Episode 16 "Infinity"
Chapter 4
"Gosh, it feels like every week in the Hamptons there's another funeral to attend," Louise lamented as she made her way down to the burial site, Nolan and Jack joining her on either side. They made a solemn trio, decked in all black attire for the final services for Margaux, a farewell that had taken Emily and Daniel only a few days to organize. A cool breeze carried the last of summer air through the assembly, as more attendees gathered to mourn, seated before the decorated casket and large headstone just beyond.
"Well, you're still relatively new to the area," Nolan commented dryly as they walked along. "But unfortunately, Jack and I can attest that a summer in the Hamptons hasn't officially gone by without its own fair share of tragedy..." His grave statement was corroborated by the serious look on Jack's face, as he attempted to lend an arm to Louise to lean on. Instead it prompted her to stop short, a few paces away from the burial site.
"Jack, I'm not even sure how Daniel feels about me being here – whether my family was druggin' me or not, Margaux and I had a rocky start. Maybe I should have stayed home with Carl?" she insisted nervously, looking into Jack's crystal blue eyes for confirmation.
He placed both hands on her shoulders to comfort her, grazing the sheer fabric of her dress. "Trust me," he assured her. "I talked to him and the past you two shared is the last thing on his mind. If anything, he just appreciates your support now, when it matters most." He nodded at her for acknowledgement which she gave in return, shrugging slightly.
"Besides," Nolan added, pausing nearby. "If Emily was able to make peace with her before her last moments, then it goes without saying that Margaux wanted to move past her history with everyone." He glanced over at where the last few rows were filling, watching as Emily stood by herself, with Daniel not too far away. "Her untimely death taught us all a lesson in forgiveness."
Jack nodded, appreciating Nolan's additional comments and again looked to Louise to ensure she was ready to go sit down. She accepted the pep talk and began walking again, this time linking her arm tightly in Jack's for support.
Meanwhile, Nolan made his way over to where Emily stood, kindly receiving some of the guests as the proceedings were about to begin. "Hey," he greeted her. "Feeling any better?"
"Why do you ask?" she snapped quickly, surprising him with a suspicious look.
"Uh, it's me remember?" he reminded her, gesturing to himself with a look of surprise at her candor. "You only asked me about ten times to check in on your dad in the past few days."
"Oh, right," Emily conceded, calming down as she recalled. "You can't blame me if I think 'spending some time at sea' to 'clear his head' is a flimsy excuse," she rationalized, looking around subconsciously for him to show up at any moment and returning her glance to Nolan once she didn't catch sight of him.
"Agreed," Nolan nodded, bypassing her short temper. "But he is your father after all," he reminded her again, this time with a chiding tone. "Doesn't he get a vote as to how he spends his time?"
Emily swallowed, responding calmly. "So you're taking his side now?"
"Hey," Nolan reacted, uncertain as to how their conversation had quickly dissolved into a match. "Relax, Ems… it's the same side, remember?" He furrowed his brow at her, studying her face and then pausing to glance over at Daniel who was a few feet away greeting guests. "You're more agitated than normal, is something else bothering you? Is it Daniel?"
"No," Emily assured him, realizing her sharpness. "It's just…" she started to explain and then thought better of it, watching as the ceremony officiant arrived, who was preparing to perform the service. "I'm sorry; I just haven't got a lot of sleep lately. With planning the services and going back and forth to the hospital… I just need some time to relax."
Nolan accepted her apology without hesitation, understanding immediately. "Well, maybe while Vicky G is vacationing permanently in Ryker's, you and Danny boy should be planning your own baby-moon? At least before little Marshall comes home…" He watched as Emily's head dropped slightly in concentration, knowing it was a serious topic. Nolan's curiosity continued to brew, as he had not once breached the subject of his best friend's immediate transition into motherhood by virtue of being with newly fathered Daniel. "Are you ready for this, Ems?"
"I have to be," she answered, staring into space before looking up at her friend. "I don't have a choice."
"Are you sure? I know how much you've always wanted a family… children... But you have to admit though, you haven't been yourself lately," he continued to watch her demeanor closely, giving her a caring once-over. "You sure there isn't anything you want to tell me?"
Emily glanced around, verifying that she still had a few moments before the services began and finally digressed, lowering her voice to an almost whisper as she got closer to Nolan to reveal the secret she had been holding. "Listen, the truth is… the past few days…I think I've been having blackouts."
Nolan's face quickly contorted from intrigue to fear. "Blackouts – again?" He watched as she nodded discreetly, and then placed a hand over his mouth as he went on. "How serious are they?"
"Not as bad as before," she answered honestly. "I'm mostly just lightheaded for a few minutes. But I'm starting to have a hard time remembering what's happened… I've been trying to rest and keep track of where I am, what I'm doing... I hope it'll pass but… I'm worried." Her expression turned nearly desperate as she pleaded with Nolan to keep her secret, while still relying on him for help. "As soon as Marshall comes home, it's going to change everything and I don't want to let Daniel down… but more than anything I'm just afraid…of the unknown."
Nolan nodded slowly, recollecting the source of her inherited lapse in memory, and the fear that she still could present a dangerous risk if her condition ever worsened to the degree her mother's was. Especially now that a child was going to be a daily fixture of her and Daniel's life, he knew how afraid she must feel for its own safety; let alone how great of a responsibility it weighed upon her to be honest with herself. "And you're sure this isn't just another reaction to a repressed memory? Something that's been trying to break through?"
"Like what?" Emily questioned genuinely, unable to place what it could possibly be. "Everything that's happened this past year has opened up so much, what else could be left?" She sighed as she looked down again. "I finally have my father back—and a chance to create new memories to replace the ones I lost. How can this be happening?" Her question was rhetorical but clearly conveyed her distress.
"Now that you mention it, Ems… this is definitely something David needs to be here for." He paused to think and then tried his best to lift Emily's spirits. "Look, maybe he'll remember more about your mother's symptoms? He might even be able to tell the difference – it might be nothing at all?"
Emily appreciated his suggestion but knew regardless, even if she wasn't as bad as her mother, she had the potential to deteriorate as time went on. Still, she needed his support, either way. "Another reason why I need to get a hold of him," she looked over reflexively to where Daniel was, and caught sight of him finally walking over. She glanced quickly at Nolan to end their discussion. "Look, I can't talk about it this right now – we'll finish later," she concluded.
Nolan nodded, understanding and added a final comment before discreetly walking away, "Ems, don't worry – we'll find him. It's going to be okay." He squeezed her hand and then nodded in Daniel's direction respectfully, as the assembly gathered.
"How are you doing?" Emily quickly asked Daniel as he approached, genuinely concerned that he was holding up.
"Better," he replied, gaining strength from her presence beside him. "Knowing all these people cared about her and came today to offer their support really means a lot. This is going to be hard, but I'm glad I don't have to go through this alone." He took his seat as she did the same, slipping her hand in his to gently intertwine their fingers, squeezing tightly to brace for the moments ahead. The assembly grew quiet, and for a moment all that Emily could do was gaze into Daniel's eyes, even once he faced forward, conveying just how deeply her compassion went out to him, having experienced similar loss many times over herself. Her eyes began to glisten softly as the emotion churned in her heart, just as the minister approached the head of the audience and turned to address all.
SCENE
David leaned forward to peer through the front windshield as he pulled his car up the rocky driveway and slowed to a stop, having reached his destination. He exited the car cautiously, looking around for any onlookers, but his surroundings were all but deserted. Trees lined the driveway path leading back to the tucked away house, and only one car remained, that David was familiar with seeing before. He studied it carefully as he walked by, paying close attention to the details of the vehicle, observing the array of stickers plastered over the bumper, and a faint inscription of the police force decal in the back window. In almost simultaneous reaction, two large dogs emerged from the backyard and sounded their alarm as they jumped against the fence, barking relentlessly as David passed by the yard to go up the front steps.
When he approached the front door to knock, he took a deep breath, hoping that someone was answer, aware he had taken a chance by not reaching out in advance. But he was on a strict timeline and couldn't afford to wait for correspondence, let alone endanger his mission by speaking over a potentially recorded line. At long last, the door finally opened, revealed a scruffy bearded fellow, the face of which David recognized immediately, being the person he was looking for.
"Devil on earth," the man replied at the sight of him, looking him up and down before cracking the door open slightly. "I didn't expect to ever see you again."
David acknowledged him curtly, getting straight to the point. "I know… I'm sorry to show up like this out of nowhere, but… I needed a favor."
The man shifted slightly, crossing his arms. "You told me this day would never come," he continued, a bit suspicious.
"I remember," David admitted, looking back towards the car nervously before maintaining eye contact again with the shady fellow. "But things have changed…more than I expected them to."
Again, a shift in position from the man before him, and he nodded, resolute. "Gonna cost ya," he insisted. "Can't give anything free anymore."
"I understand," David complied, already prepared. He extended his hand, revealing the ignition keys to his boat. "I brought payment – it's tied up, down by the docks."
The unnamed man glanced down at his hand and then paused before finally taking hold of the keys, looking at them closely. He finally palmed them in his own hand and stepped aside, pushing the door fully open for David to enter.
"Well then… step into my office," he replied with a sneer, as David gestured his appreciation, clapping him on the shoulder as he walked in and the door shut behind him.
SCENE
"This is a lovely office," Emily remarked as Daniel's publisher returned from where he had excused himself nearly a half-an-hour prior, leaving both her and Daniel to wait. Emily had become restless in the time that had passed, wondering what could have taken him so long when they had arrived on time by appointment. Daniel had done an outstanding job of explaining the revisions to his book, leaving her feeling proud and rejuvenated at the chance to finally tell her story without fear, knowing it was the final conclusion to her journey of revenge, and with it, the ticket to her new life, with hopes of happiness.
But when the publisher excused himself towards the middle of Daniel's presentation and then disappeared, it left her somewhat concerned, leading her to distract the publisher with a compliment once he came back, to test his reaction – an old trick she had learned to determine when someone was hiding something.
His response confirmed her suspicions, and rather than pick up where he left off, the publisher merely sat down, a bit harried, and folded his hands in concern.
"Ah…is there a problem, sir?" Daniel asked; eager to continue his pitch for the release of his finished product.
Buying himself time, his publisher removed his glasses, fretting as he sorted out in his head how he wanted to word his next statement. He picked up the manuscript in hand, using it as a visual aid while he spoke. "Mr. Grayson," he began, and then turned to address Emily as well. "Ms. Clarke… this is, an exquisite piece of work… it's honestly everything this publishing company has been looking for in the past few years, and no doubt a sensation in the eyes of the public—"
"But?" Emily interjected, sensing the retraction coming.
"Unfortunately… it is not the only of its kind," the publisher relented, a downcast look on his face.
Daniel shifted forward in his seat, shooting a quick glance at Emily before voicing his concerns. "What are you talking about; it's as original as it gets – a biography that no one else would have had firsthand access to?"
"That….may be true," he acknowledged, paging through the table of contents. "But you see, I just received word that the company already signed on for another book… also entitled, The Amanda Clarke Story."
"What?!" Daniel and Emily both replied in unison, full of shock.
"Who's the author?" Emily persisted, while Daniel continued to look at the publisher in surprise.
"I'm afraid I can't reveal that information," he began, and Emily rose to her feet in defiance, prompting him to look up in defense. "Please – I'm not at liberty to discuss the material submitted by other clients!" He glanced at Daniel who did not budge to calm Emily down, completely in support of her furious response. For his own sake, the publisher did his best to get Daniel to understand. "Mr. Grayson, I assure you – your prose is safe, the other biography is a completely unique telling of the story – some events are similar but the vantage point is…quite different."
"Yeah, I'll bet!" Daniel retorted, his pulse rising. Beside him Emily had walked over to the window in distress and suddenly whirled around, a thought coming to her.
"He's here isn't he?" she asked, glaring over at the publisher in realization. He shrugged slightly in response, at a loss for words, trying desperately not to give any information away. "That's why you were gone for so long – you didn't just hear about this, you just cut a deal, didn't you?"
"Is that true?" Daniel followed up, supporting her line of thinking. Again his publisher tried his best to deflect, offering a few words to explain away his actions. But his uncertainty was all that Emily needed to confirm her suspicions. Before Daniel even realized it she was sprinting out of the office, down the hall and to the elevator to try to catch the mystery competitor before he could leave the premises. Daniel noticed her absence a few moments later while his publisher tried to stall him, and left immediately to go after her, grabbing his manuscript off the publisher's desk, while he sat back in his seat, shaken up, but relieved they were gone.
Emily's head start on Daniel made all of the difference as she made her way to the bottom floor of the parking garage, racing around anxiously for any signs of a car leaving. Instead, something caught her attention on her own car where she and Daniel had parked, and she rushed over, seeing a folded letter tucked underneath the windshield wiper.
She took hold of it, seeing the familiar handwriting labeling the outside of the letter, in one ink blotted word. Shame. She began unfolding it rapidly to reveal a manual typed page, with the subscript: Secrets and Lies: The Amanda Clarke Story. Beneath it appeared to be a page out of a long manuscript, and she stared in shock and realization as she skimmed it from top to bottom, furious at the rendition of events that she knew only one man could write with such glaring distortion.
Her suspicions were concerned as moments before she could finish reading, the screech of tires roared from behind her, and a black car with tinted windows came careening around the corner, headed squarely for where she stood reading the letter just in front of where she was parked. She looked up just in the nick of time and darted out of the way, and in a blur she caught a faint image of the person seated in the passenger seat, recognizing with sureness who it was.
Suddenly, the familiar lightheadedness which had been plaguing her for the past week returned, and she felt herself growing faint, as she stumbled backwards, holding onto the car for balance. It was just then that Daniel came running out of the elevator to her aid. "Emily!" he called out, beside her in seconds, supporting her with his arms as she began to sink slowly towards the ground.
"Em – are you alright, what happened?!" he exclaimed, more scared than anything. He pulled with all his might to keep her standing, attempting to help her around to the passenger side so she could sit down.
"I'm fine," she assured him, starting to go into a daze before her eyes fluttered closed, her hand beginning to lose grip on the letter she held firmly. "I'm fine, I'm fine," she continued to mutter, but again the blurred feeling intensified, clouding out her vision and leaving her to return to a sea of blackness with only Daniel's concerned face as the last image in her mind – and that of the man she was certain she had just seen speeding out of the parking lot, who had no doubt returned to thwart her last attempts at ending the cycle of revenge…
Mason Treadwell.
END OF CHAPTER
Author's Note: And the plot thickens! For your reading accompaniment, I recommend reading the above last scene along with any choice of intense scoring from the Revenge soundtrack. I had in mind quite a few scenes for inspiration in this chapter– one from the beginning of the season when David is nearly hit by a speeding car, and the other more recent, when Victoria is attacked in the parking garage. Also, for the beginning, Margaux's services were also strongly inspired by Daniel's services in the show's version of events from Episode 10 onwards. So hopefully this helped you to zone out and picture it all going down. How did you enjoy? Liking the extra Demily moments? Were you surprised at what seems to be really going on with Emily? And what do you think will come next now that Mason has returned (again!)? Hoping I'm keeping you enthused and entrenched as I wind down this final episode. More updates coming soon and as always, thank you LOADS for all of your support! Especially all of my guest reviewers – I can't reply/PM to you personally but you know who you are! Your kind words mean the world to me! More to come – stay tuned! ~Love and Reven8e~ MothToANewFlame