- Shawn was looking out the window of the train. It was dark and he could barely make out any shapes. He was thinking about all he and Belle had done to protect their daughter. And he realized he would do it all over again if he had to. There was no way in hell he would ever relinquish his child to that bastard Philip.

Belle and Claire were asleep in the bed. Belle suddenly stirred. She asked him what he was doing up. “Aren’t you tired?” she asked.

“I can’t sleep,” Shawn replied.

“Come get in the bed and try,” Belle said.

“Nah. I’m fine.”

Belle climbed out of the bed carefully so as not to wake Claire. She asked Shawn what was troubling him. “I’m a little worried,” he replied.

“About what?”

“How we’re going to survive in California until I find a job.”

“We have money; we’ll be okay,” Belle told him. She reached out for his hand and squeezed it gently. Shawn took his wallet out of his pocket and showed her what was left inside it. “Just thirty-five dollars?” she frowned.

“Yep. How are we supposed to live on that?” Shawn asked.

“Maybe I could call my mom and have her wire us some money,” Belle suggested.
“No we can’t do that. Victor and Philip are no doubt tapping the lines of all of our family and friends in Salem, just waiting for us to call so they can track us down.”

“What about your other family members? Doesn’t one of your aunts live in San Diego?”

“Yeah, my Aunt Kimberly.”

“Do you think Philip and Victor have tapped her phone too?”

“I doubt it. They probably think she is too far away to bother with,” Shawn said.

“Why don’t we call Kimberly and ask if we can stay with her until we find jobs?”

“We can’t do that. If we’re caught she would be an accessory to kidnapping. She could go to prison and she wouldn’t survive a minute in there in her condition.”

“What condition?” Belle asked.

“She has Lou Gehrig’s disease. I don’t know much about it but she stutters and she can’t walk anymore; she’s in a wheelchair. How can I put her in that position?”

“Shawn, we don’t have any other option right now. We need her help. I hate to bother her too but what else can we do?”

It took more convincing by Belle but eventually Shawn agreed to call his aunt when they reached San Diego. He would have to look her up in the phone book.

After the issue was settled Belle coaxed Shawn into getting some rest. The little family of three cuddled in bed together.


- “You’re working late,” Chelsea said walking into Max’s garage.

Max put down his wrench and wiped his hands on his coveralls. “What are you doing here, Chelsea?” he asked, irritated.

“I came to see you, of course,” Chelsea replied. “I just came from Dune and I couldn’t stop thinking about all the time we spent there together.”

“You mean when I was chasing you around while you flirted and danced with other guys?”

“That was the old Chelsea. The person you’re looking at now is all grown up. I am ready to stop playing games.”
“You will never grow up, Chelsea.”

“We are good together, Max. And I miss you so much and I want you back. I want us back.”

“Oh please. We are toxic to each other.”

“But when we’re good, we’re very good,” Chelsea replied, smiling.

“Look, Chelsea, I don’t know what you’re trying to accomplish but its not working. Now get out.”

Chelsea was hurt but she didn’t reply. She just walked over to him and pulled him into a kiss.


- “Are you sure this can’t wait until tomorrow, Abby?” Josh asked.

“Yes, sorry. I really need my text book to study for my bio test tomorrow. I can’t believe I left it here.”

Abby bit her lip nervously wondering if he would buy her story. She didn’t like lying to Josh but this was important. She had to warn Max that Chelsea was liable to try anything to get him back. She had seen the fire in Chelsea’s eyes before the aborted wedding when Chelsea accused her of bringing Josh along to make Max jealous; and Abby had watched her as she silently gloated as she walked down the aisle with Max.

Abby would have told Max after the ceremony but he disappeared and Josh had wanted to take her out for the day. They had a picnic in the park and then went to see the latest Drew Barrymore chick flick. She thought Josh was so sweet to sit through the movie just because he knew Abby wanted to see it. She really liked Josh but there was a part of her that was so drawn to Max.

“I’ll come in with you,” Josh said, interrupting her thoughts.

“No, that’s not necessary.”

“I insist.”

“Okay,” Abby said, shrugging her shoulders.

They got out of the car and walked into the building. They heard voices in the main area of the garage.

“Chelsea, stop!” shouted Max pulling away from her.

“Max, I need you back. I love you. Please make love to me,” Chelsea said.

“Ohmigod!” Abby said, stomping into the main part of the garage. “Chelsea, you are not only a !@#$%^&*] but you’re a slut too!”


- Sami walked into her apartment and threw her purse down on the couch. Lucas came in the room and asked her where she had been all this time.

“It doesn’t matter,” Sami said.

“It matters to me,” Lucas replied walking over to her. “Will and I have been really worried about you. We called your cell phone about five times and only got voice mail.”

“I turned it off. I spent the last few hours just walking around.”

“In your wedding dress?” Lucas asked.

“Its not like I’ll need it again,” Sami said. “Carrie won’t divorce you now that Austin dumped her or whatever the hell happened.”

“She will too. And don’t worry about your dress being dirty, we can buy you a new one,” Lucas said.

He hugged her and she began to cry and ask why this had happened. “Why couldn’t Carrie just let me be happy?” she demanded. “Why am I not allowed to be happy for five seconds?” Lucas said he would make sure that the rest of her days were filled with joy.

There was a knock on the door. Lucas broke away from Sami and opened the door. “Roman, what are you doing here?” he asked.

“I’ve come to set my daughter straight,” Roman said. He pushed his way past Lucas to enter the apartment. He stared dead-on at his daughter. “Sami, you and I need to talk – right now!”


- Chelsea swung around and glared at Abby. “What the hell are you doing here?” she demanded.

“Saving Max from the viper – you,” Abby retorted. “’Please make love to me, Max’ – what the hell is that?”

“Would you look at that? Little virginal Abby’s angry. She even said her first curse words.”

“Chelsea, shut up!” Max said.

Chelsea ignored him. “Abby, you walked in on an adult situation. No little girls need apply. You wouldn’t understand what adults really do behind closed doors and you’ll never know because you’re a frigid little freak. Now get the hell out of here!”

“I don’t have to take crap from you anymore, Chelsea,” Abby said and suddenly swung her arm out and slapped her former best friend hard across the face. Chelsea stumbled back a bit and then regained her footing. She ran straight at Abby and knocked her to the ground. Then she pounced on her, grabbing her by the hair and trying to shove her face into the cement floor. Abby kicked her in the leg and rolled away. She tried to get up but Chelsea grabbed her hair again and yanked her back to the floor. It took both Max and Josh to pull them apart. They kicked and screamed trying to get ahold of the other again.

“You ripped my dress, you witch,” Chelsea accused, holding up the broken strap of her red dress.

“Its not like you would have kept it on long anyway if I hadn’t come in,” Abby said. “You were two seconds away from jumping Max when we walked in.”

“You girls are out of control. Just leave,” Max said.

“Me too?” Abby asked.

“’Me too’?” Chelsea mocked. “You think you’re so special?”

“Yes you too, Abby,” Max said. “I don’t want to see either of you right now.” He went into the office and slammed the door shut behind him.

“Look what you did,” Chelsea said, walking towards Abby.

Abby thought she was going to try attack her again but Chelsea just pushed past her and stomped out.

“Let’s go, Josh,” Abby said.

“What about your science book?” Josh asked.

Abby’s face flamed. “Oh I can just study from my notes.”

“Abby, I don’t appreciate being manipulated.” He walked out and Abby followed him. She said she was sorry but he didn’t reply. He drove her home in silence.


- “What are you doing here, Dad?” Sami asked, shrinking under his gaze. “Is something wrong?”

“Don’t play innocent with me, Sami. Did you expect me not to find out what you did?”

“What are you talking about?” Lucas asked. “Sami, what is he talking about?”

“Dad, can we not do this now?” Sami asked. “I’m really tired.”

“We’re going to talk about it right now; I don’t care if you’re tired.”

“Can someone just tell me what’s going on?” Lucas asked.

“Lucas, I think you should let Sami and I talk alone for a few minutes.”

“Sorry, Roman, but I’m not going anywhere. Sami’s business is my business.”

“Lucas, maybe you should go,” Sami said.

“No. I’m staying right here but I have a feeling I won’t like what Roman has to say.”

“Fine,” Roman said. He filled them in on what Marlena had told him. He said that Marlena had found Sami trying to “kill John as some sort of bizarre payback” to her mom. He added that Sami had admitted to it so there was no way Marlena could have misconstrued the situation.

Lucas was beyond shocked. He asked Sami how she could do something like that. She began to cry and tell her dad how sorry she was. She also apologized to Lucas for not telling him right away.

Roman wasn’t convinced of her innocence but moved onto a new topic. He told Sami and Lucas that Marlena had discovered a frightening “gift” and he wanted to know if she was responsible for it. Sami denied it emphatically, pointing out that Roman knew of her phobia of bugs. “I never could have done something like that, you have to believe me.”

Roman nodded. “Sami, I want you to know that this time I’m not turning you in for what you did to John. Your mom and I agreed on that. I don’t want to see you behind bars and neither does she. You have to trust in your mother’s love and stop trying to punish her for imagined wrongs,” he said. “Others will think we are too lenient with you. And maybe we are. I know that I am too soft on you.”

Roman continued, “But I’m giving you a fair warning now. I will not allow you to hurt your mother or sister Carrie anymore. If you do, I’ll have no choice but to cart you off to prison. Hell, I’ll even throw away the key myself.”

Sami assured him that Carrie was not going to be the recipient of any kind of revenge at her hands. “I’ve learned my lesson,” she said.

“Okay, I’m holding you to that,” Roman said, kissing her cheek. Then he left and headed for home.

Lucas went to follow him out the door. “Lucas, where are you going?” Sami asked.

“Your dad may be a softie but I’m not,” Lucas said. “I can’t stand to see you right now so I’m going over to Billie’s.”

“Lucas,” Sami cried. “No body was hurt so why are you so upset?”

“I’m upset because you are so filled with vengeance and hate. You always have an excuse for your behavior. How can you rationalize what you tried to do to John? At this moment, I don’t want to be around you. Your whole attitude disappoints me because I know you are capable of giving so much love to Will and me that I can’t understand why you can’t do the same thing for others. You need to forgive Carrie and Marlena. They didn’t do anything to you intentionally.”

Sami begged him not to leave. She said they could talk this out and make things right. But he sighed and said “not tonight we can’t.” He left her in the apartment sobbing. Outside the door he could hear her cries but he couldn’t make himself go back.


- Hours later …

The phone on Kimberly Brady’s bedside table jangled. She checked the time on the alarm clock. 3:30 a.m. Who could be calling her at this hour she wondered. She picked up the phone and said “hello”. Shawn said “hello” back and identified himself.

“Oh Tawn, h-how are you doin’?” She asked. “You have to ex-coos my s-stutterin’. It comes with the terror-tory.”

Shawn said he was doing okay and asked how she was doing. She replied (in her slurred way) that she was not dead yet so that was a good sign. She asked him why he was calling. Shawn explained that he and Belle were on the lam from Philip Kirakis who had tried to take their daughter away.

“Uh-huh,” Kim said. “Wat can I h – hellp you wit?” She asked.

Regretfully Shawn told her that he and Belle had used up most of their money on motel rooms, food, and then the train tickets. “I hate to bother you, Aunt Kim, but can we stay with you for a few days until I find a job?” He asked.

“Of cursed you can,” she replied.

“Aunt Kim, you do realize that you would be considered an accessory to kidnapping if we were ever found out?”

“I d-dun’t care a – about that Tawn,” she said. “You’re my fam-lee.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I can-knott wait to see my lit-tel gran-nice, Clar-re,” Kim said. “Do you have my add-riss?”

“Yeah, I’m looking at the phone book now,” Shawn replied. He had gotten to the payphone as soon as the train ride ended in San Diego. Fortunately there was a phone book chained inside the booth.

Kimberly told him to be careful and he said he would. He thanked her profusely and said he would be there soon with Belle and Claire. They said their goodbyes and hung up.

Kim’s nurse Louella DePres walked in. “Who was on the phone? He - or she - woke me up.”

“My net-hue and his lit-tel fam-lee,” Kim replied. “He tis comin’ to stay for a bit.”

“Oh brother,” Louella said. “I suppose I’ll have to make up the beds in the guest rooms.”

“Tanks, Lou, you’re the b-best!”


The end ... for now

Coming up on “Salem Fantasies”:

~ Shawn, Belle, and Claire arrive at Kim’s
~ Josh wants to impress Abby
~ Hope tells the Hortons she is dying
~ Carrie and Lucas come face-to-face