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From: rika1@mindspring.com (Rika) Subject: PC: Update, Thursday, 12/4/97 Date: Tue, 09 Dec 1997 23:29:11 GMT X-Server-Date: 9 Dec 1997 23:30:04 GMT PORT CHARLES UPDATE Thursday, Dec. 4, 1997 I'm sorry this is late. The hard drive on my PC died the Sunday after Thanksgiving, at it took me over a week to get my PC back in one piece. I sure missed RATSA while I was offline! TODAY'S STORYLINES: ------------------- * Shoot 'Im!!!! * Any Excuse for a Party * A User Gets Used SHOOT 'IM!!! ------------ Following up on Wednesday's cliff-hanger, Jake scoops the fallen gun up off the floor; a horrified Joe asks where he got the gun. Jake explains that every night he goes to bed with a 50-pound weight on his chest; the gun is his solution to that problem. (This seems a little extreme - it sounds like either he has a large dog who likes sleeping with him, or else he keeps falling asleep at the gym while bench pressing. There have to be less radical solutions available.....) Joe suggests a bereavement counselor; Jake thinks the gun is counseling enough, and he tells Joe to scram. The phone rings; Jake takes a swig of wine and lets the machine pick it up. It's Rex, responding to a message from Jake; he's on his way over. Joe puts the pieces together - Jake isn't planning on suicide, he's planning to kill Rex. Jake objects to the word, "plan", because it suggests premeditation. He waves the gun in Joe's face while reciting a catalog of Rex's crimes against Danielle. Joe recommends that he get even by getting proof of what Rex did, but not to ruin his own life. Rex arrives, and Jake lets him into the apartment. Rex notices the messy apartment, Joe's presence, and the gun in Jake's hand, in that order. Jake holds Rex at gunpoint while making sarcastic remarks about Rex's commitment to the Stanton clan. Jake berates Rex for all the things he did to Danielle. Joe tries to reason with Jake, but Jake snaps at him to stay out of it. He tells Rex, "You're such a small man. You bluster, and you puff up. You pretend to be this cultured person. But inside, you're a bitter, small man." Rex wonders why Jake is suddenly so brave - is it the gun? "It's the hate, Rex," Jake responds. Rex wants everybody to pay for the time Rex spent in the mental hospital. In reality, he never should have gotten out, and Jake is really doing Rex a favor: "If you saw a crazed animal running around on the street, frothing at the mouth, wouldn't you put it out of its misery? Of course you would. And that's what I'm gonna do for crazy old Rex." (Oh oh - Jake said the "C" word. We know that Rex doesn't like that. But I guess it's probably okay - after all, Jake is the one holding the gun.) Joe tells Jake he can't be judge and jury, but Jake doesn't see why. Rex doesn't follow the rules, so why should he? Rex promises not to tell anyone if Jake puts the gun down now. Jake snorts at the idea that he should believe a word Rex says. He tells Joe how Rex got his nickname - Avery treated him like the family dog. Jake thinks Rex is "the junkyard dog" now. Rex threatens Jake: "You take one step closer and I'll show you what I really am." Jake reminds him which side of the gun he's on, but Rex seems unimpressed: a gun is only as powerful as the person holding it. "So you go ahead, buckaroo - shoot me. Drunk or sober, you're no match for me." Jake calls his bluff - "I'll see you in hell" - and pulls the trigger as Joe shouts, "NO!" When we rejoin them, Rex has abandoned his bravado: he is cowering on the floor, terrified. Jake, pointing the gun at Rex's chest at close range, explains that he missed on purpose. Rex begs him not to shoot. Joe tries to reason with Jake: Danielle wouldn't want Jake to end up in jail. Jake talks about one of his favorite memories of Danielle: it was at their engagement party. He remembers that Joe was very nice to Danielle, going out of his way to make her feel welcome. Later, Danielle told Jake that Joe was "a nice guy," and Jake should "watch his step." Mindful of the gun in Jake's hand, Joe hastily assures Jake that Danielle was just kidding. Jake knows that; Joe is a good man and a good friend. Jake slowly hands the gun over to Joe, and Rex's relief is palpable as he rises to his feet. Rex leaves after threatening Jake - "You are going to wish you had killed me when you had the chance." Jake assures him, "I already do." Jake tries to explain his reasoning to Joe: he thought that if he could take Rex out of the equation, things would go back to normal. But Danielle is gone, and nothing will ever be normal again. (I suppose it wouldn't help to point out to Jake that, if it weren't for Rex, he would never have met Danielle to begin with. So in some sense, things *are* back to normal now.) ANY EXCUSE FOR A PARTY ---------------------- At the hospital, Karen stops Chris and gives him an invitation to her divorce party. He is surprised that she's being nice to him; she teases that she's preventing him from gossiping about her by telling everybody what is going on herself. He teases back: "You're spoiling all the fun." She also gives him an invitation for Eve. Matt and Julie discuss the party - Matt wonders what an appropriate gift is for a soon-to-be divorcee. Grace figures they should give wedding gifts - but for one. Julie and Matt suggest half a toaster or half a blender; Grace suggests a frame for Karen's retouched wedding photo (it has a red circle on it with a line through it). Karen walks up, and the gang is a bit embarrassed to have been caught talking about her. Karen says it's fine to laugh about the party: the idea is to be upbeat. Karen wonders if anyone has seen Joe; nobody has. Rhonda arrives to visit Karen. Karen invites her to the party. Rhonda assumes it's a housewarming party until Karen explains further. Karen asks Rhonda to make alterations on her wedding dress - one shudders to think what this might involve. Rhonda thinks that Karen's heart is breaking under the surface, but Karen sticks to her upbreat mood. Frank and Julie discuss Karen's party, trying to come up with a gift to bring. Frank suggests that since it's a wedding in reverse, they need to think backwards. If it were a wedding, Julie would have given a place setting of china, so Frank suggests some paper plates. Julie doesn't like that idea. Frank then comes up with the suggestion that had occurred to your updater: instead of giving gifts as one does at a wedding, they need to take something away. Frank laughingly suggests that they carry off the microwave or some cutlery. Julie wants to give a serious gift, but Frank points out that Karen doesn't seem to want to be serious. Meanwhile, Karen goes up to the hospital roof with her divorce papers. She looks at them, reading the portion containing the final decree of divorce. She signs the papers and dissolves into tears. A USER GETS USED ---------------- Nicole calls the nurses' station, asking about Bennett's schedule. She is told that he will be finished with his last patient within an hour. Not long after that, she calls Chris and invites him over to watch a movie. At first he doesn't think it's a good idea, but she assures him that Bennett is going to be working all night. Chris agrees to come over as soon as his shift is over. At the hospital, Julie is taking Bennett to task for cancelling Nicole's credit cards. He claims that it's an attempt to get Nicole to see that this is serious, not a game; he hopes that this realization will lead her to reconcile with him. Julie can't see how his game of hardball is going to soften Nicole (amen to that), but Bennett assures Julie that he knows Nicole better than she knows herself. (Don't you just HATE that kind of presumptious, patronizing attitude?) Meanwhile, Nicole, whom Bennett supposedly knows so well, is welcoming Chris to her hotel room. She walks over to him and they kiss passionately. She tells him that she overreacted about his roomie arrangement with Eve; however, she hasn't forgiven Eve or Bennett. She plans "to divorce my SOB of a husband as soon as possible." Nicole opens the box containing the movie she rented - "War of the Roses" - and acts surprised to see "Father of the Bride" instead. She sends Chris to the drugstore in the lobby to exchange it; she'll order the champagne while he's gone. As soon as Chris leaves, she calls Bennett. She tells him she's tired of fighting, and asks him to come over. She'll be in the shower, so he should just come right in. When we rejoin them, Chris and Nicole are lounging on the bed, kissing. Nicole goes into the bathroom to "change into something more comfortable." While she is gone, Chris turns off the movie and pours two glasses of champagne; suddenly Bennett walks in. He asks a question with a fairly obvious answer: "What the hell are you doing in my wife's room?" Nicole comes out of the bathroom in a robe, explaining that she invited Chris. Chris tries to beat a hasty retreat, but before he gets a chance Bennett punches him. Bennett remarks to Nicole, "You made your point, didn't you," and leaves. After he goes, Chris is furious at Nicole - he thought they were friends, but she set him up. She apologizes and tells him it wasn't personal. Chris leaves, angry and disillusioned. ------------- by Rika, Thursday updater
