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BALE HOME
Sunlight streams through the bedroom window as Leslie Hanley sits up in bed, groggy and still feeling drained from the previous night. At first she is disoriented, wondering where she is. But after taking a few seconds to retrace the evening's events, she remembers now what happened.
She spent the night at Robert's, along with her children. After Michael had been arrested for kidnapping and faking Sean's death.
It all seems so unreal...
When Sean first came back from the dead, she thought that was the largest wrench that had been thrown into her life this year. Little did she know that a mere few months later, on Christmas even, she would finally discover the truth.
Michael faked Sean's death so that he could have control of his father's fortune, and subsequently marry Leslie. He somehow wiped Sean's memories from his mind, and yet...when they came back to him, Sean was already married to Denise. But rather than return to his family, Sean decided that they were happy with Michael and so he did nothing.
That part makes Leslie sick to her stomach even more than having lived and slept in the same bed with a monster like Michael for the past two years.
A knock at the door stirs Leslie from her deep contemplation. She glances up to see Robert Bale enter the room, a grim look on his face.
"Leslie, how are you doing?"
"I've been better," Leslie says, softly. "You didn't have to sleep in the guest room. It would have been fine for me."
"Don't worry about it," Robert says. "I have slept in this bed much anyway, not since..."
Robert doesn't finish the sentence, but Leslie nods, understanding how hard it could be for Robert to sleep in the same bed he shared with his now deceased wife. The pain must be as awful as Leslie's was when she thought Sean had died in a car explosion.
"Where are the children?"
"Akilah didn't want to wake you, but she wanted me to let you know that she didn't want to attend Michael's arraignment."
"That's understandable."
"She went down to the hospital, they're filming some scenes for The Blackthornes there. And Vince was already gone when I woke up."
"This has to be so awful for him. He loved Michael like a father," Leslie says, almost choking up at the words.
"I'll go with you to the courthouse," Robert insists. "I just called Darren and left him a message, asking if he could baby-sit Hunter."
"Oh Robert, you don't have to..."
She is interrupted as Robert's cell phone rings. He answers it, addressing Darren. She can tell from his expression that the news he is receiving isn't what he expected. Once he finally hangs up the phone, he nearly drops it onto the floor from shock.
"Robert? What's wrong?"
"I...I need to go to the hospital," Robert says. "It's Alec."
MARQUETTE COVE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
Billy rolls his eyes as the hands on his hospital room's clock turn ever so slowly, never seeming to move when they should. He doesn't sit up in bed, however, not wishing to alert his family members, or rather Alec Bale's, to his consciousness yet.
Darren Reynolds enters the room, approaching Felicia Bale as she flips through a magazine in her seat next to the bed. Simon Holden stands near the window, gazing outside.
"That was Robert," Darren says.
"What did he want?" Felicia says, unable to hide the disdain in her voice.
"He wanted me to watch Hunter while he went somewhere with Leslie," Darren says. "I'm not sure where."
"If have half the mind to do something about him raising that boy. After everything that Alec's been through..."
"Mom?"
Felicia finally notices Billy is awake, bringing a brief smile to her face. "Simon, he's coming to."
Simon turns from the window and breathes a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank God."
"Hey guys," Billy says softly. "What's going on? Why am I..."
"You...you tried to kill yourself, Alec," Darren says. "You had to be rushed to the hospital last night."
"How could you do that, Alec?" Felicia demands. "Do you value your life so little?"
"Felicia, it's okay," Simon says, joining her at the bed and rubbing her arm gently. "What's important now is that Alec is okay, and he can recover here and not in prison."
Billy shrugs. "To be fair, it was probably the only use for that ugly sweater."
"None of this is funny, Alec," Darren says. "Do you know how worried we were?! With violating your restraining order, to everything with Robert and Melissa, and now this...I think you might need some serious help."
"The only help I need is to get the fuck out of prison," Billy says, attempting to turn on the waterworks, but knowing he couldn't give a damn about the emotional state Alec's family is in. "I've been through so much, mom. And I just...I just can't take it anymore. If I go back to prison, I'll kill myself. For real this time."
Resisting the urge to smile smugly, Billy wipes his eyes and turns away from his family. That ought to keep these idiots busy with grief long enough for me to kill Aaron.
MARQUETTE COVE COURTHOUSE
Orange is not Michael Hanley's color.
He realized this when he was first booked at the police department and was forced to wear the most humiliating thing he's put on since his days of pledging a fraternity. Riley didn't fare much better, but at least he didn't seem so out of place in prison, having been once before.
Michael on the other hand, felt alone and dejected and at odds with his entire life. As he sat in a cramped jail cell, contemplating how he could have let his life become so complicated and messy.
When he first planned to get rid of Sean, it all seemed so easy. He had Derek's help, he has Leslie's own sister convinced that Sean had left town in order to enter witness protection. As ridiculous as that story was, Sean's upsetting of a mob family by questioning Kevin Hanley's business deals gave a plausible reason for Sean to want to get out of dodge.
And for years, he was able to keep his secret. He was able to marry Leslie. He set up Sean with a new life, and still everything went according to plan.
Until it all went to shit.
Robert and Felicia finding his secret lab. Eric blackmailing Victor into altering Sean's memories. Vince seeing Sean in New York. Yolanda and Denise showing up in Marquette Cove. And then the surveillance cameras...
"Move it, playboy!"
Michael snaps out of his daze as the court guards push him out of the hallway and into the courtroom. He scans the room for any kind of familiar face, but the only ones belong to his children Eric and Ariel.
"Hey Dad," Ariel says, forcing a smile. All Eric can muster is a single head nod.
"Kids," Michael says. "Thank you for being here."
"I figured if I didn't show up, you'd cut me out your will," Eric says.
"And maybe it would make me forget the part you played in all of this?" Michael asks, lowering his voice to a whisper.
"That too," Eric says, plopping down in a seat.
Ariel shrugs and sits next to her brother. "I'm here just in case the paparazzi takes photos."
"It's nice to know my children care so much," Michael says glumly.
MARQUETTE COVE COURTHOUSE
Yolanda Holland stands outside the courtroom, pacing back and forth, when she notices a man approaching her. She gets a closer look at him once he steps into the full light of the building.
Sean.
"Sean," Yolanda says, glad to see a friendly face. "How are you?"
"Awful," Sean says. "Last night was...pretty unbearable."
"I can't believe you stayed at the mansion."
"Aside from Eric and Ariel, I had it to myself," Sean says. "So...there wasn't much drama."
Yolanda nods. "Yes, well, you should really stay out of that place. Especially if you have any designs of getting back together with my sister."
Sean lets out a loud sigh, shaking his head sadly. "That ship may have sailed, unfortunately."
"You shouldn't say that. Once Michael goes away for good, hopefully, you can work on rebuilding our lives. And fixing the mess that he made."
"That I helped to make," Sean insists. "And do you honestly believe Michael's going to jail? He got away with all of this for years and was caught because of some fluke accident. He's got enough connections to squirm his way out of this."
"You act as if he's some sort of Stefano DiMera," Yolanda says.
Sean frowns. "Is that a character from your show?"
Yolanda laughs a bit, glad to finally have a genuine smile cross her face today. "You're a good man, Sean," she says, embracing him. "And Leslie will see that."
As they hug, they are thankful to finally have someone familiar to embrace, someone who understands what they've been through and won't judge them as harshly as the rest of the people in their lives.
"I'm so glad this has brought you two together."
Yolanda and Sean break apart, finding Leslie heading toward the courtroom entrance. They both want to speak, but are unable to find the exact words. Though it's not as if Leslie seems receptive either.
And before their chilly reception can become entirely subzero, Leslie brushes past them and enters the courtroom.
MARQUETTE COVE COURTHOUSE
Constance Lake strides into the courtroom, fitted in a designer pencil skirt covered with a dark blazer. A woman who relies on her looks as equally as her smarts to get ahead in life, she loves to look stunning in the courtroom. It throws off the men as well as the women, and it always feels great to look amazing when she delivers a deafening blow to whatever asshole she's prosecuting as the District Attorney.
"Be prepared to go down, Nathan," Constance says, addressing Nathan Orlando, the defense attorney for Michael Hanley.
"Isn't that usually reserved for the evenings you send me lonely text messages?" Nathan remarks.
Constance brushes off the comment with a smile, setting up her briefcase on the desk. "I look forward to having your client thrown in jail without bail."
"And I look forward to having these ridiculous charges dropped," Nathan counters. "Face it, Constance. You don't have a single thing that's going to stick on my client."
"Vincent, where were you?" Leslie asks as her son finally slides into the seat next to her.
He shrugs, not paying attention to her, but sending a death glare toward Michael and his kids. "I went to see Jessica. I needed to talk to someone."
"I wish you'd talk to Blake or someone else," Leslie says. "You know I don't like that Jessica girl."
"Not today, mom," Vince groans.
"Of course. You're right, honey. I'm just glad you're here."
"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Vince says, finally noticing his father and aunt seated on the opposite end of the courtroom. "What are they doing here?"
"Hopefully doing the sensible thing and testifying against Michael," Leslie says. "I want that man put behind bars. I'll be damned if he is getting anywhere near your little brother or sister."
Vince smiles, resting his hand on his mother's. "I'm glad to hear that, mom. Once this is all over, we can talk about a game plan for stealing all of our shit and anything else not nailed down from the mansion."
EMERALD PLAZA HOTEL
"I got some more ice," Denise Price announces, pushing open the door to her hotel suite and plopping a canister down next to the sink. She does a quick check of her make-up in the mirror, then shifts to face her father.
Herald is sprawled out on one of the beds, resting against the headboard and watching television. "What took you so long, sweetie?"
"I was...I was calling the airport to check on flights."
Herald sits up, a frown flashing on his face. "Denise, I told you that you are not going anywhere."
"Marquette Cove doesn't have a place for me," Denise insists. "And neither does New York. I should just move back to New Orleans with my son."
"And your new baby? Without a father?"
"I did it before."
"Yes, well two wrongs don't make a right, now do they?"
"Nate is a wonderful son!" Denise snaps. "Don't you start in on him."
"That boy is trouble, Denise. He's been in nothing but trouble since his father walked out that door and we have worked hard to fix it, but he will never change. And you know that."
Denise shrugs, crossing to the window. "This place makes me feel dead."
"That's because you're away from your husband."
"Husband? He's still married to that Leslie woman," Denise says. "And that entire atmosphere at that mansion is just too much for me to handle. I don't like stress and I'm not trying to have it, Pappa!"
"You told me that Leslie woman is married to someone already. Michael?"
"You obviously didn't read the morning paper."
She gestures to the newspaper resting atop the corner of the dresser. His interest piqued, Herald reaches out and grabs it. The headline on the first page immediately strikes his attention – "Millionaire Mogul Arrested!"
"Arrested?"
"That's what happens to people who try to lie and scheme to get what they want," Denise says. "And I'm not looking to raise a baby in jail."
MARQUETTE COVE COURTHOUSE
"Your honor, I request that all charges against my client be dropped," Nathan says, finally speaking up once court is called into order.
"On what grounds?" Judge Ghalib asks.
"First off, there's no evidence against my client for these charges," Nathan insists. "Kidnapping? The alleged victim was practically living in my client's home. I wouldn't call that kidnapping. And the rest of these charges are so trumped up the Donald himself would claim them as his own."
Constance rolls her eyes. "You are ridiculous. We have a videotaped confession."
"Correction, had," Nathan says. "It was thrown out this morning."
"This morning?" Constance demands. "On what grounds?!"
"Fisher vs. Moriani," Nathan responds. "There's precedence. A private home surveillance system that the police had no right to seize."
"They were given permission by the client's wife!"
"Leslie Hanley, as she may be calling herself today, is still legally married to Sean Moore, your honor," Nathan says. "Which means she has no legal grounds to allow anything in my client's home to be given up to the police."
"Is this true, Ms. Lake?"
Constance feels the smack of defeat hit her squarely in the jaw. She does not like it. "Yes," she grumbles.
Nathan winks at her. "Speak up, I don't think we heard you?"
"Go to hell," Constance snarls. "So we don't have a tape. We have witnesses who can testify to the kidnapping charges. Sean Moore himself."
"Sean refused to step forward as a witness your honor," Nathan says.
There is a quiet murmur in the courtroom after Nathan speaks. He smiles smugly at Constance, then turns back to Judge Ghalib.
"Well, in light of these...revelations, then I have no choice but to agree with Mr. Orlando," Judge Ghalib says. "Unless you can prevent some real evidence to back up these claims, all charges against the defendant are hereby dismissed."
The banging of the gavel still echoes in Leslie's mind as she slowly rises from her seat. Her son helps her maintain her balance as she prepares to exit the courtroom, but then she stops suddenly, turning to face Sean and Yolanda.
"How could you?" Leslie demands. "After everything you've already done to this family?"
"I had no choice," Sean says, attempting to plead his case. "I came back to the mansion and asked for Michael to...I came back. His attorney would have used that."
"I can't believe that you're the man I fell in love with twenty years ago," Leslie says, fighting back tears.
Vince attempts to pull his mother toward the exit. "Come on, mom. He's not worth it."
"Vincent —" Sean begins.
"Don't you ever say my name," Vince says. "You don't have that right. You're not my father."
As Sean lets Vince's words settle in, he stands and exits the courtroom. Yolanda does the same, offering a single parting glance in Leslie's direction, hoping for an ounce of sympathy. But it proves futile.
"Leslie...you came," Michael says, addressing her from the defendant's table.
"Only to see justice served," Leslie insists. "It's unfortunate that it wasn't."
"It's not right for me to be behind bars," Michael says. "We can work this out. We have to...for the sake of our child. Don't you think, Leslie?"
Leslie resists the urge to laugh in the man's face. Instead, she slowly walks toward him, pressing her hands against his chest. She speaks low, in a whisper. "I promise you this, Michael. As long as I'm alive, you will never get anywhere near this child. Never."
MARQUETTE COVE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
Felicia closes the door to her son's hospital room and prepares to trek to the cafeteria for some coffee. As she goes to the elevator and presses the down button, she is surprised when the doors open and Robert steps out.
"You shouldn't be here," Felicia says.
"My son tried to kill himself," Robert says. "Of course I should be here."
"He tired to kill himself because of you, Robert!"
"You can't honestly believe that. You can not have been married to be for as long as you were and not know me."
"I didn't know you were cheating on me," Felicia says. "It looks like I'm not that great a judge of character."
"Obviously. Otherwise you'd have wised up to Aaron Maddock already, and seen that he has been manipulating our son for months!"
Felicia shakes her head, reaching out to catch the elevator doors before they close. "Not this again."
Robert steps in front of her, letting the doors close. "You have to listen to me, Felicia. I haven't been able to find Kyle yet, but once I do, I'll get him to confirm everything I've learned."
"Oh, Kyle's gone missing? How utterly convenient, Robert."
"Felicia, please —"
"You're pathetic!" Felicia cries. "Do you know that? You have the gall to come here and accuse that man of something you know good and well that you did yourself? You hurt our son and no one else! Be a man and own up to it!"
Robert feels utterly disgusted with Felicia for the first time in their recent battles over Alec's accusations. "I'm pathetic? This coming from an alcoholic who blacked out so much she didn't even know whether or not she'd killed my unborn child?!"
At that moment, Simon emerges from Alec's hospital room, a concerned look on his face. "What's going on out here? Alec is sleeping."
"Of course you brought him here," Robert says, almost wanting to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. "I find it so incredibly heartwarming that you've rejected me only to embrace that godawful Hanley clan."
"Go home, Robert," Felicia says, weariness setting in her voice.
"You want to know something about your precious new family? About your wonderful brother?" Robert snatches up a newspaper from the nurse's desk and thrusts it forward.
"What in the hell are you..." Felicia's voice trails off as she reads the headline concerning Michael. "Oh my God. Did he..." She looks up to address Robert, but before she can even say a word, he's already gone.
HANLEY HOME
Michael pushes open the door to the mansion, initially surprised to find it is unlocked. But then he remembers exactly how many people are still living at the mansion, despite the recent events.
He has no idea where that Denise Price went to, but hopefully she won't ever be coming back. The same goes for Sean in spades.
Finally arriving home after staying for Riley's arraignment, Michael was pleased that the charges against him were also dropped. As he goes into the living room, he pours himself a drink and sits down on the couch.
He sighs deeply, taking a sip from his glass of bourbon and leaning back with his eyes closed. More than anything, Michael wishes he could make all of this go away.
But he's made his bed and will unfortunately have to lie in it. Suddenly, the new year which held so much promise, looks incredibly dark and full of despair for him.
As he is ready to take another sip, he hears the sounds of someone descending the steps. In the dimly lit room, Michael can see the figure of a beautiful woman entering from the foyer.
"Leslie?" Michael says softly, not able to see the woman's face at first.
"No, Michael. It's the other woman you seduced and then made a fool of."
Stunned, Michael sets his glass on the coffee table and rises to his feet, now able to see the woman as she steps into the light.
She's still as beautiful as the last time he laid eyes on her.
And he can't believe that she's back.
In his living room, no less.
"You're...you're back," Michael gasps.
"Yes, I am," Vanessa Watson says, grimacing. "But I'm afraid this isn't a friendly visit."
