A/N This chapter is kind of long but I wasn't really sure where to break it up. Hope everyone enjoys the latest chapter.
David stood in the middle of his cabin surrounded by boxes. His entire life was in those boxes, all of his possession boxed up probably to never see the light of day again. He had come to love this town and the people in it despite their narrow minded view of him. As much as he loved this place he knew it was time to get out of dodge. Everything he had worked for these last 10 years was finally going to be the end of his reign here. It was only a matter of time before Greenlee and Zach told everyone about his hospital and the extreme measures he took to keep people alive. His practices were experimental and not the kind of experimental that the FDA had approved. David knew that once Ryan, Jack, and Jesse finally found out the truth they would be coming after him with guns blazing
Earlier that day he contacted his staff and gave them detailed instructions on where to take his patients to ensure they got the best possible medical treatment. He prayed that they would survive but without him their odds weren't as good.
He wanted to leave that night but was having a hard time finding a way out of town without getting caught or putting his workers in danger. He considered calling his pilot but knew they would be able to track his plane and leaving by car would be a risk unto itself. He was a resourceful man he would eventually find a way out he just hoped he'd find it soon.
For now he focused on getting his things backed so if was ever able to come back to this place they there waiting for him. As he walked across the room to get the packing tape he heard a faint knock on his door. He looked at the door with a puzzled look in his eyes he wasn't expecting company, not that anyone in this town would really want to see him anyway.
When he opened the door he saw the last person in this town he'd ever expected to see, "Greenlee! What in God's name are you doing here? Shouldn't you been in the hospital?"
"Hi David" she said solemnly "I was release yesterday. I'm here because well we need to talk."
"Come on in" he opened the door for her and invited her in.
"Going somewhere David?" she inquired as she saw the piles of boxes piled up.
"Oh no just some spring cleaning."
"David it's fall."
He laughed as he ran his fingers through his hair, "What can I say I wanted a head start. What can I do for you Greenlee."
I wanted to talk to you about what happened last year….." she started.
Cambias
As Greenlee was visiting David across town at Cambias industries there was another meeting taking place and it had nothing to do with stocks or sales. Ryan, Jackson, and Jesse were trying to find away to finally put an end to Dr. Dave.
"Whatever we do we need to do it fast. David has a knack for getting out of trouble because he's always two steps ahead of us. If we're going to nail him this time we have to be quick" Ryan began.
"That's true Ryan but Hayward knows that Zach's alive so if he had anything to do with that he's already ahead of the game. He knows we're on to him." Jackson was worried that once again David would get away with hurting the people he loved.
"The key here gentlemen is getting to Zach and Greenlee before Hayward has a chance to do anymore damage." Jesse knew better than anyone how hard it was to go after David. Ever since David had come back to town after the tornado Jesse spent most of his career going after the man and he was tired of coming up short.
"Greenlee? Come on Jesse my daughter doesn't know anything. She was in an accident the night that Zach had come home." Jack was more than happy to stick it to David but didn't want to do it at the expense of his daughter.
"Yes, Greenlee was in an accident but that didn't occur early the next morning. We know after her meeting at Fusion she went to David's to find out information about Orpheus. After that no one knows where she went or what she did. There were a lot of missing hours between then and the accident. I think it's a real possibility that Greenlee remembered when David saved her and she found Zach and brought him back" Jesse explained knowing Jack wouldn't like his daughter being in the middle of this mess again.
"If Greenlee had found Zach and brought him back don't you think she would have stayed with Zach at his and Kendall's place" Ryan asked.
"Unless she wanted to approach David herself." Jackson wondered out loud.
"Her car was headed towards his cabin when the accident happened" Jesse pointed out "I think that's exactly what she was going to do."
"Ok but why wouldn't Zach or Greenlee tell us?" Ryan sat down behind his desk trying to figure out the mystery surrounding Zach's miraculous return.
"Zach said the drugs he was on made everything fuzzy. And we know that Greenlee's had some memory problems since the accident." Jackson thought back to his first conversation with his daughter after the accident. He had asked her what happened that day and she had no recollection.
"I find it interesting that neither of them can remember anything. Is it a coincidence or are they protecting someone?" Jesse said knowing that this would make the others upset.
Ryan stood angered that Jesse would insinuate his wife was protecting Hayward again. "WHY WOULD GREENLEE DO THAT?"
Jackson put his hand on his son-in-laws shoulder to calm him down. Jesse knew one of them would be pissed, not that he blamed them he'd be pretty ticked if someone suggested his daughter was helping Hayward.
Ryan noticed the hurt in Jesse's eyes and sat down, "Sorry Jesse I know we're just throwing ideas around but why would Greenlee help David? She hates the man. I can understand if Zach felt some sort of loyalty to the man for saving his life but not Greenlee".
"Maybe she doesn't know anything I don't know but we need to find out and find out soon." Jesse started.
"Jesse I don't want to get my daughter involved if we don't have to. She's still recovering and your wife said we should avoid as much stress as possible." Jack hated bringing Jesse's wife into the conversation but he knew that would make Jesse back off Greenlee for now.
"I understand Jack but there is someone else we can ask." He said looking at the other two men.
"Zach" they all said together.
Zach Slater
Zach Slater drove through the streets of Pine Valley. It was an odd feeling being in this place. He had lived all over the world Paris, Greece, New York, Las Vegas, London. He was a successful man by the world standards he was the sole heir to the Cambias family, a family rich in money and power but poor in every other sense of the word family. He owned casinos all over the United States all worth millions of dollars but here on these streets none of that mattered. It didn't matter where he had travelled in life because there was always someone here that had been there and done that. It didn't matter that he was a Cambias because here there were the Kane's, the Martin's, the Chandler's, the Cortland's, the Greenlee's, and the Montgomery's. Each rich in their own right whether it be in power, money, or in family. Here Cambias was just another name. And here it didn't matter if you owned Casino's or a Cosmetics Empire or worked the swing shift at Krystal's everyone here weather rich or poor dinned at the same places and shopped in the same stores. All money here meant was you got the more expensive champagne at ConFusion.
Yes, driving through this familiar place gave Zach an odd feeling that he had never experienced in life. This place more than anywhere on earth was home. It was here that he had experienced true love and family. Nothing made him happier than to walk into the home he shared with Kendall and to have his two beautiful boys run to him and smother him with hugs and kisses. Playing with his boys or snuggling with Kendall was worth more to him than anything in this world and he would do anything to protect what they had.
Zach continued down the streets of Pine Valley thinking he was the luckiest Son of a Bitch alive when he thought were interrupted by the sound of his cell phone buzzing. He looked down at the all too familiar phone number on his screen. He knew it was only a matter of time before he got this call but had hoped he would have more time. He reluctantly picked up the phone.
"Ryan, what can I do for you," Zach was a get to the point kind of guy and didn't want to waste small talk on the likes of Lavery. He never had much use for the man and only tolerated him because he was Spikes father.
"Zach are you still with Greenlee?" Ryan asked remembering his wife had mentioned having lunch with him.
"No, I left her at your place about 20 minutes ago. She looked pretty tired I think she was going to rest." Zach hoped Ryan was just looking for Greenlee as the young woman had a horrible habit of turning off her cell phone or not charging it.
"Oh good she needs the rest. The reason I asked is I was wondering if you had some time to come by Cambias. There is something important I'd like to talk to you about." Zach could hear the hopefulness in the other man's voice.
"Well I on my way home but I guess I could stop by for a few minutes."
"Thanks Zach see you soon"
"DAMN IT!" Zach threw the cell phone down on to the passenger seat of the car. He knew what Ryan wanted and he knew who else was with him. He hated that he was going to have to tell them about David and the secret hospital and how Greenlee got him out of there. If he didn't tell them eventually they would figure it out and all but tar and feather him for protecting the man who saved his life.C
Cambias
Twenty minutes later Zach found himself walking into Ryan's office. He wasn't surprised to see Jesse and Jackson with Ryan. All three men stood up and shook his hand and welcomed him.
"Thanks for coming" Jesse started, "I know you want to get home to your wife so we'll try and keep this as short as possible."
"I appreciate that Jesse. And to help move this along faster I know why you guys have summoned me here. You want to know how I survived and how I got home right?" the other men nodded their heads. They were grateful that they weren't going to have to pull the information out of him.
"I want to start out by telling you that I had every intention of telling Kendall everything when I returned. When we got the call that Greenlee had been in the car accident I wanted to wait to say anything. She's as invested in all this as I am. I knew if I told you guys what had happened people would start asking her questions the second she woke up and I didn't want her to have to stress out especially if she couldn't remember what had happened." Zach looked between Jack and Ryan wanting Jack to know he wanted to protect Greenlee from Ryan's exuberance.
"Thank you for protecting my daughter" Jack was grateful that Zach cared for his daughter but wanted to know how she was involved in the latest mess they believed David caused.
For the next hour Zach told the other men how he had been saved by Griff and was taken to a hospital created by David. He told them of David's experimental treatments and how they saved his life. He told them about the others in the hospital and how David had kept these people alive despite the odds against them. They listened as he described finding Greenlee at the hospital and how she brought him home. He hoped that they would see the good that David was doing.
"We got him!" Ryan gleefully said as Zach finished. Zach quietly lowered his head knowing that Ryan was going to lead the charge against David. Why couldn't they understand that David was saving lives?
"Thank you Zach I'm sure it wasn't easy for you to tell us everything especially knowing that we're going to go after the man that saved your life." Jesse reached over and shook Zach's hand as the man got up and walked out the room.
"OK Jesse what's next?" Ryan asked not wanting to waste any time. He wanted to get Hayward out of their lives and in jail as soon as possible.
"I'm going to go by the station and get a search warrant then we'll go get him."
Back at the Cabin
Greenlee sat on David's leather couch as he handed her a cup of tea. "Greenlee what happened last year was my fault. I loved you too much."
"David stop…" she put her hand gently over his mouth. "David we both made mistakes last year. I know you loved me and I loved you."
"And I ruined it…." David interrupted her as she gave him a dirty look, "sorry, shutting up."
"Your blackmail didn't help the situation but David I pushed you that far. I promised to love you and stand by you. I promised that it would be you and me against Pine Valley. But, I'm the one that gave up first. Loving you was harder then I imagined. The way that people looked at me was with hatred and disappointment. I thought I was ok with that but having your family and friends hate you was harder than I realized. When I started to pull away from you and started making my way back to Ryan people wanted to be around me again. So I sacrificed you for my own selfish needs. And then I thought you died."
He looked down in shame. He wanted to get her away from Ryan but in the end had caused her more hurt than he could imagine.
"When you died I had to go through the loss of another man I thought I loved. In that moment sitting next to your body at the Yacht Club I regretted pushing you away just so I could have my friends and family back. I regretted not loving you the way that I promised to love you and I thought it was too late."
"And then I came back…."
"When you walked into that court room there were so many emotions going through my mind. I had just been found guilty of your murder and I was going to jail for the rest of my life. And then you walked into the court room. Once again I had a husband who had faked their own death just to get away from me. So I pushed you way even further. I didn't want to give you the ability to ever hurt me again."
David looked up at her. Tears were forming in her eyes. He had done this to her. He had promised to always protect her but had done just the opposite. "I'm sorry Greenlee I never meant to hurt you. In my own stupid ways I was trying to show you how much I loved you. I almost wish I had never fallen for you maybe then I would never have ruined our friendship and maybe then you wouldn't be scared of me."
"David I'm not scared of you." She looked deep into his eyes.
"Then what are you afraid of?"
"I'm afraid of losing everyone else in my life. If I stand by you, even as a friend, and try and make them understand that you aren't the vial doctor they make you out to be I'll lose them. The awful way I've treated you this last few months have less to do with you and more to do with my own insecurities. And David I'm sorry I haven't been there for you. I owe you so much you saved my life." She thought back to the day she woke up in the hospital believing it to be her wedding day. The look of relief in his eyes that she was alive.
"Greenlee I've told you this before you don't owe me anything. I didn't save your life so that you could give me anything in return. I saved your for him….."
"For Leo" she finished.
"David there's something else we need to talk about. I went back there you know."
"To the hospital where I saved you. I know you were there and I know you saw my patients and brought Zach home." He saw her nodding her head. "I'm guessing you have some questions about what I was doing there?"
"No, David I know what you were doing and I know why you were doing it. Leo helped me understand."
"Leo?" David didn't understand what she was saying. How could Leo help her? "Greenlee you know Leo wasn't in the hospital I never found him. Besides if I had found him you would have been the first to know."
"David I know he wasn't there. When I was in the car accident Leo came to me." She told David all about being with Leo how they danced together in the boathouse remembering their love and how they talked about him. "Leo helped me see why you saved all those people and didn't tell anyone."
Greenlee reached over and put her hand softly on David's face, "David you didn't do that to hurt anyone. You don't want anyone to go through what you went through with your Dad. David I'm sorry for not standing by you I should have remembered what an honorable man you are."
"Greenlee…."
"David I need to tell you something. Zach told me that Ryan, Jesse, and my dad are coming after you and they want to use me and Zach to do it. Zach wants to stand by you but doesn't want "to lose his family. He's going to give you up when they ask."
"I figured as much Greenlee. Hence all the boxes. I'm going to leave Pine Valley before they even get the chance." He explained.
"How do you plan on doing that David? You know Jesse has got to have an eye on your plane and pilot."
"Don't worry about me Greenlee I'll find away out of here."
"I know you will David because I'm going to help you."
"NO!" he shouted making her jump. "Greenlee you've said it yourself standing beside me protecting me has cost you everything that you value. I can't let you lose your friends and family for me."
"David I'm doing this for you. There's nothing you'll be able to say or do to convince me otherwise. You don't deserve to have the people in this town coming after you. You saved people's lives David. Besides if you don't let me help you I'll be betraying Leo. I made him a promise that I would come back here and help you."
"Greenlee don't bring my brother into this." he knew he lost this battle the second she brought up Leo.
"Look David I've already got a plan. You remember Count Du Pres?", David nodded, "Well I've kept in contact with him, even though he wasn't in Leo's father he had a great respect for him. It seems that the Count has been having some heart problems and I just happened to drop the name of the world's greatest cardiologist and he's agreed to let you see him. That will give you a legitimate reason to leave the country before they have a chance to bring up charges. And after you take care of the Count you'll be able to go wherever you want."
"Greenlee, thank you no one's ever helped me like this before. But there's still one problem how do I get to Paris? Like you said Jesse's got my plane watched and I'm sure he's got my name on some 'No Fly List'."
She laughed, "David, David, David you under estimate me. I already talked to my Grandfather and asked him if I could use one of the company planes which he has given me no questions asked. It's waiting for you whenever you're ready to go."
"Are you sure you want to do this Greenlee? If your father or Ryan ever find out you could lose them." He was concerned for her. He remembered how they treated her when they were married.
"David this is my choice. I know the risks. But there's a right and a wrong here. I did the wrong thing last time giving you up for my own needs. This time I need to do the right thing and stand by you the way you stood by me and everyone else in this town."
An hour later Greenlee stood in the middle of David's cabin by herself. By this time her Grandfather's jet was probably just over the Atlantic. She had promised to take care of his belongings. She carefully opened up one of the boxes and found Leora's pink baby blanket on top. She rubbed her fingers over the soft blanket. She had loved that little girl from the first moment she held her. Under Leora's blanket was a picture of David and Leo. They were two of the most beautiful people in the world standing there with the same goofy smile on their faces. She smiled down at them and tear slowly dropped from her eye. She stood their entranced at the picture of two men that loved her unconditionally.
That quite moment was suddenly disrupted.
BANG BANG BANG someone knocked on his door. "DAVID ARE YOU IN THERE?" she recognized Ryan's voice and stood frozen not sure what to do next. The door flew open and in walked Ryan along with her father and Jesse. When Jack and Ryan saw her they stopped dead in their tracks with shock on their eyes.