Thanks for the reviews! I hope this story isn't moving too fast, but I am anxious to get into the PHICK!!! Of things (cheesy I know! ) Serendipity

Chapter 2

Michael passed the emergency room in frustration. No one would tell him anything because he wasn't family. All he knew was that Phyllis had made it to the hospital alive.

"Michael?" Daniel rushed over to him in concern, "Where's my mom?"

"They have her in back. I can't find out a damn thing. Maybe you can, hey NURSE!" He growled at the nurse behind the desk.

"Um, excuse me, I'm Daniel Romalotti, they brought my mother in earlier… Phyllis Newman, I'm hoping you can tell me what's going on?" He asked politely.

Shooting Michael an annoyed glance the nurse pursed her lips, "Mr. Romalotti, I'll see if the doctor can come and speak to you." Getting out of her chair like it was an extreme effort she stepped through the door behind her desk without another word.

"What happened?" Daniel asked, "Lauren just said that mom was being taken to the hospital."

Michael took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair and was about to break the news of Phyllis' supposed suicide attempt when the doctor came in.

"Mr. Romalotti? I'm afraid I can't tell you much at the moment. Thankfully, your mother's suicide attempt was not successful…" The doctor began to explain.

"Her what? There must be some mistake," Daniel turned and looked at Michael with pleading eyes, "What happened Michael? My mom would never… she'd never do this…"

"Young man unless you have another reason for her ingesting such a high level of hydrocodone and valium… I thought not. As I was saying before your mother is in stable condition. She was very lucky. As soon as she wakes up we'll be able to move her to the psych ward for further evaluation. After that she will be able to have visitors."

"Psych Ward… Let me talk to her. She doesn't need to go to any damn psych ward…" Michael argued.

"She's ok?" Daniel put a calming hand on Michael's arm, "When can we see her?"

"As I said your mother is ok, physically I do not see any reason why your mother should not make a complete recovery."

"Why does she have to be admitted into the psych ward? If she's ok when she wakes up, we'll talk to her and then take her home." Michael remarked.

Turning with an impatient scowl toward him, the doctor calmly explained, "We are required by law to have all suicidal patients admitted into psych for at least 24 hours and then you may see her."

After the doctor walked off Daniel turned toward Michael, "Where's Summer, my mother would never leave my sister?"

"That's how this whole thing got started. The Newman's must have pulled some strings and Brad and Victoria got "temporary" custody of Summer, but after this… Daniel, in all the time I've known your mother she's gotten angry, she's gotten hurt and never, not once did she ever give up. You and Summer… you two her life..."

"Do you think that this and losing Nick… Do you think she snapped?" Daniel sighed as he wiped the moisture from his eyes, trying hard to be strong.

"No… in my head everything points to attempted suicide, but in my gut… I just feel like something isn't right…" Michael patted the young man on the shoulder and went to make some phone calls.

"What do you mean she has been moved? She was admitted twelve hours ago. What happened to the 24 hour observation… yeah, well can you say lawsuit!" Michael slammed down the phone.

"Honey? What's going on? Is it about Phyllis?" Lauren asked coming into the living room.

"Daniel was right, they did move her… I should've known last night when they wouldn't give him an update. Damn it! None of this is making any sense…"

Lauren came up behind her husband and wrapped her arms around him, "Did they at least say where she's been moved?"

Michael snorted in disgust, "No, they said it was a private facility, but because I am not family they can't disclose the location… I tried to tell them I was her attorney and they just said that didn't make me family. You tell me something isn't going on… I told you this whole thing was fishy and you said I was being paranoid… well, what do you think now?" Michael turned and wrapped his arms around his wife and held onto her tight thanking ever star in heaven that he had her by his side.

Phyllis couldn't open her eyes… they were so heavy… her mouth was so dry…"Water?" she croaked, squinting against the light shining in her eyes she tried to figure out where she was.

"It's ok, Ms. Newman, I'll get you your water… you just rest."

"Where am I?" Phyllis struggled to sit up but her arms were restrained at her sides. "What? What's going on?" Groaning the pounding in her head kept her from opening her eyes.

"Calm down, you know the doctor said you had to be in restraints for another hour…" The nurse held a straw to her parched lips and Phyllis gratefully drank the cool water.

"Where's Nick? Where's my husband?" She whispered, having had her thirst satisfied her mind and eyes seemed to go wandering.

"Such a tragedy… to die so young… but, life goes on, you'll see…" The nurse spoke softly, soothingly and Phyllis could barely make out the syringe in her hand as she tried to see her surroundings.

"The plane… the plane went down… where are my children? Daniel? My baby… where's my Summer?" She mumbled feeling panic start to overwhelm her… something wasn't right…

"Ms. Newman there was no plane crash, don't you remember? There was a car accident… you were the only survivor…" The nurse reached for Phyllis IV cord and started to put in the meds from the syringe.

"No… no! Nick died in a plane crash… Daniel is ok… Summer… they took my baby!"

"Hush now, soon you'll remember that you lost your family in the car crash… so sad, really to lose everyone like that… and for you to be responsible… now close your eyes like a good girl, Ms. Walpole is here to take care of you." The nurse smiled a satisfied smile as the drugs began to take over and Phyllis started to murmur.

"No… please they can't be dead… not my babies… Nick, please… tell them you're not dead… I feel you…" Phyllis felt the darkness drag her down and just for a second she felt in her heart that Nick wasn't dead, but he was coming home to her…

Crying softly as she fell into the oblivion she didn't see the nurse cross herself superstitiously as Phyllis continued to whisper, "Nick, come home… You're not dead…"

Letting herself go she could see him. He was alive and he was whole… but as hard as she tried she couldn't reach him and then finally he was standing in front of her.

They didn't talk, but stood there staring at each other.

"I love you…" She said and he just smiled his "devil may care" smile.

"I love you too, red. Stay strong… I'll find you, I promise." Nick took both her hands in his and kissed her tenderly… and then he was gone… and the oblivion swallowed her up again.

Two weeks Later

"I've tried everything… from stalking to confrontation… nothing works. Victor still swears he had nothing to do with her being committed." Michael groaned in frustration.

"Nikki and Victoria are in heaven… they have tried to completely erase Phyllis from Summer's life… it drives them crazy that her hair is turning red…" Lauren sat in the waiting room of Harthaven Psychiatric Facility waiting for Daniel to finish visiting his mother, so that the group could compare notes before they went in.

"Am I crazy? Maybe she just lost it… and I just want so badly to fix her…" Michael broke off as he wrapped the blanket around Fen better,

"I miss her too. Oh, here's Daniel. Hey Sweetie! Lily didn't come today?" Lauren asked as she stood up and gave Daniel a hug.

"No, she had to work. You guy's been in yet?" Daniel asked as he gave a nod toward the door.

"No, we were waiting on you, sometimes she gets agitated and they end visiting time, so we wanted to make sure you were able to see her first. Was she better today?" Michael asked, hoping something had changed.

Daniel shrugged, "She still thinks she's waiting for Nick… the day nurse says that she believes we all died in a car wreck, so every time I show up they have to calm her down and explain that I'm not a ghost. Then she gets this look and I swear… she remembers me, but the next thing I know she's talking about how much she loves the summer and hates waffles with syrup... I just don't think I can handle this." Daniel held his breath a second and let it out slowly.

"Would you mind sitting here with Fen? I'd like to go in with Michael this time?" Lauren asked with a gentle smile. After Daniel agreed, Michael took Lauren's hand and they headed back to the visiting room.

It broke Lauren's heart to see Phyllis staring off into the distance, a vague look on her face.

"Hey you… you're looking pretty today." Michael smiled and gave Phyllis a kiss on the cheek.

"Hi Phil, you look… nice." Lauren's voice broke as she tried to fit her tears.

"I have to look nice for Nick… he's coming home soon." Phyllis smiled and brushed a shaking hand through her long hair.

"He is, huh? Who told you this?" Michael cleared his throat and then asked carefully.

"He did of course… but, I don't know if I can keep the secret…" Phyllis glanced back out the window and put her hand to the cool glass.

"Honey, what secret?" Lauren asked as she laid a hand on Phyllis arm.

"I can't tell you… I'm a good girl, I am… I didn't mean it, and when Nick comes he'll forgive me… you'll see…"Quieting down Phyllis turned to walk away.

"Phyllis, don't you want to see a picture? I brought you a special picture…" Lauren pulled a picture out of her pocket and Michael shot her a questioning look.

Shyly Phyllis walked over and waited patiently to see the picture in Lauren's hand.

Lauren turned the picture toward Phyllis and smiled, "This is the one of you, Nick and Summer… you had just come home…"

"Oh god!" Phyllis put her hand over mouth and started to back away, "I killed them… it was my fault… I killed by baby…" Sobbing harder she fell to the ground.

"No, shhh! Phyllis, you didn't…" Michael crouched one side and Lauren fell to the ground on the side of her and tried to get through Phyllis, but it didn't help.

"No, don't touch me… can't you see… I killed everyone I loved… I don't want to kill you too." Crying Phyllis jerked away from Michael and Lauren. Deep sobs wracked her thin body and they were afraid she wouldn't be able to stand on her own, but somehow she managed.

The nurse and orderly in charge finally ran up and with one arm wrapped around Phyllis the orderly held her while the nurse injected something into her arm. In less than a minute, Phyllis was doped out of her mind and very cooperative.

Both Michael and Lauren stood in shock, longing to help their friend. As the orderly started to escort her from the room Phyllis managed to shock them further. She turned and looked Michael straight in the eye and said, "I'll be ok… you'll see… he'll find me, he promised…"