NB: My Gwen is still picturised on Natalie Zea, by the way even if it's been ages since she left the show.

Gwen rolled her eyes at the voice that screeched out across the hall of the Grand Royale Majestic Extravagant Ostentatious Flamboyant Lavish Classic Lounge. "That girl can never stay dead for too long can she?" she said to Antonio. Antonio turned to glare at his sister, who had just entered the hall with Ethan in tow. "Really Theresa! Couldn't you at least spare my engagement?" he demanded. "Oh but I have a really special present for Gwen" said Theresa in a honey-coated voice. Antonio noticed that both of Theresa's hands were behind her back so that only the people standing behind her could see what she was holding (& those people were beginning to point and snigger).

"Theresa - " began Antonio. Theresa grinned widely, "what is it brother dear? Why do you look so worried?" Antonio frowned. He didn't like the look of this but before he could do or say anything else, Theresa walked over, more people pointing and sniggering at the "present" she held behind her back, "It's time for me to give Gwen her present" said Theresa. The whole room was silent and tense now as Theresa swung the gift in front of her. Gwen gasped, "It's a - a - WHAT IS IT?"

Theresa looked down at her present for the first time and her grin disappeared, "Oh NOOO!" Theresa's eyes widened and began to fill up with tears. A few little rivulets of mascara began to make their way down towards her flared nostrils, "My - [sniff sniff] - my surprise!!!" she wailed, turning on Ethan and pointing ferociously, "Ethan you and your stupid ideas! Why did you have to go and WRAP it??!!" she yelled at him. Ethan shrugged, "I thought you were meant to wrap presents", he looked bewildered, confused, about why Theresa was yelling at him. "You stupid egghead! I TOLD you what I was going to use this for! Now I have to rip it open in front of everyone and I'll lose the melodramatic effect I was aiming for!!!" she screamed, "in more ways than one" she muttered under her breath. She quickly began to rip the "present" open. The thick coat of wrapping paper refused to uncover what was underneath and people were beginning to snigger again as Theresa became more and more agitated. When she finally uncovered it, Gwen let out an even louder, more dramatic gasp than her first one, "It's a - a - aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!" she began screaming as Theresa proudly brandished a baseball bat in the air above her.

A scared Gwen began to back off, "Quick Antonio! Rip your shirt off!"she instructed. "Wha - ?" Antonio looked a little flabbergasted.

[Since at this stage in my story, Christopher Douglas is still kind of new to Passions, he was a little confused and it showed on his character. Natalie Zea frantically began to explain, "It's a Harmony by-law! The women of Harmony often become weak and helpless in a dangerous situation and need a shirtless Harmony hunk to come and rescue them! Remember - the SHIRTLESS part is VERY IMPORTANT!!! Even if James E Reilly isn't boss anymore!"

Lindsay Korman and Eric Martsolf waited patiently, understanding the importance of the shirt-removing by-law and of ensuring that every character was aware of it. When they were satisfied that Christopher Douglas had understood precisely what was required of him, Lindsay delivered her next line as Theresa:]

"It's payback time Gwen! Say hello to an old friend! Muhahahahahahaha!!!" Theresa swung the baseball bat back drastically and Gwen took off around the hall as the crowds gathered together began to part. Antonio quickly proceeded to take off his coat. Once he had it off, he flung it as far back as possible and then began to undo his tie. He had all the buttons on his shirt left to go.

Miguel impatiently rolled his eyes as he watched the goings-on. How was he supposed to get First Kay pregnant if all the staff of the Lounge had stopped serving alcoholic drinks to watch the nonsense his sister and her rival were putting on? First Kay was too engrossed in what was going on to even so much as take a sip of the SOFT DRINK she already had in that tiny little glass! Miguel looked around for the bar and didn't see one, "Guys, do any of you see a bar around here somewhere?" he asked his friends. "Miguel! How could you forget?! We're shooting a soap opera here - what makes you think there's going to be an actual bar?! The drinks come from the kitchen off the set!" Whitney told him. Miguel sighed. Would his storyline EVER progress?

Meanwhile, unobserved by Antonio who was busily opening the buttons on his shirt, Gwen had slipped on the coat he had flung back and she had fallen. A grinning Theresa now loomed over her, baseball bat raised. Gwen's fall had given her ample time to catch up. Gwen staggered to her feet, trying not to trip over her beige Chanel dress. She looked around frantically for something she could defend herself with. She couldn't see a thing. Theresa's grin widened as she watched her eternal prey slouch her shoulders in defeat. She swung the baseball bat and thrust it towards Gwen. Everyone closed their eyes as they heard the sickening thwack of wood colliding with what was probably flesh....