(The town of Somerset is slowly drawn on screen line-by-line as the music swells to its climax)

This… is Somerset.

SCENE ONE

The scene is a direct pickup from Friday’s cliffhanger involving Giovanni, Rose and the intruder, with some of the dialogue still intact.

GIOVANNI: Hey… is it my fault I have the libido like a bodybuilder? It’s us passionate Italians, you know.

ROSE: And I’m glad we came home early tonight. It’s a great feeling to (hears a rattling noise downstairs and she sits up)… what the hell?

GIOVANNI: Hey, don’t worry. The security alarm didn’t go off, so everything’s probably all right. (The alarm goes off) Forget I just said that. I’ll go check it out.

ROSE: Hurry back.

Giovanni hurriedly dresses and takes a baseball bat downstairs with him, a bat that he uses in just such an emergency. He heads downstairs, where he sees a shadowy figure trying to mess with the security system.

GIOVANNI: Hands up, you… (The lights come on and Giovanni’s face drops) Oh, my…

A young woman turns around, having finally disabled the security system switch. It is Annabella, the Petterinos’ oldest daughter, having sneaked back into Somerset overnight.

ANNABELLA: (Sheepishly grins) Hi, Daddy.

Giovanni can’t quite believe his eyes. The music plays and the scene changes.

CUT TO: Somerset Hospital

We see the hospital’s outline at night and then a gurney being brought into the ER. Nick is on the gurney, having collapsed at his home in Friday’s cliffhanger. There is a white bandage on his head with red streaks indicating blood.

PATRICK: (Rushing to the gurney) What do we have… oh my God… Nick? Nick, what happened?

NICK: (Barely conscious) Wh… where… am I?

PATRICK: It’s Patrick, Nick. Patrick Kurtz. You’re being wheeled into the hospital. Do you know what happened to you?

NICK: I guess I’m… (mumbles before losing consciousness again) not at Bernard’s anymore.

The gurney is wheeled into one of the emergency rooms, as Patrick has a puzzled look on his face. The picture fades to black and the Somerset logo reappears.

Somerset. Brought to you today by Pert 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner, for hair that bounces and behaves… and by the moist, delicious desserts of Duncan Hines.

SCENE TWO

Back at the hospital – Alana is working an overnight shift along with Taylor, and she comes back onto the floor.

ALANA: Did I miss anything?

TAYLOR: They just brought your ex in here.

ALANA: (Appears worried) My ex… Nick? What happened? (Rushes toward ER where Nick was brought and comes through the door) Nick?

PATRICK: Calm down, Alana… I think Nick’s just been the victim of a nasty bump on the head.

The police officer brought in with Nick concurs, nodding his head.

OFFICER: The 911 call indicated no response on the other end. Our tracing system routed the call back to his apartment, but when we got there we saw no signs of a struggle. It looked like one of his drawers by the nightstand was hanging out slightly.

ALANA: Poor baby. (Comes up to Nick and kisses his forehead) Hey sweetie. You awake?

NICK: (Opens eyes weakly) I wondered how long it would take you to come running out here.

Alana strokes Nick’s forehead as the music plays to change scenes.

CUT TO: The Petterino household, where Giovanni still has the bat hanging over his head.

ANNABELLA: You’re not going to look like Barry Bonds, Dad. No matter how hard you try.

GIOVANNI: (Puts bat down and opens his arms) Bello Figlia, welcome home.

ROSE: (Coming down the stairs) What’s all the commotion… (turns to see Annabella) Oh my… Bella, honey.

ANNABELLA: (Hugging both parents) I missed you both. I couldn’t wait to get home.

GIOVANNI: I thought your flight wasn’t until tomorrow, honey.

ANNABELLA: I thought so, too.

ROSE: We need to make a pot of coffee. (Goes toward the kitchen)

ANNABELLA: Mom, I’m fine. I got some sleep on board the flight back. Don’t ask me how, but I did it.

ROSE: Well, we need some coffee. Don’t we, Giovanni?

GIOVANNI: Speak for yourself, mia moglie.

ANNABELLA: I was able to get an earlier flight to New York. Then I got my car out of storage and drove up here to Somerset. I figured I’d surprise you guys… I didn’t think you’d be asleep.

GIOVANNI: Oh, we weren’t asleep…

ANNABELLA: You weren’t… (realizes what she walked in on and covers her ears) Oh guys, more information than needed…

ROSE: (Changing the subject) How was the trip back?

ANNABELLA: Not bad. The nice thing about getting in the skies and getting back to America is no one knows who I am here. It’s only when I get to Italy that I become Annabella, the supermodel.

GIOVANNI: It’s not that bad, is it?

ANNABELLA: Naa. (Hears knock on door) Who could be… oh no, did I alert the police?

ROSE: You may have, I’ll check it out. (Opens door and sees Scott there) Lt. Garfield! Come on in…

SCOTT: Don’t mind if I do. I thought I’d check out the scene. The security company notified us there was an alarm tripped?

ANNABELLA: I’m afraid I tripped it.

(Scott turns to see Annabella’s smiling face and he smiles himself as the picture fades to black)

We’ll return to Somerset in just a moment.

SCENE THREE

Back at Somerset Hospital, Nick has awakened somewhat but is still very groggy. Patrick is looking Nick over.

PATRICK: I’d say we’re dealing with a concussion here, but I’m waiting for the diagnosis to come in from upstairs.

NICK: I feel like I fell from five stories.

PATRICK: Fell? (Leans down) By any chance, you didn’t fall out of bed, did you?

NICK: (Slowly nods) I didn’t think adults could fall out of bed, but I see it’s possible.

PATRICK: What the hell were you doing to make you fall out of bed?

NICK: Just a dream.

PATRICK: (Looks incredulous) You better have been dreaming about Jessica Alba to make you fall out of bed like that.

NICK: She wasn’t Jessica Alba, but damn close.

Alana comes in with the test results.

ALANA: Here you are, Patrick. I think your diagnosis is correct.

PATRICK: (Looks at the test results) Well, so it is. Mr. Barclay, you will be staying here tonight with us at the Skeleton Hotel. You’ll get room service, a free continental breakfast…

NICK: All the nurses fawning over me that I want?

ALANA: (Kisses Nick’s forehead) Especially that.

NICK: How long am I going to be out of commission?

PATRICK: You’ll be groggy for a day or so, then you should slowly improve. I’d say take it easy for a while, though.

NICK: Oh, don’t worry about that. I don’t plan on going anywhere.

The music builds as the picture changes back to the Petterino house.

SCOTT: Well, I’ll be damned… (Comes over to Annabella) Welcome home, Annabella.

ANNABELLA: (Gives Scott a huge hug and a kiss on the cheek) I can see you haven’t changed much.

SCOTT: It’s only been six months since you’ve been gone. What’d you think I’d do, shed the suit for something different?

ANNABELLA: Don’t change. Whatever you do, don’t change. We like you just the way you are.

SCOTT: I like myself the way I am, too. By the way, Annabella, was that your sportscar speeding through downtown.

ANNABELLA: (Gulps) Oh, boy. I didn’t think anyone was paying attention.

GIOVANNI: Annabella Petterino… (wags finger) What did we say about speeding with the car?

ANNABELLA: You never said anything, Dad.

GIOVANNI: (Checks finger) Well, so I didn’t. But you still know better.

SCOTT: I had an APB out on your vehicle because it was speeding through downtown Somerset. I canceled the APB just now.

ANNABELLA: Scott, I can make a donation to your favorite police charity and consider it a fine.

SCOTT: That would be… well, fine. Also let me take a good friend out for a drink when you’re up for it.

ANNABELLA: And a game of pool?

SCOTT: Pool it is. Listen, I don’t want to intrude on your welcome home, so I’ll let you celebrate in private.

ANNABELLA: I’ll hold you to that drink and a game of pool. Good to see you again.

ROSE: Bye, Lt. Garfield. (Watches the door shut) Some things never change, right, Annabella?

ANNABELLA: Mom. We’re just friends and we always have been.

Rose smiles as Annabella defends herself, and the picture fades to black. The Somerset credits roll.

Join us each weekday at this time for the continuing story of Somerset. And on many of these same computers, be sure to watch Genoa City, weekdays on SONBC. This program was pre-recorded.