A/N: With apologies to anyone whose inbox was flooded on Monday with notifications that this fic had been updated. No idea what happened at FFN's end. I really didn't upload the same chapter multiple times!


~ Chapter 40 ~

Sami Brady had paced the confines of her apartment for most of the night. Sleep had eluded her while she seethed at the memory of her mother having far too much fun with the quack doctor that John Black had hired. She had to admit, that was the one part of this whole, sordid mess that struck her as poetic justice – the very man John had entrusted Marlena's care to was stealing her right out from under him.

Still, this wasn't the way things were supposed to go. Although Sami had prayed for years that Marlena would dump John, she'd wanted it to be because her mother had finally come to her senses and was reuniting with her father. This Dr. North seemed poised to dash all of Sami's hopes, and she couldn't let that happen. Grabbing her mug from the counter, she cursed to find it empty. Moving to the coffeemaker to replenish its contents, she grumbled to herself.

"Why is she doing this to me?"

"Who's doing what to you?" a voice behind her queried.

She turned to see Lucas emerging from the bedroom, his hair still tousled from sleep. She offered him a diversionary smile.

"I'm making coffee. Do you want some?"

"You're avoiding my question. I want to know who's in your bad books today."

Realizing that he wasn't going to drop the subject, Sami gave in.

"I was thinking about my mom. I've been hoping for so long that she'd finally figure out what a loser John is, and when she does, is it my dad she turns to? No! It's that fraud doctor that John brought to town."

"And why is this your problem?"

"She and my dad belong together. Now, instead of him having a chance with her, she's gone and gotten involved with her shrink. It's appalling! It's wrong! It's unethical!"

Lucas swallowed the sarcastic retort he'd been on the verge of uttering. As much as he loved Sami, he wasn't blind to her faults. While this was a definite case of the pot calling the kettle black, he had no desire to arouse her ire at such an early hour of the morning by pointing that out. Instead, he sought clarity on the strategy that she'd outlined the night before.

"On our way home from the fair, you mentioned lodging a complaint against Dr. North with the APA. Are you still thinking of doing that?" His lack of enthusiasm was unmistakable.

"Of course, I am! It's the perfect way to get this quack out of my mom's life. Plus, he deserves everything that's coming to him for crossing the line between doctor and patient."

She glanced at the clock and huffed irritably. Its hands had barely moved since the last time she'd checked, and she knew it was far too early to place the call, even though she was itching to do so. Sensing her impatience, he took one final stab at changing her mind.

"Are you sure that's a wise move? The guy's highly respected in his field. Why would they believe you? Where's your proof?"

The withering look she shot his way would have felled a man less accustomed to her intense emotions, but even he was unprepared for her response.

"Why, you're my witness. You were there, so you're going to corroborate my version of events."


Across town, John was pouring himself yet another cup of coffee. He'd endured a restless night, and was hoping against hope that the caffeine would provide the necessary jolt to start his day.

An image flashed through his mind – the same one that had plagued his dreams, and turned them into nightmares. His precious Doc, radiating happiness, was laughing and holding hands with that bastard, Alex North. As John watched, rooted to the spot, the two of them began to kiss passionately. The scene became increasingly intimate, before mercifully fading from view.

"Doc, NO!"

He hadn't realized that he'd shouted the words aloud until Kate came running from her room, her expression panicked.

"John! What's the matter?"

It took him a moment to regain his focus.

"I'm sorry, Kate. I didn't mean to wake you."

"Never mind me. I'm concerned about you. I heard you screaming, and you sounded so stricken. I had to make sure you were alright."

Slumping down on the sofa, he ran his hands through his hair, and heaved a sigh.

"I'm not alright. Not even close. I couldn't sleep last night, because all I kept seeing every time I closed my eyes was Doc holding hands and laughing with that charlatan, North. I'm losing her, Kate. She's falling for whatever lies he's peddling, and I'm never going to get her back."

Kate bent her head and did her utmost to stifle the grin that was threatening to give her away. Having seen Marlena and Alex together the previous evening, she was more certain than ever that her rival had developed feelings for her therapist, and they appeared to be mutual. With Jeff working on expediting the divorce papers, Kate was convinced that, once Marlena was served, she wouldn't object to signing them. Still, Kate couldn't let John see just how elated she was at the prospect. Composing her features, she ensured that all he saw was sympathy radiating from her expressive eyes.

"It can't be as bad as you're painting it, John. Remember, Jeff will have those divorce papers ready soon – maybe even today – and once she receives them, I'm positive she'll be on the phone begging you to call it off."

He shook his head, his entire body the picture of dejection.

"I don't know if I believe that anymore. The way she was with North… she might jump at the chance to be rid of me."

"Then she's a fool, and she doesn't deserve you," Kate snapped, more forcefully than she'd intended.

John managed a weak smile at her vehemence. Reaching for her hand, he pulled her down beside him on the sofa, and gently caressed her face.

"I don't know what I'd do without you, Kate. You're such a good friend."

As he leaned over to kiss her cheek, she swivelled her head just enough so that their lips met. His eyes opened wide in surprise, then slowly slid shut as he surrendered to the desire surging through him. Wrapping his arms around her, he drew her closer, unwilling to break their connection. It had been ages since he'd experienced such intimacy, and he wanted – no, he needed – to savour it.

For her part, as much as Kate longed to give in to her passion, she knew that John wasn't remotely ready for such a step. Reluctantly, she pulled back. Confusion washed over his features.

"Don't you want me?"

More than you know.

"I do, but not this way. You're on the rebound. You're hurting. We'd ruin our friendship, and it means everything to me."

Fleetingly, she thought he was about to protest, but his better instincts prevailed. He loosened his embrace, and moved to put some physical distance between them.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I would never use you to ease my pain, I hope you know that."

"I do." Her voice was a mere whisper, as she struggled to deal with her conflicting emotions.

"Forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive. It was a moment of comfort between friends, nothing more."

He let out a sigh of relief, then glanced at his watch. He'd spare some time to analyze the situation later. Right now, he had a complaint to lodge.

"If you'll excuse me, Kate, I need to phone the APA. Alex North won't know what hit him when I'm through."

She considered trying to stop him, but immediately rejected the idea. It did appear, on the surface, as if Alex had crossed the line in his pursuit of Marlena and, while Kate hoped John's efforts to punish the man wouldn't derail her plan, she knew she had no valid argument to offer against his call.

"I'll just order up some breakfast while you do that."

"Go ahead. Once this call is finished, I just might have my appetite back."

Having located the Association's number online, John punched the eleven digits into his phone. After two rings, a female voice answered.

"American Psychiatric Association. How may I help you?"

"I'd like to file a complaint against my wife's psychiatrist..."


"No way, Sami. You're on your own with this one," Lucas protested, unwilling to be drawn into his fiancée's plot to tattle on Alex North.

"But you have to," she whined. "If I'm the only one who complains, it's his word against mine, and he'll find some way to squirm out of this. There's something very sneaky and underhanded about him."

Takes one to know one.

"Why do you think they'd believe me? We're engaged. They might figure we're in this together."

She glared at him, her blue eyes steely and cold.

If looks could kill, I'd be a dead man right now.

He held his ground. Eventually, reluctantly, she yielded.

"Fine, then. Be that way. I'll do this by myself. I'll save my mom from that no-good shrink and, since it seems that she's over John, I'll make sure my dad knows it so that he can work at getting her back. It's perfect. What could possibly go wrong?"

With those words, she picked up the phone and, after Googling the APA, she clicked on the contact link. On the third ring, a female voice answered.

"American Psychiatric Association. How may I help you?"

"My mom's therapist is a fraud, and I want you to suspend him or yank his licence. Do whatever you have to in order to stop him."