"She Cries" By Jewel

Jason never rescued Courtney. Courtney and Jason never really connected because Sonny gave up on Courtney after she kept pushing him away. Courtney is still stripping at Coleman's and is still married to AJ and he still has no idea that she is stripping (stalker thing never happened) and AJ really is in love with Courtney..but Courtney is sick of the way her life is going.

"Time passes quickly for our lady of the hour
She brushes her long blonde hair
From her face only to find a tear"

Courtney sits in a dressing room as many slutty dressed women walk pass and others sit by her putting on makeup. Courtney just stares in the mirror. She is wearing a silver shiny bra with a matching mini skirt. Courtney looks down to adjust her bra and when she looks back in the mirror she brush's her hair from her face and wipes her tears.

"But she don't know why she's been crying
She looks inside herself
To maybe find an answer"

Coleman enters the room, he spanks one of the girls passing by, C'mon girls, Cheyenne and Pearl, you two are up next..Daisy, you're after them." The girls begin to clear out to see the next 'performance'. Courtney sits where she is still, Coleman notices her. She is just staring at herself, how did she get here, a couple years ago she was just your average teen, ready to go to college..have fun with friends. Then she came to Port Charles, everything changed after that. She gets up and comes face to face with Coleman standing behind her.

"But she's willingly distracted
By the man who like's her glitter
She says, "Fool, I ain't gold."

Coleman strokes Courtney down her arm. "You're beautiful Daisy." Courtney smiles, "I'm not a beauty, but hey, I guess I'm alright." Coleman smiles. He pulls her close and roughly kiss's her. She closes her eyes tight, wanting it to be over soon. But she kiss's back as well. It was all she could do. She was tired of fighting everything. She just wanted to give in to it now.

"She don't even know she cries ladaladaaa
Cuz she's so tangled up in lies ladaladaaa"

He slams her against the wall and grinds himself against her. She begins to unbutton his shirt. A few weeks ago this would disgust her, but now, it makes her feel better. AJ began drinking again, he was passed out every night. The two hadn't made love in nearly two months. Coleman was her escape from that..even though he was one of her biggest problems.

"In her head she plays a game
Pretending that she's not the same
Lady who is cheating on her husband
With a man she hardly even knows
She says, "Ignorance is bliss."

He kissed her neck, as he began tearing at her clothes. She knows AJ doesn't deserve this, after losing his job and any chance of a life with Michael . He had stayed away from alcohol for so long, but, after that he went back to it. If he found our what she was doing with Coleman, and the fact she was stripping. AJ would be ruined and it. But she just couldn't stop herself, she was so confused. As she hears the audience clapping and wooing, the two girls come in as Courtney breaks her kiss from Coleman. The rest of the girls are ready to watch Daisy, the main event. Courtney takes a quick look in the mirror adjusting her clothes and heads on stage.

"But when he asks her name
She must fumble for an answer
She's been called so many
But now she can't remember
So she just makes up another"

As the music begins she begins dancing. It had become routine now for her. But tonight was different, she began to feel something wasn't right. The lights began to blind her, the smell of beer and such began to make her feel sick. But she kept dancing. Her clothes tumbled to the floor as she twirled around the pole. Her long hair whipped around her and the men's cheer's were almost deafening. She hated it, but had gotten used to it. She was beginning to accept that this was her life now.

"And she don't even know she cries ladaladaaa
Cuz she's so tangled up in lies ladaladaaa"

She gets down as men begin throwing money at her. She gives her final sway around the pole and the curtains close. She picks up her money and clothes and heads back to the dressing room. Coleman is waiting for her as the girls congratulate her on another great show. She politely smiles and thanks them as they all leave. Coleman smiles as well, "Sweetie, why don't you get cleaned up and meet me in my office" Courtney nods reluctantly.

"Now the dirty deed is done
She heads into the bathroom
She washes her hands in the sink
And thinks it could clean her conscience
If only she could find one"

Courtney gets back into her regular clothes and cleans her face. She looks at the girl in the mirror. It wasn't Courtney anymore. It was Daisy. Courtney was just a memory of past innocence now. She began to cry. She didn't like what she had become. She felt dirty, ashamed. She decided not to meet Coleman. She just wanted to go home and be with her husband. She wanted to help him instead of pleasure Coleman. This was it, she had to be strong to get her self out of the hole she was in.

"And slowly she turns and heads
For the door as if this were all a dream
She has seen her sweet husband's face
But only like a fleeting glimpse"

Courtney headed for the door out of the dressing room, but then she saw him. AJ was standing there, his eyes were wide and he looked angry..and drunk. Courtney was stunned and began to say something. But AJ backed away from her, "How could you" Courtney tried to explain but AJ wouldn't listen. "You slut, get away..you disgust me" and with that AJ left.

"Of all those bridges she's been burning
All those bridges she's been burning
And she don't even know she cries
It should come as no surprise
Cuz she's so tangled up in lies"

Courtney looked to Coleman's office door. She was so tired of fighting that she didn't bother going after AJ, she sighed. She lost him. She slowly walked to Coleman's office. She closed the door behind her with tears in her eyes.