Episode 14 "Prosecution"

Chapter 5

When the sunlight streamed into the master bedroom and awoke Daniel, he had to blink several times to remember where he was and how he had gotten there. Gradually, the events of the night before came fleeting back, like sight being slowly restored to a blind person, in gentle waves of light until the picture was clear. His memories of the intimacy he and Emily shared were first and were delightfully vivid. They had fallen asleep after wild abandon on the floor of Emily's living room, waking only to muster just enough energy to retire upstairs, a recollection that Daniel half-assumed as he could not picture exactly when that happened. Next, he recalled a tender moment in the middle of the night when he stirred awake to Emily staring at him, caressing his face. He vaguely recalled her whispering "I love you" and kissing him on his forehead before he fell back asleep, his lips curling into a smile before he drifted off.

His surroundings began to make more sense as he stirred and turned over, outstretching an arm to reach for Emily next to him. In a brush of déjà vu, his arm felt only an empty spot on the bed next to him, and he groaned slightly in exasperation. Slightly concerned, he sat upright, allowing the bedcovers to fall down over his bare chest and rubbed his eyes, glancing around the room. Of course, she was not in sight and for a moment Daniel shuddered at the thought he had imagined it all. But when he finally located his shorts in the bedcovers to put on and go look for her, he was pleasantly surprised to see Emily's form perched on a stool looking over the adjoining balcony, clothed loosely in his dress shirt from the night before. He stopped short in his tracks, relieved and backtracked towards the balcony, observing her long bare legs as walked over to her. He approached slowly, attempting to surprise her with an embrace from behind, but of course Emily was too keen and heard him coming.

"Good morning," she greeted once he was inches from her, turning only slightly to acknowledge him in her peripheral vision.

Daniel smiled and leaned forward to rest his chin on her shoulder. "As much as it freaks me out to wake up in my mother's old room," he began, soliciting a turned up face from Emily. "Seeing you somehow makes it worth it."

She cracked a shy smile and extended a free hand up to where his face was nestled to rub the side of his neck. She remained silent while she massaged him and Daniel closed his eyes momentarily to enjoy it, despite being anxious to hear her reaction to everything that had transpired. He had asked her just for one chance, a break from reality and consequence, and had promised they did not need to think about the future, but he knew that moment was coming. There was no escaping it once the sun rose and a new day warranted definition of what this was, and whether it would continue to be.

As if on cue, Emily swiveled around to face him, breaking his gentle embrace and when she did Daniel realized she had been holding something this entire time, apparently resting it on the balcony. He watched as she extended it to him – a small wooden box with a familiar insignia etched into the top cover.

"What's this?" he asked, curious.

Emily took a deep breath before answering. "This box is the story of my life for the past four years. Why I came to the Hamptons… why I fought so hard to clear my father's name and avenge his persecutors… why I created Emily Thorne." She paused to look down at the box itself. "Technically this is not the original box – Charlotte destroyed that one at the beginning of the summer." Daniel snorted and Emily shrugged, continuing. "But it's essentially everything…everything there is to know about my father's journey. And about mine."

Daniel extended his hands out gingerly to accept it from her, and then paused to look her in the eye. "Why give this to me?"

Emily turned her arm slightly as she continued to extend the box to him and Daniel finally noticed why the insignia was familiar – it matched the tattoo on her wrist. "Last night you gave us a chance to put our identities – both past and even present – behind us. But this will always be a part of who I am. As Amanda Clarke more than ever, I'm David's daughter. When I was little, my father promised to always be there for me," she used her finger to outline the precise loops on the cover of the box. "Infinity times infinity. And in my own way, I vowed to do the same..."

Daniel nodded, and peered up again at her through slightly squinted eyes, listening as she poured out her heart.

Emily continued, "It may not all make sense at once, and some of it may even change your view of me. But it's something that's important for you to know and to understand… if we're going to give this another chance."

At her last few words, Daniel felt a sudden relaxation in his heart, as if he had been holding its rhythm still the entire time she spoke and was finally allowing it to beat again. He licked his lips and with a lopsided grin, challenged her response, "So you're saying to want to give us another chance?"

Emily nodded, lifting herself off of the stool to draw closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck, to which Daniel shifted the box onto the stool where she was sitting so he could embrace her same. She looked down and then up into his eyes, making a bold admission. "Life has taught me not to take for granted the people I love," she searched his eyes, sensing his agreement staring back at her. "I never stopped caring about you, Daniel."

Her words an immediate impetus for excitement, Daniel claimed her lips in response, squeezing her tightly beneath his arms in a passionate kiss, as they stood against the backdrop of the Hamptons sunrise. The moment became reminiscent of the previous night's desire until an interruption sounded from Daniel's stomach, grumbling in protest.

Emily broke away slowly with a gentle laugh, her eyes averting down to the noise from his belly. "Someone's hungry…"

"Hey, can you blame me?" Daniel replied quickly, rolling his eyes a bit. "We skipped dinner last night remember?"

"Sorry that was my fault…breakfast?" Emily suggested, resting an arm on his shoulder as she smirked devilishly, taking accountability for why they missed out on Daniel's elaborate dinner plan.

"Yeah, that might be good," Daniel conceded, tapping his forehead lightly against hers and turning to head towards the door way, with Emily just behind him. But after not even a few paces, he suddenly spun around and lifted Emily into his arms, securing her long stems around his waist while he returned towards the bed as she gasped in surprise.

"…After this."

SCENE

Nolan awoke to a tireless vibration coming from his phone on his night table. Perturbed, he finally fumbled around to disquiet it, barely opening his eyes to read the alert in the process. When he did, he had to do a double take to make sure what he was seeing was actually real, causing him to lurch upright in alarm.

Once dressed he made his way into the kitchen area, where Louise was already up and about, albeit in her bathrobe, looking a bit distressed while she sipped at an espresso by the kitchen counter. Her distraction became more evident once Nolan finally spoke, to which Louise nearly dropped her delicate cup, spilling espresso on the counter in the process.

"Nolan—sorry!" she replied, immediately looking for a towel to dab at the mess. "You startled me… ah, good morning."

"Morning," Nolan greeted her back, nervously. "Didn't realize you didn't hear me coming…" He handed her a towel to help with the mess and looked down at the alert on his phone again, a curious look coming over his face. "Are you alright? I – uh… I didn't hear you come in last night?"

Louise froze, a bit unnerved and tried her best to relax before clearing away the dampened towels and retrieving her cup again. "Oh…I-um… I needed to clear my head a bit last night so I went for a walk. I must've lost track of time…" She found herself securing the belt to her robe around her waist nervously before taking her cup with her outside to sit beside the pool.

Nolan followed behind, his look of curiosity now elevated to suspicion as he sat beside her, watching her closely while she stared straight ahead. "Anything I might be able to help with?" he prodded innocently.

Louise hid her lips along the rim of her cup as she brought it to her face, and then finally shook her head and set it down gingerly, looking down in her lap. "Nolan… I…" she began.

"Yes?" Nolan was growing more and more nervous by the minute.

"There's something I have to tell you…something I've been keeping from you," she finally breathed and then looked over to watch the expression on his face. When she realized he already appeared to anticipate something magnanimous coming, she tensed up. "Oh goodness, you already know?" she guessed.

He looked down, a bit ashamed. "Look, I didn't want to assume anything… it's just that I know what you've told me about the struggles you've had in the past and…you know I'm here for you, but… well, I guess I was just concerned—"

Before he could finish, Louise began shaking her head, anxious to purge herself of what she was holding onto. "No, please, you've been a saint to me, Nolan… really, the best friend I could ever imagine and it was wrong of me not to tell you this when it first started but… the truth is," she paused, and took a deep breath before looking into his eyes. "I think I'm starting to fall for Jack."

"Wait—what?" Nolan stammered in surprise, expecting a completely different confession.

"I know, I know," she admitted, thinking his surprise pertained to her admission. "I should've told you sooner… it's just that you and I knew going into this arrangement that the marriage was just a cover to protect me from my family, and… well, I know we never talked about it, but I just thought… I guess I just- " she cut herself short, remorseful."Nevermind, I'm a stupid woman. I should have just told you the truth instead of lettin' you find out like this—"

"Wait a minute," Nolan sought to straighten out what Louise was actually saying. "You wanted to tell me you have feelings for Jack?" he confirmed again, a bit lost.

Louise tilted her head in apology. "It's just that we've been spending time together lately, and Nolan, I can tell why you two are such good friends – he is such a sweet man," she emphasized, reflecting to herself. "That night you had to run off to help Emily, we took a stroll on the beach, and he really opened up to me and made me feel so much better about my family's situation…"

Nolan looked off as Louise continued on, realizing that she had no idea at all what confession he was expecting to hear from, much less did she even know what had happened. When he returned his attention, he realized he had to break the news.

"…and not only that but I mean, little Carl? I just fell in love with that sweetheart," Louise was still rambling. "I know this is so strange and believe me I didn't just come around hunting for your friends, but—"

"Louise, Louise wait—" he interrupted her, first and foremost to allay her fears. "You don't have to apologize … I'm fine with you and Jack, really!"

She looked back at him and shock and her eyes began to twinkle in delight. "Really? You-you don't mind?"

"No, not at all," Nolan assured her, thinking to himself. "To be honest, I kind of pushed the idea on him a little while back," he looked at her again. "But only because I care about you and could see for myself that you two would make a great match."

"Oh good lord, what a relief," Louise exhaled, giving Nolan a generous hug. Her head perched over his shoulder she vented, "I was so worried about your reaction; it's had me in a fit all morning."

"I can imagine," Nolan echoed, his countenance beginning to drop again. "But—hun? There's ah… there's still something I need to tell you…"

With Nolan's announcement, Louise released her grip, pulling away to stare him in the face. "What is it?" she asked sincerely, noticing how pale Nolan had become. "Honey, you're as white as snow, what's wrong?"

He looked down at his phone and breathed deeply as he delivered the news. "I don't know how to tell you this, Lou… but… your brother was found on the beach last night," he grimaced as her face dropped, and he tenderly handed her the phone so she could see the news item. "He's… he's dead."

"Oh my God!" she gasped, tears welling up in her eyes immediately, as she struggled to read the report that Nolan was so afraid to show her. "What happened?" she wailed.

"They… aren't sure," Nolan speculated. "They're still investigating but right now… it looks like they're ruling it a suicide."

Louise closed her eyes and covered her mouth with her hand, incredulous. She continued to shake her head in shock while Nolan watched her read the article. Again, he felt a tug of curiosity come over him and with a bit of hesitation he repeated his question from earlier. "I wasn't sure if you'd seen him when you were out last night… if you'd had a chance to talk to him?"

"No," Louise whispered, still stunned. "Not since that whole business with mama and my fortune." She thought for a moment. "I mean, he stopped by the club to talk, back when the trial had first began but that was almost two months ago—" she stopped short, looking up at Nolan with a sudden twinge of uncertainty. "Wait a minute… you don't think that-that I…?"

Nolan tried his best to shift in demeanor to reassure her but it was already clear he asked for a reason. As awareness hit Louise, she shook her head in disbelief and immediately rose to her feet, Nolan's phone still in hand. "Oh my goodness," she uttered, understanding. "You do? You think that I had something to do with this?"

"Lou, wait—" Nolan attempted to stop her line of thinking, but her emotions were flared and she was already on a roll. She shook her head in shock and stormed back towards the house, while Nolan jumped to his feet behind her, taking hold of her arm. "Wait, Louise I didn't say that—"

"Ugh, you didn't have to!" she sighed, half turned around. "It was clear as day written all over your face! Here I am worried sick about how you'll react to me feeling for Jack, and meanwhile you've got me convicted of murder!"

"Look, the police report just said that he vanished last night and they couldn't verify the last person to speak to him," he pleaded, while she glared at him impatiently. "I just wasn't sure if you knew anything, I didn't assume the worst—"

"Oh, please," Louise rolled her eyes, shaking free of his grip. "I'm not a child, Nolan – I can tell when someone has an angle on me, my family's been accusing me of the worst my entire life. The only thing is I thought you were different from them—I thought for once my friends could be closer than family, but I can see I was wrong—" she looked down at his phone still in her hand and tossed it over her shoulder before turning around angrily, while Nolan watched as his device landed squarely in the large pool behind them.

He sighed in exasperation as she marched back into the house, pausing only slightly as she saw a shocked looking Jack Porter watching the entire ordeal as he had just arrived in the living room.

"Louise," he called out to her, but she was unable to face him, only muttered a quick "I'm sorry, Jack" and brushed past him, storming towards her room and slamming the door shut.

Jack looked back over at Nolan for an explanation as he trailed in slowly, leaning his head back in frustration at how badly that had went. "My apologies, Jack…Lifestyles of the rich and shameless," he greeted him.

Jack removed a hand from where it rested in his jacket pocket to gesture towards Louise. "So I take it she's not entertaining visitors today?"

"Not unless you brought a socket wrench to remove the massive foot from my mouth," Nolan lamented, to Jack's surprise. He looked at him sheepishly and continued. "Lyman was found dead last night."

"Her brother, Lyman?" Jack gaped in shock, looking sympathetically towards her room.

"Her very own," Nolan confirmed. "Which makes me a class-A douchebag for thinking I could push her for information, and instead now she feels like she's married to the enemy."

"Wait, wait," Jack asserted, putting his hands up in a surrender motion to clarify what he was hearing. "You implied that she had something to do with it? Nolan, you know what her family's like, can you imagine how that made her feel? How could you do that-?"

"I know," Nolan took his whipping, shaking his head in embarrassment. "I shouldn't have gone there. Especially when she just finished opening up about her feelings for you, an admission that, in her favor, she did tell me honestly as soon as she could…" He continued to look away, still ashamed by his presumptuous actions.

"She told you that?" Jack asked, to which Nolan nodded. Jack felt a degree of ease, relieved to hear she had acknowledged their interactions, as it was something that had been on his mind also.

Nolan softened up towards his friend, hoping to avert his attention to address the other revelation. "She cares about you Jack," he admitted on her behalf. "She was worried sick about how I would feel but I told her you two had my blessing," he added with a half-grin.

Jack raised and lowered his eyebrows in response, adding, "And then you half-accused her of murder? Fratricide, at that?"

Nolan shrugged, hoping for mercy. "Not exactly husband of the year?" Jack shook his head while Nolan sighed, helpless and asked for his help. "Talk to her for me? I mean, you were with her all night—maybe she'll respond to you? Help her find it in her heart to forgive me."

Jack nodded, if only to get him to stop begging. "Alright, alright I'll talk to her, after she's had a moment to grieve, she needs that. But, while I'll do my best, there's just one thing Nolan," he added.

"What's that?"

Jack looked at him honestly. "I wasn't with her last night."

Nolan's face wrinkled up in confusion and a sense of curiosity returned. "You weren't?"

"No, I saw her in the afternoon when I came to pick up Carl but after that I went home," he clarified. "I was in all night, and so was my mom."

"Huh," Nolan exhaled, more as a statement than a question. "Interesting."

Jack looked at him again with concern before finally adding, "Look why don't you save the detective work for Emily, alright? I'll stop by later on," he gave him a stern look before heading back towards the front door, leaving Nolan to continue to wonder at Louise's whereabouts, despite desperately not wanting to think the worst…

SCENE

Daniel never grew tired of awaking next to Emily. Even after a blurred morning of blissful affection, intermitted by them finally making it downstairs to salvage breakfast before retiring again to the bedroom – he was content to repeat the same series of events over again until the evening came. Instead, it was late afternoon when he woke, and in contrast to the morning, Emily lay beside him on her side, her back to him. He reached over and twirled a lock of her hair that cascaded over her bare back between his fingers, and to his surprise she turned to face him, also awake.

"Is it me," he whispered when her eyes met his. "Or are you more... athletic then I remember?" He squinted up while he searched for the right word.

Emily laughed through her nose. "It's you," she replied, a hint of softness in her usual dry response. When he laughed in return she placed a flexed hand on the pillow they shared and added, "Although it's possible now that I don't have to hide my skills, I'm more relaxed with my instincts."

Daniel laughed again, slightly shaking his head. "At the risk of sounding dirty - I have to admit I wish I knew who you were sooner," he teased, to which Emily swatted him. He lifted his neck a bit to look around and sighed. "I still can't believe I'm in my mother's bed."

"You know it's not actually her bed, Daniel," Emily corrected him, a thought coming to mind. "We were in my father's last year, if that makes you feel better?"

"Ugh, even worse," he retorted, turning his nose up and he was next to have a thought strike him.

"You're not expecting him to drop by anytime soon are you?" He shuddered at the thought of having to explain to him, although David was likely already aware that he was cohabiting with his daughter. Regardless, Daniel was certain that despite knowing about their shared living arrangement, David couldn't know they had taken that to a different level. He wondered for a moment how Emily's father would feel and just how much he knew about their past together.

Emily's assurance interrupted his train of thought. "No, I doubt it," she answered, looking downwards. "Last time we spoke we didn't exactly agree…"

Daniel recalled he had never even talked to her about the trial the day before and wondered if her reserve had to do with the proceedings. "We don't have to be awkward about the trial," he ventured, addressing the elephant in the room. "My mother is guilty. I don't expect David to do anything but tell the truth."

Emily took a breath tentatively, biting her lip in contrast. "Actually, it's the opposite," she paused to look up at him again. "I've asked my father to protect Victoria instead of telling the truth."

Daniel wrinkled up his brow in alarm. "Why ever did you do that? Ems, she's guilty," he removed his hand from under the bed covers to gesture his insistence. "We all saw what happened; she killed Ben in cold blood!" He thought for a moment. "Trust me, it's not her first time – I can tell when she intends to take someone out."

Unbeknownst to Daniel, Emily too had that sixth sense for reading Victoria's intentions, especially in the past year. But rather than turn over those sensitive stones, Emily continued with the present. "Unfortunately, even though that's true, your mother also has information that she's given to Margaux to hold over my father's head unless the prosecution cooperates." She looked up at Daniel who per her expectation was now intrigued. "That information could put my father at further risk, and I have to protect him. So of course, he's upset that I'm asking him to do this for me."

"I can't say I blame him," Daniel added honestly to Emily's chagrin. He pursued despite her change in countenance. "Look, whatever he's guilty of I'm sure it pales in comparison to all the things my mother's done." Emily's silence signaled her agreement but regardless, Daniel tried his hardest to relate to David, which was not difficult seeing as his offspring was a mirror image beside him. "At this point in his life, after all he's been through he just wants to tell the truth, Ems. I'm sure you can relate to that."

Emily kept her focus away from Daniel's pleading eyes but didn't ignore him. She was absorbing what he was saying but couldn't hide the fact she was just not ready to talk about it. "I do," she admitted, and her tone made it feel final, so Daniel relaxed a bit. "He isn't due back in court for a few days," she continued, changing the subject. "Until then I was hoping to get a break from it all." She glanced up at Daniel wishfully.

"I guess that's where I come in?" he guessed, rolling over on his back in defeat, realizing that Emily still had a knack for getting her way. "Alright. What do you want to do?"

She smirked at him and got up, tossing a pillow in his face. "First - get dressed," she ordered him, before heading off towards the bathroom with a grin over her shoulder. Even in her clear defiance of the wisdom of those around her, she had an attractive fieriness that made Daniel find it hard to say no to her. He grumbled under the pillow but submitted, admittedly grateful that at least her suggestion implied their next excursion would still be together. And while she wouldn't admit it right away, deep down inside Emily was looking forward to that part the most.

SCENE

"Right through here," an officer guided Margaux to the consultation room which had become a familiar surrounding for her to visit Victoria during their discussions prior to the trial. Today however, was somewhat different, as the reason for her visit related more so to outside events than the actual proceedings.

When Margaux entered the room, Victoria was already seated and looked up in relief at seeing her defender and mother of her grandchild enter the room. By now Margaux was almost a full seven months, and while she was ever the fashionista while pregnant, even her designer garb could not hide her protruding belly from view. Victoria smiled at the sight of her, and immediately extended her hands out to hold Margaux's across the table.

"How are you feeling, dear?" Victoria asked, her maternal instincts reared. "How's my grandson?"

"I'm well, Victoria – we both are," Margaux answered a bit shortly, and knew she could not mask the real intent of her visit. Victoria's perception was too sharp. "But I need to tell you something… I haven't held up to my agreement with your son."

Victoria tilted her head in confusion. "Why? Daniel's made an effort to be involved, hasn't he?"

"Yes," Margaux answered honestly, looking down in shame. "He has done everything he can to show his full willing support but the truth is," she raised her eyes to meet Victoria's dark browns. "I don't want him to."

Victoria shook her head in admonishment. "Darling, you can't keep your child from his father forever?" She straightened up in her seat, reflecting. "Please tell me you won't follow in my footsteps. I foolishly thought I could keep Charlotte from David and never have to answer for it, and I've paid dearly for that choice. The same even with Patrick, whose father was despicable," she spat. "Daniel is a good man, and he wants to be a good father - why do this to him?"

"Honestly?" Margaux responded, a bit embarrassed. "Jealousy." She thought for a moment. "And spite."

"What do you mean?" Victoria pried nervously. "You're not holding it against him for not being here to support me, are you? Daniel is still bitter with me over the things I've done in the past, and I accept that. I can't force him to forgive me until he's truly ready." Her expression appeared to sincerely take accountability for the distance between mother and son but Margaux's determination was unrelated.

"It's not because of that," she clarified, a bit sternly. She cringed at her own pettiness, but could hold back the truth no longer. "It's because of Emily," she admitted, an edge in her voice. She knew she could not take back what she said next.

"Emily?" Victoria seethed, anticipating.

"He is with her," Margaux finally revealed. She glanced down at her lap and then back to Victoria, watching her expression closely. "I thought it was just rumors at first, but it's been confirmed – the last few days they've been seen together, publicly. And a trusted source has disclosed that he has vacated his apartment in the city – he's been staying with Emily for weeks now."

Victoria let out a breath and closed her eyes, shaking her head slowly in indignation. "He's making a mistake, Margaux," she attempted to assure her immediately, taking hold of her hands again. "He's foolishly allowing that girl to use his sacrifice as a reason to manipulate his affections."

"I can't be sure of that," Margaux countered her. "But either way… I don't want my son anywhere near them, when he is born." She paused for emphasis. "Especially her."

"And he won't be," Victoria asserted in return, an intense look of hatred forming in her eyes. "It's time we used what we know in our favor to finish her once and for all."

Margaux looked away and pulled her hands from Victoria's grasp, rising to her feet. She turned away from Victoria and put a hand on her hip, obviously struggling to deal with what Victoria was proposing they do.

"You know it's the only way," Victoria insisted to Margaux's back. "Emily is trying to play you," She looked down at her hands, reflecting. "Just like David tried to play me. But neither of them is to be trusted. And just because they've held up thus far doesn't mean—"

"That doesn't make it right!" Margaux interrupted, turning to face her. She leaned forward onto the table. "I don't excuse David's actions but if we do this, the cycle continues. I've seen the determination in Emily's eyes; she is never going to stop."

"She won't have a choice," Victoria allayed her softly. "It's the one thing that will stop her. You threaten to expose David, and I guarantee you, she will not be a problem."

Margaux took a deep breath, listening in silence as Victoria's assertion began to work on her better judgment.

"Besides," Victoria continued, driving in the final nail to the coffin. "Daniel deserves to know the truth about what happened to his father… doesn't he?"

Margaux blinked several times, unable to deny that she was right. "Alright," she finally conceded, nodding as she turned to leave the room. "I'll do it. Jack goes on the stand in less than 24 hours… by that time Emily will know how imperative it is that he cooperates – her father's life depends on it."

"Good girl," Victoria replied in approval, a sneer creeping across her face as Margaux left the room. Once gone, Victoria's heart sank as she was reminded of her son's wretched alliance with her nemesis, but a glimmer of hope remained now that Margaux was taking action with the last card they had to play. As it was an integral part of their plan she was certain that the next twenty-four hours would prove to be interesting…

END OF CHAPTER

Author's Note: Thanks for returning for another chapter everyone! Please let me know what you thought! I was generous with the Demily for this installment since there was quite a lot of pent up tension we can assume between the two… and even though Victoria and Margaux's attempts are threatening it, I promise there will be more in store! I tried to work in parallel to some of the recent storylines on the show, although there are some specific alterations made… thanks so much for your support as always and please let me know your thoughts! Hoping to finish off the next 2 installments by the end of this week but your comments are what motivates me! Happy reading! ~Much Love and Reven8e~ MothToANewFlame