Chapter 20
A cure for Abe is found from a surprising source. Ivy unleashes hell.
'Eve!' Julian yelled, as he began running after his wife, as she descended the stairs. He reached out to grab her arm. Eve pulled it away, but Julian grabbed it back!
'Stop it, Julian! I don't want to hear anything from you!'
'You are not running away again! We need to face this!'
'Face what?' she snapped. 'You can't get me to see your way, so you get drunk and sleep with Ivy! And why is she here anyway? Did Abe let her go?'
'How would I know?! Eve, Fox told me that Ivy was here to set me up...to cause us misery! She was just lying in wait for you to come in and see us in a compromising position.'
'Right!'
Eve tried to walk off again, but Julian grabbed her, then forced her back up the stairs! Eve tried to drag her feet, then go limp, so that her body weight would be too heavy for Julian to drag. But all of her maneuvers failed miserably!
'What are you doing?! Let go of me!' she yelled.
But Julian dragged his wife back, to where his first wife stood with their son. Ivy's clothes were now on and assembled properly. Fox looked at her, as Julian began propelling Eve back towards them.
'Tell the truth, Mother.'
Ivy snorted, but didn't meet Fox's eyes.
'Why? Give me one good reason, why I shouldn't just let Eve believe that was saw was the truth?'
Fox moved in front of her, so that Ivy would have to meet his gaze.
'If you really want me to believe that you want a relationship with me...and my wife, admitting what you did here would go a long way.'
Ivy didn't answer at first. Fox folded his arms.
'Mother! If you don't clear this up with Eve for Father, then Whitney is just going to hate you even more! And I'm not going against my wife's wishes. If she tells me that she never wants to see your face again in this life, then I will respect that.'
'Fox!'
'Mother, you had Simon Cowell try and rape her!'
'He never laid a hand on her! The point was...'
'The point was what? You never did tell me!' Fox snapped. He then looked from her, to his father and Eve, who were now directly in front of them. Ivy straightened her shirt, then glanced at Fox. Fox could see that Julian was holding Eve's arms tightly, so she could not get away. Fox looked at his mother.
'Well?'
Ivy didn't want to admit it, but what she had pulled here tonight could backfire on her! Fox seemed determined to take his cues from Whitney, as to how he was going to treat her. Now that, Ivy resented like hell! But, for now, there was nothing she could do about that. And Whitney would be displeased, which meant that Fox would be also. Worse yet, Ethan and Gwen could find out and Sam...
God! How was she going to get Sam back? Or at least, get him back to the point where they were friends?
'Ivy!' Julian hissed. 'You tell my wife right now, why you've broken into our home!'
Ivy swallowed. She eyed Eve. It was a good thing Julian was holding her arms, or she might be in for some sort of attack from the woman!
'Alright, alright. I was just playing a little joke on Julian, Eve, that's all. Nothing happened.'
'A little joke?' Eve asked with disgust, looking her up and down.
'Yes...to break the tension... I mean my God Eve, you really don't think that I want anything to do with Julian in that way...I mean, I didn't when we were married...the man was passed out drunk and didn't even know I was here...'
Eve spit on her! Julian gasped! That was so undignified! Good Lord, he hadn't realized Eve could be so vindictive!
'You bitch!' Ivy screeched, making a move towards her. Julian pulled Eve back and stepped in front of her. He then looked at Fox.
'See that your mother leaves this house.'
Fox nodded, as Ivy wiped her face with her hand. Julian then looked at her.
'You know dear, you haven't been as fortunate as I. I mean, we were both so young when we were saddled into our marriage. Yet, because of fate, or whatever you want to call it, I found my way back to the woman I loved. You haven't been so fortunate, and I do believe that is what is behind this behavior of yours. I'm sorry that things will never work out with Sam. But I do think he's just too decent for you. Maybe it's time to move on.'
Ivy smiled coldly.
'That's rich, coming from you. The only thing that makes our situations different, is that while Sam is decent, Eve never was. That made it easier for the two of you to 'find' your way back to one another. Two low-lifes...'
Fox grabbed Ivy's arm.
'Let's go, Mother. You should go by the police station to let Sam and the others you're alive, then you need to tell them what you remember about the Sasquatch!'
Fox pulled Ivy away from Julian and past a livid Eve, towards the stairs. Julian and Eve watched Ivy and Fox, as they descended the staircase, until finally, their heads disappeared out of view. Julian then slowly turned to look at Eve.
'I hope that you have now changed your mind about the Himalayas?' he asked quietly.
Eve nodded, but would not look at him. She then walked over to the stairs and began to walk down them. Julian leaned his head against the wall, his first instinct, was to let her be.
But then he shook that thought off. Something else was still bothering his wife. Was it the fact that he had yelled at her earlier? Or threatened to keep their children from her, if she went to the Himalayas? Maybe that was it. Maybe he needed to let her know, that he had just blowing off steam. For surely, Eve now knew, that nothing had happened between himself and Ivy.
Julian followed Eve down to a lower level bedroom. It was not one he had ever slept in before, but if Eve was going to be there, then he would be too. Eve did not acknowledge his presence, not even when he closed the door, loudly.
'What is this, Eve? This isn't still about Ivy, is it?' he asked, watching her closely.
Eve sat down on the bed. She looked at him, then shook her head. Julian walked over to the bed and sat beside her. He rubbed her arm.
'Then tell me? Does this mood you're in have anything to do with our fight earlier? I'm sorry, dearest, you know I would never take Evan and Erin from you...I couldn't live my life without you...'
Eve touched his face, then stood up. She walked to the center of the room, them turned to face him again.
'Julian, I'm just tired of people thinking they can step on me.'
Julian stood up.
'No one thinks that, Eve. I mean look at what you did to Ivy just now. She'll never try blackmailing you again, because the memory of being spat upon by you, will forever be fresh in her mind.'
'It's not just her, Julian. It's Stefano.'
Julian peered at his wife, then moved closer to her.
'What about him?'
Eve folded her arms.
'I don't want him to get away this time.'
'Well darling, with the likes of the Salem P.D., not to mention Sam and Luis, on his trail, his escape is assured.'
'Well it's not right! Thinking about how that man has terrorized Salem, especially poor Marlena, has been bad enough, but he killed my father! And he left my sister to die!'
Julian pulled her into his arms, still somewhat confused by what Eve was feeling for a sister that hated her, and a father she was estranged from. He let go of her.
'Eve, I know that you're going through something here...but I have to tell you, I don't quite understand it. I mean, you hadn't spoken to your father in some time, and to be honest, I just assumed your relationship with him was not the best in the first place, but Liz...she's not worth avenging. And if it had been you killed by that Sasquatch, that woman would not have shed a tear.'
Eve nodded slowly.
'I know that, Julian. I don't know what it is that I'm feeling. I guess Abe has just been the last straw. One innocent person too much. Stefano needs to be caught.'
Julian pulled her into his arms again. He held her tightly, as if he could squeeze her hurt away. But he knew he could not. And while he now understood, that her wanting to go to the Himalayas to get Abe's cure, was Eve's way of avenging her father, and maybe even Liz, Julian could still not condone her going. Their family had to come first.
'Can you live with not going with Marlena?' he whispered against her hair.
Eve pulled away from him, then reached for his hand. She pulled him out of the room, into the hallway, then into the next room. The twins were lying in their cribs. Eve pulled Julian over to them. Erin was asleep. Evan was quietly lying there. He smiled at them when they came in. Both of his parents smiled back down at him.
Eve then looked at Julian.
'I can live not going with Marlena. But I could never live without the three of you.'
Julian wrapped his arms around Eve, as they stared down at their children. Julian sighed. What they all needed was a vacation, because they had all been through a lot to get to this point. First being, the terrible accident that Julian had thought ripped Eve from him. Then finding out that she wasn't dead after all, but in the clutches of that cretin, Tony DiMera. Then there was their first kidnapping, to that God awful island, then they came back, only to suffer through Eve's strenuous pregnancy, Chad's suicide, time on the run...and even with the birth of the twins, Julian didn't think they'd spent nearly enough time as a family. Then there was Eve's second kidnapping, that flat-chested double of Eve's, the fire..the list was endless! Tomorrow, he would make plans for them to go away somewhere, somewhere far, far, far away. He'd leave Crane Industries, in the capable hands, of one Mr. Nicholas Foxworth Crane.
An unfortunate set of events, would keep Julian's wishes to 'get away', for any real length of time, from happening, anytime soon.
****
Lexie peeked into T.C.'s room. He was sitting up, reading a magazine. She stepped in and waved to him. T.C. did not smile, but he did set down the magazine.
'Well. I thought you had run off.' T.C. noted quietly.
Lexie slunk into the room.
'I almost did. How are you feeling?'
T.C. did not answer that question directly.
'Eve was here.' he said.
'I bet she was! Look, honey, whatever she said...'
'She didn't say anything, Lexie, I already knew.'
Lexie shook her head slightly.
'I don't understand.'
'I overheard your fight this afternoon. I know what both Eve and you have done. You should have come to me, the minute you got back here. We could've went to the police and put Julian Crane away for good. But no! You and Liz came up with some half-assed plan that backfired, and now you're in about as much trouble as Julian ever could be.'
Lexie squinted at him.
'Let me get this straight: are you angry because of what I did with Liz? Or are you angry that Julian is not in jail?'
'Both!'
'It doesn't sound like 'both' to me! Boy, if only Eve could hear you now!'
'Well, Eve knows how I feel about that filthy SOB she married. So I doubt she'd be surprised. Look, you need to go to Abe and be with him. He can't keep running around here, changing into some animal. He needs some help, and he needs to know that when he's cured, his wife and son will be there for him.'
'T.C....'
'Lexie, I know you're scared. And I do think you love me, in your own way. But I think I saw the real you during that press conference with Abe. He is the man you love. Go to him.'
'What the hell are you talking about?! Go to him where, T.C.?! The swamp?! The woods?! Where?!'
'I will always love Theo, as if he's my very own. But it's time for you to go now...goodbye.'
'T.C.! I do love you and...'
'And you really need to find Abe.'
Lexie's jaw dropped down, as T.C. returned to reading his magazine. She then teared up, turned and walked out of the room, and straight into Celeste!
'Great! Now what do you want?!'
'What is it, Alexandra?'
'T.C. just dumped me! No thanks to your 'second daughter', Eve!'
'Darling, I'm sure Eve had nothing to do with his decision...'
'Oh bull^%$#! Of course she did! She threatened me this afternoon, did you know that?! And now, because of her, I've lost T.C. for good!'
'Darling, I'm sorry for you...'
'No, you're not!' Lexie snapped.
'Yes, I am! But now this is your chance to help Abraham, before something really bad happens to him!'
'Something really bad has happened! He's a Sasquatch! Even if he does 'turn' back into the Abe I know and love, how am I supposed to live with him while he's like this?! I mean, he could turn into that damned thing while I'm asleep!'
Celeste was about to answer, when she noted that her daughter's eyes were not on her again. Lexie muttered 'great' and tried to walk off, but Bo Brady and Marlena Black caught up with her! Bo grabbed her arm.
'Let go of me!' Lexie yelled.
'Well, well, well. Lexie Carver. Or should I call you Lexie 'Benedict Arnold' Carver!'
'Shut-up, Bo!'
'Bo!' Marlena cried, put a hand on his shoulder. 'Let's just forget all of that for now. Lexie, we're here because we have news.'
Celeste looked at the three of them.
'What has happened now?' she asked, when Lexie did not.
Lexie snatched her arm back from Bo. Marlena looked to Bo to take the lead. He cleared his throat.
'Tony is back. And he has Abe's cure.'
****
With the police station still under renovation, Harmony Village Hall became the interrogation place, as various FBI agents, insisted on speaking to Tony first. This deeply upset the congregation of people that had gathered there, Sam, Luis, Bo, Marlena, Lexie, Celeste, John Black, Grace, Eve and a reluctant Julian. But, Julian had decided that Tony's being alive was a good thing in this case, since he did claim to have Abe's cure, thus, Eve did not have to feel guilty about not helping to find it in the Himalayas.
Julian brought Eve a cup of coffee and handed it to her, just as Ivy walked in. Grace watched as she headed towards Sam, then threw her arms around him!
'Uh oh.' Eve said under her breath, her eyes on the melee that was to come.
Sam pried her arms from around his neck.
'Ivy, I see you look no worse for wear. How did you get away? Where's Abe?'
Lexie walked up to Ivy.
'Yes, Ivy, where is my husband?'
Eve eyed her from a distance. NOW, Lexie was interested in Abe's whereabouts? T.C. must have told her off, she thought.
Ivy looked her up and down.
'Aren't you T.C. Russell's girlfriend?'
Lexie took a deep breath.
'I was...just tell me that Abe is alright?'
'He's a beast dear, of course he's not alright! Now go away!' Ivy sniffed, waving her off and focusing in on Sam again. Lexie rolled her eyes and walked back over to Marlena and Bo. She gave Eve a semi-dirty look. Eve returned it.
'Sam, I know you heard about my cancer being in remission. I want you to know why I kept it a secret.'
'I know why.' Grace said, as she walked up to them. 'Because you are a lying, deceitful bitch!'
Ivy rolled her eyes, but then took note, when Sam and Grace clasped hands, as if they were in agreement that she was indeed, a lying, deceitful bitch!
Ivy looked up into Sam's eyes.
'Sam?'
Sam squeezed Grace's hand harder.
'Ivy, Grace is my soulmate. We will always be connected...we'll always belong together. I had hoped that you were beginning to change, that your illness was bringing out the Ivy I used to love...the one from that summer long ago. But I guess she truly is gone forever and...'
'Shut-up! Shut-Up! Shut-up!' Ivy began to screech! She didn't want to hear about how Sam THOUGHT he loved that pathetic loser Grace! She just didn't!
Grace smiled.
'What's the matter, Ivy? The truth hurts doesn't it?'
Ivy looked from Grace to Sam.
'So, that's it then, Sam? You could never, ever, love me again?'
'You made your choice, long ago, Ivy. I'm sorry if you're lonely, but I'm sure you'll meet someone, someday.'
'Yes, Ivy,' Grace almost cooed, 'if you don't lie, cheat or steal from them, I'm sure someone could love you...someday!' Finally! Ivy heard it with her own ears! SAM DOES NOT LOVE HER!!! GOD!!! She hoped the woman finally got a clue!
Ivy felt a calm she hadn't felt in years. And she had only felt this way one other time before. It was the moment she had decided to pawn Ethan off on Julian!
Ivy cleared her throat.
'I'm sorry, Sam. I'm sorry Grace. You're both right. I was wrong to chase you all of these years. And I should just come clean with everything, if I ever want to have a healthy relationship with any man, or my children, ever again.'
From where she was sitting, Eve looked at Julian.
'Do you think she's getting ready to do, what I think she's getting ready to do?' Eve asked softly.
Julian nodded, grabbed her hand, then stood up.
'My ex is getting ready to blow! Let's get out of here!'
'Julian, wait! Maybe it's about time I faced this.'
'Well, yes, Eve, you're going to have to face it, but not in public! Quick, let's get back to the mansion, and wait for Grace and Sam to confront us there!'
Eve said nothing, as Julian grabbed her hand, then hightailed it out of the police station. Lexie noticed their quick exit, then moved closer to Ivy, Sam and Grace. Whatever was going on over here, had something to do with Julian and Eve. And Lexie wanted to know about it!
'Alright, Ivy! We get the hint!' Grace said, rolling her eyes. 'You're apology is accepted.'
Ivy began to grin!
'Oh, good, Grace! Because I wouldn't want you to hate me for hiring David Hastings to pose as your husband! Nor would I want you to hate me for blackmailing Eve into doctoring the DNA results, so that it looked as if poor John was your son! I'm glad you can forgive me for all that. You didn't grow to love John very much, did you?'
Lexie took a step back. Good God! If Ivy was telling the truth, then Simone would never forgive Eve!
Marlena glanced at John. Neither one of them really knew what was going on over there, but it looked like trouble!
Grace not only felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her, but she was seeing Ivy in this sort of haze, as if she hadn't gotten enough sleep or something.
'What....what did you say....' Grace began to utter.
Sam put an arm around Grace protectively. He gave Ivy a look filled with pure loathing.
'Get out of here!'
'But Sam...' Ivy tried to protest.
Sam shoved her! Luis, Bo and John stepped in. Marlena hurried over to Grace and tried to support her. The woman looked as if she may faint! Lexie also bent over Grace.
'Get out of here! Get out of here before I kill you!' Sam yelled, shaking his head at Ivy. Ivy just continued to smile. Luis made sure that Bo and John had Sam, before walking up to Ivy.
'Get out of here, before we let him go anyway!'
Ivy kept smiling, until she turned away from them all. She closed her eyes briefly, before gathering her bearings, and walking out of the village hall.
Sam meanwhile, told John and Bo he was alright, before they let him go. He then turned and went to Grace. She was now sobbing.
'How could Eve do this to me?! How?! John...my boy...'
Marlena looked at Sam.
'I have my bag here. I could give her a sedative.'
'Could you? I mean, with all that we've got going on here...'
Marlena put a hand on his arm. She then glanced at John, before walking back to where her bag was. Sam's eyes met Lexie's. She gave him a sympathetic look, before looking away. Eve had really done it now!
Lexie looked over at her mother, who had seemingly vanished. Great! Lexie thought. She had no doubt, that Celeste had probably followed after Julian and Eve, so that she could tell Eve how 'sorry' she was!
The door to the interrogation room then opened, and Tony DiMera stepped out, surrounded by two FBI agents. Sam, Luis, Bo and John hurried over to him.
'Where is it?' John demanded.
'Well hello to you too, John. It's always nice to see family.' Tony said slyly.
'Cut the crap, DiMera!' Bo snapped. 'Do you, or don't you, have a cure for Abe?'
Tony smiled.
'I don't know. Maybe you should ask our friends at the FBI. Because without some sort of deal, Abe may have to stay the way he is, for quite a long time.' Tony answered, smiling.
****
All hell broke loose days after. Tony was given a deal from the FBI. He was given total immunity, if he gave them the compound's exact location, Abe's cure and Stefano's whereabouts, in that order. Of course, Tony claimed he did not know his father's whereabouts, but countered that the authorities would find plenty of files, among many other things, that they would find useful.
Grace, John, Simone and T.C., came storming by the Crane mansion, demanding to see Eve. Eve, who had wanted to stay and apologize to everyone, was whisked away, along with the twins, by a very forceful Julian, off to an undisclosed location. Julian didn't feel that Eve needed the stress of dealing with the David Hastings blow out, at this time. He planned to keep his family away from Harmony until the controversy died down.
David left town, having been told by Grace that she hated him, told by Sam that he was going to kill him, then told by his own son, John, that he hated him.
John, broke up with Simone, angry, hurt and bitter, that this fraud had been perpetrated on him by loved ones. He also found that he blamed Simone for her mother's betrayal. John then began drinking heavily, and had a one night stand with Kay Bennett, since she was not his sister anymore.
Abe was never found, though witnesses thought they saw a man, fitting his description, hitchhiking out of town. Lexie and Celeste moved back to Salem with Theo.
Rebecca did finally tell John the truth, and as she predicted, he took it quite badly. John then went to Marlena, begging her for forgiveness. She gave it to him, and they seemed on the road to happily everafter. But Rebecca, always the schemer, came up with another plan, one that she had hoped would not only keep her in John's life, but, make him realize that he did indeed care for her, despite her treachery. Rebecca made plans to pursue Tony DiMera, and become his Countess only...
Only, Rebecca was beaten to the title. In the oddest event ever to take place in those ensuing days, a heartbroken Simone Russell, and the ever devious Tony DiMera, became husband and wife in Las Vegas! That event not only sobered John up, and made him realize his love for Simone, but, it brought Julian and Eve out of hiding, as Eve and T.C. were determined to extricate their youngest daughter out of a marriage that could only end up with her as dead as Liz!
Finally, after Ivy unleashed hell at the Village Hall that evening, she went back to the hotel she had been staying in, before she moved in with Whitney and Fox, and swallowed a bottle of pills. She was saved, but as of this writing, is still in critical condition.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I was going to end it with this fourth saga, but if the idea of Simone being married to Tony DiMera, makes you scrunch up your face, like it does mine, then you know that I can't just end it here. So, PART 5 of The Tragic Accident: The Trials of Life, will be posted soon. In it, Alistair and Stefano face trial, as both the residents of Salem and Harmony, are not only forced to testify, but air their dirty secrets in public as well. Plus, Alistair will reveal Julian and Eve's lost son's whereabouts.
A cure for Abe is found from a surprising source. Ivy unleashes hell.
'Eve!' Julian yelled, as he began running after his wife, as she descended the stairs. He reached out to grab her arm. Eve pulled it away, but Julian grabbed it back!
'Stop it, Julian! I don't want to hear anything from you!'
'You are not running away again! We need to face this!'
'Face what?' she snapped. 'You can't get me to see your way, so you get drunk and sleep with Ivy! And why is she here anyway? Did Abe let her go?'
'How would I know?! Eve, Fox told me that Ivy was here to set me up...to cause us misery! She was just lying in wait for you to come in and see us in a compromising position.'
'Right!'
Eve tried to walk off again, but Julian grabbed her, then forced her back up the stairs! Eve tried to drag her feet, then go limp, so that her body weight would be too heavy for Julian to drag. But all of her maneuvers failed miserably!
'What are you doing?! Let go of me!' she yelled.
But Julian dragged his wife back, to where his first wife stood with their son. Ivy's clothes were now on and assembled properly. Fox looked at her, as Julian began propelling Eve back towards them.
'Tell the truth, Mother.'
Ivy snorted, but didn't meet Fox's eyes.
'Why? Give me one good reason, why I shouldn't just let Eve believe that was saw was the truth?'
Fox moved in front of her, so that Ivy would have to meet his gaze.
'If you really want me to believe that you want a relationship with me...and my wife, admitting what you did here would go a long way.'
Ivy didn't answer at first. Fox folded his arms.
'Mother! If you don't clear this up with Eve for Father, then Whitney is just going to hate you even more! And I'm not going against my wife's wishes. If she tells me that she never wants to see your face again in this life, then I will respect that.'
'Fox!'
'Mother, you had Simon Cowell try and rape her!'
'He never laid a hand on her! The point was...'
'The point was what? You never did tell me!' Fox snapped. He then looked from her, to his father and Eve, who were now directly in front of them. Ivy straightened her shirt, then glanced at Fox. Fox could see that Julian was holding Eve's arms tightly, so she could not get away. Fox looked at his mother.
'Well?'
Ivy didn't want to admit it, but what she had pulled here tonight could backfire on her! Fox seemed determined to take his cues from Whitney, as to how he was going to treat her. Now that, Ivy resented like hell! But, for now, there was nothing she could do about that. And Whitney would be displeased, which meant that Fox would be also. Worse yet, Ethan and Gwen could find out and Sam...
God! How was she going to get Sam back? Or at least, get him back to the point where they were friends?
'Ivy!' Julian hissed. 'You tell my wife right now, why you've broken into our home!'
Ivy swallowed. She eyed Eve. It was a good thing Julian was holding her arms, or she might be in for some sort of attack from the woman!
'Alright, alright. I was just playing a little joke on Julian, Eve, that's all. Nothing happened.'
'A little joke?' Eve asked with disgust, looking her up and down.
'Yes...to break the tension... I mean my God Eve, you really don't think that I want anything to do with Julian in that way...I mean, I didn't when we were married...the man was passed out drunk and didn't even know I was here...'
Eve spit on her! Julian gasped! That was so undignified! Good Lord, he hadn't realized Eve could be so vindictive!
'You bitch!' Ivy screeched, making a move towards her. Julian pulled Eve back and stepped in front of her. He then looked at Fox.
'See that your mother leaves this house.'
Fox nodded, as Ivy wiped her face with her hand. Julian then looked at her.
'You know dear, you haven't been as fortunate as I. I mean, we were both so young when we were saddled into our marriage. Yet, because of fate, or whatever you want to call it, I found my way back to the woman I loved. You haven't been so fortunate, and I do believe that is what is behind this behavior of yours. I'm sorry that things will never work out with Sam. But I do think he's just too decent for you. Maybe it's time to move on.'
Ivy smiled coldly.
'That's rich, coming from you. The only thing that makes our situations different, is that while Sam is decent, Eve never was. That made it easier for the two of you to 'find' your way back to one another. Two low-lifes...'
Fox grabbed Ivy's arm.
'Let's go, Mother. You should go by the police station to let Sam and the others you're alive, then you need to tell them what you remember about the Sasquatch!'
Fox pulled Ivy away from Julian and past a livid Eve, towards the stairs. Julian and Eve watched Ivy and Fox, as they descended the staircase, until finally, their heads disappeared out of view. Julian then slowly turned to look at Eve.
'I hope that you have now changed your mind about the Himalayas?' he asked quietly.
Eve nodded, but would not look at him. She then walked over to the stairs and began to walk down them. Julian leaned his head against the wall, his first instinct, was to let her be.
But then he shook that thought off. Something else was still bothering his wife. Was it the fact that he had yelled at her earlier? Or threatened to keep their children from her, if she went to the Himalayas? Maybe that was it. Maybe he needed to let her know, that he had just blowing off steam. For surely, Eve now knew, that nothing had happened between himself and Ivy.
Julian followed Eve down to a lower level bedroom. It was not one he had ever slept in before, but if Eve was going to be there, then he would be too. Eve did not acknowledge his presence, not even when he closed the door, loudly.
'What is this, Eve? This isn't still about Ivy, is it?' he asked, watching her closely.
Eve sat down on the bed. She looked at him, then shook her head. Julian walked over to the bed and sat beside her. He rubbed her arm.
'Then tell me? Does this mood you're in have anything to do with our fight earlier? I'm sorry, dearest, you know I would never take Evan and Erin from you...I couldn't live my life without you...'
Eve touched his face, then stood up. She walked to the center of the room, them turned to face him again.
'Julian, I'm just tired of people thinking they can step on me.'
Julian stood up.
'No one thinks that, Eve. I mean look at what you did to Ivy just now. She'll never try blackmailing you again, because the memory of being spat upon by you, will forever be fresh in her mind.'
'It's not just her, Julian. It's Stefano.'
Julian peered at his wife, then moved closer to her.
'What about him?'
Eve folded her arms.
'I don't want him to get away this time.'
'Well darling, with the likes of the Salem P.D., not to mention Sam and Luis, on his trail, his escape is assured.'
'Well it's not right! Thinking about how that man has terrorized Salem, especially poor Marlena, has been bad enough, but he killed my father! And he left my sister to die!'
Julian pulled her into his arms, still somewhat confused by what Eve was feeling for a sister that hated her, and a father she was estranged from. He let go of her.
'Eve, I know that you're going through something here...but I have to tell you, I don't quite understand it. I mean, you hadn't spoken to your father in some time, and to be honest, I just assumed your relationship with him was not the best in the first place, but Liz...she's not worth avenging. And if it had been you killed by that Sasquatch, that woman would not have shed a tear.'
Eve nodded slowly.
'I know that, Julian. I don't know what it is that I'm feeling. I guess Abe has just been the last straw. One innocent person too much. Stefano needs to be caught.'
Julian pulled her into his arms again. He held her tightly, as if he could squeeze her hurt away. But he knew he could not. And while he now understood, that her wanting to go to the Himalayas to get Abe's cure, was Eve's way of avenging her father, and maybe even Liz, Julian could still not condone her going. Their family had to come first.
'Can you live with not going with Marlena?' he whispered against her hair.
Eve pulled away from him, then reached for his hand. She pulled him out of the room, into the hallway, then into the next room. The twins were lying in their cribs. Eve pulled Julian over to them. Erin was asleep. Evan was quietly lying there. He smiled at them when they came in. Both of his parents smiled back down at him.
Eve then looked at Julian.
'I can live not going with Marlena. But I could never live without the three of you.'
Julian wrapped his arms around Eve, as they stared down at their children. Julian sighed. What they all needed was a vacation, because they had all been through a lot to get to this point. First being, the terrible accident that Julian had thought ripped Eve from him. Then finding out that she wasn't dead after all, but in the clutches of that cretin, Tony DiMera. Then there was their first kidnapping, to that God awful island, then they came back, only to suffer through Eve's strenuous pregnancy, Chad's suicide, time on the run...and even with the birth of the twins, Julian didn't think they'd spent nearly enough time as a family. Then there was Eve's second kidnapping, that flat-chested double of Eve's, the fire..the list was endless! Tomorrow, he would make plans for them to go away somewhere, somewhere far, far, far away. He'd leave Crane Industries, in the capable hands, of one Mr. Nicholas Foxworth Crane.
An unfortunate set of events, would keep Julian's wishes to 'get away', for any real length of time, from happening, anytime soon.
****
Lexie peeked into T.C.'s room. He was sitting up, reading a magazine. She stepped in and waved to him. T.C. did not smile, but he did set down the magazine.
'Well. I thought you had run off.' T.C. noted quietly.
Lexie slunk into the room.
'I almost did. How are you feeling?'
T.C. did not answer that question directly.
'Eve was here.' he said.
'I bet she was! Look, honey, whatever she said...'
'She didn't say anything, Lexie, I already knew.'
Lexie shook her head slightly.
'I don't understand.'
'I overheard your fight this afternoon. I know what both Eve and you have done. You should have come to me, the minute you got back here. We could've went to the police and put Julian Crane away for good. But no! You and Liz came up with some half-assed plan that backfired, and now you're in about as much trouble as Julian ever could be.'
Lexie squinted at him.
'Let me get this straight: are you angry because of what I did with Liz? Or are you angry that Julian is not in jail?'
'Both!'
'It doesn't sound like 'both' to me! Boy, if only Eve could hear you now!'
'Well, Eve knows how I feel about that filthy SOB she married. So I doubt she'd be surprised. Look, you need to go to Abe and be with him. He can't keep running around here, changing into some animal. He needs some help, and he needs to know that when he's cured, his wife and son will be there for him.'
'T.C....'
'Lexie, I know you're scared. And I do think you love me, in your own way. But I think I saw the real you during that press conference with Abe. He is the man you love. Go to him.'
'What the hell are you talking about?! Go to him where, T.C.?! The swamp?! The woods?! Where?!'
'I will always love Theo, as if he's my very own. But it's time for you to go now...goodbye.'
'T.C.! I do love you and...'
'And you really need to find Abe.'
Lexie's jaw dropped down, as T.C. returned to reading his magazine. She then teared up, turned and walked out of the room, and straight into Celeste!
'Great! Now what do you want?!'
'What is it, Alexandra?'
'T.C. just dumped me! No thanks to your 'second daughter', Eve!'
'Darling, I'm sure Eve had nothing to do with his decision...'
'Oh bull^%$#! Of course she did! She threatened me this afternoon, did you know that?! And now, because of her, I've lost T.C. for good!'
'Darling, I'm sorry for you...'
'No, you're not!' Lexie snapped.
'Yes, I am! But now this is your chance to help Abraham, before something really bad happens to him!'
'Something really bad has happened! He's a Sasquatch! Even if he does 'turn' back into the Abe I know and love, how am I supposed to live with him while he's like this?! I mean, he could turn into that damned thing while I'm asleep!'
Celeste was about to answer, when she noted that her daughter's eyes were not on her again. Lexie muttered 'great' and tried to walk off, but Bo Brady and Marlena Black caught up with her! Bo grabbed her arm.
'Let go of me!' Lexie yelled.
'Well, well, well. Lexie Carver. Or should I call you Lexie 'Benedict Arnold' Carver!'
'Shut-up, Bo!'
'Bo!' Marlena cried, put a hand on his shoulder. 'Let's just forget all of that for now. Lexie, we're here because we have news.'
Celeste looked at the three of them.
'What has happened now?' she asked, when Lexie did not.
Lexie snatched her arm back from Bo. Marlena looked to Bo to take the lead. He cleared his throat.
'Tony is back. And he has Abe's cure.'
****
With the police station still under renovation, Harmony Village Hall became the interrogation place, as various FBI agents, insisted on speaking to Tony first. This deeply upset the congregation of people that had gathered there, Sam, Luis, Bo, Marlena, Lexie, Celeste, John Black, Grace, Eve and a reluctant Julian. But, Julian had decided that Tony's being alive was a good thing in this case, since he did claim to have Abe's cure, thus, Eve did not have to feel guilty about not helping to find it in the Himalayas.
Julian brought Eve a cup of coffee and handed it to her, just as Ivy walked in. Grace watched as she headed towards Sam, then threw her arms around him!
'Uh oh.' Eve said under her breath, her eyes on the melee that was to come.
Sam pried her arms from around his neck.
'Ivy, I see you look no worse for wear. How did you get away? Where's Abe?'
Lexie walked up to Ivy.
'Yes, Ivy, where is my husband?'
Eve eyed her from a distance. NOW, Lexie was interested in Abe's whereabouts? T.C. must have told her off, she thought.
Ivy looked her up and down.
'Aren't you T.C. Russell's girlfriend?'
Lexie took a deep breath.
'I was...just tell me that Abe is alright?'
'He's a beast dear, of course he's not alright! Now go away!' Ivy sniffed, waving her off and focusing in on Sam again. Lexie rolled her eyes and walked back over to Marlena and Bo. She gave Eve a semi-dirty look. Eve returned it.
'Sam, I know you heard about my cancer being in remission. I want you to know why I kept it a secret.'
'I know why.' Grace said, as she walked up to them. 'Because you are a lying, deceitful bitch!'
Ivy rolled her eyes, but then took note, when Sam and Grace clasped hands, as if they were in agreement that she was indeed, a lying, deceitful bitch!
Ivy looked up into Sam's eyes.
'Sam?'
Sam squeezed Grace's hand harder.
'Ivy, Grace is my soulmate. We will always be connected...we'll always belong together. I had hoped that you were beginning to change, that your illness was bringing out the Ivy I used to love...the one from that summer long ago. But I guess she truly is gone forever and...'
'Shut-up! Shut-Up! Shut-up!' Ivy began to screech! She didn't want to hear about how Sam THOUGHT he loved that pathetic loser Grace! She just didn't!
Grace smiled.
'What's the matter, Ivy? The truth hurts doesn't it?'
Ivy looked from Grace to Sam.
'So, that's it then, Sam? You could never, ever, love me again?'
'You made your choice, long ago, Ivy. I'm sorry if you're lonely, but I'm sure you'll meet someone, someday.'
'Yes, Ivy,' Grace almost cooed, 'if you don't lie, cheat or steal from them, I'm sure someone could love you...someday!' Finally! Ivy heard it with her own ears! SAM DOES NOT LOVE HER!!! GOD!!! She hoped the woman finally got a clue!
Ivy felt a calm she hadn't felt in years. And she had only felt this way one other time before. It was the moment she had decided to pawn Ethan off on Julian!
Ivy cleared her throat.
'I'm sorry, Sam. I'm sorry Grace. You're both right. I was wrong to chase you all of these years. And I should just come clean with everything, if I ever want to have a healthy relationship with any man, or my children, ever again.'
From where she was sitting, Eve looked at Julian.
'Do you think she's getting ready to do, what I think she's getting ready to do?' Eve asked softly.
Julian nodded, grabbed her hand, then stood up.
'My ex is getting ready to blow! Let's get out of here!'
'Julian, wait! Maybe it's about time I faced this.'
'Well, yes, Eve, you're going to have to face it, but not in public! Quick, let's get back to the mansion, and wait for Grace and Sam to confront us there!'
Eve said nothing, as Julian grabbed her hand, then hightailed it out of the police station. Lexie noticed their quick exit, then moved closer to Ivy, Sam and Grace. Whatever was going on over here, had something to do with Julian and Eve. And Lexie wanted to know about it!
'Alright, Ivy! We get the hint!' Grace said, rolling her eyes. 'You're apology is accepted.'
Ivy began to grin!
'Oh, good, Grace! Because I wouldn't want you to hate me for hiring David Hastings to pose as your husband! Nor would I want you to hate me for blackmailing Eve into doctoring the DNA results, so that it looked as if poor John was your son! I'm glad you can forgive me for all that. You didn't grow to love John very much, did you?'
Lexie took a step back. Good God! If Ivy was telling the truth, then Simone would never forgive Eve!
Marlena glanced at John. Neither one of them really knew what was going on over there, but it looked like trouble!
Grace not only felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her, but she was seeing Ivy in this sort of haze, as if she hadn't gotten enough sleep or something.
'What....what did you say....' Grace began to utter.
Sam put an arm around Grace protectively. He gave Ivy a look filled with pure loathing.
'Get out of here!'
'But Sam...' Ivy tried to protest.
Sam shoved her! Luis, Bo and John stepped in. Marlena hurried over to Grace and tried to support her. The woman looked as if she may faint! Lexie also bent over Grace.
'Get out of here! Get out of here before I kill you!' Sam yelled, shaking his head at Ivy. Ivy just continued to smile. Luis made sure that Bo and John had Sam, before walking up to Ivy.
'Get out of here, before we let him go anyway!'
Ivy kept smiling, until she turned away from them all. She closed her eyes briefly, before gathering her bearings, and walking out of the village hall.
Sam meanwhile, told John and Bo he was alright, before they let him go. He then turned and went to Grace. She was now sobbing.
'How could Eve do this to me?! How?! John...my boy...'
Marlena looked at Sam.
'I have my bag here. I could give her a sedative.'
'Could you? I mean, with all that we've got going on here...'
Marlena put a hand on his arm. She then glanced at John, before walking back to where her bag was. Sam's eyes met Lexie's. She gave him a sympathetic look, before looking away. Eve had really done it now!
Lexie looked over at her mother, who had seemingly vanished. Great! Lexie thought. She had no doubt, that Celeste had probably followed after Julian and Eve, so that she could tell Eve how 'sorry' she was!
The door to the interrogation room then opened, and Tony DiMera stepped out, surrounded by two FBI agents. Sam, Luis, Bo and John hurried over to him.
'Where is it?' John demanded.
'Well hello to you too, John. It's always nice to see family.' Tony said slyly.
'Cut the crap, DiMera!' Bo snapped. 'Do you, or don't you, have a cure for Abe?'
Tony smiled.
'I don't know. Maybe you should ask our friends at the FBI. Because without some sort of deal, Abe may have to stay the way he is, for quite a long time.' Tony answered, smiling.
****
All hell broke loose days after. Tony was given a deal from the FBI. He was given total immunity, if he gave them the compound's exact location, Abe's cure and Stefano's whereabouts, in that order. Of course, Tony claimed he did not know his father's whereabouts, but countered that the authorities would find plenty of files, among many other things, that they would find useful.
Grace, John, Simone and T.C., came storming by the Crane mansion, demanding to see Eve. Eve, who had wanted to stay and apologize to everyone, was whisked away, along with the twins, by a very forceful Julian, off to an undisclosed location. Julian didn't feel that Eve needed the stress of dealing with the David Hastings blow out, at this time. He planned to keep his family away from Harmony until the controversy died down.
David left town, having been told by Grace that she hated him, told by Sam that he was going to kill him, then told by his own son, John, that he hated him.
John, broke up with Simone, angry, hurt and bitter, that this fraud had been perpetrated on him by loved ones. He also found that he blamed Simone for her mother's betrayal. John then began drinking heavily, and had a one night stand with Kay Bennett, since she was not his sister anymore.
Abe was never found, though witnesses thought they saw a man, fitting his description, hitchhiking out of town. Lexie and Celeste moved back to Salem with Theo.
Rebecca did finally tell John the truth, and as she predicted, he took it quite badly. John then went to Marlena, begging her for forgiveness. She gave it to him, and they seemed on the road to happily everafter. But Rebecca, always the schemer, came up with another plan, one that she had hoped would not only keep her in John's life, but, make him realize that he did indeed care for her, despite her treachery. Rebecca made plans to pursue Tony DiMera, and become his Countess only...
Only, Rebecca was beaten to the title. In the oddest event ever to take place in those ensuing days, a heartbroken Simone Russell, and the ever devious Tony DiMera, became husband and wife in Las Vegas! That event not only sobered John up, and made him realize his love for Simone, but, it brought Julian and Eve out of hiding, as Eve and T.C. were determined to extricate their youngest daughter out of a marriage that could only end up with her as dead as Liz!
Finally, after Ivy unleashed hell at the Village Hall that evening, she went back to the hotel she had been staying in, before she moved in with Whitney and Fox, and swallowed a bottle of pills. She was saved, but as of this writing, is still in critical condition.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I was going to end it with this fourth saga, but if the idea of Simone being married to Tony DiMera, makes you scrunch up your face, like it does mine, then you know that I can't just end it here. So, PART 5 of The Tragic Accident: The Trials of Life, will be posted soon. In it, Alistair and Stefano face trial, as both the residents of Salem and Harmony, are not only forced to testify, but air their dirty secrets in public as well. Plus, Alistair will reveal Julian and Eve's lost son's whereabouts.