"Circling the pain inside my soul I reached inside your silence to steal what you won't show. I tried to find the answers in my fears."- Take It All Away, Red

Episode 10: "Take It All Away", to listen to the theme song please click here.
Written By: Kelly Zollo

Scene 1: Apartment above Club 90., West Lake, NY

It has been three hours since Shane has left her inside of her apartment, ending things with him. It’s been a few hours more than that since she let Ryan have his way with her. Paige celebrates the moment with a half open bottle of Cabernet. Now working on her fourth glass and fighting back the tears, as she stares at the clock looking at the time.

Her fingers keep fidgeting with her skirt adjusting it lower to cover her legs, she knows it is due to the shame that she is feeling. She should have just told Shane the truth from the get go, the entire mess could have been avoided. Now she is certain that it is something that she cannot come back from, it is over and done with. Hand shaking she takes a sip from her glass, allowing the tears to flow down her face.

She is soon crying softly, cradling the glass to the side of her face, eventually sitting it down before she spills it on the leather sofa. Being with Ryan, was something that she never wanted to endure again and in a moment of weakness she sold herself out. Wiping at the tears on her face, she contemplates calling Austin deciding it be best that her brother not know.

Instead she gets up from the couch, using the wall for support as she makes her way to the bathroom, staring at her reflection in the glass. She is no longer the strong, wise business woman, instead she is a whore again back in the city. Wiping at her face a few more times, she turns on the water, making sure it is scalding hot. She debates about going back for her glass, deciding she doesn’t have the energy to do so.

Her legs feel like they are going to give out, that she is going to be sick so she takes a steat on the toilet. Leaning back on the cool porcelain tilting her head back for a moment, before taking her top over her head and tossing it on the ground. Her hands are still shaking as she rises, gripping the counter to support her weight as she strips the rest of her clothing down.

Pausing for a moment biting down on her lower lip as it begins to tremble at the memory of Ryan forcing himself on her and her agreeing. She is certain that she tastes blood, as she begins to chew on her lip. Looking up from the ground placing her hand inside the shower, nearly jerking back from the pain of the spray. Instead, she pulls back the curtain and steps inside, letting the water hit her.

She is crying again, her chest heaving bracing her hands on the wall in front of her as the scalding hot water ran over her. Reaching for the washcloth she applied the soap, letting it get a good lather before vigorously applying it to her skin to wipe Ryan away. It doesn’t help and minutes later her skin is an angry shade of red. The tears have now come out in sobs and she angrily tosses the washcloth against the tile in the shower. She can feel her legs give out as she sinks to the bottom of the tub, rocking back and forth to erase the memory. She doesn’t know how everything got so screwed up over the last few months, or why she is still even covering for what happened to Hannah.

It has cost her everything, the man that she has come to love and want in her life, her friendships. Cost her years of her life away from West Lake, cost her her pride and dignity. The shame of the events finally taking their toll on her in the bottom of the shower, her sobbing with no one to help her. By the time that the water has run ice cold hours later in order to numb herself, she knows what she has to do to make things right. She has to tell someone about what she knows about the night Hannah died.

She doesn’t care if Ryan goes and tells every reporter on the eastern sea board, she doesn’t care if he tells her family or Shane. She doesn’t care if people look at her differently for what she knows, it has been years and she has to set things right, she decides to wait until after her brother’s wedding to turn herself in or tell someone. Wanting her brother to have one shinning moment, before she turns everyone’s world upside down on it’s axis.

Scene 2: Bar In New York City

Austin and Jacob have been friends since they were in grade school together and now as adults every year they go on a road trip to New York for a weekend alone. This year is a bit difference with his friend insisting that it a part of his last weekend as a bachelor. They have checked into a small hotel in the city and are now in a bar, unlike anything that he has ever really been in back home. Complete with loud music, bear, cigarette smoke, cheap perfume and the local crowd.

“So, this is the best that you could do as best man for my last weekend?” Austin asks, with a slight grimace looking around the room.

Jake has been to busy working on his second beer and flirting with the waitress as she passes to notice that his friend is not enjoying the scenery. For him it is really the only way he knows how to deal with recent events, like kissing Vanessa and getting back into old sleeping habits with Jessica. His eyes finally lift to Austin and his disappointment is clear on his friends face, pausing for a bit before looking back at his bottle. This was his idea of fun, though it is turning out to be the opposite of what he planned for in the long run.

“I thought it would cheer you up. With all the wedding stuff going on Liz is probably driving you up the wall,” Jake offers.

Austin plays with the label on his bottle for a bit before shrugging, “Not really we had a fight a few weeks ago about some of it. Since then she and the rest of them have been handling everything.”

“Everything all right then? You’re not getting cold feet or anything?” Jake asks.

Austin looks up at him wondering if his friend knows about his encounter with Kate or not, wondering if he should tell him. He can’t even tell Liz, he would rather not think about him and Kate getting it on in the dressing room. It was out of line, he is sorry for it, he was lost in a moment with her and eventually just let himself go and was unfaithful to Liz. Marrying Liz now is the only thing that he wants to focus on hoping that if he can make her happy his guilt will be lessened.

“Austin?”

Jake’s voice breaks him from his thoughts and he shakes his head no at him, “No everything is fine. What about you?”

Jake freezes, pausing with the bottle at his lips before taking a sip of his beer, wanting it speak for him. Austin gives him an impatient stare, as he places his the bottle back down on the table looking at it to avoid his friend’s stare. He doesn’t want to come out as a dick for sleeping with Jessica, worse using someone who is close to Austin’s wedding. He also knows that he is and has been lying to himself for months, his feelings for Vanessa haven’t changed in the years since the accident.

“I kissed Vanessa,” he finally manages to mumble.

Austin sits back leaning against the booth that they are in shocked, “When?”

“After New Years, after I found out about her and the author. I just, it just happened I went to see her, I leaned in she kissed me back,” Jake says, quietly meeting his friend in the eyes.

“Wow. I thought, you...well you and Jess,” Austin says, peeling at his bottle label.

“We’re...I don’t even know that to call what me and Jess are. We’re not together, but we are, I wanted to end things. She didn’t want to screw up the wedding,’ Jake says, pausing for a bit. ‘I don’t love her Austin.”

Austin looks at his friend and can see that he is telling the truth, he doesn’t love Jessica Robbins and he is fairly certain that Jake never has. At least his friend saw that and didn’t put a ring on Jessica’s finger or worse make a commitment to her. He now however has to pause for bit and reflect on his own situation with Liz. If not telling her is going to do more damage than good, if in the end keeping the secret is for the best.

“What are you going to do? Do you still have feelings for her?”

Jake pauses for a bit holding his bottle, “I don’t know, it’s Vanessa Austin. I’m always going to have feelings for her.”

Scene 3: Fairfield Investments, Cade's Office

It’s been years since he walked in on his mother hanging by a rope in the library, yet every year there is a somberness that surrounds the memory. This year for Cade it is no different, or perhaps there is, sitting at his desk with a glass full of brandy, his fourth of the hour looking at contracts. In his mind it is better than actually reliving the memory over and over again, the office is closed Marla had seen he was in one of his moods and left. He can hear the door open, he doesn’t bother looking up from his contracts ignoring the visitor in the office.

“You’re here late,” Kate says quietly.

Picking up his glass, he takes a drink not bothering to answer her, he doesn’t feel like talking to her or anyone else.

“You want to go get something to eat?’ Kate says, standing at the door pausing for a moment before speaking again. ‘I know today is hard for you.”

Cade momentarily looks up from his paperwork to cast a glance at her, “I need you to get out of here, now.”

She sees the prescription bottle on the desk, pausing for a moment with her hand on the door sensing a darkness in his eyes. Opening the door to leave she comes face to face with Vanessa. Adjusting the shoulder strap on her purse for moment, unsure of what she should tell his sister. The awkwardness of lying to one of her closet friends about what happened the night Hannah died, quietly sneaking up on her. Instead, she says nothing looking way before brushing past Vanessa and heading out of the door and down the hallway.

Vanessa cautiously opens the door to her brother’s office, taking note of how the office is laid out in general. Papers neatly stacked, brandy open, his prescription bottle on his desk unopened and now she has to believe if Marla is right and he is off his medications again. She can tell that he is agitated as his hand impatiently taps against the desk and he speaks.

“Kate, I told you to leave.”

“I’m not Kate.’ Vanessa manages to say, pausing for a moment before continuing. ‘You want to tell me what that was all about?”

Cade looks at her uncomfortably for a moment shifting in his seat, “Not really.”

Vanessa decides to take the initiative moving towards the leather chair across from her brother’s desk and taking a seat in it. Placing her purse on her lap, as she looks at him reaches over and grabbing the full prescription and noticing the date of the refill was well over four months ago. She pauses for a moment, unsure of how to approach the subject her mouth dry for a moment before she speaks.

“You need to take the medication. Cade.”

“Why so I don’t go off and hang myself from a rafter?”

Vanessa’s mouth falls open at his statement, shaking her head no unsure of why her twin would even bring up the suggestion especially on the day of their mother’s death. She closes her mouth before reaching over and touching her brother’s arm before he looks up at her meeting her eyes. Instantly Cade regrets the statement as he looks at his twin and he takes a deep breath.

“I didn’t mean it like that. I just don’t need them.” Cade finally says, giving his sister a reassuring glance.

Vanessa considers his statement for a moment, grabbing the pills to play with them in her hand. Getting up from the chair to go to the mini fridge in the room, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. Walking back to the desk, she takes away the brandy as her brother glares at her. Opening up the pills and taking out the requirement before placing them on the desk and shoving the water bottle at him.

“Take the damn pills Cade.”

Cade can only stare up at his twin, he thinks about telling her to bug off or go screw herself and he knows that it would do no good. Reluctantly he takes the water and the pills, popping them into his mouth and then looking at her.

“Satisfied? What are you going to do about Brian and Jake?” Cade asks, turning the question around on her.

“I don’t know what you are talking about.” Vanessa replies.

“You really think that I can’t see it? That no one else in the entire world can see it? That you and Jake still have something? You really think Brian is that stupid?”

Vanessa looks at him for a moment unsure of how to answer her brother, “What do you want me to say?”

Cade leans forward on his desk to look at her before speaking, “I want you to be careful and decide what you want.”

Vanessa nods her head before rising from the seat and going to the door stopping to look at him.

“Make it up to Kate, you were being an ass.” she says, closing the door behind her.

Cade leans back in the chair as he watches his sister leave, knowing that she is right.

Scene 4: 1962 Parkview Ln., West Lake, NY; Study

Alan has been on edge since the New Years party, waiting or Tyler to come to the house and find out the truth. He has placed a few calls over the last few days to Richard, all of which have gone unanswered. The maid comes to the door of his home office to let him know that Bridgette Alexander is here to see him, rising from his seat he thanks her as Bridgette enters the office. He makes sure that he can’t see anyone else in the house as he closes the door behind her.

“Thank you for coming by.” Alan says, looking at her.

Bridgette knows better than to stop by the house, better to discuss Paige in Karen’s house, but desperate times call for desperate measures for her. She can’t let Paige go down for what that monster did, taping her and the other girls. She and Alan agreed that handing over Hannah’s photos to the police would only lead to them finding Elliot’s body. The car however, was something that she and Alan didn’t see coming and as the lie grew it was easier to pretend that Vanessa had killed Hannah and be done with it.

“I had to come. Tyler is asking questions, digging up God knows what related to the case and what happened that night. Any word on who actually tampered with the car that night?” Bridgette asks, her tone rising for a bit.

Alan shakes his head no and she lets out a light laugh.

“Of course not, not like Richard would tell you if he knew anyway. None of this would have happened if you hadn’t of written that letter to the parole board and let Vanessa out. Instead our daughter if any of this gets out will go down for a mistake and everything about Hannah will come out. Is that what you really want?” Bridgette manages to get out.

Alan looks at her hoping that the staff hasn’t head the yelling or the raised voices, that Karen hasn’t over heard anything. The last thing he needs is an ugly battle in public with Karen over it, over the guilt he feels of having to pick between his two daughters. Over the years the guilt for covering up the tampering of the car and Elliot’s murder, leading him to write the parole board to pled for Vanessa’s release. The destruction of his family and most of West Lake from the sentencing of Vanessa still evident, in everyone’s lives today.

“I did what I had to do Bridgette, what you begged me to do when you called to tell me what Paige had told you. We can’t change that now.” Alan says quietly.

Bridgette tries to calm herself her hand shaking, “We need to figure out how to fix this. Make Tyler quit digging.”

Alan wishes it could be that simple and yet he knows it will just fail, it did the first time that he brought it up to his son. Tyler will not stop at anything in order to clear what happened to his sister, that was made evident when he asked the first time. Richard’s words stop and make him thinking, asking Bridgette to stop the book would solve the problem of everything that Brian has found out. It will buy them enough time in order to figure out their next move where everything else is concerned.

“Can you talk to James about stopping Brian McAllister’s book? It will buy us sometime.” Alan pleads.

Bridgette feels like her legs are going to go out from underneath her, making her way to the couch to sit down. She and James haven’t spoken for weeks, both are dreading the next move, as far as a divorce goes. She has been unable to call someone to tell them that she wants a divorce nor has she yet to file.

“You think that will help us?” Brdigette asks quietly.

Alan takes a seat next to her on the couch, hands in his lap.

“I think that is the last resort we have. Please Bridgette.”

Bridgette considers the statement for a moment before burying her face in her hands, “I will see what I can do.”

Scene 5: 574 Shoreline Dr. Apt. #8, West Lake, NY

Liz has been preparing for her wedding for the last few weeks putting on the final preparation work on a few details. She is now sitting at home looking at the last minute changes that she has requested with the catering company. She is supposed to be meeting mother for lunch later that day, hoping that they can share a nice lunch before the rest of week starts. Austin is at work, promising her to stop by later if he can for lunch in order to met them. Hearing the doorbell ring on the apartment door, she looks down the hallway to see if Jessica is home before going to the door, opening it to have her mouth drop open.

“Peter!” Liz exclaims, pure excitement evident in her voice as she reaches for him.

Peter knew that his second stop after dropping by to visit his mother would be to go see his sister, he had begged his mother not to call Liz and let her know he was coming. He wasn’t supposed to arrive for a few more weeks for the wedding, but he took his leave a few weeks early after pressure was put on him. Returning home to a very different place than what he remembers from his youth, different alliances and new people. He wraps his arms around his sister and eagerly spins her on the front doorstep, taking a step back to get a good look at her.

“You look great, all grown up.” Peter manages, with a smile.

“You didn’t tell me you were coming early. Mom and I weren’t expecting you for a few more weeks. When did you get in? How long are you staying for? Have you stopped by to see mom yet?” Liz asks, grabbing his arm and pulling him inside of the apartment.

Peter can only shake his head and let out a laugh at her excitement. Excitement that he hasn’t heard for years from his sister, she genuinely sounds happy.

“I got in a few hours ago, a flight straight from Iraq after I discharged. Went ahead and stopped by to see mom, begged her not to call you and tell you that I was here. I wanted to surprise you,’ Pete says, pausing for a moment to glance around the apartment. ‘So Austin, huh?’

Liz can only look back at him from the kitchen picking back up her pen to look at him.

“Yeah, we met and sort of hit it off after and Kate called things off. After everything happened with Vanessa and Hannah...” she says her voice trailing off.

Peter doesn’t even know really what to say to that, he remembers what it was like before he left for the Army, everyone was so close. He remembers what it was like hearing about Hannah’s death while he was in basic training and being unable to come home for the funeral. He however didn’t realize how much things had changed until his mother ad Liz wrote and told him she was marrying Austin. He had always thought Austin would end up with Kate.

“Have you been by to see Jake yet? I am sure that he would love to see you, if you wanted I could call Jess and see if he is at the office or not,” Liz says, her voice intruding on her brother’s thoughts.

Peter looks over at her shrugging his shoulders, “I can go see Jake after we met mom for lunch. I didn’t realize that Jessica had come back to town. Didn’t her father send her to California her senior year?”

Liz nods her head, it is not something that her roommate likes to talk about, in-fact Jessica rarely likes to talk about it. She showed up about a year before Hannah died, trying to sink her hooks into Jake, causing trouble. Reaching out to her when no one else wanted to, becoming her friend and now she has to wonder why. She quickly dismisses the thought, before looking back at her brother.

“She doesn’t like to talk about it much. Let me grab my purse and then we can go ahead and head on out.” Liz, says moving from the counter to grab her purse.

Peter doesn’t even really know what to say as he watches his sister move from the counter, unsure of what has set her on edge. Even in high school he was always wary of Jessica Robbins, he always mistrusted her and it could be all the mind games she liked to play with him and Jake. He doesn’t get a chance to ask more as Liz comes back purse in hand and leads him out the door of the apartment.

Scene 6: Harvell & Associates

Garrett has been sitting in his office going over paperwork, he already placed the flower order earlier that day, trying to keep his mind off Leann’s death. The distractions are hardly working, it still filters in and out of his mind, her depression leading up to that day. Langston's phone call to him at the office, informing him what she and Cade had walked in on, the funeral. All of it passes in and out of his mind, in short bursts reminding him that he really hadn’t of known his first wife all that well.

He had married her based on a mutual deal in which her father had introduced him to her at a social function, he had just come off a relationship with Ivy Liston. Ivy had left him for someone else and he had began looking at other options. He enjoyed Leann’s company and after a brief engagement they were married, the twins being born afterwards, he never knew about her mental illness. He didn’t know until after the twins were born and she seemed distant and unresponsive to them, pulling away and shutting herself in her room the mood would last for a few days and then she would be back to normal.

When he confronted Langston about it and learned the truth he was crushed, Leann had been diagnosed as a manic depressive for years, a family secret. At first he felt betrayed by the news that his wife and her family would keep it from him, but over the years he accepted it. She got better, saw a therapist regularly for her depression and got help, when the twins were seven however Ivy began calling the house, threatening to expose an affair that he had with her while he and Leann were together. Leann became jealous, secluding herself and before he knew it, she took her own life in the library.

“You all right?”

Looking up to see Sharon standing before him Garrett stares at his wife, “It’s a hard day.”

Sharon nods her head, she knows what today is the anniversary of Leann’s death something that has always been hard. Something that Garrett, Langston, Cade and Vanessa do not have answers to about why it happened. She isn’t sure if telling him about the papers that Callie filed with Tyler is the right thing to do or not given his mood, but he is bound to find out sooner or later. She would also prefer that they confront Callie on it together, ask her why she is doing it and ask her why she felt the need to go behind the firms back.

“I know. I just got these back from one of the other partners. Callie has been helping Tyler get court orders to investigate the car accident that happened. I wanted you to hear it from me, so that we could discuss it.’ Sharon says, pausing for a moment. ‘I know this isn’t the best time given what today is.”

Garrett nods at her Sharon has always been understanding and delicate about what happened to Leann, even when they began dating. She understood that he had scars from the experience, scars that he told her he wasn’t sure he could ever heal. Then when the case began spiraling out of control, he thought he was going just as crazy as Leann. Taking the court order from her he takes a look at Callie’s work, it is on track and on point, though he expects nothing less.

“I don’t understand why she couldn’t just tell us, how do the partners feel about it?” Garrett asks, flipping through the pages.

“They’re concerned this could turn ugly again for us like it did when you were defending Vanessa. They’re concerned the press is going to go a bit crazy again, a lawsuit from the Donovan’s could happen, what do you want to do?” Sharon replies, looking at him.

Garrett sits the papers down before rising from his desk, planning on calling it a night as he rises putting on his jacket.

“Let’s keep an eye on it and then go from there, if it turns ugly we’ll step in Callie has to learn to pick her own clients, we can’t baby sit her all the time Sharon. For now let’s just go home.”

Sharon knows better to press him more instead she nods her head at her husband, going to the door and holding it open so that they can head on home.

Scene 7: 14 Greystone Dr., West Lake, NY

James has always been a jealous man always known that Bridgette simply chose him based on Karen getting pregnant with Jacob. However, years later he is simply ready to end their farce of a marriage, he knows his timing is horrible with Austin’s wedding a few weeks away. Two children later, years of hurt and affairs he knows keeping the relationship going will only cause more hurt and more damage. It is a reason why he called his lawyer for a recommendation on how to handle it, they agreed to go about it quietly avoid the press.

Walking into the kitchen he finds her leaning over the kitchen counter, a glass of Resling beside her wedding planning book. She only drinks when she is upset, or has had an upsetting day and he now knows he is about to make it worse. He knows that she went and saw Alan today, Karen called to inform him and doubt sets in again, is she seeing Alan again? Hardly something he should be asking seeing how he and Karen have been having an affair, an affair that Karen has called off.

“Hi,” he manages to get out.

Bridgtette has been staring at the wedding plans since she arrived home a few hours ago, unable to think that soon her world will be crashing down around her. Instead she has chosen to look at the positive things, Austin’s wedding to Liz. When James speaks she looks up from the notebook to meet his stare.

“Hi.”

“Can we talk?”

Bridgette looks at him, seeing his tone drop to a serious level, “All right.”

James takes a breath before opening up his briefcase and handing her the divorce papers, the tension is thick in the room. He watches her reaction carefully as her eyes fill with tears and she uses her fingers to brush at them. He can only swallow, his throat suddenly becoming very numb by her reaction. Even though the moment has been coming for years, it is a tough pill for the both of them to swallow, to deal and cope with.

“James...” she starts, trying to find an explanation.

“This has been coming for a few years you and I both know that, we haven’t been good for years Bridgette. The kids are grown, we don’t love each other, hell I’m not even sure if we really did to begin with.” James says.

Bridgette can’t help but feel like the walls are closing in on her looking at the final chopping block of her marriage. Her affair with Alan probably being one of the reasons it has come to this. Her love for Alan she now knows being the reason that it has come to this, but she can’t stop Alan is the father of her daughter. Had Karen of not gotten pregnant with Jacob it would be a very different situation, she and Alan would have gotten married and had a life together.

“I told the lawyers that I wanted to handle this quietly there is no need for this to become ugly or public. I know with the wedding coming up, this isn’t the best time.”

Bridgette can barely hear his pleas, as she sits down on one of the stools in the kitchen, knowing there is no way she ask a favor for the book now. She doesn’t even know how she is going to break the news to her children, not that either of them should be surprised. They were hardly blind to their parents affairs growing up, the lack of communication or commitment. Instead she simply nods her head at James, agreeing to keep things quiet and civil for the proceeding the last thing they need is attention from the press.

“I can leave the house if that is what you want.” she finally manages to get out.

James can feel the tears prick the back of his eyes at her statement, he would never throw her from the house yet the reality is now sitting in. In a few months she will no longer be his wife. Their life together will be over, the hurt they have placed on each other will be over. Shaking his head no he looks at her.

“This is your home Bridgette I would never take that from you. You can stay until the papers are finalized we can work something out. I just want us both to be able to move on, like we should have years ago.”

Leaving it at that, James kisses her forehead letting a few tears drop before leaving the kitchen. Bridgette isn’t sure why the tears begin to flow again, as she watches him leave the room other than it feels like something terrible is about to happen.

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