherine came into the Blue Note, marched right up to TC, turned him around on the bar stool to face her and then slapped him across the face.

“Hey! What was that for?!” TC exclaimed as he put his hand on his cheek.

“How could you TC!” Katherine exclaimed, with anger in her voice. “Thanks to you, my son has spent the past five months being held hostage like some caged animal.”

“Hey, that was Alistair’s idea, not mine,” TC quipped, slurring his words.

“Well what did you think Alistair was going to do to Julian?!” Katherine quipped. “Take him to Disney World?!”

“What are you complaining about lady? You got him back,” TC pointed out.

“That doesn’t change the fact that he was tortured, or that Eve and Julian’s entire family were devastated when we found out that he had been kidnapped and thought he had been murdered,” Katherine countered.

“Oh gees, I didn’t know Julian was such a family man,” TC quipped, sarcastically, while rolling his eyes.

“Oh come on TC, you saw how devastated we all were,” Katherine clipped. “How would you feel if someone kidnapped Whitney and Simone?”

“That’s different. My daughter’s are upstanding people,” TC said. “Your son is nothing but a junkyard dog.”

“How dare you!” Katherine snapped, wanting to ring TC’s neck.

“Besides, who are you to judge me?” TC pointed out. “Everyone knows you snagged Martin away from Pilar here. Like mother, like son.”

“Okay, first of all I didn’t snag Martin away from Pilar, we ran off together because we were in fear for our lives,” Katherine explained. “And second of all, Julian didn’t steal Eve away from you. You threw Eve out because you found out she wasn’t perfect.”

TC turned to Pilar. “Are you hearing this?” he asked her.

“Oh please TC, Katherine’s a saint compared to you,” Pilar snapped. “And I’m a mother too, who has lost a child. My heart goes out to Katherine for what she went through these past few weeks.”

“Let me make myself very clear TC,” Katherine said in a no-nonsense mother lion tone. “If you ever hurt my son again, or try to break up Julian and Eve again, I’ll kill you. And I won’t need a jury because I’ll just plead guilty.”

“Who the hell do you think you are?” TC snapped, not enjoying being threatened.

“I am a mother who loves her son very much and wants him to be happy. I shot Alistair because he hurt my children and I will do it again to anyone who hurts them.”

“Well I got news for you lady,” TC snapped. “Pilar just heard you threatened me so I can take it to the police.”

“I didn’t hear her say anything,” Pilar told TC.

“I’m leaving,” TC said, as he got off his bar stool and headed outside to get a cab.

“With any hope, TC will never show his face in Harmony again,” Pilar said to Katherine.

“Amen to that,” Katherine replied. Then Katherine turned to Pilar. “Pilar, thank you for the kind words you said about Julian and for standing up for him.”

“Well Eve’s one of my oldest and closest friends and Julian saved Marty. I’ll always be grateful to him for that,” Pilar explained, feeling awkward around Katherine.

“Pilar, I’ve done a lot of thinking since Julian has come back and I want you to know how sorry I am for coming in between you and Martin last spring. It was wrong of me,” Katherine confessed.

“What do you expect me to say to that? To forgive you?” Pilar quipped.

“No, I just want you to know that I’m sorry,” Katherine explained. “I want to do the right thing by you and Martin, but I still don’t know what that right thing is. I love Martin. I won’t deny that. But I want to do the right thing by you too.”

“Are you asking me what to do?” Pilar asked. “Because all I know is that Martin doesn’t love me the way he loves you. I don’t want to be with a man who doesn’t love me, who is pining for another woman. I don’t want to end up like Theresa, Ethan, and Gwen.”

“Well, in order to honor and repent for what I did to you, I won’t be with Martin either,” Katherine replied.

“Are you serious?” Pilar couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“Yes,” Katherine answered. “I never wanted to hurt you, Pilar.”

“Well you did,” Pilar replied. “But despite that, I’ve seen your heart and how much you love your children and I don’t envy what you went through with Alistair.”

“Thank you,” Katherine replied, grateful for Pilar’s compassion.

Chapter One Hundred and Seven

Back at the Crane Mansion, Eve and Julian walked into the foyer, holding hands, laughing and smiling, and then they took each other in their arms.

“Today really has been perfect,” Eve said to Julian.

“Every moment with you is perfect, my love,” Julian replied, as he pulled her into a passionate kiss.

After Julian released the kiss, he said to Eve with a sly smile, “I have a surprise for you.”

“A surprise?” Eve asked, smiling. “What kind of a surprise?”

“Well you have to wait,” Julian replied. “Go upstairs and pack a bag, and put on something nice to wear and I’ll have the limo come and pick you up shortly.”

“Okay,” Eve replied with a chuckle.

As soon as Eve started to go up the stairs, Julian called after her, “I love you my darling Eve.”

Eve turned around and said, “I love you too my darling Julian.”

After Eve was upstairs Julian went out the door, to get ready for his surprise. When Eve went into her and Julian’s room, and she packed a bag and put on a sleeveless red dress that came to her knees, along with nylons and heels, and made her hair look really nice. Then she went downstairs with her suitcase and purse and saw the limo driver waiting for her in the foyer.

“Dr. Johnson, your limo awaits.”

Eve put on her coat and the driver put her suitcase in the car, and then the driver opened the door to the limo and Eve got in.

As soon as Eve was in the car and the limo driver was driving, Eve turned to the driver and said, “Can I ask you where you’re taking me?”

“No, Mr. Crane told me to keep it a secret.”

Finally, the driver stopped at a fancy hotel, and parked the limo at the front door and Eve got out with her suitcase.

“Just go up to the desk and ask for Julian Crane,” the driver told her as he drove off.

As Eve walked into the hotel, she couldn’t believe how beautiful the hotel was. However, she couldn’t expect anything else from Julian. Eve went up to the desk and asked for Julian. The bellboy took Eve’s suitcase and coat upstairs to the suite that Julian had gotten for them. It seemed to Eve that the hotel staff was expecting her.

“Mr. Crane is waiting for you in the ballroom,” the other bellboy escorted Eve to the ballroom. Eve wondered what kind of surprise that Julian would have for her in the ballroom. When they arrived outside the ballroom door, there was a sign on it that said private party. The bellboy knocked the door and told Eve to go in.

When Eve walked into the room, she couldn’t believe her eyes. On the stage, Eve saw the music group 98 degrees. The rest of the room was lit with bright lights, and there we rose petals on the floor, forming a path, indicating where she should walk.

As Eve walked following the path of rose petals, 98 degrees began singing.

The snow is falling
The city is white
Your eyes are shining
like diamonds tonight
And we're all alone
There's no one home
You're finally in my arms again

The night is silent
And Christmas is here
I couldn't ask for more than having ya near
'Cause I love you girl (love you girl)
And I always will (always will)
And now I know the moment is right
The moment is right

Cause I've been waiting to give this gift tonight
I'm down on my knees
There's no better time
It's something to last for as long as you live
Tonight I'm gonna give you all my heart can give

I thought I'd give you something shiny and new
I'd try to find something worthy of you
But I realized when I looked inside
There's some things that money can't buy (oh no)

I feel the magic whenever you're near
I feel it even more this time of the year
Cause I love you girl (love you girl)
I always will (always will)
And now I know the moment is right
The moment is right

Cause I've been waiting to give this gift tonight
I'm down on my knees
There's no better time
It's something to last for as long as you live
Tonight I'm gonna give you all my heart can give

You know I'll always be true to you
And you know I'm the one you can turn to
Any time, any place, or anywhere
You know that I'll always be there

Cause I've been waiting to give this gift tonight
I'm down on my knees
There's no better time
It's something to last for as long as you live
Tonight I'm gonna give you all my heart can give

When Eve arrived at where the path of rose petals stopped, Julian came out into the room, wearing a black suit and a black tie, and went up to Eve.

“Honey, what is this?” Eve asked, with a grin. “And what is 98 degrees doing here?”

“That’s part of the surprise,” Julian explained.

Julian got down on one knee and took Eve’s hand in his, and looked deep into her eyes. “Eve Johnson, I have loved you ever since the first moment I ever laid eyes on you singing in the blue note. You made me so happy then and you make me so happy now. You have saved me in so many ways in my life and all I know is I want to spend the rest of my life with you. So will you make me the happiest man in the world?” Then Julian reached into his pocket, and pulled out a black velvet box and opened it to show the most beautiful engagement ring ever. It was a 7.5 carat with a pear cut diamond, with two smaller diamonds and a gold band. “Will you marry me?”

Eve gasped, as she put her hand to her mouth and began crying tears of joy. She couldn’t believe this was happening. “Yes, Julian Crane. Yes. A million times yes,” she cried.

Julian took the ring out of the box and put it on Eve’s finger, and then stood up, where they hugged and kissed passionately.

After the kiss, Julian looked into Eve’s eyes and said, “You’ve just made me the happiest man in the world.”

“I love you so much,” Eve said, crying tears of joy, as put her hands on his cheeks.

“I love you so much too,” Julian replied, choking back tears.

Eve looked at her ring. She couldn’t believe how beautiful it was. “This time, I’m never taking this ring off,” she said to Julian.

“Good because I’m never letting you go again,” he declared.

After they released the hug, Eve knew this was the perfect time to tell Julian what she found out during her physical that day. “I have a surprise for you too, and I hope you’ll be as happy about it as I am,” she said.

“What is it?” Julian asked.

“I found out at the hospital today that I’m 48 hours pregnant,” Eve answered, smiling.

“You mean we’re going to have a baby?! Julian exclaimed, with a huge smile on his face.

“Yes,” Eve exclaimed. “Are you happy?”

“Darling, I’ve never been happier,” Julian cried. He lifted Eve up and twirled her around in a circle and then set her down.

“And they’re sure it’s mine?” he asked.

“Positive,” Eve replied. “I never slept with TC while you were away and I had a couple of periods after I slept with Wagner. Plus even without a DNA test, I know this baby is yours.”

“Oh Darling, I promise you I am going to be the best husband and father I can be,” Julian declared. “I am going to pamper you, be there for every doctor's appointment, childbirth, all of it.”

“Oh Honey, I know you will be,” Eve said, stroking his cheek. “I’m just so excited that we get to experience this miracle together.”

“So am I. This child is going to be so loved.” Julian knelt down so he could talk to Eve’s stomach. “Hi Little Baby, I’m your Daddy. I love you and I can’t wait to meet you.” Then he stood up again and said to Eve, “I love you so much.”

“I love you so much too,” Eve said as they pulled each other into another passionate kiss.

Then the band began to play another song again and Eve and Julian began slow dancing.

The lonliness of nights alone
the search for strength to carry on
my every hope had seemed to die
my eyes had no more tears to cry
then like the sun shining from up above
you surrounded me with your endless love
and all things I couldn't see are now so clear to me

You are my everything
Nothing your love won't bring
My life is yours alone
The only love I've ever known
Your spirit pulls me through
When nothing else will do
Every night I pray
On bended knee
That you will always be
My everything

Now all my hopes and all my dreams
are suddenly reality
you've opened up my heart to feel
a kind of love that's truly real
a guiding light that'll never fade
there's not a thing in life that I would ever trade
for the love you give and won't let go
I hope you'll always know

You are my everything
Nothing your love won't bring
My life is yours alone
The only love I've ever known
Your spirit pulls me through
When nothing else will do
Every night I pray
On bended knee
That you will always be
My everything

You're the breath of life in me
the only one that sets me free
and you have made my soul complete
for all time (for all time)

You are my everything (you are my everything)
Nothing your love won't bring (nothing your love won't bring)
My life is yours alone (alone)
The only love I've ever known (oh no, no)
Your spirit pulls me through (your spirit pulls me through)
When nothing else will do (when nothing else will do)
Every night I pray (oh, I pray)
On bended knee (on my knee)
That you will always be
be my everything

You are my everything (you are my everything)
Nothing your love won't bring (nothing your love won't bring)
My life is yours alone (alone)
The only love I've ever known (oh no, no)
Your spirit pulls me through (your spirit pulls me through)
When nothing else will do (when nothing else will do)
Every night I pray (oh, I pray)
On bended knee (on my knee)
That you will always be
be my everything

Every night I pray
down on bended knee
that you will always be
my everything
oh my everything

~

After the dancing, Eve and Julian went upstairs to the suite that Julian had booked for them. As soon as Julian opened the door, he picked up Eve and carried her over the threshold, and then set her down once they were inside and closed the door. Then they began kissing again. After they released the kiss, Eve looked around the room. It was beautiful. There was a king sized bed, with rose petals on top in the shape of a heart. The room was candlelit, and there was a fire going on in the fireplace, with a table with a bottle of champagne on ice on top. There were bouquets of roses everywhere and in the bathroom, and there was a bubble bath with candles.

“Oh Honey, it’s lovely,” Eve said.

“Well nothings to good for my beautiful wife-to-be and the mother of my child and the woman who saved my life,” Julian told her.

Then they began kissing again. At one point, Julian stopped and asked Eve, “Oh, is it safe for us to make love in your condition?”

“It’s more than safe,” Eve explained to him.

“I guess I have a lot to learn about pregnancy,” Julian quipped.

“I’ll get you some books,” Eve said with a chuckle.

Julian called room service downstairs to get a bottle of non-alcoholic champagne for Eve and then they poured two glasses. Julian put up his glass and said, ‘here’s to us and to our future and our new baby. May nothing ever separate us again.”

“Nothing,” Eve added.

Eve and Julian clinked glasses and then began kissing again and began taking each other's clothes off, heading towards the bathtub where once they were naked got into the tub, bathing each other in the candlelight.

After the bath, they dried each other off and Julian swept Eve into his arms and set her down by the fireplace, where they made love. After the lovemaking, Eve and Julian sat in front of the fireplace, with blankets covering them. Eve had her back against Julian’s chest, and Julian’s arms around her, with Eve’s hands on his arm.

“You know it’s strange, 72 hours ago I was at the compound with Marty not knowing how or when we were going to get home,” Julian confessed. “Now I’m free and home and reunited with you and we’re going to have a baby together. I feel like the luckiest man in the world.”

“I feel the same way,” Eve confessed. “72 hours ago, I was so depressed thinking you had died. And now look at us, we’re back together, closer than ever.”

“I know I’m going to sound like Theresa, but I think it was fate that brought us back together,” Julian replied.

“I think so too,” Eve said with a grin. “It’s like Timmy said, our love was written in the stars.”

“It most certainly was,” Julian agreed. “I just can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives together.”

“Me too.”

Eve and Julian pulled each other into a passionate kiss. They were finally back together and nothing could separate them again.

Epilogue

A month later Alistair Crane was arrested for kidnapping Julian and Marty, where he was tried and found guilty and sentenced to two life sentences. Julian took over Crane Industries, creating an empire that would do good for society.

Eve and Julian got married that April, in Paris, in a beautiful formal wedding where they flew all of their family friends for the joyous event. They spent a month-long honeymoon in Europe.

Later that fall, they welcomed a baby girl, Megan Katherine Crane, into the world. She was a beautiful baby who was the spitting image of her mother and had her father’s eyes. Megan was her Mommy and Daddy’s little princess.

Eve would continue to work as a doctor at Harmony hospital.

Six months after Julian was found, Eve and Julian found their long lost son, Brandon Walker, who was a youth counselor. Brandon was shocked to learn that his grandfather kidnapped him at birth, but didn’t blame his parents. After some time, Eve and Julian formed a relationship with him and welcomed him into their family.

TC ended up losing his teaching and coaching licenses. He moved to New Orleans where he worked as a private tennis coach for young people training for the olympics. TC never showed his face in Harmony again, but did remain in touch with Sam.

Luis and Sheridan got married six months after Julian came back and soon afterwards had a baby girl, Katherine Pilar Lopez-Fitzgerald. She looked just like her mother, with blue eyes and blonde hair. Luis and Sheridan were able to get help for Marty to heal from his trauma. Julian would always be Marty’s favorite uncle.

Fox and Whitney got back together and eventually married.

Simone and Rae stayed together and eventually had a commitment ceremony, and then when gay marriage became legal, they got married.

Noah and Fancy also got married.

Ethan and Theresa eventually got married, raising Little Ethan and Jane together.

Gwen and Rebecca eventually left town, knowing that everyone in Harmony now hated them for their misdeeds.

Ivy also left town, where Sam and Grace were able to heal and rebuild their marriage.

Word got out that Endora was Julian’s daughter. While people were certainly surprised, Endora was embraced by the Crane family. She was able to hide the fact that she and Tabitha were witches.

John and Marlena remained friends with Eve and Julian for the rest of their lives, even after they went back to Salem.

After Julian being kidnapped, the Crane Family finally became a loving family and were finally close.

As for Eve and Julian, their love never died and they made sure that whenever they left to go somewhere they would always tell each other ‘I love you’, no matter what was going on. And they lived happily ever after.

The End