All My Shadows

Thanks to Actor87 and oakdalelover for the amazing words of encouragement! Don't worry, oakdalelover, I've already begun work on the next ATWT story. It focuses mainly on the Hughes family and a new character who is related, by blood, to them. Here's part 3 of Luke and Kevin... AS THE WORLD TURNS "The Luke and Kevin Story" part 3 The ride home was even quieter than the ride there. Luke didn't know what to say, but if he did, Kevin didn't know how to answer him. They were both of so afraid of saying something that the other wouldn't like. They were scared to admit their feelings for each other even though those feelings were definitely known by now. Luke was shocked. It was like he won the lottery, but wasn't exactly sure if the numbers called out were really his. He knew there was a chance, but didn't think that there was a snowball's chance in hell that Kevin would return his feelings. How did Kevin feel about him, exactly? How long had Kevin been interested in him? Did Kevin dream about him every night? Did Kevin write his name on notebooks just so he could look at it? Did Kevin fall weak everytime he was around Luke? The backrub, Luke remembered. It was a ploy to get his attention, Kevin remembered himself. The backrub was an attempt to turn him on and the drinking was an attempt to get him drunk. Kevin hated himself for endangering the life of his best friend and biggest crush, but he was desperate. He needed to have Luke drunk in order to make out with him. Surely he couldn't have come right out and said it to Luke that he desired him, right? No way Luke could truly want him. But they were both proved wrong that afternoon, and as the moon started its nightly show of inspiring glow, no one speaked. Not a single word was uttered the entire way, except for the usual "See ya," when Kevin stopped in front of the Snyder home. "Wait," Luke said. "Bring me to my grandma Lucinda's house." ~~~~~~~~~ Lucinda was working away at her laptop computer in her living room when she heard the doorbell ring. She'd pretty much faded into the background at Worldwide Industries because of her cancer, but she planned an explosive return that would remind each and every one of her colleagues that Lucinda Walsh was, and would always be, a force to be reckoned with. "Come in, dahling, come in!" she said to Luke when he appeared in her doorway. "Come in from the dark. These days, anybody's bound to be made into a hamburger by some deranged killer!" "Oh, it's nice to see you're back to being yourself, Grandma," Luke said, smiling. They made their way into the living room and sat down. Lucinda wait straight back to her work, leaving Luke to sit there watching her. She looked at him and realized that she was neglecting the poor boy. La Walsh turned off her computer and gave him her full attention. "What can I help you with tonight, my good boy?" she asked. "Well," Luke began, "I really don't know how to say this. I'm still a little bit stunned." "Stunned? Dahling, what's got you stunned? You're not having problems with your mother, are you?" "No, no, it's not Mom. Actually, I think things are getting a little better between me and her." "Really? Because you know how stubborn she can be." "Yeah, I really think so. I think if I just give her a little bit more time, she'll finally be able to just get over it and realize that I'm not some kind of freak and that I'm still me," Luke said. "Yes, dear, you're still you," Lucinda said, with a pinch at Luke's cheeks. "Now what's the problem. What brought you here tonight at eight o'clock? Isn't it time for that show you kids are all crazy about? What is it, 'American Idol'?" Luke laughed. "Kevin hates 'American Idol.'" Lucinda pretended to laugh along with him, but she couldn't help but ask. "Kevin? Who is this Kevin? Is he a little friend of yours?" she asked, nudging Luke's shoulder. He smiled, but started to shake his head 'no.' "That's...well that's part of my problem." "Well, I'm all ears. Go ahead." Lucinda was genuinely interested in what was going on in her grandson's life. "Okay...now it's going to sound like I made this whole thing up, but I swear, it's all true." He cleared his throat and began to recount the story. "Today, my friend Kevin and I went up to his parents' cabin up by Lake Michigan, and we spend the whole day there. As a matter of fact, we just got back. But anyway, we spent the whole day up there, and well...Kevin doesn't know that I'm gay." "Oh," Lucinda said. "And you thought today would be the perfect time to tell him." "Yes! Yes!" Luke exclaimed. "Exactly! But I was so nervous about him hating me, and then we were in the middle of nowhere basically, and if I told him that I was gay and he didn't like it, knowing Kevin he would have just left with the car and just had me stranded out there with nachos and 'I Love Lucy.'" "Wha? Nachos and what?" "Oh it's a long story." "Ah, yes. But you're here now, so obviously your friend reacted better than you thought he would. I mean, you did tell him, right?" "Not exactly," Luke continued, now with a little smirk of remembrance. "So we were outside in the little pond swimming a race, and he beat me, of course. He's the fastest swimmer this side of Bay City." There was a brightness in his eyes when he said that, showing that he was proud. "And he started doing this little victory dance." "Ha ha, he did a victory dance, did he? I'm guessing you were the real winner in all of that, ha?" Lucinda commented, again nudging. Luke loved his grandmother. Her sense of humor was her trademark. She wasn't necessarily a dirty old lady, because, in Luke's eyes, she wasn't dirty and she wasn't old. She was Grandma Lucinda, and she rocked. "Well, you can say that. I got up out of the water and then he wrestled me down to the ground." "Sounds rough!" "Yeah, I thought so too, but then he started playing this little power game with me. He wanted me to surrender all of my defense...and then, I just let go. I stopped fighting him back. And then we just looked into each other's eyes, and then..." Lucinda was holding her breath, but Luke's pause made her gasp for air. "And then?! What happened then?!" "We kissed." Lucinda slapped one hand into the other, stood up, yanked Luke into the air with her and gave him a hug. "I knew it! Didn't I tell you a long time ago that everything was going to be all right?!" "Everything's going to be all right? What are you talking about? Nothing's all right now! I mean, I have my mom on my back all day and night, my sisters keep asking me what's wrong, rumors are starting to circulate about me at school, I have a screwed up kidney, I'm a borderline alcoholic, and now, to top it all off, I just forced my best friend in the whole entire world to be gay." "You hold on one minute, young man! This Kevin something-or-other didn't do anything that he didn't want to do. Now didn't you tell me that he had you pinned down on the ground? Did he resist your little liplock?" "No, but - " "Aha, exactly," she said. She ran her hand down the side of his face. "You know, you're so unlike your mother, it's funny. She was always sure of herself growing up, even now, you have to tell her something a million times before she believes that it's true." "I just don't want to make Kevin do something that he doesn't want to do. He'll hate me for sure." "Dahling, stoop saying that. No one is going to hate you. Now all you did was kiss - and it takes two people to kiss, by the way - so it's not like he's going to be traumatized for his whole life. What happened afterwards?" "Nothing, nothing at all. It was getting dark by the time it happened, so we just got up off of the ground and he said that we should work on getting back home. We packed everything up and came back to Oakdale. We didn't say a thing the whole ride back." "Well, you're going to call him right?" Luke smiled as if he wasn't confident in himself. "I don't know if that's the right thing to do." "Well, dear, when I was a teenager, if some handsome young man like yourself kissed me in a fit of love, I'd be sitting by the phone, just waiting for him to give me a ring. I have no doubt that this Kevin is at home doing the same thing." "No, I kinda doubt that. If anything, he's probably just getting home to hear his parents trying to break each other's necks. His father just moved back in after he got laid off from his job and things aren't going to well for them." "Well there you go. He needs you more than anything right now. Apparently, you're what's keeping him sane." Luke shrugged. "But don't you think you're jumping to conclusions? Two little kisses don't mean anything." "TWO little kisses?! Well, that just opens another can of worms!" Lucinda started to strut around the room. "He obviously planned for it to happen. He pinned you down on the ground for a reason and he's probably just as confused about the whole thing as you are. You need to call him. You're going to promise me that you'll call him." "I don't know..." "Call him! You won't regret it!" She put her hands around his face. He couldn't let her down. She cared for him too much for him to go and let her down. "All right, I'll call, I'll call. I'll call him tomorrow." "And maybe the two of you can meet somewhere?" "No, now that is where I draw the line." "But you want to see him, don't you? How about this - you tell your mommy and daddy that you're coming here to visit me and you get your friend to come here and the two of you can have the guesthouse to yourselves." "Grandma!" Luke exclaimed. "To talk! You can have the guesthouse to talk, or you could walk in the garden perhaps. Whatever makes the two of you happy. Come on, do it. For me?" She looked at him again with those eyes. So innocent, so sweet, but so intimidating. He loved her to death. "All right, I'll do it," Luke said as he started for the door. "I'll call Kevin and invite him over and we'll talk. But you have to promise, you won't eavesdrop or try to interrupt us." "I promise, I promise." She opened the door for him to leave but realized something. "Dahling, how exactly are you getting home?" Luke turned back to her and smiled. "I told Kevin to leave the engine running." "That's my boy!" Lucinda exclaimed. TO BE CONTINUED

Thanks for the comment, Actor87! I've been thinking about doing a regular fan fic featuring all of the characters for a while, but I just feel so uninspired sometimes (while at other times, I have ideas to last a year). I tried that with AMC a few months ago, but as you can see, that didn't work out too well. I think I like this idea more, because I can update whenever I have a decent amount of stuff to add and I like that whenever I decide to finish this story, I can move on to other characters and soaps. I already have ideas for an AMC story and another ATWT story in my head. Here's part two of the current story... AS THE WORLD TURNS "The Luke and Kevin Story" - Part 2 The drive up to the Davis's cabin was uneventful so far. Gwen Norbeck's recently recorded demo tape provided the soundtrack for the trip, so hardly any words were spoken on the way. Everytime Luke tried to look at the young man that he had been in love with for so long, his nerves took over and he quickly turned to face the road ahead of him. There was a determination about Kevin that Luke couldn't get enough of. When he first confirmed his feelings, it was after seeing that determination in Kevin's eyes as they raced out to a large rock off the shore of the lake. Kevin won and did a little celebratory dance, unknowingly shaking what his mother gave him in Luke's face, giving his friend an eyeful. Luke laughed out loud at the memory. Kevin looked over at him and joined him in the laughter. "What's so funny?" he asked. "Ah, nothing, just thinking about something. Thinking about the last time I was really happy," Luke responded. "Between my mom's boyfriend and my kidney and the drinking and Jade, I don't think I've been really happy since last summer." Kevin nodded and smiled the million dollar smile that Luke always saw in his dreams. "Well, today we'll change that. I mean it. I owe it to you, Luke. I put you through a lot of pressure earlier this year and I'm sorry, I really am. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have such a screwed up relationship with your parents." "Nah, it's not all your fault. It's a lot of my own troubles too, but hopefully that'll all be put in the past, you know? People change, they grow up. I think my parents realize that I'm not the kid I was in the winter and neither are you." "Yep!" Kevin exclaimed. "We're not kids anymore, we're men! Think about it, when we go back to Oakdale Latin, we're going to be seniors! We'll be able to get all the girls we want." Luke had his guard down and was hit by Kevin's comment. Why was Kevin interested in girls when I've been his best friend for ten years, he thought. Maybe this was all a big mistake. For a second, he wanted to just forget about it all and not come out to Kevin, but he had his mind set on it now and it was something he had to do. Nothing was going to stop him now. ~~~~~~~~~ "This place is a dump!" Kevin yelled when they pulled up at the cabin. "My dad told me that it was right on the coast, but I think the five miles through the woods that we just drove prove him wrong." "I don't think it's that bad," Luke said, admiring the subtle majesty of the small cabin. He looked towards the side of it. "Look, there's a small pond out back. That's better than the shark-infested lake anyway." "Yeah, I guess," Kevin said. "Let's get our stuff inside." Together, they hauled in a twelve pack box of sodas, several bags of chips and cans of dip, a portable grill and all of the fixings for a summer picnic. When they were finally finished bringing the items in, they were both worn out and tired. "I would take a shower, but I don't know if there's enough water to last that long," Kevin said. "Yeah, I could do with one myself," Luke agreed. Kevin went to the window overlooking the pond. "You think that pond's clean?" he asked. Luke joined him in the window. "Should be. The one on our farm is pretty nice." "Good," Kevin said. He walked outside and instantly was in Luke's vision outside the window. He took off his shirt and pants. "What are you doing?" Luke said, laughing. "Taking advantage of this nice pond here. I'm not dirty, I took a bath before we left. I just need to soak in some cool water." Luke smiled as Kevin removed his shoes and socks. He was now naked to the core, with the exceptions of his swimming shorts and underwear. "You think anybody's going to notice if I do it in the buff?" "Yeah, someone's going to notice, me!" Luke joked. "Then maybe you should join me," Kevin replied. He jumped into the pond and floated around gracefully. It was enough to make Luke burst an aneurysm, even if he didn't have any. "Come on, the water's fine. It's cold, but it's not icy." Luke wanted desperately to say yes, but he didn't trust himself enough. He didn't want to do this now and then later, when he would tell Kevin everything, have his best friend question his motives. "Nah, I don't think it's such a good idea. I've been feeling a little feverish lately." "Of course," Kevin said. "I swear, Snyder, you've had every illness in the book." Suddenly, Luke noticed a mass of black cloth floating in the pond. "Hey, what's that behind you?" he asked. "What do you think it is, Einstein? I told you I was going all the way with this!" Luke nodded and forced a grin. He walked around inside the cabin to take his mind away from his naked crush. Giving himself a personal tour of the place, he moseyed down a very short hall. There were three doors, two on the left and one on the right. The right side door was a small bathroom, which seemed to be equipped with plumbing. The first door on the left was a small closet. The third door seemed to have a little hallway of its own. Luke walked through the door and quickly realized that it was a bedroom that wrapped around so that it was in the path of the hallway. The cabin looked small on the outside, but Luke definitely understood that looks could be deceiving. Inside the bedroom, there was a vanity, with some of Mrs. Davis's makeup on it. On the far side of the room, there was a door that led to the bathroom, and right there in the middle up against the wall was a double bed. It showed signs of use, as the sheets were wrinkled and carelessly thrown over the mattress, probably by someone who was in a hurry to leave. Whatever the case, Luke liked the feel of the cabin. There was an intimacy in it that a regular house didn't hold. It was not unlike his great-grandfather Cal Stricklyn's, which sat on the Snyder property and had been most recently occupied by Jade. Luke brought himself back to the living room and went to the window. Kevin was no longer in the pond and his clothes had been picked up, so he must have been out there somewhere drying off. But then, startling Luke, Kevin came through the front door without a thing to cover his body. Luke, shocked at first, quickly covered his eyes. "Kevin!" he cried out. "Give me a break, Snyder!" Kevin said, in his cheery voice. It was innocent yet had a mystery in it. It reminded Luke of the TV character Eddie Haskell. "It's not like I have something you don't." Luke slowly parted his fingers over his eyes and looked down. Inside, he laughed. Yes, Kevin, he thought, you definitely have something that I don't. "Did you have to come in here stark naked?" "I forgot to bring a towel out with me, and I couldn't dry off with a leaf, could I?" Luke didn't care for the reason, he was just thankful for this moment. It was completely shallow and maybe a bit perverted, but he didn't care. After the hell he'd been through the last year, he deserved to be a pervert for a while. ~~~~~~~~~ Hours had passed, literally. Those were hours that were filled with the two teenagers trying their hand at cooking, fishing, bird watching (they were desperate), and watching old reruns on the black and white TV in the cabin. Luke didn't know when the perfect moment would be to talk to Kevin. In his mind, he had the scenario set up. There'd be a fire in the fireplace (even though it was the middle of summer), and they'd both be on the sofa in front of it. He'd look over at Kevin and just say the three words that he had longed to say. "I love you." But he knew it wouldn't happen like that. It was now 4:15 in the afternoon and Kevin was getting restless. "You know, I think there's a big rock out there in the pond," he said. "Bet you I'll beat you to it in a race." Luke swallowed a big blob of air. "What?" "I said I bet you I can beat you out there to that rock in the pond!" The excitement took over Luke. "Oh really?" he asked. "You remember what happened last time, Snyder!" Kevin exclaimed. "I'll beat you again and defend my title as the fastest swimmer this side of Bay City!" "We'll just see about that!" Luke replied. "Come on!" They laughed and taunted each other all the way out to the pond, playfully pushing each other. To Luke's surprise, Kevin dropped down to nothing again. That's it, Luke thought, I lost. I can't take the distraction. Luke himself only got down to his swimming shorts. They both jumped into the water and situated themselves right next to the shore. "On your mark," Kevin said. "Get set," Luke continued. "Go!" they both hollered, and off they went. Kevin's technique caused water to fly as high as the sun while Luke's style was more modest. Nevertheless, Luke allowed Kevin to beat him again, if only just to relive that one special moment. "2-4-6-8! Who do I appreciate? Luke Snyder, Luke Snyder, yeah, Luke Snyder!" Kevin sang and danced. Luke looked up at him on the grass as he himself stayed in the water. He looked at Kevin's legs, firm from the years and years of sports and activity. He looked at the back, which was pretty much the same way. Kevin had it all, Luke thought. And I need to have him. Luke lifted himself out of the pond and up on the ground. Suddenly, Kevin, who had his underwear on again, tackled him to the ground. "Who's the winner?" he asked aggresively but jokingly. "Who owns you?!" "You do!" Luke responded. It was like some sort of dream that he had had night after night. "What's my name?!" "Kevin! Kevin! Your name's Kevin!" Luke continued to scream. This was too surreal! Kevin pinned him down and they were face to face, only an three and a half inches separating their mouths and eyes. Luke looked into Kevin's eyes and knew that it was right. He knew that he was the luckiest young man in the world. Completely and utterly doubtless, Luke reached his head up and his lips met Kevin's. They savored each other. Figuratively speaking, Kevin's lips were lips of wine. Luke, his eyes closed and his mind in another world, reveled in his happiness. Here he was, on the ground behind a cabin in the woods, making out with his best friend, the guy he had been in love with for who knows how long. Last year was only a realization for him. It was then that he admitted it to himself that he loved Kevin, but he knew that the feelings he had for him had existed long before then. Kevin, in his own mind, was proud of himself. It worked, he thought. And this is the perfect payoff. All of the months of teasing Luke and subtly seducing him have worked. No one stood between us. Not Holden, not Lily, not that pathetic bitch Jade. We're destined. It was even more a testament to their connection when they both broke the kiss at the same time. "Kevin," Luke said, "I love you." "I love you too, Snyder," Kevin replied, hardly able to catch his breath. "I love you, Kevin," Luke repeated. "As long as the world turns, I will love you." And at that moment, they could do nothing but kiss again. TO BE CONTINUED...

Well, my first idea of regular blog-writting quickly died, but I remembered this thing and had a feeling that I'd think of something to bring it back to life. Well, while I was having one of my "Damn it, I love ATWT to death!" moments, I just started writing away and came up with a little story about Luke and Kevin. I wrote a pretty good bit of it already, and I decided to post some of it here to see what you all think. Make some comments! If I'm motivated enough, I'll finish the story out and post it all here, and I might even move on to some other characters or maybe go and do something with AMC. Whatever the case, let me know what you think! This takes place in July of this year and follows what would happen if Damian didn't show up in town. The main characters are, for now, Luke, Kevin, Holden, and Lily, but as time goes on, Emma and Lucinda play major parts. Other characters are mentioned and might pop up a couple of times, mainly Will, Gwen, and Jade. Kevin's parents will also be included a lot. And some parts might be a little dull, but hey, I was in one of my moments! AS THE WORLD TURNS "The Luke and Kevin Story" Luke Snyder sat at a table at Java, mulling over where his life was going. It had been two months since he told his family and friends that he was gay. Unfortunately, the first person he told was Jade, who milked the situation for all it was worth. But now Jade was stuck working at the library and living somewhere that was unknown to Luke. Luckily, he uncared. Looking up, he saw his former best friend Kevin Davis enter the cafe. Kevin was one of the few people who did not know. The only ones who did know were Jade, Luke's parents Holden and Lily, his grandmothers Lucinda and Emma, and his friends Will and Gwen. Luke knew it would probably be extremely hard to tell Kevin the news because it was his love for Kevin that convinced him he was gay. He knew he had to tell him sooner or later, and, more than anything, he wanted to make sure Kevin heard it straight from him and not in the halls at school. Luke knew it was now or never. Almost instantly, Kevin joined Luke at his table. "How's it been going?" he asked in that almost always cheery voice of his. "Things could be better," Luke said, hoping Kevin wouldn't inquire any further. "You sound like you could use a vacation, my friend!" Kevin announced. "What do you say me and you hang out sometime. I mean, your parents have to be over the drinking stuff right?" Luke sighed. "I don't think that's such a good idea. So long, Kevin." He got up and started to leave, but Kevin stopped him right outside the building. "Come on, old pal, it could be like old times. My parents are out of town for the whole summer and they left me the keys to their cabin up by the lake. We can drive out there tomorrow morning, do some swimming, just hang out. Maybe we can find some chicks." Luke thought for a moment. This would be the perfect opportunity to come out to Kevin, and he knew it. Would his parents go for it? He smiled at Kevin. "All right, I'm in." "Ah, I knew you'd say yes! It was the chicks wasn't it? That's what changed your mind!" Luke forced a smile this time without answering. ~~~~~~~~~ "Absolutely not," Lily said, and she meant it. It was she, Holden, and Luke in the Snyder living room and Luke had just asked for permission to go on the trip with Kevin. "That boy is the main reason why you were sick in the first place!" "Actually," Luke said with snark, "I got sick from when I stowed away on your boyfriend's plane." "Don't you dare bring Keith into this," Lily snapped back. She softened her voice a little. "Kevin got you drunk how many times? We can't trust him anymore. There's no telling what kind of stuff he's in to now! Drugs, maybe?" "Kevin's not like that," Luke persisted. "He's changed a lot. He hasn't had a drink since spring." He looked at Holden, who stood behind Lily, with pleading eyes. Holden caught Luke's glance, and deep down he knew what was going on. "What time do you guys plan to be back?" Holden asked. Lily turned and looked at him with astonishment. Luke replied, "We'll leave right when it starts to get dark." "And there'll be no alcohol at all?" Holden asked. "None what-so-ever." "And you guys will behave yourselves, right? You'll keep the Davis's place in order?" "Of course. We're not little kids anymore." Holden shrugged at Lily as he took some money from his wallet. "Here," he said to Luke, "here's twenty bucks in case you guys get hungry on the way back. It's enough for a burger joint, I guess." Luke looked Holden in the eye again. He knew that Holden knew, so he smiled and accepted the offer. "So you mean I can go?" "Yeah, sure, why not? Just be back before 10:00 and all of that. And no alcohol!" Holden said. "Thanks, Dad, I really mean it," Luke graciously thanked before going up to his room to start planning for the next day. Lily was ready to take Holden's head off. "Why did you just do that?" she asked him. "You don't trust Kevin Davis anymore than I do." "Well, you heard Luke. He said Kevin's changed. He sees him more than we do, so we kinda have to take his word for it." Lily exhaled briskly. "I swear, if that kid does anything to our son, I will personally make sure he has no contact with Luke ever." Holden looked at her and knew she was serious. ~~~~~~~~~ Later that day, Luke went to pick his little sisters up from the Snyder farm, owned and operated by Holden's mother Emma. Emma had a slightly hard time understanding Luke when he came out. She had always had a certain set of values and morals in her mind, but slowly she realized that in order to accept her grandson and love him for who he truly was, she would have to learn to change her feelings. By the time Luke went to pick up Faith and Natalie that day, Emma was completely supportive of his life. "Hello, Grandma," he said to her when he entered through the kitchen. "Oh, hello, my dear one," she greeted enthusiastically, rushing from the stove to give him a big hug. "How has your day been, darling?" Luke grinned. "It started off a little dull, but I think it's going to be okay." "Aw, that's nice to hear. Your Aunt Meg's upstairs with the girls getting them ready to go home, so they might be a while. Would you like to talk about anything?" Emma's voice was so sure and honest to Luke that he couldn't resist. "Yeah, as a matter of fact, I do have something to talk about." Within in minutes, they were on the Snyder porch with some fresh homemade lemonade. "Now what is it you want to talk about?" Luke hesitated. "Well...you remember how I told you that I was...gay, right?" Of course she remembered, he thought, but he couldn't think of another way to bring up the subject. "Yes, I do," Emma said, trying to let him know that she held nothing against him. "Well, my friend, Kevin, he asked me to go up to the lake with him tomorrow and spend the day up there." "Oh..." "Yeah, and he doesn't know about me yet." There was something about saying the word gay to his grandmother that just rubbed Luke the wrong way. "And at first I wasn't going to go, because I didn't think that I could be there and spend the whole day with him and - " "You didn't want something out of your control to happen." "Right!" Luke exclaimed, surprised that she understood the situation. "But then I decided that maybe I should go. And use it as a chance to tell him everything." "Well," Emma began, "you know I'm used to giving advice about love to your father and your aunts and uncles, and for a while, I've wondered what I would say when you yourself would come to me for romantic advice, but after days of thinking about it, I decided that love is love no matter who it's between, and we all share the same type of problems. Right?" "Yeah, I guess." "Well, then. I think you should tell Kevin exactly how you feel. If he's really the friend that you think he is, he'll understand. I'm not saying that he'll be accepting at the very beginning, but he'll come around. If it doesn't happen that way, then maybe it's for the better that he walks out of your life." Luke looked at her and knew that she was right. She always was. ~~~~~~~~~ It was 3:45AM. Luke was downstairs in the kitchen looking for something to snack. He needed something to relieve his nerves. He did not know how he was going to approach Kevin at the beach or what he would say. He was thinking about cancelling the trip altogether when he heard someone stirring in the living room. Soon after, Holden was with him in the kitchen. "Is something wrong?" Holden asked his son. "Are you feeling okay?" Luke looked up at him. "I'm fine." Holden remembered the problem. "You're worried about telling Kevin that you're gay." "Can you blame me? How am I going to tell my best friend that I'm gay?" "And that you love him." Luke gulped hard. "So you figured it out?" "It wasn't hard to figure out. Way back before you even told your mother and me, I had a feeling in my mind. You spent so much time with him and you cared so much about him. I knew something had to be up." "I don't know why I feel the way I do about him. I mean, the guy almost turned me into an alcoholic and he made me go against your wishes, but there's just something about him that I can't shake. The way I feel when I'm around him...I just feel weak, but in a good way." "Aw, come here," Holden said, hugging his son. "Just take a little time and listen to what your grandma said." Luke stepped back. "How do you know what she said? Did you call her or something?" "Yeah, I told her about your little dilemma and she said she'd be of help for ya." "Thanks for everything," Luke said, hugging his father again. ~~~~~~~~~ The next morning, Luke was about to walk out the door to wait for Kevin out in the driveway. He was hoping not to bump into his mother on his way out, but he couldn't be so lucky. Lily was in the living room when he came downstairs and had to stop him. "Have a good time," she said. "Do you really mean that?" he asked her bitingly. "Of course I do! I want you to enjoy yourself. You haven't had a good day to unwind in Lord knows how long," Lily replied sincerely. She took him into a hug. "I know you've been through a lot over the last year, and I know I've been at fault for a lot of it, but I promise I can change," she said. "You're my son and I love you." "I love you too, Mom," he said. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and bid her farewell. "I'll see you guys tonight. Tell Faith and Natalie that I love them." "Definitely. Bye, Luke." TO BE CONTINUED...

Tuesday, February 7, 2006 ACT ONE Palmer Cortlandt Jr, aka PC Cortlandt, is sitting on the steps at the boathouse. He wants to know who it is calling his cell phone. On the other end, Sam asks for Lily again. PC says that Lily can't come to the phone, but he could leave a message. Sam, a little shocked, asks who it is he is speaking to. PC introduces himself and says that he is Lily's new boyfriend. Sam angrily slams down the phone. At the Valley Inn, Erica shows up for a lunch date with Jackson. Erica asks how Jack's day has been and he unenthusiastically says that it's been fine. Erica notes this and wants the truth. Jack spills that he misses his true love. Erica says that she's right there, but Jack says that he means practicing law. Erica understands. She says that her own work life has been a little messy lately too. Between the problems with Amanda and Josh and the pressure she's getting from the network, she doesn't know what to do. The doorbell at the Chandler mansion rings. Adam, coming down from the stairs, opens the door and is delighted by the presence of Brooke. Brooke tells him not to be too happy to see her, she's there for business. They go into the living room and continue their talk. Adam pours himself some wine and asks Brooke that if she didn't wake up with a mad desire to be near him, whatever could she be there for? Brooke says that she wants to interview him for Tempo. Adam chokes on his wine. ACT TWO. Brooke slaps Adam on the back, telling him not to panic. She wants to interview him about the warning signs of heart problems. Adam laughs at what he sees as a unbelievable excuse to get next to him. Brooke threatens to leave if he doesn't take her seriously. Adam apologizes and asks what on earth made Brooke think of him for heart disease. Brooke explains that it has to do with his stubborness to listen to her last year and how it turned out to be much more. Adam brushes her off, saying that there's nothing wrong with his heart. At the Inn, Jack is kicking himself. He says that he wishes he could have found a way to save Bianca, Kendall, and Reggie during the Cambias trial while also saving himself. Maybe he would still be district attorney. Erica disagrees, but listens. He goes on to say that his ruthless efforts to help his family out always come back to bite him in the rear end. Erica says that Jack is the most selfless man she knows and that everything he does, he does it for others. She tells him that his good deeds will be rewarded someway, somehow. PC is sitting on the railing at the boathouse, playing with Lily's cell phone. She approaches him and asks if anyone's called for her while she was gone. He says yes, that some crazy guy called. Lily is worried. She wonders if Jonathan Lavery has found out her number and is trying to kill her again. PC tells her that Jonathan Lavery is locked up in a mental institution and that he can't hurt anyone now. He comforts her and she smiles again. She hopes that whoever it was that called will call again, just as the phone rings. She answers it, but when Sam greets her, she is speechless. ACT THREE Janet is fluttering around her penthouse, Erica's old place, gently brushing dust off of the countertops and straightening up the furniture. She fixes her hair in the mirror just as the doorbell rings. She goes to answer it and sees Krystal there. She says that she wasn't expecting her so soon. Krystal barges in. Janet asks if she can get her anything, but Krystal says no. Krystal says that she needs Janet's help with Babe and JR. Upon mention of Babe's name, Janet's face goes sour, but she remembers that she's trying to be friendly now. She asks what she can do. Krystal goes on to say that she doesn't trust JR as far as she could throw him, even though that's pretty far. She doesn't want her baby doll to be tied up with JR again, and wants Janet to help her break them up. Janet laughs. She says that the only person who could get Babe to leave JR is Jamie. Krystal nods and Janet frowns. Sam asks Lily if she's still there on the phone. Lily says hello, but is frozen. Sam goes on to tell Lily that he's back in town and that he's changed and that he's still sorry for calling her stupid. Lily "mhm"s and nods awkwardly as PC looks on. She tells Sam that she has to go. Sam asks if they could meet together soon because he really wants to see her again and make it up to her. Lily says that she will get back to him and hangs up. At the boathouse, PC is surprised. He wants to know if Lily is playing a game on him and this other guy. Lily explains that she isn't playing a game with him, and that Sam is her old boyfriend. Brooke tries to convince Adam that his body is getting older and that he's brain is suffering from years of neverending stress. Adam snidely comments that everyone he knows has been going through years of stress. Brooke says that that's beside the point. She tells him that if he does this interview it could help other stubborn old men like him when it happens to them. Adam looks at her and his never-ending admiration for her wins. He agrees to the interview. Brooke goes on to tells him to call her whenever he has to time do the interview, but Adam suggests that they do it over a nice dinner for two. Brooke warns him that if he tries anything funny with her, she'll gladly use everything she knows about Chandler Enterprises against him in Tempo. Adam asks her why she can never take a joke. Erica and Jack are eating, as Erica talks about her problems at work. She tells him about all of the little mistakes that have gone on, and wonders if Josh isn't the root of all of the problems. Jack says that she should give Josh a little slack. He's new to the industry and Jack knows that when Erica was new to modeling and all of her other business ventures, she was just as lost. Erica says that she was more conniving than lost. She remembers her days of playing mattress tag with Jeff Martin and Jason Maxwell while pining for Phil Brent the whole time. Good times, she says they were, but the good times are spoiled when Greg appears in the dining room. ACT FOUR Erica rises and greets Greg. Greg asks Erica how she's been and how Kendall and the baby are doing. Erica says that everything with everyone is fine. So fine, in fact, that they're having a dinner party soon. Greg asks for what ocassion, and after a little thought, Erica decides it's to celebrate her family's good fortune. Greg says that he imagines he'd not be welcome anywhere around the festivities, but Erica surprises him. She invites him to the dinner party, making Jack do a double take. Erica tells Greg to be there. Greg happily obliges the invitation. Erica slips back down into her seat. Jack asks her what that was all about. Janet says that Jamie is happy Amanda now and that he'd never jeopardize that for Babe. Krystal says that it's obvious Jamie has no feelings for Amanda. He's just using her as a way to get over losing Babe. Janet tells her that she must be joking. Why would Jamie need to get over Babe? After she lied to him time after time? Krystal reminds Janet that Amanda isn't exactly saint, after all, she did accept JR's money to break Babe and Jamie apart. Janet says that Amanda has put the past behind her. Krystal says that Babe has done the same. Janet agrees, saying that Babe's past is Jamie, and he's definitely behind her now. Krystal is upset. She tells Janet that she thought they would be friends, but obviously she was wrong. She storms out. Janet smiles. She wonders why Krystal ever thought they'd be friends, after the way Babe has treated Amanda in the past. Lily is explaining her relationship with Sam to PC. She tells him how Sam was the only boy who tried to understand her autism spectrum disorder, but PC corrects her. He's trying to understand her disorder too. Lily continues, saying that Sam started to focus on hating Zach Slater instead of on her and she thought that was wrong. Then she tells PC about Sam calling her stupid and trying to have sex with her. PC gets angered. He tells Lily that he would never try anything like that with her. She thanks him and says that she thinks she wants to hug him. PC asks if she really wants to and she says she's sure of it. They hug. ACT FIVE At the mansion, Brooke has left and Adam is reading some reports in the library. Mary shows up. She asks Adam how he's been the last few days because, oddly, it seems as if he's been avoiding her. Adam says that he probably was. Mary takes this as a joke. She says that she couldn't help but hearing him on the phone earlier in the day, talking to a sculpter. Adam says that yes, he's getting a bust of his head done to be put into the library. Mary subtly compliments Adam's physical features, such as his cheekbones and nose. Adam tells her to get to the point of leave. She says that she wants to do the job and that she'll do it for free. Adam guffaws. Prices don't mean a thing to him and if Mary did the job for free, it still wouldn't be worth what he'd pay her. Mary begs and pleads with Adam to let her try. If he isn't satisfied with her work, he can get another one made. He agrees, saying that he's letting the women in his life get the best of him. She asks what he means, and he tells her about Brooke. Mary is annoyed. Erica explains to Jack that the dinner party is her latest idea to get to Greg. Jack sighs. Erica goes on to tell him that she's determined to know why he's obsessed with what was going on in Pine Valley 35 years ago. Jack says that he wants Erica to leave Greg alone before she gets hurt, but Erica says that if she doesn't pump Greg for truth, she'll get hurt regardless. She tells Jack that she's going to use Myrtle to get the truth out of him. After the way Myrtle bonded with Zach, she's sure the old lady will work on Greg. Jack shakes his head in dispprovement, but asks when this dinner party will be held. starring (in order of seniority) Susan Lucci as Erica Kane Julia Barr as Brooke English David Canary as Adam Chandler Kate Collins as Janet Dillon Walt Willey as Jack Montgomery Anna Stuart as Mary Smythe Bobbie Eakes as Krystal Carey Leven Rambin as Lily Montgomery Bobby Steggert as Sam Grey Ian Buchanan as Greg Madden Jake Weary as PC Cortlandt

Monday, February 6, 2006 ACT ONE Zach shows up at BJs for a cup of coffee and spots Julia already enjoying one. She asks him to join her, and he does. She asks how things have been in his life lately and he tells her about his and Kendall's upcoming remarriage. Julia laughs, joking that Zach will now become another victim of Kendall's twisted emotions. Zach tells her that she may be right. At her condo, Kendall is attempting to scramble eggs, but burns them in the process. She tells her unborn child to get used to eating take out. While cleaning up the mess, she is surprised when Ryan comes to her front door. Babe and Krystal are sitting on the Chandler patio drinking tea. Babe is gushing about Little Adam's latest happenings, including some of the not-so-good words he's picked up from his grandfather. Krystal laughs and says she can't wait until the two of them get to have the little boy all to themselves. Babe tells her that she's not too sure that'll ever happen. Across town, Joe is kissing Ruth goodbye on his way to the hospital. She tells him about the call she got from Jeff and that he's doing well and is thinking about coming back to Pine Valley. Joe is surprised, but thinks it would be great to have Jeff around again. Just as he opens the front door to leave, Sam rings the doorbell with luggage at his side. ACT TWO Joe and Ruth welcome Sam into their home, giving him hugs and kisses. They sit down and start talking. Sam explains to them that he and Maria had a discussion back in California and decided that it would be best if Sam came back to Pine Valley to bond with his mother's side of the family. He says that his mother wanted him to stay with Tad, but he wanted to stay with Mr. and Mrs. Martin themselves, his great-grandparents. Ruth and Joe tell him that he is very welcome to stay with them as Joe leaves for work. Julia asks Zach if he's found Kendall in the company of another man yet. Zach tells her no, but whenever she's around Ryan he senses an undeniable attraction between the two of them. Julia laughs. Zach continues to explain that he knows it's just because of the baby, but he's worried that they might get too close because of the baby. Ryan tells Kendall that he's taken the whole day off from work at Cambias to take her shopping for baby stuff at Lacey's. Kendall refuses at first, telling him that if she misses another day at Fusion, things will be ruined beyond repair. He tells her to give Danielle some credit and to go with him. Kendall tells him that Zach wouldn't like it, but he says that it's just two old friends having fun together. Kendall finds it hard to resist and goes to get dressed. Krystal thinks Babe is kidding. Babe tells her that now that she and JR are talking about remarriage, she's fallen back in love with him. Krystal tells her that it's just her heart playing tricks on her and that she must keep her eyes on getting back Little Adam. Babe says that it's much more than that. She says that she feels that JR loves her too and that she has a second chance to prove to him that she can be a good wife and mother. Just as she says this, JR appears from the house. ACT THREE JR tells Babe that she doesn't have to prove anything to him, he already knows that she loves him. Krystal says that she has to go talk to Winifred about her pillows being too fluffy, leaving Babe and JR alone. JR asks what that was all about and Babe quickly tells him that it was nothing. She tells him that the previous night was the best sleep she's had in a long time because it was the first time she slept in the same bed with him since their first marriage. JR returns the compliments and they kiss. Krystal watches from the living room and winces in disgust. Adam sneaks up on her and agrees with her wincing. He tells her that he's happy to see she's finally realizes how horrible Babe and JR are for each other. Krystal warns Adam that JR better not be working Babe in any way. Adam tells her that JR is too bewitched by Babe to even think about working her over. Krystal says that if Babe gets hurt by JR again, she'll take matters into her own hands. At Lacey's, Kendall and Ryan are shopping for baby clothes. Ryan holds up an atrocious outfit, sure that Kendall would like it for their son. Kendall laughs at him, making the mood light and cheery. They pass by the Fusion counter and start talking about the perfume. Ryan sprays some of it and smells it, saying that it reminds him of Greenlee. ACT FOUR At BJs, Julia asks Zach why he thinks Ryan and Kendall are getting too close. Julia's sure that Ryan's smart enough not to fall for Kendall all over again. Zach tells her that he isn't sure what it is, but he feels something between Ryan and Kendall. Julia tells him to stop feeling sorry for himself and to lighten up. Though she doesn't like her, Julia knows that when Kendall sets her sights on a man, she rarely lets someone else come between them. Zach reluctantly accepts Julia's advice and thanks her. Kendall hugs Ryan. She tells him that she misses Greenlee too, even after the scene she caused at Thanksgiving dinner before she left. Ryan apologizes to Kendall for the way he acted at that time and tells her that he didn't understand then why Kendall did what she did, but he does now. Kendall tells him that he still has a chance with Greenlee and that he should look for her. Ryan says that he could, but he wants to let her have time alone for awhile. Krystal prepares to go out to do some shopping herself, but is stopped by Mary on the way out. Mary wants to know why she saw Krystal leaving Adam's bedroom at midnight. Krystal decides to play with Mary's mind for a while, telling her that she and Adam had the most amazing love making session ever. Mary is appalled. When she realizes Krystal is only joking, she is upset. She tries to touch Krystal's soul and asks Krystal if there's anything between the two of them. Krystal tells her that she has nothing to worry about regarding her marriage to Adam, it's only for business. At the Martin home, Ruth is laying down the rules of the house to Sam at the kitchen table. Friends are allowed over, but not past 10 on school nights, and 12 on the weekends, unless they're spending the night. His curfew will be the same times. Ruth says that if Sam gets in the company of a ladyfriend, she's only allowed up to his room during the daytime. Sam finds these rules a bit old-fashioned, but thanks Ruth for letting him stay and promises to behave himself. Ruth thanks him for deciding to move in with her and Joe. She says that they were feeling old without someone younger in the house, and raising another teenager will be good for their health. Ruth pulls him in to a hug and officially welcomes him into the Martin family. ACT FIVE Zach shows up at the walkway between his and Kendall's condos and instead of going into his, he knocks on Kendall's door. After no one answers, he enters with his key. He looks around, calling her name, but gets no response. He goes into her bedroom and sees her robe laying on her bed. Zach picks it up and brings it to his face, thinking of how much he loves Kendall. He leaves. Kendall is alone in the maternity department, looking for clothes that she could buy for herself. She holds up a dress in front of a full-length mirror and tries to see how she'd fit in it. Ryan shows up behind her and puts his arms around her belly. She turns around and they share a passionate kiss. Kendall blinks her eyes, though, and this is all a dream. Ryan returns from the bathroom and asks if she's ready to go. She says yes. At the Martin home, Ruth is leaving to run errands. She tells Sam to make himself at home and to help himself to the refrigerator. The second he hears her car leave the driveway, he picks up the telephone and dials a number. When the phone on the other end stops ringing, he asks for Lily. Krystal is on the road in her car when her phone rings. She picks it up and it is Babe. Babe again tries to convince her mother that she is in love with JR and that the lies need to stop. Krystal tells Babe that she doesn't trust JR, but will be happy for them for Babe's sake. Babe says that this is all she asks and that she knows in her heart that this is the real deal. After hanging up with Babe, Krystal presses some buttons on her phone, bringing up the address book feature. She scrolls until she finds Janet's name and number and presses "Call." starring (in order of seniority) Ray MacDonnell as Joe Martin Mary Fickett as Ruth Martin David Canary as Adam Chandler Sydney Penny as Julia Keefer Cameron Mathison as Ryan Lavery Alicia Minshew as Kendall Hart Anna Stuart as Mary Smythe Alexa Havins as Babe Carey Jacob Young as JR Chandler Bobbie Eakes as Krystal Carey Thorsten Kaye as Zach Slater Bobby Steggert as Sam Grey

I've been feeling a little creative lately, so I decided to try my hand at writing an alternate AMC. I'm taking into account my opinions on the show's current state, as well as the opinions of others, and I hope that at least three or four people could enjoy the whole thing. Everything is taking place in the current time, but with some changes: ~ Josh is in NO WAY Erica's son AT ALL. ~ Jonathan is living at Oak Haven, being treated for his mental illness. Erin has moved back out of town. ~ Janet has returned to town, but NONE of the terrible acts that she have committed happened. She's recently returned to town and has a room at the Valley Inn. She's been on her medications, but hasn't been 100% good. ~ Sam has returned to Pine Valley, after promising to behave himself. He moves in with Joe and Ruth. ~ Simone and Ethan are together, but have left town. ~ Sadly, Dixie is NOT alive. ~ Reggie and Danielle are no longer in high school. Both are around Jamie's age (around 20 or 21). They are slowly coming back together as a couple, but Reggie has also been spending time with an old friend, Joni Stafford. ~ Petey is SORAS'd and is back on the canvas. He now goes by PC, his father's old nickname. He is the same age as Lily and Sam. The three are sophomores in high school. ~ Amanda and Jamie are truly in love. ~ Zach did NOT cause the spermbank blackout. With those changes in mind, this is the current cast list... CONTRACT Marian Chandler Brooke English Jamie Martin Greg Madden Adam Chandler and Stuart Chandler Derek Frye Krystal Carey Janet Dillon Josh Madden Di Henry Babe Carey Myrtle Fargate David Hayward Reggie Porter Zach Slater Tad Martin Opal Peter "PC" Cortlandt Erica Kane Danielle Frye Joe Martin Ryan Lavery Ruth Martin Kendall Hart Palmer Cortlandt Del Henry Julia Santos Lily Montgomery Joni Stafford Amanda Dillon Sam Grey Mary Smythe Aidan Devane Jack Montgomery JR Chandler RECURRING Little Adam Chandler Winifred Del Henry Tom Cudahy Livia Frye Cudahy Expect summary-type episodes, where the events of each episode is done in a recap/spoiler style. Episodes will start being posted on February 6, and will usually be posted daily. Check back on Monday for the first episode as it will set up most of the major storylines!