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PREVIOUSLY ON MT. VERNON SQUARE...

Holly and Paul reconciled after Holly realized her father was lying and trying to destroy her relationship with Paul.  Brooke was shocked when a visit from Catrina revealed Scott as the secret admirer.  Once Brooke told Kyle about Scott, though, Kyle's anger got the best of him and he stormed out of The Brew, threatening to kill Scott.  As Brooke warned Scott and then rushed downtown to stop Kyle from making a big mistake, Scott was rundown in the parking garage.  After insisting the culprit was Kyle, Scott and Brooke were both surprised when Kyle appeared in the parking garage and announces that Catrina was driving the car.  Luckily, no one was hurt in the incident.  Ashley sat at The Brew waiting for a client to show up for a late meeting, but to Ashley's surprise, the client was none other than her abusive husband John Barnett from NYC.  Jamie sat back and watched in joy as her revenge against Ashley unraveled.  However, Jamie was the one left standing alone when Bret came to Ashley's defense and offered to take her home.  And now...Mt. Vernon Square Episode Eight....

 

EPISODE EIGHT:  "The Hurt Before the Healing"

 

 

    The following morning, at The Belevedere Hotel in Ashley's suite, Bret is sitting on the sofa while Ashley is quickly packing her bags.  "Ash, you can keep running from this guy.  You can't spend the rest of your life living out of hotels and suitcases and looking over your shoulder," Bret tells her.

   Ashley continues packing her things.  "Bret, you don't know this man.  You don't know how powerful he actually is.  And what are you doing here anyway?  You should be at home working things out with Jamie," Ashley responds.  Bret walks over to Ashley and grabs her hand to make her stop packing.

    "Ashley.  Please sit down for a second.  Let's talk about this.  Let's figure out what we can do.  There are laws to protect you.  They are ways to stop him from doing this to you again," Bret pleads to her.  Ashley pulls away.  "No, Bret.  There's nothing.  I've tried everything and the only thing that makes it get any better is to runaway."  Ashley stops packing for a moment.  "You know what they sad part is," she continues, "I don't even blame Jamie.  I mean, who could.  I guess I'm getting everything I deserve.  I'm surprised you're even here considering I fired you and probably destroyed your relationship with Jamie."  Ashley starts crying.  "I'm so tired, Bret."

    Bret wraps his arms around Ashley and pulls her close to him.  "Shhh.  Shhh," Bret whispers as he kisses her head.  "You don't deserve any of this.  No one deserves a life of abuse."  

    Suddenly, there is a knock at the door.  Bret and Ashley look at one another.  "Stay here, Ash.  I'll see who it is," Bret commands.  Ashley steps back toward the window on the furthest wall from the door as Bret walks over to the door.  The banging gets louder and then stops.  Bret looks back at Ashley.  "Call hotel security and get the police here, Ash."  As he turns to look through the peephole on the door, John busts through the door, hitting Bret in the head with as it swings opened.  

    John runs over to Ashley and rips the phone from her hand and then from the wall.  "It's over, Ashley.  You can't run anymore and you're coming home with me," John tells her.  Bret lays unconscious on the floor behind the opened door.

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    At Brooke and Kyle's apartment, Brooke is making a pot of coffee in the kitchen while Kyle is in the living room reading the paper.  A knock at the door surprises both of them.  Kyle gets up and walks over to the door.  He peers out of the window and then turns back to Brooke who is watching from the kitchen doorway.  "Brooke, it's Cat," Kyle tells her.  Brooke hurries to the front door as Kyle opens it.

    Catrina is standing outside of the door.  Her hair is a mess and she isn't wearing any make-up.  Her face is pale and she has dark circles beneath her eyes.  Brooke reaches out to her and Catrina starts to cry.  Kyle watches as Catrina grabs Brooke and hugs her.  "I need help, Brooke," Catrina sobs.  "I need so much help."  As Brooke holds Catrina, she looks over at Kyle.

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    At the cafe in Charles Village, Alex and Valerie are having breakfast.  Alex places his fork on his plate, puts his elbows on the table, and then folds his hands in front of his mouth.  He watches Valerie until she notices he is staring at her.  "What?" she asks, giggling nervously.  Alex stares at her for a moment.  She becomes even more nervous.  "Alex, stop looking at me that way.  You're making me uncomfortable."

    "What is the only problem in our relationship, Val?"  Alex asks her.  Valerie just stares at him, unsure as to what she should answer.  "I'll tell you what our problem is," he continues.  Valerie's eyes widen as she anticipates what Alex is going to define as the problem of their relationship.  He continues.  "We work too much.  I work too much.  We need to get out and about some more.  Maybe even go on a real date," he tells her.  

    Valerie smiles and quietly lets out a sigh of relief.  "A date?" she asks.  "Does that mean someplace besides The Brew?"  Valerie smiles and again and watches Alex as he returns the smile.  Alex picks up his orange juice and takes a sip.  "I have an idea.  Why don't we ask Holly and Paul on a double date?  We could go to dinner and a movie or something," he suggests.

    "Sure," Valerie replies hesitantly.  "That would be lots of fun."  She smiles at Alex again and he returns the sentiment.  "Good, we are meeting them at the Stables tonight at 7.  It should be lots of fun," he tells her.  Valerie's smile fades as Alex turns his attention to his newspaper.   

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    Back at the Belevedere, Bret's eyes are opening.  He realizes that he is bound and gagged and in the closet in Ashley's hotel suite.  He musters up some strength and he starts pounding on the wall at the back of the closet with his feet.  

    Meanwhile in the service elevator of the hotel, John is holding Ashley's arm tightly as they wait for the car to stop at the first level.  As they continue the elevator ride, Ashley warns John, "You're not going to get away with this, John.  I have friends here.  My friends will help me."  John laughs.  "Oh you mean friends like Jamie.  With friends like that, who needs enemies."  Ashley struggles to pull away from him, but she cannot as he tightens his grip.  "Ashley, you don't have any friends.  They're all just like your family.  No one cares about you. No one but me.  That's why you're coming home with me.  You need me.  You need to be there with me," he tells her.

    Upstairs, in Ashley's hotel suite, Bret's pounding on the wall finally draws attention as a member of the security staff knocks on the door.  Bret hears the knocking and the man calling out to anyone in the room.  Since he cannot answer because he is gagged, Bret bangs his feet even harder and louder against the wall, finally prompting the man to enter the room with his master key.

    Behind the hotel, John pulls a struggling Ashley to the driver's side door of his car, parked in the alley.  He opens the door and forces Ashley into the passenger seat.  He grabs her around the neck with one hand and threatens her.  "Don't try anything funny either.  I don't want to have to hurt you."  John starts the car and drives down the alley.        

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    In Bolton Hill, at Holly and Paul's house, the couple is eating breakfast at their kitchen table.  Their quiet breakfast is interrupted by a sudden statement from Holly.  "You know what, Paul?"  Paul just looks at her as she continues.  "I don't know if it's a good idea to be double dating with Alex and Valerie."  Paul looks at her in wonder as she leans back in her chair and crosses her legs Indian style.  

    Holly looks out of the window for a moment and then begins to explain herself to Paul.  "Last night, I was thinking and I remembered that Valerie threatened me that night I went to The Brew with Jamie and Bret--you know the night I fell in the bathroom.  I vaguely remember what happened, but I seem to recall Valerie saying something to me about Alex being in love with me or something like that and blah blah blah..."  She takes a bite of her toast.

    Paul snickers and responds, "Hey, maybe you didn't even fall.  Maybe Valerie clocked you over the head with a plunger or something." Holly smiles at Paul and uses her fork to flick a piece of scrambled egg at him.  "Be serious," she tells him.  Paul continues.  "You probably just dreamt that or something.  She isn't exactly the nicest person in the world anyway, but she's more of a neurotic than a psychotic."  Holly laughs, "I suppose.  But I can't help but think Valerie didn't just 'help' me to the bathroom that night."  Holly looks out of the window again as Paul continues to eat his breakfast.

    Driving toward the downtown area, near the Inner Harbor, Ashley tries to unlock the door to jump out of the car at a stoplight.  However, John is able to grab her and with his fist to her face, knocks her against the passenger door window.  "Ashley, don't make this any harder for me," he warns.  Ashley, with blood trickling from her lip and her nose and a black eye, cowers in the passenger seat.  

    Leaning against the passenger door to be as far aware from John as she can, Ashley notices a small can of breath spray in the pouch on the door.  She looks up and out of the windshield and realizes that they are almost to the highway.  Ashley sneaks her hand down and into the pouch and clenches the spray.  She maneuvers it in her hand and then reaches up and sprays it two times, once into each of John's eyes.  

    As John screams and yells in pain and at Ashley, and grabs his eyes with both of his hands, he loses control of the car and runs across a lane of traffic causing a bus to clip the back end of the passenger side of the car.  The car spins around several times, stopping once the driver's side of the car is pinned against a telephone pole.  The bus hits the car again, crushing it into the telephone pole even harder.  Several witnesses run to the smoking car and see Ashley and John both unconscious in the front seat.  One of the bystanders dials 9-1-1 on his cell phone.  "Hurry, there's been an accident on Greene Street.  Greene Street and Lombard.  Please hurry. There are two people that are hurt pretty badly." The bystander looks over at the car and sees Ashley's head covered in blood and John's head resting on the now deflated airbag.

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    Back in Mt. Vernon, Kyle excuses himself as Catrina and Brooke have a cup of tea.  "I have to get to The Brew.  I told Alex I would be there to open today."  He kisses Brooke good-bye and then walks to Catrina.  He leans down and gives her a hug.  "You take care.  And don't worry, things are going to be alright," he tells her.  Catrina smiles at Kyle and thanks him.

    After Kyle leaves, Brooke sits back in the chair, as Catrina does the same on the sofa.  "So, Cat.  What are you going to do?" Brooke asks her.  Catrina sighs and looks down at the floor.  "Cat, you should talk to him.  That's all he's wanted from you since you told him to leave."

    Cat sighs again and looks up at Brooke.  After a few seconds, she begins crying again.  "Brooke, what am I going to say to him?  'I'm sorry I tried to kill you.'  How exactly do you apologize for trying to run someone down with your car?  I think it would be in everyone's best interest if I just left Baltimore."  Catrina covers her face with her hands.

    Brooke stands up and walks over next to Catrina.  She sits on the sofa beside her and places her arm around her.  "I think that Scott will just be happy that you're okay.  I don't think he's mad at you," Brooke assures Catrina.

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    Downtown, Scott is in his office on the telephone.  "She's crazy!  She...tried...to...run...me...down...with...her...car!  What part of attempted murder don't you understand!" he yells at someone in the phone.  He pauses for a few minutes.  "Okay, so that's what I have to do to press charges?...Fine."  He slams the phone down and stands up and walks over to the bar.  He grabs a glass and pours some Scotch.  As Scott is about to take a drink, he looks at the glass and then throws it across his office and against the wall, where it shatters all over the wall and the floor.  "DAMMIT, Catrina!!"

    Scott's office door opens and Valerie peeps her head in and jokes, "Should I skip the good morning, Scott."  Scott looks over at her, but doesn't return her smile.  She continues as she walks into Scott's office.  "It's a little early for booze, don't you think?"

    Scott looks up at her.  "Take the day off, Valerie.  Just take the day off.  Get the hell out of here," he demands.  Valerie quickly turns and walks out of the office, slamming the door behind her.  "Valerie," Scott tries to yell but can't as he starts crying.  "I'm sorry."  Scott begins sobbing.  "I'm so sorry, Cat."  Scott picks up a picture from his desk.  It is of he and Catrina at the beach and they are both smiling and obviously happy in the picture.  "Why don't you believe me?  Why can't you believe me?  Why can't you believe that I am in love with you, Cat?  Why can't you believe that I'm in love with two women?"  Scott throws the frame down on his desk and then walks over to the bar again.  This time, he pours the drink and guzzles it quickly.

    A while later, Jamie is working on some patient charts at the nurse's station in the emergency room at Harbor.  As she is writing, she listens to the radio and hears that two victims of a car accident are being brought into the hospital.  She calls out to everyone to prepare and leaves her chart to meet the ambulance at the drive-up dock.

    Outside, Jamie watches as the ambulance backs into the dock and the doors open.  As the gurney is pulled and lifted from the ambulance, she sees the victim of the car accident is Ashley.  "Oh my God, Ashley."  Jamie immediately asks for a report from the EMT and then checks the unconscious Ashley's vitals.  She gives her orders to the other staff of the emergency room as she walks over to check the other victim of the car accident.  "Please, don't be Bret," she says to herself as she walks over to the man on the stretcher.  She looks down and sees it a barely recognizable John.

    As Jamie stares down at John, she remembers the previous night at The Brew:

    Ashley stands up as John Barnett approaches her.  "John, just get out of here," Ashley pleads.  John walks over to her and grabs her arm.  "Come on, Ashley, we're going home."  Bret and Alex watch with concern as Jamie watches with a smile on her face.  John pulls Ashley away from the bar.  "You're hurting me, John.  Let me go!" Ashley continues to plead.  

    Bret walks over to John and steps in front of him.  "I don't think she wants to go with you, so why don't you get off of her," Bret demands.  By this time, Alex has hopped over the bar and pulls Ashley away from John. "Ashley, go behind the bar," Alex tells her and then turns to John.  "You, my friend, need to get out of here before I call the police."

    John backs down and looks over at Ashley.  "We're not finished here, girl.  When I finally get my hands on you, you're going to wish you never left New York," John threatens as Ashley cries in fright.  Jamie watches as Ashley cowers and John leaves the bar.  Alex walks around the bar to Ashley.  "Are you okay, Ash?" he asks.  "Who was that?"

    Ashley, in tears, responds as she's hugging Alex, "That was the man who used to beat me.  That was the man who tried to kill me.  That's my husband."  Bret and Alex look at one another in shock as Jamie sits on a bar stool and takes a sip from her drink, still smiling a bit.  Ashley looks over at her.

    "You did this, didn't you?"  Ashley accuses Jamie.  "You found out about him and you called him because I fired Bret."  Jamie jumps on the defensive as Bret and Alex look on.  "I don't know what you're talking about, Ashley.  I don't even know you."

    "No, you don't," Ashley continues, "but you mentioned New York City and my husband when you first got here tonight.  Oh, God.  Do you realize what you've done?"  Ashley walks around the bar and over to Jamie, who follows her with her eyes.  "Do you realize what he's going to do to me now?"  Ashley walks over to Jamie and slaps her across the face.  Jamie grabs hold her cheek with her hand.  "Thanks a hell of a lot."

    Bret walks over and grabs Ashley.  "Come on, Ash.  I'll take you home."  He looks over at Alex.  "Can we use the back entrance, Alex?"  Alex nods and Bret looks over at Jamie.  "I can't believe you, Jamie.  How could you do this to her?  How could you know and do this to anyone?  I thought I knew you, but I guess I was wrong."  Bret and Ashley start walking toward the back entrance of The Brew as Jamie watches, a single tear dropping from her eye.

    "Dr. Reynolds?  Dr. Reynolds?"  Jamie's flashback to the scene at The Brew the night before is interrupted by hospital staff member.  Jamie looks over at the nurse.  "Dr. Reynolds, should we prep this one for surgery?"  Jamie pauses a moment before she answers, glancing down at John.   Jamie looks across the room to Ashley, who is still unconscious, and is still being worked on my doctors and nurses.

    Jamie looks at the nurse.  "How's the female victim of the accident doing?"  The nurse looks up at her and responds, "Not great, Dr. Reynolds.  It isn't looking too good for her at this point."  Jamie looks down at John again as the nurse continues.  "Dr. Reynolds, I need a call.  What are we doing with this guy?"  As Jamie looks over at Ashley again, John flatlines.  "We lost him," another nurse calls out to the doctors and nurses.  The nurse watches as Jamie doesn't react to the flatline.  The nurse turns and grabs to another doctor.  

    "Dr. Gish, we need you here."  The doctor walks over to the table and notices Jamie standing there not responding to the flatline.  "Lydia," he says to one of the nurses, "get Dr. Reynolds out of here."  The nurse pulls Jamie back as the doctor and nurses attempt to resuscitate John.  Jamie just watches, glancing back and forth between John and Ashley.

    Meanwhile outside in the waiting room, Bret comes inside with the police.  He demands to speak with Jamie, but the receptionist tells him that she is with an emergency room patient.  Bret watches as the police are escorted into the patient care center and he asked to wait in the waiting room.

    At the University of Baltimore in Mt. Vernon, Valerie walks into the student union hall.  On the second level in the cafeteria, Holly and Alex are sharing a table and eating lunch.  The two are sitting next to one another at the four person table and laughing between bites of their food.  Valerie walks up the steps and stops at the door leading into the cafeteria.  She scans the room for Alex and finally spots them on the other side at one of the tables.  

    Valerie storms across the room and over to the table where Alex and Holly are having an early lunch.  "Well, I hope I didn't miss any of the fun, guys," Valerie snaps sarcastically.  Holly's laughter stops as she looks up at an obviously angry Valerie.  Alex, after a few more giggles, controls his laughter and it ends.  He looks up at Valerie and greets her, "Hey there, honey.  This is a surprise.  Why aren't you at work?"  

    As Valerie sits down, Holly beings to feel noticeably uncomfortable with her presence.  Alex's cell phone rings.  He answers, "Yes."  He pauses.  "Okay, sure.  I'll be right there.  Call me and let me know when you find out anything."  He disconnects the call and stands up.  "I have to go to The Brew.  Kyle just received a phone call and Ashley's has been in a car accident and Kyle is the only contact the hospital has for her.  He's going to go to head to Harbor to see how she is."  

    Valerie sighs poutily.  "Does this mean no date tonight, Alex?"  Alex apologizes to both Holly and Valerie and then excuses himself.  Valerie looks at Holly and fakes a smile.  "Guess it's just you and me, Holl, eh?"  Holly gathers her books and places them in her back pack.  "Actually, Valerie, I have class so I'm going to run.  Good seeing you again.  We'll have to reschedule tonight for another time," Holly tells her as she stands up and walks away from the table.  

    Valerie watches as Holly walks across the cafeteria and heads down the steps to the first level.  Valerie jumps up from the table and follows Holly.  At the top of the stairs, Valerie watches as Holly enters the women's bathroom.  Valerie darts down the steps and heads to the bathroom as well.

    Inside the bathroom, as Holly finishes in the stall, she opens the stall door.  As she attempts to walk out, Valerie pushes Holly back into the stall and closes the door behind her.  Valerie pushes Holly down until she is sitting on the toilet and grabs her by the hair.  "I've had it with you, Holly.  This is the last time I'm going to say it.  Stay away from Alex or you're going to be sorry.  Understand?"  Valerie, still holding onto Holly's hair, shakes Holly's head in a nodding 'yes' motion.  "Good," Valerie tells her as she lets go of her hair.  "I don't think you want to piss me off, Holly."

    Valerie unlocks the stall door and walks out, leaving Holly sitting there in awe.  After a few moments, Holly remembers the night in the bathroom at The Brew:

   In the ladies rest room at The Brew, Valerie is standing by the sink waiting for Holly, who is in the stall.  The toilet flushes and Holly stumbles out of the stall and over to the sink.  Valerie just watches her and she wobbles on her feet and washes her hands.  Once she is finished and turns the water off, Holly walks over to the paper towel dispenser where Valerie is now standing.  "Escuuse me," Holly slurs. 

   Valerie looks at Holly and then reaches up and grabs her face with one hand.  "I'm gonna say this once and only once, Holly, so you listen good.  I don't know what you want with Alex but he's mine.  So you just better back off and stay clear before you get yourself hurt.  Do you understand?" Valerie threatens.  Holly just looks at her without a word.  Valerie, still holding Holly's face, forces her to shake her head to motion 'yes.'  Valerie continues, "Now that I've made myself clear, help yourself back to the bar." 

    Holly wipes a tear from her cheek and stands up.  She walks out of the stall and over to the sink.  "You did threaten me that night, Valerie.  And you pushed me.  You're crazy.  You're completely insane!" Holly tells herself as she washes her hands at the sink.

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    At Harbor Medical Center just south of Downtown Baltimore, a nurse walks over to Bret in the waiting room.  As she is explaining to him that Ashley is still unconscious, Kyle runs into the waiting room.  "Bret," he interrupts.  "How is she?"  The nurse continues to explain that only one of them will be able to visit with Ashley and only for a few minutes until she is admitted and moved to her own room.  Bret agrees to let Kyle go see Ashley because he knows she would want to be with Kyle.  

    Meanwhile in the back, Jamie walks over to a still unconscious Ashley.  She reaches down and grabs her hand.  "I'm so sorry, Ashley.  I had no idea what he was capable of doing to you."  Kyle walks up behind Jamie, but she doesn't notice him.  "You won't ever have to worry about him again, Ashley.  John is never going to hurt you again.  I made sure of that." Kyle reaches out and places his hand on Jamie's shoulder.  

    "What happened, Jamie?  What happened to Ashley?"  he asks.  Jamie turns to Kyle and is crying.  She reaches out and grabs his hand.  "He was going to kill her, Kyle.  And he almost did."  She turns back and looks at Ashley.  I need to go now, Kyle.  She'll be happy to wake up and find you here next to her."  Jamie pushes by Kyle as he watches her go.  "Who was going to kill her, Jamie?"  Kyle's question is unanswered as Jamie walks away.  He turns and looks down at the bruised and bandaged Ashley.  "What did you get yourself into this time, Ash?"

TO BE CONTINUED...

Coming Soon, Episode Nine:  The End...

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