Chapters 5 & 6
This chapter illustrates one of the differences between the timeline,
and the show. In the timeline, Dorman is not killed until 1998 after
Monica is vindicated on appeal. Emily is still using drugs, and is still
friends with her supplier, Matt. Check out the early chapters of Rebel's
Port Chuck 1999 for more of this story.
Chapter 5: A Change Would Do Him Good
Ned paces back and forth at the gate house, his decision made. He has to
get out, to leave. He doesn't know how, but he must. A baby. Lois is
having their baby again. Ned's face breaks out in a smile just thinking
about it. He is startled from his thoughts by the knocking at the door.
"Well, you wanted to see me?" Justus Ward looks annoyed, yet resigned to
being there.
"Justus, thank you for coming." Ned moves aside, motioning for Justus to
enter. "Please take a seat. Can I get you something? Coffee? Te--"
"Thank you, no. I'd just like to know what I'm being summoned to do this
time." Justus speaks bitterly. "As expediently as possible, please."
"All right then, we'll cut the formalities, Cousin. I'm leaving ELQ --
for good. I'm moving to Bensonhurst, and I need you to take over as
CEO." Ned raises one corner of his lips sardonically. "Expedient enough
for you?"
"Didn't we play this scene before?" Justus' face is expressionless. "I
seem to recall you trying to blackmail me."
"And that's how the scene plays out differently this time," Ned
clarifies. "I'm not blackmailing, I'm not forcing." His eyes plead with
Justus. "I'm begging. I need to leave, Justus. I should have left a year
ago."
"Why now? What's changed?" Justus looks puzzled by his cousin's request,
as well as the sincerity in his voice.
Before Ned can answer, Monica comes bursting through the door. "Both of
you, come quickly. Edward's had a stroke."
An hour later at the hospital, the Quartermaine family stands vigil,
waiting for word on Edward's condition. Lila clutches Ned's hand with
her left and Emily's with her right. Alan and Monica sit together, AJ
with Keesha to the side. Everyone waits for word on Edward's condition.
"I've had it. I'm going to find something out now." Alan gets up and
stalks over to the Nurses station.
Monica rolls her eyes at his rapidly departing backside. "Like they'll
tell him anything."
"They might, Mom. He's only the Chief of staff." AJ mutters the last
part under his breath.
"Don't take that tone with me, young man." Monica glares at her eldest
son.
"What tone? I was just speaking my mind." AJ whines a little bitterly.
"What mind Junior?" Ned quips.
"Everyone stop this now!" Emily shrieks. "I can't take this right now.
Grandfather is in there; he could be dying, and we're all still
fighting. Stop it!" Emily gets up, and walks quickly towards the
hallways. Ned gets up, and follows her.
"Em, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at AJ like that." Ned speaks
soothingly to her. He turns her gently towards him and sees she's
crying.
"Why are you still here?" Emily asks the question in total amazement.
"Excuse me?" Ned doesn't understand what she means.
"Why aren't you with your daughter? If I had one wish in this world, it
would be for my mother to be here with me. But I can't have that. How
can you let your daughter grow up without you? Without her father? She
has both her parents, alive and willing to love her. Doesn't she deserve
to have them both accessible?" Emily's eyes are spit fire.
Ned nods slowly. "Yes, she does. That's why I'm moving to Bensonhurst.
Tomorrow."
Emily's eyes get wide. "What?"
"You heard me. I won't make excuses or put it off. I've made the
decision." He pauses, looking into her eyes. "Lois is pregnant. We're
going to have another baby, and this time; we're going to do it right --
come hell or high water." He smiles at her.
"So you're leaving?" Her voice sounds small.
"Yes, I am, Emily. But I want you to visit. A lot. Whenever you need to
get away. Anytime, open invitation." He smiles encouragingly at her.
She nods her head a little, and throws herself against him, hugging him
fiercely. "I'm gonna miss you, Ned. But I love you. And I love Lois. And
I want you both to be happy."
Ned hugs her back, planting a kiss on her forehead. "I love you too
Sweetheart. Be okay Em."
She pulls back, looking at him a little sadly. "I have to go now. If
anyone asks where I am, tell them I'm on the phone with Matt." Emily
walks slowly away. Ned feels a shiver go up his spine watching her, but
shoves it aside. He has to get away from here.
"Edward's Doctor is ready to speak to us." Monica calls from the waiting
room. Ned closes his eyes, preparing himself for the last family crisis
he'll ever deal with up close and personal.
Ned approaches Edward's room, listening to the conversation between
Justus and Edward before he comes in.
"I take it no one else wanted to see me?" Edward asked blithely.
"No they wanted to, I just drew the short straw." Smiling slightly,
Justus turns as Ned opens the door fully.
Ned walks through the door, letting it shut gently behind him. "How are
you feeling, Grandfather?"
"Fine. You can tell the vultures to stop circling." Edward sighs.
"I'll do that. Grandmother is chomping at the bit to see you." Ned
smiles at the thought. "In fact, the nurses are having the damnedest
time keeping her out." Ned sobers for a moment. "Grandfather, I need to
tell you something "
"That you're resigning." Edward stares at him, face pinched.
Ned's eyes dart to Justus, then back to Edward. "Actually, yes. May I
ask how you knew?" His eyes move back to Justus again. "Or can I guess?"
"You could probably guess, Cousin." Justus turns to Edward. "You'll
excuse us for a minute." Justus walks with Ned into the hallway outside
Edward's door.
"May I ask why you told him I was resigning?" Ned studies Justus
carefully.
"Simple. I figured out why you want to leave. You want to be with Lois."
Justus smiles a little. "I told her awhile ago that we black sheep of
the family have to stick together. She needs you. Your daughter needs
you. Besides, I sold my soul to Edward a long time ago." Justus looks
sad for a moment, then smiles. "I told him I was tired of answering to
you, that your dalliances in rock and roll were the perfect excuse to
usurp your throne." Justus chuckles. "In fact, I think he actually
believes I'm finally playing Quartermaine games."
Ned smiles. "So you'll do it? You'll take over as CEO? All the duties
and evils that position entails?"
"That's about the half of it." Justus sighs deeply, resigned to his
fate.
"Can I ask why you're doing it?" Ned genuinely needs to know. "Just last
February you were completely against it."
"Simple. You asked me." Justus looks at him, trying to get him to
understand. "You didn't threaten, you didn't intimidate, you just asked.
And it's a good cause."
Ned nods his head. "I didn't want to threaten. I'm trying to start a
whole new life. Blackmail isn't exactly conductive to starting over."
Ned flashes his dimples. "Although, if you hadn't agreed ." Ned lets the
sentence hang ominously as he slowly backs away. "Good luck, Cousin.
You're gonna need it."
Justus watches after him as he walks down the hallway. Walks to his new
life. "Don't I know it." He mutters to himself. Justus rubs a hand over
his face and walks toward the waiting room to talk with the family.
Chapter 6: Welcome Home
"I gather that was Nedly callin'?" Sonny Corinthos addresses his wife as
she hangs up the car phone.
"Must you refer to him as Nedly? You know he hates it," Alexis reminds
him.
"That's why I must," he takes on her tone teasingly.
Alexis chuckles in spite of herself. "You two really should make peace
with one another."
"We've made it to the point where we can be in the same room, even
exchange pleasant conversation without wanting to knock each other out."
He nods his head slightly at her. "That's as good as it's gonna get."
Alexis sighs a long suffering sigh. "Then I guess Lois and I will just
have to live with it. "She arches an elegant brow at him. "If Lois and I
can become friends, you'd think the least you two could do is try
harder."
Sonny gives a bark of disbelieving laughter. "Friends?"
Alexis casts her eyes down for a moment. She buffs her nails along her
suit coat. She finally turns her face back toward him. "Friends." Her
tone is final, her stare hard. "Would you like to dispute it?"
Sonny's dimples peek out at her. "No ma'am, I know better."
"So you're tellin' me he just leaves? Walks away?" Lois speaks in a mock
shocked voice. "I'd of neva' figured that." She smiles at him. "See, I
had time to think when you left to talk to Alexis. Bet ya thought I
wouldn't give the latest part of your story a second thought."
Ned chuckles in amusement at her. "I see we're feeling better?"
She smiles impishly. "We're in between contractions." She inclines her
head to her left. "Look what they did while you were gone. They
installed a new contraption."
Ned looks at the small machine to her left. "What does it do?"
"That will tell you about five seconds before I'm about to have a
contraction. They compared it to one of those things they use to chart
earthquakes," Lois answers.
"What an ironically telling analogy," Ned teases.
"Ha-ha, very funny." Lois rolls her eyes. "So what did Alexis say?"
"They're caught on the expressway." He chuckles at her expression. "It
appears they're both paranoid about being shot at or something; they
always have Joseph drive them . Safer then flying apparently."
"Well Corinthos has neva' been too fond of flyin'." Lois draws brows
together. "Come to think of it, none of us from the old neighborhood are
really fond of flyin'."
"Natural self preservation instinct. We natural born jet setters don't
have it." Ned looks over at the machine. "What does it mean when the
needle starts flying across the page really fast?"
"It means a contraction's comin'," Lois replies.
"That's what I was afraid of." Ned takes her hand.
Lois' scream is heard in the next ward.
7 * months earlier
Ned hides himself outside the back of the Cerullo home. He hears voices
drifting from inside. Voices he recognizes as being Gloria and Lois'.
Gloria was good. Lois wasn't.
"Okay Ma, I'm leaving now ." Lois says.
"All right." Ned hears the disapproval in Gloria's voice. "But I still
think you should at least see him in person once."
Lois sighs. "Ya Ma, I know. Seein' him in person is what got me in this
mess in the first place."
"May I say something blunt?" Gloria asks.
"Like I could stop you," Lois replies sarcastically.
"Why on earth are you divorcing a man you love, miss, and can't keep
your hands off of for a measly five hours?" Gloria's voice rises as she
continues. "Lord knows -- the man's a weasel. But Lois Marie, he loves
you. And you seem to love him ."
"Ma, cut it out right there." Lois' voice is like ice. "It's
complicated." She sighs. "Just let it go. Me and Ned ain't gonna happen.
I been there, and I done that. I won't go through it again." Ned hears
the pain in her voice. His eyes close to it, feeling the same pain
himself.
Gloria speaks softly. "All right baby. But I'm warnin' you. Bein' afraid
will only keep you alone." She takes Lois' shoulders and gives her a
peck on the cheek. "Have a good day."
Lois shoots Gloria a grateful look. "Thanks Ma. For everythin'. For
watchin' Brooke while I go out " she casts her eyes down for a moment.
She swallows and looks back up. "For everythin'."
"That's what Mothers are for." Ned moves quickly out of sight as he
hears Lois open the back door. He waits until she's pulled away from the
house. He quietly comes through the back door.
"Oh my God!" Gloria holds a hand over her heart.
He turns around so she can see him. "It's all right. It's just me." He
smiles at her. "It's good to see you Mom," Ned says, a little unsure of
himself.
She walks quickly over to him. She smacks him with the pot pan holder in
her hand. "You scared ten years off a me." She moves back. She takes her
chin between her fingers, moving it back and forth. "You look thin." She
throws her hands up and gives him a hug.
He returns it, feeling a sense of relief at her obvious acceptence. "I
missed you too."
Gloria gives his back a final pat. "So are you here to make my daughter
see reason?"
Ned's eyes widen playfully. "My we have made progress, Gloria. You see
your daughter and Me together as Lois seeing reason?"
Gloria turns her head heavenward. "Lord help me; I do." She smiles at
him. "You did so good, and then it all fell apart. It was senseless. And
kids should have both their parents togetha', when the parents love each
otha'."
He nods his head. "I agree on all counts."
Gloria spreads her hands wide. "Then what are you doin' scarin' the
livin' daylights outta me? Why aren't you winnin' your wife back?"
"Because I need your help with one.. tiny.. minuscule little thing "
Ned replies.
"What?" Gloria asks.
Ned opens his mouth and tilts his head to the side. "I need you tell me
how to do that." He shifts his entire body. "Win her back, I mean." He
shakes his head. "I'm lost as to how. I'm still trying to figure out
exactly how I lost her." He smiles sadly. "I think it has something to
do with her opinion of me as a basic human being, but I'm not sure." He
quirks his mouth. "On the other hand, it could be the insane relatives,
and the equally insane need I had to protect them." He gives himself a
mental shake. "But back to my original question, how do I win her back?
What's my first step?" His eyes plead with her. "I can't blow the first
step. It'll be my last if I do."
Gloria purses her lips in thought. "Buy her a house."
Ned blinks once. Twice. "Buy her house?" he parrots dumbly.
Gloria nods. "Buy her a house."
"Buy her a house," Ned proclaims exuberantly. "Any type of house in
particular?" he asks confusion.
Gloria chuckles. "As a matter a fact, ya." She grabs his overcoat and
pulls him to the back door. "Ya see that huge stone entry-way next
door?" She points to the house that shares a common wall with the
Cerullos'.
Ned nods slowly. "Yes .."
"That house," Gloria states.
Ned snaps his head around to hers. "That house? The one . Right next
door to yours?"
Gloria nods happily. "That's the one. Ever since she was eight years old
she wanted that house. But Old Mrs. Mario refuses to leave. She swears
she's saving to go to the Caribbean one day, but it neva' seems to
happen." Gloria looks up at him. "That's what she wants, more then
anything. That house. You've got the money. Put it to a decent use for
the first time in your life." Gloria starts feeding dough into her
industrial strength pasta maker.
Ned looks pointedly at the pasta maker. He waits for her to meet his
gaze, then cocks an eyebrow at her. She looks from him to the machine
and back again. She narrows her eyes at him. "Fine. For the second time
in your life."
"Ma, I'm home!" Lois enters the kitchen, tossing her coat over a chair
as she walks. "Ma? Pops?" Giving a mental shrug, Lois walks towards the
refrigerator, a sudden craving for cold pasta overtaking her. She pauses
when she sees the note on the door.
Lois,
Dad and I got invited to play bridge with the Ventresca's tonight. We
took Brooke with us. We'll be back soon. Go over to Mrs. Mario's if you
get hungry. I gave the pasta I made to her because our power went out,
and I didn't it to spoil.
Love ya
Ma
Lois shrugs again. Walking over to the chair, she puts her coat back on.
She walks out the door and across the small concrete divide between the
two homes. Exhaling deeply Lois realizes she isn't in the mood to talk
to Mrs. Mario, but the craving for Ma's pasta is too strong. Steeling
herself, Lois raps lightly on the back door. Within two beats of her
tapping foot the door opens. Her eyes widen, and his name is pulled from
her mouth on a gasp. "Ned?"
Ned smiles nervously at her. "Hey Lois. Welcome home."
