Revelations – Chapter Four
Disclaimer – Not mine. I wish.
A/N: Sorry about the delay, I haven't had much time for anything lately. This chapter is mainly for getting the ball rolling on the main plot. And because this is mentioned towards the end of the chapter, I'll explain it here. In the entire 38-year long run of Days, I don't think it was once mentioned what state Salem is in. So through some clues on the show (Mimi's house was built on an old lot that was rumored to have been a witches' brewing ground, and it doesn't snow in the west) I figured that this Salem would have to be in Massachusetts.
***
Cassie ran ahead when she saw Philip standing by himself in the park, looking around innocently at the crowd that grew in numbers within the time that he arrived there. Jamie watched as she ran up to Philip, grabbing his arm excitedly.
"Hey Phil, there's someone I want you to meet!"
Jamie caught up just in time for Cassie to introduce him. "This is my new friend, Jamie. Jamie, this is my brother, Philip."
Jamie greeted Philip in a welcome manner, just as Belle bounded up to them.
"What are you doing here?" Cassie spat at Belle, who looked at Cassie with all the fires of hell burning through her glare.
"I'm here to see Philip. Or did you forget that he's my friend and not just your family?"
Philip took Jamie aside, saying, "Better to just let them alone. They're dangerous when they're together."
Jamie looked at Philip with amazement. "You've got to be kidding me. Cassie doesn't look all that dangerous to me."
Philip pointed to a cut above his temple. "See this? It's the result of a punch meant to meet Belle's head."
Jamie looked back at the two girls, who were at this point arguing like there was no tomorrow.
"Cassie, you are such a bitch! I can't believe I ever let Shawn give you mouth-to-mouth that night during the meteor shower. We should have left you there. Maybe then I wouldn't have to put up with your attitude all the time."
"Oh my God, I can't believe my ears! Is Little Miss Goody-Two-Shoes throwing down the pink bows and trying to fight dirty?"
Cassie's remark stung Belle for a few seconds before she vowed to shut Cassie up for good.
"Those pink bows are the only clothing you'll see me dropping in public, Miss I-got-arrested-by-my-father-for-prostitution!"
"Hey! That was not true!" Cassie gaped, while Philip and Jamie continued watching from the sidelines as Philip's mouth hung wide with shock at Belle's sudden change of character.
"Come on, Cassie. I was there at the station when that officer hauled you in! I watched as Roman was going to give you your own cell!"
"Which is exactly why Tony will always be a better father that Roman Brady ever will."
"You will never be able to carry the Brady name, you slut. You can keep the DiMera title and all the inheritance that goes with it. It won't be any loss for us."
"Why don't you try taking a walk on the wild side instead of keeping the little 'goody-two-shoes' act up? I've known you for, what, a year now? And not once have I seen you take a risk."
Belle put her hands on her hips, ready to begin another round of whining. "I can so be wild!"
Cassie just looked at her like the bearded lady who ran away from the freak show. "You, Belle Black, think you can dirty your reputation of being a princess? I'd kill to see that."
"I can too! I'll prove it."
"Really? How?" Cassie asked, highly doubting Belle had it in her to do anything wrong and disappoint her parents.
"I don't know, I haven't thought it that far through yet."
"You know what, since I'm feeling nice today, I'll go easier on you. Philip can help you out."
Philip dropped his arms, which were folded across his Marines T-shirt, and got this look like a deer caught in the headlights.
"With you two working together, hopefully you'll be able to prove you're capable of walking outside the straight line of society you've marched on since forever," Cassie finished.
Philip stepped in now that the danger of flying fists was past. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on. How did I get dragged into all this?"
Belle looked at him pleadingly. "Please?"
Philip sighed inwardly, knowing he couldn't resist anything about the pouting girl begging for his help. "All right, but only if Jamie has to help Cassie."
Cassie looked at him indignantly. "Jamie can help if he wants, but I'm more than capable of doing this on my own."
"I'll help. It can be more like a competition, two on two," Jamie offered, ecstatic about the prospect of spending more time with Salem's super vixen.
"I'm up if you are," Cassie said blatantly, returning her glare back to Belle.
"Looks like we've got ourselves a deal," Belle answered hotly.
***
Nicole and Eric were driving back to the Kiriakis mansion from the airport in a heated debate.
"Just trust me, I'll find a way to get Greta back to you. But first, you have to help me get Brady," Nicole said, her eyes glued to the road winding in front of her.
"How do I know you won't ditch me and run off to Maui with Blondie?" Eric asked, testing thin ice.
"You know what, I think you have some serious trust issues."
Eric looked at her, surprised. "Aren't you forgetting something?"
"What would that be?" Nicole shot back.
"You're the reason I lost Greta in the first place!"
"Oh come off it, Eric. That was years ago! I've changed since then."
"Ha! You? Changed?" Eric snorted.
Nicole tore her eyes off the road and gave him a piercing glare. "Yes! I'm a better person now."
"Nicole, stop lying to yourself. You are still the same manipulative whore you were when I left."
"I'm going to help you, aren't I?"
"Yeah, but only if you get what you want first."
"I almost have what I want, all I need now is a trigger and then he's mine. You're that trigger, Eric."
Nicole pulled into the driveway leading up to the mansion.
"You're so much more fun when you're stressed out, you know that?" Eric stated.
Nicole shut off the engine and looked at him curiously.
"What do you mean by that?"
"I had you played the entire trip here," he chuckled.
"You're still the same smart ass I remember," Nicole said through gritted teeth.
She was relived to know he was just fooling around and not backing out of her plan before it was in action.
"Bitch," he said playfully under his breath.
She caught his comment and slugged him on the arm.
"Jackass."
She slammed the car door shut before he could retaliate.
Nicole ran up the walk to the front door, pulling the house key out of her pocket.
"Well, well, well, look who finally decided to come home. Where did you run off to in such a hurry this morning?"
Brady.
He placed his hand on the door, looking Nicole straight in the eye.
"What's it to you?"
"Probably out cohorting with your accomplice. As if killing my grandfather wasn't enough. You-."
"I did not kill your grandfather, Brady!" Nicole wailed, frustrated at his incessant persecutions.
"We'll see. As soon as Tek is done running the prints he found all throughout the mansion, we'll know exactly who you've been working with."
Footsteps on the walk behind them make the duo whirl around.
"Brady Black. You know, we never really got to know each other that well before," Eric said smugly.
"I thought you were in Colorado?" Brady inquired.
"'Course I was in Colorado. I just flew back home this morning."
"Yeah, and I left early to meet him there, so you can throw your whacked out idea of an accomplice in the trashed where it belongs," Nicole spat angrily.
"So… You went to meet him at the airport?" Brady asked, stretching the pronouns a little too much for Nicole's liking.
Eric stepped closer. "Exactly. So there is more than cobwebs holding that pretty blonde head of yours together."
"But… I thought you two hated each other?" Brady was getting more lost by the second. And a teensy bit jealous that Nicole made such a rush to meet him that early in the morning without telling him where she was going.
Eric gave Nicole a look of mixed emotions. "We did, at one time. But I've had time to think about things, and I came to realize that none of it really matters anymore."
"Same here," Nicole added, relieved at Brady's envious complexion, as he looked Eric in the eye.
Brady was speechless.
'Is there more between them than they're telling me?'
***
Bianca sat alone in an average hotel, staring out the window and thinking about everything she left behind as the hotel workers bustled about on the different well-kept floors, being as sure as humanly possible that every customer is content as can be.
A boat was leaving the harbor with "Fancy Face II" painted in bold letters across the side of the hull. The new owners of Bo's beloved boat were taking it out on an outing.
Bianca sighed, homesick for her friends and family in the life she left behind. Pulling out the slip of paper Jennifer gave her at the hospital, new thoughts came racing forward.
'Maybe this won't be so bad after all.'
Staring at the paper a few more moments, she let is slide onto the hardwood table next to her. Going back to the view outside the window, she spotted men running along the dock.
'I have to do this.'
Without a second's hesitation, the smooth white receiver is in her hand and fingers flew over the buttons. A familiar voice answers, bringing joy to the pregnant girl's heart.
"I'm so, so sorry."
"Bianca?!"
Binx was startled. It wasn't who she was expecting.
"Babe? What—Where are you?"
"I'm at your place. Maggie, JR, Kendall, everyone is here! We've been looking all over for you, where are you?"
"I—I'm in Salem," she said, instantly regretting that there wasn't a note sitting on the countertop in the apartment she shared with Maggie, explaining her plan and saving them all from the worry of not knowing where she was and what happened to her.
"Salem? As in, Massachusetts?"
Bianca could hear exasperated squealing in the background, probably from Krystal, who would now be trying her darndest to hug Babe in her glee. Bianca never really got to know Krystal as of yet, but one thing she was sure of was that woman had a heart of gold. If Babe was distressed over something, Krystal was right there by her side. And when the problem was solved, that woman sure did know how to party.
"Yeah, Massachusetts. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you guys I was leaving, but I just needed to get away from there. After everything that happened--."
"It's okay, I understand."
Babe knew how Erica Kane had brutally ripped into her daughter; she was there. She also watched as Bianca bolted out of there. They just never suspected that she would run that far away.
A hotel staff member knocked on Bianca's door.
"I have to go. Um, I'll call you back later if I get a chance. Okay?"
"Of course! You won't believe what a relief it is to know you're okay. I'll keep my cell with me at all times, so you know how to reach me."
"If anything happens, I'll let you know."
"Same here," Babe replies, stroking her bulging stomach.
They said they're good-byes and hung up as the knocks at the door grew fiercer. The open door revealed a disgruntled man holding a note in his hand.
"Mrs. Deveraux left you a message at the front desk."
The note was handed over and Bianca thanked the man, nudging the door shut as he went on his way down the corridor. Reading the note to herself, she became excited. It was a notice about the grand opening of Alice's Bar, and a handwritten scribble was attached, saying that Jennifer had cordially invited her to come.
***
Now to answer some questions :)
Charmed PL – With Tony it depends on who you are, whether or not you like him or he likes you. Since he stills considers Cassie as his daughter, he acts that way and accepts (for the most part ;) her friends. But if you were, say, a member of the blue-collared Brady clan, there's no chance of getting along with him. It all has to do with the big Brady/DiMera feud that's been going on since the Brady's lived in Ireland.
Jennifer is related to the Brady's, but she's a Horton (related through Hope (Williams) Brady, who is married to Bo). She's a great woman, and since she's pregnant as well I figured why not have her and Bianca be baby buddies. Her husband (Jack Deveraux- an awesome, witty reporter who didn't deserve that brick in the head) was the second to be killed by the Salem Stalker (Marlena Evans-Black- once a psychiatrist, now a psychopathic killer who murders because she wants to come between her ex-husband and his new girlfriend.).
And as for Nicole… Well, I like her, but other people might not feel the same way. She's the "bitch" of the show, but I always end up liking the characters everyone else hates, hehe. She has such a weird past. Her dad drugged her and forced her into porno films when she was only a teenager. She pretended to have a STD to keep Eric from going to Greta. She married Victor Kiriakis for his money, slept with Colin Murphy and then murdered that guy on the night she married Victor. Victor kept the evidence and blackmailed her, making her life a living hell. She hired Jan Spears (complete nutcase) to kill Victor, and now she's working on convincing her step-grandson (Brady) that she didn't do it and hoping that she can still get him to date her. And just this week she hired a friend from her "Locker Room Lolita" years to kill Dr. Marlena because they're in the same jail cell, which ended in Marlena stabbing an inmate who was a drug abuser to death with a sharpened spoon. I think I hit almost everything.
Any other questions, please feel free to ask!