Greenlee didn't have to wait very long after knocking on the cabin door for David to answer. She took a quick peek at Leo backing his car out to leave and then walked right past David into his cabin, doing her best to not show any signs of still feeling a little bit under the weather.
"So you answer the door now," Greenlee turned back to her brother-in-law and smiled. "That's an improvement."
On some level David felt happy to see her, but he wasn't in the mood for her jokes right now. "What are you doing here, Greenlee?"
"I'm just here to hang out with my favorite brother-in-law," she answered with a playful smile, already feeling right at home. "We don't see each other enough anymore, you know?"
"I've already made it clear to you why," he walked around her and sat down in a chair by his table. "I told you it would be better if I stayed away."
"You were there with us at the cemetery," she pointed out. "You were with Leo last night when he found that note."
"Because my crazy mother is still out there. Once we deal with her, you won't hear from me ever again."
"What do you mean?" Greenlee sat down opposite David and followed his eyes to a spot in the corner. A suitcase sat there, looking like it was already packed and ready to go. "No, David," she pleaded with him gently, putting her hand on top of his. "Please don't do this?"
"It's best for everyone," he shrugged.
"Like hell it is," Greenlee shot back. "I don't get it, David, I really don't. I understand that you blame yourself for always losing your family; but now you know for sure that it wasn't because of you. They were in the wrong place at the wrong time – nothing more. Vanessa wanted Adam. It had nothing to do with you."
David shook his head. He was in a better place now after spending some time helping out with Leo – it felt good to feel part of something again – but he still didn't trust himself to be good for anyone. "But that's exactly it, Greenlee. They are still gone, and now you and Leo come back and get thrown right back into the fire. Guess who is a common denominator here?"
"Vanessa," Greenlee quickly answered. "Listen to me," she told him softly. "Leo and I aren't the only ones that can use your help. We're trying to keep Holly and David out of this, but we could use an uncle around to keep an eye on them and protect them." She noticed him sigh at the mention of her children. It was obvious that he cared, but was too afraid of himself to get in too deep. "You might not trust yourself to be someone good to those kids anymore, but I still see in you the man that saved my life. And I know you know that person is still inside you too, just begging to come out."
David looked into her sincere eyes and finally let something close to a smile show on his face. "You seem to believe in me a lot, don't you?"
She smiled back at him, happy to be getting through. "Of course I do, David; because if it wasn't for you I wouldn't be sitting here right now. I care about you so much and it kills me to watch you drown like this and hide yourself off from the people who love you."
"You won't have to watch it for much longer," David sighed, reverting to his more distant personality.
Greenlee nevertheless held her smile. "Do you remember that day at the falls, David? The day you found me there ready to jump?"
"Yeah."
"Do you remember what gave me the strength to go on a little longer? To be able to live that extra time in all that pain until I found out that Leo was really still alive?"
"No."
Greenlee beamed at him and reached her hand over to his cheek, letting it rest over his scruffy beard. "You did, David. You did."
David let her keep her hand on his face and looked at his sister-in-law with a certain tenderness in his eyes; finding it hard to believe that he really did that much to help her. "How did I do that?"
"Simple," Greenlee took back her hand and stared into his eyes. "When you found me and talked me off that ledge, you gave me the one thing that I needed the most: you showed me that I wasn't alone. I thought there was no way I could go on, not just because of losing Leo but because without him I had no one else in the world that could ever relate to what I was feeling. The world just seemed like such a lonely place. And then you found me and showed me that it wasn't true. I still remember when you called me 'sis' – you really showed me that you cared about me; and it made me feel like I still had a place in someone's heart, you know? So here I am, trying to give to you what you gave to me. I'm telling you right now in every way that I know how: I love you and I want what's best for you."
"I know you do," David nodded his head. "But I…"
He stopped speaking when he saw her stumble in her seat and grab onto the table to keep herself from falling. "Greenlee?" He came around the table to her and held her upright, finally noticing the weakness in her face now that he was taking a good look at her. She had her eyes closed, clearly experiencing a dizzy spell. He held onto her as she waited it out, making sure that she wouldn't fall off her chair. After a few more seconds, she opened her eyes back up and took a deep breath.
"I'm alright," she told him. "Just another head rush."
"Another?" he questioned her; the inner doctor in him coming to the surface. "Do I even have to tell you that you're looking a little pale right now? How long have you been having dizzy spells?"
"It's no big deal," she tried to argue. "I've just been a little out of it since yesterday."
"Do you want to lie down?" he asked worriedly. "Or I can drive you back home if you want."
"No, don't do that. I don't want Leo to worry, and if you take me home because of this that's all he's going to do. He has important things to do today, and I'm not going to give him any reason to cancel them."
David was about to continue to argue with her, but her cell phone rang before he could start.
"Hello… Yes, this is Mrs. duPres…" Greenlee put her hand on her head in disappointment at hearing what the caller had to tell her. Oh no. Not today of all days. "Okay, I'll be right there." She put away her phone and began to head for the door after giving David a quick wave goodbye.
"Hold it!" he stopped her, sounding very concerned. "Where the hell do you think you're going, Greenlee?"
"Out. I need to get somewhere."
"Greenlee, you just almost fainted. You're clearly sick. I'm not letting you out of my sight, especially to go driving somewhere!"
Greenlee shrugged; hiding the smile that wanted to come out by David insisting on coming with her. This would be brilliant if it was intentional. "Fine, let's go." She walked out of the cabin as he followed.
"Where are we going?" he asked her after he shut the front door behind them.
"Where going back to school," Greenlee finally let the smile out. "It's time for you to meet your nephew."
David's expression grew alarmed by the thought. "Wh… why are we doing that?" he stuttered nervously.
"Something about a prank with some well-placed water balloons," Greenlee answered. "They're sending him home for the day." She noticed how tense David looked; he desperately wanted out of this situation. "Or you can stay here," Greenlee smiled, knowing he was stuck. "But if Vanessa finds me on the way, or if I have another dizzy spell while I'm behind the wheel…"
"No, I'm coming," David regretfully told her. He had to take a deep breath to prepare himself for a moment that he never wanted to happen; but while he didn't trust himself near those kids, he couldn't let Greenlee go alone in her condition. "Your safety comes first."
"Thanks," Greenlee smiled and giddily walked towards his car. David stood in front of the cabin door for a couple moments and stared down at his car keys. Here goes. He followed his sister-in-law to the car, opening it up for her and then driving her towards the school. He was so preoccupied with his own worries that he never saw the car that pulled out from behind the cabin after he started driving. Annie sat behind the wheel; disappointed that Greenlee wasn't alone, but ready to follow her until the perfect situation arose.
----------
David took a spot in the lot across the street from the school and turned off the car. He looked over at Greenlee who was starting to show more visible signs of being sick. Her face had grown more pale and her eyes were being held about three quarters of the way open, masking part of her big brown eyes. She opened the car door and walked outside; David was worried about her and did the same.
"You coming in with me?" she asked him.
David thought about it as he looked at her. He was truly stuck between a rock and a hard place. There was no way he could abandon Greenlee in her condition; and now that she had left her car at his cabin, he was her only mode of transportation. But he was seconds away from possibly meeting his nephew – the child who was named after him – and it scared him to death to let a new person close; he couldn't forget the history of those that he did. "I'll wait out here," he decided in a desperate stall for time. She started walking towards the school until David grabbed her arm from behind. "Promise me that you'll get some water while you're in there, Greenlee. You look like you can use it."
"I'll be fine. Just take all of us back to your cabin after I go pick up your nephew, and I promise I'll drink any filtered water you have. Then while I rest you can get to know David Jr."
Greenlee turned from him pleased with herself at this turn of events. She really didn't want to take David Jr. home in case Leo was still there. He would notice how much worse she looked and insist on staying with her to take care of her. No, staying with a trained doctor was the perfect solution. And this was providing a great excuse to bring the two Davids together.
As David watched her entering the school, he heard footsteps moving closer to him from behind. He turned to see a familiar looking woman with her light hair tied back in a non-threatening ponytail.
"You're David Hayward, right?" Annie told him in the sweetest voice she could muster. "I didn't realize you were free again."
David hid the disgusted look that wanted to come out. He vaguely remembered his path crossing with hers a couple times in the past, and one second of seeing her again reminded him why he never liked her. Are real people that sickeningly sweet? "And you're Annie Devane. I remember you."
"So what are you doing here with Greenlee?"
"I brought her here so she can pick up her son," David answered, looking ahead at the school building and praying that Greenlee would be back soon. Suddenly, meeting David Jr. didn't seem so bad when a conversation with Annie was the alternative.
"Why does she need to get David?" Annie asked; sounding very interested even as she tried to hold to her sweet persona. "Is the little guy sick or something?"
"That's not my place to tell you," he stated quickly, hoping that would end the conversation and that she would leave to go wherever it was she was going.
Annie realized that David was done talking and went back to her car. When she opened it, she saw Greenlee and her son exiting the school and grabbed a book out of the front seat. She walked back towards David as Greenlee and David Jr. were coming. "I almost forgot why I came," she told him. "My daughter forgot this book that she needs for her English class so I'm here to get it to her." Not a bad excuse to be here.
"That's nice," David gave her a short and sweet reply.
Greenlee saw Annie standing there and her face sunk – Annie was definitely not someone she wanted to deal with while sick. But even Annie wasn't going to ruin this opportunity for her. She wiped away the sweat gathering on her forehead and continued to ignore her weakened body as she brought David Jr. in front of his uncle.
"David," she told her son with the biggest smile she could. "I want you to meet someone very special. This is your father's brother: your uncle David."
David Jr. smiled in his excitement when he heard the name. All the worry about how badly his mom might punish him for his prank was erased in that moment of pure joy. "Really? Wow, this is so cool!" His uncle looked into his deep brown eyes and shyly smiled back. David could see the resemblance that his nephew inherited from both his parents, and it made him both happy and nervous at the same time. He tried to think of something to say to him, but had too many different emotions going on in his head to think straight. "Hi," he finally said simply.
David Jr. was too excited to notice how uncomfortable his uncle was feeling. "I have so many things I wanted to ask you!" he eagerly went on. "Like about you and my dad; and about being a doctor; and why my mom and dad think you're so great."
Greenlee looked on proudly at her son. She couldn't remember the last time he looked this excited. But her elation faded as she could feel her vision starting to blur. Slowly, everything began to go dark.
"David," the former doctor heard Annie get his attention and saw her pointing at Greenlee. He saw his sister-in-law begin to fall and reached over to catch her before she hit the pavement.
"Mom?" David Jr. asked worriedly as his uncle held his mother in his arms. She wasn't moving. "Is she okay, Uncle David?"
David patted her cheek repeatedly to try and bring her back but it was no use: she was out cold. He made sure that she was still breathing and then checked her pulse, finding it to be a little weak.
"How's Mom? Is she okay?" David Jr. repeated in alarm.
"She just fainted," David told him in a calm tone, trying to ease his fears.
"I can take her to the hospital," Annie eagerly volunteered. She hid her excited smile at the events going on in front of her. This couldn't have been planned much better than the way things were looking right now with an already unconscious Greenlee duPres just waiting to be handed over to her.
David looked at her and then at David Jr. His vision got stuck in the boy's worried eyes for an extra second. Greenlee needed to get to the hospital, but what about David Jr.?
"David," Annie insisted again. "She needs to get to a hospital, let me take her and you can bring David Jr. home."
David looked at his nephew once again. "I… I…" He wanted to say it was a good idea, but many years worth of fears came to the surface in that moment. I can't. I can't be responsible for him. He picked Greenlee up and held her legs in one hand and supported her head with the other. "Annie," he ordered her through quick breaths. "Take David for me and call Leo. I'm taking Greenlee to the hospital." He saw her give him a smile and nod to let him know that she would do it and rushed Greenlee back into his car, speeding away as soon as he had her in a steady position in the backseat.
Annie stood in the parking lot all alone with David Jr. and bent down to be face to face with the worried boy. "Don't you worry, David," she told him sweetly. "Your mom is going to be just fine and I'm going to get you to your dad, okay? We just have to make one quick stop so I can pick something up first."
David nodded at her, feeling comfortable enough with this woman to trust her – it wasn't like she was a total stranger. And it wasn't like he really had much of a choice.
Annie led him into her car. "Make sure you buckle up," she told him sweetly before closing the backdoor. Once he couldn't see her anymore, an evil grin returned to her face. Little innocent David Jr. sitting alone in my car. Oh Leo, this is turning out to be way too perfect.
----------
"And here's where I work," Annie told David Jr. when they reached her desk at Enchantment. She only had to keep up the sweet little lady act for a little bit longer – just to make sure she could get in and out of Enchantment with David without anyone getting suspicious. She could have left him in the car, but he was too important to her right now to let him out of her sight. Someone might pass by and recognize him, or wonder what a ten year old boy is doing outside a cosmetics company, and he would be out of her grasp.
David looked on, feeling very uncomfortable in this strange building. All he knew was that his mom was in the hospital, he had no idea where his dad was, and this seemingly nice lady whom all he knew about was that he had met her once and that her daughter was always nice to Holly was now watching him. Right about now, all he wanted was to get to his dad and find out if his mom was okay.
"Let's see," Annie turned a key into a drawer in her desk to gain access. She took a quick glance at David to make sure he wasn't looking and discreetly slipped a gun out from her desk and into her purse. "Okay little buddy," she turned to David. "Let's get going, shall we?"
"Annie!"
Annie looked up to see Kendall standing in front of her looking none too happy. Crap!
"Where the hell have you been, Annie!" Kendall yelled at her. "Do you realize what time it is? What are you thinking showing up so late!" She paused her tirade when she noticed a scared looking David Jr. standing in the corner. "And what are you doing with Greenlee's kid?"
David ran over to Kendall, much to Annie chagrin. "My mom is sick," the worried boy told Kendall. "And I want to find out if she's okay."
Kendall bent down to him. "Yeah, I remember she was sick yesterday," she told him softly to try and keep him calm.
"She collapsed earlier today," Annie spoke up. "I'm about to take David home and then I'll come right back here, I promise."
Kendall looked into David's scared eyes. "Did they take your mom to the hospital?"
David nodded back at her.
"Okay, then your dad must be with her, right?" She looked up at Annie as she realized the hole in the woman's plan. Annie kept a straight face; trying to hold in her frustration at her plans stalling right before her eyes. "Right, Annie?"
"Actually, he doesn't know yet. It's my job to bring David over to him and tell him so if you'll just let us be on our way…"
"No, that won't be necessary," Kendall stopped her. "Listen, David," she addressed the young boy that she was still face to face with. "Why don't you come with me to my office and I'll call your dad? If I know him, he'll move heaven and earth to make sure your mom is okay. And you can hang with me for the day." She then looked up at Annie. "This way he can avoid Leo having to take him to the hospital," she explained to her employee.
Kendall put her hand on David's back and began to lead him to her office.
Annie watched for a second; irritated at watching her plan spoiled. "Wait!" she called for them to stop. There was no way she was going to let this golden opportunity slip through her fingers; and with Aidan already onto her and disposed of at the moment, there was no turning back now. If she was going to take her revenge and be able to get Emma out of town with her safely, it had to be done now. This was her one shot.
Annie reached her hand back into her purse as Kendall turned around to face her, bringing it out to show the handle of the gun to the slender woman before quickly hiding it back into her purse – never removing her hand off of the handle. Kendall grew wide eyed in a panic at seeing the weapon, instinctively shielding David's face with her hand to make sure he didn't see it. She breathed a sigh of relief when she realized that David never noticed the firearm; only holding the same worried expression that he had since she first saw him there.
"Keep your mouth shut," Annie warned Kendall with a fierce scowl. "Here's how it's going to be: we are all going to walk out of here right now very nicely and quietly. And I better not hear a peep out of either one of you before we get out of this building, understand? Good. Lead the way, Kendall. We're all going for a drive."