Episode 55

"Hero"

*Nicholas rescued an unconscious Lacey from her burning house.

*Jasper made it clear to Lacey on the phone how dedicated he was to being a big part of Connor's life, promising not to let her or Connor down like he did in the past.

*On the video will, Gary told Cynthia she could do better than Nicholas.

*Tom and Tara confessed everything about their affair to Melissa. A heartbroken Melissa kicked them both out of the house.

***********************************************************************

ALONG THE FISHING PIER

Cynthia gazes at the outstretched ocean as the moon lends its beautiful reflection upon the glistening water. A soft breeze picks up and sends her hair in many directions. She takes in all of serenity of the calming night and closes her eyes tightly, only to see the heatwrenching image of her father's face. "Damn you, Daddy. How the hell could you do what you did? How could you leave me that way?" she questions barely above a whisper, as though the ocean will speak the answer she is seeking desperately for. She even waits a few more moments with baited breath but it offers no assurance, no hand for her to hold, no release and comfort.

The sound of footsteps approaching startles her and she quickly swings around. Squinting her eyes, she sees a familiar person approaching, however he is accompanied by a small boy she doesn't recognize. The sight manages a slight smile from her, which surprises her given she hasn't had many reasons to smile as of late.

"Hey, I know you." smiles Jasper as he takes in the sight of Cynthia Jackson, her puffy eyes obvious evidence of earlier tears. "What is a girl like you doing all alone at the pier?"

Cynthia is about to answer when Connor interrupts: "Who is this girl, Daddy?" questions Connor, his tone sounding as though Cynthia has rudely imposed on his one on one time with his father.

Cynthia grins again and bends down to Connor's level, "I could ask you the same thing."

"Hey, I'm not a girl!" Connor defensively says back.

This elicits a chuckle from Cynthia, "That you aren't. You are quite the cutie, what's your name little boy?"

Connor glances at his dad before softly saying "Connor"

"Connor, that's a really nice name." Cynthia then realizes she is forcing a wide grin and quickly stands at her own level, turning her head slightly so her "appropriate" expression resumes.

Jasper notices this, "Look, Cynthia, I know you have been going through alot lately. If it's any help to what you are going through, I'm sorry. I really don't know what to say to someone who's going through grief like this."

"It's OK. No need to say anything. It's not like I can pull the gun from my Dad's hand so he doesn't pull the trigger. No, I can't go back in time to do that so I guess I"m stuck with this grief, aren't I?" She then looks at Connor who's widened his eyes, "Sorry, I really shouldn't have said that around him."

Jasper ruffles Connor's hair, "It's OK. He's a tough guy and can handle it. Actually, Connor, I really need to get you back to your mommy before she flips out. Besides, I bet it's way past your bedtime!" Before turning completely around he looks Cynthia in the eye, "You need someone, don't you?"

Cynthia is visibly confused, "Um, excuse me?"

"I meant, like, you need someone to comfort you and all. I don't think it's good that you are on a pier by yourself this late at night, you know?"

"I'm a big girl thank you very much. I don't need comfort. Besides, I want to be alone. I need to think."

"Where's that blondie boyfriend of yours anyway?"

Cynthia crosses her arms, appearing as though she's been offended. "Blondie boyfriend? You mean Nicholas Kane?"

"Come on, you have to give me a break for not knowing his name. I only saw him at the party, after I had to do the dirty work of fixing his girlfriend's car, that is. Some help he is."

"I couldn't even contact him! How was it Nicholas's fault? Look, I remember our little squabble before you actually fixed my car and I don't feel like getting into another one. Besides, Connor needs to go beddy bye and you wouldn't want Lacey having a heart attack if he's a minute too late."

Jasper starts to laugh and smiles wide, "You're funny. Ok, kiddo, Cynthia is right, your mommy is gonna have a conniption fit if I don't bring you home right now." He once again holds his son's hand. He turns his head back as he walks, "Bye Cynthia, I really hope everything works out for you." He suddenly stops, "Connor, wait, stay standing right there. I have to give our friend Cynthia something." He walks toward Cynthia as he searches his pockets.

Cynthia looks cautious, "What exactly would you have to give me?"

"My number, of course! Who else are you gonna call when your car breaks down or preferably if you also give me your number, I can be the guy to interrupt your moments of quiet time you had all planned out. Do you happen to have a pen?"

"What makes you so sure that I'm gonna give you my number in the first place? Hello, I do have a boyfriend!"

"Are you two getting married tomorrow? Is there even an engagement ring on your finger?"

Cynthia pauses and swallows hard. "I--I, um, no there isn't." Without realizing it, she's already searching her purse.

"Then you are fair game."

"Oh, I'm some pawn in a game, am I?" Cynthia abruptly stops her search. "Just for that, you aren't getting my number slimeball!" She crosses her arms and wears a look of victory.

"Whoa, now we are name calling? That sure sounds like a game to me!"

Suddenly a loud splash diverts their attention. "What the...Oh my god, Connor!" A horrified Jasper darts to the edge and without a second's pause dives into the cold waters below.

A terrified Cynthia watches on.

SUNRISE BAY HOSPITAL

Jarrod, Amy, Gabi, and Nicholas hurriedly trail the doctors as they rush an unconscious Lacey to a hospital room.

"Dammit! This can’t be happening!" yells Amy as she clings to Jarrod’s side. "I feel so horrible for arguing with her before we left. Now look at her!"

Gabi rubs her mute brother’s back, "Lacey could be dead if it wasn’t for Nicholas rushing in to save her."

"Yes! I know! You’re a hero, Nicholas." Amy rushes up to him and hugs him tightly. "Now we just have to pray to God that she’s gonna make it."

Nicholas opens his mouth to speak but is suddenly overcome by a fit of coughs. Gabi pats him on the back like she is burping a baby and gets a very worried look, "I think you should have the doctors examine you. You probably inhaled a lot of smoke."

Nicholas raises his hand to silence her and finally stops coughing, "I’ll be OK, Gabi. I’m not worried about myself anyway. All’s I have is a mild burn while Lacey is in there fighting for her life. Dammit, when are we going to get word if she’s going to be alright?!" Nicholas rushes up to the room and peaks through the window to see doctors gathered around Lacey. "She has to be OK." He says barely above a whisper.

"Well let’s not stand here like some bumbling idiots and do something! Something I haven’t done in a long time. We should pray for her." This is Amy.

"I don’t really think praying does anything. It’s just a placebo." A negative Jarrod mumbles.

Amy casts him a cold look, "Look, I grew up in a Christian home and went to church and prayed all the time. I don’t consider it ‘nothing but a placebo’!"

"OK, we should pray then." Jarrod says, a guilty look now plastered upon his face. What the hell is wrong with you, Jarrod? You shouldn’t be saying a single word to piss her off after she took you back like that!

Nicholas and Gabi nod. All of them come together to hold hands. "I guess you should do the honors, Amy." Nicholas states before clearing his throat. He manages to suppress a cough that is coming on.

The group closes their eyes. Jarrod does after some hesitation. Amy then begins her prayer: "Dear God, I know I never come to you anymore and I haven’t been the best person but we all really need your help now. Lacey needs you. Please, God, take care of her. I’ve known that wonderful girl all my life and I can’t lose her now. Just make sure she gets better. Connor can’t lose his mommy at such a young age. We already know his Dad can’t be there for him. Anyway, not to bring up Jasper at a time like this. God, please, just have your hand in this situation and see to it that Lacey is healed completely. In God’s name, Amen." Everyone besides Jarrod repeats the "Amen". When Amy casts him another disapproving look, he quickly says it.

"Where is Connor anyway?" Nicholas questions Amy.

Amy takes in a deep breath, "You won’t believe this but he is with Jasper. I told Lacey what an awful idea it was and how it’s gonna mess with Connor’s mind because Jasper is bound to mess up again."

Nicholas looks taken aback, "I thought Jasper was abusive or something like that. Lacey seemed scared to death at the thought of him even seeing her this one day at the diner. She was so frightened that she made me shield her from him catching a glimpse."

"Well that’s Lacey for you. She can be so contradictory and never knows what she wants. She actually let Jasper convince her that he needed to spend time with Connor. While I believe every kid should have a daddy, I think they would be better off not having one if Jasper is what they got."

Gabi cuts in, "Isn’t that a little harsh? I don’t know this Jasper guy but he can’t be half as bad as you’re making him."

Amy appears annoyed, "No, you don’t know him and I am not being too harsh."

Suddenly their attention is brought to the front doors of the hospital. All of them are in shock as to the faces they see. Cynthia is alongside Jasper, who is cradling a shivering Connor in his arms. Cynthia has to step back from surprise when her eyes click with Nicholas’s.

"We need a doctor for my son!" Jasper screams.

Fury is apparent in Amy’s eyes, "What the hell did you do to him now?!"

TOM AND MELISSA’S HOUSE

Melissa clutches the framed photo of her, Tom, and Phillip. She gets lost in their happy smiles, detaching herself from the joyful day that it was taken. We had everything, Tom.

If Melissa were being completely honest with herself, she would say that the true impact of the betrayal hasn’t hit her full force just yet. However, the state she is in now without that impact is unbearable enough.

Eve comes in from the kitchen, holding a tall glass of ice water, "You haven’t drank anything since I got here hon. Now drink up."

Melissa slowly reaches for the glass and just as slowly brings the cold liquid to her lips. "I feel like I’m in an alternate universe, Mom. Tom slept with my best friend and I’ve inherited millions of dollars. It’s unreal."

"I’m worried about you. I still can’t believe the audacity of Tom. Hadn’t he learned from the first time?" Eve immediately regrets what she just said.

"The first time? What do you mean? Do you know something that I don’t?"

Eve walks away from Melissa and it’s obvious that she is hiding something from her.

"You do know something. Mom, please, I’m not in the mood for any more secrets. Tell me what you know."

"Honey, I feel like an awful mother. Horrible. Just terrible!"

Melissa breathes in deep, "Why?"

Tears well up in Eve’s eyes, "I overheard Tom and Tara talking the day you had invited Brice and Nicole over for dinner. I think you were upstairs getting yelled at by Keith for that whole Jarrod paternity thing."

Melissa nervously taps her fingers on an adjacent table, "Just tell me everything you know, Mother. I’m getting very sick of people’s dramatic pauses. This isn’t a damn soap opera!"

"Sorry. I overheard them discussing some kiss they shared. I think it must have happened more than once. They were horrified when they realized I heard. They begged me to keep it a secret."

"So you did?!" explodes Melissa. "That’s just great! I have a wonderful support system here! So, Mom, what other secrets are you hiding for them? Have they had sex before? I bet they screwed right here on the dining room table and you caught them and you didn’t tell a single soul!"

"I am appalled that you would think I’d do something like that!"

"Oh, so if it’s just a kiss it’s alright to hide it from your daughter? I really thought more highly of you and now I’m not so sure!" She tries to suppress tears that are forming but fails and begins to bawl.

Her door swings open and in walk Carl and Cassie. Cassie looks upon her crying sister with disgust, "Aren’t you ever happy?! You freaking inherited 2 million dollars and you’re crying your eyes out? What is the malfunction now?!"

Carl gives Cassie a mean look as he goes to lend comfort to Melissa, "Cassie, she’s obviously upset because she is the latest victim of the Hetricke men. Here I thought Tom was the only good one of the bunch but I was painfully mistaken. Darling, I know things look bleak now but you will get over this betrayal." He attempts to pull Melissa into a tight hug but she isn’t having it.

"Sorry, Dad, I’m really not in the hugging mood right now. I’m also nowhere near over this betrayal, I don’t even think it’s fully sunk in yet."

Cassie rolls her eyes, "What’s left to sink in, Melissa? Your husband messed around behind your back with your so-called best friend. Believe it or not, you’re not the first person this has happened to. I mean, look at me!"

"Your situation isn’t the same at all, Cassie"

"Oh really? Because I’m not you? I’m not the golden child with the golden job at Jackson Industries? Screw you! I’m going back home to finish packing my stuff. There’s this huge house on Elm that I’m giving a look at tomorrow. You know what, I don’t have to worry about this whole living in Melissa’s shadow thing anymore because I’ve got money now." She rushes toward the door while Carl, Eve, and Melissa exchange upset glances.

Melissa finally speaks up, "It’s really gotten old, Cassie."

Cassie doesn’t execute the turning of the doorknob, "What has?"

"There’s no way you actually felt like that for this long. I don’t know why you’ve held onto this grudge anyway. Was it for attention?"

"I’m not even going to answer that. I’m leaving. Oh, Dad, tell your precious daughter Melissa why we’re back so early." At that, Cassie leaves.

Carl takes in a deep sigh and worry overcomes his entire demeanor. Melissa wipes her teary eyes as both her and Eve look at Carl with their full attention, both just noticing the worry that has been decorating Carl since him and Cassie walked in the door.

Eve touches Carl’s arm, "What is wrong, darling? Why did you and Cassie come back so early?"

Carl takes in a deep breath, "Melissa, you’re in danger. Mason is officially on the loose again."

Eve and Melissa lose the color in their face.

SUNRISE BAY HOSPITAL

Amy steps into Jasper’s "personal space", "Answer me! What did you do to Connor now?!"

Jasper steps back, "I don’t have to explain a damn thing to you. I really need to find a doctor to examine him!" He darts to the left of her.

Amy grabs his arm, "Tell me what happened, you asshole!"

Suddenly Cynthia jumps between Amy and Jasper, holding her hands up. "For heaven’s sake, Amy, he fell off the fishing pier! Now let Jasper find a doctor!"

Amy glares at Cynthia, "Wow, such a caring and watchful father he is! Since when did you start hanging out with the likes of him anyway? Here I thought you were a decent human being."

"You are acting so immature, Amy. This isn’t about who you are calling a decent human being or not. It’s about getting medical care for a little boy who is scared to death!"

Amy’s expression changes to signify guilt brewing beneath the surface, "I guess you’re right about that. Still, how did you and Jasper end up together?"

By that time, Jasper has hunted down a doctor. She kindly takes Connor into a room to examine him while Jasper, in a state of panic, explains the whole story.

Meanwhile, Nicholas finally speaks up, confusion still plastered on his face at the sight of Cynthia entering the hospital with Jasper, "Yeah, Cynthia, why would you be with him? It doesn’t make any sense."

Cynthia appears very agitated. Her eyes are puffy and the only place she wants to be is in her comfy bed sleeping the night away. "Look, I was on the fishing pier trying to clear my thoughts when he just happened to be there with his son. I recognized him because he fixed my car one day. We got to talking and before we knew it we heard this huge splash. Jasper immediately went into rescue mode and dived into the water to save him. He was very heroic about it. I don’t doubt his fathering skills at all, Amy. Anyway, why are you guys at the hospital?"

Nicholas’s eyes dart to the hospital room where the doctors are struggling to save Lacey’s life. "Hoping I got to someone in time."

Cynthia looks confused and Amy quickly fills her in. She grabs Nicholas by the hand and smiles wide, "It seems that we have two heroes on our hands tonight. Well, one that is, I’m still not ever putting Jasper under that category. Anyway, Nicholas here rescued Lacey from a burning house, our house. We are officially homeless. However, that doesn’t matter right now. What matters is that my best friend gets out of here alive."

Cynthia’s eyes widen, "Wow, that’s horrible. Nicholas, wow, you ran into a burning building to save her? That is very heroic of you."

Nicholas brushes off the deed, "It was nothing. I didn’t even have to think twice. I wasn’t going to let Lacey get burnt alive."

Cynthia goes up and hugs him tightly, "You’re a big hero in my book." She gives him a quick kiss on the cheek.

Nicholas doesn’t pay much attention to the kiss and it seems an idea has popped into his head. "I have an idea about your living situation or lack of one to be exact."

"And what would this idea be?" Amy questions with very perked interest.

Cynthia begins to appear worried, "Yeah, I’m very curious myself, honey."

"You guys should move into my house. We have plenty of extra room!" Nicholas states with enthusiasm. "It’s the least I can do."

Amy’s eyes widen and a smile forms. "That is so generous of you, Nicholas. You’ve already done so much for us. Are you sure?"

"I’m positive."

Cynthia tries her hardest to conceal her disdain for the idea, "Nicholas, baby, can we go in private to discuss something?"

"Oh, Cynthia, if you don’t want to be the one to provide a roof over our head, I’ll understand." States Amy, layering disappointment in her tone. "Besides, I’m sure a miracle will happen and someone else will offer us a place to live. It’s sad to think that little Connor is homeless at such a young age."

Cynthia forces a wide smile and quickly lies, "Oh no! You misunderstood me. I think it’s a great idea! I wanted to talk to Nicholas about a whole different issue." I’m gonna kill Nicholas, it’s official! She grabs Nicholas’s wrist and squeezes very tightly as she begins to take him someplace more private.

They are suddenly interrupted by a cheery Gabi, "Guess what I was just doing, Nicholas!"

"Taking a crap?"

"Oh shush, you ‘tard! Being how I’m a wonderful journalist I have big shot connections and all sooooo I just got done talking to a ton of TV stations and they’ve agreed to air the story of how heroic my brother is! Everyone in the world is going to know of how you rushed into a burning building and rescued Lacey Ulrich!"

"And that’s supposed to be a good thing?!" blurts out Cynthia.

MEANWHILE…

Jarrod exits the men’s room and bends down at the water fountain for a long sip. As he’s drinking, his cell phone begins to vibrate. After wiping his mouth, he pulls out his cell phone and reads Annie’s name on the ID. He pushes talk, "Hey, Annie, what’s up?"

"Jarrod! I’m so glad I reached you! How’d you know it was me?"

"Um, Annie, that is what caller ID is for. It is the 21^st century after all."

"Oh, right. Anyway, I’m very very worried about your father."

Jarrod decides to be difficult, "What’s happened with Mason?"

"Oh, don’t even do that! Keith raised you since you were a kid! He is your father as far as I’m concerned!"

"Whatever. Anyway, what’s got you so worried?"

"He never called me. Keith said that as soon as he got to St. Louis he would tell me. And being that Mason has escaped the hospital, I am pretty damn worried!"

"Wait, what did you just say?! Mason escaped the hospital?!"

"You didn’t hear? Yes, your truly wonderful and very sane biological daddy is on the run! So, Jarrod, which daddy are you more fearful for?"

Jarrod swallows hard and doesn’t know how to respond.

THAT CONCLUDES THIS EPISODE OF SUNRISE BAY!