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fantasies-fairytales-n-fics · 17 days ago

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Code Blue Ch. 61- Foreshadows

Summary: Lee receives an infuriating gift and unleashes his wrath upon the givers. A sinister sign is interpreted that Josie can't deny. Two informative stories are revealed with two doctors. Josie wants to finish another's failed attempt. Lee has a most bittersweet dream.

*Chapter Warnings* Strong language, angst, mentions of suicide

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Mach 24, 2022

Salem, Massachusetts

After crashing at his farm all morning with his dogs and cat, Lee tidied himself up, knocked back a Red Bull and headed down the stone road to his neighbor's home to thank her for taking care of his farm and animals while he was away. After some small talk over a quick cup of coffee, he then made his way to the home he once shared with Jacob to resume the neglected remodeling and feel close to his son, hoping Jacob would visit him again. He knew if he didn't keep himself busy, his thoughts of Josie would consume him and drive him in to a drunken stupor yet once again. As much as he craved the wicked whiskey's mind numbing properties and the burn of it rolling down his throat, he had to stay sober for his evening shift at the hospital and then he planned to medicate himself to his heart's content for his pre-planned birthday vacation that he now knew he would be spending alone.

With a Red Bull infused coffee with no lid in one hand, he fumbled for the house key as he blindly walked up the porch steps only to find himself stumbling over a small object near the front door and spilling the piping hot drink all over his hand and down his pants where it conveniently had appeared he had pissed himself.

Cursing like a sailor under his breath, he chucked the empty cup into the yard and scooped up the booby trap beneath his feet which was a small wicker basket filled with fresh baked cookies, for he could smell the warm aroma, and on top was a scribbled note attached. "My mom and I worked hard this morning when she got home to bake these for your berthday tomarrow and asked me to give them to you so you would have sumthing to eat and she said you like sweets and that you never eat at work and you are getting too skinny and she also wants to know if you can come over sumtime and she will make you a berthday diner.

Love your frend and nayber,

Dash.

Pee-ess,

She said she has wissky to and sorry I drank all the milk we had for the cookies. I hope you have sum."

Normally, Lee would have smiled and invited his favorite kid on the block to come join him because he did in fact have some milk but after the last few days he had, especially the early morning blow up and break up with Josie that Dash's mother's lies were partially to blame for, every little thing was getting under his skin and the unwelcomed gift and cocksure invite from Angel and using her son to deliver it had just triggered the time bomb inside of him that had been waiting to explode.

Lee marched inside and emptied the basket into the trash and then with the basket in hand, he marched right back out the front door, bee-lining straight for Angel's house next door where she was conveniently sitting on her front porch.

"Hey Lee, I saw you pull up and....oh," she paused with an aroused brow lift as she looked down at his wet crotch and giggled, "Did you have an...accident? I could help clean those up for you except my water is a bit rusty for some reason. Can you do plumbing?"

He tossed the basket at her feet and with hands in his pockets, he stood firm with a frown. "Look, I appreciate that you helped me out the other night but what I don't appreciate is you spreading rumors and lies through the hospital about you and me and what happened here that night, which was absolutely fucking nothing and I also don't want your damn cookies or whiskey or dinner that you would probably drug. As if I would ever put anything of yours in my mouth and I'm not fucking with your damn pipes either."

Lee instantly sighed, closing his eyes and mentally poured scalding hot coffee down his throat as he realized what he had just unintentionally and stupidly set himself up for in his fit of blinding rage.

Angel smirked. "Yeah, well I certainly recall you liked putting things of mine in your mouth and fucking with my pipes once upon a time."

"That's ancient fucking history and one sorry ass mistake because if you ALSO recall, it never happened again. I was drunk out of my damn mind from booze and grieving over the death of my son and I couldn't wash my dick enough times to feel clean after that. Speaking of son's, I also don't appreciate you using your kid to do your dirty work. You're a shitty ass mother just like Liz was. No wonder you two cunts instantly clicked. I truly hope Dash don't pay the price like Jake did. Crazy thing is, Dash is old enough to know better and he knows I have a girlfriend....well, HAD I should say...no thanks to your twisted lies that played a part in firing her up. I'd steer clear of her if I were you. She's pretty pissed, rightfully so and she's got a mean right hook and if you're ever on the receiving end like I've been, I hope I am there to witness it. I fucked up thinking you could actually be a decent human being by helping me out when I was in a jam without expecting anything from it but apparently all I did was unintentionally lead you on. That's my fault. I own it but I promise you, that will never happen again. Stay the fuck away from me. Got it??"

Before Angel could respond, Lee noticed Dash was eavesdropping from inside the open front door. With slitted eyes, he glared and pointed at the frightened boy who gasped and swiftly slammed the door shut and then placing his hands back in his pockets, Lee marched back home, leaving Angel with a scowl on her face.

As Gerry and Josie's mom spent the afternoon visiting with comatose Victor and making their amends, Josie continued to bond with her sister, washing and styling her unruly hair and doing her makeup to make her feel better after lying in a hospital bed for three days, unable to fully shower due to her leg cast but Josie knew the act of endearment was only delaying the inevitable meltdown that was coming.

Taking in a deep breath, Josie began informing Megan of Gerry's generous offer that would provide her and their mother a temporary safe haven at the Kiriakis mansion and that he would soon be coming to speak with her about the suppressed memories of her attacker that she had recently recovered and as predicted, she took the news just as Josie had presumed she would, ranting and raving in a bout of paranoia that the psychotic Scotsman, as the terrified and tearful redhead called him, was playing a trick and would surely strangle her in her sleep.

"You broke your promise!" Megan sobbed. "You still hate me. I knew it!"

"Megan, I do not hate you and I did not break my promise. I promised you I would do my best to keep you safe and that's what I'm doing. You need to trust me ok? I know Gerry better than anyone, better than you and if I thought he wasn't sincere, I would have never asked him to do it."

Megan's eyes bulged in anger. "YOU ASKED him to do it??? Oh my god. This is your secret way of making me pay for what I did isn't it!?! I'd rather face the shadow man than the doolally detective. Do you know what he said to me the day he was here with crazy eyes and veins popping out of his forehead??? He told me he hopes the Bean Nighe comes for me. I googled it and it's some malevolent Scottish fairy, some say Banshee, that screams and if you hear her, someone close to you will die!!! And I told you I heard a woman in my dreams screaming in the tunnels!!"

Josie choked down the overwhelming urge to laugh, only because Gerry's mom used to tell him many of the Gaelic fearsome fables when he was being a mischievous child to try and set him straight and he had definitely succeeded with his intent of putting the fear of god into Megan. "Ok look Megs, the Bean Nighe is just scary Scottish folklore just like we have scary legends here. It's not real and I think that what you read triggered the dream, so...in a way, it was a good thing because it helped you to remember that Elizabeth was probably the woman you heard, although I don't condone Gerry's stunt of scaring you to death."

"A good thing??!" she snapped and cried harder. "It's an omen. A sign, just like you yourself believe in so much! You know what else it said?? The Bean Nighe means washer woman. She would wash the blood out of clothes of those about to die! Did you not just tell me only hours ago about the red water that you and others you care about are all seeing???? And I told you I did too before I was attacked so tell me again how it's NOT real!! Bad things are going to happen Joey!"

Josie embraced her sobbing sister, her eyes now wide and wary. "You didn't die though and you're not going to because...because someone is helping us."

Megan sniffled and leaned back, gazing at her sister with befuddled eyes soaked in smeared mascara. Grabbing a tissue, Josie handed it to her. "You're ruining your makeup. Now, stop crying and listen to what I am about to tell you. Since you believe in all of this, then I know you'll believe this too but this stays between us. Dave wasn't too happy when I outed him to Landy about his...secret ability."

Megan tilted her head, brow arched. "Huh?"

Josie then proceeded to tell Megan about David's gift of seeing and speaking to the dead and how Lee's late son was the one who guided him to find her in the tunnels.

"Oh my god so...he's like a real life ghost whisperer?? Bitchin!"

Josie chuckled. "Yeah but he hates that term. Makes him feel like he's a freak. Anyways...Megan, Lee has seen Jacob too. He shares the same gift. I don't know how or why but he does. I can't see or hear him but I've been in that house when Jake has made his presence known. It's quite the phenomenon, let me tell ya."

"Awww, that poor sweet little boy. No wonder he hasn't crossed over yet. It's the unfinished business thing. I wish I could thank him for helping me. I owe him so much."

Josie desperately wanted to tell her that like her, she was that sweet little boy's aunt but it would all be too much at the moment and it would also reveal that Jason was alive considering he was the one who told her and Josie knew that a secret like that, Megan would not be able to keep.

"Well, thank him in private. Keep your lips sealed ok? Anyways, speaking of Dave and Landy, I'm going to go see if they're working today. The guard's right outside and mom will be back soon, probably with Gerry so he can question you. Don't worry about him and his spooky stories. You can bet your ass she'll keep him in line and so will I."

"Ok...I guess." she softly peeped, forcing a light smile. "Oh and Dave and Orlando are here. They come to check on me and mom from time to time and they were here early this morning."

As she headed out, Josie's heart smiled knowing the good doctors were taking time out of their hectic schedules to look out for her family and now she wanted to make sure her loyal friends were doing alright since she seemed to have lost her childhood friend Emily for not being around much.

After shooting a quick text to both physicians during a bathroom break, Landy was the first to respond.

"Hey beautiful. In the cafeteria on break. Can't wait to see you."

"Be there in a few :)"

Orlando's lunch buddy and fellow colleague lifted a curious brow. "What's got you so chipper with that cheeky smile? You never smile when you're here."

"Because this place sucks the life out of me."

"I hear ya on that bro. I'm working a double. So do tell, who's the one that breathed the life back into you just now? Would it happen to be a woman? I'd be careful there. They'll suck the life out of you too and I don't mean from your lollipop with the surprise cream center."

"And I hear ya on that bro." Orlando agreed with a chuckle and a mouth full of what appeared to be meatloaf, then he promptly stood when he saw the woman he was agreeing about. "Gotta go. There she is now."

"How goes it girl??" he raved as he snapped his food tray onto a table and scooped her up, giving the squealing blonde a quick spin around, then a sweet kiss on the cheek.

Giggling, Josie sat down. "Well, not as good as you seem to be, but it's going."

Orlando sat down and gave a cheesy grin as he popped a few grapes in his mouth. "Well, that's what you do, light up a dark room when you walk in. Let me guess. Lee?"

Josie's smile faded. "He left me."

Orlando's chomping chews halted and he forced a hard swallow. "What?"

Her eyes burned of tears but she held them in. "7 A.M. this morning. I guess he's still not talking to you since you didn't know?"

"I haven't heard from him since he sent me that unwarranted text saying she's all yours."

"He was drunk, as if that's any consolation but I didn't come here to talk about Lee. How are you doing? Like really doing. Any problems from your dad errr sorry...I mean Luke Sr?"

"Not a peep from him or anyone related to me. Mum, Sam and Jimmy went back home and my brother Luke, as usual and as if I really care, is MIA and I, as usual, am all alone."

Josie smiled and slid her hand across the table, clutching his. "You got me. I know I've been stuck in my own little world lately but I'm still here if you need me. You've certainly been here for me."

"Well I certainly owe you after you stuck your neck out for me the night Ethan attacked me AND the night I stupidly went after my fath...Luke...with that hammer, oh and how could I ever forget you saved my life when the other asshole Luke almost killed me."

"You owe me nothing. That's what friends are for Landy. You tried to protect me from Ethan too and you took one hell of a sucker punch for me from Lee as well. It's just that, Britt and Jason are gone, god knows where, Lee gave up on me, Craig probably too which is my fault but I'm sure it makes you happy and then there's Em who hates me right now. I just don't want to lose you too."

His hand squeezed hers and his other hand reached up to stroke her cheek. "Never. I'm not going anywhere Jo. As far as Cujo Craig, yeah there's no love loss there. Can't stand the dude but it does not make me happy to see you hurting. I'm sorry for whatever happened between you both and I'm here if you want to talk about it or Lee or anything else. Always. So who's this Em you mentioned?"

"My friend from Ireland. She was at Jason's funeral reception at mom's remember?"

His lips puckered in thought. "Oh yeah, the cute little brunette with the accent."

"That would be the one but don't let the cuteness fool you. She can be quite the conniving cunt."

The British doc chuckled. "Bloody hell. May I ask why you are friends with her then?"

"Because I forgave her for something really bad that wasn't entirely her fault. God, I haven't spoken about this in years."

Noticing Josie's disconcerting spirit, Orlando backed off. "Hey, whatever it is, you don't have to talk about it. We can talk about something el..."

"No, no. It's ok. I don't mind telling you because I know you won't say anything to anyone. It's a secret between me, Em and...my dad that I've kept because it just would have done more harm than good if you know what I mean? Actually, no good at all."

Orlando shifted in his seat during a delayed reply, his eyes breaking contact as he thought of what his dad had done to him in his adolescent years. "Absolutely I do."

Josie stiffened up, eyes wide with instant regret. "Oh god, Landy, of course you do. How insensitive of me. I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking."

"No no no Jo, it's alright. I'm ok. Promise." he claimed with a smile. "Please...go on. I'm all ears and my lips will remain forever sealed. Fire away love."

She released a deep, remorseful sigh and then submitted to his polite demand in hopes of distracting his thoughts away from the personal hell she had just unintentionally sent him whirling back to. "Ok well...it was Christmas time, 10 years ago. Her dad had recently passed by taking his own life because her mother left him for another man. Em don't have any siblings either so she was left all alone for the holidays. I invited her to come spend Christmas with us, all expenses paid to help her out. I missed her and felt so bad for her so I thought it would do us both some good since we hadn't seen each other since our early teens, well except through video chat but anyways. It wasn't exactly a festive time for our family either. My mom and dad were having marital troubles and were discreetly avoiding each other due to my father finding out about her affair and that my brother Bo wasn't his son. Mom stayed mostly in the kitchen with Megan and my aunt Olivia, mom's youngest sister, cooking and sipping her Irish whiskey. Jason had just been sucked into Sonny's underground lair of crime so he wasn't there and since Bo was a cop, he used the excuse of short staffing to not be present but we all knew he was avoiding the drama. I understood though. His entire world had just been turned upside down, SO, it was just me, Em and my dad hanging out.

After a silent and awkward dinner and a small gift exchange, mom went to lay down. The rest of us were playing games and going pretty heavy on the wine. Em decided to play the piano for awhile while me, Megan and Olivia were engrossed in a game of UNO and that's when I first noticed something with my dad when I watched him walk away. He went over to her, glancing into the hall as if he were making sure no one was there and then he propped his arm on top of the piano to listen to the song. The way he smiled and blushed, it just felt off to me, especially when I then saw the way he looked at her. First her face, then his eyes traveled down her body.

I told myself I was surely mistaken in what I was witnessing, that dad was just flushed because of all the wine and he was so smiley because he was tipsy and that he was just enjoying the music because Em played so well. He must have been looking at her fingers dance along the keys and not her body right?? That's what I convinced myself of, I mean, he was in his late 50's and Em was my age, early 20's but deep down I knew that age has never stopped attraction.

UGH so...as the night went on, we must have went through at least a dozen bottles of wine between all five of us. Needless to say, we were all quite inebriated and began dancing and singing on Megan's Karaoke machine. At some point, Em had to use the bathroom and a few moments later, I noticed Dad was missing. That off feeling came rushing back so I snuck off to see where he went. That's when I saw her in his arms, crying her eyes out.

Normally, I would have thought he was just comforting her because of her loss until I saw him turn his mouth to her ear and kiss it. Then he said "I'm here for you Emily." Their hug was body pressing and longer than it should have been and my dad's hand was stroking her back in a seductive way and THEN...she told him he smelled and felt so good and he said the same fucking thing back to her. I don't know what happened next because Megan was shouting my name and I panicked and ran back. I was shaking and furious and decided I was just going to keep drinking and keep quiet because I didn't want to start something and wake mom up.

Anyways, the reason Megan was calling for me was because we were out of wine and at that point, I was desperate to find more. Megan was too so she spilled a secret and told me she forgot that she had stashed a few bottles in her closet to drink when she would sneak a guy in. She got up to go get it and fell right back on her butt and broke her wine glass, cutting her finger. After some time of me and Olivia cleaning her up in the kitchen, I went to get the wine so I could spy on my own father once more. He and Em were still not in the living room where we had been and they weren't where I had last seen them. That's when I noticed the bathroom light on under the closed door. When I crept up to it, I....I heard soft moans and panting and then, the toilet flushed to drown out the sound of their...you know...but I was close enough to hear.

I panicked again and bolted up the stairs and hid in Megan's room until I could pull myself out of my state of absolute and utter shock."

Orlando's chocolate eyes were wide and his mouth wider as he sat in momentary silence before relaying his thoughts. "I can imagine that right now, I look just as you did? This girl, your friend of all those years...actually slept with your married father???"

"Yep...and right under our noses and mom's to boot. And the fact that he even did it...I still can't fathom it. Nothing like a drunken quickie in the bathroom! I get that mom betrayed him but what he did was so extreme. I'm sure he felt he was justified but not me."

"So, what did you do? You said you kept it a secret so I assume your mom or anyone else found out?"

"Well, when I came down the stairs with the wine, dad, with his jacket now off and a sweaty face, was coming through the hall with more wine glasses. He asked me if mom was awake and I was just so mad that I said nothing. I just shrugged my shoulders and rushed past him to avoid conversation and having to look him in the eyes or he would have known that I knew.

So no, I never told anyone...but I sure as shit told Emily the next morning that I knew and told her to get the fuck out. She flew back to Ireland and it was a couple years before we reconnected. Forget and forgive right? Wrong. I'll never forget it. Honestly, I'm not sure if I've even forgiven her because I still feel so angry about it. How could she do that to my mother?? or to me??"

"I completely understand that. What about your dad though? Did you forgive him?"

"In time, yes. I mean, he's my dad and I could tell he regretted it the next day when he was sober where is, I don't feel Em did. When I had confronted her about it, she got pissy and defensive as if she had done nothing wrong, claiming she and my dad were both consenting adults and could do as they pleased. She even had the audacity to admit she had been fucking him the entire week she had been there before Christmas and that's when I socked her hard and good. She left with a split, fat lip and that was that."

"Damn, she really IS a bloody cunt. So...you eventually made up years later and you said that she hates you now? What happened this time, if...I may ask?"

"She's pissed that I haven't been to skating class for the kids, leaving her to do it and she needed a break, which that part is true but then she asked me to cover for her tomorrow so she could go shopping all day for some party later that night. Tomorrow's the 25th. It's Lee's birthday. My mind just isn't there to be on the ice right now so I told her no and to just cancel the class. She then proceeded to tell me who the guy was that she was going out with which I know she told me on purpose to piss me off. It's a guy named Johnny and he's mob. I know him and he's only using her to get under my skin. He's not a good guy and I made my thoughts about it known to her more than once about him. To paraphrase the rest, she called me a hypocrite because of Jason and Craig, oh and also a jealous bitch, then she hung up."

"With all due respect Josie, mob is mob. None of them are good."

"Well, respectfully to you also, we will just have to agree to disagree. I know your feelings towards Craig but he and my brother are different. Alright, I have rambled long enough and probably wasted your entire lunch break. One last thing though. I wanted to also thank you for looking in on my mom and sister. It means a lot."

Orlando took her hand once more, his fingers softly fondling hers as he smiled. "You are very welcome and never a waste of my time...you know I said what I said because I care about you right? I just don't want to see you get hurt or I feel I'm going to have to dig my hammer back out."

"No you're not." she ordered with narrowed eyes and pulled her hand away. "I don't want you involved AT ALL ok? I care for you too and don't want you to get hurt either Landy."

"Well I kind of am involved Jo. Look who my brothers are. Alright I'll drop this. So, I hear you and Megan have reconciled? She was quite happy to tell me that."

"It's a work in progress but yeah, I think we're getting there. At least she's genuinely remorseful. Crazy how bad shit brings people closer together. She's having some memories too, of what happened. Nothing too concrete but could you maybe keep an extra eye out for who goes around her room? She swears she saw a man in the hall that she believes was her attacker the same night I was here in the ER. He was wearing a suit, shiny shoes and strong cologne, had a strong accent too but not foreign. She just couldn't see his face. It was too dark."

"Sure will but you do know you just described half the men I see on a daily basis."

Josie scoffed. "Ugh not you too."

"Huh?"

"Nothing, it's just that Gerry and Craig already told me the same thing and..."

"You know...the night you were here...that's what your Kiwi K9 was wearing and he wasn't with you the entire ti...."

"Stop." Josie huffed, lips pursed as she thought to herself once again...not you too. Her gnawing guilt over accusing Craig of being the shadow man had her bound and determined to defend him. "I know you're hell bent on finding some kind of fault in Craig because you don't like him but it wasn't him. He has no reason to hurt Megan and I just said the man's accent wasn't foreign. It is most likely someone in or from the Boston area and Gerry, who is a cop remember? He agrees with me."

"Sorry but it's not hard to find fault in someone like him. It amazes me how he has you wrapped around his dirty little finger. Just why is that?"

"I'm not sure if what you're implying but I'm not going to argue with you about this. I can't. I have no fight left in me right now after the morning I had. You said you would stop, so please stop Landy."

Noticing a slight whimper in her voice and trembling of her body as she softly pleaded in defeat, Orlando was overcome with self-reproach. "If it will make you feel better, just slap me because I deserve it for being an asshole yet once again. I'm sorry, truly. What can I do to make you feel better?"

"You can tell me you haven't seen any red water lately?"

Orlando's brows furrowed at the peculiar question. "Umm Red....water? Is that..some new movie?"

"I really wish it was but no. Like, actual red water Landy. Out of the tap or shower?"

"Oh you mean like rusty water. Not that I can recall. Why?"

"Because..." she began but then her phone beeped. "Sorry, let me check this. It might be mom or Megan." Or Lee, she silently hoped, but it wasn't. It was Dave.

"Hey, where are you? I need to see you ASAP!"

"Weird. I was actually looking for u too. I'm here at the hospital. Where are u? I'll come now."

"Doctor lounge. Hurry."

"So sorry Landy. I need to go."

As Josie stood, Orlando stood too and she kissed his cheek before rushing off. "Let's meet up sometime soon ok? Lunch or something. Text me, especially if you see red water. See ya later!"

His brow arched and his cheeks puffed out as he released a hard sigh and dumped the rest of his food in the trash. "Alrighty then. Back to work Landy."

After racing up two flights of stairs, she came to the small and private lounge where staff could take a break in some peace and quiet. Upon peeking inside, there sat her tall, dark and handsome blue-eyed bff in his white doctor coat with a coffee and muffin before him.

"Hey you. " she panted as she wriggled out of her jacket, then sat down with a smile, offering a sweet touch of endearment by laying her hand upon his flawless face. "You ok? What's so urgent?"

Smitten by her touch, Dave gave a shy smile and complimented her in his soft voice. "Hey beautiful. "I'm ok but...I don't know if you will be when I tell you something."

She slowly lowered her hand, her smile fading. "W..what is it?"

"Josie...Peter was just brought in to the ER and has been admitted."

"You...you mean he's still alive?? Again???"

"Unfortunately, yeah. That was my exact thoughts too. The wastrel certainly appears to have nine lives. Let's hope he used them all up this time."

"So what happened to him? Shanked?" she asked with a sarcastic giggle.

"No actually. They're doing tests and labs but my guess is he was poisoned based on his condition. He's been intubated and has lapsed into a coma."

"The strangler." she whispered as her eyes drifted off.

"The what?"

"It's an appellation for a common poison in the underworld inspired by Game of Thrones when that little prick King Joffrey was poisoned. Jason told me about it before. It causes the neck muscles to clench so tightly that the person asphyxiates. I'm actually surprised the louse made it this long. Peter has as many haters as Nickelback does. If only he had died the day you pushed him down the stairs and put him in that ice chest."

Dave's eyes bulged as he rushed to shut the door. "Shhhhh!!! Don't say that out loud around here...or anywhere for that matter! Anyone could have been walking by. No one can ever know about that Josie. It's our secret that we take to the grave remember??"

"Relax David jeesh. I didn't say it that loud. No one knows. Not even Peter. He don't remember or he surely would have mentioned it when I went to visit him."

"Unless he was just toying with you and plotting some of his sick and twisted reven....wait, you what??? You went to visit him??? WHEN?"

"A few days ago." she squeaked with worry because Dave was such a reserved guy and hen he got angry, people knew it.

"And NOW he ends up here??? Possibly poisoned by this strangler potion that you know ALL about because of your connections with the fucking mob!! And why would you even go visit him?? It only leads his demented mind on for one thing and..."

"You know, it's a good thing you shut the door! Calm down already before you have a fucking stroke."

"Oh this IS fucking calm miss condescending. Stop dismissing me and my questions."

"You're swearing at me! That's not calm and that's not you!"

"What, because I dropped the F bomb that your pretty little mouth spews like a fucking sailor?"

"Oh my god Dave, are we really fighting over Peter???"

"We ARE. What if your presence after all this time would have triggered his memory, if he don't already know that is? Megan told me she's remembering things. It happens Josie. Memory loss isn't always permanent. Sights, sounds, smells, anything can trigger it! What if he miraculously lives and rats us out? You were there too ya know? Aiding and abetting me."

"I kind of had no choice when I found you at the top of the stairs and him in a pool of blood at the bottom with no pulse! Why did you have to follow him up to the roof of the hospital??"

"I kind of had no choice either! You know all of this Josie! It was the day you were finally being released after he had shot you, which he got away with since the bullet was meant for his father to save you, and I came to your room to take you home and you were gone. The nurse told me you already left. I called you and I heard your phone ringing on the night table so when I went looking for you, I saw Peter sneaking into the stairwell that led up to the roof so of COURSE I followed him, thinking he had you."

"Well he didn't. The nurse was mistaken because I went to Britt's office to say goodbye but you should have called the cops if that's what you believed! I came back to get my phone and then you never showed up so I called you and got no answer! I asked around and finally a nurse told me she saw you take the stairs only moments ago and when I neared the floor where your office was, I heard the commotion above me and THAT'S when I came up and found you both!!"

In a brief silence from exhaustion, the memory of Peter's tumble flashed before both of their eyes as they stared at each other.

Dave's voice softened as he resumed the conversation. "If I hadn't followed him and if he DID have you with him, you'd be gone right now, lost on some other continent in one of his many hideaways. He had a helicopter circling far above to land at his command. You were supposed to be with him. Going to see my sister who's unfortunately his too is most likely what saved you because he didn't know where you were. I was just so angry Josie. That's why I confronted him and we briefly argued on the roof. When he realized he was busted, he took off so I followed him to the stairs and grabbed him. We scuffled and that's when it happened. I just couldn't let him hurt you again but he did when he kidnapped you a few months later and locked you in that morgue drawer. Clearly, he wasn't dead. His pulse was too weak for you to feel but he should have died from lack of air in that old freezer chest we put him inside in the abandoned area of the hospital basement. The thing had cobwebs on it. He wouldn't have been found for possibly years but he must have became conscious shortly after we left him. I'm sorry for losing my shit. I really am. You know how I feel about you Josie and I would do it all over again to keep you safe."

With a single sniffle, he stood and walked to the window, his blue hues icy from the tear glaze they basted in as he watched Josie's reflection in the window appear behind him. "Hey, come here."

She took his arm, turned him around and embraced him. "I'm sorry too. We're both just worked up over the fact he cheated death once more and now all we can do is hope that the grim reaper makes an appearance. You risked everything for me and I love you for it."

Dave closed his eyes, pained by knowing her love wasn't the kind he had always longed for from her.

She released him with a smile. "Let's not fight ok? If he lives and if he remembers, I highly doubt he could prove it. There's no witnesses for one thing and for another thing, Gerry would have my back if he did. I should have told him in the first place but it wasn't just my life at stake, it was yours too. Either way, we can't let him win. Not anymore. Thank you for telling me he was here. I'm going to go see if Gerry knows yet."

As she put her jacket back on, Dave gently clasped her wrist. "Promise me you won't go near Peter."

"How could I? There's surely a guard outside of his room."

"That's not an answer Josie."

"Ok fine, fine jeesh. I won't go near him."

As she left, Dave sat back down and swigged back his cold brew, then leered back at the door. "Like hell you won't."

Walking through the halls, Josie appeared calm on the outside but inside she was raging like she never had before which even she knew caused her to make poor decisions.

As her irrational thoughts came to a devious conclusion, she briefly paused her steps and then walked right past the hall that led to Gerry's location.

After Lee had completed some small carpentry projects, he took a shower and used the next 4 hours before his shift to sleep. It only took seconds for him to drift off and soon, he found himself in a dreamworld he didn't want to wake from.

Muffled music played.

"The first time ever I saw your face, thought the sun rose in your eyes and the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave to the dark and the endless skies, my love."

A crowd of nameless faces circled about the large tent adorned with crystal chandeliers and strings of glowing globes as they watched Lee take his new bride in his arms for for their first dance as husband and wife. He held his Jo so close, kissing her forehead as they slowly swayed to the song that they had first danced to while falling in love.

It was a picture perfect moment. All was finally as it was written in the stars when Jacob appeared, dressed like his father. "Hi Daddy. Hi Mommy."

Lee scooped him up in one arm and wrapped his other around Jo and the happily united family continued to dance as Mr. Pace kissed Mrs. Pace.

"And the first time ever I kissed your mouth, I felt the earth move in my hand like the trembling heart of a captive bird that was there at my command, my love."

As Jacob dozed off on his daddy's shoulder, he smiled.

"Daddy?" Jacob mumbled.

"What is it monkey?"

"Did you her that?"

Lee's brows furrowed as he looked around. "Hear what Jake?"

"Don't push the red button Daddy."

A powerful pop startled Lee from his sleep. "Jake??"

When his eyes began to focus, Lee noticed that 2 hours had passed, yet the dream seemed like only seconds. He also noticed his almost full can of watermelon Red Bull laid in a puddle of red liquid on the wooden floor beside his bed. Assuming he had knocked it off in his sleep and that that was the noise he had heard, Lee sat up and as he played the very lucid dream back in his mind, he slid from the bed to his knees and sobbed.

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