"I will not bow, I will not break. I will shut the world away. I will not fall, I will not fade. I will take your breath away."- Breaking Benjamin

Episode 18: "I Will Not Bow" to listen the theme song please click here.
Written By: Kelly Zollo

Scene 1: 1421 Firestone Cir., West Lake, NY

Austin is quiet as he marches towards the guest stables of the Harvell estate, after finding out that Vanessa was there from Sharon. He isn’t even sure what he is going to say to her once he gets there, the last thing he should be doing is defending Brian McAllister. He however, knows that he is partially obligated to try to help him, after all Brian did trying to stop the book coming out. He would rather be doing that than dealing with his own problems, still not having the nerve to go and see Liz in rehab.

He opens up the side door to see Vanessa staring out of the stable window, waiting for a moment before speaking.

“Your mom told me you were down here.”

Vanessa turns around to look at Austin, the last thing she had expected was to see him at the stables, let alone at her house. She isn’t sure what to say, as she walks towards him, after Kate came by and told her about sleeping with him behind Liz's back. She had hoped when the door opened that Jake would be there and she admits to herself that she is slightly disappointed. He still hasn’t returned her call and she is beginning to wonder if that is for the best.

“Hey.”

“I was hoping that we could talk about Brian.” Austin says, quietly.

Vanessa looks up at him, the last thing that she had expected was for him to come by and take up sides with her for Brian of all people. He and Jake were best friends, or at least they were until the reveal that Paige was Jake and Tyler's half sister as well.

“Wow what brought all that on?” she finally manages to ask.

“He came to the office a few weeks ago asked me to not publish the book, I tried to stop the order my dad pushed it through. Probably as a way to get back at Alan and my mom, I’m not saying what he did was right because it’s not. I thought you should know that he did try to respect your wishes.” Austin offers, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Vanessa nods her head at him awkwardly for a moment before clearing her voice.

“How are you holding up? How is Liz?” she asks, moving to the doorway to lead him out of the stables and back up to the house.

Austin kicks at the grass for a bit with his feet, as they walk. “It’s awkward at home now for my parents. I’m still in shock I guess, I knew about the guy blackmailing Paige but I didn’t know about her being Alan’s kid too. Makes things a little awkward for me and Jake now we really haven’t talked about it.”

He waits a few second before continuing, “I haven’t went to see Liz yet. I’m not really sure what to do about it yet. I’ve been thinking about a divorce but with everything else going on I don’t think that would be for the best right now.”

“Kate told me about the tuxedo shop.”

“Oh,” he replies, looking at the ground as they reach the front porch.

Vanessa lets out sigh before looking at her friend, “I think you should tell Liz now while you can before the damage is already done. I’ll think about what you said, thanks for telling me the truth.”

Austin can only look up at her and nod his head, as he watches her turn on her heel and go back inside the house.

Scene 2: New Hope Rehabilitation Center; New York City, NY

Cade is waiting in the waiting room of the rehabilitation clinic and he gets up from his chair when Liz makes her way towards him. Offering her a quick hug, before taking a seat next to her. She is doing better from what he can tell, she looks healthy and well rested. Folding his hands in his lap he looks over at her, offering her a smile.

When they had told her that there was a nicely dressed gentlemen in the lobby waiting for her she had gotten excited. Not that the happiness didn’t fade when she saw her friend in the lobby for her, she had hoped it was her husband. She was calling Austin almost every other day, they would spend about ten minutes talking before he would get off the phone. Sitting down next to him, Liz can’t help but run her hands against her jeans at her friend and worse her boss.

“I wasn’t expecting you to come by,” she finally offers.

“I wanted to see how you were doing. This place looks pretty good. Are they treating you all right?” Cade asks, still unsure why he is really even here.

Part of him feels that he is really just here to spill the beans to her about Kate and Austin and he is still trying to find his nerve to do so. Before he can do that however, she speaks again.

“I’m glad that you came. I heard about everything that happened with Paige and the cover up. I was hoping that I could talk to you about working at the firm when I go back home again.” Liz says.

Cade looks at her a little bit shocked, “Are you sure you are wanting to return to work when you come home?”

Liz shrugs.

“I have to I can’t have Austin picking up the bill for my stay here, working will keep my mind occupied. I can put in extra hours to make up for lost time, it’s part of the steps, I’m going to get a sponsor to make sure I don’t relapse or anything. I just need to be working and get back to normal. I know it is a lot to ask,” she says quietly.

Cade considers her situation for a moment before nodding his head at her.

“I think that would be something that we could discuss when you get home, so far the press has been so focused on Paige’s confession that no one really pushed the accident to the press...,” Cade beings.

“You mean the overdose.” Liz corrects him.

“Listen, we don’t have to talk about this right now.” Cade says, pausing as he debates telling her about the baby.

“No, I want too.”

Scene 3: West Lake Country Club; West Lake, NY

James smiles at the bellhop has he makes his way inside the country club and heads straight to the bar spotting Helen Porter waiting for him. He hadn’t expected the call from his friend that he had received a few days ago. He has been back and forth with lawyers most of the week and avoiding his son. Austin has been furious with him over Brian McAllister’s book. Reaching the bar he leans over and kisses Helen’s cheek.

“It’s good to see you,’ James says, taking a seat next to her and then turning to the bartender, ‘Glass of bourbon on the rocks please.”

Helen wrings her hands nervously on her stool, eyes fixed on the glass of pignot grigio, still trying to process Shane’s condition. She hasn’t told a soul that she knows, her son, her daughter, afraid if she does it will turn all to real for her. She thought about telling Sharon, instead opting not to worry her friend who was dealing with her own problems. With Nick gone the only person that she feels that she can reach out to is James. Looking up as James takes a seat next to her.

“How are you? I’m so glad you could come. I know things have been a bit crazy for you at the company.” Helen offers.

James looks down at his drink for a moment before taking a sip, “I’m sure you’ve heard everything that you would have needed about Paige. It’s hard, I’m not going to lie Helen, I raised her. I took care of her all while Bridgette and Alan knew the truth.”

Helen can only look ahead remembering her own marriage nearly ending, because of an affair that Nick had years ago. Thankfully the woman left town and she and Nick were able to recover from it. She knows that now is probably not the best time to tell James that Shane is going to die, but she doesn’t know for sure. Looking over at him she reaches her hand out to grab his hand.

“I’m sorry James. I know this had to come as a blow to you.” Helen manages to whisper.

James nods his head at her trying to understand how his life had come to this with his life with Bridgette. Quickly realizing that there was really nothing that isn’t in par this fault with everything that has happened. She cheated with Alan and he can count on both hands how many affairs he has had. He feels even worse, as his guilt about his affair with Karen earlier in the year comes to mind.

“It’s not entirely her fault, I haven’t exactly been poster parent or husband of the year. I just wish that she would have told me, so we could have avoided this whole mess with Elliot Davison and what happened that night. I can’t even imagine what Garrett and Sharon have to be going through.”

Helen remains silent as James unleashes and unloads on her about how he is feeling, she knows that Sharon and Garrett do not blame him. They know that it is Bridgette and Alan’s secret that destroyed their lives, that and Richard’s cover up. She knows from talking to Sharon that now they are just wanting to put the incident behind them.

“I just wish that I could do something for them.’ James says, taking a sip of his bourbon before continuing. ‘How are you? I know that you had to of called me here for some reason, you sounded upset on the phone.”

“It’s nothing.” Helen brushes off.

Not satisfied James looks at her again, “Helen what is going on? I’ve know you for years and lying has never suited you well.”

Biting down on her lower lip to try to keep the tears at bay, she runs a hand through her blonde locks.

“It’s Shane he’s sick,” she finally manages to get out.

James looks at her for a moment perplexed.

“He’s dying.”

Scene 4: Donovan Publishing, Alan Donovan's

Jake has pulled himself out of his drunken stupor from the incident at the country club with Jessica, finally being able to get back to work. Eyes watching the clock in his office, waiting for his father’s meting to be done with and resignation letter in hand. The office is probably not the best place for what he is about to do to his father but it has to be done. Once the client leaves, he makes his way out of his office and tells his father’s secretary to hold all calls and appoints, she doesn’t get to leave a response as he enters the office.

Alan has been back at work for a few weeks, Simon Hoffman has still not posted charges against him or Bridgette. Probably because he is after the bigger fish at the moment with Richard. Even so his break down in the Florida Keys helped while everything was sinking in about the accident. He had needed to clear his head, seeing Mary McAllister being the last thing he had expected or wanted. Looking up from his desk to stare at his oldest son.

“Jacob.”

Jacob takes a moment to stare at his father from across the room, before walking to the desk and tossing the letter down. Watching his father read over the letter.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Alan finally says looking up at him.

“Don’t be ridiculous? Are you even hearing yourself right now? I’m done with it, the job and most of all you.” Jake retorts.

“And where will you go? How will you support yourself? You really don’t think that I would crush whoever tried to take you from me? Last time I checked I was still your father and this is your legacy, here at the company.”

Jake has to let out a laugh for a moment.

“I’ll do fine on my own. You’re no longer my father, you’re nothing to me.”

Having enough of his son’s attitude Allan finally manages to rise from his chair, never expecting his own son to turn his back on him. Karen he expected but not his children.

“Don’t be absurd. Everything that I have ever done has been for the good of this family, yourself included.”

“No, you did this to protect Bridgette and Paige, you didn’t do this for mom, Tyler, or Hannah and sure as hell not me. You did this for you.”

“You have no idea what you are talking about. You walk out of this company and I swear to God Jacob.”’

Leaning on his father’s desk to look him dead in the eyes, Jake takes a moment to compose himself before speaking quietly.

“You sent Vanessa to prison, you made me believe that she killed Hannah. You lied to mom for years about Paige and you sold Hannah out in the process. I can’t forgive you for that.”

Allan sees his son’s eyes go cold towards him and he can nearly feel the chill creep up his spine.

“I will not apologize for protecting my daughter, your sister. What had to be done to protect Paige with Vanessa was unfortunate but it was the only way I knew how to protect both Paige and Hannah,” he retorts.

Clutching the edge of the desk Jake lets out a breath, “You knew what I was planning with her and you let her rot in a prison cell. We’re done here.”

Alan stands there in shock as Jake pushes off his desk and walks out of the office the door creeping shut behind him. To eventually click when it hits the latch and Allan can only sink back down into his chair.

Scene 5: 897 Trespass Way; West Lake, NY

Peter has debated about stopping by the house to see Austin all week, ever since his last phone call with his sister. As her husband, he feels that Austin should be making an effort despite the drugs. His sister is attempting to make the effort, by going to rehab and doing the steps, while Austin is no where to be found. Part of him cannot blame Austin, Liz did lie and did mislead him, but she needs his support. Stopping at the door he rings the doorbell and steps back, and when it opens Austin looks at him surprised.

“Pete, I wasn’t expecting you. Come on in,” he says opening up the door for his brother in law.

Pete stands in the doorway for a moment, before making his way inside the door. Austin wasn’t expecting him and now he really doesn’t know what to say to Liz’s brother. He can only plaster on the grin on his face as he lets Peter inside the house. A smile that he has perfected over the last few weeks involving the current state of his marriage.

“I probably should have called.” Pete says, breaking through the silence in the room.

Austin looks over at him as he takes a seat on the couch, motioning for Peter to follow, “What can I do for you Pete?”

“I came by to see how you were, I wanted to check on you, I thought that we could talk about what’s going on.” Pete offers, preferring to stand.
Austin looks at him, trying to play dumb for a moment.

“Don’t play dumb, you and Liz. You know my sister, the whole death till you part thing.”

“Work has been really busy, I just haven’t had time yet,’ Austin offers, pausing halfway through when he realizes how dumb the answer sounds, ‘What do you want me to do Pete? She was snorting cocaine in our bathroom.”

“So, instead of confronting the problem head on you ship her off to rehab and then ignore her for weeks on end?” Pete asks.

Austin looks at him before taking a breath contemplating coming clean about his incident with Kate at the tuxedo shop.

“It's complicated Pete. It’s not that simple for me, things are really up in the air at the moment.”

“So is that why you haven’t bothered to lift a finger to go see my sister in rehab?” Pete asks, hands on his waist as he looks Austin dead in the eye.

Peter Jones has always creeped him out even in school, dark brooding eyes, muscles and a dangerous streak to match it. Now that he and Pete are related that feeling has only increased. If Pete ever found out about his affair with Kate he is fairly certain that they won’t find his body. Even if the relationship between Pete and Liz has been strained he knows better than to mess with Pete’s sister.

“I don’t know what am I supposed to do? Show up to talk to her about the weather? Besides I thought that we wanted her to get better.” Austin says, running a hand through his hair.

Pete looks at him for a moment choosing his words carefully, “If you think that there isn’t another part to this, then you haven’t been paying attention.”

“Meaning?” Austin asks.

Looking around the room Pete makes his way back to the door opening it.

“I would hate to think of what someone would say if you were to just disappear for a while, people might talk. It might be wise of you to visit my sister, just a suggestion.”

Austin looks at the doorway as Peter leaves, the door clicking shut behind him. Getting up from the couch he picks up the house phone, looking at the numbers for a moment before dialing.

“Dr. Kate Porter please,” he says, to the receptionist at the hospital.

Scene 6: 574 Shoreline Dr. Apt #36., West Lake, NY

Callie smiles as she finishes up the last of the paperwork at the office before gathering her purse for the day. For the first time in weeks, she and Tyler are going to have an evening in, no work and no hassles. The office is dark as she leaves going to her car and then pulling out and onto the road. The bottle of Merlot is tucked in the passenger seat next to her as she parks and then makes her way up to Tyler’s apartment ringing the doorbell. Smiling as he answers and handing him the wine.

“Right on time.” Tyler offers, holding open the door for her and offering her a kiss on the lips, taking the wine from her hand.

“Got here as soon I finished up on the last case that I was filing.” Callie replies, taking off her suit jacket to hang it on the coat rack.

“Dinner is on the stove, my mom thought we could use a lasagna. I think she thinks that I am incapable of swooning a woman.”

Callie can’t help but let out a light laugh at the statement, glad to see that Karen is actively participating in her kids lives again. For so many years she locked herself inside a room at the mansion, mourning Hannah. Ever since they pulled the body from the lake however she has seen a different side to Karen. Karen is active in the community again even came by the house to offer her family an apology.

“How is your mom?” Callie asks, stepping inside the kitchen with him.

Tyler shrugs, “Some days are better than others. I wasn’t expecting this. Having Hannah be involved with a teacher or having Paige as my half sister. It’s a lot for her to take in. I was hoping to ask you about maybe going to listen to Paige's side, she called to let me know that you went to see her. It would mean a lot to me and my mom, if you could I don't know go down and clear up some of the confusion.”

Callie nods her head at his statement, moving to the counter to get the wine opener and opening up the bottle. The doorbell rings and she looks at Tyler for a moment before he leaves the kitchen to answer it. He is surprised to fine Jamie on the other side.

“Jamie, what are you doing here?”

“We got a suspect at the station on that breaking and entering that you were working. I tried to call you cell but it went straight to voice mail, Greg wanted me and you to come in about it,” Jamie says, looking over his shoulder at Callie.

Callie stares between the two in the doorway of the kitchen, glass in hand before taking a sip. Waiting for Tyler to answer her question, from the looks of it, their quiet evening alone will be interrupted.

“Callie, this is Jamie O’Keefe. Jamie, this is Callie Morris.” Tyler offers, giving Callie an apologetic look.

The girls exchange a quick handshake in the doorway as he gathers his badge, gun and his jacket. Turning to Callie one more time.

“I’ll make it up to you I promise.” Tyler says, kissing her before motioning out the door with Jamie.

Curiosity gets the better of her as she notices his cellphone laying on the entryway table, picking it up and debating about looking at the missed calls or not. A part of her feels like she would be invading his privacy, but she can’t shake the feeling that something is off about Jamie. Instead, the buzzing of the timer on the stove breaks her thoughts as she goes to pull out diner that she will be eating alone.

Once he and Jamie have reached the car, his guilt about ditching Callie for work seems to subside. Starting the engine and glancing over at her for a moment.

“Callie is Vanessa’s sister right?” Jamie offers, Tyler offers her a nod in return staring at the road.

He doesn’t notice the small smile that appears on her face with her next statement.

“Has to be awkward for the two of you after everything that has happened.”

Scene 7: 1421 Firestone Cir; West Lake, NY

Garrett can’t believe what he is reading in front of him from the district attorney’s office, listing his Sharon as the defender to Ricahrd Weston. He is certain that his face is a shade of red that represents all of his anger towards the situation. It is a betrayal that he can hardly even wrap his head around, Richard sent Vanessa to prison. Ensured that his daughter was locked away in a cell for four years and put his family through hell, put Sharon herself through hell.

“Garrett, what is it?” Sharon asks, from the doorway in the kitchen.

Placing his briefcase down in the living room, he grips the papers in his hand and makes his way to the kitchen. Looking around the house for signs of their children, not wanting to fight in front of them. When he is certain that they aren’t home he tosses the paper on the table and looks at his wife.

“When were you planning to informing me?” Garrett asks quietly.

Sharon can feel her stomach lurch as he throws the statement from the DA’s office down on the dinning room table. She doesn’t need to pick it up to see what it says she already knows. She can feel her throat go dry as she wipes her hands against her pants, sitting down in a chair. If she had just come clean to her husband first, none of this would be happening instead her hands are now tied.

“I meant to tell you,” she manages weakly.

“He sent our daughter to prison Sharon, how is this even remotely rational? He destroyed this family and if I had enough proof I would be filing a complaint against Alan and Bridgette too.” Garrett says, tone raised.

Sharon is certain that she has never seen him this furious before, as he begins to pace the room back and forth. Eventually stopping at the counter to toss the junk mail off one of the edge and onto the floor. She knows what he is saying is true, it’s not rational and if her husband had the proof Alan and Bridgette would be going down right along with Richard.

“It’s not what you think it is.” Sharon retorts, her husband finally turns to face her.

Garrett isn’t even sure who is he is looking at as he stares at his wife, his partner over the last twenty years. The one person that he thought he could count on throughout all of his problems and his struggles. Yet helping his enemy get off for murder and a cover up, is hardly how he pictured her trust swaying.

“Well, then what is it? Cause it looks like you’re consorting with the enemy.”

Before she can retort she hears the front door open and Callie storm up the stairs and she is reminded why she is dong this. To make sure that Garrett never finds out about her affair with Richard and so that he doesn’t find our that Simon is Callie’s father. She knows that it hardly makes betraying him and her family right but it is the only thing that she knows to do.

Garrett stands there for a moment waiting for her to say something, as Callie storms into the house and up to the stairs to her room. The kitchen is filled with silence for a moment, the only sound being the bubbling pot of water on the stove. He waits for anything from his wife to tell him what she is doing defending Richard Weston. Instead when a few minutes passes and he gets nothing he leaves the kitchen, picking up his briefcase in the hallway and heading for the door.

Sharon flinches as the door shuts behind Garrett on his way out of the house, tears brimming her eyes. Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand as she gets up from her chair to head towards the stove, turning around when the door opens again hoping that he has come back. Instead she is greeted with Vanessa placing her purse on the kitchen counter, before making her way up the stairs. Turning off the water on the stove, deciding that a family dinner night now is out of the question.

Seeing her sister sitting at the top of the stairs Vanessa takes a seat next to Callie, bringing her knees towards her chest.

“What’s going on?” Vanessa asks.

Callie isn’t sure what she is more upset by Tyler aborting their dinner plans or their parents fighting, “Today sucks.”

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