Part 35:

 

Salem Hospital:

The hospital is a buzz with activity when Hope and the other arrive. Lexi rushes to them and gives hugs all around. The hospital staff starts processing them as they all talk to Lexi. She tells them, “I’m so glad you are all okay! When Patrick and Billie were brought in… I… I feared the worse!” Chelsea asks, “Where is Billie!?” Lexi looks at Chelsea with utter sympathy and says, “Chelsea… your mother was shot in the head… it is a miracle she did not die at the scene. She is in surgery now and we will know more in the morning.”

 

Chelsea’s face falls in shock and she says, “You mean… she’s alive?!” Clancy says from beside her, “Thank god.” Lexi nods and continues, “She and Patrick both survived Mason’s attack. Patrick is in recovery now. Chelsea’s mouth is open in shock she musters out, “I… I can’t believe it.” Clancy struggles off of the gurney he is on and comes over to Chelsea and puts an arm around her comfortingly and says, “It’s a miracle.” Chelsea is just flabbergasted and staring at the floor. Her expression is hard to interpret and she just nods obviously deep in thought.

 

Lexi pats Chelsea on the arm and says, “You both need to be admitted and get your wounds looked at… especially you Clancy.” She adds looking at his arm where he was shot again. “I will give you both an update on Billie as soon as I have it.”

 

Chelsea and Clancy are taken off. Hope says to Shawn, “I hope Billie pulls through.” Shawn looks at her and nods. She senses his mood and adds, “Whatever she’s done, she didn’t deserve to die for it.” Shawn looks up at her and says, “I know. I hope she makes it too… for Chelsea’s sake if nothing else.” Hope looks over to where Clancy and Chelsea are being taken and focusing on Chelsea she says, “I got so use to hating her, so use to looking at her and seeing an cold evil person… but now when I look at her… She just looks so…” Shawn finishes the thought, “Lost.” Hope nods.

 

A doctor comes up to Shawn now and checking his leg says, “Okay son… how about we get that leg fixed.” Shawn nods and Hope takes his hand for a moment and then releases it as he is wheeled off. She stands there for a moment and then sees Clancy be wheeled off to be looked at she goes over to Chelsea.

 

Hope says to her, “Are you okay?” Chelsea doesn’t answer but just nods. Hope puts a hand hesitantly on her shoulder and says, “I… I’m sorry about your mom.” Chelsea looks up at her and asks in a very curious and sincere tone, “Are you really? I mean after all she did to you over the years… isn’t part of you hoping she dies? No one would blame you for that.” Hope eyes fall for a minute he sighs and says, “No. Chelsea, Billie and I go way back. Believe it or not at one time we were even friends. That friendship may be long gone and I… I don’t understand all she’s done or why, and I certainly don’t like it. I would be lying to say part of me doesn’t hate her. But do I wish her dead? Do I want to see her hurt like this? No… I never wanted that.”

 

Chelsea looks downward and shaking her head says, “I… I will never understand you people.” Hope looks at her confused for a moment and then as if suddenly understanding sighs and says, “You were raised to feel that way weren’t you? Raised to believe that if someone wronged you the only response was to make them suffer?” Chelsea is silent and nods slightly. Hope’s expression changes to one of utter sympathy she says sweetly, “Chelsea… you are not a bad person… you are loved. Your father loves you, Billie… as hard to believe as it may be, I know she loves you. And… Up until recently everyone in this town thought you were Bo’s daughter. That made you family and earned you their love. And the thing about the Brady family; once you are in it that love never goes away… no matter what.” She smiles at Chelsea who looks up at her. Tears well up in Chelsea’s eyes she finally says shaking with emotions, “You’re wrong Hope. I know what I am… who I am… and I do not deserve your family’s love.” With that she runs off in tears leaving Hope shocked. She is about to follow when she hears someone say, “Hope!” from behind her. She turns to see Patrick wheeling towards her in a wheelchair, his head is now bandaged and he looks a lot more with it then he did last we saw him.

 

Hope sighs still looking after where Chelsea went. Patrick says, “Hope? Are you okay?” Hope turns and kneels down to hug him and says, “I will be.” Patrick asks, “What about Chelsea? She heard about Billie I take it?” Hope nods and says, “She seems insistent on believing she is this horrible person.” Patrick says, “She’s had a rough couple days, and one heck of a bad life so far… its going to take time.”

 

Hope nods remorsefully. She says, “How are you feeling?” Patrick gives a pain filled laugh and says, “Like someone shot me in the head.” Hope smiles sympathetically. Patrick then turns serious and says, “I’m glad you are all okay… what happened?” Hope relays the night’s events.

 

Patrick says, “I can’t believe Mason is dead.” Hope asks, “Are you sorry he is?” Patrick scoffs and says, “Only sorry I missed it. And… sorry because I know he was our best clue to who L is.”  Hope says, “Yeah… now we may never find her.” Patrick says, “I wouldn’t be so sure. Something tells me she’ll find us.” Hope nods and says, “That’s what I’m afraid of… her finding us first. I just don’t think I can take any more surprises or disappointments… not when things are so close to being right again.” She sighs and sits down in chair.

 

Patrick looks at her for a long moment and says, “You believe he’s Bo now don’t you?” Hope doesn’t immediately respond or even meet his gaze. She remembers the events on the cliff and we get a flashback to Mason’s fall and Hope and Bo’s kiss. Patrick brings her back to reality saying, “Hope?” Hope blinks and looks a opens her mouth to answer when Lexi comes up. She says, “Hope… sorry to interrupt but we have a room for you now.” Hope says, “I’m fine. Just some scratches.” Lexi says, “How about we let a doctor be a judge of that. Besides… at the least you can use the shower in the room… have you seen a mirror yet?” She smiles at Hope who glances down at her mud-caked shirt and gives a tired laugh and says, “Yeah I guess you are right.”

 

Hope stands up and turns back to Patrick and takes his hand and says, “I can’t tell you how relieved I am you are okay.” Patrick smiles and says, “Ditto. Now go before Mimi and my mom get here and keep you here retelling everything that happened.” Hope smiles and heads off with Lexi.

 

Later, Bo and Roman arrive at the hospital. Bo enters and immediately starts scanning the place for Hope but doesn’t see her. Roman tells him, “I’m sorry we didn’t find anything… but we’ll keep looking. I’m not giving up on this either.” Bo turns and says, “Thank you… for everything.”

 

Lexi comes up and before she can say anything Bo asks, “Where’s Hope?” Lexi smiles and says, “She’s fine. She’s in with Shawn now. His leg was the worst of his injuries. But he will heal just fine. But we need to get your hand looked at now.” Bo sighs and we can tell he really wants to go see Hope but he reluctantly agrees to go with Lexi.

 

Roman stands there closes his eyes for a moment and exhales and we can tell how tired he is. His moment of peace is interrupted by a ISA agent who comes over and says, “Excuse me sir but headquarters would like to speak with you.” Roman opens his eyes and rubbing his face to stay awake says, “Yeah okay I was just on my way back to HQ anyway.” The agent says, “No Sir, ISA headquarters.” Roman scowls and raising an eyebrow says, “Oookay.”

The agent leads Roman to a room with a computer and phone set up. Roman sits down and picks up the phone. We hear a man’s voice on the other end say, “Sir if I could have you login to the computer in front of you with your Salem Police Department ID.” Roman does so and a screen pops up with the folders that Hope found. Roman says, “You were able to open the files?” The voice says, “Not all of them, yet. But a few. One of the files my superiors agreed was something you should read.” Roman looks serious and concerned. He says, “Which one?” The voice says, “Scroll down… the file titled ‘Reed, Billie’.”

 

Roman double clicks the file and reads quietly for a moment and then sighs deeply and closes his eyes. Roman sighs and leans back in the chair for a moment with a heavy heart. He then sits up again and says to the man, “Okay… tell me everything.”

 

Later, Bo is done being checked over by the doctors. He has his hand bandaged and heads to the nurses station. He asks her what room Hope Brady is in and she tells him. Bo goes to the room but it is empty. He finds a nurse and asks where Hope is she tells him she went to see her son and gives him the room number. Bo goes there and enters the room. Inside Hope had obviously pulled a bed next to Shawn’s and both are fast asleep, Hope’s hand is draped over Shawn’s. Bo smiles and watches them sleep for a long moment. We get a flashback of several memories of Bo’s from long ago. Shawn being born, Hope and his marriage, times together of them all as a family. Bringing Bo back from his memories is a quiet knock on the door and Lexi comes in.

 

She smiles too at seeing Bo watch his family. She whispers too him, “I need to speak with you.” Bo nods and then goes over and kisses Shawn on the forehead as if he were still the small child from his memories. He strokes Hope’s face and brushes a hair aside and kisses her too.

 

Bo joins Lexi in the hallway, she smiles and says, “I have some good news… the drug is ready.” Bo says very calm and not as excited as Lexi was anticipating he would be, “That’s good.” Lexi looks curiously at him and says, “Should we wake Hope?”

 

Bo shakes his head no he says, “Hope thinks this will give her the proof she needs, but the truth his Hope has always ever used her heart as proof. Whatever this drug tells her won’t make her feel any better. She has to get there on her own.” Lexi smiles, “And what about you?” Bo smiles back, “I’m already there. I know who I am, without any doubt. However, I have five years missing from my life, I would like to know where I was and what I did during that time.” Lexi smiles and says, “Okay then come with me.”

 

Elsewhere in the hospital Billie is now out of surgery and in an observation room. Chelsea stands outside the room looking at her from behind the glass. Chelsea looks distraught, tired, and almost angry as she gazes at Billie. Clancy, now patched up as well comes to stand beside Chelsea. He says, “You know why she named you Chelsea?” Chelsea says calmly without emotion, “She didn’t … Tony named me.” Clancy smiles slightly and says, “No he didn’t. The birth certificate was filled out by Billie. She named you Chelsea. It was my mother’s name.” Chelsea looks around at him with a curious expression.

 

Clancy smiles at her and shrugs and steps to the window to look at Billie. He sighs and Chelsea watching him closely finally asks, “Aren’t you still angry at her?” Clancy nods and says, “Of course… but almost losing her… well… puts things in perspective don’t you think?” Chelsea doesn’t answer and just looks at the floor. Clancy sighs and says, “Listen… I can’t imagine how hard this must be for you. You’re angry at her and probably feeling a bit guilty about that now. Well don’t. You have a right to be angry and hurt… we both do. But if she recovers we both need to put our anger aside and try… we are all we have. I love you and I want us to be a family… a REAL family this time. No lies, no secrets… a clean start. It won’t be easy… but I would like us to try.” He pulls Chelsea into a hug. She hugs him back and closes her eyes tightly for a moment hugging her father. She then opens her eyes and in what almost looks like a cruel glare stares at Billie again through the glass.

 

Later we come back to Bo waking up on a gurney and Lexi standing smiling over him. She asks, “Do you remember everything?” Bo nods and sits up. She hands him a VHS tape and says, “I recorded the entire thing… proof for Hope. Give it to her when you feel it is right.” Bo says, “Thank you. Thank you for this, and thank you for agreeing to keep this quiet for the time being.” Lexi smiles and hugs him and says, “It is good to have you back, Bo.”