WARNING : JR alert!

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Tad followed Dixie through the security check point, a buzzer blaring alarmingly as the reinforced door opened. Dixie chatted in familiar tones to the balding guard who patted them both down before leading them through another heavy door to a sad little concrete room with two steel benches either side of a steel table all of which were screwed to the floor. There was a red line that ran across the length of the room basically dividing it into to.

The guard sniffed and addressed Tad; he was saying words he had clearly spoken many times before and the weariness in his voice was evident.

"There will be two guards present at all times. Do not cross the red line. Do not touch the patient. Do not pass the patient any object over the red line. Do not place any item on or under the table. If a guard issues you with instructions follow them immediately. If you wish to leave the room at any point inform the guard. Any questions?"

"No." said Tad. "I think you've covered it."

Tad's misgivings about Dixie leaving him for JR came back a hundredfold at the thought of her coming here every day to this oppressive place to see her son.

"Take a seat." instructed the guard.

Dixie had already settled on the uncomfortable looking bench. Tad settled beside her.

The blaring buzzer sounded and a door on the opposite wall opened and a guard walked in with JR dressed in an orange jump suit.

There was genuine surprise on JRs face at the sight of Tad sitting beside his mother.

JR was almost unrecognisable. Gone was the slick young man, he was thinner, his hair was longer and the beginnings of a patchy beard covered his chin.

"Tad." said JR, with a slight sneer. "I see you finally remembered I was here."

"Don't start JR." pleaded Dixie. "Especially when he's come all this way to see you?"

JR sniffed.

"So Tad what news do you bring me from sunny Pine Valley?"

Tad looked to Dixie. She was begging him with her eyes to be civil to JR, well for her he would try.

"Pine Valley carries on regardless." said Tad. "You know that. How are you JR?"

"I'm great!" said JR with a sarcastic laugh, "In the best possible care!"

Tad narrowed his eyes at JR's eccentric outburst. It didn't ring quite true.

JR leant closer resting his arms on the cold metal of the table.

"How is my son? How is AJ?"

Tad knew Dixie wanted him to lie and placate JR but JRs attitude was instantly rubbing him up the wrong way.

"He has a wonderful home with his mom. He couldn't be happier."

"Don't you mean moms." snapped JR.

"No. Bianca and Marissa aren't living together. Bianca is quite sick at the moment, a complication from the shooting."

"I'm glad." said JR coldly.

"JR." warned Dixie."

"What." said JR, holding his hands up in mock innocence, "I'm just glad my son isn't being polluted by living with two lesbians."

"Oh they are very much together JR and AJ couldn't be happier about it." said Tad, aware he was only tormenting JR more. "In fact he was telling me just last week that when Bianca adopts him he's going to be the happiest boy alive. He gets two of the best mommy's in the world, his very own twin, and a baby sister, all in one go!"

"Over my dead body!" snarled JR, banging his fist on the table. "No better yet, over hers!"

"JR you mustn't talk like this." said Dixie, horrified by JRs retort, but also a little mad at Tad for provoking him. She put a hand on Tad's arm in a silent plea for him to back down but Tad's eyes were narrowed at the young man he once thought of as his son.

"You know what, your right mom." said JR sitting back, the angry expression on his face morphing back to normal. "I have to be the bigger man." He smiled a sad smile in Tad's direction. "You know most nights I go over and over that drunken night at the Art Gallery. You have no idea how much I regret it. I was crazy and angry and I just stumbled on Bianca by accident. She was there all smiles and innocence and she had stolen everything from me twice over… I remember the softness of her neck as I squeezed my hands around it, the choking sobs she made and the way her eyes bulged as she fought for breath… It was all so easy. If I had just squeezed a little harder, for a little longer… it's a little horrifying to realise how close I came to killing her. How easy it would have been. I was crazy." An evil glint returned to JRs eyes. "How could such a simple death have been punishment for all she had put me through? I should have really hurt her and I knew how. She wasn't strong enough to fight back… I could have given AJ a real baby brother or sister then; a reminder neither bitches could ever forget. After all Bianca likes her rape babies…"

The slap came out of nowhere. One moment JR was sneering and the next he was clutching his cheek and Dixie was on her feet.

"You don't ever say things like that." she cried.

A guard was there at Dixie's shoulder muttering a warning.

JR stood up as well.

"What mom? I though you stood by me. That lesbian whore deserves all she gets. I would kill her a hundred times over if I could!"

Tad watched JR's display with dispassionate eyes and then began a slow sarcastic round of applause.

"A great performance there, JR," said Tad coolly, "A great performance. I can see exactly what you are up to."

JRs anger vanished as he turned to Tad.

"What do you mean?"

"This is all an act. You are still the scared snivelling little boy you have always been. This performance of yours is for one reason only. You've got it quite good here haven't you? Your own room, three square meals a day? You know prison is going to be hell by comparison and that is exactly where you will be ending up when the doctors realise you are no more crazy than I am."

"You think this is an act!" roared JR. "You don't think if I got out of here for one second I wouldn't go after her… slit the throat of her children while she watched… rip off her head and wear it as a hat!"

Tad got up slowly and took Dixie's arm.

"Quite frankly JR," said Tad, calm in the face of JR's red-faced rant, "No I don't."

JR screamed in rage and attempted to throw himself at Tad over the table but the two guards quickly wrestled him to the floor.

As they moved to leave, Tad turned back one more time.

"Oh and by the way, Dixie has agreed to take a break and come home for a few days to spend time with the rest of her family. You can rot here JR. All alone in your own spiteful games and inadequacy and I hope I never see you again."

…

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P.S. AMCPrincess it's the real Erica Kane - she's just getting into bad habits again.