EPISODE 80
Written by A. Washington-Beeby
Story Consultants: ML Cooks, Nick Monarco & C. Nathaniel Richardson
Laura sits in her office at University Hospital, recalling what JJ told her the previous night about Liam.
...
FLASHBACK TO EPISODE 71
Laura breathes in deeply, standing in her bedroom, as she tries to relax herself and keeps asking JJ questions.
LAURA: Right. Okay...so...JJ...what happened after that conversation you had with your mother?
JJ: Well...they took off, mom and Liam did...and I stayed behind to try to...sort this out in my head...and as they left...Liam...he looked at me...I caught him trying to...like...stare me down or something. But I'm more worried about Abigail than anything. I mean...she's working for Stefano but...Liam works at the hospital, he has no ties to Stefano.
...
Laura thinks intensely about what JJ said, while shaking her head.
She swallows hard before talking to herself.
LAURA: Ohhh, let's just hope I'm wrong about Liam.
As she finishes, Daniel opens her door, knocking gently on it. Laura looks up and smiles at him.
LAURA: Daniel!
DANIEL: You asked to see me?
LAURA: Yes, I...I have a favour to ask you.
Daniel squints a bit, unsure what to expect.
DANIEL: Oh? What kind of favour?
Laura stirs awkwardly for a moment, trying to find the best way to ask.
LAURA: I need you to do a bit of digging on someone...Liam Frasier.
Daniel looks down, sighing in frustration.
---
At the former Titan TV studio, Nicole stands with Miles before hearing the sound of the doors to the studio opening, as a group of people enter the room.
She closes her eyes, anticipating the worst before turning around to see who's come in.
As she turns, she spots a group of men in suits approaching.
Followed by none other than Sami Brady and EJ DiMera.
NICOLE: No!
Sami stops before the group of men, and immediately launches into her announcement.
SAMI: Good afternoon, everybody! I'm sure you all know by now, I'm Samantha Brady. And I will be operating the TV operation formerly known as Titan TV, as of today.
Nicole breathes in deeply, choking back a scream, as Sami locks eyes with Nicole, a huge smile across Sami's face.
NICOLE: No! You've got to be joking!
Sami smiles widely, trying to stop herself from laughing as EJ responds.
EJ: Oh, believe me, Nicole. This is anything but a joke.
Nicole looks at EJ incredulously, before looking back towards Sami.
NICOLE: How is it not? Samantha Brady has as much experience running a TV station as Billy Baldwin has at the Oscars.
SAMI: My God, Nicole. Even your references are dated...
Sami saunters over a little too causally over towards an agitated Nicole. She stands inches in front of her as she continues.
SAMI: You know...considering how our...advertisers demand our programming be....youthful, fresh...ahead of the curve? I might be really careful what I say around here. Know what I mean?
Nicole scowls at Sami, as Sami smiles smugly.
---
---
Marlena walks into the 7th floor lobby at University Hospital as the door to the elevator opens. Eric walks out, catching Marlena's eye. He spots her as well and stops, walking back towards his mother.
MARLENA: Eric! It's good to see you.
ERIC: Mom.
The two hug warmly, though Eric's troubled face doesn't get past Marlena, who immediately begins to worry.
MARLENA: You alright? You seem...a bit distracted.
ERIC: Yeah, you could say that.
The two separate, and Marlena looks at her son. She steps back a moment before answering, a worried look on her face.
MARLENA: You want to grab a coffee and we can talk about it?
Eric nods solemnly.
ERIC: I'd like that.
Marlena smiles warmly as she presses the down button to the elevator, headed for the ground floor.
MARLENA: Great. I've had quite a morning myself.
As the door opens, the two step on, and Eric looks on, puzzled himself.
ERIC: Oh? What happened?
MARLENA: Ohhh....it's a long story.
The elevator doors shut as Marlena looks over at her son, whose own worried expression is now equally directed as his mother as it has been at himself.
---
Valerie steps into her office, holding Roman's medical files in hand. Pouring over them, she looks confused by the contents.
VALERIE: This...can't be right...
As she speaks, Jerome steps into the room, knocking on the door of her office, causing her to jump a moment.
JEROME: Hey Grandma.
VALERIE: Jerome! Baby, how are you?? When did you get into town?
Valerie puts the folder down, and almost runs over to Jerome, throwing her arms around him, gleeful at seeing her grandson.
JEROME: Just this morning. I...actually haven't had a chance to go to the house and drop my things off yet.
VALERIE: Well, actually that's good because I should probably go help you out when I'm done here.
JEROME: Okay, I'll meet you after.
Valerie smiles, happy to see her grandson again.
VALERIE: Sounds good. I should be done in an hour or so. I just gotta...figure out something with this patient file first. Hey, did you get everything settled at the university yet?
Jerome stops a moment, a strange look on his face that Valerie spots immediately.
JEROME: I...yeah...I just was taking care of a couple things.
Valerie looks at Jerome, squinting her eyes like she knows something's up.
VALERIE: Jerome Paul Grant. I have raised you from the time you were in diapers, and I know you're lying to me. Now out with it. What were you really up to?
Jerome breathes in, eyes darting quickly to the side as he tries to quickly come up with something to tell his grandmother.
---
Nicole keeps her eyes firmly locked on Sami, as she puts one hand on her hip.
NICOLE: You know, this is hardly the way to build workplace morale, Sami.
SAMI: Well, I always figured it wasn't exactly great for workplace morale to have a murderous psycho on staff, but these folks seem to manage just fine.
Nicole rolls her eyes.
NICOLE: (sigh) Sami, get over it. Whether you want to admit it or not, I'm good at my job, and I work hard. So at least someone thinks I have something worth holding onto.
Sami begins to laugh at Nicole's assertion.
SAMI: Like who?
NICOLE: Your brother for a start!
SAMI: Right, well, Eric always did have rotten taste in women.
NICOLE: Oh that's rich, considering you're the one taking my sloppy seconds.
EJ finally has had enough and interjects.
EJ: Okay, ladies, that's enough, alright? Look, Nicole, I recognize you've done a lot of fine work for Titan TV, and you're in no danger of losing your job now, you understand.
Nicole looks back EJ's way with a smug smile.
NICOLE: Thank you, EJ.
EJ walks up behind Sami, putting both hands on her shoulders.
EJ: Besides, Samantha, we have a very special project for Nicole to work on for us.
NICOLE: And what would that be, exactly?
EJ: You're going to work on that expose of all the shady business practices over at EnerNext. We'll give you every dollar you need. I want you to nail the bastards for us.
Nicole smiles widely, partly in relief to get her bosses' support.
NICOLE: Oh, I think I can arrange that.
---
Daniel squirms as he tries to respond to Laura's request, visibly uncomfortable getting involved in this situation.
DANIEL: Laura...I want you to understand something, okay? Jenn and I...when we split, I made the point to stay out of her life as much as possible, and I've held to that--
LAURA: ...Yes, but now she needs you, Daniel.
DANIEL: What do you mean? I mean...Liam's a good guy, I work with him every day here at the hospital.
Laura begins to appear visibly agitated by Daniel's refusal, her desperation becoming clear to him as she continues.
LAURA: Daniel! Look, I know what your situation has been with Jennifer, and I understand you're moving on, but I do NOT trust this man at ALL.
Daniel looks stunned by Laura's statement. Laura, meanwhile, gets up from her desk, and begins to pace nervously around the room.
DANIEL: Wha...why not? I mean, he treats Jenn really well from all accounts, and...honestly, I don't understand what all the fuss is about, Laura.
LAURA: No, you don't understand. Look, before I say anything to you about this, you need to promise me this stays between you and I. Nobody else can know about any part of this. Do you understand.
Daniel puts his hands up in surrender, as Laura stands tense before him, looking directly into his eyes with a great intensity that is offputting even to Daniel.
DANIEL: You have my word.
LAURA: Alright...
Laura looks away, a bit more relaxed again, but once again pacing the room.
LAURA: JJ came to me last night...he was...he was shaking, Daniel. He was terrified.
Daniel looks at Laura, a real concern starting to come across his face.
DANIEL: Terrified of what?
LAURA: Of Liam. He had overheard Liam talking to someone outside the Town Square on his cell phone, and that someone mentioned that they would be keeping tabs on Abigail while she's out of the country, and...something about reporting to Stefano.
Daniel looks down a moment, mulling over what Laura's just told him.
Daniel thinks back to Abigail's fall, and her being his patient afterwards. He recalls her nervousness regarding her pregnancy.
...
FLASHBACK TO EPISODE 49
Abigail lies in her hospital bed as Daniel casually goes over her chart. Abigail is nervous thanks in part to Daniel's close ties to her family and ex-colleagues at the hospital.
ABBY: That's good. Uh...Daniel...umm...you're not going to tell my mom about any of this, are you?
DANIEL: Nah, that's...that's not gonna happen. See, your mom and I are, in no uncertain terms, finished.
ABBY: Good. Uh...that's....not quite what I meant. I mean, I just...well, you know a lot of my family and friends and...
DANIEL: Doctor-patient confidentiality. Cross my heart.
Abigail smiles, feeling reassured that Daniel won't speak to anyone about her condition.
...
After this moment, his eyes snap back up towards Laura, a realization having struck him.
DANIEL: My God.
---
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