Daily Updates

From: rika1@mindspring.com (Rika)
Subject: PC: Update, Thursday, 8/20/98
Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 20:05:57 GMT
X-Server-Date: 22 Aug 1998 20:04:51 GMT

                           PORT CHARLES UPDATE
                         Thursday, August 20, 1998

I'D CATCH YOU QUICKER THAN YOU CAN SPIT
---------------------------------------
We're at the firehouse, and Scott is downstairs building something.
Serena stands by the upstairs railing and asks Scott what the noise is
about.  Scott suggests that she may want to check out the surprise
he's building for her - why doesn't she come downstairs?  Serena asks
him to come up and get her; he claims that his hands are covered in
gunk, so he can't.  Serena insists that she can't come downstairs on
her own; Scott insists that she can.  Serena decides to wait till he's
finished and can clean up.  Scott tells her it may take a while.

A bit later, Scott is still working downstairs and Serena's getting
impatient.  Scott suggests that she ought to just come downstairs, and
she could feel what he's making, and also have breakfast.  Serena
claims not to be hungry.  Scott tells her once more to come
downstairs; Serena tells Scott he's trying to trick her into coming
downstairs alone.  He admits that he does want her to come down the
stairs alone.  Serena worries that she'll fall and have to go back to
the hospital; Scott assures her that she can do it, and besides, if he
thought she would fall, he'd catch her "quicker than you could spit."
Serena, ever the sharp one, reminds him of his gunky fingers; he
suggests out that the gunk will help him to catch her.

Serena changes tactics, claiming to have a stomach ache and suggesting
that she'll go back to bed.  Scott tells her he thinks *she* is the
trickster now.  Or, he teases, maybe she has bubonic plague, and maybe
he should take her to see Joe so he can pull his stethoscope out of
the freezer and use it on Serena.

The doorbell rings; it's Courtney and Neil (who looks wonderfully
healthy - he's walking on his own, and not wearing his cap) come for a
visit.  Neil is impressed with the firehouse.  He greets Serena and
asks if he can slide down the pole.  She says, sure, but not in a
wheelchair, and he explains that he "ditched" the chair.  He asks to
come upstairs and see her room; Scott suggests that, since Serena has
that stomach ache, it might not be a good idea.  Courtney, taking this
seriously, is ready to grab Neil and leave (given his weakened immune
system, he shouldn't be exposed to viruses), but Serena has a
miraculous recovery and Scott explains to Courtney that it was fake
stomach ache.  Neil runs upstairs with a gift for Serena (a box made
out of popsicle sticks).

Courtney and Scott talk about Neil's improving health.  Courtney slops
around a little sugar about what a dedicated doctor Karen is, and then
she asks how Serena is doing.  While the kids play upstairs, they talk
about the difficulties of dealing with a child with major medical
problems.  Scott admits that he drowned Serena with pity early on.
Courtney's been there and done that herself - she figures she screwed
Neil up pretty badly early on, till she learned how best to handle the
situation.  Scott's worried because Serena has now gotten used to
Scott treating her like an invalid.  Courtney understands - how do you
keep a kid's life even close to normal when you know that every day
could be his last?  She indulged him, and never said no to him.  All
it did was to frighten him more than before, because he was in charge
instead of Courtney, and that's a scary place for a child to be.  She
encourages Scott.  She understands that it's hard to practice tough
love - and it will make Scott "public enemy #1" for a while.  She
offers to help Scott if he needs someone to talk to about "strategy" -
perhaps they can help each other.

(Just a comment.  It seems like Scott is exactly the kind of person
Courtney would be going after.  He - or, at least, Serena - is rich,
and he's well-educated.  Not too smooth, maybe, but still....  And
yet, this entire scene seemed sincere and heartfelt on her part.  I
like that they allowed the resident vixen to show a kinder, gentler
side to herself on this occasion.)

The kids come out of Serena's room and stand by the upstairs railing.
Neil comments on the beanbag toss Scott made.  Serena just says, "It
won't work," (i.e., because she can't see).  Scott says, yes it will,
because he made it with sounds.  Neil comes downstairs to try it.  It
makes buzzing and whirring noises when he hits things.  Scott asks
Serena to come try it; Serena claims to be tired and not to be feeling
well, so she'll go back to bed.  Courtney says it's time to go; Neil
says goodbye to Serena, and Courtney tells Scott, "Hang tough."
Courtney and Neil leave.  Scott tries once more to get Serena to come
downstairs and get something to eat.  Serena, annoyed, asks why Scott
won't carry her - he's done it before.  He tells her that she can do
it herself; she insists that she can't.  Scott tells her once more
that she can do it.  Serena tries the line that has worked before,
"Please, Daddy, just this once - I'm scared.  I'll learn tomorrow."
Scott, though, hangs in there and refuses.  Serena says that if Scott
won't carry her down, she won't eat.  "Okay, suit yourself," Scott
responds.

COOPER, COOPER, WHO'S GOT THE COOPER
------------------------------------
At the hospital, Frank accosts Lark.  He asks her why she's been
visiting Greg Cooper.  She denies it, claiming that Suzanne's doctor
is lying.  She suggests that whoever paid Lark's mom to buy the voice
activator is paying the doctor to lie.  Frank tells her not to play
him for stupid; she continues to insist that she has never met Greg
Cooper.

Frank, who in his spare time from his paramedic job has evidently
become a PCPD detective, visits Kevin and tells him about Lark's
denial that she knows Cooper.  Frank thinks Lark sounded sincere;
besides, there's no known connection between Cooper and the murders.
Frank thinks someone is creating an elaborate web of evidence, such
that fingers have pointed at nearly everyone in town.  Lark might just
be the latest in a long line of people who look like suspects.  Kevin
is unhappy to hear that Frank hasn't told Garcia about the possible
Lark-Cooper connection; he thinks it's important to share what they
know with the police.  Frank asks for a day or two of grace, to wait
till Suzanne's medication kicks in so they can see if Suzanne can
offer any explanations.  He doesn't want Lark taking the blame for
another's crimes.

Victor comes into the room during these remarks of Frank's, and
suggests that maybe Frank himself is the killer.  He follows this
accusation up with a friendly smile.  Frank responds angrily and
defensively.  Kevin asks what evidence Victor has to support that
accusation.  None, Victor admits - all the evidence points away from
Frank, and that's exactly what makes him a good suspect.  "You're just
too innocent, my boy, ergo you must be guilty."  Victor explains that
it's not personal; but he happened to notice that nobody in the book
suspected the paramedic, even though he had no alibi for one of the
crimes.  It's always the person you least suspect who did it.

Frank points out that he's trying to solve the murders, not commit
one.  Exactly, Victor exults - it gives Frank a perfect cover.  Frank
couldn't have anticipated that Julie would be arrested, but now he has
a perfect excuse to interfere with the investigation and look like a
hero.  Frank, unaccustomed as he is to Victor logic,  shouts at Victor
and stomps out of the house.  Victor comments on Frank's temper; Kevin
agrees.

Kevin tells Victor about seeing Cooper at the institution.  He seemed
heavily medicated and harmless enough, but he has fooled them before.
Victor wonders if there's a way he could meet Cooper.  They were at
Forest Hills together but their paths didn't cross.  Kevin reminds
Victor that Cooper blew up Forest Hills and almost killed both of
them.  Victor wants to go under cover at the institution to meet
Cooper; Kevin can have Victor committed.  "At the very least I can
find out if this wacko is genuine or not - it takes one to know one!"

MOMMY-IN-LAW DEAREST
--------------------
Karen comes bubbling up to Mary, thanking her for the gift of Mary's
mother's ring.  Mary is taken aback, having had no idea that Karen had
been given the ring.  Karen especially appreciates the ring because
she knows Mary had doubts about her.  Mary asks when Joe gave Karen
the ring; Karen notes Mary's hesitation and asks if she knew about the
gift.  Mary explains that she didn't know Joe had gotten it out of the
safe deposit box.  Karen hopes that's okay with Mary, who admits that
it was her mother's wish that the first son to get married give the
ring to his wife.  Mary tries to be gracious for five or ten seconds,
but then starts into a lecture about how strongly her mother believed
in the sanctity of wedding vows.  Karen agrees with this belief,
earning her an eyebrow-lift from a skeptical Mary.  She plans to wear
the ring forever.  She pledges to spend the rest of her life loving
Joe and making him happy; Mary the wet blanket snipes, "Forever is a
long time."  Karen refuses to sink to Mary's level, simply responding,
"I'm looking forward to it."

Karen and Joe meet in the hall, and she tells him about her encounter
with Mary.  He admits that he didn't necessarily have Mary's full
support to give Karen the ring.  He defends that decision based on his
grandmother's wishes.  Karen wants to give the ring back.  Joe tells
her that Mary would even resent Mother Teresa if she were marrying
into the Scanlon family (well, I would think so - she took a vow of
chastity, and besides, she's dead.  Those are two pretty reasonable
arguments against her as a prospective daughter-in-law).  Joe assures
Karen that she's the most wonderful woman he's ever met; Karen
presents Mary's point of view:  "a divorced ex-stripper drug addict."
(Well, yeah, there *is* that....)  Joe doesn't care about the past; he
loves who Karen is *now*.  He doesn't care what Mary thinks; he loves
Karen, and that's what matters.  They check the hall for any onlookers
and then kiss.

Joe approaches Mary; he explains how he got into the safe deposit box,
and then sarcastically thanks Mary for making Karen feel so welcome in
the family.  Mary starts giving Joe the same lecture she gave Karen,
but she expands on it a bit.  Did Karen intend to keep her vows to her
first husband?  Why does Joe think Karen will commit to him when she
didn't do it the first time?  Joe reminds Mary of Jagger's infidelity.
Mary asks if Joe realizes he can't get married in the Catholic church.
He knows that.  Mary tells him, fine, marry her if that's what you
want, but if it breaks up the ring comes back to the Scanlon family.
Joe says, fine, then I'll give it to my second wife.  He leaves in a
huff.

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by Rika, Thursday updater