Doctor Luna and Miss Hyde
What if everybody's favourite Intern, sweet, friendly, lovable Luna had a dark secret?
(Author's note.) This story is set in an alternate universe. The characters are the same but some of the events were changed. There's a little bit of back story for Luna too.
"Cheryl? it's Poppy Nozawa. Could you look after Luna tonight? I've got an extra shift at the diner. Yes I know it's the third time this week but I need all the work I can get! You can? Thanks Cheryl, I owe you heaps. No I don't think you're my unpaid baby sitter. I really appreciate your help. Okay I'll see you at eight."
Penelope (Poppy) Nozawa was a single mother. Her four year old daughter was the result of a one night stand at a music festival in the bay area a few years ago. She moved from town to town, man to man and job to job. She could never settle down. Now that she had a baby it was harder still. Her wild life had been toned down a little but with the help of neighbours and friends she managed to scrape by.
When Luna was ten she was already used to her Mother's 'free spirit.' While she was at school her mother would invite her hippie friends over and they'd all get high. Luna could never have friends over; she was too annoyed at her mother's behaviour. When Luna turned twelve her mother's lecherous boy friend started to take an interest in her. She would lock her door and move the dresser against it and hide under the bed terrified. She told her mother about it, but Poppy said it was just her imagination. It was then that Luna started to lash out.
"Come on Nozawa, is that the best you can do? Let's see what you've got!" Carol Anderson already bleeding from her bloody nose taunted Luna Nozawa. Their group of classmates gathered around the two girls cheering them on while they settled their dispute with their fists. With her hair dishevelled and a bruise swelling on her cheek Luna had reached boiling point! She stepped on Carol's foot & while distracted Luna hit her with an uppercut to the jaw. "That's what I've got, bitch!" Carol dived for Luna and they went down on the ground rolling and trying to get a punch in. The lookout whistled, "Here comes Mr Waldron!" The group of onlookers scattered and Luna and Carol were left to pick themselves up off the ground all dusty and bleeding from their fight.
"Anderson! Nozawa! My office NOW!" yelled the Headmaster.
Poppy was boiling mad. "Luna you can't keep doing this! I'm sick and tired of you fighting all the time."
"I didn't start it Mom, but I sure as hell finished it!"
Why can't you just get along with the other kids? Have you been taking your meds?"
"Yes Mom I've been taking my meds, but that Carol Anderson knows just how to push my buttons, ever since we were in Junior High!"
"She's always going through my locker, tossing my things out, even when I have it locked she can still open it and writing poor little bastard notes on the locker door. I hate her Mom, I really do!"
"It can't be that bad surely." Poppy said.
"Oh yeah! You don't know what it's like Mom, every day it's the same shit. I try to ignore it but today was the last straw, so I let her have it."
"Well you've got two weeks suspension to cool down, help me bring in the washing will you?" "Mom, why won't you ever tell me about my father? Is he alive or dead? I want to know Mom, who is he?"
Poppy ignored her and went outside for the laundry.
Luna stormed out of the kitchen and into her bedroom slamming the door shut behind her.
Poppy let out an exasperated sigh. "Believe me Luna, it's better you don't know."
The specialist handed Poppy a page from his prescription pad.
"Mrs Nozawa." He started.
"Actually it's Ms Nozawa."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I've upped the dosage on Luna's prescription; hopefully we won't have any more episodes like the other day."
"Thank you Doctor, I hope so too!"
A year went past and Luna's mood changed. She had befriended Carol Anderson and the two of them became really good friends. That is until one morning they dragged Carol's dead body from the nearby creek.
Luna was as shocked as everybody else. Graduation was only weeks away, why would Carol do this? How could she do this? The final report from the coroner based on the toxicology results found an overdose of drugs was the cause of death.
After graduation Luna set her sights on her career path. She had a mountain of fashion magazines piled up in her bedroom and several scrapbooks full of clippings from her favourite fashion house 'Forrester Creations.'
She had poured over every page and photo in her scrapbook of the Forrester family so many times over the years. She knew every minute detail about them by heart. So imagine her surprise when she learned they were calling for interns.
"I've got to get this position." She thought "and start a new life, different from this hell I'm living in!" and with that she sent off her application without telling her mother of her plans.
A week later Luna was staring at her laptop screen. There was an unopened email from Forrester Creations at the top of the list. She was anxious, what if it was a thank you, but you were unsuccessful this time around, please try again next year email.
After staring at the screen for another hour, she finally opened the email and squinted at the subject heading. Re: Intern position.
The email read. 'Dear Miss Nozawa we are happy to advise you that you have been selected as an intern at Forrester Creations for the coming year. An interview will be conducted at our head office in Los Angeles on the first of next month. We look forward to meeting you then.'
Luna screamed with joy! She re-read the email again and again.
When the first of the month arrived Luna was already in L.A. She carefully closed the back door and headed for the bus station the day before.
"A one way ticket to L.A. please" she asked the clerk. "One way?" she replied "Gonna hit the big time are you?" the clerk continued.
"Yes I hope so." She smiled reaching for the ticket.
"Well good luck then miss." The clerk said and checked off another young starlet on her mental list of young people with stars in their eyes.
Checking in to the YWCA she lay down on the bed, her head filled with thoughts about how tomorrow's interview would go. She imagined the cover of her favourite fashion 'mag' a few years from now. 'Girl from Bay area stuns L.A. with her latest designs.' She fell asleep thinking of her new beginning.
"Oh no, it's raining! This is not the way I thought my big day would start!"
Fortunately the rain eased off in time for the interview so she wouldn't look like a drowned rat when she walked in the door.
The interview was a breeze and Donna Logan; THE Donna Logan welcomed her to 'the team.' She screamed with delight and pumped her fist into the air!
The next few months were a whirlwind of learning what goes where, and who gets what. Luna had met most of the BIG names or at least passed them in the hall. It was one of these times she was delivering samples to an office when she first saw RJ Forrester. RJ or Ridge Junior was the son of Ridge Forrester and Brooke Logan; she had learned that RJ had had no interest in the 'Haute Couture' family business at first which was a disappointment to his father. But he developed an interest when his grandfather Eric had trouble holding a pen to sketch his designs.
Luna had run out of her pills weeks ago. Though she felt alright and had no mood swings she thought "maybe I'm cured."
RJ and Luna were now a couple. "I can't believe I'm dating RJ Forrester AND working at Forrester Creations." She thought. "My life is perfect, what could go wrong!"
Luna spoke too soon. Her Aunt learned that Luna was in L.A and demanded she quit and move back to the Bay area where she belonged! "You don't want to get mixed up with this family." She warned.
Of course Luna paid no attention, she wasn't giving this up and moving back home, no way!
Then Luna's mother arrived, and Luna was worried she too would force her to quit and go home. But it was quite the opposite. Poppy was a free spirit, always had been. Moving from relationship to relationship and dragging her daughter along with her, always looking for a good time. Luna hated it. "It's no wonder she won't tell me who my father is, she probably doesn't know herself!"
When her mother decided to stay they got an apartment together. Luna hoped her mother had 'Got her shit together' She wasn't going to put up with a revolving door of druggies and Alcoholics. No way, not again.
Poppy had reformed herself. No more one night stands, no more drugs. Well she still had a small supply of pills to give her a little 'pep' now and again.
It was these little pills that brought Luna's world crashing down.
At a party thrown by the Forrester's she accidentally took some of her mother's 'mints' mistaking them for her breath mints and mixed with the champagne she started to hallucinate. Stepping outside for a minute for some fresh air she bumped into Zende Forrester. Luna knew he fancied her and to tell the truth she liked him too!
"Good night Luna" He said as he passed.
Luna grabbed him and kissed him passionately.
"Whoa, Luna what are you doing." Zende said as Luna was all over him and tugging at his belt.
"Don't play hard to get Zende, I know you want me, here I am." She whispered in his ear. Struggling to get out of her grasp he said. "Luna, what about RJ?"
"He's just a boy, I need a man!" She laughed. With this they stumbled to his room and she threw him on the bed.
Next morning when Zende woke up he was alone. The bedclothes were all over the floor and so were his clothes. Thinking back on last night Zende let out a slow whistle. "Man that was intense! She's a wildcat!"
When Zende arrived at the office he saw Luna talking to RJ and she greeted him like nothing had happened. "Must have been the Champagne." He thought and made a mental note to go easy next time.
It didn't take long for Poppy to get back to her 'old tricks.' She was looking around for a 'sugar daddy' and thought she had found one in Bill Spencer Jnr. She had done her homework and discovered he was loaded. Now the hard part was to convince Luna to go along.
"NO!" Luna screamed at her mother. "You said you'd changed! No more schemes, no more cheating and lying."
"This isn't lying, well maybe a little." Poppy said with a pouting look on her face. "Wouldn't you like to live in Bel Air? It's better than that shit hole we live in here."
"I told you if you started up your schemes again I'd tell the Police! I've got a good thing going here Mom, why do you have to come along and stuff it up, why!"
With a sad look on her face that Luna saw every time Poppy tried to convince her to go along with her latest scheme, the sad puppy dog eyes and the fake tears wasn't going to work this time.
"Fine!" Poppy yelled at her daughter. "I'll do it myself without your help! You'll come begging to me when I'm the lady of the biggest house in Bel Air and I'll kick you out on the street! Where are my mints?"
Luna had to hand it to her Mother. She knew how to twist a guy around her little finger. Bill Spencer, CEO of Spencer Publications was her latest patsy. Poppy watched him from across the room. He sat at the bar swirling the ice in the glass of his barely touched whisky. Poppy knew this look, approaching the bar, within minutes she gave him a story about their meeting at a music festival in San Fran years ago. About their one magic night of passion and his promise to call her. Bill had let his guard down, still unhappy about Katie's latest refusal to reconcile; He listened to Poppy as she 'spun her web' and he, like a careless fly fell for her trap.
The eviction notice tacked to the door was a blessing in disguise for Poppy when she came home. Her mind already spinning with a sob story to tell Bill about being out on the street within weeks.
Bill and Poppy had been dating for a month and they were enjoying each other's company. She knew how to soften up even the toughest man and her research on Bill was paying off, but strangely she had developed an affection for him. "No!" she shook it off. "Time for the next stage." Poppy thought.
Luna's nice girl charade was starting to grate on her. For a month she pretended to be the same nice 'girl next door' person she used to be. She could see her mother's relationship with Bill was progressing smoothly and a wicked thought came to her mind.
"Payback!" she thought. "You made my life a misery with all your druggie boyfriends, now I'm going to steal your prince charming."
When Poppy asked Luna if she would go along with stage two of her plan, she was surprised that without hesitation Luna said yes.
"Time to introduce me to my dear ol' dad." Luna joked.
"Yes, you know the routine and the upcoming demolition of the apartment will be a good way for us to get our foot in the door."
After hearing of their plight, Bill did invite them to move in with him. Meeting Luna, a girl who could be his daughter was the 'icing on the cake.'
Weeks went past and Luna was happy, things were back to normal and her Mom, Bill and herself were like the family she had always wanted.
That is until HE showed up.
Luna knew who her father was. She pretended not to know but wanted to hear it come from Poppy's mouth. Hoping her mother would one day tell her the truth she remembered years ago when she found them. A bundle of letters marked 'return to sender' addressed to Poppy. The return address was from 'Tom Star' in the bay area. Luna opened one of the letters and this Tom Star had pleaded with Poppy to let him come and meet his daughter. He wrote he was sure Luna was his. Snapping out of that thought Luna said out loud. "No way, "Bill's my father!"
Luna had put the letters back where she found them and then they were gone the next day before she could quiz her mother about them. Meanwhile she did a little research into this Tom Star. It turned out he was a big star at one stage, then the booze and drugs took over and he disappeared.
Twenty years later Tom had moved to L.A. but found it tough there as well. He lived on the streets eating scraps and busking with his only possession, his old guitar.
Fast forward a few weeks and Luna was shocked to see him at the front door of Bill's mansion delivering a pizza. She recognised him from the pictures she'd seen online. It seemed Poppy wasn't too happy to see him either.
"I've got to get rid of Tom Star" Luna thought to herself. "But how?" When she saw the flyer for his upcoming performance at Il Giardino a thought came to mind. She had done some covert spying at Il Giardino and noticed he was always sipping on a water bottle. "What if I spiked his drink with enough of the drugs I killed Carol Anderson with before his performance? Everyone would be concentrating on watching him get set up, so no one would see me backstage."
Luna put her plan into action and the result was better than she thought. "This guy isn't my father, Bill Spencer is!"
Luna's 'evil' side was growing stronger and stronger. A day after the paramedics had wheeled away Tom's body she walked in on Hollis who was holding a backpack and rummaging through it. He pulled out the letters and Luna gasped. It was then that Hollis looked up and noticed her.
"Is it too late for a Pizza?" She asked
"Afraid so." said Hollis. "We're closing early tonight; customers are still a little spooked from the incident yesterday."
Luna acted surprised. "What happened?"
"One of our employees was singing a few songs from his old days and he just keeled over, couldn't revive him."
"How horrible!" Luna faked. "Are you okay, that must have been a shock, let me buy you a drink."
"Yeah I'm a bit shakin' up. Tom was starting to get his life back on track. Don't know how this could've happened?"
Luna was wondering how to get the backpack away from him. She noticed an open bottle of water on the bar and reached into her pocket. "I was going to throw the rest of this away, but it looks like I may have to use it. Sorry Hollis." She thought.
"I'll be back in a minute." Hollis said. "I've just got to get something from the storeroom."
Leaving the backpack, he left the room; Luna went over to the table and went to grab the back pack when Hollis came back in.
"Oh, that belonged to Tom. I better put it away in case the police need it as evidence."
As he left the room Luna took the cocktail of drugs from her pocket and poured it into the bottle. Swirling it around to make it dissolve she placed it back on the bar as he came in.
"Now about that drink." He said. "I'll just have water, I have to drive. What will you have?"
"I'll have water too!" she smiled sweetly.
Hollis drained his bottle in one long gulp. "Won't be long now." Luna thought to herself. "I am really sorry it had to end this way Hollis."
When Hollis collapsed on the floor, Luna dragged him to the back of the bar. He was still semi conscious but couldn't move or speak.
Luna went into the storeroom, found the backpack and crept out the back door.
Unlocking the door of their apartment Luna looked for a good place to hide the backpack to put the next phase of her plan into action. Stuffing it behind the couch she then went into her bedroom and changed into the black outfit she bought to match her mood.
Katie Logan was suspicious of Poppy the first time she met her. "There's something about her, some weird vibe I get from her. I don't think her feelings for Bill are sincere." Katie's 'spidey senses' turned out to be true when Poppy was arrested for the murder of Tom Star and Hollis.
Of course, with Katie's research, digging around the internet looking for any connection between Tom Star and Poppy Nozawa and then handing all she had found over to Detective Baker wasn't enough to bring her in. Then she found the 'smoking gun.' A tip off told her incriminating evidence could be found in Poppy Nozawa's apartment.
Katie arrived at Bill's mansion to confront Poppy for the gold digging double murderer that she was. Poppy denied everything. That's why Katie told Detective Baker about the tip off and where to find the missing link they had been searching for.
Right on cue, Detective Baker arrived with a female uniformed officer holding the backpack. He opened the bag and showed her the letters and a bag of drugs that had been used in the killings.
Baker alleged Poppy had killed Tom Star because she was worried he was going to spoil her cushy little life with Bill by proving he was Luna's father. He further alleged that Hollis was collateral damage and an unintended victim.
"Penelope Nozawa, I'm placing you under arrest for the murder of Tom Star and Paul Hollister." He read her, her rights as he cuffed her wrists and the uniformed officer led her away.
Katie had that I told you so kind of look in her eyes. Bill was shocked and Luna was in tears as Poppy was led out.
Katie had encouraged Bill to do a second paternity test just to make sure Luna was his daughter. Luna agreed to the test begrudgingly knowing what the result would be.
It was negative! Luna was not Bill's child.
Steffy had been visiting earlier and had left her phone by mistake on a table near the door. She silently opened the door and heard voices. Peeking around the corner she saw Luna kissing Bill!
While embraced in a hug trying to console her Bill felt her warm lips on his.
"Luna, what are you doing? You can't do this!"
"I'm sorry Bill; my emotions are all over the place. I'm so sad I'm not your daughter, are you sure the test is right?"
It was then that Luna saw Steffy's reflection in the mirror.
Luna quickly made up a story about needing something from her apartment and left in a hurry.
Steffy forgot about her phone and went after Luna.
Steffy was groggy, her head heavy, her eyesight blurry. Things were going in and out of focus. "What am I looking at?" she thought as she lay on her back. "Are those bars?"
"Well look who's awake? Did you enjoy your little nap?"
Steffy held her head, still groggy. She remembered now, Luna had offered her an ice tea. She must've slipped something in it. Looking around Steffy asked. "Where am I?"
"You're in my old apartment building; it's scheduled to be demolished any day now."
"What? Luna, what are you doing, let me out of here."
"Sorry, no can do. You saw me kissing Bill and I don't want you to spoil my surprise."
"What surprise? You're moving on your mother's boyfriend while she's in Gaol?"
"Aww, you guessed it."
"Luna, this isn't you. Let me out now!
"Nope, no way. Don't think you can escape either, I put extra bolts in to reinforce the cage."
"Cage? Who keeps a cage in their apartment?"
Luna laughed "Well not me, I ordered this one from DIY Hardware. I used your credit card too; hope you don't mind. It took me ages to put it together."
"You psycho!"
"Uh uh, no name calling." Luna waggled a finger. "I'm hungry. I think I'll go get something to eat. Now don't go anywhere she laughed or no burger and fries for you."
A knock at the door startled Steffy. It was Luna playing tricks. "Sorry I was away so long." She said "Here I bought you something to eat and drink."
"Like I'm going to drink anything you give me after last time."
"Suit yourself." Luna took a sip from the bottle. "Mmmm, that's good."
The sound of a siren sounded and Steffy thought it was the Police and Finn come to rescue her.
Luna laughed. "Don't get your hopes up Steffy, that's just a warning to clear the area before they detonate the explosives and bring this place down."
"Are you crazy!" Steffy screamed. "It will kill us both!"
"Not me, just you. I'm leaving now, bye."
Luna could still hear Steffy cursing at her half way down the hall. She snuck out the back way where a hole was cut in the wire of the fence.
Finn was worried about Steffy. She hadn't checked in to her health spa in France and had not contacted him to assure him she was okay. Finn was checking with everyone. Li and Ridge hadn't seen her for days. Then he asked Bill if she'd been there and he said she had asked Liam to mind Kelly while she was away.
Bill said he had found Steffy's phone on the table near the door. That's when Finn's phone rang. "It must be Steffy." He said aloud. It wasn't. Detective Baker said one of his patrols had found Steffy's car near a demolition site. It was the only car there and was in the blast radius. Asking for the address he discovered it was Poppy and Luna's place. Detective Baker said."I'll pick you up on the way!"
Based on credible evidence, Finn now knew what had happened to Steffy. He and Detective Baker were heading to Poppy's old apartment building hoping to get there in time. The car pulled up and the two men raced to the site office. Baker flashed his badge. "I'm Detective Baker, I have reason to believe a woman is still in the building."
The Foreman shook his head. "No my guys went through there this morning, didn't see a soul. You better stand back we're bringing this down!"
Finn jumped the barricade and ran towards the building.
"Hey! Are you crazy, come back here!" The foreman yelled. Finn ran inside the building and up to the second floor to Poppy's apartment. The doors were either unlocked or ajar except for 23. Finn kicked in the door and there was Steffy trapped in a cage.
"Finn, you found me. I knew you would." Steffy was crying, tears rolling down her face.
Back outside Baker told the foreman to stop the detonation.
"I can't stop it. It's on a preset timer." He yelled over the noise of the one minute warning siren.
Inside the apartment Finn was trying to break the lock.
"It's no good, it won't open." He said frustrated. He looked at Steffy who suddenly had a calm look on her face. She had accepted the inevitable.
"Finn." She said as he still worked on the lock.
"Finn!" She yelled. He looked up.
"It's no use Finn. It won't open. You have to leave me; you have to look after our kids."
"I'm not leaving you here Steffy." He said.
"Finn please, think of our kids. You have to be ..."
A mighty explosion cut of her words mid sentence. The roof started to fall in and a huge beam crushed the cage enough that Finn could drag the now unconscious Steffy out through the broken cage door. The cage had actually saved Finn from being crushed; the beam came down on an angle leaving Finn just enough room to survive.
He rushed down the hall with Steffy in his arms. Looking ahead he could see this half of the building was still intact. "Must be the next to go." He thought. He took the steps in twos as he raced out of the building. He saw a hole in the fence and dived through it just as the second explosion brought down the rest of the building.
Luna felt pretty happy with herself. Her plan had worked out perfectly. Well near perfect. Hollis and Steffy being collateral damage.
Luna unlocked the door of Bill's mansion and entered the house. Her jaw fell open when she saw Bill, Katie, Finn, Detective Baker and a uniformed officer waiting for her.
"What's going on?" She asked.
"You tell us." Katie said.
Detective Baker moved forward with a tablet computer in his hand. He showed Luna the CCTV video from Il Giardino on the night Hollis was murdered. It was plain as day, Luna pouring the drugs into the bottle, Hollis collapsing, Luna dragging him behind the counter and leaving with the backpack.
Katie said. "I think this is pretty strong evidence. But what I can't figure out is why? Luna, you had the world at your feet! An internship at a leading fashion house, a loving boyfriend, a big house to live in and you threw it all away for what?"
Luna remained silent.
Poppy arrived and hurried through the door. Still wearing her prison uniform and flanked by two prison guards. "What's happening?" She asked.
Detective Baker turned to her and said."Your daughter is under arrest for the murder of Paul Hollister, the attempted murder of Steffy Forrester and possibly Tom Star's death too."
Poppy was shocked. Then remembered Luna's D I D. "Luna, have you stopped taking your medication?"
"Medication?" Finn asked
"Yes her medication for her Dissociative Identity Disorder. We had trouble when she was in Junior High. Always fighting with the other girls. The specialist doubled her dosage and we had no trouble, until now."
Bill said. "Luna, if you had any problems you could have come to me, I could help."
It was then that Luna started to speak.
"Help? Help? Where were you when I needed a father? Someone I could rely on. I sure couldn't rely on my Mom. Always dragging me around, fobbing me off to strangers while she was out partying with her druggie friends. I hated her for that."
Poppy looked at Luna and a tear rolled down her cheek. "I'm sorry Luna, I let you down. But the last few years have been alright haven't they? You know Nozawa Power."
Luna snarled. "Nozawa Power. Give me a break! I couldn't wait to get out of that house, away from you! It was all going so well too! But Katie Logan screwed that up. Sticking her nose in where it didn't belong, encouraging Bill to have a new paternity test to see if he really was my father."
"Okay, I've heard enough. Save the rest for your hearing. Luna Nozawa you are now officially under arrest. Anything you say or do may be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney..."
"Yeah, yeah I know the rest." Luna cut him off.
RJ was shell-shocked. He couldn't believe his Aunt Li or Poppy. "Luna killed Tom Star and Hollis?" He said dumbfounded.
"Yes it's true, I don't believe it either." Poppy sniffed her eyes red and puffy.
"I want to see her!" RJ demanded.
"She's not seeing anyone." Li said.
"She'll see me! We're in love, we have a connection.
"Well you can try." Li relied "But don't get your hopes up too high."
Luna was led into the visitor's room by a guard. "You know the rules, no touching!" she barked.
Luna sat at the table, avoiding RJs gaze.
RJ spoke first. "Luna what happened? I don't know what to say."
"Fine then don't say anything." She snapped. "Is that all? I've got license plates to make!"
"But what about us? What about our times together? Our nights together. We we're in love."
"Ha! Love, give me a break. Poor little rich boy thinks he's found a naive virgin to make him feel like a man!"
"Luna, this isn't you! What's happened?"
"This is the real me, rich boy! You were just a brief distraction. Oh by the way, Zende is better in the sack than you'll ever be!" Turning to the guard she said. "I'm finished here guard, take me back to my cell."
"Luna! Luna wait!" RJ cried desperately knocking over a chair in his haste to reach her.
"It's no use son" Ridge had arrived just in time for Luna's savage remarks. "She's not the Luna we knew and loved anymore." He said. "C'mon, let's go home."
Months later at Luna's trial a jury of her peers listened to the summation from the prosecution.
"Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury. Do not be swayed by the sweet young girl you see before you. She is a cold blooded killer. Now of course, she is back on her medication and settled down, but that does not excuse what she has done. I hope you will examine the facts put before you and let justice take its course!"
With that the Prosecutor sat down and the Judge excused the Jury to deliberate.
Poppy was in the front row with Bill and Katie. Katie didn't want to miss out on the best show in town. Deacon and Sheila were behind them in the second row and RJ, Ridge and Brooke were in the third row. Zende was in the upper gallery trying to keep a low profile. A media swarm was gathering, waiting to hear the verdict.
They didn't have to wait long; the Jury came out and took their seats. The Foreman remained standing and the Judge began. "Ladies and Gentleman of the Jury. Have you reached a decision?" The Foreman replied. "We have your Honour. We find the accused, Luna Nozawa, Guilty on all charges!"
The courtroom erupted in a howl of voices. The Judge banged his gavel for silence and the crowd quietened down.
The Judge cleared his throat. "The accused will rise." Luna and her Lawyer stood up. "Luna Nozawa." The Judge continued. "You have been found guilty by a jury of your peers. And you have been sentenced to a period of thirty five years in prison with no opportunity for parole."
Once again the courthouse erupted and the media pack pushed forward like an angry mob. The Judge banged his gavel for order, but no one payed any attention. Over the raucous din he yelled. "The Jury is now discharged, clear the court!"
Poppy collapsed in her seat. Bill tried to console her. Katie hid a little fist pump and RJ was numb. Even though she said those hurtful words to him, he just couldn't make himself forget. Zende turned around and made his way out of the courthouse.
5 years Later.
Poppy Nozawa bounced her granddaughter on her knee. For so many years she thought she'd never be a Grandmother and then it happened!
Zende had continued to visit Luna. The visits increased until he asked her to marry him. It was on one of these conjugal visits that Luna got pregnant. It was assumed that Zende was the father, but rumours swirled inside the prison that a male prison guard was actually the father.
Luna died in childbirth.
Zende was so distraught he left L.A. and was now working for Forrester International.
He asked Poppy to raise his daughter and she agreed happily. "I'll do a better job this time Zende." She said. "She'll have my full attention. No drugs, no booze..." "Only one man in her life!" Bill chipped in. "Yes, only one man."
"Bill, this is your chance to finally have a daughter." Zende said. "Look after her, raise her right and we might even talk adoption in the future." Bill pulled Zende in for a big hug, patting him on the back in a manly fashion but trying to hide a single tear.
Twenty years Later:
A young woman made her way through the headstones of the cemetery. She made this trip every year at this time to commemorate the life of the mother she had never known. In the near distance a figure in a dark overcoat hurried away from the grave.
A single red rose was resting on the headstone.
THE END