Chapter 10
Liz comes up with a plan to rid herself of Lexie. Whitney awakes to a horrifying situation.
Tony DiMera poured his tenth drink. He felt like crying.
What he had done was wrong. How he could have sacrificed his beloved Eve, just to save his own neck, was beyond his comprehension.
Tony could've gotten away. He was a master at eluding the authorities, and had vast resources in aiding him from the law. But what did his poor Eve have?
She had Julian Crane, and his vast resources. That gave him some comfort, but damned little!
Damn that Stefano! Tony still couldn't make head or tails of what the old man was really peeved about! All of this just couldn't be about Alexandra! Stefano had plenty of children, and most of them were either dead, or alive and indeed, hating his ever loving guts! Why was this situation so different? And why take it out on him?!
Tony looked over at his cell phone. It was sitting on a nearby table. God, how he wanted to call Crane's number, and find out how Eve was holding up! There wasn't much he could do at the moment. Tony had discovered that the Harmony police were following him. So, instead, he had purchased one of those silly 'Run Evian Run' t-shirts from a vendor in front of the bookstore. Though, he could not bring himself to wear it. Because he wished it said, 'Run Evy Run'! Or at least, Tony guessed that that would be the appropriate spelling for the combination of his name with Eve's.
Tony stood up and walked over to the bar. He had decided to get good and plastered tonight. Then, in the morning, he would find a way to help Eve, without alerting the authorities that he was doing so.
The doorbell rang. Then it rang again. Tony slammed down his drink, angry with the insolent servants that had been parading through this house as of late! He was going to fire the maid tomorrow! There was no excuse for him having to answer his own door!
Tony whipped the door back, then blinked. He then wondered if he had had too much to drink.
Eve was standing before him. She looked thoroughly frightened. She rushed into his arms.
'Tony please! I'm begging you...help me!'
Tony's arms clasped around her tightly, as he pulled her into the house and slammed the door.
****
When Julian returned to the mansion, he found workmen there. They were attempting to patch up the hole that had been made, when Chad crashed his car there.
The first thing Julian did, was pick up a vase and fling it at the closest mirror!
'Whoa!' the workmen chanted in unison. A few backed away.
Pilar stepped around the men and watched Julian throw his tantrum. She nodded to them, then followed Julian into his study. She closed the door behind her, and watched him fix himself a drink.
Julian glared over at her.
'Get the hell out of here now!'
Pilar shook her head.
'Not until I know that we're straight.'
'Oh, we're 'straight' Pilar! You can go 'straight' to hell and I'm going 'straight' over to DiMera's to get Eve!'
Julian slammed down his drink and tried to walk past her, but Pilar blocked his way.
'Pilar, I put up with this pretense of your being some sort of capable law enforcement officer, as long as I had to. But if you do not move out of my way...'
'Would you listen to me, Julian? You know, what you didn't do back at the FBI building?'
'There is nothing to listen to. You sold Eve out!'
'No! What I did...what the FBI has offered you, is a chance for the both of you! Julian, Eve was looking at prison time and you both know it! And no matter how glamorous you made life for her on the run, it would have still been stressful on her and the babies!'
'And having her sleep with DiMera won't be?!' Julian hissed, looking her up and down.
'Eve doesn't have to sleep with him!'
'Oh the hell she doesn't! DiMera is no fool! I know it! You know it, and your superiors know it! If the point is for Eve to make Tony DiMera think that she has lost her love for me, and now wants him, she's going to have to put out!'
Pilar cracked her knuckles.
'Alright, yes, that is a possibility I suppose, but, that will depend on the way Eve chooses to handle this. And chances are, Tony isn't going to be interested in her that way while she's pregnant. Not every man is you!'
'Oh, what the hell does that mean?'
Pilar walked up to him, until her face was inches from his.
'Oh come on, Julian! When I found the two of you, both of you barely had any clothes on...or at least any clothes on that were buttoned or zipped!'
'What goes on between my future wife to be, and myself, is none of your business! And if you would stop waiting for a husband that's never coming back, and go out and get yourself some as well, your dirty mind wouldn't be wondering about my sex life with Eve!'
Pilar punched him in the gut! Julian doubled back in pain. He backed into a desk with several photographs on top of it. They fell over.
Pilar walked over to him, willing herself not to hit him again. She pointed at him, determined to be somewhat professional about this thing.
'Now, get this straight: the deal is, that Eve gets Tony to tell her where Stefano DiMera is, however she can. Once we have his location, the charges against Eve and you will be dropped! Mind you, we're not asking you to catch the man, just give us his location! And Julian, as much as I love Eve, I can't forget the fact that my Teresa almost died in that fire at the Blue Note!'
Julian, catching his breath, yet ignoring the pain, straightened up.
'Eve didn't know anyone was inside. Believe me, the last thing she wanted was for anyone to possibly die.'
'Whatever! The point is, you keep the hell away from Eve! And you don't you tell a soul what's going on, even if that makes you look like a cad...which would not be a far stretch from reality! Are we clear? Because any future you want with Eve is riding on this. Tony DiMera is no fool and if he senses he's being used for one second, Eve and the twins could be in danger.'
Julian just nodded, not wanting to think about it. The fact that Eve had to take on this task alone, killed him. That and she needed her rest!
But, he nodded. Anything to get Pilar out of his sight. Pilar turned and walked to the study door. She opened it, then looked back at him. She had never seem him act like this over any woman. To think that all of those years she spent, watching his bickering with Ivy, and not knowing that the woman Julian Crane really loved, lived on her own block!
'I'll call you with updates, if that makes you feel any better.' she threw out.
Julian blinked, but then nodded. As she began to leave, Julian called out to her.
'I'm sorry about before...that remark about Martin was uncalled for.'
Pilar nodded, but said nothing. Julian Crane was now apologizing? Maybe Eve did have a positive effect on him. She turned and left the study, closing the door behind her.
Julian took a deep breath and walked over to his CD player. He still had the CD in that Eve and him were listening to, when Chad crashed into the house. He hit play.
****
Eve could barely make head or tails out of Tony's blubbering! They were sitting on a leather couch in his living room and he was holding her hands very tightly, 'begging her for forgiveness'. Why, she couldn't make out. Eve looked over at the bar. There was a glass half-empty of something, and the bottle next to it seemed to be low.
Eve gently pulled her hands away from his.
'Tony, honey, I don't understand what you're talking about. Why have you been drinking like this?'
Tony looked at her. His eyes were very black. He sniffed.
'It's all my fault. I know it is.'
'What is?'
'What happened with you. You're having to run for your life, and in your condition! I should be horsewhipped!'
'Tony, I burned down two establishments...I did this. Alistair is the one that taped me doing it. You had nothing to do with any of this.'
Tony stared deeply into her eyes. He picked up her hands again.
'I knew I should have looked for a tape when I shot Alistair...but I was in such a hurry and...'
Eve slowly removed his hands from hers again.
'I'm sorry, Tony. Did you just say that you shot Alistair?'
Tony fell down onto his knees on the floor. He was still holding her hands.
'Forgive me, Eve! But I just wanted to rid you of that wretched parasite! I overheard him speaking badly of you...I knew he lived to make your life miserable. I wasn't going to stand for it!'
Eve pulled one of her hands away and patted his head.
'It's alright, Tony. I understand. Many a time I wanted to do the same thing.'
Tony shook his head, grabbing her free hand again.
'You don't understand! Stefano gave me a choice... a choice...a choice between your tape and the one of my killing Alistair. I should've have told him to pick mine...'
Tony slowly let go of her hands and sat on the floor. Eve smiled weakly at him.
'It's alright. Look, I'm sorry to have bothered you. I can't pull you into my mess. I have to get going.'
But Tony was up off the floor in lightening speed! He stood over her.
'Go where, Eve? And what happened to Julian? Why are you all alone? How did you get here? Oh, my God...they're watching me! They probably saw you come in here!'
Tony hurried into the outer hallway and peered out of a window. The men, the police that had been watching his house, were gone. Why?
Eve meanwhile, stood up from the couch. She then took a deep breath. Tony had just admitted that he killed Alistair Crane. That didn't change what she had to do, but it did give her a different take on how dangerous this would be.
When Pilar had blocked their car in at the cottage, Julian had jumped out and proceeded to insult her, as if that would get her to leave.
Eve, who figured that her and Julian's being on the run, couldn't last anyway, got out of the vehicle and walked around towards the two of them. Julian saw her first, and told her to get back inside. Pilar turned and looked at her. Looking at Pilar, made Eve realize that they would just have to face whatever they had to face.
They then got into the back of Pilar's vehicle, and she drove them back to Harmony. Julian bitched the whole way, and asked just how and when, Pilar became an agent, as if he still didn't really believe it. To Pilar's credit, she stayed cool and did not rise to the bait.
Eve had patted Julian's hand in the backseat. For she knew him better than anybody. He was acting out because he was upset, and scared for the both of them. Eve kept calm to show him that everything would be alright, even though she did not know that for sure herself, at the time.
When they returned to Harmony, Pilar drove them to the FBI building. They all got out, and she escorted them inside and into a small room. It was as they were waiting for Pilar's superiors, that Pilar told them what was going to happen.
By the time she finished giving them a sketchy outline of the deal and what needed to be done, Julian was shaking his head, no. Her superiors came in, a Jason Blair and a British agent named Shane Donovan, and they went in to more specifics.
By then, Julian was about to throw a hissy fit! Eve then asked if she could have a moment alone with Julian. Pilar, Director Blair and Agent Donovan left the room, although, Eve suspected they probably watched them through some two-way mirror or something.
Eve held Julian's hands very tightly, and told him that she was going to fix this, by taking the deal. Julian had looked at her as if she were insane, and he was about to say something to her, when she put a finger over his lips.
She then quietly told him, that it was her lies that started this whole thing. And she pointed out that if she hadn't let Liz and T.C. run her away like they did, she would've never known Tony DiMera.
Julian interrupted, reminding her of the DiMera family reputation, and that in her condition, she was in no shape to play spy!
Eve told him that despite what Julian believed about Tony, she had seen something good in him, and that she didn't believe she would be in any real danger. Eve then pulled away from him, walked over to the door and banged on it. Pilar opened it. She told her she would do whatever they wanted. Julian said nothing more, but, Eve knew that he was very worried about her, and their babies.
Eve pushed thoughts of Julian from her mind. Tony's killing Alistair now meant that she could be in some fear for her life. But then again, he had only killed Alistair Crane. Many would say he deserved a medal, not a prison sentence.
Tony returned to the living room. He seemed more lucid than he had been before.
'Eve, how did you get here? And where is Julian?' he asked, peering at her.
Eve knew that she had to perform this next part of the act, just right, or nothing else after would matter.
Eve looked down, then she sniffed and turned away from him. Tony walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders.
'Eve? What is it? You can tell me.'
Eve still kept her back to Tony.
'Julian couldn't take the pressure...he left me in a cabin, in Connecticut.'
Tony turned her around. Eve had tears in her eyes.
'What do you mean he 'left you in a cabin'? He just told you he was leaving?'
'Uh, no, he left a note. He left in the middle of the night...I hitchhiked back here and...'
'HITCHHIKED?!' Tony practically screamed. 'That piece of &^%#$@# took the vehicle and left you to...to....hitchhike?! An axe murderer could've picked you up! He left the mother of his unborn babies to hitchhike?! I will kill him myself!'
Eve pulled him back, as he began to head towards the front door.
'Tony please! I just want to forget about it! Look, I should've known that Julian would never change. And all of this is my fault. I was asking him to be with a woman that was an arsonist.'
'Eve! That is no excuse and you never meant to harm anyone!'
Eve nodded.
'Even so, I just can't drag you into my problems. I'm just going to get going...'
'No! No! You will stay here and I will get you out of this! I will have a maid take you to one of the bedrooms, where you will sleep, stress free tonight. In the morning, we will figure out a course of action.'
Tony watched her wipe a tear from her eye and nod. Tony pulled her into his arms and and held her tight.
'It will be alright, Eve. You are not alone. Your babies are not alone.' he whispered. He then let go of her, to go and fetch one of his lazy servants to help Eve get settled in her new room.
Tony had every intention of confronting Julian, cad bastard that he was! Yet, for some reason, Crane's behavior did shock him. He had been so protective and proprietary of Eve at the hospital. Tony had been racking his brain for days, wondering how he was going to break the two of them up. Then, Crane does his work for him.
Eve, meanwhile, sank onto the leather sofa. Her tears were real. The FBI had told her to tell Tony that horrible tale, and it had hurt her heart to even form the words. But, from what she could tell, Tony now believed that her and Julian were no longer together. At least that was a start.
****
L.A.- NEXT DAY
Whitney awoke to blurry vision and a killer headache. She blinked six times, until her vision seemed to actually return back to normal.
She then sat up quickly! Where the hell was she? She then noticed that she was wearing nothing but a sheet. Where the hell were her clothes?! Where was she?! What had happened to her?!
The answer, appeared in the form of one Simon Cowell. He opened the door to the bedroom, dressed in a black, silk robe. He was carrying two cups of coffee. He smiled carelessly at her, as he set both cups down on a nearby table.
'Good morning, sleepyhead. I thought my sleeping beauty would never awake.'
Whitney didn't know if she should gag from that cheesy line, or the fact that his being in a silk robe, and her being in a bed naked, could only mean one sick thing!
Simon walked over to her side of the bed, then leaned down to attempt to kiss her. Whitney slapped him so hard, that the side of his face that she hit, turned red. She then scrambled out of the bed, draping the sheet around her.
'Where are my clothes, you filthy pervert?!' she hissed, looking around the room. This had to be his place!
Simon didn't even bother to rub his face. He just smiled at her.
'Whitney, darling, that is a very hurtful thing to say to someone you spent the night with, so early in the morning.'
Simon then reached down towards the table and picked up a cup of coffee. He walked over to her and handed it to her. Whitney took it, then waited until his back was turned, before she flung the whole thing at his back!
Simon screamed, jumping out of his robe! Whitney screamed at the sight of him naked and turned towards the door, to run out. The door opened and she ran out into the hall. She did not get far, before Simon wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her back into the room.
Whitney began screaming her head off! Simon let go of her. Whitney stopped screaming when he released her. He also put his robe back on.
'My goodness! I have never had a woman react this way to me so early in the morning!'
'I'm sure the ones you rape do!'
Simon raised a brow.
'Whitney, dear, I did not rape you.'
'And I did not willingly sleep with you, either!'
Simon said nothing to that. He picked up his cup of coffee and sipped it, appraising her. The fact that she still was resisting him, even after last night, served to make him want her all the more!
He put the coffee cup down.
'You were a bit drunk. You said you wanted to come back here and talk, then one thing lead to another.'
Whitney made sure she kept the sheet draped around her tightly.
'I remember drinking, but I would never think of confiding in you. I have Teresa and Fox for that!'
'You had said something about having a fight with Teresa...and we both know Fox is not here.'
'Get my clothes! I'm leaving and I'm dropping out of the competition!'
Simon folded his arms, regarding her for a moment.
'You're actually going to drop out, when you're this close to becoming one of the final 12? You'll get voted in for sure. Besides, you signed a contract, Whitney. You have to do concert tours with the other finalists. So you see, there is no dropping out.'
'Then I'll just sing so badly that no one will vote for me! Now get my clothes!'
Simon walked up to her.
'Then I will just make you my wild card pick, Whitney. So, there is no getting away.'
Whitney began to back away from him.
'Why are you doing this to me? What did I ever do to you to deserve this?'
Simon reached out and touched her cheek.
'You stole my heart, Whitney Russell, that's what you did. And Fox Crane is not man enough to handle you. He's a Daddy's boy and always will be. The fact that you would be perfectly willing to walk away from possible fame, makes you head and above anyone else in this competition.'
Whitney just stared at him. It was never more clear to her that she wanted to go home and be with Fox. Why hadn't she listened to Fox when he warned her about this creep?
Simon turned and walked over to a closet. He pulled out the dress she remembered wearing last night, and her shoes. He handed them to her. He smiled down at her.
Whitney snatched them from him.
'Where is my underwear?'
'My, I don't know. Maybe you can look around downstairs or something...'
'You piece of %%$##! Get out of here while I change! And call me a cab because I am not sitting in the same car with you!'
Simon walked past her and over to the door. He put his hand on the doorknob and started to open it. But then he turned around. Whitney gave him an annoyed look.
'Get out of here!'
'Whitney, contrary to what you think happened last night, I was not some predatory beast that ravished you. Truth be told, you thought I was Fox. You called out his name several times.'
Whitney rolled her eyes.
'I could've been drunk and lobotomized, and there is no way I'd mistake you for Fox!'
'I know we don't look that much alike...'
'You're like 20 years older, maybe more!'
'I don't see any need to get personal, Whitney. All I'm telling you, is that there was no force. You wanted to be with the man you thought you were with.'
'Well when you heard me call out Fox's name, why didn't you stop?'
Simon walked back towards her.
'Because I wanted you. I wanted you from the first moment I set eyes on you during that audition in Boston. I'm used to dealing with women, of all ages and types, who seem thrilled that I would pay them the slightest bit of attention. You didn't care. I wanted to make you care.'
'By getting me drunk?'
'You were already drunk when I came upon you in the hotel bar, surely you remember that much?'
Whitney sighed and turned away. Fox could never know about this! Never! But if she got out of the competition, what would she tell him? That she suddenly just felt like quitting? Because despite Simon's threats, she was not sticking around and looking at him for the next however many weeks!
'Whitney?'
Whitney turned back around and looked at him.
'Stay in the competition. I won't bother you or force my attentions on you, if that's what you want. Fox never needs to know about this.'
'You're damned right he's never going to find out! And yes, I would prefer it if you never came near me again!'
'I'm hoping you'll change your mind about me, the more you get to know me.'
Whitney squinted at him. Was this the same unfeeling man that cut contestants to shreds? That made fun of Paula Abdul and Ryan Seacrest? That supposedly already had a girlfriend named Terri? Why all of a sudden did this man claim to have eyes only for her?
'I'm engaged. Now leave me!'
Simon clamped his mouth shut, opened the door and left the room. Whitney began putting on her clothes. She had to get out of this contract! She decided that instead of going back to the hotel, she would go to the Crane Apartments. She needed Teresa's help....bad!
****
Liz coughed, then stepped over some wooden boards. It was a good thing she had remembered to bring a flashlight.
She had entered a home that was about to be torn down. And it formerly belonged to Beth Wallace and her mother.
It took her awhile, but she finally found the infamous basement. Liz eased her way down the stairs, and looked around. She then flashed the light in front of her. There was another room.
Liz walked into the part of the basement, that had imprisoned Sheridan Crane for several weeks. She stared down into the hole that Sheridan had given birth in.
This hole would be a nice, new home for Lexie Carver. Preferable than her taking Liz's rightful place in the Russell household.
Liz smiled down into the pit. Sheridan's captors had brought their prisoner water, food, and the other bare necessities. Lexie would get nothing. She would need anything anyway. This house was scheduled for demolition in two days. Liz's smile got bigger. Lexie would soon join her husband in the hereafter.
'Soon, T.C.' Liz whispered. 'Soon you will be all mine again.'
Liz comes up with a plan to rid herself of Lexie. Whitney awakes to a horrifying situation.
Tony DiMera poured his tenth drink. He felt like crying.
What he had done was wrong. How he could have sacrificed his beloved Eve, just to save his own neck, was beyond his comprehension.
Tony could've gotten away. He was a master at eluding the authorities, and had vast resources in aiding him from the law. But what did his poor Eve have?
She had Julian Crane, and his vast resources. That gave him some comfort, but damned little!
Damn that Stefano! Tony still couldn't make head or tails of what the old man was really peeved about! All of this just couldn't be about Alexandra! Stefano had plenty of children, and most of them were either dead, or alive and indeed, hating his ever loving guts! Why was this situation so different? And why take it out on him?!
Tony looked over at his cell phone. It was sitting on a nearby table. God, how he wanted to call Crane's number, and find out how Eve was holding up! There wasn't much he could do at the moment. Tony had discovered that the Harmony police were following him. So, instead, he had purchased one of those silly 'Run Evian Run' t-shirts from a vendor in front of the bookstore. Though, he could not bring himself to wear it. Because he wished it said, 'Run Evy Run'! Or at least, Tony guessed that that would be the appropriate spelling for the combination of his name with Eve's.
Tony stood up and walked over to the bar. He had decided to get good and plastered tonight. Then, in the morning, he would find a way to help Eve, without alerting the authorities that he was doing so.
The doorbell rang. Then it rang again. Tony slammed down his drink, angry with the insolent servants that had been parading through this house as of late! He was going to fire the maid tomorrow! There was no excuse for him having to answer his own door!
Tony whipped the door back, then blinked. He then wondered if he had had too much to drink.
Eve was standing before him. She looked thoroughly frightened. She rushed into his arms.
'Tony please! I'm begging you...help me!'
Tony's arms clasped around her tightly, as he pulled her into the house and slammed the door.
****
When Julian returned to the mansion, he found workmen there. They were attempting to patch up the hole that had been made, when Chad crashed his car there.
The first thing Julian did, was pick up a vase and fling it at the closest mirror!
'Whoa!' the workmen chanted in unison. A few backed away.
Pilar stepped around the men and watched Julian throw his tantrum. She nodded to them, then followed Julian into his study. She closed the door behind her, and watched him fix himself a drink.
Julian glared over at her.
'Get the hell out of here now!'
Pilar shook her head.
'Not until I know that we're straight.'
'Oh, we're 'straight' Pilar! You can go 'straight' to hell and I'm going 'straight' over to DiMera's to get Eve!'
Julian slammed down his drink and tried to walk past her, but Pilar blocked his way.
'Pilar, I put up with this pretense of your being some sort of capable law enforcement officer, as long as I had to. But if you do not move out of my way...'
'Would you listen to me, Julian? You know, what you didn't do back at the FBI building?'
'There is nothing to listen to. You sold Eve out!'
'No! What I did...what the FBI has offered you, is a chance for the both of you! Julian, Eve was looking at prison time and you both know it! And no matter how glamorous you made life for her on the run, it would have still been stressful on her and the babies!'
'And having her sleep with DiMera won't be?!' Julian hissed, looking her up and down.
'Eve doesn't have to sleep with him!'
'Oh the hell she doesn't! DiMera is no fool! I know it! You know it, and your superiors know it! If the point is for Eve to make Tony DiMera think that she has lost her love for me, and now wants him, she's going to have to put out!'
Pilar cracked her knuckles.
'Alright, yes, that is a possibility I suppose, but, that will depend on the way Eve chooses to handle this. And chances are, Tony isn't going to be interested in her that way while she's pregnant. Not every man is you!'
'Oh, what the hell does that mean?'
Pilar walked up to him, until her face was inches from his.
'Oh come on, Julian! When I found the two of you, both of you barely had any clothes on...or at least any clothes on that were buttoned or zipped!'
'What goes on between my future wife to be, and myself, is none of your business! And if you would stop waiting for a husband that's never coming back, and go out and get yourself some as well, your dirty mind wouldn't be wondering about my sex life with Eve!'
Pilar punched him in the gut! Julian doubled back in pain. He backed into a desk with several photographs on top of it. They fell over.
Pilar walked over to him, willing herself not to hit him again. She pointed at him, determined to be somewhat professional about this thing.
'Now, get this straight: the deal is, that Eve gets Tony to tell her where Stefano DiMera is, however she can. Once we have his location, the charges against Eve and you will be dropped! Mind you, we're not asking you to catch the man, just give us his location! And Julian, as much as I love Eve, I can't forget the fact that my Teresa almost died in that fire at the Blue Note!'
Julian, catching his breath, yet ignoring the pain, straightened up.
'Eve didn't know anyone was inside. Believe me, the last thing she wanted was for anyone to possibly die.'
'Whatever! The point is, you keep the hell away from Eve! And you don't you tell a soul what's going on, even if that makes you look like a cad...which would not be a far stretch from reality! Are we clear? Because any future you want with Eve is riding on this. Tony DiMera is no fool and if he senses he's being used for one second, Eve and the twins could be in danger.'
Julian just nodded, not wanting to think about it. The fact that Eve had to take on this task alone, killed him. That and she needed her rest!
But, he nodded. Anything to get Pilar out of his sight. Pilar turned and walked to the study door. She opened it, then looked back at him. She had never seem him act like this over any woman. To think that all of those years she spent, watching his bickering with Ivy, and not knowing that the woman Julian Crane really loved, lived on her own block!
'I'll call you with updates, if that makes you feel any better.' she threw out.
Julian blinked, but then nodded. As she began to leave, Julian called out to her.
'I'm sorry about before...that remark about Martin was uncalled for.'
Pilar nodded, but said nothing. Julian Crane was now apologizing? Maybe Eve did have a positive effect on him. She turned and left the study, closing the door behind her.
Julian took a deep breath and walked over to his CD player. He still had the CD in that Eve and him were listening to, when Chad crashed into the house. He hit play.
****
Eve could barely make head or tails out of Tony's blubbering! They were sitting on a leather couch in his living room and he was holding her hands very tightly, 'begging her for forgiveness'. Why, she couldn't make out. Eve looked over at the bar. There was a glass half-empty of something, and the bottle next to it seemed to be low.
Eve gently pulled her hands away from his.
'Tony, honey, I don't understand what you're talking about. Why have you been drinking like this?'
Tony looked at her. His eyes were very black. He sniffed.
'It's all my fault. I know it is.'
'What is?'
'What happened with you. You're having to run for your life, and in your condition! I should be horsewhipped!'
'Tony, I burned down two establishments...I did this. Alistair is the one that taped me doing it. You had nothing to do with any of this.'
Tony stared deeply into her eyes. He picked up her hands again.
'I knew I should have looked for a tape when I shot Alistair...but I was in such a hurry and...'
Eve slowly removed his hands from hers again.
'I'm sorry, Tony. Did you just say that you shot Alistair?'
Tony fell down onto his knees on the floor. He was still holding her hands.
'Forgive me, Eve! But I just wanted to rid you of that wretched parasite! I overheard him speaking badly of you...I knew he lived to make your life miserable. I wasn't going to stand for it!'
Eve pulled one of her hands away and patted his head.
'It's alright, Tony. I understand. Many a time I wanted to do the same thing.'
Tony shook his head, grabbing her free hand again.
'You don't understand! Stefano gave me a choice... a choice...a choice between your tape and the one of my killing Alistair. I should've have told him to pick mine...'
Tony slowly let go of her hands and sat on the floor. Eve smiled weakly at him.
'It's alright. Look, I'm sorry to have bothered you. I can't pull you into my mess. I have to get going.'
But Tony was up off the floor in lightening speed! He stood over her.
'Go where, Eve? And what happened to Julian? Why are you all alone? How did you get here? Oh, my God...they're watching me! They probably saw you come in here!'
Tony hurried into the outer hallway and peered out of a window. The men, the police that had been watching his house, were gone. Why?
Eve meanwhile, stood up from the couch. She then took a deep breath. Tony had just admitted that he killed Alistair Crane. That didn't change what she had to do, but it did give her a different take on how dangerous this would be.
When Pilar had blocked their car in at the cottage, Julian had jumped out and proceeded to insult her, as if that would get her to leave.
Eve, who figured that her and Julian's being on the run, couldn't last anyway, got out of the vehicle and walked around towards the two of them. Julian saw her first, and told her to get back inside. Pilar turned and looked at her. Looking at Pilar, made Eve realize that they would just have to face whatever they had to face.
They then got into the back of Pilar's vehicle, and she drove them back to Harmony. Julian bitched the whole way, and asked just how and when, Pilar became an agent, as if he still didn't really believe it. To Pilar's credit, she stayed cool and did not rise to the bait.
Eve had patted Julian's hand in the backseat. For she knew him better than anybody. He was acting out because he was upset, and scared for the both of them. Eve kept calm to show him that everything would be alright, even though she did not know that for sure herself, at the time.
When they returned to Harmony, Pilar drove them to the FBI building. They all got out, and she escorted them inside and into a small room. It was as they were waiting for Pilar's superiors, that Pilar told them what was going to happen.
By the time she finished giving them a sketchy outline of the deal and what needed to be done, Julian was shaking his head, no. Her superiors came in, a Jason Blair and a British agent named Shane Donovan, and they went in to more specifics.
By then, Julian was about to throw a hissy fit! Eve then asked if she could have a moment alone with Julian. Pilar, Director Blair and Agent Donovan left the room, although, Eve suspected they probably watched them through some two-way mirror or something.
Eve held Julian's hands very tightly, and told him that she was going to fix this, by taking the deal. Julian had looked at her as if she were insane, and he was about to say something to her, when she put a finger over his lips.
She then quietly told him, that it was her lies that started this whole thing. And she pointed out that if she hadn't let Liz and T.C. run her away like they did, she would've never known Tony DiMera.
Julian interrupted, reminding her of the DiMera family reputation, and that in her condition, she was in no shape to play spy!
Eve told him that despite what Julian believed about Tony, she had seen something good in him, and that she didn't believe she would be in any real danger. Eve then pulled away from him, walked over to the door and banged on it. Pilar opened it. She told her she would do whatever they wanted. Julian said nothing more, but, Eve knew that he was very worried about her, and their babies.
Eve pushed thoughts of Julian from her mind. Tony's killing Alistair now meant that she could be in some fear for her life. But then again, he had only killed Alistair Crane. Many would say he deserved a medal, not a prison sentence.
Tony returned to the living room. He seemed more lucid than he had been before.
'Eve, how did you get here? And where is Julian?' he asked, peering at her.
Eve knew that she had to perform this next part of the act, just right, or nothing else after would matter.
Eve looked down, then she sniffed and turned away from him. Tony walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders.
'Eve? What is it? You can tell me.'
Eve still kept her back to Tony.
'Julian couldn't take the pressure...he left me in a cabin, in Connecticut.'
Tony turned her around. Eve had tears in her eyes.
'What do you mean he 'left you in a cabin'? He just told you he was leaving?'
'Uh, no, he left a note. He left in the middle of the night...I hitchhiked back here and...'
'HITCHHIKED?!' Tony practically screamed. 'That piece of &^%#$@# took the vehicle and left you to...to....hitchhike?! An axe murderer could've picked you up! He left the mother of his unborn babies to hitchhike?! I will kill him myself!'
Eve pulled him back, as he began to head towards the front door.
'Tony please! I just want to forget about it! Look, I should've known that Julian would never change. And all of this is my fault. I was asking him to be with a woman that was an arsonist.'
'Eve! That is no excuse and you never meant to harm anyone!'
Eve nodded.
'Even so, I just can't drag you into my problems. I'm just going to get going...'
'No! No! You will stay here and I will get you out of this! I will have a maid take you to one of the bedrooms, where you will sleep, stress free tonight. In the morning, we will figure out a course of action.'
Tony watched her wipe a tear from her eye and nod. Tony pulled her into his arms and and held her tight.
'It will be alright, Eve. You are not alone. Your babies are not alone.' he whispered. He then let go of her, to go and fetch one of his lazy servants to help Eve get settled in her new room.
Tony had every intention of confronting Julian, cad bastard that he was! Yet, for some reason, Crane's behavior did shock him. He had been so protective and proprietary of Eve at the hospital. Tony had been racking his brain for days, wondering how he was going to break the two of them up. Then, Crane does his work for him.
Eve, meanwhile, sank onto the leather sofa. Her tears were real. The FBI had told her to tell Tony that horrible tale, and it had hurt her heart to even form the words. But, from what she could tell, Tony now believed that her and Julian were no longer together. At least that was a start.
****
L.A.- NEXT DAY
Whitney awoke to blurry vision and a killer headache. She blinked six times, until her vision seemed to actually return back to normal.
She then sat up quickly! Where the hell was she? She then noticed that she was wearing nothing but a sheet. Where the hell were her clothes?! Where was she?! What had happened to her?!
The answer, appeared in the form of one Simon Cowell. He opened the door to the bedroom, dressed in a black, silk robe. He was carrying two cups of coffee. He smiled carelessly at her, as he set both cups down on a nearby table.
'Good morning, sleepyhead. I thought my sleeping beauty would never awake.'
Whitney didn't know if she should gag from that cheesy line, or the fact that his being in a silk robe, and her being in a bed naked, could only mean one sick thing!
Simon walked over to her side of the bed, then leaned down to attempt to kiss her. Whitney slapped him so hard, that the side of his face that she hit, turned red. She then scrambled out of the bed, draping the sheet around her.
'Where are my clothes, you filthy pervert?!' she hissed, looking around the room. This had to be his place!
Simon didn't even bother to rub his face. He just smiled at her.
'Whitney, darling, that is a very hurtful thing to say to someone you spent the night with, so early in the morning.'
Simon then reached down towards the table and picked up a cup of coffee. He walked over to her and handed it to her. Whitney took it, then waited until his back was turned, before she flung the whole thing at his back!
Simon screamed, jumping out of his robe! Whitney screamed at the sight of him naked and turned towards the door, to run out. The door opened and she ran out into the hall. She did not get far, before Simon wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her back into the room.
Whitney began screaming her head off! Simon let go of her. Whitney stopped screaming when he released her. He also put his robe back on.
'My goodness! I have never had a woman react this way to me so early in the morning!'
'I'm sure the ones you rape do!'
Simon raised a brow.
'Whitney, dear, I did not rape you.'
'And I did not willingly sleep with you, either!'
Simon said nothing to that. He picked up his cup of coffee and sipped it, appraising her. The fact that she still was resisting him, even after last night, served to make him want her all the more!
He put the coffee cup down.
'You were a bit drunk. You said you wanted to come back here and talk, then one thing lead to another.'
Whitney made sure she kept the sheet draped around her tightly.
'I remember drinking, but I would never think of confiding in you. I have Teresa and Fox for that!'
'You had said something about having a fight with Teresa...and we both know Fox is not here.'
'Get my clothes! I'm leaving and I'm dropping out of the competition!'
Simon folded his arms, regarding her for a moment.
'You're actually going to drop out, when you're this close to becoming one of the final 12? You'll get voted in for sure. Besides, you signed a contract, Whitney. You have to do concert tours with the other finalists. So you see, there is no dropping out.'
'Then I'll just sing so badly that no one will vote for me! Now get my clothes!'
Simon walked up to her.
'Then I will just make you my wild card pick, Whitney. So, there is no getting away.'
Whitney began to back away from him.
'Why are you doing this to me? What did I ever do to you to deserve this?'
Simon reached out and touched her cheek.
'You stole my heart, Whitney Russell, that's what you did. And Fox Crane is not man enough to handle you. He's a Daddy's boy and always will be. The fact that you would be perfectly willing to walk away from possible fame, makes you head and above anyone else in this competition.'
Whitney just stared at him. It was never more clear to her that she wanted to go home and be with Fox. Why hadn't she listened to Fox when he warned her about this creep?
Simon turned and walked over to a closet. He pulled out the dress she remembered wearing last night, and her shoes. He handed them to her. He smiled down at her.
Whitney snatched them from him.
'Where is my underwear?'
'My, I don't know. Maybe you can look around downstairs or something...'
'You piece of %%$##! Get out of here while I change! And call me a cab because I am not sitting in the same car with you!'
Simon walked past her and over to the door. He put his hand on the doorknob and started to open it. But then he turned around. Whitney gave him an annoyed look.
'Get out of here!'
'Whitney, contrary to what you think happened last night, I was not some predatory beast that ravished you. Truth be told, you thought I was Fox. You called out his name several times.'
Whitney rolled her eyes.
'I could've been drunk and lobotomized, and there is no way I'd mistake you for Fox!'
'I know we don't look that much alike...'
'You're like 20 years older, maybe more!'
'I don't see any need to get personal, Whitney. All I'm telling you, is that there was no force. You wanted to be with the man you thought you were with.'
'Well when you heard me call out Fox's name, why didn't you stop?'
Simon walked back towards her.
'Because I wanted you. I wanted you from the first moment I set eyes on you during that audition in Boston. I'm used to dealing with women, of all ages and types, who seem thrilled that I would pay them the slightest bit of attention. You didn't care. I wanted to make you care.'
'By getting me drunk?'
'You were already drunk when I came upon you in the hotel bar, surely you remember that much?'
Whitney sighed and turned away. Fox could never know about this! Never! But if she got out of the competition, what would she tell him? That she suddenly just felt like quitting? Because despite Simon's threats, she was not sticking around and looking at him for the next however many weeks!
'Whitney?'
Whitney turned back around and looked at him.
'Stay in the competition. I won't bother you or force my attentions on you, if that's what you want. Fox never needs to know about this.'
'You're damned right he's never going to find out! And yes, I would prefer it if you never came near me again!'
'I'm hoping you'll change your mind about me, the more you get to know me.'
Whitney squinted at him. Was this the same unfeeling man that cut contestants to shreds? That made fun of Paula Abdul and Ryan Seacrest? That supposedly already had a girlfriend named Terri? Why all of a sudden did this man claim to have eyes only for her?
'I'm engaged. Now leave me!'
Simon clamped his mouth shut, opened the door and left the room. Whitney began putting on her clothes. She had to get out of this contract! She decided that instead of going back to the hotel, she would go to the Crane Apartments. She needed Teresa's help....bad!
****
Liz coughed, then stepped over some wooden boards. It was a good thing she had remembered to bring a flashlight.
She had entered a home that was about to be torn down. And it formerly belonged to Beth Wallace and her mother.
It took her awhile, but she finally found the infamous basement. Liz eased her way down the stairs, and looked around. She then flashed the light in front of her. There was another room.
Liz walked into the part of the basement, that had imprisoned Sheridan Crane for several weeks. She stared down into the hole that Sheridan had given birth in.
This hole would be a nice, new home for Lexie Carver. Preferable than her taking Liz's rightful place in the Russell household.
Liz smiled down into the pit. Sheridan's captors had brought their prisoner water, food, and the other bare necessities. Lexie would get nothing. She would need anything anyway. This house was scheduled for demolition in two days. Liz's smile got bigger. Lexie would soon join her husband in the hereafter.
'Soon, T.C.' Liz whispered. 'Soon you will be all mine again.'
