Dreams Come Alive In Coral Valley

Kyle pulled up to Cameron’s house looking at the house carefully making sure no one was around outside. Of course no one was there, Cameron was the person who wanted to see Grady go down. That little prick was probably the one that set this whole thing up and he must have been enjoying every second of it. Grady must have been worried through out this whole thing with all the odds against him. That was going to change; they were going to realize that Grady was an innocent man that was being set up.

“What are you hiding Cameron?” Kyle questioned getting out of the car and looking up at the big house.

This was one of his last chances to try and save Grady from living a life he didn’t deserve. He knew Cameron had something to do with this whole thing, the man had it out for Grady. He just hoped that he could possibly find something from all of this. He believed in Heather and everything, but he couldn’t help thinking about the case on the way to Cameron’s house. What if he failed Grady just like he failed Russell? He couldn’t stop, he couldn’t fail Grady. If Grady went to jail he wouldn’t only be failing Grady, he would be failing Russell all over again.

“That’s not going to happen,” Kyle growled before biting down on his bottom lip and walking up to the doors of Cameron’s house. “I’m not going to let you down Grady.”

Kyle took the paper out of his pocket and opened it before putting in the security code slowly. He smiled as the code accessed and he opened the door slowly, before shutting it quietly behind him. He looked around the big house before taking in a deep breath.

“Where do I start?” Kyle asked himself before thinking back to the words of what Heather said to him on being quick.

Kyle thought for a second before walking up the stairs quickly.

“If I was Cameron where would I put all of my stuff?” Kyle wondered pondering to himself for a second before walking down the hallway slowly starting his journey to find something.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“I think you’re doing a wonderful thing here Heather,” Diego began after a long silence between them.

Upon reflection of his words she tilted her eyes up to glare at him profoundly, “And I think you should go to hell Diego.”

“I was trying to protect you Heather,” he defended his position as his own guilt ate away at him.

“Protect me?” she balked back with obvious disgust, “Diego, do you have any idea what they do to people in those places? Do you know what it’s like to have someone lock you in a cage like a monster? To have your freedom literally ripped away from you like I have? No, Diego I don’t think you have the first clue about what it is that you did to me. You had no right to step into my life and do what you did.”

“Heather, I was trying to help you. I’m still trying to help you and I wish that you would believe that,” Diego stepped towards her, his brow creased with worry.

“You had me locked up in a mental institution!” she shouted at him, “You took away my rights by putting me in there after I went back home again. I made my choice and you should‘ve respected that.”

“I wasn’t going to just sit idle and watch you kill yourself Heather. That was a mistake in going back there. Look the only reason you went with him was because Cameron was hurting you,” Diego insisted firmly, “and don’t even start lying about that one because I know better than to believe anything different Heather.”

“Shut up! Just shut up!” she shouted at him bringing her hands up over her ears, “I don’t want to hear this.”

“Heather, you have to,” he approached her reaching out to pull her wrists away from her face, “Please just listen to me.”

“No,” she snapped back at him, her eyes defiant as she looked up at him. Then as if something shifted inside of her, she turned away from him, “Just go away! Leave me alone!”

“Heather, I can’t leave you like this,” Diego tried to appeal to her.

“Like what Diego?” she questioned with a scathing breath, “Like the monster you think I’ve become.”

“You are no monster Heather. The real monster is the man you’ve married,” Diego insisted firmly, “He’s going to take you and Charles down if you let him.”

“Cameron wants to help us. He said he’ll give us what we need and…” she argued with him, pushing her blonde hair in front of her face to hide her wounds from him.

“He wants to control you Heather. That’s been his goal right along,” Diego blurted out with obvious frustration.

“And you weren’t doing that when you locked me away in that institution, huh?” she glared up at him, her face a mask of darkness and anger, “I’d say that maybe you should rethink that perception that you have of yourself as opposed to Cameron because in a lot of ways, you’re both very much the same.”

“No, we aren’t. I’m nothing like Cameron, nor would I ever be,” Diego’s eyes darkened with sharp rage, “That man is a monster--a murderer and…”

“And what? Just because you don’t like him, you want to punish him by using me to do it?” Heather blurted out with obvious bitterness before making her way around the library in search of a drink.

“No Heather, that’s not what I’m trying to do. I’m trying to save you from the same fate that others I’ve cared about have fallen under due to Cameron’s evil,” Diego finally confessed painfully.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean,” Heather growled from over by the mini-bar where she searched frantically for something to drink.

“It means I don’t want to see him murder you like he did my family not so long ago,” Diego revealed watching the strange expression register behind her eyes.

“You’re lying,” Heather spat back at him in a state of disbelief, “At this point you’d say anything to keep me from going to Cameron again, wouldn’t you?”

“No,” he shook his head adamantly, “it’s the truth Heather. Cameron killed the woman I loved. He murdered her and beyond that…” he bit back on his overwhelming emotions, “he killed my son as well.”

“Your son,” Heather repeated watching a shadow of darkness cross over Diego’s features unlike anything she’d ever seen from him before.

“That’s right Heather,” Diego nodded firmly, “he killed my son. Maria was pregnant when he had someone murder her. She posed a threat to his grand scheme of things and he decided to get rid of her before he couldn’t control the situation any longer. Maria challenged him and his twisted views and in turn I lost her and my son.”

“Diego I…” she stammered a bit not quite sure on what to say as his words about her husband registered.

“Heather, not only did I have to live with the pain of watching Maria die, but that same night I held my son--praying that his life would be spared, but due to Cameron’s evil, my boy barely made it for more than a few precious hours. Cameron ruined my life that day. He took away everything that ever meant anything to me and I’ll be damned if I let him do that to you and Charles,” Diego informed her his solemn words cutting her to the core as she realized, with tears burning behind her eyes, that there was far more to Diego than she’d ever imagined.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Well I guess I have to go,” Grady frowned as everyone began to take their seats.

“I’m going to miss you,” Jade sighed before feeling him pull her tightly into his arms.

“I know, I always miss you,” he sighed holding her tighter to his body, “I miss you every second I am away from you.”

“I just can’t wait to have you back home again,” she smiled before he leaned down kissing her lightly. “I just don’t know what I would do if you were found guilty.

“Don’t think like that,” he hushed slightly before smiling, “I am going to find a way out of this and I will get back to you. I will be able to hold you in my arms whenever I want.”

“I like the sound of that,” she smiled slightly before frowning, “What if you are wrong though?”

“I am not wrong, I didn’t kill Kipp,” he declared before hugging her once more.

“I am just worried that I won’t be able to live a happy life with you,” Jade sighed before feeling his hold onto her tighter.

“Are you kidding me? You won’t be able to get me away from you,” Grady laughed before letting her go, “You will have me forever.”

Jade leaned into the touch of his hand against her cheek as he leaned forward kissing her once more.

“We will get married and grow old together,” Grady promised with a slight smile, “We won’t even let this thing come to mind when I get off of this.”

“I want to be with you the rest of my life Grady,” she replied seeing him nod slowly.

“As do I, but you have to have faith,” Grady stated with a smile, “Our love is long lasting and unbreakable. Nothing could stop the feelings I have for you, nothing.”

“I just don’t want to imagine life without you,” she informed him with a frown before feeling his hand run through her hair lightly.

“Don’t imagine it because I am going to be with you forever and that’s the truth,” he promised before looking around the courtroom.

“I love you Grady,” she sighed before feeling him kiss her one last time.

“I love you too,” he smiled before walking backwards slowly.

He had to get through this not only for himself, but for her too.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kyle walked into Cameron’s office as a smile spread across his features seeing a computer in the corner.

“Bingo,” he smiled before walking over to the computer and turning it on.

He sat down in the chair pulling it up to the desk as the computer loaded. He smiled to himself as he prepared to look through the documents on the computer. Of all places, this had to be the one with the most information. He took in a deep breath as he opened a few files looking through them slowly. This wasn’t turning out to be as good as he was hoping.

“What’s this?” Kyle questioned to himself opening a file and looking it over slowly as his heart stopped seeing something on Kipp. He read it over slowly taking in all the information. It had information that he could never imagine, including locations of where he might be able to find something on Kipp. “This has to be it.”

He took the disk from his pocket that he had put in there earlier and put into the computer copying the information. He watched as the percent went up slowly, but a noise caught his attention as he went over to the window. He pushed back the curtain to see Cameron getting out of the car, even worse…he had Susan with him.

“Oh shit,” Kyle cussed going over to the computer to see that it was only on 90%.

He went over looking back out the window to see Cameron at the front door.

“Come on,” he growled as the copying finished and he took out the disk quickly and turned off the computer.

He quickly ran down the stairs almost stumbling over his feet as the front door opened. He thought quickly as he jumped into the bathroom and leaned up against the wall waiting to hear the front door shut. He slowly looked out the door to see Cameron and Susan in the hallway. Cameron looked his way as Kyle jumped back and held back his breath.

“What is it?” Susan questioned seeing Cameron shake his head lightly.

“It’s nothing,” Cameron stated before walking into the other room as Kyle made his move.

He ran to the back of the house knowing that if he took the front door it would be a little obvious. He looked around and took the best thing he could think of as he ran out the backdoor quickly. He ran to the car going to make his way back to mansion to tell them what he found.

“Did you hear something?” Cameron questioned seeing Susan shake her head.

“No, I didn’t,” she declared before sitting down on the couch seeing him shrug.

“Good, then let’s get down to business,” Cameron suggested ready to delve into his plans for what happens next.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Brant held the door open for Avery allowing her access to the foyer from the rainy afternoon before he followed her inside. He’d known full well that court today hadn’t gone anything like she’d been hoping and now as he was met by her unnerving silence, he felt the need to try to make things better for her. He stepped forward helping her out of her jacket, but much to his surprise she pulled away from him stiffening up at the slightest touch.

“I can take care of it myself,” Avery replied in a muted tone, her gaze dropping to the floor.

“Avery, I was just trying to help,” Brant eyed her intently, “Hey, are you sure you’re okay?”

“No, I’m not okay,” Avery shook her head, tilting her eyes up to look at him briefly before she looked away, still too apprehensive about the situation between them. She ran her fingers through her damp hair before she cleared her throat again. “Today did not go as I’d planned.”

“Hey, there’s always tomorrow,” Brant suggested with a small smile, “and hey if Carly thinks she’s going to keep trying to coax them into taking her side with her antics, then maybe you can one up her and wear a shorter skirt there.”

That did it. Avery looked up at him with an icy glare. Her eyes were so full of obvious annoyance that Brant took a step back himself raising his hands in the air defensively.

“Avery, I was kidding,” he replied urgently, “It was a joke.”

“It wasn’t funny,” she frowned heavily before letting out a long sigh, “Actually, the truth is that I’m really not in the mood for company tonight. I think I’d just rather go back to my house and…”

“You don’t want to stay here,” he questioned with disappointment in his tone.

“No, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she insisted gazing up at him briefly, “I’d just really rather be home in my room--in my bed and…”

“Avery, what is this all about,” Brant asked worried, “Did I do something wrong? All day you’ve been really cold and distanced with me. If I did something or if I am doing something, just tell me and I’ll try to fix it considering that…”

“Brant, this isn’t something that can be fixed. After what happened last night, I think it’s pretty safe to say that we both realized that this is a huge mistake,” she blurted out unable to contain the tears that threatened as Brant’s jaw dropped.

“Oh God. I know what this is about,” he realized remembering his mission the previous evening, “Avery, look about Heather…”

“Heather,” she gave him a strange look before a crease in her brow formed, “I swear to God Brant if you even get started on saying something along the lines about Heather being right about me and about my being a huge disappointment, then I swear I will have to hurt you…”

“Avery, what are you talking about,” Brant questioned with a shake of his head, “I’m talking about her being here.”

“Heather’s here,” her jaw practically dropped.

“That’s right,” he nodded quickly, “and given the way you’ve been acting, I just assumed that you weren’t happy about her being around. Last night when I went to the hospital to find her, well she was a mess and we made an arrangement.”

“What kind of arrangement,” Avery asked surprise registering behind her face.

“She agreed to help us take down Cameron if I broke her out of the hospital.   While I probably broke about a dozen laws last night in breaking her out of there, well, she’s agreed to help us dig up the goods on Cameron.”

“You mean she’s actually…” Avery stopped herself a sudden thought occurring to her, “Did you say you broke her out of the hospital last night?”

He nodded, “Yeah, that’s why I wasn’t around like I should‘ve been. I know I promised you that I would be, but when I thought about the case and how much it meant to you, well I knew that I had to act fast or else…”

“Well hello family,” Ken beamed entering the mansion from the front door. He grinned from ear to ear, his eyes perking up with obvious interest as he shrugged out of his own jacket, “It’s a beautiful day today, isn’t it?”

“What the hell are you so perky about,” Brant questioned with a small scowl finding it irritating that yet again his brother had stepped in to interrupt a conversation he was having with Avery.

“It’s just such a beautiful day,” Ken explained as the sound of thunder came from outside the mansion.

“It’s raining,” Brant frowned back at him.

“Is it,” Ken shrugged, “I haven’t noticed. I guess I was just too busy thinking about the most amazing dream I had last night to bother with worrying about the weather.”

“Okay, what gives,” Brant faced his brother fully now.

“I’m just in a very good mood this afternoon,” Ken explained hanging his coat up on the coat rack before his eyes darted over towards Avery, “Although judging by the expressions on both of your faces, I’m going to guess that you’re both quite the opposite.”

“We were in the middle of a conversation here,” Brant replied sharply, “One that doesn’t include you.”

“Hmm, well you know if you don’t want to air your dirty laundry in the public, then maybe you shouldn’t be having it out in the foyer,” Ken shrugged his shoulders, “Just a suggestion.”

“Maybe you should just go find something to keep yourself busy with,” Brant’s impatience grew with the moment, “I’m trying to have a conversation with my wife.”

“Ah yes,” Ken’s eyes traveled over Avery appreciatively before his grin expanded, “and what a fine wife she is.”

“Back off Ken,” Brant warned sharply not quite sure what kind of game his brother was about to start playing with him, but he was sure judging by the expression on Ken’s face it wasn’t going to be something he wanted to get into at the moment.

“So tell me, are we having marital problems this early on,” Ken wiggled his brow suggestively, “Things in the sack not as accommodating as you’d hoped they’d be when her husband kicked the bucket Brant?”

“That’s it,” Brant reached out to grab his brother’s collar, his fingers curling around the neck of the shirt as he shoved Ken harshly back into the wall.

“Oh, I’m really scared now,” Ken feigned fear, his jaw clenching with the moment, “What’s wrong Brant? Does hearing the truth about your wife hurt since we both know she doesn’t love you? It must be a real bitch knowing that you‘ll always come in as a far second to Russell Denton.”

“Ken, I’ve heard more than enough,” Brant shoved him once again before Avery stepped in placing her hand on his shoulder.

“Brant don’t,” Avery pleaded with him, “Don’t do this.”

“He’s asking for me to hit him,” Brant replied with an angry scowl.

“And if you give in, you’re no better than he is right now,” Avery tried to appeal to Brant, her own thoughts swirling inside of her head. She could feel the tension building between the two brothers and as she pleaded with Brant, she just hoped he wouldn’t give in to Ken’s baiting him.

“What are you drunk again,” Brant shoved Ken aside with a disgusted expression, “I mean really what’s your problem?   Why don’t you go sober up?”

“And why don’t you just drop dead,” Ken replied with an icy grin before looking to Avery, “and you, well it’s amazing how well you manage to keep my brother at bay there Avery. It must be something that you do there to gain such loyalty out of him. He must enjoy that special trick you do with your tongue and…”

“Go away Ken,” Brant stepped towards him once again.

Ken waved his hands in the air realizing he’d said enough as the color drained from Avery’s face. If she didn’t have a clue about what really happened last night, well it wouldn’t be long for her to register the situation and when she did, Ken chuckled to himself, it was going to be beautiful. Taking a step back Ken reached for his jacket once again, “Screw you. I was just on my way out anyways.”

“Good,” Brant remarked sourly watching Ken’s retreat before turning to a now shaken Avery.

“Avery, look I’m sorry about that. Ken’s being a real ass now since he lost Caitlin and…” he started reaching out to touch her arm gently.

“I…” Avery felt a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach as she looked up to Brant once again. She opened her mouth to speak, but then in that moment all she could think about was the look on Ken’s face when he’d thrown out that last comment. There was something about the way he’d said it…something about the way he’d looked at her that reminded her so much of…

“Avery,” Brant reached for her once again.

“Oh God,” she gasped horrified by where her thoughts were taking her. “No, no…this can’t be. There’s no way that…”

“Avery, what’s going on?” Brant noticed the color was now completely gone from her features and she looked as if she was going to be sick. “Avery, talk to me…”

“I…I think that I…” she stammered feeling the beginnings of a panic attack coming on. Her skin felt like it was burning her alive and when she looked to Brant all she could see were shades of what had transpired between them in the bedroom last night. Only this time instead of feeling as if she’d been some kind of disappointment to him, she could plainly hear the sound of Ken’s words taunting her. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

“Avery wait…” Brant called out to her watching her race up the stairs, but it was too late. The damage had already been done and now Brant feared that he may never be able to fix whatever it was that was going on with Avery.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Carly paced around her hotel room trying to think of a way to remedy the situation that had arisen today in court. While she’d been beyond brutal, the truth was that she was doing her job. Okay, so maybe she’d thrown in a potshot there when she’d brought up Dave’s helping Grady fake his own death, but if she’d ignored that fact, then her boss would have her head on the line. Sure, it was a low blow, but damn it, she had to tell the truth. She had to let the jury see the way things were. She was just doing her job and Dave would have to understand that, wouldn’t he?

Looking to the phone once again, she contemplated calling him, knowing that it hadn’t done her any good the last five times she’d left a message on his machine. At this point she was certain that he was ignoring her--certain that he was fuming at what she’d said--about the position she’d put him in on the witness stand, but it was what she needed to do. She had to win this one. She had to prove herself if she wanted to make it and if Dave couldn’t understand that…

“He’ll understand. He has to,” Carly mouthed to herself pacing around her room once again, “If he’s upset, well you can just explain to him why you did what you did. He wouldn’t have done it differently. Okay, so maybe he would’ve, but still…he would know why you did what you did…”

She stopped in front of a mirror taking a long look at herself. While she was trying to convince herself, she knew better. Dave was far too good of a man to sink to that all time low like she had. It was in his nature to help those in need and that had been what he was doing in helping Grady Denton. Still, it wasn’t something that the eyes of the law would be as forgiving about. It was something that she should’ve been more understanding about, but still when it came to getting the job done.

“That’s it,” she threw her hands in the air before marching over to the phone once again determined to keep leaving him messages all night until he picked up or decided to call her back. He couldn’t avoid her forever, could he?

Reaching for the phone, Carly began to dial his number when she heard a knocking on her hotel room door. Swiftly setting the phone back on it’s base, she ran over to the door not knowing who to expect. She reached out to open the door hastily, but also realizing that she needed to look together in the event Isabel was stopping by, she drew in a deep breath and prayed that her emotions didn’t give her away. Finally she opened the door surprised to discover Dave on the other side staring back at her.

“Dave,” Carly let out a breath of relief, a small smile forming as she realized he must’ve come to see her. He must’ve forgiven her for what happened earlier. “Come on in.”

“No,” he shook his head firmly, “I can’t do that.”

“But…you’re here and I just thought that…” Carly blinked back in confusion.

“Carly if I walk in there, I’m going to say something that the both of us are going to regret,” Dave confessed his jaw tight with obvious emotion. He took in a long, calming breath before holding out a small bag for her, “I just thought you might want to see this…”

“What is it?” she questioned eyeing the bag intently.

“It might give you some perspective,” he replied dropping the bag into her hand, “After what happened in the courtroom today, well I just figured that you might need that right about now.”

“Dave, look about what happened earlier,” she began shifting on her feet as her dark eyes penetrated his, “it wasn’t personal. It was just business.”

“No, Carly what you did today was personal--very personal and I’d be lying if I said I understood why you did what you did,” Dave answered honestly, a sigh spilling from his lips, “You’re going about this all wrong.”

“I’m trying to do my job Dave. You’d be doing the same thing if you were in my shoes,” she argued with him.

“No, I’d be trying to find the truth Carly because when it gets down to it, if you can’t see the truth and let the jury see that, then justice just winds up getting lost in the shuffle,” he finished taking a step back to leave.

“Dave wait…” she pleaded with him knowing by his wounded expression that things were far from where she’d wanted them to be for them.

“Look, just take what I said to heart,” Dave cut her off abruptly, “It might be the thing that saves you both personally and professionally before you wind up making an even bigger mistake.”

“I was just doing my job Dave,” Carly scoffed back at him, holding the bag in her fingers.

“Funny because I thought what you did today went above and beyond doing your job,” Dave let out an ironic smile, “but then again it was always your ability to go above and beyond what was necessary that was a problem for us.”

“I’m not about to apologize for doing what I had to do,” Carly replied with a frown.

“You shouldn’t have to, but know that winning isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be especially when you’re on the losing end of this one either way,” Dave finished turning down the hallway and leaving before she could say much more.

Frowning Carly closed the door behind him knowing that today she’d blown it. She’d finally delivered the last straw to their relationship and Dave’s words only sealed that for her. Leaning back against the door, she couldn’t help but get choked up on her emotions. She thought of all the things she’d hoped to accomplish in returning to town, but never did she imagine she’d find a way to alienate herself from Dave even more.

“Oh Dave,” she spoke his name, unable to keep her disappointment from overtaking her. She looked down to the bag in her hands, peering inside to see a VHS tape within. She reached inside ready to get a closer look when she heard a faint tapping on the door behind her.

Nearly leaping out of her own skin Carly spun around to eye the door intently. Her heart was hammering in her chest, her throat went dry and in that instant she felt herself praying for a second chance. Dave had come back. He had to have felt that they’d done this all wrong. He was hurting too and maybe this was a sign…maybe this was a way that they could fix the situation.

Unable to help herself, she pulled the door open hastily, “Dave.”

“Nope, sorry to disappoint you,” Ken replied immediately reaching out to curl his arm around her, “but then again I’m sure knowing it’s me won’t be much of a disappointment either.”

“Ken,” she spoke his name, her dark eyes fixed upon his.

“I missed you today,” he whispered leaning in for a kiss when he noticed the tears over her cheeks. “Hey, what’s wrong…”

“It’s Dave,” she blurted out unable to hold back a moment longer, “Oh Ken, I blew it today and I think it’s over--really over for good this time.”

“Hey, it’s okay,” Ken brought her fully into his arms, listening to the sounds of her tears as she rambled on about what took place in the courtroom. Finally he tilted back enough to meet her sad eyes. He brushed his thumb against her cheek wiping at her tears gently, “It’s going to be alright. Everything will work itself out.”

“Somehow I doubt that,” Carly shook her head disbelieving before laying her had on Ken’s shoulder once again.

“Of course it will,” Ken mouthed with a tiny smirk realizing that while it was troublesome to see Carly crying, the fact that Dave was going to be out of the picture only made things all the more exciting for him. From the looks of it, things were working out for Ken after all.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Gabe opened the door to the apartment surprised to see Jade standing before him. Without any words, he let her inside as soon as he noticed the tears in her eyes.

“Jade, what is it,” Gabe questioned reaching out to embrace her.

“Grady’s trial started today and it was horrible,” Jade sobbed into his chest, “Gabe, if things keep up like this, then he’s never going to be able to come home.”

“Now, that’s no way to think about this,” Gabe tried to soothe her, but as he thought back to what he’d seen on the news earlier, he knew that Grady had a bit of an uphill battle ahead of him. “It’ll be okay.”

“No, it won’t,” she shook her head before taking a step back, “and what makes this worse is that I know this is all because of Cameron. He wanted to have me, but I wouldn’t give in. I wouldn’t give him what he wanted so now he’s taking it out on Grady. If only I would’ve…”

“Whoa, now stop right there before you say something that you’re going to regret,” Gabe warned her, “Jade, you did the right thing in not letting that son of a bitch win and Grady will get out of this. When the jury sees he’s innocent…”

“If Cameron has his way, then they won’t see that. They won’t know what really happened to Kipp Mahoney. They’ll only hear Cameron’s warped version of the truth. I mean yeah sure I know that Avery’s trying to help--she really is, but so many things are against Grady…” she clenched her fists at her side, “I hate that bastard! I swear I could kill him myself for what he’s doing.”

“Okay, that’s it,” Gabe pulled her more completely into the living room, “while those feelings are completely justified there Jade, what you need to do is calm down. This isn’t going to help Grady and it’s certainly not going to help you either.”

“I’m just so angry and upset and I hate to bother you with this, but there wasn’t anyone else I could really turn to. Seth is planning his big wedding and the last thing I want to do is burden him with this,” Jade rambled on feeling as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders.

“Now I know that Seth would not consider any of this a burden. He loves you Jade and he’s worried about you,” Gabe began.

“Yes, but I’ve already put him through so much. I mean he gave up his life for me. He gave up his scholarship to go away to college to stay behind and help me. He’s always doing things for me and now that he’s finally found some happiness for himself, who am I to invade upon it?” she questioned emphatically.

“Jade, it’s not about that and you know it,” Gabe shook his head seeing that she was clearly lost inside herself. “It’s about something that’s bothering you and Seth doesn’t look at it that way.”

“He doesn’t have to because I do. I mean he and Blake are so happy. They’re planning this wedding and their working towards their dreams, yet I feel like a scrooge because I keep thinking to myself that right now I should be planning my own dreams. I should be making my future with Grady top priority. We should be the ones planning a wedding, but we’re not and when I think about how much we’ve been cheated out of, I just get so upset…”

“Hey, it’s going to be okay,” Gabe reached out to curl his arm around her as she continued to sob, “You have to trust me on this one Jade. Justice will prevail.”

“I used to believe that once upon a time. I used to really think that good things happened to good people, but after all the things that have happened in my life,” she tilted her head up to look at him, “God, I just feel like this is all my fault.”

“It’s not your fault Jade. It’s far from it,” Gabe explained with a small sigh, “Listen to me. Unfortunately there are people like Cameron in this world who think they run the show. They think that they can bully people around and play God with other’s lives, but they can’t. They can try, but in the end they will get what’s coming to them.”

“It doesn’t feel that way. It just feels like I’m going to lose the man I love and nothing I do or say can stop that from happening,” Jade replied breaking into tiny sobs all over again as Gabe tried to console her wishing that there was something more he could do to take away her pain.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“How are you feeling?” Brant questioned walking into Heather’s room and smiling slightly.

“I’m doing fine,” she informed him before he spotted Diego in the corner of the room and Brant scowled.

“What are you doing here?” Brant questioned quickly before Heather cut him off.

“It’s okay,” Heather assured him with a slight sigh, “I also had Kyle here earlier too.”

“You what?” Brant questioned with a slight laugh before seeing Heather shrug seeming like she was caught on her words.

“Brant, calm down,” Heather began to explain with a slight sigh, “I gave Kyle the security code to Cameron’s house.”

“Why did you do that?” Brant questioned thinking it over before she began to explain herself.

“I gave it to him in hope that he would find something to help Grady,” she declared seeing him nod slowly.

“So he is there right now?” Brant questioned seeing her nod, “What about Cameron?”

“Well, I am hoping that he gets out of there before Cameron gets there,” Heather stated before seeing Brant nod. “He is trying to find some type of information on the case.”

“Hopefully he does,” Diego got out with a slight sigh before Heather looked down.

“Do you think Cameron caught him?” Heather questioned worriedly seeing Brant shake his head.

“Are you kidding me?” Brant wondered with a slight laugh. “I think your underestimating Kyle. I mean even if he did caught; I know he could put up a fight. I know that personally.”

“I guess your right,” Heather smiled before seeing Brant nod slightly.

“Do you think he will find something?” Brant questioned seeing Heather nod.

“I am almost positive,” she nodded taking in a deep breath walking over and looking out the window to see if Kyle ever got back.

“Let’s just hope he gets back soon,” Brant sighed before folding his arms out in front of him slowly.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“See, now I told you everything would be better,” Ken replied returning to Carly’s room with a cart of room service, “In fact, I ordered a surprise for us.”

“Ken, I’m not in the mood,” Carly replied with a small frown, running the towel over her damp hair after the long shower she’d taken upon Ken’s urgings.

“Trust me, you’re going to enjoy this,” Ken promised pulling the lid off of the cart before him to reveal a bowl of strawberries and whipped cream along with a bottle of champagne.

“Ken, I don’t know what to say…” she started with wide eyes, looking over to him as he began to pour them both a glass of champagne.

“Don’t say anything,” Ken offered her a glass before taking a seat beside her on the edge of the bed. He took a drink from his own glass before setting it back on the cart again, “Just enjoy it.”

“Ken, I don’t know if I can enjoy anything right about now considering,” she began in protest only to feel her words cut off by the sweet, succulent taste of the berry he raised to her lips.

“Just eat up and enjoy this,” Ken urged her on, reaching for another berry and dipping it in the whipped cream once more before offering it to her parted lips. His other hand dropped down to her bare knee that lay peeking out from beneath the robe she was wearing, “I know I’m going to.”

“Ken, it’s just…” she stopped herself indulging him when she took another bite of the luscious fruit he’d offered her.

“It’s good isn’t it,” Ken smiled down at her.

“It’s very good,” she nodded in confession before her thoughts drifted back to the courtroom, “but given the day I’ve had I don’t think I should be rewarded for any of it. I think punishment is more fitting for me…”

“Well we can work on that too if you’d like,” he teased his fingers sliding in over the knotted sash of her robe. Swiftly he released the knot before dipping his hand in beneath the cottony fabric to touch her warm, glowing skin.

“Ken, I’m being serious,” Carly curled her lip in a pout feeling his touch rise up and skim over her breast gingerly. She raised her hand to stop him as a soft gasp pressed out from inside of her.

“So am I,” he confessed leaning in towards her using the weight of his movement to push her backward onto the bed more completely. Using his position over her to his advantage, he caged her in beneath him, his mouth seeking hers out greedily, “I’ve been a very bad boy myself and I need you to punish me.”

“You’re insatiable Ken,” Carly shook her head at him, slightly amused with the wild expression behind his eyes as his fingers eased in over the seductive lines of her body.

“You haven’t seen anything yet,” he assured her reaching out from behind where they lay to collect another piece of fruit. He placed it between his teeth before leaning forward to share it with her. She readily accepted tasting the sweetly erotic combination of the berry and him as their tongues tangled.

“I promised you that things would get better,” he reminded her in a heated whisper, using his mouth to explore the curve of her neck while his hands carefully parted the material of her robe to free her body up to his hungry explorations.

“Ken, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were trying to seduce me all over again. I thought we agreed the other night that there wouldn’t be anymore of this,” Carly tossed up at him in a feeble attempt to dissuade the situation from expanding, but as Ken shrugged out of his shirt, freeing up his body to her gaze, her words were lost.

“Don’t look at this as a repeat of the other night,” Ken assured her reaching for a thick berry and carefully smothering it with whipped cream. “Think of this as an altogether new and arousing experience…”

“It still leads to the same outcome for us,” Carly reminded him pointedly, feeling his fingers curl in underneath her heel. She watched him as he carefully guided her foot back over the sheet so that her knee was tilted up towards the ceiling. Their eyes connected for a brief moment before she felt his lips press in over her thigh.

“There’s nothing wrong with indulging in pleasure with one another,” Ken murmured against her smooth, silken skin before he traced her inner thigh with the creamy berry leaving a line of sugary sweetness over her. His gaze lifted to her once again and he watched as she bit her lower lip appreciatively. He smiled for a brief moment before teasing his tongue over the trail of slick seduction he’d left upon her.

“Ken,” she cried out his name feeling him move in between her thighs touching her in all the right places as she arched up to him. She felt his hands press in over her hips guiding her body further towards his hungry explorations. She writhed, whimpered and reached out over the bed for the sheet trying to stay grounded as Ken weaved his magical spell over her. Tangling her fingers in the blankets beneath her Carly bucked up towards him, unable to hold back any longer as the fire he’d ignited in her was threatening to burn her alive.

“You’re so delicious,” Ken mouthed moving away from the bed long enough to take a long look at the beautiful woman before him. Yes, last night he’d been with Avery while leading her to believe that he was Brant, but with Carly, well it all came so naturally. Seeing her writhing before him, so ready to accept him, to embrace all of him, he knew that this wasn’t at all the same thing. Sure, maybe it had started off as revenge, but by God now that he’d had a taste of her, he couldn’t get enough.

“Ken,” she breathed his name, her skin a flushed color as she extended her arms out to hold him once again. Eagerly, she yanked him onto the bed with her, their mouths meeting in a whirlwind of fervent desire as their bodies came together in a moment of desperate need. Her nails scratched his back, raked over his shoulder and as he looked into her eyes feeling the intensity of what it was like to be making love to her all over again, he realized that this was where he belonged. With her was the only place he wanted to be. Now that Dave was out of the equation, he vowed to find a way to keep this feeling alive for as long as he could hold onto it. Carly was his safety net--she was his fire, his temptation and there was no way in hell that he would ever let go.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kyle quickly ran up to the doors of the Ashford mansion knocking on them frantically. Brant opened the door motioning him to come in as Heather came down the stairs and Avery walked into the hallway.

“Good you’re here,” Brant smiled as Kyle watched Heather walk towards him slowly.

“Did you find anything?” Heather questioned quickly seeing him nod and smile.

“Did I find anything? I think I found a lot,” Kyle nodded seeing Avery with a slight bit confused expression on her face.

“What are you guys talking about?” Avery questioned seeing Kyle walk over to her and place his hands on her shoulders lightly.

“Avery, I think I found something that could get Grady out of jail,” Kyle informed her with a wide smile taking away Avery’s breath, as she was speechless.

“How? What?” Avery questioned still slightly confused before seeing Kyle nod.

“I found some files on Cameron’s computer Avery. I found a location that Kipp might be, but I have to leave town quickly,” Kyle stated seeing Avery smile.

“I knew you would find something,” Heather declared with a slight smile before seeing Kyle look over at Avery as she began to talk again.

“When do you have to leave?” Avery questioned seeing him shrug and shake his head.

“As soon as possible,” Kyle stated with a slight smile before feeling Brant’s hand on his shoulder making him turn around.

“If you want to, you can take the company’s jet there,” Brant informed him with a slight smile before seeing Kyle nod and grin.

“Okay man, I would like that,” Kyle nodded before looking over at Avery who began to speak up again.

“So you are telling me that you can find something that will Grady off this?” Avery questioned seeing Kyle nod as she walked over to him hugging him tightly.

“Grady is going to be a free man,” Kyle promised as a hugged her tightly in his arms.

“What about Cameron?” Heather questioned as Kyle let go of Avery and smiled.

“He walked into the house and almost saw me, but I got out before he caught me,” Kyle stated thinking back to when Cameron almost saw him.

“So he didn’t see you?” Heather wondered seeing him nod slowly with a smile.

“He never saw a thing,” Kyle informed her with a grin thinking to the future, “I can’t wait to see the look on that bastard’s face when Grady is proven not guilty.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*