Clear Evidence of Fate Part 1

Lila has decided that Matt is defintely the guy for her, and to get in good with Rachel she's knived Jaimie into coming home. Grant's murder is solved and no
one really important did it. No one really got punished for it either.

Scene: Cory Mansion early November
Present are Jaimie and Rachel in the living room.

RACHEL: So when are you going to ask?
JAIMIE: About Cory and Elizabeth? How are my baby brother and sister?
RACHEL:They're fine. That's not what I meant and you know it. When are you going to ask about Jake and Vicky? About Steven?
JAIMIE:Why would I want to know about them? I could call, Vicky and I actually became friends after we got divorced and I moved away.
RACHEL:Shame you couldn't have done that BEFORE you got married.
JAIMIE:I think you're begining to sound like Grandma or even Aunt Liz!!!
RACHEL: What?!?!
JAIMIE:You think I should ask you? I'll see her later.
RACHEL:Well, he is your only child I thought you'd be interested in his parents.

AMANDA comes in hysterical about something.

JAIMIE:I never really appreciated her inability to cope until now. If only you knew, Mom, if only you knew.

THE HERALD (JAKE, STEVEN, CHRIS and ASSORTED NEWSPAPER PEOPLE)

JAKE(to CHRIS):Steven's school is doing a "Career Day" thing and he picked the newpaper. So, show my boy EVERYTHING…
STEVEN:If I'm YOUR boy Jake, why don't YOU show me around. It is YOUR job I'm doing the project on…

(JAKE smiles as only he can)

JAKE:I just thought you might get a more unbiased, balanced view of …
STEVEN:Why would I want balanced or unbiased? I AM your boy, aren't I, Jake? Yours and Mom's. And we know she doesn't even believed in "balanced and unbiased"!!! I'm not sure she even knows what they mean!!! (JAKE laughs)
JAKE:So we like do things right
STEVEN: and big!!! Remember the Christmas Tree? I like to do things that way too.
JAKE(they begin to walk through the office) OK the first thing you need to know then is that this is the only good paper in town. And I made it that way. JUST me, not Amanda, not Matt, I did it. I saved this paper!!
STEVEN(looking back at Chris) Isn't he just the best?!?!?
CHRIS: Yeah, whatever, kid!
JAKE: You, coming Steven?
STEVEN: Always, Jake. You're MY man.

CARLINO'S (JAIMIE walks up to the restaurant and sees PAULINA so he goes in)

JAIMIE: Some place you've got here sis!
PAULINA:Thanks, it was really Joe's idea.
JAIMIE: You look happy, I'm glad Joe finally gave what you needed. Jake certainly wouldn't have.
PAULINA: He's changed you know.
JAIMIE: A lot of things have.
PAULINA: I wish you were happy.
JAIMIE: I am, I have my work and my…
PAULINA: That's just my point, you have no "and…"
JAIMIE: You know I've never been good at relationships. I mean the way people talk about my "wild" ex and a man I STILL consider to be an abusive neanderthal, they'll probably win some sort of domestic bliss award or be voted couple of the millenia or something!!
PAULINA:They changed, and you'd be amazed at what THAT kind of love can do.
JAIMIE:Are they really THAT good together… I mean I know they were always there for each other when it mattered. But, I also remember when they were just about to rip each other apart. They loved and hated each other in equal measure when I left.
PAULINA: Jake's whole life revolves around Vicky and the boys now. He's really turned it all around.
JAIMIE:He's a good father?
PAULINA:Is that what this is about? You did leave you know…
JAIMIE:I know, it's not like I didn't expect or want Vicky to find someone to help her. I want Steven to have a man around, a good man… But did it really have to be Jake McKinnon?
PAULINA:They are the clearest evidence of fate I've ever seen.
JAIMIE(he raises his voice and gets louder and more hysterical sounding as he continues):FATE? What do you mean? That Jake's is Steven's ONLY father and should have been from the beginning? I was the one who married her you know, I was the honorable one, the good guy, not HIM!!! I deserved to get the girl and the son in his own image, not HIM!! Anyone but JAKE McKINNON!!!
PAULINA:Whoa!!! No, that's not what I meant. I only meant that they started out topgether and it's kinda nice they ended up together, that's all.
JAIMIE(a little embarrassed): I'm sorry, Paulina, I didn't mean to jump down your throat like that. I just can't get used to all the "changes".
PAULINA: Are you ok? I mean, is that ALL that's wrong?
JAIMIE:Yeah, I'm fine. Maybe I should go and see Vicky and talk. Mom seems to think I've been avoiding the issue.
PAULINA:Maybe if you see it for yourself, you'll feel better. Rachel is usuall right, especially when it comes to one of her kids.
JAIMIE: Bye.
PAULINA (to JOE who has just come in): I'm worried about him.
JOE:Who Blue Eyes?
PAULINA: Jaimie. He's hiding something. Something's wrong.

JAIMIE arrives at the cottage and peers through the window and sees JAKE "collecting" the boys for dinner. He has STEVEN under one arm and KIRK under the other. He kind of flies them over to their seats at the dinner table. Once the boys get seated VICKY comes in with dinner and Jake nuzzles her neck and then he settles into his seat. JAIMIE looks visibly ill. The McKinnon family has just begun to eat when JAIMIE knocks on the door. VICKY gets up and answers it.

VICKY: Jaimie! I heard you were back in town, you should have told us you were coming by tonight. We would have held dinner for you.
STEVEN(walking towards the door): Who is it, Mom? Oh, (seeing JAIMIE), it's you. I think I remember who you are… Let's see, oh yeah, you're my phantom father. Why don't you just fade back into wherever you came from!
VICKY:Steven! (he runs off)

JAKE sees STEVEN and goes after him. In STEVEN's bedroom, they talk.

JAKE:What's up, little man?
STEVEN:I had fun today Jake.
JAKE:So did I.
STEVEN:I liked it when you called me "your boy".
JAKE: Well, that's how I think of you and Kirk.
STEVEN:I don't want that to ever change. I want to be YOUR boy always, ok? No one else's.
JAKE: What about your mom? Can I share you with her?
STEVEN (smiles grudgingly): Her, but no one else, ok?
JAKE:Oh, I get it this is about your Dad being here.

JAIMIE is coming up the stairs and just reaches the bedroom when the conversation continues, he listens unseen.

STEVEN:Don't call him that!! He's not my Dad!
JAKE:Of course he is!
STEVEN: No, he's not!
JAKE:OK, then who is?
STEVEN: You are. You've always been there for me and my Mom, and you're the one who loves us.
JAKE:Steven, you're right. I do love you and I'll always be there. But, Jaimie's your real Dad.
STEVEN:YOU'RE my REAL Dad.
JAKE:Trust me on this one kid, your Mom and I already played this scene before and after you were born. Jaimie Frame is your biological father.
STEVEN:That's not what I mean. We talk in school about what being a "real" father is, and you're it. He's never been around, and I can't remember a time when you weren't. You are my "real" Dad.
JAKE:Well, that's true, and I'm glad they're teaching you that kind of stuff in school. I certainly didn't know that kind of stuff until I got a LOT older. But, Jaimie, he ALWAYS knew that kind of stuff. You gotta respect a guy like that.
STEVEN:I guess this means I gotta go apologize, huh?
JAKE: Yep, that would be good.
STEVEN: OK, I'm going.
JAKE: Steven?
STEVEN: Yeah?
JAKE: Thanks.

STEVEN smiles back and heads downstairs. JAIMIE has snuck downstairs and out the door. VICKY is in the kitchen.

STEVEN: Where'd he go?
VICKY: Who sweetie?
STEVEN: Our visitor.
VICKY: Jaimie? he's in the living room. BE NICE!
STEVEN:I came down to say I'm sorry, Mom. Jake says I should respect him.
VICKY: He did?
STEVEN (after checking the living room again): Yeah, and there's no one there Mom. he must have left. Like I said, "the Phantom".

JAKE comes into the kitchen and VICKY plants a real big one on him.

JAKE: MMMMMMM! What was that for?
VICKY:Do I have to have a reason? I just love you more than life itself, and I just can't believe you're mine forever. I'm so lucky. (They kiss again with even more passion!)
JAKE: Wow! I must have really hit the jackpot tonight!! I've got the most beautiful woman in the world and she can't keep her hands, or her lips (as they kiss again, each one more passionate than the last) off of me! I love you too Vick.
VICKY:Show me how much.
JAKE: Like you have to ask. Any where, anytime, always and forever. (They race upstairs to bed, or the shower, or both, depending on your own fantasies and taste)

JAIMIE is wandering around the docks when he runs straight into (and almost knocks over) MARLEY.

JAIMIE:Oh, I'm sorry, Miss… Marley?
MARLEY: Jaimie? How did… How did you know it was me? I …
JAIMIE:I'd know you anywhere.
MARLEY:How? My face…
JAIMIE:It was never your face I was interested in. Besides, you look beautiful.
MARLEY(smiling) You've always been so sweet to me, I don't deserve it, not anymore.
JAIMIE:Stop it, you never felt worthy of anything. I never understood that about you.
MARLEY:I've done things, you don't understand, horrible things.
JAIMIE:So you're not perfect, and let's face it, temporary bouts of insanity do seem to run in your family. Your Aunt Nicole, Donna, and no one can tell me that Reginald Love wasn't a few cards short of a deck! They should've given you a group rate or some sort of frequent nutso miles or something when you checked into that hospital.
MARLEY:(laughing) Yeah, I never quite thought of it that way.
JAIMIE: (meaning to be supportive but sounding a little skeptical) You're better now, right ?
MARLEY:Well, they let me out, didn't they. What about you?
JAIMIE:(a little too emphatically) I'm fine.
MARLEY: I may be nuts, but I'm not blind. I said, How are you?
JAIMIE:Steven hates me, and worships Jake McKinnon.
MARLEY:Oh, yeah, that. I'm sure he doesn't hate you. I think I hold that position in his heart.
JAIMIE: No, I guess I'm just obsolete. He said Jake was his real Dad, and he's right.
MARLEY:You're Steven's real Dad and you always will be.
JAIMIE:No, I'm not, and I never really was.
MARLEY: What are you talking about? You've just been gone for awhile. Spend some time with Steven and…
JAIMIE:That's not it. The kid's right. Jake McKinnon is his REAL Dad.
MARLEY:(totally clueless still but alerted)What are you saying?
JAIMIE:When you were little, did you know Donna wasn't really your sister. Even just a feeling? I've wondered.
MARLEY:(starting to get a clue and definitely intrigued) Well, I knew there was something a bit off in our relationship. But something was always "a bit off" in my whole family, so I never thought about it that much. What do you mean, Steven was right?
JAIMIE:Jake McKinnon is Steven's biological father, not me.
MARLEY:WHAT?!?!?
JAIMIE:You heard me.
MARLEY:HOW?!?!
JAIMIE:I switched the blood samples. I am a doctor, you know.
MARLEY:Why? It's just so unlike you. I don't believe you.
JAIMIE: I was just so mad. I mean I gave up my whole life for her. I was the good guy, the honorable one, the responsible one and that slime, that snake Jake McKinnon ends up with everything! I was going to end up with less than anything, less than a life. It wasn't fair.
MARLEY:I still don't understand, all these years…
JAIMIE:I know, I just couldn't let it go, and later, I couldn't say anything either. I guess that's really why I left. Never try to trick fate, it'll just kick you in the behind and trample you anyway.
MARLEY:You lost me again. What are you talking about now? Fate?
JAIMIE:Paulina said Jake and Vicky were the clearest evidence of fate she'd ever seen. Maybe that's why I jumped all over her. So, you can leave now and
be totally disgusted.
MARLEY:I don't have any right to be disgusted with anyone these days. Remember, I'm the one who kidnapped my own sister in an attempt to steal her husband, her kids, hell, I even wanted that house.
JAIMIE(laughs):Thanks.
MARLEY:You do have to tell them though.
JAIMIE:I know.
MARLEY:Maybe you should just tell Vicky. Jake'll kill you.
JAIMIE:Yeah? I thought he was so reformed.
MARLEY:Well, I tried his patience. And then there was that whole Grant thing I don't know how much more he can take. Reformed or not.
JAIMIE:Let's get this over with. (Reaches in his pocket and gets out his cell phone)
MARLEY:I'll leave you alone.
JAIMIE(reaches for her hand) Don't. (On the phone)Vicky? Can we have lunch tomorrow? We have to talk. Good.
MARLEY:What did she say?
JAIMIE:We meet at noon tomorrow.