Chapter 6
T.C. breaks in to see Simone. Alistair gets caught.
Simone sat on a couch in Tony's study, her sketchpad in hand. She had a TV on for background noise.
She stood up and walked around the room. Why did she feel so restless and unsure of herself all of the time? Tony was a good husband. He didn't mistreat her or cheat on her, not like John had. Why couldn't she just be grateful that she had found someone to make her forget John?
Probably because she hadn't forgotten about him. She still couldn't believe his hateful words the morning she had caught him with Kay. And he may have been drunk, but Simone believed that on some level, there was some truth to them. John had always secretly been attracted to Kay, even when he thought she was his sister.
Simone was still pacing around the room, when Petra walked in, and announced that she had a visitor. Simone thanked her and told the maid to show the person in. She hoped it wasn't Whitney, or some other person that did not approve of her new marriage. She was not in the mood to defend Tony at the moment.
Petra walked back in the room, followed by Celeste! Simon's eyes widened.
'Thank you, Petra.' she said calmly.
Petra, looked from Celeste to Simone.
'Can I get either one of you anything?'
Simone looked at Celeste.
'Celeste?'
Celeste shook her head and smiled at Petra.
'Thank you, but no.'
Petra nodded, then looked at Simone, before leaving the study. Simone waited until Petra disappeared, before talking to Celeste.
'What are you doing here?' she asked.
Celeste smiled gently at the young girl, unable to believe that Tony would go this far, in his obsession to make Eve be with him. Simone could be Tony's daughter!
'I'm here because I'm concerned about you.' she said.
Simone sighed and turned away.
'I know. I know. Everyone is so concerned about me! But nobody cares if I'm happy or not!'
Simone turned back to face Celeste. Celeste continued to smile at her.
'I know you are, darling. Otherwise, you would not have married Tony, no?'
Simone blinked.
'You know I'm happy?'
Celeste walked up to her. She rested her hands on the young girl's shoulders.
'Yes, dear. I have no doubt that you are. I also have no doubt that Tony is a kind and generous husband.'
Simone nodded quickly.
'He is.' she allowed.
'Good. Simone, I'm here because I suspect you need help, with the social pressures of being a DiMera wife.'
Simone pulled away, then nodded, looking her up and down.
'Things haven't been easy, no. But I still don't understand why you're here now? I mean come on, Celeste! Whitney and I attacked your daughter!'
'Yes,' Celeste conceded. 'You did. But I am not blind to Alexandra's faults. Her behavior was unspeakable. I myself thought that she had made a commitment to your father. And even when she made it clear that she hadn't, she then abandoned Abraham during his time of need.'
'Have you all heard from him?' Simone asked.
'Who?'
'Abe. Have you heard from him? He has to know that Tony had the cure here....'
Celeste shook her head quickly.
'Abraham will get in touch when he's ready. Wherever he is, he's away from people that make him angry. Otherwise, we would've heard about another Sasquatch siting. Simone, I'm here to see how you are. I know that things are not well between yourself and your family. You have a lot of responsibilities now, and no one to help you. And even though I'm sure your husband means well, he probably doesn't realize that this is not something that one just 'catches on' to.'
Simone bit her lip. It would be nice to have some help with this dinner party. She spoke.
'Well, I do want to throw a dinner party, nothing really big, but I'm really confused about food to serve and things like that.'
Celeste smiled and walked up to her again.
'Then let me help you. Let me help you find your place as a DiMera countess.'
Before Simone could answer, the door opened, the slammed ferociously! Simone moved first, to see who had come in so loudly, with Celeste at her heels. She sensed trouble.
The sight before the two women was appalling! Hugo was pulling a naked Tony towards the stairs, both were bleeding from their legs, and half of Hugo's face was flapping off!
'Tony!' Simone screamed, running to him. Hugo seemed startled at the scream and looked towards her, thus locking eyes with Celeste. Celeste, who clearly recognized Stefano, sucked in an angry breath. She had gotten here just in time! What in the living hell was Stefano doing here, dressed like that?! And that crap hanging off of his face, was clearly one of his disguises! Only this one seemed to have gone awry!
'Tony!' Simone reached him, as Hugo set him down on the stairs. Simone half glanced at Hugo, and Celeste realized that Simone probably had only seen Stefano's picture on the news or something. She didn't appear to recognize him. But then again, she was preoccupied with Tony.
Simone bent down to look at his leg.
'Tony! Tony tell me what happened?!' she cried. Tony's dark eyes looked into hers.
'Oh, darling, it's nothing...I was mugged...for my clothes and everything...then once the mugger had everything...he shot me...'
'Good God! We have to call 911!'
'No!' Hugo's loud voice boomed. Simone looked at him and gasped.
'Hugo! What happened to you?! Did the mugger do something to your face?! And you're bleeding too!'
Celeste pulled on Simone's arm. But Simone snatched it away!
'We need to call the police here!' she cried.
'Simone, come over here!' Tony demanded in a sharp voice. Simone went over to him. He touched her hand.
'Everything will be alright. Celeste and Fa...Hugo, will take care of this. Then I'll call the police. But I will do it, alright?'
Simone began shaking her head at him.
'We need to call the police now, Tony! The longer we wait, the longer the person has to get away!'
Tony looked behind Simone at Celeste, who hurried over to them.
'Simone, why don't you go back in the study? I'll be back in there in a minute.'
Simone began to get angry!
'Why the hell would I go in the study, when my husband has been shot?! You're not talking sense here because you're probably losing so much blood...I'm calling 911!'
Simone turned and hurried over to a phone in the hallway. Hugo/Stefano made a move towards Simone. Celeste screamed!
'Stefano, no!'
Simone, hearing Celeste say 'Stefano', turned from the phone to stare up into Hugo's dark eyes! She screamed, dropping the phone, as Stefano grabbed her shirt collar and pushed her back towards Tony!
But, Simone went sailing back past the stairs, and fell against a table, hitting her head. She lay there, unconscious.
'Father!' Tony screamed. 'What the hell have you done?!'
Celeste hurried over to Simone and cradled her head. She then glared up at Stefano.
'She's alive, but she's seen you here now, Stefano! So I suggest you get out of here!'
'Damnit! Damnit!' Stefano hissed, getting more and more angry! How could everything have fallen apart like this?! He then looked down at Tony, and pointed at him.
'This is your damned fault! If you had stayed away from that slut, Rebecca Hotchkiss...'
Celeste's mouth dropped open, and she glared at Tony accusingly.
'You have been cheating on Simone with that big breasted whore?! She tried to break up John and Marlena!'
'Shut-up, Celeste!' Tony snapped. 'This is none of your business! Why are you even here?!'
'Never mind that!' Celeste yelled back. 'What happened to the two of you? Who shot you?!'
'Rebecca Hotchkiss and...' Stefano began. He then stopped abruptly. He turned towards the front door, the peeked from behind a nearby curtain. He then dropped it roughly, and turned back towards Tony and Celeste.
'The media is out there! Rebecca must have said something!'
Stefano hurried past them and ran into the study. The TV that Simone had on, was running a live broadcast from Rebecca's apartment. A reporter was telling a local news anchor, that all that was known, was that Rebecca Hotchkiss was claiming to have been raped by Tony DiMera, and that when his father, Stefano DiMera, had attempted to do so, after Tony, she managed to get to her gun and shoot them both!
Stefano's mouth dropped open! He had been accused of many things: murder, attempted murder, burglary, identity theft, assault, income tax evasion, running a red light, driving with an expired license, drunk driving, etc.. But never, had he been accused of RAPE! He didn't have to rape anybody! Most women loved him! Except for Marlena, but Stefano suspected that she was just playing hard to get. That was why he kidnapped her all of the time. He knew he could get Marlena to melt in his arms, and get her to drop her inhibitions, if they could really, truly be alone!
Stefano turned and hurried out of the study. Tony had managed to sit up, with Stefano's jacket draped around him. He was making his way down the stairs towards Simone and Celeste, when he saw his father's panicked expression.
'What?! What is it, Father?'
'That red-headed bitch is accusing you of rape, and me of attempted rape! Christ! I'm getting the hell out of here!'
'How?! Celeste yelled, still cradling an unconscious Simone's head. 'The media are everywhere! And soon the police will be here, if they're not on their way already!'
The doorbell rang. Celeste, Stefano and Tony turned their heads towards the door in unison!
The bell rang again, along with some pounding! A window broke from another room!
'Oh my God! Who would break a window to get in here?!' Tony yelled.
The answer appeared in the form of one T.C. Russell! Sam and Luis had told him to stay back, and that they would take care of apprehending Tony and Stefano, but he hadn't wanted to hear it! He had slipped away from them, moved around the side of the mansion, found a rock and smashed it at the window!
T.C. came out from a back hallway and glared at everyone, before running to Simone. He kneeled down and looked at Celeste.
'What are you doing here?!' Are you in with them?! What happened to my daughter?!'
'She's alright! T.C. you must believe me when I tell you that I am here to help Simone! I knew she would need help, living in this house...'
Sam Bennett began to shout through the door!
'DiMera! DiMera we're coming in there!'
'For God's sakes I didn't rape anyone!' Tony yelled, as he turned and tried to limp up the stairs. But T.C. jumped up and grabbed his jacket off of him, leaving Tony completely naked now! T.C. pointed at him.
'I'm taking my daughter to the hospital and out of this house! She's then getting a divorce and you'd better not give us any trouble about it!'
Stefano turned towards the door, as the sound of something trying to break the door in, slammed against the wood. He turned and tried to run past T.C., but T.C. threw his body in the way! Stefano slammed into him, and together, they both fell into another room!
Celeste gently placed Simone's head on to the floor, before getting up and running to the door. She was about to open it, when Tony shouted at her.
'Don't you dare open that door, Celeste!' he yelled.
But Celeste looked his naked form up and down, before turning the knob. Sam, Luis and a few uniforms, hurried in. Sam and Luis ran over to T.C. and Stefano, breaking up their roll around fight, on the carpet, in the next room. Sam pulled on Stefano, while Luis pulled T.C. up. Sam managed to take out some handcuffs and place them on Stefano.
'Well, well well! This is our lucky day!' Sam snapped, then looked around. He saw Simone and nodded to Luis, who let T.C. go, so that he could get over there. Luis glared at Stefano, before telling Sam he was going to call 911.
Luis then walked into the next room, where a naked Tony, was demanding that he be allowed to put on clothes, before he was taken down to the station. Luis nodded, and two uniforms went upstairs with Tony. Tony began to calm down, as he walked up the stairs. Rebecca shouldn't have been so quick to lie. For surely, the police had found his lover's camera set-up. Once they watched what really happened, Rebecca could be in some trouble herself!
Luis tried not to think of the bruises he had seen on Rebecca's throat, as she tearfully recounted Tony's rape of her. She was at the hospital right now, getting examined. Once he called for the ambulance, he hung up and looked over at Simone, who's head was now in T.C.'s lap. The poor kid! She would have hell to face, when she awoke.
Sam then pushed Stefano out towards the front door. The maniac's face was beet red, underneath the plastic disguise he wore. Sam suspected that Stefano was not embarrassed, and that the red was some sort of rash.
'You know this is ridiculous!' Stefano hissed. 'I did nothing to that woman! And I need medical attention!
Sam rolled his eyes!
'Even if it turns out you didn't try and rape Ms. Hotchkiss, there is plenty to get you for! And I called Roman Brady from Salem. They get a shot at you first anyway! Ha! I made a joke there, get it? 'Shot'? Get moving, DiMera!'
Sam then shoved Stefano forward, as a uniform opened the front door. The camera lights shined in Stefano's face, as he growled in frustration and pain!
****
Eve lay on the sofa, her head in Julian's lap, when Whitney, Fox and...John Hastings, burst into the study! Sandy looked apologetic.
'I'm sorry Mr. Crane, but they were so insistent!'
Julian sat up, as did Eve. They then stood.
'It's alright, Sandy. Why don't you take off early?' Julian suggested. Sandy/Alistair nodded, then left the study, closing the door behind him. He then stayed perched outside of the door, to eavesdrop!
'Fox, Whitney...what's going on? Has something happened?' Julian asked, eyeing John Hastings.
'Is it Simone?' Eve asked.
Fox looked at both of them.
'It's all over the news! Rebecca was raped tonight!'
'What?!' Julian coughed. He looked at Eve, who looked horrified.
'By who?' Julian demanded. Was that what all of that commotion outside of her building was all about?! God! His poor Becky!
'By Tony DiMera!' Whitney practically spit out.
Eve gasped!
'Tony raped Rebecca?! But why? What...oh God, Simone!' Eve cried out.
Julian reached for his wife's hand and clasped it. He looked at Fox.
'What else do we know?'
Fox shook his head.
'Just that Rebecca claims that Tony broke in, along with Stefano, and that after Tony was finished with her, Stefano was going to rape her as well...until she managed to get to a gun she kept underneath the bed! She shot them both, but they managed to escape.'
'Daddy called me.' Whitney reported. 'He said that Sam, and the rest of the police, had them trapped at the mansion.'
'Which means Simone is trapped as well!' Eve cried out. She then looked at Julian.
'I have to get over there!'
'We will go over together! All of us!' Julian then walked to the study door and opened it. Sandy/Alistair, heard him coming this time, and took out a dust cloth, pretending to wipe down a nearby table!
'Sandy, Mrs. Crane and I have to go out. I would appreciate it if you gave the twins their baths anyway.'
Sandy/Alistair grinned. Finally, he was going to be able to protect the integrity of the Crane legacy, by getting rid of those brats!
'Yes, Mr. Crane. I'll get on that right away.' Sandy/Alistair said, turning and hurrying up the stairs.
Meanwhile, Julian walked back over to Eve, Fox, Whitney and John.
'I asked Sandy to give Evan and Erin their baths. I hope you're okay with that, darling?'
Eve shook her head.
'Now that we know about her background, I feel a little better about her. Let's just get over to the mansion and see if Simone is alright, okay?'
Julian nodded, then walked over to his desk. He picked up the phone and called for a limo to be brought around. Eve peered at John.
'John, it's nice to see you again.'
'I can't say the same.' he answered sourly. Fox and Whitney looked away. Eve bit her lip.
'I understand that I'm not one of your favorite people, John....'
John stopped her from saying anything more.
'Look, Dr. Crane, I'm here for Simone. Hopefully, this thing that Tony has done, will make her see that she does not belong with that man. And even if she doesn't want me back, I want her to know that I am here for her and will support any decision she makes.'
Eve nodded. She was happy that Simone had such support. Hopefully, her daughter would be able to patch things up with John. And maybe someday, they would both be able to forgive her.
Eve glanced over at Julian. She couldn't believe that Tony had raped anyone, much less Rebecca! Why would he have broken into her apartment?! And had ever been that violent towards Simone?!
Julian hung up the phone.
'Leo is bringing the car around. I want you all to go out and wait for the car. I'll be along in a minute.'
Fox, Whitney and John, turned and left the study. Eve walked over to Julian.
'You're going to see if you can get ahold of Rebecca, aren't you?' she asked quietly.
Julian nodded.
'I just want to make a quick call to the hospital. She's probably there...that animal!'
Eve reached out and put her arms around Julian, from across the desk. She knew that Julian and Rebecca had a closeness, that still kept them in contact with one another. It was only natural that he would be upset for her. Eve let him go.
'I'll be waiting in the limo.' she said, backing out of the room. She quietly cursed the day she had ever met Tony DiMera.
Meanwhile, Julian reached for the phone, and accidentally knocked aside the baby monitor, that he had attached to his desk. It had turned on when he had knocked it over. As Julian reached over to turn it off, the voice he heard on the other end, made all of the color drain from his face.
'Now,'' Alistair hissed, 'I'm going to make sure that neither one of you taint the Crane family name, ever again!'
Julian stepped back, his mouth open! Was that Father's voice?! No! The only person that should be up with the twins was Sandy...
Julian hurried from the study and raced up the nearest set of stairs! His mind took him back to Eve's unease with the maid, and that stupid story she had told them this evening, about having six kids! Sandy was Alistair!
Julian reached the twins room and burst in, finding it empty! He then hurried over to the bathroom door! He turned on the knob and found it locked!
'OPEN THE DOOR, YOU SONOFABITCH! IF YOU DO ANYTHING TO HARM THEM....' Julian screamed.
'YOU'LL WHAT, BOY?!' Alistair's voice boomed back. He had the twins sitting in a tub of water. He proceeded to reach for Evan first. He was just going to dip him upside down and hold him under water!
Julian began to slam against the door, but it wouldn't budge. He kept ramming his body against it, his mind racing, thinking about how devastated he, and Eve, would be, if this vile man murdered their babies!
Fox came running into the room! Julian jumped when he saw him.
'Father, what the hell are you doing?! Leo brought the car around and when I came in to get you, I saw you running up the stairs like a wild man...'
Julian grabbed Fox's shirt!
'Alistair is SANDY! He's in the bathtub with the twins and he's going to kill them!'
Fox pulled Julian back, then smashed his own body against the door! The door caved in, and Erin began to squall, just as Alistair had Evan's head touching the water!
Fox grabbed Evan from Alistair, who looked shocked that he had been ganged up on! But Julian leaped at him! They both half fell into the bathtub, next to Erin, who began to really holler!
Fox had run back into the twins room and set Evan back in his crib, before hurrying into the bathroom to help his father. Christ! What if he hadn't come back in here to check on Julian? What would've become of his little brother and sister?!
Alistair had elbowed Julian in the gut, then whipped past Fox, who damned near slipped from all of the water, that was now on the floor. Julian got up quickly!
'Take care of the twins! That man is not getting out of this house alive!' he snarled. Julian then hurried out of the twins room and down the hallway after Alistair.
Alistair had just reached the landing, when Julian, who had caught up with him, jumped on his back! The two of them went spiraling down the stairs, just as Eve, Whitney and John, had come back in, worried about what was taking Julian and Fox so long.
Eve screamed as she saw Julian and Sandy, laying at the bottom of the steps! She raced over to Julian.
'JULIAN! JULIAN!' she screamed, feeling for a pulse. Thank God there was one!
'Where is Fox?!' Whitney cried. John instinctively put an arm around her. He then looked at Sandy.
'Look at her face!' he pointed.
Whitney pulled away from him, then eased over to an unconscious Sandy. Her face looked like it was coming off or something!
'Whitney, don't touch him!' Fox yelled from the top of the stairs, before hurrying down. Eve jumped up to call an ambulance. John couldn't believe what was happening here!
'Fox, what is going on? Who is this?'
'Sandy was Alistair, the whole time! And Father and I caught him trying to drown the twins!'
Eve, who had just called for the ambulance, hung up and turned around in shock. She then ran over to Alistair and kicked him hard...in the balls! This^%$# had kidnapped her firstborn, as if that wasn't vile enough, but he had then come back to murder her babies?! And he may have killed Julian now as well!
'Mrs. Crane!' John cried out, pulling her back. But Eve pulled away from him and knelt down beside Julian, cradling his head. She couldn't lose him now. They hadn't had long enough together. It wasn't Julian's time.
T.C. breaks in to see Simone. Alistair gets caught.
Simone sat on a couch in Tony's study, her sketchpad in hand. She had a TV on for background noise.
She stood up and walked around the room. Why did she feel so restless and unsure of herself all of the time? Tony was a good husband. He didn't mistreat her or cheat on her, not like John had. Why couldn't she just be grateful that she had found someone to make her forget John?
Probably because she hadn't forgotten about him. She still couldn't believe his hateful words the morning she had caught him with Kay. And he may have been drunk, but Simone believed that on some level, there was some truth to them. John had always secretly been attracted to Kay, even when he thought she was his sister.
Simone was still pacing around the room, when Petra walked in, and announced that she had a visitor. Simone thanked her and told the maid to show the person in. She hoped it wasn't Whitney, or some other person that did not approve of her new marriage. She was not in the mood to defend Tony at the moment.
Petra walked back in the room, followed by Celeste! Simon's eyes widened.
'Thank you, Petra.' she said calmly.
Petra, looked from Celeste to Simone.
'Can I get either one of you anything?'
Simone looked at Celeste.
'Celeste?'
Celeste shook her head and smiled at Petra.
'Thank you, but no.'
Petra nodded, then looked at Simone, before leaving the study. Simone waited until Petra disappeared, before talking to Celeste.
'What are you doing here?' she asked.
Celeste smiled gently at the young girl, unable to believe that Tony would go this far, in his obsession to make Eve be with him. Simone could be Tony's daughter!
'I'm here because I'm concerned about you.' she said.
Simone sighed and turned away.
'I know. I know. Everyone is so concerned about me! But nobody cares if I'm happy or not!'
Simone turned back to face Celeste. Celeste continued to smile at her.
'I know you are, darling. Otherwise, you would not have married Tony, no?'
Simone blinked.
'You know I'm happy?'
Celeste walked up to her. She rested her hands on the young girl's shoulders.
'Yes, dear. I have no doubt that you are. I also have no doubt that Tony is a kind and generous husband.'
Simone nodded quickly.
'He is.' she allowed.
'Good. Simone, I'm here because I suspect you need help, with the social pressures of being a DiMera wife.'
Simone pulled away, then nodded, looking her up and down.
'Things haven't been easy, no. But I still don't understand why you're here now? I mean come on, Celeste! Whitney and I attacked your daughter!'
'Yes,' Celeste conceded. 'You did. But I am not blind to Alexandra's faults. Her behavior was unspeakable. I myself thought that she had made a commitment to your father. And even when she made it clear that she hadn't, she then abandoned Abraham during his time of need.'
'Have you all heard from him?' Simone asked.
'Who?'
'Abe. Have you heard from him? He has to know that Tony had the cure here....'
Celeste shook her head quickly.
'Abraham will get in touch when he's ready. Wherever he is, he's away from people that make him angry. Otherwise, we would've heard about another Sasquatch siting. Simone, I'm here to see how you are. I know that things are not well between yourself and your family. You have a lot of responsibilities now, and no one to help you. And even though I'm sure your husband means well, he probably doesn't realize that this is not something that one just 'catches on' to.'
Simone bit her lip. It would be nice to have some help with this dinner party. She spoke.
'Well, I do want to throw a dinner party, nothing really big, but I'm really confused about food to serve and things like that.'
Celeste smiled and walked up to her again.
'Then let me help you. Let me help you find your place as a DiMera countess.'
Before Simone could answer, the door opened, the slammed ferociously! Simone moved first, to see who had come in so loudly, with Celeste at her heels. She sensed trouble.
The sight before the two women was appalling! Hugo was pulling a naked Tony towards the stairs, both were bleeding from their legs, and half of Hugo's face was flapping off!
'Tony!' Simone screamed, running to him. Hugo seemed startled at the scream and looked towards her, thus locking eyes with Celeste. Celeste, who clearly recognized Stefano, sucked in an angry breath. She had gotten here just in time! What in the living hell was Stefano doing here, dressed like that?! And that crap hanging off of his face, was clearly one of his disguises! Only this one seemed to have gone awry!
'Tony!' Simone reached him, as Hugo set him down on the stairs. Simone half glanced at Hugo, and Celeste realized that Simone probably had only seen Stefano's picture on the news or something. She didn't appear to recognize him. But then again, she was preoccupied with Tony.
Simone bent down to look at his leg.
'Tony! Tony tell me what happened?!' she cried. Tony's dark eyes looked into hers.
'Oh, darling, it's nothing...I was mugged...for my clothes and everything...then once the mugger had everything...he shot me...'
'Good God! We have to call 911!'
'No!' Hugo's loud voice boomed. Simone looked at him and gasped.
'Hugo! What happened to you?! Did the mugger do something to your face?! And you're bleeding too!'
Celeste pulled on Simone's arm. But Simone snatched it away!
'We need to call the police here!' she cried.
'Simone, come over here!' Tony demanded in a sharp voice. Simone went over to him. He touched her hand.
'Everything will be alright. Celeste and Fa...Hugo, will take care of this. Then I'll call the police. But I will do it, alright?'
Simone began shaking her head at him.
'We need to call the police now, Tony! The longer we wait, the longer the person has to get away!'
Tony looked behind Simone at Celeste, who hurried over to them.
'Simone, why don't you go back in the study? I'll be back in there in a minute.'
Simone began to get angry!
'Why the hell would I go in the study, when my husband has been shot?! You're not talking sense here because you're probably losing so much blood...I'm calling 911!'
Simone turned and hurried over to a phone in the hallway. Hugo/Stefano made a move towards Simone. Celeste screamed!
'Stefano, no!'
Simone, hearing Celeste say 'Stefano', turned from the phone to stare up into Hugo's dark eyes! She screamed, dropping the phone, as Stefano grabbed her shirt collar and pushed her back towards Tony!
But, Simone went sailing back past the stairs, and fell against a table, hitting her head. She lay there, unconscious.
'Father!' Tony screamed. 'What the hell have you done?!'
Celeste hurried over to Simone and cradled her head. She then glared up at Stefano.
'She's alive, but she's seen you here now, Stefano! So I suggest you get out of here!'
'Damnit! Damnit!' Stefano hissed, getting more and more angry! How could everything have fallen apart like this?! He then looked down at Tony, and pointed at him.
'This is your damned fault! If you had stayed away from that slut, Rebecca Hotchkiss...'
Celeste's mouth dropped open, and she glared at Tony accusingly.
'You have been cheating on Simone with that big breasted whore?! She tried to break up John and Marlena!'
'Shut-up, Celeste!' Tony snapped. 'This is none of your business! Why are you even here?!'
'Never mind that!' Celeste yelled back. 'What happened to the two of you? Who shot you?!'
'Rebecca Hotchkiss and...' Stefano began. He then stopped abruptly. He turned towards the front door, the peeked from behind a nearby curtain. He then dropped it roughly, and turned back towards Tony and Celeste.
'The media is out there! Rebecca must have said something!'
Stefano hurried past them and ran into the study. The TV that Simone had on, was running a live broadcast from Rebecca's apartment. A reporter was telling a local news anchor, that all that was known, was that Rebecca Hotchkiss was claiming to have been raped by Tony DiMera, and that when his father, Stefano DiMera, had attempted to do so, after Tony, she managed to get to her gun and shoot them both!
Stefano's mouth dropped open! He had been accused of many things: murder, attempted murder, burglary, identity theft, assault, income tax evasion, running a red light, driving with an expired license, drunk driving, etc.. But never, had he been accused of RAPE! He didn't have to rape anybody! Most women loved him! Except for Marlena, but Stefano suspected that she was just playing hard to get. That was why he kidnapped her all of the time. He knew he could get Marlena to melt in his arms, and get her to drop her inhibitions, if they could really, truly be alone!
Stefano turned and hurried out of the study. Tony had managed to sit up, with Stefano's jacket draped around him. He was making his way down the stairs towards Simone and Celeste, when he saw his father's panicked expression.
'What?! What is it, Father?'
'That red-headed bitch is accusing you of rape, and me of attempted rape! Christ! I'm getting the hell out of here!'
'How?! Celeste yelled, still cradling an unconscious Simone's head. 'The media are everywhere! And soon the police will be here, if they're not on their way already!'
The doorbell rang. Celeste, Stefano and Tony turned their heads towards the door in unison!
The bell rang again, along with some pounding! A window broke from another room!
'Oh my God! Who would break a window to get in here?!' Tony yelled.
The answer appeared in the form of one T.C. Russell! Sam and Luis had told him to stay back, and that they would take care of apprehending Tony and Stefano, but he hadn't wanted to hear it! He had slipped away from them, moved around the side of the mansion, found a rock and smashed it at the window!
T.C. came out from a back hallway and glared at everyone, before running to Simone. He kneeled down and looked at Celeste.
'What are you doing here?!' Are you in with them?! What happened to my daughter?!'
'She's alright! T.C. you must believe me when I tell you that I am here to help Simone! I knew she would need help, living in this house...'
Sam Bennett began to shout through the door!
'DiMera! DiMera we're coming in there!'
'For God's sakes I didn't rape anyone!' Tony yelled, as he turned and tried to limp up the stairs. But T.C. jumped up and grabbed his jacket off of him, leaving Tony completely naked now! T.C. pointed at him.
'I'm taking my daughter to the hospital and out of this house! She's then getting a divorce and you'd better not give us any trouble about it!'
Stefano turned towards the door, as the sound of something trying to break the door in, slammed against the wood. He turned and tried to run past T.C., but T.C. threw his body in the way! Stefano slammed into him, and together, they both fell into another room!
Celeste gently placed Simone's head on to the floor, before getting up and running to the door. She was about to open it, when Tony shouted at her.
'Don't you dare open that door, Celeste!' he yelled.
But Celeste looked his naked form up and down, before turning the knob. Sam, Luis and a few uniforms, hurried in. Sam and Luis ran over to T.C. and Stefano, breaking up their roll around fight, on the carpet, in the next room. Sam pulled on Stefano, while Luis pulled T.C. up. Sam managed to take out some handcuffs and place them on Stefano.
'Well, well well! This is our lucky day!' Sam snapped, then looked around. He saw Simone and nodded to Luis, who let T.C. go, so that he could get over there. Luis glared at Stefano, before telling Sam he was going to call 911.
Luis then walked into the next room, where a naked Tony, was demanding that he be allowed to put on clothes, before he was taken down to the station. Luis nodded, and two uniforms went upstairs with Tony. Tony began to calm down, as he walked up the stairs. Rebecca shouldn't have been so quick to lie. For surely, the police had found his lover's camera set-up. Once they watched what really happened, Rebecca could be in some trouble herself!
Luis tried not to think of the bruises he had seen on Rebecca's throat, as she tearfully recounted Tony's rape of her. She was at the hospital right now, getting examined. Once he called for the ambulance, he hung up and looked over at Simone, who's head was now in T.C.'s lap. The poor kid! She would have hell to face, when she awoke.
Sam then pushed Stefano out towards the front door. The maniac's face was beet red, underneath the plastic disguise he wore. Sam suspected that Stefano was not embarrassed, and that the red was some sort of rash.
'You know this is ridiculous!' Stefano hissed. 'I did nothing to that woman! And I need medical attention!
Sam rolled his eyes!
'Even if it turns out you didn't try and rape Ms. Hotchkiss, there is plenty to get you for! And I called Roman Brady from Salem. They get a shot at you first anyway! Ha! I made a joke there, get it? 'Shot'? Get moving, DiMera!'
Sam then shoved Stefano forward, as a uniform opened the front door. The camera lights shined in Stefano's face, as he growled in frustration and pain!
****
Eve lay on the sofa, her head in Julian's lap, when Whitney, Fox and...John Hastings, burst into the study! Sandy looked apologetic.
'I'm sorry Mr. Crane, but they were so insistent!'
Julian sat up, as did Eve. They then stood.
'It's alright, Sandy. Why don't you take off early?' Julian suggested. Sandy/Alistair nodded, then left the study, closing the door behind him. He then stayed perched outside of the door, to eavesdrop!
'Fox, Whitney...what's going on? Has something happened?' Julian asked, eyeing John Hastings.
'Is it Simone?' Eve asked.
Fox looked at both of them.
'It's all over the news! Rebecca was raped tonight!'
'What?!' Julian coughed. He looked at Eve, who looked horrified.
'By who?' Julian demanded. Was that what all of that commotion outside of her building was all about?! God! His poor Becky!
'By Tony DiMera!' Whitney practically spit out.
Eve gasped!
'Tony raped Rebecca?! But why? What...oh God, Simone!' Eve cried out.
Julian reached for his wife's hand and clasped it. He looked at Fox.
'What else do we know?'
Fox shook his head.
'Just that Rebecca claims that Tony broke in, along with Stefano, and that after Tony was finished with her, Stefano was going to rape her as well...until she managed to get to a gun she kept underneath the bed! She shot them both, but they managed to escape.'
'Daddy called me.' Whitney reported. 'He said that Sam, and the rest of the police, had them trapped at the mansion.'
'Which means Simone is trapped as well!' Eve cried out. She then looked at Julian.
'I have to get over there!'
'We will go over together! All of us!' Julian then walked to the study door and opened it. Sandy/Alistair, heard him coming this time, and took out a dust cloth, pretending to wipe down a nearby table!
'Sandy, Mrs. Crane and I have to go out. I would appreciate it if you gave the twins their baths anyway.'
Sandy/Alistair grinned. Finally, he was going to be able to protect the integrity of the Crane legacy, by getting rid of those brats!
'Yes, Mr. Crane. I'll get on that right away.' Sandy/Alistair said, turning and hurrying up the stairs.
Meanwhile, Julian walked back over to Eve, Fox, Whitney and John.
'I asked Sandy to give Evan and Erin their baths. I hope you're okay with that, darling?'
Eve shook her head.
'Now that we know about her background, I feel a little better about her. Let's just get over to the mansion and see if Simone is alright, okay?'
Julian nodded, then walked over to his desk. He picked up the phone and called for a limo to be brought around. Eve peered at John.
'John, it's nice to see you again.'
'I can't say the same.' he answered sourly. Fox and Whitney looked away. Eve bit her lip.
'I understand that I'm not one of your favorite people, John....'
John stopped her from saying anything more.
'Look, Dr. Crane, I'm here for Simone. Hopefully, this thing that Tony has done, will make her see that she does not belong with that man. And even if she doesn't want me back, I want her to know that I am here for her and will support any decision she makes.'
Eve nodded. She was happy that Simone had such support. Hopefully, her daughter would be able to patch things up with John. And maybe someday, they would both be able to forgive her.
Eve glanced over at Julian. She couldn't believe that Tony had raped anyone, much less Rebecca! Why would he have broken into her apartment?! And had ever been that violent towards Simone?!
Julian hung up the phone.
'Leo is bringing the car around. I want you all to go out and wait for the car. I'll be along in a minute.'
Fox, Whitney and John, turned and left the study. Eve walked over to Julian.
'You're going to see if you can get ahold of Rebecca, aren't you?' she asked quietly.
Julian nodded.
'I just want to make a quick call to the hospital. She's probably there...that animal!'
Eve reached out and put her arms around Julian, from across the desk. She knew that Julian and Rebecca had a closeness, that still kept them in contact with one another. It was only natural that he would be upset for her. Eve let him go.
'I'll be waiting in the limo.' she said, backing out of the room. She quietly cursed the day she had ever met Tony DiMera.
Meanwhile, Julian reached for the phone, and accidentally knocked aside the baby monitor, that he had attached to his desk. It had turned on when he had knocked it over. As Julian reached over to turn it off, the voice he heard on the other end, made all of the color drain from his face.
'Now,'' Alistair hissed, 'I'm going to make sure that neither one of you taint the Crane family name, ever again!'
Julian stepped back, his mouth open! Was that Father's voice?! No! The only person that should be up with the twins was Sandy...
Julian hurried from the study and raced up the nearest set of stairs! His mind took him back to Eve's unease with the maid, and that stupid story she had told them this evening, about having six kids! Sandy was Alistair!
Julian reached the twins room and burst in, finding it empty! He then hurried over to the bathroom door! He turned on the knob and found it locked!
'OPEN THE DOOR, YOU SONOFABITCH! IF YOU DO ANYTHING TO HARM THEM....' Julian screamed.
'YOU'LL WHAT, BOY?!' Alistair's voice boomed back. He had the twins sitting in a tub of water. He proceeded to reach for Evan first. He was just going to dip him upside down and hold him under water!
Julian began to slam against the door, but it wouldn't budge. He kept ramming his body against it, his mind racing, thinking about how devastated he, and Eve, would be, if this vile man murdered their babies!
Fox came running into the room! Julian jumped when he saw him.
'Father, what the hell are you doing?! Leo brought the car around and when I came in to get you, I saw you running up the stairs like a wild man...'
Julian grabbed Fox's shirt!
'Alistair is SANDY! He's in the bathtub with the twins and he's going to kill them!'
Fox pulled Julian back, then smashed his own body against the door! The door caved in, and Erin began to squall, just as Alistair had Evan's head touching the water!
Fox grabbed Evan from Alistair, who looked shocked that he had been ganged up on! But Julian leaped at him! They both half fell into the bathtub, next to Erin, who began to really holler!
Fox had run back into the twins room and set Evan back in his crib, before hurrying into the bathroom to help his father. Christ! What if he hadn't come back in here to check on Julian? What would've become of his little brother and sister?!
Alistair had elbowed Julian in the gut, then whipped past Fox, who damned near slipped from all of the water, that was now on the floor. Julian got up quickly!
'Take care of the twins! That man is not getting out of this house alive!' he snarled. Julian then hurried out of the twins room and down the hallway after Alistair.
Alistair had just reached the landing, when Julian, who had caught up with him, jumped on his back! The two of them went spiraling down the stairs, just as Eve, Whitney and John, had come back in, worried about what was taking Julian and Fox so long.
Eve screamed as she saw Julian and Sandy, laying at the bottom of the steps! She raced over to Julian.
'JULIAN! JULIAN!' she screamed, feeling for a pulse. Thank God there was one!
'Where is Fox?!' Whitney cried. John instinctively put an arm around her. He then looked at Sandy.
'Look at her face!' he pointed.
Whitney pulled away from him, then eased over to an unconscious Sandy. Her face looked like it was coming off or something!
'Whitney, don't touch him!' Fox yelled from the top of the stairs, before hurrying down. Eve jumped up to call an ambulance. John couldn't believe what was happening here!
'Fox, what is going on? Who is this?'
'Sandy was Alistair, the whole time! And Father and I caught him trying to drown the twins!'
Eve, who had just called for the ambulance, hung up and turned around in shock. She then ran over to Alistair and kicked him hard...in the balls! This^%$# had kidnapped her firstborn, as if that wasn't vile enough, but he had then come back to murder her babies?! And he may have killed Julian now as well!
'Mrs. Crane!' John cried out, pulling her back. But Eve pulled away from him and knelt down beside Julian, cradling his head. She couldn't lose him now. They hadn't had long enough together. It wasn't Julian's time.