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From: rika1@mindspring.com (Rika) Subject: PC: Update, Thursday, April 16, 1998 Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1998 23:58:25 GMT X-Server-Date: 16 Apr 1998 23:58:10 GMT PORT CHARLES UPDATE Thursday, April 16, 1998 TODAY'S STORYLINES: ------------------- * Never Can Say Goodbye * Picnic of Doom * The Sure Cure for What Ails You NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE --------------------- Ellen comes out of her office into the OCR and finds Kevin there. He came to see her to congratulate her on the possible job in San Diego. He's surprised she didn't mention it at the party; she says there isn't much to tell because she doesn't have a firm offer. Kevin points out that if they're flying her to San Diego, they must be pretty serious. Ellen's answers to Kevin's questions have been noncommital, but his skillful questioning finally draws her out. He notes that she sounds hesitant, and wonders why. She remarks that there was a time after Sam died when she would have moved there without hesitation. She devoted herself to her work, and it was enough - or it seemed so. But lately things have changed; she has reconnected with her mother. And she's made friends at the hospital, particularly with some of the interns. At first she maintained a distance between herself and the interns, but (to quote Kevin) "they got under your skin." One "friend" accused her of ignoring personal considerations. Kevin is surprised - he's never known Ellen to care what people thought of her personal life as long as they respected her on a professional level. She explains that this is different because she values Matt's opinion. Kevin suggests that Matt is just trying to tell Ellen that he would miss her; Ellen thinks he didn't do a very good job of it. Kevin remarks that not everyone is good at expressing their feelings, and perhaps Ellen should give Matt another chance. Ellen: "I might." Kevin just gives her the *look* - the one he uses to try to keep Lucy in line, but that rarely works on her. He has better success here, because Ellen says, "I will," and then laughs. (Memo to TPTB: Let Kevin and Ellen interact more often. The actors have a nice, easy chemistry, and the characters do well as confidants/advisors.) Ellen heads to the nurses' station to talk to Matt, but she finds him flirting with Grace and changes her mind. She interrupts Matt's attempt to say something and tells him that any questions should be addressed to Boardman. Matt, discouraged, leaves, remarking that he wouldn't want the chief resident thinking he wasn't working hard. After he leaves, Grace asks if Ellen needs any help; Ellen claims she was just checking for messages before leaving for the airport. Ellen leaves; Grace watches her go, shaking her head. Later, at the nurses' station, Joe is griping to Karen about having two double shifts assigned. This means an end to their candlelight date at Mario's, among other things. Grace arrives, and then Matt, who asks Joe about Frank's recovery. Joe considers trying to talk to Ellen about changing his schedule; Grace explains that Ellen has already left for San Diego. Matt is surprised - and hurt - to hear that Ellen left without saying goodbye. In the past he might have expected that, but she had changed - or, at least, he thought she had. PICNIC OF DOOM -------------- At the Lighthouse, Lucy is on the phone with someone at Jacks Cosmetics, giving them the exciting news that she's moving the headquarters to the Baldwin Building. She wants Tina (her decorator, the one who turned Kevin's hospital room into a facsimile of a suite at the Plaza) to meet with her ASAP to work on the plans. She wants lots of publicity regarding the move (oh, yeah, those people with the class action suit will be thrilled to find out that Lucy has enough money to relocate and redecorate....). Victor comes downstairs and tells her that he fixed the hot water faucet in the guest bath. Lucy assures him that she *could* afford a plumber, but he explains that it was a minor repair - "Total cost, including labor - about 75 cents." (I wish he worked in MY neighborhood!) He wanted to do something to thank her for letting him live with her. Lucy assures him that he's part of the family, and besides, it's giving him a chance to get to know Kevin again. Victor regrets the time he lost with Kevin; Lucy reminds him that it's not his fault that he was ill. Lucy suggests that Victor might be able to help Kevin. Kevin has been having nightmares about his past ever since Victor told Kevin that some of the events in his book really happened. She wants Victor to help Kevin to fill in his missing memories. Victor insists, as usual, that it won't help Kevin to remember these things. Lucy begins to explain to Victor that suppressed memories caused Kevin a lot of problems in the recent past, but Victor cuts her off. Kevin needs to learn to leave the past where it belongs - buried. Victor walks off before Lucy can say anything else. Kevin arrives home from visiting Ellen (see above); Lucy complains about how impossible Victor is (look at the bright side, Lucy; he'd be even worse off if his doctor were Dr. Bennett "my patients get the latest in new drugs - even ones I don't understand" Devlin). She fills Kevin in on her conversation with Victor. Lucy isn't used to failing to get secrets out of people. Kevin isn't ready to give up - he wants to know about his past. Lucy wonders what they should try next - direct confrontation and snooping have failed. Kevin recommends that they try another approach (well, duh). He calls, "Victor?" After about a two-second pause, he *bellows*, "VICTOR!!!!" Victor comes running, wondering what's wrong. Kevin angrily tells Kevin that he's been stalling long enough; it's time to for Victor to explain the similarities between Kevin's book and real events. (So much for "another approach" - this seems like direct confrontation to me.) Victor can't see what he's done to make Kevin so angry. Lucy points out that Victor has been evading their questions; Victor insists that he's trying to protect Kevin. Kevin assures Victor that he doesn't want to be protected. He doesn't like having memory gaps, and he already went through "hell on earth" to regain painful memories. He needs to know if there's anything else he blocked out. Victor begs him to let it be, but Kevin persists, asking what part of the book reminded Victor of the past. Victor finally relents - "It's against my better judgement, but I'll tell you what you want to know." The event in the book that resembled real life was a picnic. Kevin doesn't understand - nothing bad happens at the picnic in the book. Victor explains that the picnic started out that way - lots of laughter. But at the time, his marriage was starting to come apart, and eventually on the day of the picnic he and Melanie got into a terrible argument. Victor refuses to say what the argument was about. He thinks it's good that Kevin doesn't remember, and wishes he was so lucky himself. Victor leaves the room abruptly; Kevin knows Victor isn't telling him everything, and he vows to find out what happened at the picnic. Later, Kevin is pacing the room; Lucy wonders if perhaps the picnic in the book and the one in real life are related only by coincidence. Kevin doesn't believe that and he knows Lucy doesn't either (my personal theory - they were attacked by killer ants). Lucy wonders how they can get Victor to talk - they can't use thumbscrews or a rubber hose on Kevin's father. Kevin: "Don't tempt me." Kevin remarks that Victor tried to downplay the significance of the picnic (which doesn't strike me as precisely true, but never mind); if the picnic is so insignificant, why won't Victor talk about it openly, and why burn his mementos? It concerns Kevin that the first murder in his book happens right after the picnic (see, I was right - killer ants! Or maybe killer bees....) They are both worried - the picnic in the book was harmless, but it triggered murder. THE SURE CURE FOR WHAT AILS YOU ------------------------------- Devlin goes in to see Subject X - I mean, Frank. Frank is weaker than he was before; Devlin blames it on Frank's little field trip to Grace's party. Frank asks Devlin what he injected into Frank's IV. Devlin tries to evade the question, but Frank won't let him - he grabs Devlin by his lab coat, yanks him close, and demands to know the truth. Devlin claims it was a vitamin shot; Frank tries to force him to provide more details, but he doesn't get anything more than a claim that he was given a "standard adult dose" of vitamins. Frank doesn't buy it - vitamin shots in the past haven't made him feel like a "body builder on steroids." Devlin is thinking of ordering another injection; he leaves. Lark, who was hiding in the closet, comes out (which seems a great moment for a clever "coming out of the closet" quip, but I can't think of an appropriate one, so insert your own). Frank instructs her to follow Devlin in order to find out what he's up to. Meanwhile, back in the lab, Devlin is filling a hypodermic with (I assume) some of the experimental drug. Lark arrives with a carton of petri dishes, and then starts watching Devlin at VERY close range. She claims to be thinking of going to med school, and she wants to observe his lab work. He grabs her and tells her that nurses do not deliver petri dishes. He recognizes Lark as the runaway teenager, and he calls security while Lark struggles to get away. Julie sees a security guard leading Lark (sans blonde wig) away, and takes the opportunity to taunt her. The security guy explains that Devlin caught her; Julie exults, "Well, finally my father did something right." Lark begs Julie not to let her be sent to Juvenile Hall; Julie tells her to forget any idea of help, since Lark almost killed Frank. Lark realizes that Julie hates her, but she begs her to call Eve or Scott, who promised to help. Julie tells her, "I wouldn't call 911 if you were on fire." As the guard drags Lark away, Lark begs Julie to tell Frank what has happened. Don't count on it, kiddo. Devlin arrives in Frank's room with the "vitamin shot." Frank wonders what took Devlin so long (his anxiety suggests that the drug could be addictive - we'll see). As Devlin is preparing to inject the drug into Frank's IV, Frank grabs his wrist and stops him. Frank wonders what would happen if he gave the hypo to Joe or Karen and asked them to analyze the contents. Skipping past the all-too-obvious snarky remarks he could make about the capabilities of that dynamic duo, Devlin insists they'd find a standard multivitamin mixture. Frank asks if Devlin expects him to believes that; Devlin doesn't really care. He calls Frank's bluff and asks, "Do you want the shot or not?" Frank admits that he wants it, and Devlin gives him the injection. ------------------------ by Rika, Thursday updater