The Chapel at the Convent
"Tony, I'm losing my patience here."
EJ stood a few feet away in the aisle, his hands resting on his hips, his face tense.
Tony swallowed the instant retort that came to mind, the one about EJ having lost the better part of his common sense. "You asked me when you first arrived, why I chose this place for us to meet."
"Yes, yes…get on with it."
"Because dear brother," explained Tony, "this…" he waved a hand in dramatic fashion, "is the scene of the crime."
Letting his eyes travel in a quick circle around the chapel, EJ's gaze returned to Tony's face, baffled and then laughed in disbelief. "Come on Tony, this is ludicrous."
"You mean like the body lying in the hospital today that isn't mine and Nicole's confession?"
The laughter stopped abruptly.
"This is where Samantha came Elvis, in desperation, hoping the sisters could provide a sanctuary for her baby…"
"My baby."
Tony ignored the possessive outburst. "Sadly, Father was one step ahead of her because the physician on duty at the nearby clinic was coincidently the doctor ministering to your very clever fiancé'."
"Baker?"
"Yes."
EJ hesitated, suspecting for the first time where this was headed. And the realization was staggering. It had been easy to ignore Nicole's past and how ugly it was. He was in no position to be pointing fingers himself and frankly, it insured that he'd not have to listen to any lectures about Stefano, or EJ's connection to the old man. He'd heard enough of those; from Samantha and her family, from Tony, from all the other bloody self-righteous citizens running around Salem acting as though they had no skeletons of their own to be minding.
So, he'd let his guard down.
He'd allowed this to happen, whatever Nicole and his father were guilty of here, he'd made it possible. The shame the admission brought with it devoured him. His face burned and it took resolve he didn't trust in completely to meet his brother's eyes. "Are you telling me that Samantha gave birth at the clinic here?"
EJ's voice was steady but Tony was aware of what each word cost him. Nothing wounded a soul like injured pride, especially after the way EJ had been raised and this was the moment Tony had feared most of all. He didn't want to watch his brother, the one he'd just begun to forge a relationship with, following in Andre's footsteps. Even without Stefano around to influence him further, the damage had already been done and all that remained to keep the boy sane was Samantha. She had to save EJ. Without her, he'd fall…
"Tony….please, tell me."
Tony's face was so tight, it hurt but he didn't look away. "Samantha gave birth in the clinic here on the same day as Nicole's supposed delivery, yes."
The two men stared at each other and within a few seconds, Tony saw EJ's eyes widen in horror. The boy might be naïve about many of his father's antics over the years, but not when it came to the facts of his own birth or all that had transpired before and after. In fact, he'd haltingly explained bits and pieces of the story one day to Tony after his brother had questioned him about his mother and what became of her, so what Stefano and Nicole had done wasn't lost on him now.
"Sydney is really Samantha's daughter? And mine?" The words were forced out of him in a rough voice.
Tony opened his mouth and then closed it and nodded slowly.
"So, it was all one enormous lie."
EJ wasn't looking at him any longer, but off, with a dazed expression Tony had seen plenty of times thanks to his father. "I wish…"
But EJ cut him off viciously. "DON'T say a fucking thing."
A fire lit up Tony's eyes but he stayed silent, waiting and when EJ bashed his hand against the pew next to him and then turned towards the exit, Tony was ready, jumping up from his seat to cut the younger man off before he reached the chapel doors. "You're not in any shape to be confronting anyone, let alone operating a car, brother."
"And you'll regret trying to stop me."
The threat was uttered calmly enough but EJ stood only inches away and what Tony saw peering out of the darkness in EJ's eyes told a different story. It made him grit his teeth. Tony wasn't young any longer. The only way to take down EJ would be to play dirty and before he could regret his decision, kneed his brother in the groin.
EJ stumbled and then doubled over in agony. "You…BASTARD."
"You didn't give me much choice seeing as you insist on behaving like an idiot."
"You don't und…"
"So help me," snapped Tony, finally losing his own temper, "if you tell me I don't understand, I'm going to take great pleasure in kicking your ass, little brother."
Still gasping in pain, EJ glared up at him and the fury boiling in his gut came spilling out aimed at the only person available to him at the moment, Tony. "You DON'T understand. You never have when it comes to Father."
Tony's disgust was obvious almost immediately, which only served to fuel EJ's blind anger even further.
"Seeing the two of us get close again just pissed you off, didn't it? You're so goddamn jealous, you just can't stand seeing him show me the respect you've been craving ever since you returned home."
"You think I haven't been where you are now brother? Well, you're wrong." Tony stared straight back, his dark eyes glittering and his voice cold. "The last bloody thing I care about is the respect of Stefano DiMera."
"Bullshit."
"And if it wasn't for Anna, I sure as hell wouldn't be standing here now."
EJ's breathing was beginning to slow some but the pain was still fierce, and Tony's admission took him by surprise so that he stared.
"That's right," nodded Tony. "I had no desire to come back to Salem period, and if you want his love so badly you're willing to turn a blind eye to what he's doing to Samantha, then I'll be more than happy to stop wasting my time." He waved an angry hand at EJ. "By all means, go and prove to him what a good little DiMera son you are…but if that is your decision, I warn you, I will do all in my power to help Samantha take those children as far away from you and Father as my resources will allow."
Despite the pain, EJ was on his feet in a flash. He grabbed hold of his brother roughly and shoved him up to the door, his arm pressing against Tony's windpipe. "You do and I will kill you."
Tony merely gazed back. "Well then, it would appear we understand each other."
They remained that way for several long excruciating seconds before EJ realized that Tony was struggling to breathe and he loosened his hold, limping back a few steps.
"Why?" All of the raw emotions EJ was dealing with were still there but none of it made sense all of the sudden. This couldn't be happening to him. It was gone. Everything he'd given a damn about ruined.
Tony was still leaning against the doors, his eyes shut, trying to breathe without coughing and after another quiet minute, sighed. "Love terrifies him Elvis…it always has because it means giving up control and Father..." he shook his head. "He can't."
"So he thinks he has the right to decide how we ought to live as well."
Tony didn't respond to this comment. Instead he waited, praying that EJ's pride would lead him in the right direction this time. Tony knew he couldn't go another round. One of them would end up with a cracked skull and he didn't imagine it would be EJ.