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Episode 22

PREVIOUSLY ON SUNRISE BAY...

*Derek had learned that his brother Jake had awaken from his coma. The doctors warned him that Jake wasn't the same person that he used to be.

*Keith and Annie had a big argument at the police station.

*Lacey recieved an alarming phone call.

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

LACEY’S HOUSE

Lacey sets her pair of keys on the kitchen counter. Inhaling deeply, she wipes her brow. I can’t believe this is happening... Her mind has been running amok ever since she recieved the weary phone call at Shirley’s Bar and Grille. She swallows hard and realizes a cloud of panic has been hanging over her.

"No, Lacey. Stop worrying. It was a big mistake and Amy was just imagining things." She talks aloud to console herself as she heads to the refrigerator and pulls out a gallon of orange juice. The fridge is in dire need of groceries, she realizes, as her eyes scan the bare shelves.

She pulls a tall glass from the adjacent cupboard and pours herself some of the orange liquid. Bringing it to her lips she notices something out her window that catches her attention. She slowly moves towards it and looks at the neighboring house. Someone’s moving in there. Hopefully they aren’t annoying. She then starts to chuckle. Nice, Lacey. The first thought was whether they are going to be annoying or not.

She shakes her head slowly as she places her glass of orange juice on the counter. Her feet carry her to her modest sized living room and over near a stand full of CDs. I could really use some soothing music. Lacey thinks as she sorts through her small collection. Most of her music is female singer-songwriter stuff. Lacey never cared for "plastic music". She prefers music that oozes feeling and honesty. Her favorite Tori Amos CD Under the Pink speaks to her as she brings it into view. She smiles and walks over to her small stereo that sits on the counter that divides the living room from the kitchen. After placing it in the CD slot and pushing play the opening notes of "Pretty Good Year" begins. Lacey absorbs the music as she sits on her comfy couch:

Tears on the sleeve of a man
Don't wanna be a boy today
Heard the eternal footman
Bought himself a bike to race
And Greg he writes letters
And burns his CDs
They say you were something in those formative years
Hold onto nothing
As fast as you can
Well still pretty good year

Maybe a bright sandy beach
Is going to bring you back
May not so now you're off
You're gonna see America

Well let me tell you something about America
Pretty good year
Some things are melting now
Well what's it gonna take
Till my baby's alright

And Greg he writes letters with his birthday pen
Sometimes he's aware that they're drawing him in
Lucy was pretty
Your best friend agreed
Still Pretty good year

The last beautiful notes come to an end and Lacey already feels refreshed. For a few minutes, at least, she forgot about Amy’s earlier panicked call:

"Lacey, I saw him. I didn’t want to believe it but it was that bastard  Jasper." Amy has venom in her tone when reciting his name.

Lacey feels her heart sink to her feet. No, how’d he find me? No, this can’t be true. "Amy, no, you have to be imagining things. It just can’t be him. No, I refuse to believe he’s in Sunrise Bay." She has to sit down at a neighboring booth as she begins to feel lightheaded.

"I’m sorry but you have to keep an eye out. I spotted him so there is a chance he doesn’t even realize we are living in this town. I hope he didn't see me, I don't think I made it to obvious that I was staring from afar. I’m telling you, if that jackass lays a finger on you I’ll tear him to pieces!"

Lacey finds believes that Amy truly would tear Jasper to pieces. The manager of the restaurant gives her a disapproving look and Lacey knows she has to cut the call short. Shakily she responds: "Look, I have to get back to waiting tables. We’ll talk about this later..." --

--KNOCK! KNOCK! A loud knocking at the door makes Lacey jump out of her thoughts and back into the present time. Her heart drops to the floor once again. Should I answer the door?! What if it’s him?!! No, Lacey. Stop it. There’s no way Jasper figured out where you live...

She wearily rises from the couch and heads to the stereo and presses pause while Tori Amos is in the midst of singing "God". Her hands are shaking as she apprehensively walks toward the front door.

She inhales and slowly reaches for the door knob and opens up the door slowly. She is greeted with the face of an attractive young man who looks vaguely familiar.

"Hi, my name is Nicholas Kane. I’m going to be your new next door neighbor." He lets out a big smile as his eyes click with Lacey’s He also gets the sense that he’s seen her before.

JAVA SHORES

Cynthia, Jarrod, and Elaine walk around the pristine clean establishment. Elaine feels a sense of pride as she looks at each nook and cranny of her new business. "I am so eager to get this place up and running! I almost can’t take the suspense. I hope it will be a hit."

Cynthia stops and puts her hand on her waist as she gazes at a row of the most advanced computers she’s ever seen. "Mother, you have really outdone yourself this time. This is definitely going to be a hit! It’s so damn hip and cool."

Jarrod nods his head in agreement, "You’ve really outdone yourself this time, Mrs. Breese! I’ll be sure to stop by here when I want to have a fun time."

Elaine shakes her head and rolls her eyes, "You guys are being sweet but laying it on a little thick. However, I’m always in the mood for a compliment so I shouldn’t be complaining. I feel so happy right now. I can’t wait for the grand opening." Finally, something that will get my mind off of my divorce with Gary. Too bad it had to be paid for with his money.

"Oh, mother, stop being so modest. You know the idea for this place was as genius as they come. I mean who would have thought of a place where you can grab a cappuccino, surf the web, buy some magazines, and sit back and read a good book in a comfy chair? It’s like everything in one!" Cynthia says sincerely as she happily looks her mother in the eyes.

Elaine absorbs the continuing compliments and suddenly feels swept up in emotion. "Cynthia, dear. I am so happy for you and Nicholas. I am also proud that I get the honor to call you my daughter. You really are a sweet girl and I think you will have all the success in the world with your pursuits in becoming a fashion designer." Elaine’s eyes begin to water as she realizes how fast her "baby" has grown up. As cliche as it sounds to her, children truly do mature too fast.

Cynthia immediately embraces her mother in a tight hug, "Oh thanks, Mother. Look, I hate to cut this sentimental stuff short but I promised Jarrod here I would give him a ride to Amy’s place and of course I still have to show him the new house. Oh I can’t wait! The movers are going to be coming to drop all our stuff off in a couple of hours. It’s so exciting!" She skips towards one of the counters and grabs her purse. "Come on, Jarrod. Let’s get a move on."

Elaine scratches her forehead while responding, "I’ll be over there in about an hour or so. I still have the directions to it in my purse so don’t worry." She has a wide grin.

"Good good." says Cynthia as she gives Jarrod a glance. "Shall we?" She points toward the exit.

"We shall indeed." says Jarrod as he gives Elaine a wave and follows Cynthia toward the front exit. The three say goodbye and then Cynthia and Jarrod are greeted with the familiar tropical scent of the day.

Cynthia breathes it in deeply and looks as though she is on cloud nine as she walks towards her convertible. "Things couldn’t get any better." She says as she takes a seat and puts the keys in the ignition.

MIAMI INTENSIVE CARE

The first thing that strikes Derek and Tara when the hospital comes into view is how truly large the facility is. The building looks as though you could fit three of the Sunrise Bay Hospitals inside.

Derek’s heart rate is through the roof and Tara can tell that something is unnerving him. As they sit in the parking lot in the rental car, Tara reaches her hand over to clasp his. Derek’s eyes meet hers and Tara can read the fear in his eyes. Derek has been constantly battling with what the doctors meant by Jake not being the same person. Inside of Derek stirs this strange mixture of excitement and plain fear. For some reason, now that they are in the parking lot of the building where his brother is being cared for, the fear part is dominating the excited half.

"Do you just want to sit in here for a bit before heading inside?" Tara questions as she tightens the grip on her fiancée’s hand.

Derek swallows and then slowly shakes his head. "No. Let’s just go inside." Just as he is finishing this sentence he takes his hand from Tara’s and opens the door to the vehicle.

Tara follows his lead as she makes her way out from the passenger’s side of the car. The hot sun hits her full force and she mentally reminds herself of the soaring temperature change that must have occurred from plane ride from Sunrise Bay to here. The dark black pavement must also have something to do with it, she adds as she extends her hand towards Derek as they both walk toward the building’s entrance.

The two make their way to the service desk once they get in. After telling the African American woman who strikingly looks like Whoopi Goldberg about coming to visit with Jake, she motions them to follow her and she leads them to an elevator. They go up nine floors and she takes them to the end of a lengthy hallway. The sound of a man screaming at the top of his lungs makes both Derek and Tara jump. They get goose bumps.

"What in the world was wrong with that guy?" questions Derek with a face that has seemed to have lost its coloring.

"Whoopi" let’s out a loud laugh and shakes her head. "That’s Barry boy. He’s so crazy. Seriously, he’s crazy. He’s from this mental ward a few miles down the road. Can you believe he managed to break into the kitchen and steal a butcher knife? Here, he was getting it to hunt this one dude down who supposedly had stolen his wife. While the residents were struggling to get the knife from him he somehow managed to stab himself in the stomach. That’s where we came into play."


"Oh." Derek’s eyes are wide as he absorbs the story and he glances at Tara who seems to be wearing the same expression of no color and uneasiness.

The halls seem to be lasting forever and going on for miles. It feels like a movie that is suspensefully working its way up to an explosive climax. However, in Derek and Tara’s case, the climax is only the mere beginning of the story. Neither one of them knows what to expect when they lie their eyes on a "new" Jake Anderson.

Suddenly "Whoopi" stops and takes out a keychain that has "a million" keys attached. "Now are you guys prepared to see him? I’ve heard some pretty freaky things about how Jake has been acting since he’s awakened from his coma."


Derek is surprised at her directness and quickly asks: "Yes I have a question: What in the hell is so different about my brother? They keep telling me that he’s not the same person as he used to be. What do they mean by that?"


The black woman exhales deeply and looks as though she is formulating the perfect answer for Derek in her head. She then replies: "Have you ever read Stephen King’s "The Dead Zone"? Actually, there’s a series on TV as well. SHIT! Whoops, sorry about that. I forgot to program my VCR to tape it! I love that show."


Derek and Tara exchange glances before Derek vehemently states: "No I’ve never read it or seen the series. Just tell me the link between that and my brother."


She clears her throat before dramatically saying: "To put it plain and simply: you’re brother has been claiming to have psychic visions. It’s just like Johnny Smith from the show!"


Derek and Tara are hit with complete shock. Psychic visions? It sounds too crazy to be true.

ANNIE LANSING’S APARTMENT

A knock at the door echoes through the red-head’s apartment. Annie is in her violet-colored robe as she slowly makes her way towards the door. She swings it open and is greeted with the sight of Keith.

He let’s out a faint smile. "Hi."


Annie scratches her forehead and then let’s out a sigh. She motions him into the apartment. Her bandage is still firmly in place from where she hit her head last night while being attacked by Cassie. "So, what brings you to go down two floors and visit with me at my humble abode?"


"Well, did you hear the wonderful news?"


"Ummm…" Annie pauses to think of what he might mean. "Oh yeah! Of course! Melissa was found last night and your brother’s out of his coma. You know, I was real upset when I returned to the police station to not see you or any of them there."

"Well, we all headed to the hospital to see Tom. I can’t believe how eventful yesterday was."


Annie nods her head and lets out a snobby face. "Yes, quite eventful. Now Cassie’s family finally realizes what a fruit loop she is. I knew she was nothing but a crazy psycho all along. She spent time in the mental ward, for Pete’s sake!"


Keith tries to not get worked up over Annie’s constant bashing of Cassie’s mental state. However he realizes he is doing this for selfish reasons. He truly wants to eliminate the guilt that has been overtaking him for the longest time. By defending Cassie when she is not around this serves as a small guilt reliever.

"Look, Annie, I want to talk with you about what happened last night between us at the police station. I’m sorry that I erupted in anger like I did. I need to control my anger problem better." Keith is fully sincere and Annie can tell.

She surprises him by pulling him into a very passionate kiss. The two of their bodies end up melting into each other as the hot and steamy kiss continues. Annie slowly breaks it and wears a wicked smile as she says: "Do you think I’m still mad now?"


Keith wears a wide grin. "I can’t quite tell. That kiss did seem to have some force behind it like you trying to bruise my lips as payback."

Annie laughs hard and pulls him into another one of her "bruising" kisses. Afterwards, she looks him in the eyes and questions him: "Are you going to promise me that you will get over this whole guilt thing over Cassie? You don’t know how much it bugs the hell out of me to hear you ranting on and on over how damn guilty you feel. Just get over it."

Keith lets out a sigh and pauses while keeping his eyes locked on hers. He swallows then says, "I’ll try. I know now that you were the right woman for me all along. But you got to understand, Annie. I do have a conscience. . What we did to her was not right. Cassie is such a vulnerable person! Look at what happened last night."


Annie then crosses her arms. "Cassie is not a vulnerable person, Keith! She’s a damn lunatic! Jeez, don’t the stitches on my head count for anything?!" With this, she makes her way towards her kitchen and swings the fridge door open quickly. "See, Keith. This is what has to stop. I am sick of hearing you defending Cassie and going on about the guilt you have. If you truly loved me you would stop this nonsense!" She pulls out a raspberry tea and pops the cap before taking a long sip of it.

"Annie, how about we drop this topic? It’s obvious that neither of us will ever see eye to eye on it. I can’t help that I possess a conscience and you don’t."

Annie just rolls her eyes as she tightens the lid back onto her drink. "Whatever. Let’s just drop it before I get a migraine." She then proceeds to plop down on her couch that is decorated with a red rose pattern. Annie looks up at Keith who is still standing and let’s an expression of annoyance show through. "So, are you going to sit down by me or what?!"

Keith cautiously makes his way towards the couch and sits down slowly. Immediately, Annie scoots as close as possible and lays her head upon his lap. She stretches out her legs so her bare feet are dangling from the other end of the couch. She then clears her throat and says: "So, I ran into my mother at The Hangout last night."


"Really? How’d it go?" After Keith says this he realizes that he’s running his hands through Annie’s hair.

"Oh, you know how it is. She searched for the most hurtful things to say and wanted me to feel down on myself. She’s such a peachy person to be around. You know what? I told her about my promotion to head fashion designer at Jackson Industries and she went on to tell me about how she always thought my designs sucked. What kind of mother does that? No wonder Todd and I are so screwed up in the head. Speaking of Todd, I guess the two of them also got into an argument yesterday."

 "Hmm, I don’t know your brother that well but I always thought of him as the quiet type." Keith says as he continues to run his hands through Annie’s silky soft hair.

"Well he is–my point exactly. My mother can provoke people to act differently than they usually do. It’s a gift." She rolls her eyes and let’s out a faint grin. "Oh well, screw her. I’ve got you now--all to myself and I really think it’s time for me to prove how much I really do want you..."

She gets a suggestive grin. She sits upwards and then turns and falls upon Keith, embracing him into a passionate kiss. Keith returns the favor and they entangle their bodies together--each removing the others’ clothing, giving into the magnetic force between them.

LACEY’S HOUSE

Lacey lets her gaze set upon Nicholas for a few seconds before saying something, " Hi, my name is Lacey. You look familiar for some reason..."

Nicholas is glad that his suspicions have been reassured. "Yeah, I was actually thinking the same thing. Wait, now that I think about it, I think you were me and my girlfriend’s waitress the other day at Shirley’s Bar and Grille." As he says this he remembers how bitchy Cynthia was to her that day and feels his face redden.

"Now that you say it..." A disapproving look forms on Lacey’s face as she thinks back. She links Nicholas with the very grumpy Cynthia. Sooo maybe I will have problems with these neighbors after all. I’m really hoping his girlfriend was just having a bad case of PMS that day.

Nicholas seems to read her mind as he quickly speaks up, "I am real sorry about how Cynthia was acting toward you. I don’t know–I think she was really stressed out. She isn’t anything like that any other day..."

Lacey just shakes her head and takes in a deep breath. "Well I’m guessing you wouldn’t be with someone like her if that mood was constant. I hope you wouldn’t subject yourself to that degree of bitchiness."

Nicholas lets out a big laugh, "No no, Cynthia definitely isn’t a constant bitch. Whoa, if Cynthia heard where our conversation was going I’m sure she wouldn’t appreciate it all too well." He is amused at the odd turn that his conversation has taken with a woman he has met officially only once. In his mind, meeting her at the restaurant didn’t really count as a first.

Lacey chuckles at his comment. Her heart jumps when she sees something from the corner of her eye. She is relieved that it is only the neighbor guy down the road taking his walk. Settle down, Lacey. Jasper is not in town. Amy had to be imagining things!

Nicholas notices his new neighbor’s sudden cautious face. "Is everything alright? It looked like something made you jump there." Nicholas puts his hand on his forehead to block the bright sun as he sets his gaze in the direction where Lacey’s eyes darted to.

"No, I’m fine. Look, it’s been wonderful meeting you, Nicholas. I actually have something I needed to get to so I’m going to have to cut our conversation short." She wipes a strand of hair that falls in front of her left eye before adding, "It was really sweet and neighborly of you to drop by though."

"Oh, no problem at all. I’m just real excited to have gotten the house and I figured it’d only be right to see what the neighbors are like. I must say, I am thoroughly impressed so far." He smiles wide as he looks her in the eyes. "It was nice meeting you Lacey." He waves as he proceeds toward his house.

"Bye, Nicholas." says Lacey as she watches for a couple seconds as he heads toward his house. She slowly proceeds to enter her own house, not before giving her surroundings another paranoid check to make sure nobody is watching.

MIAMI INTENSIVE CARE

"You got to be kidding me. Are you trying to say that my brother is a psychic now? That’s ridiculous!" states Derek with a firm voice. "Just let me see him. I’m sick of hearing about this crap."


Tara tightens her grip on his hand as a signal for him to settle down. She is surprised by Derek’s reaction to the woman’s response about Jake. "Derek, let’s just go see him and speak with him before you get yourself worked up even more."

Derek then takes in a deep breath and it seems to calm him. "You’re right, Tara. I do need to settle down. I just want to see him so badly and remember him how he was before Hurricane Amanda twisted our lives upside down."

The African American woman wears an understanding expression. "Look, I’m sorry I got you so worked up like that. Ok. I was just upset that I didn’t record my damn show. Pardon my French please." She then swings open the door to the next room to the left. "I’ll give you two time alone with him." She says with a smile before disappearing down the hallway.

Derek and Tara once again exchange glances but Derek follows it with a huge inhale of breath. Tara rubs his back, "I’ll go in first, OK?"

"OK." He says faintly.

Tara walks in front of her fiancée and slowly enters the hospital room. The sound of a steady beep fills the air and the sight of a thin man lying on a hospital bed fills her trail of vision. Immediately, Tara feels stabs of sadness emanating through her body as she looks over the "new" Jake. He looks almost nothing like she last remembers him. Derek quickly files suite behind her and is also overwhelmed with what he sees.

The thin man, also known as Jake Anderson, speaks up: "You made it. I knew you would."

Derek immediately rushes to his brother’s bedside and embraces Jake into a very tight hug. Tears rush at him full force as he continues the embrace with the younger brother he hasn’t seen awake in three years. Tara watches over the scene with mixed emotions and also gives into the oncoming tears. After Derek breaks the hug, she immediately makes her way over and does the same. However, Jake doesn’t keep the grip on her as long and he quickly breaks the hug and gives her a complete look of horror.

"What, Jake? What’s the matter?" Tara questions with a paranoid tone.

Jake’s heart rate monitor begins to increase quickly and both Derek and Tara are terrified that Jake is going to fall back into his coma or that something worse is going to happen.

He then speaks up loudly, "DEATH! SOMEONE YOU GUYS ARE CLOSE TO IS GOING TO DIE! DEATH!!"

Derek and Tara give each other horrified glances as Jake goes crazy and continues to scream the same thing repeatedly. Suddenly doctors bursts into the room and yell for both Derek and Tara to get out as Jake continues to wildly yell about impending death on someone they are close to. The whole scene is surreal to Derek and Tara as they follow the doctors’ orders and watch the action from outside of the room as Jake still yells with terror…

THAT CONCLUDES THIS EPISODE OF SUNRISE BAY!

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