Chapter 15

Eve snaps. T.C. makes a decision.

Eve slowly walked into the mansion, her mind still very much, on Simone.

Simone had killed Gwen Winthrop. Eve had made the mistake of turning on the radio in the car, and had to hear the news that Gwen was dead, Ethan was in critical condition, and that the driver of the car that hit them from behind, was unknown at this time.

But the driver wasn't unknown to her, Eve thought. The killer is my daughter. My daughter who is married to, and pregnant by, Tony DiMera.

Julian was in the house with Whitney, Fox and John Hastings. Eve blinked. If John had held out any hope for him and Simone, it was gone now. She didn't look him in the eye, when she entered the study.

Julian, just got off the phone, when Eve walked in. He hurried over to her kissing her on the cheek. Eve barely felt the kiss.

'From the look on your face, I'll assume you heard about poor Gwen?' Julian asked her.

Eve suddenly realized Julian was speaking to her.

'Yes, I did. It's terrible.'

'Yes, it is. Fox, Whitney and I were thinking that we could go to the hospital and be there for Ethan, and give our condolences to everyone.'

Eve looked over at Whitney and Ethan.

'What about the twins?' she asked.

John coughed.

'That's what I'm here for. I figure I could watch them until you came home.'

Eve just nodded, though, somewhere in the back of her mind, she wondered if John had ever kept kids that young?

Julian pulled Eve aside.

'Eve, please, I know you're angry, but can we put aside our differences for now? They look rather petty, in light of everything now, don't you think?' he asked. Something was wrong. Eve had a vacant look in her eyes, as if she had just received a big shock or something. Damn that Simone! Celeste must've had really bad news for her concerning her daughter!

'Darling, is everything alright?' Julian asked.

Eve looked from him, to John.

'John?'

John, who was talking with Whitney and Fox, looked over at her.

'Yes?'

'Simone is pregnant. She's pregnant with Tony DiMera's child, and is back living with him now.'

Eve then turned and left the room. She began walking upstairs. Fox and Whitney looked at one another, then at Julian. Whitney then reached out to touch John's shoulder.

Julian stared after Eve. Granted, he understood that she was upset, repulsed and even revolted by this bit of news, but still, one did not just blurt something like that out! Especially to John Hastings! Now the plan to put him back with Simone, was shot to hell and back!

Fox walked over to Julian.

'What's wrong with Eve?' he asked impatiently.

'I don't know...I think she's in shock from the news.'

'I can see that! We've got a devastated guy over here! Why did she have to say anything now? We don't need this kind of crappy news hanging over us, while we're at the hospital!'

'Would you calm down! I'll talk to Eve. Like I said before, she's in shock. You know how afraid she was that Simone would end up like Liz? Well now look at what's happened.'

Fox grabbed Julian's arm.

'Father, I'm just going to be straight with you here. I know when there's a problem between Eve and you. Don't ask me how, I just do. Maybe Eve should stay here and away from the hospital, okay?'

'Fox...'

'John sure as hell isn't up to any babysitting! It's either that, or we take the twins with us. And if we do, than God help us all, those babies had better have fresh diapers on!'

'That only happened before, because I didn't know how to change Evan. Eve would not allow either Evan or Erin to leave this property, without being freshly diapered.'

Fox nodded, but was not convinced. Fox walked back over to Whitney and a devastated John. Fox was concerned that this news, might cause John go back to drinking.

Meanwhile, Julian hurried up the stairs and into the bedroom he and Eve shared. He heard hot water running and frowned. They were leaving right now, though, Fox was probably right. That poor Hastings lad probably would be too torn up to babysit the twins.

'Eve?' he called out. She did not answer.

Julian then walked into their bathroom and found her sitting on a chair, next to the bathtub. She was watching the tub fill, as if she were in some sort of trance. Julian touched her shoulder.

'I know things with Simone seem bleak, but everything will work itself out.'

Eve reached over and turned off the water. She then looked up at him.

'No. No it won't.'

'Of course it will! Look, I can see how upset you are. Why don't you stay here and I'll go to the hospital to make my condolences. Alright?'

Eve stood up.

'Simone told me that she was the one that ran into Ethan and Gwen.'

Julian didn't think he had heard her right.

'What did you say?'

'You heard me. Simone confessed to me that she was the one that killed Gwen. Actually, she went running to Tony, so he could cover up her crime.'

'Wait! Wait a minute! So, Simone told Celeste and T.C., and they called you over there? What did they think you could do?'

'Celeste didn't call me. I lied. Simone's at Tony's.'

Julian pursed his lips.

'So, you were talking to Tony, before you left here? You went over to that man's house, alone?'

'That's right.'

'Eve, we have to go to the police.'

Eve burst out laughing!

'That's rich, coming from you!'

'Eve, Teresa is still alive and I was not the one that pushed her! The situations are completely different!'

'No they're not!'

'Yes, they are! My God, Eve, if we just buried what we knew, how would we live with ourselves? What would happen the next time we had to look at Ethan?'

'Fine. We tell Sam about Simone, AND your seeing Rebecca shove Teresa down the stairs. Then we'll be just about even.'

'Just about?' Julian asked wearily.

Eve turned away from him.

'Nothing...nothing will make up for your lying to me about finding our son!'

'I am trying to find him, Eve! I have been everyday since you told me about the vision!'

Eve was about to say something else, when he grabbed her suddenly and kissed her! She did not pull away, and looked somewhat stunned, as if she had lost her train of thought.

'Eve, I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for the cowardly way I acted when I thought I would never see again. I'm sorry for involving Rebecca at all in the letter writing, and covering for what she did to Teresa. I'm sorry for threatening you earlier about the twins...I'm sorry for lying...there is a distance between us and it scares me half to death!'

Eve looked down.

'It scares me too.' she admitted.

'Then let's do something about it? Let's just take the twins and go on that vacation we were going on, before Simone up and ran off with DiMera? We can decide what to do about who and when, when we return.'

Eve closed her eyes. It did sound like a good idea, but...

'What about Simone and Rebecca?'

Julian still had his hands on her shoulders.

'Darling, Rebecca has lost her only child. Believe me, she will get what's coming to her from the legal system, I'm sure. But she's going through hell on earth now.'

Eve didn't say anything. She had always liked Gwen. if she hadn't known that Rebecca Hotchkiss was her mother, she would've never connected the two of them.

'And as for Simone, darling, let Tony handle it. You still have Whitney, Evan and Erin...and our son. Simone is lost to you now.'

'No!' Eve cried out, then began to sob. Julian pulled her into his arms and held her. He then whispered against her hair.

'Let's go...tonight. We'll get the children ready...and the jet, and just go. We'll put all of this trouble behind us, alright? Say yes, please?'

Eve let go of him, sniffed, then nodded. Maybe Julian was right...maybe...

Eve looked past Julian and gasped! Julian turned to look in the direction she was staring in. John Hastings was standing in the doorway. And he looked like he was in shock!

'John? How long have you been standing there?' Eve asked in a squeaky voice. Julian whirled around to stare at him as well.

'Long enough.' he almost whispered. Julian let go of Eve and walked over to him.

'How much did you hear?' Julian asked, keeping his tone light.

'Enough. Enough to know that Simone ran into Ethan and Gwen, and...'

'And what?' Julian asked, his voice now sounding slightly sinister.

'That you saw Rebecca Hotchkiss push Teresa Lopez-Fitzgerald, down the stairs in this house. I have to get to Simone!'

Julian hurried over to him and grabbed his arm, but John shoved Julian back hard! Eve moved over to Julian's side, but stared at John. John pointed at them both.

'You both are nothing but filthy liars! I came up here to tell you I was alright, and that I would watch Evan and Erin, but now...'

'Wait a minute!' Julian snapped. 'Why are you blaming us? If you had done a more thorough job of eavesdropping, young man, you'd know that Simone KILLED Gwen, and Rebecca PUSHED Teresa. Neither my wife, or I, were the perpetrators of these crimes!'

'No, maybe not! But I just heard you two planning a trip, instead of coming forward...I have to get to Simone!'

Eve rushed forward.

'John, I know you think I'm a big liar...and maybe I am! But let me tell you something, if you go to that house, trying to see Simone with what you know, it would not surprise me in the least, if you were never seen again. Tony is that determined to protect Simone, at any cost.'

'I'm not scared of him, Mrs. Crane! And I, unlike everyone else in this town, still know right from wrong! And Simone still knows it too!'

'Is that right?!' Julian drawled. 'Then if you knew 'right' from 'wrong', then why didn't you get a job, instead of turning into a lush and living in a box?! Huh? Answer me that, Mr. Smarty-Pants!'

'Julian, let him go! Stop antagonizing him!' Eve whispered loudly.

John just shook his head, then gave them both the middle finger, before turning and walking out. Julian turned to Eve. Disgust was written all over his face.

'After all of the hospitality that Fox and Whitney showed that gutter-ridden leech, this is how he repays us?'

'Honey, he was living with Fox and Whitney, not us.'

'Yes, but their cottage is on MY property and...did you just call me honey?'

Eve smiled at him.

'Yes, why?'

Julian almost pouted!

'You haven't called me that all day! I was so hurt!'

Eve grinned and kissed him thoroughly. Julian began to pull her out of the bathroom and towards the bed, without breaking off the kiss.

But Eve came to her senses, and broke it off for the both of them.

'Eve!' Julian whined.

'Julian! If John knows all of that, then we have to prepare ourselves for accusations and blame. Plus, Simone is about to see a hard time. Let's go to the hospital and see how Ethan is, okay?'

Julian sighed, but reluctantly let go of her.

'So this means no trip?'

'Julian, I have to be here for Simone. You know, I told her I wanted nothing to do with her if she lied about this. But now that John knows, I think it will come out anyway. She'll need me.'

Julian didn't disagree. But, if he knew Tony DiMera's M.O., the police would never find anything linking Simone to Gwen's death. Never.

****

T.C. hurried into the house. He had heard about Gwen Winthrop on the radio, and knew that Sam and Grace were probably devastated. He had to get to the hospital to see how Ethan was doing.

Celeste was sitting on the couch, watching the news, which had coverage on Ethan and Gwen's accident. She looked over at him when he came in.

'Any luck?'

T.C. shook his head.

'No, none! I don't know where that girl could be.' T.C. said, looking around.

'Where's Lexie?'

Celeste stood up

'Gone. Probably back to Salem. I think she's just lonely and full of regrets.'

T.C raised a brow.

'Regrets about what?'

Celeste shrugged.

'You know, despite Alexandra's protestations that she was concerned that the two of us would make 'fools of ourselves', I think she regrets your not being in her life.'

T.C. didn't say anything at first. He then sighed.

'You know, it's taken everything in me, not to call her, or beg her to come back to me, now that Abe is God knows where.'

Celeste moved closer to him.

'I know that, T.C.. I never approved of the way my daughter treated you. You were the best thing that happened to her.'

T.C. just stared into Celeste's eyes. She was really beautiful. She didn't seem old enough to be Lexie's mother. He found himself looking from her eyes to her lips, and then thought about kissing her, when two things happened. Celeste's cell phone rang, as did T.C.'s doorbell.

T.C. snapped out of his trance! What the hell had be been thinking?! Celeste was Lexie's mother! No! No! No! Maybe it wasn't a good idea having her stay here! Where was Simone??? T.C. turned away to get the door. Celeste answered her phone.

'Hello?'

'Celeste, darling, how are you?'

Celeste's eyes widened. It was Stefano! She looked over at T.C., who was just opening the door to John Hastings.

'How did you get my number?'

'Celeste, you're acting as if you don't want to hear from me!'

'What do you think? Answer my question! How did you get my number?'

'From Tony.' he answered casually.

'Tony doesn't have my number!'

'No, but his lovely child bride does. So, how are you?'

'What do you care? Please, God, don't tell me you're out of prison.'

'Uh, no. Though I have no intentions of staying here long enough for my trial. Darling, the reason I'm calling...you know...they do allow small conjugal visits...'

'In jail? I thought they only did that in prison?'

'I don't know anything about that, since I've never spent any time in prison. But, I paid off a few guards...I was hoping you would come and see me...'

Celeste took the phone away from her ear and made a face at it! She then put it back to her ear.

'And I'm the first woman you asked?'

The silence on the other end of the line was deafening. Celeste hung up. Marlena must've had a fit when he called her!

She put the phone in her purse and looked over at T.C. and John, just in time to see T.C. try to choke John!

'YOU FILTHY LIAR! YOU'LL NEVER MAKE IT OUT OF THIS HOUSE ALIVE!!!!'

Celeste ran over to break up, yet another fight between T.C. and some man. She struggled to keep T.C. back.

'John?! John, what has happened?!'

John was near tears!

'I didn't know where else to go!' he sniffed pitifully. 'I overheard Simone's mother and Julian Crane talking about how Simone was pregnant with DiMera's baby, and that she killed Gwen Winthrop! She's at his house now! It's true Coach Russell, I swear! Dr. Crane didn't want to cover for her, and Julian suggested that they leave town to get away from everything!'

'That figures!' T.C. huffed. 'This is all Eve's fault! No thanks to her, I have scumbag Fox Crane for one son-in-law, and piece of %$$# Tony DiMera for another one! Damnit!'

'T.C. calm down please!' Celeste cried out. She then looked at John again.

'So, it was Simone that hit Ethan and Gwen?'

John nodded, his whole face wet from crying.

Celeste then looked at T.C..

'If Tony knows about what Simone has done, then he will protect her, and their child. He will hold this over her head someway, to keep her tied to him. I don't think there's much we can do for her now.'

'Oh, there's something we can do alright!' T.C. huffed, walking over to the phone. John sniffed again.

'What are you doing, Coach Russell?' John asked in a quavering voice.

Celeste frowned.

'Yes, T.C., who are you calling?'

'Sam Bennett. I'm going to tell him where he can find his daughter-in-law's murderer!'

'NO!' John screamed, crying again. He fell to the ground sobbing. T.C. shook his head at him, while punching in some numbers. Celeste put a hand on his shoulder.

'T.C....are you sure?'

T.C. looked Celeste in the eye.

'I would rather see Simone rot in prison, then live under Tony DiMera's thumb! I'm doing this for her!'