This Time: Paul's investigation into Ben takes a violent turn and Will connects with another old friend.
Paul was following Ben...again. He'd been at it since early in the morning, trying to get down the exact schedule, making sure Ben didn't slip up and murder someone...the usual. He turned the corner and stopped suddenly when he saw Ben had stopped and looked directly at him, just a little ways away from town square.
"I'm not that dumb, y'know," Ben sighed, "You might be a PI, but I could tell you've been tailing me since I left home this morning," he said bluntly.
Paul paused for a moment, unsure of what to say. He cleared his throat, "I'm on my way to the square," he lied, "I just happened to run into you," he said, crossing his arms.
Ben sighed, "Look, Paul, I've changed-"
"Bullshit," Paul snapped, cutting him off, "Look, I don't know how you got out-"
"I got out because psychologists confirmed I was stable enough to leave," Ben told him firmly, crossing his arms as well, "I'm not...here to hurt anyone."
"Then why are you here?" Paul demanded.
"I don't have anywhere else to go," Ben said firmly.
Paul rolled his eyes, "I'm sure you can go to another town."
"My treatment is here," Ben told him, "And...I'm starting to have friends here."
Paul scoffed, "Do those people know that you tried to murder my boyfriend?" he asked bluntly.
"They do...and they forgive me," Ben told him, trying to keep his voice calm, "Will forgives me."
"Will is traumatized because of you!" Paul snapped, "He's never going to be…" he took a shaky breath, "Why can't you just leave ?" he demanded, not caring that he was showing that he was upset.
Ben rolled his eyes, "Why don't you make me , Paul?"
"Oh trust me, I will," Paul said, his voice dead serious.
"Is that a threat?" Ben demanded.
Paul shrugged, "Take it how you will," he said, going to walk away.
"If you were going to say Will is never going to be normal again, he wasn't normal in the first place," Ben called after him, "I mean, he already cheated on his husband, let alone everything else I've heard. He was fucked up before me, Paul-"
Paul didn't really remember what happened, considering it happened so fast, but the next thing he knew, his fist had connected with Ben's jaw and the other man was on the ground and someone was yelling.
Ben immediately jumped up and swung at him as well, causing him to fall to the ground next.
And that someone was Ciara Brady, pulling him away.
"What the hell, Paul?!" she demanded.
Paul took a shaky breath and ignored her, pointing to Ben as he stood up, "Stay the hell away from us!" he yelled, stalking away.
"I'm not saying the mansion is haunted, but-" Chad was talking to Abby cut himself when he saw Paul walking through the square, looking upset, "Hey, man!" he waved at him, "What's going on? What's wrong?"
Paul sighed out a shaky breath and walked over to the pair.
"Paul, you have a bruise, what happened?" Abby asked in shock.
Paul pulled out the chair and sat down, hesitating for a moment. He pursed his lips and looked at Chad, "What can you do about Ben Weston being in Salem?" he asked seriously.
Chad looked over at Abby before looking back to Paul, "You talking legal or illegal?" he asked bluntly.
Paul sighed, scrubbing his hands against his eyes and wincing when he touched his forming black eye from where Ben hit him, "I can't...I've tried to do this professionally, from a PI standpoint. I've talked to the connections that I can, but…" he trailed off, shaking his head, "I can't have him around Will, guys. I can't…"
Abby crossed her arms and looked at Chad, "Well...I think we could look into doing something about the situation," she said simply.
Paul pursed his lips and nodded, "Thanks," he said, "I'm going to call Will, make sure he's okay."
"Nah, I'm on it, you go back to work," Chad waved his hand dismissively, taking out his phone, "Or get some ice for that eye, you're going to have a nasty bruise," he said bluntly.
Paul looked at the two and nodded, "Uh...thanks," he said awkwardly, walking away.
Chad cleared his throat, "Hey, you got eyes on Will?"
Will sat on the stool at the bar in the Spot, spinning around on it.
"Listen, you gonna order a drink or-" a familiar voice asked.
"I'm waiting for my friend's shift to start-" Will stopped spinning and his eyes widened, "T?" he breathed out.
"Will?" T asked, just as shocked as he was. He quickly walked around the counter, "Shit, it's really you."
Will immediately jumped up from the stool and pulled him into a hug, "Oh my god," he breathed out, "What are you doing here?"
"Had to get a new job," T shrugged, "And turns out, I'm a pretty good bartender. I couldn't…" he trailed off awkwardly, "Look, you and Sonny are both my friends, but I couldn't stand around while he practically flirted with Paul Narita over your dead body."
Will pursed his lips, "T, I don't know if you've heard but…" he rubbed the side of his arm, "I don't remember much...I-I actually can't believe I remembered you so easily."
"I was steering clear, I didn't want to push anything," T shrugged, "Besides, I work the evenings and nights around here, so I'm pretty much sleeping during the day."
"And for a straight dude, T gets amazing tips from all the men thirsting after him," Neil said, walking in and climbing over the bar using one of the stools to stand where T had stood.
"You're early," T commented before tossing him a towel, "I just cleaned that bar, any dirt you make you're cleaning."
Neil just stuck his tongue out at him and turned to Will, "What's up, baby?"
"Just came to hang out with you while Paul was at work, then I saw T," he grinned, looking at T, "Me and him go way back."
"We were troublemakers, back in the day," T said, slinging his arm around him.
"Nah, we were perfect angels, look at us," Will said, "Aren't we the picture of innocence?"
"Oh, yeah, picture perfect," Neil rolled his eyes and leaned on the counter, resting his chin on his hand, "But, T, as your official boss, I order you to tell me all of Will's embarrassing and hopefully naked stories."
Will scoffed, rolling his eyes as well.
T snorted, "No way, man, you'll use it for material to jack off to later," he deadpanned and looked at Will, "I can't believe you're here ," he laughed weakly.
"I'm back...well, I'm sort of back. I'm lacking some memories...but...not of you," he said quietly, "I remember you, T."
T smiled weakly, "Good to hear, man...it's good to have you back."
Paul was walking back to their apartment with an icepack he'd gotten from the Brady Pub resting beside his eye. He was waiting for the line of his phone to connect to his mother's, hoping she would pick up. Things had been strained since Paul mentioned he'd been seeing Will again...with good reason. Tori wasn't exactly a fan of Will...and Will didn't remember why.
"Paul?" Tori finally answered the phone after a few rings.
"Hi, mom," Paul said, smiling when he heard the sound of her voice, "You're not busy, are you?"
"I'm never too busy for you," Tori said and Paul could hear the smile in her voice.
Paul smiled softly, "So, I don't know if you talked to Emi-"
"I did," Tori cut him off, "I don't...think it's a good idea. Everyone is too busy right now. Emi's new line is coming out soon and there will be a launch party-"
"Come after that then," Paul sighed.
"Why don't you just come here instead of making all of us come to you?" Tori asked, sighing, "It's hard on Jona to travel, you know how he gets on plane rides."
Paul bit his lip, "I'm not...comfortable leaving Will for that long right now. He's undergoing treatment for his memories right now and it's experimental."
"How could you let him do that?" Tori demanded immediately.
"It wasn't my decision, mom," Paul sighed, "I know it's dangerous, but he wants them back-"
"I don't mean about his memories, I mean about who he was before," Tori said immediately, "He was extremely rude and tried to blackmail me, Paul. You don't want to be with a person like that, you can't . I didn't raise you to be like this-"
Paul sighed again, for what felt like the millionth time in the short conversation, "Mom, I'm in love with him," he cut her off, saying it to her for the first time.
Tori went silent before sighing herself this time, "Paul…"
"I've never loved someone the way I love him," Paul admitted to her, "And...it scares the hell out of me, really," he laughed weakly, "And, sure, he drives me up the wall sometimes...but I wouldn't have it any other way."
Tori swallowed, "Okay," she said finally.
"You'll think about coming to visit us?" Paul asked hopefully.
"I'll think about it," Tori told him, "I have to go pick up your grandfather now. Goodbye, I love you."
"Love you too," Paul smiled, hanging up, feeling a little better than he did earlier.
"So, I told you what I've been up to," T gestured around the Spot, "I've been working at this dump-"
"Watch it," Neil called from where he was leaning down the bar. The man with brown hair and icey blue eyes was leaning on the stool on one knee, leaning in to talk to Neil. Will was pretty sure Neil was going to do more than just pour the handsome looking guy a drink.
"What have you been up to?" T smirked, "I've heard some things, but I'd rather hear it from you. This town has the tendency to gossip...especially around this place."
Will sighed, "Well, my family found me in Memphis and brought me back here," he explained, "Sonny really wanted me back, I guess...he broke up with Paul, like, immediately. Which...is definitely grounds to get him locked up for insanity because have you seen Paul?"
T wrinkled his nose.
"Anyways, I learned that I like Paul a lot more than Sonny...and he's a better kisser," Will admitted, "He's the best guy I've ever kissed."
"Horton, you're killing me here," Neil called, clutching his chest, "I've been wounded."
"You're second, don't worry," Will called over the music, laughing before turning back to T, "So Paul and I got together...and I've never been happier!"
"What all do you remember?" T asked.
"A few things," Will explained, "Neil is the first real friend I remembered, so we've been hanging out," he told him, "I remember my parents, a little-"
"That's unfortunate," T commented.
"And a couple of my aunts and uncles too," Will sighed, "My siblings too, which is amazing," he grinned.
"Well," T told him, "I'm happy for you," he clapped him on the shoulder, "Neil, stop flirting with your boyfriend and get us two more beers since you're on the clock."
"One more," Will told him, "For T, not me. I have to get to working on this article."
Neil rolled his eyes and pecked the man on the lips before going to grab the beer for T.
Will's phone rang before he could ask about that.
Will quickly answered it, stepping away from the booming speakers until he could hear the conversation a little bit, "Hello?" he called.
"Will!" a familiar voice called, "Guess who?"
"Uncle Austin, I have caller ID," Will laughed.
"Well...guess where I am, kid!" Austin told him, "And where are you? That music is loud...you have sensitive ears."
"Where are you?" Will laughed, ignoring his question.
"The airport in Chicago! We'll be in Salem soon!" Austin said excitedly, "Carrie and Noah are here with me. We're going to stay until after John and Marlena's wedding!"
Will grinned, "Oh my god, that's amazing!" he laughed in shock, "Uh...just...call me when you get to town, I guess."
"Will do," Austin told him, "And where are you?"
"Just out with some friends," Will said, smiling and watching T and Neil bickering with each other, "I'm about to head back to my apartment though. We should get dinner tonight if the jet lag isn't too bad."
"Ugh," Austin groaned, "The only thing I miss about Salem is the Brady Pub's food . We have to go there."
"Sounds like a plan," Will smiled, "See you soon, Austin."
"See you soon, kid," Austin said before hanging up.
Will smiled softly, putting the phone in his pocket before going back to T and Neil, "Well, I'm off. See you guys later."
"Wait, wait, wait," T stopped him, "Fork over the phone, loser. I'm putting my number in there."
Will laughed, letting him do what he wanted before taking it back, "See you guys later!" he called.
T turned back to Brian at the bar, "You're so lucky he didn't remember you."
"Mmm, let him find out in his own time," Neil waved his hand dismissively, kissing Brian again.
Will was walking home, pulling his jacket around him to protect himself from the cold, evening air. Fall would be here before they knew it, the nights were already a telling sign of it.
He smiled softly when he got a selfie texted to him of Noah, Carrie, and Austin in the airport. Before he could respond, he bumped into someone.
"Oh, sorry-" Will started.
He stopped when he saw Ben Weston was the one he'd bumped into.
