Daily Updates

From: rika1@mindspring.com (Rika)
Subject: PC: Update, Thursday, April 9, 1998
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 16:52:40 GMT
X-Server-Date: 11 Apr 1998 16:53:16 GMT

                       PORT CHARLES UPDATE
                        Thursday, April 9, 1998

This was a good episode, other than a bit too much wallowing in the
grief over Frank.  Lots of snappy repartee, lots of interlocking
storylines, and the involvement of almost every character in the cast
(aside from Matt and Ellen).   All action took place at the hospital
today, and the characters interacted in several permutations and
combinations.  As a result, this is a single-thread update instead of
my usual one-storyline-at-a-time format.

Our story opens at the tenth-floor nurses' station.  Kevin and Lucy
have brought Victor to the hospital for a physical.  All of the
patronizing and worrying and hovering he has endured in the recent
past has finally really gotten to him.  In addition, Kevin and Victor
are annoyed with each other over this secret of Victor's and Kevin's
insistence on figuring it out.  Victor (tight-lipped):  "Will you
*please* not insult me by waiting?"  Kevin:  "I'm sure we can find
another way to insult you while we wait."  Lucy smacks Kevin, and
Victor retorts:  "No doubt."  Just then an orderly takes Victor's arm,
and he angrily yanks it away and huffily berates the orderly:  "I am
perfectly capable of walking without assistance.  I probably know the
way a good better than you."  Victor stalks off towards the examining
room, continuing his diatribe (and we find out where Kevin got his
curmudgeonly streak).  Kevin gets the last word (to Lucy): "What ever
happened to the good old days when you couldn't get three words out of
him?"

Speaking of diatribes, Joe stalks out to the nurses' station with
Karen in hot pursuit.  Joe is ranting about Devlin's suggestion that
Joe and Mary prepare themselves for the worst where Frank is
concerned.  He refuses to give up, etc., etc.  Karen tries to reason
with him, pointing out that nobody has asked Joe to give up - they're
simply suggesting that he be realistic about Frank's chances.  Joe
then turns on Karen angrily.  Kevin intervenes at this point, asking,
"Is this a conversation any doctor can join in on?"  Joe shoots back,
"As long as you're not Kevorkian."  Karen chides Joe for his
hostility.  Lucy cuts to the chase - it sounds like Frank isn't doing
well.  Karen explains that Frank's chances are not good.  Joe responds
angrily, and Karen tries to point out that she's not the enemy - she's
just trying to help.  Joe calms down momentarily and takes Karen's
hand.

Kevin comments that he does understand what it's like for Joe (based,
of course, on his recent experience with Lucy's near-death).  He gives
a pretty good description of the feelings coursing through Joe, and
Joe thanks him by glaring and replying, "Stay out of this."  Joe
starts to leave, but Kevin persists.  Joe reminds Kevin that he's not
a patient.  Kevin knows that - but Joe and Frank are his friends.  And
Kevin knows what it's like to lose a brother.  [You know, it's time
for the writers to give poor Kevin a break.  He has personally
experienced nearly every bad thing that has happened to anyone on PC
lately - a love/hate relationship with a brother and survivor guilt
over the brother's eventual death (like Matt), guilt over death of a
woman in a car accident in which the car plunged into a body of water
(like Jake when Danielle died), a mentally ill and abusive mother
(like Lark), losing his job at the hospital (like Eve), and having a
loved one linger at the point of death (like Joe).  But I digress].
Kevin hurries to assure Joe that he's not suggesting that Frank is
going to die, but Joe interrupts him and insists, "I don't need your
sympathy.  If you want to help, don't become one of those vultures
hovering over his head, waiting to bury him before his time."  Kevin
just looks at him sympathetically; then a hand touches Joe's shoulder.
It is the parish priest, come to give Frank last rites.

Meanwhile, down in the lab, Devlin is ordering his new lab rat (a
3rd-year med student) to increase the dosage 32%.  The lab assistant
questions the order, and Devlin yells at him, "Inject the rat or I'll
find someone else who will."  Scott arrives just at this point and
suggests, "Maybe I can help out with that.  Which arm do you want it
in?"  Devlin: "I thought I'd scraped you off my shoe."    Scott
observes that Devlin's having a bad day - but that's no surprise since
he's better at stealing research than at inventing things.  Devlin
helpfully volunteers to call security, but Scott assures him it's not
necessary.  Scott is at the hospital to meet with the board.  Devlin
tells him it won't help - Eve will never be reinstated and, in fact,
is probably on her way to prison.  Scott insists otherwise, and warns
Devlin he's in trouble.  Eve is planning to file a sexual harrassment
suit against Devlin.  Scott leaves and Devlin, in a fit of rage,
scatters a bunch of papers on the floor (tsk, tsk - is that any way to
treat your lab notes, Bennett?)

After the opening credits, we find ourselves at the 6th floor nurses'
station.  Lucy and Eve are discussing "General Homicide," while Lucy
smugly remarks how amazing the author is.  Scott approaches them and
asks Eve what she thinks of the "Bev Lambitt" character (sheesh,
couldn't Kevin have been a little less obvious with the names?).  Eve
coyly asks why Scott would think she was Bev; he reminds her that Bev
is a sexy intern over whom all the men are tripping.  Lucy retorts
that they're only tripping over Bev because she throws herself at all
of them.  Eve reminds them that it is just a piece of fiction.  Scott
adds that it's trash and he didn't even finish reading it.  Lucy is
horrified - doesn't Scott know that the writer poured his heart into
the book?  Eve figures she knows exactly where Scott stopped reading -
at the description of "Sam Hairwind," a hot-headed, wealthy
carpenter-lawyer with a fondness for apples and a flagrant disrespect
for the law.  Lucy smirks while Eve reads this excerpt from the book.
Scott hot-headedly yanks the book out of Eve's hand, insisting, "I'm
no hot-head."  Scott speculates on the author, but can't even figure
out how to pronounce the name.  Eve, demonstrating her mental
superiority, explains it.  "Onoma" is Greek for "name."  "Nunn" is a
play on "none."  Thus, "Onoma Nunn" means "no name."  Lucy smiles in
unconcealed glee when Eve figures out the puzzle.  Eve loves Devlin's
character, Dr. Melvin - "the guy has a heart like a charcoal
briquette."

Eve thinks Burgess wrote the book, because "you've always got to watch
out for the quiet ones."  Lucy argues with her - Ellen is boring and
mild-mannered (she's apparently never seen Ellen when she's mad at an
intern).  Lucy insists that the author "is filled with wild passions."
(And judging from her smile, she had some personal experience with
said passions in the very recent past.)   Scott is tired of talking
about the book, so he fills Eve in on his meeting with the board.
They are commencing an investigation of Eve's sexual harrassment
charges.

Down in ICU, Mary and Julie are at Frank's bedside.  Jake arrives to
check on Frank, and then the priest arrives.  Julie and Jake go out in
the hall.  Jake wishes he could have done more in surgery, but Julie
assures him that he did a wonderful job.  She asks about the statutory
rape charges, and Jake explains that the charges will stick unless
Lark tells the truth.  He explains that the police are looking for
Lark; Julie says she would rip Lark's heart out if she found her, for
what she did to Frank.

Meanwhile, Lark is hiding in the hospital - we see her stealing some
food off an unattended cart of patient food trays.

Back on the 6th floor, Devlin approaches Eve and Scott.  Devlin has
apparently decided to make nice, and he starts with a cheery greeting.
He wants to call a truce; Eve finds it interesting that he suddenly
wants that *now*, when he's getting a taste of his own medicine.
Devlin doesn't "understand why we have to keep hurting each other."
Scott cuts through the bull - if Devlin wants a truce, he needs to get
Eve reinstated.  Devlin insists that it was the board's decision and
he can't control it - but he'll get her an internship at another
hospital.  Eve refuses (calling him "bucko"); he picked the
battleground and she'll fight him right here.  Eve and Devlin threaten
each other.  Scott reminds Devlin that, combined with his recent messy
divorce, the sexual harrassment case is something Devlin doesn't need
right now.  In fact, the hospital might not support him.  Devlin
promises to break them; Eve retorts, "We won't break, but Julie
might."  (Now *that* was a low blow)  Eve goes on to remind him that
Julie is trying very hard to find something positive about her father
now; how would she feel about all of this?  Eve then tells Devlin
about his character in "General Homicide."  She promises to make
"General Homicide" look like "My Little Pony."

Devlin is apparently a speed reader, because shortly thereafter we see
Boardman  (yay!!!) updating Kevin and Lucy on his exam of Victor.
Devlin stalks up to them, interrupts Boardman in mid-sentence, waves a
copy of "General Homicide" at him, and demands to know, "Have you seen
this?"  Boardman points out the obvious - he's in the middle of a
consultation.  Kevin tells him it's okay; obviously he's interested in
hearing what Devlin has to say about the book.  Boardman admits that
he "skimmed" the book; he tries to restrain a smirk as he remarks,
"It's all over the hospital."  Devlin is furious - the gift shop has
had to re-order the book twice.  Lucy assures him that everyone,
everywhere is reading it, while Kevin attempts (and fails) to project
nonchalance, suddenly developing an interest in the ceiling tiles.
(By the way, am I the only one in RATSAland who wants to read this
book?)  Devlin wants to sue the author; Kevin and Lucy remind him it's
just fun, and it's just fiction.  Devlin disagrees - "Dr. Melvin is
not good fun."  He asks Lucy if she's ever met the author; Kevin and
Lucy glance at each other, and then Lucy assures him that she has no
idea who the author is, "But if I ever do I'm going to tell him.... or
her that - "  Kevin interrupts and steers Lucy away, ostensibly to see
Victor.

After they go, Boardman tells Devlin to forget about the book - he's
got bigger problems due to the sexual harrassment suit.  The board is
starting to question Devlin's character.  Devlin insists that it's
just a vendetta on Eve's part.  Boardman reminds him that it doesn't
matter - it's bad publicity either way, especially after the release
of the book.  Devlin rants about the book a bit more, and Boardman
tells him, "I'm saying this as a friend - your reputation preceded you
here."  Devlin:  "I'm saying THIS as a friend - you watch your tone."
(With a friend like Devlin, who needs enemas?)  Boardman figured
Devlin would want to know the way the wind is blowing.  Devlin thinks
maybe Eve wrote the book as a payback - would the board support him if
he sued for libel?  Boardman reminds him it would draw more attention
to the hospital.  Not only would the board not support him, but they
are thinking of removing him as head of research.  After all, the
"whole Lambert Mess" happened when Devlin was in charge - and instead
of just handling it internally, Devlin got the police involved and
generated bad publicity for the hospital.  And, in addition, Devlin's
lab hasn't produced any results - it looks like money down the drain.

In the hospital hallway, Eve and Scott conveniently decide to stop and
have a conversation about Frank's chances for survival right in front
of the room in which Lark is hiding.  Scott wonders if Lark knows
about Frank's condition (well, she does now).  Scott figures Lark
would never come back to the hospital because if she were found, she'd
have to go back to Juvenile Hall.  Also conveniently, Lark is hiding
in the chemo. treatment room.  They stock wigs there, and Lark grabs a
blonde one.  After Scott and Eve are gone, she and her wig slip out
into the hallway.

In ICU, a large crowd has assembled around Frank's bedside - Mary,
Joe, Karen, Julie, and the priest.  Devlin comes to check on him; he
tells Julie that he wants her to be prepared and she refuses - that
would mean giving up.  Devlin leaves, and the priest begins the last
rites.  (Things must have changed in the Catholic church; when I was
younger, last rites were an intensely private, secretive ceremony, not
a group participation religious service.)

Back at the nurses' station, Grace and Lucy are talking about "General
Homicide".  Grace thinks Devlin wrote it.  Lucy thinks that's
ridiculous - why would Devlin write himself as the bad guy?  Grace
figures he did it to throw people off track - plus, she thinks Devlin
*likes* playing the villain.  Lucy continues to insist that Devlin
didn't write it.  "He couldn't have written it; I'll tell you who
wrote it!"  Grace asks how Lucy can be so sure, and before she can
answer, Kevin and Victor walk up, and Kevin interrupts her, "Aren't
you tired of discussing that book?"  Lucy explains Grace's theory that
Devlin wrote the book (she calls Grace 'that illiterate'), and to
Lucy's amazement, Kevin tells Grace that she might have a good point.
Lucy gets her coat and stage-whispers to Kevin that she doesn't see
why he'd want "that little.....person" to think Devlin wrote the book.
Kevin repeats his preference to remain anonymous.  Victor gets the
last word:  "Huh.  Only a matter of time before everybody knows."
Victor turns to get on the elevator.  Lucy makes a noise of agreement
and smugly follows Victor to the elevator, leaving Kevin staring off
into space in annoyance.  (This interplay was hilarious; it's hard to
convey in writing because the fun was in the faces and tones of
voices.  Kevin is usually a riot when he gets grumpy, and I've been
looking forward to seeing Lucy and Victor double-team him so that he'd
REALLY work himself up into high dudgeon.  There's lots of potential
in this particular "triangle.")

Somewhere in the hospital, Lark is trimming the bangs on the wig.  She
decides her disguise is "perfect."  It looks very much like Eve's
"Danielle" wig.

In the lab, Chris (who sure has a nice wardrobe) is updating Devlin on
what he learned in his trip to Joe and Karen's lab.  Devlin tells
Chris that the board might cut the lab's funding.  Chris remarks that
if Devlin wants to "show them something special," he'll need a trial
on a human.  Devlin insists that they can't do that.  They have no
data on how the drug works on a human (well, other than Lucy, right?)
If they failed, there'd be a huge lawsuit.  Devlin tells Chris to
stick to spying on the interns:  "You're a lot better at that than at
coming up with new ideas."  Chris:  "Well, that makes two of us,
doesn't it?"  (GOOD ONE!)  After he leaves, a light bulb appears above
Devlin's head:  "But if the patient's going to die anyway, what's the
difference?  The autopsy would give me the leg up I need."

Outside of ICU, Joe is looking through the window at Frank and talking
to Karen.  Frank was never afraid of anything because he accepted that
you die when it's your time to die.  He can't decide what Frank would
want him to do.  Mary and Julie come out of ICU, and Joe goes in.  He
tells Frank he won't give up on him - "It's not your time."

------------------
by Rika, Thursday updater