Previously...

Philip kidnapped Brooke and held her captive in Alex's cabin in Big Bear.  Stormy and Brett took the helecopter and chased Philip off, leaving Brett to deliver Brooke's baby.    Will questioned Ethan about what he'd been told about his father. Alex cautioned Heather not to trust the wrong people to help her with her career.  Janet had been working on a tell-all manuscript about the Blackthorne family, and was using Ethan to get information.  James began walking again. Safe back home at the hospital, Brooke and James rejoiced and decided to name their baby Michael.  Angry that Brett had one-upped him again, Stormy threatened to tell James about the pills he found in Brett's possession.

Episode 31

"A New Era"

“Well?” Stormy continued, his eyes penetrating into Brett’s.  “Tell us.  Tell us what you did to make certain you remained the head of Sunset Studios while my father was in the wheelchair.”

Miranda frowned, looking at her brother and then at her husband.  “What is he talking about, Brett?” she asked.  “You haven’t done anything, have you?”

Brett bit down on his lip as he wondered just how far Stormy was going to push him before he confessed.  There was no way he could tell them what he’d done.  It would be suicide.  And if Stormy told them he would just have to deny it.  It was his word against his, after all.  He’d disposed of the remainder of the muscle relaxers and now there was no proof.

“Stormy, what the hell are you talking about?” James demanded.  “I thought I made it clear that I wanted the two of you to work together and to run Sunset Studios as a team.  I won’t have any of this bickering back and forth.”

“Believe me, Dad, you’ll want to hear this,” Stormy said.  He wouldn’t let Brett get away with coming across as a hero for what he did up in the cabin.  So what if he delivered Brooke’s baby.   One sucker punch by Philip Whitacre and he was supposed to step back and not take any off the glory?  No, it didn’t work that way. 

Brett took a chance that Stormy was bluffing so he decided to call him on it.  Luckily he had a backup scheme to confess to.  One that didn’t seem quite as atrocious as the one he’d perpetuated with the pills.  “He’s right, James,” he finally began, looking back and forth between James and Miranda.  “Remember that day when Will Thomerson showed up at the house blaming you for stealing The Murderess and Blood & Oil?” 

James nodded.  “Yes.  What about it?”

“The truth is I did steal them from him,” Brett announced.  “I had Heather take the scripts without his knowing.   Then I arranged to gain the rights before they had a chance to counter offer.  I’m sorry, James.  I know I probably let you down, but I also know that rules don’t apply when it comes to Will Thomerson.”

“You did what?” Stormy asked in a rage.  “How could you involve Heather in something like that?”  He’d suddenly forgotten all about the pills.  His protective nature regarding Heather came to the surface and he grew angrier than he was before.

“It’s not like I forced her into anything,” Brett continued.

“And what does she get out of helping you?” Stormy asked in a fury.

But Brett didn’t have to answer because James was already growing irritated by the bickering.  “Stop it,” he commanded.  “I don’t want to hear any more about this right now.  My wife just had a baby and that’s all I care about tonight.  We’ll talk about all of this later.”

Stormy gritted his teeth and slammed his fist into the wall.  He couldn’t believe Brett had made himself look like the good guy again.  It seemed like he couldn’t get his family to see him for what he was for anything. 

Miranda rolled her eyes and put her arm through Brett’s.  “Daddy, we’re going to go home now.  We’ll see you tomorrow.”

He nodded and ran his fingers through his hair, annoyed that his children couldn’t seem to get along to save their lives.  Today should be a day of celebration, not for petty arguments and finger pointing.  

“I’m going home too,” Stormy said with a sigh.  “Oh, Dad, Jack Fallmont is in the waiting room.  He wanted to come by and give you and Brooke his best."

“Thanks,” James said and started down the hall. 

After he’d gone, Brett gave Stormy a smug grin and started off with Miranda on his arm.   Stormy tried to keep his cool, refusing to let Brett get the best of him.  He’d have to find another way of showing everyone who he really was.  Besides, James was walking again so anything that Brett did to try to sabotage that hadn’t worked.   It was water under the bridge and he had a feeling that nobody would take his accusations seriously.

But there had to be more to Brett’s evil doings.  He was certain there was something else that he could nail him for.

Janet Harper backed up a step, her eyes riveted to Jack Fallmont as he cornered her in the hallway by a nurse's station.   It wasn’t the first time she’d had a run in with him.  She’d been on the Fallmonts bad side for years thanks to her in-depth investigative reporting.  And back in her hometown of Denver where most of the Fallmont family hailed from there was always plenty of dirt to uncover.

“As far as I know, this is still America and I have every right to go where I please,” she said in a haughty manner.  “And unless I’m mistaken, there aren’t any injunctions to prevent me from doing my job here in Los Angeles.”

Jack scoffed at her snide expression and dug his hands deep into the pockets of his expensive Armani suit.  “Wherever you are, trouble is sure to follow, Miss Harper,” he said with a frown.  “You couldn’t spread enough lies about my family back in Denver so you had to come to L.A. to prey on someone else?  So tell me, what poor unsuspecting soul is about to be slandered in that trashy newspaper you work for?”

Janet shrugged and adjusted the strap on her purse.  “Your family may have influence in Denver to keep me from printing the truth about them, but everyone else is fair game as far as I’m concerned.”

Jack grabbed hold of her arm and shook her threateningly.  “Not if means hurting anyone that I care about,” he warned her.  “If you think we have influence in Denver, you have no idea what I can do to you here.”

“Only because you bribed the newspaper I work for.  You think you rich people can buy off whoever you please.  Well let me tell you something…”  She jerked her arm away and flashed him an angry scowl.  “I’m only starting, and by the time I’m finished, I promise you I will be the most respected damn journalist in Denver and Los Angeles.  Just you watch.”

Jack set his jaw and seethed as he watched her storm down the hallway.  He had a bad feeling about her presence in Los Angeles.  She had caused more trouble for his circle of powerful friends and family than he cared to remember

The next morning, James led Brooke into the foyer of the mansion, the baby cradled in her arms as they were greeted by the entire family.  

“Everybody, this is Michael,” James said proudly as Leilani and Heather cooed over the seven pound baby with a shock of brown hair.  “He’s our little miracle.”

“You’re a darling little thing, aren’t you?” Leilani said, her English as broken as ever as she gently stroked Michael’s tiny hands and feet. 

“He’s beautiful, Brooke,” Heather said with a beaming smile.  She looked over her shoulder where Stormy was standing.  The disappointment in the way their marriage ended suddenly came flooding back to her.  After being married for barely over a year, they never had the opportunity to start a family.  It was something she often thought about and some day wanted to have. 

“He looks just like his old man,” Brett said with a grin and patted James on the back.

Standing in the distance, Miranda folded her arms and watched everyone fawn over the baby.  It didn’t seem possible that she had a baby brother barely a day old.  The twenty-one years between them seemed like an eternity.

“Miranda, would you like to hold your brother?” James asked happily.

She offered a toothy smile and shook her head politely.  “Not just yet.  I think Brooke probably wants to get him settled in first.”

Brooke nodded and turned to James.  “I would like to take him up to the nursery,” she said.

“You go on, Darling,” James said and kissed her softly.  “I have a few calls to make in the study and then I’ll be right up.”

Brooke started up the stairs and Leilani followed her close behind to see if she needed tending to.  After they were safely out of view, James turned to Stormy and approached him rapidly.

“Stormy, have you heard anything about Philip Whitacre?” he asked.

“No, nothing,” he replied.  “The police have their best people out on a full-scale manhunt.  If Whitacre is still in the area, they’ll find him.  Don’t worry, Dad.”

James huffed with irritation and dug his hands in his pockets.  “Well I am worried,” he said with disdain.  “That maniac kidnapped my wife.  He damn near could have killed you up in that cabin.  He’s got to be found and taken in so I can see that justice is served.  I won’t let him get away with this.”

Upstairs on the landing, Brooke listened to James’s tirade and sighed with exasperation.  She didn’t want her husband going after Philip like this.  It wasn’t worth it.  She knew he wasn’t a danger to them.  He wasn’t going to come back.  She was sure of it. 

Stormy followed Heather down the hallway and pulled her off to a corner.  “Can I talk to you for a minute?” he asked.

She shrugged, flipping her long hair over her shoulder.  “Is this about the divorce?” she asked.  “Because I haven’t got the final papers yet.  The lawyer said it should be a few more days.”

“It’s not about the divorce,” Stormy replied.  “It’s about Brett.”

Panic set in and she backed up instinctively, throwing up her defenses.  “What about him?”

“I know that he had you steal those scripts from Will Thomerson.  Heather, why are you letting him take advantage of you like that?  Don’t you know what kind of trouble Brett Armstrong is?  Have you forgotten what he did last summer with Lauren?”

Heather shook her head in aggravation and shot him a hateful stare.  “You have the nerve to mention that bitch in front of me?” she asked.  “I don’t give a damn what Brett’s involvement with her was.  You were supposed to be my husband.  You were the one who cheated.  Don’t try to turn this around on Brett.”

Stormy couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  Had she taken Brett’s side too?  What did he have to do to convince people that he was a creep?   “Look, if he was using you or coerced you into doing something then I want to know about it.  I’ll be damned if I’m going to let him treat you like that, Heather.”

“Why?  Because you’re such a stand-up kind of guy?” Heather asked with a sarcastic chuckle.  “Get real, Stormy.  And get this straight – nobody makes me do anything that I don’t want to do.  And I resent the fact that you assume Brett coerced me into doing anything.  As if I don’t have a mind of my own.”

“Heather, I didn’t say that-“ Stormy began and reached out to her.

She shook her head and pushed him away.  “Forget it.  You know what?  I hope those divorce papers get here real soon, because right now I want to forget I was ever married to you.”

With that, she raced down the hall and didn’t look back.  She was more than unnerved by the confrontation with Stormy.   Yes, she did feel used by Brett.  Particularly because he promised her a role in a move in exchange for getting him those scripts.  A role that he later took back and flaunted it in her face.   But she refused to let Stormy know that she’d been taken advantage of.  The time for him being her champion was long over.  She was a self-sufficient woman now.  Independent and happily so.

Later, Heather sat down in the parlor room of Will Thomerson’s estate, accepting a glass of wine from him as he positioned himself next to her. 

“I just think it’s so great that James and Brooke are together again and that the baby is safe at home,” she said.  “Plus James is out of the wheelchair now.  They’ve been through so much together and they don’t deserve any more pain.”

Will stifled the urge to scream at her to shut up about James and how he deserved to be happy.  It was the biggest example of irony he’d ever heard of in his life.  After keeping him from his son for almost thirty years, he deserved no happiness whatsoever.  And he was determined to make it right.

“I’m sorry,” Heather continued.  “I know I’ve been rambling since I got here.  You and James aren’t exactly friends.  I respect that and I won’t mention it again.  But I would like to talk about that role that you promised me in your next film.”

“Role?” Will asked.  It was the last thing on his mind with everything he’d learned in the past few days.   “Oh, you mean the starring role in The Murderess?  Well, I can’t exactly give you a role in a film that James stole out from under me.”

Heather grew quiet and her eyes traveled uneasily across the room.  She wished she’d never gone along with Brett’s scheme.  If she hadn’t, Will would have given her the role and she wouldn’t be left holding an empty bag.

Will examined her expression carefully.  She wasn’t good at hiding her guilty conscience.   Yet another reason he hated James Blackthorne.  He’d used Heather to steal from him.   That was something else he was going to have to make right.  He’d make them all pay, including Heather Blackthorne, for double-crossing him.

“Well,” Heather continued after an awkward moment.  “There’s always another movie.”

He smiled and put his arm around her.  “Yes, there is.  I'll make sure you get what you have coming to you, Princess."

Gwen entered the study where James was engrossed in an official sounding phone call with his lawyer.  He held up his hand and smiled politely while he finished the conversation.   Gwen looked around the office and wrapped her arms around herself, awkward and uncomfortable.

As soon as James hung up, he gestured to a chair and sat down on the edge of his desk.  “Pretty exciting day, isn’t it?”

She nodded with a smile.  “Yes, it is.  The baby being born, you walking again…it’s all so wonderful, Mr. Blackthorne.”  She shifted in her seat.  “What is it that you wanted to talk to me about?”

“Well, Brooke and I were talking and we decided that we’d like to have someone around to help out with the baby,” James announced.  “You’ve shown yourself to be a very capable nurse, Gwen.  I know I was a bit unbearable at times, but the truth is I couldn’t have done it all without you.”

“Thank you for saying so.”

“So we’d like to ask you to stay on,” James explained.  “You’ve become like part of the family, and I know Brooke would appreciate the help with the baby.  What do you say?”

Floored by the overwhelming gesture, Gwen nodded with approval, feeling her eyes misting over with tears.  She’d been so afraid that she would be excused from her duties as soon as James began walking again.  But now the opportunity to stay was staring her in the face.  How could she not take it?  That incident in South America was years ago.  She had been punished and she paid her debt to society.  She was much better now.  

“Gwen?” James said in a effort to pull her back to reality.  “Do you need more time to think about it?”

She quickly shook her head and stood at attention.  “No, I’d like to accept your offer, Mr. Blackthorne.  It would mean a great deal to me to stay and work for your family.”

“Good, that settles it then,” James said and ushered her to the door.  “I’ll tell my wife right away.  I know she’ll be pleased.”

Gwen nodded and started out into the hallway.  Her elation was quickly clouded by uncertainty and dread.  Suddenly she realized that if she and Brett were going to be together one day and raise their baby as man and wife, she couldn’t possibly stay on working for the Blackthornes.  He was married to Miranda Blackthorne, after all.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Stormy appeared and saw the resonant look in her eyes.  “Gwen, are you okay?” he asked as he stepped closer.

She snapped out of the daze and shot her head quickly toward him.  “What?” she asked, startled by his sudden appearance.  “Uh, yes.  I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine.  Are you sure there isn’t anything I can do?”

Gwen didn’t want him prying.  She knew the way he and Brett were constantly at odds and she didn’t want to slip and say anything that he could use against them.  “No…I mean yes, I’m sure.  If you’ll excuse me….”

Stormy stopped her before she could walk away.  He turned her around to face him and tried to appear as unthreatening as he could.  “Gwen, I hope I’m not speaking out of line, but I couldn’t help notice something the other day when I was in your room.”  He paused, wondering if she would bring it up first.  “The pregnancy test.  Did you take it?   Are you pregnant?”

Paralyzed with fear, she wrung her hands tightly together and began swaying back and forth in her standing position.   She knew her thoughts were betraying her, but lying and sneaking around had never been her strong suit.  Maybe that’s why she spent those years in prison.  She had to confess to what she did.  She served her time and she was released.  That was all there was to it.

“No, I’m not pregnant,” she said, then quickly forced herself to speak up louder and more confidently.  “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Gwen, it’s okay,” Stormy said reassuringly.  “It’s just between the two of us.  If you are pregnant, I won’t tell anyone if you don’t want me to.  It’s nobody else's business.”

She didn’t say anything.  She couldn’t.  The paralyzing fear was back.  Why did he have to keep badgering her?  Her stomach started to hurt and she felt cramped and sweaty in the foyer.

“Is it someone's that you’ve been seeing?” Stormy asked.  “A boyfriend?  Have you told him yet?”

Gwen felt like she would pass out.  She had to get away fast.  “Please just leave me alone,” she said and dashed up the stairs with a flourish. 

Stormy frowned, wondering why she’d gotten so upset.  He was only trying to reach out to her as a friend.  But something had gotten to her and sent her into a panic.  The only question was what?

Alex walked into the parlor room of her house in Beverly Hills.  She threw her coat over a chair and walked to the bar to pour a drink.